There comes a bittersweet moment at the end of every year where our community must part ways with a generation of leaders. But instead of saying goodbye, we here at Fig and Vine want to say “see you soon!” And where WILL we see our seniors in the distant future? While we can’t say for sure, here is a solid guess as to where all of our graduating seniors will be in 10 years… Allen will barely make a dime screenwriting, other than a few ham-fisted Hallmark Hanukkah Specials. Performing questionable sexual favors to make a small amount of money, he’ll treat his girlfriend to overnight stays in shitty 2-star motels, which will give them both unending scabies. And his hair, what’s left of it, will still never be enough to cover up that massive forehead. Eman will be an established adult film actor, but miraculously will yet to have had an accidental child. He’ll spend his weekends in Tijuana, rizzing up Latin-X women; whether he ends up in their bed or half-naked on the beach is on a case by case basis. He’ll still enjoy kicking in car mirrors and asking everyone around him for weed.  Sigal will still be pursuing her degree in Zoology, but will have enough side hustles under her belt to fill out a seven-page resume. After years of searching for a Jewish partner, she’ll settle for an atheist, who strangely happens to be more Jewish than half of AEPi. Against all odds, she’ll still manage to get behind the wheel, always checking both ways 15 times at every stoplight. Eyal will be a tech-head finance bro, screwing every Sunnyvale Israeli out of a million dollars. He’ll be in a long lasting marriage with a dozen children, but the two of them will still be figuring out where their relationship stands. Above all else, he will still enjoy elevated surfaces and that little arm flap dance move.  Gloria  will establish her own sub-genre of social media influencer – Rave-head Pinterest girlie – and it will be virtually impossible not to stumble upon one of her reels. Using her hotel management status for tax write offs, she'll scout international music festivals in search for “the one”, constantly surprised that the DJs she meets aren’t romantically dependable. But she’ll still enjoy weekly-scheduled gossip sessions with Miri. Jordan , in lieu of Grad school, will save the global community by creating the greatest AI-detection software known to man… until he mistakenly sells it to foreign influences and becomes a social pariah. His wife will consistently beg him to take the Chabad Snuggie off in bed, and he will always refuse. And of course, his mind will still always be on Football. Sarah’s thought-provoking inquiries into data science will take her to Israel, where she’ll plan  to contribute her research to navigation technology, but it’ll ultimately be taken by the military. With a newfound hatred for Arsim, she’ll settle back down in Beverly Hills and never speak a lick of Hebrew again. She too will never remove the Chabad Snuggie, which acts as her greatest protector from the sun.  Aaron will cut all contact with the outside world (Persian community), and mistakenly embark on a Forrest-Gump-adjacent walk across America. When all’s said and done, he'll move back to Brentwood and settle down with an American Jewish Princess, as if none of it ever happened. And Crazy Chris will always somehow manage to crash every single kickback of his. After uncovering her complete and total hatred for men, Gal  will settle down with UCSB alum Leenoy, and the two will maximize their dual income on everything besides raising children. A young prodigy in the field of biotech, Gal will find a way to clone herself, just so she can work more! Every bad decision she makes will be reserved for the one night a year she ingests alcohol. Ariel will find a loophole out of the LSAT and take on the most controversial, morally gray court cases of the Millenium; yet, he still won’t be afraid to talk his shit. But eventually, he’ll soon make his grand departure from LA and return to Cabo, to wed his favorite table service girl. Together, they’ll light up every mediocre club there is, one shot at a time. Avigail will help save the planet in the most environmentally sustainable place on Earth: New York City. When she isn’t diving into corporate sustainability, she’ll be crafting groundbreaking environmental hypotheses, all of which will already be accepted by the scientific community years prior. With a loving partner and friends around the globe, she’ll come to realize it isn’t about world conservation, but the relationships she conserves along the way. Ben will be a household name, and no one will actually know why. Did he revolutionize the field of dermatology?  Or did he host the Fire Fest equivalent to EDC? Either way, he’ll finally cave and go on an arranged date – orchestrated by Miri – meeting the future Mrs. Ben Basson. But don’t worry, his one true love will ALWAYS remain Blenders. Sivan, Celine, and Leah will each embody “main character energy” in a Sex in the City  inspired way of life, only with far worse consequences. While selling absurdly priced designer items, and making zero commission on them, Sivan will undergo random spurts of radical anti-materialism, often sparked by minor fender benders on Rodeo Drive. Celine, meanwhile, will spend more time asking clarifying questions than crunching numbers at her accounting firm, but will save every last penny she makes to give her dogs an absurdly lavish lifestyle. And Leah, despite her intense 9 to 5 as a Physicians Assistant., will always make questionable medical decisions while out clubbing in Hollywood at 3:00 AM. But similar to Sex in the City , none of them will find a man who quite understands them like each other. Brian , after a brief stint in law, will establish the first ever Rush US Senate Committee: a fraternization of Super PAC lobbyists. He will treat his family to the most luxurious resorts imaginable, and always manage to find something wrong with them. But through it all, he will never denigrate himself into typing in lowercase ever again. Jasmine will be the next Prime Minister of Israel, hand-picked by Bibi Netanyahu, Noa Tishby, and Tessa Veksler. She will rule with an iron fist, eventually uniting every Middle Eastern nation in an all-out war against the Ashkenazis. Her romantic life will remain complicated but her inexplicable ability to rally at all hours of the night will never die.  Danny and Lior will transform The Plunge into a polygamous kibbutz… commune… definitely NOT a cult… which is serenaded daily by Danny’s harem of acapellaists. Incorporating somewhat of a mix between Kabbalah and Buddhism, their society will come the closest to achieving world peace, until it all burns down during an ayahuasca trip gone south. Through it all, their love for humanity, but mainly each other, will carry through. Kayla will work overtime as a therapist, since she’ll finally get paid to yap. Anytime she wears her “Make America Slime Again” trucker hat, every man in the immediate vicinity will find her irresistible. And one day, she’ll crash out hard enough to end up on Dr. Phil, only to verbally denigrate him on his own show.  Move out of the way, Pitbull! Eldod will take on the moniker of Mr. Worldwide, blessing drunk community college students with his electric beats, from Beverly Hills to slightly above Beverly Hills. Side-by-side with his UCSB Roadies, he’ll develop a passionate, almost sexual relationship to event planning, which will ultimately spiral into orgies. And like it or not, you’ll hear every last detail about it during your 6-month dental checkup as he’s working on your mouth. Ethan #2  will save the lives of many: future presidents, children from war-torn countries, Josh Golbary. But despite it all, he will never escape his mountainous heap of med-school loans, which is bound to scare off any future love interest. Therefore, he will continue to channel that love into capturing heinous memories on digital film and carrying his teammates in beer dye. Maya and Tony will be in and out of jobs, but never at the same time. Deciding on a new career path every week, Maya will simply employ herself as “People Person” at her brother’s startup. Meanwhile, Tony will finally complete his PhD and embrace an exhilarating life behind a desk. At night, the two will reconvene and give exhaustingly in-depth debriefs of their days, despite not understanding a single thing about what the other person does. But rest assured, they’ll still make sure to stop by Chabad once a year so people know they’re alive and well.   Ethan #1 will simultaneously eradicate homelessness and cause the next housing crisis, one residential community at a time. But unbeknownst to him, he has dozens of vengeful Loop residents who want his head, all because of those unbearable late-night afters he hosted; one of these stalkers, however, will become the love of his life. And no, he’s never shaving that stache. Shayna will forever be crippled by her incessant need to travel, and burdened by the financial expertise to understand how much of a problem it is. But in for a nickel, in for a dime, she’ll further plunge herself into debt by purchasing an equestrian ranch far away from civil society. Yet, she’ll still be in an obsessive pursuit of finding the cheapest flight to Israel known to man.   Joey will be fired from his medical sales position at a prestiged tech company, after mistakenly divvying out Mossad-brand pacemakers to 50% of his clientele. Therefore, he’ll take to the seas, putting those years of sailing at UCSB to good use, only to get scurvy within the first month. And you won’t hear about any of it, given his continuous refusal to post anything on Instagram.  Liad will maintain two identities, two lifestyles, two n’shamas: long and short hair. Long-haired Liad will find Hashem under the floorboards of 770. Short-haired Liad will oversee a shitty cantina bar on the Pussycat strip, where Eman will be his frequent and only customer. Long-haired Liad will settle down and squeeze more children into his home than Cheaper by the Dozen. Short-haired Liad will be the father of numerous unclaimed babies by international one-night stands. And neither Liad will carry any regrets about any of it. Tamar , as any good Jew, will abandon any thought of working at a nonprofit the second she gets into law school. While continuing to explore the world at rapid speed, she’ll embrace the full international Tinder and Hinge experience. But along the way, she’ll make the greatest memories that, for some reason, she won’t remember the following morning. Misha will be completing his 15th consecutive year at UCSB, making him – by default – the mayor of Isla Vista! However, he’ll still be as elusive as ever, spending time with his college sweetheart; the only person keeping him from turning into Crazy Chris. Rest assured, he’ll still enjoy DJing once in a blue moon and smoking so much weed it’s hard for him to string sentences together. Zoe will continuously relive the glory days by staffing Tzofim events and getting a bit too invested in her scouts’ dating life. An active participant on Meet Jew Facebook groups, she will accidentally end up on dates with numerous anti-Zionist Ashkenazis. But she will never lose her overwhelmingly positive attitude.   After years of obsessively listening to Youtube comedy clips, Sam will finally be able to joke about his technology management degree. While it will bring him financial success, with mansions and yachts in various parts of the world, it will also bring women in all of those countries, who he’ll begrudgingly refer to as “wife.” But he’ll still keep everyone questioning his political alignment based on all his Instagram stories. Natalie will keep the neoliberal dream alive, by becoming yet another Democrat to blanketly state “violence in the Middle East is no good.” At no point in her political career, however, will she stop club and bar hopping, as it’ll always be her one true anchor to the American people. She’ll still enjoy traveling, and basically any opportunity not to be stuck in Santa Clarita. Mikey , a stereotypical Jewish doctor, will be unsuccessful in completing his research, due to restraints put on him by the Federal government; but he’ll quickly pivot to a new career path: lifelong UCSB tutor. He’ll chase this dream alongside his partner, and literally won’t take his eyes off of her during the entire decade they spend together. Still, his heart will really always belong to soccer and his favorite lone soldier across the globe, Mr. Eric Marzouk.  Anna  correctly assumed that she would hate medical school, and eventually, she’ll dive head first into the healing world of crystals and incense. Jumpstarting her own astrology-backed enterprise, she’ll receive most of the funding from her loving, but more importantly, rich husband, who’s also a doctor. Even years later, Anna will still let you know if she’s planning on attending the function a whopping one minute before it starts.  Max’s unrelenting grind will FINALLY conclude… when Ilai Tamari graduates, and he quickly switches his career path to bodybuilding. However, after getting rich by accidentally creating an AI program which imitates Jordan Peterson – at frankly unfathomable tonality – he will develop questionable feelings for the software. And every dollar he makes is going towards maintaining that one last strand of hair on his head. Can’t call him bald yet! Shoshana’s constantly fluctuating vocation in marketing will ultimately settle into a career in event planning, specifically for abstinent individuals. Soon after college, she’ll meet the love of her life, and make a promise to NEVER to drink in front of him. In her spare time, she’ll continue adding random internships into her already packed schedule, just for the hell of it.  Joe will never evade the serial killer allegations, to the extent that he’ll actually pursue a career as a mad scientist. With an intimate knowledge of electrochemistry, he’ll craft a Frankenstein lover for himself, who he’ll share Settlers of Catan and D&D dates with. However, against all odds, that cat of his will still be kicking; perhaps due to the experimentation he’ll put it through. Simone will establish the first-ever Havdalah Healing Circle, praised by Kabbalists and condemned by medical professionals for false advertising. She’ll fund this endeavor through stunning art exhibits, but mainly through the sale of illicit hallucinogens in Lior’s cult. Late in her life, she’ll hit the road, singing quirky anthems in dive bars and making spare cash as a Sarah Silverman impersonator. But every year, she’ll return to SB for Kip’s annual spoken word show. Josh will not only find success swindling users on AirBnB, but also swindling recruiters by picking a new ethnicity for every job application he fills out. A romantic at heart, Josh will come to realize there’s no one as “suave” and “emotionally mature” as him, so he’ll spend all of his free time at the gym. Yet, after all those years, he’ll still be able to pack a punch, especially when he mistakenly ends up in an Uber with the cartel.  Maya and Annie will live practically identical lives, so much so it’ll be even harder to tell them apart than it is today. They’ll each own the same breed of yappy little dog, they’ll date another pair of best friends they meet at Erewhon, and they’ll both end up with their own reality television shows. Maya’s will be somewhat of a cross between Selling Sunset  and Jersey Shore , where a random assortment of celebrities will be encouraged to fight to the death in luxury Beverly Hills mansions. Annie’s show, however, will be more similar to Suits , only instead of corporate law, she’ll be defending holistic doctors that divvy out prescription meds based on vibe and aesthetic. They’ll still be fierce as ever, and maxing out their credit cards on a daily basis. Guy  will perform an EDM set on every difficult-to-access mountain top in California. But unlike the ketted-up zombies he performs for, he’ll actually have a mission in life: obsessively upkeeping that Tesla of his, until Elon Musk himself tells him to let it go. But along the way, he’ll still be pursuing a career in financial advising, ‘cause the man who spends every penny on DJ equipment and car accessories is absolutely the man for the job! And for the lovely writers at Fig and Vine, best of luck in all of your future endeavors! Lily , I hope this newspaper will not only continue to flourish, but further ostracize Jews from the wider SB community. Maya , I hope you eventually come to your senses and realize your boyfriend will never be able to financially sustain your addiction to national parks. And Charlotte , I can’t wait to read your first satire article… about the Birthright trip you’ll never get to go on.  See you in 10 years!

Growing up, the story of Rumpelstiltskin was one that I associated with eye rolls more than anything else.  Sure, it brought a unique twist to the classic rags-to-riches plotline – a miller’s daughter becomes queen, but she only does so after the evil creature Rumpelstiltskin helps her in exchange for her unborn child. Meanwhile, the king of the land insists that the miller’s daughter will be dead by morning if she doesn’t turn endless mountains of straw into glistening gold.    Yet I always found annoyance because of how easily Rumpelstiltskin let his real name slip, causing his ultimate demise and the daughter’s happily ever after (and come on, what kind of alphabet jumble of a name is Rumpelstiltskin anyway?). So when I found out that the next Jewish book I stumbled upon took inspiration from Rumpelstiltskin’s classic tale, I prepared for a predictable doom. But trust me, in Spinning Silver  by Naomi Novak, the story of Rumpelstiltskin has never been this good. This reimagining of Rumpelstiltskin transforms the chilling landscape of Russia into a gripping Jewish fantasy. Our heroine Miryem is not the daughter of a miller but a moneylender, becoming ruthless after her family sinks into poverty due to her parents’ trusting nature and the town’s bitter antisemitism. After boasting that she can turn silver into gold, she’s kidnapped by cruel winter fey creatures who rule her world, trapped in an ice kingdom where she is forced to spin silver into gold for a fey overlord. Unlike Rumpelstiltskin and, unfortunately for Miryem, this vicious ruling fey is not the kind of person to ever casually utter his name.     This young adult tale blends Judaism and high fantasy perfectly, allowing readers to get a glimpse into what life may have been like for Jewish teenagers during Russia’s royal regime. Though the magical elements seem distant from reality, the gems of Jewish culture shine truthfully throughout this book, as seen in the moments like when Miryem convinces the fey overlord that she needs to celebrate Shabbat despite being trapped in the ice kingdom. Surrounded by villagers who treat Jews as creatures just as villainous as the winter fey, Miryem’s journey is a haunting parallel to the life that Jews have endured over centuries in bigoted non-Jewish communities. Yet this novel is not all doom and gloom. Miryem finds community and allyship with two vastly different people – a peasant girl and the future queen of Russia. Though both characters are non-Jewish, they support Miryem wholeheartedly as the three of them come together to save their country.    This year, I’ve made it my mission to explore Jewish books I’ve never heard of before, immersing myself in new Jewish tales. Spinning Silver  was the perfect wrap-up to my time at Fig & Vine, allowing me to reconnect with my inner child who loved curling up with a good magical fantasy. If only she knew how many spellbinding and incredible Jewish books there were to come, I think she would definitely give a second chance to the story of Rumpelstiltskin.

Throughout the last couple of years, the Jewish community has faced many positive and negative experiences, and we as a community have grown stronger and changed in many ways. Although there were many challenges in the past couple of years, one benefit is the creation of a Jewish student-led magazine — Fig and Vine. This year, many members of the Jewish community were able to contribute and write some phenomenal articles. One such member is Shani Levy-Richards, who has just graduated this year. I had the pleasure of being able to interview her and to share her thoughts to the rest of the community. The first question I asked Shani was how she felt being a Jewish student at UCSB. She said that overall, she liked it (due to the large Jewish community). By percentage, UCSB has the largest Jewish community of any UC, leading to our community to be large and strong. She also mentioned that she liked the various events that happen within the UCSB Jewish community. Having such a great Hillel and Chabad here at UCSB is very helpful because these events are fun, engaging, and a great way to meet friends. Some of her favorite memories that made her feel like a part of the community have been Pesach at Hillel, and various events at Chabad. She says that she feels like the community here is more welcoming than other UCs. When I asked her about what brought her to Fig and Vine, Shani told me that she is a history major, and that Jewish history has always interested her. She told me that there is so much to talk about and learn within Jewish history, hence her fascination. I agree — we have existed as a people for the last 3000 years, and within that time so many events have occurred. She specifically told me that one interesting part was how holidays evolved over time. I followed up with Shani and asked her if she had taken any Judaic study classes at UCSB. I have taken many, and have learned how Jewish practice and laws have evolved over time. She told me that unfortunately, she had not had the time to take any classes despite the fact that she wanted to, but she had many friends who had taken Judaic studies classes, and who had enjoyed them. Personally, I have taken several of these classes with Professor Medina, and have learned a lot about our history, so I am very sad for her that she did not have the opportunity to take those classes. After that point, I inquired about her experiences as an author with Fig and Vine. Shani told me that she enjoys documenting the history — to her, it felt similar to a diary. She also mentioned that she feels more confident as an author than as a speaker, making it easier for her to express her thoughts. She told me that homework does not feel empowering to create, but since she started writing on her own volition, she feels very empowered in her writing. Following, I asked Shani about her plans post-college. She told me that she plans on taking a gap year between college and grad school. She wants to do a masters in English (potentially with history). Furthermore, she told me that although her time is done at UCSB, she still has a twin sister here, so she will be visiting. The penultimate question that I asked her involved how the Jewish community has evolved at UCSB. She told me that over time, the community, through events such as October 7th, the rise in anti-semitism, and incidents of hate directed at specific individuals, has gotten more tight-knit. The Jewish community at UCSB, and within the greater world, has been through a lot, so in order to ensure that we are able to prosper, our communities have gotten stronger. I then asked her if she had anything else to share, and she told me to let every know that she wishes them good luck. Overall, Shani has contributed greatly to the community by teaching us all about the history, and she will be dearly missed. Let's all wish her a successful time at graduate school, and hope that she visits Santa Barbara very soon!

On June 19th, 2025, recent UCSB graduate Allen Schultz sat down with an anonymous interviewer at Lazy Dog Kitchen in Fresno, California. This is the exact transcript of their conversation.  Anonymous Interviewer: Alright, great to meet you. Please state your name.  Allen:  Allen Schultz Anonymous Interviewer: Could you please spell it?  Allen: A-L-L-E-N  S-C-H-U-L-T-Z Anonymous Interviewer: Could you possibly spell it again, but with more letters? Allen: A-L-X-Y-L-E-W-J-N  S-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-U-L-T-Z  Anonymous Interviewer: And where are we today?  Allen: Lazy Dog Kitchen. I am eating Fettuccine Alfredo and very much enjoying it.  Anonymous Interviewer: So Allen, what is your involvement with Fig & Vine Magazine?  Allen: I run the satire column and make a bunch of risky jokes about my friends and pray to G-d that they land well.  Anonymous Interviewer: What else were you involved with in your college years? Allen: I was incredibly involved with Hillel, acting as board president for a year and a half. To the point where people would just call me Mr. Hillel and assume that I knew what was going on there all the time, which I definitely did not. I was rush chair and active participant in AEPi, active participant in many other Jewish communities on campus as well. Frequent Chabad goer and Pegisha enjoyer. I led tours, did screenwriting, and worked on student films. Anonymous Interviewer: Cool. Who would win in a fight: a hundred men or one gorilla?  Allen: I would go as far to say that one man, in fact, one boy could beat one gorilla. Let’s call back to the 2016 tragedy of Harambe, where a young boy fell into a gorilla enclosure which ended up with the gorilla getting shot. Yeah, I would say that one boy single handedly took out a gorilla. Granted, would a hundred men together have the balls and the chutzpah of a young child accidentally falling into a gorilla enclosure? I think this is where our debate truly starts.  Anonymous Interviewer: Allen, I think I love you. Would you still love me even if I were a worm?  Allen: What kind?  Anonymous Interviewer: The wiggly kind.  Allen: I like my worms stiff.  Anonymous Interviewer: Oh- is that a no?  Allen: I’ll answer later.  Anonymous Interviewer: Who’s your greatest role model?  Allen: I mean this with all sincerity, Pitbull is one of my greatest role models. I’m blanking on some of the specifics but for my AP Spanish class I needed to do a lot of research on Pitbull and the guy, besides his occasional conservative anti-vax views, has left a really tremendous impact on society. Through his organization and charity work he’s affected a lot of underprivileged youth communities. One such underprivileged youth community he’s dramatically affected is Isla Vista, in the way of giving us music to listen to.  Anonymous Interviewer: What is an unpopular opinion that you hold?  Allen: I don’t believe that George W. Bush was as dumb as he was letting on. I think he lost a bet and I think he’s a very serious man and he took the bet very seriously. I think the things that he said were geniusly hilarious. Some might argue only true stupidity could match, but I put him up there with the great comedy writers of our generation. Definitely unappreciated in his time. Yeah, I don’t think any of it was real. I don’t think he was ever actually president.  Anonymous Interviewer: What’s a popular opinion that you hold?  Allen: It is stupid to believe that our government is spying on us 24/7. Do they have access to all that information? Yes, absolutely, but barely anyone on the planet is cool or important enough to require an FBI agent watching them through their computer. So, whatever you’re worried or concerned that your FBI agent saw you do, trust me when I say they were playing Temple Run during the majority of your life.  Anonymous Interviewer: What are three objects that I’d find in your bedroom? Allen: Handcuffs, a towel covered in black mold (or mold adjacent), and an ostrich shirt.  Anonymous Interviewer: Maybe you want to clarify that the handcuffs are from AEPi’s formal event Champagne and Shackles?  Allen: Yes. And they’ve been used frequently thereafter.  Anonymous Interviewer: This is not true as far as I know.  Allen: There are sources. Anonymous Interviewer: Allen, should I really put this in the article?  Allen: You can decide later.  Anonymous Interviewer:  Okay. Tell us about a time you fucked around and found out.  Allen: I once almost got arrested at a UofO football game for sneaking alcohol into the stadium. When I was threatened with arrest I just went to the other side of the stadium. I did not bother to wipe off the mark that they made on my hand, and used numerous sorority girls to help block my way until I found my friends. I fucked around and found out that I am capable of anything.  Anonymous Interviewer: What’s a memory from UCSB that you’ll carry for the rest of your life?  Allen: When I was walking home from a night downtown, ex-AEPi president Eman Bareket was extremely upset that he had the hiccups. He proceeded to vent this frustration by kicking the car mirrors into every single door that he passed. When someone in the street saw him do that to their own car and they yelled at him, he proceeded to grunt at them and completely ignore confrontation.  Anonymous Interviewer: I was actually looking for something more heartfelt with that question.  Allen: Mmm, okay. AEPi initiations. I’d gone to and from LA a lot my first quarter and was not necessarily the best or most reliable pledge. When I got back from LA the night of initiation, someone else in my pledge class, a good friend of mine, Evan, asked, “Oh where have you been?” At first I thought it was accusatory so I said I’ve been in LA and started apologizing and he said, “No, no, no, you’re good man, it’s just that your presence was really missed. We could feel the lack of you in this space.” This was the first time at SB that I felt like I truly had a real place and purpose there.  Anonymous Interviewer: What is the legacy you want to leave behind at UCSB?  Allen: Drink smart, not safe. Buckets of 20 Fireball shooters are only $20 at IV Liquor Mart. Stop getting Kirkland vodka. It is disgusting, it is not worth it. Stop getting fancy vodka. You don’t deserve it. You haven’t done anything in your life deserving of fancy, really incredible alcohol. What you do deserve is great tasting, bottom of the barrel Fireball. You can get this from IV Liquor mart in shot form, bucket form, bottle form, and preferably, keg form.  Anonymous Interviewer: What is something that you struggled with in college, and how did you overcome it?  Allen: I’m someone who overthinks a lot and can very easily have anxiety attacks. I learned that taking a breath and revisiting things is important. That sharing things with your loved ones is important. It’s very common for people to say “don’t worry, you’re not alone.” Maybe another piece of advice that I would say is that sometimes you can be alone until you reach out to that person. Loneliness can be very palpable and very dire. Rather than saying “you’re not alone,” I would say “don’t make yourself alone.” Find that source of support, because there is someone out there that really truly deeply loves you. Even if you can’t see it yet.  Anonymous Interviewer: What are you looking forward to in your next stage of life?  Allen: I want to tell more Jewish stories. While I appreciate the attention that our community has put forward about recent antisemitism, I feel like the only instances of Jews you hear in modern media is about antisemitism. I really want to focus on all of the positive and joyous elements of being Jewish. I want to get a diverse array of Jewish stories out there, showing the myriad of different people that can and do practice Judaism. I want to express our culture beyond the religion, the politics, and the bigotry that our people have faced.  Anonymous Interviewer: Well, that wraps up my questions. Any closing remarks Allen?  Allen: I want more questions.  Anonymous Interviewer: Uhhh, okay. What is something you want to have in every day of your life?  Allen: The understanding, patience, enthusiasm, joy, and appreciation of everything beautiful in life that I receive from Cokebeer on a daily basis. Cokebeer is this really great thing that I invented. It’s a mixture of Coca-Cola and Root Beer. I think I’d be lost without it. My girlfriend would be pretty great to have around too.  Anonymous Interviewer: What are two things that are great on their own but horrible together?  Allen: Men and intense emotional reactions to sports. Why are you, as a man, wasting tears on a football team that you will never be a part of and likely never meet, when you couldn’t cry at the birth of your child? You helped bring life into this world, and you are such a shallow shell of a man that you cried because… the Celtics lost? Because the Superbowl didn’t go your way? Now, unless it’s about sports gambling. That’s about as masculine of an activity that you can participate in. Anonymous Interviewer: When do you think the waitress will bring us our check? Allen: I don’t know. I think she’s afraid to come over here.  Anonymous Interviewer: Yeah, that’s fair. Umm, what’s a question I should ask you?  Allen:  I think you should ask me if you’re awake right now, or still sleeping.  Anonymous Interviewer: Allen, am I awake or still sleeping?  Allen: Maya, look around you. Is that door opening and closing in the way that it should? Do the people around you look how people should? Do you remember what your food tasted like? Do you have any real sense of any of your five senses? Do you remember how we got to this booth? I am the interviewer now. Maya Kaye, how many times a day do you floss?  Anonymous Interviewee: Times a day? Uhhh, I floss about once a week. Allen:  Do you think the gums between your teeth appreciate that?  Anonymous Interviewee: No :( Allen: Maya Kaye, how often do you donate to the homeless?  Anonymous Interviewee: Like, sometimes.  Allen: Well, that’s great, because I heard that homeless people only need charity some of the time. Maya Kaye, do you know your California state representative?  Anonymous Interviewee: This is so embarrassing, no.  Allen: So you don’t care about yourself, you don’t care about the ill-privileged, and you don’t care about your local community. Maya Kaye, what do you stand for?  Anonymous Interviewee: I hate you. Allen: So you stand on hate?  Anonymous Interviewee: Allen, I’m gonna miss you.  Allen: I’m going to miss you too. But you’ll appear in every single word that I read or see or hear from you. You are an incredible writer and you are going to shape Fig & Vine in unimaginable ways.  Anonymous Interviewee: Allen, this is about you, not me. None of this is going in.  Allen: We’ll see about that.

Fig & Vine would like to highlight and congratulate one of our recent graduates, Shoshana Medved! Earning a degree in Communications complemented by an English minor, and  a Business Communications minor, and  a certification in Technology Management, Shoshana is leaving UCSB with likely the best communication skills possible for a twenty-something who went to high school during COVID! I had the pleasure of getting to know Shoshana this past year through the Jewish social grapevine, and was part of Shoshana’s Hillel book club last quarter, discussing all things supernatural and Jewish. After talking to Shoshana post-graduation, she shares that “the cliché is true – four years really does fly by!”  Coming from a Modern Orthodox background, Shoshana says that Judaism “has always been something that's been important in my life and always something that's been meaningful to me.” Senior year was Shoshana’s most involved year in UCSB’s Jewish community, reflecting that it was “a phenomenal way to deepen the connections I really love.” Some of her favorite Jewish memories in college are celebrating the holidays at Hillel and Chabad. Of her favorite holidays, she says, “the P’s really have me, Purim and Passover, but I also love Shabbat.” Her Purim costume this year was the Disney princess Belle, who was her favorite as a child. I’d expect nothing less from an avid reader! Outside of classes and Jewish events, Shoshana has made meaningful contributions to UCSB campus life. She served as a Residential Assistant for two years in San Rafael dorms,  becoming very involved in the Residential Housing Association. She was also involved in the National Residence Hall Honorary all four years, focused on community service. And don’t try to mess with Shoshana – she has been a kickboxing coach at the Recreation Center for two years. Shoshana’s path in communications started early on: “I once created this 8-page book about horses. That was a spark for my love for reading and writing.” Her love of reading and writing lays a solid foundation for pursuing a career in another passion: entertainment marketing. As she prepares for a move to Los Angeles, she feels that “the world is just opening up.” She looks forward to seizing every opportunity and seeing where it takes her. Shoshana is well on her way to flourishing in the entertainment marketing industry, with experiences interning for Paramount Pictures and Universal Studios during her time in college. You may have even seen some of her promotions of the new “How to Train Your Dragon” movie, or attended one of her movie screenings as part of her Campus Marketing internship with Universal.  “Marketing is a great way to bridge writing and a love for community building,” Shoshana says. “Your job is to tell stories for a company, which I love.” I asked her about some of her own favorite movies and television shows, and recommendations, and she took the opportunity to plug “How to Train Your Dragon.” She also loves a good sitcom!  During her time at Fig & Vine, Shoshana’s favorite book review was her first, “When the Angels Left the Old Country.” “I wish I had this book growing up, seeing teenagers saving the world, and they are Jewish and celebrating Shabbat.” This is the book that Shoshana turned into a book club during spring quarter at Hillel. We chatted about Jewish mystical beings over rainbow Challah baking, Hillel lounging, and enjoying sunshine in the park. I highly recommend checking out the book for some mystical fun and lots of Yiddish, and looking back at all of Shoshana’s thoughtful reviews.  While Shoshana is eager to take advantage of all that post-graduation life has to offer, she will really miss UCSB, particularly living so close to the beach and, even more so, the people. “I feel like UCSB is just a special place where everyone just wants to support each other, and I’m so grateful for everyone.” As she reflects on college life, she says, “for those who are part of the Jewish community at UCSB, soak up every opportunity, this is a very special place.” And for those who are taking the time to slow down this summer and rot in bed, Shoshana advises to “go rot in bed with a Jewish book! There are lots of great recommendations in Fig & Vine.” Shoshana, we look forward to hearing all of the stories you have to share, and wish you the best in career and in life. The Fig & Vine community will miss you dearly, but we are so grateful to be a part of your story!

Forbidden Fruit Disclaimer : All real events and people portrayed in this column have been fictionalized or exaggerated for humorous purposes, with consent granted by the people depicted.  Santa Barbara takes on Birthright! What are the Young Jews up to in Lieu of Birthright? On the evening of Thursday, June 12 (PST), Jews all over are checking their news updates as the world watches Israel go to war with Iran. We pray for our friends and family and the land of Israel.  A particular group of Santa Barbara Jews is checking their WhatsApp for an update on whether they’ll still take flight on Monday morning for the trip (and hangover) of their lives. Some are praying that we’ll get to go, and some for the relief of cancellation.  By Monday, the Santa Barbara Hillel Birthright trip had officially been cancelled. For many, this scrambled their entire summer, and for Ashkenazim, this meant countless calls from Jewish mothers and grandparents going on and on about how glad they are that the trip was cancelled. Since our Santa Barbara Jews aren’t in Israel, what exactly are they up to? On this fine summer morning, Kevin Manavi is checking the UV index. In lieu of Kevin’s trip to the Middle East, he is dedicating some time to tanning, in hopes of convincing everyone that he truly is fully Persian, despite his Ashkenazi complexion. Let’s hope that tan sticks until his next opportunity to visit his (allegedly) ancestral region. Over in Los Angeles is Corelle, missing out on a summer of family, meaningful connection to her homeland, and clubbing. Should you find yourself craving the kosher tastes of Israel, you can head to PSY Kitchen and be pleasantly greeted by Corelle Gabay behind the register in an attempt to make up for not being in Israel. Are we surprised? Well, not to find her in an Israeli restaurant, but we sure are used to her on the other side of the counter. What a surprise to see her in an apron! Who could have pictured her spinning that tip screen, muttering Hebrew profanity when customers don’t click at least 20% on that tip option. At least here, Corelle hopes to salvage the time lost in her plan of finding a 6-foot-5 IDF man to marry. We hope some soldier who’s finished his service and craves some schnitzel visits PSY during Corelle’s shift! Hailey Ronen’s hopes of polishing her Hebrew immersively this summer have diminished now that she won’t be doing any immersing. This comes as yet another blow for Hailey, following her recent breakup. After an unwaveringly committed 972-day streak on Duolingo, their relationship has come to an end. The times they had were fun, but she just wasn’t growing in that relationship anymore. It really is for the best. No more scrambling to satisfy her streak at 11:58 PM at parties, no more getting in bed only to hear the chimes of Duo reminding her to give it some attention. We wish Hailey well in this new stage of life; perhaps she’ll be looking for a new Hebrew practice partner! Resident New York Jew Idan Fierstein has taken the extra time at home to step into his civic duties amid the New York primaries. Unfortunately, Idan hasn’t had so much luck cold calling and knocking on doors to talk to voters, reporting that one call recipient couldn’t talk because “her vagina is literally about to explode after giving birth.” These excuses for not talking to standup citizens just keep getting more creative. Exploding vaginas are what mail-in ballots are for!  David Bogdanovic has substituted the holy land vibe with some Southern charm. He has travelled to North Carolina to visit his Bubbe — well, more like his MeeMaw. It seemed a better time than any for David to get in touch with his non-Jewish side since he was not able to connect with his Jewish homeland this summer. He is consuming unholy amounts of sweet tea and non-kosher barbecue to cope with missing out on unholy amounts of liquor in the holy land. We’ll see if anyone is able to understand his southern drawl when we do make it to Israel. Sasha Kaplow, our favorite Springboard Engagement Fellow over at Hillel, has been taking advantage of her extra time to do all sorts of summery activities. She won third place in beer trivia last week, although she would not disclose how many teams that was out of. She also ventured out onto the water by way of Jet Ski! Sasha reports that a certain Israel and Engagement Associate, who will remain anonymous out of respect, became a hit tourist attraction for a passing Landshark boat as she was being rescued from a flipped Jet Ski by the emergency rescue ski. No Birthright, no problem — Sasha has found plenty of excitement over the past two weeks! Our favorite Hillel IACT Israel Engagement Associate, Ally Walker, is done dealing with the students of Santa Barbara Hillel 10 days earlier than anticipated! A big congratulations are due to Ally for her continuing education at USC. She has upgraded from the University of Casual Sex and Beer to the University of Spoiled Children. Ally, you sure spoiled us with your time at Santa Barbara Hillel! And as for me? I have taken this time to reflect upon my first magical visit to Israel. Which was cancelled less than a week from takeoff thanks to the Omicron strain of COVID. First Omicron, now Iran, oh my! I eventually made it to Israel for that religious school trip, and we, too, the Santa Barbara Jews, shall make it eventually. Just like COVID deniers, we could just pretend that Iran doesn’t exist! It is heartwarming to see our community making such meaningful use of their time in place of their Israel travels. Big changes in plans are tough, but what a tough group of students. In no time, we’ll be back in Santa Barbara with more than 10 days’ worth of stories, and excitement building for our next attempt at Birthright.

Jewish Gaucho Grads of 2025… To be loved is to be changed and to be changed is to be moved.  I’ve been told to take you to coffee and knock on paint chipped doors. So I can know you in every element–  with colorful clothes and elbows,  with salt-and-sun bleached kippot, I wouldn’t guess you studied physics, (I wouldn’t guess you studied at all).  During the great move-out, I carried a couch down the stairs of a friend’s apartment, and up another; I inherited a mattress which mazed through Isla Vista  atop a Honda Civic headed north to Los Angeles. Movement makes sense, just like the cloud layer holding us still until that day in June. Like the straggling lock of seagrass that hitchhiked with you from Devereux to Sueno, as your mezuzah will doorframe hop a blessing farther this year.  We dare to move- through compact space crowded with cache. I’ll remember every one of your epiphanies  while I map your travels on the back of my hand. I’ll remember every reason you pulled me  from my room, routine, and body.  Your signature surge crashes  at street corners that end in lingering hugs, you have been the swell of my life. I know this town upwells  opposite of the season.  So when water cycles through that leak in the ceiling, I’ll feel your tug beyond the Channel ~ To move intentionally, with every texture of my anatomy.  To write and sign my name like it’s a gift to you.  To celebrate life loudly.  To lean into everything.  To give time gratitude.  And of course, to take the plunge. What a miracle to have passed you by on this quintessential shoreline; You have no idea how your chesed  has moved me. And how big you’ll make waves wherever you go.

I am currently sitting at an outdoor cafe surrounded by swarms of Israelis chatting, working, and smoking while buses pass and horns honk, but less than two days ago, I watched Iranian ballistic missiles blaze through the night sky towards Israel’s most populated city. I rushed to Israel the moment I finished finals to spend a month working in Jerusalem and making weekend trips to Tel Aviv, but three days in, my plans changed. When Israel attacked on Thursday night, my family and I knew that this was not going to be a normal week ahead of us, but I could not have imagined the extent. The next night, Iran sent more than 100 ballistic missiles at every civilian population of the country, and some of those missiles slammed into apartment buildings and homes. I think that might have been the first time that I have been truly scared while in a bomb shelter here. It always sounds strange to say that many people are not scared of the rockets coming from the Houthis, Hezbollah, or Hamas because it's “only shrapnel”, but this was not just shrapnel. Once it was clear that people were being murdered from within their mamads (bomb shelters), each of the many booms that I heard from within my family’s mamad became a question of: was that an interception in the sky or an impact on the ground? One of the most amazing aspects of the way this country handled this was how unanimously and seriously people listened and responded to the home front command, and always went into a shelter. Israel’s value of life shines brightest when death tries its hardest to reach us.  Meanwhile, back in the states, anti-zionists jumped at the opportunity to write a new slogan on their protest signs: “Free Iran”, and no, they did not mean free Iran from the Iranian regime. Somehow, while the Israeli air force took out top IRGC leaders and military targets and Iran sent hundreds of missiles – including cluster bombs – at civilians, the media decided not to make that distinction.   No matter how strong we portray ourselves, it’s truly jarring how quickly things return to normal here, or at least something that looks like it. But despite the returning noise and filled restaurants, there is still rubble in Tel Aviv, Beersheba, Bat Yam, Petah Tikva, Tamra, Ramat Gan, Rishon LeZion, Bnei Brak, and Haifa. The world keeps spinning, Jews will still be blamed, but the people of Israel live.

Easy Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread Recipe Makes: about 24 pieces. Prep Time: 15 minutes. Bake Time: 45 minutes total Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt ¾ cup sugar ½ cup vegetable oil 2 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup mini or regular chocolate chips Optional: ½ tsp cinnamon for dough or cinnamon-sugar for sprinkling Instructions: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth. Combine: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir until a dough forms. Fold in the chocolate chips. Shape dough: Divide the dough in half. With lightly floured hands, shape each half into a log about 10–12 inches long and 2–3 inches wide. Place both logs on the prepared baking sheet with space between them. First bake: Bake for 25–28 minutes, or until lightly golden and set. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Slice and bake again: Lower oven to 325°F (160°C). Slice logs diagonally into ½–¾ inch thick pieces. Lay slices cut-side down on the baking sheet. Second bake: Return to oven and bake for another 10–12 minutes. Flip slices and bake 5–10 minutes more until crisp to your liking. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Tuesday, May 6th: Rise and shine, Jewish Gauchos! It’s Senate Season here in Sunny Santa Barbara, and our candidates couldn’t be more excited. After an… eventful… 75th Senate, contenders have been working tirelessly to ensure their success this coming Friday.  “It’s an especially invigorating time,” says 1st year candidate, Evan Sussman. “This electorate deserves a high-functioning, vigilant legislative body, which accentuates institutional change over geopolitical and interpersonal conflicts.” While we at Fig and Vine have difficulty processing Mr. Sussman’s vernacular, it appears his sentiments are positive! “I’m so happy! This is so exciting!” says fellow candidate, Erica Sherkin. “At first I was like, a little scared, since they initially postponed the candidacy statements, but I’m sure that was just a fluke!” Reeling in positivity, Erica is certain “this election is going to be amazing.” “Honestly, I’m just happy campaigning is only one week,” reveals Xander Hepburn, a transfer student candidate in the 2025 race. “I got midterms next week. Lucky to be focusing on those.” When questioned about campaigning techniques, Letters and Science candidate Kevin Manavi had this to say: “What election?” Seems like spirits are high, and everyone’s ready for a smooth and noncontroversial ride! Friday, May 9th: Breaking news in the 2025 Associated Student Body race: it appears the voting deadline has been extended, due to unforeseen circumstances. Here’s the response from our candidates… “Yeah, y’know, shouldn’t have jinxed it,” Xander admits. “Candidate forum got shut down halfway through, but that’s fine. Not like I just dry cleaned my suit or anything.” Having just been briefed on the sudden development, Evan Sussman was conflicted. “Really? They’re just extending it? Huh, okay, more time to reach students, so that’s a win.” However, the longer he sat with this information, reality began to hit. “No, yeah, I’m good on sleep. The two hours a night I was getting was probably excessive anyway.” Erica, however, believes it’s all for the best. “This is just ensuring everyone has a voice, and that’s A-okay with me! That is what this is about, right? Wait, why did they extend this again?” When asked how the extension would alter his method of campaigning, Kevin Manavi was quick with his response: “Oh, that’s still going on? Well, good luck to everyone running! Wait…” Tuesday, May 13th: Another voting extension has left candidates, old and new, scrambling to reach that 20%... “I’m generally a really positive person,” Erica exclaims. “But this kind of… sucks? Can I say that? Is that bad? It really feels like this sucks.” “So my opposition doubled in size. That’s super fun,” laments Xander. “And I think I might’ve answered half of my midterm questions with campaign promises. I dunno. It’s all a blur. But looking forward to getting results after Finals! Unless that’s too presumptuous!” Evan Sussman neglected to give a response. Or rather, when prompted with any of our questions, he reacted with a blank stare in the distance. Sources believe he was transfixed by the recurring Carrot Man in the Arbor, however, there’s no way to confirm.  Even current senators are beginning to struggle with their extended terms, such as Jasmine Amin. “I cannot wait to get to Israel!” she remarks. “When senators act selfish, we’re stuck dealing with this dumb ****ing inconceivable ****-infested stupid ******it. (Breath) In fact, -” For younger readers, we’ll spare the remaining five minutes of her response. While extensions have been in part due to insufficient voter turnout, rumors of internal conflict within the 75th Senate have arisen. Could they be staging a coup? Could Yang be assuming the role of Pro Tempore, given his recent announcement of retirement? Or, could the Senate, similar to the student body, have simply forgotten there was an election, just like Kevin Manavi. “Turns out I am running! For sure, 100% a candidate for Letters and Science, whatever that means.” Friday, May 16th: It’s official: the 76th Senate has been elected, and yet, the energy has substantially declined… When first approached for his reaction, Evan gave an emotional response. “What?! What do you want?! I’ve given you everything! I can’t even hear myself think anymore! Bike path through the ILP? Football team for UCSB? Does this school even exist?!” However, when given clarification that the election had ended, he responded with a quiet “I won?” before breaking into tears. “Nap time,” Xander mumbles to himself, over and over, asleep while standing up. “I’m just happy to have been involved, really,” Erica cheers. “Congrats everyone! We did it!” Addressing his loss, Kevin reports: “When I eventually did try getting attention in the Arbor, it just didn’t work. Apparently asking strangers ‘excuse me, do you like democracy’ is too abrasive? Oh well! Is what it is.” We here at Fig and Vine want to deliver an enthusiastic congratulations to all of our candidates, and a job well done to Jasmine, Leah, Dalia, and all our Jewish allies in the 75th Senate. We look forward to a cathartic and tension-free transfer of power at next Wednesday’s meeting!

Get to know creator and editor Lily Karofsky! Throughout the course of the ‘24-’25 school year, Jewish students have had the privilege of being informed, entertained and connected to each other by a magazine catered to our vibrant UCSB Jewish community. As we close out this school year, it seems a perfect time to get to know the mind behind the magazine. Lily Karofsky, resident journalist and Hillel VP of Jewish Life is the heart and soul behind Fig and Vine, making our community more fruitful. She is from a town just outside of Boston called Framingham, which doesn’t sound so Kosher, but here she grew up doing “all the good Jew stuff” – beginning with the influential crafts and songs of Jewish preschool, to joyful family holiday celebrations. A Karofsky sibling viewing of the Rugrats  Passover special each year is a “non-negotiable” holiday tradition. Lily came to be here in Santa Barbara with us after visiting family here during her gap year and falling in love with our sprawling green hills and shimmering ocean waves. She traded her plans of deferral to University in Washington D.C. for a move over to the better coast.  Journalism In grade school, creative writing brought Lily peace through storytelling. She wasn’t exactly passionate about Math and Science, but English and the humanities were where she thrived. Journalistic writing came to her through an internship senior year of high school at the local paper, during which she “loved getting to hear other people’s stories.” At Santa Barbara City College, her professor really sold her on being a journalist when he described it as “one of the only professions where you get paid to be nosy.” A perfect occupation for someone whose definition of TMI is “tell me immediately.” Lily has a beautiful natural curiosity that drives her storytelling.  Finding Home in Santa Barbara’s Jewish Community Being an out of state student, Lily is far from home and family. This was especially difficult through turmoil in personal and social life, and the pain of October 7th. Lily’s brother, a Santa Barbara resident, encouraged her to attend a Hillel event to hear survivors of the Nova Festival speak. Often when we are in pain, we fear bringing others down or wonder how it will help us to be around others who are in pain. As Lily held back her own tears at Hillel, she took a moment to look around, finding that those around her all had tears quietly rolling down their faces, including her brother seated next to her. “It's not about getting rid of the pain, it's about finding people to sit in it with.”  From this point on, the Jewish community in Santa Barbara became a home away from home, and a place for Lily to find comfort in sharing pain, joy and everything in between.  Fig and Vine Sprouts As an aspiring journalist, Lily was following lots of media throughout unrest and antisemitism on college campuses. Media outlets spent a lot of time talking about Jews and Jewish students, but we weren’t often speaking for ourselves. “We deserve our own space- even if it's just for us.” Fig and Vine has been established as a magazine, rather than a newspaper to allow for a “place to talk about the emotions we’re  experiencing”. How we feel often gets washed over by the news, and this magazine opens up space for Jewish students to share their experiences, from the silliest of Jewish humor to meaningful stories of our people. “I just want people to love what they are doing,” Lily says of her delightful group of writers, all of whom are fellow students. One thing she loves about how the magazine has grown is when friends or peers come to her excited with their own ideas for articles and columns. After a very successful year of sharing Jewish perspectives, a bigger goal of Lily’s is to expand Fig and Vine to other UC Jewish communities. “So much happened just on our campus,” and Jewish students across campuses deserve a space to connect through their stories.  Sitting in Community When Lily is not writing or editing for Fig and Vine (or having to reformat Allen’s script articles), she is likely lounging with her cats, Poppy and one-eyed Otis. While they are cozy cuddle buddies, Poppy and Otis are not exactly the best study buddies. They’ve got their own important issues to write about after stalking from the window sill all day, and they’ll need your laptop keyboard to do it!  You may also find Lily snacking on some challah with cream cheese and grape jelly, a classic combo from her childhood (try it out)! Ahead of Lily for the summer is an exciting journalistic fellowship with CAMERA (Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis), to help combat antisemitism in the media, which she will continue throughout next school year. She is off to a wonderful start with her initiative in creating Fig and Vine, and her involvement in Santa Barbara Jewish life. Lily has created a beautiful space for us to sit in the pains, the joys, and everything in between together as a community.

It has become common knowledge that Jews were forcibly tattooed when they had to enter concentration camps during the Holocaust, but there is very little known about the tattooists themselves. Were they Nazis? Fellow prisoners? Were they proud of their work or did they dread playing a role in torturing their fellow man? The Tattooist of Auschwitz is a novel written by Heather Morris, published in 2017. The book tells the story of Slovakian Jew, Lale Sokolov, who was imprisoned in Auschwitz in 1942. Because of his ability to speak multiple languages, Sokolov became the “Tatowierer”, the prisoner in charge of tattooing identification numbers on his fellow prisoners. While performing his job as the Tatowierer, Sokolov met Gita Furman when he gave her her number, 34902. Within the first moments of their encounter, Sokolov vowed that he would find a way to survive, and he would marry this girl. The novel follows Sokolov’s journey of using his privileged position as the Tatowierer to help bring food and resources to the other prisoners, and the trials and tribulations that came with that risk. Through multiple separations and reunions, Sokolov and Gita find their way back to each other after the war and were together until Gita’s death in 2003.  The gates of Auschwitz, Poland, 1965. The sign above them is 'Arbeit Macht Frei', which translates to ‘Work Makes You Free'. Originally written as a screenplay, Morris spent years interviewing Sokolov before his death in 2006. The interviewing process took place in Melbourne, Australia, where Sokolov and his beloved Gita Furman moved when the war was over to start a new life and raise their son, Gary.  Throughout her novel, Morris brings the reader into the mind of Lale Sokolov. We get to feel his fear, relish in his sneaky accomplishments, and grieve his losses. Her interview process with Sokolov was so in depth and drawn out that Morris was able to form a whole world for the reader based within Sokolov’s mind. The depiction of Sokolov’s thoughtfulness and attention to detail at every turn continuously sucks the reader in from the moment he gets on the train for Auschwitz.  Quickly after arriving, the men all line up to be marked with their identification numbers with the first chapter of the novel. “The tattooing has taken only seconds, but Lale’s shock makes time stand still.” Wrote Morris. “He grasps his arm, staring at the number. How can someone do this to another human being? He wonders if for the rest of his life, be it short or long, he will be defined by this moment, this irregular number: 32407.”  Despite the initial fear that courses through Sokolov that first day at Auschwitz, hope is a continuous theme throughout the novel, constantly bringing the reader back to the idea that hope is what keeps Sokolov alive. He even says this to Gita during one of their brief weekly reunions, assuring her that hope will keep them alive and she must not forfeit her spirit. The theme of hope is woven through the entire novel, coming to a satisfying full circle moment when Sokolov and Gita finally reunite for good after the war ends and he says he never gave up hope that he would find her.  Morris also uses many of the touching moments to bring the reader's attention back to how important each life is. Her attention to detail for Sokolov’s feelings of guilt and sorrow as he tattooed each wrist is moving. It's clear that no matter how much ink passes through his needle, the pain of permanently altering another prisoner never fades. Regardless of every devastating and demeaning moment Sokolov faced, he never lost his humanity, and this is so vivid in every scene Morris describes.  Chapter six is made up mostly of an elongated scene of Sokolov tattooing a new set of prisoners. He continuously repeats to himself what the last Tatowierer taught him on his first day: “‘Save one, save the world,’ Lale says quietly, more to himself than the others.” There is a  Jewish saying,  “kol adam olam um lo'o” which means “every person is an entire universe”. This value is intrinsically taught throughout Jewish communities starting at a very young age. Each life holds immense value, and therefore should be treated as its own universe entirely.   Sokolov was taught that every person he saved was the equivalent of saving an entire universe, and this was one of the driving forces, along with hope and determination, that kept him going. His drive to help as many other people as he could help keep him alive, and this is continuously depicted by Morris throughout the entire novel. Although some of her writing may be lacking in scenery detail, the reader is never at a loss for what Sokolov was thinking we’re feeling at any given moment. Despite being a beloved and award winning  novel worldwide, including the Winner of the Small Publishers’Adult Book of the Year in Australia, The Tattooist of Auschwitz has also faced criticisms for its occasional historical inaccuracy.  An article  published in The New York Times discussed some disparities in historical facts used throughout the novel. For instance, a literary blogger from New Zealand, Lisa Hill , noted how the story about penicillin in the book was an “obscene distortion of reality” because penicillin was not available to the public until 1945.  “Even if Lale had known about the existence of penicillin, the idea that there would have been any for Jewish use in the Auschwitz hospital is fanciful.” Said Hill.  Despite some minor historical inaccuracies, a more worthwhile conversation may be how trauma affects memory. It's important to understand that Sokolov was in his early 20s when he experienced Auschwitz, and his interviews for this novel didn't take place until his late 80s, after Gita’s death.  Lale Sokolov with his son, Gary, born in 1961. Research  has shown it is extremely common for those who have experienced long periods of trauma to experience distorted memories or memory loss during the period of trauma. So, rather than dissecting every detail that Sokolov may have slightly altered during his interviews, it may be more worthwhile to appreciate the amount of sheer detail the book was able to provide the public and also recognize that over 60 years had gone by at this point. So, whether he requested penicillin or some other form of medicine for Gita really wasn’t the point of the story, but rather the fact that he had the courage to relive his harrowing story and time and time again found ways to save those he loved.  Novels such as these aid in keeping the memory of the Holocaust alive. So many today still attempt to disprove the relevance of the Holocaust, or the event in its entirety. Not only do these personal stories give the reader a glimpse into the world these survivors suffered through, but they remind us of the power of hope when it comes to survival.  Sokolov marked thousands with their numbers, but he himself was marked by hope the day he met Gita, and this is what kept him alive. Morris’s skilled retelling of Sokolov’s story, along with her vivid use of sensory imagery and memory gives the reader as close to Sokolov’s experience as one can get through words.