Whats Nu, January 2021 | Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle

Whats Nu, January 2021

 

Two menorahs at war memorial 

The War Memorial Center, 750 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive, has quickly gone from having no menorahs to two. 

First, Arleen Peltz, who serves as a holocaust educator and is active in the Milwaukee-area veterans’ community, helped secure a donated menorah for the War Memorial Center from Ovation Jewish Home. That will be permanently on display there, according to Department of Wisconsin Jewish War Veterans commander Kim Queen. 

A large menorah has now been added to the mix, through the cooperation of Chabad of Wisconsin and the Department of Wisconsin Jewish War Veterans. The larger menorah, pictured, has been added to a holiday display, Queen said.  

Several local people participated in the dedication of the large menorah at the Wisconsin War Memorial: Ron Laux, Jewish War Veterans, Department of Wisconsin, first vice commander; Rabbi Yisroel Lein of Lubavitch House; Dan Buttery, War Memorial Center president and CEO; Kim Queen, Jewish War Veterans, Department of Wisconsin commander; and Judy O’Hara of Jewish War Veterans Post 701, Department of Wisconsin. 

Madison Hillel wins ‘2020 Award’ 

Hillel International has granted Madison Hillel a “2020 Award” for its campus-wide campaign to register and inform voters prior to the presidential election.  

The 2020 Award is for campus Hillels that created outstanding programs since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic to support students, according to Hillel International. Along with Madison Hillel, the other two honorees were Boston University Hillel and a shared Hillel of several New York City schools, including Pace and Fordham universities. 

Hillel International honored Madison Hillel’s work because of their innovative programming during the pandemic and election, according to a news release. Twelve Madison Hillel interns, both Jewish and not, organized debate watch parties, facilitated a policy conversation with College Democrats and College Republicans, and created and distributed t-shirts, door hangers and fliers with critical voter information. Madison Hillel sent out more than 16,000 texts, distributed 1,000 door hangers, and registered 50 new voters. The Hillel building served as a certified registration and polling site.  

Restaurants book features delis 

 “Classic Restaurants of Milwaukee,” by journalist Jennifer Billock, was published in November. It tells the stories of dozens of Milwaukee area restaurants.  

The book includes a section about two Milwaukee Jewish delis, Jake’s and Benji’s. Billock documents the change both delis went through as a result of the shift in Milwaukee’s Jewish population since the 1940s.  

Despite these changes, there remains the essence of these authentic, local delis. 

The delis retain their culture and relationships with customers, according to the book. Even under Jake’s Deli’s new management, “‘There’s culture on both sides of the counter,’” says Paul Dickson, consultant to Jake’s, “People remember who you are, what you ordered, and names of your kids.’” 

–HannahRose Mayer 

Puzzle creator makes King David graphic novel 

Yoni Glatt, who makes the puzzles that sometimes appear in the Chronicle, has recently published “The Anointed,” a graphic novel portraying King David’s origin story.  

Glatt, who interned at Marvel Comics from 2008 to 2009, conceived of the idea in part by realizing that the Bible’s depiction of King David closely resembles a superhero. The story is told through a Jewish lens. 

“The Anointed” is Glatt’s first graphic novel. 

–HannahRose Mayer 

Options for helping endangered species 

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is making strides supporting endangered species in 2020, and it has options for people who want to help, according to a news release.  

This DNR reports it has protected threatened turtles, aided promising field trials for vaccines to save bats from white-nose syndrome, and worked to restore a globally rare bedrock glade in the Baraboo Hills. Reports of endangered bumble bee sightings in 2020 reached record numbers, matching an upward trend of people turning to nature. 

Here’s how the DNR says you can help Wisconsin’s rare species and special places in 2021: 

Visit Dnr.Wisconsin.gov or Dnr.Wisconsin.gov/topic/EndangeredResources for more information. Or visit this story at JewishChronicle.org for links to resources.