Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on September 11, 2020

This weeks parsha poses a challenging theology and ideology. After nearly 40 years of wandering in the desert, all of the Israelites men, women, young, strangers stand before God and are told that in an effort to create transparency and accessibility, all of the commandments will be recorded for them: Lo bashamayim hi It is not in heaven, that you should say, Who will go up to heaven for us and fetch it for us, to tell [it] to us, so that we can fulfill it? Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, Who will cross to the other side of the sea for us and fetch it for us, to tell [it] to us, so that we can fulfill it? (Deut. 30:12-13).

Indeed, the text doubles down and says that this compilation of laws is close to us meaning that it is ours to interpret and apply.

The story of the Oven of Akhnai that appears in the Babylonian Talmud (Baba Metzia 59b) tests and reinforces this hypothesis. In this story, the rabbis debate whether a certain style of oven was acceptable for use because of its possible susceptibility to impurities. Rabbi Eliezer argued that the oven was fine for use and provided a number of proof texts to support his contention while Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and Rabban Gamliel maintain that the oven is impure rendering it unusable. Unable to concede the argument, Rabbi Eliezer calls a carob tree to prove his argument, at which point the carob tree moves some feet away. The rabbis deny this as valid proof to support Rabbi Eliezers argument. Next, Rabbi Eliezer calls on the stream to support his position at which point it flows in the opposite direction. And again, the rabbis point out that one doesnt cite a stream as a proof to support a legal matter. Rabbi Eliezer then says that if he is right, the walls of the Beit Midrash will prove it. As the walls begin to cave in, Rabbi Yehoshua chastises the walls for interfering in the dispute. The text describes that the walls did not continue to fall out of respect for Rabbi Yehoshua, but neither do they resume their upright position out of deference for Rabbi Eliezer. Finally Rabbi Eliezer calls on the shamayim the Heavens, and from the Heavens a voice calls back Why are you differing with Rabbi Eliezer, as the halakha is in accordance with his opinion in every place that he expresses an opinion?

After this heavenly announcement, Rabbi Yehoshua says: lo bashamayim hi these legal matters arent adjudicated in the Heavens, rather the law is to follow the majoritys rule.

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The text in the Baba Metzia shares the conclusion of this saga. Years later, Rabbi Natan encounters Elijah the prophet and asks him how God reacted to Rabbi Yehoshuas declaration of lo bashamyim hi. Elijah shares, The Holy One, Blessed be He, smiled and said, My children have triumphed over Me; My children have triumphed over Me.At JOFA we have provided a number of leadership development opportunities for people of all generations, but I want to focus on the youth of our day. Thanks to online platforms, the diversity of options have been plentiful. They include the Gen Z led Megillat Ruth reading in the lead-up to Shavuot, and the Torah reading during our Rosh Chodesh services where a dozen or so youth inspired countless more. The participants of our High School Leadership program had a chance to learn with and from one another as well as from dozens of women holding senior leadership roles. The JOFA Blog has also provided ample opportunities for these young women to find their voices in the written word on issues ranging from feminist commentary on the portrayal of women in the Bible, to participating in Black Lives Matter protests and advocating for women in sports. Few had been asked to lead before. Most embraced the opportunity.

All will remember being a part of an effort that gave them the ability to step into leadership roles.

There is no end to the pride I have for each of these rising stars who so willingly and easily demonstrate their leadership skills and abilities. Everyone who has mentored them their families, schools, camps and synagogues should equally hold them in high esteem.

While we have seen tremendous changes in girls and womens participation in Orthodox life, there are still inroads that have yet to be made, and paved. Im counting on the next generation to carry the mantle.

If Im ever asked, Ill also be found smiling and rejoicing in the triumphs of the new generations.But dont be surprised if instead of laughing, I shed (more than) a few tears of joy.

Daphne Lazar-Price is the executive director of JOFA, the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance.

Posts are contributed by third parties. The opinions and facts in them are presented solely by the authors and JOFA assumes no responsibility for them.

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Rejoicing in the Triumphs of the Next Generation - Jewish Week

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Posted By admin on September 11, 2020

Schmaltz Brothers food truck sits parked behind Beth Sholom Congregation and Talmud Torah in Potomac.(Photo by Eric Schucht)

Its a sunny Friday afternoon when a truck that looks like a UPS delivery vehicle except this one is painted black with colorful swirls parks across the street from the Silver Spring Jewish Center.

Music plays over the trucks speakers, while Yehuda Malka and his two sons wait for customers to approach. It doesnt take long. The Schmaltz Brothers food truck, recently launched, offers kosher comfort food with a backstory.

Soon, Nina Adelman walks up and orders the Zinger 2.0, which Malka says is his tribute to a kosher spicy fried chicken sandwich he once had at a KFC in Jerusalem. Schmaltz Brothers food is certified kosher by the Orthodox Union.

Adelman takes it back to her car. I love it. Finding good fried chicken thats kosher is so difficult, Adelman says, adding that she typically doesnt eat meat, but this is really good.

The truck and catering company are a joint business between Malka and Chappall Gage, president of Susan Gage Caterers. The two were introduced years ago by a mutual friend, back when Malka worked as a chef at Equinox Restaurant in the District. The two launched the business venture in June.

I have many friends in the Orthodox community who were always kind of pushing me to do something [like this], says Gage, who is not Jewish. And then when I met [Malka], just everything fell into place.

The food trucks menu features a brisket sandwich, an Israeli couscous salad and fried matzah ball bites, which Malka describes as an Ashkenazi falafel that really tastes like youre biting into a bowl of chicken soup somehow.

The bread is based on an old Malka family challah recipe.

I always thought of this as an opportunity to make kosher foods something thats appealing and exciting, Malka says. Its just great food and a great shared experience, but it happens to be kosher.

The partners have been operating the truck in Montgomery County and its schedule can be found at schmaltzbros.com. Malka and Gage say theyd like to expand to Washington and Baltimore.

But the pandemic forced the two to regroup and they hope to sustain the business by catering small gatherings until the economy picks up.

How I live my Judaism is seeing that things do work out at the right time if you let them, says Malka, a member of Chabad of Silver Spring. Its been a silver lining that the truck was ready at the right time.

The partners named the business Schmaltz Brothers because schmaltz is Yiddish for chicken fat and brothers gives it more of a classic Jewish deli-type vibe, Malka says.

They began preparing their food in the University of Maryland Hillel kitchen, but have since moved to the larger kitchen at Beth Sholom Congregation and Talmud Torah in Potomac.Any other plans will have to wait.

We need to get through the pandemic, Gage says. Were doing a lot more smaller jobs, and thats great. But being able to expand into doing much larger events, as soon as we get out of this, is going to be a really exciting opportunity.

[emailprotected]@EricSchucht

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Kosher food truck takes to the road in Montgomery County - Washington Jewish Week

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Posted By admin on September 11, 2020

The study halls (batei midrash) of Israeli yeshivas were divided into capsules by plastic sheets for the first two weeks of the Elul term. In each capsule, dozens of teenagers and young men are bent over their volumes of the Talmud.

According to the so-called capsule plan agreed upon with the Health Ministry each group of students is isolated from the others, including in the dining halls and dormitories.

A visit to some of the main yeshivas in Bnei Brak this week reveals that the plastic sheets are still up, though here and there you can see makeshift gaps for passing between the capsules. Outside the study halls, meanwhile, there is nothing to separate the students crowding through the narrow corridors and lining up by the kitchen door for hot trays of food to take back to the dormitory.

The ultra-Orthodox leadership claims theres no reason to be concerned about infection rates among yeshiva students. Theyre young and arent liable to be stricken by COVID-19 anyway, they say. Furthermore, theyre shut away in yeshiva and wont infect others. The mayors of Haredi towns insist that the hundreds of cases of the coronavirus recorded so far in the yeshivas shouldnt be added to their total tallies, which classify them as a red town in the countrys new traffic light system that seeks to reduce the rate of infection.

If you believe them, you probably imagine that a yeshiva exists in a secluded campus something like the cloistered leafy colleges of Oxford and Cambridge. Or perhaps a closed military base. But there is no gatehouse or guard at a yeshiva entrance, and most of them are situated in residential neighborhoods. Thats especially true of Bnei Brak, where theyre next door to the homes of ordinary residents and, in many cases, the dormitories are in regular apartment buildings.

After visiting some yeshivas and talking to staff at others, its clear that nothing is preventing the students from roaming the surrounding streets between study sessions and in the evening, or shopping in the local stores. Some prodigious teenagers are no doubt capable of not leaving the yeshiva building through the 40 days between the beginning of Elul and Yom Kippur, but theyre rare individuals.

Theres no standard for managing a yeshiva. Not in normal times, nor during a pandemic. Each institute is run on different lines depending on its location, the number of students, the buildings in which it operates (they are rarely purpose-built), and the personal whims and traditions of its rosh yeshiva (dean). The odds of them all conforming to the capsule plan throughout the 40-day term when no one is inspecting them is nil.

There are some yeshivas mainly those better endowed with donors money that can do it. Some have made a great show of how parents can only greet their sons from afar, beyond a fence. But the discipline in most yeshivas is lax. They are part of the crowded urban environment around them. Infected and infecting.

Nevertheless, last week the house of Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky the most senior rabbi of the so-called Lithuanian stream, under whose aegis most of the yeshivas operate issued an order that students are not to be tested for the coronavirus. Since theyre not leaving the yeshivas until after Yom Kippur (at the end of September), the reasoning went, theyre not going to infect anyone. Therefore, the yeshivas are de facto coronavirus hotels.

The governments coronavirus czar, Prof. Ronni Gamzu, dared volunteer his professional opinion that Rabbi Kanievsky was endangering the Haredi community with his edict, and was met with a chorus of condemnation from ultra-Orthodox politicians and harassment on his personal phone.

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On Monday, he was allowed to visit Bnei Brak only after offering an abject apology for his misunderstanding, saying it was a decision made by a number of rabbis regarding specific cases of yeshiva students staying in closed capsules after being tested for the coronavirus and according to regulations agreed upon in advance. Last week, though, no one had denied it had come from Kanievsky.

Kanievsky, of course, can contradict himself. As it is, he only signs letters presented to him, and all his communications with the outside world are done though his grandson and a tiny group of retainers. Its easy to ascribe a statement to him and then claim he never actually said it.

The 92-year-old is at the same stage of life as a number of other ultra-Orthodox leaders in recent decades. Thanks to modern medicine, he made it to a ripe old age. But modern medicine doesnt necessarily guarantee clarity of thought and a connection to reality. The Haredi cult of their rabbis does not recognize the limitations of old age. As far as theyre concerned, the rabbis are just like Moses, of whom the Bible said that even at 120 his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated since the Torah he has studied has protected him from feebleness or senility.

This is very convenient for the tight circle of relatives and hangers-on who derive their status and livelihood from the rabbis preeminence. Every person who is allowed to come into direct contact with Kanievsky has a personal interest in attesting to his vigor and coherence except doctors, of course, who are bound by medical privacy.

The yeshivas are part of the Haredi fabric of life, just like the cramped housing projects and synagogues. They cannot be closed or isolated in capsules, and any expectation that they will abide by the restrictions of public health experts is as reasonable as anyone admitting that a nonagenarian rabbi is also human, too tired and weak to lead his community.

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If you think yeshivas can follow COVID-19 guidelines, youve clearly never visited one - Haaretz

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Posted By admin on September 11, 2020

A Torah scroll. Photo: RabbiSacks.org.

Louis Pasteur reportedly read a French translation of a tractate of Talmud Yoma, saying that a person bitten by a mad dog should be fed a lobe of that dogs liver. According to one claim, this quote fascinated Pasteur, who began experiments that ended in his discovery that using a bit of an infection could set off an alarm within the body that caused it to produce antibodies to fight the disease.

The shofar too sets off an alarm, calling us on Rosh Hashanah to examine our deeds and correct our ways. We must purify ourselves. Life is fragile; we have to squeeze as much from it as we can.

Why are we called by a single rams horn? Why do we not celebrate the birthday of the universe with an orchestra? The singularity of the shofar calls to us, from the depths of our souls, to remind us that to change the world, we must first change ourselves.

Its humbling to witness how quickly a disease has crippled the world. In our collective memory, we have seen nothing to compare. Even the death and destruction of two World Wars could not alter humanity the way that COVID-19 has. One microscopic virus. One call to action.

September 11, 2020 11:06 am

Historically speaking, both the political and the practical approaches to Zionism were necessary in the Jewish pursuit of national rebirth...

One shofar.

Often the cure for a problem comes from the problem itself. As the Jews prepared for the exodus from Egypt, they had to stay in their homes until midnight to fortify their families before they could receive the Ten Commandments and bring morality to the world. Their isolation was the first recorded quarantine in history.

In todays world, we are faced with constant distraction. We are so busy, we often pull away from those closest and most dear to us, and we set aside our Jewish identity.

The coronavirus has forced us to quarantine, to change, to concentrate on our families and exactly who we are. Despite the anguish of the disease, it brings us closer to our families and our Jewish identity.

After much reflection caused by this epidemic, we are able to grow in our commitment. Just as the ancient Jews left Egyptian bondage behind, so too will we emerge from this arduous isolation as better people, growing in our responsibilities as family members and Jews. As in ancient days, spiritual inoculation of the nuclear family will strengthen us as Jews to be a beacon of light to the nations.

At Rosh Hashanah, we are celebrating once again the crowning of G-d as King of the universe. The sound of the shofar represents the trumpet blast sounded at a kings coronation. Its plaintive cry serves as a call to repentance, as it wakens us from our spiritual slumber. When each of us changes, together we create the true harmony of an orchestra.

Rabbi Areyah Kaltmann is the Executive Director of Chabad of Columbus and the Lori Schottenstein Chabad Center.

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How Coronavirus Makes This Rosh Hashanah More Meaningful - Algemeiner

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Posted By admin on September 11, 2020

The Jewish Council of the Emirates (JCE), the recognized representative body of Jews living in the United Arab Emirates, announced on Thursday its intention to formally affiliate itself with the World Jewish Congress. The move is expected to be finalized at the next WJC Plenary Assembly, scheduled for May 2021. By aligning itself with the international federation, the JCE will be joining over 100 similar Jewish communities from across the globe, who together work to protect Jewish heritage and culture. The decision comes precisely one month after Israel and the UAE agreed to normalize their relations in the American-brokered Abraham Accord. Ross Kriel, president of the JCE, said on Thursday he was deeply honored to have joined the WJC and felt very moved about what this means for peace for the prospect of moving forward and finally resolving issues for other Muslim monarchies to join in and follow the lead of the UAE.

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UAE's Jews to Affiliate with World Body - The Media Line

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Posted By admin on September 9, 2020

DAILY BRIEFING South Mission Beach cleanup, Greek cafe coming to La Jolla, and Organic Harvest Month

IPA infused organic chicken kabobs.

A round-upof news, community, and business briefs from sdnews.com highlighting whats happening in our community.

Monday, Sept. 7

ORGANIC HARVEST MONTH

September marks Organic Harvest Month and Gelsons is raising awareness around organic products, and the brands, producers and farmers by partnering with Golden Road Brewing to offer a limited release brew Organic Plant Back Hazy IPA and accompanying IPA infused chicken kabobs.

Grilling and beer go hand in hand, which is why Gelsons executive chef Abe van Beek crafted Plant Back Organic Hazy IPA infused organic chicken kabobs to pair tastefully with Golden Roads latest release. Skewered with organic red bell peppers and onions, the kabobs are 100% organic, free-range, locally raised and available exclusively at Gelsons. For more information and additional organic offerings, visit gelsons.com.

BLOOD DONATION

San Diego County Credit Union is hosting a blood drive on Sept. 8 at its 3455 Sports Arena Blvd. branch from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic there is currently an extremely low inventory of blood, hospital shelves are almost empty, and this short supply is affecting thousands of patients. The community is encouraged to help lives depend on it.

Blood donations are especially critical at this time of year after a busy summer season, and this year has been especially challenging. While an increased need for blood exists, donations have decreased due to businesses and community partners being unable to host normal drives due to newly implemented work-from-home policies. For more information, visitsandiegobloodbank.org.

GREEK CAFE COMING TO LA JOLLA

Following more than two decades serving traditional Greek cuisine in Coronado, Spiros Greek Cafwill soon launch a second location in La Jolla. The Chaconas family has taken over the 1,220-square-foot space with a 570-square-foot patio previously occupied by a Cold Stone Creamery in La Jolla for a second location. The restaurant will offer the same menu of Greek favorites as well as a list of local craft beer and wine. The new Spiros Greek Caf is expected to open by late 2020 at 909 Prospect St. For more information, visitspirosgreekcafe.com.

MISSION BEACH CLEANUP SEPT. 12

Anew citizen advocacy group Don't Trash Mission Beach,donttrashmissionbeach.com,has been formed. The new group has announced a beach cleanup for South Mission Beach, along with a beach trash art exhibit-installation to bring awareness of beach trash and its impact on the environment, on Saturday, Sept. 12 starting at 7 a.m. at Belmont Park on the boardwalk south of the roller coaster.

The advocacy group promotes 'Pack It In and Pack It Out' along with personal responsibility and hopes that a community-visitor trash awareness campaign can precipitate change for Mission Beach.The event is presented by Don't Trash Mission Beach, Friends of Beautiful Mission Beach, and is sponsored by Belmont Park, The Felice Agency, Olive Baking Company, and ScootScoop. In addition, Pacific Beach Town Council and The Mighty Bin, a Zero Waste store, will be in attendance.

The event will occur during Coastal Clean-Up Month and National Cleanup Day. The beach cleanup will begin at 7:30 a.m. when volunteers will meet at the park and clean the beach and surrounding area until 11:30 a.m. Bags, gloves, grabbers, and sanitizers will be provided. Everyone will wear masks and observe social distancing.The Beach Art-Trash Exhibit will showcase from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. The display will feature rescued items such as hundreds of shoes, towels, toys, and personal items. In addition, tens of thousands of items like bottle caps, cigarette lighters, vaping materials, and other items carelessly left behind or purposefully left on the beach every day.Anyone interested in volunteering for either event should email the organizers at [emailprotected]

RETURN OF POLITIFEST

Politifest, an annualpublic affairs summitproduced by Voice of San Diego and launchedin 2011, will take place virtually during the week of Sept. 29 through Oct. 3. Politifestfocuses onissuesaffectingSan Diegocommunities and features arobustschedule of debates,panels, and one-on-one interviews with experts. It also provides a platform for residents to raise their voices, ask tough questions, and delve into important issues. Its a crash course in politics and policy. This years summit will examine local races, ballot measures, and major public issues through afuture-facing lens: How will this years election affect our future? What are the implications forwork, education, andourcommunities?

This year multiple ticket options are being offered. Purchase admission to the entire eventor buy a ticket for a single day or two, depending on your interests. Single admission is $50 (thru 9/20) and includes a one year Voice of SanDiego membership. For more information visit voiceofsandiego.org/politifest/.

Friday, Aug. 28

WEED ABATEMENT VOLUNTEERS SOUGHT

Pacific Beach Town Council is seeking volunteers for weed abatement in the community on Saturday, Aug. 29 starting at 7 a.m. Overgrown weeds were recently removed by volunteer PBTC board members from a section of the median on Mission Bay Drive by the I-5 south on-ramp.Help is needed to tackle the rest. A volunteer sign-in table will be at the parking lot west of Mission Bay Drive near the entrance to Mission Bay Park. Donations to help defray the cost of tools, supplies, dump fees, and extra materials for this and future weed removal projects involving large groups of community volunteers is welcomed.

Extra tools for volunteers to use will be purchased, but bring your own tools if you have them.Loppers are highly recommended for the thicker weed stalks.Other handy tools include push brooms, shovels, and large dustpans.Contractor-grade garbage bags will be provided. It is recommended volunteers bring gardening gloves, sunscreen, visors or hats, and drinking water.Masks are mandatory. PBTC board members Charlie Nieto, Susan Crowers, Ron Walker, and Brian White took to the task of removing overgrown weeds from a small section of Mission Bay Drive this last Saturday.

FIRST RESPONDER FUNDRAISER

Sarah Faxon has started a GoFundMe,gofundme.com/f/first-responder039s-fight-against-cancer?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet to help defray medical expenses for the family of the first responder Amanda Ogrady who is having surgery for a rare form of cancer, thymoma. To date, 166 donors have contributed $18,251 to the medical relief effort.

LABOR DAY BBQ

Labor Day barbecues may look different this year, but they dont have to taste different.The Lodge at Torrey Pines restaurant A.R. Valentien is offering a Labor Day curbside pick-up prix fixe menu complete with savory favorites like chimney-smoked New York strip loin and twice-baked potatoes.Order by noon Friday, Sept. 4. Pickup 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. Monday, Sept. 7. To order, call 858-777-6641. For more information, visit lodgetorreypines.com.

FIDO URGES FIESTA ISLAND CLEANUP

Fiesta Island Dog Owners (FIDO) has had to cancel all of its three traditional I Love a Clean San Diego cleanups in 2020. The most recent cleanup event was October 2019, and there probably won't be another one until early 2021, if then. But that doesn't mean cleanup isn't needed. The beaches are being used heavily and Fiesta Island is extremely popular.

This year, the California Coastal Commission is expanding its usualCoastal Cleanup Daythroughout September, and FIDO would like to invite all of members to participate. There are no large, centrally organized cleanups this year.Instead, every day that you can in September, bring along extra bags when you visit the island and pick up any trash you see or a few of those extra poop piles that sometimes get overlooked. Take a photo cleaning up and post it toFacebookor Instagram (Fiesta_Island_Dog_Owners).

BLOOD BADLY NEEDED

San Diego Blood Bankisissuinga call to the public to make appointments to donate bloodin the coming months to avoid a severe dip in donations due to the hiatus of school blood drives due to COVID-19.As back to school season approaches, many districts willbe hosting classes onlineand not hosting their regular blood drives.San Diego Blood Bank is working withschoolson creative avenues to support blood donation, such as community drives. However, high school and college blood drives wouldnormallystart this week meaning the loss of hundreds of pints of blood.

Approximately 20% of the blood SDBB normally collects comes from high schools and colleges,said San Diego Blood Bank CEODavid Wellis.Its critically importantthat wemake up for those pints we would have collected at schools, so we need people to make appointmentsfor the next couple of months.To be eligible to donate blood, you must be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 114 pounds and be in generally good health.Appointments are required and available atsandiegobloodbank.orgorbycalling619-400-8251.

GOODWILL IS BACK

As Goodwill retail stores and donation centers reopen, program participants continue to be brought back to work. On March 15, the organization was asked to close due to the coronavirus pandemic. Prior to the shutdown, the nonprofit employed 1,400 community members. Today, Goodwill San Diego employs 894 people in San Diego County, 47.2% of whom are persons with a disability or other barriers to employment. Goodwill San Diegos social enterprise gratefully accepts donations of clothing, shoes, home dcor, household items, small appliances, electronics, sporting goods, and furniture. Coastal area Goodwill locations include 3663 Rosecrans St., 1430 Garnet Ave., and 761 Girard Ave.

POINT LOMA LAWYER HONORED

Sullivan Hill Rez & Engel has announced that shareholder James Hill has been selected by his peers for inclusion in the 27th Edition ofBest Lawyers in America. Hill been selected toBest Lawyerslist in the fields of bankruptcy and creditor-debtor rights/insolvency and reorganization law as well as commercial litigation. He is a founding member of Sullivan Hill, a member of its executive committee and chair of the firms Insolvency and commercial bankruptcy practice group.

UNCOLLECTED TAX REFUNDS

Many people could use extra cash during the coronavirus pandemic. Thats why the San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collectors Office is doing all it can to reunite $450,324 in county refunds with its rightful owners. See if your name is on the list atsdttc.com. The Treasurer-Tax Collectors Office has 1,190 refunds in a list that is easy to search on itswebsite. If you are owed money, follow the instructions on the unclaimed money page to file a refund claim by Oct. 26, before the money is rolled into the countys general fund. You can email your claim to[emailprotected]or call 1-877-829-4732 for more information.

EVERYDAY CALIFORNIA TOURS

With SoCals warm weatherpredictedto last well into autumn, California locals dont need to travel far to continue enjoying the sunshine.San Diego-based ocean adventure and apparel company,Everyday California,offersguided toursthat take you through the La Jolla Ecological Reserve. Host to a variety of aquatic ecosystems, the reserve boasts one of the highest concentrations of sea life in the entire state, granting up-close encounters with local marine life including sea lions and the bright orange Garibaldi.To celebrateCalifornias170thbirthday,Everyday Californiais holding a California birthday salefrom Wednesday, Sept. 9-13.

LA JOLLA MEMORIAL BENCHES VANDALIZED

Two wooden benches on the 7900 block of Girard Avenue were vandalized recently with missing wooden planks as a result. A police report has been filed and the La Jolla Maintenance Assessment District (MAD) is working with SDPD Northern Division to investigate. La Jolla MAD recently began a pilot project to refurbish these wooden benches in the Village, which is why there are recent photos of the benches and a numbered catalog of benches corresponding to their location and a notation of the memorial placard on each bench. The MAD is working to ensure expedient corrective actionin this matter and encourage anyone in the community who may have seen anything suspicious to contact SDPD Northern Division Community Relations Officer Brandon Broaddus at 858-552-1631 or [emailprotected].

ANIMAL DISEASE TRANSMISSION CHALLENGING

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), delivered a special videotaped briefing and update on COVID-19 at the American Veterinarian Medical Associations (AVMA) first-ever virtual annual convention, Aug. 20-22. Speaking to thousands of veterinarians, Fauci explained how approximately three-quarters of all emerging infectious diseases in human health have their origins in animals. These zoonotic diseases include SARS, H1N1 flu, and, most recently, COVID-19. Fauci praised the industry for its One Health approach in addressing the challenges posed by these emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases, recognizing that human health is connected to the health of animals and our shared environment. View Fauci videos presentation here:Dr. Anthony Fauci.

POST YOUR SUFFRAGE SELFIE

Aug. 26 was Womens Equality Day to culminate the centennial celebration of the 19th Amendment. Over the past several months, the entire country paused to recognize the courageous work of thousands of women who fought and won the right to cast a ballot at the polls. The 19th amendment is a major milestone for voting rights but not the endpoint. Remember that not all women were granted the right to vote in 1920. It would be decades before women of color could celebrate their victory with the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Today, the fight for voting rights feels as relevant as ever. Disappearing mailboxes, malfunctioning voting machines, and long lines at the polls are modern-day barriers for the disenfranchised. Lets continue the work of making America a country where every voice counts where every woman, every human, can live free.

People may not be able to celebrate this milestone for voting rights in person but you can still have fun online. Instead of marching through Balboa Park this year, the Womens Museum of California, based in Liberty Station, will be hosting its annual suffrage parade across social media. How to participate: Post a photo celebrating your right to vote and use #SuffrageSelfie and tag @womensmuseumacross social media. Want to participate but you don't use social media? Email your #SuffrageSelfie to [emailprotected] and they willpost it for you.

Tuesday, Aug. 25

FREE MEDICAL CLINICS IN OB

Two free medical clinics for the underinsured have reopened in Ocean Beach. They are:

First Baptist, 4790 Santa Monica Ave., Wednesdays noon-3:30 p.m.; and ECC Clinic Episcopal Church, 2083 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., Wednesdays 5:30-7 p. m. Meal at 6 p.m. Graduate and undergraduate nursing students staff the free clinics that provide medical services, nursing care, mental health services, case management and social services to uninsured and under-insured people in Southern California under the direction of medical professionals and faculty.

How to donate: For every $1 you donate the patient receives at least $10 worth of free medical services. Southern California Care Community is a nonprofit. Mail donations to: Southern California Care Community, 1249 E. Ohio Ave. Escondido, CA, 92027. Visit SoCalCC.org to make a donation. Supply and in-kind donations are accepted.

PENINSULA SINGERS

The Peninsula Singers community choir welcomes singers with all levels of experience to join them for their fall season, which starts on Monday, Sept. 14. No audition is needed. Due to the current Coronavirus situation, this will be an online semester. The choir will meet on Zoom at 5:30 p.m. on Mondays for a community singalong, or zoomalong. of a variety of songs traditional songs, folk songs, camp songs, patriotic songs, spirituals, etc. before transitioning to holiday music in November and December. There will be no formal, in-person concert at the end of this semester. Interested singers can visit peninsulasingerssandiego.org for more information and to register online.

The choir is directed by Sarah Suhonen and accompanied by Stewart Simon on piano. The choir has performed at many venues throughout the community including U.S.S. Midway, the Point Loma Village Cultural Faire, Southwestern Yacht Club, Point Loma High School, several local libraries, and December Nights in Balboa Park. They have also performed at Carnegie Hall and the European cities of Prague, Salzburg, Vienna and Munich. Last year, the choir went on tour in Ireland.

INDIE BREWERS TEAM UP

Two craft breweries have joined forces to release a nationally available collaboration beer.Stone BrewingandModern Times have announced the release ofModern Times / Stone Wizards & Gargoyles Hazy Coffee IPA.In the Modern Times and Stone, breweries dont just brew, they seek far-off ideals, challenge convention and extol the virtues of lifes finest offerings like beer, and thoughtfully crafted coffee, and design that inspires. Centennial, Cashmere, Citra and Azacca hops are joined by two in-development hops. Altogether, these yield juicy notes of tropical citrus that play beautifully with the robust flavors and aromas of the coffee. The Modern Times blend of Ethiopia Dame Dabaye and Guatemala Huehuetenango featuresbright blueberry and melon character underscored by decadent notes of toffee and dark chocolate.

NEW LA JOLLA RESTAURANT

The local family behindPuesto Mexican Artisan Kitchen & Baris venturing into Italian cuisine for their next restaurant, which will be adjacent to the 1026 Wall St. location of their popular Mexican eatery. Naming the new restaurant Marisi Italiano after their grandparents, Isidoro and Marila, brothers Eric, Alan, and Alex Adler, and cousins Isi and Moy have signed a lease for the neighboring Whisknladle space, which shuttered in May after 12 years in La Jolla.

NEW MAVERICKS COCKTAIL

Mavericks Beach Club at 860 Garnet Ave. is adding a new cocktail to their lineup, theMavericks Bubble Slushie. This drink consists of your choice of Mavericks slushie flavor, topped with a mini bottle of Brut champagne, served in a custom Mavericks 32 ounce bucket that you can keep when empty. Mavericks spiked slushie flavors rotate throughout the seasons.

LJ CHURCH BLOOD DRIVE

La Jolla Presbyterian Church, in partnership with the San Diego Blood Bank, will host a blood drive from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13 at 7715 Draper Ave. A bloodmobile will be parked in front of the church on Draper. Donors must present a photo ID, be age 17 and older, weigh at least 114 pounds, and be in good health. The Blood Bank recommends an adequate meal and plenty of fluids prior to giving. Appointments required per CDC guidelines, no walk-ins. Schedule an appointment at 619-400-8251 or sandiegobloodbank.org.

POST PANDEMIC VACATION PACKAGE

Many are vacationing closer to homethis yearand daydreaming aboutfuture far-flung adventures.Paintru, the San Diego-based D2C art company that turns favorite photos into hand-painted artwork,is teaming up with Flytographertooffer agiveawayto help you make priceless memories with the people that matter and capture them beautifullywhether in yourhometown, on a local road tripor on a bucket list trip in the future. The Ultimate StaycationGiveaway one lucky winner will win:

-$1,000 Airbnb gift card;

- A custom Paintrupainting;

- 60-minute Flytographer shoot (valid in any applicable city);

- Plus a $50 Flytographer print credit for printing photos / holiday cards.

To enter thegiveaway: paintru.com/pages/paintru-flytographer-giveaway.

WIPEOUT CASTING

The big red balls are coming back. Americas most epic competition show,Wipeout, is returning to television on TBS and is nowvirtuallycastingteams of two and three fromSouthern California. The upcoming season will feature a new three-stage obstacle course designed to challenge competitors of all backgrounds and fitness levels. Those interested, no matter their athletic capability, can applyat wipeoutcasting.com.

UC SAN DIEGO HIGHLY RANKED

The University of California San Diego has been recognized as both elite and affordable in Money Magazines annual ranking of the best colleges in America, ranked by value. The university placed third among public universities and ninth among 739 institutions in the nation. The ranking is based on graduation rates, the number of Pell Grant recipients, net costs to attend and alumni salary data. Each institution was ranked based on 26 factors in three categories quality, affordability and outcomes but this year, Money Magazine changed their rankings formula to put more emphasis on affordability, increasing the weight given to the affordability metrics to 40%.

UC San Diegos mission is to increase access to higher education for Californians though affordability, said Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. The recognition reinforces our dedication to creating opportunity for students of all backgrounds, and leveraging their inclusion to drive innovation and benefit society at large.

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DAILY BRIEFING South Mission Beach cleanup Greek cafe coming to La Jolla and Organic Harvest Month - A round-up of news community and business briefs...

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Posted By admin on September 9, 2020

By Toby Axelrod, JTA

Caroline Wellberys father, the late German literary scholar Egon Schwarz, fled Austria with his family after the Nazis annexed the country in 1938, when he was 15. Schwarz ended up studying in the United States and then teaching at Harvard and Washington University in St. Louis.

His escape was a deeply life-changing event for him, and it permeated our household for the entirety of our lives, said Wellbery, a physician and medical educator at the Georgetown University School of Medicine who lives in Maryland.

Schwarz always had a desire to reconnect with his ancestral roots. Now Wellbery, who turns 67 this month, is trying to do that for him by applying for Austrian citizenship under a new amendment to the countrys citizenship law that went into effect this week.

It seems like there was a wish to bring the story to some kind of closure, and that is part of why I am interested in pursuing this, she said.

Wellbery is among thousands of Jews around the world expected to apply.

The amendment allows those who were persecuted by the Nazi regime and their direct descendants (including children adopted as minors) to obtain Austrian citizenship without giving up their current passports. It applies not only to citizens of Austria proper and successor states of the former Austro-Hungarian monarchy, but also to stateless persons who had a primary residence in Austria but had to leave for safety by May 15, 1955, a decade after the war ended.

The amendment is in line with Austrias ongoing endeavor for reconciliation with all those who suffered under the totalitarian Nazi regime in Austria, Austrias US Embassy said in a statement.

Interest is high, says attorney Daniel Gros of Vienna, who is hearing from friends of friends all over the world but especially from the United States, Israel and the United Kingdom. He is advising applicants as a consultant with the Vienna law firm of Lansky, Ganzger + Partner.

There is a special twist for British Jews who were not thrilled about Brexit, he added: They will be able to have both British and EU passports, the latter being extra valuable for travel throughout Europe once the UK fully severs ties with the EU.

The passport is additionally attractive for some Americans, like Wellberys family members, who she said are particularly distressed by the political and social chaos in the US. If there is a repeat of the last four years, this will pique the interest of the family, she said.

Zeev Maayan, 33, is an Israeli who has successfully applied for Portuguese and Hungarian citizenship based on his ancestry in both countries. Hed like to add Austria to that list.

In Israel, getting a foreign citizenship is like a national sport, he said. People want to have other options. It also upgrades you socially, and you can travel in certain countries without worrying.

But even the experienced Maayan was surprised by the quick response to his new Hebrew-language Facebook group aimed at crowdsourcing information about the Austrian application process. Within days he had more than 100 Israeli members, most of them asking technical questions about how to apply:.

Oskar Deutsch, president of the Jewish Community Vienna and the Federal Association of Jewish Communities in Austria, said many people have contacted him already, too.

I am very happy about it, said Deutsch, who was consulted on the law by Austrias Foreign Ministry. Still, he doubts the measure will have much impact on the size of the community, which has about 8,000 members, mostly in Vienna, with some in the cities of Linz and Graz.

Gros is more optimistic: He expects thousands and thousands of applications.

I believe this will completely change Jewish life in Austria, said Gros, 33, who was born in Germany to a family from the former Yugoslavia. Even if only a small percentage bring their families, a lot of things will change because we will have Jewish people from all over the world contributing to the community.

According to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, when Austria was annexed by Germany in 1938, there were 192,000 Jews living there, 4 percent of the population. By December 1939, three-quarters had emigrated, and about 65,000 Austrian Jews were murdered in the Holocaust.

But Austria has been much slower to confront its Nazi past than Germany and other European countries. For decades, successive Austrian governments adhered to a line that painted Austria as the first victim of Nazism, ignoring the mobilization of its society and infrastructure of state for the Nazi war machine after German annexation.

Whereas German society, its laws, judiciary and other institutions had been de-Nazified following World War II, few similar actions were taken in Austria. An official apology for being henchmen in the Nazi dictatorship came in 1994, and critics allege that it is still overly stingy with Holocaust restitution funds and in its handling of a large number of art restitution claims.

Today, Gros sees the state as committed to somehow face its history, to somehow give the next generations something that was taken away from their grandfathers and grandmothers. Austrias young conservative chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, has boosted ties between his country and Israel in recent years, citing the countrys Nazi collaboration as part of his motivation.

German citizenship has been open since 1949 to German Jews who survived the Nazi era and their descendants. Other European countries have made it possible for Jews to reclaim citizenship denied to their forebears, with some limitations. Spain enacted a law in 2015, meant as an atonement for the Inquisition. Sephardic Jews with demonstrable roots in Spain and knowledge of the Spanish language could receive passports through October 2019 (in May, Spain extended the window for one year due to the coronavirus crisis). Portugal has a similar law without a time limit and without a language requirement.

The Austrian citizenship will be more practical for American-Israeli Elana Dunn-Rennert, 35, who already lives in Vienna with her husband and their three children but has to renew her visa regularly. She took a circuitous path to the country of her roots: Her maternal grandmother fled Graz in 1938 at age of 3 with her family, ending up in the US.

Decades later Dunn-Rennert, then 6, moved with her parents from the US to Israel. She met her husband there and they moved to Austria. Now shes planning to apply for citizenship.

Before, I would have had to give up my Israeli and American passports, and thats not something I ever wanted to do, said Dunn-Rennert, who teaches at the Vienna Jewish Community organizations kindergarten.

She has to get documents proving she is related to her grandmother, who died last year. Already the archives of the Austrian Jewish Community organization has provided some information on her ancestors.

Reclaiming my Austrian heritage is a practical thing for me, she said. But its also like, They wanted to get rid of us, but we are still here.

US citizen Paul Burg, 87, sees getting an Austrian passport as the ultimate triumph. Born in Czernowitz (today Chernivtsi) in 1933, his family survived the war along with some 20,000 other Jews thanks to an intervention by Traian Popovici, the citys wartime mayor.

But the changing status of Czernowitz makes his claim a little tricky. Czernowitz was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until it dissolved in 1918, then became part of the Kingdom of Romania. After World War II, Ukrainian forces took it over, and most of its Jews fled to Israel. Since 1991, it has been part of Ukraine.

Still, the fact that his father was born there when it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire makes Burg eligible for citizenship under the new regulation. He is receiving advice from Gros and his Vienna law firm.

I want to be part of the struggle against anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism in Europe, Burg said.

US-born Israeli lawyer Deborah Opolions father was born in Vienna in 1932. In the late 1970s, he returned there with his family as an American diplomat. Opolion, then a teenager, fell in love with the city, though she knew that people who might have been Nazis were still alive. It was a very staid, serious, somber sort of a place.

Now 55, she has visited Vienna often with her teenage daughter. To her, the atmosphere has changed a lot since she was a girl.

There is a more cosmopolitan feeling, a younger and fresher, more open vibe, she said. I dont know if I would be applying for citizenship if it were the same old Austria.

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Jews banished by Austria offered a chance to reclaim citizenship - The Jewish Star

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Since its founding in 1867, Brooklyn Friends School has highlighted its Quaker valuesits website notes that those values include community: taking care of one another and equality: honoring each person and working against oppression. Considering the schools progressive traditions, many Brooklyn Friends families and alumni were stunned when school officials disclosed in mid-August that they had asked the Trump National Labor Relations Board to kick out the union representing 400 of its employees.

The school, with minimum tuition of $46,400 a year, asked the labor board to invoke a two-month-old NLRB decision and declare that as a religious institution, Brooklyn Friends no longer had to recognize or bargain with its union. Such a decision would effectively oust or bust the schools UAW local, which employees had overwhelmingly voted to join in 2019, forming a wall-to-wall union of teachers, office staff, janitors, and cafeteria workers.

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Brooklyn Friends is one of several progressive institutions that have resisted unionization efforts or tangled with unions in recent years. In July, a NewsGuild affiliate accused the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas of union busting after the ACLU initially refused to recognize a union through card check and hired a prominent anti-union law firm, Ogletree Deakins. Boston College, a Jesuit school, has opposed unionization by its graduate student workers, while two other Roman Catholic schools, Duquesne University and the Seattle University School of Law, battled against organizing drives by their adjunct professors. Numerous Jewish day schools have maneuvered to get rid of their unions. The General Theological Seminary in New York, the nations oldest Episcopal seminary, fired eight professors who were seeking to form a union, and several Roman Catholic hospitals have fought to defeat unionization, despite Pope Franciss strong support of unions.

Yale and Cornell have vigorously opposed unionization drives by their graduate student workersan arbitrator even found that Cornell had violated federal labor law by threatening to cut the number of graduate students if they unionized. (Cornell prides itself on having one of the nations most respected schools of industrial and labor relations, where many professors teach the union leaders and union organizers of tomorrow.) Harvard and Columbia reached contracts with their graduate student unions, but only after vociferous, multiyear fights that included walkouts at both schools.

Yale and Cornell have vigorously opposed unionization drives by their graduate student workersan arbitrator even found that Cornell had violated federal labor law by threatening to cut the number of graduate students if they unionized.

Considering the role that unions have played in lifting workers and advancing progressive causes, Joseph McCartin, a labor historian at Georgetown University and executive director of the schools Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor, voiced dismay at these institutions battling against unions. This sends a terrible, devastating message that will undercut the kind of coalition were going to need to effect progressive change, he said.

To explain their anti-union stance, Brooklyn Friends board of trustees and the head of the school, Crissy Cceres, wrote to parents: If we are to fully practice our Quaker values of respecting others and celebrating every individuals inner light while compassionately responding to existing needs, we must be legally free to oust the schools labor union, UAW Local 2110. In a subsequent letter, they explained, We did this to amplify those voices [of our employees] and to make sure that we are hearing from every individual in our community. The school officials also wrote, Working through a third party to communicate with our colleagues hinders us in hearing directly from colleagues.

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Hundreds of Brooklyn Friends parents and alumni signed a letter supporting the union as well as the employees open letter to the school. The employees noted that when they petitioned for a union election in 2019, the school wrote that it recognized our democratic right to organize. In their letter to school officials, they added, That you would now question that right based on a reactionary Trump-dominated Labor Board precedent is unconscionable. Standing behind a policy that unfairly restricts the rights of workers to unionize, serves to delegitimize the schools legacy of integrity and social justice.

Katy Hansen, an employment lawyer, and her husband, Dan Magaziner, a Yale history professorparents of two Brooklyn Friends studentswrote to the schools top officials, saying, Your email referenced the problem of a third party coming between you and the schools employees. This is standard union busting boiler plate, familiar from the rhetoric of such well known anti-labor employers as Walmart. They added, We fail to see how your avowed goal of honoring the light of each individual can be reconciled with seeking to overturn how those individuals expressed their will through their vote to unionize.

At least for now, Brooklyn Friends seems dug into its position to dismantle the union.

This summer, the Nonprofit Professional Employees Union, which represents workers at two dozen nonprofits, has sought to unionize the Scholars Strategy Network, a nonprofit that seeks to advance democracy and policy solutions by connecting researchers to public officials and journalists. Kayla Blado, the unions president, said a clear majority of the networks eight employees had signed pro-union cards and asked for voluntary recognition. Believing that a secret-ballot election is fairer, Theda Skocpol, a highly regarded Harvard sociology professor and director of the network, called for an election, and she, too, hired Ogletree Deakins. In response, Blado said, Its absolutely disgusting that an organization dedicated to strengthening democracy would go to such great lengths to suppress its staffs union.

Skocpol took offense, decrying what she said was a union-busting smear. She said the steering committee of the Scholars Strategy Network unanimously backs unionization. In a statement, she added, We support this secret ballot process and are in no way opposing unionizing or seeking to delay the process. She said a secret-ballot election helps in our small staff situation and allows each employee to have his or her say.

Unions are often quick to denounce an employers refusal to grant card check recognition as union busting. Labor leaders know that many employers prefer secret-ballot elections over card check because that allows them to mount intense anti-union campaigns before the vote. Skocpol said the network would not make any anti-union appeals to employees. She also said she had hired an individual lawyer and had no sense of the public image of that lawyers firm, Ogletree Deakins.

After the ACLU of Kansas was accused of union busting for refusing card check and hiring the anti-union firm of Ogletree Deakins, it hired a different law firm and said, We had no experience with this kind of law and reached out to an individual lawyer via a referral. The ACLU also dropped its insistence on a secret-ballot election, agreeing instead to a card check overseen by Wilma Liebman, former chair of the NLRB under President Obama. The United Media Guild won recognition, and the ACLU of Kansas, joined by the union, issued a statement, saying, At no time did the ACLU of Kansas, its executive director, management team or board of directors oppose unionization.

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Like many corporations, some progressive institutions see labor unions as an obstacle to smooth decision-making and efficiency and as an irritant that will push up employment costs. Many colleges and universities that are willing to accept unions for their professors and dining hall workers are intent on resisting unionization by their graduate teaching and research assistants. The schools contend that those graduate assistants are essentially students and not workers, even though the students argue that it is hard to maintain with any plausibility that the hundreds of hours of work they devote to teaching classes, grading papers, answering students questions, and working in laboratories is not bona fide work and that they therefore shouldnt be considered workers. Universities have been emboldened by the Trump NLRBs proposed rule to deny graduate teaching and research assistants a right to unionize.

In 2018, when Boston College was fighting their effort to unionize, many grad teaching assistants handed out flyers during Jesuit Heritage Week that said #PracticeWhatYouPreach along with a quotation from Pope Francis, There is no good society without a good union.

Many progressives are dismayed when religious and progressive institutions balk at unionization. If the nation is going to address profound problems like poverty, income inequality, and curbing corporate Americas inordinate power over the political system, they believe, it will be important to strengthen unions to empower workers and to serve as a more effective counterweight to businessas they were decades ago.

Blado, president of the Nonprofit Professional Employees Union, said, In 2020, were facing huge levels of economic inequality and racial inequality. If such employerswhich proclaim themselves to be driven by the mission of justicepose an obstacle to their workers having a better life through a union, Blado continues, theres no room for that in 2020.

With Joe Biden promising to push for legislation to help unions expand and increase worker power, progressives say that institutions like Brooklyn Friends and Boston College should be embracing unions.

What these fights are about is determining where worker organizations, worker power, and the labor movement will fit into progressivism/liberalism, Georgetown professor McCartin said. We need these institutions not just to recognize the right of workers to organize unions, but also to recognize the centrality of the labor movement and of worker organizations to any progressive agenda in the future.

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Anti-Union Progressives - The American Prospect

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Posted By admin on September 9, 2020

A senior delegation from Chad arrived in Israel on Tuesday to promote ties between the countries.The delegation is led by Deputy Director of Chad's civil cabinet Abdelkerim Idriss Dby, who is also the son of Chad's President Idriss Dby. He is set to meet with his Israeli counterpart, National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat.Dby is also expected to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen and others.Israel and Chad broke off relations in 1973, following the Yom Kippur War, when 30 African states cut ties with Israel.The countries renewed relations in 2018, and Chad's president visited Israel later that year. Netanyahu went to Chad the following year.Chad, which has been engaged in a yearslong battle with the Boko Haram terrorist group, seeks Israeli arms and security and intelligence expertise, as well as water-use technology and better ties with the US.For Israel, ties with Chad reinforces the message sent by normalizing relations with the UAE and Kosovo, that Muslim states can cooperate with Israel even when there is not peace with the Palestinians. cnxps.cmd.push(function () { cnxps({ playerId: '36af7c51-0caf-4741-9824-2c941fc6c17b' }).render('4c4d856e0e6f4e3d808bbc1715e132f6'); });In addition, a month after Dby's 2018 visit to Israel, Chad abstained on a UN vote condemning Hamas, which the country would have likely opposed in the past.Herb Keinon contributed to this report.

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Delegation from Chad to meet with Netanyahu, Ashkenazi - The Jerusalem Post

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By Laura Williams, The Nosher

Honey cake has had a long and diverse evolution. From breadcrumbs mashed with honey came the sweet and spiced cake we know today. Whether you like it, love it, or will always pass on this Rosh Hashanah classic, its evolution exemplifies the culinary journey of Jewish Diaspora. This is more than a cake it connect Jews to Torah, holidays, and the sweetness of life.

Though ancient Egyptians and Romans used honey mashed with yeast or barely, the birth of the spiced honey cake, evolving into something more similar to the one we know today, was in Italy in the early 12th century. Similar to a panforte, it was a dense and heavily spiced cake. Elsewhere in Europe, another variation became known as gingerbread. This dense honey cake made its way up to Central Europe, where Ashkenazi Jews adapted it into their cuisine.

According to the Encyclopedia of Jewish Food, the first mentions of the Ashkenazi version of honey cake came in 1105, describing it like a fine-floured challah with honey. The official name of lekach was found in the year 1200 in Germany.

Medieval Ashkenazi Jews incorporated honey cakes into a custom surrounding the study of Torah. When a new student would learn Torah for the first time, sometimes on Shavuot, the child would be given a slate with Hebrew letters, covered with honey, to lick. They would also receive honey cake as a treat. Both applications of honey were used so that they would associate the study of Torah with sweetness. It is not surprising then, that the Yiddish word for honey cake, lekach, probably comes from the German word lecken, meaning lick.

The honey cake lived on in multiple forms and countries. The 19th century saw old fashioned honey cake as a common compliment to tea time in both England and the United States. One article even offered it up in a list of Prize Christian Cakes (The Evening Post, Dec. 21, 1818). But the Jewish community kept its own twist and connection to the honey cake.

As honey is used on the Jewish New Year as a symbol for sweetness to come, a round (another symbol of the New Year) honey cake is commonly a staple at the festive Rosh Hashanah meals. In addition to the beneficial symbolism, honey cake also has the benefits of a long shelf life; it is even said that this cake is better a couple days after it is made.

But not everyone is in favor of this practical confection. Some argue that the honey cakes place at the table is a matter of tradition or nostalgia for bubbes recipe, rather than an actual appreciation for the cake itself. One NPR article connects the traditional obligation honey cake to its cousin, fruit cake, both coming with a list of grievances. There are often claims that honey cake is too dense or dry, and has earned itself a reputation for remaining on the Rosh Hashanah table to be saved as leftovers, but inevitably thrown out well after Sukkot.

However, like many other traditional Jewish dishes, the honey cake has evolved once more with few modern interpretations that attempt to make it more appealing and palatable to the masses. A quick search of recipes online today shows the ways bakers have taken honey cake to a new level. There are tahini honey cakes and honey cakes with a chocolate glaze. If youre thinking, I want honey cake but also mandlebrot at the same time, that exists, too! Gluten free? Done. Vegan? Done (I know, I know, how could this be? You can actually use silan/date syrup.)

Regardless if you like a slice that is super spicy, toned down with a chocolate glaze, or left on the table untouched, the honey cake has burrowed itself deep in the cycle of the annual Jewish menu, and therefore lives to see another year. Like the Jewish people, the honey cake reflects hints of the places we have been, while remaining sturdy and long-lasting through its connection to Jewish learning and tradition. And I, for one, am thankful that it has survived this long.

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The long and sweet history of honey cake - The Jewish Star

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