Last week, Congress passed and President Trump signed a major tax reform bill, over the objection of Democrats who say that the bill will primarily benefit the wealthy. Many in the Jewish community weighed in on various aspects of the tax plan. Which of the following comments regarding the new tax proposals came from within the Jewish community?

IRS 1040 Tax Form Being Filled Out by Ken Teegardin is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

A. Rabbi Joseph Epstein of Agudath Israel of America spoke of the repeal of the qualified tuition credit which currently benefits private schools, including day schools, by enabling them to provide tax-free tuition assistance to faculty. Said Rabbi Epstein, “This credit enables us to hire quality instructors who would otherwise not be able to afford tuition for their own children. Our teachers benefit, our students benefit, our entire community benefits. Why would a Congress that is supportive of educational choice repeal such an important rule?”

B. Jerry Silverman, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Federations of North America, spoke on a conference call to the leadership of Jewish Federations across the country and urged leaders to contact their legislators in opposition to the increase in the standard deduction. He explained, “The increase from $6000 to $12000 will lead to an unintended consequence, which is that fewer taxpayers will be itemizing their deductions under this plan. And therefore, they will get no tax benefit for charitable donations. This is likely to lead to a drop in contributions, which could hurt our organizations greatly. We must do whatever we can to educate Congress about this situation.”

C. The tax bill includes a provision which expands the use of 529 savings accounts, which are presently a vehicle for funding college education. Going forward, these accounts will be available for use in paying for K-12 private school tuition. Said Rabbi Dovid Nojowitz, National Director of Torah Umesorah, the National Society for Hebrew Day Schools, “We thank Congress and President Trump for being responsive to the needs of our families. There is nothing more important to our families than an education based on Jewish values, and we are grateful to the administration for supporting our efforts.”

D. Pastor John Hagee, evangelical advisor to Donald Trump and Rabbi Yitzchak Adlerstein, representing the rabbinic organization Traditional Orthodox Rabbis of America, joined together to successfully lobby Senate Finance Committee Chair Orrin Hatch to add a provision to the tax plan which would repeal the prohibition against clergy endorsing political candidates. Said Rabbi Adlerstein, “What makes America great is the freedom that is given to people of all religions, as guaranteed by the Constitution. It makes no sense to limit that freedom and make it harder for people of faith to participate in the American electoral process.” The provision, however, was ultimately eliminated when the Senate parliamentarian ruled that this provision violated Senate rules.

E. The loss of the state and property tax deductions will likely lead to an increase in taxes for residents of high tax states such as New York, California, and New Jersey. Said the owner of Eppes Essen, a Jewish deli in New Jersey, with concern that his tax bill will go up, “Raise my taxes, I raise your challah.”

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According to the Talmud, we are commanded to feed our animals before we feed ourselves. It doesn’t say anything about giving gifts to our pets before giving presents to our human family members, but many Jews include their pets in the Chanukkah gift giving. Which of the following are real Chanukkah pet toys?

Night 1 “Chag Sameach!” by Michelle oshen is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

A. Dog Kippah and Tallis (sold separately) and Kiss Me, I’m Chewish! T-shirt.

B. Schnoz the Anteater Chew Toy and Mohel Scissors Chew Toy.

C. Menorah Dog Hat and Jewish Star Pet Bow Tie.

D. Llamalka in a Yarmulke Dog Chew Toy and Schmaltz the Chicken Chew Toy.

E. Mechitza Dog Gate and Shtreimel Frisbee.

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Children who are celebrating Christmas have the Elf on a Shelf children’s book and toy to enjoy during the holiday season. What are two Chanukkah toys which were created by children’s authors inspired by Elf on a Shelf?

2012 Elf on the Shelf - Snowy by Mark Baylor is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

A. The Latke on the Yacht-ke Toy Boat and the Señora Menorah Torah.

B. The Gelt Giving Golem and the Mensch on a Bench.

C. The I Have a Little Bagel Dreidle and the Deck the Halls with Boughs of Challah Easy-Bake Oven.

D. The Gelt on the Tuna Melt and the Yid on the Squid.

E. The Tickle Me Maccabee Doll and the Nightmare on Chelm Street Action Figures.

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There are reports that General Michael Flynn may be negotiating a deal with Special Counsel Robert Mueller as Mueller continues to investigate Russian interference in the United States election. During the campaign, Flynn received criticism when he retweeted an anti-Semitic tweet which read, “The corrupt Democratic machine will do and say anything to get #NeverHillary into power. This is a new low. >Cnn implicated. ‘The USSR is to blame!’ Not anymore, Jews. Not anymore.” What other general has offered anti-Semitic comments about Jews?

Michael Flynn - Caricature by DonkeyHotey is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

A. At the end of World War II, General George Patton said, in reference to an inspection of displaced persons camps by Earl Harrison, that “Harrison and his ilk believe that the Displaced Person is a human being, which he is not, and this applies particularly to Jews who are lower than animals.”

B. After the surprise attack on Israel by Egypt and Syria in the Yom Kippur War, there was great disagreement as to what role the United States should play. President Richard Nixon proposed an emergency shipment of arms to help Israel. This action was opposed by, among others, National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger and General Alexander Haig, who was then the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army. According to the Nixon White House tapes, Haig said, “Mr. President, we all know you are no fan of the Jews. You may think that helping Israel at this time will win you their support, but no matter what you do, those people will continue to be in the pocket of the Democratic Party. And you will bear the brunt of the Arab oil boycott, which I truly believe they will implement the minute the first military plane takes off for Israel.”

C. In 1860, General Ulysses S. Grant issued an order expelling Jews from the United States military, stating “At a time when we must question the loyalty of any soldier from below the Mason-Dixon line, does it make any less sense to be concerned about the loyalty of the Israelite, whose ancestors found no discomfort in betraying our Lord as he ate with his disciples?”

D. In the summer of 1863, General Robert E. Lee proposed an assault on Union troops at Gettysburg. Secretary of War Judah P. Benjamin objected to this plan and argued that it was destined to fail. General Lee is reputed to have said to Confederate cavalry commander general J. E. B. Stuart that “that little Jew is not going to tell us how to win this war.” Lee and Stuart proceeded to lead their troops towards Gettysburg. After initial success on the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, the Confederate armies were ultimately pushed back and retreated to Virginia in defeat.

E. Jews have historically been fond of Chinese food, in part because the absence of dairy products made Chinese meals more acceptable to “kosher-style” Jews. Of course, there were many Chinese dishes made with seafood or pork products which Jews shied away from (except for wontons). One popular Chinese restaurant dish in the mid-20th century in was a sweet, deep-fried pork dish called General Tso’s Pork. A Chinese restaurant on the lower East Side of New York began offering the dish using chicken instead of pork, in order to make the dish acceptable to its Jewish customers. This dish, General Tso’s Chicken, became so popular that it eventually replaced General Tso’s Pork on Chinese restaurant menus throughout the city. When General Tso learned of this, he was outraged and issued a fortune cookie reading “The best way to get rid of an enemy is to make a friend. Except for the Jews.”

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The Trump administration announced that they were ending the ban on importation of elephant hunting trophies, followed the next day by a reversal of this new policy. What is a Jewish connection to elephants?

African Elephant (Loxodonta africana) by Bernard DUPONT is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

A. Elephants were introduced into Italy by Hannibal, who famously crossed the Alps with 40 of the huge animals in 213 B.C. One hundred fifty years later, Pompey and his Roman army, including descendants of those elephants, invaded the Kingdom of Judea and destroyed the Temple in 63 B.C. The Arch of Titus in Rome includes reliefs of elephants carrying menorahs and other spoils of the invasion and destruction of the Temple.

B. While elephants are kosher (they chew their cud and have cloven hoofs), as a practical matter nobody is slaughtering elephants in a kosher manner, due to the near-impossibility of severing the trachea and esophagus in a single stroke. In 1997, a shochet (ritual slaughterer) in Mea Shearim announced plans to slaughter an elephant, having developed a precision titanium-steel blade which he claimed could accomplish the task; however, he canceled his plan after huge protests from animal rights activists.

C. Judah Maccabee’s brother Eleazar, mistakenly believing that an approaching elephant carried King Antiochus, bravely killed the beast, thrusting his spear into the animal’s belly. Sadly, however, the elephant’s final act was to collapse on top of Eleazar, killing him.

D. Elephants are not mentioned in the Torah, but they are first referenced indirectly in the Book of Kings, chapter 10, verse 22. “For the king had at sea a navy of Tarshish with the navy of Hiram; once every three years came the navy of Tarshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.” Based on the reference to ivory, the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem obtained an elephant for display; however, a controversy developed as the zoo had acquired an Indian elephant, whereas the elephants of Tarshish, in what is now Spain, would have been African elephants. The zoo did not get rid of the Indian elephant, but subsequently added an African elephant.

E. The story is told of Paltiel the Gilonite (a tribe of North Africa), a descendent of the family of Bathsheba, mother of King Solomon. Paltiel traveled from his home to the Temple in Jerusalem to pay tribute to his great aunt Bathsheba and the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Paltiel brought an elephant to offer as a “korban zevach sh’lamim,” a sacrifice of gratitude and respect for God. As Paltiel and the elephant entered the sanctuary of Solomon’s Temple, the elephant panicked and spun around, his trunk flailing in all directions. The priests frantically grabbed at the ceramic bowls of flour, the olive oil-filled pottery jars, the silver coins and the gold ladles, the jars of fragrant spices and the jewel-encrusted candelabras, not to mention the menagerie of other animals awaiting sacrifice–the he-goats and she-goats, the yearling lambs, the oxen and the rams–desperately trying to protect the items and the sanctity of the room. A 30-cubit holy sanctuary was no place for a 20-cubit 6-ton African elephant. Despite their horror, the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest, chose not to say anything, lest he offend Paltiel, who had come in peace with good intentions. Said the Kohen Gadol to the other priests, “Al tidabru al ha-pil ba’cheder.” This phrase, which means “Do not speak of the elephant in the room,” has come to refer to situations where something obvious is intentionally left unspoken.

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Harvey Weinstein hired the Israeli intelligence company Black Cube to try and prevent publication of stories detailing his sexual abuse of women. Black Cube operative Stella Penn Pechanac duped actress Rose McGowan using an assumed name and claiming to be a women’s rights advocate. Through this subterfuge, Pechanac was able to obtain a copy of McGowan’s unpublished memoir, in order to determine whether McGowan intended to speak of her alleged rape by Weinstein. What is the interesting story about Pechanac’s family?

Rose McGowan by Gordon Correll is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

A. Stella’s grandparents were Muslims in Sarajevo who hid a Jewish family from the Nazis. Fifty years later, descendants of those Jews living in Israel were able to help Stella and her parents and grandmother escape the war in Bosnia and move to Israel. Stella’s Muslim mother was married to a Bosnian Christian man, but both converted to Judaism and Stella was raised as an Orthodox Jew.

B. Stella Penn Pechanac’s grandfather was among the Jews employed at Deutsche Emalwarenfabrik, the enamelware company owned by Oscar Schindler. When Schindler moved his plant to Moravia, Pechanac’s grandfather was among those on the famous “Schindler’s List” whose move to the new location enabled him to escape death at the hands of the Nazis. After the war, he was able to emigrate to Israel.

C. Pechanac’s grandfather, Eduard Fedorov, was a guard in a Moscow prison in the 1970’s. In 1977, he met Anatoly Shcharansky, the Jewish dissident who was imprisoned there, and Scharansky learned of Fedorov’s Jewish roots. Their relationship grew over the time of Scharansky’s confinement. A few years after Shcharansky was freed in a prisoner swap and emigrated to Israel (where he changed his name to Natan Sharansky), he was instrumental in helping Fedorov and his family to emigrate to Israel.

D. Pechanac is not the first member of her family to be in the spy business. Pechanac’s grandfather was Reuven Zaslani, who was born in Jerusalem in 1909, the son of a rabbi. Zaslani, who later changed his last name to the Hebrew name Shiloah, was a friend of David ben-Gurion. In December 1949, ben-Gurion appointed Shiloah to be the first director of the “Central Institute for Coordination,” the organization that later became known as the Mossad.

E. Pechanac is not the only member of her family to be in the business of subterfuge. Pechanac’s parents belong to an organization which opposes the granting of the first Torah aliyah to members of the priesthood, the Kohanim. This organization, known as Cohen-Troll, has begun a campaign of online lies, insults, and bullying of the Kohanim by its members, who post using online aliases. Pechanac’s father posts under the screen name Maxwell Chacham, and her mother uses the alias Agent Tishim v’Tisha.

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Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman is the first Jewish major league baseball player to get a walk-off hit in a World Series game. What other member of Bregman’s family accomplished something in baseball?

Alex Bregman by Keith Allison is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

A. Bregman’s father, Sam, played baseball at the University of New Mexico. In 1989, he played on the United States team at the thirteenth Maccabiah Games in Israel.

B. Bregman’s younger brother, Anthony, played second base on the middle school team at Solomon Schechter Day School of Albuquerque, where he won the Most Valuable Player award in 8th grade.

C. Bregman’s grandfather, Stanley, was the lawyer for the Washington Senators before they moved to Minnesota and became the Twins.

D. Bregman’s mother, Jackie, attended the University of New Mexico, where she majored in physical education and worked as a trainer for the school’s baseball team. This is where she met Alex’s father, Sam, who was a player on the team.

E. Bregman’s great grandfather Samuel, who emigrated to America from Russia when he was 4, played catcher for St. Dominick’s in the Parochial League in Washington, DC, where they listed his name as Bregmanio so people would think he was Catholic rather than Jewish.

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New Orleans musician Fats Domino died last week at the age of 89. Domino was called “the real King of Rock ‘n’ Roll” by Elvis Presley, and John Lennon said that “There wouldn’t have been a Beatles without Fats Domino.” What was the Jewish connection in Fats Domino’s life?

A. Fats Domino lived next door to the Anshe Sfard Synagogue in New Orleans as a teenager and served as the “Shabbos Goy,” turning on the lights in the building on the Sabbath.

B. Domino learned to play piano as a child, practicing at school and at a neighbor’s house, as his family did not own a piano. In high school, Domino worked part-time for Morris Karnofsky, a Jewish merchant who owned the Morris Music Company, selling records, phonographs, and musical instruments. Recognizing the musical talent of his young employee, Karnofsky donated a small upright piano to the Domino family, and it was on this piano that Domino wrote his first hit, The Fat Man.

C. Dave Bartholomew, the musician, producer, and co-writer of many of Fats Domino’s hits, though not Jewish, is a descendent of Sephardic Jews who had immigrated to St. Thomas from Spain during the Inquisition. The family name was Bar-Talamanca, but when Bartholomew’s grandfather moved to New Orleans, he changed his name to Bartholomew and married a non-Jewish woman.

D. New York record producer Lew Chudd, son of Russian-Jewish immigrants, hired New Orleans bandleader Dave Bartholomew as a talent scout, and Bartholomew introduced Fats to Chudd. Chudd signed Fats to Imperial Records, where The Fat Man and many subsequent Domino hits were recorded and released.

E. Just as singer Chubby Checker chose his stage name and developed much of his musical style by copying Fats Domino, so too did Domino develop his musical style, and name, by copying from an earlier musician, Borscht Belt singer Schmalz Pinochle. In the 1930’s and '40’s, Pinochle regaled audiences at Grossingers and other Catskills Resorts, singing such songs as I’m Gonna Be A Mentsch Some Day, Ain’t That A Shonda, I’m Walking To Berditchev, and I Hear You Kvetching.

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The intersection between government and religious and/or political beliefs is in the news with growing frequency, including debates over government-mandated birth control coverage in insurance policies, and the question before the Supreme Court of whether a baker must make a wedding cake for a gay couple when that violates the baker’s religious beliefs. Dickinson, Texas was in the news recently because of a Jewish-related controversy over laws or policies. What was the issue there?

Dickinson Texas City Hall by N. Saum is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

A. In reaction to the national controversy over kneeling during the National Anthem, the Dickinson School Board passed a policy requiring all students to stand during the anthem at school events including ball games, concerts, and other school assemblies. However, the wording of the policy refers more broadly to standing during invocations and prayers as well. The Jewish community is objecting because Jewish football players were told that they must stand when the team gathers for the “voluntary” pre-game prayer which is offered by a player, and which typically includes references to Jesus Christ.

B. Dickinson, which received more than 50 inches of rain during Hurricane Harvey, has posted an online application for residents to request grants to cover the expense of hurricane-related damage repairs. The application requires residents to ensure that their contractors do not boycott Israel. Some residents object, saying that this will make it more difficult to get repairs done, and the ACLU says that this clause unconstitutionally violates First Amendment protections.

C. The Dickinson City Council passed a law requiring that all schools allow teachers to carry concealed handguns. B’nai Emunah, an Orthodox synagogue, is suing because they say that it is a violation of their religious protections under the first amendment. The synagogue board does not object to this provision; however, they argue that for the synagogue’s monthly “Shabbat School” (when children come for Shabbat services and a family luncheon), the teachers should be restricted from bringing a gun to shul because this action violates the Jewish prohibition against carrying on the Sabbath.

D. When a Jewish family received the 2017-18 school calendar, they noticed that graduation was scheduled to fall on Shavuot, and they contacted the school superintendent to request that the date be changed, as they and their graduating son would be in synagogue that evening for the holiday. According to the family, the superintendent told them that while he would like to accommodate the family, if he did so he would have no choice but to provide accommodations to the growing number of Muslim students in the district, and that “before you know it, our school would be governed by Shariah law.”

E. On the Shabbat before Purim, a Jewish student came to school wearing a t-shirt that included pictures of Purim revelers in costume, dancing and drinking, along with wording which read “Remember the Amalek.” Jews are traditionally commanded on Purim to remember Amalek, an ancestor of Haman, who tried to destroy the Jewish people in the desert during the Exodus. The student was sent home by the principal who cited the school’s Code of Conduct which states “Students may not exhibit any clothing with slogans, quotes, or messages which disparage the people and the state of Texas.” Said the principal, “In Texas we remember the Alamo, where our heroes died defending our freedom, not the Amalek, whatever that is.”

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Jewish Hollywood mogul/film producer Harvey Weinstein was fired by the Weinstein Company last week following news reports detailing multiple allegations of sexual harassment and assault. Throughout his career, Weinstein has received many awards, including the GLAAD Excellence in Media Award, the Commander of the Order of the British Empire from Great Britain, and the Chevalier (Knight) of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from France. He has also received much praise from celebrities, politicians, and businesspeople, including President Barack Obama, who in 2014 thanked Weinstein and his wife for “their friendship and support, and for the amazing movies that they’ve made.” Which of the following are also examples of the praise Weinstein has received?

Harvey Weinstein by Nick Step is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

A. In 2005, Steve Bannon (who had previously worked in the film industry, producing such films as The Indian Runner with Sean Penn) partnered with Harvey and Bob Weinstein in a DVD distribution company, Genius Products. Said Bannon of Weinstein recently, “Harvey Weinstein taught me more than anyone about the film industry and business in general. Of course, had I known about his use of power to abuse women, I never would have had anything to do with him.”

B. Weinstein was honored at the Simon Wiesenthal Center/Museum of Tolerance 2015 national tribute dinner, where fellow film industry executive Jeffrey Katzenberg offered the following words in introduction of Weinstein: “I’m going to tell you something you don’t know: He’s actually just a really nice Jewish boy.”

C. Weinstein has been thanked by multiple Academy Award winners throughout his career. Based on speeches given by Oscar winners between 1966 and 2016, only Steven Spielberg had more mentions, with Weinstein tied with God for 2nd place. And among those praising Weinstein was Meryl Streep, who actually referred to Weinstein as God.

D. In 2013, Weinstein presented the Algemeiner newspaper’s “Warrior for Truth” award to Elie Wiesel, who responded to Weinstein, saying, “You made me love films, it is only thanks to you...Because at one point you came in my life and now I like films too, especially those that you make.”

E. Last week, Bill Cosby, star of The Cosby Show which was produced by the Weinstein Company, said of Harvey Weinstein, “Really? He did all that without quaaludes? I tip my hat to you, Mr. Weinstein!”

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