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Jewish Journal

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April 17, 2025

‘Goodbye, Tahrir Square’: Revisiting a Lost Jewish Childhood in Egypt

Books /

In his memoir, “‘Goodbye, Tahrir Square: Coming of Age as a Jew of the Nile,”’ Elio Zarmati tells the story of his childhood in Egypt and the events that forced his family to leave.

Against the backdrop of today’s ongoing conflicts and refugee crises in the Middle East, the book offers a deeply relevant perspective on exile, resilience and the echoes of history.

Zarmati remembers his childhood in Cairo as a happy one — until the 1952 revolution, led by the Free Officers Movement, a group of nationalist military officers. The revolution resulted in the overthrow of King Farouk I, ending the monarchy and establishing a republic. It also forced many Jews to flee the country.

Zarmati’s family scattered across the world. Some moved to Israel, others to France and the U.S., or any country willing to grant them asylum. Zarmati was 14 years old at the time and vividly recalls the impact on his family.

“One day we were living as Jews in Egypt and the next day, we were like piranhas and forced to leave,” he said. “I had a normal childhood in the midst of chaos and looking back at it, I find it very hopeful. My parents divorced when I was four and for my mother, it was a catastrophe to leave Egypt. She lived a life of constant regret, for my father not so much. He was more European and quite happy to be living in France and England, but career-wise, his life was less, because he had to start all over again at 45. Nowadays, it seems young, but back then, it was different.”

His mother moved to the U.S. from France and Zarmati lived in France and England and became a filmmaker and entrepreneur, which eventually led him to relocate to the U.S. where he worked as a reporter at NBC, a writer-director of films and TV shows, and later CEO of Gelula & Co., a company specializing in film subtitles and dubbing services.

He never returned to visit Egypt — at first, it was too dangerous. After the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt was signed in 1979, he could have gone back to visit, but was too busy building his career. Later in life, when he finally had the ability to visit his childhood neighborhood, it had once again become unsafe.

When the Arab Spring erupted in 2010, he was flooded with memories — history was repeating itself. The events reignited his past, prompting him to start writing. “I was watching all that was happening in Egypt, particularly at Tahrir Square, which is very close to where I lived in Cairo and it triggered the memories of the 1952 revolution. I was seven years old then. It started out as a huge fire that burned most of the European part of Cairo and other areas as well, leading to the revolution and the overthrow of the King.”

Zarmati didn’t intend to write a book. He planned to publish his recollections as individual stories. However, as memories resurfaced and more details emerged, he decided to compile them into a book.

“When I started writing, I didn’t think I had enough memories to fill a book. But the more I wrote, the more memories came up. Speaking with my cousins in Israel also triggered more memories, and that’s when I found the material for my book.”

The brain is a funny muscle — memories are stored away and with some effort, you can unlock and release them. This is exactly what happened to Zarmati. Many of his memories returned after visiting cousins in Israel and going through old photographs, with help from conversations with his aunt and uncle.

One of the reasons Zarmati wanted to write the book is to put some records straight. He said he was dismayed to learn how little people know today about Israel and the conflict between Arabs and Jews. He hopes his book will enlighten those who seek to understand more.

“I ran into a lot of young Arabs and Palestinians in the U.S. and found out they knew absolutely nothing about that part of history of the conflict between Arabs and Jews and about the Jewish communities who used to live in Arab countries,” he said. 

He was able to engage in dialogue with some of those young Arabs, and even became friends with a few. “I think that the majority of people are really closed off to understanding the Jewish point of view. It was a mixed effort, but I enjoyed meeting young people and trying to talk about what was and what could be.”

The book is written from the standpoint of a Jewish boy growing up in Egypt in the ‘40s and ‘50s. The boy witnessed between the ages of seven to 14: the 1952 revolution that overthrew king Farouk and gave rise to the dictatorship of Gamal Abdel Nasser, the 1955 Suez War that marked the end of the British Empire and in its wake, the destruction of the Jewish community that had lived in Egypt since biblical times. 

Zarmati emphasizes that although it takes place during the revolution, the book isn’t a political one. It’s the story of a boy and his close-knit extended Sephardic family, full of rich traditions and colorful characters. Despite the hectic times, he was able to maintain a normal childhood and forge friendships which he still keeps, with his childhood friends.  

Zarmati emphasizes that although it takes place during the revolution, the book isn’t a political one. It’s the story of a boy and his close-knit extended Sephardic family, full of rich traditions and colorful characters.

Some of his cousins loved the book, while others were less enthusiastic. “They remembered things very differently than I did — maybe because they left Egypt at a younger age and didn’t recall events the same way. Some felt that my memories weren’t entirely accurate or that certain parts cast a negative light on some family members.” Nevertheless, his bond with them remains strong.

Zarmati speaks with nostalgia about the Egypt he once knew and loved. “My father wanted me to understand that the real Egypt had nothing to do with the military and soldiers. He had a very romantic view of the country. He was fascinated by its history, mythology, and archaeology. That’s what he chose to remember, this and the golden age of Jewish life in Egypt.”

‘Goodbye, Tahrir Square’: Revisiting a Lost Jewish Childhood in Egypt Read More »

‘The Violin Maker’ Tells a Holocaust Story Through Music

Theater /

The little-known story of Israeli Amnon Weinstein, a musical craftsman who gathered and restored violins that survived the Holocaust, is coming to the West Coast. “The Violin Maker” will have its American premiere on April 25 at the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, where it will run until May 11.

The play, which features a blend of klezmer, Jewish liturgical and classical music by composers such as Mendelssohn and Mozart, was written by Lisa Pearl Rosenbaum and Ronda Spinak, artistic director of The Braid, with musical curation by Dr. Noreen Green, founding artistic director and conductor of the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony and directed by ICT artistic director Caryn Desai. It’s based on the true story of Weinstein, who created a remarkable collection known as the Violins of Hope. “The Violin Maker” tells the stories of some of these violins.

Weinstein (Bruce Nozick) began repairing violins rescued from the Holocaust as a way to keep their histories alive. The play masterfully weaves Weinstein’s extraordinary story with the true tales behind each of the violins — as well as with music, performed live on stage by Dr. Green on piano and Jonathan Rubin on the violin once owned by  Shony Alex Braun. Although Braun’s violin is not one of the instruments that make up the Violins of Hope collection, it too survived the Holocaust and its story is told during the course of the play.

Weinstein was a second-generation Israeli violin maker. His father, Moshe, immigrated to Mandatory Palestine and established a violin-making studio in Tel Aviv in 1939 — a tradition that Amnon continued. He played the viola and trumpet, while his son, Avshalom, known as Avshi, inherited the craft of violin making, ensuring the family tradition remained alive.

Having lost most of his extended family in the Holocaust, Weinstein dedicated himself to locating violins once owned by Jews who had taken them to the Nazi concentration camps. Most of these instruments were simple, used for joyous occasions and often marked with a Star of David on their back. Weinstein’s goal was to restore them so they could be played in a concert marking Israel’s 60th anniversary. That concert, “Violins of Hope,” took place on Sept. 24, 2008, featuring soloist Shlomo Mintz, the Raanana Symphonette and the Istanbul Symphony Orchestra.

Weinstein was inspired to start this project after delivering a lecture on “Violins During the Holocaust” in Germany in the 1990s. Some violins had made their way to Israel with their owners, while others had been looted by the Germans. Many were left behind in ghettos, forests and concentration camps — cheap, worn-out instruments in dire need of restoration. Their repair required meticulous and prolonged effort to bring them back to playable condition.

The story of the violins was brought to Rosenbaum through Green, who spoke to someone from The Braid who suggested it would make an incredible story for a play. “Ronda then brought it to me because of my background,” said Rosenbaum. “My in-laws are all Holocaust survivors, and I had written a novel set in Eastern Europe, which involved a great deal of research on Jewish life in that region.”

She was also familiar with klezmer music, but said she had never heard of the Violins of Hope before. So, she started digging in, and the more she read, then more fascinated she was with the story. “Avshi, Amnon’s son, had a whole slew of stories about each of the violins,” said Rosenbaum. “Once I read them, I was extremely interested, but a group of stories doesn’t make a play. It wasn’t until I called Amnon himself and we had a long conversation, that I said ‘Yes’ and started writing the play.”

Rosenbaum admitted it wasn’t easy choosing between the stories. There are so many of them, and each one is emotional and moving. Some are truly inspiring. “Amnon’s story is the trunk of the tree from which all these violin stories will branch out,” she said. “All those lost voices, the incalculable loss of talent is what got to me.” The play features a blend of klezmer, Jewish liturgical and classical music by composers such as Mendelssohn and Mozart.

The entire Violins of Hope collection was scheduled to be exhibited at the Museum of the Holocaust in early March 2020. Dr. Green and the LA Jewish Symphony were preparing to perform at the Soraya Center for Performing Arts at CSUN. Then the pandemic hit, and it was years until the performance could take place. In the meantime, Rosenbaum started working on the play. “The Violin Maker” had its world premiere in 2023 at the Bondi Theater in Sydney, Australia. An earlier version, written by Rosenbaum and developed with Spinak, was presented as a theatrical work-in-progress under the title “Stories from the Violins of Hope.” 

This new, fully staged play dives deeper, with more stories, scenes and additional music, following the arc of Weinstein’s life — from a proud Israeli boy who wanted nothing to do with the Holocaust and his family’s pain, to a man who devotes his life to repairing “stringed survivors,” whose voices are now heard in concerts around the world.

Rosenbaum explained that Amnon understood the importance of those violins in telling the story to the world. The story was about their previous owners — those who perished and those who survived. Therefore, it was the story of the Holocaust itself. Once he started restoring them, he stopped building new violins and devoted the rest of his life to restoring those that survived the darkest period in human history.

Amnon understood the importance of those violins in telling the story to the world. The story was about their previous owners — those who perished and those who survived. Therefore, it was the story of the Holocaust itself.

Then, he placed them with musicians all over the world so a new generation could play and hear them. “The survivors of the Holocaust will not be here forever, but these violins will continue to tell their stories for generations to come,” said Rosenbaum.

The play weaves together various stories, including one about a man whose daughter brings his violin to Amnon before his 90th birthday and asks him to restore it. She tells Amnon that the violin had saved her father’s life during the Holocaust. “My father has arthritis and can’t play it anymore, but he wants this violin, which he calls his best friend, to be restored,” she says.

One story that touched Rosenbaum and Spinak especially was the story of a Frenchman who was on his way to Auschwitz in a cattle cart. He saw a railroad worker on the tracks and said to him, “Please take my violin. I wouldn’t need it where I’m going.” The man took the violin and kept it for many years. He wasn’t a violinist and never played it, but he understood its importance. His son, who had heard about Weinstein and his violin project, brought it to him and asked if he would take it and restore it.

“The compassion of this non-Jew for this violin and its owner was truly moving,” said Rosenbaum. “In an age when we see a rise in antisemitism, it’s important also to remember that we have allies in the world.”

For more information and to purchase tickets, call (562) 436-4610 or go to InternationalCityTheatre.org. 

‘The Violin Maker’ Tells a Holocaust Story Through Music Read More »

Unraveling the Secrets of the Dead Sea Scrolls: A Fascinating Lecture by Tyler Jarvis

Community /

The Dead Sea Scrolls, one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the 20th century, have fascinated scholars and historians for decades. Their impact on Judaism and early Christianity continues to spark debate and intrigue. At a recent private class held at the Ronald Reagan Library, Tyler Jarvis, a lecturer from the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, of American Jewish University, provided deep insights into the scrolls, their history and their profound significance.

The event, which featured a kosher-style lunch, was followed by a visit to “Dead Sea Scrolls: The Exhibition,” where attendees could explore the artifacts.

Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies Lecturer Tyler Jarvis. Photo from Facebook

Jarvis began by recounting the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the 1940s by Bedouin shepherds near the ancient settlement of Qumran, located about 13 miles from Ein Gedi. Though only 11 caves have been excavated to date, scholars believe more remain undiscovered.

Most of the texts were written in Aramaic, the spoken language of the time, but over time, linguistic shifts can be observed. One notable example is the change from Aleph to Hei at the end of certain words, reflecting a conscious resistance to Aramaic influence.

Most of the scrolls were found in fragments, but a few miraculously have large portions intact. They were written on parchment and papyrus, allowing them to survive for centuries. Among the discoveries is the famous “Copper Scroll,” which differs from the others as it serves as a treasure map, detailing the location of hidden riches. Estimated to be worth around $60 million in 1956 (over $700 million in 2025 dollars), the treasure has never been found, fueling speculation that it remains buried in Judea.

Most of the scrolls were found in fragments, but a few miraculously have large portions intact. They were written on parchment and papyrus, allowing them to survive for centuries. 

The scrolls contain approximately 15,000 pieces from Cave 4 alone, making it the “mother lode” of Dead Sea Scrolls fragments, and Cave 7 yielded a significant collection of Greek texts. Meanwhile, Cave 11 produced complete scrolls, including a remarkably well-preserved Book of Psalms and a Temple Scroll, which provides a description of the ancient temple.

Some scrolls present alternative versions of biblical texts. For example, 21 chapters are missing from the Book of Genesis, and 36 copies of the Book of Psalms were found, though none were complete. Notably, the story of Noah is absent from the surviving fragments, while his son Ham appears in a flood-related admonition.

Approximately 40% of the scrolls contain Second Temple period literature, shedding light on the religious thought and practices of the time. They also mention three sects of Judaism, as described by the historian Josephus. Scholars believe that the Qumran community belonged to the Essenes, a highly religious and ascetic Jewish sect.

The Essenes were known for their strict religious discipline. Becoming a full-fledged member required two to three years of commitment, during which initiates were expected to embrace communal living, share property and adhere to rigorous ritual purity laws, including the use of mikvot (ritual baths). The community, numbering around 50 individuals, was deeply focused on eschatology — the belief in the end of days.

Their writings frequently criticized the established priesthood in Jerusalem, referring to a “Wicked Priest” who, they believed, corrupted the Temple. They held their own Torah interpretations and were open to rewriting the Torah, though they refused to alter the words of the prophets.

A fascinating revelation from the scrolls is the existence of a “second Torah,” a text accepted only by the Essenes. This was identified as the Book of Jubilees, which outlines a solar calendar rather than the traditional lunar calendar used in Jewish practice.

While the term “second Torah” is not explicitly used in the texts, it generally refers to the Essenes’ belief in additional sacred writings and interpretations of Jewish law beyond what is found in the traditional Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible). This includes their own scriptures and unique interpretations, which they considered as divinely inspired and authoritative.

Jarvis’ lecture highlighted the historical, linguistic and religious significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Qumran community’s unique beliefs and practices, along with the mysteries surrounding lost texts and undiscovered treasures, continue to inspire scholars and enthusiasts alike.

Following the lecture, visitors were free to visit the exhibition, where they were reminded of the enduring power of these ancient texts — fragments of a civilization that still speaks to us across millennia.

Several upcoming lectures will explore the Dead Sea Scrolls in greater depth. One will examine them through the lens of Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, while another will focus on the various Jewish groups that emerged during Roman rule and after the destruction of the Second Temple, including Christianity and the Essenes.

Rabbi Mark Goodman lectures on “Lost Books of the Bible: Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha” every Tuesday from April 29 to June 24; David Mier Levy, a former professor of Archaeology and Near Eastern History at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and at the University of Tel Aviv, teaches “Out of the Ashes: The Rise of Christianity from the Ashes of the Temple,” on Thursdays from May 1 to June 26.

Find out more at open.aju.edu.

Unraveling the Secrets of the Dead Sea Scrolls: A Fascinating Lecture by Tyler Jarvis Read More »

One of America’s Best Investments – U.S. Military Aid to Israel

Commentary, Opinion /

In recent years, growing voices on the far-left and extremist-right of American politics and in social media have questioned the United States continued military alliance with and support for Israel. Among the most prominent of these voices is Senator Bernie Sanders, whom last week introduced multiple “resolutions of disapproval” in the Senate to challenge U.S. arms sales to Israel (all of which were, thankfully, overwhelming voted down). While people like Sanders argue that American aid enables the conflict, and that Israel’s action to defend itself from attacks by Iran’s Islamist Supremacist axis, somehow disqualifies it from receiving U.S. military equipment, they overlook the profound strategic, technological, and humanitarian benefits the U.S. receives from its alliance with Israel. 

These anti-Israel activists, including people like former Congresswoman Cori Bush (D-Mo.), her remaining “Squad” members, and media figures such as Mehdi Hasan, often single out the Jewish state’s receipt of U.S. military aid (and try to tie it to all sorts of unresolved problems in the U.S.) all while they ignore the broader context of global U.S. foreign aid. They betray a bias that, at best, borders on antisemitism. In truth, military support for Israel remains one of the most cost-effective and mutually beneficial investments the U.S. has made in modern history.

Disproportionate “Criticism” and Misplaced Blame

It is important to recognize the inconsistency in how critics apply their criticism to all things “Israel,” including with respect to its receipt of military assistance. U.S. military aid to Israel represents a mere 0.045% of the overall federal budget. It also comes effectively in the form of a “voucher” that Israel must spend on American-made products by U.S. manufacturers. Yet Israel-haters frequently blame this tiny fraction of federal spending for U.S. domestic issues like homelessness, crime, and underfunded public services — claims that lack both fiscal logic and good faith. When Rep. Bush blamed U.S. aid to Israel for poverty and homelessness in St. Louis, or when activists expressly linked the recent Los Angeles wildfires to the same spending, they engaged in classic antisemitic scapegoating, rather than constructive critique.

Such selective criticism becomes even more suspect when one considers that for years the U.S. has given over $55 billion annually in direct foreign aid to countries around the world, many of which offer little or no tangible return on that investment. Furthermore, for over the past two decades, the U.S. has effectively subsidized the budgets of all other NATO countries by spending around 3.5% of its GDP on defense, while most other member nations have contributed barely 2%. This imbalance has cost the U.S. well over $5 trillion, all while Israel consistently spends more than 5% of its GDP on its own defense. Yet rarely is this massive European subsidy the subject of impassioned Senate speeches or viral social media outrage – and certainly none of those who focus such unique attention and/or opprobrium on Israel – have ever blamed countries like France or Denmark for homelessness in any American cities or for underfunded fire department budgets.

A Strategic Asset in a Volatile Region

Unlike many U.S. foreign aid recipients, Israel offers the U.S. far more than gratitude. It serves as a vital strategic partner in the Middle East — a region where the U.S. has few reliable allies. Ports like Haifa and Ashdod serve as secure and hospitable docking locations for the U.S. Navy and house emergency military stockpiles for rapid deployment. In contrast to the costly and chaotic redeployments in the Persian Gulf, Israel offers stability, dependability, and shared interests.

Unlike many U.S. foreign aid recipients, Israel offers the U.S. far more than gratitude. It serves as a vital strategic partner in the Middle East — a region where the U.S. has few reliable allies. 

From the Cold War to the present day, all U.S. presidents have understood that support for Israel is not charity — it is a sound investment in national security. During the Cold War, Israel served as a bulwark against Soviet influence in the Middle East. Today, it stands as a front-line of defense against radical Islamist forces and Iran’s hegemonic ambitions. In 2007, Israel independently destroyed Syria’s nuclear reactor just before it went operational, preventing Syria under the butcher Assad from being a nuclear power and averting potential regional catastrophe. These actions save the U.S. from having to intervene militarily itself — saving both money and American lives.

Intelligence and Technology Sharing

The U.S.-Israel partnership extends far beyond military operations. Israel shares critical intelligence with the U.S. on terrorism, cyber threats, and nuclear proliferation. Israeli expertise in counterterrorism, honed through decades of necessity, has helped shape American homeland security strategies. Joint efforts, like the development of the Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and the Arrow missile defense systems have enhanced both nations’ defensive capabilities. These systems not only defend Israel, but also materially inform and improve America’s missile defense infrastructure.

Israel’s contributions to military technology are nothing short of revolutionary. Israeli firms develop high-tech protective gear, drones, unmanned vehicles, and bomb-detection systems that directly benefit U.S. soldiers. These innovations save lives and keep the U.S. military at the forefront of defense technology. The same cannot be said of aid to many other nations, including Ukraine, where return on U.S. investment in terms of security and technological innovation is comparatively limited.

Innovation That Benefits the American Economy

Israel is not just a military partner — it is a global leader in technology and innovation, often dubbed the “Start-Up Nation.” Dozens of top U.S. companies have established research and development centers in Israel to harness its scientific and engineering talent. Intel’s most advanced microprocessors, for instance, were designed in Israel. Technologies fundamental to online security, instant messaging, and digital payments — such as those used by PayPal — trace their origins to Israeli innovation.

Bill Gates once noted that the “innovation going on in Israel is critical to the future of the technology business.” And indeed, the U.S. benefits directly. Cooperation between American and Israeli tech sectors have been a critical factor in the success of the U.S. information economy. Unlike other aid recipients, Israel’s innovation ecosystem directly supports the American private sector, creating jobs and economic growth on both sides of the Atlantic.

Solutions for Global Challenges

Beyond military and tech benefits, Israel provides critical solutions to pressing global problems — particularly in water conservation, agriculture and renewable energy. Israel recycles nearly 90% of its wastewater, the highest rate in the world, and pioneered technologies like drip irrigation and reverse osmosis desalination. These are not theoretical innovations — they are already in use in the U.S.

Israeli technology powers solar energy plants in California and has been instrumental in building desalination plants to help mitigate the state’s droughts. Given that California provides nearly half of the United States’ fruits, vegetables, and nuts, Israeli innovation is playing an important role in sustaining the American food supply. In a time of increasing concern over climate resilience and sustainability, this kind of international partnership is indispensable.

Bottom Line

As they generally do with all their attacks on Israel, the critics of U.S. military aid to Israel ignore facts in favor of ideology. They overlook the uniquely reciprocal relationship between the U.S. and Israel — one where both nations share intelligence, technology, defense strategies, and economic growth. They fixate on a truly minuscule portion of the federal budget while ignoring far costlier programs, including foreign aid and military programs with far less return on investment. And in doing so, they try to undermine one of the most productive alliances in modern history.

Support for Israel should not be about identity politics or special interest groups — it should be about common sense and shared values. Israel is a democratic ally, in a region dominated by authoritarian regimes and terrorist groups, including some of the most brutal, misogynist and homophobic places on earth. As Israel has repeatedly offered its hand in peace to its neighbors – since even before it declared its independence from British rule – it defends itself, innovates relentlessly, and contributes meaningfully to American security and prosperity. No other recipient of U.S. aid matches Israel’s record of delivering measurable, lasting value to America.

Whether they realize it or not, in an increasingly volatile world, those calling for the U.S. to abandon or weaken the U.S.-Israel alliance are not looking out for America’s interests. To the contrary, if their misguided, neo-Marxist, fascist, and/or hate-driven goal (to weaken Israel’s ability to defend itself) is met, then America’s interests too would be severely harmed; as totalitarian regimes around the world, and particularly in the Islamist Supremacist “Axis of Resistance,” would be celebrating and emboldened.

Micha Danzig served in the Israeli Army and is a former police officer with the NYPD. He is currently an attorney and is very active with numerous Jewish and pro-Israel organizations, including Stand With Us and the FIDF, and is a national board member of Herut North America.

One of America’s Best Investments – U.S. Military Aid to Israel Read More »

Five Questions with Pro-Israel Influencer Lizzy Savetsky

Community /

Elizabeth Savetsky is on a mission to spread a pro-Jewish, pro-Israel message.

Her platform of choice for doing so is Instagram, where Savetsky has more than 400,000 followers. A typical post shows her leading “Bring Them Home” chants at pro-Israel demonstrations; calling out the rise in antisemitism; showing allyship with Jewish college students; and confronting Hamas supporters.

Raised in Fort Worth, Texas singing country music, cheerleading and competing in the “Miss Teen Texas” pageant, Savetsky — who goes by “Lizzy” — has credited her experience doing Birthright Israel at the age of 18 as particularly formative. Today, any cheerleading the mother of three is doing is likely for the State of Israel.

Recently, the New York-based, self-described “proud Jewish woman” traveled to Israel, where she spoke at the International Conference for Combatting Antisemitism, held in Jerusalem. In Israel, Savetsky, 39, also spent time with ZAKA, a non-governmental rescue and recovery organization. Primarily made up of ultra-Orthodox volunteers, ZAKA was involved with collecting the remains of those killed on Oct. 7. 

Taking a break from her whirlwind of an Israel trip, Savetsky spoke to The Journal about what has drawn her to supporting the work of ZAKA (the Hebrew acronym for Disaster Victim Identification), how she found the fortitude to be an outspoken defender of Israel and what her plans were for Passover.

Jewish Journal (JJ): So, what brought you to Israel for your current trip there?

Elizabeth Savetsky (ES): I came to Israel for the International Conference for Combatting Antisemitism hosted by the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs. Of course, while I was there, I wanted to spend time with the people and organizations that mean so much to me, including ZAKA. I have such a huge respect for the heroic work they do, but I’ve also built such a great relationship with the leadership and volunteers. They’re the most wonderful people. 

JJ: You spent time at a retreat for ZAKA volunteers who are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. What was that like?

ES: I spent the day with the volunteers and the psychologists who have tailored the most thought-out programming to help these heroes work through their trauma. The programming combines mental, physical and spiritual elements. These are the strongest people but when I look into their eyes, I can see how shattered they are. They have seen and experienced the worst atrocities of humanity that nobody but them will ever be able to fully comprehend. The work they do can never be repaid —it’s the ultimate mitzvah — but it takes an irreparable toll on the soul. Many of them told me heartbreaking stories about not being able to sleep for months after what they saw and feeling closed off emotionally from their families. The resilience programming ZAKA is now providing is crucial so these heroes can continue with their lives and continue to do their heroic work with the organization. 

JJ: What have been other memorable moments?

ES: This was a very busy trip for me — the trips to Israel always go too fast. These days, from the moment I land until the moment I leave I am busy trying to shine a light on what’s happening in Israel for my followers. The highlight of this trip besides the day with ZAKA was getting to meet released hostage, Keith Siegel. I had become incredibly close with his wife, Aviva, and daughter, Shir, over the past year-and-a-half. I knew so much about him and meeting him and seeing him reunited with his family was surreal and incredibly emotional for me. 

JJ: You’ve become one of Israel’s most prominent supporters on social media. When did you begin finding your voice as a pro-Israel activist?

ES: I had always been outspoken about my support for Israel, but the spring of 2021 [during an 11-day military conflict between Israel and Hamas] was the real turning point. After Israel experienced a rocket attack from Hamas, I was shocked to see how my peers on social media jumped to demonize Israel the second Israel responded to the attack. And almost immediately after the demonization of Israel came the demonization of the Jewish people. It became clear to me then that hate for Israel is just a poor disguise for antisemitism. I felt a huge responsibility as a proud Jew and Zionist with a following to step up and speak out. That was really the beginning.  It’s been the most purposeful work I could ever imagine. It hasn’t been easy, but I feel so blessed to wake up every day and fight for my people, my children and our future.

I felt a huge responsibility as a proud Jew and Zionist with a following to step up and speak out. It’s been the most purposeful work I could ever imagine. It hasn’t been easy, but I feel so blessed to wake up every day and fight for my people, my children and our future.

JJ: How are you celebrating Passover this year?

ES: I will celebrate with my family at a program in Palm Beach with Kosherica [a kosher-for-Passover tour provider]. I will be giving several talks there to the guests about antisemitism and Israel. Passover to me feels especially significant now. The bitterness of the maror, the salt water that represents our tears. We feel the pain of the generations dating all the way back to Egypt more palpably than ever. We speak about coming out of Egypt every day in our prayers. It is said that of all the Israelites in Egypt, only 20% chose to leave and follow Moshe into the Sea of Reeds. The other 80% were too afraid to walk into the unknown and follow God’s path, so they stayed behind. 

I have made it my life’s mission to be in the 20% and to help my fellow Jews join me in following the path of faith over fear. Passover is all about teaching the children, the next generation, about our story. I take this responsibility more seriously than ever. I want my children to know where we come from and what our role is in this life — to always act with morality, strength, and purpose. ■

Five Questions with Pro-Israel Influencer Lizzy Savetsky Read More »

The Passover Seder That Brought ‘Schindler’s List’ Actors Together

Film /

There are many stories from the “Schindler’s List” production that have surfaced over the years: Director Steven Spielberg had weekly Friday phone calls with his friend Robin Williams to cheer him up. He dispatched George Lucas to oversee post-production on “Jurassic Park” while he filmed in Europe. Local agitators painted swastikas near the filming locations in Kraków, Poland. Some Holocaust survivors on set trembled at the sight of Ralph Fiennes in full costume and in character as Amon Göth, the sadistic commandant of the Kraków-Płaszów concentration camp.

But one of the lesser-known stories is of the Passover seder that took place about a month into the production. On April 5, 1993, Spielberg hosted a seder for the cast at a hotel in Kraków. It was attended by many Israeli actors, as well as the German actors who were portraying Nazis in the film.

Spielberg discussed the seder in an interview with the Hollywood Foreign Press (HFP) in 1993: “Everybody who plays a Nazi in ‘Schindler’s List’ is a German actor, except for one who was Polish, and we had an amazing experience in Poland, when all the German actors came to the Passover seder in Kraków. They put on yarmulkes, they sat there with prayer books, the Haggadahs, opened up before them, and the Israeli actors moved their chairs next to the German actors. It was never the same after that for me, it was all very good between us, some kind of closure happened that day and I wept, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. It wasn’t unusual because these are actors, they are people like us, but there was something symbolic about what they did in attending the Passover seder that really made me want to go to Germany and talk about the picture in person there to young Germans.”

“They put on yarmulkes, they sat there with prayer books, the Haggadahs, opened up before them, and the Israeli actors moved their chairs next to the German actors. It was never the same after that for me, it was all very good between us, some kind of closure happened that day and I wept.” – Steven Spielberg

In that same interview, Spielberg said that when he began filming, he was still carrying anger — especially when German actors, dressed in Nazi uniforms, approached him to make small talk between takes. “I was having trouble talking to them in those uniforms and I was angry,” Spielberg said. “But I never blamed a generation for a former generation. My parents never taught us that.”

Spielberg later described making “Schindler’s List” as the hardest filmmaking experience of his life. The film was shot largely on location in Poland, including scenes at Auschwitz. Two Israeli actors reportedly broke down after filming a scene simulating the experience of women entering a gas chamber. Other scenes were so intense that some crew members, including the focus puller, admitted they couldn’t bring themselves to look through the lens.

Spielberg also said that the war in the Balkans at the time loomed over the sentiments being portrayed in the production. “Nothing, no movie, no book, not even a presidential influence is going to stop what’s happening in Bosnia right now, it’s going to take an entire world effort to pull all these sides apart,” Spielberg told the HFP. “So, I had come to the end of my patience with the ethnic cleansing, that terrible word being used in Bosnia regarding certain atrocities and genocide, but I was at the end of my rope with the Holocaust deniers who in 1990 began to talk more. When the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, there were many more acts of violence from Neo-Nazi groups. So, I felt that this was the right time, even though it meant more work to overlap ‘Jurassic Park’ with ‘Schindler’s List,’ to have this picture come out now rather than wait another year, because things were happening.”

Australian author Thomas Keneally, whose 1982 Booker Prize–winning novel “Schindler’s Ark” became the basis for the film, recalled being particularly moved by the location of the Australian premiere. “I was most comfortable, of course, with the premieres in Australia — particularly the first, the Sydney premiere, to which Ben Kingsley came,” Keneally wrote in his 2007 book “Searching for Schindler: A Memoir.” “A press conference was held in the Sydney Jewish Museum, a regional museum of the highest quality. I was fascinated that it commemorated the first Passover seder in Australia, in 1788, when a Jewish Cockney girl convict named Esther Abrahams was given a special ration of wine and bread to enable the Jewish convicts to observe the holiday.”

Poldek Pfefferberg, the Beverly Hills leather goods dealer and Holocaust survivor who first told Keneally the Schindler story in the early 1980s, was also the person who convinced Keneally that the story had to be written — and eventually filmed.

In an interview about the 40th anniversary of “Schindler’s Ark” in 2022, Keneally told the Journal that Pfefferberg and his wife Mila were the first Holocaust survivors he had knowingly met. Since the publication of his book and the release of the acclaimed film, Keneally said that Jewish audiences, especially younger generations, have shared with him the deepest impact.

“The most amazing thing is that so many Jewish youngish, about your generation, or maybe in their 50s, come up and say, ‘My father or mother didn’t speak about the Camps until the Schindler phenomenon,’” Keneally said. “And insofar as I’m responsible for a small bit of that, I had no idea that this would be the result of my work.”

The Journal spoke with Israeli actor Jonathan Sagall, who played Pfefferberg in the film. Until asked, Sagall hadn’t known the seder had even taken place, as he was flying back and forth between Poland and Tel Aviv during production. So the off-camera seder with the Israeli actors portraying the Schindlerjuden and the German actors playing Nazis may not have been widely remembered by the cast. If it happened today, the photos of the moment would be all over social media. But for the director, that Passover seder was a sign that what he was doing wasn’t just making a film — it was creating an unthinkable real-life scene that inspired him between takes of the hardest work of his life. 

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Montana Tucker’s ‘Children of October 7’ Documentary to Premiere on Yom HaShoah

Television /

“The Children of October 7,” a new documentary about Israeli children affected by the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, will premiere on Paramount+ on April 23. The release date coincides with Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day.

The film, created by Montana Tucker and produced by Israeli journalist and filmmaker Rotem Alima, captures first-person testimonies from children whose families were murdered, kidnapped, or remain missing.

“I am so beyond grateful that Paramount+ gave ‘The Children of October 7th’ a home,” Tucker told The Journal. “This documentary is a necessary watch, for all generations, and to have it stream in the U.S. on one of the biggest platforms is a true honor. The world needs to see and hear these innocent children’s testimonies. It’s also coming out on April 23, which is Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day). I am the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, and my grandmother was only 13 when she was taken to Auschwitz, where she witnessed and experienced the unimaginable. The children I interviewed were ages 11 to 17. The parallels are haunting. We must never forget. And never again.”

“I am the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, and my grandmother was only 13 when she was taken to Auschwitz. … The children I interviewed were ages 11 to 17. The parallels are haunting.” – Montana Tucker

The film was shot over several months in Israel, with Tucker and Alima working closely with families to build trust. Some of the children had followed Tucker on TikTok, and the interviews were designed to feel more like conversations than formal testimony. Filming began about a year after the attacks, once the children had begun processing what they’d experienced.

Scenes include accounts of children hiding under their parents’ bodies, watching siblings be killed, and being forced to sit in rooms where Hamas terrorists livestreamed the horrors to Facebook using the victims’ phones and accounts.

One of the most disturbing moments centers on a family attacked in their home. Eleven-year-old Yael Idan had taken shelter with her family in a safe room when the Hamas terrorists shouted through the door, promising not to shoot if they came out. When they didn’t respond, the terrorists opened fire, killing Yael’s older sister, Mayaan, 18, in front of her. The attackers then forced the surviving family members — and neighbors taken from other homes — to sit together in the kitchen. Yael’s father Tsachi was abducted to Gaza where he was murdered. Tsachi’s body was among four dead Israelis exchanged for 600 Palestinian prisoners in February 2025. 

“The Children of October 7” release comes seven weeks after “No Other Land,” a documentary critical of Israeli policy in the West Bank, won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature. Co-directed by Palestinian activist Basel Adra and Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham, “No Other Land” was condemned for inaccuracies and lacking context. Creative Community for Peace (CCFP), a nonprofit that engages with Hollywood on Israel-related issues, said the film “presents a one-sided, inaccurate narrative that demonizes Israelis and overlooks the rationale behind Israel’s security policies in the West Bank.”

Tucker and Alima see their documentary as a space for voices that need to be amplified. With Paramount+, their documentary will be on platform with over 77 million subscribers worldwide. “In today’s fragmented media landscape, having a documentary on a significant platform offers a chance to build bridges across different communities and perspectives,” Alima told The Journal. “I’m grateful and excited Paramount+ picked up the film, giving us the ability to bring these children’s experiences — stories of tremendous resilience and hope amid unimaginable circumstance — to viewers who might otherwise never encounter them.”

Alima, who left her role as a producer at Apple two days before the attacks, has spent much of the past year focused on Israel-related projects. A former winner of the Israeli Academy Award and a Student Oscar, she now splits her time between documentary work and community organizing in Los Angeles.

“I sincerely hope that viewers will connect on a human level, beyond political divides, and be inspired by their courage and resilience,” she said. “Our goal has always been to honor these children’s voices while creating space for healing and understanding. If our film can contribute even in a small way to greater empathy and dialogue, I’ll consider it a huge success.”

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A Sweet Date Truffle for the Magical Night of Mimouna

Food /

In North Africa, after the sun would set on the last day of Passover, Muslim neighbors would bring flour to Jewish homes. The flour would be transformed into the first heavenly taste of chametz — freshly fried mufleta dripping with butter and sweet, sticky honey!

On this night, the doors of Jewish homes would be opened, festive music would be playing and the tables would be piled high with fruits, fresh dairy, sweets and cookies for Mimouna.

The exact origins of the name and holiday remain conjecture. Does it mark the anniversary of the death of Maimon ben Yosef, the father of Maimonides? Or does the name come from the Hebrew word “emunah” (faith)? Or is it derived from the Arabic word “ma’amoun” (wealth)?

With the emigration of the Jews of the Maghreb (Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria), the age old custom of Mimouna travelled with them to Israel, France and Canada. The first large public picnic Mimouna was held in Israel in 1966 and the popularity of this ancient celebration has grown. Nowadays, Mimouna is celebrated around the world by many Jews.

One of my favorite, most memorable Mimounas was held in the ballroom of a San Diego hotel to mark the end of a Pesach program. The mufleta maker — Lillian Douek — patiently stood and made mufleta for hundreds of hungry adults and children. Lillian, a beloved art teacher at Hillel, was the first friend my mother made when she moved to Los Angeles and she remains one of the most cherished people in our lives.

Born in Morocco, Lillian is just a pure talent. Everything she puts her hand to is magnificent and her mufleta is no exception!

Making mufleta is a fine art — the dough is thin and soft and stretchy. It was mesmerizing to watch Lillian use her bare hands to skillfully flip each pancake, adding another pancake and flipping and landing up with a huge stack of perfectly cooked pancakes. 

— Sharon

For me, Mimouna will always be the joyous Moroccan celebration of springtime, friends, family and good fortune. Marking the end of Passover and the beginning of the agricultural season, my family would celebrate with friends and family. My cousins and I would be greeted with hearty chants of the Judeo-Arabic blessing “Tirbah u’tissad,” may you prosper and succeed.

My family’s Mimouna table always overflows with sweet treats like orange jam, eggplant jam, marzipan, meringues and of course, the famous mufleta. (Recipe can be found at JewishJournal.com) Talismans of luck, fertility and prosperity also adorn the table. A live goldfish in a glass bowl. A green tree branch. Five gold coins in a bowl of flour, and five fava beans arranged on a pastry.

This year to mark Mimouna, I share a special recipe for date truffles that I’ve been making for years. I’m proud to say that it was way before the rage for dates in everything started in the culinary world.

My father was diagnosed with diabetes 20 years ago and the rest of my family doesn’t really like sugar or artificial sweeteners, so I’m always on the lookout for “healthy” sweets. In fact, I often substitute white sugar with coconut sugar or maple syrup.

While this recipe is no bake and so simple, preparation does involve a food processor or blender.

Play around with the recipe. You can substitute the almond butter for any nut butter. You can also add in additional nuts, chocolate chips and/or coconut. If you don’t want to dip the truffles in melted chocolate, roll them in crushed nuts or cocoa powder or toasted coconut flakes. This recipe is very adaptable to any of your favorite flavors.

Whenever I serve this, my guests always ask me for the ingredients. And their response is always the same — amazement. Natural and delicious, these date truffles will be your new favorite snack and dessert.

—Rachel

Chocolate Date Truffles

yields 2 dozen

12 Medjool pitted dates

2/3 cup almond butter 

½ cup almond flour

3 Tbsp cacao powder

1 ½ tsp almond extract or vanilla

½ cup tiny semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chocolate chips(melted for coating)

In a bowl, soak dates in hot water for 10 minutes (skip this step if dates are soft)

Drain water

In a food processor combine dates, almond butter, almond flour, cacao and almond extract.  Pulse 10-12 times until well combined, add tiny chocolate chips and pulse a few more times to incorporate.

Pour into a bowl and start to form balls by  squeezing mixture into your hand and forming balls the size of a walnut.

Place truffles on tray covered with parchment paper.

Place in refrigerator for 15 minutes

Melt 1 cup of chocolate chips in microwave

Dip truffle in chocolate and place on parchment paper. Top with crushed nuts, coconut or sprinkles. 

Sharon Gomperts and Rachel Emquies Sheff have been friends since high school. The Sephardic Spice Girls project has grown from their collaboration on events for the Sephardic Educational Center in Jerusalem. Follow them
on Instagram @sephardicspicegirls and on Facebook at Sephardic Spice SEC Food. Website sephardicspicegirls.com/full-recipes.

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Table for Five: Passover II

Judaism, Torah /

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

So God led the people via the desert road toward the Sea of Reeds. The Israelites were armed when they went up from Egypt. 

– Ex. 13:18 (seventh day of Passover Torah reading)

Rabbi Ilana Grinblat

Ahavat Torah

The day I was asked to write about this verse, I walked along the winding path of the Pacific Crest Trail in the San Jacinto mountains, listening to my friend Deborah recount the unexpected turns of events that led her to becoming a teacher in Kenya. The next day, I listened as a fellow hiker I met on the trail told me about the indirect route she took to arrive at her current career. She studied art and then linguistics, worked in communications, and then in renewable energy. That evening, I drove down the windy road down the San Jacinto mountains and headed home, wondering: Why does life take us on circuitous routes?

This verse has always puzzled me. When fleeing slavery with an army chasing you, I would want a direct exit route. Yet, perhaps, God took the people on a circuitous path to teach us an important life lesson. Life often takes us on turns we never saw coming. We shouldn’t consider our detours to be failures, but rather essential steps that taught us lessons we needed to get to our ultimate destination. Those turns helped us develop patience and perseverance. The winding trail brought good people into our life. As Deborah said, hiking straight up a tall mountain would be exhausting and impossible. Only through all the turns and ups and downs can we get where we’re meant to go.

Rabbi Pinchas Winston

Thirtysix.org / Shaarnun Productions

The Hebrew word for “armed” is chamushim, which opens up an interesting interpretation of the verse. Rashi says that the word chamushim can also mean a fifth, suggesting that only one out of every five Jews left Egypt. The other four-fifths died during the three days of darkness. That means that 12 million Jews lost their lives in the Plague of Darkness. Why? Rashi explained that earlier: “Because there were wicked people among the Jewish nation of that generation who didn’t want to leave Egypt, and they died during the three days of darkness.” Staying in Egypt wasn’t part of God’s plan, so when four-fifths of the Jews in Egypt chose to stay, they did, but not in the way they had planned. The eerie thing is, the Gemara says that something similar will happen at the end of history, when the final redemption happens. Rava said, “It will happen again in the Messianic Era.” Rabbi Yechezkel Levenstein in his work, Ohr Yechezkel, in the section called, Emunas HaGeulah, added: “The Exodus from Egypt only freed one out of five Jews … because all those who were attached to Egypt and didn’t want to leave died in the three days of darkness and weren’t allowed to leave. Only those who truly wanted redemption were redeemed. The Final Redemption also depends on our desire.” Each year, the Pesach seder reminds us of this, so that we can refocus on the importance of redemption, and instead be one of the fortunate “survivors.”

David Sacks

Happy Minyan of Los Angeles

Did you know that only 20% of the Jews left Egypt? That means that 80% stayed stuck there forever. Imagine the courage it took to follow Moshe into the desert. 

If it were today, would you go with him? 

It reminds me of a joke.

Back in the day, only rich people ate blintzes. So, a poor man says to his wife, “You know I’ve never had blintzes.” His wife says, “Here are the ingredients, go out and get them, and I’ll be happy to make you some.” She hands him the list, and he takes one look and says, “Cinnamon!? That costs a fortune! Raisins?? There haven’t been raisins around here in months! Sugar? I can’t afford that!” Finally, he comes back with some flour and water. She does the best she can and makes him the blintzes. He takes one bite and says, “You know, I really don’t know what rich people see in blintzes.”  

This makes me laugh. But it also makes me think. 

Do you know how many people think they’ve tasted Judaism, but really haven’t?

Afterwards, they put it aside thinking that it doesn’t speak to them. 

But they never fully tasted the sweetness of Torah to begin with. For that you need all the ingredients.

Fresh baked challah, Shabbat, singing, dancing, deep Torah study, tefillin, mikvah, talking to G-d like you would your best friend. These are the ingredients. Without them …

It’s really hard to leave.

Rabbi Tova Leibovic-Douglas

Founder of The Ritual House @rabbi_tova

Emmanuel Levinas once wrote, “The face is the presence of the Other in its most exposed and vulnerable form, and it is as perilous as the crossing of the Red Sea.” In this, he speaks to our deep ethical responsibility as human beings. Passover, a timeless story of liberation, is not just a historical event but a personal call to action. Many mystical rabbis, especially within Hasidic teachings, suggest that this holiday urges us to liberate ourselves internally. Viewed through this lens, Passover becomes a call for deep spiritual commitment.

The Torah teaches us that the parting of the Red Sea was not as swift or graceful as we often recount before “Dayenu” at the seder. In fact, the Israelites took a roundabout route through the desert rather than a direct path. Many commentators argue that this detour was essential for their spiritual preparation. The desert journey wasn’t a mistake — it was a necessary process for their growth and readiness.

In our world today, filled with division — within our Jewish communities, our homes, and our broader society — can we dare ask if we are spiritually ready to cross the sea? Perhaps this is the year for detours — moments of self-reflection as perilous as the Red Sea itself. Like the Israelites, we must be willing to take the longer, sometimes more difficult path toward inner transformation. It is this roundabout, confusing journey that may, in fact, lead us to the miracles awaiting on the other side.

Rabbi Chanan Gordon 

International Inspirational Speaker

When the Torah discusses the Israelites leaving Egypt with the words “… so G-d led the people via the desert road toward the Sea of Reeds. The Israelites were armed when they went up from Egypt.” (Shemos 13:18), it seems to be a matter-of-fact description of the orderly departure from Mitzrayim.

The Meforshim, however, extrapolate two important life lessons from these verses. 

Lesson # 1: The reason Hashem took the Jewish People on a circuitous route out of Mitzrayim was to make it difficult for them to consider returning given our proclivity to revert to what we know, albeit bitter.

When embarking on any great undertaking, fear is a natural response. By creating a scenario where there was no way back, Hashem forced the Jews to develop strength that lay dormant during their years of slavery. Instead of thinking of themselves as subservient and limited — from living as slaves in Egypt — the lesson for our ancestors, and for us today as we approach Pesach, is not only to celebrate the fact that the Jews left Egypt, but to utilize the upcoming Chag to ensure that we take the Egyptian out of all of us.

Lesson # 2: We all face proverbial deserts in our lives where the way out is unclear.  The second part of the parsha is a reminder that we are all armed with the tools to overcome the fear of the unknown and to walk with faith to the Promised Land in our respective lives.

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