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Queen Anne &Magnolia

Rabbi Shalom Ber Levitin, right, regional Chabad rabbi for the Pacific Northwest, speaks to the crowd of well-wishers while his son, Rabbi Shnai Levitin, left, holds the mezuzah they then proceeded to hang in the doorway of the new Chabad of Queen Anne building, during an open house at the synagogue and Jewish center last week.

A first for Queen Anne

Jewish center opens to much celebration

By Jessica Keller QA&Mag News editor

A large number of the area’s Jewish community, as well as curious neighborhood residents and well-wishers turned out to celebrate the

grand opening of the Chabad of Queen Anne, last week.

The open house included tours of the building, 1825 Queen Anne Ave. N., which used to be a coffee shop and cafe, snacks and a ceremony in which a mezuzah was hung at the

front door.

The event was an exciting evening for the local Jewish community and Chabad Rabbi Shnai Levitin and his wife, Chaya, as it marked the opening of the first synagogue and Jewish center in Queen Anne, as well as the completion of the first phase of construction at

SEE CHABAD, PAGE 4

Area dancers bring Christmas cheer to QA

Dancers from Vam Studios’ Suitcase Theater and VIP Troupe gave a special sevenminute ‘Nutcracker’ performance, featuring tap and Irish dance during the final Queen Anne Harvest Market of the season Saturday at the top of Queen Anne. The event was organized by Counterbalance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing arts to the community.

Photo courtesy Laura Corvi

Photo by Jessica Keller

Queen Anne & Magnolia Worship Services

Sunday Worship at 10am Live Streamed on our Facebook page and YouTube. Simply look for Magnolia Lutheran Church.

Twelfth Church of Christ, Scientist

In Person and Online Church Services

All are welcome & warmly invited to join these healing services

For best audio results, please join by clicking on the link from your computer or smartphone and choose “Call Over Internet”

All Zoom Services Meeting ID: 418 806 2637 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4188062637

Sunday Services 11:00am – 12noon Pacific

Wednesday Testimonies 7:30pm – 8:30pm Pacific

Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lessons

Our weekly Bible Lesson Sermon may be found here: https://quarterly.christianscience.com/

Additional Healing Resources: ChristianScience.com CSWashington.com SeattleMetroReadingRoom.org

For additional assistance, please contact us at seattle12cs@gmail.com or 206.283.2300 ChristianScienceTwelfthSeattle.com

For a Healthier You

DENTISTS

Queen Anne Dental Group

Dr. Frank J. Calvo & Family

Cosmetic, Implant, & General Dentistry

400 Boston St. 206-284-7812 www.QADG.net

DEADLINES

News Submissions | Wednesday, Noon 206-461-1346 or QAMagNews@pacificpublishingcompany.com

Retail Display Advertising | Wednesday, 1:30 p.m. Tammy Knaggs, 206-461-1322 or ppcadmanager@pacificpublishingcompany.com

Legal Advertising | Friday, noon

Jody Vinson, 206-461-1323 legalads@pacificpublishingcompany.com

Classified Advertising | Friday, noon 206-461-1332 or class@pacificpublishingcompany.com

CHIROPRACTORS

Chiropractic AND Massage Therapy

SERVING THE FAMILIES OF QUEEN ANN E SINCE 1991

Darrell Gibson, D.C. • Sarah Gibson, D.C. Graeme Gibson, D.C.

David E. Goodall III, LMT

Sarah Rose Nottingham, LMT Lauren E. Traynor, LMT

1905 Queen Anne Ave N • 206.282.8275 www.QueenAnneChiro.com

STAFF

Editor: Jessica Keller, 206-461-1310

Art Department: Guy L. Jackson, Production Artist

Subscriber Services | Circulation: Chris Lemmen, 206-461-1337

Mailing address | P.O. Box 80156, Seattle, WA 98108 Physical address | 636 S. Alaska St., Seattle, WA 98108

QACC to consider dog park application in January

By Jessica Keller QA&Mag News editor

The Queen Anne Community Council will consider whether to sponsor an application for an offleash dog park at David Rodgers Park at its Jan. 5 meeting.

At a small meeting of the Queen Anne Community Council Parks Committee, Dec. 14, the majority of the members in attendance were in favor of beginning the process of appealing to the city to turn a second of David Rodgers Park, 2800 First Ave. W., on upper Queen Anne, into an OLA, while two did not support that location.

After witnessing further destruction of neighborhood parks in Queen Anne, QACC Parks Committee Chair Don Harper reintroduced the topic of finding a suitable location for an OLA on the top of Queen Anne in November. He toured David Rodgers Park with a small group of residents, both for and against the idea, and outlined three areas that could be suitable for an off-leash area.

“I will say that the more OLA’s that we have, the greater the chance we have of saving our parks,” Harper said last week. “Our parks are being ruined by the dogs off leash in them.”

Prior to last week’s meeting, Harper said, without an easily accessible dog park on the top of Queen Anne, dog owners have resorted to letting their dogs

Photo by Jessica Keller

Community Council president, agreed that Queen Anne doesn’t have any place that will be perfect for an OLA.

“Perfection’s not an option, so sometimes we have to go with just good,” she said, adding as long as nobody is being deprived of using David Rodgers Park in favor of an OLA, then it could be an imperfect solution, but better than nothing.

QACC board member and dog park advocate Sharon Levine said any new dog parks permitted by the city are on an 18-month trial basis.

“If there are problems that just can’t be solved in that time, then parks has the option to close the off-leash area,” she said.

off-leash at all the local parks and athletic fields, despite it not being permitted. As a result, Harper said, the quality of the parks are deteriorating because dogs tear up the fields and turf and, in some cases, make the playfields unusable. Residents also run the risk of getting ticketed by the city for

breaking the rules.

At the parks committee meeting, members discussed ideas on how large a new off-leash dog park would have to be to attract dog owners, as well as parking and traffic concerns on First Avenue West.

Harper pointed out that, while

no park is going to satisfy every dog owner, any new dog park that is created will get used over time.

“There aren’t enough parks (in Seattle),” Harper said. “We aren’t buying any parks. So we’ve got to start making do with what we’ve got.”

Paula Mueller, Queen Anne

At the meeting’s end, Harper said his next step is to present the idea to the full QACC at its next meeting, where he will ask if the council supports sponsoring an application to file with the city. That will only be the start of the process, however. Harper said once an application is submitted, Seattle Parks will have 30 days to respond. If the preliminary site application is accepted, a formal proposal will be submitted, during which the applicants must demonstrate community support. After that, SPR will open the process up to public comment. The final step is for a review committee to convene after a completed proposal is submitted and make a recommendation to the City Council.

December 22, 2021

Why does the sky turn darker in winter?

As winter gets underway here in North America, you may notice we don’t feel the sun’s rays for quite as many hours as we did in fall and summer.

To find out why this happens, I talked with my friend Vivienne Baldassare, an astronomer at Washington State University.

She said the reason we get fewer hours of daylight in the winter has to do with how Earth rotates.

As our planet goes around the sun, it is always rotating. This rotation is also why we have day and night.

When the part of Earth you’re standing on faces the sun, it is daytime. When the part you’re standing on faces away from the sun, it is night.

But the reason the length of daylight changes throughout the year is because our planet is a little bit tilted.

“Earth isn’t perfectly straight up and down,” Baldassare said. “It’s a bit tilted on its axis, more like a spinning top.”

The top half of the planet, which is known as the Northern Hemisphere, is tilted more toward the sun when it is summertime. But when it’s wintertime, that means Earth’s Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun. This can make the days feel shorter, and the shortest day of the year is just around the corner.

In the Northern Hemisphere,

FROM PAGE 1

the building.

During the ceremony, Levitin thanked the supporters to helped the Chabad achieve its grand opening. He said fundraising will begin for the second phase of construction, with the goal to raise the entire $2.9 million cost.

“The edifice will be a place of spirituality, love, of kindness and well be a source of blessing for the entire Queen Anne-Magnolia community and city of Seattle, Levitin said, adding the building opening in the heart of Queen Anne will secure the future of the community’s Jewish residents.

“We’re building her for the future,” he said. “We’re not just building for the month.”

During Phase 2 of the construction, for which the Chabad is currently raising funds, the building’s downstairs will be reconfigured to open the walls and allow room for a synagogue, lobby, social hall, office and Jewish library. It also has a room for a large kosher kitchen. It is currently being used for adult education, Hebrew school on Wednesdays and a children’s lounge on Shabbat.

During phase 1, the upstairs was refurbished, with one section to become a classroom for the Queen Anne Jewish Preschool, which Levitin’s wife, Chaya, will begin in January. The multipurpose room upstairs currently serves as a synagogue on the weekends. During the week, it will function as an activity

we will have 7 hours, 49 minutes and 42 seconds of daylight on Tuesday, Dec. 21. This is the day we mark as the winter solstice when the Earth’s northern pole reaches its maximum tilt away from the sun. You may also know it as the first day of winter.

After the winter solstice, the days will start to get longer again in most places. But there are some places on our planet, like Tromsø, Norway, that will be completely dark for a few months. Antarctica will have six months of complete darkness.

“The farther north you go, the earlier it gets darker in the winter. If you are all the way at the top of the world in the wintertime, you never feel the sun. It’s always dark,” Baldassare said.

Earth’s tilt is the reason why it gets dark so early in wintertime and the reason we have different seasons. But I was curious why there’s a tilt at all.

“We think the reason for the tilt is that when our solar system was still forming, and things were pretty chaotic, something collided with the Earth to knock it off its

perfect up and down axis to make it a little tilted,” she said.

If you find yourself indoors for most of the winter season, you might try a new game, cozy up with a book, listen to your favorite music, do some stretches or keep a big list of all your science questions.

What kinds of activities do and your family like to do on winter days? Talk about it with your family or friends. Then, share your answer and ideas in an e-mail to Dr.Universe@wsu.edu. We might just feature your answers

by Jessica Keller

Two children and an adult examine the fish in a tank at the Chabad of Queen Anne synagogue and Jewish center open house last week in Queen Anne. If everything goes well, a portion of the upstairs where the fish tank is placed, will serve as a classroom for a small preschool class in January.

room for the preschool and will become a second classroom for the preschool once the downstairs renovation is complete.

Chaya Levitin said when she and her husband designed the Chabad center, which is open to Jewish people of any denomination, they wanted it to be homey and comfortable and not feel commercialized.

“It’s a home away form home

for any Jew, and every Jew is welcome,” she said.

The preschool is also designed to feel comforting to its young students, Chaya Levitin said. If everything goes well, she said the preschool will serve a small pod of up to 10 children ages 2 to 3 years old, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.

Levitin, who will run the preschool as well as serve as one of its

teachers, said the curriculum will incorporate Jewish concepts with regular education lessons.

“My goal in the preschool is to create just a warm and loving environment,” she said.

For more information about the Chabad of Queen Anne, go to https://www.chabadqueenanne. com/. To learn more about the preschool, go to queenannejewishpreschool.com.

Photo

CHABAD,

Senior Scene

Your old cellphone may not work in 2022

Dear Savvy Senior,

My 80-year-old father has an old flip phone he carries around with him for emergency purposes, but I’ve heard that these devices will soon be phased out. Is this true? If so, how can we know if his phone will be affected, and where can I find him a simple new one that he can operate. Searching Daughter

Dear Searching, Yes, it’s true! If your dad’s mobile phone is more than a few years old, he will probably need to upgrade it in the very near future. Why?

Because all of the major cell phone carriers — AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile — are shutting down their older 3G networks in 2022 to free up airwaves for 5G and other advanced services. So, if your dad is using an old 3G phone, like millions of other older Americans, he’ll need to get a new device if he wants to make calls, text or reach 911.

But you should also know that it’s not just older cellphones that will be obsolete. Older home security systems, medical devices and personal emergency response systems that still harness 3G will also be affected. Adding to the

Aconfusion, older 4G phones that don’t support modern cellular voice technologies, such as Voice Over LTE or HD Voice, are impacted, too. Those customers may need a software upgrade or a new phone.

Here are the timelines for the 3G shutdowns: AT&T — February 2022; T-Mobile — July 1, 2022; Verizon — Dec. 31, 2022; Sprint (which is owned by T-Mobile) — March 31, 2022; and Sprint LTE — June 30, 2022. Other smaller carriers like Tracfone, Cricket, Boost and Straight Talk will also be affected, because they rely on airwaves from the big three.

Is your phone affected?

Cellphone carriers say they have been alerting customers who use older phones that services are ending, sending a combination of texts, letters, phone calls and emails.

If you’re not sure about your dad’s phone, contact his carrier or check their website for a list of affected devices.

Another way to see if your dad’s phone is 3G is to look up his international mobile equipment identity number which can be found by pressing *#06# on his

keypad. Once you have it, go to www.imei.info and type it in the search bar to get the phone’s details. If his phone has a frequency of 900 megahertz (MHz) or 2100 MHz, it’s 3G. You can also look for a “3G” icon at the top corner of his phone, but not all 3G phones have that icon.

How to upgrade

If you find that you do need to upgrade your dad’s cellphone, carriers are offering discounts and special promotions on replacement devices. If you’re worried about your dad having to learn your way around a new device, you’ll be happy to know that there are plenty of modern new flip phones available that work on the next-generation networks. Or, if your dad decides that he would rather forge ahead without a phone than upgrade, then he will need to cancel the service. Most carriers will let you cancel your plan without any penalty. However, if he forgets to cancel his phone plan and doesn’t upgrade to a working device, the company won’t automatically stop charging him just because he isn’t able to access their network.

How to recycle

If your dad does have to replace his old cellphone, the best way to dispose of it is to recycle it. Large retailers, such as Best Buy, offer recycling programs for old electronics. Or you can search for local recycling programs on websites like Call2Recycle.org and Earth911.com. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

Your health wish list for 2022

s we approach this season of giving, I thought it would be fitting to highlight some of the potential gifts you could give to yourself and your health for 2022. We are approaching nearly two years since the start of the pandemic, and while a “new normal” has begun to take shape, we continue to suffer from the deleterious knock-on effects

on our health and well-being. Many people still work from home; others have not yet found a sustainable solution for their activity needs, and some continue postponing doctor’s appointments and preventative appointments. The list goes on.

All these pandemic impacts are mixed in with health issues that plagued our nation before COVID-19, like cardiovascular disease,

cancer, diabetes, as well as an opioiduse epidemic that claims more than 130 lives per day by way of overdose. While these may be national issues, they are also household issues. Anyone reading this article has almost certainly been impacted by at least one of the aforementioned health issues, and so it is my hope that at least one person reading this article will take action on at least one of these wish list items in 2022.

Control your blood glucose. Do this, and you will simultaneously combat your risk and severity of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Controlling your glucose, keeping it from getting too high (or too low), and you will control many aspects of your health.

Follow the American Heart Association’s recommended activity guidelines, and actually follow it without fail. The association recommends people get at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise at least five days per week, for a total of 150 minutes per week. If you do vigorous activity, then do at least 25 minutes at least three days per week.

See your doctor regularly, and get tested. We have all gotten into the habit of neglecting preventative and low-urgency medical care with the rise of the burden of COVID-19 patients on our medical systems. The time to reengage or re-imagine — with virtual care — your regular medical and preventative care is now. We have also neglected tests that may not be urgent but are important, so be sure to get those done in 2022.

Test your vitamin D. Supplement if you are deficient, and then be sure to re-test after you supplement to see if you have successfully restored your levels. Know that supplementation is one thing, but absorption of what you supplement is another issue entirely and should be confirmed.

Build your movement competency, then build strength and power around it. Movement competency is a spectrum, and some people are great movers, some are indeed very bad, and most others are somewhere in between. Before you can build strength and power into your activity (i.e. vigorous aerobic exercise), you need to first

“The time to re-engage or re-imagine — with virtual care — your regular medial and preventative care is now."

be competent in that movement and build capacity over time and repetition before you can increase the intensity of it.

Learn something about your body and your health.

One thing about our health is that it did not come with a user manual at birth, and so we must all take the time to learn about our health and our unique selves. Preferably this knowledge comes from a reputable source, and most importantly that you understand what you are doing and why you are doing it.

Complete one major health goal with a friend, family member or coach. Our health is connected as much to our individuality as it is to those around us, and the healthy habits of those around us can influence us just as much as the unhealthy habits. We also enjoy things and stick with them longer if they are enjoyable and fun, so for 2022, get a goal, set it with a friend, stick with it and, most of all, have fun doing it.

Dr. Dan Michael Northwest Sports

The highly infectious Omicron variant is moving at an astonishing speed, according to the latest projections from King County health officials.

According to a release, officials project the number of King County COVID cases to be three-times higher this week than the highest peak previously seen in the pandemic. Case numbers are expected to continue to rise in January. A similar pattern is expected to emerge in other parts of the United States.

The severity of Omicron cases is not clear at this time, according to the release. Most fully vaccinated people should be protected from severe infection, but health officials expect to see many more serious cases in unvaccinated people, as well as many milder breakthrough infections among the vaccinated, according to a news announcement.

The rapid rise in cases has the potential to be more disruptive than previous waves, endangering the health care system’s ability to care for people, as well as being a major disruptor to businesses, schools and key infrastructure, as employees become ills, the release continued.

King County residents and workplaces are urged to take steps now to reduce the risk to themselves, their families and others in order to lower the impact of the expected surge on the health care system and the community.

The latest projections are based on the rapid rate of spread of the Omicron variant in other countries, along with the latest local sequencing data.

In the release, Trevor Bedford, a computational biologist at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, stated based on a simple 10-day projection of the current

growth rate, King County could expect 2,100 daily Omicron cases, which is approximately three times the number of cases seen at the highest point in the pandemic for King County in December 2020.

“The biggest risk from this rapid spread of Omicron is for those who are unvaccinated,” said Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officer, Public Health — Seattle & King County. “Vaccination and boosters will protect many people from severe illness given our relatively high rates of vaccine coverage in King County, but with this fast surge, we could see a rapid increase in serious cases in unvaccinated people as well as an increase in less severe breakthrough cases.”

In the announcement, Duchin stated it is best for people to prepare and not underestimate the virus.

“Now is an important time to

do what we can to limit the number of people becoming ill in a short time that could overload our already stressed healthcare system, potentially compromising the care it can deliver when we need it,” Duchin said.

According to the health release, businesses and healthcare facilities should plan for impacts on the workforce and reducing risk in the workplace.

According to the release, now is a good time to reinforce risk reduction measures including universal indoor masking, ventilation and communicating that students, teachers and staff should stay home when they have signs of illness.

Health officials recommend the public celebrate the holidays as safely as possible and limit the number and size of indoor gatherings if they can.

Other recommendations in-

clude: Avoiding crowded indoor spaces during the holiday season; Limiting the number of gatherings and, if possible, do a rapid test the day of the gathering; Open windows to bring in fresh air and to make gatherings well ventilated;

Postpone travel where possible; Refresh masks if needed. Make sure masks are well-fitting and high-quality. Everyone ages 5 and older, regardless of vaccination status, are required to wear masks in indoor public settings like grocery and retail stores, theaters and entertainment establishments, and at outdoor events with 500 or more people. Masks are also recommended for everyone in crowded outdoor settings.

Visit Washington DOH’s Vaccine Locator, https://vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov/, to find where to a make a vaccine booster appointment.

More additions to Magnolia Village

Photo by Ann Goos

Reimagine Magnolia Village beautification project volunteers installed the last of the tables, chairs and umbrellas on West McGraw between 33rd to 35th Avenue West, Saturday, that were purchased in the latest phase of the fundraiser. While volunteers originally expected the equipment to arrive in October, supply chain problems delayed its arrival until this month.

Seattle Center Festál Celebrates milestone as it presents 24 cultural festivals in 2022

As Seattle Center Festál celebrates its 25th Anniversary in 2022, it ushers in a new era of hybrid events with an anticipated return to in-person cultural festivals presented between Feb. 12 and Nov. 5. The enduring series, which forms the foundation of public programing at Seattle Center, is produced in partnership with 24 regional community organizations.

The anniversary and its theme “Where the World Gathers” honor the past with eyes on the future, looking to new generations and innovative approaches to programming, according to a press release. Seattle Center Festál was established in 1997 as a platform for the diversity of people and cultures that contribute to the region’s character, economy and way of life. The festivals offer the opportunity for the broader public to connect with the history, arts, rituals and traditions of many lands. Understanding shared human narratives helps build empathy and stronger communities for a world in transition.

The 2022 Seattle Center Festál line-up (dates subject to change, and start/end times are TBA): Têt in Seattle-Vietnamese Lunar New Year, Feb. 12-13

• Irish Festival Seattle, March 12-13

• Seattle’s French Fest: A Celebration of French-Speaking Cultures, March 20

• Seattle Cherry Blossom &