The Golden Schmaltz Cheftestants Are...

Winners of the coveted Golden Schmaltz Awards will be chosen by popular vote as well as a panel of celebrity judges. All are competing by baking dessert at home and bringing it on the big day.

And the Cheftestants are:

Elyssa Ackerman
Naomi Cutner
Robert Feldberg
Rabbi Zach Fredman
Alison Gerson
Holly Gewandter
Nicole Golden/Aaron Seeskin
Elise Hurley
Kathi Jacob
Natalie Judelson
Lori Levine
Elizabeth Marcon
Janice Moses
Andrea Osnow/Carly Levin
Li Ross
Anita Sher
Martine Smidt
Shonna Valeska
Joanne Wilson

Our Junior Division Cheftestants:

Aja Baldwin
Max Shatan
Ethan Davison
Megan Sher
Aja Wessely
Nia Judelson
Julian Baldwin

There is still room for more Cheftestants. If you are interested in competing, please email Natalie Judelson, co-chair.

Come to eat, come to compete - either way, you'll have a very sweet time!

Date: Saturday, March 5
Time: 3-5pm
Location: Village Community School (272 W 10th St, b/w Greenwich and Washington Sts)

Golden Schmaltz - What's it All About?

Run to your mailbox! Your invitation is on its way to the 4^th annual Golden Schmaltz awards on Saturday, March 5^th from 3-5pm for a sweet filled afternoon honoring the sweetest, Amy Eichenwald Golding!

What the heck is the Golden Schmaltz anyway? It is The New Shul’s unique and super fun annual food competition – this year's theme is all things sweet. Any member is invited to be a “Cheftestant”! Cheftestants enter the contest, bring their prepared dessert for all to sample and share their recipe. If you are interested in being a cheftestant, contact Natalie Judelson at natalie.stella@nyc.rr.com. If baking isn’t your thing, no problem, buy tickets, bring your friends and your pants with elastic waistbands because the afternoon will be one full of great desserts, light food, wine/prosecco, music, schmoozing and fun family and kid’s activities!

What else can you do to help, you ask? LOTS! We need raffle prizes, help securing celebrity judges and running activities. If you can help, please contact co-chairs Mikal Finkelstein at mikalrf@gmail.com or Natalie Judelson at natalie.stella@nyc.rr.com.

Help a Graduate of Our Rishonim/BMA Program Do Tikkun Olam

From Michele Moses

Join me in my efforts to support communities in need around the world.

I was recently chosen to participate in Northwestern Hillel’s Alternative Spring Break program, with which I will be traveling to Cuba to provide aid to its Jewish community as well as the general Cuban community. Last year, the Northwestern group brought over $250,000 worth of medicine to help supply the only free private pharmacy in Cuba, which is run by the Jewish community in Havana. Although Cuba has very well-trained doctors, modern medicine is often hard to find on the island. Through this free pharmacy, any Cuban in need is able to access vital medications. For last year's trip, the group also raised close to $10,000 to help fund Jewish community projects on the island as well as pay for transporting over 1000 pounds of aid from the U.S. to Cuba.

Hillel’s International Alternative Break program began 9 years ago and since then has seen over 8,000 students rebuilding communities in Israel, the Gulf Coast, and Central and South America, former Soviet Union, Cuba, among other places. This year I am incredibly excited to be one of these students and and I would greatly appreciate any help you can provide.

Please take a moment now and make a gift, which will sponsor me and support this worthwhile program. Any amount you can give would be greatly appreciated. Also, if you would like to get involved by donating medicine (any unopened prescription samples or over-the-counter medications), toiletries, new clothing, kitchen supplies, or any other useful items, please send them to:

Northwestern Hillel
c/o Andrea Jacobs
629 Foster Street
Evanston, IL 60201

Or, follow this link to make an online donation and to see where I am in my fundraising goal.

Thank you so much!

Sincerely,
Michele

Congrats to Member Suzanne Tick

Check out this article featuring member Suzanne Tick in today's New York Times Home Section.

Jewish Haikus (or as call them Chaikus)

These were forwarded to us by member Jillian Neiberg.

Beyond Valium,
peace is knowing one's child
is an internist.

On Passover we
opened the door for Elijah.
Now our dog is gone.

After the warm rain
the sweet smell of camellias.
Did you wipe your feet?

Her lips near my ear,
Aunt Sadie whispers the name
of her friend's disease.

Today I am a man
Tomorrow I will return
to the seventh grade.

Testing the warm milk
on her wrist, she sighs softly
But her son is forty.

Like a bonsai tree
is your terrible posture
at my dinner table.

Mom, please! There is no
need to put that dinner roll
in your pocketbook.

Sorry I'm not home
to take your call. At the tone
please state your bad news.

Is one Nobel Prize
so much to ask from a child
after all I've done?

Yenta. Shmeer. Gevalt.
Shlemiel. Shlimazl. Meshuganah
Oy! To be fluent!

Quietly murmured
at Saturday Synagogue services,
Phillies 5, Red Sox 3.

Hard to tell under the lights.
White Yarmulke or
male-pattern baldness.

Be here now.
Be someplace else later.
Is that so complicated?

Wherever you go, there you are.
Your luggage is another story.

Accept misfortune as a blessing.
Do not wish for perfect health, or a life
without problems.
What would you talk about?

The journey of a thousand miles begins with
a single Oy.
There is no escaping karma.
In a previous life,
you never called,
you never wrote,
you never visited.
And whose fault was that?

Zen is not easy.
It takes effort to attain nothingness.
And then what do you have?
Bupkis.

The Tao does not speak
The Tao does not blame.
The Tao does not take sides.
The Tao has no expectations.
The Tao demands nothing of others
The Tao is not Jewish.

Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Breathe in.
Breathe out
Forget this and attaining Enlightenment will
be the
least of your problems.

The Torah says,
Love your neighbor as yourself.
The Buddha says,
There is no self.
So, maybe we're off the hook.

Leaves from The New Shul Tu B'shevat Wishing Tree

At The New Shul's Tu B'shevat Celebration this past Saturday night, revelers were invited to create a leaf and make a wish -- for themselves, their family, The New Shul and/or the World -- for the year ahead and attach it to the Wishing Tree. By the end of the evening, the tree was resplendent with colorful leaves and these beautiful wishes...

Wishes for Myself
I wish…

…to get 100% on all of my quizzes.
…to keep my prayers open for all.
…I was in England.
…to keep listening.
…to get an iPhone
…for gainful employment.
…for chocolate chip cookies everyday.
…to be myself.
…that my Bar Mitzvah goes well and that I don’t mess up.
…I kan have scool forevr (great wish by a 6 year old!)
…my turtle lives to be an old, majestic turtle.
…I do good in school.
…peace for my child.
…for lots of ice cream.

Wishes for My Family
I wish…

…for my family to be healthy this year.
…health for my friends and family.
…health to my dear mother.
…health for my father.
…the life or our son be filled with strength, courage, joy, and children and to reach his highest potential.

Wishes for The New Shul
I wish…

…that The New Shul may be our village.
…that my (far in the future) grandkids are B’nai Mitzvahed at The New Shul.

Wishes for The World
I wish…

…for rationality in all things.
…that 2011 brings a happy resolution to all of 2010.
…for the end of Reality TV.
…that people who have health, would learn to be thrifty and not waste it.
…health.
…love.
…health.
…peace in Israel.
…health, love, happiness.
…laugh, love, live.
…health, harmony, hilarity.
…for the end of superstition.
…world peace and the Jets win the Super Bowl.
…that the NRA lost it’s power.
…that war be overcome by peace.
…that we may give and receive generosity, friendship, ease, grace, health, success, joy, love and mitzvot.
…that we appreciate life.
…that there was no waste.
…for color.
…that every wish comes true.

Keep the Party Going for the Birthday of the Trees!

If you want to continue your celebration of Tu B'shevat, check out this family-friendly event down at the Museum of Jewish Heritage!

Bring the Family to Celebrate the Jewish New Year for Trees (Tu B’Shevat) with Stories, Music, and Crafts

The Hatseller and the Monkeys

SUNDAY | JANUARY 23 | 2:30 P.M.

Following the show, children are invited to create eco-themed crafts.

Celebrate the Jewish New Year for Trees (Tu B'Shevat) with Play Me a Story, the musical storytelling duo, who performs an interactive story with delightful props and costumes, magical sounds from the forest, and original Klezmer-style music. For ages 3 to 10

$10, $7 children 10 and under | Museum members: $7, $5 children 10 and under

Click here to order tickets!

Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust

36 Battery Place New York, NY 10280 646.437.4202 www.mjhny.org

A Table for Two Steves

Member and host of Beyond the Dish, Stephen Fried, will be a guest judge at our Golden Schmaltz Awards on Saturday, March 5th at VCS (272 W 10th Streets). The event is from 3-5pm and the theme is dessert. We will be honoring the sweetest one of them all, Amy Eichenwald Golding, so mark your calendars and join in the fun!

Stay Up To Date On All Things Schmaltzy

We have created a facebook event page for the Golden Schmaltz Awards in honor of Amy E. Golding on Saturday, March 5th from 3-5pm at VCS. Please join it so you can stay up to date on cheftestants, judges, kids activities, and more. Plus, it's a great way to find out how you can get involved in pulling off one of the sweetest events of the year!

Things Are About to Get Sweeter for The New Shul

Rebbe's Table - January 16

Click to enlarge.

You won't want to miss this conversation!

Only In Brooklyn

From member and caterer extraordinaire Lisa Teiger:

As you drive out of Brooklyn on the Williamsburg Bridge, you'll see a traffic sign above you reading: Leaving Brooklyn. Oy Vey! No, the sign isn't the work of a prankster. It's a real sign, placed by the Department of Transportation at the request of Marty Markowitz, Borough President of Brooklyn.

Don't Miss the Tu B'shevat Celebration

The Tu B'shevat Celebration

Celebrate The New Year of the Trees at The New Shul in ways as old as the Sequoias and as new as a first bud.


Experience the holiday through crafts, song, poetry, prayer and food. As we travel through the four worlds of the mystical Seder we will join Ellen Gould for Havdalah, make wishes for the future, and enjoy cabaret performances by members.

All the while we will be making our way through the foods of the Seder: from winter to fall, formation to creation and light to dark.


DATE: Saturday, January 15th, 2011
TIME: Doors open at 7 PM
LOCATION: 272 West 10th St. (between Greenwich and Washington Streets)

Dinner, by Creative CuisinEtc., will follow the festivities and top off our celebration.
COST: Members- $10, Guests-$12. Children are FREE.