Issuu

The Jewish outreach and education network of Southern Arizona

The Power of Enthusiasm

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Rabbi Yossie Shemtov REBBETZIN

A message from the Rebbe

Chanie Shemtov OUTREACH DIRECTOR

Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Feigie Ceitlin Affiliates:

Congregation Young Israel Chabad at the University of Arizona, Chabad on River, Chabad of Oro Valley, Chabad of Sierra Vista, and Lamplighter Chabad Day School of Tucson

The whole of Mount Sinai was in smoke because G-d had descended upon it in fire. --Exodus 19:18 The fact that the mountain was in

smoke indicated that the Giving of the Torah enabled the physical world to be aﬀected by spirituality. This teaches us that the key to transforming all aspects of life -- space, time and consciousness -- is making sure that all aspects of our

religious life are imbued with “fire,” i.e., warmth and enthusiasm for G-d and His Torah. --Excerpted from Daily Wisdom (Kehot Publication Society)

While driving on the Belt Parkway... By Rabbi Yossie Shemtov

EDITOR

Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin COPY EDITORS

Suzanne Cummins Tzirel Lite CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Jessica Klein Levenbrown, Rabbi Jonathan Perry, Menachem Posner, Thomas Price, Miriam Szokovski PHOTOS

Yossi Percia, Tsur Shezaf, Getty Images, Zeev Barkan, Gmdoujingyi EDITORIAL INQUIRIES OR ADVERTISING

Phone: 520-955-9680 Email: info@ChabadTucson Keeping Jewish is published in print periodically by Chabad Tucson and is distributed free in Tucson and around Southern Arizona. Chabad Tucson does not endorse any products or services reported about or advertised in Keeping Jewish unless specifically noted. The acceptance of advertising in Keeping Jewish does not constitute a recommendation, approval or other representation of quality of products or services, or the credibility of any claims made by advertisers including, but not limited to, the kashrus of advertised food products. The use of any products or services advertised in Keeping Jewish is solely at the user’s risk and Chabad Tucson accepts no responsibility or liability in connection therewith.

Note: “G-d” and “L-rd” are written with a hyphen instead of an “o”. This is one way we accord reverence to the sacred divine name. This also reminds us that, even as we seek G-d, He transcends any human effort to describe His reality.

Have you ever driven in New York City? Navigating a vehicle in Brooklyn can be a nerve-racking experience, especially while workers are in the middle of resurfacing the highway. It was during a visit to my hometown that I came to fully appreciate the assistance of the yellow and white road surface markings, and what happens in New York when they are not there... Whether or not there is traﬃc on those wide roads, where many large and small vehicles travel, the lane markings are

there to set us straight and keep us undeviated and safe. It’s a wide world out there. The Jewish community itself is broad and diversified. We come from diﬀerent backgrounds, have distinctive customs and contrasting tastes. Yet there is one thing that unites us all on the road that we call life: The holy Torah that was given to us by G-d on Mount Sinai some 3300 years ago. In addition to being our roadmap to li-

ving ral,

a moh o nest a n d com-

passionate life according to G-d’s will, the Torah also has lines so we don’t go astray. Otherwise, imagine every driver outlining the lanes on the road for himself. On this Shavuot, let us unite and renew our unwavering commitment to the Torah and its Mitzvot.

NEWS

Chabad sets up in Downtown Phoenix Are you going to a Diamondbacks game or do you have a business meeting in Downtown Phoenix? There’s now a Chabad there for you. Rabbi Dovber and Chana’le Dechter recently moved to Arizona to serve the growing population of residents and visitors to the downtown business and entertainment district. They were already hard at work this past month as they hand-delivered Shmura Matzah and other Passover items. In April, they presented a five-session Hebrew reading crash course designed to appeal to people at all levels of Jewish knowledge.

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Rabbi Richard Safran, a retired chaplain, prepares to celebrate Shabbos with residents in the Assisted Living Rubin Neighborhood at Handmaker.

Mazel Tov Ari Sacher, an American rocket scientist who was one of the developers of the Iron Dome air defense system, recently spoke about Israel’s security at an outdoor lecture at Chabad of Oro Valley.

Dr. Ami & rina Dahukey On the sale of your home. May you share many Simchas in your new home.

Madeline Friedman Vice President, ABR, CRS, GRI

520.907.4141 TucsonHomeFinder@aol.com www.TucsonAZHomes.com

MOTHER’S DAY

Dear Mom... By Jessica Klein Levenbrown For the first time in many years, I won’t be seeing my mother this Mother’s Day. She’s flying to London to join other collectors of antique spectacles who share her intense interest in this unusual (okay, weird) subject. My mother is the smartest and hardest working woman I know. When she was in her teens she looked like Olivia DeHavilland. When she was in her twenties and thirties she looked like Audrey Hepburn. Now in her seventies, she is still remarkably striking, with huge eyes, eternal elegance and great clothes. She wears L’Air du Temps cologne and prefers tulips to roses. Normally, I’d send her flowers for Mother’s Day, but this year I’m taking the opportunity to write her a letter. I hope she reads it and understands how much I truly value her. Dear Mom, There is a lot I am thankful for on this Mother’s Day as I celebrate my relationship with my own children. But most of all I am thankful for you. In case you don’t know it, here are a few things I most appreciate: 1) Rubbing alcohol on me every time I had a fever. 2) Making me cinnamon toast on cold winter mornings. 3) Hemming my skirts. 4) Knitting me cable-knit sweaters. 5) Constructing a Tin Woodsman costume out of aluminum foil when I didn’t get the part of Dorothy in the second-grade production, and then doing an on-the-spot repair when it tore in front of the whole audience.

6) Reading the first three Mary Poppins books to me, until I could read the fourth one by myself. 7) Teaching me how to make the best

25) Standing up for me when I was right. 26) Punishing me when I was wrong. 27) Paying for college. 28) Teaching me that kindness is the best manner of all. 29) Raising me in Manhattan. 30) Visiting me when I moved to California. 31) Not saying “I told you so” when I complained about missing New York. 32) Saving the ceramic vase I made you in fifth grade and displaying it with all your fine china.

Gmdoujingyi / Pixabay

noodle kugel in the world.

16) Making me go to Hebrew School.

33) Reading everything I ever wrote.

17) Making me wear deodorant.

34) Watching all my television shows.

9) Teaching me how to eat an artichoke.

18) Making me wipe that makeup oﬀ my face when I was too young to wear it.

35) Making me truly believe I could be anything I ever wanted to be.

10) Showing me by your example that it was possible to work full time and be a good mother.

19) Making me wipe that makeup oﬀ my face when I was old enough to wear it.

11) Showing me by your example how to love and raise children who are not your own.

20) Making gefilte fish from scratch for the Passover seder and sticking toothpicks in every piece with printed labels that said “Handmade by Ruth.”

8) Teaching me how to cook an artichoke.

12) Showing me by your example that even after divorce I could rebuild my life.

21) Taking me out to a coﬀee shop for breakfast and making it feel like the most special date in the world.

13) Trying to teach me how to speak French and play tennis, even though I never could do either.

22) Telling me stories about your life.

14) Teaching me how to pretend I could speak French anyway. Too bad it didn’t work for tennis.

23) Showing me how to make a bed, set a proper table, and which fork to use.

15) Making me take piano lessons.

24) Teaching me good manners.

36) Being as good to my own daughter as you were to me. 37) Giving me your silver. 38) Giving me your blessings. 39) Giving me your love and support. 40) Giving me life.

I’m sure there are many other gifts I’ve forgotten, and my promise to you on this Mother’s Day is to try to remember to thank you more often. You were and continue to be a wonderful mother, and I will forever be grateful for everything you’ve done for me. I love you. --Jessica Klein Levenbrown is an award-winning television writer and producer.

ESSAY

7 Lessons From Ruth on Living With Purpose By Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin Jewish communities have a custom of reading the Book of Ruth on the holiday of Shavuot, which commemorates the receiving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. It is not an obvious selection. In fact, it’s not initially obvious why it was canonized in the Bible in the first place. The Talmudist Rabbi Zeira asked, “This scroll does not contain the laws of impurity or purity, prohibitions or permissions. So why was it written?”

3. You are not defined by how you are perceived.

The book tells the story of Ruth, a Moabite princess, and her diﬃcult journey to conversion to Judaism. The 11thcentury biblical commentator Rabbi Tobiah ben Eliezer compiled a commentary, Midrash Lekach Tov (also known as Pesikta Zutarta), about this story. The following are the inferences I have drawn from that work, with valuable lessons that the Book of Ruth can teach us.

4. Accomplish the most you can, while you can.

1. Before a new undertaking, let go of the old one. “She left the place where she had been living … to the land of Judah” (Ruth 1:7). It wasn’t just the land of the Jews that she was advancing to, but to the traditions of Judaism. In order to do that, she first needed to cast aside the beliefs that she had before, leaving “the place where she had been living.”

2. Sacrifices need to be made. “And they set out on the road” (Ruth 1:7). Taking this verse literally (“on the road”), the sages understand that after losing their husbands (and their source of livelihood) Ruth and her mother-inlaw, Naomi, walked barefoot. Following the right path does not always come easily. Ruth was willing to make sacrifices and endure inconveniences for what she believed in.

At first, Ruth was undoubtedly an outsider — but she did not let that define her and carried on with her plan to join the Jewish nation. With Naomi at her side, it is said “… the two went on until they reached Bethlehem” (Ruth 1:19), implying that Naomi and Ruth eventually were seen as equals in their faith.

“So may the Lord do to me and so may He continue” (Ruth 1:17). Ruth committed to doing what mitzvot she could during her life, stating that “whenever I can adapt from the mitzvot in this world, I will adapt.” In eternity we reap the rewards for the mitzvot we observe in our lives — but only in our lifetime can we perform them.

Ruth in Boaz by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld (1794–1872)

our actions and what we do will shape

5. Seek and heed the advice our future. of the righteous. 7. Let kindness lead the way.

“I would like to go to the fields …” (Ruth 2:2). The Midrash points out that Ruth would only go to the fields with the permission of her mother-in-law. Naomi was a pious and charitable woman “whose ways were nice and pleasant.” Ruth saw in her a spiritual guide whose advice should not only be heard but also followed.

6. Taking action is paramount. “She got up again to glean” (Ruth 2:15). Ruth wasn’t idle and she worked hard to survive and also prosper. As important as knowledge and understanding may be, our fates are influenced by

In answer to his question of why Ruth was written, Rav Zeira tells us that the entire book is a lesson in kindness and its long-lasting eﬀects. Ruth bestowed boundless kindness on Naomi and others and she was rewarded for this. Ruth becomes the great-grandmother of King David and the ancestress of the Kingdom of Judah. The Torah is a gift that must be cultivated to be of value. The story of Ruth is the story of a woman who gathers the grains of her faith with devotion and kindness. In the words of Ruth’s descendant, King Solomon (Proverbs 3:17), the Torah’s ways “are ways of pleasantness,

and all her paths are peace.” --Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin is the outreach director at Chabad Tucson. He was born in Canada, educated in Israel, ordained in Brooklyn, New York, and has guided Jewish communities in Europe, the former Soviet Union, Namibia and Nepal. He has been living and teaching in Tucson with his wife and four children since 2010. 1 Ruth Rabbah 2:15 2 As Lekach Tov 1:7 teaches, traveling “to the land of Judah - the religion of the Jews.” 3 Lekach Tov 1:7 4 Lekach Tov 1:19 5 Lekach Tov 1:17 6 Lekach Tov 2:2 7 Ruth Rabbah 2:5. 8 Lekach Tov 2:15

SHAVUOT 101 The holiday of Shavuot is a twoday holiday, beginning at sundown following the 5th of Sivan and lasting until nightfall of the 7th of Sivan (May 16–18, 2021). In Israel it is a one-day holiday, ending at nightfall of the 6th of Sivan. The word Shavuot (or Shavuos) means “weeks.” The holiday celebrates the completion of the seven-week Omer counting period between Passover and Shavuot. More than 3,300 years ago on Shavuot, G-d gave the Torah to the Jewish people on Mount Sinai. Every year on the holiday of Shavuot we renew our acceptance of G-d’s gift, and G-d “regives” the Torah. The giving of the Torah was a far-reaching spiritual event—one that touched the essence of the Jewish soul for all times. Our sages have compared it to a wedding between G-d and the Jewish people. Shavuot also means “oaths,” for on this day G-d swore eternal devotion to us, and we, in turn, pledged everlasting loyalty to Him. In ancient times, two wheat loaves would be oﬀered in the Holy Temple on Shavuot. It was also at this time that people would begin to bring bikkurim, their first and choicest fruits, to thank G-d for Israel’s bounty. During the course of the holiday we don’t go to work, drive, write, or switch on or oﬀ electric devices. We are permitted to cook, to kindle a stove with a flame that existed before the holiday (or which was lit from such a flame), and to carry outdoors.

The cele

Sunday, Sivan 5—May 16 Shavuot eve (Erev Shavuot) It is customary to decorate synagogues and homes with flowers and boughs. All decorations must be done on Sunday before the onset of the holiday. The holiday of Shavuot begins tonight. Women and girls light candles tonight at 6:58 PM to usher in the holiday. After the holiday evening prayers, a festive holiday meal, complete with the recitation of the holiday kiddush, is enjoyed. On this night it is customary to remain awake and study Torah until dawn.

Monday, Sivan 6—May 17 First day of Shavuot Torah reading: Exodus 19:1–20:23; Numbers 28:26–31 Haftorah: Ezekiel 1:1–28; 3:12 Reading of the Ten Commandments. All men, women and children should go to the synagogue to hear the reading of the Ten Commandments. The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, encouraged the bringing of even the youngest of children to the reading of the Ten Commandments in the synagogue on Shavuot. This is in commemoration of the Jewish people declaring: “Our children are our guarantors [that we will keep the Torah].” This, the Midrash states, was the only guarantee acceptable to G-d.

Torah and yad at the Big Synagogue Museum, Wlodawa in Poland * Photo: Merlin

The Kohanim (priests) bless the congregation with the Priestly Blessing during the Musaf prayer. Many communities chant the Akdamut poem before the reading of the Torah. Kiddush is recited, and a holiday meal follows. It is customary to eat dairy foods today.

Candle-lighting, from a pre-existing flame, after 7:57 PM. In some communities, whoever will say yizkor tomorrow lights a yahrtzeit candle tonight, also from a pre-existing flame. After the holiday evening prayers, a festive holiday meal, complete with the recitation of the holiday kiddush, is again enjoyed.

ebration of the giving of the Torah Candle-LightingBlessings For both evenings of the holiday: Ba-rooch Ah-tah Ah-doh-nai Eh-lo-kei-nu Meh-lech ha-oh-lam ah-sher kee-deh-sha-nu beh-mitz-vohtav veh-tzee-va-nu leh-had-lik neir shel yom tov. (Translation:) Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to kindle the holiday light. Ba-rooch Ah-tah Ah-doh-nai Eh-lo-kei-nu Meh-lech ha-oh-lam sheh-heh-cheh-yah-nu veh-kee-yehmah-nu ve-hee-gee-ah-nu liz-man ha-zeh. (Translation:) Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.

Keeping Jewish is available at:

Tuesday, Sivan 7—May 18 Second day of Shavuot Torah reading: Deuteronomy 15:19– 16:17; Numbers 28:26–31 Haftarah: Habakkuk 2:20–3:19 The Yizkor memorial service is recited (and charity is pledged) for the souls of departed loved ones. The Kohanim (priests) bless the congregation with the Priestly Blessing du-

ring the Musaf prayer. Kiddush is recited, and a holiday meal follows. Some communities have the custom to read the Book of Ruth on the second day of Shavuot. The holiday ends at 7:58 PM.

Chabad Tucson - Young Israel, 2443 E 4th St Chabad River, 3914 E Fort Lowell Rd Chabad @ U of A, 1025 N. Euclid Ave Al Basha Grocery, 4145 E Grant Rd Coﬀee X Change, 6841 N Camino Principal #3906 Chabad of Oro Valley, 1171 E Rancho Vistoso Blvd #131 Chabad of Cochise County, 228 W Fry Blvd, Sierra Vista For free home delivery, subscribe at: ChabadTucson.com/SubscribePrint

Courtesy of Chabad.org/Shavuot

Raspberry-Swirled Lemon Cheesecake Miriam Szokovski

Meat/Dairy: Dairy Time: 30-60 Minutes Yields: 15–18 squares Diﬃculty: Intermediate Health & Allergies: Vegetarian, NutFree, Soy-Free I’ve finally conquered one of my food fears—cheesecake. I’ve made lots of no-bake cheesecakes, and other dairy desserts, but for some reason, until now I’ve held back from tackling the traditional baked variety. Finally, today I present you my deliciously pink Raspberry-Swirled Lemon Cheesecake. Why cheesecake? The holiday of Shavuot is almost upon us when we celebrate the giving of the Torah by hearing the Ten Commandments read in the synagogue. Some of the customs specific to this holiday include decorating our homes with greenery and eating dairy food. This cheesecake is less heavy, rich and sweet than the many caramel-and chocolate-laden cheesecakes out there. The lemon and raspberry give it a distinct tartness. It’s also relatively easy to make and doesn’t require any specialty ingredients. Crust Ingredients: 8 graham crackers 4 tbsp. butter 2 tbsp. brown sugar ½ tsp. salt

Crust Directions: Roughly pulse the graham crackers in a food processor a couple of times. Cut the butter into small pieces and add it in along with the sugar. Pulse un-

til mixture resembles a course crumb. Tip the graham cracker mixture into an 8″ × 11″ tart pan with a removable base and press down firmly. Bake at 325° F for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Filling Ingredients: 16 oz. cream cheese ¾ cup sugar 2 eggs 2 lemons Filling Directions: Let the cream cheese come to room temperature.

Juice the lemons. Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add in the sugar, eggs and lemon juice and mix until smooth. Pour the mixture into the pie crust. Raspberry Swirl Ingredients: 1 cup raspberries 3 tbsp. sugar Swirl Directions: Wash and check the raspberries. Place them in a shallow bowl, or on a plate, and sprinkle with sugar. Let the raspberries and sugar sit for

about 30 minutes to draw out the juices, then blend. Strain the mixture through a finemesh sieve. Spoon the raspberry mixture over the cheese mixture. Swirl with a knife. Bake at 325° F for 35 minutes. Refrigerate overnight, cut into squares and serve. --Miriam Szokovski is a writer, editor, and author of the historical novel Exiled Down Under. She shares her cooking and baking on Chabad.org/food

Surge in Passover 2021 Sales Surprises Many The projections were for flat sales this past Passover. While vaccines were widely available, the pandemic was far from over. Yet, a survey by Kosher Today showed that sales on average increased by 8%10% with one independent kosher supermarket reporting a near 20% surge compared to the previous year. The manager estimated that 25% of his sales went to vacationing customers. This included sending a truckload of Passover foods to Orlando, the most popular Passover vacation spot this year. The retailers admitted that in the weeks before the holiday, they were extremely concerned that there would be shortages of some foods because of the pandemic. They also thought that they would suﬀer losses because many of their customers were going to Orlando and other destinations. These fears not only did not materialize, but the opposite was true. The shopping baskets were greater due to the week-long Chol Hamoed (interim days) and many families staying at home. As in past years, there were variations in sales in various locations. Most of the

glowing reports came from independent kosher grocers in the New York-New Jersey area. Pomegranate, an upscale kosher supermarket in Brooklyn, thanked customers for “the best Passover ever.” Tucson also saw an uptick in sales of kosher items before Passover. Shelves in local supermarkets were filled with an array of items, and shipments arrived from Western Kosher in Los Angeles, Prime Nosh in Los Vegas and the KC Kosher Co-op which is based in Kansas and makes stops in Tucson a couple of times a year. Al Basha Grocery, which opened in July 2019 at 4145 E Grant Road, reported a strong kosher sales month. “Our kosher sales were higher this year than last year,” said the manager Ghufran Almusawi. “We carried items that weren’t available for Fry’s and Safeway. The Passover mayonnaise and ketchup, as well as the sweets, sold really well. We made a name for ourselves,” she said. Al Basha Grocery is oﬀering a 30% discount on all kosher items until supplies last.

KiwiKids boxes outside Chabad Tucson

KiwiKids Food Boxes Now Distributed in Tucson When Aimee Cronenberg’s father sent her a link about a program that provides a weekly box of kosher food items, she rushed to sign up. “It is very hard to find kosher food that is accessible to all, including those who have little to no income,” says Cronenberg, who has been living in Tucson for the past 20 years. Cronenberg’s two children were enrolled in the Kids Wellness Initiative (KiwiKids) which was launched during the Covid-19 pandemic to provide food quantities equal to 7 servings of breakfast and 7 servings of lunch for each child in a family. In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), KiwiKids is available free of charge for children ages 1 to 18 and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion or gender identity.

The kosher shelves are emptied at Albertsons on Campbell Avenue

The program, coordinated by Agudath Israel of Illinois, provides these boxes to children in Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri and Michigan. Over 130 children from around Tucson, Oro Valley, Marana, Vail and Sierra Vista are receiving the weekly

box which typically includes proteins, grains, fruits, vegetables and fresh milk and juice. “We are excited to oﬀer this free, nutritious and kosher program in the community,” says Feigie Ceitlin, Program Director of Chabad Tucson, who coordinates KiwiKids in Tucson with the help of volunteers. While contents of the box vary each week, they have been receiving enthusiastic responses and all items meet the recommended USDA child nutritional requirements. “My family and I are enjoying the kosher food boxes from KiwiKids so much,” says Cronenberg. “This is great, high-quality food that I feel really good about serving to my kids. We are incredibly grateful that this program is available in Tucson.” Lisa Wigginton concurs. “We are really enjoying the boxes we have received,” she says. “There are always great choices from fresh fruit to delicious meal choices. We look forward to getting the boxes each week.” To join, visit: ChabadTucson.com/ KiwiKids

FEATURE

Discovering my identity By Rabbi Jonathan Perry

Rabbi Jonathan Perry,

For most of my upbringing in Tucson, Arizona, I identified culturally as Black. When my Ashkenazi Jewish mother got married to my non-Jewish Black father, my maternal grandmother sat shiva in mourning for her daughter marrying out. Needless to say, I always felt more comfortable with and around my paternal family and by extension the Black community. I would characterize my adolescent years as being typical for Black youth in lower-middle-class America. From early on, I found myself in a peer circle of young men who frequently got into trouble with the law (whether innocent or guilty). Eventually, one of my friends corrected his behavior and became a devout Christian. We would often chat about religion. Motivated by his desire to see me join his faith, he would ask me questions about mine.

I also felt “religiously Jewish.” I had never been taught the concept of a neshama (soul), but I knew deep down

Rabbi Jonathan Perry as a child with his mother Eileen Perry-Schwartz

that I was connected to G-d as a Jew, even though I felt little to no connection with the people on a cultural level. I received a Bar Mitzvah at a Reform congregation, but Torah Judaism was completely foreign to me. When we would drive by a modest brick building with a Star of David on it on the corner of Tucson Blvd. and E 4th Street, I asked my mother about it. She told me that the people that go there are Orthodox, and that “it’s practically a diﬀerent religion.”

At that point, I needed answers. I went to a religious leader I had known for many years and asked the following: “If the Torah speaks strictly about observing Shabbos, and in the synagogue, we even sing Shomrei Shabbos (‘keepers of the Shabbos’ which was was one of my favorite tunes), then why was I expected to have my mother drive me to synagogue on Shabbos to hear someone chant from a Torah which instructs not to desecrate Shabbos?”

My friend’s inquisitive questions got me thinking more deeply about my faith and its observance. Why didn’t I wear a yarmulke on my head? Why didn’t I keep kosher, or observe the Shabbos? I told my friend that some Jewish people come from families that do not observe the laws, my family being one. I do not know on whose authority the decision came, but I assumed it had to be legitimate if such a large group of Jews lived that way.

His answer was simple: “In a world where the options were either be Jewish and forcefully separated from society or convert to another religion, European Jews established a movement which would allow assimilated Jews to keep their Jewish identity.” While I understood the historical significance, I did not understand the present relevance. I wanted to know why some Jews lived a life of Torah and Mitzvos, while my family and I had not.

Interestingly enough, my nonJewish father had always been interested in Jewish philosophy and mysticism. Growing up, our home had books of Maimonides, the Zohar, Baal Shem Tov, and others. I told my father about my inner reservations and his reply was to go to the synagogue we avoided, with the Star of David on it. “Talk to the Chabad-Lubavitchers,” my father advised. “They’re the real deal.” When I called the listed phone number, it was Rabbi Yossie Shemtov on the line. He plainly told me to come the next morning at 6:30 AM for morning services, following which he would be happy to answer whatever questions I had. In my youth, there were times I felt like an outsider around Jewish people. I was often questioned about my status as a Jew, and told to say the Shema to prove my authenticity. With that experience occurring around secular

Rabbi Jonathan Perry with his father Herbert Perry

Jews, I had concerns as to how I might be received by Orthodox Jews. The next morning, upon walking into Cong. Young Israel - Chabad Tucson, a young teenager with the beginnings of a beard approached me and before asking me my name. Jonathan, I said. Nice to meet you, he said. Would you like to put on Tefillin? I had never seen it before. I’m Reform and had never done it before, I said. He looked at me with a look of confusion and said, “I’m Jewish, you’re Jewish. I have Tefillin and you can now put on Tefillin.” Simple enough. I put on Tefillin, repeating the blessing after him. Then he asked me if I knew Shema. It was the only prayer I knew, and this time I

Rabbi Jonathan Perry, flanked by his mother Eileen Perry-Schwartz and wife Mikaela Perry, receives rabbinical ordination from Rabbi Nachman Wilhelm and Rabbi Yossie Shemtov

was happy to say it. When I reached the words “You shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for a reminder between your eyes,” the teenager pointed to the Tefillin boxes on my arm and head, respectively. That was the moment that I ‘got it’. I was there to find out why some Jews lived with Torah and Mitzvos while others did not, and there was my answer. Torah and Mitzvos are for all Jews, regardless of upbringing or background. “The Torah that Moshe commanded us is the heritage of the congregation of Yaakov,” it says in Deuteronomy (33:4). It is a heritage to all. Later, when I sat with Rabbi Shemtov, my question shifted from “why” to “how.” How do I live a life of Torah observance? I spent the next several months learning with the local Chabad Rabbis, as well as the young students at the Yeshiva High School of Tucson which operated then.

Within a year, I enrolled in Tiferes Bachurim at the Rabbinical College of America in Morristown, New Jersey where I took my yeshiva learning fulltime. After a cello audition landed me a seat in the symphony orchestra at the University of Arizona, I returned to Tucson and completed my degree in music business with a minor in Judaic studies. A few years later, I met my wife and received rabbinical ordination. Both my wedding and the ordination ceremony took place at Chabad. My mother, and her current husband Dr. Jonathan Schwartz, is now a regular there and perfectly blends in with her collection of stylish fedoras. My family and I are currently part of the Jewish community in Los Angeles where I helped found the organization Kamochah which aims to support and give a voice to the Black Orthodox Jews, and in so doing, help to build

bridges, elevate souls, and propel our community towards justice and equity through unity. I think back to how I felt as a young Black Jewish man, and how my experiences in the Jewish community shaped my relationship with Judaism. The impact of having a community of Jews who received me with kindness and treated me as an equal allowed me the space to flourish and develop in Judaism. I have heard countless Black Jews express disinterest in Judaism as a result of not feeling a sense of community within the Jewish world. I felt I owed it to myself and to those members of the Jewish community who share a cultural aﬃnity to the one I grew up in to make sure that they are not neglected. Perhaps I can give space to this corner of the Jewish world and with G-d’s help, aid in the development of their own respective relationships with Torah and with G-d.

COMMUNITIES

Zvulun Simantov outside the synagogue in Kabul. Photo by Tsur Shezaf

The media recently reported that Zvulun Simantov, referred to for over a decade as “the last Jew in Afghanistan,” is planning to leave Kabul within the next few months based on his fear of what could happen if the U.S. finally keeps its promise to withdraw its troops and the Taliban takes over the entire country. When his wife and two daughters moved to Israel in 1998, he remained behind to serve as the selfappointed “shomer” (guardian) of the last synagogue in Kabul. The departure of Mr. Simantov is a devastating development not only because of the zeal with which he has performed this task through multiple wars and intense political turmoil (he once described it as being “like a lion of the Jews here”) but also because Afghanistan has one of the many vanishing Jewish communities in the world. Most of these vanishing communities (Egypt, Syria, Yemen, Iraq and others) were neither Sefardic nor Ashkenazic; they were Aidot Ha-Mizrach, “communities of the East).

Jews have lived in Afghanistan at least since the time of Cyrus the Great

(530 BCE), shortly after the destruction of the first holy temple in Jerusalem. The center of Jewish life was in the ancient city of Balkh, capital of the once-powerful kingdom of Bactria and home to the Bactrian (two-humped) camel. Balkh is said by some to be the burial place of the prophet Ezekiel and the home of the prophet Jeremiah. In the early Middle Ages (sixth through eighth centuries CE) the emphasis shifted westward to Herat as the importance of the Silk Route grew and as the Arab armies brought a militant form of Islam to what is today Iran. Persian Jews poured into Herat, then Afghanistan’s second-largest city located in the northwest near the borders with Iran and Turkmenistan. Herat became the center of Afghan Jewry for centuries not only because of its strategic position on the ancient silk route connecting Europe with China but also because it was the first major stopping point east of Mashhad, home to the annual pilgrimage of Shiite Muslims. Mr. Simantov, like so many other 20th century Afghan Jews, was born in Herat.

Herat once had six active synagogues and they were spared when the Taliban destroyed the Buddhist holy sites. But because they had no local Mr. Simantov to protect them, they fell into disrepair. A series of diﬀerent governments directed that one should be turned into a school and a second turned into a mosque. The other four sit empty and wait to be restored to their former glory. Eventually, the Jews moved southeast, to Kabul. 20th century Jewish history in Afghanistan was a real roller-coaster ride. There was only one small European-style pogrom, but there were multiple refugee crises. These usually originated in parts of the former USSR and/or Persia, and they produced massive influxes of Jewish refugees. They lived in Afghanistan despite a series of governments which made life increasingly diﬃcult for the Jews who lived there. One well-known example was a 1932 treaty signed between Muhammed Nadir Shah and the Soviet Union, committing Afghanistan to return (by force) all of the 60,000 refu-

gees who had recently fled the Soviet regime. Not all of these refugees were Jewish, of course, but a significant percentage were. By 1948, there were only about 5,000 Jews left in all of Afghanistan, down from a peak of 50,000-100,000 at the time of the Crusades. Allowed to emigrate in 1951, most of those remaining Jews fled to either Israel or the United States. By the time of the Soviet invasion in 1979, only about 300 remained, and they were all in Kabul. And now, after years of Soviet occupation, endless civil wars, and huge political and economic instability the Jewish population is down to one man: Mr. Simantov. I met several of Mr. Simantov’s relatives in my teenage years, when (in 1970) my university gave me a grant to research my undergraduate honors thesis in India and I used the opportunity to visit friends and Jewish communities along the way. Kabul was one of them. During my stop in Jerusalem, I was hosted by a Harvard professor who had

The last Jew in Afghanistan

Children play outside a synagogue in Herat. Photo by Tsur Shezaf

By Thomas Price

‘adopted’ two Afghan Jewish brothers while they were in high school. When they heard that I would be visiting their native country, they got very excited, rushed to write a letter to their parents, and made me promise to deliver the letter in person.. They also asked that I tell their parents how their sons were thriving in the Holy Land. Weeks later, when I finally arrived in Kabul, it was not diﬃcult to locate the parents of these boys. Their name was Simantov, which turns out to be a very common family name among the Jews of Central Asia. The Simantov family invited me to spend Shabbos in their home and answered all of my naïve questions about what it was like to be a Jew there. Most memorably, I saw the important role that the synagogue played in their lives. Mr. Simantov took me to minyan with him for morning and evening services in the synagogue that his relative is guarding until this very day, more than 50 years later. I was immediately welcomed as one of their own and experienced what a tight-knit Jewish community can be like at its very best.

What I found most surprising was the degree to which – in spite of many superficial diﬀerences – this synagogue and its prayers were so similar to the synagogue in which I grew up. The members of the community all wished each other a good and successful day at the end of the morning prayers, and when they re-convened in the evening, they exchanged news of the market, what the latest exchange rates were, what political rumors were coming out of the palace, etc.

Zvulun Simantov inside the synagogue in Kabul. Photo by Tsur Shezaf

The departure of the last Jew of Afghanistan is indeed the end of a long and rich chapter in Jewish history. Their traditions, however, are not fully forgotten because Afghani Jews are dispersed around the United States, Israel, and elsewhere; they are extremely proud of their heritage. All you need to do is to find a Mr. Simantov and he will tell you… --Thomas Price is a former U.S. diplomat and host of the podcast “Around the Jewish World with Tom Price.”

Life in Kabul, Afghanistan. Photo by Tsur Shezaf

HEALTH

How a Blood Clot Almost Killed Me By Andrea Gottlieb

When your doctor tells you “You’re lucky to be alive…” it is overwhelming.

I realize now that the pain I was experiencing was that warning sign. It was a gift, and rather than checking it out immediately, I wrote it oﬀ as an annoyance. I now see that ignoring it could have cost me my life. The truth is, it is hard to know what to take seriously. We are busy, with plenty of responsibilities to take care of. We can’t go running to the doctor every time we have an ache and pain. So then how do we know when to go and what are true symptoms?

Unbeknownst to me, I was a walking time bomb and could have been another statistic in the number one cause of death. How is that possible? I’m forty-two years old, married with three kids and a dog; I love my job, I work out (okay—not enough), I try to eat healthy and life is good. Thank G-d. I am supposedly doing everything right. A few years ago, I went on a trip to Israel for work. I spent a week living in the Old City in Jerusalem: working in the morning, learning in the afternoon, praying every day at the Western Wall and eating kosher food. Jerusalem gives me clarity on life, and I felt tremendous gratitude. After an uneventful thirteen-hour plane ride, I landed in Philadelphia. Upon boarding the flight, I had taken a sleeping pill. I slept most of the trip and when I woke up, I had people asleep on both sides of me so I just remained in my seat the whole time. My courtesy to the other passengers is what could have killed me. Sitting still for so long is what created the blood clot that was forming in my leg. I began feeling a knot in my calf the day I landed. I thought it was from all the walking I’d done on my trip. I kept stretching it, applying heat and taking Advil. A week and a half later the pain was still there but it was never so bad that I felt the need to see a doctor.

Lucky for me my dad and brother are doctors, and I mentioned to my dad that I had pain in my calf and it seemed to have moved to behind my knee. He said “It’s probably nothing but get an ultrasound to be sure.” When I called the hospital they couldn’t schedule me for another week but my brother had said it was imperative I have the ultrasound immediately.

Here is a list of what you should not ignore: Signs of DVT (Deep Venous Thrombosis): a leg that is swollen on one side; it may be red and painful. Signs of PE (Pulmonary Embolism): newly onset shortness of breath that is unexplained, chest pain which is worse when breathing, unexplained anxiety. I went to an outpatient radiology dept and they found a clot in my leg and immediately sent me to the emergency room. As it turned out, part of the clot had broken oﬀ and migrated to my chest. I was truly a walking time bomb. The doctor put me on Heparin and Coumadin and Lovenox, blood thinners, and told me that I would be fine. He also told me that my father’s and brother’s advice had saved my life. He explained that pulmonary embolism (a blockage of the main artery of the lung or one of its branches by a substance, usually a blood clot, that has traveled from somewhere else in the body through the bloodstream) is one of the big three cardiovascular causes of death, along with myocardial infarction (a heart attack) and Stroke. It causes more deaths than AIDS and breast cancer combined. CBS reporter David Bloom died of pulmonary embolism after being in a

tank for hours. Most cases are diagnosed in the coroner’s oﬃce. Since most Jewish people don’t get autopsies, the cause of death is often thought to be a heart attack. PE (Pulmonary Embolism) and DVT (Deep Venous Thrombosis) are the most preventable causes of death and disability in the US. In the past few years, Judaism and Jewish practice have become an integral part of my life. I was on a spiritual high from my trip to Israel and it was so clear to me that G-d was running the show. It gave me an inner comfort and I was actually never worried. But it makes me think of the story of the man who was drowning in a big flood. When the coast guard came, he said, “It’s OK, G-d will save me.” When the helicopter dropped the ladder, he once again refused the rescue and said, “G-d will save me.” And when he drowned and went to heaven he asked G-d why He didn’t save him. G-d responded, “I sent you the coast guard and dropped a rope!”

These warning signs are especially important to follow up on if you: * Have a personal or family history of blood clots * Have a personal or family history of cancer * Are currently taking an estrogen preparation such as an oral contraceptive * Recently experienced a prolonged immobilization such as a long plane or car trip, or recent hospitalization. Hopefully, you will find out that your ache is truly nothing, but when it could be a life or death decision, you are definitely better oﬀ safe than sorry. --Andrea Gottlieb lives in Merion, Pa with her husband and three children. She is the Senior Manager of External Relations of Momentum organization to empower women to change the world through Jewish values. This article was first published on Chabad.org

FUN PAGE

Take the Jewish Names Quiz

Decorate a Flower Vase

2. The name of which Greek king has become accepted as Jewish? a) Philip b) Cassander c) Alexander d) Antiochus 3. What does the female name Yenta mean? a) “Talkative:” Yenteshaft is Yiddish for “conversation” b) “Gentle:” It is short for Yentl, from the Old French gentille c) “Dove:” Yonah is Hebrew for “turtledove” 4. Which Yiddish name is commonly appended to the Hebrew name Yehuda?

a) b) c) d)

Herschel Leib Leizer Aryeh

5. Which of the following names did NOT belong to one of the Matriarchs? a) Sarah b) Leah c) Miriam d) Rachel 6. Which Hebrew name means “man”? a) Manis b) Noach c) Adam d) Ilan 7. What is the origin of the male name Todros? a) Hebrew, related to Doros (“generations”) b) Greek, related to Theodore (“gift of G-d”) c) Yiddish, meaning “thunder maker”

d) life”

Aramaic, meaning “waterfall of

8. Which common Jewish male name means “life”? a) Shalom b) Chai c) Meir d) Chaim 9. Which common name belonged to an (evil) Israelite king? a) Eliezer b) Menachem c) Moshe d) Tzvi 10. What is the Hebrew equivalent of the Sephardic female name Fortuna? a) Mazal b) Matzliach c) Devorah d) Tirtzah Answers: 1. Yona and Simcha / 2. Alexander / 3. Gentle / 4. Leib / 5. Miriam / 6. Adam / 7. Greek /

1. Which two common Hebrew names are used for both males and females? a) Yona and Simcha b) Simcha and Chaim c) Tzilah and Adah d) Moshe and Yonah

You will need: 1 clean and empty plastic container (yogurt containers are good for smaller flowers, larger containers are better for taller flowers). Paintbrush Tissue paper, construction paper or scrapbook paper Mod-Podge Directions: Tear the paper into small pieces. Brush some Mod-Podge onto part of the container and cover with a piece of paper. Continue until the entire container is covered. If you’re using thinner paper, like tissue paper, you may want to do a second layer. When you’re done, gently brush over all the paper with Mod-Podge and set it aside to dry. (Mod-Podge has a strong smell, so you might want to put it outside to dry.) Fill with flowers and display.