Most everyone has heard of Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. You may already know a little about the preparation and celebration. But what is the road to becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah? Madricha Callie Boren is going to help answer that question.

To begin, it takes a lot of time to get ready for a Bar or Bat Mitzvah and it can be challenging. “I started preparing about a year before the real thing, in October 2018,” shares Callie. “I had to learn Hebrew, practice singing, chanting and more. It was hard to sing and chant in a different language. I really had to practice hitting note and finding tropes,” she says. “Cantor Beth worked with each student individually and all of us came in on Wednesday nights to practice.”

Every B’nai Mitzvah student has to learn a parasha (portion, in English) from the Torah and perform in front of the congregation. For those with stage fright, that would be pretty scary! Callie shares how she felt. “I had my Bat Mitzvah at Camp Ramah. It was very nerve wracking but also a lot of fun! It was a great experience! My friends made it even better.”

Well, we’ve talked about the preparing and performing part, but what else goes into a Bar or Bat Mitzvah? “First you give your service,” recalls Callie, “then you eat a meal, it’s usually lunch, then after that you have an evening party with your friends and family! What an awesome celebration!”

Becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah sounds like an awesome from the very beginning to its lasting effect. And, for upcoming B’nai Mitzvah students, Callie says “Just prepare and don’t slack off. Have fun! It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

This autumn project is one of my favorites. The class read about Noah's Ark and paid attention to all the details that we usually never talk about, like how big was the ark (200 meters) and how old was Noah during the flood (600 years). We imagined the story as a fantastical legend.

Afterward, we looked at many depictions of the story in art throughout history. It is interesting to see the difference between contemporary works and those of centuries back. It is also fascinating to notice how some artists decided to portray the ark's excursion as a lovely trip ending with a dove and a rainbow and others as a brutal, dirty voyage. We talked about how great it is that these stories are open to our interpretation and how we can show that in our own art.

The project took several weeks. The students first glued together the arks from wooden craft sticks, then either made the animals and cut them out or painted the background. Unfortunately, we had to move on to the next project. Most of the kids would have surely wanted some more time.

In 200 BCE the Jewish people had to flee from their homeland, Judea. They went to many places, learning those nation’s languages. Eventually they forgot Hebrew except for saying the prayers.

In the late 1800’s Jews began returning, but still speaking other languages. In 1881 Eliezer Ben Yehudah immigrated to Jerusalem and he wanted all Jews to speak the same language. He decided that he wouldn’t hear any other language besides Hebrew. His child, Ben-Zion, didn’t speak at all until he was about five years old. During that time, he wasn’t even allowed to hear dogs and cats as his dad Eliezer wanted him to only hear Hebrew.

Eliezer Ben Yehudah created many Modern Hebrew words for example, ice cream. Since thousands of years ago there wasn’t ice cream, Ben Yehudah created the word “g’lidah” using the old Hebrew word “glid” meaning “to freeze water.” There wasn’t a word for “dictionary”, and he needed a place to put those words so he combined “milah,” meaning “word” and the suffix “-on” which is used for “places” to make the word “milon” – “a place for words.”

Morah Ruth has been teaching at CTJ for several years and has held many positions: 1st and 3rd grade teacher, Shtetl Skills and Cooking Chuggim. I found out she was from South Africa and started asking questions:

Jacob: What was Jewish life like in South Africa?

Ruth: For my family it was simple and traditional; we celebrated the High Holidays and Shabbat.

Jacob: Where did you live after South Africa?

Ruth: We immigrated to Sydney, Australia and maintained our Jewish life there.

Jacob: When did you move to California and why?

Ruth: I moved to California because I felt very welcomed.

Jacob: What businesses do you have and when do you start?

Ruth: My business is called “Little Saplings.” I teach kids to garden and enjoy working with nature. I started it in 2009 and it’s been great.

Jacob: What is your favorite chugg you have taught?

Ruth: Shtetl Skills. I love it because I’m able to introduce students to old, hands on skills they may not know anything about.

Jacob: What do you like best about Judaism?

Ruth: I like that you can always feel included because everyone has something in common.

Joey Katz has been helping us in the OEC Times newspaper chugg this year. I wanted to get to know him better.

JG: Why are you working here at CTJ as a madrich?

JK: I think it’s a great place to volunteer. Especially because I’ve been at CTJ since kindergarten so, it been like eleven or twelve years.

JG: What do you like about being Jewish?

JK: I like the holidays and the community. When I grow up, I want to be an archeologist because I like history.

JG: What are some of your favorite things?

JK: My arrow head necklace my safta (grandmother) gave to me. Also my instruments. I play trumpet and guitar and my instruments and historical objects are things that are both important and special to me.

Morah Ellen has been using her Yofee Tofee Hebrew Alef Bet program for several years at OEC. She co-created the system with her partner Rena Jaffe and it is being used in several schools and with private students. I wanted to know the story behind the program.

AG: Why did you find the need to invent Yofee Tofee?

EE: My partner Rena and I found that since kids didn’t get to hear or see Hebrew in their everyday lives, it was hard to remember the letters and how to read. It seemed like every year they had to relearn them in religious school after summer break. We wanted a way to help English speakers learn and remember the Alef-Bet.

AG: Did you need help with Yofee Tofee?

EE: We started with the idea of using pictures of everyday objects to teach the Hebrew alphabet. We had to find English everyday things that not only start with the same sound as the Hebrew letter but also have that letter’s shape. We call them “memory clues.” If you remember the English word and object, it will remind you of the Hebrew letter’s sound and shape. For example: the memory clue for YUD is YAK’S HORNS.

A yak’s horns resemble the Hebrew YUD and “yak” starts with the “YIH” sound that YUD makes. So, when you see a YUD, think of the yak’s horns and make the sound.

AG: Was there an old system? How much do you think students’ Hebrew knowledge increased after introducing Yofee Tofee?

EE: There are many systems that teachers use with a lot of success. There’s always more than one way. I’ve found that my students learn really well when we focus on the Hebrew characters’ names, sounds and shapes. It’s fun!

AG: Do you think Yofee Tofee is a success?

EE: I think so. I love it when students remember and use the memory clues. Sometimes they come up to me after a few years and say they still use the clues when they forget a letter. Yofee Tofee is a fun Hebrew expression that means “okey dokie” or “good/great;” – that’s what we want our program to be.

Many people call chicken soup “Jewish penicillin.” But adding matzah balls to the soup makes it really Jewish! The original matzah balls were called kneidlach and were eaten in soup mostly by German, Austrian, and Alsatian Jews. Once Jews moved to Poland, they referred to them as knoedela. By the 1930’s, in the U.S, the Manischewitz company began packaging the kneidlach with the name “Alsatian Feathery Balls.”

A well known Jewish cook named Joan Nathan says that American comedians gave them the name matzah balls and it stuck. Today, matzah ball soup is (unofficially) the #1 comfort food in the U.S.

When you make matzah balls keep them nice and fluffy by packing them loosely. You want them to float when they cook. Remember, they almost double in size so don’t make them too big! You can also find recipes for gluten free matzah balls and vegan soup.

This is an easy Matzah ball soup recipe that takes less than an hour from start to finish!

From MelanieCooks.com

INGREDIENTS

Matzah balls

• 1 cup Matzah meal
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Chicken soup

• 64 oz chicken broth
• 1 small onion peeled and halved
• 3 carrots peeled and sliced
• 3 stalks celery sliced

Garnish

• 1/4 bunch fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

1. Mix the Matzah meal with eggs and oil, then refrigerate it for 15 minutes.
2. Bring a large pot of water with 1 tbsp of salt to a boil.
3. Using wet hands, roll the Matzah mixture into 1-inch balls (to not over-mix, or it will make the Matzah balls tough).
4. Carefully drop the Matzah balls in the water using a slotted spoon.
5. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook the Matzah balls for 30 minutes.
6. While the Matzah balls are cooking, add chicken stock, onion, carrots and celery to a separate pot. Bring to boil, then reduce the heat to Low and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the onion with a slotted spoon and discard. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Carefully take out the Matzah balls with a slotted spoon and transfer them into the chicken stock. Simmer for another 10 minutes.
8. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Dona Gracia Nasi, who lived from 1510-1569, was a Portuguese Marrano – a Jew who converted to Christianity to avoid persecution by the Spanish Inquisition but remained Jewish inside. The Inquisition was a court of the Roman Catholic Church that accused Jews of falsely claiming they were Catholic and torturing and killing them.

In 1528, Dona Gracia married her uncle Francisco Mendes, a wealthy pepper trader and new Christian. It’s believed they had a public Catholic wedding, and then a Crypto-Judaic (secret) ceremony, even signing a ketubah (Jewish marriage contract).

When Dona Gracia was twenty-eight years old, her husband died, leaving her half of his fortune which led to her becoming a successful business woman in the 16th century. She and her daughter escaped the Inquisition in Portugal by moving to the Netherlands. There she helped hundreds of Marranos escape Spain and Portugal. Dona Gracia gave them money to travel by cart and foot over the Alps to Venice, then by ship to the Ottoman Empire, Greece and Turkey. The escape route was difficult, and many died on the mountain paths of the Alps.

At that time the Turkish Ottoman Empire welcomed Jews and Dona Gracia went to Constantinople, where she became open about her Jewish faith. She established schools and synagogues, mostly to help the refugees return to Judaism. The La Señiora synagogue there is named after her. Dona Gracia established her own printing press, the first Jewish woman to do so to rather than inheriting it. Her publications included an overview of the Talmud and prayer books. In 1558, Doña Gracia leased the Tiberias region in Galilee, which was a bleak place. She began to rebuild abandoned towns for refugees to settle there. She wanted to make Tiberias a center of Jewish settlement, trade and learning. However, her greatest achievement was helping Marranos. Dona Gracia Nasi risked her life to save thousands of Jews and help others begin their lives anew.

Dona Gracia’s story was mostly forgotten for 500 years. But that is changing. Israel honored her in October 2010, produced a commemorative medal and there is now a museum in Tiberias devoted to her life and work. New York City designated a Doña Gracia Day in June 2010, followed by an event in Philadelphia.

Lectures and festivals have been held in her honor all over Europe. She even has a Facebook page! Business women identify with her ambition, courage and personal story. Descendants of conversos she saved (Jews who converted under pressure during the Inquisition), remember her with devotion all over the world. Dona Gracia died in Istanbul in 1569.

In my opinion, Myles Cohen is one of the most fun and interactive teachers at CTJ because of his music. That got me interested in getting some background knowledge on how he uses music to help him teach. He says he uses music to reinforce what we just learned. We’d learn something about Jewish history then Myles would sing a song. It helped us stay on track and still have fun.

He has played guitar since he was 12 years old but starting playing every day at around 15. His favorite secular (or non-religious) music is blues rock because it is really great to play on guitar. Myles started to teach guitar at Camp Kalisman because it is “super fun” and a great way to remember stuff.

Myles can play the piano by tricking his mind into thinking he’s finger plucking the notes on his guitar but for the most part, guitar is his instrument. His favorite pop bands are Lawrence and John Mayer. He also likes Olivia Rodrigo. On stage he’s seen John Mayer, Lawrence, Dave Chappell, Theo Katzman and Beck.

Finally, I asked Myles if he ever plays with Cantor Beth (his mom) but to my surprise he said that he rarely plays music with her. We all like it when they do! Myles’ music adds a lot to CTJ. Next time you see him ask him to play something!

There are many people working at CTJ to make our experience so much better! They work hard to teach, organize activities, leading them and making sure everyone is safe.

One of them is Adin Carlos Oppenheimer who is from Berkeley and has always lived in California. He decided to move here to Los Angeles for a fresh start. Some background on Adin; he likes to play piano, loves movies (The Incredibles) and basketball (Golden State Warriors) and he has a five year old dog named Alfie.

Adin has been at CTJ for eight months now and chose to join CTJ to get connected with a community that loves everyone. He is a multi-role facilitator. Adin teaches 6th grade and helps with cooking. He is also a role model for younger generations. Adin’s favorite parts of working at CTJ are his coworkers, the curriculum, the community, and most of all, his students.

Adin’s Bar Mitzvah portion was B’reisheit…the first words of the Torah. He was nervous and excited. When I asked to know what his favorite prayer is, he said “What a fantastic question! The Mourner’s Kaddish. Because it’s praying with everyone who is in mourning, and it supports you too.” He went to Israel where he says he felt welcome, and the experience pushed him to try new things.

Adin graduated Sierra College, where he studied fire science. But he chose Jewish education for a career because it shaped how stays connected with Judaism and he wants to give back to next generation. Adin has a final quote to share with us: “Community is part of my identity.”

Jules Ayers is the OEC Coordinator – which means she does a million things to make our Religious School run every week. Jules was born in Champaign, Illinois but she grew up in Oklahoma. She has lived in California for over 30 years. He daughter Emmi was born here and grew up in Manhattan Beach.

So how did Jules come to CTJ? Well, Melissa Stein’s son Izzy was school friends with Emmi. Melissa knew that Jules had catering experience and the usual CTJ caterer wasn’t able to work so, Jules took her place! Her role at OEC just grew from there. Jules works her magic running the Madrichim program at OEC. It’s a very big job. She’s patient and fun with the teen age assistants and makes sure all the teachers have the help they need every week.

Jules isn’t Jewish so working at CTJ has been a great opportunity to learn a lot about things like Shabbat, the importance of Bar and Bat Mitzvahs and so many Jewish holidays and celebrations. She told me “Everything about Judaism is fascinating and new.”

You probably also know Jules’ boyfriend Mr. Kelley. Kelley handles a lot of security issues at CTJ and does important maintenance. We love that he greets the kids at school and makes sure we’re safe.

We’re lucky to have Jules – she’s an amazing coordinator, she keeps us running on time, gets everything to the right place and always has a smile for the students no matter how many things she has to stay on top of every week. We couldn’t do without her!

I visited Israel with my family and want to tell you about some interesting places to visit.

Old City of Jerusalem

The oldest part of Jerusalem is the Old City or City of David. There are so many historic sites --the city gates, original city walls, walls that were built to extend the city, original buildings (native stones for almost everything), the market from the Roman period and the Temple Mount.

The holiest Jewish site in the city is the Western Wall where Jews gather and pray. It is the only part remaining from the second Temple that was built by King Herod in 37 BCE and destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE. The temple was not rebuilt. The first temple was built by King Solomon in 960 BCE. Israel reclaimed the Wall in the 1967 Six Day War.

Tourists can go through an underground tunnel to see the bottom layers of the Wall. We saw where the Romans stopped quarrying an old road. At one end is the Struthion Pool, an early water cistern that collected rain water back in the Hasmonean dynasty that once ruled ancient Judea.

The Old City has a fun shuk (market) selling decorated ceramic pots, jewelry, food, rugs and clothes. There is a really famous market where you can buy interesting foods and ingredients.

The Dead Sea

Moving south we visited the Dead Sea, a lake so salty that you can float in it. It was named the Dead Sea because people thought nothing could live in it -- there are no fish or plants in the water. But recently microorganisms were found there. People have been taking water from the rivers that feed into it causing the lake to dry up a lot leading to problems for resorts there.

Nearby are a group of caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Archeologists are still looking for more. The Scrolls have very old writing on them, mostly in ancient Hebrew.

We continued on to Masada which was originally a fortress – in fact its name means fortress. Then it became a palace-fortress. After it was abandoned, a group of Jewish rebels and families who opposed the Roman occupation of Judea, used it as a hideout. The Roman soldiers found them and built camps around the mountain while building a big ramp up to the top. Using a battering ram, the Romans came up the ramp, to find all of the rebels dead. They had killed themselves after resisting for two years rather than be taken as slaves by the Romans.