The kids and I went on a quick adventure last weekend—flying up to San Francisco and back to see their cousin in a community theater musical.
On the plane, I sat in the middle seat.
Between them.
Their elbows claimed the armrests without apology. Their legs leaned against mine. Their shoulders pressed against me as if squeezing me were the most natural thing in the world.
I contorted myself, searching for space
And then I stopped.
I took a breath and realized: this is the space.
This—being crowded, needed, leaned on—is not an inconvenience. It’s a moment in time.
Someday, there will be no elbows fighting for armrests.
Someday, there will be empty seats where they once pressed in close.
Someday, I will wish I could feel this again—just for a moment.
Kohelet teaches: “There is no moment that does not have its hour, and no hour that does not have its moment.” Every moment carries something that cannot be repeated. Once it passes, it is gone.
So the question isn’t how to hold onto a moment.
It’s whether we notice it while we’re in it.
What would change this week if you paused—just long enough—to recognize: am I experiencing one of those moments? How can I capture it before it is gone?
On Shavuot night in Jerusalem, I had an unpleasant encounter with a group of yeshiva students whose behavior was entirely inappropriate for young men studying to become religious leaders.
But as upsetting as the incident was, it left me thinking about something much bigger than the conduct of a few immature students.
It forced me to ask a question that much of the Haredi world has spent decades avoiding:
What happens to young men who simply are not built for full-time Torah scholarship?
For generations, large parts of the Haredi community have operated on the assumption that virtually every young man should remain in advanced Torah study for as long as possible. The ideal is noble. Torah learning is the lifeblood of Jewish civilization. The Jewish people need scholars, rabbis, judges, educators, and spiritual leaders.
But we also need honesty.
Not every young man is destined to become a great Torah scholar.
And pretending otherwise harms both the individual and the community.
In America, approximately 44.5 percent of adults hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Roughly 55 percent possess some form of post-secondary credential. That means nearly half the population does not pursue traditional academic pathways.
No one views this as a failure.
A healthy society understands that people possess different talents.
Some are scholars.
Some are entrepreneurs.
Some are builders.
Some are engineers.
Some are artists.
Some are soldiers.
A nation flourishes when it creates pathways for all of them.
“Not every Jewish boy is meant to become a Torah scholar. But every Jewish boy is meant to become something great.”
When I studied in Jerusalem in the 1980s, I loved learning. I immersed myself in Torah from morning until night. I studied with passion and enthusiasm because I genuinely wanted to master the texts and understand them deeply.
But I still remember a student who sat directly in front of me.
He was a wonderful young man.
Kind. Respectful. Good-hearted.
Yet every day he stared out the window.
Hour after hour.
Day after day.
He wasn’t learning.
He wasn’t growing.
He was enduring.
The yeshiva was not his place.
Not because he lacked character.
Not because he lacked intelligence.
But because God had clearly created him for a different purpose.
I often wonder what became of him.
Perhaps he would have made an exceptional military officer.
Perhaps a successful businessman.
Perhaps an engineer.
Perhaps a builder of Jewish institutions.
Instead, years of his life were spent in an educational framework that did not match his gifts.
How many thousands of young men today are living the same story?
The problem is not that too many students leave the study hall.
The problem is that too many were never meant to spend their entire lives there.
“The greatest educational mistake is assuming that every child has the same calling.”
When young men are placed in environments where they cannot thrive, boredom follows.
Frustration follows.
Aimlessness follows.
Too often, unhealthy behavior follows as well.
The answer is not to lower standards.
Nor is it to diminish the importance of Torah scholarship.
The answer is differentiation.
We should identify exceptional scholars and invest heavily in their development.
But we should also create honorable alternatives for those whose talents lie elsewhere.
The most obvious example is military service.
For decades, discussions about Haredi enlistment have been framed as a battle between Torah and the army.
That is a false choice.
The real question is whether young men who are not flourishing in yeshiva should be given meaningful opportunities to serve the Jewish people.
The answer should be self-evident.
The Israel Defense Forces teach discipline, responsibility, leadership, teamwork, sacrifice, and service.
Most importantly, they teach young Jews to confront the actual enemies of the Jewish people.
Israel needs Torah scholars.
But Israel also needs soldiers.
The Jewish people need rabbis.
But they also need commanders.
They need teachers.
But they also need defenders.
“A young man who is not succeeding in yeshiva is not a failure. The real failure is refusing to help him find where he can succeed.”
For too long, parts of the Haredi world have treated alternative paths as second-class options. The result has been generations of young men forced into a single mold regardless of their individual talents.
That approach serves neither Torah nor the Jewish people.
The challenge before us is not to produce fewer Torah scholars.
It is to produce more successful Jews.
Some will serve through scholarship.
Some through business.
Some through public service.
And many through defending the Jewish state.
The Jewish people need all of them.
Recognizing that truth is not a threat to Torah.
It is one of the greatest ways to honor.
Rabbi Shmuley Boteach is the international bestselling author of thirty-eight books, translated into more than twenty languages. He has been hailed as “the most famous rabbi in America” (The Washington Post, Newsweek), “arguably the most famous Orthodox Jew on earth” (The New York Observer), and named one of the fifty most influential Jews in the world (The Jerusalem Post).
When you were a kid, you probably had a Teddy Bear. If you were a girl, you probably had a Betsy Wetsy, a Chatty Cathy, more dolls. Boys would play cops and robbers, cowboy and Indians. A few years go by and toddlers have probably graduated to Barbie dolls and G.I. Joe “action figures” and electric trains.
Those toys have a connection that goes beyond department store shelves: They were all made by companies started by Eastern European and Russian Jewish immigrants: Morris Michtom, Louis Marx, Ruth Handler (née Moskowitz), the Hassenfeld brothers (Henry, Hillel and Herman) and Joshua Lionel Cohen and their companies, Ideal, Marx, Mattel, Hasbro and Lionel trains.
That’s the subject of Michael Kimmel’s entertaining history, “Playmakers: The Jewish Entrepreneurs Who Created the Toy Industry in America.” His provocative thesis is that not only did this group of Eastern European and Russian Jews create toys (many still manufactured and loved after nearly a century) — they created the modern idea of “childhood.”
In fact, the entire toy industry in America was largely Jewish, from the company founders and executives to the designers and factory workers, from the wholesale distributors and the army of salesmen, to the retail outlets and the large department stores that sold them.
As immigrants or first-generation Jewish Americans – many of them raised on New York’s Lower East Side – the toymakers did not have easy childhoods. Among other indignities, Kimmel notes that in early 20th-century New York public schools, “Jewish children who were disobedient or spoke Yiddish were punished by having their mouths washed out with nonkosher soap,” while noting that kosher soap was not even made in America until 1914. But he writes that they “remade America – and in particular, American childhood – not in their own image, but in the image of what they wanted it to be.”
Kimmel describes this as a “near-perfect assimilationist fantasy, the hermetically sealed, impenetrable claim to revered membership in the American social world.” This, even though they remained fenced out of that world; not even the Jewish owners of the department stores where the toymakers wholesaled their goods fully accepted them. The Jews who owned the stores were German Jews who came to America in the mid-1800s; educated and assimilated, they looked down on the more outwardly Jewish, Yiddish-speaking manufacturers as “Ostjuden.” Even as they became more successful and affluent by mid-century, Jewish toymakers were still viewed as alien. “The harder they worked to gain full acceptance into the mainstream of American society,” he writes, “the more they were reminded they really didn’t belong.”
But these early 20th-century Jews held onto their “near-perfect assimilationist fantasy,” he writes. “Yiddish Jews created the toys and dolls and manufactured them … all to ensure that the Christmas season would be at least as happy for Jews as it was for gentiles.” (One misbegotten attempt to cater to the gentile market was Ideal’s marketing of a baby Jesus doll. Ideal even got Pope Pius XII to bless the idea, but the toy was a bomb, Kimmel writes, because as Jews, “they didn’t understand that no one was going to have their children playing with the Christ child.”)
Kimmel, the great-grandnephew of Morris Mitchom, Ideal’s founder, started the book as a family history, and Ideal does get the greatest amount of attention. It’s a fascinating story. While he tries to give the full history of the industry, Morris, and his son, Benjamin Franklin Mitchom are the main characters of Kimmel’s story. And they have a great story to tell. He follows Morris (né Moshe) and his wife Rose, recently arrived in America, from the Brooklyn candy store where they made the first “teddy bear” (who coined the name is in dispute) after seeing an editorial cartoon of Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt sparing a young bear to starting Ideal Toys which became the industry leader.
Morris starts out with the same liberal/socialist politics as many Jewish immigrants, and was a proud supporter of labor unions … at least until 1907, when his employees joined the Teddy Bearmakers Union and went on strike. The union prevailed, Kimmel claims, because of their skill in sewing the Mitchom bear’s “inscrutable, half-human smile,” a feature Kimmel – with one eyebrow ironically arched – claims makes the Mitchom bear look “more Jewish” than his competitors’ bears. After the strike, Morris switched his charitable donations from labor unions to Zionist organizations.
Morris was an innovator, creating dolls who cried, wet themselves and talked; his dolls used the new wonder material, plastic. Before the American toy industry, most dolls were either home-made rag dolls or German-made porcelain; making a doll “indestructible” he was told, would depress sales. He brushed them off: “You can’t give [an expensive and fragile porcelain doll] to a baby!” The embargo of German goods during World War I helped American toys gain a foothold.
Morris and the other early toymakers might have been “poor and terribly unhappy young men,” but they “took childish pleasure in the joy they brought to millions of children.” These serious men “retained the ‘inner child’ who had never been given free rein when they themselves were children.” It was a talent that was passed to the second generation of Mitchoms, as Morris’ son, Ben entered the business. Ben, Kimmel writes, “understood something essential about the minds of children and the ways dolls might engage them. He believed that what children wanted in a doll was the opportunity to play adult.”
Kimmel is a companionable guide to this story. “Playmakers” is filled with short anecdotes and asides. In the original telling of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” she breaks into the home of three bachelor bears … and let’s just say it does not end well for her. The association of girls with pink and boys with blue might feel ancient and immutable, but Kimmel writes that as late as the 1930s, a Parent’s magazine advised red – the color of courage and zeal – represented male attributes while blue stood for the feminine traits of faith and constancy. He makes a fair case that Popeye and Olive Oyl – created by the Jewish artist Elzie Crisler Segar and animated by the Jewish cartoonist Max Fliescher – are Jewish, and that the 1960s Beatles trading cards were only licensed after a Topps executive made a comment to the band’s Jewish manager, Brian Epstein in Yiddish.
It’s so much fun to read, you wish it had been more tightly edited. It’s a deeply researched book, sometimes too much so. Kimmel dedicates some 40 pages to the stories of Jewish comic book artists and writers. It’s an interesting story, and it makes sense to include them (they were going after the same audience), but it’s one that’s been told before in greater detail (and can be seen in the “Inventing America: The Comic Book Revolution” exhibit currently at the Skirball). The fact that the toymakers pretty much recede from the narrative make it feel like it was wedged into the book. The factchecking is also a little dodgy; he calls “Horse Feathers” the Marx Brothers first feature (it’s their third). More concerning is his claim that Whittaker Chambers, the English translator of “Bambi” was better known for “hounding some Jewish leftists named Rosenberg,” when he obviously meant Alger Hiss, who was not even Jewish.
But the book picks up toward the end, as the baby boom creates an even bigger market for toys. In his concluding chapter, Kimmel notes the irony that “Sesame Street,” created by the half-Jewish Joan Ganz Cooney, with its inner city setting of tenements and garbage cans, brought childhood back to the world the toy industry’s creators were trying to leave behind.
Fresh off the Kevin Hart roast for Netflix and his “Take a Banana for the Ride” Broadway run (also streaming on Netflix), comedian Jeff Ross popped into New York City last weekend to discuss the most sensual of all the cured meats — pastrami.
The Museum of the City of New York welcomed “The Roastmaster General” along with Katz’s Deli owner Jake Dell for a meaty talk on the Jewish deli’s legacy. With delis disappearing across the country at an alarming rate, Katz’s remains at the top of its game with long lines, fueled by Tik Tok and nostalgia.
Its legendary status went viral (before viral was a thing) after starring in Rob Reiner’s 1989 romantic comedy, “When Harry Met Sally.” Orgasm this – orgasm that. Until you’ve actually had Katz’s fresh piping hot pastrami on rye with mustard (hold the mayo) you don’t know from pleasure.
Ross, who these days looks like the poster child for least hungry comic, knows a thing or two about Jewish delicacies. Raised in Newark, New Jersey, the now-mostly Los Angeles resident grew up in a catering family whose bread-and-butter business was weddings, bar mitzvahs and meats. Ross’ repeated exposure and ingestion of all those juicy meats may or may not have led to his colon cancer diagnosis last year — from which, thankfully, he’s now fully recovered, his love for pastrami still very much intact. Ross joked that it’s OK to still eat Katz’s savory pastrami, as long as you get that annual colonoscopy check-up.
Part of what makes the pastrami at Katz’s Deli so exceptional is the entire experience. First-hand, I can assure you- it’s real and it’s spectacular! Beyond its mouth-watering silky smooth deliciousness, Katz’s offers up a freshly cut slice to each customer, prior to fulfilling each order. Ross proclaimed it was “like a good drug dealer” allowing “a taste” from the counter. Ross says he adopted that practice to his adorable German Shepherd at feeding time. Katz’s takes such care and pride in its slicing, that cutters don’t touch a knife until year 10!
Dell added how “humbling it is to be in a position to share [Jewish] culture and food from years ago to people from around the world.” When I asked Ross what separates Katz’s from other delis like Canter’s or Nate and Al’s in Los Angeles, he just smiled and stated, “C’mon, it’s New York.”
Katz’s ships nationwide – and Ross revealed he once sent Jimmy Kimmel a salami. In keeping with his good friend’s roasting sensibilities, Kimmel wrote him back, “Thanks for the salami –it fit perfectly.”
While Katz’s is very much a traditional Jewish style deli, they’re willing to take unorthodox requests. Someone in the audience asked Dell what’s the weirdest combination sandwich someone’s ordered. His answer did not disappoint. Chopped Liver and Tuna Fish. As you can imagine, the crowd groaned. Ross quickly sniped, “I’ve never heard an audience so grossed out. What a noise.”
“Well done,” Dell added. “I’m horrified by that sandwich.”
Ross did give a shout-out to a new Las Vegas spot that’s quickly becoming a desert favorite- Siegel’s Bagelmania. Ross proclaimed this expansive full-service modern Jewish deli with all the trimmings to be “Bagelicious.”
After covering bananas and pastrami, perhaps Ross’s next great culinary conquest will be bagels (and Elvis).
Steve Matoren is currently directing “Bagels & Elvis,” a documentary that focuses on why everyone’s so obsessed with who’s Jewish.
American Friends of the Hebrew University (AFHU) Western Region has appointed Michael Cypers as its new board president.
An attorney and longtime community leader, Cypers succeeds Dr. Barbara Natterson-Horowitz, who will continue serving as president emerita. A longtime supporter of AFHU, Cypers currently serves on the AFHU National Executive Committee and national board.
“I am honored to become the next president of AFHU’s Western Region and deeply appreciate the leadership and dedication that Dr. Natterson-Horowitz has demonstrated during her tenure,” Cypers said. “I look forward to expanding awareness of the Hebrew University, its missions of excellence and tolerance and advancing initiatives that help make the world a better place through the best of Israeli creativity and practical ingenuity.”
AFHU raises funds and awareness for the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, one of Israel’s leading institutions of higher learning.
Avraham Cohen, Eli Marmur, Eric Braeden, Danny Goldberg, Adeena Bleich, Rabbi Erez Sherman, Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, Stephen Sass, Mitch Gaylord and Maria Camacho gather for a Jewish American Heritage Month celebration at L.A. City Hall. Courtesy of Jewish American Heritage Month
A new exhibit celebrating Jewish contributions to sports was unveiled at Los Angeles City Hall as part of Jewish American Heritage Month-Los Angeles (JAHM-LA).
The exhibit, “Playing it Forward: Championing Jewish Values in Sport,” highlights athletes, institutions and changemakers who have helped shape sports in Los Angeles and beyond. The display features figures ranging from baseball legend Sandy Koufax to Olympic champions Mark Spitz and Aly Raisman.
Community leaders, athletes and elected officials gathered at City Hall on May 15 to mark the opening of the exhibit. “The program launches our JAHM-LA ‘Light the Path’ initiative promoting cross-cultural local heritage and learning across neighborhoods by activating transit as shared civic space,” said Mary Kohav, a member of the JAHM-LA advisory board.
Stephen Sass, president of the Jewish Historical Society of Southern California, emphasized the importance of public storytelling. “Ongoing education and highlighting personal and community stories are essential to building understanding and combating hate,” Sass said. “’Playing It Forward’ does exactly that by showing how Jewish history and values are not abstract – they are lived every day through sport.”
Moishe House Venice’s outdoor neighborhood Shabbat celebration. Courtesy of Mem Global
Moishe House Venice recently took Shabbat outside the walls of its home and into the neighborhood.
Instead of hosting its traditional Friday-night gathering indoors, residents and guests walked to The Penmar restaurant, where they welcomed Shabbat with kiddush, food and conversation before settling in for an evening of live music under the Venice sky.
The event reflected Moishe House’s mission of creating accessible Jewish experiences for young adults in the places where they already live, socialize and build community.
“It was such a joy to welcome Shabbat outdoors at this gorgeous Venice venue with Jewish young adults dancing, singing and connecting,” Moishe House Venice resident Lisa Friedman said.
As the sun set, attendees enjoyed performances ranging from jazz to Latin music while connecting with fellow young Jewish Angelenos.
It is no surprise that tourism in Israel has taken a significant hit amid the war with Iran. Ongoing uncertainty about the near future has led many travelers to remove Israel from their vacation plans. After all, few people are willing to spend their holiday running to bomb shelters or worrying about incoming missiles.
However, according to the Director General of Israel’s Ministry of Tourism, Michael Izhakov, this perception does not reflect the reality on the ground. Speaking during a recent visit to Los Angeles, Itzhakov said Israel is, in fact, safer than many other destinations.
Izhakov, 38, assumed his position last year at a particularly challenging moment for the country’s tourism industry. Since Oct. 7, 2023, the number of visitors has dropped by approximately 30%, impacting a wide range of businesses, including hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions.
It is difficult to persuade people to visit Israel when it is consistently portrayed in the news as a conflict zone. The images and reports emerging from the region — including the brutality of Hamas, hostage accounts, and missile attacks from Iran that have damaged buildings and caused civilian casualties — are often enough to deter potential travelers, even when things have finally calmed down.
“Do you know how many tourists were killed in Israel over the past two and a half years? None,” Izhakov said. “Thank God, not one tourist was harmed. We are one of the safest places for tourists, safer than parts of Europe or South America. A woman can walk alone in the middle of the night and nothing would happen to her; I’m not sure that’s the case everywhere else.”
Los Angeles is the first stop on Izhakov’s U.S. visit. He plans to meet with pastors, heads of major studios, the mayor of Beverly Hills, as well as leaders in the Jewish community. “I can talk about it all I want, and say it’s calm and safe here, but it’s not the same as witnessing it firsthand. People need to come and see that the country is full of life. There are restaurants, activities and a vibrant everyday reality. I believe in hosting them — you have to connect people to the country in a real way. It can’t be done through words alone,” he said.
Michael Izhakov with Beverly Hills mayor Craig Corman (Israel Ministry of Tourism)
His goal is not to bring tourists this summer; he understands that Americans tend to plan trips well in advance and is instead focusing on next winter. “They aren’t as spontaneous as Israelis, who can, on a spur of the moment, book a flight to Greece or Rome. They like to plan ahead of time. We know that, and that’s why we act now, or we risk losing the entire next season.”
Speaking with The Journal, Izhakov said he also intends to focus on the Jewish community in the U.S., not only the Christian communities that have traditionally been a central focus of outreach efforts. “For years, Jews were somewhat overlooked by the Ministry of Tourism. When I stepped into the role, I asked: Why are we only talking about non-Jewish tourists? There are about five million Jews worldwide, and two-thirds of them have never even set foot in Israel.”
During the early days of the war, Izhakov said the Ministry of Tourism established a dedicated operations center to manage the evacuation of tourists, among them Birthright students.
“We set up a command center for evacuating tourists,” he said. “We transported them to the borders in Aqaba and Egypt by buses, communicated with them in multiple languages, and ran a virtual operations hub so that whenever there was a question no one could answer, the Ministry was there to respond. It was all free of charge,” he said. “We didn’t think about costs. It was simply the right thing to do.”
In total, arrangements were made for the departure of approximately 4,000 tourists by air out of Israel.
He added that the scale of coordination was significant, and that international recognition quickly followed. “We understood how successful it was when the U.S. ambassador, the British officials, and other ministers sent us letters of thanks. The Greek and Filipino governments also expressed appreciation. It’s not simple — we took responsibility and we did it because in an event like this, you cannot leave tourists behind.”
Surprisingly enough, many of the 37,000 tourists who were in Israel during the war chose to stay. “It was unbelievable. I was sure that within 72 hours there would be no tourists left in Israel, but they didn’t want to leave. Missiles were falling, people were running to shelters and they still didn’t want to go,” Itzhakov said.
He recalled how he met a group of American tourists at the Leonardo Plaza in Jerusalem while the war with Iran was ongoing. He asked one of them what he was still doing in Israel. The man replied, “I’m on my way to Tel Aviv to celebrate Passover on April First.”
War or no war, he wasn’t about to miss the Seder night.
He also recalled how an evangelical group arrived at the border of Israel and Egypt by bus and asked to enter. “They weren’t deterred by the war at all. I believe it was the first time ever the Director General of the Ministry of Tourism was actually trying to convince people not to enter,” he laughed.
During his visit to Los Angeles, Izhakov also met with producers in an effort to attract film and television productions to Israel. The goal, he said, is not only economic, but also reputational — to bring international productions to the country and challenge the way Israel is often portrayed in global media.
Alongside cultural outreach, the Ministry is also focusing on investors and infrastructure. Izhakov said Israel is actively encouraging tourism-related investment through targeted meetings and investor conferences. “We are holding investor conferences because we want to show entrepreneurs that we are with them,” he said. “We have marketing channels, and we are speaking directly with investors.”
According to Izhakov, the Ministry has been working to ease regulatory and financial barriers for developers. He noted that approximately 17 new hotels are expected to open this year across the country. Traditionally, the government has provided grants of up to 20% for hotel construction, but he said new mechanisms are being developed to support projects more flexibly, offering investors higher levels of financing, including planning reforms and alternative land-use arrangements to help developers unlock financing. The Ministry will also help structure projects so that residential components can be used to finance hotel construction, allowing developers to raise capital through early housing sales while still expanding tourism capacity.
At the same time, Izhakov addressed the ongoing challenges in air connectivity. He said that some airlines, including the Lufthansa Group, are expected to gradually resume flights to Israel after suspending service during the conflict. However, he acknowledged that limited competition has led to high airfare prices.
Israeli airline El Al had taken advantage of the situation, charging higher prices on flights. He is also going to participate in three conventions and launch a new campaign: “I Am Israel.”
He emphasized that restoring flights is critical to the recovery of Israel’s tourism sector. “Air travel is the Achilles’ heel of bringing tourism back to Israel,” he said. “Without it, everything becomes more difficult.”
This month, the ministry is also going to launch a new campaign: “I Am Israel.”
“We are not ashamed of our country,” he said. “There is criticism in the world, but also a great deal of love. We cannot win everyone over, but there are many who do want to come — and our job is to reach them.”
Less than a year ago, he did not know if he would live or die. While working as a security guard and paramedic at the Nova music festival, Bar Kupershtein stayed behind under fire to evacuate the wounded and save lives. He was then abducted by Hamas militants and endured 738 days of captivity marked by violence, starvation and psychological abuse. Now, Bar Kupershtein finds himself in a very different place.
On a recent afternoon at Magic Mountain, he was laughing on a roller coaster, surrounded by children battling cancer — all of them screaming with joy as the ride twisted through the air. Hamas tunnels in Gaza had never felt so distant.
Kupershtein, 24, who was released from captivity on Oct. 13, 2025, joined the group as part of a trip organized by Lehosheet Yad, an organization that brings Israeli children battling cancer from Israel to Los Angeles for a brief escape from hospitals and treatments.
The contrast was almost impossible to grasp. Just months earlier, survival was uncertain. Now, he and the children, each carrying their own unimaginable burden, were simply kids and young adults, chasing a moment of normalcy, their laughter free, real and contagious.
Bar Kupershtein (in a black shirt and glasses) with the children and volunteers of Lehoshit Yad on The Hollywood Walk of Fame. Courtesy of Lehoshit Yad
Kupershtein had originally come to the United States as part of a speaking tour, sharing his story with students, synagogues, churches and anyone willing to listen. Avraham Atar, the founder of the nonprofit organization, invited Kupershtein to join the children in Los Angeles. At first, he declined because of his speaking tour engagement, but when he learned the children would be in Los Angeles at the same time, he decided to join them.
“It felt like it was meant to be,” Kupershtein told The Journal. “We want to give them a moment to disconnect from everything they’re going through, just to be happy, to feel free.”
Dressed in a simple shirt with his tzitzit visible, Kupershtein said how much the experience of being with the children had meant to him. “Every day here is an experience,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if we’re at an amusement park or just riding the bus singing together, the goal is to bring joy. That’s the most important thing.”
In many ways, the connection between Kupershtein and the children felt unspoken. Both had faced moments where life hung in the balance, where uncertainty was constant and survival was not guaranteed. Yet neither defined themselves by those experiences.
Drawing on this parallel, Kupershtein said, “It’s not the same. Being sick is something very difficult to deal with, but when you’re taken hostage, there is also the constant uncertainty of whether you will come back alive.”
Since arriving in the United States, he has spoken before Jewish and Christian communities and visited Indiana University. He said he hopes to raise awareness of what Israel is facing, and to share what he endured during two years of captivity. Faith, he said, is what kept him going. While trying to put the past behind him, the need to tell the story time and time again keeps it alive for him.
“It stays with me. You can’t forget it,” he said. “You can’t really erase it, but you learn how to live with it.”
He said that while revisiting what he endured is difficult, he feels a strong sense of purpose in telling his story. “It takes me back a little each time, but it also gives hope to the people who hear it, because people can endure the most difficult things and come out strong. It gives me a sense of meaning.”
After every lecture, people donate money and tell him how grateful they are to see him alive and well. He said his hope is to buy a house one day. “Their words give me strength to continue, especially now with all the antisemitism in the world. It’s terrible,” he said.
His schedule is intense. After the trip with the children, he is set to join an IDF delegation, then fly to New York for more lectures, return to Los Angeles and eventually head back to Israel. One question he is frequently asked is whether there were any “good ones” among his captors. His answer is simple: “No, there were none.”
Kupershtein often hands out bracelets inscribed with: “I am in the hands of the Creator of the world.” People tell him, “I’m never taking this off.” They say that because of what he went through, he gave them strength and they want to be proud Jews. “I feel like I have a mission, and that’s the direction I’m going in.”
Behind the scenes, the trip is the result of 17 years of dedication by David and Esther Vered, Kobi and Lilach Shirazi, along with Rabbi Nachman and Elkie Abend. They have been organizing, funding and hosting this 10-day “dream vacation” for Israeli children battling cancer, many of whom have spent months — sometimes years — moving between hospitals and treatments. What began as a small initiative has grown into a carefully orchestrated annual journey, with every detail planned to give the children not just a break, but an experience filled with joy, dignity and a sense of being truly seen.
During the evening’s gala at Chabad House, a Torah scroll was completed and dedicated in memory of the children who had passed away after their battles with cancer, as well as Adir Vered, who was killed in a car accident 16 years ago. As it was brought into the hall, volunteers, supporters and the children stood together in a circle, dancing and singing as music filled the room. In that moment, it was almost impossible to tell what each of them had endured — they were simply joyful, laughing and embracing the chance to be children again, if only for a while.
Last week, I flew to New York to attend my eldest daughter’s graduation from my alma mater, Yeshiva University.
Gabriella Gomperts
Of course, every trip to NYC is just an excuse to eat at as many kosher restaurants as you can. We started the celebrations with Gabriella’s friends with Sunday lunch at Tiberius, a dairy restaurant in Midtown. The eating continued with a fun dinner with her friends at Le Marais, a classic French steakhouse. She and I ate twice at Spicy Moon, an inexpensive kosher vegan Chinese joint. We had a memorable lunch at Libbi’s, an upscale dairy restaurant on the Upper East Side. And a celebratory meal with my brother Rafi, my niece Devorah and her husband Daniel at Malka, Israeli chef Eyal Shani’s extremely popular restaurant on the Upper West Side. His mashed potato stuffed schnitzel, smashed potato carpet, focaccia and hummus are not to be missed.
We shared a fun sushi lunch with my cousin Rachel. I even received a delivery to the hotel of an incredible hors d’oeuvres platter from Mazza and More. I couldn’t resist sampling their delicious, classic Syrian mezze of meat sambusak, kibbe and lahmajin, with homemade tahini.
The culmination of our trip was seeing our daughter and her friends in their navy blue cap and gown enjoying every moment of graduation. It was truly memorable with great speeches by Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman and the American Ambassador to Israel Governor Mike Huckabee, followed by singing from Joey Newcombe and the Thank You Hashem band, accompanied by “Brother Mike” on the bass guitar.
Can it be a Jewish event if there is no hora dancing? There was hora dancing.
The whole thing was very emotional and the tears streaming down my face washed away any trace of makeup. Alan said allergies were responsible for his tears.
Aren’t vacations fun? I loved visiting my favorite NYC landmarks: Fifth Avenue, Central Park, the Frick Collection and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
I especially loved not having to cook (and shop and clean). And the best part is that I can claim it as research for my role as a Sephardic Spice Girl.
It is in this vein that we offer you this recipe for a fabulous dish I ate in Manhattan, Asparagus, Fava Bean and Pea Orecchiette. To be honest, this dish is the opposite of what I normally cook for my family. I rarely make pasta, I never cook with cream and I never, ever serve fava beans (my grandmother Nana Aziza always forbade them because my uncle Menashe suffers from an enzyme deficiency called favism).But this dish was so, so good that I had to faithfully recreate it for my family when I came home.
Interestingly enough, some historians trace the birth of the orecchiette pasta to the Norman-Swabian period in Sannicandro di Bari, where there was a fusion between local culinary traditions and the Jewish community, who made a concave pastry known as “Haman’s ears.”
This creamy, saucy pasta is a perfect way to showcase the delicate green vegetables of spring — fresh asparagus, green peas and fava beans.
—Sharon
Early in our marriage, Neil and I were sitting for dinner at my parents’ table and my mother served fava beans. Neil reacted with genuine alarm, stating “I don’t eat fava beans. They’re dangerous. I could die!”
I was completely stunned. I had never heard anything so dramatic about the humble fava bean.
In our Sephardic Moroccan home, fava beans found their way into Friday night fish dishes, salads and countless family meals. Every Passover, my mother’s fava bean soup was a cherished tradition. Fava beans were part of the flavors of my childhood and remained a favorite into adulthood.
In my family, fava beans were beloved. For Neil’s family, they spelled danger.
For years afterward, Neil never touched any dish with fava beans. He avoided them so completely that I rarely cooked them at home.
This strict warning about the dangers had been passed down through generations. Whether or not anyone fully understood the medical explanation, the message was clear: fava beans were not to be eaten.
Several years ago, I was craving my mother’s Passover fava bean soup. I decided to make a huge pot. True to form, Neil declined, while the rest of my extended family happily scraped every last drop from their bowls. Since then, the soup has resumed its place as a Passover tradition.
This year, I decided it was time for a small experiment. Convinced that nothing would happen, I completely blended the fava beans into the soup and served Neil a bowl. He couldn’t see them and he couldn’t pick them out. He tasted the soup and declared it delicious.
Then we waited. Nothing happened. He enjoyed every spoonful, suffered no ill effects and, most importantly, lived to tell the tale.
This experience made me reflect on the fascinating history behind what many Sephardic families call the “fava bean disease.” It is an acute form of hemolytic anemia triggered by eating fava beans or inhaling the pollen of the fava bean plant. It affects populations originating in the Mediterranean, the Middle East and Africa and it mostly affects males.
In communities stretching from Morocco to Rhodes, Persia to Iraq, stories about the dangers of fava beans were passed down long before anyone understood genetics or knew about G6PD deficiency. Some families had real medical reasons for avoiding them; others inherited the warning without ever knowing whether they carried the condition themselves.
What struck me most was how differently two Sephardic communities viewed the same food. In Morocco, fava beans were cherished and celebrated. In Neil’s Rhodesli family, they were treated with suspicion and fear. The same bean carried entirely different meanings depending on the memories and experiences that had been handed down.
Sometimes family traditions preserve important medical knowledge. Other times they preserve caution long after the original reason has been forgotten. Either way, those traditions become part of who we are.
And in our family, after one bowl of blended Passover soup, the fava bean may finally have won.
—Rachel
Asparagus, Fava Bean and Pea Orecchiette
16 oz orecchiette pasta, cooked according to package directions, reserve 1/2 cup pasta water
1 cup fresh peas
1 cup frozen fava beans
12 oz asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
4 Tbsp butter
6 large garlic cloves, minced
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 lemon, juiced
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
Place peas in a small pot and cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes, then drain and set aside.
Blanch fava beans in boiling water, then drain and set aside.
Blanch asparagus in boiling water, then drain and set aside.
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until soft and golden. Add the cream, lemon juice, salt and pepper, pasta water and Parmesan cheese. Stir well to form a creamy sauce. Add the peas, fava beans and asparagus and pasta and stir well to coat with sauce.
Serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan.
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.
National Herbs and Spices Day is celebrated every year on June 10. It’s a reminder to embrace the joy of herbs and spices, while exploring and creating new recipes.
“Spices and herbs are my secret weapon,” Debbie Kornberg, founder of Spice + Leaf and SpiceItUpwithDeb.com, told The Journal. “They [are] always just steps away in my pantry, ready to transform even the simplest ingredients into something layered, vibrant and memorable.”
Spices and herbs are incredibly versatile. Plus, Kornberg said, their power extends beyond seasoning food. “Through their aroma, they can recall a memory; through their flavors, they can tell a story about a culture, a place or a family tradition,” she said. “And with just a pinch or two, they can elevate a dish with a punch of flavor.”
As a general rule of thumb, Kornberg said that spices should only remain in your pantry for about 12 to 16 months. The best way to check for freshness is with your nose. You can also taste them. “Do they still have a strong aroma?” she said. “Do the flavors linger on your tongue?” If yes, they’re good. If not, it is time to toss them and purchase some new ones.
Whether she is preparing a family dinner or expecting company, Kornberg often looks to spices to guide her when deciding what to cook. “A pinch of cumin can add warmth and depth, while a pinch of citrusy sumac can brighten an entire plate,” she said. “What I love most is the flexibility they provide, allowing me to create balance between heat, sweetness, earthiness and acidity, so I never get bored with my food.”
Below are two of her favorite recipes, ones she makes frequently. They are easy to prepare and can be made in small or large quantities; for a weeknight family meal or as a Shabbat crowd-pleaser.
“The za’atar blend pairs beautifully with salmon,” Kornberg said. “Made with hyssop, sumac and sesame seed seeds, it combines the aromatic, earthy notes of herbs from the oregano family, a bright citrusy lift and the buttery nuttiness of sesame. With a kiss of salt, and often some olive oil, this blend is super versatile,” she continued. “The tzatziki sauce adds a delicious creaminess and a refreshing brightness that keeps the dish fresh and balanced.”
Packed with flavor, her pistachio rice dish is inspired by the rice mixes you can find in Israel when walking through the shuk. “You can use something as simple turmeric or something more complex like using a shawarma spice,” she said. This is a great dish to make ahead of time and reheat. It also pairs perfectly with the za’atar salmon.
“Spices should help make your cooking just a bit easier, lifting up your food and adding layers of flavor,” Kornberg said.
Za’atar Baked Salmon with Lemon and Tzatziki Dip
Serves 4
1 ½ pounds salmon, preferably with skin removed from the bottom
2 Tbsp SPICE + LEAF Authentic Za’atar
½ tsp salt
2 Tbsp SPICE + LEAF Barnea Olive Oil
1 lemon, ½ in thin slices, ½ in quarters
2 Tbsp SPICE + LEAF Tzatziki Dip Mix (to make your own, combine 2 tablespoons minced garlic, 1 Tbsp onion powder, 2 tablespoons dried dill and ½ teaspoon kosher salt)
1 cup labne or plain Greek yogurt
1 cucumber, shredded or diced finely
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Place salmon in a baking dish or pan. (If skin is still on bottom, use cooking spray for base of pan or parchment paper so it does not stick.)
3. Sprinkle za’atar and salt on top of fish, and rub it in. Drizzle olive oil and then place sliced lemons around and on top of fish.
4. Bake for approximately 15 minutes. Fish is cooked when it has an internal temperature of 140 to 145°F. If testing with a fork to see if done, fish should be flakey on the inside. Remove fish from oven; squeeze remaining half of lemon on top.
5. In a medium-sized bowl, combine labne or Greek yogurt, tzatziki mix and shredded cucumber. Mix well.
6. Serve either on top of salmon or as a side sauce.
Pistachio Rice with Sautéed Onions, Toasted Almonds, Fresh Dill and Cranberries
Serves 4 – 6
1 cup uncooked basmati rice (will yield two cups cooked)
2 cups water in pot or 1 ½ cups water in a rice maker
1 tsp SPICE + LEAF Shawarma Blend
4 Tbsp SPICE + LEAF Barnea Olive Oil, divided
¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted
¼ cup pistachios, toasted, chopped
1 onion, finely diced
¾ tsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
¼ cup fresh dill (1 bunch)
¼ cup dried cranberries
1. Clean rice: place rice into a medium size bowl and cover with water. Gently mix rice in water and drain water from bowl, while keeping all of the rice in the bowl. Repeat this 5 to 7 times. Each time the water should look decreasingly cloudy from the starch being removed from the rice. This will give you very clean and intact rice grains.
2. Cook rice either in a pot or rice maker.
– In a pot: Place 2 cups water in pot and bring to a boil. Add rice and shawarma blend. Mix well. Cover pot and cook on simmer for about 18 minutes or until water is fully absorbed into rice.
– In a rice maker: If using a rice maker, put 1 ½ cups of water, rice and Shawarma blend in rice maker. Mix everything well and set rice maker to cook.
3. In a dry (no oil) sauté pan, toast almonds over medium high heat for about 2 to 4 minutes, until nice and toasty brown. Remove from pan, place into a small bowl and set aside. Repeat these steps with pistachios. Omit this step if you purchase pre-roasted almonds and pistachios.
4. Using the same sauté pan, heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add onions and sauté on medium low heat until onions turn golden brown in color. When done, set aside.
5. Once rice is cooked, place it in a large bowl and fluff it a little. Next combine with sauteed onions and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Mix everything well. Next add kosher salt and mix. Add remaining ingredients: pistachios, almonds, sesame seeds, fresh dill and cranberries. Mix everything very well. Taste rice, if it seems a little dry, add a little more olive oil. If flavors are not popping, add a little extra salt.
