Celebrate Hanukka with a 'kosher' spirit

Celebrate Hanukka with a 'kosher' spirit

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
12/08/2010 12:03

L'Chaim! Toast the holidays as more and more liquor manufacturers receive the kosher certification of approval.

Kosher drinkers have more to cheer about this holiday season as a growing number of spirits producers seek and receive the seal of approval from Jewish dietary authorities.

"It's an additional process and expense that raises the bar on quality," said Ralph Mizraji, a Miami-based branding specialist who this year brought out a new vodka that is certified kosher by the Orthodox Union, the largest certifying body in the world.

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Called L'Chaim, Hebrew for "To life!", Mizraji's vodka is a corn-based product imported from Israel and made according to a generations-old Russian recipe brought to that country by Jewish immigrants.

L'Chaim is distributed in Florida, New York and New Jersey and within the first three months sold 2,400 cases, says Mizraji. He is in the process of developing kosher wine, tequila and rum.

"We celebrate life," said Mizraji. "This is not a kosher-only or Jewish-only project. It celebrates everyone, everywhere."

Mixologist James Shearer of Miami's Zuma restaurant heard of L'Chaim from a friend and has been serving it for a few months.

"My first sip was after we had made a dry martini out of it. I was shocked as to the crisp, rich taste it gave," he says.

And he likes the idea of having something new behind the bar. "I am a firm believer and supporter of products with a creative background. I love the ideas behind L'Chaim," he said.

Among those appreciatively watching the trend is Joshua Hatton, president and founder of the Jewish Single Malt Whisky Society. He was pleased to see single malt whiskeys from producers Ardbeg and Glenmorangie recently achieve kosher certification.

"You're seeing it more and more," he said, noting that there are two trends intersecting. More producers are discovering that there is a market for kosher liquors. Meanwhile, more Jews are becoming interested in keeping kosher, which seems to be related to the general increased interest among Americans in what they are eating and drinking.

Hatton recently helped pour Glenmorangie at the Kosher Fest event in Secaucus, New Jersey. The tastings were popular, "not just because they were pouring booze, but some of the comments I heard were, 'It's so nice to see that this is certified kosher. It's nice to know that someone's watching my back.'"

At the New York-based Orthodox Union, Rabbi Moshe Elefant is seeing strong interest in kosher spirits, with certified alcoholic products growing by about 10 percent a year.

Unlike wine, which has to pass a number of regulatory requirements before being certified, liquor made from grain or sugar starts out relatively close to kosher. For certification, the equipment must be inspected to make sure it meets standards; for instance, if a tank held a product containing dairy ingredients for more than 24 hours, it would have to be sterilized, and there also are business procedures which must be followed.

Flavored liquors require more scrutiny, since the ingredients may not be kosher. With whiskeys, the aging process has to be reviewed since use of nonkosher sherry, port or wine casks would be a problem.

Elefant finds that people are more interested in keeping kosher these days. But unlike earlier generations they are not willing to sacrifice premium products. "They want the scotch and they want the liquor and they want the highest level of kosher," he said.

The result, says Elefant: "Kosher liquor is hot."

Next time in Jerusalem

Next time in Jerusalem

By HAROLD GITTELMON
11/09/2010 22:33

How a 48-year-old out-of-shape businessman got fit to run the New York marathon, and why he thinks you should go for it too.

I ran the New York marathon on Sunday, my first, at 48. A short sentence that does nothing to convey either the agonies or the highs of the day. As often happens in these situations, there was a catalyst to my decision, a conversation with a customer, Helen Bull, who was setting up a charity and wanted some assistance. The cause was noble, the prospect somewhat enticing; who hasn’t watched the marathon live or on TV and not fantasized about participating? Well, at 48, you are fast approaching the unassailable fact that if you don’t get on with it now, you probably never will. So, full of bravado and good intent, I signed up. That was six months ago.

The first part was quite fun. I hired a trainer and got going on the hills and downs of Clifton, Bristol, where I work. My executive lifestyle involves much travel, and in truth I had gained some unwanted pounds over the years. So the initial weight loss and rapid progress served to reinforce the wisdom of my decision.

Then the niggling injuries begin, and the early excitement wears a bit thinner as the temperature drops and the rain starts. The hills at 6 a.m., wonderfully depicted in all movies with great soundtracks playing and the lighting just right, are not quite as attractive or rewarding in real life. Still, I persevered; the sponsorship money had begun to flow in, and was being put to excellent use on a daily basis. There was no backing out now.

As the big day approached, I have to admit to wondering whether I was good enough, whether I was up to it. The niggles in knees and achilles were more pronounced and my body was beginning to complain about the new strains I was putting on it. I did my last training run of any length three weeks before the big day, and having got to 22 miles, convinced myself I would at least finish.

The posh English headmistress would not allow the kids to accompany me (I know, I shouldn’t have even asked). So with wife and mother-in-law in tow, off we set. The other runners on the flight out were a really scary sight – lithe, toned and clearly ready for the off. In contrast, I was beginning to panic.

They say that in life you have to stick with what you are good at, and for 48 hours in New York, I found what I was good at. Or should I say I rediscovered it. I refer, of course, to the carb loading, ensuring that your body has all of the fuel it needs to get through. Except, in my case, the pounds gained as a result of this eleventh-hour stock-up made the schlepping round the course all the more difficult.

Before you have the race, you must do the obligatory Marathon Expo – an enormous event in Manhattan’s Jacob Javitz Convention Center where you come to register and pick up your electronic shoe tag and bib number. Here you consider buying a ticket for all of the other events going on, wonder whether you will partake of the free Dunkin’ Donuts coffee all day for runners, and then quietly and obediently empty your pockets and challenge your credit card limits in favor of vendors selling you running accessories you had no idea existed or, in my case, even knew how to use.

THE BIG day dawned. Five-thirty a.m. pick up from the hotel for a 10.40 a.m. start. That is the only way to gather 45,000 runners and to overcome soon-to-beclosed New York road systems.

It was absolutely freezing, so cold you could hear your teeth chatter. The hat and gloves bought on Friday on the streets of New York did their best, but what do you want for 10 bucks?

This being the US, three helicopters and a plane hovered overhead. The crowd waved enthusiastically – keen to see themselves on the evening news. The banner trailing from the plane read, “Breathe in and appreciate the moment.” I am never quite sure about the cheesiness of some of the US sayings, but at that moment, overwhelmed by fear, it worked a treat for me.

And then came one of those life-affirming sights that you often get as a Jew: A sign on the top of an opensided tent that said “Shacharit 8.15 a.m.” And davening inside, amid all the people in tefilin and running gear, there was that special bonding atmosphere – Jews from everywhere, drawn together for a common purpose, and knowing that you probably knew their sister- in-law’s cousin without even having to go through the process of discovery. That was the positive Jewish experience.

In contrast, as we weaved our way through the five boroughs, the more religious Jewish areas were noteworthy less for the ethnic diversity than, unfortunately, for the sense that the hasidim were unfriendly bordering on hostile; perhaps it was because of the women runners being dressed in shorts? The support, encouragement and cheering elsewhere was not to be found in the religious areas such as Williamsburg. What a shame – a lost opportunity, taken by all of their neighbors, for a big impression to be made. The gospel singers by the side of the road, dressed in their Sunday best, so obviously full of life and love, made for a sharp, positive contrast – in a reaching out, handsacross- the-nation, one world kind of a way. The hasidim need a new PR agent, I think.

Anyway, no more negativity. The two million New Yorkers who take to the streets and encourage you are really inspiring. I had taken the advice of those who went before me and had my name and city of origin printed on my T-shirt, as well as the cause for which I was running. And when the cramp kicked in, during Mile 18 – the notorious “wall” – the encouragement made a big difference, I can tell you. A cute girl holding a “Proud of You, Total Random Stranger” banner can have a very uplifting effect when you need it most.

As I ran, I thought of Helen, who ran the marathon last year riddled with cancer and with the aid of two Macmillan nurses. As I felt the pain, I thought of the bravery of Helen battling the course. I thought that if she could this, with such health challenges, then these pains for me should be nothing. She inspired me to be brave and push through, however much I wanted to give up.

Aside from some very fast chaps from Ethiopia and Kenya, almost everyone was running for a reason, a cause that they believed in. As I ran, I watched the other runners – not for insights into technique, but to see what causes they were running for. They came from the far corners of the world. And they brought supporters with them too, urging them on with homemade signs that had taken time and thought to create. There was something of the positivity of humanity here that you couldn’t help being overwhelmed by at times. The strangers in the poorest areas handing you a tissue or a candy – that is what I will carry with me.

IT IS an incredible day: Random strangers becoming best friends. Going to the very edge of exhaustion but refusing to give in to it. And the feeling when you limp through the finish line – to get the medal, and the foil blanket, and the obligatory Prime Grill steak dinner – make it a day you will never forget. And no matter that I missed out, by five minutes, on the target I had set myself: 4 hours, 45 minutes; the Monday New York Times publishes the names of all runners who beat it.

Since finishing I have discovered that Jerusalem is hosting a marathon for the first time in March. I might currently be on a high and somewhat irrational, but I look forward to meeting readers there – either watching or as fellow runners. Take my advice, give it a go.

The writer, who lives in London, is the managing director of Harding Brothers, a specialist cruise line concessionaire that runs the gift shops on 54 of the world’s most luxurious cruise ships. Married to Jacqui, with daughters Emily and Gabriella, he has been improving his fitness over the past couple of years and always packs his trainers when visiting his offices in Sydney and Fort Lauderdale.

He ran to raise funds for The Magic Wand Foundation, a special fund within the UK’s Willow Foundation that grants special days to adults with terminal cancer. The fund was set up Helen Bull, a customer of his, who has run several marathons since being diagnosed with cancer.

www.justgiving.com/Harold-Gittelmon

Jerusalem's ever-evolving market!

Jerusalem's ever-evolving market [video] | culture

When people in Jerusalem say they're going to the suk, they can only mean that they're on their way to the Mahane Yehuda open-air market.

Harvey Stein wended his way through Jerusalem's 100-year-old colorful and intoxicating market for ISRAEL21c and found one-of-a-kind boutiques proffering clothes and accessories alongside juice bars, pungent spices, candy and halva, exotic cheeses, fish, meat, poultry and Judaica.

Photo by Miriam Alster/Flash90.

Israelis enjoy a summer festival held weekly through the summer months at the Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem.

There's also the 'etrog man', selling juice as well as creams, sprays, lotions and potions made from the sweet-scented etrog, or citron.

At the end of the 19th century the first merchants sold their wares in the area on an empty lot and in the 1920s, the British cleaned up the market, building the first permanent stalls and roofing.

The neighborhood around the market is filled with history, and still contains many old buildings and pilgrimage sites.

Jerusalem's Light Rail train, scheduled to begin operation in spring 2011, will stop right outside the Jaffa Street entrance to the market.

In addition to the clothing, artists cooperatives and trendy café chains have joined the traditional fresh fruits and vegetables so that today, the shopping experience in Jerusalem's suk has evolved into a leisure outing.

State of Israel Bonds in honoring Igal and Iris Hami, Gil Travel

Consul General Kutner joins State of Israel Bonds in honoring Igal and Iris Hami, Gil Travel

Last week, Consul General Daniel Kutner and Dr. Shirley Kutner joined the State of Israel Bonds in honoring Igal and Iris Hami of Gil Travel, who were recognized for extraordinary achievements in promoting the State of Israel. Their generous support for worthy causes, particularly helping handicapped young people, is well known and well respected.

The event was attended by family, as well as an impressive list of local personalities from the world of business, the Jewish community (including many Israeli veteran residents in the city) and others. Senator Bob Casey made a surprise appearance to offer his warm congratulations and voice his strong support for Israel.

In congratulating Iris, Igal and their family, CG Kutner expressed deep apreciation for their work on behalf of Israel and their heartfelt support for those in need, adding that they embody in themselves all that is to be admired in the Israeli sense of solidarity and readiness to help those who need it most.

Congratulations also to the State of Israel Bonds for honoring such a worthy couple and organizing a very successful event.

Christian pilgrims to be in Jerusalem for Succot

Throngs of Christian pilgrims to be in Jerusalem for Succot

Throngs of Christian pilgrims to be in Jerusalem for Succot

By RON FRIEDMAN
09/21/2010 03:57

International Christian Embassy festivities will add $15-20 million to tourism coffers.

Thousands of Christian pilgrims will visit Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles celebration later this week.

According to the Tourism Ministry, roughly 7,000 Christian from 100 countries will participate in the event, which is sponsored by the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem.

The thousands of pilgrims, who will stay in Israel for more than a week, are expected to contribute tens of thousands of overnight stays in hotels around the country and the overall income to the Israeli economy is estimated at between $15 million and $20m.

“Christian tourism to Israel, in all its streams, represents the main target audience on which the Tourism Ministry focuses its marketing efforts in order to increase incoming tourism,” said Tourism Minister Stas Meseznikov. “In the framework of the new branding of Israel as the Holy Land with Jerusalem at its center, the ministry operates in all spheres in order to turn these pilgrims into ambassadors for tourism to Israel in their home countries.”

The ministry will operate an information booth at the Jerusalem International Convention Center, distribute information and flyers to pilgrims about the country’s tourist attractions and provide assistance as required.

On Thursday, Meseznikov will host a festive reception at the convention center for the heads of the Christian communities and will present a gift to Brazilian evangelical minister Renê Terra Nova, who with 1,000 participants leads the largest group of pilgrims coming to the event.

This week the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem marks its 30th anniversary.

The week of festivities will be Israel’s largest annual tourist event and the largest solidarity mission to Israel.

“The Christian Embassy has established a remarkable record of standing in support of Israel and a united Jerusalem over the past three decades, whether through our many humanitarian projects across the land, our advocacy efforts worldwide, or our annual festival gathering in Jerusalem. This event has drawn well over 150,000 Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem during the past 30 years, with a cumulative financial impact in the hundreds of millions of dollars,” said Rev. Malcolm Hedding, ICEJ’s executive director. “We look forward to celebrating our 30th anniversary with our Israeli friends and guests.”

Yossi Weiss, chairman of the Israeli Tour Guide Association, said that Christian pilgrims make up an essential part in the demand for Israel’s tourism product.

“Their support for Israel is not only political or faithbased.

They support us with their money, too. According to the figures we have, they make up a higher percentage than Jewish tourists and their patronage represents a significant contribution to the sector,” he said.

According to Weiss, many of the pilgrims stay at high-end hotels and nearly all of them hire licensed Israeli guides.

“The evangelical Christians in particular tend to come to Israel for relatively long stays of seven or eight nights and also tend to spend all their money in the Israeli shops.

The pilgrims tend to spread their touring all around the country and like to see all the places mentioned in the Old Testament. You won’t see them relaxing on the beach in Tel Aviv or Eilat.”

Ami Etgar, director-general of the Israel Incoming Tour Operators Association, said that pilgrimage was the second largest draw for tourism to Israel, following only vacation and travel as the main motivation for visiting the country.

Etgar said that the peak seasons for pilgrim tourism to Israel were in the fall and in the spring, in time for Easter celebrations.

While Meseznikov said that the ministry would be focusing on bringing in additional Christian tourists, it is also looking to develop tourism from the Far East. On Monday, Tourism Ministry director-general Noaz Bar-Nir signed a tourism cooperation agreement with his counterpart, Mr. Dao Suaming, director-general of the Shanghai Tourism Ministry. In the agreement, the two sides declared the importance of tourism as a means of promoting ties and agreed to work together to advance tourism between Israel and Shanghai, in addition to the exchange of information, advertising and the encouragement of investments and joint initiatives.

“The Chinese tourism market holds enormous potential for Israel and, despite annual growth, we have not yet begun to realize this potential.

The tourism industry in China in general, and in Shanghai and Beijing in particular, displays great interest in and is happy to cooperate with Israel. Simplifying the bureaucratic procedures and increasing airline traffic will facilitate a significant increase in incoming tourism from China,” Bar-Nir said.

In 2009, 10,000 Chinese tourists visited Israel and more than 7,000 have visited so far this year.

Music, movies, karaoke and the beach

Music, movies, karaoke and the beach

Eilat aims to make new international student festival an annual event.

Eilat usually stops to catch its breath during the first week of September, taking a short break between the intensity of the summer vacation and the rush of the High Holy Days.

This year, however, there is no break in sight, as 6,000 students from across Israel and Europe are expected to converge on the city for FunJoya 2010 – the first international student festival of its type in Israel.

In an effort to produce a festival that will make a mark on the student vacation calendar and start a new annual tradition, organizers have planned three days packed with activities, including concerts, parties and conferences.

The festival, which will take place from September 2-4, with an investment of NIS 4 million, will include two nights and three days full of pool parties, movie screenings, karaoke parties, stand-up performances and live shows by artists like Mashina, Eddy Watta, Tislam and a variety of deejays from around the world.

The students will also participate in workshops and debates on various political, diplomatic and advocacy issues.

“Our intention is to produce an international festival that will enter the global consciousness.

We want students around the world to know that, just as there is an annual Beer Festival in Germany, there is FunJoya in Israel,” said Guy Beser, director-general of Peles, the Israeli Student Union’s economic division and the festival’s director.

“Our main goal is to promote tourism to Israel. We aim to do this by providing a mixture of pure fun alongside serious debate,” said Beser.

According to Beser, the festival was aggressively marketed both in Israel and abroad, through student union bodies and in cooperation with the festival’s major sponsors.

“We worked with organizations like the World Union of Jewish Students and Taglit-Birthright, as well as companies like Issta and El Al,” said Beser. “We also partnered with the Israel Hotel Association and the Ministry of Tourism.”

According to Beser, thousands of hotel rooms in six participating hotels in Eilat have been reserved for the festival, which is expected to generate millions of shekels in revenue for the resort city.

In addition to the festival experience, the organizers have set some other goals. These include branding Israel as an attractive tourism destination for students; improving Israel’s image among this target group and facilitating multi-cultural encounters for students from Israel and European countries.

Beser said that for those who were interested, the festival would also offer serious conferences dealing with issues like the Israeli-Palestinian crisis, regional co-existence and worldwide Israel advocacy.

Beser said that so far, most of the foreign students who had signed up to the festival were Jewish, but they would be happy to have people from all religions attend.

When asked if they had experienced any difficulties marketing the festival on university campuses abroad, Beser responded that nothing had come up and suggested that since the event was focused on fun and not on politics, it was well received.

“I guess people have an easier time swallowing things that have to do with Israel when they are orientated towards non-divisive issues,” he said.

Tourism Minister Stas Meseznikov was enthusiastic about the festival.

“The student festival is of great importance to the city of Eilat and to the State of Israel, both in terms of promoting student tourism to the resort city, which will in turn contribute to the local economy, and in the encounter these tourists will enjoy with Israel and its touring, cultural and entertainment options.

“We will work to ensure the festival is an annual event and to bring new sectors to Israel in general and Eilat in particular and expose them to an attractive and quality vacation in Israel,” he said.

Festival package prices differ depending on the point of origin, but Beser said that an all-inclusive package, including flights, food, hotels, and entrance to all the events, would cost someone arriving from Amsterdam ¤600.

For Israelis the price ranges from NIS 450-NIS 900 depending on the hotel and the number of people per room.

Music, movies, karaoke and the beach

Jerusalem and Tel Aviv Voted Best By Readers of Travel + Leisure Magazine

According to the prestigious New York-based Travel+Leisure Magazine, Jerusalem is ranked as the best city in Africa and the Middle East – and Tel Aviv is ranked number three.

In an annual readers poll published last week, the capital was ranked number one in the category Best Cities in Africa and the Middle East (after ranking third in 2009), while Tel Aviv moved up from seventh place in 2009 to take third place (after Cape Town).

Readers ranked the cities on characteristics such as sights, culture/arts, restaurants/food, people, shopping and value.

Jerusalem attracts over two million tourists a year, with about 80% of all tourists visiting the holy city. The city also contains within it the most visited sites in Israel, including the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Via Dolorosa, Yad Vashem and the Mount of Olives. Tel Aviv is the second most visited city in Israel, with about 60% of all tourists visiting the “White City”, so-called for its unique collection of International (Bauhaus) buildings which received UNESCO World Heritage designation in 2003, and enjoying the entertainment and leisure options of the “city that never sleeps”.