H EADLINES
Solomonov Continued from Page 1
bring people to Israel emotion-
ally with the food that I cook
and the stories that we tell,”
Solomonov said. “And now, we
bring people virtually.”
Th e fi rst episode, which
aired via Vimeo, featured
“Haaretz” food journalist
Ronit Vered and Via Sabra
founder Avihai Tsabari, with
the trio cooking chicken thighs
and pilaf. Remaining episodes
will include interviews with
the likes of cookbook author
Adeena Sussman, baker Uri
Scheft and the lead singer of
Yemen Blues, Ravid Kahalani.

Together with Solomonov,
they’ll cook classic Israeli
dishes like sabich, schnitzel
and borekas.

Each episode will use the
evening’s dish as an entry
point to conversations about
the people, places and cultures
that make up Eretz Yisrael. An
episode featuring conversa-
tions with gap-year students,
many of them introduced
to Israel for the fi rst time,
features basic Israeli foods for
the newcomer, like couscous
and chopped salad; the
episode with Osama Dalal, an
Akko-based chef, uses a quirky
fi sh schnitzel recipe to talk
about the city’s long history of
Jewish and Arab coexistence.

“We’re so fortunate on this
show to visit with an incred-
ible lineup of people, who will
bring that sense of place and
culinary discovery to us at
home,” Solomonov said.

Th e genesis of the show
is fairly simple, according to
Solomonov. Unable to travel
to Israel to see his family and
friends, and with more time
on his hands than he’s had in
years, “Bringing Israel Home”
is as much a way to stay sane
as it is a venue for his cooking.

Th ere’s only so much time to
be spent running restaurants
that are operating at a fraction
of their pre-pandemic capacity.

“Th is is something that I
kind of need to do,” Solomonov
said. “I really am homesick,
and introducing people to
Israel is what I do.”
He’s positive that the show
would never have happened
without the newly discovered
time to devote to its production,
nor without the void created by
the impossibility of travel.

Tsabari, who appears on
many episodes, is the propri-
etor of several tour guide
companies, and will give
BUSINESS DIRECTORY
s s
Michael Solomonov will eat Israeli food on his new show.

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In an effort to pivot
towards the needs of
parents and students,
we’ve adapted
Blitz Tutoring.

Pods are small; typically
8 students per instructor.

Hours are meant to
supplement the students
in-school synchronous
learning. We, also, offer Gym to
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flexible and in 12-week
increments. Blitz Pods K-6
(215) 704-9425
Email us at
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contextualizing information
and stories for some of the
dishes. As a young man, he was
a friend of Solomonov’s brother,
David, who was killed during
his IDF service in 2003. Th e
connections run deeper than
that — David Solomonov was
friends with Tsabari’s sister,
and Solomonov’s mother was
Tsabari’s English teacher.

“I can count on one hand
the people who are as generous,
as genuine and have a really,
really big heart, like Mike,”
said Tsabari, who lives in Hod
HaSharon. On the episode dedicated to
David Solomonov, which will
stream on March 3, Solomonov
will interview members of his
brother’s unit and cook a lamb
dish that was a family favorite.

Like Solomonov, Tsabari
sees a direct line between the
new burdens of travel and the
desire for a show like “Bringing
Israel Home.”
“Th e fact that now people are
being told that they can’t come
to Israel, even if they didn’t plan
to come to Israel before, is now
making them more eager to
come here,” Tsabari said, even
if “coming” to Israel doesn’t take
them any further than their
stovetops and ovens.

Interested viewers can
follow @bringingisraelhome
on Instagram, and enter to win
a private Zoom cooking class
with Solomonov at the show’s
homepage. “Bringing Israel Home”
is supported by Th e Jewish
Community Response and
Impact Fund, Jim Joseph
Foundation, Maimonides Fund,
Th e Paul E. Singer Foundation and
Charles and Lynn Schusterman
Foundation; Th e Hub on My
Jewish Learning and Th e Nosher
are promotional partners. ●
jbernstein@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0740
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM



F TAY-SACHS
R F R E E E E
H EADLINES
Opened hand-dyed beanie hats and new skills to fuel new business. in August 2019 due to disruption
Chef Yehuda Sichel, formerly of upstairs caused by renovations by
curated gift sets.

“Although the shop is still CookNSolo’s Abe Fisher, opened the landlord, but owner Haviv
Newly Open
young, I’ve had a lot of returning his sandwich shop, Huda, and David announced it would close
Tot Shabbat Box
customers and that means so started serving sandwiches on permanently in June 2020 aft er
Jewish educator
Beth much to me,” Klein said.

his signature milk buns. Couple the landlord declined to renew
Rabinowitz started Tot Shabbat
Ran Betite and Yael Cooperman the lease.

Box to help families and children Buddha Babe
sell sourdough, challah and
stay connected to Judaism while
While 2020 was the year Iraqi-Israeli treats inspired by Barclay Caterers
social distancing. Th e boxes, of the online pivot for many Betite’s grandmother at their
The pandemic has been
which contain blessings, art business owners, Tina Dixon pop-up, Metuka Freshly Baked. especially hard on the entertain-
supplies, games, puzzles and other Spence opened her brick- Jacob and Alexandra Cohen ment and events industry. In
items to encourage open-ended, and-mortar baby goods store, started Kismet Bagels and June, Barclay Caterers, one of the
Jewish-themed play, were shipped Buddha Babe, in November produce close to 2,000 “New go-to kosher catering companies
to local addresses as well as aft er running her online-only York on the inside, Montreal on in the Philadelphia area since
homes in North Dakota, Canada boutique for babies and toddlers the outside,” bagels every week. 1966, announced on Facebook it
and Australia. Rabinowitz has for six years (her products are And Wharton student Ben had been forced to close for good.

partnered with day schools, still available online).

Berman founded Good Pizza, Th e post elicited an outpouring
jkidphilly, PJ Library, jBaby
delivering his homemade pies of sadness from patrons.

Chicago and other organizations Ilyan Jewelry
“It was so hard to close aft er
by lowering them to customers
to develop and distribute the kits.

Gemologist Amy Fink used from his Center City apartment 53 years. It’s still very hard today,”
“It actually went from being her connections and experi- window.

partner Steve Hellinger said.

just Shabbat and Havdalah ence working in New York’s
to Tu B’Shevat, Purim and Diamond District for 25 years Special Mention: Grassroots
Repair the World Philadelphia
Mitzvah Mania,” she said.

Philadelphia’s chapter
to create a new business with Food Truck
Aft er six years of setbacks, of the Jewish social justice
friend Kimberly Kimmel, a
Best By
fellow Akiba Hebrew Academy former Penn Hillel chefs Troy nonprofi t Repair the World
Max Levin founded Best By in (now Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Harris and Kareem Wallace closed in July aft er seven
2020 aft er his family’s wholesale Academy) alum. Ilyan Jewelry, launched the Kosher Grassroots years. Th e national organi-
business was left with a backlog named for Fink’s children Food Truck in November and zation made the decision to
of perishable food when restau- Ilana and Ryan, offers a started off ering a delivery close the local offi ce due to
rants shut down in March. He curated line of rings, brace- service in December. Harris the fi nancial diffi culties of
started selling items with short lets, necklaces and earrings for and Wallace are not Jewish, but the pandemic. Philadelphia
shelf lives directly to consumers appointment-only shopping their business, also known as Repair off ered community
at signifi cant discounts. Since at their showroom offi ce in the Chosen Mitbach, caters to engagement programs, volun-
then, the company has expanded Haverford. Fink said business the Jewish community.

teer opportunities and service
to off ering next-day delivery in was good during the holidays,
and education fellowships.

the Philadelphia area for toys, and she and Kimmel are Permanently Closed
outdoor supplies, groceries, looking to grow the company Mama’s Vegetarian
Cheu Noodle Bar
beauty products and other items through their website and
Kosher diners and falafel fans
Cheu Noodle Bar, the Center
that are being liquidated by word-of-mouth.

throughout Philadelphia mourned City restaurant known for brisket
manufacturers. the loss of Mama’s Vegetarian, ramen and other Asian fusion
“Our core competency is For Noshing: New Eateries a Center City institution that cuisine with a Jewish twist,
perishables, but we are evolving and Pop-Ups
off ered Middle Eastern classics closed in October. Chef and
into diff erent opportunities,”
Baking became a quarantine at an aff ordable price point. Th is co-owner Ben Puchowitz said
Levin said.”
pastime, and some Jewish bakers was not a pandemic-related loss; the restaurant’s business model
took it a step further, using their the restaurant technically closed was not pandemic-friendly.

Shemesh Shop
Shani Klein opened her
online store, Shemesh Shop,
aft er a neighbor admired a
tie-dye project she was doing
with her kids over the summer.

In addition to personalized
shirts, hats and beach blankets,
Shemesh Shop, which is named
for the Hebrew word for “sun,”
What We Off er:
stocks colorful cloth face
Respite Care ★ Hospice Care ★ Dementia Care ★ Alzheimer’s Care
masks. Assistance with Daily Living, Personal Care Needs & Holistic Services
Klein, a speech pathologist,
Servicing: Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and all of Philadelphia
added items to her inventory
610-257-7097 ★ healingenergycares.com
over the holidays, including
Continued from Page 1
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This message is sponsored by a friend of
Nat’l Tay-Sachs & Allied Diseases
Association of Delaware Valley
Special mention: South
Philadelphia Shtiebel
South Philadelphia Shtiebel
left its prayer space on Passyunk
Avenue in August — the small
organization couldn’t afford
to spend so much money on a
storefront while they weren’t
meeting in person. Rabbanit Dasi
Fruchter is still off ering virtual
programming and even built a
sukkah for limited numbers of
occupants at her home in the fall.

“With start-ups, we have
fl exibility to adapt and innovate
so quickly, on a dime,” she said.

Additional reporting by Jesse
Bernstein. ●
spanzer@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0729
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