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And a Happy Shavuot
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Shabbat Shalom,
If Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer in the US, wed say Shavuot, which begins at sundown on June 11th, is the Jewish unofficial start of summer.
Shavuot, or the feast of weeks, is celebrated seven weeks after the second Passover seder. It began as an ancient harvest festival and commemorates the day the Jewish people received the Torah at Mount Sinai. Today it can be celebrated by decorating your home with flowers, as a nod to its agricultural origins, and eating dairy as it's believed this is when we began observing dietary restrictions (like separating milk and meat). So may we suggest this fabulous Israeli cheesecake recipe by Adeena Sussman from her cookbook Sababa. Dont know what Israeli cheesecake is? Its entirely different and, in our humble opinion, entirely better than regular cheesecake.
And a new season brings new thingsthere is an abundance of Jewish (and Jewish) stuff going on and, as usual, we like to spread the word. From restaurant openings, to art exhibitions, to film, and books, were back with a round up of all the events were looking forward to this summer.
In the spirit of food, to honor the Israeli hostage victims this coming holiday, The Hostage and Missing Families Forum created by the families of hostages has launched the Shavuot of Longing project, a book of 75 recipes beloved by their kidnapped family members. All proceeds are donated to continue raising awareness around the victims yet to be brought home.
Sabbath Queen premiers on June 9th at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York. The feature documentary, filmed over 21 years, follows Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie's incredible journey as the dynastic heir of 38 generations of Orthodox rabbis including the Chief Rabbis of Israel. He is torn between rejecting and embracing his destiny and becomes a drag-queen rebel, a queer bio-dad and the founder of Lab/Shulan everybody-friendly, God-optional, artist-driven, pop-up experimental congregation in NYC.
The twelfth annual Israel Film Center Festival runs through June 10 at the Marlene Meyerson JCC in Manhattans Upper West Side. The opening night reception is followed by the world premiere of Legend of Destruction, an animated film set 2,000 years ago during a Jewish civil war and the destruction of the Second Temple. Voice actors include Oscar Isaac and Billy Zane.
Now through July 26,Hauser & Wirth in New York City is reuniting five of the most celebrated large-scale sculptures by Eva Hesse. The Jewish artist was a pioneer in her use of alternative forms and materials, like fiberglass and industrial plastic, yet was only given one exhibition during the course of her lifetime (1936-1970). Today, her work continues to awe and inspire.
Miznon, a Mediterranean-inspired street food concept by Israeli chef Eyal Shani, has opened a 200-person restaurant in Dallas, just in time for summer. Unlike its walk-up sister locations in Tel Aviv, Paris, Toronto, and New York, the Texas outpost is designed for a sit-down meal starring pita bread, but featuring plenty of meat and veggies in paper bags and a lamb kebab made to share.
Phil Rosenthal, TV writer and host of Somebody Feed Phil, will be openingMax and Helens in Los Angeless Larchmont Village this summer. The diner, named in honor of his parents, will be helmed by acclaimed chef and baker Nancy Silverton (and James Beard winner) of La Brea Bakery fame.
Also in Los Angeles, Carmel just debuted on Melrose Avenue. The name is inspired by Carmel Market in Tel Aviv, an open-air market full of clothing, spices, and mouth-watering bites. With an open kitchen and a drink menu full of natural wines, this eatery opted for a less conventional Mediterranean menu. Here, you can find tortellini with Jerusalem artichokes, ceviche, and glazed octopus.
Intentional Beauty is an ongoing Judaica exhibit at the Museum of Fine Art Boston that brings together nearly 30 piecesfrom metalwork and textiles, to paintings, furniture, and works on paperfrom across the world. Many of these objects are on view for the first time and are exceptional examples of Hiddur Mitzvah and carry with them rich stories of immigration, identity, and tradition.
In Paris this summer? On view at themuse dart et dhistoire du Judasme, Newcomers: Charlotte Henschel, Georgette Meyer, and Sonia Steinsapir is the first iteration of a new program that highlights the lives and work of women artists. While all three artists specialized in different mediums and grew up in different countriesGermany, Poland, Russia, and Francethey all endured the Nazi occupation of France during the Second World War.
Through July 14, theAlbertina Museum in Vienna is celebrating the 100th birthday of Roy Lichtenstein with a centennial retrospective. Featuring over 90 paintings, sculptures, and prints collected from museums all over the world, the exhibition begins in the 1960s and explores the Pop Art masters work until his death in 1997.
The Gazelli Art House in London is hosting an ode to the overlooked post-war abstract expressionist artists. Now through July 13, you can catch the innovative collage work and lesser known stories of nine venerated women artistsGrace Hartigan, Lilly Fenichel, Perle Fine, Betty Parsons, Yvonne Thomas, and Michael Corinne Westincluding Jewish artists Helen Frankenthaler, Nancy Grossman, and Sonja Sekula all in one place.
If youre looking for a captivating summer read, look no further thanThe Goddess of Warsaw by Lisa Barr. This historical fiction novel follows Bina Blonski, a Polish Jew who assumes an Aryan identity to survive the Warsaw ghetto and protect her peopleonly to hide her identity once more as she achieves incredible success as a Hollywood actress. When her past starts to bubble back up, she sees a chance pursue the justice she deserves.
Another new release were picking up is Emma Copley EisenbergsHousemates. Two new roommates, writer Leah and photographer Bernie, embark on a roadtrip to learn more about a strange inheritance left by Bernie's deceased professor. Their short trip turns into an ambitious documentary project marked by romance, artistic dreams, and a celebration of freedom.
Your Presence is Mandatory is the most serious option on our list of seasonal reads. Sasha Vasilyuks debut novel spans seven decades between World War II and todays Russian invasion of Ukraine, following a Jewish patriarch, the difficult decisions he had to make in order to survive the warand the effect his secrets will have on his wife and children long after his passing.
And a perennial recommendation since it came out last summer: Sandra FoxsThe Jews of Summertakes us instantly back to the beloved sleepaway camp experiences of our childhood. A visiting assistant professor of Hebrew Judaic studies at New York University, Fox explores how this American Jewish rite of passage came to be, and how it evolved, over the decades directly following the Holocaust.
We could all use a laugh.Big Guy is now streaming on Netflix. The hour-long comedy special from Rachel Feinstein pokes fun at her family life, specifically her marriage to an Irish Catholic firefighter and the collision of their cultures. From attending events on Staten Island with a plethora of women named Gina, to the pet name (big guy) bestowed by her husband, to performing at The Hebrew Home for the aging.
Happy Summer,
Via Maris
Flowers for Shavuot and vino in our light and airy Kiddish Cup.
The Rest. Our two-prong candleholder to celebrate our commitment "to remember and to keep."
Shema Yisrael.
A symbol of pride, now more than ever.
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