Jewish News, April 5, 2019

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ASU student group apologizes after leaked racist and antiSemitic chats

NICK ENQUIST | STAFF WRITER

On March 22, The Phoenix New Times published a series of private Facebook messages from members of Arizona State University’s College Republicans United (CRU), a student group founded in January 2018 after splitting off from the larger student Republican group, ASU College Republicans. The CRU messages contained anti-Semitic, racist and homophobic sentiments and have generated controversy and outrage on campus.

On Monday, CRU, which is funded by the university, issued a public apology at a meeting on ASU’s Tempe campus.

“Moving forward, under my presidency, we will condemn to the highest degree any behavior involving racism, anti-Semitism, any level of discrimination to any group whatsoever, we will con demn it,” said the new president of the organization, Matthew Northway, who assumed his position after CRU’s prior president, Joshua Bernard, resigned last week.

The meeting was attended by dozens of protesters.

Group founder Rick Thomas spoke at the meeting and apolo gized for messages and tweets of his own. He said that the rhetoric in those messages was much different from the group’s public

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Site of Flagstaff Jewish community center vandalized with anti-Semitic graffiti

Just months before its scheduled opening, the Molly Blank Jewish Community Center was vandalized. Two weeks ago, swastikas were painted on windows and carved into the walls.

The community center — which is still under construction — is set to be the new home for Chabad

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A swastika painted on the window of the Molly Blank Jewish Community Center.

image. “Sometimes it was silly, sometimes it was inappropriate ... and I’m sure they’ve offended some of you, all of you should be offended by it.”

In the messages, Thomas supported a eugenics policy for the mentally handicapped; referred to the African American musician Childish Gambino as “degenerate monkey filth”; and referenced an Alex Jones-fueled conspiracy theory that Jews are puppet masters controlling the world.

Prominent civil rights activist and Southern Baptist minister Rev. Jarret Barton Maupin attempted to serve as a mediator of sorts between CRU representatives and the protestors. Charles Loftus, the group’s faculty advisor, was grateful for the clergyman’s presence.

Northway, a pre-medical student, said that from now on all meetings would be recorded and that CRU would be enforcing its internal constitution more rigorously. On March 28, the CRU executive staff expelled one of its members for “hiding his true feelings from CRU.”

Speaking to the Jewish News, Northway said that “everyone had a sense of dignity from God that everyone must honor.”

CRU has been under fire for their campus speakers, as well. On March 19, the group invited right-wing YouTube personality Ashton Blaise Whitty to

speak at a CRU event. Her boyfriend, who came with her, is Tim Gionet, the alt-right YouTube personality known as Baked Alaska, who was a scheduled speaker at the Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville in August 2017, when participants infamously chanted, “Jews will not replace us.”

Members of the CRU have appeared to express support for that rally, which resulted in the death of attendee Heather Heyer. The Phoenix New Times published two photos, one of Thomas and one of CRU member Cody Friedland, holding tiki torches, a gallon of milk and standing next to a Dodge Challenger.

(Charlottesville protesters carried tiki torches and milk has become a white supremacist symbol. Heyer was killed by a Dodge Challenger.)

Loftus, a criminology professor and former police officer, told the Jewish News he was disappointed in the CRU members who wrote the messages.

“We have a very diverse group full of black students, female students, Asian students and Hispanic so I believe that what was written in these private messages doesn’t reflect the group as a whole,” Loftus said. “There have also been Jewish members of this group.” He may have been referring to Friedland, who he cited for the New Times as a Jewish member. (Friedland did not reply to a request for comment.)

Now, Loftus is focusing on retooling the group’s message. During his career as a Phoenix police officer, he worked with the ADL and spent several summers in Israel for counterterrorism training. He said that if CRU as a whole was hate-filled and anti-Semitic, he would do everything in his power to shut the group down.

Northway, for his part, hopes the group will overcome the rhetoric of its former members and move forward as a more respectable entity. “Those comments were reprehensible and are not who we are,” he said, “and not who we will be.” JN

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Charles Loftus, faculty advisor for College Republicans United, expressed immense disappointment in the private messages in the group.

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University. In addition to the anti-Semitic graffiti, several paint cans were smashed and dumped onto the floors of the facility. Some power tools were also reportedly stolen from the premises.

“Thankfully, the damage is not as bad as it could have been,” said Co-Director of Chabad of Flagstaff Rabbi Dovie Shapiro. “No glass was broken and the stone (foundation) wasn’t ruined. However, it’s very disturbing.”

Bjorn Krondorfer, director of NAU’s Martin-Springer Institute, which is dedicated to Holocaust studies, offered Shapiro the institute’s full support in a Facebook post.

“Though we are not privy to any information about culprits and motives — whether, for example, this was a juvenile act of mindless provocation or a deliberate act of hate by an extremist individual or group — the painting of swastikas on a synagogue leaves a clear message: You are not welcome here,” Krondorfer wrote. “With the echoes of the Holocaust, it is a sinister sign of intolerance. At a minimum, it is callous to the harm inflicted.”

The Flagstaff Police Department is investigating the incident as a hate crime and speculated that it took place sometime between Friday, March 22 and Monday, March 25, when construction workers were not on the premises. Police inspected

symbol is horrifying. We hope this reward facilitates the quick apprehension of the person or persons responsible, and we thank the Flagstaff Police Department for investigating.”

Galindo-Elvira extended ADL Arizona’s support to Shapiro and the entire Flagstaff Jewish community. “Targeting a premises being built for community and religious use is simply beyond the pale.”

A few weeks prior to the vandalism, anti-Semitic flyers were found at Flagstaff’s Coconino County Courthouse. The flyers featured a black swastika superimposed over the phrase “the race war starts with you.” The flyer shows an illustration of three individuals holding guns and wearing what appear to be masks shaped like skulls.

Shapiro had heard of the flyers, but he is unsure if whoever posted them is connected to the vandalizing of the community center.

Shapiro and his wife, Chaya, founded Chabad Flagstaff in 2006. The Molly Blank Jewish Community Center officially broke ground in 2017. Blank was a prominent Jewish figure from Georgia who frequently visited Flagstaff and Paradise Valley.

Shapiro said the Molly Blank Jewish Community Center was scheduled for a summer opening, but he is now unsure if they are still on track.

“It’s extremely shocking and disturbing because we’ve been in Flagstaff for 13

“IT’S EXTREMELY SHOCKING AND DISTURBING BECAUSE WE’VE BEEN IN FLAGSTAFF FOR 13 YEARS AND WE’VE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANTI-SEMITISM. FLAGSTAFF IS AN AMAZING COMMUNITY AND I DON’T THINK THIS REFLECTS THE WARM AND WELCOMING COMMUNITY THAT IT IS.”

RABBI DOVIE

the facilities for fingerprints and collected any potential biological evidence. Police began the investigation on the same Monday the destruction was discovered.

Soon after police began their investigation, ADL Arizona announced that it is offering a reward of $2,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual or individuals responsible for the alleged vandalism.

“Crimes like these don’t just damage and harm a construction site; they fragment entire communities and create fear,” said Carlos Galindo-Elvira, regional director of Arizona ADL. “The use of a hate

years and we’ve never experienced antiSemitism,” Shapiro said. “Flagstaff is an amazing community and I don’t think this reflects the warm and welcoming community that it is. This whole thing really reinforces even more of the important work that we’re doing.”

He said that Chabad’s message can turn a situation of hate and tragedy into something positive.

“Each and every one of us has the power to bring more light into the world,” Shapiro said. “And if we do that in our own small way, we tip the scale towards good in the world.” JN

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Eli Beer, United Hatzalah of Israel founder, speaks at Phoenix reception

Eli Beer, the founder of the volunteer ambulance service United Hatzalah of Israel, spoke at a reception in Central Phoenix this week. He began by asking the audience a simple question: If some one were choking across the street, would anyone in the room try to save them?

Everyone nodded confidently, and Beer said he expected nothing less. That, he said, is at the core of what United Hatzalah is all about — people being willing to help those in need.

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United Hatzalah was formed in 2006 to provide immediate medical service between the onset of an emergency and the arrival of traditional ambulance assistance. The organization is a nonprofit and runs completely on donations and volunteer service.

The reception was a collaborative effort between United Hatzalah, Arizona Israel Technology Alliance and the Jewish Community Relations Council. JCRC board member Adam Goodman hosted the event at his business, Goodman’s Interior Structures.

“The JCRC creates programs that reach across traditional boundaries to bring people together for the exchange of ideas,” Goodman said. “This event, highlighting an Israeli public safety innovation operated by interfaith first-responders, gave us an opportunity to engage professionals from fire, police, Homeland Security and the sheriff’s office.”

United Hatzalah started with just two police scanners and $1,000; now, it’s grown into an organization with an operating budget of $20 million and 5,000 volunteers. It treats close to 300,000 people annually.

Beer displayed one of United Hatzalah’s iconic ambulance motorcycles –— dubbed an “ambucycle” –— and explained how the vehicles help its volunteers achieve a three-minute response time. Because Israeli traffic can be so difficult for larger vehicles, the ambucycles can people faster.

When Beer was 6, he witnessed a bus explosion in Jerusalem and vowed that he would work to save lives. Developing United Hatzalah was his way of keeping his promise to himself. “I didn’t intend for this to grow like it did,” Beer said. “I think it’s the greatest tikkun olam anyone could be a part of.”

President and CEO of Arizona Israel Technology Alliance Rabbi Leib Bolel sees Beer’s work with United Hatzalah as further evidence that Israel is a world leader in innovation. “Eli has taken technology and revolutionized it to save tens of thousands of lives,” he said.

Beer hopes other communities will follow in the ambulance service’s footsteps.

“We want the community of Phoenix and Scottsdale to really participate in saving lives both here in their own community and in Israel,” Beer told the Jewish News. He hopes to have a volunteer in every town.

“We are training more and more volunteers and bringing them into our family,” Beer said. “Once here, they bridge the gaps between the different worlds, rising above politics, above money and above their differences, all in order to rush out and save the lives of total strangers that need help right nearby.”

NICK ENQUIST | STAFF WRITER

United Hatzalah volunteer Avi checks on patients in a car accident. PHOTOS COURTESY OF UNITED HATZALAH

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NEWS BRIEFS

Hazelton Paper Apologizes for Publishing Letter on Holocaust Myth

The Standard-Speaker in Hazelton published an apologetic editorial on March 20, two days after printing a letter to the editor that described the Holocaust as a myth.

Among other things, the March 18 letter from Martin Husovich of White Haven claims that Red Cross records show that less than 300,000 people died in German work camps — with Jews making up slightly less than half of them. He also claims that Jews who spent time in those camps have longer lifespans than those that didn’t, in part because of “soccer fields, swimming pools, libraries, brothels, theater and orchestra, and religious facilities, and first-rate medical care.”

The paper’s editorial noted that it published the letter “knowing that allowing the free flow of thoughts and opinions is a vital part of what we do.

“But we also understand our responsibility to draw a line where opinion crosses into ridiculous and dangerous falsehoods and the promotion of conspiracy theories, and pure hate,” the editorial continues. “With that, we want our readers to know that we regret allowing this letter to reach publication.”

The paper has since published several letters refuting Husovich.

Measles Outbreak in Orthodox Community Prompts State of Emergency

A measles outbreak centered in an Orthodox Jewish community in Rockland County, New York, prompted county health officials to prohibit unvaccinated children under 18 from venturing into public spaces for 30 days, according to CBS New York.

”We will not sit idly by while children in our community are at risk,” County Executive Ed Day said March 26. “This is a public health crisis, and it’s time we sound the alarm.”

The county has counted 153 confirmed cases in the county 40 miles north of New York City since October, mostly of children who haven’t been vaccinated. The newest cases are in eastern Ramapo, which has a high percentage of haredi Orthodox Jews. There have been 48 cases reported in 2019.

Guggenheim Rejects Gifts from Jewish Pharma Family

The Guggenheim Museum in New York City will no longer accept gifts from the Jewish Sackler family, citing the ties its Purdue Pharma company has to the opioid crisis, The New York Times reported on March 25.

Purdue Pharma and the state of Oklahoma settled a lawsuit the following day related to the company’s role in misleading both patients and physicians about the dangers of its opioid painkiller OxyContin. The settlement includes a $270 million payment.

The Tate museums in London and the National Portrait Gallery in London also have stopped accepting donations from the Sacklers.

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St. Louis Cemetery Vandal Gets Three Years of Probation

A man who admitted he toppled more than 100 headstones at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery in suburban St. Louis in February 2017, was sentenced to three years of probation on March 21, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

Alzado Harris, 35, will pay $5,000 in restitution, maintain full-time work, take an anger management course and not contact a friend he was angry with, which led to the vandalism. He was not charged with a bias or hate crime. JN

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Vice President Mike Pence speaks to family members and volunteers during his visit to the Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery in 2017.

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Israel to Develop World’s Most Advanced Cannon

Elbit Systems of Haifa will develop the most advanced cannon in the world as part of a $125 million deal it signed with the Israeli Ministry of Defense, JNS.org reported.

Depending upon the target, the cannon will have the capacity to automatically choose the kind of shell to fire. It will replace Israel’s current artillery systems and is designed to reduce the number of Israel Defense Forces soldiers needed to fight via artillery. The system will include mobile cannons, rockets, radars, missile units, training simulators and remoteoperated aircraft.

Twenty years of maintenance is included in the deal.

US Work Permits to be Available for Israeli Investors

If Israeli investors can commit to investing “a substantial amount of capital” in the United States and employ its citizens, they will be eligible for U.S. work permits, the Algemeiner reported.

The E-2 investor visa will be available as of May 1 and was approved after negotiations that lasted seven years

The investment level for the visa will vary depending upon the business, but those who apply must show that the investment will result in U.S. workers being hired. To be eligible, Israeli investors may buy an existing business or establish a new one. The visa would also allow investors to take major positions in their companies with coworkers of the same nationality.

Archaeologists Discover Agricultural Village

Archaeologists in Jerusalem’s Arab neighborhood of Sharafat discovered a large agricultural village that offers evidence of a Jewish history in Jerusalem dating 2,150 years, JNS.org reported.

The Hasmonean-era Jewish included a multi-generational burial chamber, olive press, ritual baths, a water cistern, dovecote, rock quarries and jar fragments dating to the time of the Maccabees.

The Moriah Jerusalem development corporation funded the excavation on behalf of the City of Jerusalem. It is part of preparations to build a new elementary school in the Muslim and Christian Arab neighborhood, which is between Jerusalem’s Biblical Zoo and

the Gilo neighborhood on the city’s southeastern side.

Part of the site may eventually be turned into a public exhibit, the Israel Antiquities Authority said.

Israel Claims Title of World’s Longest Salt Cave

After 80 spelunkers mapped the Malcham cave in the Southern Dead Sea Region, Israel now claims the title of the world’s longest salt cave, The Times of Israel reported.

The cave spans about 6.2 miles and takes the title from Iran’s 3N Cave, which is only about 4 miles long.

“The fact that we broke the Iranian record is not a political thing,” said Yoav Negev, the chairman of the Israel Cave Explorers Club. “We know this area is unexplored, and we want to explore it. The fact that we broke the record is only for the headline. We don’t want it to impact our relationship with Iranian cavers. We see it as good motivation for both countries.”

The Malcham salt cave formed when winter floodwaters seeped into the solid rock exterior covering Mount Sodom, a 7-mile block of salt. The water dissolved the salt and carved an underground river. After the water drained, the cave was left behind. JN

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Archaeological excavations at the Hasmonean village in Sharafat. PHOTO BY ISRAEL ANTIQUITIES AUTHORITY VIA JNS

Israel’s Golan Heights

President Trump’s March 21 tweet that “it is time … to fully recognize Israel’s Sovereignty” over the Golan Heights may have been timed to help the reelection efforts of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but it also set off a flurry of debate about the issue. That debate only intensified after Trump signed a proclamation four days later recognizing the Golan Heights as Israeli territory during a meeting with Netanyahu.

Many of the usual opponents — the Arab world and assorted left-leaning political commentators and academics — rejected Trump’s comments and actions, making familiar arguments. Criticism focused on the assertion that the Golan Heights is occupied territory, meaning that recognition of Israeli sovereignty there would be illegal under international law. Even those who were more accepting of the new Trump policy — if only because of the practical realities relating to the Golan Heights — questioned the timing of the move.

While we understand the concerns and criticism, we disagree with them. In fact, the change in policy is not that controversial.

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 war, and formally annexed the area in 1981 — a move that was condemned by the United Nations shortly thereafter. But for the past 52 years, Israel’s control of the Golan Heights has been largely undisputed.

Israel needs the Golan Heights. Not only does it provide access to the freshwater Sea of Galilee, it also serves the more important strategic and military purpose of a buffer zone for communities in the Galilee who were subject to Syrian attacks during the SixDay War.

In the grand scheme of things, the new Trump policy regarding the Golan Heights won’t make all that much of a difference. We agree with Ian Bremmer, of Eurasia Group, who told CNBC: “On policy substance, I doubt the U.S. decision will change things on the ground,” noting that Syria doesn’t often win sympathy points because of its pariah status. “So there’s been no pressure on Israel to back away from the existing status quo ... It’s not likely to have much impact.”

We do remain concerned, however, about the continuation of the president’s unnerving practice of diplomacy via tweet. While the change in policy regarding the Golan Heights may not be all that consequential, there is something decidedly un-presidential about making that declaration by tweet rather than in a more formal announcement that could have included a longer explanation.

The formal change in U.S. policy regarding the Golan Heights was nothing more than a recognition of reality. On balance, that result outweighs concerns about how the announcement was made, the motivation for it, or its timing. JN

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ACA under attack, again

The Affordable Care Act (ACA), which was signed into law on March 23, 2010, has a tumultuous history. It is a law that most Republicans and many Democrats love to hate, but upon which an ever-increasing number of Americans rely for essential health care coverage.

The numbers are compelling: In addition to the law’s guarantee of protection for millions with pre-existing medical conditions, it expanded Medicaid to cover more than 12.5 million new people; offers meaningful protection to some 156 million American who participate in their employers’ health care programs; and has reduced the number of uninsured Americans from 48.6 million in 2010, to 28.5 million in 2018. All of those statistics reflect progress – particularly because of the importance of health care coverage to our country’s aging and increasingly unhealthy population.

And yet, the ACA, which is also sometimes derisively called Obamacare, has some real problems. Criticisms include

the law’s financial burden on businesses, the imposition of health care coverage on younger Americans who don’t think they need it and the higher rates being charged by insurers – many of whom have no competition in large areas of coverage. And there are concerns about provisions relating to contraception without charge, required preventive care coverage and the obligation of fast-food vendors to post calorie counts, among others. Indeed, there are so many consequences and repercussions of the ACA that everyone can find something to complain about.

We heard a lot about the ACA in the 2016 presidential campaign. The law was and remains a favorite hammering theme of then-candidate and now President Donald Trump. So it is not surprising that the president is proposing to dismantle not just problematic provisions of the law, but the entire act. What is disconcerting, however, is that he is moving forward with that effort before his administration or his

party has developed a comprehensive alternative to the ACA. Even with all of its flaws, the ACA provides real, tangible benefit to millions of Americans. The effort to uproot the entire law without a comprehensive substitute plan reflects a callousness toward the most vulnerable that is deeply troubling. Perhaps the president recognizes that his ACA court challenge could take years to resolve, and therefore thinks he has time to develop a clear plan that meets his many coverage, scope and expense promises. If so, that is cold comfort to the millions of voters who are at risk, and provides absolutely nothing for them to compare with their current plans.

We counsel restraint. While we are not fans of all of the provisions of the ACA, we can’t help but recognize the good it has achieved. Going forward, we side with those who are taking a more measured approach and want to fix the law rather than destroy it. The millions who are currently covered under the ACA umbrella deserve that protection. JN

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Commentary

Hearing a call for change in Jewish education — loud and clear

SHARON FREUNDEL

Mid-March was filled with a great deal of excitement and energy for Jewish day school educators, and I’m not simply talking about the festivities associated with Purim. Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools held its biannual conference in Atlanta, and I attended with my Jewish Education Innovation Challenge (JEIC) team and more than 1,000 other colleagues in the field.

The conference was heartening and inspiring for this diverse population of Jewish educators, funders, and influencers, evidenced by a wide range of blog articles written in the last few days and posts filling our social media feeds.

In the spirit of being a positive disruptor, JEIC conducted an audacious initiative at the conference. Taking the first page out of a design thinking playbook, we created a unique mechanism for connecting directly with Jewish educators and influencers to find out their hopes and needs.

How did we do it?

We invited conference attendees to

come in for a 20-minute confidential interview in which they could share their dreams, visions, aspirations and wishes for Jewish day schools in North America.

We set up “Listening Booths,” which were draped spaces featuring a comfortable, cozy setting for two people to engage — one to talk and one to listen.

We recorded the interviews and are collaborating with a professional evaluator to analyze the data in order to anticipate the trends for improving Jewish day school education with an eye toward catalyzing radical improvement, which is the core of JEIC’s mission.

And let me tell you … we heard an earful from the 51 participants representing a wide range of Jewish perspectives, practices and schools. They shared ideas ranging from how to make schools more student-centered, community-focused and inclusive — both academically and financially — to new ways for creating a consistent set of standards for Judaic studies.

The call was put out to address the stigma that Jewish day schools provide an inferior education to secular, independent private day schools and to elevate the profession of teaching so that the best and the brightest pursue this career path.

What struck home even more than the specific ideas were the reactions of the listening booth participants.

Most of them expressed both surprise and gratitude, saying that no one had ever actually asked for their ideas or hopes before. It begs the question about how well any of us do this in our own community’s day schools and yeshivot.

Do we ask parents or students about their hopes, dreams, and visions for their investment in Jewish education and the Jewish future? And even if we ask, are we truly listening with openness and curiosity or merely posing the question?

Most Jewish educators are familiar with good educational principles, such as empathetically surveying learners before beginning a project. And yet, all

too often, we do not model in our own disciplin e that which we preach and teach. It is time to match our actions and our processes to our espoused values.

I, for one, am eagerly awaiting the results of the listening booth initiative. And, in keeping with my sentiments above, I as k you to share your view of what might be the best and most productive ways to communicate those results with all Jewish day school stakeholders. (You can reach me at Sharon@JewishChallenge.org.)

Day schools are ecosystems, and in order to create great Jewish day schools, we need every perspective to shape the ways we can help schools achieve their mandate of optimizing student internalization of Jewish wisdom, identity and decision making, assuring a strong future for the Jewish people. JN

The 10 joys of learning a tractate of Talmud in life's in-between moments

JOEL HOFFMAN

Irecently completed learning a tractate of the Talmud and had a siyyum , a celebration of learning, which doubled as my 50th birthday party.

Twenty-plus years ago, I learned Jewish texts in a yeshiva in Jerusalem for a few years, and since then I have learned Jewish texts every day. But this is the first time I completed an entire tractate of the Talmud. (The Babylonian Talmud is divided into 37 tractates totaling 2,711 daf, or 5,422 pages.)

What made my learning of this tractate

different from my other learning of Jewish texts is that I only learned this tractate during downtime. This included, for example, the 30 minutes from the time my children had to arrive before their basketball or lacrosse games until the game began, as well as learning when my children were not on the field or the court.  The latter was not a way to make friends with other parents!

I also learned when my children were in their dentist, orthodontist and doctor appointments, during the commercials

and halftime of the NFL football games I watched on TV, while waiting to get a haircut, and dozens of other downtimes that added up to well over 100 hours per year.

In short, when most people check Facebook on their phone, I opened a Talmud, and in just under two years, I completed a tractate. Thus, theoretically, learning this tractate did not take up any of my time. It just required desire, effort and about $80 for the two Artscroll volumes.

When learning this tractate, I didn’t outline the back-and-forth of every discussion like I did when I studied Talmud in yeshiva; and if I didn’t understand why a response refuted a statement, nor understood the logic behind a proof, whereas in yeshiva I had to expend a lot of time and brainpower to figure it out, this time I utilized the Artscroll side of the page to spoon-feed me the explanation. This style of learning

Sharon Freundel is the managing director of the Jewish Education Innovation Challenge (JEIC), which catalyzes radical improvement in Jewish day schools across North America.

Rethinking menstruation

You may have encountered women and men who think that women can’t touch the Torah when they are menstruating. Those women and men are not aware that the torah is not m’kabel tum’ah, it is not susceptible to impurity. It makes sense, however, that this might be less well-known, because in times past, the word “menstruation” may have rarely been heard in synagogues.

The book of Vayikra and this parsha are notable for the straightforward, nonjudgmental approach, unlike other places in Tanach. The prophets critique the Jewish people, comparing them and their abominable sins to a menstruant woman. And this pejorative way of speaking about menstruation is not a thing of the past.

In my experience teaching high school, a way to be dismissive of a girl or a female teacher was to say, “She has PMS” or “it’s that time of the month.” Ambivalence about menstruation may be ancient, but it maintains a presence today.

notes an irony of our age that gets in the way of restoring menstruation to something neutral, let alone miraculous.

Tucker points out that compared to our ancestors’ world, menstruation is now more private that it has ever been. He writes: “Indoor plumbing and pharmacy shelves full of feminine hygiene products allow for unprecedented concealment of menstruation, such that it can be constructed as something entirely personal.”

As a result, in parts of the world where there is access to those products, the privatization of menstruation means out of sight, out of mind, out of conversation. Privacy, which is a good thing, contributes to silence around a normal human bodily process, and helps it to become something not discussed, or worse, something that can be leveraged for disparaging women and girls.

Elijah visited many of the rabbis.

Even more problematic, according to Jenna Weiss-Wolfe of New York University, one in 10 girls in Africa misses school for the duration of her period each month. The numbers are much lower in the United States, but it happens here as well. The unavailability or cost (including tax) of feminine hygiene products causes girls to miss school, when an education may be their only chance of escaping poverty or other kinds of deprivation.

There are efforts to collect these products and send them overseas, and there are organizations that help to provide them to public schools here. But there are also ways of rethinking and talking about menstruation from a Jewish perspective that can help move us forward.

Rabbi Tucker quotes one of the most surprising ideas by a medieval commentator, R. Yosef Bekhor Shor of Orléans. The Bekhor Shor was puzzled about women’s lack of circumcision. If women are also Jews, how can they not have a physical sign of the covenant on their bodies, just

as men do? Commenting on Bereishit 17:11, the Bekhor Shor writes: “The menstrual blood that women must monitor … functions for them as covenantal blood [that is parallel to the male mitzvah of circumcision]… ”

The idea of menstrual blood as covenantal blood is a shift in approach. In addition to mikvah, it is another way of thinking about this wondrous human process within the realm of the holy. It is the season of redemption, with the arrival of the month of Nissan. We often ask ourselves: What will a redeemed world look like? I think that one small step toward redemption will be when discussion of menstruation generates reverence and wonder and is never used for disparagement or shame. So may it be. JN

is called a be’kiut (“broad”) approach to learning rather than a be’iun (“in-depth”) approach.

The tractate I completed is entitled B’rachot and it focused on when and how to say the Shema and the Amidah, blessings before and after eating and drinking, Kiddush, Havdalah and special blessings.  However, what I mostly learned and enjoyed is the following:

1. Reading the original version of the story of numerous Jewish stories I’ve heard over the years and seeing that the original is sometimes a little different. Rabbi Akiva’s “This too is for the good!” is one such story (page 60b).

2. Learning about everyday life 1,500plus years ago in Babylonia. This was relayed through the rabbis’ discussions about latrines, snakes, bathhouses, ovens, lanterns, burial, rodents and stories of snakes in latrines.

3. Learning about the lives of the rabbis. I was not previously aware that

4. Seeing maps, diagrams and pictures of flora, fauna, coins and archaeological remains — all in the Steinsaltz edition of the Talmud — illuminated the content of the Talmudic text.

5. Understanding the discussion upon which a Jewish law rests. The first half of the tractate focused on determining the time frames for saying particular prayers, so now I know why most of the laws are what they are.

6. Exposure to ancient Jewish teachings about medicine, science, astronomy and demons. I know better than to make fun of the teachings that are not in congruence with modern science because there are numerous examples of how, over time, modern science keeps updating itself, getting closer and closer to ancient Jewish teachings. Two popular examples include how many stars are in the universe (B’rachot, 32b) and the length of a lunar month (Rosh Hashanah, 25a).

7. Being amazed when a rabbi had his argument turned against him and the only

option seemed to be concession, but then through “mental gymnastics,” he ends up proving his point.

8. Sensing the great respect the rabbis had for each other while arguing against them. This is diametrically opposed to today’s political climate. I’m sure there’s a lesson in here somewhere.

9. Exercising my mind trying to follow and understan d certain statements in a Talmudic discussion. One of my favorites, for example is, and those who have learned B’rachot may recall, the discussion where Rebbi Yishmael was lying down and Rebbi Elazar ben Azaryah was standing up, but then when it came time to say the Shema Rabbi Yishmael stood up and Rebbi Elazar ben Azaryah laid down. By moving the way they did, they demonstrated that they held by Hillel’s opinion. Just as importantly, no one could mistakenly think one of them held by Shammai’s opinion (page 11a).

10. It’s cool re ading text that was written over 1,500 years ago in not one,

but two ancient languages. Though I will not say how often I had to look on the Artscroll side of the page for the translation of an Aramaic or Hebrew word.

I wrote this article not to brag; after all, more than 100,000 Jews learn a daf of Talmud every day and complete the entire Talmud every 7.5 years, which is a much greater feat. Rather, I wrote this piece to share a little about the Talmud and to encourage others to add to their studying of Judaism. I learned this entire tractate in just my downtime — often in stanzas of two to five minutes — in just under two years. Therefore, not having time cannot be used as a valid excuse for one not to learn more about Judaism.

The next tractate I intend to learn is Bava Metzia, which focuses on property law, but this time I intend to learn it more be’iun (in depth). I can hardly wait for my son’s Sunday basketball game to begin. JN

Joel Hoffman is ordained as a rabbi but works as a math and science teacher at a special education high school.

Rabbi Ethan Tucker of Yeshivat Hadar

Rabbi Elana Kanter is co-rabbi of the New Shul in Scottsdale.

RABBI ELANA KANTER

Boppard and the Middle Rhine Valley

JEFFREY AND VIRGINIA ORENSTEIN

The 761 mile-long Rhine River has played a huge role in European history as it flows from the Swiss mountains to the North Sea. It is simultaneously a major water and rail corridor, tourist attraction and home to medieval castles, battlefields, vineyards and commerce.

The most charming part of the river, the Middle Rhine gorge between Bingen and Bonn, about 80 river miles, has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002 and often referred to as the “Romantic Rhine.” It is a wonderful place for a visit.

The delightful city of Boppard is situated in the heart of the region. Situated on a sweeping bend in the river, this charming city of about 15,000 people is filled with picturesque half-timbered buildings, enticing shops, mostly-riesling vineyards, taverns, restaurants and hotels.

One of the highlights of our trip was just relaxing on our hotel room’s balcony after a day of shopping and exploring. Our riverfront hotel room proved to be an ideal place to enjoy a nice glass of local wine while watching the steady parade of boats on the Rhine, the local ferry scurrying back and forth while it dodged river traffic and the pedestrians strolling along the river promenade.

This frequent stop for Rhine river cruises is an ideal place to base yourself for exploring the Middle Rhine Valley. Boppard is a good place to stay because of its scenic attractions and surroundings, many good hotels and restaurants, local hospitality and friendly people. Throw in its central location along this scenic stretch of the valley and its excellent transportation connections, and it becomes an ideal place to call home-away-from-home as you explore this endlessly fascinating region.

Among the nearby not-to-be-missed nearby attractions whether you travel by train, boat or car are the castles along the river (especially the Katz Castle at nearby St. Goarhausen), the storied Lorelie Rocks, great wine taverns and vineyards and excellent eating and shopping in nearby towns and cities.

Getting there and getting around:

• Boppard and the Rhine Valley can be reached by highway, air or train.

• Boppard has a busy main railway station, as well as five nearby stops. Railroad lines run on both sides of the river. There is intercity service to Frankfurt and very frequent DB Regio and other local service on the Koblenz-Bingen-Mainz-Frankfurt route. We used our Eurail pass for day trips up and down the valley and enjoyed the convenience and exquisite scenery along the way.

• By car, Boppard is on the Bundesstraße (federal highway) 9 which follows the left side of the Rhine. To the west is an interchange with Autobahn A61, and to the east is one with the A3.

• The nearest major airport is Frankfurt-Hahn Airport (HHN) in Kirchberg, Germany served by mostly budget airlines. It is about 25 miles from Boppard. International flights are found at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) about 45 miles away and Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) is about 49 miles away.

The Rhine is a major river cruise artery. In Boppard, ships dock on the river bank next to the old town within walking distance to hotels. KD Day Cruises between Rudesheim and Boppard and return are recommended for those who want a short but scenic all day river cruise experience.

Must-sees for a short trip: Among attractions that you should take in are:

• The Boppard Center and Market Square

• The Rhine Allee riverfront promenade

• The Electoral Castle

Above: Rudesheim is another beautiful destination in the Middle Rhine. It is a popular stop for Rhine river cruises.

Right: One of the many castles along the Rhine as viewed from the train station at Bingen.

ALL PHOTOS BY JEFFREY ORENSTEIN

The Rhine River makes a sweeping bend just downstream from Boppard. Here is a rare quiet moment on the river at Boppard.

LIFESTYLE & CULTURE

• The Boppard Museum

• The Roman Fort

• Dinner at the Römerburg Weinhaus and Restaurant and/or at a riverfront restaurant

If you have several days: A visit to St. Goar and its across-theriver neighbor St. Goarhausen, 10 miles by car, train or boat. Check out Katz Castle and enjoy the river traffic from an outdoor waterfront café.

• Visiting the pretty and historic city of Rudesheim m Rhein car or train) 30 miles away by train. Explore the impressive old town. Plan on a full day there.

• Taking a day trip to Koblenz, 14 miles away.

• Enjoying a day cruise along the river in either direction. Be sure to note the castles and at a boulder-strewn

bend in the river — “The Lorelei” — where legend has it that a nymph with an alluring voice lured boatmen to their doom.

Tips for dressing for the Rhine Valley: There are a lot of steps into buildings and

hills along the Rhine Valley. Comfortable shoes and clothes are a must. Neat casual will work well.

This destination at a glance: Over 50 advantage: Unhurried shopping, gorgeous scenery and excellent hospitality

Mobility level:

Moderate. Some hills and cobblestones streets will be encountered.

When to go: By the end of September, many inns and restaurants already start closing for the winter. The best time to go to Boppard from April through September. The temperatures are pleasant, and there is not much rain. Winters are cold, with some powder skiing in late February and early March.

Where to stay: We loved the riverfront Hotel Rheinlust with its spectacular views. The riverfront has many such hotels and many more are in the town We recommend staying along the river.

Special travel interests: German history, castles along the Rhine, Riesling wine. JN

Jeffrey and Virginia Orenstein are travel writers from Sarasota, Florida.

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Our organizational partners and event venues who worked collaboratively with us to provide the best possible programming and events to the community.

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Each one of you played an important role in making Violins of Hope a huge success and a truly memorable event.

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Boppard’s riverfront and adjacent streets are lined with enticing small hotels and restaurants. This family-owned restaurant is a great place to enjoy happy hour. St. Severus Church dominates the skyline around the attractive market square in Boppard.

Jewish Author Mixes Marx Brothers, Dalí

JESSE BERNSTEIN | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Josh Frank, author of the forthcoming graphic novel Giraffes on Horseback Salad — an adaptation of a lost collaboration between the Marx Brothers and Salvador Dalí — has spent his life preparing for such a project. This consisted of watching every Marx Brothers movie so that the nitty-gritty of the sensibility was seared into his brain. Now, Frank, who operates a one-of-a-kind urban drive-in movie theater in Austin, Texas, has completed the ultimate challenge: writing his own Marx Brothers movie.

He had a little help from artist Manuela Pertega and comedian Tim Heidecker, which is fitting given that the Marx Brothers themselves often got help with their scripts.

It all started a few years ago, when Frank learned there was a long-lost screenplay written by Dalí featuring the Marx brothers, who the Spanish artist called “the greatest surrealist comics that ever lived.” He found photos of a few sketches Dalí made in preparation for his pitch, but for Frank, a determined “pop-culture archaeologist,” that wasn’t enough. So he kept digging.

He wrote to the Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation in Spain and got Dalí’s Giraffes notes. Frank had them translated, and they were exactly what he’d been looking for: “amazing visual ideas, a clear story, specific characters,” Frank writes in his introduction.

He ultimately found Dalí’s notes on the screenplay, complete with doodles, jokes and more. With an assist from Black Francis of the Pixies, Frank was directed towards Heidecker of the comedy team of Tim & Eric. To Frank, Heidecker is “the present-day incarnation of surrealism.”

Frank worked with Heidecker and a few other comedians to nail the Marx brothers’ comedic tone, a daunting task. “I was really nervous about that,” Frank said. “Not so much for casual viewers. It was for the people that have been loving the Marx brothers since before I existed that I was nervous about.”

The end result is the story of a wealthy

industrialist named Jimmy who feels morally and intellectually stifled by the hangers-on who surround him. It’s only when he meets the Woman Surreal, a supernatural being who manifests her dreams, that Jimmy finds himself reinvigorated by life’s possibilities. Her loyal assistant is Harpo Marx.

It’s a story full of sight gags and Marx Brothers wit. “It’s this mix of tragedy and comedy, this mix of disturbing and beautiful, of hilarious and horrifying,” Frank said.

For Frank, Giraffes fits in with a career full of rescuing stories that might have been otherwise lost. He attributes this passion to his fascination with his grandfather and great-grandfather, the latter who fled the Cossacks at 18. Back in “the old country,” Frank said, he’d had a job roping crosses on top of churches in order to clean them. “Someone told him, ‘S—t, boy, you should be a cowboy.” He moved to the border of Texas and Mexico and opened a dried goods store.

As the years went on, his grandfather had a progressively fuzzier recollection of the stories that dazzled Frank when he was young.

“Think of all the other stories that might have not been as colorful, or might not have been as easy to remember, that eventually disappear,” he said. “That was sort of I think the beginning of my passion for what I do.”

He’s written a play about the Golem coming alive in Nazi Germany, and a book about an underground cult figure in L.A. named Peter Ivers. His book about the Pixies posits them as an unacknowledged influence on decades of rock music. Everywhere he looks, Frank sees people and stories whose weirdness ensured that they went unappreciated in their day, but whose influence is undeniable.

He hopes to see Giraffes on Horseback Salad made into a movie one day. Leonardo DiCaprio, he said, is known to be a fan of Dalí’s work.

“I’ll just be sitting by the phone,” he said. JN

Setting the seder table

KERI WHITE | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

As Passover approaches, hosts often have a laser focus on the menu. This is understandable and appropriate, given that the seder is, first and foremost, a ritual meal. But true balabustas also keep an eye on the table settings and seating arrangements.

I am not a great decorator. I am guilty of devoting all of my resources to the food and generally forgetting about the centerpiece until guests are on the verge of arriving. At that point, I let out a stream of obscenities and scramble to come up with something that doesn’t look like it was attacked by the cat and then placed on the table.

On occasion, I have had the forethought to outsource this task — truly a best-case scenario. It is a great job for someone who wants to “bring something” but can’t cook. Every host has one of those guests and lives in pre-holiday dread of what they might offer — this is a win/ win work around, and wise hostesses will assign the centerpiece to this guest, with clear parameters of height, dimension, color, etc.

But if you are inclined to handle your own centerpiece, and you consider it in advance of the first guest ringing the doorbell, you are in good shape. If you are aiming for a formal look and plan to pull out the best Passover china, silver, crystal and table linen, then a special centerpiece is a must.

Flowers are beautiful and traditional. Just be sure to order (or make) an arrangement that is low enough for guests’ eyes to meet across the table. You don’t want an arrangement so large and dramatic that it dwarfs the gathering. Seasonal spring flowers are traditional for Passover; these include lilies, violets, carnations, irises, cherry blossoms, hyacinths, tulips, daisies and daffodils.

In planning your tablescape, consider the number of dishes that will be on the table — the seder plate, matzos, soup, main dish and sides take up a lot of space, so make sure to use your real estate wisely. If you are super-squeezed for table space, consider having your candles do double duty; cluster a few elegant candlesticks

in the center of the table. This delivers a minimal, elegant look and is a nifty way to create an attractive focal point without adding apparent clutter.

I am a huge fan of the floating candle centerpiece. Fill a shallow, widetopped glass vase or bowl half way with something colorful and attractive — cut lemons or limes, cranberries, flower petals, leaves, even decorative beads. Then fill the vessel with water, and place tealight candles floating in the top. It’s beautiful, eye-catching and low cost.

Aiming for a less-formal table? Consider a basket or bowl of fruits and vegetables. Mix colors and textures for visual interest. Or strew some Mason jars or short candle holders filled with tealights (floating or not) along the length of the table.

Table aesthetics are, perhaps, the easier part of the non-food aspects of hosting. The other, creating a seating arrangement that prevents bloodshed, can be more of a challenge. Some hosts prefer to let guests sit where they wish. This might be fine. Spouses will likely sit with spouses, kids with kids, and hosts in their “regular seats,” or at the head of the table to preside.

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But if you have a large gathering, assigned seats with place cards are a great way to mix up the crowd and streamline the process of getting everyone seated. They can also add a decorative element, whether you buy pretty place cards, make something festive or recruit a creative relative to help.

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The cards provide a strategic way to manage, ahem, personalities. Take, for example, the youngster who plays his mom and grandma like fiddles, disrupting the seder and generally wreaking havoc on the evening. Sit him next to his strict schoolteacher aunt who will take no nonsense.

As for the political extremists? Opposite ends of the table, please, surrounded by people who will either distract them from their dogma, or are well able to quash the discussion. And it may not be a bad idea to declare the seder table a “politics free zone” for the duration of the holiday. This is well within a host’s right, and arguably his or her duty to ensure a peaceful seder for all gathered.

Regardless of what is on the table or who is seated around it, the most important thing is to focus on the joy of the celebration. Happy Passover to all! JN

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Best Wishes for a Sweet Passover

Congregation Kehillah

602-369-7667 • congregationkehillah.org

5858 E Dynamite Blvd, Cave Creek, AZ 85331

Consider getting guests to bring table elements, like a potluck, but for decorating. GETTY/JODIJACOBSON

Mediterranean-style Passover meat and potatoes

KERI WHITE | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

This menu borrows from flavors of the Mediterranean.

Garlic, lemons, olives and rosemary infuse the braised lamb shoulder with an interesting but not overly exotic taste. The potatoes, mashed with olive oil, chicken stock, salt and pepper, deliver a creamy comfort without any dairy.

MEDITERRANEAN BRAISED LAMB WITH GREEN OLIVES

Serves 6

Using a bone-in roast delivers additional flavor and depth to this dish. The braising liquid makes a wonderful sauce to ladle over mashed potatoes or to use as a dipping sauce for matzah.

4 pounds bone-in lamb shoulder

¼ cup olive oil

1 head garlic, cut in half

1 large onion, sliced

1 cup green olives, pitted, with liquid Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

4 sprigs fresh rosemary

2 cups dry white wine

3 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 cup water (or more if needed)

Rub the lamb all over with oil, salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, sear the lamb on all sides. Remove the dish from the heat, and add the remaining ingredients to the Dutch oven, pouring them evenly over the lamb. Heat your oven to 300 degrees.

Cover the lamb, and braise it in the oven for 4-5 hours, checking occasionally to baste and make sure there is sufficient liquid in pot — it should cover the lamb about halfway. If it’s too dry, add water.

When the lamb is done, it will be fork tender and falling off the bone. Remove it from the oven, and take the lamb out of the liquid. Set it aside and keep warm. Remove the garlic and bring the liquid to a boil. Cook uncovered until it is thickened and reduced by half; season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the braising liquid as sauce with the lamb, and to top potatoes.

MASHED POTATOES

Serves 4

While traditional mashed potatoes are laced with butter and milk, this version, which is plenty tasty, is OK to serve with meat.

If you have homemade stock, be sure to scoop the schmaltz and add it to the potatoes. Yukon Gold potatoes deliver a

creamy buttery flavor to this dish, but any potato will work just fine.

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut in quarters 3 cloves garlic, crushed ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

¾ -1 cup chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and crushed garlic, cover and simmer for about 25 minutes until the potatoes are soft and a fork can be easily inserted. Drain potatoes, and return them to the pot. Add the olive oil and half the stock. Mash the potatoes until smooth; add more stock if needed, then salt and pepper to taste. Serve piping hot. JN

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Passover isn’t Passover without food and (Israeli) wine pairings

BY ELIANA RUDEE | JNS.ORG

Nearly every Jewish holiday puts food and wine at the center of the celebration. There is a common phrase that describes Jewish holidays: “They tried to kill us, we survived, let’s eat.” A good meal, however, is certainly incomplete without a fine wine to go along with it.

According to winemakers Victor Shoenfeld with the Golan Heights Winery and Micha Vadia with the Galil Mountain Winery — a venture between Kibbutz Yiron in the Galilee and the Golan Heights Winery — wine is especially engrained in the weeklong holiday of Passover.

“At every Jewish celebration, wine gets its role,” Vadia said. “We use wine

to make blessings and when we want to have a big party, so it’s fitting that we have wine when we celebrate a big event like going out of Egypt,” he said. Similarly, Shoenfeld said, “Passover is definitely the most wine-centric holiday we have, and for the Israeli wine industry, it’s a huge sales peak.”

As the head winemaker at Golan Heights Winery, Shoenfeld was recruited from California and has worked at the winery for 27 years, since back when there were no Israeli winemakers with degrees.

He said it “makes sense” to think about wine pairings for Passover, including for the Seder. “At the Seder,” he explained, “we are taking this painful history of

slavery and suffering and looking at the flip side of redemption and freedom, and there’s a lot of symbolism in the foods we eat. But wine is also symbolic. Wine can help in magnifying and elevating that symbolism. It also makes it more fun.

“A lot of people think of wine as part of the Passover Seder and don’t think about the food and the pairing, but wine and food to me are kind of the same thing,” he continued. “I think of wine as another dish, eating it between other courses.”

Like the process of the Seder itself, Shoenfeld suggested drinking wine with attention in a specific order: “Drinking a sacramental wine at the beginning of the Seder is a tough way to start the evening.

Instead, we have an order in which we like to drink wine. We can best appreciate wine progressively from lighter and drier to heavier and sweeter. That order also makes sense during the Seder.”

Of course, at the Passover Seder, Jews are commanded to drink four glasses of wine symbolizing the four stages of redemption that the Israelites underwent during Exodus, but the holiday’s connection to wine goes even further. “Passover gives respect to where you come from, and wine gives respect to the land that it comes from. Both give respect to the past and ties to the roots

9

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of tradition or soil,” Vadia said.

“In Judaism, one of the things you’re required to do is ask for forgiveness from ha-makom — ‘the place,’ meaning God — and that’s the destiny,” he explained. “We are also talking about that emphasis on locality with our wines; it’s all about the place.”

‘Oldest wine-making traditions on the planet’

Vadia grew up in a secular, partlyAshkenazi and partly-Mizrachi family in the center of Israel. He has been in the wine industry for almost 12 years, working in the United States, Argentina and New Zealand after studying horticulture and winemaking in California. For him and his family, Passover always entails participating in a Seder, reading parts of the Haggadah, speaking about what freedom means and contemplating their personal journey to freedom.

And, of course, it incorporates wine carefully paired with each Passover food. With matzah ball soup or chicken

broth with kneidelach, Vadia suggests a light wine, such as a Viognier. Shoenfeld suggests a dry white wine, such as the Yarden Sauvignon Blanc, or one with a bit of sweetness, like the Yarden Gewurztraminer.

With chicken, Vadia suggests a Grenache or a floral white wine suited to spring, such as Avivim, which is made from Chardonnay grapes and aged in oak for five months.

With lamb, Vadia suggests Galil’s Yaron or Ela from 2014, both winning wines in the Mundus Vini 2018 competition. Shoenfeld suggests a full-bodied red. Gefilte fish can pair well with their 2017 Sauvignon Blanc, which, due to its refreshing acidity, would complement the texture of the dish. Shoenfeld also suggests a sparkling wine,

especially to offset the bitter heat of the horseradish.

With beef brisket, Vadia suggests their 2014 Meron, another award-winning wine in 2018. Shoenfeld suggests a wine like the Yarden Syrah, which has “earthy, smoky and even gamy notes.”

Coconut macaroons, a Passover dessert favorite, can be paired with sweet wines such as the Golan Height Winery’s “Yarden Heights” Gewurztraminer or their Muscat Canelli Moscato. Shoenfeld also suggests Moscato, or if you are feeling a little more adventurous, go with the sweet Yarden Port, which also pairs well with a flourless chocolate cake. No matter what type of wine is paired with Passover cuisine, Shoenfeld had one principal request: “Israel is one of the areas that has the oldest winemaking traditions on the planet, so it’s appropriate to celebrate historic events with Israeli wines, no matter where you are in the world.”

As he concluded: “With the historic event of leaving Egypt for Israel, it doesn’t make sense to drink wine from anywhere else. Only Israeli wines.”

Any passover food can be carefully

Lighten Up Heavy Passover Meals With Salad

One of the biggest problems with the week of Pesach is that so much of the food is so heavy. Eggs, oil, matzah meal and meat — lots and lots of meat and chicken and then maybe some more meat.

Sometimes all you want is a little bit of nothing to fill in the times between the gigantor meals or to serve with the gigantor meals.

Enter the salad.

I’m not talking about opening a bag of prepacked greens and drizzling on some prepackaged dressing here. I’m saying I have some knockout fabulous recipes for you to whip up. They are terrific, and it’s not an accident that they just happen to be kosher for Pesach. They stand on their own as a quick snack, can be served at a meat or dairy meal and are so good that you can serve them year around.

Oh, and there’s no matzah in any of the recipes. Nada, zero, zip, none and I do mean less than none so that anyone, like me, who thinks that eating matzah is akin to munching on cardboard can rejoice.

Just in case you want to serve a dairy meal during the week, the addition of cheese to some of these salads adds protein and a nice smooth taste. I have added a dairy suggestion at the end of each recipe if applicable.

Note that there should be extra care taken with examining vegetables, salad greens and spinach for bugs at all times.

SPINACH AND MANGO PEPPER SALAD | PAREVE

Serves 8

2 ripe avocados, cubed

3 tablespoons lime juice, divided

2 ripe mangoes, cubed

1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon grated lime zest

¼ teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons chopped parsley, plus more for garnish

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 red bell peppers cut into slivers

3 cups fresh spinach leaves

In a bowl, combine the avocado cubes with 1 tablespoon of the lime juice. Add the mango, jalapeño and salt and mix to combine. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of lime juice, the zest, sugar and parsley in a large bowl. Whisk in the oil until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Add bell peppers and spinach and toss to combine.

SEE SALAD, PAGE 18

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Serve in a large bowl or on individual plates. Note: You can add shredded Monterey Jack or mozzarella.

AVOCADO, ONION AND HEARTS OF PALM SALAD | PAREVE

Serves 8

1 (14-ounce) can hearts of palm, drained, sliced into rounds

4 ripe avocadoes, diced

1 small red onion, sliced thin

½ to 1 cup pine nuts, toasted

Bibb or red leaf lettuce leaves, shredded

Dressing

1 teaspoon minced garlic

¼ cup chopped parsley

3 tablespoons lemon juice

½ teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons dried dill

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup oil

Place all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk them together. You can also put the

ingredients in a container with a tight lid and shake it to combine. Set the dressing aside.

In a large salad bowl, combine the hearts of palm, avocado and red onions. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Divide the lettuce between eight plates, and mound the hearts of palm mixture on top. Sprinkle the pine nuts on top and serve

Note: You can add shredded or grated Parmesan or mozzarella.

APPLE AND ASPARAGUS SALAD | PAREVE

Serves 8

40 asparagus stalks, ends trimmed cut in half

2 tablespoon plus ⅓ cup olive oil

Kosher salt

Ground pepper

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons honey

1 to 2 tablespoon chopped parsley

2 teaspoons minced garlic

Mixed salad greens

2 Granny Smith or Golden Delicious apples, peeled and diced

½ cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Place the asparagus pieces on a cookie sheet with sides and drizzle the 2 tablespoons of oil over the top. Sprinkle the kosher salt and pepper over the top. Roast the asparagus just until it’s starting to wilt, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool.

In a bowl, combine the vinegar, honey, oil and garlic. Whisk to combine, and then add the chopped parsley. Whisk to combine again and taste, adjusting the sweetness and salt levels to your preference. Add the apple pieces and mix to coat.

Divide the salad greens between 8 plates. Divide the asparagus pieces between the plates and mound them on top of the greens. Spoon the apple dressing over the top of the asparagus and on the greens. Top with the toasted walnuts and serve.

OLIVE SALAD | PAREVE Serves 8

You don’t need to add salt as the olives are salty enough without adding more.

1 cup sliced black olives

1 cup sliced pimiento stuffed green olives, sliced

½ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons minced red onions

½ tablespoon sugar

3 to 4 stalks chopped celery

2 tablespoons minced parsley

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1½ teaspoons black pepper

4 to 5 cups spinach leaves

1 cup chopped tomato, garnish

Place the black and green olives and olive oil, sugar, red onion, celery, parsley and pepper in a bowl. Mix to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. (The olive mixture can be covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days.)

Divide the spinach between eight plates. Top with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the olive mixture and top with chopped tomatoes. There will be more than enough olive mixture for this salad. It’s also great on Pesach rolls and matzah. JN

the only

BY BOB ROTH | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Iwish I could freeze time right now. Just hold on to this sacred space a bit longer.

My kids are almost all out on their own. I am the only “official man” in their lives right now. In the next five to 10 years (G-d willing), my nuclear family will change. With that change comes a ripple effect of friendships, emotions, community, etc., and the realization that the methods we employ to navigate change in our lives are important.

How have you done with change in your life? Do you enthusiastically embrace it, try to deny it or stubbornly resist it?

We are most often directed to think about the next phase as the mile marker. Many we can anticipate, and some are unimaginable.

With the knowledge that change is the only constant in life, have you ever considered redirecting your focus to that profound transition between the stepping stones, the liminal space? A liminal space is the time between the “what was” and the “next.” It is the place of waiting, and not knowing.

It is the threshold of a new chapter with varying degrees of disruption to the status quo. Think: new diagnosis, relocation, birth of a grandchild.

The great unknown can be downright terrifying. But what if you took the time to prepare mentally now for these transitions?

Here are a few helpful tips:

Focus on today and now. If life changes and it’s imperative to regroup, resist dwelling on the past, which is counterproductive. There is no point in seeking a responsible party for what you may be facing now. No one is really interested in hearing about how it was done in the old days if it means you are complaining while resisting change.

Calculate risk: Examine the tradeoff between risk and reward. If this is a decision made by more than one person, it may be best to err on the side of the most conservative, least risky option.

Don’t give away your power : It is inevitable that as we become more dependent on care from adult children

that a role reversal may develop. Stand your ground with demands on your time, unexpected requests for financial assistance, etc. It is not selfish if you think, “I already raised my children. I did not sign up for this.”

Life lessons: Reflecting on mistakes of the past are helpful if you regard them as life lessons. If you reflect back and make that same mistake again, look into patterns that fall into self-sabotage and uncover your motive.

Don’t give up: Persistence is key in all phases of life. Growth is impossible without a few small setbacks. Whether it’s a new position you are seeking or romance round 2, remember don’t give up and sometimes you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find your Prince Charming.

Don’t keep score: The world owes us nothing. Life is not fair and don’t try

to figure out how to balance the scales. Sports provide a great analogy for adapting to change. Focus on the strength of your transition game. What keeps you mentally strong? What takes you from the back court to the net? From defense to offense? It is life-changing to recognize the potential of “in-between places.” Don’t flee from the cloud of the unknown or stand paralyzed.

Embrace the change: And for all you baby boomers and fans of British r ock, in the very wise words of the late, great David Bowie:

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

Turn and face the strange Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes JN

Bob Roth is managing partner of Cypress HomeCare Solutions.

6 low-cost aging-in-place ideas

R.C. ROMERO | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

If you’re planning to do remodeling for an aging relative or friend, their budget for changes may be too limited to take on huge projects. But there are important changes you can add to your home or theirs to improve safety and make life easier.

2

doorways

4 | Better lighting

1

Slip-proof flooring and other surfaces

Redoing an entire floor may be costly and difficult, but falls on slippery flooring are one of the biggest worries for older Americans. Quick changes can be made in the bathroom or kitchen with non-slip rugs that cost only $10 to $15. You can also install bath mats with rubber suction cups or try cans of non-slip spray in bath and shower that cost around $12-$15. You can also mop on one of the Slip Doctors products that will provide extra traction to any surface.

Even taking a very small step up to enter the doorway of a home can be an obstacle for someone with a wheelchair or a walker. Building a permanent ramp could cost a lot, but a portable ramp for one or two steps on the threshold can be purchased for about $100-$300 online. You want a ramp with a high traction surface and one that can handle hundreds of pounds. Some can be purchased with handrails.

3 | Colored tape on steps

If there are stairs in the house, put colored tape at the edge of each step, so that residents going up or down will know exactly where they are and where to put their feet. Smaller rolls of non-slip grip tape will cost about $10-$20 per roll, whereas larger rolls (20 yards) can be bought for about $50 online and in hardware stores.

Switch incandescent can lights to LEDs to provide more light throughout the house. You can also replace the old can light housing with an all in one LED fixture from a hardware store that has a cleaner look for $20-$30 (uninstalled) per LED can. You can also install LED lights with motion sensors at very low cost to light up the room when someone walks in. You can easily install LED lighting under cabinets to make it easier to view countertops, too. Side lighting is better than overhead lights that can cause shadows. Rocker-style light switches are also easier to use.

5 | Widening doors

In many homes, some doorways can be 28, 30 or 32 inches wide, not enough clearance for someone with a wheelchair or walker. It can be pricey to

have someone take off the old frame and rebuild it, but if you install offset hinges or remove part of the molding from the frame, you might be able to get the 34-inch clearance that’s needed without major reconstruction. Offset hinges cost about $20-$30 per hinge, online and in hardware stores. If you were to widen and replace a door it could easily be $2,500 per door with a new door, framing, new trim, hardware, drywall repair, and painting.

6 | Time to declutter

Decluttering is a great way to make cleaning of your home an easier job. Go through old clothing, toys, games, and knickknacks to see what you can give away to charity and also get a tax deduction. JN

R.C. 'Romey' Romero is co-owner of Arizona's home improvement radio program 'Rosie on the

|

| Ramps for

CALENDAR Events

SUNDAY, APRIL 7

Spring Concert: 3 p.m., Beth Ami Temple, 3535 E. Lincoln Drive, Paradise Valley. The Rice Brothers, an internationally acclaimed musical duo who have performed extensively across Europe and the United States, will headline the annual Sounds of Spring concert. More information is available at bethamitemple.org. Tickets may be purchased at the door or by emailing Donna Horwitz at azhorwitzs@cox.net or calling her at 602-997-5623.

TUESDAY, APRIL 9

Hebrew High Open House: 7-9 p.m., Ina Levine Jewish Community Center, 12701 N Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. Come try out a class, and see what a Jewish teen learning community is all about. RSVP to myras@ bjephoenix.org

BEFORE APRIL 10

Passover Food Drive: Ina Levine Jewish Community Center, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. The Bureau of Jewish Education in conjunction with Jewish Family and Children’s Service and the Ezras Cholim Kosher Food Bank is coordinating the project, with support from Pardes Jewish Day School, preschools, religious schools, Hebrew High and synagogues. Products must be in sealed Kosher LePesach Packages. Cash donations are very much needed as well. All food donations need to be made by Wednesday, April 10 by 6 p.m.

Meetings, Lectures & Classes

MONDAYS

Mahjong Mondays: 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Every Monday except on Jewish or legal holidays. You are invited to come and play, no RSVP is necessary, just come. This free program is intended for players with prior experience.

APRIL 8, 15

Caring for Our Loved Ones: A Jewish Support and Resource Group for Families and Caregivers: 7 p.m., Temple Chai, 4645

Seniors

APRIL 9, 16 & 30

GETTY/KARIMPARD

Knitting Circle at The J: 1:30 p.m., Valley of the Sun JCC, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. Share the pleasure of knitting and crocheting. Help others with projects and patterns. Can’t knit? We’ll teach you. No reservations required. For more information, contact Harriet at 480.481.7033 or harrietc@vosjcc.org

E. Marilyn Road, Phoenix. No charge, but donations welcome.

MONDAY, APRIL 8

Parenting class: 4:30-5:30 p.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Led by Dr. Michael Cohen. Topic: Teen Years: How to set the stage now for a successful journey, highlights of ADHD and the effect of music on child development. Free, but reservations required by March 29: pam@evjcc.org.

APRIL 9, 16, 23, AND 30

Hope for Today: 3:30–4:30 p.m., Temple Chai, 4645 E Marilyn Road, Phoenix. Spiritual program of recovery for those who suffer from the debilitating effects of chronic pain and chronic illness, based on the Twelve Steps of AA. Contact: cpa-az@cox.net. No charge.

TUESDAY, APRIL 9

Terrific Tuesdays: 10-11:30 a.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Speaker: Doreen Weiser, Phoenix Art Museum docent. Topic: The Monuments Men.

MARILYN KOSS

Realtor*

marilynjoe@cox.net

480.999.4244 x438 O ce

480.332.2151 Mobile

480.362.1080 Fax

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Move Time Realty 1860 S. Alma School Road, Suite 1 Chandler, AZ 85286 www.MoveTimeRealty.com

Ages 55-plus. Suggested donation: $4. 480-897-0588 or adrian@evjcc.org

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10

Film screening: 3 p.m., Center for Holocaust Education and Human Dignity of the East Valley JCC at Scottsdale Community College, 9000 E. Chaparral Road, Scottsdale. “Filming the Camps: John Ford, Samuel Fuller, George Stevens, From Hollywood to Nuremberg,” a documentary about the liberation of Nazi concentration camps. Free. scottsdalecc.edu/ genocide

NowGen Single’s Event: 7-9 p.m., LavatoryPHX, 4700 N. 12th St., Phoenix. Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix NowGen hosts its single’s event for individuals ages 21-35. The evening features beer, wine and light bites at Phoenix’s new art installation, LAVATORY, six unique art experiences. Dietary laws observed. $18 per person. Register at jewishphoenix.org/ ngsingles.

‘Interrupting the Bible: Five Tools to Reinvent the Jewish Story’: 7-8:30 p.m., Temple Chai,4645 E Marilyn Road, Phoenix. Join master teacher and performer Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie, founder and spiritual leader of Lab/Shul NYC, as he presents a story of self-discovery and a manifesto for reclaiming tradition and claiming pluralistic approaches that promote a wiser Judaism for today. For more information, visit valleybeitmidrash. org/event/interrupting-the-bible-five-toolsto-reinvent-the-jewish-story/

THURSDAY, APRIL 11

Blood drive: 1-7 p.m., American Red Cross at East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Schedule appointment: redcrossblood.org or 800-733-2767. Sponsor code: chandlercommunity

Class on the Book of Samuel: 9 a.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road,

Chandler. Led by Rabbi Michael Beyo. Free. 480-897-0588 or webbc@evjcc.org

Talmud class: 10 a.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Led by Rabbi Michael Beyo. Cost: $14. Reservations: 480897-0588 or webbc@evjcc.org

Speaker series: 11 a.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Speaker: Rabbi Laibel Blotner of Chabad of Mesa. Topic: Reincarnation in Judaism. Cost: $14, includes kosher lunch. Reservations required: 480-897-0588 or webbc@ evjcc.org.

Children & Family

SUNDAY, APRIL 7

Playdate in the Park: 10-11:30 a.m., East Valley JCC at Desert Breeze Park, 660 N. Desert Breeze Blvd. E, Chandler. pam @evjcc.org.

Shabbat

FRIDAY, APRIL 12

Yam Hashoah Shabbat: 7 p.m., Desert Foothills Jewish Community Asociation’s Yom Hashoah Program presents Jeri Benoit talking about the Val d’ Hiv Roundup, the mass arrest of Jews in Paris by the French police. Dues $60 per year. For information, contact Andrea: 480-664-8847.

SATURDAY, APRIL 13

Ru’ah Tefilah: 9:35 a.m., Congregation Or Tzion, 16415 N. 90th St., Scottsdale. Join Cantor Rubinstein for a 30-minute learning minyan, during which we will review the structure and choreography of our Shabbat morning worship.

Seniors

TUESDAY, APRIL 9

Discussion with the Rabbi: 11 a.m.-noon, Valley of the Sun JCC, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. Gather with Rabbi Levi Levertov for a stimulating discussion. Bring your questions; he has answers! In partnership with Smile on Seniors. Free. For information, contact Chani at 602.492.7670 or chani@sosaz.org.

Arts

APRIL 11, 13 & 14

J Youth Theater presents “Willy Wonka, Jr.:” 7:30 p.m. Desert Shadows Middle School 5858 E. Sweetwater Ave., Scottsdale 85254 Follow the sweet adventures of Charlie Bucket as he tours the factory of the enigmatic chocolatier and learns some valuable lessons along the way. Online ticket sales end Thursday, April 11 at noon. Tickets may be purchased at the door for an additional $5, pending availability. Get your tickets now at vosjcc.org/wonkatix. JN

Specializing in Active Adult Communities in the Southeast Valley

Thoughtful discussion

Inaugural invocation

The art of giving

Really

Rabbi Dr. David Kasher of the Los Angeles-based Jewish organization IKAR teaches about Jewish ethics at the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus, hosted by Valley Beit Midrash.

Rabbi John Linder of Temple Solel of Paradise Valley offers a prayer of invocation in the House of Representatives just before the inauguration of Mayor Kate Gallego on March 20.

PHOTO BY JOEL ZOLONDEK

From left: Rabbi Jeremy Schneider, Randi Jablin, Rich Kasper and Evan Wolfson presented their views of community enrichment through philanthropy at Valley Beit Midrash’s March panel titled “The Art of Charity: What Does it Mean to

Give?” at Temple Kol Ami. PHOTO COURTESY OF VALLEY BEIT MIDRASH

Faye Miriam Sandys, two weeks shy of her 82nd birthday, passed away at her home in Scottsdale on March 16, 2019. Faye was born in Montreal, Quebec, to Herschel and Lilly Herlich on April 1, 1937. Faye was a bookkeeper, clothing store owner, cookbook author, and she sold jewelry for charity. Judaism was a major tenet of her life. She dedicated years of service to both Jewish Federation and JFCS. She was a lifelong learner who was always taking classes, an avid bridge player, an incredible cook and baker, and she loved opera and traveling. Her greatest gift was making anyone she met feel like they had a special relationship with her, and they did. Her ability to cultivate lifelong relationships was second to none. She was intelligent, determined, warm and beautiful inside and out.

Faye is survived by her husband of 62 years, Sydney; children Cliff (Susan), Risa (Jonathon), Marla (Mark) and David (Amy); grandchildren Jamie, Micah, Danielle, Justin, Noah and Gabriel; sisters Cookie and Esther; sisters-in-law Sharon and Molly; and 18 nieces and nephews with whom she somehow managed to maintain an individual, special relationship. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Ruth and brothers Tully and Sam. She will always be loved, never forgotten and dearly missed. Donations, in lieu of flowers can be made to JFCS tribute cards or Hospice of the Valley.

Mt. Sinai Cemetery

Selling Below current market value !!! 2 Single plots in the highly desired Temple Chai Section. May be upgraded to a companion (burial for 2) space through the cemetery.

Judi Glass 602-448-4099 judi@mccabeworld.com

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Educators, parents, grapple with talking to children about trauma

JANET PEREZ MANAGING EDITOR

It’s become a depressingly familiar rite that parents must go through with their children every time there is a mass shooting. But for Jewish parents, the massacre at a synagogue in Pittsburgh has burned with the anguish of thousands of years. Children have heard and talked about shootings in schools and malls, but talking about a shooting

problem is not as big, but still has an impact on prisoners and visitors. But that has not stopped the Aleph Institute from providing its services.

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