Yury Kanzburg: Reflections on the Invisible

Gennady Mesh,  editor of  the  web magazine “Russian Globe” reviews new works by Yury Kanzburg.  

The Sukkah Of Your Wildest Dreams

By Niv Elis

Sukkot of 5771 may go down in history as the most architecturally innovative holiday in Jewish History, thanks to the Sukkah City competition in New York.  The competition, which was dreamed up by Joushua Foer, a journalist, and Roger Bennett, co-founder of the Reboot network, asked for submissions for re-imagined, modern-day Sukkot that followed all the biblical rules and traditions for building a kosher Sukkah.  Among them: it must have three walls, the roof (through which stars must be visible at night) cannot be made of anything conventionally functional, but a whale or living elephant may be used in constructing the walls.

Although there were hundreds of submissions judged by an impressive panel of experts, a dozen Sukkot emerged the victors.  Erected in New York’s Union Square, the modern day tabernacles offered an invigorating, artistic, modern take on the holiday.

A photo with all the winning designs appears below, but these are some of Moment’s favorites:

BloPuf - Winner of Sukkah City contest

Gathering - Sukkah City Winner

Star Cocoon - Winner of Sukkah City contest

The Twelve Winners:

The Twelve Sukkah City Winners

You can read more about the project here or take a video tour.

Recipe of the Moment: Etrog Jam

By Niv Elis

Although careful steps are taken to ensure an unblemished, perfect etrog for Sukkot, once the holiday is over it has little use.

Or does it?

Many families use the post-Sukkah etrog, a member of the citrus family, to make a delicious jam!  Here’s our favorite recipe, taken from the out of print “Jewish Cooking for Pleasure” by Molly Lyons Bar-David.

Etrog Jam

• 1 etrog
• 1 orange
• sugar
• water

1. Wash the etrog and orange, cut them in half lengthwise, and then very thinly slice them.
2. Remove seeds.
3. Soak the fruit overnight.
4. Change the water to cover the fruit, and bring to a boil.
5. Change the water again, and bring to a boil once more.
6. Pour off the water.
7. Weigh the fruit, and add an equal weight of white sugar.
8. Cook over a low heat for about 45 minutes until the jam begins to gel.

An etrog, any which way you slice it.

FACEBOOK FAN GIVEAWAY: WIN A COPY OF YOO-HOO, MRS. GOLDBERG

Time for another Facebook Fan giveaway! Become a fan of Moment by next Friday (August 13) and be entered in our lottery to win the documentary commemorating the life and work of Gertrude Berg, creator of the popular television character Molly Goldberg. Moment will send 3 lucky winners the movie free of charge (note: only to U.S. addresses).

Tel Aviv Summer

Moment’s first Happy Hour was a huge success!! We keep on getting requests for the Tel Aviv Summer cocktail recipe. So here it is-

(One hint: If you drink it while reading a copy of Moment it tastes 10% better)

The July/August Issue is Here!

By Ariana Siegel

Moment’s 2010 Summer Entertainment Issue is now in mailboxes and on newsstands!

Here’s what you’ll be reading:

“Yes We Cohen”

By Ariana Siegel

Last month’s Dutch election brought to the fore an issue which is being hotly debated throughout Europe: Muslim immigration. Anti-Islamic sentiment has been gaining ground in Holland since the murder of filmmaker Theo Van Gogh in 2004 by a Muslim extremist. The issue of how to respond to this sentiment has sharply divided politicians, and this summer’s election presented voters with two candidates of distinctly opposing views. Geert Wilders led the battle to close Dutch borders to Muslims, running under the banner of his newly created People’s Party for Freedom. Wilders was originally considered a fringe candidate, having called for such dire measures as banning the Qur’an. But Holland’s Muslims were not political outcasts in the election, as the predominantly Moroccan community found a rare ally— a Jewish politician.

Job Cohen, the former mayor of Amsterdam, made a bid for the premiership as head of the Dutch Labour Party on a platform of integration and sympathy. Cohen’s party won the second most seats in parliament, six seats ahead of Wilders’ party and one seat behind Mark Rutte’s fiscally conservative People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy. Cohen’s platform lay in distinct opposition to Wilders’, as he championed traditional Dutch values of tolerance and acceptance.

The non-traditional aspect of Cohen’s resume is his Judaism.

Following Her Vision

By Zoe Fox

Unlike most students who come from abroad to study in Jerusalem, Emily Henochowicz was initially unconcerned with politics and religion.  She arrived this winter at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design as a student of animation. Her religion and Israeli-born father were peripheral factors in her decision to spend a semester studying in the City of Gold.

Henochowicz’s regional interests expanded during her semester abroad, as she became a passionate activist against Israeli policies in the West Bank.  A little over two weeks ago, she was brutally injured by Israeli policemen while protesting at the Qalandiya checkpoint, just north of Jerusalem.

Recuperating back in the States, I had the opportunity to chat with Henochowicz about her artwork, activism and role as an Internet hero for those opposing Israeli policies toward the Palestinians.

Only Volunteers

By Lauren Bottner

It’s easier to place blame and side with the appointed victims, easier to live in a black and white world where we stay within the lines.  But what happens if there are no victims, only volunteers? How do you know where to stand when enemies don masks of goodness and terror shows up with a bouquet of roses?

It would be easy to point at Israel and say ‘How could you? What were you thinking? You are no better than the terrorists you’re trying to keep away!’  It would be easy to stick with my black and white set of rules and condemn from afar.  And I would be in good company, backed by much of the world. But I would be wrong.

The Deep Frustration Behind the Folly of those Fighting over the “Freedom Flotilla”

By Sarah Stern

To me, the flotilla incident was no surprise. Since I’ve left the insular Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School for the similarly insular world of Bard, I’ve seen my fill of flotilla-types getting worked up. They angrily train people to go to Gaza and teach non-violent resistance. They sell inflammatory T-shirts. They raise money. Sometimes this money goes to good causes, like the Bard Palestinian Youth Initiative. Sometimes it doesn’t. They have good intentions to change terrible situations, but they are incredibly self-righteous and upset.

With good reason. I’ve noticed them, I’ve talked to them, I’ve become angry, exacerbated, and tried again. However, the mainstream Jewish community has not shown the same persistence with these not-so-delightful folks, and man, are they agitated.