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November 2014 Cheshvan/Kislev 5775

ORANGE COUNTY JEWISH LIFE

Show Me the Money

A Talk with the Real Jerry Maguire, Leigh Steinberg T KIDS? GO

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The Art of Wooing A Guide for Today’s Dating Scene Do Jews Really Run Hollywood?

The Jewish American Dream

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| NOVEMBER 2014 3

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| NOVEMBER 2014 7

inside VIEWPOINT

LIFESTYLE

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First Amendment & Civility On Campus Challenges for the New UCI Chancellor

JLIFE | Cheshvan/Kislev 5775 | NOVEMBER 2014

A Student & A Teacher Getting to Know Joseph Telushkin

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Israelis Love Americans Israelis and American Culture

Israel Scene Leveling Out

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20

On the Lighter Side Linking Religion & Lincoln

The Art of Wooing A Guide for Today’s Dating Scene

22

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FEATURES

54

Israel Guy Emotional Intelligence

28

L’Dor V’Dor Shalom Family: Strengthening Generations to Come

28

Do Jews Really Run Hollywood?

The Jewish American Dream

32

Losing A Legend Saying Farewell to Lauren Bacall

33

25 Years of Jewish Film The Actualization of a Vision

34

A Divine Gift Why does Israel belong to the Jewish people?

38

56

Fresh Orange Jews O.C.’s Fresh Faces

57

Rachel Goes Rogue Unscathed Political Questioning

60

History/Blogs Orange County’s Jewish History & The Blogosphere

Brotherhood of the Traveling Torah Celebrating Your Bar Mitzvah at 83

IN EVERY ISSUE

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

36

Out & About A Guide to OC Fun

12

First & Foremost Jews and The Arts

32

14

Letters/Who Knew Words From our Readers

38

Cooking Jewish with Judy Bart Kancigor

47

News & Jews O.C. Jewish Scene

42

Jlife Book Review “Lineup” by Liad Shoham

46

The Peel Jewish Astrology

58

Seniors Calendar Fitness, Education & More

62

Advertising Index

Look inside for Kiddish, our insert publication, right after page 32.

24 On the Cover

The Real Jerry Maguire, an interview with Leigh Steinberg.

Photo by Chuck Weinberg

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Jlife

| NOVEMBER 2014 9

PUBLISHER | MODY GORSKY, LLM, MBA PUBLISHER | MARK EDELSTEIN PUBLISHER | MOTAN, LLC PUBLISHER EMERITUS | DR. MARK MOSS MANAGING EDITOR | TRACEY ARMSTRONG GORSKY EXECUTIVE EDITOR | DR. LISA GRAJEWSKI EXECUTIVE EDITOR | FLORENCE L DANN GEN Y EDITOR | RACHEL SCHIFF CONTRIBUTING EDITOR | TANYA SCHWIED FOOD EDITOR | JUDY BART KANCIGOR EDITORIAL INTERN | HANNAH SCHOENBAUM ART DIRECTOR | RACHEL BELLINSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITERS MARTIN BROWER, MERAV CEREN, ADAM CHESTER, FLORENCE L DANN, RABBI DAVID ELIEZRIE, HARRIETTE ELLIS, JUDY FLORMAN, STEFANEE FREEDMAN, EVE GUMPEL, CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER, DVORAH LEWIS, CARINE NADEL, PAMELA PRICE, NAOMI RAGEN, MAYRAV SAAR, RACHEL SCHIFF, ANDREA SIMANTOV, DALIA TAFT, TEDDY WEINBERGER COPYEDITOR MICHELLE ITEN CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS/ARTISTS RACHEL BELLINSKY, ALLEN BEREZOVSKY, PEPE FAINBERG, JANET LAWRENCE, CHARLES WEINBERG ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES DIANE BENAROYA (SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE) MARTIN STEIN (SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE) BEN SMITH (ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE) EDITORIAL (949) 633-5456 (DR. LISA GRAJEWSKI) OR (949) 734-5074 EDITORJLIFE@GMAIL.COM ADVERTISING (949) 812-1891, MODY.GORSKY@GMAIL.COM CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS MODY.GORSKY@GMAIL.COM, (949) 734-5074 ART ART@OCJEWISHLIFE.COM JLIFE IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY ORANGE COUNTY JEWISH LIFE, LLC 1 FEDERATION WAY, IRVINE, CA 92603

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Jlife is published monthly by Orange County Jewish Life, LLC. Subscription rate is $24 for one year (12 issues). Send subscription requests to Jlife, 1 Federation Way, Irvine,CA 92603. Jlife is a free and open forum for the expression of opinions. The opinions expressed herein are solely the opinion of the author and in no way reflect the opinions of the publishers, staff or advertisers. Orange County Jewish Life, LLC is not responsible for the accuracy of any and all information within advertisements. Orange County Jewish Life, LLC reserves the right to edit all submitted materials, including press releases, letters, articles and calendar listings for brevity and clarity.

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Jlife

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FIRST & FOREMOST

JEWS AND THE ARTS It’s not all ritual art.

BY FLORENCE L. DANN

THE THEME OF this month’s issue of JLife is Jewish art. When we think of Jews and “the arts,” both visual and performance, several areas come to mind: film, Broadway, painting and sculpture, music and dance, etc. But what makes it Jewish? Is it the artist or the subject? Is it the echoes of Jewish themes found in the music of George and Ira Gershwin or in Marvel comics?

One could say that Jewish art actually began when Betzale was commissioned to create the Tabernacle in the wilderness. And despite the prohibition of the second commandment,“You shall not make for yourself Jewish art any graven image, nor any actually manner of likeness, of anybegan when thing that is heaven above, or Betzale was that is in the earth beneath, or commissioned that is in the water under the other subjects for their artistic to create the earth,” Jewish art flourished, endeavors. They often reflectTabernacle. reflecting the experiences and ed their Jewish identities, but culture of the Jewish people. some Jewish artists did not By embracing the concept incorporate their Jewishness of “hiddur mitzvoth” (beautification of the at all. commandments) and focusing on creating As artistic expression extended into theater ritual objects of great beauty, we “skirted” and film, Jewish artists, writers, musicians the second commandment, one could say. and performers began to make their mark Splendid murals with narrative scenes from as well. the Bible covered an early fourth century In the early twentieth century, Yiddish synagogue’s walls; painted tiles of zodiacal Theater rivaled English-language theater in symbols ornamented their ceilings. Visual art quantity and often in quality. There were was also used to decorate texts, for example over a dozen Yiddish theater groups in New the well-known Sarajevo haggadah, and of York City alone. As many sought to adapt course the ketubot. Music, always an integral to the culture of their adopted country, they part of Jewish worship, thrived as well. With adapted their art as well.

The settling and establishment of the the Enlightenment, Jews began exploring 12 NOVEMBER 2014 |

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The Sarajevo haggadah

State of Israel in the twentieth century provided another dimension to Jewish art.

Many young, often European Jews came to the Land of Israel as pioneers, and their connection to the land accentuated their art. As numbers of Jews made aliya, they brought their talents, adding to the growth of other art forms.

Just what constitutes Jewish art is a question that has no simple answer. And it is an example of the larger subject we will be exploring in our series, “What is Jewish,” in the next several issues. A Florence L. Dann, a fourth-year rabbinical student at the Academy for Jewish Religion in L.A. has been a contributing writer to JLife since 2004 and currently teaches English as Second Language to adults.

LETTERS

SECOND TIME AROUND Dear Editor; I want to thank you, and writer Florence Dann, for the recent article “Round Two” in the October 2014 issue. It highlighted that there is both an opportunity and a need for those who have “retired” to do something meaningful in the balance of their lives.

People retiring at age 65 likely have another twenty or more productive years ahead. Staying healthy requires activity, social interaction, and continued learning. The best way to do this is to find a way to use your skills and talents in a new profession or as a volunteer.

In my second career as a community rabbi, I encounter

a wide range of challenging situations. I serve inmates in the Orange County jails. I officiate at weddings for couples from diverse backgrounds. I have taught classes and led services around the world. Each of these is a unique situation.

The combination of five years of formal seminary training and a lifetime of work and leadership experiences gave me a unique background to create personalized Jewish experiences for all.

I encourage you to continue to highlight employment and volunteer opportunities for Jewish “seniors” and volunteers in OC. L’shalom, Rabbi Larry Seidman

We welcome your letters! Email editorjlife@gmail.com with your feedback.

14 NOVEMBER 2014 |

Jlife

PHOTO BY ZACH DALIN

Kvetch & Kvell

Who Knew?

With all of his educational pursuits, I suppose it shouldn’t be that surprising, but did you know that James Franco was Jewish?

We didn’t. What a delightful surprise that was. Along with a compellingly broad choice of acting endeavors, Mr. Franco has also gone on to attend classes at UCLA, NYU, Brooklyn College and Warren Wilson College. He completed his Master’s degree at Columbia and is currently attending Yale and the Rhode Island School of Design. So when this guy isn’t shocking us with his next performance, he’s off expanding his talented mind with higher education. He also keeps good company as most of the funniest Jews in Hollywood are close friends of his (Judd Apatow, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogan, Sarah Silverman, Andy Samberg, etc.).

How fun are the holidays for that bunch?

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On Campus | BY LISA ARMONY

VIEWPOINT

FIRST AMENDMENT & CIVILITY ON CAMPUS Challenges for the New UCI Chancellor NEWLY APPOINTED UC Irvine Chancellor Howard Gillman inherited a vastly different campus than his predecessor did in May 2005.

When Dr. Michael Drake came to Irvine, the university was already toting a reputation as an anti-Israel hothouse and was in the midst of a federal investigation into alleged harassment of Jewish students and administrative indifference.

He quickly found himself facing a Muslim Student Union that tested the limits of hate, bigotry and intimidation, beleaguered Jewish students, and a Jewish community united in outrage but divided in remedy.

The following year, the then-Jewish Federation Orange County established the Rose Project to create a strategy for countering these 16 NOVEMBER 2014 |

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challenges and to foster a civil campus climate for Israel and Jewish students. Comprised of Jewish community stakeholders with deep ties to the university, the Rose Project leadership engaged and created partnerships with the administration based on mutual interests and trust. These relationships helped to shape how the administration came to understand the conflict taking place outside its windows as well as the proactive strategies it adopted to change the campus dynamic.

Drake’s approach included outreach to Muslim and Jewish students and support for education about the Middle East, bridge building and difficult dialogues. His administration defused tension and reduced

points of friction by enforcing codes of conduct and constitutionally protected restrictions on free speech, even as it safeguarded students’ First Amendment rights. Unlike his predecessor, Drake used good speech to counter bad, denouncing anti-Semitism and calls to boycott and divest from Israel, and distancing the university from vitriolic, anti-Israel programs.

Meanwhile, he endorsed academic engagement with Israel by signing over a dozen agreements with Israeli universities. The result was a calmer campus with fewer anti-Israel incidents and Jewish students feeling more supported than in the past.

After a summer of alarming anti-Semitic incidents worldwide, and concern over potential spillover on campus, Gillman issued a communication in October urging students to strive for civility on issues where there is passionate disagreement. Campus climate is clearly on his radar screen, and it seems hopeful that he will continue Drake’s legacy.

That’s not to suggest that there will be no challenges. Universities today are wrestling with issues that test the boundaries of faculty and student activism, free speech and academic freedom. These include calls to boycott Israeli universities by faculty claiming to exercise their academic freedom, even as they violate that of their Israeli counterparts, and commencement speakers who have been canceled after faculty and students threatened to disrupt graduation ceremonies, claiming some misconstrued right to interrupt speech they find objectionable.

One university’s recent decision to terminate a conditional job offer to a professor who posted gross, anti-Israel statements on Twitter may lead to a legal battle over whether academic freedom extends outside the professional domain and how to balance the right to free speech with the need to maintain norms of civil discourse on campus.

If and how the new UCI Chancellor will need to weigh in on these complex issues remain to be seen. But we can be sure that they will have an impact on the context for campus debate throughout the U.S. for years to come.

The Rose Project of Jewish Federation & Family Services and University Synagogue will sponsor Chancellor Gillman’s first community forum for the OC Jewish community on Monday, Nov. 24.

Information and free registration (required) at www.JewishOC.org/Rose. A Lisa Armony is Director of the Rose Project and Community Outreach at Jewish Federation & Family Services.

Israel Scene | BY ANDREA SIMANTOV

Leveling Out

DRAWING BY PEPE FAINBERG

The levels of acceptance for Jews in Israel and abroad.

FOR CARDCARRYING MEMBERS OF THE TRIBE, SELFREFLECTION IS A NONSPORT. 18 NOVEMBER 2014 |

ONLY AFTER ONE spends some serious time in Israel can he truly understand that there is a fundamental difference between Israeli-born Jews and Jews born in the diaspora. And although I’ve been living here for almost 20 years, I am still a galut-Jew, always worrying about what the goyim think.

Not so with Israelis in Israel. Only recently have quite a few of my co-nationalists awakened to a tentative and confused understanding that some people hate Jews. One reason it may have taken so Jlife

many so long to waken is that being Jewish in Israel is boring. Jews aren’t outre or remotely interesting in-and-of-themselves in this neck of the MiddleEastern woods. We encompass the all-inclusive gamut of elegant, trailer-trash, blue-collar, blue-blooded, Torah-observers, avowed-atheists, educated geniuses and certified morons. Israelis don’t lower their voices, attempting to appear “less Jewish.” No one pays fullprice in fear of being labeled a cheap money-grubber.

We shout, are nasal, haggle over prices and are

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refreshingly, annoyingly “Jewish.” For card-carrying members of the tribe, self-reflection is a non-sport.

Therein lies the rub; they don’t know how to discuss it or what to make of it. Israelis feel more comfortable leaving the hand-wringing and stare-downs to Bibi. Our Bibi —“Bibishelanu!!!—MIT-educated, smooth-talking, nuance-savvy and cool-cool-cool under fire.

My husband and I have respective children and grandchildren both in Israel and overseas. While not so evident in our children—all of whom were born in the diaspora—the differences between the Israeli grandchildren and their foreign cousins are staggering. Israeli tadpoles are brash, loud, own the world, and completely oblivious that on the world map, Israel is the size of a rye-seed. Israeli children believe that we occupy the equivalent square-mileage of North America and half the FSU; why should one say “please” or “thank you” when he is Master of an Israelcentric universe?

The British and South African grandchildren enjoy a different Jewish reality. Outside of the confines of their well-appointed ghettos, they wait in line, speak quietly and endeavor not to appear “too Jewish.” The males tuck the strings of their tzitit into slacks and hide the identifying yarmulke deep inside a pocket, opting for either a bare head or baseball cap.

New-age graffiti in Jewish Hendon now includes sloppily daubed swastikas on doors and overhangs; anonymous letters to British synagogues and Jewish day-schools threaten damage to property and persons, often including the opinion, “Hitler Was Right.” Holocaust-related language or images deliver more bang-for-the-Jew-hating buck in Europe; it’s been suggested that the “new” anti-Semitism is, merely, unfinished business.

While some South African Jews are too delusional to notice that life may be changing in that Garden-of-Eden-calledJohannesburg, an Israeli ex-pat sent me a photograph of the bumper sticker on the car next to him in the lot. It said, “Honk If You Hate Israel!” His favorite department store had ecstatically announced they would no longer sell products from “occupied Palestine” (“Say what?”), and a student with whom he’d become friendly mechanically informed him that she could no longer be friends with a “brainwashed baby killer.”

The snooze-button is broken on the alarm clock, and it is time to wake up. While a film of crusty sleep-dust still clouds their vision, Israelis are slowly stirring from their uneasy slumber.

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New York-born Andrea Simantov is a mother of six who moved to Jerusalem in 1995. She frequently lectures on the complexity and magic of life in Jerusalem and can be contacted at andreasimantov@gmail.com.

Jlife

| NOVEMBER 2014 19

On the Lighter Side | BY MAYRAV SAAR

VIEWPOINT

Linking Religion & Lincoln

Old legends inspire pride in our own heritage.

TO ME, JUDAISM HAS NEVER HAS BEEN ABOUT WHETHER FROGS REALLY RAINED DOWN FROM THE SKY OR A SNAKE REALLY TALKED TO EVE. 20 NOVEMBER 2014 |

WHILE DRIVING TO work last month, I saw Abraham Lincoln outside of Starbucks.

His silhouette was unmistakable. Tall. Stovepipe hat.

Beard. Undeniably, iconically Lincoln.

I rolled down my window. “Abe!” I shouted. “Mr. Lincoln!”

But he didn’t hear me. So I swerved into oncoming traffic, parked illegally and jumped out of my car. Then I rushed across the street and took a picture with the sixteenth President of the United States.

Dolly Madison and George Washington were there.

So was Frederick Douglas, who explained that the anachronistic crowd had assembled to shoot a Web series about historical reenactors.

That made sense. But I really didn’t need the explanation. I had met and taken my picture with Abraham Lincoln, and the experience buoyed me all day.

It was the same feeling I used to get as a child, taking my picture with Mickey Mouse. Hey! It’s Mickey Mouse! I knew even then that I was posing with a guy in a costume and not an exuberant six-foot mouse. And, of course, I knew that the gentleman at the Starbucks wasn’t Lincoln. But it didn’t matter. The guy was recreating the spirit of Lincoln; and separated by so much history, Honest Abe is about as real to me as Mickey.

Lincoln is legend. A story our nation tells itself of resolve in the face of bitter divide. His image inspires feelings of goodwill and pride.

Which brings me to why I practice Judaism.

From the questionable calculus of 600,000 Israelites fleeing Egypt to the improbable boast that Jews can make a little bit of oil last a little bit longer, our tradition is full of myths whipped by time into the story of our people.

Every year at Pesach, we tell the story of the Exodus, even though we know it probably didn’t quite happen that way. At Hanukkah, we light a candelabrum to celebrate Jewish might in the face of extinction, despite knowing the whole oil story is a little weird. We celebrate Shabbat as a day of rest, though the recognizable universe was created in about nine billion years, not Jlife

seven days.

We do this not to fool ourselves, we do this because, to quote that great Talmudic reference, the Disney movie, “Brave,” “Legends are lessons. They ring with truths.”

To me, Judaism has never has been about whether frogs really rained down from the sky or a snake really talked to Eve. Those are just the tales we tell to explain that feeling inside of us that connects us to G-d and to each other.

There is profound meaning to keeping Shabbat, taking a day out of every week to celebrate the awesome power of creation and the wonder of our very existence.

And in every age, unfortunately, there is an urgency to hearing stories of how our ancestors persevered and kept the Torah in the face of extreme adversity.

When we tell these stories and celebrate these holidays, we know, on some level, that we’re all just sipping lattes with Lincoln.

But it still feels incredible—and it makes a great selfie.

After a ten-year career as a newspaper reporter for the Los Angeles Times and Orange County Register, Mayrav Sarr left to try her hand at child rearing and freelance writing.

THANK YOU. As we enter the season of gratitude, Jlife and Kiddish magazines would like to express our deepest thanks to the readers and advertisers who make these publications possible. Because of you, we’re looking toward the future with growing optimism and excitement.

Thank you, Jewish Orange County.

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Israeli Guy | BY TEDDY WEINBERGER

VIEWPOINT

Emotional Intelligence

Yeshivat Noam Provides More than a Basic Education

THE EMOTIONAL CONNECTION BETWEEN TEACHER AND STUDENT IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE SCHOOL’S EDUCATIONAL VISION. 22 NOVEMBER 2014 |

MY SON ELIE went to Yeshivat Noam for high school.

In Israel, with so many public religious secondary schools to choose from, you have the luxury of looking for a school that matches your child’s personality. Each of our five children went to different secondary schools.

Elie and Yeshivat Noam were the best fit.

I can summarize Noam’s strength by saying that the school is geared to promote the emotional intelligence of its students, and the truth is that I believe that all schools should do likewise. I became even more convinced of this a while back through a remarkable exchange of e-mails.

In one of my sentimental moods (I have a tendency for these), I decided to send a note to Bill Dillingham, a professor of mine in the mid-1980s at Emory University.

In my first substantive e-mail communication with him, I recalled the following: “I remember very well one day in class when you said something like: ‘Imagine that one day you wake up and you realize that you are no longer young.’ . . . I assumed that you yourself had recently had such a day and I appreciated the deep feeling that was expressed.” Coincidentally, at the time I was also in contact with Barbara McCaskill, a fellow Emory English graduate student and now a tenured professor specializing in African American literature at the University of Georgia. I mentioned to Barbara that I had contacted our old professor, and she wrote back to me with one memory: “I most remember him digressing once from a Melville piece, I think, to wax eloquently about how one day you wake up and you are no longer young. I think he was talking to himself as well as the class that day: he seemed so wistful.”

I was astounded to read Barbara’s note. After almost three decades, what was the strongest recollection we both had from our doctoral-level classes in nineteenthcentury American literature with Professor Dillingham?

A single identical memory stemming from an emotional connection that was made between teacher and student.

My son Elie spent six years at a school where the emotional connection between teacher and student is at the Jlife

forefront of the school’s educational vision. I believe that what most of Elie’s teachers regularly asked themselves concerning my son was, “What is Elie feeling?” Elie was encouraged to dig deep inside himself and figure out who he is as a human being. When he looks back on his high school career, Elie will be blessed not just with one or two recollections of emotional connection with his teachers but with dozens and dozens of these. I am sure that there can be no better preparation for his life ahead.

Teddy Weinberger, Ph.D., is Director of Development for a consulting company called Meaningful. He made aliyah with his family in 1997 from Miami, where he was an assistant professor of religious studies. Teddy and his wife, Sarah Jane Ross, have five children.

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| NOVEMBER 2014 23

PHOTOS BY CHUCK WEINBERG

COVER STORY

24 NOVEMBER 2014 |

Mr. Leigh Steinberg at his Newport Beach office.

Jlife

COVER STORY

Show Me the Money An exclusive interview with Leigh Steinberg

BY TRACEY ARMSTRONG GORSKY

J

Life Magazine was fortunate enough to catch up with Leigh Steinberg, the trailblazing sports agent and man who inspired the lead character of the film “Jerry Maguire.” Mr. Steinberg is a long-time Orange County resident, a cardcarrying member of the “tribe” and a big supporter of our local Jewish community.

He has enjoyed over forty years in the sports “business” and has learned many life lessons along the way. In his offices overlooking Newport Harbor, Mr. Steinberg gave us a fascinating glimpse into the “wide world of sports” and more.

Can you tell us a little about your family history? In 1947, my grandfather (who was a doctor) went to Israel to help in the War of Independence. There was a doctor’s convoy that went from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and his convoy was hijacked.

He was shot and killed so he was buried in Safi. Then my mother’s sister, Mildred and my first cousins made aliyah to Israel in the late 60s so I have family there. I have a first cousin named Michael who is a professional at Hebrew University and another named Robert is a doctor and he medevacs in and out to help the troops. He was very active during the last incursion. So my family has roots there.

What is your favorite sport to watch and/or play? I grew up a baseball fan,

rooting like crazy for the Dodgers and the Angels. They both got here about the same time. My grandfather ran Hillcrest Country Club. The other country clubs in the 40s didn’t allow blacks, Hispanics, Catholics, Jews or actors. So he helped found Hillcrest, which became a hangout for the acting community, but more specifically, the Jewish acting community. So I grew up there. Every day he would have lunch at the comedians’ table with people like Jack Benny, George Burns, Groucho Marx and many more. So it was actually George Burns and my uncle that took me to my first baseball game. I grew up loving the Dodgers. Sandy Koufax was a big inspiration because he wouldn’t pitch on Yom Kippur. So I still love baseball, but I spent 40 years working with football players… I’m a football fan as well.

Did you play when you were a kid?

No, I ran track and cross-country.

Did your kids play sports? My two boys both played high school football. All three of my kids went to Corona Del Mar High School.

Did you go to any sporting events when you were a student at UCLA or Berkeley? Of course. When I was at UCLA, our basketball team won the national championship and Kareem AbdulJabbar was the center. At Berkeley, well, not

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| NOVEMBER 2014 25

COVER STORY

so much [chuckles]. But I still went to all the games [smiles].

How did you come to represent the future number-one pick? While I was in law school, I partially worked my way through school as a dorm counselor (an R.A.) at the undergrad dorms. While I was there, they moved the freshman football team in.

That’s when students like Steve Bartkowski moved in. In 1975, Steve became the first player picked in the first round of the NFL. And here I was representing him, never having practiced law and I had the first pick of the NFL draft. We had other notable people living in our dorms as well; one was a bearded fellow who went down to Santa Clara and co-founded Apple Computers. His name was Steve Wozniak.

So anyway, Bartkowski asked me to represent him. There I was brimming with legal experience and we ended up getting the biggest contract in history. It even beat Joe Namath’s contract and O.J. Simpson’s. I remember we arrived in Atlanta and there were spotlights flashing in the sky, like for a movie premiere, and there was a huge crowd pressed up against the police line. And the first thing we heard was this quote, “We interrupt the “Johnny Carson Show” to bring you a special news bulletin… Steve Bartkowski and his attorney have just arrived at the airport… we switch you live to an in-depth interview.”

So that was when I really saw the idol worship and the veneration athletes were held in, in communities across the country.

Do you two still stay in touch today?

Sure, of course.

Is there anything specific that you look for in an athlete that you feel makes them a “winner?” In football, I’ve represented 60 first-round draft picks and the very first player in the first round eight times. My practice is based on the athlete as a role model. I look for athletes with good fundamental values, a sense of self-respect… athletes that have lived in a nurturing family environment. I’d like them to value being part of a community where people are their brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. I ask each athlete to retrace their roots. Going back to their 26 NOVEMBER 2014 |

Jlife

high school community, I encourage them season to cultivate a second career. What other to set up a scholarship fund and work with skills do they have as a human being that can the local Boys and Girls Clubs. To really put help them be a businessman, a coach, a broaddown roots. And then at the collegiate level, I caster or a community leader? What skills can encourage them to endow a scholarship to stay they focus on during the off season to hone? close to the schools. That’s what Troy Aikman The biggest fans of professional sports tend did and Eric Karros did at UCLA … Steve to be middle-aged businessmen. So when Young as well at BYU. I had Steve Young and At the professional level Brent Jones on the San I ask them to put together a foundation of some Francisco 49ers, their “I grew up loving sort that will help unite training facilities are in the Dodgers, and the leading business figSanta Clara. The closures, community leadSandy Koufax was est businesses to that ers and political figures are the ones in Silicone a big inspiration in a program that will Valley, high-tech busienhance quality of life. because he nesses and venture capiSo the first thing I look talists. So it is not by for his character. What wouldn’t pitch on an athlete needs (besides chance that Steve Young Yom Kippur.” exemplary work habits) has sold a number of is the ability to focus – LEIGH STEINBERG computer companies and have a quiet mind. and Brent Jones has a To have the ability to several-million-dollar tune out all external dishedge fund. I’ve had tractions and to elevate his or her level of play at critical moments... three players I’ve represented go on to become that’s the key to performing at a superior level. minority owners in teams. This generation So it’s work habits, it’s intelligence and then can have a career after a sports career that is it’s physical gifts. actually very successful. That’s why I think the role modeling and building a foundation is so important because it gives them a chance You’ve been in this business for 40 to utilize those skills.

years and represent many clients who are in their formative early 20s. What advice do you give them on navigating the waters of professional sports and life in general? The

first key is to get them to do a personal inventory so they can gain perspective. This is so they can understand their own priorities and values. I talk to them about things like shortterm economic gain, long-term economic security, family, geographical location, their profile and endorsements. Then there are the sports considerations… being on a winning team, the quality of coaching, being a starter and the system the team plays. Each of those values will fit differently into different people’s lives. So the key when getting into sports is figuring out what it is that motivates a person and what they’re trying to achieve. The second thing is to challenge the athletes to use the off

Jlife’s interview with Mr. Steinberg was chock-full of incredible stories and pearls of wisdom. Unfortunately, like the man himself, our Q & A was too all-encompassing to fit within these pages. On the other hand, it was also too incredible to edit down. To learn more about Mr. Steinberg’s unique perspective on the world of sports (as a Jewish man), his personal setbacks, triumphs and just who really coined the phrase, “Show me the Money!” please visit www.ocjewishlife.com to read the interview in its entirety. A

Tracey Armstrong Gorsky is the managing editor of Jlife and the editor-in-chief of Kiddish Magazine.

25

TH

THE ANNUAL ORANGE COUNTY INTERNATIONAL JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL PRESENTING…THE GANTSE MEGILLAH Never mind the carrots. Forget the sneak previews. The Orange County International Jewish Film Festival is happening now, and you’re invited to join us for every one of our unforgettable screenings and guest artists.

So do us a favor: tear out this page and get ready for six months of movie (and bagel) madness. Because it wouldn’t be the same without you.

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE 2014-2015 FEATURE FILMS

DATE

TIME

DOCUMENTARY FILMS

DATE

TIME

LOCATION

Zero Motivation

Nov 9

9:30 a.m.

I Shall Not be Silent

Oct 22

7:00 p.m.

Shir Ha-Ma’alot

For a Woman

Nov 19

7:00 p.m.

Oct 28

7:00 p.m.

University Synagogue

The Outrageous Sophie Tucker

Dec 10

7:00 p.m.

Theodore Bikel: In the Shoes of Sholem Aleichem Mamele

Nov 5

7:00 p.m.

University Synagogue

Bethlehem

Dec 14

9:30 a.m.

Exodus 1947

Jan 31

7:00 p.m.

Temple Bat Yahm

Closed Season

Jan 7

7:00 p.m.

The Price of Kings

Feb 1

7:00 p.m.

Temple Beth Tikvah

The Last Sentence

Jan 11

9:30 a.m.

Feb 4

7:00 p.m.

University Synagogue

Rue Mandar

Jan 21

7:00 p.m.

Spitting Game: The College Hook-up Culture

Crimes and Misdemeanors

Feb 15

9:30 a.m.

The Trial of Adolf Eichmann

Feb 25

7:00 p.m.

University Synagogue

The Jewish Cardinal

Mar 11

7:00 p.m.

Tough Guise 2

Mar 25

7:00 p.m.

University Synagogue

Cupcakes

Mar 15

9:30 a.m.

The Sturgeon Queens

Mar 25

7:00 p.m.

Temple Beth Emet

24 Days

Apr 15

7:00 p.m.

Run Boy Run

Apr 26

9:30 a.m.

Sunday feature films are preceded by a bagel breakfast at 8:30 a.m. and intro at 9:30 a.m.

For complete information on films, including synopses, locations, and ticketing, visit www.ocjff.org or call 949-553-3535 during business hours.

All Feature Films will be at Regal Westpark 8 Cinemas, 3735 Alton Parkway, Irvine Wednesday features begin with an intro at 7:00 p.m. followed by immediate screening.

Lively audience discussion to follow all features.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TEMPLE BAT YAHM, TEMPLE BETH EMET, TEMPLE BETH TIKVAH, AND CONGREGATION SHIR HAMA’ALOT FOUNDED AND SPONSORED BY

Documentary tickets sold at the door ONLY. Locations vary; check web site for details.

Jlife

| NOVEMBER 2014 27

F E AT U R E S

Do Jews Really Run Hollywood?

The Jewish American Dream

BY FLORENCE L. DANN

28 NOVEMBER 2014 |

Jlife

F E AT U R E S

WHO HASN’T HEARD the old saw:“The Jews run Hollywood”? Do we? And if so, just how did that come about?

Up to 1913, most American film production was carried out around New York, but due to the monopoly of the Edison Company’s film patents and its attempts to preserve it, many filmmakers moved to Southern California. Enter five Jews from Eastern Europe.

These young men who came from poor or modest-income families came to California in the late 1910s and 1920s when they were unable to carve a place for themselves within the East Coast establishment. As a result, the Hollywood we know today was essentially founded by just a few key Jewish men, each of whom owned a movie studio.

As Neal Gabler points out in his book, “An Empire of Their Own: How the Jews Invented Hollywood,” this is not surprising. “The early Jewish movie pioneers … came to Hollywood because they felt barred from power in the east. ... If the Jews were proscribed from entering the real corridors of gentility and status in America, the movies offered an ingenious option,” wrote Gabler. “Within the studios and on the screen, the Jews could simply create a new country, one where they would not only be admitted, but would govern as well.”

The doors were thus always open for Jews in Hollywood, which was not the case in many other areas of the United States. People prefer to go where they’re welcome and where there will be support. Jews went to Hollywood to find work, and they got it, and so established a large and strong foundation of Jewish culture. In addition, Jews were also prominent among the second and third level of business-oriented producers, managers, assistants, agents and lawyers.

Though the Hollywood moguls were highly competitive, they worked closely together to build “a close-knit empire modeled after the social hierarchy of the very east coast society that alienated and patronized them,” according to Gabler.

They were also exceptionally industrious and ambitious men, and, interestingly, many had been merchants and in other trades. Quite a few came from retail, particularly the garment industry. The two indus-

Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland and MGM head Louis B. Mayer.

tries were not that dissimilar. To be successful in both, mass production was vital. They brought their business acumen to Hollywood and by the 1930s, six of the eight major studios were Jewishly controlled and managed.

Their pictures influenced not only millions of Americans at home, but many more abroad who saw a view of America produced by the studios of these ill-educated but streetwise immigrants: Louis Mayer, Carl Laemmle, Marcus Loew, Adolph Zukor, Harry Cohn, Jesse Lasky, the Warner brothers, and Samuel Goldwyn.

Though most of them came from observant Jewish homes and learned some Hebrew and/or had been bar-mitzvah, they tended, as adults, to live and think in a culturally assimilated lifestyle removed from the cultural content, activities, or practices of their Jewish heritage, or of the affairs of the larger Los Angeles Jewish community.

Though they were largely responsible for building the Wilshire Temple in Los Angeles, they remained aloof from their traditions. For what Continued on page 30

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| NOVEMBER 2014 29

F E AT U R E S Continued from page 29

Adolph Zukor was a Hungarian film mogul and founder of Paramount Pictures.

united these Jews wasn’t their backgrounds as much as their rejection of those backgrounds.

The irony is that was called “the quintessence of what we mean by ‘America’” was founded and for more than thirty years operated by Eastern European Jews who were anything but the quintessence of America. Their dominance would become a target for wave after wave of anti-Semitism. While they were accused of trying to undermine traditional American values, they were the ones not only portraying them on the screen, but desperately embracing those values.

Gabler points out that “they fabricated their empire in the image of what they thought America should be, and cast themselves in the image of prosperous Americans. They created the myths and values of their adopted county as well as its traditional archetypes: the strong father

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F E AT U R E S

and stable families. In their America people were attractive, resilient American” writers who raised controversial social issues, blaming the and strong.” movie industry for being interventionist “because of Jewish influence.”

In its early decades, American cinema mostly hid American Jewry, Half of the people subpoenaed by HUAC, including the Hollywood with studio moguls shying away from on-screen representations and Ten, were Jewish. They included producers, directors and screenavoiding portrayals of Jewish stories or individuals. Jewish actors were writers who refused to answer HUAC’s questions regarding possible made to change their names, and Harry Cohen once told Danny Kaye Communist affiliations; they spent time in prison for contempt of that he would only be successful if he “fixed his nose.”

Congress and were unable to work for many years.

When the Great Depression hit, Jews in the film industry were In the later part of the twentieth century, while Jews continued to attacked by the political right for “adolescent have a strong presence in Hollywood, the film entertainment” and “immoral practices.” This industry was changing. Many who replaced the only intensified the anxiety of Jewish Hollywood old moguls in the industry’s hierarchy were also moguls, who feared “ethnic” stories would damJewish, but they were American-born and had age their Anglo integration. That might explain very different worldviews than their immigrant why in two 1937 films, “The Life of Emile In its early predecessors. Most were college educated with Zola,” about the Dreyfus affair, and “They Won’t degrees in management and accounting. All were decades, American Forget,” based on the Leo Frank lynching, the far removed from the old-country and immigrant word “Jew” is left unsaid. cinema mostly hid experiences that helped shape the Jewish studio It was only when 20th Century Fox executive American Jewry. bosses. As the decades have passed, there has Darryl Zanuck was refused membership at a Los been less anxiety about portraying controversial Angeles country club because he was (wrongly) issues—including those with Jewish themes. assumed to be Jewish that he pushed Hollywood to produce the Academy Award-winning “Gentleman’s Agreement.”

Immigrant populations have always gravitated towards those parThe film was strongly discouraged by Jewish studio heads who feared ticular business enterprises they were “permitted” to enter, so it should it would “stir up trouble.” be no surprise that the Jews embraced the film industry. And while the During World War II, involvement in “Europe’s war” was unpopular movie industry is no longer controlled by that exclusive club of Jewish with most Americans, so Hollywood mostly refrained from depicting moguls, it is true that today many of the studios are still run by Jews. the Holocaust — with the exception of Charlie Chaplin’s brilliant “The And so what!

Great Dictator” (1940). However, in the postwar years, strong nationalism, Holocaust testimony and the creation of Israel led to an apparent change in American filmmakers’ attitude.

Florence L. Dann, a fourth-year rabbinical student at the Academy Then came the Cold War and the House Un-American Activities for Jewish Religion in L.A., has been a contributing writer to JLife Committee (HUAC). Senator Joseph McCarthy blacklisted liberal “anti- since 2004.

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Jlife

| NOVEMBER 2014 31

F E AT U R E S

LOSING A LEGEND Saying Farewell to Lauren Bacall

BY LISA GRAJEWSKI, PSY.D.

LAUREN BACALL WAS born Betty Joan Perske in 1924 to an immigrant mother and a first-generation father. She was a product of Brooklyn, New York, but Bacall’s parents were European Jews who divorced when she was five. Betty Joan Perske eventually became Lauren Bacall, using part of her mother’s maiden name, Weinstein-Bacal, and Americanizing the name to fit into Hollywood. However, she would not totally escape anti-Jewish or antiSemitic sentiment; early on in her career, as a young model, Bacall was often told she “did not look Jewish” and was abashed at the other 32 NOVEMBER 2014 |

Jlife

models’ ignorance and lack of tolerance. She did not hide her Jewish roots, but she was careful. Despite the conflict toward her Judaism, Bacall could not escape her heritage—one more reminder of her Jewish connection came through her relation to Shimon Peres, former President and Foreign Minister of Israel.

Originally a Perske (sometimes spelled Perski or Persky) from Poland, Peres met with Bacall while she was filming a movie in Israel in 1987 and reminded her “there are not too many Perskes in the world, and most of them are related.”

In 1944 at the age of 19, Bacall was discovered by the wife of famed director Howard Hawks.

Hawks cast Bacall in her first movie, “To Have And Have Not,” alongside Humphrey Bogart, which began not only a lifetime of movie roles but also kicked off one of Hollywood’s most notable romances. Her line of “You know how to whistle, don’t you? You just put your lips together and blow” snagged Bogart, and the two married the following year and remained so until his death from throat cancer in 1957.

They had two children, Stephen Bogart and Leslie Bogart.

Despite the love between Bogart and Bacall, there were still moments of conflict due to religious differences. According to Bacall’s autobiography, “By Myself,” Bacall struggled with Bogart’s request to have the children christened. She did not attend synagogue, and was ambivalent about her Jewish roots, but she “felt totally Jewish and always would,” according to the biography. So when Bogart made the request to have the children baptized, Bacall bristled at the idea. But according to Hasia Diner, professor of Hebrew and Jewish history at New York University, “Being Jewish was too much of a liability in an environment in which one had to walk that tightrope” [between being Jewish in private and appearing otherwise in public].

After Bogart’s death, Bacall continued acting, but being a widow was overwhelming, and she took a five-year break from Hollywood following disappointing productions. She dabbled in Broadway and enjoyed the live work—and in 1964 returned to Hollywood, working with John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Tony Curtis, and Paul Newman, among others, and earned her third Oscar. She returned to Hollywood again in the 1990s and acted in several films until deteriorating health forced Bacall to slow down and make smaller-scale films.

Outside of her well-known love affair with Bogart, Bacall was also married to Jason Robards for eight years, between 1961 and 1969; they had one child together, Sam Robards.

Bacall had an extended history that included film, stage and radio. On August 12, 2014, shortly before her 90th birthday, she died from a stroke. A Dr. Lisa Grajewski is a psychologist working toward licensure. She is a therapist with Jewish Federation Family Services and is a psychological assistant for a private practice in Tustin. Dr. Grajewski has been writing for JLife Magazine since 2004.

F E AT U R E S

25 YEARS OF JEWISH FILM The Actualization of a Vision

BY FLORENCE L. DANN

WHAT STARTED AS a modest film festival twenty-five years ago has developed into a premier film festival, presented by University Synagogue with support from Temple Beth Emet, Temple Bat Yahm, Temple Beth Tikvah and Congregation Shir Ha-Ma’a lot, that showcases some of the finest Jewish films from around the world. Twelve feature films and nine documentaries comprise the 20142015 season.

“We are one of the oldest international Jewish film festivals around,” says Gene Alterman, who has been the driving force behind the festival for the past 13 seasons. He is quick to add that a big part of the success can be attributed to Rabbi Arnold Rachlis of University Synagogue and to Dr. Michael Berlin, who has served as host and guest lec-

turer for the past 25 years.

“Rabbi Rachlis had a vision, and what we are doing is actualizing that vision,” says Alterman.

“He wanted to develop a cultural and educational event for the Jewish community in Orange County.”

“We start six months before the first film is to be screened,” says Alterman. “Many times I am on the phone at 3:00 in the morning to places like Uzbekistan or Prague trying to get in touch with the filmmakers.” Alterman has developed close relationships with distributors of Jewish films all over the world. Many of the films are not screened at other Jewish festivals; often they are films that have not been previously released. “The Green Prince,” for example, was shown first to the film festival audience on September 3, before it was released

to the general public.

Committee members may screen up to 100 films just to select a handful for each season. “They must be of high quality, with good direction, acting and writing,” Alterman emphasizes.

Alterman is particularly excited about the February 15 screening of Woody Allen’s classic “Crimes and Misdemeanors,” to be followed by a live discussion with actor Martin Landau, and the documentary “The Outrageous Sophie Tucker,” to be screened on December 10.

“This year we are very fortunate to have other synagogues participating with us,” comments Alterman. In addition to Temple Beth Tikvah, a longtime partner, Temple Bat Yahm, Shir Ha-Malat, and Temple Beth Emet are joining forces with University Synagogue.

University Synagogue continues to defray the cost of the film and theater rentals, commentator, bagel breakfast and marketing. While the film festival as such is not a fundraising event, synagogues can benefit both financially and with increased exposure throughout the county.

Feature films are screened on Wednesdays and Sundays at the Regal Westpark 8 Theatre, 3735 Alton Parkway, Irvine. Sunday mornings include a bagel breakfast at 8:30 a.m., with the film at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday evening screenings are at 7:00 p.m. Documentaries are shown during the evening at University Synagogue and its partner synagogues.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.universitysynagogue.org. A Florence L. Dann, a fourth-year rabbinical student at the Academy for Jewish Religion in L.A., has been a contributing writer to JLife since 2004.

Movie Dates MAMELE November 5 University Synagogue 3400 Michelson Dr., Irvine Screening at 7:00 p.m.

ZERO MOTIVATION November 9 Westpark 8 Cinemas 3735 Alton Parkway, Irvine Bagel breakfast from 8:30 a.m.

Film at 9:30 a.m.

FOR A WOMAN November 19 Westpark 8 Cinemas 3735 Alton Parkway, Irvine Introduction at 7:00 p.m.

Jlife

| NOVEMBER 2014 33

F E AT U R E S

Herb Modelevsky reaffirmed his commitment to Judaism at age 83.

BROTHERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING TORAH Celebrating Your Bar Mitzvah at 83

BY TANYA SCHWIED

DR. HERB MODELEVSKY celebrated his second Bar Mitzvah at the age of 83 this past August. The custom of celebrating a second Bar Mitzvah at age 83 derives from verse 10 in Psalm 90: “The days of our years are seventy, or if by reason of special strength, eighty years.”

There were several unique aspects about Herb’s Bar Mitzvah, the obvious one being that he was 83 years old, but even more unique is the story behind the Sefer Torah used for this particular occasion. When 34 NOVEMBER 2014 |

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Heritage Pointe first opened its doors, Herb and his wife Loretta were privileged to gift the first Torah to the home. This Torah previously resided in the temple back in St. Paul, Minnesota, where Herb grew up; he used it for his first Bar Mitzvah. When his dad, Bernard, of blessed memory, was 85, he celebrated his very first Bar Mitzvah at Heritage Pointe chanting the same parsha, from that very same Torah. The Russian Revolution prevented Bernard from having his Bar Mitzvah at age 13 because of the

pogroms in his country. Needless to say, this Torah has traveled far and wide and means a great deal to Herb and his family.

I had the good fortune of sitting down with Herb and Loretta in the synagogue at Heritage Pointe where this momentous milestone took place. I asked what he would tell his 13-year-old self if he could travel back to that first Bar Mitzvah. He replied, “the importance of having love in your life, unconditional love.” He quoted the Torah portion, “love with all your heart all your soul and all your might.” He then went on to say, “Only though community service, by being part of a family, can you develop the compassion and the type of understanding that commitment demands. It’s that interaction with other people in the community which helps you mature and become aware of what fulfillment in life is.”

Herb essentially reaffirmed his commitment to Judaism at age 83. When I asked him what it means to be Jewish, he said you must have two qualities: empathy and patience. As he went through life he began to understand that compassion heals. A trained physician in pediatrics, ironically, realized “medicine does not necessarily come from a bottle or a shot in the syringe—it’s the healing power of compassion.”

He added, “If you have a difficult task in your life, you must have a partnership with other people. Have laughter and humor in your life—I believe G-d is present in that joy.” Herb’s outlook on life reflects that of one his favorite comedians, Charlie Chaplin, who said, “A day without humor is a day wasted, so let the funny in.” We could all take a page from Herb’s book and let the funny in. A Tanya Schwied graduated from New York University, studied abroad in Israel, and currently works for the CEO and President of the Jewish Federation & Family Services.

Jlife

| NOVEMBER 2014 35

out&about RICHIE KOTZEN

Richie Kotzen will be playing a solo show at the Coach House Nov. 22. In 1991, at age 21, Kotzen joined glam-metal band Poison, cowriting and performing on the album “Native Tongue.”

In 1999, Kotzen replaced Paul Gilbert as guitarist in the mainstream rock band Mr. Big, performing on their album “Get Over It.” He also contributed guitar to their subsequent release “Actual Size.” The record included the Kotzen song “Shine,” which debuted at number one on Japanese radio charts. After Mr. Big disbanded, Kotzen released the solo album “Change” in 2003.

SMALLPOOLS & MAGIC MAN

Top-charting East Coast Indie group, Smallpools, will be playing the House Of Blues Anaheim Nov. 17. Working with producer trio Captain Cuts, they debuted a single, “Dreaming.” The band and their song “Over and Over” were featured in a promotional video for Snapchat, introducing Snapchat Stories in October 2013.

36

MICHAEL ANDREW

The Great American Songbook comes alive at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall on Nov. 6 through 8. Singer Michael Andrew thrills audiences, singing in the style and tradition of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bobby Darin and Sammy Davis, Jr. He has been a featured guest artist with orchestras across America.

COLD WAR KIDS

Observatory presents a night with Orange County local Indie band The Cold War Kids on Nov. 18. In 2013, Cold War Kids released their fourth album “Dear Miss Lonelyhearts.” Their fifth album, “Hold My Home,” was just released on Oct. 21 of this year.

DAVID ELLIOTT David Elliott joins Terry Steele at Spaghettini’s Jazz Venue in Seal Beach on Nov. 1. As the son of the international icons Dionne Warwark and the late actor Bill Elliott, David Elliott has been exposed to the world of entertainment from day one. Following in the classic tradition of his family’s extraordinary lineage, Elliott offers music that is contemporary yet timeless.

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE | November 2014

November rings in the celebration season of giving thanks and big feasts. Here are some fun events happening this month that make us thankful to live in Orange County.

Danny Elfman

Danny Elfman’s Music From The Films Of Tim Burton The Honda Center will spotlight the music of Danny Elfman on Nov. 2. The program includes newly created suites from all sixteen film collaborations of the legendary composer Danny Elfman and visionary director Tim Burton. The singing voice of Jack Skellington in the 1993 classic film, Elfman himself will perform his songs from “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” The concert will be accompanied with large screen film clips and the artwork of Tim Burton.

Scenic View Ahead on Exhibit Irvine Museum is currently hosting “Scenic View Ahead: The Westways Cover Art Program, 1928-1981” through January 15, 2015. This is one of the largest exhibitions of works from the Westways cover art program ever mounted. Westways is the member magazine of the Automobile Club

of Southern California.

In 1928, the Auto Club began commissioning paintings from major artists working in Southern California for the cover of each issue of its member magazine. With 55 artworks on view, Irvine Museum’s exhibition traces prominent styles of art through most of the twentieth century, such as California scene painting, Pop Art and assemblage art.

Orange County Center for the Performing Arts Tony Award-winning Broadway musical “Pippin” will be at Segerstrom Hall Nov. 11 through 23, featuring a beloved score

by Tony nominee Stephen Schwartz (“Godspell,” “Wicked”). “Pippin” tells the story of a young prince on a death-defying journey to find meaning in his existence. Will he choose a happy but simple life? Or will he risk everything for a singular flash of glory?

Johnny Mathis Johnny Mathis will be at Segerstrom Hall for one night on Nov. 8.

Mathis has continued to entertain legions of fans since his first two hits, “Wonderful, Wonderful” and “Chances Are,” hit the top of the charts in 1956. He has received four Grammy nominations and been inducted into the Grammy Award Hall of Fame twice. Mathis is one of only five recording artists to have Top 40 hits spanning each of the four decades since 1955.

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PHOTO BY ISOBEL WIELD

A&E

38 NOVEMBER 2014 |

All the delights of the season.

Jlife

A&E

Powdered sugar-dusted yumminess.

“There is not a good system in this country to feed the hungry.”

PHOTO BY JOSH MONKEN

– HOLLIS O’BRIEN

THANKS FOR GIVING A Thanksgiving Volunteer Opportunity to Perform a Mitzvah

BY JUDY BART KANCIGOR

YOU ENTER THE kitchen, put on your apron and prepare to cook. The mystery ingredients arrive, and . . . bam! Let the chopping begin. No, you aren’t a contestant on Food Network’s “Chopped”! You’re a volunteer for Mitzvah Meals, helping to turn hundreds of pounds of donated food from Trader Joe’s and Mother’s Market into tasty meals for 300 of Orange County’s disadvantaged.

Mitzvah Meals was the brainchild of Monica Engel, who nearly five years ago

conceived a plan to feed the hungry through her synagogue, Temple Beth Sholom in Santa Ana, and quickly enlisted the help of another member, caterer Hollis O’Brien, owner of Parties by Panache in Brea.

“While it’s a lot of work, it fills my soul,” Engel says. ”The variety of people who have filled our kitchen is astounding. I have so many heartwarming stories to tell about what Mitzvah Meals has done for them.”

Until February 15 of this year, all the food

prep was done in Beth Sholom’s kitchen.

Then came a devastating fire. “Why don’t we do it at Panache tomorrow?” offered O’Brien, and the group has been using her facility ever since. “The people we serve are not necessarily Jewish,” she notes. Every Sunday, volunteers work to prepare meals for six needy facilities, including a home for unwed mothers, a women’s transitional center and a homeless shelter.

O’Brien plans the menus around the donated food and assigns the tasks. No cooking experience or talent is necessary.

Last week’s donated chopped meat became spaghetti sauce. Another time, pans of leftover Chicken Marsala from Panache’s own catered event was combined with roasted vegetables and leftover pasta.

O’Brien, who once catered the Obie Awards, has been in the business for almost 36 years. “In college I did catering on the side,” she recalled. In the 1980s she opened a restaurant in New York. “This was before the farm-to-table movement. We made everything—our own bagels, bread, croissants. When we moved to California in 1986, I said, I’m never going back into the food business again. After a month I decided to keep catering. It’s in my blood.”

Today Panache does full event planning.

“We use only fresh ingredients and make all our own pastries and breads,” O’Brien notes. “And we try to accommodate people’s budgets. If they want to use their own centerpieces or just want the food delivered, that’s fine. A lot of people take our Thanksgiving menu and just order sides.

I have several people who order turkeys already carved.”

The Sunday after Thanksgiving, Mitzvah Meals will cook Thanksgiving dinner. “We work on Thanksgiving, and in the past we’d give people a whole dinner turkey with all the fixings, but storage became a problem, so we’re giving gift cards along with a bag of sides: canned yams, gravy, stuffing, a combination of donated goods or stuff we have.”

While the Good Samaritan laws protect companies who donate food from liability,

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When you are asked in the world to come, “What was your work,” and you answer, “I fed the hungry,” you will be told, “This is the gate of the Lord, enter into it, you who have fed the hungry.” – MIDRASH TEHILLIM 118:17

few companies donate. “There is not a good system in this country to feed the hungry,” O’Brien says. ”We have so much excess food, so much waste, and so many people going hungry. There’s not a good infrastructure for getting food to the people that need it or for finding the people that want to help out. My goal long-term is to make Mitzvah Meals a model for not only Jewish synagogues, but for any organization that has access to a kitchen.”

So far, Temple Beth Tikvah in Fullerton has joined Mitzvah Meals, sending volunteers once a month. Temple Beth El has incorporated it into its Mitzvah Day, and their sixth-grade class has pledged to work three Sundays in the coming year. If you are interested in volunteering or starting your own program at your synagogue, contact Monica Engel at sovta11@cox.net or Hollis O’Brien at hollis@partiesbypanache.com.

Swiss Chard, Fennel & Challah Stuffing While a stuffed turkey gives that Norman Rockwell photo op, O’Brien prefers to bake the stuffing in a separate casserole.

8-10 servings

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds

1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 2 Scatter challah chunks on rimmed

baking sheet. Toast until golden brown, tossing once (about 15 minutes). Let cool completely. (Bread may be toasted one day ahead and stored in airtight container at room temperature.)

3 Melt 2 tablespoons butter in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, fennel and Swiss chard and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 to12 minutes. (May be made one day ahead. Let cool; cover and chill).

4 Butter a 3-quart shallow baking dish.

Whisk eggs to blend in large bowl; whisk in broth. Stir in the onion-fennel-Swiss chard mixture, salt, pepper and fennel seeds. Add bread and toss until evenly distributed.

Transfer to prepared dish and dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Bake until stuffing is hot and top is golden brown, about 40 minutes.

Pecan Pie Rugelach

flour and mix until it forms a dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.

2 Roll out dough on floured board to 1/8inch thickness. Cut 5-inch wide strips (length of dough). Sprinkle filling over dough and roll entire length of dough like jelly roll. Cut “log” into 1 1/2-inch pieces OR cut dough into 9-inch circles. Sprinkle filling over dough and cut into 16 triangles (like pizza).

Roll up each individual triangle, starting from wide end into narrow point at center (like a crescent roll). Note: Brush edges of dough with egg wash to seal before rolling.

3 Preheat oven to 350 F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

4 Transfer rugelach to prepared baking sheet ½-inch apart. Brush lightly with egg wash. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Bake until lightly brown, 20 to 30 minutes.

PECAN PIE FILLING 4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick) 2 cups pecan pieces, coarsely chopped 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup corn syrup 1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 to 2 pounds challah, cut in 1-inch cubes

This recipe was developed for last year’s Thanksgivukkah celebration and has become a holiday favorite.

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Makes about 8 dozen

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, plus more for coating the dish

Melt butter in small saucepan until it becomes foamy and then turns light brown. Take off heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Let cool.

1 pound unsalted butter, slightly softened

Source: Parties by Panache

1 yellow onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 pound cream cheese, slightly softened

1 to 2 medium fennel bulbs, cored and coarsely chopped (about 3 cups)

4 cups all-purpose flour

4 large eggs, beaten

1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

Cinnamon-sugar

1 large bunch Swiss chard, stalks removed and leaves chopped 2 teaspoons kosher salt

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Filling (recipe below)

1 Combine butter and cream cheese in electric mixer and mix well. Slowly add

Jlife Food Editor Judy Bart Kancigor is the author of “Cooking Jewish” (Workman) and “The Perfect Passover Cookbook” (an e-book short from Workman), a columnist and feature writer for the Orange County Register and other publications and can be found on the web at www.cookingjewish.com.

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BOOK REVIEW

LINEUP

Meet Liad Shoham, the “John Grisham” of Israel.

BY TANYA SCHWIED

small, cramped office, and I was a bit depressed.

So I began daydreaming and writing stories about my adventures in London.” These stories eventually morphed into Shoham’s first book, “London in a Pitta Bread.”

Fresh off the plane from a book festival in France, Shoham was kind enough to speak with me about his new book and the inspiration behind. Here is what he had to say…

“Lineup” is a thriller that will leave you on the edge of your seat.

A LAWYER BY trade and crime fiction author by happy accident, Liad Shoham has been called Israel’s John Grisham for his complex novels. He certainly lives up to the hype with his latest book, “Lineup,” an edge-of-your-seat thriller that also happens to be his first book translated into English.

After a first degree at the Hebrew University, he came to London in 1997 to do a law course, and it was in London, he says, that his writing career began. “I had a fabulous year at LSE, and when I came back to Israel, I started to work as a lawyer,” he recalls. “But it was a very 42 NOVEMBER 2014 |

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What made you want to write “Lineup” at this moment? What were some of your influences? I was influenced by the TV show “The Wire,” which offers a lot of perspectives from the different characters’ point of view. The series had an enormous effect on me. I watched it with my wife when she was toward the end of her pregnancy and was having difficulty sleeping. Through watching the series, I realized how powerful it was to see a dramatic story told from various angles. I tried to show what happens behind the scenes of the judicial system. That’s why “Lineup” is told from the standpoint of the victim, her family, the police, the prosecutors, the courts, journalists, gangsters and others. Every character is motivated by their moral standards. I hope this book gives readers a glimpse of how easily those influencing the judicial system can make it go awry. Each of these characters symbolized a part of the judicial system, with their own agenda and motives. I don’t write them as purely evil and purely good.

Your sister is a Public Defender, right?

Do you think that gave you some insight and empathy into the world of criminals—and that anyone can be

A&E

falsely accused? Absolutely. My sister helped me to understand the complexities of her job.

She pointed out that PD’s have to fight an entire system and are always hated for supporting the supposed criminal. People need to remember that anyone can be falsely accused and that from time to time the system gets it wrong. Then the only person in the world who can help the accused is the PD. Actually that’s how I got the idea for “Lineup” . . . . My sister told me the story of a rape victim, whose father supposedly found him [the rapist] as he walked outside of his daughter’s apartment. The father convinced the police, the prosecutor, and even his daughter who the rapist was. That person came very close to getting convicted. In the very late stages the prosecutor realized they were trying the wrong man. I took that story and developed it by adding mafia crime and bombings.

This is your first novel that is translated to English. Were you writing any differently, knowing it would be released to an American audience as well? Not at all. I didn’t know at the time I was writing that this would be published in English or any other language for that matter. I think thrillers have a common language. Everyone can relate to what I wrote. The theme is universal since every country suffers from crime and how the judicial system reacts. I intentionally didn’t write about the Palestinian conflict because I didn’t want that to be all Israel is about. Israelis are people with human emotions, feelings, love, family, and work—not just the conflict that Americans see on the news all day.

When discussing your wife earlier, I wanted to touch on the fact that you said you “fell in love with a criminal mastermind.” Tell me about this. It is my wife who has come up with some of the elegant plot twists in “Lineup.” She has beautiful ideas although it is a little bit frightening. Obviously you can’t ask someone on the first date how to plot a murder [for the book]. After a few years of marriage, it is now our Friday night dinner conversation.

What would you say is the theme of your books? My stand-alone books all involve social problems. I try to choose a subject that disturbs me and make a thriller out of it.

You are very well known in Israel, but in America you are what we call a

Author Liad Shoham.

“rookie” —how do you feel? I am excited and frightened. I am the number-one crime fiction author in Israel. I know it will be hard work to climb the ladder here, but I am already published in Europe. I think Israelis are influenced by a lot of American culture, including myself, who has read a lot of American authors like John Grisham.

What’s next for you? I am now in an exciting period of my life. “Lineup” is due to soon be released in seven languages. I am particularly excited by the publication in the United States, which was and is a dream come true. Next year, my latest book, “Asylum City,” will be released in many countries. The book relates to the problem of African refugees flowing into Israel. This situation upsets a lot of Israelis, which is similar to how many Americans feel.

America and Israel deal with a lot of the same issues. “Asylum City” is being developed into a television series, which I am very involved in. It is both exciting and interesting to enter a new field and learn about it. A Tanya Schwied graduated from New York University, studied abroad in Israel, and currently works for the CEO and President of the Jewish Federation & Family Services.

“Obviously you can’t ask someone on the first date how to plot a murder [for the book].

After a few years of marriage, it is now our Friday night dinner conversation.”

– LIAD SHOHAM Jlife

| NOVEMBER 2014 43

LIFESTYLE

LAUGHING IT OFF IN ORANGE COUNTY

Jewish Astrology Star Clusters in the Leftward Sky Dear N., One day, I’m going to be a huge star. I can sing, I can act, I can dance. I’m very good looking. In short, my success is inevitable.

Yesterday, though, I was having a conversation at work with one of the other parking valets. He said that all the big Jewish stars are Democrats, and if I’m ever going to be famous, I should become one, too.

With election day approaching, I’m concerned. To be honest, I can’t even name my Congressperson, and apparently I have a state Representative, too (who knew!?). Do I have to learn about all this stuff in order to land my dream role as Han and Leia’s love child in the upcoming Disney Star Wars trilogy?

— The Next Jake Gyllenhaal

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Dear… wait a minute—Jake Gyllenhaal is Jewish!?

Anyway, your colleague has a point. Although they’ve made a fortune, the Jewish celeberatti—your Barbras, your Billy Crystals, and so forth— tend to skew blue. This is an important phenomenon, because many people look to Hollywood for role models. And why shouldn’t they? Where are we to find a deeper wellspring of sophisticated political analysis than the industry that brought us “The Hangover 3”?

And it’s not just stars. Successful Jews lean surprisingly leftward, leading the rest of the American elite to regard them with confusion. The descendants of other newcomers to this nation, as they rose into the ranks of the middle class and beyond, readily

abandoned their quaint concern for the poor, the aged, and the infirm. They are shocked that a Tribe blessed with so many accountants still fails to see the logic behind a zero percent capital gains tax rate.

position. Republicans are always reminding them of the time that Obama didn’t invite Bibi to dinner. What’s the point of voting Israel’s way at the UN and providing historic levels of security assistance if you’re just going to be rude about it?

Jewish Republicans are equally mystified; it’s all But don’t despair, they talk about Yankeleh. My when two or Hollywood IT CAN BE more of them are sources tell me TRICKY FOR together (which you have a shot JEWISH isn’t often, due at the Star Wars to the liberal DEMOCRATS gig, as long bias of statistical as you’re not TO DEFEND probabilities). hoping to play THEIR They’ve worked the decrepit and POSITION. so hard to turn discredited old support for Israel warlord, Darth into a partisan Vader. That role issue, and yet their coreligionists demands a certain “Cheney-saiscontinue to vote Dem at a quoi.” margin of more than two-to-one.

Where’s the sense in that? Do — N. Troyer these people actually believe that you can be pro-labor and Zionist N. Troyer is a registered member of at the same time? Surely Ben the “A Pox on Both Their Houses” party. The author would remind Gurion is spinning in his grave!

It can be tricky for Jewish Democrats to defend their

you to vote, but believes strongly that if you have to be reminded, probably it’s better that you don’t.

News&Jews OC JEWISH SCENE | NOVEMBER 2014

Israeli Film Opens in Irvine Based on Mosab Hassan Yousef’s best-selling book, “Son of Hamas,” “The Green Prince” opened in Irvine on September 19. This engrossing film is a real-life spy thriller set against the backdrop of terrorism from the Oscar-winning producers of “Searching for Sugar Man” and “Man on Wire.”

Directed by Israeli filmmaker Nadav Schirman, the film was the winner of the Audience Award for World Documentary at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.

Israel at Irvine’s Global Village Festival On September 27, the Irvine Global Village festival celebrated the city’s diversity. In the photo are Doron Armony (in the orange t-shirt) and to his right is Alon Rozen, the new Israel Shaliach for Shevet Tapuz, Israel Scouts of Orange County. Also pictured are members of the Yazidi community (a long-persecuted ethnic Kurdish community) who came to the festival to represent their culture. The Scouts coordinate the only Israel booth at the festival. The annual, multicultural event features international cuisine, live entertainment, a kids’ village with crafts and activities, cultural and religious exhibits and an international marketplace.

Israeli “Cello Goddess” Labeled a “cello goddess” by The New Yorker, Maya Beiser performed music from her new album, “Uncovered” on September 13 at Logan Creative (800 E. Washington Ave., Santa Ana, CA) in a concert co-presented by Santa Ana Sites and Logan Creative. Beiser’s music evoked the unprecedented power of the music of Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Nirvana, Janis Joplin, Howlin’ Wolf, King Crimson, Muddy Waters, and AC/DC. For more information on other programs at Santa Ana Sites, go to www.santaanasites.com. To watch Beiser’s video introduction to “Uncovered,” go to: http://bit.ly/MayaUncoveredVideo.

Jlife

| NOVEMBER 2014 47

LIFESTYLE

Joseph Telushkin

2 Don’t be self-righteous.

3 How do you create leaders? By empowering them: “A good leader creates followers; a great leader creates leaders.”

4 Do not say you “found yourself in this situation”: you placed yourself in this situation. If you realize that you cause the problem, you can then solve the problem.

5 Anything worth doing is worth doing well: shift that to “Anything worth doing is worth doing now.”

A STUDENT & A TEACHER Getting to Know Joseph Telushkin

BY TANYA SCHWIED

JOSEPH TELUSHKIN IS an American rabbi, lecturer and best-selling author. He is noted as one of the most prolific and respected interpreters of Judaism in the United States. His more than 15 books include several volumes about Jewish ethics and Jewish literacy. His latest book, “Rebbe: The Life and Teachings of Menachem M. Schneerson, the Most Influential Rabbi in Modern History,” appeared on all the major best-seller lists, including the New York Times.

I was given the fortunate opportunity to listen to Rabbi Telushkin speak to a sold-out crowd of over 500 people in the Myers Theater 48 NOVEMBER 2014 |

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at the Merage Jewish Community Center of Orange County. Let me know tell you, my hand hurt from writing all the little pearls of wisdom this man had to impart. President John F. Kennedy once quoted a Chinese proverb, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” The Rebbe intuited and taught that the Jewish journey could start with a single mitzvah.

Here are just a few lessons the Rebbe taught Rabbi Telushkin…

1 Have a great love of others and yourself: an unconditional, non-judgmental love.

Rabbi Telushkin told us the story of Rabbi Weinrib from Maryland. Rabbi Weinrib was attending one of the Rebbe’s services, and when asked to say his name and where he was from from, Weinrib was too nervous and shy to say his name. He simply said, “I’m from Maryland; who should I consult with?”

The Rebbe said, “I am supposed to tell anyone from Maryland to consult with a Rabbi Weinrib.” The Rabbi proclaimed, “I’m Rabbi Weinrib!” The Rebbe then said, “Well then, you should consult with yourself.” Such a simple suggestion changed Weinrib’s life forever: from that moment on, instead of seeking approval or asking questions of others all the time, he simply searched within himself. He consulted with his own heart—something we tend to forget in our hectic lives.

Something else that particularly spoke to me was that the Rebbe challenged the idea of a person having “no Jewish background;” he argued that these people had the background of “Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah.” So if you’re ever feeling your “background” is insufficient when it comes to the holidays, the traditions, the recipes, and the rules—and let’s face it, Judaism can be a bit intimidating—just remember that according to the Rebbe, not to mention the most influential Rabbi in modern history, we all have the same Jewish background. A Tanya Schwied graduated from New York University, studied abroad in Israel, and currently works for the CEO and President of the Jewish Federation & Family Services.

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Jlife

| NOVEMBER 2014 49

LIFESTYLE

Americans like Lady Gaga jam in the Holy Land.

ISRAELIS ❤ AMERICANS Israelis look forward to sharing American culture through American artists.

BY MERAV CEREN

ON A DUSTY part of highway a few miles into the West Bank, I climbed onto bus 486. It was April 2011, and the impending Justin Bieber concert in Tel Aviv was finally happening that Thursday. Our tired bus driver, Moti, had his cell to his ear (this was the West Bank; people don’t really get pulled over for small traffic violations), and I could hear someone rather distraught 50 NOVEMBER 2014 |

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on the other end. Sharon, his 14-year-old daughter, had a ticket to the Bieber concert, and her heart had been utterly broken with a few tweets from the Biebs. Evidently, the young man had been hounded by the paparazzi and tweeted a threat to stay in his hotel. Sharon was terrified that this meant he would cancel his show.

Before you dismiss these fears, consider

where I was. Sharon’s fears weren’t entirely unfounded. Due to the Gaza conflict, Cee Lo Green, Neil Young, Lana Del Rey, and the Backstreet Boys, among others, canceled their concerts in the country. Lady Gaga was the biggest artist to still perform, and Israelis will love her forever for it. But it doesn’t take rockets for an artist to cancel an Israeli gig. In 2010, Pixies, Gorillaz, and Elvis Costello canceled performances in protest of Israel’s response to the Gaza flotilla. For teenagers growing up here, beloved American artists who promise to perform and then cancel disappoint them, to say the least.

A recent Pew Report from July of this year shows that Israel is the U.S.’s second biggest fan in the world. Eighty-four percent of Israelis reported a positive impression of America. Only the Philippines has a higher percent, 92. Israelis love American music, American television and American culture. You get further speaking English in Israel than you do in Turkey or Italy or . . . really, any other country I’ve visited. When American artists choose not to perform, Israelis take it as though a cool older cousin didn’t come to the family Passover seder. Because that’s how Israelis view Americans—as extended family with the same values and interests.

Well, Sharon got to go to her concert.

And the Biebs tweeted after, “AMAZING NIGHT ... AMAZING PLACE ...

AMAZING SHOW!! NEVER GOING TO FORGET THIS ONE. #BLESSED.” A Merav Ceren was born in Israel, grew up in Southern California, and has now returned home. She holds a B.A. in International Relations from UCI, where she led the re-establishment of Anteaters for Israel, and is pursuing her Master’s degree in International Relations from Syracuse University.

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solomonsbakery.com Jlife

| NOVEMBER 2014 51

LIFESTYLE

THE ART OF WOOING A Guide for Today’s Dating Scene

BY DVORAH LEWIS

That elusive special someone is out there.

THE TITLE TO Tamar Caspi’s guide for dating can be a little misleading at first.

“How to Woo a Jew” is not only for those seeking out Jewish partners. Nor is it solely directed at a female audience. Anyone needing advice on dating can benefit from reading this book. Caspi not only references stories from her experience as JDate’s blogger, but also uses her personal dating experience. She devotes each chapter to a different stage of a relationship. The first helps you figure out if you’re ready for dating. The following chapters describe online dating, how to set up a profile, awkwardness 52 NOVEMBER 2014 |

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of first dates, advantages to poly-dating, and when to get serious, aka “The Talk.” Caspi’s tone throughout the guide is so conversational that at times I forgot I was reading a book versus having coffee with her while we exchanged dating stories.

I did more than just read the guide—l listened to Caspi’s advice as I went out on dates. It’s important to remember while reading that dates aren’t going to play out exactly how Caspi describes. Some of her suggestions are hard to follow, such as not texting until after the first date. That’s not easy. Texting is, unfortunately, the preferred

form of communication for people who are my age. I didn’t want to completely discount a potential date because we communicated mostly through text. The best way to use to this guide is just that: as a guide. Depending on your own values and preferences, you can adjust to Caspi’s advice.

Other than the boost in confidence, there are two other aspects that I take away from Caspi’s piece. First is making “The List” of approximately twenty values that are important to you and rating them on a scale of 1 to 10. This activity helps you figure out which potential dates are worth your time.

The second takeaway is a term Caspi coins, “poly-dating.” This is the cure for Hopeless Romantics, like myself. By dating multiple people at once, you won’t fall as quickly for someone because your attention is spread out to multiple suitors. There are many takeaways from “How to Woo a Jew”—for the rest, you will have to check it out for yourself! A Dvorah Lewis is pursuing her Master’s degree in Library and Information Science with a specialization in Archival Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles.

LIFESTYLE

One of Shalom Family’s lucky winners.

L’DOR V’DOR Shalom Family: Strengthening Generations to Come

BY ADAM CHESTER

JEWISH FAMILIES IN Orange County want connections to other Jewish families.

Parents constantly search for opportunities to rave (or complain) about their children, techniques to integrate Jewish values into their homes, and platforms to gain knowledge about how to raise a baby Jewishly.

Not long ago, OC parents could drive up to an hour for Jewish playdates. Children often lacked Jewish peers, thinking they were the only Jewish kid between their house and Israel. The community lacked easily accessible facilitated resources.

Enter Shalom Family, a program of Jewish Federation & Family Services. Since its launch

in June of 2013, Shalom Family has been a hub of Jewish life for young families. Playing an integral role in families’ Jewish involvement, Shalom Family welcomes parents and children to the community, in accordance with the JFFS goal of increasing involvement at all Jewish community organizations within Orange County serving families with children.

Shalom Family has three core components to its success: Shalom Baby Baskets are given to new parents. The baskets include baby-gear and community resources like lists of Jewish Preschools and information from local Jewish organizations.

PJ Library is a nationwide to-your-door resource. In OC alone, PJ Library currently reaches over 1,200 families who receive free monthly children’s literature with Jewish ageappropriate content.

Lastly, perhaps the most integral part of Shalom Family’s success, are unique community programs and outreach services.

Stephanie Epstein, NextGen Manager, is the machine keeping Shalom Family running.

“It’s important that Shalom Family develops high quality programming for families with children, including parent education,” Epstein says. “This way parents will want to come, and will continue to come, because they will build relationships in the community. Parents schedule playdates not just for their children.

They are an opportunity for parents to build their own social network.”

Part of Shalom Family’s purpose is to hold public-space events outside the walls of Jewish institutions to help those who aren’t affiliated participate, lowering barriers of entry.

Shalom Family builds Jewish identity and teaches Jewish tradition in a group setting that is comfortable for families, ensuring a community for tomorrow.

“The communal setting takes pressure off families because they have support in building their Jewish home,” Epstein says. “Parents are looking for spaces where they feel comfortable exploring Judaism with their children.”

Many interfaith families participate in Shalom Family and PJ Library because it creates spaces for non-Jewish parents to grow and learn with their children. “Shalom Family is non-denomination, so all Jewish families feel comfortable,” says Heather Rosenthal, Chair of Shalom Family.

For more information on Shalom Family or PJ Library, contact Stephanie Epstein at Stephanie@jffs.org or (949) 435-3484. A Adam Chester graduated from UCSD with a degree in Clinical Psychology and is the NextGen Outreach & Engagement Coordinator at JFFS.

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LIFESTYLE

When Jews speak with pride, declaring their historical right to the land, their voice is respected.

A DIVINE GIFT

Why does Israel belong to the Jewish people?

BY RABBI DAVID ELIEZRIE

IT WAS A change of a lifetime. Gershon Ber Jacobson, the noted correspondent for the Israeli daily newspaper Yediot Ahronot, had been invited to the White House to meet President Kennedy in 1961. An ardent follower of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Jacobson asked for his advice: “What should I say to the President?”

“Make a copy of the first Rashi in the Torah. Translate it into English, laminate it and present it to the President,” the Rebbe told Jacobson. Rashi, Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki (1040-1105) is the principle commentator of the Torah; he explores the basic meaning of the text and provides students with an understanding based on thousands of years 54 NOVEMBER 2014 |

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of scholarship. Most Hebrew editions of the Torah include his commentary.

Rashi gives a surprising analysis of the first verse of Genesis, which states, “In the beginning G-d created the heavens and earth. . . .”

Rashi asks, “Why does the Torah begin with the story of the creation of the world?” He goes on to say, “The primary purpose of the Torah is to teach us how to live, it should have started with the first commandment.”

Rashi gives an intriguing explanation that rings through the ages: “When the nations of the world say to the Jewish people, ‘you are robbers you have taken the Land of Israel from us,’ you should respond, ‘G-d created the world and gave the land to the Jewish peo-

ple.’” This was the message the Rebbe wanted the reporter Gershon Ber Jacobson to impart to President Kennedy. The Land of Israel is a Divine gift to the Jewish people.

This is a powerful message for us as Jews today. What binds us to Israel? What stands at the center of our connection to the ancient land? Do we have a right to it because the British issued the Balfour Declaration a century ago, saying that they would help establish homeland for the Jews, or because the United Nations voted in 1947 to establish a modern state?

In 1936, there were terrible Arab riots in what was then Palestine. Britain set up the Peel Commission to explore the question of the future of the territory. When Lord Peel asked David Ben Gurion, an avid secularist, by what right he laid a claim to the thenPalestine, Ben Gurion responded, “Our right in Palestine is not derived from the Mandate and the Balfour Declaration. It is prior to that. . . .The Bible is our Mandate, the Bible which was written by us, in our own language, in Hebrew, in this very country. . . . Our right is as old as the Jewish people.”

When Jews speak with pride, declaring their historical right to the land, their voice is respected. This does not mean that we should treat others who live in Israel with disrespect. Judaism teaches that each human being should be treated with dignity. Yet when the question arises of why the land of Israel is the patrimony of the Jewish people, we should remember the story of how a news reporter gave the President of the United States a copy of Rashi’s commentary on the first verse of the Torah. A Rabbi David Eliezrie is rabbi at Congregation Beth Meir HaCohen/Chabad. His email is rabbi@ocjewish.com.

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I am so confident that this new technique works that I am offering an unheard of money back guarantee. In addition, as a way to say thank you to my former patients whose nail fungus has returned or failed to respond, I am offering a 50% discount on all nail treatments plus the same money back guarantee.

Hoag Hospital’s only Podiatrist with full surgical privileges of the foot and ankle. Expert diagnostician, specialist in bunions, hammertoes and plantar fascitis.

MUST MENTION AD WHEN SCHEDULING APPOINTMENT Jlife

| NOVEMBER 2014 55

LIFESTYLE

NextGen has been keeping busy! On September 7, Chef Kelly

Kalmanson taught a group of 25 hungry young adults how to prepare (and eat!) a gourmet Shabbat dinner. Macher’s Mark Social Hour provided young adults a chance to network together at the Center Club in Costa Mesa. Shalom Family engaged 20 families at Irvine Regional Park for the Apples & Honey Bee Jubilee Rosh Hashanah program. NextGen ended the month with a beautiful Nefesh Shabbat, welcoming many new faces to the community. Wearing our sparkliest outfits, JYA celebrated the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah) with friends new and old, apples and honey cocktails, music, dancing, and Havdallah at sunset. JYA also threw a killer Tailgate Pool Party and celebrated the end of summer and the beginning of football season with a raucous BBQ in the JCC’s pool & Jacuzzi!

TOP LEFT: Gideon Bernstein, Lisa Grier and Gregg Applefield TOP RIGHT: Jessica and Darren Guttenberg with daughter Evie MIDDLE LEFT: Ari Kutner, Barrett Davis, Oren Atias and Shawn Arnoldi MIDDLE RIGHT: Lisa, Eric and Elana BOTTOM RIGHT: Top: L-R Aaron Horowitz, Liora Schneider, Daniel Rosen, Melissa Weinger, Elana Simon, Nate Rosen and Adam Spivack; Bottom: Brandon Gerstein and Nicole Andronescu

56 NOVEMBER 2014 |

Jlife

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JACKIE MENTER OF JEWISH FEDERATION & FAMILY SERVICES

Orange Jews

LIFESTYLE

m

b li

ng

h

el

Ra

Sc

hif

The

f

Ra

ue

c

e o s G l R o e g h

so By fa J e w is h M ille n nial.

Unscathed Political Questioning When I was little, I wanted to be a belly dancer with a degree from Harvard. As I grew up, I realized the world was my oyster, and I would be the first female president.

Looking back, these dreams are humorous to me. I went to the Harvard of the West (California State University, Fullerton) and ended up being a prominent figure and ruler of my domain (a teacher with a class of 38 students every period). So in some skewed way, I achieved all of my first-grade dreams. However, there is a chance for a female president, Hillary Clinton.

Sitting at a Jewish event this week, I was surrounded by politically minded, proIsrael young professionals. I mentioned Clinton and got mixed reviews. While one person said she was dreadful for Israel, another argued that Clinton was a musthave for America and Israel alike. This is extremely important. Large numbers of American Jews are Democrats. If Hillary runs for office, it is important to know where she stands regarding Israel. And so,

c Ra

article in The Sun entitled “Clinton, in a Sharp Turnaround, Warns Against Even Symbolically Recognizing Jerusalem as Capital of Israel,” states, “Secretary of State Clinton, in a sharp departure from her stance when she was a senator, is warning that any American action, even symbolically, toward recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel must be avoided for the reason that it would jeopardize the peace process.” Why are countries afraid of calling Israel’s capital Jerusalem, when in fact, it is? Does Israel find fear in addressing D.C. as the American capital?

It is true: an election year is rounding the corner. As educated OC residents, we need to continue to follow candidates. Israel is not the only concern we American Jews have, but Israel is our homeland. Educating ourselves to make responsible political decisions is a must. Does the dream of the first female president come with a cost to Israel?

If you would like to share your feelings about Clinton’s views on Israel, we at JLife would like your response.

Educating ourselves to make responsible political decisions is a must.

like anything else in my life, I dove into the endless information on Clinton’s voting policies and comments on Middle Eastern policy, specifically Israel.

Clinton expressed on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” that Palestinians are trapped by their own leadership. She continued to say, “Unfortunately, it’s a two-pronged trapping that is committed to resistance and violence and therefore their actions are mostly about how do we get new and better missiles to launch them at Israel.” She later continued in that interview to separate the violence, condemning Hamas, but not the Palestinian authority.

I find these comments equal to standing on a fence. I wish she’d provide a more solid line as to who has control over the Palestinian territory.

However, in 2006 she did show support at a pro-Israel rally, using words like “solidarity and support.” This was foiled by her 2011 commentary, a more recent discussion about Jerusalem. An

RACHEL SCHIFF

is an English teacher who graduated from Cal State Fullerton. She was president of Hillel, a representative of the World Union of Jewish Students and a YLD intern. Currently, she is a Master’s degree student in American Studies with emphasis on Jews in America.

Jlife

| NOVEMBER 2014 57

LIFESTYLE

FRIDAYS 10:00 AM Men’s Club at the JCC Merage JCC

SENIORS

CALENDAR NOVEMBER 2014

10:30 AM The View for Women of All Ages Merage JCC

MONDAYS 9:00 AM Gentle Yogalates & Meditation Merage JCC

WEDNESDAYS & FRIDAYS 8:45 AM Gentle Yoga Merage JCC

10:00 AM News & Views Merage JCC 11:30 AM Drop-in Bridge Merage JCC

THURSDAYS 10:30 AM Drop-in Mah Jongg Merage JCC

7:00 PM Drop-in Mah Jongg Merage JCC TUESDAYS 9:30-11:30 AM OCT. 28- NOV. 18 Intro to Bridge (4 classes) Merage JCC

58 NOVEMBER 2014 |

Jlife

THURSDAYS, OCT. 30- NOV. 20 9:30-11:30 AM Intermediate Bridge: Slam Bidding and More- 4 classes Merage JCC

TUESDAY, NOV. 4 NOON TO 2:00 PM Questions about Medicare By appt. only, call Geri (949) 435-3400 x303 Merage JCC FRIDAYS, NOV. 7, 14, 21 & DEC. 5 7:00- 8:30 PM iPhone Tips and Secrets Merage JCC TUESDAY, NOV. 11 7:00 PM Men’s Wine Tasting Merage JCC WEDNESDAY, NOV. 12 10:30-11:30 AM Emotional Wellness Merage JCC WEDNESDAY, NOV. 19 10:30 AM Writing Your Story Merage JCC TUESDAY, NOV. 25 10:00 AM Books & Bagels My Promised Land

by Ari Shavit Merage JCC SUNDAY, NOV. 9 4:00 PM Event Highlights Great Jewish Americans highlights the Jewish Influence on Arts & Entertainment The Merage JCC presents Rodgers with Heart. Enjoy this musical presentation of Some Enchanted Evening, You’ll Never Walk

Alone, My Funny Valentine and more.

SUNDAY, NOV. 2 ALL DAY Skirball Cultural Center: Light & Noir – Exiles and Emigres in Hollywood Day trip to LA with the Merage JCC includes a luxury bus, lunch and two docent tours. This new exhibit highlights the emigre actors, directors, writers and composers who were refugees from the Nazi persecution and focused their talents on American cinema and culture.

The Merage Jewish Community Center is located at 1 Federation Way Suite 200, Irvine, (949) 435-3400 x 303. For reservations please contact Geri Dorman, Prime Time Adult Director at: gerid@ jccoc.org.

The Ezra Center is located at Temple Beth Emet on Monday & Thursday 1770 W. Cerritos, Anaheim, (714) 776-1103 and Temple Beth Tikvah on Wednesday 1600 N. Acacia, (714) 8713535.

Temple Bat Yahm is located at 1011 Camelback St., Newport Beach, (949) 854-8854. For reservations please contact Sandy Bursten at: sandybee1@ cox.net.

Jlife

| NOVEMBER 2014 59

LIFESTYLE

ORANGE COUNTY’S JEWISH HISTORY Maxie Dorf, “King of Balboa”

BY DALIA TAFT

Maxie Dorf, one of the giants of swing music, was widely acclaimed as the “King of Balboa.” Born in New York in 1921 to Joseph and Rose (Greenberg) Dorf, he moved with his family to Los Angeles four years later. At the young age of 17, he became part of the legendary “Big Four” swing dance troupe, appearing in several films with Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland, and regularly playing one of the talented teenagers who could always be counted on to “put on a show” in the Andy Hardy films. The Balboa, the dance step that originated at the Balboa Pavilion in Newport Beach in the late 1920s, swept across the country in the 1930s, and Maxie Maxie with his wife Colleen in 1942. is considered by many to be the greatest Balboa dancer that ever lived. During WWII and the Korean War, he served with distinction in the Navy as a combat photographer; after the wars, he went back to dancing, and in the 1970s, he started teaching. He made significant contributions to the Balboa’s comeback in the 1980s, and continued to dance until his death in 2000.

Dalia Taft, archivist of the Orange County Jewish Historical Society, a Connect 2 People Initiative of Jewish Federation & Family Services, highlights images from the archives every month. For more information, please visit www.jewishorangecounty.org/historical. You can also contact Dalia at historical@jffs.org or at (949) 435-3484, ext. 167.

60 NOVEMBER 2014 |

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BLOGOSPHERE Jlife wants to acknowledge some of the interesting blogs related to the Jewish community. Enjoy!

WHERE EVERY PENNY COUNTS kolellbudget.com Looking for a site that will give tons of great deals, coupons and freebies? Then you will love this one-stop-shop.

DRIPPING WITH STYLE fashion-isha.com All things chic and glamorous for the refined woman and her beautiful life, this site has its finger on the pulse of all the up-and-coming trends.

JUST TOO GOOD israelikitchen.com For a wonderful mix of exotic flavors influenced by the heart of Israel, check out this wonderful food, wine and travel hub. You can smell the spices with one click.

We would look great on your coffee table.

Octo Tishrei/C ber 2014 heshva n 5775

ORAN GE CO JEWISH UNTY LIFE

EPIC YOM KIPPUR

ROUND Encore CarTWO eers After Ret irement THE NEW OF SEN PULSE IOR A Fresh LIFE Today and Tom orrow

An Intervie w with Sandy Koufax

Yes, I want to order a new subscription of Jlife magazine and never miss an issue! ❒ 1 year $18 ❒ 2 years $36 $32 Name__________________________

K GOT IDS?

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Just fill out the form and mail it back with your payment to: Jlife, One Federation Way, #200 Irvine, CA 92603 or fax to: (949) 435-3435

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| NOVEMBER 2014 61

Advertising Index

15 Academy for Jewish Religion 59 Allan Silverman 59 Bubbe and Zayde’s Place 30 Burch, Coulston & Shepard, LLP 51 Callahan & Blaine 15 Camp Hess Kramer 13 Chapman University 7 Chapman University 15 Chai Mission 23 Congregation B’nai Tzedek 6 Diller Teen 55 Dr. Ivar Roth 49 Eaton Unlimited 35 Eden Memorial Park

62 NOVEMBER 2014 |

Jlife

23 Edward Jones Investments (Jeff Brodnick) 19 Gourmet Detective 61 Heating & Air 49 Heritage Museum 9 Heritage Pointe 49 Jason Novack Realtor 11 Jewish Community Center 5 Jewish Community Center 49 Jewish Women’s Repatory Theater 17 Jewish Federation and Family Services 44 Jewish Federation and Family Services 45 Jewish Federation and Family Services

41 Klein Financial

19 Soul Mates Unlimited

51 L’Dor V’Dor

59 South Coast Repatory Theater

63 Long Beach Ballet 4 Marconi Auto Museum 49 Marni Scheftz Luxury Travel 51 Michael Rubinstein Attn. At Law 29 Mortensen & Reinheimer PC 31 Mortensen & Reinheimer PC 4 Naples Vacuum Elevators 49 OC Helicopter 41 Rico Sicro State Farm 51 Rock Doctor 51 Solomon’s Bakery

6 Stegmeier, Gelbart, Schwartz & Benavente, LLP 7 Sun Solar US 3 24 Carrots 10 Temple Bat Yahm 6 Temple Beth David 7 Temple Beth El 11 Temple Beth Tikvah 51 Torah with Liora 2 Tustin Ranch Golf Club 27 University Synagogue 64 Zounds Audio

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Zounds carries an array of hearing aids to fit almost all hearing loss and budget. With same day fitting, you can go home with better hearing.

Or to schedule your appointment, please call us at (949) 313-7784

ORANGE COUNTY’S JEWISH YOUTH & PARENTS

Pumped Up for Hanukkah Great Holiday Book Ideas Kosher Dog Meet This Month’s Cool Pooch

Giving Thanks Exploring the Season of Gratitude

NOVEMBER 2014

G IN LL W LL RO O FA EN NOR F PRESCHOOL FOR CHILDREN AGES 26 Olam Programs • Ages 2-6 years old • Choice of two, three or five day classes • Half-day program: 8:30 to 12:00 • Full-day program: 8:30 to 2:30 • Full-day Plus: 8:30 to 5:30 • Early Care: 7:30-8:30 am

Extra-Curricular Activities These activities are available in addition to our Montessori curriculum. The instructors come to Olam once a week for families who are interested in additional programming.

• Gymnastics with Mr. Dean • Webby Dance • Play Ball • Summer Camp

“The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind.”

— Maria Montessori www.olamjewishmontessori.com info@olamjewishmontessori.com 3900 Michelson Drive · Irvine, CA 92612

Call for a tour! (949) 786-5230 2

3

a peek inside november 2014

08

10

12

“TANKOO” MAKES MY DAY

MENTOR FOR JEWISH YOUTH

PUMPED UP FOR HANUKKAH

Take time to recognize good fortune, and feelings of appreciation increase.

Temple Bat Yahm hires Melinda Weiss as Youth Engagement Coordinator.

Learning can be really fun when you do it with colorful images.

also inside!

Editor’s Note 06 Math School 07 For November calendar events please visit: www.ocjewishlife.com

14

15

MY CUP RUNNETH OVER

KOSHER DOG

Taking stock in just how “good” we have it.

Check out November’s new winners, the “hippest” little furry pets we could find.

We’re growing, and we want you.

OCJL is looking for an experienced sales person.

Please have: • Outside B to B sales experience • A talent for cold calling • A knack for developing new business • Excellent communication skills via phone and email • The ability to work under tight deadlines • Computer literacy • A positive attitude and self-motivation For immediate consideration, please send your resume to ocjewishlife@aol.com

www.ocjewishlife.com 5

6

EDITOR’S NOTE

kiddish

PUBLISHER ORANGE COUNTY JEWISH LIFE EDITOR IN CHIEF TRACEY ARMSTRONG GORSKY, MBA CREATIVE DIRECTOR RACHEL BELLINSKY COPYEDITOR MICHELLE ITEN CONTRIBUTING WRITERS MELISSA KARR, AUDRA MARTIN, LISA MONETTE, SUE PENN, M. ED., HANNAH SCHOENBAUM ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES DIANE BENAROYA (SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE) MARTIN STEIN (SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE) EDITORIAL

W

elcome to the newest issue of Kiddish. This

month we are taking a moment to celebrate all the things we are thankful for. Gratitude can be a hard concept to be mindful of day

in and day out. Many times the hustle and bustle of life just keeps us too dang busy to stop and be “thankful” for all the blessings we have in our lives. Our families, our friends, our faith… the beautiful Orange County weather we get to enjoy.

We look out our windows at the warm California sunshine, think of our family members “Back East” and shudder for them. We can almost hear their teeth chattering over the phone as we make plans to connect for the holidays. Well, we can’t ship them some Southern Cali Sunshine (even Amazon

(949) 230-0581

TARMSTRONG24@GMAIL.COM ADVERTISING (949) 812-1891

SALES@OCJEWISHLIFE.COM ART

ART@OCJEWISHLIFE.COM ORANGE COUNTY JEWISH LIFE AND KIDDISH IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY ORANGE COUNTY JEWISH LIFE, LLC 1 FEDERATION WAY, IRVINE, CA 92603

hasn’t pulled that off yet), but we can tell them we love them.

And even better “thank” them. Thank them for being the best sister, aunt, cousin, Mom, Dad, brother, friend, etc. you could possibly ask for. Then grab your kids, give them a squeeze, tell them they’re the best kid in the universe… and then make them get on the phone to thank their “Bubbies” too!

— Tracey Armstrong Gorsky, Editor in Chief

Editor Tracey Armstrong Gorsky is the managing editor for JLife and former editor and writer for Making Waves, Pet Product News, Veterinary Practice News and Surfing Magazine. She brings over ten years of writing and editing experience to Kiddish magazine and holds a Masters in Business Administration.

OCJL is published monthly by Orange County Jewish Life, LLC. Subscription rate is $24 for one year (12 issues).

Send subscription requests to OCJL, 5665 Oberlin Dr., Ste. 204, San Diego, CA 92121. Orange County Jewish Life is a free and open forum for the expression of opinions. The opinions expressed herein are solely the opinion of the author and in no way reflect the opinions of the publishers, staff or advertisers. Orange County Jewish Life is not responsible for the accuracy of any and all information within advertisements.

Orange County Jewish Life reserves the right to edit all submitted materials, including press releases, letters, articles and calendar listings for brevity and clarity. OCJL is not legally responsible for the accuracy of calendar or directory listings, nor is it responsible for possible postponements, cancellations or changes in venue. Manuscripts, letters, documents and photographs sent to OCJL become the physical property of the publication, which is not responsible for the return of such material. Orange County Jewish Life is a member of the American Jewish Press Association and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

All contents © 2014 Orange County Jewish Life.

kiddish

7

NOVEMBER

The Russian School of Mathematics Hard work plus dedication equals success.

BY MASHA RIFKIN

Success in math can be fostered by the right learning environment

I

nessa Rifkin and Irina Khavinson,

averages in school, more confidence, and

the two Russian-Jewish immigrant

a strengthening of problem-solving and

women who started the

critical thinking skills.

Massachusetts-based Russian School

The keys, say Rifkin and Khavinson,

of Mathematics (RSM) in 1997, believe

are creating an enjoyable learning

that anyone can do well in math given

environment that emphasizes

the right learning environment. RSM’s

understanding over rote memorization

approach is based on the rich educational

and having a systematic curriculum along

traditions of the former Soviet Union

with well-trained, enthusiastic teachers

and Europe, the same methodology

who can pass their love of math on to

that enabled 36 young mathematicians

their students.

to earn the prestigious Fields Medal

Once based in the Rifkin family

(the Nobel Prize for mathematics). For

living room, the school’s aim has always

more than a decade, RSM students have

been to help students get into the best

consistently posted top scores in national

colleges by giving them a set of skills they

and international math competitions

would find valuable in any profession.

and on standardized tests. But as the

RSM has seen demand for its math

founders point out, achieving top test

program increase dramatically over the

scores is just one of the benefits of

years, and the math school today enrolls

RSM’s math enrichment program. RSM

more than 10,000 students at its 23

students also see higher grade point

locations in eight states. ✿

RSM STUDENTS HAVE POSTED TOP SCORES IN NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS AND ON STANDARDIZED TESTS.” 7

8

NOVEMBER

kiddish

“Tankoo” Makes My Day Blessings abound if you stop to look.

BY AUDRA MARTIN

O

When written letters and cards all

ne of my favorite words is “tankoo.” At the end of every

too frequently seem archaic or at least

week day, Maddy grabs her

foreign, they seem about as common as

mom’s hand on her way

Yiddish. Have we stopped teaching our

home, stops, looks me in the eye and sings

kids to say thank you? To write letters?

a “tankoo.” This daily moment fuels my entire day.

Sharing gratefulness is truly a gift in itself.

Teaching gratefulness is not a new concept. References to gratefulness abound in Pirke Avot (written around the year 200 CE). “Who is rich? Those who rejoice in their own portion” – Pirke Avot 4:1.

I am not going to argue that “thank yous” have gone by the wayside. In fact, signs of gratefulness flourish on Facebook.

Somehow, somewhere, someone started a Facebook trend that for 30 days straight people post one thing they’re thankful for. Sweet sentiments are everywhere.

Likewise, Oprah followers are famous for their daily Gratitude Journals.

If anything, recognizing gratefulness and teaching thank yous are more important than ever. A field of research

How do I thank thee?

on gratitude in kids is emerging, and findings demonstrate benefits come to

kiddish

9

NOVEMBER

Hugs are a great way to give thanks.

kids who literally count their blessings.

modeling makes the strongest mark. By

Giving thanks is not just holiday fare.

making gratefulness a part of your daily

Going around the Thanksgiving table and

life, it becomes a part of your kids’ daily

having each person say what they are

lives.

grateful for is a great start, but why not

Pirke Avot, Facebook and Oprah

do it all the days after Thanksgiving, too?

certainly are not wrong. Gratitude works

Create a thankfulness routine daily or

like a muscle. Take time to recognize good

weekly, maybe every night before kids go

fortune, and feelings of appreciation

to bed or at the dinner table one night a week. Simply ask them one thing they are thankful for that day or week, and have

increase.

In the famous words of Nike, “Just do it.” What are you grateful for? ✿

a little discussion about why they are grateful.

And don’t forget to share your own gratefulness. Like any lessons for our kids,

Audra Martin has worked with children in the JCC field for over 17 years. She is the Director of Children and Camp at the Merage JCC. Contact Audra at audram@jccoc.org.

FINDINGS DEMONSTRATE BENEFITS COME TO KIDS WHO LITERALLY COUNT THEIR BLESSINGS.

10

NOVEMBER

kiddish

A Mentor for Jewish Youth Temple Bat Yahm hires Melinda Weiss as Youth Engagement Coordinator.

BY HANNAH SCHOENBAUM

Melinda Weiss.

3-5, 6-8, and 9-12 to help kids of varying ages and interests connect.

In the next few months, Weiss has events planned, such as Broomball at the rollerskating rink, a Pump It Up party, and a Hanukkah celebration. She also plans for the teens to participate in NFTY activities and a community walk to end genocide later this year.

“TBY is craving the connection for youth engagement, and I hope that

W

with tons of effort and an open mind,

ith the gradual

priority to focus on youth engagement.

I can make these kids and teens feel

decrease in Jewish

The enthusiastic Weiss was hired for her

connected to each other and their

youth involvement

creative ideas to keep children involved

community,” says Weiss.

in synagogues across

with their synagogue and her natural

the country, many parents have come to believe that, with each generation,

ability to connect with children and teens.

Weiss hopes to be an inspiration for

Some Jewish children may be losing touch with their religion, but the children of Temple Bat Yahm will not be among

more children are “losing their Jewish

Temple Bat Yahm’s Jewish youth. “I want

them, thanks to new Youth Engagement

identity.” Temple Bat Yahm’s new Youth

to be their mentor and help them build

Coordinator Melinda Weiss. ✿

Engagement Coordinator, Melinda Weiss,

their Jewish Identity so that when they’re

hopes to restore the passion to learn

older, they are confident in their beliefs,”

about Jewish culture in today’s youth

says Weiss.

through the integration of three new youth group programs.

Temple Bat Yahm has made it a

In her short time working at Temple Bat Yahm, Weiss has already created three different youth groups for grades

Hannah Schoenbaum is a sophomore at Corona del Mar High School and Co-Editor of her school magazine, Trident. She is an involved member of the Temple Bat Yahm congregation and youth group. She enjoys writing, photography, filmmaking, and world traveling.

World Class Care Just Around the Corner!

Pediatric Dentistry Child, Teen & Adult Orthodontics

Irvine Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics 949.559.0674 SHAUL YEHEZKEL, DMD, BOARD CERTIFIED 4902 Irvine Center Dr., Ste. 111 • Irvine, CA 92604 ipdodry@yahoo.com • www.irvinepdo.com

Come be a part of our community!

For subscription or advertising info, call 949.734.5074 or visit ocjewishlife.com.

Music Lessons

“When you teach your son, you teach your son’s son.” – Talmud

• We provide lessons for many instruments including Piano, Violin, Cello, Guitar, and Saxophone.

• Lesson range from 30-60 minute lessons for all student levels.

• We teach music theory, performance, and other great musical techniques for young musicians.

May the new, 5775 year be filled with health, happiness and productive learning for your sons, daughters and all members of your families.

Administration and teachers at the Russian School of Mathematics wish you a Shana Tova U’M’Tukah.

Leshana Tova Tekatev V’Techatem.

www.rsmirvine.com • 949-836-4965

Make your occasion unforgettable with the thrill of air combat action!

MITZVAH AT THE SPEED OF SOUND! 714-937-1511 | www.flightdeck.com 1650 S. Sinclair St., Anaheim, CA

• Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, Weddings, Meetings & More • Eight different teambuilding activities available • See and hear all the action in the Officers Club • Rooms available for off-site meetings • Food & beverage included • Personalized dog tags and award certificates • The only facility like it in the world!

• Groups up to 90 people

GET IN TOUcH wITH yOUr INNEr TOP GUN!

Make your world more beautiful.

GIFTS CANVAS PILLOWS ART PRINTS GREETING CARDS IPHONE CASES LAPTOP SKINS

www.society6.com/rachelbellinsky 11

12

NOVEMBER

kiddish

Pumped Up for Hanukkah Check out these fun holiday-inspired books.

The countdown begins.

L

earning can be really fun when you do it with colorful images and wonderful stories about the holidays. There are heroes for your children to discover and rich traditions to pass along. One way to do just that is to snuggle in for some Hanukkah story time. Check out some of these great tools to help you create

wonderful family traditions of your own.

Books, Books, Books

A HANUKKAH TREASURY A collection of more than two dozen poems, stories, songs, Jewish history, and recipes. Edited and written in part by Eric Kimmel. For children of all ages

BY THE HANUKKAH LIGHT

by Sheldon Oberman

kiddish

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NOVEMBER

These Jewish holiday books are sure to entertain and delight.

EIGHT TALES FOR EIGHT NIGHTS

Stories for Chanukah by Peninnah Schram and Steven M. Rosman

HERSHEL AND THE HANUKKAH GOBLINS

by Margaret Moorman

by Eric A. Kimmel

by Linda Glaser

A chapter book for 7- to 10-year-olds

JUDAH WHO ALWAYS SAID “NO!

by Harriet K. Feder

LATKES, LATKES, GOOD TO EAT

by Naomi Howland

THE BORROWED HANUKKAH LATKES

For children and adults

by Eric A. Kimmel

Meet “Mac” the holiday hero.

“The Maccabee on the Mantel” is an illustrated book that tells (and teaches) the story of Hanukkah. It is written by Abra Liberman Garrett as a result of her wanting to share this tradition with her own children. In a season where “Rudolphs” and “Frostys” dominate the scene, it can be hard to compete for your kids’ attention with only a spinning dreidel to work with. However, now we have a cute holiday hero to call our own. Maccabee, or “Mac” for short, is the main character of the story and comes in the form of a plush toy (included with the book). Known as Jewish Elf on the Shelf, “Mac” is a fun and educational way to make this year’s Hanukkah rock!

For more information please visit: www.maccabeeonthemantel.com

THE STORY OF HANUKKAH

by Amy Ehrlich

RUNAWAY DREIDEL! THE JAR OF FOOLS: EIGHT HANUKKAH STORIES FROM CHELM

THE POWER OF LIGHT

by Isaac Bashevis Singer

THE TREES OF THE DANCING GOATS

by Patricia Polacco

by Leslea Newman

THE MAGIC DREIDELS: A HANUKKAH STORY

by Eric A. Kimmel

A picture book for 4- to 8-year-olds

HOW I SAVED HANUKKAH

by Amy Goldman Koss

LIGHT THE LIGHTS! A STORY ABOUT CELEBRATING HANUKKAH AND CHRISTMAS

WHEN MINDY SAVED HANUKKAH

by Eric Kimmel These books may be found at your

local public or school library — also at Amazon.com. ✿

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NOVEMBER

kiddish

My Cup Runneth Over Taking stock in just how good we have it.

BY SUE PENN

Family time is the best time.

We may fall upon hard times, lose a job, be diagnosed with a disease, make a wrong choice and get into trouble, but we are in a society that reaches out to help or take care of us. Nothing’s ever perfect, and there are definite flaws in the systems that protect us. When we stop to look at where we are, let’s pay attention to where we could be and show gratitude.

I

’m writing this article sitting on the sidelines of my son’s baseball game.

Let’s be thankful for our basic human close friends and mounds of food.

How lucky we are to live in the

It’s an overly hot fall morning, the

United States of America! We are

day after Yom Kippur, and I am

afforded access to education, to food,

thankful to be sitting here. The world

and to opportunity while we live in a

is facing numerous serious challenges,

democratic society that is easing its way

often forcing people to remain indoors,

towards true egalitarianism. Beyond all

in hiding, inside shelters or temporary

else—we are safe! We don’t go to sleep

housing, not knowing where their next

worrying about air raids or bombs in the

meal is coming from or totally unable

middle of the night; we know that we

to access medical care. Yet here I am,

have access to a continual supply of food,

enjoying the remnants of summer,

that healthcare is within miles of our

watching my child play sports after

homes and that our children have access

having broken the fast last night with

to education.

rights, for freedom, for democracy, for access to education and to healthcare, for the community in which we live, and most important, for those with whom we share our lives. If our focus is on progress rather than perfection, we may become more realistic with our expectations, helping us to find gratitude rather than imperfection! ✿

Sue Penn is a mother of three, Education Director at University Synagogue, president of Jewish Reconstructionist Educators of North America and a member of the Jewish Educators Assembly.

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CONTESTS

kiddish

kosher dog MEET NOVEMBER’S WINNER, OUR TOP DAWG!

Teton getting ready for Hanukkah.

Be December’s winner!

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his is “Teton,” a 4-year-old Black Labrador Retriever from Yorba Linda, California. Teton was adopted from Guide Dogs for the Blind a year ago. He was also trained by Dogs 4 Diabetics. He did not make it as a guide dog or diabetic detection dog but he became a therapy dog. Teton visits the Long Beach Veterans Health Care Medical Center on a monthly (or more) basis. Each visit lasts for several hours. Teton is part of their Volunteer Pet Therapy Program where he salutes patients and medical staff. Teton is introduced as a chow hall officer in training who returns salutes when you salute him.

Our pets are definitely part of our families, and here at Kiddish magazine we want to know what your four-legged friends are up to. Please send a picture of your pooch to editorjlife@gmail.com and tell us what they love to do in our wonderful Orange County neighborhood (a picture at the location is even better). Pictures of kitties are welcome too! We’ll pick a winner each month and put their picture in the magazine.

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An All-Inclusive Music Education

F

rom beginning piano lessons to a state of the art recording studio, the Music Vault Academy has it all in one amazing place.

Designed to provide an all-inclusive music education, the school’s programs start with services that include lessons for beginners and end with pairing students together to learn to play as a band or ensemble and create incredible music that can then be performed, recorded and promoted.

The Music Vault Academy offers private and group lessons, early childhood and mommy and me programs, adult

classes as well as bands and ensembles, for piano, strings, woodwind, brass, percussion and vocal training in an array of musical styles that can be customized to meet each student’s needs. The stage, recording studio and courses in live sound, DJ-ing and electronic music complement the extensive educational opportunities the school offers to current and future musicians. Music enriches the mind and touches the soul in a way that words can’t and the Music Vault Academy’s goal is to do just that.

For more information call (949) 257-2744.