J. The Jewish News of Northern California

Who invented matzah brittle? Just like toffee, the plot thickens A longtime Bay Area resident believes she deserves credit — even though someone else has long laid claim to it . PLUS: the original recipe!

For years, Marcy Goldman has been given credit for inventing matzah brittle, or matzah crack. I recently spoke to Karyn Lipman, who believes she came up with the idea at the same time. (With local expert, Dianne Jacob) Exclusive to @jewishsf.bsky.social jweekly.com/2025/03/27/w...

With apologies to @thepressbox.bsky.social for wanton use of "veteran journalist" ...

First in a new series. And for the first time, I'm a veteran!

Where is AI taking us: To Eden or to Armageddon? AI elicits strong feelings — from those who believe it will save humankind to those certain it will destroy us.

Our new series on AI and the Jews, written by veteran reporter @danfriedmanme.bsky.social, begins:

RECIPE | A new Purim treat: Wicked babka with bourbon syrup This Challah Poppy Seed Babka with Bourbon Sugar Syrup is a not-too-sweet Purim dessert and can also be made without alcohol.

Enjoy this Challah Poppy Seed Babka with Bourbon Sugar Syrup for Purim or any time. My latest in @jewishsf.bsky.social jweekly.com/2025/03/10/t...

#JewishFood

Matzah Madness Contest – J. Matzah sits on the seder table unadorned. But what do you do with matzah after that first night? After matzah brei and matzah balls (and of course PB&J matzah sandwiches), what do you make with the st...

Submit your matzah recipe and maybe win some “bread!” $250 prize for the winning original #matzahmadness recipe from @jewishsf.bsky.social

See link for details, rules and more.

PS: I’m a judge so I can’t enter but you should!

jweekly.com/matzah-madne...

#JewishFood

What's new with Jewish Renewal in the Bay Area? Two newly ordained Renewal rabbis from Oakland are bolstering the movement’s 50-year-old legacy in the East Bay.

For 50 years, the East Bay has been one of the homes of the Jewish Renewal movement.

With the ordination of two new local rabbis, the legacy of the not-quite-denomination that brought mysticism to progressive Judaism continues to grow in the Bay Area.

OFF THE SHELF | Book on Jews and pigs roots through ancient taboo “Forbidden: A 3,000 Year History of Jews and the Pig,” which just won a Jewish Book Award, explores every aspect of this non-relationship.

“Forbidden: A 3,000 Year History of Jews and the Pig” by @profrosenblum.bsky.social demonstrates how the pig — as animal, metaphor and lunch — has shaped how Jews understand themselves and how others view Jews.

OPINION | Rabbi and ex-USAID worker asks: Who helps if America turns away? Closing USAID isn’t just a bureaucratic change. It signals a shift away from an America that is engaged, compassionate and strategic.

Rabbi Chayva Lehrman of San Francisco, a former USAID worker, makes the Jewish case for America's role as provider of humanitarian aid:

SMALL BITES | Enter our 'Matzah Madness' recipe competition How do you use up all that excess matzah during Passover? Send us your best matzah-based recipes and you could win $250!

How do you use up all that excess matzah during Passover? Send us your best matzah-based recipes and you could win $250 in our Matzah Madness competition!

Submissions are due by March 1. Get details ⬇️

Charles Barkley visits S.F., leaves with challah and rabbi’s heart He was given the breaded loaves at Glide’s social services center and kitchen where he served meals to low-income San Franciscans.

As penance for calling San Francisco "rat-infested" last month, Charles Barkley toured Glide Memorial Church and its homeless services center with Rabbi Michael Lezak, who also gave the NBA legend some of his own handmade challah.

S.F. artist's dreamy animation re-creates family homes lost to Nazis San Francisco artist Ben Wood has reconstructed his family’s lost homes in Germany through detailed, dreamlike videos.

Check more of his work and read our full interview with him:

jweekly.com/2025/02/14/s...

Große Strasse 73, Strausberg YouTube video by Ben Wood

To honor the memory of his relatives killed in the Holocaust, San Francisco artist Ben Wood is brining back those memories in dreamlike animated videos of his grandparents’ homes in Germany — buildings that were destroyed after his family members were forced to leave.

Jewish man to sue Oakland coffee shop that ejected him A man who was ejected from Palestinian-owned coffee shop in Oakland for wearing a hat with a Star of David on it is now suing the coffee shop

Remember the guy who was ejected from a coffee shop in Oakland for wearing a "violent" Star of David hat?

Now he's planning to sue.

'Such a Match!’ podcast became my passion project Emma Goss on why the ‘Such a Match!’ podcast, about couples who met through our personal ads, is so near and dear to her.

Tune in on Tuesdays for new episodes!

And check out host @emmagoss.bsky.social's own love story in this piece about how the podcast came about.

jweekly.com/2025/01/18/s...

PODCAST | ‘Such a Match!’ episode 4: Persistence pays off In this week's episode of "Such a Match!" host Emma Goss shows us how dating culture 30 years ago mirrors some of what singles go through now.

In this week's episode, Gwynne was tired of men who ghosted her and played games — and then she met Mike, a no-nonsense mensch.

'Such a Match!' episode 3: The journalist who got scooped “The Journalist Who Got Scooped,” this week’s episode of “Such a Match!,” begins in 1954 with 23-year-old Joanne, a young reporter at the Jewish Community Bulletin (this publication’s former name). Sh...

In the third episode, we meet Joanne and Bernie. In 1954 at the age of 23, Joanne was sent by this publication to cover an event at Stanford, where she met Bernie. They've been together for 70 years.

SUCH A MATCH | A staff member puts a personals ad in J. — and sparks fly The second episode of "Such a Match!," tells the serendipitous love story of Janet and Allen, which inspired this podcast!

Episode 2 tells the story of our longtime contributor, Janet Silver Ghent, who found love late in life when she placed an ad in the publication she worked for.

1. When Two Jewish Moms Play Matchmaker Such A Match · Episode

Check out the first episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts!

open.spotify.com/episode/3lMd...

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1...

‘Such a Match!’ — a podcast about finding love through J.’s pages Our “Such a Match!” podcast launches Jan. 21 and explores love stories of couples who found their soulmates through J.’s personal ads.

Happy #ValentinesDay!

Have you listened to Such a Match, our romance podcast, yet? In each episode @emmagoss.bsky.social catches up with a couple that met through our old print personals ads.

Stories include a couple whose mothers set them up and a pair who have been together for 70 years.

One year later, Jews at UC Berkeley reflect on violent protest One year since a violent protest in UC Berkeley shut down an Israeli speaker, no one has been held to account.

Which brings us back to our new report from @emmagoss.bsky.social on how Jewish students and faculty at Cal are feeling now, one year after the Zellerbach Hall incident.

jweekly.com/2025/02/13/o...

Cal one of five campuses in new federal antisemitism investigations One point of consistency amid Trump’s rapid changes: a drumbeat of federal campus antisemitism investigations

Now, under Trump, the Education Department has opened a new investigation into antisemitism at UC Berkeley, though which specific incident, if any, triggered the investigation is unknown.

jweekly.com/2025/02/04/o...

Federal government investigating UC Berkeley over speaker row (JTA) — The violent disruption to an Israeli speaker’s appearance on campus last month has triggered negative headlines and a criminal investigation at the University of California, Berkeley. Now, the...

The incident triggered a Title VI investigation that was later dropped because of an overlapping lawsuit.

jweekly.com/2024/03/06/f...

Cal police seek to identify 5 suspects from Feb. 26 ‘riot’ UC Berkeley police release photos of five people suspected in “one or more criminal acts” at a Feb. 26 protest against an Israeli speaker.

Cal police investigated the incident, releasing photos of five suspects, none of whom were ever identified.

jweekly.com/2024/03/26/c...

Israeli speaker whose talk was shut down returns to UC Berkeley Free speech was major topic as Israeli attorney and combat reservist Ran Bar-Yoshafat returned after his scheduled talk was shut down by an angry mob.

And just a few weeks later, he was back at UC Berkeley to finally deliver the canceled talk.

jweekly.com/2024/03/20/i...

Israeli speaker whose Berkeley event was canceled amid violence draws protest at LA Holocaust Museum speech Ran Bar-Yoshafat’s scheduled appearance on Thursday at Los Angeles’ Holocaust museum took place without interruption.

Later that same week, the speaker, Israeli attorney Ran Bar-Yoshafat, gave a talk at the L.A. Holocaust museum, which was also vociferously protested.

jweekly.com/2024/03/01/i...

Jewish students face violence at UC Berkeley Israel talk Bears for Palestine organized a protest against a speaker that turned violent Monday night, forcing an evacuation from Zellerbach Hall.

Here is our initial coverage of the incident at Zellerbach Hall, which won an award from the S.F. Press Club

jweekly.com/2024/02/27/i...

One year later, Jews at UC Berkeley reflect on violent protest One year since a violent protest in UC Berkeley shut down an Israeli speaker, no one has been held to account.

A protest against an Israeli speaker at UC Berkeley turned violent last February.

One year later, no one has been held accountable for the incident.

But Jewish students and faculty say that the university's new chancellor has improved the situation for Jewish and pro-Israel students.

OPINION | In search of a different future for Gaza The status quo in Gaza is not acceptable. But neither is expelling all Palestinians from Gaza. Luckily, those aren’t the only options.

If the Red Sea can split, we can find a new way forward for Gaza, writes Rabbi Nico Socolovsky.

Israeli professor turned activist: ‘We’re never going back to normal’ Columbia academic turned pro-Israel activist Shai Davidai will speak at a Hillel of Silicon Valley fundraising event on March 9.

Shai Davidai, a Columbia University professor barred from campus for his repeated confrontations with administrators over their handling of anti-Israel protests, will speak at Hillel of Silicon Valley on March 9.