Shalom. I had mentioned in my last blog, in closing, that I would be going to Kosherfest 2007, which was held “on Veterans Day and Veterans Day [Observed], November 11 and 12 at the Javitts Center in New York City.” The story about this huge event appears as the front page story in the first edition of Jewish Celiacs Newsletter (Vol. 3, No. 1) for 2008/5768. JCN is available in and around Philadelphia at such places as Harry’s Natural Foods (215-742-3807), Natural Goodness Market & Cafe (215-977-7749), Essene Market & Cafe (215-922-1146), Mr. Ritt’s Gluten-Free Bakery (215-627-3034), Espresso Cafe & Sushi Bar (215-745-0130), Mama’s Kosher Vegetarian Restaurant (215-751-0477), Singapore Kosher Chinese Vegetarian Restaurant (215-922-3288), the JCC Klein Branch (215-698-7300) and other spots that are listed in the paper edition and on line. I am including their phone numbers so you can get directions to their businesses from anyone, or all of them. They all have, or still do advertise with JCN, except for JCC Klein Branch, and I want to thank all of them for their support!
My friend, Nira Eckstein, and I, along with a friend of hers who did not attend the kosher extravaganza, but who had come to the Big Apple (NYC) for other reasons, did make the trip to this big once-a-year event. Nira and I, as members of the press, in our case Jewish Celiacs Newsletter, spent several hours going from booth to booth looking for “kosher, gluten-free food,” but for Nira, that same food also had to be “casein-free.” Her son, Avi, who has Austism, is on a “gluten-free/casein-free diet,” which some say does help those who have Autism. For those who are not too familiar with Autism, here’s the scoop so to speak. It is described in The American Heritage Science Dictionary on line as, “A developmental disorder characterized by severe deficits in social interaction and communication and by abnormal behavior patterns, such as the repetition of specific movements or a tendency to focus on certain objects.” It also says, “Autism is evident in the first years of life.” and that “Its cause is unknown.” American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition on line describes Autism [(aw-tiz-uhm)] as, “A serious disorder appearing in childhood and characterized by the child’s refusal to relate to other people and severely limited use of language.” It continues with saying that, “The cause of autism in children is unknown, but researchers generally feel that it lies in a malfunction of the central nervous system, not in the way parents have treated them or in other aspects of their environment.” It then adds that, “The term is sometimes applied, more loosely, to adults who are extremely self-absorbed and who see things in terms of their hopes and fantasies rather than realistically.”
I know Nira’s son, Avi, and he is as active as many young boys his age. He is just as inquisitive, or as self-absorbed, as other youngsters that I have known. He appears to be quite intelligent and he talks more these days than he did when I had first met him, but there are moments when he appears to be day-dreaming too much, or he may go overboard in his pursuit of fun, but my gut feeling is that with his parents’ help, Avi will work it out in time. Nira and her husband, Robert, feel that a “gluten-free/casein-free diet” will probably help him in the long run too. I agree. Some scientists even think that there may be a relationship between Celiac Disease and Autism, or at least there are a number of symptoms they have in common. Nira hopes to have an article on Autism and the Gluten-Free/Casein-Free diet for the next edition in May. I am looking forward to it. Nira is a new staff member of Jewish Celiacs Newsletter and for now Autism is her beat.
Besides my report on Kosherfest 2007, which was pretty exciting though I (and Nira) had expected something more magnanimous though I want to congratulate the people who put it on for a job well done, I am going to shortly mention some of the other things that I published for this edition. About Kosherfest 2007, I wrote, “I cannot swear to the numbers, but Kosherfest 2007 reports, ‘More than 10,000 professional attendees, exhibitors, and press converged at the collocated Cultural Food New York event featuring Kosherfest, Expo Comida Latina and All Asia Food.’ Since I could only attend the first day, November 11, I will say that the number of folks who wandered in and out on that day alone may have been at least several thousand, which is quite a number anyway.” I did get to see quite a variety of kosher, food products as well as mostly non-kosher, foods products from Expo Comida and All Asia Food, both of which shared the same overall, but separate spaces, on the first floor with Kosherfest. On the whole and considering the time we had to spend because we got there a little late, I also met a lot of friendly people everywhere.
NOTE: I should be able to have this paper edition of JCN up on line with a link from it on my right-column bar to the page where you can see this and other past editions in a week, or so from this writing (Feb. 7, 2008). Make a note and go to Jewish Celiacs Newsletter to see if it’s up and running. If not, again, please stop back later.
Other stories, besides the headliner, “Looking For Gluten-Free Food at Kosherfest 2007” and the regular three under the heading, Kosher Food News, I included “S. Florida Gluten Free Fair,” “Kosher Blog: Gluten-Free Bay,” “NOW®’s “Gluten Digest”: A Celiac’s Dream Come True?,” “China Goes Kosher To Stop The U.S. Backlash,” “Celiacs & What Food Is Right For Your Blood Type,” “Book Review: Allergies For Dummies,” “Jewish Diseases: Cystic Fibrosis (Ashkenazic),” “Symptoms and Results of Celiac Disease,” “Celiac Restaurants (GF Menus Only!), Bakeries & Shops,” “Kosher Restaurants & Shops in the Philadelphia Area,” “New Guidelines For Advertising In This Newsletter Or On JCN’s Web Site,” the “JCN Editorial” and the “Letters to Editor.”
To repeat, go to Jewish Celiacs Newsletter to read it on line if you cannot get a paper edition copy. If it’s not up and running by the time you will be reading this, or later when you come back, you can send your name and address along with $2 for postage, mailing and handling, and I will send you a copy of the paper edition via U.S. mail if your mailing address is in the U.S. Add $2 more for overseas. Subscriptions: You can also subscribe to the paper edition for $10 a year, or $15 for 2 years. This way, you can have it delivered to your door three times a year, or three times in a row. Add $6, or $12, respectively for overseas. Send the amount(s) mentioned as a check, or money order, to Subscriptions, Jewish Celiacs Newsletter, P.O. Box 58059, Philadelphia, PA 19102-8059. Make the check, or money order, out to Jewish Celiacs. NOTE: In the case of a check, when it clears, then I will send the paper edition off to you. In the case of a subscription, the second and third editions will go out automatically.
G-d willing, I will be reporting more Kosher food and Celiac Disease news and views. Stay tuned!