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Jewish Journal

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November 19, 2010

Thanksgiving Day recipes from JewishJournal.com

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Delicious recipes from Jewish Journal staff friends and family.  Happy Thanksgiving!

From the kitchen of Jeffrey Hensiek (and his father, Barry)

Spinach Souffle

1 package frozen chopped spinach
3 eggs, beaten
1 16 ounce container cottage cheese
4 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 stick butter, melted
3 tablespoons flour

Cook down spinach.  Melt butter and mix with flour.  Mix spinach, butter and flour, and the rest of the ingredients and pour into a casserole dish.  Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes at 375F.

Grandma’s Molasses Cookies

6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons shortening
1 cup sugar
1/4 to 1/3 cup molasses
1 egg
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375F.

Melt the butter and shortening in a small saucepan.  Allow to cool slightly.  Transfer to bowl of mixer.  Add sugar, molasses and egg and mix well.  Sift flour, cloves, ginger, salt and cinnamon into mixture and mix well.  Chill batter about 1/2 hour.

Roll batter into 1 inch balls.  Roll each ball in sugar and place on a baking sheet.

Bake cookies for 10 minutes.  Transfer to rack or plate.

From the kitchen of Olivia Gingerich

Pumpkin pie martinis

Spiced Simple Syrup

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 dash allspice
1 dash ginger
1 dash cloves

(Don’t be afraid to be generous with the cinnamon.)

Simmer everything until all the sugar and spices are dissolved, stirring often. Chill simple syrup. A little bit might settle out to the bottom once it’s chilled, that’s fine, just be sure to shake it well before using it.

Pumpkin pie martini’s

1 1/2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
2 ounces (1 1/3 shot glasses) Vodka
1 1/2 ounces (1 shot glass) vanilla soy milk or light cream or heavy milk
1 1/2 ounces (1 shot glass) spiced simple syrup

Put everything in a shaker, fill with ice, and shake sharply until frost forms on shaker. Strain into chilled martini glass and garnish with whipped cream and cinnamon.

This is a basic recipe and good jumping off point to get you started. The main spices in the simple syrup are the cinnamon and vanilla, if you don’t have one or any of the others it’s not a big deal to leave them out. For the martinis, you need to taste one after you make it to see how it comes out with the particular milk/cream, vodka, and spiced syrup that you are using. If it comes out too strong, use more milk/cream and a little less vodka. If it tastes bland, use a bit more spiced simple syrup. If it tastes a bit like cough syrup or just too pumpkiny, use less canned pumpkin.

From the Kitchen of Jay Firestone (Courtesy of his mother, Debby)

Broccoli Corn Bake

10 oz pkg frozen chopped broccoli thawed
17 ounce can cream style corn
1/4 cup saltine crackers or Tam Tam’s crushed
1 egg beaten or egg beater equivalent
2 tablespoons margarine, melted
1 tablespoon instant onion flakes
1 teaspoon salt

Topping

1/2 cup cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons margarine, melted

In a 11/2 quart casserole, combine broccoli,corn, 2 T margarine, 1/4 c crumbs, egg, onion and salt.

Blend topping-crumbs and 2T margarine. Sprinkle over top.  Bake 350 degree oven for 35 minutes

From the kitchen of Ryan Torok (Courtesy of a family friend)

Pumpkin Butter Dip Appetizer

 

8 ounce cream cheese
1/2 jar pumpkin butter
3 slices crisp turkey bacon, all natural, nitrate free, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
2 Tablespoons pecans, chopped

Put cream cheese on serving plate. Cover with pumpkin, then turkey bacon, onions and pecans

Serve with pita toasts

Balsamic and Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower

1 head of cauliflower, cut florets into pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Toss cauliflower, oil, spices. Roast on large rimmed baking sheet until softens and browns on bottom, 20 minutes.  Toss with vinegar and return to oven and roast until moisture evaporates, 5 to 10 minutes more.

Serves 4

Pumpkin Souffle

8 mini pumpkins
4 large eggs
4 teaspoons unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place uncut pumpkins in large shallow dish and add 1/4 inch water, cover with foil and bake 40 minutes or until tender. Let cool.  Reheat oven to 375 degrees.  Remove tops from pumpkins with paring knife Remove and discard seeds, then scoop out flesh, leaving ¼ inch thick shell. Place 4 cups pumpkin flesh in mixing bowl.  Separate eggs, stirring yolks into pumpkin flesh and placing whites in separate bowl.  Stir flour and baking powder into pumpkin mixture, then add salt and pepper.  In clean separate bowl, Whip egg whites into stiff peaks. Fold into pumpkin mixture.  Spoon soufflé mixture into pumpkin shells.  Place on baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until puffed up.

Thanksgiving Day recipes from JewishJournal.com Read More »

Advice from TLC’s style maven Stacy London

Leave a Comment / Culture, Entertainment, Fashion /

Stacy London is famous for transforming slovenly, dowdy and otherwise style-impaired women into color-coordinated, accessorized and age-appropriately dressed ladies on TLC’s popular show “What Not to Wear.” In November, she shared her expertise at Westfield Topanga’s Style Tour, hosting a fashion show featuring apparel from Westfield’s own stores – Forever 21, H&M, Bebe and Macy’s, to name a few – highlighting the season’s hottest fashions in wearable, affordable outfits.

London — whose mother is of Sicilian descent and whose father is Jewish — is an expert at translating runway trends into styles that women can wear to the office, for a weekend brunch with girlfriends or on a date. Here are some of the sassy style maven’s tips for incorporating the latest fashions into your wardrobe.

Advice from TLC’s style maven Stacy London Read More »

A thicker wallet for the new year

Leave a Comment / Culture, Finance /

Neal Frankle has worked as a certified financial planner for 25 years. A father of three daughters, Frankle and his wife regularly attend Chabad of Oak Park. He earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from San Diego State University, and is founder and president of Wealth Resources Group, a personal asset management and funds investment company based in Agoura Hills that serves more than 200 clients.  Here Frankle shares tips for financial success from his book “Why Smart People Lose a Fortune,” as well as from his blog at wealthpilgrim.com.

TRIBE: In tough economic times, people want to know how they can cut back on personal spending.  What are the essentials people should not skimp on in order to save? 

Neal Frankle: There are probably two areas that make the most sense not to skimp on. No. 1 is the food in your home — you want to feel that you are happy with at least what you’re eating. Rather than cut way back on groceries, change where you buy the groceries. Of course, No. 1 is not go out to eat; that’s the [biggest] budget killer that’s out there.

The second thing is family-oriented activities. If your family goes out to eat every Sunday afternoon, then maybe instead of going out to eat, you would go for a picnic in the park. Any activities you have with your family, you should definitely continue spending the time and keeping those traditions alive. Just do them differently.

TRIBE: What tips can you offer to help people learn how to prioritize their expenditures?

NF: The No. 1 thing that I tell people to do is, before you find out where you’re spending your money, find out how much you’re spending. When I ask people how much it costs them to live and how much they spend every month, most people either don’t know or think it’s at least 30 percent less than what it really is. So if you want to prioritize, the first thing is to figure out how much you spend, and the easiest way to do that is to look at your checking account, because your total withdrawals from your bank tell you how many ATM visits you’re making and all the checks you’re writing, even for your credit cards.

TRIBE: How can people stretch their income and savings when expenses are high?

NF: You have to look at all your checks and all your credit cards. Tally up what you’re spending in each category, and it’s very easy to see what needs to be cut back on. Each person has to do that for themselves. A trip to Las Vegas is a luxury for some people; a trip to Anaheim is a luxury for some people.

TRIBE: What is the most common financial mistake you see people making?

NF: The first one is not knowing what it costs you to live. I’ve had clients who make a million dollars a year, but they spend a million-and-a-half. Well, in order to have financial success, you’ve got to know what it costs you to live, how much you’re earning and what your investments are. What you earn and what your investments are pretty easy. You have to look at what you’re spending; that’s the biggest mistake. 

The second one is not having a strategy when it comes to your investments – just investing without thinking about it, without having a strategy.

And the third part is expecting your investments to always make money. No matter how you invest, there’s always going to be times when you’re not making money or when you’re doing worse than someone else.

TRIBE:  How can people strike a balance between saving and investing? 

NF:  Do a mini financial plan for yourself. Do that and you can figure out how much money you need to save to achieve your goal. And then, before you spend anything, that’s what you save. 

TRIBE:  What are the best steps to get out of credit card debt? 

NF:  If you’re digging a hole, the first way to get out of it is to stop digging deeper. That’s step No. 1.

Step No. 2 is to look for cheaper alternatives to the credit card debt. In other words, if you’re paying 15, 16, 17 percent, that’s ridiculous. You go to your family if you’ve got a good plan.

You should also try to find other credit cards that are cheaper. And there is peer-to-peer lending, which is basically an organization that puts people who need money together with people who have money to invest. And instead of paying 15, 18 percent on your credit card, you might be able to borrow at 10 percent to pay off your credit cards. 

And step No. 3 is to prioritize the highest-interest rate debt first. You want to pay off the highest ones first, and make the minimum payments toward the other ones.  You’ll have less time paying higher interest, so you’ll have lower interest and get out of debt much faster.

TRIBE:  How do you help people to stop abusing credit while encouraging them to use credit cards to their advantage? 

NF:  I have a pretty simple strategy: If someone has credit card debt, they just can’t use credit cards until it’s paid off. Period. I don’t care about the miles or anything else. If they’re spending too much, I tell them what it’s going to lead to, which is that they’re going to be broke. All the miles in the world aren’t worth that.

A thicker wallet for the new year Read More »

Christmas-izing of Chanukah

Leave a Comment / Culture, Opinion /

Two seemingly disparate events occurred in my life recently.

The first involved a CD of a sermon Rabbi Ed Feinstein gave at Valley Beth Shalom in Encino during the High Holy Days. I hadn’t heard the sermon in person, but because it received rave reviews from my cousin, I enlisted my mother’s help in scoring a copy.

To even attempt to distill a 34-minute Feinstein sermon into a few words is on par with summarizing Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech as a “nice little talk on race.” So when I tell you that Feinstein’s sermon was a “synthesis of his doubts that Americans could weather any sort of tragedy given our current obsession with materialism and individuality,” believe me, I’m not doing it justice.

Suffice it to say that, after listening to Feinstein’s compelling description of America’s “value issues” in the 21st century, I had to exercise a huge amount of self-restraint to keep myself from tossing the computer that was running the CD of that sermon into the trash, disconnecting my kids’ Facebook accounts, and cutting up my credit cards and burying the pieces in an unmarked grave in my backyard.

The second event occurred when my 12 1/2-year-old son asked me if I was going to be hosting “one or two” Chanukah parties this year. When I responded that this year there would most likely be just one, he suggested that I make two so that he could get twice as many gifts. Not two so he could celebrate this holiday of religious freedom with more family and friends, or two because he wanted to stuff his mouth full of traditional fried latkes twice, but two so he could double his Chanukah haul.

In his sermon, Feinstein said that when he sits down with preteens before their bar and bat mitzvahs and asks them what they like to do for fun, the soon-to-be Jewish adults inevitably reply that they “like to hang out with their friends at the mall.” To which Feinstein commented: “The mall. Someday, 10,000 years from now, archeologists will excavate our civilization and come to the conclusion that the mall must have been a place of worship … a holy place. Otherwise, how do you account for the central place this institution has come to play in American suburban culture? And what is the message of the mall? Life is an endless cycle of acquisition and consumption. Your happiness, your sense of personal worth, your personal identity are found in the clothes you wear, the gadgets you own, the trinkets you possess. You are what you own, you are what you wear, and the process never ends because there is always something new to acquire.”

Suddenly these two seemingly unrelated events — Feinstein’s warning that our excessive materialism and our “me” mentality could be our doom, and my son’s sense of Chanukah entitlement were not only related but inextricably linked. 

As it turns out, it is not my son’s fault (or even mine) that if he were playing word association and the word was “Chanukah,” he would shout out “presents” rather than “freedom.” Ironically, it may be the fault of a couple of well-meaning rabbis and concerned psychologists who transformed Chanukah from a minor Jewish holiday into a Jewish Christmas.

According to Dianne Ashton, a professor of American studies and philosophy/religion at Rowan University and the author of the soon-to-be-released “The American Hanukkah” (NYU Press), the Christmas-izing of Chanukah began in the 1950s when “Jewish child psychologists started writing about how to keep Jewish kids psychologically healthy during Christmas, and they start promoting gifts. Rabbis in the ’50s start promoting gifts. People were really concerned about Jewish children being happy to remain Jewish in December, especially post-Holocaust, when Judaism must have seemed negative in a lot of ways. ‘You can’t do this. You can’t do that.’ People were trying to find ways to make Jewish kids happy to be Jewish.”

Ashton believes that Chanukah’s rise in popularity in the United States grew out of the efforts of two rabbis from Cincinnati. The rabbis, both leaders of influential national Jewish newspapers, led a movement to Americanize Judaism.

“[One] rabbi said Jewish children shall have a grand and glorious Chanukah, a festival as nice as any Christmas, with songs, dramatics, candle lighting, ice cream and candy.

“This really shifted Chanukah from primarily an observance of Jewish adults to a festival seen as particularly important for Jewish children, a way to keep them interested in Judaism,” Ashton says.

Economists have also confirmed Ashton’s thesis that the commercialization of Chanukah is a reaction to fears about the attractiveness of Christmas. In a lengthy paper written by Israeli economists Ran Abramitzky, Liran Einav and Oren Rigbi published in the prestigious The Economic Journal, the authors concluded that the answer to the question posed in their thesis —“Is Hanukkah Responsive to Christmas?” — was a resounding “yes.”

Their findings:

• Jews with children under 18 are more likely to celebrate Chanukah than other Jewish holidays.
• The correlation between having children at home and having a Chanukah celebration is highest for Reform Jews (who are most exposed to Christmas), followed by Conservative Jews, and lowest for Orthodox Jews.
• Third, the correlation between having children at home and having a Chanukah celebration is higher for more strongly identified Jews. In contrast, these differences in correlation are not present for other Jewish holidays.
• “Jewish products” have higher sales at Chanukah in U.S. counties with a lower share of Jews.

The economists found patterns consistent with the hypothesis that Jews increase religious activity during Chanukah because of the presence of Christmas, that the “response is primarily driven by the presence of Christmas and that this response is primarily driven by the presence of children. Jews with children at home may celebrate [Chanukah] more intensely so their children do not feel left out and/or because they are concerned their children will convert or intermarry.”

So, was Feinstein right? Have we raised a generation so materialistic that if our capitalist system collapsed, they would collapse, too? I asked my son what would happen if he stopped receiving gifts for Chanukah. Would he want to stop being Jewish? “How could I stop being Jewish?” he answered. “I am Jewish.” And then he added, “but I would definitely not do that to my own kids.”

So, this generation? Possibly fine. But the next one? I’m not so sure.

Christmas-izing of Chanukah Read More »

Encino soccer player defending America’s honor at Maccabi games

Leave a Comment / Culture, Sports /

Michael Pourat has sacrificed blood, sweat and teeth for soccer.

Pourat, 21, took an errant elbow to the mouth seven years ago — “I don’t think it was on purpose,” he says — and only in September, after years of surgeries, did his braces come off for good. He had a bone graft, “and there’s still metal up here,” he says, pointing to his upper lip while smiling proudly.

“I have to sacrifice myself at times, and it’s great knowing I have that responsibility, that it comes down to me,” says Pourat, who plays defender.

Pourat has played the “beautiful game” almost his entire life. The last line of defense, he tracks attackers as they attempt to kick or head the ball past the goalkeeper behind him. And he will take his place on the turf for the U.S. Maccabi Open Men’s Soccer team this December at the second Maccabi Australia International Games in Sydney, proud to represent his country and religion.

“There’s a lot of pressure, but I don’t think about it too much,” the soft-spoken Pourat says. He lets his soccer ability do the talking.

Pourat certainly stood out to U.S. Maccabi Open Men’s Soccer coach Preston Goldfarb.

“For these games there are no tryouts, so we had to go by their playing history and references, and when we checked out Michael, he’s a solid defender who has a very good soccer background,” says Goldfarb, in his 28th year as head coach at Birmingham Southern College. “We were looking for experience, and certainly he brings ability and credence.”

Pourat hopes to follow in the footsteps of 2005 Maccabiah Games silver medalists Jonathan Bornstein and Benny Feilhaber, who played for the U.S. National Soccer Team that won its group at the World Cup in South Africa last summer.

In fact, Feilhaber caught the attention of European clubs as a result of his play on the U.S. Maccabi team in Israel.

“[The Maccabi Games] is a great stepping stone for them,” Goldfarb says of his athletes. “I think we have the strongest competition of any sport.” His open team will compete against teams from Brazil, Mexico and host country Australia, to name a few. “I think we’re good enough to win. We have a solid roster.”

Already Pourat was invited to an open tryout with the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer, but the Pierce College student hopes to transfer and play collegiate soccer first. He was recruited by the likes of Syracuse and Adelphi universities, but he admits, “I wasn’t prepared to go out into the world on my own. Now I am.

“As a player I always try to find the next level,” Pourat says. “Just knowing I can play internationally at my age really got me excited.”

A two-time selection to the U.S. Maccabi team, he played in the youth division at the 11th Pan American Maccabi Games in 2007 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he frequented the only kosher McDonald’s outside of Israel.

For Pourat, who keeps kosher and attends services at Chabad of Brentwood, an established Jewish community is important wherever he goes.

As his mother, Penny Pourat, recalls of the Argentine experience, “He didn’t know I was watching, and all of a sudden I see him put tefillin on, on the side of the field, right before the game. It was a rewarding moment.”

To her credit, Penny Pourat has played an integral role in her son’s success. A soccer mom in the truest sense of the word, she constantly shuttled Michael to practices and games, as he played for as many as three club teams at a time. As the head coach of Encino’s Balboa Park All Stars, for which she was named AYSO Coach of the Year, she led Michael and his teammates to the 1998 Amateur Athletic Union Junior Olympics in Virginia Beach, Va., where they improved on their bronze California State Games showing by winning the gold.

And Michael Pourat, a 2008 graduate of Taft High School in Woodland Hills, made it to the California Interscholastic Foundation City Section Semifinals with the Toreadors.

Michael’s trophies once filled an entire room of their Encino home, Penny Pourat says. She says it’s hard for him to imagine not playing soccer, but he knows there will be life after soccer. “When I’m not playing, it feels like I’m missing something,” he says. He plans to study sports medicine. “Anything to keep me in sports.”

For now, Pourat is looking forward to his trans-Pacific opportunity: “Maccabi is a great way to see the world while playing soccer, and I feel really honored to represent the U.S.”

Encino soccer player defending America’s honor at Maccabi games Read More »

Her pet project

Leave a Comment / Culture /

Growing up, Eileen Smulson was perfectly happy not owning a dog. Unlike her pet-touting friends, she couldn’t connect with animals, least of all her family’s goldfish and baby turtle. She would hug her friends’ dogs out of courtesy – “for two seconds and that’s it,” she said.

Although dog-kind bored Smulson, mankind was always a priority. She spent the first 20 years of her career trying to save it, working for the American Cancer Society, the Anti-Defamation League and ARMDI (American Red Magen David for Israel), where she served as Western regional director.

But seven years ago, a lag in Smulson’s career led her husband, an animal lover, to make a preposterous suggestion — rescue a dog. He thought it would add to their lives.

Smulson balked. She had never owned a pet, never wanted to.

“I was really afraid,” she said. “How can a dog be your friend? You can’t speak to it.”

Yet she went ahead with it and brought home a 6-month-old terrier-poodle mix named Ginger. After a few training classes with her new pup, Smulson realized what her life had always been missing. And Ginger was it.

“She’s my inspiration,” Smulson said.

Smulson’s instinct for charity quickly kicked in. At a visit to a shelter in the West San Fernando Valley, Smulson noticed several dogs shivering in the corners of their bare cells. She sent in a complaint, and the manager, Jan Selder, responded, inviting Smulson on a private tour of the shelter.

Smulson was impressed by Selder’s commitment to improving the shelter and asked if there was anything she could do to help. Selder mentioned that the budget didn’t cover comfort items like blankets and pet beds. Maybe Smulson could collect a few, Selder suggested.

Drawing on 20 years of fundraising, marketing, public relations and entrepreneurial experience, Smulson returned with hundreds of blankets. In fact, after several more donations, Selder told her she didn’t need more, but that other shelters might.

And so, Operation Blankets of Love was born.

“A lot of people do this kind of thing for a couple months, but it’s exhausting and they give up,” said Selder, now the operations director for Valley shelters. “Not her. She turned it into something amazing.”

According to Selder and Smulson, blankets instantly improve a homeless dog’s life. Videos on Smulson’s Web site show dogs newly gifted with blankets immediately perking up and cuddling into them. A happier dog, Smulson said, is a more adoptable dog.

“When you give a blanket, you’re going to save the life of an animal,” Smulson said.

At first, Smulson received the bulk of donations from cardboard boxes she put in local mom-and-pop stores. But in two short years, Smulson has since teamed up with corporations like Best Buy, Cheesecake Factory and Yoga Fit to aid her effort.

Now in her “third season,” Smulson has collected more than a quarter-million comfort items — not just blankets, but also collars, leashes, beds, toys and treats. After reaching out to the six City of Los Angeles shelters, she started working with L.A. County. Today, her charity, a registered nonprofit, serves shelters all over Southern California.

“We’re like the animal Red Cross to the animal rescue world,” she said.

Smulson said her Judaism informs her charity “100 percent — it’s tzedakah.” She grew up always giving back to “people who didn’t have enough to make life better.”

“I’m using everything I learned — to be charitable, to be a good Jew, to be good to people, to be kind,” she said.

Her short-term goal is to double the number of animals she helps — about 1,000 a month at the moment. And it isn’t only dogs. Most shelters have a sizable cat population. Smulson has also worked with pot-bellied pig rescue, bunny rescue and horse rescue. One of her blankets ended up with a baby gorilla at the L.A. Zoo, another with a pregnant goat. 

Although Smulson has a few volunteers who help deliver the blankets to the shelters, she does the bulk of the work herself, putting in 50 to 60 hours a week, Monday through Sunday.

“When I go to shelters, my heart breaks, and I know I have to keep going,” she said.

Always by Smulson’s side is her own rescued dog, Ginger. Smulson takes her everywhere — to restaurants (ones that allow pets), wine tastings, schools, treatment centers. It was Ginger who made Operation Blankets of Love possible, and Smulson is confident the charity will continue to be successful.

Her pet project Read More »

A life coach’s seven key Steps to changing Your attitude and your life

Leave a Comment / Culture /

Your attitude is the energy you are putting out into the world. Are you positive, upbeat and solution-oriented or negative, fearful and mean-spirited? Whatever it is, people can feel it. And what you put out determines, in large measure, what comes back to you. As you step into the new calendar year, then, changing your attitude is absolutely necessary if you want to improve your life.

Many of us struggle with these kinds of changes. We may wonder why, no matter how hard we’ve tried, our lives are still stuck. Our relationships lack real warmth and connection. Our finances never get beyond a certain level. And those big plans we have just can’t seem to get off the ground. Why? Well, changing your attitude requires some real personal growth. You cannot fake your way to a positive attitude, neither can you will yourself to be positive — at least, not for any significant length of time. But if you really want to change, and you follow the steps below, not only will your attitude be transformed, but your life also will become truly enjoyable.

Let go of the past. Whatever you may be holding on to, some idea of yourself — who you should be — or a deep-seated grudge or resentment, it doesn’t matter what it is, if it’s in the past, it’s over! Forgiveness is your key. Make a list of people in your life, going back to your childhood, and forgive every single one of them. Pay particular attention to those closest to you — parents, siblings, spouse and, if you’re older, adult children. And put yourself on that list. Forgive yourself for all the mistakes you’ve made or that you believe you’ve made. Just let it all go, and start fresh.

Face reality and accept it. You cannot change something if you refuse to see it for what it is. Observe things that consistently upset you — whether it’s your weight or how you look, someone in your life, an addiction or bad habit — small or large — some perceived failure or loss, or a relationship that is not working. Look it dead in the eye, and say, “I acknowledge and accept that __________ is what’s happening.” Once you’ve fully accepted it, you will have far more clarity on how to change it.

Take tiny steps forward every day. When the goal is far off, we can feel like we will never get there. This often accounts for a negative attitude. The goal seems impossible, and despondency can set in. This is particularly true when you are trying to change habits and patterns. The key is to break the big goal into small steps. Take one tiny step forward every day. Any right action, no matter how small, does wonders for how you feel about yourself.

Begin to trust life. Take the position that life is working out just the way it needs to, and get out of the way. This step is perhaps the hardest, particularly for those of us who are “control freaks.” But it is critical to real success. Sometimes you may be working really hard, doing everything you know possible, and things are still not working out. Chances are you’re getting in the way. Try letting go of control. What’s the saying? “Do your best and leave the rest.” Know that there is a higher power than you, who ultimately is calling the shots. And while you will do all that you can, allowing things to flow is of critical importance in making life work.

Know your value. It’s important to recognize your value. Others will not value you unless and until you value yourself. Make a list of all the special qualities you possess and the contributions you make to those around you. Remember, you’re valuable and worthy just because you exist. So take care of yourself. Do something special every day: exercise, practice yoga, eat a healthy meal, take a hot bath, get a massage, curl up with a book, meditate, write in a journal, pray.

Ask for help and be willing to help. We accomplish nothing alone. These days, perhaps more than ever, success stems from partnership, teamwork, community. In fact, in this second decade of the 21st century, it’s all about community. So become involved in your community. Find some humility. Open your heart. Offer help and ask for help. Everywhere, all the time! People are usually happy to respond to a genuine request.

Be grateful. Of all these steps, undoubtedly the most important is practicing gratitude. So, focus on the good. Make a list of all the things you have, the qualities you’re blessed with, the people you love and who love you. Keep that list next to your bed. Read it every night and every morning!

A life coach’s seven key Steps to changing Your attitude and your life Read More »

חדווה עמרני : אני לא יכולה להפסיק לשיר

Leave a Comment / Uncategorized /

הבית הגדול של חדווה עמרני עומד במעלה הגבעה התלולה ביותר של בבורלי הילס ומשקיף לנופה המדהים של לוס אנג’לס.
דלת המתכת הרקועה בידי חרש ברזל אומן, נפתחת אחרי מספר צילצולי מצילה אלקטרונית חרישית בידי ריאה העוזרת האינדונזית המסורה.
“אתה רוצה קפה בוץ?” היא שואלת/פוקדת בעברית במבטא מוזר וממהרת לקנקן נחושת תימני לשפות מים לקפה עלית שחור עם הל מ”סמי מכולת”.
כעבור כמה דקות יורדת חדווה עמרני בצעדים קטנים ומדודים, בג’ינס אופנתיים צמודים ומגפיים עם עקבי פלטפורה . היא  פוסעת מעדנות ממרומי האולימפיה של ביתה עמוס האומנות מסיוריה ברחבי הגלובוס.
יש לה עיניים כהות ובורקות מתחת לריסים ארוכים ואצבעותיה דקות וארוכות,שיניים צחורות ושפתותיה דבש שהשיקו אלפי שירים נפלאים שהרטיטו לא מעט לבבות ברחבי העולם
                                                                                                *  * * 

“40 שנה עפו לי כאן כמו רוח ” מתלוננת חדווה בערגה אמיתית,” הכתובת האמיתית שלי היא תל-אביב,
מותק,אני ישראלית אסלית
אל תסתכל בקנקן של כל הווזות והאגרטלים הסינים האלה,בפנים בפנים אני היא חדווה עמרני הקטנה והחמודה מכרם התימנים” היא פותחת מונולוג שימשך שעות והרבה קפה בוץ ומיני תרגימא מלאכת ידיה הענוגות.
“אני מנהלת חיים של משרד נסיעות ואמרגנות פעילים , כל הזמן על הקו לוס אנג’לס –תל אביב,לפעמים אני קמה בלילה ולא יודעת עם אני בארץ או פה”
יש לה שתי מזודות ממותגים יקרים, שעומדות בחדר ארונות ,שיכול לאכלס משפחה של עולים חדשים מרוסיה. ובשבוע הבא היא מקפלת את מיטב מחלצותיה התפורים מאריגים משובחים ומרשרשים ועולה לטיסה  ישירה במחלקה ראשונה בנוחיות רבה, לישראל,להמשיך בעבודה על הפקת התקליט שלה הבא.
לאחרונה יצא לאור תקליט מצוין בשם” השיר הנכון” שהוא אוסף שירים של גדולי המלחינים והפזמונאים בארץ וכולל מספר שירים שחדווה כתבה ואחד מהם עם בנה המוזיקאי דורון דנוף.
“זה הכול זמני,”היא אומרת,”בסוף אני חוזרת לתמיד,קניתי כבר חלקת קבר בנחל יצחק, וזה יהיה ביתי הסופי והאחרון.
,”אני מזמן משמשת שגרירה  ישראלית של כבוד בכל העולם,טסה לכול מקום שיבקשו אותי,מתל-אביב לטוקיו, מלוס אנג’לס ליוהנסבורג.
“הקונסוליה בלוס אנג’לס יודעת את מספר הטלפון שלי בעל פה”.
“גם הילדים שלי ישראלים,והם חייבים דרכון ישראלי כל פעם שאנחנו חוזרים הביתה לתל אביב”.
“הבן דורון למד באונברסיטה באנ.ויי.יו בניו-יורק ,תואר שני במוזיקה

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Shaping a get-in-shape plan for 2011

Leave a Comment / Culture, Living Well /

Once the holidays have come and gone, it’s time to start making up for the 3,000-calorie-per-day diets that often begin around Thanksgiving. And while past New Year’s resolutions may have started in January and been forgotten by February, with the right advice and a small amount of will power, 2011 could shape up to be your healthiest year yet.

You Are What You Eat

After the holidays, people’s bodies are “traumatized [and] stressed out,” says Christine Avanti, a nutritionist and chef. Because of that, she says, when clients come into her office in January looking for a plan to lose weight and get healthy, “I really do get strict.”

Avanti, author of “Skinny Chicks Don’t Eat Salads” (Rodale 2010), doesn’t advocate cutting out every bit of gastronomical joy—that’s the good news. What she does suggest is replacing packaged foods—anything made with heaps of chemicals and preservatives—with real food like fruits, veggies, whole-grain carbohydrates and lean meats. 

“Packaged food … is just kind of a minefield” of unhealthy ingredients, like trans fat and processed sugar, she says. “You are going to be much better eating sugar in the form of fruit rather than a sugar cookie.”

Avanti adds that while labels may claim food is low-fat, fat-free or trans fat-free, you still have to read ingredients to be sure that you know what you’re getting. 

For instance, “Anything that’s hydrogenated is a trans fat. … Hydrogenated oil is not good for our bodies. If it has it on [the label], don’t buy it.”

And eating healthy isn’t only about what you leave off your plate. To ensure that your diet is well-rounded, try to incorporate fruits and vegetables in a wide variety of colors. For instance, dark purples, reds and blues—like blackberries, blueberries, pomegranates and beets—are rich in antioxidants, and foods with yellow and orange coloring protect cell membranes from damage, which is particularly important during weight loss.

To avoid feeling hungry, depressed or anxious while changing your diet—all signs of hypoglycemia—space your meals out by no more than three to four hours, and include carbohydrates and protein at each.

“Combining carbs with protein at every meal stabilizes blood sugar,” Avanti says, adding that the combination also provides a satisfying diet that actually encourages pounds to drop off. “A strict diet will cause people to drop water and muscle weight, and the last thing they lose is fat.”

Move More

No New Year’s resolution would be complete without a promise to hit the gym, but many people find that time constraints get in the way.

That needn’t be the case, personal trainer Mike Donavanik says. Fitness routines that included long slogs on weight machines are a thing of the past, he says, and have been replaced by workouts that are more invigorating and efficient.

“As trainers and as an industry, [we] are moving away from single muscle groups and single joint movements because they aren’t really as effective,” he says.

Donavanik, who teaches a circuit training class at Crunch in West Hollywood, suggests that for both weight loss and weight maintenance, gym-goers should incorporate compound movements, which engage the whole body at once to save time, pushing your body and getting your heart rate up.

“Let’s say you’re doing squat to biceps curl to press,” he says. “Your heart has to shoot blood into your legs, then bring it back and shoot it in to your upper body.”

Compound movements are part of strength training – and, in addition to strength training, anyone looking to shape up needs to do regular cardio. For weight loss, aim for 30 to 45 minutes of cardio and 45 minutes of strength training five to six times per week.

To maintain a weight at which you feel comfortable — or to get back to your pre-holiday self — shoot for 20 to 30 minutes of cardio five to six days a week and 45 minutes of strength training three to four times per week. When combining workouts, strength training should be done before cardio.

On days that you only do cardio, challenge yourself to do interval training — work out at a comfortable pace for about a minute, then push yourself as hard as you can for 30 seconds.

“Say you run at 8 miles per hour,” Donavanik says. “Sprint for 30 seconds at 8 miles per hour, then bring that down to a jog — 4, 5 or 6 miles per hour.” During sprints, he says, to get the most benefit, “you need to go really hard.”

Relax and Focus

To keep your workout routine interesting, you need to incorporate different elements. Yoga can be the perfect addition — and the benefits are both mental and physical.

“It’s meditation in motion,” says Julie Kleinman, director of programming at YogaWorks in Los Angeles. “You get your heart rate up, tone muscles, work on your organs — it’s mind/body.”

When searching for a class, Kleinman says, start with a beginner level — no matter how in shape you may be.

“Even if you are athletic in other arenas, yoga is specific and sometimes complicated,” she says. “Start with level one or beginner.”

And stay away from classes labeled “flow” when starting out. Because those classes go straight from one pose into another, it can be overwhelming for someone learning the basics.

While there seem to be unlimited kinds of yoga classes, they can be easily categorized. Hatha yoga is an umbrella term that refers to more physical practices rather than those that rely heavily on chanting, Kleinman says. Under the hatha umbrella, students can think about taking ayengar or ashtanga, among others.

“Anyone who really is more intellectually oriented, someone who really likes to learn things correctly, will be well-served in an ayengar class,” she says. “Someone who wants to learn more quickly” might benefit from an ashtanga class, which is derived from vinyasa flow.

When starting a yoga practice, Kleinman suggests taking at least two classes per week. She adds that shorter classes — which generally clock in at about an hour — are just as effective as longer, 90-minute classes. “It’s much more about frequency than length of practice,” she says.

Stick With It

So how do you get these New Year’s resolutions to last for the rest of the year?

When it comes to food, Avanti suggests kick-starting a new eating regimen by ridding the house of any foods that will tempt you to indulge. Also, take time to prepare some healthy meals and snacks, so that when you reach for something, it’s right there.

“Have the stuff on hand,” she says. “I hard cook a dozen eggs every week” so they’re ready to pull from the fridge. Avanti also suggests buying single-serving cheeses, like Laughing Cow or Babybel for an easy source of protein.

When it comes to exercising, both Donavanik and Kleinman recommend setting a routine, not going full bore right off the bat and being realistic. 

“Take your time to get into it,” Donavanik says. “There’s no quick fix.”

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Very successful rock band Linkin Park doesn’t boycott Israel (and other words about the band)

Leave a Comment / Uncategorized /

On Nov. 15, popular American rock bank Linkin Park performed in Israel, despite the fact that other bands and artists refuse to play there on account of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

One of the founding members of the band, Brad Delson (lead guitarist), identifies as Jewish, according to the Delson’s Wikipedia page (his Jew-fro seems to confirm that; check out the photo on the Wiki page), and the site also says that he went to L.A.-area high school Agoura High with Mike Shinoda, the rapper in the group.

The six-piece band performed at HaYarkon Park in Tel Aviv (other band members include Chester Bennington, Rob Bourdon, David Farrell and Joseph Hahn).

Linkin Park started out as a nu-metal band, mixing heavy rock riffs with hip-hop, but nowadays they do more emo-rock.

In high school, I rocked-out to their song “In the End,” off their debut album, “Hybrid Theory,” which sold a zillion records (certified Diamond, actually, according to the Recording Industry Association of America, which means 10 million albums sold in the U.S., which puts them in a club with only 104 other albums in the history of record sales, according to a list easily found with a Google search. Yup, I counted).

I didn’t think they could achieve that level of success on subsequent records, and they didn’t, but they still continued to do well, really well considering the sad state of the music industry, with their follow-ups, “Meteora” (2003) and “Minutes to Midnight,” (2007) each selling between two-to-four million records in the U.S. (Wikipedia).

The band released their latest album, “A Thousand Suns,” last September and the album, which the band described in a recent MTV interview as one with “concepts [that] blend human ideas with technology” – so a Concept Album, perhaps, which possibly addresses nuclear warfare (song titles include, “Burning in the Skies,” “Blackout, and “Fallout”)?—features the semi-reggae-infused single, “Waiting for the End,” a song that currently receives a lot—maybe too much—airplay on local L.A. rock radio station, KROQ. How do I know that? When my iPod battery runs out, I listen to KROQ.

The band went to Israel as part of the A Thousand Suns World Tour. At the beginning of 2011, they come to North America, with a stop at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Feb. 23. You can see more tour dates here.

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