The National Jewish Post&Opinion Volume 76, Number 20 • September 8, 2010 • 29 Elul 5770 Two Dollars www.jewishpostopinion.com

Shana Tova UmetukahArt: Syncophony #2 by John Domont

NAT 2 September 8, 2010 fresh produce at the Broad Ripple is both simple and nourishing. It is in the Editorial Farmer’s Market when I ran into a About the Cover basics of the landscape that one can friend. He told me about a trip he took to see and feel the beauty of the essential – India for two weeks for a yoga retreat Syncophony the elements of land and sky, of nature When Ari Kaufman first submitted and a class that he had taken on the and humanity coming together. Rather his article on Eva Kor (see page NAT 9) subject of Ayurveda and healthy eating. John Domont speaking about his art, than portraying the realism of the he wrote, “In Judaism, a person cannot Ayurveda is a natural healing system life, and Syncophony: country scene, Domont is in pursuit of obtain forgiveness from G-d for originating in India several thousand Syncophony is a series of paintings the experimental expression. When one wrongs done to other people, only for years ago. I am far from an expert on it, inspired by the nature of nature. stands alone in a field with grain and sins committed against G-d. For sins but to briefly describe one aspect, Life is a manifestation of essence into sky, wind and color as companions, an against others, Jewish law and tradition Ayurveda focuses on the use of herbs, matter and consciousness. Ablution is experience of unity can occur. require offenders to express remorse massage, diet, exercise, and meditation cleansing by water. Domont is interested in expressing the and repent, and directly ask the victim among other methods to help maintain Cacophony is a harmony of the seen and unseen. This for forgiveness.” or restore the body back to a proper plethora of sounds. experience of unity, which brings with it I responded and told him that is not balance and health. Snyncophony is a a sense of awe, supports and guides his accurate. I wrote back,“In Judaism G-d My friend commented that at the made-up word to work. His paintings are an attempt to will forgive a person who has sinned end of the class a student raised her express the harmony honor the beauty and magic of living in against another person if the offender hand and reminded everyone that the and intelligence of our time and place. does what you said: show remorse, teacher had taught the class all kinds of the apparent chaos Domont spends his days painting, repent, ask for forgiveness, and when recommendations for a healthy diet. She and randomness of photographing and writing poetry. John Domont faced with the same offense not repeat then asked the teacher, “If there were life. To breathe and During the past two decades, his it. But after the third time of asking for only one piece of advice that you could stand naked with our selves and the paintings have garnered wide recognition forgiveness from the person one offended, share with the class that would be the universal soul is the rhythm and task of from collectors, museums, and other if he or she still refuses to forgive, God most helpful, what would it be?” this time of year. institutions. His large-scale works with will forgive the offender.” (This reminded me of the story where About the artist: In his late 20s, Domont saturated colors have been acquired by I knew that because in my editorial a man asked Hillel if he could teach him worked exclusively for conservation groups museums and hospitals. from this time last year, I had quoted all of the Torah while standing on one photographing threatened habitats and In 2001, he received the prestigious Rabbi David Wolfe in Finding a Way foot. Hillel responded,“Do not do unto endangered species around the world. Creative Renewal Fellowship, funded by to Forgive. This booklet is part of a others what you would not want done to He photographed so many different Lilly Endowment Inc., and awarded by series called Life Lights (brief essays yourself.The rest is commentary, now go mammals in water habitats that water the Arts Council of Indianapolis. He used on wholeness and healing), published and study.”) became a primary focus for his artistic the funds to travel to China and Nepal, by Jewish Lights and edited by Rabbi I started thinking about all of the endeavors. where he spent two and a half months Nancy Flam. different dietary recommendations that In the process of abstracting the writing, drawing, painting, and photo- Rabbi Wolpe wrote, “We forgive, in I had learned from Ayurveda. I qualities of water, as transformed into graphing. From November 2003 through part, because we need forgiveness. Every remembered that the diet is made up its various aspects of light, color, January 2004, the Swope Museum of Art one of us has bruised another, betrayed mostly of fruits and vegetables, some movement, and energy, he began to in Terre Haute featured an exhibit of his and ill-treated even those whom we dairy products, very few animal products experience a relationship with painting. work, a mid-career retrospective. love. Can any marriage or any friendship and several dishes like brown rice and By 1983, painting had become the In 2008 he was awarded American endure without constant forgiveness? dahl, which is made from yellow split primary focus of his work. Artist Abroad by the United States What we hope for in the world we must peas and curry spices. I thought about Domont’s paintings are an expression government. He acted as an artist create. We cannot have what we will little remedies for conditions such as of inspirations from nature and his ambassador to the nation of Thailand. not give.” insomnia – drink a warm cup of milk relationship to the landscape. He strives In 2009 he has received a second Wolpe suggests developing strategies with a dash of nutmeg; headache – rub to create harmony among the three forms Creative Renewal Fellowship, funded by and practices of forgiveness. “Lifting the temples with sesame oil. of light available to an artist: surface Lilly Endowment Inc., and awarded by ourselves out of the here-and-now Then I thought about how our society light, the light of nature, and the light of the Arts Council of Indianapolis. can give us a truer perspective on flip-flops about products such as coffee. spirit. His art is about presence and place. The Domont Studio Gallery is located at our predicament. Will this insult matter One day it is considered a very healthy Domont works in the Heartland, his 545 S. East St. in Indianapolis, but you in 30 years, or even in 30 days? If drink. The next day a scientific study home, where roads, pastures, fields, and can check out his work on his Web site: you could fly and take an eagle’s view of proves it causes some health problems forests are the essence of the landscape of www.domontgallery.com or email him: the crisis, would it still matter so much? and the following day that study is the American Midwest. This countryside [email protected]. In short, is what happened as grievous contradicted and it is again considered as it seems? healthy. After that I was really curious to The National Jewish “Judaism teaches those who have hear what all encompassing suggestion done wrong to seek forgiveness. It stood the test of time. mandates that the offenders must “What was the one piece of advice sincerely ask pardon and seek to correct the teacher gave that would help one Post &Opinion the wrongs they have done. But it also maintain or bring about a state of good teaches that after a certain point – physical health?”I asked my friend. www.jewishpostopinion.com three sincere apologies, an attempt His response: “Forgive everyone at restitution, and a clear indication that unconditionally.” Editorial and sales offices located at The Jewish Post & Opinion 1111 East 54th St., Suite 119, Indianapolis, IN 46220 Published biweekly by the person has changed – it becomes I have one addition to that. It’s been The Spokesman Co., Inc. office: (317) 972-7800 • fax: (317) 972-7807 the obligation of the wronged party a rough year with natural disasters, (USPS 275-580) (ISSN 0888-0379) [email protected] to forgive.” an oil spill, the recession, the Ponzi Periodicals postage paid at Address correspondence to: Indianapolis, IN Rabbi Wolpe advises us to take heart, scheme committed by Bernie Madoff, 1111 East 54th St., Suite 119, Indianapolis, IN 46220 All circulation correspondence take time, and begin the journey. to mention a few major challenges. should be addressed to “Forgiveness takes time. Forgiving is a Don’t be too hard on yourself. A Jewish Publishers Advertising Director Accounting The National Jewish Post & Opinion, process we go through to attain the state teaching says that one who has sinned Gabriel Cohen, z”l Barbara LeMaster Vivian Chan Subscription Department, Jennie Cohen 1111 East 54th St., Suite 119, Indianapolis, IN 46220. of forgiveness. There will be anger and and repented is valued higher than one Postmaster send address changes to: backsliding. But like all true journeys, who has never sinned. Don’t forget to Graphic Design Editors The National Jewish Post & Opinion, we cannot now exactly imagine where forgive yourself. Advertising Sales Charlie Bunes Jennie Cohen Subscription Department, Mary Herring Crystal Kurz Grechen Throop 1111 East 54th St., Suite 119 we will end up once we have taken the The staff and all those involved in Indianapolis, IN 46220 journey. To forgive another is to open up producing this newspaper wish you, Subscriptions $36.00 per year, back issues $2.25, single copies $2.00. a new pathway in your spirit.” our dear readers a very happy, healthy, All advertisements designed and prepared by The Jewish Post & Opinion are the sole property of the newspaper and This reminded me of a column I wrote prosperous and peaceful 5771. may not be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. Copyright © 2005 Spokesman Co. Inc. All rights reserved. in July of 2007. I had just finished buying Jennie Cohen, September 8, 2010. September 8, 2010 NAT 3 We can only be responsible for what we importantly because it is an explosively said or did to others and if it was wrong developing thing. While a single cell is Shabbat Shalom then seek to make things right or better An Observant growing to a many-billions-of-unbeliev- by asking to be forgiven. We are taught ably-variegated-cells organism in a BY RABBI JON ADLAND by our ancestors that we must forgive Eye matter of mere months it is easily and Sept. 3, 2010, Nitzavim-Vayelech those who seek forgiveness from us. It greatly affected by even subtle stimuli. (Deuteronomy 29:9–31:30), 24 Elul 5770 doesn’t mean we have to become best BY RABBI AVI SHAFRAN Which thought led, slowly but friends with that person, but if someone inexorably, to others, about the creation The Jewish New Year 5571 begins says,“Please forgive me,” then we must Great Expectations of the world – the subject, soon, of the Wednesday evening. Jews around the say,“Okay.” weekly Torah portion – and about the world will gather in homes for holiday At the same time that we look back Thoughts of consequence can beginning of a new Jewish year. dinners and in synagogues on Thursday and review the year behind us, we can sometimes arise from the most “The Butterfly Effect”is the whimsical morning to hear the sound of the shofar also take time to look forward. Looking mundane experiences, even a headache. name science writers give to the concept and begin this period of introspection back gives us an opportunity to say, Opening the medicine cabinet one of “sensitive dependence on initial and self-realization. The Holy Days of “What if….”We can’t change what was, day, I was struck by a sticker on a conditions” – the idea that beginnings Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur urge what was said, or what we did. We can prescription container. are unusually important. A diversion of Jews in the community to join together anticipate the next year and what we can “Not for use by pregnant women,” a single degree of arc where the arrow in celebration of the New Year by reaching do to make the world a better place, it read. leaves the bow – or an error of a single out to ask for forgiveness, and to look improve our relationships, and strength- “And why not?” part of my aching digit at the beginning of a long forward, in anticipation, to the year to en our own souls. As Hillel said,“Say not: head wondered. calculation – can yield a difference come. This year my Holy Day community When I have time I will study because you Because, another part answered, a of miles, or millions, in the end. For all will be in Bloomington, Ind., at the may never have the time.” The same fetus is so much more sensitive to the we know, the flapping of a butterfly’s Indiana University Hillel. I’ve volunteered should go for all of our hopes and effects of chemicals than a more wings halfway around the world to help lead the Erev Rosh Hashanah, dreams. Don’t say to yourself, “When developed person. Partly, of course, yesterday might have set into motion a Rosh Hashanah morning, and Yom I have the time,” but make time for because of its very tininess, but more hurricane in the Atlantic today. Kippur morning services. Rabbi Klotz tomorrow in your life today. What is it The most striking butterfly effects take will lead Kol Nidre. I look forward to you’ve wanted to do? What have you j i place during formative stages, when much seeing my daughter and other students wanted to work on? The Holy Days are a the outside and your soul speaking to is transpiring with particular rapidity. at these services. great time to ask this question, but when you on the inside. Rise up on your toes Thus, the label on the medication; the As I mentioned, one aspect of these the sun sets on Yom Kippur and you hear as the shofar is sounded and notes are gestation of a fetus, that single cell’s Holy Days, these ten Days of Atonement, the final sound of the Shofar, don’t let carried to God with our prayers. May incredible journey toward personhood, is to reflect on the year that is about to these thoughts slip away. Make a “to do” God hear these prayers. is strikingly responsive to so much of end. Many Jews already started doing list and check it off. It may be finding an On behalf of Sandy, Joshua, and what its mother does, eats and drinks. this through daily prayers and meditations old friend or reading a book you’ve Rachel, let me wish all of you a happy The developing child is exquisitely connected to the month of Elul. Others wanted to read or going to some and healthy new year. Who knows what sensitive to even the most otherwise will begin the process of atonement at a location to see a sunrise or studying or tomorrow will bring, but I am going to innocent chemicals because beginnings Selichot service on Saturday night. learning something that seems to live in do my best to make it a great year. are formative, hence crucial, times. Regardless of how one goes about your soul. We can’t control time, but we When you light your Shabbat candles Leaving the realm of the microcosm, preparing for the Holy Days, preparation can use it to the best of our ability. this evening, light one for the opportunity our world itself also had a gestation is a key. I hope and pray that these holy days Judaism gives us at this season to make period, six days’ worth. Interestingly, Take a look back over the past year. will be meaningful to you. Use them to ourselves right with those about us and just as the initial developmental stage Think about the people you encountered, look back and forward. Use these special the encouragement to look deeper into of a child takes place beyond our the things you said and the things days to contemplate how you can be better ourselves. Light the other for this last observation, so did that of the world you did. Though your thoughts might tomorrow than you were yesterday. Shabbat of 5770 and may we all look to itself. The event and processes of those turn to what others did to you, you can’t Think and act on making this world a an even better 5771. days are entirely hidden from us, control those words or actions. If they better place. In services, don’t just go Rabbi Adland has been leading Reform the Torah supplying only the most did something wrong to you, then they through the motions, but take time to congregations for more than 25 years in inscrutable generalities about what will need to seek forgiveness from you. listen to the words speaking to you from Lexington, Ky., and Indianapolis, Ind. (see Shafran, page NAT 15)

be left behind. The Lubavitcher Rebbe Creator. He is infinite, and His love for and we can help our family, friends, and Chassidic Rabbi told us that the time of our redemption us, His children, is infinite. To experience all mankind to come closer to Hashem, is here. The Torah has assured us that Hashem and His love for us transcends and do more mitzvahs. We don’t know BY RABBI BENZION COHEN at the end of our exile, eventually the all worldly pleasures. which mitzvah will bring Moshiach, people of Israel will return to Hashem, What is exile? It is being far from but for sure every mitzvah is bringing A friend of mine, Shalom Mordechai and immediately they will be redeemed. home, far from our Heavenly Father. him closer. Rubashkin, was recently sentenced to 27 What are we waiting for? Let’s do it now. Each step that we advance in fulfilling I go regularly to our local hospital and years in prison. He is 51 years old, a Do you believe in Hashem? If not, the Torah and mitzvahs is taking us out encourage people to put on tefillin and father of ten and a very fine person. He look for Him. Hashem is everywhere, of exile and closer to Hashem. Do this to do other mitzvahs. I have talked to has been a big help to a lot of people.You but He has hidden Himself. If you look for your own sake, for the sake of my many people about my friend Shalom. I can find more information about him on for Him, you will find Him. To find friend, and for the sake of all of us. To a asked them to start putting on tefillin the Internet. Hashem is the first step in returning to certain extent all of us are in prison. every day and to do more mitzvahs in What can we do to help him? A lot. Hashem. The next step is to learn His Until Moshiach comes, we are all in exile. order to bring Moshiach now and thus Every mitzvah that we do will help him Torah and fulfill His commandments. We aren’t in our true home, sitting free my friend Shalom and help all and all of the world. The Torah is the infinite wisdom of around the table with our Heavenly others who are in need. The majority of The Baal Shem Tov taught us that Hashem, and the mitzvahs are Hashem’s Father in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. the people that I spoke to responded everything that happens in the world is will. When we learn Torah, we are The invisible prison walls of exile warmly and positively. Please pass this part of the Divine plan, and we can learn learning Hashem’s wisdom. When we separate us in many ways from our message on to your family and friends from it. What can we learn from this? I do mitzvahs, we are carrying our Father, even if we are fortunate enough and as many people as you can. think that Hashem is telling us to wake Hashem’s will. By learning Torah and to live in Jerusalem or Kfar Chabad. We wish all of you to be inscribed for up! Do more mitzvas! Bring Moshiach fulfilling mitzvahs, we can come closer If you believe in Hashem and live a a good and sweet year. We want now, today! Don’t let Shalom sit in jail and closer to Hashem. life of Torah, do more. There is no end Moshiach now! for one more minute! This is a wonderful feeling – the most to good. No matter what our level of Rabbi Cohen lives in K’far Chabad, Moshiach will gather all of the people wonderful feeling that we can ever observance is, we can all do more. We Israel. He can be reached by email at of Israel to the land of Israel. No one will experience. Hashem is our Father, our can bring ourselves closer to Hashem, [email protected]. NAT 4 September 8, 2010 wrong and to feel badly, maybe even when we are suffering, we need to guilty, about it. But awareness is not review our own deeds, our thoughts, and Jewish enough. Repentance demands that we Kabbalah our speech, as we create most of our commit to behaving differently in the suffering. Being able to identify the Educator future. In essence, it demands that we of the Month connection between our actions, our become a “new”person the next time we thoughts, and our speech and our BY AMY HIRSHBERG LEDERMAN are tempted to gossip, cheat on our taxes BY MELINDA RIBNER suffering is a great spiritual gift. It is or misrepresent the truth. wonderful because we can change, we Rosh Hashanah Prayer means different things to Forgiveness – A can heal, and we can act differently in different people, but many of us the future. reminds us we have intuitively feel that prayer has the power source of healing As we prepare for the new year, it is to heal, comfort and even change now the time to forgive people who have the power to change circumstances. Whether we pray and blessing hurt us and ask for forgiveness from formally using the words of our liturgy those we have hurt. Sometimes, we It’s that time of year again. Backpacks or informally with words from the As we learned in the last month, the might not know that we have hurt and school binders tumble off the heart, prayer is a language and a headquarters for forgiveness is this someone, and they are harboring anger shelves at Target, crossing guards in pathway that lets us be in relationship month of Elul. Rosh Hashanah is upon toward us. Though they may not even bright orange vests patrol the road, and with the Divine. us, the first day of the new cycle. What really want to hurt us, it still may hurt us parents are bemoaning the frenzied Prayer also helps us focus our we are able to open to on this holy on an energetic level. Therefore, it is the schedule that “back to school”requires. attention on what is most important to day will correspond to the work of custom to ask everyone for forgiveness. But there’s a positive energy in the air as us at any point in life. A sick parent or a forgiveness that we do during this month. It is a little scary to make ourselves kids, tanned and freckled from the marriage on the rocks, the birth of a Forgiveness is a gift that we offer to vulnerable in this way and I know that it summer, greet each other in the school child or the purchase of a new home; all others, as well as to ourselves. If we is not always easy to forgive when we yard as they begin a new school year. of these can elicit an urge to speak to understood the impact of the negativity have been deeply hurt. Even though it is The fall is a time for new beginnings God. Words of gratitude, requests for that results from anger, we would make hard, we must make an effort and do and the Jewish calendar is right on track. healing, prayers for strength or comfort, great efforts to forgive ourselves and what we can. It is possible that we may Rosh Hashanah, which in Hebrew all give us an opportunity to articulate others as quickly and deeply as we can. I ask for forgiveness and the person will literally means “head of the year,” kicks and affirm the feelings we have deep heard an interesting story recently on not forgive us, but we should do what off the parade of holidays with a spirit of inside. But even more than this, prayer the relationship of forgiveness and we can to obtain the gift of forgiveness. perennial optimism. When we wish one can help us change our perceptions healing. When I told it to a friend, it Forgiveness is ultimately a divine gift. another L’shanah tovah tikatevu v’taihatemu about what is possible in life because it was so important to her that I am “Forgiveness does not mean that we (May you be inscribed and sealed for a enables us to be in conversation with encouraged to share it with others. condone a negative action, nor do we good life), we are saying that we hope something much greater than ourselves, When a woman’s son was diagnosed deny our angry and hurt feelings. this year will be a good one all around; a a divine source in a universe where with leukemia that was not able to be Forgiveness asks us to see beyond the year of good health and well-being in anything is possible. effectively treated, she went to a rebbe to limits of our personality or that of the relationships, family, work and life. Tzedakah is most often translated in find out what she might be able to do person who hurt us, and to open our But if that isn’t enough, we are given English to mean “charity,” but in truth, spiritually to help her son. The rebbe heart to love.Though it is an act of grace, another ten days between Rosh it is much more than that. Charity inquired, “Was she angry at anyone? If forgiveness is a process and may take Hashanah and Yom Kippur (called the suggests benevolence and generosity she forgives, if she lets go of her anger time. It is easier to forgive others and Days of Awe or Yomim Noraim) to reflect and is purely a voluntary act. Tzedakah and forgives, her son will be healed.” even ourselves when we are willing to on where we have been, where we comes from the Hebrew word tzedek, Initially, even though she did not feel take responsibility for the negativity we are going, and what we want to do which means righteousness or justice. that she was harboring anger or experienced. In the act of forgiveness, we differently in the coming year. It’s a time The justice we speak of stems from the resentment, she went through her substitute compassion for blame, and we of personal and spiritual introspection idea that everything we have or possess blackberry and all her diaries to review trust ourselves and God that we have grounded in the idea that we have the comes from God who is, in a sense, the all her relationships. Upon reflection, grown and will continue to grow from continuing capacity, each and every year, Ultimate Landlord of the Earth. As she realized that she was still quite angry the pain or challenge we experienced. to change the way we live. Judaism tenants, we don’t really “own” anything at the principal of the school who had Forgiveness is complete when we gain promotes and is based upon this we have; rather, we are given the gift fired her for no reason a few years ago. insight into how the challenges and powerful idea: that in each one of us, at of using it for our benefit during our She worked hard to let go of her anger difficulties we have faced in this last year every age and stage of life, is the capacity lives. But this privilege comes with and forgive this person spiritually, within have supported our growth” (Kabbalah to change. This power of personal responsibility and we are commanded herself, by developing her faith. When Month by Month, page 309). transformation is not beyond us but by God to care for the world and those that was completed, her son’s leukemia There is so much negativity in the within us, and Judaism gives us guidance in need. That’s why in Judaism, we miraculously went into remission. After world. We can make a difference by by which to the make it real. don’t give to the poor because we want many years, this horrible disease again forgiving others, ourselves and even We encounter this wisdom in a prayer to. We give tzedakah because we are expressed itself, so this woman returned God. As the song goes, “Let there be that is unique to Rosh Hashanah and obligated and have to, whether we want to the rebbe for help. He advised her to peace and let it begin with me.” In Yom Kippur called the Unetaneh Tokef, to or not. get the forgiveness directly from this conclusion, I ask for forgiveness to which inscribes our fate for the coming In its broadest sense, tzedakah principal. When she tried to track down anyone I may have inadvertently hurt year on Rosh Hashanah and seals it on means acting righteously, which in the the principal, she discovered that the and I forgive those who have hurt me. Yom Kippur. This prayer tells us that Jewish tradition means following the principal had recently died. She was May we each be blessed to go into the through repentance, prayer and charity commandments. Tzedakah reinforces our then advised to go to her grave with ten new year with an open heart, ready to (teshuvah, tefillah and tzedakah), we can humility and our humanity; it reminds people and plead for forgiveness. draw down blessings of love and change the severity of God’s decree and us that regardless of what we want to do, In my book, New Age Judaism, there is goodness for ourselves, our families, the alter our own fate. we must do more simply because it is a chapter on suffering and one on teshuva Jewish people, and the whole world. I ask you: If repentance, prayer and the right thing to do. Knowing that we (fixing one’s mistakes) that condenses Melinda (Mindy) Ribner, L.C.S.W. is a charity are strong enough to change can and must do the right thing requires and simplifies much Jewish wisdom on spiritual psychotherapist and healer in God’s mind, then shouldn’t we consider us to admit to ourselves what we already these important topics. As a general rule, private practice (www.kabbalahoftheheart them as worthy tools to help us change know: that we have the power to .com). She is a teacher of Jewish meditation our own minds and lives in the year become the person we want to be. j i and Kabbalah for over 25 years. Author of ahead? And if so, doesn’t it require us to No one ever said change is easy part of our tradition that can help us in Kabbalah Month by Month, New Age take a closer look at what each word because…it isn’t! But knowing that there the process. Judaism, and Everyday Kabbalah, she is means and how together, they can help is a time each year to think about the Lederman is an award winning author, also the founder and director of Beit us in our own efforts to change? changes we want to make and to Jewish educator, public speaker and attorney Miriam (www.Beitmiriam.org). She can be Repentance requires us to recognize commit to making them is the first step. who lives in Tucson. Visit her website at reached by email at Miriam@kabbala- that we have done something hurtful or Repentance, prayer and charity are amyhirshberglederman.com. hoftheheart.com. September 8, 2010 NAT 5 He is the ruler of the great galaxies, just about $1.70 more than kosher whole as He is in charge of the great eras, so & chickens at the Butcherie in Brookline, Jewish too He is present and oversees every Judaism and about $1 more than a naturally movement that every human being raised kosher brand that isn’t free range Scholar makes, and also every flying bird, every Ecology at Whole Foods Market in Brighton. fish in the water, every skipping Most kosher birds are raised no BY RABBI ADIN STEINSALTZ grasshopper, every leaf drifting in the BY MARK DWORTZAN differently from industrial birds. wind, every wisp of smoke coming out of Two years ago, Menzin took matters This is My God a chimney – God watches over all these Local group is into her own hands. She had recently things and cares about them. relinquished a doctoral program in I cannot say that I have ever rejected Thus, God has a plan for each and bringing kosher history at Harvard to raise her sons. God. There were some years in which I every human being and every single She enlisted three families, secured a was not interested, and that, perhaps, is creature. But I cannot know what His closer to nature shochet, and paid Caledonia Farm to the greatest rejection of all (much more plan is for me. Every now and then I ask raise 100 chickens. than hostility or lack of faith). But then Him (and sometimes receive an answer, RUTLAND, Mass. (Sept. 16, 2009) – On harvest day, only Rabbi Natan the world seemed too small, too con- either directly or indirectly): What am I On a cloudless summer morning, a Margalit, a rabbinical school professor at fined, far too senseless without Him: supposed to do now according to the plan? dozen kosher-observant men and Hebrew College in Newton, came to To me, He is the all-embracing, all- Have I done what You wanted me to do, women are gathered at a 20-foot table in pluck. Local farm families finished the encompassing being, the great Mystery, or have I erred and misunderstood You? a barn here to do something they’ve job. To mount a better-organized effort the transcending reality that is above, At the same time, no matter whether never done before: begin the koshering earlier this summer, Margalit and beyond and behind all that exists. we acknowledge it or not, each of us has process on freshly slaughtered chickens. Menzin cofounded LoKo and recruited It is also true that God plays hide-and- a personal relationship with God. My Leaving the knife work to a shochet,or participants, as well as an ecologically seek with us; He hides and I must seek relationship is always personal and ritual slaughterer, the group’s main minded shochet, Naftali Zvi Hanau. Him so I can cry triumphantly: “I’ve private; precisely because He is so task is to pluck 100 birds. This quickly The organization was launched. found Him!” This rediscovery happens infinite and unlimited, He relates generates a steady rain of feathers. At first, Abe Menzin, a real estate throughout a lifetime. There are always personally and specifically to me. It The ringleader, Marion Menzin, 33, of developer and amateur kosher winemaker, periods when there is a feeling of always is a one-to-one relationship, Newton, is cofounder of their organization, was skeptical.“It sounded a bit eccentric distance, almost of alienation – even if when I am by myself as well as when I LoKo (local kosher). Once the chickens to process your own meat,’’he says.“But one observes the formalities of ritual and am in a crowd; somehow we are always are plucked, they have to be soaked in as I started to understand her reasoning, formal prayer; yet these times are alone together. water, salted, and triple-washed (to it made more sense to me.’’ followed by a renewed finding, a new love. That is why prayer, no matter the remove as much blood as possible), and Now, on this mid-August day, Marion How can one characterize God? form, is so important. Prayer is always a then weighed and bagged. Menzin and Menzin, Hanau, Petrovick, three Whatever we say is going to be both conversation with God. It is the way we her cohorts, who range in age from 23 to farmhands, and LoKo participants are right and wrong. All the good, beautiful relate feelings, fears or aspirations, or 60, are inside on this perfect summer day processing birds.“The work is hard and and sweet things in this world are make requests. There is also prayer for in pursuit of an ideal. They want to eat messy and at times pretty gross,’’ says actually His attributes and every day, one’s community, for one’s own chickens raised humanely and sustainably. Menzin.“But at the end of the day, we’ve nay, every moment, we see Him nation or for the world as a whole. And The workers will all be observing Rosh taken 100 live chickens and transformed differently. What is the color of a bubble prayer can also be a different sort of Hashana, the Jewish New Year, which them into nourishing kosher food, and of water? That depends upon the angle conversation: an urge to say thank you, to begins Friday at sundown. For the done it the right way for the animals, for from which I look at it; and when I gaze say,“How good it is that You are there.” holiday meals, many will simmer a the farmer and workers, and for us.’’ at it long enough, I shall see in it all We pray to God; in some ways, He chicken in soup or roast one until golden. Talya Brettler, 23, of Newton, was skittish the colors and hues: Great, Mighty, answers us with decisions about our In fact, what they’re doing in this barn initially.“It helps that this is a communal Compassionate, Gracious, Awesome, fates. Every person’s private reckoning, isn’t very different from what their experience.’’ Rhoda Grill, 60, also from Un-understandable – but forever either for the good or for the bad, is far grandmothers did before kosher meat Newton, adds,“I wanted at least once in extremely close to me. too complex, and no one is able to became industrialized after World War II. my life to participate in a process like this.’’ It seems to me that every human appraise oneself properly, let alone Menzin, her husband, Abe, and their Rabbi Margalit, a specialist on the being, not just religious (or exceptionally appraise others. Every year, there is a three sons, Lev, 5, Ari, 3, and Isaac, 1, will nexus between Judaism and ecology, holy) people, experiences such moments time of Judgment (on Rosh HaShanah sit down to a chicken dinner, perhaps views LoKo as a way to practice kashrut of grace – these are moments when one and Yom Kippur, and also later) in cooked a favorite way: roasted with olive (the Jewish dietary laws) as he under- feels the great Presence, how God is which one’s fate for the coming year is oil, garlic, and the Middle Eastern mix stands their original intent. “This is a close, nearby. This feeling is actually a lot generally determined. za’atar. Other LoKo birds will be bought richer, more real experience, and the more frequent than people think, but we But these judgments are not absolutely by the participants, who freeze what food tastes better.’’ cannot always identify it. Some people decisive. Judgment and verdict are they don’t use right away. Because many of these chickens weigh get this feeling from seeing or feeling according to man’s state at that particular The chickens were raised by Dave over six pounds, Menzin recommends a any kind of sublimity. Others may just moment in time. When one makes a Petrovick at Caledonia Farm in Barre, flattening technique or a longer braise in suddenly experience, without any prior dramatic change in life, either for better Mass., where they spent about eight weeks a covered pot. “The basic, foolproof preparation or knowledge, the bliss and or for worse, one’s verdict changes on pasture land, eating grass, clover, and method is to butterfly the chicken or cut security of this closeness. accordingly. The “book” in which God 100 percent vegetarian feed, with no it into parts,’’she says. God is not just the originator of the “writes and seals”judgments is, in a way, growth hormones, antibiotics, or animal LoKo plans to raise 20 Thanksgiving universe – an entity that gave the like word processing on a computer: On byproducts. They cost $4.50 a pound, turkeys and identify an heirloom chicken universe an initial momentum and then any day, at any time, it is possible to breed to replace the commercially bred left it. I believe that creation is an change, delete and rewrite. j i Cornish Rock Cross it’s using now. ongoing process; the world is being More than that – we can appeal. mission to translate the Talmud into “Since our grandparents’ generation, created anew each and every day, each Human beings have the right (perhaps also modern languages to return to Jews the kashrut has lost its way and become a and every instant. The world’s existence the duty) to converse with God, to ask ancient wisdom and knowledge that is business,’’says Margalit.“Now it needs to is the result of God’s constant presence things from Him and also to complain to their rightful inheritance. On Nov. 7, he return to the original impetus: respect for life.’’ within it, and there is no life and no Him, to claim: “You’re not right.”It is the will complete his 45-volume original For more information about LoKo, reality without that constant Presence – same right that a child has to cry and to translation and commentary on the e-mail [email protected]. at any given moment in time, in every say, “Why do other kids get more?” A Talmud, and Jews around the globe will © Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company. single particle of matter. human being is entitled to complain. come together in their communities, homes, Reprinted from the Boston Globe with I also believe that God supervises God wants us to be honest with Him. and online at www.TheGlobalDay.org to permission of the author. the smallest details and every single But still and all, He cannot be judged. celebrate his accomplishment with the Dwortzan is a Boston-based freelance individual: His Providence and interest Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, who is internationally first worldwide, transdenominational and writer focused on science, technology, are not confined to human beings but regarded as one of the leading scholars and nondenominational event devoted to business and the environment. His website include every created thing. And just as rabbis of our time, has made it his life’s Jewish learning. is at www.dwortzan.com. NAT 6 September 8, 2010 Why is it that Israel alone of any Tennessee, California and Wisconsin nation on this Earth, when its citizenry Take hint from reveal that the opposition is not just Shipley is attacked – brutally attacked by its about the proposed site, but about neighbors – is not supposed to fight history and let the intolerance of Islam. Speaks back. The historical dictum that the way Another argument focuses on the to destroy force is with even more mosque be built sensitivity to the memory of the victims BY JIM SHIPLEY massive force is not to be available to of 9/11. Yet some of these families have the Jewish people. declared themselves in favor of the project. By any other name This is a blatant attempt by these At a recent Sabbath evening service, organizations, these media outlets, these BY RABBIS we conducted an open discussion on the We cannot mask our true feelings poorly disguised anti-Semites, to once DENNIS C. proposed community center. We expected, forever. Putting lipstick on a pig does not again make the Jews “The Other.”That is AND SANDY on the one hand, to hear a strong change the name of the animal. If it what the rhetoric from everyone from EISENBERG SASSO defense of religious freedom and, on the quacks like a duck, etc. There is Ahmadinejad to J Street is attempting. It other, ambivalence about the timing and something very nasty going on in the U.S. is not the “Zionist Entity”that is under Depending on what news source you location of the proposed center. and, for that matter, around the world. attack. It is us. Every one of us. Because, read and to what pundits you listen, you A faithful member of the congregation, The moment of euphoria we all felt on just like a great deal of the nastiness probably already have a firm opinion a Holocaust survivor who lost most of his that night in November of 2008 has poured on Obama is a disguised attack about the building of the mosque near family during that time, ventured to speak. pretty much evaporated. The extremists on the fact that there is a black man in Ground Zero. The New York Landmarks He always stands for kaddish, the have come out of the woodwork. Churned the White House; a great deal, if not Preservation Commission unanimously Jewish prayer of remembrance for the on by the likes Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck most of the abuse poured on Israel, is voted to allow its construction. dead, but doesn’t often express himself and Laura Ingraham, they do everything due to the fact that it is Jews who have The debate goes on, but here are a in open discussions. This time he did. but use the “N”word when discussing reclaimed their heritage and built a few facts. We thought we knew what he might say, the president of the United States. strong nation in the middle of the The proposed building is actually two but we were wrong. It has always been thus. For a very corrupt squalor that is the Middle East. blocks from the World Trade Center site. He tearfully remembered how once a long time, it was us. Country sliding into Interesting that in the middle of all The neighborhood is filled with offices, Jew in his family’s town in Hungary had a depression? Blame the Jews. Prices of this, the building of a Muslim restaurants, bars, churches and even a committed an act of violence against a getting out of hand? Blame the Jews. Community Center in downtown strip club and an off-track betting parlor. German. In retaliation, the Nazis targeted Now there are new targets. Manhattan has almost pushed the The facility will have a prayer room but every Jew in town, including this kind The embattled establishment, the financial crisis, to say nothing of the is not a typical mosque. It rather takes gentleman’s family. good, God-fearing Christian white international crises, almost off the front its vision from Jewish and Christian “You can’t blame everyone for the acts of Americans are under siege again. They pages and been brought front and center community centers that serve the general a few,”he said.“I know. It happened to me. lost to us some time ago. Jews are no of the American consciousness. population regardless of religious I think they should build the mosque.” longer faced with quotas at med schools, It is planned to be built in a remodeled affiliation. Plans include a swimming American history has much to teach shut out of Ivy League colleges and building two blocks away from Ground pool and gym, classrooms, a restaurant us. In 1654, 23 Jews, escaping religious corporate boards. But, the new “threat”? Zero. It is on a city block called by some and a memorial to the victims of 9/11. persecution in South America, landed in Why, it’s those dark-skinned Hispanics. “hallowed ground.” Hallowed ground The imam of the community behind New Amsterdam, which is now New They want to take all the jobs from shared in this case, by law offices, a strip the project, Feisal Abdul Rauf, has been York. The governor, Peter Stuyvesant, Americans.You know, like flipping burgers club and various other legitimate a spiritual leader in New York for almost refused their entry, declaring that Jews and picking grapes and digging ditches. commercial enterprises. Nowhere in this 30 years. He is engaged actively in were “deceitful”and “hateful blasphemers.” And that black man in the White House? loud rhetoric does anybody mention that interfaith dialogue and has preached Stuyvesant was forced by his superiors Why, was he even born in America? the congregation to be served by the and written about an Islam compatible in Holland to permit the Jews to remain. Tell you, my friends, all of the above is new location is right now in a building with American values. Plans to build this Still, restrictions were imposed, and it believed by more folks in this nation closer to Ground Zero than the building facility reach back to 1999. was not until the beginning of the 18th than you would believe. And they are in dispute. There has been much inflammatory century that New York Jews won the not the “rabble” that takes to the streets The president has waffled on his feelings and outright bigoted rhetoric about the right to build a synagogue. and throws garbage cans through on this. Big mistake. The facts, of course, center – expressions of a hatred no It would take an act of Congress in windows. They meet in air conditioned do not matter in this case. The fact that reasonable citizen would condone. The 1856 to allow a synagogue to be built in halls and dress in Colonial uniforms and there are hundreds of mosques in New battles over the building of mosques in Washington, D.C., where many people spout about the second amendment York right now does not matter. The fact believed that only churches should exist. (don’t tell me I can’t have an AK47 to that the deadliest of the imams from the Call/Write for Free Books The promise of religious freedom is defend myself when” they” come to get U.S. now in the middle of Al Qaeda and why so many of our ancestors, escaping me). They have never read the 14th the rest came from places like Indiana We are 100% Judaism; not oppression and persecution, came to settle amendment, but they want it repealed. and Gaffney, Ala. does not matter. disguised of any other science in America. It is why we have struggled And government? Get them out of my No, it is just one more thing on which so hard to maintain that freedom. life (well, except for my Medicare and those who love this stuff vent their Jack Botwin But sometimes we forget. It takes a history Social Security). vitriol. All the political campaigns this Books by Morris Lichtenstein lesson and a kind gentleman to remind us. Domestically, that is how frustration is year are negative, nasty and biting. The Sassos are senior rabbis at being played out. Internationally, there The undercurrent of racism is there. And FREE BOOK by Congregation Beth-El Zedeck in is an even more sinister plot afoot. It dear friends, it is a danger to us all. From Rabbi Morris Lichtenstein Indianapolis, Ind. is the constant drum beat seeking to the Tea Parties to the anti-immigration (This is reprinted with permission from delegitimize the Jewish State. Israel has bias to the anti-Semitism expressed the Indianapolis Star Aug. 24, 2010.) won every war it has been forced into. as anti-Zionism. Applied Judaism It has staved off attempts to destroy it We should not be a part of any of it. Jewish Science On this date in by radical Islamist terrorists hiding in We should not tolerate it.Think of those, adjacent territory (some of which Israel even Jews, who were silent when Hitler 11 AM Sunday • 109 E. 39 NYC Jewish history left to the Palestinians). first appeared. We know what that All Welcome/Friendly/Free On September 8, 1729 It is now faced with two new threats. meant. Eventually. One comes from Iran, which has stated Jim Shipley has had careers in broadcasting, The foundation stone of the first very clearly what its plans for Israel are.The distribution, advertising, and telecommu- 12301 San Fernando Rd. #406 synagogue building in North other comes from various organizations nications. He began his working life in Sylmar, CA 91342 America was laid by Congregation and media outlets around the world, radio in Philadelphia. He has written his Shearith Israel of New York. (818) 367-4532 (24 Hr.) seeking to convince us that the Jewish JPO column for 20 years and is director of ~ From The Jewish Book of Days published by State, founded in the land of the Jewish Trading Wise, an international trade and www.appliedjudaism.org Hugh Lauter Levin Associates, Inc., New York. People, has no right to exist. marketing company in Orlando, Fla. September 8, 2010 NAT 7 Of course they could convert to understanding of human rights, to a The Art of Orthodox, which means swearing to Notes from the belief that Israel’s existence increases the observe all the punctilia of halacha that sum of anti-Semitism in the world. most Israeli Jews – and American Jews – Undoubtedly, the Jewish State’s Observation either ignore or interpret very liberally. Antipodes outmoded political system fuels much (For example: Pork is absolutely legitimate in-house criticism that eddies BY RABBI ALLEN H. PODET forbidden except in a Chinese restaurant BY DR.RODNEY GOUTTMAN abroad. It is also a fact that even before if you don’t ask.) the declaration of Jewish statehood, a Thank God for And the Orthodox and ultra- A moment of Jewish sovereign state was a contested Orthodox authorities are serious: idea. Even among those who advocated it, the Israelis Recently they actually rescinded a proper contemplation a great diversion of opinion existed as to conversion by one of their own rabbis, its nature. This remains a subterranean One can always rely on them for on the grounds that the convert was not The late Israeli religious academic, political dispute.Today, some suggest, that interest and excitement in a religious scene observing halachic law to their satisfaction! Rabbi Pinchas H. Peli, recalled a terse ideology in Israel is dead, having been that can, all too easily, become routine So this proposed law wants to establish conversation between two prominent replaced by political party expediency and boring. Who can forget the hilarious that, according to the Orthodox and members of the Zionist Executive and politicians’ personal ambitions. case of Brother Daniel Rufeisen? ultra-Orthodox Israeli authorities, Reform Committee in Jerusalem during some What is obvious is that domestic politics A young boy was placed in a convent and Conservative rabbis are questionably very dark days in Israel of 1948 when in Israel is played much rougher than by undeniably Jewish parents to save not real rabbis, and the 85% of the Arab forces were attempting to throttle in most Western democracies. Its own him during the Holocaust. He grew up affiliated U.S. Jews who are Reform the fledgling Jewish State at birth. The citizens find it as bewildering to read as to be a good, convinced Catholic. So or Conservative may not be, in the view American leader, Rabbi Israel Goldstein do outside observers. convinced, in fact, that he became a of the Israel Chief Rabbinate, real Jews. claimed that the Jewish State was a From a strictly theoretical perspective, monk, or more properly, a Brother. And thus they would not only contract forged by the Jews of Israel and dissent is the sine-qua-non of democracy. When he discovered that he was really delegitimize all of our Reform, the United States. He characterized it by In practice, however, a functioning liberal a Jew, it occasioned a sea change in him. Reconstructionist, and Conservative the Hebrew word damim, which has the democracy whatever its complexion, He became committed, as a Catholic rabbis, but also Orthodox rabbis who dual meaning of “blood” and “money.” requires that it restrain voices and Brother, to enriching and developing his don’t meet their standards, whatever Rabbi Goldstein stated that Israeli Jewry movements intent on its destruction. Jewish nature and affirming his Jewish those may be today. had provided the blood, and American The only principal point of debate is heritage. Still, as a Brother and a And this is coming exactly when so Jewry, the money. when such restraints should be invoked. committed, practicing Roman Catholic. many are excited about Obama’s Somewhat bemused, Rabbi Meir However, only in Israel, does a national Eventually he moved to Israel (of suspected hostility to Netanyahu, if not Bar-Ilan, a doyen of religious Zionism parliament tolerate those within its course), and instead of applying for to the whole Israeli establishment, and in Israel, retorted that while the two ranks who contest the very sovereignty naturalization, as here a long and the support of the American Jewish Jewries formed a partnership, it was not of the state. Israelis also endure sections tedious process, he chose to apply for Community is absolutely vital. one between equals. While he was of their mainstream press, which too instant citizenship granted to all Jews What fun! certain the Jews of Israel would fight to often demands of policies regarding the under the “Law of Return.” From an American point of view, the their last drop of blood for their new Palestinians that if followed would lead The Reform authorities said that, as a religious establishment has no business state, it was extremely unlikely that to national suicide. These views are practicing Catholic, he was no Jew, never dictating political decisions, or entering American Jews would give of their last eagerly seized on by international press mind who his parents were. But the into a monometude with the overwhelming dollar to ensure this venture. and electronic news agencies not known strictly Orthodox authorities, compelled majority of world Jewry. And the existence This exchange has certainly been, and for their love of the Jewish State. They by their laws to consider only that his of a Chief Rabbinate that makes – and will continue to be, repeated many times rationalize this disingenuously with the mother was Jewish, were forced to assert periodically adjusts and changes – legally and in numerous forums, between Israel argument that if Israelis say these things, that he was fully Jewish and entitled to binding decisions that affect status and the Jewish Diaspora. Equally certain why shouldn’t we? citizenship under the Law of Return. questions makes no sense to us. is that this moral contract will be affected Israel’s enemies have a plurality of What fun! The Chief Rabbi of England is under- by the realpolitic within which either personae. They sit in judgement on her The Reformers were the strict ones, and stood to represent only those Jews who side operates, both international and in international and regional forums, are the Orthodox were the permissive ones. choose to acknowledge his representation, domestic. A central point of difference is poised menacingly on her borders, and What a bonanza of sermons for rabbis which excludes the Reform and that Diaspora Jewry don’t have sovereign spread hatred within them. Of course, sweating the High Holy Days messages. Progressive Jews. But the Orthodox responsibility, as Jews, of direct governance. there is a history of nations that have Well, they have done it again. establishment in Israel votes in the The Jews of Israel, in concert with other attempted to use an advocacy of the The Knesset or Parliament is now Knesset and is part of the ruling citizens of the Holy Land, do.The bottom Palestinians against Israel as a prelude to seriously considering the Rotem Bill, coalition. As long as we are only talking line is that the Holy Land is their only their wish to the control the Middle East introduced by Orthodox Jewish member about the government coalition agreeing home and not just a place where the as a whole. The latest example of this David Rotem who represents, curiously, to ban buses on Shabbat in Jerusalem, Jews of the Diaspora visit occasionally. genre is the Republic of Iran led by an the overwhelmingly secular Russian there is no problem. This fact is often conveniently Islamic theocracy fired by hatred of its immigrant community. When we talk about citizenship disregarded even by those critical voices perceived foes and a genuine bloodlust. He asks the Knesset to give the Chief rights, however, the great power of of Israel in the Diaspora who claim some Even the Arab states fear its intrusion, Rabbinate absolute authority over all the Orthodox parties is noteworthy. In feeling for the Jewish State. How much though will admit this only in private. conversions in Israel, in place of the a coalition government, such as a more so by those who seek to lambaste Raw Judeophobia drives its aggression present system where the religious parliament, even a small party controlling the country whenever and wherever against Israel. Let one be assured, Iran’s authorities can do whatever they wish – but a few – but a needed few – votes, possible. In the purview of these people, ruling mullah-ocracy should be believed do you really think you could produce exerts disproportionate power. only the Palestinians deserve human when it threatens to nuke the Jewish certified documentary proof that your Naval Captain Oliver Hazard Perry, on rights. Israel alone, it seems, deserves an State or seeks to follow a scorched-earth mother was Jewish if she grew up under defeating a British fleet, wired: “We have obscene level of scrutiny, cynicism, and policy against her using its agents, the Communist regime? – but the state met the enemy, and they are ours!”Pogo, denunciation. The enemies of Israel can Hezbollah and Hamas. Such calls also must recognize, for citizenship purposes, in the comic strip, said it better for the do no wrong, whatever the baseness of have the intended purpose of diverting all conversions, by all denominations. Israeli government: “We have met the their attitudes and actions. the attention of the burgeoning Iranian This is supposed to make life easier for enemy, and they are us! There are far too many Jews who population away from their country’s the approximately 350,000 Russian Well, not to worry.We love them anyway, are willing to break bread with Israel’s dire economic situation. immigrants who are in Israel under the and will do what we can to help. Blood enemies. Some feel they have a need to In Australia, as elsewhere, anti-Israelism Law of Return but are not recognized is, as the Italian “families” say in the outdo others to be accepted by them. A plays a pivotal place in the conversation by the Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox movies, thicker than water. But one cannot range of motives drive them. These and behaviour of many nongovernment establishments as Jewish under the help but wonder at their hebetude: What include extreme leftwing ideology, organizations, which pump a never-ending halacha or religious law. Because they on earth are they thinking? interpretations of Judaism, which exclude supply of money and effort into the cannot prove their mothers were Jewish. Comments? [email protected]. a man-made Jewish state, a selective (see Gouttman, page NAT 19) NAT 8 September 8, 2010 of the country and even the world. So doing our expectation of friends will not was thought, became a traitor and even Wiener’s we engage new friends and new cause friction but rather connection. We gave support to the enemy. Eventually acquaintances. However, there is always need to be reminded of something when the war ended, he and his men something happening that reminds us of Cynthia Ozick, the American writer, were returned and he then faced court Wisdom that special girl or that special boy. It wrote in the early 20th century: “When martial charges of treason as well as the could be a smile or an experience or a something does not insist on being responsibility for the death of two of his BY RABBI IRWIN WIENER, D.D. location, and there it is – a reminder of noticed, when we aren’t grabbed by the subordinates. those pleasant times, or maybe not so collar or struck on the skull by a presence It was an imposing movie because the Relationships pleasant times, when we were in school or an event, we take for granted the very major offered no explanation and even or on a first date. things that most deserve our gratitude.” refused to defend himself. One by one Sometimes we take relationships for Eventually these memories are relegated What better way to celebrate a New his men gave testimony supporting the granted. We assume that people will to the chest of remembrances to be Year than to be grateful for each other; to charges. I will not go into the details react as we do to situations that require opened occasionally when we go to attic appreciate each other; to be respectful of other than to state that it was clear to me compassion and understanding. And or the basement or the storage closet. each other, and to love each other as we that sometimes we make choices that then we see, all too often, the disregard The albums come out, the pictures are would want to be loved. are difficult to accept and perhaps even for feelings and the contempt that there to constantly bring to mind the more difficult for others to understand. develops because of familiarity. times of pimples or bobby sox or peg I doubt even God would have known Such is the ultimate fate of getting pants or slick hair gel that brought your Choices what this man would do or, for that involved with people. We are born to be hair back to a meeting place at the back matter, what we would do. We all have together and yet, we find it difficult at of your head.You remember hair? Sometimes when things do not seem differing degrees of conscience. What times to maintain closeness. We discard The story reminds us that today we to go according to our wishes or desires, can break one person would not as fast as we accumulate. The friend of still do the same things. We may not we tend to say that it is besheirt – it was necessarily break another. Sometimes, today will probably not be the friend of have the same friends, but the new ones destined to be. It is a simple way of in fact, we find that we can muster tomorrow. How sad when you think of come and go faster than we would like. explaining the unexplainable. After all, the courage to do things we never all the effort involved in cultivating As we get older, it is harder to make we are not built to delve too deeply into thought we were capable of. relationships and maintaining them. friends and even harder to keep them. things that seem to make no sense. It is At the end of the movie we are told, in Sometimes we think that one feeling We have family that occupy our time a defense mechanism that gives us the the most compelling display of emotion or sentiment fits all. But we know this to even more because they are growing and ability to cope. and contrition, that his choice to give aid be untrue. Moses Mendelssohn, the increasing so we need to find the energy And yet, when the dust settles, there and comfort to the enemy was dictated German-Jewish philosopher of the 18th to keep up with it all. It is daunting, to is a frustration that leaves us even by his desire to keep his men alive.These century wrote: “If we are seeking to be say the least. more puzzled about life and its many lives were threatened daily, and the genuinely sympathetic to others, then we On top of all that, we have friends and experiences. It is frustrating because we enemy commander made it perfectly must not think one emotional blanket neighbors who need us as we need are taught that we have the ability to clear that if he did not agree to deliver will cover all when God by design and them. That is especially true for those choose the path we take with many of the messages and make an attempt to act shows sympathy for each of us as who live far from family. No longer are the decisions we make. Do we go to the indoctrinate his men, that he would be individuals.”His philosophical teachings we just around the corner or upstairs or left or to the right? Do we accept one made to watch each one die in front of took Jews into the Renaissance with a next door. Once we took a few steps and answer without looking for another? him, and they would also be forced to feeling of connection and purpose. we were connected, and now we have to Are we satisfied that our choices are watch. What would you do? A recent movie titled Toy Story 3 travel great distances. And it seems that motivated by fact and not fantasy? All All of us can sit back and watch this gives the perfect example of how we this great family experience is an effort these come into play when deciding our unimaginable ordeal unfold and offer sometimes take things seriously and more for them more than for us. After journey through the adventures of life. different opinions, but in the end, it really when we are finished we just abandon all, we are two, and they are many. Even the venerated sage, Rabbi Akiba, doesn’t matter because we can never any feeling of connection. In the movie Now we are witnessing a different pronounced that everything is foreseen, know for sure what our choice would be there are toys that were part of a boy’s dynamic. Our families are no longer an yet freedom of choice is given. On the and if we could live with the choice. development and growth. He played integral part of our daily lives, and the surface this would seem to be contradictory. Here we are at a crucial juncture in our with them throughout his youth and friends with whom we once shared all But think about it. We are faced with lives. The Gates of life are open and we then when he was ready to move-on, to our deepest most intimate thoughts are choices every day. Some choices are simple, have the opportunity to walk through. go to the next-step in his maturity, he memories never to be repeated. We don’t such as what to wear or what to eat. And But it is not that simple. The Gate is puts them in a chest and doesn’t think keep in touch nor do we make any then there are choices that can be mind within our reach and yet seems to be about them again. That is, until he gets serious attempt to reconnect. We discard boggling, such as to love and be loved unreachable. The year is ending, and a ready to go off to school. old reminiscences as though they no and by whom or to go to war or make new one is beginning. What kind of a He begins to clear his room of all his longer matter, and we forget the peace. In the end what we decide can be year has it been? Sure it was filled with boyhood memories and comes across significance of these past relationships. construed as being pre-ordained. No matter happy times and memorable occasions, these toys that brought him so much joy. Today’s cliques are born out of yesterdays what choice we make, as Shakespeare but it was also filled with disappointments Eventually he decides to place all but remnants. We tend to forget. As the said,“it is written in the stars.” and frustrations. one in the attic and that one special toy Yiddish folk saying goes: “Those who think Here is where the test of faith and There was illness and recovery. he wants to bring to school with him as they can live without others are wrong. But understanding takes root. How can we, Perhaps we lost someone we loved or a reminder of those happy moments. those who think that others cannot survive on the one hand, be free to choose our just casually knew. Could it be that we The story is quite amazing because it without them are even more in error.” destiny, and on the other, be told that offended someone and now seek gives us insight into our own relationships Friendships are created and nurtured the exercise is futile? Why? Because we forgiveness? Did we not care enough with friends and family. Most of us have with effort and action, not by accident. are also taught that the fate of man is and now regret that action and seek had childhood friends that matured with The past teaches us that friendships self-determining. And we also know that to recapture the feeling of connection? us. Some have had very good friends or come and go because we neglect to we are responsible for our choices, right In all these instances, we faced choices best friends and as the years progressed, continue showing forgiveness and or wrong. We are answerable for choices and we made some good ones and some so did we, and those friends are, for the most respect. The Ethics of the Fathers, the even though, in some instances, we were bad ones. part, not involved in our lives anymore. writings of the Sages, instructs us by forced into them. Here and now we have the ability to It’s not that we don’t have fond recollections, asking simple questions: “Who is wise? I recently watched an old movie. It was take that step that will bring us closer to but rather we have moved on, and they Those who can learn from everyone? 1950s vintage and concentrated on the the Gate and even garner the strength to don’t seem to be necessary anymore. Who is strong? Those who can control “lost war” – the Korean Conflict, as it make-it through. It is within our grasp. It Some, I am sure, still have childhood their passions? Who is honored? Those was called. The subject matter dealt with requires our ability to remove the friends that are still here with us in our who honor others.”This is the essence of the horror of imprisonment by the shackles of hate and indifference. We more mature age. These are rare. Our true and lasting friendships. enemy and the torture that was endured, need to determine that it is necessary for society is so mobile. Once we lived In a New Year, perhaps, we should both physical and mental. us to move forward enabling us to begin a within a stone’s throw of each other; we remember our past encounters as a lesson The ranking officer in this particular new chapter that is void of unnecessary now find ourselves in different corners in understanding ourselves and in so prison environment was a major who, it (see Weiner, page NAT 19) September 8, 2010 NAT 9 was a place for all Jews to go to be Forgiving – Not by safe…no hairsplitting proof required. Jews Let’s step back and simplify. Perhaps just for Yom Kippur even oversimplify. If the Jews of Europe Choice had done that and accepted what BY ARI J. KAUFMAN appears to be obvious in retrospect, Auschwitz survivor Eva Mozes Kor BY MARY HOFMANN maybe there’d be more of us now. traveled to Germany toward the end of Look on a map, folks. The great and August to offer her forgiveness to former Israel, powerful Israel is a tiny sliver in a gigantic Nazis. The events that took place bed of Islam. A war of words over tiny between Aug. 20 and 28 and attracted supersimplified bits of land without which Israel would over 200 people from all over the world end up an even tinier sliver of (very – Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, Italy, I’m sure many of you can (and probably vulnerable) Swiss cheese becomes a the USA, Canada (many who are will) tell me who famously said that if little silly when you look at what’s children and grandchildren of Nazis) – the outside world ever stops trying to already been given up. were organized by Church Communities destroy the Jews, we’ll probably destroy Jordan, which is huge, was the Arab International. ourselves from within.This is the concern “half”of Partition, was it not? Gaza, which For years, these former Nazis that of those worried about becoming too no one has ever wanted unless they’re in Eva met have placed a letter every complacent, too secular, too acculturated, front of a microphone, was “returned,” fortnight between the ovens at the intermarrying, and so forth. I’m beginning only to become Hamas Haven. Buchenwald Concentration Camp, to think, though, that we might just Check out the other photos of asking for forgiveness and begging for destroy ourselves over Israel…if the ultra- Gaza….the ones with shopping malls healing and world peace. conservative Moslems don’t do it for us. and fancy hotels.The ones nobody wants Mrs. Kor founded CANDLES I’ve received fascinating intellectual the world to see. If Gaza is a nightmare, (Children of Auschwitz Nazi Deadly Lab tracts and reading recommendations since it’s because the Arab countries like it that Experiments) Holocaust Museum and my last article about the conversion bill way. They learned PR from the best. Education Center in Terre Haute, Ind., in Eva Kor speaks at the memorial at the recently delayed by the Knesset. All are Hitler realized that The Big Lie was 1995. She has told the story of Dr. Josef Buchenwald Concentration Camp outside serious attempts to sift through the impervious to logic or intellectual Mengele’s vile genetic “experiments”at Weimar, Germany. Courtesy of: CANDLES enormous complexity and develop argument. People believed it because it Auschwitz on Jewish and Gypsy twins Holocaust Museum and Education Center. almost painfully fair ways of dealing was easy. Just like believing that Israel is numerous times in order to spread her with the staggering array of problems. I some big, bad superpower holding all of message of forgiveness. “In 1993, I went to Germany to meet wonder how much similar discourse Arab Asia hostage. Does this not ring a Brought to Auschwitz in 1944 when a Nazi doctor by the name of Hans went on among European Jews in the bell? Wouldn’t it be funny if it weren’t so she was 10 years old, Eva and her sister, Muench. He told me about the operation 1930s. Sometimes our strengths are also damned scary? Miriam, were immediately separated of the gas chambers in Auschwitz. our weaknesses, and increasingly I think Cut Israel some slack, for God’s sake. from their family because they were Then I invited him to join me in we’re overintellectualizing, overmoralizing, Read a couple of Daniel Silva’s novels twins and therefore useful in the medical Auschwitz in 1995, and sign a document – overthinking in a sincere attempt at (he, like me by the way, is a convert to experiments of infamous Nazi Dr. Josef of the operation of the gas chambers tikkun olam that might well land us right Judaism who hails from Merced, Calif.). Mengele. Never to see their family to publicly admit to the world that back where we were during that time we No, I don’t agree with the ultra-Orthodox again, Eva and Miriam spent nearly they did indeed take place. He are “Never To Forget!” radicals or the Israeli government that a year enduring starvation and immediately agreed. Israel was established as a place where allows them to ride rough-shod over experimentation that almost killed both. “Once I realized that I had the power to Jews could go to be safe. It wasn’t it. No I didn’t have an Orthodox Kor attracted worldwide attention a forgive, I decided to forgive everybody, established as a place for the ultra- conversion, which would have required quarter-century ago when she publicly and by doing so I discovered that it freed Orthodox to boss everybody around. It me to lie about theological and moral forgave Dr. Hans Münch, a Nazi doctor me from all the pain, empowered me issues vital to me. I am a modern, who worked with Mengele at Auschwitz. and healed me,”Eva stated. j i committed Jew who converted 40 years Though Judaism does not require her After Mrs. Kor returned, she told me I am trying to touch the hearts of Jews; to ago in a Reform conversion. to forgive Mengele, on that day Eva says “The events in Weimar and Buchenwald try to get the survivors to forgive, and There are lots of different kinds of she stopped being a victim of Auschwitz, were intense, with many questions.” give themselves the gift of freedom from Jews, folks, and there always have been. realizing she had the personal power to Kor asked the attendees to make a the past in conjunction with Yom Maybe it was a mistake, historically, to forgive and that no one could take that silent pledge that they’ll work on trying Kippur,” she said. “I am trying to shock create bureaucracies that gave definition power away. to forgive the Nazis because, as Eva them and give them a gift to try this idea. to the overwhelming majority of Jews Pre-trip, I asked Kor if her Jewish often notes, “forgiveness is a gift they So far I am not sure how it will work who are not, and never have been, upbringing helped her to forgive the give themselves, and they deserve to be until I have some more results.” “Orthodox,” but it’s what exists. Live perpetrators of such unimaginably free of the Nazi’s crimes.” Eva met with a member of the with it. horrific acts. According to Jewish law, a person Bundestag to learn that the German So, no, I hope and pray that the “I wish that I could impress upon cannot obtain forgiveness from G-d for Parliament would not let her speak if Knesset doesn’t take the self-destructive my fellow survivors and fellow Jewish wrongs done to other people, until they there was to be protest from any Holocaust step of giving the ultra-Orthodox any people that God made Yom Kippur to have asked those people for forgiveness. survivors (many of whom disagree with more power than they have, which is help heal their own soul by forgiving For sins against others, Jewish tradition Eva’s stances on forgiveness) because, way too much. Let Israel defend its their enemies, and people who hurt requires offenders to express remorse politically, they are very sensitive to borders, and when it makes mistakes them,” she claimed. “Nowhere does it and repent, and directly ask the survivors and related issues. and goes too far, you will certainly say in the Jewish prayer book that victim for forgiveness. Obviously, Kor may return to Germany next year, but cringe, but understand that when the some crimes are unforgivable.The idea is Josef Mengele did not repent, and he “it will depend on how the Bundestag world sets Israel up every day for a fall, pure and wholesome that we should did not beg Kor or other victims for will deal with my ideas,”she claims. how could it not? start the (New Year) Rosh Hashanah forgiveness. Holocaust survivors and In the past, Eva Kor has even attempted I have a scary vision of liberal Jews with a clean slate.” others who disagree with Kor forgiving to contact Holocaust-denier and Iranian (and I am one!) chewing this thing to As for the pain, sadness, anger and the Nazis say she has no business president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad inviting death and hanging Israel out to dry so mental anguish in actually forgiving forgiving because the perpetrators of him to meet with her at Auschwitz in 2007. that next time, it doesn’t have to be a evil-doers, Eva relayed that,“For almost these horrible crimes never asked for it. She’d like Arab leaders to tour Hitler or a Hamas to do us in. We’ll 50 years I was a good victim, that means Kor certainly could not speak for her Auschwitz with her 2012,“so I can show exceed their greatest expectations all I was hurting, I was angry, I hated family or other victims. This is why Eva them where I was and the place the by ourselves! the Nazis, I felt helpless, hopeless and often says she speaks only for herself. murders happened...I should invite Mary Hofmann welcomes comments powerless to change my painful “I accomplished many goals: to lecture Al Jazeera TV too,”she believes. at: P.O. Box 723, Merced, CA 95340; destiny,”Kor said. and touch the hearts of Germans, just as (see Kaufman, page NAT 19) [email protected]. NAT 10 September 8, 2010 Nachlat Shiva. They offered him a job, For the past 11 years, every Tuesday on the but he declined. evening, Ticho House hosts “Jazz, cheese Seen In 1999, Nava Bibi really wanted and wine,” an evening with a buffet Marwan to go and study.“She saw in me dinner including wine, cheese, soup, Israel Scene potential,”says Marwan, so she paid for salad, pasta and coffee; there are also me to go to the culinary department of Friday morning chamber music concerts BY SYBIL KAPLAN Hadassah College. For a year and a half, and Saturday evening dining with music. Marwan went to school in the daytime On the personal side, Marwan is 33 Cooking from and worked at the restaurant at night. years old, married and has three daughters, “Because he knew how to work in a ages 6, 4 and 1. His girls like to cook and the Heart kitchen and wasn’t a regular student, they like to go to eat in restaurants. he made food in Hadassah College “They are very intelligent girls,” says Coming to Jerusalem soon? Enjoy a for the teachers,” says Anat, the Marwan. “They speak Hebrew better special experience eating in the garden manager’s daughter. than Arabic and a little English.” At of this Jerusalem restaurant. “The chef giving classes told me I was home, Marwan says his wife cooks Chef Marwan Jaber comes from the so talented, he could learn from me everyday. If they have fish or a special Arab suburb of Shuafat and has been also,” adds Marwan. “I think I was the salad, he makes it. part of the Ticho House Café-Restaurant first Arab to take the culinary course. It What are Marwan’s future plans for family for 17 years. Born in Jerusalem, he was very hard for me to write in the Ticho House kitchen? Until just took a job in the restaurant, after high Hebrew,”he adds. before this articled was written, it was school, at the age of 18, washing dishes “He would listen and when he came to just getting Orit’s daughter’s bat mitzvah in the kitchen. He was very good and the restaurant, we helped him,”says Anat. ready for 320 people.“It was incredible!” after a year, he was put into the kitchen Marwan also did some apprentice work exclaims Orit.“We never had food like this!” to cut vegetables. at the Nova Hotel in East Jerusalem. Realistically, the Ticho House won the Then for a year he worked also at Tmil When the chef there saw how he worked, right to operate three restaurants in the Shilshom, the restaurant-book shop in he gave two students to learn from him Chef Marwan Jaber prepares bread Israel Museum to be ready by 2010 and the neighborhood behind Zion Square, and offered him work at the hotel, but bowls for serving onion soup. Photo Marwan will be working there. There Marwan said he did not want to leave credit: Barry A. Kaplan. will be a regular restaurant, an espresso the family business at Ticho House. bar and a cafeteria. “We are starting to Ticho house was one of the first Marwan graduated Hadassah College in Anat says during the time of the intifada, build the menu and we’ll have events houses in Jerusalem built outside 2000 and then took some small courses some of the bombings were very close. there also,”says Marwan. the Old City Walls, in the second at the Tadmor cooking school in Herzliya Marwan adds,“In the kitchen we didn’t Ticho House, also known as “Little half of the 19th century. Anna such as fish, sushi and Italian food. give the owners bad feelings. We didn’t Jerusalem,” is located at HaRav Kook 9, Ticho, an artist, had come from He then became chef at Ticho House. feel they were to blame.” midway between Rechov Haneviim and Moravia (the Austrian-Hungarian “I was born here, and I will finish my life Anat’s husband, Roni, made sure the Jaffa Road; phone 02 6244186. Hours are Empire). She immigrated to here,”he declares.“I feel very good here. workers got to and from their village, 10 a.m. to midnight, Sun. - Thurs.; Friday Palestine in 1912 with her cousin, It’s not like I am coming to work; I am sometimes sending them by taxi.“Roni is 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Saturday night from Dr. Avraham (Albert) Ticho, an coming to my family. When I am coming like Marwan’s right hand,”says his wife. sundown until midnight. ophthalmologist, whom she later to their houses, I am very comfortable “We would tell the police, they are part married. They bought the house in and I always feel I am one of the family.” of us,” added Anat. During Ramadan Chef Marwan’s Stuffed Artichokes 1924 and converted the lower level Over the years, Marwan has built a when the kitchen workers fasted, Roni with Fresh Vegetables in Lemon Sauce into an eye clinic where she good team. A Moroccan woman (Orit’s made it a point not to eat in front of (3–4 servings as a main course; worked as his assistant. Dr. Ticho husband’s aunt), Marwan’s brother and them, Marwan tells us. 6 servings as an appetizer) died in 1960. Anna died in 1980 another Arab work the morning shift; The goal of the restaurant is to make and bequeathed the house to the four, including Marwan’s cousins, work the the clients happy. If someone wants a Artichokes Israel Museum. The house con- evening shift and all are from Shuafat. special dish, they are able to prepare it. 1 egg tains temporary exhibitions, an “We work together, but if someone When Marwan first became chef, a few 3 carrots exhibition of Anna Ticho’s works, has a new idea or opinion, I want them items appeared on the menu; now there 1 potato Dr. Ticho’s collection of Chanukah to try,”Marwan says. are 60 different things and every year 1 zucchini lamps, a reference library and a Because the staff is very good, Marwan they remove six or seven dishes that 2 celery ribs café with garden. says, they all work here a long time, and didn’t go well and add a few new ones. 12 artichoke hearts The “Little Jerusalem” café and because of the atmosphere in the Now they are emphasizing healthy food, Olive oil restaurant have been managed by kitchen,“they work from the heart.” and they mark on the menu the dishes 1 egg Nava Bibi since 1994. Her hus- Anat says because the kitchen is very that are especially low in calories. 3 Tbsp. flour band, Joseph, looks after a variety important to Marwan, everything he The only advertising the Anna Ticho Nutmeg to taste of things in the restaurant and learns, whether from TV or elsewhere, he restaurant does is making people happy 3 tsp. bread crumbs helps take care of the grandchil- puts in his brain, like a computer, to use so they will tell other people. 1 1/2 tsp. vegetable soup powder dren. He is eager to talk about the sometime in the future. “We want everyone who comes to go Sauce Bibi ancestor, his great-great- All different styles of food are served, and say they had a good experience, the 1 carrot grandfather, Rabbi David Shaul says Marwan, and people find good taste, service was nice, the atmosphere was 1 onion Chai, who came to Palestine in simple and tasty food, and fresh every day. nice,”says Marwan. 2 celery ribs 1890 from Iraq to Syria to Tiberias The menu, which is in English and “We are the only restaurant in Israel 1 Tbsp. flour by horse and cart. Hebrew, is sprinkled with Anna Ticho’s with a senior citizen menu,” says Anat, 1/4 cup lemon juice The two Bibi daughters work in art. Hot and cold beverages, pasta and where portions are smaller. “We have a Salt, Pepper, and Nutmeg to taste the restaurant as well – Anat in sauces, baked potatoes, sandwiches, lot of people who come once or twice a charge of all groups and events sautéed options, omelet’s, soups, salads, week because of this.” Preheat oven to 325°F. Cook the since 1995; Orit is in charge of the appetizers, children’s menu, alcoholic In the past five years, in particular, the artichoke hearts in boiling water for staff and service since the begin- beverages and a wine list are included. kitchen has learned to handle more 6 minutes. Let cool on the side. Grate ning. Anat’s husband, Roni, makes “The good taste is because we do it people when the restaurant is busy the carrots, potato and zucchini into a the phone orders with supplies. from the heart,” says Marwan. “They’re with both private clients and events. The bowl. Chop the onion and celery. Heat Sharon Karni, a nonfamily mem- my family,”he repeats again. As far as his garden can accommodate 300 for oil in a frying pan and fry onions and ber, has also shared managerial kitchen team is concerned,“at work, it’s weddings, bar or bat mitzvot, britot and celery until golden. Add carrots, potato responsibilities with Nava for the work.They are individuals, but they can’t lots of business groups, such as those and zucchini and sauté a few minutes. past ten years. be angry or argue. They come because from the Hebrew University and Israel Cool on the side. they love their work.” Museum; the inside seating capacity is 80. (see Kaplan/Israel, page NAT 19) September 8, 2010 NAT 11 The woman imagines a 1942 ghetto has passed. New York itself now features But we saw all four shows scheduled on scene, where five Jews (two men and numerous such events. our Saturday agenda. Despite the rigorous Jewish three women) await deportation.“This is But the favorite, by far, for this reviewer, screening of applicants, shows ranged a mistake,”one woman cries (or words to has been the International Fringe wildly in quality – more often disappointing Theater that effect). “I’m not Jewish. Only my Festival – held each August throughout than promising, this year as in other years. father. My mother is Christian.” But the the East Village and West Village in New (Every year finds at least one star that REVIEWED BY IRENE BACKALENICK others laugh at her protestations. York City. Now in its 14th season, the goes on to fame – Urinetown, for example.) Though hungry, cold, and terrified, Festival continues to grow and to thrive – Jurassic Parq (note the spelling) was a The Dybbuk they manage to turn their minds back to this year featuring some 200 shows and memorable new musical, irreverently medieval times, as one of the five gets 5,000 performers from the States and spoofing everything from God to science rises again the idea that they act out The Dybbuk. abroad, taking place in 18 venues. It is to gender identity to Broadway musicals But again and again they are reminded the chance for young companies to to the noted film Jurassic Park itself. It Julia Pascal brings her own piercing, of the present, as deportation trains roar make their mark, for aspiring was clever, youthful (as to audience and powerful interpretation of The Dybbuk to in the background. playwrights to raise their voices, for performers), and very much of the the stage. The British playwright/director The British/European cast (Juliet Dante, actors to work, for reviewers and moment – with its own kind of offbeat takes this timeless Yiddish classic into Stefan Karsberg, Adi Lerer, Simeon Perlin, theatergoers to race about madly in wit. Another show – a spoof of Hamlet, the 20th century as she interweaves past Anna Savva) show strength and versatility, quest of the ultimate theater experience. proved far less successful. In fact, the and present. as their words, gestures, movements, The Jewish presence was not as heavy title – Hamlet Shut Up – was the best Pascal’s Dybbuk, which originated in and ensemble work play out the story. this year as in some years, but 12 plays part of this lumbering, amateurish effort. England in 1992 and toured the United This Dybbuk reminds one once again could be found all the same.Those shows Last show of our evening was For the Kingdom and Europe, is now enjoying of the power of theater – of the value of were as follows: Abraham’s Daughters Birds, a moving, but sad, sad piece about its American premiere off-Broadway this storytelling and story performance – even (three college freshmen struggle with their adoption, insanity, sterility, death. This month. The piece makes its impact as (and perhaps especially) in the direst of friendship and their Jewish, Moslem, piece was a joint Irish/American effort, part of the Theater for The New City’s circumstances. Think Terezin, where the and Christian faiths); AK-47 Sing-Along and theater people from both sides of Dream Up Festival. doomed Jews created music, art, drama – (children’s television in Gaza, while the Atlantic are to be praised. Pascal’s take on The Dybbuk is and especially drama. Think of Our Arabs and Jews struggle to communi- As for those that we considered failures, expressionistic in form and substance – Country’s Good, a play about English cate); Dear Harvey (a profile of Jewish the less said the better. Let us pass them and yet intensely realistic. With the convicts who land in bleak Australia. American gay activist Harvey Milk); Feed by, not naming names. As usual, we work of her colleague Thomas Kampe, Theater offers a kind of resurrection. the Monster (an found that the usual percentages held the stage set portrays a bleak, seedy In all, Pascal’s Dybbuk is a statement Orthodox Jew in fast – out of a possible four, one was Ghetto room. Buckets, blankets, ladders, about the stubborn human will to live and Brooklyn); A Gilgl first-rate, one was adequate, and two palettes, and old clothes (used in to create. And indeed the play ends on Fun a Nigun (his- were disasters. But, in all fairness, we numerous ways) provide the only décor. an ambivalent note, as a seemingly long tory of one song – managed to see only a small percentage The playwright has skillfully created a parade of victims march off – not only to all in Yiddish); Jew of the possible offerings. We hope to do play within a play within a play, rather death, but perhaps to a renewal of life. Wish (Jewish dat- better next August – with more Jewish like a nest of Russian dolls, taking the There is surely hope in Pascal’s bleak ing game); Just shows and more shows of quality. viewer from a shaky hold on the present piece, but it is also a reminder that in Time (Judy Irene Backalenick critiques theater for back to a legendary past. The tale begins we Jews are forever haunted – by our Holliday story); national and regional publications. She in the present. A British woman goes to thousands of years of history and, more The Mad 7 has a Ph.D. in theater criticism from City Germany, where she senses the country specifically, by our recent Holocaust. (modern riff on University Graduate Center. Her book East is full of wandering dybbuks (or lost Hassidic beliefs); Side Story won a first-place national book souls). As the Old Testament has it, any The 14th Annual New York My Name Is Ruth (modern version of award in history. She welcomes comments one who does not live out his appointed International Fringe Festival – Biblical tale); Omarys Concepcion (Puerto at [email protected] and invites you years (three score and ten) is destined Jewish plays and otherwise Rican girl goes to Israel); Two Girls (a Black to visit her website: nytheaterscene.com or for that role. And indeed the millions of Scotland’s Edinburgh has made the and a Jewish girl face off in South Africa). at: jewish-theatre.com. Jews who were exterminated in the Fringe Festival format famous – to be Particularly noteworthy in this list of Holocaust fit that profile. followed by many look-alikes as time Jewish pieces is A Gilgl Fun a Nigun – a solo piece performed in Yiddish by Rafael SUBSCRIBE TO Goldwaser. This accomplished performer acts out the evolution of one song – from The Jewish wedding march to symphonic piece – with grace and elegance. It is based on Post & Opinion an old I. L. Peretz tale. Also intriguing is Send to: The Mad 7, another one-man show, which translates a Hassidic legend to modern Jewish Post & Opinion form. But though soloist Yehuda Hyman 1111 E. 54th St., Suite 119 moves well, with strong performance, Indianapolis, IN 46220 acting and dance skills, his piece (based Or Online at: on an 1810 Hassidic story The Seven www.jewishpostopinion.com Beggars) never lives up to expectations. But on to other Fringe shows. For this I 3 years – $91 (SAVE $17) reviewer, one particular Saturday provided the ultimate challenge, with four shows I 2 years – $63 (SAVE $9) on that day. My friend/playwright I 1 year – $36 Eleanor and I sprinted from theater to theater, on occasion boldly grabbing (Outside USA, payment must be in cabs out from under the very nose of U.S. funds and you must add US$10.) other would-be passengers. Sandwiches Name and other refreshments were sandwiched in, between shows. This Fringe, for all its Address high-sounding missions, tended to be City State Zip slapdash, with volunteers manning the entry lines and lobbies. It occasioned fierce E-mail us at: (L to R) Juliet Dante, Simeon Perlin, Anna Savva (behind), Adi Lerer and Stefan Karsberg determination – press card or no press [email protected] in The Dybbuk by Julia Pascal. Photo credit: Cathy Rocher. card – to get that seat, to cover that show. NAT 12 September 8, 2010 identical, that at the threshold of the want to hear. Not sacrifice. Not ceremony. sanctuary part company and proceed on Not even thanks. Just enjoyment. Parsha Perspective two entirely different paths. One dies as Fun Coach (C) Enjoying each other. In the same an offering and is gathered into the way that they enjoy themselves, I’d want space that represents the ideal of a life them to enjoy each other. As many and based on Torah. And the other, the one much of each other as they can embrace. BY MAGIDAH for azazeil, remains untouched. It does BY BERNIE DEKOVEN In fact, the wider their embrace, the KHULDA BAT SARAH not die in the sanctuary. It is sent out, more they’d be fulfilling My purpose. AND RABBI MOSHE away from human habitation, out into Delight in it, Embracing family, friends, neighborhood, BEN ASHER, PH.D. the wilderness. And there, turning its community, strangers, people of different back on the sanctuary, it ends its life in completely abilities and languages, cultures, traditions, A tale of two goats desolation, carrying our sins on its head. values, status. And yet, can we really believe that a Hello there FUNcoach, (D) Enjoying the other. As much of On Yom Kippur we read in the Torah goat could magically carry off our sins? Okay, so, just for fun, what do you think else that is not their selves as humanly a tale…not of two cities, but of two The word “atonement” or kaparah G-d really wants from us? I mean, do you possible. All My creation. My clouds and goats: One, a goat for God, which dies in literally means a “covering over” or think that our just having fun is really lightning bugs. My mountains and mud the sanctuary. And the other, a goat for “burying” of the past. It is the highest enough? Doesn't G-d want more than that? puddles. My wildness. My tameness. something called azazeil, sometimes act of the power of God, an act of Sam Haredi Appreciating. Enjoying. As much as they referred to as the scapegoat, since Aaron, interference with the natural laws of possibly can. the high priest, confesses the sins of cause and effect. For the sake of kaparah, Dear Sam, No, of course not, I don’t expect all Israel over its head. God can do away with these natural Thanks for the question. I'm afraid I'd of them to enjoy all of it, or all of One goat dies and one lives, although laws, because God is the one who created have to be a lot better informed, and themselves, even. But the more they do, in every other way, they are identical – them in the first place. divinely inspired, to come up with the closer they’d be to being the beings I the same in appearance, height, weight, And the point of kaparah is to make anything like an authoritative response. made them to be. and coloring. Both are picked at the it possible for us to regain our moral But I can tell you this. If I were the (E) Loving. At least loving themselves. same time. Both are to atone for the freedom, our mastery over ourselves, One and/or the One were Me, what I’d Loving the intricacy, the harmony community. And then the live goat, the which is dulled by every wrong that we want from My creations - especially the between the parts and the whole, the so-called scapegoat, is set free. commit. For every sin has a double conscious ones: mind and the body. Loving even the Now a scapegoat, of course, is effect, external and internal. Every sin (A) Appreciating. Not of Me, per se, selves they find themselves with. The someone or something that is made to makes us more likely to continue doing but of the world I make for them. I don’t selves of animals, of trees, grass, even. bear the blame for others. But how can a wrong. But God is not only the creator of think I’d be the kind of One who’d need Enough to keep themselves healthy, goat possibly be blamed for something the laws of nature; God is also the one thanks. I’d be the kind who’d want to see make themselves healthier. Enough to that a human being does? who, out of love for us, is ready at any My creatures enjoying My creation. As heal themselves. To heal the others. Much of our answer to this question moment to allow a new and fresh future much of it as they can possibly enjoy. As So, all right. Maybe that’s expecting comes from the commentary of Rabbi to begin. Whatever our past may have many moments and movements of it too much. So maybe if they were just Samson Rafael Hirsch (1808–1888). been, however and wherever we may they can perceive. I’d want My creatures having fun, being fun, creating fun - it Some people actually think that this have done wrong, before God we can to be more and more intelligent so they would be enough for Me. Better than free goat is sent away to appease a demon and we are to rise with a new spirit and could perceive more and more of My gratitude or sacrifice or prayer. by the name of Azazeil who lives in the a new heart to a new future. creation, and delight in it, completely. I’m not saying. I’m just saying. wilderness. But the word used in the Torah, Of course, it doesn’t happen by magic. (B) Enjoying themselves. As deeply, as Bernie DeKoven is a Fun Coach. He l’shalach, doesn’t really mean sending to. We have to do our part. And the ironic thoroughly as they can possibly perceive works with individuals and groups, In the Torah, this particular form of the thing about it is, that the more a bad My creation, I’d want my creatures to institutions, organizations, by phone, verb usually means to send away from. past is to be buried by God, the more enjoy it. I’d want even more for them to email, chat, Skype and in person to help But send away from what? necessary it is that we keep that past enjoy themselves. That, for me, would be them recover the fun of life. Online at Literally, it is to send away from the clear in our own minds. That is the all the praise I’d require, all the prayer I’d http://deepfun.com. altar in the sanctuary. But in the sanctuary, meaning of Jewish confession, vidui, everything and every moment have which is not a confession to another j i j i meaning, what we could call a teaching person, and not even to God, but rather We could become like the goat that senses. That is what the organic world is moment. Our sanctuary, for example, is to us – a confession that silences every enters the sanctuary, that is, for God. all about. It has no moral free will of its teaching us, at this moment: First, there excuse. For every true self-judgment Does it mean that we have to die? own. And if everything that is good in is a vision for our lives in the Torah, an includes self-knowledge, not only that Literally, no, but in a way, yes, because the eyes of God were sweet to us and ideal that can make us holy. But this we should have behaved otherwise, but God does not desire that we die, but everything bad were bitter, the laws of moment of Yom Kippur is also teaching that we could have behaved otherwise. It rather that we live, that is, truly live. And nature would work in us, too, just the us that it’s not enough to think about the is only when we have the courage to that means giving up a certain kind of way they do in all the other creatures. ideal. We also have to think about how look at our wrongdoings with God’s life. A life of being mastered by our senses, But we have been given something far away we are from that ideal. And it’s eyes, only then will our resolutions for or living our lives on the basis of what different and higher. In fact, it’s only only by acting on both of these teachings the future be realized. “feels” good. In any case it does not when we practice this other, higher at the very same time that we can reach And no goat, of course, has any ability mean giving up our sensuality, but rather calling that we really are worthy of being the spiritual heights, which the altar is to realize such a future. Obviously it is the living it within certain boundaries. called human beings. For God breathed meant to symbolize.That is, grasping the priest that confesses over the goat and On the other hand, we can turn the free will into only one creature in the ideal only has value when we use it as a not the goat over the priest. But to the power of resistance that God has given midst of the countless unfree ones. God yardstick with which to measure how far extent that the two goats are identical, it us against God. We can give ourselves has said to only one creature: Be like Me! from it we really are. But also, being is because they really symbolize only one up without a fight to a life of the senses Be a god in miniature, in and over the depressed over our actual shortcomings personality – us. And to the extent that and all of its allurements. And this little world that I have appointed for you. only serves God’s purposes when it they end up differently, that’s because sinking into the power of our own That refers to us, and the little world becomes the base on which we elevate they represent two different destinies – senses is called azazeil. For the simplest appointed to each of us is our own body. ourselves up to that ideal.Yet even more ours. For each of us has the power to be way of taking the meaning of this word Within our bodies, powerful urges and important, our life inside this sanctuary, obstinate, the power to resist. In fact, is az, the character of obstinacy, which is forces work in the same way as they do here and now, including all the rituals Israel is said to have acquired the Torah azal, without a future – that which digs in the rest of the creation. But we have that are performed in it, only get their partly because of that obstinacy. its own grave. the power to master them. We have the true meaning and value if they are realized The question is: What will we do with In the world of the nonhuman forces spirit to understand God’s will. in the rest of our life outside the sanctuary. that power? of nature, the creator has granted only Of course, possessing free will means And that is also the case with the ritual We could use it to attach ourselves to one possible direction, from which the that we have the ability to choose wrongly. of our two goats. Here we have a picture God. We could use it to resist all the animals cannot turn aside. They obey But without that ability we would not be of two creatures, originally completely things that lure us away from God’s will. their creator when they follow their (see bat Sarah, page NAT 13) September 8, 2010 NAT 13 while in the synagogue. These were the BAT SARAH 100 Voices: awesome responsibilities of the cantor. (continued from page NAT 12) As I Too often these days, this prayer has A Journey Home been eliminated either to save time (for human beings. Our whole height and Heard It what?), and it calls undue attention to dignity and worth lie just in our ability to BY JENNIE COHEN the role of the cantor, or perhaps do wrong. In the animal, vegetable or In 2009, the Cantor’s Assembly BY MORTON GOLD because the congregation does not mineral world, there can be no sin, but organized a pilgrimage of cantors to “participate” or whatever. Pity. As I just because of that, no morality either. return to Poland and pay homage to Traditional cantorial listened to this rendition, I immediately So just like the two goats, all of us are, the birthplace of Cantorial music. felt a connection with my forebears and without exception, placed at the This 90-minute documentary produced music for High imagined that I was in a Jewish house of entrance to God’s sanctuary to decide and directed by Matthew Asner and worship. Perhaps some well-intentioned between God and the power of our Danny Gold is shot on location during a Holy Days members of our tribe would question the senses. Facing the Torah, we make the historic visit in June. Among other use of the organ. As a Jew and also as a decision. We can decide for God; we can places, it includes performances in Since this issue of the P & O is devoted musician, one realizes, alas, that one cannot use all of our power to resist everything Warsaw at the National Opera House, at to the High Holidays, I will review use reason to combat an ingrained and that would tear us away from God; we the site of the Warsaw Ghetto, and at the CD Vintage Cantorials for the High cultural bias here. I will not even try. can decide to be like God, doing good of the Nozyk Synagogue, the only Holy Days performed by Hazzan Paul (2) Veehee Rotzon (Zim). This is our own free will. Or we can decide for Warsaw synagogue to have survived Zim. Joining him are an excellent but another prayer that, while significant azazeil; we can decide to live a life based World War II intact. unidentified male choir and organist musically, is also frequently eliminated on what “feels”good. And respected or (who plays and sounds like a real pipe in many congregations. Zim composed a not, big or small, rich or poor, today or organ).There are eleven compositions on beautiful setting of this prayer and sung tomorrow, in any state of life and at this CD and for many Jews who worship it beautifully as well. every time, each of us can be for God or particularly in smaller synagogues or (3) Adoshem, Adoshem (Sholom for azazeil. temples, these compositions with the Secunda). Secunda is commonly The point is to make us holy and possible exception of Kol Nidre will be remembered as the composer of the hit keep ourselves morally free. And to get unfamiliar.This is particularly unfortunate song “Bei Mir Bist du Schoen.” Along ourselves back to that place, if we aren’t as performances of these compositions with that son, however, he wrote the there now. become rarer, the demand for hearing music for more Jewish Theater musicals So we leave you with this poem called It is an emotional experience for such them will diminish even as the necessity than I can count. However, he was raised Dissatisfy My Heart. well-known cantors as Alberto Mizrachi for their revival increases. The reader in the shadow of the synagogue and felt of the historic Anshe Emet Synagogue in should be advised that I actually listen to at home writing for cantor, choir and Dissatisfy my heart Chicago, Ivor Lichterman of Congregation a CD prior to writing my review! What organ. His compositions are “modern”in For any goodness Anshei Israel in Tuscon, Joel Lichterman follows is the result of my listening as the sense that he integrated the choir in But Yours. of the BMH-BJ congregation in Denver, well as a few editorial comments. The the fabric of his music instead of merely Teach it to demand Nathan Lam of Los Angeles’ Stephen S. titles as well as pronunciation in all of having the choir echo a phrase or hold a Your Presence Wise Temple, and others who lost most the pieces are Ashkenazic. chord which the organ could do more In my every act. of their extended families during the effectively. This moving t’filah is lovingly And if I should Holocaust. Hearing about the cantors’ and beautifully performed. Go away from You, family histories is not only educational (4) Vaani S’fifilosi (Sucunda). This Oh God, but fascinating. moving prayer would add luster to any Turn back my heart If it was only the performances by High Holiday Service. There is no Teach it to expect the cantors and choirs – Dayenu – it guitar, no juvenile quasi Hasidic type Only You would have been well worth seeing. rhythms, and so forth. Instead one hears To arrive However there was more. The movie unmistakable Jewish synagogue music In my every included a performance of original of the sort that most of us will no longer Moment. music by acclaimed composer Charles experience. We are all poorer for it. Fox and moving scenes from the (5) Teehar Rabi Yishmael (Kwartin). © 2010 Moshe ben Asher & Khulda bat Sarah concentrations camps in Poland. Zavel Kwartin was a superb hazzan who Magidah Khulda bat Sarah and Rabbi Watching the movie was like traveling must have composed this recitative not Moshe ben Asher are the Co-Directors of to Poland to see the country and the only for his own use but for other Gather the People, a nonprofit organization places where our ancestors lived but hazzanim who possessed the voice and that provides Internet-based resources for without having to pack bags and wait in technique to sing. Zim did and does. congregational community organizing and line at the airport. (1) Hinneni (arr. by Zim). Like most of (6) Uvyom Simchaschem (Im). Im development (www.gatherthepeople.org). Another interesting part of the the compositions on this disc, it calls for knows his chazonnes.The use of the harp documentary was about a non-Jewish male choir and organ with the cantor. is imaginative, and the lovely melodic j i Polish man who started a Jewish This is a prayer that is sung by the episode he wrote gives his choir as well (11) Kol Nidre (Secunda). This Cultural Festival in 1988 with only a few Hazzan as he (she) approaches the as his upper register a workout.Well done. arrangement by Secunda is among the hundred participants. He repeated it bimah for Musaf. The prayer is written (7) Havein Yakir Li (Oscar Julius). finest I have heard. The rendition by Zim every year until the movie was filmed only for the cantor and not for the Julius was a choir leader par excellence. (and company is) likewise worthy of when the number of people in congregation. The reason is that, at least To refer to him as merely a choir leader is his being accounted as one of the finest attendance was 15,000. His said his in any traditional shul, the awesome akin to stating that Eli Manning is a hazzanim of his generation. purpose for his efforts in this endeavor responsibility for leading the service football player. I do not know if he If you know and love traditional was because the Polish people felt some falls squarely on the voice of the cantor. composed this now very well-known Jewish cantorial music, or especially if important part of their lives was missing, This prayer expresses the hope that the melody or “merely”arranged it. Either way you are not acquainted with this genre of and they wanted to learn about the cantor is worthy of this task and that his this setting is given a superb performance. Jewish music, you owe it to yourself to Jewish culture that once flourished there prayers will be accepted and his efforts (8, 9, 10) Keil Melech Yosheiv listen to this CD. The number is: but was now gone. will reflect his modesty and unworthiness (Shapiro); Misratze B’rachamim (Kalish- 0 98865-5759-2 4. This movie is a must-see for cantors, for the task. For the traditional cantor,Yom Kraus); Tomachi Y’saydosai (Ganchoff). Dr. Gold is a composer, conductor and Holocaust survivors and anyone close to Kippur is the equivalent of the Super Bowl. As is the case of the work by Kwartin, music critic for the Post & Opinion. He is them. It will be shown one day only on There was a time not too many what we have in these works are settings the 2010 recipient of the Kavod Award Sept. 21 in theaters nationwide. Go to generations ago, when the congregation by hazzanim that are intended to be sung given to him by the Cantors Assembly of www.FathomEvents.com to purchase knew the service, knew the significance by other hazzanim who have the voice, North America at their recent convention. tickets and for a complete list of theater of the different prayers and hoped to have technique and musicianship to sing them. He can be reached at: drmortongold@ locations and prices. a religious as well as a musical experience Zim does and gives full justice to each. yahoo.com. NAT 14 September 8, 2010 than human mothers. So, it would be mouth, per the Bard, it’s that Antonio has wildly unfair to wash the felines or foxes to the lent money to Antonio’s friends without Spoonful or honeybees into a watery grave. Letter Editor charging any interest let alone usurious of His intellect, which encompassed the interest. Thus his kindness has cost Humor infinity of flesh, plant, galactic creations – Freedom of the Press – The Post & Shylock money. We all know what Jews His intellect, which hummed to the Opinion encourages readers to send will do for money, don’t we? Therefore, BY TED ROBERTS music of the human heart – immediately letters. All letters to the editor should be it’s good Antonio versus bad Jew. identified the three corrupting culprits: addressed to The Jewish Post & Opinion, Shylock makes the loan on the condition Prophets beat wine gold, and lust. 1111 East 54th Street, Suite 119, that he be paid a pound of Antonio’s That previous 40-day monsoon, many Indianapolis, IN 46220, or by e-mail: flesh (from near the heart no less) if floods everytime years ago, may have been a mistake, [email protected]. Antonio defaults. Shakespeare over and reflected He who saved only the breed of over again hammers home the point that It was a beautiful day in heaven, as Noah. In the plant kingdom alone, Dear Editor, Shylock wants revenge in the form of a usual. (In fact, several of the senior angels 85,433 species of orchid plants designed In your Aug. 11 issue, you published a pound of Antonio’s flesh (as misguided that very morning had met with He to embellish the hair of the daughters review of the play The Merchant of Venice. as Shylock is) not because of the terrible who makes the weather that continually of Eve were drowned. And how I had never seen a performance of that treatment he has received from Antonio, confounds TV meteorologists. An many melodious nightingales whose play or read it until a few weeks ago. I but because Shylock is a Jew. This is the occasional gray day – to relieve the descendants would never serenade the attended a performance at the Oregon way Jews are, says the Bard. monotony? Why not, they suggested.) evenings of Earth. Sure, human seed Shakespeare Festival and then read the Then there is the matter of Shylock’s But like I say, the sky was as blue as stock was preserved in the family of play. I was completely taken aback. daughter who freely expresses her angel’s eyes and the temperature was 70, Noah, but who could be sure that Why an openly anti-Semitic, hate-filled dislike for the Jew, her father, and and a balmy wind softly stirred the air. Mrs. Noah – who had a mischievous play is still being performed is a mystery leaves home and becomes a Christian. Sure, heaven was heavenly. But down glint in her eye – would maintain the to me. If it’s because “it’s Shakespeare” Shakespeare never gets around to telling below were storms – black skies and uprighteousness of Rivka. and he’s great,” so what? Even great us why she dislikes her Dad or wants frigidity. Not weather-wise, but ethically. And Noah – dry as a bone – no sooner playwrights write plays that are better to become a Christian, but what’s to The human race that roiled, bubbled, and beaches his ark than he gets roaring left in the trashcans of history. tell? He is a Jew, isn’t he? Christianity is smoked like a stew that needed stirring drunk. How discouraging. He’d be right The question isn’t whether Shakespeare far preferable to Judaism isn’t it? on a hot burner was going through one at home at the sliver of New York state, was anti-Semitic anymore than the In the trial scene“justice”as Shakespeare of their typical explosive, volcanic cycles. Manhattan, 57th Street that previously question is whether Mel Gibson is anti- understands it prevails. Shylock receives Maybe, thought their Creator, He was too occupied the Lord’s gaze. Wow, was that Semitic. Both Shakespeare and Gibson neither repayment of the loan nor the hasty after the flood. Sure, My rainbow guy on bar stool 1 about ready to crown have written anti-Jewish material, and pound of flesh. Moreover, he is forced to was a beautiful ribbon to decorate My the occupant of bar stool 2 with the both deserve condemnation for what convert to Christianity. world. All the angels loved it. But My jagged edge of a beer bottle? This was they have brought forth whether or not Exit Shylock the forced convert. Enter the promise to never wash man and animal, Sodom and Gommorrah without the personal anti-Semitism motivated them. frivolity of the remainder of the play forest and village away again was moral leavening of Lot and his morally We’ve all heard of The Merchant of concerning spouses’ failure to keep their decidedly premature. Look at them now! upscale family. But divine intervention was Venice, of course, and we’ve all heard wedding rings on their fingers as promised. Look there! He had happened to focus so messy and such a visible intrusion that it’s “a little hard” on the Jews. Well, Some will say that Shakespeare tried on a New York bar where a gang of toughs into the world of humanity. He hated to it’s actually an anti-Semitic polemic to be fair by writing Shylock’s “If you was pouring down shooters one after show his face. Previously, that whole wrapped up in what Shakespeare labeled prick us, do we not bleed?” speech. the other and planning on plundering a watery mess may have been a mistake. “a comedy.”Here is the “humor.” Shakespeare’s acknowledgement that couple at an adjoining table. At the next So much good human material consumed Shylock is never referred to by name Jews bleed like other human beings table, over a bottle of wine (“I told them with the dross. unless one considers “the Jew” a name. hardly balances the scales. Why is there in my Psalms, it would gladden, not Since then everything had changed He is a moneylender. One Antonio needs a question about our humanity? madden, the hearts of men”), adulterous except the human heart. BMWs instead to borrow money from Shylock to help a Hate sells theater and movie tickets, expectations were contemplated. And of chariots, Macy’s instead of the market friend (good Antonio). Antonio has spat books, newspapers, Nazi memorabilia, multiple uses of His name in vain, a stall, brick and polished stone mansions on and cursed Shylock and Judaism in the organization memberships and crowning insult, rang through the bar instead of wattled huts, prime rib instead past and assures us that he will do so again everything else. What should we like the Hallelujah Chorus and Hosannas of cornmeal. But the rhythm of the heart when he feels like it. Shylock therefore who oppose blind hatred in its various rang through heaven as though to atone. remained the same, and the streets of dislikes Antonio and wants revenge. forms do about The Merchant of Venice? Then, using the power He had that New York, Jerusalem, Paris, Beijing were There is nothing unusual there, but the What should be done in my view is to condenses the world’s behavior into a spotted with Sauls, Jezebels, Bathshevas, Bard doesn’t want to create sympathy for educate ourselves and our non-Jewish single scene, He focused. And to be overly and Judahs (relieved with a Joseph or Shylock. The real reason Shylock wants friends about the real meaning of this anthropomorphic, He frowned a frown two) still ready to sell their heavenly revenge against Antonio is not the abuse play, why it was written and why anti- that had He not carefully looked away inheritance for a loaf of bread. he has suffered at Antonio’s hands and Semitism and other hate speech are from Earth, would have frozen the equator Definitely not the kind of milieu wrong. The Merchant of Venice should be into a girdle of ice. Behavior ranging that prevailed in the garden when j i utilized as a teaching opportunity. from discourteous to murderous ranged lions and lambs and the newlyweds every needy soul with iPod, Internet, TV, Some Christian scholars and Christian out of control like a wilderness fire in a cuddled side by side in the thick, sky writers, telephone even. No more people of good will have for years spo- parched meadow. green grass. Maybe it was time for street corners or mountaintop speeches. ken out against the unjustified hatred He had about decided what the world another flushing. The Moshiach? No, And so He did. We should pray for His against Judaism and Jews contained in needed was a good flushing. No doubt far too early for that. They didn’t success. On the human disaster scale, the Christian Bible. Shakespeare, of there, everywhere were pockets of deserve Him. But what about the prophets beat fire and flood every time. course, has utilized those hate filled corruptions – nests of sin. But on the prophets? Maybe it was time to send Ted Roberts, a Rockower Award winner, stereotypes in The Merchant of Venice. other hand, a few bright spots of virtue them again. Yes, His Prophet corps is a syndicated Jewish columnist who looks The last thing we should do is review a spotted his world. Look, a mother gave stood ready – onward Jewish soldiers! It at Jewish life with rare wit and insight. performance of The Merchant of Venice her last crust of bread to her starving had worked several millennia ago – it When he’s not writing, Ted worships at as we would any other production. It child. She, the total giver – the child, the would work again. He’d send His total Etz Chayim Synagogue in Huntsville, should not be reviewed solely on the total taker. And yet she loves. Goodness army: Amos, Elijah, Elisha, Hosea, Ala., where for 25 years he has served as quality of the acting, the direction, the never thrives, but it always survives. And even Habakkuk (poor Habakkuk, so bar mitzvah teacher. His inspiration is staging, the lighting and whatever else there in a corner of the wilderness one ineffective he’d only given him five his patient wife, Shirley. Check out his goes into making a play enjoyable. It man risked his life for a friend. pages). But remember, if He saved one Web site: www.wonderwordworks.com or should be reviewed for what it is: a And the animals. He hadn’t blessed (or soul, it was like saving the whole blogsite: www.scribblerontheroof.typepad vicious, unwarranted diatribe against the cursed) the butterfly with free will. He human race. At this time, technology .com. His collected works The Scribbler on Jewish People, which fuels fires of anti- had programmed them; and a lot of feline being what it was, His prophets would The Roof can be bought at Amazon.com or Semitism that have burned too long. mothers were even better at mothering communicate with intense voices to lulu.com/content/127641. Sidney Mishkin, Indianapolis September 8, 2010 NAT 15 have some effect on Roger. As a result of SHAFRAN If we recognize that a similar gestational knowing her, he wants to be responsible. (continued from page NAT 3) stage existed for the universe as a whole Media It seems that this film has Jews on the at its creation – and the Torah tells us mind, if for only fleeting moments. In actually took place then. Thus, the to do precisely that – then it is only Watch addition to the dialogue cited above, it Talmudic rabbis applied the verse reasonable to expect that formative stage does flash some shots of Hasidic Jews. It “the honor of G-d is the concealment of to evidence a similarly accelerated rate BY RABBI ELLIOT B. GERTEL insists that one does not have to be a the thing” (Proverbs, 25:2) to the days of development, with the results on Jewish male to have huge neuroses, but of creation. Honest scientists admit the first Sabbath seeming in every Greenberg and that those neuroses are enhanced if the same. E.A. Milne, a celebrated detectable way to reflect millions of someone with a Jewish name denies British astronomer, wrote “In the divine years of development, eons that Krusty’s Wedding being Jewish, especially if that denial has act of creation, G-d is unobserved occurred entirely within the six days of grounds, and that healing comes with a and unwitnessed.” the world’s explosive, embryonic growth. on The Simpsons love interest who is oblivious to one’s Despite our inability, however, to truly Rosh Hashana is called “the birthday hang-ups, Jewish or general. know anything about the happenings of of the world.” But the Hebrew word Ben Stiller took on a serious role in the creation week, to think of those days there translated as “birth”– haras – really Noah Baumbachs film, Greenberg, about Krusty’s Wedding on The Simpsons as a gestational time is enlightening. means the process of conception/ a high-strung 40-year-old ex-band- For some odd reason, or thanks to one It may even help explain the apparent gestation. And so, annually, at the start member house sitting for his brother. strange staff meeting, The Simpsons decided discrepancy between what we know of the Jewish year, it seems in some way Roger Greenberg has returned to the to dedicate an episode to interfaith from the Torah is the true age of we relive the gestational days of West Coast from a New York mental marriage between Krusty the Clown and the earth and what the geological and creation. But more: those days are institution. His brother is a high- a Long Island Christian princess. I suspect paleontological evidence seem to say. formative ones, the development period powered hotel mogul who takes his that writer Stephanie Gillis wanted to Consider: What would happen if for the year that is to follow. Beginning beautiful family to Vietnam for vacation show that not every princess with a the age of an adult human since his with the “conception-day” of Rosh and for business opportunities. Roger Long Island accent can be branded a conception were being inferred by a Hashana itself, and continuing to Yom spends his time doing carpentry work “Jewish princess,” and that “princess” scientist from Alpha Centauri, using Kippur, the period of the early new and writing letters of complaint to can be popular if done right. Does she only knowledge he has of the human’s Jewish year is to each year what the newspapers and to political figures like suggest that Jewish women have not present rate of growth and development? creation-week was to the world of our Mayor Bloomberg, and to companies like gotten it right, or that stereotypes about In other words, if our alien professor experience: a formative stage. Starbucks and various airlines. His job Jewish women have been unfair? knew only that the individual standing All of which may well lend some insight for the summer is to build a doghouse The half hour begins with Marge before it developed from a single cell, into a puzzling Jewish religious law. for his brother’s sensitive pooch, and to (Mrs. Simpson) complaining about old and saw only the relatively plodding rate We are instructed by halacha to conduct look after the German Shepherd. Krusty’s sadistic humor, but everyone of growth currently evident in his ourselves in a particularly exemplary Roger’s duties overlap with those of laughs, anyway, including Marge, subject, he would have no choice but to manner at the start of a new Jewish year. his family’s assistant/nanny, Florence because Krusty is all there is for children conclude that the 30-year-old human We are cautioned to avoid anger on Rosh (Greta Gerwig), especially where that to watch, anyway, even if he is rather was, in truth, fantastically old. What the Hashana itself. And for each year’s first scene-stealing dog is concerned. inappropriate and, well, cynical. After Alpha Centurion is missing, of course, is ten days, we are encouraged to avoid Florence is a self-sufficient and ambitious the show he lights a cigar in front of his an awareness of the specialized nature of eating even technically kosher foods that but emotionally fragile 25-year-old who audience of youngsters and orders them the gestational stage of life, the powerful, present other, less serious, problems (like seeks a singing career and some stability to hand back the toys and savings bonds pregnant period before birth, with its kosher bread baked by a non*-Jewish (in that order). Gradually and not so that they received during the taping. rapid, astounding and unparalleled rate manufacturer), and to generally conduct willingly, they become a couple, and the Some network executives corner him of development. ourselves, especially interpersonally, in a youth of Florence and her friends and tell him that his ratings are very more careful manner than during the reminds Roger that he is no longer low among young girls. Hence the need j i rest of the year. young. Roger reunites with his former for the female co-star. Penelope the Jackie Mason voice of Krusty’s father- It is a strange law. What is the point bandmate and best friend (Rhys Ifans), Princess, as she is called, is a big hit the-rabbi declares, “We are gathered of pretending to a higher level of who reminds him of the selfish decisions among the girls, but all the boys, here today to marry the Jew and the observance or refinement of personality of his (Roger’s) youth that damaged not including Bart Simpson and his friend, Congregationalist. Is that even a thing? when one may have no intention at all of only his life but the band. Milhouse, are alienated. Bart asks his Now let’s continue with this mockery.” maintaining those things beyond the week? Early in the film, Roger attends a party dad,“Why are great things always ruined Apparently, the “mockery”was to have Might it be, though, that things where he sees old friends. While it is by women?” included a monkey in the procession, but not greatly significant under normal hard for them to remember him fondly, Krusty finds that his entire audience is Bart and friend, in an effort to sabotage circumstances suddenly take on pointed they do remember him as – Jewish. One now female, and that he has become the ceremony, locked the monkey in the importance during the year’s first week, of them describes another old friend as a second fiddle to Penelope (voice of Anne “Torah Room,”where the primate is busy because those days have their analogue “less Jewish version of you.” Roger Hathaway), who happens to be a unfurling a Torah scroll onto the floor. Is in the concept of gestation? protests, “I’m only half. Mom was wonderful singer as well as a raving that funny to writer Gillis? Might those days, in other words, be Protestant. I’m not actually Jewish at beauty (even if she does some of her The boys then introduce the testimony particularly sensitive to minor influences all.” Still, Roger’s brother must feel at own raving). Just as Krusty is about to of ex-wives to Krusty’s vileness as a because they are the days from which the least somewhat Jewish because he says confront her, she confesses her love for husband, but Penelope loves him so coming year will develop? “Oy” while they speak on the phone. him, saying that she has adored him unconditionally that she wants to marry Observance and good conduct are But, then again, Roger might elicit an since she was a 12-year-old growing up him, anyway. Moved by her true love, always in season, but our tradition “Oy”from anyone. in Mineola, Long Island. It is here that Krusty declares that Penelope is the only teaches us that they have particular In many ways Roger seeks to avoid we suspect that Krusty may have found woman he cares about “enough to ditch power during Rosh Hashana and the participating in life, which, he laments, is himself a nice Jewish girl, or that a nice at the altar,”and he leaves, much to the “Ten Days of Repentance” – that we “wasted on people.” He is, at first, Jewish girl may have found him. But writer joy of the rabbis who dance because they should regard these days with the very hesitant to use the swimming pool. He Gillis (and the staff?) had other ideas. didn’t want to perform an interfaith same vigilance and care an expectant seems to want to wade and wallow in his We are then shown an “entertainment marriage, anyway. Of course we are not mother has for the rapidly developing, own misery and angst. Florence, for her news” clip announcing the wedding of supposed to ask why they were in the exquisitely sensitive being within her. part, pushes forward with life, even, or 15-time-married Krusty to first-timer midst of doing so. Let us seize the days and cherish them; especially, in the face of her mistakes Princess Penelope. We also note that the We next see the princess, a broken they are conceptual butterfly-wings, the and errors in judgment.Yet she does not more lovey-dovey Krusty and Penelope woman, though barely 30, singing sad first unfoldings of a new Jewish year. press forward blindly. She remembers become on TV, the more Bart and ballads in Paris, or rather, singing © 2010 AM ECHAD RESOURCES good advice or wisdom that she has Milhouse, representing the boys in ballads, like “Moon River,”sadly. Much to Rabbi Shafran is director of public received, such as the admonition of her Krusty’s audience, hope to stop the her surprise, Krusty pursues her to Paris, affairs for Agudath Israel of America. singing coach, “Hurt people hurt marriage. Next we see the bimah in the and she embraces “my Borsht Belt baby.” Communications and subscriptions: people.” Her sincerity and hopefulness synagogue, complete with a chupah. The (see Gertel, page NAT 19) [email protected]. NAT 16 September 8, 2010 Since this film is on the “hold review” list pending its distribution in the Holocaust United States, I am limited to generalities such as, “It is extremely well done.” Educator A gripping “docudrama” as much about the rescuers as about the rescued, the BY MIRIAM ZIMMERMAN film “pays attention to small details needed for survival.”Saviors in the Night SF Jewish Film is the antithesis of Defiance (see P&O Sept. 9, 2009 for review), a big-budget Festival celebrates Hollywood film starring Daniel Craig and Liev Schreiber. These A-list 30th anniversary Hollywood actors portray two of the Bielski brothers, Jewish Partisans who The San Francisco Jewish Film hid fellow Jews in the forests of Eastern Festival (http://sfjff.org/) is like any other Europe, with flamboyance and in some Jewish Film Festival, only more so. To cases, with blazing guns. In contrast, this writer, the SFJFF is always more Boeken “tells this story of survival original, more intense, more diverse, with a sense for the absurd in daily more interesting, and more controversial life and not without the typical than any other Jewish Film Festival. Westphalian humor.” L to R: Anni Aschoff, daughter of farmers who save Karin and Marga Spiegel in the Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the Perhaps because my father, of blessed 2009 film, Saviors in the Night, in German with English subtitles. 2010 Festival boasted 41 feature films, 16 memory, hailed from Westphalia, I felt shorts, and 2 TV series from 14 different drawn to this film. Perhaps because like A program entitled, “Tough Guys: outside of it? How does the Jewish countries. For 30 years, the SFJFF has Marga, Boeken’s parents were hidden by Images of Jewish Gangsters in Film,” gangster experience parallel that of the presented the very best Jewish cinema farmers in his native Holland, Boeken guest-curated by Nancy K. Fishman Italian-American gangster experience from all over the world. was drawn to her story. Marga along explored this “darker aspect of American and its representation in cinema? What This year, the Slingshot Fund named with director Boeken and actress Lia Jewish history.” Fishman moderated the role does the Jewish gangster play in the the SFJFF “one of the 50 most innovative Hoensbroech, who plays Anni Aschoff, panel and in her words connected the spectrum of Jewish masculinity?” Jewish organizations in the U.S.,” and were present on opening night and themes with the Jewish actors: “The The question that intrigued this writer IndieWire declared it to be one of the top available to answer questions from program includes cinematic images of the most,“Are Jewish gangsters or Jewish 50 film festivals in the world. Films were the audience. Jewish gangsters, as well as ‘ethnic’ gangster films ‘good for the Jews’?” screened in five venues throughout the In his moving “Director’s Statement,” gangsters played by Jewish actors. Fishman concluded that Jewish gangster San Francisco Bay Area: Castro Theatre Boeken explains his affinity for Marga’s Scarface (1932), starring Paul Muni as a films provide “a unique window into the in San Francisco, the San Francisco rescuers. “As a child of survivors who thinly disguised Al Capone, is an Jewish immigrant experience.”The series Jewish Community Center, and locations were saved by peasants and factory excellent example of a gangster movie will continue in the fall with four more in Berkeley, Palo Alto, and San Rafael. It workers who risked their lives and the that would have had a Jewish subtext films, thus extending this thought- is the oldest and largest film festival of its lives of their families, I have always loved for the Jewish audience of its day provoking topic. kind in the U.S. the farmers of Saviors in the Night, and I because of Paul Muni’s career in the An “earthquake” erupted at last year’s Saviors in the Night (Unter Bauern) have seen it as an honor to try and portray Yiddish Theatre.” SFJFF with the showing of Rachel,a opened the festivities at San Francisco’s them in a simple, straightforward way, Fishman pointed out that gangsters documentary about Rachel Corrie, the Castro Theatre on July 24. I cannot thus preserving and honoring their were especially present in immigrant young American activist killed while remember the last time the Festival used memory. Marga Spiegel, the woman communities. New to me: Estimates that protesting house demolitions in Gaza in a Holocaust-themed film on opening who was saved by the Aschoffs and their up to 50% of bootleggers during the 2003. Last year, an outburst from the night. Indeed, the “Holocaust and World friends, built them a monument in her Prohibition era were Jews. Fishman points Jewish community astonished Festival War II”category grew from nine films in memoirs of the almost three years she out a dilemma for cinema historians: to organizers, who hastily organized a 2009 to this year’s full dozen. I remember spent on their farms in the German determine “the extent to which counterpoint to the appearance of year after year when only two or three heartland. Marga has never ceased to Hollywood’s mostly Jewish producers Rachel Corrie’s mother, Cindy, at the Holocaust films screened at the Festival sing their praise and the film we made, and studio owners avoided making films Festival. The protest was less about under the category of “history,”not enough based on her book, is but a little stone of about Jewish gangsters for fear of creating showing a documentary from the point films to command a separate heading. this monument. negative images of Jews during a time of of view of the protestors who were It seemed to me that for years, the “German farmers whose German widespread anti-Semitism.” hostile to Israel and more about the Festival was interested more in depicting sons fought and died in Hitler’s armies The film curator described the four perception of Cindy Corrie as an “Israel marginalized peoples, such as gays and had the extreme courage and humanity gangster films screening in the festival: basher”without anyone representing the lesbians, than in looking back at the to save those whom they were told “Bugsy (1991), Barry Levinson’s dramatic Israeli perspective for balance. Holocaust. In this year’s listing by to consider unworthy, less than and romantic rendering of the rise and In light of SFJFF’s 2009 screening subject, there is no gay/lesbian/ human, only good for slaughter. The fall of Benjamin ‘Bugsy’Siegel, featuring of the documentary Rachel and the transgender category. Was there a exceptional did happen. It happened in Warren Beatty and Annette Bening; King subsequent controversy over how conscious decision to inflate one category Westphalia, on the farms of the Aschoffs, of the Roaring 20s – The Story of Arnold Jewish community organizations should at the expense of the other? Why can’t the Pentrops, the Silkenboemers. The Rothstein (1961), Joseph M. Newman’s contend with controversial issues, the Festival programmers include films exceptional happens in Saviors in the tale of Rothstein’s gambling exploits, especially regarding Israel, SFJFF invited in both important categories? Night – and I have tried to portray the featuring David Janssen as Rothstein filmmakers, writers, and experts in civic Directed by Ludi Boeken, himself a people, the events, the tensions and the and Mickey Rooney as his partner in engagement to join in a conversation child of Holocaust survivors, Saviors is moments of relief in all simplicity, crime; Lepke (1975), Menahem Golan’s about the role (and perhaps limits) of based on the memories of Marga without overdramatization – as if we sweeping saga about Brooklyn-born film to foster constructive dialogue Spiegel, published in the 1960s. Her happened to be there and witnessed Louis “Lepke” Buchalter, starring Tony about potentially difficult topics. memoir “describes how courageous some of what occurred on these farms at Curtis; and Scarface (1932), Howard The panel was entitled, “Is Dialogue farmers in southern Münsterland the time…” Hawks’ classic film about a Chicago Possible? How Films Help Us Talk About (Westphalia area of Germany) hid her, In addition to director Ludi Boeken, gangster, starring Paul Muni.” You can Israel (…or Not).” Invited participants her husband Siegfried, and their little the SFJFF hosted 18 other directors find all of these films on DVD. included Ronit Avni, producer of the daughter Karin from 1943 until 1945, during the 17-day festival. As I read The panel discussion addressed the documentary feature Budrus, depicting a thus saving them from deportation to through the press packet, I marveled following questions: “How did portrayals nonviolent Palestinian community the extermination camps in the East,” at the organization and dedication of Jewish gangsters in film (or iconic protesting the security fence that will according to the press kit distributed at a needed to produce such a many-faceted Jewish actors in non-Jewish gangster bisect the village and necessitate the prescreening of this wonderful film. arts event. roles) play in the Jewish community and (see Zimmerman, page NAT 19) September 8, 2010 NAT 17 covered in 74 pages, many of which are findings and Judaic scholarship contribute assassination.The other female ruler was Book Reviews filled with pictures. little to the narrative. Gelb’s intent is to Queen Alexandra Salome of the post- Before reaching the contemporary present a popular, easy-to-read story biblical Hasmonean dynasty. She reigned scene, Halter devotes the second section without the complications presented by for nine years from 76 C.E. to 67 C.E. REVIEWED BY MORTON I. TEICHER of his narrative to an overview of Jewish the contradictions and different views Gelb goes on to discuss the return of history, beginning with the Jews of presented in the Bible and the Talmuds. the Jews from Babylonia, the Persian and Pictures make this France, where Halter has made his He has succeeded fully in achieving his Greek rule, followed by the Maccabean home since 1950. He begins with the objective. Readers with limited knowledge revolt. He provides an extensive discussion history book beginning of the Common Era and then about Jewish history will learn a great deal of the Jews under the Romans, which breathlessly moves to Charlemagne and will enjoy this pleasing presentation. culminated in the conquest by Titus and The Jewish Odyssey. By Marek Halter. before mentioning Rashi. This brings Gelb begins with a helpful introductory the exile of the Jews to Rome. Gelb’s Paris: Flammarion, 2010. Distributed by him to the Crusades; the Jews of Spain overview and then proceeds to tell the rapid review of Jewish history is extremely Rizzoli International Publications, New and the Ottoman Empire; early Jewish story of Saul, useful, providing an overview of a York. 240 Pages. $49. settlements in what is now Israel; Polish the first king complicated story in brief and readily This over-sized book with 150 Jewry; kabbalah; the false messiah, of the Jews. He accessible fashion. The book fully fulfills illustrations, many in brilliant color, Shabbatai Zeve; the Haskala; the French sets the tone for its objective of introducing readers to will make a useful gift for selected Revolution; return of the Jews to the rest of the an important part of Jewish history. recipients. However, it is not meant England in 1656; Theodor Herzl; book by clearly Those critics who complain that Gelb is simply to grace Zionism; Nazi persecution; the Jews of describing Saul insufficiently scholarly miss the point a coffee table; Russia; World War II; establishment of with all his of his presentation. He set out to offer it is designed Israel; the War of Independence; the achievements and contemporary readers an instructive and to be read and airlifts of Yemenite and Ethiopian Jews; limitations. Each readable account of what happened to be savored. the Six-Day War; and, the Refuseniks. of the rulers that the Jews during the 1,000 years before Jewish history is Books have been written about each of follow, beginning the Common Era and the first 70 years of presented and these subjects, but Halter covers them all with David and the Common Era. He has fully succeeded made vivid by superficially in 92 pages. Solomon, is described with straight- in meeting this laudable objective. beautiful pictures Finally, he comes to the contemporary forward recognition of their cruelty and drawn by famous scene, mentioning the Jews of the their contributions. painters who United States, France, Russia, India, After Solomon’s death in 931 B.C.E., Insightful portrait specialized in art of the Bible. Among the Japan, and China. This shallow review the kingdom was split into two parts: the of Israeli life featured artists are: Fra Angelico, brings Halter back to Israel and the Yom southern realm of Judah, which included Rembrandt, Michelangelo, Blake, Doré, Kippur War and then to a discussion of the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, Denial. By Jessica Stern. New York: Poussin, Fragonard, Brueghel, and Tissot. the Lubavitcher movement. Orthodox, and the separate kingdom of Israel that Ecco, 2010. 317 Pages. $24.99. Since Marek Halter is himself a painter Conservative, and Reform Judaism are had ten tribes. The Kingdom of Israel Some books who had several international exhibi- disposed of on one page. Contemporary lasted until 722 B.C.E. when it was are hard to read tions, he brings an informed eye to his anti-Semitism and the assassination of conquered by the Assyrians. During that because they are selections. Halter is also an author who Rabin are given short shrift, followed by time, it had 19 kings who sometimes poorly written. has written both fiction and nonfiction; a discussion of the relationship between succeeded each other by killing their That can hardly he uses his writing talents in this book. Israel and the Diaspora. Halter concludes predecessors. These ten tribes were be said of Denial; Finally, Halter is a political activist who by emphasizing the importance of dispersed and became the “lost tribes.” it is extremely organized the International Committee remembering and transmitting the Bible Through the years, there have been well-written. for a Negotiated Peace Agreement in the from one generation to the next. He says many claims to have discovered one Some books are Near East, and his views are clearly that this is the task of the Jews who are or more of the lost tribes but these hard to read manifest in the last section of the book “keeper of the book.” assertions have little credence. One because they are that deals with the contemporary scene. Marek Halter took on an impossible such flimsy assertion that has special dull. Again, that Before he reaches the concluding task – to tell the saga of Jewish history contemporary relevance is that the doesn’t apply to chapter, which he calls “Israel and the in just a few pages. His ambition is people of Afghanistan are descendants Denial; it rivets Diaspora: A Subversive People,”he offers commendable, but the result is of the lost tribe of Asher. the reader’s attention and is hard to put two less polemical discussions: “From inevitably thin and meager. However, The Kingdom of Judah, which lasted down. Nevertheless, the painful subject, Sumer to Jerusalem: The Origins of a the pictures he provides alone justify the until 587 B.C.E., had 20 rulers until it the raw feelings, and the emotional sub- People,” and “Next Year in Jerusalem: publication. Those readers who may be was driven into exile in Babylonia. ject make it necessary to warn readers Enlightenment, Destruction, Renaissance.” interested in a once-over-lightly account Again, Gelb describes the intrigues and that this is not an easy book to read. Halter begins his history with Terah, an of Jewish history will find this to be a the assassinations that took place during Jessica Stern is an expert on terrorism idol-maker in the Sumerian city of Ur, useful contribution. the three centuries of this Kingdom’s on the faculty of Harvard University. She whose youngest son, Abram, smashed existence.The seventh monarch of Judah has written scholarly articles and two the idols and followed the voice of God was the first female to hold this office. well-received books on her area of who ordered him to travel with his wife, Introduces readers She was Athalia who sat on the throne expertise. For two years, during the Sarai, to Canaan. His name was changed to important part from 840 to 835 B.C.E. Athalia was not Clinton administration, she served on the to Abraham, which means father of descended from King David as her National Security Council, making use many nations, and his wife’s name was of Jewish history predecessors had been, so that many of her knowledge about terrorism. Stern changed to Sarah. Thus began a “new people did not consider her to be a is a graduate of Barnard, MIT, and Harvard. epoch” and the “birth of a new people, Kings of the Jews. By Norman Gelb. legitimate ruler. Demonstrating that While her academic background helps the Hebrews.”Halter goes on to discuss Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society. she could be just as ruthless as the to inform her overall presentation, the basic Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. He 2010. 246 Pages. $22. kings, she ordered that all of David’s subject of the book is the brutal rape that describes how the Hebrews settled in The names commonly associated with male descendants be executed in order Stern experienced at the age of 15. She the land of Canaan, and follows this with Jewish kings are David and Solomon. to eliminate any competition. This and her 14-year-old sister were alone in a brief description of what happened Norman Gelb’s research has led him action incurred considerable hostility, their Concord, Mass. home on Oct. 1, when Saul, David, and Solomon ruled as to move beyond these well-known and she was killed by her enemies who 1973 when they were raped at gunpoint kings. The period of the two kingdoms, individuals and to identify a total of 52 had hidden her grandson, Joash, King by a strange man who threatened to kill Judah and Israel, is quickly mentioned as men and two women as Jewish David’s only surviving descendant. He them unless they followed his orders. is the Hellenization of the Jews, victory monarchs. He has dug through the was anointed king at the age of seven. What happened is described in harrowing of the Maccabees, the rule of Herod, biblical sources: Kings, Chronicles, and A regent ruled until Joash was old detail. One especially traumatic aspect of the Roman conquest, and the rise of Prophets. Also, he took into account enough to take over, at which point he this terrible experience is that their Christianity and Islam. Thus, thousands information gleaned from the two was impotent in the face of invaders and father was in Norway at the time and did of years of Jewish history are rapidly Talmuds. However, modern archaeological marauders, eventually leading to his (see Teicher, page NAT 19) NAT 18 September 8, 2010 Jewish Calendars: the contemporary silver pieces, such as It is always a delight, for adults, as for My Kosher the mezuzah (2004), by Israeli artist, youngsters, to see what My Very Own Esthetic Encounter Adam Tihany, produced by Orfevrerie Jewish Calendar contains this year in Christofle. Two silver works by Ludwig its monthly pages. This wall calendar Kitchen with Past & Present Yehuda Wolpert, a menorah and torah is always filled with facts, customs, finials, date from several decades before anecdotes, trivia and activities of all BY SYBIL KAPLAN BY ROSE KLEINER the Christofle mezuzah, but foreshadow sorts. Their monthly recipes are always The pairing of Jewish calendars with the modern style of the 21st century. healthful, simple, easy to make and Cold soups for Yom striking images of Judaica treasures Another magnificent, ultra-modern delicious. This year a fine, concise, makes for an exciting combination. With silver work is Moshe Zabari’s torah description is included of the shofar, its Kippur, Sukkot and each weekly, or monthly, calendar page, crown (1969). Other Judaica illustrations origin, significance, and how it is we encounter an illustration of a historical in this calendar are a Limoges coffee pot produced and used by Ashkenazim and Simchat Torah or contemporary Judaic precious object with Hebrew writing on it; a multicolored by Sephardim. that can brighten our surroundings, lift ketubah with relief print letters, by An overview of the history of Jewish From breaking the fast to eating in our spirits, and enlighten us about some Gregg A. Handorff (1989); along with calendars in the past 200 years notes that the Sukkah and celebrating Simchat aspect of our rich traditions. All the paintings by Shahn, Oppenheim, Szyk a Jewish calendar in Germany used to Torah, cold soups are good for family and calendars reviewed here give candle and others. list market and fair days, and one printed company. Here are some of my favorites. lighting times, Torah readings, and the Among this year’s calendars from in London included the times of high dates for major and minor holidays. Pomegranate publishers The Jewish water at London Bridge. Gazpacho (8 servings) The Jewish Calendar 2011, from Museum Calendar 2011, for the wall, Keeping up with modern technology 1 cup tomatoes Universe Publishing, is decorated with features Raphael Soyer’s, oil on canvas, the calendar informs us that wherever 1/2 cup cucumbers art treasures from the collection of the Dancing Lesson (1926) on its cover. The we live we now can twitter our prayers 3/8 cup red peppers Jewish Historical Museum of Amsterdam. painting is so vibrant it begs to be to the Western Wall in Jerusalem. The 3/8 cup green peppers The first page of this wall calendar has framed after the calendar year is over. prayers are printed out, and tucked 3/4 cup scallions an illustration of a stunning silver etrog Another charming oil on canvas, from between the 2,000 year old stones, and 1/2 tsp. minced garlic basket, dating from 1851 to 1878 the late 1920s, is Flowers on Table, by there is no charge for the service. But 4 cups tomato juice (Amsterdam). Among the textile works Israeli artist Reuven Rubin. donations are invited. salt and pepper to taste illustrated, is a beautifully embroidered A New Year Greeting card, from early Ever wonder what happens to these 1/4 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce tallis from 1923–24 (Amsterdam). A 20th-century Germany, on embossed notes as time goes by? Every year, before 2 Tbsp. lemon juice page of the De Leipnik Haggadah, on paper, surrounded by white doves, recalls Rosh Hashanah and Passover, the rabbi chives or tops of green onions lambskin parchment and leather, comes a more gentle era in that part of the of the Wall collects the current messages, from Darmstadt, Germany, 1734. An oil world. An elaborate cast silver menorah to make room for the new ones. The Chop by hand or in food processor painting by Isidor Kaufman, depicts a takes us back to the 1860s Lemberg, to a old messages are then honored with a in batches, tomatoes, cucumbers, red touching Portrait of a Jewish Little Boy, city that once was the Paris of Ukraine. burial at the Mount of Olives cemetery, peppers, green peppers, scallions and 1900. A Torah Shield by Piet Isak Cohen, Among the contemporary works where old books and religious objects garlic with some of the tomato juice. Add of silver and rubber (Amsterdam, 2001) illustrated is American artist, Toby are also buried. salt and pepper, Worcestershire sauce is a fine example of an ultra-modern Kahn’s Omer Calendar (Saphyr, 2002), Among the other sites in Israel that and lemon juice to batches. Place in ceremonial object. of acrylic and wood. are mentioned in this calendar is Afrikef container and refrigerate. The Universe desk calendar comes Bursting with color, Malca Zeldis’ wall Park, between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Serve in chilled bowls. Garnish with with illustrations of objects from the calendar, Jewish Celebrations, also by Home to 250 monkeys from all over the chopped chives or tops of scallions collection of the Jewish Museum of New Pomegranate, contains a joyous series of world, the park offers guided tours, a York. The large, diverse selection of images, drawn in the folk-art style. petting zoo, pony rides, and a Tarzan’s Zucchini Vichyssoise (8 servings) works illustrated in this calendar spans Looking at these detailed portraits of a Tree House. This is probably the only 3 Tbsp. butter or margarine many centuries, mediums and themes. It family observing various traditions park in the world where, on Hanukkah, you 2 1/2 cups white and pale green will make a most welcome gift for the throughout the year, we are drawn could see monkeys playing with dreidels. parts of leeks busy household, because of the excellent into the pictures, and made to feel like Closer to home we are reminded that 8 chopped garlic cloves guide it contains to all the holiday dates participants in the celebrations. Zeldis National Jewish Art Week, to encourage 1 1/2 lbs. potatoes cut into on the Jewish calendar. portrays such rituals as the Seder, the creation of Jewish art work, takes 2-inch pieces This guide, in the form of a chart, Havdala and Benchen Licht (lighting place in February and is connected to the 1 lb. zucchini, cut into 1-inch rounds lists every major, and minor, holiday Shabbat, or holiday candles), along with Torah portion read on Shabbat Vayakhel. 4 1/2 cups pareve chicken soup and fast day, along with such observances such holidays as Purim, Shavuot and The artists celebrated in this Torah 2 cups pareve unsweetened as Rosh Chodesh (the New Month), Rosh Hashanah. Each illustration comes portion were jewelers, weavers, sculptors whipping cream Israel Independence Day, Holocaust with a short commentary, explaining the and engravers. salt and pepper to taste Remembrance Day, and others.The chart ritual’s meaning and significance. We are informed that the Houston chopped chives provides information such as the Biblical/ Pomegranate publishers also produce Holocaust Museum is collecting 1.5 Historical significance of the holiday other Judaica items, such as an attractive million handmade butterflies, in memory Melt butter or margarine in a pot. listed, its seasonal significance, its theme, box with 40 kosher recipes, titled The of the 1.5 million children lost in the Sauté leeks and garlic 5 minutes. Add its mood, and its selected customs, along New Jewish Family Kitchen, for Jewish Shoah. The deadline for submissions is potatoes and zucchini and sauté 5 with the appropriate Biblical readings. Holidays and Every Day. Prepared by June 2011. Butterflies can be no larger minutes more. Add soup and bring Leafing through this calendar is like Devorah Rosen Goldman with Miriam than 8 x 10 inches. They will go on to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until taking a walk through a great museum Lewitt, these family-friendly recipes are exhibit next year. potatoes are tender. Puree soup in exhibit, because of the large number of printed on durable laminated cards, with On the subject of blessings we are told blender and transfer to a container. Add illustrations, and their astonishing variety full-color photographs. that the great scholar, Maimonides, whipping cream, salt and pepper. of subjects. Most striking are some of Another Pomegranate product is a divided them into three types – those Refrigerate. To serve, ladle soup into boxed set of 20 cards, illustrated by of enjoyment, those recited before bowls and garnish with chives. j i Mayer Kirshenblatt of Toronto, who doing a mitzvah, and those of praise and Heat soup, onions and scallions in a was born in Opatow (Apt), in Poland. gratitude, like wearing new clothes, Pumpkin Soup (8 servings) pot, bringing to a boil. Add pumpkin and Titled Painted Memories of a Jewish seeing a rainbow, or being in the 6 cups pareve chicken soup stir. Puree in food processor and transfer Childhood, each of the 20 cards comes presence of a king. 1 1/2 minced onions to a container. Let cool. Stir in whipping with a short commentary by the artist. The latter blessing was recited by white part of 6 scallions cream and salt and chill. To serve, pour The illustrations used for the cards Israeli author, S.Y. Agnon (the Hebrew 3 cups pumpkin soup into bowls and garnish with scallions. were taken from Kirshenblatt’s book, Shakespeare), when he received the 1 1/2 cup pareve whipping cream Sybil Kaplan is a journalist, book reviewer, They Called Me Mayer July: Painted Nobel Prize for literature, in 1966, and salt to taste lecturer, food writer and author of nine Memories of a Jewish Childhood in Poland found himself in the presence of the minced scallions kosher cookbooks. She lives in Jerusalem. Before the Holocaust. King of Sweden. September 8, 2010 NAT 19 GOUTTMAN choice and they chose to be able to make he attended Columbia University and TEICHER (continued from page NAT 7) choices. This is the beauty of not sitting Jewish Theological Seminary. He is the (continued from page NAT 17) back and waiting for things to happen – author of two books, What Jews Know Palestinian cause. Some of those who nothing is besheirt. Isn’t it why pencils About Salvation and Over the Top not return home immediately after being lead these organizations are considered come with erasers? Judaism: Precedents and Trends in the notified about what happened to his living Australian treasures. Popular support What is our choice as we welcome in a Depiction of Jewish Beliefs and daughters. Toward the end of the book, for these bodies is given on the back of New Year? To live! Observances in Film and Television. He the father, a Holocaust survivor, discusses their humanitarian work elsewhere. Rabbi Irwin Wiener is spiritual leader of has been media critic for The National this with Stern without coming to a Hence, their advocacy of the Palestinian the Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation near Jewish Post & Opinion since 1979. satisfactory resolution, although she cause against Israel has the appearance Phoenix, Ariz. He welcomes comments at dedicates the book to him. Complicating of authenticity. That Israel also is active [email protected]. j i their relationship was the fact that his on the humanitarian front internationally, ZIMMERMAN first wife, Stern’s mother, died at the age just doesn’t seem to matter. Indignation j i (continued from page NAT 16) of 28. He married twice thereafter. Stern is ever one-sided. The plight of Israeli KAUFMAN herself has been married twice. men, women, and children having to (continued from page NAT 9) felling of olive trees; and Lisa Gossels, An extensive discussion of Stern’s suffer constant threat to their existence director of the documentary feature My maternal grandparents contributes to has no place in their discourse on Eva thinks she should use the trip to So Called Enemy. the reader’s understanding of the human rights and responsibilities. Auschwitz to help educate the With a slew of prizes in tow, Budrus author’s personality. Her grandfather, a The Jewish State also suffers much Arab/Muslim world: “It might not help, captured the raw intensity of the Jewish- physician, insisted on treating her mother heart burn from those fair-weather but it couldn’t hurt.” Palestinian conflict between ordinary with radiation for an enlarged thymus. friends who proffer ideas that would lull Kaufman is a military historian with the people, the military who must harass While this was not uncommon at the it into a false sense of security. And they Indiana War Memorials Commission in them, and a few Israeli Jews who time, it contributed considerably to her too still pour cash aid down and Indianapolis. Also an Associate Fellow at support the Palestinians. Although I saw early death and estranged him from never-ending Palestinian black hole in the Sagamore Institute, Kaufman is the Budrus, I did not see the second film. Stern’s father. Stern’s grandmother was the mistaken belief that it will win them author of new book, Marble City. The book One more Holocaust film that deserves active in civil rights and in politics. With power, influence, perhaps even respect, can be found through Amazon or special mention: Gruber’s Journey, about considerable equanimity, she told Stern across the Arab Middle East. When Israel Iuniverse.com. an Italian war correspondent suffering about her husband’s involvement with rebuffs their advances for sound security from allergies who searches for a highly other women and about her own lover. reasons, in high moral dudgeon they cry j i recommended Jewish physician. Along Stern relates these discoveries to her that all they want is to save the Jewish KAPLAN/ISRAEL the way, he finds out what happened to capacity to ferret out secrets from terrorists. State from itself. Indeed, the theme of (continued from page NAT 10) all the Jews of “the German-occupied “I am blessed, or cursed, with curiosity, salvation of the Jewish soul has a long, Romanian city of Iafli. But [Dr.] Gruber and as a result, I have learned a great eerie, and disastrous pedigree. In a bowl, mix egg, 3 Tbsp. flour, is nowhere to be found, and any attempt deal.” Her professional interest is also In this period of the Yamim Noraim breadcrumbs, nutmeg and vegetable to locate him is met with Kafka-esque related to her having been subjected to when we are called to consider our soup powder. Add cooled vegetables and bureaucracy as Malaparte [the war terror by her rapist. relationship with the Almighty and our mix together. Stuff each artichoke heart correspondent] slowly discovers the In 2006, the police in Concord fellow Jews, the people of Israel should with the vegetable mixture and close. heartbreaking truth.”The program notes re-opened Stern’s rape case and asked also have a prime place in our thoughts. Place in a baking pan. Sprinkle some sum up this powerful movie best: “This for her cooperation.This entailed reading Dr. Gouttman is a former senior academic more breadcrumbs and olive oil on top. is an extraordinary film where the her case file and those of other rapes at the University of South Australia, current Bake for 35 minutes. horror takes place in what is not shown that had occurred at about the same senior political analyst with the B’nai B’rith Chop sauce carrot, onion and celery. on the screen.” time. Also, with the aid of a research Anti-Defamation Commission (Australia’s Heat oil in a frying pan and sauté Although I highly recommend this assistant and that of the man who ADL), and associate of the School of vegetables. Add flour, 11 1/4 oz. water, film to anyone knowledgeable about the eventually became her second husband, Historical Studies at Monash University. 1/4 cup lemon juice, salt, pepper and Holocaust, I would never show this film she interviewed a number of people, He is one of the founders of the Australian nutmeg. Remove artichokes from the to my Holocaust class [at a Catholic discovering that the perpetrator was a Jewish Studies Association.He is married oven and pour lemon sauce on top. university]. The film’s exquisite subtlety serial rapist who was probably sexually and has a daughter who lives in Jerusalem. Return to oven and bake 10 minutes requires that its viewers know a priori abused by the priests in his school. Stern He can be reached at [email protected]. more. Serve hot. the variety of methods used by the Nazis hypothesizes that the man who raped Sybil Kaplan lives in Jerusalem. to humiliate and crush the Jewish people her, her sister, and others was re-asserting j i and the many steps to extermination. his manhood as a consequence of WEINER j i Without this understanding, viewers having been humiliated as a boy. She (continued from page NAT 8) GERTEL cannot fully appreciate Gruber’s Journey. learned that he had been imprisoned for (continued from page NAT 15) It is a Holocaust movie [spoiler alert] three of his 44 rapes; sentenced to 18 impulses that undermine our ability to with only one shot of spattered blood, as years in prison; was eventually released; love and be loved. Krusty declares his love: “I’d rather be workers clean up an execution site from and then committed suicide. The Gate swings two ways – outward, a happy shnook than a noble shlump” the night before. Previously, advancing Stern concludes her book with a allowing us to be part of a greater (though it sounds like he says Wehrmacht soldiers carelessly trash a postscript in which she discusses experience and fulfillment – and inward, “shlumpf”). Here is the old Hollywood castle’s 12,000-bottle wine cellar. The posttraumatic stress disorder, explaining allowing us to enter and be accepted by formula,“Love conquers all,”the old Jazz Nazi officers and Italian diplomat rue her choice of “Denial”as her title.Victims God as we attempt to accept God.This is Singer plot once or twice removed but the loss of wine while ignoring the of rape and returning soldiers with why we listen to the prayers that have handed to a new generation of children missing 12,000 Jewish inhabitants of the psychological wounds, she claims, been recited from time immemorial: To (Jewish and non-Jewish) as a permanent village. The power of the final scene, should not try to forget or deny what enable us to reach a level of spiritual gift, unlike the toys and savings bonds with the dignitaries and the recovering happened to them. That only results involvement that will give us the ability that Krusty passes around to his audience. journalist swilling their fine wine and in imposing “a terrible cost.” She has to be refreshed and complete. And we Interestingly, in this case, it is not the lamenting the loss of 12,000 bottles, clearly avoided that cost by writing are compelled to keep the connection Gentileness of the Gentile woman that transforms wine into a metaphor for blood. this searing account of what happened alive that has sustained us as for 4,000 is attractive, but the fact that she sounds For more information, please go to to her. The honesty of this book and years. This is no small accomplishment. like many Jewish women from New York. http://www.sfjff.org/ to obtain ideas for the bravery it took to write it make it Yes, we all have choices in life. God is Is the suggestion being made that you films for your local Jewish film festival; an unforgettable addition to our not waiting for us to make the choice don’t have to be a Jewish woman to be a for your synagogue, JCC, Chavurah; or understanding of human behavior. We that is already written but rather to erase new kind of Jewish woman for an old for yourself. are deeply in her debt! the past and write a new chapter. God kind of Jewish man? Dr. Miriam L. Zimmerman is professor Dr. Morton I. Teicher is the Founding waits for us to make choices because Rabbi Gertel has been spiritual leader of emerita at Notre Dame de Namur Dean, Wurzweiler School of Social Work, that is what is pre-ordained – the ability Conservative Congregation Rodfei Zedek University in Belmont, Calif. She can be Yeshiva University and Dean Emeritus, to make choices. Adam and Eve had a since 1988. A native of Springfield, Mass., reached at [email protected]. School of Social Work, UNC-Chapel Hill. NAT 20 September 8, 2010 We Jews have our own Land; we don’t fixing things in the museum. We didn’t have to be guests in a different one. have enough time to let them join the Musings Remember how welcomed Jacob and his workshops. If we had given them the family, our forefathers, the twelve tribes chance, it would have had been harder from Shiloh were by Pharaoh in Egypt.The result was to get them to leave. that we became slaves to pharaoh in Egypt. And, no, I’m not tempted to get a BY BATYA MEDAD face-lift. It’s fine for the Israel Museum Gilad Shalit’s Family, but not for me. Barking Up the Wrong Tree This morning the radio was on at the Tel Shiloh Digs, Again Shiloh Swimming Pool. Every little while When I was at Tel Shiloh for Rosh I could hear the announcement by Aviva Chodesh Elul Prayers, I discovered that Shalit, Gilad’s mother, reminding us that the young crew of archaeologist helpers tomorrow will be Gilad’s fifth birthday in were still busy digging. captivity. She then invited us all to protest after Shabbat. So far, so good, but then she announced that the protest’s slogan is that Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu must free Gilad. Come home! is on the finder. That’s why someone Duh!?! Did I miss something here? Is unknown made the effort to hang this Bibi Netanyahu holding Gilad prisoner? The New Improved Israel Museum sandal on a pole, to catch the eye. Our No, well, if that’s the case how does she local email list always has “found” expect the prime minister to free her son? announcements, usually before someone Bibi wasn’t even prime minister even realizes they’ve lost something. when Gilad Shalit was captured. There’s something very fokokt in the Shalit As If Last Year Had Never Happened... family’s tactics and logic. And last week at the Israel Museum, I Lots of people ask me if my life feels Didn’t Hamas kidnap Gilad Shalit? Yes, found one of the giant urns that had much emptier since I took my father to my it did. So the focus of the demonstrations been discovered during an earlier dig. mother in Arizona. Honestly, although must be on the agencies, organizations, It’s in the third section, the one about it was just a few weeks ago, it seems a countries, and so on that represent Biblical finds. Strangely, Shiloh doesn’t lifetime ago, almost like the year with my Hamas. There should be a constant vigil seem to be mentioned in the museum’s father living with us had never happened. against the International Red Cross, narrative, explanations. Shiloh was the The most “permanent” reminder is European Union and the United Nations G-d forbid you should think that I capital for 369 years, quite a long “his”room, which had been the bedroom for their laxity and hypocrisy in not only kvetch and complain about things time. Actually, the narrative is the worst of two of my daughters. Last October demanding to visit and assist Gilad here. Last week I managed to go twice thing about the exhibit, the archeology when I was in New York getting him,one Shalit in returning home. to the newly expanded, renovated section. It’s very antireligious. of my sons and my son-in-law totally It’s obvious that the Shalit family is and refurbished Israel Museum. Years, redid the room, painting it, changing mixing their own anti-Likud politics no, decades ago I was a very frequent, Bar Mitzvah at The Kotel furniture, etc. It’s not the room it was. with their personal pain. They are regular visitor to the museum. We even Admittedly, I haven’t been to any Otherwise it would be hard to remember wasting precious time by fudging the had a membership. My daughters feel recent bar mitzvah at the kotel. I think that he had ever lived here. My neighbors issues here.They should be working with like they were raised there.The two elder that the last one was long enough ago, miss him. He was a popular addition to the government to pressure those who ones went to arts & crafts classes in the so the bar mitzvah boy is now a senior in the neighborhood. support Hamas to return Gilad home. Israel Museum. I knew every exhibit, the high school, and it was before I bought a I hadn’t lived with my parents for whole layout of the place. I was young digital camera. decades. I’m married 40 years. As an For the Future and all the distances and levels didn’t There weren’t any of these umbrellas adult I had rarely seen him. It was “... for the Future”is a phrase repeated bother me. the last time I checked. By the time we strange having him living with us and so by Jeff Bridges a number of times in one Well, the museum and I have aged. I finished, before 10 a.m., it didn’t shade dependent on me. of my favorite movies, Seabiscuit. haven’t had any face-lifts, botox or even us.That’s why my cousin and I wore hats. Now I’m back where I was a year ago. dyed my hair, but the Israel Museum has I must find a part-time job. I plan on been totally rejuvenated. It’s a new helping with the grandkids once or twice museum, bionic, maybe.... a week. And I’d like to make some sort of Last week there were thousands and business out of my photography, writing thousands of visitors each day, many and diet coaching. There aren’t enough escaping the heat, but the museum is English tutoring opportunities here in large enough to handle even more! Shiloh, but I accept whatever students apply. I don’t belong in a classroom; it’s too stressful. And I plan on registering for some Matan classes.Yes, this does sound like where I was last year this time... Batya Medad is a veteran American olah, For the future of the Jewish People, we My female relatives couldn’t get over immigrant in Israel. She and her husband need communities like Shiloh to grow how pushy people were. We had to made aliyah in 1970 and have been in and prosper. guard our chair and spot at the mechitza Shiloh since 1981. She’s a wife, mother, Developing Shiloh is the antidote for with our lives. I’m just so happy that grandmother, EFL Teacher, writer and the punishment of exile. they came to Israel for the bar mitzvah. photographer. Besides her articles and The Torah lives in New York, California, photographs we’ve been featuring in this London, Paris, or any other chutz l’aretz Sandal Searching for Owner publication for a number of years, Batya is out-of-the-Holyland location. And The second day I was there, it was The Israeli, Jewish “Lost and Found”is very involved in the international cyber living the Torah there is certainly better with family from abroad and a couple of the antithesis of “Losers Weepers, community as a Jewish blogger. She has than assimilation into non-Jewish my grandchildren. They were entranced Finders Keepers.” two active blogs, http://shilohmusings.blog society, but it’s not the ideal Jewish Life. by the Judaica and archeology exhibits. In Hebrew it’s called “Returning Lost spot.com and http://me-ander.blogspot.com, It’s a reflection or like a “dress rehearsal” The kids even liked the snacks bought in Objects.” According to Jewish Law, we besides having established the Kosher for the life to be lived here in the Land the snack-bar. They got a kick out of have an obligation to find the owner Cooking Carnival; details on me-ander. You G-d has shown us. watching the workers still painting and and return the object. The responsibility can contact her at [email protected].