Community Magazine March 2014

ADAR II 5774 MARCH 2014 59 Eat, I suppose you could brown-bag it while sitting in the lobby of the Museum of Modern Art. Dinner in Darkness In another interesting twist, there’s the concept of dining in the dark. That’s right: pitch black, not a ray of light coming through a window. No one can see a thing. Like the Shabbat when the fuse box blew. For the uninitiated, the novelty of these restaurants is eating in a pitch-black room, and being served by blind wait staff. By now, you’re pondering how difficult it might be to use cutlery, particularly when you don’t know what food you’re eating. You’re not alone in the pondering. Dining in the dark is a concept that has been around for a number of years. It’s already the rage in Europe, Australia, Los Angeles and right here in New York. Several cities have Dans le Noir – French for “In the Dark” (Paris, London, Paris and Moscow), California has Opaque (L.A., San Diego and San Francisco), China has Pitch Black, there is O. Noir in Toronto and Montreal, and Zurich – the harbinger of them all – has Blind Cow (has something been lost in translation?). The concept was created by one Jorge Spielmann, a blind pastor in Zurich. He thought it would be cute to blindfold his house dinner guests so they could know what it is like to dine blind, as he does. Or, at least that was his excuse. Other people just thought he didn’t want his guests to know just how visually unappealing food is when it is made by a visually-impaired fellow. Anyway, in 1999, this idea sprang into restaurant form, and Spielmann opened Blindekuh (German for “Blind Cow”). Eventually, other such restaurants sprang up in Cologne and Berlin (Germany). Theirs, however, didn’t include blind cows. Spielmann viewed his innovative venture as a way to help the sighted understandwhat it was like to eat in the dark. Plus, this was a great way to employ blind waiters. Did I mention blind waiters? I did. It’s a smallmiracle I canget apot of hot chicken fromthekitchen to the diningroomtable,theentiretimefearingmyovenmittgripcouldslipatany time and there’ll be a thousand pieces of Corningware-chicken casserole on the floor. You blindfold me, and I will walk like each step’s about to sendmeoff a tall cliff.Goldmedals shouldgo to theseblindwaiters.Think of the skill involved. Sure, it’s nice to be able to shoot a ball into a hoop, find the right accountant to do your taxes, and study a chapter of Gemara. But try refilling a water glass with your eyes closed without spilling on someone. As of the time of this magazine’s printing, there’s no word on whether dark or silent restaurants will pop up with a kashrut certificate on the front window. But it’s only a matter of time before an ambitious entrepreneur decides it’s not enough to have a silent restaurant and a dark restaurant – they’ll invent a place where you can’t say anything… in a pitch black room. Kind of reminds me of the times I’d grab a middle-of-the-night nosh, and sit on the living room couch, just munching in the dark, just me and the hum of the lights. You know, like those Buddhist monks in India, but at 2am – ‘cos a breakfast without screaming, kids, and chaos just simply isn’t going to happen. P e n i n i m S e p h a r d i c S e m i n a r y PSS New Seminary! Headed by Rabbi Eliezer Zeytouneh & Sara Zafrani Leading community teachers including: Rabbi Raymond Beyda Sarah Haddad Barbara Ozeri Slyvia Escava Alese Busany Shaindy Kleinman For more information please cal l : Vicki Cohen 732 829 3822 or Yvette Zeytouneh 718 614 7618 Division of Maalot/ Nevey Yerushalayim Individualized attention with your own academic advisor One to two year program Plan a degree that best suits your needs Earn a bachelors degree through Thomas Edison or Excelsior College