May 16, 2018

Cheesecake from New York or Israel? You Decide

Leave a Comment / Food / Yamit Behar Wood

During Shavuot, Jews eat soft cheeses and dairy-based meals for several reasons. First, the Torah was given to our people by Moses on Shabbat, when no animals could be slaughtered and no utensils could be koshered. Also, the Torah is likened to nourishing milk, or “chalav” in Hebrew. The numerical values of the word chalav totals 40, the number of days Moses spent on Mount Sinai when receiving the Torah.

But even for secular Israelis, tradition dictates that every table has a cheesecake on it at this time of year. Because I can’t think about cheesecake without thinking of my Aunt Dora and Uncle Nissim, I reached out to my cousin recently to get her recipe for the classic Israeli preparation. I recalled a summer I spent living with them in their apartment in Tel Aviv, during which I realized how much my aunt spoiled my uncle and how much he loved and adored her for it.

My uncle was not an emotive man. If I could describe him in a few sentences, I’d say that he could have been the prototype for James Bond in the Sean Connery era. Cool and stoic, devastatingly handsome and gentlemanly, my uncle was a man of refined tastes. He was a gourmand, a connoisseur and a foodie.

He used his considerable charms as leverage to get my aunt to cook him anything he wanted at any time day or night. There was never a time when there was not a perfectly smooth and velvety chocolate mousse or a crème caramel in the fridge, just in case my uncle felt like something sweet after what was usually a four-course meal.

Even though my uncle was a bon vivant, he was not an easy man to feed. My aunt called him an “especzico,” which in Ladino roughly translated means picky eater. She would peel his tomatoes, temper his hot chocolate and serve him only the “troncho,” or the heart of the lettuce.

When she made her famous cheesecake, she knew that it was acceptable to give my uncle a slice only after it had cooled a bit but was still warm from the oven. A cold slice of cheesecake would sit uneaten, as would everything my uncle left on his plate if it weren’t absolutely to his liking.

But when my uncle ate something he liked, the smile on his face was her reward, and you could almost see his heart melting for my aunt as he took his first bite.

But even for secular Israelis, tradition dictates that every table has a cheesecake on it at this time of year.

Because my uncle and I were kindred spirits in this regard, and I am also a bit of a food snob and an “especzico,” like him, I tend not to eat anything that I don’t love. My cheesecake recipe is one that I’ve adapted from Veniero’s in New York City, an Italian, family-run bakery that has been making the rich and dense New York-style version for 125 years.

While my aunt’s recipe will yield a fluffy, light cheesecake that appeals more to the Israeli palate, my recipe is the New York-American-style cheesecake, which has that irresistibly velvety texture from being cooked in a water bath like the true custard that it is. Although I am not a sweets eater, preferring savory food over desserts, I have to admit that this cheesecake is one of my favorite things. You can top it with berries or sugar-coated rose petals for Shavuot, but I like it best unadorned.

Either recipe you use, know that they both have the stamp of approval of two “especzicos.” Chag sameach!

DORA’S ISRAELI-STYLE CHEESECAKE

Crust:
7 ounces petit beurre biscuits, crushed (or similar dry butter cookies)
3 1/2 ounces butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt

Filling:
4 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup sugar, divided
23 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 package vanilla instant pudding
3 tablespoons cornstarch

Topping:
1 1/4 cups sour cream, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 390 degrees F.

Crumble butter cookies with a rolling pin or heavy object and mix with room-temperature butter and salt. Press evenly into a greased 10-inch diameter springform pan.

Whip egg whites and 1/2 cup sugar until soft peaks form. In a separate bowl, combine cream cheese, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, egg yolks, instant pudding and cornstarch. Fold egg whites into yolk mixture and mix thoroughly until no white streaks remain.

Pour over prepared crust and bake in a 390 -degree-F oven for 15 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350 F and bake for approximately 45 minutes more or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, combine sour cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and lemon zest. After the cheesecake is done, turn off oven, pour sour cream mixture evenly over the cheesecake and return to the oven to set for about an hour. Serve warm “especzico”-style or refrigerate overnight and serve cold.

Makes about 10 servings.

YAMIT’S CLASSIC NEW YORK-STYLE CHEESECAKE

Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/3 cup butter, room temperature

Filling:
32 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs, plus 1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup sour cream
Zest of one lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Preheat over to 400 F.

Grease a 9-inch cake pan and line its bottom with parchment paper. Thoroughly mix crust ingredients and press evenly into the bottom of the pan, pushing crumbs two-thirds of the way up its sides. Place crust in oven for 10 minutes, remove and place in freezer.

Turn oven temperature to 450 F. Place a large pan with 1/2 inch of boiling water in the middle rack of the oven.

Using a stand mixer, mix cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla. Make sure all ingredients are room temperature to avoid lumps of cream cheese. Using a paddle attachment or a hand mixer on low speed, blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl every few minutes. Add eggs and eggs yolk one at a time and mix to incorporate, followed by sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, flour and cornstarch. Try not to incorporate too much air into the mixture.

Pour mixture into prepared crust from a height to pop remaining air bubbles, and then tap the pan a few times lightly on the counter to remove any remaining air. Bake in water bath for 15 minutes and then turn down oven temperature to 225 F and bake the cheesecake for another 30 minutes.

Turn off oven and leave cheesecake in oven for 30 more minutes. Then crack open oven door and leave in a final 30 minutes.

Remove cheesecake from oven and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Cheesecake should still have a slight jiggle at its center.

Cover pan with foil and refrigerate cheesecake overnight or at least 6 hours.

Before serving, run a sharp knife around the inside of the pan. Place pan on a hot stove burner for 30 seconds to loosen the cheesecake and invert onto a clean plate. Then invert the cheesecake again onto another plate or a cake stand for serving so that it is crust side down.

Slice with sharp knife whose blade has been dipped in hot water, redipping the knife into the water and wiping it off in between cuts.

Makes about 10 servings.

Cheesecake from New York or Israel? You Decide Read More »

Conversion Doesn’t Stop at the Mikveh

Leave a Comment / Holidays / Kylie Ora Lobell

This past New Year’s Eve, I was with my husband, Daniel Lobell, in the living room of our good friend, talking with him about our struggles with Judaism. We were lonely and lost. It felt like I was hitting rock bottom with my spirituality.

I had become increasingly disenchanted with my Orthodox Judaism. I was sick of hearing criticism of the #MeToo movement at the Shabbat table. I was tired of seeing unabashed support of President Donald Trump.

I also felt very out of place in my community, because I had just turned 29 and couldn’t afford to have children yet, while many of my peers had at least two kids and a mortgage. I couldn’t see any future where we’d be able to afford a house or send our future kids to a Jewish school in Los Angeles.

It had been 2 1/2 years since my conversion through an Orthodox beit din. But before dipping into the mikveh and signing my conversion papers, I’d been living an Orthodox life for years. I’d gradually given up treif food, observed Shabbat, prayed frequently, learned at least once a week and moved into the religious community in Pico-Robertson. I was becoming more observant and it was easy; I had an end goal to look forward to.

Even though I already went to the mikveh, every day that I get up and decide to live another day as a committed Jew, I convert all over again.

After I dipped in the mikveh, and got married, I finally took a breather. For years, I had imposter syndrome, and for once, I could just “be Jewish.”

I kept the laws but ceased learning regularly. I began going to synagogue on Shabbat later and later and skipping it some weeks. Our best friends, with whom we had spent every Shabbat, moved to New Jersey. People’s lives were progressing all around us, and Daniel and I seemed stuck in the same place.

This all led to me breaking down at the end of last year. Not knowing where else to turn, we called our friend for advice. He listened patiently and said Orthodox Judaism is something that he has struggled with, too. We were so surprised. Daniel and I looked up to him and thought that he had it all together. But even he had challenges.

Our friend encouraged us to build our own community by going to different synagogues, seeing what we liked and appreciating each one for what it had to offer. He talked about how he learns regularly with a few inspiring rabbis around town. He invited us for a Shabbat lunch, introduced us to new people and took Daniel to a local minyan, where they had a spiritually uplifting experience.

Thanks to our friend, I realized that just because I was feeling low it didn’t mean I had to throw it all away. There were always solutions.

We started to visit different synagogues. We met more people, received invitations to meals and felt less alone. I started learning with a chavruta (study partner) and going to shul earlier.

I took on additional mitzvot and began to daven consistently. As for the political and cultural issues within Orthodoxy, I discovered a movement called Open Orthodoxy that has similar views to mine. Strengthening my spirituality has helped me have faith that Daniel and I will be able to make it in L.A.

Today, I am stronger in my Judaism than ever before. The more I learn, the more I want to learn. The earlier I go to shul, the more I want to attend. If I do more I feel connected, and want to only increase that connection.

Just like any Jewish person, I need constantly to take on more mitzvot, study and try to be better. And the politics and customs in my community shouldn’t discourage me, because it’s not about that. It’s about putting faith in HaShem and doing what is right and true to myself.

Even though I already went to the mikveh, every day that I get up and decide to live another day as a committed Jew, I convert all over again.

Conversion Doesn’t Stop at the Mikveh Read More »

Revelation

Leave a Comment / Poetry / Alicia Jo Rabins

Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke, for the LORD had come down upon it in fire; the smoke rose like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled violently. The blare of the horn grew louder and louder. As Moses spoke, God answered him in thunder. (Exodus 19:16-20)

Once I believed
revelation was a sham,
a cheap magic trick
to make the failures of science
disappear. But then I thought,
What about the truth
we cannot see?

Then I believed
revelation meant peeling off
layers of illusion, sharp and painful
as an onion, until the buried
truth inside made people cry.
But then I thought,
What about kindness?

Then I believed revelation
must be a lightning bolt
that split the body in two,
planting wisdom at the base
of a person’s spine,
a tiny fire taking root. But
then I watched as that fire
consumed my first love.
It ate him whole. I thought,
There must be a gentler way.

Now, I am making a new
catalogue of revelations.

Revelation of standing
at the kitchen counter
carefully rolling the shell
of a hard-boiled egg
beneath my palm
to crack it without breaking
the smooth white orb inside
for my daughter’s lunch.

Revelation of the purple
and yellow lilies’ slow
unfurling year after year
in late spring beside
the small green cottage
in my backyard
where I teach girls
to chant the Torah.

Revelation of
my students reading
those ancient stories,
bringing the words to life
in their sweet young
mouths, until the day when
each one says, in her
own time, actually,
I think it should go
this way, and then
writes her version.

Alicia Jo Rabins is a writer, musician and Torah teacher based in Portland, Ore. She currently is working on a memoir. Her second poetry book, “Fruit Geode,” will be published by Augury Books in October.

Revelation Read More »

Raw Vegan Chef Josh Lobell and How to Make a Shavuot ‘Cheesefake’

Leave a Comment / Culture / Kylie Ora Lobell

Shavuot is upon us, which means delicious dairy foods, including cheesecake. I love cheesecake, but unfortunately, it doesn’t love me. Seeking a healthier version, I remembered that my brother-in-law, Josh Lobell, who is a raw vegan chef at Erewhon in Venice, would likely have a great option. We sat down to chat about why raw vegan is healthy, how he got into it and, of course, how I could make a raw vegan cheesecake that would taste amazing and make me feel satisfied, too.

Jewish Journal: How did you get into raw vegan cuisine?

Josh Lobell: The thing I think I’m best at is eating. When I was 20, I went to the American Museum of Natural History and saw an exhibit called “The Global Kitchen.” I was fascinated by food production and all the different kinds of fruits and vegetables there are in the world. The museum guide gave us various foods to try and they said if you can taste them, you have a super palate. I could taste them. I said that probably explained why I was overweight. It dawned on me that I should explore the cuisine of fruits and vegetables, because there are so many types out there and you can eat as many as you want.

JJ: How did you discover raw vegan?

JL: I was working at an investment bank. I liked my boss but wasn’t passionate about the work. I bought a dehydrator off Craigslist and then went on YouTube to figure out what to do with it besides make kale chips. I saw videos from a woman named Cherie Soria. She started the Living Light Culinary Institute. I realized it was my purpose to become the best raw vegan chef I could. I moved to L.A. from New York and drove up to visit the school. I remember tasting a pizza flax cracker I bought in the café of the school. It had all the taste characteristics of a pizza, even the crunch of a thin, oven-baked crust, but it had none of the cholesterol, fat or animal products. It’s like we distorted what real food is supposed to be.

JJ: What were some of the things you made at the school?

JL: We made a faux grilled teriyaki salmon from a filet of papaya that we baked in the dehydrator. We did lasagna with zucchini noodles, macadamia nut ricotta and pistachio pesto with fresh herbs and a raw marinara. We did a peach cobbler made of almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, dates, Himalayan salt, fresh ripe peaches, lemon juice and coconut meat.

“I love understanding how different flavors and textures can be combined to mimic ethnic cuisines around the world, all while stimulating optimal health and promoting a healthy Earth.” — Josh Lobell

JJ: Can you explain the theory behind raw food?

JL: Raw foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants. When you cook below 118 degrees, you don’t denature any of the enzymes. When you heat up food, you denature the structure of the enzymes and the proteins and kill a large number of nutrients. Our body thrives on the nutrition. When you eat raw vegan, you get all the nutrition.

JJ: What’s it like working at Erewhon?

JL: It’s very rewarding because I feel like I’m putting together the healthiest food for people. I created raw vegan pancakes. People drive from all over L.A. to buy them. Woody Harrelson came by and was very excited about them. I soak cashews and pecans overnight, which activates the nuts, making the nutrient more bioavailable, and also making the nuts soft so I can blend them with banana. Sometimes I use apple juice or coconut water or carrot juice. I spice it with nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and Himalayan salt.

JJ: What’s your ultimate goal?

JL: I want to continue to educate myself. There is so much to learn. I think it’ll take my whole life to become a great raw vegan chef. I love understanding how different flavors and textures can be combined to mimic ethnic cuisines around the world, all while stimulating optimal health and promoting a healthy Earth.

JJ: How can people start eating raw vegan?

JL: They can watch YouTube videos or pick up Cherie Soria’s “Raw Food for Dummies.” It has a lot of great recipes and gives you a grasp on why consuming raw vegan food will benefit your life. And come by Erewhon in Venice! I’ll be there.

Raw vegan “cheesefake” recipe:

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
by the Living Light Culinary Institute

Crust
1 cup dry shredded coconut
1 cup almonds, soaked and dehydrated
3/4 cup cacao powder
1/4 teaspoon Himalayan crystal salt
6-8 dates (roughly
1/4 cup packed measure), room temperature
2 8-ounce packs of fresh raspberries

Filling
3 cups cashews, soaked
8 hours, drained and rinsed
2 cups almond cream
1 cup agave
5 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon Himalayan crystal salt
3 tablespoons lecithin powder
1 cup cacao butter, warmed to liquid

Coulis
10 ounces frozen raspberries, thawed
3/4 cup agave
2 teaspoons lemon juice, to taste

For the crust, process the coconut flakes in a food processor with an “S” blade until finely ground. Add almonds and process until there’s a ground meal consistency.

Add the cacao powder and salt and continue to process.

Add the dates one at a time, until the mixture sticks together.

Press the crust mixture evenly into a spring form pan.

Add some fresh raspberries on top of the crust and set aside.

For the filling, in a high-performance blender, blend the cashews, almond cream, agave, lemon juice and Himalayan crystal salt until very smooth.

Add the lecithin and melted cacao butter and continue blending until creamy.

Pour the mixture on top of the prepared crust and place the pie in the refrigerator to set up, about 4 to 6 hours, or overnight.

For the coulis, blend the thawed raspberries, agave and lemon juice until smooth. Strain it through a milk bag to remove the seeds and pour the smooth sauce into a squirt bottle.

Serve each slice of cake with a little bit of raspberry coulis. Store your cake in a sealed container, and it will last 5 days in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer.

Serves 16.

Raw Vegan Chef Josh Lobell and How to Make a Shavuot ‘Cheesefake’ Read More »

Jerusalem Celebrates, Gaza Burns

Leave a Comment / Israel, Rosner's Domain / Shmuel Rosner

On the night of May 14, the leading headline of The Washington Post said, “More than 50 killed in Gaza protests as U.S. opens its new embassy in Jerusalem.” Headlines of other newspapers were not much different.

There is no doubt the headlines were factually accurate. But so would a headline saying, “More than 50 killed in Gaza as the moon was a waning crescent,” or “More than 50 killed in Gaza as Arambulo named co-anchor of NBC4’s ‘Today in LA.’ ” Were they unbiased? Not quite. They suggested a causation: The U.S. opens an embassy and hence people get killed. But the causation is faulty: Gazans were killed last week, when the United States had not yet opened its embassy. Gazans were killed for a simple reason: Ignoring warnings, thousands of them decided to get too close to the Israeli border.

There are arguments one could make against President Donald Trump’s decision to move the American embassy to Jerusalem. People in Gaza getting killed is not one of them. A country such as the United States, a country such as Israel, cannot curb strategic decisions because of inconveniences such as demonstrations. Small things can be postponed to prevent anger. Small decisions can be altered to avoid violent incidents. But not important, historic moves.

At the end of this week, no matter the final tally of Gazans getting hurt, only one event will be counted as “historic.” The opening of a U.S. embassy in Jerusalem is a historic decision of great symbolic significance. Lives lost for no good reason in Gaza — as saddening as it is — is routine. Eleven years ago, on May 16, 2007, I wrote this about Gaza: “The Gaza Strip is burning, drifting into chaos, turning into hell — and nobody seems to have a way out of this mess. Dozens of people were killed in Gaza in the last couple of weeks, the victims of lawlessness and power struggles between clans and families, gangsters and militias.” Sounds familiar? I assume it does. This is what routine looks like. This is what disregard for human life feels like. And that was 11 years to the week before a U.S. embassy was moved to Jerusalem.

A legitimate country is allowed to defend its border. A legitimate country is allowed to choose its capital.

Why were so many lives lost in Gaza? To give a straight answer, one must begin with the obvious: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has no interest in having more Gazans killed, yet its mission is not to save Gazans’ lives. Its mission — remember, the IDF is a military serving a country — is to defeat an enemy. And in the case of Gaza this past week, the meaning of this was preventing unauthorized, possibly dangerous people from crossing the fence separating Israel from the Gaza Strip.

As this column was written, the afternoon of May 15, the IDF had achieved its objective: No one was able to cross the border into Israel. The price was high. It was high for the Palestinians. Israel will get its unfair share of criticism from people who have nothing to offer but words of condemnation. This was also to be expected. And also to be ignored. Again, not because criticism means nothing, but rather because there are things of higher importance to worry about. Such as not letting unauthorized hostile people cross into Israel.

Of course, any bloodshed is regretful. Yet to achieve its objectives, the IDF had to use lethal force. Circumstances on the ground dictate using such measures. The winds made tear gas ineffective. The proximity of the border made it essential to stop Gazan demonstrators from getting too close, lest thousands of them flood the fence, thus forcing the IDF to use even more lethal means. Leaflets warned them not to go near the fence. Media outlets were used to clarify that consequences could be dire. Hence, an unbiased, sincere newspaper headline should have said, “More than 50 killed in Gaza while Hamas leaders ignored warnings.”

So, yes, Jerusalem celebrated while Gaza burned. Not because Gaza burned. And, yes, the U.S. moved its embassy while Gaza burned. But this is not what made Gaza burn.

It all comes down to legitimacy. Having embassies move to Jerusalem, Israel’s capital, is about legitimacy. Letting Israel keep the integrity of its borders is about legitimacy. President Donald Trump gained the respect and appreciation of Israelis because of his no-nonsense acceptance of a reality, and because of his no-nonsense rejection of delegitimization masqueraded as policy differences. A legitimate country is allowed to defend its border. A legitimate country is allowed to choose its capital.

Jerusalem Celebrates, Gaza Burns Read More »

Dr. Ruth Spices Up Youth Summit

Leave a Comment / Israel / Deborah Danan

It’s mid-May at the Forbes 30 Under 30 Summit and the Tel Aviv weather is as unpredictable as the conference lineup. The morning opened with oversized hail that rocked the city and an equally stirring speech by pint-sized spitfire and sex therapist Ruth Westheimer.

In perhaps the strangest-ever confab panel, Westheimer, known as “Dr. Ruth,” doled out sex advice to startup co-founders.

“I promise you good sex for the rest of your life if you can adhere to my [advice],” she quipped.

The world-famous sex therapist yielded the floor to world-famous sex symbol Bar Refaeli, who spoke about her entrepreneurship and, in particular, her partnership with sunglasses chain Carolina Lemke. To Refaeli, being a pretty face isn’t enough to make it these days. The model and actress looks to Kim Kardashian as a role model who has managed to stay current in a fast-paced world.

“Kim Kardashian is the most successful businesswoman that I can appreciate,” Refaeli said, adding that the reality TV star is “super smart.”

“She got famous from a sex tape and managed to become a mega-millionaire,” Refaeli noted.

But, she said, “I never want to become Kim Kardashian,” since that level of fame “is too much for me.”

In a comic moment, 6-foot-10 former NBA All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire posed with 4-foot-7 Westheimer.

The summit also assembled a roster of major names from the venture capital world to mentor the participants.

Stoudemire, who said he might return to Israel next year to resume playing for Hapoel Jerusalem, a club in which he is part owner, told the Journal that he hoped to convert to Judaism, saying it’s on the “the top of my list of things” to do.

This is the first year the summit is global, with entrepreneurs from 38 countries taking part. It is the third year 30 Under 30 is being held in Israel, which according to Forbes’ Chief Content Officer Randall Lane, is the most fitting host country for a conference of this kind.

“We’ve got young entrepreneurs from across the entire world meeting here, in the crossroads to the entire world,” Lane said.

“[Israel] is a place where all worlds come together, so there’s a symbolism there,” he added.

The 700-person event is unique because the only unifying theme is entrepreneurship among millennials. The advantage to that, Lane said, is that participants aren’t in competition with one another. The cross-pollination means that you’ll have boutique doughnut store owners collaborating with developers of a meditation app.

“It’s a conference of people who are doers,” Lane said.

The summit also assembled a roster of major names from the venture capital world to mentor the participants, ranging from Midas List honoree David Fialkow of General Catalyst to Jerusalem Venture Partners founder Erel Margalit.

But it isn’t all work and no play. Festivities included a beach party in Tel Aviv, a bar crawl in Jerusalem’s Mahane Yehuda market, and an all-night music festival in a Bedouin tent in the desert with a performance by Kevin Olusola from a cappella sensation Pentatonix.

Olusola, whose band was one of the recipients of the 30 Under 30 award, was on his first visit to the country.

“It’s amazing to see what’s going on with the tech/startup world in Israel, and to meet such a diverse crowd of intellectuals who are trying to change the world with their creative capital,” he told the Journal.

Of course, the conflict is never far from anyone’s mind in this part of the world. On the last day of the summit, participants will visit the first Palestinian planned town and tech hub of Rawabi, where local problem-solving startups will compete for investment. According to Lane, the idea is to demonstrate that entrepreneurship is the ultimate bridge-building tool.

“There’s a reason a lot a great ideas come from people in their 20s,” Lane said.

“Young entrepreneurs are the ones who are going to solve the problems, not politicians,” he added.

Dr. Ruth Spices Up Youth Summit Read More »

Talking Creativity

ARTIST OF THE WEEK: Sign of a New Embassy

Leave a Comment / Artist of the Week / Jewish Journal

Workers get Jerusalem ready for the historic opening of the new United States Embassy.

ARTIST OF THE WEEK: Sign of a New Embassy Read More »

Israelis Celebrate Jerusalem Day Amid New Political Reality

Leave a Comment / United States / Maya Margit, The Media Line

The historic and ancient city of Jerusalem has been the destination of countless religious pilgrimages for Jews, Christians and Muslims over the centuries. Yet the city also has been at the heart of bloody battles, crusades and, more recently, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

So it should come as no surprise that a holiday aimed at celebrating the holy city would spark controversy and highlight competing narratives. Such is the case with Jerusalem Day, a national holiday in Israel commemorating the city’s reunification following the Jewish state’s victory in the 1967 war, during which it gained control over east Jerusalem.

By coincidence, Jerusalem Day this year fell on May 13, one day before the inauguration of the new United States Embassy, which follows President Donald Trump’s recognition in December of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

“Traditionally, [Jerusalem Day] been celebrated more by the national-religious in Israel, even though, of course, it’s a national holiday,” Emmanuel Navon, a lecturer at Tel Aviv University and fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Security Studies, explained to The Media Line.

“It is true that in terms of the civilian population, the ultra-Orthodox don’t really care and the secular [population] doesn’t care so much, either,” he conceded, before qualifying that some elements of the holiday unify Israelis.

“When the eastern part of [Jerusalem] was ruled by Jordan, there was no free access to places of worship for the Jews and there was no freedom of religion,” Navon said. “It’s only since Israel reunified the city that you have this freedom of religion and respect for all holy sites. I think this is something that most people recognize.”

Nowhere, however, is the ideological split more apparent than at the Jerusalem Day right-wing Flag March, in which thousands of people parade through the Old City’s Muslim Quarter waving Israeli flags. In the past, the parade has been marred by some participants using anti-Arab epithets and engaging in physical violence.

“People who say it’s divisive don’t have to take part in it,” Navon said. “It’s not the only way to celebrate Jerusalem’s reunification. People can choose what kind of event they want to attend or not on Jerusalem Day.”

“It’s only since Israel reunified the city that you have this freedom of religion and respect for all holy sites. I think this is something that most people recognize.” — Emmanuel Navon

Some people are already offering more inclusive alternatives.

“We think [Jerusalem Day] is an important day for reclaiming the city because in the last few years [it] has turned into something a little more nationalistic,” said Michal Shilor, the Activism for Tolerance Campaign Coordinator at the Jerusalem Intercultural Center (JICC).

Now in its third year, the stated goal of the Jerusalem Tolerance group is to help Jerusalemites undertake initiatives that promote tolerance and diversity. It has become a platform for dozens of Jerusalem Day events aimed at combating the Flag March, which many consider offensive.

“This year there are 80 events within [the span of] 36 hours that are talking about tolerance,” Shilor noted, including tours of ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods, literary gatherings and encounters with people with disabilities, among other things.

“It’s not that there’s an issue with celebrating Jerusalem Day,” she said. “It’s more that the way it has been celebrated in the last few years [has sometimes] turned into violence and racism.”

U.S. and Israeli officials attended a May 14 ceremony marking the official opening of the new embassy in Jerusalem’s Arnona neighborhood. The ramifications of such a move are still not fully understood, but analysts agree it marks a turning point in the city’s history.

According to Navon, “It will be remembered as a major event.”

This article was originally published on The Media Line.

Israelis Celebrate Jerusalem Day Amid New Political Reality Read More »

What’s the Key to Jewish Survival?

Leave a Comment / Opinion / Meni Even-Israel

Throughout my childhood, and well into my adulthood, my father, Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz, constantly reminded me of our family adage: “It is better to be a heretic (apikorus) than an ignoramus (am ha’aretz).” This guiding principle and core value was imparted to him by his father in the hopes that my father would question everything he encountered, remain fearless in his quest for knowledge, and ultimately find true security in his deeper understanding of Jewish spirituality, tradition and law.

While on my journey for meaning, I began to understand the import of these words. Faith, I realized, is ultimately faith-based, as we begin our spiritual lives woefully uninformed, relying solely on information passed down to us from previous generations. As time went on, I found that the only way to unlock the true wisdom and beauty of our Jewish heritage is to ask, argue and take nothing at face value.

But I also began to understand that it was crucial to ensure that everyone, regardless of their background or level of understanding, had these same opportunities to engage with the text and connect with the world of Jewish knowledge. It became clear that the very survival of our nation depended upon it.

Our history is replete with examples of Jewish communities that relentlessly “pursued the truth,” as well as those that blindly followed tradition. In every case, only the knowledge seekers flourished, grew and endured.

As the “People of the Book,” our longevity does not stem from our ability to pass down our core texts from generation to generation. There would be no meaning to our peoplehood if it merely entailed the passing of a baton. Rather, it is driven by our desire to debate, to dig deeper in our quest for knowledge. Stoked by the sparks of passionate discourse and deliberation, the flame of Jewish heritage and identity can burn in perpetuity.

What’s more, this same relentless pursuit for knowledge bridges our past, present and future. For generations, we have been engaged in the same discussion, and we will continue to be for generations to come. Again, the source of our vigor and fortitude is not just our texts but our ability to argue them.

As I see it, the study of Talmud is our lifeblood. Utilizing the chavruta system, a uniquely Jewish educational model whereby two people explore the texts together, we delve into numerous areas of study — from determining the correct time of day for the recitation of the Shema to deciding on just compensation for damages inflicted upon private property to figuring out how many angels can fit on the head of a pin. We challenge one another to think outside the box, and in the process, we inform and strengthen our faith.

Even in our darkest times, the study of Talmud has been our light, giving us hope and empowering us to retain control of our minds and, in turn, our destinies.

It therefore troubles me that so many remain tethered to the notion that “Na’aseh V’nishma,” the action-centric declaration of a newly forged nation, is still the ideal for Jewish living. Yes, we pronounced our loyalty to God, expressed our willingness to follow the Torah, and promised to be people of action. But after more than 3,000 years of following the rules, isn’t it time to understand why? Our pledge had two parts, yet we have been “doing” for so long that we have forgotten how to take the time to “listen” and understand the reasoning behind our actions.

As the “People of the Book,” our longevity does not stem from our ability to pass down our core texts from generation to generation. There would be no meaning to our peoplehood if it merely entailed the passing of a baton. Rather, it is driven by our desire to debate, to dig deeper in our quest for knowledge.

In the hopes of creating new generations of knowledge seekers, my father penned original commentaries and translations for the entirety of the Jewish canon, including Tanakh (Torah, Prophets and Writings), the Babylonian Talmud, the Mishnah, the Mishneh Torah and Tanya. He devoted his life to making sure that his children and everyone else’s children had the tools they needed to engage with the texts, study the foundations of faith in-depth, and join the identity-building discussion that has kept us alive through the millennia.

At Mount Sinai, we were all imbued with unique points of view, and it’s time that we wield them in pursuit of the truth. By challenging each other and supporting the development of tools that make the texts accessible to everyone, we will advance Jewish knowledge and ensure our survival.

After all, only those who know can move forward, and only the seekers and keepers of knowledge will find true security in their deep understanding of Jewish spirituality, tradition and law.

Meni Even-Israel is the executive director of the Steinsaltz Center, a pedagogical accelerator that develops tools and programming that encourage creative engagement with Jewish texts.

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