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Jewish Journal

Connect. Inform. Inspire.

March 31, 2022

Yeshiva University’s 22 Year Old, Eli Jonah Karls, Impacts Millions Through Meaningful Content on Social Media

Blogs /

The crowd roared as some of the world’s hottest DJs and artists, including the renowned DJ duo, Vicetone, shattered the speakers at the BunnyTown Music Festival. Thousands of college teenagers crammed into the venue for the party of the year, waiting to experience a high of a lifetime. Behind the spinning discs was a young, ambitious, Jewish teenager — Eli Jonah Karls — and his best friend, Nathan Basal, who together, after eight months of planning and promoting, created one of the most successful teenage events Montreal has ever witnessed. 

As an entrepreneurial teenager, Karls had aspirations of creating and connecting a young community of music lovers just like him, but his age prevented him from reaching his endeavors. Nevertheless, he was determined; the young pioneer took over the largest event venue in downtown Montreal where he hosted the festival. “Nothing was going to stop us,” Karls insisted. “We had a goal and it was not about ‘if’ we were going to do it but rather ‘how.’” BunnyTown was one of the many festivals Karls organized, all of which were an attempt to find a sense of meaning and purpose.

Several months later, with a suitcase in hand, Karls found himself at Montreal’s Trudeau International Airport ready to begin a new journey, but little did he know that it would change his life forever. “Eli was the last thing March of the Living expected to see,” his parents explain. “Here was a kid, who attended an ex-catholic public high school and organized raves, yearning for a connection with G-d.” The March of the Living is an educational program that brings teenagers from around the world to Poland and Israel, where they explore the devastations and impact of the Holocaust. On one of the morning activities, walking on the tracks between the gates of Auschwitz, holding on to Eli’s arm was a frail holocaust survivor who was revisiting the same footsteps his family had walked before their last moments. “It was the first time I encountered someone who lived for a purpose greater than himself,” Karls asserts. “The survivor’s story of bravery revealed to me that I was here for a greater purpose than simply producing raves.” After the trip, the ex-festival producer decided to forgo university and embark on a new chapter by attending Yeshiva, a Jewish spiritual and character growth-focused institution, hoping to find what he was seeking. Before he knew it, Karls had spent two years working on his spiritual growth between the divine walls of the old city of Jerusalem. He comments on that life-changing experience, “I had never been happier in my life, and it wasn’t just a high, but an everyday feeling that was not found elsewhere.” Although Eli became a changed man, when he came back home, he was met with the reality that not everyone has the will to pursue and commit to their dreams, leaving them living unfulfilling lives.

In order to create a “mass impact on his generation,” the emerging leader knew that he needed a platform bigger than his journal. He decided to create content about happiness, social impact, and purpose on social media platforms, the place he knew best from his music festival days. “It is the common people, the ones we pass on our walks in the city, who actually impact our lives much more than we think,” Karls told us regarding his choice to engage with strangers. “I ask what makes them happy and what I could do to make their day.” Through this platform, he hopes to incentivize people to make their own positive impact with simple acts of kindness. 

“It has been a humbling experience to learn from and be inspired by Eli’s passion and genuine interactions with strangers in his videos,” said Levi Paris, a Yeshiva University music artist. “His content is shifting the online culture and community around him.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Karls devoted his time spearheading various social impact projects including an influencer and celebrity social media campaign for mental health awareness. He collaborated with his friends Ari Solomon, a talented sports graphic designer, and NHL Detroit Redwings Forward, Joe Veleno. The initiative quickly received support from numerous pro-athletes like the NHL stars from the Chicago Blackhawks, Kirby Dach, and Montreal Canadiens’, Nick Suzuki, along with music artist, Karl Wolf, and Global News TV. Soon after their successful campaign, Eli began consulting the Tennis World Champion, Bianca Andreescu, about her social media presence, content strategy, and community. Additionally, he began advising Disney and Dreamworks Filmmaker, Saul Blinkoff,  with his online presence. Amidst quarantine, Eli was invited to the social audio drop-in app, Clubhouse, where he made life-long friendships with notable entrepreneurs, Matt Gottesman and Jay Rosenzweig, who today play active roles as mentors and close friends he cherishes. On any given day Eli would be seen juggling his college classes, creating and posting content, while simultaneously sharing stages with Steve Aoki, Dimitri Vegas, Grant Cardone, and many more. He then was offered a job by the NFL Superbowl Champion, Julian Edelman’s manager, as their NFT projects manager of their digital media company, Super Digital. 

Following the uprise of events, a distinguished Canadian investor stumbled upon one of Eli’s videos where he immediately invited Eli to his office. He had planned to send him to Los Angeles but eventually did not believe in what Karls could build. Regardless, the now 22-year-old decided to fly to Los Angeles and follow G-d’s plan.

In his first week, he bumped into the viral social media sensation, YesTheory. Eli remembers it as a breakthrough moment, being able to chat with Thomas Brag, who he’d been watching for years, and now offering him a job on their team. Just as the ambitious leader thought things would come back to reality, he met with viral Facebook & Youtube creator Markian Benhamou, who expressed his belief in him — offering a job at the end of their dinner.

Today, Eli Jonah Karls devotes his time to building authentic, strong communities; only this time, in contrast to his teenage days, he is doing it in its purest form. “If you would’ve told me five years ago that I’d be building a channel with a 13 million-member platform YouTuber, conversing with Calvin Harris about NFTs, collaborating with Nas Daily, and creating meaningful content to inspire millions, I would have never believed you,” says Karls. In conjunction with his work, he still maintains his rigorous dual-curriculum schedule at Yeshiva University, prioritizing his religious duties.

The viral creator is currently working on two of his biggest projects in which he confidently says will be the most successful he’s ever built. The first, being WHYOU, a purpose-driven community of college students uniting to create, connect, and build towards a meaningful, happy life. Additionally, he is working on ‘MONDAY MORNINGS’, an NFT company that uses NFTs to forge social change. He’s built an impressive board including esteemed entrepreneur Jay Rosenzweig, Hollywood actor David Bianchi, and NFT artist—Alejandro-Knight-Reyes [Paul McCartney’s content creator], along with his childhood friend Nathan Basal.

As Steve Jobs once said, “Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers … the ones who see things differently … They push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the people who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”Karls affirms, “I’m not crazy, I’m just taking calculated risks and betting on myself.”

Yeshiva University’s 22 Year Old, Eli Jonah Karls, Impacts Millions Through Meaningful Content on Social Media Read More »

Jewish Groups Celebrate Lipstadt’s Confirmation As Antisemitism Envoy

United States /

Myriad Jewish groups celebrated Emory University Professor Deborah Lipstadt’s confirmation as Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism on March 30.

Lipstadt, who was nominated by President Joe Biden in July 2021, received a unanimous vote in favor of her confirmation after Senate Republicans held up her vote. Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) in particular stalled her nomination after she had previously accused him of expressing a white supremacist view over comments he made in March 2021 saying he wasn’t concerned during the January 6 storming of the Capitol but would have been concerned if the protesters were Black Lives Matter and antifa members.

Anti-Defamation League (ADL) CEO Jonathan Greenblatt tweeted, “Mazal Tov to Dr. @DeborahLipstadt on her confirmation as the US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism. I look forward to working w/her & feel excited that such an eminently qualified person will lead the US govt effort to combat #antisemitism around the world.”

The American Jewish Committee similarly tweeted, “We applaud the Senate for confirming Professor @DeborahLipstadt as U.S. Special Antisemitism Envoy. For 40 years, she has taught the lessons of the Holocaust and antisemitism. Her confirmation is a critical step in the fight against Jew-hatred around the globe.”

Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish American Organizations CEO William Daroff also said in a statement, “Having been involved with the creation of the post, working with the late Senator George Voinovich (R-OH) and the late Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA), I can attest that her expertise is needed now more than ever – with antisemitism and Jew-hatred at seemingly all-time highs. We are still haunted as a community be the attack on the synagogue in Colleyville, Texas at the beginning of the year. And this week in Israel, terrorists claiming allegiance to the Islamic State have killed 11 innocent people in three different cities. We offer our full support at this critical time on behalf of American Jewry and look forward to working with Ambassador Lipstadt in the ongoing fight against antisemitism.”

Union of Reform Judaism President Rabbi Rick Jacobs tweeted, “It took way too long but we are excited that the most qualified person for the job will finally be able to get busy combatting antisemitism.”

Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA) CEO Halie Soifer said in a statement, “We are thrilled that the inimitable Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt has been confirmed for this important role with the rank of Ambassador. Her extensive experience and qualifications are unparalleled, and Jews around the world will no doubt benefit from having her in this role.” She criticized Senate Republicans for stalling her nomination, calling their opposition a “paper tiger” and a “political game.” “Republicans’ unconscionable delay of Ambassador Lipstadt’s confirmation hindered the ability of the U.S. government to monitor and combat global antisemitism for nearly a year,” Soifer added. “JDCA is grateful to President Biden and Democratic senators for ensuring Ambassador Lipstadt’s confirmation. Now, she can get to work and do what she has done for decades: expose antisemitism and root it out wherever and whenever it may emerge.”

Democratic Majority for Israel similarly tweeted, “Congratulations to Amb. @deborahlipstadt
on her unanimous confirmation in the Senate to be Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism. That the GOP chose to needlessly delay a vote on her nomination for 8 months is a sad commentary on their commitment to fighting this hate.”

Jewish Groups Celebrate Lipstadt’s Confirmation As Antisemitism Envoy Read More »

Under My Skin – A poem for Parsha Tazria

Judaism, Poetry, Torah /

…the kohen shall quarantine him for seven days…And the kohen shall look at it on the seventh day. If it has spread on the skin, the kohen shall pronounce him unclean.
– Leviticus 13:26-27

All the studiers of Torah love it
when Tazria comes along.

We wait all year for its tales of
lesions and quarantine.

When it finally gets here, we don’t know
what to do with ourselves.

Quarantine used to have nothing to do with our
daily lives outside of movies or studies of the past.

Now, thanks to our bougie pandemic lifestyle,
all it takes is a single email from work or school

and we’re stuck home again.
The masks are coming off but all it takes is

one eager variant and the Kohanim will
turn this pandemic right around.

I saw a man not wearing a mask in the market
long before the restriction had faded.

He did not appreciate my shocked eyes.
Stare much he asked.

Risk everyone’s life much I was not
brave enough to answer him.

And then there was the cook at the
local coffeeshop who was, apparently,

too hot to keep his mask on. I watched as
he picked up slices of cheese with his

bare hands and put them on top of eggs.
Too graphic for you? For me too.

(I assure you this was reflected in
the Yelp review.)

That’s Tazria for you. Our annual gift
from the writers of the Torah.

Tazria – It’s not just for spring anymore.
Our ancient priests have never been busier.

God Wrestler: a poem for every Torah Portion by Rick LupertLos Angeles poet Rick Lupert created the Poetry Super Highway (an online publication and resource for poets), and hosted the Cobalt Cafe weekly poetry reading for almost 21 years. He’s authored 25 collections of poetry, including “God Wrestler: A Poem for Every Torah Portion“, “I’m a Jew, Are You” (Jewish themed poems) and “Feeding Holy Cats” (Poetry written while a staff member on the first Birthright Israel trip), and most recently “The Tokyo-Van Nuys Express” (Poems written in Japan – Ain’t Got No Press, August 2020) and edited the anthologies “Ekphrastia Gone Wild”, “A Poet’s Haggadah”, and “The Night Goes on All Night.” He writes the daily web comic “Cat and Banana” with fellow Los Angeles poet Brendan Constantine. He’s widely published and reads his poetry wherever they let him.

Under My Skin – A poem for Parsha Tazria Read More »

UK Conservative Candidate Suspended for Condolences to B’nei Brak Terror Attack Victims

Worldwide /

A candidate for Britain’s Conservative Party in a local race has been suspended after giving condolences to the victims of the recent B’nei Brak terror attack in Israel.

The Jewish News reported that the candidate, Dr. Shadman Zadman, had posted on social media that the terror attack was the third in a week in Israel and shared his “deepest condolences” to the victims’ loved ones. Zadman was told by the local party leader, Nick Jones, via WhatsApp to take down the post because they need to keep the election “local.” Zadman refused, and thus Jones suspended him.

Jones told The Jewish News, “I have categorically not told candidates they cannot post pro-Israel sentiments. However, I have made clear that the social media must be local about the Conservatives plan to deliver a cleaner, greener, safer borough.” A friend of Zadman’s told The Jewish News that Zadman was “surprised” by Jones’ actions, saying that Zadman “has made no secret of his support for the state of Israel in the past, and wanted to express his sympathies to those affected by the terror attacks over the past few days that have taken place there.” 

Jewish groups denounced Zadman’s suspension.

“Wrong UK politician lost his job,” the Simon Wiesenthal Center tweeted. “Conservative party official should be out. Expressing condolences to victims of terror is not political – it’s human decency.”

Stop Antisemitism tweeted that Zadman’s suspension was “outrageous.”

Zadman moved to Britain in 2017 after becoming the first Bangladeshi national to visit Israel. Bangladesh does not have diplomatic relations with Israel, although the Bangladeshi government has removed their travel ban to Israel.

UK Conservative Candidate Suspended for Condolences to B’nei Brak Terror Attack Victims Read More »

Movers & Shakers: Wilshire Blvd Temple Concert, AJC Project Interchange, L.A. Federation Luncheon

Movers & Shakers /

Last month, Wilshire Boulevard Temple (WBT) held a fundraising concert for Ukraine. 

Held on March 20 in the sanctuary at WBT’s University Campus in West Los Angeles, “Standing Up to a Modern Day Haman: A Classical Concert for Ukraine” raised more than $23,000 for HIAS, which has responded to the current crisis in Ukraine with emergency humanitarian assistance to those displaced by the conflict. 

Replacing the congregation’s traditional Purim events, the WBT concert featured music by Ukrainian composers, a brief explanation of the centuries-old Jewish heritage in Ukraine and the reading of parts of the Megillah. 

“If you want to understand the current war in Ukraine, you can actually find some enlightening parallels in the Book of Esther,” WBT Rabbi Susan Nanus said, drawing comparisons between Haman and Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

“Music is the expression of hope and truth and faith in our highest ideals…Tonight we are honored to have four esteem musicians with us to help us transcend our differences and connect with the power of music,” Nanus added. 

The performers at the concert, which also streamed online, were pianist Vanessa Fadial, flautist Keren Schweitzer and cellists Jason Lippman and Dennis Karmacyn. 

“The musicians donated their time and talent, we produced a free event to inspire donations, and we made it easy to donate directly to HIAS,” a synagogue spokesperson said.

At the end of the hourlong program, WBT Cantor Don Gurney shared his appreciation of the performers. 

“This great generosity of spirit, compassion and artistry made this evening happen,” he said. “And we hope this is not the last time.”

The 2022 AJC Project Interchange delegation of U.S. mayors to Israel. Courtesy of American Jewish Committee

Advocacy group American Jewish Committee (AJC) hosted a delegation of U.S. mayors in Israel from March 27-April 2 as part of AJC Project Interchange.  

Participating mayors included Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf; Tampa, Florida Mayor Jane Castor; and Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt, who chaired the bipartisan mayoral delegation.  

“AJC has worked closely with mayors and municipal leaders for decades on issues of mutual concern. As on previous mayoral visits to Israel with AJC, this group learned about Israel and engaged in fruitful exchanges with their Israeli counterparts on approaches to common challenges,” AJC Chief Field Operations Officer Melanie Maron Pell, who accompanied the delegation, said.

This year, the delegation visited localities throughout Israel and discussed best practices for managing COVID-19, urban revitalization and electric transportation, according to AJC. 

Project Interchange is a nonprofit educational institute of AJC. For over 40 years, the initiative has brought more than 6,000 influential figures to Israel. The mayoral mission aims to enhance U.S.-Israel relations on the municipal level. This year’s delegation represented the second AJC Project Interchange group under the auspices of the Memorandum of Understanding between the United States Conference of Mayors and Israel, signed in 2019. 

From left: L.A. Federation Board Chair Albert Praw, Israeli activist Noa Tishby, L.A. Federation General Campaign Chair Lynn Bider and Federation CEO Rabbi Noah Farkas. Photo by Lexus Gallegos

The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles held its 2022 Chai/Emerald/Zahav, Ruby and Lion of Judah luncheon, recognizing the collective power of its Sylvia Weisz Women’s Philanthropy during the 50th anniversary year of Lion of Judah. 

The March 22 gathering at the Maybourne Hotel in Beverly Hills drew 225 attendees and featured L.A. Federation CEO and President Rabbi Noah Farkas in conversation with Israeli activist, author, and actress Noa Tishby. The two discussed Tishby’s recent book, “Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth,” along with myths and misconceptions surrounding the Jewish homeland. 

Additionally, Lynn Bider, general campaign chair at the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, shared reflections from her and Farkas’ recent humanitarian mission to the Ukrainian-Poland border.

The program concluded with a Q-and-A, with those in attendance asking how they can best educate their children and grandchildren about fighting antisemitism and supporting Israel. 

Movers & Shakers: Wilshire Blvd Temple Concert, AJC Project Interchange, L.A. Federation Luncheon Read More »

Filmmaker Rebecca Eskreis on “What Breaks the Ice”

Film /

Rebecca Eskreis knew that she was living the dream when directing “What Breaks the Ice.” The coming-of-age thriller starring Madelyn Cline (“Outer Banks”) and Sofia Hublitz (“Ozark”) was filmed over twenty-one days in upstate New York. On one particularly grueling day of shooting, Eskreis’s father called to wish her a happy birthday. He suggested she take the day off from work. 

“This is the best birthday of my life—I’m directing a movie!” Eskreis replied. 

The Jewish director was inspired to write the screenplay after watching the 2014 movie “Boyhood.” The Academy Award-nominated drama was directed by one of her favorite filmmakers, Richard Linklater. Eskreis ultimately found herself being mentored by Linklater after winning a grant from the Austin Film Society. Linklater invited Eskreis and other emerging filmmakers to his Texas ranch for four days. They presented their projects for critique. 

“It’s like really a dream-come-true for an artist to just spend time with their craft and to learn and to get the project ready to be cast and produced,” Eskreis told the Journal. 

It wasn’t the first time the Long Island native was mentored by an award-winning director. Eskreis served as creative assistant to the late Jonathan Demme on his 2015 movie, “Ricki and the Flash.”

 “Jonathan is one of those incredible people I ever had the privilege to know,” said Eskreis. “I think that what was so special about the experience of working for him was that I feel he was really generous with his knowledge—his knowledge of filmmaking, his facility working with actors, his genius in the editing room, and just generally the world that he occupied. He was a world in and of himself.” 

Eskreis continued working with the director on the Netflix documentary concert film, “Justin Timberlake + the Tennessee Kids.” After production wrapped, Demme sat her down for one of the most profound conversations of her career. The internationally-acclaimed auteur told her that it was time for her to go out into the world and make movies.

“It wasn’t like he was firing me,” explained Eskreis. “I carry that with me all the time because I think you have to be brave to just step into the next adventure and not be worried that you are going to sink. I’ve described my career as a ladder, but I could never get to the rung above the one I’m on without jumping and worrying I’m going to fall back down the bottom. It was like a parent giving you tough love.”

The story takes place in the sweltering summer of 1998 amidst the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Eskreis reflected upon her own teenage years when constructing the young characters.

“What Breaks the Ice,” currently streaming on Showtime, is her first feature film. The story takes place in the sweltering summer of 1998 amidst the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Eskreis reflected upon her own teenage years when constructing the young characters. She grew up in Great Neck, a predominantly Jewish community on Long Island. Eskreis always wondered what it would have been like if she hadn’t grown up surrounded by Jews. Her father once jokingly asked her younger brother what percentage of the world was Jewish. 

“My brother said, ‘Oh, at least fifty percent,’” Eskreis chuckled.

“Specific to the film I made, I think there’s something in Judaism, in your Jewish education, that you’re always philosophically dealing with ethics and what it means to be a good person.” – Rebecca Eskreis

Her faith strongly influenced the main themes of “What Breaks the Ice.” “I think a lot of the ethical things that I explore in my art are rooted in a lot of things that I learned when I was growing up in Hebrew school and exploring what it meant to be a Jewish person,” said the director. “Specific to the film I made, I think there’s something in Judaism, in your Jewish education, that you’re always philosophically dealing with ethics and what it means to be a good person. When you’re in Hebrew school, you talk a lot about the levels of tzedakah and how you could live your life meaningfully. I think, subconsciously, a lot of those things that I used to ponder as a kid and certainly as an adult came from my Jewish heritage. [They] therefore are explored and expressed in ‘What Breaks the Ice’ — what does it mean to be a good person or a bad person, and are any of us all good or all bad?”

Filming “What Breaks the Ice” was no easy feat. Eskreis faced a multitude of challenges throughout every stage of the process. Her team was pressed for time and experienced substantial production costs.

“I think making independent films is just really hard because you’re always scrambling because you don’t have enough money,” said Eskreis. “I credit our producers with working miracles and our production designer as well.” 

The director was determined to keep a positive attitude while dealing with difficult subject matter. She was in the middle of editing the film when she received news that her brother had passed away. 

“Suddenly, I’m in the worst possible mental place that I could possibly imagine,” recalled Eskreis. The devastating loss didn’t stop her from finishing the film. As actor Madelyn Cline described to Buzzfeed, “Rebecca brought this film to life completely by her bootstraps. It’s very cool to see.” 

Eskreis is currently preparing to direct “ClearMind,” a “satire horror comedy” written by Seana Kofoed. The film begins shooting in May 2022. Her advice for aspiring filmmakers is to prepare themselves for a marathon, not a sprint. 

“You’re going to face setbacks along the way. You’re going to lose people. You’re going to have a COVID pandemic, maybe,” said Eskreis. “You kind of just let those moments exist and keep going.”

Filmmaker Rebecca Eskreis on “What Breaks the Ice” Read More »

Table for Five: Tazria

Judaism, Torah /

One verse, five voices. Edited by Salvador Litvak, the Accidental Talmudist

And on the eighth day, the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

– Lev. 12:3

Rabbi Lori Shapiro
Founder/Open Temple

Form follows function is the architectural design principle that the form of something should relate to its primary function or purpose. A 19th century design concept, its common wisdom makes for a curious assay of Brit Milah, begging the question: if we are created “B’tzelem Elohim,” then why do male babies require a bissel surgery on Day 8?

The primacy of Brit Milah may grant insight into the answer, as the mitzvah itself is under the rabbinic category of “Mitzvah Overet,” meaning, a mitzvah whose prominence overrides all others. On the 8th day, nothing stands in the way of Brit Milah; Creation was 6 days; Shabbat 7, and the on 8th day the transmission of the work of creation is passed from God to humans as we take the perfection of human form into our own hands, and nothing is permitted to get in our way.

Circumcision is an ancient rite of tribal marking, practiced throughout space and time from Australian aborigines to South Sea Islanders, to Incas, Aztecs and Mayans. Its significance ranges from a form of “sympathetic magic” to fertility. Scientifically, the data for its benefit or its harm cancels each other out. So why circumcise? The simplest response: it is a brilliant and visible sign of where the human experience of creation begins, perhaps also revealing the true origins of the notion Form Follows Function: Creation-Creator-Create.

Rabbi Chanan (Antony) Gordon
Prominent Motivational Speaker

An analysis of the verbiage in our verse gives us a better understanding of the purpose of circumcision. While seemingly a physical act, the Bris Milah ceremony has a far more profound spiritual meaning. 

When Abraham circumcised himself at age ninety-nine, G-d added the letter “heh” to his name. (Avram became Avraham.)  “Heh” is part of Hashem’s own name, signifying that through Bris Milah, the human being adds a dimension of spirituality to the physital body. 

It is a foundation of Judaism that we are to control our animal desires and direct them into spiritual pursuits. Nowhere does a person have more potential for expressing animalistic behavior than in the sex drive. That is precisely why the Bris Milah is done on this specific organ. If we bring holiness into our life there, then all other areas will follow. 

The number eight is symbolic of something that is beyond nature. The fact that circumcision takes place on the eighth day is a reminder that not only on an individual level is the circumcision beyond the realm of just the physical, but on a macro level, the Jewish People should remember that we have capabilities that are beyond the scope of every other nation. May we accept our unique covenant with pride and achieve the level of greatness beyond the borders of nature.

Rabbi Yossi Eilfort
President, Magen Am USA

According to Kabbalah, the number Seven represents Nature and the Natural Order – as seen in the seven days of creation and seven days of the week. Indeed, many of our Mitzvot are rooted in this natural order. The number eight, therefore, represents that which is beyond nature. The commandment to carry out the Brit Milah on the eighth day is indicative of our relationship with G-d, which is above nature. 

The whole of Jewish history and survival can only be understood as being supernatural – as even Mark Twain and Pascal have famously surmised. Statistically, our survival throughout these millennia should not have been possible. Yet, we have not only survived, but have been critical contributors to society in a variety of fields. We see this connection especially between the number eight and miraculous survival in the story of Chanukah. 

One might argue that performing a circumcision later on in life would be preferable. Perhaps the child is less susceptible to illness later on, or the child may make his own decision. However, these arguments are predicated on the natural/rational order. That would in turn suggest this commandment needs to fit within the confines of humankind’s intellect. 

Instead, our faith guides us to follow G-d’s command, not because of our own understanding, but out of acceptance for this miraculous relationship. While the world may tell us we are primitive or antiquated, our message to an eight-day-old child is simple: “YOU are a miracle.” 

Ilana Wilner
Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions, Yeshiva University 

I’ve always been intrigued by the significance of a brit milah occurring specifically on the eight day. Especially since Jewish culture has already placed emphasis on the number seven, why not have brit milah on day seven? Why day eight? 

Throughout our parsha and the surrounding parshiyot there is a pattern of seven days and then the culmination event on the eighth. The first, from parshat Tzav, the seven days of inauguration for the mishkan, and ba’yom hashmini, and on the eight day, the climactic revelation. The second, is our pasuk—the seven days of impurity followed by the brit milah on the eighth. The third is the seven days of purification for a leper, and the eighth day, the metzorah is deemed pure. 

Rav Hirsch beautifully compares the pattern of seven days followed by the eighth to a musical octave. An octave is a scale of eight musical notes. The eighth note isn’t the peak, rather it’s the repetition of the first note at a higher pitch. Similarly, the cycle of days doesn’t peak on the eighth, it’s the fresh beginning of yet another cycle, but at a higher level only made possible by the prior notes, or days. The inauguration of the mishkan didn’t conclude with God’s revelation on the eighth, a new cycle began with God’s constant presence. 

This teaches us that the pattern is not seven days culminating on the eighth but rather a continuous cycle, each new moment drawing on those before it. The brit milah is performed on the eighth day, which is also the fresh beginning of a new cycle, at a higher level, as a child enters the history and the future of am Yisrael.  

Rabbi Miriam E. Hamrell
ahavattorahla.org

About twenty five years ago, I was serving as the Jewish chaplain in Santa Monica Hospital. A Jewish mother asked me if she should circumcise her newborn boy. I gasped for air. She saw my horrified face. “What?” I asked in a whisper. I thought I did not hear her right. She explained that she read some articles that claimed that circumcision has no health benefits and it is barbaric. “He can decide when he is an adult if to have a circumcision,” she added. 

A bombshell! I grew up in Israel where all males were circumcised. There was never any doubt in anyone’s mind that eight days after a healthy male infant is born a circumcision ceremony is held. Many times, it is held in a celebration hall with two hundred or more guests. It is a huge Simcha. 

After recovering from my shock, I explained to the young mother that it is commanded in the Torah. Circumcision was established by Abraham. It signifies the eternal covenant between God and the Jewish people. It represents the covenantal relationship between the baby, his father, and God. It is the first and most important Mitzvah without which the child will not be considered a Jew. At the circumcision the child is given his Hebrew name establishing his Jewish identity and place in the Jewish community around the world. This family did the Brit-Covenant ceremony with fifty family members on hand. Another Jew joined the tribe. Thank God.

Table for Five: Tazria Read More »

Stephen Wise Temple’s Cantor Emma Lutz Promoted to Senior Cantor

Community /

Call it geographical justice that Cantor Emma Lutz gained the most important promotion of her career while standing atop one of the loftiest Los Angeles hilltops at Stephen Wise Temple, overlooking her adopted hometown.

Her life has been on an uninterrupted skyward trajectory since she debuted as a performer when she was only three years old. Later, as a high school senior, she chose to commit to the cantorate.

At 34, Lutz became one of the youngest senior cantors in the United States on March 25 when she was formally installed in an outdoor Shabbat service at Stephen Wise Temple.

“Cantor Emma is such an amazing talent,” said Senior Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback, who hired her six years ago. “With her background in musical theater and her beautiful voice, she also is a great writer and teacher with a wonderful neshama.”

Destined to sing and dance, Lutz was mentored by Stephen Richards, a former Broadway conductor and accompanist who was the cantor of Congregation B’nai Tikvah in Walnut Creek, Calif., her hometown.

The dual influences of show business and synagogue “gave me a sense of myself on stage and on the bimah,” she said. “This really happened at the same time.”

Does Lutz’s stage training ever spill into her cantorial duties?

“There is a difference,” she said, “because when you are performing in a theatrical production, you are tied to a script.

There also is a level of play… and I don’t want to sound negative, but there is a lack of authenticity. You are playing a character.”

Then there is the real life of Judaism.

“Something that pulled me away from the theatre and drew me to the cantorate was being able to really step in and ask who am I as a Jew, as a woman, as a human being?”

“Something that pulled me away from the theatre and drew me to the cantorate was being able to really step in and ask who am I, as a Jew, as a woman, as a human being?” – Cantor Emma Lutz

Lutz’s career decision “was an amalgamation of a lot of different things,” she said.

Her teacher, Cantor Richards, was not surprised.

“He said he knew when I was seven or eight,” Lutz said. “But he didn’t really push me. He would take me to Jewish youth choir festivals, he would give me solos on the bimah and he would come to my musical productions.”

Eventually, a connection to Israel emerged. Taking advanced Hebrew classes in high school, she grew increasingly curious about Israel.

“I wanted to understand why people didn’t like Jews,” Lutz said, “when everything that I had felt up to that point had been so beautiful and musical.”

She made her career choices, the cantorate and teaching, sound so natural.

“My calling reached out to me,” she said. “I started thinking: ‘I wonder if I put together all my interests, I think I could be a cantor.’”

How did she reach her conclusions?

“You know, we always stand on the shoulders of the people who come before us,” Lutz said. “My mom is a Jew by choice. She converted when she was pregnant with me. I always feel as if I got to choose Judaism with her. She is very religious and devoted, probably more than my Dad, who grew up a Conservative Jew in Long Beach. He was our temple president when I became bat mitzvah. I saw a model of leadership in him.”

Lutz’s grandmother, Miriam Levich Goldin, was the first woman to have a bat mitzvah on the West Coast in 1939, at Temple Israel in Long Beach. “She is my inspiration for so many things I do, both as a mother and as a Jew,” said the cantor.

Lutz’s yearning to experience Israel finally was fulfilled in 2011. First-year students at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion spend it in the Jewish homeland.

As fulfilling as that was, the main event was yet to come.

“The best part of the year, besides my learning, was that I met my husband, now Rabbi Adam Lutz of Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills. “We just fell in love right away, and we had the best year of our lives.” 

A self-anointed nerd, she did not permit love to slow her thirst for deepening her knowledge.

“I always have taken great pride in my studies,” she said. “I liked being a straight-A student. [I] never missed a class in college.”

Her classroom was about to become more fascinating and ironic.

In 2009, Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback was named director of HUC’s Year in Israel program. When Lutz arrived, he became her favorite teacher.

Five years after that, Zweiback, by then the head of school at Stephen Wise, hired Lutz.

“Since he was the head of my program at HUC, I would sort of, kind of, go above and beyond in his classes,” Lutz said. “He was my liturgy teacher. As a cantorial student, I was like, this is my craft. I have to learn the liturgy. I am going to go above and beyond in this class.”

The year Lutz was about to be ordained, Zweiback reached out to the Lutzes. “I would love to Zoom with you guys,” he told them.

Turning to the cantor, the rabbi said, “I think I have a job for you, Emma.”

“I wanted to come home to California,” she said. “And Adam wanted to do one more year at HUC, to get his Master’s of Jewish education, which makes rabbis more hirable. Being a nerd like me, he wanted that extra learning with his third Master’s.”

Together, Emma and Adam Lutz have established lofty goals for their daughter, Ruby Mira.

“I started dancing ballet when I was three, and it’s interesting that my daughter is coming up to be two-and-a-half,” Lutz said. “With COVID sort of relaxing, we are looking into classes for her. This feels like a shechiyanu moment.”

Stephen Wise Temple’s Cantor Emma Lutz Promoted to Senior Cantor Read More »

Mohammed El-Kurd: Social Media Influencer, Terrorist Sympathizer

Commentary, Opinion /

In recent months, Mohamed El-Kurd has risen to prominence, becoming the “Palestine” correspondent for The Nation, curating a substantial following on social media, and making frequent appearances on university campuses. El-Kurd often presents himself as a champion for a just cause, but this could not be further from the truth. Beneath a veneer of social justice, altruism, and reporting is a vile agenda—full of antisemitism and hate for the world’s only Jewish state.

El-Kurd has, on numerous occasions, propagated the centuries-old antisemitic blood libel. Just this past May, during a Zoom event, El-Kurd labeled Israelis as “thirsty for blood” moments after justifying bombings of Israeli civilians. On Twitter, El-Kurd has said Israelis have an “unquenchable thirst for Palestinian blood.” In his book, “Rifqah,” El-Kurd outright lies that Israelis “harvest organs of the martyred [Palestinians].” He has also openly compared Israelis to the Nazis.

An avid Twitter user, El-Kurd’s brazen antisemitism is on full display for the world to see. El-Kurd has been dismissive of antisemitism in general, questioning statements condemning antisemitism and arguing that “there is no need to engage with the false accusations [of antisemitism].” El-Kurd posted these comments during an unprecedented surge in antisemitic attacks in cities across the United States.

El-Kurd’s desire to conceal the dangers faced by Jews is not surprising. El-Kurd frequently voices his contempt for Jews. Last May, El-Kurd absurdly accused Jews praying at the Western Wall of an insidious plot to take over the Al-Aqsa mosque.

El-Kurd’s desire to conceal the dangers faced by Jews is not surprising. El-Kurd frequently voices his contempt for Jews.

Given El-Kurd’s contempt for the Jewish people, it shouldn’t be shocking that he has justified acts of terror directed at Israelis, including incessant rocket fire from Hamas into Israeli cities.

Last fall, El-Kurd memorialized the Second Intifada, praising the terror attacks that killed over one thousand innocent Israelis and wounded thousands more, all while falsely claiming Ariel Sharon’s visit to the Temple Mount, the holiest place in Judaism, sparked the years-long bloody war.

This is just one example of El-Kurd’s Twitter posts celebrating terror. Still, he regularly posts highly questionable opinions, which include, but are not limited to defending the actions of Hamas, as they fired 150 rockets at Israeli civilians, all while claiming that Israel has no right to self-defense against terror.

El-Kurd makes a special effort to label Palestinians detained in Israeli jails as being “political prisoners.” At a recent speaking engagement at the University of Minnesota, El-Kurd invoked this terminology, saying a “free Palestine” would mean the release of all “political prisoners.” This is a thinly veiled attempt by El-Kurd to whitewash Palestinian terrorism.

El-Kurd is also an outspoken supporter of the antisemitic Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions campaign (BDS), calling for universities, businesses and governments to sever ties with the Jewish State. This type of rhetoric is the modern-day encapsulation of the Khartoum Resolution, where the Arab League voted for the three nos: no peace, no recognition, no negotiation.

There is a notion that the BDS campaign was born from the frustration that war and acts of terror were not strong enough to annihilate Israel. In reality, BDS serves a role as part of a model of hybrid warfare against Israel.

When Palestinian groups like Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and the Fatah affiliated Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade launch attacks against Israel, Israelis are forced to respond to protect their people. Activists like El-Kurd use the Israeli response to play victim, turning him into a cheerleader in this cycle of violence, much to the detriment of Israelis and Palestinians.

As much as he claims to be an activist for the Palestinians, El-Kurd has spent his time not trying to advance peace or prosperity for the Palestinians but calling for the destruction of the lone Jewish state he blames for all problems the Palestinians face. This level of anti-Israel, antisemitic bigotry has undermined the Palestinian nationalist cause and has compromised any tangible efforts for a Palestinian state in favor of the outright discrimination of a Jewish state, plunging the region into chaos time and time again.

Because anti-Israel activists have wedged their meritless, malign agenda into major social justice issues like climate change, racial justice and others, El-Kurd has found himself welcomed with open arms on college campuses under the false pretense that his bigotry aligns with other causes.

El-Kurd also finds himself weighing in issues related to campus—and to Jewish safety on campus—including by voicing support for a USC student Senator who tweeted that she wanted to “kill every motherf—ing zionist.” He called the campaign for this open antisemite to be removed from a position of power at the school a “Zionist smear campaign.”

El-Kurd’s track record of inciting violence, spreading antisemitic tropes, and antagonizing the Jewish state is clear evidence that his motives are not to inspire critical thinking, civil discourse, or anything of value for society or academia. Instead, El-Kurd exploits the legitimacy extended by him to inspire contempt for the State of Israel and the Jewish people. It is time for academic institutions and media outlets to condemn El-Kurd and his hateful message.

Adam Gordon is a Campus Advisor at the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis (CAMERA). He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a B.A. in political science. 

 

Mohammed El-Kurd: Social Media Influencer, Terrorist Sympathizer Read More »

Start with Small Steps: Niver’s News: March 2022

Blogs, Commentary /

March News 2022 with Lisa Niver & We Said Go Travel:

My thoughts are with the people of the Ukraine and their incredible president, Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy. Many people have asked how they can help–here are six articles I published with ways to HELP: 

#StandWithUkraine GoFundMe with Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Airbnb and Flexport

Help the Ukraine media

Russia Ukraine War: ways to help

Tim Pendlebury helping refugees at the border

Rabbi Yoshi and Stephen Wise Temple –how to help the Jews in the Ukraine

Hamantashen for HOPE and more ways to HELP the Ukraine

I am reminded of an interview I did with Gaby Natale last year when she said, “Starting small doesn’t mean thinking small.” She started her show in a carpet warehouse and now has 3 Emmys and 30,545,939 views on her YouTube channel. If we all do our best with our small steps, we can create big change.

Since the Jewish Journal resumed print publication in Fall 2021, I have been in the Blog Bytes section sixteen times! Click here to see me in print in September 2021, October 2021, November 2021, December 2021 and January 2022. I will be posting more months in future newsletters.

As seen in the University of Pennsylvania PENN GAZETTE Alumni Notes:

Lisa Niver C’89 writes, “I loved being back on campus for Homecoming! I spoke at the RealArts@Penn program at Kelly Writers House to students who are aspiring writers; and I went to the football game with Heather Smay Fudala C’91 and Carl Law C’87. I am also happy to report that I won a third-place technology reporting award in the 2021 Southern California Journalism Awards for my piece in Thrive Global, ‘Is Talking Through Technology Making You More Human? with Rana el Kaliouby’ (tinyurl.com/LisaNiverThrive), and I sold my first article to WIRED, ‘8 Useful iPhone Tips for Ex-Android Users’ (tinyurl.com/LisaNiverWired).”

What are you reading for Women’s History Month? READ….

WOMAN ON FIRE by Lisa Barr

NO SMILING ALLOWED by Julia Bendis

This ski season I went to Park City, Utah twice! Here are videos from both trips in January and March 2022:

Skiing in Park City with Patricia and Wayne! March 11, 2022

Are you road trip ready? We loved our trip to Joshua Tree in a Genesis GV70!

Where did we hike in Joshua Tree? Here is THE LIST

WHERE CAN YOU FIND MY TRAVEL VIDEOS?

Here is the link to my video channel on YouTube where I have over 1.55 million views on YouTube! (Exact count: 1,550,000 views)

Thank you for your support! Are you one of my 3,480 subscribers? I hope you will join me and subscribe! For more We Said Go Travel articles, TV segments, videos and social media: CLICK HERE

Find me on social media with over 150,000 followers. Please follow  on TikTok: @LisaNiver, Twitter at @LisaNiver, Instagram @LisaNiver and on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and at LisaNiver.com.

My fortune cookies said:

“What you have long desired will soon be yours.”

“Be patient, and you will be rewarded.”

Lisa Niver at the top of McConkey’s Chair Lift, Park City Utah, March 12, 2022 on a ski and writing retreat for her BOOK!

Start with Small Steps: Niver’s News: March 2022 Read More »