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
HEALTHCARE DIRECTORY
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& & TAY-SACHS
CANAVAN CANAVAN
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CALL (215) 887-0877
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■ Screening for other
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also available.

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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