Menorah hosts its first community-wide book club event on Sunday, January 29, at 4 pm. This program is also a commemoration of the 150^th anniversary of the Civil War and includes a book discussion, a meal and a film.

DU Professor Adam Rovner returns to the Boulder JCC to discuss the work of award-winning author Dara Horn and lead a book-club style discussion of her third acclaimed novel, “All Other Nights,” a page-turner set against the backdrop of the Civil War. “All Other Nights,” published in 2009, was selected as New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice.

Following a light dinner break featuring Civil War era cuisine (vegetarian), audiences can sit back (or recline) to watch the new documentary, “Jewish Soldiers in Blue and Gray.” Professor Ronnie Grinberg from CU’s Program in Jewish Studies will lead a discussion about Jewish life during the Civil War after the screening.

Did you know there were 150,00 Jews living in America at the time of the Civil War? And that more Jews lived in Charleston and New Orleans than New York and Philadelphia? Did you know that 10,000 Jews fought in the Civil War? Ever heard of Judah Benjamin, a lawyer and US Senator who was the most prominent and highest ranking Jewish figure in Civil War history, fighting for the Confederacy?

Copies of “All Other Nights” are available at the Boulder JCC Library, HaSifria. But reading Horn’s suspenseful work of historical fiction is not required for participation. The program is for anyone interested in learning more about the role played by Jews as they defended both the Union and the Confederacy during the Civil War, when allegiances split the Jewish community as deeply as the country at large. Some prominent Jewish voices cited the Torah to justify slavery, while others led the abolitionist movement.

Come celebrate Passover in 1862. Join the African-American spy network. Watch the destruction of Richmond. Next week at One JCC Reads.

Tickets are $18. Click here to reserve your spot.

One Egg is a Fortune

Jews have a deep appreciation for a good story. In the telling and retelling of stories we remember the joy, the excitement, and the sorrow in life. And, we remember the food, which is so central to Jewish life.

Storytelling about food – including recipes that connect to the stories – is the theme of a gorgeous new cookbook entitled “One Egg is a Fortune” (www.oneeggisafortune.com) compiled by Pnina Jacobson and Judy Kempler.

Jacobson and Kempler spent over a decade collecting personal food stories of 50 Jewish celebrities from around the world. They have intertwined these stories with recipes and glorious full-color pictures to create a unique and beautiful book. This is a book that would be as comfortable on your coffee table as in your kitchen. Unlike many coffee table cookbooks, this one is full of recipes for home cooks, not chefs.

Mini Espresso Cupcakes: recipe provided by Jacobson & Kempler, associated with Ian Bersten

Jacobson and Kempler met at the school bus stop in their Sydney, Australia neighborhood as they packed their children off to school. They discovered that they shared a love of food and a good story, where food memories connect us to a recipe.  They also wanted to do something for their community. As Kempler was dealing with care of her late mother-in-law, they decided that part of the proceeds would go to Jewish aged care in the communities where the book is sold.

In order to make their community cookbook more distinctive, Jacobson and Kempler took a very broad view of their community. There are stories from celebrities throughout the world including Australia, Israel, South Africa, and the US. The recipes, both from the celebrities and Jacobson and Kempler, represent Jewish culture (the recipes adhere to Jewish dietary laws) and the culture of their home countries, making this truly a multicultural cookbook.

Salmon Fillets with Green Peppercorn, Mushroom & Macadamia Nut Sauce: recipe provided by Jacobson & Kempler associated with Dennis Ross

The stories are varied, some humorous, some touching. Many speak of the way family memories are attached to food memories. The title of the book comes from the story by Dudu Fisher, an Israeli stage performer. His grandmother, a survivor of the Holocaust, would pay him to eat all his food to fatten him up. Each food had a price and for her, “one egg is a fortune.”

This charming book would make a wonderful Chanukah gift for any foodie, or anyone interested in the rich world of contemporary Jewish storytelling.

Editors Note: Boulder Jewish News is offering copies of “One Egg is a Fortune” for $50.00 per copy, plus $7.00 shipping within continental US (no international sales, please).

The book ships UPS from Chicago, IL.

Tofu Fingers with Sweet Chilli Sauce: recipe provided Gary Friedman

Lisa's Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Running a gluten free kitchen is no easy task. As most of you know, I am in the kitchen a good part of my day, either preparing meals or designing new recipes, or stocking up on homemade essentials such as breads, breakfast foods and lunch snacks, as well as preparing a fresh, home-cooked meal for my family for dinner. With a baby in the house, I really need to use my time in the kitchen efficiently. Who knows if she is going to sleep for one hour or three hours in the afternoon? That is why I would not be able to live without these eight items in my kitchen. If you are looking for a Hanukkah gift for friends, family or that special someone, I would recommend these items for your kitchen. Happy Hanukkah!

1. Vitamix 5200 - We bought our Vitamix four years ago at Costco. This machine gets used in my kitchen at least two to three times a day! I use it to make baby food, fruit smoothies for breakfast, protein shakes for after school, soups for dinner, and even homemade frappuccinos. You can find these blenders online for around $450. Once you own one, you will never go back to your old blender again!
2. My Kitchen Aid - I was very skeptical when deciding whether to buy a Kitchen Aid standing mixer. My other hand mixer worked fine and my breadmaker made great breads. But with a gift certificate I decided to splurge. At Macy’s, they are around $200. I do not know what I would do without it. I make all of my baked goods in the Kitchen Aid. I like that it has a powerful blade that can really mix the ingredients well and I don’t have to stand there holding the mixer the whole time. It is great for breads in that it really kneads the dough well. It comes with different attachments, for whisking, a dough blade for breads, and an all-purpose blade for other baked goods. The cleanup is a snap. My mixer saves me a lot of time in the kitchen.
3. Griddle by Oster - I personally cannot resist a sale. So when I went shopping at Kohl’s with my 30% off coupon and noticed that they had an Oster Griddle on sale, I couldn’t pass it up. And, with my coupon, it was quite a deal from the regular price of $70. As you know, I make all our breakfast foods from scratch, and the griddle has been such a blessing to own. I whip up a double batch of pancakes or crepes and I can make 8-10 at a time on the griddle. This is much faster than in a frying pan on the stove. When we have eggs on the weekends, it is nice to have the whole griddle to customize each order… eggs with cheese; without cheese, but with veggies; with almond cheese and veggies, etc. I can even throw some hash browns and turkey bacon on as well.
4. Cuisinart Waffle Maker - Waffle making is an art. If your batter is not the right consistency, you will be spending a lot time scraping and very little time eating. That is why the Cuisinart Waffle Iron is a time saver. Again, when I whip up a double batch of waffles, I do not want to be in the kitchen all day cooking them. This waffle maker has each batch ready in a matter of minutes! And you can adjust the temperature to decide if you want them lighter or darker. I found this product at Kohl’s for only $40.
5. Aroma Rice Cooker - We eat a lot of rice in our house. I would say that we have rice at least twice a week. I used to make the biggest mess on my electric stove trying to make the perfect rice. Then my husband brought home the Aroma Rice cooker from Costco for only $35. It takes me five minutes to measure the rice and add the water, based on the chart they give you after you calculate how many servings you need. You can also cook and steam vegetables in the rice cooker. This machine also has a delay timer, so I can set up the rice in the afternoon and it will be ready for me by dinner. Now that is easy!
6. Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker - I used to believe that it was a total waste of time to make ice cream. For goodness sake, they have dedicated a whole row at the grocery store for almost any kind of ice cream imaginable. But then I became gluten free, chocolate free, soy free, partially hydrogenated oil free, and now dairy and tree nut free. You can imagine that it is pretty difficult to find an ice cream that fits our needs. But then I was fortunate enough to be able to borrow my sister-in-law’s Ice Cream maker. She bought it at McGuckin Hardware for around $30, but I have seen them at Bed, Bath and Beyond and Costco. Not only can I make any kind of ice cream and frozen yogurt treat I want, I have also learned, with one secret ingredient, to make dairy free ice cream as well that is fantastic. Again, it takes about five minutes to add the ingredients, and then you are free for 30 minutes while the machine does all the work. My only suggestion is to make sure that the freezer bin stays in the freezer for about 5 days prior to use, or the ice cream will not get hard enough.
7. Cuisinart Food Processor - I guess I did not realize what a huge fan I am of Cuisinart products. Anyway, I love my food processer as it has great chopping ability when I am not in the mood to chop. In the last 24 hours, I have used it to make baby food, Rice Carob Granola Bars (see recipe next year), and shred three blocks of Almond Cheese. Cuisinart Food Processors can be purchased at JCPenny’s for only $120. My favorite part about this product, besides the fact that I can just throw it in the dishwasher to clean, is that it comes with a cookbook for many more recipe ideas, from soups to casseroles to smoothies to breads.
8. Braun Coffee Grinder - When I got a coffee maker with a built-in coffee grinder for Mother’s Day a few years ago, I actually gave away my coffee grinder. What in the world would I need it for? Well, it turns out, in the gluten free world, lots of things! I ended up buying another one at a garage sale, but you can find them at Walmart for about $20. Not only will it grind coffee, it can grind gluten free flours that may need to be fluffed up to make the batter lighter. It is also great to grind up tortilla chips or dried bread to use in recipes that might call for bread crumbs. These can be used in meatballs, meatloaf, or as a coating for crispy chicken. I also grind oats to use in my baby food or to make gluten free oat flour for my baked goods.

I hope this gives you an idea of something you can give or even ask for for Hanukkah this year. Enjoy the holiday.

Living Stomach Ache Free, Lisa Velick

Prof. Carlos Zarur and Kathryn Bernheimer

Menorah held another in their successful series on Jews from around the world on Saturday night, this time taking 120 or so community members to Greece, via the Lower East Side of Manhattan.  The evening featured a documentary on the only remaining Romaniote Jewish synagogue left in the Western Hemisphere, on Broome St. in Manhattan, in what used to be a thriving Greek-Jewish island in the middle of a larger immigrant community.

Professor Carlos Zarur then elaborated on the historical information provided in the film, following by a question and answer period that uncovered a few Boulder community members with Romaniote roots.  This was followed by a delicious meal served, according to Menorah tradition, by Menorah Board members and consisting of spanikopita, Greek salad and a traditional Greek soup.

Sherefe

After a dessert of baklava, almond biscotti and Ouzo, guests were treated to a concert of Greek and Greek-inspired music by Sherefe, which inspired some dancing as well.

The Romaniote Greek Jewish community was established in Greece during the time of Alexander the Great,  flourished there for 1100 years, creating synagogues (a word with Greek roots) and rabbis to lead them in prayer away from the Temple Judaism of Judah and Israel at the time. Starting in 1492, many of these communities were overwhelmed by the fleeing Jews of Spain and Portugal after the Expulsion.  Over the next few hundred years, most Romaniote communities became absorbed into the larger and growing Sephardic communities, leaving relatively few Greek-speaking communities with traditions that dated back to before the Second Temple.  Many of these Greek Jews immigrated to America (and the Lower East side) during the many upsets in the Balkans between 1900 and 1925, the end of which saw the expulsion of long-established Greek communities from Turkey and Asia Minor during the breakup of the Ottoman Empire after the First World War.

As with most Manhattan Jewish neighborhoods, by the 1950′s the community started to disintegrate as the second and third generations moved away.  Broome St. synagogue managed to stay afloat, however, and survived partly by becoming a museum about Romaniote Judaism.  In the last ten years, however, the membership has begun to grow again as third and fourth generation Jews, interested in their heritage, started coming again.

Here are pictures and some video from the event:

Video of Sherefe:

The word “opa” is the Greek equivalent of L’Chaim, used as a celebratory salutation. Unlike, “L’Chaim, which means “to life,” opa doesn’t really ‘mean’ anything. It’s an exclamation of joy, like “whoopee” or “hooray.” It is frequently used in conjunction with dancing and drinking.

OPA! Celebrating the Jews of Greece, which takes place  Saturday, December 3 starting at 6:00 pm at the Boulder JCC, is an opportunity to use both affirmations of joy. There will be dancing. There will be drinking. There will be an abundance of great food.

The Jewish presence in Greece goes back at least to the times of Alexander the Great – come experience their rich culture, cuisine and history.

The highlight of the evening will be a concert of Greek music by the band Sherefe. The evening will also include a short film about the Romaniote Jews, who have 2,000 years of history, and their own language, customs and traditions. Carlos Zarur, Menorah’s favorite teacher, will lead a discussion following the film.

Come enjoy baklava and ouzo, spanakopita and dolmas, Greek wine and Greek salad. Learn Greek dances from Jean Hertzberg. (Yes, she’s Jewish and a great dancer, but not Greek.)

Pre-registration is strongly recommended as this event fills the Boulder JCC. Tickets are $25 in advance; $30 at the door.

On Saturday, December 3, the fun continues with fabulous food and drink, a short  film on Romaniote Jews, and a concert with Sherefe. There will also be Greek dancing led by Jean Hertzberg.

Register now to reserve your spot at the table. Take advantage of the advance registration price of $25.

More about Sherefe:

Based in Boulder, Sherefe (pronounced “Sheriff A”) takes its name from a Turkish drinking toast that translates as “to your honor.” This passionate group of American musicians plays primarily Turkish, Greek and Arabic music but also Bulgarian, Macedonian, Bosnian, Persian and Albanian. Their repertoire is amazingly diverse and their renditions are authentic but not academic, with lots of room for their own individual expression to shine through.  All the singing is done in its original language and vocal style, and is surrounded by Bouzouki, Gadulka, Oud, Cello, Bass, saz, Zurna, Santoor, and various percussion.

Sherefe has more than 15 years of experience playing festivals, weddings, concert halls, private parties, clubs, coffee houses, religious events and academic conferences throughout the Rocky Mountain region, as well as in California and New York.  They frequently delight “single culture” gatherings of Greeks, Turks or Arabs, but they also excel at mixing the music to create a performance with a wider palette.  Moods and sub genres range from gentle to very rowdy, depending on who’s dancing and listening.

Sherefe at its smallest is a trio featuring James Hoskins, Jesse Manno and Zahara.  It often expands to include Beth Quist, Paul Brown and Julie Lancaster among others, especially when recording.  The band has three albums out: Sherefe (1998), Opium (2001) and Sala Sala (2010).

This all-day event on Sunday, April 29 at the University of Colorado at Boulder will bring new people in to Jewish life, strengthen and support existing Jewish institutions and leaders, and enable the Jewish community to contribute to creating healthier and more sustainable local communities.

We are looking for organizational partners, speakers and presenters, and Planning Team members interested in being a part of this event. Contact Hazon to get involved: 303-886-5865 and Becky@Hazon.org.

JOIN THE PLANNING TEAM:
We invite you to be a leader in the local Jewish Food Movement and join the Planning Team for this event to help make it extraordinary! Planning Team members will attend monthly meetings on Mondays at 7:00 p.m., alternating (2:1) between Denver and Boulder (next meeting on November 14 at the Denver JCC), and sit on one of the committees described below. If you have questions or want to sign up, contact Becky at Becky@Hazon.org or 303-886-5865.

Community Wide Involvement
Purpose: To create a large and diverse network of partner organizations (a.k.a. sponsors or hosts) from throughout the Jewish and secular food/environmental communities, leading to a truly community wide event with high and diverse participation throughout the planning stages and at the event itself.

“Green Team”/Food/Logistics
Purpose: To organize the major and minor conference logistics to ensure that participants have an enriching and engaging experience at the conference. It is a top priority that this event “walks the talk” and is a model of sustainability itself, especially in relation to food; this team will ensure that happens.

Jewish Life
Purpose: To create inclusive, diverse and spirited ritual aspects for the event, including prayer before and after meals, a “kavanah”-infused welcome and conclusion, joyous song and other activies; and to ensure the entire conference is infused with elements of Jewish learning and programming.

Marketing & Outreach
Purpose: To effectively spread the word about the event to target participants and partner organizations, with the goal of having 200-300 event participants.

Programming
Purpose: To create a high quality, compelling, innovative program that brings together a diverse group of participants and gets them fired up and inspired around the issues of food and Jewish life.

The book and the beer.

Genesis Ale. Messiah Bold. The Rejewvenator. What is Jeremy Cowan up to, as he designs these delicious and unique craft brews for the Shmaltz Brewing Company? Is there really a market for Kosher craft beer, anyway? Well, there wasn’t – until Jeremy came along. And now his potables are celebrated around the country and around the world. Even those who don’t believe in a savior believe in Messiah Bold. Committed adherents to the Big Bang theory can agree with their religious brethren that Genesis Ale is worthy of consideration.

l-r: Rabbi Gavriel Goldfeder, Rabbi Josh Rose, Jeremy Cowan.

Cowan, in town for the Great American Beer Fest in Denver last week, visited Boulder Sunday night at Back Country Pizza and Tap House.  He told his story of trials, tribulations and schtick in creating the Shmaltz Brewing Company, complete with readings from his book, “Craft Beer Bar Mitzvah,” written two years ago to celebrate the 13th anniversary of the company’s founding.

Backcountry Pizza served Bittersweet Lenny’s R.I.P.A on tap, and Genesis Ale and Messiah Bold in bottles, as well as very tasty food items, to the assembled beer-o-philes.  Cowan also brought out some bottles of his new I.P.A. project to get some live feedback.

The event attracted plenty of community members as well as some of Cowan’s brewing brethren from local brewers Avery and Oscar Blues.  The evening was organized by SoulFood, and moderated by Rabbi Gavriel Goldfeder.

Pictures from the evening: