A few months ago, I had the honor of interviewing George Rusznak. George is many things: husband, father, businessman, and he’s also a Holocaust survivor. Throughout our interview, three main themes emerged: fear, hate, and hope. In this three-part mini-essay series, I plan to explore each of these through the lens of George’s story in contrast with what we as a Jewish community are facing today, beginning with fear. One of the first things George told me is when he was growing up he remembers three things above all else. He was “cold, scared, and hungry”. He remembers feeling these things all the time and having such fear ingrained in you from such a young age, yet he survived and created a life worth living. I hope the stories of George's that I’ll share can be a reminder to persevere even in the harshest conditions.   One piece of George’s story that has stuck with me since our interview was a specific moment about his mother. When he was six years old, George became very ill and needed medicine, but of course, resources were quite slim in those times. His neighbor, who would help look after George and his sister, said that he needed medicine or he would die. She tried to force a homemade brew down his throat to ease his symptoms, but George couldn't keep it down. George's mother courageously went out when she wasn’t supposed to, in areas she wasn’t supposed to to try to find medicine for George.  She was caught and arrested the first time she attempted this, but she managed to escape. The next night she tried again, also to be caught. However, she managed to escape for the second time and returned with the medicine for George. He shared that he “probably would have died without that [the medicine]”. Throughout all of George’s stories, one theme seems to ring true, which is his mother‘s bravery and determination to keep her children alive during the holocaust. I feel this is a testament to what a mother’s love is and how it knows no bounds. George shared: “While I never learned the details of how she did it, I clearly understand the extraordinary courage, determination and resourcefulness it must have taken. I am certain that not many had tried, or succeeded, and I am also certain that having done it twice made it a unique, maybe singular, achievement.”  After George recounted this tale for me, I asked him if he thought his mother was scared. I asked if he thought she was fearful when she did this, and George told me “Of course she was scared, but she did it anyway”.  This reminded me of one of my favorite quotes: “Courage isn’t the absence of fear, rather the realization that something else is more important than fear”. We all have our fears right now, and many of us are scared to show up in spaces the way we used to. But George’s mother was a true testament to Jewish courage and showed us that we can have fear and still do hard things. We can be scared and still be courageous. We can feel this generational fear of persecution and continue to show up and prove that we belong wherever we want to be.  Being Jewish is beautiful and wonderful and full of so many blessings, and it can also be scary.  It’s normal to have fear when you know some people exist in the world that don’t want us here. But when we allow fear to stop us from being courageous, they win. George grew up and in what could be considered the harshest of conditions, he experienced true fear and still went on to do incredible things with a beautiful family. He went on to lead a remarkable life of freedom and joy; a true testament to the Jewish spirit. We can’t let fear keep us from living the lives we deserve. Be scared, but do it anyway.  -Lily Karofsky

It wouldn’t be Shabbat in Isla Vista without warmth radiating from the Klein backyard and home. While Rabbi Gershon and his wife Miri dedicate hours to cooking, hosting, and compiling words of wisdom, their three daughters actually run the show, simply by being very cute. Everyone wants to be friends with the cool kids in town, that being five-year-old Mushka, two-and-a-half-year-old Mina, and five-month-old Chana. Want an in? Luckily for you, I had the privilege to sit down with Miri for an exclusive interview about the lives of her children, and even snagged a celebrity encounter at the end!  Miri and I agree that Chana is indubitably the most adorable baby in all of Santa Barbara. With big brown eyes and chubby cheeks, one cannot help but give Chana a cuddle. Chana has recently begun eating mashed broccoli as her first solid food, and seems to enjoy it very much. We can anticipate her soon trying avocado, bananas, and applesauce, entering a whole new world of culinary delight. Lately, Chana’s favorite song is “Raisins and Almonds,” a piece sung in both Yiddish and Russian. “Raisins and Almonds” depicts a Jewish mother talking to her baby. She explains that the most interesting thing a goat can do at the dinner table is play with raisins and almonds, but as a Jewish child, the baby will have the ability to learn and grow. Clearly, Chana has already developed a distinguished musical taste. I asked Miri to describe her youngest’s emerging personality. Miri immediately pointed out Chana’s curiosity. She is deeply consumed in the process of figuring out what everything is, playing with every object she can get her hands on, and often putting items in her mouth. Miri also described Chana as a sweet and tranquil soul. “She’s a chiller,”  Miri remarked, “she’s the vibe of the town.”  Mina is so lovable in her tiny dresses and soft-spoken voice. One can often find her wandering the living room and enjoying the presence of guests on a Friday night. Miri informed me of some of her favorite things. Her most-loved toys are her menchies and playdough. Menchies are Jewish character figurines, smaller than the typical doll. She and Mushka love to give them “houses” with transparent magnetic tiles that build 3D shapes. Mina is especially drawn to the pink magnets and likes to hold them up to her eyes to see the world in a pink hue. While Shabbats are a great time for the Chabad kids and students alike, Mina has a holiday she especially looks forward to each year–Shavuot! Mina may discuss the importance of receiving Torah, but deep down, she just really   likes cheesecake. Mina has also been absorbed in picture books lately, her favorite being “I Kiss My Mezuzah.” Even at two-and-a-half, she seems to be able to recognize how blessed her home is. We students can agree that Chabad is truly a special space.  Now you’re in for a treat! I was invited to have a playdate with   the Mushka Klein and ask her a few questions. Firstly, I asked her what it’s like being a local celebrity, and she replied, “Nothing.”  It is astonishing how humble and down-to-earth she is, refusing to let the fame get to her head. I asked her how she felt about students coming over, and she admitted  “I do like it.” Life for Mushka is a constant playdate, what’s not to like? Speaking of playdates, Mushka told me that her proudest building creation thus far is an enormous train made out of Legos. I inquired how long it took to accomplish this feat. She answered, “Like, a teeny weeny bit of a night, not  a day, a weeny bit of a night to make a big train. That was on Yom Kippur! And then I ran and then I fell!” Along with building, Mushka loves to play board games, make jewelry, and help out in the kitchen. She assists with chopping vegetables, and proudly told me,  “I like to cut scallions!”  Mushka is also known for her professional jumping skills, prioritizing practice on her mattress every day. I asked her record number of jumps in a single day. She casually shrugged her shoulders and replied, “Ten hundred.” With all that she does, Mushka is undeniably a well-rounded and dedicated individual. UCSB students love to be at Chabad for Shabbat, and Mushka loves to have us here. She even confessed that “having guests”  is her favorite part of Shabbat, even more than her beloved “grape juice and pickles”  on a Friday night. Though tough on the outside, Mushka has the biggest heart. We discussed our favorite parts of being Jewish, and she said that hers was “ mivtzoyim ,” or encouraging other people to do mitzvot. Her parents recalled Mushka helping Jewish students on campus shake the lulav and etrog this past Sukkot. I concluded our interview by asking Mushka if there was anything else she’d like UCSB students to know about her. She responded with a blunt, “Nothing.” Miri asked that she try to answer the question again, to which she persisted, “Haha, nothing.”  If you want to know about the secret world of Mushka, you might have to sit down and have a playdate with her yourself. I can confirm that the rumors are true–Mushka does have a top ten. What those rankings look like are extremely classified information that I cannot disclose (I signed an NDA). You won’t be able to pry her favorite color out of me either.  As I thanked the family for their time, Miri remembered a wholesome story of attending her brother-in-law’s Shabbat during break with her two oldest children. She recalled, “Mushka turns around, she goes ‘when are the students gonna start coming?” With a smile on her face, Miri summed it up beautifully. “And for her, that was Shabbos, she couldn’t wrap her brain around students not being there, it was very sweet. It’s kind of like our kids’ whole existence and their whole life. And they really really, I think, at least hope, they really really love it.” The Klein family is such a light in our community, and their three children completely embody the Chabad experience. Mushka, Mina, and Chana are so loved by this community and never fail to warm our hearts. We are so lucky to be learning and growing with them here in Isla Vista. -Maya Kaye

Background Hillel Executive Director Josh Levine grew up in the San Fernando Valley of LA. He then went on to study political science at Brown University in Rhode Island. After receiving his undergraduate degree, he served for a year as a Coro Fellow. This is a nine-month fellowship in public affairs and policy that lines participants up with a different internship every few weeks in a different sector of public life. He completed his fellowship in New York City, gaining experience in governmental agencies, non-profits, political campaigns, labor unions, media companies, and more. After this post-college learning program, he attended law school at UC Berkeley for three years. From there, he clerked for two federal judges in Boston and Detroit and then practiced law in Los Angeles. After a while, he switched gears and became the camp director at Alonim, a Jewish sleep-away camp in LA. Ten years into this position, he moved to become the camp director at Camp Herzl in Twin Cities, Minnesota. During this time, he realized that he really liked working with people in college, “ who are making major decisions about their own lives, as well as how they want to show up for one another and build community, and create opportunities for Jewish community.” He then sought out jobs where he could work with people at this age. While interviewing for Santa Barbara Hillel, Josh remembers thinking to himself , “I’ve found that great creative, chill, driven kind of energy. This place seems like a good fit.” He recalls, “Especially when I met the students on the search committee, I thought, yeah, I really want to spend time with these people, and dream with them, and create with them.” Another bonus of this position was its ability to accommodate Josh’s desired wardrobe. “While Minnesota is an awesome place to live, Santa Barbara in January is just a little more livable. I like wearing a T-shirt and jeans. And I want to do that for more months of the year.” Josh Levine couldn’t sit still if he tried. In his eyes, there is always something that can be worked on and improved for the benefit of the community. He developed this mentality while working at Jewish sleep-away camps, and carried it over to Santa Barbara Hillel. Josh finds purpose in thinking creatively and problem solving. His favorite aspect of our Hille is getting to use these skills in collaboration with its students. Josh describes, “One thing about this Hillel is that it has a number of strengths, and there is clearly a desire by a lot of people for it to be even better at what it does well, as well as it to do better at things it can do better at doing. I like that we don’t have it all figured out. That there’s a lot of work to do, to make it as great as it can be. Personally, I like coming to places…that are looking to recreate, build on what’s working but also throw out what isn’t working, and make things awesome!”  Interview Questions Describe a time in college when you had to get out of a sticky situation.  “I just remember, I always wrote my papers to the last minute. Even if I started them early, which I oftentimes didn’t, I would always finish at the last minute…I was lucky I had a printer in my dorm room. I would print them, and I’d literally be running to drop them off before the building closed, sometimes with a stapler in my back pocket, because, you know, I was in such a rush. I had to get inside the building before 4:59 and 59 seconds.”  Would you rather fight 1000 mouse-sized elephants or one elephant-sized mouse? “One elephant sized mouse…having only one target, there’s no way around it. There’s also a focus. The focus presents itself, so it will force me to focus, and then I am pretty confident in my abilities to do something to shake it up–and also, it's an elephant that is a mouse! And I’m an integrated human! So, I think I’ll be okay, ultimately…I’ll just dodge and weave around, something to take that mouse, which is not used to being so tall, off balance. Because once I get that mouse to fall, I’m littler, so I can take that to my advantage.” What fruit would you be in a fruit salad?  “Avocado. I am a big believer in a couple bucks more for some avocado. You only live once, it's really good for you, and no one ever says ‘I wish I had less avocado.’” Chanukah Questions Do you have any Chanukah traditions? “I love Chanukah music. Just having the music playing, spinning a dreidel–I can get very competitive with dreidel spinning. I don’t have very many dreidel party tricks, but I have a good sense of what’s coming up. Yeah, eating latkes, happy to help. Any time someone’s making latkes, I am happy to help them.” What’s your favorite Chanukah song? “A number of them jog specific memories for me. I have a clip somewhere on my computer of my little brother, when he was younger, singing ‘Chanukah Oh Chanukah’ with his little voice. So that’s why I hear a certain song and they bring back certain memories.” “‘Mi Yimalel’ is such a beautiful…its such a positive Chanukah song that I think holds its own in the December Chanukah/Christmas season.” What’s the best sufgania filling? “I don’t like them. I’m not a filled pastries kind of person. Do I like regular donuts? Yeah, simple, glazed, hot off the presses from Krispy Kreme.” What’s the weirdest gift you’ve ever received? “Sometimes my parents want me to expand my wardrobe so they will get me some really weird shirts. I think lately my mom sees an Instagram ad and it's like oh, thank you, so much, for this towel shirt that you think would be a cool shirt to wear. It all comes from a very genuine place, but yeah. It was like…a quilt! It was a quilt shirt. With the kind of material of quilt, kind of the look of quilt, like I was wearing a blue-ish quilt. And it was very… quilty. It had that quilty quality. It was a quilty pleasure. But it wasn’t such a pleasure. I returned it. I found the receipt and returned it. I appreciate the effort, but I’m gonna stick to my lane.”   How are you celebrating Chanukah this year? “With family. Well, one way I’m celebrating is with Hillel! Even though it isn’t during Chanukah technically, last year Chanukah was one of our biggest Shabbat dinners, when it was Chanukah themed, so I just like that we get to do it together here. That’s going to be great. And then, also lighting the candles. The Chanukah blessings are so beautiful, and there’s so many intentional aspects of Chanukah. Just the ritual of lighting the candles–you have to have the order in which you light them, and all the blessings every night. So lighting the candles is how I’ll be celebrating, ultimately.

Background Rabbi Maddy grew up in northwest Indiana. She lived there from childhood up until college, when she moved two hours away to the University of Indianapolis. This was a very small private university of only 5,000 students. Due to the nature of her hometown and the size of her school, Maddy had only experienced Jewish community in an intimate setting. One of the highlights of Maddy’s undergraduate education was a two-week international studies program that brought her to Ghana. There, she studied microfinancing, but also fell in love with volunteer work at a local school. Maddy recalled, “ that’s where I really started my love for service work, that went beyond the Jewish values my parents and my religious school education instilled in me. I already had that Tikkun Olam built into my psyche, but I think doing this trip was the first big thing I chose to do on my own.” From there, she decided that she wanted to use her business degree for nonprofits. This led her to work with Habitat for Humanity for a year, and then house building and administrative jobs with Americorps after that. Unfortunately, only making $1000 a month was not sustainable, but Maddy was able to find a marketing and communications job at a reform synagogue in Indianapolis. While she learned a lot in this position, she felt trapped behind a desk. She voiced her concerns about what to do next with her friend/director of this synagogue. When her friend pulled a Hebrew Union College folder off the shelf and said, “Maddy, I think you’re supposed to be a rabbi,” Maddy responded with a “whaaat, you’re crazy!” On one hand, Maddy vowed she would never go to school again, because quote, “school’s hard.” On the other, the more Maddy read through this folder, the more she realized that she did, in fact, want to be a rabbi. After a week of deliberation, Maddy applied to Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in Cincinnati, Ohio, for a masters in rabbinic ordination. Maddy described, ”I really didn’t think I’d go to grad school, but once I started thinking about this job, I already felt so passionate about doing a job I cared about, and not just doing a job. As much as it takes to be a rabbi and really give a lot of your life over to your work and your community, I don’t know if I would want it any other way. I like that my work is part of me and my life and not something that is over there on the side.” Maddy stayed in Cincinnati for rabbinical school so she could have a relationship with her baby nephew (she’s his favorite Tanta). She knew that after receiving her degree, she could end up anywhere with this career. She was ready to leave her home state as she “felt pretty mid about the state of Indiana in general.” She also knew that pulpit leadership was not what she was looking for. So, she applied to Hillels all over the country, as well as some ADL and JCRC jobs. Maddy chose the position at UCSB because, “ who wouldn’t want to come to Santa Barbara?”  She further delineated, “ as crazy as it sounds, I knew that the antisemitism on this campus was a problem, and I wanted to go somewhere where I can help work on that problem. Obviously I had no clue what I was in for the second year of my career… [Santa Barbara Hillel] had the things in the job that I was looking for, including the combating antisemitism piece. And I was in the right place at the right time to serve in a community where I was needed, and had at least some of the skills to be both supportive to students and strategic when it comes to what’s happening on campus.” Beyond this, Rabbi Maddy has expressed tremendous love for the Santa Barbara student Jewish community. She emphasizes diversity as one of her favorite aspects of our Hillel, as she had never experienced a community with this many Jews from all sorts of backgrounds. She also recognizes student grit and character, praising how “ we have such strong leaders and such great communicators. It’s just really cool to know that people from this community are going to be all over the place, which means this energy is going to be all over the place.” Rabbi Maddy has loved working with college-aged students who embody the work hard play hard mentality that UCSB fosters. She sees it as a time for self-exploration, but also a time to dedicate oneself to their values. She deeply appreciates student contributions of time, effort, and passion in Santa Barbara’s Jewish life. She added a final note that, “the love and energy for Judaism and Jewish community here, I hope it's something you get to take with you and find in the next part of your life too.” Interview Questions What’s something you have an unpopular opinion or hot take about?  “ There is a strong debate about whether matzah balls should be dense or soft and fluffy. I really believe strongly in a dense matzah ball. I think if our plastic spoons here at Hillel break on a matzah ball, I probably want to high-five [chef] David Medina, and tell him how great he did that week. I’ll eat a fluffy matzah ball, don’t get me wrong, but I’ll be a little disappointed. A fluffy matzah ball feels more like wet bread to me, and a dense matzah ball feels more like a proper dumpling.” What’s your spirit animal? “ I did feel like Chase was my spirit animal, my last dog. He was a Chiuaua terrier mix and who knows what else. Like Malka he came from Kreigslist in Indianapolis. Chase was itchy. I have psoriasis, so I’m itchy, and I felt like we had that in common. Chase had anxiety and I have anxiety, so I feel like we had that in common. And he really liked to sleep, as do I, so like, truly, not just dogs, but Chase, my first dog that was like, my dog.” What’s the last thing you did for the first time?  “ That’s a hard question. But I wish I could say laundry. Like I’ll never have to do laundry again. Those are just dreams.” Chanukah Questions Do you have any Chanukah traditions? ” My favorite is so silly. If I’m on my own, because, you know, through school and things like that I’ve lived alone quite a bit, and so sometimes I’m not with a group of people every night of Chanukah. So if I’m not with a group of people I still light candles by myself and I always hold the dog which, until this last Chanukah, was Chase. I make the dog do prayers with me and then we take a picture. You can find pictures of me and Chase on Chanukah on my instagram @rabbimaddy.” Tell us about your homemade potato latkes recipe! “So, first of all, the story behind it is that my dad was like, the chef in the family. My dad wanted to cook, it was part of his passion in life. He didn’t make us suffer through hand shredding potatoes or anything, we would use the food processor. But shredded for sure, and usually matzah meal instead of flour because you have to do something with all the matzah meal that’s left before it expires and you get to the next Pesach. So Chanukah is when we’d use up the end of the matzah meal. And then just the basics like eggs, salt, pepper. Can I give you amounts off the top of my head? No, I’m pretty sure I just do it by feel. My brother and I usually do it together if I’m home. We’ll fight about whether or not its at the right consistency for a while, and then eventually we’ll start cooking them. He really likes to be the one on the oil, but that’s because he went to culinary school for a while and so he thinks he should be in charge of the kitchen. But yeah, my favorite part is eating them because they just taste like childhood and remind me of my dad, and they remind everyone of my dad. So they’re not just for us but for everyone.” What is the weirdest gift you’ve ever given? “Its weird, but also, kind of purposeful weird and silly. My best friend and I growing up, his name is Kevin, he and I used to get each other birthday presents from the dollar store. It was kind of a competition to see who would get a better grouping of random stuff from the Dollar store that would actually make you smile. Everything from childhood stuff like capsules to put in the bathtub that would turn into dinosaur sponges to, like, a horse head on a stick that you’d run around with as a child. And also, our favorite candy and stuff like that. And all the way through high school and maybe even college we did this. And then like, socks for Chanukah every year. It’s literally a tradition.” How are you celebrating Chanukah this year?  “I’m going home, and I’m going to be with my family for most of it. So I’m sure we’ll be making the latkes. We’ll definitely be doing a gift exchange, but you know, adults usually have one to four gifts and I’m an adult now, that’s kind of a bummer. Then like, Tovy, the only child, my ten-year-old nephew will have a mountain of gifts. Sometimes even the dogs get more gifts than the people because everyone brings something for every dog. Because we’re dog people. Shocking, I know.”

Allen and Maya are colleagues who enjoy exploring nature together. They embarked on a multi-day roadtrip up the northern California coast, southern Oregon, and back down to the make believe dystopia: Fresno. Let’s just say that it’s a Chanukah miracle they survived all eight of those crazy days and nights. Here is their travel guide for a perfectly seamless roadtrip.  Day 1 - San Francisco Our Highlight: Twin Peaks Want to see San Francisco from a bird’s eye view? Drive all the way up to Sutro Tower, which the city of San Francisco claims to be for radio and television (we know better). Take the dirt path up either of the Twin Peaks: hills that provide 360 degree views of the San Francisco skyline. Enjoy the rolling hills, urban sprawl, and iconic landmarks the city has to offer. We suggest going for sunset, to experience colorful skies and the city lights gradually flickering on. Make sure to bring warm clothes and take lots of photos – this spot is absolutely stunning!  Know what else is stunning? The sight of an unbroken-into car! San Francisco is known for a plethora of colorful activities: grabbing a sweet treat at Ghirardelli, participating in powerful social initiatives – like the Gay Rights movement – and above all else, stealing! That being said, don’t be a silly goose and leave your wallet in the front seat of your car overnight. Nine out of ten times it will get stolen. Fortunately, this was not the case for Maya Kaye, who returned to an unsmashed window and fully stocked wallet the following morning. We’ll call it a Hanukkah miracle! Other recommendations in San Francisco include:  Golden Gate Park:  Where you can awkwardly row a boat with a colleague, gnaw on stale pretzels, and discover whip-its in hidden fairy houses. Palace of Fine Arts: You’ve seen pictures! Now, you can take one too, because that’s all there really is to do there. Golden Gate Bridge: Pro-tip: You can only walk the bridge during the day. For reasons! Day 2 - Point Reyes National Seashore Our Highlight: Alamere Falls   It’s a waterfall that touches the ocean! This is very exciting! Embark on a 13.6 mile out-and-back trail with sweeping ocean views, lush greenery, and even a few lakes. Try not to step on banana slugs and California newts, as they have a death wish. When you hit a fork in the road, ignore the real path and go down the sketchy one, through a dark tunnel of trees, instead. Risk your life and scramble down a vertical canyon to reach the top of the cascading falls. Bonus points if it starts pouring at this very moment. Now, it’s ALL-amere Falls, because ALL the trail is flooded.  Wanna ensure a good time? Don’t leave your backpack on the edge of an eroding cliff. Silly Allen, that backpack has your keys and phone in it! Carrying a drenched backpack for sev miles while your phone is on the brink of death is no fun at all, so do yourselves a favor and hold onto all belongings. Also, be prepared for large puddles, which might require you to raw dog the trail for half a mile. Allen, Maya, and Allen’s phone began to function again shortly after, making this their second Hanukkah miracle. Other recommendations in Point Reyes National Seashore include:  Chimney Rock The elephant seals are definitely waving at you! Make some loud noises for them, they love that.  Bringing a raincoat when rain is in the forecast It is cold, it is wet, and your mom was right about this one.  Day 3 - Sonoma Our Highlight: Islands in the Sky  If you’re looking for a unique hike, check out the Islands in the Sky Loop trail. You begin an upwards climb under a canopy of redwoods, and are guaranteed to pass many small waterfalls along the way. Eventually, you come to a clearing above the redwood forest and find yourself surrounded by thick grass and rolling hills. On top of each hill is a cluster of trees, or “island in the sky.” On a clear day, you would be able to see the ocean! But this was not a clear day. Then, come to the realization you did not park at the trailhead, but rather, in someone’s backyard. This four mile hike has now become an eight mile adventure. But this is okay, because you’ve got a good attitude and your favorite colleague to keep spirits high. You may love your favorite colleague, even if he’s bad at reporting wildfires. Travel tip! If it’s smoking and smells like fire, it could be one of two things… A wildfire A passionate act of arson Unfortunately, Allen was too antsy to wait around for the firefighters to come. Hope the forest is okay! If it is, that would have to make this the third Hanukkah miracle. (It was a bit strange how incessant the fire department guy was that Allen stayed; what the hell would HE be able to do about an active wildfire? We hope that UCSB grad and recently ordained firefighter, Niv Cohen, does a better job than that guy!) Other recommendations in Sonoma include:  Badass Coffee Your favorite colleague wants to reminisce of camp memories by consuming diabetes in a cup. Don’t have a stick up your ass about it, caffeine and sugar is a delicious duo. Salt Point State Park Unique rock formations. Unique sideways rain. Didn’t know rain could hurt this bad. Ow. Ow. Ow. Then trek alongside highway 101 in the dead of night to find where you parked.  Day 4 - Mendocino Our highlight: Mendocino Headlands Bluffs Trail  We’re not bluffing about these incredible ocean views! Walk behind the most atrociously priced gas station ($9 a gallon?!) to a dirt trail along some cliffs. Find multiple waterfalls, ocean arches, and crashing waves. You will experience many colors of the ocean, including brown from all the storm runoff, and a breathtaking turquoise that cannot be captured by iPhone. Keep your eyes peeled for sea palm, which looks like miniature palm trees growing on rocks in the water. Once you complete the trail, head back through the charming town and dream of retirement here.  That is, if you make it to retirement… Allen and Maya nearly didn’t. Caught in torrential downpour, they whipped Allen’s beat-up Honda Civic down the coast, while he was barely able to see five feet ahead of him. Fortunately, nearby drivers were actually decent at driving, making the ride safe and smooth. He only hydroplaned 3 times, and nearly caused 2 major accidents, making this their fourth Hanukkah miracle. Other recommendations in Mendocino include:  Pygmy Forest A must-see for the short king in your life. Being taller than the trees is a real confidence booster.  Point Cabrillo Lighthouse Yeah yeah cool gift shop. Gaze longingly upon the roped-off staircase to the top.  Russian Gulch State Park It’s a bridge! Neat!  Fort Bragg Sea Glass Beach You’re supposed to leave the sea glass, but you take a piece or three anyway because you are a douchebag that hates natural wonders.  Day 5 - Redwood National and State Parks  Our Highlight: Enderts Beach  Visit the Enderts Beach tide pools for a shell of a time! It’s even cooler if you visit during King Tides: the highest and lowest of the year. In extremely negative tides, the ocean reveals tidepools lined with hundreds of starfish! You’re guaranteed to befriend sea anemones, urchins, mussels, and hermit crabs. Unless you step on them. They’ll hate you and be out for revenge. A sea anemone can quickly become a sea anENEMY. Though you are the shining star in his life, your favorite colleague still feels the need to pet 69 starfish. Allen is very proud of himself!  Allen was not proud of himself, however, after accidentally booking a 1-star motel full of crack addicts. B’’H for the broken shower, lack of bed sheets, and strong smell of mold. These circumstances kept Allen and Maya cozy, as a man was physically assaulted outside of their room. Travel tip! When a motel provides you with 3+ locks for your door, it’s out of necessity, not aesthetic! The following morning, Allen handed his keys to a random woman, who may not have even worked for the motel. Surviving that night remains their fifth Hanukkah miracle. Other recommendations in Redwood include:  Trillium Falls Stand inside a tree with many spiders. Cross a troll bridge with many spiders.  Fern Canyon Bring water shoes to traverse a stream between two canyon walls lined with lush ferns. Bring water shoes. Did you know that some scenes in Jurassic Park were shot here? We highly recommend bringing water shoes.   Gold Bluffs Beach It’s actually a black sand beach, not a gold sand beach. And there’s no bluffs.  Klamath River Overlook Walk half a mile through thorn bushes for a slightly better view than what you get at the parking lot.  Trees of Mystery  Come for an epic photoshoot with the giant lumberjack raising his right hand in a very questionable way and the derpy-looking blue bull with big big big big balls. Day 6 - Southern Oregon  Our Highlight: Blue Grotto Turquoise rocks and a hidden cove, but it’s quite the journey to get there. Instead of parking close, park a mile away on the side of the highway. Want to walk alongside Lost Creek Lake? Too bad! You get the highway. You will reach a trail, and it is not the Blue Grotto Trail. This is okay, because a man named Bobcat wrote a very detailed online guide on how to find it. Thank you Bobcat. After stunning lake views (finally) and crossing three awesome bridges, you will find a sign pointing to Blue Grotto. Bravely cross a stream and take cute photos with your favorite colleague behind the waterfall. This is a really unique place that not a lot of people know about.  What people also might not know is how ill equipped Honda Civics are for the snow. Travel tip! If you have chains for your tires, put them on, as they’re more useful on the tires than sitting in your trunk! Maya had the exhilarating task of rerouting fifteen million times and watching for oncoming cars, as Allen pulled numerous 10-point U-turns. She even had a raging migraine! How she didn’t strangle him at this point in the trip was their sixth Hanukkah miracle.  Other recommendations along Highway 62 include:  Mill Creek Falls An awesome waterfall less than a quarter mile from the highway! Since it's such a short trail, add an extra challenge by going in your flip flops!  Long Pants Wear pants and socks that cover your ankles. If you are covering your ankles, cover them more. Poison oak is bad. Maya would rather contact her favorite colleague, NOT dermatitis!  Day 7 - Rogue-Umpqua Scenic Byway Our Highlight: Watson Falls Gasp in awe at the 272-foot-tall Watson Falls, the third tallest waterfall in all of Oregon. This is one of the most astonishing stops on the Rogue-Umpqua Scenic Byway. A short trail will lead you from the parking lot and across a bridge to an amazing viewpoint next to the waterfall. Watson Falls is so tall that the water disperses into mist before touching the stream below. You may become so mesmerized, you fall into a trance while getting drenched by the mist and inconveniently timed rain. Your favorite colleague will remind you that none of this is real.  Guess what else isn’t real? Allen’s splash shield. At least, not after he dragged it through the snow for 100 miles straight. Not like his car was hydroplaning every five seconds and it was getting dark out; that wouldn’t be fun. Fortunately, the contact high from the crack house they stayed at nights before was doing wonders, allowing them to safely arrive in Shasta later that night. Travel tip! Crack keeps you alert! Must’ve been their sevth Hanukkah miracle. Other recommendations near the Rogue-Umpqua Scenic Byway include: Susan Creek Falls Bet you can’t make it to the falls and back in fifteen minutes!  Fall Creek Falls Really cool trail and waterfall, but redundant name.  Toketee Falls Stunning blue falls! Very cool wooden water pipe spewing water in every direction near the parking lot. Free car wash!   Crater Lake National Park Visitor Center We had the park to ourselves this time of year! Also, none of it was accessible.  Day 8 - Shasta  Our Highlight: Pluto’s Cave This cave system near Mount Shasta is out of this world! Take a short walk through an open field and DON’T FALL INTO THE GIANT HOLE! Take the easiest descending path and try not to breathe in the stench of bat shit. Even if you’re batshit crazy, you will still dislike the smell. Enjoy the modern art (graffiti that’s 95% profanity) and enter without a flashlight. After stumbling over rocks, you find yourself trekking on sand and approaching a hole above, delicately pouring in sunlight. You then make it to the end of this cave, and find another one that is completely pitch black. After walking a few yards in without a proper flashlight, you abort this mission, as you won’t be able to see anything. Pluto’s Cave is really cool for people who enjoy caves.  People do not, however, enjoy Highway 99. On their way to the mythical land of Fresno, they encountered the American dream: fields of genetically modified cows and factories fueling the military industrial complex. Travel tip! Always keep a Yerb on hand, in case you need to throw it at someone provoking you while getting gas. Highway 99 was also home to the same three billboards, over and over again, but making it to the Madera exit would mark their eighth, and final, Hanukkah miracle. Other recommendations near Shasta include: Weed Say high to the town of Weed, CA!  Lake Siskiyou Gorgeous lake surrounded by snow-capped mountains, including Mount Shasta! Try not to slip and fall on patches of snow.  Hedge Creek Falls Your favorite colleague, that you’re a little bit in love with, insists on walking behind yet another waterfall. You say yes, and she is very happy.  Lake Shasta A beautiful lake surrounded by an even more beautiful highway. There’s nothing more stunning than those asphalt lanes! Time for Fresno! Known for air pollution, drug abuse, and gang violence. Bye, Maya! See you on the next adventure!

For legal reasons, this is all a joke            Most students are aware of Henry Yang’s upcoming retirement from the role of chancellor, set to take place at the end of this academic school year. However, many are clueless about another major life transition of his… into Judaism! For the last year, Henry Yang has undergone a full reform Jewish conversion, headed by Hillel’s very own Rabbi Maddy Anderson. We’ve compiled a detailed account into this process… Like many that came before him, Henry Yang was denied three times before being granted permission to start the conversion process. The first left him devastated, causing him to completely shift focus to another project: constructing the ultra-controversial Munger Hall. Sources say that the building’s lack of windows was a reflection of Yang’s inner turmoil, having been denied his ‘window’ into Jewish life. The second left him disappointed, occasionally causing his mind to drift while driving. The third, however, gave him the discipline to take it on the nose, resulting in a successful next attempt. He was ready to begin the conversion process! Most converts begin with an Introduction to Judaism class. However, since Hillel was not currently offering one at the time, Rabbi Maddy gave him a spot in her Jewish Learning Fellows class, “exploring the ways Jewish teachings and traditions give voice to and guide our modern lives.” Throughout this course, Yang was said to have engaged in lengthy debates with Malcolm Brabec about the dangers of communal isolation, and whether or not it feeds into modern day antisemitism. Malcolm stated that “Henry, in [his] opinion, took the saying ‘two Jews three opinions’ to heart.” Next, Yang began to immerse himself in various Jewish ways of living, beginning first, of course, with food. He attempted to make latkes, but they crumbled in his hands when he tried to take a bite. He held up the line at Yetz’s Bagels for an hour, unable to decide what kind of schmear would pair best with his lox. He forced himself to try gefilte fish, vomiting it back onto the plate immediately. Hillel services became a regular part of Yang’s life as well. For the first few, he wasn’t aware that Jews read from back to front, making him greatly confused the entire time. This confusion did not subside, as even when he was on the right page, he didn’t understand a lick of hebrew. He also came to the realization that he’d been mistakenly attending Chabad’s Minyan instead of Hillel’s services. B’’H, as he was often the 10th needed member. Eventually, Yang grew confident in the prayers, giving him a hankering to service lead. Fellow service leader, Abby Eiselman, had this to say: “Yeah, he didn’t really know, like, any of the words. Or the guitar chords. But he hummed the majority of the melodies perfectly!” Yang also began to keep up with many Jewish traditions, both religious and secular. He attended a Congregation B’nai B’rith Bar Mitzvah, where he drank far too many shirley temples and didn’t remember getting the Henna tattoo on his left ass cheek. On Rosh Hashanah, he threw an entire loaf of bread off of the eroding IV cliffs, unaware you’re supposed to rip off a piece for each sin. During Passover seder, he ate an egregious amount of horseradish, giving him second degree burns in the back of his throat. And yet, surprisingly, he lit all eight Hanukkah candles perfectly, without a hitch. He didn’t even need to be told what to do or what prayers to say, he just figured that shit out off cuff. It was wild.  Finally, it was time for his Beit Din – a test from a panel of Rabbis on the convert’s knowledge of Judaism and their intention for crossing over. Yang scored a whopping 38%, which is ironically the same percentage of students who are guaranteed housing after their first year. Still, his previous attempt to construct Munger Hall was such a great, lucrative deal, the Rabbis figured he must have some Jewish chutzpah inside of him.  For obvious reasons, a Brit Milah was out of the question for Henry, leaving one final step in the conversion process: the Mikveh. Yang felt it was best to conduct this in the campus lagoon, a symbolic home of rebirth and new beginnings. Community member, Maya Kaye, had this to say after witnessing the ordeal: “It’s been burned into the recesses of my brain. I can’t sleep. Please, someone distract me from this waking nightmare.” While Chancellor Yang is now focusing more of his energy on retirement, the excitement of his conversion hasn’t died. He even filed to legally change his name to Henry Yangawitz in celebration! Jewish conversion is a lengthy and difficult process, but Henry was determined, even in his late age, to be with his chosen people. So, the next time you see Chancellor Yang at Chabad’s Mega Shabbat or a Hillel panel on campus antisemitism, give him a strong ‘mazel tov!’

In the United States, there’s an irrevocable tie between the holiday season and sports. There’s NFL football on Thanksgiving day, the Christmas day NBA matchups, and even the spectacular outdoors NHL Winter Classic on New Years Eve. And no American winter holiday would be complete without the requisite holiday movie - whether you are a fan of Rudolph, White Christman, Home Alone, Eight Crazy Nights, or the more classic, Menorah in the Middle. However, the sports-holiday movie combination gives us the ne plus ultra  of American culture aggregation- with such classics as Rocky IV or the Ted Lasso claymation special. Is there space in this apogee of New World cultural commingling for the Jewish-athletic-holiday movie? Dear reader, I am pleased to share that this hallowed summit would be barren of a Jewish contribution but for one exception.  In my inaugural column of Mazel on the Move , let me be the first to introduce our Fig & Vine Magazine readers to the cinematic masterpiece that is  Full Court   Miracle  (2003). A glorious blend of slapstick comedy and spirituality, the film centers on the struggling basketball team of the Philadelphia Hebrew Academy, doing athletic battle as the Lions. A retelling of the Hanukkah story, the movie shows 14-year-old Alex “Schlots” Schlotsky who dreams of winning the Liberty Tournament and defeating the school’s rivals, the Warriors. Despite pushback from his mother, who serves as the ultimate caricature of a Jewish mother, who wishes for her son to become a doctor and nothing else, Schlots searches for a coach who can lead his team to victory and defeat the Warriors. It is at this point in the movie that Schlots daydreams a spectacular basketball-battle between the Lions and the Warriors in which the teams are dressed as ancient Israelites and Greek warriors, respectively, in a comical reproduction of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid King Antiochus. Schlots and the team eventually meet an incredible basketball player down at Philly’s  public basketball courts, Lamont Carr. Despite Carr not being Jewish, the team discovers that his college nickname was “The Hammer” (just like Judah Maccabee) and become convinced that he is a reincarnation of the legendary Hebrew warrior. Eventually, the team reaches the traditional sports movie climax of The Big Game, facing off against the Warriors, and the gymnasium loses power during a storm in the final minutes of the fourth period. Alarmingly for Schlots and his teammates,  they are several baskets behind and the school’s generator outside only has enough fuel to last two and a half minutes. After the teams begrudgingly come to an agreement that the team with the higher score when the generator dies will win the game, the Warriors immediately call a timeout, with a one point lead and one minute left in the generator. As the fuel burns away, the machine miraculously continues to run. The game continues for eight more minutes of play  and the Lions claw their way back to win in the final seconds.  Despite its poor critical reception, Full Court Miracle represents more than a multicultural alternative to the numerous Hallmark Christmas specials that inundate streaming services during the holiday season. It comfortably shows observant Jews doing things outside the mainstream culture with a heimish  amalgamation of infinite Jewish motifs that few movies in the early 2000s were brave enough to reference. With Shabbat dinners, Kosher eating, kippah wearing basketball players, and plenty of Yiddish jokes, Full Court Miracle is the Jewish sports movie that I think every Jew has always yearned for deep down.

Classic Potato Latkes Ingredients: 10 russet potatoes 4 yellow onions, peeled and halved 4 eggs ½ cup matzoh meal (roughly) Canola Oil Kosher Salt Sour cream and applesauce, for serving Instructions Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Peel the potatoes and plunge them in a large bowl with cold water. Pat dry. Using the shredding disk on your food processor, shred the potatoes and onions together. (You may also use a large hole box grater.) In a large bowl, beat the eggs and set aside. Transfer a few handfuls of shredded potatoes and onions to a double-thickness of paper towels, and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Place in the bowl with the eggs Repeat with the remaining potatoes and onions Stir in the matzo meal and season generously with salt and pepper Heat a few glugs of oil in a large heavily skillet (you’ll use about ¼ cup oil at first, but you’ll keep adding more) over medium-high heat To see if the oil is ready, put a pinch of potato mixture; it should sizzle and turn golden in 10 seconds Using an ice cream scoop, drop the latke batter in the oil and flatten gently with a spatula Cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side Transfer latkes to a paper-towel lined plate and sprinkle immediately with salt. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve hot, with applesauce and sour cream on the side  From Parents.com   Cinnamon Sweet Potato and Apple Latkes Ingredients 1 medium sized sweet potato (2 cups grated) 1 or (1 cup grated) granny smith apple  1 large egg ½ teaspoon of baking powder 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon 2 tablespoons of whole spelt flour (or whole wheat/all purpose) 1 tablespoon oat bran 1 teaspoon flaxseed meal A pinch of sea salt 3 tablespoons of canola oil for frying Instructions Peel and grate sweet potato and apple. Using a clean kitchen towel, cheese cloth, or fine mesh strainer, extract as much of the liquid as possible. Discard liquid and transfer grated sweet potato and apple to a medium sized bowl. Add the egg, baking powder, cinnamon, flour, oat bran, flax seed meal, and salt to the bowl. Mix well. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet. Before you begin frying, test oil by dropping a small amount of the mixture and make sure it's hot enough. Once the oil is hot, scoop out a heaping teaspoon (using a soup spoon, not measuring spoon), and gently drop into a hot pan, and use the back of the spoon to flatten out the latke. Continue, in batches, with the entire mixture. Add more oil to the pan as needed. Fry until golden brown for about 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate Serve warm with your favorite condiment  From momtastic.com Applesauce Ingredients 4 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and cut into bite-sized pieces ½ cup apple juice 1 cinnamon stick 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Instructions Place the first four ingredients in a medium saucepan.  Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Smash with potato masher.  Spoon into serving bowls and sprinkle with ground cinnamon  From parents.com

Latke Making Competition   There’s nothing better than gathering with your favorite people (family and friends) to see who can whip up the best latkes; review these potato pancakes based on taste and presentation. Challenge your group to experiment with sweet potato, zucchini, or even cheese-filled varieties— add some friendly competition to the holiday! Decorate Hanukkah Donuts  Jelly filled donuts, sufganiyot, is an absolute necessity for the high holiday. Turn it up a notch and host a donut-decorating activity. Set up a station with glaze, festive sprinkles, chocolate, and other toppings so everyone can design their own donut.  Cookie Decorating  Search up a simple sugar cookie recipe, and bake Hanukkah-shaped cookies—menorahs, dreidels, and Stars of David. Decorate them with blue, white, and gold icing; a classic activity that adults and kids adore.  Light The Menorah Together  The most special part of Hanukkah is lighting the menorah. Gather as a group and recite the blessings, light the candles, and reflect on the holiday’s themes of resilience, kindness, and miracles.  Dreidel Song and Dance  Spin the dreidel and break into hilarious and cheerful dances whenever someone lands on “gimel” (winning letter). It’s a way to keep everyone entertained, involved, and get to know everyone at the party!   Whole Made Gelt  Melt milk, white, or dark chocolate and pour into molds you can find on Amazon. To create custom coins add edible glitter, gold foil, sprinkles, or even monograms for a personal touch. Charcuterie Board: Hanukkah Edition  Add a Hanukkah twist on the trendy charcuterie board! Incorporating holiday-themed snacks, which could include blue-and-white candies, star-shaped crackers, mini latkes, sufganiyot bites, olives, and cheeses to create a delicious centerpiece for the table. -Jannie Landgraff

Looking for your new favorite Hanukkah gift? For any reader obsessed with cheesy rom-coms, The Matzah Ball  may be your perfect present. Though the phrase “matzah ball” may make you think of your favorite Passover delicacy, this time around it’s all about the magic of Hanukkah.   Written by author Jean Meltzer, The Matzah Ball  has everything you need to fall in love this holiday season: a dual-perspective Jewish romance, adorably awkward characters brimming with wit, and references that will make those long years of Hebrew school totally worth it. While it may be powdered with the occasional cliche, just like a jelly donut this book is certified sweet. It all starts with a dark secret before the eight days of lights: our Jewish female protagonist loves Christmas. While some may see this as less of a horrifying revelation and more of the American Jewish norm, Rachel’s love of the holiday isn’t just about blasting “All I Want For Christmas is You” in her car (because let's be real, who among us Jews can resist Mariah Carey’s whistle notes?). This obsession of hers is something else entirely: Rachel’s a full-time Christmas novelist with an overflowing collection of 237 miniature Santas. As the daughter of a well-known rabbi, Rachel hides her Christmas obsession from everyone like it’s the afikomen. She almost gets away with it too – until one day, her literary agent asks her to stop writing about mistletoe and start writing about menorahs.  In the quest to find inspiration for her very first Hanukkah novel, Rachel ends up reconnecting with an old flame from her Jewish summer camp. To those worried about the snowstorm of Christmas-related content, you’ll be happy to know her love interest’s name is Jacob Greenberg, which is the most classic Jewish name ever heard (for any non-Jews reading this, this is basically our version of John Smith right here). When they were young teens at summer camp, Rachel and Jacob were enemies then lovers then enemies again, pranking each other endlessly until their relationship became more acidic than sour cream on latkes.  Now, over a decade later, Jacob is planning a high-end Hanukkah party called the Matzah Ball. He’s traveled all the way from Paris to New York City to convince Rachel’s famous rabbi father to join. When Jacob takes part in Shabbat dinner in an effort to win the rabbi over, he finds Rachel sitting right across from him. Can a great miracle happen here?    With plenty of chuckles and heartwarming scenes, The Matzah Ball is the kind of book you can easily breeze through in under a day. Though at times the eye-rolling moments feel like an eternity (I kid you not, one of the characters unironically said “Let’s put Judaism on fleek!”), this book also presents a surprising amount of depth. Rachel has myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), a long-term illness often colloquially referred to as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. This can transform daily tasks into difficult endeavors and we witness the tolls it has on Rachel throughout this book. Author Jean Meltzer has ME in real life and you could tell how meaningful it was for her to portray Rachel’s journey.  Conversations on Jewish values were also beautifully depicted in this novel. Though I’ll admit the emphasis on Christmas at first threw me off when reading, I quickly discovered that this book is a Jewish story through and through. From discussions of delicious rugelach to those on finding your bashert , this novel is a celebration of what makes the Jewish faith special in a world where it can often be drowned out. Just like the tiny half-aisle of Hanukkah decor at Target, we may appear small but our pride in our heritage makes us as mighty as the Maccabees.    Move over Hallmark Christmas movies – in true Jewish fashion, it’s time to bring in the chet  sound in front and celebrate an all-new Challmark  classic.

As Hanukkah has often in the past coincided with finals week or the days leading up to it, we are lucky enough to have Hannukah land during UCSB’s winter break this year. This Hanukkah begins at sundown on the evening of December 25, 2024 and concludes on the evening of January 2, 2025 - spanning over 2 years in the Gregorian calendar due. The last year this happened was 2019. Hanukkah begins on the 25th day of the Hebrew lunar month of Kislev, and ends on the 2nd day of Tevet.  When the land of Judea was under a Syrian-Greek occupation over 2,000 years ago, Syrian King Antiochus III allowed Jews their religious freedoms in their homeland. However his successor Seleucus IV oppressed the Jewish people and attempted to plunder the Second Temple in Jerusalem in order to pay money to the Romans, who had defeated his father. When his minister Helyodros entered the Temple, it was said that he turned pale then fainted - and did not attempt to enter again. After Seleucus IV’s death, his brother Antiochus IV inherited the throne in 174 BCE. Antiochus suppressed Jewish laws and traditions, replaced the High Priest with his Hellenistic brother Joshua, and attempted to unify his empire by forcing Greek traditions upon the people of Judea. When Joshua was replaced by Menelaus, the former High Priest protested against the spread of Hellenist influence in the Temple, and Menelaus had him assassinated. When Antiochus IV was rumored to have been assassinated in a war against Egypt, people of Judea rebelled against Menelaus, who fled from Jerusalem. Antiochus IV returned to Jerusalem from Egypt - alive and furious upon hearing the events that occured during his absence. He commanded his army to attack the Jews, killing thousands and enacting strict anti-Jewish laws. Antiochus was said to have commanded a 90 year old Rabbi to eat pork, and executed him when he declined. Syrians seeked out faithful Jews throughout Judea and put them to death, and those who were killed would be remembered as martyrs. One important character instigated a turning point for the Jews during this period of heavy oppression. Mattityahu was an old priest who challenged a Syrian officer when asked to give sacrifices to the Greek gods through a newly built altar. Mattityahu killed a Hellenistic Jew when he went to offer sacrifice, killed and drove away Syrian men from his village, then destroyed the altar with support from his family and friends. Many Jews joined Mattityahu and his men in the hills of Judea, and this community of outlaws would carry out discreet attacks against their enemies and destroy Antiochus’s pagan altars. According to legend, Mattitiyahu was said to appoint Judah as the “father of the Maccabees,” and the Maccabees would lead a rebellion against King Antiochus IV to retake Jerusalem. Though the Maccabees were largely outnumbered by the Syrian forces, they had several victories. Antiochus was said to have gathered an army of over 40,000 men for a second expedition who were also defeated by the Maccabees after a series of battles. The Maccabees were said to have entered the Second Temple and rid it of all the Syrian-placed pagan idols before purifying it. The Temple was rededicated on the 25th day of Kislev in 139 BCE.  “Initial A with the Battle of the Maccabees” ca. 1360-70 (The Met Museum) When the Maccabees rebuilt the altar and lit the Menorah, it is said that there was only a small amount of oil which would only burn for one day. However, the oil lasted for eight days, which was proof to the Maccabees that God had taken the Jewish people under his protection.  In memory of the eight days in which the oil lasted, on Hannukah it is traditional to light eight candles - one per day - to symbolize the lighting of the candles after the Maccabees reclaimed the Second Temple.  The Hasmoneans, descendants of the leaders of the Maccabees, ruled and governed Judea following the Maccabean revolt for around a century, until the kingdom was overthrown by the Romans in 37 BCE. Ancient artifacts and ruined architecture from this period have been recovered from Jerusalem and the surrounding lands. Photo of Hasmonean Palace ruins  (Chaim/Wikimedia Commons) There has been much historical debate on the exact nature of the Maccabees. Medieval Christians looked to the story of the Maccabees as models for the early Christian Crusades. The account of the Maccabees varies in Christian texts compared to Jewish text, though their military success and return to the Second Temple has rightfully earned them a place in Jewish history and celebration.  Traditional Hannukah food is connected to the story of the Maccabees. Latkes and Sufganiyot (among many others) are staples of Hannukah, and the oil which is used to make them are symbolic to the oil that was burned for the eight days following the reclaiming of the Temple. I wish everybody a very joyful Hannukah filled with family, friends, and relaxation!

Mizrahi Heritage Month remembers over 850,000 Mizrahi and Sephardic Jewish refugees who were expelled from their homes in the Middle East, in countries including Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Libya, Morocco, Yemen, Tunisia, and several more during the mid 20th century. 70,000 additional refugees from Iran following the Iranian Revolution during 1979 to 1980 are remembered this month as well.   The Jewish Exodus from Arab Lands is a widely unknown piece of Jewish history. Mizrahi Jews from Middle Eastern countries fled persecution, oppression, and death, as their home countries enacted discriminatory laws, failed to prevent violent attacks against Jews, and encouraged antisemitism. As a result, entire communities that had lived in the region for a millennia were uprooted, forced into exile, and left without justice or acknowledgment of their suffering. Today, many of their stories remain unheard, their rich cultural heritage ignored, and their contributions to the societies they were forced to leave have been forgotten by most of the world. When the Babylonian Empire conquered the Kingdom of Judah and destroyed the First Temple in 586 BCE, many Jews were either killed or taken captive into Babylon, and the Jewish population was dramatically displaced. Few remained in Judah. The Persian defeat of the Babylonian Empire led by King Cyrus in 539 BCE permitted Jews to return to Judah and rebuild the temple. This marked the end of Babylonian Exile. Some returned, though because so much time had passed since their exile, many Jews remained in Babylon and the surrounding land.  The expulsion of the remaining Jews from Judea and destruction of the Second Temple in 136 CE by Roman occupying forces marked the beginning of a 2,000 year long exile of Jews from their ancestral homeland. A large Jewish diaspora developed, and communities formed in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Jews who settled in the Middle East and North Africa became known as Mizrahim, meaning ‘Easterners.’ In 610 CE, a new religion emerged from the Arabian Peninsula, Islam. Arab Muslim armies soon conquered much of the Middle East. The Arab conquests transformed the region, and over time, populations of these areas like Syria, Iraq, Egypt, North Africa, and the Levant, came to be identified as Arabs. As a result of the Arab conquests, Mizrahi Jews were classified as Dhimmi, a status given to non-Muslims that designated them as ‘tolerated’ minority subjects under Islamic rule. While the Dhimmi system was meant to provide Jews and Christians protection, it also reinforced their inferior position in society. Jews were required to submit to various restrictions under this system. To name a few, Jews could not build synagogues taller than mosques, ride horses (which would place them physically higher than Muslims), or live in houses taller than those of Muslims. Jews were also required to wear a yellow patch on their clothing. Many wrongly believe that this practice of ‘identification’ was introduced by the Nazis, but it began over a thousand years before the Holocaust. Jews and other religious minorities were also required to pay a tax known as the jizya  for protection. Though the treatment of Dhimmis varied across different Islamic regions (some areas offering better or worse conditions) the system as a whole reinforced Jewish subjugation, shaping attitudes toward them as an inferior group. The Dhimmi system lasted in various forms across different Islamic empires and regions from the 7th century until the early 20th century. While this system was oppressive, Sephardic Jews often fled to countries where it was enforced, seeking refuge from harsher conditions they faced in places like Spain, where the Inquisition and forced conversions posed severe threats to their lives. In doing so, they joined their Mizrahi counterparts in the Middle East and North Africa. After the fall of the Ottoman Empire, countries like Turkey, Iran, Egypt, and Iraq were some of the last to maintain the Dhimmi system. Factors like European influence and internal reforms within Islamic countries have been attributed to this end. While the Dhimmi system is no longer implemented today, the majority of Middle-Eastern countries still have oppressive laws or practices that discriminate against Jews and other minorities, with the extent of discrimination varying across the region. In the 1930s, as Arab nationalism gained momentum across the Middle East. This was largely a response to colonial forces, but Jews became scapegoats for widespread social and political unrest. Arab leaders often targeted Jewish communities with state-sanctioned repression in order to rally public support. This period had a rise in intimidation, harassment, beatings, persecution, and murder against Jews. Nazi-controlled Radio Berlin had an Arabic language bureau, which was devoted to spreading antisemitic propaganda to the Arab world. A key figure in this movement was Haj Amin al-Husayni, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, who famously met with Adolf Hitler and discussed plans for the annihilation of Jews across the region. The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem was also responsible for spreading the rumor that the Jews were planning to destroy Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, a fear-mongering tactic that continues to be echoed to this day. Al-Husayni proposed the creation of concentration camps in the Middle East and incited violence, declaring, “Arabs, rise as one man and fight for your sacred rights. Kill the Jews wherever you find them.” His words fueled antisemitic sentiment across the Middle East and contributed to a pattern of violent persecution that targeted Mizrahi Jewish communities. Iraq's government also fostered antisemitic sentiment during this time, which led to the Farhud Massacre of 1941. Mobs massacred women, children, and the elderly in the Jewish ghettos of Baghdad during the Jewish holiday of Shavuot. They looted homes, brutally attacked families, carrying out horrific acts of violence. These mobs who chanted “kill the Jews” carried out these atrocities with impunity, which caused profound fear among Mizrahi Jewish populations. Many Jews were betrayed by neighbors and police, some participating in the violence.  The Farhud, Baghdad, Iraq, 1941. (ANU Museum of the Jewish People) There were some Arabs who helped the Jews by diverting the mobs, claiming there were no Jews nearby or hiding them in their own homes. The Farhud left around 180 Jews dead, hundreds injured, and thousands displaced. This event is viewed as the turning point in Iraq for Mizrahi Jews, who feared for their lives and sought emigration out of the country. This violent wave spread across the Middle East, including Libya, Egypt, Syria, and other countries, where riots led to the torture and massacre of Jewish communities. A similar attack in Tripoli, Libya occurred in 1945, leaving around 140 Mizrahi Jews dead. Yitshak Dvas, a survivor of the 1945 Libyan riots recounted the traumatic event in The Forgotten Refugees (2005) , when his life forever changed: “I ran and they were chasing me until they caught me. They beat me up until they got tired of it. They wanted to cut my arms and legs and my head too, with axes. Then they got tired. They thought I was dead.” (Translated from Hebrew).   Sixty years later, Yitshak’s body unmistakably tells his story, his hands gruesomely scarred, and his wrists bearing deep lines where the axe cut into him.    Nissim Barda, another survivor of the 1945 Libyan riots, recounted in the film, “I went into the room… I found children, a pile, six, seven, eight little children, babies… all the house was one pile - burnt. The smell of a burnt human being is terrible” (Translated from Hebrew). Violent demonstrations and widespread attacks on Jews and Jewish businesses continued in almost every single Middle Eastern country during this period. In some Middle-Eastern countries, there were authorities or governments who tried to help Jews during these terrifying times, like Morocco, where King Mohammed V resisted Nazi pressures to hand over Jews during World War II, famously declaring, “There are no Jews in Morocco, only Moroccan citizens.” The Jewish population in Morocco today reflects that of its better stance against antisemitism during these times, though many still chose to leave due to increasing hostilities including threats, violence, and rising antisemitic rhetoric. In Oujda, Morocco, 47 Jews were killed during the Oujda Massacre, along with many injuries and the looting and destruction of Jewish homes and businesses. Actions like these across the Middle East contributed to a climate of fear which led to the mass exodus of Jews from Arab countries.  After the establishment of Israel in 1948, many Arab countries directed their anger on their own Jewish citizens. In many cases, governments failed to protect Jewish communities or actively worsened their oppression. In Egypt, the government initiated a wave of repression against Jews, including the arrest of Jewish businessmen, the confiscation of property, and forced expulsions. In Syria, Jews were subjected to harsh restrictions and surveillance, and many were driven from their homes following violent riots, with the government offering little to no protection. In Yemen, Jews were subject to violent persecutions, forced conversions, and restrictions on their movements, which culminated in the 1949-1950 Operation Magic Carpet , which resulted in the mass evacuation of over 40,000 Yemenite Jews to Israel. These events and many others like them culminated in the largest Jewish migration out of Arab lands, where those who were expelled or forced to flee became refugees.  Yemenite Jews at a refugee camp, Ein Shemmer, Israel 1950.  (Hanns Pinn, GPO National Photo Collection) Following the Six Day war in 1967, Mizrahi Jews in Arab countries faced more severe persecution and discrimination, often enacted by leadership. The Egyptian government forcibly gathered over 400 male Mizrahi Jews, who were beaten, tortured, and humiliated - many of whom were never heard from again - while also expelling many of the remaining Jews and confiscating their businesses and properties. In Iraq, Saddam Hussein arranged the public hanging of nine Jews in the  middle of Baghdad, an event which was attended by half a million people. This event was shown on television all over the world. The seizure of Jewish property and assets across Arab countries following their expulsions is estimated to be valued at $6.7 billion - reflecting the scope of their displacement. The Jewish community in Iran is one of the oldest in the Diaspora. Before the Islamic Revolution, Iran was an important ally to Israel, and even aided in the safe passage of Jewish refugees during the Exodus from Arab lands. Even today, Iran is estimated to have under 10,000 Jewish citizens, the second highest number in the Middle East. However these numbers were much higher before the Revolution, where persecution, discrimination, and anti-Israel rhetoric created a hostile environment for Jewish people. The 1998 execution of a Jewish businessman, Ruhollah Kakhodah-Zadeh sparked fear for many Iranian Jews, and the imposition of Sharia Law made many Jews in Iran decide to head to safer lands. The majority of Iranian Jews left for Israel, the United States, and Europe.  As of today, very few Mizrahi Jews remain in Arab countries. However, Mizrahi culture has had a profound impact in Israel, where Mizrahim make up around half of its Jewish population. Mizrahi influence is clearly reflected in Israel’s food, music, and society. Israeli dishes like sabich, hummus, falafel, and shakshuka are rooted in Mizrahi and Middle Eastern cuisine. Mizrahi music blends Arabic melodies and Hebrew lyrics, and is today a dominant force in Israeli pop music, with artists like Itay Levi and Omer Adam shaping the modern musical landscape.  Yemenite Israeli band A-WA (Album cover of “Bayti Fi Rasi,” 2019) Remembering Mizrahi Heritage and history is crucially important, especially in today's divided world. Mizrahi Jews have contributed so much to today’s society, and their persistent survival throughout thousands of years of oppression and persecution is inspirational. With a rich cultural heritage that they refuse to leave behind, Mizrahim remind us the importance of cultural diversity and acceptance. Speaking about their stories and learning about their eventful history will prevent the Mizrahi refugees and culture from being forgotten. “That we are free, safe from persecution, and in charge of ourselves - these things are new. But that we are here in the Middle East? There is nothing new about that at all.”  - Matti Friedman Interview with Zoe Ziv Zoe Ziv is a 4th year Psychology and Brain Sciences major and a fellow Mizrahi student at UCSB. I would like to thank her very much for her time to take this interview and for reaching out to her grandparents to share her family’s story. What country or region does your family come from, and have you been able to visit that country? Both of my grandparents are from Meknes in Morocco, and I’ve been to Morocco once. I used to live in Spain and it was a very short flight from there. It was really fun, I got to meet a lot of family members who stayed in Morocco. How was your family affected by the Jewish Exodus from Arab lands? Both of my grandparents moved around the same time period in the 60’s, thankfully in Morocco the situation was a bit better for Jewish people, the kings of Morocco recognized the productivity that the Jews brought to the country and they weren’t like ‘everybody get out.’ But there was a lot of social discrimination and uncertainty in not knowing if there would be an exodus. The uncertainty and need to feel safe is what made them leave Morocco and move to Israel. What role do you think the younger generation of Mizrahi Jews can play in ensuring that Mizrahi culture and history are not forgotten? I think things like the magazine you guys are doing and bringing awareness to that part of history is important. Also bringing friends to Chabad so they can see the diversity, I love coming to Chabad and seeing people who aren’t Jewish. A lot of media now is saying ‘go back to Europe’ when a lot of our families didn’t come from Europe. Especially in times like these where there’s conflict and a lot of Israel hate, Mizrahi Jews can sometimes be left out of the big equation of things and we’re kind of erased in that sense because we don’t fit what the anti-Israel people want us to be. We’re not white and we’re not colonists, we were ourselves kicked out of these countries.  What role do you think the younger generation as a whole can play in ensuring that Mizrahi culture and history are not forgotten? It’s important that Jewish people feel safe sharing their Judaism and history with their friends. Especially now it seems like people aren’t as open to hearing about Jewish history, but I think others can make space to hear others stories. It doesn’t always have to be a political debate, people could be more open to just hearing everybody’s truth. I’ve also noticed when watching TV shows or movies and there’s a Jewish character, they’re almost always Ashkenazi. Like in New Girl, there’s Schmidt whose Yiddish and these characters usually mention gefilte fish or other traditionally Ashkenazi things. I think it’s great and I’m glad there is some representation, but I can’t think of one Mizrahi Jewish character in a movie or TV show, and we need more Mizrahi representation. Also, other groups like Ethiopian Jews or Indian Jews - there are so many different communities within Judaism that make up a large portion of the population and aren’t represented. In the past year, there has been a great increase in discussions about Jewish heritage and ancestry. Do you feel like Mizrahi Jews have been accurately portrayed in these discussions? I feel like we are sometimes cut out of the discussion because we don’t fit that white colonist narrative. My mom isn’t white, but people like her aren’t truly seen because they don’t fit that description. Do you feel that Mizrahi Jewish voices are being heard today in these discussions? Not really. I’ve seen a few posts online here and there by Mizrahi people, I know that I’m getting posts like those because of the algorithm. But I wish there was more. Do you feel that Mizrahi Jews face any unique challenges today in terms of identity or visibility? If so, how can these challenges be addressed? It's similar to how when gay people in Israel speak out they get told they’re pinkwashing, and using their identity to prove a point. I think that same thing is done to Mizrahi Jews and Muslims living in Israel. I have Muslim friends in Israel, my grandpa works with a lot of Muslim people, when we speak out we get told that we’re ‘just trying to prove a point.’ We should be heard. It also feels like Jews don’t have a place in activism anymore, which is sad because we’re one of the smallest minorities in the world.  What role does food, music, or other cultural practices play in your connection to your Mizrahi heritage?  Food is so important in Mizrahi culture. We would always go to my Moroccan grandparents house for events, dinners and shabbat. I think the culture of family is also important, it's very family-oriented in Morocco, there’s always a lot of hugs, crying, and emotion. Music too, the more Arabian-sounding music, I love that. How would you like to see future generations of Mizrahi Jews connect to their heritage? I think especially now, the most important thing is to be vocal and not let our identities get erased - we were very recently kicked out of all these countries.  What kind of tough decisions were made by your grandparents when leaving Morocco? (ex. Leaving behind valuables, friends, culture, etc.) Is there anything they miss about Morocco? Thankfully, both of my grandparents wanted to leave, and most of their families came with them so they didn’t face too many challenges. People just want to be with their culture. All of my grandparents' friends are Moroccan, Morocco is Israel now in his mind. Everyone he knows is from Morocco, he speaks French to many of them. When asking my grandpa if there’s anything he misses about Morocco, he said there’s nothing to miss, his culture is here [Israel]. How was the transition to Israel for your family?  I think the transition was good, both of my grandparents were a little older when they moved, they were at the age where they were ready to find a job and work. Thankfully they moved with the rest of their family so there was support for them as well. On one side my grandma’s family owned a little store, so they were all able to work and help out there. On my grandpa’s side he was able to get his degree, the rest of his family supported him and he supported them.  Lastly, do you have a favorite saying, story, or traditional dish that your grandparents passed down to you? A story my grandfather told me: He was the youngest of eleven siblings, so he was sometimes overlooked. He grew up in Morocco and lived there until he was nineteen. The year following his high school graduation he worked to help his family, something he and his siblings did throughout their childhood. He helped a middle-aged man who owned a gym get his high school diploma, and in return the man let him work at his gym for free. My grandpa always shows me photos of him flexing from the days where he got to workout at this gym for free. He works out to this day and he’s probably more fit than I am, which is why I love this story.  -Shani Levy-Richards Sources: Cohen, Mark R. The "Golden Age" of Jewish-Muslim Relations: Myth and Reality . Princeton University Press, 2005. The Forgotten Exodus: Iran." AJC Podcast , American Jewish Committee, 13 Jan. 2020, Link . The Forgotten Refugees . Directed by Lawrence Weschler, 2005. Link Wagenhofer, Sophie. "Contested Narratives: Contemporary Debates on Mohammed V and the Moroccan Jews under the Vichy Regime." Quest. Issues in Contemporary Jewish History  4 (2012). “Hajj Amin-Husayni Meets Hitler.” Encyclopedia of the Holocaust , United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Link International Religious Freedom Reports for 2023. U.S. Department of State. Link King Jr, Martin Luther. "Israel - The Imaginary Jew in Collective." Antisemitism Explained  (2011): 174. Mor, Aharon, and Orly Rahimiyan. "The Jewish Exodus from Arab Lands: Toward Redressing Injustices on All Sides."