Rabbi Eric Solomon shares the leadership of Beth Meyer Synagogue in Raleigh, NC with his wife, Rabbi Jenny Solomon. He began his rabbinic career as the Rabbi Marshall T. Meyer Rabbinic Fellow at Congregation B’nai Jeshurun in New York City. He is a graduate of the Shalom Hartman Institute Rabbinic Leadership Initiative, serves on the national board of Truah: The Rabbinic Call For Human Rights, and will travel this winter to Guatemala with American Jewish World Service as a 2018 Global Justice Fellow.
Vayelech recounts the events of Moses’ last day. “I am one hundred and twenty years old today,” he tells the people.” He transfers the leadership to Joshua, and concludes writing the Torah in a scroll which he entrusts to the Levites for safekeeping. The mitzvah of Hakhel is given: every seven years, during the festival of Sukkot of the first year of the Shemitah cycle, the people gather at the Temple, where the king should read to them from the Torah. Vayelech concludes with the prediction that the people of Israel will turn away from G‑d, causing Him to hide His face from them, but also with the promise that the words of the Torah “shall not be forgotten”
I hear it all the time: Why is it so hard to find the right person?
Finding the right partner has become a difficult journey, filled with pressures, stress, let-downs, and negativity that leads people to believe “there is no one out there!” Let me stop you right there and tell you, YES your soulmate IS out there, and it DOES exist. But we have it all wrong…. This isn’t about finding your soulmate, this is about finding YOU first. And from there, it will get easier. Allow me to explain.
So, how can you find yourself and meet your best match? Here’s a step-by-step process that works.
Be Your True Self And Don’t Take Things Personally
When trying to meet someone, or going on the first few dates with someone, we tend to have our walls up, guards up, and shield the person from seeing who we really are. Meanwhile, we wonder: “does he/she like me? Do I look good? Am I saying the right things?” All this overthinking and guess what, you already lost yourself! Being your true self is free. Be comfortable, confident, sweet, friendly, and loving. This is your true nature. I’m talking when you really really know yourself, you know the beauty within you and what you have to offer. You love yourself so much and are in such a good place that you are radiating LIGHT! And that will attract someone.
So why is it so important to be in that “true self” place? Because when you are being your true self and really feeling happy and comfortable in your own skin, you radiate an unexplainable energy that attracts all the right things to you (including your soulmate)! And even better, when you’re being your true self while full of love, happiness, and confidence, if it doesn’t workout with someone, you don’t take it personally. If it doesn’t work out with someone, you know that you were being your best self, so if it was taken out of your life, gd has better plans for you and your true soulmate is waiting for you!
Change Your Perception, Shift Your Story
What you tell yourself becomes your reality. So when you tell yourself “I will never find anyone” or “there are no guys out there,” then guess what: you won’t find anyone and there won’t be any guys out there for you! Why? Because you said so! Your word has more power than you think. You’re sending out those thoughts out into the universe, so the universe will send you back exactly what you’re asking for. Being negative, anxious, and pessimistic doesn’t serve you! Your story of never finding love won’t make you happy. So, change your story to what works for you!
Tell yourself: “My soulmate is out there, he/she is awesome, we’re going to be so happy together, and I am so excited to meet them!” Let’s focus your story on YOU— what do you want and ask for it! You want to meet your soulmate… so tell yourself “I KNOW my soulmate is out there!” By telling yourself a positive story and having a happy, confident, and optimistic perception, imagine how it will change you and your attitude! You will be more excited, more lively, more free, and of course… happier, with something to look forward to.
Know The Five Qualities YOU Need In A Partner
What do you NEED in a partner? Remember, this is different than what you want; what you want in a partner may not necessarily be the best thing for you. For example, you’re the loud, funny, energetic one and you want someone exactly like you. Will two loud energetic people balance each other well? Or do you NEED someone more calm who grounds you? Spend time reflecting on yourself and figure out the top 5 qualities you need in someone. Remember, this is about you.
Trust It Exists And Envision It Constantly
So now you know how amazing you are, you’ve shifted your story to tell yourself your soulmate is out there and you know what you need in a partner; so this is where things start to get fun: lay back, relax, and trust the process! No more pressure, stress, or anxiety is necessary, because you’re feeling your best, confident in what you have to offer, clear on what you need, and sending out this incredible unexplainable energy that is attracting people to you! All you have to do is truly trust that as long as you are being your most authentic self, your best and happiest self, your soulmate will come to you. Envision the love you are yearning for, and let your excitement guide you in finding it!
Be Your Priority And Have Fun
Why is it that we lose ourselves to try to make it work with someone? Or why is it that the first thing we drop in our schedules are the things we do for ourselves? To maintain internal balance and fulfillment, it is crucial to make time to do things that make your soul happy; whether that’s painting, reading, singing, sports, cooking, you name it. Making time for yourself should always be a priority; because how can you give love to others if you don’t love yourself? How can you expect people to appreciate you if you don’t appreciate yourself? And trust me, having passions, hobbies, and personal goals is ATTRACTIVE! So start incorporating yourself back into your life, and have fun with it!
Approaching the dating world with these five steps as your pillars of truth will bring you back to yourself and make dating the fun, exciting journey that it should be. And remember, dating isn’t about spending all your energy to find the right partner, it’s about conserving and creating your best energy to attract the right partner.
Nicole Nour Hanasab (Nicole Nour Coaching) is a Life Coach based in Los Angeles whose practice helps people find their inner beauty, self-esteem, direction, and passion in order to live a truly fulfilling, meaningful, and happy life.
The heart of rock ’n’ roll is still beating in San Diego, where Jonathan A. Abrams is part of the team supplying the pump. A devotee of all things ’80s, Abrams is the book writer for “The Heart of Rock & Roll,” a new jukebox musical inspired by the music of Huey Lewis & the News, opening Sept. 15 at San Diego’s Old Globe theater. The story revolves around a former dive bar rocker who has hung up his guitar to work in corporate America, and his boss who has given up her personal life for a shot at being a CEO.
It’s the first live stage project for Abrams, 40, who graduated from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts in 2000, and whose previous work has been entirely in film and television.
Jewish Journal: How did you become the book writer for “The Heart of Rock & Roll?”
Jonathan Abrams: The producer of the show [and co-writer] Tyler Mitchell’s father-in-law is a longtime friend of Huey Lewis, and Tyler asked Huey if he’d ever thought of doing a musical with his song catalog. Huey said, “I have, but I don’t think anybody will have any luck trying to craft an original story using my songs as a road map because they have nothing to do with each other.” Fools that we were, we tried and we came up with something. We’ve been revising and shaping that story for nearly eight years, but we’ve got it to a place where it’s pretty good.
JJ: How did you decide on the title for the show?
JA: We laid out all [his] songs and said, “OK, he has 18 songs that were top-10 hits. Of those 18, let’s say there are 10 that you would have to use, or any fan is going to feel shortchanged.” So we looked at those and started looking for common themes. With the song “The Heart of Rock and Roll,” we thought that would be a really great idea of a band trying to convince someone to come on tour with them, and they’re saying all these cities to psych him up to get back with the band.
JJ: Were there certain songs that you couldn’t get into the show?
JA: There are a ton. On the flip side, there have been a bunch of songs that I didn’t really know that have become my favorites. There’s a song called “World to Me.” It’s one of Huey’s favorites too, and it never really found an audience back when it was released. Then there are two songs, one of which he wrote a couple of years ago, and a completely original song written for [the show] called “Be Someone.” It’s a really cool sort of musical theater ballad with a little bit of a Huey’s rock ’n’ roll sensibility to it as well.
JJ: Since you never previously worked in theater, what did you find to be some of the challenges of the genre?
Cast during rehearsal.
JA: There’s no editing. In film and TV close up imagery is important. It’s kind of everything. If you can show it, why would you say it? Whereas here, it’s almost like the singing becomes the visual aspect of it. So it’s just looking at it through a different lens and you’re allowed to be a little bit on the nose, I suppose. So it’s been tough because my training and my experience is that you kind of want to say and do less and the audience will fill it in. Here, you have to do a little bit more or they really won’t understand. It’s kind of a different style of writing, not to mention what comes with having songs and using those songs to help further the story is a completely new experience.
JJ: How has your Jewish background influenced your work?
JA: “The Heart of Rock & Roll,” is a family-focused story. There’s no vulgarity in it. The comedy doesn’t come at the expense of other people. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that my roots and my beliefs and my spirituality filter into the script of this show and Judaism obviously is at the core of that.
My father was Jewish. He passed away when I was 4. My mom, who wasn’t actually Jewish, converted to honor him and is still practicing, as am I. She raised me and my sister Jewish. I wouldn’t say I’m the most religious person by any means but certainly when you have your own kids [Editor’s note: Abrams has a 1-year-old son], it really does sort of make you think about the things that are important in your life and the way you want to lead your life. It’s sort of reminded me of the spiritual elements to my life and what I want to impart upon him. Some of the tenets about acceptance and doing right by other people I think are really important and powerful and things I would love to pass on.
A Labour member of parliament recently said that Orthodox Jews are targeted for hate crimes due to their “costumes”; when confronted by a civilian about it she simply walked away.
Diane Abbott, who was appointed as Shadow Home Secretary in 2016, said on BBC’s “Question Time” program in April in response to a question about anti-Semitism in the Labour Party, “In my constituency, I have a community of Charedi Jews that are actually subject to hate crime more than other Jews, because they wear that costume, they walk to synagogue. But because I take it seriously I’m not going to make it some sort of party political gain.”
Alex Rose, an 18-year-old London civilian, noticed Abbott was sitting in front of him last week on the London subway, so he confronted her about her “costumes” remark.
“Why did you tell us that we wear costumes?” Rose can be heard telling Abbott in a video. As Rose tells Abbott he watched her “Question Time” segment, Abbott can be seen making a face before getting up from her seat and walking away from Rose.
“It’s not called a costume, love,” Rose says to Abbott as she’s walking away. “It’s called a religious piece of clothing.”
Rose told the Jewish Chronicle that he thought Abbott’s description of charedi religious garb as “costumes” was “troubling.”
“I’ve heard a lot of talk amongst left-wing figures about the need for politicians to be more accountable to voters, and not just allowing themselves to be stuck in the Westminster bubble,” Rose said. “But it was clear that Diane Abbott didn’t want to speak to me – which is a shame.”
Leading Charedi Rabbi Avraham Pinter, who was once a Labour councilor, defended Abbott’s comments, stating: “Most people don’t know what is going on in our community.” He also praised her for raising important issues with the community.
In July, the Community Security Trust (CST) found that “more than 100 anti-Semitic incidents are being recorded every month in Britain as monitors warn bigots are becoming ‘more confident to express their views,’” according to the UK Independent.
Doing Better in 5779 Ben Shapiro has an interesting assessment that I think applies to all of us in journalism, especially those who must also write or edit opinion articles (“Where I Can Do Better in 5779,” Sept. 7). During my 40-plus years as a columnist, I know I’ve been guilty of all of those despite my best efforts not to. We can claim deadline pressure for labels and conclusion- jumping, we can claim that we’re writing about truth, and we can pick the version of an argument that best supports our needs at the time. None of these is right, and all of those things we should avoid. The fact that you recognize them means that you’re less likely to make those choices in the future. I think that this is important, that it’s good for you as a columnist, and that in turn is good for your readers. Thanks. Wayne Rash, Via Facebook
It’s unbelievably rare in this political climate for anyone to openly and humbly acknowledge their own faults. This is an incredibly classy move and I hope it becomes wildly popular. We are blessed by your example Mr. Shapiro. Brittney Peterson, Via Facebook
Excellent column in the spirit of the season. And, I would often, but not always disagre with Ben Shapiro on solutions. Now, if he could get President Donald Trump to do some soul-searching. Howard L Hoffman, Via Facebook
‘Anne Frank’ Casting Insults Holocaust Victims
When I first heard about a new production of “The Diary of Anne Frank” with an immigration theme, I was aghast (“New ‘Anne Frank’ Production Broadens Its Holocaust Message,” Aug. 31).
A more appropriate headline on this story should have read, “New ‘Anne Frank’ Production Diminishes Its Holocaust Message to Score Crass Political Points.”
I cannot believe anyone would compare Jews fleeing the Holocaust with undocumented aliens in the United States escaping deportation.
During World War II, Jews in Germany and throughout Europe did not break into their respective countries. They were never criminals. They were born citizens in their respective countries. Their citizenship was unjustly stripped away, along with their dignity and ultimately their lives. Arthur Christopher Schaper, Torrance
A Survivor’s Daughter Gives Thanks
Thank you, Jane Ulman, for a beautifully written portrayal of my mother, Lili Weinberg, relating the story of her life during the Holocaust (“Lili Weinberg: A Long March Out of Darkness Toward Hope,” Sept. 7). The comments and emails we’re receiving about this article are overwhelming.
Expressions of sadness and “never again” are particularly strongly expressed at this time, as our country faces hatred, bigotry and anti-Semitism.
Thank you and the Journal for continuing to showcase our elderly Holocaust survivors. Their stories are our legacy and our reminder for tolerance and love of all mankind.
Shanah tovah to all! Anita Heber, Via email
Congratulations, America, for Swindling the Palestinians and Your Own Citizens
Most excellent choice, America … refusing to “make additional contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).”
You’ve curtailed UNRWA’s education programs affecting “nearly half a million children in more than 700 schools” — primary and secondary schools, and schools “provid[ing] vocational training for young people to help them gain work skills.” Congratulations for ensuring many of UNRWA’s 515,000 schoolchildren have minds and hands unchallenged … except for targeting stones.
You’ve reduced UNRWA’s ability to “deliver basic health services via primary health care facilities and mobile clinics,” health services “provid[ing] preventive, general medical and specialist care” via 8.852 million patient visits. Kudos for depriving medical clinics and professionals of their ability to deliver health care for those already deprived by their heavily American-supported occupiers.
You’ve slashed UNRWA’s budget for “provid[ing] basic food supplies and cash subsidies, … and adequate shelter, for the most vulnerable Palestine refugees.” Felicitations for supporting systemic impoverishment, food insecurity, and deprivation of millions of people. Judy Bamberger O’Connor,Australia
The Battle Over Brett Kavanaugh
In saying the framers of the Constitution didn’t have all the answers and that the document isn’t immutable but a living and evolving construct, Justice Thurgood Marshall foresaw men like Antonin Scalia and others who have bent its interpretation along political lines.
Nominee Brett Kavanaugh, allegedly a strict constructionist, views the Constitution similarly and has shown that he will work to overturn Roe v. Wade, neglect the environment, foster looser gun controls and impose the view that the president is above the law.
He is a threat to our democracy. Hal Rothberg, Via email
Greenberg’s Political Cartoon
Steve Greenberg’s editorial cartoon that shows Robert Mueller III dismissing the accusations of a witch hunt evidences an obvious bias toward the liberal left and the “never” supporters of President Donald Trump (Aug. 31).
Mueller is shown holding a tablet with the words: Cohen, Manafort, Gates and Flynn, all formerly associated with the Trump campaign and who were convicted of or pleaded guilty to violations completely unrelated to any alleged Russian collusion. Greenberg epitomizes the double standard in our system of justice when it comes to the Department of Justice applying the law against the Trump camp and the Hillary Clinton camp. The Justice Department treats anyone associated with the Trump campaign with maximum scrutiny while it treats anyone associated with the Clinton campaign with kid gloves or just flat out ignores the obvious evidence of wrongdoing.
Marshall Lerner, Beverly Hills
Corrections
Molly Soboroff’s name was misspelled in a photo caption in the Sept. 7 Movers & Shakers.
A Sept. 7 story about swimmer Mark Spitz contained a quote that incorrectly indicated Holocaust survivor Susan Spatz left Judaism. She did not.
While the story of Jonah and the Whale is read primarily on Yom Kippur, its lesson of mercy is timeless and applicable all year long. In this spirit of being evergreen, here’s a Jonah and the Whale project that you can display well beyond the High Holy Days. We’re painting clay pots blue to look like whales, attaching felt tails, and placing tillandsia air plants on top of them to look like a shower of water coming from the blowhole. And where’s Jonah? He’s hidden in the whale, as you’ll see.
Supplies needed:
Clay pot
Light blue acrylic paint
White acrylic paint
Black acrylic paint
Blue felt
Tacky glue or hot glue
Tillandsia air plant
Small action figure toy
1. Paint a clay pot with light blue acrylic paint. You may need several coats to completely cover the clay surface.
2. For the mouth, paint an approximately four-inch wide rectangle of white on the brim of the clay pot. I actually slanted the sides to create more of a smile shape.
3. Using black and white paint — or paint markers if you prefer — draw eyes on either side of the mouth. I added smile lines to the edge of the mouth.
4. Cut out two identical tail shapes from a piece of blue felt, along with two fin shapes.
5. Glue the two tail pieces to each other with tacky or hot glue to double the thickness, and glue the wide end of the tail to the clay pot. Fan out the tip of the tail.
6. Glue the fin pieces to the brim of the pot, right in front of the tail section.
7. Hide a small action figure underneath the whale. This step is optional since no one will see it, but it’s fun that only you know Jonah is there. I used my figurine of Jonathan from New Kids on the Block.
8. Position a tillandsia air plant on the hole of the clay pot. If you wish, you can glue the plant to the pot to secure it. Mist the plant at least once a week to keep it fresh.
Jonathan Fong is the author of “Flowers That Wow” and “Parties That Wow,” and host of “Style With a Smile” on YouTube. You can see more of his do-it-yourself projects at his website.
Steven Baum died Aug. 13 at 69. Survived by wife Frieda; daughter Jennie (Gregory) Sloan; sons Jeremy, Michael (Monique), Benjamin; 5 grandchildren; sisters Lorrie (David) Jones, Debbie (Zvi) Yankov. Mount Sinai
Natalie Berkowitz died Aug. 9 at 89. Survived by daughter Cheryl (Brian); son Steven; 6 grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren; sister Lauren (Ron); brother Phillip (Ellen). Hillside
Julian R. Black died Aug. 3 at 98. Survived by daughters Jodie (Michel) Messin, Jill (Thomas) Williams; son Joel (Ronni); 6 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren. Mount Sinai
Sara Blau died Aug. 11 at 91. Survived by daughter Susan (Tibor) Herschko; 2 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren. Mount Sinai
Homer Bernard Chernin died Aug. 9 at 94. Survived by wife Gitta; daughter Lisa (Martin) Newman; sons Mark (Naomi), Jeff (Caryn); 5 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; brother Hughie (Suzie). Harbor Lawn-Mt. Olive Memorial Park, Costa Mesa
Herman Harold Cohen died Aug. 7 at 88. Survived by wife Elaine; sons Ira (Jeri), Mark; 4 grandchildren. Groman Eden
Raja Desenberg died July 29 at 96. Survived by daughters Dorene, Dena; son Dan (Susan); 1 grandchild. Conejo Mountain Memorial Park, Camarillo
Idele Frances Deutsch died Aug. 9 at 94. Survived by daughters Barbara (Marcel) Thibodeau, Lisa (William) Cohn. Mount Sinai
Krista Emery died Aug. 7 at 70. Survived by daughter Karen (Randy) Fratkin; sons Paul Klein, Luke (Julie); 2 grandchildren.
Kendra Glade died Aug. 7 at 34. Survived by mother Carla Bizantz; father Roger; stepmother Eva Goldfield; brother Philip Glade; grandfather Marty Glade; aunt Brenda Polisky. Mount Sinai
Henry Howard Gordon died Aug. 12 at 90. Survived by son Ron (Antoinette); 4 grandchildren; brother Albert (Lillian). Mount Sinai
Charles C. Ifergan died Aug. 14 at 98. Survived by son Ness (Ella) Ifergan. Mount Sinai
Muriel Jackson died Aug. 6 at 95. Survived by daughters Francine, Sandy (Hal); son Steven (Ellen); 9 grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren. Hillside
Ina Joseph died Aug. 5 at 96. Survived by daughters Donna (Ross) Gentry, Lori (Rick) Jewett; son Michael (Shelly); 3 grandchildren. Mount Sinai
Victor Kaplan died Aug. 7 at 104. Survived by daughter Laura (Jim) Tucker; son Jay (Karine) Kaplan; 6 grandchildren. Mount Sinai
Myra R. Karse died Aug. 14 at 84. Survived by sons Howard, Richard “Karse” (Kimberly) Hoffman; brothers Edward Hoffman, Alan (Helena) Hoffman. Mount Sinai
Stephen Barry Katz died Aug. 4 at 63. Survived by daughters Hana Brenner-Katz, Jade Brenner-Katz. Mount Sinai
Judith Kaufman died Aug. 15 at 107. Survived by son Laurence (Linda); sister Blanche Alpert. Mount Sinai
James Klaparda died Aug. 5 at 74. Survived by wife Susan; son Philip (Emily); 3 grandchildren; brother Sam (Sandy). Mount Sinai
Vivian Korn died Aug. 11 at 95. Survived by sons Howard (Susan), Stephen (Andee), Laurance; 7 grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren. Mount Sinai
Frances Leigh died Aug. 11 at 94. Survived by daughter Susan; son Andrew (Barbara); 4 grandchildren. Mount Sinai
Lawrence Leiman died Aug. 4 at 82. Survived by wife Sandra; daughters Tracie (Steven), Nancy (Bobby); son David (Maria); 5 grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild. Hillside
Juliana Lookholder died Aug. 7 at 69. Survived by husband Scott; 2 grandchildren; sister Miriam (Larry) Feldman. Mount Sinai
Stuart G. Merle died Aug. 17 at age 70. Survived by wife Gale Ann; sons Jeremy (Jessica), Andrew (Martha); 3 grandchildren; mother Vivian; sister Joanne; brother Gordon. Levine Chapels, Brookline, Mass.
H. Reed Metzger died Aug. 7 at 86. Survived by wife Linda; daughter Dorothy; sons Marc (Kriann), Gregory (Becky); 2 grandchildren. Hillside
Lee Miller died Aug. 7 at 83. Survived by wife Cookie; daughters Julie (Gregg) Gelfand, Allison (David) Irete; 4 grandchildren; sister Jan (Wendell) Chapman. Mount Sinai
Florence S. Nadell died Aug. 1 at 89. Survived by daughter Patty (Jim) Tatone; son Evan; 1 grandchild; brothers Ronnie Wagenberg, Sonny Wagenberg. Mount Sinai
Claudia Senit died Aug. 4 at 85. Survived by husband Sylvan; daughter Laurie Ann (Arthur); sons Steve (Janice), Brian (Jackie); 2 grandchildren. Hillside
Charlotte Strauss died Aug. 5 at 92. Survived by son Lawrence (Eleanor); 3 grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild; sister Miriam. Hillside
Find out what’s happening in Los Angeles this week. Events include Paddleboarding Prayer, Hiking, charity, Tashlich and a talk with Roseanne Barr.
Friday Sept. 14
Guy Branum
GUY BRANUM
“There are a lot of bald, homosexual, fat guys who have books,” Jewish writer-actor-comedian Guy Branum recently said on Conan O’Brien’s show. Branum (“The Mindy Project,” “Awkward”) is one of them.
He will be performing — and no doubt mentioning his new book, “My Life as a Goddess.” Also, Casey Ley, voted by readers of the San Francisco Weekly as their city’s best comic in 2012. $20, plus two-item minimum. 10 p.m. Flappers Comedy Club and Restaurant, 102 E. Magnolia, Burbank. (818) 845-9721. flapperscomedy.com.
Gilda Radner
“LOVE, GILDA” AND“WENDY’S SHABBAT”
The Calabasas Film Festival screens the documentary “Love, Gilda,” which looks back on the life and career of Gilda Radner, and the short film “Wendy’s Shabbat,” which follows a group of senior citizens who celebrate Shabbat at a local Wendy’s restaurant. Radner, a founding performer on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live,” charmed audiences with beloved characters such as the confused Emily Litella and nerdy Lisa Loopner. Directed by Lisa Dapolito, the Radner film incorporates audio recordings, interviews with Radner’s friends and home movies. “Wendy’s Shabbat” screens on Saturday. “Love, Gilda”: 7 p.m. $30. Motion Picture and Television Fund Campus, 23388 Mulholland Drive, Woodland Hills. “Wendy’s Shabbat”: Saturday, 1 p.m. $12. Edwards Calabasas Stadium 6, 4767 Commons Way, Calabasas. (747) 226-3310. For ticket information visit CFF’s website.
Saturday Sept. 15
DOWN TO THE RIVER
East Side Jews invite you to its Days of Awesome annual pilgrimage to the Los Angeles River for an evening of fun, food, storytelling and community. Featuring exercises with Amie Segal, tashlich led by Rabbi Susan Goldberg and live music. Catering by Dune; open wine bar. 21 and older. 6:30 p.m. $40. Lewis MacAdams Riverfront Park, 2944 Gleneden St., Los Angeles. (323) 663-2255. For more information visit SIJCC’s website.
Sunday Sept. 16
KEVER AVOT
It’s traditional to visit the graves of loved ones around the High Holy Days, and three local cemeteries are holding Kever Avot services open to the public. Rabbi John Rosove of Temple Israel of Hollywood and Rabbi Neil Comess-Daniels of Beth Shir Shalom lead the service at Hillside Memorial Park on the Westside, with Cantors Shelly Fox of Temple Israel, Linda Kates of Leo Baeck Temple and Patti Linksy providing songs and musical accompaniment. Mount Sinai Memorial Parks is holding services at its Hollywood Hills and Simi Valley locations. Rabbi Nicole Guzik and Cantor Marcus Feldman of Sinai Temple lead the services. In Hollywood, they are accompanied by the Sinai Temple Choir, directed by Aryell Cohen. In Simi Valley, the UJA Choir, directed by Noreen Green, will provide music. In the spirit of tzedakah, donations of food are greatly appreciated. Free. Hillside Memorial: 10 a.m.; 6001 West Centinela Ave., West Los Angeles. (310) 641-0707. hillsidememorial.org. Mount Sinai: Hollywood Hills, 10 a.m., 5950 Forest Lawn Drive; Simi Valley: 1 p.m., 6150 Mount Sinai Drive. Pre-register here.
PADDLEBOARDING AND PRAYER
To help get your spiritual life in balance, join Temple Isaiah’s Rabbi Joel Nickerson for a stand-up paddleboard and prayer event to welcome in the New Year. No paddleboard experience is necessary, but participation does require some core strength and balancing skills. 9:30 a.m. $40 board rental, or bring your own board. Malibu Surf Shack, 22935 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu. (310) 277-2772. For more information click here.
OCEAN TRAIL JOG AND BRUNCH
NuRoots, a group dedicated to building a community for young Jewish professionals, wants to get the New Year off to a healthy start with its Ocean Trail Jog and Brunch. All levels of runners are welcome to participate in a 4-mile, progressive run between the Santa Monica and Venice Beach piers, which starts off slow and easy and picks up speed. A group brunch follows at Big Dean’s Oceanfront Café. Meet at 10 a.m. at 1615 Ocean Front Walk, just south of the Santa Monica Pier. Free. Call Warren at (703) 402-1416 with any questions, or register online.
PJ LIBRARY HIKES LA
The PJ Library, which provides free books on Jewish values and culture to families with children age 11 or younger, and The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles are hosting a mile-long hike across some of the loveliest undeveloped parts of Hollywood. Bring water, sunblock, a hat and comfortable walking shoes. The hike is for humans only, so leave your dog at home. Meet at 10:45 a.m. at the first gate of the Hollywood Reservoir and look for the PJ Library flag. The hike starts promptly at 11 a.m. Free. 2751 Lake Hollywood Drive, Los Angeles. RSVP at mfritzen@jewishla.org by Sept. 14.
FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE BIRTHDAY BASH
Planning a birthday party for a special needs child can be tough, but the Friendship Circle, which provides a full range of social, recreational, educational and Judaic experiences for Jewish children with special needs, can help. Special needs children ages 4 through 20 whose birthdays fall in July, August or September are invited to the first of the organization’s quarterly birthday bashes. Each child will be accompanied by a volunteer as they engage in outdoor activities, singalongs, a moon bounce and games. Every child receives a goody bag and birthday cake. Children from sixth grade and up are welcome to volunteer. 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Free. 1952 S. Robertson Blvd., Los Angeles. RSVP to Rivky@fcla.org or call (310) 280-0955.
FOOD ON FOOT
Join Rabbi Kalman Topp and his fellow Beth Jacob Congregation members to help distribute prepackaged food to the homeless, and to participate in an awards ceremony for the workers in the Work for Food program. Graduates of the program leave a life of homelessness by earning a full-time job, receiving housing and completing life-skills education. Free on-site parking. Donations of gently used clothing and blankets appreciated. 3-5:15 p.m. 1625 Schrader Blvd., Hollywood. RSVP at (310) 278-1911. Visit their website for more information.
TASHLICH
Members of the IKAR community participate in the traditional High Holy Days tashlich ceremony, when Jews cast off their sins to start fresh for the New Year,
at Santa Monica Beach. IKAR members ages 16 and older are invited to arrive at 3 p.m. to participate in a beach cleanup. Tashlich ceremonies 4-5:30 p.m. Free. Santa Monica Beach, Lifeguard Station 26, at Ocean Park Boulevard. (323) 634-1870.
SELICHOT CONCERT
Middle East meets West L.A. when the Sephardic Educational Center presents its annual Selichot concert at the Kahal Joseph Congregation. The program features a half-dozen rabbis and cantors performing a Selichot service accompanied by an ensemble of musicians from Lebanon, Syria and other Middle Eastern countries playing the music of their homelands. Refreshments served and valet parking provided. Doors open 6 p.m., concert begins 7 p.m. $15. Kahal Joseph Congregation, 10505 West Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles. For reservations or more information, email info@secjerusalem.org.
Jef Garlin
JEFF GARLIN
Chicago-born comedian Jeff Garlin performs in West Hollywood. The Jewish funnyman is known for his roles on HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and ABC’s “The Goldbergs.” 8:30 p.m. $30. Largo at the Coronet, 366 N. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 855-0350. For more information visit their website.
Monday Sept. 17
IS AMERICA A FORGIVING NATION?
On erev Yom Kippur, comedian Roseanne Barr appears in conversation with Rabbi Shmuley Boteach about repentance and atonement. David Suissa, publisher and editor-in-chief of the Jewish Journal, moderates the discussion. The event comes three months after Barr’s tweet comparing former President Barack Obama aide Valerie Jarrett to an ape led to the cancellation of her hit ABC television show, “Roseanne.” Boteach is an Orthodox rabbi and author whose books, including 1999’s “Kosher Sex: A Recipe for Passion and Intimacy,” also have riled many. Doors open 6 p.m. Program starts 7 p.m. $20. The Saban Theatre. 8440 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. (323) 271-0873. Tickets available at Eventbrite.
YOM KIPPUR STORYTIME
A reading of the book “Sammy Spider’s First Yom Kippur” is held at the Zimmer Children’s Museum. Children and parents will hear the most important lesson Sammy learns on his first Yom Kippur: the value of an apology. This special PJ Library Story Time event is followed by an art activity. For children from 6 months to 8 years. 3-4 p.m. $5 per adult and per child ages 1-17 with RSVP. Zimmer Museum, 6505 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. (323) 761-8984.
Thursday Sept. 20
THE ART OF THE ETROG
In advance of Sukkot, Rabbi Sam Roten-berg, leader of the Atid young professionals group at Sinai Temple, discusses how to choose the perfect etrog. Should it be yellow? Green? How do you impress your friends with your etrog knowledge? Don’t miss this opportunity to learn tasty facts about Sukkot’s iconic citrus. 7:30-9 p.m. Free. Sinai Temple, 10400 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 474-1518. Fore more information click here.
On our first trip to Israel, we traveled via Rome to Jerusalem. At the hotel in Rome, we needed to get a converter from the front desk to operate our electric appliances, and the only English-language TV channels were BBC and CNN. Our room at the King David, by comparison, was equipped with a U.S. outlet, and we could watch episodes of “CSI” in English with Hebrew subtitles.
That’s only one measure of the cultural affinity between America and Israel, of course, and Amy Kaplan drills down much more deeply in “Our American Israel: The Story of an Entangled Alliance” (Harvard University Press). Be forewarned: Kaplan is a harsh critic of Israel, and she questions all of the assumptions that prompted President Barack Obama to affirm the existence of an “unbreakable bond” between the two countries.
Kaplan is the Edward W. Kane Professor of English at the University of Pennsylvania, a former president of the American Studies Association, and the recipient of fellowships from both the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute of Advanced Studies at Princeton.Her scholarly eye falls on every aspect of what she characterizes as the “mythic status and tenacious appeal” of Israel in the American imagination, and she sharply criticizes what she calls “the strangeness of an affinity that has come to be self-evident.”
Indeed, the title of her book reaches all the way back to 1799, when a New England minister preached a Thanksgiving sermon about “Our American Israel” because, as he saw it, “the people of the United States come nearer to a parallel with Ancient Israel than any other nation upon the globe.” She is just as intrigued by the way that artifacts of popular culture, such as Leon Uris’ 1958 best-selling novel, “Exodus,” and the subsequent movie version have shaped American perceptions of Israel: “One cannot overestimate the influence of ‘Exodus’ in Americanizing the Zionist narrative of Israel’s origins.” And she points out that AIPAC sent a copy of the 1978 TV miniseries “Holocaust” to every member of Congress “as part of an intense lobbying campaign against a plan to sell aircraft to Saudi Arabia.”
Kaplan recognizes how the hard realities of recent American experience have only brought us closer to Israel. “After September 11, 2001, Israel’s experience of terrorism offered Americans a ready-made vocabulary for articulating their own sense of unprecedented trauma,” she writes. But she also points out that the theological longings of “Christian Zionists” are equally powerful in shaping American policy toward Israel: “The significance of Israel was not in realizing the political goal of Jewish sovereignty, but in manifesting’s God’s sovereignty and making it possible for some Jews to convert to Christianity to correct the fatal mistake they had made in rejecting Christ two millennia ago.”
“Kaplan insists on showing us the other side of every coin. ‘The Six-Day War’ is commonly considered the turning point in the special relationship between the United States and Israel…yet the victory also marked the emergence of a ‘global counternarrative.’”
Kaplan often confronts us with facts of history that are sometimes awkward and uncomfortable. A British participant in the Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry, which studied the impact on Jewish migration to Palestine in 1946, pointed out a certain dire parallel between America’s manifest destiny and the Zionist project: “Zionism after all is merely the attempt by the European Jew to rebuild his national life on the soil of Palestine in much the same way as the American settler developed the West,” wrote Richard Crossman. “So the American will give the Jewish settler in Palestine the benefit of the doubt, and regard the Arab as the aboriginal who must go down before the march of progress.”
Kaplan insists on showing us the other side of every coin. “The Six-Day War is commonly considered the turning point in the special relationship between the United States and Israel,” she writes. “The small nation’s lightning victory and righteous cause appealed to a nation embroiled in the Vietnam War, and Americans en masse fell in love with Israel.” Yet the battlefield victory also marked the emergence of “a global counternarrative,” one that “framed the rise of Palestinian nationalism as a Third World revolutionary movement and linked Israel not with anti-colonial struggles but with American imperial power in Vietnam.” By 1982, when Israel invaded Lebanon, the atrocities in the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps prompted columnist George Will to declare: “Palestinians have now had their Babi Yar.”
Ironically, the tragedy in Lebanon only validated the Palestinian in the eyes of some American observers. “A liberal consensus emerged in the 1980s around a narrative of two peoples fighting over one land, and a belief that only mutual recognition could resolve the conflict between them,” she explains. Thus did the two-state solution become an article of faith in American foreign policy, at least until President Donald Trump, “with Vice President Mike Pence, a Christian Zionist, by his side,” recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and moved the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv. By doing so, Kaplan argues, “he appealed not only to his pro-Likud Republican Jewish backers, but also to white Christian evangelicals, who overwhelmingly supported him in the election.” And so “[the] liberal consensus has now been replaced by a conservative one.”
Kaplan concludes that Israel today is perceived by Americans not as a light unto the nations but as “an invincible victim constantly besting the challenges of a perpetual war.” Her concerns and doubts about Israel, which run throughout “Our American Israel,” are eventually spoken out loud. She concedes that Israel, nowadays hailed as the “start-up nation,” is seen by some Americans as “an idea factory, manufacturing the ‘meta-ideas’ of the future.” But she argues that “it will be a dystopian future: all around the world, people will inhabit cities that look like military zones, occupied by police indistinguishable from soldiers, and monitored by sophisticated systems of homeland security.”
Kaplan must already know that she will draw unfriendly fire from the right for the point of view she expresses in “Our American Israel,” but no American who loves and supports Israel can afford to ignore the arguments that she makes. She points out that the phrase “no daylight between the United States and Israel” has joined the phrase “unbreakable bond” in the vocabulary of the Americans who support Israel, but she refuses to ignore the facts of history or to refrain from the advocacy of even the most challenging ideas. “We must let in daylight if Americans are to understand why and how this bond has come to be seen as unbreakable,” Kaplan writes, and surely she is right about that.
Jonathan Kirsch, author and publishing attorney, is the book editor of the Jewish Journal.
