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Jewish Journal

Connect. Inform. Inspire.

September 18, 2014

Moving and shaking

Leave a Comment / California, Moving & Shaking /

Friendship Circle of Los Angeles celebrated its annual Walk 4 Friendship LA at Rancho Park on Sept. 14. Under a scorching sun, with highs in the mid-90s, completing the 3K was a definite feat for the more than 400 participating families.

Instead of a foghorn, Friendship Circle founder Rabbi Michy Rav-noy blew the shofar to celebrate Rosh Hashanah and to commemorate the start of the walk, which raised more than $160,000 for the nonprofit that provides programs and support to the families of individuals with special needs.

As fist-pumping techno music blasted through four QSC speakers, participants started checking in at 11:30 a.m. and received their uniforms: purple cotton shirts with the words “Walk With Your Heart” on them. During the opening ceremony at 12:30 p.m., Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Koretz spoke of how he knows about Friendship Circle, as some of his dearest friends are parents of special-needs students.

Chanie Lazaroff, Friendship Circle’s Hebrew schoolteacher and recruitment director, gave a speech about how volunteers are responsible for the organization’s success. She later told the Journal that she has two daughters, ages 17 and 7, and a 12-year-old son, Tani, who has special needs. 

“Everybody in the family is involved, including my son who has special needs. He thinks he’s staff,” she said with a half-smile. “Not only do I work for Friendship Circle, but I’m also a client.”

Forty-five minutes after their departure, flush-faced walkers started trickling back to the festival’s lawn, where they were greeted by performers on stilts, a train, kosher barbecue, popcorn and cotton candy, a puppy-petting area, a rock-climbing wall, a shofar factory and more.

— Tess Cutler, Contributing Writer

Katsuji Tanabe, chef at Mexikosher and winner of the Food Network’s “Chopped” cooking competition, has partnered with Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles (JBBBSLA). 

Katsuji Tanabe, founder and executive chef of Mexikosher, L.A.’s only strictly kosher Mexican restaurant, is shown with Bryan Zlotnikova, a camper from Kibbutz Max Straus, on Aug. 7. Tanabe conducted a demonstration-based cooking class and lunch with teen campers attending the summer sleep-away camp, which is operated by Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles. The social services provider recently announced a new cause-marketing partnership with Tanabe, who will advocate mentoring programs for observant Jewish youth.

On Aug. 7, Tanabe hosted a cooking demonstration and workshop for in-residence tweens (ages 7 to 15) at the JBBBSLA-sponsored sleep-away summer camp Kibbutz Max Straus, located in the Verdugo Hills. Although Tanabe is not Jewish (he’s of Japanese and Mexican descent), he’s a prominent figure in the kosher world and now a leading advocate for JBBBSLA, which pairs Jewish boys and girls ages 6 to 18 with upstanding Jewish men and women, respectively, for semimonthly outings and mentorship. 

Tanabe, who was born in Mexico City and runs the only glatt kosher Mexican restaurant in town, hopes his Pico-Robertson restaurant can serve as a go-to hangout for JBBBSLA participants. Mexikosher will host Monday Mentor Meet-Ups, where “littles” (youths aged 6-18) and “bigs” (adult volunteers) can convene. 

Tanabe even will concoct special menu items for mentors and mentees, using local produce grown in the greenhouse at JBBBSLA’s Camp Max Straus. The menu items will change according to available produce.

Tanabe’s efforts are particularly aimed at the shortage of mentors for Orthodox Jewish boys. Randy Schwab, CEO of JBBBSLA, said, “Chef Tanabe was undaunted by culinary naysayers, and he is equally undaunted by this latest challenge — finding more Jewish mentors for children within the Orthodox community. We are thrilled to have him join our cause.” 

As a father, Tanabe said he understands the importance of being a role model.

“Parenting and cooking are all about nurturing,” the chef said. “That’s what JBBBSLA’s mentoring programs do as well.”

— Tess Cutler, Contributing Writer

Bnei Akiva of the United States and Canada veteran Rabbi Menachem Hecht has been named the first executive director of Bnei Akiva of Los Angeles, effective Sept. 1. 

“Bnei Akiva of L.A. is in an exciting and dynamic growth stage that I am thrilled to be a part of,” said Hecht, 32.

He was formerly the assistant director of the national office of Bnei Akiva, helping to manage new initiatives and programs such as the opening of Moshava Ba’ir day camps in New Jersey and Toronto, the local Moshava Malibu overnight camp and two gap-year programs in Israel, Yeshivat Torah v’Avodah and Midreshet Torah v’Avodah, for boys and girls, respectively. 

Bnei Akiva of the United States and Canada is one of the largest religious Zionist youth movements, running camps and educational programs for Jewish youths across the continent.

“I think the No. 1 challenge that the Jewish community collectively faces is how do we engage our youth to become passionate, inspired, committed,” Hecht said.  “Bnei Akiva of Los Angeles is uniquely poised to become a national model for how to make this work — how to build really outstanding year-round, informal educational programming that engages and inspires our youth to grow into committed Jews and Jewish leaders.”

Hecht’s experience includes time as a rosh moshava (Hebrew for “head counselor”) at the Orthodox Jewish summer camp Camp Stone in Sugar Grove, Penn., and as a rabbi and co-director of the Julian Krinsky Yesh Shabbat program in Philadelphia. He also taught Judaic studies at the Frisch School, a co-ed Jewish high school in Paramus, N.J.

Hecht received his doctorate in education and Jewish studies from New York University and studied for smicha (rabbinical ordination) at Yeshiva University. 

— Amanda Epstein, Contributing Writer

Upward of 180 Angelenos flocked to The Phoenix Bar in Beverly Hills on Sept. 7 to partake in Mitzvahs and Martinis, a
fundraiser and end-of-summer mixer benefiting wounded Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers. 

Attendees — largely a lively cohort of young Jewish professionals — came together for drinks, to enjoy one another’s company and to donate to the cause, raising a total of $3,000. Israeli-born Orly Star Setareh, the event’s organizer, worked in conjunction with the New York-based Dror for the Wounded foundation, a grass-roots nonprofit founded by Dror Dagan, to put on the event.

A former IDF soldier, Dagan sustained serious injuries requiring extensive surgery after apprehending a Hamas terrorist in 2004. After his experience, he realized the difficulties faced by the wounded and vowed never to leave a soldier behind. 

Setareh, an Israeli dance teacher by day, worked tirelessly to make the night a memorable one. After tapping in to her dancing roots and throwing a Zumbathon in August that raised $5,500 for IDF care packages, Setareh wanted to try something new. 

“I wanted to create a different fundraiser that was more social and attracted different people,” she said. 

From left: Jenny Applebaum, Orly Star Setareh, Desiree Goldbahar.

She enlisted the help of friends Jenny Applebaum, Desiree Goldbahar, Shelly Kamara, Helen Rosen and Jason Hecht. 

The first 50 guests to arrive at the trendy Beverly Hills watering hole received a free CD, a mix of Israeli music prepared by Setareh herself. A raffle was held for all those who donated. The prizes included a Pizza Rustica gift card, wine from Gil Turner’s and a fresh new pair of Ray-Bans donated by the office of Dr. Jack Rosen.  

“I’m honored to be a part of such a caring, generous community and beyond thrilled to have created an event for a great cause that was embraced by so many,” Setareh told the Journal. Although the event is over, donations are still being accepted at drorfoundation.org/mitzvahmartinis. 

— Oren Peleg, Contributing Writer

Moving and Shaking highlights events, honors and simchas. Got a tip? Email ryant@jewishjournal.com.

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Hipster guide to the High Holy Days

Leave a Comment / Cover Story, Holidays /

3 ways to find High Holy Day meals

 

Ask your Jewish friends’ parents to adopt you for a couple of weeks.

Call your local synagogue and have them match you with a family.

Check out Sinai Temple’s “Break the Fast” on Yom Kippur, Oct. 4, 8-10:30 p.m. It’s $10 for guests, free for members. Registration at atidla.com.

3 places to get great local honey

Bill’s Bees is located in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. You can find their delicious honey made from bees fed native wildflowers at farmers markets throughout the region, including Glendale, South Pasadena, Burbank and Santa Monica.

Bennett’s Honey Farm is located in Ventura County, “home of the best sage and wildflower fields in California,” they claim. They are certified kosher and organic.

Honey Pacifica has been in the raw honey business since 1978. Pick up a jar at your local Whole Foods or at farmers markets in Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Santa Monica and other locations.

 

 

5 websites to help you bring in the new year

 

Jewels of Elul: Craig Taubman’s gathering of short stories and anecdotes to help us reflect and prepare for the High Holy Days.

Write for Your Life: A useful and accessible guide to writing about your spiritual practice.

My Jewish Learning: A clearinghouse of handy information about Jewish holidays, culture, beliefs, etc. Think of it as an interactive “Jewish Book of Why” —with more pictures.

Ask Moses: Get your pressing moral and spiritual questions from an Orthodox perspective answered from an Orthodox perspective by a rabbi with Chabad of California.

10Q: 10 days, 10 questions. Answer each one and next Rosh Hashanah you’ll have your answers sent back to you, so you can reflect on how much you have (or haven’t) changed.

 

 

5 books to read to get you in the mood

 

1. “This Is Real and You Are Completely Unprepared: The Days of Awe as a Journey of Transformation,” by Alan Lew. A guide to self-discovery and contemplation, drawn from lessons in Judaism and Buddhism.

2. “The Book of Life,” by Stuart Nadler. In the daring first story, an arrogant businessman begins a forbidden affair during the High Holy Days.

3. “Everyday Holiness: The Jewish Spiritual Path of Mussar,” by Alan Morinis. A highly practical set of teachings for cultivating personal growth and spiritual fulfillment in everyday life.

4. “A Climbing Journey Towards Yom Kippur: The Thirteen Attributes of the Divine,” by R. Margaret Frisch Klein. A guided journal for climbing the spiritual mountain, with questions to help guide your thinking and writing.

5. “Days of Awe: A Treasury of Jewish Wisdom for Reflection, Repentance, and Renewal on the High Holy Days,” edited by S.Y. Agnon. Compiled by one of the greatest Hebrew writers of the 20th century, this is a one-volume compendium of meditations — from the Bible, the Talmud, midrash and the Zohar — to deepen the spiritual experience of the holiest days of the Jewish year.

 

 

5 things to know about the High Holy Days liturgy
(by Sinai Temple’s Rabbi Jason Fruithandler)

 

1. It’s long for a reason — the liturgy tries to give as many opportunities for connection as possible.

Over the course of the High Holy Days, there are special extra prayers, special extra Torah readings, and even a whole extra book of the Tanakh — Jonah — is read. The length and diversity of the liturgy is an expression of the tension between the need for communal strength and individual reality. Each of us stands before God (however you define God) with our own set of deeds and misdeeds. Each of us needs a different kind of encouragement or support to embrace our broken, imperfect selves and make a plan to try to be better. Our prayer services offer a community of people reflecting on the year, medieval piyutim (liturgical poems) on the core nature of death, uplifting music about the possibility of being better, stories of our patriarchs and matriarchs doing the best they can, and many other entry points into the themes of the High Holy Days. Each year, I try to find one access point, one theme, one idea, one song to connect to and carry with me into the coming year.

2. Most of the High Holy Days liturgy is written by poets trying to understand the themes of the holidays.

The early rabbis laid out an outline of what themes the prayer leader should touch on. There were no siddurs for the community. There were traveling professionals who had beautiful singing voices and were masters of the Hebrew language. They would take the themes of that outline and elaborate. The siddur represents a collection, made over the course of 2,000 years, of the best work of those prayer leaders. Do you have a favorite poem? Is there a scene from a movie or TV show that moves you? Add your own to create your personal siddur.

3. The sound of the shofar counts as its own prayer.

Maimonides writes that an entire prayer is in his mind each time he hears the shofar. The powerful sounds of the shofar are meant to stir our souls. The content of that private prayer is going to be different for each person, yet the strength of the prayer is amplified — for all are sharing that moment together. The contrast between the short and long blasts gives us a chance to be individuals together in community.

4. Kol Nidre was extraordinarily controversial.

The early rabbis tried for centuries to abolish or at least to adjust the Kol Nidre service. In many ways, it seems to undermine the halachic (Jewish legal) system. Kol Nidre as a service either annuls all of the vows (promises that invoke God’s name) from the previous year or the coming year. It is possible to annul vows in Jewish law, but you need a rabbinic court. During the Kol Nidre service, we make a pretend court out of three Torahs held by three individuals. There is no halachic standing for such a thing. In addition, it seems to completely alleviate the responsibility of making promises. However, every synagogue in the world has a Kol Nidre service. The people overruled the rabbis. People love the moment of Kol Nidre — not because of its legal standing, but because it transitions us into Yom Kippur. What better way to start a day of forgiveness than by facing the fact that we don’t live up to the promises we make to ourselves and others? More than that, we forgive ourselves for those failings. That forgiveness becomes the foundation of an entire day of admitting all of our shortcomings.

5. Rosh Hashanah is the more somber of the two holidays.

It is the day God is our jury and we are found guilty. Yom Kippur is the “happy fast” — God serves as our sentencing judge, and our sentence is commuted. We have another year to try again.

 

 

7 places to “just do your own thing in, like, nature

 

1. The top of Point Dume in Malibu: You won’t see whales this time of year, but you’ll see Catalina Island, the far horizon and not a lot of people.

2. Sturtevant Falls in Sierra Madre: A four-mile round-trip hike with well-maintained trails; a perfect place to escape the city.

3. The Cobb Estate in Altadena: It’s home to the Sam Merrill Trail and is referred to as the Haunted Forest, with widespread reports of spooky sightings. Also, it was owned by the Marx Brothers in the 1950s.

4. Eaton Canyon in Pasadena: Don’t go chasing waterfalls — the trail to the upper falls was closed off in August after too many hikers fell to their deaths. But you can still hike to the lower falls for a breathtaking view.

5. Griffith Park in Los Angeles: A well-trod urban oasis, but still a great place to bring visitors and get a nice view of the Hollywood sign.

6. El Matador State Beach in Malibu: Even on weekends you can find this beach, near the Ventura County line, relatively quiet. On weekdays, it’s positively peaceful. Sit down, stare at the surf, and reflect.

7. Temescal Canyon Park in Pacific Palisades: Go on a sunset hike and watch a big ball of fire drop into the ocean. Stunning views of the coastline await.

 

 

4 ways to put up a sukkah at the end of Yom Kippur

 

1. Check out Instructables.com for a guide to building a free-standing DIY sukkah out of PVC pipes. SimplifiedBuilding.com shows you how to make a more heavy-duty one out of steel pipes.

2. Sukkot.com offers wood-frame or steel-tube sukkah kits, along with wall materials, bamboo roofing, decorations, and even a lulav and etrog. SukkahDepot.com and SiegerSukkah.com also offer easy-to-assemble sukkahs, but be prepared to shell out a few hundred dollars.

3. Go to a Home Depot or Loews with a budget in mind and the dimensions of your back porch or yard, and channel your inner Tim Allen.

4. Team up with some fellow Jews and build a communal sukkah. There’s no better way to break the Yom Kippur fast than with a nosh among friends under the stars.

 

 

Putting the “high” in High Holy Days – 7 “medical” marijuana strains we’d like to see

 

– Dread Lox

– Maccabuzz

– Pineapple and Honey Express

– Canniblintz

– Chabud

– Andy Coughman

– Jerusalem Stoned

 

 

7 best ideas for karaoke songs for the High Holy Days

“I Ran (Shofar Away)” — A Flock of Seagulls

Pour Some Manischewitz on Me — Def Leppard

Love Sukkah — The B-52’s

Son of a Rabbi Man — Dusty Springfield

The Horah Dance — Digital Underground

The Unforgiven — Metallica

Don’t Stop Believin —  Journey

 

 

4 ways to work out with your fellow Jews

 

– Om Shalom Yoga

– Vintage Israeli dancing at Anisa’s School of Dance in Sherman Oaks, Sept. 27, 8:15 p.m.-12:15 a.m.

– Pre-High Holy Days Yoga Unwind & Detox at Sinai Temple, Sept. 21, 11 a.m.-noon.

– The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles Tour de Summer Camps, Sept. 21

 

 

4 places to meet singles

 

– Rosh Hashanah Party, Sept. 27, 10 p.m., at Whiskey Blu, 1714 N Las Palmas, Los Angeles. Including DJ Shay Silver, DJ Amit, DJ Yochai, DJ Final Cut and DJ Primitive. israeliparties.com.

– Rosh Hashanah Party, Sept. 18, 7:30 p.m., at The Victorian, 2640 Main St., Santa Monica. There’ll be mingling, music, dancing, appetizers and a festive party spirit.

– Apple Meets Honey Young Professionals Lounge at Sinai Temple, a place for folks in their 20s and 30s to stop by during or after services at Sinai for light bites (Rosh Hashanah only) and mingling. The lounge will be open on Rosh Hashanah Day 1 (Sept. 25), 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m., and on Yom Kippur (Oct. 4), 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

– Rosh Hashanah Apple Extravaganza Party, Sept. 18, 8 p.m., at Moishe House LA,110 N. Harper Ave., Los Angeles. There’ll be delicious apple cider, apple pie, caramel apple dipping, and a discussion on what Rosh Hashanah means to young Jews.

 

 

6 best places to get round challah

 

Got Kosher?: 8914 W. Pico Blvd. (get the pretzel challah!)

Diamond Bakery: 335 N. Fairfax Ave.

Bagel Factory: 3004 S. Sepulveda Blvd. and 8986 Cadillac Ave.

Eilat Bakery: 350 N. Fairfax Ave.

Schwartz Bakery: 433 N. Fairfax Ave.

Delice Bakery: 8583 W. Pico Blvd.

 

 

How to pray if you’re not sure you believe in God

 

“Our prayers are poems! Allow them to be experienced as poetry. It is not about believing or not believing — the question is, do they move me? Do they frustrate or challenge me? If so, that is great, and then we can wonder why.”

— Rabbi Susan Goldberg

  

6 places to do tashlich

 

– Creative Arts Temple, at Mother’s Beach in Marina del Rey, Sept. 26, 10 a.m.

– Nashuva, at Venice Beach, Sept. 25, 5:15 p.m.

– “Down to the River,” East Side Jews, at Marsh Park on the Los Angeles River, Sept. 27, 6:30-9:30 p.m., $40, includes food, drink and transformation.

– Valley Outreach Synagogue, at Zuma Beach, Lifeguard Station 6, Sept. 25, 4 p.m.

– IKAR, at Santa Monica Beach, Lifeguard Station 26. Sept. 28, 4:30-7:30 p.m.

– Wilshire Boulevard Temple, Tashlich at the Beach, Will Rogers Beach, Sept. 28, 4-6 p.m.

 

 

Thoughts on tashlich and humility

 

“Water is a sign of humility. Our insecurities and weaknesses, which were blocking our growth, can be washed away like water and disappear. Living waters purify, and we seek purification by the mikveh of the sea.”

— Rabbi Yonah Bookstein

 

 

6 reasons to go to services

 

– Meet your bashert (soul mate).

– It’s a mitzvah!

– Make your bubbe and zayde proud.

– Practice your Hebrew reading skills.

– There’s usually free wine involved.

– Get in touch with yourself, get centered, start the New Year fresh and renewed

 

 

Where can I learn to blow a shofar?

Michael Chusid, a San Fernando Valley resident and synagogue Makom Ohr Shalom’s ba’al tekiah (shofar master blaster), offers workshops and classes and blogs about the art of blowing shofar at hearingshofar.blogspot.com.

Self-described “jazz comedian” David Zasloff also offers private lessons. Zasloff has staged shofar shows such as “Shofar-palooza,” and on Oct. 18 at the Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center, he will perform on the shofar all the Christian songs written by Jews. davidzasloff.com.

 

 

3 places to see art and get inspired

“Haunted Screens: German Cinema in the 1920s,” at Los Angeles County Museum of Art. See the work of Jewish filmmakers such as Fritz Lang, who later immigrated to the United States and gave birth to film noir.

“Minor White: Manifestations of the Spirit,” at the Getty Center. This highly influential American photographer showed how the visual language can be a tool for spiritual transformation.

“Mandala of Compassion,” at the Hammer Museum. Learn the virtue of patience from four Tibetan Buddhist monks as they handcraft a colorful sand mandala before your very eyes. And then, at the end, they’ll sweep it up, for a lesson in impermanence.

 

 

5 places to break the fast

– On the floor of your pantry, because, dear God, your blood sugar is low.

– Souplantation & Sweet Tomatoes, because it’s all-you-can-eat.

– Swingers Diner, in Hollywood and Santa Monica, because it’s open late, and you can wash down your lox and bagel with a milkshake.

– Art’s Deli in Studio City has a special High Holy Days menu.

– Brent’s Deli in Northridge and Westlake Village.

 

 

6 Jewish drinks to break the fast

 

Ashkenazi Jews: sweetened tea.

Greek Jews: pepitada, made with crushed melon seeds, water, sugar and rosewater.

Iraqi Jews: hariri, sweetened almond milk with cardamom.

Tunisian Jews: black tea with fresh lemon verbena leaves and sugar.

Moroccan Jews: mint tea.

Tripolitan Jews: tea with cinnamon and sugar or honey

Hipster guide to the High Holy Days Read More »

Let soldiers and haredim swap roles

Leave a Comment / Opinion /

Controversy over haredi military service roils Israeli society, but respect for each side’s concerns and values can help resolve it.

Haredim believe Jews of all backgrounds are equally commanded to learn Torah. So Israel could diffuse Torah study by allowing non-religious, non-essential soldiers to choose among several serious beit midrash programs for beginners with different traditional, non-coercive approaches to learning. Topics covered could include military ethics and the holiness of protecting the Jewish people and its land.

For every hour a soldier learns, a yeshiva student would lend his abilities to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for an hour – checking an eruv, say, or helping with kashrut and holiday observance. Some haredi volunteers may prefer to relieve soldiers by repairing equipment, cleaning barracks, preparing meals, and performing clerical tasks. Haredi managers would supervise yeshiva students in all-male settings, with other accommodations when necessary. 

The program could coincide with bein hazmanim, when yeshivas are on break anyway. 

The plan is a win-win.

Yeshiva students will help spread Torah learning, and promote halachic observance on military bases. They will also gain useful experience for entering the work force, and have a ready answer for accusations of refusing to help protect the country.

Non-religious soldiers will get time off after intensive training and duty, and some might find meaning and even inspiration in classical Jewish texts, especially those related to the military. Their morale will improve as responsibility for national defense becomes more equally distributed. 

IDF service and Jewish learning will be maintained or grow, and a wrenching national debate will begin to subside as very different Israelis gain exposure to other lifestyles without compromising their values. Because of mutual wariness, neither community is likely to embrace the proposal right away, but a pilot program involving those most open to adjusting could help work out the details and build trust. 

Accusing haredim of being lazy, unpatriotic ingrates has not facilitated solutions. But reminding haredim that their learning is no more meritorious than that of their less-educated brethren may actually gain their attention.

The Torah praises the arrangement of two Israelite tribes: Issachar, who learned; and Zebulun, who provided for their needs. Halachically, an Issachar-Zebulun partnership offers each side the same heavenly reward. So far, only haredim have been Issachar. If Israelis switched roles on occasion, the entire nation would benefit from the twin virtues of duty and Torah.

David Benkof is a freelance writer living in St. Louis and a frequent contributor to the Jewish Journal. He writes the weekly Jerusalem Post Crossword Puzzle, which appears in this newspaper. Follow David Benkof on Facebook, or E-mail him at DavidBenkof@gmail.com.

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The day I met Chuck Todd

Leave a Comment / Opinion /

“The Watergate” was just a name I had read in history books before I actually stepped in that glorious complex in the fall of 2001.

With a folder of papers under my arm and a bag hanging from my shoulder and a… pounding heart, I got out of the elevator into the third floor of that huge building.  A white color grand piano was sitting in the middle of a huge room surrounded by big glass windows showing the beautiful view of Potomac River.  I took a deep breath and tried to focus on what I need to do next.  It was only about a month since I had arrived in the U.S. the land of opportunities, and luckily I ended up in a city (Washington D.C.) that I believed was a perfect place for the job I was interested in as a journalist.

But I wasn’t sure where to go next! I looked around to find someone that could help me. A little farther, a man was standing next to a desk. When I got closer to him, after making sure not to interrupt him, in a very polite manner and clear voice asked:

-I am looking for Mr. Chuck Todd. Do you know where I can find him?

The guy looked at me curiously for second and burst into a loud laughter.  My heart started pounding even harder. Since when I came to this country I was trying very carefully not to do anything against the rules and culture of this new environment I had moved to! The guy did not stop laughing. He was laughing hard when he pointed to me to follow him. I was still confused when he peeked into an office and said: Hey Chuck, someone’s looking for you…

And still laughing, he continued:

-She says she is looking for “Mr. Chuck Todd”!

Chuck looked at me and with a smile said:

-Call me Chuck…

Now I was amazed! In my culture (Iranian culture) you could never call a boss by his first name! And I was surprised to see that an editor in chief can be so humble and down to earth not to mind being called by his first name!

I think I was very lucky to have my first job interview in this county with “Chuck Todd”!  That day Chuck the editor-in-chief of Hotline, online Publication, hired me. It was months after the 9/11 tragedy that the publication, The Hotline, in partnership with the Atlantic Monthly, embarked on a 6-month special daily news briefing on world politics called: Hotline World Extra. And the goal of the publication was to provide news briefs on significant political and military developments from countries the U.S. was going to be dealing with in the war on terrorism; and so I got to compile and translate Persian publications into news briefs.  During the time I worked there, I didn’t even want to leave the workplace after I was done; Chuck was an amazing leader and super friendly boss. He was a hard worker. His writers were a team of enthusiastic young people that cheered when he showed up in the TV news commenting on political issues.

And I was so proud to work with him and even prouder when he once told me: I am “Jewish”, a reform Jew. Years later when I asked him for a recommendation letter he immediately gave me a long note with incredibly nice words, mentioning my abilities as an amazing asset!

A few years later I almost left aside writing, which was my passion, but I could hear and feel Chuck’s continuous success from here and there. One spring day in 2007 I received an email from Chuck. It was a bulk email starting like this: Friends, family (even some foes…

And he continued:

“I have left Hotline and moved over to NBC News as their new political dir. and on-air analyst” and attached was his new contact info.

Chuck’s abilities in journalism and his passion for politics and his courageous interviews, bought him more and more fans. Today Chuck Todd is the host of NBC's “Meet the Press”, which was once the highest rated political talk shows and is the longest running (66 years according to Wikipedia) American TV series.

This past Sunday “September 7, 2014” almost exactly 13 years after 7/11/2001 when America is still dealing with war on terrorism, Chuck Todd, the 12th moderator of this series started his first show of “Meet the press” passionately with a unique interview  in The White House with President Obama about war on Terror.

Among many others, I strongly believe that he is going to make a positive change in the world of politics. And I just want to tell him:

-Mazal Tov “Mr. Chuck Todd”!

The day I met Chuck Todd Read More »

Israel believes Syria kept ‘significant’ chemical munitions

Leave a Comment / Is Featured?, Lead Story, Mobile, Mobile-Homepage, News, Worldwide /

Israel believes Syria has retained caches of combat-ready chemical weapons after giving up raw materials used to produce such munitions under pressure from foreign powers, a senior Israeli official said on Thursday.

Summarizing Israeli intelligence estimates that were previously not disclosed to avoid undermining the Syrians' surrender of their declared chemical arsenal, the official said they had kept some missile warheads, air-dropped bombs and rocket-propelled grenades primed with toxins like sarin.

“There is, to my mind, still in the hands of Syria a significant residual capability … that could be used in certain circumstances and could be potentially very serious,” the official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

While saying Israel had a “high degree of confidence” in its information, he declined to give figures for chemical weapons allegedly kept by Syria, citing secrecy concerns as well as the possibility some had been destroyed or used by President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

“What we are saying is that there are a number of questions here that still have to be clarified, still have to be looked at very closely” by international inspectors, the official said.

Israel is an old foe of its northern Arab neighbor and in April 2013 its intelligence service was the first to accuse Assad's regime of using chemical weapons against areas held by Syrian rebels in the on-going civil war.

Western powers soon echoed the charge and Washington threatened Damascus with air strikes.

Assad agreed to give up the chemical arsenal, which Damascus had previously not acknowledged having. However, he denied his forces had used them and accused rebels of such attacks.

International diplomats told Reuters this week that Syria had revealed a previously undeclared research and development facility and a laboratory to produce the ricin poison.

Those disclosures appeared to support Western assertions in recent months that the Assad regime had not been fully transparent in detailing its chemical weapons program.

GAME-CHANGER

The Israeli official said the 1,300 tonnes of mustard gas and precursors for sarin and VX surrendered by Syria largely matched Israeli assessments of its total stockpile of such materials. The shelf-life of any deployable munitions held back was limited given the chemicals' deterioration, he added.

Those assessments appear to contribute to overall Israeli relief at the Syrian chemical disarmament, even if Assad has reneged in part. The Israeli official voiced confidence that “our deterrence” – usually a coded reference to Israel's superior military and assumed nuclear arsenal – would continue to keep Damascus in check.

Using chemical weapons against Israeli targets, even on a small scale, “wouldn't be a game-changer, it would be a game-ender” for Syria, the official said.

He was less sanguine, however, when asked about the possibility that Islamic State insurgents in Syria and Iraq might get hold of Assad's remaining chemical weapons.

Israel had no indication that this had happened, he said, indicating Israeli intelligence knew where Assad's remaining chemical arms were kept and that these sites were still safe – something he declined to confirm or deny directly.

“I haven't seen any information that they (Islamic State) have received them. I would not be surprised if they are interested, though, in receiving them,” he said.

While using higher-yield munitions like air-dropped bombs might be beyond the insurgents, they could easily launch attacks with “a bunch of grenades with sarin” if this became available, the official added. He noted Israel's concern at the entrenchment of Islamist rebels along its ceasefire line with Syria in the occupied Golan Heights.

According to regional sources, Israel has on several occasions bombed sites in Syria to thwart the suspected handover of conventional weapons from Assad to allied Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas. Israeli officials have not formally confirmed carrying out the strikes but say they are poised to take similar action to prevent insurgents getting chemical weapons.

“When we have seen things that we are concerned about, whatever has been done has been done, and that's it. We have been very careful not to be sucked in. So that policy will continue,” the Israeli official said.

Additional reporting by Anthony Deutch in The Hague; Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Jeffrey Heller and Crispian Balmer

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@RITZCARLTON #LOSANGELES: TURN YOUR DAYCATION INTO A RESIDENCE!

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Have you ever wondering where to spend a day in Los Angeles that makes you feel so refreshed and renewed it is like a week's holiday? Spend your Daycation at the ” target=”_blank”>JW Marriott Los Angeles L. A. Live all the more inviting. Later, “>lisa ellen niver ritz carlton spa day” target=”_blank”>Ritz Carlton Spa, I have no idea that simply entering the doors will be like finding a cocoon of peace and serenity. Elissa greets me with a glass of champagne and shows me the private relaxation area inside the women's spa which is enveloped in the smell of eucalyptus from the steam room. I decide to relax in the co-ed sanctuary in my Ritz Carlton robe on one of the comfortable round loungers while listening to the music and reading.

The Ritz Carlton is known for being a place to expect the unexpected and have first-class memorable experiences, every moment of my daycation proves that this is true. After my spa treatment in The Mixing Room, I was able to see the Stanley Cup in person and get a hug from ” target=”_blank”>LA Kings. The first pre-season game is September 22 against the Arizona Coyotes and you can join Bailey's Buddies and enjoy the newest PUCK&PLAY at the ” target=”_blank”>USA TODAY.

Thank you to the entire Ritz Carlton team especially Elissa and Raquel at the Spa, Wagstaff Worldwide, Kalayana, Justin, Alonso and Klaus Puck at the NEST and WP24 for an amazing day and evening!

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A Guiltless, Sinless Pleasure: Dark-Chocolate Filled Raspberries

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This pleasure filled dessert is orgasmic, and a better than sex combo. Raspberry and dark chocolate- a sinless, guiltless pleasure mix that will awe your “pleasure senses,” and burst in tasty explosions in your mouth. They are addicting once that first, delectable bite touches your lips, so make sure to prepare enough for you and your friends to enjoy this splendid snack. Your love affair with food will be even stronger than before after your first bite!

A Guiltless, Sinless Pleasure: Dark-Chocolate Filled Raspberries

Prep time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 1 minute

 

Ingredients:

1 pint Fresh raspberries

8 oz dark chocolate bar (70% cocoa or more) broken into small pieces

2 teaspoon coconut oil

 

Preparation:

1. In a medium sized, microwave-safe bowl, add the chocolate and coconut oil, and microwave for about 30 seconds. Then, stir it with a fork, and microwave for additional 30 seconds, until the chocolate has completely melted. Do not over cook it — it can burn!!

2. Arrange the raspberries prettily on a tray, so that they all standing up.

3. Spoon the chocolate mixture into a piping bag or plastic sandwich bag. Snip the corner and fill each raspberry with chocolate. Place the raspberries in the refrigerator until the chocolate has hardened.

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Israel Factor survey: Poor grades for the Obama administration’s Middle East policy

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We asked our Israel Factor panel of 10 experts to grade the performance of the Obama administration on several Middle East issues, and we also asked them to briefly explain the grades given. It must be said that the marks were not high. On handling Israeli-Palestinian relations, for example, the administration got an average of 1.88 out of 5 possible points (1 = very bad; 5 = very good). And this was pretty much a unanimous decision – all the panelists, for different reasons, made the same judgment. The Obama administration's Israel-Palestine policy is not a success, and it is not a success because of poor handling by the administration.

Of course, not all panelists have the same ideology, and thus not all the analyses stem from the same origin. One panelist (we do not attribute grades and quotes to specific Israel Factor panelists) concluded that the administration is guilty of “Bad mediation strategies, lack of pressure tools, unrealistic timetables and expectations”. Another one wrote that “too much capital” was “invested in finding a two state solution” (i.e., poor prioritization). But there were also those who believed that the problem was with “too little pressure on Israel” (i.e., not using the proper tools). Or with a lack of understanding of the nature of the negotiating parties: “the Kerry-led negotiations were a hopeless venture to begin with on account of the current Israeli government’s unwillingness to compromise. Eventually, they did more harm than good”.

Whatever the reason, the panel was not impressed with the execution of the effort and was similarly not impressed with other policies. On “working with the Israeli government” the Obama team got an average of 2.33. Only one panelist gave the administration more than a three in that department, while all others thought that there is “misunderstandings on basic issues” and a “clash of personalities”. One panelist made a detailed answer saying that the score is “mixed” due to “support for Israel” during the Gaza operation on the one hand but “reassessment on arms, misguided Kerry mediation initiative, and condemnations of Israel during war” on the other. The backing of the “Turkish/Qatar ceasefire proposal” by John Kerry was mentioned by other panelists as well as a reason for the low grades.

On “dealing with the Gaza war” the panel was, again, unanimous in giving a relatively low score, 2.6, but not in their reason. The most blatant reason from a left leaning panelist was: “Inability to prevent the killing of innocent civilians in Gaza”. On the other side of the spectrum we have “betraying allies, failure to see similarities between Hamas, ISIS, Hezbollah, adopting the bad Qatar – Turkey proposal for a ceasefire, delay of hellfire missiles”. These two panelists gave the administration a 1 and a 2 out of 5. Of course, there is no middle course to be found between these two that can make them half satisfied, so maybe the true failure of the Obama team lays in its inability to devise a coherent policy that would make at least one of them happier.

On “balancing relations with Middle East governments”, the administration got an average of 2.2. No panelists believed the administration deserves more than a score of 3 on that question. The Obama team got its highest score – a still meager 3.11 – on “battling ISIS in Iraq” (the questionnaire was sent back by most panelists before the Obama speech on ISIS). “Failure to recognize the threat, no strategy, too little, too late, too slow”, wrote one of the panelists. “Slow to understand” was a comment made by several panelists. A more merciful judgment said: “No great achievements, but it’s hard to see what the alternatives are, given the immense complexity of the situation and region”. And some of the panelists also recognized a “Growing understanding of the threat”.

The bottom line is poor. In that, the Israel Factor panel has a view not much different from the view of most Israelis and of most Israeli officials. No wonder that when we asked the panel in another question if it expects that “Obama and Netanyahu will still have good relations for the remainder of Obama's time in office” the answer was a resounding no, and the score – that is, the chance that such scenario is likely – was 1.3 out of 5…

 

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Giving and Receiving a Stink Eye

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“ Stink eye: A surfer term meaning a glare or lingering dirty look”
—Urban Dictionary.com

There we were, a few years ago, in the back row of the synagogue and our son with special needs started making some annoying noises, but not too loud. Most of the congregants who came fairly regularly had known our son, Danny, from a young age, and were very tolerant of his idiosyncrasies, but the older, well-dressed woman in front of us was a stranger, probably there for the family bar mitzvah that day. She turned and gave him (and me and my husband) a massive stink eye that was impossible to miss.

I wanted to try to explain that he had a developmental disability likely due to a nasty case of RSV pneumonia as an infant, blah blah, blah, but it wasn’t exactly a support group venue. Instead, the woman’s daughter, who we knew as an acquaintance, whispered something in her mother or aunt’s ear, and the older woman turned back with a small, pursed smile.

There's something chilling about that that long look of disapproval–even if you were watching a show in a foreign language and couldn't understand a word, that particular look would be easy to understand. The stink eye is very different than the curious look we receive from young children, who have never seen someone with an obvious physical or developmental disability, and are trying to figure out why this teen is moving and talking the way he is.

During a recent text study session at a Hamercaz professionals meeting, we read together a passage from the portion called Nitzvaim, which speaks of how God renewed his covenant with the Jewish people, including “your small children, your women and your proselyte who is in the midst of your camp, from the hewer of your wood to the drawer of your water…” This is a wonderful example of how to define a very inclusive community. My friend, Elaine Hall, Founder and Director of the inclusive special-needs drama program, The Miracle Project, said, “this means our clergy and lay leaders should tell congregants to keep their stink eyes turned off at shul, just like our cell phones.”

This is easier than it sounds, because we all have moments where we pass judgment and cast a dirty look.  I know I sure did when I recently walked into a crowded Coffee Bean with our son, who was using his walker. Usually, when people see Danny pushing his walker and looking for a place to sit down, they move over in their chairs and quickly make space for the two of us. One young woman was intently looking at her cell phone, leaning against the top of the closest chair. I asked if that spot was taken, and she glanced up for second and then said with an irritated edge to her voice, “that’s my spot.” A nice couple on the other side of the restaurant saw what was happening and waved us over, saying they were just getting ready to leave. As I walked over, I gave the rude woman a stink eye of my own.

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