May 4th 2023

Unwind on Shabbos afternoon WITH MOSAICA PRESS

RABBI MICHA A.

RABBI ARYEH FELDMAN

Explore the teachings of Harav Moshe Shapiro, and delve into the mitzvah of emunah and how it can strengthen your relationship with the Creator. Embark on a journey of selfdiscovery and a deeper understanding of faith.

RABBI IMMANUEL BERNSTEIN

An in-depth understanding of Torah, Shavuos, and Judaism itself, drawing on a wide array of sources from throughout the generations.

Discover a fascinating and practical overview of complex medical and mental health issues from a Torah perspective. An indispensable resource for patients, caregivers, and medical professionals.

Insights about the chagim from one of the greatest Torah teachers of our day.

RABBI SHAYA WINIARZ

Teach your kids to love Shabbos with this delightful book that highlights the many special things we can only do on Shabbos.

REBBETZIN SHOSHANA TUGENDHAFT

A fascinating, informative, and inspiring study of the 85 songs of Perek Shirah.

RABBI ALEXANDER HOOL

Join Rabbi Alexander Hool as he searches for the location of Sinai and yields some surprising and perhaps controversial results.

EYTAN KOBRE

Through poignant biographical sketches, the reader is introduced to fascinating yet lesser-known Torah personalities and gains new insight into renowned figures from our past and present.

RABBI SHEA HECHT

As a community rabbi, Shea Hecht has seen it all, from glory to disaster and back again. Now you can read about his experiences in book form. Whatever It Takes is storytelling at its most poignant and powerful.

RAV ASHER WEISS

Sasha & Michael Parker

Dear Readers,

What is that huge construction site right on Pico and Glenville? You may not have noticed it before, but now the cranes are in and there’s a new sleek board wall surrounding it. Right in the heart of our community, across from the Mark, YICC, Happy Minyan, and Pats, people are wondering if more stores or offices are going to be built. If you saw the small sign that’s been up for a year for “The Village,” you know that the rendering is for an apartment building. But it’s not just that either. This Village is going to change our community.

It is a project that will provide housing and services to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Many of the future residents have been living in our community with their families, and now it’s time for them to be independent. And as a community, it’s our responsibility to welcome and care for them just as we would with any new family that moves into town.

The reason this is so close to my heart is because I grew up with many of the future residents. Some are slightly older and some slightly younger than myself, but through my time with ETTA as a teengager, I have known many of these adults before they were adults, some were children, others teens, and maybe some in their early twenties. Living independently, while being supported as necessary, is the next stage of life, and everyone deserves that opportunity.

We raise money for Hachnasos Kallah so that new couples have a strong foundation to start their marriage, including a houseful of supplies. We pack boxes for Tomchei Shabbos so that those

struggling can have decent and plentiful food on their Shabbos table and not feel without. We cook meals and drive people to appointments for those receiving services from Bikur Cholim. These are the basics of every single Jewish community in the world.

And now Los Angeles will add the Bhatia Family Village to that list. Our responsibility to those within our community that require additional support and services, but deserve to live among us equally and be cared for and loved. This is also reflected in this week’s Community Profile where we share about OBKLA, who facilitates the preparation of 300 meals within each 2 hour volunteer slot. Diverse segments of the community unite to volunteer in preparing the meals, where then OBKLA partners with local community organizations, such as Tomchei Shabbos and Global Kindness, who provides the meals to those in need. When I participated with my family, we heard the beautiful story of Margaret Feder, for whom the kitchen is in memory of. Margeret Feder, while in Auschwitz, worked in the kitchen and would steal the scraps of vegetables to live off of and to feed to others. Even in times of desperation and survival, feeding others was part of her essence. The amount of compassion for others, even while trying to survive, is what emulates the Jewish people time and time again.

Wishing you a wonderful Shabbos, Ariela

Looking for the best Mothers Day gift this year?

Yoel Halpern PUBLISHER publisher@thelajewishhome.com

Sara Halpern EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

sara@thelajewishhome.com

Ariela Kauffman

MANAGING EDITOR editor@thelajewishhome.com

Avi Heyman HEAD OF SALES avi@thelajewishhome.com

8950 W Olympic Blvd #147 Beverly Hills, CA 90211

Tel: 213-583-7770

www.TheLAJewishHome.com

The LA Jewish Home is an independent biweekly magazine. Opinions expressed by writers are not necessarily the opinions of the publisher or editor. All submissions become the property of The LA Jewish Home and may be edited for publication. Pictures may be modified at our discretion to conform to standards of modesty in dress. The Jewish Home is not responsible for typographical errors, or for the kashrus of any advertised product or business advertised within.

Shabbos Zemanim

Friday, May 4

Parshas Emor

Candlelighting: 7:21 pm

Havdallah: 8:26 pm

Rabbeinu Tam: 8:53 pm

Friday, May 11

Parshas Behar-Bechukosai

Candlelighting: 7:27 pm

Havdallah: 8:31 pm

Rabbeinu Tam: 8:58 pm

The Week In News

Tucker Out at Fox Dog-Sniffing Doctors

ion Voting Systems for $787.5 million over the network’s dissemination of election coverage. The lawsuit had exposed Carlson’s disparaging colleagues. A lawsuit filed in March by his now-fired top booker, Abby Grossberg, also included a number of allegations against his show.

Fox News and Tucker Carlson have severed ties. “We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor,” Fox News said in a short statement, adding only that Carlson’s last show was on Friday, April 21. Carlson was the highest-rated single host at Fox News. The decision to part ways with Carlson was made Friday evening by Fox Corporation chief executive Lachlan Murdoch and Fox News chief executive Suzanne Scott. Carlson was informed of the decision on Monday morning. The announcement came one week after Fox News settled a massive defamation lawsuit with Domin-

During his time as a primetime host on Fox News, Carlson ascended to become one of the most influential figures inside the GOP. For now, Carlson’s 8 p.m. time slot will be filled by a group of rotating hosts. Dominion got its hands on Carlson’s group chat with fellow Fox primetime stars Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham, and a trove of other messages from around the 2020 presidential elections. These communications revealed that Carlson told confidants that he “passionately” hated former President Donald Trump and that Trump’s tenure in the White House was a “disaster.” He also used misogynistic terms to criticize proTrump lawyer Sidney Powell and reject her conspiracies about the 2020 election. Additionally, Carlson disparaged the network’s leaders in a series of text messages revealed in Dominion’s defamation case. The lawsuit exposed how Carlson privately held a wholly different view than his on-air persona.

According to an article published this week in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, scientists can use dogs for the screening of certain diseases. Using this method, schools are bringing in dogs to sniff students’ feet for volatile organic compounds that are known to be associated with Covid-19. If the dogs detect these compounds, students are then screened via antigen tests–reducing the amount of antigen tests performed by about 85%. Dr. Carol Glaser is the doctor behind this method. She had been called into a school in California to implement a Covid-19 screening program and had heard about dogs screening people for infections in different settings. That’s when Glaser had her “aha” moment–incorporating canines into Covid-19 testing programs at schools, nursing homes or other public facilities could help save time, personnel, and possibly even costs, and “would be a lot more fun,” she said.“I thought if we had dogs in schools to screen the students it would

be so much faster and less burdensome for schools,” said Glaser, assistant deputy director in Central Laboratory Services and medical officer for infectious disease laboratories at the California Department of Public Health. “Remember when an antigen test is done at school, as opposed to home, there’s a whole bunch of rules and regulations that run under that. It’s not as simple as just handing those things out at school and having the kids do them,” she added.

For now, Glaser and her colleagues described in a new study the lessons they learned from the Covid-19 dog screening pilot program that they launched in some California K-12 public schools. “The one thing we do know for sure is when you’re collecting a sample of a human being, you want to go where the most scent is produced. That is the head, the pits, the groin, and the feet. Given those options, I went with feet,” said Carol Edwards, an author of the study and executive director of the nonprofit Early Alert Canines, which trains medical alert service dogs. Last year, from April to May, the dogs visited 27 schools across California to screen for Covid-19 in the real world. They completed more than 3,500 screenings. The researchers found that the dogs accurately alerted their handlers to 85 infections and ruled out 3,411 infections, resulting in an overall accuracy of 90%.

Don Lemon Out at CNN

CNN on Monday fired veteran host and anchor Don Lemon, he said, in a surprise move just minutes after Fox News parted ways with its star host, Tucker Carlson. Lemon announced his departure from CNN in a tweet. “I was informed this morning by my agent that I have been terminated by CNN,” he wrote. “I am stunned. After 17 years at CNN, I would have thought that someone in management would have had the decency to tell directly. At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network. It is clear that there are some larger issues at work.”

Lemon’s demise followed weeks of speculation about his status at CNN. As the co-anchor and leading face of CNN’s new morning program, “CNN This Morning,” he was under increasing pressure within CNN over the show’s poor ratings. Last year, Lemon left the prime-time program he had hosted since 2014, “Don LemonTonight,” to co-anchor “CNN This Morning.” The new program got off to a slow start among viewers. In February—just a few months after it debuted—it averaged 360,000 total viewers, compared with 895,000 for “Morning Joe” and 1.2 million for “Fox & Friends” on Fox News, according to Nielsen data. CNN averaged 735,00 viewers during prime-time hours in 2023, far behind Fox News (2.4 million) and MSNBC (1.2 million), according to Nielsen data. CNN lost 34 percent of its prime-time audience last year, compared with 2021.

Turkey Thanks Israeli Rescuers

helped locate survivors and provide aid during the recent earthquake in southern Turkey.

The Israeli rescue mission was one of the first to arrive to provide aid after the earthquake and succeeded in rescuing 19 survivors from the ruins. The IDF sent 230 medical and emergency response experts to set up a field hospital in Kahramanmaraş, in addition to a 150-member Home Front Command team.

CNA certificate of appreciation from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was presented on Tuesday to the commander of the Israel Defense Forces’ National Rescue Unit, Col. (Ret.) Golan Vach, who commanded Israel’s rescue mission that

The IDF delegation was supported by emergency medical specialists from the defense and health ministries, fire and rescue services, Magen David Adom, United Hatzalah, and Zaka, among others.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed back in February the “Operation Olive Branches” life-saving mission to

Turkey. “The entire people of Israel followed your rescue operation with great excitement. You went on behalf of the country, and you brought great honor to the State of Israel. We saw you in action in the cold, in difficult conditions around the clock in the most sacred work a person can do—saving the lives of others. ‘Whoever saves one soul’—you know the rest. You saved 19 worlds,” said Netanyahu. He was invoking the Talmudic adage that states that whoever saves one person, it is as if he saved an entire universe. “You did something else,” continued Netanyahu, “You showed the entire world the true and beautiful face of the State of Israel: A small country with a huge soul, a country that rushes to help others around the world and in the harshest

conditions, out of humanity and the highest morality.”

The certificate from Erdogan was presented on Israel’s Memorial Day, which is observed every year on the day before independence day. Israel’s deputy ambassador to Turkey, Nadav Markman, who assisted in the rescue mission, said, “We greatly appreciate the gratitude from Turkey. The members of the Israeli delegation acted bravely and professionally. The close cooperation between the IDF, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the other factors in the field made it possible to save many lives, to show the beautiful face of the State of Israel.” (JNS)

Raptor Race

Ateam of French cyclists broke the world record for the largest GPS drawing when they created an image of a giant dinosaur–a velociraptor–measuring 636 miles. This was no small feat. Florent Arnaud,

Maxime Brugère, Franck Delorme, Nicolas Meunier, and Jean Roule created the GPS image by riding for a total of 43 hours and 47 minutes over the course of six days. The cyclists, members of the Cyclos randonneurs Saint-Galmier bicycle group, passed through counties including Cher, Saône-et-Loire, Indre, Nievre, Creuse, and Puy-de-Dome to create the dinosaur image. The team said they chose a velociraptor for the image because it sounds like “vélo,” the French word for bicycle.

That’s dino-might!

Sixty and Skydiving

jumpers successfully formed a snowflake formation on their fourth attempt.

The City of Beverly Hills Recognizes Jewish American Heritage Month

erance, events like this educate people about Jewish culture and perhaps, make for a more peaceful world.”

Free featured events for Jewish American Heritage Month are:

• Rugelach Baking Contest, Sunday, May 14, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Beverly Hills Farmers’ Market. Entry applications are online at beverlyhills. org/farmersmarket.

It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s tons of people skydiving!

A group of 101 skydivers over the age of 60 gathered in California last week to create formations in mid-air and break two world records. The Skydivers Over Sixty group, which organized the attempt at Skydive Perris, said the 101

This is not the first time they tried for the prize. The California group previously attempted the record in 2022, but members were unable to perfect the formation before poor weather scuttled further attempts. The group also broke a second record the next day, when 95 skydivers completed a sequential formation, which involves the participants changing their formation in the middle of freefall. They beat a previous record of 57. They are submitting their achievements to Guinness World Records for official certification.

The sky’s the limit!

The City of Beverly Hills and its Community Services Department will recognize Jewish American Heritage Month this May with celebratory events throughout the city all month long. Jewish American Heritage Month was established in 2006 to recognize and celebrate the past and present contributions that Jewish Americans contributed to the history, culture, and society of our country.

“As a largely Jewish city, we look forward to celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month this May. It is an opportunity for us to showcase the amazing things, some thousands of years old, which our culture contributes to modern society,” said Beverly Hills Mayor Dr. Gold. “We hope, in these times of intol-

• Shalom Storytime with actress, writer and storyteller Jessica Honor Carleton, Sunday, May 28, 1 p.m. at the Beverly Hills Public Library. No RSVP necessary.

• Critical Conversations: The Jewish contributions to the American Fabric of Life discussion panel, Wednesday, May 31, 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m., Beverly Hills City Hall Municipal Gallery. Register at beverlyhills.org/JAHM .

For more information and a list of more celebratory events, please visit beverlyhills.org/JAHM.

The LA Jewish Home appreciates the City of Beverly HIlls for recognizing Jewish heritage. We do not endorse nor vouch for the kashrut of the event.

Magen Am Responds to Incidents When Called

Spectacular Yom Ha’atzmaut at Hillel Hebrew Academy

to bring every pillar to life, through banners, speakers, students, parades, a plane flyover, and an IDF soldier who rappelled down our building. We always want Israel to come alive at Hillel, so our students can feel and experience the culture. Our Yom Ha’atzmaut event was an amazing way to immerse our Kehilla in the land of Israel.

On April 23rd, at approximately 7pm, the Magen Am Patrol Hotline received multiple calls regarding an individual on the 100 block of South Orange in the La Brea area of Los Angeles. The individual was sitting on private property belonging to members of the community, while yelling about shooting people and the Jews disappearing. A Magen Am volunteer responded promptly and ensured that no community members

were in harm’s way. Magen Am made contact with LAPD, and upon their arrival the individual turned violent which resulted in him being taken into custody. Magen Am remained on scene to ensure a hate incident was filed, and to counsel the witnesses on how to file a report properly. It takes the involvement and support of the entire community to keep the community secure! To keep the Magen Am Patrol operating, sign up for a monthly donation below.

Hillel Hebrew Academy celebrated Yom Ha’atzmaut with our students, families, and community. Throughout the year, our students have learned about Israeli history, facts, and the geography and culture of Israel. This knowledge was exemplified by the experiences that were created for our students; for them to gain the courage to advocate for Israel, and an appreciation for our homeland.

Our celebration brought the entire Hillel Kehilla to our yard, to celebrate all Israel has achieved in the past 75 years. We showcased seven pillars of Israel’s success: Torah, Chessed and Tikun Olam, Aliyot, Culture, Tzahal, Israeli Innovations, and peace. We tried

Los Angeles’ Moshe Sassover Elected to Orthodox Union Board of Directors

The Orthodox Union (OU) is pleased to welcome Moshe Sassover of Los Angeles, California to the OU’s Board of Directors. Sassover is among 14 new OU Board Members from across the U.S. and Canada elected to a two-year term. Board members also serve as advisors to the OU’s various departments.

Professionally, Sassover is on the Executive Committee of a real estate investment firm. His communal involvements include Young Israel of North Beverly Hills; Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles; West Coast Torah Center (Camp Moshavah); Unistream (Israel nonprofit targeting at-risk youth);

AIPAC Cedars Sinai (Member of Board of Governors); ELNET (European Leadership Network); Maimonides Academy; LA Museum of Tolerance; Los Angeles Ohr Torah Stone; Shalhevet High School LA; and Stand With Us.

OU President Mitchel Aeder said: “The OU extends its heartfelt congratulations to Moshe Sassover and all of our new Board Members on joining this important journey with the OU. These individuals, who reflect the breadth of our community, were chosen for their dedication to communal service, and I look forward to working together to help the OU achieve our many goals.”

What Makes Pesach with JLIC Different from all Other Campuses?

Pesachpalooza, Mimounas and Non-Ashkenormative Charoset

Rutgers students threw white balls at each other yelling “barad!”(hail), did the wave around the table, and hit each other with scallions - all in the name of Pesachpalooza, JLIC’s creative spin on the traditional Mock Seder. It’s a small example of JLIC’s greater innovative approach in engaging the 5,000 students it serves across North America and Israel this Pesach.

“As someone who didn’t become observant until college, JLIC’s mock seder gave me a chance to see how lively the seder can be with family traditions. It was also helpful to have a refresher right before the holiday starts”, says Brooke Ramos, a Rutgers participant at JLIC’s Pesachpalooza.

JLIC Directors across 27 campuses have been busy teaching pre-Pesach classes, fielding questions of how to kosherize a dorm room and sell chametz. While the majority of students return home for Passover, over 2,000 students remain on campus.

For these students, JLIC Directors host large communal seders on the first days, barbecues in the intermediate days, and seemingly endless meals on the last days. JLIC’s mission is to take care of every Jewish student’s dietary and spiritual needs on Passover.

“We just ordered 700 meals for Yom Tov. I am sure we will have more”, says JLIC Director Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan of UCLA.

OU-JLIC helps young men and women thrive and observe key aspects of Jewish life on secular campus environments and young professional communities across the United States, Canada and Israel. For more info visit oujlic.org

Israel at 75 with Bnei Akiva!

On the eve of Israel’s 75th birthday, Bnei Akiva of Los Angeles commemorated Yom Hazikaron and Yom Haatzmaut how they always do: by hosting a successful community-wide event!

Over 600 attendees joined together on April 25th at YULA Boys High School to honor and remember Israel’s fallen soldiers, and then to celebrate Israel turning 75! The program began with several important messages from the Dee family, given over passionately by numerous, local high school students. The videos, presentation, and program were all moving and emotional, setting the perfect tone for Yom Hazikaron.

Simcha Leiner, the entertainment for the night, led the beautiful Tefillat Chagigit, and he knew exactly how to turn the night into a burst of exciting energy. Parents and children from all different schools and corners of the community joined hands together in dancing to Simcha Leiner’s concert for hours after the Tekes was completed. Children were brought up on stage to dance and belt out the songs they know and love - songs that connect them to the state of Israel and to their own Jewish identity.

Traditional Israeli BBQ was served to enhance the Israel spirit and was catered by none other than the chef at the Dovid Oved Retreat Center, who also caters Bnei Akiva of LA’s summer camp, Moshava Alevy. Yom Hazikaron and Yom Haatzmaut are crucial days to observe and celebrate as Jewish people, and Bnei Akiva will always be the organization that bridges the connection for the LA community!

Yom Hashoah Event at Emek

This past week, Jews around the world commemorated Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. This year, Emek was honored to have Mrs. Rivka Baly, an Emek alumnus and Emek parent, join us to describe in detail how her mother, Chelly Slagter, was saved from the concentration camps in Holland as a toddler. Her mother was hidden in the home of Righteous Gentiles during the war and was reunited with her father three years later. Of the 10,000 children who were rounded up, only 500 were recorded as surviving. Yom Hashoah is extremely

significant to her because she wants all generations to remember what happened to the Jewish nation. Additionally, she stressed the fact that our current students belong to the last generation to personally know Holocaust survivors.

Emek also partnered with the Consortium of Jewish Day Schools to ensure that each student received a complimentary yahrzeit candle. Each memorial candle is wrapped with an “Our6Million” label containing the personal details of a man, woman, or child who perished. We distributed the candles at Emek and encouraged all families to light them in remembrance of each of the six million who perished. By lighting a personalized candle, we remember who they were and how they lived; we remember the lives of those who perished, not only their tragic deaths. Unfortunately, eighty years after the Shoah, we still need to inform and educate our children about the baseless hatred that exists and teach them to “never forget.”

Yeshivat Yavneh Celebrates Israel’s 75th in Epic Fashion!

visiting petting zoo, and a variety of other sensory activities. Whether making Israeli salad, scrubbing potatoes, or having fun with the tractor, our youngest Yavneh students were engrossed in hands-on play throughout the day!

The 75th birthday of the State of Israel was perhaps the most memorable that the students of Yeshivat Yavneh have celebrated to date! Students visited different cities in Eretz Yisrael, going from tent to tent and engaging in activities that best represented the city they were visiting. Activities included pickle making, an authentic Israeli shuk experience, including purchasing items with shekalim, a drum circle in the Negev, davening at the holy Kotel in Yerushalayim (all notes will be delivered to the Kotel by our 8th grade!), and baking pitot on a fire! Students also explored the map of Israel, literally walking the land by stepping over and exploring the massive blowup 3D map that allowed students to better visualize the country and the locations of their favorite cities.

Our Early Childhood students visited their own kibbutz! They enjoyed milking lifelike cows, walking around the

Additionally, students in grades 4-8 were immersed in a personal virtual reality tour of the land of Israel, each student receiving his/her own headset and journey, allowing them to feel as if they are walking through the cities and streets of Israel. Students in grades K-3 engaged in a special paint activity, as a professional painter joined us for the day and guided our young students, helping them create beautiful canvas portraits! Students carefully painted the beautiful scenery of Israel and cherished their work and creativity! All students were treated to a celebratory blue and white tie-dye t-shirt, which marked the momentous 75th birthday of Medinat Yisrael. The day was one that will soon not be forgotten!

Emotional Wellbeing and Torah Values: Practical Perspectives from Chai Lifeline

Rabbi Dr. Dovid Fox

Question:

I am a teacher in a day school and a student will be returning to class after experiencing a family tragedy. I am unsure of how to approach this situation, and I would like to provide guidance for both the student and classmates to make the reintegration process as smooth as possible. What advice can you offer in this challenging situation?

Rabbi Dr. Dovid Fox responds:

This is, sadly, a common dilemma facing both children and adults. When someone is returning to school, shul, or work following an absence related to mourning, illness, or other crisis, it is important to have a plan of “dos and don’ts” so that the transition is not awkward or hurtful. Let’s look first at how the situation is handled in Jewish law. The custom is that when a man who has been sitting shiva returns to the shul, he is called up to the Torah. One facet of the practice of giving him an aliyah is to demonstrate that he is welcome and is once again part of the congregational community.

When a student has been away because of an illness or loss, it is a wholesome and healthy gesture to demonstrate that the class welcomes him or her back and wants them to return to the social environment. The concern, of course, is doing

that each classmate is encouraged to take a moment to approach that student one on one and simply say, “You have had a rough time. It’s good to have you back” or “You were missed. Glad that you can rejoin the class.” Generally, it is best to avoid flooding the child with questions. They do not want to be interrogated and asking them for details may be an unwanted and uncomfortable invasion of their wish for privacy.

Returning to school should feel natural and normal. Good friends should remain good friends. Mediocre friends or those with a minimal prior relationship with the student should not use this time to try becoming best friends, which will feel unnatural to the student. A good friend should inform the student that if she or he wants to take a walk and talk, they will be there for them. If the student does not feel like talking but would appreciate their company, they will be there for them, too. Friends can offer to help the student catch up with assignments and homework. Teachers, too, should quietly approach the student and inquire about how they are doing at this time and offer any support or time needed to return to their schoolwork.

functioning, this is best brought up with the school counselor or principal so that helpful steps can be taken. Otherwise, the classroom is not a venue for counseling or probing with a student. Rather, it is a safe haven for readapting to one’s former routine and schedule. The best approach is to normalize the school atmosphere for the returning student.

so while remaining sensitive to the classmate’s own feelings of sadness, worry, or self-consciousness. They might be feeling ill at ease, concerned about having missed schoolwork, or might still be preoccupied with distress and memories of their loss or ordeal. The return to school should not become awkward for the student, the teacher, or the rest of the class.

A general rule to follow is that, prior to the return, the teacher recommends

Most youngsters do not want a lot of pity nor do they want to feel that others see them as needy, impaired, or no longer capable of regular tasks. No one should make assumptions about how the child is feeling or what they have been through. If he or she feels safe and cared about, they might selectively share elements of their experience. At times, a student wants to get back into their routine and not disclose their experience. This should be respected, and no one should expect tears or out-of-character conduct. When a student is behaving in ways that do attract concern about their

A final caveat: very young children will generally not need preparation prior to a classmate’s return. They do not comprehend the realities associated with another child’s trauma. They may not be attuned to the emotions experienced by that child, and usually do not track the passage of time or the causes of a friend’s absence. The integration into the classroom is often automatic once that child is ready to return.

It’s important to remember that everyone grieves differently, and it is in our hands to respect each individual’s own process, even if it’s not what you might expect or have experienced personally. Our compassion and support for the student will help them and their classmates heal and move forward together.

chailifeline.org/crisis.

Rabbi Dr. Dovid Fox is a forensic and clinical psychologist and director of Chai Lifeline Crisis Services. To contact Chai Lifeline’s 24-hour crisis helpline, call 855-3-CRISIS or email crisis@chailifeline.org. Learn more at www.

The Apex Climb

A Life Lesson from Akiva the Shepherd

In Jewish tradition, history is not an event of the past. Rather our calendar is “alive” as we continuously relive the amazing journey of our People. From the enjoyable holidays to the sad fast days, we live a religious experiential life. Likewise, during the days of Sefirat Haomer, we relive the national catastrophe of the untimely passing of 24,000 righteous disciples of the renowned Rabbi Akiva. Beyond the laws of mourning, this era is fodder for many lectures and articles on the invaluable topic of Bein Adam Lachaveiro — interpersonal relationships. However, in this article, we will focus on the life of Rabbi Akiva as a springboard for personal growth within ourselves.

The Talmud (Kesuvos 62b) recounts how Rachel, the daughter of one of the three wealthiest men in Jerusalem, opted to marry Akiva, who at the time was an ignorant shepherd. In doing so, she forfeited the cream of the crop suitors that were available to her to wed. Rachel saw in the ignorant Akiva the sparkling character traits of being “modest and refined,” perhaps even more so than those with greater prestigious pedigree, and the potential to become a leading Torah scholar. Tosfos, the medieval commen-

tary on the Talmud (ibid), challenges this character assessment by quoting Akiva himself. The shepherd would boast to his buddies, “Bring me a Torah scholar, and I will bite him like a donkey [bites]!” Surely such aggression does not display a modest and refined persona.

Before referencing Tosfos’s explanation, let’s quote a Midrash in Bereishis Rabba (24,7). The Midrash says that upon returning to his hometown with 24,000 students, the now erudite Rabbi Akiva led them in a chant proclaiming, “Love your friend as yourself, this is an important tenet of the Torah.” Rabbi Akiva had a unique opportunity to broadcast a message of inspiration to the masses. I wonder what would have been my choice of message? Perhaps, had I been given that chance, my message would have been focused on celebrating the primacy of Torah study and lauding the life-changing impact that Torah has. Why, instead,

did Rabbi Akiva choose to extoll the great virtue of Bein Adam Lachaveiro?

Get -

ting back to Tosfos, they answer that at the time that Akiva was an ignorant shepherd, he assumed that Torah scholars looked down upon him and his friends, from a perch of pride. Due to this misperception, he felt angry, (read: hurt), that the scholars arrogantly disregarded the value of the simple Jew. We might suggest that the ignorant Akiva experienced what we know today as “psychological projection.” Psychological projection is when people assume and project something about others. This usually stems from their own personal deficiencies, and as a defense mechanism, projects onto other people. Rather than saying, “I’m ignorant and sensitive,” they believe that “ He is educated and haughty.” Perhaps this is why Rabbi Akiva chose brotherly love as his mantra. Now

that he was sitting on the same perch as the scholars that preceded him, he realized the truth. He realized that it was his subjective projection and not their reality. Hence, he embarked on a personal mission to correct the perspective of the new generation of shepherds. Everyone, no matter what their status, should love every Jew!

Every year we embrace the days of Sefiras HaOmer as a window of opportunity to work on our interpersonal relationships. Perhaps this year we can add a new dimension. We should heed the lesson we learn not just from Rabbi Akiva, the scholar, but from the shepherd Akiva as well! Let us realize that one of the secrets of healthy interpersonal relationships begins with how we validate and work on our personal relationship within ourselves!

Rabbi Grama has been involved in the LA Jewish Com munity since 1996. He currently is a Rebbe at Valley Torah High School and is the rabbi of the Westside Shul. As well, he holds an MSW from YU’s Wurtzweiler School of Social Work. Rabbi Grama can be followed every Tuesday at 6:30 pm PT on #TorahTuesday, an Instagram Live, for a brief Torah thought on the Parsha, and can be reached at danielgramamsw@gmail.com.

Rabbi Daniel Grama MSW

Yachad Centers give every individual with disabilities a place to go, friends to call their own, and the feeling: “I belong.”

Yachad is here wherever you are – helping individuals connect through daily fun programs, skill-building activities, exciting events, and lots of love and laughter. We look forward to welcoming you at one of our centers and embracing you as part of the Yachad family!

On

a

3D Flowers

Mushky Yiftach

You can never have enough flower canvases! With Shavuos coming soon, we want to decorate and adorn our home with as many flowers as possible. This 3D flower canvas is the perfect thing to elevate any wall or home!

Supplies:

canvas, flowers with stem, paint/sharpie, vase stencil, paintbrush, scissor, tape

Instructions:

Step 1: Using the vase stencil, outline a vase onto your canvas.

Step 2: With paint or Sharpie, decorate the vase with your desired look.

Step 3: Cut a slit on top of the vase using a scissor or a razor

(Yes! Cut the canvas!)

Step 4: Place the flowers into the slit for a beautiful floral arrangement.

Step 5: Tape the stems in the back to keep them in place.

Step 6: Enjoy your beautiful floral display!

Step 7: Subscribe to “Onarollcafts” on YouTube for more awesome craft content!

Thirteen Years in the Cave

Rabbi Mordechai Dubin

Lag B’Omer is the Yortzeit of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. Although it is the day on which Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai passed away many years ago, it is a day of celebration and not a day of mourning. It is the day we celebrate the Holy teachings that Rabbi Shimon brought to the world. Rabbi Shimon and his son Elazar spent 13 years in a cave. It was during this time that much of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai’s Holy teachings were developed.

A long time ago when the Romans were in control of the land of Israel, Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Yose, and Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai were having a discussion.

Rabbi Yehuda spoke in praise of the Romans for the roads, bridges, and markets they had built, from which the Jewish people were also able to benefit. When Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai heard Rabbi Yehuda praising the Romans he became very upset and said, “Don’t praise the Romans for anything they have done. Everything they do is for their own selfish reasons. Nothing they do is for the benefit of the Jewish people!”

Every day Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai’s wife would bring food to their secret hiding place in the Bet Medrash. When Rabbi Shimon heard that the king had intensified his search, he decided that the Bet Medrash was no longer a safe place to hide so he and his son Elazar ran to the hills and hid in a cave.

“Where will we get food to eat Aba?” Elazar asked his father, “Ima does not know where we are hiding.” Suddenly a miracle occurred and a Carob tree grew at the entrance of the cave and a stream of fresh water flowed gently through the cave. “Look how Hashem always provides,” Rabbi Shimon lovingly told his son. Rabbi Shimon and his son spent day and night learning Torah together. The Carob tree provided nourishing fruit and the flowing stream provided cool refreshing water. For 12 years they remained in the cave and each day their minds and hearts grew stronger in Torah and Yiras Hashem.

To book a craft event contact her at onarollcrafts@gmail.com

Sitting nearby was a man by the name of Yehuda ben Gayrim who was listening to the entire conversation. He rushed home to tell his family and friends about the heated discussion that took place between Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. The news of this discussion spread quickly throughout the Jewish community but unfortunately, it was also heard by a Roman officer who reported this information to the king. When the king heard that Rabbi Yehuda praised the Romans he announced that Rabbi Yehuda would be rewarded. When it was brought to his attention that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai spoke negatively about them, he announced that Rabbi Shimon would be severely punished.

When Rabbi Shimon heard that the Roman Emperor was searching for him, he quickly went together with his son Elazar and they hid in the Bet Medrash.

One day Eliyahu HaNavee stood outside the cave and announced in a loud voice, “Who will inform Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai that the Roman Emperor has died and Rabbi Shimon is free to return to his home?” Rabbi Shimon and his son Elazar left the cave and began their journey home. As they walked they came upon Jewish farmers working in the fields and storekeepers working in their shops and to each one they spoke critically. “Why are you wasting your life plowing a field? You should be sitting and learning Torah all day!” “Why are you standing here and selling fruit and wasting your time trying to make money? You should be learning Torah!”

Hashem was not happy with their behavior. Although a person should try to spend as much time as he can learning Torah, Hashem also wants a person to work to provide food, clothing, and shelter for himself and for his family. Hashem told Rabbi Shimon and Elazar to return to the

Mushky, aka the “Duct Tape Lady”, is a duct tape artist and lover of crafts who is always On A Roll coming up with something new and exciting. Mushky believes that creativity and connection are 2 really important things to take with you throughout life. Crafts build confidence, teach problem solving, and encourages “Out of the box” thinking. She currently teaches 3rd grade in Bais Chaya Mushka LA and is an adjunct professor at Sara Schenirer College. You can check out more awesome projects on her YouTube channel, onarollcrafts, or follow her on instagram @onarollcrafts

by step crafts that

cave and not come out until they had learned to accept and respect the ways of others.

Rabbi Shimon and Elazar spent another 12 months in the cave working hard to change their behavior. This time they came out not only enriched by the tremendous amount of Torah they had learned but they were also loving and respectful to everyone.

Questions for Discussion

1. Do you think that it was wrong for Yehuda ben Gayrim to be listening to the conversation of the Rabbis?

2. Was it wrong for him to

share this information with family and friends?

Israel Trivia

1. In 1948, Israel had approximately 800,000 citizens. Approximately how many citizens are there in Israel today?

a. 4.2 million

b. 6.8 million

c. 5 million

d. 12 million

2. Israel comprises what percentage of the Middle East land mass?

a. 27%

b. 14%

c. 11%

d. 6%

e. 2%

f. 0.1%

3. Who was Israel’s second prime minister?

a. Moshe Sharett

b. David Ben-Gurion

6. How many wars has Israel fought in since 1948?

a. 2

b. 4

c. 7

d. 12

7 . How many days did the Six Day War last for?

a. 6 days

b. 11 days

c. 34 days

d. 97 days

8. Which of the following countries was the first to sign a peace deal with Israel?

a. Egypt

b. Jordan

c. United Arab Emirates

d. Turkey

9. How many Knesset members are there?

and write “Kids Section” in the subject line

mi Omer?

1. “The only thing chicken about Israel is their soup.”

2. “I flew on an EL AL airplane. The signs read: ‘No smoking.’ ‘Fasten seat belts.’‘Eat, eat, look how bad you look!’”

3. “Israel also deprived the world of its chance of shedding tears of genuine sympathy over her destruction. The world resents this; it likes to feel noble and sympathetic.”

4. “Let me tell you something that we Israelis have against Moses. He took us 40 years through the desert in order to bring us to the one spot in the Middle East that has no oil!”

5. “You ought to let the Jews have Jerusalem; it was they who made it famous.”

6. “The Old City of Jerusalem is in our hands.”

7. “We plan to eliminate the State of Israel and establish a purely Palestinian state. We will make life unbearable for Jews by psychological warfare and population explosion…. We Palestinians will take over everything, including all of Jerusalem.”

8. “A fast walker could go outside the walls of Jerusalem and walk entirely around the city in an hour. I do not know how else to make one understand how small it is.”

9. “History teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives.“

10. “We will have peace with the Arabs when they love their children more than they hate us.”

11. “In Israel, in order to be a realist you must believe in miracles.”

A. Winston Churchill

B. David Ben-Gurion

C. George Mikes

D. Dave Berg

E. Abba Eban

F. Bob Hope

G. Moshe Dayan

H. Golda Meir

I. Yassir Arafat

J. Mark Twain

K. Golda Meir

c. Levi Eshkol

d. Golda Meir

4. Which of these deserts is not in Israel?

a. Judean Desert

b. Sinai Desert

c. Negev Desert

d. Arava Desert

5. What is unique about the postage stamp glue in Israel?

a. It is kosher.

b. It is blue and white, representing the colors of the Israeli flag.

c. It is bubble gum flavored.

d. The glue can be activated by touching it with your finger, preventing the need to lick it.

a. 61

b. 85

c. 120

d. 165

10. In 1952, who turned down an offer to become Israel’s president?

a. Albert Einstein

b. David Ben-Gurion

c. Moshe Dayan

d. Golda Meir

Joke

An American tourist was riding in a taxi in Israel. As the taxi approached a red light, the tourist was shocked to see the driver drive straight through without even slowing down. Surprised as he was, he didn’t say anything, feeling himself a “guest” and not wanting to make waves. The trip continued uneventfully until the next intersection. This time, the light was green and, to the American’s dismay, the cab driver brought the vehicle to a grinding halt. Unable to contain his astonishment, he turned to the driver.

“Listen,” he said,“when you went through the red light, I didn’t say anything. But why on earth are you stopping at a green light?”

The Israeli driver looked at him as if the American was deranged. “Are you crazy?!” he shouts. “The other guy has a red light! Do you want to get us both killed?”

If you want to share a story, recipe, D’var Torah, or something creative with us, we would absolutely love it! Please send them in to editor@thelajewishhome.com

This story was taken from Meseches Shabbos 33b.

Match the quote with the person who said it

The Village

by Ariela Kauffman

hat will happen to my child once I am gone?

The California Department of Developmental Services states that only 16% of people with developmental disabilities live in their own homes, often living with their parents or other caregivers. Only 35% of adults with disabilities, ages 18-25, have jobs and are usually only able to earn minimum wage, which doesn’t provide enough income to afford proper housing. Most

of these adults are living with family members who are getting older and may not be able to care for them any longer. This leads to the age-old question that all parents of those with disabilities ask themselves, “What will happen to my child once I am gone?”

WFortunately, many support programs exist that assist with vocational training and job placement for individuals with disabilities, with around 620,000 Americans receiving this type of support. Yet, appropriate housing for independent living is sorely lacking in this country. Programs that provide housing are usually group homes (which are not fully independent living) in suburban areas (where it’s difficult to commute to city jobs) and can feel institution-like.

Ultimately, housing itself isn’t enough. While vocational training and placement are a significant start, other support services are also necessary so that adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) can successfully live independently. Such additional services include on-site

This leads to the age-old question that all parents of those with disabilities ask themselves, “What will happen to my child once I am gone?”

support staff, college courses, and skill development, such as cooking, cleaning, and how to use public transportation. All adults should feel confident in their skills, autonomous, accomplished at what they can achieve, and eventually become more independent with time. As members of the community, they deserve to be integrated into the population and not simply cast aside.

Thankfully, for our community, all of this is about to change

Development of a Dream

A revolutionary program is coming to the heart of Pico-Robertson with the development of The Cornerstone Housing for Adults with Disabilities “The Bhatia Family Village;” a housing environment that provides socialization and integration that allows neurodivergent adults to be part of a community, and not feel like

they are merely part of a day program. Cornerstone received a generous donation from the Bhatia Family Foundation and the project will be known as the Bhatia Family Village. Its mission is not only to service the residents but to enhance the current neighborhood with beauty and opportunity.

Historically, people who were different have been cast aside, often hidden away from the community, not acknowledged, or just tolerated from afar. People with disabilities can be looked upon as strange. Sometimes well-meaning people try to engage with those who look different, but they don’t know how.

What began as a dream of Hendel Schwartz, who pioneered her idea of developing a permanent individual home for her adult son, Daniel, who has cerebral palsy and has benefited from the many services ETTA and other agencies offer. Daniel is currently in his 30s and has worked at his supermarket job for the past sixteen years. Eric and Hendel Schwartz have served as longtime board members, advocates, and dreamers.

“When you have special needs, you can feel very isolated,” said Hendel. “Now an adult, Daniel needs both privacy and the opportunity to be social with friends. The Bhatia Family Village will provide people like Daniel with much-needed community.” Eric spoke of his wife who asked the common question of many parents, “Why me?” to which she answered, “Because we have the opportunity and privilege to do so.”

Cornerstone’s Bhatia Family Village project began in 2018 when a group of families got together with a vision and real estate expertise to develop housing for adults with learning and developmental disabilities. With initial planning and development stages completed, the Bhatia Family Village has just recently broken ground on its construction site on Friday, April 21, 2023. Under a tent, in the beautiful Los Angeles sun, dozens joined together for the ground-breaking of this unique establishment to be located on Pico Blvd. at the corner of Glenville Drive.

“Knowing that our community cares enough to make the effort to support a project for people who need extra help in this way, takes some of the load off my shoulders,” shared a mother of a preschooler in our community.

as they are able,” said Dr. Michael Held, who serves as executive director of both ETTA and The Cornerstone. “A person who has a learning or developmental disability has the right to be in a community that feels natural, which is usually the community in which he or she grew up, where family and friends live, where they worship, work, and volunteer… To best meet the housing needs of this tsunami of young adults coming of age, we’re focused on the emerging model of supported independent apartments.”

campaign, obtaining permits from the city, and completing demolition safely during the pandemic. In addition, many focus groups were conducted with local community members throughout the years of planning to provide input on how to best integrate the social and housing project by developing the design of the building to enable neighborhood partners to hold activities within the premises.

The Heart of the Community

psychologist Jacob programs

Today’s reality started 30 years ago with the creation of ETTA, a nonprofit that is dedicated to providing support and services to Jews with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. ETTA is the largest organization of its kind in Southern California, with over 700 clients served per month. Many of those adults began as clients of ETTA when they were in their teens to very early 20s. Thanks to ETTA’s services, those adults are now able to find employment and gain independence.

The Cornerstone Housing, a 501c3 non-profit, is evolving ETTA’s vision in creating The Bhatia Family Village, a housing project that will not only provide housing but additional needed services and opportunities for socialization and inclusion for those adults.

“Our vision of inclusion has always involved the surrounding neighborhood, so that those we serve can lead full, integrated lives, as independently

For those parents whose children are not yet adults, the Bhatia Family Village serves as a beacon of light that they can one day rely upon. “I have a younger daughter who was born with a rare condition which causes developmental delays. She is our treasure and gem. At a certain point, delays are permanent. I don't know what the future holds for our sweet girl. But, many times, the worry of ‘what will happen to her when I’m gone’ has crossed my mind and brought me to tears. I know Hashem runs the world and will take care of her, but knowing that our community cares enough to make the effort to support a project for people who need extra help in this way, takes some of the load off my shoulders,” shared a mother of a preschooler in our community.

The Plan & Layout

To develop a project this

The design, created jointly by the architect and interior design firms, was painstakingly chosen, detail by detail, to enhance the greater goal of creating a gather ing place that brings commu nity members together. More over, the aesthetic of the building will elevate the whole neighborhood.

The ground floor level will provide vocational opportunities for residents and diverse amenities for the local community, by offering 10,000 square feet of retail space to an employer who can employ the residents of The Bhatia Family Village. On the second floor, there will be a community space with a kosher dining hall and kitchen, a fitness center, a laundry facility, a coffee bar for both residents and neighbors, three activity rooms for classes, a podcast room, some open offices, and a terraced indoor/outdoor gathering space for programs. In addition, it will provide an inclusive, accessible, and sensory-friendly site for education, training, and thought leadership. The neighborhood is invited to use the community space to host events and programs that the residents can attend and participate in. The next four floors will consist of 64 individual apartments, with the 7th floor containing a rooftop deck with much space, seating, and beautiful outdoor lighting.

Don’t assume this is only for those residents who will live at The Bhatia Family Village; the rest of Pico-Robertson will benefit just as much. In addition to receiving a beautiful new state-of-the-art building in the heart of the community, with commercial and community space, it is the beauty and the enrichment of those who are neurodivergent that will be brought to the Jewish community in Pico-Robertson.

The Bhatia Family Village will be located in the heart of the community, by design, within walking distance of dozens of shuls and restaurants.

To be fully inclusive of those with IDD means providing them with housing within their own neighborhoods, in an area where they grew up, are familiar, have family living nearby, and can easily commute within. The goal is that when community members walk down the street, they’re recognized and acknowledged by others living in the neighborhood.

the state budget – quite a tremendous feat. In addition, $18 million has been contributed through private funding.

The developers have overcome many obstacles to bring the project to life, including running a capital

“The design has the… goal of creating a gathering place that brings community members together. Moreover, the aesthetic of the building will elevate the whole neighborhood.”

"The Bhatia Family Village will provide the neurodiverse community with an opportunity to live independently and contribute in unprecedented ways. It will also enrich and enliven the Pico-Robertson neighborhood, creating a space of beauty and soul. Most importantly, it will provide a blueprint for how we can meet an urgent housing need that can be replicated across California and beyond. Through this project, we are creating a place where generations of families and individuals can find a sense of belonging and community,” said Kam Babaoff, Chair, of Cornerstone Housing for Adults with Disabilities.

Dr. Held explained that this project is geared to serve those who don’t require overnight staff to ensure their safety. “These apartments are for individuals who can manage their own personal needs and seek both housing and community.”

“Not only will it give the residents of The Bhatia Family Village an opportunity to interact with and be part of the community. It gives the community a chance to come in, participate, and see people with special needs being included," said parent and

YULA Boys Jacob’s worked seeing them Not only impact important schoolers cherished important Family of the hood.” community involved,” ble enthusiasm. author dessert-making; that she’d have so community mi expert opportunities dent Sam as “a think it real hub entire community. will be—when willing—a Jewish Angeles.” Bhatia and help about what with disabilities Jewish integrate those stigmas Bhatia transformative, live there The Bhatia revitalize A Model serve as try, and tion, inclusion, are human for those gent adults autonomy, larger community. for other ant to

only for at The rest of just as beautibuilding in community, with community beauty and enrichment of who are neurodivergent will be brought to Jewish community in Pico-Robertson.

Family located in community, walking shuls and of those them with neighborgrew up, nearby, within. The members recognized living in Village will community independentunprecedented enliven the creating Most imporblueprint for urgent housreplicated California and

Through this we are a place generafamilies individuals can belonging said Kam Cornerstone Disabiligive the Village and be gives the particispecial needs parent and

psychologist Dr. Ernest Katz. His son Jacob has participated in ETTA programs and works in the office of the YULA Boys High School. According to Jacob’s mom, Frieda Katz, “Jacob has worked with hundreds of young adults, seeing them grow throughout the ranks. Not only did it make an enormous impact on Jacob, but it was also an important experience that the high schoolers and program participants cherished as well. That’s why it’s so important that a project like The Bhatia Family Village be included in the fabric of the greater Beverlywood neighborhood.”

“We’re already hearing from community members who want to be involved,” Dr. Held shared with palpable enthusiasm. “A chef and published author offered to teach Challah and dessert-making; a retired librarian said that she’d like to coordinate events. We have so many talented people in this community – from a cellist to an origami expert – who will bring exciting opportunities to our residents.”

“I think The Village is going to be transformative, not only for folks who live there but for everyone who visits.” The Bhatia Family Village is going to revitalize Pico.

Yebri sees it as “a semi-JCC. I think it will be a real hub for the entire Jewish community. And this will be—when built, G-d willing—a real center for Jewish life in the heart of Los Angeles.” Sam believes that The Bhatia Family Village “will address and help overcome some of the stigmas about what it means to be an adult living with disabilities in Los Angeles and the Jewish community. The more we can integrate and engage together, the faster those stigmas disappear. I think The Bhatia Family Village is going to be transformative, not only for folks who live there but for everyone who visits.” The Bhatia Family Village is going to revitalize Pico.

A Model for the Nation

The Bhatia Family Village will serve as a model for the rest of the country, and all of the world, about integration, inclusion, and connection, which are human needs for all people, not just for those with disabilities. Neurodivergent adults need independence and autonomy, while also feeling a part of a

larger community.

"The idea of this being a model for other communities, which is important to us, is based on demographic studies showing thousands and thousands of people who are at that cusp in their life of leaving or being ready to leave their parents' home, or their parents are aging," Held said. "They are often in their mid- or late-20s, and they want that independence — they want a housing environment that will support them to have that independence."

“The success of The Bhatia Family Village should serve as a case study for lawmakers across the state and around the country about how public-private partnerships can help alleviate the struggles adults with IDD encounter when searching for housing… I am proud that we have taken this important step to ensure no parent ever lies awake at night worrying about where their son or daughter with IDD will one day live," said Bob Hertzberg, a former member of the California Senate and Speaker of the State Assembly.

“As the parent of a neurodiverse teenager, I am acutely aware of the housing crisis in our country for children like mine. That is why our family is proud to invest in innovative and forward-thinking solutions for the

developmentally diverse community like The Bhatia Family Village. This game-changing project exemplifies what can be accomplished when families, community members, business leaders, and government officials work together toward a singular purpose. Our hope is that this will be the first of many ‘Villages’ throughout the United States.” said Anita Bhatia, Executive Director of the Ramesh and Kalpana Bhatia Family Foundation.

“To me, the groundbreaking of The Bhatia Family Village is the start of a new life and new adventure. I’m looking forward to a brighter future and community of friends,” said Adam Breall, advocate and member of the neurodiverse community. Adam designed the artwork on the cover of the canvas bags that were distributed at the groundbreaking. He chose bright colors to symbolize the bright future he anticipates ahead of him and the word “independence” to signify what he hopes to achieve by living at The Bhatia Family Village.

ETTA Board President Sam

Happenings in the H d

The D c with +

Looking for the Best Kiddush Club in L.A.?

cently, young revivalists have attempted to rekindle the kiddush club flame. In a clandestine fashion, they meet in an undisclosed location. We are told that the open-air back alley has been replaced by, at times, suffocatingly tight quarters. You can find 10 grown men squeezing into a closet built for one. The food selection is a microcosm of the once-heralded club. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. YICC’s post-tefillah kiddush makes up for what has been lost in amazing ways. Formal sponsorships stud a Tisch-style table with Pico’s best take-out finger-food delicacies being eaten between Divrei Torah and geshmak singing.

side innovated the pre-plated kiddush delicacies. Poppers, herring, and pigs in blankets were suddenly back before you could say Omicron. Safety first was their mantra back then. Of late, Westside has taken a little bit of a step back, but not much. They still boast their bartender and have a healthy choice of beverages. The food assortment has contracted to consist mostly of herring and crackers. The atmosphere is comfortable and space is ample in the YULA courtyard. They lose a few points on the size of the crowd. It is often difficult to decipher between their actual kiddush and the kiddush club.

Responsa on the halachic ramifications of a kiddush club date back to the 1500s. The custom of men leaving shul after Kriyas Hatorah is not new. It is clear from the Poskim that it violates many issurim including Kavod Hatorah, Kavod HaRav, and Derech Eretz. Yet, kiddush clubs are a staple in most shuls; it is not advertised nor discussed. The kiddush club has become a highly classified clandestine operation known and enjoyed by few, maligned by others. A necessity for some, enigmatic to most worshippers. In fact, it is quite taboo to even discuss the mere existence of the kiddush club in front of our honored Rabbanim. They cringe at the idea that members need a break during

in style with a formal table. According to reports, it often had hot cholent, matjes herring, crackers, and homemade chopped liver. At a time when scotch was the only option, it served well-aged choices.

The YICC kiddush club, as in many cases, was over-expanded and was rightfully temporarily banished from the YICC grounds. Those who could not contain themselves opted for an alternative which brought about the back alley YICC kiddush club. Hosted adjacent to Pat’s sole dumpster, loyalists would gather for a curtailed version of the once austere club. We are told that the cholent never resurfaced, but all of the other delicacies returned and were served buffet-style atop asphalt

This now brings us to the newest kid on the block, Westside Shul. Where Covid destroyed the YICC kiddush club, it did the exact opposite for Westside. Westside was one of the only shuls that stayed fully open during the pandemic albeit outdoors in the underground parking lot. These trailblazers were not going to let Covid dictate how they were going to enjoy Shul. For the Westside kiddush club enthusiasts, the club was going to stay but with “an abundance of caution,” which meant…a bartender!

Instead of grubby hands meddling through a tray of kishka and kugel, West-

YICC has a rich history and the post-davening Ruach behind it, but the current state of their kiddush club leaves them too far behind in the rankings. This one isn’t close. Westside by a landslide.

The authors recommend the short film “The Kiddush Club” produced by Amudim for those interested in learning more about the topic in preparation for the next issue’s kiddush club review of Mogen David and Beth Jacob.

“Happenings in the Hood with TMtZvi and the Doc” is a new review column of local Jewish and kosher establishments. Tzvi Ratner-Stauber is a mortgage broker in LA and Steven Kupferman is an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon in Century City. For more breaking news in the community, check at TMtZvi on Instagram.

davening which is why most attendees pretend to be exiting to the bathroom in unison when the Haftorah is starting. Nevertheless, the kiddush club exists and it is our duty to report on it.

Which brings us to the battle of the kiddush clubs. Our four contestants are YICC, Westside Shul, Mogen David, and Beth Jacob. In this week’s issue, we have the head-to-head match-up of Westside Shul vs. YICC. The evaluation categories include vibe, crowd, food and drink selection, location, storage options, accessibility, cadence, and detractions.

We will start with Young Israel of Century City (YICC). YICC has a rich history when it comes to the kiddush club. At a time when Pico Blvd was bereft of restaurants and pop-up shuls, the YICC kiddush club was a vibrant gathering of all ages. It would meet in the back patio

parking dividers. Free from the politics of Shul grounds, devoted members felt a sense of freedom in the alley. Rebranded homemade chopped liver and fried chicken debuted and varieties of herring were introduced. Honored guests are said to have attended and we are told that despite the abundance of rat excreta in the vicinity, no one ever contracted salmonellosis, leptospirosis, or Hanna virus. Before the homeless were ubiquitous on LA streets, the occasional unsheltered local would attend inadvertently and we are told that the hisorirus that he received from the kiddush club shirayim led him to a Pursuit of Happiness style comeback.

But, Covid and the pandemic hit the YICC kiddush club hard. Many of the loyalists expectedly departed for outdoor minyanim where kiddush club is the ikkur and they seldom return to their roots. Re-

“Hosted adjacent to Pat’s sole dumpster, loyalists would gather for a curtailed version of the once austere club.”

COMING SOON

Bhatia Family Village

An inclusive apartment community celebrating and embracing neurodiversity with opportunities for everyone to thrive and grow.

ABOUT

Located at the intersection of Pico Blvd. & Glenville, Bhatia Family Village will be in the heart of Los Angeles. Its residents will share stimulating communal spaces and supportive amenities.

Connections to community and services will empower residents with developmental differences to be active and independent.

Ground floor retail will provide amenities and vocational opportunities for residents while welcoming the neighborhood into Bhatia Family Village.

The second floor will be a welcoming, inclusive, accessible, and sensory friendly site for education, training and

GET INVOLVED

Make it your home. Make it your community. Make it your mission.

To volunteer, donate & learn more, please visit Bhatia Family Village at thecornerstonevillage.org

For general inquiries, please contact info@thecornerstonevillage.org

The Impact Forum Foundation

Making an impact in fighting antisemitism and supporting Israel

Los Angeles featuring several social media mega influencers discussing the vital role of media and social media in fighting antisemitism. The event will also feature presentations by two nonprofits, StopAntisemitism and Tazpit Press Service who will try to raise money in support of their work. The keynote speaker, Dr. Sheila Nazarian, with over 1.7 million followers on Instagram alone, will be accompanied by TV personalities and digital media mega influencers Emily Austin, Nathaniel Buzolic, and Lizzy Savetsky for a panel discussion.

er, notes Milstein, is that of CyberWell, the first open live database of antisemitic content that enables people to see the state of online antisemitism by interacting with the content and by using the organization’s visualization tools. CyberWell applies technology and open-source intelligence to monitor social media platforms for antisemitic content.

“There is no silver bullet” says Adam Milstein, a prominent Israeli-American businessman, philanthropist, and activist, speaking of organizations that combat antisemitism. “It takes a network of allied organizations to defeat the network of our detractors” he adds.

The problem, Milstein explains, is that many of these pro-Israel non-profit organizations are competing for funding with each other and have major redundancies but prefer to work independently so they can claim all the credit, and even claim credit for the work of other groups. As a result, he explains, there is little unity and coordinated effort among these groups and donor funds are not being optimized.

Milstein understands how organizations work, and believes he has a way to enable them to work in synergy towards a common goal. “How do we bring them together?” he asks rhetorically. “We have to offer incentives.” One incentive would be to provide funding to organizations conditional on their collaborating and sharing information with other groups. Another way would be to provide certain capabilities that all groups can benefit from – like research services— and using these capabilities to spur collaboration between different groups.

“Research organizations are very important in the world of fighting antisemitism,” says Milstein, “because they investigate antisemitic and anti-Israel organizations, their funding, their agenda and their current and future plans and provide the information to other groups who can then take action against them on multiple fronts.” Milstein explains, “Small organizations cannot conduct research and do not have funding for it but providing them with this kind of service free of charge improves the quality of their work and enhances the impact they are able to make.”

With these ideas in mind, Milstein founded the Impact Forum Foundation, a community of like-minded philanthropists, in Los Angeles and nationwide, that empowers a diversified network of organizations who support the State of Israel, fight antisemitism, and stand against the enemies of the United States which, not surprisingly, he says, are the same.

“Antisemitism is first and foremost an American problem” says Milstein, and “my approach to fighting antisemitism is to build alliances with Americans who are fighting the internal and external enemies of America, which also happen to be the enemies of the Jewish people and the State of Israel. Combating antisemitism, and strengthening Israel go hand in hand with fighting the enemies of the US.”

The Impact Forum offers participating organizations funding and services, like communications services, strategic guidance, and research material. The Im-

The events organized by the Impact Forum enable organizations to obtain additional funding and expand their work. One of the beneficiaries of the Impact Forum is Palestinian Media Watch, where Arabic language researchers monitor, translate, and analyze PA-controlled newspapers, TV shows, radio programs, social media sites, and schoolbooks to understand the messages the Palestinian Authority and other Palestinian leaders send to their people. The fact that the Impact Forum connects philanthropists with important nonprofits who work towards

CyberWell’s findings were the foundation of a letter submitted jointly by 180 organizations worldwide to Elon Musk, owner of Twitter, substantiating the proliferation of antisemitic content on the platform, and calling on Musk to update the company’s anti-hate policies and adopt the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism, which has been officially adopted by the United States and 37 other national governments, as well as numerous local governments, universities, law enforcement agencies, civil society organizations, and international bodies worldwide, including the UN and EU.

“This amazing network of 180 organizations signed and sent the same letter on the same day to Elon Musk and his senior management team at Twitter,” he says. Speedy cooperation of this type among Jewish groups is unusual.

pact Forum Foundation provides funding to around fifty effective organizations, including media and social media organizations, think tanks, research and legal organizations and “boots on the ground” groups that are present in areas of conflict, such as on college campuses.

Since 2017, The Impact Forum has hosted events in Los Angeles for groups as large as one hundred and twenty philanthropists. At each event, two organizations present their work and organizational vision to those in attendance. Milstein says that an average of $200,000 was raised for each presenting organization at the most recent dinners held in Los Angeles.

The Impact Forum Foundation brings prominent speakers to these events in order to attract interest and attendance among philanthropists who want to learn more about fighting antisemitism and supporting Israel. Previous speakers have included former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren, author and speaker Daniel Gordis, former Soviet dissident Natan Sharansky, and New York Times columnist Brett Stephens.

Next week, the Impact Forum Foundation is holding its quarterly dinner in

a common goal not only benefits the organizations themselves, but also benefits the philanthropists who are looking for ways to use their money wisely to fight antisemitism.

Milstein expands further on the benefits that accrue to donors and says, “They are usually familiar with a small number of organizations. We are vetting more than 50 effective organizations, active in different disciplines thus complementing each other and giving the philanthropists the ability to make a personal impact by using their dollars where it can make the most impact.”

One example of how organizations that operate under the Impact Forum Foundation share and benefit each oth-

The Impact Forum Foundation is planning on expanding its vision to other communities in the United States where Jewish donors are serious about fighting antisemitism, including Florida and New York. When the Impact Forum begins operations other cities, Milstein says, it will be able to add more organizations to its roster. In addition, the Impact Forum is creating a Venture Fund through which a group of ten to twenty vetted and selected organizations will receive additional support and guidance on how to build effective collaborations with other organizations. For philanthropist, the Venture Fund is an extraordinary opportunity to support a group of several nonprofits through one donation.

He is certain that the Impact Forum’s work of getting organizations to work with one another and share information is paying dividends. “We are making these organizations ten times better,” says Milstein. “Everyone wants to be better.”

This article was written in cooperation with the Impact Forum Foundation.

“Antisemitism is first and foremost an American problem” says Milstein, and “my approach to fighting antisemitism is to build alliances with Americans who are fighting the internal and external enemies of America, which also happen to be the enemies of the Jewish people and the State of Israel.”

Alan Rosenbaum

Ariela Kauffman

just a way of giving back. OBKLA facilitates thousands of volunteer hours that prepare over tens of thousands of meals and hundreds of thousands of cookies to be distributed across the city of Los Angeles. Each two hour cooking session yields 300 meals. All meals are Glatt kosher so that anyone in the Jewish community can partake in the cooking and receiving of the meals, yet many of the meals are provided to the rest of the LA city population such as the homeless, seniors, women’s refuge, youth pro-

are no phones or other responsibilities or distractions. The time is spent enjoying each other’s company, giving, creating, connecting, sharing, and serving.

Sometimes children come with their schools and then bring back their parents. School, synagogues, and businesses come as a group to share in a meaningful and connecting activity. Some groups sign up to volunteer as a social night out, the fun enhanced with cocktails from the bar. Volunteers find it so rewarding, that they keep returning for more, happy to wait the three months if needed. They tell their friends, their families, their schools, their religious communities, their other service communities - and the volunteers turn themselves into passionate ambassadors for OBKLA.

Eager volunteers may wait up to three months to have the privilege to prepare meals at the OBKLA, Our Big Kitchen Los Angeles. Many of these volunteers are happily returning and can’t wait to get back in the kitchen! What motivates them and keeps them coming back?

It’s the sense of unity and community that motivates them!

There are four main words that describe OBKLA’s motto: Meals. Love. Unity. Community.

Meals prepared deliciously, carefully, and from the heart for Angelenos in need. Love that is brought not only

grams, and clinics. The meals are created by some of the chefs from our local establishments, who also volunteer their time. The food is nutritious and comes from high quality ingredients.

While there are many meal providers and soup kitchens to serve the hungry of Los Angeles, OBKLA is special because it’s the profound experience that keeps volunteers returning to the organization. OBKLA is building a self-perpetuating community of givers and the experience of interconnectedness.

The volunteering experience is profound. Firstly, volunteers are meeting their own inner needs by giving to others.

Fifty cookie scoopers, dozens of knives, hundreds of vegetables, and an enormous amount of cookie dough, plastic containers, and fun sticker labelsthese are all the special ingredients that go into the food made at OBKLA, that results in a masterpiece much greater than the sum of its ingredients. Long tables with all of these supplies are neatly set up upon arrival. Volunteers gather around these tables and assist with every single process of meal preparation, such as chopping vegetables, shaping patties, wiping down tables, labeling containers, and then packing up the cooked meals they just lovingly prepared.

This phenomenon explains the organization’s incredible growth. What began as a small group operating out of a garage in August 2020 has become a thriving organization running an industrial kitchen with a 70-person cooking session six days per week.

OBKLA has the space and the manpower to continue and could even triple the number of cooking sessions they currently conduct as soon as tomorrow, but the only constraint is funding. An upcoming Charidy campaign is crucial to their ability to continue to serve the community among their volunteers, thereby strengthening the infrastructure of the Los Angeles community at large, and continue making food for those in need.

into the meals but to the thousands of volunteers who commit their time in large groups. Unity is what brings these volunteers together from all walks of life in undivided attention and commitment. A community of volunteers built from the shared experience of giving and gratitude, providing for a community in need.

For the volunteers, it’s more than

It’s an experience that family and friends can share while they work side by side, with a rush of dopamine that makes giving feel good! Secondly, it boosts a level of gratitude and connects us mentally-emotionally-spiritually. Third, a sense of camaraderie is born among the volunteers where food is one of the elements that bring people together, as it transcends age, race, religion, gender, space, and time. Cultures are built around the food they share. It alleviates the challenge of getting to know each other, where people find something in common to share.

Fourth, it creates a bond and network of connection between the up to 70 volunteers per session and the organization. The world feels the need for interconnectedness, and people thrive when they experience a sense of community. Lastly, it’s a fun activity to share with friends and family, where everyone is focused, engaged, enjoying, and totally present. Since all participants are donned in apron, hairnet, and gloves for food safety, there

Finding Your Inner Truth

Calanit Kopple

Maybe it was the idealism of youth. Maybe it was becoming shomer mitzvos and trying to start fresh and parent the right way. Perhaps it was about vindicating my past. But, somewhere along the way, I never learned how to listen to my instincts and trust my feelings. And when I became observant, and then a wife, and then, thank God, a mother, I had collected so many ideals, virtues, and values along the way, but I never stopped to consider in my gut what was actually mine to pick up. What should I be listening to?

A handy skill of my childhood was to avoid emotion by living in my intellect; working through challenges in my mind in order to avoid the emotions. Emotions can be yucky and uncomfortable. But, the mind is a place of potential. You can live in ideas and rewrite the past, to cope, and the future, as a salve for hard times. And when I started down the path of Torah learning, I picked up so many gems along the way. Shalom Bayis classes. Parenting classes. Shiurim on personal growth. And almost none of what I learned was actually Torah l’Moshe miSinai. Yet, when the shiurim spoke about “getting off the phone when your husband comes home,” or “never letting your baby cry,” my gut feelings and instincts never had a chance to emerge and demand a voice of their own.

This is not to say that the “fault” of my extreme thinking lay in the hands of these passionate, thoughtful teachers. I had my own maturing to do. And some people are my opposite and naturally do what is best for them, and then take the values of others and decide what works and what does not. For whatever reason, it took me years and years to listen to that inner voice and validate her. My kids would cry and complain about wanting something and I spent eons in my mind trying to work out what the right thing would be. “If I don’t give her this toy now will she think her mother doesn’t love her and thus become an unhealthy human being, chas v’shalom?” My constant worry about doing the wrong thing actually led me to do the wrong thing, at times. Because at the end of the day, with all of the parenting classes and Shalom Bayis lectures, it all boils down to having a clear mind and a patient word with those closest to you.

My first child was an infant when a beloved rabbi—who could look into the soul of each student that sat before his desk, thus making her cry with his dead-accurate truths— came to Los Angeles and gave a Chanukah shiur in the neighborhood. As with most shiurim, I recalled one significant point that has stuck with me for many years. He said that within each of us lives our truth. That if we can connect to our inner truth, we will have the answers we need, ostensibly when facing moments of free will, when we need to know which way to turn. Those decisions that rest in the gray area cannot be answered by halacha, which, were you to ask a Rav, he would say that he cannot say.

And after so many years of failing and trying and coping, I am beginning to find my

truth and listen to it. At least, in part. And that truth is that a mother needs to treat herself like a human being if she wants to raise healthy human beings. She needs to be realistic about what she can handle and what she cannot. Many years ago, my rebbetzin told me that a mother needs to take care of herself in order to properly care for her children. Of course, she is not the first to say this, nor is this only an idea held by Torah Jews. But, what becomes muddled is when you hear tales of chesed and the value of taking care of your children, sacrificing so your husband can learn Torah, or how not saying your opinion to your spouse and letting things go are good for Shalom Bayis. It’s frankly confusing. Because there is tremendous value to open communication, boundaries, and emotional health.

In the Torah, there are myriad important lessons and halachos of conduct, derech eretz, and proper speech. But, there is also a gray area when it comes to quantifying how much time to spend with your kids, to work or not, to bottle feed or not, and how to communicate with your spouse. Maybe the Torah leaves a gray area in those parts of life which do need to evolve, depending on the generation, or need to vary, depending on the household. Perhaps the integration of healthy and appropriate modern philosophies of interpersonal relationships and worldview is not a flaw, but rather by His design.

In my early days of Torah learning, I concluded that there is a hierarchy to developing in Torah and mitzvos. First is physical health and then psychological health. A Jewish person must grow from the foundation of being a whole person. Not a perfect person, but someone

who has clarity of who they are, where they came from, and where they are going. Accepting one’s own God-given

strengths, gifts, and needs and addressing them, in kind. I believe that intuition is a reflection of one’s relationship with that core, foundational part of you. And if you don’t listen to your intuition and respect it, instead electing to squash that feeling to do something for a loved one because you’re supposed to, resentment builds, which harms the relationship, anyway.

If you’re reading this, thinking, “Well, that’s obvious!” then good for you–sincerely. But, I suspect there are many women out there feeling like they aren’t doing enough, trying enough, and need to work harder to do what is expected of them to be the best women, mothers, wives, avdei Hashem they can be. And if that is you, I would like to give you all (and myself) a bracha that you should be able to access your inner truth and utilize it to bring out the best in yourself and those blessed to know you.

“And after so many years of failing and trying and coping I am beginning to find my truth and listen to it.”

Calanit Kopple lives in Los Angeles with her family. If you would like to reach her, you can find her at JOANN on La Cienega most days of the week.

Review of the Reagan Museum’s Exhibition

Clarisse Schlesinger

For a limited time, The Ronald Reagan Museum will be hosting a unique exhibit called “Auschwitz: Not Long Ago, Not Far Away.” The exhibit displays what is described as “an extraordinary collection of more than 700 original artifacts of inestimable historic and human value.” When one enters the Reagan Museum there are two options; either go to the regular museum or go to the Auschwitz exhibit. Right now, all attendees are going to the Auschwitz exhibit, because as the description above states, it is definitely worth visiting.

As a student of history, and in particular, the Holocaust, most of the information was not new to me. However, the presentation, with the headphones and the accompanying guides, along with lengthy walks to view all with enough space for all visitors, made this exhibit worthwhile to attend. Yes, you must arrive during the time slot given and yes, you could walk through quickly or spend hours. We were there for 2.5 hours and I definitely could have stayed longer, but luckily for my husband and son, the museum was closing, so we had to leave.

Though the exhibit is not recommended for children under 12, I think that avoiding it for those under 16 is a better assessment. Our young people are taught about this; they

be as fixated on the details, such as the number of and names of the death camps and the numbers of people who were sent to each.

The difficulty here for the visitor who is not knowledgeable in the topic is that the

purpose of the exhibit is mainly to discuss Auschwitz and, to a lesser extent, its subcamp Birkenau. There, only a percentage of the six million Jews were killed. There were many other camps and the Polish people were

do not need to see the graphic depictions which are included, nor do they need to see the uniforms and shoes, and other items.

I found it particularly interesting to watch other visitors, who were a diverse group that included many non-Jews, as well. The accompanying audio recording of the tour began with a timeline before the war and also gave a history of Jews in the thousand years prior to the Shoah. Here, the newcomer may be a little confused. They also may not

Nazis, even though many Poles were also murdered in the camps. We know that many Eastern European people were participants and eager joiners in the Nazi cause, yet this exhibit only briefly mentions this fact. It does discuss France because there was a unique story there as well. While there were transit camps in France that did deport Jews east and mainly to Auschwitz, the French were much more protective of the Jews, in particular the ones who were French citizens. In addition, the danger ended earlier for Jews hiding in France because the Germans were defeated throughout France by the end of the summer of 1944, many months before the rest of occupied Europe was freed. To the chagrin of my family members, when I had the opportunity I did try to add some pointers to the staff and to other visitors when they showed an interest in chatting. That is why, in conclusion, I recommend that adults should go, if possible, but choose a date and time when you have a few hours to

Clarisse is a retired teacher and school administrator, who, in addition to spending much time with her husband, children, and grandchildren, has dedicated herself to developing her new business—converting analog video to digital, reading alone and for Book Groups, writing for Jewish magazines and newspapers, and art (painting with

Chef Nir Weinblut was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, and at a young age, he moved with his family to the east coast of the United States, where they opened a pizza shop. Nir grew up helping his parents in their restaurant, and he developed a love for cooking and hospitality from an early age. In the mid-80s, Nir moved to Los Angeles to study business and psychology. While supporting himself, he found his way back into the catering world and discovered his passion for high-end catering. Slowly but surely, he began to explore the culinary world and experienced the higher-end side of the industry.

As he gained more experience in the catering industry, Nir decided to slowly transition back into the culinary world, this time with a focus on the higher-end side of the industry. During this time, he learned from many talented individuals, including French maîtres d’ and back-of-house staff, all of whom taught him something new and valuable.

After gaining extensive experience and training, Nir established La Gondola Restaurant and Catering, which quickly became a front-runner in the kosher world in Los Angeles. Three decades later, the establishment is still going strong and continues to be a leader in the industry. In addition to his success with La Gondola Restaurant and Catering, Chef Nir has also taken his culinary skills to international audiences. He has catered for royals in Dubai and has been a judge on Kosher.com’s Skill’it. As well as being a co-author for a cookbook called “Kosher Soul Food,” which showcases his unique blend of Jewish and African American cuisine.

Cooking is not only Chef Nir’s passion, but it also serves as a means of integrating the many ethnic backgrounds of his family. Authentic Mexican and Syrian cuisine is a staple in their home since Tere, his wife, is from Mexico City and was raised in a Syrian home. There’s Mexican-Syrian heritage and Nir’s Israeli, Turkish, and Polish roots are frequently combined to produce delicious and unique recipes like Tacos al Pastor with pickled lemon tahini or a Mexican Shaksuha.

This week Chef Nir decided to dedicate the recipes to his Mexican roots for these Cinco de Mayo-themed recipes!

Tequila

Lime

Chicken Tacos

with Cilantro Lime Crema Serves 6

Ingredients

• 6 boneless chicken breasts

• 6 corn tortillas

1/4cup tequila (Chef Nir recommends any tequila you enjoy sipping, keep to Silver or Plata)

1/2 cup orange juice

• 1 tbsp ancho chili powder

• 1 jalapeño pepper (Chef Nir loves to grill them too, which adds a smoky flavor)

• 4 garlic cloves

• 5 limes

• Salt and pepper to taste

Optional: 1 Tbs Mayo

Cilantro Lime Crema:

• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 avocado (Chef Nir recommends the soft avocado for these)

• 1/4 cup water

• 1 red onion, chopped 1/2 cup cilantro

• 4 garlic cloves

• Juice of 1/2 Lemon

• 2 limes

• 1/2 cup sour cream (Pareve sour cream when using chicken)

• Salt and pepper to taste

Beer Battered Fish Tacos with an Avocado Crema Serves 8

Directions

• Chop the garlic and jalapeño (Kitchen trick: remove the seeds from the jalapeño to make it less spicy) and juice the limes. Chef Nir loves to use the Mezzaluna to chop these and always protect the fingers!

• Add all ingredients to a bowl and make sure the chicken is submerged in the marinade. Chef Nir recommends marinating the chicken overnight, but if in a rush, 30 minutes to 1 hour is fine.

• While the chicken is marinating, make the Cilantro Lime Crema: Juice the limes and put all ingredients into a food processor and blend together. You can continue to add more water if it is too thick.

• Grill the chicken over medium-high heat until fully cooked (165°F internal temperature), then place it on a plate and cover it tightly and place it on the side.

• Heat a pan and place tortillas on the pan with a spray of oil for about 20 seconds on each side. Assemble tacos and enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 lbs of white fish (Chef Nir’s favorite is Red Snapper)

• 2 cups of all-purpose flour

• 2 cups of beer (keep it Mexican-themed with “Modelo”)

2 tsp baking powder

• 1 tbsp garlic powder

• 1 tbsp paprika

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 12-20 tortillas

• 3-4 limes

• 1/2 head of white cabbage

• 5 cups of frying oil

Avocado Crema: 4 limes

• 2 avocados

• 2 jalapeños

• 1/2 cup of cilantro

• 2-3 garlic cloves

• 1/2 cup of cashews

• 1 cup of water (can add more if the desired thickness is not reached)

Directions

• Pat dry and slice the fish so that each piece is 1 inch in width and 4 inches in length.

• For the batter: mix together the beer, flour, baking powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. The batter must be cold. Place in the fridge for 1 hour. I always recommend dropping a few cubes of ice in the batter too to maintain it cold, or an ice bath if doing a larger quantity of fish.

• Preheat the oil in a deep pan until it reaches 360 degrees.

• Dip the fish into the flour and then in the batter so that it is nicely coated. Drop it into the oil for about 3-4 minutes or until it reaches a golden brown color.

• Chef Nir recommends placing the cooked fish on a cooling rack to keep it crispy on all sides. If you don’t have a rack, a tray with paper towels is just fine.

• To make the avocado crema, juice the limes and put all the ingredients into a food processor and blend together. You can add more water if it is too thick.

• Slice the cabbage head into shreds.

• For the tortillas, heat a frying pan and spray each side of the tortilla with a spray of oil, then place it on the pan for about 20 seconds on each side.

More garnish options: Sliced Radishes / Chopped Cilantro / Pickled Onions / More Salsas ( Red / Green / Chipotle)

Once the tortillas are ready, assemble the tacos by placing the fried fish, shredded cabbage, and a drizzle of the avocado crema on top. Enjoy with a spicy margarita!

Chef Nir’s Spicy Margarita Serves 2

Ingredients

• 4 ounces of Blanco

Tequila (Chef Nir’s favorite is Don Julio 70 Blanco, for mixed drinks)

• 2 ounces of Triple Sec

• 2 limes

• 1 tablespoon of agave

• 1 jalapeño pepper (or more if you like it spicier)

• Splash of orange juice

(Fresh SqueezedGame Changer)

• 1 Egg White - Optional - I do!!

• Tajin

• Ice

The most important step is to enjoy and share with friends. Or make someone your friend.

Remember, you need 2 hands, one for the taco and one for the margarita. Lechaim /

Salud !!!

Directions

Put Tajin or salt on a plate and coat the rim of your glass with lime juice, then dip it in either the salt or Tajin.

• Slice up the jalapeño and put it into a shaker. If you don’t have a shaker, a tall glass is fine. Muddle the jalapeño in the shaker.

• Combine the tequila, juice from 1 lime, agave syrup, ice, triple sec, a splash of orange juice, and shake together for 10-15 seconds. Then add the egg whites and shake vigorously for another 15-20 seconds. This will create a great foam and make the margarita creamy. Strain the mixture of an iced-rimmed glass and add some sliced jalapeno and limes for garnish.

Restaurant Etiquette

I made a 7:30 pm reservation for eight guests at my favorite restaurant, but we decided to cancel as our babysitter canceled on us. Should we call the restaurant to inform them of the cancellation, or is it fine not to bother as it doesn’t make much difference? What is the proper thing to do?

On a busy night, a diner who didn’t call to cancel their reservation might cause the restaurant to decline requests from other guests who are seeking a table for the same number of people at the same time. This brings us to the question of how no-shows impact restaurants.

When you make a reservation and don’t cancel it, you are impacting the entire business and all its employees. No-shows force restaurants to send hourly employees home early, resulting in fewer tips and lower pay for cooks, servers, and bussers. Each server is assigned a certain number of tables at night to ensure fairness, and when a restaurant has a no-show, they take away another customer’s spot, causing the server and the rest of the staff to lose money.

Restaurants are still recovering from the shutdowns caused by COVID-19. The courtesy of canceling, whether it’s 24 hours in advance or five minutes before your reservation, allows the restaurant to give your table to a walk-in. A no-show is harder to handle because the restaurant is literally holding a table they can’t give away. Therefore, it would be appreciated

if customers call to cancel their reservations, as it helps the restaurant to organize the night better. Inflation has impacted the cost of everything, including ingredients. Restaurant margins are thin, and overbuying or wasting food due to no-shows negatively impacts daily revenue, especially for small independent establishments.

No-shows are a very common occurrence for restaurants. On average, 18 to 20 percent of reservations will end up being a no-show. If a restaurant at 100% capacity typically generates $6,000 - $12,000 in revenue a day, they can lose up to $600 -$1600 a night, or $175,000 - $225,000 annually, if one in five reservations is a no-show.

If you need to cancel a reservation, do it as early as possibleit just takes a phone call, a text, or the click of a mouse. Canceling early will allow establishments a chance to find someone else to fill that vacancy.

Essentially, it all boils down to respect. It is crucial to be mindful of the impact your actions have on others, including the staff and management of restaurants.

Insider information: Nowadays, most restaurants use apps for reservations. The restaurant can put temporary or permanent notes on your name for future reservations, and blacklist you if you are marked as a noshow. Therefore, it is important to always communicate and cancel reservations if necessary to maintain a positive relationship with the establishment.

JEWISH WOMEN'S

JEWISH

Miracles in the Minutiae

Bidding at the Auction

Alocal man was at an auction with his wife and bid on a dollar from the Lubavitcher Rebbe. The proceeds from the auction went to tzedakah, to support a Jewish organization. After getting the dollar, they noticed that it was in a frame, which would be heavy to schelp back home; there were others without a frame, and the couple briefly discussed if maybe they should exchange it. They decided that the dollar they got must be the one Hashem intended for them to have. No changes.

Back at home, the man was examining his purchase more closely and noticed an inscription. It was fairly common practice that when people received a dollar from the Rebbe, the Hebrew name of the person and the Jewish date would be written. The man saw that the first name on the dollar was the same name as a recently born grandchild --- what a coincidence! Looking closer, he saw that the second name also had a connection to his family, it was a masculine version of the name of this baby’s mother (for example Daniel / Daniella)! Wow! And then looking further, even more incredibly, the date on the in-

scription held special significance in the life of the baby’s father! This could only be orchestrated by Hashem.

There is a sentence in the Talmud, “Bishvili nivra haolam,” which translates to “the world was created for me.” One meaning of the sentence is that the Creator of the Universe arranges the details of each person’s life completely individually so that every single thing that happens is designed for the optimal growth and development of that person. In this instance, the man unknowingly bid on the one item in the entire auction that would hold a message of significance for his family ---- and would not have the same meaning for a different bidder. Just as the man told his wife at the auction, they received exactly what was intended for them by Hashem. This actually happens to all of us, all the time, every day. We just need to tune in and notice.

Denise Berger is a freelance writer who grew up in the LA community. Her work has appeared in Table For Five, Shalom Delaware, Detroit Jewish News, and The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, in addition to literary publications.

Denise Berger

Mrs. Sylvia Heyman

Suggestion for confronting the Los Angeles Public Library about children’s books that are an anathema to our Jewish mores

It is quite ironic that an issue involving books displayed in the children’s section of the library should reach a level of concern for our community exactly during National Library Week, which is sponsored by the American Library Association.

The issue reared its ugly head last year when I confronted our local librarian about a book that seemed innocuous at first glance but proved to be a book giving children the right to choose their own gender. The book was complete with glossy, colorful, graphic illustrations that will not be described here but will be left to our imagination. Age recommended: five through seven!

In response to my complaint, I was lectured about the library having to service an entire all-inclusive population, and, therefore, if I was bothered about this, “It is the parents’ job to go through every book and decide if he wants to take the book out, as we do not just service one segment of our community.” I was given a repeat performance of the same attitude this time.

After gently reminding the librarian that our tax dollars enabled the library and her job to exist, I decided that a different approach might work. Since it is true that

Jewish Books at LAPL

April 26, 2023

To whom it may concern:

Our community greatly appreciates your effort and service in having the library reflect the ethnic and religious culture of this community.

However, when parents have complained about children’s books that are objectionable to the mores and values of our families we have been told, rightly so, that the parents are responsible to check every child’s book before taking it home. Since we understand that your library serves an entire community and needs to be inclusive, could that also be included in books that reflect mores and values of our community, as well?

We are submitting a list of books that will service the needs of many in our community who are not necessarily Jewish. The librarian advised us that the library would consider purchasing some of these books to make them available to all of us.

having books that reflect the inclusive values and mores of segments of our community seems just (I shirk to think what this really means, but let’s be brotherly and liberal), why not augment the library with books that reflect the mores and lessons applicable to all traditional thinkers in our community. After all, this must be the very definition of “inclusive.”

Suddenly, there was a shift in the atmosphere, and the suggestion was met with real positivity. If I could come up with a list of books, the librarian in charge would request the powers that be to purchase them.

After canvassing my high school students for childhood books that had made a moral impact on them and that were generic enough to appeal to all religious, racial, and ethnic groups, we came up with the following list. Below is a cover letter and list of books that I hand-delivered to the Fairfax/Gardner branch. The librarian was very eager to forward our suggestions.

Enclosed you will find a list of children’s books that are geared to inspire children of all religions, ethnicities, and races. We appreciate your attention to this urgent matter.

As the “People of the Book,” we especially appreciate your efforts to afford everyone the opportunity to partake in the richness of the books in your library. Hoping to hear a response from you,

Mrs. Sylvia Heyman

Chairperson English department

Bais Yaakov High School for Girls

The following is a list of suggested books:

1. Beckerman: Menucha Dina Dee

2. Berman, Seryl: Around The Shabbos Table

3. Chait, Boruch: Journey to Good Middos Island

4. Ganz, Yaffa: Mimi and Simi

5. Golding, Goldie: Eli and His Little White Lie

6. Gold, Reuven: Eli Learns About…

7. Levy, Aadir and Ganit: What Should Danny Do?

8. Orenstein, Ester: Middos Malka

9. Orenstein, Ester: Middos Man

10. 1Rosenfeld, Dina: Yossi and Laibel

Please send in any other books your family has enjoyed to add to this list.

Mrs. Sylvia Heyman comes armed with over 40 years of experience as a parent to ten rambunctious wonderfully different children. She has been a teacher of thousands of students, ranging in age from 9 to 90, including every sphere of our society. The opinions expressed here are solely hers and come from a sincere desire to help. She welcomes your comments to the debated issue. Please send them to editor@thelajewishhome.com.

How To Talk To Yourself About Your Body

She passed by the mirror and said, “Ugh, I look so fat. It’s disgusting.”

I assured my client we didn’t have to use the mirror to find proper alignment of her legs in the split squat if she was uncomfortable about that…but I asked if I could share something with her. I was just listening to an audiobook on the way over to the gym. Just as I arrived, the segment I heard related exactly to this. It is as if I was listening to this audiobook because she needed to hear it.

times a day will be less distressing. She isn’t the first client to make disparaging comments about her body. I once worked briefly with a professional model and she didn’t like her nose! In other words, our perceptions about our bodies might lack objectivity. Even if our negative self-concept bears some element of truth, focusing deeply on the negative aspect prevents us from appreciating that our creator made us perfectly imperfect. That is beauty.

We can change our thinking over

4. Practice shifting your thoughts from slightly positive to positive: “When I look in the mirror I see the body that has carried me through my life” shifts to ”When I look in the mirror, I see the body that has carried me through my life and has done so much good for me, other people, and the world.”

It is not always possible to shift your thoughts from negative to positive even with time. If you at least get to neutral, you’ll be in a better place because the thoughts and emotions will no longer consume you. Furthermore, when we have confidence in our bodies, in whatever shape they are in, it permits other women to do the same.

I recall once shopping in a fitness apparel store and there was a very overweight and very outgoing saleswoman helping me find the right fit in the clothes, which was a bit humiliating since it ran small. She was a trainer at an exclusive high-end gym where I wanted to be a trainer. I realized she had the skills and the personality both the gym and the apparel store were looking for despite being large.

I asked her if it was difficult for her as a plus-sized person to be a trainer. She explained that not everyone wants a skinny trainer and they want someone they can relate to. She used to be bigger and she always loved fitness. She wasn’t ashamed

“I know I shouldn’t talk that way about my body, but all of those positive affirmations just seem so contrived,” my client said. I completely agree that positive affirmations can be ridiculous and ineffective. It’s exactly what Molly Galbraith, fellow fitness trainer and author, was talking about in this audiobook. While a positive self-image is something we all desire, repeating positive affirmations may even feel like self-punishment because we think we’re lying to ourselves and then we beat ourselves up for not believing the lie.

First, know that it’s normal and human to feel critical of our bodies. As a trainer, your body, all of its parts, is neutral to me. For instance, if you arrive at your training session and tell me your inner thighs are sore from the last workout. I hear: sore thighs. Avoid inner thigh work until they feel better to avoid injury. Sore inner thighs don’t mean my client is weak. It is also not a moral judgment about her worth as a person. It is simply information. If I could, I would share that neutral perspective with all of my clients, but the fact is you have to train your brain to do that, just as my education taught me what to focus on about muscle and joint actions. A neutral self-perception is achieved gradually.

That neutral view of her body allows me to look at her body and its parts, and not have the same charged reaction that my client has when she views her reflection. A neutral perspective of her body might give her just the emotional relief she needs. Passing by a mirror, something we do many

time through a concept called neuroplasticity. It does take more time and energy to create a new way of thinking than to use the same way you are used to thinking. Every time we do so, we draw another groove as if we’re creating a new hiking trail. Navigating and creating a new trail requires more focus and energy. You might be tempted to go back to the path of least resistance. Over time, if you’re intentional about using the new path, you’ll have an easy smooth path, and the old one will become covered with weeds making it more challenging to use.

You don’t have to change all your thoughts about your body overnight.

Galbraith suggests that one asks instead: How can I shift this particular thought slightly to align with my values?

When you think or say something negative about your body, your abilities, or even another person, practice shifting your thoughts in stages.

1. Shift your thoughts from negative, to slightly negative: “I hate looking in the mirror because I don’t like my body” shifts to “Looking in the mirror is hard because I’m uncomfortable in my body”.

2. Practice shifting your thoughts from slightly negative to neutral: “Looking in the mirror is hard because I’m uncomfortable in my body” shifts to “When I look in the mirror, I see my body”.

3. Practice shifting your thoughts from neutral to slightly positive: “When I look in the mirror, I see my body” shifts to ”When I look in the mirror I see the body that has carried me through my life”.

of who she was or her journey and it was inspiring. She set an example that being comfortable in your own skin and being unapologetically yourself is what attracts the right people, such as those who resonate with your values to you. You don’t need to hold back from taking that class or wearing those clothes until you’re skinnier either. You can try

shifting your thoughts and perspectives to neutral. That confidence might just carry over into other areas of your life to give you more joy too.

Kayla Goldwag is a Certified Personal Fitness Trainer, Group Exercise Instructor, Yoga Teacher (RYT200), and PN1 Nutrition Coach. She can be reached at www.GetFitWithKayla.com.

“A neutral perspective of her body might give her just the emotional relief she needs.”

Kayla Goldwag

When You’re No Longer Newsworthy

Lou Shapiro

The news industry has recently been rattled by the firing of several popular news anchors.

Most notably, Tucker Carlson of Fox News was abruptly terminated with the usual unambiguous statement from the employer: “We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor,” said Fox News. This move came one week after Fox News settled its defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems for $787.5 million for spreading election lies, which Carlson regularly disseminated on his show. It is very likely that Carlson’s

“Fake news” which has unfortunately become an accepted part of our vocabulary is not just prevalent in conservative media. It has equally managed to successfully invade the left-wing media as well.

In 2016, Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee were fined over $100,000.00 for not properly disclosing the $1 million that they spent on controversial opposition research that led to the infamous Trump-Russia dossier.

The dossier was compiled by retired British spy Christopher Steele and contained unverified and salacious allegations about Donald Trump, including claims that his

Mommy Hacks Life Squad

How To Pick The Best Fruit

Tikva Braum and Rena Kohengadol

Hey there Los Angeles!

Ever since our watermelon hack video, we have been getting asked about how to carefully select all the other most popular fruits.

Here are the top 5 fruits and how to pick the best of each!

#1 Watermelon

• Uniform shape

• Symmetrical

• Free of lumps or dents

• Check the field spot (the area where the watermelon was resting on the ground). It should be a creamy yellow color

• Tap or knock for a deep, hollow sound

• Hold to determine weight. Ripe watermelons are heavy for their size

• Veins should be larger - this indicates a sweeter melon

#2 Pineapple

• Firm skin should be soft to touch

departure was also baked into the settlement, either in writing or by way of understanding.

Carlson’s show, Carlson Tonight, was one of the most-watched cable news shows on the air. Yahoo! Finance reports that he was paid $8 million per year at Fox, making him fifth among the list of richest cable news hosts. So the loss of his job carries great significance.

The move by Fox was a turning point for the organization. Through the Dominion lawsuit, it finally realized that it lost its way. Everyone enjoys hearing about the occasional conspiracy theory, just not from a trusted news source. And while viewership was at record levels, which led to high-paying commercials, it wasn’t worth it. Not everything is about money, especially when it comes to honest journalism.

campaign colluded with the Kremlin to win the 2016 election.

It took 22 months for special counsel Robert Mueller to conclude that there was insufficient evidence that former President Trump colluded Russia to influence the 2016 election. Meanwhile, all that was blasting from left-wing media organizations was that Trump was an illegitimate President because he was colluding with the Russians. Fox News, with all its flaws, should be commended for being willing to sacrifice viewership and revenue in the spirit of journalistic integrity. Hopefully, others will follow.

• Leaves should be green and fresh-looking and can be pulled out easily

• Yellow exterior

#3 Strawberries

• Bright red and plump. The brighter the color the sweeter the strawberry

• Firm and have a fresh green cap

• Avoid those that are mushy, have bruises, or are dull in color

• Smelling them can also help determine their freshness and sweetness

#4 Mango

• Apply pressure, if it gives slightly, it’s ripe

• Red and orange in color

• Avoid wrinkles and bruises

#5 Banana

• Completely Yellow

• Contain small brown spots-indicates sweetness

• No bruises

Tikva Braum and Rena Kohengadol, as mommylifesquad, provide a fresh dose of hacks, tips, and trips across three social media platforms. The content will keep you coming back for more each time!

Lou Shapiro is a criminal defense attorney-certified specialist and legal analyst, but most importantly, makes the end-of-shul announcements at Adas Torah. He can be reached at LouisJShapiro@gmail.com.