Jewish Federation’s Impact on
Antisemitism & Security
in our Community
This weekend’s hostage situation at
Congregation Beth Israel in Texas is yet another
reminder that antisemitism is a current day
reality. The Jewish Federation and our Jewish
Community Relations Council (JCRC) play
a vital role in countering and opposing the
pervasiveness of antisemitism by teaching
the dangers of discrimination that led to the
Holocaust, advocating for a more just and safe
world, building relationships with others that are
committed to standing against hate and bigotry,
and investing in security for Jewish institutions.

According to the 2019 Jewish Community
Portrait Population Study, ADL and AJC:
1 in 4
1 in 3
87 %
40 %
American Jews were targeted
by antisemitism in 2020
Jewish students on a college campus
experienced antisemitism in 2021
of Jewish adults indicate
combating antisemitism is an
important factor in Jewish life
of the general public - and nearly 50% of Jews
- think antisemitism is taken less seriously
than other forms of hate and bigotry
“JCRC has been a great partner to Hillel at Temple
University whenever there have been reports about
an antisemitic or anti-Israel incident on campus.

The professionals never make assumptions about
what is happening, advise us on how to respond
and provide impactful support on campus and in
the community.”
– Rabbi Daniel Levitt, Executive Director,
H I L L E L AT T e m p l e U N I V E R S I T Y : T H E R O S E N C E N T E R
Impact by the Numbers
30 1,182
synagogues in the area
assessed for capital needs
total attendees for educational
programs on best practices for
countering and opposing antisemitism
and other forms of bigotry
1,000,000 +
$ 200
% 16
JANUARY 20, 2022
raised for immediate
needs in Israel following
the rocket fire in 2021
I thank the Jewish Federation for
making us aware of and providing the
resources to access critical funding.

We received a Nonprofit Security Grant
from the Pennsylvania Commission
on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD)
which will aid us with security guards,
security cameras and threat and
response training.

increase in funding – to $360 million –
allocated statewide through advocacy
efforts in partnership with The Jewish
Federations of North America
JEWISH EXPONENT
Jodi Roth-Saks
Executive Director, Jewish Relief Agency
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM



L ifestyle /C ulture
Br-oasted Chicken
F OO D
KERI WHITE | JE FOOD COLUMNIST
THERE’S NOTHING LIKE
a roast chicken. It’s comfort
food, it’s elegant, it’s hearty
but not heavy, and it provides
far beyond one meal — soup,
salad, sandwich ... it’s really
darn perfect.

So, far be it from me to
mess with perfection. But you
may recall my New Year’s food
resolution to mix it up, tweak
ingredients, alter techniques
and experiment. So I played
with my food in the form of
this chicken.

I started with a 24-hour
brine, then roasted the chicken
in a large, covered pan with
some water. The results were
pretty darn spectacular: The
meat was juicy, flavorful and
cooked in about 30% less time
than expected.

The only down side was that
the skin did not turn a brown
color with a crispy texture.

Now that doesn’t bother me
because I don’t eat the skin, but
if that is a deal breaker, simply
remove the cover for the last 15
minutes or so of the cooking to
brown up the bird.

This was such a hit in my
house that I’ve made it twice in
the last 10 days. And the subse-
quent chicken salad and soup
fed us for a couple days after, so
that was a lot of “bang for the
buck.” The first menu consisted
of the chicken, gravy, mashed
potatoes and roasted cabbage.

The second menu comprised
the chicken (no gravy), roasted
sweet potatoes and carrots, and
a green salad with mustard
vinaigrette. I chose a large roaster for
this — 8-9 pounds in anticipa-
tion of useful leftovers, which
did not disappoint. Normally,
a chicken that size that would
need about 3 hours in the oven,
figuring 20 minutes per pound,
but these big birds were done in
2 hours!
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Whole roasted chicken
The drippings that result
in the pan made a gorgeous
gravy, recipe below, but if you
are not inclined, skip it and
use the drippings for a killer
chicken soup tomorrow. And
if you do make the gravy, save
the leftovers and throw it in
the soup anyway.

BR-OASTED CHICKEN
Serves 4 for dinner, with
leftovers I call this “br-oasted” because
it is the midpoint between a
braise and a roast. The water
in the bottom of the pan works
magic in keeping the meat
from drying out and making
it super-tender, like a braise,
but the chicken holds its form.

It almost falls apart but not
quite. Nelea Reazanteva / iStock / Getty Images Plus
For the chicken:
air circulation and steaming are
key for the juicy, flavorful meat.

Put about 1 cup of water in the
For the brine:
bottom of the pan, cover it and
2 tablespoons salt
place it in the oven.

Cook the chicken for
2 tablespoons sugar
approximately 15 minutes per
1 tablespoon each black
pound, and check for doneness
pepper, garlic powder,
(internal temperature of 165-170
thyme and rosemary
degrees). When done, let the
Cold water
chicken rest, covered in a pan,
Place the spices and a bit of for at least 15 minutes and up to
cold water in a large bowl or pot an hour before serving.

to dissolve. Rinse the chicken,
For the gravy:
and place it in a pot with the spice
mixture, then cover it with water.

1½ cups of pan drippings
Refrigerate it for 24 hours. Drain
from the roasting chicken
the chicken, and rinse it well.

½ cup white wine
Heat your oven to 350
1 cup water (or more, if
degrees F.

gravy is too thick)
Place the chicken in a large
¼ cup Wondra flour (see note)
roasting pan with a cover —
¼ teaspoon Gravy Master
there should be plenty of room
or Maggi
around and above the chicken;
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large roaster (about 8 pounds)
JEWISH EXPONENT
When the chicken is done,
carefully pour or ladle 1½ cups
of drippings into a saucepan.

Add the Wondra flour, and
whisk it until smooth. Add
the wine and water; heat
the gravy to a boil and then
lower the heat to simmer.

Add Gravy Master or Maggi
seasoning to achieve a golden
brown color and additional
saltiness. Simmer until the gravy is
thickened to a desired consis-
tency. Taste for flavor; add salt
and pepper, if desired.

Note: Wondra flour is
used for sauces and gravies;
it dissolves well and does not
form lumps. If it is not avail-
able, simply mix equal parts of
all-purpose flour with water to
form a smooth paste, and add
that to the gravy. l
JANUARY 20, 2022
17