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Call Jeff 484.238.1825 for details. 18 Name: DAVE & BUSTER'S Width: 4.917" Depth: 9.75" Color: Black plus one Comment: JE - Simchas Ad Number: 00066242 23 13 8 Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Everything Jewish Did you ever wonder where Jewish wedding traditions originated — or how they have evolved over the centuries and across the world? BY MARISSA STERN 13 New Options for Your Big Event in 2016 From new hotels to new people in charge of favorite venues, trending food choices to the best way to showcase memories, there have never been more ways to celebrate your life cycle event. BY JON MARKS 16 What The Bar Mitzvah Boy Really Learned A father’s life-threatening illness threatens to overshadow not just his son’s Bar Mitzvah, but the entire future of their family. BY MELISSA JACOBS 18 How Do You Say Yes to the Dress in Hebrew? 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When working with special occasions salons, designers will construct gown’s using your exact measurements, ensuring a more custom fit. Special occasion dressing requires a specialty store with personalized styling, attentive customer service, and outstanding alterations. – AV O I D T H E S T R E S S , S H O P E A R LY – SENIOR STAFF WRITER JON MARKS STAFF WRITERS JASON COHEN RACHEL KURLAND MARISSA STERN PRODUCTION DIRECTOR JENI MANN Don’t wait until the last minute to start shopping! That only leaves you stressed with fewer options. Start doing research around where you would like to shop and styles you would like to try on six months before the event and plan on making your selection no more than four months before the big day! ART/PRODUCTION COORDINATOR LONNA KOBLICK – R E D C A R P ET I NSP I R AT ION – Taking note of celebrity red carpet styles and silhouettes as inspiration will help women grasp a sense of what is both in fashion, fashion forward and age appropriate. DIRECTOR OF SALES SHARON SCHMUCKLER – S M I L E F OR T H E C A M E R A – Consider the photography for the event and opt for a color that will complement the bride’s chosen color palette for her wedding party. GRAPHIC DESIGNER STEVE BURKE ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES SUSAN BARON BROOKE KEYSER TAYLOR ORLIN BRUCE WARTELL CLASSIFIED SALES BEVERLY ALDORASI NICK STALLER MARKETING DIRECTOR JOSHUA HERSZ 4 6 S T. JA M E S P L AC E A R D M O R E , PA 1 9 0 03 DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS OPERATIONS CHERYL LUTTS (6 1 0) 6 4 9 - 8 1 0 0 E L I Z A B E T H J O H N S .CO M FINANCE ASSISTANT MARIE MALVOSO SUBSCRIPTIONS NICOLE MCNALLY 6 MARCH 31, 2016 SIMCHAS JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Name: Jan's Boutique* Width: The 7.5" largest selection of tax Depth: 10" free Dresses in NJ + PA Color: Black plus one Guaranteed! Comment: 3/31 Simchas -page 5 Ad Number: 00065875 shopping elsewhere? over tax-free don’t waste your time Morning appointments receive a $50 gift card * Appointments only available first thing in the morning, walk-ins welcome all hours, appointments get rewarded for shopping early! *appointments receive a $50 Accessory Gift Card Wayne Clark Trunk Show April 1st-3rd RSVP Preview the entire Spring/Summer & Fall 2016 Collections established 1974 Shop the rest then try the best! don’t get fooled, by law your local PA dress retailer must charge you up to 8% sales tax, it pays to visit Jan’s Boutique! www.inPAyouPay.com Shop at Jan’s and save up to 8% SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING BORROWED, Everything Jewish MARISSA STERN | JE STAFF hen you go to a Jewish wedding, you can expect a few standard customs: breaking a glass, signing a ketubah, watching the future spouses drink some wine, a family member saying or doing something extremely embar- rassing — just to name a few. Have you ever wondered how that changes when you go to, say, India? Or how those traditions have changed over time? Since the days when the OG couples of our biblical past started getting hitched, Jews have adopted certain customs. Veils, for in- stance, have a history that goes way back when — thanks to Leah, the original “catfish” in that whole Jacob and Rachel situation. These customs have stuck around for thousands of years, but ob- viously, times change — and sometimes brides may borrow some- thing old and something new to fit their wedding taste. The Modern Wedding Many wedding traditions have been slightly modified to fit the times of the more modern bride. Marlena Thompson wrote in an article about how wedding tra- ditions have changed on the Jewish Federations of North America website that veils are now no longer a requirement. “Some modern women reject it because of its similarity to the purdah — the requisite face covering worn by married Middle East- 8 MARCH 31, 2016 ern women — an emblem of modesty to some and of oppression to others,” she wrote. A few modifications of these older traditions might not be as newly popular as you think. Wedding rings, for instance, now are pretty much a universal staple at wedding ceremonies, but this tra- dition has truly ancient roots. Jewish marriage requires kinyan, Thompson continued in her findings, which she defined as an act requiring “that the bride be given — and that she accept — something of nominal value from the groom.” In ancient times, an act of kinyan was symbolized by a coin given to the bride. While that custom still has roots in present-day Sephardic traditions, nowadays a ring is much more immediately recognized in fulfilling that requirement. Plus, if a groom hands you a coin when you say “I do,” it might look a little weird. The notion of a bride and groom each exchanging a ring is more modern concept, Thompson noted, and has faced its share of scrutiny. “The double ring ceremony popular today is a relatively recent custom, and one that raises some objections among traditional Jews,” she explained. “Some think that an exchange of rings invalidates kinyan” — the formal acquisition of a thing of value by the bride. SIMCHAS See Everything, Page 10 JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Name: Gabrielle Width: 7.5" Depth: 10" Color: Black plus one Comment: Jewish Exponent/simchas Ad Number: 00065516 Everything Continued from Page 8 “However, Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist rabbis find no legal objection to the double-ring ceremony.” Inscriptions on the inside of the wedding bands is also a more recent concept. She cited the growing trend to inscribe Hebrew phrases, including the popular gender-neutral phrase “Ani L’Dodi V’Dodi Li (I Belong to My Beloved and My Beloved Belongs to Me).” Sign Me Up Perhaps one of the biggest changes to customary Jewish marriage traditions is the signing of the ketubah — more specifically, the terms laid out in the document. “Spelling out a husband’s obligations to his wife, the ketubah was a radical document in its day because it provided women with legal status and rights in marriage,” Thompson wrote. “Up until recently, the text for ketubot has remained virtually unchanged. But many couples that consider the traditional ketubah to be out of touch with contemporary views on relationships are creating new ones.” The writing itself has even become more inclusive and egalitarian. “Many ketubot now include parallel declarations of commitment made by both bride and groom with a joint declaration of faith in God and a connection to the Jewish people,” Thompson wrote. Further, whereas the ketubah was written in Aramaic in the past, many couples now choose “English text that describes the home they want to build together or the nature of the love they share,” ac- cording to an article by Valerie S. Thaler on MyJewishLearning.com observing the changes in today’s Jewish wedding ceremonies. “Still other couples do away with the Aramaic entirely,” Thaler wrote. “These couples may compose their own ketubot in English and Hebrew in accordance with the values they want to govern their marriage.” But the most interesting shift with the signing of the ketubah is how popular it has become among those who aren’t even Jewish. With interfaith marriages becoming more common — a 2015 Pew Research Center study showed that “that almost four in 10 Americans (39 percent) who have married since 2010 have a spouse who is in a different religious group” — people are seeing the ketubah as a means of consecrating their marriage, even if they aren’t Jewish. An article in The New York Times stated that “such sentiments have been reshaping the market for ketubot in the past decade.” The author of the article, Samuel G. Freedman, a professor at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, shared how Michael Shapiro, who sells artistic ketubot through his website ketubah.com, had seen “the non-Jewish share of his customers rise from zero to about 10 percent.” As a result, Shapiro started ArtVows.com, a new site focused on selling ketubot for non-Jewish customers. Ketubot have also become more of an artistic statement than just a signed document that gets stashed away for safekeeping. Many businesses like Shapiro’s offer decorative ketubot that people can frame and display in their homes after their wedding — even the National Museum of American Jewish History offers more than 500 ketubah choices through their online store. Global Traditions Jewish weddings often carry over the same customs and traditions, but in many countries, Jews sprinkle in elements of their culture as well. In India, for example, a henna tattoo carries cultural significance that marries itself (sorry) into a Jewish wedding ceremony. See Everything, Page 12 Name: Hard Rock Cafe Width: 7.5" Depth: 4.75" Color: Black plus one Comment: Simchas 3/31/16 Ad Number: 00064932 HAVE A PARTY SO GOOD EVERYONE WILL BE BEGGING FOR AN ENCORE! Crank up your event at the Hard Rock. It’s a one of a kind party venue where you can throw down like rockstars! Private space for Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, Wedding Receptions, and Rehersal Dinners. PHILADELPHIA | 1113-31 MARKET ST. | +1-215-238-1000 HARDROCK.COM #THISISHARDROCK ©2015 Hard Rock Cafe International (USA), Inc. All rights reserved. JOIN HARDROCKREWARDS . COM 10 MARCH 31, 2016 SIMCHAS JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Name: Philmont Country Club Width: 7.5" Depth: 10" Color: Black plus one Comment: Simchas Ad Number: 00066129 Creating Dream Events For Over 100 Years Newly Renovated Ballroom! A historic clubhouse with old world charm, Philmont Country Club is the perfect venue for your dream wedding, bar/bat mitzvah, rehearsal dinner or shower. Philmont offers a grand lobby and Brazilian hardwood porch, a charming red brick patio overlooking an Olympic-size swimming pool, and an elegant Grand ballroom for dining and dancing for up to 330 guests. 301 Tomlinson Road Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006 215-947-1271 • www.philmontcc.org Everything Continued from Page 10 The biggest Indian element at a Jewish wedding is the mehndi ceremony, in which the bride’s hands are adorned with designs in henna, according to an article about one Indian Jewish couple’s wed- ding in the Times of Israel. The article also lists local wedding rituals, including “wearing a garland strung from jasmine flowers and smearing a yellow paste of turmeric on both the bride and the groom’s faces.” The turmeric smearing is said to bless the couple with fortune and prosperity, according to a source in the article. Ring exchanges are not focused on as heavily in Indian-Jewish weddings as they are in Western culture. The article explained that “instead, they’ve adopted the Indian practice of tying the mangalsutra — a gold and black bead necklace which symbolically keeps the couple safe from harm.” Indian Jewish weddings also abide by laws of kashrut — with their own twist. The article focused on one couple’s wedding, whose culinary fare included fiery mutton curries and the popular chicken biryani, a “rice dish with pan-Indian appeal.” The article men- tions that all meals were cooked with kosher meat but with their own cultural zest. “With its strong spices and condiments, the biryani is made in over 30 different ways in various parts of the country. Indian Jews, not to be outdone, have their own recipe,” said the bride in the story. Other wedding traditions in other countries also have a lot to do with food — but then again, as Jews, food is important. According to WeddingTraditions.com, Japanese Jewish couples and western Russian Jewish brides and grooms have their own sets of customs. “Immediately after the religious ceremony,” the article stated, “the newly wedded Japanese Jewish couple jumps three times over a large platter filled with fresh fish, or over a vessel containing live fish, or step seven times backwards and forwards over a fish. The ceremony is expounded to be the symbol of prayer for children.” In other parts of the world, prayers for fertility are taken to eggs- traordinary lengths. A tradition in Jewish wedding culture in western Russia was to “set a raw egg in front of the bride as a symbol of fruitfulness, and that she may bear as easily as a hen lays an egg.” In his book Marriage Customs of the World: An Encyclopedia of Dat- ing Customs and Wedding Traditions, George P. Monger wrote: “Another Jewish wedding tradition is to throw a raw egg toward a bride to express the wish that she may have an easy and joyful childbirth.” (No, thanks.) Something Blue As they saying goes, there are four components that constitute good luck for brides: something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. Brides in ancient Israel used to wear a blue ribbon to denote modesty, fidelity and love. Nowadays, brides can find much more subtle ways to incorporate the color into their otherwise all-white getup. From nail polish, to garters, to even the bouquet, websites offer immeasurable advice for modern brides to incorporate this ancient tradition. But no matter where in the world the wedding takes place, mod- ifying ancient traditions to keep up with modern trends will continue to marry the old and the new for Jewish couples. l Contact: mstern@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0740 Name: Development Corporation for Isr IS ISRAEL R A EL O ND S W WOMEN’S O MEN S’ D DIVISION VI IS I O N Width: 7.5" B BONDS Depth: 4.75" TH Color: Black plus one Comment: Simchas 3/31 Ad Number: 00065681 50 A NN I V ER S A R Y H O ME & ART T O UR T TOUR O U R D DATES: A T ES : 9/8-9/15/16 9/ 8 - 9/ 1 5 1/ 6 WITH W TI H AN OPTIONAL OP T IONAL E EXTENSION X T E NS ION T TO O 9 9/17/16 1/ 1/7 6 tisiV s t o J ure as ela m , H fia a & T Te e l A iv v w li l ulc d e a tsitr s s tu id o s , m u es u ms , S h a b b a t d ni n e r i n a p tavir e h o m e , a n d m u c h m ero ni ELIGIBILITY: E IL G LIBI IT :Y M ini m u m $ 0,5 0 0 W o m e ’n s D oisivi n I ars e l b o n d i n v tse m e nt i n 2 0 1 6 F FOR O R M MORE O R E I INFORMATION N F O R M A T IT O N CONTACT: C O N T A C T :T : S h ora n R ci h m a n , R e eretsig d R e eserp nt at vi e 2 6 7. 4 4 2.3 0 0 5 ∙ sh a r on ci.r h m a n @ i sr ae bl on d c.s om HOME H O M E & ART A R T TOUR T O U R CHAIR: C H :RIA T yrre K zta D E VE L O P M E N T C O R P O R A T IT O N F O R I S R A E L T ih s i s n o t a n o ff nire g , w cih h c a n b e m a d e o ln y b y p or s p e utc s . R e a d t h e p or s p e c utc s c a re lluf y b fe o re i n v nitse g t o f llu y e v ula ta e t h e r ksi s a ss o etaic d w ti h i n v nitse g i n I s ar le b o n d s . M e m b e r F I N R A P h o to otsi:s ck p h ot o.c o m ; 1 2 3R c.F o m ; J a m es G al uf n d 12 MARCH 31, 2016 SIMCHAS W WOMEN’S O M E N S’ D DIVISION IV SI ION C CHAIRS: HAI R :S A n n a G er e n & J oy N o iv ck Invest in Israel Bonds israelbonds.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM New Options for Your Big Event in 2016 JON MARKS | JE STAFF ays of the quaint family reception in a corner of the syn- agogue following the ceremony have become the exception rather than the rule these days when it comes to planning big events in the Philadelphia Jewish community. While cutting costs certainly matter, it seems doing something fun and innovative has become more important. So, good news! There’s plenty to choose from locally that will not only make your occasion, but maybe even have folks talking about it. “The trend in events is unique venues,” said Judy Moore, associate vice president of sales and marketing at Garces Events, which will work to accommodate any client’s needs, even providing kosher food. “It’s no longer hosting the party in a ballroom. We’re seeing people want unique alternatives. But there are a few places we cater to we can work into that.” When it comes to Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, she says Spruce Street Harbor Park is becoming an “in” place, allowing kids to either ice skate in the winter or roller skate in the spring and summer. Distrito — with locations in West Philadelphia as well as Moorestown, N.J. — is another popular spot. “One of the trends in mitzvahs is restaurant space,” explained Moore. “That way, they don’t have to bring in a lot of décor and don’t break the bank on rental furniture. “I get a lot of people asking what’s new and trendy and hasn’t been done a thousand times. People are not interested in a square room anymore. Kids walk in and love the look of it. Parents walk and in know they’ll get amazing food from Jose Garces.” Or not, if they prefer keeping kosher. While Garces is not a kosher caterer, he’ll bring one in if the client chooses for as many guests as needed. They’ll also order kosher wine. That kind of flexibility is a necessity these days to attract busi- ness. Even at the new Logan Hotel, which has been completely renovated from the old Four Seasons, you can choose your kosher D Top: The National Museum of American Jewish History’s fifth-floor event space makes for a memorable event. Above: The fifth-floor balcony overlooks Independence Mall. caterer among Six Points, Barclay Caterers and Betty the Caterer. Make no mistake, though: Regardless of the quality, folks aren’t celebrating their occasions here because of the food. “We blend so- phistication with modern luxury,” said Sandy Heydt, director of sales and marketing at the Logan, which just opened in December. “We’ve modernized the way the hotel feels. We wanted the Logan to be a place where people won’t feel intimidated. It has an exciting, youthful vibe. But modern doesn’t mean more expensive. It’s more avant garde.” Among the attractions at the Logan are the various ballrooms, all of which are adorned by some piece of Philadelphia history, including an extensive art collection and a spectacular glass en- closed steel sculpture entitled “Crew” in honor of Philadelphia’s rowing tradition. That’s among the 100 or so pieces in the hotel created by local artists. “The Stenton Ballroom, which is named for James Logan’s summer estate, has a large window overlooking the Parkway,” explained Heydt. See Options, Page 14 JEWISHEXPONENT.COM SIMCHAS MARCH 31, 2016 13 Options Continued from Page 13 “And the wall and ceiling were built from reclaimed Pennsylvania farm wood. The Grand Ballroom, which can hold 500, has refinished railroad ties made into tables, which give it a rustic look. We’re finding a lot of people like using them as natural tables and putting a flower arrangement on it. It’s the most interesting ballroom in Philadelphia.” The Logan will also offer a group rate for guests, encouraging them to make a weekend of it, where they can also take advantage of its elegant fitness center and spa. That’s just one advantage of hosting your Jewish event in what some might see as the perfect place: the National Museum for Amer- ican Jewish History. Since opening in 2010, the NMAJH has become a hot spot for hosting events. While the exhibition floors are generally closed during your party, they will permit guests to arrive early and see the place. They also work with a number of hotels and parking garages to make things as convenient as possible. “I work with the client from the moment they book the place until they leave to make sure everything on site is perfect,” said Ellen Weiss, NMAJH facilities rental and event planning manager. “It’s up to the customer if they want to keep the exhibit open they can do that. Nor- mally, during social events, we don’t keep it open. But if people are in for the weekend and want to come in, we can make arrangements.” Once you book the museum — which could range from around $3,500 to $5,000, depending on how much space is needed — what you do with it is pretty much up to you. “Normally, the customer will bring in lighting and their own vendors,” said Weiss. “We work with the vendors. They can set up as early as they want. It depends Name: Joan Abrams' Ladies Boutique Width: 3.625" Depth: 4.75" Color: Black plus one Comment: SS-SIMCHAS Ad Number: 00066258 The new Logan Hotel ballroom, set for an elegant reception how big the event is.” The same goes for the food — and drink. “We have a list of ap- proved caterers,” she continued. “Barclay, Betty, Essen and Prestige — and seven non-kosher caterers. “And in terms of alcohol it’s BYO — they can bring in their own, which is a nice cost saving. We’ll work with the customer about what they should buy.” The bottom line, though, is that the NMAJH is a unique place to host your special event. “There are so many museums in the city,” acknowledged Weiss. “But we like to think we’re competitive when it comes to hosting special events and we have a fabulous outdoor terrace that overlooks the city, which we keep open year-round.” Those are just a few of the many new venue options for 2016. Name: RDM Designer Outlet Width: 3.625" & Design Studio Depth: 3" Color: Black Comment: Simchas JE Ad Number: 00066268 RDM Best kept shopping secret is out of the closet! Now fill it with beautiful clothes at fabulous prices! CASUAL TO FORMAL SIZES 0 TO 24W PANTS • GOWNS COATS • SWEATERS SUITS • DRESSES 3 315 1 5 H Huntingdon u n it n g d o n Pike P ki k e 1 block b ol c k off o f f Church C h u cr h & Huntingdon H u n it ng don Pike P ki e Rockledge, R o ck le d ge , PA P A 215-663-2311 2 1 5 - 66 3- 2 3 1 1 TUES.-FRI. T TU ES S. .- -F FR RI . 10-5, 1 0 0- -5 5, SAT. SAT SA AT T. 10-4, 1 0 0- -4 4, CLOSED C CLO LOS OS SE ED D SUNDAY S SU UN NDA DAY AY 14 MARCH 31, 2016 DRESSMAKER ON PREMISES www.rdmdesignspa.com Designer clothing without designer prices 413 W. Ridge Pike, Suite 2 • Conshohocken, PA • 610-834-0367 • Mon-Sat 10-5 Name: filler Width: 3.625" Depth: 1.5" Color: Black Comment: - Ad Number: - SIMCHAS YOUR SOURCE or buying or selling a home and finding open houses in the Greater Philadelphia area. Real Estate A SPECIAL IN-PAPER SECTION PUBLISHED BY THE PUBLISHES: APRIL 21 ADVERTISING SPACE DEADLINE: APRIL 15 TO ADVERTISE , contact your sales representative or call 215.832.0753 JEWISHEXPONENT.COM The Logan’s Stenton ballroom features reclaimed wood tables. Garces also recommends the Cira Centre near 30th Street, where it hosts a wedding just about every weekend. The Starr Catering Group is getting regular bookings at the Horticulture Center in Fairmount Park and the New Liberty Distillery. But once the event gets underway, once the bar is open and the hors d’oeuvres have been served, what about the party itself? Sally Mitlas, who’s been performing spectacularly at Jewish wed- dings and Bar and Bat Mitzvahs for over 20 years, has some ideas how to add an extra touch. “We’re doing something special in video production for our clients,” said Mitlas, whose documentary, A Hero From Heaven, on Philadelphia native Michael Levin who was killed in battle in Lebanon, has won numerous awards. “Personal messages shown at the affair — very cre- ative videos with scripting and green-screen production. “I get to know the client very well and create a one-of-a-kind cin- ema production, which is shown at the affair. I also work with the musicians and vocalist and redo lyrics of a song to tailor it to the bride and groom or the Bar or Bat Mitzvah.” It’s an intricate process where she applies the personal touch, being involved from the start. That’s apart from the entertainment itself, which includes ranging from a DJ, to novelty performers and character actors, to the band — which can be as large or small as you like. “With music, what people love about what we do is that I want to stay true to the music forms and don’t want to change,” she ex- plained. “It’s not terribly new, but I don’t think anybody does it like us. With the videos, they come to our studio and I show them dif- ferent videos, because no two are alike. I produce and direct every one of them. We can do one in four weeks, four months or four years. If they want us to spend a day in New York with them, I’m overseeing it. I have a camera crew, audio crew and editors — six people involved from beginning to end.” Ultimately, whether you spare no expense like that or are just doing something simple, the show will go on. Whether you book the Logan Hotel or the NMAJH, have it catered by Jose Garces or Stephen Starr or simply have it at the synagogue like old times, there’s only one thing that truly matters: That you’re happy with the end result. l Contact: jmarks@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0729 Name: World Cafe Live Width: 7.5" FOR YOUR SPECIAL EVENT, Depth: 4.75" YOU WANT A SPACE AS UNIQUE AS Color: Black plus one Comment: 3/31 Simchas Magazine W ITH L OC AT IO NS IN PH ILADE LPH IA A ND W ILMIN G TON , Ad Number: 00066113 YOU WORLD C AFE LIVE OFFERS FIVE SEPARATE EVENT SPACES WHERE YOU C AN EXPECT FIRST-CLASS CATERING, FLEXIBLE SEATING, DEDICATED EVENT SPECIALISTS, FLAWLESS SOUND, LIGHTING AND VIDEO. Weddings Bar/Bat Mitzvahs Holiday Parties Commitment Ceremonies Fundraisers Corporate Meetings Networking Events Rehearsal Dinners 3025 WALNUT STREET, PHILADELPHIA, PA 267.295.2949 500 N MARKET STREET, WILMINGTON, DE 302.504.9550 FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT EVENTS@WORLDCAFELIVE.COM JEWISHEXPONENT.COM SIMCHAS MARCH 31, 2016 15 What the Bar Mitzvah Boy Really Learned Ben Ross BY MELISSA JACOBS Ben Ross doesn’t believe in God. He doesn’t like the violence in the Bible, nor does he think that its stories ac- tually happened. And if God really is the Almighty, how can Ben ex- plain what happened to his father? In September 2014, Dr. Michael Ross was diagnosed with Stage IV of a rare kind of colon cancer. “Michael’s case was so off-the- books that we didn’t have a standard of care to follow,” explains his oncologist, Dr. Ursina Teitelbaum of Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center. Five-year survival rates for colon cancer hover at around 6 percent. So at about the same time that Ben started studying for his Bar Mitzvah, his father started fighting for his life. It’s a good life. Michael is a sports medicine physician and the founder and director of the Rothman Institute’s Performance Lab. He designed the lab to improve athletes’ performances by diagnosing and treating their often-unseen physical obstacles. His wife is Dr. Wendy Ross, an autism expert and the founder of Autism Inclusion Resources. Wendy believes that, with the proper support, people with autism can visit museums, attend sporting events and travel on airplanes without becoming overwhelmed and agitated. For her work, she was nominated as a 2014 CNN Hero. If this sounds familiar, it’s because the Rosses were public about Michael’s diagnosis and treatment, chronicling it on Facebook and in the media. Their goals were to increase awareness about colon cancer and raise money for research for cures. The Rosses are can- B 16 MARCH 31, 2016 do people who, when faced with cancer, were determined to kick its tush. But the disease was a formidable opponent. It eluded imaging, playing a lethal form of peek-a-boo as it hid in the tunnels of Michael’s intestines. “It’s hard to fight what you can’t see, let alone excise,” Teitelbaum says. Following her advice and that of Dr. Daniel Labow, chief of surgical oncology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, Michael decided to have cutting-edge surgery and hot chemo, a new and nasty-sounding treatment that pumps the medication directly into his abdominal cavity. It worked. Michael’s status is now NED: There is no evidence of disease in his body. The cancer is gone. So, it was time to party. Two weeks before Ben’s March 5 Bar Mitzvah at Congregation Beth Am Israel, the Rosses sat at the kitchen table in their Wynnewood home to discuss the father-son celebration. As his mitzvah project, Ben created websites that raised more than $7,000 for Teitelbaum and Labow’s discretionary funds. The Rosses also raised money by selling blue T-shirts with yellow semi-colons that reference Michael’s now partial (or semi) colon. Michael thinks the T-shirts are not only empowering, but hysterical. There’s a saying that God has a strange sense of humor, and if that’s true, God would love the Rosses. “When life gives you cancer, you make cancer jokes,” Michael says. He’s full of them, and Ben slings zinger after zinger. Wendy mostly rolls her eyes and sighs, clearly having given up on censoring her husband or son. This is what everyone says about the Rosses: that their unflagging optimism and infectious positivity is not only admirable, but down- right heroic. Teitelbaum, a mother of three, says that Ben is a role model for other kids whose parents are going through illnesses. Labow even wrote Ben a letter bursting with praise. Ben scoffs at the idea that he’s the poster boy for parents with SIMCHAS JEWISHEXPONENT.COM cancer. Ben is quite a handful and he knows it. “So cancer turned me into a saint? Give me a break,” he says. “It didn’t change my dad, either. He was a warrior before cancer and he’s a warrior still. Cancer isn’t magic, certainly not the good kind. It’s a disease. Nothing pos- itive comes from disease. It only does one thing: It sucks.” That’s the truth, as plain and simple as it is refreshing. All of the community support was amazing, Ben says, but in some ways, it was camouflage for the really scary parts of last year. Ben’s parents wouldn’t tell him the survival rates for colon cancer because, they say, Michael’s form of it was rare. Ben went online and learned the sobering facts for himself. “I wish they’d just given it to me straight,” he says. “If I’m supposed to talk to my parents about everything, then that includes the stuff that’s really hard — and that includes the fact that Dad might have died. Like, let’s just be honest and talk about it.” They did. And Ben’s right. “It did suck,” Michael admits as his eyes water with tears. “God, this is really hard to talk about. It sucked. No doubt.” And it wasn’t fair. Michael dedicated his life to healing other peo- ple. He exercises religiously and is a vegan master of clean living. Michael did everything right but still got a rare, very deadly cancer at a young age. “No, it’s not fair,” Michael agrees as a few tears ease down his visage. “I haven’t put thoughts to this because it’s easier to dwell on the positive.” But Ben has put thought to this, aided by his Bar Mitzvah tutor, Rabbi Yitzhak Nates of Derech HaLev, a havurah in Lower Merion Township and Jenkintown. Nates says that, whether he realizes it or not, Ben’s questioning God is quintessentially Jewish. “With Ben more than the average student, we’ve been talking about ways to live life, what’s important and how we want to spend our days,” Nates says. “He’s gravitated to larger religious questions, probably because he’s dealing with large issues.” Truth is, Ben didn’t need to read the Bible or memorize a Haftorah to become a Jewish adult. He learned Jewish values like family, com- munity, tikkun olam and courage by watching his parents, especially his father. Back at the Ross’s kitchen table, Michael wishes that Ben could’ve learned those life lessons without cancer. The worst part of last year, Ben Ross (left) and his father, Dr. Michael Ross, share a moment together before Ben’s Bar Mitzvah. Michael says, was the uncertainty over whether he would live or die. Watching Ben and his younger brother, Jacob, deal with his can- cer was more painful than anything Michael experienced physically. As he thinks about it, Michael’s eyes fill with tears again. “Oh, Dad,” Ben gently scolds his father as Michael lets the tears flow. Ben circles the table to where Michael sits and wraps his father in a big hug. They stay like that for a while, in what seems like a fa- miliar embrace. Ben comforts his father with pats on the back, having no problem displaying affection. He’s proud of their bond and un- derstands that, although Michael’s warrior status is uncontested, Ben himself is a source of his father’s strength. It seems that Ben has plenty to share. Clearly, the boy has become a man. l A team of Michael Ross’ supporters ran the Philadelphia Marathon wearing “semi-colon” shirts in a show of solidarity. facebook JEWISHEXPONENT.COM SIMCHAS MARCH 31, 2016 17 BY HILARY DANAILOVA ore and more Philadelphia brides are importing their beshert — from Israel. But they’re not trolling Israeli dating web- sites or joining Holy Land singles tours. The yentas are Instagram and Pinterest — and the intendeds are one-of-a-kind wedding gowns, handmade in Tel Aviv. Out of the atéliers of Israel’s fashion capital comes a parade of bridal looks that draw gasps: plunging necklines, bare midriffs, second-skin silhouettes and sheer-illusion fabric that sug- gests entirely bare backs … and more. Fash- ion-forward women are falling hard for these gowns by Inbal Dror, Berta, Zahavit Tshuba, Mira Zwillinger and Flora; long-married Be- yoncé even wore an Inbal Dror wedding dress to the 2016 Grammys. Bride after bride de- scribes finding her dress in language more commonly used for romance novels. “I just knew the second I put it on,” gushed Simona Levithan, a 27-year-old nurse who wore Berta to her April nuptials at the Atrium at Curtis Center. “I knew, ‘This is the one.’ ” Another newlywed, Marisa Awad, 29, said she knew her dress was “the one” when she spied it on the rack at The Wedding Shoppe in Wayne, buying the sample then and there. And Bilon Geiger, a 33-year-old Berta bride who was married in November at the Fair- mount Park Horticulture Center, found her beshert while surfing around Pinterest and never looked back: “I was in love. I was like, ‘Yes, this is the one.’ ” That degree of ardor is what inspired Kathy Hart Bado, a longtime wedding planner with “zero intention of selling dresses, ever,” to spontaneously open a shop … selling Israeli dresses. After being introduced to the Berta line by her daughter, Hart Bado went to a trade show in New York and came back smitten. “They were so gorgeous, so different from anything I’d ever seen,” recalled Hart Bado. “I looked at my sister and said, ‘This is what we A Berta gown have to do.’ ” Two years ago, Hart Bado and her sister and business partner, Stacey Veeraraj, opened The Wedding Factor in Center City, a boutique that carries exclusively Berta gowns — the designer’s only Philadelphia-area outlet. So what is it about these Israeli confections of lace and tulle that inspires the kind of love-at-first-sight, coup de foudre passion usually reserved for … ahem … the groom himself? The same qualities women look for in that groom, according to bridal wear experts: sex appeal, high finance and attractiveness. The new Tel Aviv couture is strikingly sexier than traditional bridal wear: Ethereal lace, sparkling embellishments and appliqués captivate the eye in a way that satin does not. This bespoke detail translates into very costly gowns, with price tags in the high four and five digits. The new Israeli lines “are all really very striking in different ways,” said Carrie Denny Whitcraft, the editor of Philadelphia Wedding magazine, who was married last New Year’s Eve in an Inbal Dror she fell in love with during a photo shoot. “With these designers, every single dress, you’re like, ‘Ooh, look at that sleeve! Ooh, look at that embellishment! Ooh, look at that back!’ ” — a departure, she said, from the usual lineup of refined homogeneity. “The Israeli designers are very, very high-end, very sexy, very couture,” noted Pattie Lamantia, owner of The Wedding Shoppe in Wayne, the only local outlet for both Inbal Dror and Flora. “All- A Bilon Johnson gown nude linings, very sexy low backs. Even when they’re in long sleeves, they’re slit up the thigh.” Which brings up another intriguing element of the Tel Aviv look: These gowns cover a lot of skin, yet reveal the body to a far greater degree than the flowing, romantic looks favored by U.S. designers. Long sleeves are common; so are long skirts, prompting many ob- servers to parse the influence of traditional Jewish modesty. There is more than a little irony inherent in a white wedding dress that covers the elbows yet bares the navel, draping demurely over the ankles yet hugging the derrière. In short, they’re a tease — sometimes literally, as when a line of buttons appears to climb up a bare back that, on closer inspection, is covered by a sheer nude netting. Illusion is essential to the Tel Aviv aesthetic, achieved through diaphanous fabrics and appliquéd flowers and jewels that appear to float alongside the bride. It was a look that intoxicated Allie Wildstein, a 25-year-old social media and marketing manager who chose a Berta gown for her up- coming wedding at The Bellevue. Berta “strikes a balance — even though her dresses are heavily embroidered or embellished, the sil- houettes are clean and fitted so that the dresses are ornate, but still very modern and chic,” Wildstein said. The bride who wears Israeli is knowledgeable about fashion and financially able to make her couture dream a reality, said Denny Carrie Denny Whitcraft in her gown from Inbal Dror See Dress, Page 20 JEWISHEXPONENT.COM SIMCHAS MARCH 31, 2016 19 Simona Levi turned heads in her form-fitting Berta gown. Dress Continued from Page 19 Whitcraft, who is also the author of The Bride’s Instruction Manual: How to Survive and Possibly Even Enjoy the Biggest Day of Your Life. “This bride wants something that’s different,” said Denny Whitcraft, “something that’s not the strapless A-line all her friends wore.” “Different” was the guiding principle for Simona Levithan, whose form-fitting lace Berta dress featured a neckline that snaked down to her navel and a sheer-illusion back whose transparency extended, well, about as far as was legal in public. “I wanted everyone’s jaws to drop,” said Levithan. “Especially my husband’s. I wanted to hear gasps.” (She did.) The person most shocked by Denny Whitcraft’s own dress might actually have been the bride herself. A jaded observer of bridal wear and a fashion sophisticate, Denny Whitcraft had always pictured herself in a fitted lace sheath — until she saw a nude-colored party dress from Inbal Dror’s 2015 line, part of a lineup for the fall-winter magazine spread. “I was just obsessed with it,” recalled the editor. “I shot it for the cover. And as it happened, the next week I got engaged.” Denny Whitcraft headed to The Wedding Shoppe to try the dress on “just for fun,” never thinking she’d go for a poufy tulle skirt — or a gown the color of tea. “Five hundred million layers of tulle, it’s kind of like, not me,” she said with a laugh. “And I knew I wanted to wear a white dress. But then Pattie was like, ‘It comes in ivory… ’” And just like that, the way a cowgirl sometimes falls in love with an investment banker, Denny Whitcraft ordered a poufy white party dress — sight unseen, all the way from Tel Aviv. That kind of gamble — shipping prepaid items from the turmoil- prone Middle East — initially gave Pattie Lamantia pause as well. Like many of her stateside colleagues, Lamantia was wary of working with Tel Aviv couturiers, many of whom demand up-front deposits for the custom-sewn garments. The designers also require an ex- haustive list of custom measurements, “all in centimeters,” said 20 MARCH 31, 2016 Lamantia. “I asked myself, ‘Why am I taking a measurement of her neck and biceps for a strapless dress?’ But they say it gives them a sense of her silhouette.” The process is a departure from American lines, which produce gowns in standard sizes for the bride to alter. Another critical difference: price. “These lines are not in every- body’s budget,” allowed Lamantia diplomatically. Inbal Dror dresses start at about $8,500 and can exceed twice that figure; The Wedding Shoppe added a second Israeli line, Flora, to give brides a more af- fordable alternative, with “simpler sexy” designs retailing for $5,000 to $8,000. The high price tags have not deterred couture-focused brides, Lamantia noted, adding that her gamble has paid off in brisk orders, crowded trunk shows — and brides driving from as far away as Canada to try on the exclusive styles. “Some say it’s not a Main Line look, but don’t kid yourself,” Lamantia said. “It’s amazing the hold that these dresses have over people.” Berta gowns range from $7,500 to $12,000, making them out of reach for “nine out of 10 brides who are interested,” said Hart Bado, who added that sales are nonetheless robust enough to support a thriving business — on just one line. Another Israeli couturier, Mira Zwillinger, is carried exclusively in the Philadelphia area at the Eliz- abeth Johns boutiques in Ardmore and Morristown, N.J.; dresses start at $8,000. Price tags like that are why most local shops don’t carry Israeli lines, according to Abby McGrath, bridal manager at Van Cleve Wedding Pavilion in Paoli. “I’ve looked at some of them, but it’s cost prohibitive,” said McGrath, who said the average dress at her shop sells for $2,000 to $3,000. “For us to invest in a bunch of dresses that are at the top end doesn’t really make sense.” Couture connoisseurs understand that Tel Aviv prices reflect a fas- tidious craftsmanship that simply does not come cheap, according to the experts. “The quality of the construction really stands apart,” said Hart Bado of Israeli bridal wear, noting the degree of labor involved in hand-appliquéing hundreds of tiny rosettes, or crafting a garment to as many as 40 separate measurements. Custom-tailored clothing is more of a tradition in Israel, according to industry experts, whereas the lower cost of American lines reflects our mass-market culture. SIMCHAS JEWISHEXPONENT.COM But retailers of Israeli bridal wear say the cost doesn’t dissuade diehard fashionistas. Caitlin Ohle, director of communications at Elizabeth Johns, said the store started carrying the Mira Zwillinger line last year to give couture-loving brides a high-end option — and customers have opened their wallets gladly. “Brides just love it,” said Ohle of the Zwillinger line, which features a dreamier, more romantic take on the Israeli look. “It’s a showstopper. They fall in love.” If the tulle inspires the passion, Instagram and Pinterest are the sartorial Tinders that match gowns with girls. Retailers and brides alike confirm that social media ignites the spark of bridal interest; phones were ringing off hooks at wedding salons every- where the day after Beyoncé wore her long-sleeved, floor-length Inbal Dror at the Grammys, a look that instantly went viral online. It certainly caught the eye of Marisa Awad, whose social-media browsing had led her to a long-sleeved, intricately detailed gown by the same designer. “I knew I wanted something couture, and I knew I wanted to go the Tel Aviv route,” said Awad, a professional wedding photog- rapher based in Philadelphia. In addition to falling in love with the aesthetic — fuller coverage, she said, looks more interesting in pic- tures — Awad, like other Jewish brides, was pleased that the gowns are made in Israel. As she and her mother browsed fashion from See Dress, Page 22 Name: Gladwyne Pharmacy/KZ Enterprise Width: 3.625" T h e p l e a s u r e o f y o u r c o m p a n y i s r e q u e s t e d t o v i s i t Depth: 4.75" Color: Black plus one The Invitation & Stationery Comment: Simchas/JE Shoppe Of Gladwyne Ad Number: 00065966 Featuring invitations for Bar/Bat Mitzvahs Weddings Bridal Showers Corporate Events Parties — Stationery Calligraphy H o s t e d b y : Lynn Spector & Naomi Zipkin 352 Righters Mill Rd. Gladwyne, Pa 610.649.1100 A Mira Zwillinger gown JEWISHEXPONENT.COM SIMCHAS MARCH 31, 2016 21 A Marisa Awad gown Name: Jewish Relief Agency Width: 3.625" Depth: 4.75" Color: Black plus one Comment: Simchas The Jewish Relief Agency honors the efforts Ad and Number: dedication of 00066051 the B’nai Mitzvah students who, over the past year, did an awesome job helping to deliver food and a smile to more than 3,200 needy families each month. Mazel Tov and thank you all for inviting your friends and family to join in your mitzvah at JRA! April 10, May 1, June 5, & July 10 22 MARCH 31, 2016 Dress Continued from Page 20 Dennis Fleysh Beth Sholom Congregation Julius Murphy Temple Sholom, Broomall Ryan Albuck Beiteinu Tyler Jacobson Congregation Beth Or Olivia Steinberg Temple Adath Israel Jonah Viroslav Main Line Reform Temple Talia Viroslav Main Line Reform Temple Jory Hirshman Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El Alia Hirshman Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El Celia Lourie Congregation Beth El-Ner Tamid Mia Tomeo Kenneseth Israel Aydan Vana Beit Harambam Lily Friedman Tiferet Bet Israel Jason Harmon Beth Am Israel David Harris Beth Tikvah-B'nai Jeshurun Harry Lewis Beth Tikvah-B'nai Jeshurun Bobby Lynam Congregation Beth Or Stephen Edels Temple Adath Israel Oliver Otto Beth Sholom Congregation Sammy Salz Congregation B'nai Abraham Sarah Joseph Temple Sinai, Dresher Joshua Brown Congregation Beth El-Ner Tamid Jason Castello Beth David Reform Congregation Joshua Fontak Beth David Reform Congregation Cobi Goldberg Congregation Beth Or Gabe Miller Brith Shalom, Bethlehem, PA Eli Werbach Har Zion Temple Esther Werbach Har Zion Temple David Dunlop Kol Tzedek Paige Klein Congregation Beth Or SIMCHAS the Jewish state, Awad recalled, “we just kept referencing how much Bubbe would have loved this.” Simona Levithan said her family had a similar reaction. “When I told her it was handmade in Israel, what my Jewish mother said was, ‘OK, we’re sending money to the right place,’ ” Levithan recalled. Other brides are surprised that such dar- ing fashions come from a region better known for covered heads than bared midriffs. Bilon Geiger, whose gown featured a lace-framed bare back and a plunging neckline, had an image of Israeli fashion as somewhat conservative — an impression her family shared, until they all paid a visit to The Wedding Factor. “When I first came out of the dressing room, my sister’s jaw dropped,” Geiger recalled. “She was like, ‘Are you really going to show that much on your wedding day?’ ” Geiger was; she was deeply, truly in love. “I was like, ‘Yes, this is going to be my gown,’ ” said the Philadelphia-bred bride. “And that’s one thing about my wed- ding I feel extremely confident about. I looked amazing.” l JEWISHEXPONENT.COM A BAR MITZVAH PROJECT PUTS ITS BEST FACE FORWARD JASON COHEN | JE STAFF hildren born with facial deformities often face numer- ous sociological and physical challenges throughout life. In an attempt to brighten their lives and really get to know these children, the Craniofacial Program at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) began the Craniofacial Program Portrait Project in 2008, the first of its kind in the United States. Artists at Studio Incamminati, School for Contemporary Realist Art, in partnership with the Craniofacial Program at CHOP and the Edwin and Fannie Gray Hall Center for Human Appearance at the University of Pennsylvania, paint portraits of children and adolescents with cran- iofacial conditions to help them see themselves in a different light. On. Jan. 31, Ethan Sarwer, 13, the son of Dr. David Sarwer, associate dean for research of the College of Public Health at Temple University, who helped start the project, displayed the spirit of chesed and tikkun olam as he held his Bar Mitzvah project at Tiferet Bet Israel in Blue Bell, where he raised money and awareness for the project.   “It really touched me and I thought it would be a really special project to help these individuals,” Ethan said. The first eight portraits were exhibited in 2010 in the Colket Translational Research Building at CHOP, and in November 2013, four additional ones were unveiled, along with a documentary video about the project. Hillary Waller, the program director at TBI, praised Ethan for his efforts and said the shul always encourages young adults to think JEWISHEXPONENT.COM outside the box when it comes to their Bar or Bat Mitzvah projects. “I think Ethan is really an exceptional kid,” Waller said. “We just feel lucky to be able to represent their work at TBI. This is such a special program.” The project was funded by a grant from the Edwin and Fannie Gray Hall Center for Human Appearance at the University of Penn- sylvania. It was developed by Linton Whitaker, founder of the Craniofacial Program, professor of plastic surgery at the University of Pennsyl- vania School of Medicine, and founder and director of the Center for Human Appearance; Scott Bartlett, chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery and director of CHOP’s Craniofacial Program; Canice Crerand, former psychologist with the Division of Plastic and Re- constructive Surgery at CHOP; and Sarwer. Sarwer said their goals were to build on the friendship of Whitak- er and Nelson Shanks, who started the Studio Incamminati School in 2002, and bring the organizations together to help children. “It took a very thoughtful approach to putting it together,” Dr. Sarwer said. He explained there are hundreds of patients with craniofacial deformities, but they needed the kids to understand the project and know the families could commit to it. “We also wanted to make sure we weren’t doing any emotional SIMCHAS See Project, Page 24 MARCH 31, 2016 23 Project Continued from Page 23 harm to them,” Sarwer said. “This was the first time these kids were being looked at in a non-clinical way. We also she noted. She admitted hav- wanted to make sure that we had artists ing a child sit still for long periods of time that captured the spirit of the project. is a challenge, but Avery was a good sport We’re selective in identifying families.” and the two of them bonded. “Many of the families who have par- Avery’s parents, Robert and Molly, ticipated, have found it to be an incredibly were helpful and gave Frey information important experience, not only for the abort Crouzon syndrome, so it was eas- children, but also the family,” he added. ier for her to understand what Avery Sarwer, who only sees the children was going through. once a year, remarked how the kids un- “She was a delightful child,” Frey dergo countless procedures and are of- said. “First of all, whenever anyone sits ten looked at in a negative light. for a portrait, they always come away “Just because someone looks differ- saying that it was much more enjoyable ent on the outside, doesn’t mean they that they thought it would be.” are a fundamentally different person on In addition to Avery, she also painted The paintings seen on these pages are a small the inside,” Sarwer said. a young girl named Gracie. She feels the sampling from the Craniofacial Program Portrait Each of the artists underwent exten- program impacted them both and still Project at CHOP. sive screening before being selected to keeps in touch with both families. participate in the program. They include Alisyn Blake, Joseph “It gives them a feeling of pride in themselves that they haven’t Dolderer, Stephen Early, Robin Dawn Frey, Kerry Dunn, Debbie had before,” she said. Schafer and Leona Shanks. Since it started, 12 children between the ages of 7 and 25 have been Frey, a Studio Incamminati graduate and instructor, painted paired with artists. The portraits, which took six months to a year to Avery Lytle, 15. finish, were completed over multiple sittings, which enabled each pa- “I thought it was a fabulous idea from the start,” Frey exclaimed. tient, artist and the patients’ family to develop a unique relationship. “That’s the kind of thing I like doing, helping others.” Patients were able to choose clothes that expressed themselves and to While she has been painting since she was a child, this was different, pick out the pose that felt most comfortable to them. Each participant Name: The Logan Hotel Width: 7.5" Depth: 4.75" Color: Black Comment: 3/31 Simchas Magazine Ad Number: 00066143 24 MARCH 31, 2016 SIMCHAS JEWISHEXPONENT.COM received a framed print of his or her com- pleted portrait. Lytle, of Pennington, N.J., spoke about his daughter and the project. At 6 months old, Avery was diagnosed with Crouzon syndrome, which causes plates in the skull to fuse prematurely and also affects growth of bones in the mid-face. This results in a sunken mid-face and bulky eyes. Avery has undergone 20 operations, in- cluding a few as an infant, one that removed the back of the skull and several to move the mid-face forward. “Those surgeries made a big difference for my daughter,” he said. Lytle said when he and Molly heard about this project, they knew it was perfect for her. “We thought that it would be a great idea because the doctors are wonderful,” Lytle said. “I think the portrait project was really motivated by the way the doctors began treating the emotional scars.” While Avery was a bit nervous at first, once she got comfortable with Frey, her mind was at ease, he said. Avery and the other kids aren’t popular in school and are often bullied, but for once, are being shown special attention. “[Frey] really made this effort to include Avery in the project,” ISRAEL Name: Tova Gilead, Inc. Width: 3.625" Depth: 4.75" Color: Black plus one MITZVAH BAR-BAT Comment: 3/31 Simchas -1/4pg Ad Number: FAMILY 00066067 TOURS Lytle said. “These kids really become an integral part of the process. “They are really doing God’s work in trying to address the psychological impact that this condition has on the children,” he added. “I wish there was more funding for it. Our family has been lucky to be a part of it.” l Contact: jcohen@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0747 Name: Foodarama Caterers Width: 3.625" Depth: 4.75" Color: Black plus one Comment: JE - Simchas Ad Number: 00066175 Logo designed by ©studio Kalderon Small Groups - Personal Attention Fine Hotels - Unique Itineraries TOVA GILEAD, INC. www.tovagilead.com 1-800-244-TOVA CALL FOR YOUR FREE MENU AND PARTY PLANNING GUIDE It’s not just an airline. It’s Israel. JEWISHEXPONENT.COM SIMCHAS 215-633-7100 888-309-3800 WWW.FOODARAMA.COM MARCH 31, 2016 25 LO VE RACHEL KURLAND | JE STAFF it on and it fit just right, Blair Manus finally A fter said she “yes. slipped ” Yes to the dress, that is. Of course, she also recently tied the knot, but her heart said “yes” a long time ago to her now-husband, Jason. The two are starring in an episode of TLC’s 14th season of Say Yes to the Dress, which aired on March 25, and are featured in a new show joining the network, Say Yes to the Address, which — judging by the name alone — is like a TLC-infused House Hunters. “I’m a huge fan of Say Yes to the Dress and just TLC in general,” Blair said. “I’m always watching TLC in my spare time.” Say Yes to the Dress films women while they embark on one of the most daunting and important tasks: wedding dress shopping. But at Kle- infeld Bridal in Manhattan, they’re not looking for any ordinary dress. These designer gowns — tulle Alita Grahams, lacey, bareback Lazaros, diamond-encrusted Pnina Tornais — are sprawled across the store and generously accompanied by charismatic employees. Blair applied for her dress decision-making to be recorded, and TLC chose to film her first and second fittings, another crucial step in the sometimes-overwhelming process. For her first fitting, Blair’s mother, Nancy, grandmother, Mona, and matron of honor, Marla, tagged along, and her fashion-savvy friend Erica joined for the second round of stitchings. The fitting was the first time her grandmother saw the dress, and Blair said she was pleasantly surprised. 26 MARCH 31, 2016 “Both of them” — her mother and grandmother — “were really nervous. The way I dress is pretty sexy, and I have one of those typical Jewish mothers and typical Jewish grandmothers who’s always like, ‘Can you cover up? Why do your boobs always have to be out?’ ” Blair joked. “But the reactions that I got from everybody that I brought to my fitting was literally, ‘This dress was made for you.’ ” And it really was. Blair chose a Pnina Tornai gown that Israeli de- signer Tornai herself actually customized for her after meeting at Kleinfeld. The silky white fabric forms a tight bodice with subtle lace de- tailing and straps and a sexy see-through button-up back, accom- panied by a modestly bedazzled veil. “My favorite part of the experience was just the attention that you get when you shop at Kleinfeld,” Blair said. “Everybody treats you like it’s the best day of your life. Everybody was very caring as far as how my dress fit, and if it wasn’t perfect, they were actually more of a perfectionist than I was.” Blair, who grew up in Lafayette Hill, and Jason, a Bucks County native, were married on Nov. 21, 2015 at the Sofitel in Center City. The two go way back, but Jason doesn’t exactly remember it that way. In the small Jewish community within Philadelphia, Blair, who at the time was Blair Aaron, said, “everybody knows everybody.” She went to a bar one night — Opa in Center City — and, by the luck of Jewish geography, ran into two friends from summer camp, SIMCHAS JEWISHEXPONENT.COM along with Jason. “I noticed her as soon as she came into the bar,” Jason admitted, “but I would have never said anything, I was too nervous to talk to her.” “She actually approached me,” he recount- ed of their meet-cute. “I had no idea who she was. I’d never seen her a day before in my life. But I kind of just went with it.” But Blair knew him. She remembered see- ing him around town and down the shore for the past decade. “I said, ‘I’ve seen you around for about 10 years, I guess it’s time we finally had a con- versation,’ ” Blair recalled. “Jason claims he’s never seen me a day in his life, but he acted like an Academy Award-winning actor and was like, ‘Yeah, I was thinking the same thing, have a seat.’ And we ended up talking for an hour, and immediately, we both knew that was it for us.” (Surprisingly — maybe Blair forgot this part — Jason said she turned him down the first time.) That was almost four years ago. Maybe she turned him down the first time because she couldn’t believe her prayers had been answered — literally. Three weeks prior, she was driving around town for work and randomly stopped in a cash-for-gold store because she heard the Blair’s happy response to seeing herself in her wedding dress in the Kleinfeld dressing room. owner was an Israeli Jew. Out of curiosity, they struck up a casual conversation. From one Jew to another, the saleswoman asked Blair what she had planned for the up- coming High Holidays. “I said, ‘Just going to my mom’s house for dinner. Typical High Holiday thing,’ ” Blair replied. “She was like, ‘Wait a minute, you’re not going to synagogue?’ And at that time, I really stopped going to synagogue after my Bat Mitzvah.” She wasn’t planning on going, but the woman told her, “If you don’t go to synagogue and hear the shofar being blown, it’s literally like not showing up to your own court date.” Out of Jewish guilt and a fear of bad karma, Blair asked her mother if she could tag along, but of course, the tickets were sold out. So she asked Aunt Estelle, the Jewish ma- triarch of the family, who recommended she go with cousin Patsy to an open synagogue in Rittenhouse Square, Leyv Ha-Ir ~ Heart of the City. “Maybe I’ll find my soul mate if I go,” Blair remembers thinking. “And the whole time I was in there, I was literally praying, ‘I’m ready for my soul mate. Please send me my soul mate. Please. Enough is See TV, Page 28 Name: Hot Foot No 3.625" Matter What The Occasion Width: Depth: 4.75" From Formal To Fun... Color: Black plus one Comment: JE - Simchas Ad Number: 00066255 Name: Declaration of Invitations Width: 3.625" Depth: 4.75" Color: Black plus one Comment: Simchas/JE Ad Number: 00066014 www.declarationofinvitations.com declarit@gmail.com 215-969-9626 HO T -FOO T -BOUTIQUE.SHOPTIQUES.COM In-Store Boutique JEWISHEXPONENT.COM SIMCHAS MARCH 31, 2016 27 TV Continued from Page 27 enough. I’m 30 years old.’ And sure enough, three weeks after that, I met Jason.” Rabbi Julie Greenberg of Leyv Ha-Ir married them, and Blair has attended High Holiday services there every year since. And after the love story comes the reality: Where are we going to live? Which is where TLC’s new soon-to-be fan favorite comes in. The couple worked with realtor Reid Rosenthal through Say Yes to the Address, who helped them narrow their choices down to a house in the ’burbs and a place in Point Breeze before they made their ultimate decision to move into the Belgravia on Chestnut Street. “That whole scenario was just about if we were ready to move into the suburbs and start a family,” Blair said, “or do we want to enjoy being married now and live in the city still, and that’s ultimately what we chose.” Although Jason wasn’t as big a part of the dress shopping — the most he contributed was the 30-second application video clip, with help from the maid of honor, Gianna — he at least had a say in their new condo. “They followed us through our search to buy our condo,” he said. “The whole show was equally with the two of us looking at three different places and picking one.” TLC filmed for three full days. After both experiences, Jason said he misses having the cameras around. Fortunately, some of the cam- era crew joined them at their viewing party of the episodes on March 25 at the Center City nightclub Coda. On their Say Yes to the Dress episode, viewers will also get a Name: The Mens From and Boys Store to Generation Generation Width: 3.625" A Family Tradition Depth: 4.75" For All Occasions Color: Black plus one Comment: Simchas Ad Number: 00066139 glimpse of their wedding day. Blair also admired — nay, obsessed about — the love shared be- tween the big screen’s favorite vampires oozing with affection, Bella and Edward from the Twilight series. In that regard, the theme of their wedding focused on the im- mense love she and Jason had for each other, and she even walked down the aisle to the fourth movie’s hit soundtrack song, “A Thou- sand Years” by local musician Christina Perri. The rest of the wedding followed that “sexy and sophisticated” atmosphere, with pink lighting, white and pale pink roses, and dozens of candles and crystals — nothing too gaudy, but it still sparkled. “I literally couldn’t stop crying from the moment I saw Jason until the end of the night because I was just so overwhelmed with emotion,” Blair remembered. Their chupah was made of Plexiglas, with pink uplighting and orchids draping down, again paralleling the Twilight idea. They really took the movie theme to heart and wanted to surprise their guests with a choreographed number, and nothing says ro- mance like re-enacting Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey’s Dirty Dancing finale. They took lessons, of course, but Jason backed out at the last minute. But after a few wedding cocktails, he gained the confidence to shake it like Swayze — and they nailed it. Of all the celebrations this past year, Blair said they are just for- tunate that they will be able to relive it whenever they want. “To have our wedding and our love and our story documented on TLC,” she continued, “and being able to watch that over and over again — having my mom and grandmom be a part of it, to be able to watch her look at me in my dress for the first time, and having her be so much a part of that with me — knowing that I’ll have that forever is pretty amazing and special.” l Shop Gerie's Girls Name: re, Everywhe t Get It A 3.625" Width: irls Gerie’s G . Depth: For Less 3" Family Owned & Color: Black plus one Operated for Comment: JE - Simchas 35 yrs. 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Good Life THE A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO THE PUBLISHES: MAY 12 ADVERTISING SPACE DEADLINE: APRIL 22 TO ADVERTISE , contact your sales representative or call 215.832.0753 SIMCHAS JEWISHEXPONENT.COM For These Couples, Second Time’s the Charm Alison Haimes married Walter Cook in January. BY HILARY DANAILOVA lison Haimes wore white to her first wedding — and black to her second. Marrying again at age 60, the Man- hattan neuroradiologist tried on a white gown “and felt kind of ridiculous, frankly,” she recalled. “Also, I didn’t feel like I’d be able to wear it again.” So the chic divorcée, who is originally from Philadelphia, wore a black party dress when she married Walter Cook in January. If Haimes’ second wedding gown hardly resembled her first, the rest of the affair looked pretty different, too. The couple’s adult chil- dren held up a family tallis as a chupah; their beaming ex-spouses made toasts to a party of just 70. “And our parents didn’t pay this time around,” added Haimes. Fashion to family to finance, the Haimes-Cook affair typified the myriad ways in which second (or third, or seventh) weddings tend to diverge from those of first-time spouses. Remarrying Jews may opt for a big white wedding — and doing so would hardly scan- dalize in an era of relaxed mores — but they are more likely, ob- servers say, to have an intimate ceremony on the lawn than a grand event in the sanctuary. “Second weddings tend to be more personal,” noted Lisa Marie Chimento, a principal planner at Wayne-based Kaleidoscope Wed- ding Planners. “They’re for the bride and groom, not the parents or the parents’ friends. And the parties are more of an honest good time, not a show you’re putting on to compete.” Contrast that with the typical 20-something wedding, Chimento said, which often fea- tures bachelor and bachelorette parties, bridal showers, and legions of identically dressed attendants — planned largely by Mom, then judged by Facebook. Seasoned brides and grooms have “been there, done that already,” confirmed Rabbi Robert Leib of Old York Road Temple-Beth Am in Abington, who has performed his share of second wed- dings over the decades. “Time and time again, what I’ve come across is the desire to reject formalities — to make it as sweet but simple and inclusive as possible.” A Sweet and simple is how widower Ralph Bloch, 89, describes his wedding to Anita, an 86-year-old widow he met in 2008 through JDate. With a collective 109 years of first-time marriage behind them, the pair was wed last year at Rydal Park, the senior living community in Jenkintown where they now reside. Rabbi Leib performed the Reform ceremony for just 30 guests — the couple’s children, grandchildren and a handful of friends. “We didn’t have videotapes! Of course, we didn’t have videotapes when I got married the first time either,” noted Bloch with a chuckle. But for his initial foray into matrimony, “there were 150 people in a hotel, the whole schmear, cameras and all that nonsense.” Dispensing with all that nonsense, as more than one second- timer put it, is one of the oft-acknowledged pleasures of a second wedding. As Phyllis Jablonowski, the longtime owner of Queen of Hearts Wedding Consultants in Glenside, explained: “The first time around, if the bride’s shade of nail polish doesn’t exactly match the colors on the program, there’s a national meltdown. The second time, you want to walk down the aisle naked? Great. Nobody cares.” Perhaps that’s because there is less pressure to get married to begin with. While 20- and 30-somethings are frequently nudged toward the altar, either by one partner or by parents impatient for grandchildren, society has no particular interest in the formal joining of divorcés — especially those who, like the Blochs, are well past the childbearing years. That dynamic explains the lengthy courtship of couples like Haimes and Cook, who met 15 years ago and lived on separate coasts for much of that time, all the while raising children with friendly ex-spouses. “We didn’t feel that we needed to be married,” reflected Haimes. “And then we turned 60, and there was something about that milestone. We really do feel like a family now, and it just seemed like the right time.” Family often takes on a new emphasis in remarriage — with children, in-laws, grandchildren and remarried ex-spouses all common presences under the chupah. See Second Time, Page 30 JEWISHEXPONENT.COM SIMCHAS MARCH 31, 2016 29 Marla Rosenthol (above and right) entered into her second wedding in 2006. Second Time Continued from Page 29 “What I love about these second weddings is the intimacy,” said Rabbi Leib. “They are quite literally surrounded by their loved ones. There are fewer people, but they’ve all known each other longer.” Smaller gatherings are a matter of custom and taste rather than Jewish ritual, according to Rabbi Yonah Gross of the Orthodox Con- gregation Beth Hamedrosh in Wynnewood. But second weddings do not call for the seven days of halachically mandated celebration, known as the sheva b’racha, that are observed after first-time nuptials, the rabbi noted. “It may be a shorter period if one person has been previously married,” Rabbi Gross explained. “I think it recognizes that it’s more of a subdued moment; it’s not the youthful exuberance of a wedding the first time around.” Subdued or exuberant, second weddings often celebrate tri- umph over the kinds of challenges most 20-somethings never consider. When Marla Rosenthol married five years after surviving breast cancer — a diagnosis she received three months into her relationship with Leonard, a computer scientist — “we had a lot to celebrate,” said the Huntingdon Valley mother of three, now 53. The couple, who met as divorced parents in 2001, were also formalizing what Rosenthol calls a “mixed marriage,” a thoughtfully negotiated lifestyle that combined her Reform values and his Orthodox practice. Their 2006 wedding, at which both Rabbi Leib Rabbi Menachem Schmidt of Lubavitch of Philadelphia participated in the ceremony, in- 30 MARCH 31, 2016 cluded an English-language ketubah reading, separate-sex dancing and a host of traditional Jewish rituals for which Rosenthol has new- found appreciation. “We were celebrating what we got from each oth- er,” she explained. “He got a more balanced life from me, and I got more Yiddishkeit, more deeper meaning about our religion from him.” When Robin Gabel marries Dr. Gary Gilman this spring, it’ll be enough to finally get each other. The Gulph Mills couple in their 50s, who met on JDate nine years ago, endured lengthy, complicated divorces — both Jewish and civil — and now want to wed as quickly as possible. So Rabbi Eric Yanoff will officiate for about 15 guests at Congregation Adath Israel in Merion Station; a larger crowd will gather for a reception in November. “There’s a lot of joy in this, because we’ve waited so long,” said Gabel, who works in biotech sales. “And we went through an awful lot to get here.” No pun intended: A Jewish divorce, called a get, is required for remarriage in the Conservative and Orthodox movements and can be particularly fraught for a woman, who, SIMCHAS JEWISHEXPONENT.COM under Jewish law, requires her husband’s con- sent to divorce. Gabel is on excellent terms with her ex and had noth- ing but praise for Rabbi Yanoff ’s guidance. But the divorce experi- ence, she explained, made her uncomfortably aware of the struggle of many less-fortunate Jewish women to obtain a freedom that is automatically granted to men. “It was more involved than I thought,” said Gabel, recalling a hectic gathering of witness rabbis to finalize the get — and their raised eyebrows when her fiancé and her freshly divorced ex-husband hugged warmly in the corridor. While Reform rabbis take a lenient stance toward the get, Jewish divorce is “a cornerstone” for the Conservative movement, said Rabbi Yanoff. “We want to make sure that people are either clearly married or clearly not married according to Jewish law,” he explained. “We don’t want any questions about it. We believe this is helping people.” The Jewish teaching on love – “ahava” in Hebrew — is in fact based on treaty language, said Rabbi Yanoff, noting that marriage is “a deep, loyal, legal commitment.” In addition to second-time legal considerations, there are sar- torial ones as well. While few brides today feel bound by con- ventional dictates, said Jablonowski, many still opt for the tra- ditional ivory rather than white. Alice Bloch wore sugar-pink lace; Robin Gabel, who felt white “just didn’t seem to be appro- priate,” will don a champagne-hued dress with a blue jeweled sash for her April nuptials. More modest, less explicitly bridal attire may reflect a desire to be practical above all, noted Chimento. With college bills and retirement looming, “they don’t want to spend a lot of money,” said the wedding Boutique Created Especially for Girls Name: Party Girls/L&W The Enterprises Sizes 7-14, Preteen & Junior Width: 3.625" Depth: 3" Color: Black plus one Comment: JE - Simchas Ad Number: 00065897 Trunk Shows Coming in June C. W. Designs planner. “Also, they remember how uncomfort- able their gorgeous dress was the first time around.” Nothing is more comfortable than a sundress — the attire of choice for an increasing number of second-time brides who choose a destination wedding. Getting hitched on a far-away beach or a cruise ship “gets around the guest-list issue, there are plenty of things to do for the kids, and it’s totally different in feel from the first time around,” explained Jablonowski. She added that those who marry far away will often host a casual celebration back home, allowing a larger crowd to celebrate without the expense or gift expectations of a formal wedding. And what exactly are those expectations? Gifts are a sensitive topic, given how lavishly some may have fêted the bride or groom the first time around — and how irrelevant service for 12 may be to the typical midlife couple. These factors explain why gift registries are uncommon for second-timers, with any wish list more likely to include Tahiti than tableware. To relieve guests of obligation, some couples ask guests for a char- itable contribution in lieu of presents; others specify “no gifts” on the invitation, as Haimes and Cook did. Liberated from the registry, many of their well-wishers gave the kinds of treats first-timers could only wish for, Haimes reported: high-quality alcohol, gift certificates for dinners on the European honeymoon, spa getaways. “Truly, second weddings are much more open,” said Jablonowski. “The first time, everyone had a million opinions — you have to have this band, that centerpiece, wear this kind of dress. But the second time, everyone is just genuinely happy for your happiness. Second weddings are a very freeing place to be.” l Name: Cong. Tiferet Bet Israel Width: 3.625" Depth: 4.75" Color: Black Comment: SS-SIMCHAS Ad Number: 00066269 Gowns, Dresses & Suits for your Special Occasion. Appropriate Bimah Attire Sondra Celli Couture Custom Designed Gowns, Dresses & Suits Great Selection of Prom Gowns 215-579-9899 ll 8; Sat. 10 – 5; Sun. 12 – 5 4 Cambridge Lane, Newtown, Pa. 18940 www.partygirlsnewtown.com Search Party Girls Newtown Name: filler Width: 3.625" Depth: 1.5" Color: Black Comment: - Ad Number: - JEWISHEXPONENT.COM FOLLOW THE JEWISH EXPONENT AND NEVER MISS A STORY. #JEWISHINPHILLY facebook.com/jewishexponent twitter.com/jewishexponent SIMCHAS MARCH 31, 2016 31 Breaking THE Rules OF Engagement o say I I think comedian/actor Aziz Ansari RACHEL KURLAND | JE STAFF see a new says it best in his standup — hear me out, engagement, it’s really good — when he mocks how some marriage or people are willing to commit to another for the baby announce- rest of their lives after knowing them for only a few ment in my Facebook news feed months. almost every day is, amazingly enough, I honestly watch this standup special all the time because not hyperbole. not only is it hysterical and easily accessible from my current I asked a friend about this, and by the time she responded to my boyfriend — he doesn’t want me to use his real name, but it kinda message, I had already scrolled through two new postings — one rhymes with “pet flicks” — but I truly believe in the meaning behind for a new baby bump, the other displaying a diamond ring. Ansari’s jokes. I’m only 23 years old, but a fairly large majority of people I knew Even in the Jewish realm, dating and weddings come and go in in high school and college are already engaged or married — and a flash. This is more traditional, especially when it comes to Ortho- they did it fast. dox dating/courting, but scary fast nonetheless. And they did it contra established trendlines. Across the country, For most of my young life, as I’m sure many other young Jewish the median age of men marrying is 29.2; for women, it is 27.1, ac- men and women can attest to, I have been the recipient of endless cording to the United States Census Bureau — those numbers are guilt — subliminal and otherwise — by my mother to marry a nice the highest ever reported. Jewish boy (i.e. doctor) and also eventually put her in a nice retire- Maybe it’s a Southern thing, maybe it’s based on religions and ment home (irrelevant for this particular story but relevant to push traditions, or maybe the Florida heat just got to everybody’s heads the point of Jewish guilt). one summer, but I think I missed the boat with this current craze. This doesn’t sound like a bad life to me, but what’s the rush? Is it A lot of these engagements occurred over relatively short pe- really important to embed this idea into the psyche of a 6-year-old? riods of time — after several months of dating — or roughly the Now this isn’t a dig at my mom — mostly because she’ll be reading same span it took to make up my mind about a cardigan I bought this — but more of a question directed at Jewish society. last year. According to the oft-cited 2013 survey from Pew Research Center, I am currently single — happily and by choice, I might add — A Portrait of Jewish Americans, 44 percent of married Jews who were but should I be in more similar situations as my peers? surveyed — and 58 percent of those who have married since 2005 T 32 MARCH 31, 2016 SIMCHAS JEWISHEXPONENT.COM — said they have a non- But honestly, I think my Jewish spouse. negative view comes from a I’ve dated my fair share fear of the unknown. Will I of non-Jews, but I do be- get married? Will I be suc- lieve in “marrying Jewish” cessful? Will GrubHub ever for the purposes of deliver my food on time? strengthening and contin- All impossible questions to uing Judaism for future answer right now. generations. (Also, you can’t In my core group of five beat an NJB.) friends, none of us are mar- But is my success only ried, or even in relation- determined by finding this ships at the moment. That’s nice Jewish doctor? I’ve probably why we get along joked a lot about Jewish so well. We’re jet-setters dating before, but mostly who like to explore and live with my personal, precon- life — whatever that may ceived notion that I truly mean — and don’t want the don’t need a significant idea of marriage or com- other to be happy or suc- mitment to hold us back cessful. Sure, it’d be nice from our current dreams or one day, but on a day when life goals. I think my negative view of marriage comes from I’m old enough and ready So why is there so a fear of the unknown. Will I get married? Will I be and able to understand how much pressure to get mar- successful? Will GrubHub ever deliver my food on to do my own taxes. ried in a time when the di- I don’t want to sound vorce rate has peaked in time? All impossible questions to answer right now. pessimistic. I still love recent years? weddings. Is my success only I follow wedding dress designers on Instagram. I love flipping measured by finding another successful person to promise to put through friends’ wedding pictures and seeing how happy and pretty the toilet seat down and watch Gilmore Girls reruns with me for the everyone looks. I’ve probably seen every episode of Say Yes to the rest of my life? Dress, and I even got to brush by a Pnina Tornai gown when I bom- Compared to a few other 23-year-olds I know, I think I’m doing barded the Kleinfeld Bridal store in New York City last year with pretty well. I have a new job, an apartment, tons of insurance pa- friends (yes, this actually happened, and no, I didn’t meet Randy). perwork that I was able to fill out by myself (which I consider a per- Marriage is a beautiful thing — for those who can commit to it. sonal goal, of course with help from Dad), an active Dunkin’ Donuts I don’t know where my negative view of marriage came from. membership card and my own Netflix account — just kidding, I’ll My parents have been together for 39 years and both sets of grand- mooch off of that until the day I die. parents for 56 and 62 years, respectively. No one else in my imme- But I’ve gained even more independence than I thought possible diate family has been divorced. in recent months, so why do I need a spouse to validate the status To those who got married right out of high school or college, I of that success? truly wish them happiness and hope it works for them. But the sta- Do I want to be married one day? Sure. Is it necessary? Only for tistics don’t lie: According to the Centers for Disease Control and tax purposes. l Prevention, of the more than 2 million people married in 2014, more Contact: rkurland@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0737 than 800,000 got divorced. 8 SHEVAT Name: FILLER Width: 3.625" Depth: 3" Color: Black Comment: - Ad Number: - PAGE 18 JEW ISHE — WHAT OF NO TE JUDAI GLOBA SM L Wha Headlin t The e y Did Sum Headlin mer e Vac on ation Hea root The dlin s e music can of Reform copy in Jewish be found copy camps. EMS A new play approaches at Bristol River side Thea the impo tre rtance of langu age. 5776 IT MEAN S TO BE JEWISH For Ne Nonprofi w National the Key t, Holtz to More Engagem ent MARISS A STERN IN PHILA DELPH XPO NEN T.CO M IA — $1.00 | JE STAFF AMY HOLT As the Z IS all about collab formed Israel newly named CEO oration. 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Page in Lower Merion for Torah Phila years and belon Page 00 goes to all delphia — thoug gs to Aish Ha- of the synag h she said ored” Volume she ogues when 238 000 ganization, the search comm — was “hon- MELISSA APTER | JE STAFF Number 44 0 phia, appro which will be based ittee for the or- Published LESS ached her. in Philad Weekly A self-p el- Hamp THAN THRILLED Though Since 1887 Rockenmac shire Jewish is how some she could roclaimed worka isons to her draws n’t be a part ings voters Demo holic, New towar describe cratic hopef she said compar- she is excite Sande d the of a better ul Sen. d project and ing for votes presidential candi their feel- childr rs (I-Vt.) — they The Israel- to get started. in the Gran dates vy- en of both grew Bernie the lacklu Diasp ite focus on ster — he’s disapp immigrants in up the next ora Initiative will didates, the enthusiasm for State. Despite Brooklyn, the generation mainl scribed demo ointed that neithe N.Y. of Jews formi y their duty Jews of New Hamp this year’s can- r the self-d cratic social retary of and shire will ng e- ist nor State “I’ve been head to the polls do up about Israel Hillary Clinton former Sec- See Holtz Sol Rocke a lifelong Demo on Feb. 9. have spoke , Page nmacher crat,” said 14 electio “We have . n of Bedfo Dr. three n both my wife and rd, “[but] this grandchildren and married daughters I are undec and our bigges lared.” t concern five is na- Nam Page copy 4 . Color Voters Granite State Unimpr essed e: Floo Width: 5.38 rs USA* A N N U A L Depth: 1.23 9" Color: Blac 1" Commen k plus one S A L E S E V E N T t: Jewish 36 MONTH INTER Expo HURRY nent EST FREE FINAN See New Winter Cle Hampshire, Page Name: Henning's Market Width: 3.625" Depth: 3" Henning’s Custom Catering Color: Black Comment: hennings Perfect For All Functions • From Private to Corporate Ad Number: 00064890 • All Inclusive Meals • All Food Cooked on Premises by our In-house Chefs • Set Up & Service Available • Meeting & Party Room Up to 60 Guests 15 arance *see store for details QUANTI IN SALE TIES LIMITED ENDS TO STOCK CING * SOON! ON HAND! 555 S. Hend erson Road King of Prussia, PA 610.757. www.floorsu 4000 sa.com 9 YEARS IN A ROW! THE BEST OF THE Your Caterer For... 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CHARITABLE/SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS Jewish Relief Agency.................................................................22 ENTERTAINMENT Mark Sobel ......................................................................................35 The Fabulous Shpielkes ............................................................35 EVENT PLANNING Exceptional Events .....................................................................35 FASHIONS Elizabeth Johns...............................................................................6 Gabrielle..............................................................................................9 Gerie’s Girls.....................................................................................28 Hot Foot Shoes.............................................................................27 Jan’s Boutique .................................................................................7 Joan Abrams’ Ladies Boutique ...........................................................................................14 Party Girls .........................................................................................31 RDM.....................................................................................................14 The Mens and Boys Store........................................................28 ONE BOOK, MANY EYES 16 SHALOM 20 26, 2016 / TEVET JANUARY 7, g event kicks l Jewish readin e. The area’s annua Gratz Colleg off Jan. 10 at PAGE 20 5776 JEW ISHE XPO IN PHILADELP BE JEWISH MEANS TO — WHAT IT OF NOTE LOCAL GLOBAL HEALTH & BEAUTY SERVICES Kids Kuts..........................................................................................35 Green No Kelly Headline in Philly Mor Head e line coach is fired Head Eagles line by copy Jeffrey Lurie . after copy three years copy 6 . Page NEN T.CO M HIA — $1.00 Jews for Judaism East Closes After es 32 Years, Cit st Lack of Intere MELISSA GERR | JE FEATURE m East, — JEWS for Judais BALTIMORE of the national organiza- ng Jews the regional arm s proselytizers targeti then and tion that thwart and works to streng education for conversion h IDF Young identity throug Friends of the sident of the last month preserve Jewish who is now co-pre closed its doors Lone Soldier and counseling, ro is a former rn New Jersey. 32 years. rt as the ▲ Jared Ben-Ca lvania and Southe after suppo ial the financ ship for Pennsy swor Citing dwindling tive director Ruth Leader copy n in as r. execu mayo primary cause, that the board came to the city’s copy 99th Guggenheim said er and planned for a Dec. copy 8 . Page liquidating decision in Octob organization is Page 00 this ate 31 closure. The NATIONAL materials at a sale ry, as well as mand all of its educational gue outside Baltimore. to enter the count to protect themselves. FOOD You in the how See t. weekend at a synago that she and others teaching people COHEN | JE STAFF  Jared Ben-Caro (Sg s? Guggenheim added start up Hatshuva, a JASON Head y line Page Funn Former lone soldier 2006 at 21. He served Bernardi- hope to cre- board the made aliyah in City” line on e of the recent San n but with a Lead Des- Head For “Edg a similar missio Messianic IN THE WAKE and the seizure of a gov- Res) IDF from 2007 to 2009 as a Anti- er is resource with the in said, Lead answ attack she ist , the and , armed terror where ators by an copy d Marksman in Para- are fiercely no focus on Israel, ng in Oregon elical Christians Defense ernment buildi the United ignate Personnel Missile Specialist er evang now wheth copy “No.” and of Jews , the question rs in the Israel ism on Tank/ 890. targeting lone soldie n immigrant community militia is prepared to combat terror cy that trooper Battalion part of the 6310 Spe- copy 10 . Page States with an urgen Ben-Caro is now Jerusa lem Briga de Forces, the Russia Page 00 soil is being asked the days and months s Reser ves, the IDF and young Jews. East, which opened as the its seen since r cial Force the Friends of 238 es- hasn’t been ding to two forme At its peak, JFJ ia and Volume 000 co-president of ing 9/11. Accor from the Los Angel for Penns ylvan and a New and first satellite office l organization in 1983, follow Defense Forces soldiers “No.” In Young Leade rship Number 0 41 is Israel 1887 r ationa d, Since answe intern y funde Page 16 based Published Weekl ased activist, the yees and was well adopt Is- See Terrorism, had seven emplo the mid-2000s, when Jews York-b estimation, the U.S. needs to e trying their of vetting anyon especially during rael’s strict policy Page 00 LOCAL & CULTURE New Year, line or Head May New Kenney is Head James line LIFESTYLE INVESTMENTS Development Corporation for Israel ...........................................................................................12 INVITATIONS Declaration of Invitations.........................................................27 Gladwyne Pharmacy ...................................................................21 Irma Brookstein ............................................................................35 eli Approach Taking an Isra Security to American See JFJ, Page 17 Levine & Sons Name: Joseph Width: 5.389" Depth: 1.231" one plus k Blac Color: Strip-P.1 - Front Cover Comment: JE PHOTOGRAPHER Classic Photo and Video ..........................................................35 RABBIS Rabbi Rayzel Raphael................................................................35 TOURS & TRAVEL Tova Gilead, Inc.............................................................................25 VENUES Dave & Buster’s ...............................................................................4 Hard Rock Cafe .............................................................................10 Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue....................................................................................C2 Philmont Country Club................................................................11 Sheraton Valley Forge...................................................................1 Sugar House Casino......................................................................5 The Logan Hotel...........................................................................24 Tiferet Bet Israel ............................................................................31 Top of the Tower .........................................................................C4 World Cafe Live .............................................................................15 34 MARCH 31, 2016 AND ... we add content online everyday! 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