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Jewish Journal

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July 5, 2011

Flotilla fails at sea, succeeds on the airwaves

Leave a Comment / Israel, Lead Story, News /

On the face of it, the so-called Gaza Freedom Flotilla seemed to be a bust.

Greek authorities blocked most of the boats from setting sail for the Gaza Strip, and others experienced propeller problems that rendered them unseaworthy. On Tuesday, a small pleasure boat with eight passengers aboard became the first vessel in the planned flotilla to elude the Greek coast guard en route to Gaza.

But if the true aim was to achieve a public relations victory rather than to deliver aid to Gaza—as Israeli authorities charged and flotilla participants themselves acknowledged—then the thousands of news reports about the flotilla’s plans, problems and participants succeeded by at least one measure: getting attention.

“Given the tremendous obstacles placed in the way of the flotilla, we should not for a moment think this work has been in vain. Just the opposite,” Leslie Cagan, coordinator of the U.S. boat to Gaza, wrote this week on the U.S. to Gaza website. “We have called greater attention to the urgent need to end the Israeli blockade and siege of Gaza, as well as the overall occupation of the Palestinian Territories.”

Reveling in the attention, pro-Palestinian activists talked to reporters about their next publicity stunt: a planned “fly-in” to Ben-Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv beginning Friday to protest Israeli policies vis-a-vis the Palestinians. Hoping to disrupt airport operations, the activists reportedly are planning to declare “Palestine” as their destination upon landing in Israel; they have said they will stage demonstrations if denied entry.

This year’s flotilla was organized to mark the anniversary of last year’s flotilla to Gaza, which set sail from Turkey before being stopped by the Israeli Navy on May 31, 2010. When one of the vessels refused to heed Israeli warnings to desist, IDF commandos stormed the boat, the Mavi Marmara, and nine Turkish passengers were killed amid the fighting. The incident prompted an international outcry and sent Turkish-Israeli relations to a nadir.

The 2011 flotilla came on the heels of an announcement by Israel that it would allow building materials into Gaza for 1,200 homes and 18 schools. Adam Shapiro, an organizer of the so-called Free Gaza Movement, said the announcement was a sign that the flotilla had resulted in real gains.

He attributed the change to “flotilla pressure.”

“Even this year, the concrete results of the flotilla are evident,” Shapiro wrote in a column in Gulf News, a news outlet in the United Arab Emirates.

Israel did not offer a reason for the timing of the decision, but said the construction material was for specific projects. An official with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, which is overseeing the projects, said the announcement on the building material came after much negotiation.

On Sunday, organizers of the flotilla rejected an offer by Greece to deliver aid to Gaza from the ships stuck in Greek harbors via either Egypt or Israel.

Many pro-Israel supporters praised Greece for its handling of this year’s flotilla, including American Jewish groups.

After delays from a countrywide strike and intensive port inspections, the Greek government on July 1 banned all ships bound for Gaza from leaving its ports.

John Klusmire, the captain of one of the ships, the Audacity of Hope, tried to leave port last week but was arrested on charges of setting sail without permission and endangering the lives of passengers. On Tuesday, a Greek court freed him and dropped the charges.

Greece’s approach to the flotilla was held up as a sign of the renewed friendship between Greece and Israel. Israel has been cultivating a closer relationship with Greece, particularly as Israel’s relationship with Turkey—a longtime rival of Greece—has faltered.

In the year since last year’s flotilla fiasco, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have exchanged visits, and Israel has offered military assistance to Greece. Last week the two countries completed a joint military exercise.

If any ships were to get past Greek authorities, Israel’s Cabinet issued an order for the Israel Defense Forces to prevent any boats from reaching Gaza.

Israel says the flotilla is illegal and that military action to keep ships from arriving in Gaza is legitimate. Its partial blockade of Gaza is necessary, Israel says, to keep weapons from flowing into the strip, which is controlled by the terrorist group Hamas. The blockade of Gaza is designed as well to maintain pressure on Hamas to release Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who was taken captive in an attack five years ago and is believed to be in Gaza.

The blockade has eased significantly since last year’s flotilla incident, when Israel came under heavy international pressure to loosen the embargo.

Hamas last week called on the European Union and human rights organizations to pressure the Greek government to allow the ships to sail. On Tuesday, activists from the Spanish-sponsored boat in the flotilla reportedly occupied the Spanish Embassy in Athens after meeting with their ambassador to petition the Spanish government to pressure the Greeks to allow them to sail.

Meanwhile, Greek officials are working to learn the identity of the captain of a ship that slipped past Greek authorities near Crete for a few minutes before being intercepted by the Greek coast guard. The 50 passengers aboard the ship reportedly said they were the captain when questioned by port officials.

Two of the flotilla ships were victims of what flotilla organizers called deliberate sabotage; the Irish-flagged Saoirse was seriously damaged on June 28, and the propeller of the Juliano, on which Swedish, Norwegian and Greek activists were scheduled to travel, was discovered to be broken. Organizers blamed Israel for the problems.

Israeli Foreign Ministry officials denied the charge, according to The Jerusalem Post. The flotilla activists must feel they are in a “James Bond film,” a spokesman said, according to the paper.

Flotilla fails at sea, succeeds on the airwaves Read More »

SoCal Jewish Sports Hall of Fame Inducts 2011 Class

Leave a Comment / California, Community, News /

Horseracing and water polo were well represented among the 15th class of Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame inductees during a gala ceremony on June 26 at the Skirball Cultural Center.

Honorees included Jerry and Ann Moss, owners of 2009 Breeders’ Cup champion Zenyatta and 2005 Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo, and Jay Privman, Daily Racing Form correspondent and television analyst.

“There are a lot of horseracing connections here that make [the induction] more special,” Privman said, pointing to the late Audrey Skirball-Kenis’ successful horseracing enterprise.

A pair of former UCLA water polo players, Joseph Axelrad, an All-America goalie on the 2004 NCAA champion team, and Samuel Bailey, who helped the Bruins to three national titles in the 1990s, were joined by prep standout Ashley Grossman.

USC’s four-time All-America honoree Taylor Mays became the 14th football player inducted, Doug Gottlieb was honored for his collegiate basketball, and ESPN analyst career and sports radio personality Vic “The Brick” Jacobs joined his KLAC broadcast partner and MC Steve Hartman (2004) on the list of media honorees.

“It’s important to honor all these sportspeople and explain their stories so that young children can say, ‘I can become an NFL quarterback, I can become an NBA basketball player, because a Jew has done it before me,’ “ Hall of Fame president Barry Kaz said. “That’s really the essence of the organization.”

Shawn Lipman became the first rugby union player to be inducted. Lipman, the first Jewish athlete to play in the Rugby World Cup in 1991, spoke of his motivation to play rugby at the highest level.

“Growing up in South Africa, where the stereotype of Jews not being athletic was perpetuated, it became very important to me not only to prove myself as a rugby player but also to show the naysayers that not only could Jews play one of the most demanding sports in the world but also excel at it,” Lipman said.

Mays, too, spoke of the stereotype of Jews as unathletic.

“That stereotype being what it is, having people who are Jewish say to me that they are proud of what I do and what it represents to the Jewish community, that’s special,” said Mays, a safety for the San Francisco 49ers. “It’s different from individual awards. I’m carrying a different weight on my shoulders, representing a group of people. I’m happy to have that responsibility.”

Mike Enfield, part of the 2002 NCAA champion UCLA soccer team and 2005 MLS champion Los Angeles Galaxy, joined his former Bruin teammates Jonathan Bornstein (2008) and Benny Feilhaber (2010).

“It’s great to be with my former teammates,” Enfield said. “I feel privileged to be included with great athletes and to be recognized for all the hard work I’ve done in my life.”

Marc Bluestone was inducted for his basketball, baseball and track achievements at Fairfax High, but emphasized his lifelong commitment to sports.

“To me, sports is a way of life,” he said. “The interaction with teammates and the competition, to play at such a level and to continue on as I did, it meant so much to me.”

Grossman and Max Fried shared High School Athlete of the Year honors.

A member of the U.S. junior national water polo team, Grossman led Harvard-Westlake to its first CIF championship as a senior and will play for Stanford next season. Fried, a pitcher for Montclair Prep who signed with UCLA, was in North Carolina playing for a place on the 18U national team and missed the ceremony.

Andrew Kallick, editor-in-chief of the Brentwood School newspaper, received the Allan Malamud Scholarship Award, in honor of the late Notes on a Scorecard columnist.

Richard “Dick” Conger, a pitcher who starred at Fremont High and UCLA, and 1932 Olympic silver medal-winning gymnast Phil Erenberg were inducted posthumously.

“The [SCJSHOF] is a great way to raise the profile of Jewish athletes,” Privman said.

SoCal Jewish Sports Hall of Fame Inducts 2011 Class Read More »

Northern Israel’s boutique mystique

Leave a Comment / Is Featured?, Israel, News, Special Sections, Travel /

When Lisa Edelstein, Omar Epps, Jesse Spencer and Amber Tamblyn paid a visit to Northern Israel with “House” creator David Shore as part of a weeklong trip sponsored by America’s Voices in Israel, the stars of the hit Fox series admired the tranquil beauty of the Galilee region.

“It was just so much fun to be able to relax and get away from it all, even if it was only for a day,” Tamblyn said. “It’s just so peaceful and beautiful up here.”

That serenity is the selling point for a number of posh Galilean boutique hotels located around the mountainous town of Safed and along the banks of Lake Kinneret in the city of Tiberias.

“The pastoral beauty, fresh air and unique historical mystique of Safed and the Galilee region is the perfect place for tourists who wish to get away from the big city and just relax,” said Nadav Brada, general manager of the Ruth Rimonim Safed Hotel.

In Safed, tourists can walk through the narrow alleyways of the Old City and pray in one of the spectacular ancient synagogues. The popular “Lecha Dodi” (Come My Beloved) Friday night sing-along prayer was actually composed in one of the town’s ancient synagogues by 16th century Safed kabbalist Rabbi Shlomo Halevi Alkabetz.

The Prima Galil Hotel. English.prima.co.il>

The adjacent artists’ colony, where Tamblyn purchased some beautiful rings and bracelets, boasts some of Israel’s most unique jewelry and art galleries. Just bring cash and a willingness to bargain with the locals, who are only too happy to partake in a bit of Middle East marketing.

For tourists who enjoy culinary adventures, the Galilee and Golan Heights boast some of Israel’s top wineries. Hotel concierges can easily arrange daylong treks to any number of wineries in the area.

At the Ruth Rimonim Safed Hotel, a unique boutique facility, part of the structure dates back more than 300 years, when the Ottoman Empire ruled over the region.

“Of the 77 rooms in the hotel, 36 are located in the ancient part,” Brada said. “Every one of the rooms in the hotel is designed in a different manner, which is what makes it so unique.”

The Ruth Rimonim Safed also features a spa, a swimming pool that faces Mount Meron and a fully stocked wine cellar, which is also a destination for nightly entertainment.

As you wind your way down from Safed to Tiberias (about 15 minutes away), Lake Kinneret and the adjacent Golan Heights are frequently abuzz with outdoor activities.

“This is a place where families and kids can enjoy so many types of water sports, including kayaking, motor-boating and jet-skiing, as well as horseback riding, jeeping and even rappelling across the Golan Heights,” said Omar Assle, manager of the Rimonim Galei Kinneret Hotel.

The 120-room Rimonim Galei Kinneret, which bills itself as a classic, boutique destination, features a pool, spa and private beach. In the evenings, guests can enjoy a show on the terrace opposite the pool.

The Hacienda Forestview Hotel. www.c-hotels.co.il>

“We are not one of those big, crowded hotels,” Assle said.

The Prima Galil prides itself on its various indoor and outdoor experiences. Guests are encouraged to create their own ways of exploring the region via a checklist of recommended activities: sports, bicycling, jeep trips and visits to local wineries. The hotel’s Galilean evenings (Mondays and Thursdays) entice guests to sample culinary delicacies while listening to live music performed by local musicians.

One of the best-kept vacation secrets in the region can be found between Ma’alot and Kfar Veradim in the Western Galilee. The Hacienda Forestview Hotel, which has been built like a Spanish homestead, sits amid 20 acres of natural green forest. It is renowned for catering to body, soul and palate.

Part of the C-Hotels chain, the Hacienda offers three different themed spa options: C and Enjoy, including mud treatments and body peeling for couples; C and Relax, featuring a Turkish steam bath, Jacuzzi and baths for reflexology treatments; and C and Feel Fit, which showcases the hotel’s exercise room.

“When you are feeling relaxed, you are more than ready to enjoy an incredible culinary experience,” a C-Hotels spokeswoman said.

The Hacienda offers a colorful and healthy array of breakfast options. However, it’s the South American-style barbecue evenings, featuring prime cuts of beef and other delectable dishes prepared by Chef Itzik Marciano, that accentuate a real gastronomic extravaganza. Recognizing that kids shouldn’t be left out of the culinary equation, the Hacienda also highlights a delicious buffet for kids right down to the toasted marshmallows and melodic outdoor kumsitz (sing-along).

Northern Israel’s boutique mystique Read More »

My Single Peeps: Charles P.

Leave a Comment / Culture, Is Featured?, My Single Peeps, News, Singles /

I wrote and starred in a short film, and the director brought Charles in as DP (director of photography). I’ve shot quite a few videos before — always simple setups with a small crew. So when I asked my friend Yitzy if we could use his apartment to shoot a video, I assured him it would be unassuming. Charles, used to working on big-budget TV shows and features, had a different idea. And soon I found myself in Yitzy’s apartment with a gigantic crew, lighting rigs and table after table of film equipment winding its way down the hall. Security called to complain because a huge truck full of gear couldn’t fit in the building’s parking garage. And it went downhill from there. None of this was Charles’ fault. The film, however, turned out looking beautiful.

Charles was born in London and moved to Boston when he was 6. His mother’s a musician, and he inherited her talent. He still plays the saxophone with a band in bars around town. 

He went to college at NYU, but after a year he dropped out. “I started hanging around on feature film sets, making friends with the cameramen. As you can imagine, after watching them shoot ‘Ghostbusters,’ going back to school to sit in a lecture hall was less than captivating.”

Eventually he became a Steadicam operator, and though he was working regularly, he wasn’t getting the big jobs in Boston that he had a chance to get in Los Angeles. So, at 30 years old, he moved across the country. He worked successfully for years — he even bought himself a house in Los Feliz — and last year he decided to transition to full-time DP. Since then, he hasn’t looked back.

He likes FAST women. And by that, I mean the acronym he uses for his ideal woman: Funny, Adorable, Smart and Twisted. “It’s something I keep in my head. I like a dark sense of humor — I like to toss a hardball at them and have them knock it out of the park.” Interestingly, Charles doesn’t come off that dark. He’s more like a lovable goofball.

He continues, “I’m pretty individualistic. I have my own thing going on, I like when they got their own thing going on. I’m not into co-dependency. I like the idea that there are two individuals with a middle ground, as opposed to a squashed orb.”

I ask him how important a Jewish girl and a Jewish life are to him. “I’m not Jewy. I don’t practice. But I wouldn’t mind getting invited to a Seder or two. I’d probably like a girl who’s Jewish, but you wouldn’t know it.” 

Charles loves architecture. “I like urban history. Coming from back East, I’m used to 350-year-old buildings, but I’ll settle for the 100-year-old ones downtown.” His favorite one is the Bradbury Building. “I want to get married there. I got a job to shoot a film there. I didn’t even ask what it was. I said, ‘Sign me up.’ ” He continues, with an odd expression, “That’s what tickles me — going around, exploring architecture,” and then I remember that, even without the accent, he’s a Brit. So maybe it’s not so odd on the other side of the pond. If you can see past a grown man using the word tickle in relation to his feelings, then Charles might be for you.

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 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: Charles P. Read More »

Obituaries: July 8-14, 2011

Leave a Comment / Obituaries /

Bernice Abramson died June 30 at 89. Survived by daughter Sunny Singer; son Kenneth (Helen); 1 grandchild.  Mount Sinai

Lillian Balkind died June 24 at 98. Survived by son Jonathan (Hope); 1 grandchild. Mount Sinai

Allen Berg died June 28 at 59. Survived by wife Dana; daughter Tamara; sons Matthew (Sharon), Jeremy; mother Lilian; 2 grandchildren; brother Murray (Laura).  Mount Sinai

Lillian Bernstein died June 21 at 88. Survived by daughters Ann Gail (Grant Chase) Moore, Shirley Jay Waters, Sharon Elaine (Dan Holbert) Nester; 4 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Frances Blumenthal died June 28 at 83. Survived by husband Alex; son Richard (Rose); 4 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Renee Claman died June 19 at 76. Survived by husband Stephen; daughters Susan (Rick Gruber), Caren Hatlyn, Sheryl Breenen; son Doug (Jennifer); brother Edward Meyers.  Hillside

Milton Cole died June 18 at 84. Survived by wife Phyllis; daughter Nancy (Mark) Cole Loeterman; sons Robert Eli (Elizabeth), Dana Michael (Lisa), Jonathan Ross (Maggie); 7 grandchildren; sister-in-law Sandy (Paul) Krentzman. Mount Sinai

Francesca de Picciotto died June 18 at 59. Survived by husband David Ferry; daughter Jackie Ferry; son Matt Ferry.  Hillside

Nesya Dolgin died June 21 at 94.  Survived by 1 grandchild; sister Polina Gillerman. Mount Sinai

Dmitri Eidelzon died June 25 at 94. Survived by wife Irina Ephshtein; daughter Natalie (Igor) Manko; son Vlad (Angelina); 3 grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Miriam Epstein died June 4 at 78. Survived by daughter Robin (David) Epstein-Ludewig; sons Craig, Richard; grandchildren. Sholom Chapels

Esther Frankel died June 20 at 91. Survived by daughters Nadine, Bonnie, Sandra, Caryn Evans, Bernice Aeppli; son Dan; 10 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren. Hillside

Frank Fried died June 19 at 83. Survived by wife Carolyn; sons Marshall, David, Brian, Leslie; 14 grandchildren; sister Bea Solomon; brother Barney. Hillside

Frieda Furman died June 18 at 101. Survived by daughter Roza (Russell) Gowin; 7 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; 7 great-great-grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Marlene Gamer died June 26 at 47. Survived by mother Ruth; sister Sharon (Joe) Lawson. Mount Sinai

Murray Goldman died June 20 at 83. Survived by sisters Charlotte, Sylvia Schwack, Gloria Zimmerman, Lena Seigerman. Sholom Chapels

Bill B. Gordon died June 30 at 90. Survived by son Peter (Myriam); 5 grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Rose Greenberg died June 23 at 90. Survived by sister Ann Blair. Mount Sinai

Morton Harris died July 1 at 91. Survived by daughter Judy (David) Ross; son Rand (Bernice); 3 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren; sister Charlotte (David) Pinsky; brother Irwin (Carolyn). Mount Sinai

Iris Klein died June 22 at 90. Survived by daughters Carol (Mel) Maller, Patti (Barry) Latman; son Ron; 7 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; 3 great-great-grandchildren. Sholom Chapels

William Kliska died June 29 at 90. Survived by wife Rosaline; brother Bernard; sister-in-law Renee (Alex) Hochberg. Mount Sinai

Dmitry Koretz died June 27 at 81. Survived by wife Claudia Burkoy; daughter Marina (Dmitry) Snitman; son Alexander (Isabella); 6 grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Lorraine Kurtz died June 20 at 95. Survived by daughter Charlene; sons Gary (Candy) Jaeger, Howard; 3 grandchildren.  Mount Sinai

Barry Litt died June 18 at 66. Survived by wife Joyce; sons Charles (Kimberly), Bob; mother Sylvia; 2 grandchildren; sister Lisa Orenberg. Mount Sinai

Janet Mandel died June 23 at 95. Survived by daughters Suzanne Shore, Mandy Einstein; 5 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren. Hillside

Ruth Markowitz died June 23 at 100. Survived by niece Claire Gering. Hillside

Beatrice Page died June 20 at 90. Survived by sons Jonathon (Rebecca Katz), Richard (Giselle); 2 grandchildren. Hillside

Charlotte Paperny died June 20 at 90. Survived by sons David, Robert (Alison); 4 grandchildren. Hillside

Blanche Plotkin died June 18 at 94.  Survived by daughter Penny Suiter; 1 grandchild; 3 great-grandchildren. Hillside

Charlotte Rosenberg died June 23 at 99. Survived by sons Norman (Debra), Marvin (Melanie); 3 grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Gail Rudolph died June 21 at 59.  Survived by son Jason. Hillside

Kenneth Sassoon died May 12 at 90. Survived by daughter Regina Sassoon Friedland; son. Sholom Chapels

Rudolph Schachter died June 27 at 90. Survived by wife Johanna; daughter Judi (Ray) Schultze; son Michael (Cynthia); 3 grandchildren; brother Sam. Mount Sinai

Sidney S. Schneider died June 20 at 78. Survived by brother Ted (Susan). Mount Sinai

Helene R. Shain died June 26 at 84. Survived by husband Irving; sons Jay (Cindy) Levtow, Michael (Jim) Levtow; 3 grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Lawrence Stevens died June 29 at 83. Survived by daughters Stacy (Ed) Sherman, Jody (Neil) Evans, Marla Shah; 5 grandchildren; sisters Anne Balter, Shirley Nemeroff. Mount Sinai

Arthur Stone died June 23 at 86. Survived by wife Hortense; daughter Keri (Jim) Moret; son Randy (Barbara); 4 grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Arlene Trainoff died June 28 at 72. Survived by husband Robert; daughter Leslie (Bryan) Berger; sons Mark (Sue), Steven (Gretchen); 3 grandchildren; brother Harold Blaisch. Mount Sinai

Sara Uller died June 19 at 68. Survived by brother Dean Friedman. Hillside

Martin Waterman died June 21 at 89. Survived by wife Kay; daughters Debbie (Barry), Wende Weinberg; son Bruce; 7 grandchildren. Hillside

Belle Wolf died June 22 at 97. Survived by son Steve (Judy); 5 grandchildren. Hillside

Ted Wolfson died June 20 at 78. Survived by wife Harriet; daughters Joanne (Mark) Farnsworth, Michele (Kevin) Cooper; son Ed (Betty); 6 grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild. Mount Sinai

Sidney Yusim died June 22 at 74. Survived by wife Stacy; daughter Candice; sons Joel, Howard, Richard (Andrea); 2 grandchildren. Hillside

Mania Zajf died June 22 at 90. Survived by daughter Helena (Ira) Katz; son Bernard Katz; sister Klara Kissowicz. Hillside

Barry Zide died June 20 at 61. Survived by wife Melodie Tunick-Zide; daughter Rachel; son Jeffrey; 1 grandchild.  Mount Sinai

Obituaries: July 8-14, 2011 Read More »

Did I recognize your soul?

Leave a Comment / Is Featured?, Judaism, News, Torah /

Um, excuse me, have we met? I’m sorry. There was a faint bell in the recess of my … are you sure we haven’t? I thought perhaps we were once together. I remember a sturdy tent, with desert flowers outside the door, glowing coals inside, a shadow moving toward the door. Was that you?

In our Torah portion, the wicked prophet Balaam is on his way to curse the people of Israel when a sword-wielding angel blocks his path. Balaam doesn’t see the angel, but the donkey he is riding does. The animal swerves to the side to avoid the angel, crushing Balaam’s foot against the wall.

The Targum, the Aramaic translation of the Bible, claims that Balaam is the reincarnation of Laban, the father-in-law of Jacob. Rashi (Sanhedrin 105a) also mentions this. What is the connection between Balaam and Laban? And since when do Jews talk about reincarnation?

Do I know you? The curve of your cheek, the bouquet of creases by your eye, the way you breathe the steam off your tea …

In Genesis chapter 31, Jacob and Laban build a heap of stones and agree that neither one will pass over it to harm the other.

Midrash suggests that Balaam is the reincarnation of Laban and that the wall against which his foot is crushed is the same heap of stones. The soul of Laban is being punished for intending to pass over it to curse the descendents of Jacob.

Does this sound unusual? Un-Jewish? Judaism believes many things.

Judaism is monotheistic but not monolithic.

You smile at me and your eye glimmers. My neck feels warm. I see a well, a flock. A mountain in the distance. Do you remember it at all?

Nachmanides believed reincarnation was the underlying principle behind the biblical commandment of Leverite marriage. Leverite marriage is when the brother-in-law of a childless widow procreates with her.

Nachmanides wrote that the act of the surviving brother replaced the deceased husband so that he would reincarnate in the soul of the offspring.

Jewish mysticism holds that through physical re-embodiment, the soul can mend the wrongdoings of previous lives and attain further wholeness.

Zohar speaks of reincarnation, calling it the transmigration of souls. It says, “All souls must undergo transmigration.”

Isaac Luria taught that reincarnation was an essential vehicle for repair of the world. Luria believed that every person has a soul composed of a package of soul sparks that originated with Adam. Our goal in this life, Luria taught, is to purify and elevate our soul sparks in order to heal a fallen Adam and bring a messianic harmony.

The Baal Shem Tov believed knowledge of past lives offered insight into one’s purpose in this life. In the Chasidic movement, it was part of any great rebbe’s spiritual mastery to be able to see a person’s previous lives by looking at them, to know how to help a soul meet its potential in this lifetime.

The rabbis say Jacob sinned when he bowed before his brother, Esau, and Jacob’s soul was repaired when he was reincarnated into Mordechai, who refused to bow to Haman, the reincarnation of Esau.

Aaron, who sinned by cooperating with the crafting of the golden calf, was reincarnated in the high priest Eli, who in the book of Samuel, died by falling off a chair, and was finally purified when he was reincarnated into the prophet Ezra, who aided the exiles’ return.

Moses is understood by the rabbis to be the reincarnation of Abel, and Cain was reincarnated as Korach. When Cain slew Abel, God said, “The voice of your brother’s blood is calling to Me from the ground.” The punishment to Korach was that he was swallowed up by the ground.

In the traditional prayer book, during the bedtime Shema, the words read: “Master of the Universe, I hereby forgive anyone who angered me … whether in this transmigration, or in another transmigration.”

However, reincarnation is not mentioned directly in the Torah. Medieval Jewish philosophers rejected it. Saadiah Gaon, in the 10th century, called it madness and confusion.

I’m sorry, perhaps I am wrong. Just another déjà vu. It’s silly. Go back to your tea, I to mine. Wait, are you crying? I can’t shake it either, that sense. You and I shared something. A catastrophe of sorts that has become a kind of dark matter, nebulous, intangible, but it registers, it charts, even though I know, it’s absurd. An ether. A puzzlement. But maybe, if I could sit with you, are you sure? I take honey. Please, use my stirrer. I think I knew your name once, and it was different than the name you use now. The steam is weaving, lavender and chamomile. We could help each other, without ever pinning why. We could help each other heal from what we’ve both forgotten.

Zoë Klein is senior rabbi at Temple Isaiah (templeisaiah.com), a Reform congregation in West Los Angeles, and author of the novels “Drawing in the Dust” (Simon & Schuster) and “Scroll of Anatiya” (Wipf & Stock). She’s online at zoeklein.com.

Did I recognize your soul? Read More »

Synagogue Softball Wins for Kol Tikvah, Beth Ami, Aliyah and Or Ami

Leave a Comment / California, Community, Is Featured?, News, Sports /

Temple Kol Tikvah of Woodland Hills avenged three in-season losses to Temple Judea in Tarzana during the Division A final of the Synagogue Softball league on June 26, posting a 22-8 victory over the defending champions.

“We had muscle, verve and desire, and we had fun,” Kol Tikvah manager Paul Thaler said.

The teams were tied 3-3 going into the fourth inning when Kol Tikvah Black broke the game open, scoring six runs each in the fourth and fifth innings.

Shortstop Ari Jacobs, son of Kol Tikvah Rabbi Emeritus Steven Jacobs, went 4-for-5 with 6 RBIs, as his team combined for 39 hits.

“They had a big inning, and we picked it up, but they had another big inning. We played deep and balls dropped in,” Temple Judea player/manager Barry Schoenbrun said.

Down 15-4 after the fifth, Temple Judea did not back down.

Elan Sieder’s two-out, three-run homer and an error by Jacobs playing a routine fly ball extended Temple Judea’s comeback hopes, but the middle innings proved too much for Schoenbrun’s team to overcome.

“We beat them three times this season, but lost when it counted,” said Schoenbrun, who started the Synagogue Softball program 16 years ago when he learned Temple Judea fielded a softball team that practiced but did not compete. The league has grown to 34 teams across Southern California, comprising more than 660 players in four divisions.

Santa Clarita’s Temple Beth Ami and Valley Village’s Adat Ari El went extra innings in their Division B championship. Tied at 4 runs apiece after seven innings, Temple Beth Ami scored five runs in the 10th inning, and Adat Ari El tried to answer but couldn’t, only managing two runs for the final 9-6 margin.

In Division C, the Aliyah A’s from Temple Aliyah of Woodland Hills continued their season-long dominance, winning their second championship in three years with an 11-4 rout of Adat Ari El II.

“Both teams were very good sports,” said Stuart Hoffman, A’s catcher and manager. “Most of us are playing for the camaraderie, not for the competition.”

Pitcher Mark Silverstein hurled a complete game, with only two earned runs, to complement last week’s 14-0 shutout of Sinai Temple in the first round of the postseason.

After Adat Ari El II scored twice to narrow a comfortable A’s lead to 5-3 in the top of the fifth, Hoffman inserted Marc Gross and Jeff Solny into the lineup in the bottom of the inning.

“The way I manage is everybody plays even if it’s during a playoff game,” Hoffman said.

That proved a smart move as Solny slammed a three-run homer to put the A’s up 8-3; Gross went 2-for-2 in plate appearances.

The Division D game between Calabasas’ Or Ami Plagues and the combined team of Ahavat Shalom and Ramat Zion from Northridge was plagued by early controversy.

After an error led to Mark Biase’s home run, helping the Plagues even the score at 3-3, Ahavat Shalom/Ramat Zion contested the official score in the bottom of the third, contending that they were actually leading, 4-3. The official at the plate denied the protest.

Trailing 10-7, Ahavat Shalom/Ramat Zion loaded the bases in the top of the seventh with two outs, but Biase made a diving catch to preserve the win.

Synagogue Softball Wins for Kol Tikvah, Beth Ami, Aliyah and Or Ami Read More »

SF city attorney says circumcision ban unconstitutional

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Shortly after writing about” title=”interesting First Amendment issues” target=”_blank”>interesting First Amendment issues, the question likely would be moot by the time I tried to get the article published.

We’re not there yet, but the case for circumcision bans is shriveling.

First the supporter of a Santa Monica ” title=”RNS is reporting” target=”_blank”>RNS is reporting that the San Francisco city attorney has concluded that if the ballot measure passes in November, it will immediately be in violation of the U.S. Constitution.

“San Franciscans cannot be asked to vote on whether to prohibit religious minorities from engaging in a particular religious practice, when the same practice may be performed under nonreligious auspices,” wrote Chief Deputy City Attorney Therese Stewart.

In the meantime, a lawsuit brought by a coalition of Muslims and Jews, arguing that city’s cannot regulate a medical procedure allowed by the state, is SF city attorney says circumcision ban unconstitutional Read More »