The Skribe - Issue4

ISSUE #4

www.theskribe.com

COLORS OF MOROCCO

by Rebecca Aframian pg. 22

SCARED SINGLE

by Eyal Ahronov pg. 30

“LA MOMMIES”

by Farah Shamolian pg. 25

THE HONORABLE MENSCH’N: ARIEL KASHERI

by Ashley Kohanarieh pg. 28

THE SKRIBE MAGAZINE2

ISSUE#4

CONTENT WWW.THESKRIBE.COMFollow Skribe Magazine at:

Facebook.com/TheSkribe@skribemag

@skribemag

ABOUT THE SKRIBEThe Skribe’s mission is to be the preeminent re-source for the quality reporting and analysis of the contemporary issues and trends that impact Jewish young professionals of Southern California and be-yond.

We seek to distill information, synthesize solu-tions and provide a holistic vision of issues that af-fect the community, as well as report on community events and happenings.

Fundamental to our vision are the following principles that guide our direction:

• Promote awareness and knowledge of Israel, Jewish thought and culture

• Create a professional and positive impact in the broader community

• Celebrate creativity, balance, humor, and con-nectedness

• Empower the voice of community membersThe Skribe is a completely not-for-profitpublica-

tion that is run by an independent group of like-mind-ed volunteers. We are not supervised or controlled by any organization or synagogue.

“la MoMMIES” PG.25

By Farah D. Shamolian

colorS oF Morocco PG.22

By rebecca aframian

ovErcoMIng aDDIcTIon

By Jenny Sherman

10 14

20

SECRET ORIGINS: My FAMILy HISTORy

By Ashley Palacios

TIkkUn olaM:hUManITy’S goal

By Boris Kalendarev

ISSUE #4 3

ISSUE #4

Setting into motion a great year for ourselvesBy Kamy Eliasi

An in-person technology connectionBy Lillian Feder

Global anti-Semitism continues on the riseBy Tina Javaherian

ThebenefitsofgivingBy naveed natanzi

Celebration a holiday of inner sweetnessBy Nicole Leah Dayani

The act of forgiving and what it meansBy Sharon Peykar

ScarED SInglEPG.30

By Eyal ahronov

ThE honoraBlE MEnSch’n:ariel kasheri PG.28By ashley kohanarieh 36

26

34

2406

32

18 38

12

WorDS oF WISDoM: roSh haShanaThE hanDSTanD aPP:

DEFEnDIng My DEFEnSE ISraEl

SElFIShly SElFlESS roSh haShana MEnU

WhaT can ForgIvEnESS Do For yoU?

A PRAyER FOR THE IRAN NuCLEAR DEAL

By Tabby Refael

PEoPlE PLEASING

By Raymond Nourmand, Ph.D.

ThE conTraDIcTIon oF FaITh

By Eman Esmailzadeh


letter from The Editor

TheSkribeMagazine iscelebrating itsfirstanniversaryand we’re proud to serve as a platform and resource for Jewish young professionals in Los Angeles! Ever since our launch in August 2014, we have successfully published 3 issues in print and are constantly posting articles to our site, theskribe.com. With over 40 contributing authors, The Skribe Magazine continues to be the platform for young professionals to voice their ideas, opinions, and concerns over a wide array of topics. Essentially, we’re here to serve as THE SKRIBES of our generation.

What is a scribe? Throughout Jewish history, scribes have been used to share the traditions of the Jewish people for generations to come. How does that relate toustoday?“Dontletthepastdefineyou”isamongthemost reoccurring pieces of advice used today. I’d like to challenge that mantra by stating that our history does, in fact,defineus.Wearealinktoourgenerationspast.Thewords written by the holiest sofers (scribes) in Ancient

Israel reveal details about our ancestors from 23 centu-ries ago, that we wouldn’t otherwise know.

As we embark on the Jewish new year of 5776, let’s con-nect the past, present, and future together as we shed light onto the culture, politics, and happenings of our generation today. As we write on our modern day Skribe, we are not only inspiring today’s generation but are pre-senting a link for future generations to come. During these high holy months, allow the wisdom of some of the wisest scribes of our time to guide your coming year. After all, wisdom creates awareness, awareness inspires change, and change creates miracles.

May we all be inscribed in the Book of Life and may the magazine continue to in skribe the voices of today.

a new year, a new Page

ISSUE #4 5

THE SKRIBE EDITORIAL BOARD

INTERNSAshley Palacios & Lillian Feder

EDITOR-IN- CHIEF:Farah D. Shamolian

MANAGING EDITORS: Dorsa Beroukim Kay & Eman Esmailzadeh

LEAD EDITOR: Tina Javaherian

DISTRIBuTION & MARKETING: Eyal Aharonov, Raymond Nourmand, Sara Kashani, Jacqueline Rafii, Rebecca Aframian & Rodney Rabbani

COPy EDITORS: Leah Kohan & Ashley Kohanarieh


How many times have you been told your passion is not worth pursuing? How often have you been guided away from abstract or high volume careers and pushed toward a more “respect-

able” or “safer” path? There is amass genera-tional divide with regard to the value we place on particular things that come along with certain professions. Past generations’ mantras of secu-rityandstabilitynolongersuffice–ourgenera-tion is hungry. We want more. We are not okay with mediocrity; we fear it. We have no interest in standard 9-to-5 desk jobs. We refuse to accept that the acknowledged options are the only op-tions.Weareclassifiedasentitledandcriticizedfor believing we can have it all; we are consid-ered flawed for eradicating a one-or-the-othermentality and chasing the attainment of happi-ness alongside security and stability. Sure, there arepathsthatensurethehegemonicdefinitionof success. Yes, we acknowledge that it is more difficulttofindthatkindofsuccesswhenhedo-nism is equally regarded. But no, we do not view successasfixedor singularlydefined,and thatis what makes us different. It can be incredibly difficulttogoagainstthegraininthisway,tryingto create something out of what others regard asnothing–thereisalikelylackofsupportandrecognition that comes along with pursuing a passion that no one else can seem to wrap their heads around. For that reason, our generation needs champions. We need peers with guts, who are relatableenough toseemhumanandfieryenough to chase their dreams without looking back. Tiffany Hakimianpour is one of those cham-pionsandherexerciseappprovesit.Whende-ciding on a career path, Tiffany thought outside

ofthebox,keepingherfocusonherpassion.Herdesire to positively affect others through health andfitnessbecamethedrivingforcetowardtheinception of the Handstand App when she dis-covered a vast desperation within the market. Upon entering the working world, Tiffany, like manyothers, felt that itwas impossible tofindtime to workout, so she came up with a way to makeeffectiveexerciselesstimeconsuming.

TheHandstandApp isafitnessapplicationaimed at “making an active and healthy lifestyle attainable, affordable, and enjoyable for every-one”.Itservesasaliaisonbetweentrainersandpotential clients, affording us all the opportunity tointeractwithfitnessprofessionalsandestab-lish new relationships with people who have the ability to help us reach our health goals. By mak-ing personal trainers who are willing to make house calls easily accessible to the average Joe, Handstand App successfully diminishes any and all gymtimidation while also saving a great deal

HANd

STAN

d Ap

pBY LiLLian Feder

Career C

orn

er

ThE

ISSUE #4 7

of time and energy for both the client and the trainer. Weallknowitisnoteasytofindasolidworkoutpartner,anditisevenmorechallengingtofindatrainerwhoisagoodfit,soanappthatdoestheresearchforyoumustbe sent from Heaven! Tiffany has based the inception of Handstandonpersonalexperienceaswellasagenuineintentiontoimproveboththeprocessandexperienceofprocuring and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. With her focusonadvancement,shehasincludedtrainerprofileswhich contain a user rating as well as trainer specialties andcertifications,andallowsuserstofiltertheirsearch-esbasedonthespecifictypeofworkoutthatisofinter-est to them on any given day.Lillian Feder: What is the purpose of the app and how does it work?

Tiffany Hakimianpour: We make all types of trainers, in-structors, and coaches convenient, affordable, and ac-cessible through our App and Website so even the busi-est of people can get their workouts in. Our background checkedfitnessprofessionalscomefromallbackgroundsand specialties so you’re able to choose what’s right for you, when it’s right for you, where it’s right for you. Hand-stand is evolving the way people move city by city.

LF: What target audience is Handstand trying to reach?TH: I started with one vision of a target audience and then found the complete opposite picking it up, which opened my eyes up to the opportunities and chances to make a really large impact and difference. We have trainers, instructors, and coaches that work with all age groups and they make it convenient, because they come to you when you use Handstand.

LF: WhatsetsHandstandapartfromotherfitnessappslike FitStar and Nike Training Club?TF: Handstand is in-person and on demand fitness ofany kind. It’s more work for us, but way, way better for you.Thebiggestdifference is theofflineconnection. Iknow Handstand is technically a tech product, but we’re all about the in-person connection. When you use Hand-

HANd

STAN

d Ap

p

“handstand is in-person and on demand fitness of any kind...I know

handstand is technically a tech

product, but we’re all about the

in-person connection.”BY LiLLian Feder

“


stand,theexpertyouchoosewillphysicallybetheretohelp you individually to make a change to your body, mind, and diet if need be. They’re in person to support you and not let you fail. You can turn off a video, but you can’tturnoffaperson!Handstandisafitnessandhealthcompany. That’s the difference.

Aside from being a well-educated and business-sav-vy young woman, Tiffany has got the persistent drive necessary to block out negativity and create self-made success. She has paid attention to her instinctual inter-ests and pursued her passion to the best of her ability, and it is working out quite nicely for her. She is incredi-bly devoted to the evolution of Handstand, and is a won-derfulexampleofwhyallpassionsareworthpursuing.LF:Tellmealittlebitaboutyourself–whatisyourback-ground; what are your interests and aspirations; where do you see yourself a few years down the road?TH: I was born and raised here in Los Angeles and I’ve always had interest in health, wellness, and helping oth-ers. My aspirations are to do so in a big way with Hand-stand. It’s incredible how they all tie together and I feel blessed to be able to do that with a company that I cre-atedfromthegroundup!IdefinitelywillbeworkingonHandstand in the few years down the road. Nothing in-credible happens overnight and it’ll take a long time to get to where I want it to be, but it’s all worth it and so much more!

LF: What motivated you to create the Handstand app?TH: Well, I alwayswas trying thenew “it” thing in thehealth,fitness,andwellnessworld.Itwasandismyhob-by. The trouble came when I couldn’t do that after grad-uating from college and starting a serious career. I was frustrated with the lack of time and decided I would hire my own trainer. In that, I found that the process was horribly outdated. It was overpriced, inconvenient and came with such a lack of variety and choices. I thought if I could book any trainer or instructor in a tap that would be phenomenal.

And it is phenomenal. To conclude our interview, I asked Tiffany what advice she could offer young mil-lennials looking to pursue their passions. Her response was as inspiring as her story: “Just do it. Make sure it’s important and close to your heart. If you can’t sleep be-cause you’re nervous someone else is moving forward with the idea - that’s a hint. If you can’t stop thinking about ways to improve it before you even begin - that’s a good thing. And make sure it’s on the list of things you do or think about when you’re with yourself. That’s one waytofindyourpassionandsomethingyoutrulycareabout. Have passion because the rough times never stop,butifyoudo,you’llnevergetanywhere”.Congrat-ulations, Tiffany, you are well on your way to attaining yourgoals–andthankyouforturningyourselfintopos-itive reinforcement of dream-chasing.■

ISSUE #4 9

Historically speaking, scribes were the only vehicle by which Jews passed on their beautiful heritage and legacy to those not in their immediate vi-cinity. Being the “People of the Book” is a testament to our emphasis on reading and writing as a method of telling our narrative to everyone that

would like to listen.

Love What We Do? Join us!Be a part of a group of young professionals that strive to be

“The Skribes” of our community.

Here’s how you can get involved:

• Have any thoughts or opinions to share with the community? Here’s your chance to have your voice heard. Write an original article. This can include anything from an original opinion piece to a unique recipe.

• Love taking pictures? Contribute original photographs.• In order to make sure, yOu will continue to have this unique magazine for OuR

community, support us by making a financial contribution. • The Skribe is growing at a rapid pace, and we are searching for individuals

who are interested in spreading our mission to young professionals across Los Angeles & beyond.

Questions? Email us at [email protected] For requirements on writing an article, visit www.theskribe.com

facebook.com/theskribe

@skribemag

Enjoy featured articles from this issue and previous issues online, TODAY!

www.theskribe.com


What if everything you thought you knew about your family and their history turned out to be only part of the truth? What if your entire belief system were completely shattered because of a few

questions? What if one day the lenses through which you saw the world disappeared and everything you thought you knew had changed?

That’sexactlywhathappenedtomewhenIlearnedthe long-hidden truth behind our family history.

Hidden in Plain SightWhen my grandmother was 20 years old, she left the

Catholic Church to be a Seventh Day Adventist. She felt the Seventh Day Adventists were the only ones at that time who truly tried to do what the Bibleactually said todo–essentiallygoing“backtothebasics”.IftheBiblesaid not to eat certain foods, don’t eat them. If the Bible said to observe the Sabbath day as holy, observe it. At this time, when Christianity was, and still is,filledwiththeologythatsaysthesethings no longer need to be observed, the Adventists were some of the only people who believed this way.

When my mother was about the same age, she too decided to leave the denomination she was raised in for the Pentecostal Church (a varia-tionofEvangelicalChristianity)–butsheneverstoppedfollowing the dietary restrictions or the observance of Sabbath. Even though we were taught growing up in the Pentecostal Church that Torah was “done away with,”that we could eat whatever we wanted, and that sabbath

was Sunday, my family continued to revere the “Old Tes-tament,”noteatporkorshellfish,andtoobserveSatur-day as Sabbath.

Growingup,weweredifferentthaneveryoneelse–especially the people we went to church with. We always had menorahs around our house and at Christmas we had the hanukiah my mother brought back from Israel nexttoourChristmastree–asightyouwillnolongersee. We followed the Biblical guidelines on eating and keepingSabbathandwehadastrongaffinityforIsraeland the Jewish people. But I couldn’t help feeling that something was still missing.

The Blowing of the Shofar and the Searching SpiritFollowing what seems to have become somewhat

of a family tradition for the women in our family, at 20 years old, I too began to question the faith with which I had grown up. As a young college student, I began studying the Hebrew roots of Christianity. I soaked ev-erything up like a dry, thirsty sponge. All the questions I

“Even though we were taught growing up in the Pentecostal church that Torah was “done away

with,” that we could eat whatever we wanted, and that sabbath was Sunday, my family continued to revere the “old Testament,” not eat pork or shellfish, and to observe Saturday as Sabbath.”

Piecing Together

Family HistorySE

CRET

ORI

GINS

:

BY asheLy

PaLacios

Co

mm

un

ity Vo

iCe my

ISSUE #4 11

had about Christian doctrine not lining up with what the Bible said were suddenly answered. There was a reason they didn’t line up.

The more I studied the more I had strange dreams reflectingsomethinginsideofmeawakening.Myspirithad indeed heard the shofar blowing and began to wake up from its slumber. There was no lightning bolt and therewasnoepiphany,“aha”moment,butrather,thisawakening to who I truly am was the product of months of research, study, talking with family, reflection andprayer. It was a process. It was a priceless gift. It allowed me the time to not only process what I was learning but to also allow it to change me from the inside out.

Looking back at the timing, it can be no coincidence that this blowing of the shofar happened during the month of Elul and the holidays of Yom Teruach (Rosh Hashanah), Yom Kippur, and Sukkot. I remember the culmination of my months of studying and searching led me to a Sukkot celebration.

I had never seen anything like it before. The palm branch-covered booths with the bright colors and the music and the dancing! I felt so comfortable and safe. Like I was somehow home or where I belonged.

I recently shared my story with a group of Israeli Air ForceofficersIwasworkingwithandtheresponsefromone summed up my feelings perfectly. Genuinely awed he said, “It’s as if your spirit was always searching to comehome.Andithasfinallyfounditswayback.”

Whenever I tell my story to Israelis or people that have been raised their entire life knowing they are Jew-ish, I sometimes feel as if they look at me like I’m the lost treasure of Blackbeard or a Narnian creature. I’m the lostSephardicJewwhowasforcedtoconvert–theanu-sim--thattheyhavebeenwaitingfor–thefulfillmentof prophecy written by Obadiah thousands of years ago right before their eyes:

“TheexilesofthishostofthechildrenofIsraelshallpossess that of the Canaanites as far as Tzarphat, and theexilesofJerusalemwhoareinSepharashallpossessthecitiesoftheSouth.”

Putting the Pieces Back TogetherAlmost 10 years after I started my search, I can say

that Ifinally feelcloser tobeing “home” thaneverbe-fore.It’shardtosaythatIamdefinitely“home”becauseIfirmlybelievethatweneverstopgrowingandlearningand changing, but my spirit feels like it’s where it be-longs.Butit’salsodifficulttofeeltrulyathomebecausein some ways, I don’t belong anywhere.

To my Jewish friends, I’m that crazy girl who tries to be Jewish but can’t really prove who her family is. To my Christian friends, I’m that delusional girl who has left her faithinJesusandhasputherselfback“undertheLaw.”

The truth is, I am neither of these.I may not be the cookie-cutter version of either Jew

or Christian but I have held my own when confronted for what I believe. My ancestors did what they thought they had to in order to survive. They converted to Ca-tholicism. But I refuse to hide any longer. I refuse to be embarrassed by who I am. I refuse to change who I am in order to make others happy. Call me meshuganah. TellmeIdon’tbelongorthatIdon’tfitin.Butyouwon’tchangewhatIknowinmyspirittobetrue–thatIamIsrael.■


Throughout my journey as a Clinical Social Work Intern, I have had the op-portunity to work within various under-privileged communities. Undoubtedly,

working with children who have experiencedphysicalandsexualabusehasbeenthemostdaunting yetmeaningful learning experience.I am often astounded at the level of resilience and innocence displayed by young clients de-spite having endured trauma. Countless stud-ieshave shown that childrenwhoexperienceearly abuse are prone to losing their sense of self and repeating the abusive and harmful behaviors they endured as children. Many will blame themselves for having been abused and very few, if any, will get the apology they so rightfully deserve from their abusers.

What can we learn from these precious, young souls?

The theme of ‘forgiveness’ comes to mind during therapy sessions with survivors of abuse. Let’s face it: forgiveness is often the last thing on our mind when we’ve been hurt or reject-ed by someone we care about. The thought of forgiving our betrayer seems counterintuitive. We’ve been socially conditioned to respond to betrayal with anger, sadness, and the urge to get even. We may become consumed with thoughts of vengeance and act in a way that isn’t necessarily representative of who we truly are. Forgiveness begins with accepting reality and letting go of what you think should have happened. When someone crosses a boundary and hurts us, we have two choices: to internal-ize the person’s actions or to understand the motivations behind the person’s actions. We must be willing to consider that a person’s rea-sons for hurting us may have more to do with their own suffering than their desire to hurt us. By choosing to understand the other person’s motivations, we are acting from a place of self-love and self-respect.

Forgiveness requires us to step outside our comfort zone. When we forgive, we open our-selves up to vulnerability and may encounter feelings of shame and guilt. We may feel con-flictedfortryingtofeelcompassionandempa-

thy for a person who has harmed us. Be-cause we’ve held onto certain feelings and beliefs for so long, they can become deeply ingrained in us. If left unaddressed, feelings of resentment and anger can harden into grudges we hold onto and carry with us into other relationships.

Without forgiveness, we risk repeating the same patterns or returning to partners who do not bring out the best in us. I often hear about couples who break up and get back together every few months despite having endured countless betrayals. Peo-pleoftenreturntotoxicrelationshipswiththe hopes of changing a partner’s behav-ior rather than forgiving one another and accepting the other person for who they are. When one person feels betrayed or rejected in a relationship, he or she may internalize their partner’s mistreatment, blaming himself or herself for the rejec-tion. Once we have legitimized our part-ner’s reasons for rejecting or betraying us, we may feel obligated to prove them wrong. Forgiveness allows us to close the

Wh

aT c

anForgiveness Do For You?

Forgiveness requires us to step outside our comfort zone. When we forgive, we open ourselves up to vulnerability

and may encounter feelings of shame

and guilt.

BY sharon Peykar

“

ISSUE #4 13

door, once and for all, on people who leave us feeling obligated to prove our worth.

Thebenefitsofforgivenessareworthwhile, but that doesn’t mean it is easy to do. Forgiveness is of-ten dismissed as ‘weak’ or simply ‘too hard.’ Forgiving a person may feelingenuineatfirst.Associalbe-ings, we may resist forgiving others to avoid being seen as a pushover. Our preoccupation with getting even feels much more justifiablethan trying to understand the mo-tivations behind another person’s frustrating behavior. Maybe we are simply not ready to break free of old patterns. Maybe it is too soon or perhaps the pain of betrayal is still too fresh. Whatever the case, forgiveness is not something we canforceorexpecttohappenover-night.

Consider a situation during which you have felt deeply be-trayed or mistreated by someone. You may have felt more than hurt- maybe you even felt devastated or disgusted. Now ask yourself, “Is my interpretation of this event serving meinapositiveway?”Iurgeyoutobe honest with yourself. You may feel hostile and anger towards a person, and have very good rea-sons supporting your painful emo-tions. Remember that forgiveness doesn’texcusethepersonfortheirbehavior nor does it trivialize the severity of the wrongdoing. How-ever, holding on to a grudge gives us a false sense of control over a person or situation. Grudges can wreak havoc on our lives. In fact, studies have linked patterns of un-forgiveness to adverse effects on our mental and physical health.

Holding a grudge will not change the past, but it may affect our fu-ture health, placing us at risk for increased stress and the toll it takes on our bodies.

In no way does practicing for-giveness insinuate that one must tolerate or excuse a person forunacceptable behavior. Rather, forgiveness is a conscious choice we make in order to free ourselves from the control we’ve allowed an-other person to have over us. It is all too easy to ruminate over what went wrong and sulk our role as the victim of betrayal. Forgiveness gives us an opportunity to create space for happiness in our lives. The less we internalize the seem-ingly malicious actions of others, the more we can focus on relation-ships and people who bring out our best selves.■


I clearlyrememberoneofthefirstthingsthatdrewme into becoming more affiliated with Judaism,the concept of Tikkun Olam. I learned that Tik-kun Olam means that Humanity has the goals of healing, repairing, and transforming the world –

and I fell in love with this idea. The idea that we should continuously be optimistic in our outlook of life, that we should strive and put our efforts into bringing real change into this world, that we are in this together.

Over the years, as I delved deeper, I started to learn moreabouthowmankindtried fulfillingTikkun Olam, and how often we’ve failed. Frustrated, I focused on try-ing to understand human interaction, mostly by read-ing how we reacted with each other over the course of the last few thousand years, through conquest, war, religious zealousness, nationalism, and genocide. I also explored periods of enlightenment, golden ages, andrevolutionary change. In one case mankind imposed it-self on others, in the other, mankind focused on change from within, change that caught on to others.

My main focus was trying to understand the rela-tionships people had deep down with themselves and witheachother.Itriedthesameexperimentwithmy-self. I wanted to look deep down and try to understand

the relationships I shared with my friends and family, the relationships I shared in intimacy and even the rela-tionships I shared where I was in a position of authority orpower.Inoticedtheyallhadonethingincommon–sometimes there is a tendency to focus on the faults of others. More importantly, the tendency to be arrogant, thinking“it’smywayorthehighway.”

Sometimes, we never learn to appreciate the posi-tion of others. Often we are hypocritical. We are too quick to judge.Wepreachonething,yetdotheexactopposite. We give advice to our friends yet never follow it ourselves. We seek love but are too afraid to give it. We want to be successful yet we don’t put in real efforts in attaining that success.

Maybe Tikkun Olam has a deeper meaning. What ifweareallobligatedtofirstfocusonourselves?Whatif we must learn to be honest with ourselves? How can we even begin to repair others if we’re not aware of our own faults? How can we be all-mighty and direct oth-ershowtheyshouldlivetheirlivesifwearen’tsatisfiedwith the way we are living our own lives? Why do we look to others for acceptance? Why are we are afraid of our own sensitivities? We get uncomfortable with our own feelings. We get uncomfortable with the feelings

Tikkun olamWhy hUManITy’S goal

oF rEPaIrIng ThE WorlD rEally STarTS WITh FIrST

rEPaIrIng oUrSElvES

“Tikkun olam is healing, repairing, and transforming

others in the most beautiful way possible, by healing, repairing, and transforming ourselves.”“

BY Boris kaLendarev

ISSUE #4 15

of others. We learn to believe that material things can bring us happiness. We distort our values. It’s “get rich or die trying.” Butwhat doeswealth reallymean? Iswealth really all material? What if wealth is knowledge, family, legacy, love, sorrow, pain, hard work, belief, the list is endless. There must be a deeper meaning for all of this.

What if each of us has our own light and this light is aflamethatcomesfromwithinus?Eachflamecreatesasphereofinfluencethatsurroundsus.Ifwelearnedto be honest with ourselves, understand that our goal is to repair ourselves, maybe we can learn to under-standwhat“theskyisthelimit”reallymeans.Wecantransform ourselves if we put in effort into doing so but more importantly, we must really believe that we are capable of doing so. Studies have shown that the hu-man brain can’t differentiate between real events and events that we create with our imaginations. That’s why sometimes our nightmares are so vivid and real, we can wake up sweating, sometimes with a very rap-id heartbeat. Kobe Bryant, in his recent documenta-ry, was asked how he felt when he accepted all of his championship rings? He said that he didn’t feel very surprised because while he was practicing 8-10 hours

a day, he always envisioned himself becoming a great. Mind over matter. Descartes sums it best when he says,“Ithink,therefore,Iam.”Weallareifwebelievewe can be.

Thissphereofinfluenceweeachcontrolcaneitherinfluence others positively or it can be a poison, andbringothersdown.Likeaflame,themoreflamesthataretogether,thestrongerthatflamecanbecome.Themorepoweritexertsfromwithinitself.Ifweeachfocuson bettering ourselves, learn to accept our own faults, we can learn to understand that perfection is really just an illusion. Know that we can all strive to be better, but we must put real effort in doing so, and if it is sincere, we can transform ourselves. That will cause our light to shinebrighterand,inturn,oursphereofinfluencecanget bigger. Others will notice. Others will start to see the light. Others will want to have that same warmth and slowly work on changing themselves too. If we learn to get vulnerable enough to understand who we truly are, we can learn to inspire ourselves, and in turn inspire those around us. The true essence of Tikkun Olam is healing, repairing, and transforming others in the most beautiful way possible, by healing, repairing, and transforming ourselves.■


Imagine,youjusthadyourfirstbaby(yesmen,youtoo). Diapers, bottles, and sleep training become part of your regular vernacular. This total life trans-formation hits you hard. Resources such as books, articles, classes and videos serve as valuable aids.

However, after a long evening of cradling, feeding, and burping with no relief in sight for your relentless baby, no book or article could provide the support you need. Thatis,untilthepopularFacebookgroup“LAMommies”was formed by Michelle Yasharpour, M.D. She was kind enough to take the time to sit down to be interviewed. Yasharpour has currently amassed over 12,000 members and counting. The majority of the group is comprised of women, but Michelle allows men in the group as well be-cause she believes it should be a resource for all parents.

creating a collective communityMichelle, a wife, mother of 3, and an Allergist and

Immunologist started LA Mommies about four and a half years ago inspired by the tribulations of delivering her firstborn. Initially, startedwithher immediatePersian-Jewish friends and family, but it slowly grew to become a resource for anyone on their path towards conscious par-enting. Instead of having to read different books, or take the time to make several phone calls to friends and fam-ily to resolve a parenting qualm, individuals are able to getreliableadvicefromotherexperiencedparentswitha click of a few buttons. “As soon as they get pregnant, mothers are quick to sign up for different mommy groups and attend lectures. The waitlists and costs would be pro-hibitive to some. Nowadays, it’s not as crucial when there is a source where they can ask a massive network of other moms and get an instant response from people who have gone through it already. No longer do they feel alone. It’s a really warm and supportive community which has been indispensabletosome”saidYasharpour.

The group’s most popular topics range from dis-cussions about “nanny politics” to sleep training tech-niques, vaccinationsandhasevenextended tobeautyadvice. It serves as a modern framework for parenting, exposingparentstoaplethoraofadviceandknowledgeto which they wouldn’t otherwise have access. “LA Mom-mies allows us to get advice and learn from each other’s experiences in all aspects ofmotherhood. After all, ‘ittakesavillage toraiseachild,’”saidHildaKohanchi,anew mother and member of LA Mommies.

What makes LA Mommies a better resource than all the other options available is the fact that it is centered around real people in the same geographical area and not anonymous people posting on Yahoo answers. LA Mommies is a unique forum not only because it pro-vides priceless resources, but because there’s account-ability and comfort when one has mutual friends that areexperiencingthesameobstaclesandworries.“Beinga mom is very hard. When you see that all these other moms are going through the same thing, it’s reassuring. Itislikeitsowncommunity”saidYasharpour.

“la Mommies:”a Modern

resource ForParentsBY Farah shamoLian

ISSUE #4 17

From Generation To GenerationA quick comparison of parenting today from previ-

ous generations reveals how drastically parenting meth-ods have shifted. The relatable questions mothers post daily provides insight into the life of a new parent in this generation,andmorespecifically,amotherwhoistryingto take on parenting to the T. Today, one small tasks such asfindingtherightdiaperandsearchingfortheperfectnanny slowly become grandiose undertakings, although they may have been seen as mediocre issues in previ-ous generations. However, access to instant responses to posts such as, “I need an emergency pediatric orthopedic fora6yearoldwhohasabrokenarm,”showsthemerepower this group has for a mother in need.

connecting People For the Good

Numerous acts of kindness have been facilitated through LA Mommies, as well. It is safe to say that LA mommies, a group started by one mother in need, cur-

rently serves as a priceless tool for virtually allowing the modern parent to thrive and help others. “The things that happen behind the scenes, reminds me of what an amazing community we live in. Moms that don’t need the recognition but private message me to help other moms that are in a bind have showed me the power of such a group.” Michelle stated countless scenarioswhere mothers in need were connected for the good. Herearejustafewexamplesfromrecentposts:

The Power of La mommiesLA Mommies isn’t simply a group where mothers

post about random topics. It serves as a force for par-ents who strive to raise children with intention. It also doesn’t hurt that the group is run by an individual who dedicated a tremendous amount of her life and time for the well-being of others. She is not only humble, but facilitates the group in a professional and respectful manner so that multiple people with vast backgrounds are able to access this resource, not just one racial or cultural group. When I asked her what she has learned from this amazing network of women, she answered, “I learn something new all the time. Whether it be a new trick with handing my own kids or being connected to resources within the community. You realize that ev-eryone is going through something even though things may look pristine on the outside. Everyone has the same questions and concerns and just want to be the best parent they can be. When others identify with your concerns you feel better about having them and sharing them. I think that’s the amazing thing about this group, its not just a group, but a community of people that are SOsupportiveofoneanother.”

LA Mommies is an invaluable platform for modern parents to interact and engage with other people facing similar circumstances. LA Mommies group member Na-talieHaghnazari-Zanganexplains,

“LA Babies playingMommies, is a group where a mother is able to connect and bond and not feel alone, as a professional, and working mother, the first fewweeks of being a new mom is a very tough transition and LA Mommies is a place mom’s can turn to for the moral and social support needed from other mothers. I remember when my good friend Michelle just started the group and added me and I asked “can I please also addmyotherfriendstoit,thisissimplyagreatidea.”

This group has really changed the lives of many moms.Thankyou,MichelleYasharpour, forexpandingour society and creating a community for both current and future parents that is based around mutual aid and support.

I leave you with an anonymous post from a fellow LA Mommies mother making fun of all the different perso-nasthatexistonLAMommies.■


When asked to write this article, I asked The Skribe whether they wanted my per-spective as a young Jewish professional, community member, or as the head of anon-profit?Aftersomethought,Ireal-

ized that the drive required to be successful in any of these roles is based fundamentally on the same princi-ple:theabilitytoprovideselflesslywithoutexpectation.As such, I wanted to highlight and hopefully inspire you on how the act of giving has changed my life both from a professional and personal point of view.

The benefits of giving have profound biochemicaleffects on the body. In a recent survey of over 30,000 Americans it was determined that people who give to charity were 43% more likely than those who did not givetobe“veryhappy”abouttheirlives.Thisphenom-enonofthe“helper’shigh”isassociatedwithachangein brain chemistry by release of endorphins which relate feelings of euphoria. These chemicals are identical to thosethatresultin“high”associatedwithuseofpainkill-ers and many street drugs!

Performing acts of loving-kindness have benefitsthat date back thousands of years. In fact, the impor-tance of providing for others is deeply rooted in our

core Jewish values. The word tzedaka is commonly mis-interpreted to mean charity-the voluntary giving of help. Actually, tzedaka literally translates to justice or righ-teousness. Why the misconception? It is described that byfulfillingnot theoptionbutrather theobligationofproviding for those in need, we achieve a spiritual high of righteousness and justice.

Once I became aware of the gratitude that comes withgiving, Iadopted thevalueof selfishlybeingself-less. In other words, I came to realize that what makes me the happiest is doing for others. This was the spark that helped establish Kol Ahava and eventually develop it into being among the leading philanthropic organi-zations over the last three years. As a whole, we have together helped inspire our community to believe that there are few more wholesome feelings than providing for those in need. Through our efforts we have provided life-saving interventions, and dedicated over ¼ million dollars to the GSD Foundation, Save A Child’s Heart, the Bnai Zion Foundation, and to Ariel Kasheri.

Ever wonder why your mom or grandma draw so muchhappinessfromstuffingyouwithfood?Inessence,it’s the identical principle as above! Feeding, another form of giving, fosters deep rooted happiness. Through

Selfishly BY naveed naTanzi

ISSUE #4 19

thesereflectionsandexperiencesI’velearnedthatthereis nothing more viscerally pleasurable or meaningful in any business or personal relationship. One who volun-teers his or her time up readily is labeled a great friend. A successful physician is one who continues to contrib-ute to life. A great business provides the most desirable productatthemostcompetitiveprice.Theseexampleshighlight the importance of giving and the sense of satis-faction that comes as a result.

This brings me to the ultimate giving forum, which isinthecontextofmeaningfulrelationships.Ioncere-member hearing something in a lecture by the great dating guru, Rabbi David Toledano that changed my per-spective on dating forever. He said that a relationship ishealthy, secure,and “guaranteed”wheneitherpartyinvolved are content on solely providing unconditional-ly for his or her partner without any self-interest. More simply, my happiness isn’t really dependent on what’s done for me but rather what and how much I can do for you. I saw this as in ingenious method authored by Rabbi Toledano that effectively challenges one to limit personal expectationsandpersonallet-downs.Wheninanyrela-tionship be it friend to friend, boyfriend to girlfriend or husbandtowifecaneffectivelytakethe“me”outoftheequation on the path of sustaining happiness, relation-ships will be unquestionably vibrant, sustainable, and pleasurable.

Interestingly, the highest form of all giving is inar-guablyintheformofmarriagewhere“love”dictatesall.What is love? In my opinion it’s all about the ability to give. Best described by Gary Chapman in “The 5 Love Languages,”givingintheformofwords,time,happiness,material objects, and touch are the markers for true love asdefined inahealthy relationship.DidyouknowtheHebrew word for love, ahava, stems from the root word lahavwhich translates to “to give”? As such,wedon’thave to look too far to know how intertwined love and giving are…

In summary, I am no love guru nor am I a world’s author-ity on relationships. However, through many professional and personalexperiencesasayoungphysician, philanthropist, and unmarried Jewish community member,Ihaveexperiencedthedeep joy that comes with giving, and the disappointment that comes with expecting. I chal-lengeus all tobecome selfishlyselflessandputanextraempha-sis on giving because when and if we all do, happiness is immi-nent.■

as a whole, we have together helped inspire our community to believe that there are few more

wholesome feelings than providing for those in need.”“


I amanexampleofasuccessstory.Butthisisonlythefirstchapter.I grew up with everything a girl could ask for. But there was always this emptiness—a longing for something, anything, to lead me out of the dark-

ness by which I was encumbered. I felt alone in my world. When I was eleven, I found out I was adopted and that my brother was not my twin. My already unbal-ancedworldwasflippedupsidedown, andeverythinglooked like a lie. That was the beginning of what became my twenty-one year long battle with addiction. My ad-dictive behavior would end up bleeding into every area of my life, taking with it every meaningful relationship, any semblance of self-respect I once had, all my money, and my sanity. I would end up in the hospital at thir-ty-twowithafailingliverandeightdaysofdetox—andwho knows what else—to look forward to. I never would

have thought Judaism would play a role in saving me. I never thought it would change me.

I was raised half Jewish and half Christian, and not a fraction of it made any sense to me. Neither of my par-entswerereligious,andtheexposuremybrotherandIhad to either faith was in little sprinkles here and there during the “important” holidays. At fourteen, my reli-gious practices changed almost immediately once my father hooked up with my soon-to-be, Jewish stepmoth-er. As much as I welcomed the change, and as hard as I tried to embrace the Judaism surrounding me—I saw myselfasanimposterwhodidn’tfitin.WhereonearthdidIcomefrom?WheredidIfit?

As the years went on, my addiction grew worse, and the further I drifted from any kind of faith in anything. The more lost I became, the more alone I felt. Alcohol was both my G-d, and my only friend, and drinking was my light through the dark. When my father died when I was twenty-seven, I turned tomyreliable, toxic friend

to take away my pain. But I wore the mask of someone whowasjustfine,andmovedonwithmylife.AllIwasactually doing was slowly fading away.

I would stay up every night in a cold sweat, trembling and panicking and incapable of sleep. I was just waiting to die—believing I had no chance of overcoming my ad-diction. And even if I could muster up enough courage to askforhelp,Iwouldforeverbelabeled,“anaddict,”andlive the rest of my life with that stigma. What would my family think? Will I ever be hireable? What man would ever want to marry me? There was too much shame in admitting my problem, I thought. But the pain I felt… the all-consuming mental and physical pain was too much to bear. I knew things couldn’t possibly get worse as long as I was still alive, so when my brother asked me if I was willing to get treatment, I told him, “I have the will if you haveawaytogetmethere.”Thenextday,hetookmetothehospitaltodetox,andaweeklater,torehab—aJew-ish rehab called Beit T’Shuvah, which translates to: The

ovErcoMIng aDDIcTIon:

“My addictive behavior would end up bleeding

into every area of my life.”

ISSUE #4 21

House of Return. Needless to say, I was apprehensive. I didn’t have a G-d. I didn’t have any faith. Surely they wouldfindoutandsendmehome.Icouldn’thavebeenmore wrong.

When I came to Beit T’Shuvah, I had no idea how totacklemysocialanxietyormakefriends.Myshynesswas crippling, and my only solution to that in the past was a round of drinks (each one for me). After some time going to meetings and process groups with the other residents, and attending services in our sanctu-ary, things started to get easier. I, someone who never considered herself to be spiritual, found myself looking at spirituality through a different lens. What I learned at Beit T’Shuvah is that spirituality has a different meaning to everyone. To me, it’s human connection. It’s spend-ing time with my father in my dreams. It’s writing poet-ry, and listening to the music that moves my heart and gives me chills. I discovered those things in sobriety.

I had heard horror stories about other rehabs—how some of them were cold and sterile, and military like. I realized how lucky I was to be where I was. I kept hearing, “Beit T’Shuvah is a community,” but I didn’tgetitatfirst.Butitisjustthat.It’samicrocosmoftheworld, with all the same moving parts, unique person-alities, suffering, and hard work. You have neighbors and responsibilities, friends, foes, and teachers. There

it was—the thing I wanted most but was always hiding from. Connection. And it came in the form of a commu-nity that accepted me for me, and told me that I matter. I wouldn’t have survived without that.

“Hold on” and “youmatter” are two of themanysayings at Beit T’Shuvah. As simple as each is, the mere utterance of those four words can be more powerful than any meeting, or any book. I learned the meaning of T’Shuvah in the house that bares the same name—re-turn. I could see the importance of taking responsibility for my life, and arriving at a place of acceptance of my past. I look at my life now, and I feel grateful. I have a job I love, doing something I love, and I am free in every sense of the word. In looking ahead to the New Year, I look back at my life. I ask for forgiveness. I forgive my-self.IentertheNewYearasifitweremyfirst.

Jenny Sherman is a copywriter at Creative Matters Agency,asocialenterpriseofBeitT’Shuvah,anon-profitaddiction treatment center.■

ovErcoMIng aDDIcTIon:My Personal

Success StoryBY Jenny sherman


Morocco, a country of distinct culture and boundless color, a place where customs of East and West converge, has been a land of ageless history, architecture, and intrigue. Named Travel & Leisure’s 20?? “Travel Des-

tinationoftheYear”,Moroccoholdsmorethanmeetstheeyeaseachcityispersonifiedbyadistinctcolorandcharacter. While Morocco in its entirety is fascinating, the story of Jewish lineage is particularly so. Having had the exceptional opportunity to travel within Moroccothis past year, I delved into the three-thousand-year-old history and traditions of ancient Moroccan Jewry.

Thecountrythatholdsprolificinspirationforwrit-ers, artisans, and philosophers has been called home by generations of a tight-knit Jewish community. Until the past half century, a once bustling population of more than 300,000 Jews now remains a scattered 3,000. Al-though small, the Jewish community continues to be strong and vibrant. Dating back roughly 2,500 years ago, the Jewish population in Morocco was the largest in the Arab world. Under the reign of King Mohammed V (1927-1961) and subsequently his son, King Hassan II (1961–1999), Jewsenjoyed living freelyalongside theirMuslim counterparts. As King Mohammed II was once famously quoted, “I do not have Muslim citizens, nor do IhaveJewishcitizens.IhaveMoroccancitizens”.Asolidsense of patriotism is held within the gates of Morocco for Jews and Muslims alike. It became evident as I in-quired with locals about living under their current and pastmonarchs-theyareconfidentandproud.Despitebeing a minute community, many Jews compare their relationships to theirMuslim neighbors as “brothers”and“closefriends.”TheyshowanequalsenseofprideforboththeirJewishandMoroccanroots.Paradoxical-ly, a country nestled in between the most intolerable of regions shows a strong sense of camaraderie and ac-ceptance.

As a Sephardic Jew born and raised in Los Angeles, my childhood was constantly showered with stories of my parents’ upbringing in the Middle East. I learned of their homes near the most ornate age-old mosques and their relationships with the neighboring Muslim com-munities, but it was only until I entered Morocco that thesestoriesfinallycametolife.

Upon arriving into Fès, the blue imperial city, the essence of the old Jewish community is near palpable

colorS MoroccoofBY reBecca aFramian

Cu

lture

ISSUE #4 23

as you are greeted by the grandeur of the Bab Boujloud gates, guard-ing what used to be the walls of the mellah, or Jewish quarter. Walking through the centuries-old mellah, which once held the largest of Jew-ish populations, it was as if the sto-ries of my father’s adolescence had been painted before my eyes. The narrow cobblestoned paths were scattered with donkeys carrying freshly dyed leathers from near-by tanneries and local Moroccans sporting the traditional djellaba robe. It was evident that not only the architecture, but the day-to-day way of life remained unchanged throughout the decades. Still, the only traces of Jewish life remain within the stories of the city’s cobalt blue walls.

The 17th century Ibn Danan Synagogue is adorned by a wealth of traditional Moroccan mosaic tile work, or zellij in Arabic. The strik-ing patterns of the traditional Mo-roccan starburst motif, testir, in an array of forms makes evident how Arabesque architecture and culture have beautifully permeated the Jewish sphere. Within its rich tur-quoise walls, the strength the Jew-ish community once held was un-deniable, as both Torah scrolls were seemingly untouched. As beautiful as this sight was, the real treasure lay hidden. As I followed a short dark corridor down three stone stairs,adimlightreflectedasmall

pool of water in front of me—I soon realized it was the original mikveh of the synagogue, laying tranquil, unscathed.Stillfilledwithwater, itreminded me of what I once heard, “wherethereiswater,thereislife”,and this centuries-old mikveh had once been a witness to prayer and miracles—the beating heart of Jew-ish life.

Driving through the lush pas-tures of Meknès, the city of green, into the capital, Rahbat, we were greeted warmly by natives of the Jewish community with two kisses on the cheek and offered aromat-ic mint tea. Over a beautiful din-ner table adorned with traditional dishes of tajine, pastilla, couscous, and an array of spicy harissa, the locals were charming and warm as they conversed in a mélange of Arabic, French, and English. They werequicktoexpresstheirdelightin meeting fresh, young Jewish fac-es—something that has become a scarcity as most families have made aliyah since the formation of Israel. Nonetheless, they expressed thelove and pride they hold for their native hometown, Morocco.

As I reach the rose-colored walls of Marrakech, the city of red, I am immediately drawn in by the warm sandstone glow the city ema-nates. Passing through the medina into the souk, or Arab baazar, my senses are heightened by the end-less sparks of color; uninterrupt-

ed arrays of turmeric yellow, jade green, paprika red, and cobalt blue. The scents of spices seem all too familiar—coriander, saffron, cum-in, and turmeric. An odd sense of familiarly and sentiments of home are felt as it seemed that my heart had a yearning to connect to my deeply embedded Sephardic roots.

My exploration of the Jewishcommunity of Morocco proved to be an experience of intrigue andconnection. I felt fulfilled as Iwasfinally able to perceive first hand,the history, the struggle, and the ultimate resilience of my Sephardic roots. It taught me lessons of diver-sity, acceptance, and the promise to pass onto future generations what makes us who we are and has kept us resilient amongst our adversi-ties–ourJewishlegacy.

Similar to the interwoven pat-terns of the zellij, Jews each with a unique story require both an indi-viduality and interconnectedness in order to create an intricate pat-tern—one cannot discover where one lineage ends and the other be-gins.■

The country that holds prolific inspiration for writers, artisans,

and philosophers has been called home by generations of a

tight-knit Jewish community.”“


New Year (Re) Solution. New Year’s resolutions are usually ill-conceived human plans to improve in the forthcoming year. The concept is so human and so universal that people from all walks of life use the “new year” as ameans towish for new

things and resolve to act in a different way. Unfortunately, as wehaveallexperiencedandwitnessed,thesuccessratesinsuch new year resolutions are not high. We have a tendency

Words of Wisdom:

We should learn from the wise teachings

of our Sages and use our positive actions to set into motion

a great year for ourselves and the

world.”

“

BY kamy

eLiasi

Jewish t

ho

ug

ht

ISSUE #4 25

to continue repeating what we have previously learned andfindithardtocreatenewhabits.

The Hebrew language provides us with insight as to why these resolutions fail and a possible solution to make them succeed. Rosh HaShana means “Begin-ning of the Year.” Roshmeans “beginning” and Shanameans“Year”.LookingdeeperintothewordShana,wenotice its root is comprised of Shin, Nun, and Heh. As

with many Hebrew words, one particular root can have several meanings. The following words also share the same root as Shana: to repeat, to teach, to sharpen, tooth, second, year, and change. On the surface, there seems to be little commonality between these words and their meaning. However, when you look carefully at a common theme in these words the notion of constant repetition reverberates. The act of teaching requires the repetition of a concept over and over again. Similarly, sharpening creates a sharp edge through repeated ac-tion. A tooth is a sharpened instrument that repeatedly chewsfood.The“second”ofsomethingistherepetitionofthefirst.Yearisarepeatedcycleoftime.Allofthesewords share the common theme of repetition. But how istheword“change”relatedtorepetitionandwhydoesit have the same root as all the above words? A cycle is an automatic pattern that keeps repeating if change does not step in and alter its course. Actions and Time are bound to repeat unless we change them.

G-d, in His ultimate wisdom, created nature with its repeated cycle of time and behavior, but also created the power of change. In the very cycle of repetition, He granted various opportunities to set in motion a new path that is different from before. All it takes is a simple change to alter the previous cycle and move in a differ-ent direction. When better to change our paths than at the beginning of the year?” A full cycle has nowbeencompleted and bound to repeat unless a new change of motion is set into place. The Rabbis were keenly aware of this basic law of nature and understood how the beginning of the year is the most opportune time to change. That is why they instituted the ten days of Teshuva (which means Return). From the beginning of Rosh HaShana until Yom Kippur, there are ten precious days where we are instructed to change our behavior and act differently. Not just to wish for better things and not just to resolve to do things differently but to actual-ly act differently. The Sages added additional words to our prayers to highlight the importance of this window of time. Moreover, during these precious ten days, the Sages commanded us to consciously perform good ac-tions and Mitzvot, particularly those with which we have struggled in the previous year. By incorporating the wise teachings of the Sages and acting better during these ten days, we allow action-based behavior change to inaugu-rate the new year and to set into motion all of the solu-tions we have in mind. This behavior-based solution is significantlymorepowerfulthanhopingthatlipserviceresolutions will somehow magically pave the way for a better year. We should learn from the wise teachings of our Sages and use our positive actions to set into motion a great year for ourselves and the world. May this year be a year of positive change towards further growth and happiness.■


To an outsider, the lives of faithful Jews can seem to contradict many tenets of our faith. We pray that Hashem provide us with

our needs, but then we are ob-sessed with gathering great wealth. We proclaim that He is the King of kings, but then we agonize over whowillbethenextPresident.Webelieve that He has full control of Nature, but then we seek shelter during natural disasters. We under-stand that that He is our all-power-ful Guardian, and then we constant-ly worry about our enemies that seek to destroy us.

Are these just things we say, and not actually believe? Or are we not as devout as we should be? From a simple understanding of Judaism’s core statements of faith, one might surmise that in fact we are living contradictory lives. Maybe we should not pursue our careers, get involved with politics, or even attempt to protect our safety. After all, if Hashem really can take care of all of our needs, why should we worry about them?

A simple perusal of the earliest Jewish texts would paint a totallydifferent picture of Man’s role in this world. To shatter the idea of an ideal world full of pious believ-ers who sit passively against Man’s struggles in an effort to testify their faith in The Lord, one has to sim-ply look at the stories in our Holy Torah.

If, because of our faith, we should not work so hard, why was Adam commanded to work the Gar-den of Eden and subsequently do it bythe“sweatofhisbrow”?

If we are supposed to simply have faith and accept natural disas-

ters because God must be “punish-ingus,”whydidSarahandAvrahamironically escape the ‘blessed’ land that was struck by famine?

If in our service of God, we are supposed to stay away from poli-tics, why would Joseph miraculous-ly become arguably one of the most politically powerful men on the planet? And why would Mordechai, Esther, and so many Sages of Tal-mud be so intimately involved with governmental matters?

If all God wants from us is to beg of Him to help us, when stuck between Egypt’s advanced army and the Sea of Reeds, why was Mo-

ses asked to stop his passionate prayer and march forward?

Being that we believe in an All-Powerfull being, we will never come to fully understand why cer-tain struggles come our way. How-ever, from the stories above, one thing is certain; it is our duty to do our part in addressing the struggles in a practical, and most logical way possible, regardless of whether we understand the reasons behind those struggles or not.

In dealing with the above dual-ity, I propose the believing person have two parallel thoughts when considering the relationship be-tween Man, God and our actions. On the one hand, we must believe that Hashem has the potential to control every single thing in this world and we can potentially sit back and let Him run the show. On the other hand, we are given the opportunity to do every single thing in its power to better this world and strive to have an active role in that same show. In this light, we see that we can be an active partner with Creator of the universe to carry out

The contradiction of

BY eman esmaiLzadeh

ISSUE #4 27

his revealedmissionandshowex-actlyhowmuch “inHis Image”wetruly are.

With any duality, a delicate bal-ance is required to prevent us from goingdowneitherextreme.Atwhatpoint does our inaction and accep-tanceofperceived“will”ofGodbe-come a stumbling block to our true

calling? And more importantly, at what point does our concern for worldly affairs detract from our Re-ligious duty of faith and acceptance of Hashem’s will?

Perhaps the metric to findingthis equilibrium is a combination of two very sought after, but very difficult life ingredients; a healthy,

unadulterated, understanding of personal potential along with the wisdom and foresight to under-stand what is truly ‘good’ for this world. With these two elements in hand, one can begin an introspec-tive dialogue with oneself to begin to address the seeming contradic-tion that we speak of.

Yes! I am going to recognize and use all of my God-given resources to address the struggles that come my way to bring goodness into this world and attempt to block any evil that I face. In my attempt to provide for myself, my family, and those less fortunate than me I will work as hard as I can to make a living. In my concern for worldly affairs I will lobby my congressperson, get out the vote, and do everything in my power not to empower those that want to wipe me off the map. In my effort to keep my family safe, I will take every precaution I see fit toprotect them from harm.

But wait! All this comes with one caveat. I understand that when I am done doing whatever I am capable of doing, I will be neither depressed nor frightened of uncer-tainties that lie ahead. I also un-derstandthatwhenIhavefinisheddoing whatever I think needs my attention, I will be neither haugh-ty nor gleeful for what I have ac-complished. Rather, I will raise my hands towards Heaven and pray that my actions were of pure mo-tivation, my calculations of what really is “good” were correct, andthat I gave over my true potential, nothing more and nothing less.

I will close with a saying from Jewish Sage, Rabbi Tarfon, in the Ethics of Our Fathers, when speak-ing about Man’s relationship with the proverbial Owner of this world.

Rabbi Tarfon said: The day is short, the work is much…. the re-ward is great, and the owner is pressing...It is not your responsi-bilitytofinishthework,neitherare you free to desist from it.■


Every once in a while, one gets a rare opportunity to meet someone truly great. Someone who exemplifiesstrength, optimism, gener-

osity—a true mensch. Potent emo-tions like awe, inspiration, gratitude, and even a tinge of shame floodones consciousness in response to such meetings. For those who have not recently met Ariel Kasheri, that istheexperienceonecanexpectbyjust one Coffee Bean meeting with him.

Unless you were on another planet in January 2012, you have likely heard of Ariel and the horri-fying car accident in which he and his still-close friend Devin Maghen were involved. The collision, as re-sult of a tie rod malfunction (fellow lamens, that has to do with steering capabilities), put Ariel in a coma for 3 months with severe brain dam-age and temporarily paralyzed the right side of his body. Ariel spent his 17th birthday in a coma; mean-while, doctors were preparing his family to face the fact that either he

may not wake up at all or he would bebrain-dead,a“vegetable”astheydescribed it, when he does. Despite the hopelessness of all but one of his doctors, Neurosurgeon Dr. Ba-bak Shafa, Ariel awoke. But it is no wonder the doctors had little hope.

“If the ambulance came 5 seconds later,”Arielsaid,“Iwouldhavebeenagoner.”

The accident left Ariel with many physical deficits includingusing a wheelchair for a year, while he relearned how to walk. “He has

arie

lkasheri BY ashLey kohanarieh

ho

no

rable men

sCh’n

honorable Mensch’n:

ISSUE #4 29

to learn [how to do] everything again, the way a child does,” said his mother, Marjan Kasheri, “…he is myhero.” “My injurywasmorephysical,”saidAriel,whileDevin’s was more thought-oriented. Despite being hit with this devastating blow at such a young age, 20 year-old Ariel emanates such an intense positive energy that it’s infectious.

He wanted to share a few messages with his sup-porters:beawarewhiledriving–don’ttextanddrive,al-ways work to be better, and take nothing for granted.

Not once during his interview did he whine about his situation. That is more than some people who have “ev-erything”cansay.“No,Ineverasked‘whyme,’”hesaid,“Ijustwonderedhowsomethinglikethiscouldhappen.”Ariel even quoted Tupac when he said, “through every situation and every mishapen that happens to you, you alwayshavetokeepyoursenseofhumor.”Andindeed,Arielheedsthatadvice.Despitehisdifficultywithvary-ing pitch when he speaks, it was clear he’s a jokester and,nottomention,asocialbutterfly.Hewasleftaloneall but two minutes before he was laughing with the two elderlywomenatthenexttable.

He’sbecomeapublicfigureofsortsandfortunately,he loves being approached by strangers who know of him. Ariel is the epitome of a people person; there are not many people who would take the spotlight so lov-ingly. He is empowered by his supporters and is grateful to them, for they push him to work harder (#stillmovin is his go-to on Facebook and Instagram). Meeting and helping people are his favorite hobbies, especially since basketball is not yet an option for him again.

Just a few hours before his interview, Ariel complet-ed a portion of the Los Angeles Marathon no wheelchair, no crutches, all him. In regards to how he is overcom-ing his disabilities, he simply said “Work. Work. Work… I didn’tlistentophysiology,Ijustkeptgoing.”

Postaccident,heaptlyhad“perseverance”tattooedon the inside of his upper left arm as inspiration. Fierce-

ly independent, Ariel insists on doing everything he can on his own. “I’m scared scared to death every time he walks up and down the stairs, but he’s so independent hedoesn’twanthelp,”saidhismom.

Ariel has big plans for the future. In terms of recov-ery,hecontinuestowork;hisnextstepistoworkonim-proving his speaking. He is currently a full time student at Santa Monica College and aspires to become either a neurologist or a physical therapist, both of which have helped him a great deal, so he can to give back to others. Ariel knows that he could be a prodigious inspiration to other patients in similar conditions, like 70 million peo-ple who suffer brain damage each year in the US. In the meantime, however, he works to spread awareness about brain injury, particularly the one he has under-gone T.B.I.; he also spends some spare time writing pro-found poems/raps like….

MIRACLE RAP By: Ariel Kasheri

I woke up from a coma and was diagnosed with T.B.I.Unfortunately all the doctors ruled that I would probably dieThank God I didn’t die thoughI went down to hell but I told Satan hell no!I’m way too young to dieThe Grim Reaper was definitelymessing with thewrong guySo now I’m here, anticipating my recoveryImpatient, but I know this process is very slow and steadyLike the story with the tortoiseLil bit of hard work but the end result will be enormousFrom now on I’m going to work a bit harderTransforming the words I can’t into I can do this betterI never said that this will be easyAll I can do is my best believe me

(Ariel claims it’s still being edited, but it already seems perfect.)

This article could go on forever, but attention spans cannot.Arielisanexceptionalperson,intelligent,deep,generous, strong, and truly inspiring. He’s the kind of man who insists on treating you to Coffee Bean (even though he’s doing you a favor by doing an interview for you), and then surprises you with two drinks when you couldn’t decide which one you want (that’s hypothetical, of course). He has a love for others and appreciation for life that betters the world. Everyone should take note from this honorable Mensch(-en).■

“ariel even quoted Tupac when he said, “through

every situation and every mishapen that happens to

you, you always have to keep your sense of humor.”


Marriage continues to be a milestone most people aim for. Ask the previous generation about its take on our genera-tion’s dating and you’ll be greeted with gasps, prayers, and anoverarchingsenseofflabbergast.“Whyareyousopicky?”

Events such as fundraisers and charity events are teeming with el-igible singles, ironically complaining at the event that there’s no one to date in this community. They seem to be waiting around for something better-someonenew-atthenextevent,perhaps?Andifyou’veout-grownthe“low-tech”approachtofindingsomeone,aplethoraof“high-tech”mobiledatingappsgivesyouafloodofnewfaces,alongwiththefreedom of indicating interest without the fear of rejection.

Inanageofinstantgratificationcenteredoncustomizationofjustabout everything material, that mentality starts to impact our mind-set in our pursuit of a successful, meaningful relationship. Though our generation’sexperiencewithcustomizabilityhasbeenprettypleasant- we get everything we want, and nothing we don’t - we inherently know thatourhumanexperiences(personalandprofessional)shouldbeflu-id constructs centered around qualities that need to persist beyond the here and now.

Timelessadagespassedontoussuchas“noone isperfect”and“marriage is full of compromises” may sound like deeply wise andgrounded hindsight, but access to love on demand puts us in the driv-er’s seat, swipe-chasing that perfect, uncompromising fantasy person. And that chase can quickly turn into an aimless, seemingly endless pur-suit - it leads us to objectify, and ultimately talk our way out of, the prospects that are the basis of our motivation for attending that event ordownloadingthatappinthefirstplace.

Think about your relationship role model. The cornerstones of that relationship likely were traits of longevity: commitment, loyalty, devo-tion, mutual respect, partnership, etc. The struggle in our generation lies in whether we have the ability to determine who is the best life

ScARED‘lovE’ on DEManD: kEEPIng

yoUr oPTIonS oPEn

The struggle in our generation lies in whether

we have the ability to

determine who is the best life partner for

us.”

“

Single

BY eyaL aharonov

opin

ion

The Scared Single series is a glimpse into modern dating and the hurdles millennials face on their road to the chuppah

ISSUE #4 31

partnerforus.Andevenifweclearthathurdle,thenexthurdle is whether we have the fortitude to commit, since there’stheeverflowingtemptationtolookbehinddoornumber 2, and to customize just a little bit more.

The never-before-seen wave of the cropped social media image gives the average single person access to thousands of highlights of other people’s relationships, whichbegintofloodourownrelationshippsyche,set-ting and resetting standards for what we desire. We knowthoseimagesaren’texactlyreal-theheartwarm-ing anniversary tweets, the perfect proposals, the emo-tional thank you videos - largely taken out of the greater contextofthatposter’slife-butweconsciouslyandsub-consciously internalize them anyway.

Dating against the backdrop, and dare I say threat, of croppedimageryandinstantgratificationseemstoruncounter to the development of an authentic relationship - and the need to account for the now and later. There’s this intense pressure to continue cropping that JSwipe profile,bealittleflashierattheevent, inthehopesofgrabbing attention of prospects in that split second swiping window, in that surveying of the ballroom.

How can you attract a partner and develop a rela-tionship which evolves in line with the greatest relation-ships you have witnessed when you know the person on the other side may still itch to access love on demand?

How can you act naturally, be yourself safely, showing real and raw dimensions the other person may not real-ly want to see but are part and parcel to who you are, in a culture of cropping?

Along with the freedoms not afforded to previous generations, our generation has the freedom of self-dis-covery, which theoretically gives us a shot at ultimate choice and happiness. Instead, in a culture of cropping and comparing, I think we’ve swapped the freedom to know and be ourselves with the freedom to swipe. There’s no doubt that losing that freedom generates fear.

That fear stems from what we can’t seem to under-stand, get a hold of, and quite frankly communicate to ourelders-wecan’tgaintheconfidencetomakechoic-es to start that journey towards our very own elusive model relationship.

Maybe our answer to those prodding and indicting pickinessquestionsshouldreflecttheneweraofinstantgratificationwechoosetolivein:“Honestly,Ireallyen-joythethrillofkeepingmyoptionsopen.”

Imagining giving that shame-laced answer, we may invariably stumble across the naked truth...that we may not be more free, that we may not be better off and that we are ultimately scared single because we live in the age of love on demand.■


As Israel’s history demonstrates, it can be attacked at all times. Wheth-er by Hamas, Hezbollah, or ISIS, Israel must be prepared to defend itself at any given moment. Whenconflictserupt involvingIsrael,sodopostsonsocialmedia.While some post about such issues, others complain about their

newsfeedsbeingfloodedwithconflict-relatedposts.Whenitseemslikeevery-one already either supports or opposes Israel’s actions, why spend time and energy posting about it? Nothing we post on Facebook can change anyone’s mind, right?

Attemptingtoenlightenthe“otherside”ofaconflictmaybeliketalkingtoawall. For this reason, many people shy away from posting about the topic. Nev-ertheless, it is vital to inform those who are not on either side - the undecided and indifferent. We must get their attention; their opinions matter. As they have the right to protest, write to congress, and vote, it is important that they understand the situation. When we see uneducated people posting lies and spreading hate, it is our responsibility to balance that out. It is not fair for us to reapthebenefitsofthesoldierswhorisktheirlivesprotectingourcountry,andnot take 30 seconds to support their cause.

Global anti-Semitism has been and continues to be on the rise. Howev-er, not until the January 2015 attack at the Kosher supermarket in France did

Defending

of IsraelMy Defense

“We must not ignore the issue merely because it may not get

as many “likes” as creative

pictures of our food.”

BY Tina

Javaherian

israel to

day

ISSUE #4 33

we see anti-Semitism being reported by Western media. Anti-Semitic attacks in France doubled in 2014. Seven thousand JewsfledFrance thatyear–not in responseto terrorism, but due to discrimination they felt in their day-to-day lives. The media found this uninteresting and not news-worthy; the public was largely unaware of it. One of the only reasons for which I was previ-ouslyawareoftheextentofEuropeananti-Semitismisbecause my friends posted about it on Facebook. Pres-ent-day anti-Semitism is eerily similar to that in pre-war Europe.Whatisthepointofsaying“neveragain”ifwedonot speak up when Jews are currently being persecuted?

We must not ignore the issue merely because it may notgetasmany“likes”ascreativepicturesofourfood.Ihaveheardpeoplecomplainthatduringconflicts,theydonotlikeseeing“political”postsonsocialmedia.Imag-ineifsocialmediaexistedduringWorldWarII.Whatifpeople were able to communicate the way we can now? Would we have wanted our friends to stay silent just be-cause the issue was unpleasant?

As I am concluding this article, I open my Facebook newsfeed and see posts about swastikas being spray painted on a University of California Jewish fraternity house. This story does not appear on either CNN nor FoxNews.Iwouldnothaveknownoftheoccurrenceif it were not for my friend’s post. This perfectly high-lights the importance of using your voice on social me-dia.

“If you’re contemplating posting something in sup-port of Israel and do not know what to post, keep two things in mind. First, be respectful. Refrain from de-grading those with whom you disagree. Not only would it not further your point but it would make your mes-sage seem less reasonable. Second, when possible, use reputable sources from well-known American media. While most Jews know that Israeli media sources such as Haaretz are reliable, most Americans do not. Because our purpose in posting is to spread truth to those who are unaware, we should try to use sources upon which theythemselvesrely.”■


The only accurate description of how I felt--as an Iranian-American Jew that escaped the repres-sion of the Islamic Republic of Iran at a young age--when I received this summer’s news of a strikingly bad nuclear deal between Iran and the

P5+1,istocompareittoananxiouspatientreceivingadis-turbing medical diagnosis by a doctor whose medical mal-practice she had suspected had actually contributed to her worsening condition over the course of many, many years.

I felt defeated and hopeless, even more striking given the fact that, I, along with dozens of wonderful young lead-ers, had co-founded the nation’s leading Iranian-Ameri-can Jewish civic action organization (30 YEARS AFTER) and knewexactlywhichcommunityorganizations,individuals,mediaoutlets,andelectedofficialstoapproachinanat-tempt to urge Congress to vote against the deal.

After having exhausted all other options that are anormal part of my portfolio when trying to affect change asanactivist,IfinallyrememberedthatifIhadbeenthatdistraught patient, I would have immediately turned to

another outlet of hope and action: prayer.Now, I’ve been known to pray for anything, from marriage to children to one

lousyparkingspaceatGlattMart.ButtheIrannucleardeal?Myfirstinclinationwasto

a Prayer for the Iran

nuclear Deal

BY TaBBy

reFaeL

ISSUE #4 35

pray for a rampant epidemic of severe piles, also known as hemorrhoids, among Iran’s regime that would ren-der them incessantly sore and irritable, and therefore unable to oversee any further nuclear progress. I had a special prayer for boils and impotence against Hamas and Hezbollah as well.

In truth, praying about this issue in a way that makes one feel both heard and comforted is harder than it seems. For possibly the first time in print, forconcerned young Jews, by a concerned young Jew, I now offer something other than an impressive op-ed or superficialmeme: A prayerregarding the 2015 Iran nu-clear deal:

Master of the Universe (and I really do mean ‘uni-verse,’ as this is truly a universal issue), in whose Hands lay every action of man in the universe: Thank You for the realization that the greatest ultimate pow-er emanates from You, and not from any singular man, assembly of men, or govern-ing body. Forgive me for the confidence andpower that I havedisplaced fromYouand inadvertently placed in the hands of men, by hav-ing allowed their voices and actions to have so disturbed and unsettled me. Forgive me for not having realized that both those that have supported me, and those that have frustrated me, are enabled by You, and ultimately answer to You.

With complete gratitude for the miracles that you have performed for the Jewish people, including the tens of thousands of suffering Jews that you allowed to escapeIran,Iappealtoyourinfinitepowerandmercyto spare America, Israel, the Jewish people, and innocent civilians worldwide, from further violence and death at the hands of religious fanatics that breathe violence against us.

You, who commanded us to respect and obey the lawsofevery landthatwehavesettledsinceourExiletragically began, please endow our leaders today with the courage to oppose popular viewpoints that may nevertheless compromise our safety; the openness to hear AND be affected by different ideas that challenge their predetermined notions; the compassion to inter-nalize the suffering that the Iranian regime has caused

millions, including the victims of Iran’s terror proxiesworldwide, refugees that found shelter in America, as well as American servicemen that fought in Iraq and Afghanistan; and the wisdom to lead and act in appro-priate ways that will not ease, G-d-forbid, but prevent further violence against us. And above all, endow our leaders with the imperative for responsibility for our

country and our future that will ensure a truly good deal that dismantles the cruel threats against us, according to Your will.

As for those who curse us and plot evil against us, whether their leaders, soldiers, or their proxies,makenothing of their plans and schemes against us, and ren-der all of their weapons against us--whether by hand, by mouth, by sale of arms, or by the press of a button--use-lessandfutile.Lettheirplansfallflatandcrumblelikedays-old pita bread. Do not allow them to be embold-ened with either spoken global support or increased financial livelihoodtofurthertheirviolenceagainstus.Change their hearts and reverse their hatred, and for-give us for how WE have strayed from You, and our high-est potential. Please unite our voice and do not cause us to turn against each other in disunity and national schism, whether as Americans or as Jews.

Bless our children to inherit lives of peace and safe-ty, rather than violence and chaos at the hands of belli-cose oppressors that seek our destruction. Strengthen our hearts with complete faith in Your protection and open our souls to pursue Your will and teachings each day, in peace and compassion. Amen.■

In truth, praying about this issue in a way that makes one feel both heard and

comforted is harder than it seems.”

“


People-pleasing has been a common-place phenomenon for as long as people have existed. It comes up indifferent ways, across various so-cial settings, and is done for a range

of reasons. The practice of people-pleasing refers to our tendency to act in a particular way to evoke pleasant feelings in the people around us.

Atfirstglance,it’seasytounderstandwhywe people-please. It pays off. As social crea-tures, we all have a desire to feel loved, ac-cepted, and important in the eyes of others. We all have a yearning to be looked at, attend-ed to, and well-regarded by others. What hap-pens when we people-please is we simply try to give the people around us a reason to come close to us. It helps us feel connected.

There are a myriad of ways in which we people-please. We wear nice clothing, drive nice cars, live in nice homes. We praise, com-pliment, and flatter with our words. Manytimes, these actions are ultimately geared towards winning the approval of the people around us. Usually we think that by wearing, driving, living, and speaking in beauty, people will like us more and want to spend more time with us. After all, beauty is always attractive. It grabs people’s attention, and compels them to look.

While there’s nothing inherently wrong with people-pleasing, the truth is that it’s

based on a risky form of relating. At the core, people-pleasing involves focusing on other people. It’s about doing whatever we have to do, saying whatever we have to say in order to get other people to like us. As a result, this may lead us to behave in ways that we may not otherwise behave just to get the approval of others.

Accordingly, people-pleasing can become problematic. One way people-pleasing can raise issues is that it trains people to look outside themselves to see how they should feel about themselves. It’s about looking to others to assess one’s own sense of worth on the inside. The more people engage in people-pleasing, the more they are relying onotherpeople for “direction”onhow theyshould think about themselves. This preoc-cupation with what others think can readily deceive a person into believing that he or she is only as good, worthy, and lovable as other people say.

As a result, another way people-pleasing can be harmful is it limits a person’s range of expressioninestablishingwhotheyareasanindividual. Again, this stems from the obses-sion to make the people around happy. When a person’s primary focus is to please one’s envi-ronment, it becomes really easy to lose oneself. After all, what other people say and do governs his or her self-concept. If others approve, the person feels good about him or herself and

People-Pleasing:What are you really

Trying to Do?

BY dr.

raymond nourmand

gro

wth &

perso

nal d

eVelopm

ent

ISSUE #4 37

seeks to repeat that behavior to gain more positive atten-tion. If others don’t approve, the person feels devastated and tries to change his or her behavior to get a more positive response. That’s why, ironical-ly, chronic people-pleasing of-ten leads people to feel empty, lonely, and lost.

People are generally at their best when they have a

true, solid understanding of who they are. This is not to say that it’s necessarily easy to get there, but it’s definite-ly possible. With the proper drive, diligence, persistence, and help, discovering one’s true self is do-able. And as

it becomes more uncovered, life becomes different. Be-cause you will start seeing things differently than you used to. You will start seeing who you really are, and mak-ing decisions from a more solid, grounded platform. A platform that no person can shake. Being truthful and honest about who you are can be challenging, for it makes you vulnerable to rejection. It can be painful. No ques-tion. Yet, the alternative won’t lead a person to a much bet-ter place in the long-run. The truth is, the more people try to please the people around them for the sake of feeling good about themselves, the more likely they are attracting people for the wrong reasons. The quintessential irony of people-pleasing is that while it might draw peoples’ atten-tion, and it might seem like people like you, it’s not actual-ly you that they are liking, just the facade you’ve made them believe is you.

Pleasing-pleasing is a nat-ural tendency we all possess. We all want to be liked by the people around us, and peo-ple-pleasing seems to be a great way to accomplish that. However, when taken to the extreme people-pleasing canbecome problematic. Para-doxically,itoftenleadspeopleto feel utterly dazed, confused, and disconnected because what they are doing to please others is not always so genu-ine.Whenpeopleexercisethecourage to own who they are and bring that to their inter-actions, they are more likely toexperiencetrue,lovingcon-nection. Because at least now they are giving themselves a chance.■

“We praise, compliment, and flatter with our

words. Many times, these actions are ultimately

geared towards winning the approval of the people around us.”

“Usually we think that by wearing, driving, living, and speaking in beauty, people will like us more.”


Rosh Hashanah is also known as Yom Teruah, which literally means “a day of shouting” or “thefeastoftrumpets.”Aslong

as I can remember, Rosh Hashana has always been a very symbolic holiday for me. My grandparents would set the table with every and any kind of sweet fruit, dried fruit, and vegetable you can imagine. My grandfather would always wink at me and say, “Rosh Hashanah is a holiday of inner sweetness and abundance; if there is space in your heart, there is space around the ta-ble.” Each and every food on theRosh Hashanah table has a sym-

bolic meaning to me and has in-spired me to share easy recipes for others to share with their families! For my first course, I used leeksand cabbage which are symbolic of destructing or cutting off our enemies. For my second course, I used zucchini, the prayer of which symbolizes the spiritual roadblocks created by the past year’s missteps that must be removed before a sweet New Year is granted. For mythirdcourse,Iusedfishasthemain ingredient. Fish multiply in great numbers, they never sleep, and they swim in water. Believe it or not, these are the reasons why they are eaten by some Jews on

Rosh Hashanah. Fish symbolize that this year will be one of plenty, just as fish are extremely fruitful.For my last course, I used apples and honey as the main ingredient. Apples are the fruit of the tree and on Rosh Hashana we dip them in honey to ask for renewal of a sweet New Year. Unlike other fruit trees which sprout leaves to shade their fruits, apples make their way into the world without leafy protection, just like Jews who practice their beliefs regardless of their vulnera-bility. May we all merit to celebrate aNewYearfilledwithblessingsofhealth, true happiness, and suc-cess.■

rosh hashana Menu

rosh hashanah is a holiday of inner sweetness and

abundance; if there is space in your heart, there is space around the table.”“ BY nicoLe Leah dayani

ISSUE #4 39

INGREDIENTS FOR SALAD:- 1 head of white cabbage thinly sliced

- 1 bulb of fennel thinly sliced- 1 cup fresh chopped dill

- 3 mangos, peeled, cut into thin slices- 1 leek chopped thinly (about a cup and a half)

- 4 tsp vegetable oil

DRESSING:- Juice of 1 lemon

- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard- 1 tbsp whole grain mustard seeds

-1tspfigjam- 1/3 cup olive oil- salt and pepper

Whisk all ingredients together

PREPARATION:

1. In a bowl, combine thinly sliced white cabbage, fen-nel, and dill.

2. Heat a medium sized sauté pan with 4 tsp vegetable

oil, then place sliced leek on pan. Fry for 5 minutes until light brown and semi-crispy.

3. Toss dressing with cabbage, dill, & fennel. 4. Place mango slices around the edges of serving dish,

pour tossed salad in the middle of your dish, and garnish with crispy leeks on top!

Enjoy with family and friends!

Fennel and cabbage Dill Salad Topped With crispy leeks In a Mustard Dressing


Preheat oven to 400 degrees

INGREDIENTS:- 5 zucchinis cut in 1/2 cm slices, lengthwise

- 1 red onion, cut in slices- 3 tsp vegetable oil

- 1 tsp paprika- 1 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp salt

- 1/2 tsp turmeric- 3/4 cup tomato sauce- juice of half a lemon

- 5 tsp tahini- 3 tsp olive oil

- vegetable oil spray- 1 egg

- 1 round 10 inch pie baking sheet- sauté pan

PREPARATION:

1. Spray baking sheet with vegetable oil spray, then place zucchini slices on your round baking sheet,

each slice sitting half way over another slice. Then spray vegetable oil over zucchini slices. Evenly coat zucchini slices with salt, pepper, and paprika. Place it in the oven for 25 minutes at 400 degrees.

2. Meanwhile, preheat a sauté pan with 3 teaspoons

of vegetable oil on medium heat for two minutes. Then place onions on pan with turmeric. Sauté for 10minutes,thenaddtomatosauce.Letflavorscooktogether for an additional 10 minutes on low.

3. Once zucchini has baked for 25 minutes. Whisk egg,

and pour over zucchini slices, this will bind zucchini slices together. Bake for an additional 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

4. In a separate bowl whisk together tahini, olive oil,

and lemon juice. 5. Oncezucchinihasbaked,pouronionjamoverfinal

dish, and drizzle lemon tahini on top!

crustless Zucchini Pie With onion Jam and lemon Tahini Dressing

ISSUE #4 41


INGREDIENTS:-4Branzinos,Butterflied,skinon

- 1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes cut in halves- 2 red onions cut into slices

- 3 tsp vegetable oil- salt

-pepper

BASIL PEPPER GARLIC DRESSING-6clovesgarlicchoppedfinely-1/2cupbasilchoppedfinely

-1/3cupredpepperschoppedfinely- 1/2 cup olive oil

- 3 tsp rice wine vinegar-2tspmintchoppedfinely

- salt-pepper

PREPARATION: 1. Place sliced yellow cherry tomatoes and sliced red

onions in a bowl. Lightly toss with vegetable oil, salt, and pepper. Then place on large baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

2. Basil pepper garlic dressing: In a bowl combine

chopped basil, mint, garlic, rice wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes for flavorstomarrytogether.

3. OpenspaceonbakingsheetandplaceBranzinofilets

a few inches away from each other. Season Branzi-no with salt, pepper, and drizzle of vegetable oil over each. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-12 min-utes. Branzino will look completely white and meaty.

4. Right before serving, drizzle basil garlic pepper dress-

ingoverfishandroastedtomatoesandredonions.

Branzino With roasted yellow Tomatoes & red onions with Basil Pepper garlic Dressing



INGREDIENTS FOR APPLE FILLING:- 6 apples, peeled, and cut into half moon slices

- 3 tbsp maple syrup- 2 tbsp honey- 3 tbsp butter- 3 tbsp sugar

- 1/2 tsp cinnamon -sauté pan

1. Heat sauté pan with butter on medium heat for 3

minutes, then add apples, honey, maple syrup, sug-ar, & cinnamon. Sauté for 12 minutes on medium, allowing apples to caramelize. Make sure to stir ev-ery 3 minutes (apples burn easily). Set aside.

NUT CRUMBLEINGREDIENTS:

- 1 cup oats- 1/3 cup chopped pistachios

- 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds- 1/3 cup chopped walnuts- 1 stick butter- 2 tsp brown sugar- 1/2 tsp cinnamon- 1/3 tsp cardamom-2tbspvanillaextract 1. Place butter in the microwave for 30 seconds, until

melted 2. Inabowl,mixoats,pistachios,pumpkinseeds,wal-

nuts, brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla extract,andbutter.Texturewilllooklikewetsand.

Assembling:Lightlyoilan8by12Pyrex.Laycaramelizedappleslicesside by side. Then evenly sprinkle nut crumble over ap-ples. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve with ice cream.

Enjoy!

Maple Syrup & honey apple cardamom nut crumble

ISSUE #4 43

THIS ISSuE’S SKRIBES

Boris Kalendarev was born in Tajikistan and lived in Israel until the age of four. He grew up in NYC and became connected to Judaism in his late teens. While he has been working in finance over the last 8 years, his real passions lie in connecting and learning about people and encouraging them to believe in themselves.■

AshleyPalaciosisthefounderofVoiceintheDesert–ablogfocusedonpolitics,current events, and religious topics. She lives in Albuquerque, NM and works for the U.S. Air Force.■

Ashley Kohanarieh is currently pursuing her passion for art and writing. She has written for online magazines and marketing companies, but ultimately hopes to use the written word to contribute to the lives of others. Ashley has co-founded the organization Y.A.L.L.A.H., and she is dedicated to sharing knowledge and her understanding of Jewish life. [email protected].■

Eman Esmailzadeh is a graduate of UC Irvine where he studied mechanical Engi-neering and Business Management. After college, he advanced his Judaic studies at various seminaries in New York and Jerusalem. He currently is the Brand Direc-toratColoronix,amanufacturerofthemedlightingproducts.■

Eyal Aharonov was born in Israel to Persian and Bukharian parents, raised in Los Angeles and is the youngest of three boys. Eyal was raised with a deep connection to Judaism and to Zionism. Through his education in the United States, he has de-veloped a sense of awareness and responsibility for Judaism in the Diaspora. As a result, he joined the Skribe team to help create and facilitate a dialogue among his generation of Jews in Los Angeles.■



Jenny Sherman is a copywriter at Creative Matters, a design agency and social en-terprise of Beit T’Shuvah, a non-profit addiction treatment center. She is a budding poet and lyricist in her hometown of Los Angeles.■

Farah Shamolian is a Public Health professional who focuses on reducing health disparities worldwide. She recently completed 30 Years After’s Maher Fellowship as well as serving as a Global Justice Fellow at American Jewish World Service. Her long standing passion for community engagement culminated in co-founding The Skribe Magazine in 2013. [email protected].■

Kamy is currently working as a Managing Director for an international logistics company and also holds a CPA license. He is passionately involved with Jewish learning and studying the Hebrew language and its connection to all the languages of the world. [email protected].■

Lillian Feder graduated from UCSD in the Spring of 2014. She majored in commu-nicationandislookingtopursuecreativewriting.Sheisanex-collegiateathlete,awriter, and a gym junkie.■

Naveed Mayer Natanzi was born and raised in Los Angeles. In 2012, he obtained his medical degree from Western University-College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific. He now is a resident at the University of California, Irvine in the Physi-cal Medicine and Rehabilitation department.■

ISSUE #4 45


Raymond Nourmand, Ph.D. is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist specializing in Re-lationships. His goal is to help people better understand themselves so they can build happier, more fulfilling relationships. www.raymondnourmand.com.■

Rebecca Aframian completed her master’s degree in interior architecture and de-signatL’ÉcoledesBeaux-ArtsParisAmericanAcademyinParis,France.Sheiscur-rently working as a residential designer with a firm in Santa Monica, California.■

Nicole Leah Dayani is a self-taught che f and recent graduate of UCLA with her B.A in Sociology, currently working in real estate. The inspiration behind her passion for cooking and food creativity are her mother and her grandmother. @NicolesKitchen on Instagram.■

Sharon Peykar is a recent graduate from the USC School of Social Work. Her pas-sions include mental health and wellness. Sharon is a 2015 Maher Fellow and board member of 30 Years After. [email protected].■

TabbyDavoodi istheExecutiveDirectorof30YEARSAFTER,anon-profitorgan-ization whose mission is to promote the participation and leadership of Irani-an-American Jews in American civic, political, and Jewish life. Tabby was born in Iran after the Iranian Revolution and immigrated to the U.S. towards the height of the Iran-Iraq War.■


Tina Javaherian is an attorney practicing civil litigation. She obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of California Los Angeles and received her Juris Doctor degree from Pepperdine University School of Law.■

WRITE FOR THE SKRIBE AND “YOuCANBEHERETOO!”

Be part of THE SKRIBE by submitting your article. Submissions are due by 01/31/2015 for our issue #4.■

?

the skribeOur community. Our voice.


ISSUE #4 47

ISSUE #4 49

the skribeOur community. Our voice.

How will your support tHis new magazine?SKRIBE SUPPORTER?

CONTRIBUTE $26

SKRIBE BENEFACTOR?CONTRIBUTE $126

SKRIBE PILLAR?CONTRIBUTE $500 OR MORE

SKRIBE GUARDIAN?CONTRIBUTE $1,260

Please join your friends in support of our community’s

new magazine!TheSkribe.com/1/help/

The Skribe - Issue4

Documents

Transcript of The Skribe - Issue4