Tammy Eckstein

Rabbi Avraham Moshe Kahana was born in Jerusalem, Israel, during the British Mandate. He was scion to prestigious, community-oriented families, and from a young age, his teachers predicted a great future for him.  Rabbi Kahana came to America with his mother and sisters in 1949, joining his father who preceded them to  Detroit, Michigan.

Education and Career Path

Rabbi Kahana studied at Yeshiva Torah Vodaath in New York.  The yeshiva’s founder Rabbi Shraga Feivel Mendlowitz, encouraged his students to  educate American-born Jewish children and stem the tide of assimilation.  Rabbi Kahana and his close friend, Rabbi Joshua Bakst (who later became principal of Ramaz), heeded the call.  With his loyal eishet hayil at his side, Rabbi Kahana began with the 6th grade at Yeshiva Rabbi Moses Soloveitchik in Washington Heights.

Rabbi Kahana’s career path took him to Westchester Hebrew Day School, White Plains Hebrew High School, Yeshiva Dov Revel, and the Max and Dorothy Cohen High School.  In the early 1970s, Rabbi Kahana became the principal at the prestigious Yeshiva of Flatbush Elementary School, serving until June, 1979.  In a school that eventually had over 1,200 students, Rabbi Kahana not only knew each student’s name, he knew how they were faring at home and academically.  One former student, now an orthopedist, told the family, “Every year I aced the IQ test that was administered to me – yet I was a failing student.  Rabbi Kahana would walk the halls with me, his arms around my shoulders, telling me how smart I was and that I not only could, but WOULD succeed. ‘But Rabbi,’ I would say, ‘I only got a 47 on my test!’  ‘Yes,’ Rabbi Kahana answered, ‘but last week you got a 40.  You are improving!’  It was this faith that stood by me through my MCATS, Medical Boards, and to this day whenever I encounter a difficult case.”

A Delicate Balance of Leadership with Fatherly Love

Rabbi Kahana understood his students.  He treated them as his own children. He loved them fiercely, pushing them to fulfill the potential they didn’t believe they had, yet never hesitating to be strict when necessary.   For example, whenever Rabbi Kahana needed quiet in the auditorium, he would slowly say into the microphone – one… two… three.  There would be total silence.  Woe to the student who was still talking by the count of three.  Eventually, Rabbi Kahana would simply stand before the students for a moment or two, and then call out “three” into the microphone!  And it worked!  Rabbi Kahana would march together with his students on Solidarity Sunday and at the Salute to Israel Parade every year, reinvigorating his students and keeping the momentum as their energy waned.

Although he was a principal of such a large school, teaching was his first love. He always taught at least one class a week.  He often walked into classrooms and quizzed the students on what they were learning. Chocolates and shiny pennies were much sought-after treats that he dispensed to his beloved students. Many students said, “Rabbi Kahana never went to students’ bar mitzvahs because then he would have to attend all of them – but he attended mine.”

In 1979, Rabbi Kahana left Yeshiva of Flatbush and took a break from the field of education.  He worked at Hirsch Wolf &Co., yet he remained in close contact with his many friends in the community, calling them before Shabbat and holidays.  After a five-year hiatus, Mr. Ronnie Tawil and Mr. Joe Esses called Rabbi Kahana back to his true calling, and he agreed to become the principal of a new high school they were establishing, the Magen David Yeshiva High School.  From its humble beginnings on 82nd Street in Bensonhurst until they moved into their current beautiful building on Bay Parkway, Rabbi Kahana nurtured yet another generation of students.  How many of us remember the huge ground-breaking ceremony!  The joyous move to the new (present-day) building, marching through the streets of Bensonhurst with the sifrei Torah?

The Kahana family thanks the many community members  who reached out to us during the short shiva.  We would love (and appreciate) hearing from anyone who wants to share their memories. Please contact me at: zaidykahana@gmail.co.

Tammy Eckstein is the daughter of Rabbi Kahana, a”h.

A.D. Cohen

Sito’s skillful hands nimbly crinkle the sambusak closed. She smiles at her granddaughter’s attempts and closes her wizened hands over the child’s young fingers and begins to show her yet again the art of the sambusak’s intricate pattern. Our traditional food is interwoven in an exquisite tapestry of family and pride. We offer here the fascinating roots and geneses of the Syrian traditional fare so that the next time you eye a lehembagine on the Shabbat table, or dip a kaak into a steaming cup of coffee, you will appreciate our Syrian delicacies that much more! 

Diffusion of Cultures

Syrian cuisine is a diffusion of numerous cultures of societies that settled in Syria, particularly during and after the Islamic era, beginning with the Arab Umayyad conquest (711-788) and subsequent Persian-influenced Abbasid Caliphate (750-1258), and ending with the strong impact of Turkish cuisine stemming from the Ottoman Empire (1299–1923).

Differences naturally arose between the dishes of the Sephardic Jews who settled in Syria and those who settled in other parts of the world. For instance, cumin, cinnamon, and allspice are the Syrians’ preferred spices, while Tunisians are partial to “harissa,” a zesty hot spice. Saffron, the crimson threads from the stigmas of a flowering crocus, is the choice spice of Persians and Moroccans. Moroccans simmer their tagines (stews) with olives and whole preserved lemons, whereas the Syrians rely heavily on a sweet-sour extract distilled from tamarinds, and Persians add pomegranate juice to their sauces. Greek and Turkish bakers soak their pastries in honey; Syrians pour a more delicate rose water or orange-blossom syrup over their sweets.

Influences and Impact

Syrian food is not actually “Jewish” food, says Mrs. Poopa Dweck, author of Aromas of Aleppo.

“Syrian food is authentic Arabic food. Upon publishing Aromas of Aleppo, the Moslem Arab community heavily praised the cookbook, relaying that all the recipes therein are perfectly authentically Syrian-Arabic.” Poopa shares an interesting meeting with the Ambassador of Syria, who told her that his mother, who lives in Syria, said that every single recipe in Aromas of Aleppo is exactly how they cook it!

Mrs. Jennifer Abadi, author of Fistful of Lentils, further explains the Syrian-Arabic influence on Jewish cooking. “The influence can be seen in the use of grains, legumes, vegetables and dried fruit commonly available to Jews in the markets of Aleppo and Damascus in dishes such as burghol m’jedrah (crushed wheat with lentils) and dja’jeh mish mosh (chicken with apricots).”

Interestingly, another influence on our traditional fare comes from Spanish Jews, the original Sepharadim, who brought the Latin-style cuisine with them to Syria. “Examples of this include the savory meat pie known as bastel to Syrians and bastiyeh to Moroccans, which can be traced to the pastelles that were prepared in Spain centuries ago,” Jennifer explains. “In Spain and Morocco, this meat pie is made with fila dough; the Syrian-Jewish version is daintier, almost bite-size, and made of pastry dough. Another Syrian-Jewish dish with Spanish roots is kalsonnes b’rishtah, cheese-filled pasta similar to the Italian tortellini.”

Although Syrian cuisine is very much a byproduct of our life in Halab and the Arabs amongst whom we lived, one obvious difference between our and ordinary Syrian-Arabic food is our kashrut guidelines.

“The only difference between the Syrian Jewish and non-Jewish food is our kashrut laws,” says Poopa. ”We don’t mix meat and milk and we slaughter our animals according to halachah. But it isn’t Jewish Syrian food; it’s Arab food with the modification of the laws of kashrut.”

Jennifer shares another Torah influence on Syrian food. “In addition to kashrut, we have the laws of Shabbat which forbid cooking, or lighting any fires, such as those in an oven. Syrian Jews, like Jews in other parts of the world, solved this problem by developing regional dishes that could simmer over a low flame for many hours at a time. In this manner, the housewife could prepare and begin cooking the food before Shabbat and keep it warm until it was time to eat in the evening. Sometimes, the women would bring pots of food to their Arab neighbors, who would cook it for them or keep it hot until it was needed for the Shabbat meal. The lunch meal on Shabbat could also be served warm, and the flavor of these foods improved with time and additional heating.”

Getting with the Times

“Out with the old, in with the new” is an oft-repeated adage that depicts the gradual process of modernization, and the preference for newfangled traditions over those of the past. Has this happened to our cherished culinary tradition? Is the “modernization bug” threatening  our long-established fare?

“I would say that overall, the Syrian Jews have started to cook food that is not traditionally Syrian, but uses Syrian/Middle Eastern spices for flavor such as cumin, cinnamon, and allspice,” says Jennifer. “Also, in general, our generation is much more health-conscious than our grandparents and great-grandparents had been, so we have cut out a lot of the meat except for special occasions, and make dishes lower in fat, or more vegetarian options. My mother makes a kusa b’jibbin using low fat cheeses and egg whites, which is much lighter and still tastes great, topped with a low fat yogurt for the lebneh.”

Poopa agrees that we have become more health conscious in certain ways, but adds that our traditional fare is healthy to begin with. “We have modernized our food by using less sugar, and a lot of people are replacing natural butter with a healthier substitute, but my point of view is that Syrian food has always been authentically healthy. We have always cooked with vegetables, grains and pure olive oil. The same food that was made hundreds of years ago is still the same healthy food that we are eating now. It isn’t that we modernized the food, but that we now realize and appreciate how ahead of the time our food really is.”

Fine Dining

If the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, then surely the way to a woman’s heart is through her eyes. “To Syrians in general, especially from Halab, how the food was served is just as important as how it tastes,” explains Jennifer. “It should be as attractive to the eye as it is to the stomach, and there should always be a variety of dishes served with different colors, textures, and flavors. Syria was one of the most sophisticated lands in the Middle Eastern world, and was influenced by the greater Ottoman Empire, where the Sultans took great pride in having the best of foods by the best of cooks.”

Poopa concurs, and further elucidates the pride of the Syrian women. “Halab was known as the queen of the mechshis! If you were to ask the Middle Eastern countries where the best food comes from, they would unequivocally answer Halab! Halab was the gem of the Ottoman Empire.”

Why were the highest culinary standards found specifically in Halab?

Poopa explains that geographically, Aleppo was situated in the heart of the Middle East, and its residents thus had access to all the market’s spices and the caravans selling their exotic wares. Furthermore, Aleppo was part of the Fertile Crescent and was a wealthy, sophisticated commercial center. The Sultans of the Ottoman Empire would thus hire the top chefs from Aleppo to cook for them.

Poopa points out that particularly on Shabbat and holidays, Jewish women took special pride not only in the taste and quality of the food, but also in the serving and dining. “We understood the significance and elevation of the holidays and Shabbat,” she says. “We appreciated this elevation and served the meals much nicer!”

Origin of Sambusak

The name sambusak originates from the Indian food samosa, a fried or baked pastry with a flavorful filling. Interestingly, sambusak has been enjoyed for over 1,000 years in the Middle East. The following poem was recorded in 947 A.D. in a historical work entitled Meadows of Gold, by Mas’udi, one of the first Arab historians. The poem’s focus? Sambusak!

“…And when the burning flames have dried it quite,
Then, as thou wilt, in pastry wrap it round,
And fasten well the edges, firm and sound;
Or, if it please thee better, take some dough,
Conveniently soft, and rubbed just so,
Then with a rolling-pin let it be spread
And with the nails its edges docketed.
Pour in the frying-pan the choicest oil
And in that liquor let it finely broil…”

Renaissance and Rebirth

“The previous generation took tremendous pride in preparing Syrian cuisine, and everything was made from scratch,” says Poopa. “Then, for a few decades, Syrian women turned to an easier form of Syrian cooking.” Among all the generations of Syrian women who worked tirelessly making their own dough, filling their own kibbe hamda and such, there were only a small handful of women who opted for ease.

“Now I see a resurgence of preserving and getting back to the basis of our traditional cooking and the pride in serving,” Poopa enthuses. “People excitedly tell me that they had just made kaak and kibbeh. This is one of the reasons why I wrote Aromas of Aleppo – because I didn’t want to lose that excitement and pride. And I knew that through a greater understanding of our culture and traditions, there would be a returning to the roots, and, baruch Hashem, that happened!”

Jennifer opines that many Syrian women are working these days and don’t have time to cook as their mothers did. “But all Syrian women appreciate when Syrian food tastes good and is well prepared,” she says. “Especially during the holidays, Syrian women cook and serve more elaborate dishes.”

Families are going back to the basics and finding the joys of Syrian cuisine that was so much a part of their ancestors’ lives. “We’ve always cooked,” declares Poopa. “it’s the trend that never ends!”

Mrs. Poopa Dweck can be contacted through her website www.poopadweck.com or via email poopa@poopadweck.com. Mrs. Jennifer Abadi can be contacted through her website www.fistfuloflentils.com. Some of the historical information provided in this article is derived from Jennifer’s cookbook “Fistful of Lentils.”

The Etymology

Here is the fascinating etymology of the names of some other common Syrian foods, translated from their Arabic names:

Lehembagene – “meat on the dough.”

Kibbeh – “ball,” referring to the mazza’s oblong shape.

Kanafe – “shredded dough,” referring to the pastry’s texture and appearance.

Kaak – “cookie.”

Ma’amoul – “filled.” A nut filled cookie, this is the anticipated dessert served on Purim. A similar cookie, called karabij, is topped with marshmallow fluff, and is also a made as a Purim delicacy.

“People stepped up to the plate in the most amazing ways. Collectively, all hats – white, black – were thrown in the garbage and we united as one.”   – Rabbi David Ozeri

“…it was also be remembered as a time of unparalleled unity, a time when our community showed what makes it so unique, when we all banded together even under quarantine to help each other…”

Our Community’s response to the Covid-19 crisis will inspire many future generations, teaching them what being a Community is all about

Mozelle Forman

Eventually, please Gd, this is going to an end.

We do not know when or how, but we can be confident that sooner or later, the chaos and upheaval wrought by the coronavirus pandemic will be over, and life will, slowly but surely, return to normalcy.

What will we remember?  Will we remember “shelter in place,” or that we had shelter?  Will the feelings of fear, helplessness, despair, and grief pervade our memories, or will we recall the courage, selflessness, and generosity displayed by so many of our community members?  Will we recall the ever-changing news flooding our inboxes that kept us on an emotional rollercoaster, or the sentimental stories of those who reached out and helped?

Our community’s extraordinary, heroic efforts over the past two months have all but guaranteed that this unprecedented period  will be remembered as a time of strength, unity, and hope, and its memory will serve as an everlasting source of pride and inspiration for our community and for the Jewish world.

Closeness in a Time of Social Distancing

In a few short weeks, from when we first heard about the coronavirus in China in January, believing it was a foreign issue, until right after Purim, when over a dozen community members tested positive, we were thrust into a surreal existence, our thoughts vacillating between “this can’t be happening” to “what do we do now?”

While government officials were trying to devise a strategy for combatting this virus and issuing guidelines about “social distancing,” our community leaders arranged an emergency meeting to discuss the steps necessary to adhere to these guidelines. Excruciating decisions about our way of life had to be made. “Social distancing” eliminates virtually every aspect of communal life – prayer services, schools, yeshivot, adult education, youth programming, semahot, and social events. But after meeting with doctors, the difficult decision was made to close shuls and yeshivot, and to advise the community to stay at home. Rabbis, educators, and community leaders now to had to advise the community and institute provisions for the “new normal.”

Confined to our homes, separated from those we love, and exiled from our shuls and yeshivot, we could have fallen into despair. But through the ingenuity and fortitude of our rabbinic and lay leaders, instead of becoming disconnected from our Torah and our community, we remained as connected as ever, and inspired like never before.

Literally overnight, two new websites, TcLive.org and Communityhizuk.com, were created. Our rabbis and teachers filled our homes, virtually, with knowledge, wisdom, and inspiration.  The  Tclive.org website offered a virtual buffet of Torah learning with daily livestream Daf Yomi, mussar and halachah classes, simulating our community’s vibrant Torah centers. In addition, an extraordinary children’s program was created with an average of six classes per evening on topics such as Mishnah, Pirkeh Avot, and te’amim. The children’s programming includes a game show night with questions based on what was studied during the week, and a raffle drawing.

Combatting the “Negative Energy”

Communityhizuk.com was spearheaded by Rabbi David Haber, and he described the line of thinking that led him to undertake this unique project. “My feeling was that if we were going to be inundated with fear of mortal danger and negative energy, we needed our rabbis to provide the hizuk [encouragement] to withstand it.”

Rabbi Haber says he literally spent an entire night contacting rabbis and lay people with his idea, and received an overwhelmingly positive response.

“Everyone I spoke to was onboard, especially our hardworking rabbis. Although we had no idea if anyone would be listening and who our audience would be, we had over 60,000 viewers and listeners across several platforms on the first night.”

CommunityHizuk.com spoke to the moment – everyone was searching for answers, and this platform provided an oasis in the desert.

“We are blessed to have such hardworking, dedicated rabbis in our community,” Rabbi Haber enthuses, “rabbis who love the community, know their role as community leaders, and work tirelessly on our behalf. The selflessness of all those involved with many platforms, who in ‘normal’ times would actually have been competitors, was evident, as we all joined together and worked seamlessly to touch so many lives in such a powerful way.”

Another platform created in this time of unknowing was Torahminds.com, which, according to Rabbi Meyer Yedid, Rosh Yeshiva of YDE, sought “to give people the ability to learn in an organized and in-depth way, to study mitzvot they already observe on a deeper level.”

The response to this initiative was swift and electric. As soon as it was publicized, over 5,000 people joined and committed to studying one of the ten topics offered by the program.

Rabbi Yedid was also instrumental in organizing a livestream presentation entitled, “Prayer through Songs.”  In his opening remarks, the rabbi stated: “When you want to give over a deep message, words are sometimes not enough. Music, the language of the angels, touches the soul.”

Outpouring of Generosity

The combination of a shut-down economy, plummeting stock market, and widespread unemployment could have spelled disaster for our community organizations that rely on donations to fund their budgets. However, Rabbi David Ozeri described a very different picture.

“To say I am proud of our community is an understatement,” the rabbi glowingly shared. “People stepped up to the plate in the most amazing ways. Collectively, all hats – white, black – were thrown in the garbage and we united as one. Millions of dollars were donated and distributed, especially to widows and orphans, including $50,000 of Moishe’s grocery cards.”

In a wondrous intersection of technology and tzedakah, the Communityhizuk website hosted a campaign for Sephardic Bikur Holim that raised $2.4 million dollars. In addition, a relief fund was organized, raising $400,000 to help families ravaged by the dramatic financial collapse.

Tragically, out community suffered 80 fatalities in the period between March 20th to May 1^st – a staggering figure.  Funeral homes were overwhelmed, and a large number of community members volunteered to ensure that everyone received a proper, respectful burial, and that all mourners were cared for, despite the restrictions which did not allow for customary funerals or shivah visits. With flights to Israel halted, those who died but were destined to be buried in Israel were temporarily interred in Queens. After Pesah, the Nakash family generously offered to bring the deceased to Israel for burial. Rabbi Ozeri, who was integrally involved throughout this time in all aspects of the process of kevod hamet (last respects for the deceased), personally oversaw the exhumation of seven coffins which were then flown to their final resting place in Israel, bringing closure and comfort to all the families. The Nakash family sent many more flights, as well.

Our community’s technology experts donated their time and their brilliance, working behind the scenes to ensure glitch-free virtual programming. Koby Netanel of Koby N Productions, who has been behind every livestream Torah shiur, talks about the experience of fueling the technology needed to keep the community connected during this crisis.

“I must acknowledge how honored and blessed I feel to be trusted by the community to oversee this tremendous endeavor. The rabbis, eager to have a platform to reach the community and give them hizuk, were subject to a learning curve as they learned about the technology for livestreaming, and we had a few bloopers. I myself had to become familiar with the technology and software needed to livestream events and incorporate call-ins and Zoom. While all the classes are recorded and available on several websites, there is something exciting about being there ‘in person’.”

Koby’s brother, Rabbi Raphael Netanel of YDE, marvels at Koby’s selfless dedication, and provides us with a little background.

“About three months before the virus hit, a local girls high school hired Koby to run the sound for the annual play. One week before the play, the principal contacted Koby to ask if he would be able to livestream the play for a 10^th-grade student who was in the hospital fighting cancer. Touched by the girl’s struggle, Koby couldn’t refuse.”

The fact that he didn’t have the necessary equipment for livestreaming did not stop him.

“He purchased $3,000 worth of livestream equipment and software that was needed. The girl’s parents and the principal thanked him profusely. Koby then stored the equipment in a closet in his office with no intention of using it again, as his business did not require it. When Covid-19 hit and he was contacted about livestreaming classes, Koby knew exactly where to go – to the closet where he stored the “useless” equipment purchased to make a young girl with cancer happy.

Hashem is always “makdim terufah lamakah,” sending us the “remedy” before the “wound.” We are so blessed that the technology we needed to keep us connected and growing in this time of physical isolation was available and in place before the pandemic struck.  And we ae so blessed that Gd sent us creative, generous and dedicated leaders and professionals who rose to the challenge and succeeded in keeping our community together against all odds.

How will this historic time be remembered in the annals of our community? Yes, it will be remembered as a time of tragedy, of pain, of fear, of personal loss, and of economic turmoil. But it was also be remembered as a time of unparalleled unity, a time when our community showed what makes it so unique, when we all banded together even under quarantine to help each other, to support each other, to learn from each other, to grow together, and to comfort each other.

Our community’s amazing response is, without question, setting a precedent and model that will, with Gd’s help, guide and inspire many future generations, teaching them what being a community is all about.

Sari Setton

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused all of us to rethink many things we considered routine. Politicians have had to create new procedures and protocols to help preserve our rights and privileges. Primary elections this year in New York City will be conducted in a manner previously reserved for those who knew they would be out of town on election day.  For the first time in New York State history, every registered Democrat will be able to vote by mail (after first requesting an absentee ballot) in the June 23rd Democratic Primary.

Last month, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed Executive Order 202.23, which states that every registered voter will be sent an absentee ballot application.  The Board of Elections will be mailing absentee ballot applications to every household where there is at least one registered voter.  The application must be completed and returned to receive a mail-in ballot.  Voters can indicate the reason for their request as “temporary illness,” which now includes the risk of contracting coronavirus.  If you are away from home, you can request an absentee ballot be sent to your current location.  This is especially beneficial to anyone who will be already have left home for the summer.

In case you do not receive an application, you may request one by June 16th.  There are several ways to request an absentee ballot:

1. Online – www.nycabsentee.com
2. Mail an application to the Board of Elections
3. Call 1-866-Vote-NYC
4. Scan and email an application to absenteejune2020@boe.nyc
5. Fax an application to 212-487-5349

As of the writing of this article, a federal judge ruled that the New York presidential primary is back on the schedule for June 23rd.  This ruling might be appealed.  Regardless, almost every community in NYC will have a local or state primary on June 23rd, so please request your absentee ballot now.

Voting during this pandemic could not be easier, or more important.  By voting we participate in the democratic process.  We choose those who represent us and will promote our ideals. If we do not vote, others will be making those choices for us.  This is particularly important in local races.  We must show our elected officials that our community has a voice.