New Rebbetzins Share Holiday Recipes

By SYLVIA F. PANITZ
Special to The Jewish Voice

For the first time in many years, Delaware’s Jewish community is welcoming three new rabbis, their wives and families to the Diamond State. The rabbis’ wives were literally in the midst of unpacking and settling in to their new homes when we asked them to share some of the recipes that they might prepare for the upcoming holidays…and share them they did!
Evelyn Goldblum, a native of New York, is the wife of Rabbi Moshe Goldblum, who recently took over the pulpit at Beth Sholom Congregation of Dover. The Goldblums have two grown children. Before moving to this state’s capital, they spent 25 years in Pittsburgh. The following are Goldblum family recipes.

Ginger Veal

2 – 2 ½ lbs. cubed veal
Fresh ginger and black pepper
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups chicken broth OR 1 ½ cup white wine
—Coat meat with spices and let stand for two hours. Brown in olive oil. Add chicken broth or wine and simmer until tender. Bake in a slow oven for three hours.

Broccoli and Chicken

Marinade:
⅓ cup honey
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ teaspoon lemon rind
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon paprika
¼ cup water and 1 chicken bouillon cube
—Pour marinade over cleaned chicken. Add 20 oz. bag of frozen broccoli pieces. Cover with foil and bake at 350° for 1/2 hour. Uncover and bake for another hour.

Braised Parsnips

2 lbs. parsnips (4 or 5)
¼ cup oil
2 teaspoons sugar
6 large lettuce leaves
3 tablespoons minced parsley

—Wash parsnips, pare and cut into julienne strips. Heat oil and add parsnips and sugar (and salt, if desired). Wash lettuce leaves, leave them wet and cover the parsnips with the leaves. Simmer, covered, over low heat for 30 minutes, until tender. Check after a while for moisture. If necessary, add a little hot water, one tablespoon at a time. Discard lettuce, fold in the parsley and serve hot.

Cheryl Matasar is the wife of Adas Kodesch Shel Emeth’s new rabbi, Howard Matasar, and the mother of eight-year-old Tracy. The Matasars moved to our community from Peoria, Illinois. The following recipes are Matasar family favorites during the holidays and throughout the year.

Unstuffed Cabbage

1 large head of cabbage
1 large can tomato sauce
½ cup dark brown sugar
½ cup vinegar
2 lbs. ground beef
½ cup rice
salt and pepper to taste

—Combine beef, rice, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Form into meatballs. Place a layer of cabbage on the bottom of a Dutch oven or large saucepan. Place the meatballs on top of the cabbage and cover with another layer of cabbage. To make sauce: Combine tomato sauce, brown sugar and vinegar. Pour sauce over cabbage and meatballs. Add another layer of cabbage and stir gently. Cover and cook on low setting, stirring occasionally, for about 1 ½ hours.

Applesauce Cake

1 cup applesauce
1 cup raisins
1 cup sugar
1¾ cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup nuts
½ cup pareve margarine, butter or shortening
1 egg, beaten
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cloves
—Blend margarine and sugar together. Add applesauce. Pour egg into mixture. Sift dry ingredients together and add to margarine and sugar mixture. Grease an 8 X 8 inch or 9 X 9 inch pan and transfer mixture to pan. Bake at 350° for approximately 1 hour. Let cake cool for about 10 minutes before removing from pan.
A Baltimore native, Rachel Yoskowitz is the wife of Congregation Beth Shalom’s Rabbi Herbert Yoskowitz and the mother of three children. The Yoskowitz family has recently moved to Delaware from Minnesota. The favorite recipes contributed by the Yoskowitz family should satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth.

Sweet Potatoes and Pears

1 large can pear halves
4 or 5 large fresh yams
2 cans pineapple chunks with juice
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
Brown sugar
Small amount margarine

—Strain and dice the pear halves and place in a shallow baking dish. Dice the yams and place over the pears. Add pineapple and juice. Cover with the orange peel and a little brown sugar and dot with margarine.
Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until yams are soft. Baste frequently.

Apple Strudel

5 or 6 firm apples, peeled and sliced thin
2 teaspoons cinnamon
¼ cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup golden raisins
4 ounces pecans, chopped
1 package fillo (strudel) leaves
1 cup melted margarine
graham cracker crumbs
1 (16 ounce) jar cherry preserves

—Slice the apples and, in a large bowl, combine with cinnamon, sugars, raisins and nuts. Mix well. Prepare strudel roll: Unfold one fillo sheet onto a moist towel, covering remaining sheets with another moist towel. Brush the sheet with melted margarine. Sprinkle with cracker crumbs. Place a second fillo sheet on top and repeat the procedure with the margarine and crumbs. Continue until there are six sheets. Using a slotted spoon, take ⅓ of the apple mixture and place on long end of fillo. Place ⅓ of cherry preserves on top of apples. Roll up like a jelly roll and brush with margarine. Place on a well-greased jelly roll pan. Repeat the process for two more rolls. Make slits two inches apart on the tops of the rolls. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes. This makes three rolls — six to eight servings per roll. Slice and serve warm. Note: These freeze well in foil. To serve, thaw in refrigerator overnight. Place on jelly roll pan and open foil. Heat at 325° for about 20 minutes.

L ‘Shana Tova!

August 1, 2018November 26, 2018

JCC Preschool Pioneers with Team Teaching in Kindergarten

As the Jewish Community Center Preschool approaches its second decade, its program and techniques keep pace with the advancing calendar.
This year for the first time the school is employing team-teaching on the kindergarten level. The arrangement works exactly as it sounds; two teachers jointly share responsibility for the long-range planning and daily activities of a single group of students. Each child in the class actually has two teachers; parent conferences prior to the opening of school and at the mid-year are scheduled with both teachers.
The team-teaching technique has been used successfully at the elementary level for some time now, but according to Mrs. Martin Yalisove, JCC Preschool Director, this is the first time that the arrangement has been employed at the kindergarten level in the Wilmington area as far as she knows. The obvious advantage of the team technique is the individual attention and instruction it can provide. The presence of two teachers permits a flexible program that can be altered at the discretion of the teachers as changing conditions dictate.
The Center’s move into the team-teaching field followed consultation with Marvin Balick, principal of the Lora Little Elementary School and with the Preschool Committee members, chaired by Mrs. Roger Pernick. Once the decision was made, the Center set about
to implement it with the proper teaching materials. The Campsite Manor House provides a room large enough for the different and changing groups the different and changing groups that are basic to team teaching. Special trapezoidal tables were purchased to facilitate the constant regrouping. Special screens and combination bulletin board blackboards are the “walls” that separate groups engaged in
different activities. Groupings differ for different activities and are often the product of random selection. They are constantly changing; as one child completes a workbook assignment in math readiness, he moves to another group that is reading aloud. At the same time, one child may be receiving individual instruction. From the standpoint of economics, team-teaching is costly. Last year the Preschool had two kindergarten classes with 20 children and one teacher in each section. This year the two kindergarten teachers, working as a team, have a class of 30 children, ten less than last year’s enrollment. Do the educational benefits of team teaching outweigh its expense? Although the evidence will not be in for final evaluation until the end of the school year, Deane Kattler and Edna Chaikin, the kindergarten “team,” would vote “yes.” But he emphasized the flexibility the system provides, enabling them to work with a small group or an individual child at a moment’s notice. The children have the experience of being part of a large group, but the individual child does not have to be turned away with a “Not now-I’m too busy.”
Although in some descriptions of team-teaching, each teacher concentrates on her “specialty,” Deane and Edna are generalists, doing everything. In this way, each child fully relates to two adults who can evaluate and meet his needs. Team-teaching requires close planning between the partners, but Mrs. Kattler says, “It’s so much more interesting.” She and Mrs. Chaikin plan loosely “from
holiday to holiday,” more specifically each week and faithfully evaluate each day and organize the next at the end of the session or before the start of the next. They believe that their close cooperation and interchange of ideas has made them more effective teachers.
The place of team-teaching in the future program of the JCC Preschool is uncertain. Next year, with the introduction of public kindergartens in the suburbs, the Preschool will offer classes for three and four year olds only. Perhaps a refinement of the team teaching technique can be equally advantageous for younger children, but a good deal of thoughtful analysis lies ahead for Mrs. Yalisove and her staff before that decision is made.

July 2, 2018November 26, 2018

Over 100 Years of Active Jewish Life in Delaware

Although there were Jews in Delaware from the seventeenth century days of Dutch settlement, Judaism did not flourish in very early Delaware, and by 1840, it appears to have been nonexistent. Not until 1879, when the Moses Montefiore Mutual Aid Society was organized, did Delaware have a permanent Jewish institution. Therefore, Delaware became the last of the original thirteen states to have an organized Jewish community and worship services for the High Holidays. In 1879, Wilmington had a Jewish population of some 25 families, most engaged in retail businesses. A small number of Jewish retailers lived in Dover, Smyrna and Milford.

Between 1880 and 1910, the Jewish population of Wilmington grew tremendously as East European immigrants found their way here. In just 30 years, the Jewish population of Wilmington expanded to more than 400 families.

The influx of struggling immigrants, primarily merchants and peddlers, spurred the formation of many service organizations. Between 1899 and 1902, three of today’s primary institutions were founded to offer assistance to the new arrivals. The Hebrew Charity Association, today’s Jewish Family Service, was founded in 1899; The Young Men’s Hebrew Association, today’s JCC, in 1901; and the Bichor Cholem, today’s Kutz Home, in 1902.

The immigrants also established several synagogues to meet their differing religious expectations. Three of the early synagogues survived: Adas Kodesch, founded in 1885; Chesed Shel Emeth, founded in 1901, merged with Adas Kodesch in 1957; and Beth Emeth, founded in 1906.

Although Wilmington had the largest concentration of Jews in the state, Jews continued to live in Kent and Sussex Counties. By the early twentieth century, Dover, Lewes, Smyrna, Felton, Laurel, Georgetown, Millsboro, and Seaford had some Jewish retailers, peddlers, canners, distillers or hotelkeepers. The first Jewish farmers arrived in Viola in 1897 and 1900. With support from the Jewish Agriculture Society, 25 Jewish families settled on Delaware farms between 1912 and 1929. Jewish immigrants also entered farm related businesses – livestock, poultry, and farm supplies.

No Jewish organization existed downstate until 1916, when the short-lived Jewish Farmers Association was established. Religious services were held informally, in individual homes, until 1939 when the Jewish Congregation of Lower Delaware, today’s Congregation Beth Sholom, was incorporated. During the first three decades of the twentieth century, the Jewish community of Wilmington grew rapidly, and by 1929, the population reached 3935.

But the community became increasingly fragmented. A fourth synagogue, Congregation Beth Shalom, was established in 1922. By 1929, there were more than 20 Jewish organizations, often working at cross-purposes. Attempts to unite the community were unsuccessful until 1935 when the Jewish Federation was established as a representative body of Wilmington’s Jewry. In the following decades, the Federation’s role was expanded statewide.

A few Jews attended the University of Delaware before the turn of the century, but Jews do not appear to have settled in Newark until early in this century. The Newark Jewish community, today’s Temple Beth El, was formed in 1954.

Throughout this century, the majority of Jews continued to live in Wilmington. Between 1929 and 1945 the Wilmington Jewish community increased 60 percent, to 6,156 people. Only an estimated 80 Jewish families lived in Lower Delaware in 1945. By 1974, the Jewish population of Delaware was 9000 with 96 percent in Northern Delaware. In the last decade, there has not been a significant increase in the Jewish population, which is estimated at 9300 today.

In this brief introduction, it is not possible to name all the people who have distinguished themselves in the 100 years of active Jewish life in Delaware. Suffice it to say that Jews have held high positions and made significant contributions in numerous fields, including law, business, government, medicine, farming, and journalism.

. The Jewish Historical Society of Delaware continues· to collect and preserve information and records relating to the history of the Jewish community and Delaware Jews. The archives of the Society are located at 505 Market Street Mall in Wilmington and are open to all who wish to learn more about the rich Jewish heritage in the “First State”. For further information, please call 655-6232.

(This Introduction is based on material at the Jewish Historical Society of Delaware and on as yet unpublished work by Charles Salkin and Toni Young.)

June 12, 2018November 26, 2018

AKSE Cornerstone 1962-2018

In June 1962, the Jewish Voice reported on the dedication of the cornerstone for the new synagogue of the Adas Kodesh Shel Emeth congregation. Today that cornerstone was opened and the time capsule removed. Tomorrow the time capsule will be opened at the synagogue.

Here’s what the 1962 article said:

HOLD DEDICATION OF NEW SYNAGOGUE

In the presence of hundreds of members, visitors and public dignitaries ceremonies were held for the Adas Kodesch Shel Emeth Synagogue cornerstone dedication on the Washington Street extension. Mortar containing soil from Mt. Zion, in the Israel section of Jerusalem, was used for the ceremonies.

Rabbi Samuel Rosenblatt of Beth Tfiloh Congregation, Baltimore, assisted.

Dr. Rosenblatt has bee spiritual leader of the Baltimore congregation for 35 years.

The oldest son on Cantor Joseph Rosenblatt, he is a champion of Orthodox Judaism and the author of many books. He is president of the Baltimore Board of Rabbis and a member of the Baltimore Clergy Fellowship.

Adas Kodesch Congregation, the oldest predecessor of the present congregation, was chartered in 1889 and dedicated the currently-used synagogue at Sixth and French Streets on September 20, 1908.

Chesed Shel Emeth Congregation was founded in 1921.

The two merged in 1957 and immediately began planning for the $600,000 synagogue and school on a 3 ½ -acre tract in Brandywine Hills. It was designed by Percival Goodman.

It is expected to be completed in time for High Holy Day worship this fall.

President Kennedy, in a telegram read by the congregation president, Louis S. Cohen, sent congratulations and stressed the importance of houses of worship in America.

The first trowelfull was applied to the copper cornerstone by Rabbi, Leonard Gewirtz, spiritual leader of the congregation. He was followed by Cohen, Cantor Abraham Vegh, Gary F. Rosen, chairman of the building committee, and other leaders of the congregation.

The cornerstone box contained records of the synagogue, a membership roster and names of special contributors to the building fund.

Among other speakers were U.S. Senator J. Caleb Boggs, Mayor John E. Babiarz and F. Earl McGinnes, administrative assistant to Governor Elbert N. Carvel.

June 5, 2018November 26, 2018

Seaside Jewish Community

In the August 14, 1998 issue of the Jewish Voice, the following article described the founding of Delaware’s newest congregation, Seaside Jewish Community in Rehoboth Beach.

At the Seaside…

An exciting development is taking place in lower Delaware. A new organization, the Seaside Jewish Community, has enlisted one hundred members in its brief span of a little over a year. It all began with a news item in a local paper. Peter Wise who, at the time, owned a small restaurant in Rehoboth Beach put out a call for anyone interested in participating in Jewish services and traditions. The response was overwhelming. Over a hundred people attended the 1997 Seder at Peter’s restaurant.

Since then the Community has found a home at the All Saints Church in Rehoboth where The Reverend James E. Manion and his congregation have provided a warm and hospitable place for the group’s monthly meetings. At one especially meaningful program, a group of Holocaust survivors shared their experiences. At another meeting, the Community enjoyed an excellent production of a short play about two German friends who grew apart during the Hitler era. Another fine program brought in a reconstructionist rabbi from Philadelphia to talk about the woman’s role in Judaism. The Community has also welcomed children with activities such as a Chanukah party and Passover and Purim festivities.

Currently, the Seaside Jewish Community is planning a picnic meeting at the home of Bob and Lenora Cohen, and a New York trip is slated for the near future.

With the interest already demonstrated and with the help of Daniel Chejfec from the Jewish Federation of Delaware who worked with the group to establish direction and goals, the Seaside Jewish Community looks forward to an active and rewarding future.

Category: Jewish Voice