L'Chaim Magazine February 2017

FEBRUARY 2017

JEWISH

FILM FEST

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

THE FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE & CHRISTOPHER REEVE FOUNDATION

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On the Map chronicles Maccabi Tel Aviv’s upset win against CSKA Moscow in 1977

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contents

20

February 2017 • www.lchaimmagazine.com

in this issue...

COVER STORY: SD JEWISH FILM FEST

14 10 18 20 24 26

On The Map chronicles Maccabi Tel Aviv’s historic win in 1977 ....................................

1000 WORDS

Filmmaker Dani Menkin...........................................................................................................................

SENIORS

SERVING SENIORS

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Fighting Alzheimer’s with Film............................................................................................................

Doing Your Part: Serving Seniors...................................................................................................

Roz Weinstein, A Mensch for Modern Times...........................................................................

Alpacas and a peaceful life in Descanso...................................................................................

FOOD Badass Kosher: It’s Not Chopped

28 30 32

Risotto of mushrooms, peas and tomato confit....................................................................

FEATURES Preserving Israeli History.....................................................................................................................

BADASS RISOTTO

Friendship Circle teams up with Christopher Reeve Foundation...............................

COLUMNS Random Rants: My Comic Relief.....................................................................................................

Torah: Of the Book...................................................................................................................................

06 08 35 37

Guest Column: The Stand In..............................................................................................................

Humor: Mazel & Mishagoss.................................................................................................................

PUBLISHERS Diane Benaroya & Laurie Miller EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alanna Maya

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO, LLC (858) 776-0550 San Diego, CA 92127

ADVERTISING dianeb@lchaimmagazine.com

CONTRIBUTORS Daniel Bortz, Stephanie Lewis, Salomon Maya, Mimi Pollack, Sharon Rapoport, Nikki Salvo, Eva Trieger, Deborah Vietor

ADVERTISING & SALES Diane Benaroya (dianeb@lchaimmagazine.com), Sharon Buchsbaum (sharonbux@gmail.com)

ART DEPARTMENT lauriem@lchaimmagazine.com LISTINGS & CALENDAR: calendar@lchaimmagazine.com

EDITORIAL editor@lchaimmagazine.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Laurie Miller

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CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS info@lchaimmagazine.com

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5

RANDOM RANTS l BY SALOMON MAYA

my

comic relief Inaugurating the Unknown

I

woke up on January 20, 2017, knowing it was the day the United States would inaugurate the 45th President, Donald J. Trump. Again, in the interest of being fully transparent, I’d like to admit I did not support President Trump nor vote for him.

Although I did agree with his stance on how “Washington” had skewed far away from John Q. Public, I still feared for his constant negative vitriol and misuse of social media to at times personally attack members of the press, congress, and others. The word unpresidential will just have to be a word we will need to get used to for at least four years.

However, I digress, this column is not meant to at all be political in nature. It’s about the future for our kids.

My son seems to wake up every day at around 6 a.m. His mother and I have decided that his wake up time should be around 7 a.m., so we leave him in his crib, rolling and babbling to himself. And he has this routine pretty much set. Every day at 6, he wakes and rolls to himself for an hour. Yet on the 20th, he didn’t wake up at 6 a.m., and he didn’t wake up at 7. He finally woke up at around 8:15 a.m. I kept checking on him, but noticed his peaceful slumber and dared not disturb it. As I got ready for the day and watched the inauguration on TV, I constantly kept checking the baby monitor. But he was just away in some dream state not knowing what was happening in the world.

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2017

When he finally did wake, I rushed over to his door. We played the typical game we play in the morning, where my son opens the door and quickly shuts it in my face, cracking up at his make-believe game. I then burst into the room and picked him up. He normally squiggles around, informing me that his diaper is full and needs an urgent change. But this morning, he did something he normally just doesn’t do. As soon as I picked him up, he placed his head on my shoulder and hugged me. I hugged him back. I thought about what our future holds under a new leader. I started to think that even though my son is only 17 months old, he could possibly live under a Trump presidency until his 8th birthday. I changed his diaper and went back to the TV, still playing the inauguration. I noticed that I had missed the moment when President Trump entered the balcony on the Capitol Steps. I set down my son in his pack and play and he curiously watched the screen with Trump for a moment before picking up the toys littered on the floor of his play gym.

He neither knew nor cared about what was occurring.

I thought back to something I wrote on November 8, when Trump won the election. This is what I wrote: “Artists. We are in dire need right now. Let our voices not be silenced by the thunderous roar of the populous. Fear of the unknown

future should make us stronger, not weaker.

Don’t cower against a ripple in the tide. Let’s be tidal waves. We owe that to the minds and hearts of children who don’t understand what is happening, let us be the sounds and sights of reason for a complex world. It’s easy to look around in this haze we currently reside in and question how we got here. But we not need look to that. The future is bright, if we want it to be. The past is forgotten, if we want it to be. Today is what we make of it, if we want it to be. Because we are the dancers, the writers, the poets, the muses, the performers, the funny men and women who will bring forth a new generation of hope. We have to. We have no other choice. Because as artists that’s what we do. We harmonize. We revolutionize.

The world and its leaders don’t define us, we define the world. Because we need to. Because we have no other choice. Because we’re artists.”

I don’t know how to feel today. I still worry about the future. I’m a father, I guess it just comes with the job description. We can now only hope.

SALOMON MAYA IS A LOCAL ACTOR AND PLAYWRIGHT. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO FOLLOW HIM ON TWITTER @SALOMAYA OR EMAIL HIM AT SALOMONM@LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM.

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7

TORAH l BY RABBI DANIEL BORTZ

of

the book Perspective “IF WE APPROACH LIFE'S CHALLENGES WITH OPTIMISM, WE MAY YET SEE THE OPEN AND REVEALED GOOD THAT COMES FROM LOOKING STRAIGHT AT DARKNESS WITH A BIG SMILE.”

I

n 18th century Eastern Europe there lived two brothers who were Hasidic Masters with great followings, Reb Elimelech and Reb Zusha. They would travel anonymously to scattered towns and villages to inspire their inhabitants. Reb Zusha was known to say, that upon his death and entrance into the heavenly court, he wouldn’t be asked: “Why weren’t you like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob?” He would be asked: “Why weren’t you like Zusha? Why didn’t you live up to your individual potential?”

As often happened to Jewish citizens of Europe in those days, on one of their journeys the brothers were unfairly arrested and thrown into prison. With faith that G-d orchestrates everything in life, the brothers accepted their fate in good spirit. But during the first day of imprisonment, Elimelech noticed that his brother appeared downcast.

“What’s the matter Zusha? You know this is all for the best!”

“It’s not that,” Zusha answered in anguish.

Pointing to the communal toilet bucket in the shared prison cell, he explained: “We can’t pray here. Jewish law states that one is forbidden to recite holy words of prayer

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2017

next to such foul areas. How can I enjoy any moment of my day when I can’t be serving G-d properly?”

“But my brother,” Reb Elimelech replied gently. “The same G-d that so desires your prayers, also desires that in this situation you not pray. By not praying you are serving Him!” Reb Zusha’s frown turned into a wide grin.

“You’re absolutely right!” Grabbing his brother by the arm, Reb Zusha began dancing around the room, singing with great joy. Attracted by the festive dancing and singing, the other prisoners ran to join.

The vicious prison guards rushed to the scene and asked the first prisoner they saw for the reason behind the celebration. With a laugh, he pointed to the waste bucket.

“If that’s the case, we’ll get rid of their joy immediately!” The guards grabbed the bucket and tossed it out of the room.

There are two classic sayings of the Sages: “Joy breaks through all barriers” and “Think good and it will be good,” in the original Yiddish, “Tracht gut vet zein gut.”

Far from a naïve notion, quantum physicists explain that our minds and consciousness

can actually affect the physical circumstances around us, as seen in the famous double-split experiment. In modern medicine, many argue the power the mind has on the health of the body, citing the placebo effect and other studies. By approaching life with optimism and joy, regardless of the situation thrown our way, we are able to affect an openly favorable outcome. This age old Jewish concept of the power of positivity to affect one’s reality has recently gained notoriety as the Law of Attraction. Recently, this concept was adapted into a self-help book and movie called The Secret and eventually sold 19 million copies.

If we approach life’s challenges with optimism like Reb Zusha and Reb Elimelech, we may yet see the open and revealed good that comes from looking straight at darkness with a big smile.

RABBI DANIEL BORTZ IS THE DIRECTOR OF JTEEN SAN DIEGO, JTEENSD.COM. FOR INFORMATION ON CLASSES, CONTACT HIM AT DANIELBORTZ@GMAIL.COM.

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2017

L’CHAIM

A THOUSAND

WORDS DIRECTOR DANI MENKIN

I

sraeli filmmaker Dani Menkin’s new documentary, On The Map recounts the tremendous achievements of the 1977 Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball team. Born and raised in Israel, one of Menkin’s best childhood memories was watching Israel’s first sports television channel. In his latest work, he recounts the story of a team that captured a nation – and the world. Through interviews with NBA legends Bill Walton, David Stern, and Tal Brody, along with never-before-seen footage of the epic match up against the Soviet Red Army team, Menkin tells the story of “The Miracle on Hardwood.”

This month, Menkin will attend the opening night of the San Diego Jewish Film Festival as On The Map is screened for the first time in San Diego. After the film, he will speak to the audience about the filmmaking process and what it meant to work on a film that chronicled a historic time in Israel’s story. We spoke with Menkin on the day the film was to be screened in Las Vegas about what audiences can expect from On The Map. L’CHAIM MAGAZINE: HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH FILMMAKING AND DIRECTING? HAVE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO MAKE FILMS? DANI MENKIN: Interestingly, as far as On

The Map goes, I started out wanting to be in sports. I was attracted to soccer, I loved basketball, I thought maybe I would be a

sports figure; and then when I wasn’t, and the first sports television station in Israel was formed, I joined them. I started to work on some short video profiles on Israeli sports stars, and working with these people was really exciting to me at the time. I took some workshops in the United States on directing, and then my fist international film, 39 Pounds of Love was really well received, and won an Israeli academy award, it was on HBO, shortlisted for the Oscars here, and [that was when] I officially made the leap to the film world.

L’CHAIM: HOW DID THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THE STORY OF THE 1977 MACCABI TEL AVIV BASKETBALL TEAM PRESENT ITSELF TO YOU? DM: Three years ago, I was approached to

tell the story of one of my first childhood memories, and my first love: sports. I remember growing up in Israel that everyone watched the basketball games on TV. There was one channel, and it was always on. You could not not watch it.

I was shocked that there had never been a movie about this team, but also that there was so much unseen footage and [so many] stories that had never been told.

I joined forces with executive producers Nancy Spielberg and Roberta Grossman who had just worked on the film Above and Beyond, and producer Jon Weinbach, and we made this film for an American audience.

L’CHAIM: WHAT MAKES THIS STORY SO POWERFUL FOR YOU? DM: I believe that the best sports stories are

the ones that are larger than just the sport world. So, this wasn’t just about basketball, it wasn’t just about sports. This team represented the country [of Israel] and played against the symbol of the giant, or the team that represented our enemies. [The Russian team] actually boycotted the Israeli team and refused to play against [us], but at the end of the day, and after a lot of diplomatic efforts, they were actually forced to play against us on a neutral site.

To actually compete and win against all odds, makes that a moment that no one who was there will ever forget. Everyone [living in Israel at the time] felt that this was much bigger than the sport, and today it is not only an underdog story, it is a story about a country.

L’CHAIM: WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE MEMBERS OF THE MACCABI TEL AVIV TEAM SO MANY YEARS LATER ABOUT WHAT HAS BECOME SUCH AN IMPORTANT EVENT IN THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF ISRAELIS? DM: These players are my childhood icons, so

interviewing them was like being a kid in a candy store, and getting to speak to them and to work with the material that represented my childhood was a real treat for me. I really enjoyed making this film and I continue to WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM

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L’CHAIM

Check it out onthemapfilm.com

OUR FILM FEST PICKS Must see: The 27th annual San Diego Jewish Film Festival runs February 9-19. More than 70 screenings at five locations throughout the county will host world premieres, awardwinning feature and documentary films, and the everpopular Joyce Forum, featuring 23 short films screened on one day. Though the lineup is packed with great options to enjoy, a few festival highlights include:

enjoy the reception that the film has seen at the various film festivals we have traveled to.

If the movie is more than a sports story, [then] for me, it is much more than a movie.

L’CHAIM: WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO TELL THIS STORY THE WAY THAT YOU DID, IN TERMS OF YOUR DIRECTING STYLE? DM: This is the first time that I am following a team, a country, a moment

and a year, and that is the structure of the film. I always have a main protagonist, a main character and lead roles that I will follow in the fictional films or even in the documentary films that I have worked on [in the past], but here, the main character was the country of Israel, and that was a very new challenge for me.

Still, there was a shining star in Tal Brody, and I was very privileged to work with some great storytellers for the film, like Natan Sharansky, Bill Walton and David Stern, among others, and all the team members are very intelligent, which made filming and working with them so much easier.

Luckily for me, there was also a great archive of footage to work with to really bring the story to life.

Once you make a film [like this] and you understand that you are the person who will tell a story that no one has told and that no one will tell ever again, [it can be overwhelming]. I felt like I had a responsibility to tell the story using as much footage as I possibly could to bring the story to life; and there was a lot of footage out there, from Russian TV, and different film formats that had never been converted, so we got to work finding the best of the best for this film.

I think that what we’ve come up with is a film that audiences will enjoy.

I don’t want to give away the ending, but there are a few surprises along the way, and the film really speaks to the spirit of Israel through a sport. *Read more about the film on page 14.

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2017

OPENING NIGHT: On The Map Clairemont Reading 14: Thursday, Feb. 9 • 7pm At the height of the Cold War, the 1977 Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball team became “the team of the nation” when they brought the first European Cup to Israel by beating the four-time defending champions, the Soviet Red Army team. This documentary retells the story of “The Miracle on Hardwood” with the Maccabis embodying the spirit of Israel to win against all odds.

CENTERPIECE FILM: The People vs. Fritz Bauer Clairemont Reading 14: Wednesday Feb. 15 • 8 pm Edwards San Marcos: Thursday, Feb. 16 • 5 pm Clairemont Reading 14: Sunday, Feb. 19 • 10:45 am In 1957, Fritz Bauer, a Holocaust survivor, was the attorney general in West Germany. When he received a lead that SS-Obersturmbannführer Adolf Eichmann was hiding in Argentina, Bauer set out to capture him. Based on actual events, this historical thriller depicts how one man overcame significant obstacles and personal risks to hold one of Germany’s most notorious criminals accountable for war crimes.

CLOSING NIGHT: Body and Soul: An American Bridge Clairemont Reading 14: Sunday, Feb. 19 • 7:45 p.m.

Body and Soul: An American Bridge looks at the relationship between African Americans and Jews during the height of the Jazz Age. The story follows the early jazz classic “Body and Soul,” which was written

by Jewish composer Johnny Green in 1929, sung on Broadway by Jewish torch singer Libby Holman, and made its mark on the work of Louis Armstrong. The film shows how the song led to an historic Benny Goodman Trio recording that broke the color barrier by including a black pianist in the ensemble.

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COVER STORY l BY JEFFREY BARKEN | jns.org

PHOTOS COURTESY ON THE MAP

Maccabi Tel Aviv captain Tal Brody is lifted by his teammates following the Israeli basketball squad’s upset victory over CSKA Moscow in 1977.

ON THE MAP

Bringing 'miracle on hardwood' to life, film proves Israel is a country that matters 14

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2017

“Highs and lows make you feel that things matter,” writes Jonathan Safran Foer in his novel, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Indeed, the stakes could not have been higher when Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball team faced its heavily favored rival, the Russian CSKA Moscow squad, on a neutral court in Belgium in 1977.

Deadly terrorism against Israeli team members at the 1972 Munich Olympics and the devastating 1973 Yom Kippur war had cast despairing clouds over Israel during the first half of the decade. It was the height of the Cold War, and the Jewish state’s very survival on the world stage remained in question.

COVER STORY

Therefore, Maccabi’s upset triumph over CSKA Moscow — along the team’s road to a European basketball championship — ignited renewed faith and patriotism among Israelis, turning the tide on a turbulent period. Israeli filmmaker Dani Menkin’s new documentary, “On The Map,” recounts the tremendous achievements of a team nobody thought could win, and captures the unique charisma of the players who inspired a nation.

Early in the film, former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren describes the hardship Israelis had endured.

“It was a very difficult [time] for Israel, probably the greatest trauma suffered by the Jewish people since the Holocaust,” Oren reflects on the nation-building setbacks Israel suffered during the early 1970s. His description of the toll the Yom Kippur War had on Israeli society is particularly telling.

“Two-thousand-six-hundred Israeli soldiers killed in three weeks. Everybody knew someone who had died in that war…It seemed at that point that we could not go any lower or any darker,” Oren says. “And then suddenly this,” he adds, smiling as he recalls Maccabi Tel Aviv’s triumph.

The film’s title references the defiant words team captain Tal Brody spoke after Maccabi defeated the Russians in the historic matchup.

“We are on the map and we will stay on the map, not only in sports but in everything!”

Brody jubilantly declares in unforgettable black-and-white footage.

“For me it was a very exciting story, because I’m a basketball fan…and I’m a fan of Israel.

In many ways this is my first childhood memory,” Menkin says. He was inspired to make the film largely out of nostalgia, but when he began researching the Maccabi team and discovered never-before-seen footage, he realized the true significance of the project.

“Only now do I really get how big it is. …

In many ways this story is even more exciting to [audiences] in the United States than it is in Israel,” Menkin says, noting that many young Americans are unfamiliar with this chapter in Israel’s history. Before there was the U.S. Olympic team’s “miracle on ice” against the Russians, as the trailer to “On the Map” states, there was “a miracle on hardwood.”

Maccabi’s victory against CSKA Moscow was a symbolic feat that resonated across the free world and stands as an enduring testament to the special relationship Israel shares with America.

“Compared to the other teams, we didn’t have any big names,” Miki Burkovich, Maccabi’s legendary guard, reflects in the film, illuminating the humble origins of the players and validating their underdog status.

“The team consisted of five American players, who didn’t make the NBA (National Basketball Association — most of them

Jewish — and three Israeli sabras,” adds Mike Karnon, a Maccabi Tel Aviv historian.

The story of how the American players adapted to life in Israel and came together as a team reflects Israel’s immigrant heritage.

Viewers will especially delight in the athletic and spiritual journey that Maccabi center Aulcie Perry underwent. Perry had made it to the final rounds of tryouts for the New York Knicks, but was ultimately denied a spot on the roster. Aulcie was playing at Madison Square Garden when he was approached by Maccabi’s coach, Ralph Klein, who asked him to consider playing basketball in Israel.

“At September, with no job…any job I would have said yes to — my first thought was that I was going to be doing a lot of praying!”

Aulcie says in the film. An element of fate, and a quirky story about a cake that was symbolic of sportsmanship and collaboration, landed Aulcie a coveted spot on Maccabi. The longer Aulcie played in Israel, the more interested he became in Israeli culture and the Jewish religion, eventually converting to the faith.

“My movies are both documentaries and fiction, I will usually follow a person from the present through whatever happens to them,” Menkin says, describing his directorial style. His previous films, 39 Pounds of Love and Dolphin Boy, are biopic stories about scarred individuals who overcame hardship.

On the Map, however, inverts the narrative

JOIN TEAM SAN DIEGO AT THE JCC MACCABI GAMES Birmingham, Alabama • July 28-August 4, 2017 Tryouts Jan. 15 & 22, 2017 • 1-3pm Since 1962, the JCC Maccabi Games have been providing Jewish teens, ages 13-16 (by July 21, 2017) with a life-shaping experience based on Jewish values and healthy competition. Teens also participate in Olympic style opening ceremonies, a day of tikkun olam, as well as celebratory parties each night.

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COVER STORY

Members of the Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball team that scored the historic upset over CSKA Moscow in 1977; today.

structure, investigating an event that took place 40 years in the past and the iconic team that stood at the helm of a wounded nation, steering Israel toward renewal.

“This was my team, all of them were my childhood heroes,” Menkin says. “Tal Brody was a role model as captain, Miki Berkovich was the ideal Israeli sabra — he had so much chutzpah the way he moved the ball — and I’ve always been fascinated by Aulcie Perry’s story.”

There are other characters in the film — such as iconic Israeli leaders Moshe Dayan and Yitzhak Rabin — who are notable for the way they elevated basketball as Israel’s national pastime and set the stage for the east-west political confrontation that the 1976-77 Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball season came to represent.

“Moshe Dayan was the most recognizable face in the world except for Mohammad Ali,” says Eric Menkin, a player on the historymaking Maccabi team. “He was at every one of our games, shaking our hands.” Defense 16

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2017

Minister Dayan’s unforgettable eye patch and his double-edged gesture of also shaking the hands of Maccabi’s opponents before the start of a game was at once an intimidation factor as well as motivation for the Israeli team to play its hardest. Similarly, Rabin, a general at the time and later Israel’s prime minister, honored the team’s victory over the Russians in a way that cast the players as heroes for all of Israel.

The story of Jewish-Russian activist Natan Sharansky, who spent nine years in Soviet prisons, adds another dimension to the film.

Sharansky recalls how the former Soviet Union did not recognize Israel.

“Every expression of solidarity with Israel was almost betrayal,” Sharansky says. For Russian Jews and Israelis alike, the fact that Maccabi managed to force a matchup with the Russian team, even if the game took place in a neutral location, was a major spiritual victory for the Jewish people.

Audiences will want to know more about the makeup of the Russian basketball team,

and the secret interactions they had with Maccabi players on the eve of the big game — an element that Menkin neglects to explore in depth. Nevertheless, the film presents many intriguing personalities and anecdotes that bring the period and the dramatic games to life. Conscious that Israel has suffered new lows in its recent history, Menkin notes that he “wanted to show something really positive coming out of Israel and also to show a time when Israel was a little more naive, different, special, even magical.” His film revives the fervor and excitement that originally accompanied the Jewish state’s foray onto the world stage. Maccabi’s story proves that regardless of the current international mood, Israel remains a country that matters.

ON THE MAP PLAYS AT THE SAN DIEGO JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL’S OPENING NIGHT, FEBRUARY 9, 2017. FOR TICKETS AND MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THE LFJCC BOX OFFICE ONLINE AT LFJCC.ORG.

WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM

17

THE FIGHT AGAINST

SPOTLIGHT on SENIORS

ALZHEIMER'S

A film producer channels Jewish values in an attempt to fight the disease

BY MATT ROBINSON | JNS.ORG

A

s chair of The Judy Fund, film producer Elizabeth Gelfand Stearns channels Jewish values and personal experience in her work to motivate action in support of people dealing with Alzheimer’s disease.

Founded in 2003, The Judy Fund is the fastest-growing private fund in the history of the Alzheimer’s Association, and has raised and granted more than $6 million to support 18

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2017

PHOTO COURTESY NICOLAS GENIN VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Julianne Moore (pictured) won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Still Alice, which was co-produced

by Elizabeth Gelfand Stearns. Still Alice has been an important conversation starter in the Alzheimer’s community and particularly for The Judy Fund, an organization led by Stearns.

Alzheimer’s research and public policy initiatives. The fund is named after Stearns’s mother Judy, a recipient of American Friends of Hebrew University’s Scopus Award, who had Alzheimer’s and died at age 70.

“I was raised in a family that valued and modeled philanthropy,” Stearns told JNS. org. “Both my mother and father made giving a priority, thus my siblings and I had great role models exemplifying the

core concepts of tikkun olam (repairing the world). The Judy Fund is a fine example of the impact that one family can have on millions to help repair the world.”

A former senior vice president of strategic marketing at Universal Pictures, Stearns was the co-producer of Still Alice, which earned Julianne Moore the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of a linguistics professor diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

SPOTLIGHT on SENIORS

and public policy efforts, all in support of our shared vision—a world without Alzheimer’s disease.”

JNS: WHAT GAVE YOU THE IDEA? STEARNS: “I lost my mother and PHOTO COURTESY ELIZABETH GELFAND STEARNS

my grandmother to Alzheimer’s disease, both in their 70s. My mother, Judy, was diagnosed at 62, and died just before her 71st birthday. We established The Judy Fund at the Alzheimer’s Association in 2003 and have raised and granted over $6 million from over 2,000 donors nationwide.”

JNS: WHO IS YOUR CUSTOMER BASE OR DEMOGRAPHIC? STEARNS: “We speak to thousands of donors Elizabeth Gelfand Stearns, chair of The Judy Fund.

Still Alice has been an important conversation starter for Stearns’s organization and for the Alzheimer’s community in general. Stearns has also collaborated with Emmy Awardwinning producer and fellow Alzheimer’s advocate Maria Shriver on the “A Woman’s Nation Takes on Alzheimer’s” project.

In addition to her film industry accolades, Stearns was named by Newsweek and Advertising Age as a member of “The Marketing 100,” placing her among those publications’ assessment of the top 100 individuals in that field. She discusses The Judy Fund in the following interview.

JNS: HOW DO YOU DEFINE YOUR VENTURE? ELIZABETH GELFAND STEARNS: “The

Judy Fund is the largest and fastest-growing family fund at the national Alzheimer’s Association. We raise and grant funds that support Alzheimer’s disease research, care

nationwide. We engage baby boomer women with programs like Mind&Heart, a Judy Fund series we developed to educate and engage women on the vascular connection between heart and brain health. We speak to millennials on college campuses nationwide, as The Judy Fund is the charity of choice for the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity. My father Marshall Gelfand was a Sammy [fraternity member] at Syracuse [University]; my nephew, Brian Gelfand, was a Sammy at the University of Pennsylvania; and my son, Greg Stearns, was a Sammy at the University of Michigan. Sammy chapters and alumni nationwide raised over $132,000 this past year for The Judy Fund.

JNS: HOW DO YOU HOPE TO FIT INTO THE MARKET? STEARNS: “We will continue to engage

consumers by educating them about the realities of Alzheimer’s disease. The median age of the disease is 72 years old; women are disproportionally impacted by the disease, as two-thirds of people over the age of 65 who get the disease are women; and finally,

Founded in 2003, The Judy Fund is the fastestgrowing private fund in the history of the Alzheimer’s Association, and has raised and granted more than $6 million to support Alzheimer’s research and public policy initiatives.

Alzheimer’s disease is the 6th-leading cause of death in the U.S., but the only disease in the top 10 causes of death with no diseasemodifying drugs or a cure. Education and engagement is key and that’s what we do at The Judy Fund.

JNS: WHAT DO YOU NEED MOST TO SUCCEED? STEARNS: Engaging people to donate to The

Judy Fund so we can reach the United States government’s goal of a disease modifying drugs or a cure by 2025.

MATT ROBINSON HAS BEEN WRITING FOR AND ABOUT ENTREPRENEURS FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS. HE CAN BE REACHED AT MATTHEWSROBINSON@MAC.COM. WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM

19

SPOTLIGHT on SENIORS DOING YOUR

PART

Unique ways to serve and celebrate seniors in San Diego

BY DEBORAH VIETOR

W

e spoke with community members providing senior programming throughout the county about what’s new, and how they support the vibrant and diverse community of San Diego seniors.

DOWNTOWN: GARY AND MARY WEST SENIOR WELLNESS CENTER

Paul Downey is the CEO of the Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center, a program and location run by Serving 20

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2017

Seniors, the leading provider of services to culturally diverse, low-income seniors in San Diego. He is also the chair of the California Commission on Aging, which provides a multitude of programs and services for seniors, including serving 600,000 nutritious meals annually. A new dental center on-site is the only dental center available for free through a senior service center. Anyone over the age of 60 can take advantage of the three dentists on staff, providing services including fillings, check ups, teeth cleanings, crowns,

some root canals and bridges, including dentures.

Downey says this new resource provided through the Wellness Center is important for the senior community, because many illnesses begin in the mouth, and can later reach the brain or heart. Serving Seniors addresses housing, medical issues, socialization and activities for San Diego’s diverse senior population, partnering with Sharp Hospital to provide an outstation psychiatric nurse, and a psychiatrist one day per week at the

SPOTLIGHT on SENIORS

Wellness Center. The organization works closely with Sharp’s doctors and nurses and are informed if seniors need assistance with housing or Social Security benefits.

The Center’s robust Civic Engagement Program provides meaningful volunteer opportunities, including a blanket drive for the homeless. Blankets, socks, sweatshirts and other clothing are collected and distributed for the homeless. Some volunteers are also recipients of senior services at the center.

The center’s program offerings include exercise classes like Tai Chi, walking groups, outings, a beach walk, arts and crafts classes, sewing, and knitting. A chef offers monthly cooking classes. An annual fundraising event for Serving Seniors, this year called “Experience of a Lifetime,” will be held on Thursday, April 27 at the Del Mar Country Club. There will be a full program with sponsors, an auction, wine tasting, and a multi-course dinner and music. Valet parking will be provided. Registration is now open. Email info@servingseniors.org or call (619) 235-6572 to volunteer, donate or attend the fundraiser.

NORTH COUNTY: CENTER

CARLSBAD

SENIOR

Valerie Fisher is the activity coordinator for the Carlsbad Senior Center, which serves seniors from across the North County area.

According to Fisher, activities abound and include Qigong, Yoga, Tai Chi, balance and mobility, Hawaiian Dance, Zumba, Aerobic and Line Dance. There are writing groups, painting, ping pong, and many other enriching classes. Additional popular activities include workshops and presentations ranging from digital photography, iPad and tech classes.

Morningstar Investment education lectures and other topics of interest are discussed by local professionals in their respective fields.

Professional services including Ask the Attorney, physical therapy and orthopedic surgery referral services are offered as well as monthly low-vision consultations and hearing screenings.

A popular lunch program includes hot meals served on weekdays, with home meal deliveries offered to homebound seniors.

Transportation to and from doctor visits and weekly shopping trips are offered to those unable to drive.

“Being a City of Carlsbad facility, we do not require membership, and we are open to the public, not just Carlsbad residents,” Fisher says. “I would estimate about 95% of the people who attend our activities and/or lunch program come from North County Coastal communities, including Carlsbad, Oceanside, Encinitas, San Marcos and Vista.

Many of our classes and activities are free, others may require a fee, and we offer a 10% discount to City of Carlsbad residents.”

“The Center was dedicated December 7, 1989. It is an ages 50+ facility for classes, programs and workshops and 60+ for its lunch program, falling under federal grant guidelines.”

Fisher has worked for the center for over seven years as an activities coordinator. Prior to her formal employment, she volunteered in the dining room for a year, checking people in for lunch, and says that working there is never boring. “It’s been very enriching and I’m thankful my life’s path has brought me here,” She says of her time at the Center.

For more information regarding the Carlsbad Senior Center, visit: carlsbadca. gov, or contact Valerie Fisher, activities coordinator at valerie.fisher@carlsbadca.gov.

SPECIAL PROGRAMMING: YOGA

Cynthia Collier is a Yoga Instructor at the Carlsbad Senior Center and has taught yoga consistently in North County for 15 years. She has taught in a variety of settings, including an art gallery, community center, yoga studio, country club, fitness center and privately.

When asked about her inspiration for yoga, Collier stated that she has been inspired by her personal experience of practicing yoga daily and integrating it into her life.

“I fell in love with yoga during the first class I took at UCSD many years ago, and I did it daily right away,” she says. “Every teacher I’ve taken a class with since then has been an inspiration to me as I love learning new things for my own good and to share with my students.”

When asked what she finds most gratifying about teaching yoga, Cynthia replied, “I especially love teaching total beginners. It always reinvigorates my own enthusiasm to share the basics. It’s a palpable feeling of 'wow', this person is really in for a treat!.”

An annual fundraising event for Serving Seniors, this year called “Experience of a Lifetime,” will be held on Thursday, April 27 at the Del Mar Country Club.

Registration is now open.

Email info@ servingseniors.org or call (619) 235-6572 to volunteer, donate or attend the fundraiser.

Cynthia believes yoga has helped the seniors in a variety of ways, such as when a senior student shares how the practice has improved their life by reducing lower back pain, learning to balance with more confidence, strengthening their breathing, and releasing stress by learning how to breathe and relax. Some individuals address issues such as easing the pain of plantar fasciitis.

“Yoga invites one to create a positive life focus overall. You are usually welcomed into a loving family of fellow Yogis just by showing up to class,” said Cynthia.

L’CHAIM MAGAZINE: WHAT HAS YOGA TAUGHT YOU ABOUT LIFE IN GENERAL? CYNTHIA COLLIER: Yoga has taught me to

live in the present moment, to cooperate with what is and to keep a positive focus in general.

L’CHAIM: WHY DO YOU RECOMMEND YOGA AND CHAIR YOGA? CC: Yoga literally means union, a ‘yoking’ of WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM

21

SPOTLIGHT on SENIORS

mind, body and spirit. When you do yoga regularly, it helps you to integrate everything in your life in a holistic way. It wakes you up gently into the NOW and teaches you to accept and love every part of your life.

Personally, I see it as the church of self loving.

Yoga isn’t in conflict with anything; rather it’s a positive support system that welcomes diversity, so long as there is love present.

FROM HER STUDENTS:

“We highly recommend Yoga for anyone, but especially for seniors, (those of us over 55.)

My husband is 82 and I am turning 85 this month. We have been doing gentle yoga for about 8 years now with Cynthia. Our ability to balance on one leg has significantly improved.

Instead of leaning against something to put on clothing, we can now balance on one leg while dressing. My doctor is amazed at my flexibility and when I told him I was doing yoga, he stated emphatically to keep it up because he had never had a patient of my age be so flexible.

My husband was in an auto accident in his youth and had multiple broken bones in his lower back and hips. Due to this and his bad knees from standing behind a barber chair for around 40 years, twisting and bending used to be extremely difficult as well as painful. He has gained much greater mobility in both his 22

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2017

upper body, hips and legs. Both of us feel that the reason we are so active at our age is due to yoga.” -- Audra “I am 66 years old and have been taking Cynthia’s class for approximately five years.

This all started when I realized that my balancing wasn’t where it should be. One of my fears was falling and possibly breaking a bone. Additionally, I had been dealing with chronic pain and weakness in my top left leg and neck pain. Since attending her class, all of these areas have greatly improved or disappeared. Her routine for this class is perfect.

We start with doing poses in the chair, then stand for balancing poses and from there move on to the mat. The chair poses are excellent for me because it has taught me to work on my breathing exercises, posture and poses that you can do almost anywhere. As we moved onto the mat, I have benefitted from the balancing, coordination, strengthening, breathing exercise, and relaxation poses. Overall, my health has greatly improved from Cynthia’s Gentle Yoga Class. I feel better, my breathing has improved, my flexibility has increased and I have more energy.

I thoroughly enjoy and have learned so much. My body and mind are grateful!”

-- Ann

John and Gail Clessler joined Matt Dixon in the middle of 2016, teaching the Transcendental Meditation Program (TM), in greater San Diego. The Clesslers are originally from the Berkshires in New England. Dixon, 43, has been a steady fixture in the community for the last decade. More recently, he has been managing a multimillion-dollar grant from the Department Of Defense which studies the benefits of this technique, dramatically reducing PTSD in veterans.

The Clesslers are in their 60s and have been teaching TM for over 40 years globally.

“The TM program is a widely popular form of meditation throughout the world with roots to the oldest body of knowledge in the planet,” said John Clessler. “It is enjoyed by people of all walks of life and is of particular growing interest to many seniors due to its practical benefits and ease of practice,” When asked how Tm is different from other forms of meditation, John responded: “Unlike other forms of meditation which engage the mind, concentration or analyzing thoughts and self-reflection, all of which keep the mind on the surface, TM allows the mind to naturally settle down to a deep, quiet level within. The brain ‘wakes up’ in ways only known from this effortless process of transcending. The body automatically gains a deep quality of rest, much deeper than sleep, allowing it to repair and rejuvenate itself on many levels.”

Regularly scheduled free introductory talks on the TM program are provided every week. Visit TM.org/SanDiego or call (760) 943-0551 for further details.

FROM TM STUDENTS:

“My mind is back, I have greater calm ,focus and clarity, even memory. It’s a blessing to have.” -- Susan “I now have a renewed interest in life, and more energy to continue to achieve. I just love it.” -- Anna

Documentary (49 min.) exploring the forced exodus of Middle Eastern and North African Jewish communities after 1945. Personal stories of refugees from Egypt, Yemen, Libya, Iraq and Morocco are told while archival footage of exodus and resettlement is shown. Explains how and why the number of one million Jews in the Middle East and North Africa in 1945 is only several thousand today.

WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM

23

SPOTLIGHT on SENIORS

ROZ

WEINSTEIN

A Mensch for Modern Times

BY DEBORAH VIETOR

R

oselyn Weinstein was born Roselyn Finnerman in Los Angeles, Calif., to Russian and English immigrants on August 3, 1929.

Her maternal grandmother, Sheba Leshin, survived the RussoJapanese war. Roselyn remembers her as being partially paralyzed, as she lived with her family in Los Angeles. Her grandmother sent one son to Turkey, another to Palestine and one to the United States; Uncle David. She was close with her grandmother, and the two spent a lot of time together, going places like the park and beach while Roselyn’s mother worked in a department store. Her grandmother passed away when Roselyn was in grade school. Roselyn’s mother, Hannah, later changed her name to Anita.

The family arrived in the United States through Canada, with stops in Vancouver, Seattle, and Fresno, before finally settling in Los

24

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2017

Angeles. Roselyn’s father’s name was Benjamin and he changed it to Albert. He emigrated from Manchester, England, and was trained as a tailor. Initially, he came to Chicago and married his first wife, a woman named Molly. During the 1920s, Albert moved to Los Angeles where he met Roselyn’s mother.

Initially, Roselyn lived in Santa Monica in the Melrose district and attended Bancroft Junior High School. The family moved, and her father bought a duplex and opened a dry-cleaning business. At that time, she attended Beverly Hills High School, followed by UCLA. The family belonged to Sinai Temple. After high school, Roselyn worked for the Royal Typewriter Company.

Roselyn and Lawrence Weinstein were married in 1952, three months after going on a blind date. The wedding was a lovely affair at

SPOTLIGHT on SENIORS

the Beverly Hills Hotel and they honeymooned first in Santa Barbara at the Santa Barbara Biltmore and then in Hawaii. They lived in Chicago for a while and then Lawrence joined the army where he was stationed in San Antonio, Texas, and then St. Louis, Missouri.

Lawrence had graduated high school in just three years and attended the University of Chicago for undergraduate studies. There was a quota on Jews for medical school at the time, and Lawrence was informed that if he attended Loyola Dental School in Chicago and maintained an A average, he could apply to medical school. He completed dental school within three years, and then attended Loyola Medical School in Chicago, graduating in 1950.

The couple moved to Los Feliz, Calif., where they lived from 1954 to 1958, while Lawrence began his residency at Los Angeles County Hospital in the Radiology department. They moved to Long Beach in 1958, where Lawrence worked as a Radiologist at the VA Hospital.

Their family grew quickly as they had a daughter, Deborah, in Chicago and flew back to California in 1955. Their son David was born in 1957, and identical twin girls, Sharon and Naomi followed in 1959.

Deborah and David were Bar and Bat Mitzvah’d at Temple Beth Emet, a conservative Temple, and later the family belonged to Temple Beth Tikvah, a reform temple in Fullerton, Calif., which Lawrence started. Although there were not many Jewish families in Orange County during the 1950s and 60s, the family supported both synagogues and observed all of the Jewish holidays. Sharon and Naomi traveled to Israel with the family while in high school. This became an inspiration for Sharon to study and have a Bat Mitzvah as an adult. All four children attended Anaheim High School.

While raising her children in Anaheim, Roselyn often catered her mother-in-law Marion’s parties and fundraisers in Beverly Hills.

She loved cooking for the Jewish holidays as well and became an exceptional cook with some of her recipes appearing in the Los Angeles Times without her knowledge. She catered turkey salad, strudel, chocolate cake and her famous cheesecake. She made homemade chicken soup, brisket, potato kugel and gefilte fish made from salmon amongst numerous other dishes.

Roselyn’s beloved husband Lawrence passed away in 1991 while in his 60’s. He was an anonymous donor and volunteer to many Jewish causes, including Israel, and never missed an opportunity to perform a mitzvah. He was kind and generous to his family, patients, and people in general.

In 1995, Roselyn developed Non-Hodgins Lymphoma and received surgery in addition to chemotherapy and radiation. Her son, David, located world-renowned expert in the field, Dr. Larry Kwak.

Dr. Kwak developed a vaccine from a tumor, which became life saving for Roselyn. She initially traveled to Dr. Kwak at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, then to Houston, Texas, and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and finally most recently to the City of Hope in Duarte, California. While receiving chemotherapy treatment at UC Irvine, she volunteered at the Oncology Center, working with patients and checking them in for appointments. She has a special relationship with Dr. Kwak, as she was one of his first

patients. Recently, she was the subject of a video developed by a group of Korean filmmakers profiling Dr. Kwak. Nearly 88 years old, she was proud to be featured and to support Dr. Kwak in his efforts.

During the 1990s, Roselyn developed issues with her eyes and it was discovered she had a retinal occlusion in addition to some other eye issues. Some injections were given at UCI, which left her blind in one eye. The right eye had a retinal occlusion and once again, her son David located an internationally renowned specialist in the field, Dr. Mark Humayan. Dr. Humayan practices at Keck Medical Center in Los Angeles, part of USC Medical Center. He successfully performed a retinal occlusion surgery in addition to cataract surgery and to date, Roselyn regularly receives vision-saving injections through Dr. Humayan’s office. Her vision has improved, where before she was almost completely blind. Doctors and patients alike travel from around the world to work with Dr. Humayan due to his exceptional reputation.

Roselyn is a huge supporter of animal rights and in particular has a great love of elephants. She has ridden them, and knows a lot about them and their very humane qualities. She supports elephant rights organizations such as the African Wildlife Fund. She continues to have a strong sense of humor, and on any given day when asked how she is doing, she replies, “Well, I am missing a kidney, partially blind, survived cancer and walk with a leg brace; other than that, I am perfectly fine!”

When asked what she would most like to impart to her children and grandchildren, her answer was, “To believe in God and have positive energy.” When asked what qualities she most values in other she replied, “Self-confidence and honesty.”

She has taught her children and grandchildren that it is not about them, however, it is about others in the world, and the sacrifices and contributions you make are what make you a mensch.

Roselyn encouraged her children to congratulate the successes and achievements of their friends and console others when life was a challenge. She has done all this with humor and compassion. She discouraged pettiness, jealousy and social competition at any level and recognizes pretense coming from miles away. She has never felt sorry for herself, yet has great compassion for others, is humble, kind and generous. Not one to strongly offer her opinion in a group, if you ask her, she will tell you. Her family has given her the nickname, “The Quiet Woman.”

How do I know all of these things to be true, unequivocally?

Because Roselyn Weinstein is my mother. If I could ever be half the woman she has raised me to be, I would be so very proud. I have tried to pass these values on to my own children over the years, and have tried to integrate her humility, compassion and patience for others into everything I do. Our children call her their “cool” grandma and I could not agree more. “Cool,” because values never go out of style.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON DR. LARRY KWAK, VISIT WWW. CITYOFHOPE.ORG/LARRYKWAK. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON DR. MARK HUMAYAN, VISIT WWW.KECKMEDICINE.ORG/ DOCTOR/MARK-S-HUMAYAN. WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM

25

SPOTLIGHT on SENIORS

HAPPY

LIFE

Alpacas and a Peaceful Life in Descanso

BY MIMI POLLACK

“David is a unicorn,” said Amy Alyeshmerni, referring to David Kabbai, her partner of six years in life, love, and business. “Here is a man who owns a ranch, loves animals, and wants us to spend every other Friday with his mother and family for Shabbat dinner. How unusual is that? I am very lucky!” Indeed, they share a bucolic life on their alpaca ranch.

Kabbai is an unusual man. He is a Persian Jew who left Iran when he was a teen and came to live in La Jolla. Although extremely smart, he struggled with academia. After some time at UCSD, he felt happier working with his hands and problem-solving, so he dropped out to open a successful business, DaMar Plastics, with his family’s blessing.

But he still wanted to do something more; get out of the hustle and bustle of the city, and work with animals. After doing some research 26

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2017

and making numerous trips to Descanso, he sold his business and bought a 14-acre ranch in the countryside where he could raise alpacas and live a rancher’s life. Today, Kabbai and Alyeshmerni live on the ranch Atlas Alpacas with 65 alpacas, two dogs, two cats, one rooster, and various chickens. He is in his element working with the animals, fixing things, and he recently began remodeling their house.

Amy, a city girl from St. Louis Park, a Jewish suburb of Minneapolis, fell in love with the country lifestyle and all that it offered. She doesn’t mind commuting to work in downtown San Diego where she is a leasing manager for Westfield Shopping Centers; focusing on the redevelopment of Horton Plaza. After a hard day’s work, she comes home to the peace and serenity of the ranch.

The ranch truly offers a break from city life. It is a lovely haven.

When I first drove up, I was greeted by two sweet Anatolian Shepherds. Caleb, the 155-pound male, tried to climb into the car with me when I opened the door! Tika, the female, wanted me to pet her and followed me around. These two gentle giants are also loyal guard dogs whose duties include guarding the alpacas from predators.

They usually work all night guarding the herd and relax during the day.

The stars of the place are the 65 cuddly and curious alpacas.

Though these animals are not usually cuddly, and they sometimes spit, these alpacas are used to people and come right up to sniff the ranch’s guests. Some even give kisses. Alpacas are smaller and less aggressive than llamas. Their diet consists of special pellets and hay.

They also have magnificent coats and their fleece is very soft. Amy spins most of her flock’s fleece and fiber herself.

In fact, Amy finds sitting at her spinning wheel and spinning the fiber into yarn to be an almost meditative experience. She feels it has brought her closer to the animals. She sometimes sends out the fiber to be processed which includes cleaning and carding. Some of the yarn is natural and some of it is dyed, and there are yarns of different weights, such as super chunky and super fine.

Several times a year, Kabbai and Alyeshmerni host an open ranch where the public can learn about alpacas, buy yarn and other alpaca related items, relax in the fresh country air, and take in the lovely views.

THE NEXT OPEN RANCH WILL BE HELD SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 10 AM-4 PM AT ATLAS ALPACAS, 9718 RIVER DRIVE, DESCANSO, CA, 91916. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT ATLASALPACAS.COM.

Phil Bresnick

Financial Planning Specialist Senior Vice President Wealth Advisor 5464 Grossmont Center Dr. La Mesa, CA 91942 619-668-4334 philip.bresnick@morganstanley.com www.morganstanleyfa.com/bresnickbresnick

© 2015 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC. CRC897541 06/14

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27

BADASS KOSHER l BY MICHAEL GARDINER

IT'S NOT CHOPPED

F

or at least one full generation, American views on food – particularly “good” food – have been shaped by Food Network. From Emeril Live and Iron Chef America to Chopped, our ideas of how to cook and our culinary aspirations have been captured by these shows, their catch-phrases and “rules.” Who, amongst those of a certain age, hasn’t said “bam” while salting a dish or doesn’t know that whoever tries to make 28

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2017

risotto ends up chopped?

But you’re not on Chopped, are you? So there’s no reason not to make risotto. The reason no one ever wins with risotto on Chopped is, frankly, exactly what makes it so good: time. That – time – plus patience, the right kind of rice and a few basic concepts yields a dish that’s creamy without any cream, rich yet not necessarily fattening, devilish but simple, and soft yet toothsome. It’s a study in

RISOTTO OF MUSHROOMS, PEAS AND TOMATO CONFIT

BADASS KOSHER

contrasts and, done right, perfection.

Start with the right type of rice. The most readily available risotto rice in America is Arborio. But any high-starch and medium or short-grain white rice can work. The basic idea of the dish is to cook the rice in broth so that the rice absorbs the broth gradually, loosening the starch in the rice and yielding the characteristic “creaminess” of the dish.

But it’s easy to go too far or fast with the liquid. The dish should not be mushy. On the contrary, the grains of rice must retain a little bit of “bite,” a firmness and individuality for each grain. If you add the broth too fast, before the rice has absorbed the last batch, the result is a gooey, porridge-like mess. The key is to add just enough liquid to cover the rice and stir constantly, letting it fully absorb before adding more.

While there are certainly a lot of traditional risotto recipes – zucchini and shrimp, lobster, risotto alla Milanese (beef stock, bone marrow and lard), asparagus, pumpkin – you can flavor it just about any way you like. My favorite is mushrooms, especially the wonderful porcini mushrooms that are native to much of Europe and particularly Northern Italy. Add in a some peas for color and sweetness, garnish it with tomato confit and you have a vegetarian main course that is hearty, refined and surprisingly easy.

So long as you stir constantly, let the vegetable broth absorb slowly, and don’t try to make it on Chopped you will get a wonderful dish.

RISOTTO OF MUSHROOMS, PEAS AND TOMATO CONFIT Serves 4 INGREDIENTS: FOR THE TOMATO CONFIT 10 cherry tomatoes cut in half (quarters if they are particularly large) 1 clove garlic, minced

¼ cup grapeseed oil 3. ADD THE MUSHROOMS AND THYME.

FOR THE RISOTTO 4 cups vegetable stock 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 large shallots (or a ½ small red onion), finely chopped 1 tablespoons of fennel, finely minced (fronds reserved for garnish) 2 cups very dry and unoaked white wine (such as sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio) 1 pound mixed mushrooms (porcini, white button, cremini, maitake, etc.) in relatively evenly sized pieces 1 tablespoon thyme leaves 2 cups Arborio rice 1 cup frozen peas Kosher salt, to taste FOR THE GARNISH The reserved fennel fronds Combine the confit ingredients in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce to a simmer and continue to simmer for an hour.

1. MAKE THE TOMATO CONFIT.

Bring the stock to a boil in a saucepan and immediately reduce to a simmer. In a heavy, medium-sized pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and sauté the shallots for 2-3 minutes. Do not let them color. Add the fennel and cook for a minute before. Add the rice and stir well, “toasting” it but definitely not allowing it to burn. If you do, bite the bullet and start over.

Add ½ cup of the white wine and bring to a boil. Let the wine boil for about one minute and then stir, continuing to stir frequently – about once every minute and a half. Allow most of the liquid to evaporate before adding enough liquid – alternating between the white wine and the stock – to just cover the rice, each time stirring, allowing most of the liquid to evaporate and then adding more liquid to just cover the rice. Continue for about 15 minutes.

2. BEGIN MAKING THE RISOTTO.

Turn up heat of the burner and add mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until they begin to lose their texture, about 5 minutes, then immediately turn the heat down to low and add the thyme. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper and continue to cook over medium heat until they are soft. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

4. ADD THE PEAS AND FINISH THE RISOTTO.

When the mushrooms are cooked down and the rice is nearly done – about another fifteen minutes of cooking and adding liquid -- add the peas and keep cooking until the rice is finished but not mushy. The rice must remain al dente with each grain distinct but the whole dish creamy. Season to taste with salt and let the dish rest for a minute or two.

Spoon the risotto into a ring mold. Using a wine glass, spoon or spatula compress the risotto just enough to make sure it stays in place. Arrange one teaspoon of tomato confit on top of each risotto. Arrange fennel fronds on top of the tomato confit.

5. PLATE THE DISH.

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29

FEATURE STORY

P R E S E R VAT I O N Immigrants preserve early history of the State of Israel

by Judy Lash Balint | jns.org

T

he 1948-1949 War of Independence was Israel’s longest, costliest and most fateful war, says one veteran, who at age 97 still speaks to audiences about his experiences.

Harold (Smoky) Simon, a South Africanborn accountant who became chief of air operations of the nascent Israeli Air Force in May 1948, is just one example of the kind of person whose story led an American immigrant to create an organization dedicated to preserving and publicizing the testimonies of those who founded the state.

On a recent evening at Tel Aviv’s Beit Hatfutsot Museum, Aryeh Halivni, 42, founder and executive director of the Toldot Yisrael (Chronicles of Israel) organization, introduced the dapper and articulate Simon to a large group of English-speaking immigrants brought together by the Nefesh B’Nefesh aliyah agency. Simon spoke in detail about the role of the 4,800 volunteers from abroad who came to fight in the War of Independence and the importance of the first planes purchased from Czechoslovakia that helped defeat the Egyptian army.

“We have a finite opportunity to capture and preserve the inspiring stories of the incredible generation that enabled the creation of the state of Israel,” Halivni said before screening several short films that featured moving descriptions by elderly Israelis who were drawn as young people to be present at the birth of the state.

Halivni, who made aliyah from the U.S. with the help of Nefesh B’Nefesh in 2002, 30

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2017

explains that a main goal of Toldot Yisrael is to inspire an understanding of the need for a Jewish state and to supplement the work of historians who have written about the state’s early history.

“Without oral testimony you can’t understand history,” asserts Toldot Yisrael videographer Peleg Levy, who formerly worked at the Yad Vashem Holocaust remembrance center and has conducted hundreds of hours of interviews for Toldot Yisrael, with subjects ranging from highranking Mossad intelligence agency officials to ordinary Jerusalem residents who struggled to survive the siege of the city.

In one set of interviews titled “By Air, Land & Sea: Aliyah Under the British Mandate,” former Knesset Speaker Shlomo Hillel describes how he fled Iraq with his parents and worked in a Haganah munitions factory.

Shmuel Gil-Adi recounts his escape from Iraq amid darkness in a covered truck, and the dangerous three-day overland journey he undertook through Jordan to reach Israel.

Concentration camp survivor David Ben David, the only member of his immediate family to survive the Holocaust, recalls in a quiet, controlled voice how he jumped off the overcrowded boat he had shared with hundreds of other desperate Jews for three months, as British troops climbed aboard the ship within sight of the Israeli coast.

“It was Friday afternoon. I struggled exhausted to the shore, with nothing. No clothes, no money, no family, no friends. I kissed the ground as every good Jew would

do,” Ben David says. He recalls how he asked for directions to the meeting place of the Bnei Akiva Zionist youth movement, which he had affiliated with in his hometown, and observed his first real Shabbat in years.

Toldot Yisrael has recorded thousands of hours of these kinds of personal stories from more than 1,000 people during the past decade, videographer Levy explains.

“In order to get the full picture of this amazing period of history, it’s important to get testimony from people who were active in every part of it. We have interviews with Palmach, Haganah, Lechi and Etzel fighters.

Everyone had a job, and collectively they impacted the British Empire,” says Levy.

Toldot Yisrael founder Halivni says the idea for the organization surfaced around the same time that Steven Spielberg’s Shoah Foundation began to take testimony from Holocaust survivors.

“I figured someone must have done this already,” Halivni says. Once he discovered that there was no organized effort to document the stories of the formative years of the state of Israel, Halivni founded the non-profit organization with a steering committee that includes Member of Knesset Michael Oren, a historian and former Israeli ambassador to the U.S.; Ruth Wisse, a professor of Yiddish and comparative literature at Harvard University; and Michael Berenbaum, former president of the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation.

“I’m not a historian or a videographer, just a guy with an idea,” says Halivni, who worked

FEATURE STORY

PHOTOS COURTESY JUDY LASH BALINT

At left, Harold (Smoky) Simon, a South African-born accountant who became chief of air operations of the nascent Israeli Air Force in May 1948, talks with Aryeh Halivni, Toldot Yisrael founder.

for several national Jewish organizations in the U.S. and Israel before deciding to quit his job and devote his full attention to Toldot Yisrael.

Today, Toldot Yisrael is housed at the National Library of Israel but is privately funded, mostly by American donors, Halivni notes. The goal is to digitize all the interviews and integrate them with newspapers and photos from the period in order to make it a useable, accessible resource that will be used for educational as well as research purposes.

As is the case with the testimony of Holocaust survivors, time is of the essence.

When Toldot Yisrael started a decade ago, an Israeli demographer estimated that the potential pool of interviewees ran to around 120,000 people. Halivni now believes that more than 70 percent of them have since passed away.

With this year’s commemoration of both the centenary of the Balfour Declaration and the 50th anniversary of Israel’s Six-Day War, Halivni feels Toldot Yisrael material can be put to good use to combat the expected flood of propaganda calling into question the founding and existence of the state of Israel.

Benjy Davis, Israel program manager for Nefesh B’Nefesh, explains why the aliyah organization sponsored the presentation at the Beit Hatfutsot Museum.

“Today’s Western immigrants are the pioneers of today, and we want to connect them with the heroes who made it all possible,” he says. “It’s part of our desire to bring inspirational programs to olim (immigrants). We all came out of a desire to be part of modern Jewish history, and whether in 1948 or 2017, we all have a hand in building the country.”

“In order to get the full picture of this amazing period of history, it’s important to get testimony from people who were active in every part of it.

WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM

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FEATURE STORY l BY DEBORAH VIETOR

CHANGING THE WORLD

ONE FRIENDSHIP AT A TIME The Friendship Circle is a nonprofit organization located in San Diego dedicated to providing friendship and support to individuals and their families with special needs. The Friendship Circle enriches the lives of children and teens with special needs through activities, friendships and volunteerism with others to create a more inclusive environment.

There are a variety of programs created by the Friendship Circle to assist with inclusion, and that connect volunteers, and community member with a range of disabilities. Family events, weekend outings, adult programs, teen girls club, special classes, home hospitality, parent support groups and inclusion workshops are just some of the many programs that connect volunteers like Josh, a volunteer with Tourette’s Syndrome who enjoys music; with Michelle, 18. Michelle has Cerebral Palsy, cannot eat foods or even drink water, yet she plays 32

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2017

the piano beautifully. The relationship between Josh and Michelle is just one of the many of the organization’s success stories.

This month, the organization will welcome Alan T. Brown, director of public impact for The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, at their annual fundraising event, February 12.

Twenty nine years ago, Brown became paralyzed while swimming in Martinique, broke his neck and literally saw a “white light.”

Ironically, this accident occurred just two years after his best friend broke his back in a car accident and became paralyzed. Alan stayed by his side and became his caregiver at the time, and feels strongly to this day that providing outreach to families and individuals affected by paralysis is his life’s calling.

Through his work with the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, he volunteers countless hours, helping in any way that

FEATURE STORY

he can. Although wheelchair bound, he is able to drive and use his arms, yet has challenges with movement in his hands.

“I wake up every day and try to leave my mark on the world, and never say never,” says Brown.

“I am an emergency room frequent flyer,” he jokes. “Technically, I am three people; my head is screwed on, my body is in the middle and there is my soul.” He has 11 screws, and 2 metal plates in his body after having his neck rebuilt.

Years ago, his health was touch and go and Brown asked the Rabbi what he would say at his funeral. The Rabbi replied, “He had the spirit to help others.”

A typical day for Brown includes being up at 6:15 a.m. to swim, and he does miles of hard cycling in the wheelchair daily. With some assistance from a nurse for dressing and other personal details, he meets with families, provides fundraising for the Foundation, and years ago, pledged to raise a minimum of $10,000 per year for spinal cord injuries. He is independent in most other ways, and works with four computer screens and two phones from a home office.

Brown shared that it is not the case for others with paralysis, as isolation and depression can become problematic. He works toward inclusion, raising awareness in the community and is a daily example to others with his own zest for life. Brown recommends to those with paralysis that they find something they are passionate about, and leads by example.

Through his work with the Foundation, he develops partnerships, connecting NFL players and celebrities with events, providing fundraising for research to find a cure for spinal cord injuries. Only two decades ago, people were not expected to recover from these types of injuries. Today, scientists are discovering activity-based exercise or training that can “remind the spinal cord how to step and stand again.”

The annual expense for treatment can be anywhere from $300,000 to $1 million, according to the University of Alabama National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is why the work of the Foundation is so important.

“There is hope,” says Brown. “Cures come in different shapes and sizes and a lot of us would like just not being in pain. Spinal cord injury does not discriminate. It’s not hereditary and there is no rhyme or reason. I cry every day over things which are not fair to someone else.”

All you can do is take a little time out of each day to try and help another person, he says, and it will make a world of difference.

ON FEBRUARY 12, THE ANNUAL FRIENDS OF FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE DINNER WILL BE HELD FROM 6 TO 8 P.M. THIS WILL BE A SPECIAL EVENING HIGHLIGHTING A SPORTS NIGHT EVENT WITH FOOD, FUN, RAFFLES AND MORE. THE LOCATION IS: 16934 CHABAD WAY IN POWAY. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL (858) 487-4879 OR CONTACT MAXIME KAYSON, PROGRAM AND MARKETING DIRECTOR, AT MAXIME@FRIENDSHIPCIRCLESDSD.ORG. VISIT FRIENDSHIPCIRCLE.COM/GALA/ TO LEARN MORE. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE CHRISTOPHER AND DANA REEVE FOUNDATION, CONTACT ALAN BROWN AT ABROWN@ CHRISTOPHERREEVE.ORG OR VISIT CHRISTOPHERREEVE.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION. WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM

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In Memoriam June 18, 1929-January 14, 2017

On the evening of January 14, 2017, Max Schindler of San Diego passed away peacefully with family at his side at his home in San Diego, CA. Max is survived by his wife of 66 years, Rose Schindler, his four children and their spouses, Roxanne Schindler Katz (Norm Katz), Benjamin (Amy), Steven (Amy Parish) and Jeffrey (Rachel), and his nine grandchildren, Scott, Leigh, Nicki, Shannah, Ariana, Alexander, Moriah, Joseph and Jonathan.

Max was born on June 18, 1929 in Cottbus, Germany, the middle child of Benjamin and Rachela Schindler. His life is a story of pain, loss, resilience and renewal. Exiled when he was nine years old from Germany to Poland in 1938 by the Nazi regime along with other Jewish families of Polish heritage, his family along with four other related families relocated to his grandmother’s farm in the Galicia region of Poland. Here they withstood violent anti-Semitism and tried to rebuild their stolen lives until April, 1942, when Germany compulsorily conscripted Max’s family into Commando Flossenburg, a forced labor group. They initially built roads and bridges in Poland for the German company, Baumer & Loesch. This was the first of six forced labor and concentration camps where Commando Flossenburg was stationed, with Max, his father and his brother Alfred, and several hundred other prisoners. His mother and sister were 34

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2017

relocated to Stutthof concentration camp, where they eventually were murdered.

Max survived in total six camps including: Mielec (Heinkel Aircraft Factory); Wieliczka (Salt Mines, aircraft fabrication); Plaszow (Nazi concentration camp); and Schachwitz (Dresden tank factory) where after being firebombed by the Allied forces in February 1945, Commando Flossenburg was forced into a death march to Theresienstadt (Nazi concentration camp).

Max was liberated from Theresienstadt in May, 1945, along with his brother. Suffering from typhus with the rest of the inmates, Max and Alfred were confined in Theresienstadt until the typhus epidemic was over and the camp quarantine was lifted on July 13, 1945.

Max’s father died of typhus within days of liberation.

Max and Alfred learned of the murders of their mother and sister after liberation, and instead of returning to Cottbus, Germany, left Europe for rehabilitation in the United Kingdom in August, 1945, along with 730 other young concentration camp survivors.

The story of this group of orphaned survivors was documented by Sir Martin Gilbert, the famous Churchill historian, in his book, The Boys.

Max met Ruska Schwartz (aka Rose) in 1947 in the hostel they shared in Bedford, England. Rose, a survivor of AuschwitzBirkenau concentration camp. A romance followed and they were married in 1950 at the West London Synagogue.

Max and Rose left England for New York in 1951 and moved to San Diego in 1956.

Max returned to his childhood home of Cottbus, Germany in 2015, along with Rose, three of his four children and one grandchild, after attending the 70th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, in Krakow, Poland.

People who met Max were forever changed. Max’s living testimony is available for viewing at the USC Shoah Foundation

TRIBE

OUR

Max Schindler

THE COMMUNITY PLACE

Institute.

Max was predeceased by his father Benjamin, his older brother, Alfred who passed away in 1991 in San Diego from Leukemia and his younger sister Cecilia, who was murdered by the Nazis as a child in Stutthof concentration camp in Poland along with his mother, Rachela in 1944 and 1945 respectively.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made in Max’s name to US Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington D.C. www.ushmm.org, USC Shoah Foundation Institute, Los Angeles sfi. usc.edu, Jewish Family Service, San Diego www.jfssd.org, or Boys Town Jerusalem www.boystownjerusalem.org.

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BY TIBI ZOHAR l GUEST COLUMN

the

stand in

An Interview with Mordechai Kedar

D

r. Mordechai Kedar is a research associate at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies and a lecturer in the Department of Arabic at Bar-Ilan University in Israel. He is frequently interviewed in the Israeli, Arab and international media. Dr. Kedar served for twenty-five years in IDF military intelligence, specializing in Syria, Arab political discourse, Arab mass media, Islamic organizations and Israeli Arabs. Dr. Kedar is one of Israel’s leading figures in understanding the Arab world and radical Islam. He lectures around the globe and advises states and companies about general issues in the Middle East, regime stability, Islamic leadership and jihadist movements.

Dr. Kedar is co-founder and president of the Jerusalem based think tank, Middle East Research Alliance.

Kedar will speak on February 15 at Chabad of Oceanside. We spoke with Kedar last month about President Trump, Syria, and the future of Israel L’CHAIM MAGAZINE: HOW DO PEOPLE IN THE ARAB WORLD SEE DONALD TRUMP? MOREDECHAI KEDAR: Many in the Arab

world are shaking and shivering out of fear.

He looks powerful and – unlike Obama – is ready and ready to use force.

L’CHAIM: HOW DO ISRAELIS VIEW HIM, ESPECIALLY AFTER MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM? MK: That depends upon whom you ask. The

majority of conservative people here voted for Trump by using his power and might send a message to Iran. The minority of liberal people in Israel tend to reject him.

L’CHAIM: WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL BE THE FUTURE OF SYRIA IN THE NEAR FUTURE?

MK: Syria will fall apart to several ethnic or

religiously divided groups, and in the best case it will look like the Yugoslavia of the mid-1990s.

L’CHAIM: WHAT ARE SOME WAYS TO REVIVE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE U.S. AND SAUDI ARABIA? MK: The relations between the U.S. and

the Saudi ruling family are determined by the US-Iranian relations and especially the nuclear deal. [The Saudis] feel betrayed by the U.S. and this feeling projects on the official relations with the U.S. L’CHAIM: HOW DO YOU SEE THE FUTURE OF THE NUCLEAR AGREEMENT WITH IRAN? MK: No doubt, Trump will try to change

some things in the agreement, but there are some questions which only Trump knows the answer to, like 1) What will Putin’s position be, vis-à-vis Iran and the deal; 2) what will the Europeans do; 3) What will Putin do if Trump withdraws from the deal; and 4) How can the US benefit from the billions which Iran will use to renew its infrastructure?

L’CHAIM: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE DIVISION OF ROLES BETWEEN RUSSIA AND THE U.S., OR RATHER BETWEEN PUTIN AND TRUMP? MK: Trump said during the last year that he

will not send American soldiers to get killed for other countries. If this will be Trump’s motto, he will let Putin do whatever Putin sees as needed for the world, including devastating a whole city like Aleppo.

L’CHAIM: WHAT ARE THE PROSPECTS OF THE TWO-STATE SOLUTION OR ANY OTHER SOLUTION BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIANS? MK: The Two-State Solution was born dead

because it was based on the wrong people.

Instead of bringing the local leadership to the center and giving them the authority, Israel brought in a group of strangers led by an arch-terrorist named Arafat, hoping that he would change his positions regarding Israel.

The only viable solution is the Palestinian Emirates solution, [a plan I developed that allows for 1.8 million Arab Palestinians in Judea & Samaria, the West Bank, to become citizens of the seven independent city-states], described in palestinianemirates.com L’CHAIM: HOW DO YOU SEE THE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE U.S. AND EGYPT? MK: The Egyptian president, Sisi, welcomed

Trump happily. Apparently, he knows something about Trump’s plans regarding Egypt, e.g. Trump will not try to put the Muslim Brotherhood on the president’s chair.

L’CHAIM: WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FOR ISLAM AND THE U.S. UNDER TRUMP? MK: Listening to Trump, no doubt the

attitude to Muslims will be totally different: Islamic immigration will be seen as a potential threat, Islam will be again viewed as a reason for terrorism and violence and Muslims who live in the U.S. will sense the change in the overall attitude toward them.

L’CHAIM: HOW DO YOU SEE THE ISSUE OF SYRIAN REFUGEES IN THE U.S.?

MK: Trump already declared that he will

“reconsider” this issue, meaning that he will dramatically reduce the number of Syrian refugees in the U.S., and that is that.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT DR. MORDECHAI KEDAR, VISIT MORDECHAIKEDAR.COM. TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE MIDDLE EAST RESEARCH ALLIANCE, GO TO MERA.NET. WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM

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AFTER EVERYTHING WAS TAKEN AWAY:

A LIFE OF GIVING

M

argot Cohn was born in the fortress town of Torun, Poland (then occupied Germany) in 1913.

Her story is one of tragedy and heroism, as her family endured the brutality of the Holocaust. During Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass), which occurred in Germany on November 9th and 10th of 1938, Margot’s father was killed. Luckily, her brother escaped the night before and she and her mother managed to escape when Margot selflessly insisted that her mother get on a train set to leave the area, in her place, thus insuring her mother’s survival.

Unfortunately, Margot was unable to leave and was subsequently interred in the Theresienstadt concentration camp. Years later she recounted her efforts to break the parachute fabrication machines she was assigned to work at daily by throwing parts at the machines so they would break down.

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2017

Margot was briefly transferred to Auschwitz and then to a mountain woman’s work camp where she was left in a hospital to die. Just as she was on the verge of giving up, allied planes flew over the camp, signaling Hitler’s defeat, and shortly thereafter the camp was liberated by Soviet soldiers.

Margot was nursed back to health in Czechoslovakia. Her goal was go back to her home, so she walked nearly 300 miles from Czechoslovakia to liberated Poland. Upon her arrival, Margot learned that her mother and brother survived the war and were living in Argentina. Under the advice of a family member, Margot decided to immigrate to America. She did, however, reunite with her mother and brother sometime later and was able to visit several times prior to her mom’s passing.

Margot arrived to New York on one of the first transports from Europe, and from

there went to Los Angeles where she had an uncle. Disliking Los Angeles she relocated back to New York City, where she learned English by going to the movies. Margot worked at a hat shop and then transferred to a Macy’s department store where she spent her career working up the ranks into lower management. She was also a union representative who fought for workers’ rights.

Margot met John Rucinsky, a customer at Macy’s who persistently tried to get her phone number. John, a rough and tumble kind of guy who was not Jewish, was employed

by Texaco. He was a dapper dresser, body builder, and a person who had many friends.

Margot and John retired in 1977 and moved to San Diego where they spent the remainder of their lives. They travelled the world visiting Israel on a couple of occasions.

As a Holocaust survivor, Margot felt it was important to support the people and land of Israel, and thus named Jewish National Fund as one of the beneficiaries of the family trust upon her passing. Her main focus was to help as many people as possible, and she admired the work being accomplished by JNF. Margot Cohn will be remembered as a strong and compassionate woman who enjoyed playing tennis, reading, traveling, and helping others. JNF is grateful to have been a beneficiary of the Rucinsky-Cohn Family Trust and to continue the legacy of John and Margot, helping the land and people of Israel.

FOR INFORMATION ON HOW YOU CAN LEAVE A LASTING LEGACY, PLEASE CONTACT JNF’S PLANNED GIVING DEPARTMENT AT 800.562.7526 OR VISIT JNFLEGACY.ORG.

BY STEPHANIE LEWIS l HUMOR

mazel

& mishagoss Online Communication Advice from Mother & Son! (Yes, MY Son!)

TIPS TO DEAL WITH YOUR JEWISH MOTHER ELECTRONICALLY! 1. Only accept her enthusiastic friend requests

for just ONE of your social media. Preferably where pics of you eating Challah and wearing sweaters are regularly posted. And don’t teach her that Facebook Messenger includes a function that reveals you’ve already read her (nagging) message but decided to ignore it.

2. I have zero tips for email since we all know

how outdated that is. However moms like it because it’s reminiscent of sending letters to summer camp.

When she texts, “I’ve come across a really funny and clever “Mimi” you’ll absolutely love!” she’s not trying to be your matchmaker.

She just discovered a humorous and witty “meme” she wants to share.

3.

Keep a handy list of excuses to politely end lengthy digital conversations. Effective ones are “Need to save battery to research law schools,” and “Turning off phone before Shabbat…I know it’s Thursday, but I’m really into Shabbat.”

4.

Disconnect from Twitter permanently. It’s just not worth it. Trust me on this.

5.

TIPS TO STAY CLOSE TO YOUR MALE OFFSPRING USING OUR MESHUGGAH TECHNOLOGY! 1. Immediately send “Friend” requests to

every single person he communicates with.

Point out that Facebook promotes mothers as good buddies -- otherwise they’d call it a “Mom Request.”

If you use that Tweety thing, don’t make silly Jewish bird jokes like, “Great! I’ll be your BlueBerg of happiness!” Also don’t tweet, “Boychick, if you’re out there somewhere, come inside right this minute!” more than once per hour.

2.

Don’t tag him to follow your Pinterest board, titled “Crafty Projects Designed for Subliminal Guilt.” No matter how creative you are, he won’t come home after viewing pins of old, skinny, wrinkled, gray-haired sock puppets on crutches. (Not even if they’re labeled “self-portraits!”) And pictures of adorable baby nurseries with sad dolls inside cribs will set you back five years with “Grandma” status.

3.

Break up long text messages into many shorter ones, sent separately. It’s less overwhelming and intriguing for him to piece them together like a puzzle. Always end 4.

each one with a “. . .” so he’s clued in there’s more fun to come!

5. Don’t bother asking him to re-explain how

to cut and paste a link. It’s simply not worth his frustration with you. But I agree … this is the thanks we get for patiently teaching him to use a pair of scissors and Elmer’s glue in preschool??

If he ends a texting conversation with “TTYL,” that’s code for, “Too Talkative, You’re Lame!” But resist the urge to say, “Don’t you take that tone with me, young man!” and just calmly type back, “Talk to you later.”

6.

Keep ending all your emails with, “Love always and forever, Your Mom” even if he claims, “I already knew it was from you by all the nagging.” One day he’ll figure out the point to that signature was NOT your identity.

7.

STEPHANIE D. LEWIS IS A REGULAR CONTRIBUTOR TO THE HUFFINGTON POST COMDEY SECTION. SHE PENS A HUMOR BLOG, ONCEUPONYOURPRIME. COM AND CAN BE FOLLOWED ON TWITTER @MISSMENOPAUSE. WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2017

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