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Jewish Journal

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June 21, 2011

Valley student headed for International Bible Contest

Leave a Comment / Community, News /

Andrew Sokoler, an incoming freshman at New Jewish Community High School in West Hills and member of Temple Aliyah in Woodland Hills, won first place in the 2011 National Bible Contest, Middle School English Division. He is one of four Americans who will advance to next year’s Chidon HaTanach International Bible Contest in Jerusalem.

Founded by David Ben-Gurion and sponsored by the Jewish Agency, the Bible Contest brings together hundreds of middle- and high-school students from Israel and the Diaspora to test their acuity on preselected chapters of the Bible. The American Bible Contest, whose winners travel to Israel for the finals, begins with hundreds of middle- and high-school students who take preliminary exams during the school year. Around 125 regional winners participated in national finals held in Manhattan on May 15 at Ramaz Middle School.

Sokoler is a second-generation winner, following in the footsteps of his mom, Rosalyn Weiss Sokoler, who won in 1979 and also went on to compete in Israel. His mother was thrilled he was interested in participating because “when you learn the material like that, you just know it for life … by studying so intensely, you really get to learn the Tanach, something most kids don’t do.”

Sokoler, who just completed eighth grade at Alice C. Stelle Middle School in Calabasas, studied the books of Exodus, Samuel II, Jonah and Esther with his mom two or three evenings a week and created note cards to help him practice on his own. On Saturday afternoons, Sokoler met with Cantor Avrum Schwartz, retired from Shomrei Torah Synagogue, who has been coaching students for the contest since 1968 and has had 23 national winners in the past 43 years. 

The United States team will join approximately 50 other winners from around the world to compete in Jerusalem on Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, for the 2012 International Bible Contest. They will spend a week traveling the country and will be tested on more than 400 chapters of text from the Bible. The top 16 scorers, including the usually dominant Israeli students, will compete in the finals. A second contest for the top scorers from 16 different countries, excluding Israel, will determine the Diaspora. The winner receives a four-year college scholarship to Bar-Ilan University, while the first runner-up and the winner of the Diaspora contest win a scholarship to Machon Lev, a technical college and yeshiva in Jerusalem.

Valley student headed for International Bible Contest Read More »

Lithuanian parliament approves compensation for confiscated property

Leave a Comment / News, Worldwide /

Lithuania’s parliament has agreed to pay $52 million over 10 years in compensation for properties confiscated from the country’s Jewish community by the Nazis and by Soviet authorities.

The bill was passed by the parliament on Tuesday and still must be signed into law by the president.

Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius praised the action in a radio interview, calling it a demonstration of goodwill and of “understanding of the tragedy the Jewish community suffered during the Holocaust,” Reuters reported.

The properties in question are currently in the hands of the Lithuanian government.

Lithuanian Jewish organizations have been pushing for compensation since 2002; they received support from Jewish organizations abroad as well.

According to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, Lithuania’s pre-war Jewish population was about 160,000, some 7 percent of the country’s total population. Lithuanian Jewry was nearly wiped out during the Holocaust, and Lithuanian perpetrators as well as German killing squads were key to the genocide.

Today’s bill was supported by 81 of 141 legislators; 8 abstained.

Reportedly, the government would begin paying into a special compensation fund starting next year. The funds will be used in part to restore Jewish heritage sites. In addition, $1.25 million would be paid directly to Holocaust survivors next year.

Faina Kukliansky, deputy chair of Lithuania’s approximately 3,000-member Jewish community, told Reuters that the spirit of the bill was more important than the amount.

“This is what the state can afford at this stage,” she said.

The American Jewish Committee, which supported the Lithuanian Jewish community in its quest for compensation, greeted the bill as “a hard fought victory.”

Rabbi Andrew Baker, AJC’s director of international Jewish affairs, said that delays were largely due to concerns over domestic politics and nervousness about a populist, anti-Semitic backlash.

Baker cited the efforts of U.S. Ambassador Anne Derse and her predecessors as instrumental in winning over Lithuania’s legislators.

The World Jewish Restitution Organization said that the law offered “a small measure of justice.”

“While the amount which will be paid over the next decade represents only a small fraction of the value of the communal and religious property which was owned by the Jewish community prior to World War II, the passage of the law is historic, reflecting the Lithuanian government’s recognition of its moral obligation to return or provide compensation for stolen Jewish property,” the WJRO said in a statement.

The parliament’s move comes days before the visit to Vilnius of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton for the meeting for foreign ministers of the Community of Democracies, over which Lithuania is presiding.

Lithuanian parliament approves compensation for confiscated property Read More »

My single peeps: Lior G.

Leave a Comment / My Single Peeps, News, Singles /

Lior wears old-man sweaters. I feel like that’s the kind of thing I should just get out of the way as fast as possible, because it’s the first thing a girl would notice if she went on a date with him. They’re usually expensive sweaters … just not particularly hip. He’s set in his ways, but a stylish girl could fix that situation pretty quickly. Just don’t try to turn him into a hipster, because it’ll never happen.

He was raised in an Israeli family in Beverly Hills. His father builds upscale condos, and Lior works in the family business. I met Lior through a group of Israeli friends, and, before most of us settled down with our wives, we would spend a lot of time together going out to clubs and taking trips out of town. I remember one trip to Vegas, more than 10 years ago. We were walking through the casino, the Israeli boys dressed up in suits and bad shiny shirts, picking up girls and pretending to be gangsters. Lior was quiet, going along for the ride, but never instigating. I usually played the “nice American,” as the guys called it, trying to make the girls laugh so they’d be less inclined to run from a group of swarthy Sephardic Israelis, one of them more than 300 pounds. I was just getting to know Lior then. As we passed a poker table, I saw Lior wave to where a good-looking Israeli man sat in front of an enormous piles of chips. The man lifted a couple of fingers in Lior’s direction and went back to his game. Next to the man stood his bodyguard, with an odd tic that caused him to repeatedly blink his eyes. A strange sight. I turned to Lior and asked, “Who is that guy?” He said, “My dad.” As we neared the casino exit, my 300-pound friend whispered to me, “We walk around pretending to be machers [big shots]. That guy’s the real deal.”

Although his father’s actually not a gangster — just a very savvy businessman — at the time I loved the irony of the “gangster’s son” being the quiet one in the group, wearing the old-man sweater, while the loudmouths — me included — barely had two nickels to rub together.

Lior’s really social, loves to have drinks with friends and loves traveling — whether it’s a rugged camping trip or all five-star hotels. He’s a good guy, from a good family. They’re extremely close, and they take care of each other. They’re also not exclusive, and love the wives and girlfriends of their sons. As long as they’re good to them. If you mess with Lior, expect to have a lot of trouble from protective friends and family. But we’re not going to have trouble, are we?

If you’re interested in anyone you see on My Single Peeps, send an e-mail and a picture, including the person’s name in the subject line, to {encode=”mysinglepeeps@jewishjournal.com” title=”mysinglepeeps@jewishjournal.com”}, and we’ll forward it to your favorite peep.

Seth Menachem is an actor and writer living in Los Angeles with his wife and daughter. You can see more of his work on his Web site, sethmenachem.com, and meet even more single peeps at mysinglepeeps.com.

My single peeps: Lior G. Read More »

Obituaries: June 24-30, 2011

Leave a Comment / News, Obituaries /

Paul Alter died June 11 at 89. Survived by wife Lorraine; daughter Julie Solomon; stepdaughters Amy Cooper, Wendy Cooper; 7 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren. Hillside

Barbara Asher died June 12 at 73. Survived by husband Harold; daughter Dana; son Darryl; 5 grandchildren. Hillside

Ruth Baranoff died June 10 at 93. Survived by daughters Sharon, Barbara Haskin. Hillside

Elizabeth Brenner died June 2 at 93. Survived by husband Alfred; sons Robert, Eric. Malinow and Silverman

Helen Dubkin died June 2 at 98. Survived by daughters Barbara Wexler, Linda Wolf; son Alan; 5 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren.  Hillside

Morris “Mike” Einbund died June 2 at 77. Survived by daughters Kelli Norden, Terry Mintz; son Paul (Vanessa); 2 grandchildren; sister Estelle Schrager. Malinow and Silverman

Marilyn Falk died May 27 at 84. Survived by husband Martin; daughter Helene (Richard Ahlgren) Hart; son Larry (Evelyn); 2 great-grandchildren; brother Marvin (Naomi) Kupperman. Malinow and Silverman

Jerry Frankel died June 3 at 97. Survived by stepdaughter Lynn Bernstein; stepson Joseph (Gail) Steinberg; 4 grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild. Hillside

Arthur Freedman died June 3 at 80. Survived by wife Gloria; daughters Hannah Ganezer, Sandra Rothberg; 3 grandchildren. Hillside

Eleanor C. Freedman died June 11 at 80. Survived by significant other Sandor Sigmond; daughters Karen (Brett) Stone, Shaleen (Randy) Rose; 3 grandchildren, 1 great-grandchild; sister Grace (Jay) Cohen. Mount Sinai

Harry Greer died June 8 at 91. Survived by wife Mary Lou, sons Charles (Marchele “Shelly”), Mark (Wendy), Sheldon; 8 grandchildren; sisters Bella Magenheim, Sima.  Hillside

Julius Heichman died June 4 at 90. Survived by daughter Hollis (Steven Levy) Jackson; 3 grandchildren. Hillside

Toni Hirsh died June 3 at 99. Survived by brother-in-law Leon (Frances) Hirsh; niece Susan (Shmuel) Litenatsky; nephews Jack (Rhona) Koeppel, Haym (Lisa) Hirsh. Hillside.

Dolores Iver died June 1 at 82. Survived by sons Joel (Gail), Stanley (Barbara); 7 grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild. Hillside

Gayle Ruth Joseph died June 10 at 97. Survived by son Keith (Alaine); 4 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Florence Laufman died June 12 at 85. Survived by daughter Taryn; son Barry (Helen); 2 grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild; sisters Ruth Nassi, Harriet Russo, Phyllis Koenigsberg; brother Irving Goldstein. Mount Sinai

Arthur Neil Levkovitz died May 24 at 86. Survived by wife Phyllis Irene; son David Ian; daughter Thea Ann; 1 grandchild; sister Maxine Coe. Chevra Kadisha

Estelle Tamkin Mann died June 12 at 94. Survived by significant other Hy Vritz; daughter Judy; son Stuart (Doreen); 6 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren.  Mount Sinai

Edythe Margolin died June 4 at 90. Survived by daughter Diane; son Donald (Joyce); 3 grandchildren; brother Richard Eckerman.  Hillside

Selma Newman died June 9 at 94. Survived by daughter Arlene (Joel) Tanzer; 3 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; sister Helen Budin. Mount Sinai

Harold Pelter died June 1 at 95. Survived by partner Grace Bixby; daughter Lauren (Randy) Fischer; sons Ken, Neil; 2 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren. Malinow and Silverman

Boris Popin died June 10 at 76. Survived by sons Jon Craig (Camila), Kyle Andrew. Mount Sinai

Bernard Ribons died June 7 at 81. Survived by wife Rachel; daughter Laureen Waterman; son Paul; 2 grandchildren.  Mount Sinai

James L. Rodnunsky died June 10 at 54. Survived by wife Lisa G.; daughters Tatiana Christina Speed, Alexandra Manya; son Daniel Jacob; brothers Pierre (Janice), Serge. Mount Sinai

Henry Rosen died June 6 at 88. Survived by wife Julianne; daughter Dagmar (Paul) Shumate; son Leon (Bree); 3 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren. Malinow and Silverman

Melton Rosenthal died June 11 at 63. Survived by sister Jodie (Arnold Rubinoff); brother Henry (Esther). Mount Sinai

Alisa Rubin died June 9 at 48. Survived by father Edward; sister Brenda (Fred) Carlos; brothers Jeff, Steve (Bonny). Mount Sinai

Herbert Silverman died June 9 at 73. Survived by wife Phyllis; daughter Barbara (Alan) Sherman; son Gary; 2 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; sister Rosalind Gott-lieb; brother Jerry (Eve). Malinow and Silverman

William Spector died June 6 at 81. Survived by sons David, Steven, Jeffrey; 4 grandchildren; sisters Marlene Bekel, Sarah Weinstein; brother Morris. Malinow and Silverman

Celia Tobey died June 1 at 96. Survived by sons Daniel (Beverly), Jack (Danielle); 6 grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren; brother David Bennet. Malinow and Silverman

Leonard Wattenberg died June 3 at 88. Survived by wife Frances. Malinow and Silverman

Morton Wexler died June 11 at 83. Survived by wife Barbara; daughter Ann; son Robert; stepdaughters Lisa, Amanda; 7 grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Obituaries: June 24-30, 2011 Read More »

Prophecy vs. Ego

Leave a Comment / Judaism, News, Torah /

Shavuot, unlike many Jewish holidays, does not take place on the full moon. This celebration, when we study all night to commemorate receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai, precedes the night of the moon’s peak brightness by about a week. So, along with the gift of Torah, we are given the two weeks of the moon’s greatest light for our Mount Sinai descent. This allows us to carefully examine our footing as we endeavor to decode each year’s revelation of Torah and affirm our Shavuot insights for “walking in God’s ways” and bringing holiness into the more quotidian world. Under the light of the Sivan moon, we ask ourselves whether the truths we have perceived are the voice of prophecy or self-serving assertions of our ego.

It is, therefore, fitting that on the way down the mountain, as the moon begins to wane, we encounter Korach, who brought what might appear to be a reasonable complaint against the privileged authority of Moses, the prophet, and Aaron, the priest, saying, “You take too much upon yourself. The entire congregation is holy, with YHVH in its midst. Why do you raise yourself above the community?” (Numbers 16:3). In response, Moses challenged Korach and his followers to present a priestlike sacrifice to God, which God met with an earthquake that buried alive both Korach and those who joined his rebellion.

What was so wrong with Korach’s statement that it merited punishment of this severity? Didn’t we all hear God’s words at Sinai? Are we not a Nation of Priests? Should we not all be empowered to enact the holy rituals? Certainly I have made these points in this space in the past, when I have urged all of the community to perform the priestly role of going outside the community to offer care to those who are isolated by illness and grief. But there is a difference between the holy actions of a Nation of Priests and what commentators, including Rabbi Rachel Cowan, in “The Torah: A Women’s Commentary,” have described as Korach’s attempt at an ambitious power grab, coming not from the call of prophecy, but from the self-serving voice of his ego. Cowan advises that we must discern between “the voice of our needy, small-minded self [and] … the wise voice … speak[ing] from our deepest and best values and truth.”

Before we take action on the insights and desires that come to us as a form of revelation, we must examine them in order to filter out what is not the call of holiness. Finding this distinction is a process spiritual directors call “discernment.” Owning our true revelations takes disciplined spiritual practice as well as validation and support from community. Mussar teacher Alan Moranis quotes Rabbi Chayim Luzzatto: “[Y]ou cannot make judgments relevant to piety according to how they first appear. You have to turn [them] over in your mind … [to] judge the most fitting.”

We need time between insight and action. We work within ourselves and with respected others known to be truth-tellers. We pray. The familiar Hebrew word for prayer, hitpallel, is built around the root pll, meaning, “to judge, differentiate, clarify, incriminate or intercede.” A reflexive verb, hitpallel asks us to apply those words to ourselves as we clarify our behavior and intercede with ourselves when we need guidance. 

With input from Moranis, and Christian writer Denis Edwards, here are suggestions to apply to our revelations to determine if they are, in fact, holy calls:

1. Assess the pros and cons — list them, ponder them — consult with people you see as exemplars of right-minded action.

2. Ask yourself: “Does this help me walk in God’s ways/align myself with holiness?” “Does this link to the community, its values and traditions?” “Does this build community and contribute to tikkun?”

3. Do you have moments of doubt about this action? Do you assert your truth with humility? Absolute certainty sometimes reveals self-aggrandizement.

4. Does it call for disciplined practice?

5. Again, seek the wisdom of others. Is this a decision for life, peace and walking in God’s ways?

Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz reminds us that the call from Sinai is constant. It comes not only on Shavuot, but at every moment, reminding us of the people we must be if the world is to be a place of holiness; indeed, if our species is to survive. With a commitment to the disciplined discernment of our individual call comes a life of value and meaning, a life that is in service, not to the self-centered desires of the Korach that lives in each of us, but to the goodness and healing that is the earthly realization of the revelation from Sinai.

Rabbi Anne Brener, a psychotherapist and spiritual counselor, is the author of “Mourning & Mitzvah” (Jewish Lights, 1993 & 2001). She is on the faculty of The Academy for Jewish Religion, California, and the advisory board of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion’s Kalsman Institute on Judaism and Medicine. Rabbi Brener is also a CLAL-Rabbis Without Borders fellow. She can be reached at {encode=”mekamot@aol.com” title=”mekamot@aol.com”}.

Prophecy vs. Ego Read More »

Have internet, will tutor

Leave a Comment / Bar & Bat Mitzvahs, Education, News /

Some people live miles away from a synagogue that shares their philosophies and values. Others might have no shortage of resources but have overbooked lives that make fitting in yet another off-site commitment for their 11- or 12-year-old a near impossibility.

Through their new online venture, MyBarMitzvahTutors.com, sisters Danielle Gobuty Eskow and Marisa Gobuty hope to bring bar and bat mitzvah training to clients with geographical challenges and scheduling variables alike.

But the sisters’ program is by no means exclusively targeted at those who can’t easily find the place or the time for face-to-face tutoring. Online though it is, MyBarMitzvahTutors.com aims to spark students in all locations to participate and enter into the Jewish community.

“If a program like this had been around when I needed a tutor, it would have made my life a lot easier,” Gobuty said. “I wasn’t in a place where it was so easy for me to get access to have a bat mitzvah.”

For the record: Marisa’s bat mitzvah was in Israel. Her tutor: older sister Danielle, who was still in high school at the time. Marisa was her first student, and Danielle has spent the past seven years tutoring students online. In fact, the Web site — designed by Gobuty — is loaded with testimonials from Eskow’s satisfied clients. 

“I was living in the San Fernando Valley, in Encino, at the time of my bat mitzvah, and I had a wonderful tutor who inspired me to become a rabbi,” Eskow said of Yossi Dresner, ritual director at Encino’s Valley Beth Shalom Synagogue.

My Bar Mitzvah Tutors (MBMT) offers 32-week courses in both Hebrew and bar/bat mitzvah training. Students take a Hebrew evaluation/assessment test to determine whether they will need the Hebrew program as well as the bar mitzvah prep. Some clients end up taking both programs; others can go straight into bar/bat mitzvah prep.

Students receive a customized netbook equipped with specialized learning software tailored to their learning needs.

Between the homework they do on the computer and the one-on-one weekly online sessions with their MBMT tutor, the students gradually master their Torah and their haftarah melodies. The tutorial also includes Shabbat prayers and access to weekly Torah portions prepared by Eskow — a rabbinical student at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. By offering these additional features, the sisters hope to get the entire family — not just the students — involved and interested in the process.

“The purpose of this program is to reach Jewish families who would not otherwise have been reached, and not just through bar mitzvah tutoring, but through outreach,” Gobuty said. “We want to connect people and bring them back into the synagogue.”

Gobuty is largely in charge of the Hebrew training component of MBMT, while Eskow handles the bar/bat mitzvah training. Their program, developed last summer, went live in December, and My Bar Mitzvah Tutors currently has five students. Eskow and Gobuty, who live in New York, are tutoring students from Nebraska to Northern California.

Kimberly Robinson of Omaha, Neb., found the program via a Google search. It was January. Her son Brett’s bar mitzvah was scheduled for June, and Brett’s early preparation had resulted largely in frustration.

Robinson interviewed Eskow, and Eskow had a Skype meeting with Brett. Under Eskow’s tutelage, Brett the “sports boy” has proved to be a more than capable student.

“It’s been unbelievable,” said Robinson, herself a teacher. “She for sure has built his confidence in terms of his bar mitzvah study. She made a not-so-great experience amazing for him.”

Eskow and Brett meet twice weekly, with Eskow accommodating her pupil’s busy baseball and basketball schedules. Sometimes Brett’s mom listens in on the sessions, but even when she does, she immediately receives a post-session e-mail from Eskow, reporting on her son’s progress.

“The follow-through is perfect,” Robinson said. “She keeps us on task and keeps him on task. She is just the kindest and most encouraging, patient person I have ever met.”

“She’s really nice to me,” Brett agreed. “She helps me a lot, and I can get stuff done now.”

The Web/online component of the program has proved to be a substantial enticement to students who enjoy the interactivity.

“We have parents of kids who didn’t want to have a bar mitzvah, saying that their kids are talking about this to their friends,” Eskow said. “Students who would have chosen soccer practice over having a bar or bat mitzvah are excited about logging on and getting their netbooks in the mail. We’re getting incredible feedback.”

“This is the communication of our generation. This is the future, and I don’t think anything is lost by communicating online,” added Gobuty, who studied for the Medical College Admission Test online. “We’re young and we’re friendly, and it’s easy for students to relate to us and for us to relate to what they’re going through.”

As the program grows, the sisters’ roles figure to evolve. Eskow, who has two more years at the Jewish Theological Seminary, expects MBMT.com to complement what she hopes will be a flourishing rabbinate. Gobuty is finishing her bachelor’s degree at Syracuse University and plans to go to medical school, at which point her MBMT.com work likely will be part time.

In the course of their young lives, the Gobuty sisters have lived in California, Canada, Israel and New York. The next stop will be Boston, where Eskow’s husband will join a law practice.

A Web-based bar/bat mitzvah training program travels easily. When asked whether, in this technological age, actual bar mitzvah ceremonies could shift online as well, the sisters said, yes, but with caveats.

“At the end of the day, bringing people into a synagogue is crucial,” Gobuty said. “It’s not about just completing a bar mitzvah. It’s about gaining that community feeling so that you become part of something and get that exposure to a synagogue environment.”

“In order for someone to feel further connected, for the actual service, someone needs to do it with you in the community,” Eskow added. “You need to be very present as opposed to online.”

Have internet, will tutor Read More »

‘Delancey’ dramatizes Yiddish radio’s reality show

Leave a Comment / Culture, Entertainment, News /

In 2002, director/playwright Karen Sommers heard a story on National Public Radio about the Jewish American Board of Peace and Justice, a Jewish mediation court on the Lower East Side of New York that adjudicated disputes among community members between the late 1930s and 1956. The proceedings took place in a back room of the House of Sages, a synagogue led by Rabbi Shmuel Aaron Rubin, who presided over the cases, which were recorded and carried on such Yiddish radio stations as WLTH and WEVD. According to the Yiddish Radio Project Web site, where many of the programs heard on old-time Yiddish radio are archived, the conflicts covered everything from “the complaints of abandoned parents to altercations over ill-fitting sheets.” 

In an interview, Sommers said that when she listened to some of the actual arbitrations, conducted in Yiddish and English, she was transported back in time.

“I really got caught up in these lives, and, at the same time that they were very funny and almost ridiculous, they were also very touching, and it was real life. 

“This was, in a way, the first reality show, and people were there for their problems. So, I listened to this broadcast and, by chance, about a week later I was telephoned by the Tribeca Performing Arts Center in New York City, and they offered me an artist-in-residency, which included a year of working on a project. This is the project I wanted to do, to develop that story into a full theatrical piece.”

Sommers has been developing the project for 10 years, a process that culminated in the recent world premiere of her play “South of Delancey,” now at the Fremont Centre Theatre in Pasadena. The stories she has re-created affected her so deeply, she recalled, that more than just telling people about them, she had to dramatize them.

“I’m very visual; I’m a stage director by passion, by trade, and, when I hear of a story, immediately I can see it. But this was more than that. I could feel it; I could picture these people; I saw the court; I saw them arguing with each other; I saw the rabbi. I feel it now, just talking about it; it’s such a powerful feeling in my bones.”

Sommers fictionalizes the private lives of the participants, but uses actual recorded transcripts when presenting what transpired during the hearings. “The verdicts were binding. They did sign something that said they were going to follow what the judges decided,” she explained. “According to my research, the people who sought this court, which was free, didn’t have the means to hire a lawyer and go through the American judicial system. Also, a lot of them were immigrants who didn’t speak English and didn’t understand the American judicial system, and they were sort of fearful of going that route.” 

“South of Delancey” depicts three cases. One involves two very different sisters (Jordana Oberman and Kal Bennett), who live together but have come to hate each other.

In another, a man and woman (Barry Alan Levine and Jodi Fleisher) engaged in a passionate affair finally get married, but with radically opposing expectations. 

The third case concerns Marty (Michael Rubenstone) and Faye (Abigail Marks), who didn’t know each other very well when they married just before Marty went into the service during World War II, and, after eight years, have separated. Faye charges that Marty lies to her, stays out late, never “bothers” with her and has been abusive. In response, Marty insists that his wife relies too much on her interfering mother (Casey Kramer).

In this case, the final verdict may well strike today’s audiences as naïve. Alhough the rabbi comes down very hard on Marty for hitting Faye, declaring that the holy Gemara says a man who raises a hand against another person is a wicked man, and though he extracts a declaration of love from Marty for Faye and their baby, he ultimately rules that the couple should “go home and have a happy life.”

“It was very simplistic,” Sommers admitted. “You could say it was a simpler time.  I don’t know; I don’t believe it was. I think that the rabbi had a simple way of looking at things. At first, when I initially heard his verdict for Faye and Marty, I was upset, and I, of course, was siding with her.” 

She added, “This is how it was, and there’s something about that that I think is important for people to know as a piece of history, and to realize how far we’ve come. Is that a good piece of advice, or is that a ridiculous piece of advice? I think when people first hear that, they say, ‘That’s crazy, that he should say to go home and have a happy life.’ But, after the 10 years that I’ve been working on this and listening to that verdict over and over again, I find that it’s simple, but it’s honest, and it’s possible.”

Sommers said she feels there is comfort in seeing that the problems you’re dealing with today are problems that have been going on for years, for decades, even for centuries, and that you’re not alone. 

“People before you have gone through what you are going through now; they survived, and you can survive as well. Or you can see that these people in the play are making the mistakes that you’re making in your life, and that you need to look at these problems or else you’re going to end up like these characters do. The play is really holding up a mirror to audiences and having them see themselves on stage and reflect upon their own lives.”

“South of Delancey,” Fri. and Sat. 8 PM, Sun. 3 PM,  through July 31. Tickets: $25; Students/Seniors $20. Fremont Centre Theatre, 1000 Fremont Avenue, South Pasadena.  Reservations:(866) 811-4111 – For Groups and Info: (626)441-5977.
http://www.fremontcentretheatre.com/
http://www.southofdelancey.com/SouthOfDelancey/Home.html

‘Delancey’ dramatizes Yiddish radio’s reality show Read More »

Calendar Picks and Clicks: June 22-June 30, 2011

Leave a Comment / News, Picks and Clicks, What's Happening /

WED | JUNE 22

JUVENILE PROSTITUTION
Carissa Phelps, a former child prostitute who turned her life around to become an attorney, speaks as part of a panel discussion with L.A. County Juvenile Court Judge Donna Quigley Groman; Fadwa Assad, program analyst with Children of the Night; and FBI victim specialist Debbie Deem. Judge Jan Levine of the L.A. County Superior Court moderates the conversation. The 2008 short documentary “Carissa,” which recounts Phelps’ rehabilitation, screens prior to the discussion. Wed. 6 p.m. Free. NCJW/LA Council House, 543 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles. (323) 852-8503. ncjwla.org.

ADAM GREEN
Former front man of the indie band the Moldy Peaches, whose music was featured in the 2007 film “Juno,” brings his quirky, stripped-down folk songs to the Largo. Green has garnered a cult following on the college radio scene, and his style is often compared to those of Leonard Cohen, Ben Kweller and Jonathan Richman. This acoustic show by the eccentric singer-songwriter marks his first West Coast appearance in several years. Wed. 8 p.m. $20. Largo at the Coronet, 366 N. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 855-0350. largo-la.com.

FRI | JUNE 24

“GREASE SING-ALONG”
It’s the original high school musical! Actress Didi Conn (nee Edith Bernstein), who played Frenchy in the 1978 film, hosts tonight’s sing-along screening at the Hollywood Bowl. If you don’t know all the words to songs such as “Summer Nights,” “Beauty School Dropout” or “You’re the One That I Want,” don’t worry. This version features the lyrics subtitled karaoke style. Dress up in a poodle skirt and saddle shoes — or come as a Pink Lady or T-Bird — and join the preshow costume parade. Fri. 7 p.m. (preshow), 8:30 p.m. (film). $12-$82.25. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood. (323) 850-2000. hollywoodbowl.com.

SAT | JUNE 25

HILA PLITMANN
The Grammy-winning Israeli soprano stars in a semi-staged version of Eric Whitacre’s electro-musical, “Paradise Lost: Shadows and Wings.” The Japanese anime-inspired post-apocalyptic tale follows an abandoned tribe of young, wingless angels who have come of age in a fortress, where they spend their time preparing for war. Exstasis, played by Plitmann, believes there’s a better world outside of the stone walls and dreams of flying. Don’t miss this one-night-only performance. Sat. 8 p.m. $19-$99. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. (800) 982-2787. ticketmaster.com.

KEREN ANN
The Israeli-born French chanteuse adds a freewheeling style to her ethereal pop sound as she performs songs from her new solo album, “101.” Brooklyn-based folk artist Chris Garneau opens. Sat. 8 p.m. $20. Luckman Fine Arts Complex, 5151 State University Drive, Los Angeles. (323) 343-6600. luckmanarts.org.

UNCONVENTIONAL (MOSTLY UNPLUGGED) MUSIC HAPPENING
A diverse lineup of musicians, including Tenacious D’s Kyle Gass and KGB, Little Dawnee Frinta and Brian Joseph, perform during this inaugural folk festival, which benefits Temple Beth Israel of Highland Park and Eagle Rock. Sat. 8 p.m. $25 (general admission), $50 (VIP). Los Angeles Shakespeare Center, 1238 W. First St., Los Angeles. (323) 255-5416. tbila.org.

FRUGAL FESTIVAL FOOD
Cooking demos by celebrity chefs, food tastings, a live DJ and raffles highlight this gathering for foodies who appreciate a bargain nosh. Sat. 11 a.m. $5-$10 ($5 discount with canned goods donation). Canoga Park High School, 6850 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Canoga Park. (310) 734-8843. frugalfestival.com.

SUN | JUNE 26

“IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF MY FATHER”
Trace the artistic and personal journey of Yiddish writer Rachmil Bryks with his daughter, Bella Bryks Klein, who gives a multimedia presentation featuring photographs, songs and excerpts from her father’s writing. Presentation in both Yiddish and English. Sun. 2 p.m. $8 (general), free (students). California Institute for Yiddish Culture and Language, 8339 W. Third St., Los Angeles. (310) 745-1190. yiddishinstitute.org.

HAROLD MEYERSON
Harold Meyerson, an op-ed columnist for The Washington Post and editor-at-large for The American Prospect, lectures on “The Vanishing Middle Class and Other Dilemmas” for the Valley Salon series, sponsored by Progressive Jewish Alliance and Jewish Funds for Justice. Sun. 10 a.m. (brunch), 10:45 (program). $10 (no one turned away for lack of funds). Private residence in Tarzana. RSVP (323) 761-8350. pjalliance.org.

TUE | JUNE 28

NEIL GAIMAN
The acclaimed author of “Coraline,” “Stardust” and the comic book series “The Sandman” discusses his award-winning fantasy novel “American Gods” with comedian Patton Oswalt. Presigned copies of the newly updated 10th anniversary edition of “American Gods,” which is being adapted for an HBO series, must be ordered in advance. Tue. 8 p.m. $15 (general), $35 (includes copy of book). Saban Theatre, 8440 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills. (213) 623-1773. sabantheatre.org.

STEPHEN WITT
Witt discusses and signs copies of his debut novel, “American Moses,” which follows Southie Lewis, a secular Jew who — along with his Jamaican-American wife, Zippy, and two children — leads a group of Jews from upstate New York to Las Vegas after the town’s only synagogue burns down. Tue. 7 p.m. Free. Book Soup, 8818 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. (310) 659-3110. booksoup.com.

WED | JUNE 29

“VAYIKRA MURAL”
Sephardic Temple hosts an opening reception for artist Barbara Mendes, creator of the “Psychedelic Legacy” series. Her “Vayikra Mural” depicts all 859 verses in the Book of Leviticus, and patterns of intense colors in the center and around the edges hint at the mystical light of God. Wed. 6-9 p.m. (opening reception). Through July 18. Gallery hours: Wednesdays 2-5 p.m., and by appointment. Free. Sephardic Temple Tiferet Israel, 10550 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 475-7311. sephardictemple.org.

THU | JUNE 30

“TRAGIC MAGIC”
Award-winning magician Joshua Jay recounts the strangest deaths that have befallen magicians, their assistants and audience members. A book signing follows the presentation, which will include a live feat of “tragic magic.” Arrive early and view the exhibitions “Houdini: Art and Magic” and “Masters of Illusion.” Thu. 8 p.m. $12 (general), $10 (Skirball members), $6 (full-time students). Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 440-4500. skirball.org.

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Seeking a pay increase, Bet Tzedek employees picket

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On June 14, employees at Bet Tzedek, a Jewish legal-service organization, demonstrated in front of the organization’s office at 145 S. Fairfax Ave., calling for higher wages. Bet Tzedek — which means “House of Justice” in Hebrew — is a nonprofit that provides free legal services to Jews and non-Jews in Los Angeles.

The Bet Tzedek employees — lawyers, legal secretaries, paralegals and clerical workers — want pay increases of approximately 2 percent, according to Marc Bender, an attorney at Bet Tzedek and president of Bet Tzedek Legal Services Union, which has 54 members. 

“We’re not asking for the moon,” Bender said. “We feel that Bet Tzedek can afford that.” The employees’ health care and pensions are also at stake, but the dispute over the wage increase has been the focus of the dispute.

As of June 15, Bet Tzedek management had agreed to an approximately 1 percent raise for its employees, Bender said.

Bet Tzedek CEO and president Sandor Samuels, who has been negotiating directly with the firm’s employees on behalf of management, would not confirm the percentages but said the employees have asked for a higher pay increase than management can afford.

“We are trying to properly balance what our employees would like with our ability to make sure that we can raise the money to operate at this point,” Samuels said.

“I’m looking forward to both sides getting back to the negotiating table so we can this thing resolved.”

As with many nonprofits, the economic downturn has affected the Bet Tzedek employees’ pay. In 2009, their wages were reduced, but in January 2011 they were reinstated to the level that they were prior to the recession.

As of last week, Bet Tzedek employees were not considering striking and expressed hope that their demands will be met.

“We’re hoping the informational picket will break the log-jam,” Bender said of the action, which drew approximately half of Bet Tzedek’s union members.

The nonmanagerial employees of Bet Tzedek have not received raises since 2008. The employees receive different pay but are subject to the same contract terms. Negotiations began six months ago, after nonmanagement employees’ contracts expired in January. Since then, the negotiations have been ongoing.

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Rabbis support grocery workers in contract fight

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Rabbi Jonathan Klein stood at the entrance to Albertson’s supermarket in Los Feliz and handed a supermarket manager a blown-up letter expressing his support for workers in their fractious contract negotiations with the major chains.

The dispute pits workers against management, primarily over health benefits, at Albertsons, Ralphs and Vons, which are run by the corporations Supervalu, Kroger and Safeway, respectively. United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) alleges that “increases in premiums, deductibles, and out of-pocket maximums … could cost employees up to $10,000,” according to a June 7 UFCW contract update.

“We ask that you reach a just and fair agreement with the union at the earliest possible time,” said the letter presented by Klein, executive director of Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE-LA).

UCFW represents approximately 62,000 grocery workers, all under the same contract, employed in Southern California and “all the way up to Hearst Castle essentially, and over to the Nevada-Arizona border,” said John M. Grant, secretary-treasurer of UFCW Local 770, one of seven UFCW divisions negotiating on behalf of grocery store employees in the contract dispute. The three grocery chains have aligned themselves to negotiate the contract, Grant said.

Klein called the possibility of the grocery workers going on strike “very likely.”

The presentation of the letter culminated in a rally on June 14 that drew approximately 300 grocery workers and their supporters. Carrying anti-corporate signs and singing chants that called for justice, the group marched north from the Vons at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Virgil Avenue to an Albertsons on Hillhurst Avenue in Los Feliz.

The Los Angeles Police Department was on the scene at the demonstration, which remained peaceful.

Since contracts expired last March, the nonmanagerial workers have been working under a contract extension agreement. 

Klein’s organization, CLUE-LA, which is rooted in interfaith-based social justice, is not participating in the negotiations but is advocating for grocery workers on this issue.

“It’s so clearly a Jewish issue,” Klein said, citing the teaching, “Don’t stand idly by the blood of your neighbor.”

Fred Muir, a spokesperson for Albertsons said, “The only place where we can reach an agreement is at the bargaining table, and we believe our focus should be there, reaching a fair and reasonable contract.” 

Rabbi Alan Henkin of the Union for Reform Judaism, and Rabbi Yoel Kahn, president of the Pacific Association of Reform Rabbis, were among the nearly two dozen Jewish, Muslim and Christian clergy members who signed the letter that Klein presented.

Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz, founder and president of Uri L’Tzedek, Progressive Jewish Alliance, which recently merged with Jewish Funds for Justice, and Jewish Labor Committee were among the Jewish representation for the workers at the rally.

“As someone who shops at these three stores throughout L.A., and as a Jew who feels responsible for the treatment of workers at food establishments that I patronize,” Yanklowitz said, “it was a clear imperative to attend this rally today.”

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