COMMUNITY NEWS
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communities’ most critical priorities locally, in Israel and
around the world.

Lower Merion Teens Raise $8,000 to Fight
Hunger By Shaving Their Heads
LAST SPRING, Lower Merion High School sophomores Lior Cohen and Eli
Gordon decided they wanted to raise money to fi ght hunger and food insecurity.

However, these 15-year-old friends took it a step further than most: Th ey agreed
to shave their heads once they reached their fundraising goal.

Initially, the goal was $250. But Cohen’s and Gordon’s circle stepped up in a big
way. In total, the boys raised $8,000, which they donated to the Jewish Federation
of Greater Philadelphia’s hunger-fi ghting initiatives.

We spoke to Cohen and Gordon about the stunt, raising money on social
media and giving Jewishly as a teen.

Why did you choose food insecurity as your
cause? Why give through the Jewish Federation?
Gordon: Back in April 2020, I started
noticing a lot of people in the community that
needed help. I especially noticed issues with
food insecurity, and it became obvious to me
that the best way to give back during these
COVID times might be to support a local cause
related to food.

Growing up going to Hebrew school and
How did you come up with the idea to raise money by agreeing to shave your knowing how tight-knit the Jewish community
heads? is, I knew I wanted to support the local Jewish
Gordon: I thought it would be funny to tell people I’d shave my head in community, and the Jewish Federation would
exchange for a charitable donation, and I thought it might be a silly way to be a good organization to do that through.

incentivize people to give. I recruited my friend Lior, who agreed to do it with
me. It had been months since either of us had our last haircut, so it was also How did you spread the word about your
fundraising eff ort?
kind of welcome.

Cohen: We posted on social
media, solicited our friends
and family and petitioned
congregants at our synagogue.

What started with one or two
gift s quickly spiraled into more
than we could have predicted.

Our original goal was $250, but
when we raised that easily, we
increased it. Eventually, within
a few weeks, we raised $4,000,
Throughout the pandemic, the
Last year, our
which was then matched by
Jewish Federation of Greater
partner agencies
Royal Café Narbeth.

Lior Cohen has his head shaved
to raise money to fi ght hunger.

Fighting Food Insecurity
Philadelphia and its partner
agencies have witnessed a:
met this growing
need by providing:
185 %
313,009 increase in people
relying on subsidized,
home-delivered food
27 %
increase in the
cost to provide
food packages
16 JULY 8, 2021
food packages, meals
and vouchers in
Greater Philadelphia
6,544,632 food packages,
meals and
vouchers in Israel
JEWISH EXPONENT
When it came time to shave
your heads, did you have any
cold feet?
Cohen: We were both
Eli Gordon sees his newly-shaved
nervous to shave our heads
head in his eff ort to raise money for
and have it livestreamed, but at food security relief.

that point there was no turning
Courtesy of Jason Gordon
back. At least everyone was in
quarantine, so it wasn’t like we had to worry about seeing friends
at school. We knew it would grow back. It’s just hair.

What’s next on your charitable journey?
Gordon: We’re both part of a Jewish youth group that’s always
thinking of ways to give back. We just held a charity “Shark
Tank” event. We both do regular community service and that’ll
always be a big part of our lives. It’s important that people feel
encouraged to support causes bigger than themselves like food
insecurity. When it comes to giving, anything helps. A small
amount goes a long way and, at the end of the day, we’re all just
trying to make it together as a community.

JEWISHEXPONENT.COM



L ifestyle /C ulture
Eat Japanese During the Tokyo Olympics
F OO D
LINDA MOREL | JE FOOD COLUMNIST
I CAN’T WAIT for the
Summer Olympics, which will
be held in Tokyo, Japan, from
July 23 to Aug. 8. If your family
is like mine, we are glued to the
TV at night, watching recaps of
each day’s events.

Not letting dinner interfere,
we eat at the coffee table with
our eyes focused on gymnas-
tics, skateboarding, swimming
and sailing.

I often invite friends and
serve food from the country
hosting the Olympics. This time,
Japanese food will be on the
menu. This makes being virtual
spectators feel less remote.

I love silken tofu, smothered
in a soy-ginger sauce. With a
smooth surface and a delicate
texture, this tofu is literally
strained through silk. Soba
noodle salad is a harmonious
balance of sweet and hot flavors.

Lime and soy-glazed tuna is a
real crowd pleaser. The ingre-
dients for these recipes can
be purchased in Asian food
markets, health food stores and
many supermarkets.

The Japanese are wild about
white peaches, which look the
same as ordinary peaches on
the outside but their flesh is
a pale creamy color instead
of bright yellow. For dessert,
I simply slice several white
peaches and place them on an
oblong plate.

The Japanese take care
selecting serving pieces and
arranging food as attractively
as possible. They match platters
and bowls to the season, often
selecting blue and white porce-
lain for summer dining. Besides
the thrill of watching athletes
excel, I view the Olympics as a
chance to learn something about
foreign cultures and cuisine.

SOBA NOODLE SALAD |
PAREVE Serves 4-6
This can be served hot or cold.

1 clove garlic, minced
3 drops of vegetable oil
½ teaspoon salt
1 (8-9-ounce) package
of soba wheat and
buckwheat noodles
4 tablespoons toasted
sesame oil
¼ teaspoon crushed red
pepper, or a little more, if
you like things hot
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 scallions, sliced thin
Place the minced garlic in a
pasta bowl. Reserve.

Fill a large pot ¾ of the way
with water. Add the drops of
vegetable oil and salt. Cover the
pot and bring it to a boil. Add
the soba noodles and boil them
uncovered for 6-8 minutes.

While the soba noodles
boil, place the sesame oil,
crushed red pepper, honey
and soy sauce in a small bowl.

Whisk the ingredients until
well combined.

When the noodles are al dente
(cooked but slightly firm in the
center), drain them thoroughly
in a colander. Immediately move
them to the pasta bowl. Leave
them for 2 minutes so their
heat softens the garlic. Pour the
sesame oil mixture over the top.

Toss with two spoons. Sprinkle
the scallions over the top.

In a small bowl, whisk the three
This recipe can be served ingredients together. Reserve.

immediately, cooled to room
temperature and served, or
Tuna steaks:
refrigerated and served cold.

1 tablespoon fresh lime
SILKEN TOFU WITH GINGER
SAUCE | PAREVE
Serves 6
1 (16-ounce) package silken
tofu 2½ tablespoons sesame oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1½-inch piece of ginger root,
peeled and chopped fine
1½ teaspoon honey
¼ cup low-sodium soy
sauce Pile up three paper towels
on a plate. Remove the tofu
from its package and place it
on the paper towels. Let the
tofu drain into the paper
towels while assembling the
remaining ingredients.

In a small pot, warm the
sesame oil over a medium-low
flame. Add the onion, garlic
and ginger. Sauté until
fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add
the honey and soy sauce and
stir. Simmer for 2 minutes, or
until slightly thickened.

Cut the tofu into 6 rectan-
gles, equal in size. Move the
tofu pieces to a serving dish
with a deep rim. Slowly pour
the ginger sauce over the tofu,
letting most of the onion, garlic
and ginger remain in the pot.

Spoon them over the tofu.

Serve immediately, or cover
with plastic wrap and refrig-
erate for up to 2 days. Bring
to room temperature before
serving. LIME AND SOY-GLAZED
TUNA STEAKS | PAREVE
Serves 4
Glaze: Tuna steak
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM ALLEKO / iStock / Getty Images Plus
JEWISH EXPONENT
1 tablespoon fresh lime
juice, about ¾ of a lime
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
juice, about ¾ of a lime
2 tablespoon saké or
sauvignon blanc
1 pound sushi-grade tuna,
cut into 4 pieces
2 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoon sesame oil, or
more, if needed
Select a glass or ceramic
flat-bottom bowl just a little
larger than the area the tuna
steaks require. Do not use a
metal bowl.

Pour the lime juice and saké
or sauvignon blanc into the bowl
and combine. Move the tuna into
this marinade and turn on all
sides. Keep at room temperature.

Continue turning every couple
of minutes for 5-10 minutes. The
tuna may develop a white haze.

Add the soy sauce and honey,
coating the tuna. Continue
marinating for 5 minutes.

Place the sesame oil in a
nonstick skillet and warm it
over a medium flame. Remove
the tuna from the marinade,
letting the excess drip into the
bowl. Discard the marinade.

Carefully place the tuna into
the skillet and sauté until
seared, about 1-2 minutes.

Turn over the fish and continue
to sauté it on all sides.

Pour the glaze over the tuna.

Let the tuna sizzle in the glaze,
which will thicken. If the glaze
is evaporating quickly, add
water 1 tablespoon at a time.

Continue to sauté until the
tuna is seared on the outside
but red to pink in the center.

Or if you, prefer sauté until
tuna is cooked through. Don’t
overcook. Move the tuna into a rimmed
serving dish. Thicken the glaze
a little more, if needed. It
should not be watery. Pour the
glaze over the top, and serve
immediately. l
JULY 8, 2021
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