Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on June 30, 2017

Jewish families across South Florida who aren't affiliated with a synagogue have the opportunity to give their children a traditional bar or bat mitzvah through Temple Beth El of Hollywood's Accelerated Prep Program.

The inclusive APP is considered a no-strings attached course offered to Jewish families who do not want to join a synagogue but do want to have the bar or bat mitzvah for their child. This program is designed as a fast track one where teens learn to read Hebrew in order to read their Torah portion and lead the service.

Temple Beth El's Rabbi Allan Tuffs and Cantor Manny Silver tutor children one-on-one and custom tailor the program to fit each child's needs as individual classes are 30 minutes each week and can be taken through Skype or Facetime if needed. The families will also have the opportunity to have their child's service officiated by both Tuffs and Silver in the synagogue's sanctuary.

Tuffs said that since this program started almost two years ago, they've had close to 20 children from all over South Florida who have participated in it.

"What we want to do, and what we try to do, is to give these children an authentic, meaningful bar or bat mitzvah experience with the hope that this will be the beginning of a growing relationship with the Jewish tradition," Tuffs noted.

One family that has benefited from this program is the Rauh family from Sunrise. Sherry and Christian Rauh's 13-year-old son Julian recently had his bar mitzvah through the program. While Sherry is Jewish, Christian is not, so Julian was given a choice to have a traditional bar mitzvah, and he chose to do so. As the Rauhs are not members of a synagogue, Sherry noted that the program "was an absolute perfect fit for what we needed."

"It gave Julian the opportunity to learn Hebrew in less than a year and have a traditional bar mitzvah."

With the Rauhs living in Sunrise, traveling to the synagogue in Hollywood would've proven extremely time consuming for them especially with the rush hour traffic, so Julian did most of his bar mitzvah training with the cantor through Skype.

"I was a little bit apprehensive as to whether he could really learn Hebrew over Skype, but it actually turned out to be fantastic," Sherry said. "It worked perfectly well. He was able to use the books he had at home and recite all the lessons he was learning with the cantor via Skype and that was a huge help for us considering it would've been an hour to drive to the temple and back every week."

Julian enjoyed this experience.

"I never really studied Hebrew before, so it was a really great program. The cantor was really great. He really helped me and I learned what I needed to know in a year."

Julian said his bar mitzvah ceremony at the synagogue was "really great."

"I never really experienced anything like that before and it was a really awesome experience. Doing what I've been studying for a long time was really a satisfying feeling."

Sherry said regarding her son's bar mitzvah ceremony, "It was very much a traditional bar mitzvah but very welcoming to the parts of our family that are not Jewish and it exceeded my expectations."

Another local family that has used the program are the Sickers from North Miami. The Sickers were not members of any synagogue when their son Ethan studied through this program and had his bar mitzvah at Temple Beth El more than a year ago.

Ethan's mother Erin Sicker called it an "amazing" program.

"I recommend it totally," she said. "First of all, Cantor Manny is absolutely wonderful. We met with him and that was the end of that. Ethan absolutely connected with him. It was a wonderful, wonderful experience."

Silver said, "My goal is to make this a positive experience for the children and that they come out of this experience with a sense of pride of who they are and a sense of accomplishment. I would say we're very successful in that."

Visit templebethelhollywood.org/barbat-mitzvah-academy/ or call the synagogue at 954-920-8225 for more information.

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Posted By admin on June 30, 2017

(JTA) Women who read aloud from the Torah at a synagogue in Marseille were subjected to threats and insults by congregants after local rabbis condemned the event.

The dozens of threats and insults, made on social networks and in emails, started coming in Saturday night after the group of half a dozen women read the Torah at the Fleg Jewish Center that morning, the French community centers president,Raymond Arouch, and director, Martine Yana, wrote in a statement Monday.

The threats were of all kinds of assaults and were intolerable, Arouch and Yana said in the statement, which neither identified the women nor contained examples of the abuse. They said the synagogue at the community center was nondenominational and open to all Jewish streams, including Reform Jews, who worship in an egalitarian manner. However, men and women were seated separately inside the synagogue during the reading, organizers said.

The incident prompted passionate statements from supporters and critics of the womens actions, which some Orthodox Jews believe contradicts what they perceive as a prohibition on the vocalization of Torah portions by women at synagogue. The news site JForum called the fallout of the incident a scandal in an article Thursday.

The reading of the weekly portion by a woman in the framework of a religious ceremony is not permitted in the Halakha, the chief rabbi of Marseille, Reuven Ohana, wrote in a statement Thursday upon hearing of the womens plan to stage a public reading on Saturday. We ask the people involved not to offend the sensibilities of the public, added the rabbi in a letter co-signed by two other spiritual leaders from the rabbis from the city.

The rabbis wrote they are disturbed and terribly perturbed and furious over the event.

But the rabbinical intervention prompted a pushback from some Jews in Marseille, which is home to Frances second largest Jewish community of approximately 80,000 members and overwhelmingly Sephardic and Orthodox.

Have you applied any measures benefiting women in synagogue? Liliane Vana, a prominent member of the community and a Talmud scholar, wrote on Friday in an open letter addressed to the rabbis. For girls during their bar mitzvah? Anything?

She accused the rabbis of remaining silent on injustices involving chained women wives who are unable to obtain a Jewish divorce because their husbands refuse.

Vana added that she, too, is disturbed and terribly perturbed and furious by the rabbis reaction.

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Posted By admin on June 30, 2017

ManyAtlanta synagogues have closed the doors on their gift shopsin recent years, and some remaining vendors are struggling to maintain their hold on customers.

The one at Sinai closed, the AA (Ahavath Achim Synagogue) shop closed, Shearith Israel, they all closed. Its crazy, said Sheila Schwartz, who manages the store at Congregation Beth Shalom. The Temple, Atlantas largest congregation, briefly tried a self-service Judaica shop in partnership with ModernTribe after turning its store into a coffee lounge.

The remaining shul stores offer options for simcha shopping to members and nonmembers alike.

Our biggest challenge is getting people into the shop. We are not exactly a destination. They have to know about us, and unless you belong to our synagogue, you dont, she said in a telephone interview. Getting our name out is very difficult. There are a lot of people who are unaffiliated and might want something, but they dont know we exist.

Schwartz has run the Beth Shalom location for 15 years and laments the advent of online shopping for cutting into her business, but she doesnt use the Beth Shalom website for commerce. We dont sell anything (online). None of us is that computer-literate. If someone wants to do that for us, wed love it. Were just a lot of little old ladies who volunteer and work very hard.

She said one advantage of a brick-and-mortar Judaica store is that shoppers can see and touch the merchandise.She touted the wide array of tallitot she has available, as well as items usually found only in Israel, where she goes frequently on buying trips.

My children live in Israel. I go there twice a year, and while there, I shop, and I bring things back in my suitcase so I dont have to pay any shipping,Schwartz said. Ive been to a shofar factory, which was a very interesting experience. Been to Tel Aviv, Jaffa; its fun. I get lost a lot. My husband drives, and we have adventures trying to find where we want to go.

Calling a synagogue gift shop a unique animal, Schwartz said its a mitzvah to shop there instead of going to a place where theyre in it for the profit. We do it as a fundraiser for the synagogue. You get points in heaven if you shop with us.

A key element in this type of retail operation is a dedicated group of volunteers, Schwartz said, and that point was echoed by Illyse Sheaffer, Temple Kol Emeths Sisterhood president.

It is the volunteers that make and/or break the gift shop, Sheaffer said. Volunteerism has declined in areas like this, but we continue to pursue the best we can. We too have been faced with the decision to keep the gift shop open or close it in recent months. It is the persistence and passion of some very special people that are ensuring us keeping our shop open.

Money raised by sales at the TKE Sisterhood storego toward provisions for Habitat for Humanity and the Zaban Paradies Center shelter, donations to Jewish youth groups, and the synagogues High Holiday campaign, among other endeavors.

Beth Shaloms Schwartz said she doesnt know why those other synagogue shops closed. Maybe they couldnt get enough volunteers; maybe there was not enough business. They all have their reasons, but we just keep going.

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Posted By richards on June 30, 2017

Lets redefine Jewish. Lets make it bigger, broader and more inclusive.

That was my biggest takeaway from the annual PJ Library conference in Reisterstown,Md., that I attended in April with Jennifer Cohen, the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlandos director of Outreach and Engagement.

The conference was set at the Pearlman Institute, which is a Jewish farm/conference center with Hebrew signage everywhere and super-yummy, healthy, farm-to-table food. Pearlman and PJ made me feel like I was being hugged by a Jewish grandmother the whole time.

So whats the value of being more inclusive? Its the key to bringing Judaism into the now and into the future. It means being friendlier, more open and more ready to receive those who are intermarried or who are Jewish by choice. Single moms? Sure. Interracial couples? Yes. Those who had a bad Jewish experience in childhood? Let us heal you. Why? Because if we want to keep our culture and traditions alive, we need people to pass it on tolots of people.

Am I proud to be Jewish? Absolutely, and apparently Im not alone. In the latest PJ Library national survey, 99 percent of respondents said they are proud of their Jewish heritage, too! Ive been through a lot in my life, and the Jewish community has helped me stay strong. However, I must admit, I didnt even really know how to be Jewish before I had children. Thats the beauty of PJ Library: It doesnt just teach the children the joys, honors and responsibilities of being Jewish; it teaches the parents.

Free booksthats where it all begins. Just free Jewish books. PJ Library sends more than 170,000 books every month to families all over the world. They arent religious tales but rather moral ones.

Mitzvahs! Thats the core of being Jewish to me: community and mitzvahs. If our heart is pure and our community is healthy, being Jewish will become more and more of an honor for us all.

Once the kids and parents love the books, its time to build the community. Jennifer Cohen is doing that right here in Greater Orlando for the Federation with her warm, cozy, crafty PJ Library/Shalom Families events, which are all about bringing families together.

So lets embrace inclusiveness! I am so proud of how strong we all are. We have seen so much ugliness and still we are standing. Lets stand even stronger and leave not one child or parent who wants to be Jewish feeling alone or unwanted. We want you. You are Jewish, and we are proud.

Fiona Anavi is the volunteer co-chair of the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlandos Shalom Families committee.

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Posted By simmons on June 30, 2017

The USA delegation entering Ramat Gan Stadium at the 2013 Maccabiah opening ceremony.

During the 20th Maccabiah Games next month, about 7,000 Jewish athletes from 80 countries will descend upon the Holy Land to join 2,500 Israeli athletes in the Olympic-style competition.

Held every four years, the Jewish multi-sport competition is the world's third-largest sporting event. From July 4-18, the Maccabiah Games will have the added significance of coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the reunification of this year's host city, Jerusalem.

"Fifty years after unification, we have finally returned the Maccabiah to its rightful place, Jerusalem-the capital of Israel," Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat told reporters Tuesday.

Tamir Goodman, an entrepreneur and motivational speaker who gained fame during his high school basketball career in 1999, whenSports Illustrated magazinenicknamed him the "Jewish Jordan," noted that some of the most successful Jewish athletes are "deeply rooted" in their spiritual connection to Judaism or their connection to Israel. Goodman, who in his playing days was known for balancing a busy secular game schedule with his observance of Orthodox rituals, was given the honor of lighting the torch at the opening ceremonies of the 2001 Maccabiah Games in Atlanta.

"It's very exciting that this year's athletes will be able to showcase their skills in Jerusalem, especially now during the 50th reunification year," Goodman told JNS.org. "Hopefully the experience will further their connection to Israel and their Jewish identity, and also enhance their skill level."

Basketball player and coach Larry Brown, swimmers Jason Lezak and Mark Spitz, and gymnast Mitch Gaylord are among the many Jewish athletes who have competed in the Maccabiah Games before going on to achieve fame in the broader international sports arena.

A mix of modern-day Israeli and international Jewish sports stars will compete in the 2017 games and participate in the opening ceremonies, including Israeli Olympic judo bronze medalists Ori Sasson and Yarden Gerbi, Israeli Paralympics rower Moran Samuel, Israeli rhythmic gymnast Neta Rivkin, Israeli NBA star Omri Casspi, American Olympic gold medalist swimmer Anthony Ervin, and French Olympic gold medalist swimmer Fabien Gilot.

Commenting on the significance of diaspora Jews' participation in the Maccabiah Games alongside Israeli athletes, Jeffrey Gurock, a professor of Jewish history at Yeshiva University, told JNS.org, "In the 1930s, when the Jews were vulnerable, the Maccabiah provided an opportunity for Jewish athletes to project strength and pride to the world."

"Today it is no less important for American Jewish sportspeople to affirm through participation in these games their solidarity with a strong Israel, even as the Jewish state faces foes in so many world arenas," Gurock added.

During the 2017 games, contestants will compete in 43 different sports in the categories of Youth, Open, Masters and Paralympics. In the host city, some 3,000 athletes will participate in 14 sports at Jerusalem's Pais Arena and other venues. Additional competitions will be held at 68 sports complexes throughout Israel.

Soccer is the largest contest in the Maccabiah Games, with more than 1,400 athletes from 20 countries participating. In addition to the athletes, as many as 20,000 international fans are expected to attend the games, injecting around $100 million into Israel's economy.

"I am ecstatic that on the 50th year of the unification of Jerusalem, we are opening the biggest Maccabiah yet," Amir Peled, chairman of the Maccabiah Games, told JNS.org. "The Maccabiah is the essence of the values I believe in: Zionism, Judaism, brotherhood, peoplehood and sports. The Maccabiah is the one place that Jews from all over the world can come together and bond, and there's no better place to do so than Jerusalem."

Yossi Sharabi, director general of the Israeli Ministry of Culture and Sport, said the athletic competition "strengthens the connection between the Jewish communities around the world."

He told JNS.org, "It is only natural that in the 50th year of the reunification of Jerusalem, a significant milestone for the Jews of the world wherever they are, the celebrations will be united and will take place in the city of Jerusalem."

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International Jewish athletes 'return' to Jerusalem for 20th Maccabiah Games - Heritage Florida Jewish News

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Posted By simmons on June 30, 2017

Beachwood celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2015 and the city doesnt appear to be slowing down as one of the most sought-after communities to live in and to work in.

Beachwood was founded as a village in 1915 and became a city in 1960. Today, Beachwoods population is just under 12,000, according to the 2010 U.S. Census and 89.5 percent of the residents are Jewish, according to the 2011 Jewish Federation of Clevelands Greater Cleveland Population Study.

Beachwood Mayor Merle S. Gorden and city building commissioner Bill Griswold both said the city plans to continue to develop as the city and its residents thrive best in change and embrace it as well. Griswold said this inspires potential developers to want to be here as well.

The city has laid the groundwork over the years to make people want to build here, he said. Its about the location and our three exits off of I-271. Most of our commercial buildings are focused off that I-271 corridor.

Gorden said the construction boom has to do with the citys location and access to Interstate 271.

Exits at Cedar Road, Chagrin Boulevard and Harvard Road are among the busiest in Northeast Ohio and Gorden has said more than 100,000 people come into Beachwood on a daily basis to either work or shop there.

Gorden said the city is not afraid to talk about its success, which encourages developers to build here.

We are one of the only municipalities that have three interchanges, which is unlikely in other communities, he said. Along with (I-271), our willingness to be in the public eye to talk about our community and successes has allowed us to bring new businesses and retain those businesses in the community.

Residential development is on rise

Griswold said as Beachwood grows as a staple in Northeast Ohio culture, so does the need for residential housing and accommodations. The city has many different new and existing housing and living options within its 5.34 square miles, like The Vue at Chagrin Boulevard and Richmond Road, the Four Seasons near Beachwood Place, DeVille Apartments at Chagrin Boulevard and South Green Road and the The Aster, which is under construction on Park East Drive.

Weve had a significant increase in our residential living, like new construction and remodeling, he said. People have been purchasing some of our old housing as well and will tear it down. Thats how much people want to live here. Weve had a significant amount of that happening.

Gorden said Beachwood is set to continue to develop its living accommodations as people continue to flock to the city because of its work, play, live quality along with adapting to changes in the average lifestyle of a family. He also noted families are renovating or demolishing and rebuilding homes to adapt while they change. He said Beachwood is perfect for those families.

Homes that are older here are being raized and those families are doubling or tripling (the size of) those homes, and I dont see that pattern slowing down, he said. Lifestyles are changing and families with more than one breadwinner being common. We have amenities and opportunities for those families.

Other communities learn and mirror

According to Gorden, as the city grew, the need for the area to reflect the lifestyle of the people living there became evident. Most residents identify as upper-middle class, he said, and the city has displayed the ability to build and accommodate for the needs of its residents.

I am not saying were better than everyone else, but we have become a dominant leader and force for new businesses to consider (the area) and existing ones to expand, he said. One of the major businesses, the Eaton Corp., decided they wanted to move away from downtown and I was able to convince them to remain in Northeast Ohio and to build in our community.

Other businesses have been able to develop and redevelop in the area because of the support they get from the local government and citizens. Omnova relocated from Fairlawn to Beachwood, Yours Truly on Chagrin Boulevard recently completed a renovation of the restaurant and The Container Store opened at LaPlace earlier this month.

In addition to LaPlace at Cedar and Richmond roads, Gorden touted the citys other major shopping centers Beachwood Place at Cedar and Richmond roads and Pavilion Shopping Center on Chagrin Boulevard.

The development of our shopping amenities have been magnificent, Gorden said. Surrounding communities have seen what is happening here and have learned from us. Our growth pattern is amazing to us we dont like saying no.

Health care at forefront of development

As Beachwoods growing population continues to age, the city has been able to accommodate the changing needs. Gorden said as families flock to Beachwood for the various housing opportunities, the city also works to retain those families throughout their entire lives by implementing more health care facilities, developing rehab hospital and plans for a micro hospital. The 25-bed micro hospital, focusing on quick care and keeping residents out of lengthy hospital stays, is planned for Chagrin Boulevard and Richmond Road.

Beachwood is also home to Menorah Park and Montefiore, which both offer senior services.

Residents and workers have benefitted from having University Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center in the city.

Families can live here their whole lives, Gorden said. Its just fact. I know people who have lived in this community for 50 to 60 years and that is because of our health options in the community.

These facilities and future facilities have given residents opportunities that do not exist in other communities in the same way. When people move to Beachwood, they are not looking to move elsewhere.

Griswold agreed the demand for the health and wellness facilities in Beachwood could be directly attributed to the demand and needs of the citys residents. Though he spoke about the rehab clinic and the micro hospital as projects driven by outside forces, its a great addition to the city and those surrounding Beachwood as well.

The impact on the neighborhood (those facilities) will be in is minimal, he said. But the impact on the residents of the city and the ability to provide health care that is close to them and other cities is great.

The Jewish Influence

The city is home to many Jewish organizations and agencies, including the Jewish Federation of Cleveland on Science Park Drive, the Mandel Jewish Community Center on South Woodland Road and the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage on Richmond Road.

The city is home to many Reform, Conservative and Orthodox synagogues.

The Cleveland Jewish News is located on Commerce Park Drive.

BEACHWOOD BETTER THAN EVER

Griswold said the development boom has been in the making over the last 10 years and even if didnt appear obvious, it was happening behind the scenes. He said there has been more than $8 million of development recently in the city.

When the recession occurred in 2008, Griswold said, like everyone else, Beachwood took a hit, but came back better than ever.

We really shouldered through better than many communities had the opportunity to, Griswold said. We didnt let that time be a big pause for us.

Gorden, who is running for a sixth term in November, said as the city continues to grow, he doesnt see it stopping as long as he is mayor and making growth happen.

We are not just looking at today, but we are focused on what is coming to (Beachwood) down the road, he said. We want to be a position of leadership in this area. I would say (the construction) says that Beachwood will always welcome change. Thats what defines us our ability to adapt.

The proof is here. The residents are happy, the business community is happy. Is there room for improvement? Absolutely, and we embrace that. Were just getting into an era now about what we need to do in the future for the city. We need to continue to move and look forward.

Griswold said as the development boom continues, the business climate and success of city would be inviting for developers into the foreseeable future. And though right now a lot of the development is focused on new structures, Griswold said there are a lot of opportunities for redevelopment as well.

We have opportunities in terms of other areas in the city like Commerce Park, he said. There is interest locally and nationally to come into the city to buy an existing building and to update them. Itll draw in a great mix of business, medical and retail (development.) We want people to know that we want them to come to (Beachwood) to grow a business and family, and to enjoy all of the benefits of the city.

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Posted By simmons on June 30, 2017

Yiddish words that adorn Ruben's refrigerator.

My favorite Mother's Day gift was a refrigerator magnet set with more Yiddish words than even my "Bubbie" (grandmother) spoke. Every time someone passes through my kitchen, they rearrange the magnets to make a sentence that speaks to them. My daughter's message reads, "My mother has chutzpa (boldness)." My neighbor left behind a note saying, "What's your shtick (talent, special area of interest)?"Although I only recognize about half the words (fortunately, it comes with a dictionary), there is something so appealing about the vocabulary that brings the text to life. Right now, I'm playing with the magnetic words "plotz" (collapse from excitement), and "kvetch" (complain).

I decided to bring my magnet set to Orlando's Yiddishe maven (Yiddish expert), to see what a real specialist could create with it. On the third Thursday of each month, volunteer Yiddish instructor Joan Pohl can be found surrounded by a crowd of seniors at a Longwood/Lake Mary Senior Living community, eager to practice the Yiddish language during the one hour conversational class.

For the past eight years, the longtime Winter Park resident has enriched and reconnected Yiddish speakers with a heritage that could have easily been forgotten. Pohl's class, sponsored by the Jewish Pavilion, brings a taste of the Yiddish culture and language to the 15-40 students who attend the monthly offering. She also supplies a "nosh" or snack, homemade by her mother, who recently relocated to Central Florida.

Pohl, a retired speech pathologist, welcomes students of all faiths and backgrounds. While most of the students hail from Brookdale Island Lake in Longwood and Oakmonte Village in Lake Mary, others commute from surrounding areas, even as far away as the Villages, for the one-of-a-kind chance to communicate in a forgotten tongue.

Born in Israel, Pohl grew up in New York and Miami, and was the child of two Holocaust survivors, Aaron and Monya (Malka) Kornicki, from Poland and Germany. Her paternal grandmother, Rachel Kornicki, spoke Yiddish in the home while her parents were away at work. Pohl has fond memories of her Yiddish roots, and is happy to have a skill that she can she share with the senior community.

Pohl noted, "Teaching Yiddish is as rewarding for myself as it for the seniors. Though I am probably a generation younger than these seniors, their stories and childhoods are identical to mine. We are all the children of refugees, raised with grandparents and the Yiddish language in our homes. Spending time with other speakers (from beginner to fluent) has brought back feelings from my childhood and theirs, as well."

Yiddish instructor, Joan Pohl (r) with husband, Frank, and mother, 'Malka'.

She concluded, "I am so grateful for this opportunity to share my love for Yiddish and to give back to my roots. I love this language and culture of inclusion, where everyone is welcome, and where we 'come back to the past to create the future'. I invite community members of all ages and all backgrounds to join us for 'A Taste of Yiddish,' starting again in the fall. Knowledge of Yiddish is not required, just bring a sense of humor and a taste for learning."

Come and "plotz" with the group, but save the "kvetching" for later.

Contact http://www.jewishpavilion.org or call 407-678-9363, to find out more about Yiddish Class, meeting again in September.

Tidbits from the Sandwich Generation is a series of blogs by Pamela Ruben, Jewish Pavilion Marketing Director, about managing the multi-generations. Check out additional posts at http://www.jewishpavilion.org/blog. For no cost help for issues pertaining to older adults contact the Orlando Senior Help Desk, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, at 407-678-9363 or visit http://www.orlandoseniorhelpdesk.org.

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Posted By simmons on June 30, 2017

BERLIN The Austrian Constitutional Court said Friday that the government had acted legally when it seized the apartment complex in which Hitler was born, the latest and most likely last chapter in the long battle for ownership of the Nazi dictators birthplace.

The court said in a statement that a law passed late last year allowing the expropriation of the three-story building was in the public interest, commensurate and not without compensation, and therefore not unconstitutional.

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Austrian law prohibits the promotion of Nazi ideology, including Holocaust denial or the display of swastikas.

Seizing the building enables the government to prevent it from becoming a site for neo-Nazi activity, the court said, after hearing arguments following its decision to take ownership from Gerlinde Pommer, the longtime owner who had refused to sell the property.

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The owner argued that there are other possibilities to make sure there is no misuse of the house, said Wolfgang Sablatnig, a spokesman for the court, and representatives of Austria argued they do not want to let the house become a symbol for neo-Nazis, and the only way to make sure that there is no symbolic misuse is to seize it.

Pommer, whose home was seized in January, did not attend the hearing because of health reasons and to avoid the media, Sablatnig said.

Sablatnig said Pommer could appeal to the European Court of Human Rights or to an Austrian court with the aim of increasing her compensation for the home.

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Hitler was born inside the complex, in Braunau am Inn, near the Austrian-German border on April 20, 1889, in an apartment his parents had rented above a tavern on the first floor. Fearing that the structure would become a site for Nazi glorification, the Austrian government assumed its main lease in 1972.

Officials have tried to buy the building from Pommer on numerous occasions since 1984, but she has refused to sell, even when her last tenants left in 2011 after she forbade renovations. After negotiations to purchase the building stalled last year, the government passed the law permitting it to be seized.

Gerhard Lebitsch, the lawyer representing Pommer, argued that expropriation should not have been allowed for reasons of public interest, as the homes appeal as a pilgrimage site would remain even if the property changed hands.

A concrete purpose of expropriation is missing, Lebitsch said just before the hearing last week. The Austrian legislature has no concrete plans for a use of this house. The Republic of Austria rents the building for 45 years now; it would have been easily possible for the renter to practice a reasonable use in the past years and decades.

But Austrian officials contended that a long-term rental agreement would be insufficient. Far-reaching architectural transformations can only be made by the owner, Hermann Feiner of the Interior Ministry said at the hearing, according to the Austria Press Agency.

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Posted By simmons on June 30, 2017

The Hasidic movement started in the 1700's (CE) in Eastern Europe in response to a void felt by many average observant Jews of the day. The founder of Hasidism, Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov (referred to as the "Besht," an acronym of his name) was a great scholar and mystic, devoted to both the revealed, outer aspect, and hidden, inner aspect of Torah. He and his followers, without veering from a commitment to Torah, created a way of Jewish life that emphasized the ability of all Jews to grow closer to Gd via everything that we do, say, and think. In contrast to the somewhat intellectual style of the mainstream Jewish leaders of his day and their emphasis on the primacy of Torah study, the Besht emphasized a constant focus on attachment to Gd and Torah no matter what one is involved with.

Early on, a schism developed between the Hasidic and nonHasidic (i.e., Misnagdim, lit. "opponents") Jewish movements, primarily over real or imagined issues of halachic observance. The opposition was based on concern that the Hasidim were neglecting the laws regarding appropriate times for prayer, and perhaps concern about the exuberance of Hasidic worship, or a concern that it might be an offshoot of false messiahs Shabbtai Zvi or Jacob Frank. Within a generation or two, the rift was closed. Since then, many Hasidic practices have influenced the Misnagdim, while the Misnagdim, in turn, moderated some of the extremes of early Hasidism. Nevertheless, the dispute between particular groups of Hasidim and Misnagdim continues to this day, especially in Israel.

Today, Hasidim are differentiated from other Orthodox Jews by their devotion to a dynastic leader (referred to as a "Rebbe"), their wearing of distinctive clothing and a greater than average study of the inner aspects of Torah.

There are perhaps a dozen major Hasidic movements today, the largest of which (with perhaps 100,000 followers) is the Lubavitch group headquartered in Brooklyn, NY. Other groups include the Bobov, Bostoner, Belzer, Gerer, Satmar, Vizhnitz, Breslov, Puppa, Bianer, Munkacz, and Rimnitz. In Israel, the major Hasidic groups besides the Lubavitch include: Gor (Gerer), Viznitz and Bealz (Belzer).

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Orthodox Judaism: Hasidism - Hasidism - Jewish Virtual Library

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Posted By richards on June 30, 2017

European Jewish food developed along with the migration of the European Jewish community -- from West to East.

For the most part, the Jews of Eastern Europe were poor, and so the Jews who lived in the shtetls (villages) of this region ate peasant food. The exact type of peasant food reflected a number of factors: geography and geographical shifts, the unique international nature of the Jewish community, and, of course, the Jewish dietary laws.

Early in the Middle Ages, most Jews living on the European continent lived in Western Europe, particularly in Germany. In the 13thcentury, however, the Germans became more antagonistic to the Jews, and many Jews headed eastward to Poland and Russia. The foods of Polish and Russian Jewry reflect this German base. Horseradish, rye bread, and pickles are all German foods eaten by the Jews of Germany and passed on to later generations in Eastern Europe.

Once the Jews arrived in Poland and Russia, they built upon this German foundation and adopted local food customs. Because of the harsh winter climate of this area, Polish and Russian Jews ate a lot of grains, root vegetables, and stews. Fruit was readily available, and it was used in almost everything, including soups and sauces. Perhaps the most famous Jewish food of all, bagels, also originated in Poland. The Jews of Poland had a communal sweet tooth, and they added sugar to vegetable dishes and fish. Sweet gefilte fish with beet-sweetened horseradish, or chrain, originated in Poland. Whereas the Polish Jews used a lot of sugar, the Russian Jews opted for peppered and sour foods.

RECIPE: MakeYour Own Pickles

RECIPE: How to Make Perfect Chicken Soup and Matzah Balls

The Jews of medieval Europe were active merchants, and they often came into contact with Jews from other regions. Through these meetings, foreign elements entered Jewish cooking. Noodles, though not widely eaten in the general German population, became a staple of German Jewish cooking after being introduced by German Jewish merchants who had traveled to Italy.

In the Middles Ages, Jewish dietary laws were strictly observed, re-enforced by logistics and communal pressure. Most shtetl Jews did not have private cooking facilities. Each community had a communal cooking house, baking house, and slaughterhouse. The cooking and baking areas had separate sections for meat and dairy. The dietary laws were also responsible for pushing Jews into the food trade. Jews had to produce their own foods because the preparation of kosher food must be supervised by Jews. In addition, wine produced by gentiles was also off-limits to Jews, and so Jews had their own vineyards. Some local governments encouraged these food production and trading activities. Many Jews living in the Polish provinces managed the agricultural lands of the Polish nobility. In exchange, the Jews were given flour mills, dairy production facilities, and exclusive rights to produce certain alcoholic beverages.

RECIPE: Make Your Own Gefilte Fish

The Jews of Eastern Europe had special eating habits for Friday night and Saturday, the Sabbath. The Friday night meal was the most luxurious of the week. A typical meal might include sweet and sour fish, chopped goose liver, pickled meat, and kugel (a sweet noodle pudding). Braided challah bread would be served as well. On Saturday, cholent a slow-cooked meal made from meats, grains, and beans would be served along with cold leftovers from the night before.

Emancipation changed the social and economic position of European Jewry, and that affected Jewish eating as well. Ashkenazic food, which had until this point been peasant food, became more refined in certain places. Austria-Hungary, with its large assimilated, middle-class Jewish population, developed a range of well-made doughy products and pastries, and the Jews there began cooking with wine and paprika.

READ: 5 Best Old School Jewish Delis in the US

Ashkenazic Jews began immigrating to the Unites States in the 17th century and came in mass numbers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The foods that they brought with themincluding chopped liver, borscht (a type of beet soup), bagels, and pickles became familiar forms of American cuisine. These foods, commonly referred to as Jewish food, are, despite their lower-class origins, still eaten and beloved.

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Ashkenazi Cuisine | My Jewish Learning

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