COMMUNITY NEWS
The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia mobilizes
financial and volunteer resources to address the
communities’ most critical priorities locally, in Israel and
around the world.

Working Toward an Inclusive Future: Local Jewish
Community Spotlights Disability Inclusion
FEBRUARY IS JEWISH DISABILITY, AWARENESS and Inclusion Month
a mixture of online and in-person programs that follow safety protocols. The
(JDAIM), a national commemoration with deep local roots within Greater
agenda this month includes something for every age: programs for children
Philadelphia for the last 14 years.

to discover the Jewish values of inclusion, a workshop for educators to learn
This year, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Jewish Community
about inclusive classrooms, an opportunity for clergy to study with Rabbi
Relations Council will honor the month by co-hosting a webinar with JEVS
Lauren Tuchman — one of the first blind women to enter the rabbinate — a
Human Services, a leader in connecting job seekers with employment opportu-
special program for grandparents and a community forum to address mental
nities for more than 80 years.

health. Scheduled for Feb. 28, the program entitled “The Changing Landscape: Work
Filling out the jam-packed month of nearly 30 programs are 20 area
and Inclusion for Persons with Disabilities” will feature a panel discussion
synagogues participating in JDAIM Shabbat Across Philadelphia, where they
focused on the efforts being made in career advancement and inclusion for
will devote a Shabbat service to disability awareness themes.

people with disabilities throughout the pandemic.

Outside of local programming, the Jewish Federations of North America will
“We at the JCRC are thrilled to be working with JEVS, one of Jewish
host their annual Jewish Disability Advocacy Day (JDAD) on Feb. 23 and 24.

Federation’s grantees, this year to showcase their efforts to provide inclusion
Over the course of this two-day virtual program, people worldwide will sign on
and equity in the disability community,” said Jason Holtzman, director of JCRC.

to harness their collective power and break down barriers to advance policies
“It is our honor and responsibility as the Jewish Federation to continually strive
that can empower millions of individuals with disabilities to lead more indepen-
toward a more accepting, diverse and inclusive future, where Jewish spaces are
dent and fulfilling lives. The program will feature disability rights champions,
welcoming for all those who want to participate.”
experts and legislators to discuss the current state of disability rights and how
The Jewish Federation upholds this responsibility by providing funds and
individuals can make an impact.

needed resources to community partners and agencies that serve the disability
“Disability inclusion and advocacy is a 365-day-year priority,” said Kaplan-
community. Last year, the Jewish Federation allocated more than $450,000 in
Mayer. “But Jewish Disability, Awareness and Inclusion Month allows us to shine
Jewish Community Fund grants toward programs focused on disability inclu-
a light on this issue throughout the community.”
sion both locally and in Israel.

For more information and registration details for JDAIM programs, visit
JCRC’s virtual JDAIM event is just one out of an array of programs dedicated
jewishphilly.org/jdaim2022. to accessibility and inclu-
sivity this month. The Jewish
Learning Venture’s (JLV)
Whole Community Inclusion
and the Jewish Special
Needs/Disability Awareness
Consortium of
Greater Philadelphia, which includes
the Jewish Federation, have
organized numerous opportu-
nities throughout February to
spotlight disability awareness
and inclusion.

“We are excited to share
a number of opportunities
for community members to
connect, learn about and
engage in disability aware-
ness activities throughout
JDAIM,” said Chief Program
Officer Gabrielle Kaplan-
Mayer of Jewish Learning
Venture, an organization
supported by the Jewish
Federation. As opposed to last year’s
fully virtual lineup due to the
pandemic, this year maintains
JDAIM has a full lineup of programs focused on disability inclusion this February.
Courtesy of Jewish Learning Venture
16 FEBRUARY 10, 2022
JEWISH EXPONENT
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L ifestyle /C ulture
Cut Down on Cooking Time
MAPLE-ROASTED ACORN
SQUASH | PAREVE OR DAIRY
F OO D
LINDA MOREL | JE FOOD COLUMNIST
“I WISH I COULD prepare
food faster,” says a friend.

She rarely cooked before the
pandemic. Instead, she ate in
restaurants or brought takeout
food home.

But once the pandemic
began in March 2020, she
realized it was safer to eat at
home. With some trepidation,
she taught herself to cook.

Much to her surprise, she likes
cooking but is frustrated by
how long it takes to get food on
the table.

“I just spend too much time
in the kitchen,” she says.

While cooking is often a
juggling act, it doesn’t have to
eat up hours every day. Here
are several tips, some of which
I’ve learned from chefs, on how
to save time while creating
delicious food:
Layer cooking prep. Start
one dish and, as it simmers,
roasts or bakes, begin another
recipe. Break down recipes. Chop
vegetables or measure out
ingredients earlier in the day or
the night before. This reduces
the cooking time at the end.

Serve foods that are fast and
easy, such as tomato salad, with
recipes that take a lot of time,
such as coq au vin.

Cut up twice as much salad
as needed. Serve half the first
night. Layer the remaining
half between paper towels and
refrigerate the rest in a plastic
bag. Double recipes. Roast two
chickens or prepare two casse-
roles. Eat one, and freeze one.

Buy peeled garlic.

Selectively buy prepared
food. If you like the roasted
vegetables or winterberry salad
at a particular store, then serve
www.jewishexponent.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM
VEGGIE-SMOTHERED SALMON | PAREVE
Serves 4
them with recipes you make at Serves 6
Nonstick vegetable spray
home. Recipe by Marcia Slaminsky
Start collecting recipes that
3 small acorn squash
call for five or fewer ingredi-
Kosher salt to taste
Nonstick vegetable spray
ents (not including salt and
6 teaspoons sweet butter,
nonstick spray) and no more
1½ pounds salmon fillet
optional than three fuss-free steps.

Kosher salt to taste
6 tablespoons maple syrup,
That’s the best time saver of all.

¼ teaspoon garlic powder
preferably Grade A Amber
HEIRLOOM TOMATO AND
FRESH HERB SALAD |
PAREVE Serves 4-6
3 medium-large heirloom
tomatoes in different
colors (red, green, orange
or yellow)
Extra-virgin olive oil for
drizzling Balsamic vinegar for drizzling
Kosher salt to taste
2 tablespoons of any of
these fresh herbs: dill,
basil, parsley or cilantro,
chopped finely
Slice the tomatoes and
arrange them on an attractive
platter, overlapping different
colors. Drizzle them with the
oil and vinegar. Sprinkle them
with salt and one of the herbs.

Serve immediately.

Preheat your oven to 350
degrees F. Coat an ovenproof
pan, such as Pyrex, with
nonstick spray.

The hardest part of this
recipe is cutting the squash in
half. With a sturdy and sharp
chef’s knife, start cutting along
one of the squash’s vertical
indentations. The knife will not
glide through, so give its handle
a series of short pushes until the
squash is in two pieces.

With a spoon, remove the
seeds from the squash. Sprinkle
the cavities with salt. Place a
teaspoon of butter, if using,
inside each cavity. Drizzle a
tablespoon of maple syrup into
each cavity and on the sides of
the acorn squash.

Roast for 75 minutes,
or until the flesh is softened
when tested with a knife. Serve
immediately. 10 cherry tomatoes, cut in
half 2 celery stalks, peeled and
cut into pieces the size of
the cherry tomato halves
1 shallot, sliced and
separated into rings
Olive oil for drizzling
Preheat your oven to 375
degrees F. Coat a 7-inch-by-
11-inch ovenproof pan, such as
Pyrex, with nonstick spray.

Sprinkle both sides of the
salmon with the salt and garlic
powder. Place the fish in the
prepared pan, skin side down.

Arrange the tomatoes, celery
and onion over the top along
the sides of the salmon. Drizzle
it with olive oil and sprinkle it
with more salt.

Roast the fish for 35 minutes,
until the salmon is pink in the
center and the tomatoes are
softened. Serve immediately.

SUPER-FAST, SUPER-GOOD
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE |
DAIRY Serves 4
8-ounce container of heavy
or light cream
⅛ teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon sugar
5 tablespoons Nutella
Place the heavy cream in
a large mixing bowl. Add the
vanilla and sugar.

Using an electric mixer,
beat the ingredients at medium
speed until the cream starts
to thicken. Then beat it on
high speed, stopping every
minute or so to make sure the
cream doesn’t turn to butter.

The whipped cream is ready
when you stop the mixer, lift
the beaters and there are soft
peaks. Dot the surface with table-
spoons of Nutella, and gently
mix it with a rubber or silicone
spatula until the Nutella is
incorporated into the whipped
cream. Move it to an attractive
bowl, cover it with plastic wrap
and place it in the refrigerator
to chill for at least 30 minutes.

Serve it within 3 hours. l
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FEBRUARY 10, 2022
17