JTNews | February 21, 2014

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JTNews | The Voice of Jewish Washington issue for February 21, 2014

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JT JEWISH
TH E VO I CE O F

P Ce Bar age 14 le b / B ra at tio ns

NEWS

WA S H I N GTO N

10 DAYS OF FAB FILM
The Seattle Jewish Film Festival returns for its 19th run
Reviews begin on page 11

THE J’S NEw THEATEr PAGE 6 SPAIN’S OPEN INVITATION PAGE 8 GET rEADY TO rEAD! PAGE 20
ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF SJFF

FEBRUARY

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March Family Calendar

Sunday, March 30 • 2:00 p.m. Performed by those in recovery, the musical uses the story of Passover to show the long path to freedom from addiction. Presented by JFS, SJCC and a dozen community partners. For more information, visit www.bit.ly/FreedomSong.
FOR ADULTS AGE 60+ FOR THE COMMUNITY FOR PARENTS & FAMILIES

Endless Opportunities
A community-wide program offered in partnership with Temple B’nai Torah & Temple De Hirsch Sinai. EO events are open to the public and are at 10:30 a.m. unless otherwise noted.

AA Meetings at JFS
Tuesdays, 7:00 p.m. Contact (206) 461-3240 or [email protected].
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Unless otherwise noted, contact Marjorie Schnyder, (206) 861-3146 or [email protected].

Port of Seattle: An Overview
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Life Skills for Leaders: An Empowering Talk for Teens + Parents
With Howard Behar and Sarina Behar Natkin Tuesday, March 11 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Co-sponsored with ParentMap
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Thursday, March 13

Washington State Ferry System: The Largest in the US
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Tuesday, March 18 Thursday, March 27

Positive Discipline Series
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There’s an App for That!
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RSVP Ellen Hendin or Wendy Warman, (206) 461-3240 or [email protected].
VOLUNTEER TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Medicare 101
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Sunday, March 2 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. Contact Leonid Orlov, (206) 861-8784 or [email protected].

Wednesdays, March 19 & 26 and April 2 & 9 9:30 a.m. – noon

Parenting Mindfully: The Trait of Compassion
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Kosher Food Bank
Wednesday, March 5 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. Contact Jana Prothman, (206) 861-3174 or [email protected].
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Sunday, March 23 11:10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Contact Jane Deer-Hileman, (206) 861-3155 or volunteer@ jfsseattle.org.

Order and Disorder in the Developing Emotional Brain
With Richard J. Davidson, Ph.D.
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Big Pals / Little Pals Family Mentors for Refugees Friendly Visitors for Seniors
PURIM DAY OF SERVICE

SHA’AREI TIKVAH PURIM CELEBRATION

Wednesday, March 26 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Co-sponsored with ParentMap

Sunday, March 16 Two ways to volunteer. Make and deliver holiday baskets or volunteer at the Sha’arei Tikvah Purim celebration.

A joyful, inclusive and accessible celebration for all ages and abilities, with music, activities and a special Purim spiel.
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Sunday, March 16 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. Contact Marjorie Schnyder, (206) 861-3146 or [email protected] for more information.

12th Annual Community of Caring Luncheon

Thursday, May 8, 2014
Sheraton Seattle Hotel For more information and to register, visit www.jfsseattle.org/luncheon

SAVE THE DATE
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Passover Seder in Russian
Sunday, April 20 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. Contact (206) 726-3619 or [email protected].

Capitol Hill Campus • 1601 16th Avenue, Seattle (206) 461-3240 • www.jfsseattle.org

OF GREATER SEATTLE

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INSIDE

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STORIES YOU MAY HAVE MISSED
Every weekday at 3 p.m., JTNews sends out an email with stories from near and far about what’s happening in our Jewish world. Here are some stories you may have missed over the past two weeks: • Good faith efforts • Here’s lookin’ at you, kid • Monumental efforts • On thin ice Want to be in the know? Sign up for the 3 O’Clock News by visiting our website at www.jtnews.net, scroll down, and give us your name and email address. Find all of these articles on our website.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE
A scare at Hillel
Hillel at the University of Washington was evacuated after a man police believe was a former employee threatened staffers and mixed together harmful chemicals.

On being a good Jew

5

Rabbi Shalom Farkash explains that being a good Jew isn’t just about going to synagogue, it’s about working on constantly being a better person.

A new face on old bones
The old auditorium at the Stroum Jewish Community Center on Mercer Island recently reopened as a full theater that’s far more advanced and welcoming than what preceded it.

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Educating on Israel

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A native Israeli who has made her home in the Seattle area has made a career educating about her home country.

REMEMBEr WHEN

A place to call home?

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When the Spanish government announced it would consider giving full citizenship to Sephardic Jews, the response was met with both open arms and skepticism.

Ten days, twenty-one films

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Put on your seatbelts. The 19th annual Seattle Jewish Film Festival starts March 1, and it’s going to be a wild ride. We’ve got reviews of several here.

Bar and Bat Mitzvah celebrations Spring Books Books in brief Northwest Jewish Family Fitting in and making traditions

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The ’60s saw a loss of innocence in this country, and it also saw great minds emerge. We profile that era, along with new takes on Holocaust history.

From the youngest to teens, we’ve got a big selection of kids’ books that cover the passing down of family heirlooms and navigating between two family traditions.

From the Jewish Transcript, February 19, 1987. Former Soviet dissident Anatoly Sharansky — who now goes by Natan and chairs the Jewish Agency for Israel — was welcomed by crowds outside the Soviet consulate in San Francisco, where he called for the release of all Jews wishing to leave the Soviet Union.
JTNews is the Voice of Jewish Washington. Our mission is to meet the interests of our Jewish community through fair and accurate coverage of local, national and international news, opinion and information. We seek to expose our readers to diverse viewpoints and vibrant debate on many fronts, including the news and events in Israel. We strive to contribute to the continued growth of our local Jewish community as we carry out our mission.
2041 Third Avenue, Seattle, WA 98121 206-441-4553 • [email protected] www.jtnews.net JTNews (ISSN0021-678X) is published biweekly by The Seattle Jewish Transcript, a nonprofit corporation owned by the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, 2041 3rd Ave., Seattle, WA 98121. Subscriptions are $56.50 for one year, $96.50 for two years. Periodicals postage paid at Seattle, WA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to JTNews, 2041 Third Ave., Seattle, WA 98121.

JT
NEWS
Reach us directly at 206-441-4553 + ext. Publisher & Editor *Joel Magalnick 233 Associate Editor Emily K. Alhadeff 240 Online Editor Dikla Tuchman 240 Sales Manager Lynn Feldhammer 264 Account Executive David Stahl Classifieds Manager Rebecca Minsky 238 Art Director Susan Beardsley 239

MORE Community Calendar 4 Crossword 6 M.O.T.: Mmmm… cookies 8 What’s Your JQ?: The Long and Winding Road 10 Abba Knows Best: Go team? 24 The Arts 26 Lifecycles 27 Jewish and Veggie: Mmmm… veggies 28 The Shouk Classifieds 26

Coming up March 7
Spring Arts

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Peter Horvitz, Chair*; Jerry Anches§; Lisa Brashem; Nancy Greer; Cynthia Flash Hemphill*; Ron Leibsohn; Stan Mark; Cantor David Serkin-Poole* Keith Dvorchik, CEO and President, Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle Celie Brown, Federation Board Chair *Member, JTNews Editorial Board §Ex-Officio Member
A Proud Partner Agency of

Welcome, new advertisers!
• Crazy Moe’s Hand in Wax • Meryl Alcabes Photography • Napkin Friends Food Truck

PUBLISHED BY J E W I S H TRANSCRIPT MEDIA

Tell them you saw them in JTNews!

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THE CALENDAR
to Jewish Washington
For a complete listing of events, or to add your event to the JTNews calendar, visit calendar.jtnews.net. Calendar events must be submitted no later than 10 days before publication. registration required. $25. At Rainier Beach Community Center, 8825 Rainier Ave. S, Seattle. 3:30–4:30 p.m. — Vagabond Opera at Kline Galland

Marilyn Israel at [email protected] or 206-725-8800 The David Israel Performing Arts Series at Kline Galland presents “Vagabond Opera,” an exciting fusion of musical genres. Open to all. Free. At Kline Galland Home, 7500 Seward Park Ave., Seattle. 5–8 p.m. — BCMH Annual Dinner

ezellsatbcmhdinner.eventbrite. com/?aff=efbevent Kosher Ezell’s chicken, live music, and raffle. $36. At Bikur Cholim Machzikay Hadath, 5145 S Morgan St., Seattle. and attracts approximately 200-250 guests. $180 per guest. At Hillel at the University of Washington, 4745 17th Ave. NE, Seattle. 7–8:30 p.m. — Good Grief: Jewish Traditions and Practical Preparations

Leonid Orlov at [email protected] or 206-861-8784 or goo.gl/0XC2Ka A four-part series on Jewish traditions and practical preparations for end-of-life. Advance registration required at bethshalomseattle.org/goodgrief. $12 session, $36 for the series. At Congregation Beth Shalom, 6800 35th Ave. NE, Seattle.

@jewishcal
[email protected]. This class repeats on March 6 at 7 p.m. $5 at the door. At Temple B’nai Torah, 15727 NE Fourth St., Bellevue.

FrIdaY

Candlelighting times February 21 ..........................5:23 p.m. February 28...........................5:34 p.m. March 7.................................5:43 p.m. March 14................................6:55 p.m. SatUrdaY

7:30 p.m. — The Power of Hope

[email protected] Lecture by Shevet Achim scholar-in-residence Rabbi Moshe Brisky, acclaimed inspirational speaker and executive director or Chabad of Conejo Valley, Calif. $10 per person, $15 family. At Congregation Shevet Achim, 5017 90th Ave. SE, Mercer Island.

22 FebrUarY

SatUrdaY

TUesdaY

SUNdaY

3–4:30 p.m. — A Conversation About I-594

Shelly Goldman at [email protected] or 425-603-9677 or templebnaitorah.org A lively and respectful debate on gun control. Free. At Temple B’nai Torah, 15727 NE Fourth St., Bellevue. 3–5 p.m. — Pita, Hummus and Falafel Workshop

Masha Shtern at 206-386-1925 or class. seattle.gov/parks Learn how to make pita, dip, and falafel. Walk out of this hands-on class with a tasty dinner. Advance

23 FebrUarY

7–9 p.m. — Book Talk by Joel Migdal

Lauren Spokane at [email protected] University of Washington’s Joel Migdal will talk about his forthcoming book, “Shifting Sands: The United States in the Middle East.” Reception to follow. Free. At UW Tour Auditorium, University of Washington, Seattle.

25 FebrUarY

THUrsdaY

6–10 p.m. — HillelFest 2014

Galit Ezekiel at [email protected] or 206-527-1998 or www.hilleluw.org Hillel UW’s annual major fundraising event raises funds to support Hillel’s general operating needs

27 FebrUarY

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. — Pita and Hummus Workshop

Masha Shtern at 206-684-7423 or class. seattle.gov Learn how to make pita and dip. Walk out of this hands-on class with your own warm bread. Advance registration required. $25. At Delridge Community Center, 4501 Delridge Way S, Seattle. 6:30 p.m. — Seattle Jewish Film Festival 2014

Pamela Lavitt at [email protected] or 206-388-0832 or seattlejewishfilmfestival.org Opening night party with happy hour, “The Zigzag Kid,” and a Tom Douglas dessert reception to follow. Festival runs through March 9. See the website for all film and event information. At the Stroum Jewish Community Center, 3801 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island.

1 MarCH

6–8 p.m. — Shabbat Across America

Rabbi Avrohom David at [email protected] or 206-722-8289 or seattlekollel.org Join hundreds of synagogues and thousands of Jews across the country to celebrate Shabbat. Eat, sing, celebrate, discuss, relax and enjoy. $18 adults, $9 children, $60 family. At the Seattle Kollel, 5305 52nd Ave. S, Seattle.

7 MarCH

SatUrdaY

SUNdaY

AJC Seattle SeattleCommunity, invites the community to join our AJC with our Interreligious,

Diplomatic and Interfaith Seder: Passover Seder: Embracing Freedom Freedom Embracing
MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

Intergroup and International Partners Celebrates

7 p.m. — Reception Honoring Rabbi Ben Hassan

Diana Black at [email protected] Dessert and cocktail reception honoring the appointment of Rabbi Ben Hassan to Sephardic Bikur Holim. At Sephardic Bikur Holim, 6500 52nd Ave. S, Seattle.

2 MarCH

10 a.m.–5 p.m. — Living A Life That Matters

Elizabeth Fagin at [email protected] or 206-527-9399 or betalef.org A day with Zen master Bernie Glassman learning about the practices and principles of service as spiritual action. Learn how to create sustainable service projects in the community. $75, $60 students and seniors. At Bet Alef Meditative Synagogue, 1111 Harvard Ave., Seattle. 8:30–10:30 p.m. — Shomer Shabbos Jewish Singles 40-Plus Meeting

Joe Reback at [email protected] or 206-377-9555 or ashreichemyisrael.org Rebbetzins Miriam Meyers and Sarah Brody talk about how to bring greater visibility to those interested in dating through out-of-town matchmaking services and how to support the social needs of singles through events and workshops. Open to anyone shomer Shabbos or leaning that way. Free. At Ashreichem Yisrael, 5134 S Holly St., Seattle.

8 MarCH

SUNdaY

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6:30 PM Temple B’nai Torah Bellevue, Washington Tickets: $100 RSVP Required by March 26 For more information: Email: [email protected] or 206.622.6315

7–8 p.m. — Purim: Should You Get Drunk?

Jo Kershaw at [email protected] or 206-275-1539 or www.shevetachim.com Purim class led by Congregation Shevet Achim’s Rabbi Yechezkel Kornfeld. At Island Crust Café, 7525 SE 24th St., Mercer Island.

4 MarCH

WedNesdaY

12–1:30 p.m. — Israel Current Events

Shelly Goldman at sgoldman@a. templebnaitorah.org or 425-603-9677 or www.templebnaitorah.org/adult_education Led by Nevet Basker, discuss a topic in the news pertaining to Israel current interest. To receive the topic and reading materials in advance, email

5 MarCH

9 a.m.–3 p.m. — HNT Blood Drive and Bone Marrow Registry

Rebecca Levy at [email protected] or 206-232-8555, ext. 207 or hnt.wufoo.com/ forms/2014-blood-drive-bone-marrow-registry Reserve your blood donation time slot now and sign up to join the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Registry. Register at h-nt.org/save-a-life. At Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation, 3700 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island. 10 a.m.–2 p.m. — Purim Bake Sale

Susan Jensen at offi[email protected] or 206-722-5500 or www.ezrabessaroth.net The Ezra Bessaroth Ladies Auxiliary will sell a variety of Sephardic delicacies, including biscochos, pandericas, boulemas, borekas, yaprakes, travados, and hamentashen. Quantities are limited. Preordering available. At Congregation Ezra Bessaroth, 5217 S Brandon St., Seattle.

9 MarCH

Hillel UW evacuated after attack threat
JOel MaGalNICk Editor, JTNews
Things are back to normal now, but on Mon., Feb. 10 staff evacuated Hillel at the University of Washington after a fired employee threatened to cause an explosion in the building. Helicopters flew overhead as police shut down streets in Seattle’s University District for about two hours. No one was injured. Rabbi Oren Hayon, executive director of Hillel UW, would not identify the suspect, who police believe was a custodian, but he told JTNews that “there was a
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Kosher dietary laws observed

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OPINION

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THE RABBI’S TURN

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
TIME TO ACT

Are you heading in the right direction?
RabbI BerrY FarkasH Chabad of the Central Cascades
It was a spring evening in the mid-’60s; a group of young students from NYU came for a private audience with the late Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson. The group was mostly young boys and girls from secular homes who wanted an opportunity to converse with the Rebbe, and ask about what was on their minds. They were granted a 20-minute meeting with the Rebbe and they came prepared with questions. The Rebbe answered their questions incisively and shared with them the Torah perspective on many issues relevant to their lives. The 20 minutes passed quickly. The Rebbe’s secretary knocked on the door to let them know their time was up. Suddenly, a boy in the group who was “blessed” with a bit of chutzpah turned to the Rebbe and said, “Rebbe, may I ask one final question before we leave? This will be the final question of the evening.” The Rebbe granted him permission and the boy asked: “Rebbe, are we good Jews or are we bad Jews?” The room was still and silent. The Rebbe smiled and replied: “To be Jewish is to climb a ladder. Each and every one of us is climbing that ladder. The ladder has 613 rungs with many more sub-rungs. If you are on rung 613 but you are going toward the 612th rung, you are going in the wrong direction. However, if you are on the first rung and heading up, you are going in the right direction. “Let me ask you, you American students, at this hour of the night, in New York City, choosing to take your time to visit a rabbi to discuss Jewish values and ethics,” the Rebbe concluded, “are you good Jews or bad Jews”? It’s all about direction. We are all truly the same; we all have our own challenges and difficulties in our Jewish experience. Some have a hard time with observing Shabbat, others struggle with providing their children with an authentic Jewish education, and some find it hard to give of their hard-earned money to charity. Everyone battles something. The important thing is not to put yourself in a box. I often speak to people who claim to be “bad Jews.” They feel inadequate if they don’t look a certain way or do a certain thing. So they put themselves in a box with a big label that says “High-Holiday Jew, open for High Holidays only.” Or, “non-synagogue goer, not for use in a shul.” Once in the box, we are less inclined to change and we fall into a quasi-comfort zone, which we are not entirely comfortable in, but too complacent to get out of. It is critical to understand that connecting to God is an infinite pursuit. To claim to have reached the apex of that journey is to go in the wrong direction. Rather than feel guilty about what point we might be in our journey, let’s look up, and continue to climb. We can’t quantify the value of the mitzvot we do. Let’s not look at others and say, “There’s no way I can be like him.” Rather, let’s ask ourselves, “How have I improved today?” To illustrate this idea, Chassidim would recount a story of the czar’s army, which was renowned for its high level of discipline. One night a group of soldiers escaped from the army base to the nearest town to get a drink at the local bar. One drink led to another and suddenly they realized it was almost dawn. They got up and started to run back to the base. So inebriated were the soldiers that they col-

It’s time for the state legislature to show some nerve and to pass Initiative 594 requiring background checks on gun sales (“Injured Congresswoman, Jewish leaders speak on behalf of gun control initiative,” Feb. 7). Numerous people, like Gabby Giffords and Cheryl Stumbo, testified from personal knowledge what it’s like to be shot. They gave good evidence that I-594 would reduce gun violence in Washington State and yet the legislature won’t act. They listen to counter arguments such as that by Phil Shave, who says the law will make “criminals” out of gun owners if they were on a gun range and let a friend use their gun. This is, in fact, totally false. I quote below from a portion of the law. “Reasonable Exceptions — background checks are not required for: … Loans for lawful hunting or sporting activities.” A partially correct but misleading point was made by a reader in your letters to the editor on February 7. The letter said that Hitler and Stalin restricted and then took away people’s guns. While in fact Hitler forbade Jews and Gypsies from owning guns, he did not forbid “his” people from owning guns. Stalin never created a restriction on guns, as there never had been a “right to bear arms” in Russia before him. The people who tended to own guns were the upper class and Stalin solved that problem by killing them all. I-594 will not solve our gun problems, but it will at least help. If the legislature won’t pass it, then we the people must do so in November (and vote against counter Initiative 591). Ted Coskey Seattle WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR: We would love to hear from you! You may submit your letters to [email protected]. Please limit your letters to approximately 350 words. The deadline for the next issue is Feb. 25. Future deadlines may be found online. The opinions of our columnists and advertisers do not necessarily reflect the views of JTNews or the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle.

lapsed and fell asleep at the side of the road. A short while later, an army officer rode by, noticed the scene, and wrote down the names of the sleeping soldiers, then continued toward the base. Several hours later, the soldiers sobered up and hurried to the army base, fearing what awaited them for missing the morning line-up. Upon arrival they were sent to the officer’s tent, prepared for the worst. To their amazement, the officer greeted them all with a big smile and said: “I truly understand you, living on this base for so long without a drink must be really difficult; you are forgiven for what you did, just don’t do it again.” Suddenly he turned to one of the soldiers, his face filled with rage and anger, and said: “You, however, will receive a severe punishment.” This poor soldier, feeling like a scapegoat, demanded an explanation for this unfair verdict. The officer explained: “The tody upon his release. Police said he had not been charged by the time JTNews went to press. Hillel staff returned to the building later that afternoon. “Every imaginable government agency has inspected and secured the building inside and out, so I think we feel really good about our space,” Hayon said. Keith Dvorchik, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle and a former Hillel director, told JTNews that “the Jewish Federation is shocked by [the Feb. 10] incident at Hillel, but we are greatly relieved that our friends at Hillel evacuated the

reason for your severe punishment is because when I found you on the side of the road sleeping, I observed that all the soldiers, even in their stupor, fell facing the army base, their final destination. You, on the other hand, were the only one who fell facing the direction of the bar. And for this you deserve to be punished.” This story is a good analogy: In life we will sometimes fall asleep, our daily struggles and challenges have a way of immobilizing, preventing us from reaching our fullest. But we can at least make a conscientious decision to fall asleep facing the right direction so when we muster the strength to get up, we may continue heading toward that destination. Let us hold hands as we climb the ladder of Judaism together, helping and lifting one another as we stumble on our way up. Let’s strap on our climbing shoes — things are looking up.

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credible enough threat that…a number of our staff knew to respond quickly.” “We got emergency first responders on the scene immediately,” he added. According to Det. Renee Witt of the Seattle Police Department, an employee followed the custodian into the basement after he received the news at approximately 1:45 p.m., saw the custodian begin to mix ammonia and bleach together, then evacuated the building. Witt said she does not believe the threats had any anti-Semitic connota-

tions, and the suspect has an apparent history of threatening suicide. “I’m not concerned about anti-Israel or anti-Semitic overtones of the threat,” Hayon said. According to the SPD blotter, the SWAT team found the suspect in Hillel’s basement and put him under arrest at 3 p.m. Monday afternoon. News video from the air showed emergency crews hosing down the suspect before taking him to Harborview Trauma Center for treatment of chemical inhalation and observation for mental health issues. He was to be transported into cus-

building safely and there were no injuries. We are grateful for the swift and effective response by police and other emergency responders handling the situation.” Hayon said that while he’s relieved that the students and staff who were in the building are safe, he also doesn’t believe the successful evacuation was a stroke of luck. “We have thoughtful, conscientious, alert staff that want to work really hard for the growth and well-being of young adults in Seattle and, frankly, we’re all trained in emergencies,” he said. “No one’s going to be worried to come in and do our good work in the morning.”

“The world has moved a long way since 1492. A political gesture by modern Spain has little to do with the Sephardic Jewish realities of today.” — Rabbi Marc Angel, rabbi emeritus of the U.S.’s oldest Sephardic synagogue, on Spain’s offer to repatriate the world’s Sephardic Jews. See the story on page 8.

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Embrace Your Mistakes
by Gaby Weidling

The J’s first phase of renovation opens with a song and a dance
It took six months, $5 million, and a lot of work both in fundraising and construction to reach the moment on Feb. 8 that filled the new theater at the Stroum Jewish Community Center on Mercer Island. What was once a dark, uncomfortable room has been opened into a lightfilled space with new flooring, windows and skylights that can be blacked out for screenings and performance, and a stateof-the-art sound and projection system that will show a selection of the films at this year’s Seattle Jewish Film Festival. SJCC leaders hope to use the completion of the theater renovation as a way to turn the center into an arts hub on the Eastside. Community members filled the room to capacity — which now numbers 350, about 120 more than its previous

ALL phOTOS JOEL MAGALnICk

Stroum JCC CEO Judy Neuman hands board president and capital campaign leader Aaron Alhadeff a gift at a grand-opening ceremony prior to the performance on Feb. 8.

“People often avoid making decisions out of fear of making a mistake,” writes Rabbi Noah Weinberg in 48 Ways to Wisdom. “Actually, the failure to make decisions is one of life’s biggest mistakes.” Many great discoveries occurred by accident, with the discoverer willing to make errors. For example, Rogaine was found in the search for a blood-pressure drug. Can you learn what else was invented by mistake?
ACROSS 1 Member of the Beastie Boys with Mike D and 4 8 12 14 15 16 18 19 20 22 23 25 26 27 30 32 35 36 39 41 43 44 46 48 49 50 52 54 56 60 61 64 65 67 69 70 71 72 73 74 DOWN 1 It precedes watt or liter 2 Punctuation marks used in analogies 3 Whichever 4 What a phaser may be set to 5 New York’s ___ Field 6 Marvel character that will be played by Paul 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 17 21 24 28 29 31 32 33 34 36 37 38 40 42 45 47 50 51 52 53 55 57 58 59 62 63 66 68

configuration — at an opening ceremony on Feb. 8 to watch performances by cellist Julian Schwarz and Tony-nominated actor Chad Kimball, both of whom now live in New York but returned to their hometown for the event, as well as dance performances and an excerpt of a staged reading of the upcoming Book-It Theatre production of “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay.”
— Joel Magalnick

Ad-Rock Swindle Questions Aircraft, to one at Orly Amy’s Golden Globes cohost Norse letter Result of trying to invent a synthetic rubber substitute 2001 Kevin Spacey bomb ___ Alto Drummer for Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem Night before Result of trying to invent a battleship engine part Year, to Jaunita Colored like a fire truck Grave and dignified Type of horn or bank ___-la-la Tiny bit Like hair after a salon visit Sax-playing Simpson Legal status after turning 18 “That kind of ___ just ain’t for us, we crave a different kind of buzz” (Lorde’s “Royals”) Plagiarized Ingredient in many parmigiana dishes Years and years Chicken ___ king People wonder if it’ll play there Fox posits there is one on Christmas One may buy lots of cucumbers Result of trying to invent a form of refrigerant Assassin’s contract Least wild Roberts’s co-star in Pretty Woman Apple computer Result of trying to invent a stain-resistant tablecloth It may be a baby’s first word Muppet who likes to be tickled Steam Goulash, e.g. Sing like Rod Stewart It blows up in Wile E. Coyote’s face

Rudd in 2015 Like the Pyramid of the Sun Noah’s boat Result of trying to invent a gun sight Jack Part of a H.S. health class Venomous snakes Perfume container Spacecraft’s cargo Apartment type sought after by artists Decorative fish SEA announcement Result of trying to invent a malaria cure Popeye’s Olive ___ Say Yes to the Dress network Vegas hotel that hosts the World Series of Poker Result of trying to invent anti-ulcer medication ___ finish Skeleton’s prefix Where a fox may sleep Suffer DiCaprio, to friends New York’s coast Big fib Anderson who is Mrs. Rick Salomon again as of 1/11/2014 It’s crocheted by one’s grandmother Flights of fancy Target with a pistol Piston’s opponent, frequently Sprang Yes ___ question ___-do-well Trees affected by a disease identified by Dutch phytopathologists Food for a pig Crow’s call Lowest-ranked G.I.
Answers on page 27

Above, KIRO radio reporter Rachel Belle emceed the evening’s performances and interviewed the performers, including cellist Julian Schwarz, who told how he returns to Temple De Hirsch Sinai each year at Yom Kippur to play Kol Nidre. At right, Chad Kimball, who got his start on the stage at Seattle’s Roosevelt High School, sings a number from the Broadway production of “Memphis,” for which he was nominated for a Tony Award.

PATRICk KROhn

© 2014 Eltana Wood-Fired Bagel Cafe, 1538 12th Avenue, Seattle. All rights reserved. Puzzle created by Lone Shark Games, Inc. Edited by Mike Selinker and Gaby Weidling.

The men’s varsity basketball team of Northwest Yeshiva High School’s 613s clinched first place in its league when the young men defeated Shorewood Christian on Feb. 13 at the Sea-Tac League Tournament in Tacoma. They lost their first playoff game on Tuesday, but a game on Thursday, after JTNews went to press, decided whether they advance in the playoffs or call it a season. Regardless, it’s the furthest the 613 men have gone in team history.

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A safe space for difficult discussions
JaNIs SIeGel JTNews Correspondent
Considering some of the most recent and nasty publicity surrounding the boycott, divestment and sanctions effort against Israel, facts are scarce and namecalling abounds. That’s why Israel educator Nevet Basker, founder of a site called Broader View (www.broaderview.org), is big on facts and sources when she leads Temple B’nai Torah’s monthly Israel current events group in Bellevue. As the founding chair of Israel advocacy group StandWithUs Northwest, Basker is now a public speaker on modern Israel, its politics, government, people, and the Israel-Palestinian conflict through her organization Broader View — Beyond the Headlines: Context and Perspectives on Israel and the Middle East. Taking on heated political topics, like this February’s look at why the BDS movement is really a “delegitimization” campaign against Israel, requires wellvetted and well-rounded materials from respected experts. “My explicit goal is as much community-building as it is education or information,” Basker told JTNews. “The first thing I do is draw a distinction between criticism and delegitimization.” When actress Scarlett Johansson defended SodaStream and retained her role as the celebrity face of the Israeli company in its high-profile Super Bowl XLVIII ad this year, international BDS activists, who object to the location of SodaStream’s factory in a West Bank Israeli settlement, roundly condemned her. Johansson said SodaStream fosters peace with its Israeli and Arab blended workforce, but was slammed again by fellow actress Emma Thompson, who supports BDS. This drew fire from Jewish metal rocker David Draiman, who defended Johansson and accused Thompson of sympathizing with “BDS Nazis.” Basker said BDS is a big part of the delegitimization movement, but many groups contribute to the agenda. “The model that I use comes from Natan Sharansky, the 3D model,” Basker said, referring to the former Soviet prisoner’s definition of anti-Semitism: Demonization, double standards, and delegitimization. “But I also quote the European Union’s working definition of anti-Semitism, which has the same language.” Nationally, the American Studies Association academic boycott campaign against Israel has gained some traction in the U.S. In Washington State, contentious Israel v. Palestinian ads on the sides of buses and on billboards, and a boycott of Israeli products at the Olympia Food Coop in 2010 received heavy reaction throughout the state. Basker teaches that the BDS movement is “simply about undermining the right of the Jewish people to political self-determination, and the right of the Jewish State to exist.” voice their opinions — She also said that delerespectfully.” gitimization extends to Neither Basker nor other hot-button conflicts Goldman could recall a as well. time when tempers or “We can have a disemotions disrupted the cussion about the settlegroup, and they have ments — good, bad, and never had problems indifferent,” said Basker, with speech they have “but when you call it found to be outside the ethnic cleansing, then boundaries of public we’ve gone too far. You RObERT WILkES can talk about what is an Nevet Basker, founder of Broader decorum. “There are multiple appropriate use of [mili- View. opinions in the room tary] force, but when you and she wants to provide a forum for talk about war crimes, we’re now in delefacts and respectful discussion,” said TBT gitimization language.” member Laurie Litwack. “Nevet sets the For four years, Basker’s B’nai Torah sestone for the discussion, requires that we sions have attracted groups of 20 to 30 Jews, distinguish between facts and opinions, many of whom are TBT members, whom and provides sources for pre-reading on she encourages to join in the discussion. her website.” “There is so much information out there Last month, Basker explored the issue and she condenses it,” said Shelly Goldof Israeli settlements with her measured man, TBT’s director of adult education. and methodical survey-style presentation “She provides a safe place for people to — laying out the issues from all sides. better understand Israel where people can “Here is what the settlements are,” explained Basker, “here’s why they’re problematic or controversial, here are the best arguments in favor of the settlements, and here are the best arguments opposed to the settlements. You can find yourself anywhere on the spectrum — all of which is acceptable.” That’s why language matters, said Basker. Whether the phrases “occupied territories” or “disputed territories” are used, it reflects the ideology of the speaker or writer. “It’s only for the West Bank,” said Basker, qualifying the right use of the occupied territory label. “Sinai’s been returned, and Gaza Strip’s been returned. Others, like Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights, I would call those disputed territories because Israel has annexed them. Others don’t accept that. “What the right wing in Israel would call Judaea and Samaria, the anti-Israel or even the left wing calls Occupied Palestine,” she
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This time around, will Spain be good for the Jews?
EmIlY K. AlHadeff Associate Editor, JTNews
The Feb. 7 announcement by Spanish minister of justice Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon of the introduction of a bill to offer Sephardic Jews Spanish citizenship has caused quite a stir. On one hand, the Federation of Jewish Communities in Spain has been bombarded with phone calls and email inquiries. On the other hand is a healthy dose of skepticism. Some say this is an opportunistic plot to introduce Jews, stereotypically known for financial prowess, back into the tanked economy. Others make note of Spain’s support for a Palestinian state and see this as conciliation for Israel. The Spanish government maintains this is a goodwill gesture, an apology for the Inquisition 522 years in the making. “That’s an acknowledgment that’s very important,” said Simon Benzaquen, rabbi emeritus of Sephardic Bikur Holim Congregation in Seattle. “Many times people go all the way to get that kind of apology and they never get it. They never got it from Russia.” This is not the first time Spain has extended citizenship to the descendants of Jews persecuted and expelled in 1492 by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. The September 11, 1925 edition of the Jewish Transcript contains a copy of a Spanish royal decree allowing some Sephardic Jews, rendered stateless by the abolition of capitularies at the breakup of the Ottoman Empire, citizenship under the condition that they do not return to Spain. Despite the fear of a mass Jewish immigration, 1920s Spain saw an increase of “philosephardism” and a desire to “reclaim” Sephardic Jews for their perceived virtues. A bill introduced in 2012 invited Sephardic Jews to become citizens after two years of residency and upon giving up citizenship in other countries. The justice ministry is processing approximately 3,000 applications. The bill on the table would ease the citizenship process by allowing dual citizenship without a residency requirement. Complicated bureaucratic procedures — and deciding how to define who is Sephardic — notwithstanding, the invitation extends to the world’s estimated 3.5 million Sephardic Jews. Portugal approved a similar bill last year, which is said to go into effect soon. What does this mean for Seattle, which has one of the largest Sephardic populations in the United States? Will anyone be taking the Spanish up on their offer? “Why not?” said Benzaquen. “That means you are European. You can go anywhere in Europe…. You should have a passport and do whatever you want with it.” That is not to say that Benzaquen, who lived in Melilla, Spanish Morocco, until he was 14 thinks this is a clean slate. “It’s very complex to define, but the truth is there is anti-Semitism,” he said. “It doesn’t go away with the extension of the passport. They are only making gestures. Good gestures. They are somehow extending their hand of friendship.” Jews are also, for the first time in two millennia, political players. “Israel is giving the Jew all over the world something they never had, whether you like it or not,” Benzaquen said. “It’s not afraid of the world.” Rabbi Marc Angel, a Sephardic Seattle native and rabbi emeritus of the country’s oldest synagogue, Congregation Shearith Israel in New York, is not interested in the Spanish offer. “I’m quite happy with my American passport,” he told JTNews. “If I ever need another one, it will be Israeli. The world has moved a long way since 1492. A political gesture by modern Spain has little to do with the Sephardic Jewish realities of today.” Luis Fernando Esteban Bernáldez, honorary vice consul of Spain in Seattle, explained that the amended law falls under Spain’s Historical Memory Law, which has granted passports to tens of thousands of victims of the Spanish Civil War and the Franco Regime, and their descendants, all over Latin America. He insisted that inclusion of Sephardic Jews is not economically motivated, and if anything it should strengthen the friendship with Israel. “To have a passport is the more important thing,” he said. “The older you get, the more attached you are to your roots. And the passport represents the identity of your roots.” While the bill has generated much excitement, it still has to get approved by the Spanish government. Bernáldez said he has no idea what kinds of arguments
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WHERE TO WORSHIP
GREATER SEATTLE Bet Alef (Meditative) 206/527-9399 1111 Harvard Ave., Seattle Chabad House 206/527-1411 4541 19th Ave. NE Congregation Kol Ami (Reform) 425/844-1604 16530 Avondale Rd. NE, Woodinville Cong. Beis Menachem (Traditional Hassidic) 1837 156th Ave. NE, Bellevue 425/957-7860 Congregation Beth Shalom (Conservative) 6800 35th Ave. NE 206/524-0075 Cong. Bikur Cholim Machzikay Hadath (Orthodox) 5145 S Morgan St. 206/721-0970 Capitol Hill Minyan-BCMH (Orthodox) 1501 17th Ave. E 206/721-0970 Congregation Eitz Or (Jewish Renewal) Call for locations 206/467-2617 Cong. Ezra Bessaroth (Sephardic Orthodox) 5217 S Brandon St. 206/722-5500 Congregation Shaarei Tefilah-Lubavitch (Orthodox/Chabad) 6250 43rd Ave. NE 206/527-1411 Congregation Shevet Achim (Orthodox) 5017 90th Ave. SE (at NW Yeshiva HS) Mercer Island 206/275-1539 Congregation Tikvah Chadashah (LGBTQ) 206/355-1414 Emanuel Congregation (Modern Orthodox) 3412 NE 65th St. 206/525-1055 Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation (Conservative) 206/232-8555 3700 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island Hillel (Multi-denominational) 4745 17th Ave. NE 206/527-1997 Kadima (Reconstructionist) 206/547-3914 12353 8th Ave. NE, Seattle Kavana Cooperative [email protected] Ashreichem Yisrael (Traditional) 206-397-2671 5134 S Holly St., Seattle www.ashreichemyisrael.com K’hal Ateres Zekainim (Orthodox) 206/722-1464 at Kline Galland Home, 7500 Seward Park Ave. S Kol HaNeshamah (Progressive Reform) 206/935-1590 Alki UCC, 6115 SW Hinds St., West Seattle Mercaz Seattle (Modern Orthodox) 5720 37th Ave. NE [email protected] www.mercazseattle.org Minyan Ohr Chadash (Modern Orthodox) Brighton Building, 6701 51st Ave. S www.minyanohrchadash.org Mitriyah (Progressive, Unaffiliated) www.mitriyah.com 206/651-5891 Secular Jewish Circle of Puget Sound (Humanist) www.secularjewishcircle.org 206/528-1944 Sephardic Bikur Holim Congregation (Orthodox) 6500 52nd Ave. S 206/723-3028 The Summit at First Hill (Orthodox) 1200 University St. 206/652-4444 Temple Beth Am (Reform) 206/525-0915 2632 NE 80th St. Temple B’nai Torah (Reform) 425/603-9677 15727 NE 4th St., Bellevue Temple De Hirsch Sinai (Reform) Seattle, 1441 16th Ave. 206/323-8486 Bellevue, 3850 156th Ave. SE Torah Learning Center (Orthodox) 5121 SW Olga St., West Seattle 206/722-8289 SOUTH KING COUNTY Bet Chaverim (Reform) 206/577-0403 25701 14th Place S, Des Moines WASHINGTON STATE ABERDEEN Temple Beth Israel 360/533-5755 1819 Sumner at Martin BAINBRIDGE ISLAND Congregation Kol Shalom (Reform) 9010 Miller Rd. NE 206/855-0885 Chavurat Shir Hayam 206/842-8453 BELLINGHAM Chabad Jewish Center of Whatcom County 102 Highland Dr. 360/393-3845 Congregation Beth Israel (Reform) 2200 Broadway 360/733-8890 BREMERTON Congregation Beth Hatikvah 360/373-9884 11th and Veneta EVERETT / LYNNWOOD Chabad Jewish Center of Snohomish County 19626 76th Ave. W, Lynnwood 425/640-2811 Temple Beth Or (Reform) 425/259-7125 3215 Lombard St., Everett FORT LEWIS Jewish Chapel 253/967-6590 Liggett Avenue and 12th ISSAQUAH Chabad of the Central Cascades 24121 SE Black Nugget Rd. 425/427-1654 OLYMPIA Chabad Jewish Discovery Center 1611 Legion Way SE 360/584-4306 Congregation B’nai Torah (Conservative) 3437 Libby Rd. 360/943-7354 Temple Beth Hatfiloh (Reconstructionist) 201 8th Ave. SE 360/754-8519 PORT ANGELES AND SEQUIM Congregation B’nai Shalom 360/452-2471 PORT TOWNSEND Congregation Bet Shira 360/379-3042 PULLMAN, WA AND MOSCOW, ID Jewish Community of the Palouse 509/334-7868 or 208/882-1280 SPOKANE Chabad of Spokane County 4116 E 37th Ave. 509/443-0770 Congregation Emanu-El (Reform) P O Box 30234 509/835-5050 www.spokaneemanu-el.org Temple Beth Shalom (Conservative) 1322 E 30th Ave. 509/747-3304 TACOMA Chabad-Lubavitch of Pierce County 2146 N Mildred St.. 253/565-8770 Temple Beth El (Reform) 253/564-7101 5975 S 12th St. TRI CITIES Congregation Beth Sholom (Conservative) 312 Thayer Dr., Richland 509/375-4 740 VANCOUVER Chabad-Lubavitch of Clark County 9604 NE 126th Ave., Suite 2320 360/993-5222 [email protected] www.chabadclarkcounty.com Congregation Kol Ami 360/574-5169 www.jewishvancouverusa.org VASHON ISLAND Havurat Ee Shalom 206/567-1608 15401 Westside Highway P O Box 89, Vashon Island, WA 98070 WALLA WALLA Congregation Beth Israel 509/522-2511 WENATCHEE Greater Wenatchee Jewish Community 509/662-3333 or 206/782-1044 WHIDBEY ISLAND Jewish Community of Whidbey Island 360/331-2190 YAKIMA Temple Shalom (Reform) 509/453-8988 1517 Browne Ave. [email protected]

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A little added sweetness to Capitol Hill, and kosher Spam(alot)

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Robin’s counter offer was Robin Wehl Martin that she’d do it if it included couldn’t talk to me on an ice cream counter. So a Friday morning last yummy marriage was born. week. “Fridays are my crazy “It’s great, it’s really great,” days because I make challah Robin says of her business. that day (18!!! of them),” she She lives in the neighborwrote me in an email. She does hood, so work is like visiting this at Hello Robin, her bakery friends, and seeing “happy on the east side of Seattle’s people all day long.” The Capitol Hill, and those loaves small cookies are priced “so fly out of the store. you can [try] more than one “We’re a cookie bakery, flavor,” ranging from the trabut I have to make challah,” Member of ditional to the more exotic, she says. including the popular and The Mercer Island native the Tribe spicy habañero-orange. grew up baking cookies Robin’s three young children, 4, 6 with her grandmother and has won and 8, “really like the idea of their mom a number of local baking competiowning a cookie shop,” she says, and they tions. (Read more at the store’s web site, think they are involved in running the www.hellorobincookies.com.) place, trying to go behind the counter and “Hello Robin is supposed to feel like generally causing “a ruckus.” you’re in my kitchen,” where customers sit Growing up on Mercer Island, Robin at the counter and watch the bakers work, attended Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative she says. “It’s a lot nicer than my kitchen Congregation and Camp Solomon Schechat home.” ter. Her kids are at, or have attended, Seattle The store features Molly Moon’s Hebrew Academy and her family belongs Homemade Ice Cream by the pint, with to Temple De Hirsch Sinai. When she’s the ice cream store serving by the scoop not baking, she likes to cook healthy foods, from May to August. In fact, Molly Moon including “lots of vegetables.” Neitzel herself, and her husband Zack, Hello Robin has started holding suggested Robin open the bakery.

DIaNa BremeNt JTNews Columnist

2

M.O.T.

JOEL MAGALnICk

Robin Wehl Martin rolls out a batch of footballshaped cookies just prior to the Seahawks’ trip to the Super Bowl.

Monday night cooking classes, some taught by neighbor and cookbook author Leora Bloom (profiled in MOT on Aug. 16, 2013). The first three sold out quickly. Check their Facebook page for information about future classes.

The all-local cast of Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theater production of “Monty Python’s Spamalot” sings a number in the second act informing King Arthur that he can’t produce a Broadway show without a Jew. It got me wondering, aside from the theater’s esteemed producing partners, Maureen and Kenny Alhadeff, could there be a Jew in the cast? The folks at the 5th rustled up Sarah Rose Davis, a member of the ensemble (which provided fabulous singing and dancing). Sarah grew up in Bellevue and started singing “when I was pretty young,” she says, in two different girl choirs. Each year, those choirs would put on their own mini-musicals, which sparked her dramatic interest. Sarah had most of her youth training at the Village Theater Kids Stage drama school in Issaquah, and after graduating from Newport High School she studied musical theater at the Boston Conservatory. “Spamalot is my 12th show at the 5th Avenue,” she says. Later this year she returns to her roots — dramatic and cultural — playing Fanny Brice in the Village Theater’s production of “Funny Girl,” which will “definitely…be the biggest role I’ve ever played.”
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for PURIM!




March 12-14




Registration opens January 15, 2014 at www.plu.edu/holocaustconference For more information contact [email protected] 253-535-7595 Regular updates on Facebook: Kurt-Mayer-Chair-In-Holocaust-Studies

Join us for Purim with a costume parade, great food & lots of zany fun!
visit our website at tdhs-nw.org.

1 0 what’ s your jq?

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Still talkin’ ’bout a revolution
RIVY POUpkO KleteNIk JTNews Columnist
Dear Rivy, I thought the Beatles Grammy Salute marking the 50-year anniversary of the British invasion was over the top. That so many friends watched and thought it was the be all and end all was beyond my understanding. When I was young, I remember a rabbi and teacher telling us the Beatles broke down What’s all barriers of decency in the JQ? world. At the time, of course, I disagreed. Now I wonder why we allow pop culture to so invade our psyches, not to mention our children’s. I think their music is somewhat subversive. What do you think about the Beatles and their music? The Beatles and I go way back. In fact, John Lennon made a guest appearance at my and my twin’s 6th birthday party. (Yes, I have a twin — more about that some other time.) There we were, in our basement on Beechwood Boulevard in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood, cake and ice cream at the ready — and out comes John Lennon! Okay, so it was my older sister dressed in black and white, holding the balalaika my father had brought back from a recent trip to Russia, lip synching while our record player played “I Want to Hold Your Hand” in the background. To us, impressionable, trusting and starry-eyed Hillel Academy kindergarteners, it was John Lennon. And let me tell you something — that was the best birthday party ever. It was June 1964, just months after the start of Your the British Invasion on the Ed Sullivan Show on February 9 of that year — it was dreamy. Back then, as now, there’s something magnetic about the Beatles and so much that is still so universal about their music. Some songs offer an intense truth. Some have playful humor and lightheartedness. I admit it, barely a lyric or melody of theirs is unfamiliar to me. Their music became allAmerican, the soundtrack of our lives as it permeated our very existence. That said, only a fool on the hill would say their songs are 100 percent kosher. There’s the hand holding, twisting and shouting that would have rabbis frowning, not to mention of drug culture innuendos that swirled around them that make a few religious fans squirm. However, on this 50th anniversary of the British Invasion, let’s consider some of the loftier Beatles’ tracks through a Jewish lens. Shall we kick it off with a song released in 1964, titled “Can’t Buy Me Love?” Say you don’t need no diamond ring and I’ll be satisfied. Tell me that you want the kind of thing that money just can’t buy. I don’t care too much for money, money can’t buy me love. This sounds awfully similar to the jolting words from the Song of Songs, our own canon’s nod to romance. King Solomon interrupts his flowing, sensual, intimate love poem with a strikingly sobering cautionary message in Chapter 8: Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it; if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, he would utterly be condemned. Message clear: You cannot buy love and anyone who thinks he can is a fool. An enduring lesson — the earlier learned the better. This notion might even extend past the romantic; all the wealth in the world cannot purchase friendship, self-esteem, or the delight of self-actualization and fulfillment. The most precious things in life are not for sale — a solid stance we can all get behind. Up next? A 1967 song written by Lennon and McCartney for Ringo Starr. An endearing song whose cover by Joe Cocker brings many of us back to that nostalgic 1980s television show “The Wonder Years,” where it introduced the program each week: “With a Little Help from My Friends.” What would you think if I sang out of tune? Would you stand up and walk out on me? Lend me your ears and I’ll sing you a song And I’ll try not to sing out of key. Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends. Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends. Mm, going to try with a little help from my friends. A rock song given over to extolling the values of friendship. What could be bad about that? It croons out core ideas intrinsic to lasting companionship and rapport, values similarly emphasized in our tradition’s Pirke Avot. At the query of his teacher Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai, “What is the best trait for a person to pursue in life?” Rabbi Joshua responds, “A good friend.” ’Nuf said. We all get by with a little help from our friends. This 1968 song was written by George Harrison as a test, or perhaps an exercise, in determining the veracity of the Eastern idea of things “being meant to be” versus what he perceived as an American conviction of coincidence. He opened a book and the first phrase he read was to become the song. What his eyes landed on was the phrase “gently weeps.” I look at the world and I notice it’s turning While my guitar gently weeps. Every mistake, we must surely be learning Still my guitar gently weeps. These mystical words and the musical arrangement of the song strike a chord of melancholy and a gentle inevitable pattern
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16th Season • Mina Miller, Artistic Director

A Children’s Opera
What can two children do about the bully Brundibár? Plenty!
March 22, 2014 | 4:00 pm March 23, 2014 | 7:00 pm Seattle Children’s Theatre

Brundibár:

Brundibár
Gala Dinner
A Tribute to Ela Stein Weissberger
Join us for this unforgettable evening of tribute for Holocaust survivor Ela Stein Weissberger, who sang the role of the Cat in all 55 Brundibár performances in Terezín. Ela has made a life’s work of preserving Brundibár and its legacy, and her eloquent testimony has brought history to life for countless people of all ages. Her book “The Cat with the Yellow Star: Coming of Age in Terezín” has inspired readers around the world. This MOR fundraising event honors Ela, and supports our mission of preserving a priceless legacy through music. To reserve your place call: 206.365.7770.

LUNCH & LEARN WITH THE RABBIS
Monthly Lunch and Learns with Temple’s Rabbis. Join one of our Rabbis for a monthly Rabbis will present on a variety of will be distributed to the

www.musicofremembrance.org Joseph Crnko, conductor Erich Parce, director
With an all-child cast showcasing the acclaimed Northwest Boychoir and Vocalpoint!

Concert Tickets: $40 206.365.7770



Saturday, March 22, 2014 The Ruins | 6:00 p.m. $250 per person
©Ilya Photography

October 3 - June 24


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film festi v al pre v iew

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LOTS GOOD. NONE BAD. PlENTY OF FuNNY.
The Seattle Jewish Film Festival launches March 1 with big names and big films. In a festival that mixes the laugh-out-loud hilarious (“When Comedy Went to School,” “Hotel Lux”) with the deadly serious (“Brave Miss World,” “Before the Revolution”) and plenty of musical interludes thrown in (“Road to Eden,” “Solitary Man,” “Amy Winehouse”), you’ve got the recipe for a great lineup. You’ve also got a recipe for hummus that goes well with pita and peaceful intentions. We’ve got reviews here and more online at www.jtnews.net.

Poland still grappling with ‘Aftermath’ of Holocaust
MICHael FOX Special to JTNews
Wladyslaw Pasikowski’s extraordinary “Aftermath” is a rare, delicious example of a filmmaker fearlessly exposing a grievous chapter in his or her country’s history. You can well imagine that everyone prefers that the secret, and the amoral failings of a prior generation, remain buried, but one strong soul has chosen to invite the skeletons out of the closet. The Polish director’s masterstroke is to wrap his harrowing exposé of World War II crimes and contemporary coverups inside the onionskin layers of a seductive thriller. A slowly unfolding mystery that grows steadily darker, “Aftermath” is crackerjack entertainment capped with an unforgettable gut-punch. German filmmakers have examined the Third Reich and the Holocaust since the early ’50s, confronting every aspect of the Nazis’ undeniable guilt. Polish directors, however, have largely steered clear of the period, with the notable (and controversial) exceptions of Andrzej Wajda’s wrenching “Korczak” (1990) and Agnieszka Holland’s powerful “In Darkness” (2011). Their dilemma is that the Poles, to this day, largely deny the accusation that they participated with the COURTESY SJFF Nazis in the murder Ireneusz Czop plays Jozef, who came home to Poland to an unpleasant of Jews. (Or that they surprise in “Aftermath.” opportunistically used the invasion and the war as a cover innocence — literally, in a middle-of-thefor eliminating Jews.) “Aftermath” shines night climax — and the revelation could a bright light on the dark canard of Polish not be more shocking.

IF YOU GO
“Aftermath” screens as a part of the Seattle Jewish Film Festival on Wed., March 5 at 6:10 p.m. at the SIFF Cinema Uptown, 511 Queen Anne Ave. N, Seattle. Visit www.seattlejewishfilmfestival.org for tickets and information.

“It is a difficult and complex subject,” Pasikowski explained in an interview with Variety last year, “and one that runs against the Polish image of the country as being both a heroic fighter against Nazism and a victim, which is also true.” “Aftermath” begins with the return of the prodigal son to the village of his
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The incredible, incredibly important story of Linor Abargil
ErIN PIke Special to JTNews
“Brave Miss World” is an absolute must-see documentary about Linor Abargil, the winner of the 1998 Miss Israel and Miss World pageants, and her journey as she becomes a fearless activist for victims of rape. Abargil was raped six weeks prior to the 1998 Miss World pageant, an event that she publicly recounted, and painstakingly pursued legal justice for. The film follows her story as she continues to deal with the daily and long-term effects of rape, and as she begins to reach out to other victims so she can inspire and support them. Abargil introduces viewers to rape survivors of a diverse range of ages, nationalities, abilities, and gender. Yes, it is emotionally draining and horrifying to observe so many stories of injustice and violence, but the film ultimately provides hope in its revelation that simply speaking openly about rape is often the first step toward true healing. The documentary is brilliantly structured — we see Abargil gain momentum in her cause, we are exposed to the concerns and objections from her family, we see her become overwhelmed by the weight of others’ stories, and finally, we see her find ultimate healing in her career as a legal advocate and in religion and faith. Director Cecilia Peck does an outstanding job of shaping the fullest possible picture of how sexual violence inevitably alters a person’s life forever, and demonstrates how Abargil’s bravery is genuinely heroic. Though centered on Abargil’s life, the film is truly about the bigger subject of sexual violence. “Brave Miss World” smashes the taboo of rape as a subject of conversation and offers a rare insight into the international epidemic and its lifelong effects on victims. The specific medium of film documentary is also to be commended as an excellent choice for this story. Too often, rape is simply a detail in a minute-long news excerpt, or an “unfortunate incident” in the plots of television shows or movies.

IF YOU GO
“Brave Miss World” screens as a part of the Seattle Jewish Film Festival on Thurs., March 6 at 6 p.m. at the SIFF Cinema Uptown, 511 Queen Anne Ave. N, Seattle. Visit www.seattlejewishfilmfestival.org for tickets and information.

COURTESY SJFF

Linor Abargil, a former Miss World from Israel who was raped just months before winning her crown, has made helping women in similar situations her life’s work.

We see rape (usually) portrayed as something bad, and yet we aren’t directly confronted by how it, tragically, never fully goes away in the life of the victim. By

watching a feature-length documentary about one person’s experience, and her subsequent exceptional activism, we see the full, comprehensive life-long path of recovery — complete with emotional, psychological, physical, legal, and spiritual repercussions. It is the most honest depiction possible. Warning: Brave Miss World may inspire you to become an activist. Survivors and supporters alike, this is a documentary every human should see.

Hotel Lux: Survival’s constant cabaret
ErIN PIke Special to JTNews
Germany, 1933: Two performers, Siegfried Meyer and Hans Zeisig, star in a Hitler/Stalin comedy act. As Hitler gains power and control, Meyer joins the resistance and Zeisig is asked to portray increasingly offensive Jewish stereotypes. With conditions in Germany growing worse each day, Zeisig decides to leave for Hollywood, but due to a lack of proper paperwork, ends up in Moscow at Hotel Lux instead.

Why would Jews work with Wagner? It’s complicated
MICHael FOX Special to JTNews
Art challenges us with all manner of serrated edges, not least the paradox that beautiful and beloved works can be produced by loathsome — or at least deeply flawed — people. I find that it becomes easier over time to ignore the repugnant personalities and bad behavior and simply savor the music or painting or novel. A much more strenuous mental gymnastic was required for conductor Herrmann Levi, pianist Joseph Rubinstein, and producer Angelo Neumann to work with Richard Wagner for as long as they did. Or so one gleans from “Wagner’s Jews,” a one-hour documentary made for European television and screening in the Seattle Jewish Film Festival. Perhaps of greatest interest to amateur psychologists, as well as classical music and opera buffs, the film provides valuable background and insight for viewers who aren’t steeped in Wagner’s soaring music or his callous writings. Constructed from a prosaic mix of talking-head interviews, 19th-century photographs, and woodcuts, “Wagner’s Jews” attempts the daunting task of reconciling the loyalty and devotion that key Jewish collaborators felt toward Wagner with the demeaning anti-Semitism of his public writings (and, incredibly, in his direct dealings with Levi and Rubinstein). Wagner’s animus toward Jews, expressed in a lengthy 1850 essay that he revised and reprinted nearly two decades later, could hardly have been based on his personal relationships with Jews. He owed much of his success to people like Giacomo Mayerbeer, a prominent Ger-

IF YOU GO
“Hotel Lux” screens as a part of the Seattle Jewish Film Festival on Sat., March 8 at 6 p.m. at the Stroum JCC, 3801 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island. Visit www.seattlejewishfilmfestival.org for tickets and information.

IF YOU GO
“Wagner’s Jews” screens as a part of the Seattle Jewish Film Festival on Sun., March 9 at 12:30 p.m. at the Stroum Jewish Community Center, 3801 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island. Visit www.seattlejewishfilmfestival. org for tickets and information.

Haussmann, “Hotel Lux” is a pleasant combination of comedy, romance, and adventure, set against a dark backdrop of political and social upheaval. Because of its comedic tone, the story’s moments of violence and tragedy hit a bit harder; the comedy provides a more realCOURTESY SJFF istic gauge for such Michael Bully Herbig and Jürgen Vogel made a few wrong turns in the horrific events that were commonplace comedic “Hotel Lux.” during that time. The heart of the story is in the strength The film follows Zeisig into the hotel, and subtle flexibility of Zeisig. Somehow, a Communist home for exiles, bursting he finds a way to fearlessly hold on to his with rats and paranoia. There, he runs own identity, even as he must shift into into Meyer’s friend, Frida von Oorten, a other identities so he can survive. The film woman in whom Zeisig has developed a does an excellent job of making this conromantic interest. The two continue to stant, delicate unevenness palpable; every cross paths as Zeisig, through mistaken knock on the door could be Hitler or identities and general hijinks, gains ComStalin, the rifle could be aimed at anyone, munist rank and security by acting as Stalin’s astrologist. Written and directed by Leander XXPaGE 13

man-Jewish composer who supported and touted the young Wagner, and the great Polish-Jewish pianist Carl Tausig, who sold patron certificates to fund construction of the opera house at Bayreuth. Jews, Wagner wrote, were a “destructive foreign element” rather than a legitimate, organic part of German society or culture. Jewish artists were able to imitate but nothing more, he declared. How could such first-rate musicians and valuable collaborators as Levi and Rubenstein work side by side with an unabashed racist? Well, to sum up the varied perspectives of the assembled historians and biographers: It’s complicated. Classical music and opera were the cultural pinnacle of Europe in the late 1800s, and the undeniably gifted Wagner stood at the highest peak. My hunch is that Levi and Rubinstein were inspired and satisfied that they were applying their talents to the highest purpose. If they had to endure personal insults, humiliation and anguish — and there is ample evidence that they did — they would.
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Precocious Bar Mitzvah boy propels zigzagging family flick
MICHael FOX Special to JTNews
An unabashed crowd-pleaser in a DayGlo package, “The Zigzag Kid” transports young-at-heart viewers on a magic carpet of charming hijinks and manic energy. Belgian director Vincent Bal has transposed vaunted Israeli novelist David Grossman’s beloved 1994 coming-ofage adventure fantasy from the Promised Land to a candy-cane Europe. The result is a confection of a film that dispenses laughs and life lessons en route to a poignant moral about the blood ties that bind. A family film whose most ardent admirers will be children, “The Zigzag Kid” is fueled by primal adolescent urges. Not the ones you’re thinking of, but the pressing need to comprehend the past, navigate the present, and manipulate the future. The opening credits immediately set the tone in smile-inducing style, employing split-screens, a full-spectrum palette, and a pop score to evoke the spy movies (and parodies) of the 1960s and ’70s. As his 13th birthday approaches, cuteas-a-bug Nono is starting to figure out he
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can’t abide the rules and conventions that most people passively accept. He’s not a rebel — he admires his detective father to the extent that he mimics Dad’s deductive skills and wants to follow in his gumshoes — so much as a creative thinker and fearless experimenter. The title comes from Nono’s iconoclasm, as well as the gold pin in the shape of a Z that the world’s greatest thief, Felix Glick, leaves behind as his signature. But I’m getting ahead of the story. After one of Nono’s bright ideas accidentally sends a cousin’s Bar Mitzvah reception up in smoke, our erstwhile hero is dispatched to boring Uncle Shmuel as punishment. But Dad’s plan is derailed within moments of Nono boarding the train, launching the lad on a mission that takes him to the south of France and back. “The Zigzag Kid” is tons of fun as it sets its inspired plot in motion, while Nono is a splendid protagonist who never devolves from endearing to tiresome. It helps that he’s aware he’s not completely self-suffiDark setting aside, there is a quality of magic in “Hotel Lux” provided by the glamour of the era’s style, and the interesting nature of real-life performance in the most dire of situations. At times, the shifts between scenes — a constant push against the boundaries of what it means, This crucial fact explains the fervid opposition to the proposed performance of Wagner’s work in Israel for the first time. The 2012 controversy provides a compelling contemporary frame for “Wagner’s Jews,” and invites us to grapple with the enduring conundrum of separating the creator from his or her creation. Herrmann Levi and Joseph Rubinstein had the same problem, in spades. the farm, an unseen entity — friend or foe? — made its presence felt. It would be wrong to reveal any more of the plot and deprive the viewer of the pleasure of Pasikowski’s carefully thought-out structure. “Aftermath” is the kind of film where every line of dialogue and every camera movement have a purpose, even if we only realize it after the fact. Ambitious, complex, shocking and wholly satisfying (admittedly, in a disturbing way), “Aftermath” is a beautifully executed example of a film that draws on heavy-duty historical reality without exploiting or trivializing it. At the same time, it somehow also manages to integrate an otherworldly dimension into a wholly realistic story. Above all, the film takes on Poland’s World War II-era history and its ongoing silence with intelligence, style and — at the crucial juncture — unflinching courage. “Aftermath” is a movie to be savored, admired and celebrated.

cient, for that dollop of humility tempers his precociousness. In fact, Nono relishes the maternal attention and affection of his father’s (ahem) live-in secretary, Gaby. The boy never knew his mother, who died when he was an infant, and he’d be very happy if the current domestic arrangement continued ad infinitum. Suffice it to say that Nono crosses paths with the 60-something Felix Glick, who quickly presents himself as an alternate role model with his blend of resourcefulness and suaveness. At a certain point, especially for those adults who have sussed out the relationships between the characters before Nono does, the pieces start to click into place, dissipating the film’s aura of cleverness. Everyone likes a happy ending, sure — although be advised a tragedy is revealed en route — but “The Zigzag Kid” trumpets an allegiance to the primacy of the two-parent family that is downright Spielbergian. in a metaphorical sense, to be on-stage or off — evoke Baz Luhrmann-style theatrics. “Hotel Lux” also employs the use of Chaplin-esque depictions to highlight situational absurdities of the Nazi and Communist regimes — effective, disturbing,

IF YOU GO
“The Zigzag Kid” opens the Seattle Jewish Film Festival on March 1 at AMC Pacific Place 11. Visit www. seattlejewishfilmfestival.org for tickets and information.

COURTESY SJFF

Jessica Zeylmaker and Burghart Klaussner play the committed but not-too-committed couple in Vincent Bal’s “The Zigzag Kid.”

any faucet could be bugged with a listening device by the government. The fear is crippling, and yet Zeisig, forced to notice the political reality that he was initially indifferent to, continues on.

and also hilarious. “Hotel Lux” is a visual and emotional delight: It is an enjoyable tale of love, friendship, and how a sense of humor and a predisposition for rebellion and mischief may truly be the most necessary traits in life.

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I don’t mind admitting that “Wagner’s Jews” demolished my ignorant assumption that the Nazis had simply embraced and promoted Wagner as an icon of superior Aryan accomplishment. In fact, the highprofile composer originated the theory that Jews were outsiders and parasites, providing a template for Hitler to build his platform of hatred and annihilation.
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COMMUNITY

IT’S ABOUT

childhood after many years in America. Although the surroundings and the people are familiar, Jozef (Maciej Stuhr) sees them through an outsider’s eyes. It’s a clever way of setting the scene, for we immediately identify with Jozef’s point of view. As attractive and charismatic as Jozef is, though, we’re put off by his casual, antiSemitic putdowns of people he works with (or for) in Chicago. It’s another canny move by Pasikowski, for it limits our identification and comfort level with the main character. The younger brother, Franciszek (Ireneusz Czop), has been running the family farm since Jozef left. Jozef’s arrival is fortuitous, however, for Franciszek’s placid, small-town routine has been disrupted by a serious yet initially indefinable threat. Actually, we’ve felt a sense of foreboding since Jozef got off the plane. The moment he set foot on the road leading to

Since 1926, The Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle has strengthened the bonds of community through service. You enable us to support organizations that lift people up — locally, in Israel and overseas. Join us in fulfilling shared hopes for a better future.

OF GREATER SEATTLE

THE STRENGTH OF A PEOPLE. 206.443.5400 THE POWER OF COMMUNITY.

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Twelve tips for choosing the perfect venue for your Bar/Bat Mitzvah

Bar & Bat Mitzvah Celebrations

1. Does the venue have easy access to major synagogues in the area? 2. Is there sufficient parking? 3. Do they offer full-service event management (provide all the details for catering and banquet room)? 4. Is there sufficient space for the meal, entertainment and dancing? 5. Is the staff easy to work with? 6. Can you serve alcohol? 7. Is the venue an interesting place for your party? 8. Is a location with a view important? 9. Do you need a lot of decorations or is the venue charming enough to avoid having to purchase numerous items? 10. What other amenities are available, such as an LCD projector, a plasma-screen TV, or special lighting? 11. Are there extra charges for each of the amenities? 12. Will there be multiple invoices or one banquet check? AcME Bowling, Billiards & Events........17 Ben & Jerry’s..........................................16 Cinema Books.......................................18 Crazy Moe’s Hand in Wax....................20 Dani Weiss Photography......................14 Embassy Suites......................................19 Emmanuel Rug Specialists....................20 Events-4Life...........................................17 Greatest of Days...................................17 Hebrew Free Loan Association.............19 Herzl-Ner Tamid Judaica.......................19 Kaspars Events & Catering....................19 Madison Park Café Catering.................18 Marianna Trio.......................................20 Marriott Redmond Town Center..........19 Matzoh Momma Catering....................18 Meryl Alcabes Photography.................20

Sponsored by Woodmark Hotel

Napkin Friends......................................18 Onionskin Design Studio......................15 Radio DJ Parties.....................................17 Red Fish Blue Fish..................................15 The Ruins...............................................16 Sparkll Invitations.................................15 Woodland Park Zoo..............................16 Woodmark Hotel...................................14

Voted ‘Best Venue’ for Bar/Bat Mitzvahs by JTNews readers. The Woodmark has a variety of reception & event venues that accommodate up to 200 guests.

DARING

DIFFERENT

DANI

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ACME Bowling, Billiards & Events

ACME Bowling, Billiards & Events is the perfect spot for any occasion that requires fun! Their premium event services are custom tailored to ensure every detail of your event is perfectly executed, from start to finish. From B’nai Mitzvah to corporate events, from 10 to 1,000 guests, ACME Bowl delivers excitement and thrills for all ages. ACME Bowl features Seven10, their 10-lane private bowling area that offers an upscale lounge environment with custom leather couches and an exclusive 700-square-foot boardroom adjoining. Go for strikes at The Alley, with 30 stateof-the-art lanes and the latest in automatic pinsetter capabilities. To add to your experience, enjoy shooting stick on one of their seven pool tables at Q or test your skills on any of their 30 arcade games. With two additional private rooms, Ten Pin and Brooklyn, the possibilities for your events are endless. For more information call 206-340-0202 or visit acmebowl.com.

or professional. They also carry criticism and reference film books to lead you to movies you may have missed. Call 206-547-7667 or visit www.cinemabooks.net.

Crazy Moe’s Hand in Wax

Ben & Jerry’s

Ben & Jerry’s ice cream catering, serving Western Washington, is the ultimate way to bring a fun and exciting experience to your next party or event. Ben & Jerry’s has always been committed to serving nothing but the freshest and highest quality ice cream possible. Whether you are looking for a new and refreshing way to celebrate a special occasion, thank a client, or congratulate your staff on a job well done, they can accommodate your needs. From scooped ice cream to sundaes and ice cream bars, whatever you choose, their staff will deliver everything right to your event — set up, serve, and clean up! Kosher-certified ice cream, frozen yogurt and sorbet, as well as an array of hot and dry toppings are available. For more information, to reserve a date, or receive a price quote, please visit their catering website at www.wabenjerry.com or contact them toll-free at 877-333-4799.

Have you ever attended a Bar or Bat Mitzvah party where “Crazy Moe’s Hand In Wax” was making wax hands? If you have seen the crowds of kids around this booth you instantly know this is a popular spot. Everyone wants to be in that line! Even the adults love it! Plenty of fun and anticipation. What’s the attraction? It’s undeniably cool. Those rainbow, multicolored wax hands are incredible in their detail and half the fun is deciding which hand gesture you’re going to make like a “peace sign,” “I love you” in sign language, “Ok,” “Hang loose,” “Rock On,” or whatever…. The guests can hardly wait their turn to dip their hand into the soothing wax. The process is as exciting as the finished product. When they walk away with their treasured memento, they can hardly wait to show it off to their friends and you can be sure that they will remember your special event. Crazy Moe’s is a must see, must do, must have! Contact 425-488-0400 or [email protected].

Dani Weiss Photography

Cinema Books

Dani Weiss has traveled the world perfecting her skills as a photographer and building a portfolio of her specialty: people and places. Portraits, weddings, B’nai Mitzvah, anniversaries, and family reunions are captured by Dani in a true-to-life documentary style. Dani has been a professional photographer since 1987. In addition to family celebrations photography, she shoots portraits and works freelance for several publications. Dani won the Best of JTNews in 2012 for the sixth year in a row and has won the Brides’ Choice Award on Wedding Wire three years in a row. She holds a degree in fashion and commercial photography as well as photojournalism. She is currently involved with the Seattle Professional Photographers’ Association and the Greater Seattle Business Association. Contact her at www.daniweissphotography.com or 206-760-3336.

Cinema Books is the film bookstore of the Northwest. Collections include biographies of movie stars and directors, glamorous picture books of Hollywood, posters, stills and cards of the stars, and technical filmmaking books for the novice

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invitations for all occasions [email protected] 206/388-8817

"Best Ketubah Artist in WA" — JTNews 2012

Invitations English & Hebrew calligraphy Ketubot

206 - 527 - 6320 www.onionskindesign.com

JOAN LITE MILLER

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Fun, experienced and professional photography for your Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Our exciting and interactive Studio-on-the-Go is now a B’nai Mitzvah staple and perfectly complements your party. Now more fun with Green Screen!

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425-670-2018

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Embassy Suites Bellevue

Whether it’s a wedding, birthday, anniversary, Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah, Embassy Suites Bellevue can help make your special day a dream come true, featuring a beautiful six-story garden atrium with lush tropical plants, river and cascading waterfalls, elegantly appointed ballrooms, delicious food, and two-room suites for your overnight guests. Choose one of their pre-planned menu options, or their executive chef is happy to accommodate custom menu requests. With a great location just off I-90, they offer plenty of free on-site parking. Book an event and mention this ad to receive 10 dozen complimentary hors d’oeuvres (minimum 50-person dinners). Not good with other offers. Call 425-698-6681 or visit www.seattlebellevue.embassysuites.com.

event to them, you save money, time and unnecessary hassle. In return, you get a perfect event, and even more important, you get the peace of mind to enjoy it! Call today for a complimentary consultation at [email protected] or 425-737-9015.

Greatest of Days

Emmanuel’s Fine Rug & Upholstery Specialists

They’ve been cleaning rugs, carpets, furniture and fine Orientals for more than 107 years. You can count on them! Highest quality carpet cleaning, custom inplant rug washing, rug repair and upholstery cleaning. They specialize in Oriental care, repair and mending and restoration. Emmanuel’s is the place to go for consigned new and antique Orientals, rug sales and appraisals, as well as on-site carpet cleaning and maintenance. Fifteen percent off all in-home services and 30 percent off all cash-and-carry cleaning services. Gift certificates available. For more information call 206-322-2200, fax 325-3841, or visit www.emmanuelsrug.com.

At Greatest of Days, they say “We Coordinate, You Celebrate!” If you want your creativity and your personality to be represented throughout your Bar/Bat Mitzvah or wedding, they believe in brainstorming any idea. The most important thing for them to do is listen. If you want a day with added touches that perhaps only have special meaning to you to help you relax or give you an extra smile, they can incorporate that into your event. If you want a Bar or Bat Mitzvah designed to match your child’s personality, style and your budget, they can introduce you to vendors who will become a hand-picked team for your special day. They treat every event with as much care as if it was their own. Wishing you the Greatest of Days! For more information, contact Janis Flagg, 27111 167th Pl. SE, Suite 105-242, or call 206-604-1908.

Hebrew Free Loan Association

Events-4Life

Events-4Life will organize and supervise all the details so you can relax and enjoy that special moment stress-free. Regardless of the type or size of the event, Events-4Life will take care of it all. They listen to their clients and make sure the event fits their expectations within their available budget. They are committed to creating an unforgettable event according to your style, tradition and personality. The combination of skills, creativity and resources will save you money. Events-4Life works for you! In the meantime, you can focus on your busy schedule and business. They offer partial or full services to fit your wishes and needs. By outsourcing the

Do you need to borrow money for a Bar/Bat Mitzvah? Struggling with paying all your bills, Jewish school fees, college tuition or sending your children to summer camp? Maybe you are starting a business? Do you have difficulty qualifying for a commercial loan? Jewish residents of Washington State may qualify for an interest-free loan up to $5,000.  The Hebrew Free Loan Association, a 501(c)(3) organization, has been providing interest-free loans to Washington Jews since 1914 in accordance with Exodus 22:24: “If thou lend money to any of My people, even to the poor with thee, thou shalt not be to him as a creditor; neither shall ye lay upon him interest.” Loan requests are handled with discretion and complete confidentiality. Repayment terms are individualized.  Call 206-722-1936 or email [email protected] or visit  www.hfla-seattle.com for information on getting a loan, donations, or joining their volunteer board. 



Have Ben & Jerry’s at Your Next Party!
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Contact us to plan your next event! Catering Hotline: 1-877-333-4799 www.wabenjerry.com

Let’s Celebrate!
AND INTO THE EXTRAORDINARY!
Seattle’s beloved and award-winning community resource is the perfect setting for weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, company picnics or dinners, family reunions, and other private celebrations. For more information call 206-548-2590 or
email [email protected]

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Catering Available for Your Next Birthday Celebration
www.theruins.net 206-285-7846 570 Roy Street Seattle, WA
February Bar Mitzvah green.indd 1 2/13/2014 6:38:38 PM

Photos: Christopher Gendron (top left); Unknown (top right); Caroll Roll (center); Dennis Dow, WPZ (bottom)

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Herzl-Ner Tamid Judaica Shop

Herzl-Ner Tamid Judaica Shop has what you need for your Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebration — from traditional to unique, artisan to boutique, come see an amazing variety of merchandise to make your Bar/Bat Mitzvah special! Herzl-Ner Tamid Judaica Shop has a wide selection of tallitot in many fabrics, sizes, and colors available to choose from; they also carry an array of ritual items, plus they offer a gift registry! Customized kippot orders are available in many different fabrics, colors, designs and styles. Open Wednesdays 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m., some Sundays, and by appointment for your convenience. Please call the shul office at 206-232-8555 or Kari Haas at 206-719-2224 to make an appointment, or visit 3700 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island.

post-wedding brunches. Retail wine offered at discount prices at “Binder’s Bottles.” Contact Karen Binder at 206-324-4411 or [email protected].

Marianna Trio

For all your special occasions, weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs and all your other simchas. Jewish and world music. Traditional and contemporary. Dance and concert. Many years of experience in all types of music. For more information about their music trio, please call 206-715-8796 or visit www.mariannagroup.com.

Kaspars Special Events & Catering

Marriott Redmond Town Center

You will remember your special day for the rest of your life, so choosing the right partners to help you is an important decision. The team at Kaspars Special Events and Catering, with more than 22 years of experience and a reputation for excellence, will support you through the entire planning process, including venue selection, menu creation, the ceremony, and reception planning, ensuring you are stress-free. Family owned and operated, Kaspars’ passion is to provide creative, fresh cuisine, and superior service at a reasonable price. They cater to groups of all sizes, both within Kaspars as well as at off-site locations, including private homes. Whether you are entertaining a few or a few hundred guests, the elements for success are the same: Superb fare, impeccable service, the proper ambience, and the right caterer! Kaspars Special Events and Catering has it all. Visit www.kaspars.com, call 206-298-0123 or fax 206-298-0146.

Located among the gorgeous scenery of Redmond, the Redmond Marriott Town Center has everything to celebrate the perfect Bar or Bat Mitzvah. Surround your
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206-261-0908

MAZAL TOV!

BAR/BAT MITZVAH FAVORITE 2013

Madison Park Café Catering

DJ PRICES START AT $349 CALL NOW FOR A $100 DISCOUNT WWW.RADIODJPARTIES.COM [email protected]

Karen Binder, formerly of the Madison Park Café. Full-service professional catering for all life passages in the Jewish community for over 35 years. Let Madison Park Café help plan your Bar or Bat Mitzvah or your special event. Providing delicious, seasonal food, professional rentals, flowers and bar service. B’nai Mitzvah, weddings, engagement parties, rehearsal dinners and

206-604-1908
[email protected] www.greatestofdays.com

Event & Wedding Planning

Celebrate

in Israel and here at home.
Have a great party in Seattle or make a lifetime memory in Israel. Contact Ruti at [email protected] for a complimentary consultation.

425-737-9015 [email protected] www.facebook.com/events4life

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Madison Park Café Catering
Karen Binder (formerly of Madison Park Café)
Bar/Bat mitzvah and any other simcha. Retail wine offered at discount price: “Binder’s Bottles.” Approved caterer of Hillel. Full service professional catering for all life passages for over 35 years.

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206.324.4411 • madisonparkcafe @aol.com
YOUR LIFE CYCLE EVENT IS OUR SPECIALTY
PIP

loved one and all your special guests in the welcoming warmth of its beautifully decorated reception areas. With more than 10,000 square feet of flexible space, you’ll have the ideal venue to host an intimate affair for your closest family and friends to a grand gathering for everyone to enjoy. Allow their Marriott-certified event professionals to help you create the day, from the décor to finding the right photographer to setting the menu to your exact desires. They’ll be on hand to make sure every detail is covered and everything runs exactly as you wish. The Redmond Marriott Town Center is the perfect venue for any simcha — their expert staff will make sure you have the wedding of your dreams, too. Sit back, relax and let them set the stage for a day your loved one, and all your special guests, will treasure forever. Mazel tov! Call 425-498-4040 or visit redmondmarriott.com today.

Matzoh Momma Catering

206-324-6262
AND MIRIAM

Bar & Bat Mitzvah Kiddush Luncheons

CATERING WITH A PERSONAL TOUCH

MEYERSON

Jewish comfort food at its most elegant. Matzoh Momma specializes in Bar and Bat Mitzvah kiddush luncheons that are fresh, bountiful and beautifully presented, with service that is uniquely personal. They will help you create the perfect event to mark the joyous occasion of your child’s Bar/Bat Mitzvah. References available. Call Pip and Miriam Meyerson at 206-324-6262.

Serving the Community for more than a quarter century

Meryl Alcabes Photography

Packages for all Occasions
All packages include spacious two room suites, free parking, Complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast and evening reception.

Sweets for Your Suite Romance Package InSpa Package Family Night Package Shopping Package We specialize in Bar Mitzvahs and Bat Mitzvahs.
Call for more information: 425.644.2500

Voted “Best Event Photographer” in the JTNews 2013 Best of Everything reader survey, Meryl Alcabes is an award-winning Seattle photographer known for her inspired events and her colorful, expressive portraits. Meryl’s creativity and enthusiasm are unmistakable hallmarks of her images. Her rapport with people is evident in her work. She has mastered public relations, retail store management and guinea pig ownership, but found her focus in freelance photography. Meryl looks at life through her trademark red glasses, while capturing vibrant and unique images of children and adults. Her work has been featured in Seattle Magazine, JTNews and the West Seattle Blog. One of her images was chosen for display on a Seattle bus shelter near the Seattle Design Center. She has exhibited at Photo Center Northwest, Seattle Central Community College, and at the West Seattle Art Walk. Meryl loves to hear those special words, “Wow — your camera takes really good pictures!” Contact Meryl by phone at 206-795-5567, or through her website at www. merylalcabes.com.

Napkin Friends

3225 158th Avenue SE, Bellevue, WA 98008 • www.seattlebellevue.embassysuites.com

Bring the Napkin Friends food truck to your Bar or Bat Mitzvah celebration, and enjoy the sandwich that has become an overnight Seattle sensation. Created by renowned Chef Jonathan Silverberg, the “Latke Press Sandwich” is a gluten-free delicacy that is at once fun and traditional. Rather than bread, this panini is served up between two golden-brown potato pancakes in a variety of delicious combinations, including vegetarian options.  Jonny takes his grandmother’s latke recipe as his inspiration, combining his childhood culinary memories, his love for his grandmother, and more than 10 years of experience as a chef. In the months since the truck’s launch, Napkin Friends has already received substantial acclaim in the food world, including mentions in a number of “best-of” lists. Contact them at 206-459-4936 or [email protected]. Better yet, check out their video at Napkinfriends. com.

CINEMA BOOKS
4735 Roosevelt Way NE

206-547-7667
  

Onionskin Design Studio

Books Posters Stills

From all your favorite movies

Voted by JTNews readers as 2012’s Best Ketubah Artist in Washington State, Joan Lite Miller specializes in oneof-a-kind invitations for weddings and B’nai Mitzvah, custom ketubot, English and Hebrew calligraphy, expressive hand lettering, original paper-cuts and logo design. For more information, call 206-5276320 or visit www.onionskindesign.com.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Radio DJ Parties

and beautiful venue will offer you and your guests a truly unique and memorable experience. Contact The Ruins at 206-285-RUIN or visit www.theruins.net.

Radio DJ Parties is your ultimate party experience! Every Wedding and Bar/Bat Mitzvah party starts with a great MC such as MC Understanding. When you add the most entertaining motivational party dancers from America’s Best Dance Crew and top it off with the award-winning and world-famous DJ SUPERDAVE — WOW! You’ve got an amazing simcha celebration! Good Music Entertainment is just the beginning. Radio DJ Parties offers you exclusive extras that will make your party stand out, including free photo booth service. Email [email protected], visit www.radiodjparties.com or call 206-261-0908.

Sparkll Invitations

Sparkll draws their inspiration from their clients themselves. At Sparkll, your event is singular. Their custom designs reflect the uniqueness of your event, your style and your personalities. Tap into their creativity for your ideal invitation suite. Mention this ad and receive a 10 percent discount. Contact 206-388-8817 or [email protected].

Red Fish Blue Fish Photography

Woodland Park Zoo

Red Fish Blue Fish Photography has been photographing B’nai Mitzvah since 2004 and they love it! Their experienced team captures it all, from donning the tallit to family portraits and holding the Torah to the last lift in the hora. They’ll be there to capture it in style. Studio-on-the-Go is now a B’nai Mitzvah staple and the perfect complement to your party! You’ll love the large, professional, lights-and-backdrop studio with immediate on-site printing. With no walls to box you in, there are no limits to what you can do and who you can squeeze in. Families, couples, BFF’s — you name it, they can capture it. Just grab your favorite prop and hop in! Their photographer will help you look your best and guests will walk away with a beautiful print in a personalized folder. It’s a fun, interactive activity and great party favor! Call Jennifer and Scott at 425-670-2018 or visit www.redfishphoto.com.

Events at the zoo are a roaring good time! Set among 92 lush and beautiful acres, the zoo is the perfect venue for private events of all kinds. With 11 unique spaces to choose from, your groups of 20 to 250 will enjoy an event on the wild side. By hosting your event at Woodland Park Zoo, you help save animals and their habitats both here in the Northwest and around the world. Celebrate local, save global! [email protected] or 206-548-2590.

Woodmark Hotel

The Ruins

The Ruins is a private dining club in Lower Queen Anne with catering available to the public. The founder and creator, Joe McDonnal, built a mansion inside of a warehouse with a small garden area and four beautifully appointed rooms. The rooms used collectively can accommodate up to 150 for a seated dinner or 250 for a stand-up cocktail reception. From beginning to end, their professional staff

Celebrate your special simcha at the Woodmark Hotel, voted the best venue for a Bar and Bat Mitzvah by JTNews readers in 2012. At the Woodmark, they understand the importance of this cherished rite of passage. Delicious and decorative cuisine created by their culinary staff complements the magnificent shoreline and yacht harbor view seen from the Marina Room and Bayshore Room — perfect fits for a variety of party sizes. The Woodmark boasts over 9,000 square feet of versatile event space, with beautiful indoor and outdoor settings for parties, Shabbat dinners, brunches, ceremonies, and celebrations for up to 200 guests. Your guests will savor delicious and unique dishes created specifically for your event, as well as kosher-style cuisine. Contact 425-827-1986 or [email protected] and talk to a Woodmark catering manager to get started on planning your special event.

HERZL-NER TAMID JUDAICA SHOP
Kippot, Tallitot, Gifts & more
Gift registry available

A TRADITION LIKE NO OTHER.
With a gorgeous location and 10,000 sq ft of beautiful reception space, we’d be honored to host your family’s Bar or Bat Mitzvah. Relax and enjoy this special family day, while our event professionals see to every detail. Call 425.498.4040 or visit redmondmarriott.com
7401 164th Avenue NE Redmond, WA 98052

Open Wednesdays 11am–3pm & some Sundays by appointment

Call 206-232-8555 • 3700 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island

Kaspars will ensure your celebration is spectacular!
KOSHER-STYLE AVAILABLE Chef Kaspar offers exceptional Northwest cuisine along with a superior staff versed in weddings, rehearsal dinners, showers and b'nai mitzvahs. Kaspars can accommodate up to 300 guests or can offer full service off-premise catering at your home or other special location.
Visit www.kaspars.com for menus and upcoming events

Hebrew Free Loan Association of Greater Seattle
thanks supporters for attending our Annual Brunch commemorating 100 years of service to the community
Interest-free lending with dignity.
206-722-1936 n [email protected] w w w. HFLA-S eattle.com

A SEATTLE TRADITION FOR OVER 20 YEARS

19 West Harrison  Seattle, WA 98119  206.298.0123  [email protected]

20 spring boo ks

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Books: Pairing personal history with world history
DIaNa BremeNt JTNews Columnist
The words “Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah,” automatically brings a certain tune and song to the minds of almost all readers. Whether or not you were alive when this Allan Sherman song became a hit, most Americans know it or have heard it parodied — though it was already a parody of Ponchielli’s “Dance of the Hours.” Part of Sherman’s brilliance was pairing his decidedly mediocre voice with beautiful orchestral arrangements and backup singing. Mark Cohen’s Overweight Sensation: The Life and Comedy of Allan Sherman (Brandeis, cloth, $29.95) brings the life of expert song parodist and comedian Allan Sherman vividly to life, and in great detail. Sherman was a poster boy for the truism that the foundation of successful comedy is tragedy. A neglected child, he was passed from relative to relative. It was during the short, but relatively stable time in the care of his grandparents that he learned about Jewish culture, but it was enough to be able to accurately skewer Jewish Americans of that time. Sherman carried his childhood angst into adulthood of excesses of food, work and booze. Fully integrated into the ’60s popular culture, his story reads like an episode of television’s “Mad Men.” Even when his income couldn’t justify it, whether he was writing Broadway shows in New York or television shows in Los Angeles, he insisted on living larger than life, albeit for too short a time. Whether readers are interested only in Sherman, or in the history of that era, this book is interesting on many levels. This Sherman fan’s only complaint is that two of his later and most brilliant songs are given short shrift, probably because they never achieved the popularity of “Letter from Camp” referenced above. Those would be “You Went the Wrong Way Old King Louis” (“We’re gonna take you and the queen/down to the guillotine/ and shorten you a little bit”) and “Good Advice” (“good advice costs nothing and it’s worth the price”). Set in 1960s Kansas City, the fictional coming-of-age story, Saving Dr. Block (independent, paper, $14.95), dovetails nicely with Sherman’s biography, illustrating the racism and anti-Semitism common to that time through the eyes of 12-year-old Howard Block. In addition to preparing for his Bar Mitzvah (which includes memorizing a speech the rabbi has written for him!), Howard has decided to help save his father from a fraudulent medical malpractice suit. Modeling themselves after their newest pop culture hero James Bond, Howard and his two best friends save the day and, yes, get the girl, with some entertaining and touching results. While there are clearly fictional elements, the reader will assume that some of the author’s vivid scenes are drawn from his own childhood. A physician who served as literary editor of the Harvard Lampoon as an undergrad, L.M. Vincent has published fiction, nonfiction and plays, and cloth, $26), Mounk recounts his family’s fascinating story in that country, putting it together with history and politics so it becomes much more than a memoir. “I never thought to question why my family might be so small,” says Mounk of his childhood. His grandparents, Polish Holocaust survivors, turned to the Communist movement as young adults, as did many of their peers. While it saved them from Hitler — Mounk’s grandfather worked in a munitions factory in Siberia during the war — postwar Polish anti-Semitism drove them from their home country and circumstances found them in Germany. “Since having Jewish ancestors marked me out as alien, or even inferior, I was all the more determined to call myself a Jew,” he writes. Perhaps one key to honing Jewish identity is a good dose of alienation. On a similar note, the poetically written novel My Mother’s Secret (Putnam, cloth, $19.95), by J.L. Witterick, is a fictionalized account on the story of righteous gentiles Franciszka Halamajowa — the mother of the title — and her daughter Helena. Residents of Sokal, a small Polish town, the Halamajowas managed to safely hide two Jewish families and a pacifist German soldier in their tiny house. With a focus on all the mothers involved, the author tells the story in a brief but touching fashion.

divides his time between Boston and Seattle. Turning to Germany, Yascha Mounk, now a Ph.D. candidate in political thought at Harvard, tells us how even a 30-something growing up Jewish in Germany couldn’t escape that country’s long and complicated history and relationship with Jews. In Stranger in My Own Country (FSG,

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Books in brief
DIaNa BremeNt JTNews Columnist
Holocaust
Helga’s Diary: A Young Girl’s Account of Life in a Concentration Camp by Helga Weiss (Norton, cloth, $24.95). What makes this Holocaust memoir different than others is that the author’s diary survived the Shoah. A quick-thinking 15 year old, she lied about her age when she and her mother were deported from Terezìn to Auschwitz. She survived Auschwitz, the labor camp at Flossburg, and a forced march to Mauthausen, and was one of only 100 children alive after the war of the 15,000 sent originally from Terezìn to Auschwitz. She gave her diary — some stapled-together paper — to an uncle working in the offices at Terezìn and was able to reclaim and complete it after the war. The book includes reproductions of some of her illustrations she made at that time. The Boxer’s Story by Nathan Shapow (Biteback, cloth, $24.95). Shapow was a professional boxer, and a champion of his sport in Riga, Latvia, when the Nazi invasion ended his career. He experienced a different kind of fight in the ghetto and the work camps. Miraculously, he survived and went to Palestine to help form the Jewish State and now lives in the U.S. It’s an exciting story told with the help of journalist Bob Harris.
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Care Givers
HomeCare Associates A program of Jewish Family Service 206-861-3193 www.homecareassoc.org  Provides personal care, assistance with daily activities, medication reminders, light housekeeping, meal preparation and companionship to older adults living at home or in assisted-living facilities.

Dentists
Dr. Larry Adatto, DDS 206-526-9040 (office) ✉☎ [email protected] www.adattodds.com  7347 35th Ave. NE, Seattle, Wa 98115 Mon. and Thurs. 9–5, Tues. and Wed. 9–6. Accepting new patients Located in NE Seattle, Dr. Adatto has been practicing since 1983. Services provided are: • Cerec crowns—beautiful all porcelain crowns completed in one visit • Invisalign orthodontics—moving teeth with clear plastic trays, not metal braces • Implnts placed and restored • Lumineer (no, or minimally-prepped) veneers • Neuro-muscular dentistry for TMJ and full mouth treatment • Traditional crown-and-bridge, dentures, root canals

Financial Services
Hamrick Investment Counsel, LLC Roy A. Hamrick, CFA 206-441-9911 ✉☎ [email protected] www.hamrickinvestment.com  Professional portfolio management services for individuals, foundations and nonprofit organizations.

Photographers (cont.)

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Connecting Professionals with our Jewish Community

Dani Weiss Photography 206-760-3336 www.daniweissphotography.com  Photographer Specializing in People. Children, B’nai Mitzvahs, Families, Parties, Promotions & Weddings.

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Certified Public Accountants
Dennis B. Goldstein & Assoc., CPAs, PS Tax Preparation & Consulting 425-455-0430 F 425-455-0459 ✉☎ [email protected]

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Solomon M. Karmel, Ph.D First Allied Securities 425-454-2285 x 1080 www.hedgingstrategist.com  Retirement, stocks, bonds, college, annuities, business 401Ks.

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Insurance
Eastside Insurance Services Chuck Rubin and Matt Rubin 425-271-3101 F 425-277-3711 4508 NE 4th, Suite #B, Renton Tom Brody, agent 425-646-3932 F 425-646-8750 www.e-z-insurance.com  2227 112th Ave. NE, Bellevue We represent Pemco, Safeco, Hartford & Progressive

Funeral/Burial Services
Congregation Beth Shalom Cemetery 206-524-0075 ✉☎ [email protected] This beautiful cemetery is available to the Jewish community and is located just north of Seattle.

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Newman Dierst Hales, PLLC Nolan A. Newman, CPA 206-284-1383 ✉☎ [email protected] www.ndhaccountants.com  Tax • Accounting • Healthcare Consulting

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Meryl Alcabes Photography 206-795-5567 ✉☎ [email protected] www.MerylAlcabes.com  “Best Event Photographer” — JTNews 2013 Reader Survey • Gifted photographer • Inspired event images • Elegant, documentary style • Colorful and expressive portraits • Creative, enthusiastic, fun • Years of experience • Rapport with people • Competitive pricing • Call or e-mail Meryl for more information

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College Placement
College Placement Consultants 425-453-1730 ✉☎ [email protected] www.collegeplacementconsultants.com  Pauline B. Reiter, Ph.D. Expert help with undergraduate and graduate college selection, applications and essays. 40 Lake Bellevue, #100, Bellevue 98005

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Calvo & Waldbaum Toni Calvo Waldbaum, DDS Richard Calvo, DDS 206-246-1424 ✉☎ offi[email protected] CalvoWaldbaumDentistry.com  Gentle Family Dentistry Cosmetic & Restorative Designing beautiful smiles by Calvo 207 SW 156th St., #4, Seattle

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Hills of Eternity Cemetery Owned and operated by Temple De Hirsch Sinai 206-323-8486 Serving the greater Seattle Jewish community. Jewish cemetery open to all preneed and at-need services. Affordable rates • Planning assistance. Queen Anne, Seattle

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Orthodontics
Rebecca Bockow, DDS, MS 425-939-2768 www.seattlesmiledesigns.com  A boutique orthodontic practice, specializing in individualized treatment for children and adults. Two convenient locations: 5723 NE Bothell Way, Ste D, Kenmore 1545 116th Ave. NE Ste 100, Bellevue

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Radman Photography Eric Radman 206-275-0553 www.radmanphotography.com  Creative and beautiful photography at affordable prices. Bar/Bat Mitzvah, families, children, special occasions.

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Senior Services
Jewish Family Service 206-461-3240 www.jfsseattle.org  Comprehensive geriatric care management and support services for seniors and their families. Expertise with in-home assessments, residential placement, family dynamics and on-going case management. Jewish knowledge and sensitivity.

College Planning
Albert Israel, CFP College Financial Aid Consultant 206-250-1148 ✉☎ [email protected] Learn strategies that can deliver more aid.

Warren J. Libman, D.D.S., M.S.D. 425-453-1308 www.libmandds.com  Certified Specialist in Prosthodontics: • Restorative • Reconstructive • Cosmetic Dentistry 14595 Bel Red Rd. #100, Bellevue

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Seattle Jewish Chapel 206-725-3067 ✉☎ [email protected] Traditional burial services provided at all area cemeteries. Burial plots available for purchase at Bikur Cholim and Machzikay Hadath cemeteries.

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Counselors/Therapists
Jewish Family Service Individual, couple, child and family therapy 206-861-3152 ✉☎ [email protected] www.jfsseattle.org  Expertise with life transitions, addiction and recovery, relationships and personal challenges —all in a cultural context. Licensed therapists; flexible day or evening appointments; sliding fee scale; most insurance plans.

Michael Spektor, D.D.S. 425-643-3746 ✉☎ [email protected] www.spektordental.com  Specializing in periodontics, dental implants, and cosmetic gum therapy. Bellevue

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Hospice & Home Health
Kline Galland Hospice & Home Health 206-805-1930 ✉☎ [email protected] www.klinegalland.org  Kline Galland Hospice & Home Health provides individualized care to meet the physical, emotional, spiritual and practical needs of those dealing with advanced illness or the need for rehabilitation. Founded in Jewish values and traditions, our hospice and home health reflect a spirit and philosophy of caring that emphasizes comfort and dignity for our patients, no matter what stage of life they are in.

B. Robert Cohanim, DDS, MS Orthodontics for Adults and Children 206-322-7223 www.smile-works.com  Invisalign Premier Provider. On First Hill across from Swedish Hospital.

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Photographers
Barrie Anne Photography 610-888-5215 ✉☎ [email protected] www.BarrieAnnePhotography.com  Specializing in portraits,mitzvahs, weddings and fashion. My philosophy is to create beautiful, unique and timeless images that go beyond the memories of these special times in life, allowing you to relive them all over again, and become as priceless as life itself.

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Wendy Shultz Spektor, D.D.S. 425-454-1322 ✉☎ [email protected] www.spektordental.com  Emphasis: Cosmetic and Preventive Dentistry • Convenient location in Bellevue

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The Summit at First Hill Retirement Living at its Best! 206-652-4444 www.summitatfirsthill.org  The only Jewish retirement community in Washington State. Featuring gourmet kosher dining, spacious, light-filled apartments and life-enriching social, educational and wellness activities.

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www.jtnews.net www.jew-ish.com

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Fiction

Savage Coast, by Muriel Rukeyser (The Feminist Press, paper, $16.95). In her long literary career, Rukeyser was much better known as a poet and a political activist, but she started working as a journalist at age 21 and at 23 she found herself in Barcelona during the beginning of the Spanish Civil War. She was already a published poet in the U.S., but her editor severely rejected her novel and she never wrote fiction again. As a novel, brought to us here only slightly edited and posthumously, “Savage Coast” doesn’t work that well, although the language has some beautiful, poetic components. It rates high, however, in witnessing history as Rukeyser’s protagonist, the young journalist Helen, describes the war from the perspective of someone on the ground. The Canvas, by Benjamin Stein (Open Letter, paper, $16.95). This wonderfully intriguing double novel is two books in one, beginning at either end of the volume and coming together in the middle. Is it possible to lose your memory so completely that you don’t recall your own heinous

deeds of the past? Jan Weschler, an observant Jew living in Munich, receives a mysterious delivery one Shabbat that causes his life to unravel. On the other side is Amnon Zichroni, a young man from ultra-Orthodox Mea Shearim, who is sent away to school when his parents catch him reading “The Picture of Dorian Gray.” Whether you read each section separately, or go back and forth between stories, you’ll be on the edge of your seat wondering when and how the two men’s stories will intersect.

Memoir

Now They Tell Me: 50 Life Lessons I Didn’t Learn in School, by Ed Harris (Fifty Tales, paper, $12). JTNews columnist Ed Harris, a former technology entrepreneur, has been busy cranking out fiction and non-fiction these past few years. In “Now They Tell Me,” Ed shares short chapters on lessons gleaned from life, and, as the title implies, not what he learned in school. Truisms are often not true, he’s discovered, while falsisms (yes, it’s a word!) might be. Whether you agree with him or not, Ed is always entertaining. The Rabbi and the Nuns, by Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski, MD (Mekor, cloth,

$19.99). A descendant of the Baal Shem Tov, and an Orthodox rabbi and a psychiatrist, Rabbi Twerski has written over 60 books, many of them on the subject of addiction and self-help. Here he turns to stories from his own life, focusing entertainingly on his 20 years as director of the department of psychiatry at St. Francis Hospital, a Catholic hospital in Pittsburgh. A man who walks between many worlds, Twerski brings an interesting and bemused perspective to all that he does. Survival Lessons, by Alice Hoffman (Algonquin, cloth, $13.95). This little book is a treasure of wisdom that this author of 23 adult and young adult novels gleaned from cancer treatment, and an appreciation of all the survivors she has known. She helps us see that “our lives are made up of equal parts of sorrow and joy, and it is impossible to have one without the other.”

you and your family or friends are going to perform at your seder! Here you’ll find amusing riffs on Pesach themes in the styles of Shakespeare, Harry Potter, “The Lambshank Redemption,” Broadway musical, and many more. (Try “something that’s bloody/something that’s muddy/ something for everyone/a plague for every night” to “Comedy Tonight.”)

Non-Fiction

Holidays

Passover Parodies: Short Plays for the Seder Table, by Shoshana Hantman (Sidney Books, paper, $15). Only two more months till Passover, folks, but that should be enough time to get this book and start learning your parts for the play

Moynihan’s Moment: America’s Fight Against Zionism as Racism, by Gil Troy (Oxford, cloth, $29.95). On Nov. 10, 1975, the UN General Assembly passed Resolution 3379, declaring Zionism a form of racism. Afterward, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, made a famous speech” “The United States rises to declare…it will never acquiesce in this infamous act.” Presidential historian Gil Troy examines this historic moment in great depth, calling it the start of a more confrontational, national-interest-driven foreign policy and a moment that marked a rise of neo-conservatism in American politics. Moynihan lost his job, but gained a U.S. Senate seat while American Jews responded enthusiastically in support of Israel.

Kehilla | Our Community

Find out how you can be part of Kehilla —

Call JTNews today.

Gary S. Cohn, Regional Director Jack J. Kadesh, Regional Director Emeritus
415-398-7117 [email protected] www.ats.org American Technion North Pacific Region on Facebook @gary4technion on Twitter

Yossi Mentz, Regional Director 6505 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 650 Los Angeles, CA Tel: 323-655-4655 Toll Free: 800-323-2371 [email protected]

Saving Lives in Israel

Kol Haneshamah is a progressive and diverse synagogue community that is transforming Judaism for the 21st century.
6115 SW Hinds St., Seattle 98116 E-mail: [email protected] Telephone: 206-935-1590 www.khnseattle.org

Eastside Cheryl Puterman 206-774-2269 | [email protected] Seattle & National Lynn Feldhammer, Sales Manager 206-774-2264 | [email protected] Becky Minsky 206-774-2238 | [email protected]

206-447-1967 www.campschechter.org

Where Judaism and Joy are One

The premiere Reform Jewish camping experience in the Pacific Northwest! Join us for an exciting, immersive, and memorable summer of a lifetime! 425-284-4484 www.kalsman.urjcamps.org

Temple De Hirsch Sinai is the leading and oldest Reform congregation in the Pacific Northwest. With warmth and caring, we embrace all who 206.323.8486 enter through our doors. www.tdhs-nw.org We invite you to share our past, and help 1511 East Pike St. Seattle, WA 98122 shape our future. 3850 156th Ave. SE, Bellevue, WA 98006

A JTNEWS SPECIAL SECTION FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2014

N ORT H W E S T J E WI S H FAMI LY

Children’s books to lighten dark days
By Rita Berman Frischer Twenty-five years ago, the Association of Jewish Libraries Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee recognized children’s author/artist Patricia Polacco for her book The Keeping Quilt, a loving tribute to her family’s past. I was one of those who voted to honor her for showing family continuity through the years, handed down in the form of a warm and comforting quilt. Now you can read not only the 25th anniversary edition of this story, updated to show how the quilt continues to be treasured, but also Polacco’s new and related book, The Blessing Cup (Simon and Shuster ). When her ancestors fled Tsarist Russia, they gave their special china tea service in gratitude to the kindly doctor who had come to their aid and made it possible for them to escape. They kept just a single “blessing cup” so they could continue the ritual of sharing blessings and sips from it on every family occasion. In her turn, Polacco received the cup from her mother when she married. Truly blessed, even the 1989 California earthquake would not destroy this symbol of family, tradition and love. A great story to read aloud when the family gathers, as are books by the following author. All by herself, Rabbi Sandy Sasso is a lesson in theology, ethics, values, midrash, tradition and morality — her 2013 picture book Creation’s First Light (IBJ Publishing), and some of her other works, are greatly enhanced by the contribution of Joani Rothenberg’s glowing and moving paintings. In this thoughtful book, pictures and words take the light of that first day and evolve it beautifully, relating the creation of the world to the creation of our inner selves, of hope and dreams, of the soul and of love. Open discussion, often Sasso’s prescription for spiritual growth and harmony, is the central theme in The Shema in the Mezuzah: Listening to Each Other (Jewish Lights) also illustrated by Rothenberg, which won the 2012 National Jewish Book Award for Best Illustrated Children’s Book. However, a pre-schooler doesn’t have to be Jewish to be captivated by the imaginative solution that emerges when opposing factions, fighting over how to affix mezuzot, actually pay heed to the first word of the Shema, and listen.

Ilan S t avan s, recent scholar in residence at Temple Beth Am, understands differences well. Along with many respected works for adults, Stavans has written Golemito (NewSouth Books), a unique illustrated book, slim and bright. It might initially appear to be for younger readers but, in its language and message, is definitely for 5th grade and up. A specialist in Latin American and Latino culture and professor at Amherst College, Stavans has produced here a blend of Jewish tradition with a love of Aztec poetry and mythology, as two boys create a miniature golem in response to bullying at their Jewish school. Simple and bold illustrations by Teresa Villegas, artist and graphic designer, underscore the message of courage and determination Sammy finds in the Aztec Warrior Song by Nezahualcoyotl — “I shall never disappear” — a message of inner strength from both his Jewish and Latino traditions. XXPaGE 25

FAMILY CALENDAR
10–11:30 A.M. — FAMILY SHABBAT MORNING Kate Speizer at [email protected] or 206-315-7429 or tdhs-nw.org Families are invited to a brief prayer service (with guitar) and snack, a project or story, and free play. All are welcome, no membership or experience required. Free. At Temple De Hirsch Sinai, 1511 E Pike St., Seattle.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22

11–11:30 A.M. — RAVENNA JEWIsH JUNCTION PJ LIBRARY STORY TIME Kate Speizer at [email protected] or 206-384-6020 or www.facebook.com/JewishJunction PJ Library educator Betsy Dischel leads a free community story time for tots and their caregivers the fourth Friday of the month. At Ravenna Third Place Books, 6504 20th Ave. NE, Seattle.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28

11–11:30 A.M. — NORTHGATE JEWIsH JUNCTION PJ LIBRARY STORY TIME Kate Speizer at [email protected] or 206-384-6020 or www.facebook.com/JewishJunction Betsy Dischel leads story time the first Friday of the month at the Northgate branch of the Seattle Public Library. All are welcome to this free community event. At Northgate Library, 10548 Fifth Ave. NE, Seattle. Comprehensive services to meet the needs of children and adults with ADHD and/or learning disabilities. • Evaluation • Tutoring • Counseling • Coaching • College documentation Insurance accepted: Anthem, Lifewise, Premera, Regence, Uniform Medical Markus Lefkovits, M.S., LMHC Educational Consultant/Licensed Mental Health Counselor 1455 NW Leary Way, Suite 400, Seattle 98107 206-866-7600 • [email protected] www.shineyourstrengths.com

FRIDAY, MARCH 7

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And now, taking the field, those heroes of yesteryear! And maybe your hair!
By Ed Harris It’s easy for me today, in my mid-50s, to find myself sometimes mentally caught in the past. For example, as a youth I possessed a six-inch thick helmet-shaped Jew-fro, which has left me with a permanent sense of myself as a person with a full head of hair, so lush you could lose your hand in it. As a result, I can never get over a mild shock every time I look in the bathroom mirror and see a bald man staring back at me. I’m also rooted to my childhood sports affiliations. America is a mobile society, and a lot of people have moved away from the hometowns where their sports loyalties initially formed. As Abba Knows Best a result, it’s not uncommon for many of us to feel a sense of exile in regard to the sports teams of our youth. This is especially easy in Seattle, a relatively young city that has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few decades. My wife is even more removed from her sports roots, as her hometown team was Amsterdam’s Ajax football club in the European league. On Super Bowl Sunday she was as excited about the prospect of watching the Puppy Bowl, with its “barking lot” and “tail” gate parties as she was about that other big game on TV. There is a certain enchantment to the memory of nostalgic childhood athletic heroes. I recently mentioned to Rabbi Jay Rosenbaum of Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation, in regard to the relative degree of ease or difficulty in delivering a d’var Torah, that one would prefer a lively portion filled with drama, such as Noah’s Ark or the splitting of the Red Sea, instead of a long, tedious list of “so and so begat so and so who begat so and so.” Rabbi Rosenbaum, however, replied that those seemingly “tedious” lists contain names with a certain magic to them, like hearing a 1950s Yankees lineup being announced over the PA system: Batting third and playing right field, Mickey Mantle; batting fourth and playing center field, Joe DiMaggio; batting fifth and catching, Yogi Berra. Everyone here in Seattle, or so it seems, is still on an emotional high from the recent Seahawks Super Bowl victory. Heading into the game the Seahawks were regarded as brash and arrogant. But what seemed overdone swagger increasingly resembled welldeserved confidence as the evening progressed and the scoreboard rang up points like a pinball machine. Seattle is a generally low-key town with a quiet, easy-going vibe, so it was impressive to see the incredible outpouring of emotion resulting from the Seahawks’ victory. The team has created a community for its fans, much in the same way our family has found a home in the local Jewish community, with both groups sharing an emotional bond in common. I am happy for my local Seattle friends and neighbors. But I remain a New York Giants fan. Spectator sports are not a big deal in the Harris mishpacha, which is perhaps my fault, given how I’ve stressed the Giants over the years . Like most young people, my kids spend a lot of time focused on screens, but television is usually at the bottom of the list, behind video games, Facebook, and YouTube. On occasion, I’ll challenge them to name a single player from either the Mariners or the Seahawks. Ichiro? Sorry, he doesn’t play here anymore. Will the names Wilson, Sherman, and Harvin ever acquire the mystique of those long-ago Yankee teams? Perhaps. But one thing is for sure: You couldn’t lose the tip of your pinkie in the seven hairs left on my head, let alone an entire hand. And I should know: There’s a bald guy who keeps on reminding me every time I glance at a mirror. Ed Harris, the author of “Fifty Shades of Schwarz” and several other books, was born in the Bronx and lives in Bellevue with his family. His long-suffering wife bears silent testimony to the saying that behind every successful man is a surprised woman.

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A second new book about blending cultures and honoring differences is Heidi Smith Hyde’s picture book Elan, Son of Two Peoples (Kar-Ben), illustrated by Mikela Prevost, and aimed at 5-9 year olds. Elan is son of a Jewish father and Native American mother, now Jewish. On the occasion of his becoming a Bar Mitzvah, his age has also made him eligible for the Pueblo manhood ceremony, part of his mother’s family’s tradition. “Always remember you are the son of two proud nations” his parents tell him. That’s why after celebrating his Bar Mitzvah in San Francisco, the family travels to New Mexico. There, on the following Shabbat morning, he chants his Torah portion to his Indian family before going that night with his father and the tribal elders to the kiva (ceremonial room) for the ritual exclusively performed by men. The story was inspired by a historical figure, Solomon Bibo, who married the granddaughter of an Acoma Pueblo chief and raised their children as Jews. He lies buried with his wife in a Jewish cemetery in California. Human creativity takes many forms, whether pursuing new solutions to old problems, adapting traditions to link families through the years, or finding ways to express personal talents and share them with others. Kar-Ben has a couple of new books, both for 4-8 year olds, based on what I would describe as beneficial outbreaks of personal creative expression. The first, Ziggy’s Big Idea, is by Ilana Long, an author, stand-up comic, improv actress and English teacher. She’s “seriously funny,” according to her publisher. Illustrator Rasa Joni provides bright and tasty pictures. Little Ziggy is an inventor at heart, a problem solver by nature. Not all his ideas are good, but when Moishe the baker mentions that his innovative boiled and baked buns are soggy in the center, Ziggy has a brainstorm that changes the world as we know it. Of course, we don’t know for sure whether Ziggy invented the bagel, but does it matter? Just pass the lox and cream cheese, please. Our last book proves that creativity has no “use-by” date. Its Brooklyn-based author, Betty Rosenberg Perlov, 96 years old, grew up in the Yiddish theater. Always busy with arts, education and family, she has just now gotten around to creating a charming children’s book, Rifka Takes a Bow. In first person, she describes Rifka’s life hanging out with her

parents who work at the Grand Theater on Second Avenue. She tips off readers to how some stage special effects are pulled off. She tells how Rifka (Betty?) sat in the wings and watched while her parents performed. And she describes that careless moment when Rifka inadvertently finds herself front and center onstage, with an audience calling on her to “Say something!” “Piff-Paff,” says Rifka, keeping her cool. “Not to worry! I am going to act on the stage when I grow up!” No wonder; it already felt like home! As another demonstration of a beneficial culture swap, “Rifka Takes a Bow” has been imaginatively and exuberantly illustrated by Zosei Kawa, a Japanese artist who teaches at Kyoto University of Art and Design.

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VOTED

26 the arts

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Opens Friday, February 28 Generation War, Part One and Part Two Film “Generation War” follows five young German friends as they navigate the disturbing moral landscape imposed by Hitler. This acclaimed film captures the realities of war from a deeply personal perspective with exceptional performances by the German cast. Shown in two parts, with separate admission. At Landmark’s Varsity Theatre, 4329 University Way NE, Seattle. For more information visit www.landmarktheatres.com.

Saturday, March 1 at 6 p.m. Youngstown Arts Thrive: Annual Birthday Bash Party Celebrate with Youngstown director and MOT David Bestock at the center’s eighth birthday party. From 6 to 7, musician Eli Rosenblatt will be playing music for kids and families in the movement room, where there will be crafts, balloons, food and more music. Have a drink with DJ Manos in the theater next door. Stay (or come back) for the afterhours, 21-plus party at 9 and dance with DJ Leopold Bloom. At Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 4408 Delridge Way SW, Seattle. For tickets and information visit www.brownpapertickets.com/event/549923.

Tuesday, March 4 at 7 p.m. Into the Light: The Healing Art of Kalman Aron Presentation/Author Event Kalman Aron survived the Holocaust by sketching portraits of Nazi guards’ children; for the past six decades he has been processing his experience in the form of rich landscapes, abstracts, and figures that explore humanity and the mystery of life. Now Susan Beilby Magee will present her new book, “Into the Light: The Healing Art of Kalman Aron,” a unique Holocaust story that reveals the artist’s transformation over the years. Dee Simon of the Holocaust Center will lead a Q&A after the presentation. Hosted by former mayor of Seattle Wes Uhlman. At the Seattle Public Library’s central branch Microsoft Auditorium, 1000 Fourth Ave., Seattle. Books ($50) available for purchase and signing. Free and open to the public. For more information contact the library at 206-386-4636 and visit kalmanaron.com.

Tuesday, March 4 at 8 p.m. An Evening with Asaf Avidan Music Israeli musician Asaf Avidan has been compared to Nina Simone, Jeff Buckley and Janis Joplin. Wildly popular in Israel and Europe and with a debut solo album out, Avidan comes to Seattle to perform a solo acoustic show we’d be remiss to miss out on. At the Neptune Theatre, 1303 NE 45th St., Seattle. $18, $20 at the door. All ages show. For tickets and information visit bit.ly/AvidanNeptune.

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said. “You choose the words to reflect your viewpoint.” Born and raised in Israel, Basker worked in Microsoft’s business development and marketing unit. She holds degrees from Hebrew University and Stanford University, and later earned a second bachelor’s degree in political science and communications from the University of Washington. “I came to this out of my love of Israel and my connection to the community,” she said.

While a theater career doesn’t leave her a lot of free time, Sarah says that she uses hers to take dance classes, play tennis, and do crafts, making greeting cards or decorating jewelry boxes. This Spamalot production features the choreography, sets and many of the costumes from the original Broadway show. Those in the opening night audience were treated to an appearance by the show’s author and lyricist and original member of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Eric Idle.

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Short takes: Ellie Hess of Mercer Island and Noah Sarkowsky of Seattle were recently inducted into the American Hebrew Academy Honor Society. The international society recognizes exceptional 8th- and 9th-grade students who have demonstrated excellence in academics, athletics, the arts, leadership and community service. Students compete for acceptance into the Honor Society and for merit-based scholarships to attend the American Hebrew Academy, a Jewish college prep boarding school in Greensboro, NC.

Two temples have announced new rabbis: Temple Beth Am announced that Rabbi Ruth Zlotnick will become its senior rabbi effective July 1. On the same day, Rabbi Yohanna Kinberg, longtime associate rabbi at Temple B’nai Torah, will ascend the bima at Congregation Kol Ami in Woodinville. Kol Ami’s current rabbi, Mark Glickman, has accepted an adjunct position in Seattle University’s school of theology and ministry.

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L I F Ec Y c L ES

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LIFECYClES
Leah Rae Epstein November 22, 1915–January 16, 2014
Beloved wife, mother, aunt, Baube, great-grandmother, and friend, Leah passed away at the age of 98 on January 16 in Bellevue. Leah and her husband Louis made a home in both Salem, Ore. and Seattle over the years, settling finally on Mercer Island in their retirement. Leah lived in her home of 33 years on the island until her passing; in her later years she was aided by the care of her son Laurence and daughter-in-law Valerie. She was an active 98 until the last month of her life, making her weekly card games at Kline Galland and The Summit a priority. Leah was born to Russian immigrants Hyman and Doba Steinbock (Rifkin) in Salem, Ore. in 1915. She was the sixth of seven children. Leah graduated from Salem High School and with the dream of becoming a lawyer, was the first in her family to attend college. Although she returned to work in her family scrap business before graduating, Leah ultimately went on to clerk for Justice Thomas Tongue of the Oregon Supreme Court for 13 years. In 1935, Leah moved to Seattle to work for Bloch’s Shoes, and it was in Seattle where she met her husband Louis. Leah was on her way home from work one day when a car pulled up alongside. A friend, who happened to be on a double date, offered Leah a ride. Her friend and his date were in the front, and Louis and his date were in the back. Leah accepted. She took the only space available — on Louis’s lap. The rest is “history,” as Louis wrapped his arms around Leah and on the spot told her, “You fit in my arms, I’m going to marry you.” The two were married for 65 blissful years until Louis’s passing in 2002. After marrying, Leah and Louis returned to Salem where they raised their three sons: Stephen (1941), Michael (1943), and Laurence (1949). A wife and a mother of three, Leah was still an independent woman — she had a firecracker spirit and a big heart that belied her slight 5’0” frame. Leah was a modern, working woman, yet she never forgot the traditional values instilled by her family. She was active for many years with B’nai B’rith Women, where she received a tribute plaque for her 25 years of service. Leah also volunteered at The Jewish Day School, where her granddaughters had attended school, to teach knitting and crocheting. Leah is survived by her sons Laurence (wife Valerie and beloved granddaughters Jessica and Marni), Steve (wife Barbara and grandchildren Jennifer, Jodi and Jason), and Mike (wife Beth and grandchildren Haviva and Adam), and 10 great-grandchildren. Burial services were held at Herzl Memorial Park on January 19. Please make donations in loving memory of Leah to Hadassah Hospital medical research, UW Medical School research, American Heart and Lung Association, or the organization of your choice.

Bar Mitzvah

Justin Harris Wampold
Justin will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah on March 1, 2014 at Temple De Hirsch Sinai in Seattle. Justin is the son of Jennie Burns of Mercer Island and Jay Wampold of Seattle. His grandparents are Marlene and Steve Burns, Fran Lawson, and Tom Wampold. Justin is a 7th-grader at Islander Middle School. He enjoys baseball, basketball and soccer, and hanging out with friends and family. For his mitzvah project, Justin is making a donation to the Academy of Precision Learning in honor of family friend Josh Gordon.

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will take place. An obvious question regards the expulsion of Muslims along with Jews. But that invitation will probably not come anytime soon. “Jews pine over Spain,” said Benzaquen. “But the Christians and Muslims fought for Spain.” According to Rabbi Daniel Bouskila of the Sephardic Education Center in Jerusalem and Los Angeles, if Jews do take up the
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offer, there may be halachic implications, given that some rabbis placed a ban with the threat of excommunication on Jews who return to the “cursed” land of Spain. But in his view, the citizenship proposal is “nothing more than a symbolic act of reconciliation, ‘correcting a wrong’ from years ago.” “What’s the point of refusing it?” asked Benzaquen. “We are not the kind of people that want to be vindictive for the sake of it.” Like Israel, he said, “we extend friendship to the world.”

How do I submit a Lifecycle announcement?
E-mail to: [email protected] Phone 206-441-4553 for assistance. Submissions for the March 7, 2014 issue are due by Feb. 25. Download forms or submit online at www.jtnews.net/index.php?/lifecycle Please submit images in jpg format, 400 KB or larger. Thank you!

of our lives. Kind of Kohelet-like, wouldn’t you say? The wind goes toward the south, and turns about unto the north; it turns about continually in its circuit, and the wind returns again to its circuits. There is no denying the talent, the sheer genius of the Fab Four. Their songs, though they reflect a specific zeitgeist, capture a magical time in many of our lives, a common spirit, offering even a few profound thoughts not at odds with Judaism. As per Rabbi Meir’s approach to the scholar apostate, Elisha Ben Avuyah, perhaps we need to become adept at eating the fruit and discarding the pit.

Rivy Poupko Kletenik is an internationally renowned educator and Head of School at the Seattle Hebrew Academy. If you have a question that’s been tickling your brain, send Rivy an email at [email protected].

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2 8 jewish and veggie

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Eat your vegetables — and like them!
MICHael NatkIN JTNews Columnist
Hopefully we are at a point was impossible to resist, and now where it is no longer conI’m glad I didn’t try. Big handsidered a faux pas to actually fuls of parsley and mint at the cook a vegetable. I know there very last second add a nice was a time when all vegetables fresh finish. were indiscriminately boiled to death. Then came the rebellion, and all vegetables had to Cavatelli with Slow Roasted be served just lightly waved Broccoli and Harissa over steam. Your jaw got a Vegetarian; vegan if you good workout in those years. don’t serve the parmesan The truth is many vegeta- Jewish and cheese bles can yield different plea- Veggie 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil sures depending on the time, 8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced temperature, and technique 1 head broccoli, florets cut biteby which they are cooked. Broccoli that is sized; stems peeled and cut bite-sized steamed or boiled for a long time is horri2 tsp. harissa paste ble gray, sulfurous stuff. But slowly, slowly Kosher salt pan-roast broccoli in a good amount of 1 pound cavatelli pasta 1 packed handful parsley leaves olive oil, and it becomes meltingly tender 1 packed handful fresh mint leaves and luscious. It makes a perfect condiment Maldon salt for the al dente chew of properly cooked Freshly ground pepper cavatelli. Freshly ground Parmigiano-Reggiano, optional This dish would more typically be sea• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in soned with a modest amount of chili flakes, your largest skillet. Add the garlic and and that was exactly where I was headed sauté for about 20 seconds. Add the until I spotted the jar of harissa (a Morocbroccoli, harissa, and 1/4 teaspoon can spice paste available at upscale grocers salt and reduce heat to medium low. or Middle Eastern markets) in my fridge. Cook, turning occasionally, until the The thought of that more complex flavor
broccoli is completely tender and delicious — I’ve been known to let this go for 45 minutes or more. Add a little more olive oil during the process if it seems advisable. • Put aside four bowls to warm. • Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the pasta MIChAEL NATkIn until al dente. Cavatelli with slow-roasted broccoli. Transfer to the skilserve immediately, passing the Parlet with the broccoli, reserving a cup mesan cheese at the table if using. of the pasta water. Raise the heat to medium-high. Toss the pasta with the Prep Time: 20 minutes broccoli. If it seems a little dry, drizzle Cook Time: 1 hour in some of the pasta water to develop Yield: 4 servings a bit of moistness and shine. Taste and adjust seasoning; it will probably need Local food writer and chef Michael Natkin’s more salt. cookbook “Herbivoracious, A Flavor Revolution • Stir in the parsley and mint. Divide the with 150 Vibrant and Original Vegetarian pasta among the preheated bowls, Recipes,” was a finalist in 2013 for a James hit with a few flakes of Maldon salt Beard award. The recipes are based on his food and some freshly ground pepper, and blog, herbivoracious.com.

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