Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on November 23, 2021

Show Art for "Show It Was Not" Featuring an image of Franz Wunsch and Helena Citron

Love it Was Not is a stunning documentary by Israeli director Maya Sarfaty about a romance between young Franz Wunsch, an Austrian SS Guard, and Helena Citron, a Jewish prisoner in Auschwitz. Based on her Student Academy Award-winning documentary The Most Beautiful Woman, Sarfaty investigates Franzs obsession with Helena after he first hears her sing a popular German song at his birthday party in the Kanada facility, where women worked sorting through the personal items of people who have died in the gas chambers. At one point, Helena recalls a moment when Franz asked her to sing the song again politely, like a human being.

Their unusual story questions the validity of a connection involving such a brutal power dynamic. Citron was fighting for survival, and her romance with Wunsch gave her and her loved ones some level of protection within the camp, drawing jealousy from her fellow prisoners, but it also came with the risk of execution if they were ever caught. Their relationship continued for two and a half years until the camp was eventually liberated. Both Franz and Helena eventually moved on with their lives, despite his failed attempts at contact. It isnt until 1972, when Franz is put on trial for War Crimes, that Citron (living in Israel at the time) receives a desperate letter from his wife, asking her to testify on his behalf.

Love it Was Not begins with a jarring photograph of Helena in the camps. She looks healthy and happy, smiling while wearing her prison uniform. Franzs daughter Dagmar explains in one of the films captivating interviews that her father would cut Helenas head out of the photograph and arrange it in romantic nature scenes with an image of himself. Sarfaty, inspired by this concept, uses artful photomontages from historical images and archival photographs, employing the same idea. This imaginative storytelling is interspersed with interviews Sarfaty obtained after a thorough investigation into the archives of Israels Yad Vashem and Steven Spielbergs Shoah Foundation for the records of women who also worked at the Kanada facility or any references to Helena and Franz in their personal stories. From there, Sarfaty was able to locate and interview seven of these women, all octogenarians, with clear memories and their own honest opinions of what the relationship between Franz and Helena really was.

I spoke to Sarfaty about her in-depth research for Love it Was Not. We also discussed what she learned from the differing perspectives shared in the various interviews and how she and her team created the riveting images used in the film.

An image from the film "Love It Was Not"

Risa Sarachan: What drew you to this story?

Maya Sarfaty: The thing that most fascinated me in this story was the ambivalence of the two main figures, the SS officer andthe Jewish victim. You can't really speak about Franz as pure evil. He was a sadistic SS officer in Auschwitz; there is no arguing about that. But he also was quite romantic, a tender man that is capable of pureloveand compassion. Helena is alsonotthe classic imaginary victim. She's a strong woman with a strong survival drive, willing to do whatever she needs in order to save herself and to save her sister. These gray zones between evil and pure are the areas that drive me as a storyteller.

Sarachan: How did you obtain your interview subjects?

Sarfaty: I spent 2016 and most of 2017 at the Yad Vashem Archive in Jerusalem. [I was] looking for testimonies of womensurvivors who were among the first transports to Auschwitz or worked in the Canadian facilities. I watched dozens if not hundreds of shocking testimonies of Auschwitz survivors, hoping they would remember and mention Helena, Rosa and Franz.I used to come back home devastated from these long and miserable days. I used to wake up in terror in the middle of the night, haunted by horror stories. One thing for sure - I cried more than usual back then.

But there were also moments of light in these days, at least from a script writers point of view. To my surprise, quite a few of the survivors devoted precious minutes of their personal testimony to this story. Those few minutes werea kind of a window. Through it, I could peek into the buried history. Their words helped me understand what is the real day-to-day meaning of the bombastic headline "An affair between an SS officer and Jewish prisoner in Auschwitz. They gave color, smell and sound to the story. They gave it life.

I was able to locate seven of the women and interview them myself. Two of them are no longer alive and have not seen the film. The rest of the testimonies in the film are a product of the important and valuable effort of recording testimonies by Yad Vashem and the Shoah Foundation by Steven Spielberg.

I call these brave and beautiful women in the film - the Chorus of Thousand Women. For me, all of them together are the fourth protagonist of the film - Helena, Rosa, Franz and the women's chorus.

As in the classical Greek tragedy, the chorus accompanies and unfolds the story with one big difference - here, the chorus does not speak in one voice. On the contrary, each and every one of them brings a different voice and a different gaze at Helena and the whole story. I love each and every one of these women. They are brave, honest, nasty, empathetic and full of envy. They are wonderfully human and fearlessly honesty.

Sarachan: I loved the way the film used paper cutouts to tell the narrative. What inspired you to use those, and how did you go about creating them?

Sarfaty: For most of his life, Franz made these weird photo-montages of Helena, placing her in different clothing and different backgrounds. I believe it was a way for him to imagine an alternative life they could have had together. Franz did it in order to see the pictures he wanted to see. And I borrowed and developed the technique to see the pictures I wanted to see. I worked with two wonderful Israeli artists, Shlomit Gopher and Ayelet Albenda. We worked with real archival photos from the period, from the war and the camps. And we made this kind of 3d multi-layered photo montage. It was all handmade and shot in a studio. It was intentionally made quite roughly. In this way, I thought that the audience would be able to distinguish between a real valid historical document and an imaginary illustration of my creation. It was very important to me that in every moment of the film, it will be very clear what is real and what is imagination.

Sarachan: What do you hope this story offers viewers today?

Sarfaty: I think the power of the story lies in its relevance to our lives today. It offers a uniquely female perspective and raises fundamental ethical and moral questions regarding relationships, authority and exploitation. Is it even possible to speak in terms of love regarding an SS officer, and a Jewish victim under the horrific conditions of Auschwitz? Can you talk about free will or free choice? The film offers various answers to these questions, I believe. I hope that by watching it, you will be able to choose for yourself the right answer.

Sarachan: Have the families connected with the story seen the film?

Sarfaty: Yes, and I was happy to find out the responses were very good.

For Helena's and Rosa's children, watching the film was not easy, but they loved it and were very proud of it. Dagmar, the daughter of Franz Wunsch, had a more difficult and complex experience, but she too felt that the movie was fair and presented her father as he was, on the sadistic sides of his personality, together with the good sides of him.The reactions of the survivors I interviewed were most emotional to me, as they validated and confirmed the historical accuracy of the film. Some of them invited me to screen the film in their nursing homes, all of them watched the film in the company of their families, and I received a lot of warm responses from children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren.

Sarachan: What are you working on next?

Sarfaty: Right now, I'm finishing my second son's maternity leave.

On my desk, there are a couple of projects in development: a documentary about the Israeli dance world, a series about education, and a script for a feature film that depicts exploitation in a romantic relationship between an older woman and a young man. I dont know which project I will pursue first, but one thing is for sure, I need a break from Auschwitz.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Love It Was Not is now available on demand and in theatres.

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'Love It Was Not' Documents An Unlikely Love Story In Auschwitz - Forbes

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Posted By admin on November 23, 2021

LEIPZIG - Frauke and Peter are confused. On Monday, new coronavirus regulations are taking effect in the German state of Saxony, and they arent exactly sure what that means for their little book store. It will remain open, but from now on they may have to politely turn away unvaccinated customers.

In the spring, bookshops were like shops for food. And I hope this will apply to ours also. We dont know, we dont know, Frauke tells Haaretz, in a mixture of English and German.

Saxony is located in the eastern part of the country and Dresden is its capital. It was the first German state to draw up rigorous regulations for contending with the current wave of COVID-19. The rules are so stringent that people who are unvaccinated are no longer allowed to enter leisure and entertainment venues including cafes or restaurants, even when presenting a negative coronavirus test. Last week, the authorities announced that they were going to expand these restrictions, which are called 2G, so that they would cover places of business not considered to be essential.

But what particularly worries Germans, as well as citizens of other European countries, are the harsh steps being taken by Austria, which declared a lockdown last week that applies not only to people who refuse to get vaccinated: Due to the worrisome rise in infection rates, a total lockdown is due to start Monday encompassing the countrys entire population. Efforts to supervise implementation of the new restrictions have evoked harsh responses among the public, with demonstrations held in Vienna and Rotterdam, as well as other cities.

Germans are worried that Austria is setting the tone for a similar move in their own country. The main concern of the federal government and health system is the growing burden on hospitals and intensive care units as winter is approaching. According to data published by the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin, there were more than 65,000 new cases of coronavirus infection during a 24-hour period last Thursday, a record since the beginning of the pandemic. The rate of infections across Germany, as of Thursday, averaged 336.9 new cases per 100,000 people, per week. According to that index, the state with the highest rate of infections was Saxony, where that number was over 760.

A spokesperson at Leipzig University Hospital told Haaretz: Yes, we feel significant pressure. We fear the progression of the fourth wave. Our medical staff is still motivated, we treat all patients equally. But now they know how hard it could be. We urgently ask everybody to get vaccinated! It is and will be the best way to control the pandemic.

Antisemitism, too

So far, Germany, with a population of 83 million, has seen more than 5 million cases of COVID-19, with over 98,000 deaths; 68 percent of the population has been inoculated as per official guidelines. For its part, Saxony is contending not just with the highest infection rates in the country but with the lowest rates of vaccination currently 58 percent. The situation in Leipzig, the largest city in the state, with 597,000 residents, does not reflect that in other regions. Whereas in Leipzig, considered a left-wing bastion, the rate of inoculation is 61 percent, in some rural areas in Saxony the rate is much lower 45 percent.

Aiko Kempen, an independent investigative journalist, explains that Saxony has the highest rate of infections because we have the lowest rate of vaccination. And I think there are various reasons for the low rate: One of them is the political situation in Saxony, where there are a lot of people who are kind of skeptical about government decisions, especially when the government is strict ... I think this is in contrast to East German history in some of these parts. You can see that the parts in Saxony with the lowest vaccination rates are the most eastern regions These are also the regions where the Alternative for Germany, the rightist populist party, has its best results. There are also these theories about how vaccinations can make you sick, how the virus maybe doesnt even exist. These are very, very popular.

Almost 25 percent of the votes in Saxony in Septembers national election went to the extreme right; in locales in the Leipzig area, by contrast, the rate ranged between 11 and 15 percent. A survey done by the Forsa Institute and published this month found that 50 percent of unvaccinated voters in Germany cast their vote for the right-wing AfD. Moreover, 15 percent described themselves as supporters of the Grassroots Democratic Party of Germany, aka dieBasis, which is associated with the Querdenker anti-inoculation and anti-lockdown protest movement; the party did not, however, pass the electoral threshold.

Over 20 right-wing people were reportedly arrested last month at a demonstration against coronavirus restrictions in Leipzig. RIAS, a federal association that researches and monitors acts of antisemitism, has noted that at many such protests, there are manifestations of antisemitic sentiment, trivialization of the Holocaust and support for antisemitic conspiracy theories. For example, in Offenbach in the federal state of Hesse, there was a report earlier this month of graffiti and stickers, some adorned with Nazi symbols, bearing slogans like: Covid is a Jewish lie or Corona fake pandemic from Zionists. As at protests earlier this year in Israel by people refusing to get inoculated, in Germany too demonstrators have worn yellow Star of David badges and compared themselves to the Jewish victims of the Nazis.

Alexander Rasumny, a press spokesman at RIAS, explained to Haaretz that generally, post-Shoah antisemitism is one of the most common forms of antisemitism in Germany, most often in the form of aggressive and defensive reactions against remembrance (of the Holocaust), although sometimes also in the form of reappraisal of Nazi crimes. This is particularly the case with antisemitism related to the COVID-19 pandemic, since it offers what we call an opportunity for historical revisionism.

Between March 2020 and March 2021, RIAS documented more than 560 coronavirus-related antisemitic incidents over 60 percent of them involving references to the Holocaust. Moreover, signs with the words Impfen macht frei (Vaccination makes you free) have been spotted at protests. One incident cited by RIAS involved a woman who didnt wear a mask, who told a train conductor on a trip from Gottingen to Hanover: This is like with the Jews in the Third Reich. They were bullied like that.

As for right-wing protests against government policy during the pandemic, Kempen, the journalist, says: I think its like a political maneuver that got out of hand. Because when COVID first came, the first thing the AfD said was that the government is not doing enough, that they had to do an immediate lockdown; they just wanted to criticize the government. And when the government said COVID is important, COVID is dangerous, we have to do a lockdown the AfD switched its position and tried to jump on the critics side and criticize everything the government does In some ways, its just like this maneuver, they want to be against the mainstream.

According to Jrgen Kasek, a lawyer and former chairman of the Green Party in Saxony, its especially the right-wing front in eastern Germany that searches for moments like these to show the opposite and to try to use the struggle to win votes. Such phenomena, he adds, echo events in the history of East Germany.

In the beginning of the 1990s and 2000s, there were a lot of problems with neo-Nazism that no one talked about. This is the seed the right wing has tried to use in the current situation, and especially in eastern Germany during the anti-corona (anti-vaccination) demonstrations. You have a lot of people from the right wing, Kasek says.

Two hours from downtown Leipzig, the ground floor at one of the malls was not too busy on a recent morning. Some stores were still shut and very few customers had entered the ones that had opened. A quick glance at a one of the upper floors, however, showed quite a different picture: A huge line of people were waiting for the opening of the local COVID-19 testing center that had turned into an inoculation center that day. There was no signage directing people there. On the ground floor it was business as usual; upstairs, a pandemic.

Meanwhile, at another vaccination center, at Leipzigs central station, Denny, 31, had been waiting for his booster shot for two hours. He wasnt able to cite a specific reason for the low number of people getting vaccinated in his state: Thats a hard question. I think Leipzig is a special situation because Leipzig is better compared to the other parts of Saxony, he said. Maybe people dont feel the urge to get the vaccine because everything seems fine, I dont know.

The fourth wave is hitting Germany at a time when the traffic-light coalition namely the Social Democratic Party, the Greens and the Free Democratic Party are trying to cobble together a coalition agreement this week, ahead of the expected election of SPD chief Olaf Scholz as chancellor. The three parties are pushing for further restrictions on unvaccinated people, including barring them from public transportation and internal flights.

Journalist Kempen is not optimistic. I think it will get worse because the people who dont want to get vaccinated are already using violence in many ways. The more they feel attacked by the government or society [and by] the people who believe that COVID is real the more aggressive they get.

Attorney Kasek also admits that mistakes were made. At the moment we have a very large division in our society, and I do not see a clear line or strategy to tackle the protests. I think more people will be vaccinated if we improve the vaccination campaign: We need to talk more about the use and risks [of vaccination], tackle conspiracy theories and send more vaccination teams out.

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Vaccines, violence and the far-right: a visit to Germany's COVID infection capital - Haaretz

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Posted By admin on November 21, 2021

Claudia Rodens first book on Middle Eastern food came out in 1968, when many people thought the now-ubiquitous cuisine was mostly comprised of sheeps eyes and testicles.

I could never have even dreamt of it, she said of the evolution.

Roden is 85 now, and just published her twelfth full-length, solo cookbook, Claudia Rodens Mediterranean: Treasured Recipes From a Lifetime of Travel (Ten Speed Press).

The cover of Claudia Rodens new cookbook

While Rodens work, The Book of Jewish Food: An Odyssey from Samarkand and Vilna to the Present Day, published in 1996, is widely considered one of the best of the genre, it is the only Jewish book she has written. Her others cover the cuisines of Italy, Spain, Morocco, and more.

This one is comprised of recipes she most often makes at home, inspired by her Mideast travels. Roden has lived in London since young adulthood and works and travels often in Paris and the south of France, which also inspired many of these recipes.

But focussing on the food of the Mediterranean keeps Roden connected to her homeland. Of course, things changed dramatically for Egyptian Jews from the time she was born until now, and most of them were forced to leave the country. She has fond memories of her cosmopolitan upbringing she was raised in Cairo, speaking French, with a Slovene-Italian nanny and an Egyptian cook, Awad.

Born Claudia Douek, three out of four of Rodens grandparents were Syrian Jews, with the fourth from Istanbul. Her great-grandfather was the Chief Rabbi of Aleppo. A photo of him appears in the book.

I started collecting recipes in 1956, when the Jews were forced to leave Egypt after the Suez War, she writes. We thought we would never see each other again, so recipes were something to remember one another by.

The books recipes are more in line with how people like to cook now. There is less meat and more fish and vegetables, as well as fewer steps. In a bygone time, Roden points out, ones hospitality could be measured by how many hours were spent in the kitchen.

Also, many of the books recipes are gluten-free, vegetarian or take other dietary restrictions into account. There is also a fair amount of treif: recipes with both shellfish and pork.

I dont really know what proportion of people in the various Jewish communities around the world keep kosher today, she said. In Egypt, my family did not keep kosher and I knew no one of my generation who did.

The book intersperses personal stories and food history. We learn that mezze, the small plate spread now served throughout the Middle East,began in Lebanon, in Zahl, in the Bekaa Valley, in 1920, where two cafes tried to outdo each other, with which could have the more elaborate.

Rodens includes some of her favorite mezze recipes: muhammara, a pepper and walnut paste, pureed eggplant dishes and tarama, a spread with smoked cod roe.

There are a few recipes from her family. She writes that her fathers family always cooked the food of Aleppo. A recipe for eggplant with pomegranate dressing and yogurt sauce and a recipe for turmeric rice with spinach and yogurt are both attributed to her aunt.

To me Syrian recipes became Jewish when Jewish communities took them to new homelands and passed them on to new generations, she said. They became their cultural baggage.

There is also a chocolate almond cake that Roden explains is both a Sephardic Passover recipe and her familys go-to, year-round birthday cake.

One little-known fact about Roden that is not in the book: She was Egypts national backstroke swimming champion at the age of 15.

Does she still swim?

Not anymore, she said. But I dream of the happy times when I swam far out to a tiny island in the sea in Alexandria.

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Heres the new Mediterranean cookbook you need now - Forward

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Posted By admin on November 21, 2021

Its Monday. Well look at what the infrastructure bill will mean for New York. Well also look at new delicatessens that are designed to look old.

With President Biden expected to sign the $1 trillion infrastructure bill on Monday, its time for specifics specifically, what the bill could mean for the New York region. How will it jump-start road and bridge repairs? Where will the construction signs and detours be?

The bill is expected to give several big mass-transit projects a green light, including an extension of the Second Avenue subway in Manhattan (with three new stations) and a plan for a new railroad tunnel between New York and New Jersey. The bill is also expected to help cover the cost of cleaning up contaminated ground water and improving sewers in New York City.

The transportation-related funding in the bill, about 80 percent, is targeted at highways and road projects. Much of the rest will go to public transit. Given that were staring down a climate catastrophe, said Felicia Park-Rogers, the director of regional infrastructure projects for the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, a transit advocacy group, this is not what we would like to see.

But officials want to address drivers gripes about deteriorating roads and bridges. Timothy Kennedy, a Democrat who chairs the State Senates transportation committee, said that more than 1,700 bridges and 7,300 miles of highways and local roads in New York State are in poor condition. Money from the infrastructure bill would go a long way toward repairing them, he said. But state agencies will have some flexibility on spending and could use highway funds for bike lanes, said Kate Slevin, the executive vice president of the Regional Plan Association, an urban policy group.

In New York City, Henry Gutman, the transportation commissioner, expects the bill to cover badly needed repairs to the well-worn Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, which is pummeled and pounded daily by 150,000 cars and trucks.

Transit agencies are expected to spend much of the money they get on major projects, but not all involve shiny new train cars or state-of-the-art signal equipment. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority which operates the subways and buses in New York, along with two commuter rail lines will spend some of its $10 billion on making its system more accessible.

Only about a quarter of the citys 472 subway stations are wheelchair-accessible now. Adding elevators and ramps is expensive in older stations.

Another chunk of the M.T.A.s allocation could improve the Jamaica Station in Queens, built more than 100 years ago. Hundreds of thousands of Long Island Rail Road riders depend on the tangle of train lines that come together there every day.

Of the 13 Republicans who supported the bill, four were from New York. On Long Island, a man was arrested Wednesday after making death threats against Representative Andrew Garbarino. The Washington office of Representative Nicole Malliotakis, whose district covers Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn, has received several angry phone calls.

Representative Tom Reed, whose upstate district includes Corning and Ithaca, said his office had received several aggressive calls about his vote. But he said he believed that most of his constituents supported the bill.

A lot of whats driven this opposition was purely politically motivated, Mr. Reed said.

Weather

Partly sunny with a slight chance of showers throughout the day and temps in the high 40s. Clear skies and windy at night with temps in the mid-30s.

alternate-side parking

In effect until Nov. 25 (Thanksgiving Day).

Nothing says New York like a somewhat shabby shop that sells lox and bagels. But as the citys delicatessens were threatened with extinction, something happened. New look-alikes sprang up delis designed to look old and authentic.

New York was once a checkerboard of Jewish neighborhoods, with one or more kosher delis upholding Orthodox dietary strictures every few blocks. By one count, New York had upward of 1,500 Jewish delis in the 1930s. Undercut by changing demographics and a new aversion to the mainstays on their menus fat, carbohydrates and salt delis disappeared. The number dropped into the 10s.

Now there are the look-alikes. For those of us who grew up with the Jewish delis owned by our parents or grandparents generation, theres an upside and a downside to revisionist Jewish cuisine, Karrie Jacobs wrote in The Timess recent special section on design. On the one hand, excellent bagels, lox and cured meats are now wonderfully easy to obtain. On the other hand, theres something slightly off-kilter about this attempt to resuscitate, through deft branding, the cranky, cerebral, irreverent Jewish culture that was once a dominant feature of New York Citys character.

She says the standard-bearer for these mixed emotions might be Frankels Delicatessen & Appetizing in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. It was started five years ago by two brothers, Zach and Alex Frankel. The idea emerged after a long wait at Russ & Daughters, one of the last of the authentic places on the Lower East Side in Manhattan. Katzs Delicatessen, also on East Houston Street, is another.

[The Rise of the Designer Deli]

People would always ask us, do you think theres enough Jewish people who live in Greenpoint? Frankel recalled. Their reply: Thats not necessarily who were building this for. Now, the clientele at lunch rush is a wild mix of, of characters, he said. They order more bacon than any other kind of meat.

Another revisionist deli opened in Midtown Manhattan late last year the USA Brooklyn Delicatessen, a couple of blocks from where the Carnegie Deli served overstuffed sandwiches until it closed in 2016. Owned by Shelly Fireman, who also created the Brooklyn Diner around the corner, its inspiration isnt Jewish food, per se, but the supremely marketable concept known as Brooklyn.

Transportation. The proposal would see tens of billions of dollars in new federal spendinggoing to roads, bridges and transportation programs. Amtrak would see its biggest infusion of money since its inception, and funds would be allocated to programs intended to provide safe commutes for pedestrians.

Climate. Funding would be provided to better prepare the country to face global warming. The Forest Service would get billions of dollars to reduce the effects of wildfires. The bill includes $73 billion to modernize the nations electricity grid to allow it to carry renewable energy.

Resources for underserved communities. A new $2 billion grant program is expected to expand transportation projects in rural areas. The bill would also increase support for Native American communities, allotting $216 million to the Bureau of Indian Affairs for climate-resilience and adaptation efforts.

Its Times Square-ish visual style was the work of the graphic designer Paula Scher. Karrie Jacobs writes that Schers contribution to the emerging generation of Jewish-style delis is arguably an attempt to elevate pastiche into high culture. It had to scream deli, Scher said. But in an art way.

The TriBeCa branch of Zuckers, a six-store chain that opened in 2006, is not exactly derivative of Jewish eateries except for the logo, which suggests that Zuckers has been around forever. It was hand-drawn in 2016 by the restaurant branding firm Memo. Douglas Riccardi, the principal of Memo, said the message was that Zuckers is now firmly rooted in legacy, upholding the seminal New York bagels and lox mystique.

Dear Diary:

I was eating a sesame bagel and leisurely drinking coffee at a bagel shop when a young woman at an adjoining table asked if I would watch her laptop. She said she would be back shortly.

A half-hour later, she had not returned.

Two construction workers in hard hats sat down at the table she had vacated.

Id like to ask you for a favor, I said to them, explaining about the laptop. I thought she went next door to the health food store. I have to leave.

Maybe she went for a job interview, one of the men said.

She was properly dressed in a suit, I said. But why not take her laptop along?

Maybe she went to visit her boyfriend, the other man said.

Possibly, I said. But again, why not take the laptop along?

Wherever she is, she knows the laptop is safe with you, the first man said. But well watch it.

I thanked them and left. Later, I worried that I had not behaved responsibly. So, the next day I went to the bagel shop to make sure it was intact.

To my relief, it was.

Helen Tzagoloff

Illustrated by Agnes Lee. Send submissions here and read more Metropolitan Diary here.

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Bridge and Road Repairs Ahead, but Where? - The New York Times

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Posted By admin on November 21, 2021

TheStaenberg-Loup Jewish Community Center(JCC Denver) is hosting a variety of events and partnering with local companies to bring the best of Hanukkah to the community. The JCC Denver will be selling Bobs Babka Hanukkah ice cream in conjunction withHigh Point Creamery; hostingLatke-Paloozaon December 2 with cookbook author, Jake Cohen, for a latke competition between local restaurantsRosenbergs, Safta, Latke Love and Rye Society; partnering withOlive & Finchon Hanukkah cookie decorating kits; and hosting a free Hanukkah concert with Klezmer trio, The Klez Dispensers, on December 3. Hanukkah begins at sundown on November 28 and runs for eight days through December 5.

The JCC Denver and High Point Creamery have teamed up for the third year in a row to sell the exclusive Hanukkah ice cream flavor called Bobs Babka named after Robert Bob E. Loup. The ice cream is an olive oil ice cream base with homemade babka swirled in and was named to theForbes Holiday Gift Guideas one ofthebest new ice cream flavorsin 2019.Pints can be pre-orderedfrom November 8-21. Pick-up for pre-orders will happen from November 22 to December 5 at the JCC Denver. Guests can purchase ice cream in-person at the community center starting November 22. This is a special run of ice cream and product is available until supplies last. Each pint costs $10 and proceeds from each sale will go to support JCC Denver programs.

Through the Neustadt Jewish Arts, Authors, Movies & Music Festival (JAAMM) at the JCC Mizel Arts and Culture Center,Latke-Paloozawill take place on December 2 at 6:30 p.m. at the JCC Denver Phillips Social Hall. The event featurescelebrity chef, author, and YouTube sensation Jake Cohen author of Jew-ish: A Cookbook as he hosts the first-ever latke competition with latkes from four local restaurants: Rosenbergs, Safta, Latke Love and Rye Society. Attendees will have the chance to taste each restaurants latkes and toppings and vote for their favorite. While awaiting the final tallies, Jake will speak about his book and the inspiration behind his new take on classic Jewish cuisine. The restaurants will compete for the Golden Latke, awarded by Jake for the best overall latke and toppings. Tickets are $25 per person. For tickets and to learn more visit:https://jaamm.eventive.org/schedule/610d7b3bee7ed600830105b0

Olive & Finchis again selling Hanukkah Cookie Kits. Mention the JCC Denver when you purchase a Hanukkah Cookie Kit in-store or include JCC Denver in the notes section when you pre-order online and O&F will donate 10% back to the JCC Denver.Each cookie kitincludesone dozen sugar cookies, five festive frostings,Hanukkah-themed cookie decorations, and a reusable O&F tote. Each kit costs $45.Cookie kits are available at both Olive & Finch locations in Cherry Creek and Uptown.

The JCC Denver will also be hosting aHanukkah concerton Friday, December 3 from 10-11:30 a.m. with the melodic sounds of traditional klezmer music from local trio, The Klez Dispensers. The concert will be followed by a 30-minute Q&A with the trio. While the event is free to attend, donations are greatly appreciated.

For more information about these events and happenings, visithttps://www.jccdenver.org/jewish-life/programs/.

ABOUT STAENBERG LOUP JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER

TheStaenberg Loup Jewish Community Center(JCC Denver) serves the metro-Denver area through educational, social, cultural, fitness, sports, and other programs that are rooted in Jewish values. The JCC Denvers mission is to create a vibrant and inclusive family and social gathering place, guided by these timeless Jewish values.The JCC Denvers four program areas focus on connection, community, and well-being and include: a robust fitness, sports, tennis, and aquatic center; Early Childhood Engagement, including an Early Learning School and a variety of programs for families; the Mizel Arts and Culture Center which offers Jewish Arts, Authors, Movies & Music Festival (JAAMM Fest), Denver Jewish Film Festival, and ReelAbilities Film Festival; summer camps including Ranch Camp and Camp Shai; engagement programming for teens, young adults, seniors, and the LGBTQIA+ community. The JCC Denver is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located at 350 S. Dahlia Street in Denver. For more information, visitwww.jccdenver.org, like us onFacebookandInstagram@jccdenver, or call (303) 399-2660.

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Celebrate Hanukkah with Ice Cream, Latkes, Cookies and More at the Staenberg-Loup Jewish Community Center | YourHub - The Know

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Posted By admin on November 21, 2021

Thanksgiving dinner might be the most important meal of the year but not everyone wants to prepare it. Houston restaurants are making it easy to get the turkey (and more) on the table without the heavy lifting. Whether its the turkey or ham, side dishes, or pies, or even wine, here are some options for outsourcing Thanksgiving Day dining:

Pizzitolas Bar-B-Cue (pictured above): The iconic barbecue restaurant has Thanksgiving to-go options including whole pit smoked turkey ($75, 12-14 pounds, feeds 8-10); whole bone-in ham ($8.95 per pound, cost determined by weight); traditional sides (roasted cauliflower souffle, sauteed green beans, jalapeno cornbread dressing, whipped potatoes, sweet potato casserole; $19 each); gravy ($15 per quart) and individual bourbon pecan pies ($7 each). Oder for pickup by Nov. 24 at 3 p.m. at 1703 Shepherd, 713-227-2283; pizzitolasbbq.com.

The Butcher Shop at B&B: B&B Butchers & Restaurants in-house retail shop has pre-cooked brined turkey and pre-cooked smoked turkey (both market price); roasted prime rib ($350, serves 5-7; $600, serves 10-12) that includes au jus, Yorkshire pudding, and potato puree; traditional sides ($35 to $60 including cornbread and sausage stuffing, corn souffle with rajas, whipped potatoes, candied yams, Brussels sprouts and creamed spinach); and pies ($35 each; pumpkin, pecan, apple crumble). Order with 48-hour notice by calling 832-767-4828 or bbbutchers.com for pickup at 1814 Washington Nov. 23-25.

Bosscat Kitchen & Libations: The River Oaks restaurant offers Thanksgiving dinner that feeds five for $175 or 10 for $275, including pre-carved maple bourbon brined turkey or brown sugar baked ham, five sides, two sauces and a pie. Use this link to place orders which can be picked up on Thanksgiving Day 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 4310 Westheimer, 281-501-1187; bosscatkitchen-houston.com.

Ragin Cajun: The popular restaurant for Cajun foods and flavors has a variety of to-go options including Cajun fried turkey (9-11 pounds, feeds 15 for $70); turducken with jalapeno cornbread stuffing or dirty rice stuffing (15-pounds, feeds 20 for $100); and meal packages of full dinners (traditional dinner priced between $150 and $340; deluxe dinners priced between $215 and $550; and Cajun dinners priced between $175 and $475); and a variety of sides, salads, bread, gumbo, and desserts. See this link for menu for pickup by Nov. 24 by 9 p.m. at 4302 Richmond, 713-623-6321; ragin-cajun.com.

Arnaldo Richards Picos: The Mexican restaurant offers Thanksgiving dinner packages ($242, feeds 6-8 with turkey breast; $384, feeds 10-12 with whole roasted turkey) that includes gravy, cranberry sauce, and choice of 3 sides, dinner rolls, salad, and dessert selection. Full menu of a la carte options also available. Order by Nov. 19 at 11 p.m. for pickup at 3601 Kirby Nov. 22 through 25 until 4 p.m., 832-831-9940; picos.net.

Phat Eatery: The Malaysian restaurant is offering a take-away Thanksgiving dinner that includes a 12-pound honey glazed turkey, rack of lemongrass pork ribs, half-pan of roti curry chicken enchiladas, lobster bisque, mashed potatoes and turkey gravy, and ginger/Japanese sake cranberry sauce ($248). Pre-order for pickup Thanksgiving Day from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 23119 Colonial Pkwy. (Katy Asian Town), Katy, 832-913-6382; phateatery.com.

Backstreet Caf: Chef Hugo Ortegas restaurant offers to-go dinner essentials such as apricot-mustard glazed spiral ham ($85) and roasted turkey breast ($105); soups (wild mushroom or butternut squash, serves 6-8; $35 each); side dishes such as cornbread and andouille sausage, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, corn pudding, scallop potatoes, pan-charred Brussels sprouts, and wine-poached pears stuffed with blue cheese and dried fruit (priced between $25 and $60); and pies. Place orders by Nov. 21 for pickup on Nov. 24 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 1103 S. Shepherd, 713-521-2239; backstreetcafe.net.

Caracol: Thanksgiving Dinner to-go (feeds 8-10) includes a choice of roasted turkey breast ($245) or (pineapple and habanero whole spiral ham ($225) with side dishes (sweet potato, jalapeno cornbread, Brussels sprouts, cranberry jalapeno relish, tamal Azteca tortilla casserole), and choice of dessert. There are also dinners for two ($95), and a la carte meats, side dishes, and desserts. Order by Nov. 21 for pickup at 2200 Post Oak on Nov. 24 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., 713-622-9996; caracol.net.

Etoile Cuisine et Bar: The Uptown Park French restaurant offers full dinner to go (roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry jam, stuffing, Brussels sprouts, green beans with mushrooms and brandy gravy; $195 or $245 with the addition of soup and pie); mushroom and potato leek soup (1 quart, $25; 2 quarts, $40); and pecan vanilla bourbon pie ($35). Order by Nov 21 for pickup at 1101-11 Uptown Park Blvd., 832-668-5808; etoilecuisine.com.

Goode Company Barbecue: In addition to famous Brazos Bottom Pecan Pie, Goode is offering whole meals (serves 6-8) of mesquite-smoked whole turkey (9-10 pounds, $200) or turkey breast (3 -4 pounds, $175) that includes sausage and pecan stuffing, potatoes au gratin, sweet potato gratin, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, rolls, and pecan pie. Turkey, side dishes and pies available a la carte, too. Order by Nov. 18 for pickup at Armadillo Palace parking lot on Bartlett Street, at Goode Co. BBQ, 8911 Katy Fwy., and Goode Company Kitchen & Cantina, 8865 Six Pines Dr. in the Woodlands on Nov. 23 and 24, 8 to 4 p.m.; see goodethanksgiving.com.

Hugos: Chef Hugo Ortegas signature restaurant has complete meals feeding 8-10 with turkey breast ($245) or whole pineapple and habanero spiral ham ($225) that includes sweet potato puree, corn pudding, Brussels sprouts, cranberry and jalapeno relish and tamal Azteca tortilla casserole and choice of dessert. There are also dinners for two ($95), a la carte sides, tamales, and desserts. Order by Nov. 21 for pickup at 1602 Westheimer on Nov. 24 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., 713-524-7744; hugosrestaurant.net.

Liberty Kitchen: Dinner to-go package ($299, feeds 4) includes 7-pound herb-crusted prime rib, green bean casserole, Boursin mashed potatoes, oyster stuffing, gravy, horseradish sauce and au jus. Starter package ($70) includes two dozen deviled eggs, rolls with bacon jam and butter, chips and queso and J&B tacos. Order by Nov. 21 at 9 p.m. for pickup Nov. 23 or 24 at 963 Bunker Hill (713-468-3745) or 4224 San Felipe (713-622-1010); libertykitchenoysterette.com.

The Pit Room: Montrose barbecue restaurants to-go offerings include whole smoked turkey (average 12 pounds, $85), whole brisket (average 6-8 pounds served with barbecue sauce, $110) and smoked ham with honey glaze ($60). Add-ons include smoked oyster stuffing made with cornbread ($40), traditional stuffing ($30), giblet gravy ($8 quart), pumpkin pie ($20) and apple pie ($22). Order by Nov. 20 for pickup at 1201 Richmond, 281-888-1929; thepitroombbq.com.

Brennans of Houston: Iconic Texas Creole restaurant is providing to-go side dishes, classic dishes and desserts for Thanksgiving. Offerings include turtle soup ($30 to $120), shrimp and okra gumbo ($35 to $140), jalapeno cornbread pudding ($25 and $50), Creole oyster dressing ($30 and $60), bacon braised mustard and collard greens ($25 and $50), Creole bread pudding with whiskey sauce ($30 and $60), and pecan pie ($32). Order (see online here) by Nov. 19 at noon for pickup at 3300 Smith on Nov. 23 or 24 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., 713-522-9711; brennanshouston.com.

The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa: The iconic hotel is offering Thanksgiving dinner to-go ($149, feeds four) that includes a whole, herb-roasted turkey (12-14 pounds) with orange-cranberry sauce, sage turkey gravy, cornbread dressing, green beans, whipped potatoes, yeast rolls and pie (Texas pecan, pumpkin or chocolate icebox). Order by Nov. 19 for pickup Sept. 24 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 111 North Post Oak, 713-812-6932; houstonian.com (see this link for order form).

Mutiny Wine Room: The Heights wine shop and restaurant is offering two packages to supplement Thanksgiving dinner. A three-bottle wine pack includes Kagan Cellars 2020 Rose, 2017 Pinot Noir and 2016 Syrah ($142.40) for pickup Tuesday or Wednesday 4 to 10 p.m. The food package ($80, serves 2-3) includes phyllo-wrapped cream cheese wheel, cheese and charcuterie, Cinderella pumpkin soup, bread basket, and harvest salad. Order by Nov. 22 by noon for pickup on Nov. 24 noon to 5 at 1124 Usener, 832-618-1233; mutinywineroom.com.

BOH Pasta & Pizza: The Bravery Chef Hall vendor is offering three side dishes for the Thanksgiving table ($40 each, serves 6-8) including roasted mushroom and focaccia dressing; pepperoni and focaccia dressing with mozzarella; and BOH macaroni and cheese. Order by Nov. 21 for pickup Nov. 23 and 24 at 409 Travis, 713-364-5502; bohpasta.com.

Kenny & Ziggys: Houstons famed Jewish deli offers complete Thanksgiving meals (feeds 10-12, $295) including whole 16-pound turkey, gravy, mushroom and chestnut stuffing, relish, mile-high apple pie, and 2 additional sides. A la carte offerings include appetizers, soups, salad bowls, entrees, breads, side dishes, cakes, pies, cheesecakes, and pastries. Order by Nov. 18 for pickup on Nov. 24 by 2 p.m. at 2327 Post Oak, 713-871-8883; kennyandziggys.com.

State Fare Kitchen & Bar: Southern-style Thanksgiving dinner is available for $225 (feeds six) that includes deep fried carved turkey, green beans, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, cornbread stuffing, and cranberry sauce. Place orders by Nov. 21 by 9 p.m. for pickup Nov. 23 or 24 at 947 Gessner in Memorial (832-831-0950) or 15930 City Walk in Sugar Land (713-234-1405); statefaretx.com.

Prego: The Rice Village restaurant offers a variety of side dishes and desserts to complete your Thanksgiving dinner. Savory dishes include roasted red pepper soup (1 quart, $24); porcini soup (1 quart, $24); roasted butternut squash puree, macaroni and cheese, and scalloped potatoes (8 servings, $45 each), and beef meatball lasagna (8 servings, $80). Desserts include Italian cream cake or butterscotch bread pudding ($50) and tiramisu or chocolate ganache cake ($60). Orders require 24-hour notice for pickup at 2520 Amherst, 713-529-2420; prego-houston.com.

Rainbow Lodge: Popular restaurant specializing in game dishes offers a variety of meats, side dishes, desserts and Lodge classics (including smoked duck and andouille gumbo, $16 per quart) and crab cakes with Creole mustard butter sauce ($48 for tray of 12). Also: whole roasted turkey with gravy ($120, serves 8-12), whole roasted turkey breast with gravy ($100, serves 6-8); whole beef tenderloin (4 pounds, $159), whole bison tenderloin (4 pounds, $349), whole venison loin (4 pounds, $229), and garlic and rosemary rack of lamb (serves 2, $79). Side dishes and desserts, too. To order call 713-861-8666 with 48-hour notice for pickup Nov. 23-25 at 2011 Ella; rainbow-lodge.com.

Urbe: Hugo Ortegas new Mexican street food restaurant is ready with prepared foods for the Thanksgiving table including oven-roasted turkey breast (serves 8-10, $105); tamales (beef or pork, $24 per dozen); side dishes (serving 4-6, $25 or 8-10, $40) including roasted cauliflower, roasted sweet potatoes, papas bravas, and cactus salad); enchiladas by the dozen (vegetable $40, chicken $44, and brisket $48), desserts, and meats by the pound served with tortillas (barbacoa, brisket, birria, carnitas, trompo; $20 to $28 per pound). Order by Nov. 21 for pickup Nov. 24 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 1101 Uptown Park Blvd., 713-726-8273; urbehouston.com.

Perrys Steakhouse & Grille: Multiple Houston area locations offering family-style dinner for four ($139, includes entre with sides), as well as prime rib (3 pounds, additional $129) and pumpkin cheesecake (serves four, additional $20). Pre-order online for curbside pickup Nov. 23-25; see perryssteakhouse.com.

Doziers BBQ: The Fulshear barbecue restaurant is offering smoked turkey (9-11 pounds; $4.99 per pound); bone-in spiral hams smoked with sugar glaze ($6.99 per pound); and boneless smoked pit hams ($6.29 per pound). Call store at 281-346-1411 or email info@doziersbbq.com to order. Pickup up at 8222 FM 359 Thanksgiving week until Nov. 24 at 2 p.m.; doziersbbq.com.

The Union Kitchen: Houston, Kingwood and Cypress locations offering turkey ($49.99, 10 pounds; $89.99, 20 pounds); smoked honey ham ($49.99, five pounds); herb-roasted prime rib ($21.99 per pound); side dishes ($24.99 each for green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, turkey stuffing, sweet potato casserole, sweet corn and vegetables, macaroni and cheese); gravy and rolls; and pies $19.99 each for pecan or pumpkin pie. Place orders at theunionkitchen.com by 5 p.m. Nov. 20 for pickup on Nov. 24 between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. at 12538 Memorial in Houston (713-360-2000), 23918 US-59 North in Kingwood (832-644-9067), and 9955 Barker Cypress Road in Cypress (832-653-7278).

Woodshed Smokehouse: Chef Tim Loves barbecue restaurant is offering a whole smoked turkey and holiday pie (feeds six) for $100 and for each dinner sold will donate a turkey to a local food bank. Order at woodshedhouston.com for pickup at 3728 Wakeforest; 346-718-6110.

Urban Eats: The restaurant in Washington Corridor is offering Thanksgiving desserts (bourbon chocolate pecan pie for $29, pumpkin chess pie for $26, pecan praline bread pudding for $19; serves 6-8 each). Desserts must be ordered by 5 p.m. on Nov. 22. Thanksgiving meal bundles that feed two ($65 includes one entre, two sides, garden greens, bread, and choice of dessert) must be ordered by noon on Nov. 22 for pickup at 3414 Washington safter 2 p.m. on Nov. 23 or before 4 p.m. on Nov. 24. The restaurant also offers a variety of side dishes; see feasturbaneats.com, call 832-834-4417 or email info@feasturbaneats.com.

The Original Esthers Cajun Caf & Soulfood: Comfort food restaurant offers take-out meal options including holiday meats ($64.99 for either Cajun fried turkey or spiral sliced ham, serves 8-10); Basic Package ($120.99, serves 8-10 includes fried turkey or ham, choice of sides, brown gravy and cranberry sauce); and Premium Package ($159.99, serves 8-10 includes fried turkey or ham, choice of three sides, gravy, cranberry sauce and sweet potato or pecan pie). Order by Nov. 20 for pickup on Nov. 24 by 6 p.m. at 5204 Yale, 713-669-1212; estherscajunsoul.com.

Treebeards: Southern fare restaurant offers seasonal Thanksgiving sides and desserts including corn pudding and cornbread dressing ($13, each quart), dirty rice ($11.50 quart), mashed potatoes, green beans with mushrooms and onions ($10 quart), macaroni and cheese ($13 quart); each quart feeds 4-6. Also jalapeno cornbread ($28, serves 10-12) and whole pies (pumpkin, $16; pecan, $24; lemon chess, $12; apple with crumb topping, $24). Order by Nov. 22 at 5 p.m. for pickup on Nov. 24 at 9655 Katy Fwy., 713-118-8228; treebeards.com.

Big Horn BBQ: Thanksgiving to-go staples include whole turkey (original or Cajun; $49.99 each, feeds 5-10); family meal ($139.99, feeds 10-14 includes whole turkey, loaf of bread, cranberry sauce, and side dishes such as dressing, sweet yams, mashed potatoes, green beans, and macaroni and cheese); a la carte sides; and whole pecan or pumpkin pie ($14.99 each). Order for pickup on Nov. 25 at 2300 Smith Ranch Road, Pearland (281-741-3289) or 20211 Highway 6, Manvel (281-489-5286); bighorn-bbq.com.

Travelers Table: Thanksgiving to-go specials that serve 4-6 include island-spiced roasted turkey ($50, three pounds sliced), Madeira gravy ($20), Turkish fig and cranberry chutney ($15), Peruvian purple and Yukon Gold mashed potatoes ($22), cardamom and rum candied sweet potatoes ($22), curried green bean and rice casserole ($27), Tahitian taro and coconut stuffing ($27), Brazilian pao de queijo ($20), and pies (Moroccan pumpkin or Caribbean-spiced honey chess, $25 each). Order by Nov. 22 at 2 p.m. for pickup at 520 Westheimer on Nov 24 or 25 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.; travelerstable.com.

Greg Morago writes about food for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter. Send him news tips at greg.morago@chron.com. Hear him on our BBQ State of Mind podcast to learn about Houston and Texas barbecue culture.

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31 of Houston's best options for no-fuss, Thanksgiving meals to-go - Houston Chronicle

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Posted By admin on November 21, 2021

Savor homemade holiday treats and buy one-of-a-kind crafts during a tour of nine inns in the Mount Washington Valley. The 24th annual Inn-to-Inn Cookie and Candy Tour takes place Dec. 11 and 12. Participating inns on this self-guided driving tour are spaced no more than 15 minutes apart and include the Inn at Crystal Lake in Eaton; Snowvillage Inn in Snowville; Wildcat Inn and the Inn at Ellis River in Jackson; the Eastman Inn, Cranmore Inn, and Samuel OReilly House in North Conway; The Farmstand B&B in Chocorua; and the Admiral Peary Inn in Fryeburg. $35 per person for day tour; tickets available Nov. 22. Or book an overnight package at a participating lodge starting at $197 per couple, including accommodations, breakfast and tour tickets for two, a map, and a keepsake cookbook. cookietour.square.site

Dine in a heated igloo

Enjoy exquisite cuisine and starry views from your individual see-through igloo in Bostons Seaport district. Woods Hill Pier 4 has reopened four igloos where up to six people can dine together outdoors in each heated geodesic dome. Dinner and brunch menus feature dishes with grass-fed proteins, sustainably caught fish, organic produce, and locally grown organic grains. Try the new butter poached lobster with two 1.5-pound lobsters served with baby turnips and chanterelles, or the Woods Hill Farm pork loin with grits and foraged mushrooms both part of the new For Two offerings. Prices start at $300 for Saturday or Sunday brunch, and $450 or $550 for dinner, depending on the day, which includes igloo rental and a minimum amount for food and beverage (plus gratuity and fees); book one month in advance. 617-981-4577, http://www.woodshillpier4.com

THERE

Holiday happenings in New York

Watch model trains zip around miniature replicas of the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, and more than 175 other New York landmarks at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx. The Holiday Train Show runs through Jan. 23 in the gardens Haupt Conservatory. The display includes re-creations of iconic buildings and structures made using birch bark, lotus pods, cinnamon sticks, and other natural materials. New replicas of the LuEsther T. Mertz Library and the Haupt Conservatory help celebrate the shows 30th year. The botanical garden also hosts NYBG GLOW, an outdoor color and light experience on 25 different evenings between Nov. 24 and Jan. 22. Wander 1.5 miles through the gardens colorful landscape, created using thousands of energy-efficient LED lights that illuminate the buildings and grounds. Train show/GLOW tickets: $18/$20 for ages 2-12, $32/$35 for 13 and older, or buy a combo ticket for $34 children and $49 adults. Advance tickets highly recommended. http://www.nybg.org

Exhibits showcase photo legends

See more than 70 photos by renowned landscape photographer Ansel Adams at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Ansel Adams: Compositions in Nature runs through Jan. 2. The show features some of Adamss most well-known images among them Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico; The Tetons and the Snake River; and Monolith, Face of Half Dome and showcases rarely seen early photographs. Also, dont miss the new Man Ray: The Paris Years exhibit, which runs through Feb. 21 and includes more than 100 portrait photographs from 1921 to 1940. See images of Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, Wallis Simpson, Pablo Picasso, and other cultural icons. Ray, who was raised in Brooklyn by Jewish immigrant parents, used photography to challenge artistic and cultural traditions, including fixed gender roles. Tickets for Adams exhibit: $8 for ages 7-17 to $10 for 18 and older. Tickets for Ray exhibit: $10 ages 7-17 to $16 for 18 and older. 804-340-1400, http://www.vmfa.museum

EVERYWHERE

A portable record player

Heres the perfect gift for a music lover who still likes to spin vinyl: Victrolas new Revolution GO. This ridiculously lightweight under 5 pounds Bluetooth record player comes with a cover and a handy shoulder strap, so you can pack it up, sling it over your shoulder, and take it camping, on a road trip, or to a tailgating party. Charge the built-in lithium battery and play up to 12 hours of music or plug it into the wall. The belt-driven turntable plays 33, 45, and 78 speeds and incorporates an Audio Technica magnetic cartridge that results in a crisp and rich sound, complete with that telltale crackle you may remember so well. Play your records through the built-in speaker or stream music through most external Bluetooth speakers. The record player also has a headphone jack and RCA ports for connecting to wired speakers. $199 at Target (black), Best Buy (blue). http://www.victrola.com

Cozy up to a smokeless fire pit

Solo Stoves arent just to keep candy-givers warm on Halloween. These smokeless, portable fire pits work great from the ski area parking lot to your campsite, favorite beach, and vacation cabin. The stainless-steel Bonfire measures 19.5 inches wide and holds logs up to 16 inches long (go for the Ranger if you want a smaller stove that fits 12-inch logs) and can keep half a dozen people comfortably warm and mesmerized. The special double-wall construction and 360-degree airflow design help keep smoke down and make for a more efficient fire. Buy the new Fire Pit Cooking System, which includes a stand that rests on top of the stove and a cast-iron grill for cooking. The fire pit cools down fast so you can pack it into its travel bag and go. Using it long-term at a campsite or vacation home? Consider the new Solo Stove Station, which comes with two shelves for storing wood and your Bonfire and has a protective cover. The fire pit comes in five new nature-based colors: ash, clay, sand, soil, and water. $249.99 Bonfire, $499.99 Bonfire with grill and stand; $479.99 Station. http://www.solostove.com

KARI BODNARCHUK

Kari Bodnarchuk can be reached at travelwriter@karib.us.

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A cookie and candy tour, heated igloos in the Seaport, and music on the go - The Boston Globe

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Posted By admin on November 21, 2021

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Patch has rounded up fun, interesting and entertaining events throughout Southern California from the southernmost tip of San Diego, through Orange and Riverside counties, to the beaches and valleys in Los Angeles.

Some are free. Some have a fee.

Whether you opt for an activity close to home, a mini day trip or a virtual event, see what's slated this weekend from Saturday, Nov. 20 to Sunday, Nov. 21.

Double-check with event organizers to confirm dates, times and locations in case activities were updated since posted on Patch.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY:

Magical Moon Mobile: Virtual via Getty Museum, Los Angeles

Orchestra Santa Monica: "Musical Return and Gathering": Calvary Baptist Church, Santa Monica

Pasadena Adaptive Sports Festival: North Arroyo Boulevard, Pasadena

Turkey Dash & Trot 5K/1K: South El Monte City Hall, South El Monte

Virtual Turkey Trot: Virtual via Five Acres, The Boys' and Girls' Aid Society of Los Angeles County, Altadena

Vroman's: Special Storytime Featuring Victoria Kahn Presenting "Rubylicious": Playhouse Village, Pasadena

"What I Did Last Summer" Exhibition: bG Gallery, Santa Monica

ORANGE COUNTY:

Anaheim Turkey Trot 5K/10K & Fun Run: Santa Ana Riverbed Trail, by Angel Stadium, Anaheim

"Annie": Mission Viejo City Hall, Mission Viejo

Christmas Tree Lighting: Eisenhower Park, Seal Beach

Gifts and Goodies Holiday Boutique: Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center, Mission Viejo

Holidayz at the Park: Great Park, Irvine

Knott's Merry Farm: Knott's Berry Farm, Buena Park

Magic of Lights: Angel Stadium, Anaheim

Plaza Navidea: Plaza Calle Cuatro, Santa Ana

Pre-Chanukah Menorah Lighting: Eisenhower Park at Seal Beach Pier, Seal Beach

Seal Beach Turkey Trot & Kids' 1K "Don't be a Turkey Trot": Main Street, Seal Beach

Tamale Workshop: St. Isidore Historical Plaza, Los Alamitos

Winter Fantasy: Sawdust Art Festival, Laguna Beach

RIVERSIDE COUNTY:

Arabian Nights Storytime with Jasmine: Cottage Tea Parties, Temecula

Backhausdance: Old Town Temecula Community Theater, Temecula

Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival and Food Truck Fiesta: Downtown Festival Lawn, Cathedral City, and Various Locations

Christmas Nights at 123 Farm: 123 Farm, Cherry Valley

Country Live! at The Merc: The Merc, Temecula

Desert Cancer Foundation's Corks & Cuisine: Ironwood Country Club, Palm Desert

Elsinore Community Annual Turkey Giveaway: Elks Lodge, Wildomar

GraceGiving: Sale Ranch Animal Sanctuary, Temecula

Havana Nights: Ruben V. & The Latin Sounds: Somerset Winery, Temecula

Holiday Hugs Market & Toy Drive: Temeku Cinemas, Temecula

Hometown Country Music Fest: Lake Elsinore Diamond Stadium, Lake Elsinore

Karaoke: Texas Lil's Mesquite Grill, Temecula

Rugged Maniac 5K Obstacle Race: Galway Downs, Temecula

Self Care Sip & Paint: Phearless, Moreno Valley and Virtual

Turkey Trot 5k & Kids 1-Mile Dash Run: Lake Perris State Recreation, Perris

SAN DIEGO COUNTY:

An Evening with Musiq Soulchild: Music Box, San Diego

"Antigone": MiraCosta College, Oceanside

Cars & Coffee: San Diego Automotive Museum, San Diego

Doggie Street Festival: NTC Park, Liberty Station, San Diego

Exhibition Celebration: Oceanside Museum of Art, Oceanside

Fooz Fighters: Tribute to Foo Fighters: Music Box, San Diego

Hanukkah Happening: Josh and the Jamtones: Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, La Jolla

Holiday Street Fair: Downtown Encinitas

Holidays at LEGOLAND: LEGOLAND California, Carlsbad

Mother Goose Parade: Main Street, El Cajon

Nevada St. Nerd Market: Mission Avenue, Oceanside

Pine Mountain Logs: Belly Up Tavern, Solana Beach

Poway Symphony Orchestra: Poway Center for the Performing Arts, Poway

San Diego Toys For Tots Event: Del Mar Fairgrounds & Racetrack, Del Mar

Heading to Northern California? Then see:

Want to post your next neighborhood event on the Patch? We do too! No matter how big or small it may be, if it's local, it has a place on the Patch calendar.

Posting an event is as simple as 1, 2, 3. Here's how to do it:

You can post your event for free to a single Patch, or if you really want to get the community's attention, you can feature your event for $1 per Patch per day. When an event is featured, it receives priority placement on the local calendar as well as on the homepage, article pages, our daily newsletter and our weekly calendar events newsletter.

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Enchanted Forest Of Light; Hot Air Balloon Fest: SoCal Weekend - Patch.com

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Posted By admin on November 21, 2021

Hasidic families in Blooming Grove won a court victory on Thursday when a judge ruled that Washingtonville School District must bus their children to their religious schools on days when they are open but the public schools are closed.

State Supreme Court Justice Peter Lynch of Albany ruled that the district had failed to meet its transportation obligation under state law by providing busing to nonpublic school students only on days when its own schools were open.

Lynch also went further by invalidating the state guidelines Washingtonville followed in refusing to provide transportation when its schools were closed. That decision could affect transportation practices or future court cases in other districts with large numbers of children attending religious schools.

Round one: Preliminary ruling in busing case backs Blooming Grove Hasidic families

Lawsuit: Washingtonville sued for busing to Hasidic schools all days they are open

Monroe-Woodbury: Two companies hired to restore bus service for Hasidic families

The ruling resulted from a lawsuit filed in July by the United Jewish Community of Blooming Grove, agroup representing several hundred Hasidic families who have moved to the village of South Blooming Grove and nearby in recent years. The group's leaders had demanded busing to Hasidic schools in and around the neighboring village of Kiryas Joel on 20 days this school year when Washingtonville is closed.

Lynch had already signaled in August that the plaintiffs would likely win the case by issuing a preliminary ruling to require busing on those dates, starting two days before Washingtonville schools opened on Sept. 1.

The next calendar conflicts fall next week on the days before and after Thanksgiving. Washingtonville schools are closed and the three Hasidic school systems the United Talmudical Academy, Sheri Torah and Bnei Yoel are open on those days.

State law requires all school districts to provide transportation to children attending private or religious schools within 15 miles of their homes. But the state Education Department has long interpreted that mandate to apply only on days when the public schools are open.

As he declared in August, Lynch found that reading "self-serving" and in violation of the districts' busing responsibility. He ordered Washingtonville to provide busing to nonpublic schools on all days that they are open for instruction.

The Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council, an advocacy group, broke the news of Lynch's decision on Thursday, saying it could affect busing for yeshiva students in Suffern School District in Rockland County "and in other districts where board members and administrations are abusing their powers against Yeshiva students."

Though enrollmentfigures for the current school year are not yet available, Washingtonville had about 600 children attending Hasidic schools last year, and neighboring Monroe-Woodbury had about 1,340 children in those schools. Monroe-Woodbury recently hired two new bus companies to restore transportation to the Hasidic schools after a flood of complaintsfrom parents about previous contractors.

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Judge rules in favor of Hasidic families in busing dispute with Washingtonville schools - Times Herald-Record

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Posted By admin on November 21, 2021

City of Tacoma announcement.

TACOMA, Wash. The U.S. Department of Commerce recently announced that the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) has been made permanent, and will be expanded and elevated with the passage of the Minority Business Development Act of 2021. This historic legislation allows the agency to increase their programs and outreach to the nations more than 9 million minority-owned businesses.

Embedded within the City of Tacomas Community and Economic Development Department since September 2016, the MBDA Washington Business Center has served more than 580 established minority business enterprises owned by the following individuals or groups in the Pacific Northwest region: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, Native Americans, Asian Indian Americans and Hasidic Jewish Americans.

We are tremendously encouraged by President Joe Bidens commitment to helping minority business enterprises in the Pacific Northwest, and across the nation, recover from the current pandemic, said Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards. Making the MBDA permanent with the passage of this historic legislation heralds the beginning of a transformative new era, one where minority business enterprises can grow and thrive well into the future.

The MBDA Washington Business Center is pleased with this vote of confidence in the critical work that we do to help minority business enterprises access capital, contracts and business ecosystems, said MBDA Washington Business Center Director Linda Womack. We are at an important juncture, and this legislation is vital to our future success.

The Minority Business Development Act of 2021 expands the geographic reach of the MBDA by authorizing the creation of additional regional MBDA offices, rural business centers, and increasing the number and scope of existing programs. It also:

The MBDA will report on the implementation milestones of the Minority Business Development Act of 2021 atmbda.gov. Information regarding MBDA work taking place in the Pacific Northwest region will continue to be available atmbda-tacoma.com.

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Minority Business Development Agency Permanently Authorized in Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal The Suburban Times - The Suburban Times

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