Volume 9, Number 11 Chanukah 2019
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Serving the Local New Orleans, Northshore, and Baton Rouge Jewish Communities
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Community News
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If your group has an event that you would like for us to include on the Community Calendar please e-mail the information to jewishnews@bellsouth.net. All submissions are subject to acceptance by the Editor. ì
Chanukah Cooking At Whole Foods Market Latke cooking and crafts Chanukah crafts and cooking at Whole Foods Market! Cook some LATKES, Create a DIY chanukah magnet, and make EDIBLE menorahs and dreidels No Charge - compliments of Whole Foods Market and Chabad Jewish Center Limited spaces available - RSVP
REQUIRED to accomodate more children there will be 2 shifts, please select which time your RSVP is for. Children must be accompanied by a parent. For more info, email libby@jewishlouisiana.com or call 504-7107891.
Jewish Roots Of Rhythm & Blues
Table of Contents Community News
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Chai Lights
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Holiday Features
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Education
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Alma
12
Bookshelf
13
Arts & Culture
14
Entertainment
15
Health
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The Nosher
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USA
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Judaism
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Jewniverse (Jewish Culture & History)
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Israel Under Radar
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Jewish Children’s Regional Service (JCRS) will present Jewish Roots of Rhythm & Blues on Saturday, February 1, 2020 at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside, 2 Poydras St, New Orleans, LA. This will be the 9th JCRS Jewish Roots gala. The annual event is now the signature Jewish gathering in New Orleans with patrons in attendance from across the Mid-South. The 2020 Jewish Roots gala will honor The Beerman Family whose members proudly claim a near 100year history with the original 19th century Jewish Children’s Home orphanage. Six Beerman siblings were Home residents in the 1920’s, while more recently, family members have served in leadership posi-
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tions within JCRS, including Marc Beerman as President from 20152017. The event will feature an inspiring evening of music from The Great American Songbook performed by JCRS “success stories” – educational scholarship recipients who are currently pursuing advanced degrees in musical performance. Basil Alter, violin, is at the Manhattan School of Music; Joshua Dolney, trumpet, is at the University of Illinois; Joshua Sadinsky, piano, is at Cal Arts; and Caroline Samuels, double bass, is at Boston University. The evening will also include a cocktail reception followed by a seated dinner. A silent auction focused on boutique shopping, restaurants and once-ina-lifetime vacations will round out the evening. Contact Mark Rubin to become a patron or sponsor at Mark@jcrs.org or (504) 828-6334 Enter the raffle to win this beautiful 40″ 18K White Gold Quartz Necklace! $20 per ticket or 6 for 100! Purchase 5 raffle tickets and get the 6th ticket FREE! (Winner need not be present)
Happy Chanukah.... ....to all My Friends in the Jewish Community! Louis Fitzmorris Assessor St. Tammany Parish
Chanukah 2019
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Community Happenings
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December 19, 2019 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm New Orleans JCC Uptown 5342 St. Charles Avenue New Orleans, LA 70115 Chanukah Party Ready for some latkes and dreidel games? Join your friends for a delicious luncheon filled with all the traditional Chanukkah foods like latkes and sufganiyot (donuts). For a special treat, Bremner Duthie will return, this time singing the satiric songs of Tom Lehrer. If you missed Bremner at our Sukkot party, you don't want to miss him this time. RSVP by Monday, December 16. $3 members / $5 non-members Contact: Rachel Ruth Phone: 504-897-0143 Email: rachel@nojcc.org
December 22, 2019 2 Poydras St.
Chanukah at The Riverwalk is celebrating its 30th Anniversary and remains the largest annual gathering of the New Orleans Jewish Community! Join us at Spanish Plaza on Sunday, December 22nd from 4:30pm6:30pm for music, kosher food, children’s entertainment and activities, dreidels, menorahs and gelt. We’ll light the 11ft tall Menorah at 5:30pm
Best Wishes for a Happy Chanukah!
December 22, 2019 Time: 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm New Orleans JCC Uptown 5342 St. Charles Avenue New Orleans, LA 70115
Judge Kern Reese
Orleans Civil District Court Section L December 8, 2019 5:30PM - 8:00PM
Jewish Community Day School
Jewish Community Day School-Gala Contact: Tiffany Cotlar 504-887-4091 tcotlar@jcdsnola.org December 11, 2019 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm
New Orleans JCC - Uptown 5342 St. Charles Avenue New Orleans, LA 70115
Ace Holiday Party Contact: Rachel Ruth Phone: 504-897-0143
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December 19, 2019 4:00PM - 5:00PM Slater Torah Academy 5210 West Esplanade Ave. Metairie, LA 70006 Torah AcademyChanukah Party Contact: Rivka Chesney 347-356-4714 auction@torahacademynola.com Chanukah Party at Slater Torah Academy
December 12, 2019 7:00PM - 10:00PM Jewish Children's Regional Service Chanukah Latke Party Contact: Mark Rubin 504-828-6334 (Phone) 504-828-5255 (Fax) mark@jcrs.org December 15, 2019 3:30PM - 5:30PM 357 Metairie Heights Metairie, La. 70001 Hadassah-Chanukah Party Betty Moore 504-833-0935 Contact: Helen Stone 225-907-2400 krazy4karate@yahoo.com Hadassah Chanukah party will be held at the home of Hadassah Copresident Betty Moore.
Community Chanukah Celebration Featuring The Leevees Join Us For A "Southern Fried Chanukah" It’s Chanukah, y’all! Celebrate the first night of Chanukah at the JCC! We’ll light the menorah, nosh on Southern fried chicken and latkes, and enjoy a live concert by The LeeVees. Their Hanukkah Rocks CD is by far the best holiday/Chanukah record of the last 20 years, according to Bob Boilen of NPR’s All Things Considered. Formed in 2005 by Adam Gardner (Guster) and Dave Schneider (Zambonis), their intent was to write modern rockin’ classic Jewish songs about Chanukah,
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fun, food, family and more. The band has been featured in many television appearances and, most importantly, has played numerous JCCs across America. Special thanks to Cathy and Morris Bart, the Jewish Endowment Foundation of Greater New Orleans, and the Feil Family Foundation for sponsoring this event, and for their continued support of Jewish programming. Contact: Judy Yaillen Phone: 504-897-0143 Email: judy@nojcc.org December 26, 2019 12:00 pm - 1:45 pm New Orleans JCC Uptown 5342 St. Charles Avenue New Orleans, LA 70115 Movie Day: Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down The White House Mark Felt - The Man Who Brought Down the White House centers on the true story of "Deep Throat", the notorious whistleblower for one of the greatest scandals of all time, Watergate. The true identity of the secret informant remained a mystery and source of much speculation for over 30 years. Until, in 2005, special agent Mark Felt shockingly revealed himself as the tipster. This powerful true story chronicles the life of the brilliant and uncompromising Felt, who sacrificed everything -his family, his career, his freedom -- in the name of justice. Movie snacks will be served. RSVP by Monday, December 23 to Rachel Ruth at 897-0143 x161 or rachel@ nojcc.org. No charge members and nonmembers Contact: Rachel Ruth Phone: 504-897-0143 Email: rachel@nojcc.org December 26, 2019 4:00PM - 6:00PM Riverwalk Spanish Plaza 2 Poydras St. New Orleans, LA 70130 Chabad-Chanukah @ Riverwalk Contact: Mendel Rivkin mendel@chabadneworleans.com A celebration of Jewish pride. The 30th anniversary of Chanukah @ Riverwalk - public Menorah lighting and Chanukah celebration.
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Best Wishes to My Many Supporters for a Happy Chanukah!
ChaiLights features announcements of births, B'nai Mitzvahs, engagements, weddings, and honors. To request your special event be published in The Jewish Light send your material to United Media Corp., P.O. Box 3270, Covington, LA 70435 or e-mail jewishnews@bellsouth.net. Events are published on a first come, first served basis, as space permits. Photographs are welcom; professional ones preferred. The must be clear and in focus. ì
Thomas J. Capella Jefferson Parish Assessor
Gates of Prayer
MAZEL TOV TO... Rae Sara & Michael Mayer on the birth of their great granddaughter, Rebecca Lee Silver. Parents are Jennifer & David Silver. Heidi Vizelberg and Anna Vizelberg on the engagement of their son and grandson, Maxbetter Vizelberg, to Avital Chissick. Jennifer & John Ostermann on the birth of their daughter, Alexandra eece Ostermann. Grandmother is Leslie Miller and great grandparents are Ellen Raye & Sidney Miller.
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CONDOLENCES To Dr. Gayle Baer on the death of It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Robyn her husband, Dr. David Harsha Gerson Barocas. The Beth Israel Community extends its deepest condolences to her husband of 22 years, Scotty Barocas; two daughters, Sophie & Lily Barocas; her parents, Marshall & Jane Gerson; her brother, Scott Gerson and brother-in-law Nick Brown; her sister, Keri Gerson Pollock and brother in law Mark Pollock; her nephew, Max Pollock; and niece Sarah Pollock.
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Holiday Features Best Wishes for a Happy Chanukah!
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Making Hanukkah With Children Meaningful (My Jewish Learning via JTA) -- Hanukkah ’s proximity to Christmas can complicate the holiday. For those who try to make Hanukkah more like Christmas, it inevitably seems to fall short. Yet while Hanukkah was traditionally not one of the most central holidays of the Jewish calendar, it can offer many opportunities for fun and joyous celebration. Here are some suggestions for how you can make this Hanukkah memorable while staying true to the essential meaning of the holiday.
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Bring Light Out Of Darkness There are many ways to make this year’s Hanukkah a real “Festival of Lights.” As Rabbi Arthur Waskow writes in his book “Seasons of Joy,” “Hanukkah is the moment when light is born from darkness, hope from despair.” Historically, this was reflected in the unlikely victory of the Maccabees over the Greeks, in the oil that brought light for eight days instead of one, and in the very act of lighting candles during the darkest time of the year. Before lighting candles, try taking your family on a night walk. Go outside together and feel how dark it is. Even in the city, the month of December has a special darkness to it. Then come in from the cold and THE
light the menorah. Feel the contrast between the darkness outside and the light inside. The oil in the Temple menorah can be understood as an early example of energy conservation. In keeping with that theme, try using environmentally sustainable candles in your menorah this year. According to Hazon, a Jewish environmental organization, “beeswax, soy, and palm oil provide more natural alternatives to the traditional paraffin Hanukah candles.” Several vendors sell beeswax Hanukkah candles, and GoodLight Natural Candles’ Hanukkah candles not only claim to be “clean burning and non-toxic,” but the company “contributes to sustainable palm farming.” Hanukkah is also a wonderful time to bring light into the lives of those around us. The winter months can be especially difficult for those who need help. Why not volunteer as a family at a local soup kitchen, shelter or any place that is meaningful to you? Jewish homes for the aged often have Hanukkah parties or communal menorah lightings. These are opportunities to connect your children with the older generSee MEANINGFUL on Page
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A Movie Marathon For All 8 Nights Of Hanukkah By Elana Spivack
(Alma via JTA) -- Fry up some latkes and fulfill the 11th commandment by observing a movie marathon for each day of Hanukkah. Here are some Jewy suggestions perfect for the occasion: Night 1: “Little Fockers” This third installment of the “Meet the Parents” saga is a phenomenal way to start the holiday for five reasons: 1. Barbra Streisand 2. Barbra Streisand 3. Barbra Streisand 4. Barbra Streisand 5. The classic trope of neurotic Jewish family meets Waspy family for the holidays, and chaos ensues. (Available on Amazon Prime and YouTube) Night 2: “An American Tail” Steven Spielberg’s first animated production tells the story of plucky young Fievel Mousekewitz. The film opens with a Hanukkah celebration where Papa Mousekewitz gifts Fievel his hat before they embark to America. Oh yeah, and it’s a musical. Bring latkes and tissues. (Available on Amazon Prime and Netflix) Night 3: “Full-Court Miracle” I’m livid this Disney Channel Original Movie hasn’t reached the heights of “High School Musical” or “Cadet Kelly.” Based on a true story, this uplifting 2003 movie puts a modern-day spin on the story of the Maccabees as a Jewish boys basketball team search for a coach to lead them to victory. (Available on Amazon Prime and YouTube) Night 4: “Hitched for the Holi-
days” Would any holiday season be complete without a Hallmark TV movie? This cheesy romance from 2012 shows yet another Hanukkahmeets-Christmas, but with a twist: Julie finds a temporary boyfriend, Rob, to placate her Jewish mother for the holiday season (#relatable). Will the nice Jewish girl really fall for a Catholic schoolboy? Yes. Obviously. It’s a Hallmark TV movie. (Available on Amazon Prime and YouTube) Night 5: The TV Specials Binge these excellent holiday specials and skits all at once! Here is the absolute correct order in which to watch them: • “Saturday Night Live”: “Hanukkah Harry” • “Saturday Night Live”: Adam Sandler’s “Hanukkah Song” • “Friends”: “The One with the Holiday Armadillo” • “The OC”: “Best Chrismukkah Ever” • “Rugrats”: “A Rugrats Chanukah” Night 6: “Hanukkah the Movie” Consider this the experimental day of Hanukkah. Give the gift of funding the Indiegogo for this bizarre Hanukkah-slasher film. Then go call your parents. Night 7: “The Hebrew Hammer” This Jewish sendup of Blaxploitation films gives us the perfect Hanukkah hero. Or at least a Hanukkah hero. (Available on Amazon Prime) Night 8: “8 Crazy Nights” You knew this one was coming. It sums up the last eight days: animation, basketball, Adam Sandler, Hanukkah and lots of grownup humor. (Available on Amazon Prime and YouTube)
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Happy Chanukah to all of my Jewish friends! Sincerely, Sharon Weston Broome Mayor-President
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If your kids become greedy gift monsters around Hanukkah, you have failed miserably as a parent. Relax! We’re only kidding! The truth is, if your kids are all about the presents during the Festival of Lights, you are so not alone! We’ve been there, and we’ll help you through it. If you’re looking to avoid eight nights of gift-related mayhem, we asked fellow Kveller moms about their methods for striking a balance between presents (giving and receiving), spending some QT as a family, and doing some good deeds. Check out these tried and true alternative options that fellow Kveller mamas have used: 1. Small Gift Night Give something simple, like a book, pajamas, or a puzzle — whatever inexpensive but meaningful gift works for your little ones. 2. Pick A Charity Night Choose a charity with your kids and make a donation with their input. This can be to a worthy children’s charity such as Toys for Tots, agencies collecting for families that lost everything in the wildfires, or a Kiva micro-finance gift certificate. Letting your kids choose can be fun and empowering for them and an insight into other families’ realities. 3. Visiting Night Take your kids to celebrate Hanukkah in a Jewish nursing
home. They can light candles with the residents, and bring cards or drawings. 4. Animal Night Ask your kids to pick an animal to “adopt” via the World Wildlife Federation. They’ll even send you a stuffed animal! Or you could give to Heifer International and explain how giving an animal not only provides food to a family but can change the course of a family’s life. 5. Make A Gift Night Pick a night to create gifts for their friends and family. Some ideas include soap, cookies, hand warmers, or dog toys. Whatever you think they’ll enjoy making the most! 6. Experience Night Give them the gift of an experience. For instance, this can be a museum membership, manicure date with mom, or a visit to a rockclimbing gym. It doesn’t actually need to happen that night, but pick a date so they know it’ll happen soon. 7. Collect And Share Night Have your kids clear out old toys they no longer want and then donate them to a children’s home or a school. Giving is better than receiving! 8. One Gift They Really Want Night It is actually fun to give your kids something they really, truly want (see above!). You can save this for the last night so they have a special treat to look forward to. If that kind of buildup doesn’t work for your kids, go ahead and do this earlier in the week. Thanks to the parents of the Kveller Moms group for sharing these great ideas!
Best Wishes to my many Jewish Friends and constituents for a Happy Chanukah! Kirk Talbot, Senator-Elect State Senate District 10
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This Forgotten Hanukkah Heroine Deserves All The Love By Steph Black
Hanukkah season is here. This means latkes, menorahs, and the retelling of the classic story about Judah and the Maccabees. But there’s a woman from a few hundred years before Judah was around who is just as important to this story. This Hanukkah, let’s bring this forgotten biblical badass back into the spotlight. She’s not mentioned in the Torah. Her earliest known stories aren’t even in Hebrew, they’re in Greek. And she’s on the fringes of Medieval texts, at best. And though her story is interwoven with quite a few fictional elements, the story Judith is too important not to celebrate and share. She is the feminist activist we need right now — she just happens to be from antiquity. Judith’s story starts in Jerusalem a few hundred years before Judah’s story of the Maccabean revolt. A widow of three years, she has been in deep mourning, only wearing rags and ashes. And her children are on the brink of starvation, as her city is under siege by the evil Holofernes and his armies, who has been sent by King Nebuchadnezzar of the Babylonian Empire to conquer the city and convert the Jews living there. Though they had fought back against Holofernes as best they could, the Israelites were ready to surrender. But Judith is not. Determined her city will not fall, she devises a plan and convinces her people she can singlehandedly defeat their enemies. Judith is disgusted by the faithlessness of the leaders of Jerusalem and tells them that God will act through her. That night, Judith sheds her mourning clothes, dresses herself in her finest jewels, and, with wine and her maid, she leaves the city in the dark. Alone, the two women walk into the enemy’s camp and straight up to THE
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the royal tent (which is not something you just, like, did back then). Struck by her beauty, Holofernes asks, “Who are you? Where do you come from and where do you wish to go?” Judith responds, “I have heard of your wisdom and skill, and since Israel has sinned, I know that you will conquer the city and take possession of it, so I came to save myself and my father’s household when you take the city.” And so, she promises to help Holofernes conquer the city from the inside. He invites her into his tent, intending to seduce her. She follows him. Inside, Holofernes indulges in a feast and drinks more than he has ever drunken in celebration of his near victory, with Judith feeding him cheese and pouring him more and more wine. Yes, my friends, cheese and wine are the weapons of choice in this story. RESPECT. Judith feasts too, but only on what she has brought with her. Soon, Holofernes falls asleep. Turning her thoughts to God, Judith grabs the sword on his bedpost, and in one swift motion, beheads Holofernes as he slept. (Okay, so the sword was a weapon, too.) Judith then takes the head of Holofernes in her bag and swiftly leaves the tent with her maid. The two return unnoticed back to the city walls, where she commands the guards to put his head up high for all of Holofernes’s armies to see upon sunrise. When they wake, all of Holofernes men see what has become of him and flee. Jerusalem is safe, thanks to Judith’s actions. The Israelites enter the camps and plunder it for its invaluable riches, much needed after years of living under siege. Judith is given Holofernes’s tent and all of his possessions. She is blessed by every woman and Judith leads them in song and dance. She praises God for giving her the courage and strength needed to save her people. Judith is celebrated for three months. Though many offer, Judith chooses not to remarry, instead living her life as a free woman. She See HEROINE on Page
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Education
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5 Innovative Ways Jewish Day Schools Are Reducing Tuition Costs
The high cost of tuition is a major headache for parents of Jewish day school students -- and often a barrier to greater enrollment, administrators say. (Getty Images/Maskot) By Ben Harris
(JTA) Ask any parent of Jewish day school students about the biggest challenge they face in providing a solid Jewish education for their kids: Chances are they’ll talk about tuition. At some schools in the New York-New Jersey area, where most U.S. Jewish day school students are located, annual tuition fees of $30,000 in high school and $20,000 Call Our Trained Experts & Experience the Difference
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in elementary school are not unusual. Mindful of the challenge, schools and communities across the country are experimenting with various strategies to keep Jewish education affordable — even for families that don’t qualify for financial aid. Here are five examples of innovative tuition-reduction approaches. Put A Cap On It At Westchester Day School in Mamaroneck, New York, the elementary school offers a limit on how much parents must pay as a percentage of their income. A calculator on the school’s website enables parents to plug in their adjusted gross income (line 7 on the 2018 IRS 1040 form) and immediately see how much they’d have to pay. The calculator automatically adjusts fees based on how many kids the family is enrolling and whether they also have children in area Jewish high schools. For example, for a family with an adjusted gross income of $150,000 and one child in the school, tuition is capped at 13 percent of income, or $19,500. If a family with the same income has three kids in the school and one in high school, the cap is approximately 26 percent of AGI, yielding a tuition of $13,156 per child. The maximum discount
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for a family is 40 percent. The advantages of this approach, say administrators, is that it cuts out a lengthy, invasive and often subjective financial aid process in favor of a simple one. It also allows families to better plan for the future because under the previous system, it wasn’t a given that the financial assistance received for one school year would be offered in subsequent ones. “We did not launch this program to drive enrollment,” said Aaron Lauchheimer, the school’s president. “It was more thinking about trying different ways to provide assistance to families in a more dignified manner.” Cut in half, and then give it back Basic economic theory posits that if you cut the price of something, demand surges. If it rises enough, increased revenue offsets the reduced sticker price.
That’s the theory behind a program at the San Diego Jewish Academy to cut the cost of tuition by 50 percent. Called the Open Door Program, the effort initially offered half-price tuition to parents of students in kindergarten and ninth grade and guaranteed the reduction for four years. In return, the school asked parents to return the savings to the school in the form of a taxdeductible donation, though the donation is not required. Tuition at the school currently runs $24,000 to $28,000 per year. Jewish day schools across the country are experimenting with different models to reduce tuition. (Courtesy of the Hillel Torah North Suburban Day School) The program aims to bump up enrollment at the pluralistic school, See DAY SCHOOLS on Page
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DAY SCHOOLS Continued from Page 10 which is the only non-Orthodox day school in the San Diego area. The percentage of new students brought in by the program will determine whether it can continue and how much the school must raise to fund it. In the first year, kindergarten enrollment jumped a whopping 80 percent, and ninth grade increased by 50 percent. About half of kindergarten parents made the voluntary contribution back to the school, according to the head of school, Chaim Heller. “The bottom line is we can’t keep doing the same old thing here and cry that the Jewish community is disappearing,” Heller said. “Here we’re taking our future in our hands. We’re being very proactive.” The Open Door Program is part of a broader $15 million effort to enhance the overall quality of the school. Heller is banking on the fact that within a few years, parents will be so pleased with the school that they will keep their kids enrolled even if tuition rises. Get rid of the frills and tinker with the learning model Much has been written about schools that achieve major tuition savings by slimming down the administration and pursuing other cost savings. Yeshivat He’Atid, an Orthodox day school in Teaneck, New Jersey, combines a no-frills approach with blended-learning classroom instruction to keep down costs. The school opened in 2012 with 116 students in three grades. This academic year, the school has over 550 students and will be graduating its first eighth-grade class. Tuition is $10,150 until fifth grade and $11,400 in middle school. By contrast, Manhattan’s Abraham Joshua Heschel School charges more than $43,000 beginning in kindergarten. Yeshiva He’Atid has limited costs in various ways. Because of the relatively low tuition, nearly all the parents pay full freight, which reduces the need to set aside a lot of money for scholarships and hire fundraisers. Teachers with children in the school receive a smaller tuition break than their colleagues at other schools. Administrative overhead is slimmer: the school has no admissions director or development director. And class sizes are larger, often 25 students with just one teacher and one assistant. Some Jewish day school classTHE
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rooms utilize a rotational model in which students are split into multiple groups, with some working on their own, thereby helping reduce costs. (Courtesy of the Westchester Torah Academy) The key to making it all work is the school’s rotational classroom model in which the class is split into multiple groups. Two groups might work with an instructor, while two others might do selfguided work or computerized lessons. Administrators say this blendedlearning model saves money and can deliver better results than traditional instruction. “Just being a cheap school is never going to work,” said Rabbi Tomer Ronen, Yeshivat He’Atid’s head of school. “We were able to prove that you can deliver excellent Jewish education in an affordable way and not have this massive hole in your budget every year and have to go fundraise to cover the gap.” Get the state to pay for it In recent years Jewish day schools have been increasingly successful at winning public money for a whole range of purposes, from security to technology education to nursing assistance. But states with tax-credit scholarship programs can bring cost savings to a whole other level. In Pennsylvania, state scholarship programs now funnel millions of dollars each year to help defray tuition at Jewish day schools in the state. The programs essentially allow corporations (or groups of individuals who set up “special-
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See DAY SCHOOLS 26 on Page purpose entities”) to get 90 percent of their contributions to Jewish day schools returned to them in the form of tax credits. The monies are then used to fund scholarships to the schools. At the Silver Academy in Harrisburg, this has proven to be a godsend. The school only has about 50 students and an annual budget of about $900,000. Funds collected through the state programs account for about $400,000 of the budget. Scott Rubin, Silver’s treasurer, says the money has enabled the school to make good on its promise to provide an education to any Jewish child who wants one, regardless of their ability to pay. “This program has changed the way that we do fundraising because it enables people to contribute ten-
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Alma
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Being A Jewish Person Without A Jewish Last Name By Sarah Halle Corey
(Belterz/Getty Images)
This story originally appeared on Alma. The first thing I noticed was all the Confederate flags. They weren’t in front of every house we passed, but they waved in enough windows for their sentiment to be apparent. My partner Ryan and I were camping at Mammoth Cave National Park, and our trip to Kentucky was the first time I had really left my liberal bubble. Everyone we encountered was friendly and polite, but those flags were enough to put me slightly on edge. Two days into the trip, we decided to rent a canoe. That’s how we found ourselves in a van on a Kentucky dirt road with a man named Corey from the canoe company. We
were making small talk as he drove us to the Green River. I told Corey that his first name was my last name, and he was fascinated by the revelation. “I don’t think I ever met anyone with my name as their last name,” he said. Corey asked about the origin of my last name and all I could think about were those Confederate flags. While I hemmed and hawed, Ryan started to provide an answer, but I interrupted him to give a vague and concise explanation: “Um, my grandpa changed it and made it our last name years ago.” I changed the subject and continued our small talk without any mention that I’m Jewish. It is for that very reason my grandfather changed our last name from Cohen to Corey over 70 years ago. When my great-grandmother got sick, my grandfather and his brother moved with their mother from Brooklyn to Arizona. But anti-Semitism was lurking, and getting jobs proved difficult with a last name descended from one of the tribes of
Israel. So in order to get work, the Cohens became the Coreys. My grandfather eventually traveled back east, which is where he raised my dad and my uncle. It’s where I was born and raised, too. I grew up in a New York City suburb on Long Island, where the majority of my friends had “-berg” or “-stein” tacked onto their last names. My public school closed each year for the High Holidays, and there were at least five synagogues within a 10-mile radius. At my liberal arts college, the Jewish program house (called the Bayit) was one of the most popular housing options. Growing up, being Jewish wasn’t something to hide. If anything, I wished I had a last name that announced my Jewishness more loudly. At the most petty level, a more Jewish last name would help me fit in better and, more nobly, it would help me to claim a part of my identity right from the moment I introduce myself. My dad first explained to me how our last name came to be when
I was 5 or 6 years old. I started insisting that we change it back. “Cohen is our real last name,” I told him. And he said no, our family name is the one we have now, the one that he grew up with, the one that his father made for us. It would take me years to fully understand what he meant. After I graduated from college, a few things happened that changed my relationship to Judaism. I began dating Ryan, who’s not Jewish. That means that with each holiday, or Yiddish exclamation thrown into conversation, or reference on “Broad City,” I need to pause and offer a brief lesson. It also means that each time I do this; I stop and reflect on my Judaism, claiming it a bit more, something I rarely did when I was growing up. After I graduated, the U.S. saw Donald Trump’s election and the rise of the “alt-right.” Suddenly I was more aware of anti-Semitism than ever before. I’m white and I See LAST NAME on Page
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The Earliest Known American Jewish Novel Introduces A New Feminist Voice
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By Penny Schwartz Cora Wilburn's novel "Cosella Wayne: Or, Will and Destiny" is being published in book form for the first time thanks to the Jewish historian Jonathan Sarna. (Library of Congress) (JTA) — More than a century after her death, Cora Wilburn is having her moment. With the rediscovery and recent publication of her novel “Cosella Wayne: Or, Will and Destiny,” edited and introduced by Jonathan Sarna, the 19th-century writer nearly lost to history is being given her due as likely the first Jewish author to pen a distinctly American Jewish work of fiction. Originally published in 1860 in serialized form in “The Banner of Light,” a journal of the Spiritualist movement, this is the first time that “Cosella Wayne” has been published in book form. It’s accompanied by excerpts from one volume of Wilburn’s diary that Sarna, a scholar of American Jewish history, unearthed in the course of his research. The revealing novel, which mirrors Wilburn’s often heartbreaking life, pulls back the curtain on subjects unknown in Jewish literature of the time: domestic abuse, women’s rights, religious and spiritual exploration, and class divides within the American Jewish community of the mid1800s. In the novel and her diary writings, Wilburn (1824-1906) emerges as a fiercely independent and bold Jewish thinker, an abolitionist and a feminist. Her writing also sheds light from the perspective of a Jewish woman on the early years of Spiritualism, the religious movement popular during the Civil War that encouraged communication with spirits of the deceased. The novel, published last month, “redates American Jewish literature,” said Sarna, the Joseph H. and Belle R. Braun professor of American Jewish history at Brandeis University. Until now, Sarna said, the first American Jewish novel, “Differences,” published in 1867, was credited to Nathan Mayer. Emma Wolfe, whose novel “Other Things Being Equal” was published in 1892, was believed to be the first Jewish woman novelist. “Cosella Wayne” is a melodramatic, riches-torags coming-of-age story of a young Jewess subjected to abuse by an unscrupulous, meanspirited Jewish merchant, who masquerades as her father through trickery and deception. But the book also is a story of resilience, about a single Jewish woman left in poverty who stood firm in her deeply held religious and moral conTHE
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victions. While the novel We have the largest selection of Wine, Beer, & Spirits in the state! depicts a devastating image of the Orthodox Jewish merchant, Wilburn’s portrayals of Jewish ritual and holiday observances are rendered with warmth and sympathy, Sarna said. Wilburn, who later changed her name, was www.acquistapaces.com born Henrietta Pulfer- 985-951-2501 985-893-0593 macher, likely in 631 N. Causeway Blvd.,, Mandeville 125 E. 21st Ave In Historic Downtown Covington Alsace, France. Her Facing East Causeway Approach father, a conniving Jewish gem merchant, was an alcoholic and abusive. He w o u l d remarry after the death of his first wife, whom he also abused. Adopting various identities, he lived on the run across the globe, dragging his wife and daughter with him. The experience provided the multilingual Wilburn with a rare, intimate lens of Jewish communities in Germany and in farflung locales including India, Australia and Venezuela. Her keen observations, woven into the novel, read like a global Jewish travelogue. Following the death of her father in La Guaira, Venezuela, Wilburn was left without means, her life upturned. Known still as Henrietta, she relocated in 1848 to Philadelphia, where she toiled as a meagerly paid, sometimes cruelly treated seamstress in the homes of the city’s well-off Jewish families, in humiliating scenes that play out in the novel. Her vivid descriptions, both in See FEMINIST on Page
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Arts & Culture
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Mexican-Jewish Artist Aliza Nisenbaum On Her Colorful Portraits Of ‘The Other’ In Society By Alan Grabinsky “The problem today is that we are not sitting with real people, face to face, we are shouting to each other on social media,” Nisenbaum says. She looks to fight this cultural tendency through her paintings, (Courtesy of the artist and Art on the whose intense, sensuous color forcUnderground, London; Anton Kern es the viewer to inhale the humanity Gallery, New York/© Aliza Nisenbaum) of her subjects. (JTA) — Mexican-Jewish artist Influenced by the work of Jewish Aliza Nisenbaum sees a failure to philosopher Emmanuel Levinas communicate in the modern world and his theory of “the Other,” which — and her work as a way to coun- is grounded in Jewish ethics of teract the dilemma. responsibility and humanism,
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Nisenbaum aims to portray the “back regions” of everyday life — a term coined by the Jewish sociologist Erving Goffman. Nisenbaum, 42, has explored the idea for years, beginning with a series of intimate portraits of Central American migrants she met while working at a New York City community center in 2013. For a solo show at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, she painted Latin American seniors at the Tiron Guzman Center and Somali refugees working at the Hope Community Garden. Nisenbaum, who teaches at Columbia University and has a master’s degree from the Art Institute of Chicago, also painted a mural of London Underground workers in Brixton Station. Most recently, she showed portraits capturing the backstage vibe of a New York salsa dancing group at the Kern Gallery in Manhattan. The process of painting a portrait live, in front of a subject, is a sort of
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embodiment of Levinas’ theory and a recognition of the materiality of the body for Nisenbaum. “I find the process extremely deep,” she said. “Here is a real person with their body, indivisible, sitting in front of you for six hours. It’s very intimate, and you feel responsible for her.” “When you paint someone from life, the color is really nuanced. You get the sense for the temperature of their skins and a sense of their presence … it’s like magic.” “I’ve painted Marisa, Gustavo and Veronica many times after my work at the community center in New York. I’ve seen Marisa grow up and go to an Ivy League School. Bear in mind this is a girl with undocumented parents.” “I draw inspiration from Mexican muralism, but their display of social history was too epic and general. I’m also influenced by the work of Alice Neel, who painted intimate pictures of real people.”
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Are The Jewish Mobsters Referenced In ‘The Irishman’ Real? By Emily Burack becomes a hitman for the Bufalino crime family, led by Russel Bufalino (Pesci), and spends time working for union leader Jimmy Hoffa (Pacino). About 30 minutes into the film, Sheeran takes a job from mobster Joe Pesci, left, and Robert De Niro star Whispers DiTullio (Paul Herman). in Martin Scorsese's "The Irishman." (Netflix) Whispers instructs him to burn Very minor spoilers ahead for down the Cadillac Linen Service in “The Irishman” — but nothing big, Delaware, a competitor to the launwe promise. dry company that Whispers owns in (JTA) — “The Irishman,” Martin Atlantic City. Scorsese’s latest organized crime epic, became streamable on Netflix this week. Even if the significant digital deaging of the actors involved is a bit distracting, the film’s good reviews hold up thanks in large part to its Whispers DiTullio, played by legendary director and cast — ScorsPaul Herman, instructs Frank ese and none other than Robert De Sheeran (Robert De Niro) to burn Niro, Joe Pesci and Al Pacino. down the Cadillac Linen Service Making a very brief appearance in a scene from “The Irishman.” (Screenshot from Netflix) in the mafia madness? Jewish mobsters. Whispers also tells Sheeran that The 3 1/2-hour story follows Cadillac Linen is owned by “a Frank Sheeran (De Niro), who bunch of Jews,” hands Sheeran an
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envelope of cash and says, “Let them collect their insurance, which I’m sure they have plenty, and leave this ****ing other place alone, the one I’m involved in.” But Sheeran is spotted scouting out Cadillac Linen Services, and he’s called in to talk to another mobster, Angelo Bruno (Harvey Keitel). It turns out that the laundry is owned not only by the Jewish mob, but also by Bruno and his Italian gangsters. Bufalino vouches for him, saving Sheeran’s life. To atone, Sheeran is ordered to kill Whispers. Sheeran becomes indebted to Bufalino, and the subsequent killing is Sheeran’s first murder of “The Irishman,” setting him on a path for the rest of the film. “Whispers didn’t tell you it was Jew mob?” Bruno asks. “He said Jew washerwomen,” Sheeran replies. So who exactly is the “Jew mob” referenced here? Let’s turn to the book on which the film was based. The real Frank
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Sheeran recounts in “I Heard You Paint Houses,” the source material for “The Irishman,” that two Jewish mobsters did in fact own Cadillac Linen Services: Cappy Hoffman and Woody Weisman. But Weisman may actually have been named Max “Willie” Weisberg. In a self-published book, “Izzy: A Life Inside the Old Philadelphia Jew Mob,” a Jewish mobster’s nephew writes that Cadillac Linen is really run by a man named Willie Weisberg. Samuel “Cappy” Hoffman, meanwhile, was called “the vice king” of Atlantic City. He died in 1970 at the age of 65. Between 1923 and 1962, he was arrested 23 times. Weisberg was the “chief lieutenant” for a prominent mob boss named Harry Stromberg, known as Nig Rosen, based out of Philadelphia. According to a 1950 U.S. Congress investigation into organized crime in interstate commerce, HoffSee MOBSTERS on Page
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Belgian Jewish Baker Launches Europe’s First Mass-Produced Cannabis Bread By Cnaan Liphshiz
cles, lollipops, chocolate and soap are but a few of the products available for purchase in the Dutch capital. But don’t expect to have an easy time of it if you’re looking for something to hold your lunchtime Cannabread contains 15% marijuana. turkey slices. For that, you will (Courtesy) need to take a trip to neighboring AMSTERDAM (JTA) — Con- Belgium, where a Jewish baker is noisseurs can find a wide range of about to launch Europe’s first comproducts containing cannabis in the mercial line of cannabis bread. Netherlands, where it has long been Cannabread will be available for practically legal: Cannabis popsi- purchase in Carrefour supermarkets in Brussels and two other Belgian cities later in November, according hurCh rgan rOup to a report last month in Vice Belgium. The bread is already on sale (504) 454-5157 in at least one of five Lowy’s bakery shops in Brussels. 6824 Veterans BlVd. Suite 200A • MetaIrIe, la Lowy’s owner Charly Lowy said about 15 percent of the dough in “Specializing in Church Organs” Cannabread is made from cannabis
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Charly Lowy in Brussels, Belgium (Courtesy
seeds, but eating the bread will not get you high. The level of THC, the psychoactive chemical in cannabis, is low, which is also why it can be sold without restrictions in Belgium, where marijuana laws are more restrictive. Cannabread is also certified organic and, according to Lowy, full of minerals, vitamin E, Omega 3 and 6, fibers, carotene and magnesium. “The bread is intended first and foremost for people who just love bread, and different kinds of it,” Lowy told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “But it’s true that cannabis products are in right now.” Boutique bakers in the Netherlands and beyond have occasionally offered cannabis bread in the past, but Lowy is the first to mass produce it, according to media reports. While not intoxicating, the bread does taste and smell like cannabis, the Vice report said. Which may be why Belgium’s Federal Agency for
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the Safety of the Food Chain raided the bakery in 2018 and destroyed Lowy’s entire stock of Cannabread, citing the absence of certificates proving it does not get people high. Lowy is tall and handsome. The Vice writer found him to resemble Don Draper, the lead character portrayed by Jon Hamm in the hit television drama “Mad Men.” And he has a history of baking innovative breads, including one with beer and a purple bread containing wild rice. His family story is also a common European Jewish tale of success amid adversity. His late father, Otto, fled to Belgium from his native Austria, when it was annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938. After the Nazis invaded Belgium in 1940, Otto went underground. It was then, during the most perilous period of his life, that he met his wife, Hania, a Jewish immigrant from Poland. They wed in 1942 and had three children. Charly is the youngest. When Otto died in 1980, Charly, who was then studying political science, took over the bakery and massively expanded the family business that his father had established in 1947. Back then, the bakery’s motto was: “Bread, that’s all.” No longer.
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Cranberry Sauce Stuffed Challah Recipe By Shannon Sarna
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When it comes to the day after Thanksgiving, you’ll probably have plenty of cranberry sauce left over after the big meal. If you’re like us, you’re already dreaming up ways to integrate those cranberries — whether home-made into a sauce or straight from the can — into a festive Shabbat dessert or side dish! Why not turn leftover cranberry sauce into a unique flavor of challah: cranberry sauce stuffed challah! Watch my short video below to see the step-by-step on how to make this delicious and really striking bread. Full recipe is below! INGREDIENTS • 1 batch plain challah of your choosing • 14-oz can cranberry sauce (you FEMINIST Continued from Page 13 the novel and her diary, totally changed Sarna’s view of Jewish life in 1800s Philadelphia, he said. “Almost everything we know is from the perspective of these wealthy Jewish families …That has shaped our image,” Sarna said. “Suddenly we have a different and devastating perspective. It’s not to say one is right or one is wrong,” but it’s a reminder that there was another view, from the perspective of the seamstress. After four tortuous years, Wilburn ended her domestic work, changed her name to Cora Wilburn and embraced a literary life, producing an “astonishing” body of writing, from poetry to essays and fiction, Sarna found. In 1869, disillusioned with Spiri-
can use whole berry, jelly or even homemade) • 1 egg, beaten • sunflower seeds (optional) • oats (optional) • thick sea salt (optional) DIRECTIONS Prepare challah dough according to directions. Allow to rise approximately 3 hours. Divide dough in half. Then divide into three even pieces. Roll each piece into a rope, then flatten rope. Spread generous portion of cranberry sauce in the middle of each flattened piece of dough (around 1/3 cup). Pinch dough over cranberry sauce and roll gently to even out. Braid dough. Place on a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper. Allow to rise another 30-40 minutes. Brush with beaten egg. Top with sunflower seeds, oats and thick sea salt if desired. Bake for 22-25 minutes. tualism, she publicly reaffirmed her Jewish faith, comfortable with the tenets of Reform Judaism that was open to the liberal causes she supported. During these later years, when she was living in poverty in Massachusetts, Wilburn wrote extensively on Jewish themes and subjects. Her meager income was supported by a few Jewish institutions and rabbis, Sarna learned. She corresponded with Henrietta Szold, the founder of Hadassah, and had visits from the Boston Jewish writer Mary Antin. “There’s something very exciting for a historian about discovering not only a person but a world and a text that nobody has ever known before,” especially when these are primary sources, Sarna said. “Now I hope … over time, people will study it.”
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Sacha Baron Cohen Calls Social Media ‘The Greatest Propaganda Machine In History’
Sacha Baron Cohen speaks at the AntiDefamation League's Never Is Now conference in New York, Nov. 21, 2019. (Jennifer Liseo/ADL)
NEW YORK (JTA) — Sacha Baron Cohen has made a career out of playing absurd comedic characters, from the dopey Brit Ali G to the Kazakh journalist Borat to the Israeli veteran Erran Morad. He rarely gives interviews and stays relatively far from the movie star limelight. But on Thursday, Cohen tossed aside the humorous facade to excoriate the social media industry and the “autocracy” he says it promotes in a non-ironic speech. After receiving the international leadership award from the AntiDefamation League at its annual conference at the Javits Center in
Manhattan, the British Jewish comedian slammed social media sites as the “greatest propaganda machine in history” — reserving most of his 15-minute speech to specifically critique Facebook and its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg. “Facebook, YouTube and Google, Twitter and others — they reach billions of people. The algorithms these platforms depend on deliberately amplify the type of content that keeps users engaged — stories that appeal to our baser instincts and that trigger outrage and fear,” Cohen said. “It’s why YouTube recommended videos by the conspiracist Alex Jones billions of times. It’s why fake news outperforms real news, because studies show that lies spread faster than truth. “And it’s no surprise that the greatest propaganda machine in history has spread the oldest conspiracy theory in history — the lie that Jews are somehow dangerous. As one headline put it, ‘Just Think What Goebbels Could Have Done
with Facebook. ‘” Cohen spent a significant part of his speech criticizing a recent address Zuckerberg gave at Georgetown University in which the Facebook founder spoke about the importance of upholding free expression on social media. Cohen called out Facebook for allowing political ads on its platform without verifying the veracity of their claims. Twitter and Google have recently taken steps to ban such ads. “Under this twisted logic, if Facebook were around in the 1930s, it would have allowed Hitler to post 30-second ads on his ‘solution’ to the ‘Jewish problem,’” Cohen said, saying the site should fact check all political ads. The actor also urged social media sites to consider delaying real-time posts that could spread hateful content, citing the gunman who attacked two mosques in New Zealand and livestreamed his attack. “Why can’t we have more of a delay so this trauma-inducing filth
USA can be caught and stopped before it’s posted in the first place?” he asked. Cohen said that social media companies should be held responsible for the content spread on their sites, referencing a federal law that shields them from liability for specific posts. “Maybe it’s time to tell Mark Zuckerberg and the CEOs of these companies: You already allowed one foreign power to interfere in our elections, you already facilitated one genocide in Myanmar, do it again and you go to jail,” Cohen said. The speech was not completely devoid of humor — Cohen managed to joke about a key Jewish adviser for President Donald Trump. “Thank you, ADL, for this recognition and your work in fighting racism, hate and bigotry,” he said. “And to be clear, when I say ‘racSee SACHA BARON on Page
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A Project That Helps Formerly Ultra-Orthodox Jews Find Their Place In The Jewish World By Alex Abel
2017 Jew in the City Jewish All Star Awards (David Miller)
NEW YORK (JTA) — I didn’t grow up keeping Shabbat. I am an observant Jew now, but my path to orthodoxy was unexpected, slow and steady. When I was introduced to Torah learning in college, I fell in love with the wealth and breadth of knowledge lying underneath the veneer of the more basic, surfacelevel Judaism I experienced as a child. I can safely say that becoming an Orthodox Jew has enhanced
my life in ways I never would have expected. Unfortunately, not everyone has had the same experience. Nechama Schweitzer, a 28-yearold woman now living in a Modern Orthodox community in Brooklyn’s Marine Park, grew up in what she calls “a very sheltered ultraOrthodox home” in Borough Park. But instead of wanting to graduate high school, marry and have kids right away like other girls in her community, she had career aspirations and other dreams she wanted to pursue. But Schweitzer couldn’t find anyone to help her understand and accept that there might be a different path — not her religious allgirls school, her parents or any of her 11 siblings. Despite her feelings toward mar-
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riage, her parents and rabbi still strongly steered her in that direction. “Growing up, I was taught that this is what I was meant to do in my life,” she shared with me. “I was told the purpose of living was to be a wife and a mother and so, in my mind, there was really no reason to say no.” So, at 21, Schweitzer was wed through an arranged marriage to a man she met just twice for about 45 minutes before getting engaged. At that time she was taking antidepressants and trying to recover from an eating disorder. While her therapist didn’t think the marriage was a good idea, her rabbi convinced her that once she was married she would be happy, and that she could and should even go off the medication. “I was raised that whatever the rabbi says, you listen,” she said. “You don’t question it. So I went off my meds but by the time I got married, I was relapsing.” Her marriage came to an end six months in, when she put her foot down about not wanting to have kids right away. After the divorce, she continued to live in the apartment she had
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shared with her husband for a couple of years. But despite going back on her antidepressant, things got harder. “There was always a part of me still that wasn’t being true to who I was,” she said. “People would ask me, ‘Why don’t you want to get married again?’ I had to answer them while still having all these questions about Judaism and my beliefs.” Schweitzer continued to spiral downward, becoming extremely depressed, even suicidal. Then at 25, she ended up in a psych ward. Disconnected from her cloistered community, she realized there was no way she could go back to her old life. From the hospital, she moved to a group home and eventually to an apartment in Marine Park. While in the hospital, she reached out to Madreigos, which provides awareness and support for religious Jews suffering from mental health issues and addiction. The organization helped her find the right next step in terms of where to live and continuing treatment programs, and in doing so introduced her to Project Makom, which provides social See PROJECT on Page
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Fish And Chips’ Surprising Jewish History
Fish and chips, the iconic British dish, has Jewish roots. (Getty Images)
You may be surprised to learn that fish and chips, though wildly popular in England for what seems like an eternity, actually was a specialty of the Portuguese Sephardic Jews who fled the Inquisition in the 16th century and found refuge in the British Isles. Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver referred to this recently in an article in The New York Times, adding that “Dishes evolve, impacted by trade, war, famine and a hundred other forces.” Among those “other forces” are dishes born of religious ritual. For observant Jews, fish is pareve, a neutral food in kosher terms, thus an easy way to avoid treif (nonkosher food) and possibly include dairy in the same meal. It was especially important for Marranos, the so-called crypto-Jews, who pretended to be Christian during the Inquisition. They ate fish on Fridays, when meat was forbidden by the Church, and also saved some to eat cold the next day at lunch to avoid cooking on Shabbat. Frying was natural for Jewish home cooks — think of latkes and sufganyiot — and as the Jewish
community began to flourish in England, it spurred a taste for its beloved fried, battered fish throughout the country. According to Claudia Roden’s “The Book of Jewish Food,” Thomas Jefferson tried some on a trip to London and said he ate “fish in the Jewish fashion” during his visit. Alexis Soyer, a French cook who became a celebrated chef in Victorian England, included a recipe for “Fried Fish, Jewish Fashion” in the first edition of his 1845 cookbook “A Shilling Cookery for the People.” Soyer’s recipe notes that the “Jewish manner” includes using oil rather than meat fat (presumably lard), which made the dish taste better, though also made it more expensive. There’s some dispute about the where and when of “chips” (what we Americans call French fries and the French call pommes frites). Many historians say that deep-fried, cut-up potatoes were invented in Belgium and, in fact, substituted for the fish during hard times. The first time the word “chips” was used was in Charles Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities” in 1859: “husky chips of potato, fried with some reluctant drops of oil.” The official pairing of fish and chips didn’t happen until a few years later, though. Although there are some who dispute it, most authorities say that it is thanks to a Jewish cook, this time a young Ashkenazi immigrant named Joseph Malin, who opened the first British
Jewniverse chippy, aka fish and chip shop, in London in 1863. The shop was so successful it remained in business until the 1970s. Who could foresee that fearful Jewish immigrants hiding their true religion and practicing in secret would be responsible for creating one of the most iconic dishes in the U.K.? The down-home dish that Winston Churchill claimed help the British defeat the Nazis, the comfort food that George Orwell said helped keep the masses happy and “averted revolution.” The dish, by the way, that was among the only foods never rationed during wartime because the British government believed that preserving
access to it was a way of keeping up morale. A dish that continues to be a mainstay of the British diet. Think about that the next time you find yourself feasting on this centuries-old — Jewish? British? — recipe. These days, some restaurants are putting a new spin on fish and chips. Almond crusted. Baked instead of fried. Quinoa coated. Sweet potato fries instead of regular. And those are all fine; as Oliver says, “Dishes evolve.” But plain old fish and chips endures and probably always will. Good recipes usually do.
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To all of my friends in the Jewish Community: Please accept my best wishes for a Happy Chanukah. Good luck and kindest regards,
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Israel Under Radar
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Netanyahu’s Indictment Is Painful To Watch. But Americans Shouldn’t Lose Hope In Israeli Democracy. By Scott Lasensky
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his residence in Jerusalem. Netanyahu called the indictment allegations a "witch hunt." (Gali Tibbon / AFP via Getty Images)
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (JTA) — The indictment of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is an understandably confusing and emotional moment for American Jews. Thursday was a “difficult and sad day” for Israelis, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit said when announcing the indictment. Netanyahu is the first sitting prime minister in Israel’s history to face such a predicament. He stands charged with bribery, breach of trust and fraud in multiple cases, the most
serious one involving an attempt to trade positive media coverage for regulatory favors. Netanyahu calls the charges “an attempted coup.” In many respects, his defiant stance and refusal to step aside also is unprecedented. The confusion, uncertainty and anxiety of Israel’s ongoing political stalemate adds to the pain and discomfort. Not since the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin in 1995 has Israel seemed so imperiled from within, and it is natural for Diaspora Jewry to worry when the leader of the one and only Jewish state faces such grave charges. Our anguish is also wrapped in a unique and bitter disappointment in a figure who emerged 40 years ago as a living embodiment of a heroic Israel. American Jews lionized Benjamin Netanyahu, whom they first met through the triumph of Entebbe, which came with the sting of his brother Yoni’s death. Through
the 1980s, Netanyahu became one of the most recognizable Israeli figures for American Jewry, giving countless interviews and speeches that brought goose bumps and a wellspring of pride to an entire generation. Although that uniform sense of awe and admiration has long since faded, and his leadership turned divisive, the starkness and severity of the attorney general’s indictment will seem like a personal betrayal to anyone who felt Netanyahu’s enchantments over the years. Because it comes at a time when a variety of forces — illiberalism, media platforms that undermine transparency and civil discourse, increasingly polarized politics that fuel nativism and extreme nationalism, to name a few — also seem to be bearing down on Israeli and Western democratic institutions, there is all the more reason to worry.
One bright spot in all of this is that Israel’s legal institutions have been proved resilient, something Israelis and American Jews can be proud of. More broadly, Israel’s core democratic institutions, although stressed, remain strong and robust. Democratic and liberal norms and practices — be they voter turnout, contestation, a free press or opposition politics — remain healthy. Although back-toback elections have led to a political stalemate, much of this can be blamed on Netanyahu’s legal troubles and his unwillingness to step aside rather than a democracy deficit. Israel is also fortunate in that the national security community remains a reliable and staunch bulwark of democratic life. It’s no surprise that security figures make up a disproportionate number of See NETANYAHU on Page
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MEANINGFUL Continued from Page 6 ation and help make the celebration more festive for the residents. Get Creative Hanukkah can be a great time for simple and fun family art projects. There is a custom for each member of the family to have his/ her own menorah. This year, why not make your own? You can buy lots of small votive candles (yahrtzeit candles are an inexpensive way to do this) and decorate the glass with a collage of colorful pieces of tissue paper. When the votives are lit, light shines through the tissue paper like stained glass. This is a great hanukkiyah for the Friday night of the holiday, when the candles are supposed to burn for at least two hours— as long as Shabbat candles burn. No matter what kind of hanukkiyah you use, try to place it in as visible a spot as possible to fulfill the mitzvah of “pirsumei nisa” (publicizing the miracle). And don’t forget the decorations. Judaica stores sell lots of colorful Hanukkah decorations that make the house feel more festive. You may want to choose your own theme. I know one family that decorates their house with homemade pictures of Jewish holiday objects, which symbolize to them the uniqueness of Judaism — definitely a theme of the holiday. Make Each Night Special One of the wonderful things about Hanukkah is that it lasts eight days Giving each night a special theme can increase the excitement and take some of the attention away from presents. Themes might include “Tzedakah (charity) night,” “Sing-Off Night,” “Party Night” and, of course, “Presents Night.” I know a family that eats a different kind of potato latke (pancake) for dinner each night. Apples, cauliflower or even meat can be delicious additions to the traditional potato latke.
Cheese is also a great Hanukkah food, as it recollects the heroism of Judith, who cleverly fed Holofernes, a general fighting the Maccabees, salty cheese and wine. When the general promptly fell asleep, Judith cut off his head and thereby saved her town from his tyranny. Hanukkah is also an ideal time to do fun activities like playing music, taking pictures or making home movies documenting the year’s celebration. One family I know drips Hanukkah candle wax each night on their family album. Then, the following year, they take out the album, look at the wax and try to remember where they were and what they did on each night. Celebrate Our Uniqueness As Jews One of the miracles of Hanukkah is that the Jewish people were able to reconsecrate the Temple — our spiritual center and a powerful symbol of our uniqueness. Hanukkah today presents us with the opportunity to reconsecrate our own uniqueness as a religion, a people and a culture. Hanukkah is a time to discuss as a family some of the blessings and challenges of being Jewish in a predominantly Christian country. One way to spark discussion on this subject is to watch a movie that in some way tackles the subject of assimilation. Some suggestions include “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” “Avalon,” “Keeping the Faith,” “The Jazz Singer,” ”Monsoon Wedding” and “American Desi.” Snowflakes could be a wonderful seasonal Hanukkah symbol, as no two are alike. You can even make “Hanukkah snowflakes” out of colorful paper and use them to decorate the house. And if Hanukkah happens to fall on a snowy day, take a walk outside and really look at the snowflakes that fall on your hand and try to see the differences between them. Have a joyous and meaningful Hanukkah!
SACHA BARON Continued from Page 19 ism, hate and bigotry,’ I’m not referring to the names of Stephen Miller’s Labradoodles.” Cohen additionally addressed the idea that he promotes anti-Semitic stereotypes in his movies, which groups like the ADL have criticized. “Now I’m not going to claim that everything I’ve done has been for a higher purpose,” he said. “But when Borat was able to get an entire bar in Arizona to sing ‘Throw the Jew down the well,’ it did reveal people’s indifference to anti-Semitism.” Cohen said he has been “passionate about challenging bigotry and intolerance” his entire life and wrote an undergraduate thesis on the American civil rights movement “with the help of the archives of the ADL.” The ADL said that more than 1,600 people attended the daylong event, which included a range of sessions on anti-Semitism and hate. The organization also honored Hamdi Ulukaya, the CEO and founder of the Chobani yogurt company. Ulukaya, a Kurd from Turkey, has donated millions to help
refugees and hired them in his factories. Ulukaya used his speech to condemn hate and call on businesses to help refugees. “[I]f government isn’t willing to act, I believe that business must lead,” he said. “This isn’t about politics. It’s about basic human decency.”
Happy Chanukah to all my friends in the Jewish Community. Thank You for your Continued Support!
CYNTHIA LEE SHENG Jefferson Parish President Elect
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Netanyahu’s rivals outside of Likud, or that so many national security figures have opposed proposals to limit judicial oversight. In many respects, the longexpected indictment itself reflects an inner strength worthy of admiration by outsiders, especially Diaspora communities, who see themselves as non-voting shareholders in the Zionist enterprise — and who view the preservation of Israel’s Jewish and democratic character as inseparable. At the same time, American Jewry should be on guard against opportunism. Take for example the immediate reaction of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Democratic presidential candidate who conflates Netanyahu’s case with America’s own strained politics, charging that the prime minister of Israel would “stop at nothing to enrich himself and stay in power.” Warren pledged to fight “this blatant corruption … at home and abroad,” thereby weaponizing Israel’s political travails. The interests of American Jewry, now facing resurgent right-wing white nationalism and feeling deeply exposed following Pittsburgh and Poway, are not served when politicians here use political troubles in Israel to score points. Just the same, Jewish community interests are not served by repeated interventions by Israeli representatives into our domestic politics, as Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon did recently with his harsh criticisms of another American presidential candidate. In the uncertain days ahead, Jewish community leaders should be on guard to fend off and counter actions and statements that further expose American Jewry to the dangers stemming from increasing
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polarization and partisanship, which is slowly chipping away at the bedrock of bipartisanship that American Jewry has long nurtured and is fundamental to the U.S.Israel alliance. Netanyahu’s indictment and the broader political challenges Israelis face should also lead Jewish community leaders to ask what more can be done collectively to insulate and protect Israeli democracy over the long haul. Advocacy at home, together with a strong tradition of philanthropy, may not be enough to address the myriad challenges Israel and the Jewish people face in the 21st century. Given the recent consolidation of world Jewry within the strongest democracies, most notably the United States, there should be less hesitation about confronting threats — including internal ones — that challenge the state’s Jewish and democratic character. Whether it be the specter of West Bank annexation or American Jewry’s failed attempt last year to oppose the “nation-state” law, we have the capacity to do more. Diaspora interventions were largely taboo in earlier eras, when the Jewish world was caught between East and West, and when Jewish insecurity — in Israel or in the USSR — was the paramount concern. But Netanyahu’s indictment, as painful as it is to watch, could also be a wake-up call for American Jewry to place confronting illiberalism and bolstering democratic institutions at the top of our agenda. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.
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MOBSTERS Continued from Page 15 man and Weisberg were Stromberg’s first and second in command. It makes sense that they would control a corrupt laundry that serviced Atlantic City — Rosen’s influence extended to the South Jersey site, as well as Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Whether or not this incident truly happened as “The Irishman” recounts — an attempted burning of a laundry, followed by a murder — we’ll probably never know. What we do know: Jewish mobsters certainly existed. Jewish-American organized crime reached its heights during the 1920s and ’30s and largely declined after World War II. And while “The Irishman” does not get into it because many were in power before the film was set, New York was home to many famous Jewish mobsters. Here are some highlights: * J. Edgar Hoover called Louis “Lepke” Buchalter the “most dangerous criminal in the United States.” In 1932, Lepke helped organize the group known as “Murder, Inc.,” bringing together a wideranging group of Jewish and Italian crime bosses. He was sentenced to death — the only mob boss to receive the death penalty — and executed in 1944.
* Arnold “The Brain” Rothstein was best known for fixing the 1919 baseball World Series and being depicted in “The Great Gatsby” as Meyer Wolfsheim for that same act. Rothstein put together the largest gambling empire in the U.S. during the 1920s, realizing business opportunities during Prohibition. He was murdered in 1928 at age 46.
JEFFERSON PARISH DISTRICT ATTORNEY
PAUL CONNICK, JR.
Happy Chanukah to all my friends in the Jewish Community. Louis “Lepke” Buchalter at his sentencing in 1941. (U.S. Library of Congress via My Jewish Learning)
* Meyer Lansky (born Meier Suchowlański in Poland) ran a wide gambling network and helped develop the National Crime Syndicate. He tried to retire in Israel in 1970, but his citizenship application was rejected because he was a “danger to public safety.” He died of natural causes in 1983. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency in its obituary called Lansky “an acknowledged financial wizard and one-time reputed czar of organized crime in the U.S. and many points overseas.”
Best Wishes for a Happy Chanukah! The Honorable Erroll G. Williams Orleans Parish Assessor’s Office www.nolaassessor.com
LAST NAME Continued from Page 12 have all the privileges that come with being a white person. But I became aware that there are many people out there who definitely would not consider me white. Did that mean that I just passed as white? And that my non-Jewish last name helped me to pass even more? That trip to Kentucky, which took place the summer after Trump was inaugurated, was one of the first times in my life when I felt like I might be unsafe because of my cultural background. The plethora of Confederate flags reminded me that I might not be very welcome if my name were Sarah Cohen. But the combination of my whiteness and ambiguous last name saved me the uncomfortable (at its mildest) or dangerous conversation (at its most extreme) about my background. Normally I don’t hide my Jewishness. In my day-to-day life, when my sixth sense for danger isn’t tingling, I wear my Jewishness loudly. I literally wear it; one of my favorite pieces of clothing is a THE
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T-shirt that says “Oy vey.” My favorite holiday (among both secular and Jewish ones) is Passover. The mezuzah Ryan gave me during our first Hanukkah in our shared apartment is one of my most prized possessions. Judaism is an important part of my identity and I don’t want it to be hidden. In a way, my non-Jewish last name has made me feel more Jewish than any other part of me. Now that I finally understand what my dad told me a couple of decades ago, I understand the history and power of our last name. It carries some inherited trauma, something that cannot be denied when talking about much of Jewish history, and for that matter, many family histories as well. But it’s also strengthened my identity. Because I must assert myself each time I explain my last name, I know who I am. I can’t let my name speak for itself. Instead, I must say it out loud myself. I am Jewish.
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DAY SCHOOLS Continued from Page 11 fold what they normally do,” Rubin said. In Philadelphia, the Jewish federation has a full-time staffer whose job is to provide back-end support for the tax-credit program. In the last fiscal year, nearly $14 million was raised through the program for Jewish schools in the area. State tax incentives now funnel millions of dollars through similar programs, according to the website Ed Choice. And federal legislation is pending to create an incentive program urging more states to get on board. “There’s literally hundreds of millions of dollars being pumped into K-12 education systems across the states that would not otherwise be there,” said Nathan Diament, executive director of the Orthodox Union’s Advocacy Center in Washington, D.C. Many Jewish day schools that are undersubscribed are using tuition discounts and philanthropic support in an effort to boost enrollment. (Courtesy of the Westchester Torah Academy) Use philanthropy to reduce cost barriers to enrollment In Toronto, two donors gave $15 million (Canadian) in 2017 to reduce tuition by more than onethird at TanenbaumCHAT, one of the only non-Orthodox day schools there. Enrollment surged. The year before the program began, tuition at the school was at $26,500 and heading north. The donation brought it down to $18,000. The school reported a 70 percent rise in enrollment for grade
9 the following September and 150 new students overall. “It led to huge increases in enrollment, proving the point that it’s cost that’s the limiting factor,” said Evan Mazin, director of educational capacity building at UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. “We care about enrollment. That’s what we want to solve for. And affordability is the biggest limiting factor for enrollment.” Other communities have launched similar initiatives, but none on the scale of Toronto. In Boston, a $2.1 million community fund provides up to $6,000 in tuition subsidies for three years to new students at any of the city’s Jewish day schools. This summer, the newly formed New England Jewish Academy in West Hartford, Connecticut, announced a tuition subsidy program that would reduce tuition in grades K-12 by as much as half. In Southern California, Kadima Day School in the San Fernando Valley, outside Los Angeles, cut tuition across the board by 40 percent two years ago. For elementary and middle school, it now runs about $15,000 per year, well below what comparable Los Angeles-area Jewish schools charge. The hope is that increased enrollment will offset the reduced tuition. “The school can easily accommodate another 50 or 60 kids,” said head of school Steven Lorch. “If we had enrollment in the 250, 260 ranges, we would have made up the difference.”
HEROINE Continued from Page 26
Happy Chanukah to all my friends in the Jewish Community! Thank You for Your Support!
26 Chanukah 2019
frees her maid before she dies, at the age of 105. This story was once told alongside the more well-known story of Judah and the Maccabees each Hanukkah. Both Judah and Judith’s names come from the same root and both stories are about impossible seeming military victories. But mostly, only Judah’s story is recounted and celebrated today. Though there has been a movement to place Judith back in the forefront of the Hanukkah story. Some even eat dairy on Hanukkah to commemorate the cheese Judith fed Holofernes, before taking his head (cheese latkes, anyone?).
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Her story is gruesome. She is a lone woman, determined not to let the children of her city starve or be converted. But instead of cowering and surrendering like the male leaders suggest, Judith decides to take a stand, taking matters (and heads) into her own hands. Steph Black is a women’s studies major at American University in DC, a city she loves. Steph can be found reading next to her cat, Goose, writing about feminism and Judaism, or protesting around the city for basic human rights.
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PROJECT Continued from Page 20 support and information on nonjudgmental Orthodox Judaism — usually a new idea to its members. Run by Allison Josephs, Project Makom offers classes about a loving God and how to be motivated out of meaning rather than guilt. The organization creates discussion and offers resources to those recovering from traumatic experiences in their own communities. Through her work as the woman behind Jew in the City, an organization founded in 2007 that educates the secular world about Orthodox Jews, Josephs started to meet real people affected by the difficult realities she sought to disprove. For example, she would say that in Judaism, women aren’t subjugated. But then she met women who were taught they should constrict themselves and their ideas, that everything needs to be done according to their husbands’ wishes. She met others with traumatizing sexual abuse experiences. Josephs said she realized that the negative stories in the media about Orthodox Jews weren’t just told by and about “a few bad apples” but
rather were “systemic problems in communities.” Because of that revelation, she founded Project Makom in 2014. Project Makom now offers social events and Jewish classes, as well as Shabbat and career-themed programming. The goal is to help people who are isolated or ostracized find a community of like-minded individuals who are free to ask questions. “We want to validate them when they tell us what went wrong, but ultimately help them find a way to build a new path,” Josephs told me. It’s a nonjudgmental community, and members are free to find their own relationship to Judaism through what is offered. “It’s absolutely essential that members of Makom know that we don’t have any plans for their Judaism,” Josephs said. “That is between them and God. We are proud to be frum and show them observance as we experience with joy and love, but what each member decides is ultimately up to them.” Though Project Makom, Schweitzer experienced Shabbat meals in a way she never had before. “I didn’t feel like I was trapped in something,” she shared. “I had an
opportunity to get all my questions answered from the bottom up in a completely nonjudgmental forum. People took me as I was — I wasn’t expected to dress or look a certain way.” She added: “They saved my life, and not just saved it, but enhanced it and made it so much more meaningful.” Schweitzer at point wasn’t allowed back home because she could not meet her family’s expectations for tzniut (modesty), and even ended up missing her sister’s wedding three years ago. While she agreed to dress according to the halacha (Jewish law) for a divorced woman, some rabbis say she is still required to cover her hair, which was the ruling given by the rabbi for Schweitzer’s parents. She could not agree to the decision — her marriage was just too traumatic — so the family rabbi said she was not welcome. After the wedding, Project Makom helped Schweitzer through the ordeal, providing another rabbi who is respected in Hasidic communities to serve as a mediator between the family rabbi and her parents. Through this work, the family rabbi reversed his ruling, so
she was able to go home and visit without covering her hair. Schweitzer today is a passionate special education teacher for grades K-2 at a Montessori school. She teaches language arts and Judaic studies, a path she says truly shows just how far she’s come. “I have a joy and love for Judaism now,” she said. “Growing up, God was the scariest thing, I was always worried that I was going to get punished. Now it’s about joy, love and excitement.” Project Makom also can connect individuals with other mental health organizations. It makes referrals to ESL and GED programs as well. As it receives more funding, Project Makom would like to partner with a mental health organization to create support groups and launch a mentorship program to help members with homework and resumes. “Let’s not be embarrassed by our problems,” Josephs said. “Let’s fix them and do the right thing.” The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.
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