L'Chaim Magazine April 2023

APRIL 2023

PROTECTING OUR PEOPLE Plus:

PASSOVER 2023

The closeness of family and friends gathered together in thankful celebration. A special feeling. A special warmth.

Best wishes from all of us at Passover.

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contents

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April 2023 • www.lchaimmagazine.com

in this issue...

COVER STORY Protecting Our People: Guns N’ Moses is a Jewish Gun Club in San Diego........................

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1000 WORDS Kavod Charter School: Developing Global Citizens with an Appreciation for Israel..................................................................................................................

FOOD Curry Roast Cauliflower.................................................................................................................................

KAVOD CHARTER SCHOOL

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PASSOVER The Shakespeare Haggadah Ties Together an Author’s Love of the Playwright and the “Inherent Flexibility” the Story of the Exodus Provides..................................................................................

Wisdom from the Passover Kitchen: Getting the Kids Involved.........................................

FEATURES MOVIE REVIEW: The Devils Confessions..........................................................................................

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CURRY ROAST CAULIFLOWER

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20 27

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

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

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COLUMNS

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

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

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

PASSOVER

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TORAH l BY RABBI-CANTOR CHERI WEISS

prayers

& passages The Four Questions: Just the Beginning

P

assover is the most beloved and celebrated of the Jewish holidays.

Statistics indicate that even those who consider themselves to be completely secular Jews make the effort to attend (or hold) a Seder — the festive meal that forms the cornerstone of the holiday. Ask anyone what the highlight of these festivities is, and chances are they will reply: The Four Questions, of course!

The honor of asking these questions usually goes to either the youngest child present or all of the children as a group. It is a responsibility that children seem to take very seriously, practicing at home for their shining star moment. As parents, we can only hope that they find meaning in their distinctive role at the Seder and remember it for years to come.

The Four Questions opens with an introductory question: How is this night different from all other nights? What follows are really statements that delineate how this night is different: On all other nights we eat leavened products and matzah, and on this night only matzah.

On all other nights we eat all vegetables, and on this night only bitter herbs.

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • APRIL 2023

On all other nights, we don’t dip our food even once, and on this night we dip twice.

On all other nights we eat sitting or reclining, and on this night we only recline.

In simple terms, we may respond: We eat matzah because we did not have time to bake fully-leavened bread before their daring escape from Egypt. We eat bitter herbs to remind us how difficult our lives were as slaves in Egypt. Our food is dipped twice: parsley in salt water to signify the tears we shed as slaves, bitter herbs in charoset to signify the bitterness of slavery turning into the sweetness of freedom. We recline like royalty to symbolize freedom from oppression (slaves stood while royalty ate in luxury).

Why is it so important for children to ask these questions? The text could just as easily have been incorporated into the body of the retelling of the story without this interlude.

Yet that would have defeated the entire purpose of the Seder itself! We are meant not only to retell the story; we are meant to relive it, as though it were happening to us.

By having children recite these questions, we are encouraging them to see themselves as an integral part of the fabric of Jewish history, hoping that this will encourage them to continue living Jewish lives as they enter into

adulthood.

In Judaism, we are encouraged to ask questions rather than accept Jewish laws and customs at face value. We are urged to question the nature of God and the reasons behind God’s actions, even if we don’t always find answers. By asking questions and exploring Judaism in all its facets, we may deepen our connection to our faith and its traditions. Exploring the writings of ancient Jewish sages and contemporary scholars may help us discover how Judaism can feed our soul and help us lead more fulfilled lives based on the Torah and its teachings.

On Passover, we delight in watching our children recite the ancient Four Questions, hoping that this ritual marks the beginning of a lifelong search for answers to the great questions that life will bring in the years to come. May we, as adults, also understand that there is no limitation to our own quest for knowledge and that our own questions should continue to be asked.

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

Enrolling ambitious TK-8 explorers Private School into our rigorous, free public Be aa Kavod Explorer!

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HUMOR | BY STEPHANIE D. LEWIS

mazel

& mishagoss Could Captain Von Trapp and Maria Be Headed for Divorce?

T

herapist: Before we begin, I want to stress that anything we discuss here remains in the strictest of confidence and will not be spoken outside of this room or…

Captain: Or turned into childish lyrics and sung on bicycles, joyriding around Salzburg. Do I make myself clear?? (Tooot, tooooooot–) Maria: Oh spare me your whistle, Captain.

Therapist: Tssk, tssk…definite control issues. So what can I help you folks with today?

Captain: Well first and foremost…how do you solve a problem like Maria? Also, whenever there’s a thunderstorm, my wife invites others into our bed. And I’m sick of tea as a drink with jam and bread — big Starbucks guy here. Additionally, you can never just bid a simple goodbye to Maria when leaving the house. Gotta launch into a whole choreographed megillah, “So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, sayonara, shalom,” etc. And finally, her constant yodeling has gotten on my last nerve.

Therapist: Hmmm…quite a laundry list there. Anything you want to add, Maria?

Maria: (Singing) Perhaps I had a wicked childhood. Perhaps I had a miserable youth.

Therapist: But somewhere in your youth or childhood, you must’ve done something good?

Maria: Nothing comes from nothing.

Nothing ever could.

Captain: And that’s exactly what this

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • APRIL 2023

session is worth!

Therapist: Now, now Captain. Your wife tells me you aren’t very supportive of her creative household frugality.

Captain: Ya think? Who needs to wear window coverings to military march around our foyer??

Maria: But the children. They just want love. Please just love them, Captain. The children.

Captain: Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn.

Therapist: I’m sorry but that’s not the correct line for you, is it? It’s not in my notes.

Let’s save the Rhett Butler nonsense for later.

He’s actually my next appointment.

Captain: I said that to make a point. My wife identifies with Gone With the Wind — they also transition their curtains/draperies into ladies fashionable outfits, you know? It’s like she’s taken Scarlett O’hara and Maria Von Trapp and blended them both together.

Therapist: Could that be true, Maria? Do you think you have Transblender tendencies?

Captain: Haha! That was just my little joke!

Maria: Honestly Georg, you’re so juvenile.

Like an eighth child. You are 16 going on 17.

Therapist: Speaking of, have you two ever considered hiring a governess? Parenting isn’t easy.

Captain: Ah yes, some pretty young thing from a nunnery with a penchant for warm woolen mittens and whiskers on kittens.

Maria: Georg!

Captain: Fraulein! You will remember yourself!

Therapist: Seriously? Who says that anymore? Is that even a thing?

Maria: Well, it’s time for my prayers. God bless the Captain, Liesl, Friedrich, Louisa, Brigitta, Marta, Gretel and…

Therapist: Achoooooo!

Maria: Gesundheit and bless you... err, I’ve forgotten what you’re called. What’s your name again? I know it’s not Kurt. Well God bless What’s-Your-Name.

Captain: OMG. Is there any hope for this relationship? With a woman who has a severe phobia.

Therapist: Nobody mentioned phobias.

Maria? What is it that truly scares you, my dear?

Maria: The hills are alive…

Therapist: Now we’re finally getting somewhere. But I’m afraid that’s all the time we have for this week.

Captain: Don’t you have any quick advice to conquer this fear? We may need to hike through the Alps one day with Nazis chasing after us.

Therapist: Of course — here’s my favorite therapeutic tip…“Climb every mountain!”

STEPHANIE D. LEWIS WILL INJECT HUMOR INTO ANYTHING YOU HIRE HER TO WRITE. EMAIL HER AT THEQUOTEGAL@YAHOO.COM.

The House of Israel needs YOU in Balboa Park!

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L’CHAIM | BY AVERY MANN AND SARAH MARTINEZ

PHOTOS COURTESY KAVOD CHARTER SCHOOL.

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • APRIL 2023

L’CHAIM

1000

WORDS

KAVOD CHARTER SCHOOL: DEVELOPING GLOBAL CITIZENS WITH AN APPRECIATION FOR ISRAEL

O

n a brisk February morning, 10 Kavod explorers set off for their long-anticipated trip to Israel. The excitement was palpable, as none of these eighth graders had traveled across the ocean without their families. For many, it was the first time traveling out of the country.

Kavod Charter School is a TK-8 tuition-free public school that teaches Hebrew. The curriculum is a robust global studies program that educates its students, referred to as explorers, about countries all over the world. With Hebrew at the core of its mission, Kavod’s global studies program has a heightened emphasis on Israeli culture, which is brought to life for the school’s eighth graders who venture to Israel as a part of a capstone trip. What makes Kavod remarkable is the school’s diversity. Kavod brings an appreciation of Israel to explorers that represent a wide range of various cultures and ethnicities.

Kavod is an affiliate of Hebrew Public, a network of schools throughout the United States whose objective is to broaden an understanding and appreciation of Israel to those who otherwise may not be aware. With the support of Hebrew Public, the Kavod explorers Israel trip was possible.

The explorers who joined the trip were only the second group of eighth graders at Kavod to make this journey, as Kavod graduated their inaugural kindergarten class from eighth grade only last year.

While the 2022 eighth grade class was the first group to have such an adventure, this year’s trip proved just as sentimental as Kavod is currently celebrating its 10 year anniversary.

The journey took Kavod’s explorers on a 10-day adventure visiting all the sights Israel has to offer and immersing them in a culture they had been learning about in the classroom since 2013. As explorer Sophia highlights, “It was an experience beyond compare, and I will never forget it. Not only was I able to float in the Dead Sea, view the underwater grottoes of Rosh HaNikra, and tour the Old

"It felt like every new day had a new interesting story to hear about.

It’s amazing how much this tiny country has accomplished in just under 75 years.”

City in Jerusalem, but I got to do all of these amazing activities with my friends — old and new.” Favorite activities among the travelers included the Negev desert, Masada, camel riding, and sleeping in the Bedouin tents.

At Kavod, explorers are taught to embrace new cultures and appreciate every country’s traditions, history, cultural nuances and achievements. For explorer Ari, the best part of the trip was “Getting to learn about the rich culture and history of Israel. It felt like every new day had a new interesting story to hear about. Listening about the technology was interesting too; it’s amazing how much this tiny country has accomplished in just under 75 years.”

Students were exposed to unique customs and traditions. As WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM

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L'CHAIM

Milo described, “It was so incredible to see the difference in culture between America and Israel. One prominent example of this was on Friday afternoon. Everyone was preparing for Shabbat (the Jewish day of rest), but after about 6 p.m., no one was out. All the shops were closed; the people had gone home to their families. It was calming. In America, we don’t even have one day a year where we do that, but in Israel, it happens once a week! It was just magical to see this happen, and even if you don’t see it through a religious lens, it is still amazing to see.”

Ultimately, Mitra, another explorer, described the journey perfectly. “This trip overall cannot be put into words; it was truly an unforgettable experience, one that I will remember forever. I made so many fond memories and friends on this phenomenal once in a lifetime journey, ones that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Learning about the beautiful country of Israel for the past few years in school was nothing compared to actually being there and seeing it firsthand.

Encountering famous historical landmarks such as Masada, the Old City of Jerusalem, the Ayalon Institute, etc., becoming a part of the culture, tasting new, delicious foods, and meeting the wonderful people there was such an honoring experience and I’m so grateful to have been a part of it. This journey is what truly defines the meaning 12

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • APRIL 2023

of a trip of a lifetime.”

Kavod brings a community of diverse ethnicities who appreciate the history and vital importance of Israel to San Diego. As a part of the Hebrew Public network, Kavod unites children from multiple demographics to share an opportunity to experience Israel firsthand and further spread the appreciation of Israel among a wide variety of communities. Upon return from the trip, Lorenzo’s sentiments perfectly validate the importance of Kavod’s mission: “Israel was one of the best experiences of my life. All of the new people that I met and the new places that I saw were so surreal. These are places that I’ve been learning about for years and finally getting to see them is amazing. No matter your religion or your beliefs I think Israel is an amazing country and you should all go in your life.”

Kavod Charter School is an integral part in bringing a heightened appreciation of Israel to the community by developing global citizens.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW TO SUPPORT KAVOD OR TO ENROLL AN EXPLORER, VISIT KAVODCHARTER.ORG.

On March 19, 2023, the Anti-Defamation League of San Diego and Imperial Counties partnered with the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center (LFJCC) Jacobs Family Campus to host a Passover Seder Celebration, working “Together Towards Freedom.” The program was led by Betzy Lynch, CEO of the LFJCC, Fabienne Perlov, Regional Director of the ADL San Diego, and Rabbi Yael Ridberg, San Diego Rabbinical Association, and included table facilitators to enhance group conversations. The experiential, sensory, interactive program highlighted themes of oppression, inclusion and allyship. As guests from diverse communities in our region drank the four cups of wine, recited the traditional prayers, and enjoyed world Jewish cuisine, they also reflected on how it is on all of us to continue to advance freedom and justice for all in our community. “With the current rise of antisemitism in the United States, it is important to share our tradition with other communities, see that we have more in common than differences, and work together to fight the defamation of Jewish people and secure justice and fair treatment to all “ said Fabienne Perlov, Regional Director of the AntiDefamation League. The LFJCC and ADL are grateful to our community allies for sharing this experience with us.

ADL SAN DIEGO fperlov@adl.org 858.2236353 sandiego.adl.org

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COVER STORY | BY FRANKLIN FELBER

'

GUNS N Moses

KEEPING THE JEWISH COMMUNITY SAFE WITH DEFENSE TRAINING 14

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • APRIL 2023

COVER STORY

I

am here to help any Jew who is ready to embrace armed self-defense.

That is the mission of Alex Dovgalevsky, who was born in the Soviet Union with far less freedom than he enjoys today.

And that is the reason Dovgalevsky has contributed so much of his time, energy, and resources as Director of Guns N’ Moses, a thriving Jewish shooting club of San Diego.

Guns N’ Moses is for all Jews who wish to learn, practice, and improve their skills in armed self-defense. The club is open to Jews of all levels of experience, from beginners who have never held a gun, to advanced members who train in real-life scenarios, including engaging an active shooter.

The members who are regularly invited to Guns N’ Moses training sessions are a loyal bunch. Of the 400 or so members, Dovgalevsky says only one has ever been removed from the membership list. And that was because he died.

Guns N’ Moses has no membership dues. The costs for each training session are the actual expenses incurred by each member — range costs, ammunition, rentals, and instructors as needed.

The instructors get paid, but not Dovgalevsky, who does all the organizing, curriculum preparation, and teaching of safety and fundamentals.

The reason Dovgalevsky takes no money for his work for Guns N’ Moses is that he considers it a mitzvah, a commandment.

Jews are commanded by the Torah (Leviticus 19:16) to save lives when they can: “You shall not stand aside while your fellow’s blood is shed.”

Dovgalevsky takes this obligation seriously. Besides helping to train hundreds of Jews in armed self-defense, Dovgalevsky has donated many hundreds of hours of service protecting the Jewish community. He is a common sight at the houses of worship he attends and at gatherings, standing vigilant guard to protect his Jewish community.

Dovgalevsky was not always so fortunate to have the opportunity to serve his community. He grew up in Kiev in Soviet Ukraine. Even as a boy he developed a strong distaste for the lack of freedom behind the Iron Curtain. This early exposure to autocratic rule and a dysfunctional society profoundly influenced the course of his life.

Just before the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, Dovgalevsky, his sister, parents, and grandparents, managed to emigrate from Kiev to San Diego, where they later became

naturalized citizens.

When he first came here, 10-year-old Dovgalevsky lived in a rough neighborhood off El Cajon Boulevard. He saw crime just about every day.

As a “skinny little kid,” Dovgalevsky fashioned his own weapons for self-defense. In Dovgalevsky’s hands, a padlock tied to a heavy drawstring from a hoodie became a mace-like spinning weapon. His classmates in seventh and eighth grades at the San Diego Jewish Academy couldn’t grasp why he would need such a device. Dovgalevsky was equally puzzled by their lack of comprehension.

Dovgalevsky was not long in this country before coming to realize that when he grew up he could have a gun for self-defense.

It made so much more sense to him than the strict prohibitions in the Soviet Union.

As a young high school student, Dovgalevsky first became interested in the Second Amendment right to bear arms. Today, Second Amendment issues and gun rules and regulations remain an integral component of training in Guns N’ Moses.

An important turning point in Dovgalevsky’s life came with the presidential election of 2008 and its aftermath. Dovgalevsky found himself “freaking out” over the presidential debates.

To him it seemed that this country, with its breakdown of civil discourse and its intolerance of opposing viewpoints, was devolving and coming to resemble more and more some of the worst aspects of the Soviet Union.

Dovgalevsky says that Soviet Jews like himself remain relatively detached from politics until “we notice that what we see here starts seeming similar to what we ran away from.” He and his fellow Jews from the Soviet Union feel strongly that on the economic and social fronts, the Soviet Union just didn’t work.

This is what was happening to Dovgalevsky in 2009. Debating with friends used to be a pleasant pastime for Dovgalevsky. In 2009 it became not fun. It became not okay. The civil and friendly debates he enjoyed so much became ideological arguments replete with name-calling and labeling, which in Dovgalevsky’s view was a first step to dehumanization and worse.

With these alarm bells sounding, Dovgalevsky began to take up armed self-defense seriously. He knew he wanted to train on firearms with someone Jewish. To this day, Dovgalevsky does not understand why it was so important for him to train with someone Jewish. But he does know that it is just as important to many other Jews as well. That helps explain the popularity of

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COVER STORY

Guns N’ Moses.

So in 2009, Dovgalevsky commuted from San Diego hours each way to train with a Jewish shooting group in Los Angeles.

At the same time, he studied Krav Maga, an Israeli self-defense system developed for the Israel Defense Forces and known for its focus on real-world situations and its extreme efficiency.

Beginning in 2009, he also worked for Second Amendment organizations like the National Rifle Association and Jews Can Shoot. Jews Can Shoot is a “civil rights group that honors the memory of the Holocaust to preserve, protect and defend the Second Amendment.” Their motto is the verse from the Talmud (Sanhedrin 72a), “If someone is coming to kill you, rise against him and kill him first.” And their registered trademark is Nothing Says Never Again Like an Armed Jew®.

With a solid background in firearm training, safety, and relevant California laws, and good relationships with the San Diego shooting community, when Dovgalevsky was asked to take over Guns N’ Moses in 2018, it was a natural fit.

Others seem to think so too. Under Dovgalevsky’s leadership, the club has grown to hundreds of members of all ages, sexes, Orthodox and Reform Jews, staunch defenders of their community and those who just want to feel secure in their homes.

A common theme among members seems to be the sense of empowerment that comes with growing confidence in their ability to defend themselves and their families. “I’m grateful to Dovgalevsky and to Guns N’ Moses for training me to take 16

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • APRIL 2023

charge of my home defense, particularly these days when law enforcement is stretched thin,” says long-time Guns N’ Moses member, Helene Kagan.

Shortly after Dovgalevsky took over in 2018, the anti-semitic terrorist attack against the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh killed eleven and wounded six, resulting in a doubling of attendance in Guns N’ Moses. Exactly six months later, on the last day of Passover, 2019, the fatal shooting attack at the Chabad of Poway synagogue resulted in another surge in membership.

But the biggest growth in membership, Dovgalevsky reported, occurred after the Covid lockdowns and the street violence that followed.

Dovgalevsky urges San Diego’s Jews not to wait for the next deadly attack before taking personal responsibility for their own defense. “Never delay self-defense training, because when you need it, it is too late to start training.”

To handle the tremendous growth in Guns N’ Moses, Dovgalevsky has partnered with San Diego County Gun Owners (SDCGO), a Political Action Committee. In striving to advance the cause of the Second Amendment, SDCGO members, most of whom are not Jewish, give generously of their time to ensure that every Guns N’ Moses beginner has an experienced mentor for guidance and instruction.

“I’ve met lifelong friends in these dedicated men and women mentors,” says Guns N’ Moses member and Chabad of Poway founding congregant, Patricia Kadosch. “And I’ve acquired a new

COVER STORY

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skill that empowers me as a woman to potentially defend my family and community.”

The good feelings of Guns N’ Moses members toward their SDCGO mentors are reciprocal. “Guns N’ Moses fits in perfectly with our goals of reaching out to a wide variety of people who want and need to defend their lives,” says SDCGO founder, Michael Schwartz.

Schwartz is pleased by his collegial partnership and personal friendship with Dovgalevsky as well. “Dovgalevsky’s passion makes him, by far, the best man for the job of leadership in a group like Guns N’ Moses,” Schwartz says. “Many say ‘Never Again’, but Dovgalevsky lives it.”

Dovgalevsky is grateful for the freedoms he has in this country, and feels blessed to have the capabilities and potential opportunities to perform deeds of the greatest value in Judaism.

Dovgalevsky is driven to serve by the verse in the Talmud (Sanhedrin 37a) that says, “Whoever preserves a single life from Israel is considered by Scripture as if he had preserved an entire world.”

No one will ever know how many lives have been saved and will be saved by Dovgalevsky Dovgalevsky and by those he helped train. No one can measure the deterrent effects of strong armed presences at synagogues and Jewish gatherings. Very few are aware how previously soft targets throughout all of San Diego County have been made much harder by the presence of armed Jews who have been trained in self-defense by Guns N’ Moses.

Thanks to Dovgalevsky and those trained by Guns N’ Moses, our synagogues throughout San Diego County are becoming harder targets and our Jewish communities are becoming safer and safer every year.

THOSE INTERESTED IN MORE INFORMATION OR TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TRAINING WITH GUNS N’ MOSES SHOULD EMAIL GUNSNMOSESSD@GMAIL.COM.

Encinitas (760) 854-4212 cottageencinitas.com

HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? Are you interested in sharing it with our audience and can you work best on deadlines?

©2023 Felber, Starmark, Inc., all rights reserved.

WANTED: CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Email editor@lchaimmagazine.com with your resume and areas of expertise.

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • APRIL 2023

FOOD

CURRY ROAST CAULIFLOWER

BY THE SEPHARDIC SPICE GIRLS

C

auliflower is having a moment. Considered a nutritional superfood, cauliflower is rich in protein, fiber and vitamins B and C. The compounds common to all cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts) protect cells from DNA damage. With all the keto, paleo and gluten free diets out there, cauliflower is the right vegetable at the right time.

We love to include this versatile vegetable on our menus in soups, stews and vegetable purees.

Curry-Roasted Cauliflower borrows from a staple of Indian cuisine, the magical pairing of curry and cauliflower. Roasting makes the cauliflower crisp and the spices add a rich, nutty depth that amuses the palette.

The garbanzos and cashews add a meaty texture. Serve it hot over rice or as a bright salad garnished with cilantro and parsley.

Curry Roasted Cauliflower Ingredients 1 cauliflower, cut into florets 1 can garbanzos, drained (optional) 1 cup cashews 1/2 bunch Italian parsley, for garnish 1/2 bunch cilantro, for garnish 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon curry powder 1 tablespoon turmeric 1 teaspoon garlic powder Salt and pepper to taste

Roasting makes the cauliflower crisp and the spices add a rich, nutty depth that amuses the palette.

Directions 1. Heat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. Toss cauliflower and garbanzos with oil and spices in a large bowl.

4. Arrange on baking sheet in single layer.

5. Bake until the cauliflower is tender, about 25 minutes.

6. Add cashews.

7. Garnish with greens, if serving as a salad.

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.

The Sephardic Spice Girls, Sharon Gomperts and Rachel Emquies Sheff, have been friends since high school. The Sephardic Spice Girls project has grown from their collaboration on events for the Sephardic Educational Center in Jerusalem. Visit sephardicspicegirls.com to see more of their Sephardic recipes with a modern twist!

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MOVIE REVIEW

TRAVEL

THE DEVIL'S CONFESSION

BY DEBORAH FRIPP “Every survivor had a Holocaust of their own.” The world learned this from the testimony of survivors at the trial of Adolph Eichmann.

This history is dramatically retold in The Devil’s Confession: The Lost Eichmann Tapes, a new documentary by Yariv Mozer.

The Eichmann trial of 1961 was a turning point in the world’s engagement with the story of the Holocaust. Survivor testimony at the trial was broadcast on televisions across the world. The stories of individual survivors captivated the general public. “The Eichmann trial was the beginning of the process of the Holocaust emerging from the shadows of history.”

In 2023, we are at another turning point in the world’s engagement with the Holocaust. Soon, there will be no one left who witnessed these atrocities. Soon, we will not be able to sit in front of a survivor and listen to their story. Without careful attention to ensure that survivors’ stories continue to be widely heard, this could be the time when the Holocaust fades back into the shadows of history.

Survivor stories are important because survivor testimony shifts the narrative of the Holocaust. When we listen to survivors, we stop viewing the Holocaust through the eyes of what the Nazis did. We instead see the Holocaust through the eyes of what the Jews endured.

We begin to understand not just how people died, but also how they lived in almost impossible circumstances.

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In The Devil’s Confession, director Yariv Mozer goes a step further.

This documentary tells not a survivor’s story but a perpetrator’s. In fact, Mozer tells the story in Eichmann’s own words, in his own voice.

And he tells it through the eyes of Jewish witnesses.

In the 1950s in Argentina, Nazi journalist Willem Sassen interviewed Eichmann over the course of several weeks. Although transcripts of the interview were released shortly before Eichmann’s trial, the tapes themselves have never been heard by the general public. Until now.

“With us, he lied the entire time. To Sassen, he told the truth.”

Michael Goldmann-Gilead’s frustration is palpable. GoldmannGilead, a Holocaust survivor himself, was the police interrogator and investigating officer for the Eichmann trial.

Many of the Israelis involved in the trial were Holocaust survivors like Goldmann-Gilead. Their perspective on Eichmann’s behavior is illuminating. Mozer interviews people who were involved in all aspects of the trial: the Mossad agents who kidnapped Eichmann, the guards who watched him in prison, the police interrogator, and the judges who oversaw the trial. Gideon Hausner, the prosecutor, died in 1990, but we hear about his reactions from his children. These people’s recollections of Eichmann and their own reactions to him draw a compelling picture of anger and frustration mixed with a keen

MOVIE REVIEW

TRAVEL

video that are usually seen in black and white, this juxtaposition This documentary is makes the story feel fresh and current.

The documentary delves into Hausner’s failed attempts to find the original tapes from Eichmann’s interview. Eventually, the Israeli a valuable addition to court disallows most of the transcript from the interview because the provenance of the transcript cannot be adequately demonstrated.

Without the evidence from Eichmann’s confession, Hausner calls Holocaust education survivors to the stand.

This decision to broadcast eyewitness testimony from Holocaust survivors shifted how the world related to the story of the programming, even for Holocaust.permanently The powerful testimony of the survivors’ personal horror hands of the Nazis etched a new narrative for how the Holocaust teens or preteens, but atis the remembered. After the Eichmann trial, the world understood the importance of listening to survivors. Now, 60 years later, we are once again forced to shift how we relate to the Holocaust, because we no it is not for the faint longer have survivors to whom we can listen. The Devil’s Confession reminds us to ensure that the voices of the survivors continue to be widely heard. of heart.

desire to ensure he receives a trial based on justice not revenge.

The Devil’s Confession cleverly juxtaposes Eichmann’s braggadocios confession on the tapes with his gaslighting denial in the trial. Over and over, we hear him proudly admit to something on the tapes and a moment later deny it at his trial.

On the tapes, he smugly describes his role in organizing the ghastly efficiency of the centralized murder camps. His confession is mixed with self-aggrandizing bravado that reflects a complete lack of remorse. His chief lament is that they did not kill more Jews. In fact, he seems to be trying to cement his legacy, to ensure that he is remembered as an architect of the Holocaust.

This documentary is a valuable addition to Holocaust education programming, even for teens or preteens, but it is not for the faint of heart. As we hear Eichmann describe his role in organizing the genocide, we see pictures from the Holocaust, except they are in color now. The use of color in the old pictures gives them a striking immediacy that draws the story into a modern context.

The Devil’s Confession is beautifully directed, seamlessly sliding between time periods with the help of a visual timeline. As we hear from the various participants, we fade from photos and testimony taken during the trial to modern interviews. The old is shown sideby-side with the new. As with the choice to use color in pictures and

DEBORAH FRIPP IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TEACH THE SHOAH. TEACH THE SHOAH IS AN INTERNATIONAL NONPROFIT DEDICATED TO ENSURING THAT THE STORY OF THE HOLOCAUST REMAINS RELEVANT AND RESONANT. TEACH THE SHOAH’S PROGRAMS FOCUS ON USING STORYTELLING TECHNIQUES TO TELL TRUE STORIES OF THE HOLOCAUST, COMMEMORATION CEREMONIES FOR BOTH JEWISH AND INTERFAITH AUDIENCES, AND AGE-APPROPRIATE HOLOCAUST EDUCATION. LEARN MORE AT TEACHTHESHOAH.ORG.

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PASSOVER

A Shakespearean Twist on Passover

'Nay Leaven'd Bread Shalt Beest Eaten'

BY MIKE WAGENHEIM | JNS.ORG

W

herefore is this Haggadah diff’rent from all oth’r Haggadahs?

Author Martin Bodek, the writer of the Emoji Haggadah, Festivus Haggadah and Coronavirus Haggadah, has released another version of the Passover story, translated fully into Elizabethan English.

The Shakespeare Haggadah: Elevate Thy Seder With the Bard of Avon retells the traditional tale of the exodus from Egypt with Hebrew on the right side and quotes from, and references to, William Shakespeare’s plays on the left.

The Shakespeare Haggadah: It’s replete with old English typeface Elevate Thy Seder With the Bard and refers to items on the seder plate of Avon. CREDIT: COURTESY. as “the bare-picked bone of majesty,” “roasted egg in wrath and fire” and “the enchanted herbs,” referencing King John, Hamlet and The Merchant of Venice, respectively.

“I’ve been a Shakespeare fan all my life. I had to choose between that and some other ideas that are very pop-culture inflected, but I went up against all different sorts of copyright issues,” Bodek said.

“Shakespeare has been dead for 407 years. I think I’m in the clear.”

Bodek, a self-described pop-culture aficionado and literature fan, says he took every relevant Shakespeare quote he could think of and wove it into the Passover story, creating a “fully-functioning Haggadah.”

“Shakespeare is certainly one of my loves. I can speak Elizabethan English on a dime, if you wish me to. I’m not just selling out, doing it on the cheap. I mean it when I do it,” said Bodek, who quoted from every one of Shakespeare’s 37 plays in his latest work.

This is Bodek’s fourth Haggadah parody release, now tied in a friendly competition with comedian Dave Cowen for the world record. He said he chose the book, which sets forth the order of the Passover seder, because “it’s the most flexible medium there is” in Jewish text.

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“Most other texts or documents are very rigid. They should not be changed or altered or messed with. They’re sacrosanct,” said Bodek.

“The commandment that the Haggadah is derived from is simply to remember the exodus from Egypt to teach it to your children. But it has inherent flexibility.”

Bodek notes that for hundreds of years, Haggadahs were geared to adults and differed only in their interpretations, sects or in how they were transformed into works of art.

In 2017, he and his family were dressed up as emojis for Purim when he said he had a brainstorm and converted a summary of the book of Esther into emojis. He asked himself if it was possible to turn the concept into a full book.

“The Emoji Haggadah was born,” he said. Bodek went on to create the Festivus Haggadah, which is a fusion of Seinfeld tropes. Then, the COVID pandemic hit, and Bodek wrote the Coronavirus Haggadah as “a form of comic relief.”

He says his Shakespeare Haggadah is drawing particular attention from teenagers, which comes as no surprise to Bodek. He said that people tend not to pick up Shakespeare as a child or later in life, but rather in high school and college.

“The Emoji Haggadah had a very funny specific demographic. I learned that 8- to 14-year-old girls love it the most. And I’ve learned that Gen X loves the Festivus Haggadah. People love the Coronavirus Haggadah because it spoke to everyone,” said Bodek. “But the Shakespeare Haggadah specifically targets teenagers, and I think that teenagers are the least marketed-to demographic, at least as far as this goes.”

Bodek says he has another two Haggadah concepts in the works already but is consulting with lawyers to determine what he can do parody-wise with some of the bigger pop-culture properties, including Disney and Paramount.

In the meantime, he’s enjoying the early success of his Passoverrelated endeavors and is expecting more sales as the Jewish holiday approaches.

“The compliments that I get are that my Haggadah brought someone’s kid back to the table,” said Bodek. And that’s still the most meaningful thing to hear because that’s pretty much what I’m hoping to accomplish.”

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PASSOVER

Wisdom from the Passover Kitchen

BY NAOMI ROSS | JNS.ORG

F

olding chairs lined the hallway wall like dutiful soldiers in expectation of arriving guests. Unfamiliar, dusty boxes of pots and china were stacked high, their contents waiting to make their annual appearance on the dining room table. As a child, the anticipation during those momentous days leading up to Passover was palpable. I couldn’t help but sense the urgency — something big was imminent, and I wanted to be a part of it. Fortunately for me, my mother was adept at putting me to work, getting me involved in the preparations and effectively igniting a spark in her daughter to experience the excitement of the holiday.

As a parent, I’ve realized the mitzvah (“commandment”) of educating your children about the story of the Exodus from Egypt begins earlier — not at the seder, but before, in the kitchen.

Kids learn experientially (so do adults). They need to engage all

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of their senses to internalize a concept or lesson. That’s why we hold up the shank bone, the matzah and the bitter herbs; our seders come complete with props and visual aids.

So, how do we pass on our traditions in a way that is meaningfully relevant to the next generation? It happens first by inviting them to take part in the preparations and the cooking, fostering a feeling of being invested in the holiday experience. That is what makes Passover real for them. The door to meaningful conversations is opened there in the kitchen while peeling apples or rolling matzah balls.

Many jobs are perfect for this purpose and appropriate for a wide range of ages. Here are a few suggestions: Making charoset: As a child, I thought that making charoset was an all-day process. Peeling, coring and chopping the apples took forever. Chopping nuts in our little manual glass-jar chopper was such hard work for a little one that by the time I finished, I felt as though I were enslaved in Egypt, too! Truth be told, it was the perfect job; it kept me busy for a long time and I felt very accomplished afterward. Come seder night, I was incredibly proud to pass around the charoset I made myself. (Safety Tip: For younger children for whom sharp knives are inappropriate, an old-fashioned hand-held chopper and a large chopping bowl are the way to go.)

Peeling hard-boiled eggs: All kids think this is fun. I have no idea why, but they do. So teach them how and let them at it.

Setting the table: There are many more things to prepare on the seder table than for a regular meal: assembling Haggadahs, pillows for reclining, salt water, and preparing the seder plate all take time.

If your children are creative, they can create pretty folded napkins or handmade place cards. Both are fantastic craft projects for artistic kids.

Cooking and baking: For older kids who are able to follow a recipe (or interested in learning), this is a great opportunity to teach your kids basic lessons in cooking and baking. I still remember being called over to help taste and season a simmering dish. And it was in my mother’s kitchen that I learned how to beat egg whites into “stiff peaks” for baking Passover sponge cakes.

No matter how you enlist your children, the real secret to getting them involved is by showing your own interest and excitement. When your kids see you enjoying yourself and getting into the spirit, then they will follow suit and reflect that joy into your home.

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TEST YOUR JEWISH IQSM 1. Which of these movie stars is/ was not Jewish? ____ a. Barbra Streisand ____ b. Scarlett Johansson ____ c. Dustin Hoffman ____ d. Philip Seymour Hoffman 2. On which Jewish holiday is it customary to eat dairy foods? ____ a. Passover ____ b. Shavuot ____ c. Rosh Hashana ____ d. Sukkot 3. In ancient Israel, which of these was not one of the three great festivals at which every Jewish male was required to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem each year? ____ a. Passover ____ b. Shavuot ____ c. Rosh Hashana ____ d. Sukkot 4. How many U.S. presidents were legally obligated to relocate the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem? ____ a. None ____ b. 2 ____ c. 4 ____ d. 6 5. Which of these actions is not expressly prohibited by the Torah? ____ a. Drinking wine and milk together ____ b. Spreading gossip ____ c. Taking eggs from a nest outdoors while the mother bird watches nearby ____ d. Declining to help a stranger raise his donkey that has fallen under its load 6. Who among these did not try to eliminate Jews as a distinct people? ____ a. The Egyptian, Pharaoh ____ b. The Macedonian, Alexander the Great ____ c. The Persian, Haman ____ d. The Seleucid, Antiochus IV

Prague by creating a golem, a powerful man-like creature? ____ a. Bohdan Chmielnitsky, leader of the Ukrainian Cossack state ____ b. Otto von Bismarck, Chancellor of the German Empire ____ c. Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of the French Republic ____ d. Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor 8. Who was not a prime minister of Israel during war? ____ a. Ehud Barak ____ b. Menachem Begin ____ c. Golda Meir ____ d. Levi Eshkol 9. According to Maimonides (1138–1204), which of these genders must be considered in determining the applicability of gender-specific Jewish laws? ____ a. Males and females only ____ b. Males, females, and androgynes ____ c. Males, females, and tumtums ____ d. Males, females, androgynes, and tumtums 10. Two Jews, Reuven and Shimon, are stuck in the desert.

Reuven has only enough water for one of them to survive and return to safety. Shimon has no water.

At least one of them will certainly die of thirst. According to the Talmud, Reuven is required to do what? ____ a. Give all his water to Shimon ____ b. Give half his water to Shimon ____ c. Drink all his water himself ____ d. Pour all his water out onto the sand

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

7. From whom did the Maharal of Prague protect the Jews of WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM

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NEWS

TO KNOW

NOW WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

L-R: Craig Judelman, Michael Alpert, Sasha Lurje Wayne Foster

JEWISH AND UKRAINIAN MUSIC: A JOINT TRADITION

On March 19, 2023, Yiddishland California sponsored a concert of Ukrainian/Jewish songs by the world famous Klezmers Michael Alpert, Craig Judelman, and Sasha Lurje. 10 percent of the proceeds went to help Ukrainian refugees in San Diego. Learn more about the revitalization of Yiddish music, culture, and language at www. yiddishlandcalifornia.org. To help local Ukrainian refugees, visit amnasanctuary.org.

BLINDNESS, MUSICAL TALENT, UNWAVERING OPTIMISM AND A HEART FULL OF LOVE

Wayne Foster, 88, of San Diego, Calif., graduated peacefully to that great Big Band in Heaven, on Sunday, February 19, 2023, prompting an outpouring of love from the family of musicians he and Marin connected, his clients turned friends, and the many lives touched through his music and love.

In 1951, Wayne met his precious wife Marin while performing at a fundraiser for Cerebral Palsy with his band in New York. They have been sweethearts, holding hands, living a magical, musical love story ever since that day. Wayne and Marin went on to have four children, Susan Foster Nussbaum, Jacqueline Foster (Hedi), Nancy Wiesner (Bernard0) and Bonnie Foster (Chuck), seven Grandchildren, Benjamin Nussbaum (Chloe), Joshua Nussbaum, Gabriel Nussbaum (Of blessed memory), Zach Nussbaum (Haven), Izzy Pollak, Sami Pollak, Jason Wiesner (Jackie) and seven great-grandchildren, Noah, 28

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Benson, Charlie, McKenna, Leo, Lennon, Joshua. In addition to the extended family of nieces and nephews from the east to the west coast. Family was a big piece of his heart.

Blind since birth, Wayne, with Marin at his side, was a talented musician and band leader, passionate about creating memories to last a lifetime through his upbeat, positive music. Please keep Marin in your prayers and continue with unsolicited and unexpected acts of kindness, as Wayne did his entire life.

A Celebration of Life was held on Sunday, March 26, 2023. For more information contact bonnie@bonniefosterproductions.com. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Heal The Earth, (www.healtheearth.info) an organization about which Wayne felt strongly.

JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE NAMES DAVE MYERS AS DIRECTOR, SAFETY AND SECURITY

Jewish Family Service of San Diego (JFS) named Dave Myers as its first director of safety and security. Myers brings his extensive history in law enforcement to the role, where he will oversee security for all JFS programs and services.

Myers is a retired Sheriff’s Commander with a passion for protecting and providing assistance to communities in need. With over 35 years of experience working law enforcement, Myers has worked in almost every division of the Sheriff’s Department — working up the ranks from a patrol deputy, to Commander, to running for Sheriff in 2018.

“The safety of our community has always been a top priority,” said JFS CEO Michael Hopkins. “It is incredibly important to entrust that responsibility to someone who will protect the well-being of all who step foot on the JFS campus, while always meeting them with compassion and respect.”

Myers brings a history of dedication to the San Diego community.

During his time in law enforcement, he established the Sheriff’s Department Youth Advisory Group, a space where the department could hear directly from the youth of our communities about their concerns and aspirations, as well as cultivate a culture of mutual respect and support. He has served as board president of the YES Program, a nonprofit organization in Barrio Logan that connects at risk youth with social services such as remedial education, work readiness skills and connections to employment opportunities. He

NEWS compares the Torah to milk and honey; dairy symbolizes the “land flowing with milk and honey”; at Sinai, Jews were considered to be as innocent as newborns, whose food is milk; since the Torah was given on Shabbat, no utensils could be koshered or cattle slaughtered; cheesecake tastes good; and many more reasons.

3. c. Rosh Hashana occurs two weeks before Sukkot, the pilgrimage festival that celebrated the fall harvest.

4. c. Presidents Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Trump were required by the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 to move the embassy. Presidents could avoid relocating the embassy, however, by signing a waiver for “national security” reasons every six months. The embassy was officially relocated to Jerusalem by order of President Trump on May 14, 2018, the 70th anniversary of the Israeli Declaration of Independence.

5. a. Drinking wine and milk together may not be appetizing, but is not prohibited.

Dave Myers

also served for 15 years as an elected trustee on the San Diego County Employees’ Retirement Association, overseeing nearly $15 billion in defined pension assets for nearly 44,000 county of San Diego public employees and was twice elected board chairman.

In 1994, Myers was presented with the Medal for Lifesaving after stopping an individual from jumping off a bridge onto a busy roadway. He happened upon the person and was able to grab them from off the ledge and pull them back onto the roadway to safety.

Among his impressive list of other awards and achievements, Myers was the recipient of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Excellence in Law Enforcement Research Gold Award in 2015. He has also authored several articles based on his experience in law enforcement, including topics relating to “lone wolf terrorism,” law enforcement in Israel, LGBTQ in law enforcement, and regional law enforcement collaboration.

As director of safety and security, Myers will align his personal dedication to serving the people of San Diego with the mission of the JFS, which is to help individuals and families move forward, while developing innovative strategies to break cycles of poverty and strengthen our San Diego community.

For more information, visit jfssd.org.

ANSWERS TO TEST YOUR JEWISH IQSM 1. d. Philip Seymour Hoffman, despite his Jewish-sounding name.

Dustin Hoffman’s parents had broken from their Jewish roots, but when Dustin Hoffman discovered he was Jewish, he emotionally embraced his heritage in tears, “I’m a Jew! … They all survived for me to be here.”

2. b. Jews customarily eat dairy on Shavuot, which commemorates the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, because: The Song of Songs

6. b. Because Alexander the Great believed he had been mystically helped to victory in many of his battles by Shimon HaTzaddik, the Kohen Gadol (Chief Priest) of Israel, he treated the Jews favorably.

For that reason, many Jews since then have been named Alexander in his honor.

7. d. The golem protected the Jews of Prague’s 16th-Century ghetto from the decrees of expulsion or death by Emperor Rudolf II. The remains of the golem are believed still to be stored in the attic genizah of the Altneuschul (Old New Synagogue) in Prague.

8. a. Ehud Barak, one of the most highly decorated soldiers in Israel’s history, was prime minister from 1999 to 2001. Menachem Begin was prime minister during the War in Lebanon in 1982; Golda Meir during the Yom Kippur War in 1973; Levi Eshkol during the Six-Day War in 1967.

9. d. Androgynes possess both male and female sexual characteristics. Tumtums are of indeterminate gender because their genitals are covered or otherwise unrecognizable. In his Mishnah Torah, Maimonides determined from the Talmud how genderspecific commandments should be applied to androgynes and tumtums.

10. c. Reuven is obligated to save his own life. Jews are required to do all they can to save the lives of others up to, but not including, sacrificing their own. That is why Israel is often the first nation to send field hospitals, medical aid, and humanitarian assistance to nations struck by disasters, even to nations hostile to Israel. _________________________________________ 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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