Feb 13, 2017

30

INSIDE

www.jewishnewsva.org

Southeastern Virginia | Vol. 55 No. 11 | 17 Shevat 5777 | February 13, 2017

10

Near Tu b’Shvat It’s good to be green

Super Sunday draws big donations

Ohef Sholom’s comittment to the environment—page 12

Five special trees in Israel— page 13

30 Mishy Harman Thursday, Feb. 16

31 Jessica Fechtor Wednesday, March 15

Cooking and Eating 5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Suite 200 Virginia Beach, Virginia 23462-4370 Address Service Requested

Non-Profit Org. US POSTAGE PAid Suburban MD Permit 6543

32 YAD Purim Party Saturday, March 18

Supplement to Jewish News February 13, 2017

Nuts & Bolts of Trust and Estate Planning This seminar is a must-attend for anyone (whether married, single, or a surviving spouse) whose estate plan has not been reviewed since 2012.

Our practice is problem solving, our passion is planning, and our goal is your peace of mind.

You should attend if: • You want to find out if your plan is up to date light of changes in the tax law.

• You want to make sure your IRA and other retirement plans are protected for your beneficiaries.

• You want to learn how your estate plan provides for your disability and death.

• You want to learn about funding your Revocable Living Trust to be sure your estate plan will work properly.

What we will discuss: • How to simplify your estate plan in light of current tax law.

• How your existing trust may affect capital gains taxes for your beneficiaries.

• Why current tax law may allow for changes that provide ease of administration.

• How estate planning for IRAs and other retirement plans work, and how recent law changes impact the way your heirs inherit them.

• How you can protect your heirs’ inheritance from creditors and bad marriages.

• How to maximize total control of your property.

Location/Dates

THE SIMON FAMILY JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER 5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Suite 200 Virginia Beach, VA 23462 Tuesday, February 21, 2017 10:30 a.m. & Tuesday, March 14, 2017 10:30 a.m.

Carrell Blanton Ferris & Associates, PLC 780 Lynnhaven Parkway, Suite 330 Virginia Beach, VA 23452

Enjoy light refreshments.

There is no attendance fee, but seating is limited.

For more information or to make a reservation, please visit www.carrellblanton.com or for Virginia Beach seminars contact Lisa Crowley at (757) 263-4167 or lcrowley@carrellblanton.com

2 | Jewish News | February 13, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

Upfront

Jewish news jewishnewsva.org

How Israel’s travel bans are—and aren’t—like Trump’s Andrew Tobin

TEL AVIV (JTA) – Defending his executive order directing the construction of a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico, President Donald Trump pointed to Israel as a model, saying “a wall protects.”

With another swipe of his pen two days later, on Jan. 27, Trump enacted a targeted travel ban. As it turns out, that executive order, also has at least superficial similarities to Israel’s immigration regime.

“Officially, we are like Trump,” says Amnon Rubenstein, a law professor at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya and former Israeli education minister. “We don’t accept refugees or immigrants” who aren’t Jewish under Israel’s Law of Return. “But the reality is a little different.”

Israel for years has maintained Trumpian semi-bans on entry by citizens from several Arab countries and asylum seekers. The difference is that the law is often not enforced.

The Trump travel ban barred entry to the United States by immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries—Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen— for 90 days. It also blocked all refugees for 120 days, and refugees fleeing the civil war in Syria indefinitely.

Since 2007, Israel has legally refused entry to most citizens from three of the countries on Trump’s list—Iran, Iraq and Syria—as well as from Lebanon. These “enemy states” were added to a 2003 emergency law, passed in response to the second intifada, that has largely stopped

Palestinians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip from living in Israel.

Israel has also taken a relatively hard line on asylum seekers, who in its case come mostly from Eritrea and Sudan. The state has generally deemed these migrants “infiltrators” seeking work, though many have fled persecution and human rights abuses at home, according to human rights groups.

At the same time, Israel has deterred more African migrants from coming and sent out those who have already arrived.

As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu boasted in a tweet responding to Trump’s shout-out, Israel in 2014 completed a fence along its border with Egyptian-controlled Sinai. The previous year, Israel built a detention center in the Negev just for the migrants, and it has given cash incentives to tens of thousands to return to South Sudan or go to third countries with which Israel has reached agreements.

But whereas Trump’s travel ban allows few exceptions, Israel’s immigration laws are full of loopholes and are sometimes simply ignored entirely.

“Israel is primarily a country of Jewish repatriation. Non-Jewish immigration is supposed to be very limited,” says Alexander Yakobson, a historian at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. “And yet the number of non-Jewish immigrants here is staggering. This is achieved not through policy but through non-enforcement of immigration laws.”

The law targeting West Bank and Gaza Palestinians and citizens of the four Arab

Contents

About the cover: Photograph by Steve Budman

Upfront. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Virginia Festival of Jewish Film . . . . . . 28

Briefs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Crossing the Line 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Torah Thought . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Elie Wiesel Student Competition. . . . . . 29

Hal Sacks Jewish News Archives. . . . . . . 6

What’s Happening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

JCC bomb threats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Kim Simon Fink to be honored. . . . . . . 34

Trump and Iran and settlements. . . . . . . 8

Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Super Sunday’s success. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Who Knew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Tu b’Shvat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Obituaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Cooking and Eating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Israel Poster Contest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

It’s a Wrap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Special Section—Cooking and Eating

HAT’s parent paint night . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

countries allows the interior minister or regional military commanders to make various exceptions. These include the options to grant residency to older Palestinian spouses and citizenship to young children.

Citizenship, or a lesser status, can also be granted to someone “of special interest to the State” or who “performed a significant act to promote the security, economy or some other important matter of State.”

Such a person, whose family may be included, must identify with “Israel and its goals.”

A 30-year old gay poet who had fled persecution for his sexuality in Iran and professed to be “in love with” Israel was allowed to enter the country and stay.

For those who need to enter Israel for work or medical care, temporary visas can be issued. Israeli army medics have brought more than 2,600 Syrians to the country for care, though the state will not recognize them as refugees, and tens of thousands of West Bank Palestinians are permitted to work in Israel, with thousands more coming in illegally.

Even African migrants in many ways have been accommodated. Israel has expelled few, and more than 45,000 are estimated to remain in the country. Several years ago, the state announced it would not enforce employment laws that would prevent them from working. In Tel Aviv, where most migrants settle, they work behind the counters of bars and restaurants on nearly every block, speaking Hebrew with Israeli waiters and waitresses.

Quotable

Published 22 times a year by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.

QR code generated on http://qrcode.littleidiot.be

Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus of the Tidewater Jewish Community 5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Suite 200 Virginia Beach, Virginia 23462-4370 voice 757.965.6100 • fax 757.965.6102 email news@ujft.org Terri Denison, Editor Germaine Clair, Art Director Hal Sacks, Book Review Editor Sandy Goldberg, Account Executive Mark Hecht, Account Executive Marilyn Cerase, Subscription Manager Reba Karp, Editor Emeritus Sherri Wisoff, Proofreader United Jewish Federation of Tidewater Jay Klebanoff, President Alvin Wall, Treasurer Stephanie Calliott, Secretary Harry Graber, Executive Vice-President www.jewishVA.org The appearance of advertising in the Jewish News does not constitute a kashrut, political, product or service endorsement.

The articles and letters appearing herein are not necessarily the opinion of this newspaper. © 2017 Jewish News. All rights reserved.

Subscription: $18 year For subscription or change of address, JewishNewsVA call 757-965-6128 or email mcerase@ujft.org.

Upcoming Deadlines for Editorial and Advertising Issue Date March 6 March 20 April 3 April 17

Topic Retirement Camp Passover Home

Deadline Feb. 17 March 3 March 17 March 31

Candle lighting Friday, February 17/21 Shevat Light candles at 5:30 pm

“Trees have stories, and Israel’s trees have lots of stories.”

Friday, February 24/28 Shevat Light candles at 5:37 pm Friday, March 3/5 Adar Light candles at 5:43 pm Friday, March 10/12 Adar Light candles at 5:50 pm

—page 13

Friday, March 17/19 Adar Light candles at 6:56 pm Friday, March 24/26 Adar Light candles at 7:09 pm

jewishnewsva.org | February 13, 2017 | Jewish News | 3

Briefs Congress proposes highest US civilian honor for Anwar Sadat Bipartisan legislation in the House and Senate would honor Anwar Sadat posthumously with the Congressional Gold Medal for leading Egypt to peace with Israel.

The medal, the highest civilian honor bestowed by Congress, would be conferred in 2018, the centenary of the late Egyptian president’s birth.

“President Sadat was the first Arab leader to recognize Israel,” said Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., who joined Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, in introducing the bill in the Senate. “He displayed courage and vision when he negotiated the peace treaty, fundamentally changing the course of history in the Middle East for the better.”

Backing the bill in the House of Representatives are Reps. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., and Chris Stewart, R-Utah.

The bid to confer the medal is being promoted by The Friedlander Group, a New York-based publicity and lobbying firm with a focus on Jewish issues.

Militant Islamists assassinated Sadat in 1981 because of the 1978 Camp David peace deal he forged with Israel. Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin received the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize.

The medal, launched in 1776 and first awarded to George Washington, also has been conferred among others on Elie Wiesel, the Holocaust memoirist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate; Shimon Peres, the former Israeli president and prime minister; Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitcher rebbe, and Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat who was abducted by the Soviets and who died imprisoned by them after saving tens of thousands of Hungarian Jews during the Holocaust. (JTA) NY commuters clean Nazi graffiti off subway car with hand sanitizer Commuters on a New York City subway used hand sanitizer to clean away swastikas and other anti-Semitic graffiti drawn in permanent marker on the train’s maps, advertisements and windows.

The Manhattan subway riders discovered the graffiti Saturday, Feb. 4.

“The train was silent as everyone stared at each other, uncomfortable and unsure what to do,” one of the commuters, Gregory Locke, wrote in a post on Facebook. “One guy got up and said, ‘Hand sanitizer gets rid of Sharpie. We need alcohol.’ He found some tissues and got to work.”

Locke’s post continued: “I’ve never seen so many people simultaneously reach into their bags and pockets looking for tissues and Purell. Within about two minutes, all the Nazi symbolism was gone.”

“Nazi symbolism. On a public train. In New York City. In 2017,” he wrote.

At least one of the messages said “Jews belong in the oven,” according to the New York Daily News.(JTA)

Tel Aviv University ranked among world’s top startup schools A new study ranked Tel Aviv University among the top schools producing billion-dollar startups.

According to the British marketing firm Verve Search, Tel Aviv ranks eighth in the world for training the founders of so-called unicorns, startup firms worth more than $1 billion.

Stanford University topped the list with 51 alumni responsible for founding unicorns, followed by Harvard with 37.

Tel Aviv University had seven, according to the study, ahead of Cornell and the University of Southern California, which had six apiece.

The companies founded by Tel Aviv alumni include ForeScout, a computer security firm whose co-founders attended the school, and ironSource, which builds tools for app developers. (JTA) Iran says missile can reach Tel Aviv in 7 minutes A senior Iranian official threatened immediate retaliation against Israel if it is attacked, warning that Iranian missiles can reach Tel Aviv in seven minutes.

Mojtaba Zonour, a senior member of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission and a

4 | Jewish News | February 13, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

former Revolutionary Guards official, made the remarks to Iran’s Fars news agency. Zonour also threatened to destroy the American military base in nearby Bahrain if Iran is attacked.

“The U.S. Army’s 5th Fleet has occupied a part of Bahrain, and the enemy’s farthest military base is in the Indian Ocean, but these points are all within the range of Iran’s missile systems and they will be razed to the ground if the enemy makes a mistake,” Zonour said. He added: “And only seven minutes is needed for the Iranian missile to hit Tel Aviv.”

The comments came in the wake of Iran’s testing this month of a ballistic missile, a move that prompted President Donald Trump to impose a new round of sanctions on the Islamic Republic. The test also set off a flurry of tweets from Trump, included one on Feb. 2 saying that “Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile.” The following day, Trump tweeted that Iran is “playing with fire.”

The U.S. Treasury Department announced a new round of sanctions targeting individuals or entities it said had assisted Iran’s missile program. (JTA)

White House leaves out attacks in Israel on list of 78 ‘underreported’ terrorist acts No attacks in Israel were included on a list of 78 “underreported” terrorist attacks released by the White House.

The list, which includes attacks around the world from September 2014 to December 2016, was released Monday, Feb. 6 after President Donald Trump spoke of the dangers of “radical Islamic terrorists” and said the media often did not want to report on terror attacks.

“In many cases, the very, very dishonest press doesn’t want to report it.

They have their reasons, and you understand that,” Trump said according to The Washington Post.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer later clarified that the president believes terrorist attacks are “underreported”—not “unreported”—by the media.

“He felt members of the media don’t always cover some of those events to

the extent that other events might get covered,” Spicer said Monday, Feb. 6 according to The Washington Post.

Some of the dozens of attacks on the White House list were widely covered in the media, such as a series of attacks in Paris in November 2015, and mass shootings in Orlando, Florida, and San Bernardino, California, in June 2016 and December 2015, respectively.

Attacks in Israel were omitted from the list, though over 350 terrorist attacks— including stabbings, shootings, vehicular ramming attacks and a bus bombing— have taken place since Sept. 13, 2015, according to a report released last month

by Israel’s Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Daniel Shapiro, the former U.S. ambassador to Israel, wrote on Twitter that the omission of attacks in Israel “is really hard to explain,” adding that several attacks “were genuinely underreported.”

The White House did not respond to a request from JTA seeking comment. (JTA)

White supremacist fliers found at Indiana University Indiana University said it contacted the FBI after white supremacist fliers were found posted on the Bloomington campus.

In a statement Tuesday, Feb. 7, Provost and Executive Vice President Lauren Robel said the fliers were put up “by a group that identifies with white supremacy” and targeted minority faculty members.

“Posted under cover of darkness, targeting the office doors of faculty members of color or scholars of race and ethnicity, these flyers were clearly meant to intimidate, threaten, scare, and provoke anger among faculty, staff, students and visitors,” Robel wrote. “The university is working with the police and has notified the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”

Robel said the university rejects racism and discrimination and said the fliers run counter to the school’s values.

“Our campus unequivocally rejects the cowardice and ugliness that this group’s action represents,” Robel wrote. “We stand together as a community in the face of this abhorrent action. We will not be divided by cowards. This is a university. We discuss ideas in the full light of day.” (JTA)

Torah Thought

“ THIS IS WHERE WE LIVE, THIS IS WHERE WE WANT TO GIVE BACK.”

With full Talmud translation, online library hopes to make sages accessible Ben Sales

N

EW YORK (JTA)—For centuries, studying a page of the Talmud has come with a bevy of barriers to entry.

Written mostly in Aramaic, the Talmud in its most commonly printed form also lacks punctuation or vowels, let alone translation. Its premier explanatory commentary, composed by the medieval sage Rashi, is usually printed in an obscure Hebrew typeface read almost exclusively by religious, learned Jews. Even then, scholars can still spend hours figuring out what the text means.

And that’s not to mention the Talmud’s size and cost: 37 full volumes, called tractates, that can take up an entire shelf.

Helping students and readers crack these barriers and access what amounts to a library of Jewish law, ritual, folklore and moral guidance has been an ongoing endeavor. Milestones include the first (unfinished) attempt at an English translation by American publisher Michael Levi Rodkinson at the turn of the 20th century, an abridged version by Rabbi Chaim Tchernowitz in the 1920s, and “The Soncino Talmud on CD-ROM” from 1995.

Now, a website hopes to build on these earlier breakthroughs and break all the barriers at once.

Sefaria, a website founded in 2013 that aims to put the seemingly infinite Jewish canon online for free, has published an acclaimed translation of the Talmud in English. The translation, which includes explanatory notes in relatively plain language, was started by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz in 1965 and is considered by many to be the best in its class.

The Steinsaltz edition of the Talmud has been in print for decades, in both modern Hebrew and English translation, and parts of it already exist on the internet. But this is the first time it’s being put online in its entirety for free. The online edition also opens up the copyright license, meaning that anyone is allowed to repurpose it for teaching, literature, or anything else.

“Ninety percent of the world’s Jews speak Hebrew and English,” says Daniel

Septimus, Sefaria’s executive director. “The Talmud is in Aramaic. It will now be online in Hebrew and English. From an accessibility point of view, it’s a game changer.”

Sefaria rolled out 22 tractates of the Steinsaltz English edition earlier this month, and will be publishing the entire Hebrew translation over the course of 2017. The rest of the English edition, which is as yet unfinished, will be published online as it is completed. The translation’s publication was made possible by a multimillion-dollar deal with the Steinsaltz edition’s publishers, Milta and Koren Publishers Jerusalem, and financed by the William Davidson Foundation, a family charity. The edition will be known as The William Davidson Talmud.

Translations and explanations of the Talmud already exist online. A range of apps promises free translations. ArtScroll, the Orthodox Jewish publishing giant, offers a digital version of its own complete English Talmud translation for $600. A comprehensive digital Jewish library published for decades by Israel’s Bar-Ilan University is also available for purchase, but not with English translation.

Besides its edition being free, Sefaria’s founders say its version of the Steinsaltz Talmud is better than competitors because it is untethered to the Talmud’s classic printed form. Since the mid-15th century, the Talmud has been published with unpunctuated text in a column in the middle of the page, its commentaries wrapping around it.

Like all of Sefaria’s texts, which range from the Bible to Hasidic texts and works of Jewish law, the Steinsaltz translation is published sentence by sentence in a mobile-friendly format, with the translation appearing below the original. The format also allows Sefaria to link between the Talmud’s text and the myriad Jewish sources it references, from the Bible to rabbinic literature.

Click on a line of Aramaic, and a string of commentaries, verses or parallel rabbinic sources will pop up. An algorithm Sefaria uses, which just added 50,000 such links to the Talmud, is also reverse engineered:

Michael Glasser Attorney-at-Law/Partner, Glasser and Glasser PLC

Glasser & Glasser utilizes Old Point’s online business banking to process payments faster, so they can spend less time focused on cash flow, and more time focused on our community.

Local Matters to Us OldPoint.com 757.728.1200 #localmatterstous Member FDIC I ©2016 Old Point

Click on a verse in the Bible and you will see where it’s quoted in the Talmud or other books.

The project is the biggest step forward in Sefaria’s larger goal of democratizing Jewish religious scholarship by making it digitized, free and intelligible to everyone.

The site also has a tool for Jewish educators to create source sheets, or short study aids with quotations from a range of Jewish books.

Another site which shares that goal, the Open Siddur Project, provides Jewish prayer text for free so people can put together their own prayer books. Its

founder, Aharon Varady, says the modern-day emphasis on intellectual property clashes with the Jewish tradition of sharing knowledge openly and freely.

“Copyright is an innovation with fairly different interests than that of a living culture that is growing by educators sharing material, by teachers making source sheets with others,” says Varady.

The site already offers thousands of books in open-source code, so anyone can use them, and hopes to add thousands more—the entirety of Judaic literature.

jewishnewsva.org | February 13, 2017 | Jewish News | 5

from the hal Sacks Jewish News Archives

February 16, 2007 Rafel Harpaz, acting consul general for the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, made his first visit to Tidewater to strengthen the relationship between Virginia and Israel

Our Expertise. Your Edge Talented people serving successful clients for life.

Serving clients since 1989, Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer, P.C. offers a local touch with regional scope and national resources.

We are committed to providing exceptional service to help our clients achieve lasting, positive change.

Tax Assurance Entrepreneurial Services Restructuring & Turnaround

Business Valuation Litigation Support Cost Segregation Studies Estate & Retirement Planning

on

economic and cultural levels.

February 14, 1997 Virginia Beach Mayor Meyer Orbendorf was named an honoree for the upcoming National Conference (NCCJ) annual Tidewater Chapter Humanitarian Awards Dinner. Orbendorf was the first directly elected mayor and the first woman mayor in the history of Virginia Beach.

February 6, 1987 Tidewater’s rally for Soviet Jewry took on added significance when an audience of 1,000 heard

Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer, P.C. is an independently owned and operated member firm of CPAmerica International.

150 West Main Street l Norfolk, Virginia l 23510 l 757.625.4700 l www.wec-cpa.com

an emotional testimony from former refusenik Aleksandr Slepak and entertainer Mary Travers of Peter, Paul and Mary fame. Both related their experiences with refuseniks still entrapped in

What Makes Envision Wealth Management Different?

Russia.

February 11, 1977 Area dentists gathered at the home of Dr. Sanford Lefcoe to form the Aleph Chapter of the American Friends of Tel Aviv. The chapter was formed to help meet the needs of the University Dental School, which opened this year.

1. Comprehensive Financial Planning

Dr. Emanuel Michaels was chosen to lead the chapter, which includes dentists from Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Virginia Beach.

2. Independent Investment Analysis 3. Objective, Client Centered Advice

February 1, 1967 $1 million—a tremendous sum in the history of local philanthropy—has been pledged in the Jewish Community Center Building Campaign. A small,

Jonathan Muhlendorf, CFP® President

Envision Wealth Management

It is not our position to offer legal or tax advice. Jonathan Muhlendorf is a registered representative of Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp. Securities and investment advisory services offered through Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp.,a broker dealer (member SIPC) and registered investment advisor.

Insurance offered through Lincoln affiliates and other fine companies. Envision Wealth Management is not an affiliate of Lincoln Financial Advisors. CRN-1644286-111516

6 | Jewish News | February 13, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

determined and hardworking group of volunteers have arrived at this major turning point on the road to the goal of $1,400,000, led by co-chairmen Leonard Strelitz, Marvin Simon, Julian Rashkind and Harry Weisberg.

One Columbus Center, Suite 800 Virginia Beach, VA 23462 Phone: 757-777-3121, jon@envisionwm.com www.envisionwm.com

To browse or search the Jewish News Archives, go to www.jewishnewsva.org and click on archives.

Nation

JCC bomb threat probe hindered by tech disguises disguises adopted by callers. Brenda Moxley, former assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s criminal branch in Miami, says NEW YORK (JTA)—A person calls a that investigating phone calls used to mean Jewish institution, makes a bomb threat tracing a landline, a relatively simple proceand hangs up. The call lasts no more than dure in comparison to the present. a minute, the caller’s voice is disguised A January 18 call made to a Jewish and the call is made to look as if it came institution obtained by JTA used a voice from inside the building. disguise and lasted one minute. The caller How do you catch the culprit? said the bomb was placed inside a bag, That’s the question the FBI is facing threatened to kill Jews and hung up. in investigating the 65 bomb threats that “If you compare this to things that have hit JCCs and Jewish federations in would have happened years ago, technolthree waves throughout January. The latest ogy has changed,” says Moxley, who now string of threats, targeting 17 JCCs across serves as director of community security the country, occurred Tuesday, Jan. 31. The for the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. first waves came on Monday, Jan. 9 and “Technology has advanced in ways that Wednesday, Jan. 18. make it hard for law Paul Goldenberg, enforcement to keep up director of the Secure with.”

Community Network, The FBI won’t comwhich advises Jewish ment on ongoing groups and institutions investigations, but spokeson security, says even if JCCs woman Samantha Shero the caller is one person targeted says that the investigation in a room somewhere, since January would start with agents technological advances speaking to the people have made identifying the who received the calls, perpetrator much more then pooling information difficult. among states. Retired FBI supervisor Paul “They’re sophisticated enough to leverVecchi says that the key to such investigaage technology on their behalf,” he says. tions is getting as many details about the “They’re using a machine that masks their call as soon as possible. It’s incumbent on voice. They’re using a technology that the person who took the call, Vecchi says, allows them to look like they’re calling from to record as much as they can. the inside.”

Agents can then analyze the caller’s None of the threats appeared to be word choice, tone and any background credible, and JCCs largely were able to noise, such as sounds from a kitchen or evacuate and resume business as usual. a city street. These steps help, he says, But security experts, including former FBI even if the origin and voice of the caller is agents, say that the bureau would still take unknown. If agents can associate the caller the threats seriously. with a militant group or network of crimi“It’s a hate crime, and they’ll throw nals, they may be able to fill in the pieces. all the resources they can at it,” says Jim “It’s all about the behavioral analysis Hartnett, a former FBI supervisor who now and determining what we call a behavserves as director of security for the Jewish ioral sign—behavior that can be actually Federation of Cleveland. “They have the attached to a person or group in order technology. It may take some analysis and to do what we have to, to get somewhat some resources. They’ll be successful in of a characteristic of the bomber,” says pursuing and identifying the individual or Vecchi, who is now an assistant professor individuals that are behind this.” of criminal justice at Missouri Western State Now the FBI has to figure out how to University. “Someone who doesn’t speak get there by overcoming the technological Ben Sales

English as a first language will say things that are not quite right English-wise.”

Even if there are no leads, it doesn’t mean agents will abandon the search. The Jewish News ad : FEBRUARY 3, 2017 — case will reopen, Vecchi says, as soon as a 3/8 Vertical is: 4.875”w x 8.125” h new bomb threat comes in.

“If it’s just basically a guy calling, that’s documented in the files and it’s in the system,” he says. “Then, when the next one comes in, the investigation stays open.”

DRAFT 1a

FestivelyDecorum Sophisticated. Fun. Modern. Furniture. (+ the coolest gift shop!)

65

The Bink sidetable from BDI.

Check-out the coolest Gift Shop in the region with thoughtful, fun & irresistible gift ideas that are guaranteed to please!

301 West 21st Street, Norfolk, Va Monday thru Saturday 10-6

n

n

757.623.3100

n

decorumfurniture.com

Thursday & Friday till 8

n

Sunday Noon-5

jewishnewsva.org | February 13, 2017 | Jewish News | 7

Nation ANALYSIS

Is Trump reversing course on settlements and Iran?

Ron Kampeas

WASHINGTON ( JTA)—Israeli settlements are no big problem. Wait—maybe they are, after all.

The Iran deal is trash. No, the deal is here to stay, despite being “weak.”

On Thursday, Feb. 2, the White House pronounced on Israel’s announced settlement expansion that it “may not help” peace, and it put Iran “on notice” for testing ballistic missiles and announced new sanctions while the president fought with the regime on Twitter. Was the settlements announcement a back-to-Obama moment, auguring renewed U.S.-Israel tensions? Was it a return to Bush—W, that is—setting the stage for a compromise and anticipating resolution of an issue that has dogged U.S.Israel relations for decades?

Is the Iran nuclear deal, reviled by the Netanyahu government, on its last legs? Or is it getting a new lease on life?

Let’s have a look at what President Donald Trump said and what was actually done.

Settlements What’s new: The Trump administration for the first time since his election pronounced on settlements.

“While we don’t believe the existence of settlements is an impediment to peace, the construction of new settlements or the expansion of existing settlements beyond their current borders may not be helpful in achieving that goal,” the White House said in a statement.

Back to Obama?

No, not even close.

The Obama administration repeatedly and pronouncedly said settlements were an impediment to peace, and into its final days, it allowed a U.N. Security Council resolution to pass that condemned the settlements.

“It is not this resolution that is isolating Israel, it is the pernicious policy of settlement construction that is making peace

impossible,” former Secretary of State John Kerry said in December in one of his final speeches in the job.

Back to Bush?

Closer, but not quite.

Focusing on “the construction of new settlements or the expansion of existing settlements beyond their current borders” sounds a lot like the policy President George W. Bush is said to have endorsed after he sent then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon a letter in 2004, saying the United States recognized that some settlements constituted “realities on the ground.”

Israeli and U.S. officials at the time said Bush quietly agreed that this formulation would allow for “natural growth” in existing settlements.

(What’s at dispute is whether Bush adhered to this formula throughout the rest of his presidency. Some officials have said he believed that Sharon took too many liberties with what constituted “natural growth” and that by the time Bush left office in 2009, the agreement to abide “natural growth” was not active.)

The departure from the policies of George W. Bush—considered, with Bill Clinton, the friendliest president to Israel —and their predecessors is in the use of “impediment.” Bush used the word in 2008, at least to describe settlements built beyond existing settlement boundaries.

Sean Spicer, Trump’s spokesman, appeared to say Friday, Feb. 3 during a briefing that what’s built—established settlement, recent outpost, the whole shebang—can stay in place. The key word is

8 | Jewish News | February 13, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

“current.”

“We don’t believe that the existence of current settlements is an impediment to peace, but we don’t believe the construction or expansion of settlements beyond current borders is helpful,” he said.

Another major departure from the policies of both Clinton and George W. Bush is the absence of any mention of a two-state solution.

Trump has said he wants to broker a deal, and has tapped his Jewish sonin-law, Jared Kushner, as his point man. But Spicer would not be pinned down on two states.

“At the end of the day, the goal is peace, and that’s going to be a subject that they discuss, and that’s all I’m going to say,” he said in response to a reporter’s question, referring to the White House meeting scheduled for Feb. 15 between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

This might not be the final word. There was a jarring sentence at the end of the Thursday, Feb. 2 White House statement.

“The Trump administration has not taken an official position on settlement activity,” it said, rounding out a statement that of itself was an official position on settlement activity. Translation: Wait until Netanyahu and Trump pow-wow and we may know more.

We

don’t believe

that the existence

of current settlements is an impediment to peace, but we don’t

believe the construction or expansion of

settlements beyond current borders is helpful.

Iran What’s new: On Sunday, Jan. 29, Iran tested ballistic missiles. On Wednesday, Feb. 1, National Security Adviser Mike Flynn said Iran was “on notice.” The next two days,

Trump followed up with tough-talking tweets. The Iranians dished back, also on Twitter.

Back to Obama?

More or less, without the rhetoric.

The last time Iran tested a ballistic missile, in January 2016, Obama slapped sanctions on 11 entities and individuals. On Friday, Feb. 3, Trump more than doubled that to 25.

The effect is the same: An acknowledgment that the missile tests do not directly violate the Iran nuclear deal, but a reminder nonetheless that because they do violate U.N. Security Council resolutions, they will trigger penalties.

Spicer acknowledged that the sanctions were an Obama redux, noting that their architect in the last administration, Adam Szubin, who ran the sanctions regime for Obama, is acting Treasury secretary.

The sanctions were “in the pipeline,” Spicer said, and Szubin had lined them up well before Trump was inaugurated in anticipation that Iran would launch a provocation of some kind.

“He served in the last administration,” Spicer said of Szubin, “and these kind of sanctions don’t happen quickly.”

That said, there was a ratcheting up of rhetoric. Szubin, as an Obama official a year ago, was specific in describing the penalties.

“We have consistently made clear that the United States will vigorously press sanctions against Iranian activities outside of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action— including those related to Iran’s support for terrorism, regional destabilization, human rights abuses and ballistic missile program,” he said at the time.

Flynn, by contrast, was more vague— and, as a result, at least seemed more threatening.

“As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice,” he said Wednesday, Feb. 1.

Announcing the sanctions, Flynn again sounded a warning but did not make clear any precise actions.

Nation “The Trump Administration will no longer tolerate Iran’s provocations that threaten our interests,” he said. “The days of turning a blind eye to Iran’s hostile and belligerent actions toward the United States and the world community are over.”

Trump sounded a similarly belligerent if unspecific tone on Twitter, and like Flynn took swipes at the Obama administration

for being too soft on the Iranians.

“Iran is playing with fire,” Trump said in his tweet Friday, Feb. 3. “They don’t appreciate how ‘kind’ President Obama was to them. Not me!”

Javad Zarif, the Iranian foreign minister who was his country’s lead negotiator in the 2015 deal exchanging sanctions relief for a nuclear rollback, replied quickly.

“We will never use our weapons against anyone, except in self-defense,” he said in the same forum. “Let us see if any of those who complain can make the same statement.”

Spicer was asked at his briefing whether the tough talk meant Trump was ready to scrap the Iran nuclear deal.

“The deal that was struck was a bad

deal, that we gave Iran too much and we got too little for it,” he said. Spicer did not say, however, whether Trump was ready to take that leap.

That’s consistent with the posture of Trump’s secretary of defense, James Mattis, who has agreed the deal is weak but advised that scrapping it would be unwise.

MSRP FROM $43,190* Ready for any adventure. That’s what you get from a Discovery Sport when you combine the capability of a Land Rover vehicle with extraordinary versatility. You’ll be able to drive just about anywhere your sense of adventure takes you. Schedule your test drive today.

2865 Virginia Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach | 757-490-1111 LandRoverVirginiaBeach.com Model Shown: 2016 Discovery Sport. *Price shown is manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price for the 2017 Land Rover Sport. Supplies are limited. Excludes $599 destination/handling charge, tax, title, license, and retailer fees, all due at signing, and optional equipment. Retailer price, terms and vehicle availability may vary. Visit Land Rover Virginia Beach or call 757-490-1111 for qualifications and complete equipment. © Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC.

jewishnewsva.org | February 13, 2017 | Jewish News | 9

super sunday

2017 Super Sunday draws from new base of support Robyn Weiner and Amy Kurfist

C

aring for the elderly…funding scholarships to Jewish day school and summer camps…providing psychiatric and emotional support services…ensuring the future of Israel and other nations worldwide.

These were among the various causes which drew donors to lend their support to this year’s Super Sunday campaign—an event which broke all recent Federation Super Sunday records, raising a total of $122,000. Super Sunday 2017 exceeded its goal by more than $20,000, and additional donations are still trickling in —from messages left on voicemails and from cards sent to donors at their request.

On Sunday, Jan. 22, nearly 100 volunteers from the Tidewater Jewish community came together to raise funds for crucial community services supported by the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.

More than 300 individual donors opened their hearts and their wallets— nearly a quarter of those being donors brand new, or returning to support the campaign after years of inactivity.

Each year, the Super Sunday Cabinet, comprised of volunteers from UJFTs Young Adult Division, meet for several months before the big day. During those meetings, cabinet members learn about the organized Jewish community, meet professional and lay community leaders, and take on a variety of tasks to plan and coordinate this community’s largest phone-a-thon of the campaign year.

This year’s theme was “What Draws You?” which inspired those who are active in the Jewish community to share through artwork why they stay involved and why they donate.

From a diverse range of backgrounds— Tidewater natives and recent transplants, students and young professionals—the committee develops a bond that results in a day that builds support for the community for the entire year.

Super Sunday was “all hands on deck” for cabinet members,

Before the event: Super Sunday Steering Committee—Leah Abrams, Sam Molofsky, Andrea Karelitz , Danit Drory, Mendy Fisch, Brandon Terkeltaub, Ethan Heben, Paul Weiner, Amy Kurfist, Pam Trompeter, Rachel Kane, and Robyn Weiner.

Federation professionals, and dozens of volunteers. Shortly after 9 am, callers whipped out their cellphones and revved up their “fundraising engines.” With no time for nerves, even novice callers took the challenge to call their fellow community members. For some donors, a call on Super Sunday is the single Jewish conversation they have all year. They look forward to it and to being part of the excitement of the day.

Jewish agencies and programs in Tidewater are safe for now, thanks in part to the donors reached on Super Sunday 2017. It’s never too early to start gearing up for next year’s campaign. If interested in serving on Super Sunday Cabinet 2018, call Leah Abrams, Young Leadership director, at 965-6127.

Visit www.fb.com/UJFTidewater/ photos for more Super Sunday photos.

To learn more about how gifts make a difference and to contribute to the UJFT’s Annual Campaign, visit www.JewishVA.org.

Making calls: Laura Gross, UJFT Campaign chair; Harry Graber, UJFT executive vice president; Betty Ann Levin, JFS executive director; Janet Mercadante, Women’s Campaign vice chair; Jay Klebanoff, UJFT president.

10 | Jewish News | February 13, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

Amy and Jeff Brooke.

Minna Haber and Pesha Sherashevsky make thank you calls to donors.

super sunday

Bill’s

Will

Said a Lot About H1m.

Ed Kramer and Miriam Seeherman.

Jeremy Krupnick, YAD Campaign co-chair and Super Sunday sponsor— Coastal Home Mortgage Co. LLC; and Steve Zuckerman, YAD chair.

What Does Your Will Say About You? Norfolk businessman Bill Goldback valued good health and

Leora and Danit Drory.

David Leon and Gary Bartel.

Ilana Benson and Jodi Klebanoff.

Cindy Kramer.

great arts performances.

Before he died in 2007, Bill arranged for a Hampton Roads Community Foundation bequest to provide grants for performing arts and medicine in Hampton Roads.

Goldback grants have helped the Virginia Symphony, The Hurrah Players, The Free Foundation and St. Mary’s Home do excellent work.

Thanks to Bill’s generosity he will forever help people in his home region.

Connect your passions to the future by ordering a free bequest guide. Learn how easy it is to leave a gift for charity.

www.leaveabequest.org.

(757) 622-7951

jewishnewsva.org | February 13, 2017 | Jewish News | 11

Tu b’Shvat

Ohef Sholom begins national environmental certifications Alyssa Muhlendorf

F

or 2017, Ohef Sholom Temple stepped up its congregation’s commitment to creation by working on the requirements for two national environmental certifications.

The Union for Reform Judaism’s Religious Action Center and GreenFaith became partners in January 2016 to promote energy savings and greenhouse gas emissions reductions, environmental leadership training, advocacy, and strengthened inter-congregational learning among Reform congregations nationwide.

Ohef Sholom is working on the GreenFaith Energy Shield national designation. To earn this, the congregation will engage in activities—educational, spiritual, and practical—to conserve energy, reduce

their carbon footprint, and equip their members with information to do the same at home.

This program helps Ohef Sholom to steward resources in two ways—it conserves energy and saves money in congregant households and the Ohef Sholom building by being more intentional about energy usage.

The National Wildlife Fund’s Sacred Ground’s program is a national program that gives people of all faiths the opportunity to connect to nature at their place of worship and to learn about the different ways their faith encourages them to be good environmental stewards. To fulfill this program, congregations must incorporate the four elements of habitat into their grounds (food, water, cover, and places for wildlife to raise their young); connect environmental

stewardship to faith through service, teaching, or prayer; and educate and inspire the congregation to get involved through service in the broader Cindy Rose teaches Noa Dorfman to get her hands dirty with worm composting. community.

Mary Ann Nadler, property. She also sponsored a bat box for an Ohef Sholom congregant, is leading the the property to provide a daytime sleeping effort to create native plant and wildlife and nesting space for bats. At night, they spaces on the temple’s property with the emerge and eat copious amounts of pests, enthusiastic cooperation of Michael Phillips, such as mosquitos. the building’s operations manager. She led These certifications will actively engage an installation of a native plant garden on Ohef Sholom Temple in energy conservathe Redgate Avenue side of the building, tion and environmental stewardship through and the garden was certified a Monarch prayer, learning, and actions in the temple’s Waystation. Local monarch butterflies got building and on its grounds, in members’ the message, and gladly laid eggs, leading to homes, and in the broader community. these and other beautiful caterpillars on the

It is a tree of life to those who hold fast to it, and those who draw near it are fortunate.

Proverbs 3: 18

How will YOU assure Jewish tomorrows?

This could be the most important gift you ever make. Now is the time.

Learn how you can plant the seed for a strong future. Contact Amy Weinstein at (757) 965-6105 or aweinstein@ujft.org

www.JewishVA.org/TJF

Happy Tu B’Shevat from YOUR Tidewater Jewish Foundation 12 | Jewish News | February 13, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

Tu b’Shvat

For Tu b’Shvat, 5 of Israel’s must-see trees Michael Brown

(JTA)—Trees have stories, and Israel’s trees have lots of stories. Scattered throughout the country, scores of ancient and historic trees help shed light on fascinating aspects of Israeli history, from the biblical to the modern, that are often overlooked by the average tourist.

As we have just celebrated Tu b’Shvat —the new year for the trees on the Jewish calendar that this year fell on Feb. 10— now is the perfect time to visit some of these magnificent trees.

The five trees below, all easily accessible, are worth seeking out on your next tour of the Jewish state.

They’re a mixed lot—some are associated with famous figures, others are impressive in size, some are just plain old—but all are worth checking out.

Ba h a’u’lla h’s Grove The Baha’i Gardens complex is the most widely recognized landmark in the city of Haifa—it’s also a World Heritage Site.

The extensive complex of buildings, terraces and gardens was developed in stages, beginning with a simple, one-story building in 1909 to the completion of the site in 2001.

This monumental project began with a simple stroll. In 1891, the founder of Baha’i, the religious leader Baha’u’llah, and his son ascended a mountainside near Haifa and, as the story goes, the two men walked until they came to a clump of cypress trees.

There, Baha’u’llah pointed out to his son the site that would serve as the permanent

resting place of the Bab, the prophet who heralded the arrival of the Baha’i faith.

He declared his mission in Persia in 1844, but because of his religious teachings he was executed there in 1850, at the age of 31. The Bab’s remains were brought to the Holy Land in the late 1890s and permanently laid to rest on Mount Carmel in 1909.

This resting place—the Shrine of the Bab, at the center of meticulously maintained gardens—is a major pilgrimage site for Baha’i worldwide. Nine terraces have been landscaped above and nine terraces prepared below. The original clump of cypress trees can still be plainly seen today, little changed as they app eared m o r e than 100 years ago.

They are a reminder of the place where the founder of the Baha’i religion stood and first designated the location of this magnificent site.

Einstein’s Palm The Technion-Israel Institute of Technology is an internationally recognized institute of higher education located on a sprawling campus at the edge of Haifa. Few realize that the original institution began in the Hadar neighborhood, in midtown Haifa, at the beginning of the 20th century. Its aim was to foster scientific and technical education in the region. The impressive original building in which the Technion began now houses the Israel National Museum of Science, Technology and Space.

In 1923, Albert Einstein and his wife, Elsa, visited the Technion, which was still a work in progress at that time. In honor of the visit, they were invited to plant two palm trees, which still flank the original

building. In 2007, Lokey Park was on the new Technion campus on Haifa’s outskirts, and the tree-planting tradition was renewed: Visiting Nobel laureates like the continued on page 14

LOCAL RELATIONSHIPS MATTER MEET:

Holly Puritz, MD

“The Group for Women has remained a private practice in an era when so much of medical care has become “big business”. As a physician here, I am an owner of our business. We feel we are part of the fabric of the community and it is important for us to support the community. Our physicians serve in leadership positions in women’s health throughout the community. As owners we work to effect changes in our practice to better serve the needs of the women and their families who rely on us.”

“I think Payday is a leader, a shining example of what it means to be a corporate citizen. They walk the walk and not just talk the talk. They are a model of what it means to be a corporate citizen.”

Wonderful clients since 1998.

Start a relationship that matters today, call 757-523-0605.

w w w.p ayd ay p ay r o ll.co m

Comprehensive Payroll Solutions • ACA Compliance and Reporting • HR Support Center Automated Timekeeping • Employee/Applicant Background Screening Labor Law Poster Compliance • Accounting Software Interface • FinFit Employee Loans Pay As You Go Workers Comp Insurance • Payroll Debit Cards • Cobra Administration PD-adC-3 eighths V-Jewish News-Dr Holly Puritz-020517.indd 1

2/5/17 1:50 PM

jewishnewsva.org | February 13, 2017 | Jewish News | 13

Create your Jewish legacy through an affordable life insurance gift….

Ask us how.

Brandon Terkeltaub

bterkeltaub@friedenwealth.com

Chris Lyon

clyon@jhnetwork.com

Jody Balaban

jbalaban@jhnetwork.com

Ron Spindel

rspindel@jhnetwork.com

Tu b’Shvat continued from page 13

late Elie Wiesel have been invited to plant a tree in the park, as was the late Israeli President Shimon Peres.

A visit to Einstein’s palm helps unveil the story of this institution and the important part it played in the development of the country.

Methusaleh Tree In southern Israel, on the grounds of Kibbutz Ketura, stands a palm tree surrounded by a small enclosure.

It is not a particularly impressive tree in appearance, but the story behind it is remarkable.

The tree—named Methuselah, after the oldest person in the Bible—has been brought to life from a 2,000-year-old seed recovered from Masada during excavations in the 1960s. The seed, a remnant of the famous Judean date palm that went extinct around the time of the Crusades, was sprouted in 2005.

Every

tree has

A Member of The Frieden Agency

154-20151118-262780 154-20151118-262780 154-20151118-262780

a story.

The tree is a male. As it reaches maturity, its pollen will be used with other trees to help produce the same (or similar) variety of date eaten in ancient times.

NEW HEAT PUMP OR FURNACE

99

$

AS LOW AS

PER MONTH

SERVING ALL SOUTHSIDE

1620 Centerville Turnpike • VA Beach SAME DAY EMERGENCY SERVICES 24 hours a day • 7 days a week

www.A-1american.com 14 | Jewish News | February 13, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

mid-1930s, the municipality of Tel Aviv presented a plan to uproot the trees in order to widen and straighten the road.

Many local residents vigorously opposed the idea—therefore the trees remain for us to enjoy and help us visualize an earlier version of the land, before it was a city.

757-425-2400

King George Sycamores Tel Aviv has experienced explosive growth since it was established in 1909, obliterating most signs of the original landscape. Even so, in the heart of the bustling metropolis, near the expansive Meir Park, six ancient sycamores fill a narrow traffic island in the middle of busy King George Street, just north of Borochov Street. These impressive trees are vestiges of the native vegetation of Tel Aviv—in the 1920s, when the street was first being paved, the traffic island was created to preserve the trees.

A photo that has been widely published in books and online shows a man leaning against the trees in 1921, when the area was still undeveloped. In the

Netter’s Banyan Tree Just north of Holon, the Mikveh Israel Agricultural School sits like a peaceful green oasis within the greater Tel Aviv metropolitan area. The school was established in 1870 and nurtured the first generations of Israeli agriculturalists.

Perhaps not surprising, the school’s grounds and extensive botanical garden boast a plethora of impressive trees.

But a visitor’s first stop should be the magnificent banyan tree located near the school’s synagogue. The tree was planted in 1888

by Charles Netter, the school’s founder and first headmaster. This fascinating tree is a forest all to itself—thick aerial roots have formed alternate trunks in an ever-widening circle that today encompasses approximately a quarter of an acre.

Over the years, cuttings were taken from the tree—and so it is also the parent of many other beautiful banyan trees located throughout the country.

So next time you visit Israel and pass by a gnarled, ancient tree, take a moment to reflect on the story behind it. Maybe the tree was planted by early Jewish colonists working for the Turkish authorities, or maybe it has outlived centuries-old towns or villages that once existed on the spot.

Or perhaps it served as a landmark in an otherwise barren countryside—one that’s now crowded with buildings and automobiles. Every tree has a story. You just have to ask.

Cooking and Eating

Supplement to Jewish News February 13, 2017

Published 22 times a year by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.

Dear Readers,

I

t is said that some people live to eat, while others eat to live. I’ve got an idea

which category I fall into, how about you?

In this, our first section devoted to cooking and eating, we have articles that should appeal to both categories of diners.

For example, the piece on the adjacent page about Israeli chefs turning Baker’s Crust Artisan Kitchen into an “urban Israeli-style” restaurant for One Night, is more about the experience, than the nutrients, but then again, most Israeli food is pretty nutritious.

Speaking of nutrition, Sandra Porter Leon, nutritionist-extraordinaire, shares information about the updated Nutrition Facts label. She tells us what to look for and why changes are taking place after

Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus of the Tidewater Jewish Community 5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Suite 200 Virginia Beach, Virginia 23462-4370 voice 757.965.6100 • fax 757.965.6102 email news@ujft.org Terri Denison, Editor Germaine Clair, Art Director Hal Sacks, Book Review Editor Sandy Goldberg, Account Executive Mark Hecht, Account Executive Marilyn Cerase, Subscription Manager Reba Karp, Editor Emeritus Sherri Wisoff, Proofreader Jay Klebanoff, President Alvin Wall, Treasurer Stephanie Calliott, Secretary Harry Graber, Executive Vice-President www.jewishVA.org The appearance of advertising in the Jewish News does not constitute a kashrut, political, product or service endorsement.

The articles and letters appearing herein are not necessarily the opinion of this newspaper. © 2017 Jewish News. All rights reserved.

20 years. Even though the new labels won’t be around for more than a year, her insight will help us all to read the labels

Subscription: $18 year For subscription or change of address, call 757-965-6128 or email mcerase@ujft.org.

on our packaged food now.

Our recipes in the section are new twists on old favorites…perhaps a bit more nutritious. Certainly tasty!

Sprinkled throughout these pages are short pieces about some of our advertisers who happen to own dining establish-

www.AldosVB.com

La Promenade Shopping Center • 1860 Laskin Road, Virginia Beach 16 | Jewish News | Cooking and Eating | February 13, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

Issue Date

Topic

Deadline

March 6

Retirement

Feb. 17

interesting options here in Tidewater.

March 20

Camp

March 3

enjoy.…no matter what eating category

757-491-1111

QR code generated on http://qrcode.littleidiot.be

ments. We are fortunate to have so many

Still, there’s more. We hope you

FINE ITALIAN DINING

Upcoming Special Features

you fall in!

B’tayavon!

Terri Denison, Editor

April 3

Passover

March 17

April 17

Home

March 31

May 1

Women

April 14

Cooking and Eating One Night of Israeli cuisine at Baker’s Crust Wednesday, May 3, 6:30 pm

and culture of Israel to communities across the globe with Kitchen Encounters, which focuses on fresh, farm-to-table meals, and preparation.

“When I first heard about this event I was so excited to experience a little bit of Israel right here in Tidewater,” says Jodi Klebanoff.

“For all you foodies and lovers of Israeli cuisine (like me), the evening promises great food, drinks, music, friends, and an opportunity to interact with two amazing Israeli chefs.

“You’ll feel like you’re in a Tel Aviv restaurant,” says Klebanoff. “We’ve all been to a lot of fundraisers—this is going to be a little different and hopefully very memorable.”

Tickets for One Night are $75 each and are available at simonfamilyjcc.org/onenight. Space is limited. For more information, contact Corrie Lentz at 757-321-2337.

Nir Margalith and Guy Marom.

Corrie Lentz

F

or one night, Baker’s Crust Artisan Kitchen is flipping its Hilltop location to become an urban Israeli-style restaurant for a Simon Family JCC fundraising dinner.

Featuring Puzzle Israel chefs Nir Margalith and Guy Marom, and locally sourced greens from Neighborhood Harvest, the evening, called One Night, will raise money for Simon Family JCC Camp scholarships and youth athletic leagues.

Baker’s Crust has already designed signature Israeli cocktails and will serve Israeli beer and wine to accompany the five-course meal of modern and traditional Israeli cuisine.

Israeli music will contribute to the atmosphere.

“I love the concept of communities gathering around the table, tasting great food and sharing their stories,” says John Stein of Baker’s Crust. “I am a firm believer in giving back to our community, and have found one of the many ways I am able to contribute is through our food.”

In fact, it appears that the mission and vision of Puzzle Israel aligns with Baker’s Crust vision: to gather around the table,

You’ll

feel like you’re in a Tel Aviv restaurant

taste, and savor great food and share stories.

Nir Margalith and Guy Marom have spent the bulk of their lives perfecting their mouth-watering delicacies. Since 2010, they have brought the taste

jewishnewsva.org | February 13, 2017 | Cooking and Eating | Jewish News | 17

ilgiardino.com

Let IL Giardino cater your next event!

Rehearsal dinners • Weddings • Celebrations Call 757-422-6464 for more information.

Cooking and Eating Healthy Jewish Side Dish: Lightened-Up Kasha Varnishkes Shannon Sarna

JOIN US FOR

(The Nosher via JTA)—Kasha varnishkes is a much beloved Ashkenazi comfort food dish. Traditionally made with bow tie pasta, onions, schmaltz and kasha (buckwheat), it is filling, comforting peasant food at its best.

I wanted to add a little bit of healthfulness into the traditional recipe, so we decided to swap out regular or egg pasta for some whole grain pasta and include some riced cauliflower into the mix for a

Early Bird Menu 5–630p BOTH VA BEACH LOCATIONS

910 Atlantic Ave (757) 422-6464

2105 W Great Neck Rd (757) 412-0203

serving of vegetables.

This recipe is based on this classic recipe for kasha varnishkes from celebrated food writer and cookbook author Adeena Sussman.

Shannon Sarna is the editor of The Nosher.

The Nosher food blog offers a dazzling array of new and classic Jewish recipes and food news, from Europe to Yemen, from challah to shakshuka and beyond. Check it out at www.TheNosher.com.

Ingredients 1 cups cooked whole wheat bow tie pasta 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, diced 1 egg 1 cup kasha 2 cups vegetable stock, chicken stock or water 1½ cups “riced” cauliflower (about ½ small raw cauliflower pulsed in food processor) salt and pepper to taste Directions Cook pasta according in salted boiling water to directions, around 10 minutes; can be prepared a day ahead of time.

Beat 1 egg in a medium bowl. Add kasha and combine until coated.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook kasha and egg until kasha has separated and egg has cooked out. Add broth, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce on simmer for 10 minutes.

In another skillet, saute diced onion in olive oil over medium heat until slightly brown, around 7 minutes. Add riced cauliflower and continue to cook for 2–3 minutes.

After kasha has cooked, add onion and cauliflower mixture along with cooked pasta to pan.

Cook another 5–10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

18 | Jewish News | Cooking and Eating | February 13, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

Cooking and Eating

O

n the oceanfront, Holiday Inn North Beach offers guests more than accommodations with spectacular views. Along with its resort amenities, it provides places to host receptions and an award-winning restaurant for dining.

The hotel has two rooms for receptions. The larger space can hold up to 300 guests, and the smaller space

can hold up to 120 people. Plus, the spaces close and open into smaller or larger spaces depending on the group.

“We try and accommodate all of the needs of our guests,” says the hotel’s Marisa Powers.

“Our executive chef is great at everything she makes. She offers a traditional banquet menu, as well as some

• Holiday Inn North BEach •

themed buffets. Our guests especially love the salmon with the mango salsa. It has a lot of flavor and is a great touch for an oceanfront venue,” she says.

Isle of Capri, a Virginia Beach tradition, offers panoramic Virginia Beach views from the hotel’s sixth floor. “Some examples of the amazing food that Isle of Capris is known for,” says Powers, “is their table side Caesar salad, veal parmigiana, and traditional spaghetti with homemade meatballs.”

& SHMEARS Holiday entertaining is easy Entertaining is easy with with Einstein Bros.

Bagels!

Einstein Bagels!

We can cater toBros. any size group and

bagels, delicious egg Wedeliver cater tofresh-baked any size group and deliver fresh-baked sandwiches, fresh-brewed coffee &fresh-brewed so much more bagels, delicious egg sandwiches, your home, anywhere. coffeeto & so much youroffice home,or office, or anywhere.

EBCATERING.COM www.EBCatering.com 1.800.BAGEL.ME

(1.800.224.3563) 1.800.Bagel.Me (1.800.224.3563)

1148 Volvo Pkwy. • Chesapeake, VA 23320 • 757.410.3646 Franchise Location • Locally Owned & Operated

jewishnewsva.org | February 13, 2017 | Cooking and Eating | Jewish News | 19

Cooking and Eating Operation Hamantaschen Sunday, Feb. 19 10 am–1 pm Simon Family JCC

T

he annual community baking event, Operation Hamantaschen, usually generates about 1,500 cookies which are distributed to U.S. troops overseas, to the Israel Defense Forces and to Jewish Family Service clients. Filled with assorted fruit jams or other sweet confections, the triangular shaped cookies, known as Hamantaschen, are traditionally served during the Jewish holiday of Purim.

S AVOR

THE

O LIVE • A RTISAN O LIVE O ILS & V INEGARS

1624 L ASKIN R OAD V IRGINIA B EACH , VA 23451 757.425.3866

419 W. 21 ST S TREET N OFROLK , VA 23517 757.624.3866

20 | Jewish News | Cooking and Eating | February 13, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

Stephanie Steerman, Operation Hamantaschen committee chair, encourages people to participate in the event. She says she views it as an opportunity for Tzedakah, the important Jewish concept of giving back to the community.

“Operation Hamantaschen is a truly wonderful multi-generational community event. It provides a great opportunity to teach children about not only the holiday of Purim, but about the sacrifices that others are making to ensure our freedom,” says Scenes from Operation Hamantaschen 2016.

Steerman.

“Attendees will be able to roll out their dough, cut and form their Hamentaschen and decorate boxes (for the cookies) and thank-you cards that will be sent to Jewish service members overseas. I hope the entire community will come out and bake!” she says.

The free event is open to the community. All ages are welcome. Babysitting available.

For more information, visit www.JewishVa.org/OperationH or call 757-321-2342.

Presented by Children, Family and Camp Department of the Simon Family JCC, UJFT and PJ Library.

Cooking and Eating • Ruth’s Chris Steak House •

O

n its website, Ruth’s Chris Steak House proclaims, “This is how it’s done. Our recipe is simple: Fresh ingredients.

Classic dishes. Skilled preparation. And a passion for every detail of your perfect night.”

With restaurants across the nation and one in Virginia Beach’s Town Center, Ruth’s Chris is especially known for the way it cooks steak, which includes searing it, finishing it with butter and freshly chopped parsley, and serving it sizzling on a 500-degree plate.

The Petite Filet (eight ounces), with this preparation, is the most popular item on the menu.

In addition to its restaurant service, Ruth’s Chris can accommodate private events for up to 90 guests seated and up to 110 for standing/cocktail functions.

For those who are wondering, the restaurant’s popular outdoor patio opens in early April, just a few months away.

R

ealizing an increased demand for vegan food, Tonya Deveau opened My Vegan Sweet Tooth after working out of her

home for five years.

“It was important to me to be animal

friendly in all aspects,” says Deveau.

The bakery’s customers, however, are not just vegans. “We also make a large selection of gluten free items, so we get many gluten sensitive customers. We also get a

Delicious

Neapolitan Pizzas & A FULL BAR

Featuring 23 Craft Beers on Tap + 9 Wines on Tap

www.bakerscrust.com

• My Vegan Sweet Tooth •

lot of customers who have food allergies,” notes Deveau.

The most popular item at the bakery continues to be the cinnamon roll. “We even won The Virginian-Pilot’s cinnamon roll taste

LIKE US ON

test over the other non vegan entries!” says Deveau, who quickly adds, “We recently started offering cannolis, which also sell out quickly.”

Ceder Plank Salmon

Oven roasted fresh salmon on a cedar plank served with roasted fingerling potatoes, fresh asparagus and our own maple pear chutney jewishnewsva.org | February 13, 2017 | Cooking and Eating | Jewish News | 21

Cooking and Eating Clearer Nutrition Facts label for 2018 Sandra Porter Leon, MS, RDN

I

t’s about time! The Nutrition Facts label, a helpful nutrition guide printed on packaged foods, is getting a face lift.

After 20 years, the FDA has updated the new labels to reflect current eating habits, and, according to its website, “provide information that can help consumers make informed choices Sandra Porter Leon about the food they purchase and consume.” Most manufacturers will have to comply with new food labels by July 2018.

Whether reading the Nutrition Facts label for total calories or protein grams, the following changes will help navigate the new format:

Serving size. Finally, the serving size on the new food label will reflect more realistically on what people ACTUALLY eat, not how much SHOULD be eaten. American’s average consumption has increased over the past 20 years, contributing to an obesity epidemic with nearly two thirds of Americans overweight. A serving of ice cream, for example, will increase to two-thirds of a cup instead of one-half and a serving of soda will change from eight to 12 ounces.

Added sugars. With the new labels, it won’t be necessary to be a detective to uncover the source of the whopping 26 sugar grams in Yoplait’s Original Fat-free Strawberry Yogurt, whether it comes from the fruit, milk, or added sugar. The FDA has inserted the “added sugar” line so consumers will know how much sugar is naturally in the product and how much is added. While the food industry fought hard to keep this addition out, the FDA won. The new dietary guidelines recommend that daily intake of “added” sugar calories not exceed 10 percent of total calories.

Translation? This is about 50 grams (200 calories) or 10 teaspoons of added sugar, the same amount in a can of Coke. Cut that in half for children up to three years old.

even stricter “added” sugar limits, excluding those in fresh fruits, vegetables, and milk. Women should consume only about 100 calories (six teaspoons) a day and men no more than 150 calories (nine teaspoons).

Vitamins/Minerals. Vitamin D, important for bone health, and potassium, which lowers blood pressure, will be added to the list of nutrients since most Americans do not get adequate levels of these nutrients, according to the NHANES Survey. Vitamin A and C will no longer be listed on the label since deficiencies of these are rare.

Calories. Put away those reading glasses—help won’t be necessary to see the bolder and larger calorie line.

In light of the nation’s obesity problem, the FDA wants consumers to see how much they are eating.

Fat. For those who only look at Nutrient Facts for fat calories, look again since research shows that the type of fat is more important than the amount. Categories will still exist for total fat, sat fat, and trans fat. % Daily Value. The % DV informs the consumer how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to their daily diet plan. For example, a serving of Progresso’s Creamy Tomato with Penne (1 cup) has a 29% DV for sodium (690mg) which provides 29% of the total sodium that should be eaten each day. If two cups are consumed, that translates to nearly two thirds of that day’s sodium intake. Go low (5% or less) on the % DV’s for sugar and sodium and high (20% or more) on the % DV’s for vitamins and minerals.

Dual Column. Some products that are larger than a single serving, but could be consumed in one sitting, will have a dual column providing information per serving or per package. So, with the new label, when one is watching television and the entire pint of Ben and Jerry’s Rocky Road accidently gets eaten, a calculator will not be necessary to know that 800 calories, 20 grams of saturated fat, and 20 teaspoons of sugar were consumed.

Bottom Line: The government is not telling consumers what to eat, just providing the tools to eat more healthfully.

This article was first featured in grandparentslink.com.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends

22 | Jewish News | Cooking and Eating | February 13, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

Cooking and Eating • Aldo’s •

A

Virginia Beach favorite for 29 years this April, Aldo’s modifies their menu yearly and specials daily. In fact, a new menu went into effect Monday, Feb. 6 that includes many of the restaurant’s specials from the past couple of years.

“We make the changes to our menu to continue our great relationship and encourage our clientele to return,” says Deborah Kassir, managing member of Ocean Horizon Properties LC. “We listen to them and now offer more variety of vegetables, salads, pastas, and gluten free items. There is something for everyone to enjoy. We always try to stay in a price point that has value. Our key points have always been value, quality product, and excellent service,” she says.

Kassir says that while there isn’t just one most popular item, “for appetizers, the most popular probably is our award-winning calamari. For salad, our homemade Caesar. Pasta, our Shrimp Gorgonzola, Romanelli Alla Vodka or Fresh Fish special. We have a fantastic filet and stuffed veal chop that’s on special nightly. You can eat at Aldo’s seven days a week and have something different and love it.”

Every third Thursday, Aldo’s has a wine tasting for $15, 5-7 pm. “We have three sommeliers on staff and wine education every Monday for our staff.

We host pre-bar mitzvahs, rehearsal dinners, bridal showers, baby showers, corporate events, business events, family events—both happy and sad. We seat anywhere from 20-50 in our backroom.

P

opular

with

patrons

since it opened in June 1979, Lynnhaven Fish

House’s owners make sure the restaurant is always up to date in all aspects.

“To stay current, we watch the trends,” says Chris Kyrus. “We

DESIGN ENHANCEMENTS LIGHTING OUTDOOR LIVING MAINTENANCE

GROUNDSGUYS.COM/VIRGINIA-BEACH • 757.301.2304 Independently Owned and Operated Franchise

• lynnhaven fish House •

info@

also have a wide selection of Virginia

brewed beers and wines on our menu. Plus, we purchase a variety of Eastern shore vegetables and fruits.”

Speaking of local, local seafood is “absolutely” on the menu at all times, says Kyrus. “We purchase as much local seafood as we can.

Scallops, oysters, fish, clams, crabmeat, and soft shell crabs are always a Fish House staple.

“We also branch out for interesting seafood from all over the world. In the summer months, we can have as many as 10 fresh fish selections and six different oyster varieties. The selections can come from Florida to Maine, Canada to Mexico, or Hawaii to Australia, giving our guests a chance to experience something fresh and new,” says Kyrus.

Preparation of that fresh seafood has evolved over the years, according to Kyrus. “While fried items still play a significant role here, guests often lean more towards grilled, broiled, or poached fish. Healthy eating habits

M y V eg a n SweetTooth

Vegan & Gluten Free Baked Goods Raw & Paleo 3916 Virginia Beach Blvd.

Virginia Beach, VA 23452 757-279-4789 www.myvegansweettooth.com

We use 100% vegan, fair trade evaporated cane juice for our sugar and organic agave. We use locally harvested sea salt, and all of our fruits and vegetables used in our recipes are purchased from local farmers, and organically grown.

and ‘clean’ simple preparations have taken over the ‘foodies of today.’”

jewishnewsva.org | February 13, 2017 | Cooking and Eating | Jewish News | 23

Cooking and Eating Brisket Tacos Recipe with Pickled Red Onions Gabi Moskowitz

(The Nosher via JTA)—“Leftover brisket” is something of an oxymoron, since traditional braised Ashkenazi brisket is usually the first thing to run out on most dinner tables. But at my little table of two, it’s rare that my husband and I can finish even the smallest of briskets by ourselves.

Fortunately, too much brisket is one of the best possible problems to have, and my favorite way of solving it has always been to shred the leftover meat, cook it in a spicy sauce, and serve it in warm corn tortillas. The sauce and tortillas stretch the brisket, helpfully increasing the number of servings we can squeeze out of it, all while transforming the brisket into a totally different meal.

But sometimes I want to skip the first iteration of traditional brisket and go straight to my next day favorite, so I make a big batch of brisket tacos. Brisket tacos—just like their setit-and-forget-it cousin, the braised, sliced brisket—cook slow and low, immersed in liquid and covered. Except rather than the usual broth, onions and carrots, this brisket cooks in a spicy, garlicky roasted tomato puree until the meat is meltingly tender and the sauce is rich and reduced.

Ingredients For the brisket 6 cloves garlic, chopped 1 green jalapeno, chopped (remove the seeds and white internal veins if you are sensitive to heat) 1 24-ounce can crushed tomatoes (preferably the fire-roasted variety, like Muir Glen) 4 cups low-sodium beef broth (instant or bouillon is fine) 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon chili powder 2 teaspoon smoked paprika 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 3-pound beef brisket (leave the fat on) 3 teaspoon each salt and pepper For the pickled red onions 1 medium red onion, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced 1 tablespoon sugar ½ teaspoon salt 2 ⁄3 cup red wine vinegar

To cut the intensity of the meat, I love to top my tacos with pickled onions. Make these while the brisket cooks and refrigerate until serving, so you can contrast the spicy flavors with a cool, sour-sweet crunch. The tacos don’t need much else in the way of toppings, but I love to gild the lily and add sliced jalapeños and cilantro. Guacamole or sliced avocado probably wouldn’t hurt either, if you were so inclined.

Hint: If, by some miracle, you find yourself with leftover taco filling, by all means, serve it with scrambled eggs and more corn tortillas for the best breakfast tacos this side of Texas.

Gabi Moskowitz is the editor-in-chief of the nationally acclaimed blog BrokeAss Gourmet, author of The Brokeass Gourmet Cookbook (May 2012) and Pizza Dough: 100 Delicious, Unexpected Recipes (November 2013). She writes regularly for The Washington Post and The Guardian.

The Nosher food blog offers a dazzling array of new and classic Jewish recipes and food news, from Europe to Yemen, from challah to shakshuka and beyond. Check it out at www.TheNosher.com.

spices in a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth and set aside.

Cut away any remaining ribbons of fat on the brisket and use 2 forks to shred the brisket.

Heat the oil in a large oven-proof Dutch oven or pot over high heat.

Heat the sauce remaining in the Dutch oven over high heat and cook for 5 minutes. It will begin to thicken.

Using 2 teaspoons each of salt and pepper, season the brisket generously on both sides.

Leave the heat on and add the shredded brisket back to the sauce and mix well to coat all the meat with the sauce.

Place the brisket in the pan and brown well on both sides.

Pour in the tomato-broth mixture. It should cover (or almost cover) the brisket.

Cover the pot with the lid and bring the liquid to a boil (this should take 7–8 minutes). Once it boils, remove from the stove and place in the oven.

Simmer in the oven for 3–3½ hours, or until very tender.

Prepare the pickled red onions Combine the onion, sugar, salt, and vinegar in a small pot over medium high heat. Stir well to combine.

Bring to a boil, cover, and remove from heat.

Let stand 15 minutes.

For serving the tacos 12–14 corn tortillas sliced jalapeño chopped cilantro wedges of lime Directions Prepare the brisket Preheat the oven to 325 F. Combine the garlic, jalapeño, tomatoes, broth and

Transfer onions and their liquid into a glass bowl or jar, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Prepare the tacos During the brisket’s last 15 minutes of cooking, warm the tortillas by wrapping them in foil and putting them in the oven with the brisket. Take them out when you take out the brisket.

Once the brisket has cooked, remove it from the sauce and place on a carving board.

24 | Jewish News | Cooking and Eating | February 13, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

Cook for another 5–6 minutes to completely saturate the meat with the sauce. Use tongs to toss the meat in the sauce, pulling apart any shreds that are stuck together.

Bring the pot of shredded brisket to the table with the tortillas, pickled onions, jalapeño, cilantro and any other toppings you like (guacamole, hot sauce, etc).

Serve immediately.

A DAY OF

Cooking and Eating

E

veryone loves a bagel…there are myriad ways to eat one and today, equally as many flavors

from which to choose.

The popularity of Einstein Bagels proves the point, though what the local management says are the most popular items, might surprise the long-time consumer of the ring-

PERFECTION

• einstein Bros BAGELS •

shaped bread product that originated in Jewish communities in Poland.

In Tidewater, Einstein management says that the most popular classic bagels are Everything and Asiago cheese.

The most popular gourmet bagels are their Apple Cinnamon and Spinach Florentine options.

As far as sandwiches go, the Farmhouse Egg Sandwich makes it to the top of the list.

For those who want to share their love of bagels at events or meetings, Einstein has a wide variety of catering options…from

Holiday Inn & Suites North Beach

vboceanfrontnorth.com 757. 419. 3668 Contact: Marisa Powers, Catering Sales Manager marisa.powers@hinorthbeach.com

breakfast sandwiches to lunch sandwiches to cookies to desserts.

Menus can be found at https://ebcatering.com/index.cfm.

JOI N

N

ow with six locations from Tidewater to Williamsburg to Richmond, Baker’s Crust Artisan Kitchen

caters myriad events including business and corporate luncheons, parties, weddings, showers, dinner parties, family reunions, and special events.

When first meeting with a catering client to determine a menu, the staff of

• Baker’s Crust Artisan Kitchen •

U S D OW N T H E R A BBI T H O L E ...

“WE' RE A LL M AD FOR P URI M”

Baker’s Crust generally asks that guests first review the Catering Menu. If they are looking for something that is not on the menu, the catering team finds out what that might be, has a conversation with the guest to determine the needs, provides suggestions and then invites them to a sampling/tasting.

However the menu is determined, Baker’s Crust says that the food will be “lovingly and carefully prepared.“ After all, they’ve been doing so for more than 20 years.

YAD PURI M PARTY – MARCH 18, 2017 8 PM – 11 PM • AGES 22+ TICKET PRICE — $30 ONLINE, $50 AT THE DOOR. FOR TICKETS AND MORE DETAILS GO TO JEWISHVA.ORG/PURIMPARTY OR EMAIL LABRAMS@UJFT.ORG.

jewishnewsva.org | February 13, 2017 | Cooking and Eating | Jewish News | 25

Cooking and Eating This new kosher deli may be Miami’s hippest restaurant Lucy Cohen Blatter

MIAMI (JTA)—The first few weeks in January were meant to be a soft opening for Zak Stern’s new traditional deli. But given the massive following that Stern— better known as Zak the Baker—has garnered for his bakery, things didn’t really turn out as planned.

“We call it a ‘rough opening’ because there’s nothing soft about it,” Stern says on a recent Monday morning as “the deli,” as it is known to differentiate from the bakery, began filling with customers eager to try the house specialties, like a vegetable omelette, served with corned beef and aioli, potato kugel and more.

Of course, the instant success of Stern’s deli isn’t too surprising given that Zak the Baker—both his bakery and the man himself—have garnered numerous accolades since setting up shop four years ago. A line of customers, often dozens deep, regularly snakes around the block outside the bakery.

The customers wait—sometimes for an hour or more—for his olive-studded loaves of bread, authentic French-style baguettes, croissants, and deep-dish quiches.

Stern has achieved the seemingly impossible: His eateries are decidedly cool and are popular with Miami’s hipsters and foodie sets. At the same time, however, because they are kosher, they are a destination for observant Jewish Miami residents and visitors, many of whom travel about 20 minutes from the city’s more touristy areas to the Wynwood neighborhood north of downtown.

“Wynwood is one of Miami’s only counterculture areas,” Stern says of the artsy, industrial neighborhood, where many buildings are covered with bright graffiti. And with the opening of the deli, he’s doubled down on it.

“We’ve been able to bridge two worlds,” says Stern, who looks every bit the bearded hipster, but could also pass as a Hasid (which he is not). “It’s hard to find the religious world eating out of

their shtetl, and it’s also hard for the nonreligious world, or non-Jewish world, to interact with the religious world. So this kind of gives them the opportunity to sit next to someone religious and fill in the blanks. It’s a beautiful thing.”

“We happen to be certified kosher, but that’s not our identity,” he says. “We’re traditional bakers and now [operate] a traditional Eastern European-style deli, and we happen to be kosher.”

On that recent Monday morning, a couple visiting from New Jersey—she wore a wig; he a baseball cap in place of a kippah—were enjoying an almond croissant and oatmeal cookie at the bar of the bakery, both nodding profusely between bites to communicate that it was worth the nearly 30-minute trip.

Another woman, who didn’t outwardly appear to be religious, had just bought a loaf of cranberry walnut bread at the bakery, having traveled to Miami from her home about an hour away. In fact, she says she often drives 20 minutes to her nearest Whole Foods to procure some wholesale Zak the Baker bread.

“Once you have this, how can you have any other one?” she asks, rhetorically.

While chefs like Yotam Ottolenghi in London and Michael Solomonov in Philadelphia have helped make Israeli food “the sexy thing on the block,” Stern thinks it’s time for Ashkenazi food to get the attention it deserves.

“Ashkenazi food has been relegated to bland and boring, and that’s so not true,” he says. “Deli is a soulful, soulful food. I think we can shed some light on it.”

Stern, a 31-year-old Florida native, was a pharmacy student when he decided to switch gears to bread baking.

“I was a 22-year-old in pharmacy school learning all these complicated things, but I was craving basic fundamental life skills; bread making is such a symbol of that,” he says. “You can bake bread everywhere, and it’s accessible to everyone.”

Stern quit school and went to Europe

26 | Jewish News | Cooking and Eating | February 13, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

to apprentice on farms. He started with agriculture and then “zeroed in on farms with bread and cheese,” he says.

When he returned to Miami, in 2012, Stern launched a bread business out of his friend’s North Miami garage, selling to farmer’s markets and the like. Word of mouth sent the business soaring.

“The market quickly drew a line, until the point where I was selling out of bread in less than an hour,” he says.

At one point, a woman Stern met while working at a goat cheese farm in northern Israel asked to come to Miami and apprentice for his burgeoning business.

Fast forward three years and that woman, Batsheva, is now his wife and mother to his two children. He refers to her on social media as #myreligiouswife.

As a suburban kid who grew up Reform, marrying a religious woman from a small village in Israel is practically intermarriage, Stern says, noting how differently the two were raised. She is the reason he started keeping Shabbat, “so she wouldn’t be alone,” he says.

And it was Batsheva who introduced him to kashrut; because of her strict observance, he made his bakery kosher. And in the years since, Stern has learned all the intricacies of running a kosher business.

Being kosher, he says, brings a real authenticity to the deli, in particular.

“If we’re going to do it legit, it’s got to be kosher, that’s part of it,” he says.

“European delis that catered to our great-grandparents would not have served melted cheese on their sandwiches—nor would they have sold expensive sandwiches as big as your head,” he says.

They also would have cured their meats in house, as Stern does.

“The community here in Miami, I think, needed something that’s wholesome and soulful,” he says. “Delis aren’t fancy or expensive, as a lot of kosher restaurants are. Deli food is the working man’s food.”

For now, the menu at the deli is limited, as the kitchen undergoes renovation. (The spot where the deli stands was once the bakery, which was forced to move to a larger location down the street when the wholesale business picked up.)

But Stern says there were a couple of things he knew the deli needed to have as soon as they launched—“a really good pickled vegetable plate with a pickled green tomato, a non-mayonnaisey cole slaw and house-made corned beef,” he says. (Stern’s corned beef is made on the premises in a seven-day brine.)

There’s also smoked fish—and, unlike New York delis, which mostly use whitefish, they use the blue runner native to Florida.

Stern is particularly excited for the upcoming deli case with traditional Eastern European foods like Yapchik (a kugel with flanken), p’tcha (jellied calves’ feet) and kishke (stuffed intestine), which people can take to go.

“Whatever obscure Ashkenazi food that you can’t find anywhere, we’ll have here,” he says.

But for those outside the Miami area, you’re going to need to travel to try it out.

“I’m totally uninterested in creating an empire,” he says. “Zak the Baker doesn’t need to be in New York, it doesn’t mean to be in L.A. There’s plenty of room for other bearded bakers.”

Security & Beauty

It’s a wrap

• Ornamental Fence • Custom Wood • Polyvinyl Fence

• Pool Fencing • Gate Systems • Dog Enclosures Since 1955

Wendi Fried, Diana Smith, Robyn Bailey and Tammy Rivera.

HAT’s parents paint the night away

SECURITY IN EVERY JOB

HerculesFence.com • 757.321.6700 Norfolk Yorktown Richmond Manassas Jessup

Carin Simon

W

hen Hebrew Academy of Tidewater’s PTA volunteers met at the beginning of the school year, they wanted to create a fun community-building event for HAT parents. Robyn Bailey suggested a paint night and Monique Werby and Erica Kaplan agreed.

The committee chose a night that Simon Family JCC parents could use Kids Night Out for babysitting, removing one obstacle to attending. In addition, Pinot’s Palette of Norfolk created a special Hamsa design for the evening.

Beautiful pieces of art were created—each with a unique twist—while drinks were enjoyed and HAT parents got to know each other.

“Believe it or not, HAT is a diverse community,” says Kaplan. “Our families attend different synagogues, live in different areas and often don’t have time to get together outside of school.

“The evening was a win-win, our kids are friends at school, and the Parent Paint Night gave HAT parents the opportunity to bond as well, in turn strengthening the whole HAT community. Parents are already asking us to plan another one,” says Kaplan.

ATTENTION HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS! Announcing the 2017 Stein Family College Scholarship Applications are now available at: www.JewishVa.org/TJF-Stein Applications deadline is March 31, 2017 Questions? Contact Amy Weinstein at 757-965-6105 or aweinstein@ujft.org

HAT parents show off their newly painted art.

jewishnewsva.org | February 13, 2017 | Jewish News | 27

where are

Boca Raton Delray/ Boynton Beach W. Palm Beach Ft Lauderdale Hollywood/ Hallandale

you

spending your winters?

Your Norfolk connection to Southeast Florida Real Estate

Steve Jason Broker/Owner 561.305.9515 sijason@aol.com Browse listings at www.allaccessrealty.com

Quality. Experience. Trust.

• Comprehensive care provided by professional staff.

• Recover in the comfort of your own home.

• In addition to skilled care, our home health staff can provide specialized care, including: wound care, palliative care, home health aides, care management, and physical, speech, and occupational therapies.

JFS is your Jewish communal agency for skilled home health care and private duty care.

JFS Home Health Care

Call 757-489-3111 www.jfshamptonroads.org

Pictured: Seated – Heather Cole, RN; Pam Trompeter, RN; Jan Ganderson, RN; Susan Riggs, RN, and Lucy Cardon, RN. Standing – Linda Badgley, RN; Ashley Williams, LPN; Sondra Pietrzak, RN; Jennifer Melville, RN; Julie Van Gorder, RN; and Allison Madore, RN. Not pictured: Myra Iacono, LPN; Judy Laster, RN; and Tambra Plante, RN.

28 | Jewish News | February 13, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

It’s a wrap Diversity of talent shines at 24th Annual Virginia Festival of Jewish Film Sherri Wisoff

M

ore than 1,200 people experienced the diversity of Jewish/ Israeli films offered during Simon Family JCC’s 24th Annual Virginia Festival of Jewish Film presented by Alma* & Howard Laderberg.

Seven films, from compelling documentaries to a poignant comedy, were screened at Larry and Leslie Siegel, Tal Brody, and Patricia and Avraham Ashkenazi. various locations throughout Tidewater.

On opening night, Leslie Siegel volunteered her talents and transformed the lobby of the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts with playful, freestanding posters of basketball players and basketballs dangling in netted drapery overhead.

It all set the perfect tone for the documentary, On The Map, with Tal Brody, one of the winning 1977 Maccabi team players who received a standing ovation for his contribution to the world of Israeli sports. This rousing opening of the festival, sponsored by Patricia and Avraham Ashkenazi, with a reception catered by Village Caterers, peaked appetites for more films during the week.

One could hear a pin drop at the screening of Defiant Requiem, as viewers discovered the heroic story of artists and musicians at the concentration camp, Terezin. Later in the week, the audience applauded with delight when the star of the film, Presenting Princess Shaw, Samantha Montgomery, grabbed a microphone and belted out a song.

The plethora of film genres and the talent represented at the Festival continues to expand in step with the community’s

Ellie Lipkin, Princess Shaw, and Gloria Siegel.

interest in sustaining this annual event.

Barry Einhorn, a founding film committee member says, “We wanted to create a cultural Jewish experience that could not be found anywhere else in the area. We did just that. This is our 24th year. The fact that it has lasted 24 years is tribute to the generosity of our many sponsors, plus the diligence of the film committee, some who have served for 24 years, and the continued support of the community.” *of blessed memory

what’s happening Israel Today

Gitit Shoval—From Gershwin to Dylan: The genius of Jewish songwriters Saturday, March 25, 8 pm, Simon Family JCC

C

onsidered one of Israel’s singing treasures, Gitit Shoval shares her talents and inspiration through musical storytelling.

Singing songs from Jewish musicians and composers Gitit Shoval from around the world, Shoval regales her audience with fascinating anecdotes about them. Her stories offer insights into the lives of the Jewish talent that contributed to contemporary popular music, including Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Carole King, and George Gershwin.

For this performance, the Simon Family JCC will be transformed into a jazz club, complete with a cash bar and appetizers.

Gitit Shoval is the seventh guest of the Israel Today series, which offers cultural and educational programs aimed at spotlighting the diversity of talent and people that comprise Israeli life.

Tickets are $23 or $18 for JCC members.

For more information or to buy tickets, visit Jewishva.org/IsraelToday or call 757-321-2304.

Presented by the Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Simon Family JCC and community partners.

AJC plans meetings in Tidewater Monday, Feb. 27–Tuesday, Feb. 28

W

ith growing concerns about a secure Jewish future and respect for religious pluralism, AJC is a very busy global Jewish advocacy organization.

“AJC is the only organization having long-term strategic relationships with world leaders and opinion-makers around the world. They are the rare group that considers, and presents, all sides of an issue. Given the global world we live in, AJC serves as the ‘State Department for the Jewish people,’ and their work is vital to our collective Jewish future,” says Alan Wagner, AJC board member.

In 2016, AJC and its advocates helped halt funding to Hamas, and banned Hezbollah propaganda and anti-Semitic incitement at Europe’s largest anti-Israel rally. AJC brought influential leaders, including UN and UNESCO ambassadors, journalists and

T

university presidents, on trips to Israel to experience the Jewish state firsthand.

This year, AJC launched its pioneering Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council. AJC is committed to combating bigotry in the U.S. and is collaborating with other religious and ethnic groups, and countries across six continents.

Alan Ronkin, director of AJC’s Washington Regional Office and Julia Crantz, assistant director of development, will hold meetings in Tidewater to share more about the opportunities for getting more involved with AJC. “We hope you will stand with us to marginalize extremism and anti-Semitism, defend Israel’s place in the world, and safeguard the freedoms and dignity of all people,” says Crantz.

Relating the past to the present: Holocaust Commission welcomes 2017 student competitions

T

he Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater is well into its 2017 Elie Wiesel Student Writing & Visual Arts Elie Wiesel.

Competitions, as the Feb. 15 deadline approaches for the writing and multimedia divisions. Visual Art will be accepted Monday, Feb. 27–Friday, March 10.

This is the 20th year the Commission has invited students to enter the writing competition and the 15th year for visual arts. 2017 will be the first year that the competitions are in memory of Elie Wiesel, Holocaust survivor, Nobel Laureate, and prolific author who died last July.

Open to middle and high school students, competition categories include poetry, essay, two and three-dimensional art, and multimedia. Each year, the commission receives more than 1,500 entries from area students, and, more recently— thanks to an online presence, out of state and foreign entries. Expected this year are at least two entries from India.

Winners in each category receive cash prizes, recognition at the annual community Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Day of Remembrance, program, this year to be held at Ohef Sholom Temple on April 23, and, if an art winner, a place in the annual Holocaust Commission student art exhibition.

Educators, too, can be winners in the competitions. Teachers who submit student entries can receive incentives, such

as classroom sets of books and gift certificates for art supplies.

The 2017 Elie Wiesel competitions ask students to frame their entries in response to a series of thought-provoking questions connecting lessons of the Holocaust to present day situations and moral decisions.

This year, the questions focus on Elie Wiesel’s writings and experiences.

The Commission believes that by learning about the Holocaust and applying its lessons to their lives, students can gain an understanding of the true nature of moral courage. They will realize the dangers of all types of prejudice, peer pressure, and unthinking obedience to authority, and are aware of what happens when there is indifference to the suffering of others. With the issues facing students today on the current events and political landscape, having a strong moral compass is critical.

In addition to its Elie Wiesel Competitions, the Holocaust Commission is in the middle of the return of Through the Eyes of a Friend, a dramatic performance with a limited run from February 6 through February 17. The calendar is full of new and repeat customers for this sought after play.

More than 5,200 students are expected to see the acclaimed multimedia theatrical presentation based on Anne’ Frank’s brief, yet famous, life.

Remind teachers and students to enter the 2017 Elie Wiesel Student Competitions.

Can’t find the forms? Download them at www.holocaustcommission.org. Individual students may also enter without a sponsoring teacher. For more information, contact info@holocaustcommission.org.

To set up a time to learn more about AJC, e-mail Crantz at CrantzJ@ajc.org.

NFTY takes action against guns

exas, Ohio, and Florida have passed or are passing laws allowing “open-carry” policies on college campuses, drastically impacting the safety on university grounds.

With more than 800 college-bound students, and even more alumni on campuses across the country, NFTY, the Reform Jewish youth movement, has partnered with Metro IAF’s Do Not Stand Idly By campaign to protect and inform current and potential students

about firearms on campus.

It only takes a minute to help to ensure that college students and their families will have access to information about campus carry policies. Join NFTY in its mission to protect and inform students by adding your name to this petition.

Sign petition at https://nfty.org/2017/01/26/want-know-guns-allowed-campus/.

jewishnewsva.org | February 13, 2017 | Jewish News | 29

what’s happening Israel Today

Israel Story’s Mishy Harman in Tidewater Thursday, Feb. 16, 7:30 pm, Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus

O

riginally inspired by This American Life, Mishy Harman, co-founder and host of the award-winning and internationally aired, Israel Story, takes a humanistic approach to

Tell your Israel story Do you have a travel experience in Israel you hold near and dear? A grandmother’s treasured recipe?

A love story of heartbreak or acceptance? If so, • Respond to the prompt “What’s your Israel story?”

• Write your story in 500–1,000 words.

• E-mail stories to: ViBeStoryExchange@gmail.com (include Israel in the subject line) by February 28.

• If your story is chosen, you will be notified.

story-telling. Harman portrays his version of Israel through the diversity of its people—all of whom he believes has a story to tell—good, bad, and everything in between.

Master storyteller and communicator, Harman will make his Tidewater debut as part of the Israel Today series, presented by the Community Relations Council of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Simon Family JCC, and community partners.

The event will also include local artists Sheena Jeffers and Jennifer Chapman, founders of the community engagement project, Story Exchange, a project where human experiences are told through art. The community is invited to participate by submitting their unique Israel Story, which will then be reviewed by local Tidewater artists. The winning entry will then be depicted via dance, cinematography, visual art, or any other artistic means, and then performed at the Sandler Family Campus.

The date of the Tidewater’s Israel Stories performance

Mishy Harman.

will be announced at Harman’s appearance, as well as the names and mediums of the participating artists.

Listen to Israel Story online at www.IsraelStory.org.

To RSVP (required for security purposes) for this free and open to the community event, or for more information on the Israel Today series, including upcoming events and a full list of community partners, visit www.JewishVa.org/ IsraelToday or call 965-6107.

UNITED JEWISH FEDERATION OF TIDEWATER

PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY

Contact us today to learn how to

PUT A FACE TO YOUR BUSINESS! Jasmine Amitay, jamitay@ujft.org Erin Dougherty, edougherty@simonfamilyjcc.org jewishva.org/societyofprofessionals

Available online and in print in Summer 2017.

30 | Jewish News | February 13, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

what’s happening Beyond the Book Festival with Jessica Fechtor

Join us for our next show.

Noises Off By Michael Frayn March 10 April 2, 2017

Stir: My Broken Brain and the Meals That Brought Me Home Wednesday, March 15, 12 pm Sandler Family Campus

M

Sherri Wisoff

ost people experience some moment when their life skips off the rails, freefalling in uncertainty, bracing for the blow. Some say things happen for a reason and some make their own reasons for the things that happen. For Jessica Fechtor, it was an aneurysm, a vessel that burst in her brain during a simple jog on a treadmill at 28 years old.

Newly married and a Harvard PhD candidate in Jewish Literature, Fechtor awakened in the hospital to find she had lost her sense of smell, sight in her left eye, and now inhabited a body that in her words had a “broken brain.” Muscularly weakened and with depth perception impaired, she began the slow road to recovery with physical therapy and surgeries, catching glimpses of her old life from the sidelines.

Drawing on the restorative power of cooking, Fechtor’s journey to recovery began in her kitchen. Coming to terms with such an event, however, depends on one’s personal constitution. She chose to write a memoir, Stir: My Broken Brain and the Meals that Brought Me Home. An inquiry into the nature of resilience, Stir is now a national bestseller. Winner of the 2015 Living Now Book Award, Stir has been praised by The Wall Street Journal as “a recipe for living a life of meaning.”

In Stir, Fechtor writes, “food is the keeper of our memories, connecting us with our pasts and with our people.” She goes further to describe food and cooking as

path to “finding your everyday.”

“Serious illness robs you of your everyday. When I first came home from the hospital, I needed help with the smallest, simplest tasks. I couldn’t even make myself a cup of tea…. It felt huge when I was finally strong enough to stand at the stovetop and stir. I always loved to cook and bake. Jessica Fechtor.

Returning to these things was a way of reclaiming myself, my life, and my everyday,” Fechtor says.

Stir contains 27 recipes, including some for challah, cholent, kugel, chicken soup and sweet potato curry latkes. The recipes are connected to heartwarming stories of Fechtor’s support community.

“Food, writing, and my strong Jewish identity are all linked by my love of stories and storytelling,” she says. “The food we eat tells stories about who we are. My connection to Judaism is also about stories, about being a part of a rich history built on layers and layers of written and oral texts. Rituals, like words on a page, create meaning. That meaning making is what I’m interested in above all.”

Fechtor will share her unique story of survival, defining her birth as a writer—all

stitched together with comforting family recipes—at the Beyond the Book Festival event.

Tickets are $10 per person and lunch is included. To purchase tickets, contact the Simon Family JCC at 757-321-2338.

Author signing and book purchases will be available at this event.

757-627-8551

For more information, contact Michele Goldberg, Simon Family JCC cultural arts director, at mgoldberg@simonfamilyjcc.org or call 757-321-2341.

Beyond the Book Festival, an extension of Lee and Bernard Jaffe* Family Jewish Book Festival, is presented by the Simon Family JCC in partnership with The Jewish Family Service of Tidewater. *of blessed memory

Calling All Vendors!

Simon Family JCC’s Annual Israel Fest • Sunday, April 30, 11 am • Sandler Family Campus In honor of Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, Simon Family JCC will present its Annual Israel Fest. Vendors to participate in the marketplace are now being accepted.

Thousands of guests attend each year, making this a great

way to showcase a business and to sell crafts, goods, art, jewelry, etc.

Contact Naty Horev at 321-2304 or nhorev@simonfamilyjcc.org for more details and to secure a booth.

jewishnewsva.org | February 13, 2017 | Jewish News | 31

what’s happening YAD Purim Party: Don’t be late for a very important date!

Saturday, March 18, 8 pm, ages 22–45, Sandler Family Campus Sherri Wisoff

C

allah Terkeltaub and Catherine Heben are already down the rabbit hole, “madly” co-chairing the much-anticipated annual Purim party hosted by the Young Adult Division of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.

This year, the Alice in Wonderland theme might encourage a Cheshire Cat, a Mad Hatter, a Queen of Hearts, or perhaps a Dodo to make an appearance at YAD’s largest annual event sponsored by Tidewater Home Funding.

“We’ve spent hours trying to figure out what kind of costume party would interest our YAD counter-parts and realized that everyone wishes they could have escaped to Wonderland at least once in their lives,” says Terkeltaub.

Last year, the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus was transformed into a mini Las Vegas, complete with Elvis impersonators, roulette and blackjack tables.

Attendees to this “What Happens at Purim, Stays at Purim” event gambled with $10,000 in chips (later cashed in for raffle tickets to win prizes), reveled around an open bar, devoured gourmet appetizers and danced the night away to the beat of a live band with plenty of zany photo ops.

The growing popularity of the YAD Purim party raises the stakes for the planning committee to outdo themselves each year.

“This year we’re hoping to have a silent auction, maze, photo booth, and even a hookah lounge. Our slogan is, ‘We’re all Mad for Purim!’ so expect outlandish decor, lots of color, and fun props,” says

32 | Jewish News | February 13, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

Terkeltaub.

Costumes and cocktail attire add to the festivities with many revelers turning out with inventive creative garb. Last year, Liberace, Celine Dion, a Vegas wedding complete with a bride and groom and even a knocked up showgirl were in the mix with the audience casting their votes for those who chose to walk up on stage. Big Money Lemke (Shawn Lemke) walked away with a night at the Oceanfront Holiday Inn. What whimsy awaits this year’s Mad Hatter Tea Party? Terkeltaub says with Queen of Hearts authority, “’Off with their heads’ to anyone who tells! Trust us, you definitely won’t want to miss the Purim

party this year—it will definitely be one you won’t forget.”

$30 per person in advance and $50 per person at the door. For more information, contact Leah Abrams at labrams@ujft.org or visit jewishva.org/purimparty.

what’s happening Saffron & Rosewater Persian Jewish women’s bittersweet songs and stories about their lost homeland of Iran Sunday, Feb. 26 and Monday, Feb. 27, 7:30 pm, Old Dominion University’s Goode Theatre

Frederick A. Lubich, acting director of Institute for Jewish Studies and Interfaith Understanding

T

he theater group, Saffron & Rosewater was founded in 2008 by Ronda Spinak in Los Angeles, a city that is home to a large community of Persian Jews, estimated between 30,000 and 50,000 members, and therefore often referred to as Tehrangeles.

Spivak has written several books and plays, worked in television, and co-founded the Jewish Women’s Theatre in Los Angeles.

For the project, Saffron & Rosewater, she and Jessica Youseffi, her consultant and co-producer, reached out to writers, artists, and performers in the Los Angeles PersianJewish community and beyond to share their stories and memories. The response was overwhelming, enabling them to choose from a bounty of novels, memoirs, magazine essays, and newspaper articles, which they subsequently adapted to the stage.

The writers of the narratives, on which Saffron & Rosewater is based, include Gina Nahai, author of the bestseller Moonlight on the Avenue of Faith and a professor of creative writing at the University of Southern California; Angella Nazarian, author of Life as a Visitor and Pioneers of the Possible: Celebrating Visionary Women of the World,

who is also a co-founder of Women A.R.E; Dora Levy Mossanen, bestselling author of four novels, including Harem, Courtesan, The Last Romanov and Scent of Butterflies; Esther Amini, a magazine journalist and psychotherapist on the faculty of the New York School for Psychoanalytical Psychotherapy; and last, but not least, Tidewater’s Farideh Goldin, author of the highly acclaimed Wedding Song: Memoirs of an Iranian Jewish Woman and Leaving Iran: Between Exile and Migration, who for many years was director of the Institute for Jewish Studies and Interfaith Understanding at Old Dominion University.

To stage their stories, Spivak assembled a stellar cast of seven artists with diverse creative and professional backgrounds. They include Sohaila Zivari, who is also a Rumi scholar, Niki Black, a songwriter, Gamal Palmer, an African American Jew, Roxana Rastegar, a dancer and photographer, Wendy Colman Levin, a PhD in public health and Lisa Circincione, a founding member of the Florence International Theater Company.

It is safe to say that these stories and their dramatic staging would be banned in today’s Iran.

Originally, the troupe performed in intimate settings in homes and backyards, religious sanctuaries and other cultural centers in and around Los Angeles, but soon the group began to tour far beyond Southern California. Since putting on its first show in Pacific Palisades in October 2008, the Jewish Women’s Theatre has performed for approximately 20,000 patrons across the U. S. Saffron & Rosewater takes on Jewish female stereotypes including the spoiled Jewish American princess, the well-meaning but misguided meddler, the overbearing, guilt-inflicting Jewish mother, and last but not least, the archetypal roly-poly bubbie, the matriarchal Eastern European grandmother, who feels most at home in her beloved kitchen. They all come together in theatrical vignettes.

Farideh Goldin says, “I love reaching out to young Iranian women who don’t remember Iran. Traditionally, Iranian Jewish

women were expected to be silent. Saffron & Rosewater helps set the record straight.

A chance to hear our voices loud and clear in public.”

The producers of Saffron & Rosewater maintain that their stories could also “apply to Anglicans, Adventists or atheists. Others peel back layers of the decidedly Jewish experience.” This layering of multiple meanings should not come as a surprise. After all, the Jews of Persia have garnered a unique fascination for millennia, beginning with Cyrus of Persia who was instrumental in ending the Babylonian exile of the Jewish people and allowed them to return to their ancestral homeland. The Purim story originated in Persia and, from the overthrow of the Shah of Persia in 1979 to the present day, the country of Iran continues to compel attention. And with the momentous

beginning of a new American presidency and the political changes in the global relationships between East and West, Saffron & Rosewater’s dramatic vignettes about cultural differences and human commonalities are more topical than ever.

This production is a sponsored by Old Dominion University’s Institute for Jewish Studies and Interfaith Understanding and ODU Theatre/ODU Rep and the Jewish Women’s Theater of Los Angeles. Five of the original artists will perform under the artistic directorship of Ronda Spivak. Free parking is available in the parking garage behind the Marriott Hotel on Hampton Boulevard.

Tickets are $15 at ODUARTSTIX.COM or at the box office of the Goode Theatre. For more information call 757-683-5305.

GoldCare Services

is helping seniors in the comfort of their home.

Dressing, Meal Prep, Medication Reminders, Transportation, Light Housekeeping & More! locally owned & operated

757.343.1597

4101 Granby Street, Suite 207, Norfolk, VA 23504 757.952.0757 (fax) • www.goldcareservices.com

jewishnewsva.org | February 13, 2017 | Jewish News | 33

what’s happening

Kim Simon Fink to receive honor from Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities Thursday, March 30, The Westin, Virginia Beach Town Center

T

he Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities (VCIC) will present a Humanitarian Award to Kim Simon Fink at its 2017 Tidewater Humanitarian Awards Dinner next month.

Other honorees include Kenneth C. Alexander, Caroline J. McCartney, James K. Spore, and Craig S. Wansink.

Additionally, Hands United Building Bridges (HUBB) will receive the Distinguished Merit Citation.

Fink is a past president of Ohef Sholom Temple, former chair of the Holocaust Commission of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, a member of UJFT’s Women’s Cabinet, and a former member of the board of Old Dominion University’s Institute for Jewish Studies and Interfaith Understanding. She currently serves as chair of the board of ForKids.

The Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities works with schools, businesses, and communities to achieve success through inclusion. During the past 10 years, the number of programs conducted annually by VCIC increased by more than 600%. Locally, the organization trains high school students and educators to reduce bullying and stereotypes.

Additionally, local colleges, businesses, and community group regularly participate in VCIC workshops that promote understanding and respect.

To purchase a seat at the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater/Tidewater Jewish Foundation table, contact Tammy Mujica at tmujica@ujft.org or 757-965-6124.

Kim Simon Fink

Escape to Virginia

From Nazi Germany to Thalhimer’s Farm with author Robert H. Gillette March 19, 6:30 pm, Congregation Beth El

E

scape to Virginia follows the true story of two Jewish teenagers growing up in Nazi Germany who end up living on a farm outside of Richmond, Va. Eva Jacobson Loew and Werner T. Angress and their families made difficult decisions as they faced growing anti-Semitism, exclusion, and evil. Freedoms were taken away and hopes and dreams for their future became uncertain.

The book tells the story of their transition from a life of security, love, and happiness to a lifelong journey of courage, perseverance, and honor.

Read the book and then meet the author, Robert H. Gillette at Congregation Beth El. This free and open to the public event will include a dessert reception. RSVP to Beth El at 757-625-7821.

Prayer book and biblical Hebrew class to begin Thursday, March 2, 6:30 pm

Registration now open! www.CampJCCVB.org Camp JCC • Traditional Day Camp for Kids 16 Months – 11th Grade

34 | Jewish News | February 13, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

R

abbi Ellen Jaffe-Gill, rabbi of Tidewater Chavurah, will begin a 10-week class on prayer book and biblical Hebrew. The first half will focus on learning the Hebrew alphabet and vowels, and the second part will be for the beginners and for people who know how to decode Hebrew, but want to learn more about word structure and meaning.

It will meet at Rabbi Ellen’s home, 4661 Priscilla Lane, Virginia Beach. For more information, call Rabbi Ellen at 464-1950 or email rabbicantorejg@gmail.com.

Calendar February 16, Thursday Israel Today with Mishy Harman. An evening of magical conversation with Mishy Harman, creator of Israel Story —the award-winning radio show and podcast that public radio icon Ira Glass calls “the Israeli This American Life.” 7:30 pm. Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus. RSVP for this free and open to the community event (required) by visiting www.JewishVa.org/IsraelToday or calling 757-965-6107. See page 30.

Move your money to Langley

February 19, Sunday Operation Hamantaschen. Annual family baking event to create Purim cookies for U.S. Jewish troops overseas, Israel Defense Forces and Jewish Family Service clients.

10 am–1 pm, Simon Family JCC. Free, all ages welcome and babysitting available. www.JewishVa.org/OperationH or call 757-321-2342. See page 20.

February 26, Sunday Purim Carnival presented by BINA High School. Face painting, balloon creations, crafts, cotton candy, photo booth, food, and many more booths for an afternoon of fun. Contact info@binahighschool.com for more information. 12–4 pm.

March 5, Sunday POUR: A wine tasting experience. UJFT’s Society of Professionals will present a ‘mix and mingle’ at the Hilton. Discover new, bold, delicious Kosher wines and food pairings. Certified Sommelier, Crystal Cameron-Schaad, will be available throughout the event to educate and enrich the wine experience. Kosher catering will be provided by Chesapeake Bay Catering.

Wines will be available for special order with a percentage of the proceeds donated to the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater 2017 Annual Campaign. Purchase tickets at www. jewishva.org/pourevent. For more information, contact Erin Dougherty, edougherty@simonfamilyjcc.org or Jasmine Amitay, jamitay@ujft.org.

March 15, Wednesday Beyond the Book Festival with Jessica Fechtor, author of Stir: My Broken Brain and the Meals that Brought Me Home will share her journey of recovery from an aneurysm through the restorative power of food and cooking. 12 noon. Tickets, which are $10 per person and includes lunch, may be purchased by contacting the JCC at 757-321-2338. Sandler Family Campus. See page 31.

Send submissions for calendar to news@ujft.org. Be sure to note “calendar” in the subject.

Include date, event name, sponsor, address, time, cost and phone.

WHO Knew?

Ticketmaster launches in Israel

T

he U.S. entertainment company Live Nation announced it has acquired a stake in an Israeli concert promotion business and launched Ticketmaster Israel.

The Los Angeles-based company purchased a majority stake in Tel Aviv’s Bluestone Entertainment, Billboard reported Tuesday, Feb. 7and the two companies have partnered on the launch of the popular ticketing site in the Jewish state.

“We have seen a considerable demand for live entertainment with the shows that Live Nation has brought to the market over the last few years and have been very impressed when working with Guy, Shay and the rest of the Bluestone team,” said Alan Ridgeway, Live Nation’s president of international and emerging markets.

“Formalizing our partnership and bringing the Ticketmaster brand and technology to the market was the natural next step.”

Founded in 2014 by Guy Oseary, Guy Beser, Shay Mor Yosef and Gadi Veinrib, Bluestone has prompted sold-out shows in Israel by major international acts including Bon Jovi, the Backstreet Boys and Enrique Iglesias. The company has scheduled shows in Tel Aviv by Aerosmith on May 17 and Guns ’n’ Roses on July 15.

In 2013, Live Nation launched Ticketmaster in the United Arab Emirates and last year reached a deal to operate two of the largest venues in Qatar in a joint venture. Ticketmaster currently operates in 28 countries. (JTA)

60 month JUMBO certificate

2.22

Also available 60 month certificate:

% APY*

2.02

%

APY**

Open one today! langleyfcu.org 757.827.5328 / 800.826.7490 APY=Annual Percentage Yield. *Minimum to open is $50,000. 2.22% APY includes active rewards increase of .10%. **Minimum to open is $1,000. 2.02% APY includes active rewards increase of .10%.

Minimum to open an IRA certificate is $500 and does not include active rewards bonus. Dividends compound monthly. Fees or other conditions may reduce earnings in account. Substantial Penalty for early withdrawal. Some restrictions apply. APY subject to change. Offer ends January 31, 2017.

Federally insured by NCUA.

jewishnewsva.org | February 13, 2017 | Jewish News | 35

obituaries Rabbi Barton Leftin Wethersfield, Conn.—Rabbi Barton Leftin, former rabbi of Congregation Beth El, passed away.

He is survived by his wife, Cathy; sons Avi (Maria) and Ben (Shill); grandson, Sid; and siblings Howard and Joan.

Rabbi Lefitin graduated with a BA from Boston University, and an MA from Brown, with majors in Russian Literature and Ancient Slavic Languages. Before entering Rabbinical School at the Jewish Theological Seminary, he worked in Great Neck, N.Y., teaching at a local college, as well as at the Hebrew High School and running its Youth House.

He served pulpits in Beverly, Mass., Norfolk, Va., Waterbury, Conn. (where he earned a PsyD in Divinity in Counseling), and Sunrise, Fla. (where he also served as a prison chaplain). His lifelong love of Soviet Jewry was reflected in his two trips to Russia on missions of support. In addition, during his lifetime, he was associated with

three Camps Ramah (Ohai, Wisconsin and New England).

A graveside funeral was held at Emanuel Cemetery in Wethersfield, Conn.

David Longman Livingston, N.J.—David Longman of Livingston, N.J. died at home on January 31, 2017.

David, born Israel, was raised in Norfolk, Va. where he spent most of his life until moving to Florida and then, New Jersey later in life.

He graduated from Maury High School while playing jazz professionally in his teen years. He also built and sailed small sail craft. He was a 1941 graduate of Virginia Tech with a B.S. in chemical engineering.

He worked in the chemical industry after college and later entered business and operated grocery stores in the Norfolk area for many years.

David began playing tennis before and after retirement and enjoyed many years on the tennis court. He played tennis five times a week until his late 80s. David, along with his wife, Mimi, were long-time members of Temple Israel in Norfolk.

He will be greatly missed by his many friends and relatives in the Norfolk area.

He is survived by his wife of nearly 72 years, Miriam, and his three children Howard and wife Ellen of Livingston, N.J., Susan Saunders and husband, Marshall of Livingston, N.J. and Thomas, and wife Mona of Scarsdale, N.Y. His grandchildren who loved “Grandpa” are Haley, Adam, Ariel, Michael, Benjamin, Emily, Max, and Eli. Funeral services were conducted at Bernheim Apter Kreitzman Funeral Home in Livingston, N.J. with interment at Beth El Cemetery in Paramus, N.J. Contributions may be made to a charity of one’s choice.

One suggestion is the Southern Poverty Law Center, which was one of David’s favorite causes.

a Mr. Softee truck in New York City.

After serving several years in the Navy, he returned to the Mr. Softee business in Norfolk, growing his fleet of ice cream trucks into what would become Truck Fleet Repair, the largest independent truck repair facility in the region. Beyond his reputation as an esteemed and savvy businessman, Charles was revered as a man who devoted time and energy to his family, to strengthening the Jewish community, generously donating to local charities, and finding new ways for “tikkun olam,” helping to heal the world.

Within his family and close friends, he will be most remembered for his infectious smile, enormous heart, easygoing attitude, fierce loyalty, pride, and joy for his children and grandchildren, and a deep, abiding devotion to his adoring wife of 25 years.

He is survived by his wife Nancy; his stepchildren Scott (Jae Lee) Millstein, Rachael (Gerry) Coakley, and Deborah (Josh) Kronenberg, and his grandchildren Todd, Curran, Carter, Ephram, Graham, and Eleanor; his sister Carole, his nephew David, his niece Karen and their families.

Funeral services were held at Ohef Sholom Temple with Rabbi Israel Zoberman and Cantor Wally Schachet-Briskin officiating. H.D. Oliver Funeral Apts. Norfolk Chapel.

Donations to Sentara Heart Hospital, Sentara Foundation Hampton Roads, 6015 Poplar Hall Drive, Suite 308, Norfolk, VA 23502.

Ronald G. Miller Virginia Beach—Ronald G. Miller, father, died and left behind his partner of 17 years, David Fierman; three sons, Jay of Bridgeport, WVa., Scott of San Diego, Calif; and Dr. Andrew Miller of Virginia; 11 grandchildren, Austin, Jayne, Brent, Clarissa, Joseph, Jordan, Benjamin, Jalen, Samuel, Jacqueline, and John.

Charles Marks

Services were held at Ohef Sholom Temple. Donations may be made to the American Heart Association.

Norfolk—Charles Leslie Marks, 71, beloved husband, parent, Zayde, and brother, passed away suddenly at home on February 1, 2017.

Charles, a gifted businessman, got his first taste of success independently running

Susanne Clark Geshekter Smith San Diego, Calif.—Susanne Clark Geshekter Smith passed away on Monday, January 30, 2017.

36 | Jewish News | February 13, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

Susanne was born on January 3, 1946 and was a resident of San Diego, California at the time of her passing.

She is survived by her sisters Arlene Rephan (Jack) and Brenda Stein (Alan) and her husband, Robert Smith.

Services took place at Temple Emanu El in San Diego with Rabbi Devorah Marcus and Rabbi Martin Lawson officiating. Interment took place at El Camino Memorial Park.

Jules Sauer, Brazilian “Gemstone Hunter” RIO DE JANEIRO (JTA)—Jules Sauer, a refugee from Nazi Europe who became one of the world’s leading gemstone and jewelry authorities, has died.

Sauer, who was nicknamed “Gemstone Hunter” after discovering Brazil’s first emerald mine in 1963, died Wednesday, Feb. 1 in that country. He was 95.

After finding the mine, German and English experts refused to recognize the stones as emeralds until Sauer turned to the Gemological Institute of America for a final verdict. He was vindicated and earned the new moniker, according to the website Metropoles.

“Gemstones are a one-time harvest,” he used to say.

In 1966, his high-end company Amsterdam Sauer was the first South American jeweler to win the Diamonds International Award, the most prestigious recognition in international jewelry. The Amsterdam Sauer Museum, in Rio, exhibits the largest private collection of precious gems in Latin America.

In 1939, the 18-year-old Frenchman fled the Nazis, first to Portugal and then to Brazil, where he would establish his firm.

He opened his first store in 1956 beside the legendary Copacabana Palace hotel in Rio. “I went to school until the day Hitler invaded Belgium on May 10, 1940,” Sauer told the Person’s Museum project. “I lived at my uncle’s house in Anvers, but that day my uncle was in England and I was alone. I had two bikes; I got the best and I left. Goodbye Belgium. I went to Lisbon by bicycle.”

Israel’s honorary consul, Osias Wurman, called Sauer “a pioneer in teaching gemstone faceting in Brazil.”

“He educated hundreds of young

obituaries people in this noble profession, he just wanted to teach them a profession,” Wurman told JTA. “He was a humanist with touches of a philosopher.”

Sauer’s late wife, Zilda, was president emeritus of the Women’s International Zionist Organization in Brazil.

Mayer Abramowitz, rabbi to Miami’s Cuban exiles Rabbi Mayer Abramowitz, who opened the doors of his Miami Beach synagogue to waves of Cuban exiles beginning in the early 1960s, has died.

Abramowitz, who served Temple Menorah for 45 years, died Thursday, Feb. 2 at his home in Miami Beach. He was 97.

He ministered to hundreds of young Jews who arrived in the United States as part of Operation Pedro Pan, a mass exodus of over 14,000 unaccompanied Cuban minors from 1960 to 1962.

Cuban exiles continued to call Temple Menorah their spiritual home over the

years, earning Abramowitz the title “the father of the Cuban Jewish community.”

“Rabbi Abramowitz was so well known in our Cuban exile community because he tried hard to build bridges between different groups,” U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., told the Miami Herald. “He was especially helpful in the tough early years when so many Cuban refugees were coming over and we were so unfamiliar with how to find a job, get help for the elderly, or feed young children. The faith community, as always, really helped so many Cuban refugees. And Rabbi Abramowitz set the tone for others like him to emulate his kindness.

A real mensch.”

Abramowitz credited an early trip to Cuba to his lifelong interest in the beleaguered island nation and its people.

“I don’t know who took me to Cuba because I never took a vacation, but it was probably God,” Abramowitz told the Miami Herald when he retired from Temple Menorah in 2009 at 90.

Abramowitz, a Jerusalem native, came to New York in 1928. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Yeshiva University and rabbinical ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1944, according to the Herald. As a chaplain and first lieutenant in the U.S. Army stationed in Europe, he served Schlachtensee-Templhof, a displaced persons camp in Berlin, where he met his future wife, Rachel, a Holocaust survivor. He was also active in the Bricha, the underground effort that helped Holocaust survivors escape post-World War

II Europe to Palestine.

After the army, Abramowitz served as chief emigration officer for the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee in Italy. In 1951, he and Rachel moved to Miami.

Abramowitz is survived by his wife, three children, 11 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. (JTA)

The Woodlands

Virginia Beach’s Premiere Jewish Garden By planning now, you protect your family from the uncertainty, stress, and expense of making final arrangements.

SouthSide Chapel 5792 Greenwich Rd. Virginia Beach 757 422-4000

Family owned and operated since 1917 M aeStaS Chapel 1801 Baltic Ave. Virginia Beach 757 428-1112

The Woodlands at Princess Anne Memorial Park 1110 North Great Neck Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23454 757-481-1097 · www.princessannememorialpark.com

“A Sensitive Alternative®”  

 

100% Service Appreciation, Commitment Guarantee Courtesy After Hours Drop Off Room and Private Pet Viewing Available Specialty Urns Available to Preserve Your Pet’s Memory Equine and Large Pet Services Now offering gentle and environmentally friendly Alkaline Hydrolysis! “Water-based Cremation”

Owner, A. Neal Kellum

Pet Cremation Services of Tidewater

757-340-0016

105 Happy St. | Virginia Beach, VA 23452 | Corner of Bonney Rd. & Happy St. Read our customer testimonials at www.petcremation.com

Chris Sisler, Vice President, Member of Ohef Sholom Temple, Board member of the Berger-Goldrich Home at Beth Sholom Village, James E. Altmeyer, Jr., President, James E. Altmeyer, Sr., Owner

CheSapeake Chapel 929 S. Battlefield Blvd.

Chesapeake 757 482-3311

• Affordable services to fit any budget • Advance funeral planning • Professional, experienced, caring staff • Flexible burial options

denbigh Chapel 12893 Jefferson Ave. Newport News 757 874-4200

• Flexible payment options www.altmeyer.com

Approved by all area Rabbis and Chevrah Kadisha

Riverside Chapel 7415 River Road Newport News 757 245-1525

jewishnewsva.org | February 13, 2017 | Jewish News | 37

C A R E E R O P P O RT U N I T Y H O LO C AU S T CO M M I S S I O N PRO G R A M C O O R D I N ATO R The United Jewish Federation of Tidewater seeks candidates for the position of Holocaust Commission Program Coordinator.

This part-time position (approximately 20 hours/week) is responsible for the administrative and program support of Holocaust Commission activities. A minimum of 1-2 years of administrative experience is required.

Associate's Degree in business, Public Administration, Jewish Communal Service, or other related and appropriate field, preferred. Candidate must be proficient in using MS Office Suite; have an understanding of social media and its usage; excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both oral and written. Must be available for flexible working hours.

Contact Taffy Hunter, Human Resources director, at 757-965-6117, resumes@ujft.org or submit resume to: United Jewish Federation of Tidewater Attention: Human Resources 5000 Corporate Woods Drive Virginia Beach, 23462

Team oriented LEADERS; THIS CAREER might be yours!

APPLY TODAY!

DONOR-ADVISED FUND MATCH PROGRAM Offered by the Tidewater Jewish Foundation

DO YOU WANT an extra $2,500 to give away?

For full program details, CALL TODAY! Scott Kaplan, President & CEO • skaplan@ujft.org 5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Suite 200 • Virginia Beach, VA 23462 Phone 757-965-6111 • www.JewishVA.org 38 | Jewish News | February 13, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

Employment Oppor tunity Marketing Director The United Jewish Federation of Tidewater/Simon Family JCC seeks a candidate with proven managerial leadership and experience coordinating progressive marketing policies and programs.

The Marketing Director is responsible for managing the development, and marketing initiatives that support the agency’s strategic and operational marketing, goals and objectives.

This position requires a candidate with hands-on experience in the coordination and use of all creative, visual, graphic and written materials required to meet objectives of marketing and communications; including the use of formal and informal, traditional and non-traditional methods to reach all target audiences.

Marketing Director oversees all public relations, advertising and promotional staff, agencies and activities.

If you are self-motivated, career minded, and a Team oriented LEADER, this career might be yours!

Complete job description at www.jewishva.org or www.simonfamilyjcc.org

Submit cover letter, resume and salary requirements to: resumes@ujft.org Or call Human Resources director at 757-965-6117 Submit by mail to: United Jewish Federation of Tidewater/Simon Family JCC Attention: Human Resources – Confidential 5000 Corporate Woods Drive Virginia Beach, 23462

Equal Employment Opportunity

LIMITED TIME ONLY! ACT FAST! Donor Advised Fund (DAF) At-A-Glance: •

A DAF is a philanthropic vehicle that is easy to establish, administered by the Tidewater Jewish Foundation (TJF), and provides flexibility to make charitable contributions

•

Your gift of $7,500 + $2,500 MATCH from TJF Unrestricted Fund = New $10,000 DAF in YOUR NAME

•

Initial gift may come from cash, marketable securities, real estate, or interest in partnerships, LLCs, or other closely-held entities

•

Receive an immediate tax deduction and possibly avoid capital gains tax by gifting appreciated property

•

Make a gift to the Foundation and support many charities throughout the year (Jewish or non-Jewish) while simplifying your record keeping and reporting

•

Include your children and grandchildren in your family philanthropy, enabling future generations to carry on the tradition of tzedakah

•

24/7 online fund access with TJF’s DonorFirst portal

Grand Re-Opening!

Tidewater

We have the

Cast votes for CRC’s Israel Poster Contest Student’s artwork on display in the Leon Family Art Gallery

Tuesday, Feb. 14–Thursday, March 2

S

tudents throughout Tidewater diligently worked on their artistic poster submissions for the 5th Annual Israel Poster Contest, presented by the Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater. First through 12th grade students designed original posters depicting one of the cool Israeli facts listed on CRC’s website, JewishVA.org/CRCIsraelPosterContest.

For the first time, all of the students’ work is on display in the Leon Family Art Gallery for the community to vote in person for their favorite. The top 10 finalists will be posted online and in March, the community will vote again, this time electronically.

Once online, families are allowed one vote per day, offering the chance for their student’s creative artwork to promote positive advocacy and educational facts about Israel.

The winning poster (with the most online votes) will be announced on Monday, April 3. The winner will have his/her poster professionally framed and it will hang permanently at the Sandler Family Campus, joining the other celebrated young winners. In addition, attendees of the Israel Festival on Sunday, April 30, will receive a copy of the winning poster.

For more information, visit www. JewishVA.org/CRCIsraelPosterContest.

At The Simon Family JCC Get more with a jfit membership!

• Country club amenities including towel service, sauna and steam room • 3 heated indoor pools

FITNESS EQUIPMENT!

FREE

TRIAL MEMBERSHIP! Including Personal Training

For all military and first responders

• Classes and programs for all ages • Member’s only outdoor water park with shaded family area

• Everyone can afford to get jfit!

Scholarships and membership subsidies are available

STATE-OF-THE-ART

HEROES DISCOUNT

• Free infant and child care

• Personal training

NEWEST

Tour Us Today

NO JOINING FEES EVER! Best Facilities In Hampton Roads

Get started now!

Visit us on

Follow us on

Call 321-2300

the web

Facebook

Fitness. Family. Fun.

jewishnewsva.org

JewishNewsVA

www.jfit.today For Everyone!

Simon Family JCC 5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Virginia Beach VA 23462

jewishnewsva.org | February 13, 2017 | Jewish News | 39

FLY NONSTOP TO

AND

NYC (NEWARK) LONG ISLAND (ISLIP)

BOOK NOW AT ELITEAIRWAYS.COM 40 | Jewish News | February 13, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org