Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on August 6, 2022

Daily ScriptureTHURSDAY 8.4.22 Acts 6:5, 8-12, 7:54-60

Acts 6

5 This proposal pleased the entire community. They selected Stephen, a man endowed by the Holy Spirit with exceptional faith, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.

8 Stephen, who stood out among the believers for the way Gods grace was at work in his life and for his exceptional endowment with divine power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Opposition arose from some who belonged to the so-called Synagogue of Former Slaves. Members from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and Asia entered into debate with Stephen. 10 However, they couldnt resist the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke. 11 Then they secretly enticed some people to claim, We heard him insult Moses and God. 12 They stirred up the people, the elders, and the legal experts. They caught Stephen, dragged him away, and brought him before the Jerusalem Council.

Acts 7

54 Once the council members heard these words, they were enraged and began to grind their teeth at Stephen. 55 But Stephen, enabled by the Holy Spirit, stared into heaven and saw Gods majesty and Jesus standing at Gods right side. 56 He exclaimed, Look! I can see heaven on display and the Human One [or Son of Man] standing at Gods right side! 57 At this, they shrieked and covered their ears. Together, they charged at him, 58 threw him out of the city, and began to stone him. The witnesses placed their coats in the care of a young man named Saul. 59 As they battered him with stones, Stephen prayed, Lord Jesus, accept my life! 60 Falling to his knees, he shouted, Lord, dont hold this sin against them! Then he died.

In Acts 6, the earliest church identified seven people to care more effectively for widows who felt passed over. Luke identified one of them, Stephen, as standing out because of the remarkable ways the Holy Spirit was at work in his life. But that exceptional faith and boldness had a cost. Stephens Spirit-empowered words (cf. Acts 7:48-53) so enraged many of the same religious leaders who had demanded Jesus' death that they didnt even seek Roman approval, but stoned Stephen to death.

Lord Jesus, Resurrection is big and respected. But through this church, the Spirit calls me to live above and beyond my cultures values and wishes. Give me the daring to keep letting the Spirit guide my life. Amen.

* William Barclay, The Gospel of Luke (Revised Edition). Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1975, p. 77.

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Stephen: Spirit-given boldness and forgiveness in action - Leawood - Church of the Resurrection

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Posted By admin on August 6, 2022

With San Francisco having emerged as the epicenter of Californias monkeypox outbreak with nearly 400 confirmed cases as of Tuesday, the day after the citys state of emergency went into effect local LGBTQ Jewish leaders are stepping to the forefront.

One prominent gay San Franciscan, state Sen. Scott Wiener, began urging city leaders early on to declare the state of emergency, saying it would create significant flexibility around testing, contracting for services and administration of vaccinations.

The window is rapidly closing to contain the monkeypox outbreak & avoid it becoming a permanent fixture.

The public health failure around monkeypox has been profound. We need to move faster to get people vaccinated & need far more vaccines ASAP. https://t.co/iWNFeLTQwU

Senator Scott Wiener (@Scott_Wiener) August 1, 2022

Wieners quick call to action was applauded by Martin Rawlings-Fein, the head of the trans and nonbinary committee at Congregation Shaar Zahav, San Franciscos historic gay and lesbian synagogue. Rawlings-Fein, 44, a trans man who lives in San Francisco, is working with his committee to develop resources and education concerning the virus, and to offer information and support for congregants seeking a monkeypox vaccine.

Were kind of the canaries in the coal mine, Rawlings-Fein said. Were the people, [40] years ago, people didnt want to touch us, he added, recalling the stigma that the gay community faced during the AIDS crisis.

Our synagogue has this tradition of linking arms and singing Hinei ma tov, because were all together, he continued. That tradition began in the 80s in response to [stigmatization]. People needed to be touched, they needed to be held on to, to let us know we matter.

Now its the monkeypox virus, which is transmitted through prolonged skin-to-skin contact, thats putting the tradition on hold and keeping people apart. Having a public health crisis on top of a public health crisis, its a big deal, Rawlings-Fein said.

We cant and wont leave the LGBTQ community out to dry.

Saul Sugarman, 35, a gay Jewish writer and fashion designer in San Francisco, waited in line for four hours on a recent morning to get the monkeypox vaccine. He knew San Francisco General Hospital had run out of vaccines the previous day, so he made his way to Steamworks, a gay bath house and sex venue in Berkeley that hed heard would be administering a few hundred doses.

I do feel grateful to have gotten it, Sugarman said of the vaccine.

One of Sugarmans colleagues in the fashion world contracted monkeypox last month and has been quarantining for weeks. He texted Sugarman a photo of a lesion on his finger.

All of that made me very nervous, Sugarman said. It also made him want to get vaccinated right off. The people waiting in line for vaccines at Steamworks were all men, said Sugarman, who is worried about the public discourse around the virus stigmatizing gay men.

I worry about creating any stigma associated with the gay community, especially when, to my eyes, we are doing everything we can to remain safe and vaccinated, Sugarman said.

Rawlings-Fein has been helping his friends and neighbors get the vaccine, though he himself is still on a waitlist. After being closed for several days due to a lack of vaccines, the vaccine clinic at San Francisco General Hospital reopened Monday, and the citys health department received 4,220 additional monkeypox vaccines, according to a tweet from the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

We have been informed that SF will receive 4220 monkeypox vax doses this week. It is still unclear when these doses will arrive. We will keep the everyone informed of when the @ZSFGCare clinic will open for walk ins. For more info about appointments go to https://t.co/9bZiFVD2wI pic.twitter.com/zvAOhDdS47

SFDPH (@SF_DPH) July 27, 2022

Rawlings-Fein said its up to the entire San Francisco community to break down the stigma and to understand monkeypox is not exclusive to the LGBTQ community. But it does affect the LGBTQ community first.

Wiener, a member of Californias Legislative Jewish Caucus and its Legislative LGBTQ Caucus, noted that San Francisco was at the forefront of the public health responses to HIV and Covid-19, and we will be at the forefront when it comes to monkeypox. We cant and wont leave the LGBTQ community out to dry.

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LGBTQ Jewish leaders step up to combat monkeypox, stigmatization J. - The Jewish News of Northern California

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Posted By admin on August 6, 2022

Obituaries are supported by a generous grant fromSinai Memorial Chapel.Denise Amiel AbecassisFeb. 3, 1939July 9, 2022Denise Amiel Abecassis

Denise Amiel Abecassis (Dina bat Rachel) passed away on July 9, 2022 at age 83, surrounded and held by her family and friends.

Denise was born and raised in Mazagan, Morocco, in 1939, by her parents Abraham and Clara Amiel, and alongside her three siblings, Mesod Amiel, Solange Abecassis (nee Amiel, and Jacques Amiel. In 1967, Denise married the intelligent and dashing Simon Abecassis, and became stepmother to his two sons, Jacques Abecassis and Claude Abecassis. Shortly after, the family moved to San Francisco, California. In 1968, Simon and Denise had their first child, Kathy Abecassis Bitton.

From a young age, Denise demonstrated a deep passion and keen mastery for sewing and design. In Morocco, she often sewed her own clothes and unique custom pieces for her friends and family. Upon arriving in San Francisco, Denise extended her mastery to the community around her, often taking on complex pieces for local sewing shops and establishing herself as a businesswoman. In addition to this work, Denise spent nearly five decades in the fine jewelry business, working with her brother Jacques and her brother-in-law Samuel Abecassis at Sams Fine Gold. Walking into their store, it would be impossible to miss the sophisticated woman sitting behind the counter dark hair that was always neatly swept back, charcoal that emphasized deep brown eyes and rosy lips that gave way to a soft smile. Denises magnetic charm evenly matched her outgoing personality and business style. Whip-smart, communicative and funny, she took pride in the customers she serviced and the friendships that her work blossomed into.

For over 50 years, Denise donated her time, cooking and during the occasional holiday Moroccan ululations to her local synagogue, Anshey Sfard. Congregation Anshey Sfard proved to be a home for Denise and her family, welcoming generations of her family upon arrival in the U.S. and serving as the familys sole place of worship to this day.

While her position as a jeweler, a volunteer and a mother kept Denise more than busy, she still found the time to raise and love three generations of her family. Known as Meme to her grandchildren, and Tata Denise by her scores of nieces and nephews, she demonstrated the full breadth of being a grandmother and aunt she was fierce, sassy and generous. Everyone knew that she was not to be crossed in synagogue, nor was she unashamed to trick little ones into bringing her sweets or the older ones to take her shopping. But at the end of the day, she always made sure that everyone was fed, and then fed again, and that she could plant a soft kiss on the inside of their ear, that sent an echoing ring reminding them of her love.

She was our matriarch.

Denise will be greatly missed by her daughter Kathy and her husband Jacques Bitton, as well as her three grandchildren, Francesca Bitton, Gabriella Bitton and Stefania Bitton, whom she spent every Shabbat and weekend with. Denises memory will always be cherished by her sister and brother, Solange and Jacques, and her many nieces and nephews, including Danielle Abecassis, Clara Abecassis, David Abecassis, Eric Amiel, Valerie Amiel, Rafael Amiel, Marco Amiel, Simon Amiel, Joelle Vinakur (nee Amiel), Ester Ofir (nee Amiel), Katia Hershkovich (nee Amiel) and Claire Amiel.

Memorial services were held on July 12, 2022.

Sinai Memorial(415) 921-3636

Marjorie Kay Feder (Margie) passed away peacefully from complications of Alzheimers and pneumonia just before her 88th birthday. She was born in San Francisco, daughter of Adele Harris and Sidney Kay. Her brother Alan Kay predeceased her. Margie graduated from Lowell High School, went on to UC Berkeley and lived in the AEPhi house. She then met her first husband, Claude Rosenberg, a pension fund manager and philanthropist, and married in 1953 after her freshman year.

She is survived by her daughter Linda Rosenberg Ach (Andy) and son Douglas Rosenberg and five granddaughters: Amanda Ach, Sara Ach, Liza Ach, Julia Rosenberg and Lauren Rosenberg.

Margie loved life, had a warm smile, welcomed everyone and was kind to all. She always had a positive attitude and moved forward. She loved tennis, skiing, golf, piano, opera, dancing and bridge and adored her granddaughters the most. Margie spent lots of time with each granddaughter at home and on various trips and with the family. She was elegant and beautiful.

After her marriage to Claude, she went back to school to finish her Bachelor of Arts degree and then went on to be a successful Real Estate broker in San Francisco.

She then married Cliff Farmer and helped raise his six kids while they were married: Zanita, Melissa, Ricky, Jincie, Elizabeth (passed) and Jeffrey. She maintained a close relationship with the kids after their divorce. She then married Jack Feder, whom she had known in high school. They had a wonderful marriage and spent lots of time in Silverado until his death in 2008.

She then married Bill Feis, a retired lawyer from Los Angeles whom she met on a blind date. They had a fun-loving time in San Francisco and Palm Desert these last 13 years.

And special thanks to Melania and Flor who were with her 24/7 with loving care and friendship.

Janice Katz, a retired special education teacher and revered member of the Jewish and Bay Area communities for decades, passed away at home on July 30, 2022 after a five-month battle with cancer. She was 86.

A resident of San Mateo County for more than 50 years, Janice considered Peninsula Temple Sholom her second home. Among her many contributions to the Sholom community, she prepared and delivered welcome baskets for new members; served as a religious school committee member; and for 15 years co-chaired the Gemilut Chasadim committee, which brought support and comfort to those facing personal challenges. In 2015, Sholom Women honored her with its Woman of Valor award. She also co-chaired the North Peninsula Yom HaShoah committee for three years.

Born in El Paso, Texas, to Lithuanian immigrants who loved their new country, Janice was the youngest of two daughters. Living on the U.S./Mexico border, she learned to speak fluent Spanish and later served for 11 years as a Spanish interpreter and volunteer coordinator for Samaritan House, a free medical clinic in San Mateo that serves patients who cant afford care.

Together with the love of her life, her late husband Dr. Irving Katz, she collected art and appreciated symphony, opera, and theater. She made vibrant, creative flower arrangements for all occasions, often with blooms Irving grew in their garden. Irving liked to refer to Janice as the Jewish Mother Teresa.

Janice is survived by her loving son Andrew and adoring daughters Leslie (Jonathan) and Rachel (Andy). She is also survived by her brothers-in-law Bernard Katz and Bruce Katz and sister-in-law Shirley Nussbaum. Nieces, nephews, cousins and countless friends of all ages cherished her thoughtful, generous heart and turned to her for advice and wisdom. Her calendar was filled with hundreds of reminders for birthdays (both human and pet), as well as anniversaries, graduations and yahrzeits, and she made calls and sent cards for every occasion.

The family asks that those who wish to send a donation consider Peninsula Temple Sholom; Samaritan House; or Home and Hope, which aids the homeless.

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Bernard Monetta on July 30, 2022, at the age of 95. He led a wonderful balanced life of love, family, professional career along with travel and leisure. Bernie was born in Toledo, Ohio, to William and Kate Monetta. The family soon moved to Vallejo, Calif., where he became an Eagle Scout and attended Vallejo High School. He often noted that his high school years, spent with seven close-knit guys who were inseparable, were some of the best of times.

Bernie was called into the U.S. Army in WWII and was stationed at Hickam Air Force Base in Honolulu, where he repaired B-17 bombers. Following the war, he used the GI Bill to study optometry and graduated from Pacific University College of Optometry in 1952. He opened his own practice, Dr. Monetta Optometry, in the Stonestown Shopping Center in 1954. He practiced for over 30 years and the practice continues today with his son, Robert, on Ocean Avenue.

Escaping the fog in San Francisco, Bernie met the love of his life, Nadine, on a summer day in Marin County. They were married in the Gold Room at the Fairmont Hotel, where they also celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. They had a storybook marriage lasting almost 62 years. They traveled the world, but their hearts were truly left in San Francisco. They were members of Lake Merced Country Club and of Monterey Country Club while spending time in their Palm Desert home.

Bernies two sons, David and Robert, were the joys of his life. His daughters-in-law, Lisa and Natalie, were the daughters he always wanted. His grandchildren Alexander, Kayla, Zachary, Jacqueline and Dominic kept him young at heart. Although Bernie was an only child, his closeness to his late brothers-in-law, Louis and George Everett, and Leonard Hurwitt, as well as his late sister-in-laws Yvonne Hurwitt and Peggy Everett was unparalleled. He was a loving uncle to Charles Everett, Suzy and Steve Stemerman, Laura and Rich Everett, Sharon and Alan Levins, Nancy and Matt Browar, and Joan and Mitch Berger.

Bernie was the last of his familys generation in an unusually close extended family who will be remembered with warmth and loving devotion.

A funeral will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5, 2022 at Salem Memorial Park in Colma, and a celebration of life reception will follow at 3 p.m. at the Olympic Club, 599 Skyline Blvd., San Francisco, CA 94132. All family and friends are welcome. In lieu of flowers, donations in Bernies memory can be made to the American Heart Association.

Sinai Memorial(415) 921-3636

We are sad to announce the passing of our mom and nana, Lynne Schaer, after a brief battle with Covid.

The daughter of S. David and Hannah Marcovitz, Lynne was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA. She was a proud graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, earning a degree in education, which led to becoming an elementary school teacher. Lynne went on to marry Dr. Leonard R. Schaer of Buffalo, N.Y. in 1956, and they remained married until his passing in 2015.

Lynne and Len moved from Buffalo to El Cerrito, CA in 1964 and then settled in Walnut Creek, CA in 1965, where they raised their three sons, Steve, Alan and Larry. In addition to being a full-time mom, Lynne was an avid gardener with many beautiful rose bushes in her backyard, enjoyed cooking, including trying out new recipes for many cuisines, led tours at the Bedford Gallery at the Lesher Center for the Arts and supported charitable organizations that focused on helping people with extra needs. She and Len enjoyed attending the theater, concerts and museums along with traveling to many countries around the world.

Lynne was preceded in death by her husband, Len, and her son, Steve. She is survived by her son Alan, and his wife, Cindy, of San Ramon, along with their two daughters, Danielle and Talia. She is also survived by her son Larry, and his wife, Julie, along with their daughter, Kat, of Apex, North Carolina.

A funeral was held on July 6, 2022, at Gan Shalom Cemetery in Briones, CA, during which we shared stories of Moms love of the arts, her gentle nature, and the extra effort she made to teach her sons skills and talents that will last them a lifetime.

Donations in Lynnes memory may be made to: Congregation Bnai Shalom in Walnut Creek, Hadassah, Dogs for Better Lives in Central Point, Oregon, or to the charity of your choice.

Sinai Memorial(925) 962-3636

Dr. Sam Thal came to San Francisco, the city he loved, in 1955 after receiving his M.D. degree from the University of Washington School of Medicine and doing a residency in internal medicine at the Mayo Clinic. He worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs in the East Bay and was on the UCSF Clinical Faculty for 47 years, retiring as Clinical Professor of Medicine.

He was a longtime donor and/or volunteer for the American Conservatory Theater library, Merola Opera Program, San Francisco Ballet Horizons Foundation, the Castro Senior Center, the Gay and Lesbian Historical Society, and the Bay Area Physicians for Human Rights (BAPHR). He served on the BAPHR Board of Directors for over 30 years and was also secretary, historian and editor of their newsletter. In addition, he was a member of New Leaf (closed in 2010), Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, Commonwealth Club, American Legion Alexander Hamilton Post 448, Prime Timers, and other medical, cultural and historical organizations. He was a founding member of Congregation Shaar Zahav, San Francisco.

He died July 25, 2022 at The Sequoias San Francisco. A private memorial service was held at the Hills of Eternity Memorial Park. Donations in his memory may be made to any of the organizations listed above.

Sinai Memorial(415) 921-3636

Our beloved Father and Grandfather passed away peacefully on July 26. We will always remember his quiet, happy and jolly outlook and positive energy. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Aline, brother-in-law of Alfred (Freddie) and sister-in-law Sara Lehine.

Michael is survived by his loving son, Daniel, daughter-in-law Jeannine; his cherished granddaughter, Hailey; Uncle to Richard (Laurie) Lehine; and Great-Uncle to Ian and Paige Lehine. Michael will be missed but will remain in our hearts forever. At Michaels request, please make memorial contributions to the American Cancer Society.

Sinai Memorial(415) 921-3636

Norma Weiss, a longtime Los Altos resident, passed away on July 13. She was born in New York City in 1926 to immigrant parents and she graduated from Hunter College in 1947 with a major in psychology and a minor in philosophy and sociology. With her husband, Jerry, along with her young family, they followed his parents west to Los Angeles in 1957 and then moved north in 1963 to Sunnyvale and to Los Altos in 1973.

She taught special education in the Sunnyvale School District from 1968-1981 and during that time, at the age of 50, she also completed a masters degree in education from the University of San Francisco in 1975. While teaching in Sunnyvale, she was also a member of the Curriculum Council from 1977-1983, and a member of the Community Advisory Committee for Special Education from 1979-1982.

In 1985, after retirement from the school district, she received an instructor credential for the California Community Colleges in special education and in 1990 she received a similar credential for language arts and literature.

With these credentials, she became an instructor in the Lifelong Learning Program at Foothill College, where she taught Introduction to Literature and other classes. She loved reading and also led book and film groups and taught various classes at the JCC, and at senior centers such as Lytton Gardens in Palo Alto.

Norma was always curious and active, and loved learning, helping and doing. She did not sit still, she kept a beautiful home and loved to cook and entertain. After retirement, in addition to the classes she taught, she played bridge every week, did needlepoint and knitting, and was active in Hadassah and sisterhood. She had many friends whom she loved and she had a great sense of humor, bringing a smile everywhere she went.

Along with her husband, she was one of the founders of Congregation Kol Emeth, where they remained members after some 60 years. Together, they created a warm and comfortable home for their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and were excellent role models. She is survived by her three children, Deborah, David and Elisa (Rabbi YY Rubenstein), two grandchildren, Nicole and Jason (Sharona), and three incredible great-grandchildren, Ariella, Shir and Daniel.

May her memory be a blessing for everyone that knew her.

Sinai Memorial(650) 369-3636

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Deaths announcements for the week of Aug. 5, 2022 J. - The Jewish News of Northern California

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Posted By admin on August 6, 2022

The parents of a toddler. A father of eight and a grandfather to many. A synagogue employee known for her kindness. A family man who loved the arts.

A mass shooting during the Highland Park Independence Day parade has now claimed the lives of at least seven people and left some two dozen others injured, ranging in age from 8 to 85 years old.

Those killed were:

Here is what we know about the victims of the shooting.

Katie Goldsteins neighbor Andrew Chevalier said she brought him a pie when he moved into the house across the street from hers a few years ago. Every holiday season since, she has brought cookies and other goodies, even going so far as to provide gluten-free options for his wifes dietary restrictions.

She had a super warm personality ... (she was) someone you look forward to seeing around, he said.

According to Chevalier, his two-year-old daughter had taken a liking to her as well, saying that Katie Goldstein made sure to stop and listen to her toddler babblings when they were playing in the front yard.

Chevalier, who had originally planned on attending the parade, said he had texted Katie Goldstein to check in that she was OK after hearing about the shooting. The fact that she didnt get back to him by the end of the day was unusual, he said.

>>> Read the full story here

The family of Eduardo Uvaldo, 69, prayed for a miracle after the grandfather was shot while attending the Highland Park Fourth of July parade. His daughters, on social media, pleaded with others to join them in prayer, sharing a photo of Uvaldo sitting in front of the Louvre in Paris, wearing a blue shirt and a soft smile.

Highland Park Fourth of July parade shooting victim Eduardo Uvaldo, right, and his wife Maria Uvaldo in an undated photo. (Uvaldo family)

But Uvaldo didnt make it and two days after the shooting, requests for prayers for a miracle turned into prayers for strength for the family he leaves behind. Uvaldo died just before 8 a.m. July 6 at Evanston Hospital, surrounded by his family, said Jackie Tapia, a close family friend.

Uvaldos funeral was held at The Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1521 Washington St., in his hometown of Waukegan, drawing approximately 500 guests, including Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, and Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering.

>>> Read the full story here

Toddler Aiden McCarthy was found in the chaotic aftermath of the July 4 mass shooting in Highland Park as strangers sought to reunite him with his family.

The following day it emerged that the parents of 2-year-old Aiden, Irina and Kevin McCarthy, were among the seven people killed when gunfire erupted at the start of the local Fourth of July parade.

Irina McCarthy, 35, and Kevin McCarthy, 37, both of Highland Park, left behind a 2-year-old boy, Aiden McCarthy. (GoFundMe)

Aidens grandfather, Michael Levberg, told the Tribune July 5 that he was eventually reunited with his grandson after Aiden was taken to the local police station.

When I picked him up, he said, Are Mommy and Daddy coming soon? Levberg said. He doesnt understand.

She was laid to rest eight days after the shooting. Our hearts are shattered. The pain is unbearable. There are rivers of tears. We dont want to be here, nor should we be here today, Rabbi Dovid Flinkenstein said at the service.

>>> Read the full story here

Steve Straus, 88, was an exceptional joke-teller, an avid reader and a culture vulture who enjoyed the artistic fruits of the Art Institute and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, family members said. Energetic beyond his years, Straus commuted on Metra five days a week to his office downtown, where he worked as a stockbroker.

Straus, said his son Peter Straus, was very curious about the world.

A longtime Highland Park resident who was born and raised on the Chicagos South Side, his son Jonathan Straus described him as a product of Chicago.

>>> Read the full story here

Nicolas Toledo, 76, had arrived a few months ago from his native Morelos, Mexico, to spend time with his family after retiring several years ago.

Toledos family said he was the father of eight and a grandfather to many whod spent most of his life in the Chicago area but had returned to his hometown after retiring several years ago.

Nicolas Toledo, seated, was a father of eight and a grandfather who was shot and killed during the Fourth of July parade in Highland Park. (Toledo family)

At the start of the parade, he was sitting in a wheelchair surrounded by children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren when the gunshots rang out; he reportedly was killed instantly.

Today Nicolas is our guardian angel, his granddaughter Xochil Toledo wrote about Nicolas Toledo. We ask you (to) please keep our family and all the families of this horrible tragedy in your prayers and stay strong as a community.

>>> Read the full story here

A woman who worked and worshipped for decades at a synagogue in Glencoe was among the victims of the deadly shooting at the Highland Park parade, synagogue leaders confirmed.

Highland Park Fourth of July parade shooting victim Jacki Sundheim, worked at North Shore Congregation Israel. (North Shore Congregation Israel)

Jacki Sundheim coordinated events and bar and bat mitzvahs at North Shore Congregation Israel, according to the synagogues website. Authorities said six people were killed and 24 others wounded when a gunman opened fire just as Highland Parks Fourth of July parade was kicking off.

Sundheim also taught preschool at Congregation Israel, where she was a lifelong member, according to a message from the synagogue. It also said her work, kindness and warmth touched us all and that she guided innumerable among us through lifes moments of joy and sorrow, all of this with tireless dedication.

>>> Read the full story here

Cooper Roberts, the 8-year-old boy who was paralyzed at the July Fourth mass shooting in Highland Park has been released from pediatric intensive care after almost a month of turbulent recovery.

As Cooper gets closer to returning home, the Roberts family said they feel all the prayers being sent their way and are grateful for and humbled by the outpouring of support.

Cooper Roberts, an 8-year-old boy paralyzed from the waist down after being wounded at the Fourth of July parade shooting in Highland Park, has been released from pediatric intensive care after almost a month of a turbulent recovery. In the first photo taken of and shared of Cooper following the massacre, he is seen smiling and hugging the family dog while sitting in his wheelchair. (Roberts family photo)

Though she remained optimistic about Coopers recovery, the painful memory of the shooting reminds her that his life will never be the same as he learns to live paralyzed and deals with emotional stress over the situation. Coopers twin brother, Luke, was also injured.

We were shot. I can hardly say it. None of us Cooper, Luke, me, our family, the other victims and their families, our community will ever be the same, Roberts said in a written statement. Seven people were murdered that day, and our hearts go out to their families, friends and all whose lives they touched. And we are among the dozens of others injured, shattered, hanging on and fighting through.

>>> Read the full story here

Chicago Public Schools teacher Zoe Kolpack was shot in the femur while attending the parade with her husband, Stephen; their two young children; her parents; and Stephens family, according to family friend Samantha Whitehead, who is raising money for medical costs.

Whitehead said Stephen Kolpack and Zoes dad, Mike Joyce, were shot in the leg as well, while Stephens brother, Nicholas, was shot in the kneecap. The injuries are not life-threatening, and the Kolpack children were unharmed, Whitehead said.

Whitehead said Zoes mother, Nancy Joyce, grabbed the two small kids and hid in a nearby building for about 45 minutes, until they were given the all-clear.

Meanwhile, Zoes dad was hovering (over) her and protecting her because she couldnt move. And she just said that, like, people were just running past her, and she was just screaming, help, help. She said she felt like it went on for like 30 minutes, Whitehead said.

In a statement, CPS said it was devastated to learn that one of our CPS teachers and her family members are among those who were injured in the (July 4) mass shooting in Highland Park. Zoe, who has worked for the district since 2017, teaches preschool at William Dever Elementary School on the Northwest Side. CPS said support services will be available to support the Dever Elementary staff and students as needed.

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These are the victims of the Highland Park parade shooting - Chicago Tribune

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Posted By admin on August 6, 2022

Sunbathers, bikers, and boaters were out and about, just like any other day down the Shore except on this recent Sunday, a small procession was making its way from the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in Longport to the seawall across the street.

A young man in shorts carried a large metal cross and walked with a priest in vestments, a gaggle of congregants and a kilt-clad bagpiper playing America the Beautiful. As the church bell tolled, they looked out at the dozen boats bobbing in the bay.

Gods blessing upon you and upon the water that you ply, the Rev. Henry Hudson, a visiting chaplain via Selma, Ala., intoned through a megaphone to the gathered seacraft, including cruisers and Longport beach patrol rowboats, and jet skis. Raising his right hand, he read from Psalm 107:23-32, where God calms the stormy sea. May you stay safe upon the waters, and may you enjoy the beauty of all Gods creations. Amen.

Call it religion, Shore style. Along the Jersey coast, houses of worship offer special beachside programs to connect with the seasonal crowd. The mission: to keep faith a focal point amid the R&R.

For us, its an opportunity to engage the community around us, Hudson said. Its an informal moment, where the church can reach out into the lives of the people here and say, As you go, praise God, and give thanks to God for the beauty of the creation around you.

Early in his visits to the Longport church, the priest said he was asked to bless the bay and then boats. That seemed appropriate given that the 1908 Spanish-style church sits across from the waters and its stained-glass windows celebrate marine life (jellyfish, octopus, horseshoe crab). I thought, Jesus blessed boats. I can do that, Hudson said. Somewhere along the line, bikes were added to the lineup, and on this day, he wished safe travels for those on two wheels and in strollers.

Its a free insurance policy, said Lee Scanny, a retired union carpenter who lives in Linwood and attended the blessing from his 23-foot boat that he uses for fishing and cruising. Ive got through some lousy stuff in my boat, unexpected storms. Id like to think the Man Upstairs had something to do with that.

Church trustee Anne Peterson Martin, a Longport resident who helped organize the blessing, said Redeemerconsidered a summer sanctuaryis always looking for ways to bring the community into the church and the church into the community. Next year, she said, the plan is to take the priest to the boats on the bay for individual blessings.

Over in Ventnor at Shirat Hayam, a conservative and reform merged synagogue whose name means Song of the Sea, services move to the sandpit at South Newport Avenue and the Boardwalk for several Friday evenings through the season.

Theres no reason that worship has to be serious, Rabbi Jonathan Kremer said, adding that about 150 people attend, settling in beach chairs and partaking in prayer and song. Sometimes it should be. More often than not, it should be just joyful, calm joy, or maybe exuberant joy. At the beach, its more exuberant.

Ellen Glassman of Broomall is a weekend regular to Margate, where she and her husband have a home. We always say that Shabbat feels magical when your toes are in the sand and the seagulls are overhead and the waves are rushing in, she said.

For many coastal houses of worship, the outdoor rituals also offer a way to attract newcomers to the fold even if only for the summer months.

Chabad at the Shore in Ventnor sets up a tent to sell its challah bread, attracting a line 100 deep, said synagogue director Rabbi Avrohom Rapoport. On the side, theres a little stand where people could make a prayer and don a tefillin, he said of a ritual usually done inside the synagogue. By bringing all these traditions outside the building, it helps people know that we are here. Saturday services can attract 150 people, as much as five times the winter crowd.

Founded in 1869 as a Christian resort town for holy leisure, Ocean Grove has more than 100 outdoor religious programs at the towns Boardwalk Pavilion, according to Michael Badger, president of the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association. That includes Lighthouse: Songs & Currents, Under the Umbrella Bible study, and many beach baptisms.

Much of Jesus history was on the waters edge, Badger said. People connect in places where they are on the edge, the edge of a mountain, the edge of the ocean. It opens them to the expanse of nature and opens the window of the soul to see God.

Sometimes, the Shores proximity proves an unexpected boon. People come from faraway places, from North Jersey, Philadelphia, Connecticut, Avinash Gupta, chairman of Siddhivinayak Temple USAs executive board said, adding visitors to the Hindu temple can triple in the summer weekends to as many as 100 people. They can take Gods blessing and at the same time visit Seaside Heights or Seaside Park. They have a dual attraction.

For Pastor Bill McGowan of Zion Lutheran Church in Barnegat Light, ministry at the water helps keep houses of worship vibrant.

On Fathers Day this year, he and other pastors, along with a rabbi, gathered dockside for the annual Blessing of the Fleet that took in a few dozen clamming and scalloping fishing boats, 60- to 80-footers. After the ritual, the scores of spectators get free boat rides through the inlet. Its a real community day, he said.

The church also holds services at the Bay Breeze Pavilion Sunday mornings as well as other Shore activities with a religious twist, including Blessings and Burgers for the local beach patrol and sunset worship services by the bay.

The secret is to always go out and spread the message, McGowan said. People have a lot of time constraints. Sometimes, when theyre on vacation, they have some extra time and find their way into church.

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How do you get summer vacationers at the Shore to keep the faith? Bless their boats. - The Philadelphia Inquirer

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Posted By admin on August 6, 2022

Imagine youre a 17-year-old boy from abroad whose parents have both belief in the value of education and the means to achieve it sufficient means to send you to a private boarding school in the United States for high school as the first step to an American university education.

As your senior year approaches, your homeland becomes too dangerous a place for your wealthy parents and siblings to remain, and they, too, come to the United States. But theyre refugees, deprived of their wealth and belongings and the ability to pay college tuition even for a school where youve managed to qualify as an in-state student. Despite now living a vastly reduced lifestyle in a faraway city, where youve helped them resettle because youve been here for a few years, the family faith in education and the determination that you will succeed endures.

But it doesnt pay for college. Youve applied for every scholarship you learn about. You would gladly take a job, but you cant yet work legally because of your immigration status. One day a family youve met through their daughter, another student at your private school, tells you theres funding through a community whose religion and practices are very different from yours, but they welcome you and want to help.

Are you a Jewish boy from Austria in 1938 whos connected with a righteous Christian group? No, youre a Muslim boy from Afghanistan in 2022, who will enroll at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee thanks to support from the Jewish Community Fund for Refugees at the Jewish Community Foundation of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation. It is a fund established by anonymous donors as a grassroots resource to aid refugees directly or to compensate volunteers who incur significant personal expenditures helping resettlement efforts.

The fund is only one part of the grassroots support system in Milwaukees Jewish community. Last months Chronicle highlighted the daily hands-on efforts of volunteers working through two Milwaukee synagogue HIAS Welcome Circles one at Congregation Emanu-El Bne Jeshurun and the other at Congregation Shir Hadash as well as individual members of Congregation Sinai and other organizations. Previous Chronicle reporting featured the work of Jewish Social Services in Madison, an affiliate of HIAS, formerly known as Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. HIAS is the organization that since 1881 has assisted countless Jewish families fleeing persecution and has shifted its focus to other refugee groups in recent times.

Like HIAS, those of us who assist and advocate for non-Jewish refugees do so because of the frequent and ongoing plight of our own people as strangers in strange lands. Empathy for those seeking freedom from persecution is a Jewish value mentioned in the Torah at least 36 times. Like Jews who benefitted from righteous Gentiles ordinary individuals, as well as some faith-based organizations this Afghan student and others from his country, Ukraine, Myanmar and countless other hot spots of ethnic persecution and warfare appreciate that their lives have been saved. They welcome the opportunity to support themselves and contribute to their new country.

The Chronicle has been a beacon spotlighting individual grassroots volunteer and synagogue efforts in the local Jewish community that have supported Afghans since their wave of immigration began last fall. The tasks have ranged from donating household goods to driving to and from school and work to arranging for benefits to playing with children to whatever it takes to make people who have fled their homes in fear feel welcomed, secure and productive in their new surroundings. Two young men in the Shir Hadash Welcome Circle also hope to enter UWM soon.

The big-picture situation is also important. HIAS leads advocacy aimed at easing the pathway for refugees to resettle in the United States. Our congressional representatives and senators need to hear Jewish voices supporting legislation to welcome strangers and give them the legal rights to thrive here.

The gap between a Jewish boy from Austria in 1938 and a Muslim boy from Afghanistan in 2022 is not as wide as we think.

Linda Frank is a co-founder of Wisconsin Jews for Refugees and a core member of the Welcome Circle at Congregation Emanu-El Bne Jeshurun. Franks opinions are her own and they do not necessarily represent the views of the Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle.

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Opinion: Were not strangers to the plight of strangers I invite you to join our hard-working grassroots effort - The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle

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Posted By admin on August 6, 2022

The funny thing about diversity is that sometimes it makes things worse. A new study from the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU illustrates my point.

Patterns in the Introduction and Passage of Restrictive Voting Bills Are Best Explained by Race, published this week, studies the dynamics behind the recent spate of laws designed to make it harder for people of color to vote. Its not a small issue. In the past two years, there have been nearly 400restrictive measures introduced in legislatures across the U.S., at least one in every state except Vermont. These kinds of measures include limiting voting hours, removing ballot boxes, eliminating absentee voting options, adding new photo identification requirements, and closing polling locations.

But having a Republican majority alone is not enough to get these types of legislation passed, the study finds.

It turns out that white voters in states with lots of communities of color are more likely to want the kinds of laws that make voting harder and that typically target the poor, the elderly, immigrants, Black, and other people of color who are perceived to be more likely to vote Democratic or advocate for themselves.

We are not seeing these bills introduced and passed everywhere that Republicans have control; rather, they are most prevalent in states where they have controland where there are significant non-white populations, says researcher Kevin Morris in an email.Similarly, it is not just that Republican-leaning legislative districts are represented by lawmakers who sponsor these bills.

This conclusion is drawn, in part, from answers found within a very broad voter survey that seeks to measure something called racial resentment. The concept was developed by political scientists Donald Kinder and Lynn Sanders three decades ago in an attempt to understand what white Americans believe about Black Americans and how that informs their politics.

In this case, the higher the resentment scores, the more likely white voters are to think barriers to voting are a good idea.

Its a mix of history, opportunity, and fundamental attribution error.

[Racial resentment] is based on respondents answers to questions about how much they attribute socioeconomic disparities between Black and white Americans to slavery and racial discrimination or to a lack of hard work and perseverance by Black Americans, says Brennan Centers Theodore R. Johnson, author of When the Stars Begin to Fall: Overcoming Racism and Renewing the Promise of America. The more an individual agrees with the general sentiment that Black peoples lack of effort is the primary reason for racial disparities, the higher that individuals racial resentment score. Andstudyafterstudyhas shown that people who voted for Donald Trump had higher levels of racial resentment than those who did not.

From the Brennan Center study:

As youve probably guessed, this is not really a get-out-the-vote essay, though we cant expect a functioning democracy if everyone cannot participate.

But it is a reminder that white resentment, triggered by fear of demographic change, is not new. Its also an increasingly dangerous part of our lives, linked to the great replacement theory fueled racist massacres, like the one at a supermarket in Buffalo (2022), a synagogue in Pittsburgh (2018), and a historic Black church in Charleston (2015).

So, while we focus on how white resentment plays out in the public square, its also time to ask, again, how growing feelings of resentment may be de-railing inclusion initiatives at work.

Way back in 2017, I spoke with Frank Dobbin, a professor of sociology at Harvard. He hadco-conducted researchshowing that most bias mitigation efforts are doomed, and white resistance was clearly the elephant in the room. It always seemed crazy to me that people thought that you could put people in two hours of diversity training and change their behavior, he told me.And when you talk to people after they get out of diversity training, often theyre angry and feel like theyre being treated like bigots. It just never seemed to me that that was a likely way to change the world.

And one group of inclusion professionals Ive spoken with in the past few months self-report being ignored and exhausted. In response to apollbyDeloitte, they also identified one attitude inside their organization as the chief barrier to their work, or as I like to think about it, the great replacement in the org chart: Advancing certain groups of professionals will mean fewer opportunities for others.

Ive got more reporting coming on equity in voting, specifically groundbreaking work the NAACP is doing to map the movement for justice. But if feelings of racial resentment persist, what elements of inclusion work are working? Necessary? Not working?

Let me know what youre seeing, feeling, thinking, or working on; subject line: Resentment. (Trust me, it will get my attention.

Wishing you a fulfilling and meaningful weekend.

Ellen McGirt@ellmcgirtEllen.McGirt@fortune.com

This edition of raceAhead was edited by Ashley Sylla.

WNBA star Brittney Griner is found guilty by a Russian court. Its been a heartbreaking development in an already devastating case. In addition to a hefty fine, Griner, who was arrested in a Moscow airport in February with less than a gram of cannabis oil, was sentenced yesterday to nine years in a penal colony for drug possession and smuggling. As she becomes a pawn in a rapidly heating cold war, Griners plight is deeply personal to many. What shes experiencing isnt foreign to us, said Victoria Kirby York, deputy executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition, told The 19th, referring to the over-representation and over-policing of Black queer women. Its really triggering to see a queer Black person in a cage, said Imad Nibokun Borha, the founder of the nonprofit Depressed While Black.It makes me think about how Black women, Black queer women, how were considered disposable in our society.19th News

The National Science Foundation funds an Indigenous Science hub. Its the largest research award ever granted by the NSF to a tribal college or university. Funded under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, the five-year award will allow Haskell Indian Nations University, a Bureau of Indian Education-operated Tribal University in Lawrence, Kansas, to fund an initiative called The Large Scale CoPe: Rising Voices, Changing Coasts: The National Indigenous and Earth Sciences Convergence Hub. This is an exciting and much-needed opportunity for scientists and Indigenous knowledge keepers to collaborate on how Indigenous people in coastal areas can build resiliency to the dynamic forces resulting from climate change, says Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland.Indian Country Today

The Oscar goes to a new president. Producer Janet Yang has just been named the next and first-ever Asian American president of the Academy of Motion Arts and Sciences. Yang, who produced The Joy Luck Club and The People vs. Larry Flynt, was elected by the academys 54-member board. She becomes the fourth woman to lead the organization behind the Oscars. Shes also a direct result of the #OscarsSoWhite campaign to diversify the awards landscape. The Queens, N.Y. native joined the academy in 2019. AP News

A new study confirms that young people arent influenced to become transgender because of social contagion. The findings, reported in the journal Pediatrics, come at a time when transgender youth are increasingly losing their access to affirmative health care, sports, and civil rights. The hypothesis that transgender and gender diverse youth assigned female at birth identify as transgender due to social contagion does not hold up to scrutiny and should not be used to argue against the provision of gender-affirming medical care for adolescents, they reported. The social contagion theory was published in a 2018 paperand described a phenomenon called rapid onset gender dysphoria.NBC News

Structural racism, explained. A good place to start is with the legacy of segregation, which also informs the gaps in outcomes in education, health, wealth, and employment. The Urban Institute has compiled a great list to bookmark and share.Urban.org

You cant bootstrap if youve been redlined. Redlining,the practice of governments and lenders denying certaincommunitiesaccess to affordable capital based on race or ethnicity, is still very much a problem.It hits your pocketbook. If your family was denied a mortgage in the 1930s, or the 1950s, or the 1970s, then you may not have the family wealth or down payment help to become a homeowner today. It hits your healthbecause of it, the air you breathe may be dirtier. Just ask the mostly Latinx residents of Boyle Heights, in Los Angeles. And its still happening. A Berkshire Hathaway-owned local lender just agreed to the second-largest redlining settlement in DOJ history. History below.NPR

The model minority myth, explained. Michael Kraus and Eunice Eun, both from Yales School of Management, argue persuasively that the anti-Asian racism that has been amplified in the last few years was predictable. In a culture that prizes whiteness, progress is the real myth. Racial equality, even for seemingly high-status model minority groups, is not something that unfolds automatically with the passage of time, they write. A clear picture of the experience of AAPI at work is often hard to seea diverse array of people, who are often lumped into one disaggregated block on diversity reports, if mentioned at all. Buck Gee and Denise Peck, two former Silicon Valley executives, examined government-mandated workplace demographic records for the report The Illusion of Asian Success, published by Ascend, a non-profit leadership organization for Pan-Asian professionals. They found a population largely stalled at work and less likely to be considered for promotion. More on how to debunk the myth below.USC Pacific Asia Museum

Brittney Griner

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Diverse communities are not immune to racial resentment. In fact, they might be more prone, a new study finds - Fortune

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Posted By admin on August 6, 2022

(JTA) Were about tosee a liturgical convergence in the Islamic and Jewish calendars. On Sunday, Jews around the world will fast and mourn on Tisha BAv, a day remembering thedestructionof the Temples inJerusalem. On Monday, many Muslims will fast and mourn in observance of Ashura, recalling the death of a revered Muslim forebear in the year 680.

The occasions share parallel themes and practices, and they may tempt leaders on both sides to use the convergence as an occasion for joint activities.

But Muslim-Jewish relations will be best served if we dont come together for this commemoration.

Dont get me wrong, I believe that when Muslim and Jewish holidays overlap, we often stand to benefit from cultural exchange and shared celebrations. This year, for example, Passover fell during the Muslim month of fasting, Ramadan (as did Easter, Vaisakhi and others). The Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council an advocacy coalition co-founded by my organization, American Jewish Committee hosted U.S. Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and State Deparment official Rashad Hussain at a national iftar, or Ramadan break-fast. Members of many faith groups came together at the event to recognize the beautiful tapestry of American religious diversity.

Many in the field of Muslim-Jewish relations are primed to pounce on any point of shared interest with joint programming. Similar dietary laws make for good dialogue and common prophets are grist for the mill of shared text study. Points of shared concern (such as combating hate) allow us to rally together for advocacy and action.

Some may be tempted to do the same with Ashura and Tisha BAv, given the similar observances of fasting and common theme of tragedy born of disunity. However, on these days Jews and Muslims should focus on the needs of our own communities and not cross the boundaries.

Tisha BAv, literally the ninth of the month of Av, (observed on the tenth this year because the ninth is Shabbat) commemorates tragedies of Jewish history with 25 hours of abstinence from food and drink, sexual relations, leather shoes, makeup and bathing. Traditionally, Jews sit low to the ground for most of the day and recite the Book of Lamentations in synagogue. The firsthand account by Josephus (d. 100 CE) that the Temples destruction was brought on by Jewish political fractiousness is echoed in the Talmuds assertion that the metaphysical trigger was baseless hatred between Jews (Yoma 9b).

Ashura, too, came to be associated with political discord and the destruction it wrought for early Muslims. In Muhammads lifetime it marked the day on which God delivered the Israelites from the hands of Pharaoh. However, Ashura also came to take on a more somber tone for Muslims, Sunni and Shia alike, in 680 CE. It was the day of the Battle of Karbala, when Muhammads grandson Hussein and his family were slaughtered by Muslim forces loyal to another claimant to the mantle of leadership.

The event was foundational for Shia Muslims, who commemorate Ashura with intense mourning practices and ritualized reenactments. However, many Sunni Muslims also treat the day as a time for somber reflection on the need for Islamic unity, and fasting and added prayer is common in both communities.

Muslims and Jews may take solace from the fact that another religious group knows the experience of collective grief and that it too struggles with intra-communal conflict. However, the spiritual experience of loss is most affective and effective within our own separate worlds of symbolism, history and heritage. If you are not a member of the Jewish community, having tied your own fate to that of the collective, then you cannot fully comprehend the meaning of the loss of a unifying religious structure and the subsequent exile.

Likewise, as a Jewish person, I do not presume to understand how chilling and sorrowful it must be for Muslims to recognize the massacre of Muhammads own family less than 50 years after his death.

And yet: Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, a luminary of Modern Orthodox Judaism, famously argued that while one can never fully enter the experiential world of another faith tradition, that barrier cannot prevent us from building trust and cooperation.

Leaving aside the question of whether interreligious empathy is possible, it is still essential that religious communities dedicate space to focus on intra-religious acceptance. Theidentity politics, polarization and cancel culturewe seeacross the globe often lead our religious communities totransforminternal communal difference into demonization.Those engaged in Muslim-Jewish relations often get labeled as traitors by members of their own communities.They are accused of selling out the Palestinians or ignoring antisemitism and religious extremism or simply empowering people whose policy positions are anathema. Blacklists, smear campaigns, petitions, threats of boycott and withdrawn donations are far too common in our field. Sadly, internal communal discord is among the chief barriers to advancing Muslim-Jewish rapprochement and cooperation.

Islam and Judaism are each blessed with diverse forms of expression, whether across denominations, ethnic cultures or political camps. Our traditions both have ample sources to embrace this diversity: A widely attested hadith, or Muslim belief, is thatdisagreement among the people is a mercy. The Talmud declares that the Torah has 70 faces that is, it is open to diverse interpretations.

This Tisha BAv and Ashura, I hope Muslims and Jews committed to interfaith work are able to grieve our tragedies separately, work to heal our own internal divides and then come back together for interreligious education, cooperation and celebration.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.

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Jews and Muslims are fasting next week. Lets hold the interfaith activities another time. - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency

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Posted By admin on August 4, 2022

Theyve all owned Sauls! (Clockwise from left) David Rosenthal, Peter Levitt, Sam Tobis, Jesus Chuy Mendoza, Karen Adelman and Andra Lichtenstein. Credit Daniil Vishnevskiy

Sauls Restaurant and Delicatessen1475 Shattuck Ave. (near Vine Street), Berkeley

Its well-known that Peter Levitt and Karen Adelman, the co-owners of Berkeley institution Sauls Restaurant and Delicatessen for the last 26 years, have been trying to sell the business since 2016.They came close to finding a buyer in early 2020, in fact,but pandemic insecurities foiled the sale. But now theyre ready to share what Sauls regulars might have guessed for months now: two new partners have been named at the restaurant, and will eventually take over full ownership in the coming years.

The new partners are longtime Sauls chef Jesus Chuy Mendoza and Sam Tobis, the owner of Oaklands Grand Bakery since 2017. But Its not a super clean cut, like, heres your money, goodbye, Adelman said.

Sam made it clear that he wanted to come in and learn from us and meet our regular customers through us, so Levitt and Adelman will remain at the business for now, just in a reduced capacity. Both are in their early 60s, and their goal is to fully transfer ownership to the new partners gradually, probably over the next several years.

Chuy and I compliment each other, so that I can focus more on the things I do well, Tobis said, describing the Sauls family as a strong core of people who have been working here for years.

Added Mendoza, We are a really strong team. Im excited and happy to be part of the future of this great restaurant.

One of the reason it took so long to find a buyer for Sauls, Adelman and Levitt said, is because they couldnt sell Sauls to just anyone. Instead, they sought out new owners who understand the restaurants unique role as not only a longstanding and popular restaurant, but also as a Jewish gathering spot.

Before Sauls was Sauls, it opened as a lunch counter called the Pantry Shelf in 1955. It wasnt a deli per se, though it had delicatessen in big letters above the door and sold deli sandwiches along with burgers.

Some decades later, David Rosenthal bought the business and renamed it Rosenthals. That lasted until 1986, when Andra Lichtenstein put together a partnership to buy the deli, naming it after her father, Saul Lichtenstein. Both Rosenthal and Lichtenstein are still regulars at the restaurant today.

Adelman started as a server at Sauls in 1989, and Levitt became chef there in 1995 after time in the kitchen at Chez Panisse and Oliveto. They bought Sauls together in 1996 and have co-managed it ever since.

They are certain they found the right people to carry the Sauls legacy forward.

The new energy there feels exciting, Adelman said. Both deeply care about the philosophy and spirit of the place. Chuy has been working with our employees so long that people work really hard for him, and he and Peter are super close. Sam is really smart and has virtually no ego in it, which is rare in the restaurant industry. Its a passion project for them and not just a job.

A decade ago, when Mendoza began work at Sauls, he was unfamiliar with the cuisine, Adelman said. But like Levitt, who also didnt grow up with traditional Jewish deli food (hes from Johannesburg, South Africa) hes learned a tremendous amount about the dishes since then, eating whatever deli he can when he travels and reading everything he can get his hands on.

Tobis, originally from New York, came to the area to attend Cal and never left. (His parents and sister have since joined him here.) He met Levitt in 2017 after he had taken over Grand Bakery, a longtime Sauls vendor that sold its baked goods to the deli.

Levitt made it known then that he was looking for a buyer, but Tobis turned the overture down, saying that he had enough on his plate. But his interest in the deli grew over time, and since last November he has been a noticeable presence at Sauls, learning the ropes, while Mendoza continues running his domain, the very kitchen hes worked in for over 10 years.

Tobis said Levitt has been a huge influence on how he runs Grand Bakery. For example, hes switched to using all organic, heirloom flour for Grands baked goods.

Peter came up in the heart of the California food movement, and I think hes one of the most underappreciated deli men in the country, Tobis said. Sauls is East Coast and Eastern Europe meets Middle East, from comfort shtetl fare to falafel and house-made pita every day. This cross-pollination of food from the Jewish diaspora is just fabulous.

The one thing Tobis hopes to change is the bakery program at Sauls.

Grand Bakerys kitchen is parve (meaning no butter can be used), but Tobis has brought plenty of general baking know-how to Sauls, which does not restrict its menu to kosher dishes. He has also hired a new baker, and has converted part of the Sauls office into a new area devoted to baking.

Traditional goods, such as babka, rugelach and black-and-white cookies, have improved over the previous iterations, and some new items have been added, like tahini cookies. (Sauls already made its own bagels and pita in-house.)

Even though he has ownership in two East Bay Jewish food businesses, Tobis said each is distinct and will remain that way.

Im very excited to continue the legacy, culture and food experience that Karen and Peter have cultivated, he said. Grand Bakery will maintain its own identity and kosher experience.

For their part, Levitt and Adelman couldnt be happier with the arrangement, one that allows flexibility in their schedule for the first time in decades.For example, Levitt recently traveled to Poland to volunteer with World Central Kitchen, cooking for Ukrainian refugees for two weeks in May and then staying in Berlin and traveling, knowing Sauls was in good hands. He was away for four months, something that would have been unthinkable until recently.

Peter doesnt want to be the guy doing it anymore, but his curiosity and talent will remain part of Sauls, Adelman said.

Adelman is happy to stay on doing social media, graphics and other tasks for now, while taking her time to figure out whats next.

Its hard to know who I am without Sauls, as Ive been there so long, Adelman said. People see me and they suddenly get hungry.

A version of this storyfirst appeared on J., the Jewish News of Northern California. Reprinted with permission.

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Saul's Deli, a 36-year-old Berkeley institution, has been sold - Berkeleyside

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Posted By admin on August 4, 2022

(July 29, 2022 / JNS) Last month, tens of thousands of people descended on Tel Avivs Sarona Park to sample seitan, sprouts and seaweed. Vegan Festthe largest gathering of its kind in the worldreconfirmed Israels status as the Vegan Nation, with more than 5% of the Israeli population avoiding meat and dairy. But in the Diaspora, Jews are not known as the People of Alternative Protein. On the contrary, Ashkenazi cuisinethe dominant conception of Jewish food in Americais a panoply of animal products, from towering corned-beef sandwiches to chicken soup to cheesecake.

For nine days each summer, however, observant Jews embrace an alternative diet. From the first day of the Hebrew month of Av until the fast day of Tisha BAv (this year, July 29 through Aug. 7), many have the custom to abstain from meat, poultry and wine on weekdays, an expression of mourning for the destruction of the two Temples in Jerusalem and other calamities that took place at this time. (This year, the observance of Tisha BAv begins as Shabbat ends, so the meal before the fast may include meat.)

While the custom is often framed as an onerous burden (What will we make for dinner?!), a closer look at the history of meat consumption in Jewish tradition reveals a surprisingly complex and fluid storyone that a new generation of Jewish chefs is telling with pride.

The story begins in the first chapter of Genesis when God commands Adam to eat only seedbearing plants and fruits, in other words, to be vegetarian. Permission to eat meat is granted only later, to Noah after the flood, and then only as a grudging concession to human appetites. The biblical view of meat consumption is surprising to the uninitiated, says Yitzhaq Feder, a lecturer in biblical studies at the University of Haifa. Generally, it is part of a sacrifice in which portions were burned on the altar or given to the priests, and the remainder was consumed by the family who brought the offering.

In fact, a less well-known verse in Leviticus (17:4) actually prohibits the consumption of meat outside of a sacrificial setting, comparing it to murder. Though this prohibition is relaxed in Deuteronomy, there is clearly some ambivalence within the text about how much meat people should eat, and when and where they should eat it. Meat was always a part of celebration, especially of festivals, in ancient Israel, says Feder. It is important to keep in mind that meat was a much rarer commodity, and the raising of livestock was much closer to home (at least in comparison to urban populations today). The custom of not eating meat during the Nine Days is based on the assumption that such meals were noteworthy events.

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After the destruction of the holy Temple, rabbinic literature preserved the special status accorded to meat by marking it as a delicacy, a way of honoring the Shabbat and festivals. Kabbalists like Rabbi Isaac Luria opined that meat should be eaten only with high spiritual intentions, and the economic status of most Diaspora Jews ensured that it was not the stuff of weeknight dinners. Jews in Eastern Europe did not have access to a lot of meat, says Nora Rubel, professor of Jewish studies at the University of Rochester and editor of the 2014 anthology Religion, Food and Eating in North America. Complicated kosher laws, she notes, made it even more expensive and difficult to procure. For the holidays, they would scrimp and save to be able to eat like rich people.

Dishes like gefilte fish, chicken soup and chopped liver were designed to make small, cheap cuts of meat go a long way. But in tandem with these, Eastern European Jews developed a bright and varied array of plant-based foods. The salads, soups, pickles and krauts they made with the cruciferous vegetables plentiful in that region were codified in the 1938 Yiddish classic The Vilna Vegetarian Cookbook.

Participants in Vegan Fest at Tel Avivs Sarona Park in June 2022. Credit: Courtesy of Vegan Friendly/Israel21C.

A symbol of American Judaism

It was only in 19th- and 20th- century America that meat became a staple of the Jewish diet. Industrial practices like giant feed lots and refrigerated railway cars made it affordable enough to eat every day, notes Jeffrey Yoskowitz, a Jewish food expert and founder of Papaya, a delivery platform that encourages restaurants and diners to serve and consume less meat. What once was revered and saved for special occasions was suddenly available all the time. It was so cheap in America that delis stacked meat so high on a sandwich, and it became a symbol of American Judaism.

Yoskowitz and Rubel, who, with her husband, runs Grass Feda kosher vegan restaurant in Rochester, N.Y.are looking to revive the more varied, less meat-centric cuisine of their ancestors. Vegetarianism (or meat reductionism) has been a part of global Jewish culture for most of our history, says Yoskowitz, whose 2016 cookbook, The Gefilte Manifesto, presents a modern take on traditional Ashkenazi fare.

The custom of abstaining from meat during the Nine Days provides a chance to explore this traditional way of eating and an opportunity to reflect on its deeper significance. There are a lot of tragedies that we dont have the power to stop, says Rubel. There are very few things we can do in our daily lives to alleviate the suffering of others. This is one of them.

Green cabbage. Credit: Pixabay.

Hungarian Braised Green Cabbage (Pareve or Dairy)

From The Encyclopedia of Jewish Food by Gil Marks

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

2 pounds (1 medium head) green or Savoy cabbage, cored and coarsely shredded

1 teaspoon salt

cup butter or vegetable oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

About 1 cup water or broth, or cup dry white wine and cup water

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 pound cooked pasta or wide egg noodles

Directions:

Sprinkle the cabbage with salt. Let stand for 1 hour. Drain and squeeze out the excess liquid.

In a large skillet or pot, heat the butter or oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saut until soft and translucent, 5 to 10 minutes.

Add the cabbage and saut until reduced and slightly wilted, about 3 minutes.

Add enough water to prevent the cabbage from sticking. Add the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until tender but still slightly crunchy, about 20 minutes.

Add the noodles and heat through, about 5 minutes.

Serve warm.

Blueberries. Credit: Pixabay.

Spiced Blueberry Soup (Dairy)

From The Gefilte Manifesto by Jeffrey Yoskowitz and Liz Alpern

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

2 cinnamon sticks

2 teaspoons whole cloves

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns

6 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

cup honey

cup fresh lemon juice

1 cup cold water

2 egg yolks, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons lemon zest, plus more for garnish

Sour cream or plain yogurt, for serving

Directions:

Tie the cinnamon sticks, cloves, coriander seeds and peppercorns in a square of cheesecloth for easy removal later.

In a medium saucepan, combine the blueberries, honey, lemon juice, spice bundle and cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook for about 8 minutes. The berries will break down quite quickly and release a good deal of liquid.

Remove the pot from the heat. Very slowly spoon 3 tablespoons of the hot blueberry liquid into the egg yolks (1 tablespoon at a time to avoid curdling the egg yolks).

Whisk with a fork until thick, 1 to 2 minutes, then return the blueberry-egg mixture to the pot and return the soup just to a boil.

Immediately reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook for 3 minutes more, until the soup has thickened. Remove from the heat, and immediately mix in the 2 teaspoons of lemon zest.

Remove the spice bundle before serving the dish hot, cold or at room temperature, garnished with sour cream and remaining lemon zest.

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Brisket wasn't always on the table ... - JNS.org

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