Mar - Jewish Federation of Tulsa

JewishTulsa.org
The Tulsa Jewish Review
March 2010 • Adar 5770
Volume 81, Number 3
Jews and
Food
The Galveston
CONNECTION
OCCJ Interfaith
Trialogue
Finer Wins Advisor of
the Year
Festival Israel April 25th
Shaliach Report
Dear Friends,
While my family and I are looking forward to Passover and Festival Israel, we realize our time in Tulsa is coming to a close. Soon,
Tulsa will be welcoming a new Shaliach (or Schlicha) and we’ll be
on our way back to Israel.
It’s hard to believe that when we arrived four years ago, our
daughters spoke next to no English. Now, Yuval speaks like a US
native and Peleg (Salomon Bloch BBG’s newest Gizbarit) is taking
Speech and Debate. Can you imagine your child taking Speech
and Debate in Hebrew after four years in Israel?
Through our daughters activties in Midrasha, Temple Israel and
Congregation B’nai Emunah, we’ve met some wonderful teens. We
feel like they’re part of our family. And we’re excited to know we’re
going to have at least two visitors from Tulsa — young women
who are studying in Israel next year. They’ve already informed us
they’re going to make our home their home, at least on weekends
and holidays. We hope that they are just the first of many from
Tulsa who will visit.
Festival Israel April 25th
This will be my last Festival Israel, and I think perhaps the best
I’ve been involved with. Many thanks go to Michele Sotkin who
has chaired the event over the last four years, and many thanks
also to Jeff Bonem who is chairing this year.
As always, Festival Israel will be filled with the sights, sounds
and tastes of Israel. Look for new exhibits and new kids’ activities,
as well as classes and demonstrations by Israeli Chefs.
The only thing that could make this event any better is your
participation. If you haven’t volunteered yet, please call the Jewish
Federation of Tulsa at 495-1100.
Itai Lavi
FEDERATION FUND For HAITI
We’d like to thank donors who, through the Jewish Federation of Tulsa, have to date donated over $18,000 to bring emergency aid to victims of the recent earthquake in Haiti.
The funds donated to the JFT are being administered by the
American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). The
JDC has raised $5.25 million to date, both from Federation donors and its own fundraising efforts.
We’re continuing to accept donations, 100% of which go
directly to the relief effort. Your help is still desperately needed.
Send your payments to:
Haiti Relief Fund • Jewish Federation of Tulsa, 2021 E. 71st St.,
Tulsa, OK 74136 or call 918-495-1100.
Israeli aid group opens child
center in Haiti
Founded in 1930 by Tulsa Section, National Council of Jewish Women • Published by the Jewish Federation of Tulsa
Photo by United Nations Development Programme used under Creative Commons
JERUSALEM (JTA) An Israeli aid agency has established a
child education center in a refugee camp in Haiti.
IsraAID partnered with local aid agencies to open the center
in the Petionville Refugee Camp, the largest refugee camp in
Port-au-Prince, on the site of a former golf course.
The camp has 60,000 Haitians living under the patronage
of the American ambassador. The Israeli team has provided
medical post-trauma treatment to thousands of refugees in the
camp.
The child education center is operating in tents donated by
the Israel Defense Forces. Activities such as teaching, music,
sports and earthquake readiness training are being held for
children living in the camp.
IsraAID is expected to open additional centers at other refugee sites.
The IsraAID missions to Haiti are funded by the American
Jewish Committee and UJA Federation of Greater Toronto,
B’nai B’rith International and the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, as well as a number of other Jewish federations, including Los Angeles, Cleveland, St. Louis, San Francisco, New York and Miami.
www.JewishTulsa.org
The Tulsa Jewish Review
(ISSN # 1521-5482) is published monthly by the
Jewish Federation of Tulsa
2021 E. 71st St., Tulsa, OK 74136.
Periodicals Postage Paid at Tulsa, OK
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:
Jewish Federation of Tulsa, 2021 E. 71st St., Tulsa, OK 74136
Barry A. Abels
Executive Director
babels@jewishtulsa.org
918-495-1100
David Bernstein
Director, Community Relations
dbernstein@jewishtulsa.org
918-495-1100
Jason Brimer
Editor
editor@jewishtulsa.org
918-852-3838
Marcia Weinstein
Advertising Representative
advertising@jewishtulsa.org
918-746-0478
Contribute Today
to A JFT Fund!
Charlotte Miller March of the
Living Fund
Scholarships for March of the Living
trips to Auschwitz and Israel
JFT Building Facility
Endowment Fund
Enables enhancements and capital
improvements to Center Building
David Finer BBYO
Scholarship Fund
Helps cover the cost of special
conferences for B’nai B’rith Youth
“Small acts, when multiplied by
millions of people, can transform
the world.” — Howard Zinn
To Submit Story Ideas,
Letters and Opinions
to the Editor:
Jason Brimer
918.852.3838
editor@JewishTulsa.org
The Food Issue
BARRY ABelS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,
JEWISH FEDERATION OF TULSA
Food. It is a Jewish thing. Whether it’s Sephardic, Ashkenazi, Moroccan - or any
number of other influences - food plays a very huge role in our culture.
From a faith perspective, we have Kashrut laws, the blessings before eating, grace
after a meal, as well as various blessings for eating anything. This places the act of
eating on a special plane. Food is more than just sustenance and enjoyment; it is
about sanctification of a life that was taken to support our own and about making
something that might be considered mundane, holy.
From a cultural perspective, food is almost synonymous with being Jewish. Who
doesn’t extol the virtues of Jewish chicken soup to cure all ills? And everyone’s bubbe
made the world’s best (you fill in the blank). Food surrounds us and fills us with joy.
More than likely, you’re in the early stages of gearing up for Passover. Surveys of
the observant and the non-observant consistently show that the Passover Seder is
the most universally observed holiday ritual among Jews. The Passover meal is a true
point of Jewish identification.
Food is an important aspect of what happens here at the CSJCC. With Purim celebrations, Museum galas, Festival Israel, B’nai Mitzvah parties and other events, our
kitchen is seeing an increased amount of activity.
While the kitchen facility itself is in good order, we need to upgrade and resupply
our cookware — utensils, pans, food processors and cutlery. Jeff Bonem, a volunteer
from our board, is inventorying our kitchen equipment and determining what it will
take to bring us up to speed.
We’re also looking for volunteers to act as kitchen mavens who can help others use the kitchen properly. If you would like to help with this project, call or
email Mindy at 918-495-1100 or mprescott@jewishtulsa.org. We want to see our
kitchen, like any good Jewish kitchen, fully stocked, ready for lots of naches, and
the hub of culinary delight.
Thank You to the Mizel Family
Thank you to the Mizel Family for underwriting the 2010 Jewish United Fund
Campaign Opening Dinner.
The Federation appreciates their many years of support, ensuring that anyone from the
community is able to attend this important event.
Dinner attendees gave generously with increases in their pledges ranging from 5 to
10% when compared with last year. Over $23,000 dollars were raised that night, making
for a strong opening to the 2010 Annual Campaign.
Mazel Tov Zella Borg
Zella Borg, long-time community member, was honored last month at Temple Israel
with the Queen Esther Award. The Queen Esther Award is presented annually in
recognition of service to the Sisterhood, Temple Israel and the community.
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The Mission of the Jewish Federation of Tulsa is to preserve and enhance Jewish life and well-being in Eastern Oklahoma, Israel, and the entire world.
OKLAHOMA JEWISH GRAVESTONES Online
The Jewish sections of Oklahoma’s seven largest cemeteries
now join over 2,500 other cemeteries in the Jewish Online Worldwide Burial Registry (JOWBR). With over 1.3 million records,
the JOWBR offers visitors searchable information and photos of
gravestones from 45 countries.
Photographing all of the Jewish headstones at Rose Hill in
Tulsa, Rest Haven in Ponca City, Greenhill in Muskogee, Mt. Zion
in Ardmore, and Temple B’nai Israel Memorial, Emanuel Hebrew
and Fairlawn in Oklahoma City was quite an undertaking according to Phil Goldfarb, President of the Genealogy Society for Tulsa.
Goldfarb especially noted the hard work and dedication of Debra
Wolraich, Genealogy Society member and coordinator for the
Oklahoma City area. The link to view the gravestones is:
www.jewishgen.org/databases/Cemetery/.
Young Artists Competition
The Oklahoma Israel Exchange (OKIE) presents the closing
recital of its 2010 Young Artists Competition on Saturday, April
10th, at 8 p.m. in the Tulsa Performing Arts Center Liddy Doenges Theatre. Along with the 2009 and 2010 Young Artists Competition winners the concert will feature renowned guest musicians
Yossi Arnheim, Principal Flutist of the Israel Philharmonic, and
Irit Rub, widely held to be one of Israel’s finest pianists. Arnheim
will perform a prelude on Middle Eastern and Israeli themes and
the Bizet/Borne Carmen Fantasy with Rub accompanying him on
the piano.
The concert culminates a statewide competition for pianists
21 to 28 years old who are currently enrolled in or have graduated from an Oklahoma institution of higher education. This
year’s competition will be April 9th and 10th at University of
Tulsa. The 2010 winner will be announced and will perform at
the Saturday concert.
The Young Artists Competition is a project of OKIE in collaboration with the University of Tulsa, the Jewish Federations
of Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Blumenthal Music Center of Tel
Aviv, and The Tulsa Global Alliance. Additional support is
provided by the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, Kerr Foundation, Tulsa Performing Arts Center Trust,
Oklahoma Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the
Arts. OKIE’s mission is to develop joint projects between the
States of Oklahoma and Israel in the areas of commerce, culture, agriculture, and education.
Tickets for the concert are $15 for adults and $5 for students.
All events are open to the public. For concert tickets call the Tulsa
PAC ticket office at 918-596-7111, visit a Tulsa Reasor’s store or
www.myticketoffice.com.
Finer Wins Advisor of the Year
by Jason Gordon, Gold Coast Region
As has been tradition at past International Conventions, Matt
Grossman, on behalf of BBYO, presented the Annual Advisor of
the Year Award—this year to David Finer of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Finer, an honorary district 7 Aleph Godol, who during his
BBYO career as a teen, battled cancer, graciously received the
award which is known as the “David Bittker Unsung Hero Award”
after a prelude speech by board member and sister Judith Finer
Freedman. After an emotional and eloquent speech about his
service in the Tulsa community, and the importance of the award,
the entire room stood and cheered as David walked down from
the podium. Following this presentation was a video slideshow of
the last year in international BBYO history and a dance.
Congratulations David!
To see David accept his award go to:
http://bbyoicblog.org/david-finer-wins-advisor-of-the-year-award/
Anncharlene Dresner
Anncharlene Dresner, 64, a Jewish Community Center director for many years, passed away Jan. 26, 2010, after a long illness.
Anncharlene was born and raised in Bangor, Maine. She graduated University of Maine and went on to receive a master’s degree
in social work from Boston University and a second master’s de-
Above: Klara Bode calls an
audible.
On the right: Mizel students
make a great play!
2 JewishTulsa
gree from Hebrew Union College in California. Dresner was the
Director of the the Tulsa Jewish Community Center from 1973
through 1976. Graveside services were held February 1st, at Beth
Israel Cemetery, Bangor.
Super Sunday, played this year at the CSJCC on February 7th, was a blowout. Eric Cohn, playing for Hillel
of Northeast Oklahoma, and new draft pick Stephanie
Singer coached over 70 team members through a variety of plays, including phone calling, bookkeeping and
cheerleading. BBYO runners kept the action going on
the playing field.
The crowd roared as students from the Mizel Jewish
Community Day School did a handoff of tzedakah money they’d saved during the whole year. Their donation
was split between the Annual Campaign and the Haiti
Relief Campaign.
From a fundraising standpoint, the event was a touchdown, scoring over $63,000 in about the same amount of
time it took New Orleans to beat Indiana.
OCCJ Interfaith Trialogue
For the past 27 years, The Oklahoma Center for Community
and Justice has brought together Tulsans of various faiths for the
annual Interfaith Trialogue. The series seeks to tackle tough issues
in a way that helps us live together with our deepest differences.
“The views expressed are sometimes deeply unsettling, and it
feels healthy to confront our differences and to expose ourselves
to views that are powerfully divergent,” says Rabbi Marc Boone
Fitzerman. “It’s a never-ending conversation. Over and over again,
it’s honest conversations on some of the most difficult issues in
society. It’s a fearless project. The topics we have engaged in the
past quarter of a century reflect that – violence, immigration, the
relationship between religion and state.”
Over the years, a broad variety of themes have been addressed.
Sheryl Siddiqui, director of Community Relations and American
Outreach for the Islamic Society of Tulsa says, “Religion is one
Joint Board InstitutE
As Rabbi Sherman pointed out at
the opening of the 21st annual Joint
Board Institute, Jewish Tulsans are
active lay leaders in our community,
with over 161 board members making up seven boards. The February
11th Joint Board Institute, facilitated
by Carol Weisman, was an opportunity for the over 70 of those board
Carol Weisman
members to learn how to be effective
transforms
leaders and to become “fundraising
ordinary people
superheroes.”
into “Fundraising
Board members representing the
Superheroes!”
Jewish Federation of Tulsa, the Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art,
Mizel Jewish Community Day School, the Tulsa Jewish Retirement
and Health Care Center, Temple Israel, Congregation B’nai Emunah
and Hillel were guided through a series of exercises by Weisman,
who works with non-profit boards around the country. Weisman
gave advice on board skills, fundraising techniques and the responsibilities (and limits) of being a good board member.
of the things that could bring us together, but it also divides us.
OCCJ helps address the ills of our community in our interpersonal relationships.”
The Rev. Dr. Bill Crowell, associate minister at Boston Avenue
United Methodist Church and chair of the series for the 4th consecutive year, says of the planning committee, “We’re reaching out
to the young population and young professionals, to involve them
more.”
The third in a series of Trialogue events, Creating Strong Youth
Communities of Faith: What Works? What Doesn’t? will be held on
March 7 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at Peace Academy, 4620 S.
Irvington. Featured speakers are Ken Coughlin, Bishop Kelley
High School; David Finer, B’nai B’rith Youth Organization; and
Audra Fogle, Boston Avenue United Methodist Church.
On display at the Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art
Michael Knigin: Remembrance 2000
Commemorating the dead and living heroes of the Holocaust.
PANEL PRESENTATION AND COMMUNITY READING FEATURING
“The Inextinguishable Symphony”
BY MARTIN GOLDSMITH
Monday, March 22 • 7 p.m.
Jewish Federation of Tulsa Zarrow Campus, Sylvan Auditorium • 2021 E. 71st St.
Panel discussion moderated by Dr. Jacob Howland, philosophy professor, University of Tulsa.
Copies of the book will be available for checkout through the Tulsa City-County Library.
SAVE THE DATE
2010 Interfaith Holocaust Commemoration
“Captive Melodies: Musical Voices From the Holocaust”
Thursday, May 6 • 7 p.m. • Temple Israel * 2004 E. 22nd Place
Sponsored by the Council for Holocaust Education of the Jewish Federation of Tulsa,
in partnership with the Tulsa City-County Library and other community organizations.
The Galveston Connection
by Jennifer Howland
In the early 1900s, philanthropist Jacob Schiff and others
created the Galveston Immigration Plan, which was intended
to settle Jews away from the poverty and anti-Semitism of the
East Coast ghettos—especially the Lower East side, where twothirds of the country’s Jews lived. The Jewish Immigrant Information Bureau (JIIB) was formed as a branch of the Industrial
Removal Organization, which had been established to divert
Jewish immigrants to smaller Jewish communities by receiving
them in Galveston and sending them on to towns and cities
throughout the U.S. These and other organizations distributed
pamphlets aimed at convincing Russian Jews to come to the
U.S. via Germany, entering at the port of Galveston instead of
New York City. Once in Texas, the JIIB cared for them, gave
these immigrants money, and dispersed them.
This was the story of many JewishTulsans, including Bessie
Fedman Blend, mother of Gertrude (Gete) Weisman and Rose
Schlanger. Bessie was from a shtetl west of Kiev called Khodorkov. Bessie’s passport was not her own. It was bought from a
non-Jewish neighbor whose daughter had died. Bessie traveled
steerage on the ship La Reine to Galveston. She was sixteen,
and she was beautiful. Bessie and her dear friend Sophie were
approached by a Jewish man speaking Yiddish who offered to
show them around Galveston before their train departed. The
girls had just accepted his offer when some members of the
National Council of Jewish Women intervened. Apparently the
man had intended to sell them into prostitution. The NCJW
rescued the girls and escorted them to their train to Omaha,
which was their destination.
Reportedly, Harry Fadem was on the same ship as Bessie,
as was Oscar Stavinsky. Harry, grandfather of Bruce and Lloyd
Fadem, arrived around 1904 and moved to St. Louis, where
4 JewishTulsa
he worked in a successful tailor shop. He then moved with his
family to Arkansas, where they encountered a great deal of
anti-Semitism. After six difficult years, they moved to Tulsa,
which at the time had only one other Jewish tailor. Oscar Stavinsky also became a tailor in Tulsa.
Samuel J. Singer (Shmilik Zagranichny) and Morris Singer
(Schnir Zalman Zagranichny)—the father and the uncle, respectively, of Alex Singer—came from Korostyshiv, a shtetl
west of Kiev, just 34 kilometers from Bessie Blend’s village.
Morris came through Galveston in 1905, Samuel followed two
years later. In 1921, Morris returned to Rovno, Poland, where
his mother had fled after a pogrom, in order to escort her to
America.
David Rich’s grandfather, Samuel Toplitsky, had lived in the
Crimean Peninsula in Russia (present day Ukraine). The Cossacks would come through the village and cart off young men
to fight in the army. Jewish families conspired to send their
young men out of Russia to avoid conscription, which could
be extended for a lifetime and in which Jewish religious observance was nearly impossible. Samuel Toplitsky, unable to
get a visa to the U.S., instead got a visa to Cuba. From Cuba
he obtained a visa to the U.S. and came in through the port of
Galveston. Samuel did not like the taste of the water in Galveston, so he went to Houston. Although he knew little English,
he was a skilled cabinetmaker and so was able to get work
building railroad cars. He saved up his money, and after nearly
ten years, sent for his family. He had never seen his youngest
son because his wife had been pregnant when he left. By then
Samuel had saved enough money to bring his family over first
class. But the Russian Revolution had started, and his family
endured many hardships (such as escaping marauding Cos-
sacks who shot at them) in order to make it to their ship for
the transatlantic voyage. The first time Samuel’s wife, Fannie,
and her three children—including Tillie, David’s mother—ever
saw a banana was when they arrived in the U.S. via Ellis Island.
From New York they made their way to Houston, where Samuel had become a furniture restorer.
There were other stories about bananas. Steven Dow’s paternal grandmother, Lily Rosenbaum, left Kishinev in Russia
(present-day Chisinau, capital of Moldova) as a young girl
after the Kishinev pogroms in 1903 and 1905. When she got
off the ship at Galveston, she was offered a banana by a native
Texan. But Lily’s mother had never seen or tasted a banana and
wouldn’t let Lily eat it because she feared it was treif. Steven’s
grandfather, Harry Yedidowitz, came in through Galveston
around 1903. He was a tailor at a men’s clothing store in Houston. The salesmen had a hard time pronouncing his name and
began calling him Dow.
Abe M. Mehl, grandfather of Stephen Zeligson, came from
Lithuania with his family and landed in Galveston around
1900. They settled in Fort Worth and opened a shoe store. His
brother B. Max Mehl became an extremely successful and famous numismatist. Abe was in the stamp business for a while,
and the family became big in retail shoes. Abe had four sons
and one daughter, Ethel, who was Steve’s mother.
Harry Matles, father of Sid Matles and father-in-law of Donna, came from Russia when he was about 16 years old, through
the port of Galveston. He made part of the journey to Pawhuska using a hand railroad car. Harry worked for Ike Schuman,
who had a store in Pawhuska. For every $2 Harry earned,
he took $1 to the bank to send to his mother back in Russia.
When bank founder, Harris Brenner, heard that Harry was saving his money for his mother, he said in Yiddish, “What a good
boy!” He became Harry’s patron and offered to match every
dollar Harry saved. Harry spoke Russian, Yiddish, and Osage
before he ever learned English. He went into women’s apparel
and sold clothing to the Osage. His store, The Pioneer Store,
was located in Hominy. Harry and his wife adopted Osage children, in addition to having Sid. When Sid was born, the Osage
gave him a headdress and a blanket as part of his birthright in
honor of his father.
Jay Weinstein’s great-grandfather, Louis Weinstein, whose
name was not originally Weinstein, settled in Galveston,
though recollections differ as to whether he first went through
New York. According to one story, when a ship arrived, the
passengers would first be visited on board by Jewish women
who often brought food and supplies. These women spoke
Yiddish and acted as translators for the government workers.
One of the women gave a banana to Louis, which he ate whole
because no one had told him to peel it. Not surprisingly, he did
not like the taste. The customs officers allowed the passengers
to debark only if they had a sponsor; otherwise, they would
be sent back. Louis was frightened because he did not have a
sponsor. When the government workers began calling out the
names of the people who had sponsors, one of the first names
they called out was “Weinstein.” When no one immediately
responded, Louis raised his hand and walked off the boat. He
called himself Weinstein for the rest of his life. Only very late
in his life did he tell his family that his name was not actually
Weinstein.
Nathan Dundee (originally Donde), grandfather of Gary
Dundee, came through Galveston around 1913 from Rezekne
in eastern Latvia, which at the time was called Rezhitsa and
was part of Russia. His brother, Hymie, had come over earlier,
and brother Berel, the father of Alvin Dundee, came over later.
When Hymie travelled back to Latvia in 1930, his mother told
him to take Alvin (originally Judel Donde) and his sister Sylvia
back with him to the U.S. All of them came through the port
of Galveston. Alvin Dundee was the father of Janet Dundee,
Shirley Burger, and Michael Dundee. Alvin’s father had a tailor
shop in downtown Tulsa, and his brother was a tailor as well.
Pearl Gordon, whose maiden name was Finkelstein, followed her father from Poland when she was 7 or 8 years old.
Then six or seven other children came over before, finally, her
mother was able to come. All of them arrived through the port
of Galveston. Pearl took a train to Bristow when she arrived,
and she grew up there and in the Sapulpa area. She married
Phil Gordon, who owned a pawn shop in Tulsa, when she was
16 years old. She was the first Jewish woman in Tulsa to have
her own dress shop. Unbeknownst to Phil, Pearl got involved
in real estate and started building homes. He was unaware of
his wife’s entrepreneurship until Pearl had accumulated quite a
bit of money.
Others who came through Galveston include the following:
Sam Kantor, grandfather of Jon Kantor; Abraham and Lena
Gordon, grandparents of Norm Levin; and Samuel Corman,
great-grandfather of Leah Clayman.
Many thanks to Diana Aaronson for sharing her excellent memory and giving guidance about leads to follow. Thanks also to Karen
York of the Sherwin Miller Museum for her help and to the families
and friends of the Galveston immigrants.
The author and the editor apologize for errors and omissions from
this article. If you have a Galveston Connection story you’d like to
add, please email editor@JewishTulsa.org.
The Immigrant
a benefit for Mizel JCDS
Mizel Jewish Community Day School will host a benefit
performance of The Immigrant - A New American Musical on
March 7th, 2010 at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. This
event is dedicated to supporting the academic, social and
physical development of the preschool through fifth grade
children enrolled at Mizel JCDS. Proceeds from the event will
be directly allocated to support the children enrolled at Mizel.
The Immigrant is a story of a Young Russian Jew, fleeing
the pogroms of Czarist Russia in 1909, who gets off the boat
at Galveston and pushes his banana cart into the tiny Baptist
town of Hamilton, Texas. It is a uniquely American saga of
struggle, faith, hope and ultimate triumph over adversity.
Mizel JCDS has created a special exhibit of photographs
and artifacts of Jewish Tulsans who immigrated to the United
States through the Port of Galveston. This exhibit ties together
the story in the play with experiences of Tulsans who helped
establish a community of Jews in Tulsa. Descendants of these
immigrants were among the founders and first supporters of
Mizel School. Related to the exhibit will be classroom discussions of this history along with student interviews with members of the community and their children who immigrated
through the Galveston Port.
Opportunities for Patron Support are available by contacting Mizel JCDS office at 918-494-0953. Individual tickets to
this benefit matinee performance on March 7th can also be
purchased through the school office. Deadline for reserved
seats is March 3, 2010.
W
hat is it with Jews and food? JewishTulsa: The
Tulsa Jewish Review asked that question to
Jews an
several restauranteurs who have devoted
their lives to making us the food we love. Below are
their first-person testimonials — their thoughts on
cooking, koshering and loving food.
Susan Surchev, Director of Food Services
Tulsa Jewish Retirement & Health Care Center
When I was a teenager, my father told me to get into a business
where you can always make a living. He traveled and spoke six
languages. “With culinary arts,” he said, “you can go anywhere and
always make a living.”
Before I immigrated, I went to four years of culinary academy and
two years of teaching academy. I’ve been in the kitchen now since
1973 and I am the kosher restaurant in Tulsa. We feed about three
hundred people a day.
I started hiring BBYO kids. For most, it’s their first job. They learn
to interact with the elderly, with people, on a professional basis.
Anything you can make in a non-kosher restaurant, you can
make in a kosher restaurant. We know the tricks of the trade. We
can make beef stroganoff taste like it has sour cream in it. Whatever
food you can dream of, we can make it.
We eat when we’re happy. We eat when we cry. Eat, eat eat. It’s
something that warms our hearts.
Philip and Miranda Kaiser, Owners, Cosmo Cafe
Originally we were going to open an internet cafe in Jerusalem
with the idea of some computers, maybe some sandwiches and
drinks. Miranda built out the menu and it sort of evolved into something a little more complicated than that. We brought Cosmo to
Tulsa in 2003.
I enjoy the immediate satisfaction of someone saying, “That was
the best sandwich I’ve had for years!” At least ten times a day someone says “I love what you do.” It’s so nice to be told you’re wonderful.
We each put in between fifty and seventy hours a week. We
overlap. When we have school in session it makes it easier — we
tag team.
We do between two and four hundred tables a day. We have about
thirty-five people working for us.
What is it with Jews and food? It’s tradition, family, ceremony. It’s
all the times in history we didn’t have any. It’s an old-world cultural
thing. It’s the same with Italians and Greeks and others who came
over from very family-oriented cultures. Life revolves around food.
Michelle Goldstein
Owner, Buns and Roses
I don’t think I could sit and be stuck in an
office. It’s not who I am. I tried retail, I tried
court reporting, but I always have come back
to food.
I’ve been in Tulsa nine years working in
the restaurant business. I was managing
Panera, but I’ve always wanted a restaurant
of my own. My mom said “do you want to be
a thirty-five year old waitress? Just do it.” She
and my stepdad helped me open Buns and Roses.
My grandmother’s name was Gloria, but my grandfather always
called her Honeybuns. That got shortened by the grandkids to
Buns. My other grandmother’s name was Rose. When I was fifteen
I started talking about opening a restaurant and calling it Buns and
Roses. Here it is today.
I have tons of regulars. We know them by name, we know them
by sandwich.
We do kugel, matzah balls, hummus, tabouli. All home made. We
make an everything bagel with salmon, cream cheese and capers.
People can’t get enough of it.
It’s a celebration. For me, it’s a passion.
6 JewishTulsa
nd Food
How I Learned to
by Raeshelle Sharpnack
Orr Nalp, Owner, Just Catering by Orr
When I immigrated here from Turkey in 1973, I was in my third
year of dentistry college, but as an immigrant, the easiest job for me
to get was in the restaurant business. I was a dishwasher.
In 1974 I started at the Fountains as a busboy and grew with it.
Eventually, I became a manager, and in 1982, I bought the Fountains. I sold it in 1999 and got into the catering business.
Irv Frank got me involved with the Jewish Federation. Then, I did
my first meal at the Synagogue, a Passover, when Ron Kreigsman
was the president. It was a big flop. The matzah balls were like golfballs. It was a learning experience.
Over the years I’ve learned the Jewish culture — the religion,
the food.
The kitchen staff I have has been with me for at least ten years, so
they know what we can use and what we can’t use and still get the
taste right. They understand the concept of kosher.
Jewish food is really fairly simple, but it has to be very good. Brisket has to be tender. Chicken stays on the bone because the taste is
much better. Things have to be absolutely correct, not overcooked,
not undercooked. It needs to be really tasty.
Jerry Bonus, Restauranteur, My Pi Pizza
We opened My Pi at 59th and Lewis in September 1974 with Harvey Chosen. We also had one in Oklahoma City.
It was a family business. My daughter worked for me, my son
worked for me.
There was a fellow who cooked for us in Oklahoma City named
Randy Camp. He was the best cook I ever had. Now he owns Johnny
Carrino’s.
I used to taste everything. A day didn’t go by that I didn’t have at
least half a small pizza to check quality.
We had a great run, 11 years. But the business changed. Pizza
places started growing as chains. Mazzio’s delivery made a huge
change. Our type of pizza wouldn’t have worked as delivery.
Jews love food. I haven’t met one who didn’t like food.
It all started with my doctor’s caring yet stern words
as he reviewed the dangerously high results of my blood
work: “You really need to lose weight.”
I thought I had always eaten healthy, or at least I was a
healthy eater. How was I going to make a change?
I came across an ad for a way to lose weight quickly and
permanently. After meeting with the dietician, I decided to
try the program. The program raises the eyebrows of some
and is endorsed by others. All I know is, it worked for me.
It started with a 30-day detoxification — no bread, no
sugar. I felt like I was being handed a jail sentence!
I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I became accustomed to the diet. I was shocked to find I actually liked
the taste of rice milk, and I didn’t miss bread (well, maybe
challah). By the end of the first month I’d lost 5 pounds. A
small taste of chocolate bar made my stomach turn. I was
on the road to resetting my metabolism.
At first, my warped self-image prevented me from seeing
the results of the program. I was shocked when my dietician pointed out that my clothes were hanging off me. I
looked in the mirror and saw my t-shirt hanging like I was
playing dress up in my father’s shirt.
My biggest test was a family Bar Mitzvah. Facing some
of the best pastries in the world, I was amazed that I didn’t
feel the least bit tempted.
The final 40 days of my diet came just in time for
Thanksgiving and Hanukah. By this time I’d lost almost
50 pounds and went from a size 14 to a size 4. I made it
through the holidays with no weight gain.
I’d been an emotional eater, but I no longer found myself
wanting to eat out of emotions. I learned that I no longer
loved food; I loved my health.
Not Love Food
The Tulsa Jewish Review 7
Celebrations
Abels Bar Mitzvah March 13th at CBE
Jacob “Koby” Alexander Abels, the son of Barry and Jackie
Abels, will be called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday,
March 13th, 2010 at Congregation B’nai Emunah at 9:00 a.m.
Koby was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, where he attended
religious school at Congregation Beth Israel until the age of 10.
He attended Mizel Jewish Community Day School during his
4th and 5th grade years where he received a solid foundation
in Judaic and Hebrew studies. Koby is a 7th grade honor student at Jenks Middle School.
Koby has been an avid student of military history since the
age of 6 and is currently a civil war re-enactor with the Second
Colorado Infantry, out of Stillwater, Oklahoma. He has performed in re-enactments both in Stillwater and Wichita. He
also enjoys fencing, playing poker, airsoft, paintball, spending
time with his friends, and skeet shooting with his cousins in
Arkansas. Koby has been a volunteer with Camp Shalom and
Festival Israel.
Joining Koby for his simcha is his brother Leland, along with
grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends from across
the country.
Koby is proud to be supporting
two mitzvah projects that are programs of the JWB Jewish Chaplains
Council aimed at helping the more
than 10,000 Jewish men and women
who serve in our military: “Torahs
for Troops” commissions small,
lightweight but fully kosher Sifrei
Torah that can be taken into the
Jacob “Koby” Abels
field; and an ongoing project that
March
13th at CBE
provides Jewish holiday and Shabbat
packages as well as essential needs
packages for Jewish soldiers.
Koby is especially grateful to Debbye Zanerhaft for countless
hours spent guiding and preparing him for this special day. He
also wishes to thank Eliyahu Krigel for imparting his knowledge and words of wisdom.
Koby and his family invite the community to celebrate with
them at services, followed by a Kiddush luncheon.
Charney Bar Mitzvah Celebrated
On Saturday, February 13, 2010, corresponding with the Hebrew date, 29 Shevat
5770 (Shabbat Shekalim), first cousins, Joseph
Paul Charney, son of David and Randee Charney, and Melanie Francine Farfel, daughter
of Howard and Stacey Farfel, celebrated their
B’nai Mitzvah at Congregation Beth Am in
San Diego, California.
Joseph and Melanie were joined by their
grandparents Sully and Barbara Farfel of
Rancho Santa Fe, California, Joseph’s grandparents, Harold and Yolanda Charney of
Owasso, Oklahoma, and Melanie’s grandparents, Stan and Lee Sultar. Joining Joseph and
Melanie for this double simcha were siblings/
cousins, Natalie, Evan, Alex and Jack, and
many family and friends from around the
country, including Tulsa. Both Joseph and
Melanie enthusiastically embraced the opportunity to share the spotlight selflessly so they
could celebrate together and maximize the
gathering of their significant, extended family
in one place for this special simcha.
Festival Israel Scheduled for April 25 - Volunteers Needed
This is a call to all JewishTulsans to volunteer for Festival Israel.
Your involvement will only make this event better. Volunteer positions for the old, the young and the rest of us are available.
Give tours. Serve meals. Schmooze and have fun! Call Michele
Sotkin at 918-810-4971 or email at msotkin@farmersagent.com to
volunteer.
WAITING FOR TONY: CBE EVENTS IN ADVANCE OF KUSHNER APPEARANCE
In advance of playwright Tony Kushner’s April 18th appearance
at The Synagogue, the Circle Cinema will screen Angels in America over three consecutive evenings: Sunday, March 21st, Monday,
March 22nd and Tuesday, March 23rd. All showings will begin at
8:00 p.m. at no charge.
Friday, March 26th, The Synagogue presents Shabbos in Shul
featuring a Theater Club performance of Kushner Excerpts, scenes
from the playwright’s works. Directed by Vern Stefanic, the eve-
ning will showcase Kushner’s strengths as a dramatist and the
issues that form the core of his work. The evening will begin with
Shabbat Dinner at 6:30 p.m. Kushner Excerpts will begin at 8:00
p.m. Please call the Synagogue Office for dinner reservations at
$12 per person, with children’s meals priced accordingly. No reservations are necessary for Friday evening services, and the Kushner Excerpts is free and open to the public.
Celebrating the Art of Healing
Mark you calendars for the cancer survivorship symposium
Celebrating the Art of Healing, Saturday, April 10th at Monte
Cassino School from 9:00 am until 2:30 pm. This year’s theme is
A Family Journey. Keynote speaker Dr. Dan Shapiro is a cancer
survivor and Chair of the Humanities Department at Pennsylva8 JewishTulsa
nia State College of Medicine. He uses his experiences “on both
sides of the bed,” as a consultant for the hit television series Grey’s
Anatomy. Space is limited. Participants may register by calling St.
John PulseLine, 918-744-0123.
Do You Know Where Your Grandparents Are?
Rabbi Charles P. Sherman
The Passover holiday still has an emotional hold upon the
Jew – young and old. Sociologists tell us that it is the most
universally observed Jewish holiday. The beautiful seder
surroundings, symbols, and the remarkable Haggadah text
bring a universal and eternally relevant theme to attract the
mind and heart of every Jew. No other table gathering brings
together the members of the family closer than does the seder.
Failure to celebrate the seder properly can weaken the family
unit and diminish the meaning of the holiday.
Once upon a time, grandparent, parents and children united
around the same table, experiencing the emotions of the
seder in different degrees – but in unity. I have a picture of
four generations in my family at the seder table. Reading the
words of the Haggadah meant discussing responsibility toward
the poor, freedom from slavery, the purpose of a nation,
and the dreams of the ultimate goal of the Jewish People.
Grandparents were a crucial ingredient in the impact of the
seder experience.
Too often today, instead of sharing the seder with the family,
grandparents either remain in Florida and go to some hotel
for the seder or even take a Pesach cruise. Who can blame our
young folks who say – if the seder is not important enough for
Grandpa and Grandma to come, why should I give up college
classes to come home?
I believe that we are living in crucial times for American
Jewry. Extra efforts are demanded from the old and the young.
May we make this a bigger Passover experience and a better
seder than any before. Let us prepare for Passover in all its
details. Let young people experience the full emotional impact
of the holiday. Let’s make it significant and relevant for all ages
at our table. Read up on the Haggadah and the symbols and
the practices. One never knows what words in the Haggadah,
what symbols, what deeds at a seder can “turn on” our sons
and daughters. May all of us have a sweet Pesach together –
generations, side by side, sharing our People’s experience.
This year the first seder is on a Monday night. Grandparents
and college students can come in for the whole weekend and
help with all of the Passover preparations, making the seder
even more of a family experience.
Chabad for Passover
Join Chabad for A Seder for You! Held on the first two nights of
Passover, these seders are a welcoming experience where you will
be able to learn what the various elements of the seder mean to
you personally.
The food is all home-made from scratch, and the Matzah is the
hand-made “original recipe” variety — nothing artificial here.
People who’ve enjoyed these seders in the past have been known
to say “It starts late, it runs late, but it’s worth it!”
The seders will take place at Chabad, 6622 S. Utica Avenue, on
Monday and Tuesday evenings, March 29th and 30th, each
at 8:30 p.m. Reservations are greatly appreciated. The cost is $12
for adults, $6 for seniors, college students, and children, or by
donation. Please call 918-492-4499 or email
Seder@JewishOklahoma.com to reserve.
You can also purchase hand-made matzah to enhance your own
seder. The cost is $16 for a pound (approx. 7 large matzot) or $10
for a box of 3. Please call Chabad to place you order.
Women’s Seder at Temple Israel
Mothers, bring your daughters! Daughters, bring your mothers!
All are welcome to celebrate our holiday of liberation in a new
way. Temple Israel Sisterhood will sponsor the third annual Women’s Seder on March 7th. We’ll prepare for the upcoming Passover
holiday by experiencing our journey from slavery to freedom
from a feminine point of view. The afternoon will feature singing,
dancing, lots of discussion, crafts for the kids and fabulous Pesach
desserts from the Sisterhood’s new cookbook, L’Dor V’dor. We’ll
even provide timbrels for dancing!
The cost is $7 for adults, $5 for children with a $15 immediate
family maximum. To reserve your place at the seder table, contact
Jeanne Jacobs at timvp@templetulsa.com or 918-392-8475 by
Wednesday, March 3rd.
FIRST NIGHT PASSOVER SEDER
The Tulsa Jewish Retirement and Health Care Center extends
an invitation to the Jewish community to participate in its annual
First Night Passover Seder, Monday, March 29th.
The Seder begins at 5:30 p.m. at Zarrow Manor. Call Susan at
918-496-8333 for reservations.
SECOND SEDER AT THE SYNAGOGUE
Congregation B’nai Emunah’s annual Second Seder at the
Synagogue is scheduled for Tuesday, March 30th beginning at
6:00 p.m. The event is open to the entire community, with a
special welcome to Tulsa newcomers and those whose families
are far away. Join Synagogue members and friends for a joyful
celebration.
The seder will feature the Synagogue’s instrumental ensemble, Klay Kodesh, and participants will enjoy a festive mixture
of Ashkenazic and Sephardic traditions.
Seating is limited and your reservations need to be confirmed by check. Cost for adults, age 13 and up is $27.00; for
children ages 6-12 $14.00; and for children ages 2-5 $7.00.
Thanks to the generosity of B’nai B’rith, and the Sam Marks
Helping Hand Fund of the Synagogue, we would be
glad to accommodate those for whom the
price of attending poses a challenge.
Please call the Synagogue Office at
918-583-7121 or write us at
reservations@bnaiemunah.com
to assure your place.
Also, please call the
Synagogue if you’d like a
sale-of-chamaytz form for
Passover. We’d be glad to help
you with this traditional ritual
transaction.
David Dopp
Boulder at Fourteenth
BovassoandBeal.com
Sharna B0vasso
sbovasso@mcgrawok.com
918.605.2995
4105 S Rockford Ave
Tulsa, OK 74105
(918)592-6000
fax (918)398-5396
Dee Ann Beal
dbeal@mcgrawok.com
918.688.5467
'Call Charles'
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10 JewishTulsa
'Call Charles'
585-1151
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Terry and Madelyn Rosenthal
(918) 584-3323
Fax - 918 584-7378
Charlespestco@aol.com
Personal &
Business
Services
P.O. Box 471100
Tulsa, OK 74147-1100
7647 East 46th Place
Maximize
your
day
Bobbi and Bob Warshaw
Office 918.747.3807; Cell 918.852.5302
www.errands-to-go.com
Honoring Donors to the
Tulsa Jewish Retirement & Health Care Center
Program hosts, Lou and Marilyn Diamond,
invite you to join the Young at Hearts at Heller Theater
SUNDAY, MARCH 21 ~ 2 p.m.
“THE CLEAN HOUSE”
Butterflies
“Light to Life” Tribute Fund Helping to Keep the Light Burning
RECOVERY
Herman Feldman
Harriet Levinson
Voyd Mahew
David Rich
Dave Sylvan
HONORING
Jerry & Sherry Heller
IN MEMORY
Bob Berman
Jean Borochoff
Chuck Wisotsky
TJRHCC’s WELLNESS
PROGRAM Lawrence & Patricia Kilgore
BIRTHDAYS Dr. David Adelson
Dick Bolks
Jeanette Frieden
Barbara Johnson
Shirley Klar
Irene Lane
Rae Roberts
SPEEDY RECOVERY OF
HERMAN FELDMAN Gertrude Weisman
CHARLOTTE & GERALD
RICHARDS ACTIVITY
ENDOWMENT FUND
IN MEMORY OF JEAN
BOROCHOFF
E. C. Buckminster
Michael & Marilyn Greenwood Alan L. Stovitz
Gertrude Weisman
CONTRIBUTIONS
RECEIVED FROM
Julius & Joy Bankoff
Vera Y. Berlin
David & Gerry Bernstein
Dr. Marcel Binstock
John & Leah Clayman
Rob & Kim Coretz
Bob & Betsy Dubofsky Dr. and Mrs. Norman Dunitz
Dr. and Mrs. Scott Dunitz
Jeanette Frieden
Morris Glazer
Robert Gold
Marty & Frieda Grossbard
Jerry & Sherry Heller
Henry & Helen Katz
Don & Sallye Mann
Franklyn & Madelyn Moskowitz Fred & Martha Strauss
Jerry & Marion Sussman
Henthorne Recreation Center
4825 S. Quaker, Tulsa
Ticket price:
$7.00 per person
young
at
heart
The Clean House is a fresh comedy
about love, the power of a good
joke, and the virtues of a really
clean house! Matilde, a Brazilian
housekeeper, is keen to stretch
A social club for singles her funny bone, but can’t muster
any elbow grease for her domestic
and couples 55+
duties. Her employers’ house is
not in order and neither are their
personal lives.
All reservations must be received by Monday, March 15.
Your check is your reservation!
Checks can be mailed to the CSJCC, 2021 E. 71st St,
Tulsa, OK 74136 or call 495.1100 to have the ticket price
charged to your credit card.
*After the play, please join us for dinner at Cosmo Cafe and Bar, 3334 S. Peoria.
Everyone is responsible for their own transportation and dinner check.
For more information, please call 495-1100.
E x cl u s i v e l y a t
S w e e t To o t h
3OUTH(ARVARDs
Storm Season Readiness
As spring approaches, so does hazardous weather. Now is a good
time to have a family meeting to review storm safety. Know where
your safe room is located, and what to do in the event of a storm.
Every family should have a 3-day emergency pack that includes:
p Flashlights and extra batteries p cell phone
p first aid kit p heavy soled shoes
p battery powered weather radio
p water - 1 gallon of water per day per person
p canned food and can opener p pet food p medications
Plan ahead for a safe spring!
CHARLES SCHUSTERMAN JCC
MARCH EVENTS
Check out the events happening this
month at your local JCC! For more
information on any event, call 495.1111
or go online to csjcc.org.
S
7
14
21
28
M
1
8
15
22
29
MARCH
T W T
2
3
4
9 10 11
16 17 18
23 24 25
30 31
F
5
12
19
26
S
6
13
20
27
Day
Event
Description
Location
Time
1
INSTITUTE of ADULT
JEWISH STUDIES
Winter Classes continue.
CSJCC
7:15 pm
4
YIDDISH
BUDDIES
Yiddish with Jack Zanerhaft.
CSJCC
3:00 pm
8
INSTITUTE of ADULT
JEWISH STUDIES
Final evening of classes for the 2010 Winter
session.
CSJCC
7:15 pm
10
RETIRED MEN'S CLUB
Guest speaker and luncheon.
This will be the only Men's Club in March.
CSJCC
12:00 Noon
15
thru
19
21
SPRING
BREAK
CAMP
YOUNG AT HEART
SOCIAL CLUB
A week of fun for ages 3-12. Registration
deadline March 5. Register online csjcc.org!
CSJCC
9 am – 4 pm
"The Clean House" by Heller Theater. More
information in this issue of the Review.
Henthorne
Rec. Center
2:00 pm
28
HEBREW
CLUB
Meet and speak Hebrew!
For more information, call 495.1111.
CSJCC
1 – 2 pm
29
PASSOVER BEGINS
AT SUNSET
PASSOVER
Charles Schusterman JCC closes at 5:00 p.m.
CSJCC
Jewish Federation offices and the Charles
Schusterman JCC closed.
JFT / CSJCC
30
and
31
Festival Israel
free
admission
Sunday, April 25
12 Noon – 5 p.m.
CELEBR
CELEBRATE
ISRAEL INDEPENDENCE DAY!
Featuring the sights,
sounds and tastes
of Israel!
zarrow campus
charles schusterman jcc
2021 east 71 st street
ions Availab
t
i
s
PoU M M E R 2 01 le
SLIFEGUARDS and 0
SNACK BAR
Charles Schusterman JCC
2021 E. 71st Street
Enroll for Camp
ONLINE
csjcc.org
2010
Enrollment
begins
March 1!
For more information, contact the Camp Shalom office
at 918.495.1111 or visit www.csjcc.org.
Staff member, counselor and C.I.T.
applications now being accepted for
For more information, call 495.1111 and speak to
Amy Underwood, Health and Wellness Director.
Camp Shalom 2010
June 1 – August 6
Stop by the Charles Schusterman
Jewish Community Center and
complete an application.
Interviews will be held in late April.
March 15 —19
For more information, please
contact the Camp Shalom office
at 918.495.1111.
Registration Deadline
FRIDAY, MARCH 5
Charles Schusterman JCC
2021 East 71st Street
Register Online! www.csjcc.org
www.csjcc.org
VANELi
See the Spring and Summer VANELi Collection Now at Brouse’s
Where We Specialize in Selection, Service, Sizes and Quality
Happy Passover From Jenny R. Brouse and Brian E. Brouse
BROUSE’S
1718 Utica Square • Tulsa,OK 74114 • 918-742-3301