Keeping Jewish - July 2022

Tradition, Inspiration and Celebration · July 2022 - Tammuz 5782 · Published by Chabad Tucson

Welcome to town Yael Dubin likes to read voraciously

Shabbat games

Offline activities to

keep everyone busy

Summer dish

Crispy fish tacos

with colorful slaw

Destruction to Renewal Three weeks of praying for redemption

Land of the free Being Jewish today in the U.S. The American Revolution’s hero Quiz on American Jewish history

OPINION

The Jewish outreach and education network of Southern Arizona 2443 E 4th Street, Tucson, AZ 85719 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Rabbi Yossie Shemtov REBBETZIN

Chanie Shemtov OUTREACH DIRECTOR

Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Feigie Ceitlin

Affiliates: Cong. Young Israel, Chabad at the University of Arizona, Chabad on River, Chabad of Oro Valley, Chabad of Sierra Vista, Chabad Jewish Center of Vail and Lamplighter Chabad Day School of Tucson

EDITOR

Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin COPY EDITOR

Suzanne Cummins CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Morgan Abraham, Feigie Ceitlin, Rita Irwin-Davidson, Yosef Kaufmann, Harriette Levitt, Yvette Miller, Menachem Posner, Mordechai Schmutter, Benjamin Weiss PHOTOS Stephanie McCabe/Unsplash (cover), Jacqueline Soffer Photography SPECIAL THANKS

Chabad.org, Pew Research Center

Advice to the unwary (2) Hello again. Since my last advice column was received without objection, I am going at it again. Of course, the absence of objection might possibly be because nobody read my first advice column, but I feel compelled to share my insights once again anyway. Here goes…

There is much we can learn from watching a build-up to a war, as with Russia and Ukraine. We can see it coming, we can prepare for it, we can try to get everyone to back down, and we can remove some people from harm’s way. Here is what we cannot do – control the outcome.

I had a friend named Werner, of blessed memory, who escaped Nazi Germany with his twin brother on what he believed was the last orphan train out of Berlin in 1939. He was always astonished by the American perspective that we can preclude horrible things from happening if we just do things right. Carcinogens in products? Just regulate them away.

Burns from hot coffee? Sue the purveyor. Global warming? Simple emit less carbon. Somehow we think we can control evil outcomes.

But the reality is that what we do control is infinitesimal compared to what is out of our reach. Perhaps

this is best illustrated by a simple everyday example.

Some time ago, I was at a family party where a 5-year-old child decided to throw a tantrum. Everyone tried to figure out what they could do to stop the screaming and kicking.

But really, the only one who could stop the tantrum was the 5-year-old, who was quite literally out of control altogether. My friend joked that there was an “aside” coming – either a “homicide” or a “suicide,” she said – but everyone miraculously came out of the situation alive.

The world is filled with unsettling chaos – like a multitude of 5-yearolds who, at any given time, can change a tranquil situation into an upheaval of discord. And though we might want to believe it is in our power to fix whatever an untamed universe can impose, and though we certainly should try to do what we can to help fix or repair things, we mostly can’t change much. Our best bet is to remember miracles happen, and no matter what befalls us, “This too shall pass.”

— Suzanne Cummins is a Senior Lecturer Emeritus at the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management

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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.

The final letters of a new Torah scroll were written at Young Israel / Chabad Tucson on Tuesday, June 21. It was dedicated in memory of Michel Kouhana, a member of Tucson’s Jewish community and was donated to Chabad Lubavitch of Montana in Bozeman * Photo: Jerry Levy

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NEWS

Jewish art exhibit planned in Oro Valley Chabad of Oro Valley is holding a firstof-its-kind event celebrating local artists who have created Judaic-themed art on Thursday, July 28, 5:00 PM at their center in the Mountain View Plaza, 1171 E Rancho Vistoso Blvd #131.

Every piece of art tells a story, and this is the opportunity to hear its tale. As Julia Raykin, one of the presenters, explains, “When I create Jewish art, I feel that the pieces are imbued with special meaning and holiness. I love making house blessings, ketubahs, and other art with Jewish prayers and quotes.”

Raykin plans on making custom earrings with Jewish quotes for people at the exhibit. They will be able to pick the earring shape, colors, design, and quotes for their pieces. “I know that everyone has different tastes, and I like being able to create custom pieces for people that truly represent them,” she says.

The art on display will vary from paintings, jewelry, fused glass, ceramics, and more. The artists each have their own unique stories as well. Raykin has been creating art since she was old enough to hold a pencil, while Karyn Vampotic took her first drawing class after retiring in 2013.

Vampotic’s favorite watercolor painting was based on a 60-year-old photo of her father standing at the Western Wall, the last remnant of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. “It spoke to me of an intense spiritual and historical connection,” she says.

“To show that connection, I faded out the lower half of his body in the painting to become one with the Wall. I called it “At the Wall: A Jewish tourist and the Wailing Wall recognize each other.” It fills my heart every time I walk by it.”

A menorah from fused glass by Janis Gasch

Roberta Kurtz, another artist from Northwest Tucson who will be exhibiting, attended the Philadelphia College of Art, now known as the University of the Arts.

“I loved doing art as a child,” she says.

“I would use oil paint, and painting got me through some tough times. But I stopped drawing and painting for a while and took up pottery about 20 years ago. I’ve made some mezuzot and hamsas. I’ve recently been making bottle bottom bowls and fridge magnets.”

The event is free of charge and open to the community. Kosher refreshments will be served.

Brad Pomerance of JLTV talks with Steve Goode about his “Great American Deli Schlep” on a motorcycle

Course explores Jewish values behind the law Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin will offer a fascinating course on personal ethics in the light of Jewish Civil Law. Beyond Right, a groundbreaking, new six-session course by the acclaimed Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI), explores ethical questions big and small.

Some of those questions are: Can you help yourself to someone else’s possessions if you are sure they won’t mind?

Must you forgive and accept a repentant antisemitic tormentor? If your neighbor blocks your sunlight with a two-story fence, do you have legal recourse? Do you have a legal obligation to report someone’s plans to commit a violent crime?

“Many people are surprised to discover the attention Jewish law devotes to disputes between neighbors, ethical dilemmas involving the workplace, and maintaining a peaceful and moral society,” said Rabbi Ceitlin, Outreach Director of Chabad Tucson. “They assume Jewish law mostly addresses religious practice.”

The course, approved for Continuing Legal Education in many states, will explore six foundational Jewish values that underlie the practical application of Jewish civil legislation, translating abstract principles into detailed guidance on common real-life scenarios.

“The JLI course Beyond Right explores fundamental topics that are of vital importance for any just society in light of the profound teachings of the Jewish legal tradition,” said Professor David Flatto of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Faculty of Law. “It highlights the central values and commitments that are at stake in addressing these issues. I commend JLI for developing this rich and illuminating course.”

Informative, practical, and insightful, Beyond Right is sure to generate an appreciation for Jewish law as a distinctive Jewish system that can be utilized as a source of guidance and clarity when one

is faced with professional or personal dilemmas. Mr. Martin Pritikin, Dean of Concord Law School at Purdue University, has praised Beyond Right as a course that “helps shine a light on what it means to be a nation living under the rule of law, and indeed, what it means to be human.”

The course is designed for people at all levels, including those without prior experience or background in Jewish learning. It will be offered over Zoom for six Wednesdays, beginning July 13 at 7:00 PM. Interested students may call 520955-9680 or visit www.ChabadTucson. com/JLI for registration and for other course-related information.

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VOICES

We, the American Jews Rita Irwin-Davidson By crossing a great ocean and stepping onto Ellis Island, my grandparents Sam and Ethel saved me from a life of hard labor in Siberia or an agonizing death in the gas chambers of Nazi Germany.

Does being an American mean anything to me? It means my life.

My grandparents individually left Poland and Russia to go see the “land of milk and honey” - a land they had heard was paved with gold or at least golden opportunity. They came to America in 1906 - a country that was teeming with immigrants like themselves. My grandmother worked fourteen hours a day as a seamstress in a sweatshop on New York’s Lower East Side. My grandfather sawed lumber and built cabinets for the B. and O. Railroad.

Both moved to Indianapolis, where they met and married. They opened a corner market and produced four chil-

dren. My mother, Fay, was the oldest.

“Education is the way to get ahead in this country,” they told their children.

“No one can take an education away from you.” However, the Great Depression of the 1930s quashed any hopes of college.

The children, now young adults, helped in the business so the family could survive.

America joined the Second World War from the ashes of Pearl Harbor. One son went off to war to fight for his parents’ adopted country. The rest of the family collected scrap metal and bore the burden of rationed meat and gasoline along with other Americans.

The war ended and my grandfather’s health began to fail. The doctor warned that if he didn’t leave Indianapolis’ chilling winters, he would die within six months. My grandparents sold everything and packed up the family for a 2500-mile move to Tucson, Arizona. The

dry, desert heat helped my grandfather live thirteen more years. He was gentle and kind to everyone. He would let me follow him along on all his errands during those adolescent summers that seemed so endless. He died a few months after he and my grandmother had celebrated their fiftieth anniversary. My grandmother lived the last ten years of her life with us, but she was never the same.

I wish I could thank my grandparents now for giving me the gift of freedom.

They understood what the United States meant--a land of diverse people trying, not always succeeding, but constantly striving to preserve and expand an individual’s, a family’s, a group’s, and a nation’s right to be free.

- Rita Irwin-Davidson is a resident of Tucson and a talented and witty writer who published a book of essays titled “Who Knew?”

Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin On a Tuesday in March, I put on my suit and a black Chassidic fedora that I usually wear for prayers. My destination was not the synagogue, however. I was going to take the oath of American citizenship, which carried for me a similar weight to a religious event.

In becoming a citizen of the United States, I was following the example of the Sixth Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, of righteous memory. After surviving Soviet imprisonment and the Nazi bombing of Warsaw, the Rebbe made it to the U.S. on March 17, 1940.

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Weakened by the tribulations he had undergone at the hands of the Soviets, the Rebbe could not travel to a courthouse to take the oath of U.S. citizenship, as the law required. Instead, a dispensation was made to allow the proceeding to be held at the Rebbe’s synagogue in Brooklyn, NY.

So on March 17, 1949, U.S. Justices Leo Rayfeil and Phillip Kleinfeld went to 770 Eastern Parkway. The Rebbe greeted them wearing a fur spodik hat and a silk caftan typically reserved for holy days. He raised his right hand and vowed to “support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America.”

After the ceremony, the Rebbe thanked the representatives of the U.S. government, grateful to America for providing a home to practice one’s faith and an opportunity to strengthen Jewish life.

Indeed, America has proven to be a haven for Jewish people, and more Jews live in the U.S. than in any country besides Israel. Chabad, the movement the Rebbe led, has at least one center and a rabbi in each of the 50 states.

That is why becoming an American as a Jew is more than just a ceremony.

When I had the privilege of becoming a

U.S. citizen, like the Rebbe, it was a cause for celebration.

Due to Covid protocols, no guests were allowed to attend my ceremony. One other person and I stood in front of the immigration officer to promise to defend the Constitution of the United States. After we each received our citizenship documents, the new fellow citizen was visibly emotional. Not having anyone else to express it to, she turned to me and said in a Hispanic accent: “I’m so happy!”

I think those words will reflect my mood this 4th of July when I’ll be celebrating Independence Day as an American for the first time. For me, it will go far beyond burgers and corn on the grill.

It will be a time to say thank you to the country that I — and so many of my coreligionists — are proud to call home. I’m so happy to be an American.

- Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin is the Outreach Director of Chabad Tucson

PROFILE Reflections on freedom, citizenship, opportunity and the American dream Harriette Levitt Over a 40-year career as an attorney, being Jewish provided plenty of memorable moments. There was the time I was challenged to list the Ten Commandments on an elevator ride at the Pima County Courthouse. The time a judge asked for a biblical source which she later quoted while sentencing a high-profile murder case. And there was the devout Christian woman who not only prayed for her son who was wrongly convinced but also for me, the Jewish attorney representing him.

One distasteful moment which turned triumphant was when a judge ordered me to interview a witness on Friday after 5:00 PM, and I refused. The judge, known for making remarks to women which, even in the 1980s, were considered inappropriate, gruffly said to me, “What’s the matter? Do you have a hot date?” I responded, “It’s the start of my Sabbath.” He looked at me with an embarrassed expression and altered his demand. The courtroom was crowded that

day, and apparently, I was called a “Super Jew.” My decision not to work on Shabbat dates back to the mid-70s. Needing to earn money and go to college after high school, I found a job as a cashier in a discount department store in upstate New York. There were still Blue laws then, meaning that stores were closed on Sundays. There was no such thing as accommodation for someone’s religion.

Until then, working on Shabbat was not something I’d previously thought about. I worked there for six months before leaving for school, yet the experience instilled in me an appreciation of how important it is to observe not just a day of rest but my day of rest. I promised myself that I would not work on Shabbat again, and I kept that promise.

In college and law school, I never failed a course or got a lower grade due to my observance of Shabbat and Jewish holi-

days. The professors respected the fact that I had an excused absence but didn’t offer any extra help or accommodation.

When it came to Jewish observance, those few of us who took that stand were respected, but we were on our own.

My exchange with that judge about working late on Friday was the closest I ever came to having a judge exhibit ignorance of my religious practices. Whenever a judge heard that a court date conflicted with a Jewish holiday, another date for the hearing or trial would be found without any fuss. Taking a stand in accordance with Jewish law and tradition leads not only to respect but to success. And I can confidently say that my clients did not suffer from my decision to observe my religion.

- Harriette Levitt is the partner of Harriette P. Levitt Law Offices in Tucson, AZ

Morgan Abraham Growing up, two values have been strongly present in my life - education and hard work. These aren’t just notions that my parents instilled in us - they are American values that continue to shape this great country. I have shaped my life around them.

work in real estate investment, serving as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Army Reserve since 2017 and being appointed to the state legislature. I believe the decisions I have made have been enhanced by my faith.

My father worked in farming in Canada before immigrating to the United States.

He did not have any money or a college degree but he was able to create a wonderful life with a family and a company he built.

My mother is a teacher and has been dedicated to education her entire life.

My primary focus as a managing partner of ABECAP (Abraham Capital) has been developing affordable housing on the south side of Pima County. We take an existing office building or motel and convert it into housing for low-income individuals or families eligible for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Section 8 or VASH (Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing).

I went through the public school system and earned a B.S. in engineering and an M.B.A. from the University of Arizona in 2014 and 2019, respectively. It was during my time at the University of Arizona that I became involved in Jewish life. As a boy, I had gone to Hebrew school and had a Bar Mitzvah, but in college, I got involved with Jewish organizations and Tucson’s Jewish community.

Judaism plays a guiding role in all aspects of my life. It has been present in my

I find it personally moving and rewarding that our company has been able to house people who were previously homeless and I believe that our community can do even more. Housing is the essential foundation for economic opportunity, and it is the most important component of building a better life. In my role as a state representative, I hope to help facilitate housing availability

for our lower-income residents.

Although my life has many facets, I feel most American in my service in the United States Army Reserve. The army. It is truly a melting pot where people from every single state, culture, and ideology must work together. During training, we can go 45 consecutive days without taking a shower or going indoors. It can get very intense but having the flag on the uniform reminds us of what we fight for - the people and the idea of freedom. Those are very unifying ideas.

There are always challenges and as a society, we certainly need to provide greater economic opportunity and the best possible education for all Americans. Everyone needs the chance to rise up. Having said that, I believe the American dream is still alive.

I am one small example of it.

5 - Morgan Abraham is an Arizona State Representative running to represent District 18 in the Arizona State Senate

JUDAISM 101

The Three Weeks

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For eight hundred and thirty years there stood an edifice upon a Jerusalem hilltop that served as the point of contact between heaven and earth. So central was this edifice to the relationship between humans and G‑d that nearly twothirds of the mitzvot are contingent upon its existence. Its destruction is regarded as the greatest tragedy of our history, and its rebuilding will mark the ultimate redemption-the restoration of harmony within G‑d’s creation and between G‑d and His creation.

A full three weeks of our year —the

three weeks “between the strictures” of Tammuz 17 and Av 9— are designated as a time of mourning over the destruction of the Holy Temple and the resultant galut—physical exile and spiritual displacement—in which we still find ourselves.

The fast of the 17th of the Hebrew month of Tammuz, known as Shivah Asar B’Tammuz, is the start of the threeweek mourning period. The fast commemorates five tragic events that occurred on this date:

This year, the time of lamentation begins on Sunday, July 17, 2022, and concludes on Sunday, August 7, 2022. In this period, many calamities befell the Jewish people throughout the generations.

1313 BCE: Moses broke the tablets when he saw the Jewish people worshipping the Golden Calf.

The 17th Tammuz is on Shabbat this year but since all the laws of mourning are suspended on Shabbat, it will be marked the following day on Sunday, July 17.

423 BCE: The daily sacrificial offerings (Korban Tamid) in the Holy Temple were discontinued during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem.

Why is all mourning suspended on Shabbat? Though these days and weeks heralded an exile rife with persecution and spiritual estrangement, we believe

Fast of 17 Tammuz

69 CE: The walls of the besieged city of Jerusalem were breached by the Romans, and the Roman general Apostomus burned the Torah and placed an idol in the Holy Temple.

JUDAISM 101

The 21 days of mourning the destruction of Jerusalem that ultimately this is for the good. Very soon, with the coming of Moshiach, we will understand that all the suffering was necessary to reach the ultimate good. At that time, the prophets foretell, these sorrowful days will be transformed into days of joy. Every Shabbat constitutes a foretaste of the Messianic Era. As such, on Shabbat, we only focus on the positive elements of this period.

Practically speaking, on Sunday, July 17: Healthy adults — bar- or bat-mitzvah age and older— abstain from eating or drinking between 3:59 AM and at 7:59 PM. Pregnant and nursing women may not have to fast. Someone who is ill should consult with a rabbi. Even those exempt from fasting, such as ill people or children, shouldn’t indulge in delicacies or sweets.

It is permitted to wake up early before the fast begins and eat, provided that before going to sleep one had in mind to do so.

During the morning prayers, we recite selichot (penitential prayers), printed in the back of the prayer book. The “long Avinu Malkeinu” is recited during the morning and afternoon prayers.

The Torah is read during the morning and afternoon prayers. The reading—the same for both morning and afternoon—is Exodus 32:11–14 and 34:1–10, which discusses the aftermath of the Golden Calf incident, how Moses successfully interceded on the Israelites’ behalf and attained forgiveness for their sin. After the afternoon Torah reading, the special fast-day haftarah, Isaiah 55:6–56:8, is read.

During the Amidah prayer of the Mincha afternoon service, those who are fasting add the paragraph Aneinu in the Shema Koleinu blessing. (It is also added in the cantor’s repetition of the Amidah in both the morning and afternoon services, as its own blessing between the blessings of Re’eh and Refa’einu.) Additionally, the priestly blessing is also added in the repetition of the Amidah in the afternoon service.

Abstaining from food and drink is the external element of a fast day. On a deeper level, a fast day is an auspicious day, a day when G‑d is accessible, waiting for us to repent.

Conduct During the 3 Weeks During this period, we lessen the extent of our rejoicing. We don’t conduct weddings, listen to upbeat music, take haircuts, and recite the Shehecheyanu blessing on fruit we haven’t eaten this season. (Speak to your rabbi if there are extenuating circumstances that prevent you from observing any of the above customs.)

Aside from the aforementioned “technical” rules and restrictions during this period, we spend extra time contemplating the less-than-perfect state the world is in now and what we can do to improve it by increasing in deeds of goodness and kindness.

The Rebbe urged that the Three Weeks should be a time of increased Torah study and giving of charity– in keeping with the verse, “Zion shall be redeemed by law, and her returnees by charity.”

Particularly, the Rebbe requested time and again the study of those portions of Torah that deal with the building of the Holy Temple.

Why these laws? The Rebbe based his request on a dialogue, cited in the Midrash, that transpired after G‑d told the Prophet Ezekiel to instruct the then exiled Jewish People about the measurements and design of the third Holy Temple: “Master of the world,” Ezekiel replied, “Why are You telling me to go and tell Israel the form of the House; they are now in exile in the land of our enemies—is there anything they can do about it? Let them be until they return from the exile.

Then, I will go and inform them.”

G‑d answered: “Should the construction of My House be ignored because My children are in exile? The study of the design of the Holy Temple as detailed in the Torah can be equated to its actual construction. Go tell them to study the form of the Holy Temple. As a reward for their study and their occupation with it, I will consider it as if they actually built the Holy Temple.”

It is our generation in particular, that stands on the threshold of Redemption,

that must study these laws with the awareness that these laws will be quite practical in the imminent future!

From Destruction to Renewal But there is more to the Three Weeks than fasting and lamentation. The prophet describes the fasts as “days of goodwill before G‑d”-days of opportunity to exploit the failings of the past as the impetus for a renewed and even deeper bond with G‑d. A sense of purification accompanies the fasting, a promise of redemption pervades the mourning, and a current of joy underlies the sadness. The Ninth of Av, say our sages, is not only the day of the Temple’s destruction—it is also the birthday of Moshiach.

May we soon merit the fulfillment of the prophecy: “I will turn their mourning into joy and will comfort them and make them rejoice from their sorrow” (Jeremiah 31:12).

For more, visit Chabad.org/ThreeWeeks

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LOCAL

Welcome to town:

Yael Dubin Yael and Matthew Dubin trying their hand at beekeeping

By Benjamin Weiss How long have you been in Tucson?

About a year.

What brought you here?

My husband Matt has lived here for nearly 15 years. He is an optical scientist at the University of Arizona. Since his work is such a niche, we decided that we would live here in Tucson. I left my former job at Rio Salado College in Tempe and now work from home as a mindfulness relationship coach at my new business, Bechira Coaching.

Where did you move from and how is Tucson compared to it?

I most recently lived in Tempe, and Tucson compares favorably. There is no substitute for this mountain view!

Currently reading/learning:

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My current go-to weekly reading is Speaking Torah by Dr. Arthur Green.

Hasidic thought inspires the best in me and deepens my understanding of Torah.

I’m also learning about foodscaping and learning how to turn our entire property into an edible oasis by harvesting water and integrating edibles with ornamentals.

A hobby: My favorite pastime is reading. I read voraciously, both fiction and nonfiction.

I’m a knitter and a gardener, and I have just started keeping chickens so we can have fresh eggs.

A favorite Mitzvah/holiday: My favorite mitzvah is making challah for Shabbat every week. My challah gets rave reviews from friends and family, and it makes me so happy to serve them delicious homemade bread!

My favorite holiday is actually the whole High Holiday season, especially the preparation period. I read 60 Days: A Spiritual Guide to the High Holidays by Rabbi Simon Jacobson every year as I’m preparing. It renews my vigor to become the best version of myself.

Tzedakah motto: One mitzvah leads to another.

A cherished Jewish memory: My wedding in 2021. We held it in our home, signed the ketubah on our kitchen table, and had the chuppah in our great room. Our house feels infused with our love and with the well-wishes and love of the friends and family who gathered to support us. What could be better than that?

Jewish app on phone: Shabbat Times.

Go-to Yiddish or Hebrew word: Minhag (Jewish custom).

Favorite historical Jewish figure: Walter Benjamin, whose political theology I have engaged in my academic work. He was a brilliant and complex thinker.

Define Chabad:

Chabad is a place where you are accepted as you are and encouraged to grow into who you can be.

Comfort food: My homemade challah.

Define Happiness: Happiness is contentment with your portion in life.

Kvetch: I try hard not to kvetch. I think my biggest kvetch right now is that I have Covid.

Kvell: I’m super proud that my son Ethan graduated with his bachelor’s in engineering from McGill University in Montreal this month.

Something you’re looking forward to: The wedding of my son Connor in September.

KOSHER

Crispy fish tacos with colorful slaw

By Feigie Ceitlin INGREDIENTS: Fish: 2 lbs. cod or tilapia 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1 1/3 cups light beer 1 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper 1 tbsp garlic powder 1 1/2 tbsp paprika 2 tsp seasoned salt Canola oil for frying Slaw: 1- bag tri-colored cole slaw mix 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup warm water 1/4 cup vinegar 1/2 tsp salt Small flour tortillas DIRECTIONS: For the fish: Add 2-3 inches deep of oil to a large, heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer. Heat oil

to 375 degrees.

Cut fish into stick shapes, about 1 inch wide and 3 inches long. Pat dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.

To make the beer batter: whisk together the flour, garlic powder, paprika and seasoned salt. Stir in the lightly beaten egg, then gradually whisk in the beer until the batter forms and is no longer lumpy.

Quickly dip the fish one piece at a time into the batter, then place in the hot oil.

Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the fish is a golden brown. Drain on a wire rack.

For the slaw: Whisk dressing together, pour over the cabbage and toss together.

Toast the flour tortillas on an open flame for a few seconds on each side. Then add in the fish and slaw on top.

Optional toppings: Sliced jalapeno, cilantro, pico de gallo, finely diced purple onions, tartar sauce or garlic aioli.

Bon appetit!

— Feigie Ceitlin is the program director of Chabad Tucson.

With thanks to iwashyoudry.com

Photo by Jacqueline Soffer Photography

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CREATIVITY

Photo by Takahiro Taguchi on Unsplash

Activities for a long summer Shabbat

By Yvette Miller Shabbat is my favorite day. It provides a chance to disengage from the world of work, and take a break from all the screen time that permeates our modern lives. For one day each week, my family and I eschew e-mail, television, video games, instant messaging, iPads, iPhones, and everything else that clutters up our days and makes us feel stressed during the week. Instead, like countless Jews before us, we experience Shabbat as a day of holiness, relaxation and togetherness.

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Shabbat offers all of us a time to connect with our friends, with our spouses, and with our children, in a direct, visce-

ral way. Without electronic stimulation or distraction. Face to face. Games and other fun activities can help us to relate to one another in fun, new ways. Here is a list of some entertaining Shabbat activities in case you need some ideas.

Genius Select a short poem, story or Torah passage. (To give this game a Shabbat feel, try to keep your selections within a Jewish theme.) Who can memorize the most in five minutes? Prepare, then have a contest to see who can repeat verbatim the most text with the fewest mistakes.

Invent a Story

Did you know that Mary Shelley wrote her famous novel Frankenstein as the result of a bet? The year was 1816, and Mary was on vacation in Switzerland with her good friends, the poets Lord Byron and Percy Shelley. (Mary Shelley was Mary Godwin at the time; she married Percy Shelley later that year.)

These three amazing writers decided to have a contest to see who could write the best horror story. (Spoiler alert: Mary Shelley’s gothic novel, Frankenstein, won.) Writing things down is of course prohibited on Shabbat, but telling long stories is a fun way to enjoy spending time with others. Take turns. Try giving each person ten minutes to make up a story. To give this game a Shabbat feel, have a rule that there must be a

Jewish element in the story (for instance, it could take place in a Jewish home on Shabbat, or could be about people at a Passover Seder, etc.). Have a vote at the end to determine which was the funniest, the most uplifting, the saddest, the happiest, etc.

Song Title Challenge Take turns challenging each other to think of a song about a particular topic.

(You can make a challenge only if you yourself can think of one.) For instance, one person might challenge the other players to think of a song about sunshine (“You Are My Sunshine”) or King David (“David Melech Yisrael”). Try to get obscure to stump the other players. (Do keep

CREATIVITY

in mind, though, as you play this, that Shabbat is a day to elevate ourselves.

Try to choose songs that are uplifting and wholesome, rather than the opposite!)

Jewish Shopping List This is a well-known children’s game, but with a Jewish twist. One player starts, saying, “I went to the store, and I bought . . .” They then choose something Jewish that starts with A. It could be a Jewish food, a Jewish ritual item, etc. For some turns you’ll really have to stretch, and that’s okay. For instance, “I went to the store and I bought an Afikomen (the matzah we eat at the end of the Passover Seder).” The next player then adds something starting with B. For instance: “I went to the store and I bought an Afikomen and a Jewish book.” The next player adds something starting with C, for instance, “carrot tzimmes.” Keep going around and around, adding one new item each time. This game quickly gets challenging as each player struggles to remember the growing list.

Association Sit in a circle. One person starts by saying a word. The person on their left then says the first word that pops into their mind (for instance, “swimming” after hearing the word “sea”). The person on their left then says the first word they think of, and so on. In order to give this game a Jewish feel, try starting with Jewish topics. (Some initial words you might like to try include “miracle,” “Jewish,” “Gd,” “Israel” or “Holy.”)

Jewish Talk Show This is a nice activity to do with family, particularly if there is more than one generation present. So often, we don’t think to ask our parents and grandparents about their childhoods, or don’t think to convey our formative experiences to our children and grandchildren, even though talking about our families in this way can bring us closer. To play, choose somebody to act as host, and one or two people to act as guests on the show. Everyone else

is the audience. The host introduces a Jewish topic (say, Hebrew school, or their family’s religious life, or their thoughts about being Jewish), and questions his or her guests about it. Ideally, you can get an interesting discussion going about each “guest’s” life, their experiences, and their thoughts. After ten minutes or so, switch so there are new guests and a new host.

Marathon Shabbat Chat This game can be silly, but it can also be fun. Get a cup of ice cubes ready. Then choose a topic. To give this game a Jewish flavor, keep your topics Jewish. (Some ideas might include favorite Jewish subjects to study, favorite Jewish activities, or what you think are the most rewarding aspects of your family’s religious life.)

Choose somebody to go first, and hand them an ice cube. See if they can talk, staying on-topic, without repeating themselves, until the ice cube melts. Then choose a second person to go, hand them an ice cube, and continue around the room.

Who am I? This is best played with a lot of people.

One person is selected to leave the room for a few minutes. While they are ab-

Photo by Takahiro Taguchi on Unsplash

sent, the remaining players agree on a famous person. To put a Jewish spin on this game, try keeping your selections to well-known figures in Jewish history or Jewish life. When the player who left the room returns, they have five minutes to guess the identity of the famous person, asking only yes or no questions. If they can successfully identify the famous person in that time limit, they win.

- Yvette Alt Miller, Ph.D., is a mother and adjunct professor of political science living in Chicago. She is the author of Angels at the Table: A Practical Guide to Celebrating Shabbat (Continuum, 2011). This was originally published on Chabad.org

11

HUMOR

Slightly discomfortable Photo: Carol Von Canon / Flickr

By Mordechai Schmutter Many people might not know this, but it’s important to go to the doctor once in a while. Even when you’re healthy. Seriously. He won’t be upset that you wasted his time. And if the doctor doesn’t see you when you’re healthy, how will he know when you’re sick? He has to have something to measure it against. Maybe you’re always like that. You can go to the doctor and he’ll be like, “OMG, what’s that?”

And you’ll go, “That’s just my face!”

12

Going to the doctor when you’re not sick is perfectly normal. No one’s going to be looking at you in the waiting room, going, “Why is this guy here? I wonder what he has.”

“Nothing. I’m just here for a checkup.”

“Uch, what a weirdo.”

But if you’re nervous about the experience anyway because, for whatever reason, you’ve never had an annual physical exam, such as that you’re under one year old, or you have very irresponsible parents, or you’re an adult for whom it’s been so long since you’ve had a physi-

cal exam that you’ve forgotten, here are some tips you can use to make things easier. (Or, in the case of some of these tips, more difficult). You can also hand these tips directly to your doctor if you think he doesn’t know what to do. But he might know from his other patients.

I didn’t want to know, especially for ten dollars. After all, if you have a cold and you don’t know you have a cold, you get a lot more work done. Whereas if you know you have a cold, you lie in bed drinking soup and alternately being too hot and too cold.

(Qualification: The author has gone for an annual physical over 3 times in the last 14 years alone. Or with his wife.)

But I’ve since realized that that kind of thinking is ridiculous because those aren’t the types of illnesses the doctors are looking for in a physical exam. You don’t walk into a physical exam perfectly healthy and then find out you have bronchitis.

For a long time, I wasn’t going for physical exams because I was in my 20s (for approximately 14 years or so) and I figured that if I was not sick, why waste time going to the doctor, and if I was sick,

HUMOR

MAKING AN APPOINTMENT - Experts recommend that when choosing a doctor, you first call their office and ask vital health questions, such as, “Is he currently accepting new patients?”

You don’t want to see a doctor who’s not accepting new patients. This is supposed to be a two-way relationship that will not at all be helped by a restraining order.

- Take a shower. And no, it’s not like furiously brushing your teeth before you go to the dentist, where the dentist will be able to tell that you haven’t really brushed since the last time he saw you. It’s not. But do it furiously, just in case.

- Bring a breath mint for the same reason you’re taking a shower, and pop it in right before the doctor tells you to breathe normally. Note that the doctor will stand behind you anyway, because he’s not stupid and has done this before, and because he has to be there to perform the Heimlich when patients breathe normally with a mint in their mouths.

ARRIVING OFFICE

AT

THE

DOCTOR’S

- One of the biggest complaints about going to the doctor is how much time people have to spend in the waiting room. Try to book your appointments for the evening or the middle of the day, so that I can have the morning appointment because that’s when the wait time is the shortest.

- If this is your first appointment with this doctor, make sure to show up early because they’re going to want to scan your insurance card while you take a test that asks you to write things such as your insurance provider and account number, which you don’t know because they have your insurance card. Don’t copy answers from the person next to you, even if she looks smart and has her insurance number memorized. Also, the test has you sign a disclaimer at the bottom that says you didn’t cheat. I assume. I’ve never read it.

IN THE EXAM ROOM: - There’s no reason to get undressed.

They make you do that so they can buy time while they finish up with the previous patient and get a new stethoscope out of the freezer.

- If, once you get undressed, they make you go into another room, put your wallet in your shoe. Doctors with an 8-year degree are never going to think to look in a shoe.

TALKING TO YOUR DOCTOR:

face him afterward, you leave it hanging in the air so it’s the last thing he remembers about you.

THE EXAM: - In general, the doctor will check your “vitals,” such as your blood pressure, heartbeat, and temperature. All these things are vital, so don’t even bother showing up for an exam unless you have them. If you have no temperature, for example, or if your temperature is zero, the doctor will know there’s something wrong with his thermostat.

- Your doctor will ask you about your family history, so it’s important to answer honestly because he’s not just trying to make conversation with extremely awkward topics. It’s also important to know your family medical history, which is why your mother wants you to call a few times a week so you can hear about her medical issues. Because, for example, if your great-grandfather died of old age, Heaven forbid, it’s important to mention this, so the doctor knows to look out for it. Otherwise, he won’t know.

- There’s no way to be calm and keep your blood pressure low while they’re checking it. You’re stressing about keeping it low. The best you can do is picture yourself relaxing on the beach with your arm caught in the grasp of some sea creature that keeps squeezing it.

- Note that when the doctor is asking you questions, he’s actually testing things such as your memory. He’s thinking, “I can memorize the entire human body, but he can’t remember if his back hurts in the mornings?” So make sure to study.

- When the doctor tells you, “I’m going to listen to your lungs, so breathe normally,” there’s no way you’re going to breathe normally. You’ll be like, “How do I normally breathe? I have no idea!”

Then you’ll hyperventilate. The doctor

“No, I’m checking your blood pressure!”

“It’s stressed! You’re going to pull me into the ocean! I can’t swim in this gown!”

knows this will happen, but he has to say it anyway because most people stop breathing when he touches them with the stethoscope. That thing is cold.

- The doctor will also shine a light into your ears. If he sees the light coming through your other ear, he knows there’s a problem.

- At some point, the doctor might tell you to eat less junk food. This is from a guy with 500 empty popsicle sticks in a cup in his office. Are you making a craft project?

- If the doctor gives you instructions, pay careful attention to his phrasing so you can find loopholes later. For example, my doctor told me to stay away from sweets, but he said nothing about sour sticks.

- If you think the doctor might take some of your blood, bring along some cookies. If you think he might also mention your weight, hide the cookies. Put them in your sock. You can also hide the cookies under your yarmulka. Or, if they don’t fit, ask your Chabad rabbi for his black hat and wear it throughout the exam, and they won’t make you take it off. Or you can wear a tallit too.

“It’s cold,” you can say.

- If you have questions for your doctor, you might have to think them up on the spot. If you write them down beforehand, he might make assumptions about your memory. And don’t think you can just write them down on your arm or something because he looks everywhere. He’ll be examining you and suddenly answer a question and you’ll be like “What?” and he’ll say, “I’m answering a question. It’s on your back. Oh, your wife must have written it.”

- If you have anything embarrassing to ask the doctor, make sure to push it off to the end, so that instead of having to

13

HISTORY

The Heald Square Monument in Chicago depicting Robert Morris, George Washington and Haym Salomon Statue * Photo: Spiterman

A Jewish American hero Haym Salomon financed American Revolution:

By Yosef Kaufmann October 17, 1781. An eerie silence took hold over the battlefield outside Yorktown, Virginia. After weeks of non-stop artillery shells and rifle fire, the rhythmic pounding of a drum was all that was heard. Through the wispy smoke that floated above the battlefield, a British officer waved a white flag.

General Cornwallis had surrendered Yorktown, ending the last major battle of the American Revolution.

However, if it were not for Haym Salomon, the decisive victory at Yorktown might never have happened.

Haym Salomon was born in Leszno, Poland, in 1740. In 1770, he left Poland for London, and five years later, he left London for New York City, where he quickly established himself as a broker for international merchants.

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Sympathetic to the Patriot cause, Haym joined the New York branch of the Sons of Liberty, a secret society that did what it could to undermine British interests in the colonies. In 1776, he was arrested by the British and charged with being a spy. He was pardoned on the condition that he spent 18 months on a British ship serving as a translator for the Hessian mercenaries, as he was fluent in Polish, French, German, Russian, Spanish, and Italian. During those 18 months, Haym used his position to help countless American prisoners escape. He

also convinced many Hessian soldiers to abandon the British and join the American forces.

In 1778, he was arrested again and sentenced to death for his involvement in a plot to burn the British Royal fleet in the New York Harbour. He was sent to the Provost Dungeon to await execution, but he managed to bribe a guard and escape under the cover of darkness.

He fled New York, under the British army’s control, and moved to Philadelphia, the capital of the Revolution.

He borrowed money and started a business as a dealer of bills of exchange.

His office was located near a coffee house frequented by the command of the American forces. He also became the agent to the French consul and the paymaster for the French troops in North America. He became friendly with Robert Morris, the newly appointed Superintendent of Finance for the 13 colonies. Records show that between 1781 and 1784, through both fundraising and personal loans, he was responsible for financing George Washington’s efforts by raising as much as $650,000 for the Patriots (today worth approximately $21 million).

In September of 1781, George Washington decided to march on Yorktown to engage General Cornwallis. Washington wrote to Robert Morris saying he would need $20,000 to finance the campaign.

Morris, turned to Haym Salomon to rai-

The Haym Salomon commemorative stamp by the U.S. Postal Service in 1975

se the funds. Within days, Haym Salomon raised the money for what proved to be the decisive victory of the Revolution.

Haym was believed to have personally lent hundreds of thousands of dollars to the American government, which was never repaid.

He was also heavily involved in the Jewish community. He was a member of Congregation Mikveh Yisroel in Philadelphia, the fourth oldest synagogue in America, and was responsible for the majority of the funds used to build the shul’s main building.

He also served as the treasurer of the Society for the Relief of Destitute Strangers, the first Jewish charitable organization in Philadelphia.

On January 8, 1785, Haym died suddenly at the age of 44, likely due to the harsh conditions of his imprisonment by the British. Due to the fact the American government never repaid him the money he had lent for the Revolutionary War effort, his family was left penniless.

His obituary in the Independent Gazetteer read: Thursday, last, expired, after a lingering illness, Mr. Haym Salomon, an eminent broker of this city, was a native of Poland, and of the Hebrew nation. He was remarkable for his skill and integrity in his profession and for his generous and humane deportment. His remains were yesterday deposited in the burial ground of the synagogue of this city.

FUN PAGE

Take the American Jewish History Quiz We have so much to be thankful for!

Photo illustration: Pew Research Center

By Menachem Posner

2. Who was the first (and last) chief rabbi of New York City?

A. Rabbi Chaim Berlin (1832-1912) B. Rabbi Raphael Chaim Yitzchak Carregal (1733-1777) C. Rabbi Jacob Joseph (1840-1902) 3. Who was the first American Jew on a major party’s presidential ticket?

A. Senator Joseph Lieberman, the 2000 Democratic vice presidential candidate

B. Rep. Jacob Javits, 1960 Democratic presidential candidate C. Chaim Goldberger, founder of the Kishke and Kugel Party 4. When the U.S. was founded, most of its Jewish residents were: A. Fur trappers and traders, who lived among the Native Americans B. Sephardic refugees from the Inquisition C. German-speaking tailors and bankers 5. Which state has the most Jewish residents?

A. Florida B. Arizona C. New York

6. Which American war hero ordered that Jews be expelled from several southern states?

A. Ulysses S. Grant B. Robert E. Lee C. Abraham Lincoln 7. What years saw the largest influx of Eastern European Jewish immigration to the U.S.?

A. 1800-1830 B. 1880-1914 C. 1945-1955 8. Who was the first American rabbi to receive the Congressional Gold Medal?

A. The Rebbe, for “outstanding and enduring contributions toward world education, morality, and acts of charity” B. Rabbi Edward Segal, for “raising more

funds for conservation than any other American individual” C. Rabbi Itche Kadoozy, for “providing Jewish children with wholesome and educational entertainment” 9. Which American Jew had the bright idea of making blue jeans from denim?

A. Calvin Klein B. Jacob Davis C. Levi Strauss 10. Which U.S. president was the first to light Chabad’s menorah in front of the White House?

A. Gerald Ford in 1975 B. Jimmy Carter in 1979 C. Ronald Reagan in 1983

15 Answers: 1-A, 2-C, 3-A, 4-B, 5-C, 6-A, 7-B, 8-A, 9-B, 10-B.

1. What is the oldest synagogue in the United States?

A. Touro Synagogue, built in 1763 in Newport, Rhode Island B. Chevra Tehillim, built on the site that would one day become Chicago C. Anshe Sepharad, founded by Dutch settlers in the late 17th century

‫ב"ה‬

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