L'Chaim Magazine March 2023 Issue

MARCH 2023

JEWS OF BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR

Plus:

TEST YOUR JEWISH IQ

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contents

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March 2023 • www.lchaimmagazine.com

in this issue...

COVER STORY Jews of Baja California Sur.....................................................................................................................................

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1000 WORDS Jewish Football Coach Helped Merit Chip Away at Harvard's Elite Social Status................................................................................................................

FOOD Braised Lamb Shanks with Pomegranate Glaze..........................................................................

FEATURES The Secret Life of Purim Costumes.....................................................................................................

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Chekhov's Cherry Orchard..........................................................................................................................

Fighting for the Wrongfully Convicted................................................................................................

Helping Jerusalem's Needy Elderly Find Work and Meaning..............................................

HARVARD FOOTBALL

LAMB SHANKS

Test Your Jewish IQ.........................................................................................................................................

NEWS ...................................................................................................................................................................

COLUMNS

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Prayers & Passages........................................

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Mazel & Mishagoss..................................

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

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TORAH l BY RABBI-CANTOR CHERI WEISS

prayers

& passages Sharing the Load “You haven’t spent any time at all with your wife and children in ages because you are just too busy with work. Now I see why. You insist on doing everything yourself, because you don’t think that anyone else is capable of helping out. No wonder you’re exhausted.

You simply cannot continue in this way. Let other people share the load.”

Does this sound like anyone you know?

It is actually a contemporary take on words used by Moses’ father-in-law, Yitro (aka Jethro), in the Book of Exodus. Having heard about the Israelites’ miraculous escape from Egyptian bondage, Yitro sends word to Moses that he is bringing his daughter (Moses’ wife) Zipporah, and “HER” (not “his” or even “their”) two sons, Gershom and Eliezer, to him. You would think Moses would be delighted to be reunited with his family. Instead, he completely ignores them, focusing solely on Yitro: “Moses went out to meet his father-in-law; he bowed low and kissed him; each asked after the other’s welfare, and they went into the tent.”

(Exodus 18:7) After a celebratory meal with Yitro and the Elders of Israel, Moses goes right back to work: “Next day, Moses sat as magistrate among the 6

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2023

people, while the people stood about Moses from morning until evening.” (Exodus 18:13) Yitro is appalled: “What is this thing that you are doing to the people? Why do you act alone, while all the people stand about you from morning until evening?... The thing you are doing is not right; you will surely wear yourself out, and these people as well. For the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.” (Exodus 18:14, 17-18) Moses replies that he has no alternative because the people have disputes to settle, and only he can make known the teachings of God. Yitro then instructs Moses on the basics of establishing a judicial system and the fundamentals of delegating authority: First, Moses should teach the people the laws of God. Next, he should find people who have too much integrity to accept bribes, set them up as judges, and have them adjudicate all minor disputes (think “small claims court”).

Only those matters of a serious nature should be brought to Moses.

“Make it easier for yourself by letting them share the burden with you…” (Exodus 18:22).

These words of Yitro are as relevant to us today as they were in the time of Moses. How often have we been guilty of taking on the burden of a huge task or project by ourselves,

when we could have easily asked others for help? Conversely, how often have we allowed someone else to carry a burden alone while we stood by, benefitting from all their hard work?

Expanding this to our Jewish organizations, in order for them to survive as vibrant, compassionate communities, volunteers need to step up across the spectrum. Those who say “I can do it all by myself” not only deny others the opportunity to participate in the functioning of Jewish organizations, they, themselves face eventual burnout. Relying on one person repeatedly (or even on a few dedicated souls) to carry the burden for everyone else is not fair, nor is it sustainable in the long run. When we work together, helping and supporting one another, we nurture us all and ensure the continued growth and well-being of our Jewish communities. That is a legacy we want to leave for future generations.

RABBI-CANTOR CHERI WEISS IS THE SPIRITUAL LEADER OF TEMPLE EMANUEL IN HONOLULU, HAWAII.

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HUMOR | BY STEPHANIE D. LEWIS

mazel

& mishagoss Conflict Keeps Relationships Healthy?

R

eaders ask me, “So…how’s your new marriage going?” Well, things were just fine and dandy until I saw this headline, “Research Shows Couples Who Argue Together Stay Together.” What?? My new husband and I NEVER disagree. Not even about Hamantaschen. We both find poppyseed and prune filling revolting ­ — they fool you into thinking they’re chocolatechip and who needs that kind of evil food trickery? So our marriage is doomed because we’re 100% compatible? Yesterday I came across another article outlining a solution — “4 Fights You Must Have to Strengthen Your Marriage!” What were we waiting for? We had some major catching-up to do. Fight #1 involved children. I called my new husband to launch this controversial topic.

Him: Shouldn’t you say something first?

So then I can hear you?

Me: That’s not how I’m using the word.

Him: Oh! Herd? Where would you like me to herd you? We could go to dinner or a movie with a very large group of people? We could visit a flock of sheep? We could…

Me: (exasperated) I mean you don’t listen to me.

Him: (Silence) Me: Hello? Are you still there?

Him: Yes. I’m listening to you.

Me: Our communication styles are totally different.

Him: Still listening.

Me: See? You never participate by volunteering your point-of-view. You just sit there silently, focused on listening to me.

Me: Hi! There’s something important we should discuss. I don’t want any kids.

Him: Um, Ok. What will you do with the six you already have?

Me: I mean we shouldn’t bring a new baby into the world.

Him: I don’t think you have to worry.

You’re 58.

Me: (flustered) I am NOT 58!

Him: Are so.

Me: Am not.

Him: Are so! And I can prove it. Goodbye!

(It wasn’t exactly the correct argument, but we were off to a fantastic start! There was no time to waste with Fight #2 so I immediately redialed his cellphone.)

Me: Hi! It’s me again. I don’t feel heard.

Argument #2 was completed in record time! He told me I made zero sense (like the typical female!) and suggested marriage counseling. Yes! That’s what we needed! A therapist to facilitate our last two official arguments. I dove right in to fight #3 as soon as we went inside.

Me: I’m extremely dissatisfied with the frequency we have um…intimate relations.

Him: Wow! Seriously? First time I’m hearing this from her.

Therapist: Stephanie, would you like to have intimate relations more or less frequently than you’re currently having them?

Me: (quickly skimming the article on my phone) Uh, um…well… Give me just a second to figure that out.

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Therapist: While she’s thinking it over, are there any other issues you two are having?

Him: None. Prior to today, we’ve had no trouble. Things have been perfect.

Therapist: Interesting. Stephanie, do you agree there’s been no trouble until today?

Me: No. I disagree with that statement.

But you’re not the one I’m disagreeing with.

I want it on record that I disagree with my husband.

Therapist: Noted. Now how about money?

That’s another common fight couples have.

Me: Yes! That’s it! Thanks! I was wracking my brain to recall Fight #4. (Odd looks from bo th.)

Therapist: I’m afraid we must continue this argument next week because I need to pick up prunes and poppyseeds for the Hamantaschen I’m baking for Purim.

And in that instant, my new husband and I simultaneously made expressions of mutual revulsion, then linked our arms together and shot daggers with both sets of our very compatible eyes toward our new common enemy. We hurried home to partake in extremely satisfying intimate relations at just the right frequency, because we both agreed that our marriage had just been saved!

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L’CHAIM | BY MENACHEM WALKER | JNS.ORG

Harvard Stadium.

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L’CHAIM

1000

WORDS

JEWISH FOOTBALL COACH HELPED MERIT CHIP AWAY AT HARVARD'S ELITE SOCIAL STATUS

W

hen Harvard University named Bill Bingham athletic director–a pioneering college sports role at the time in 1926–the alumnus promised to return the game to student athletes. He hired Arnold Horween as head football coach to bring back “fun.” The duo did that and more.

“Before then, much was made about Harvard football players going through the motions, playing without passion, just because that was the path to acclaim and an executive position on Wall Street,” said Zev Eleff, president of Gratz College in Melrose Park, Pa. “Bingham and Horween rearranged things and rewarded hard work and reignited a love for sport–and fun.”

Eleff’s forthcoming book “Dyed in Crimson: Football, Faith, and Remaking Harvard’s America” tells the story, he said, of how those on the periphery of U.S. life can make a significant mark on the mainstream.

In the 1920s, Boston Brahmins–wealthy New Englanders and descendants of the Puritans–ruled Harvard. Football provided a site where a working-class Protestant (Bingham), an Irish Catholic (Eddie Casey, freshman coach) and a Midwestern Jew (Horween) could chip away at that elitism, and replace social status with merit.

“They propel a sleepy team to the Rose Bowl,” Eleff said.

As today, Harvard was on the forefront of elite American culture. That hasn’t changed,

Horween and Bingham.

and may never, according to Eleff. “What happens at Harvard matters. We tend to think of it as a siloed citadel, unphased by the outside,” he said. “Here’s a history that challenges that assumption.”

Harvard has been in the news recently for offering, reneging and then reoffering a fellowship to an activist accused of anti-Israel bias. A century ago, as a Jewish Chicagoan was putting Harvard football on the map, A. Lawrence Lowell, the university’s president from 1909 to 1933, was imposing quotas on

Jewish students.

“It’s important to remember that Harvard, like any university, is a complicated organization with many stakeholders. One decision in one sector often doesn’t reflect the entire university,” Eleff said. “I view all these decisions as choices, or contingencies.

Back on the football field in the 1920s, stakeholders–coaches, alumni, presidents– had to make decisions. The same is true now.”

A former captain of the Harvard team, Horween went on to run his family’s WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM

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successful leather business in Chicago and to serve as a trustee of the Chicago Symphony. He and his brother Ralph played in the National Football League in 1923–a feat that wouldn’t be repeated in the NFL until 2012, when Jewish brothers Mitchell Schwartz and Geoff Schwartz played for the Browns and the Vikings respectively.

Horween had already graduated Harvard when Lowell’s Jewish quotas were instituted. But his prominence in Cambridge, Mass., challenged both Harvard’s president and its elite culture “that intended to keep outsiders, well, out of their school,” Eleff said.

Steven Riess, professor emeritus at Northeastern Illinois University and editor of the 1998 book “Sports and the American Jew,” reviewed the book months ago and sees things differently. “The argument is stronger than the evidence is,” he said.

Harvard and the rest of the Ivy League was becoming increasingly antisemitic at the time, and Riess said it is wishful thinking to view Jewish involvement in Harvard sports as a sign that Jewish fortunes and reputations were changing in Cambridge.

In 1922, a Yale University alumni committee investigated the basketball program after a team of Jewish players from the Atlas Club beat the all-gentile Yale team 42-22 in a charity game in front of the largest crowd in New Haven history, according to Riess’ book. The committee blamed antisemitic coaching, and after Jewish players were recruited, Yale went in 1923 from “the cellar to the championship,” he wrote.

But talented Jewish players were exceptions to the rule, whose athletic prowess overshadowed their Jewish identities rather than being public examples that frustrated antisemites and nudged them toward inclusivity, Riess said.

“Winning superseded everything,” Riess said. “If you had a Jewish star, go get him. But if you were another Jewish guy, they didn’t need you.”

“You had to be very special if you were Jewish,” he added.

Despite significant Jewish athletic achievement in the Olympics, in boxing, and in fencing in the U.S. and in Europe, Jews were not seen in the 1920s as being able bodied. Instead, Jews were seen as physically inept, effeminate, and weak, according to Riess.

Jewish men represented the largest ethnic group that fought for Germany in World War I, for example. “They don’t get credit for it,” Riess said. And some of the top boxers in England in the late 18th century and early 19th century, who subsequently came to America, were Jews. That was also the case with top soccer players in Hungary in the early 20th century.

“Everyone was jealous of these Jews. It was so bad for Hungarians.

Jews even outdid them in soccer,” Riess said.

Today, Jews get more credit as athletes, he said. And the public considers more athletes to be Jewish than it did a century ago. Max Baer – who famously beat the German champion Max Schmeling at Yankee Stadium in 1933 – wore a Star of David on his boxing trunks, but since his mother was not Jewish, the public didn’t see him as such, according to Riess.

Eleff’s research for the book led him in a different direction, and he 12

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maintains that sports, particularly football at Harvard, did pave the way for Jewish acceptance.

One of the youngest presidents in U.S. higher education – previously chief academic officer of Hebrew Theological College and vice provost of Touro College Illinois – Eleff has long been a big sports fan, particularly football. He stumbled on what would become the basis of the book accidentally, and his wife Melissa suggested pursuing it further.

“I had discovered Horween in the context of a ‘myth.’ People had created a story that he had to change his name when applying to Harvard to avoid the quotas,” Eleff said. “He did change his name, but to play for the NFL Chicago Cardinals, later. When I realized that the story wasn’t true, I knew there was more to it.”

The book afforded him the opportunity to join his passions for football, U.S. Jewish history and religious history.

What does he hope readers take away from the volume? “The role of contingencies,” Eleff said. “History is made by the choices we make.

That’s what happened in the sporting lives of Bill Bingham, Arnold Horween and Eddie Casey.”

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COVER STORY | BY DONALD H. HARRISON

JEWS OF BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR 14

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COVER STORY

C

habad has established vibrant and growing Jewish communities on either side of the southern tip of the Baja California Sur peninsula. The larger one, on the Pacific Ocean side in Cabo San Lucas, has strong connections to San Diego County. The other in La Paz, along the Sea of Cortez, is smaller yet also quite active.

In Cabo, the Jewish center including the Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue, a mikvah, two kosher restaurants, rabbi’s residence, meeting facilities and four rooms for guest lodging, was financed by a $12 million contribution from virologist pharmacologist Dr. Raymond Schinazi, who developed drugs to combat HIV, and Hepatitis B and C. The center was dedicated during Chanukah of 2021.

In La Paz, the center, also built around a courtyard, was financed in 2013 with contributions from local merchants, including one man, for whose late brother, Yona, the synagogue was named as Beit Yona.

With the distance between the two shuls about 100 miles, Rabbi Benny Hershcovich in Cabo and Rabbi Yosef Gutierrez

in La Paz share outreach to Jews in other, more isolated, communities in Baja California Sur. Tijuana businessman Jose Galicot, a leader of Mexican Jews on both sides of the border, has a vacation home in Cabo San Lucas. He told me that he was moved by an exhibit at the Museum of the Diaspora in Israel that featured a time map of Jewish communities around the world. It showed the European continent brightly illuminated by lights representing numerous cities, towns and villages before the Holocaust. As the timeline moved into the 1930s and 1940s, light after light was extinguished. “I want to be responsible for turning lights on,” Galicot said. So, he arranged for Rabbi Mendel Polichenco, then of Chabad of Tijuana and today at Chabad of Carmel Valley, to join him in Cabo for a meeting at which were pulled together about 30 Jews reflecting the community makeup — 10 each from Israel, Mexico and the United States.

Galicot persuaded most of them to serve on a temporary board for the new Jewish community, which Rabbi Polichenco visited once a month for two years, bringing kosher foods for Shabbat and Pesach in addition to leading services. Eventually, the community persuaded Orthodox Rabbi Sholly Silver from

(L-R) Rabbi Herschcovich and Raymond Schinazi.

PHOTO COURTESY RAYMOND SCHINAZI

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COVER STORY

Courtyard of the Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue and Jewish Center in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur PHOTO COURTESY OF DR. RAYMOND SHINAZI

England to serve for about a year. After Silver’s tenure ended, Rabbi Polichenco recruited Rabbi Hershcovich, whose wife Sonia is the sister of Rabbi Polichenco’s wife, Dini. It was a good fit for the informal beachside community. “Rabbi Benny,” as he is called, has a knack for making Jewish learning fun, as readily can be seen by his rabbibenny.com videos about Torah portions and holidays. Another of his wife’s siblings is Rabbi Yosef Rodal, who heads the Carlsbad-based Friendship Circle, an outreach group for Jews with disabilities. Rodal’s wife, Muka, is the daughter of Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort of Chabad of La Costa. Sonia, Dini, and Yosef were among 17 children of the late Rabbi Shlomo Rodal of Milan, Italy.

Jonathan Pikoff, a real estate attorney, met Dr. Schinazi at the club at the high-end El Dorado development where they both have vacation homes, and told him about the small Jewish congregation. That was prior to Rabbi Benny’s arrival in 2009. Once the rabbi came on scene, Schinazi said he was very impressed by his and Sonia’s dedication: “He lived in a small house. He used one room for his family, and the dining room as a kitchen for the whole community. Some nights he had three or four people, some nights 10, and some nights as many as 30 people in that small place. What I loved about him was his strong faith, passion, and, you know, Sonia cooked meals for us. It didn’t 1616 L’CHAIM L’CHAIMSAN SANDIEGO DIEGOMAGAZINE MAGAZINE• •MARCH MARCH2023 2023

matter how many people there were, you just showed up, and you were welcome. She somehow made it happen with lots of salad, lots of rice, but also a piece of meat or a piece of chicken, so it worked. People enjoyed the camaraderie. It was really like a bunch of pioneers in Baja California making all these prayers and singing!”

Schinazi described Cabo San Lucas as “a paradise, but paradise without a synagogue is not paradise. I needed the spirituality; I needed a place to worship. I also wanted to provide Rabbi Benny some stability and also to have a home within the center which would be a great improvement on his lifestyle so that he can focus on giving classes, davening, and doing the things he does well. So, he now has a gorgeous place to live in compared to the little apartment. He has six kids, and the apartment is big enough, and the center has four guest rooms, so they have space when family comes to visit him.”

Perhaps the crowded living conditions the Hershcovich family had endured reminded Schinazi of his own youth after his parents’ home and businesses in Alexandria were seized on the orders of the Eygptian dictator Gamel Abdel Nasser. He was 13 when his family fled as impoverished refugees to Naples, Italy. Schinazi said that he was able to attend a Jewish day school on scholarship in England, leading eventually to a bachelor’s degree and a Ph.D.

COVER STORY

Schinazi described Cabo San Lucas as “a paradise, but paradise without a synagogue is not paradise. I needed the spirituality; I needed a place to worship." in chemistry at the University of Bath. From there he went on to post-doctorate work at Yale University and eventually joined the Emory University faculty where he developed protocols for handling dangerous viruses in laboratories, and led in the discovery of the drugs known as FTC (emtricitabine) and 3TC (lamivudine) which are widely used in anti-HIV combinations, and sofosbuvir (Sovaldi) for the treatment of Hepatitis C. France awarded him its Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur for his discoveries, just one of many honors he has received.

Rabbi Hershcovich said when he heard what Dr. Schinazi wanted to do for Cabo’s Jewish community, “it was beyond our wildest imagination; it was like winning the lottery. He sent a significant donation that day to show that he was serious and he has been the angel ever since.” It took several years before a property could be found that was close enough to attract tourists as well as residents. The architectural planning and construction took a few more years. “We struggle to get a minyan, but we have seating for 90, and we are so optimistic that we have an extension that could bring it to 140,” Rabbi Hershcovich said. “It

is a testament to our optimism about the future and our belief that the city will grow and that many opportunities will come up.”

On the Shabbat that my wife Nancy and I visited, there were approximately 20 men and 10 women in attendance at the service, and about 10 more who were treated to a kiddush luncheon with cholent, home-baked challah, and a variety of salads.

Traveling aboard the Holland-America ship MS Koningsdam, we arrived in La Paz the next day, a Sunday, and met Rabbi Yosef Gutierrez who grew up in a secular family in Guadalajara and Los Angeles, deciding as a teenager to become ba’al teshuva. After receiving smicha in 2015, he took a job as an administrator and teacher of a 20-student yeshiva that temporarily made its headquarters in the Baja California Sur capital city. Because the yeshiva taught mostly in English, it didn’t catch on with the local Spanish-speaking Jews and eventually it moved to New York.

Rabbi Yosef took a vacation in New York, where a matchmaker introduced him to his future wife, Rochel, daughter of two Chicago lawyers. After their marriage, they moved to California, from which he was recruited by the La Paz Jewish community lay leadership to return and to serve as their rabbi.

“Since then our attendance has been growing,” Gutierrez told me. “We have 120 Jewish families in the area” of which 30 people are regular attendees, 50 to 60 participate in High Holy Day activities, and the congregation’s Passover seders have drawn as many as 90 people.

He defined for himself various objectives: First, demonstrating local Jewish families that they could lead full Jewish lives without having to be Talmudic scholars. Second, holding open forums to answer any questions or misapprehensions that non-Jewish citizens of La Paz might have about Judaism. Third, contributing to the welfare of La Paz by supporting local orphanages and providing gifts during the holiday season to people who are down on their luck.

At Shabbat kiddushes, he said, they sometimes serve Ashkenazi food, sometimes Sephardic food, and sometimes Mexican food.

Kosher food is imported from Mexico City. “There are never less than 300 pounds of kosher meat at the synagogue, which is available for purchase by our local community members,” the rabbi noted.

The La Paz Jewish Center offers classes for children and maintains a small shop selling items of Judaica.

Guiterrez described Rabbi Benny Hershcovich, with whom he trades visits, as “not only a colleague, but the closest to being family that you can get.”

DONALD H. HARRISON IS EDITOR EMERITUS OF SAN DIEGO JEWISH WORLD.

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FOOD

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

WITH POMEGRANATE GLAZE

BY SONYA SANFORD @SONYAMICHELLESANFORD

O

ur family, like most, have triedand-true holiday traditions that we follow and cherish each year. Not surprisingly, many of my family’s holiday rituals center on food! I love the personal culinary challenge of presenting a new dish to see if it has what it takes to “make the team” of our beloved holiday menus. In 2020, I perfected an ideal dish for Passover: Braised Lamb Shanks. The pomegranate juice adds a bit of sweetness that brings out the delectable flavor of the lamb. And with this beautiful presentation, no one will believe that it took just five minutes to prep.

Your family and holiday guests will definitely be impressed with this easy and delicious recipe. It’s destined to be the star of your holiday dinner table.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH POMEGRANATE GLAZE

(DF, GF, NF, SF) Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 3 hours Serves: 4 Ingredients 2 cups pomegranate juice 1/4 cup honey 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary 1 teaspoon salt 3 chopped garlic cloves 3 lamb shanks (around 4 pounds)

Directions 1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

2.

Mix pomegranate juice, honey, rosemary, salt, and garlic cloves in a large gallon size Ziploc bag.

3.

Add the lamb shanks to the bag and if possible, let it marinate several hours in the refrigerator.

4.

This recipe can be made in a Dutch Oven pot or in a slow cooker.

5.

If making in the oven, pour all ingredients in the Dutch Oven pot, add 1/2 cup water, cover and bake for 3 hours at 300 degrees.

6.

If making in a slow cooker, pour all ingredients in the slow cooker, add in 1/2 cup water, cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.

Karen Nochimowski is the author of 6-Minute Dinners (& More!), a newly released cookbook filled with of over 100 simple and delicious kosher recipes with six ingredients or less, including nut-free and allergy-friendly options, to help busy families get dinner on the table with ease. You will find wonderful testimonials in the book from Gloria Estefan, Alex Borstein, Katie Couric, Howie Mandel, Margaret Cho, Barbara Corcoran and many others. Karen also started and runs Momma Chef’s Kosher Soup Kitchen and Momma Chef’s Little

Free Pantries in Chicago, which provides food at no cost to those in need. So far Karen has provided over 20,000 kosher meals and over 15,000 pounds of nonperishable food. Part of the proceeds from the cookbook will go towards these projects.

Visit https://mommachef.com.

Join Sharsheret in the Kitchen for “6 Minute Dishes” a cooking class with Karen Nochimowski on Wednesday, March 22 at 11am PT as she teaches us how to make a few delicious healthy dishes from her debut cookbook.

Register at link.sharsheret.org/6minutedishes.

This program is part of the “Sharsheret in the Kitchen” series, which brings nutritious kosher meal options to help empower all of us at risk for breast and ovarian cancer to make healthier dietary choices thanks to generous support from Cedars-Sinai, and The Cooperative Agreement DP19-1906 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

SHARSHERET, A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, IS THE JEWISH BREAST CANCER AND OVARIAN CANCER COMMUNITY. IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU LOVE HAS BEEN IMPACTED BY BREAST OR OVARIAN CANCER, OR HAS ELEVATED GENETIC RISK, CONTACT SHARSHERET FOR FREE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT SHARSHERET.ORG OR CALL (866) 474-2774.

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PURIM

TRAVEL

Kids dressed up in costumes arrive at their school ahead of the Jewish holiday of Purim in Sderot, in southern Israel.

PHOTO BY FLASH90.

THE SECRET LIFE OF PURIM COSTUMES

BY DEBORAH FINEBLUM | JNS.ORG

I

t was precisely 11 years ago that Sharon Abeles snapped her first picture of a kid in his Purim costume.

And she was hopelessly hooked. “I could feel I was catching him at a magical moment,” says Abeles, who left her native New York for Israel 37 years ago.

In the years since, Abeles has roamed the streets on this day, capturing many hundreds of children — and plenty of adults as well — in their full Purim regalia.

Purim, which starts at sundown on March 6 and runs for 24 wild and crazy hours, is the one holiday when Jews are literally commanded to be happy, celebrating the triumph of good (personified by Mordechai and his niece, Queen Esther) over evil (a role enthusiastically played

by Haman.)

Note: For those who take seriously the edict to drink until one can no longer tell the difference between “blessed be Mordechai” and “cursed be Haman,” one wag renamed the holiday “pour-em.”

Of course, COVID-19, which burst onto the world stage at Purim time three years ago, suddenly made masking more a deterrent than a disguise. But even a global pandemic had little power to stop Abeles from her appointed Purim rounds, focusing her camera mostly in Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh and Ramat Beit Shemesh. “There are certain neighborhoods, I’ve learned, where even though it’s pure fun, what 20

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2023

you decide to become that day is serious business,” she says.

Fairies and jellyfish, royalty and jesters, doves and dragons, high priests and henchmen, she’s captured them all — and, bowing to the need to lighten up a serious topic, even a girl-turned-fuzzy COVID-19 germ. That photo was one of the 100-plus images that made the cut for “Purim in Costume,” a slide exhibit displayed in 2022 at the Jewish Children’s Museum in Brooklyn, N.Y. Abeles holds a degree from the School of Visual Arts in New York City, and her photographs grace the walls of, among other venues, the Metropolitan Museum of Art on New York City’s Upper East Side and the Bibliothèque Nationale de France in Paris. Come Purim — decked out in her trademark trench coat and camera slung around her neck — she roams the streets in search of iconic costumes.

During the rest of the year, she works as a therapist for children and families. Her specialty: helping clients express and come to terms with their problems through art and play. And, it turns out, the connection between her photography and her work as a therapist is closer than one might expect.

“Purim is the perfect time to talk about who they think they are and why they chose that — to explore what it says about them,” says Abeles, the mother of four and a grandmother to boot. “So much planning and hard work go into these costumes; often, the child has

PURIM

TRAVEL

“Purim is the perfect time to talk to [children] about who they think they are and why they chose that — to explore what it says about them."

the vision many weeks in advance and shares it with the mother, who then goes to work making it happen.” And when donning the results, “kids typically feel so proud and often shyly honored to be noticed as their new identity, sometimes even acting out the role.”

Alter-egos like policemen and first responders can express the yearning to see themselves as a powerful hero; pirates can represent a longing for freedom and a sort of boundary-busting naughtiness.

Abeles adds that “costuming as the high priest in the Temple whose breastplate lights up can be about the drive to connect to a higher place — a sort of living Judaism.”

Dressing up can also be a healing technique in working with children who’ve undergone trauma. “It’s a chance to reflect on who they would be if that hadn’t happened, to change the story to a better ending that makes them feel strong and safe,” she says.

Her personal favorites? Perhaps it was the girl peeking out from between the tentacles of her blue jellyfish costume, the little boy Abeles caught up at the Western Wall dressed as the Ten Commandments or the young girl in a homemade bird costume who, spreading her wings, turned slowly to give Abeles the full effect, white feathers and all. “She appeared to be ready to fly,” she says. “It was a magical moment.”

The therapist and photographer in Abeles both find this a fascinating metamorphosis to witness, she says, “reminding us that Purim is about hiding and revealing at the same time.”

MAKING MAGIC ON A GRAND SCALE

Rami Patimer was raised to help create this kind of magic. His family has owned the Brurya Costume Store in Tel Aviv for 37 years, so he grew up among the clothes, masks, wigs and makeup pots. And, this year, rebounding from the COVID-19 lull, Patimer reports that the demand is back in full force.

With ninja costumes literally flying out the door thanks to the popular Netflix series Cobra Kai, and classics like pirates and superheroes continuing to hold their own, “Purim is the one day each year you can forget your troubles, become someone else and live your fantasy,” says Patimer. “You want to be a powerful ninja? You want to be Cinderella going to the ball or King Ahasuerus? I tell my employees. ‘Remember that no matter who’s standing in front of you, she is now Cinderella, and you need to treat her like Cinderella.’ ” HIDING IN PLAIN VIEW

Although Rabbi Menachem Bernfeld is a mature and responsible adult, he confesses that he still loves Purim as much as he did as a kid.

Now, however, he has a deeper understanding of what the holiday comes to teach us.

“The story in the Megillah — the book of Esther — actually took nine years to complete, but we read it in an hour, and we know from the beginning that it’s going to have a happy ending,” says the life coach, special educator and father from Lakewood, N.J. “But in our own lives, we don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Adults, especially, wear “costumes” all year round, adds the rabbi.

“We play roles to please people, to succeed. But in a Purim costume, we can actually see more clearly our real self behind our mask — that God is behind everything, so we can live more deeply, more spiritually. We know Esther had to hold the hand of God and trust Him when going to King Ahasuerus, and that she revealed her true identity only when the time was right; that’s how she saved the Jewish people,” he says. “No wonder it’s one holiday that’s expected to continue after the Messiah.”

And the whole of Purim is most assuredly greater than the sum of the parts, insists Abeles. “Here in Israel, the whole country comes alive, reminding us that each of us plays an important role since in every generation, we have Hamans who try their best to destroy us.”

That’s why Purim is the opposite of Halloween, she adds by way of explanation: “It’s not about taking treats from people but bringing treats to friends, family and the needy [known as mishloach manot]. And it’s not about evil or being scary, but about really seeing our true selves and the hand of God in our lives.”

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FEATURE STORY

Chekhov's Cherry Orchard at the North Coast Rep

BY EVA TRIEGER James Sutorius and Richard Baird in The Cherry Orchard.

PHOTO BY AARON RUMLEY

N

orth Coast Repertory Theatre has but one goal: to provide entertaining and thought-provoking theatre to patrons of all ages and experiences. The upcoming show will bear this out as Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard is performed under the direction of David Ellenstein. The Artistic Director has selected a version of this Russian story written by Jeane-Claude ven Itallie from among other treatments.

In a recent telephone interview, Ellenstein told me that he directed this very show 32 years ago and has longed to bring it to NCRT audiences but was awaiting the dreamed of remodel. Acknowledging that this was slow in coming to fruition, the decision was made to do it now. I was curious to know if Ellenstein was at all concerned that a sympathetic story toward Russia may be met with some push back or cynicism. Ellenstein responded in the negative. “It a story about 1903 Russia, and is a wholly universal experience. It is not a Russian story, but a human one.” The tale and characters are “complicated, fascinating, absurd, deep thinking, mean and kind.” They represent the full complement of all humans, everywhere.

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Though the play was written as a comedy, it contains elements of every human expression, from slapstick to despairing. Its authenticity is inherent in the lines spoken, and unspoken, by each complex character.

The deepest message conveyed, is the desire and often, the inability for humans to connect with each other, despite their efforts.

“The characters swirl around each other, but often cannot connect.” Ellenstein was quick to point out that this depth holds true not only for the main characters, but avers that even the small characters are “juicy.”

The play reveals the troubled economic/ political climate of Russia, beginning with the emancipation of the serfs and the turmoil that would ferment and percolate, leading to the 1917 revolution. Chekhov’s last play reveals the plight of an aristocratic landowner who returns to her family estate shortly before it is auctioned off to pay the mortgage. Viewers will observe the struggles between the tenacious and reluctant nobility and the working class citizens who are looking to the west for something beyond their traditional ways. Ellenstein made a point of reminding me that while we tend to associate communism with Russia, this economic-political philosophy had its origins in Germany and England.

This cast is comprised of the greatest number of equity actors of any NCRT show to date! The thirteen actors are gifted and work with a great deal of synergy. Due to theiir high calibre, no dramaturg or linguist was required to achieve the desired effect.

Audiences are certain to leave the theatre with a new appreciation for Anton Chekhov, admiration for Marty Burnett’s inspired set design, and an ache for human frailties.

THE CHERRY ORCHARD RUNS MARCH 1—26, 2023. TICKETS MAY

BE PURCHASED ONLINE AT BOXOFFICE@NORTHCOASTREP.ORG OR BY CALLING (858) 481-1055.

Quality Meats, Select Cuts, Prepared Foods, Appetizers, Deli Meats, & Seasonings Certified Glatt Kosher Some of the brands we carry: Kurson, Shor Habor, Empire, Ta’amti, Ariel, Jack’s, Golden Taste, Holy Hummus, Amnon’s, Aaron’s and more.

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FEATURE STORY

Fighting for the Wrongfully Convicted

BY SHARON RAPOPORT

Yamit Gelbman

I

n 1983, Marion Coakley was convicted for the robbery and rape of a woman in New York. He was identified as the rapist by three eyewitnesses, including the victim. Despite having an alibi from three other witnesses claiming he was in a different location at the time of the rape, the court sentenced him to 5 to 15 years. After his conviction, two New York attorneys, Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld decided to use forensic samples recovered from the crime scene. The DNA proved Coakley had a different blood type than the perpetrator of the crime. Coakley was released after serving four years in prison for a crime he did not commit.

A few years later, Scheck and Neufeld founded the Innocence Project, with a mission to free the innocent, prevent wrongful convictions, and foster more equitable justice systems. Since its inception, the model has been replicated, improved, and adapted by

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other organizations worldwide. Traditionally, defense attorneys who are involved in innocence projects work pro-bono.

Yamit Sharvit-Gelbman, a seasoned criminal defense lawyer who grew up in Herzliya, had spent fifteen years working for Israeli public defense when she relocated her family to Boston. The move resulted from her husband’s involvement in a financial startup. For anyone else, especially for a mother of three young children, this could have meant a scratching halt in a successful career. However, SharvitGelbman’s passion for Human Rights found its way. She was soon appointed tenure as Visiting Scholar at Boston College under the highly awarded Innocence Program. And then came COVID and the double-whammies of a New England winter and remote study for her children, then 5, 7, and 10.

“We decided to give them a proper outdoor experience, pack up, and head West.” It turns out this attorney’s other passion is surfing.

“Naturally, our destination was San Diego, with its amazing waves and beaches.” Coincidentally —or maybe as a matter of self-fulfilling prophecy—Yamit means little ocean in Hebrew.

Sharvit-Gelbman, soon founded the Israeli American Innocence Network (IAIN). This non-profit organization encourages establishing innocence programs in Israel. Learning from the US and transferring demonstrated knowledge and practices to Israel is vital to the model. In addition, the organization supports wrongfully convicted Israeli prisoners in the United States.

The differences between Israel’s and the US’s justice systems make for unique learning opportunities. In both countries, it is extremely hard for someone who claims to be innocent to overturn the court’s decision. According to the Israeli Public Defense, dozens of prisoners claim their innocence and ask to re-open their cases yearly. Still, the Public Defense only submits one motion annually. Israeli courts have accepted only 33 retrials in seventy-five years, primarily for minor offenses.

“We have an opportunity and an obligation to share information between the US and Israel,” says Sharvit-Gelbman. “This is also an area where local leaders of the Jewish community can step in and be part of a great religious duty: Pidyon Shvuyim” —the release of those imprisoned unjustly by the authorities.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ISRAELI AMERICAN INNOCENCE NETWORK, EMAIL YAMITADV@GMAIL.COM.

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FEATURE STORY

Helping Jerusalem's

Needy Elderly Find Work and Meaning

BY JUDITH SEGALOFF | JNS.ORG Yuri, 88, and Adele, 76, work in the Ceramics Workshop at Yad LaKashish in Jerusalem. PHOTO BY JUDITH SEGALOFF.

and empowerment.

“Yad LaKashish is a very unique model for the elderly,” explains Ariela Schwartz-Zur, the organization’s executive director. “It pays them, gives them services, but more importantly, it gives them a reason to get up in the morning and feel meaningful.

“When Covid forced us to shut down, we learned how successful and important our model is,” she adds. “Although we still supported our seniors financially, 40 of our group never returned. After three months of isolation they were no longer able to function.”

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog and his wife, Michal, recently visited the organization and met the artisans. He even tried his hand at metalworking. His father, former President Chaim Herzog, also visited Yad LaKashish and presented them with a plaque which the executive director proudly displays.

INTERGENERATIONAL SUPPORT

H

and-in-hand, an older couple shuffles into Yad LaKashish’s Jerusalem stone compound across the street from the capital’s city hall. They navigate their way, each to a separate workroom, and prepare to start the day. “Buenos dias!” says another elderly gent as he heads to another part of the building, which dates back to 1880. He is an immigrant from Argentina.

Two hundred artisans, average age 80, mostly immigrants and many who fled their countries of origin, travel by light rail and bus each day to work making beautiful gift items and Judaica that are sold to the public online, in a gift shop and at events.

The 60-year-old institution makes sure the seniors, who are below the poverty line, receive a stipend, healthcare, dental care, a winter bonus to offset heating costs, a nutritious lunch, and food packages for holidays.

A recent report from Israel’s National Insurance Institute (the equivalent of Social Security) noted that half of all recipients of subsistence allowances suffer from food insecurity.

Programs like Yad LaKashish — Lifeline for the Old help to nourish indigent seniors. But the work, which is taught to the participants by artists and designers, also provides them with dignity, community

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Myriam Mendelow founded the organization in 1962 after seeing elderly beggars panhandling to buy food. Mendelow saw a need to create intergenerational support for Israel’s elderly.

She opened a bookbinding operation and trained eight older men to bind books. She then forged an alliance with local schools to bring their books that needed rebinding. Children delivered the books and forged relationships with the bookbinders. To this day, the bookbindery is one of the workshops offered by Yad LaKashish, along with nine others including ceramics, silk painting, paper-mache, sewing and embroidery, and metalworking.

“Most of the people have little or no experience in creating art,” explains Tanya Kazakov, one of the professional artisans who works with the new artists. An immigrant from Ukraine who arrived at age 10, she also speaks Russian, which helps her communicate with many of the clients. The workers come from 24 different countries and speak 12 different languages.

Art, Kazakov points out, is a universal language, and workshop leaders have developed ways to communicate using color charts and non-verbal methods of teaching.

“From day one people start to create,” she continues. “How long it takes each to excel is up to their ability. We try to challenge them. If they have good skills we give them new projects to make it interesting.

We change things to accommodate their abilities, and sometimes to address their limitations.”

The projects are often influenced by the cultures of the workers.

Ethiopian clients, who account for 10 percent of Yad LaKashish’s seniors, requested that storks be incorporated into some of the designs,

TEST YOUR JEWISH IQSM

since in Ethiopia, according to Jewish folklore, storks would migrate to Africa bringing blessings from Jerusalem. Needlepoints were created with the stork theme.

Estie Browner, workshop manager in charge of Paper Art, speaks about an 88-year-old former aerospace engineer from Russia, one of the workers who recently died.

“He came to Israel, a brilliant scientist with a top-secret career, but he couldn’t provide for himself,” she recalls with tears in her eyes. “He brought himself and all his talent to us and he used his aeronautic skills to put together our paper mache airplanes. Now that he is gone, no one can put together the planes.”

Orit Arye is one of the few workers who is a born and bred Jerusalemite. She began coming to Yad LaKashish as a volunteer and later transitioned to being a worker. As she skillfully embroiders various stitches, she relates how she came to the organization knowing nothing about needlework. Everything she knows now she learned on the job.

Another worker, Maya, formerly from Saint Petersburg, says, “It was difficult to learn something new but now that I can do it. I’m so glad to be here.”

To continue the tradition of encouraging intergenerational communication, Yad LaKashish offers free tours that allow students, many from the U.S., and other groups to observe the workshops and meet with the workers.

Mick Shrubstok, a high school student from Atlanta, was instrumental in getting his class to visit the organization, after he had previously visited Yad LaKashish. As he stops by the various workshops, he engages an Ukrainian immigrant, speaking to her in Russian. The delighted worker stops sanding the ceramic cup she was working on to engage in conversation with the young man.

“I asked her how she likes what she is doing,” Shrubstok recounts, holding a Russian book that she had given to him. “She said she loves what she is doing, and it makes her so happy seeing people like us coming through.”

Standing in the gift shop after the tour, another student marvels: “It’s really cool to see these people making these beautiful things with just their hands. Knowing where it comes from really adds to the experience.”

The gift shop, three floors of goodies ranging from coffee mugs to menorahs to tallitot prayer shawls, from stuffed toys to beautiful painted silk scarves and more, has shipped to 80 countries including the United Arab Emirates, Zambia and India, and, of course, the U.S. Tours, arranged in advance, are free. There are paid add-ons that can be arranged, such as a hands-on workshop making a project to keep or donate, or a Chesed (Community Good Will) Project of creating special birthday gift baskets for the workers of Yad LaKashish.

1. Which day of the week is now considered a lucky day by many Jews because the Torah called it good not just once, but twice? ____ a. Sunday ____ b. Tuesday ____ c. Friday ____ d. Saturday 2. Which is the correct chronological order of these three events: Destruction of the Second Temple; events commemorated by Purim; events commemorated by Chanukah? ____ a. Purim, Chanukah, Second Temple ____ b. Second Temple, Purim, Chanukah ____ c. Chanukah, Second Temple, Purim ____ d. Chanukah, Purim, Second Temple 3. The gold Menorah in the Tabernacle and the First and Second Temples had how many branches? ____ a. 6 ____ b. 7 ____ c. 8 ____ d. 9 4. Which of these fish is kosher? ____ a. Swordfish ____ b. Catfish ____ c. Halibut ____ d. Leopard shark

7. King David is known to be descended from each of these biblical figures but which one? ____ a. Hagar ____ b. Ruth ____ c. Tamar ____ d. Leah 8. Which label would a Jew be least likely to find offensive? ____ a. Farbissiner ____ b. Shmendrick ____ c. Shlemiel ____ d. Mensch 9. Which of these generals was not a Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces? ____ a. Moshe Dayan ____ b. Ariel Sharon ____ c. Yitzhak Rabin ____ d. Benny Gantz 10. Which of these was a Jewish major league baseball player who spied for the US against Germany in World War II and whose spy efforts provided significant assistance in the Doolittle raids against Tokyo Harbor? ____ a. Lou Gehrig ____ b. Sandy Koufax ____ c. Moe Berg ____ d. Benny Goodman

5. How many decks were below the cover of Noah’s ark? ____ a. 1 ____ b. 2 ____ c. 3 ____ d. 4 6. Which of these prophets is among the twelve “minor” prophets? ____ a. Jeremiah ____ b. Malachi ____ c. Ezekiel ____ d. Isaiah

Answers on page 29. ©2023 Felber, Starmark, Inc., all rights reserved.

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NEWS

TO KNOW

NOW WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

PHOTO COURTESY HILLEL OF SAN DIEGO.

NEW HILLEL CENTER OPENS IN LA JOLLA

Following more than 20 years of legal challenges, Hillel of San Diego has opened the $18.7 million Beverly and Joseph Glickman Hillel Center — a long-anticipated center for Jewish students and the entire community adjacent to the UC San Diego campus at 9009 La Jolla Scenic Drive North.

According to David Michan, a past president of Hillel of San Diego who chairs the building committee and oversees the project, the 6,500-square-foot state-of the-art facility has been designed to meld with the surrounding community — encompassing two singlestory buildings and one two-story structure, all clustered around a central courtyard.

“This is a momentous day for us,” he said. “After 20 long years we are thrilled to celebrate the grand opening of this vital and dynamic hub of student life, an important testament to the Jewish community’s resilience and perseverance.”

Situated on just under one acre, the facility will serve as a foothold for UC San Diego students, hosting Jewish holiday experiences and Jewish learning and community activities — with flexible spaces designed for student programs, meetings, one-on-one mentorship and religious services.

Primary components of the new center include a large multipurpose room for dining, social events and performances; a lounge that transitions into a sanctuary; study rooms; and outdoor activity terraces, which provide more space for socializing and connecting.

Interactive highlights include the wisdom wall, an art display featuring student faces and stories; a kosher kitchen where students 28

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2023

participate in hands-on programs; and an expansive space housing the headquarters for over a dozen campus Jewish student organizations as well as staff offices.

According to Karen Parry, executive director of Hillel of San Diego, The Glickman Hillel Center will also supply basic resources, including food access and showers for students in need as well as provide an important gathering place for the entire community, with other organizations utilizing the space for Jewish cultural programming.

To learn more about Hillel of San Diego, go to www.hillelsd.org.

SAN DIEGO THEATER MONTH KICKS OFF

March is San Diego Theater Month.

“No matter where you live in the County of San Diego, you’re not far away from amazing live theatre, dance and music! The goal of Theatre Month is to get you to a seat and enjoy what San Diego has to offer,” says Jay Henslee, President of the San Diego Performing Arts League (SDPAL), a nonprofit which advocates for performing arts organizations and operates the iconic ArtsTix Ticket Center in Horton Plaza Park. SDPAL also manages the popular www.sdartstix. com, San Diego’s only nonprofit online ticket service.

For Theatre Month 2023, all tickets will be offered at discounted rates of $15, $30 or $45 - these seats are the best in the house as of the night of the event. The goal is to simplify ticket purchasing for all participating events by using one website www.sandiegotheatremonth. com.

Participating organizations include: Broadway San Diego, Theatre for Young Professionals, Patio Playhouse, Scripps Ranch Theatre, North Coast Repertory Theatre, The Rady Shell, San Diego Symphony, San Diego Junior Theatre, OnStage Playhouse, San Diego Musical Theatre, Lamb’s Players Theatre, The Roustabouts Theatre, City Ballet of San Diego, Center Stage Productions, Star Theatre, San Diego Actors Theatre, The Old Globe, New Village Arts, Coronado Playhouse, Backyard Renaissance, Trinity Theatre Company, San Diego Shakespeare Society, Oceanside Theatre Company, San Diego Master Chorale, Moxie Theatre, Malashok Dance, PowPAC, CCAE Theatricals, La Jolla Playhouse, Scripteasters, Lamplighters Theatre, Cygnet Theatre, San Diego Opera, San Diego Ballet, Grossmont College Performing Arts Center and Poway Center for the Performing Arts.

ANCIENT GOLD BEAD UNCOVERED IN JERUSALEM

A unique, pure gold bead dating back at least 1,600 years has been uncovered in the Emek Tzurim National Park in Jerusalem, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) revealed.

The bead was found in dirt removed from a Roman structure discovered during the Pilgrimage Road Excavation. It was created using a unique technique that required delicate workmanship to affix tens of tiny balls together in the shape of a ring in order to create one ornament.

The relic was found by Hallel Feidman, an 18-year-old doing her compulsory national service as a volunteer for the sifting project at the Archaeological Experience.

“I poured the pail onto the sieve and began to wash the material that was brought from the excavations in the City of David,” she recounted. “And then I saw something shiny in the corner of the

NEWS ANSWERS TO TEST YOUR JEWISH IQSM 1. b. Tuesday (Gen. 1:10, 1:12).

2. a. Purim commemorates the survival of Jews, marked for death by their Persian rulers in the 5th Century BCE, after the destruction of the First Temple in 586 BCE. Chanukah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in the 2nd Century BCE. The Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE. 3. b. The gold Menorah had 7 branches. The chanukiah, which is lit at Chanukah, has eight lights and a ninth light, higher than the others, for the shamash.

This rare gold bead, dating back at least 1,600 years, was uncovered in dirt taken from a Roman structure in Jerusalem’s Emek Tzurim National Park. PHOTO CREDIT: ARI LEVY, ISRAEL ANTIQUITIES AUTHORITY.

sieve, different, that I don’t normally see. I immediately approached the archaeologist, and he confirmed that I had found a gold bead.

Everyone here was very excited.”

According to IAA excavation directors Shlomo Greenberg and Ari Levy, the bead was found in a formerly grandiose structure that was at least 25 meters long and built on the Pilgrimage Road in the City of David. “The wealth of the building’s occupants is evidenced by additional finds that were discovered in it, like imported clay vessels and a decorated mosaic floor,” they said.

The researchers pointed out that the bead was perhaps created in a period that precedes that of the structure in which it was found, but said that it was reasonable to assume that the bead belonged to the building’s residents.

The find is of special importance, according to the researchers, both because gold items are rare archaeological finds in Israel and because beads of this style are not common, given the unique and complex technique used to create them.

The technique, researchers said, most probably originates from the region of Mesopotamia, where it was known approximately 4,500 years ago.

“The most interesting aspect of the bead is its unique and complex production method,” explained Amir Golani, an ancient jewelry expert at the IAA. “A good understanding of the materials and their properties is required, as well as control over the heat, in order to on the one hand solder the tiny balls together to create a tiny ring, while also preventing overheating which may lead all the gold to melt.”

It is possible that the bead was created in a different area and was brought to the City of David as part of the extensive trade relations between Jerusalem and other regions. Another theory is that the bead was gifted to a Jerusalem resident, or, possibly due to its unique nature, was passed within the family from one generation to another as an inheritance.

Similar beads have been discovered in burial caves from 2,500 years ago (end of the First Temple period) in Ketef Hinnom near the City of David, but those beads were made from silver.

To date, only a few dozen gold beads have been found in Israel.

4. c. Although it feeds on almost any fish or animal it can fit into its mouth, halibut is kosher. To be kosher, a fish must have fins and scales. Swordfish, catfish, and sharks have fins, but no scales.

5. c. Three decks (Gen. 6:16).

6. b. Malachi was the last of the twelve “minor” prophets.

7. a. Hagar was the Egyptian mother of Ishmael, who is considered the progenitor of the Muslim/Arab nations. King David was from the tribe of Judah, son of Leah. Tamar bore Judah’s son Peretz, from whom David was descended. Ruth was David’s great-grandmother.

8. d. Mensch = person of integrity and morality; farbissiner = embittered person; shmendrick = fool, stupid person; shlemiel = inept or incompetent person, fool.

9. b. Ariel Sharon was called by Yitzhak Rabin “the greatest field commander in our history.” Sharon was Defense Minister and Prime Minister of Israel, but was never Chief of the General Staff of the IDF. 10. c. Moe Berg played shortstop and catcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers, White Sox, Indians, and Senators. Known as “the brainiest guy in baseball,” he graduated from Princeton, Columbia Law School, and the Sorbonne, and spoke twelve languages, including Hebrew and Yiddish. He was sent by the forerunner of the CIA during World War II to spy against Germany’s atomic bomb program, Project Uranium, and was rumored to have been ordered to assassinate the theoretical head of the project, Werner Heisenberg, if the Nazis were close to a bomb. He found they weren’t, and he let Heisenberg live. But for a while, Heisenberg’s life, like the life of Schrodinger's cat, had been in limbo. _________________________________________ 0–2 Talmid/Talmida (Student) 3–5 Melamed/Melamedet (Teacher) 6–8 Talmid Chacham/Talmidat Chacham (Scholar) 9 – 10 Gaon/Gaona (Genius) ©2023 Felber, Starmark, Inc., all rights reserved.

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