AZ Jewish Post » Chanukah

At White House, Chanukah’s light comes from Sandy-ravaged shul’s menorah

sheila — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 23:36:20 +0000

WASHINGTON (JTA) — It has become something of a White House Chanukah tradition.

For the second time, the Obama White House used a menorah from a hurricane-hit region to mark the holiday.

This Chanukah, Rabbi David Bauman brought to the White House one of two 90-year-old menorahs that survived when Hurricane Sandy ravaged Temple Israel in Long Beach, N.Y. The menorah used in 2010 at the White House was from a New Orleans synagogue hit by Hurricane Katrina.

“This 90-year-old menorah survived, and I am willing to bet it will survive another 90 years, and another 90 years after that,” Obama said before the lighting of the candles Thursday night at the White House Chanukah party. “So tonight, it shines as a symbol of perseverance, and as a reminder of those who are still recovering from Sandy’s destruction — a reminder of resilience and hope and the fact that we will be there for them as they recover.”

Jarrod Bernstein, the White House’s 32-year-old director of Jewish outreach, was behind the choice of candelabra. He told JTA that Jewish organizational efforts to help rebuild communities — Jewish and non-Jewish — hit by Sandy fit perfectly with President Obama’s emphasis on getting relief to the Northeast in the storm’s wake.

“Having a menorah with meaning allows us to embody the best spirit of Jewish experience, in the middle of what is a national challenge,” Bernstein said. “There is a Jewish dimension to this — the American Jewish community is ‘working to make this a more perfect union’ as the president often calls it.”

Bernstein described his “aha” moment during a drive to visit family in New York, where he served for years as a community outreach official for Mayor Michael Bloomberg. He had been agonizing about what would serve as the most potent symbol joining the holiday with Obama administration policy.

His wife, Hildy Kuryk — who also happens to be the Democratic National Committee’s finance director — suggested a menorah from one of the many New York-area synagogues hit by Sandy.

“The story of what’s going on there — the rededication and re-sanctification of these communities, there’s definitely a correlation” with Chanukah, Bernstein said.

Bernstein contacted the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, a group he was familiar with from his Bloomberg days and which he admired for working with both Jewish and non-Jewish communities. That led him, in turn, to Temple Israel, established in 1920.

The seven-foot brass menorah is one of a pair dating from at least the building’s 1923 construction, said Rabbi David Bauman, interviewed as he ferried the menorah to Washington for the party. They were spared because they were on an upper floor.

Bauman said he at first didn’t believe the White House was on the line. When he understood it was for real, he said, it was like a ray of light.

He recalled Psalm 30, associated with the dedication of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem: “Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”

Bauman said he hoped the Chanukah party would garner attention not only for the synagogue, but for his neighbors.

“The region and my synagogue’s devastation with Hurricane Sandy, has been incredibly dark,” he said. “Coming to the White House is not only an honor for us but for the entire region.”

Bauman, 41 and a reserve chaplain in the U.S. Marines, leads a nondenominational shul that he describes as “Conservadox” with both separate and mixed seating. There is also a beit midrash; much of the damage was to holy books and Torah scrolls.

The damage, he said, totaled $5 million, and insurance covered just a fraction of that. Moreover, his institution — like other houses of worship — are not necessarily entitled to the federal recovery money because of religion-state separation.

“Hopefully, this will be a way for us to get the story out and raise some money to rebuild,” he said.

Be Kind: Winterhaven Festival of Lights, December 2012

sheila — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 21:58:53 +0000

The Silverman family's kindness yard at night in Winterhaven (Gila Silverman)

I live in a neighborhood known for its Christmas festival. Several years ago, I wrote an essay for this paper, describing our decision to build a giant dreidel for the festival, and reflecting on the experience of living here.

That essay ended with this thought:

Sometimes a giant dreidel at a Christmas festival is more than it appears to be. For me, and I think for my neighbors too, it has become a sign of community and coexistence. There may not be peace in the Middle East in my lifetime. There is little I can do about the battles raging in our country over politics and immigration, marriage and the economy. But in our little corner of Tucson, people of different religions, ethnicities and political beliefs are working together to create something beautiful and joyous. And, in some small way, that gives me hope.

This year there will be no dreidel. After four years, it is time for a change. This year we “donated” our yard to Ben’s Bells, a “community art project that demonstrates and encourages kindness. The Bens’ Bells Project empowers each of us to create community, inspire hope, and spread joy – simply by being kind.”

This year, our yard has been transformed into a garden of kindness.

Why Ben’s Bells? Why “Be kind”?

Ben’s Bells was founded by a Tucson family after the death of their young son. They honor his memory by honoring the simple kindnesses that helped them through their grief. Ben’s Bells – ceramic flowers, hearts and beads, strung together with simple bronze bells – are created by community effort. Each is engraved with the message: be kind. Groups of volunteers form the pieces, paint them, assemble them. By the time each is finished, it has been touched by dozens of hands. You cannot buy a Ben’s Bell. They are hung randomly throughout Tucson, for people to find and keep. In addition, each week one individual is “belled” – surprised with the gift of a bell, after being nominated by others in the community for their consistent and intentional acts of kindness.

In many ways, the message of Ben’s Bells is a logical progression from what the dreidel came to mean to me. “Be kind” is the “how” that gets us from the difficulties of the world we live in, to the hope I described in my earlier essay. (http://azjewishpost.com/2010/chanukah-on-christmas-avenue-raising-a-jewish-family-in-winterhaven/)

These are not easy times. Our hearts have been broken by horrific shooting attacks and devastating natural disasters. The Middle East is enmeshed in yet another cycle of unending war; any hope for a lasting peace seems to be disappearing. In my own family, it has been a year of illness and healing and illness again; a time of endings and new beginnings.

Kindness may seem to be too simple an answer to all of this. “Be kind” seems a little trite in the face of such complex and complicated issues and challenges. But to me, in this moment, this simple message is exactly what we need.

My own understanding of kindness comes from my study of Mussar, a Jewish ethical and spiritual practice. In his discussion of chesed (which loosely translates as loving-kindness), Alan Morinis, a teacher of Mussar, notes: “Only some problems have solutions, while all of them are alleviated by the loving response of those around us.”

Yet he cautions us, this does not mean simply being nice. True kindness involves actions that help to sustain others:

“… it isn’t enough to hold warm thoughts in our heart or to wish each other well. We are meant to offer real sustenance to one another, and the ways in which we can do that are innumerable: we can offer our money, time, love, empathy, service, an open ear, manual assistance, a letter written, a call made, and on and on… Action is required. Then, through experience, the heart learns and opens, setting off a chain reaction of hearts opening and connecting…”

True kindness expects no reward or recognition; it comes from a place of compassion and selfless generosity. This is deep kindness, kindness that stems from our understanding that we are all created b’tzelem elohim (“in God’s image”) – that within each of us, there is a spark of divinity (whatever that means to us). Chesed/loving-kindness challenges us to find those sacred sparks in those around us, even (or maybe especially) if we disagree with them or if they have caused us hurt or harm.

My hope is that the garden of kindness in my yard will inspire us to live a life filled with chesed. May these flowers and bells show us the way to a life filled with meaning and joy and connection with others, despite whatever pain, challenges and suffering we are dealing with. May they remind us to do our best, this holiday season and beyond, at times of crisis and change, and in the small moments of everyday life, to be kind. And, by doing so, may we all be part of that beautiful chain reaction of opening hearts and connecting souls.

Ben’s Bells will be taking 1,000 bells to Newton, Conn., to be hung on Jan. 8. For more information on how you can be involved in this project, visit www.bensbells.org.

New children’s books: high seas adventures, food and fun

sheila — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 00:25:14 +0000

In "Emanuel and the Hanukkah Rescue," author Heidi Smith Hyde explores what it means to hide one's identity through the tale of a spirited 9-year-old boy in a Massachusetts port town. (Courtesy Kar-Ben Publishing)

BOSTON (JTA) — An imaginative historical tale of adventure set on the high seas will captivate young readers this Chanukah season.

“Emanuel and the Hanukkah Rescue” is one of a few new children’s books for the eight day Festival of Lights, which begins this year on the evening of Dec. 8.

Meanwhile, two fun-filled books aim to get food-loving kids of all ages into the kitchen with tantalizing menus while offering other fun holiday activities.

Emanuel and the Hanukkah Rescue
Heidi Smith Hyde, illustrated by Jamet Akib
Kar-Ben ($17.95 hardcover; $7.95 paperback; $13.95 ebook); ages 5-9.

From the opening pages of “Emanuel and the Hanukkah Rescue,” young readers will know they’re in for something out of the ordinary. Set in the 18th century whaling port of New Bedford, Mass., the fictionalized historical tale by Heidi Smith Hyde tells the story of a spirited 9-year-old Jewish boy named Emanuel Aguilar whose father is a merchant who sells sailing supplies and other provisions to the city’s whalers.

“Papa, when will I be old enough to go to sea?” Emanuel asks his father, who cautions his son against the dangers of whaling.

Emanuel yearns to place the family menorah in the window during Chanukah but his father is fearful, recalling the tragedy of the Inquisition in his home country of Portugal, where Jews were not free to practice their faith.

“This isn’t Portugal, Papa. This is America!” Emanuel protests, reminding his father that Chanukah celebrates religious freedom.

On the last day of Chanukah, Emanuel stows away aboard a whaling ship, leaving a note for his papa explaining his hope to be free. But a sudden and vicious storm transforms the fun adventure, as Emanuel learns firsthand the dangers of the sea.By story’s end, the reunited father and son find hope and courage in the light of Chanukah and its power to inspire freedom.

Artist Jamel Akib’s richly colored pastel paintings cast a luminous glow across the landscape. His highly detailed, realistic illustrations put readers into the story, from the interiors of the merchant shop and the family home to the dramatic scenes at sea. One double page spread depicts the busy working waterfront where angular, strong whalers unload crates and barrels from ships.

Hyde was inspired to create the story after reading an article about Jewish involvement in New Bedford’s whaling industry. Jews were an integral part of the industry in New England coastal areas, she learned, serving as merchants, candle exporters and even ship owners. Some Jews in the region practiced their faith in secret.

Hyde says she was struck by the parallels with Chanukah, with its themes of the miracle of the oil and religious freedom. In “Emanuel,” she wanted to explore what it means to hide one’s identity.

“Mostly, I want kids to realize that it’s important to be themselves, not to be afraid of who they are,” she told JTA.

Hanukkah Sweets and Treats
By Ronne Randall
Windmill Books

This colorful book offers step-by-step instructions for six holiday recipes including Luscious Latkes, Easy Applesauce, Fudgy Gelt and a Cupcake Menorah. The large print format with lots of photographs and graphics opens with a two-page spread, “Before You Begin Cooking,” with lists of what you will need as well as safety precautions and even a section on how to use measuring spoons.

Boxed sidebars offer little-known facts on the history of apples, a note on the nutrition of potatoes (must be before they’re fried in oil) and this astonishing statistic: The largest bakery in Israel produces up to 250,000 sufganiyot — Israeli-style filled doughnuts — on each of the eight days of Chanukah. A simple glossary defines words including dough, Maccabees, vitamin and Yiddish.

Maccabee Meals
Food and Fun for Hanukkah
Judye Groner and Madeline Wikler, illustrated by Ursula Roma
Kar-Ben ($8.95 paperback; $6.95 ebook); ages 7-12.

Authors Judye Groner and Madeline Wikler know a thing or two about kids and fun for the Jewish holidays. The pair have co-written more than two dozen books, including their first, “My Very Own Haggadah,” that has sold more than 2 million copies.

“Maccabee Meals” features large, easy-to-read print, lots of lively illustrations and a selection of enticing, unique recipes such as Waffle Latkes with yogurt, or a tea sandwich in the design of a menorah. Interspersed with the recipes and drawings are short stories and other Chanukah facts. One box tells readers that Chanukah and Christmas coincide once every 38 years.

Who knew? All recipes are marked with a dreidel symbol indicating whether they are dairy, meat or parve — and with a dreidel score ranging from no cooking ease to the harder use of hot stove with an adult. Instructions for crafts, playing dreidel, and candle blessings complete the book. Parents will most appreciate the page on party etiquette and this one-liner: “Remember, good cooks always leave the kitchen neat and clean.”

8 tips for an accessible Chanukah

sheila — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 00:17:44 +0000

NEWTON, Mass. (JTA) – Gateways: Access to Jewish Education, a Boston-based agency for Jewish special education, is offering eight suggestions from experts for a Chanukah celebration that is child friendly and fully accessible for children with special learning needs:

1. As Jewish parents and educators, we place a lot of importance on students learning how to say the Chanukah blessings. However, the act of reciting a blessing isn’t as meaningful if a child is simply repeating words in Hebrew that have no meaning to them. Since students with special needs are often strong visual learners, adding symbols to the blessings can help them to learn the meaning of the Hebrew words and phrases. As an added bonus, over the past few years many parents of students with special needs have told me that they had been reciting these blessings all their lives without understanding what the words meant until they looked at our visual blessings.
- Rebecca Redner, teacher, Gateways

2. Did you know that the body learns 10 times faster than the brain — and forgets 10 times slower? Here are some ways to incorporate movement into your Chanukah traditions, providing a fantastic opportunity to incorporate practicing fine and gross motor skills while having fun: build menorahs out of Legos or Play Doh; create a 2D menorah out of shaving cream or finger paint, and cut strips of paper to make a paper chain menorah (all help with motor, visual and spatial planning). Depending on the material used, they can also serve as a multisensory experience. And did you know that spinning the dreidel helps improve finger movement for a child’s pencil grip?
- Ilene Greenwald, occupational therapist

3. One menorah for each family is good — but one for each person in the family is even better. When you have multiple children and only one menorah, siblings may feel left out or have a difficult time waiting for their turn to light the candles. Having a menorah for each member of the family helps the kids feel more engaged and invested in our traditions. Plus, it is an opportunity to practice properly setting up the candles and lighting them. For very young children, you can buy or create a fabric or paper menorah with Velcro candles and flames.
- Sherry Grossman, director, Community Special Education Services, Gateways

4. Making — and eating — latkes is an integral part of Chanukah, and children with an array of needs can participate in helping to prepare them. The key is breaking the process into easy, single-action steps that match your child’s abilities and motor challenges. Do this by creating step-by-step instructions using simple language and pictures. Set up stations — one step per station — with all the supplies the child will need for that step. This gives the child independence and a sense of ownership — and makes cooking with your kids less stressful for you.
- Arlene Remz, executive director, Gateways

5. Many children have difficulty with transitions and waiting. That’s why it is a good idea to separate gift giving from lighting the menorah. I find that kids just want to rush through lighting the menorah to get to the gifts, making it less special. Also, giving kids toys at night (especially on school nights when they won’t have time to play with them) can be challenging. In our house the gift can come at any time during the day, depending on its use: pajamas and books at bedtime; new shoes or winter coats, scarves, etc., before school; and toys afterschool so they have time to play. When we light the menorah, we have time to enjoy the process of setting up the menorah, lighting it and playing dreidel.
- Nancy Mager, director, Jewish Education Program, Gateways

6. Games are a great way to develop social skills and practice taking turns. Here are some great Chanukah gift ideas that in addition to social skills also will help develop executive function and other critical skills:
* Guesstures: One-word charades in a fun format. Helps kids practice reading and using body language to convey messages.
* Getta Letter: One-minute rounds thinking of words in categories. Learning to categorize is an important skill.
* Guess Who? and Hedbanz: Children guess their opponent’s “person” or object by asking descriptive questions. Helps kids use descriptive words and deductive reasoning.
* Rush Hour: The object is to move cars out of the way so one car can exit the board. This helps with motor and visual planning.
- Sharon Goldstein, director, Day School Programs, Gateways

7. In advance of Chanukah, one of my teachers has a discussion about Jewish heroes in her class (you can easily do this at home). The students identify eight heroes who made an impression on them; the teacher makes up a packet with information about each one to send home. The students then can read about a different hero with their families each night while lighting the candles. The heroes they choose range from the obvious to the unsung.
- Ilene Beckman, director, Rabbi Albert I. Gordon Religious School, Temple Emanuel, Newton, Mass.

8. For children who love and learn best through engaging technology, there are some great Chanukah apps out there for iPads and smartphones! My top five favorites are 123 Color (iPad, free); iChanukah (iPhone, 99 cents); Light My Fire (iPad, free); DreidelTap (iPhone, free); and Chai on Chanukah (iPhone, 99 cents).
- Beth Crastnopol, director, Professional Development Programs, Gateways

(Visit Gateways’ website for Chanukah blessings with visuals, social stories and more.)

CHANUKAH FEATURE: Teaching children the joy of mitzvot at holiday time

sheila — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 00:08:32 +0000

Diane Heiman, co-author of "It's a...It's a...It's a Mitzvah," with children at a JCC of Greater Washington book event. (Courtesy Diane Heiman)

NEW YORK (JTA) — Chanukah, when children look forward to getting gifts and gelt, is an ideal time to recall Judaism’s commitment to helping others and tikkun olam, repairing the world.

Two recently published books, “The Mitzvah Project Book: Making Mitzvah Part of Your Bar/Bat Mitzvah … and your Life” (Jewish Lights) and “It’s a … It’s a … It’s a Mitzvah (Jewish Lights)” can help parents and their children find creative ideas for doing good deeds during the Festival of Lights and throughout the year.

“The Mitzvah Project Book” targets preteens and suggests projects that leverage their talents and interests to make the world a better place. The book offers nearly 200 mitzvah project ideas — videotaping an elder’s personal history, crafting decorations for hospital walls and sending care packages to Israeli soldiers, among others — that can be part of a family’s Chanukah activities.

While the book has a young person’s bar/bat mitzvah experience as its starting point, teens and their families will appreciate the many terrific tzedakah projects appropriate for Chanukah.

Focusing on younger audiences, “It’s a … It’s a … It’s a Mitzvah” brings Mitzvah Meerkat and his animal friends to life through a lively introduction of mitzvot. On its colorful pages, young children will see that thoughtfulness and kindness mark the beginning of a Jewish journey and a lifetime commitment to tikkun olam.

Illustrator Laurel Molk presents pictures of adorable animal characters who perform simple good deeds and acts of loving kindness. In each playful vignette, children engage with Jewish wisdom, such as sharing food with the hungry, welcoming new friends and taking care of the Earth.

“What a splendid way to introduce young children to the rich moral vocabulary of Judaism,” said Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin, the author of many children’s books. “[It] makes a powerful statement — you’re never too young to be fully engaged with Jewish ideals.”

On Sunday, about a week before Chanukah, Temple Beth El in Boca Raton, Fla., organized a youth program mitzvah day around “It’s a… It’s a… It’s a Mitzvah” that included co-author Diane Heiman reading to the children. Rabbi Jessica Brockman said the book inspired the synagogue.

“We targeted our preschool audience and taught them the important message of doing good deeds and doing it through understanding what exactly a mitzvah is,” she said.

The children collected gently used books for needy kids and made crafts based on the book.

At Congregation Shar’aray in Hingham, Mass., Heiman’s co-author, Liz Suneby, read with a group of children from preschool to second grade.

“I was able to see firsthand the impact of the book,” said the congregation’s cantor, Steven Weiss. “Our own daughter, Breanna, fell in love with the book and was excited to say ‘It’s a … It’s a … It’s a Mitzvah!’ each and every time the phrase appeared. This book is a wonderful way to teach little ones about the different concepts of mitzvot.”

As Chanukah is about miracles — the mystery of one day’s worth of oil burning for eight days and a remarkable victory of the small band of Maccabees against the greater enemy — our sense of wonder during Chanukah can inspire acts of tikkun olam. Emphasizing giving rather than getting is a true reflection of the festival.

Here are eight ways to incorporate mitzvot into a Chanukah celebration:

* Place the menorah in a window as a symbol of hope and affirmation.
* Welcome friends and neighbors over to share latkes.
* Collect gently worn clothing that your family has outgrown to give to the needy.
* Forgo your own gifts and shop for a family in need.
* Share kind words and Chanukah greetings with cards or emails to family far away.
* Plant a tree in Israel through the Jewish National Fund to support the environment.
* Celebrate Shabbat when it falls during Chanukah.
* Pray for peace under the glow of the menorah.

8 tips for an accessible Chanukah

sheila — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 20:24:41 +0000

Shining a new light on the Jewish response to Christmas

PHYLLIS BRAUN - AJP Executive Editor — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 19:48:11 +0000

From Kung Pao kosher comedy to a swinging Mardi Gras version of the “Dreidel” song, two new Chanukah season releases explore the intriguing, delightful and sometimes perplexing ways in which American Jews have responded to Christmas.

In a book and an audio CD compilation, the holiday season known as the “December dilemma” is seen and heard in a new light. An added bonus: the covers of both are enticing and entertaining.

In the book “A Kosher Christmas” (Rutgers University Press, $22.95) subtitled “’Tis the Season to be Jewish,” Joshua Eli Plaut offers a richly detailed, page-turning read that draws on historical documents and ethnographic research sprinkled with often humorous images and photos.

In his introduction, Plaut, a rabbi and scholar, admits to a lifelong fascination with Christmas. The son of a rabbi, he recalls as a young child growing up on Long Island in the 1960s that his mother dutifully took him to sit on Santa’s lap every December.

“She was never worried about any influence on me as a child because my family was secure in its Jewish identity,” he writes.

Plaut paints a historical portrait of the shifts in American Jewish attitudes toward Christmas — the only American holiday founded on religion, he notes.

Jews have employed “a multitude of strategies to face the particular challenges of Christmas and to overcome feelings of exclusion and isolation,” he writes, adding that Jews actually have played a crucial role in popularizing Christmas by composing many of the country’s most beloved holiday songs.

Plaut treats readers to a chapter on the popular Jewish custom of eating Chinese food on Christmas, a tradition that surprisingly dates back more than a century to Eastern European immigrants on the Lower East Side of New York. One photo shows a sign in a Chinese restaurant window that thanks the Jewish people for their patronage during Christmas.

In the 1990s, comedian Lisa Geduldig hosted the first Kung Pao Kosher Comedy evening of Jewish stand-up comedy in a San Francisco Chinese restaurant on Christmas. Two decades later the event is still going strong and being replicated in cities across America.

On a more serious note, Plaut reveals a long history of Jewish volunteerism on Christmas, serving the needy and working shifts for non-

Jewish co-workers, allowing them to spend the day with family and friends.

Plaut also covers the challenges faced by intermarried families at Chanukah and Christmas. He addresses as well the subject of public displays of religious symbols, with Jews on both sides of the issue.

Jonathan Sarna, the American Jewish historian who wrote the foreword, cautions that the book should not be read merely as a story of assimilation. In a phone conversation with JTA, the prominent Brandeis University professor argues that if that were the case, the book would be about how Jews observe Christmas.

Rather, Plaut chronicles how Jews demonstrate their Jewish identity through alternative ways of acting on Christmas that show them to be Jewish and American. Most significant, Sarna asserts, “A Kosher Christmas” is important because it portrays how two religions are transformed by the knowledge of the other.

The CD, “’Twas the Night Before Hanukkah” ($15.99) is a lively and inspiring music collection gathered by the Idelsohn Society, a nonprofit volunteer organization that aims to celebrate a Jewish musical heritage that may be lost to history.

The two-CD set includes 17 tracks for Chanukah and Christmas — some familiar and others that are lesser known. Performers on the Chanukah disc include Woody Guthrie, Cantor Yossele Rosenblatt, Flory Jagoda, Mickey Katz, the Klezmatics and Debbie Friedman. Among the voices that croon and swing on the Christmas disc are The Ramones, Theo Bikel, Dinah Shore, Sammy Davis Jr. and Benny Goodman.

A 31-page booklet of liner notes is a fascinating read of short essays, information on the songs and colorful reproductions of old Chanukah recordings.

The project started as an effort to present a historical survey of Chanukah music, according to David Katznelson, a veteran record producer who is one of the four principals of the Idelsohn Society. Other members of the core group include Roger Bennett, Courtney Holt and Josh Kun.

As their search deepened, they found noteworthy Chanukah recordings, Katznelson recalls, some by well-known performers, others by little-known singers and educators. But the group was most struck by the abundance of Christmas music by Jewish composers and performers.

“The biggest Jewish names in music have at least one Christmas recording in their catalog,” they write in the liner notes.

The group shifted the lens of their project to tell the full story “of how American Jews used music to negotiate their place in American national culture,” according to the liner notes.

“This was an amazing way to look at Jewish identity in the 20th century, through a combination of the history of Chanukah recordings side by side with Jews performing Christmas songs,” Katznelson affirms.

Some of the earliest Chanukah recordings appear in the 1920s and 1930s. By then, what had been a minor Jewish holiday through the later years of the 19th century had been transformed into a major celebration that was promoted by Jewish religious leaders and embraced by American Jewry.

The emergence of Chanukah recordings parallels that transformation, Katznelson suggests. In the postwar 1950s, in addition to traditional songs, livelier recordings targeted children.

On the Chanukah recording, Katznelson points to “Yevonim” (The Greeks) by Rosenblatt as the showstopper. Rosenblatt, a Ukraine native who immigrated to New York in 1912 at the age of 30, became known in the United States as the greatest cantor of his time.

A Yiddish song about the Chanukah oil that burned for eight days, “Yevonim” opens with a chorus of women followed by Rosenblatt’s huge, haunting rich tenor full of color and warmth.

Many will be surprised by Guthrie’s upbeat version of “Hanukkah Dance,” part of his 1940s collection of Jewish songs made for Moses Asch, founder of Folkways Records.

“He can take anything and make it American,” Katznelson says of the late folk legend, whose centennial birthday this year is being marked by performances of his music across the country.

Sure to be a party favorite is the version of “Dreidel” performed live by Jeremiah Lockwood, Ethan Miller and Luther Dickinson. The song was recorded live at a pop-up Chanukah record store concert hosted last year in San Francisco by the Idelsohn Society.

At the end of the song, the trio takes off into the New Orleans classic “Iko Iko,” sung to the tune of “Dreidel.” The tune no doubt will get listeners off the couch, singing and dancing.

On the Christmas CD, Katznelson is most drawn to Bikel’s little-known 1967 recording of “Sweetest Dreams Be Thine.” Bikel, the beloved Jewish folk singer and actor, performs the Christmas song moving between Hebrew and English.

“It’s the quintessential track of the whole compilation,” Katznelson says. “It’s just Chanukah and Christmas, side by side, a perfect mishmosh.”

Katznelson says the society hopes the music conveys a deeper sense of Jewish history while raising questions that provoke conversation about the meaning of the holiday music.

Some may hear familiar songs in a new perspective, he says.

“This is music that is usually in the background,” Katznelson says. “We’re bringing it to the foreground.”

Candlelighting celebrates paths to courage

PHYLLIS BRAUN - AJP Executive Editor — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 19:42:40 +0000

Writer Dasee Berkowitz’s 4-year-old son, Tamir, prepares to battle the the bad guys — his way of showing courage, which we celebrate at Chanukah. (Courtesey Dasee Berkowitz)

My 4-year-old son is obsessed with superheroes, dressing up at every opportunity as the superhero du jour to do battle with the bad guys lurking around the corner. (My 2-year-old daughter is just as enthusiastic, but at her age all she can really muster is a “meanie” face.)

From a developmental perspective, I know this fantasy play is his way of exercising control over a world he is learning is

increasingly out of his control. But I also see other qualities — his desire to be strong, to stand up for the good guys — in short, to be courageous.

Becoming courageous doesn’t happen overnight. It develops when children have opportunities to stand up for what’s right and to take responsible risks. Through

experiences my husband and I provide, and the stories we tell them, we can lay some groundwork.

As I think about a central message of the Chanukah story and the way I want to portray it to my kids, models of courage abound. From Judah Maccabee, to Judith and Hannah and her seven sons, heroes and heroines fought for the right to be different, to be Jews who refused to assimilate into the prevailing Hellenistic culture.

When Antiochus Epiphanes came to power, and observance of the most basic mitzvot (circumcision, Shabbat celebration and kashrut) were turned into capital offenses, their acts of courage formed the basis of a central narrative of the Chanukah story that has been passed down through the generations.

Consider Judah Macabee, whose army with a bunch of Jewish soldiers used guerrilla tactics and religious zeal to defeat the stronger Assyrian Greek army. He forced the Assyrian Greeks to rescind the policies that forbade Jewish practice, and in 164 BCE liberated the Temple in Jerusalem and rededicated it to a place of Jewish worship.

Consider Judith, who did her part to prevent the siege of Jerusalem in her hometown of Bethulia by seducing Holfenes, the Assyrian Greek army general, and then decapitating him. Her bravery is so highly esteemed by the rabbis that it is because of her that Jewish women are obligated to light Chanukah candles.

And consider Hannah and her seven sons, who refused to bow down to Zeus and Antiochus and eat non-kosher meat. The Book of Maccabees relates that each of her sons and then her mother were tortured to death.

“Who is a hero?” the rabbis ask. “One who overcomes his urges?” (Mishna, Pirkei Avot 4:1)

Overcoming our most natural desires and exercising personal restraint is another kind of heroism. This is a kind of everyday courage.

When we are present in a difficult conversation with someone we care about — even though our impulse is to leave — we are heros. When we resist the urge to say something that we know will offend another person, even if we think it is warranted, we are courageous. When we have vowed not to feed a habit that is destructive, and when tempted and resist (a smoke, an extra piece of chocolate cake), we are being our own heroes.

This Chanukah, celebrate all of the dimensions of courage by dedicating each night to one of them:

Candle 1 to the classic Chanukah heroes of Judah Maccabee, Judith and Hannah.

Candle 2 to the courageous acts of our children who welcome a new kid to the school, speak out against bullying or have faith that the next day at school might be a little better than today.

Candle 3 to someone in your community who fought for a cause you believe in.

Candle 4 to someone in your family — perhaps a parent or grandparent — and a courageous act they performed during their lives.

Candle 5 to American and Israeli soldiers who are fighting to protect values and ideals that are sacred to us.

Candle 6 to the courage that you have exercised by restraint — with a co-worker, spouse, child, friend or parent.

Candle 7 to a person in your life who most exemplifies courage.

Candle 8 to that quality of courage in ourselves that enables us to bring light into dark places and for the energy to stoke the embers of our own sense of courage.

‘New Kosher Cuisine’ extends to baked latkes, healthy eating habits

PHYLLIS BRAUN - AJP Executive Editor — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 19:02:20 +0000

Roast capon with olives makes a great Chanukah dish -- especially for olive lovers. (Ann Stratton)

When I married 55 years ago, I knew nothing about cooking. I grew up during war years in Europe when food was not available.

So my exposure to food, and particularly traditional food, was nonexistent. After I married, I decided to take cooking classes, first studying with chef Michael Field, author of the 1965 book “Michael Field’s Cooking School.” He realized that I had limitations because I never ate any of his meat dishes; I kept kosher. But he wanted to help and gave me substitutes and kept saying, “You can do this.”

From there I moved onto Chinese cooking and classes with Millie Chan, author of “Kosher Chinese Cookbook.” I also read many books and took notes. And as ingredients became available in kosher versions, I experimented. Equipped with all of this information, I tested and retested recipes to make them kosher and my own.

Now I am the author of three cookbooks, the most recent of which was just published this fall, “Helen Nash’s New Kosher Cuisine.”

For holidays, I must confess that I like traditional recipes, so it is a little unusual that I would attempt to change anything in a potato latke recipe. But since I also believe in nutritious, healthy eating habits, I had to find a way to improve on the tradition of frying latkes.

My challenge: to preserve the flavor of the fried potato pancake and at the same time to make it healthier, less messy (which frying always is) and more versatile. In other words, a latke doesn’t have to be just for Chanukah. It can also be a lovely side dish for fish, chicken or meat. It can even be a wonderful appetizer served with gravlox or as a small hors d’oeuvre topped with smoked salmon.

After many trials, I discovered that latkes can be baked with very little oil while still preserving their crispy texture and flavor. In addition, my recipe can be made in batches and frozen in plastic containers with wax paper between the layers. The fact that they can

be made ahead of time

is particularly helpful for Chanukah party hosts, who have so many other responsibilities.

My recipe requires the same technique of grating the potatoes and the same seasoning, but a fraction of the oil that normally is used when you’re frying potato latkes. The important element is that the cookie sheets should be of nonstick heavy gauge and the oven temperature quite high.

I’ve also included a recipe for roast capon with olives, which makes a great Chanukah dish if you’re serving a full meal. Capons have a subtly sweet taste that is quite different from chicken and turkey. The olives add an interesting flavor and give the sauce a delicious taste and texture.

My family and friends — especially the olive lovers — always ask for second helpings.

POTATO LATKES

Makes 6 dozen bite-size latkes

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium onion,

quartered

4 medium Idaho baking

potatoes

1/4 cup unbleached

all-purpose flour

1 large egg plus 1 large egg

white, lightly whisked

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly

ground black pepper

Place an oven shelf in the lowest position and preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Brush three heavy nonstick cookie sheets with 1 tablespoon oil each. (The thickness of the sheets allows the bottoms of the latkes to become golden.)

Pulse the onion in a

food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl. Remove the metal blade from the processor and put on the medium shredding attachment. Peel the potatoes and cut them lengthwise into quarters. Insert them into the food processor’s feed tube and grate.

Combine the potatoes with the onion. Add the flour, egg, egg white, and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and mix well. Season to taste with the salt and pepper.

Place 1 level tablespoon portions of the potato mixture slightly apart on the greased cookie sheets. Bake the latkes one sheet at a time on the lowest shelf for 11 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown. Turn the latkes over and bake for another 6 minutes, or until they are lightly golden.

Notes: Latkes can be baked earlier in the day and reheated. Arrange on a wire rack set over a cookie sheet in a preheated 350-degree oven until hot, about 6 minutes. The wire rack prevents them from getting soggy.

To freeze: Place latkes side by side in an airtight plastic container lined with wax paper, separating the layers with wax paper. To reheat, take them straight from the freezer and arrange on a wire rack set over a cookie sheet. Place in a preheated 400-degree oven until hot, 8 to 10 minutes.

ROAST CAPON

WITH OLIVES

Makes 10 to 12 servings

1 capon, about 9 pounds

3 tablespoons freshly

squeezed lemon juice

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black

pepper

2 onions

1 cup tightly packed

flat-leaf parsley,

coarsely chopped

3/4 cup pitted Kalamata

olives, quartered

3 tablespoons unsalted

margarine, melted

1 cup dry white wine

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Discard any excess fat from the capon. Rinse it inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Season the inside and out with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Thinly slice one of the onions and set aside. Quarter the other onion and place it in the cavity along with the parsley and 1 tablespoon of the olives. Brush the capon with the margarine and place it on its side in a roasting pan. Scatter the sliced onions and the remaining olives around the pan.

Roast the capon for 35 minutes, basting with one-third of the wine. Turn the capon on its other side and roast for another 35 minutes, again basting with a third of the wine. Turn the capon breast side up for 15 minutes, basting with the remaining wine. Turn the breast side down for another 15 minutes. The capon is ready when the drumstick juices run clear. (The total cooking time is about 1 hour and 40 minutes, or about 11 minutes per pound.)

Remove the capon from the oven and cover it tightly with heavy foil. Let it stand for 20 minutes to let the juices flow back into the meat. Place it on a cutting board.

Pour the liquid from the baking pan, along with the olives and onions, into a small saucepan.

Place the saucepan in the freezer for about 10 minutes, so that the grease can quickly rise to the top. (This makes it easier to remove.)

To serve: Skim off the fat and reheat the sauce. Discard the onion and parsley from the cavity. Cut the breast into thin slices and serve with the sauce.

‘Heifer at Hanukkah’ empowers families

PHYLLIS BRAUN - AJP Executive Editor — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 18:46:14 +0000

Frony Chaima from Malawi, with a heifer her family received from a Heifer International supporter

Heifer International is known for practical, philanthropic gift-giving. Since 1944, Heifer’s mission has been to end hunger and poverty through gifts that provide self-reliance. The organization currently offers 30 kinds of livestock, trees, seeds and agricultural training to needy families in 42 countries, including the United States. Donations may support the gift of a dairy cow to a family in Albania, honeybees to a young man starting his own business in Honduras, a flock of chicks to a boy in the Philippines, or the opportunity for a woman to start her own farm in India.

This year, the friendship between Jonathan Blank, a New York investment manager, and Heifer International CEO Pierre Ferrari, extended the operation to Jewish gift-giving. Blank created “Heifer at Hanukkah” when Ferrari asked him how to offer “better outreach to the Jewish community.”

Ferrari, the Heifer CEO since 2010, was born in Africa in 1950 in what was then the Belgian Congo, which later became Zaire and is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He has more than 40 years of business experience with companies ranging from Coca-Cola USA to socially oriented organizations such as CARE.

Blank, now national chairperson of “Heifer at Hanukkah,” told the AJP, “It’s a way to give a more meaningful gift on the sixth night or whatever night of Chanukah” after children have received toys or candy.

In Tucson, Charlie Goode, 16, donated to Heifer International two years ago as a member of the B’nai Tzedek Jewish teen philanthropy program of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona and Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona. “The reason why I chose Heifer International is because world poverty is a major issue we have in today’s society,” Goode explains. “By giving an animal, a family can benefit more than by giving money. It meant a lot to me because I knew I was helping families that need it. It made me feel really good about myself.”

Reaching out to Jewish donors of all ages was important in the planning of “Heifer at Hanukkah,” says Blank. “We wanted to respect Jewish donors. We removed pigs and rabbits from the “Heifer at Hanukkah” catalogue. We got Jewish celebrities to talk about tzedakah (philanthropy) and tikkun olam (repairing the world),” speaking directly to Jewish families on two short online videos (heifer.org/Hanukkah).

Ed Asner, the Jewish actor best known for his roles in “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and the Pixar film “Up,” and Mark Feuerstein, the star of USA Network’s “Royal Pains,” both donated their time, making one video for parents and a humorous one for children.

Appealing to other grandparents, Asner says in the video, “This year, I’m giving a cow from Heifer International in my granddaughter’s honor. She will receive the gift of giving tzedakah. Kids play with a good toy for a few minutes or a year, but this gift ends poverty here at home and abroad.”

Feuerstein says the idea of “giving people something that can help repair their economic well-being and the future of generations of their family with livestock is so beautiful. Heifer International is working to repair the world — one family at a time and one animal at a time.”