From The Services To The Party ... Let Fredrick's Clothe The Men in Your Life This Won't Kippah You Awake A "Jewish" herb that puts you to sleep? ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM ASSOCIATE EDITOR Q: My mother-in-law has difficulty sleeping. Her birthday is coming up, and I'd like to give her a gift that could help her with this prob- lem. Initially, I consid- ered a cassette tape that played one of our rabbi's sermons over and over and over. But now I hear there's a sleep-inducing herb with a Jewish connec- tion. Tell Me Why, tell me what! Does this sabra look soft on the inside? FLO14, Creations 4 ksN ,A By Ceil , k v io 810-544-4500 3071 W. 12 Mlle • Berkley PARTY THEMES • BALLOONS FLOWERS • WEDDING FLOWERS & SYMPATHY FLOWERS FULL SERVICE FLORISTS PARTIES, SYMPATHY, HOSPITALS Cell Stocker Larry Stocker • Sandi Stocker Since 1930 ... If you are not wearing it... sell it!... or BORROW on it! You can't enjoy jewelry if it's sitting in your safe deposit box. Sell or bor- row on it for immediate cash. We deal in jewelry, watches & gemstones. A Service to Private Owners, Banks & Estates Gem/Diamond Specialists Fine Jewelers EST. 1919 AWARDED CERTIFICATE BY G1A IN GRADING & EVALUATION Lawrence M. Allan, President 30400 Telegraph Rd. • Suite 134 Bingham Farms 642-5575 Daily 'Til 5:30 Sat. 'Til 3 Q: In Hebrew, native Israelis ("sabres") are called tzabarim, prickly pears: sharp and thorny on the outside, soft and sweet on the inside. If the prickly pear, the fruit of the cactus, is so representative of the State of Israel, why isn't it mentioned in the Torah? A:Sharp on the outside, soft on the inside. Why, isn't that just the cutest, sweetest, most special thing you've ever heard? (Tell Me Why passengers, get out your air-sickness bags). In spite of its strong associ- ation with arid climates and the desert, the cactus is not a native plant of Israel. The cac- tus was nowhere near Israel when the Torah was given to the Jews. The cactus is native to North America, and became known to the rest of the world only af- ter the late 15th century, when Europeans discovered the Americas. Many other foods that are Is- raeli favorites are, in fact, na- tive American plants. These include sunflowers (anyone who has been to Israel can't help but notice the quaint Is- raeli practice of daintily spit- ting sunflovkr seeds in the midst of conversation), avoca- dos, tomatoes and tobacco. America also gave the world corn, potatoes, peppers (the shiny kind, not black pepper) and allspice. Alas, not even the Jerusalem artichoke is from Israel. It, too, is a native of America (and by the way — it's not an arti- choke). A:You must be talking about the herb known as skull- cap (or, if you're observant, the yarmulke herb — ha, ha, ha!). Q: I always heard that author Yes, there is actually an Nathanael West, whose novels in- herb called skullcap, and it is cluded The Day of the Locust, was indeed said to help cure in- anti-Semitic. Then somebody told somnia. Those sleepless is me he was Jewish. You've got to Seattle or Detroit or anywhere else are advised to use about 2 be kidding! A: We're not. West, born teaspoons per cup, steeped for Nathan Wallenstein Weinstein 10 minutes. Be sure to add honey, though, before taking in 1903, was indeed Jewish. One of the leading authors even a sip; skullcap does not of the 1930s, West was the son have an especially pleasant fla- of Russian-Jewish immigrants. vor. Skullcap may be purchased He was raised in New York, and published his first novel, at most health-food stores. a study of human corruption, Consult your physician, how- while a student at Brown Uni- ever, before trying herbal cures for any ailment. versity. In 1927, West took a job Q: Is it true that basketball great managing a hotel in New York, though he spent every free mo- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar keeps ment working on his writing kosher? skills. He published his sec- A: Well, not ex- ond book, Miss Lonely- actly, though hearts, in 1933. The he has pro- story of a newspaper fessed a love columnist, it was much for kosher loved by critics — but food. Born a not by the public. His Catholic (and next work, published in weighing in at 1934, was A Cool Mil- a hefty 13 lion. pounds!), Mr. Ab- In the mid-1930s, West dul-Jabbar is a convert moved to Hollywood, where he to Islam. According to Holly- worked as a screenwriter. The wood expert and author Ed Lu- Day of the Locust (1938), his caire, Mr. Abdul-Jabbar was satirical novel of life in La-La much enamored with the Jews Land, was later made into a of Wisconsin, where he resided. film. "Thank Allah for the Jews of Critics and readers alike Milwaukee," he said. "We live couldn't help but notice West's hostile, mocking portraits of on kosher food." Jews in much of his writing— inspired, no doubt, by his own Send questions to "Tell Me Why" self-loathing. c I o The Jewish News, 27676 West was 37 when he died Franklin Rd., Southfield, MI in, 1940 in a car accident. 48034 or send fax to 354-6069. -