"All is quiet in my house,
nothing stirs ... not even a mouse." Only the quiet hum of the aquarium
filter can be heard. I am the only one awake, playing with the little "Ded
Maroz" (Father Frost) figure under our New Year's "yolachka"
(Christmas Tree) trying to conceal the excitement bubbling out of my 40-pound
body for the night ahead. It's the only night when even children are allowed to
stay up with the adults and enjoy the festivities of the coming year.
It's December 31, 1988 on a usually snowy day in my homeland of Russia. The
streets are bustling with people getting last minute treats for their elaborate
New Year's Eve feasts and traffic roars down busy streets as people rush home
for their naps. That is precisely what was happening at my house. All the adults
were fast asleep getting their much needed sleep in preparation for a night
filled with laughter, drinking and celebration. Much like our dinners, New
Year's Eve has become a marathon of food and drink. Memories, tales and shots
are shared much into the early morning, until all the crumbs from the dining
room tables are cleared and replaced with steaming cups of tea and coffee and
plates of freshly made omelets with butter. After a 12-hour marathon, the
survivors return to their homes to freshen themselves up for Day 2 of
celebration: New Year's Day; a repeat of Day 1, with more memories, more tales,
more food – more vodka.
In Russia, New Year's Eve is as
big as Christmas is in the states. Christmas, and God forbid Chanukah, cannot be
found on any calendar. Instead, New Year's Eve is lavishly celebrated. Houses proudly
display their sparkling and tinsel-wrapped yolachkas in their windows. Everyone
gives each other presents and goes to see New Year's Eve plays featuring our
non-controversial version of Santa Claus, Ded Maroz, and his usually much
younger, sexier, scantily clad assistant, "Snegurachka."
I still remember our beautiful
"yolachka," a real tree that smelled of pine cones and frost. We had
the most gorgeous ornaments that were hand-made and each one had its own
personality. My dad and I would decorate the tree together, and my favorite
part was spreading the cotton "snow" at the tree’s base. We laid
"Ded Maroz" and "Snegurachka" figurines into the
"snow" along with tinsel, toy trains, presents and all the other
ornaments that couldn’t fit onto the tree. Countless hours were spent playing
under that tree, wondering which presents were for me, dreading the moment we
would have to put the tree away.
On New Year's Eve lots was to
be done and everyone somehow had a role in the success of the evening. My
brother was typically outside having snowball fights with his friends. My
babushka (please refer to this post for a Russian lesson) would usually be in the dining room
laying out the first course of appetizers on our crisp white tablecloths. And while she was clearing off any remaining pieces of lint off of the
freshly pressed cloths, I would sneak into the kitchen to get a lick of
some of the fallen cream off of her famous waffle tort.
My mom would race around
putting her last touches on her lipstick and her Napoleon cake. I would run
right behind her, reluctant to miss any of the New Year's preparation. My dad,
always the last to wake up from his nap, would walk around lazily trying to
find his missing tie, annoying my mother with his constant request for help to
find yet another mysteriously missing article of clothing.
Somehow, at the end of the
night, everything settled down. A decadent spread of appetizers, meats and
desserts awaited us, a feast to fuel the busy night ahead of games, skits,
songs and dancing. On this night Russians feel united in their love for
celebration and food, laughter and stories, a good tale over a cold shot.
As an adult, I try and recreate
that magic that I felt as a kid on New Year's Eve. But alas, that tingle in the
stomach is unique to a child's soul and cannot be re-created but instead will
hopefully be reincarnated – a wish for my own future children, a hope that they
will enjoy this amazing holiday as I once did. I hope my little ones will tail
me around the house as I crazily rush around putting the finishing touches on
my lipstick and desserts.
To this day I still make
babushka's special wafer tort for New Year's Eve. It's a tradition I hope
one day I can tell my kids about.
A Happy and sweet New Year to
everyone, and with this wafer tort it will be oh so very sweet.
Babushka’s Wafer Tort
2 packages wafers 4 cans condensed sweetened milk 1/2 cup walnuts-roughly chopped 3 tablespoons cognac 1 stick of butter, melted
We are going to start with four
cans of sweetened condensed milk. Remove the labels of each can and place them
in a pot of water, submerging them completely. As you can see in this picture,
I clearly forgot to remove the labels and therefore had some unnecessary
stickiness on my pot.
Boil the cans in the water for
3 hours. When some of the water evaporates continue adding more in so that they
are completely submerged. Essentially you are making dulce de leche. And yes I
have cheated and bought the dulce de leche but it was not the same, not to
mention babushka was upset with me. Next, let the can cool for at least an
hour. If you open them now they squirt all over the place and how sweetened
condensed milk is not pleasant, not at all. So wait. Once they have cooled,
open them up.
Scoop them out into a mixing
bowl. Do yourself a favor and do not lick the top of the can. I did ...
and I have a nice cut on my tongue. And a lisp. But it sure is tempting.
Now add the contents of the
cans into a mixing bowl along with one stick of melted butter and 3 tablespoons
of Cognac or Brandy into the mix.
Mix with a paddle attachment on
medium high in a standing or handheld mixer until fluffy, about 5 minutes. And it will be beautiful ...
This you can lick and I highly
encourage it.
You will need two packages of
these special wafers. If you have a specialty grocery store nearby you that has
Polish and Russian food, they will have these. If not, I can ship you some ... this
cake is worth it!
You are going to use about 8 of
these wafers, which is a package and a half. You can use the rest to dip in
Nutella or some of that leftover condensed milk. Take a wafer and put it on a
cake stand or a large cutting board with a piece of parchment paper underneath.
Add about a 2-oz. ladle of cream onto the waffle and smooth out with a spatula
as if you were icing a cake.
Babushka also used to sprinkle
each wafer layer with Cognac, but there were suddenly some drunk children
walking around (ahem, me), not that it's a bad thing … it does however, make
the layers a bit softer. I tend to like them with some texture to it. Up to
you.
Sprinkle on some walnuts onto
the top layer and let it rest for a few hours. Slice with a serrated
knife and enjoy! Happy New Year!
Review:
1. Remove all the labels from the cans of condensed milk.
2. Place the cans in a large pot and cover with water. Boil the cans for 3 hours, making sure to refill the water in the pot as it boils out.
3. Let the cans stand for 2-3 hours or until they are cool.
4. Add the butter and Cognac to the condensed cream.
5. Combine all the ingredients together in a standing mixer with a paddle attachment.
6. Alternate wafer layers with the condensed milk. Sprinkle the reserved walnuts on the top of the cake.
7. Allow to stand for at least 6 hours at room temperature before serving.
Ah, Christmastime in Chicago. The twinkling trees lighting up Michigan Avenue … the catchy Christmas songs on every radio channel ... the young people in green and red sweaters barfing in the snow after a little too much revelry at T-BOX last weekend … (Amiright, Lakeview?) Point is, it's pretty much impossible to escape the Christmas spirit around here lately. And let's be honest – why would you want to? Peppermint mochas are the BEST.
Starbucks holiday concoctions aside, as Jews, it's hard not to feel just a little extra left out this time year, especially with Chanukah as far in the rearview mirror as it's ever been. Our natural response, of course, is to cling to our customs of eating Chinese food and seeing movies on Christmas. As lovely and time-honored as that practice is, however, we think Jews can be a little less predictable.
So, Oy!Chicagoans, we've hand-curated a list of 18 ways to entertain yourself, your friends and your family this Christmas instead of crying into your fried rice over how cool Christmas is and arguing about whether to see Saving Mr. Banks or The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.
1. Get your party on
You have nowhere to go on Christmas Day – which leaves Christmas Eve open for (responsible) partying! So don't miss the Matzo Bash, as featured in our 18 Best Ways to Meet Jewish Young Adults in Chicago. Enjoy drinks and dancing with basically every other Jewish young adult in Chicago from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. Maybe you'll even see Santa finishing up his run on your stumble home. Also, maybe Oy!Chicago is co-sponsoring it, with $5 of every ticket sold through this link going to benefit the Jewish United Fund... IT'S GONNA BE EPIC, Y'ALL. Did we mention registering through this link?
Zoo Lights cruelly shuts down Dec. 24 and 25, but the show in Chicago's neighborhoods goes on! Grab some friends and some thermoses full of cider (spiking optional), and enjoy the labors of the people crazy enough to climb ladders in the winter. You can do this by foot or by car and even make a scavenger hunt out of it! Drivers, we recommend Lincolnwood, Park Ridge or a drive up Sheridan Road. Or if you're really dedicated, check out the Aurora Festival of Lights. Walkers, just get out of Lakeview.
3. Make reservations at one of these 60 not-Chinese restaurants
Nothing against the traditional Jewish Christmas Lo-Mein, but if Chinese food's not your thing, fear not. As Chicagoans, we're lucky to live in a big, diverse city with a wide range of fellow non-Christmas celebrators. There are other options. Open Table has a list.
Always trying to schedule a Google hangout sesh with your old Hillel crew or a Skype date with your bestie in New York, but can never find the time? Ask what they're doing on, say, Dec. 25.
Gingerbread's kosher – who says we can't get in on the fun? Get some blue and white frosting and you're set.
8. Break out the board games
Cards Against Humanity has a new holiday expansion pack. And it was (partly) made by Jews from Highland Park! Hey, it's better than getting into another argument over the legitimacy of Scrabble words.
9. Spend quality time with your family pet
You never have enough time in the day to give your pet some love. And come to mention it, your favorite fuzzy friend would look adorable in a reindeer costume.
10. Go sledding
Channel your inner Evel Kneidel! We bet there won't be long lines at all the best sledding spots – if you can find a hill in the Midwest, that is. Hint: There are plenty of man-made ones in the suburbs. Here's a handy list of top Chicago sled hills to get you started. (Bonus: You'll go faster with all the Thanksgivukkah pounds you've been complaining about needing to lose.)
11. Have a Christmas movie marathon
Half of them have Jewish actors or directors. That counts!
12. Sing Jewish Christmas karaoke
Annoyed that every radio station is playing Christmas music? Turn it into a parody sing-off!
13. Take a nap
You've got a day off – time to take that weekday nap you've been dying to have since you graduated college.
14. Volunteer
You know who doesn't have Christmas off? People who work in hospitals. And homeless shelters. And nursing homes. You know who doesn't have to miss Christmas dinner with their family to lend a hand? You. For holiday volunteering tips, check out this post.
15. Perform a Christmas miracle for someone not Jewish
Gemilut chasadim (acts of loving kindness) are important all year 'round, but for some, they are even more appreciated around Christmastime. Make a handmade card to send to a sick child or to troops away from home, use your time off to clean out your closet and fill a bag with old clothes to give away, or if you're adventurous, head outside and bring a lunch to someone on the street, or look for smaller opportunities for kindness.
Hot toddies, hard cider, taffy appletinis – there are lots of religiously neutral and totally delicious holiday cocktail options out there. Try one, try two … try them all! You're not going anywhere …
17. Bake up a storm
You know what Jewish version of a Christmas treat would go great with a hot toddy? Fruitcake soaked in Manischewitz. Or, get a head start on Purim and bake a trial run of hamentashen in every flavor so that you're ready in a few months. Whatever recipe you choose, nothing's more perfect than baking to fill your sad, cold apartment with warmth and cheer.
18. Screw it. You're just going to eat Chinese food and see a movie anyway
December is usually one of my favorite times of the year. Crisp-blustery air, twinkling lights, and everyone in a good mood. There are parties, excitement, tempting sales at the mall, and an air of anticipation.
This year is different though. With the hybrid holiday of Thanksgivukkah (Chanukah and Thanksgiving) long over in early December and with my favorite frying pan put away, my chanukkiah collection back on the shelf, dreidels spun and now idle, and the gelt now long ago eaten, what’s a Jew to do in December?
Sure, we can suck down a couple of kosher candy canes and attend some holiday parties. But our festivities have come and gone. Counting the days until Pesach seems premature—does it come early or late this year?
I am going to get started early on my favorite food season: winter! Moody broody skies, comfy slipper weather, and everyone is actually hungry. I love to hunker down in the kitchen and create long slow-cooked dishes. Soups and stews slow-cooked with huge flavors and loaded with love are what I crave. That’s right, loaded with love.
Food that is slow-cooked and made with attention to detail is loaded with love. I reserve my slow-cooked dishes for winter. I am going to make my favorite winter chicken dish. After the latkes and Sufganiyot, I am craving a richly flavored dish, but one that is light and not going to weigh me down.
Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic
This simple and light chicken dish will fill your home with heady garlic and aromatic herbs. I am making the dish with chicken, but if you have vegetarians, you can easily substitute vegetables for the chicken.
The original recipe for this dish does not include browning. I think that is an overlooked step. The sauce for this braise is simple and delicious but needs the extra step of browning the chicken to create the deep rich flavor dimension.
I also like to remove the chicken once cooked and continue cooking the garlic until it is very soft and can be whisked into the cooking juices creating a thick, delicious, and earthy sauce.
Serves 6+
10 chicken thighs or combination of legs and thighs Extra virgin olive oil for browning Kosher salt Freshly cracked pepper 40 cloves of garlic (or more), peeled Bouquet garni (herbs tied together with kitchen twine) of parsley stems, fresh thyme sprigs, 1 bay leaf, several sprigs of fresh tarragon 1 cup chicken stock (homemade preferred) ½ cup dry white wine
Preheat oven to 325°
1. Place a Dutch oven or heavy sauté pan, lightly coated with olive oil, over medium heat.
2. Pat dry the chicken pieces and season with salt and pepper.
3. Brown the chicken pieces, in batches until the skin is crispy and caramelized (about 7 minutes).
4. Add the remaining ingredients to the Dutch oven or casserole. Cover and cook in the preheated oven until the chicken is cooked through about 45 minutes.
5. Transfer the chicken pieces and place the Dutch oven over a low burner and continue cooking until the garlic is very soft and creamy.
6. Whisk the garlic until if falls apart and is incorporated into the braising liquid.
7. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Add the chicken back to the pan and serve over garlicky croutons and roasted vegetables.
Crispy Herbed Croutons
This simple side dish soaks up all the chicken juices and delicious braising liquid. Every professional chef will tell you stories of burning croutons. I think I have burned as many croutons as I have successfully made. Somehow it is the simple things that get you. I really don’t use timers in a kitchen, except when making croutons!
1 large loaf of whole wheat bread cut into 2-inch croutons, you will need about 1 cup of croutons per person ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
1. Place all the ingredients into a large bowl. Toss to coat the bread completely with ingredients.
2. Place the bread on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake, turning occasionally, until the bread is lightly browned and crispy (about 15 minutes)
Roasted Vegetables
This winter veggie side is a quick go to side dish. You can add beets, celery root, turnips or any seasonal vegetable to the mix. I like to garnish with freshly chopped parsley.
Serves 6+
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces 2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces 2 cups peeled and diced butternut squash ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
Preheat oven to 350°
1. Toss the vegetables with olive oil, salt and pepper.
2. Place the vegetables on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast for 35 -45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and tender.
To serve: toss the croutons and vegetables together and place on a platter. Arrange the chicken on top of the vegetables and croutons and spoon the sauce over the chicken. Garnish with chopped parsley.
Chocolate Pound Cake
This is our standard cake at home. I think I can make this in my sleep. The water bakes out the cake leaving a tender and delicate textured crumb. Be sure to use the best cocoa powder you can find. With so few ingredients, it is important to use the best.
1½ cups all purpose flour ½ cocoa powder (I use valrhona cocoa powder) 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon sea salt 1½ cups sugar 3 eggs 1¼ cups water ½ cup extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350° Grease a loaf pan
1. Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and set aside.
2. Whisk the water, eggs, olive oil, and vanilla together.
3. By hand, mix the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until there no lumps.
4. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick, inserted, comes out clean.
5. Cool the cake on a rack for 30 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar.
Joel Holland is passionate about finding people homes. In his work as a brokerage manager at Homescout Realty, he helps prospective renters and buyers find places to live and plan for the future, and in a great deal of his spare time, he serves organizations that provide people with less literal but equally as important homes.
In October, Holland added another accolade to go with his 2012 Double Chai in the Chi honor when he received the first ever young alumni award from the Chabad at the University of Illinois, an unusual accomplishment for someone who had only been there once as a student and doesn't identify as Orthodox. In fact, Holland said it wasn't until he began participating in a Jewish prospective class with Rabbi Ezra Belsky three years ago that he even began to get in touch with his Judaism.
"I wish I had the opportunity on campus to have more involvement and more understanding of my identity and someone to be a role model and a mentor," Holland said.
Through a roommate and fraternity brother, Holland got to know Rabbi Dovid Tiechtel of the Illinois Chabad and said he became interested in what his mission was on campus. For the last two years he has sat on the Chabad's advisory committee helping the organization with fundraising. He said he hopes he can be an example of how young professionals can get involved in organizations that really impact future leaders, the young adults who Holland says will be the Double Chai in the Chi honorees 5 to 10 years from now.
"Being honored will hopefully be a wake-up call, a call to action, or just an awareness campaign, if you will, for alumni to get involved and to support campus programs to help kids find a home away from home," he said.
Holland also tries to provide support to others in his working life. His professional Facebook page is titled "My Chicago Resource is Joel Holland," because he wants to let people know he's "a trusted resource for anyone's long-term real estate needs," whether you're a prospective client or someone who is just looking for some information.
If you do become one of Holland's Jewish clients, however, you can expect your very first housewarming gift to be a mezuzah.
"I want to make sure I'm creating Jewish households as well," he said.
Although Holland specializes in places to live, his biggest passion is traveling. He has plans to visit Thailand this month.
We've scoured the web and carved into our creative brain power at Oy!Chicago to bring you the Thanksgivukkah list to end all Thanksgivukkah lists. These ideas are not just your one-stop Thanksgivukkah shop, but ought to hold you over for 77,000 years until Thanksgivukkah rears her menorah-crested turkey head once again to terrorize your greatest of great-great-great-times-ten-to-the-umpteenth-power grandchildren.
1. Deep fry a turkey
We've all seen the now-classic Buzzfeed Thanksgivukkah menu. Sure, those recipes look delicious, but come on - one item is clearly missing. How much more Thanksgivukkah can you get than deep-friedturkey? For tips on how to win Thanksgivukkah without blowing your house up, click here. Apparently you can deep fry pecan pie, too …
You have to do all your shopping before Black Friday this year, so put that gargantuan stack of glossy invitations to frolic in consumerism to good use. If anyone gives you a hard time, explain how this year you're thankful for recycling.
3. Combine traditions to be time-efficient
For example, make latkes while watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
4. Watch 'A Rugrats Thanksgiving' and 'A Rugrats Chanukah' back to back
No better way to spend quality time with the family by watching lots of TV! (Hey, at least it keeps Uncle Morty from bickering with Aunt Esther…)
5. Got kids? Get crafty
For a fun Chanukah spin on a traditional Thanksgiving craft tradition, try tracing both hands to make a menorah to go next to your turkey cut-out on the fridge. Steven Colbert offersa great tutorial.
6. Okay, even if you don't have kids…
What's not awesome about these pumpkin menorahs? Nothing, that's what. And they're totally eco-friendly.
7. Pardon a Kosher brisket
You're saved, little guy! It's a Thanksgivukkah miracle!
8. Bet gelt on Thanksgiving football games
Gambling is a key Chanukah tradition, after all. Just be careful betting on the Lions - you might get nun.
9. Open presents first, and then say which ones you're most grateful for at the start of the meal
Boom. No thank-you notes required.
10. Tell the age-old story of Judah Maccabeak
Yeah … make it up.
11. Sing the Thanksgiving version of "I Have a Little Dreidel"
Fast forward to 0:50 in the above video, and sing along!
12. Make a giving grab bag
In the spirit of both giving gifts and giving back, attach the names of different charities to the items in your grab bag, and invite guests to volunteer with or make small donation to the charity they select.
(You've got to have a sense of humor about Thanksgivukkah. Thanks to our friends at Spertus for that one!)
14. Get the t-shirt
Because you will be so cool with your old school Thanksgivukkah shirt in 77,000 years.
Get all the Thanksgivukkah swag you could possibly need here.
15. Pair your meal with proper libations
We're especially into this curated list of Six Beers for Thanksgivukkah. Just pick two more at random, and have a beer for every night of Chanukah! (Seriously, whose idea was it to come up with six?)
We love this note from Thanksgivukkah Boston: "Hanukkah is a celebration of fortitude and survival, while Thanksgiving is an expression of our gratefulness. Use this special day to remind yourself of the amazing strength and fortitude shown by those living with disabilities, and to be grateful for the amazing gift of their endurance!"
18. Take a Thanksgivukkah family photo
Smile! You won't be getting together for Thanksgivukkah ever again.
When comedian Jim Gaffigan and his wife, Jeannie Noth Gaffigan, had their first baby, they received the usual flood of congratulations from friends and family. For their second, third, and fourth children, people still seemed relatively happy for them. By the time Jeannie gave birth to their fifth kid, "it held the ceremony of renewing an annual health club membership," Gaffigan writes in his new book.
Gaffigan—who will co-headline YLD's Big Event Fundraiser on Nov. 16 alongside fellow comic star Amy Schumer—recently published the New York Times bestseller Dad is Fat, (Crown Archetype)—a title based on the first words Gaffigan's son ever wrote down. The book shares observational humor on being the father of five kids, ranging from age 8 down to newborn. Oh, and all seven Gaffigans live in a two-bedroom New York City apartment, "roughly the size of an airplane bathroom," as he puts it.
Born in Elgin, Ill., and raised in Chesterton, Ind., Gaffigan was familiar with large family size growing up with five sisters and brothers. But as the baby of the family, what he wasn't used to was being around children younger than him—until he spawned his own. "The closest I ever came to a little kid," he writes, "was when I watched The Cosby Show and Raven-Symone came to live with the Huxtables for a few seasons."
Oy!Chicago recently caught up with Gaffigan over the phone to talk about fatherhood, comedy, Twitter, and chicken rings.
Oy!Chicago: Why did you write the book? Jim Gaffigan: Being an observational comedian, I write about what I know. When I started standup, I didn't even have a girlfriend. I would see comedians go on stage and talk about their wife, husband, or kids. And I told myself I wasn't going to do that. Flash forward to having these kids. I started writing some of it in my act, but I didn't want my act to just turn into the "dad act" because I was the 23 year old who would hear people talk about their wife and kids. I remember thinking I can't get a date—I don't know what they're talking about…The book came out of the desire [for Jeannie and me] to capture some of the chaos of our lives. Kids are pretty amazing. I was a pretty unlikely believer in the whole kid thing. It was a pretty big revelation that this is the most important thing I'll do in my life.
Your book reads like a love note to your wife, Jeannie, who is also your business partner, the co-writer of the book, and your muse. How do you put your love for her into words? I am very lucky in this realm…I'm married to this wonder woman. You get a lot out of a partner in life who is going to make you a better person.
Do you feel a kinship between the Catholics and the Jews? Standup comedy is a very Jewish American art form. It sounds pandering, but when I started in New York, most of the comedians I knew were Jewish. Maybe some of it is because I'm so Aryan looking, I get nervous talking about the Jewish experience.
You performed standup in Israel a few years ago. How was your experience being in Israel? Amazing. I love traveling internationally. I'm not thrilled about carrying the burden of how Americans are perceived, but in Israel there was none of that…There are so many Americans in Israel. English is such a common language besides Hebrew. There were all these kids that were over there for a year. I loved it.
You have a huge Twitter presence, close to 1.8 million followers. What do you like about Twitter? It fits the attention span of a comedian. Comedians are really spoiled by coming up with an idea and trying it on stage that night. There's a parallel there that you can come up with an idea and post it. I like Twitter because sometimes I come up with an idea, and it doesn't have to be a homerun because people aren't paying $40 [to read the tweets]. The other day I was at White Castle and I took a photo of their sides [to post]. It's just absurd. You should see it. It's like these chicken rings, rings that are made of chicken.
We know about the hands-on, daily ways kids change a parent. In what ways has your worldview changed since having children? Once you have a kid, all the tired clichés that you hear about children fall into perspective. I would say that I have a greater interest in local news. When you don't have a kid…if someone robbed a building, you're like, 'Wow, that's fascinating.' But when you have kids, it's a concern.
What are the biggest differences from your childhood as the youngest of six children versus how your kids are growing up in a big family today? It's much rarer to find a large family now. Also, my kids are growing up in an urban setting, and I grew up in a pretty suburban [world]... I was also the youngest of six, and knew a world of joyful chaos in a large family…I love the fact that my kids are not thrown by seeing two men holding hands walking down the street. Every decade, every generation America changes so much.
What is your favorite part about being a dad? I could talk for an hour about this. Parenting just grounds you. You don't get distracted by the drama or the silliness or the superficiality of our lives when you're around a 2-year-old or a 9-year-old or a 7-year-old. Their point of view on the world adjusts yours. It's this intentional selflessness that's thrust on you. It's a really good influence for me…I also don't want to sound like I know what I'm doing because that's not the case. I'm a comedian and comedians work at night and there's this occupational narcissism to over-analyze things, and kids shatter that.
Are you excited to return to the Midwest for Big Event? I've lived in New York for 25 years, but in the end, I'm a Midwestern guy... I'm proud of being from Indiana. It's fun to tell people in Chicago that you're from Indiana because they're like, 'Where's that?' It's like 10 minutes away.
Chicago’s food truck scene exploded this summer and adding fuel to that fire was one Fat Shallot.
Hitting the streets of The Big Onion (one of Chicago’s nicknames, for those who aren’t up on their Windy City trivia) this past May, The Fat Shallot (a play on said nickname) slings gourmet sandwiches that combine the joys of comfort food with inspired ingredients and flavors.
When the City of Chicago finally allowed food truck owners to obtain a cook-on-board license, Sarah Weitz and her husband, Sam Barron, jumped at the chance to start their own business together and The Fat Shallot became the first of such licensed trucks in Chicago. It’s been “an amazing six months so far,” Weitz said, but their journey began quite some time before.
Sam and Sarah attended Highland Park High School together, but “re-met” while attending culinary school at Kendall College. They then traveled a good chunk of the world together. They lived in Spain while Sam cooked at a three-star Michelin restaurant and then ventured throughout Europe, Southeast Asia and India. They worked on organic farms and sampled street food everywhere they could their hands on it.
From the grilled salami to the grilled cheese (on sourdough with Muenster, spinach and sautéed onions along with a few different varieties of fries, if you haven’t scoped out the truck to this point then you’re missing out. Follow The Fat Shallot on Facebook and Twitter to keep tabs on its whereabouts; in the meantime, we think Sarah Weitz is definitely A Jew You Should Know.
Fat Shallot Fries with caramelized shallots, cheese sauce and giardiniera
1. You put so many tasty and exciting flavors into your sandwiches. What’s the culinary concept for your food and what styles from your many travels influenced it? Our concept is taking classic sandwiches and adding our own gourmet twist. We try to create sandwiches that you can’t get anywhere else. We love to incorporate flavors from our travels in Europe like the romesco sauce we ate in Spain or the pickled vegetables we ate in sandwiches in Vietnam.
2. Why did you go the food truck route and what are the rewards and challenges of the mobile food business in Chicago? Sam and I got married in June 2012 and Chicago changed the law two months after that food trucks could cook on board. Both of us were in the food industry and decided this would be the perfect time to start a food truck: lower overhead than a restaurant, casual setting, endless creativity and an opportunity to be on the ground floor of such an exciting time in Chicago's food truck scene. We also fell in love with the idea of setting our own schedules, working for ourselves and being together.
3. What’s the secret to running a successful business with your significant other? The secret is that we both love food, cooking, eating and each other.
4. What’s your most significant Jewish food memory and do you have a favorite Jewish food you like to make? My most significant Jewish food memory would have to be Shabbat dinner at my grandparents’ house. For over 50 years my grandmother cooked Friday night dinner for our family. For almost 20 years I went every Friday night. She cooked the same meal every week with various incarnations. We never got bored and I would do anything to have one of her Friday night dinners again.
As far as making my favorite Jewish food, it’s a tie between baking challah with my best friend Lisa and making gefilte fish from scratch with my mother in law who still uses her grandmother's recipe from the 20's.
5. If you could set up the truck anywhere in the world outside of Chicago, where would it be and what new sandwich would you make to intrigue the locals? Truthfully, I think it would be Japan. It’s the next place Sam and I want to travel through together. Maybe a sashimi ramen sandwich with carrot ginger dressing.
6. What do you love most about what you do? Part of what makes my job so incredible is being mobile. Every day is an adventure. We jump in the truck and go to a different neighborhood each day. I love feeding and meeting people from all over the city; students, professors, children, doctors, nurses, business men and women. Plus we cater an array of parties and events with the truck. It's very rewarding to help make special events memorable for our customers. We catered our first Bar Mitzvah last week and had a blast.
7. In an alternate universe where you couldn’t be in food service, what would you do? I’d probably be a caregiver because I enjoy helping and working with people. I'm often told I have an old soul so maybe working with the elderly would suit me.
8. What’s your favorite Jewish thing to do (or how do you Jew?) in Chicago? Hands down my favorite thing to do as a Jew in Chicago is to celebrate Shabbat with friends and family.
Pictured is the JCC Chicago PresenTense 2013 cohort: Scott Beslow, Claire Denton-Spalding, Jane Shersher, Lihy Epstein, Veronica Vyazovsky Zamir, Rachel Dreytser, Rachel Sumekh. Not pictured: Jeremy Weisbach.
For the third year in a row, JCC Chicago is providing an avenue for social justice activism interpreted through a Jewish perspective. JCC PresenTense Chicago, a largely volunteer-run, vibrant grassroots community of entrepreneurs, mentors and volunteers, invests talent and energy to foster innovation and revitalize our community.
JCC PresenTense Chicago engages young entrepreneurs and professionals within the Jewish community to develop ideas into transformational, sustainable and socially responsible ventures through an intensive, six-month Fellowship boot camp by tapping into the talents and passions of everyday professionals in our community. In turn, those mentors, coaches, and volunteers also grow their skills, knowledge, and networks as they invest their experience and energy to foster the next generation of social entrepreneurs and to revitalize our established Jewish community.
“All great innovators and creators need a fertile environment to grow their ideas,” said 2012 Fellow Karen Berk Barak. “PresenTense is an organization dedicated to doing just that.”
Each Fellow works closely with at least one mentor and coach who have volunteered their passion and expertise in guidance and support. The Fellows also attend monthly seminars learning business skills necessary to succeed as entrepreneurs.
Over the past two years, 20 Fellows have gained skills and connections while working on the development of socially responsible ideas into sustainable businesses. Fellows focus on many different social problems, but they all share an idealistic mission and an urgent desire to make our imperfect world a better place.
Past coaches and mentors are also inspired and enriched by this experience. 2013 Fellow Scott Beslow, founded Hydrophilic, a cloud-based application that connects household residents and organizations into a data-driven conversation filled with metrics, incentives, and social nudges.
“Judaism teaches a tremendous reverence toward water,” said Beslow. “But as modern-day Chicagoans, it is difficult to assign value to something which is cheap and seemingly endless in supply.”
2013 Fellow Rachel Sumekh founded Swipes for the Homeless as a student at UCLA. Students were asked to donate their remaining college dining hall meal credits to be used to purchase food for the homeless. Thanks to her Fellowship experience, Swipes continues to grow, with Sumekh now working as the first paid staff member.
“If you are inspired by our Fellows’ ideas, and the social good that this program aspires to accomplish, check out our Web site and join us to learn more at an upcoming Social Innovation Night,” said Becky Adelberg, JCC PresenTense Chicago Manager.
Professionals and business-savvy community members are also needed as mentors and coaches to guide Fellows in developing their visions into sustainable ventures. Volunteers are needed to engage, inspire, and drive PresenTense, overseeing and managing all aspects of the program with passion, vision and energy.
“It is more than just a volunteer program, it’s a community of sharp minded, socially conscious people working together to create a safe place for budding social entrepreneurs to receive support, guidance and direction,” said Jeremy Forman, a 2013 Coach, Advisory Team member, and Chair of the Launch Night. “Participating in this community gave me a feeling of deep satisfaction.”
Forman is an example of how enthusiastic volunteers drive the program’s success. “We believe that a supportive community of bold thinkers can change the status quo, improve the quality of life in Chicago and impact the world,” he said.
With the support of a vibrant grassroots community, young entrepreneurs are enabled to take their ideas, build them into pioneering expeditions, and launch them into sustainable ventures.
Applications are now available for the 2014 Fellowship, through Nov. 12 at www.gojcc.org/presenTense.
There’s nothing like a Jewish young adult event to mingle with Jewish friends, do some quality networking and maybe even search for that special someone. Or, perhaps you just need to prove that you do indeed still exist and don’t spend every night curled up with your DVR remote or spooning with your laptop.
When you finally do put on your schmoozing shoes, you’ll meet all kinds of people at these events. Some will simply offer good conversation, some will be supremely awkward and some will change your life. But no matter how it shakes out, where would you rather be than with hundreds of fun-loving, like-minded Jews?
1. A friend from a previous Jewish life
Hebrew school, Jewish summer camp, youth group, an Israel trip – if you’re at a Jewish young adult event, you can probably check one or two things off of that list. (Otherwise, why would you be getting your party on at a Jewish young adult event?) Consequently, someone from “a lifetime ago” will most likely be there, whether you recognize them or not. Hopefully you recognize them – and hopefully reconnecting leads to more than awkward “remember when?” stories only one of you remembers.
2. The person you’ve never met but see at literally everything Jewish
No matter how involved you try to be in Jewish social events in the city, this person always has you beat. They’re at everything, you know their name, and you’ve seen them so many times that when you do happen to interact face-to-face, you are left with no choice but to pretend you’ve met before.
3. The Jewish professional
If you ask someone what they do and they reply with an acronym of some sort and just assume you know what it stands for, you’ve probably just met a Jewish professional. Tip: conversations with Jewish professionals will be interrupted multiple times by other people wanting to say hello. Be patient and you may be rewarded through personal introductions to new people.
4. The overly enthusiastic Jewish geographer
Talking with someone you’ve recently met about the overlap in your Jewish circles is a natural part of conversation. But to the overly enthusiastic Jewish geographer, investigating Jewish social Venn diagrams is a full-time hobby. This person will give themselves away pretty quickly by actually saying the term “Jewish geography” aloud along with phrases such as, “what a small world!” and “that’s so funny!”
5. The networking maven
The networking maven is a well-trained, stealthy Jewish geographer. So outgoing, warm and friendly, you won’t even know you’ve just spilled your life and resume to them until it’s too late. Hopefully you’re ready for and open to the barrage of connections that will ensue. Some of the suggestions might be a bit obscure, but if you’re lucky, the right connection might be just across the room.
6. That kid from high school
Although you might do anything to avoid them, there’s just no getting away from that kid from high school whom you technically know but haven’t spoken with in around 10 years. He or she WILL be at this event. Neither of you particularly want to catch up, but neither can you pretend like you don’t know each other. If you can’t suck it up and approach them, be prepared to dart your eyes away all night and take long and unnecessary paths to the bar or snack table.
7. The person who just moved here
If you feel uncomfortable at a Jewish young adult event, once you meet this newbie, you will suddenly feel loads better. You will probably want to try and adopt them, sharing wisdom about the city introducing them to everyone at the party whose name you remember… even though in reality they’re probably more comfortable at this event than you are.
8. The suburban couch-crasher
This person drove in from the suburbs just for this event and will be crashing on a friend’s couch after. The only thing this person is more desperate to do than find a job that will let them move out of their parents’ house is have the most amazing fun social night in the city ever. Get them a drink and make them feel awesome, or stay out of their way.
9. The person who makes you feel old
Maybe you were their camp counselor or even their babysitter, and now they are at this party drinking with you. No one really cares how old anyone is after college, but seriously, those recent graduates in the corner are practically babies! Like, didn’t you just graduate from college? What the hell?
10. The person who makes you feel young
For every baby-faced young ‘un at the event, someone will be talking about how they’re almost some age that ends in a zero. Cue sigh of relief. Good thing you’re not that old …
11. The touchy-feely person who keeps violating your personal space
Loud, crowded rooms and social drinking often lead people to be less cognizant of personal space. In a sea of many people looking to meet their future friend or soul mate, you may find it hard to avoid a sweaty palm on your shoulder, an awkward hug, or someone talking an inch from your ear. You may as well just embrace it. (Ba-dum, ching.)
12. The person who tries to lock you into a “really deep” conversation
Them: Trying to discover the meaning of life. You: Just trying to reach for a bagel.
13. The Israeli whom you desperately want to impress
They’re likely (definitely) the most attractive person in the room, they have a cute accent and they probably make a mean hummus. Obviously, you are drawn to the Israeli at the event and desperately want them to know how up you are on all things Israel. Finally, an opportunity to put those years of Hebrew lessons to good use! Aifo ha-shei-ru-tim indeed.
14. The new mom who finally has the night off
She’s the first one on the dance floor, but she’ll stop on a dime to show off photos of her bundle of joy. She’s also done by 8 p.m. – maybe 9 if she had a nap today, so show up late and you’ll miss her. And if she arrives with a little bit of baby vomit in her hair, give her a break – she just created a small new human.
15. The guy who thinks this is a college party
No, you can’t rock that polo like you used to, no, this event is not serving Old Style in red solo cups and lastly no, nobody wants a shot of whatever mouthwash liquor you love even if you can pay for a dozen with your big boy job. Please try to control your disappointment.
16. The person who asked for your number at the last Jewish event
If this person was looking for love at the last Jewish event, chances are they’re at it again this time around. If you blew them off, you can probably get by, but if you gave them a fake number, well ... Pro tip for next time: Give your real number but with one digit off, so if you see them again you can pretend it was an honest mistake.
17. The person you awkwardly messaged with on JDate for awhile
You had just started bonding over your mutual hatred of mayonnaise when they dropped off the face of the earth and stopped replying to your messages. You had convinced yourself they lost their phone or had a traumatic brain injury… but alas, here they are. Awkwaaaaard ...
18. Your beshert
Awwwwwww.
Hey, it could happen.
Looking for the next great Jewish young adult event? Check out YLD’s Big Event on Nov. 16 featuring comedians Amy Schumer and Jim Gaffigan. Register here.
When you think about Chanukah memories, what comes to mind? Did you look forward to an annual family gathering? A relative's amazing latkes? A gift that changed your life? Was there a year you celebrated Chanukah in an unusual way or unusual place? We want to hear these stories, so we're calling for submissions for Oy!Chicago's first ever blog series, "Chanukah, Oy! Chanukah: Stories from Days Long Ago."
All week from Nov. 18-22, we will publish blog posts inspired by this theme and we want some of them to come from you! So if you're a writer, an occasional writer-for-fun, or you know someone who might want to contribute to this blog series, here's how to submit: write a paragraph describing what the post is about and demonstrating your best writing and send it to info@oychicago.com by Tuesday, October 29. The only requirement is that the post should in some way relate to the theme, however you interpret it. We will review these pitches and reach out to those whose pieces we are interested in running in full on Oy!Chicago the week of the blog series.
We look forward to hearing your awesome ideas and sharing your talent with the entire Oy!Chicago community. If you have any questions, email them to info@oychicago.com
Jami Attenberg’s new novel The Middlesteins is the story of family relationships and individual obsessions, set in suburban Chicago. Earlier this year the book was chosen as the official selection for One Book | One Community, the Chicago Jewish Community’s Jewish Book Month initiative. One Book | One Community, which is organized by Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership, seeks to encourage a community-wide conversation around a single book, providing a month’s worth of discussion groups and events in locations across Chicago. Programs begin in October. In November, Jami Attenberg will join us in Chicago for a series of author events, including one near her hometown of Buffalo Grove.
In this interview, Attenberg shares her inspiration behind the story, reveals which character she would most like to have dinner with, and reminisces about some of her favorite mealtime memories.
What started you on your path to becoming a writer? I’ve always written. I’ve loved writing since I was four or five years old. For a while I wrote in high school, was editor of my high school newspaper, that kind of thing. I wrote poems and stories here and there. But what really started me on my path was when I went to school and got a degree in creative writing at Johns Hopkins University. Writing was always the thing I loved most, and I’m a firm believer that if you can find the thing you love most in this world that you should definitely pursue it. A lot of people spend their whole lives trying to figure that out. I feel I got lucky figuring it out right away.
Addiction and obsession seem to be major themes in The Middlesteins. How did writing the book allow you to explore these topics in depth? In all of my books I have characters who have issues. So it wasn’t necessarily new territory for me. Still, it was very interesting to explore issues of food, mostly because I love food. I think about food a lot, and I see in America that we have a problem with obesity. But I didn’t set out thinking I was going to write a book addressing this big American issue. But food addiction is a really interesting subject. It’s something that you can’t really get away from. You know, if you have a problem with drugs or alcohol, and you quit those things, you don’t ever have to deal with them again. But if you have a problem with food, it’s something you have to face every single day.
This book is notable for the way its characters can engage in destructive behavior, but still gain our empathy. How did you achieve that effect in your writing? I just tried to write from a place of compassion. That was the most important thing for me. I was just trying to understand them, and I hope the reader is trying to understand them along with me.
A big element in this book is food. In the course of your research, did you encounter any interesting theories about how Jews relate to food? Was food a big part of your family growing up? Writing about food felt very instinctual. I didn’t have to think too hard about it. I have a family and friends and I’ve traveled—so I already had some ideas about how people relate to food and how Jews relate to food. And again, it’s not all Jews that relate to food the way I do, but I’m glad it feels universal to people. I did, however, research some stuff about Chinese food.
Did you discover the secret of why Jews love Chinese food? There are a bunch of reasons, and everybody has a different story behind it. To be honest, though, my family wasn’t much of a Chinese food family. We were more like a pizza family, or a hot dog from Portillo’s family. We did Eduardo’s a lot, but not necessarily Chinese food. It wasn’t until I moved to New York that I started eating Chinese food.
Do you consider The Middlesteins a Jewish book? I didn’t really set out to write a Jewish book. None of my other books have been about characters that are Jewish, even though I’m Jewish. It’s certainly been embraced by the Jewish community, which is wonderful. People have been incredibly generous with me in the last year, inviting me to speak and inviting me into their temples and homes. It’s a wonderful experience to have people feel a personal connection to my work.
Last we heard from Erica
Weisz, it was 2011 and she and her husband, Sam, were
blogging for Oy!Chicago about their trip to Uganda to bring dental aid and
education to the Abayudaya Jewish community. Just two years later, Weisz is now
the author of her first children's book: One Thousand and One
Words.
The book tells the story of Theodore, who speaks recklessly to
the kids in his class. Despite his father's warning that he'll use up all his
words, he does not watch what he says, and one day he wakes up totally
speechless.
Weisz, a Highland Park native and graduate of the University
of Wisconsin-Madison, says she has storytelling in her blood, a trait passed
from her papa to her mother to her. As a teacher, she began to work storytelling
into her lessons, and now she's bringing her stories to life through art.
The idea for One
Thousand and One Words came about because Weisz had witnessed a lot of
verbal bullying in and around the classroom, and saw a need for a children's
book that could teach the importance of creating a safe space in schools for
children to express themselves and communicate without fear of peer ridicule.
This inspired her to write and illustrate a book that would capture the
attention of elementary-aged students and challenge them to "think and read
between the lines," a book that "speaks to character-building, communication and
personal growth."
Seeing as a number of you enjoyed our recent post "5 children's
books to read as a grown-up," we thought Weisz - a grown-up who writes
children's books - was definitely A Jew You Should Know.
1. Tell
us about the workshops you bring to schools and why combining art and
storytelling is such a valuable teaching tool. Through my
workshops in schools and libraries, I use One Thousand and One Words to
create a dialogue with students to address in a positive and engaging way, how
we can be kinder and turn down the volume on bullying and hurtful speech.
Coupling the story with an art project connects their learning from the book to
a personalized experience. It can be very challenging for children to verbalize
their emotions. Through art, students explore a different outlet to
authentically express themselves.
2. What Jewish values do you
think most influence the work you do and the stories you tell? The
essence of all Jewish values was taught by Hillel who said, "What is hateful to
you, do not do unto others." Focusing on this simple, yet still so profound
golden rule, is what continues to motivate me. My goal in teaching and with this
book is to fill students with chesed (kindness) and mindfulness of their
actions.
3. How did your time in Uganda change
your perspective and/or enhance the work you do as an author and educator? The support that the Abayudaya community provided for one another was
incredibly beautiful and overwhelming. I was especially moved by how the
children interacted and were so intuitively aware of how to help, without being
asked. Seeing these qualities displayed, I realized how my own community back in
the States has pulled further away from this type of support system. It made me
want to bring it back through positive stories and books that hold a teaching
message.
4. What are some of the best newer children's books out
there that you recommend for young families? I fell in love with
Line 135 by Germano Zullo and illustrated by Albertine. I am captured by its
simplicity in word choice, while sending a powerful message about navigating
one's own compass in life. It's a powerful read for young families, encouraging
children to express their own views, especially when it differs.
I also
enjoy If You Want to See a Whale by Julia Fogliano and illustrated by
Erin E. Stead. When I first read it, I was immediately reminded of one of my
favorite stories, The Missing Piece by Shel Silverstein. As Silverstein
explored in his book, Fogliano explores the wonderfully simple joys that can
often get lost when on a larger-than-life journey.
5. If you could
write and illustrate the next adventure of any famous children's lit character,
which character would it be and what might the story be? I would
have so much fun entering into the whimsical world of Max from Maurice Sendak's
Where the Wild Things Are. Max's imagination would carry him to another far off
place, this time, venturing to the mysterious underwater world. He would travel
through the dark depths of the ocean, encountering the sea monkeys and their
kingdom. I think this time, though, Max would find himself taking on a different
role under their rule, and not as lucky to be king...
6. What do you love most about what you do? I love the
process of drawing-where it takes me and how I get lost playing with different
mediums, juxtaposing textures, and interacting with the colors. I love to
explore the emotions of the characters both visually and with playful words. I
also have so much fun watching kids' expressions as they read and discover
emotions that the story and pictures evoke inside of them.
7. In
an alternate universe where you couldn't draw, write or teach, what would you
do? I could see myself as a fishing guide. I can't imagine
anything more peaceful and relaxing than being out on the water all the time.
And sharing the secrets to find the best fishing holes. When you catch a fish no
matter your first or your hundredth, I would get to see that same expression of
sheer excitement that keeps me going.
8. What's your favorite
Jewish thing to do (or how do you Jew?) in Chicago? On a spiritual
level, the L'chaim Center has helped me explore and grow spiritually as a Jew,
and I find myself much more conscious and aware of my Jewish values through
their growth-centered programs. When it comes to making and keeping my Jewish
connections, I have the most fun with organizing throwdowns. We bring our Jewish
friends together to celebrate different holidays with a Bobby Flay-inspired
kosher eating fest. Using the essence of the traditional holiday elements and
twisting our own flavors gives us an excuse to extend the holidays to friends
that might not otherwise celebrate.
Members of the "Old Jews Telling Jokes" cast laugh it up at The Bagel: Gene Weygandt, Renee Matthews and Tim Kazurinsky. Photo credit: Dan Rest
The last thing Peter Gethers’ father ever did on his deathbed was make a joke.
Gethers and Daniel Okrent, creators of the play “Old Jews Telling Jokes,”—along with pretty much every other Jew in the world—deal with the sorrows of life by laughing at it. As the writers say, “Life sucks so you gotta laugh.”
And they hope Chicago audiences will laugh with them when the Off-Broadway hit play “Old Jews Telling Jokes” makes its Windy City premiere this fall. The show runs on the Main Stage of the Royal George Theatre in Chicago, from Sept. 24 to Feb. 16, and officially opens Oct. 2. Directed by Mark Bruni, associate director of “The Book of Mormon” Chicago production, the play presents a revue, with musical interludes, that pays homage to Jewish humor.
The idea for the show was born out of a website “OldJewsTellingJokes.com,” which lives up to its name. “The website was hilarious and kind of amazing,” Gethers said.
But if you go to the show, don’t expect to watch just, well, old Jews telling jokes. The play showcases five actors—Dara Cameron, Alex Goodrich, Tim Kazurinsky, Renee Matthews, and Gene Weygandt—of all different ages, telling five monologues, stories based loosely on the writers.
Baby boomers Gethers and Okrent say they grew up in funny Jewish homes. “Mine was a depressed Jewish home with moments of humor,” jokes Okrent. “And mine,” adds Gethers, “was a funny Jewish home with moments of depression.” From as early as they can remember, they were raised on a steady diet of comedy albums by the greats—old time comedians like Bill Dana, Shelly Berman, Henny Youngman, and Woody Allen.
While the show honors classic Jewish humor of the past, it also reinvents Jewish comedy of the present and looks to the future. “The show comments on how humor is evolving,” said Cameron, a Jewish Naperville native, who recently joined the New York cast as a replacement, and will take the stage for the Chicago production. “It’s not just for old Jews, but for younger voices, trying to maintain a connection to the past.”
The faces of comedy are changing, but comedians still have their comedy forefathers to thank, according to Gethers. “Younger people are influenced by different kinds of comedians because the guys we used to listen to are dead. Kids in their 20s and 30s are influenced by everyone from Will Ferrell to Chris Rock,” he said. “But any really [funny comedian] of any ethnicity was influenced by the old Jewish comedians.”
Really, say the writers, we’re all old Jews telling jokes, no matter what our numerical age. Okrent’s son, age 32, is following in the comedy footsteps of his father. “If your eyes were closed and he disguised his voice a bit, you’d think he was a 70-year-old Jew telling jokes,” Okrent said. “My son has inherited that sense of humor, and it works just as well for him as it did for me and for my father.”
The show unfolds chronologically, from birth to death, which taught the creators of the show that being young is not nearly as funny as jokes about the misery of getting old and dying. “Jewish jokes move from unhappy circumstances,” Okrent said. “Our jokes are funny because they’re about bad marriages, bad sex…and getting old. The rueful way of dealing with that is to make it funny so you can live with it.”
“Humor is basically a coping mechanism and the funnier the jokes, the better the coping,” Gethers said. “The famous adage that comedians use is comedy is tragedy plus time. Anything that’s really funny is steeped in something really sad, but there’s enough distance that you can make it funny.”
It's September, and everyone's settled in their new apartments, homes, even cities for those new to Chicago. The High Holidays have also come and gone, so we're all renewed with purpose to make this year better than the last. There's no better time to meet new Jews!
The High Holidays can be a much-needed reminder of just how many Jewish people are out there that you've yet to meet, and yes – there are still plenty of other gefilte fish in the sea.
But you can meet young Jews all year long – if you know what to do and where to go! To help, we've assembled what we think are the 18 best ways to meet Jews in Chicago. Which have you tried? What works best? What did we miss?
P.S., if you're a new graduate, be sure to check out this Class of 2013 Networking Happy Hour to get started on your Jewish social networking journey.
1. Reconnect with old Jewish friends who will lead you to new Jewish friends
Synagogue, overnight camp, youth group, high school, your Israel trip/program – you agreed to be Facebook friends with these people for a reason. It's time to cash in. Chances are someone you knew in a former life lives in the area and has other Jewish friends whom you can meet.
2. Find a Shabbat dinner
Honor the Sabbath, and keep it social. You never have to be alone on a Friday night if you don't want to be. If no one you know is hosting a dinner, ask around and you'll eventually find an open invitation, or you can check Shabbat.com or organize your own dinner through Birthright Next.
3. Find a monthly Friday night minyan or try a bunch of them
If you're not averse to a Friday night Shabbat service, there are lots of independent minyans in the city on Friday nights. Often there's dinner or snacks and time for schmoozing afterward. And if you are averse to prayer – there is dinner or snacks and time for schmoozing afterward.
4. Walk around East Lakeview or West Rogers Park
For a more spontaneous encounter, walk around East Lakeview or West Rogers Park. You'll run into someone you know – or, if you don't know that many people, ask a Jewish friend or two to accompany you and you'll quadruple your chances. For best results, shop for groceries at the Jewel in these neighborhoods, and of course, only venture to the lakefront on days that are warm with minimal wind off the lake.
5. Get involved with Jewish young adult groups …
Various synagogues and non-profits have divisions or chapters specifically for young people, and they put on lots of events and programs. JUF's Young Leadership Division, Moishe House Chicago, Bucktown Wicker Park Chabad and Anshe Emet Synagogue's YAD are a few examples. If you're looking for a way to spend holidays or social justice or learning opportunities, these are the groups you want to seek out. Plus, they also have a vested interest in connecting you with other Jews. They're like your mother, but less embarrassing.
6. … And their programs, like LEADS, designed to introduce you to other Jews who want to meet Jews too
YLD's LEADS program connects you with a small group of Jews in your age group and neighborhood. In addition to socializing, LEADS groups help connect you with other Jewish opportunities and create a space to talk about relevant Jewish topics. You meet with the same group once a week for eight weeks, and hopefully beyond! If you're quick, you can register for Fall LEADS (starts Sept. 23) right now!
7. Join a rec sports league through a Jewish organization
The above young adult groups usually have opportunities for you to join kickball or softball leagues, play basketball, volleyball or ultimate frisbee, and more. And don't worry, where you get drinks after is always going to be more important than the final score.
8. Follow your Jewish appetite to delis, falafel/shawarma joints and Milt's BBQ often
Fact: Jewish people gather around food, so go to places Jews like to eat. Kosher restaurants such as East Lakeview hotspots The Bagel or Milt's BBQ are sure to place you among fellow MOTs, or take your lunch hour in the Loop at Naf Naf Grill or BenjYehuda. And you can journey to Manny's Deli if you're feeling especially adventurous.
9. Volunteer!
Volunteering is a rare win-win-win, especially when you do it through a Jewish organization. You feel good doing something good in the community, the community benefits from your help and you meet other good-hearted, justice-minded Jews in the process. Check out these Jewish organizations that need your help, connect with the TOV Volunteer Network or visit Chicago Cares for city-wide opportunities.
10. Wear something with Hebrew on it
Self-identify! Break out that Birthright hoodie, that T-shirt with your college's name written in Hebrew on it for game day, or if it still fits, dust off the Coca-Cola in Hebrew shirt you got when that one relative came back from Israel. Guaranteed someone will compliment you on what you're wearing and it might lead to a conversation. (For best results, wear in East Lakeview).
11. Watch a Big Ten game at any Big Ten bar
Watching your alma mater's football or basketball game at a bar affiliated with your school is the closest you will get to reliving your undergrad days, when you never had trouble meeting Jewish people. Well, those Jews also graduated, and lots of them moved to Chicago. Didn't go to a Big Ten school? Adopt one. Pick the one your parent or sibling went to, or whichever one was your safety school.
12. Take a Class
Remember that moment after you graduated when you realized that classes were such a great and easy way to meet people? Well, there are still lots of classes out there, and tons for Jews: ulpan at the JCC, graduate programs at Spertus, Talmud with SVARA and guitar at Old Town School of Folk Music.
13. Get tickets to see Matisyahu, Hadag Nachash, Dave Matthews Band, Guster, O.A.R., etc. the next time they're in town
Ever notice that all your Jewish friends show up to the same concerts? Some of the above artists are Jewish, Israeli or just inexplicably have a Jewish following, so getting tickets is a safe bet to meet Jews, plus you get entertained. Since these big acts aren't always in town, keep tabs on who's performing at City Winery or bookmark the KFAR Center page.
14. Go to the Matzo Bash and other big events
There are some events that everyone and their cousin will be at, so you can't go wrong registering. The annual Christmas Eve Matzo Bash draws more than a thousand people and is co-sponsored by a number of Chicago Jewish young adult groups. YLD's Big Event (aptly named) is also coming up in November featuring comedians Jim Gaffigan and Amy Schumer.
15. Mark Israeli festivals into your calendar
Israel's rich culture and talent has given us lots of festivals, even here in Chicago, and who should go to these festivals if not the Jews? Next month is the Chicago Festival of Israeli Cinema, and hopefully the newly started Israeli Jazz Festival will return in the spring, along with community staples such as JUF's Walk With Israel, Friends of the IDF's Yom Ha'atzmaut Celebration and more.
16. Get out of Chicago – and go to Israel
Sometimes to meet people in Chicago, you have to go to Israel. Yes, the logic is sound. If you've never been to Israel, sign up for a Birthright trip with Chicago-based participants! You will have a whole cadre of new friends right when you get home. Shorashim has a great trip for Chicagoans. If you're fast enough, you might even be able to get on a winter trip!
17. Organize your own celebration of a Jewish holiday (or anything Jewish really)
The Rabbis blessed us with more Jewish holidays than we know what to do with, which means you have built-in excuses to invite people to celebrate things. Start building your Sukkah right now, or get creative and organize candied apple-making for Simchat Torah. Take charge of your Jewish social life!
18. Go online
Forget any stigma that existed about meeting Jewish people online. We're all doing it. Sign up for JDate (your grandmother might even offer you a scholarship) or any other site that allows you to filter your search results by religion. At the least, you'll get some good stories and valuable life experience, and at the most – need we say more.
For centuries, Rabbis have used Naomi’s three attempts to send Ruth back home as an example of how to deter a potential convert, and with such dissuasion comes vague warnings of the persecution that is part and parcel of being a Jew. Perhaps no other event has stripped away obscurity and presented anti-Semitism in such stark black and white terms as the Holocaust. It hangs over Jewish history like a dark cloud, necessitating a distinction of life before and after. To become a Jew post-WWII is to know in grave detail just what the worst case scenario is. That said, the unofficial slogan of remembrance is “Never Again,” and while it may or may not hold true, the phrase points to something that has already occurred.
I arrived in this world and emerged from the mikvah with my family intact and unaffected by any ghosts of the past. My choice to convert has met with a plethora of questions and light opposition, sure, but my observance does not stir up pain for my relatives. Judaism does not for them beg the question of the existence of a God who allows such a thing to happen. Is it my own guilt or paranoia that makes me tiptoe around the topic, then, and feel that my grief for the 6 million should be carefully measured? After all, I think, I know them only as that collective number, not as individual names.
So sheltered from the Holocaust was I, in fact, that I hadn’t even heard of it until I read The Diary of Anne Frank at age 11. Out of sheer ignorance, I was less concerned with the events that had landed her in the Secret Annex and more empathetic to her misfit status within her own family; I, too, felt like the less favored daughter. Imagine my surprise when the epilogue landed on me like a pile of bricks, announcing Anne’s death as the inevitable ending that it was, but that I in my innocence never saw coming.
A period followed in which I can only be described as consumed. This was tricky for my parents, who were incredibly restrictive with music and television but never with books. Still, I had never dived headfirst into such a subject before and more than once the question arose as to whether I was old enough to handle it. This goyish protectiveness alone sets me apart from my generation of born Jews, who did not have the luxury of being sheltered from events that directly affected their own grandparents. Certainly Anne in her young age was not spared it. But unlike my campaign for access to MTV, I prevailed in my desire to understand how the Holocaust had happened, and my studies continued. Over time, I did ease up in my pursuit a bit, though I never resisted if the topic found me. Understanding continued to elude me, and it is this, at least, that I share with all Jews.
But before we get too cozy in our mutual outlook, a full confession must be given. My dark hair and eyes often lead others to presume I am Jewish by birth, and the revelation that I am not leads to inquiring about my heritage. (Scottish, Irish, French, Dutch, and German.) German? And when, ahem, did that side come to the U.S.? (1923 and 1925.) Their expression relaxes into an unmistakable look of relief. At least, they are thinking, I am not a descendent of them.
They are only partially correct. It is true that my great-grandfather came over first, and my great-grandmother followed two years later. From the safety of America, they watched their country go mad. His dislike of Roosevelt was only surpassed by his detestation of Hitler. She was nearly arrested by the Gestapo on a pre-war visit to her homeland. Tanks rolled through the streets, but still her family believed the Fuhrer’s assurance that there would be no war. “Look around you,” she said, incredulous, “Everyone in the world knows what is coming.” We’ll never know who, but one of her relatives promptly turned her in. It was only by luck of the train schedule that she was already in France by the time there was a knock at the door. Perhaps it was the uncle who would later write my grandmother, advising her to disregard the Old Testament in her Confirmation studies. Or was it one of the parents of the little cousins enrolled in Hitler’s Youth, whose photos in swastika-ed uniform were proudly sent to the States? There is poetic justice in my becoming a Jew, but it does not outweigh the guilt I feel by association.
I returned to my preteen preoccupation with the Holocaust during my conversion process, inflicting every movie and book on myself like emotional lashings I felt I deserved to earn my Jewishness. Funnily enough, my determination to get to the bottom of it two decades ago never led me to learn about Judaism, and even now, the two seem irreconcilable. I am expected to mourn the destruction of both Temples with abstinence from both food and armchairs, events from a time when my ancestors were likely polytheistic pagans, but grieving over losses suffered in the century in which I was born leaves me feeling like a poseur.
It was a conversation with a non-Jew that first forced me to defend my feelings. There it was, the question I was unprepared for: Why did I care so deeply about the Holocaust? Anne Frank once again acted as my ambassador when I recently revisited her diary. I had been fully expecting a nostalgic read but was instead struck by her talent and wry insight, with a writing style that should have decorated a lifetime of books. I don’t mourn Anne as the poster child of young lives snuffed out by the Holocaust; I grieve her as the author who never was.
The Rabbis of the Talmud noticed an odd thing in the story of Cain and Abel: When God corners Cain into a confession by telling him He can hear Abel’s blood crying out to Him from the earth, the Hebrew is actually ‘bloods,’ plural. From this, the Sages deduced that Abel’s murder was not just one life extinguished, but an entire bloodline. My family did not perish in the camps. Still, I do feel the loss of the individuals, the Jews my age who should be here but are not.
Kate Sample is a writer and Jew-by-choice living in Chicago.
Attempting to describe David Safran's musical style and influences requires an extensive vocabulary and imagination. His distinct voice has been called "velvety," his catchy tunes deemed "provocative" and his sharp and often ironic lyrics described as "smoke-tinged." One track on his debut album, Delicate Parts, has been hailed "erotic lounge pop at its best," while another is a "country-flavored waltz." Safran's own official Facebook page lists his genre as "stylish chaos."
Safran, 29, grew up with a love of music in the Chicago suburbs, though he majored in English at DePaul University and even planned to move to England to receive an MFA in Restoration Literature. But some of his professors heard his demos and were impressed by his musical talent and lyrical prowess. He decided to pursue music "because I'd never forgive myself for not trying – for ending up a bitter assistant professor teaching Beowulf to college freshman."
For the last seven years, Safran, whose sense of humor is as wry and witty as his music, has earned a certain cult status, amassing a solid local following but also finding surprising success internationally. He was asked to do an Adidas ad campaign in Argentina in Argentina earlier this year because a few of his songs were playing well there. The ad has put him on the larger map, and now, he says, things are getting "bigger … and weirder."
You should probably listen for yourself before coming up with your own compound adjectives, but David Safran is definitely a Jew you should know.
1. Your music draws on so many different styles. What would you describe as your influences and what inspires you as a songwriter?
I've always loved a baffling variety of musical styles. A good tune is a good tune. However, as a songwriter, I'm very rarely inspired – inspiration is a messy, passive, inscrutable thing. My process: I try to read as much as I can, I try to think like a cultured chimpanzee, and I try to write every day. And if I can't write, I just plagiarize.
2. Do you have any Jewish influences or genres that you like to dabble with or listen to (and why or why not)?
I'm buried up to my neck in Jewish influences. I love Judaism even though I disagree with it entirely. It's worth noting that although I was raised in the Midwest, my entire family comes from New York. There's genetic evidence that Safrans have populated Brooklyn for something like 350,000 years. So, I was given a serious Jewish education: Yiddish theatre, Borscht Belt jokes, Galician shtetl history – real Isaac Bashevis Singer stuff – a tiny bit of Hebrew, and an enormous terror of anything that takes places outdoors. My family has personal connections to both Gloria Steinem and Gurrah Shapiro. Feminism and organized crime were also part of my early education.
3. What is it about the Chicago music scene that convinced you to launch your career here?
Profound laziness. I'm from Chicago; the music scene was within easy reach. I'm often asked why I stay in this city – making music in Chicago is a bit like rolling naked in the snow. But I feel a sincere connection to this town. To quote that brilliant line in Sabbath's Theater: "How could he leave? How could he go? Everything he hated was here."
4. If you could choose a popular artist to do a cover of one of your songs, who would it be and which song (and why)?
Great question. I'm very fortunate: my songs seem to attract artists looking for cover material. Usually someone will approach me, but I have openly and passionately wanted Marianne Faithfull to record a David Safran song. Any song would work, but I think a tune called "Adult Things" might be best. Marianne has an astonishing ability to transform every song she touches. She could do "Adult Things" with such vehemence and clarity and experience. I'm certain her version would be un-ignorable – it would knock listeners to the ground. She often works with the guitarist Marc Ribot. Marc heard "Adult Things" at a show we both performed at. He liked the song enough to play it back to me on his guitar. He also informed me that Marianne would "make it completely her own." That's exactly what a great cover should achieve.
5. If you could put on your dream concert, what would it look like and who might it benefit (and why)?
Difficult to answer. I can't think about anything too dreamy. But, if not exactly a dream concert, a noteworthy show actually just happened: In late July, I supported Keren Ann at City Winery. It was a beautiful night. The audience was warm, receptive and very enthusiastic. I created a flutter in several women over the age of 65. The newest addition to my band, Kate Adams, performed with me. Kate is impossibly glamorous and talented. And, as a result, she knows perfectly well what's going on around her. At one point, I walked to the side of the stage and Kate did a fiery version of my song "Nothing Beyond the Kisses" completely solo. It was an extraordinary version. She created a flutter in a man under 30.
6. What do you love most about what you do?
Occasionally I make a virtue of my deficiencies.
7. In an alternate universe where you couldn't be a musician, what would you do (and why)?
Many people have suggested I already live in an alternate universe. I also don't consider myself a musician. I'm more like a fraudulent journalist. But I should answer this question correctly: I had a college girlfriend who repaired rare books in the library's Special Collections & Archives department. She found the work tedious, but I thought it was perfect. In an alternate universe, I'd love that job – just a man in a well-tailored suit restoring old books in the back of a library.
8. What's your favorite Jewish thing to do (or how do you Jew?) in Chicago?
What's my favorite Jewish thing to do in Chicago? Complain that no one in Chicago listens to my music.
We heard about this story a while back. “Jewish kid makes Michigan football team.” But Alex Swieca’s story is much more than being a great athlete. He was in Israel playing flag football before making it onto the Wolverine squad and no less as a quarterback. (Did I mention he went to an Orthodox high school?) Thank you to Yoni Labow, son of fencer Howard Labow, for putting Alex and I in touch. The fact is Alex's story is awesome; a story Jews should be talking about everywhere. So I caught up with Alex to learn more – and get his NYC Kosher restaurant pick of course.
1. Tell me a little bit about yourself? My name is Alex Swieca. I am 21 years old and grew up in New York City. I attended the Ramaz School until eighth grade and attended The Frisch School for high school. I took a year off to attend young Judea's Year Course and spent a year in Israel where I got the opportunity to play football, take classes, do three months of army basic training, and immerse myself in the Israeli culture.
2. After going to an Orthodox high school, what got you so involved in football? I have always been involved in football. My love for the game started when I was very young. I started playing organized FLAG football when I was in the third grade. I also attended some tackle football camps in the summer time just to get the experience.
3. What were your main sports in high school? Where did you shine? I wrestled for 4 years in high school. This really helped my growth as an athlete as wrestling is a very physically demanding sport. I won two Wittenberg Championships and was a captain my senior year.
4. What was your Israel experience like? Was it hard to stay in shape while learning? My experience in Israel was amazing. It will definitely go down as one of the best years (maybe THE best) of my life. I learned so much about myself and people. I was there on the Young Judea program where I spent three months in Jerusalem, three months in Bat Yam, and three months in Arad doing army basic training. I really didn't get into serious shape until I came to Michigan where I learned the HARD way!
5. Has your community back home been supportive? Yeah I would say my community has been supportive. Obviously the Orthodox community cannot be FULLY supportive, but I do my best to do my tefilin every day and eat kosher. And, for example, I will not be at a game this year because of Yom Kippur.
6. What’s your favorite kosher restaurant in New York? My favorite kosher restaurant in NY has to be Le Marais and Prime Ko.
7. What was it like learning from Denard Robinson? Are you two close? Was he a good teammate? Me and Denard are close and we developed a great relationship while on the team together. He's a great guy and I really respected the way he handled himself when he was "THE GUY." He's very humble in many ways and he's fun to be around. Watching him run was truly amazing.
8. What is in store for you this season? Do the Wolverines have a shot at the Big Ten title? This is a very exciting year for Michigan Football. We have a lot of young talent and a great staff. We have the Michigan way! This year we expect to win the Big 10 championship absolutely!
9. Did you support the basketball team through the tournament? Is there added pressure on the football program now? I definitely supported the basketball team. We all did. Both teams have each other's back and we know that we want to bring the spotlight and greatness to Michigan as the basketball team did.
10. What does life look like after college football? Life after school and football is still up in the air. I am definitely learning a lot of valuable life lessons here during my time as a Wolverine. Whatever I do, I want to love my job. I have a very entrepreneurial side to me so well where that goes!
Rabbi Lizzi Jill Honeyrose Heydemann really wants to play kickball.
As the spiritual leader, organizer and visionary of the spiritual community Mishkan Chicago, Heydemann often finds her time in demand between leading services, teaching, coffee shop one-on-ones and life cycle events, but as Mishkan continues to grow rapidly, she’s been able to both hire and inspire more leadership and create more time for her other favorite things, like lakefront runs, spending time with friends and – maybe one day soon – kickball.
Mishkan formed in September 2011 in hopes of bringing together all perspectives and movements of Judaism to create “inspired, down-to-earth Judaism,” and less than a year after, Heydemann was named one of Chicago’s 36 Under 36 inspiring young Jewish adults.
It’s now another year later and Mishkan is thriving, enough so that Heydemann has transitioned completely out of working part time at Aitz Hayim Center for Jewish Living and moved full time into Mishkan.
“(The move to full time) was a leap of faith,” she said, “even though I wouldn’t have described myself as an entrepreneur at any point in my life.”
Heydemann describes Mishkan’s mission as “to engage, educate, connect and inspire people in Chicago through dynamic experience of prayer, study and community-building.”
Friday night services are held twice a month on the North Side: second Fridays at the Bodhi Spiritual Center (2746 N. Magnolia Avenue) and fourth Fridays at Anshe Emet Synagogue (3751 N. Broadway Street). In addition to services for most holidays throughout the year, Mishkan offers a variety of classes during the week, including a weekly Talmud class taught by Rabbi Benay Lappe of SVARA, the “traditionally radical yeshiva,” and others through collaborations with organizations such as Moishe House and the Institute for the Next Jewish Future.
Up until this past year, Mishkan’s growth has largely been organic, but with increased donor support, strategic planning has become part of the process. Mishkan recently hired its first executive director, Jaré Akchin, formerly the Director of Annual Giving for JCC Chicago, to take on some of the logistical responsibilities.
“I realize now that I don’t any longer have a total handle of everything going on in the organization at all times,” Heydemann said. “There was a time where I could tell you where every dollar came from ... I had my hands in everything and now I’m specializing more into the role that I actually want to play.”
Heydemann said Mishkan’s growth has also come with its challenges. With a community largely comprising young adults, Mishkan has been a very fluid, ever-changing group of lay leaders.
“Part of the dynamism of the community is a constantly shifting constellation of leadership,” she said. “This is not a stable group of adults with kids who aren’t moving. These are people who are moving every year, every other year, different neighborhoods different cities; the complexion of community is changing.”
In terms of participation, however, Heydemann says older adults, seniors and young families have also become increasingly interested in what Mishkan has to offer. She officiated three weddings and a few baby namings this summer.
“Many people look at our community and want in,” she said. “The learning, spirituality, music, community – they want to support that and be a part of it.”
Heydemann said she hopes that education for young children will become a bigger component of Mishkan in the coming years, and that in an ideal situation, she would be able to hire a full-time community organizer to reach into smaller Jewish communities in the city and help people find points of connection to Mishkan or other Jewish experiences that would be best for them.
“There’s actually an immense diversity of things that one can hook into,” Heydemann said. “Kickball is one of them; learning about prayer is one of them; philanthropy is another one of them. Spirituality is what we’re providing.”
Mishkan is offering High Holiday services and programming again this year. To find out more and get tickets, go here.
The author in the northern city of Tangier, standing in front of a hotel with the Moroccan and American flags above the door.
Last spring, I attended a Havdalah service in Rabat, Morocco. The synagogue, tucked away in the second floor of a business building, was completely hidden from any and all passersby and, on the night I went, had more empty seats than occupied ones.
Halfway through the service, a cacophonous chorus of Muslim call to prayers went off, radiating from the loudspeakers on surrounding mosques and penetrating the sanctuary walls. The medium-pitched male voices reciting Arabic nearly drowned out the Hebrew prayers, as they do every Saturday. But the congregants, too deep in worship to notice, confidently carried on with the service.
During my time studying abroad in Morocco last year, I undertook a project that led me to immerse myself in the Moroccan Jewish way of life. I was unaware of Morocco's rich, deep-seated history of Judaism before going; this is a history that reaches back centuries, well before the wave of Islam swept North Africa in the seventh century.
At its peak in the 1940s, Jews in Morocco numbered 300,000, roughly 10 percent of the country's population (and more than any other Muslim country). Today, that figure has sunk to around 3,000, as many left to start new lives in Israel, Europe and North America, and that number is dwindling still. But after spending time with Moroccan Jews, observing their daily practices, visiting synagogues, and attending Shabbat services, Jewish concerts and a Passover seder, I found this small community to be very much alive.
Dates, fish and jam make up the recipe for Mimouna, an end-of-Passover feast unique to Morocco.
To get some background for my project, I spoke with a number of elderly Jewish Moroccans, listening to their stories about what it's like living in a Muslim country. One man told me that his best friend growing up was Muslim, and that they each participated in one another's religious practices, including helping prepare kosher food for holidays. A Jewish couple, though, said they experienced heavy anti-Semitism around the time of the Six Day and Yom Kippur Wars when tensions reverberated throughout the Muslim world and when many Jews left Morocco. Soldiers were sent to patrol the Jewish quarter where they lived and the couple nearly lost their jobs.
This got me thinking: why did some Jews stay when many of their friends and neighbors left? Again, the answers were all across the board. Some remained because of work, others because they couldn't afford the costs of travel, and others still because they felt a deep, personal tie to Morocco, their home. And because they chose to stay, I found, these people have no reason not to go about their lives as other Moroccans would. They work—as lawyers, teachers, politicians—maintain friendships with both Jews and Muslims and keep traditions. For the most part, they live happily.
A view inside the empty Benarroche Synagogue in Casablanca, just minutes before congregants make their way through its doors to pray.
But during a Moroccan Jewish concert in Casablanca, I caught wind of a trend that threatened to say otherwise. A Jewish high school student, who happened to be performing that evening, approached me and we got to talking. I remember him leaning in close, nearly whispering to me that he wants to leave for France when he finishes school, attend college there, and never return to Morocco. I asked why and he told me that there are hardly any Jews in Morocco so he has no reason to stay. Others confirmed what he said: Jewish youth are increasingly studying and living abroad, a trend that, coupled with the elderly passing away, could threaten the future of Judaism in Morocco.
Spending more time with Jewish Moroccans, I continued to sense the strength of their religious community but came to realize that, yes, it is in danger. What's worrisome is that Morocco is becoming like other Muslim countries, on the verge of losing evidence of its history of Judaism, of religious and cultural diversity. Unlike in the 40s and before, most Moroccans today don't know Jews simply because they don't come into contact with them.
This personal prayer book was handwritten by a cantor in the 1920s. It now belongs to a scholar.
In the final few weeks of my program, I visited the Museum for Moroccan Judaism in Casablanca (unique to the Muslim world), as well as a museum in Fes, adjacent to an enormous Jewish cemetery. Both were stuffed with artifacts, clothing, photographs. These spaces reassured me that memories of Moroccan Judaism will remain for those who seek them out.
Just as it did for centuries, Judaism can and does exist in this country where Jews are a severe minority. After acquainting myself with the community, I hope it continues to exist.
Nathan Evans is a senior at Illinois Wesleyan University majoring in international studies and religion. A 2012 Lewis Summer Intern with JUF News, he currently works at the Kindling Group, a documentary film company in Uptown.
If you
frequent Chicago’s bar scene, chances are you’ve walked, ran or stumbled to Dimo’s Pizza at some point. Or perhaps
their famous mac n’ cheese pizza has long been a staple of your weekly late
night diet. But did you know that Dimo is Jewish?
Iowa
native Dimitri Syrkin-Nikolau brought Madison Wisconsin’s famous Ian’s Pizza to
Chicago about five years ago, much to the delight of Badger alumni and everyone
on Clark Street (and just recently at Six Corners!) looking for a quick slice.
The restaurant specializes in radical toppings, adapting every comfort food you
can imagine to fit on a large, flat and crispy crust, or as Dimo says, “we’ve
always seen pizza as a delivery vehicle for the best foods imaginable.”
So why
change to Dimo’s? If you were confused by last year’s name change, be assured
that it’s the same company, same people and same pizza. Syrkin-Nikolau
explains:
“I felt
a disconnect was growing between what Ian's stood for and what I stood for.
I'd opened Ian's in Chicago as a local and independent business and
operated it as such for the period of four years. Ultimately, that freedom
provided us with the opportunity to do everything that we saw fit to best serve
those who entered our doors. I choose to retain that freedom and in doing so
was forced to rebrand as Dimo's.”
But
Dimo’s is more than a name, and Syrkin-Nikolau aims to do more than satisfy
people’s cravings. He is equally as passionate about the community role that
local business can play in making a difference. So whether you’re hungry for
cheesy potato pizza or social change, Dimo is A Jew You Should Know.
1. You have quite the last name. What’s the
story there?
Syrkin
is my mother's middle name and my grandmother's maiden name ... still with
me? I've come to this name via a man named Nachman Syrkin, an
eccentric fellow known for—amongst other things—being one of the founders of
Labour Zionism. He dedicated his life in an all-consuming manner to developing
this theory and doing all that he could to propagate it throughout the Jewish
sphere. So I suppose, my mother, being the feminist that she is, decided
that if she didn't pass Syrkin onward (My grandmother had no brothers), the
name would die in this lineage. My father is 100% Greek and from him I received
Nikolau. I sometimes joke that he's lucky to have gotten anything into my
name at all.
2. What is the best pizza you’ve ever created
(in your opinion) and why?
We made
a pizzaa couple months back that
has roasted poblano peppers, grilled shrimp, pineapple and pico de gallo. That
slice was absolutely incredible! With pizza, it's always the balance of the flavors
in combination with the perfect distribution upon a crust that is content to
sit at the bottom and out of the way, but still be able to deliver a crunch
with every bite.
3. Dimo’s is known for appealing to the
late-night crowd. What’s the weirdest/funniest story you can tell us?
We
certainly are a popular late night destination given our location within
Wrigleyville. One time, years ago, I took a delivery to a woman who tried to
pay in sticks of Trident gum. I had to figure that out. Another time, after we
were closed, a guy came to the door begging for pizza. He looked desperate and
instead of turning him away, I went to the door. He said his wife was pregnant
and in labor and wanted a Mac N' Cheese pizza after she delivered their baby. I
smiled, let him in and made the pie. We took a photo on the way out. A
few years later, in he walked and we got to reminisce about the night.
Apparently it won him big points and I was happy to be able to make it happen
for him. I wonder what they named the kid...
4. Owning a pizza place in Chicago is like
selling candy in Candyland. You make it look easy, but describe the work that
it takes to succeed.
Well I
think that depends upon what you think the relationship is between candy and
Candyland. The simple answer is that success must be your only option. When you
want success as much as you want to breathe, you'll be successful. I know
that sounds like a cop-out answer because it doesn't describe the work that it
takes to succeed, but that is because success, like beauty, is in the eye of
the beholder.
5. Dimo’s is really community oriented. Why
do you feel it’s important to go beyond making good pizza?
Well, generally speaking, my philosophy
revolves around the ideathat if you make a product that people
absolutely love and provide an experience that is so personal you develop
relationships (not that kind) with your customers, you're going to make money.
And it's what you do with that money that matters. I think we're at
the beginning of a huge movement going on to start to operate for-profit
businesses with for-profit efficiencies but with non-profit goals. You see this
increasingly with social enterprise, Internet startups, and more and more in
the small business world. I just recently visited plantchicago.org. They're a great example of
a company that realizes that there’s a way to make money, make a living, and
contribute to the betterment of society. I think if we do it on a large enough
scale, I think it's something that can be used to help solve many of the
problems our society faces today.
6. What do you love most about what you do?
It's new every day!
7. In an alternate universe where you
couldn’t be a food service entrepreneur, what would you do?
Who says I'm not? Less importantly, who says
I'm a food service entrepreneur? I just happen to be selling
pizza. It could be widgets. Make the best possible product, make an
incredible experience and I mean magnitudes above the rest, use those profits for
the things you truly believe in and what's the difference does it make what
business you're in? Does that answer the question?
8. What’s your favorite Jewish thing to do
(or how do you Jew?) in Chicago (and why)?
That's easy. I eat!
Favorite quick deli is The Bagel. I've been there enough times for them
to know me by name.
It was on a boat on Lake Michigan at last year's WYLD on the Water
party, which celebrated her and the other 35 honorees of Chicago's first ever
Jewish 36 Under 36 list, when Roslyn Turner realized it was time to give back in
not just her spare time, but her professional time.
Turner was talking
with fellow 36er Jonny Imerman, who has made a career of helping cancer patients
through Imerman Angels, which gives survivors one-on-one support from those who
endured similar experiences, when she felt inspired to do more. This from the
person who had already been involved for many years with the Michael Rolfe
Pancreatic Cancer Foundation and its Young Professionals Board, helped start the
Jewish Education Team Young Professionals group, and has a laundry list of
organizations she supports: Alzheimer's Association, Bright Pink, ADL, AIPAC and
the Auxiliary Board of Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Nonetheless, she
decided to do something she had been thinking about for months: move on from her
marketing position at Affy Tapple, LLC and start applying to graduate school.
She will attend Loyola University Chicago in the fall.
"I really felt like
going back to get a Masters in Social Work would provide me with the tools to
take my desire for just helping people and giving back to do that in so many
different fields," Turner said. "I was definitely inspired by being on a boat
with so many other people who were recognized for all the great work they
did."
Turner does her
own great work on the Rolfe Foundation's Young Professionals Board (YPB). This
past year since being named 36
under 36, she planned a big holiday event in November that drew more than
150 people, and in the spring, YPB sold more than 100 March Madness brackets for
a fundraiser.
The Rolfe Foundation specifically focuses on early detection
for pancreatic cancer, which is known as a "silent killer," and it has been an
important part of Turner's life ever since losing both her parents to pancreatic
cancer.
"When I came upon the Rolfe Foundation, what I loved was that
there was this group of young professionals that were really getting involved,"
Turner said. "I love being a part of something that I'm with people who
understand it and we all get to come together and honor our loved ones who've
been affected by doing something to give back."
This Saturday night, July
27, the Rolfe Foundation's YPB is putting on its biggest event yet. Cruisin'
for a Cure will take guests on a boat cruise on Lake Michigan that includes
live music, a silent auction and raffle, food from Harry Caray's, a VIP cocktail
reception and after party, a guest speaker from Johns Hopkins University and, of
course, a view of the fireworks over Navy Pier.
Planning for these events
and her job have kept her busy, but Turner did take some time this past year to
go on a trip that held great significance for her. She participated in this
year's March of the Living, an event in which
youth from all over the world walk from Auschwitz to Birkenau in a tribute to
Holocaust victims and survivors, and then travel to Israel to experience a
thriving Jewish community.
"My father was from Poland and was a Holocaust
survivor so it was very important for me to travel there and see firsthand what
happened," Turner said. "It was such an emotional journey but a trip of a
lifetime."
As for her next journey in graduate school, Turner says she is
both scared and excited, but says that she knows it will be worth it and she
can't wait to see where it will take her.
"I want to take the tragedy in
my life and make the best possible scenario out of it," she said, "and in the
memory of my parents, doing something that can help someone else so that
hopefully they never have to be in this situation."
From rabbis reinvigorating Judaism, to founders of innovative nonprofits, to social media gurus and bloggers, this city is full of young Jewish leaders, humanitarians, educators and social activists striving to make the world a better place each in their own unique way. Take a look at the list!
AJ Kirsch is on the upward swing of his career. You might remember him from
WWE's Tough Enough with Stone Cold Steve Austin. He was also a
candidate for TNA's Gut Check. Kirsch is an independent wrestler and
promotes Hoodslam Wrestling. Although he did not grow up strictly Jewish per
say, his father's whole family is Jewish and he was just interviewed by Larry
King (so that's cool). Kirsch is an extremely nice and entertaining guy. Here is
what he had to say:
What was your Jewish upbringing
like? Well, my dad and his entire family is Jewish, but we went to
church as kids because my mom was far more involved in religion than my dad was.
Gotta keep Mom happy! (laughs)
First recall you on Tough
Enough; did you wrestle before that? If so, where and what was your
training? I did. I've been performing as a professional wrestler
since 2005. And when I say "professional wrestler," I mean the kind on TV. Not
to be confused with mixed-martial arts (MMA) fighting. Signing with WWE has been
the dream since I was 12.
Training was absolutely brutal. I remember
taking my very first bump, which is wrestling jargon for taking a fall, and I
just remember thinking "This hurts so bad! I'm not sure I wanna do this
anymore." But I kept coming back because I had made up my mind that that's what
I wanted to do.
What was the Tough Enough experience
like? Do you keep in touch with any of those guys? Tough
Enough was absolutely surreal, an experience I treasure to this day. Just
getting a chance to learn under some of the greatest to ever lace a pair of
boots is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. There were moments when I literally
had to remind myself out loud that I wasn't dreaming.
I became good
friends with Eric Watts. Martin Casaus and I have also become friends since the
show. I keep in pretty regular contact with those guys.
You were
up for TNA's Gut Check. What was that like? Will we ever see you in a
TNA ring? TNA Gut Check was just a way to keep my name
out there, keep people talking. It was humbling to see how many people on my
social media networks supported me throughout the competition, but I sincerely
doubt you're going to see me in a TNA ring any time soon, if ever.
You were recently on with Larry King. How was that
experience? Another surreal experience that I never thought would
actually happen. It's always something special to meet someone who is the best
in the world at something, and this was no exception. I was really nervous just
moments before the interview, but once we started talking, it was like it was
just me and him.
If you could get in the ring with Randy "Macho Man" Savage, Goldberg,
or Kevin Nash who would it be and why? (Note they are all Jewish) Probably Kevin Nash. I have a blast wrestling big guys.
Who is
the best wrestler you have had the chance to be in the ring with? What was that
like? I actually got in the ring and rolled around with both
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin and The Rock on WWE Tough Enough. Don't make
me choose! (laughs)
Whats next for AJ Kirsch? I'm
concentrating mostly on building Hoodslam, an Oakland-based wrestling promotion
that's kind of the antithesis of the WWE. Hoodslam has me more excited about
professional wrestling than anything I've ever been a part of.
Kirsch
encourages everyone to follow him on Twitter @AJKirsch.
He also accepts all friend requests on Facebook.
Since being named to Double Chai in the Chi: Chicago’s first ever Jewish 36 under 36 list last year, Amy Witt has been busy making Chicago a healthier place.
Witt, who grew up in Deerfield, spends her days as the director of development and strategy for Chicago Run, a local non-profit that promotes health and wellness initiatives for high-needs Chicago public schools—its goal is to get kids up and running and promote an active, healthy lifestyle amongst children in Chicago.
Last month, she participated in the ROI Summit in Jerusalem, which brought together 150 young, innovative Jewish entrepreneurs from 37 countries around the world to network, collaborate, and get the support and space they need to help turn their ideas into dynamic new avenues for engagement in Jewish life. The ROI Community, part of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Philanthropic Network, is an international network of activists and change makers who are redefining Jewish engagement for a new generation of global citizens.
After graduating college in 2007, Witt joined Teach for America and spent two years teaching fifth grade in the south Bronx, which she says was a life-changing experience. During her time there, she got her students involved with the Mighty Milers program. Run by the New York Road Runners Association, the program promoted 15 minutes of running outside each day, which resulted in more focused students and a more productive learning environment.
At the end of her two years, she participated in the Schusterman Family Foundation Reality program for Teach for America members and alumni, which brings these teachers to Israel for 10 days.
“It was on that trip that for the first time in my life that I really was able to realize that my passion for service and for working to improve some of the issues around education inequity really come from this Jewish place of tikkun olam and comes from Jewish values,” Witt said. “That connection for me was incredibly powerful—just to be able to link my passion for social justice with my upbringing and the values I’ve always grown up with based in Judaism.
When she returned from the Reality program and still inspired by her experience in New York, she moved back to Chicago and learned of Chicago Run, which at the time was only a year old. Since joining Chicago Run four years ago, Witt has helped the organization grow and expand to serving 16,000 students in 55 schools in 33 different neighborhoods around Chicago, introducing running, promoting a healthy lifestyle and improving the self-esteem of the students in the schools they serve.
Witt also serves on the Board of Directors for Repair the World, which she says is working to make service a defining part of American Jewish life.
So what’s next for Witt?
“[I’d like to continue] to work more with the Jewish community in Chicago to really link the social justice and service world with the Jewish values, because for me that’s been such a powerful connection,” she said. “Continuing to get more and more involved with the Jewish community in Chicago is definitely a goal of mine.”
If you’re a big fan of the last course (of the meal, that is), then you need to know Amanda Rockman. A former contestant on Top Chef: Just Desserts Season 2, Rockman has become one of Chicago’s most-watched pastry chefs.
As such, Rockman made waves a few months ago when she left her long-held post as executive pastry chef of The Bristol and Balena to take a job with Lettuce Entertain You. She made the change hoping that working with a larger company will supply her with many more resources to learn from.
Rockman has already learned from some of the best. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, she’s worked with the likes of Emily Luchetti, Gale Gand and Celine Plano. (If you’re not a dessert foodie, just know that you should be impressed.)
A self-proclaimed sugar-pusher, Rockman says she blames her mother for her career path, since she was such an amazing baker. Sounds like a good Jewish daughter—and A Jew You Should Know.
1. They say you’re one of Chicago’s top pastry chefs. That’s pretty cool! What do you think have been the keys to your success so far in terms of both how you approach your career and how you approach dessert? I chose who I wanted to work for early on—strong pastry chefs that could teach me about great technique and flavor profiles. You learn their styles and eventually through time develop your own. I was incredibly lucky to have great mentors early on.
2. There are lots of great cities where exciting culinary things are happening, many of them more exotic than Chicago. What is it about this community and restaurant scene that has kept you here? Chicago is an amazing city—it’s also more manageable than most of the larger cities. I've worked in Chicago most of my career. People I used to cook with 10 years ago are owners and chefs. You build a community and closeness that is hard to walk away from. Also, gotta love those winters...
3. For the bakers at home, what are some quick tips, secret ingredient weapons or perhaps local places to get ingredients that you can share to help us up our game? Amazon.com is the best. Like, the best. You can order any ingredient off of there from your computer while wearing your PJs on the couch. Secret ingredient? Salt.
4. What’s your most significant Jewish food memory and do you have a favorite Jewish dessert to make? Coconut macaroons—can’t get enough. My love of coconut started from these little gems. I recall trying to shove as many as I could in my mouth as a kid for fear that they would all be eaten. I try not to do that as an adult.
5. If and when you were to start your own pastry venture, what would be your concept and which of your recipes would be a staple of the menu? I would love to have a bakery that offered breakfast pastries, miniature cakes, gelato to go, awesome sandwiches—with a kitchen store attached. Basque cake would be a staple, for sure.
6. What do you love most about what you do (and why)? I love pastries. I just do. I can't image a world without it. Being able to create things for people to consume just brings me joy—nothing is better when someone tells you they really enjoyed your dessert. It's about making people happy.
7. In an alternate universe where you couldn’t make amazing desserts, what would you do (and why)? I would be a writer. I had a blog called Bitter Chick Bakery for a few years but I’m on a break due to my crazy schedule. But I would love to pick it back up.
8. What’s your favorite Jewish thing to do (or how do you Jew?) in Chicago (and why)? My favorite is randomly meeting other Jews in passing in my industry. It's almost like a club. This is how it always goes:
Question: "you part of the tribe?" Response: "oh yes"
When 2012 Double Chai in the Chi honoree Benjamin Singer wrote to us about where he saw himself in 10 years, he didn’t realize how much of that he would accomplish in the first lap.
“I'd like to manage an organization that works with business, political, and grassroots leaders to advocate for improved ways to run our elections,” he wrote last summer.
Well, he’s not running the ship just yet, but in his work with the national nonprofit advocacy organization Common Cause, which among other issues advocates for holding elected officials accountable, he has helped Illinois become a leader in the area of campaign finance reform.
May 31 ended Common Cause’s successful five-month campaign to get the Illinois legislature to pass a resolution calling for a national amendment to overturn the Supreme Court’s controversial Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission decision. The 2010 ruling gave first-amendment protections to corporations wishing to spend unlimited money on election campaigns. In a bipartisan action, Illinois became the 14th state to call for an amendment.
Singer said he was in Springfield at least once a week working with legislators on both sides of aisle to gain sponsorship in the Illinois House and Senate, and also mobilized grassroots constituents all across to the state to talk to their legislators.
“The victory wasn’t just that we called for this constitutional amendment, but that we did it with bipartisan support,” he said.
Singer was also rewarded in the past year for his previous work as Media and Communications Manager for A Safe Haven, an organization that works with the homeless. His magazine-style annual report received an award from the Publicity Club of Chicago. Singer will participate again this year in A Safe Haven’s RUN! To End Homelessness on July 14.
Also on his 10-year to-do list, Singer said he still wanted to be with his girlfriend, Beth Horwitz. The couple took their first step to making that happen by getting engaged in December while in Panama. The wedding will be “sometime next year when it’s nice,” he said. “Right now we’re just enjoying being engaged and taking it easy.”
One way they’ve already done that is through bride and groom classes at Anshe Sholom Bnai Israel Congregation, which they participated in with fellow 36 under 36 honoree Jenna Benn and her now-husband.
“[Being named 36 under 36] was a great experience, particularly to be able to meet and start forming relationships with many of [the other honorees],” Singer said. “I think that’s part of what has made our community so successful is that we are able to form these ties with folks who are involved in so many different things within our society and we’re able to work together across those areas.”
In terms of what he hopes to accomplish going forward, Singer looks forward to working under a new grant from major Chicago foundation to do important organizing around improving the way elections are administered, including access to polls.
As a North Lakeview resident, he also wants to address the growing issue of gang violence in neighboring Uptown. After listening to a February episode of This American Life centered on Chicago’s troubled Harper High School on the South Side, Singer said he’s come to the conclusion that violence is not simply about gun and drug control, but about kids who lack hope and consequently don’t value their lives in the way that people with more opportunities do.
“I’m really interested in ways that we can stop [gang violence],” he said, “because not only should these kids have opportunities to succeed in their lives, but the resulting consequences of them not [having these opportunities] is putting everyone else in danger.”
Living down the street from Anshe Emet Synagogue, he and Beth have gotten involved in the shul’s social action committee, Na’aseh, which is part of the Lakeview Action Coalition, and he hopes that vehicle can be the beginning of greater action.
When he’s not busy advocating for change, Singer has plans to continue pursuing one of his other passions—dance. He recently bought him and his fiancée dance lessons at the Old Town School of Folk Music.
Comedy fans rejoice! TBS' Just for Laughs begins in Chicago this week. The June 11-16 festival features some big names including Russell Brand, Seth Meyers, Bob Newhart and David Cross among many others, but there are also some Jewish comedians hitting local stages for this year's festival.
Los Angeles stand-up comic Moshe Kasher will be at Stage 773 (1225 W. Belmont Ave.) June 12 and 13 at 7 p.m. Kasher has appeared on a number of late night talk shows and has his own Netflix special, Moshe Kasher: Live in Oakland as well as a memoir entitled Kasher in the Rye.
Locally, however, Chicago is teeming with funny Jews. One of them is Asher Perlman, who performs with Improv Olympic, The Second City Touring Company, and ComedySportz Chicago, and has a side comedy video project with some friends called ATV Comedy.
Perlman, who hails from Wisconsin, will appear in "Alone: Chicago's Best Solo Acts," two shows also at Stage 773 on June 14 and 15 at 7 p.m. presented by The Playground. This showcase will feature 10 short one-person comedy acts from different local talents. Perlman will perform five minutes of original characters.
In addition to belonging to three of Chicago's biggest comedy institutions, Perlman is an IT professional. Not amused? Well, he's also the winner of The Playground's Gimme 5 solo sketch competition. Anyway, if you love to laugh, Perlman's definitely A Jew You Should Know.
1. How did you discover your knack for and love of comedy?
Growing up my dad was a huge fan of old-timey comedy, like the Marx brothers and the Three Stooges. Slapstick, wordplay, that kind of thing. When I was about 7, my brother and I memorized the "who's on first?" bit and then performed that at some youth acting conferences. So that sort of got the bug early there. When I was in high school I started taking improv classes in Madison and that's where I developed my love for improv. After college, then Chicago's the mecca for in a lot of ways comedy, but certainly improv, sot that's what shot me down here.
2. How would you describe your style/sense of humor?
It's hard to describe yourself. What I enjoy watching and what I try to do is a mixture of silliness, really high-energy pieces, but still keeping a human element where people can see themselves or someone they know in that character. Trying to find that balance of something recognizable but just blowing it out into something ridiculous.
3. What does it take to make it in this crowded Chicago improv/comedy scene?
The Chicago comedy scene is the most oversaturated market. It's incredible. The thing I feel like makes performers stand out is, at this point, you have to be easy to work with. I think at one point when there weren't as many people, if you were really funny, you could get away with being kinda rude, possibly. But at this point, if you're even a little bit difficult to work with then there's no chance you're going to survive, because there are people who are really funny and fun to work with. Being easy to work with and super hard-working and dedicated, those are the two controllable factors. The less controllable one is obviously being funny.
4. Got a good Jewish joke for us or maybe a character we might identify with?
I don't have any blatantly Jewish characters. That's an interesting thing. I haven't borrowed much from my cultural upbringing in scenes. There's so much to pull from. I have done a character, I haven't done it recently, of my Hebrew tutor when I was studying for my bar mitzvah, she was a great character. She was just one of a kind. She was so enthusiastic about Hebrew studies, it was amazing. Just the way she spoke was unique. I'm not sure I could do her justice now.
Growing up there were so many funny Jewish people in my life. Our rabbi, when we were backing out of the synagogue parking lot, our rabbi was walking behind the car, and right as we were backing up we heard a thump, we looked back and we saw our rabbi holding his foot as if we'd run over his foot. We stopped the car and it turned out he hit the truck with his hand and pretended we hit his foot. Also, I was born in Seattle, I was there for the first 12 years of my life, and our rabbi there was a huge Mariners fan. I was friends with his son so we would go over there on Saturdays sometimes and they were observant so they didn't turn on the lights or anything like that, but he had his TV on a timer just to play the Mariners games so he could watch them on Shabbat. It was really funny.
5. If you could tour with anyone famous, who would it be?
Bill Murray. To do a comedy show with Bill Murray would be a dream come true.
6. What do you love most about what you do?
The thing I love the most in Chicago is the community of people. It's such an amazing culture of supportive, engaging, interested people who love what they're doing and love supporting each other, which is so difficult to find after college, to find a group of people who are really enthusiastic, supportive, intelligent and entertaining. Comedy in general, it sounds silly to say it, but just that buzz you get from making people happy, when you get that immediate feedback from the audience, that's just unbeatable. That's just such an amazing feeling.
7. In an alternate universe where you couldn't be doing comedy, what would you do?
My honest answer is I would probably go back to school, get a PhD, and try to become a college professor. I studied political science in college and had one professor in particular who was really inspiring for me and I could see myself following in those footsteps and having a really good time.
8. What's your favorite Jewish thing to do (or how do you Jew?) in Chicago?
My favorite thing, and this has been my favorite Jewish activity since I can remember, is Shabbat dinner on Friday. It's just such a fun way to unwind after a week and you can pull in your secular friends, your family, anyone. I just feel like an excuse to have a nice big dinner together and just settle after a week is just amazing. I still have Shabbat dinners sometimes and I always treasure them.
What do Harry Belafonte (a Caribbean-American guy from Harlem, NY) and Connie Francis (an Italian-American gal from Newark, NJ) have in common with Glen Campbell (a Scottish-American guy from Pike County, Arkansas)? Like dozens of well-known performers, they have all recorded covers of "Hava Nagila," in Hebrew yet!
In her delightful new documentary Hava Nagila: The Movie, director Roberta Grossman and her key collaborators tell the story of this simcha staple (Bar Mitzvahs! Weddings!! Declarations of Independence!!!) in the form of a biography, with giddy inter-titles like "When Hava Met Hora." It would all be way too much, if it weren't so well-done and thoroughly enjoyable.
Hava Nagila: The Movie is a masterful synthesis of scholarship and chutzpah, with just the right combination of history, politics, and religion. Grossman's team (including writer Sophie Sartain and editor Chris Callister) has assembled a treasure trove of films clips which they stitch together with dazzling dexterity. There is literally never a dull moment; even when the clips are black and white, they're still amazingly colorful.
The song "Hava Nagila" was born in Ukraine, nurtured in Israel, and came to full force in America, which then sent it back out into the world. As the scholars in Hava Nagila: The Movie explain, the original tune started life as a Hasidic niggun (a wordless prayer like the "biddy biddy bums" and "daidle deedle dums" that Tevye sings in Fiddler on the Roof). Most of the people who left the Pale of Settlement to become pioneers ("halutzim") in British Palestine ("the Yishuv") at the turn of the 20th Century were fervent secularists. They turned their back on religion, rejected Yiddish, and built a modern language based on Biblical Hebrew. But when the children in the kindergarten needed new songs, old melodies bubbled forth. And then Hava met Hora, and here we are.
Of course all Jewish stories, even joyous ones, must have some tzuris, and in this case rival families stake their claim, eager to persuade Grossman that it was their ancestor-and he alone-who wrote the familiar lyrics. But Grossman makes it clear that no one really owns cultural property like "Hava Nagila;" "Hava Nagila" belongs to the people and each generation must find new ways to cherish it.
Growing up in the 60s, I well remember how tickled I was by "Harvey & Sheila," the giddy version on Allan Sherman's 1963 LP My Son, The Celebrity. With brilliant lines like "Harvey's a CPA. He works for IBM. He went to MIT and got his PhD," Sherman told the history of Jewish America in less than 3 minutes. Decades later, Regina Spektor, born in Moscow, raised in the Bronx, and best-known for her album Soviet Kitsch, now performs "Hava Nagila" in her Indie Pop concerts.
Grossman's travels take her to Eastern Europe, Israel, and across the USA. Talking heads include scholars such as Henry Sapoznik (from NPR's Yiddish Radio Project) and Josh Kun (director of The Popular Music Project at the University of Southern California), religious figures such as Chazzan Danny Maseng and Rabbi Lawrence Kushner, and culture icons like Leonard Nimoy. Modern Jewish History has rarely been taught with such ebullience.
Hava Nagila: The Movie screens at Spertus Institute (610 S. Michigan Ave.) on June 6 at 7 p.m.
Go to YouTube and watch Danny Kaye's "Hava Nagila" duet with Harry Belafonte from 1966, and I guarantee you'll head to the theater for more!
Jan Lisa Huttner (aka Tzivi) contributes occasional features and monthly blog posts under the header "Tzivi's Cinema Spotlight."
Reality TV singing competitions are raining from the skies these days, so you might’ve missed Chicago’s Todd Kessler on Season 3 of NBC’s The Voice, which aired last fall. Fair enough; even if you’re an addict of the show, you might not remember his lone performance with Team Cee Lo, facing off against eventual third-place finisher (and now friend) Nicholas David.
But Kessler’s proverbial 15 minutes of fame aren’t up by any means. The 31-year-old Northbrook native and University of Illinois alum has parlayed his national TV spotlight into a prolific performing career in the city, both as a solo artist and as front man of the multi-piece band The New Folk, who just released their debut album, Sea Fever, now on iTunes.
Even if you’ve encountered Todd’s moving vocals before at Lincoln Hall, Millennium Park, the Double Door or elsewhere, you might not know that he loves to teach. He has been teaching Jewish music at Chicago Sinai Congregation for the last four years and also gives guitar lessons.
Kessler is definitely A Jew You Should Know, so why not get started tomorrow, May 29, by seeing him perform a solo acoustic set at Lincoln Hall (2424 N. Lincoln Ave.) at 8 p.m.? Or, you can see him with the band this Sunday, June 2, at Martyr’s (3855 N. Lincoln Ave.) at 7 p.m.
1. What makes your and The New Folk’s music something Chicagoans should be listening to? Our music is a new take on Folk music that brings all kinds of influences to the mix to make a sound that is fresh. I call it Alternative/Folk/Pop, or Paul Simon meets Wilco meets Mumford and Sons.
2. How has being on The Voice changed you personally and professionally? (And are you still tight with Cee Lo?) I have not seen Cee Lo since October when we were doing a show in Las Vegas, but working with him was a fantastic experience. Being on the show changed my life greatly both personally and professionally. I’ve met artists from all over the country, many of whom I have collaborated with on tour, and some of whom I have created life-long friendships with. Professionally, I’ve been getting better gigs since my time on the show and my fan base has really expanded.
3. What are the biggest differences between working as a solo artist and being part of a larger band/ensemble? Working with a band is kind of like working in an office, except with your friends. When you show up to work you do what needs to be done, but after we get to go to the bar and grab a drink. It’s extremely rewarding working with musicians that understand each other and genuinely love playing music together, but it is a lot of work to coordinate six schedules to find time to play gigs and rehearse. When I play gigs as a solo artist I only have myself to rely on so it is less stress in a way, but a bit lonely in another way. Nothing compares to sharing a stage with my friends and creating music.
4. If you could choose a popular artist to do a cover of one of your songs, who would it be and which song? I think I would have Glen Hansard (of Swell Season fame) cover my song “Hallelujah.” I am so inspired by how he performs and I think I could learn a lot by hearing his take of that song. The song itself is an emotional one and he is an incredibly emotional performer.
5. If you could put on your dream concert, what would it look like and who might it benefit? My dream concert would be at my favorite venue in Chicago, The Vic Theater, and it would be a huge jam session with all of my favorite artists: Paul Simon, Wilco, Glen Hansard, David Gray, Ryan Adams, M. Ward and Jenny Lewis, and some friends from the local scene as well thrown in the mix. We would choose for it to benefit an organization that would promote music and arts education in schools.
6. What do you love most about what you do? When it comes down to it, my favorite thing about playing music is the opportunity to connect with people. Whether it’s with the musicians I’m playing with on stage or the fans in the audience, being able to share stories and experiences is so rewarding. Music constantly reminds me that we are all connected.
7. In an alternate universe where you couldn’t be a musician, what would you do? Easy, I’d be a Fromager (cheesemonger). Cheese is my favorite food and if I could be surrounded by it all day, I’d be a very happy man.
8. What’s your favorite Jewish thing to do (or how do you Jew?) in Chicago? I love participating in musical Shabbat services. For the past few years I have been playing in a Shabbat band at my home synagogue (Congregation Beth Shalom in Northbrook) called “Shabbatone” and more recently have created my own trio to do more intimate Shabbat services. It’s a really nice way to connect with people in a truly meaningful way.
Chelsea Clinton, the only child of former U.S. President Bill Clinton and former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, is a powerhouse in her own right. The world saw her grow up as "first daughter" in the White House; today Chelsea is harnessing her own power to mend a broken world.
She currently is pursuing a doctorate at Oxford University, reporting for NBC News, and working with her father at the Clinton Foundation. The organization seeks to improve global health; strengthen economies; promote healthier childhoods; and protect the environment by fostering partnerships among governments, businesses, nongovernmental organizations, and private citizens.
Chelsea proved an inspirational guest speaker for more than 1,000 women attending the Jewish United Fund Women's Division Spring Event luncheon, a JUF campaign event held three days before Mother's Day. The theme of the luncheon, "The Power of Caring," emphasized that for the more than 1,000 women in attendance, there are 1,000 different ways to care, 1,000 ways to give back.
The power of caring
During the luncheon, several women—all Jewish leaders in the community—spoke about the power of caring in their lives, and why they give to the Jewish United Fund.
Among the handful of speakers was Olga Abezgauz, who immigrated to Chicago with her family from the Soviet Union just after the fall of Communism in 1992. A host of Jewish organizations supported by JUF/JF—including HIAS, JCFS, JVS, ORT, and the JCC-helped Abezgauz's family adjust to life in the Windy City.
Agnes Schwartz, a hidden child during the Holocaust, spoke about her struggles with her husband's mental illness, and how the Jewish Vocational Service helped her find employment and the Jewish Children's Bureau counseled her kids. Chelsea told the audience how moved she was by these women, especially Schwartz, who reminded Chelsea of her maternal grandmother.
"I'm so grateful to hear from someone [like Schwartz] who is many generations wiser and a couple generations older than I am," Chelsea said. "That, in some ways, captures the mystery of caring. We never know what we give to the world—whether it's our stories, our dollars, our power, our energy—we never know what those gifts will yield in other people's lives."
Then, Chelsea shared with the women the story of her late maternal grandmother, Dorothy Emma Howell Rodham, who passed away 18 months ago.
Born in Chicago to teenagers aged 15 and 17, Dorothy was abandoned twice by her own family before she was eight. She and her two-year-old sister were put on a train from Chicago to go live in Los Angeles with their grandparents, who told Dorothy she'd have to earn her keep.
She worked in the orange groves with immigrant children until, at 13, her grandparents kicked her out of their house. She moved in with a family where she cared for children in exchange for room and board. Dorothy earned straight A's in school and later returned to Chicago to study at the University of Chicago. Back in Chicago, she eventually put herself through secretary school, where she met her future husband, Chelsea's grandfather.
Her grandma thrived, Chelsea said, because certain teachers and other role models outside the home believed in her. In the home she and her husband built, she nurtured her children, including her daughter Hillary Rodham Clinton, to be anything they wanted to be.
"Who would have ever known that her [mentors'] gift of faith in [my grandma] would manifest in my mother who would one day run for president?" Clinton said. "…That is the power of caring…we have no idea what gifts we give to the world will have for future generations. I find that mystical and magical and really from the hand of God."
On the other side of the family tree, Chelsea's father was raised in a "dirt poor" home by his single mother, the late Virginia Clinton Kelley, who believed in her son and spent what little money she could on him. Besides "putting food in his belly—and he ate a lot back then," Chelsea said, her grandma would give him books to read. "That investment by her," Chelsea said, "…would one day help him grow up to be president."
The power of Chelsea
After Chelsea spoke, Helene Diamond, president of the Young Women's Board, asked her questions from the audience.
Chelsea was asked what Jewish traditions she shares with Marc Mezvinsky, her Jewish husband of three years. "We're developing our own family traditions," she said. Chelsea also told the women how much she loves sharing Passover seders with him. In fact, she had planned to travel to Israel with him this past Passover, but canceled her trip after her mother became ill late last year. She said she hopes to travel to Israel someday.
She also spoke about her work at the Clinton Foundation, which tackles problems including childhood obesity and lowering the price of HIV/AIDS drugs around the world. She currently is trying to educate mothers about childhood diarrhea, which she said "unconscionably" kills a million children around the world each year.
When the question of having children inevitably surfaced, Chelsea told the women that "there's no pressure" from her husband's side of the family (he has 10 brothers and sisters and his mother has 18 grandchildren). But she said she's feeling the heat from Bill and Hillary. As anyone who watches TV can glean, "my parents embarrassingly talk about becoming grandparents frequently."
And does Chelsea hold any political aspirations? As a little girl, she said, when her dad was Arkansas governor, she'd be at an "international duck calling contest," for example, and someone would ask her if she, too, wants to be governor one day. Chelsea said she'd think, "I'm 3-years-old. I just want some watermelon."
But as she grew up, and later assisted on her mother's presidential campaign, she became more engaged in politics. Still, she said, politics isn't her calling—at least not yet.
May God lift up God’s face unto you, and give you peace.
[Numbers 6:24–26]
We find this blessing still being used regularly
today. For example, this is the blessing traditionally offered by parents
to their children at the Shabbat dinner table on Friday nights. It is
often recited for a bride right before her wedding, and sometimes under the chupah
as well for both bride and groom. It is part of the standard repetition
to the Amidah, and thus for many years has been recited (or at least
heard) by observant Jews on a daily basis.
Is the blessing one that is familiar to you?
If not, what are your initial reactions to it?
If so, does it hold any meaning or power?
Perhaps the power of the blessing comes less from the words
themselves, and more from the fact that we know Jews have been offering this
blessing to one another for over 2,500 years? For me, knowing that the words being offered are the
same as those my ancient ancestors used and received is quite moving, even if
theologically I’m not quite sure that those are the words I’d come up with if
tasked with crafting a blessing to offer to my children in the future.
What is the value of offering a blessing today? Do we
believe that blessings really contain any sort of power?
On a metaphysical level, many would argue that a blessing is
a form of putting positive energy out into the universe.
On a more practical level, I know that before I proposed to
my fiancée, I made sure to ask her parents for their blessing…
If asked to compose the words that you would use to bless
your children, what would they be and why?
How do they compare to the blessing we’ve inherited from our
ancestors?
This Shabbat, reflect on the power of blessings – both in
form and function. Be in awe of just how far back in history some of our
blessings go. Resolve to explore meaningful ways to incorporate and when
necessary, to create, blessings that speak to you today.
We want YOU, the young leaders, humanitarians, educators, social
activists, and movers and shakers of Chicago to be part of Double Chai in the Chi:
Chicago's second annual Jewish 36 under 36 list.
Presented by YLD and
Oy!Chicago, this venture will shine a spotlight on the faces of Chicago's Jewish
future and recognize the amazing contributions of our generation.
What we're looking for:
People who are making a
difference through their work, who give back in their free time, are
entrepreneurs, innovators, leaders within the Jewish community, or just Jews we
should know.
Nominate an extraordinary Jew you know to be a part of
Chicago's second annual Jewish 36 under 36 list. Winners will be announced and
profiled July 16 on Oy!Chicago and highlighted at YLD's WYLD party on August
8.
On Sunday, more than 8,000 revelers gathered at Ravinia Festival, in Highland Park, for the Jewish United Fund's 2013 Israel Solidarity Day (ISD) featuring the Walk with Israel, in honor of Israel's 65th birthday.
This year, the Chicago-area Jewish community came together for a Sunday in the park—a brand new venue—for one big event filled with exercise, gemilut hasadim (acts of loving kindness), music, food, family fun, and tons of Israeli spirit.
Photo credit: Robert Kusel
The celebration, in which the sun broke through the clouds halfway through the day, was co-chaired by Rabbi Carl Wolkin, spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Shalom in Northbrook, and Miriam Lichstein, a member of the JUF Women's Board. Honorary co-chairs were longtime friends of the community Gov. Pat Quinn, Sen. Mark Kirk, and Roey Gilad, Consul General of Israel to the Midwest.
The ISD rally kicked off the Walk and featured sentiments from Wolkin, Lichstein, and Gilad. Cantor Amy Zussman, of Temple Jeremiah in Northfield, sang the Israeli and American national anthems.
Photo credit: Robert Kusel
"As I stand here, looking out into a sea of blue and white, it's clear our ruach, our Israeli spirit, has taken over Ravinia Festival today," said Wolkin, energized after his trip earlier this month to Israel on the JUF Israel@65 Mission. "…Israel has been through so much and come so far. It is a place that is wise beyond its years."
Gilad discussed the bond between the Jews of Chicago and the Jews of Israel. "This [day] is for everybody who feels for the State of Israel, everybody who believes Jewish people have the right to establish their own sovereign nation-state…I'd like to send a strong message to our brothers and sisters 6,000 miles away in the Middle East. From the Midwest to the Mideast, you have friends and you should never walk alone."
Photo credit: Robert Kusel
The day of celebration served up an eclectic mix of music and dance--a cappella by the Yeshiva University-based all-male vocal group called the Maccabeats, which culminated with the song "One Day" about their hope for peace in Israel one day; a spirited session of Israeli dancing; plus, the rhythms of the King David Drummers; and, finally, a performance by Matisyahu, the Jewish reggae and rock musician, who's inspired Jews and non-Jews around the world with his unique sound.
More than 400 teens, from across the spectrum of youth groups, joined in a service project called the Teen J-Serve 2013, in which they collected books in honor of Israel@65 for at-risk Chicago-area children through Bernie's Book Bank. After the service project, the teens participated in an Israel advocacy program, led by Write On for Israel senior fellows.
Photo credit: Robert Kusel
Dollars raised at the walk benefit Israeli children with the supplies needed to enrich learning and literacy. For example, just $18 supports the Israeli PJ Library early education literacy program by providing Hebrew-language children's books to Israeli preschoolers in JUF's Partnership Together region of Kiryat Gat-Lachish-Shafir.
Members of the Supported Community Living Initiative, a grassroots movement for people with disabilities and a collaboration between Jewish Child and Family Services, Jewish Federation, and Keshet, turned out for the event as well.
Social media played a prominent role at the celebration. ISD revelers used Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to show their love for Israel. Participants were also invited to share their own photos throughout the day on the Jewish United Fund Facebook page. Favorite photos will appear in the June issue of JUF News.
Lichstein says she was thrilled with the success of the day. "What an honor it was to be a part of an event that unites the entire Chicago-area Jewish community," Lichstein said. "Israel Solidarity Day is an incredible celebration—and American Jews must continue to support Israel!"
As a devoted “How I Met Your Mother” fan, I was super excited to learn that Josh Radnor would be visiting Chicago in April to speak to Fiedler Hillel at Northwestern University students. Since 2005, Radnor has been most widely known for his role as Ted Mosby on the popular, Emmy-nominated CBS sitcom, which recently announced that its upcoming ninth season will be its last.
Because we know him best as Ted, it’s easy to mistake the character for the man. But after talking to him, I discovered that the man behind Ted Mosby is a talented writer and director who feels most alive on a Broadway stage and comes from a strong Jewish background.
Radnor’s career goes beyond the sitcom—he has written, directed, and starred in two independent feature films, “happythankyoumoreplease,” and "Liberal Arts" both of which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. And he loves the stage, recently starring in the Broadway production of “The Graduate.”
Growing up near Columbus, Ohio (about two hours away from Ted Mosby in Shaker Heights), Radnor and his family were very active in their Conservative synagogue and both he and his two sisters attended Orthodox Hebrew day school. He has visited Israel three times, including a six-week teen tour with Federation when he was 15 and a nine-week solo trip during his time at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
With his time as Ted Mosby soon coming to an end—will we ever find out who the mother is?—Radnor plans to return to the Broadway stage in 2014 and is also writing his next movie.
Radnor took some time to speak with Oy!Chicago before his visit to Evanston about playing Ted (who is half Jewish), his newfound writing and directing career, and how his Jewish identity plays into it all:
Oy!Chicago: Can you tell us a little about your Jewish background and how Judaism plays a role in your life today? Josh Radnor: In between 1st and second year at NYU I got this hankering to go back to Israel so I went for nine weeks by myself. That time in Israel was really powerful for me. It actually threw me into a state of questioning whether I wanted to be an actor or not. And I came out the other end feeling like I really should be an actor and that it was okay to do this. But I was worried I was in this kind of narcissistic loop of maybe perhaps having my attention on the wrong things, but I [made] peace with that.
Judaism today is something I’m constantly wrestling with but I guess that’s part of the point of it, I suppose.
How does your Jewish identity influence your acting, writing, directing? Tony Kushner, the playwright, was asked why he thought so many Jews were attracted to the theater and have played such a role in the American theater at least and he had a really interesting answer. He said the process of studying Talmud and being a Torah scholar is digging beneath the surface of the words and finding out the deeper meaning underneath the surface. And he said that’s exactly what playwrights, directors and actors do. You have this text and you read it on the surface and you’re also digging beneath it for clues and other meanings. So I think studying Talmud, having a proper Jewish education is actually a very good primer for being a part of the theater. That’s always stuck with me and I’ve always thought that was an interesting parallel.
Are you an actor or more of a director at heart? I always feel like I’m being asked to choose and I don’t know that I can. I feel like if I had to retire from acting today I could look back and feel like I’ve done some really incredible things that not a lot of people get to do and I feel very satisfied with that. I want to keep doing it. The writing and directing feels more new to me and more exciting I suppose in a bigger way just because it draws on more of me. I always describe acting as playing the violin in the orchestra and directing as conducting the orchestra so you have a fuller sound at your disposal as the director.
I’m a big “How I Met Your Mother” fan. Do you have a favorite episode or moment from the show? At this point it’s so hard, we’ve done over 180 episodes. A lot of times the fans know the show better than we do in a weird way because we shoot it once and maybe we’ll watch it or not watch it and fans watch and rewatch and study and talk about it so they're actually much better scholars of the show than we are.
But I have certain things that stick out. Like I love episodes that fill in the history. I’ve always loved “Arrivederci, Fiero” where we all say goodbye to Marshall’s car…I love the one with the character of Blah Blah where we’re explaining how we all met each other. I like the episode where Ted and Victoria meet at the wedding in the first season. And then there are other bits, running bits that really amuse me. I love the intervention banner. Even just little things that writers start throwing in like running gags—little throwaways that reward longtime viewers like Lily shoplifting or something like that.
I know you can’t give too much away, but for those of us who’ve been watching since 2005, will it be worthwhile for fans who’ve waited so long to see how the story ends? I would hope so! I think it’s always been building to that. I half don’t know a lot and also don’t want to give anything away, but yeah they’re not going to not answer the central question of this show, I’ll tell you that.
Last Edited by LetsCommunicateStaff at 4/23/2013 5:04 PM
While a great deal of international and media focus has been placed on Israel's military conflicts, the country quietly has become an energetic, ambitious incubator of entrepreneurialism and invention. What follows is a timeline chronicling some of the most important and interesting innovations produced by Israelis during their country's 65-year existence.
RUMMIKUB (1940s): Ephraim Hertzano invents the smash hit board game Rummikub, which goes on to become the best-selling game in the United States in 1977.
UZI MACHINE GUN (1948): Major Uzi Gal develops the Uzi submachine gun. Gaf builds in numerous mechanical innovations resulting in a shorter, more wieldy automatic. It is estimated that more than 10 million have been built; the Uzi has seen action in numerous wars and in countries throughout the world.
SUPER CUKE (1950s): Esra Galun's research into hybrid seeds leads to his creation of the world's first commercial hybrid cucumber. Their descendants and the techniques Galun pioneered account for the majority of cucumbers cultivated today. Galun went on to develop early-blooming melons and disease-resistant potatoes. His work continues to inform and influence crop genetics.
CANCER SCREENER (1954): Weizmann Institute pioneer Ephraim Frei begins groundbreaking research on the effect of magnetism on human tissue. His work will lead directly to the development of the T-Scan system for the detection of breast cancer, which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration described as a "significant … breakthrough."
EARLY COMPUTER (1955): The Weizmann Institute's WEIZAC computer performs its first calculation. With an initial memory of 1,024 words stored on a magnetic drum, it is one of the first large-scale stored program computers in the world. In 2006, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers recognizes WEIZAC as a milestone achievement in the fields of computers and electrical engineering.
SOLAR ENERGY BENCHMARK (1955): Harry Zvi Tabor develops a new solar energy system that today powers 95 percent of Israeli solar water heaters and is the standard for solar water heating around the world.
AMNIOCENTESIS (1956): Weizmann professor Leo Sachs becomes the first to examine cells drawn from amniotic fluid to diagnose potential genetic abnormalities or prenatal infections in developing fetuses. His work becomes known as amniocentesis, a routine procedure now conducted on pregnant women worldwide.
LAB-BRED BLOOD CELLS (1963): Sachs becomes the first researcher to grow normal human blood cells in a laboratory dish. This breakthrough leads to the development of a therapy that increases the production of crucial white blood cells in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
DRIP IRRIGATION (1965): Founding of Netafim, developer and distributor of modern drip irrigation.
COLOR HOLOGRAM (1966): Asher Friesem produces the world's first color hologram. He goes on to explore 3-D imaging through work that leads to the development of "heads up" displays for pilots, doctors and other virtual reality systems.
DESALINATION (1967): Sydney Loeb takes a position at Ben-Gurion University, where he will develop the reverse osmosis desalination process, now the worldwide standard.
ADVANCED CELLULAR RESEARCH (1970): Ada Yonath establishes the only protein crystallography laboratory in Israel. She begins a course of research on the structure and function of the ribosome, the sub-cellular component that produces protein, which in turn controls all chemistry within organisms. Her work lays a foundation for the emergence of so-called "rational drug design," which produces treatments for several types of leukemia, glaucoma and HIV, as well as antipsychotic and antidepressant drugs. Along with two colleagues, Yonath is awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
BLOOD DETOXIFICATION (1972): Meir Wilchek demonstrates that "affinity chromatography" -- a method he developed for separating biological or biochemical materials -- can be used to detoxify human blood. The work leads to the development of present-day technologies, employed around the world, that are used to remove poison from a patient's blood.
DRONE AIRCRAFT (1973): Israeli fighter jets sustain serious damage during the Yom Kippur War. In response, Israel initiates the development of the first modern Unmanned Aerial Vehicles - also known as UAVs or drones. The new Israeli drones are lighter, smaller and cheaper than any of their predecessors, with capacities such as real-time 360-degree video imaging, radar decoy capability and increased operating ceilings. Drones enable Israel to eliminate Syria's air defenses at the start of the 1982 war with Lebanon without losing a single pilot. Drones descending today from Israeli designs conduct military, civilian, research and surveillance operations around the world.
COMPUTER PROCESSORS (1974): Computer heavyweight Intel sets up an R&D shop in Israel, leading to the development of the globally ubiquitous 8088 processor and Centrino chip.
COMPUTER SECURITY (1977): Adi Shamir, working with two American colleagues, describes a method of encryption. Now known as RSA, it is the single most important encryption method used worldwide to secure transactions between customers and banks, credit card companies and Internet merchants.
DIGITAL AGE INFORMATION SHARING (1977): Abraham Lempel and Jacob Ziv develop the LZ data compression algorithms. Aside from their trailblazing academic applications, the algorithms become the primary basis of early computer information sharing. Today, LZ algorithms and their derivatives make possible our ability to send many types of photos and images between computers quickly and easily.
FARM-SCALE FOOD STORAGE (1980s): Shlomo Navarro invents a simple yet paradigm-shifting food storage system intended to help farmers in developing food-poor and resource-poor areas to keep their crops from spoiling after harvest. The system evolves into GrainPro Cocoons, water- and air-tight containers used around the world to prevent the damaging effects of spoilage and parasites without the use of pesticides.
LEUKEMIA TREATMENT (1981): Elli Canaani joins the Weizmann Institute. His research into the molecular processes leading to chronic myelogenous leukemia, or CML, will result in the development of Gleevec, a drug now provided to CML patients around the world. The molecular processes discovered by Canaani were subsequently discovered to be at work in other leukemias, as well as certain tumors and lymphomas.
UNDERSTANDING CELLULAR ACTIVITY (1981): Avram Hershko and Aaron Ciechanover -- along with American counterpart Irwin Rose -- begin work that will lead to the discovery of ubiquitin, a molecular "label" that governs the destruction of protein in cells. The discovery produces a dramatic improvement in the understanding of cellular function and the processes that bring about ailments such as cervical cancer and cystic fibrosis. In recognition of their work, the team receives the 2004 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
A NEW FORM OF MATTER (1982): Israeli scientist Daniel Shechtman discovers Quasicrystals, a "new" form of matter that had been considered not only nonexistent but impossible. Shechtman becomes the object of disdain and ridicule, but his discovery eventually is vindicated and earns him the 2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Applications of Quasicrystals range from the mundane (nonstick cookware) to the arcane (superconductive and superinsulative industrial materials).
COMPUTER "LANGUAGE" (1986): Computer scientist David Harel develops Statecharts, a revolutionary computer language used to describe and design complex systems. Statecharts are used worldwide in areas from aviation to chemistry. Harel's work is also being applied to the analysis of the genetic structures of living creatures with hopes of applying subsequent discoveries to the analysis and treatment of disease, infection and other biological processes.
IMMUNOLOGY ADVANCEMENT (1991): Weizmann Institute professor Yair Reisner announces the creation of mice with fully functioning human immune systems. Described from an immunological perspective as "humans with fur," the mice provide for the first time a real-world arena in which to study human ailments and represent a major step forward in the search for a cure for AIDS, hepatitis A and B, and other infectious diseases.
BABY MONITOR (1991): Haim Shtalryd develops the BabySense crib monitor, which becomes standard child safety equipment in millions of homes worldwide.
OFFICE PRINTER (1993): Rehovot-based Indigo Inc. introduces the E-Print 1000. The device enables small operators to produce printing-press quality documents directly from a computer file, revolutionizing the operations of work environments of all stripes.
COMPUTER SECURITY (1993): Gil Shwed, 25, and two partners establish the computer security firm Check Point. Within two years, Check Point signs provider agreements with HP and Sun Microsystems. The company experiences phenomenal growth, and in 1996 it becomes the leading provider of firewall and security services -- including anti-virus, anti-spam and anti-data-loss security components - to businesses of all sizes around the globe.
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS TREATMENT (1996): Teva Pharmaceuticals introduces Copaxone, the only non-interferon multiple sclerosis treatment. The world's top-selling MS treatment, Copaxone helps reduce relapses and may moderate the disease's degenerative progression.
INSTANT MESSAGING (1996): Mirabilis launches ICQ, the first Internet-wide instant messaging system. America Online adopts the technology and popularizes the world of online chat.
COMPUTER DICTIONARY (1997): Introduction of the Babylon computer dictionary and translation program. Within three years the system will boast more than 4 million users. Babylon eventually becomes integrated into most user-level Microsoft programs, allowing for seamless cross-language translation of millions of words at the click of a mouse.
"PORTABLE" SLEEP LAB (1997): Itamar Medical Ltd. is founded, and soon brings to market its WatchPAT sleep lab, representing a paradigm shift in the treatment of sleep disorders.
PILLCAM (1998): Given Imaging develops the PillCam, now the global standard for imaging of the small bowel.
FIRST AID (1998): Bernard Bar-Natan makes the first sale of his Emergency Bandage. A giant leap forward in field dressings, it has become standard equipment in both civilian and military first aid kits worldwide.
NANOWIRE (1998): Researchers Uri Sivan, Erez Braun and Yoav Eichen report that they have used DNA to induce silver particles to assemble themselves into a "nanowire," a metallic strand 1,000 times thinner than a human hair. In addition to staking out new ground on the frontier of electrical component miniaturization, the wire actually conducts electricity, marking the first time a self-assembling component has been made to function and laying a path to exponential advances in the field of nanotechnology.
VISION-BASED CAR SAFETY SYSTEMS (1999): Amnan Shashua and Ziv Aviram found MobilEye, a company that provides advanced optical systems to car manufacturers to increase safety and reduce traffic accidents.
FLASH DRIVE (2000): M-Systems introduces the flash drive in the United States. Smaller, faster and more reliable than floppy disks or CD-ROMs, they will go on to replace those technologies worldwide.
ADVANCED UNDERWATER BREATHING TECH (2001): Alon Bodner founds Like-A-Fish, a manufacturer of revolutionary underwater breathing apparatuses that extract oxygen from water.
GROUNDBREAKING SPINAL SURGERY SYSTEM (2001): Mazor Robotics is founded and goes on to introduce its SpineAssist robotic surgical assistant, the most advanced spine surgery robot in use today.
URBAN AIR COMBAT/RESCUE (2002): Rafi Yoeli develops the initial concept for the AirMule urban carrier, combat and rescue vehicle.
TERRORIST DETECTOR (2002): In the wake of renewed terrorist activity against Israel and the United States, Ehud Givon assembles a team of researchers to develop an advanced and foolproof "terrorist detector," resulting in the WeCU security system.
MICRO-COMPUTER (2003): Weitzmann scientist Ehud Shapiro develops the world's smallest DNA computing "machine," a composition of enzymes and DNA molecules capable of performing mathematical calculations.
BREAST TUMOR IMAGING (2003): The FDA approves 3TP, an advanced MRI procedure, for use in the examination of breast tumors. The brainchild of Hadassa Degani, 3TP distinguishes between benign and malignant breast growths without requiring invasive surgery.
ANTI-BACTERIAL FABRICS (2003): Aharon Gedanken becomes involved in the treatment of fabrics to prevent bacterial growth, which eventually will lead him to develop the technology for treating hospital fabrics with an anti-bacterial "coating" that will dramatically reduce hospital infection rates.
CENTRINO COMPUTER CHIP (2004): Intel Israel releases the first generation of Centrino microprocessor. Centrino is Intel's mobile computing cornerstone; it drives millions of laptop computers around the world. Successive generations of Centrino have improved laptops' function, speed, battery life and wireless communication capabilities.
TUMOR IMAGING (2005): Insightec receives FDA approval for the ExAblate® 2000 system, the first to combine MRI imaging with high intensity focused ultrasound to visualize tumors in the body, treat them thermally and monitor a patient's post-treatment recovery in real time, and non-invasively. Thousands of patients around the world have been treated.
LAB-GROWN HUMAN TISSUE (2005): Dr. Shulamit Levenberg publishes the results of her work in the development of human tissue. Working with mouse stem cells, Levenberg and her partner Robert Langer produce the first lab-generated human tissue that is not rejected by its host. Levenberg goes on to use human stem cells to create live, beating human heart tissue and the circulatory components needed to implant it in a human body.
WATER FROM THE AIR (2006): Researcher Etan Bar founds EWA Technologies Ltd. In 2008 he produces a clean, green system that "harvests" water from the humidity in the air. The technology represents a boon not only to residents of water-starved desert areas, but also to farmers and municipalities around the world. Each device has the potential to provide two average American families with their entire year's supply of water without contributing to global warming or pollution.
PARKINSON'S TREATMENT (2006): The FDA approves AZILECT, a breakthrough treatment for Parkinson's disease developed by John Finberg and Moussa Youdim. AZILECT dramatically slows the progression of Parkinson's in newly diagnosed patients, increasing the longevity of body and brain function and improving the quality of life for millions worldwide.
BEE PRESERVATION (2007): Rehovot-based Beeologics is formed. The company is dedicated to the preservation of honeybees, which are under threat from Colony Collapse Disorder and vital to the world's food supply.
AIRPORT SAFETY (2007): Boston's Logan International Airport begins testing of a new runway debris detector developed by XSight Systems. XSight uses video and radar monitors to identify and track runway debris, which has been identified as the cause of several airline accidents, including the 2000 crash of a Concorde jet that killed 113 people. XSight has the potential to save upwards of $14 billion per year and an untold number of lives.
TRAUMA VICTIM STABILIZER (2007): Dr. Omri Lubovsky and his sister, mechanical engineer Michal Peleg-Lubovsky, introduce the LuboCollar, a device designed to stabilize trauma victims while maintaining an open airway. The device replaces the standard procedure of intubating trauma patients before transport, saving an average of five critical minutes between the field and the hospital.
HISTORICAL SOLAR ENERGY PROJECTS (2008): Brightsource Energy Inc. begins formalizing agreements with California power companies to develop the world's two largest solar energy projects.
SEPSIS MONITOR (2008): Tel Aviv's Cheetah Medical introduces the NICOM, a bedside hospital monitor that can detect and determine the treatment for sepsis, which occurs in approximately one in 1,000 U.S. hospital patients annually. Sepsis previously had been treatable only after an invasive exploratory treatment, which itself could result in sepsis. The device goes into immediate use by hundreds of hospitals around the world.
ADVANCED FISH FARM (2008): GFA Advanced Systems Ltd. launches Grow Fish Anywhere, a sustainable, enclosed and self-contained fish farming system that is not dependent on a water source and creates no polluting discharge.
A TWIST ON SOLAR ENERGY (2008): Yossi Fisher co-founds Solaris Synergy, a company that creates solar energy panel arrays that float on water.
TOUGH POTATO (2008): Hebrew University Professor David Levy caps 30 years of research with the development of a powerful strain of potato that can be grown in high heat and irrigated with salt water. He shares his findings -- and discussions of where they might lead -- with scientists from Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan and Morocco.
LUGGAGE LOCATOR (2009): Yossi Naftali founds Naftali Inc. and begins distributing the Easy-To-Pick Luggage Locator, a remote luggage tag that alerts travelers when their luggage has arrived at baggage claim.
ARTIFICIAL HAND (2009): Professor Yosi Shacham-Diamand and a team of Tel Aviv University researchers succeed in wiring a European-designed artificial hand to the arm of a human amputee. In addition to conducting complicated activities including handwriting, the human subject reports being able to feel his fingers. Achieving sensation represents the culmination of Shacham-Diamand's work and a breakthrough in the evolution of artificial limbs.
WATER PURIFICATION (2010): Greeneng Solutions launches the first of its ozone-based water purification systems. Designed for commercial, industrial and domestic applications, Greeneng's product line uses ozone-infused water to eliminate germs on kitchen equipment, household surfaces, swimming pools and more. Purifying with ozone is faster and more effective than the global-standard tap water additive chlorine, and ozone produces none of the harmful side effects of chlorine such as asthma and contaminated runoff.
VISION LOSS TREATMENT (2010): VisionCare Opthalmic Technologies debuts the CentraSight device, a telescopic implant that addresses age-related macular degeneration. CentraSight is the first and only treatment for AMD, a retinal condition that is the most common cause of blindness among "first-world" seniors.
MINIATURE VIDEO CAMERA (2011): Medigus Ltd. develops the world's smallest video camera, measuring 0.99mm. The device provides for new diagnoses and treatments of several gastrointestinal disorders.
HELPING PARAPLEGICS WALK (2011): The FDA approves clinical use of ReWalk, a bionic exoskeleton developed by Argo Technologies that allows paraplegics to stand, walk and climb stairs.
BREAST TUMOR TREATMENT (2011): IceCure Medical launches the IceSense 3, a device that destroys benign breast tumors by infusing them with ice. The procedure is quick, painless, affordable and is conducted on an outpatient basis. Soon after, clinical trials begin to study the efficacy of the treatment on malignant breast tumors.
MISSILE DEFENSE (2011): Iron Dome, a short-range missile defense system developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, shoots down a Grad rocket fired at Israel from Gaza. It marks the first time that a short-range missile has been intercepted, opening up new possibilities for military, civil and border defense in the world's conflict zones.
ENDANGERED SPECIES STEM CELLS (2012): Israeli scientist Inbar Friedrich Ben-Nun leads a team of researchers in producing the first stem cells from endangered rhinos and primates in captivity. The procedure holds the potential to improve the health of dwindling members of numerous endangered species, as well as staving off extinction.
DIABETES TREATMENT (2012): DiaPep277, a vaccine based on the work of Irun Cohen, is shown to significantly improve the condition of Type 1 (juvenile) diabetes in newly diagnosed patients.
HELPING THE BLIND TO "SEE" SOUNDS (2012): Dr. Amir Amedi and his team at Hebrew University demonstrate that sounds created by a Sensory Substitution Device (SSD) activate the visual cortex in the brains of congenitally blind people. MRIs of blind people using the device show that it causes the same brain responses of sighted people. This discovery allows the team to adapt the SSD to allow blind individuals to "see" their surroundings by learning to interpret audio signals visually.
FUTURISTIC FOOD PACKAGING (2012): Israeli computer engineer Daphna Nissenbaum creates a revolutionary, 100 percent biodegradable food packaging material. Her company, Tiva, produces materials for drink pouches, snack bars, yogurt and other foods - all of which provide a minimum of six months of shelf life, will completely decompose in a landfill, and can be composted industrially and domestically.
THE "GOD PARTICLE" (2012): Switzerland's Large Hadron Collider produces the Holy Grail of physics - the Higgs Boson, or "God Particle," a subatomic particle that accounts for the existence of matter and diversity in the universe. A team from Israel's Technion was charged with building and monitoring the collider's elementary particle detectors, without which the discovery of the Higgs Boson would have been impossible.
From top left: Roey Gilad, Matthew Silberman, Yaakov Katz and Stephanie Sklar
The 68th annual Holocaust Memorial Service, held Sunday, April 7, in Skokie, certainly was about remembrance and the past.
But it also was about the future - about whether the messages of the Holocaust would survive once the survivors are gone. About who, when no one remains to offer first-hand testimony, would remind the world what hate can do when even the most modern, most civilized, most educated societies do nothing to stop it.
And so it falls increasingly not just to the survivors, but to their children and grandchildren, to carry those messages.
At the service, several of them did just that. Excerpts of some of their speeches are offered here:
Roey Gilad, Israel's Consul General to the Midwest
Today I would like to speak about what I consider to be a great challenge to all of us. This ceremony today is organized indeed by Sheerit Hapleitah— the Holocaust Survivors. However, In 20 years or so there will be no living witnesses to the Holocaust. The candles will be lighted by the children or the grand children of the survivors. There will be no one to tell the story. Nobody to say: "I have been there. I have seen the inferno in my own eyes"…. Read more
27 years ago, on a rainy April 8, 1986, I had the privilege of standing not far from here, on Oakton Street, together with a group of several hundred others, many of you in the audience here, to break ground for the Holocaust monument which stands there today. Read more
Stephanie Sklar, Director of Domestic Affairs for JUF's Jewish Community Relations Council
I stand before you today not only as a representative of the Jewish United Fund, but also as the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors. My grandfather, Abraham Borenheim, and my grandmother, Gusta Berghut Borenheim, both of blessed memory, are no longer with us and since they could not be here today, I stand here to honor them. They were the only survivors in each of their respective families, so I also stand here in the shoes of their parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins, spouse and children whose lives were so brutally taken for nothing other than their religion. Read more
Matthew Silberman is a senior at Ida Crown Jewish Academy "My father is Jewish. My mother is Jewish. I am Jewish." These were among the final words of Daniel Pearl, an American journalist, before he was murdered by the terrorists who kidnapped him, in Pakistan, in 2002. He was killed, in part, for a reason we know all too well: he was a Jew. And yet, with his last breaths, he affirmed the deep Jewish pride that his parents instilled in him.
Just like Daniel Pearl, I am proud to be the Jewish son of two Jewish parents. And I am proud to be the grandson of four grandparents, all of whom were Holocaust survivors. Read more
One day, Chicago entrepreneur Adam Hyman was looking at the entangled wire hangers stacked perilously high on his shelf closet and decided it was time to dispose of them. Moments later, they were a jumbled mess on his floor. Wanting to do the environmentally responsible thing and recycle them, Hyman couldn’t find a metal recycling container and ended up taking them back to the dry cleaners.
It got him thinking. With all the environmentally-friendly products readily available in today’s market, shouldn’t there be a cardboard hanger that could go out with the daily newspaper and other junk mail?
And so the idea for TreeHangers was born.
“I’m sort of a “go for it” type of guy,” said Hyman. “I subscribe to Hillel’s maxim, “if not now, when.” There’s nothing I enjoy more than the creative endeavor in whatever capacity it may be, and I was energized by the possibility of developing a new product from concept to commercialization. I resigned from my sales job and went full speed ahead with my idea.”
Designed to provide eco-conscious consumers and retailers with a durable, sustainable, and visually appealing alternative to traditional garment hangers, the patent pending, stylishly simple, uniquely earthy hangers are made from recycled paper, soy based inks, and all natural glues.
“The amount of waste produced from the disposal of consumer products is staggering,” said Hyman. “By producing the hangers from recycled paper, we promote the conservation of our namesake.”
Hyman’s advice to others looking to follow their entrepreneurial dreams is do your research and find a mentor. “Most entrepreneurs, I’ve found, have very generous spirits and are more than willing to share their knowledge, offer advice, and even open up their network to you.”
He also stresses the importance of learning to deal with rejection and setbacks. “…See them as part of larger process, a process of growth and development. There are many insightful and inspiring books to cultivate this. One of my favorites is Failing Forward by John Maxwell,” said Hyman.
There is no typical day for this new entrepreneur.
“I usually have a set agenda on my calendar for the day, several things I want to accomplish to keep the momentum,” said Hyman. “I check to see if any orders came in. I could exchange e-mails with my manufacturer about shipping or logistics. Often, I have meetings set up with prospects, but sometimes this is all done online. I do a great deal of networking, attending Chamber of Commerce events and those of other business oriented organizations. There has been a lot of shipping of samples to retailers. Last week, I visited several Whole Foods to meet with the buyers of their Whole Body department. And then, there are days spent researching prospects or potential business partners. It really varies.”
Giving back to the Jewish community also occupies a good chunk of his time. Hyman recently participated in a JUF Hurricane Sandy Relief Mission to New York.
“At the risk of sounding falsely magnanimous or grandiose,” said Hyman. “One of my dreams is to eventually have the capacity to give back substantially to the Jewish community and the community at large. This is really the ultimate vision for any business endeavor I undertake and one of my prime motivators. I’ve got a long, long way to go before reaching that mountaintop, but that’s the goal. For me, I suppose you could say that it all boils down to tikkun olam and I try to find ways through business, in whatever modest capacity I can, to participate in that.”
Joe's Prime Steak, Seafood & Stone Crab (60 East Grand Ave.) is inviting guests to enjoy their classic Passover Dinner on Monday, March 25 and Tuesday, March 26 from 4:00 to 11:00 p.m. Guests will begin their meal with homemade Gefilte Fish with Red Beet Horseradish, followed by a Bib Lettuce and Chive Salad with Chopped Liver. Non-meat eaters aren't left out as Suzy Friedman's Vegetarian Chopped Liver will be offered as well. And since no Passover is complete without traditional Matzo Ball soup, Joe's will be serving theirs before offering the choice of either Herb Roasted Chicken, Braised Brisket of Beef or Wild Alaskan Halibut en Papillote. Up for the sharing are delicious side dishes including Potato Pancakes and Ginger Glazed Carrots. Topping off this Pesach feast is the Chocolate Macaroon Pie. The price is $45.95 (plus tax and gratuity) per person and reservations are required. Guests are encouraged to call (312) 379-5637 for more information and to reserve their spot.
If cozy bistro dining is more your style, Mon Ami Gabi (2300 N. Lincoln Park West) is also serving up dishes for Passover on Monday, March 25 and Tuesday, March 26 from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The multi-course menu includes timeless favorites like a Seder Plate with Artisan Matzo Crackers, Matzo Ball Soup, Homemade Gefilte Fish, Suzy Friedman's Vegetarian Chopped Liver and Chopped Liver with Eggs and Onion. Main course offerings include Slow Braised Beef Brisket served alongside Potato Pancakes with Applesauce. Ending things on a sweet note is the Flourless Chocolate Cake with Fruit Compote. The price is $36.95 per person and $15.95 for kids 12 and under (plus tax and gratuity). If you'd rather entertain at home without the stress of pulling off a perfect meal on your own, then simply pick up one of Mon Ami Gabi's Passover carry out platters! No mess, no hassle, and all the traditional delicacies are included. Carry out orders must be placed by Thursday, March 14, at 5:00 p.m. Guests are encouraged to call 773-348-8886 to make their reservation or place carry out orders. Both locations are Lettuce Entertain You.
If you aren't in the city, there are several deli's like Max's,Max and Benny's (2 locations), or The Bagel (2 locations), however I suggest gathering your family and friends around a table at Glenview House to feast on traditional Seder favorites. Chef Grant Slauterbeck will feature a 3-course unleavened Passover Tasting Menu including his twist on celebratory dishes eaten during the week-long holiday.
3-Course Passover Tasting Menu:
First Course:
Chicken and matzah ball soup
Second Course – choice of:
Lemon and olive roasted chicken or
Sweet brisket served with potato kugel and red cabbage
Third Course:
Apple and cherry crumble
The Passover menu will be available Monday, March 25 through Tuesday, April 2 from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. for both lunch and dinner. $35 per person, not including tax and gratuity.
If you know of other Passover favorites that are serving up your favorite dishes, please comment on this article.
"Giving back to the community through volunteer work is not a noble deed," said Eryn Bizar, a site leader for YLD and TOV's Feed Chicago, "it is just simply the right thing to do."
Eryn's words were put into action on Sunday, March 3, when more than 130 young adults volunteered throughout the Chicago area. In just one day, more than 15 projects were completed at 13 different organizations and hundreds of lives were touched. From sorting food donations to cooking meals and decorating cupcakes, young adults from around the Chicago area showed that- together-the younger generations can make a difference.
Last fall, in response to the rising interest in volunteer efforts, the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago's Young Leadership Division and the Tikkum Olam Volunteer Network decided to act. Last year alone, 4,900 Jews received daily and/or weekly food assistance from a JUF agency. A whopping 522,614 meals, food bags, and grocery cards were provided to those in need through JUF. Feed Chicago was launched in the fall to provide a way for the young adults to volunteer and see the work of JUF first hand. This second time around, the young Jewish community made an even bigger impact.
"The cooperation, teamwork, and sheer enthusiasm of the group were contagious," said Caroline Musin Berkowitz, director of Volunteers and Outreach at The ARK. "We value our partnership with TOV and JUF."
"It means so much to see other Jewish groups coming together in a spirit of Tikkun Olam," said Amir Zadaka, who hosted a group of volunteers at the Jewish Relief Agency. "We are looking forward to the next time we can partner!"
And he is not alone. Chicago Chesed Fund, Sarah's Circle, The Center for Enriched Living, and other organizations are all excited to host more volunteers from YLD and TOV.
"The volunteers should pat themselves on the back for a job well done," said Matt Gaines, YLD Board member and co-chair of the event. This was just one day. Imagine what young adults can do over the course of a year!
While he was growing up in Glenview, Judaism and Israel remained two separate conversations for 26-year-old Scott Frankel.
"Israel was intimidating for me, primarily because I hadn't yet had an understanding or relationship with Israel. Then in college I saw a study that concluded that as each new generation of American Jews continues to pass, there's a greater disconnect with Israel. When I saw this, I realized it was time for me to begin to understand what my Jewish identity consists of, and Israel's place within that."
So after graduating college in 2009, Frankel took off to Tel Aviv with his camera in hand. While working at a documentary production company, he decided to create a film of his own.
"I wanted to create an original film that accomplished three main things: First, I wanted to tell a story that was non-political--to present a story from Israel that might be unknown to many, and framed in a fresh and creative style. Second, I wanted to capture this moment in time. Israel is very young--only 65 years old--and as it continues to develop, I wanted to take a snapshot of early 21st century life. And last, I wanted to understand what it means to be a Jew today, and the importance of Israel to that definition."
Over the next 10 months he shot more than 65 hours' worth of interviews with eight young Jews from six continents and "From the Diaspora" was born.
Oy!Chicago talked with Frankel, who now works for the iCenter here in Chicago, about his film and what it taught him about Israel, Jewish culture, and identity.
Oy!Chicago: How did you find the olim (immigrants) featured in the film? Scott Frankel: In Tel Aviv, it's so easy to meet people. Chatting in line, or at the coffee shops, on the beaches, and hearing different dialects and accents all over the city…I was naive to how the Jewish communities and culture that existed around the world, and even though their stories were so much different than mine, there was a common thread that strung across them all.
What was the most surprising thing you learned during this process? Something that has been significantly strengthened is my understanding of the community of Judaism. Everyone has their own practices and customs and culture and beliefs, and no matter what they are there's this underlying connection that can't be described, only felt. The magnitude of this was something that was known to me, but not yet understood until my arrival in Israel. And now it's in the forefront of my life, no matter where I am.
On your website, you say this is "a documentary unlike any other about aliyah (immigration to Israel), Judaism, or Israel. How so? "From The Diaspora" is less a story about aliyah, and more a story about Jewish identity. Aliyah makes a great narrative spine because it's a big decision in one's life. It inherently forces one to dig deep to answer difficult questions about who they are, what they want with their life, and why it all matters. Aliyah is an entry point into a journey of self-discovery, and that's what this film is really about and why it's very different from other films surrounding aliyah.
What's next for you? Now comes the film's distribution. "From The Diaspora" is a launching pad for discussion, and the goal is to host screenings and discussions in circles around North America and overseas. Bringing together Israelis and Americans, parents and children, students and educators, etc. I have some ideas about a 5 year follow up with the characters, and also perhaps a new group spanning 8 new countries, but one step at a time...
What else should we know about the film? Before heading to Tel Aviv and starting this project, I was indifferent about Israel…But this experience has really opened a world of new understanding and conversation for me. I realized that my indifference was the biggest threat to Israel, and I hope to open some doors for others like me. Documentaries are a medium that have always spoke loudest to me, so I'm hoping to empower others to continue exploring through their own lenses.
For more information, including where you can order or download your copy today and how to book screenings and discussions, visit www.fromthediaspora.com.
Ofer Bavly, director general of JUF's Israel office, just returned from Ethiopia, the source of a modern-day exodus of impoverished Jews seeking a better life by making aliyah. There he and the group he travelled with – which included several Chicagoans – were immersed in the people, their stories, and the work of JUF's partner, the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), which is aiding the immigrants at every stage of their journey.
Below is Ofer's journal:
Monday, Feb. 11, 2013 11:04 a.m. At the JAFI office, Gondar
Families are interviewed before clearance to make aliyah. A nurse will give them inoculation shots. The family interviewed when we were there will go within a few weeks. The family is made up of a Christian father, his wife and three kids. The wife comes from a Jewish family who converted to Christianity in the early twentieth century. The verification determined that she is of Jewish descent and therefore eligible for aliyah, giving eligibility to her husband and children.
However, a problem arises when it turns out that the eldest son, 16, is in fact from a different mother, a Christian. He is therefore the child of a Christian father and mother – and ineligible for aliyah. Unless...
Unless his biological mother passed away. The father will claim it is so, and a court will have to approve it. Then, Asher Saiyum, JAFI representative in Gondar, will try to convince Israeli authorities to allow the son to make aliyah with his family on a humanitarian basis and despite his ineligibility.
*****
Monday, Feb. 11, 2013 1:35 p.m. Gondar – piazza
*****
Monday, Feb. 11, 2013 1:35 p.m. Visiting Jewish Homes
Gondar. Visiting homes of families awaiting their eligibility to go to Israel. The poverty is the first thing that strikes you. These are mud huts, baked in the sun, rented for $20 a month (an exorbitant expense) from landlords out to make a buck. In a mud hut of ten feet by eight, 5 people live together. The common kitchen serving seven families is another hut made of three metal planks serving as walls and a tin roof above. The kitchen consists of an open fire on which bread is baked. The toilet is a similar hut in the yard with no door and no running water nor sewer. The Jewish Agency, funded by JUF, assists the poorest olim (Jews making aliyah) with a small subsidy to help them pay the rent. Some of them have been waiting for seven or even ten years for the aliyah certificate.
*****
Monday, Feb. 11, 2013 2:27 p.m. Fenter and Seramle
Jewish villages outside Gondar. The Jews left these villages in 1991 and local residents moved in.
*****
Monday, Feb. 11, 2013 3:21 p.m. Ambober
The former Jewish village of Ambober, which was home to over 150 Jewish families. The school was a Jewish school. Now that there are no more Jews here, the village is a Christian one and the school is a state school teaching 1150 children in two shifts. While one shift studies at school, the other shift works in the fields, helping to provide for their families.
Across the street from the school stands the synagogue with the Star of David on the roof.
In the school, there are no blackboards and much of the material is written on the walls.
*****
Monday, Feb. 11, 2013 4:38 p.m. Report from Gondar
The JAFI mission to Ethiopia began with an overnight flight to Addis Ababa. On the flight with us was an Ethiopian prisoner transported to Ethiopia by two Israeli plainclothes policemen. Shackled in the wrists and ankles and gagged, he nevertheless tried to throw a tantrum, calming down only once we were in the air.
Gondar airport is a quaint building and we walked from the plane to the tiny terminal where the group was briefed by JAFI's Micha Goldman, who was the agency's man on the ground for Operation Solomon.
Our mission joined the morning prayer at the Gondar synagogue. Hundreds of men covered in talitot and wearing tefilin, hundreds of women covered in white linen cloth, many of them with babies strapped to their backs, prayed in this synagogue without walls. The ground is sand, the roof is metal sheet, the congregants sit on long backless metal benches. A curtain separates men from women. On the bimah, a rabbi leads the prayer in Amharic and then in Hebrew. The congregation sings loudly and they all know the prayer text.
These are the falashmora. Their forefathers converted to Christianity at the turn of the 20th century. They now wish to return to Judaism and make aliyah to Israel. Asher, the JAFI envoy, tells them twice a month that many of them, whose Jewish roots are in serious doubt, will probably not be approved for entry by the Israeli government. The concern is that many will present themselves as Jewish, simply to improve their conditions of life. Once someone is approved, they can then bring in their extended family on the basis of "family reunification." Their relatives might then bring THEIR own relatives and the wave could turn into a huge migration.
It is sad to see many of these faces, hopeful of making it to the Promised Land and yet knowing that their chances are slim.
Our mission spent time with the children, bringing them stickers, markers, coloring books and soap bubbles. The kids were ecstatic, enjoying the visit and adoring the cameras pointing at them.
*****
Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013 8:29 a.m. JCC Kitchen
Feeds the youngest kids and pregnant mothers
*****
Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013 8:39 a.m. At the JCC kindergarten
The kids learn Hebrew with Israeli volunteers spending three months here on JAFI's "TEN" program. They sing Hebrew nursery rhymes!
*****
Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013 9:16 a.m. The Israeli School
The school in Gondar, where kids of all ages learn Hebrew. In September there were 700 students. Thanks to aliyah, that number has come down to 300.
JAFI pays for everything in this school; staff (many of whom are brought in from Israel), books and materials.
The teacher in this picture is Sarah, wife of Asher, the JAFI representative in Gondar.
*****
Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013 9:30 a.m. Gondar School
Computer class
*****
Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013 9:38 a.m. Gondar School
Learning a Hebrew song about dreams coming true.
*****
Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013 10:15 a.m. Hebrew School
The teachers used to be Ethiopians who had learned a little bit of Hebrew but couldn't even converse in it. In 2010, JAFI took over the school from NACOEJ.
When Asher, a native of Gondar who came to Israel many years ago, was sent here from JAFI, he replaced all the Hebrew teachers with Israeli volunteers, some of them Ethiopian born. Some are TEN volunteers.
130 of the 300 students presently here are not approved for aliyah. JAFI decided that anyone already in the school when JAFI took over would not be asked to leave, but their families know that they will not make aliyah. However, the school does not enroll new students so as not to give false illusions of going to Israel.
When the olim at this school go to Israel, JAFI will give the school as a present to the Ethiopian government.
It is amazing to see these kids, some of whom came from tiny villages far away, who have been waiting in Gondar for years to go to Israel. They learn Hebrew, they sang in Hebrew, and the walls of their classrooms are covered with pictures of Israel. Israeli flags and Hebrew words are taped on every wall.
Ghazion is a 15-year-old student we met in a classroom. Each student was asked to tell their dream. All said they wanted to make aliyah. One said he would be a soccer star in Israel. Another said he wanted to be a doctor in Israel. One bright girl whose teacher said was the best in the class wanted to be a scientist in Israel. They all spoke in Amharic, but Ghazion wanted to speak Hebrew. He said he dreams of being a pilot for the Israeli Air Force. He said you need strength and courage, and he has both. He also said that he is aware of the tough competition, with 500 people competing for one position, but he will try and he will succeed . He said it all in perfect Hebrew.
Later I found out from Asher that Ghazion was rejected and will not be making aliyah because his family could not prove its Judaism. Ghazion knows this. But he continues to dream.
*****
Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013 3:45 p.m. Asher
Asher, the JAFI representative in Gondar, told us his personal story.
He grew up one of seven siblings in a small village outside of Gondar. As a child he never went to school, working instead on the family farm as a shepherd. At first he tended sheep, and when he was 10 he "graduated" to cows, a responsible position for a farmer.
When Asher was 12, the family was told to prepare to go to Israel. It was a big secret because Ethiopia was a communist country at the time and emigration was illegal.
The day came when someone from the Jewish Agency told the villagers to sell their property and pack up for the march to Sudan. Asher was sad to be separated from his cows, but his father told him that God would lead them to Jerusalem, just as he had led Abraham to the land of Canaan.
Nobody in the village had ever seen a map, and they had no idea where they were going. Non-Jewish guides showed up and charged them 70 birr (about $35) per person to take them to Sudan. That was an exorbitant sum, but they felt that they would be realizing their dream.
On the day that was set by the guides, hundreds of Jews showed up at a pre-determined meeting point. The guides said there were too many. It would be dangerous to march all together. Hundreds had to return to their village and wait for the next march. Asher's father volunteered to stay back with his family, but asked that his eldest son be allowed to go, as his wife was pregnant and there was fear that if she stayed back she would miss the next march.
Ten days after the first group left, it was time for 12-year-old Asher and his family to go. They packed water, food and a shovel on their donkey. When Asher asked his father about the shovel, he was told it would be used to bury those who would die on the road.
The group of 150 marched to Sudan. Some died on the way. They would march at night and hide during the day, and they were warned not to utter a word on the march as they would be heard and denounced to the police.
The march took three weeks and they walked hundreds of miles. When they arrived at the Sudanese border, they were arrested by Sudanese soldiers. The Jews denied being Jewish and were placed in a refugee camp. They ended up staying at the camp for ten months. When Asher's father tried to find out what had happened to the first group and his eldest son, he was told that they had been arrested inside Ethiopia and put in Gondar prison. They ended up spending three years in jail before being released and going to Israel.
When Asher arrived in Israel, he and his family were placed in a JAFI absorption center. At thirteen, for the first time in his life, he attended school. At 18, Asher completed his matriculation exams, graduating from high school. His natural path was to go to the army. He asked to be a combat soldier in the paratrooper brigade. The army had other plans for him, so he negotiated with them and they allowed him to go to college first. He studied physical education and graduated. It was then time to enlist... in the paratroopers.
Asher served for three years, training paratroopers in a combat unit. He then got his undergraduate degree and started working for JAFI, receiving more and more responsibilities. He directed two absorption centers and, two years ago, was sent to Gondar to run the JAFI operation here.
About six thousand Ethiopian Jews made it through Sudan in Operation Moses. Two thousand died on the way, trying to realize their dream and that of their forefathers, to arrive in Jerusalem. The Jewish Agency, with the generous support of the Jewish communities in America, made the dream come true for thousands.
*****
Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013 4:34 p.m. Walaka Village
We visited Walaka Village near Gondar, which used to be a Jewish village. After all the Jews left, others came in and continue to live in what tourists know as the Jewish Village. They sell little trinkets with the Star of David to all visitors.
Outside the village we visited the Jewish cemetery. The oldest tombstones date back about 250 years.
The Jewish Agency placed a memorial sign and a traditional pile of stones to commemorate the 2000 Jews who died making aliyah through Sudan. By the memorial, we recited the Kadish and prayed for their souls. It was a moving moment of remembrance and reflection.
The tombs carry inscriptions in Amharic and a Hebrew word here and there, but one tombstone carried a whole inscription in Hebrew, giving the name of the deceased who passed away in 1990 and then describing him thus: "He was a simple man who always helped those who were really poor. But what can you do, at the end he died."
*****
Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013 7:14 a.m.
I asked Kim Shwachtman from Chicago to write this one.
Begin forwarded message:
As I thought about our entire day today, words like overwhelming and incredible come to mind.
I'm exhausted beyond belief, but I also feel very energized. I think back to our experience this morning and the sight of a whole community of Ethiopian men, women, and children davening at the Jewish Agency's Jewish Community Center. Amazing!
And then to sit in on the childrens' classrooms and the adult classrooms and watch the dedicated Israeli teachers teach their Hebrew lessons and computer skills classes to these students. It filled me with tremendous pride to be a Jew and to see the passion and dedication of those teachers who were so clearly committed to helping their students prepare to make aliyah.
I was so moved to learn how the school got started and why the clinic was moved to Gondor. It truly begins with transmitting our Jewish values of treating people with dignity and compassion. Thank goodness for people like Asher, who made his vision for the school a reality.
Then, later in the day, to see the vast mountainous landscape and try to grasp what it must have been like to be a family making the daunting and dangerous journey through the night, for weeks, until they reached Sudan, with the hope of eventually getting to Israel. It was hard to imagine.
I thought the day ended on an incredibly powerful note, as we listened to young adult volunteers from Israel who have come to Ethiopia to do tikkun olam. It was clear from the expressions on their faces and from the words they spoke that in just the three months' time that these volunteers have been working with those in need and at risk, it has been a life-changing experience for them. This new Jewish agency program is doing far more than reinforcing the Jewish identities of these young adult volunteers. This experience is allowing them to see and feel the impact of their work, and they know they have been an important part of helping to change the future lives of those they are helping. What a priceless reward!
*****
Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013 12:15 p.m. In Addis Ababa
In Addis, we visited the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (another JUF partner agency) transit station, where the 73 new olim are awaiting their flight tonight. They arrived from the Gondar region, a 14-hour drive, by buses. It took two days. There are elderly men and women, obviously dazed and confused, yet happy, knowing that something very big will happen tonight. The children are very excited, spending their time playing ping pong and table soccer, or playing on the swings.
The olim spent the night here and are preparing themselves. Our mission gave out brand new clothes to everyone, which they will wear for the flight tonight.
In the pictures you will see our Chicago Federation members giving out clothes to the new olim.
*****
Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013 12:18 p.m. At the Israeli Embassy
At the Israeli Embassy in Addis Ababa. JAFI's Micha Feldman, who was point man for Operation Solomon, tells us the story of the operation to airlift 14,000 Ethiopian Jews.
*****
Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013 10:07 p.m. Walking to the Israeli Embassy
Without a doubt, the most moving moment of the day was walking with the new olim from the JDC transit station to the Israeli Embassy, where they were welcomed and where they boarded the bus for the airport.
We saw them loading their suitcases and few personal belongings onto a truck and then the procession passed through the neighborhood and to the embassy. Hundreds of locals lined the alley and waved goodbye. They had seen these processions many times and knew that the Jews, dressed in new clothes, were going to their new home.
The procession walked and sang "Am Yisrael Chai." For us, this was a tearful moment as each and every member of the mission tried to imagine what it was like for these 73 olim to leave everything they knew behind and embark on what is literally a life-changing adventure.
When we reached the embassy, we gathered them around us and Debbie Tananbaum from New York greeted them on behalf of our mission. "We are one people, standing together, and we wish you a safe journey home," said Debbie. Asher translated her words to Amharic, and when he said the words "we are one people," the new olim burst in spontaneous applause.
We saw them off to the bus and would meet them later, at the airport.
*****
Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013 10:12 p.m. At the Ambassador's Residence
Our mission's final dinner was hosted by Blainish Zabaydeh, Israel's ambassador to Ethiopia.
Blainish, daughter of a "Kess of Kesses" (Chief Rabbi of the Jewish Community of Ethiopia) came to Israel at the age of 17 from Gondar. She is the first Ethiopian-born diplomat in Israel, the first Ethiopian-born Israeli ambassador, and the first Ethiopian-born ambassador from anywhere in the world to be sent to Ethiopia.
Blainish gave us a briefing on Israeli-Ethiopian relations and told us her personal story, one of achievement and success. She is a role model for all Ethiopian olim, who see her as a hero and as representing the highest level of achievement for any new immigrant from Ethiopia.
*****
Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013 10:17 p.m. At the airport
At Addis airport, our mission members sped the long wait talking to the new olim and playing with the kids. We brought crayons, soap bubbles and coloring books, and converted the gate area at the airport into a makeshift and very happy kindergarten.
*****
Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013 5:45 a.m. Arriving in Israel
The new Israelis have arrived home. The flight arrives at 3.30 a.m., so everyone is slightly dazed, but their faces tell the story: They are very, very happy.
At the Ministry of the Interior office inside the airport, we join them as they are processed and receive their Israeli ID and their "absorption packet," which includes explanations of all the benefits they will receive, as well as a cash stipend to keep them until they open a bank account and receive, on March 1, their first monthly stipend for new immigrants.
We completed our journey. It was an exciting mission, opening our eyes, our minds and our hearts to a part of the world where our fellow Jews spent centuries, and learning about the fantastic way in which JAFI, with JUF funding, is bringing our sisters and brothers home.
It was an emotional journey as we traced the path of the Ethiopian Jews from the villages to the city and finally to their flight to Israel. Seeing their faces as they marched to the embassy in Addis Ababa, dressed in "Shabbat clothes," was unforgettable. Their gratitude to the Jewish communities in America was obvious as they realized that we were standing with them and supporting them, and uniting them with their fellow Jews in Israel.
And for the members of our mission, it was also a chance to meet and get to know each other, caring and generous Jews from Chicago, New York, Detroit, Atlanta and even Canada, exploring our Judaism, our background and the things that bind us together as we visit our sisters and brothers in a far away land.
It’s amazing the changes one goes through over the course of a lifetime. For example, I am now never without a book, however when growing up you couldn’t pay me to read for pleasure. I was also never very devoted to academics and yet recently I willingly enrolled myself in grad school. It seems like my younger years were filled with doing the bare minimum, but with my uncanny ability to do the unexpected I suppose it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I’m now packing my schedule with responsibilities, possibly to make up for lost time.
One of my most recent missions involves volunteering for the Canine Therapy Corps (CTC). I got involved in CTC though my aunt, who volunteers with her dog and serves on the Board of Directors. Last year we founded a Young Professionals Board in an effort to boost awareness and fundraising in a younger demographic. If we’re friends on Facebook you have no doubt been assaulted by my posts asking you to participate in this event or that. Facebook averages over 500k posts every 60 seconds, so who can blame you for ignoring or missing the message. Luckily as an Oy! blogger I have the opportunity to set the record straight.
The most common misconception about CTC is that it is an animal shelter. In Chicago, where rescuing a dog is so popular, it’s easy to see “Dog” in your feed and think it involves rescues. However CTC is not a shelter. Some also mistakenly believe that CTC helps dogs who need therapy themselves. Now, as a dog owner I’ve been in contact with dogs of all shapes and sizes. And many, in my assessment, need therapy. Therapy to stop barking constantly, therapy to stop humping other dogs, but mostly they need therapy to help them cope with their crazy owners. However CTC does not provide therapy to dogs. So what does Canine Therapy Corps do? They provide animal-assisted therapy USING dogs.
Bethany Tap, Canine Therapy’s Office and Volunteer Manager, is a true believer. “We talk a lot here about the human-animal bond. You really see the intuitive nature of the dogs exhibiting this unconditional bond. As they’re working with patients there are certain things that don’t need to be explained to the dogs, they are just inherently understood.” Debra Hadelman, CTC volunteer and member of the Board of Directors, offers an example from working with a patient afflicted with spastic cerebral palsy who loved to hug her dog Daffy. “This patient would hug Daffy and the dog would stay completely still. Daffy wouldn’t do that for a family member, she’d always run away, but she let the patient put her in a headlock without complaint.” But Therapy Dogs offer more than just emotional support to the wide range of patients visited by CTC. Where a normal therapy session for these patients would be arduous and ominous, working with an animal makes therapy easier and even fun. An example comes from another one of Hadelman’s volunteer sessions:
“Amanda, a patient with cerebral palsy, was afraid to start practicing walking. So we made a game out it, asking the patient to hide treats for Daffy. With the help of a physical therapist Amanda would now willingly walk to a cone and squat down to hide the treat. (Walking and squatting were both integral activities in the patient’s therapeutic regimen.) Daffy would then find the treats, and Amanda was thrilled. When her Mom came into the room Amanda said to her, ‘You won’t believe what Daffy did!’ completely unaware of the progress she herself had made. Using a dog for physical therapy completely took the fear and anxiety out of the exercise and put Amanda’s focus on the dog.”
And there are hundreds if not thousands of anecdotes just like these. I’ve been involved in several types of philanthropy in my adult life. What I love about volunteering for Canine Therapy Corps is how much impact one person can make. If you’re interested in learning more about Canine Therapy Corps or attending the annual event on Saturday, February 23rd go to http://caninetherapycorps.org.
The Great Chicago Fire of 1871, though horribly tragic, ushered in an era of architectural innovation and creation, responsible for the acclaimed skyline Chicago has today. In homage to that remarkable moment in history—when talented individuals seized a moment and rebuilt a city—space 1871, which opened last May in the Merchandise Mart, was created to provide local startups with an affordable workspace, access to mentors, educational programs and like-minded thinkers.
It was the ideal setting for the Jewish United Fund’s Trades, Industries and Professions event “Fueling the Future: An In-Depth Look at the Chicago Tech Start-Up Ecosystem,” which was held Feb. 13.
More than 200 people attended the sold out event to hear four distinguished Chicago entrepreneurs and industry experts engage in a panel discussion about the Chicago tech ecosystem, where it is now and where it is headed in the future.
Steven Miller, principal and co-founder of Origins Ventures, moderated the discussion which featured two successful impresarios, Gregg Kaplan, the founder and former CEO of Redbox, and Talia Mashiach, the CEO and founder of Eved, an event commerce company that automates the buying and selling for meetings and events. Representing the Venture Capitalist side of the start-up equation was Bret Maxwell, the managing general partner for MK Capital.
The focus of the evening was growing the Chicago startup community. All of the panelists sit on the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center board, which is responsible for 1871 and supports entrepreneurs on their path to building high-growth, sustainable businesses that serve as platforms for economic development and civic leadership. With 220 start-ups building companies out of 1871, Chicago is competing with the tech heavy coasts.
One way to stay local is to find funding from Chicago-based venture capitalists like Maxwell.
“Being local helps you met every month,” Mashiach said. “The expectations versus outside of Chicago and inside Chicago are much more manageable….And I just really believe in this awesome city and this community here and I wanted to be Chicago based.”
“My goal is to stay in Chicago [with my next business] from a money perspective,” Kaplan said. “…What is the compelling reason to go out of Chicago? This is a small community, you know the people here and you are connected to them and the prestige, so to speak, about the firms on the east coast is not really an issue for me. I want somebody who I know.”
Maxwell, who has spent 27 years in the venture capital world and founded MK Capital, shared several insights on what venture capitalists are looking to invest in.
“Think about the search business,” Maxwell said. “Most people here remember Yahoo. At the time Yahoo first got funded, the Google guys were using it as their search engine. And they felt like they had a lot more to add like ad words, and everything else that they did. And yet, if you asked 99 percent of the investment community, the venture community, people would have said Yahoo has done everything and it’s over. And clearly, it wasn’t over. It wasn’t even close to being over. In a lot of these IT sectors, people think we are in these mature states…sometimes it’s the subtle little things…that may be technology enabled but that may not be pure technology and that can cause the dynamic growth.”
Jewish values played a large role in shaping all of their identities as entrepreneurs and business owners. “Being an entrepreneur is challenging the status quo,” Kaplan told the audience. “Red Box is a real example of that. We came from an industry that has a whole lot of can’t dos— where you could not charge a $1 for a DVD. Blockbuster has 6,000 stores and you weren’t allowed to return a DVD to any other stores and we said that doesn’t make any sense. Successful entrepreneurs are constantly challenging status quo and I think that’s part of Jewish culture where you are taught to raise questions.”
“The other part that people find very interesting is that I keep Shabbat,” Mashiach continued. “A lot of people say [to me], “you have a startup, you have five kids, how do you do that?” And I tell you, I think it’s my little secret sauce. I would probably work seven days a week all the time. I wouldn’t have balance to be with my kids and I wouldn’t recharge. So from Friday night till Saturday night, I shut off my phone and my complete focus is on my family and things that are totally not work related. It’s my revival and it gives me the opportunity to come back in on Monday—or Saturday night usually—and start all over again.”
During the panel discussion, participants “facebooked” their questions to the Jewish United Fund fan page and “tweeted” @JUFChicago.
Participation at the event required a gift to the 2013 JUF Annual Campaign. For more information about the Trades, Industries and Professions Division, visit www.juf.org/professionals. For more information about JUF’s Chicago Entrepreneurs Forum, visit http://www.juf.org/professionals/cjef.aspx.
Idan Raichel, Israel's musical superstar of the decade, arrives in Chicago for two performances in February. Since emerging in early 2003, The Idan Raichel Project has changed perceptions of Israeli music. Fitting for February, love is a motif in Raichel's life and music; the composer/keyboardist's biggest hits are love songs; "Hinech Yafah" (הינך יפה / "Thou art Fair") from Song of Songs, "Boi" (בואי / "Come") and "Im Telech" (אם תלך / "If you go"). This is rooted in a broader love for all peoples and cultures he encounters.
Raised in a secular family in Kfar Saba, Raichel first witnessed colorful customs from Yemenite families living up the street. After serving as musical director of the Israeli Defense Forces Band, Raichel taught music at school for Ethiopian immigrants. Many young olim sought to leave behind folkways to assimilate into Israeli society, but some passed Raichel recordings of traditional Amharic singers like Aster Awekem. The experience opened his ears to the musical potential of rich ethnic diversity.
Soon thereafter, Raichel began recording in his home studio, inviting numerous musicians to participate, including many Ethiopian Jews, Arabs, Africans, and singers from Yemen and South Africa as well as Israelis. His debut album, The Idan Raichel Project was released in January 2003 by Helicon Records to critical and commercial success owing to its fusion of traditional Middle Eastern sounds with pulsing contemporary musical forms.
Adding to his appeal are seeming contradictions that defy narrowly categorizing him or his music. He seems to embody a spirit among Israelis of his generation, at once at tension and at home in the Middle East, informed but not constrained by religion and culture. Though Raichel himself is spiritual without being religious, his early lyrical sources were Hebrew Psalms and texts familiar to most Israelis regardless of background. Raichel's primary language is Hebrew, but he includes lyrics in Arabic, Swahili, Zulu, Spanish, Portuguese and notably, Amharic. Raichel likewise defies definition in appearance, sporting dreadlocks bound by a black turban and designer baggy pants. His openness, tolerance and desire for cross-cultural contact seem to reflect a worldly and open Israeli outlook.
Raichel's collaborations exemplify this. A chance meeting with Malian musician Vieux Farka Toure in an airport led to his visiting Raichel in Israel to play and record, resulting in the "Toure-Raichel Collective" and The Tel Aviv Session, a remarkable, critically-hailed collection of original music reflecting various traditional influences that altogether is an unlikely, beautiful fusion. In 2008 Raichel recorded Ben Kirot Beyti (Within these Walls),collaborating with musicians from Latin America. His relationship with the Ethiopian community, however, remains his hallmark. In 2012 Israeli President Shimon Peres asked Raichel to set his own poem "The Eyes of Beta Israel," about Israel's Ethiopian community, to music.
More recently Raichel recorded with Grammy-award winning singer India.Arie, whom he met during her 2008 visit to Israel. They performed at both the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize gala and 2011 Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial dedication, singing "Gift of Acceptance," from a forthcoming joint album, Open Door. The track is posted on KFAR Jewish Arts Center's website at www.kfarcenter.org/video. Hopefully it opens a door to the music of this important Israeli artist and, in the process, your heart.
The Idan Raichel Project performs on Feb. 17 and 18 at the City Winery in Chicago. For more information, visitwww.citywinery.com.
Adam Davis is the founder and executive director of KFAR Jewish Arts Center, a leading presenter and advocate of contemporary Jewish arts, music, and culture programs in and around Chicago. For future arts suggestions and feedback, e-mail Adam at adam@kfarcenter.org.
Let’s face it. You meet a guy or a girl at a bar. What do you really know about them? They like to drink. That’s about it. But you meet a fellow counselor at a Jewish day camp and before they say hello, you know you’ve met a kindred spirit.
“You can assume if they’re working at a day camp that they like kids, they’re outgoing and athletic,” says Jeff Silver, a former counselor at the JCC Chicago’s “Z” Frank Apachi Day Camp. “Everyone has the same values. They like kids and they’re family-oriented,” says Adam Sax, another alumnus.
“It’s a magical spot,” says Terri Blenner, the camp’s director. “Kids have a chance to be who they want to be while they enjoy their Jewish heritage. I don’t think anyone can quite understand it who hasn’t been there.”
All of which explains why romance is so likely to blossom at camp. Blenner, who has been with the JCC for over 35 years, says last summer a dozen counselors left the camp as couples. “We tried to make a list once of all the couples who met here and got married, but we gave up.”
Debbie and Jeff Silver at a 1950s-style camp dance in 1986, shortly after they met.
When Debbie Schwartz first saw Jeff Silver, she thought he was “full of himself.” He was an older man, 21, a senior at the University of Illinois, and a premed. Debbie was 18 and had just graduated from Niles West. “He gave a speech on first aid. I don’t want to say he was arrogant, but he was very confidant. I thought, ‘Who is this guy?’”
This was in 1986 at Mayer Kaplan JCC Day Camp. Since Debbie was working with second grade girls and Jeff was working with second grade boys, they spent a lot of time together, teaching swimming, and cooking. “There was a lot of mingling,” says Debbie.
“There were a lot of parties that summer, a lot of couples pairing off,” says Jeff. “That’s what happens when [counselors work] together in an informal setting…they mingle and flirt with each other.”
As the summer wore on, Debbie saw the way Jeff interacted with the campers. “The kids adored him. He got down to their level.”
After four weeks of hanging out, they went on their first date. They married 22 years ago, live in Northbrook, and have three kids, 16, 14, and 13, who have all attended Apachi Day Camp.
Debbie and Jeff at their son’s bar mitzvah earlier this year.
When the kids were little, Debbie hired Amanda Plotkin to babysit. In 2007, when she was a sophomore in college, Amanda worked at Apachi in the office. Adam Sax worked there, too. They met at the photocopier. “There was a spark,” says Adam.
Amanda and Adam, at Apachi Day Camp in 2007, the summer they met.
“He was the unit head, in charge of the counselors and all the campers from four to six. I saw how he interacted with the staff and the supervisors. This guy he was a leader. People respected him, parents respected him. We saw each other every day, and I got to know him on a much different level than meeting someone at a bar,” Amanda says.
“When I was first hired as a counselor-in-training in 2002, the director at the time was joking around and said, ‘You’ll meet a lot of girls here. You might even meet your wife,’” Adam says.
Terri Blenner got a call one day from Adam. He needed her help. He wanted to propose to Amanda at the Xerox machine where they’d met. “I called Amanda and told her I needed her to come in and help with scheduling,” Terri recalls. “When she got there, I said, ‘I just printed something, would you get it for me?’ She lifted up the lid on the Xerox machine and there was a sign that read, ‘Will you marry me?’ Adam was waiting in the other room.”
Amanda and Adam Sax today.
“I had it all set up with roses and an engagement ring,” Adam says. They’ve been married almost two years and live in Vernon Hills.
“We had one couple who got engaged on Apachi Hill,” says Gayle Malvin, director of JCC day camps. “Now their kids are in day care at Mayer Kaplan JCC.”
The Jewish Community Center of Chicago (JCC) is a partner in serving our community and receives support from the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago.
Cheryl Lavin writes the “Tales From the Front” column which appears Monday, Tuesday and Thursday in the Chicago Sun-Times. Her website is askcheryl.net.
In the eighth grade, Joel Chasnoff, admits he was the only kid cut from the Solomon Schechter basketball team.
This was all the more shameful because “I’d been cut not just from a sports team, but from a Jewish sports team,” he writes in his book, The 188th Crybaby Brigade. But in his early 20s, despite his lack of athletic prowess, Chasnoff—a burgeoning Jewish comedian in New York City—decided to put his comedy career on hold to join the Israel Defense Forces, out of love for the Jewish State.
An Evanston native, married to an Israeli woman, Chasnoff returns to Chicago on Saturday, Feb. 16 for his solo show “G.I. Joel: A 24-year-old Stand-up Comic from Chicago Gets Drafted into the Israeli Army” as part of the Limmud Chicago lineup.
The 70-minute performance, adapted from his book The 188th Crybaby Brigade, chronicles Chasnoff’s experiences in 1997 and 1998 as a tank gunner in the Israel Defense Forces Armored Corps. His unit was responsible for defending Israel’s north, including the Golan Heights and the Syrian border. His service included two months of Basic Training, two months of Tank School, and three months of Advanced Warfare training, followed by a tour of duty.
Oy!Chicago recently interviewed the comedian in advance of his Chicago visit.
Oy!Chicago: How did G.I. Joel come about? Joel Chasnoff: I've been speaking about the book for a couple years now. And whenever I have, I tried to make the stories I told as compelling and funny as possible. Those book presentations, combined with my stand-up comedy background, led me to create an actual show, with beginning, middle and end, that tells the story—in a comedic way—of my IDF experience.
Why was it important to you to write Crybaby Brigade in the first place? As a stand-up comedian and actor, I'm a firm believer in the power of stories. I'd even say that we human beings are our stories: how we think of ourselves, others, and our lives is a reflection of the stories we tell ourselves. I truly felt that my experience in Israel—everything from the actual military service to the eventual questioning of my Judaism by the Israeli rabbinate—was a story that would resonate with others who think about, value, and struggle with Israel as I do.
How does the work lend itself to a one-man show? What’s different about the process as a book versus a performance? The book is, in a way, a one-man book, since it’s first-person, non-fiction. I simply told my stories on the page, as opposed to the stage. The big difference is that in the book, I can take a lot of time and space to describe my feelings at certain moments, and descriptions of places and people… Onstage, the action needs to be quick; no one wants to spend 10 minutes hearing what a mountain looks like.
Why did you join the IDF? After all, many American Jews love and support Israel, but you took it a step further. One, I felt a bit guilty that we American Jews call Israel the homeland but let Israelis bleed for it. I remember during the first Gulf War that bombs were falling on Israel and my synagogue recited Psalms and mailed care packages—which didn't seem like enough. And two—I was enthralled with Israelis from my visit at age 17 on—they were exciting, outspoken, and strong—and I wanted to be one of those Uzi-toting heroes like them.
What is the most important lesson you learned while serving in the IDF? On a personal level, I learned that if one is passionate to do something (as I was to join the army), the best thing to do is simply to do it and take the risk that it won't work out. I would have felt something was missing from my life had I decided not to do it. On an army level, I learned a lot about friendship and what it means to both love a group of guys and, at the same time, not be able to stand them—and yet my platoon-mates and I emerged friends despite all the ups and downs…
How is your wife, Dorit? What does it mean to her as an Israeli that you served and to her family as well? She didn't want me to serve at first—she thought real Israelis (not like the good ones they send to summer camps) would eat me alive. But now, it's allowed us possibly living in Israel one day to be more of a reality.
Are you excited to return to Chicago for the show? I'm very excited to premier the solo show in Chicago, since I'm a native myself. The show will be a semi-workshop so after the performance I'll open up the room to notes, feedback, etc. This should be a fun experience for the audience.
Looking back, what is your favorite memory of the IDF? Sitting on a mountain with my best buddy, Tomer, giving him advice about women after his girlfriend broke up with him during basic training—this despite the fact that I still know barely anything about women.
Joel Chasnoff will perform his one-man show “G.I. Joel” as part of Limmud Chicago’s evening program on Saturday, Feb. 16, at UIC Student Center East. For more information, visit www.limmudchicago.org.
I first learned of Jonathan Safran Foer in college, when I read his debut novel, Everything is Illuminated, in a course titled, "New Voices in Jewish Fiction." And he was just that—his unique writing style was fresh and the story he told, though fictionalized, reflected a Jewish journey of self-discovery. After his first book was named "Book of the Year" by the Los Angeles Times and was made into a feature-length film, he wrote his second novel, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, also made into a film, which uses 9/11 as the backdrop for the story. He is also the author of the non-fiction book, Eating Animals, and the editor of theNew American Haggadah, which came out last Passover.
Foer is the winner of numerous awards, including the Guardian First Book Prize, the National Jewish Book Award, and the New York Public Library Young Lions Prize. He's been named one of Rolling Stone's "People of the Year" and Esquire Magazine's "Best and Brightest." Safran Foer, who is working on his next novel, is currently the Lillian Vernon Distinguished Writer-in-Residence at New York University.
Foer came to Chicago earlier this month for a session titled "Jonathan Safran Foer on Judaism, Writing, and Inspiration," part of the Spertus Prime series.
Oy!Chicago had a chance to talk with Foer leading up to his Chicago visit:
Oy!Chicago: Can you give us a preview of what we can expect to hear when you come speak at Spertus next month? Jonathan Safran Foer: I'm going to talk about two heroes of mine and the way that they informed my thinking about both writing and art but, also, religion and the intersection of the two.
The program is titled, "Jonathan Safran Foer on Judaism, Writing, and Inspiration"—where do you find inspiration? I don't find it really—I try to make it. It's not like I have lots of great ideas and I sit down to write them. It's through the act of filling pages that I force myself to have ideas—most of them are bad and some of them are okay and I keep the okay ones and I try to make them better. I think there is a misunderstanding about the process that first you find something and then you share it. For me, you create the thing in the process of looking for it.
Age-old question: Are you a Jewish author or an author who is Jewish? I think time will tell better than whatever I will say. I think the question of what we consider ourselves is not as important as the question of what we do with ourselves. People are all the time wrong about who they think they are. I've been surprised by the way that Judaism as surfaced in my writing, continually—it almost can't be suppressed. Not that I try, but it's just constantly there and I wouldn't have guessed that before it happened. I wouldn't have described myself as somebody to whom that would happen.
I understand that you took time away from your own writing to write the New American Haggadah. Why the need for a new haggadah and why was this an important project for you? I didn't see a need—writing isn't really guided by need as much as instinct, curiosity or just desire, and I had all those things for this project. For a number of reasons—one is it's just an interesting book. If you divorce it, if that were possible, from its religious context, it's one of the oldest continually told stories, one of the most dramatic moments in any kind of literature or book, so the idea of spending time with that was exciting. But also, personally I've been going to Seders my whole life and been somewhat underwhelmed by Seders my whole life, and I wondered if there wasn't a better way to think about [them].
As someone who completed your first novel in your 20s, what advice do you have for young, aspiring writers? I think the people who are going to end up writing books don't really need advice. Ultimately what separates published writers from unpublished writers is not talent, or often it's not—it's energy and wherewithal and willingness to write despite all those many, many reasons not to. I think people have to make their own mark, and find their own reasons—one thing I often say to my students is making your story better is a lot easier than making it longer. Really truly, the biggest challenge for a writer is to keep writing.
For more information for the Spertus Prime event, visit www.spertus.edu.
You know that one house were all the kids want to play after school because they have the best toys?
In my case, it was my friend Cara’s house. Her mom, Diane Bronstein, created the best art projects for us to do and she would let us rummage through her art collections. We spent hours in her mom’s jewelry studio in the basement making necklaces and bracelets out of her “extra” beads and playing with art materials that were deemed “too messy” in my own home.
Diane is the cool mom. A painter, photographer, jewelry designer and all around artistic maven, she fills her home…and businesses with art and creativity.
“My loves are painting, drawing, photography and design,” Bronstein explained. “Somehow I manage to always incorporate that in every business.”
Bronstein has had an eclectic career. From heading up advertising for a decorative accessories company, to owning several of her own business, including Mrs. B’s Quality Kits, to painting furniture, she has traveled extensively and studied art throughout Europe.
Last summer, Cara got married and with it a new idea was born.
“I had already been painting and sketching every type of dress you can imagine” she said. “I had been doing that for years now.”
Then she went wedding dress shopping with her daughter.
“There is that one dress... that perfect dress .... that many girls have thought about since they were little,” she said. “It dawned on me, a painting preserves that very special dress in a very special way.”
And so the notion for Custom Wedding Dress Paintings was born. With Cara her first customer.
“We thought it would be a beautiful keepsake,” she said. “And also thought it would be pretty for her to use as thank you cards from her wedding as one last homage to her beautiful dress.”
The concept has since taken off.
“Everyone who saw the dress portrait loved it,” she said. “Requests started coming in to make paintings of the wedding dresses for brides from photos of their weddings. Today I wrote my first "gift certificate" that is being given to a bride at her wedding.”
“It does not matter how old we are or how long ago we got married,” she said. “We will never forget our dress. And wouldn't it be lovely if we all had a painting of that special dress....”
For some Russian-speaking Jews in Chicago, this New Year's was special. Besides traditional salad 'Olivie' and a champagne toast at midnight they also performed a mitzvah.
Russian Jewish Division helped to engage close to 40 volunteers who packed and delivered 400 gift packages to the Russian-speaking WWII veterans several days before the New Year. Many of the visits didn't end just with a smile and a gift. Volunteers got to hear stories of struggles and courage, of heroism and tragedies. When we talk about World War II and the Jewish people what often comes to mind first is Holocaust—many people simply do not know of the thousands of Jewish soldiers who fought on the battlefields.
Julia Bikbova, an attorney by profession, who led this initiative said: "I consider myself very lucky when I get to meet so many courageous people and learn their stories, and my son does that with me too—this is real-life history and real-life heroes, as oppose to comic books and Hollywood-made ones. I get a lot of inspiration from them and that makes it easier to overcome certain challenges in [my] life. I thus try to spread the word and give opportunities to others to volunteer so they gain as much. And based on the feedback and thank-yous from volunteers, they do."
The Russian Jewish community in Chicago is very tight. You would think almost everyone knows everyone. But there is a group of people share more than just a Russian background—they share another story, a very sad and heroic story of World War II. There are about 400 Russian-speaking veterans who live in the Chicagoland area. While many of them are fortunate to have families and friends, many of these seniors are lonely and have low mobility. They mostly live in subsidized apartment buildings around the city and the suburbs, watch Russian television and read Russian newspapers keeping their memories in thick albums with photographs.
The veterans shared with the young generation stories from the war and their amazing life journey. "I heard so many stories today, overwhelmed...Also never was I kissed by so many women and men in one day!" said Genady Yoffe after his visits last week.
Last summer Russian Jewish Division of Jewish Federation started a project called 'L'Dor VaDor,' from generation to generation. In cooperation with the Board of WWII Veterans Association in Chicago, RJD's volunteers visit veterans on their birthdays, bringing them a very special gift—a warm smile and an appreciation for all they had to go though during the war. This project engaged many: sponsors who donated money for flowers to veterans, students, young professionals and young families from Russian-speaking backgrounds.
Get involved and learn more about Russian Jewish community at our new website www.juf.org/RJD.
Happy New Year, friends!
The Russian Jewish Division, a new division at the Jewish Federation, serves Russian-speaking Jewish young adults between the ages of 18 and 40. RJD focuses its work on student engagement, Israel advocacy, outreach to young professionals and young families, leadership development and fundraising. While continuing to tailor to the specific needs of the Russian-speaking Jewish young adult community, Russian Jewish Division utilizes various available resources and serves as a resource and 'connection' to the JUF and the Jewish community at large.
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