INSIDE Subscribe today! [email protected] Quick Look Looking to 6-7 Dallas Doings 8 Around the Town the Future 12-13 Jewish Homes & Real Estate A&A Optical celebrates 14 Jewish Foodie 50 years, pp.6-7 15 Simcha 16-17 Columnists 18 Obituary Thursday, March 11, 2021 • 27 Adar 5781 • VOLUME 75 NO. 10 • tjpnews.com $1.00 Salute to Service Jewish War vets observe 125th anniversary, pp.10-11 Photo: Steve Krant JWV members participate in Veterans Day activities throughout the country. From left, Jule Bovis and Jerry Kasten (z”l) on the parade route alongside a formation of Junior ROTC cadets Light Shabbat candles: PREPPING FOR PASSOVER 6:15 p.m. Friday, Mar. 12 Tina Wasserman and k osher food purveyors get you ready, pp.2,14 Shabbat ends: 7:25 p.m. Saturday, Mar. 13 2 | March 11, 2021 Turning the tables, shelves, kitchens Kosher Passover prep By Deb Silverthorn Dallas’ kosher kitchens, restaurants and kosher stores are fl ipping their spaces and readying for the Passover holiday with groceries, ready-to-go meals and scrumptious seder menus. “It’s a big deal to ready a house for Pesach, it’s a huge deal and great responsibility to turn our establishments but we’re up to it,” said Rabbi David Shawel, Dallas Kosher’s director of supervision. The agency supervises the kashering of facilities throughout the community. “This city, and Photo: Courtesy Lowell Michelson the commitment of kashrut for Melissa Michelson prepared meals in 2020, the fi rst time Simcha Catering & Event Designs ever served a Seder in a Box for one. many, is a dream. To have so many wonderful places from every plate and every spot on every two kosher Tom Thumb locations Photo: Courtesy Ruthy Henkin Ruthie Henkin, owner of A Taste of the World Catering which to choose — you can feel shelf,” said JCC Chef Eli Cohn- have reported that despite Texas’ the enthusiasm and we all reap the Wein. He said that preparing relaxation of mask mandates, they with curbside pickup and delivery with the help of Dallas Kosher. reward.” traditional Seder meals and food will require mask-wearing by their options. “I’m happy we are hearing from The Aaron Family Jewish for the week of Passover is an employees and customers. For Ruthie Henkin, owner of some people who will be coming Community Center’s kitchen honor. Recipes are infused with Some families who are used to A Taste of the World Catering, together with those they love,” expects to serve nearly 1,700 kosher childhood memories, and “it’s an traveling to family or to resorts creating dishes that pull from said Henkin. “It’s not 40 people at meals for the seniors of the J and opportunity to share our food with during Passover are again staying traditions around the world, a table, maybe again someday, but Jewish Family Service’s Kosher love.” local, some never having done while providing unique fl avors, it’s a start and I’m so happy to be a Home Delivered Meals program. During the second Passover the cooking for themselves. To keeps her menus innovative. Her part of my clients’ holiday.” “I love the ritual of the annual of the pandemic, Dallas’ kosher alleviate the how-to/what-to-do, meat kitchen, based at the Schultz Chaim Goldfeder, owner of overhaul to the nitty-gritty community is adapting. Kosher many Dallas kosher establishments Rosenberg Campus, will be turned cleaning of every corner, between Palate, Milk and Honey and the are sharing Seder menus, some over for the holiday on March 21 see KOSHER, p.9 Virtual Legislative Mission to Austin Jewish Communities Day at the State Tuesday, March 23, 2021 (10 am and 3 pm) & Wednesday, March 24, 2021 (10 am and 3 pm) Join all the Jewish Federations in Texas via Zoom FEATURING: Governor Greg Abbott Lt. Governor Dan Patrick State Senators and Representatives LEGISLATORS PANELS: Health Care Safety Net – from COVID-19 and Beyond How Texas is Addressing Antisemitism and Hate Crimes For more information, visit jewishdallas.org/jcrc | FREE to attend March 11, 2021 | 3 Kosher Palate reinstates ttjpnews.comjpnews.com mask requirement By Shira Hanau concerned about the many members of Texas including a mask-burning (JTA) — When Texas Gov. Greg of the community who would not feel bonfi re to mark the end of the Abbott announced last week that he comfortable shopping in the store for state’s mask mandate. At the same would end the state’s 9-month-old Passover if masks were not required. time, many area synagogues have mask mandate, the proprietors of “The folks who were concerned remained closed or required masks Kosher Palate in Dallas decided they about health might not shop there and distancing at services. would adhere to his rules. during their busiest time of the year,” As the pandemic has worn on, Ann & Nate Levine Academy Celebrates Customers would no longer be he said. “I thought it would actually some community members say required to wear masks to shop, put their business at risk.” the range of opinions about how to they wrote in a Facebook post So he called the Goldfeders, whom respond has widened. March 4, two days after Abbott’s he has gotten to know while shopping “At the beginning of the announcement. Staff members, at the store frequently himself. pandemic, there was more of a however, would continue to wear “When you have a good united front,” said another member masks while working. relationship, you pick up the phone of the Orthodox community who Three days later, the proprietors and talk about it,” Sunshine said. also asked not to be named. “There’s revised their rules. By the time he called, the rabbi defi nitely a difference among “Due to the constructive feedback said, the Goldfeders had already individuals; there are people who are we have received, Kosher Palate has heard from enough people that they having guests for Shabbat. A lot of it 2021 Virtual Gala decided to maintain the current were ready to roll back the decision is political.” policies of mask wearing through the and require masks. Members of Goldfeder said the backlash Passover holiday,” the store wrote in a the community had been reaching against the decision to lift the mask Facebook post Sunday. out to the store through Facebook requirement was painful, especially The episode makes clear the comments, messages and phone given the role played by the store in high stakes of the latest phase of the calls as soon as the decision to stop providing kosher meals to those who coronavirus pandemic, as individuals requiring masks was announced. had lost power and running water Honoring Lois Davidson and Emily Kern and businesses return to their pre- “It is a very small store square- during last month’s devastating pandemic behaviors, whether by dint footage wise, so there’s no way to winter storm. of vaccinations, fatigue after a year of safely distance from other people,” “It’s hard to be told that all Sunday, April 11th | 8PM lockdowns or, as is the case in Texas, said one member of the Orthodox the good work we have done is executive fi at. In the absence of state community in Dallas, who asked not meaningless because of our original At this important event, during this regulations, people like the owners to be named because of the small size position on masks,” she said. unprecedented year, we will show gratitude of Kosher Palate are left to set their of the Orthodox community. “We She also said Kosher Palate might to our educators who have stepped up and own policies — and in a place like want to support them, but we also still end its masks-required policy given so much love and care to every student Dallas, where political views span want to know that we’re going to be after Passover. As time goes on, the full spectrum and masks have safe.” Goldfeder said, she believes more at Levine. This year, we recognize what is most become a particularly partisan issue, In a place like Dallas, a largely people will be comfortable shopping important in life: our health, our friends, our all decisions have detractors. Democratic-leaning city in a red in stores where masks are not family and our Levine community. “There’s three sides to the story,” state, political opinion within required, especially as more people Miriam Goldfeder, who co-owns the Jewish community spans the are vaccinated. We hope you can join us! the store with her husband, told the spectrum, turning masks into a “Eventually the minority is going Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “We’re sometimes radioactive partisan to be the people with the masks,” Register today at trying to be sensitive to the people issue. Just last week, the Dallas Jewish she said. “It’s going to take time for www.levineacademy.org/gala who are ready to tear off their masks, Conservatives political advocacy the shift to happen, and we will at the same time try to be sensitive group announced it would co-host keep monitoring the situation as it to the people who want to keep their a party to celebrate the reopening progresses.” masks on forever, and then there’s Gina Tolmas is passionate about many things: her family, her synagogue (Tiferet Israel), her work (GST people in the middle who are not Interiors, Ltd.) and her community. Several years ago, she founded Mitzvah of the Month, a small group quite sure where they’re holding yet.” Community Spotlight For Kosher Palate, the Passover of women who pick an organization each month to support with chesed.