Knowing You (Sukkot)
I am in this web of twig and myrtle and shade
Breathing You
Braided with hearts and bamboo and breeze
Feeling You
Sensing songs from the willow and palm
Knowing You
Knowing You (Sukkot) Read More »
September 27, 2018
In U.N. Speech, Netanyahu Reveals Second Iranian Nuclear Site
In his Thursday speech before the United Nations General Assembly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed another secret Iran nuclear facility as well as proof that Hezbollah’s been using civilians as human shields.
The second site, which Netanyahu provided photographic evidence of, is located in Tehran. The Israeli prime minister stated that since Israel exposed one nuclear site in Tehran in May, Iran has been scrambling to cover-up the existence of the second site:
Now, countries with satellite capabilities may notice some increased activity on Maher Alley in the days and weeks ahead. The people they’ll see scurrying back and forth are Iranian officials desperately trying to finish the job of cleaning up that site. Because, you see, since we raided the atomic archive, they’ve been busy cleaning out the atomic warehouse.
Just last month, they removed 15 kilograms of radioactive material. You know what they did with it? They had 15 kilograms of radioactive material, they had to get it out of the site, so they took it out and they spread it around Tehran in an effort to hide the evidence. The endangered residents of Tehran may want to know that they can get a Geiger counter on Amazon for only $29.99. As of today that’s just 4 million Iranian rials, but we’ll get to that later. I’ll talk about the Iranian economy in a minute. They took this radioactive material and spread it around Tehran.
Now, the Iranian officials cleaning out that site still have a lot of work to do because they’ve had at least, at least 15 ship containers, they’re gigantic, 15 ship containers full of nuclear related equipment and material stored there. Now, since each of those containers can hold 20 tons of material, this means that this site contains as much as 300 tons, 300 tons of nuclear related equipment and material.
Netanyahu added, “The reason Iran didn’t destroy its atomic archive and its atomic warehouse is because it hasn’t abandoned its goal to develop nuclear weapons. In fact, it planned to use both of these sites in a few years when the time would be right to break out to the atom bomb.”
Netanyahu called Yukiya Amano, who heads the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to investigate the site. Netanyahu proceeded to issue a warning to the regime in Tehran:
Israel knows what you’re doing, and Israel knows where you’re doing it. Israel will never let a regime that calls for our destruction to develop nuclear weapons. Not now, not in 10 years, not ever.
And Israel will do whatever it must do to defend itself against Iran’s aggression. We will continue to act against you in Syria. We will act against you in Lebanon. We will act against you in Iraq. We will act against you whenever and wherever we must act to defend our state and defend our people.
Later in the speech, Netanyahu provided photographic evidence of Hezbollah, Iran’s terror proxy, placing three missile sites nearby the international airport in Beirut, evidence they are “deliberately using the innocent people of Beirut as human shields.”
“I also have a message for Hezbollah today: Israel knows, Israel also knows what you’re doing,” Netanyahu said. “Israel knows where you’re doing it. And Israel will not let you get away with it.”
Additionally, Netanyahu criticized the United Nations for accusing Israel of “apartheid” and “ethnic cleansing” of the Palestinians.
“It’s the same old anti-Semitism with a brand-new face. That’s all it is,” Netanyahu said. ”Once, it was the Jewish people that were slandered and held to a different standard. Today, it’s the Jewish state that is slandered and held to a different standard.”
Netanyahu concluded his speech with a defense of the Jewish state as the sole “vibrant democracy” in a sea of tyranny in the Middle East.
“In Israel, whether you are a Jew or an Arab, a Christian or a Muslim, a Druze or a Bedouin, or anything else, your individual rights are exactly the same, and they will always remain the same,” Netanyahu said. “…In the Middle East, where women are often treated as property, minorities are persecuted, gays are hanged, Israel stands out as a shining example of freedom and progress.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, I could not be more proud to represent my country Israel.”
Read the full transcript of Netanyahu’s speech here.
In U.N. Speech, Netanyahu Reveals Second Iranian Nuclear Site Read More »
Obituaries Week of Sept. 28
Helen Aghdas Barkohanai died Sept. 5 at 96. Survived by daughter Doris (Bahram) Nour Omid; son Iraj; 5 grandchildren; sister Victoria Farshadi; brother Parvin Daneshrad. Mount Sinai
Seymour Bond died Sept. 3 at 84. Survived by wife Harriet; daughters Karen (Jeff), Kathryn (David); 4 grandchildren. Hillside
Selma Burnstein died Sept. 5 at 100. Survived by sons Alan (Dora), Arnold, Ronald; 4 grandchildren. Hillside
Bernard Phillip Cutler died Aug. 29 at 86. Survived by wife Deirdre; daughter Lorna (Willie) Veliz; stepdaughter Julia (Mark) Reinhart; sons Keith (Edie), Lloyd (Cindy); stepson David Tomeo; 10 grandchildren; 6 great-grandchildren. Mount Sinai
Barbara “Bobbie” Deutsch died Sept. 9 at 83. Survived by daughter Marla Allen; sons Ron (Christine), Lawrence; 4 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren. Mount Sinai
Corinne Fine died Sept. 5 at 90. Survived by daughter Debra (William); son Martin; 2 grandchildren. Hillside
Ronald Friedlander died Sept. 2 at 66. Survived by mother Bevlah; father Sid. Mount Sinai
Bernard Gittelson died Sept. 3 at 87. Survived by brother Arnold. Mount Sinai
Linda F. Goldbloom died Aug. 29 at 79. Survived by husband Erwin; daughters Lori Nuss, Jana (Eric) Brody; son Gary (Ruthann); 7 grandchildren; brother Norm Levy. Mount Sinai
Felix Halpern died Sept. 6 at 94. Survived by daughters Linda (Michael) Shevitz, Bernice Cartier; 6 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren. Mount Sinai
Sybil Israel died Aug. 29 at 82. Survived by husband Richard; daughter Lynn; sons Larry, Rick. Hillside
Linda Kaufman died Aug. 28 at 71. Survived by daughters Jenny (Craig), Ariela (Baruch); 5 grandchildren; sister Sue. Hillside
Phyllis Kesner died Sept. 8 at 86. Survived by daughter Leslie; son Brad (Stacy); 6 grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild; brother Robert. Hillside
Stephani Linda King (Chapman) died Sept. 3 at 77. Survived by husband Stuart Chapman; son Ben Darren (Isabelle) Lieberman; stepson Ben Chapman; 2 grandchildren; brother Roger King. Mount Sinai
Wallace Korbin died Aug. 27 at 86. Survived by wife Barbara; sons Keith (Angela), Craig (Carolyn), Steven; 4 grandchildren; sister Harriet. Hillside
Beth Krakower died Sept. 6 at 46. Survived by mother Barbara; father Michael; sister Stacy. Hillside
Marvin Maltz died Aug. 29 at 93. Survived by daughter Miriam Vukich; 1 grandchild; 4 great-grandchildren. Mount Sinai
Sanford “Sandy” Margolin died Sept. 2 at 94. Survived by son Paul Wright. Mount Sinai
Lalik Sara Martin died Sept. 1 at 74. Survived by sons Ryan, Doron, Avi; daughters-in-law Tara, Sara; 1 grandchild.
Rose Mendelsohn died Sept. 7 at 96. Survived by daughters Jill, Toby; 1 grandchild; 2 great-grandchildren. Hillside
Steven Miller died Aug. 29 at 71. Survived by brother Rob (Jane Emerson). Mount Sinai
Howard Narvy died Aug. 31 at 70. Survived by wife Cheryl; sons Steven (Jessica Orkin), Daniel, Brian, Jason (Amy); 2 grandchildren; brother Alan (Rebecca). Mount Sinai
Osias B. Neumann died Aug. 30 at 90. Survived by wife Reba; sons David (Avital), Martin (Karen), Paul (Denise); 9 grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild. Mount Sinai
Jeffrey Rosenberg died Sept. 7 at 73. Survived by his wife, Shea; daughters Heather Joy (Josh Kamensky), Julie (Ayal Kleinman), Kaitlyn (Ben Shuman); 2 grandchildren; brother Allan (Ilana). Mount Sinai
Edward Rosenson died Sept. 9 at 77. Survived by wife Susan; son Seth (Elisabeth); 1 grandchild; brother Daniel. Hillside
Roberta Rosenthal died Sept. 4 at 77. Survived by daughters Cheryl, Michele (Todd) Parsons; son Michael (Christina); 1 grandchild; 1 great-grandchild; sister Deborah Willett; sister-in-law Susan Spear. Mount Sinai
Lawrence Ross died Sept. 3 at 85. Survived by sons Darryl (Yvette), Brad (Valerie), Craig; 4 grandchildren; brother Richard. Hillside
Rosalie Waterman died Aug. 31 at 88. Survived by son Robert Maurice; sisters Marilyn Yeplin, Betty Koondel, Sara Manson. Mount Sinai
Roberta “Betsy” Weil died Sept. 6 at 77. Survived by husband Imre Weil. Mount Sinai
Sofi Wilczynski died Sept. 3. Survived by sons David, Howard; 7 grandchildren. Mount Sinai
Richard Wildman died Sept. 4 at 82. Survived by wife Simona; daughters Jodie (Jason) Graman, Jennifer (Rod) Kesner; son David (Marilyn); 5 grandchildren. Mount Sinai
Tibor Zada died Sept. 7 at 85. Survived by wife Suzanne. Mount Sinai
Obituaries Week of Sept. 28 Read More »
Chef Duff Goldman on No Kid Hungry, Tzedakah and Duff McKagan
Chef Duff Goldman made many people take notice as the star of the Food Network reality show “Ace Of Cakes.” But the reality is that “Ace Of Cakes”— which aired for 10 seasons— is only one facet of Goldman’s career, as the executive chef has not only been part of other television shows, but also a best-selling author and in-demand collaborator for major brands. And that is without factoring in the opening and operation of Charm City Cakes West, his second shop, in Los Angeles.
I had the pleasure of doing some Q&A with Goldman himself when he was in New York for the Kellogg’s NYC Café’s first-ever restaurant residency. Held in partnership with No Kid Hungry – who he also collaborated with on a recent product line for Williams Sonoma – Goldman unveiled unexpected savory (and sweet!) recipes featuring quintessential fall flavors, showing his culinary abilities beyond cakes and pastries. Goldman opened up about his ties to the music world, although I did not have the chance to ask about his playing bass in the Elvis tribute band Danger Ace or the indierock band Sand Ox.
Jewish Journal: You are an in-demand collaborator when comes to brands and new products. Do you remember the first time your work as a chef entailed doing something beyond working in a kitchen?
Chef Duff Goldman: When I was developing a line of ice cream I got to go to ice cream HQ and start with fresh milk and go from there. It was super-exciting. There were incredible machines and thinking about making LOTS of ice cream changes the way one approaches it.
JJ: One of your recent collaborations was with No Kid Hungry, which entailed work with Kellogg’s NYC Café. How long does something like that take to prepare for?
CDG: I think we collaborated for about six months prior testing recipes and trying out the cereal. It was a totally new kind of process for me.
JJ: No Kid Hungry aside, what is coming up for you career-wise? Any upcoming projects you can talk about?
CDG: “Halloween Cake-Off” premieres in October on the Food Network.
JJ: Is there a career accomplishment that you are most proud of?
CDG: Having children and adults tell me I’ve inspired them. Not just to bake, but in life in general. That never gets old.
JJ: When not busy with your career, how do you like to spend your free time?
CDG: I’m chill. I go to the beach a lot. Ride my bike. I’m in a band…
JJ: I’ve read about your ties to the music world, like you playing in the band Foigrock, but how did you wind up making a wedding cake for Neil Fallon of Clutch?
CDG: Neil’s little sister and I had been friends since college and he was getting married in Colorado very close to where I was working as a pastry chef at the time.
JJ: Speaking of hard rock musicians, have you ever encountered Duff McKagan?
CDG: I have. We were at the premiere of a documentary about Jaco Pastorius together.
JJ: Finally, what first inspired you to get involved with Tzedakah?
CDG: My parents. It was very important to them growing up to make sure that I knew there were people in the world who were less fortunate than me and to always help anyone whenever possible. It’s been a blessing that they did, because the joy and fulfillment one can feel from giving is a singular emotion not felt in many circumstances.
More on Chef Duff Goldman can be found online at www.charmcitycakes.com, while Goldman can be followed on Instagram and Twitter via @DuffGoldman.
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The Wit and Wisdom of Fran Lebowitz
The 1970s were a grim decade in New York: the city teetering near bankruptcy, the Son of Sam murders, Studio 54.
If there was a bright spot, it was author, public speaker and occasional actor Fran Lebowitz’s monthly column, “I Cover the Waterfront,” on the last page of Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine. Her columns were tart, finely observed and urbane, filled with word play and aphoristic pronouncements that earned her comparisons to Dorothy Parker.
Collected in two books, “Metropolitan Life” and “Social Studies,” now compiled in “The Fran Lebowitz Reader,” they still bristle with a keen intelligence and can still make you laugh, even if some of the subjects have long since faded into the past.
Lebowitz, 67, had a recurring role as a judge on “Law and Order” from 2000-07 and was the subject of Martin Scorsese’s 2010 HBO documentary “Public Speaking.” But she hasn’t published another book since 1981. Her distinctive, world-weary voice occasionally pops up in Vanity Fair, a bracing shot of bitters against the cotton candy of lifestyle journalism. There were rumors of two novels, “Progress” and “Exterior Signs of Wealth,” but the promised publication dates passed without issue.
Speaking with the Journal by telephone from her home in New York recently, she said she was about halfway through both books and had proposed publishing them together — “Two halves make a whole, right?” — but for some reason her publisher was less than enthusiastic. The problem with publishing, she said, is that no one has any sense of fun.
Lebowitz indulged in a free-ranging conversation, chatting about everything from the Donald Trump administration and what really bothers her, to ruminating about Jewish comedians and the disparate quality of bagels in New York and Los Angeles.
Jewish Journal: As a funny person and a Jew, why do you think Jews are so associated with comedy?
Fran Lebowtiz: I’m not sure that’s true any more. There are still funny Jews and Jewish comics, but Jewish comedians, as a group, they’re no longer prominent. Their place has been taken by Black comedians. I don’t watch much TV, but whenever I see a comedian and think they’re funny — they’re Black. And it’s happened for the same reason. It’s immigrant humor; it’s the point of view of the outsider looking in. Jews are still thought of as comic. A friend of mine was looking to cast a comedian and there was one person she liked, but didn’t cast. He wasn’t Jewish, she said. Neither was she, I told her. “But I’m from New York,” she said. As if it’s the same thing.
But funny is funny. Look at Leo Rosten. He’s the Jewish James Thurber. The kind of writer who makes you laugh out loud. I made a friend of mine read “The Education of H*Y*M*A*N K*A*P*L*A*N” — she’s Boston Italian — and she agreed. But the world of that generation is disappearing. The same with Thurber. That small-town Ohio life: That world is gone. But you can still discover it in a book. That’s why people should read.
JJ: So what do you think caused this change? Assimilation?
FL: The worst thing that happened to the Jews is that so many of them became Republicans … or, even worse, neo-cons.
JJ: Did this change help give us Donald Trump?
FL: [Trump voters] are reactionaries. Look, Donald Trump’s family were German immigrants, and his father, Fred, was a KKK member who probably wished they never left Germany. Many others wish that as well.
A friend is very upset that [people like] Michael Cohen and Stephen Miller work with Trump. But it didn’t start with Trump. Many of the people who advised George W. Bush about Iraq — John Podhoretz, William Kristol — they were Jewish. My mother used to watch the Army/McCarthy hearings in the ’50s, and what drove her crazy was seeing Roy Cohn. That was a name everyone knew was Jewish.
JJ: What bothers you the most?
FL: Telling kids they have self-esteem. When I was young, you were taught not to talk about yourself. But today, not only do kids talk about themselves, they talk about themselves first. Why do kids even need self-esteem? They haven’t done anything yet.
JJ: You once advised chefs that if no one has thought of putting grapes in a chicken dish before, there’s a good reason for it.
FL: I wrote that 40 years ago!
JJ: Speaking of food, what did you think of people complaining about [“Sex and the City” star/New York gubernatorial candidate] Cynthia Nixon ordering a cinnamon-raisin bagel with lox and cream cheese at Zabar’s?
FL: Goyim! What are you going to do with them? Years ago, I took a friend from the Midwest to Lindy’s. She ordered a pastrami on white with mayo. The waiter looked at her and said, “No.” She started arguing with him, and I told him to just bring her a regular sandwich: on rye with mustard.
JJ: Do you notice a difference in audiences when you’re in L.A. from New York?
FL: New Yorkers are quicker. And more aggressive. I take questions from the audience. If you don’t call on a New Yorker, they’ll shout out their question anyway.
JJ: And Los Angeles?
FL: It’s not really a city. It’s gotten better. But those things they call bagels? New Yorkers know they’re just doughnuts. I still can’t take spending hours either driving a car or being driven.
Lebowitz is currently on a speaking tour. She will be appearing at the Theatre at Ace Hotel on Sept. 30, as part of the 2018-19 CAP UCLA season. She’ll be interviewed by KCRW’s Matt Holzman, followed by an audience Q-and-A session.
Steven Mirkin is a freelance writer and a copy editor at the Jewish Journal.
The Wit and Wisdom of Fran Lebowitz Read More »
Idina Menzel Gets ‘Wicked’ for Halloween
Idina Menzel, who won a Tony award for best actress in 2004 for the “Wizard of Oz” prequel musical “Wicked,” will reunite with her Broadway co-star Kristin Chenoweth for the NBC special “A Very Wicked Halloween: Celebrating 15 Years on Broadway,” airing Oct. 29 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
Menzel and Chenoweth will host and perform several songs in the special, which will be taped at Broadway’s Marquis Theater, and will include performances by Ariana Grande, Pentatonix and the current Broadway cast of “Wicked.” Glenn Weiss, whose Emmy night proposal to his stunned girlfriend Jan Friedlander Svendsen was the evening’s surprise highlight, will direct.
Based on the novel “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” by Gregory Maguire, “Wicked” has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, and a book by Winnie Holzman. It focuses on witches of Oz Glinda (Chenoweth) and green-skinned Elphaba (Menzel) and their rivalry-turned-friendship.
Menzel will reprise her role as Elsa from “Frozen” in the animated “Wreck It Ralph 2: Ralph Breaks the Internet,” which hits theaters on Nov. 21.
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Duct Tape Simchat Torah Flags
One of the most joyful ways for children to participate in Simchat Torah is to wave flags in the synagogue. There are mass-produced flags you can purchase, but being a DIY guy, I find the act of making something also provides a valuable teaching moment.
For this project, I decided to make the flags out of duct tape. Duct tape works great because you can assemble the flag without having to glue or staple. It sticks so well to the stick, you don’t have to worry about the flag flying off. You can use contrasting colors of duct tape for decoration. And it’s so durable, you can reuse the flags next year.
What you’ll need:
Duct tape, various colors
Ruler
Scissors
Wax or parchment paper
Chopstick
1. Cut or tear five strips of duct tape that are about six inches long. Layer the strips, overlapping one on top of the other by about half an inch until you have one large piece of duct tape. It helps to work on a cutting mat or a piece of parchment paper so the tape doesn’t stick to the tape.
2. Fold the sheet of duct tape in half so the sticky side adheres to itself. Press down with your fingers to get out any air bubbles.
3. Cut the piece of duct tape to your desired flag size. I made my flag five inches wide by four inches high.
4. If you’d like, cut out a triangle on the right side of the duct tape for a more traditional “swallowtail” shape.
5. Cut shapes out of duct tape in contrasting colors to decorate the flag. My trick for cutting the shapes without getting the scissors stuck on the tape is to adhere the tape to wax or parchment paper first before cutting. You can also draw or write on the duct tape with a marker.
6. Use a strip of duct tape to adhere the flag to a chopstick. As I said, no glue is necessary. And remind the kids to be careful in waving the flags, as we don’t want anyone poking an eye out.
If you make this project, we’d love to see it! Post it on social media with #JJcrafts
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 jonathanfongstyle.com.
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What’s Happening: Skirball Harvest Festival, Anat Hoffman Speaks and more
FRI SEPT 28
“UK Underdog”
A young Jewish boy in London transforms himself from bullied underdog to martial artist, boxer and community leader in Steve Spiro’s autobiographical solo show, “UK Underdog.” The playwright is the president and co-founder of the nonprofit Shelter Transport Animal Rescue Team (START Rescue), which focuses on relocating dogs and cats from high-kill shelters in California. All profits from the world premiere engagement will be donated to anti-bullying and animal rescue organizations. See ticket website to choose a charity. 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, through Oct. 28. $25. Zephyr Theatre, 7456 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles. (323) 960-7788.
SAT SEPT 29
“A Night in the Catskills”
Whether you’re an alter-kacker who remembers when Jerry Lewis was a tummler at Brown’s or were too young to experience it and want to see what all the tumult was about, “A Night in the Catskills: A Borscht Belt Variety Show” promises a fun-filled evening of music and comedy. Not a re-creation of the shows that brought Jewish families up and down the East Coast to Grossinger’s, Brown’s and Kutsher’s, “A Night in the Catskills” features new music and variety performers that nod to the classic Borscht Belt traditions. All that’s missing is heartburn from the dinner buffet. For those who want a real up-close-and-personal experience, onstage seating is available, which gets you right in the thick of things, with a table for two and a bucket with Champagne, wine or soda. 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. $40-$50, Onstage seating, $55. El Portal Theater, 5269 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood. (818) 508-4200.
SUN SEPT 30
Family Yoga with Doda
If you’ve ever taken a Yoga class, you’re familiar with the “child pose.” With this program at American Jewish University, parents and children can become trees, mountains, cobras and downward dogs. Led by Mollie Wine, a certified Yoga Yeladim instructor who leads AJU’s “Grandma and Me” program, this beginner’s class mixes stretching and meditation techniques — which Doda Mollie says helps calm the “meshugge monkeys” in your brain — with Jewish traditions and stories. Open to parents, grandparents and children ages 7-12. 11 a.m. $20. American Jewish University, 15600 Mulholland Dr., Bel Air. (310) 440-1572.
Skirball Harvest Festival
The Skirball Center invites you and your family to celebrate Sukkot at its daylong event. The museum’s hillside campus becomes a socially conscious market where you can wander and taste the harvest from Southern California’s artisans, farmers and craft beer brewers. While the food is locally sourced, the music spans the world, from the bluegrass band Big Bad Rooster and Indian bhangra ensemble Blue13 Dance Company to Afro-Cuban folkloric dancer Kati Hernández with the KimBámbula Cuban Ensemble. You also can learn Israeli folk dance from David Dassa and take part in interactive community art activities. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. $5 (includes museum admission); members and children under 2, free. Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 440-4500.
Fran Lebowitz
A humorist and social chronicler who has been called (more than once) a modern-day Dorothy Parker, Lebowitz’s work has been must-read since the 1970s, when she wrote a monthly column for Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine and published the books of essays “Social Studies” and “Metropolitan Life.” Part kvetch, part Cassandra, Lebowitz — a regular guest on Conan O’Brien’s and Bill Maher’s talk shows — is a keen observer of politics and mores with a unique and trenchant voice. She’ll be in conversation with KCRW’s Matt Holzman, followed by an audience Q&A, kicking off the “Words and Ideas” series for CAP UCLA. 7 p.m. $29-$59. Theatre at the Ace Hotel, 929 S. Broadway, Downtown Los Angeles. (213) 623-3233.
“So Healthy Together”
Suicide is becoming an epidemic in the United States, as the suicide rate has risen nearly 30 percent over the last decade. Nearly 1 in 5 Americans are struggling with some form of mental illness or depression. In response to this crisis, Rabbi Noah Farkas of Valley Beth Shalom has organized “So Healthy Together: A Community Response to Mental Health Issues and Suicide Prevention.” The yearlong program launches with a panel discussion led by Farkas with Dr. Steven Siegel, chair of USC’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Dr. Brigid Mariko Conn of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles; and Susan Auerbach, Cal State Northridge professor of education and author of “I’ll Write Your Name on Every Beach: A Mother’s Quest for Comfort, Courage and Clarity After Suicide Loss.” After the discussion, representatives from mental health organizations, including Didi Hirsch, Teen Line and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, will be available to answer questions and provide more information. Farkas hopes the program will lead to “a positive, healthy and resilient” com-munity. 1-3 p.m. Free. Valley Beth Shalom, 15739 Ventura Blvd., Encino. (818) 788-6000.
MON OCT 1
Fischmann Family Lecture
Decades after the Holocaust, Loyola Law School professor Stanley Goldman learned his mother may have been rescued from the Ravensbrück concentration camp. This discovery led to years of research and a book, “Left to the Mercy of a Rude Stream: The Bargain That Broke Adolf Hitler and Saved My Mother.” It is the story of how Norbert Masur, a German Jew, returned from the safety of Sweden to barter for the release of the Jewish women imprisoned at Ravensbrück. Goldman discusses the book with Michael Bazyler, professor of law at Chapman University. A kosher dessert reception follows. 7 p.m. Free. Roski Dining Room, University Hall, Loyola Marymount University, 1 LMU Drive, Los Angeles. (310) 338-2700.
WED OCT 3
Fighting for Her Rights
Israeli activist Anat Hoffman speaks at Reconstructionist congregation Kehillat Israel. She has been arrested multiple times for wearing a tallit at the Western Wall and is an opponent of forcing women to change seats on airplanes to accommodate Orthodox men. Born on a kibbutz and a graduate of UCLA, Hoffman has spent much of her professional life campaigning for religious pluralism in Israel. Thirty years ago, she founded Women of the Wall. She is executive director of the Israel Religious Action Center. 7:30-9 p.m. Free. Kehillat Israel, 16019 W. Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades. (310) 459-2328.
THU OCT 4
“The Silence of Others”
The documentary “The Silence of Others” highlights the 40 years of suffering endured by Spaniards during the dictatorial reign of Gen. Francisco Franco. The film, which screens at the Museum of Tolerance, was six years in the making. Executive produced by Pedro Almodovar, it follows compensation-seeking survivors as they battle the contemporary Spanish government. 7 p.m. $10 members, $12 general. Museum of Tolerance, 9786 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 772-2505.
Miri Mesika
Israeli pop singer Miri Mesika performs at American Jewish University. Born 40 years ago in Herzliya to a Tunisian-Jewish father and an Iraqi-Jewish mother, Mesika, known for her romantic and emotional music, gained public attention following the 2005 release of her debut album, “Miri Mesika,” produced and mixed by her husband, Ori Zakh. 8:30-10 p.m. $70-100. American Jewish University, 15600 Mulholland Drive, Los Angeles. (310) 476-9777.
SIMCHAT TORAH EVENTS
SUN SEPT 30
Leo Baeck Temple
Visit Leo Baeck Temple for one of the most joyous nights of the year. Celebrate the completion of the annual Torah reading cycle. The entire Torah will be unrolled into a great circle, and visitors will dance with the sacred text. The celebration concludes with ice cream and Israeli dancing. 6-8 p.m. Free. Leo Baeck Temple, 1300 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 476-2861.
MON OCT 1t
IKAR
How’s your endurance? The IKAR congregation holds six hours of Simchat Torah programming for all ages — “a night of few words, big hearts and lots of fancy footwork.” To mark the end of the annual Torah reading cycle, many synagogue attendees will receive aliyahs and be invited to dance around the sanctuary with the rare honor of holding the Torah. For the first 90 minutes of the evening, children age 5 and under can engage in diverse activities. 5:30-5:45 p.m. arts and crafts; 5:45-6:15 p.m. Simchat Torah service; 6:15-7 p.m. dinner; 7-11:30 p.m. dancing with the Torah. Free. Shalhevet High School, 910 S. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles. (323) 634-1870.
Adat Ari El
Bring a vegetarian or dairy picnic to Adat Ari El and participate in an energetic Simchat Torah musical service with the N’ranena Band. Party with the Torah and enjoy ice cream and Israeli dancing. 6 p.m. dinner; 7 p.m. tefilah celebration. Free. Adat Ari El, 12020 Burbank Blvd., Valley Village. (818) 766-9426. RSVP to the link above.
What’s Happening: Skirball Harvest Festival, Anat Hoffman Speaks and more Read More »
Letters to the Editor: Sukkot Invitation, People With Special Needs and Ford Versus Kavanaugh
Sukkot Invitation
Concerning who I’d invite to Sukkot: hands down my maternal grandparents (“Ushpizin: Who Would You Invite Into Your Sukkah?” Sept. 21). My grandfather died when I was 7, so I never knew him well; I want that remedied. My grandmother died when I was 21, so I knew her much better, and in addition to seeing and talking with her, I want her homemade chopped liver again.
Stephen Meyers, Woodland Hills
Editorial Cartoon
The liberal bias of most alternative and mainstream publications, including the Journal, extends to editorial cartoons.
For example, the Sept. 21 cartoon by Steve Greenberg depicts a dutiful Gov. Jerry Brown at his desk, decked with an inbox filled with “Climate Change Action” and an outbox, occupied by a scowling President Donald Trump.
The outbox should have been stamped “Immigration and Population” — the engines that drive every economic, environmental and social problem in a sanctuary state that is predicted to have 65 million people by the year 2050.
Les Hammer, via email
People With Special Needs
Michelle K. Wolf wrote about a 72-year-old man named Steven who needed help from Jewish Family Service (“People With Special Needs Also Need Trusts,” Sept. 14). She stated that Supplemental Security Income rules prohibit single beneficiaries from having more than $2,000 in assets. That is true. As a 72-year-old, he would be collecting Social Security, either from his work record or his parents’ record. And he would be covered by Medicare. Medi-Cal would be paying the premiums. And if you collect Social Security, there is no limit to assets with Medi-Cal. Social Security pays more than Medi-Cal. Yes, it is impossible to live on the small amount of money disability insurance pays. The Jewish Los Angeles Trust is most necessary.
Barbara Polisky, Westlake Village
Why Jews Succeed
Writer Henry Ong speculates on why Jews are successful out of proportion to our numbers (“Finance Lessons for the Whole World,” Sept. 21). He concludes that Jews have had to prove their worth despite millennia of persecution. I think he omits another reason, perhaps two.
Christians have historically valued celibacy and have therefore selected smart, young men for the priesthood, taking them out of the gene pool. By contrast, Jews have valued scholars of the Torah who became preferential marriage partners in villages and cities throughout Jewish Europe.
In ancient times, everyone valued tall, fierce warriors with long arms for hand-to-hand combat. Even the Hebrews did so, as told in the David-and-Goliath story. A disciplined army carrying swords and shields (e.g., Roman legions) would defeat an army armed with projectiles (Agincourt being an exception). After Jews lost title to their lands, they no longer selected big warriors. Modern Israel, as do most technological countries, fights wars with smart men and women.
Another reason Ong did not cite is that Judaism emphasizes action to improve the world while most other religions have elaborate doctrines to be learned by adherents.
Myron Kayton, via email
Israel Benefits From Republican Leaders
David Suissa is supposed to be a conservative voice for the Journal, yet his holiday message was dripping with anti-Donald Trump hatred, spreading the “resistance” message of prominent left-wing rabbis and adding his own “march on Washington” comments (“Speaking Truth to Power — Ours,” Sept. 21). As the old year wraps up, we are grateful for a pro-Israel president, who opened the American Embassy in Jerusalem; a president who is giving Iranians sanctions instead of planeloads of cash; a president who has an Orthodox-Jewish daughter and Jewish grandchildren; a Republican-majority Congress that blesses Israel and funds Israeli military; and an administration that defunds the PLO so it can’t use our money to pay terrorists’ families. My heart breaks that Suissa and his ilk can’t see the blessings that are right in front of his eyes for this country and for Israel.
Marsha Roseman, Van Nuys
Love the new Jewish Journal, developed under the wise and creative guidance of Editor-in-Chief David Suissa. As a now-devoted subscriber, I always look forward to reading Suissa’s engaging “Editor’s Notes,” which are so elegantly written and so filled with warmth, compassion, understanding and welcome truths. Thank you for this exceptional publication.
Susan Ehrlich, via email
SJP at UCLA
Regarding “SJP to Host Anti-Zionist Event at UCLA” (Sept. 14), when the speakers preach Jew-hatred and Holocaust-denial as expected, college administrators probably won’t interfere, since criticism of Islam is forbidden on the left, while demonization of Israel is common.
Rueben Gordon, via email
Stabbing Death of Ari Fuld
The Palestinian AARP is not like our AARP (“Remembering the ‘Lion of Zion,’” Sept. 21). It’s an abbreviation for Arab Assassins Retirement Plan.
Under this plan, if you murder a Jew, any Jew, and you are killed in the process, your family members are compensated for the rest of their lives for having done the world the favor of giving birth to a child who rid the planet of an undesirable person.
If the murderer doesn’t die in the attack but is imprisoned for life, then a lifetime monthly pension is paid. The killer’s family gets the money anyway because it can’t be spent in prison. The latest beneficiary of this ghoulish system will be the suspected killer of Ari Fuld (z”l).
It doesn’t stop there. Thanks to the generosity of many governments, including ours, this blood money costs the Arab Palestinians nothing because it comes from donations by others.
The educational system that feeds hate to Arab-Palestinian youth, and of course parental support, gives wings to this system. And thanks to the gullibility of millions, and an unhealthy dose of anti-Semitic sentiment around the world, the funding of the Palestinian “AARP” seems destined to continue unless Donald Trump stays in the White House. How awkward.
Desmond Tuck, via email
Ford Versus Kavanaugh
In the ongoing battle of professor Christine Blasey Ford versus Judge Brett Kavanaugh, one seems to be faced with the challenging decision on which “conspiracy” to believe.
To liberals/Democrats on the left, the saga of Kavanaugh is “obviously“ a conspiracy by old, Republican, white men to fail to protect women from sexual predators and thoroughly investigate such charges.
To conservatives/Republicans on the right, this is an obvious “ploy” by anti-Donald Trump operatives, and the “usual suspects” (leftist/activist citizens and lawyers) to drag up some obscure “accusation” of 30-plus years ago, and try desperately to give it some authenticity; hence, railroading or at least delaying installing a new judge until after the midterm elections.
Pick your poison?
Rick Solomon, Lake Balboa
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Israel to Boycott UNESCO Anti-Semitism Event
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced in a Wednesday statement that he would be declining UNESCO [United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization]’s invitation to attend an event on anti-Semitism, criticizing the entity’s “persistent and egregious bias against Israel.”.
Netanyahu pointed out that UNESCO has passed 71 resolutions condemning Israel since 2009, with only two other resolutions condemning other countries.
“The mark of anti-Semitism was once singling out the Jewish people for slander and condemnation,” Netanyahu said. “The mark of anti-Semitism today is singling out the Jewish state for slander and condemnation.”
Netanyahu added that UNESCO needs to stop denying Israel’s historical ties to the Western Wall and the Cave of the Patriarchs.
“If and when UNESCO ends its bias against Israel, stops denying history and starts standing up for the truth, Israel will be honored to rejoin,” Netanyahu said. “Until then, Israel will fight anti-Semitism at UNESCO and everywhere else.”
Both the United States and Israel exited from UNESCO in 2017; at the time, the State Department stated that it was due to UNESCO’s bias against Israel and that they kept Syria on the human rights committee despite the ongoing civil war in the country.
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