Jtnews | December 11, 2009 Focus On Bellevue

Focus on Bellevue

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Sky High Sports

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temple B’nai torah

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Crossroads

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ERA Care

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Celebrate Hanukkah

Alpenland Deli

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top ten toys

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december 11, 2009

The hands-down favorite Israelis from different North African countries argue about their preferred sfinj techniques Melody AmselArieli Special to JTNews One cold, drizzly Hanuk kah morning, our bus slowly wound its way toward the farthest reaches of Jerusalem. As it emptied out, a couple of elderly women drew together, for both warmth and warm conversat ion. After dwelling on their children and grandch i ld ren, t heir ta l k touched on Ha nu kkah goodies. When I caught the word “sfinj,” my ears perked up. I moved in closer to hear. Sfinj (which rhymes with fringe), are the North African Jews’ answer to Ashkenazi potato latkes and Israeli jelly doughnuts. Like these two treats that commemorate Hanukkah’s miracle, sfinj are fried in oil. Like jelly doughnuts, sfinj are leavened. But here all resemblance ends. Whether coaxed into plump pillows or crowned with rings of decorative holes, sfinj never contain jelly. Moreover, whipped up flour, yeast, a bit of sugar, and a splash of water, sfinj are far less sweet and far lighter than most other traditional Hanukkah treats.

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Although all sfinj are as light as air, sfinj recipes vary widely. “I fr y my sf inj in ex t ra-hot oil,” announced one bus passenger, “to keep them extra light.” “Try making them with soda water instead,” observed her neighbor dryly, “and they’ll be even lighter.” At this, a bevy of women sitting across the way joined the fray. “In Algeria, we made ours with milk,” said one. “We Tunisians add orange juice,” replied another. As each woman revealed her sfinj secrets, feelings ran high. Despite the 11:26:43 AM

cold, t he conversation turned hot and heavy. T he word sf i nj, so strange to Western ears, is evidently Mugrabi, the Judeo-Arabic dialect still spoken among Moroccan Jews. Although its meaning, as well as its culinary origins, has been lost over time, these doughnuts remain popular eating. Who eats sfinj? Anyone blessed to light Hanukkah candles alongside North African family members, friends, or co-workers. Jaqueline Alon, born in Casablanca, Morocco, learned the fine art of pastry making at her mother’s k nee. A lthough she has spent most of her life in Israel, she still devotes long hours creating traditional Moroccan sweets. Her family and friends enjoy an ever-changing assortment of homemade almond macaroons, elaborate piped pastries, nut-covered crescents, honeyed whorls, miniature marzipan morsels, along with anise, cinnamon, and date delights. “In Jewish-Moroccan homes, everything revolves around food,” she told me. “Everything. And sfinj are everyone’s

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Lighting up the Festival of Lights

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At Hanukkah, lighting up the tzedakah stairway

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Edmon J. Rodman JTA World News Service LOS ANGELES (JTA) — What lights the Festival of Lights? What really ignites the eight days, turning them into a hot winter glow? Is it the oil, the candles, the songs, the latkes, the gifts? What would you give for an answer? It’s dark and I am walking to Canter’s, a famous Los Angeles delicatessen, to buy a half-dozen bagels. I see by the blue and white cookies in their bakery window that it’s Hanukkah. Near the entrance, seated on a crate, is a guy who appears to be homeless. Is this his home? As I pass he holds out a paper cup and shakes it. Coins jingle. “Any spare change?” he asks. It’s an exchange that happens daily in big cities and small, at the Mobil station, outside the Piggly Wiggly, in the mall parking lot, outside the restaurant. No matter where or how high up you live, it happens. It’s happened to me in Beverly Hills. The question is always same: “Do you have any change?” Yet our responses vary. At Hanukkah time or anytime — on the street, at your door, in the mail or online — there are many ways you can respond to requests for tzedakah. Maimonides, the inf luential 12thcentury Jewish philosopher, wrote that there are “eight degrees of tzedakah, each higher than the next.” That is, eight distinct, clarifying ways you can respond to human need. The degrees are like steps progressively rising; kind of an early stairway to heaven. Proverbs tell us that a “mitzvah is a lamp.” On Hanukkah we can light up the nights with giving. Consider each step of the tzedakah stairway a candle that is lit each night; each light is an act of giving tzedakah, of doing justice in the world. The lowest level is giving like a Grinch, too little and with a cheapster attitude, as when a panhandler is in your face and you feel put out. “Do I look like a sucker?” you wonder. “Isn’t there an agency for this?” you think. So you flip him a dime. The countering Jewish idea in play here is from Devarim (Deuteronomy): “Give to him readily,” it says, “and have no regrets.”

The second step is the sunny side of the first — still giving too little, but with a smile. Like when a condolence card comes around at work and you pull a five out of your wallet when it’s full of 20s. Devarim also tells us when considering the needy, “do not harden your heart and shut your hand.” How much is too little? Hey, this isn’t a seasonal piece on tipping. This is about doing justice. Do you need an accountant to paint you a picture? The third step is giving as much as is needed, but waiting until someone asks. A tough standard, as most of us don’t give until we are approached. The idea here is to cut down on the humiliation for the asker. Today, when institutions do much of the asking, the concept updates to what if Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters has to ask X number of times in letters or e-mail before we respond? Each letter costs, ultimately diminishing your contribution. The fourth step flips the third: Giving as much as is needed before being asked. Think about it. This puts the giver on the lookout for tzedakah opportunities. It gets you twittering with finds and on the street, taking note of Jewish social service storefronts. People put their entire energies into looking for investments, why not tzedakah? Isn’t breaking the poverty cycle the best investment? The fifth step includes the previous elements and adds one more; giving tzedakah when you don’t know the recipient but the recipient knows you. It’s like having your tzedekah labeled “This gift brought to you by...” This uneven equation allows for corporate boasting about its contributions: Remember those ads that ran after Katrina? Still, it’s tzedakah. Sixth step:  The recipient is known to the giver, the giver is unknown to the recipient. Talk about randomness. Imagine leaving a box of groceries at some unknown yet needful person’s doorstep. Food banks illustrate this concept. As a giver, you know the items are going to someone in need, but they never know you. No. 7: Anonymous giving and receiving. Anonymity is a tough sell today; we are trained from birth to put our names on everything. Historically, in the Temple in Jerusalem there was a darkened room,

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emily’s corner

The best part of Hanukkah Spending time with family includes making a fun (and easy) strudel

Emily Moore JTNews Columnist What’s the best thing about Hanukkah? In my house growing up it was always the cookies: Sugar cookies rolled out and cut with menorah and stars of David, iced with blue and white powdered-sugar icing, A grand mess and wonderfully fun. But what about some new traditions in Hanukkah treats? Over the years as a chef, I have collected great recipes for easy and absolutely delicious sweets. This year, I’d like to share with you one of my favorites for Hanukkah. It takes an hour

or two, is surprisingly easy and uses fresh fruit, so it’s actually good for you. It is the traditional strudel recipe, you know the one that you stretch and stretch until you can read a newspaper through the dough? I know you’re thinking, “Oy! My grandmother made that, or my great grandmother (or someone’s great grandmother) and I could never do it myself!” Well, I have done it with many completely novice, non-cooking groups and not only is it very fun, it’s actually easy — and you get a beat-your-aggressions-out kneading session besides! The only “unusual” ingredient you may not have on hand is a couple handfuls of bread crumbs; just throw last week’s challah in the food processor and voila! Bread crumbs! You can fill the strudel with any fruit you have around, add nuts, cinnamon, jam, roll it up, cut in half and bake! This is a great project to do with kids because it’s fascinating, uses hands and

bodies and is somewhat messy! Have fun!

Strudel for Hanukkah For the dough: 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 egg, slightly beaten 1 Tbs. vegetable oil 2/3 cup warm water For the filling: 4 to 5 cups peeled apples, pears, persimmons, grapes 3/4 cup jam 2 tsp. ground cinnamon Sugar to taste 1 cup chopped toasted nuts (optional) 1/2 cup flour For stretching and rolling: An old tablecloth stretched over a dining room or kitchen table (at least 4’x4’) Flour to sprinkle on the cloth (about 1/2 cup) 1 cup bread crumbs, dry or fresh 3/4 cup oil, melted butter or margarine

1 egg, beaten, to brush on top Sugar to sprinkle on top (about 1/2 cup) First, make the dough. Sift the flour into a medium-sized mixing bowl, or put the sifted flour into the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the egg, oil and warm water and mix together until the dough holds together. If it’s sticky, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time. Now the fun workout part begins! Take the dough out of the bowl and throw it hard down on the counter or table. If it sticks, put a little flour down. Repeat this about 300 times. That’s right! You get a great workout with your kids, the neighbor kids and friends while you knead the dough by throwing it hard (you should hear it sap/thump each time) down onto the counter. (This is a great family or family/friends event — doing it yourself, especially the stretching, is almost not possible and half as much fun.) When the throwing/kneading is done, put the dough back into the bowl, cover it with a towel and let it rest for 1/2 hour to an hour while you make the filling. Peel and core the hard fruits (persimmon, too) and mix with the remaining ingredients except the jam. Let sit while you stretch the dough. On the tablecloth that covers your table, roll the

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dough out as far as you can in a circle or square or rectangle. When it is about 15 to 18 inches round (or long) gather everyone around the table. All at once, (or about) everyone picks up the dough with their hands knuckles up (Very important!). Begin very gently stretching the dough by moving your knuckles out and in and moving the dough in a circle around the table (be sure you all decide which direction you will be stretching, right or left, before you start!). You will see thin spots develop as you stretch: pass by them with your knuckles to avoid tearing. If a tear develops, put the dough down and pinch it together; don’t worry about it too much because you will be rolling the dough up and each tear will get covered. When the dough is about 4 or 5 feet long, and about 4 feet wide, put it down on the table and brush it gently all over with the oil or melted butter or margarine. Sprinkle the entire thing with the bread crumbs, then put the filling over two-thirds of the dough, leaving the remaining third uncovered. Dot the filling with the jam.

happy

on the cloth! Brush the entire thing with wellbeaten egg, sprinkle with sugar and cut with a serrated knife into three equal lengths. Place them next to each other on one or two greased cookie sheets and bake at 350º for 40 minutes to an hour, depending on the oven. When the fruit is bubbling and the strudel is golden to mahogany brown, your strudel is done! Let it cool till it’s just warm and serve with vanilla ice cream. You can freeze any of the logs before baking and put them in a 325º oven to bake directly NorwichNuts/Creative Commons from the freezer so you can have them any time during the Hanukkah season. Starting at the side that is covered with filling, And have a very, very happy Hanukkah! pull out one 2-inch length of dough the whole length of the strudel and put it on top of the Emily Moore is a local chef with 30 years filling, all the way down. Now the fun part: experience in her field, including 13 years Pick up the tablecloth on that side and lift it in local and regional restaurants. Her gently along the length of the strudel to make business, Emily’s Kitchen, provides culinary the strudel roll up, over and over on itself, services to all facets of the food industry enclosing the filling, As you continue to gently and catering to the Jewish community. She lift the cloth and nudge the roll over and over, also currently teaches culinary arts at the strudel rolls up till all the filling is enclosed Edmonds Community College. and you have a long, long roll of strudel sitting

Festival t Page 3B called “lishkat chasha’im,” literally a “chamber of secrets,” where the giver could leave money and the poor would receive it without shame. A tzedakah box, or pushke, is a related idea. Pick up a box from your favorite Jewish charity, or make one yourself, and join the righteous ranks of the famous unknown. The highest level, “exceeded by none,” Maimonides tells us, is self-sufficiency as a result of outright gifts, loans, partnerships or “finding employment.” At a time when every dollar for the poor is debated, Maimonides reminds us to “strengthen” the poor. In many cities, Jewish free loan societies, Jewish vocational service agencies and international agencies such as ORT help move people toward self-sufficiency. Handicraft workshops for the needy elderly and disabled such as Yad LaKashish in Jerusalem beautifully keep this concept alive.

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A rockin’ Hanukkah eve Eight music sites for eight Hanukkah nights Mark Mietkiewicz Special to JTNews Hanukkah is here and that means so are a whole slew of traditional holiday songs. For those of you who’d like to brush up on the classics while learning a few new ones that will have Bubbe doing a double take, I now present eight music sites for eight Hanukkah nights. Night No. 1: Start with what must be the largest collection of free Hanukkah music on the web. IsraelNationalNews.com’s Jukebox has well over 10 hours of holiday tunes with everything from the familiar to the obscure. Go to bit.ly/chanuk13, click on Holiday Songs and scroll down for the Hanukkah songs (and Rosh Hashanah, Tu B’Shevat, Purim, Passover and others). Night No. 2: The Jewish National & University Library in Jerusalem has put together a marvelous Web site which preserves the sounds and songs of Jewish com-

munities from around the world. There are five versions for the menorah candle lighting ceremony (Ashkenazi, Carlebachstyle, Hungarian, Algerian and Sephardic) with other Hanukkah songs from Algeria, France, Turkey, Italy and the lovely “Ir Kleyne Likhtelekh” (Oh, you little candles) in Yiddish. (bit.ly/chanuk1) All files are available in mp3 format, which can be downloaded and played on an iPod. Night No. 3: Tonight it’s time for something different. Reggae Hanukkah mixes Caribbean rhythms, traditional Ghanaian dance drumming, Middle Eastern instruments “to batteries of Brazilian and Latin percussion as samba meets mambo for some salsa on their latkes.” Although many of the songs are new, you’ll recognize familiar melodies peeking through the reggae “Maoz Tzur” and “Hanukkah, Skanukah.” You can preview excerpts from the entire album online. (bit.ly/ chanuk3) and listen to three longer cuts here. (bit.ly/chanuk4)

Night No. 4: It wouldn’t be Hanukkah without Adam Sandler’s modern classic “The Hanukkah Song,” in which he reminds the world about prominent Jews in movies, music and sports. In the process, he devises some interesting rhymes for the word Hanukkah: “Put on that yarmulke / It’s time for Hanukkah / Twotime Oscar winner / Dustin Hoffmonica / Celebrates Hanukkah.” (bit.ly/chanuk6) Sandler’s written a couple of sequels with lyrics that aren’t always as gentle as “I Have a Little Dreidel.” Night No. 5: One of the most famous pieces of music associated with the holiday is G.F. Handel’s “Judas Maccabeus.” The oratorio celebrates the victories of the ancient Jewish loyalists against their pagan foes. Eliezer Segal examines how one of Handel’s themes, “See the Conquering Hero Comes,” has been adopted by Jews as a Hanukkah melody. According to Segal, the irony is that when Handel composed Judas Maccabeus, he was more

Wishing you and your family a Happy Hanukkah! !cmw

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concerned that it become a “pageant of English patriotism rather than a source of Jewish national pride.” The tune will play as you enter the Web site. (bit.ly/chanuk7) Night No. 6: A few years ago, the gifted wordsmith Tom Lehrer composed another seasonal favorite. “I’m spending Hanukkah in Santa Monica / Wearing sandals, lighting candles by the sea.” Now someone has added amusing photos and posted a not-to-be-missed video on YouTube. (bit.ly/chanuk8) For an encore, enjoy a suave rendition by Brandeis University’s Jewish a cappella group, Jewish Fella A Cappella. (bit.ly/chanuk9) Night No. 7: They’re classics in Israel and they can be in your home, too. If you can read Hebrew, I think you’ll appreciate the Chagim Web site. You’ll find the lyrics to over 27 Hebrew Hanukkah songs including “Ner Li” (I have a flame), “Levivot” (Latkes) and “Nes Hanukkah” (Miracle of Hanukkah). (bit.ly/chanuk10) Night No. 8: Everybody’s favorite little dreidel is, of course, made of clay. But if you want to have a new dreidel to sing about, look no further than the Hava Nashira Jewish Songleader’s Resource. (bit.ly/chanuk11) There are dozens of modern variations of the classic, including: I have a little dreidel, I made it out of glue The baby tried to spin it, And now she’s spinning too. I have a little dreidel, Made from a CD-ROM. It helped me launch a start-up Called DreidelSpin-dot-com! I had a little dreidel, I made it out of clay, Said a Kabbalistic blessing, And it got up and walked away Mark Mietkiewicz is a Toronto-based Web site producer who writes, lectures and teaches about the Jewish Internet. He can be contacted at [email protected].

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My favorite holiday Celebrating Hanukkah with a little poetry and a lot of family Masada Siegel and Stefanie Zweig JTNews Columnists Generations is an across-the-world e-mail conversation between 30-something writer Masada Siegel and 70-something author Stefanie Zweig. From: Stefanie Zweig Sat., December 20, 2008 12:30 p.m. Subject: Happy Hanukkah Dear Masada, A happy Hanukkah for you and the family. On the first day we are treating ourselves to Cats. I have seen the musical in London and New York, but I love cats and I love T. S. Eliot’s verses. And I don’t mind the music, so what can happen? Do you give each other presents? We can never find an end and pretend that it is Christmas and light candles only one night. But, at least, we sing “Maos Zur.” My brother once wrote it for me in Latin letters, because I can’t read Hebrew. Have a good time, a great big Hanukkah hug from Stefanie From: Masada Siegel Mon., December 22, 2008 5:38 p.m. Subject: Re: Happy Hanukkah Hey Stefanie! Happy Hanukkah! My favorite holiday! There is a quote I saw at the museum in Jerusalem: “Instead of cursing the darkness, light a candle!” I lit a few can-

dles this week, celebrated my birthday with my parents and loads of friends and also with my students, one of them even got me a gift. My sister Audrey and her husband Gabe and the kids are coming to visit. I can’t wait. It will be fun to celebrate Hanukkah with my niece Talya and nephew Alex, who is beyond mischievous! So funny you saw Cats in London. I did too! I had friends who worked at the theater. For one of the shows I had an amazing seat in the audience and once I sat in rafters above, not exactly legal or safe — but fun! Gifts for Hanukkah? It all gets wrapped in with my birthday. Thankfully, we are not a stuff family. Mostly, I ask for ski trips or airline mileage points to go somewhere. Wishing you a happy Hanukkah. Keep smiling! Masada

Masada with her nephew Alex on the ice.

From: Stefanie Zweig Wed., Dec 24, 2008 12:57 p.m. Subject: Re: Happy Hanukkah Dear Masada, We had a most happy Hanukkah with heaps of presents and the little boy (16 months) playing contentedly with all the ribbons and wrapping paper. Many happy returns for your birthday. How old are you? How old would you like to be? If there is a too large a gap I advise you to do something about it. For 2009, the year we hope to meet, I wish you the

best of the good. Only swim in water, not through life. And be suspicious of people who open their mouths too wide or have to climb mountains to built schools. You see, I am a very matter-of-fact lady. I reserve the nights for dreams and days for keeping alive and at work. I hold it with Kipling: if you can fill the minute with 60 seconds worth of distance run, then yours is the world. If you want to look the whole poem up, its title is “IF.” And now, enough of science and of art. Close up those barren leaves. Come forth

Courtesy Masada Siegel

and bring with you a heart that watches and receives (Wordsworth). Nothing in this letter is of importance except the first sentence. Much Happiness, Health and Wisdom wishes. Stefanie From: Stefanie Zweig December 26, 2008 2:03 p.m. Dear Masada, We had a good Christmas, yesterday with Cats, which was loud, exciting, and beautiful and for me a meeting with my old friend T.S. Eliot. I must have come

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Generations t Page 7B across his verses when I was 10 — they were published in 1939 for the first time. No wonder I was unpopular at school. Being Jewish and well-read is nothing for children bred in Kenya who are strong in the arms, but weak in the head. Have a good time. Love, Stefanie From: Masada Siegel Friday, December 26, 2008 Hey Stefanie! I’m still smiling about your last e-mail… and your lovely wishes! It’s hectic here in a fun way. Audrey and the family arrived. I absolutely love them all so much! Today, my 8-year-old nephew Alex and I are going ice skating. I used to train four hours a day, so we are going to have a blast. We all lit the Hanukkah candles as a family for the past two nights and sang. It was so beautiful, I wish I could bottle up the feeling, and every time I am sad,

december 11, 2009

I would just open it up and take some of the magic out! Just like you see T.S. Eliot as your friend, people who read your work see you the same way — how cool is that? I’m glad you liked Cats and had fun in all the color and craziness. If Mama Mia comes to Germany, go see it. It’s fantastic, a real feel-good, fun show! Life is funny. You found yourself unpopular at school because you were in a place with different values. Now you find yourself so popular that the world over reads your words, and strangers stand outside your door so they can talk to you! There is a lesson somewhere in there that I am sure will inspire people. Keep enjoying yourself! Lots of love, Masada p.s. I am booking my flight to Germany shortly..... :)

Sfinj t Page 2B

Granulated sugar, maple syrup, or honey (optional) Combine yeast, sugar, and flour in a large bowl. Mix well. Gradually add just enough water to make a soft dough that is easily gathered into a ball. Knead the dough for about 15 minutes, stopping while it is still sticky to the touch. Cover the bowl with a damp dish towel or plastic wrap. Place in a warm place for one to two hours, until dough doubles in size. Punch down. With water-moistened hands, form walnut-sized balls of dough. Alternately, punch a hole in the center of each with your finger. Fold each ring of dough outward, thus enlarging the holes and creating decorative “crowns.” In a frying pan, heat oil to very high heat, then lower it slightly. Deep-fry the sfinj on both sides in small batches. When golden brown, remove with a slotted spoon, and drain on absorbent paper. Serve immediately, either dusted with sugar, gilded with honey or maple syrup, or plain, as is.

favorite, hands down.” Sfinj are not just reserved for the Festival of Lights either. Jaqueline prepares them year-round, for Brit Milah, B’nai Mitvzah, Moroccan pre-nuptial henna rituals, weddings, Mimouna festivities, even post-nuptial breakfasts — and anytime in between. By the time I reached my destination, I too was inspired. With Jaqueline’s recipe in hand, by tonight, I’ll be enjoying sfinj by Hanukkah candlelight.

Jaqueline’s Sfinj 1-1/2 envelopes “fast action” dried yeast 2 Tbs. sugar 4-5 cups all-purpose flour 1 Tbs. salt 3–3-1/2 cups water Oil for frying

Hanukkah Greetings to the Community from Richard & Tricia Jonah, David & Gabe

Fruchter Happy HanukkaH! from our family to yours Dave Mintz

Rosenblatt Johnson Family Jackie, Gary, Josh & Joseph

Happy Hanukkah!

Dan & Elaine Mintz Tessa & Jacob

to all our friends & family

Rob & patti Mintz Hailey & Ryan Gina & paul Benezra Benjamin

Scott, Karen & Matan Michelson

Lucile Wasserman

Hanukkah Greetings! Hanukkah Greetings!

Frances roGers Jimmy, Zoey & sabina roGers Linda & micHaeL morGan

Joel Erlitz & Andrea Selig

A Great Miracle Happened There

Todd morGan & wendy Lawrence & oLiver meLissa, marTy, arieLLa & sasHa neLson

to our relatives and friends

Dean, Gwenn, Robert & Andrea Polik Joshua & Sam

Happy Hanukkah from

Liz Gorman and Joel Paisner Natalie and Noah Paisner

Hanukkah Greetings! Hanukkah Greetings! Warmest wishes to everyone Nate & Judy Ross Bobbi & Alexis Chamberlin

Linda & David Stahl & Family

Donald & Max Shifrin Neil Ross

Jennifer, Joel, ben & oscar Magalnick

Laurie Boguch Sharon Boguch Janet Boguch Kelby Fletcher & Kalen

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december 11 – 24, 2009 The JTNews calendar presents a selection of ongoing events in the Jewish community. For a complete listing of events, or to add your event to the JTNews calendar, visit www.jtnews.net. Calendar events must be submitted no later than 10 days before publication.

Ongoing Friday ■■9:30-10:30 a.m. – SJCC Tot Shabbat Dana Weiner at 206-232-7115, ext. 237 Parents with children ages infant-3 celebrate Shabbat with challah, live music, singing, and dancing in the JCC’s foyer. Free. At the Stroum Jewish Community Center, 3801 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island. ■■11 a.m.-12 p.m. – Tots Welcoming Shabbat 425-603-9677 or www.templebnaitorah.org This Temple B’nai Torah program for kids ages infant-5 includes songs, stories, candle lighting, challah, and open play. Free. At Temple B’nai Torah, 15727 NE 4th St., Bellevue. ■■12:30-3:30 p.m. – Drop-in Mah Jongg Roni Antebi at 206-232-7115 ext. 269 A friendly game of Mah Jongg. Free for members, $2 for guests. At the Stroum JCC, 3801 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island. ■■12:30-3:30 p.m. – Bridge Group Roni Antebi at 206-232-7115, ext. 269 Prior bridge playing experience necessary. Coffee and tea provided. Bring a brown bag lunch. Free for members, $2 for non-members. At the Stroum JCC, 3801 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island.

Saturday ■■9-10:30 a.m. – Temple B’nai Torah Adult Torah Study 425-603-9677 A discussion of each week’s parshah. No experience needed. At the Temple B’nai Torah youth room, 15727 NE 4th St., Bellevue. ■■9:45 a.m. – BCMH Youth Services Julie Greene at 206-721-0970 or [email protected] Bikur Cholim-Machzikay Hadath Congregation has something for all ages: Teen minyan, Yavneh program, Junior minyan, Torah Tots, Mommy and Me, and Navi class. Starting times vary. At Congregation Bikur Cholim-Machzikay Hadath, 5145 S Morgan St., Seattle. ■■10 a.m. – Morning Youth Program 206-722-5500 or www.ezrabessaroth.net Congregation Ezra Bessaroth’s full-service Shabbat morning youth program focuses on tefillah, the weekly parshah and the congregation’s unique customs in a creative and fun environment. For infant to 5th grade. At Congregation Ezra Bessaroth, 5217 S Brandon St., Seattle. ■■10:45 a.m.-12 p.m. – Herzl Mishpacha Minyan 206-232-8555 or www.herzl-ner-tamid.org A Shabbat morning service at Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation that meets twice a month and features songs, stories and treats for 2- to 5-year-olds and their families. Meets first and third Shabbat of the month. At Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation, 3700 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island. ■■5 p.m. – The Ramchal’s Derech Hashem, Portal from the Ari to Modernity Rabbi Harry Zeitlin at 206-524-9740 or

Get Ready for a New Year of Novel Theatre

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th

[email protected] This is the earliest systematic and reliable explanation of Kabbalah, which is grounded in tradition and comprehensible to contemporary, educated Jews. At Congregation Beth Ha’Ari Beit Midrash, 5508 35th Ave. NE, Seattle. ■■6:30 p.m. – Avot Ubanim Rabbi Yehuda Bresler at 206-722-8289 A class where children can learn alongside their parents. Refreshments and prizes at each session. At the Seattle Kollel, 5305 52nd Ave. S, Seattle.

Sunday ■■9 a.m. – Shabbat in Practice Marilyn Leibert at 206-722-8289 or [email protected] An ongoing course taught by Rabbi Yehoshua Pinkus on the Abridged Book of Jewish Law, known as the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch. Free. At the Seattle Kollel, 5305 52nd Ave. S, Seattle. ■■9 a.m. – Advanced Talmud for Men Marilyn Leibert at 206-722-8289 or [email protected] A chance for men to study the intricacies of a classic Talmudic text and examine the basic commentaries that bring forth its understandings. Taught by Rabbi Avrohom David. At the Seattle Kollel, 5305 52nd Ave. S, Seattle. ■■9 a.m. – Intermediate Halachah Marilyn Leibert at 206-722-8289 or [email protected] Designed for students who want to learn comprehensive, in-depth, every day Halachah. Taught by Rabbi Yeshoshua Pinkus. At the Seattle Kollel, 5305 52nd Ave. S, Seattle.

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Ongoing t Page 9B ■■10 a.m. – Mitzvot: The Fabric of Jewish Living 206-722-8289 or [email protected] An ongoing course about the philosophical underpinnings and practical implications of the 613 mitzvot. Free. Part of the Seattle Kollel’s “Breakfast Club,” offering bagels, lox and cream cheese, Starbucks coffee and Krispy Kreme Donuts. At the Seattle Kollel, 5305 52nd Ave. S, Seattle. ■■10:15 a.m. – Sunday Torah Study Carol Benedick at 206-524-0075 Weekly study group. At Congregation Beth Shalom, 6800 35th Ave. NE, Seattle. ■■10:30 a.m. – Intermediate/Advanced Prayerbook Hebrew Alysa Rosen at 206-525-0915, ext. 210 or [email protected] This course focuses on developing a basic Hebrew vocabulary necessary for understanding the Siddur. At Temple Beth Am, 2632 NE 80th St., Seattle. ■■1–4 p.m. – Shalom Bayit Warehouse Volunteer Work Party Rachel at 425-558-1894 or [email protected] Help organize donated items for survivors of domestic violence and their children. This event takes place every second or third Sunday. Call for exact dates and location. ■■7:15 p.m. – Beginners’ Talmud Marilyn Leibert at 206-722-8289 or [email protected] This course will walk the novice through the basic learning skills to begin to learn Talmud. At Seattle Kollel, 5305 52nd Ave. S, Seattle. ■■7:30-10:30 p.m. – He’Ari Israeli Dancing Ellie at 206-232-3560 or [email protected] or israelidanceseattle.com Seattle’s oldest Israeli dance session. Couples and singles welcome. Call for schedule

changes. Cost is $6. At Danceland Ballroom, 327 NE 91st St., Seattle.

Monday ■■10 a.m.–2 p.m. – JCC Seniors Group Roni 206-232-7115, ext. 269 The Stroum JCC’s Seniors Group meets on Mondays and Thursdays for activities and celebrations. At the Stroum JCC, 3801 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island. ■■10 a.m. – Jewish Mommy and Me Giti Fredman at 206-935-4035 or [email protected] Giti Fredman leads a weekly playgroup for Jewish moms and young children. Sponsored by the Seattle Kollel. At the Hiawatha Community Center, 2700 California Ave. SW, West Seattle. ■■4:30–6:30 p.m. – Modern Conversational Hebrew Sharron Lerner at 206-547-3914, ext. 3 or [email protected] or www.kadima.org Kadima Reconstructionist Community offers conversational Hebrew classes for students in the 3rd–7th grades. Open to non-members. At Kadima, 12353 8th Ave. NE, Seattle. ■■7 p.m. – CSA Monday Night Classes [email protected] Weekly class taught by Rabbi Yechezkel Kornfeld on topics in practical halachah. At Congregation Shevet Achim, 5017 90th Ave. SE, Mercer Island. ■■7-8 p.m. – Ein Yaakov in English Joseph N. Trachtman at 206-412-5985 or [email protected] Ein Yaakov has been studied since its publication in 1516 by those desiring an introduction to the Talmud through its stories. Free. At Congregation Shaarei Tefilah-Lubavitch, 6250 43rd Ave. NE, Seattle. ■■7:30 p.m. – Torah Scroll Class for Men [email protected] Shemer Berkowitz, a professional Ba’al Koreh,

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will teach students to become their own Torah readers by learning the cantillation marks and becoming familiar with the secret of Torah reading. At the Eastside Torah Center, 1837 156th Ave. NE, #303, Bellevue. ■■7:45-8:45 p.m. – For Women Only 206-527-1411 Rabbi Levitin offers classic commentaries on the weekly parshah, Rashi, Rambam and Or HaChaim. At Congregation Shaarei Tefilah, 6250 43rd Ave. NE, Seattle. ■■8-10 p.m. – Women’s Israeli Dance Class Ruth Fast at 206-725-0930 Learn Israeli dance steps in an all-female environment. At the Lakewood/Seward Park Community Club, corner of 50th Ave. S and Angeline St., Seattle. ■■8:30 p.m. – Iyun (in-depth) class in Tehillim [email protected] Class led by Rebbetzin Shirley Edelstone and sponsored by the Seattle Kollel. For women only. Free. Location provided upon RSVP. ■■8:30 p.m. – Talmud in Hebrew Rabbi Farkash at [email protected] An in-depth Talmud class in Hebrew for men taught by Rabbi Mordechai Farkash. At the Eastside Torah Center, 1837 156th Ave. NE, Suite 303, Bellevue. ■■8:30 p.m. – Talmud, Yeshiva-Style [email protected] This class tackles sections of ritual, civil and criminal law. Be prepared for lively discussion, debate and analysis. Students must be able to read Hebrew and should have had some experience with in-text Torah study. At the Eastside Torah Center, 1837 156th Ave. NE, #303, Bellevue.

Tuesday

A hands-on, interactive parenting and relationships class, based on the findings of Drs. John and Julie Gottman and the Relationship Research Institute. $150. At Jewish Family Service, 1601 16th Ave., Seattle. ■■11 a.m.-12 p.m. – Mommy and Me Program Nechama Farkash at 425-427-1654 A chance for parents and kids to explore the child’s world through story, song, cooking, crafts and circle time. At a private address. Call for location. ■■12 p.m. – Torah in Sneakers with Rabbi Borodin Carol Benedick at 206-524-0075 or [email protected] or www.bethshalomseattle.org Power walk with the rabbi while discussing the Torah portion and other topics. Meet at Congregation Beth Shalom, 6800 35th Ave. NE, Seattle. ■■12 p.m. – Torah for Women Rochie Farkash at 206-383-8441 or [email protected] Rochie Farkash leads a group of Eastside women in a discussion of the weekly Torah portion. At Starbucks (backroom), Bellevue Galleria, Bellevue. ■■7 p.m. – Crash Course in Hebrew Reading Level 2 [email protected] Five-week course taught by Rabbi Dovid Fredman. At the Seattle Kollel, 5305 52nd Ave. S, Seattle. ■■7 p.m. – Teen Center Ari Hoffman at [email protected] Video games, game tables, food, and fun for high school students. Hosted by NCSY. At the Stroum JCC, 3801 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island.

■■9:45 a.m. – Bringing Baby Home Marjorie Schnyder at 206-861-3146 or [email protected]

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Opening windows to Israel How Microsoft expanded its reach outside of U.S. borders Erez Ben-Ari JTNews Correspondent One sunny day, nearly 20 years ago, an Israeli engineer by the name of Yaron Shamir, working at Microsoft’s campus in Redmond, decided it was finally time to go back to Israel. His boss at the time was not too thrilled about the decision, but Shamir had made up his mind. So Shamir’s boss made him a tempting offer: “Why don’t you start up a new development center over there, so we can at least keep you around?” Shamir recalls the supervisor as saying. The boss, of course, was Bill Gates, and Yaron answered that he would. Shortly after, Shamir landed in Haifa and joined forces with Avi Nathan, another software engineer. They rented some office space and started to fish around for more local talent. Until then, Microsoft had concentrated its entire development activity in the U.S. Early on, Shamir had to work hard to get his new recruits interesting projects. His team produced the fax tool included with Windows 95, pieces of IBM’s OS/2 operating system — parts of

Courtesy Erez Ben-Ari

Microsoft’s offices in Haifa, Israel. which were outsourced to Microsoft for development — among others. In 1995, one modest product, Microsoft Proxy Server, software used by large

companies to speed up their Internet access, eventually ballooned into a 200person team that had increased the scope and capabilities of the product.

By 2006, Shamir had retired and Nathan had taken his place as general manager of the Haifa development center, when a dramatic change occurred. Moshe Lichtman, who held a key role at the Redmond campus, decided he wanted to relocate back to Israel and initiated a multitude of development projects at a newly built development center in Herzliya. He populated the site with many new hires, as well as employees from several acquisitions Microsoft made over the previous decade. One of the key challenges facing the engineers in Israel is the need to work in tight cooperation with the Redmond headquarters. Thanks to modern networking, a lot can be accomplished using e-mail and video conferencing, and there’s less need for employees to travel the 7,000 miles between Israel and Washington. There are, however, other hoops to jump through. One, of course, is the time difference. Israel’s workday starts at about midnight in Redmond, and when Washingtonians step into the office at 9

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Lawyer’s memoir reflects on commitment to tribal rights Also: Seattle jazz trumpeter on making it in New York

Diana Brement JTNews Columnist “People urged me to write the book — specifically my wife,” says Bellevue resident Alvin Ziontz of his memoir, A Lawyer in Indian Country. Seventyeight-years old when he started in 2006, he remembers thinking, “I’d better get busy.” He’d always told stories about working with Native Americans, but writing gave him the opportunity “to flesh it out,” especially for those who know little about these tribes. And after nearly three years of “painfully long” rewriting and revising required by University of Washington Press, the book was released this year. Al spent the better part of a long career in tribal work, work he fell into somewhat by accident as a junior lawyer working in a West Seattle storefront office in the 1960s. As he tells it, serendipity often played a role in his life. The Chicago native struggled through law school and had started graduate school when he was drafted during the Korean War. The Army brought him to California, making it easy

to move to Seattle — where he’d worked one summer — when the war ended. He struggled again as a junior lawyer with a boss who was often absent, but that first, serendipitous, Indian job led to the long career he details in the book. After he retired, he spent a decade as a professional photographer until an increasingly bad back led him to real retirement. He’s always tended to view his life through a historical lens, appreciating his working-class pedigree and the very different life he made for himself in the Northwest.

The tribes are “recovering from [years of] historical damage,” but in their work for environmental preservation, tribes have really led the way for the rest of society. “The natural environment is their sustenance and they are very, very protective of it — and it’s all to our benefit,” he says.

“I never lose sight or awareness of my roots,” Al says. The book “has brought Chicago back into my consciousness,” as several high school classmates have read it and contacted him. “It’s very nice,” he says, to have an old part of your existence “come back to life.” With the writing habit fully ingrained,

The Eastside’s Only Social Address

he started another project once the book was complete. It’s a journal — not for publication — a reflection on “living in the red zone, after age 70, when death is approaching.” Shortly after starting, his wife Lenore (Lennie) was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, “and it became a journal focused on her.” After a “terrifically hard” surgery, chemotherapy and recuperation, “she came out of it and made a dramatic recovery,” and writing has shifted back to him. Now, he says, “I’m currently writing on the subject of decrepitude.” Active at the Stroum Jewish Community Center, Al is president of the active seniors club, arranging programs and conducting two round-table discussions each month. He and Lennie also spend time with their four grown children and five grandchildren, all in the area. Native American tribes are making progress, he reflects, but, “there’s still room for improvement…. I would first like to see healthy Indian communities.” The tribes are “recovering from [years of] historical damage,” but in their work for environmental preservation, tribes have really led the way for the rest of society. “The natural environment is their sustenance and they are very, very protective of it — and it’s all to our benefit,” he says. ••• Born and raised in Seattle, Tatum Greenblatt, a 2000 graduate of Garfield High School, has been carving out a pro-

Courtesy Tatum Greenblatt

Trumpet player Tatum Greenblatt will return to Seattle later this month for several performances.

fessional music career in New York since he was 18. “I’ve kind of been playing my whole life,” he explains. Growing up in a musical household, a toddler’s natural instinct to hit things with sticks had him playing his brother’s drums at an early age.

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M.O.T. t Page 12B His father, saxophonist Dan Green– blatt, is a professional musician and Tatum calls his mom, Karyn Cline “an avid fan” of all kinds of music. Having a professional parent didn’t guarantee he’d become a musician, but his parents did insist that music be part of his education. He started trumpet at Madrona Elementary after a friend left town and left his horn with Tatum. He had an affinity for the instrument, and playing well became its own reward. That “turned into a long line of opportunities that were rewarding and fun,” he says. It did help that Dad could seek out the best teachers and could help during “times of frustration and confusion.” At 12, he says, he remembers deciding, “I’m going to move to New York and do this for the rest of my life.” He attended the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. The college years were “advantageous” for transitioning into life in the Big Apple, but playing professionally “is an old-school, word-of-

mouth business,” even in the digital age. “Everybody has a Web site, everyone has a CD… but what it really comes down to is so-and-so who has a gig and vouches for you.” After college he played exclusively for a year — “a dismal existence” — then returned to school, getting a Master’s from Juilliard in 2008. Now he plays often, “with about 20 different groups.” When we spoke, he was rehearsing for the on-stage band for the musical Hair. His parents are also in New York now, his dad working at the New School, Tatum’s alma mater, and his mom studying film. “It’s nice to have your mom cook dinner for you once in a while,” he observes. Tatum sneaks back to Seattle for two shows this month. He plays with Jay Thomas at Tula’s on Dec. 23, and his own Here and Now Quintet appears at the Triple Door on Dec. 26. Both shows feature quintet member and another former Seattleite, Ben Roseth. For more information, visit myspace.com/tatumgreenblatt.

Focus on Bellevue

Eastsiders looking for last-minute Hanukkah Judaica either for their own celebration or as a gift can check out some options at the Common Folk home décor store, which recently moved to Bellevue and has been ranked as one of the top five Best of Western Washington gift stores. They are located at 15600 NE 8th St. in the Crossroads shopping center.

Courtesy Common Folk

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Lights, dreidels... gifts? To give or not to give? The real question is how to make gifts meaningful

Zach Robin, a 6th grader at the Jewish Day School of Metropolitan Seattle in Bellevue, holds up December of the TIPS Partnership calendar, which features his artwork. The partnership, a coalition of Jewish Federations in Tucson, Phoenix and Seattle with the Israeli communities of Kiryat Malachi and the Hof Ashkelon region, opened the contest up to Jewish 5th and 6th graders to create artwork based on an environmental theme. JDS student Noa Dunn has her artwork in the calendar and three other students also received recognition.

Natasha Rosenstock Special to JTNews To give or not to give, that is the question. To give what? In this case, two things: A meaningful Hanukkah experience, and gifts each night of the festival. Don’t worry, JTNews hasn’t become like department stores who advertise for Christmas in October. However, while it may be a bit late for this year, I do think it is useful to start discussing Hanukkah one month before the festival. That’s because I’m talking about planning ahead of time for a meaningful holiday, rather than simply getting a head start on shopping for gifts. In case you are tempted to blame yourself for the perpetuation of celebrating Hanukkah in competition with Christmas, let me provide some historical context and tell you it’s not your fault. In fact, your synagogue may have told you to do it. Dianne C. Ashton is the Director of American Studies at Rowan University in Glassboro, N.J., and the author of an upcoming book, The American Chanukah. “Hanukkah festivals for children in the synagogue started in the 1870s in the Reform congregations and they were very definitely trying to find ways for Jewish children to be as interested in their religion like churches were doing with Christian kids,” Ashton says. “And then the Conservative movement picked up on it — not just the presents but the concern for Jewish children remaining interested in Judaism and enlivened by it in December, so Hanukkah festivals became one way to promote that.” So what to do when your own synagogue might be encouraging you to celebrate Hanukkah in competition with Christmas? Your children are bombarded with media messages promoting the giftgiving spirit of the season, and they may also be receiving gifts from well-meaning relatives. Rabbi Sandy Rubenstein is the director of Jewish Chaplaincy Services at the Jewish Social Service Agency in Rockville, Md. She has advice for families struggling with these issues: “If gifts are emphasized, how can we think about them in a different way? There are ways to bring in new meaning to the holiday,” she says. “You can do things that are not about giving gifts, but lighting candles, and talk about ways to rededicate ourselves to what’s important to us. We can light candles for justice or peace or talk about what brings light into my life and your life and what are the places that need light in this world?” She says parents should ask themselves, “If you don’t want gifts to be dominant, how do you create meaning in the holiday so it’s not about kids feeling bad about Christmas?” I spoke to a number of moms who have either dismissed the gift-giving culture and only give the traditional gelt, or perhaps started out giving one gift each night and then moved away from that. Here are some of their ideas to bring meaning back into the festival and cut down on the emphasis on Christmasstyle consumerism. • Give your kids $1 for each candle, each night. At the end of eight nights, they’ll receive $36. • Use Hanukkah gelt to teach your kids

a lesson about spending wisely. They can decide if they want to spend their Hanukkah gelt on a toy for themselves, something else, or pool it with their siblings for one larger item everyone can enjoy together. • Before kids receive new gifts for Hanukkah, have them go through their toys and determine what they no longer play with so they can donate those items. They will recognize that part of receiving gifts is also to give to children who are less fortunate. • Use that time of year to collect the money from the tzedekah boxes around your house and have your children help

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Courtesy JDS

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Gift Pressure t Page 15B make the decision about where to donate the money. Let them physically donate the money themselves and/or see the effects of their donation. • If you do feel pressure to give your kids some type of gift every night, spread out the giving among yourself and other relatives. • Gifts can be items you would have bought your children anyway, like new school clothes, pajamas or books.

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• Do not try to compete with Christmas. Tell your children it is okay for others to celebrate their own holiday their way and for you to celebrate your holiday another way. Happy Hanukkah! Natasha Rosenstock is a writer living in Potomac, Md. You can visit her at www.natasharosenstock.com. This piece originally appeared in the Washington Jewish Week.

Thinking of giving? Here are a few charities, local and worldwide, that could use your help. This list is by no means close to exhaustive, nor should it represent any preference on behalf of JTNews, but all are intended to directly help families in need. Find more at www.jtnews.net. Jewish Family Service (in Seattle and Spokane): It’s no secret that donations are down and need is up. More families than ever before, many of them Jewish, are visiting the food bank and not making ends meet. Having children bring in non-perishable food is a direct way of showing tzedakah in action. Bringing in cash doesn’t hurt, either. Heifer International: Small donations to this international organization purchase small animals for families in developing countries, giving them a means for income and food. Visit www.heifer.org for information on what your donation gets a family. One Warm Coat: It’s cold outside, and that old coat in the back of your closet is doing nothing but harvesting dust mites. Put it to use by donating it to One Warm Coat. If they’re not doing a drive in your neighborhood, start one of your own. Visit www.onewarmcoat.org for more information.

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friday, december 11, 2009

Microsoft t Page 11B a.m., most of the employees in Israel are on their way home. Add to that the Israeli weekend, which is Friday-Saturday, it can be a challenge to arrange a direct dialog. Many employees have no choice but to get up really early or stay at the office past dinnertime. Another, sometimes more amusing hurdle, is the language barrier. While every employee in Israel speaks good English, things can still get confusing. Dan Herzog, a senior engineer from the IAG team in Redmond, for example, faces frequent confusion. “I was born in the U.S., and I don’t speak a word of Hebrew, but with a classic Hebrew name like Herzog, many Israelis assume I’m one of them,” he says. “I’ve even had to deal with people who refused to believe I can’t speak the language.” Drory Ben Menachem, who works on user experience design with the Israel office, shares a similar, but more complicated story. “Quite often, my English e-mails are

replied to in Hebrew simply because I have an Israeli name,” says Ben Menachem. “As the son of Israeli parents and younger sibling to two brothers — all of whom speak Hebrew fluently — it is a point of embarrassment for me that my Hebrew language skills are so poor. So, whereas others might respond with a simple ‘English, please’ e-mail, I will spend minutes/hours wracking my brain to decipher the Hebrew — and sometimes resort to online translators (or a call to my brothers) for help with words I’m stuck on.” On the Israeli side, there are more challenges. Though the offices in Israel are considered quite large by Israeli standards, it’s not quite like the tens of thousands of people working in Redmond, and some Israelis find it hard to comprehend and deal with the necessary administrative framework involved — this despite their country’s infamous red tape-laden bureaucracy. For example, Microsoft’s Information Technology group works hard to set certain standards to govern such practices as hardware and

software purchases, and these standards help improve budget management. If an employee needs a new computer, he or she may find more administrative difficulties in doing so, because the computers sold in Israel might not meet the standards or regulations set by the U.S.based IT group. Naturally, with hundreds of engineers working at the Israeli sites, one of the consequences is a lot of migrations back and forth. Dozens of Israeli engineers have relocated to Redmond throughout the years, and a few Americans have relocated to Israel as well. One of them is David Cross, a product unit manager in Haifa, who moved to Israel two years ago. Cross realized that despite the easy access to technology, relationships are still based on faceto-face contact. Without that pre-existing physical contact, he says, it’s difficult to build and develop those relationships. Cross travels to the United States frequently, but it’s still challenging on a daily basis. “However,” Cross says, “this has some

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upsides, too. In Israel, we work from Sunday to Thursday, and so Sunday is a great work day. We hardly get any e-mails from the U.S. on Sunday, and that gives me a chance to get a lot of things done.” Following the establishment of the site in Herzliya, in a few short years Microsoft’s Israel workforce has grown significantly, with more growth planned. Current projects include Headlight, a web-based advertising tool that offers zoomable information within a limited space, and HiTouchy, a multi-touch screen implementation developed in a week by just four engineers. According to Lichtman, the Israeli center conducts leading research in many areas from e-commerce to mobile services, all of which he believes will make global impacts in the coming years. “Becoming the crown jewel of the software industry in Israel is a longterm aspiration of ours,” Lichtman says. “Thanks to the innovative culture of the center, coupled with its areas of focus, we have attracted top talent from Israel and abroad.”

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Lighting up enthusiasm for the holiday Figuring out how to celebrate Hanukkah Lisa Keys JTA World News Service NEW YORK (JTA) — I’ll admit it: Hanukkah is a holiday I’ve approached with diminishing enthusiasm over the years. I’m not into latkes; I prefer egg rolls. Dreidel’s not nearly as fun as Scrabble. And as the holiday approaches, so, too, does our loaded debate: Are we giving gifts this year or what? It wasn’t always this way. Growing up in a nonobservant-but-you-have-to-goto-Sunday-school household, Hanukkah was a pretty awesome holiday that was on par — scratch that, better — than Christmas. I remember the excitement building in the air as my mom hung a “Happy Hanukkah” banner in the window next to the blue “helping hand” sign that signified crazy people do not live within. (Anyone remember those?) We lit the menorah every night. The extended family would have a party at my grandparents’ place. And then there were the presents: 16 blue-wrapped boxes, divided into two piles — eight gifts for me, eight for my sister. Every night we made an exciting choice: Which gift should we open tonight? Sometimes the boxes contained the practical, like pajamas or slippers, two great passions of my mom. Sometimes they were just pure fun, like games or stuffed animals. As we got older, things changed, of course. Multiple gifts were rolled into a

single one. The family Hanukkah gathering dissolved. Once I was living on my own, I’d probably find my way to a menorah once or twice over the holiday. Hanukkah was more or less uneventful — it became downright complicated when my husband Julian entered the picture. His family didn’t exchange g if ts during the holiday; to him, presents weren’t part of the Hanukkah equation. But I’d feel slighted because I thought it was meaningful for spouses to exchange a gift or two. He’d be insistent that we light the menorah; I’d feel weird because we rarely, if ever, lit Shabbat candles — and Judaism considers that a much more significant holiday. Now that we’re parents, the situation seems more pressing, as I’d like for our young son Leon to look forward to Hanukkah the same way I did. Or do I? Am I just teaching him to love Hanukkah because, hey, who doesn’t love getting presents? And if we’re strict about the menorah but completely lax about Shabbat candles, are we sending the wrong message? How exactly should we be celebrating Hanukkah, anyway? Of course, we’re not the only ones confused. Even the story of Hanukkah has its variations: The book of 1 Maccabees portrays Hanukkah as a military victory over an evil king; 2 Maccabees sees it as a victory of pious Jews over the assimilation-

ists. It wasn’t until rabbinic times that the whole miracle-of-oil thing came to light, so to speak. Given that we Jews can’t even agree on a spelling for the holiday — Hanukkah? Hanukah? Chanukah — it’s no wonder that a shroud of mystery surrounds its celebration. I’ve come to realize, however, that my approach is all wrong. “The interesting thing about Hanukkah is that it’s had different definitions in different years,” said Rabbi Brad Hirschfield, the president of CLAL, a pluralistic Jewish think tank. “In every generation Hanukkah has been a celebration of overcoming whatever the biggest challenge the Jewish people were facing.” In fact, the rabbi said my questioning was appropriate. “It’s in the spirit of the day,” he told me. “Asking new questions, celebrating new answers, knowing how that’s always been.” Hirschfield pooh-poohed my hangups, starting with concerns about lighting candles on Hanukkah while often skipping the ritual on Shabbat. “To be able to perform one mitzvah is a tremendously exciting thing,” he told me. Meredith Jacobs, the Jewish mama maven and founder of the Web site ModernJewishMom.com, has some excellent ideas, too. In the Jacobs household in Potomac, Md., each night of Hanukkah has a different theme. One night is game night; the kids (Sophie, 12, and Joel, 10) receive board games and the family plays them together. One night is all about homemade presents, another is tzedakah night, when in lieu of receiving gifts, her kids give one to those in need. One night she declares as “old-fashioned Hanukkah night” in which her kids

receive the kinds of “little, yucky presents” that Jacobs received when she was growing up, like socks or pajamas. (Perhaps her mom and mine are related?) Jacobs says she also heeds her mother’s advice to “make the house smell like yontif.” For Jacobs, that means latkes and brisket — even though, she concedes, brisket is not considered a “traditional” Hanukkah food. “I try and make the house feel and smell a little different,” she told me, “so it feels exciting and like a holiday.” That got me thinking. I typically make rugelach this time of year — they’re fun to make, they’re a perfect party food and, packed into a Chinese takeout container, they make great gifts. Inadvertently, I realized, rugelach had evolved into my family’s Hanukkah food. It may not be a canonical choice, but it’s a tradition that’s become as real in my household as a Passover seder and Friday-night pizza. The more I thought about it, the more I understood that we were forging a family Hanukkah, after all. I started thinking about all the moments of triumph this year and how they were worthy of celebration. “There are more ways of celebrating Hanukkah than people who want to [celebrate it],” Hirschfield told me. “The only wrong way to celebrate this holiday is effectively not to celebrate it at all.” And so, my rocky relationship with Hanukkah is on the mend. We’re still not sure exactly how we’ll celebrate this year, but I can tell you this: There will be love and gifts and rugelach. We’ll light the menorah, we’ll eat some egg rolls and we’ll take it from there.

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Hanukkah: lighting a look back Where are our earth-friendly tipping points? I once saw a poster of the Earth, with the caption, “Where else do you plan to live?” With nowhere else to go, faced with overwhelming greenhouse gas emissions, and air, land and water pollution; with climate change deniers, the comfortably ignorant and the overwhelmed on all sides, how can we work ourselves out of this jam? Our own people are stuck with the crowd, for example: • The wealthy Jewish businessman who erects a 17,000-square-foot house that’s “bigger than his brother’s,” rather than conserve resources and build green, • The Lubavitcher rabbi who’s less interested in eliminating food-service waste at his numerous, weekly Chabad House meals than in finding a kosher sandwich supplier for Jewish students, • The young Jewish mother who drives her children five blocks from home to the bus stop, rather than let them walk in fresh morning air, free of exhaust fumes from her car. Biblically, one could view these examples as another in the Almighty’s cycles of hardening hearts before great historical shifts: Hardening Pharaoh’s before the Exodus; Sodom and Gemorah’s before their destruction; the Hebrews’ before their return to Zion from Babylonian diaspora. Usually, great resistance builds before great change occurs, for good, and for ill. Malcolm Gladwell gives wonderful secular

Martin Westerman JTNews Columnist Once again, Hanukkah candles provide us warm oases of light in the winter dark ness, leading us into enjoyable Jewish spaces — and into our yiddishe neshamot (Jewish souls). “The idea of struggling with God defines us,” says Rabbi Anson Laytner of Seattle congregation Kol HaNeshamah. “People of other faiths might look askance at the idea, but it is our destiny. And, according to our tradition, as Jacob wrestled with the Angel, even if we end up wounded in some way, we are blessed for having wrestled with the divine, rather than meekly accepting all we have been taught as ‘God’s truth.’ What a unique idea!” Jews have survived for centuries using this idea. We have pushed beyond what others told us is possible, because we know that our present situations may not work out, and a new future must be created. We must forge ahead, envisioning new possibilities, thinking and acting “outside the box.” It’s that idea we must apply to today’s environmental challenges.

examples in his book, The Tipping Point. Each of our example people could get what they wanted without so burdening the planet: kosher food and waste-free foodservice; a big house and “greener than his brother’s”; mobility and fresh air. The questions are, where is our “earthfriendly” behavioral tipping point, and how do we reach it? Do we push people to change behavior, through education, incentives and policymaking? Do we force people to adjust, by building changes into their daily lives, through product manufacture and regulations? Or do both? “We cannot retreat to the convenience of being overwhelmed,” says American Jewish World Service President Ruth Messinger. As Pirke Avot (1:17) says, “It is not the study that is essential, but rather the action.” With this column, I complete my first year of writing “Jewish on Earth.” In this past year, I wonder how many of you have changed your behavior, or taken some new “green” step? W hat incentive(s) would prompt you to take one, or many more? Something financial, something ethical, something exciting, punitive and/or emotional? I wouldn’t ask these questions, or write this column, if we all lived in harmony with nature, and built sustainability into everything we do and use. But we don’t. So here I write and ask.

There are two places where science and religion intersect: 1. Guessing how the world began, and 2. Guessing how it will end. Since the dawn of history, humans have created my t hs to ex plain t he unknown, generally centered around the actions of all-powerful beings. These myths coalesce into God-centered belief systems and religions. You can find an enjoyable survey of them in Kenneth C. Davis’ Don’t Know Much About Mythology, including the conjecture that the Hebrews’ singular god originated with Pharaoh Akhnaten in the 1320s BCE. It is a tribute to our resilience that over the intervening three millenia, as Hebrews, then Israelites, then Jews, we have developed Yiddishe koppen (brains) and neshamot that rarely take things at face value, and strive to change them for the better. And we have been blessed for our efforts. Now, as we warm our souls with Hanukkah and Shabbos lights, I suggest asking ourselves a new question: What can make being “green” effortless? How can we, as Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world”? Sometimes, you can get the hard things done by making it easy for yourself. Author and teacher Martin Westerman writes and consults on sustainable living. He can be contacted with questions at [email protected].

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Ongoing t Page 10B ■■7 p.m. – Living a Meaningful Jewish Life: From Social Justice to Sexuality Jacob at [email protected] This year-long class for people new to Judaism as well as for Jewish young adults who are interested in deepening their knowledge of Jewish life will cover the Jewish calendar, lifecycles, theology and prayer and will emphasize the deeper meaning behind Jewish practice. At UW Hillel, 4745 17th Ave. NE, Seattle. ■■7 - 9:15 p.m. – Living Judaism - The Basics with Mary Potter Kris Klippel at 206-524-0075 or [email protected] or www.bethshalomseattle.org An introduction to Judaism for Jews looking to deepen their knowledge, non-Jewish partners of Jews, and conversion students. The tuition for this weekly class includes a year-long Hebrew course. At Congregation Beth Shalom, 6800 35th Ave NE, Seattle. ■■7 p.m. – Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings Eve M. Ruff at 206-461-3240 or [email protected] Meeting for anyone who has stopped or would like to stop drinking. At Jewish Family Service, 1601 16th Ave., Seattle. ■■7 p.m. – Hebrew Level I Carol Benedick at 206-524-0075 or [email protected] or www.bethshalomseattle.org Learn the Alef Bet and become familiar with the basic vocabulary of the Siddur. Cost is $250. Discounts available for members and early birds (by 9/16). Call to pre-register or

friday, december 11, 2009

visit www.bethshalomseattle.org. At Congregation Beth Shalom, 6800 35th Ave. NE, Seattle. ■■7 p.m. – Hebrew II (Biblical) with Elizabeth Fagin Carol Benedick at 206-524-0075 or [email protected] or www.bethshalomseattle.org Learn the building blocks of basic biblical Hebrew. Cost is $250. Discounts available for members. At Congregation Beth Shalom, 6800 35th Ave. NE, Seattle. ■■7 p.m. – Hebrew III (Biblical) with Mark Solomon Carol Benedick at 206-524-0075 or [email protected] or www.bethshalomseattle.org Designed for students who already have some foundation in basic Hebrew grammar (including Pa’al/Qal verbs), this class focuses on remaining verb forms and translating the Joseph story. Cost is $250. Discounts available for members. At Congregation Beth Shalom, 6800 35th Ave. NE, Seattle. ■■7 p.m. – Hebrew IV (Prayerbook)Unlocking the Siddur with Beth Huppin Carol Benedick at 206-524-0075 or [email protected] or www.bethshalomseattle.org For students with basic Hebrew grammar/ vocabulary, this class will focus on understanding Siddur Hebrew. Cost is $250. Discounts available for members. At Congregation Beth Shalom, 6800 35th Ave. NE, Seattle. ■■7 - 8:30 p.m. – Intermediate Conversational Hebrew Janine Rosenbaum at 206-760-7812

A course for students with some Hebrew background interested in expanding their conversational skills and understanding the basic principles of Hebrew grammar. $65 plus materials. At Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation, 3700 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island. ■■7:15 p.m. – SoulQuest: The Journey Through Life, Death, and Beyond 206-290-6301 A six-week course about Jewish perspectives on death and the afterlife. Led by Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky. Cost is $60. Offered through the Jewish Learning Institute. At Mercer View Community Center, 8236 SE 24th St., Mercer Island. ■■7:15 p.m. – The Mishna and its Sages Marilyn Leibert at 206-722-8289 or [email protected] Learn about the Mishna and the Talmud, the books that are the backbone of Jewish tradition, faith and history. $25. At the Seattle Kollel, 5305 52nd Ave. S, Seattle. ■■7:15 p.m. – How to Learn Rashi Marilyn Leibert at 206-722-8289 This course will unveil some of the beautiful simplicity and complexity of Rashi’s commentary for the layman. $25. At the Seattle Kollel, 5305 52nd Ave. S, Seattle. ■■7:30 p.m. – Why Be Jewish? Melanie Berman at 206-232-8555 or [email protected] This class explores what is distinctive about Judaism and the Jewish people. At Herzl-Ner Tamid, 3700 E Mercer Island Way, Mercer Island. ■■7:30 p.m. – Parshah class

425-427-1654 or [email protected] Rabbi Berry leads an in-depth Parshah class. At Chabad of Issaquah, 24121 SE Black Nugget Rd., Issaquah. ■■7:30 p.m. – Weekly Round Table Kabbalah Class [email protected] Men and women join together to explore the mystical teachings of the Kabbalah. At a private home. ■■7:45 p.m. – Mystical Understanding of the Hebrew Alphabet Dovid Fredman at 206-251-4063 or [email protected] Discover the mystifying depth and beauty of the Hebrew letters. Free. At Seattle Kollel, 5305 52nd Ave. S, Seattle. ■■8:30 p.m. – End of Life Issues and the Beyond Marilyn Leibert at 206-722-8289 or [email protected] This series addresses the halachic questions of end of life issues and explores customs of Jewish burial, mourning rituals, the secrets of Kaddish and a perspective of the world to come. $25. At Seattle Kollel, 5305 52nd Ave. S, Seattle. 8:30 p.m. – Soul Diet Marilyn Leibert at 206-722-8289 or [email protected] The Soul Diet is a no-holds-barred approach to restricting the invasion of pseudo-wisdom that is shaping core values and causing a general state of confusion in the minds of many. $25. At the Seattle Kollel, 5305 52nd Ave. S, Seattle.

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friday, december 11, 2009

Wednesday ■■11 a.m.-12 p.m. – Torah with a Twist 206-938-4852 Women learn Torah with Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz of the Seattle Kollel at this weekly class. At a Mercer Island location. Call for directions. ■■11:45 a.m. – Talmud Berachot Rabbi Yehoshua Pinkus at 206-718-2887 or [email protected] Interactive discussion and study session of the Talmud Berachot. Hosted by the Seattle Kollel. Free. At Tullys Westlake Center, 1601 5th Ave., Seattle. ■■ 1:30 p.m. – Book Club at the Stroum JCC Roni Antebi at 206-232-7115, ext. 269 Book discussions the first Wednesday of every month. At the Stroum JCC, 3801 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island. ■■3 p.m. – The Mother’s Circle Marjorie Schnyder at 206-461-3240, ext. 3146 A program for moms from other backgrounds raising Jewish kids to get support, learn about Jewish rituals, practices and values, and get connected to the Jewish community. Sponsored by Jewish Family Service. Every other Wednesday. At Whole Foods Market, 1026 NE 64th St., Seattle. ■■7–9 p.m. – Teen Lounge for Middle Schoolers Ari at 206-295-5888 Foosball, ping-pong, pool, basketball, arcade games and optional classes. At the Yavneh building at Congregation Bikur CholimMachzikay Hadath, 5145 S Morgan St.,

Seattle. ■■7 p.m. – Beginning Israeli Dancing for Adults with Rhona Feldman Carol Benedick at 206-524-0075 Older teens and all experience levels are welcome. $40 for a five-session punch card. Discount for members. At Congregation Beth Shalom, 6800 35th Ave. NE, Seattle. ■■7 p.m. – Wisdom for Women 14+ Rabbi Bresler at 206-331-8767 or [email protected] Jewish Women ages 14 and up are invited to take part in an afternoon of thought-provoking learning, wisdom, and ideas from the Torah. At the Seattle Kollel, 5305 52nd Ave. S, Seattle. ■■7-10 p.m. – Parsha and Poker [email protected] A look at the Torah portion of the week followed by a friendly game of poker with proceeds going to tzedakah. Led by Rabbi Josh Hearshen. At Herzl-Ner Tamid, 3700 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island. ■■7:15 p.m. – The Jewish Journey 206-722-8289 or [email protected] This two-year comprehensive program guides students through the historical, philosophical and mystical wonders of Judaism’s 3,500-year heritage. Cost is $360, plus a $36 registration fee. At the Seattle Kollel, 5305 52nd Ave. S, Seattle. ■■7:30 p.m. – Parshas Hashavuah [email protected] This class provides a general overview of the Torah portion of the week accompanied by Midrashic commentaries, philosophical insight, and practical lessons. At the Eastside

Torah Center, 1837 156th Ave. NE #303, Bellevue. ■■8:15 p.m. – God, the Universe, and Me Marilyn Leibert at 206-722-8289 or [email protected] Rebbetzin Shirley Edelstone leads a class addressing questions about God and free will. $25. At the Seattle Kollel, 5305 52nd Ave. S, Seattle.

Thursday ■■9:30-10:30 a.m. – Women’s Talmud Sasha Mail at 206-323-7933, ext. 301 Talmud study class for women led by Rivy Poupko Kletenik. Free. At Seattle Hebrew Academy, 1617 Interlaken Dr. E, Seattle. ■■12 p.m. – Rambam on Chumash for Women Marilyn Leibert at 206-722-8289 A discussion of foundational Jewish concepts through the eyes of Nachmanides on Chumash in the Book of Genesis, as well as an analysis of key Rashis. Prerequisite: the ability to recognize the Hebrew letters and a desire to learn basic Hebrew grammar. For women only. $25. Sponsored by the Seattle Kollel. At a private home, Mercer Island. ■■6:50 p.m. – Introduction to Hebrew Janine Rosenbaum at 206-760-7812 Helps students build fluency and comprehension of the prayers of the Friday evening service. $50. At Herzl-Ner Tamid, 3700 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island. ■■7 p.m. – Junior Teen Center Ari Hoffman at [email protected] Video games, game tables, food, and fun for middle schoolers. Hosted by NCSY. At the

happy hanukkah!

Hanukkah Greetings! to my friends & family & wishing you good health!

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Stroum JCC, 3801 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island. ■■7 p.m. – Beginners Bridge Class Roni Antebi at 206-232-7115, ext. 269 or [email protected] An eight-week class to familiarize students with the basic principles of bridge. $60/JCC members, $70/non-members. At the Stroum JCC, 3801 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island. ■■7:30 p.m. – Judaism: The Ultimate Journey [email protected] Rabbi Jay Rosenbaum leads a course called “From Slavery to Freedom: Political Activism and Personal Ethics in the Bible and the Age of Democracy.” At Herzl-Ner Tamid, 3700 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island. ■■8–10 p.m. – Teen Lounge for High Schoolers Ari at 206-295-5888 Foosball, ping-pong, pool, basketball, arcade games and snacks. At the Yavneh building at Congregation Bikur Cholim-Machzikay Hadath, 5145 S Morgan St., Seattle. ■■8 p.m. – Beth Shalom Beit Midrash Carol Benedick at 206-524-0075 or [email protected] or www.bethshalomseattle.org Rabbi Stuart Light will teach Masechet Berachot from the Mishnah. $5/class or 6 classes for $25. At Congregation Beth Shalom, 6800 35th Ave. NE, Seattle.

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friday, december 11, 2009

Jammed to the rafters Stroum JCC’s annual Hanukkah party kicks it up a notch

Photos by Leyna Krow

Hanukkah Greetings! Natalie & Bob Malin

Happy Hanukkah!

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hanukkah greetings! Happy Hanukkah!

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The rabbi made olive oil, the kids painted dreidels, and everyone ate latkes. The Pajama Jam, a Hanukkah party put on by the Stroum Jewish Community Center and the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle’s PJ Library on Dec. 6, filled the JCC’s gym with families that played games and created art activities. More than one kid went home covered in fake tattoos and paint on her face on this otherwise freezing December afternoon.

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friday, december 11, 2009

New kids’ books hitting the shelves at Hanukkah

Penny Schwartz JTA World News Service BOSTON (JTA) — From all corners of the globe, to under the sea and above the skies, a new crop of children’s books for Hanukkah takes readers on a worldwide spin with delightful and informative books for kids of all ages. Hanukkah Around the World Tami Lehman-Wilzig, illustrated by Vicki Wehrman Kar-Ben; $16.95 hardcover; $7.95 paper; ages 8-11 Move over latkes, make room for precipizi. And sufganiyot, debla cookies and burmuelos. These are among the traditional sweets eaten in Jewish homes from Italy to Israel, Tunisia and Turkey during the eight-day Festival of Lights. Recipes for the treats are featured in Hanukkah Around the World by Israeli-American children’s writer Tami Lehman-Wilzig. The illustrated travelogue takes young readers to eight faraway places around the globe. First stop, the Israeli city of Modi’in, the ancient biblical home of the Maccabees where the Hanukkah story began 2,000 years ago. Today the city comes alive to celebrate its beloved holiday with a relay race to Jerusalem and eight days of kid-friendly festivities, Lehman-

Wilzig writes in an e-mail from her home in Israel. Each of t he eight cities featured includes a short fictional story that highlights local customs, historical notes, current events and easy-to-follow recipes. Back pages include Hanukkah potpourri from other locales and a glossary. The custom that most impressed Lehman-Wilzig was in Turin, where a custom connects the summertime observance of Tisha B’Av, commemorating the ancient destruction of the Temple, with Hanukkah, recalling the rededication of the Temple. “It’s a wonderful way to close the circle and is a custom to be cherished,” she writes. Menorah Under the Sea Esther Susan Heller Kar-Ben, $17.95; ages 4-8 Menorah Under the Sea is a photo essaystyle book that follows the explorations of David Ginsburg, a marine ecologist from Los Angeles who takes readers on an adventure to McMurdo station in Antarctica. The journal-like narrative describes how Ginsburg and his research partner, who arrived in Antarctica on the first night of Hanukkah, use rubber dry suits to emerge under the treacherous waters. While collecting sea urchins and starfish for his research, Ginsburg is inspired suddenly to create a menorah on the sea floor using the neon-like sea urchins and

starfish. Captured on film, and reproduced in the book, the glowing menorah is a sparkling and inspiring wonder. Notes at the book’s end explain that sea urchins are invertebrates and have no central nervous system. During Ginsburg’s menorah assembly, readers are reassured that no animals were harmed. The Rabbi and the Twenty-Nine Witches Marilyn Hirsh Marshall Cavendish, $17.99; ages 4-9 This is a re-publication of a Jewish children’s classic, by the late Marilyn Hirsh, an internationally acclaimed, award-winning artist and writer. Hirsh brings a light-hearted touch to this old legend from the Talmud about a cave full of witches, frightened villagers, the full moon and a wise rabbi. Her whimsical black-and-white line illustrations, with blue throughout, will delight readers; even the wicked witches are more slapstick than frightening. Hirsh, who died of cancer in 1988, was a consummate professional and a uniquely talented artist, recalls the noted children’s writer David Adler, who worked with Hirsh while he was an editor at the Jewish Publication Society. Adler recalls that in the early 1980s, though she was ill and hospitalized, Hirsh illustrated the JPS’s 50th anniversary edition of The Adventures of K’ton Ton, the clas-

sic Jewish children’s series by Sadie Rose Weilerstein. The Amazing Menorah of Mazeltown Hal Dresner and Joy Fate, illustrated by Neil Shapiro Red Rock Press, $16.95; ages 4-8 When Molly and Max find an old, grimy menorah in their father’s junk shop, they discover the power of the menorah to transform their dreary town in the dark days of winter. Happy Hanukkah, Corduroy Based on the character created by Don Freeman, illustrated by Lisa McCue Viking, $5.99; ages 6 months to 3 years The popular, cuddly bear of the classic Don Freeman books enlists the help of his animal friends to celebrate Hanukkah, lighting the menorah, eating latkes, singing, and playing dreidel. A Chanukah Present for Me! Lily Karr, illustrated by Jill McDonald Scholastic, $6.99; ages 6 months to 3 years This brightly colored board book is packaged as a gift. Each two-board spread features a Hanukkah tradition with large format words and collage illustrations. There are latkes, dreidels, chocolate gelt or coins, fried doughnuts and, of course, colorful candles in a menorah. In the end, a smiling family celebrates.

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Candle Lighting Times 12/11/09 12/18/09 12/25/09 1/1/09

3:59 p.m. 4:01 p.m. 4:04 p.m. 4:10 p.m.

December

House Seattle. At Ravenna Kibbutz House Gimel, 6211 23rd Ave. NE, Seattle. ■■9 p.m. – JSU Formal Casino Night Ari Hoffman at [email protected] A fundraising event for the Jewish Student Union. Play blackjack, poker, roulette, craps, and dreidel. Cost is $25 if in formal attire, $35 if dressed casually. At Sodo Pop , 2424 1st Ave. S, Seattle.

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Friday 11 ■■5:30 p.m. – Hanukkah Community Shabbat Dinner Rabbi Mordechai Farkash at 425-957-7860 or [email protected] or www.chabadbellevue.org All are welcome to attend the Eastside Torah center’s annual Hanukkah Shabbat dinner. The menu will feature fish, roasted chicken, salad, kugel, challah, vegetables, and dessert. RSVP required. $25/adults, $15/children ages 4 to 12. At the Eastside Torah Center, 1837 156th Ave. NE, top floor, Bellevue.

Saturday 12 ■■6:45 - 8:45 p.m. – NYHS Men’s Basketball vs. Highland Prep Melissa Rivkin at 206-232-5272 or [email protected] Cheer on the NYHS Varsity Boys as they play Highland Prep. At the Seattle Hebrew Academy’s Ari Grashin Gym, 1617 Interlaken Dr. E, Seattle. ■■7:30 p.m. – Peter Pan Returns www.sjcc.org A family musical production by the SJCC Center Stage Theater that picks up where the original story of Peter Pan left off. At the Stroum JCC, 3801 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island. ■■9 p.m. – Moishe House Hanukkah Party [email protected] Food, dancing, dreidel, games, and a white elephant gift exchange hosted by Moishe

■■11 a.m. – Double Chai Fundraiser Brunch Marjie Cogan at 206-524-0075 Beth Shalom’s annual fundraiser. RSVP requested. At Congregation Beth Shalom, 6800 35th Ave. NE, Seattle. ■■11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. – All Seniors Hanukkah Celebration Helaine Goldstein at 425-885-7323 The Active Seniors Club invites all seniors to a Hanukkah celebration. Cost is $1 for members, $2 for non-members. RSVP requested. At the Stroum JCC, 3801 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island. ■■12 p.m. – The Big Spin A Hanukkah party to benefit Seattle Children’s Hospital featuring a performance of Hanukkah songs by Chris Ballew of The Presidents of the United States of America. Cost is $18 per person. At the Museum of History and Industry, 2700 24th Ave. E, Seattle. ■■2:30 p.m. – Peter Pan Returns www.sjcc.org A family musical production by the SJCC Center Stage Theater that picks up where the original story of Peter Pan left off. At the Stroum JCC, 3801 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island. ■■3 p.m. – Shaarei Tikvah: A Hanukkah Celebration for People of All Abilities A community-wide non-denominational celebration for persons with developmental disabilities or persistent mental illness, their families and friends. At Temple B’nai Torah,

15727 NE 4th St., Bellevue. ■■5 p.m. – Hanukkah Party Alysa Rosen at 206-525-0915, ext. 210 or [email protected] Temple Beth Am’s Hanukkah celebration. At Temple Beth Am, 2632 NE 80th St., Seattle. ■■5:30 p.m. – Giant Candy Menorah Hanukkah party including the construction of a 10-foot-tall menorah out of candy. Hosted by Chabad of the Central Cascades. At Blakely Hall, 2550 NE Park Dr., Issaquah. ■■6:30 p.m. – Hanukkah at Redmond Town Center Rabbi Mordechai Farkash at 425-957-7860 or [email protected] or www.chabadbellevue.org An outdoor menorah lighting, Hanukkah songs and treats. At Redmond Town Center.

monday 14 ■■6:30 p.m. – Hanukkah at Crossroads Mall Rabbi Mordechai Farkash at 425-957-7860 or [email protected] or www.chabadbellevue.org Chabad Hebrew School students perform traditional holiday songs. At Crossroads Mall, Bellevue. ■■7:30 p.m. –The Unknown History of Hanukkah [email protected] A two-part class on the history of Hanukkah led by Rabbi Yechezkel Kornfeld. Free. At Northwest Yeshiva High School, 5017 90th Ave. SE, Mercer Island.

wednesday 16 ■■5:30 p.m. – Lamplighter Dinner Tammy Nguyen at 206-523-9766 Menachem Mendel Seattle Cheder’s annual Lamplighter Dinner. This year’s event will honor Rabbi and Mrs. Yechezkel and Devorah Kornfeld. At Herban Feast, 3200 1st Ave. S, Ste 100, Seattle.

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Washington State Jewish Family Histories for any home!

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■■7 p.m. – Iran-Israel-U.S.: Resolving the Nuclear Impasse A community conference sponsored by local Jewish groups and peace organizations will explore ways of resolving the Iranian nuclear crisis through negotiation rather than force. At Town Hall, 1119 8th Ave., Seattle.

thursday 17 ■■6 p.m. – Hanukkah on Wheels Rabbi Mordechai Farkash at 425-957-7860 or [email protected] or www.chabadbellevue.org Holiday skating party with Chabad. RSVP requested. At Skate King of Bellevue, 1837 156th Ave. NE, Top Floor, Bellevue. ■■6:30 p.m. –Miracle of Light Hanukkah Party Carol Benedick at 206-524-0075 or [email protected] or www.bethshalomseattle.org Community candle lighting, a talent show, music by Klez Katz, and dinner by Eric Gorbman. Cost is $10/person. Member discount available. At Congregation Beth Shalom, 6800 35th Ave. NE, Seattle. ■■8 p.m. – Hot Hanukkah Night www.h-nt.org/nextgen NextGen, Herzl-Ner Tamid’s young adult group, will celebrate Hanukkah with a menorah lighting, hot drinks and a dessert potluck. Cost is $10. Location provided upon RSVP.

thursday 24 ■■9:30 p.m. – Latkepalooza www.hilleluw.org Jewish Christmas Eve party hosted by Jconnect and the Jewish Federation’s Young Leadership Division. Cost is $15 in advance, $20 at the door. At the Triple Door, 216 Union St., Seattle.

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HanukkaH GreetinGs to all our friends and family

Hanukkah Greetings!

Rita Rosen

Chag Sameach!

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friday, december 11, 2009

Eight nights of apps iPhone programs put Hanukkah in the palm of your hand Rachel Freedenberg J. Weekly of Northern California On the road during Hanukkah and feel the need to light candles? There’s an app for that. Lost all your dreidels and want to play a quick game? There’s an app for that. Need to know how many days you have left to buy Hanukkah presents? There’s an app for that, too. Hanukkah-themed applications have been a presence in Apple’s iTunes App Store almost since its inception, and with the holiday beginning Dec. 11, a number of new applications have cropped up to help iPhone and iPod Touch users meld technology with the ancient holiday. When Apple debuted the App Store in July 2008, it contained 500 applications (known as apps) that could be downloaded and installed on an iPhone or iPod Touch. Earlier this month, the company announced that it had just surpassed 100,000 apps and 2 billion downloads. Jewish developers have pounced on the ability to bring a little Yiddishkeit to the handheld devices, and today there are dozens of Jewish-themed apps available at the store. Some of them are obvious: Siddur, iTalmud, Hebrew Date. An app called Mikvah shows users the nearest mikvah and provides a checklist of pre-mikvah preparations. The Los Angeles–based Kabbalah

Centre International sells the Dialing God app, featuring Kabbalistic meditations and blessings. Then there are the more off beat apps. ParveOMeter counts dow n t he wa it i ng time between eating dairy and meat; iCharity allows one to deposit virtual coins into a virtual tzedakah box; and if you’re wonder i ng whether mahi-mahi is OK to eat, download Kosher Fish. And then there are Courtesy J. Weekly t he hol iday-based Jeff Howard shows off Super Dreidel, the app he developed apps: Megillas Esther with business partner Richard Barry. for Purim, several Howard, creator of a Hanukkah-themed Omer-counting apps and numerous Passapp called Super Dreidel. over apps, including Haggadot and a Howard, a Los Angeles–based screengame called Find the Matzah. w riter who describes himself as an But when it comes to Jewish holidays, “enthusiastic nerd,” came up with the Hanukkah has a clear monopoly on the idea for Super Dreidel shortly after App Store. From iDreidel to DaysTo HanukHanukkah last year. He joined forces with kah to Mobile Menorah, there’s an app for another tech-obsessed friend, Richard everything you might need for the holiday Barry, and the two hired a programmer in — except maybe one that makes latkes. New Hampshire to write the program. “All the kids in my family are always Super Dreidel provides unique variagrabbing at my iPhone, so I figured they tions on the ancient spin-and-win game. should play a Jewish game,” said Jeff

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Hanukkah Greetings! Helen & Manny Lott Sandra, Gerald, Joel, Leslie & Torry Ostroff Sharon & Martin Lott Jordan & Andrea Lott Jeremy, Elicia, Jossalyn & Micah Lott Tami, Ed, Yoni, Emma, Tova & Zachary Gelb

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Players still spin a dreidel (or virtual dreidel, in this case), but now they can choose between playing “traditional,” “Vegas” or “turbo” style. For example, in “Vegas,” to make the game go faster, every time a player rolls a shin (put one in), the value of shin increases by one. The ante also increases by one every round. Users can also set a specific number of rounds or increase the bankroll. Super Dreidel allows for up to eight players. “A friend of mine and I sat down at his kitchen table with a dreidel and we played and played and played,” Howard said. “The funny thing about the traditional version is that it almost never ends. When you’re playing the electronic version … there’s actually a winner instead of it going on forever.” The other benefit to the virtual game is that it avoids many of the game’s pitfalls. “The dreidel never falls off the table,” Howard said. “It never hits gelt and the kids shout, ‘That was no fair. I should respin.’” The application took about three months to complete, and after passing Apple’s strict vetting process, it was released to the App Store earlier this month. Super Dreidel retails in the App Store for 99 cents. Thirty percent of each purchase goes to Apple, so Howard isn’t expecting to get rich off the app. “When you do something that’s mainly directed at the Jewish community [rather

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Michael, Evelyn & Aviad Benzikry

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Happy Hanukkah! Alice & Art Siegal

friday, december 11, 2009

than at a vast audience], you figure you’re not going to sell millions and millions,” he said. “It was mainly just for fun and to do something Jewish for the iPhone.” While Howard created his app for kicks, iPhone apps mean business for 29-year-old Ronnie Schwartz of Web construction firm RustyBrick. The company, based in Suffern, N.Y., mostly creates medium-sized Web applications for its clients. But it has also created more than 50 iPhone apps, many of which are Jewish-themed. Schwartz and his twin brother, Barry, own RustyBrick — and happen to be Orthodox Jews. The first app they created was Siddur: For $9.99, users can have every prayer they could possibly need at their fingertips, day or night, no matter where they are — although some of the functions were programmed to be limited on Shabbat. After the success of Siddur, the brothers decided to create a series of free holidaythemed apps that would get their name out there, and hopefully translate into downloads of Siddur. The closest holiday was Hanukkah, and so Menorah was born. The app has several functions: It allows for a virtual menorah lighting, tells users what day of Hanukkah it is and provides the necessary blessings, along with audio done by artist Mo Kiss, a friend of Ronnie Schwartz. “These were original recordings just

for the app,” Schwartz said. “I didn’t like what was available on the Web. It was oldschool stuff — this is a little more hip for the iPhone crowd.” As chief technology officer of RustyBrick, which employs about 15 people, Schwartz is the main developer for its iPhone apps. He’s been programming since he was 13, and it took him no more than four days to write the Menorah program that came out in late November 2008. An update was released this past July to fix a bug that occurred after the iPhone operating system was updated to version 3.0. Thus far, Menorah has been downloaded about 30,000 times. Schwartz thinks it appeals to those who don’t own a menorah or who have never lit one before, or travelers who are away for the holiday and don’t have access to their menorah. RustyBrick has had its share of run-ins with Apple over its apps — such as a feature on Siddur that would add Hebrew dates to the iCal calendar program on the device. Apple didn’t like that, so Schwartz had to remove the function. There haven’t been any quibbles with Apple over Menorah — the worst he’s had to deal with, Schwartz said, were some overly nasty reviews. “With Menorah we got a bunch of antiSemitic reviews, because you used to be able to review without owning the app, so people would put up anything,” he said. “But Apple removed them within a month.”

Schwartz is well versed in the halachah of the iPhone. RustyBrick has received requests to create apps such as a machzor and zemirot, which would only be useful on Shabbat or holy days, when the use of devices such as an iPhone is prohibited, but Schwartz refuses. “Our rabbis won’t let us,” he said. When it comes to Menorah, though, things get a bit hazy. “Halachically the requirement [for

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lighting Hanuk kah candles] is oil,” Schwartz said. “The rabbis said, ‘Okay, anything that’s physical light’ — after that it’s questionable if you’re allowed to use electric ones with filament bulbs. “Bottom line, though, the mitzvah is not necessarily the lighting of it — it’s to spread the miracle,” he noted. “If you open this app and show it to someone else, that’s the mitzvah right there. If you have nothing else, it’s better than nothing.”

More Hanukkah games Super Dreidel and Menorah aren’t the only Hanukkah-themed apps available for your iPhone or iPod Touch. Here are some other apps to enhance the Festival of Lights. (For reviews of the apps, visit the iTunes App Store.) DaysTo Hanukkah (99 cents): Displays the number of days left until the first night of Hanukkah. Hanukkah Match (free): A Memorystyle game that has users match Hanukkah and other Judaica items (including dreidels, gelt and Torahs). The faster you match, the higher the score — and users can compete for high scores with other users worldwide. A Dreidel Game (99 cents): A basic dreidel game for two players. Mobile Menorah (99 cents): Light the shamash with your finger and drag it to

the other candles to light them. Has a programmable “burn rate.” Dreidel Tap (free): Tap the falling dreidels with your finger while avoiding the burning candles. Compete for high scores with other users. MyMenorah ($4.99): A menorah-lighting app with live flame animation and a video of candles being lit. Comes in English, French and Russian.

This Hanukkah

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Bedouin women weave tradition, economics together Handmade gifts that benefit both their creators and the beneficiaries Jo-Ann Mort JTA World News Service LAKIYA, Israel (JTA) — Every April, the sheep in Israel’s southern Negev are sheared by their Bedouin herders, beginning a process that ends with the production of hefty rugs woven by women from this Bedouin village using a 4,000-year-old technique. Though the method is old, the women who run the project are part of a new generation of Bedouin women whose work is empowering women who for millennia were denied social and economic opportunities in their conservative society. At Lakiya Negev Weaving, a project of Sidreh — a nonprofit Bedouin women’s organization supported by Shatil, the grass-roots Israeli arm of the New Israel Fund — everyone involved in the production of the rugs, pillows and wall hangings is a woman, from shepherd to weaver to manager. The group’s showroom is situated at the entrance to the town of Lakiya, just off the main highway and a few minutes’ drive from Beersheva. It wasn’t always in so prominent a location. The group’s first building, established shortly after the group was created in 1991, was burned to the ground and its money stolen before the weavers could be paid. “I think we were a threat to the men,” says Hala Abushareb, a Bedouin woman in her mid-20s who runs the showroom. “But now the daughters see that their

Thomas A. Schmidt

A Bedouin woman dyes wool for the Lakiya weaving project in the Negev. mothers are useful. When women are oppressed, men see it. It’s okay when women get paid. A woman pays money to send her daughter to school and to university when she didn’t go herself and now the attitude is different.” Abushareb has a degree in Middle Eastern Studies from Ben-Gurion University in Beersheva. Israel’s Bedouin population numbers roughly 160,000, with the vast majority in the Negev. Bedouin women, who used to work in agriculture and weave tents for shelter, are still in transition in a society that is undergoing dramatic change.

Once agricultural nomads, Bedouin in Israel are increasingly adopting lifestyles similar to those of other Israelis — building permanent homes, working in nonagricultural jobs, sending their children to school and living in established towns or the Bedouin city of Rahat, about 20 minutes north of Beersheva. Some have made these adjustments willingly; others have clashed with the Israeli government over grazing rights, land use and politics. Despite t hese cha nges, Bedouin women are still mostly discouraged from working outside the home. Lakiya Negev Weaving has been successful by enabling

the women to work from their homes. No longer weaving tents since most families live in homes made of adobe, stone or corrugated tin, the women of Lakiya Negev Weaving keep the ancient Bedouin tradition of weaving alive by creating carpets and other items. As a condition of their employment, the women also must agree to take part in educational seminars on women’s health. The organization employs about 70 women, down from a high of 150 when the economy was stronger. Last year the women produced 64 carpets, some of which ended up in Israel’s fanciest neighborhoods. At the European Union’s headquarters in Tel Aviv, a room called Lakiya is filled with rugs made by the women. After the sheared wool is cut from sheep, the puffs are spun into raw wool by hand on a wooden spindle, then dipped into huge boiling vats of dye before being placed in the sun to dry. The women take the wool and weave it on a hand-made loom, leaning over it on their knees as the wool is held up across two cinderblocks. The rugs feature either the five traditional Bedouin colors — black, deep green, dark red, white and dark blue — or contemporary weaves from a palette of 35 colors. The showroom near Lakiya’s entrance doubles as a meeting place for the women, who often come with daughters in tow. “It’s also a social meeting,” Abushareb says. “The women enjoy it. They work a few hours a day, every woman on her own schedule.”

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