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https://www.aish.com/j/fs/48956926.htmlWouldJew Believe #11Mar 14, 2009by Marnie Winston-MacauleyO dda n d tineres t in g fa ct s su c h as...A b eL in lnc oJ ew i s h ?N ow a y !ABIE LIN-COHEN?That's what my bubbe called our 16th President. (Then again, she also thought Sid Caesar made a shiddach with Cleopatra.) Oy, would Bubbe be \"I-told-you-so-ing.\" Rabbi Jeff Kahn, of Temple Har Shalom in Warren, N.J. has stirred quite a debate with his contention that Abraham Lincoln may have been a landsman!Abraham Lincoln may have been a landsman!?The Case For \"Maybe\"...Rabbi Kahn points out: *Not only was Lincoln's name \"Abraham,\" his great-grandfather was \"Mordechai.\"*Despite his strong spiritual conviction, he was the only Prez not to declare himself a follower of any specific religion. He referred to his belief in The Ten Commandments.*Lincoln, England, the home of his ancestors, had, at times, a highly cordial relationship with itsJewish population (dating back to 1159). The Sheriff protected Lincoln's Jews from rioting Crusaders. More, the celebrated Bishop of Lincoln, St. Hugh, encouraged a love of Jews. While it's assumed that the Jews of Lincoln left in 1290, perhaps some remained as \"Conversos,\" secretly passing down their true heritage.*Jewish communities sat shivah following Lincoln's assassination. Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, said at his eulogy: \"... Lincoln believed himself to be bone from our bone and flesh from our flesh. He supposed himself to be a descendant of Hebrew parentage. He said so in my presence.\"The Case Against \"Maybe\"...*The names? No big deal for the day.*Lincoln talked of The Ten Commandments, but, so did Christians. His parents were Hard- shell Baptists. While President, he joined the NY Avenue Church in DC. There's a plaque by his

pew.*If he came from Conversos, why didn't his parents/grand-parents come out of their Yiddishe closet in the New World?* If Honest Abe made this admission to Rabbi Wise, why only to him? No one else could verify.The emmes? Affinity, \"maybe,\" but blood? I doubt it. However, it does raise another question: Despite Jewish contributions why are there no National holidays recognizing us? (NO, Christmas doesn't count.) But where is Moses Day, with a National Burning Bush? I say we proclaim March 14, Albert Einstein Day (his birthday), both in recognition and inspiration!Hey, if a child dumkoph can turn wunderkind, anyone can \"Jew\" it, too! Heppy Einstein Day!THE ART OF AFFLICTION?Pesach is almost upon us, when we prepare to buy cartloads of Matzo for the ritual of \"eating\" (as usual). Two years ago, some savvy, creative college kids bought cartloads for something not so usual. In fact, they bought it for something never done with the serrated stiffies in the 3,000 years since we fled Egypt. It became the stuff of art!In March, 2007, Manischewitz sponsored a Matzo Sculpture Competition, where finalists showed their entries at New York University. The theme was \"Home,\" and the competitors went \"crackers\" with their creations.There were matzo candlesticks, a matzo Western Wall, a matzo video game (mini matzo Mario, of course), and models of rooms a contestant helped restore in New Orleans after Katrina.Ultimately, the $1,000 prize went to art student James Donovan who \"matzo-d\" a magnificent Washington Square Arch!$1,000 prize went to a student who \"matzo-d\" a magnificent Washington Square Arch!So, this year, when you hide the afikomen ... attach with it, a bissel glue! Instead of a giving a few coins, you may be kicking off a whole new career for the kinder!SHMEGGEGE SHORTSThe year? 1992. Actress Melanie Griffith, who was 34 (and we assume a high school graduate) at the time, told a reporter about her eye-opening experience in the film, Shining Through, where she played a Jewish secretary during WWII.\"I didn't know that 6 million Jews were killed. That's a lot of people.\"

Copyright © 1995 - 2020 Aish.com, https://www.aish.com.Aish.com is a non-profit and needs your support. Please donate at: aish.com/donate,or mail a check to: Aish.com c/o The Jerusalem Aish HaTorah Fund PO Box 1259 Lakewood, NJ 08701.Sounds like she's ready to replace mom, Tippi Hedren, in an update of the Hitchcock thriller:The Bird's-Brain.OY, TALK ABOUT A HEADACHE!On the 102nd Birthday of perhaps one of the 18 (why not?) wonders of humankind aspirin-- –is causing a major headache for historians. When you think aspirin, you think Bayer. (OK, not your first thought, maybe.) And the world has credited Bayer's 29-year-old German chemist, Felix Hoffmann, with synthesizing the miracle drug of the century. And it was Hoffman who was feted across Germany in celebration of one of its only global \"brands.\" Ah, but new research has surfaced proving that not Hoffmann, but his supervisor, German Jew Arthur Eichengrun, was the true inventor. When the Nazis came to power, all references to Eichengrun \"mysteriously\" disappeared from all references, even though the German-Jew, –was wealthy, and could spit from his house to Hitler's. The story is the stuff of Spielberg.Hugely successful drug company ... high Nazi \"Society\" ... concentration camps (which Eichengrun survived) ... to the scientist's passionate attempt to get the recognition he deserved until his death in 1949. A real \"Who dunnit?\" Personally, I have to go with the Jew. Germany, 1890s? Who had the headache? Besides, look what we did with chicken soup!

https://www.aish.com/j/fs/48962381.htmlWouldJew Believe #12May 2, 2009by Marnie Winston-MacauleyWouldJew Believe #12Odd, outrageous and interesting facts such as...bad breath is grounds for divorce?CHEF JEFF NATHAN ABOVE THE FRAY ... ER FLAY ?Can an Irishman even one who's a culinary giant beat a Jew, also a culinary ––macher, when the subject is chicken soup with matzo balls? Feh! And Chef Jeff Nathan, owner of Abigael's, New York's largest kosher restaurant, set out to prove it on TV when Chef Bobby Flay ––challenged him to a showdown on –Throwdown !Can an Irish cook beat a Jewish cook when the subject is matzo ball soup?For those of you who who've never heard of the show and Bobby Flay ... he's a Grand Poobah over at the Food Network where he hosts a host of shows, and is an Iron Chef. On Throwdown, the famedrestaurateur, whose specialty is Southwesterncuisine, surprises the very best chefs with a challenge. So, when he went Kosher, of course he showed up at Abigael's to lay the gauntlet down to our Chef Jeff, the papa and host of public television's international,New Jewish Cuisine, and author of Adventures in Jewish Cooking, and Jeff Nathan's Family Suppers.The task: Chicken soup with matzo balls! Whose is better?The Throwdown, which first aired in April, got off to rousing start! Poor Flay, who's more at home with grits than matzo balls, took a few lessons and brought along a Jewish colleague. –He was scared ... real scared. Recipes, shmecipes! Truly good chicken soup with matzo balls is an art that has taken us thousands of years to perfect. And Flay thinks he can fly on one lesson?Then, at Abigael's, both were off and running. Flay, of course, was out-Jewished by Brooklynite Nathan, who can not only make it all -- from babka to tabouleh but everything –before, after, and in-between! But more, Nathan can tell it ... with personal anecdotes and Jewishkite that's in his DNA. As the contest progressed, the great chicken soup hurdles were clear: matzo ball floaters vs. sinkers, and seasonings.Our Chef Jeff, not to be outdone, prepared his signature dish: Sephardic Chicken Soup with Sofrito and Herbed Matzo Balls. Hmmmm. (I don't know what Flay did.)

To remove any hint of bias, one of the judges was renowned food author, Joan Nathan! (And no, Jeff and Joan are not related!) Anyway, with two to die for soups with perfect matzo balls–the heat was on.And the winner? Who else .....? You can watch a repeat of the match on Throwdown with Bobby Flay, May 15, 2009, 2:30 PM ET/PT. Check your local listings for the Food Network channel and to re-check times in your area.A SHORTY: GARLIC AS GROUNDS?We all know that the keys to any successful shidduch (marriage) are the three C's: Caring, Compatibility, and Commitment. But did you also know that yet another \"C\" is Clean Choppers? When Tel Aviv University and the Warner-Lambert Co. sponsored the First International Workshop on Bad Breath in 1993, Shlomo Goren, former chief rabbi of Israel, informed the conference that Jewish law makes bad breath a legitimate ground for divorce! So, want to keep your mate grounds-free and smiling? –Think mouthwash.Want to keep your mate grounds- free – and smiling? hink mouthwash.\"POLITICAL\" PESACH? WOULDJEW NOTBELIEVEMany faithful online \"news-Jews\" were saying, \"What a wonderful country!\" when an E-mail was widely circulated saying that: 1.) Al Gore and Tipperwould be attending a Seder at their son-in-law's home. 2.) Bill and Hillary Clinton will be attending the Seder at the home of their daughter Chelsea's \"steady.\" 3.) Ex-mayor of NYC, Rudy Giuliani's wife would be busy preparing their Seder. 4.) And finally, the Obamas would be enjoying a Seder at Michele's cousin's house.Personally, I received no less than 27 missives from faithful WJB watchers, so naturally, as an honorable reporter, I felt duty-bound to report the truth.Here it is (I think):1.) The Gore's daughter Karenna Aitcheson is married to a Jew named Andrew Newman Schiff.Now, whether mama and papa came to Seder ... or even whether the Schiffs had a Seder? Do I know? No.2.) If, by Chelsea's \"steady,\" the reference is to Goldman Sachs banker Marc Mezvinsky, once again ... who knows? However, Seder attendance somewhere wouldn't surprise me, as the Clintons have a host of Jewish friends who would extend an invite (including my cousin, who I have to call ... )

3.) It's more likely the Giulianis would roll Easter eggs than matzo balls. Not one of his three wives have been Jewish, including the current Mrs. Giuliani, nee Judith Nathan, nee not- Jewish.4.) Ah-Ha! The E-mailer came close, but no cigar with the Obamas. They didn't stop on for charoset at Michelle's cousin's house. Instead, the Obamas held their very own Seder in the White House. The first ever!SCHLEMIEL, SCHLEMAZAL...Yiddish and Yinglish devotees of course realize there are a disproportionate number of words that start with \"sch.\" There are also a disproportionate number of \"sch's\" who are idiots and losers, for example, \"schmendrik\" and \"schlimazel.\" Another is \"schlemiel.\" But ... this particular word, which means an ineffective, inoffensive bumbler, has an unusual literary history.The Yiddish, \"schlemiel\" ultimately derives from the Hebrew \"Shelumiel\" which roughly translates to \"my peace is God\" or \"God is my well being.\" Yet ... the term has come to mean a lowly fool in literature and Jewish culture. Nineteenth century German author Adelbert von Chamisso named his novel's bumbling protagonist Peter Shelumiel. E.T.A. Hoffmann used the term in a story, which later became part of Offenbach's opera \"The Tales of Hoffmann.\" In 1971, literary historian Ruth Wisse, took on the tsimmis in her book, \"The Schlemiel as Modern Hero.\" Today, in Hebrew, the reference \"Shelumielesque\" suggests ineptitude to the point of hopeless.How did the word morph from such a lovely meaning to one of our classic fools? Here are the prevailing theories.1.) On Chanukah a different section of Numbers 7 is recited daily, recounting the offerings of the tribal chieftains at the dedication of the Tabernacle (mishkan). On the first day, the first chieftain's name appears, and so on. On the Sabbath, of course, more is read, to a larger congregation. Due to the permutations of the Hebrew calendar, the fifth day never falls on Shabbat. So, which chieftain never gets that spotlight? Shelumiel ben Tsurishaddai!2. In a Talmudic midrash (Sanhedrin 82b) Shelumiel is identified as Zimri, a bad-nick who got mixed up with Cozbi, a Midianite princess, and was killed at sword point by Aaron's grandson Phinchas (Numbers 25).3. 19th-century Austrian Jewish scholar, Marcus Weissmann-Chajes, in his collection, \"Osem Bosem\" (\"Treasury of Perfume\") suggested that as, \"most poor people were of the tribe of Shim'on,\" (Genesis Rabbah) and Shelumiel was its chieftain, his name became associated with \"luckless.\"

Copyright © 1995 - 2020 Aish.com, https://www.aish.com.Aish.com is a non-profit and needs your support. Please donate at: aish.com/donate,or mail a check to: Aish.com c/o The Jerusalem Aish HaTorah Fund PO Box 1259 Lakewood, NJ 08701.No matter what the reason, it's unlikely that parents will \"honor\" the hapless chieftain, and name their sons Shelumiel.

https://www.aish.com/j/fs/48971786.htmlWouldJew Believe #13Jun 20, 2009by Marnie Winston-MacauleyWouldJew Believe #13Odd, outrageous and interesting facts such as...the \"real\" Shakespeare was J ew i s h ?SHAKESPEARE: TO BE OR NOT TO BE A YIDDISHE LADY-ETH?–Along with legends such as Columbus, and even Honest Abe, the question of whether Shakespeare may be MOT has been long debated. But unlike the others, there are questions about his whole identity! Did he write alone? Did he write at all? Was \"he\" a \"she?\" For 200 years Francis Bacon was #1 in the great \"real\" Shakespeare Hunt. Other popular \"real Shakespeare\" candidates include Edward de Vere, the Earl of Oxford; Christopher Marlowe; and even Queen Elizabeth I.Ah, but one amateur Shakespearologist, John Hudson, is convinced that William Shakespeare-- was a Jewish woman named Amelia Bassano Lanier! A crackpot he's not. With a range of degrees from top universities, he's a cognitive scientist, who's spent his career restructuring and inventing in the communications industry.So now he's \"structuring\" the idea that the Bard was a wildly brilliant balaboost-himwho, back then, needed to publish as a \"male\" to be widely published, period. (Bassano, a Converso, was the first female known to publish a book of poetry titled Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum in 1611.)The short of it? Hudson contends that Bassano's life matches \"Shakespeare's\" work far better than what we know about \"his.\" He's also ID'd technical linguistic similarities between her poetry and \"Shakespeare's\" verse. Plus, he notes Jewish allegories, along with references to Amelia Bassano Lanier's in the plays. In fact, Hudson's so convinced, he formed a theater company, The Dark Lady Players, to present \"her\" works as he believes they were truly intended. (For more details, visit www.darkladyplayers.com.)The Bard answered questions with questions. \"To be or not to be?\" (Very Jewish).The emmes? Well, the Bard did answer heavy questions with questions. \"To be or not to be?\" –(Very Jewish).Then there's:\"Crack of doom\" (Macbeth)\"Eaten me out of house and home\" (Henry IV, part 2) \"I have not slept one wink\" (Cymbeline)

\"It smells to heaven\" (Hamlet)\"My own flesh and blood\" (The Merchant of Venice) \"Out, damned spot!\" (Macbeth)\"The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers\" (Henry VI, part 2) Jewish female? Sounds good to me!\"KOOGLE\" IT!Thanks to a new \"kosher\" search engine, \"Koogle.co.il\" (combining the name for noodle pudding with Google), even Orthodox Rabbis can surf and search the Net with no fear of \"trayf\" traffic popping up. Koogle, whose site is in Hebrew, omits potentially objectionable material, such as immodest photos of women, and shopping sites that feature forbidden products. Koogle was created to fill the need for a kosher alternative so religious Israelis could browse without breaking even accidentally Jewish law. Naturally, there's no posting ––on Shabbos. Try to buy something and not only will God object, but Koogle won't let you!–Now there's a marriage of religion and technology!BIBLE RAPS SET THE BARLearn Torah, learn Torah, learn Torahbit by bit from alphabet to sentences to passages to pages with phrases from sages oh babylearn Torah, learn Torah, baby I'll be there for youAnd so starts the chorus of \"Learn Torah, Baby I'll Be There for Ya!\" written by Matt Bar –leader of a \"Bible Rap\" movement. The Iowa-born folk-rapper-Hebrew school teacher created the concept to keep his tweenie students \"rapping\" about Judaism. Unlike Jew Tang Clan, he sees himself as poet, not kitsch-meister. Bar has opened for OutKast, a hip hop group, one of his songs was featured on MTV's Real World, and his fifth album is due out this summer, when he'll also be touring at Jewish summer camps. So, stay tuned. If your kinder start coming home from Day School rapping \"I'm Not White, I'm Jewish!\" or \"The Burning Bush is in Your Building\" you'll be debating whether this Bar is doing young Jews a Mitzvah?–ARAB PRIZE TO A JEW?–Did you hear the news? No? Of course not. Almost no major U.S. paper reported it! But it's the emmes. Jewish Stanford Professor Ronald Levy, who played a major role in developing a revolutionary drug used in cancer treatment, received The King Faisal International Prize in

Copyright © 1995 - 2020 Aish.com, https://www.aish.com.Aish.com is a non-profit and needs your support. Please donate at: aish.com/donate,or mail a check to: Aish.com c/o The Jerusalem Aish HaTorah Fund PO Box 1259 Lakewood, NJ 08701.Medicine this year. Yet, few papers have picked up the startling historical news that this was the first time in its 30-year history, a Jew had ever been awarded the $200,000 prize (plus a dinner with Saudi King Abdullah).True, his Israeli wife, and their children were \"allowed\" dispensations to attend, despite Israeli Visa entries stamped all over their passports. And true, the Levy family was given the \"royal\" treatment during their stay. Some who knew hailed this as a \"hopeful\" sign in Jewish-Arab relations, suggesting that the Saudis were becoming more \"open.\" Of course it's also true that Levy's bio, posted on the Arab contest website, deleted the Prof's post-doctoral work at the Weizmann Institute in Rechovot. All of which raises some fascinating questions: Why was this historic event virtually ignored by the press? Is this a \"prize\" any MOT whose homeland has been \"recognized\" -- for annihilation should be accepting? Oh ... and why isn't an Arab prize –going to ... a \"worthy\" Arab? Nuff said? |SHORTIE: STAMP IT KOSHERSend a letter in Israel, and you can be sure it's the Glatt thing! Israeli postal stamps use a glue that is certified kosher. (Glue comes from collagen, which is found in the connective tissues of animals). Of course, make sure the envelope is also kosher or no licking.–

https://www.aish.com/j/fs/52299937.htmlWouldJew Believe #14Aug 2, 2009by Marnie Winston-MacauleyO u tr eoa gu s , odda n d tineres t in gJ ew i s h fa ct s su c h as...Pro orct a n dG am ble testing a new detergent called \"Dreck\"?!\"WOULD IT KILL YOU TO FIND A NICE JEWISH COMMUNE?\"When you think of the word Kibbutz, images of tanned Israelis in shorts, living together for protection, unification, and the development of agriculture and greenery in a once barren land leap to mind. But there's a new model right here in United States. The Seattle-based Ravenna Kibbutz, also known as a \"neo-shtetl,\" is one of the very few outside of Israel. (Others are in Brooklyn and Toronto.) Unlike the Israeli model, Ravenna is primarily urban, though they grow as much food as possible and are gearing up for chickens! Founded in –2007 by Joel Rothschild, 30, from Olympia; Masha Shtern, 25, from Moscow; Tamar Libicki, 24, from Columbus, Ohio; and Azura Newman, 31, from southern Michigan, the Kibbutz, home to over a dozen Jewish residents, is a cluster of three houses located on a quiet residential street near Bagel Oasis and Tree of Life Judaica at Seattle's North End. They maintain kosher facilities for Orthodox members and the Kibbutz is in walking distance of Seattle synagogues representing nearly every denomination. Residents share chores and pay rent based on room size and event-planning duties.The Seattle-based Ravenna Kibbutz, also known as a \"neo- shtetl.\"Perhaps more Jewish \"co-housing\" than Kibbutz, they share an objective: to bring Jews of all denominations together toward unity, empowerment, and the development of a vibrantJewish cultural life for themselves and others.Ravenna is multi-generational, but the spirit is young. The founders and residents alike are eager to keep Jewish youth in the fold. By providing co-sharing living, with lower prices, and connection to other young Jews, they seem to be doing just that!

Of course, Jewish holy days are celebrated, but Kibbutniks also reach out to the community at large with bagel bakes, coffeehouse nights, pot luck dinners, kayaking, pita-making classes, and open Shabbat dinners. These are becoming so popular, \"the three founders have two opinions!\" Keep the crowds down or buy bigger tables!–So, when we ask, \"Would it kill you to find a nice Jewish commune?\" Now you can! While living and working together, debating, eating, sharing Jewish cultural life and singing a –rousing rendition of \"Hava Nagila\" to the \"rafters\" of the Space Needle.–KOSHER VENDING MACHINESShtarbing (dying) for a nosh at JFK? Or a hot dog at say, Fenway Park? Those who keep kosher no longer have to shlep waxed papered goodies from home, thanks to kosher food service, and business entrepreneurs Doron Fetman and Alan Cohnen. When their Kosher Vending Industries, (KVI) introduced America's first kosher vending machines three years ago, they knew more than the food was Glatt! The idea was also \"gilden.\"Located in Valley Cottage, N.Y., KVI has wowed the \"vending\" world by providing Glatt Kosher munchies including pizza, fries, burritos, quiches, and blintzes to a variety of high profile ––venues, including arenas, stores, zoos, and hospitals through their brand, Hot Nosh. (They also have meat machines.) Continued expansion is all but guaranteed as \"Kosher\" has become a worldwide $14.5 billion industry servicing Jews and non-Jews alike. In fact, it was recently announced that KRH Thermal Systems Inc. has acquired the company and will merge management to expand this successful solution to accessing hot Kosher food on the go.And they ranked! Yes, KVI's Kosher Hot Dog Vending Machines has placed #3 in Inventorspot's list Top 5 Coolest Vending Machines of 2009!HOW GREEN ARE YOUR MITZVAHS?Parents Alert! Planning a Bar or Bat Mitzvah? The latest trend will have you thinking Green as eco-friendly celebrations are now the rage, replacing the wild 'n crazy \"hoopla themes.\" Less guilt? You bet. More gelt. You bet. And event planners have jumped in to help families plan affairs in strict accordance with environmental policy at 20 thou to half a mil. With pleasure, –I give you free tips cheaper (but we wouldn't turn down a donation to Jewlarious):

Copyright © 1995 - 2020 Aish.com, https://www.aish.com.Aish.com is a non-profit and needs your support. Please donate at: aish.com/donate,or mail a check to: Aish.com c/o The Jerusalem Aish HaTorah Fund PO Box 1259 Lakewood, NJ 08701.1. Recycle formal wear. Little David or Sara needn't pay $500 a pop to make the passage in style. Has Dad or a Tante a special suit or dress in the back of a closet they once wore? Alter and go retro. Or, recycle through re-sale shops.2. Invites: Do e-mail. Use recycled paper. Or (my personal favorite), instead of bling ‘n bow invitations, send donation cards/certificates with the 411. Each invite becomes a contribution.3. Place: Forget fancy hotels and pricey catering places. Consider a state park or other nature settings.4. Food: Do Kosher the natural way with organic, locally produced food, and ask a food bank to distribute leftovers.5. Decor: Wood tables, bamboo plates, candles, some kinds of latex balloons, LED lighting, candy centerpieces even recycled kippot that can be ordered from an Israeli –Web site.Is \"Green\" just another pop culture fad? Maybe. But unlike like the Star Wars and Barbie bashes, greening has meaning, which beats paying a fortune for Skipper ice swans and \"Beaming up\" the Bar Mitzvah boy!PSSST: DIRTY LAUNDRY?Here's a piece of hilarity I learned while I was writing \"As the World Turns\" that I've \"held back\" for years. But after getting countless \"insider\" confirmations, I'm now \"sharing.\" Here's the \"dirty\" drift. Years ago, Procter & Gamble tested a new detergent, with lousy results. The execs were stymied. Enter one Jewish VIP. Eureka. It seems the Grand ol' Cincinnati Soap Company name their product ... \"Dreck\" And \"tested\" it in New York City, yet. Once their Jewish colleague enlightened them, Dreft was born.

https://www.aish.com/j/fs/59167667.htmlWouldJew Believe #15 - Holiday EditionSep 13, 2009by Marnie Winston-MacauleyOdd, interesting and outrageous High Holiday facts.COME BLOW YOUR HORNThe ancient shofar (ram's horn), of course, is blown in shul during Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, as it was heard on Mount Sinai when God gave the Jewish people the Torah. Ah, but did you know that in 2006, a world's record for simultaneous shofar blowing by the greatest number of people was set at Phillips Beach in Swampscott, Massachusetts! The 798 participants beat the record set in 2005 by the Jewish community of Philadelphia, where 400 blew the ram's horn. The sound continued for almost eight minutes! (And no doubt sent elephants stampeding).The Guinness World Record for shofar-blowing has been around since 2004, supported by Swampscott's Robert I. Lappin Charitable Foundation that promotes Jewish identity among children. Oh, and not all the shofars were blown by Jews. Many from Latin American churches participated as well. Turning toward Israel, Jews and Gentiles trumpeted their way into the record books!Yankee Ron Blomberg also didn't play on the High Holy Days which earned him the nickname \"the Sundown Kid.\"GET ME TO THE SHUL ON TIME!Is there a Jew who doesn't know that in 1934, Detroit Tigers first baseman Hank Greenberg decided not to play during a tight pennant race because it fell on Yom Kippur; and thirty-one years later, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufaxmissed a contest for the same reason, this time in Game 1 of the World Series? But did you know that Yankee Ron Blomberg, who became Major League Baseball's first-ever designated hitter in 1973, also didn't play on the High Holy Days which earned him the nickname \"the Sundown Kid.\"

Said Blomberg about the 1971 game at Yankee Stadium against Cleveland: \"It was nearing sundown at home, tie game, two outs in the bottom of the ninth with a man on third base. I'm up. If I don't do it, we go past sundown, and if we go past sundown, I'm going to have to leave. I hit a single to center field and we won the game. From that day on I was idolized by every Jew in the city.\"He also had to deal with anti-Semitism from fans and some of his own team mates. His ordeal is described in Designated Hebrew, a fitting title for his biography.Ah ... but we MOTs have come a long way. It was recently announced that ESPN, and Major League Baseball will \"atone.\" The start time of the Sept. 27 Red Sox-Yankees game this year will be moved back after the ganza backlash for the change that put play in the middle of Yom Kippur! The game will now start at its original time of 1 p.m. instead of 8 p.m.HOLIDAY ESSEN FACTSQUICK: How can you tell the gefilte fish from all the other fish in the sea? ANSWER: It's the one swimming around with the little carrot on its back. (I hear you groaning!)And speaking of \"carrots,\" the orange veggie is a staple in Jewish cuisine, more so during the High Holy Days. The Yiddish word for carrot is \"mern\" but only as a noun. As a verb, it –means, \"multiply.\" Eating carrots then, is a two-in-one win. A tasty, health veg, but also a wish for many years to come!\"Mistah ... Give'm Some Chicken Soup!\" So starts one of the oldest jokes in Jewish history, as the bubbe shouts this command during a play when an actor fell ill and died. Told it wouldn't help, she responded, unfazed: \"Vouldn't hoit.\" Before soup, we need to talk chicken, which was probably introduced to Europe by Roman legions! Except for Egypt, the skinny fowl –didn't flourish during the Middle Ages. Chicken soup, however, gained its Jewish penicillin healing rep early. In the 12th century, Maimonides, passed down this wisdom from his own teacher, Abu Merwan ibn Zohar.AND WHILE WE'RE ON THE SUBJECT, GLOBAL BREAK FASTThe quintessential break fast worldwide is chicken soup and kreplach, however, Jews around the world break the fast with cultural 'tude.1. Ashkenazim enjoy a dairy meal that often includes pickled and smoked fish, noodle kugel and cheese blintzes. 2. Italian Jews feast on fried sugar-coated doughnuts to symbolize luck and hope for a well-rounded year. 3. Moroccan Jews drink a coffee topped with a fluffy mixture of beaten egg yolks and sugar, while Iraqi Jews prefer hariri, a. sweet non dairy \"milk\"

Copyright © 1995 - 2020 Aish.com, https://www.aish.com.Aish.com is a non-profit and needs your support. Please donate at: aish.com/donate,or mail a check to: Aish.com c/o The Jerusalem Aish HaTorah Fund PO Box 1259 Lakewood, NJ 08701.made from almonds. North African Jews also love a hearty meat, bean and vegetable soup. 4. Greek and Turkish Jews delight in a light lemon-flavored chicken soup, preceded by a sweet drink of melon seeds.AN AWESOME PRAYER: KOL NIDREThere is scarcely a Jew anywhere who hasn't felt the power of this mournful prayer, but relatively few know that Kol Nidre is actually a legal statement, in Aramaic! Did you know that the moving chant many regard as a voice of Jewish suffering, was also used, in part, by Beethoven in his Quartet in C Sharp Minor?A QUICKIE: Jay Leno: Is There A Writer in the House? ...On a particular night after Yom Kippur, Jay Leno encountered dead silence after delivering his monologue on The Tonight Show. Thinking fast, he quipped in an aside, \"It's tough to get good jokes written during a Jewish holiday.\"\"It's tough to get good jokes written during a Jewish holiday.\"A GOLDEN THANK YOU\"I felt I had been caught up in a torrent of love sostrong that it had literally taken my breath away.Out of that ocean of people, I can still see a little man who kept popping up in front of me and saying, ‘Goldele, lebn zolst du. Shana Tova! (Goldele, a long life to you and a Happy New Year.) All I could say, clumsily, was one sentence in Yiddish: ‘A denk eich vos irh seit geblieben Yidden' (‘Thank you for having remained Jews').\"--- Golda Meir, in the Soviet Union, Rosh Hashana, 1948 Shana Tovah!Marn

https://www.aish.com/j/fs/70772682.htmlWOULDJEW BELIEVE #16: Thanksgiving EditionNov 22, 2009by Marnie Winston-Macauleyh a n k s gi ivn g i sred , w h it , lueb is h--a n d tt t alilebiJ ew is . hWhile most people think of “T Bird Day” as pure Americana, naturally, we Jews are in there, -somewhere, planting roots. “This holiday -- all red, white and bluish -- is also a little Jewish.”Don’t believe me? Well, the first acknowledged Thanksgiving was in 1621 (some sources cite 1623) when the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast. Some Jewish historians claim it was originally thought of as a day of fasting, introspection, and prayer, parallel to our Yom Kippur.Actually, the first American Thanksgiving was copied directly from the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. Both holidays are a festival of thanksgiving to G-d, the giver of the fall harvest. However, as the seasons differ between Israel and New England, Sukkot precedes Thanksgiving by a couple months.Lost Tribes & Festivals?The Japanese perform the honored Gion festivals on July 17. This has always been performed on the 17th day of the seventh month, mysteriously matching the day when Noah's ark drifted ashore on the mountains of Ararat. The Bible records, \"The ark rested in the seventh month, the 17th day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat\" (Genesis 8:4).How does this relate to Thanksgiving? Though there is no biblical record, maybe the ancients had a thanksgiving feast on this day each year. But since the time of Moses, it was replaced by Sukkot. Israelites knew well of the day when Noah's ark rested. Could it be that a lost biblical-era festival is still surviving in Japan?Gobble, Gobble, Gevalt!If you’re a purist, quick! Stop the stuffing, the trussing, and the “turkey” trottin’! Ya’ got the wrong “boid.” No. Actually, right bird, wrong name. How? The first European to set foot on American soil, the concerto Luis de Torres, who sailed with Columbus in 1492, wrote a letter

home describing the exotic animal life in the New World, among them “a peacock.” He wrote in Hebrew, and the word for “peacock” is “tukki” -- transformed by Europeans into “turkey.” Therefore, every Thanksgiving Americans are feasting on a misnamed fowl!A Thanksgiving MitzvahOn Thanksgiving 1853, the cornerstone was laid for the first Jewish U.S. hospital in New York City. Completed on June 8, 1855, the name, proudly proclaimed over its doors, was Jews’ Hospital (in Hebrew, Beit Cholim). Originally it tended only to Jews, accepting others in emergencies. This changed as a result of the Civil War, Draft Day and Orange Day Parade riots. By 1886, to clarify it served all in the community, the hospital was officially renamed and now is one of the most prestigious hospitals and learning institutions in the world covering some 20 city blocks. It’s new name? Mount Sinai Hospital!The Great DebateSince 1947, every year before Thanksgiving, students and faculty at the University of Chicago listen to scholars, mathematicians, university presidents, and even Nobel Prize laureates debate the same critical question: Which is better -- the latke or the hamantashan? The great debate has forced scholars to examine, for example, the cosmic and mathematical significance of the shapes and qualities of both delish dishes. Hegel, Freud, Marx and somehow even Plato all get rolled into the fray. All of which proves that We Jews love argumentation almost as much as eating, and when we can combine them? Ai Ai Ai -- a joy!And We Shall Shop in This New LandFor most Americans, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade kicks off the holiday shopping season. Of course, this legendary parade is hosted by a Jewish department store! (Macy’s was founded by the Strauses.) By the end of World War II, department stores owned by Jewish families sprawled from sea to shining sea. Macy’s competitor, Gimbels, was also a Jewish establishment. Here are a few more that have ho ho ho-ed, as they’ve serviced both Gentile and Jew.• Bloomingdale’s• Rich’s•Bergdorf Goodman•Neiman Marcus•Lord & Taylor•I. Magnin•Saks• Filene’s

Copyright © 1995 - 2020 Aish.com, https://www.aish.com.Aish.com is a non-profit and needs your support. Please donate at: aish.com/donate,or mail a check to: Aish.com c/o The Jerusalem Aish HaTorah Fund PO Box 1259 Lakewood, NJ 08701.• Orbach’s•Sears, Roebuck & Co.• And of course ... Loehmann’s!

https://www.aish.com/j/fs/80402192.htmlWouldJew Believe #18: New YearsJan 2, 2010by Marnie Winston-MacauleyIn teres t in g fa ct sa b o u t c lean d ar : s“h e r is ”a n d “O u r s.”THE JEWISH CALENDAR: GET OUT THE CALCULATOR ...Simple, it’s not. In fact, with its complicated mathematical computations, understanding the Jewish calendar could’ve been on the very first SAT for MOTs. What with Earth rotations, sun and moon revolutions, three and a third second chalakim, if Einstein had to “do the math,” he’d have wound up at ZCC (Zurich Community College) and created the theory of cheese holes. But hey, since when do we do anything “easy?”Here are seven important facts about the Jewish calendar:Many people think that the Jewish calendar ( Lu'ach Iv'ri in Hebrew) is primarily lunar, but it’s not that simple. It’s not solar-based, as is the Gregorian calendar, which is widely used in the western world;and it’s not completely lunar like the Muslim calendar. It’s kind of like a lunar/solar hybrid. Here are seven more important facts. The Jewish calendar:1. was established as fixed around 400 C.E. by Hillel II, based upon three astronomical phenomena: the rotation of Earth on its axis (a day); the revolution of the moon around Earth (a month); the revolution of Earth around the sun (a year).2. is standardized over a 19 year period, re-aligning lunar with the solar years. An extra month of Adar is added in years three, six, eight, 11, 14, 17 and 19; this is known as the Jewish leap year.3. is believed divine based on the time of Creation. (In the Gregorian calendar, this date fell on Sunday, September 6, 3761 B.C.E.) The year number is calculated by adding up the ages of personages in the Bible.4. starts the day at sunset/sundown. Hours divide into 1,080 three and a third seconds called chalakim (parts).5. uses Mean time set by the meridian of Jerusalem instead of Greenwich (England).

6. affixed months during the time of Ezra, after the exiles returned to Israel from Babylonia. The names then, are Babylonian.And ......... wouldjew believe .......7. as there are about 12.4 lunar months in every solar year, a 12-month lunar calendar loses about 11 days yearly, and a 13-month lunar calendar gains about 19 days yearly.THE NEW YEAR: GOYISH VS. JEWISH TRADITIONSJEWISH: More prayer than merriment GOYISH: More merriment through hurlingJEWISH: Day of Judgment GOYISH: Day of footballJEWISH: Festive meals, including pomegranates, round challah and apples dipped in honey for a sweet year to comeGOYISH: Festive meals, including subs, pizza, and in the South, Hoppin' John—black eyed peas and ham hocks for a sweet halftimeJEWISH: Focus on repentanceGOYISH: Focus on things that require repentance ... boozing, partying, kissing strangersJEWISH: God is KingGOYISH: Dick Clark is King (anointed after Guy Lombardo and his Canadians).–JEWISH: Rest to contemplate how to better serve God and improve our behavior GOYISH: Rest to contemplate how to: a) better absorb three bottles of champagne within five hours; b) get over a monster hangover in time to catch the Rose BowlJEWISH: Saying “Shana Tova Umetokah” wishing others a good and sweet year.GOYISH: Singing the most popular song in the world (next to \"Blue Suede Shoes\") to which maybe 10 people know the words. At the stroke of midnight, Goyim break into ........... \"ShouldAuld Acquaintance Be Forgot and ... rum tee tum dah dee.. Then, “la la la dah dee ALL TOGETHER NOW ... Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot For Auld Lang Syyyyyyyyyne\" !!!!!JEWISH: Blowing the shofarGOYISH: Blowing foil multi confetti hornsJEWISH: Find water while praying to \"cast off\" sins. (Tashlikh) GOYISH: Avoid running water while partying to prevent falling in.

Copyright © 1995 - 2020 Aish.com, https://www.aish.com.Aish.com is a non-profit and needs your support. Please donate at: aish.com/donate,or mail a check to: Aish.com c/o The Jerusalem Aish HaTorah Fund PO Box 1259 Lakewood, NJ 08701.JEWISH: Top three “Resolutions” 1: Live a good Jewish life2: Be more proactive in making the world better and more humane 3: Increase tzedakahGOYISH: Top three resolutions1. Lose holiday bloat2. Upgrade my computer and IPods3.Don’t eat yellow snowJEWISH: A time to look at past mistakes, and plan changes in the New YearGOYISH: A time to make resolutions and try to keep them, at least until the Superbowl–

https://www.aish.com/j/fs/87317032.htmlWouldJew Believe #19Mar 13, 2010by Marnie Winston-MacauleyO dd, o r eou ta gu sa n d tineres t in gJ ew i s h fa ct s–M a rlo Brna n d o t a a aPsso er vSeder?\"BEWARE THE IDES OF MARCH\"Between history and Shakespeare, who doesn’t know that the Ides of March (March 15, 44 B.C.E.) is the date Julius Caesar was assassinated by his Roman Senators including his good –bud, from which one of the most famous phrases in literature was born: “Et tu, Brute?”What is less known is Caesar’s loyalty toward Jews. For strategic and philosophical reasons, he knew the importance of Jews in the Roman body politic. If the Senators saw his murder as an act of “liberation,” many Jews saw the opposite.What is less known is Caesar’s loyalty toward JewsCaesar issued a number of pro-Jewish decrees, many to honor Hyrcanus, Alexander’s son, who was high priest and ethnarch of the Jews, in recognition of his personal valor in peace and war. Amongthem, Jews were granted the freedom to assemble and worship, unencumbered. Roman officials had to be extremely careful not to offend a Jew.Most intriguing was Caesar’s attitude toward Jewish beliefs vs. idolatry. On the first day of the Passover, he annually amassed a procession of Roman dignitaries for the purpose of throwing away idol-images. His actions suggested his belief in the favorable influence of the political principle of Judaism over the other Eastern religions that had been brought to Rome.At his funeral Jews were conspicuous, mourned the Ides of March, and for several months came to make final lamentations over his burial-place\" (\"Histoire du Peuple d'Israel,\" v. 196, 197).THIS YEAR, DRINK FROM “JERUSALEM ”

The good news is, if there are fewer Jewish aging alcoholics, we Boomers can probably thank Dov Behr Manischewitz. The not-so-terrific news is, one whiff of fruit syrup, soaked in 20 pounds of sugar, drives us into ecstasy! No, we weren’t headed for drunken lives. But as for diabetes? Back then, if you couldn’t cut your Pesach wine with a dessert knife we believed it simply wasn’t “Kosher for Pesach.” Wrong. “Sweet” is not a requirement. True, if a Gentile friend, or (God forbid) connoisseur took a sip, he passed out or spat out. And no, you couldn’t find these libations on wine lists, outside of maybe Brooklyn. Unfortunately, history is responsible for the bad rep. The Concord grape, the only available variety for Jewish immigrants in the New York area, is acidic. Tons of sugar was added to make it drinkable or –cuttable.But, if you’ve been around since 1985, you know that sweet, sticky tradition – is going, going, gone. Drinkable, quality Pesach wines have been out there from California and around the world for over 25 years, such as Bartenura’s Italian Moscato (nice in charoset), and Barkan Merlot Superieur to WOW your dry wine pals if you’re into oak and anise, to name just a few.Now, Israel is taking its wine very seriously. Modern techniques imported from wine making countries are putting Israeli libations on the maps and menus from New York to Paris.Israeli wineries, mostly kosher, including “boutique” bottles, are making 33 million a year, and some vintages are earning international praise.And why not? Wines from neighboring Lebanon, in the same climate, have been winning international awards for decades. Considered among the top Israeli offering is the red 2003 Yatir Forest label from a subsidiary of Carmel Winery, founded by the Baron Edmond James de Rothschild. Carmel, Israel's largest winery, has recently been applying methods learned from France, Australia and California, to locally grown grapes.And, exporting 15 million bottles ranging from $10 to $100, Israelis are making world class wines.Interesting Fact: According to the Napa Valley Register (10-10-08), during Prohibition, theL.M. Martini Grape Products Company, managed to stay in business thanks to rabbis. As –rabbis were allowed wine for sacramental purposes, the company sold thousands of gallons to rabbis and all was completely legal. The winery prospered. Martini even made kosher –wine for a rabbi who lived next door.SYMBOLS IN SPACEWe Jews have always wandered and wondered (sometimes about why we were forced to wander). But our ancient nomadic history also fed our passion for exploration on land and –above it. When we think of Jewish astronauts, Judith Resnick and the ill-fated Challenger mission will always be, mightily mourned. Others followed, brought a Jewish symbol with

them on their climb to the stars. Jeffrey Hoffman, the first Jewish man in space brought a Torah during his Columbia mission in 1996 (no doubt starting the famous joke of the rabbi in space, who, when asked about his journey, moaned \"All the time, with the Shacharit, Mincha, Ma'ariv, Shacharit, Mincha, Ma'ariv...\"). David Wolf, orbiting during Chaukah, couldn't light his menorah without blowing up the craft, but thanks to zero gravity, probably holds the dreidel spinning record an hour and a half. The dreidel went missing, but was later recovered after –in an air filter after having traveled 25,000 miles! In 2008, Gregory Chamitoff placed mezuzot shaped like rockets on the post near his bed at the International Space Station. Jewish hero, and first Israeli astronaut, Ilan Ramon, died when his Space Shuttle disintegrated during re- entry. Prior, he did everything possible to make his space journeys “Jewish,” including requesting Kosher food, and consulting a rabbi about the proper way to observe Shabbat when in orbit. On that fateful flight, he carried a Torah scroll, a microfiche copy of the bible, and a picture drawn by a Jewish boy in a concentration camp during World War II.As for Gary Reisman who left for his new temporary home -- the International Space Station -- right before Pesach? He asked to bring matzah, but alas, NASA believed containing the crumbs would be a “mission impossible.” (For this, they needed rocket scientists?)GUESS WHO CAME TO SEDER?Pesach: 1975: The place: A Seder at Temple Israel in Hollywood, California. Seafood king, Louie Kemp planned to attend, (he subsequently became Orthodox). He employed a young man named Christian, whose dad, a non-Jew, checked in frequently about his son’s progress. The two elder men became friends. “Dad” asked to attend the Seder, as, at the time, he was a strong supporter of Israel and Jews, according to his Jewish friend. Both personally and professionally, he benefitted by their support and friendship. The second was a childhood friend of Kemp.Talk about an unlikely group! Louie’s two friends were: Marlon Brando, and Bob Dylan! Brando brought Native American activist, Dennis Banks of Wounded Knee fame in full –Indian regalia, including braids and feather. When Brando read from the Haggadah “it was as if he were reading Shakespeare,” reported Kemp, which was followed by Dylan singing “Blowin’ in the Wind.”Ah, but there is a P.S. Later on Brando became known for disparaging remarks about Jews in the entertainment industry. Although he also praised the Jewish people, his comments were highly offensive to many, tarnishing his rep, and leaving the impression that he was anti- Semitic.

Copyright © 1995 - 2020 Aish.com, https://www.aish.com.Aish.com is a non-profit and needs your support. Please donate at: aish.com/donate,or mail a check to: Aish.com c/o The Jerusalem Aish HaTorah Fund PO Box 1259 Lakewood, NJ 08701.Then, of course, there was MOT Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman), who could make a soul dizzy with his changes in belief systems. He seemed to re-claim his roots around the year 2000.

https://www.aish.com/j/fs/94998584.htmlWOULDJEW BELIEVE #20May 29, 2010by Marnie Winston-MacauleyOutrageous, odd and interesting facts…the Nazis hated the “Jewish” Superman??\"‘TO BE, OR NOT TO BE: THIS YOU CALL A QUESTION?’” –Next to whether Elvis is alive (and perhaps Jewish) the question who was the “real” Shakespeare has got millions “all shook up.” The “real Shakespeare” candidates abound, and include the Earl of Oxford; Christopher Marlowe; Bacon; and even Queen Elizabeth I.Now, we’ve got a lantslady to add to the mystery. A writer for the Toronto Globe and Mail checks out the theory presented by one John Hudson, that an Italian Jewess or Converso, Amelia Bassano Lanier (1569-1654), was the true Bardess, or at least a colleague, consulting on story lines. Not quite out of thin air, her name is on the list of “possibles” created in 2006 by the Shakespearean Authorship Trust.\"O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?\" \"What the dickens?\" “What's in a name?” \"If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?\" “When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?\"Personally, the gal has a shot. Between a Brit and a Jew, who would ask so many questions?Between a Brit and a Jew, who would ask so many questions?YOUNG JEWISH ADULTS T-OFFWho isn’t looking for a way to make Judaism more “relevant” to YJAs? Rapping, comics, Jewish geography, Jewish dating services, and of course,clothes. One of the hottest new trends is the witty, sarcastic Jew-T. Young Jews everywhere are checking in -- and checking things out -- wearing their heritage with a little Jew-ster hip.“Yo Semite,” “T-rust Me, I’m a Rabbi” are two. On the net, there are increasing sites devoted to what they call JUC (JewishUrbanChic) --younger Jews, wearing their silk-screened ethnicity across their chests are boldly proclaiming to the world, “I’m a Jew.” A good thing? Personally,

like everything else, to me: “It depends.” Tasteless, tactless, tarty? Nah. But a little wit? A tiny titter? An announcement?!“Shmaltz me!”“Nifter shmifter! As long as you make a living.” (“Nifter” literally means “not alive.”) -These, I’d give out in “Large.”SHORTIE: LEGAL YINGLISH-ESE!According to Judge Alex Kozinski and Eugene Volokh, Yiddish has started to appear in legal defamation cases. They report a 1972 New York case concluding that calling the fare at a restaurant “ground up shmutz” was not actionable, as it could be construed as an opinion. ---— From “Lawsuit, Shmawsuit,” in the 103 Yale Law Journal 463 (1993)MAKE A JEW APPY!What Jewish male hasn’t suffered from those pesky yarmulke emergencies! We all know them. You’re at an amusement park, your little mazek insists you go into the X-tra Chills wind tunnel and Boom! Your yarmulke flies higher than Mary Tyler Moore’s beret. You’re a star hockey player, and Kalman the Kicker knocks off your kippah! Boom! Another catastrophe.Well, no more. Through the merging of technology and religion, all you need is the iPhone’s iKippa app. According to creator Uri Kelder, choose a design that’s “you,” give a punch, flip your phone, and Boom! It becomes a yarmulke! (Not to be used on Shabbat. But then again, what are you doing at Disneyworld then anyway?)Then there’s iMenorah and iTalmud.But Stuart Rubin can’t be beat. Need a bissel advice, admonishment, a recipe, a “Not every prospect has to be a college graduate” encouragement? You can get it from a bubbe “in your pocket” with his iGavolt. Oy Gevalt!Personally, I’m waiting for iMayYou. A little frustrated? Angry? Fershluginer? Punch the buttonand out comes Joan Rivers screaming: “May you fall into the outhouse just as a regiment of Ukrainians is finishing a prune stew and twelve barrels of beer.”GERMANY CELEBRATES JEWISH COMICS?Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, Daredevil, Captain America, the Fantastic Four! All created by Jews, who many believe were imbued them with the Jewish values of Freedom, and Justice for All!

Copyright © 1995 - 2020 Aish.com, https://www.aish.com.Aish.com is a non-profit and needs your support. Please donate at: aish.com/donate,or mail a check to: Aish.com c/o The Jerusalem Aish HaTorah Fund PO Box 1259 Lakewood, NJ 08701.The Berlin Jewish Museum's newest exhibition, \"Heroes, Freaks and Superrabbis -- the Jewish Colour of Comics,\" looks at 45 comic artists, many from European Jewish immigrant families that settled in New York.Perhaps most interesting about the exhibit that runs from April 30 to August 8, is a focus on these “Yiddishe” Superheroes taking on Hitler during WWll. The first Jack Kirby and Joe Simon issue of “Captain America” showed our hero clobbering Hitler on the cover.Superman a.k.a. Kal-el (Hebrew: Voice of God), created by Jerry Siegel and Jerome Schuster in 1934, most bugged the heck out of Nazis! Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels accused actually denounced The Man of Steel for being a Jew. (Which he may have been!) With “Uber Man” in control, Hitler would’ve been known as Schickelgruber, the psychotic -house painter. A statue of Superman outside the museum shows him, head trickling Kryptonian blood, on the pavement. The sculpture is called “Even Superheroes Have Bad Days.”GET YOUR BABKA FIXWho can forget that wonderful moment on Seinfeld, when Elaine and the boys, on their way to a dinner party, need to pick up a little something for the hosts. And the bakery just sold their last chocolate babka? Well we don’t have to fear being babka-less anymore because now we can get our babka fix by joining the Continental Kosher Bakery’s Babka Club (www.BabkaClub.com).Once you join you get a fresh baked Babka of your choice, a Club T- Shirt, and Lifetime Membership Certificate. PLUS, if you wear your T-shirt at the bakery, you’ll get a 10% discount. For the true babkamaven, you can have yours delivered every month in cinnamon, –chocolate, even apple or cherry.Creator of the BabkaClub.com, Continental Kosher Bakery, is the oldest Kosher Bakery in the San Fernando Valley and was started in the early 20 century when Phillip Levenson th immigrated with his cherished recipes in hand and opened his first New York City bakery.In case you were wondering, I’m a very nuanced person. A very hungry nuanced person -- who prefers chocolate ... then again and cinnamon is always good for company but when it –comes to babka, face it. Who needs company?

https://www.aish.com/j/fs/100471214.htmlWouldJew Believe #21Aug 14, 2010by Marnie Winston-MacauleyA Giant discovery in Goliath’s home town. Sorry we couldn’t resist…GOLIATH’S HOMETOWN UNCOVERED: A GIANT DISCOVERYArchaeologists have made a giant discovery in Tel Tzafit, once the city of Gat (also called Gath), Goliath’s home town! And the excitement is building as their findings continue to bring the Bible to life. Artifacts from metal craft and bronze, along with demolished buildings confirm King Chazel of Aram’s destruction of the once great city, which was inhabited at different times by the Philistines, and the nation of Israel. Though enemies, there was “crossover” between the two cultures. In fact, the Bible tells us that Samson married a Philistine woman. Most interesting? Writings from the period show that the name “Goliath” (with variations) was a hit in Gat! Yes, if you passed through the city back then looking for the mighty man, you’d get “Which Goliath?” in Gat. (Got that?)The Talk King is set to become the Bagel King!BAGEL “KING” LARRYIn case you’re worried about Larry King’s future when he gives up the microphone ... don’t be.The Talk King is set to become the Bagel King! He’s now a partner in the Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. In case, like me, you’ve never heard of OBWB, the Florida company claims to have created a water treatment technology that replicates — are you ready? –Brooklyn water As we all know, for a bagel to rise to the top, Brooklyn H2O is bottom-line. The ! company is determined to grab shelf space next to Lenders in every freezer in the U.S. So yes. Whether you live in Prospect Park or Podunk, you’ll get “the real thing.”And while we’re on the subject ... the “King” just may be too late for New Yorkers who are “outscooping” their bagels. WouldJew Believe, more and more carb-counters are demanding the doughy mmmmm inside be scooped out! Oy vey! How the poor bagel is suffering at the hands of skinny New Yorkers who are removing its very kishkes and leaving only the crusty carcass. The meshugge practice even has a name: “Scooped out” which I personally think should be changed to “Creeped Out.”

DECOY JEWS?Here’s a controversial one. Holland is starting to use “decoy Jews” – undercover police wearing yarmulkes and other religious attire to uncover and stamp out anti-Semitic attacks in Amsterdam. The new strategy was the brainchild of Moroccan-born Parliament member, Ahmed Marcouch, after an incident involving Moroccan immigrants harassing a rabbi and children on the streets of Amsterdam. And Mayor Lodewijk Asscher is in full agreement, claiming that hate crimes against Jews are on the rise in the city and all must be done to “keep this phenomenon from growing.” “Decoys” or what we think of as going “undercover” is routinely used to counter other hate crimes. For example, police posing as frail, “grannies” has helped lower street crime. But cops in kippahs is a first probably anywhere.–Blasphemous or bold? Disrespectful or daring? Sacrilegious or savvy? Does the motive outweigh the method? You be the judge.AND SPEAKING OF HATE CRIMESOne of the latest victim categories in Toronto, Canada is … are you ready? The \"non-Jewish Shiksa.\" The term showed up in the latest hate crime study done by the Toronto Police Service. The Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC), which advocates for stronger hate crime laws, is definitely not pleased, calling this new class of victim “absurd.\" This gantseh megillah raises a few thorny questions: First, what exactly constitutes a “victim group?” And, what is the meaning of “shiksa” in today’s world? In media, it’s become kitchy slang. For example, Sharon Stone described herself as \"the ultimate shiksa\" in Basic Instinct, Sex and the City’s Charlotte was similarly described as a \"shiksa goddess,\" and on Seinfeld, George explained Elaine’s “shiksa appeal.”-“Non Jewish Shiksas” a “victim group?” Call me when you see, “GO BACK TO SWEDEN, YOU -BLOND, BLUE-EYED BEAUTY” scribbled on a construction site wall!THE GREAT WAR?!The tension mounted in the village of al-Fanar site of failure or triumph! As the war played –out, on-lookers knew the two groups were fighting for more than a title, more than the 12 tons of the precious substance they had created. Yes they (well, at least one side) were fighting for turf as they have for years. It was Israel vs. Lebanon once again this year, vying for gastronomic dominance in “Battle Hummus! The honor went to the Lebanese, whose 300 chefs whipped up 11.5 tons of the shared Middle Eastern delight, breaking the previous record set in January in the Arab-Israeli village of Abu Gosh. To get a sense of size, the ingredients which included 2 tons of tahini, 2 tons of lemon juice, and 154 lbs of olive oil –are equal to over 11 average family cars!

Copyright © 1995 - 2020 Aish.com, https://www.aish.com.Aish.com is a non-profit and needs your support. Please donate at: aish.com/donate,or mail a check to: Aish.com c/o The Jerusalem Aish HaTorah Fund PO Box 1259 Lakewood, NJ 08701.Ah, but the debate over “ownership” continues, as the Lebanese claim rights of “origin,” and have been seeking approval from the European Union to register hummus as a national dish, much like the Greeks and feta cheese. And their fight is more than glory. The Lebanese say that Israeli hummus, which they claim is based upon Lebanese recipes, is hurting their market share of the chick pea concoction worth $1 billion, globally.Israelis pooh pooh the whole tsimmis saying that trying to copyright hummus is like trying to copyright bread or wine. The dish in question is a centuries old Arab creation and so what?No one “owns” hummus, which belongs to the entire region.But this cold war may actually be warming individual Israeli-Arab relations. Go to any good hummus restaurant in the region, and you’ll find Israelis, Muslims, Jews and Palestinians sharing a table. One way to peace? Who knows? To quote the credo of Israeli, Shooky Galili, whose blog is devoted to all thing hummus: “Give chickpeas a chance.\"WOULDJEW BELIEVE OL’ BLUE EYES TRIES TO MAKE TEN?It was 71 years ago, in July of 1939, that Frank Sinatra released his first commercial record \"From the Bottom of My Heart\" with the Harry James band.“So nu?” you may ask. “What does Sinatra, one of the most controversial, and powerful men in show business have to do with the Jews?\"Plenty. The Italian Catholic, who died in 1998, was a powerful friend to the Jewish people and the State of Israel. Throughout his life, and regardless of other questionable behavior, he nevertheless was committed to fighting anti-Semitism and to activism on behalf of Israel. In 1947, when big names were needed to rouse America into saving Europe's remaining Jews, he sang at an \"Action for Palestine” rally. He also sat on the board of trustees of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, and donated over $1 million to Jerusalem’s Hebrew University (which was tragically bombed by terrorists in 2002, killing nine people).As the result, his movies and records were banned in some Arab countries. There are many personal stories as well of Sinatra’s sacrifices for the Jewish people. Writer Sidney Zion, a well- known Broadway figure, was dining with Sinatra and mentioned he had trouble getting a minyan to say Kaddish for his father who had recently passed away. The next day, a limo pulled up at the synagogue and Ol’ Blue Eyes and his friend, Father Rooney, donned yarmulkes and joined the congregation for evening services. Religiously acceptable? For sure not. But it was typical of his unwavering support and affection for We Jews, personally and publicly.

https://www.aish.com/j/fs/102048543.htmlWouldJew Believe #22: Holiday EditionSep 4, 2010by Marnie Winston-MacauleyOutrageous, odd and interesting Jewish facts for the New Year.HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WORLD!According to Leo Rosten, not one person in a hundred — Jew or non-Jew — knows what the name “Rosh Hashana” truly means. Most view the holiday as the beginning of the New Year, however, rabbis in the Talmud and Midrash teach that Rosh Hashana is the anniversary of creation itself! Another Rosh Hashana Emmes (true point): Pickles, a great Jewish food favorite, are never served at Rosh Hashana dinners, so as not to start anew with a sour taste.To play or not to play on the High Holidays has been the question – for Jewish celebs. Let’s look!To play or not to play on the High Holidays?“HAMMER’N HANK”\"We shall miss him on the infield and shall miss him at the bat, but he's true to his religion — and I honor him for that.\" — Edgar Guest, 1934These are the last lines of a poem written in honor of “Hammer’n Hank” Greenberg, when the baseball great who lead the Detroit Tigers to win their first American League pennant, refused to play on Yom Kippur in 1934. In 1938, with 58 home runs, he almost beat Babe Ruth's record of 60, but set a major league mark when he slammed two homers per game eleven times. In 1941, he was inducted into the Army, and was the first major leaguer to re-enlist following Pearl Harbor. After his discharge in June of 1945, during the pennant race, Hank hit a home run for the Tigers in his first game back, and blasted his famous grand slam home run in the last inning of the final game of the season. The man that Joe DiMaggio called \"one of the truly great hitters\" — Henry Benjamin Greenberg -- born in New York on September 16, 1911, was the first Jew elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1956.And while we’re on the subject ...A “GOOD JEWISH BOY”: SANDY KOUFAX

“The Jewish kid is probably the best of them.” — Casey Stengel, in answer to the question, “Who was the finest pitcher in baseball history?”Although the L.A. Dodger southpaw pitching star played on the Sabbath when scheduled, he would not appear in the first game of the World Series against the Minnesota Twins, because it fell on Yom Kippur on October 6, 1965. Instead, he went to shul and fasted. His father, who thought baseball “a stupid game,” was nevertheless proud of his son’s famous decision, calling him “ ... a good Jewish boy.”(You can read more about Sandy Koufaxhere).TWO JEWISH GREATS: A FAMOUS FIRST & LASTOn the day following Yom Kippur in 1966, a young Ken Holtzman who was in his first full season in the majors, faced his hero, Sandy Koufax, who was in his last, in a pitching duel at Wrigley Field! Interestingly, the matchup occurred because Koufax refused to pitch on Yom Kippur and was rescheduled for the following day. Ken took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and allowed only two hits as he defeated Koufax, 2-1. Koufax retired after the season. Ken finished the season 11-16 with a more than respectable 3.79 ERA.JEWISH MAMAS AND ... GOOD SPORTSBorn in 1896 to Orthodox parents, Benjamin Leiner, who boxed as Benny Leonard to keep his profession from his family, is considered by many to have been the greatest lightweight who ever lived. The International Boxing Hall of Famer, known for his intelligence, ultimately inspired the whole Jewish community. But at first mama was dubious. A street fighter from age 11, his mama asked: \"A prizefighter you want to be? Is that a life for a respectable man? For a Jew?\" Even when she knew of his boxing -- and fully supported him -- Leonard was sensitive to his mother's feelings, and refused to fight on a Jewish holiday.Throughout my life, when I was moving further and further from Judaism, I always clung to a single thread — Yom Kippur. On that one day I fasted. I might be shooting it out with Burt Lancaster or John Wayne, or battling Laurence Olivier and his Romans (Spartacus) ... but I always fasted,” added Douglas, born Issur Danielovitch, in 1916. The son of Russian immigrants, re-affirmed his commitment to Judaism with a second Bar Mitzvah — on his 83rd birthday. (You can read more about Kirk Douglashere).5770: LOOKING BACKAs we prepare for the New Year and Yom Kippur, it’s appropriate to look back and reflect on 5770, the year we leave behind its joys, oys gains and tragic losses. Here are but a few ––highlights:Jewish Joys:

*Ada Yonath became the first Israeli woman to win a Nobel Prize (chemistry)*Elana Kagan, became the third Jew on the U.S. Supreme Court, bringing the percentage of Jewish justices to one third! (Though We Jews are only 2% of the U.S. population.)Jewish Oys:*Helen Thomas, 89, while being videotaped by a rabbi, said “tell the Jews to get the hell out of Palestine.”*A Jewish teenager trying to pray on a New York-to-Kentucky on US Airways Express Flight 3079 was using tefillin, leading the captain to divert the flight to Philadelphia, where the commuter plane was greeted by police, bomb-sniffing dogs and federal agents.In Memoriam: Shalom:We said goodbye to those diverse, talented, Jews who made us, and the world, a much brighter, prouder place. They will be missed.Bea Arthur: actressMarek Edelman: last surviving leader of the Warsaw Ghetto uprisingDonald Fisher: founder of The GapMiep Gies: hid Anne Frank and the others in her attic, made Anne’s diary public.Lillian Goodman: philanthropist, helped develop the NegevDon Hewitt producer, 60 MinutesLevi Yitzchak Horowitz: rabbi: first American-born head of a Chasidic dynastySheldon Kaplan: created the EpiPen Claude Levi-Strauss anthropologist Harvey Pekar : Comic book writerWilliam Safire: The New York Times columnistSoupy Sales: comedianPaul Samuelson: first American to win the Nobel Prize for economics.Daniel Schorr: reporterErich Segal: author, Love Story

Copyright © 1995 - 2020 Aish.com, https://www.aish.com.Aish.com is a non-profit and needs your support. Please donate at: aish.com/donate,or mail a check to: Aish.com c/o The Jerusalem Aish HaTorah Fund PO Box 1259 Lakewood, NJ 08701.Sy Syms: national discount clothing storeL'Shana Tova!

https://www.aish.com/j/f/WouldJew_Believe_23.htmlWouldJew Believe #23Nov 28, 2010by Marnie Winston-MacauleyO u tr eoa gu s , odda n d tineres t in gJ ew i s h fa ct , slik e… a 14 ye r oaldr abbi? !LOOK FOR THE “KOSHER” LABEL!We Jews have known it for years! What we eat matters. Those “Essen” jokes about “brisket”- burn, sinkers, and Tums? Feh! Everyone’s looking for the ‘Kosher’ label these day! “Kosher” is now the hot foodie trend, and a bigger package-draw than “All Natural” and “No Additives or Preservatives” in the $12.5 billion U.S. market. And 85% are “goyim going kosher” – and not because they understand the importance of “never mixing meat and dairy.” They’re looking for quality! (And yes, our diet appeals to certain other religious groups and Vegans.) Thanks to our Higher Authority, “kosher,” with its rigorous inspection and monitoring, has become the platinum standard for health, safety, freshness, taste, and yes, humane farming.Tootsie Rolls and Gatorade have “Gone Kosher!”And food producers aim to please:Tootsie Rolls and Gatorade have “Gone Kosher.” You can even “go kosher” at the Super Bowl.And it’s “Ai! Ai! Ay! Och ay” for the potent potable Glenmorangie Original, since Scotland’s favorite single malt whiskey has received kosher certification! The OU now rigorously examines the raw ingredients, and distilling and bottling facilities to make sure the hooch meets its standards.8 CENTS PLAIN?Talk about “tyranny” and taxes! New Yorkers have recently been hit with a “sliced bagel” tax, -or, more precisely, the enforcement of an eight-cent tax law on all sliced or prepared bagels. (Lox on top doesn’t count.) It seems the mishegoss started over the summer, when New York “cracked down” on “cracking open” our quintessential delight, starting with 33 Bruegger’s franchises.

Jewish mayor Bloomberg vows to rid us of this abomination sometime during his term. If –not, will we be forced to “dump” our stale goodies in the East River? Never! “No taxation without cream cheese and scallionization!”CHUTZPADIK REDUX!Some things are just so mind-blowingly insane, inane, outrageous, egregious, and any other “eous” they need no further explanation. O, the horror when I saw this headline on an Israeli news site. Sit down.In October: “Nazi Collaborator Hits Nazi Hunter with Libel Charges”Nazi hunter Efraim Zuroff is on trial in Hungary over charges filed by twice convicted mass murderer, Sandor Kepiro, who has accused Zuroff of libel, saying Zuroff should have spoken of his war crimes as opinion, instead of “fact.”The “Opinion?” In 1944, Kepiro was convicted of participating in the Novi Sad massacre, where an estimated 1,246 people Jews, Serbs, and Roma were murdered. His sentence ––was overturned and he was promoted after the Nazi army invaded Hungary.Kepiro was tried by Hungary in 1946 and convicted a second time. But he wasn’t there. He was down in Argentina, where all those “innocent” Nazis fled to work on their tans. He returned to Budapest in 1996, and remains free.But, as this murderer’s amazing chutzpah, has shined a spotlight on his evil history, thedummkopf may well have “hunted” -- himself!TO THE WORLD’S OLDEST JEW, WE SAY SHALOMFannie Buten, the world’s verified oldest Jewish person, died recently in suburban Philly. She was 111!For the Austrian-born Fanny who came through Ellis Island as a toddler of two, the number “1\"was to be significant. At age 111, she was No. 1 on the Jewish gerontology list, she scored a hole-in-one in her seventies on Green Valley Country Club’s greens, but she was also numero uno to her family.Active in Jewish charities throughout her life (along with her late husband, Mottie), she was also well-known for her humor, her milk sponge birthday cakes, her love of cooking, and making family number 1.The supercentenarian witnessed the invention of the telephone, two world wars, television, flight, cars -- and the Internet.A DEBATE OF TALMUDIC PROPORTION!

Copyright © 1995 - 2020 Aish.com, https://www.aish.com.Aish.com is a non-profit and needs your support. Please donate at: aish.com/donate,or mail a check to: Aish.com c/o The Jerusalem Aish HaTorah Fund PO Box 1259 Lakewood, NJ 08701.He’s brilliant. A prodigy. Religious! His fondest wish? To become a rabbi! He’s also 14.The Israeli teen, Moshe Raziel Sharify of Natanya, wishes to become Israel’s -- and the world’s youngest rov.At age 10, Sharify won the Netanya Bible Quiz. At age 11, he took first place in the Central Region Bible Quiz. And for the past year, Sharify has undergone 10 grueling examinations by respected rabbis who were impressed by Sharify’s knowledge and intellect. Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Rav Yona Metzger initially supported Sharify’s bid to take the ordination exam, but was overruled by Sephardi Chief Rabbi Rav Shlomo Amar.It seems that a few years ago, the rabbinate unofficially made 22 the minimum age for a student to take the ordination exam.Sharify took it anyway this past August, but the rabbinate refuses to grade his exam. And papa Sharify stands ready to support his son in court. Meanwhile Sharify the younger, –continues his studies in the Yishuv Hadassah Yeshiva in Tel Aviv, and still finds some time to play soccer with his friends.Should the gifted teen be given Semichah? That is the question.On the one hand, many historical figures changed the world at tender ages! Weren’t Abraham, Rebecca, Joseph, Miriam and David all spectacular kinder?On the other hand, it’s 5771! Does one so young have the rachmones, the sachel for such a role?Nu, so what do you think?

https://www.aish.com/j/f/WouldJew_Believe_24.htmlWouldJew Believe #24Jan 22, 2011by Marnie Winston-MacauleyO u tr eoa gu s , odda n d tineres t in gJ ew i s h fa ct slik e… H arry Po ertt’sg r a v e in Israel?!APPS: IT AIN’T CHOPPED LIVEREverybody’s doin’ it! They’re walking palm-first, communing in earnest with their window to the world: the iPod (iPad and all the other “i’s.”) Never to be forgotten, We Jews are being tempted with gazunta apps, and I’m not talking chopped liver. So, here are some yummy Apps with Jewish tude.iTalmud: Feel the need to debate, even with yourself? The Talmud is now electronically accessible. No excuses for not studying!iSiddur: This prayer book also features location-based prayer times! No more when is Maariv, even in outer space. (And no more Jewish outer space jokes!)Totally Tanach: Browse, search and study the Hebrew Bible any time, any place. You can even get a Rashi Commentary to help you resolve your iQuestions.Get a Rashi Commentary to help you resolve your iQuestions.Tanya: Hear the Alter Rebbe’s words and be uplifted. (But keep your eyes on the road.)iBless Food: My personal favorite, this hendy-dendy app remind you of the correct blessing. What couldbe more important than thanking the Almighty? Right -- if it could only remind you to thank our mothers. Now that would be something!KIPPAHS ON ICE?What do you do if your hockey team “farshtoonks,” you’re in the Sunshine State, and you want MOTs to maybe buy a ticket? According to Neil Rubin, editor of the Baltimore Jewish Times, the Florida Panthers tried to break the ice in December by holding what they called “The Biggest Hanukkah party in South Florida!” More than food and music, the team offered

an incentive. If you bought a (discount) ticket, you were gifted with a fan “beanie.” Did it work? Eh ... not so much. Could it be the Jews of South Florida already have enough yarmulkes? Or could it be there aren’t enough MOT fans to start a mini Panthers blog? Which, of course was the reason for the giveaway in the first place. Oy! Better they should have Yiddishe kops than give Yiddishe Kippahs.HARRY POTTEROWITZ?Recently a group of tourists in Israel went on a pilgrimage at the pristine cemetery of Ramle. Their mission? To find the tombstone of Hogwarts’ most illustrious student, the bespectacled Harry Potter. After much investigation, and a little hocus pocus, there it appeared among 4,500 graves! Photos were duly snapped as “Potters” huddled around the burial site of their hero. Or not? It really is Harry Potter’s grave. Just not that Harry Potter’s grave. This Harry Potter, age 18, was a British soldier, felled back in 1939, while on duty when Britain held the League of Nations Mandate for Palestine. Are the tourists getting wise? Probably. But, the tour guide, Ron Peled said the name sells. Galloping Gargoyles!!HUMMUS WARS?What it about the chick pea that incites such militant mishegoss? OK, yes, as a beloved is ethnic treat on both sides of the Middle East aisle, it’s served up as a metaphor for larger conflict. And the conflict was played out in December at Princeton University where the world watched and logic prevailed! The pro-Palestinian Princeton Committee on Palestine (PCP) called for a referendum of the student body to ask university retail outlets to provide an alternative to Sabra-brand hummus. Seems simple, nu? An exercise in consumerism? A hummus op for other manufacturers? Ah, but Princeton students had the saichel to realize there was more to this than free hummus choice. You see, the Sabra people donate funds and services to soldiers in the elite Israel Defense Forces Golani brigade, which irked the PCP who charged that the Golani brigade routinely violates human rights and international law. The referendum was handily beaten, 1,014 to 699! A strong show of support for hummus (our way) and Israel!FILE UNDER ROTTEN IDEAS? OR NOT?Anyone in South Florida who ever said, “Get me a lawyer. Shhhh. A Jewish one” can now say it aloud, and dial. A new Boca business, the Jewish American Bar Association, promises to refer a bona fide Jewish mouthpiece, or, according to found Lisa Spitzer, a gentile, “if his heart was in accordance with our goals and purposes.” (Whatever that means.) While the prospect may entice some clients, some in the legal community, Jewish and not, are underwhelmed, even offended, though probably for different reasons. This begs the questions: Do Jewish lawyers

Copyright © 1995 - 2020 Aish.com, https://www.aish.com.Aish.com is a non-profit and needs your support. Please donate at: aish.com/donate,or mail a check to: Aish.com c/o The Jerusalem Aish HaTorah Fund PO Box 1259 Lakewood, NJ 08701.have the “chutzpah” edge or is this a you-know-what stereotype? And, much like the difference between loving Irish stew vs. Irish bartenders, is the stereotype a “compliment” or a klop? The jury is still out. You be the judge.AND WOULDJEW BELIEVE: FESTIVUS FOR THE REST OF US??Who can forget the Seinfeld episode when George, to get out of Christmas-gifting, tells his boss, he celebrates “Festivus.” Listen ...GEORGE: \"I was afraid that I would be persecuted for my beliefs. They drove my family out of Bayside, Sir!?\"Well, one convicted drug dealer in an Orange County California prison, not only didn’t forget “Festivus,” he celebrates. Malcolm Alarmo King reportedly cited his observance of Festivus to eat kosher in prison! King, more of a “healthest” than a “Festivest” needed a religious reason to get the kosher meals, which are supersized. A local Bayside paper claimed he got his wish, even after thorough investigation revealed the “holiday” was a figment of the Costanza mishegoss. All of which begs the question: Did the Costanzas eat Kosher on Festivus? Or even, what were the Costanzas? Mama C was Jewish, hands down. (The house smelled like kasha.) But papa Frank? We saw his cousin in Italy. Maybe he was Sephardic? But then George joined the Latvian Orthodox Church. Did he ever re-convert? Is George a “re Converter?” -And if so, to what? And ... never mind.

https://www.aish.com/j/f/WouldJew_Believe_25_The_Purim_Edition.htmlWouldJew Believe #25: The Purim EditionMar 12, 2011by Marnie Winston-MacauleyO u tr eoa gu s , odda n d tineres t in g fa ct slik e…t he e Jw i sh ho lid a yo fN i c a norD a y ? !Purim is upon us! This fun-filled holiday, celebrated on the 14 of Adar (secular: March 19, th 2011), of course, celebrates our salvation in ancient Persia from the evil Haman, thanks to Esther’s Yiddishe kop! So great is the joy from besting Haman-the-Jew-hating-“oy” thatI’ve devoted today’s entries to this most delightful holiday!The Great Debate: Latke or Hamantash?THE GREAT DEBATEChicken vs. egg, global warming vs. cooling, Oreosvs. Double Stuff, Joan vs. Melissa. For centuries, weJews have cogitated, deliberated, and debated the religious and secular. And so should it also not follow, that we get to the core of yet another meritorious debate? Which is better: The LATKE or the HAMANTASH?This mighty issue was finally given its rightful academic due in 1946 at the University of Chicago and has been argued virtually yearly. Other institutions including Harvard, MIT, and Princeton, have followed suit.According to Ruth Fredman Cernea, in “The Great Latke Hamantash Debate,” the event -“provided a rare opportunity for faculty to reveal their hidden Jewish souls and poke fun at the high seriousness of everyday academic life.\" The debate is also said to have arisen from a tradition of spoofing Talmudic study during Purim. Of course, in the academic demand for primary sources, both “subjects” are gobbled afterward.If you think this is just some lampooning foolishness, you’re right. “Nobel Laureates, PhDs, professors, philosophers, and other machers enter the fray in academic regalia to the tune of “Pomp and Circumstance” to bravely get in touch with their inner Jackie Mason, which, face it, takes more raw guts that futzing with quarks. You think it’s easy to apply cosmic significance to “Haman’s ear” through applying Hegel, Freud, and Plato to the mishegoss?Here are a few examples of such rigorous examination over the years:

*Former Princeton president, Harold Tafler Shapiro argued the hamentaschen's superiority by pointing out the epicurean significance of the \"edible triangle\" in light of the literary \"Oedipal triangle.\"*Professor Wendy Doniger claimed that hamantaschen is a womb equivalent, worshiped in early matriarchal societies.*Professor Isaac Abella posited that \"Which is Better: the Latke or the Hamantash?\" is an invalid question, as it is culturally biased, implies gender specificity, exhibits geographical chauvinism, and appeals to special interests.*Professor Allan Bloom posited a conspiracy theory involving Sigmund Freud and the Manischewitz company.*Professor Alan Dershowitz accused the latke of increasing the United States' dependence on oil.Personally, I feel the wrong question is being asked. Rather than comparing the proverbial “apples vs. oranges,” a far more important issue is “THE HAMANTASH: PRUNE VS. POPPY SEED.” It’s my contention that while the poppy seed more accurately resonates with our real and metaphorical issues with Haman (may all Hamans get them under their bridgework), the prune relates more authentically to our Jewish belief in the importance of eating certain foods if you know what I mean.–A history of these debates by Ruth Fredman Cernea was published by the University of Chicago Press in 2006.DON’T IGNORE NICANOR!If “Festivus is for the rest of us,” according to George Costanza’s father on Seinfeld, “Jews shouldn’t ignore Nicanor!” This long forgotten holiday, occurring the day before Purim, was originally observed as a festival. But by the seventh century, it all but disappeared, replaced by the Fast of Esther. Nicanor Day marked the anniversary of Judah the Maccabee's defeat of Syrian general Nicanor in 161 B.C.E. by beheading. Oy! If we Jews eat Haman's ears on –Purim, I shudder to think what we’d be nibbling on Nicanor.A BISSEL PURIMS?About 100 “Little Purims” are celebrated annually in various parts of the world to commemorate a time when local Jews were saved from enemies. For example:

Place/ Established Observed EventAlgiers , 1540 4th of Cheshvan saved in Spanish-Algerian wars Baghdad, 1822 11th of Av ending Persian oppression Belgrade, 1822 19th of Sivan saved during Turko-Serbian war Cairo, 1524 28th of Adar saved from exterminationCastille, 1339 first of Adar saved after accusations by the King’s advisor Prague, 1620 14th of Cheshvan saved under auspices of Emperor Ferdinand II. Rome, 1793 first of Shevat ghetto saved from attack.Vilna, 1794 15th of Av saved during Russo-Polish war.THE PURIM PLAY'S THE THINGMedieval Jews added humor to the elaborate plays based on Biblical stories in celebration of Purim. Clowns would lead a procession through the streets to the play itself. Four types of Yiddish comedians evolved:Nar or Lets: pure slapstick comicsPayats: recited the Prologue, gave stage directions, or recaptured a bored audience by spouting puns or standing on their headsMarshelik: class acts; master of ceremonies Badkhen: sharp-witted wedding commentatorsThese late medieval plays became the seed corn for the modern Yiddish Theater in the late 1800s and early 1900s which, thanks largely to the work of producer, playwright, and manager, Abraham Goldfaden, were filled with hysteria -- in geshreis and laughter-- by Yiddish comedians and actors such as Sigmund Mogulesko, Aaron Lebedoff, Ludwig Satz, Max Bozyk, Michel Rosenberg, the Burstein family, Jacob Jacobs, Leo Fuchs, Henrietta Jacobson, Molly Picon, Menasha Skolnik, and Muni Weisenfreund a.k.a. Paul Muni!WACKY WACKY & MORE WACKYPurim is the most playful of holidays, where “naughty” tricks and treats. For example, during one Purim in Israel, the national television station presented the news upside down.–Another year a major radio station announced that a huge amount of crude oil was discovered under central Tel Aviv, and a major daily paper came out with a phony front page. On Purim, a bissel carousing is “recommended” by a higher authority. Talmudic law suggests

Copyright © 1995 - 2020 Aish.com, https://www.aish.com.Aish.com is a non-profit and needs your support. Please donate at: aish.com/donate,or mail a check to: Aish.com c/o The Jerusalem Aish HaTorah Fund PO Box 1259 Lakewood, NJ 08701.one drink enough not to know the difference between “Blessed be Mordecai” and “Cursed be Haman.” However, if you start mixing up your “blesseds and curses” you’ve had one too many!

https://www.aish.com/j/f/WouldJew_Believe_26_Passover_Edition.htmlWouldJew Believe #26: Passover EditionApr 9, 2011by Marnie Winston-MacauleyWhat’s the story behind the famous Maxwell House Haggadah?Passover is, hands down, my favorite holiday. Not only is its message of freedom and hope inspiring, but it remains contemporary as unfortunately we still see evidence of anti- –Semitism, and threats of extinction. On a more sanguine note, Passover rituals (despite arduous prep, and the hunt for stray chametz crumbs) are the stuff of lifelong precious memories. Who can forget the first time we heard our little ones recite \"Ma Nishtana\" while standing precariously on a chair? So it’s with great joy that I bring you WouldJew Believe: The Passover Edition.Haggadah FactsFor thousands of years the “Haggadah” of Passover, which means “the telling,” was spread by word of mouth. The modern Haggadah originated in the Mishnah in tractate Passoverim. The earliest written, was produced in 13 century Spain. th Today’s Haggadahs contain ritual, legend, prayers, blessings and songs.One of the most famous and popular of all time was the Maxwell House coffee Haggadah, published in the 1930s by General Foods. But more — the genius behind the Maxwell House Haggadah, was New York Jewish ad-maven Joseph Jacobs. As the story goes, non-Jewish salesman Joel Cheek peddled coffee from his saddlebags in Tennessee. When Cheek hit the eastern market, it was Jacobs who, upon clarifying that coffee beans were berries, and therefore not forbidden on Passover, encouraged Cheek to sell his product in independent Jewish stores. Cheek established such a strong connection with his Jewish customers that in the 1930s the company started producing and distributing Haggadahs, named of course, for its sponsor: Maxwell House!Jewish Seoul?

Picture it! Passover, 2003. The place? A former Buddhist temple in Korea, now the U.S. Army's Religious Retreat Center. The event? One of the most far-off (and far out) Passover celebrations in the world, led by the Army’s only Jewish chaplain on the peninsula at the time, Rabbi Ehrenpreis, whose congregants consisted of about 150 soldiers, diplomats, businessmen, and Koreans. The price of shipping kosher foods for the two Seders was a hefty$5,000! The Seders were filled with matzah ball soup, gefilte fish and Empire turkeys. But perhaps more interestingly, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported that the Seder included an impassioned rap version of Who Knows One.Civil War Passover Diary, 1862For Jewish Union soldiers fighting in the Civil War, the Passover parallels must have been especially personal and powerful, as with Jews deployed anywhere in the world fighting on behalf of freedom. Here is an excerpt from the diary of Union soldier J.A. Joel:In 1861 I became attached to the 23 Regiment destined for West Virginia. Twenty of rd my coreligionists were united to keep the holy days. Our next business was to buy matzos. The morning of Erev Passover, a train arrived with seven barrels, plus Hagadahs. While a party built a log hut for services, others foraged for cider, a lamb, chickens, eggs, and a weed [in lieu of bitter herbs]. For charoses, we used a brick. In the wild woods, we offered God our prayers and sacrifice. I doubt whether our forefathers looking down on us, standing, ready for an attack. faithful to our God and our cause, would have imagined themselves amongst mortals, enacting this commemoration of the scene that transpired in Egypt.Warsaw Ghetto HeroismWhen the Nazis intended to deport the remaining 60,000 Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto on Passover Eve in 1943, the Jews had planned an armed uprising under the leadership of Mordecai Anielewicz. On the third day, SS General Juergen Stroop burned the ghetto.Anielewicz was killed on May 8. On May 16, Stroop ordered the Great Synagogue on Tlomacki Street destroyed.Stroop wrote: \"Over and over, we observed the Jews preferred to be burned alive rather than being caught by us.\" The Germans planned a three-day victory. But the ghetto fighters held out for more than a month.The Seder Words of the Warsaw Ghetto Before the Final Uprising, 1943

Copyright © 1995 - 2020 Aish.com, https://www.aish.com.Aish.com is a non-profit and needs your support. Please donate at: aish.com/donate,or mail a check to: Aish.com c/o The Jerusalem Aish HaTorah Fund PO Box 1259 Lakewood, NJ 08701.Passover has come to the Ghetto again. The lore-laden words of the Seder are said. And the Cup of the Prophet Elijah awaits.But the Angel of Death has intruded, instead. Who shall live, who shall die, this Passover night. But no more will Jews to the slaughter be led.The truculent jibes of the Nazis are past.And the lintels and doorposts tonight will be red With the blood of free Jews who will fight to the last.Passover Prayer During The HolocaustIn Bergen-Belsen concentration camp there was, of course, no matzah with which to celebrate Passover. In 1944, the rabbis, in observing the exclusion that one could break the laws to save his or her life, deemed leavened products could be eaten. They designed a special prayer for this tragic occasion:Our Father, it is known to You that it is our wish to do Your will and to celebrate Passover by eating matzah and not eating chametz. But our heart is pained because our enslavement prevents us and we are in danger of our lives. Behold, we are ready to fulfill Your mitzvah: “And you shall live by My laws, and not die by them.” We pray to You that You may keep us alive and redeem us soon so that we may observe Your laws with a perfect heart. Amen.“Next Year in Jerusalem”These words traditionally conclude the Passover Seder, referring to the coming of the Messiah and our complete spiritual redemption, represented by Jerusalem. For some, the meaning is also more literal:Former Secretary of State George Schultz did much to help imprisoned Jewish Soviet dissidents. He recalled participating in a Seder in Moscow in 1987 with refuseniks, including Ida Nudel, Josef Begun and Vladimir Slepak. According to author Tim Boxer, Schultz felt the zenith of his career was a phone call from Ida Nudel from Jerusalem.–“Where are you?” he asked. “I am home,” she said.

https://www.aish.com/j/f/WouldJew_Believe_27.htmlWouldJew Believe #27May 28, 2011by Marnie Winston-MacauleyIn honor of Facebook, an Israeli couple names their daughter “like”?!THE KOREAN-“KOSHER” CONNECTIONKorean children learning Gemara? Reading Talmud in their homes “religiously?” You bet! In a country with close to 50 million Buddhists and Christians, studying Jewish Law is now compulsory in the South Korean school system.\"We tried to understand why the Jews are geniuses, and we came to the conclusion that it is because they study Talmud,\" says Israel's ambassador to South Korea, Young Sam Mah (“Rav Papa”), noting the remarkable intellectual achievements of the Jewish people, along with our family values, which parallel the feelings of South Koreans, who are deeply concerned with education, and family.Studying Talmud is now compulsory in the South Korean school system!And so, they’ve turned to us and our holy books for inspiration. In fact, virtually all homes in South Korea now contain a Korean-translated Talmud, and their mamas teach it to their children as well, so theirprogeny will, like ours, also become “geniuses!”Ah, but we’ll really know the system is working when Korean Mamas start saying, “Oy, darling, did you make sure that kimbap (sushi-like rolls) is Kosher?! You’ll never be a Nobel Laureate if you eat chazzerai, mamala!”AND WHILE WE’RE ON THE SUBJECT ......Have you heard about aspiring Congressman Dan Adler? He’s a (really) dark horse in California's 36th District where about 15% of the voting pop is Korean. He’s become an internet star with his \"Stick Together\" ad which went viral. The content? Adler, a Jew married to a Korean, is being told by a heavily-accented Korean-American woman: “I’m Korean, I have issues!” and \"We minorities should stick together.\" Funny? Weird? A tragedy? Is his net following translating to the voting booth? Uh ... not yet. In the primary on May 17, he