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VOL. 63 Tuesday, 23 November, 2021 / 19 Kislev 5782
Fostering a closer Jewish community
Wishing all our readers a happy Chanukah and a safe and successful year ahead.
WEIMAR CABARET
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CHANUKAH’S TRUE MEANING p6
CHANUKAH ON THE BEACH
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MAKING IT … ON BROADWAY p11
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the melbourne jewish report | December 2021
A RO UND
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COMMUNITY ANNE-MARIE ELIAS Are you a person who always needs to be right? Do you go to great lengths to prove that you are correct? Do others become frustrated with this trait in you? Let’s be clear … nobody likes to get things wrong. It feels unpleasant. Even young children don’t like to get caught out. Do you recall these lines: “It wasn’t me” and “I only had one”? In terms of the latter, in my household, it was biscuits in the cookie jar. Why the uncomfortableness about being wrong? Well, for one thing, that may result in punishment and, for another, we may miss out on something important. For instance, being caught speeding is likely to result in a fine and the loss of demerit points. Providing incorrect answers
To be right or to be happy? on an exam paper could lead to missing out on a preferred university course. Some can more readily admit to being wrong, take responsibility and apologise, which includes handling the emotion associated with that. Others may imply they were wrong, but don’t do so explicitly or in a way that will satisfy the wronged party. Here is an example of that: “We had plenty of time to get to the airport on time if the traffic hadn’t been unusually bad, but fine, we’ll leave earlier next time.” A third group simply refuses to admit wrongdoing, even when there is incontrovertible evidence. Research has uncovered the underlying traits among this cohort. They are those that go to great lengths to argue they are right and push back against the facts. It is a fragile sense of self that stops them from admitting they made a mistake. Accepting they were wrong is psychologically shattering. Whilst these people may appear to be robust because they defend
their position, this may result is others overlooking their vulnerabilities. Those with a narcissistic personality also fall into this category. It is more important for them to be right than to protect the integrity of their relationships. Their defences, too, could be up, resulting in phrases such as: “Why do you always take their side and not mine?” It is the sign of a fragile ego. Richard Carlson, the author of ‘Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff’ asks us to consider whether we want to be right or be happy? His rationale is that defending our position takes an enormous amount of energy and can alienate us from the people to whom we are close. Take a moment to consider whether you appreciate being told that you are wrong when it is at the expense of another person being right. No-one likes to be informed they are wrong. It is not one person’s mission in life to correct every perceived misstep or misdeed in another person. There are, of course, times when we are wrong and, as referenced earlier,
there are consequences to behaving incorrectly or badly. How we respond to people who constantly need to prove they are right is up to each of us. The one mistake we should not make is to consider their persistent and rigid refusal to admit they’re wrong as a sign of strength or conviction, because it is the absolute opposite, psychological weakness. Sure, there are occasions when we are required to stand our ground and assert our position. But that is decidedly different to trying to prove our need to be right so that we can feel better about ourselves and build our self-esteem at the expense of others. The next time you find yourself about to correct another person, especially a loved one, ask yourself whether it is worth expending the energy to prove you are right. In this situation what should win out, confrontation or happiness? Anne-Marie Elias is a psychologist in clinical practice for 25 years.
Olive oil and hidden light YERACHMIEL ISACOWITZ Chanukah is, more than anything, the victory of the transmission of authentic Jewish learning and practice (in Hebrew chinuch) over the Greek/Macedonian attempt to extinguish it, but the story goes back a lot further. Noah had three sons, from whom the extended human population came to be. Their names were Sheim, Cham and Yafet. Cham translates to “heat” and Cham was passionate. Yafet means “beauty” and his foci were appreciation of physical beauty and the metaphysical science behind the universe. Sheim is the word for “name”. The commentators explain that Adam was given the power
to name creatures based on their essence. Sheim concentrated on the essence of the universe. He was called the minister of the omnipotent. The trio represent spheres of interaction. On a sensory level, one can be overawed by the sight or smell of a flower. Dig deeper and that same flower attracts bees for pollination, while the chlorophyll is green to absorb sunlight for photosynthesis. To ask what makes it so, ties into the perfect design of the universe. In Hebrew, olive is zayit. When we break down the component letters, we get zayin, the root of which is zon, meaning sustenance. This could allude to Cham’s interest. Yud is made up of two letters, namely yud and dalet. That also spells yad, meaning hand, namely the symbol
of human interaction. Think Yafet. And Tav stands for Torah, the blueprint of the universe, the domain of Sheim. One could suggest that Cham would not like olives because the taste is bitter, so there is no instant gratification. Yafet, on the other hand, would be big into olives for anointing, cooking, food dressing and for fuel. The Jews extract the very first (and only the first) purest drop of oil from each olive to fuel the menorah. The menorah itself (seven armed) was placed in the Temple in the Kodesh. It burned every night, but could only be seen by Kohanim because it was hidden. On the first day of creation, Hashem said: “let there be light and there was light”. Yet there were no luminaries (until
day four.) The sages explain that the light of day one was a light hidden for the righteous. I once heard that Rembrandt had access to this hidden light. It is this light that is most inherent in authentic Torah properly learned, which the menorah symbolised. The Greeks/ Macedonians (descendants of Yafet) tried so hard to extinguish it, but they did not succeed thanks to the miracle of Chanukah. Yerachmiel Isacowitz is an independent Torah educator. E: risacowitz@optusnet.com.au W: torahconcepts.com FB: The Mem Channel
CANDLE LIGHTING TIMES Friday, Nov 26, 2021
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the melbourne jewish report | December 2021
PRIME MINISTER
The Hon. Anthony Albanese MP
MESSAGE FROM THE PRIME MINISTER
Leader of the Opposition
CHANUKAH 2021
HAPPY CHANUKAH
Chanukah is a promise.
On behalf of the Australian Labor Party, I wish all members of Australia’s Jewish community a very The Hon. Anthony Albanese MP happy Chanukah.
A promise that even through the most difficult times, a light will keep shining.
May the menorahs fill your homes and synagogues with the warmest of glows during this festival Leader of the Opposition of light, and may the many of you who have been separated from loved ones during this time of COVID-19 be able to come together once more. HAPPY CHANUKAH
The timelessness and wisdom of faith teach us there will inevitably be times of testing in life. Times when the light flickers and when we are called to draw from our resilience and strength.
If anything, the challenges of the pandemic have more deeply underscored just how much this is a time of celebration and gratitude, family and giving. Like so many Jewish holidays, it is also a time On behalf on of the Australian Labor people Party, I faced wish all members of Australia’s Jewish community very to reflect a time when Jewish not only persecution, but an existential threata just happy Chanukah. for being Jewish.
Collectively and individually, we have shared such times in recent years. This year, as the shadow of COVID-19 restrictions recedes, your celebration of Chanukah will reflect another aspect of Australia’s opening up.
May the menorahs fill your homes andtosynagogues withJewish the warmest of glows during this festival As ever, I send my deepest gratitude the Australian community for the contribution you of light, and to may many of you who fromsociety. loved ones of have made thethe great Australian storyhave thatbeen is ourseparated multicultural Just during as you this havetime played COVID-19 be able to come together once more. an integral role in shaping our nation into what it is today, you will be central in shaping a brighter
Families and communities will gather, loved ones separated will be reunited, and all will feel the strength that comes from community and connection. This year, we will witness again the lighting of the menorah in homes, synagogues, and in our public squares. It is a witness not only of faith, but of the free, open and liberal democratic multicultural people that is Australia.
and future for Australia after the pandemic. If anything, the challenges of the pandemic have more deeply underscored just how much this is a time celebration and gratitude, family and giving. Like so many Jewish holidays, it is also a time ChagofUrim Sameach. to reflect on a time when Jewish people faced not only persecution, but an existential threat just for being Jewish. Yours sincerely, As ever, I send my deepest gratitude to the Australian Jewish community for the contribution you have made to the great Australian story that is our multicultural society. Just as you have played an integral role in shaping our nation into what it is today, you will be central in shaping a brighter and future for Australia after the pandemic.
The light of the Chanukah menorah is also an invitation to dedicate ourselves again to adding light and warmth to the lives of others. It is an invitation to one and all, to drive out the darkness of prejudice, injustice and hatred. On this Chanukah, I express my deep gratitude to the Jewish people of Australia. You are a gift to our nation for you always see the reflection of the image of the God in others. To the Jewish people of Australia — and around the world — Happy Chanukah!
Chag UrimAnthony Sameach. The Hon. Albanese Leader of the Australian Labor Party Member for Grayndler Yours sincerely,
The Hon Scott Morrison MP Prime Minister of Australia
The Hon. Anthony Albanese Leader of the Australian Labor Party Member for Grayndler
November 2021
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the melbourne jewish report | December 2021
JE WISH
T H E AT R E
An electronic Weimar cabaret in Yiddish
KADIMAH YIDDISH THEATRE Durkh a Modne Gloz/Through A Strange Lens Postponed twice due to lockdowns, Durkh a Modne Gloz ran for only one night before having to close in August. Now the season has been revived. The brainchild of renowned composer Josh Abrahams (Addicted to Bass, Moulin Rouge) and writer/ performer Galit Klas (The Ghetto Cabaret), it sets an electronic score to lyrics based on Yiddish poetry written by women over the past 100 years. Think Laurie Anderson, Marlene Dietrich and Kraftwerk, all in Yiddish. With dreamy, cinematic, robotic techno and Eurodance style tunes, this electro-opera tells the story of one woman’s experience of love and sex. When love fails her, she draws on the experiences of other troubled women throughout history to find her strength. “Yiddish music is usually associated with Klezmer, folk and acoustic sounds,” said Ms Klas. We’ve taken it to a new frontier with electronic music. “If Yiddish was still spoken in Europe today, we would have electronic music in Yiddish.
JUDAI C A
QUIZ
RABBI DAVID FREEDMAN Introduced mid-year, it is heart-warming to see just how positively this Judaica Quiz has been embraced by our community – it is a privilege to bring this to you each month. This is a win-win exchange as Rabbi David Freedman enjoys researching and compiling it as much as so many love the challenge around the Shabbat table. During this joyous time when we celebrate the victory of the Maccabees and the miracle of the small cruse of oil in the Menorah lasting eight days, perhaps you will emerge victorious as your famed family Judaica Quiz champion (while munching on divine doughnuts). Dare to dream! Wishing you a Chanukah Sameach! Okay, how many can you answer out of the following 25 – let’s do this! 1. Which Jewish ritual object is black and has a bayit and retzuot? 2. Where is the only 18-hole golf course in Israel? 3. Comparing lines of latitude, place these three cities in order from North to South: a) Tel Aviv b) Los Angeles c) Shanghai
The sounds of Yiddish words are in and of themselves very expressive and electronic music greatly enriches the experience of the poem.” Durkh a Modne Gloz is presented by Kadimah Yiddish Theatre and directed
by Green Room Award-winner Gary Abrahams (33 Variations). The show is in Yiddish, with English surtitles. There will be only four performances (Thursday 25th November at 6.30pm, Saturday 27th November at 7.30pm and Sunday
28th November at 3pm and 7.30pm) at Kadimah Jewish Cultural Centre, 7 Selwyn St, Elsternwick. Further information and bookings go to: https://www.trybooking.com/ events/landing?eid=758744&
Test your knowledge 4. What series of historical events led to the creation of YIZKOR BUCHEN (Memorial Books in which the names of the deceased were written)? 5. Which animal is associated with both Joseph Trumpeldor and Anzac Day? 6. At the time of the census conducted by Moses in the first chapter of the Book of Numbers, which of the twelve tribes of Israel was the largest: a) Judah b) Levi c)Ephraim?
phantom, towering up in his immense caftan, with his fur cap and pale curls falling from his temples”? 10. Which Jewish poetess wrote these words which were inscribed on the Statue of Liberty - "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore.” 11. What is Rosh Hashanah La’ilanot? 12. Which one of the following still existed in Israel as late as the early 2000s: a) the Syrian brown bear
Good luck. Enjoy. Hopefully, learn something new about your Jewish heritage and tradition. 7. Annelies Marie were the first two names of which famous 20th Century Jewish female? 8. Schneider, Shuster and Becker are Jewish surnames originally representing which trades? 9. What event was French playwright Edmond Fleg attending when he said the following: “I looked about me. What Jewish contrasts! A pale-faced Pole with high cheekbones, a German in spectacles, a Russian looking like an angel, a bearded Persian, a clean-shaven American, an Egyptian in a fez, and over there, that black
b) Arabian Leopard c) Asiatic lion d) Asiatic cheetah? 13. The founder of the Rothschild banking family, Mayer Amschel Rothschild (1744–1812) was born in which German city: a) Cologne b) Berlin c) Frankfurt? 14. Israel defines itself as a liberal democracy, one of only two in the Middle East and North Africa region. Which is the other?
15. Which battle involving British and Australian troops took place on 31 October 1917? 16. According to tradition, Nachshon ben Aminadav was the first Israelite to do what? 17. Which country in Central America has a Jewish community that is 85% kosher observant, has 95% of its children attending a Jewish Day School and boasts institutes for advanced Torah learning such as a kollel, a midrasha, 4 mikvaot (ritual baths), 35 kosher restaurants and 2 full-service kosher supermarkets? 18. Which fast day can fall on a Friday and ends after Shabbat has begun? 19. In the Bible, who said to whom, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! I know that you have sided with the son of Jesse.” 20. In which country was Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach born? 21. Name any of the British football clubs for whom Eyal Berkovic played. 22. Name the Pope during World War II. 23. True or false: A Ketubah (Jewish marriage contract) does not need to be signed by the bride and groom? 24.Which 20th century American Jewish author wrote Mila 18 and Exodus? 25. Who came to Israel courtesy of Operation Magic Carpet?
ANSWERS PAGE 10
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the melbourne jewish report | December 2021
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Tackling eating disorders to say and do. They need support and tools to help them respond appropriately. Saying the wrong thing can potentially exacerbate the situation. “Parents watch their teenagers restrict food, avoid meals and these children are often embarrassed to eat in front of the family. Then parents don't know what to do. Should they push, insist, nag or avoid the situation?” Teachers watch their students become thinner and thinner. Often it starts with
FRIENDS OF SHAARE ZEDEK How do we empower those without training to administer “eating disorder first aid” to prevent those at risk from developing a problem in this area? That quest is driving an initiative that aims to bring together the brightest minds in Israel and Australia to address this life-threatening issue. The Australian Friends of Shaare Zedek is facilitating a “Hackathon” brainstorming event that will bring together stakeholders in the two countries. They will analyse and respond to the serious rise in the incidence and severity of eating disorders worldwide in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants will look to develop prototype solutions that can be widely applied. The AFSZ is working to support the Adolescent Medicine Service at Jerusalem’s most central major hospital, Shaare Zedek. Unit director, Dr Shelly Ben Harush Negari says the service is being inundated with teenagers with severe eating disorders. The doctor wants to transform the model of adolescent health care in the Israeli capital.
“The challenge of responding to someone with disordered eating affects many people, including parents, friends, teachers and army personnel.”
Dr Shelly Ben Harush Negari, Director of Shaare Zedek’s Adolescent Medicine Unit A critical aspect of responding to the eating disorders challenge is early intervention. Shaare Zedek treats patients with advanced symptoms, but if disorders can be detected early it will undoubtedly save lives and reduce pressure on the hospital system. There is a great deal of stigma around eating disorders, says Dr Ben Harush Negari. “People are unsure about what
compliments, but they don’t know what to do next when their pupils look ill and become isolated. The challenge of responding to someone with disordered eating affects many people, including parents, friends, teachers and army personnel. Cultural issues play a significant role too. In Israel, Jewish fast days, and Ramadan are potential triggers for food restriction. Factors involving the army may inhibit seeking treatment.
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It is grateful to LaunchPad Leadership and Australian Jewish Funders for their guidance in the development of this latest initiative. The Hackathon will be held via Zoom on 8th December and will bring together specialists and stakeholders from Israel and Australia. To register for this free event, go to https://bit.ly/EDHackathon
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Further, there is a great deal of stigma around an eating disorder diagnosis. Dr Toni Pikoos, a Melbourne psychologist specialising in the treatment of eating disorders, says eating disorders have one of the highest mortality rates of any mental illness. As a health promotion charity with a commitment to addressing health issues in Israel and Australia, the AFSZ envisages developing a response that would save lives in both countries.
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the melbourne jewish report | December 2021
Chanukah’s true meaning is about Jewish survival ALAN AVERY-PECK COURTESY: THE CONVERSATION Every December Jews celebrate the eight-day festival of Chanukah, perhaps the best-known and certainly the most visible Jewish holiday. While critics sometimes identify Christmas as promoting the prevalence in America today of what one might refer to as Chanukah kitsch, this assessment misses the social and theological significance of Chanukah within Judaism itself. Let’s consider the origin and development of Chanukah over the past more than 2,000 years. Early history Though it is 2,200 years old, Chanukah is one of Judaism’s newest holidays, an annual Jewish celebration that does not even appear in the Hebrew Bible. The historical event that is the basis for Chanukah is told, rather, in the postbiblical Books of the Maccabees, which appear in the Catholic biblical canon but are not even considered part of the Bible by Jews and most Protestant denominations. Based on the Greco-Roman model of celebrating a military triumph, Chanukah was instituted in 164 B.C. to celebrate the victory of the Maccabees, a ragtag army of Jews, against the much more powerful army of King Antiochus IV of Syria. In 168 B.C., Antiochus outlawed Jewish practice and forced Jews to adopt pagan rituals and assimilate into Greek culture. The Maccabees revolted against this persecution. They captured Jerusalem from Antiochus’s control, removed from
the Jerusalem Temple symbols of pagan worship that Antiochus had introduced and restarted the sacrificial worship, ordained by God in the Hebrew Bible, that Antiochus had violated. Chanukah, meaning “dedication,” marked this military victory with a celebration that lasted eight days and was modeled on the festival of Tabernacles (Sukkot) that had been banned by Antiochus. How Chanukah evolved The military triumph, however, was short-lived. The Maccabees’ descendants – the Hasmonean dynasty – routinely violated their own Jewish law and tradition. Even more significantly, the following centuries witnessed the devastation that would be caused when Jews tried again to accomplish what the Maccabees had done. By now, Rome controlled the land of Israel. In A.D. 68-70 and again in A.D. 133-135, the Jews mounted passionate revolts to rid their land of this foreign and oppressing power. The first of these revolts ended in the destruction of the Second Jerusalem Temple, the preeminent center of Jewish worship, which had stood for 600 years. As a result of the second revolt, the Jewish homeland was devastated and countless Jews were put to death. War no longer seemed an effective solution to the Jews’ tribulations on the stage of history. In response, a new ideology deemphasized the idea that Jews should or could change their destiny through military action. What was required, rabbis asserted, was not battle but perfect observance of God’s moral and ritual law. This would lead to God’s
intervention in history to restore the Jewish people’s control over their own land and destiny. In this context, rabbis rethought Chanukah’s origins as the celebration of a military victory. Instead, they said, Chanukah should be seen as commemorating a miracle that occurred during the Maccabees’ rededication of the temple: The story now told was how a jar of temple oil sufficient for only one day had sustained the temple’s eternal lamp for a full eight days, until additional ritually appropriate oil could be produced. The earliest version of this story appears in the Talmud, in a document completed in the sixth century A.D. From that period on, rather than directly commemorating the Maccabees’ victory, Chanukah celebrated God’s miracle. This is symbolized by the kindling of an eight-branched candelabra (“Menorah” or “Hanukkiah”), with one candle lit on the holiday’s first night and an additional candle added each night until, on the final night of the festival, all eight branches are lit. The ninth candle in the Hanukkiah is used to light the others. Throughout the medieval period, however, Chanukah remained a minor Jewish festival. What Chanukah means today How then to understand what happened to Chanukah in the past hundred years, during which it has achieved prominence in Jewish life, both in America and around the world? Chanukah today responds to Jews’ desire to see their history as consequential. Pixabay.com/en, CC BY The point is that even as the holiday’s prior iterations reflected the distinctive
needs of successive ages, so Jews today have reinterpreted Chanukah in light of contemporary circumstances – a point that is detailed in religion scholar Dianne Ashton’s book, “Chanukah in America.” Ashton demonstrates while Chanukah has evolved in tandem with the extravagance of the American Christmas season, there is much more to this story. Chanukah today responds to Jews’ desire to see their history as consequential, as reflecting the value of religious freedom that Jews share with all other Americans. Chanukah, with its bright decorations, songs, and familyand community-focused celebrations, also fulfills American Jews’ need to reengage disaffected Jews and to keep Jewish children excited about Judaism. Poignantly, telling a story of persecution and then redemption, Chanukah today provides a historical paradigm that can help modern Jews think about the Holocaust and the emergence of Zionism. In short, Chanukah is as powerful a commemoration as it is today because it responds to a host of factors pertinent to contemporary Jewish history and life. Over two millennia, Chanukah has evolved to narrate the story of the Maccabees in ways that meet the distinctive needs of successive generations of Jews. Each generation tells the story as it needs to hear it, in response to the eternal values of Judaism but also as is appropriate to each period’s distinctive cultural forces, ideologies and experiences. The author of this article is Professor in Judaic Studies at the College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts.
the melbourne jewish report | December 2021
4me gluten free – the place to be CHANUKAH TREATS If you haven’t been there yet, Chanukah is the perfect time to head to a very special bakery at 439A Kooyong Rd, Elsternwick. For others, 4me gluten free is already an understandable favourite. Owner Yinon emigrated to Australia with his young family in 2012. He began baking in his own kitchen and with family and friends regularly commenting on how delicious the fruits of his labours tasted, it was only a matter of time before he let fellow Aussies in on his “secret” recipes. After all, he has more than two decades’ experience in the field. Yinon was aware only limited gluten free options were available and decided to try selling his products to local shops and delicatessens. Then the time came to move out of the family kitchen and that is how 4me gluten free came to be. Earlier this year, importantly, the business was accredited by Coeliac Australia. It is also kosher certified by Kosher Australia. Yinon’s vision has always been to provide premium taste with his gluten free, nut free and dairy free products. “As the saying goes, variety is the spice of life. We have healthier, great tasting, high quality cakes and desserts for all. I am always exploring new combinations. “I do not want to differentiate between
those who may have food intolerances and those that don’t,” Yinon said. Among 4me gluten free’s offerings are cinnamon scrolls, croissants, chocolate croissants and bee sting cakes, which quickly became “crowd favourites”. Most recently, it has introduced Alfajores cookies. Originating from Spain and South America, they are meltin-your-mouth shortbreads, filled with caramel and coconut. Let’s not forget the Madeleine dessert, a traditional French sweet. And what would Chanukah be without Super Doughnut Day on 28th November? Fancies include doughnuts filled with jam, chocolate and vanilla custard, cookies and cream, and cinnamon, or you could try a Simpsons’ doughnut. Add to that the two new flavours – caramel and the super chocolate glazed with marshmallows and dried raspberries. Yum! 4me gluten free is also planning to expand its vegan, low FODMAP and sugar-free range. Those with an appetite for the savoury are also catered for, with a range of artisan breads, focaccias and samosas, along with pizza and vegemite scrolls. To avoid disappointment, it is best to order online via www.4meglutenfree. com.au/order or phone Yinon on 0401 835 656 or his wife, Sharon, on 0413 487 709. To find out more about 4me gluten free, go to www.4meglutenfree.com.au
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the melbourne jewish report | December 2021
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Chanukah on the beach
BY NOMI KALTMANN COURTESY: TABLET MAGAZINE When 100-year-old Holocaust survivor Ella Blumenthal celebrates Chanukah, it’s very different than it was when she was growing up in Poland. These days, when she lights the candles – on a menorah salvaged from the Warsaw Ghetto – at a public lighting at the local synagogue, Beit Midrash Morasha, in Cape Town, South Africa, it is close to 9pm. And it is hot, boiling hot, outside. Her granddaughter, Lior, who lives in Johannesburg, usually comes to spend time with Blumenthal over Chanukah. “During the summer, when Chanukah falls, Johannesburg is deserted. Everyone is on vacation, so I come to the beach to spend time with my grandmother and we usually celebrate Chanukah together in the heat,” she said. In Australia’s biggest cities large Chanukah in the Park events occur across the eight days of the festival, with locals enjoying barbecues, fireworks and festivities. Smaller festivities are take place in Australia’s regional cities. In tropical Cairns, Rabbi Ari Rubin makes the most of his unique location by infusing the festival with local culture. In 2019 he had a huge menorah made using mangoes. Last year, after seeking permission from the local aboriginal Australian custodians of the land, the Yidiny people, Rubin used a menorah constructed from didgeridoos. “Didgeridoos symbolise Australia’s indigenous heritage and we, the local Jewish community, wanted to showcase our connection to the local aboriginal people,” the rabbi said. “The aboriginal elders we sought permission from to use didgeridoos for our menorah were very supportive and thought it was a great way to commemorate our freedom of religion in Australia. It also emphasised
Rabbi Ari Rubin and his mango menorah in Cairns (photo courtesy of Rabbi Ari Rubin) the sense of kinship that many Jewish people feel with the indigenous community.” Rubin also takes his Chanukah show on the road to other, smaller Jewish communities. Sami Hall lives more than 300 kilometres from Cairns, in Townsville, where the Jewish community has only 70 residents and no formal synagogue or full-time rabbi. But Hall looks forward
to Rubin arriving every Chanukah to light the public menorah in the main street on one of the nights of the festival. “It’s not quite dark when the candles are lit. It’s just peaceful,” she said. “I don’t know how to describe it. I love the lighting of the candles and the reminder that God trumps all, no matter what adversity you face,” Hall said. She said that Chanukah “makes me feel part of something greater as a Jewish person. While I am in my tropical paradise lighting candles, someone across the world is lighting candles in the frost and cold, and we are connected through this tradition.” Elianne Ny, a 20-something from Uruguay, remembers attending Chanukah celebrations each year on the capital city’s main boardwalk, the Rambla of Montevideo, an avenue that runs up the coastline. “For me, growing up in Uruguay, Chanukah was always a time for family and is a very relaxed kind of festival,” she said. “The good side of having Chanukah in the summertime means that it is always chilled.” Most years, by the time Chanukah arrives, school is over for summer, so children are free to stay up late all eight nights, partaking in the festivities. “People are much more relaxed at this time of the year. People organise social activities and get together with friends,” said Ny. “It is a festival that lends itself to flexibility. You are already hanging out with friends so you light candles together.”
Around the Southern Hemisphere, Chanukah traditions have been adapted. Rabbi Mendy Shemtov facilitates public menorah lightings across Uruguay. That includes the beachside town of Punta del Este, which is a favoured destination for many South American holidaymakers. He also positions menorahs in Uruguay’s airports to welcome global travellers. “When this tradition was first established, about 35 years ago, it was a novelty, as Uruguay was coming out of a dictatorship, so the fact that Judaism was celebrated publicly was a big deal,” said Shemtov. Still, depending upon where Chanukah is celebrated, precautions may well be in order. Rubin, a dual American and Australian citizen, laughs as he recalls the Chanukah. celebrations he experienced in the Northern Hemisphere over the years. “One year I remember going to hand out doughnuts on a street corner in Pittsburgh, when it was absolutely icy. My fingers were completely frozen and the jam hardened in the doughnuts because it was so cold. However, in Far North Queensland, where I now live and serve as the fulltime rabbi, you have fire bans. You can’t always have fire displays and fireworks because there are concerns these could spark bushfires.” This story originally appeared in Tablet Magazine (tabletmag.com) and is reprinted with permission.
the melbourne jewish report | December 2021
JE W I SH
FIGURES DR. YVETTE ALT MILLER COURTESY: AISH.COM Jewish celebrities and historical figures, past and present. Jewish or not? With some, it can be hard to tell. RASHIDA JONES Rashida Jones grew up with a strong Jewish identity. Her Jewish mother, the actress Peggy Lipton, and her famous African American father, Quincy Jones, made sure Jones always knew about her Jewish heritage and sent her to Hebrew school. In 2012, Jones appeared on the genealogy TV show Who Do You Think You Are? and learned on air that members of her mother’s family were murdered in the Holocaust. Her partner is Ezra Koenig, the Jewish front man for the indie rock group, Vampire Weekend.
Did you know they are or were Jewish? DRAKE Born Aubrey Drake Graham, Drake’s mum, Sandy Graham, is Jewish. Drake’s dad is the African American musician Dennis Graham. Drake’s parents divorced when he was young and Drake was brought up by his mum in Toronto’s Jewish community. When he turned 31, Drake threw himself a star-studded “rebar mitzvah” party. DANIEL RADCLIFFE The Harry Potter star’s mum, born Marcia Jacobson, is Jewish. Daniel Radcliffe’s middle name, Jacob, might point to his mother’s Jewish-sounding maiden name. (His dad, Alan Radcliffe, is an English Protestant.) Radcliffe has described himself as “very proud” to be Jewish.
PINK Born Alecia Beth Moore in 1979, the singer's mum – ER nurse Judy Kugel Moore – is Jewish. Her parents divorced when she was young. Pink has proudly described herself as “a Jewish woman” and described her mom as a "typical Jewish mother”.
RUTH WESTHEIMER Famous sex educator “Dr. Ruth” was born into an Orthodox Jewish family in Germany in 1928 and served as a sharpshooter during Israel’s War of Independence. ESTEE LAUDER Born Josephine Esther Mentzer in 1906, Estee Lauder collaborated with an uncle, who was a chemist, to create makeup. She started selling it in 1946 and soon became the wealthiest, selfmade woman in the world. Lauder is one of many Jewish makeup moguls. Others include Helena Rubenstein, Charles Haskell Revson (founder of Revlon) and Bobbi Brown. VIDAL SASSOON Another hero from Israel’s War of Independence, the British Jewish Vidal Sassoon (born into a poor Jewish family in London in 1928) served in Israel’s elite Palmach fighting unit.
CAMILLE PISARRO This famous French impressionist painter – a close friend of Monet and Cezanne – was born on the Caribbean island of St. Thomas in 1830 and named Jacob Abraham Camille Pissarro. He’s one of many well-known Jewish painters (think of Modigliani, Soutine, Lieberman and Pascin), whose Jewish identity is not widely known today. DR. ROSALIND FRANKLIN The British chemist who helped discover DNA missed out on sharing the Nobel Prize with her colleagues Frances Crick, Maurice Wilkins and James Watson. Watson publicly stated that Franklin should have been awarded the Nobel too. She died tragically young in 1958 at the age of 37.
ZSA ZSA GABOR An actress who hid her Jewishness, Zsa Zsa was born Sari Gabor in Hungary in 1917 and fled to the United States in 1941.
DANIEL DAY LEWIS The actor’s Jewish mother, Jill Balcon, was also in showbiz. (Lewis’ dad, Cecil Day-Lewis, was not Jewish and served as England’s poet laureate.) He is married to Rebecca Miller, the daughter of playwright Arthur Miller. HARRISON FORD The parents of Dora Nidelman, Ford's mother, were Jewish immigrants from Minsk. Ford has said that he taps into his Jewish identity when he’s acting. SCARLETT JOHANNSEN Actress Scarlett Johannsen has described herself as a New York Jew. Her mum, producer Melanie Sloan, is Jewish and her dad Karsten Johansson, who is not Jewish, is a Danish-born architect.
LEVI STRAUSS Born in Bavaria in 1829, Strauss provided miners in the California Gold Rush with durable work clothes. He made a fortune and became a major Jewish philanthropist.
LAUREN BACALL The sultry WWII pin up was born Betty Joan Perske in the Bronx in 1924 to Jewish parents who’d emigrated to the United States from Russia. She was one of many actresses who downplayed their Jewishness at the time and they included Hedy Lamarr.
IRVING BERLIN The songwriter who brought us White Christmas and Easter Parade was a Jew, born Israel Beilin in Russia in 1888. During World War I Berlin teamed up with Harry Houdini, Al Jolson and other Jews in show business, forming the Rabbis’ Sons Theatrical Benevolent Association, which raised money for the Red Cross.
JONAS SALK The inventor of the polio vaccine was a Jew, as was Dr. Albert Sabin, Salk’s rival who developed the “live” polio vaccine that is still in use today. When Dr. Salk announced that his polio vaccine was safe and effective on 12th April 1955 people celebrated in the streets and churches rang their bells in towns and cities across the United States.
JACK BLACK Born Thomas Jacob Cohan, comedian, singer, songwriter and actor Jack Black’s mother, Judith Love Cohen, was born Jewish. His father, Thomas William Black, converted to Judaism. The couple worked as engineers on the Hubble Space Telescope. JOAQUIN PHOENIX Joaquin Phoenix has been open about his difficult childhood: his parents belonged to a cult in Latin America. The family – including Phoenix’s Jewish mother, Arlyn Dunetz Phoenix – has since left the cult and his parents divorced. “I’m Jewish” the Academy-award winning actor has declared, adding that he’s still wary of organised religion after his traumatic childhood.
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TONY CURTIS Born Bernard Schwartz, Curtis’ parents were penniless Jewish immigrants from Hungary. He changed his name at the behest of Hollywood studio bosses to the Anglo-sounding Tony Curtis. Later in life Curtis embraced his Jewish identity, connecting with his local Chabad near Las Vegas, where he lived and performing mitzvot such as putting on tefillin.
SIGMUND FREUD Born Sigmund Shlomo Freud in presentday Czechoslovakia in 1856, the father of psychoanalysis became a worldfamous professor in Vienna. His renown wasn’t enough to save him from the Nazis. When his beloved daughter Anna was arrested by the Gestapo in 1938 the entire Freud family left their home and fled to England.
HARRY HOUDINI Born in Hungary in 1874, Houdini’s real name was Erik Weisz. His father was a rabbi and Houdini maintained a strong Jewish identity in his private life.
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the melbourne jewish report | December 2021
C ONS I D E RE D
OPINION
ALEEZA BEN SHALOM COURTESY: AISH.COM Why you shouldn't be disappointed when your date does not match who you were envisioning. You’re sitting across from a date and something feels off – they're just not what you were expecting. Why does the paper version of this person look so much better than they do in real life? Here’s why reality doesn’t always match up with the date you envisioned. Your Imagination Does a Great Job We have really great imaginations. Just as the movie version of the book you envisioned doesn't compare to what you imagined the same thing happens with a dating profile. Reading a dating profile is like reading a book. It's better because it stems from your imagination. What you project from the details on paper into an imagined persona is almost never equivalent to the real human being you sit down with on the date. You read someone’s profile and feel immediately connected to the other person and there’s something there. Your mind likes doing puzzles and it starts to fill in all the gaps. You make everything look “picture-perfect” in your brain. You’re looking forward to meeting them, envisioning how great they will be, based on this idea you have in your mind,
Why the paper version of your date is better than reality which isn’t exactly based on reality, but on figments of your imagination. Is it any wonder they’re not actually “picture-perfect”? So, you're freaking out inside, feeling so frustrated. Your imagination is doing a great job, as it should. But don’t be disappointed when your date does not match your imagination. So how do you get over this hurdle? You need to slow down your thinking and be present on your date. You need to take a look at the person sitting in front of you. Put aside that image of who you think they are from what you read and get to know the person in front of you. Don’t try to compare your vision to the reality. Just enjoy and connect with the reality of the situation, whether they are who you expected or not, and go with the flow. Editing Your Profile Now let’s flip the scenario. Let’s say you’re writing your own dating profile. You have time to refine that amazing piece of paper. How many times do you write or rewrite, order or reorder? You edit yourself, right? And then what happens? You show up to the date and you’re a little unedited. You’re totally raw. You’re there in the flesh and maybe you’re not as eloquent as the words on the page. Maybe you wrote it. Maybe you had somebody else help you write it. Whatever you did, it just
Judaica quiz answers 1. Tefillin – the bayit is the box
15.The Battle of Beersheba
in which the parchments are
16.He was the first to jump into
housed, the retzuot are the
the Red Sea, following which
leather straps
the waters divided to allow the
2. Caesarea
Israelites to pass through on dry
3. a) Los Angeles 34 degrees
land
north
17. Panama
b) Tel Aviv 32 degrees north
18. The Fast of the 10th of Tevet
c) Shanghai 31 degrees north
19. King Saul to his son Jonathan
4. The Crusades
(arguing about David)
5. Mule - Joseph Trumpeldor
20. He was born in Berlin,
helped to organise the Zion
Germany (1925)
Mule Corps in WWI and they
21. Southampton, West Ham
participated in the Gallipoli
United, Manchester City, Celtic
Campaign
and Portsmouth
6. Judah
22. Pope Pius XII
7. Anne Frank
23. True
8. Tailor, Shoemaker and Baker
24. Leon Uris
9. The (Third) Zionist Congress
25.Operation Magic Carpet is
10. Emma Lazarus
a widely known nickname for
11. The New Year for Trees
Operation On Wings of Eagles
12. The Arabian Leopard, the
(Hebrew: Kanfei Nesharim),
others had already become
an operation between June
extinct in the region much earlier
1949 and September 1950 that
13.Frankfurt
brought 49,000 Yemenite Jews to
14.Tunisia
the new State of Israel.
sounds better on paper than how you present in person. You’re in good company. A lot of people edit their profile and most people don’t meet others’ expectations. Even still, you need to show up with confidence. Go in with a smile and put your best foot forward, and hopefully the person across from you will like the real, unedited version of you. Photo Perfect You have the opportunity to enhance what’s in a photo but when you show up in person, you still look like you. Should you edit your photo? Use photoshop? Who are you fooling? Some people look amazing in photos. Do they look as good in real life? Not always. It’s a weird thing. Some people look great in real life but are not photogenic at all. I had this roommate once. She was gorgeous and she took the most horrible photos. She didn’t even like them! She’s like, “I don’t understand, Aleeza. Why can’t I take a good photo?” I couldn’t explain it. Some people just don’t match what is showing up in a photo. If someone is used to seeing you one way, then it’s the only image they see of you, playing over again and over again in their mind. When they finally see you in person and it doesn’t match, it gets confusing. You and your date need to give your eyes time to get used to the person in
front of you and to let the image you had in your mind fade away. Don’t be surprised if at first a photo doesn’t match what you’re seeing in person. Allow the person to grow on you over the date. Only after spending time with them can you truly judge if this person is for you. Avoid making a snap decision and ending something before it starts. You’ve Been Putting People on Pedestals By the time we meet someone in person sometimes we’ve already put them on a pedestal in our mind. We like what they’ve written on their profile and they say something we agree with. We build them up higher and higher in our minds. Well, where do they have to go from there? The only place to go from there is down. So, you'll have this deflated feeling and that’s normal. It might just not feel like it’s “up to par” because it’s your lovely imagination and feelings have built it up so much. Again, give your brain time to catch up to your reality and to see who this person is, and allow yourself time to enjoy their company. Don’t be fooled by your initial disappointment. It will, hopefully, fade when you will really get to know them. May you have the clarity of mind to judge your dates favourably with a clear mind and a positive attitude.
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the melbourne jewish report | December 2021
MOV I E
REVIEW
Making it … on Broadway
TICK, TICK … BOOM! (M) ALEX FIRST Jonathan Larson wrote the smash hit Broadway musical Rent. How he got there involved pain and persistence. That’s the subject of Tick, Tick … Boom! Living in New York with his dancer girlfriend, Larson (Andrew Garfield) dreams of being a Broadway musical writer. His creativity is recognised by his close and loyal friends, but he is on the cusp of 30 and he hasn’t made it yet. The way he sees it time is running out. After all, Stephen Sondheim was only 27 when he had his first Broadway success. Larson is perpetually short of money and works in a diner to try to make ends meet. For the past eight years he has been writing what he hopes will get him his big break – the futuristic Superbia. More recently, he’s even managed to get Sondheim on board as a mentor. But he is missing a key number in the second act and with barely days until his first run through in front of Broadway producers he has a severe case of writer’s block. Further, he has neglected his best friend and his girlfriend, Susan (Alexandra Shipp), who has a life changing decision of her own with which to contend.
Through a mixture of dialogue and catchy tunes (the latter written by Larson), the story unfolds. The music woven into the script by Steven Levenson presents us with a compelling and moving narrative arc. Tick, Tick … Boom! is a tale of triumph and tragedy. We’re in the midst of the AIDS pandemic at that time and Larson has witnessed a number of his friends pass away, the oldest only 27. Garfield is a bundle of energy in the lead, a dominant force. He acts and sings up a storm in a brilliant characterisation.
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He is surrounded by talent too. Shipp is vivacious and down to earth as girlfriend Susan. Robin de Jesus plays Michael, his childhood friend and wannabe actor who ended up in advertising. de Jesus is totally believable as the sensitive and loyal buddy and sometime roommate. Vanessa Hudgens knocks it out of the park as one of two vocalists in Larson’s band, alongside Joshua Henry. Both have real presence. And let’s not forget Jonathan Marc Sherman as Ira Weitzman, the bloke willing to stick his neck out for Larson. He
is most credible. The music woven into the script presents us with a compelling and moving narrative arc. Tick, Tick … Boom! is at times uplifting and buoyant, while never lacking in pathos. We feel the doubts and bumps … a sure sign the movie is presenting us with a slice of magic. There is much to like about the way the material is handled, with Garfield showcasing his enormous range. You simply can’t turn away. Rated M, Tick, Tick … Boom! scores an 8½ out of 10.
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the melbourne jewish report | December 2021
THE AT R E
REVIEW
Shakespeare, with music and laughs
AS YOU LIKE IT (MTC) ALEX FIRST It is a joyful and triumphant return to the theatre for MTC and its patrons in Shakespeare’s As You Like It. There is skullduggery afoot. Orlando (James Mackay) is being treated shamefully by his eldest brother Oliver (Chris Ryan) in the wake of their father Sir Roland de Boys’ death. Specifically, Oliver has withheld 1,000 pounds that his father had bequeathed to Orlando, along with a good education. Instead, it has been peasantry all the way. The lads’ falling out becomes physical. Angry, Orlando challenges the court wrestler Charles to a fight. Things have become so bitter that Oliver prevails upon Charles to injure his brother. Meanwhile, Duke Frederick (Shivantha Wijesinha) has deposed his brother, Duke Senior, as head of the court. In the lead up to the fight, Orlando sets eyes upon Duke Frederick’s niece, Rosalind (Christie Whelan Brown), who the new duke has allowed to stay in court. She and the Duke’s daughter Celia (Georgia Flood) are best friends and constant companions. From the moment they meet, Orlando and Rosalind are smitten. Then things take a turn for the worse as Orlando is warned about the plot against him, while Duke Frederick banishes Rosalind, who – like Orlando – seeks shelter (along with Celia) in the Forest of Arden. The two women disguise themselves as men. Food is in
short supply. Will love win out, not just for Rosalind and Orlando, but for others in the forest? The first act is the darkest. That is when the premise is laid out. Thereafter, hijinks abound as Rosalind tests Orlando’s true feelings and others, too, find themselves coupled up. There is much good humour and a liberal dose of original music, composed by Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall. The performances are universally excellent, the cast readily adapting to some tricky lines of dialogue as well as melodic tunes that serve to enhance the overall offering. In all the years I have seen her on stage, I have never seen Christie Whelan
Browne perform less than splendidly and she has a ball with the material here, in what is another stellar showing. So, too, Georgia Flood as her character’s cousin, Celia. Both have a great sense of comic timing and some of their facial expressions are priceless. James Mackay gives strong voice to the lovesick puppy, Orlando, taking his cues from a manipulative Rosalind. I could single out each of the 13 cast members for special mention because all find their time to shine. The chemistry between artistes is first rate, with fine direction from Simon Phillips. The elaborate set – jet black and gold accented columns, giving way to a lush green forest setting – makes an
immediately and favourable impression. Alicia Clements was responsible. She has also crafted the elaborate costumes, which are as stunning as any I have yet seen at MTC. I speak of ornate black and gold, beige and cream, and cream and gold attire with braiding that would be at home on a catwalk, let alone a stage. Simply “wow!” The title, As You Like It, is apt because there is so much to “like” about this cheeky, cheery MTC production. Playing at Southbank Theatre, The Sumner until 18th December, it has a running time of 2 hours 45 minutes, including a 20-minute interval.
J-AIR 88FM’s committee of management, presenters and producers wish all listeners a happy and healthy Chanukah and festive season. J-AIR 88FM – passionate community radio.