INSIDE Subscribe today! [email protected] Quick Look 4-5 Dallas Doings The Upstander 6 Around the Town Epstein and Glauben publish 7-12 Senior book, pp.7-9 13 Simcha 14 Jewish Foodie 15 Post Pics 16-17 Columnists 19 Obituary Thursday, February 18, 2021 • 6 Adar 5781 • VOLUME 75 NO. 7 • tjpnews.com $1.00 Chill Days, Warm Hearts The community comes together to weather the storm, p.2 Photo: Tara Ohyaon Sophie and Mia Ohayon throw the snow after the Feb. 14, 2021, snowstorm that hit North Texas. Light Shabbat candles: JEWISH FOODIE: PURIM YOUR SNOW PHOTOS 5:55 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19 Homemade goodies for mishloach manot baskets, p.14 p.15 Shabbat ends: 7:06 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20 2 | February 18, 2021 Dallas Jewish Community warms up by helping By Deb Silverthorn In the midst of record low sub-freezing temperatures this week and 5 inches of snow in some areas, hearts have warmed to help. Throughout the area, members of the Jewish community opened their doors, shared generators and connected through social media. “We’re here for moments like this when we are needed to be here,” said Chaim Goldfeder, owner of the Kosher Palate, which provided hot meals and coffee to those in need. Goldfeder is meeting with the Photo: Kosher Palate Jewish Federation and others to Chaim Goldfeder, of Kosher Palate, loads food to deliver to Shaare Tefilla and DATA Plano. determine how to move beyond Photo: Rabbi Sholey Klein today if the need continues. all free of charge and if anyone there to react and fortunately, Dallas Kosher Office Manager David Geldman, whose own home lost power, is “Whatever we can do, and needs a place to stay we have while many of our stores and guesting — with nearly two dozen others — at Chana and Rabbi Sholey Klein. For dinner Geldman made Chinese fare and lunchtime today was his homemade pizza. however we can help we will.” heat,” said DATA of Plano’s restaurants are closed, they From 2 to 4 p.m. Feb. 16, Rabbi Nasanya Zakon. “We are able to provide around the everyone at the Kleins’ Chinese Moms Facebook page has opened meals from Kosher Palate were have a neighbor from Brooklyn, community,” said Dallas Kosher food for dinner and pizza for up with recommendations to served at Congregation Shaare he actually lives in New York Executive Director Meira Naor. lunch. While COVID-19 is a fulfill almost any need. People Tefilla and at DATA in Plano but has opened his Plano home Rabbi Sholey Klein and his concern, everyone at the Klein’s are offering to shop for others, to (3251 Independence Pkwy.). At to anyone in need and we have wife, Chana, have opened their has already had and recovered open their homes, and requesting deadline, only Fino! and Milk families coming through. Lots doors to 30 people during the from the disease. or suggesting vendors for almost and Honey, along with Kosher of hosting going on and social day and for meals, and 21 guests With water pipes bursting any service one can imagine. Palate, are the only kosher distancing is possible as we try to spent the night. David Geldman, around town, people out of “Scrolling through Facebook, restaurants open. keep people healthy and warm.” Dallas Kosher’s office manager firewood, and needing placement “All sorts of good, hot food — “Kosher Palate is always and a guest of the Kleins, made with power, the Dallas Jewish see FREEZING, p.18 The Schusterman Center for Jewish Studies The University of Texas at Austin invites you to The Gale Family Foundation Spring Lecture “1,000 JEWISH COOKBOOKS: GEMS FROM A PERSONAL COLLECTION” Dr. Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblet Chief Curator, POLIN, Professor Emerita, New York University FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | 5-7 PM CST Live on Zoom | Register on our website: https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/scjs/ THIS EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC February 18, 2021 | 3 Akiba Yavneh Ma’alot targets inclusivity Akiba Yavneh Academy of their higher-order thinking Dallas is no stranger to providing a skills, leadership abilities, creative stellar general education program thinking and social development.” paired with a strong Judaic AYA’s behavior specialist, foundation in a thriving day school Jasmine Hunter, also helps environment. The 2019-2020 students develop their leadership additions of the Student Support skills and social development Services department, including the while aiding students and teachers Ma’alot Learning Platform, a novel to understand the “whys” of approach to inclusive education behavioral difficulties. Ms. Hunter that seeks to allow students to believes that “all behavior is a form fluidly travel from mainstream of communication. As educators, classrooms to specialized settings we must figure out what the and back, played a vital role in student is trying to communicate further meeting the needs of and then help the student develop students with learning differences. the necessary coping and self- This school year has brought many regulation skills to be successful enhancements for the Student both in and out of the classroom.” Support Services department, Speech and language services including additional staff, four also play a pivotal role in new classroom spaces including understanding the communication a sensory space and cutting-edge needs of students. Specialist specialty programming. Michelle Mullens brings 18 years Director Amanda Walker of stellar experience with her as she believes in a holistic approach joins the Student Support team. Photo: Akiba Yavneh to teaching and learning built Ms. Mullens has worked with a One of Akiba Yavneh’s Ma’alot Judaics teachers, Morah Maayan Naim, works with AYA Academy student Shayna Hecht. around each student’s individual large variety of ages spanning many strengths. “The student as a whole different learning differences and to be part of such a dynamic and teachers respect the students. I can speaks volumes about the chord we is considered. What do they need disabilities. growing team. I love to see how actually read pretty well now, and I are striking. We aim to push the academically? Emotionally? What As Akiba Yavneh is truly a 50/50 much the students are growing and really like the sensory room!” field of Jewish education forward do they need in all their classes dual-curricular school, providing learning every day, and it makes Rabbi Yaakov Green, head and demonstrate that as Jewish — general and Judaic? How does equal learning opportunities in my heart happy that we finally have of school at AYA, is extremely educators, we need Ma’alot and the family need to be supported? general studies and Judaic learning something like this in a Jewish day proud of the growth he sees in any programs like it that follow. How can our department develop is vitally important. The support school environment,” Stromer the program and its students. Finding ways to include all Jewish the correct levels and types of department believes that a student said. “This is exactly what we set out to children and their diverse learning support to remediate the student’s with a learning difference will not Shira, a new Ma’alot student for accomplish. To demonstrate that profiles is our people’s obligation needs, build upon their strengths be impaired in just one subject. “If part of her day, is grateful for the the ideals of a Jewish education and should be our schools’ and teach them to become self- they struggle in reading, then they newly expanded services offered. should be available to any and all expectation.” advocates?” These are questions will need assistance in every class “Being in Ma’alot helps me. Before, families that seek it out.” Green For more information about Walker and her team of specialists that requires reading across both Language Arts was really hard for continued that “families should Akiba Yavneh Academy and ask every day when planning for a general studies and Judaics,” said me, and everyone else understood not have to make an impossible their Student Support Services student’s future at Akiba Yavneh. Walker. To assist these students, things, and I didn’t. That made me choice of a Jewish environment and department, including the Ma’alot In order to provide the quality the department brought on Yael feel really bad about myself. Now, Torah education versus the services Learning Platform, please reach services and supports that many of Stromer and Maayan Naim. I’m getting better grades because their child or family might need to out to the Admissions Department the students need, the department Stromer relocated from I get help, and I feel smarter. I’m succeed. Both must be provided. at [email protected]. has almost doubled its staff from California to join the support team learning new things that I didn’t The growth of this program, and — Submitted by seven to 13, bringing on a speech- at Akiba Yavneh. “I am excited know before. Class is fun, and the the need for this program to grow, Akiba Yavneh language specialist, a behavior specialist, a math interventionist at If you or someone you know is homebound and has been impacted by the coronavirus the K through eighth-grade level, a separate math interventionist for Please visit: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/dallascovidneeds the high school level, along with a high school humanities specialist, a Judaic studies interventionist, The Jewish Federation, led by the Health Crisis Management Team, is orchestrating the delivery of a Hebrew interventionist and — essential needs to those most impacted by social distancing and quarantine due to COVID-19. most recently — a Gifted and Talented educator. If you have an urgent need, please call the help line below The Gifted and Talented 214-615-5241| M-TH 9am-5pm | Fri 9am-3pm program is new to Akiba Yavneh this year and provides students with Stay Safe.