Honoring Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion and Baltimore’s Deep Rooted Bond with Eretz Yisroel
JACOB SHAAREI ZION
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Dear Readers,
The story of Yosef and his brothers is more than just a tale of sibling rivalry; it is the foundation of countless lessons in Jewish history. Like many Jewish families throughout the ages, theirs was marked by misunderstandings and conflicts but also by remarkable resilience, kindness, and eventual reconciliation. The Torah’s depiction of Yosef’s reunion with his brothers centers around two simple yet profound words: Ani Yosef—“I am Yosef.” These words encapsulate Yosef’s demand to be seen as an individual, not merely a reflection of his father or brothers. They also represent the turning point in a story that had seemed irreparably fractured. Yosef, the ultimate nonconformist, reminds us that being true to oneself within the framework of Torah values can lead to ultimate harmony and redemption.
The words Ani Yosef carry an unparalleled emotional weight. In the moments before their utterance, the brothers faced an unfathomable crisis. They stood before a seemingly harsh foreign ruler, accused and powerless, with no apparent way out. Then, in an instant, everything changed. With just two words, the tension dissolved, their questions were answered, and their family was reunited. What had seemed like a tangled and tragic series of events suddenly became clear. This transformation teaches us that every one of us can experience an Ani Yosef moment, when the chaos and confusion of life suddenly coalesce into clarity. In such moments, we see how the trials of our past were not random but purposeful, offering us direction and an opportunity to start anew, stronger and more enlightened than before.
The story of Yosef’s perseverance is one of the most inspiring in the Torah. Torn from his family at a young age, Yosef faced immense challenges in a foreign land: enslavement, temptation, imprison-
ment, and rejection. Yet, with unwavering faith and commitment, he rose above it all, ultimately becoming a leader and protector for his family. His ability to remain steadfast in the face of adversity reflects the same perseverance demonstrated by the Chashmonaim during the time of Chanukah. Like Yosef, the Chashmonaim were surrounded by a culture that devalued Torah and mitzvos, forcing them to practice in secret while contending with external threats. Despite the odds, they held firm to their beliefs and emerged victorious, showing that even in the darkest times, betachon and determination can illuminate the path forward.
The connection between Yosef and the Chashmonaim offers a deeper understanding of Chanukah’s enduring message. Both stories underscore the presence of Hashem’s hashgacha, even when concealed. Yosef’s rise to power and the Chashmonaim’s triumph over their oppressors were accomplished through natural means, yet it was evident that Hashem was orchestrating events behind the scenes. The Rambam’s placement of the laws of Hallel in the section of Hilchos Chanukah highlights this theme. The miracles of Chanukah were subtle and intertwined with natural occurrences, compelling us to recognize Hashem’s hand in what we often call “nature.” The intricacies of creation, the complexity of life, and the “coincidences” that shape our stories all point to this hashgacha pratis. By internalizing this lesson, we can find inspiration in the perseverance of Yosef and the Chashmonaim, drawing strength to face the challenges of our own times with faith and purpose.
Wishing everyone a peaceful Shabbos Aaron Menachem
Experience Kabbolas HaTorah this Purim like never before by joining Oraysa for Maseches Megillah. Learning these sugyos together with thousands of other lomdei Oraysa worldwide is a true fulfillment of הרות
. In anticipation of Purim, Oraysa is learning Megillah followed by Ta'anis
Around the Community
Baltimore City Hall Menorah Lighting Chanukah 2024
In attendance at the annual City Hall lighting were Mayor Brandon Scott, Council President Zeke Cohen, Councilman Yitzy Schleifer, Associated Jewish Charities CEO Andrew Kushner, Baltimore Police Jewish Liaison Bill Currie, Rabbi Chesky Tennenbaum of JUSA, and the Mayor’s Jewish Liaison Rebecca Mark.
Baltimore’s City Hall shone brightly in honor of Chanukah, serving as a beacon of light and a symbol of the city’s support for its Jewish community. The stunning display added to the festive atmosphere throughout the city, with community members from the Glen and Cross Country-Cheswolde neighborhoods coming down to celebrate.
Inner Harbor Esther Ann Menorah Lighting Brings Chanukah Joy To Baltimore
By: BJLife Newsroom
The Esther Ann Menorah lighting at the Inner Harbor illuminated Baltimore last night for the 5th night of Chanukah, bringing the community together to celebrate the holiday’s spirit of light and unity. Mayor Brandon Scott lit the shamash, and Rabbi Yaakov Kaplan (Chabad of South BaltimoreSOBO) lit the remaining candles.
Remarks were shared by Rabbi Shmuel Kaplan, Mayor Brandon Scott, and Rabbi Yaakov Kaplan, while Rebbetzin Rochel Kaplan, a’h, was honored with a heartfelt recitation of her poem, The Spirit of Chanukah, by her granddaughter.
By: BJLife Newsroom
Around the Community
Mesivta Shaarei Chaim’s Hosts Open House Of Their New Campus
Mesivta Shaarei Chaim held their first Open House since the purchase of their new campus. It was a beautiful, informative and well-received event. With an inviting setup and welcoming atmosphere, the group of interested parents was able to partake of delicious refreshments, and hear from the lineup of impassioned speakers. The recurrent theme centered on how much the Mesivta has accomplished in the past few years, and how entering the ‘next chapter’ with their remarkable Rabbeim, and now a “new place to call home” – boded for an exceptional Makom Harbatzas HaTorah
HaRav Yona Yaakov Lapidus, Menahel, explained why the Mesivta years are so important in the life of a bachur, and how a positive Mesivta experience can lead to tremendous growth in his Torah learning, greatly impacting his life ahead. He stressed that the decision of where to send your son for his Mesivta years is a significant one.
As talmid muvhak of HaRav Meir Soloveitchik of Brisk, Rosh Mesivta,HaRav Daniel Wilhelm, was instilled with a unique derech halimud and hanhagas hachaim that he aims to transmit to the next dor of talmidim. HaRav Wilhelm spoke about his objective for bachurim to attain a clear and “straight” understanding of Gemara sevarah, and his satisfaction in seeing senior Shaarei Chaim talmidim already grasping the finer points of the sugyos.
HaRav Yisrael Meir Lebovits, illustrious and dynamic 9th grade Rebbi, also spoke about his goals for his talmidim, and the supportive environment in Shaarei Chaim that allows them to meet and exceed those goals. He highlighted the importance of high-caliber Mesivta Rabbeim who, coupled with their abilities in Torah, are mechanchim par excellence who enable bachurim to grow in learning and middos in a healthy way.
The Open House program closed with a beautiful short video which encapsulated the very messages imparted in person by foremost Rabbanim and Mechanchim of the city. The video can be viewed online at shaareichaimbaltimore.org/vidoes-pictures. Participants at the Open House were given professionally designed brochures with pictures of the new campus along with Mesivta Shaarei Chaim’s daily schedule and highlights of the program. The brochure can be viewed at shaareichaimbaltimore.org.
TA Makes Chanukah Cookies And Edible Menorahs
L’Chaim Day Program Hosts A Community Chanukah Party
This past Thursday afternoon, the first day of Chanukah, L’Chaim Day Program held a Community Chanukah Party and Open House. An overflow crowd enjoyed activities and live music, which reflected the activities of a typical day at the Center.
Scrumptious refreshments were provided by chef extraordinaire, CB Goldfein
Excitement filled every corner of the room!
While some guests were busy creating art masterpieces with Ms. Shifra Sonnenschein, others were enjoying yoga and exercise classes with Mrs. Deborah Bandos
Heartfelt and uplifting live music was provided by Shmuel Beck, Binyomin Kermin, Yossi Kermanshahi, and Zalman Skaist. The crowd could not help but clap, dance, and sing along to the classic Chanukah tunes.
Rabbi Tzvi Karp, L’Chaim daily lecturer, shared a dvar torah with the
crowd. His positive message was that every Jew is precious. Even when it doesn’t make sense and we may not deserve it, Hashem loves each and every one of us.
All who attended left with a smile on their face, experiencing a beautiful start to Chanukah 5785.
Around the Community
Allstate Insurance – Yaakov Schmell Wins 2024 JCFL By
What a season! Upsets and surprises each and every week. All in all, the “Bar Mitzvah” season of the JCFL represented everything you could ask for. Each week, the 8 teams gave it their all, as life-long bonds and “friendly rivalries” were established.
Read on for highlights from the Championship game.
It was a much-anticipated matchup between two veteran squads: Evergreen Benefits Group, led by QB Chaim Finkelstein, who had his eyes set on his 4th career championship and his first perfect JCFL season vs. Allstate Insurance - Yaakov Schmell, led by QB Avi Yudkowsky, who was looking to lead his team to an improbable turnaround from an 0-2 start to JCFL champions.
Before the game began, in special recognition of their stalwart officiating duties these past 13 years, the league and a large number of players led a thank you ceremony for veteran officials Walt Johnson and Christopher “Chap” Chapman, presenting them with Ravens tickets and special JCFL commemorative coins.
Due to the special nature of the championship game, the “I Heart Remodeling” Officiating Crew provided 4 seasoned referees to oversee the game, while the “Maryland Team” grounds crew ensured the turf was dry and ready for primetime action.
And so it was, on an uncharacteristically warm Chanuka morning, in front of a large crowd at Wildcat stadium at Pikesville High, the “Goldberg’s Bagels/Taam Thai” championship was underway.
Allstate-Schmell started off a bit uneven on offense as they went three and out on their first possession and Yudkowsky threw a pick to Evergreen CB Yoseph Orshan on their next drive, and it looked like they might be in for a long day.
However, the defense did their job and when Allstate-Schmell got the ball back with 15 minutes left in the first half, the offensive huddle was calm and poised. “Hey we’re
good, we got this,” could be heard from the Allstate-Schmell sideline. Then, as they have done all season, Allstate-Schmell responded to the adversity by hitting another gear. Yudkowsky proceeded to hit veteran All-Star WR Josh Zaslow on a long pass to set up a short TD throw to him on the next play. Yudkowsky followed that up on the next possession by hitting Rookie of the Year candidate, Zacky Lerner, on a short pitch and run to take a 14-0 lead.
Allstate-Schmell’s defense held stout as Neil “Ironman” Gerstman made a diving flag-grab on Chaim Finkelstein, stopping him 2 yards short of a first, to force a turnover on downs. Allstate-Schmell followed up their impressive defensive stand with a 30-yard TD pass to Josh Zaslow to give them a commanding 21-0 lead. Evergreen finally reached the redzone right before the half but Josh Zaslow picked off the 4th down pass to maintain Allstate’s shocking 21-0 lead going into half time.
While Evergreen tried to regroup at halftime, Allstate-Schmell was focused on keeping their foot on the gas. Evergreen got on the board with a TD pass on their opening drive of the second half, but Allstate-Schmell responded as Yudkowsky hit Lerner with a short TD pass to maintain a 27-6 advantage. But Evegreen wasn’t finished as Finkelstein came right back with a TD score to close the gap to 27-12.
With the game hanging in the balance and Evergreen needing a stop to stay in the game, Yudkowsky went to Championship MVP Zacky Lerner on a short pass and Lerner did the rest, running right through the Evergreen defense to bring the lead to 33-12.
From there, Allstate-Schmell’s defense did the rest as Menachem Dalfin, Ezra Rosen, Dany Donaty, Mookie Chamdi, Neil Gerstman, and Zack Schnitzer pressured the QB, covered the TE roll out, and kept Evergreen at bay as they closed out the 33-12 Victory.
When the dust had settled, the champagne had been popped, and the “Multicom Capital Trophy” handed out,
“Your Kitchen Spot” Title!
the Allstate-Schmell players and loyal fans shared in the celebration. Josh Zaslow and Team Captain Dany Donaty could be seen with tears in their eyes as they celebrated their first championship since the Obama presidency. Mookie Chamdi embraced self-appointed coach, self-acclaimed JCFL legend and loyal Allstate-Schmell fan - Shulie Hoch-
man. And Ezra Rosen, Neil Gerstman, Zach Schnitzer, Menachem Dalfin, and Zacky Lerner celebrated their first JCFL championship with family and friends.
A dramatic ending to another great JCFL season. Thanks to Dovi Ziffer, Jeremy Lasson, Walt, Chap, and all the folks who make it possible!
Greater
Washington: Around
the
Community
BCGW Hosts Special Chanuka Events
Bikur Cholim of Greater Washington started Chanuka off bright, with a candle lighting at HC hospital. To continue the Chanuka cheer, they held a yummy brunch at the Children’s Inn at NIH. The amazing BCGW volunteers served up latkes and sufganiyot, as well as fun presents for the children. Freilichen Chanuka!
YISE Celebrates Chanuka With A Community Wide Mesiba
613 Seconds with Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion
Our Sacred Link: Honoring BJSZ and Baltimore’s Deep Rooted Bond with Eretz Yisrael
BJH: BJSZ has been a vital part of the Baltimore Jewish community for over 100 years. Can you tell us about its impact on the community today?
BJSZ: BJSZ has been a cornerstone of Jewish life in Baltimore for over a century. We provide so much for our membership, and we service the broader Baltimore Jewish community as well. Beyond being a place to daven, we serve as a hub for essential community programs. We are proud to host organizations like WITS and Mesorah and provide use of our Shul to many other local organizations, such as Chai Lifeline, Bikur Cholim, etc. These organizations, alongside us, ensure that the needs of the community are met, whether it's support for families in crisis or providing social services.
Additionally, BJSZ hosts important community meetings, from security briefings to public policy discussions, making sure that our members are informed and prepared. We strive to be a true community shul in every sense of the word, and the impact we have extends far beyond our walls.
BJH: This year, BJSZ is focusing on its connection to Eretz Yisrael. What prompted this focus and how does it tie into the annual campaign?
BJSZ: Our connection to Eretz Yisrael has always been at the heart of what we do, and this year, we’re proud to take that connection even further. We’ve partnered with the Kever Rachel Heritage Fund
(KRHF), an organization that has been doing incredible work supporting Israeli soldiers and their families. As a shul deeply committed to supporting Jews in Eretz Yisrael, it felt natural to use this campaign as a way to help raise funds for the KRHF.
A portion of the proceeds from this campaign will be donated live at the dinner to the KRHF. This partnership underscores our commitment to both local and international chesed and our connection with Eretz Yisrael.
BJH: Can you tell us more about the Kever Rachel Heritage Fund and its role in Israel today?
BJSZ: The Kever Rachel Heritage Fund was started over twenty years ago to help secure Kever Rachel and to encourage all Jews to visit the kever of Rachel Imeinu. Since then, it has expanded in its mission, becoming pivotal in providing support to Israeli soldiers and their families during some of our most difficult times. The organization offers vital resources, education, and financial aid to families dealing with loss or hardship, especially those displaced from the south and north of Eretz Yisrael, and it provides crucial care to the soldiers who are defending our homeland.
BJH: How does this year’s honoree, Miriam Adani, tie into BJSZ’s efforts and this campaign?
BJSZ: Miriam Adani is an extraordinary individual whose relationship with our shul goes back decades. When Miriam decided to found the Kever Rachel Heritage Fund, BJSZ was instrumental in
helping it begin, providing financial and logistical support to help her in her mission. That relationship has only deepened over the years, in which many of our members have developed relationships with Miriam and helped advance her work.
Miriam has also been a steadfast advocate for Kever Rachel itself, ensuring that this holy site remains accessible, even during times of conflict. Her commitment to both the land and to the soldiers who defend it is inspiring. Having Miriam as our Guest of Honor this year is truly special, as it allows us to not only raise funds for a cause that is so close to her heart but also showcase our community’s deep connection to Eretz Yisrael.
BJH: Alongside Miriam Adani, the Birnbaums are being honored this year. Can you tell us about their contributions to BJSZ?
BJSZ: Bernhard and Varda Birnbaum have been incredible pillars of support at BJSZ for many years. They have always been involved in the shul, from leading programs to helping organize events, and they are deeply committed to Eretz Yisrael.
Varda has been especially impactful in her role as the volunteer Treasurer of the Kever Rachel Heritage Fund. She has been a major force behind the organization’s growth. The Birnbaums’ dedication to both BJSZ and to Eretz Yisrael has left a lasting impact on our community, and it is a great honor to recognize them this year.
BJH: Why is it so important for BJSZ to support both local efforts in Baltimore and international causes like
the Kever Rachel Heritage Fund?
BJSZ: We believe that our mission as a community shul extends beyond the local neighborhood. While we are proud of the incredible work we do here in Baltimore, our connection to Eretz Yisrael is at the heart of our shul’s identity.
Supporting organizations like the Kever Rachel Heritage Fund allows us to do more than just support our own community here – we are able to support the heroes who give so much for our people and for Eretz Yisrael. By supporting organizations like KRHF, we fulfill our responsibility to klal yisrael while reinforcing the primacy of Eretz Yisrael in our lives.
BJH: As the campaign continues, how can members of the Baltimore community get involved and make a difference?
BJSZ: We encourage everyone in the Baltimore Jewish community to participate in this important campaign. Your support is essential for helping BJSZ continue its work, both locally and in Eretz Yisrael. Whether you make a donation, attend the dinner, or simply spread the word, every effort counts. Donations can be made through bjszdinner.com
This is a time for our community to come together and show the strength of our connection to one another and to Eretz Yisrael. Together, we can ensure that BJSZ’s impact continues to grow, both here in Baltimore and in Eretz Yisrael, where our support is always needed.
The Week In News
The Week In News
8.09 Billion
Yup, it’s getting pretty crowded here. In 2024, the world population increased by more than 71 million, with the number of people living on this planet ballooning to 8.09 billion people by the end of the year.
The 0.9% increase in 2024 was a slight slowdown from 2023, when the world population grew by 75 million people. In January 2025, 4.2 births and 2.0 deaths are expected worldwide every second, according to the estimates.
The United States grew by 2.6 million
people in 2024, and the U.S. population on New Year’s Day will be 341 million people, according to the Census Bureau.
The United States was expected to have one birth every 9 seconds and one death every 9.4 seconds in January 2025. International migration was expected to add one person to the U.S. population every 23.2 seconds. The combination of births, deaths and net international migration will increase the U.S. population by one person every 21.2 seconds, the Census Bureau said.
So far in the 2020s, the U.S. population has grown by almost 9.7 million people, a 2.9% growth rate.
India boasts the most people in the world, followed by China and then the United States.
Azerbaijani Plane Crash
Without explicitly admitting Russia was at fault, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone conversation on Saturday with Azerbaijani President Il-
ham Aliyev, during which the Russian leader apologized that a “tragic incident occurred in Russia’s airspace.”
The call was in reference to last week’s Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash. The crash, which occurred over Russian airspace last Wednesday, killed 38 passengers, with as many as 29 individuals surviving after the plane’s emergency landing in Aktau, Kazakhstan.
The plane crash was widely blamed on Moscow, whom a preliminary report from Azerbaijani authorities has suggested to be at fault. During the conversation, Putin said that, at the time of the crash, Russia’s air defenses were activated to counter incoming Ukrainian drones. Neither of the leaders have outright attributed the attack to Russia, but Azerbaijani authorities
have confirmed that the crash was caused by external forces.
According to the Kremlin, Putin “once again expressed his deep and sincere condolences to the families of those killed and wished the fastest recovery to those injured.”
According to Azerbaijan, Putin and Aliyev spoke about the need to bring “those guilty to justice” and to conduct a transparent and thorough investigation into the matter.
The plane departed from Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, and was headed to Grozny, Russia. On the plane’s third attempt to land in Grozny it was likely hit, according to survivors. After the aircraft was shot down, the pilots struggled to maintain control of the plane.
Kazakhstan, where the plane landed, was also involved in the investigation. The country’s deputy prime minister, Kanat Bozumbayev, noted that before the plane entered Kazakh airspace, the aircraft was already damaged. Bozumbayev also said that officials were using DNA testing to identify the deceased.
Greater Washington Weekday Minyanim Guide
6:15 am Young Israel Shomrai Emunah M-F
6:25 am Southeast Hebrew Cong., Knesset Yehoshua M-F
6:30 am Beth Sholom Congregation M-F
Beit Halevi (Sfardi) M, T
Chabad of Silver Spring M-F
Ohev Shalom Talmud Torah OLNEY M-F
Young Israel Shomrai Emunah S YGW M, Th
6:35 am Ohr Hatorah M, Th
6:40 am YGW S, T, W, F
Magen David Sephardic Congregation M-Th
6:45 am Beit Halevi (Sfardi) S, T, W, F
Kemp Mill Synagogue M, Th
Ohr Hatorah T, W, F
Young Israel Shomrai Emunah M, Th
6:50 am Woodside Synagogue/Ahavas Torah M, Th Silver Spring Jewish Center M-F
Chabad of Upper Montgomery County M-F
6:55 am Young Israel Shomrai Emunah T, W, F
7:00 am Kemp Mill Synagogue T, W, F
Southeast Hebrew Cong., Knesset Yehoshua S Silver Spring Jewish Center S
Woodside Synagogue/Ahavas Torah T, W, F
Young Israel Ezras Israel of Potomac T, W, F
7:05 am Kesher Israel M, Th
7:15 am Kemp Mill Synagogue M, Th
Kesher Israel T, W, F
Ohev Sholom Talmud Torah/The National Synagogue M-F
Ohr Hatorah S
7:30 am Chabad of DC M-F
Chabad of Potomac M-F
JROC M-F
Kemp Mill Synagogue T, W, F
Southeast Hebrew Cong., Knesset Yehoshua M-F
Young Israel Shomrai Emunah S Young Israel Shomrai Emunah (Sfardi) M-F
7:45 am YGW (Yeshiva Session Only) S-F
8:00 am Beth Sholom Congregation S
Kemp Mill Synagogue S Kesher Israel S
Ohev Shalom Talmud Torah OLNEY S
Southeast Hebrew Cong., Knesset Yehoshua S Chabad of Upper Montgomery County S Woodside Synagogue/Ahavas Torah S
8:00 am YGW (High School; School-Contingent) S-F
Young Israel Ezras Israel of Potomac S Young Israel Shomrai Emunah (Sfardi) S
8:05 am Ezras Israel Congregation of Rockville M, Th
8:15 am Ohr Hatorah S Ezras Israel Congregation of Rockville S, T, W, F
Kehilat Pardes / Berman Hebrew Academy S-F Silver Spring Jewish Center M-F
8:30 am Chabad of DC S Chabad of Potomac S JROC S Ohev Sholom Talmud Torah/The National Synagogue S Silver Spring Jewish Center S YGW (Summer Only) S-F
8:45 am Young Israel Shomrai Emunah S-F
9:00 am Chabad of Silver Spring S Kemp Mill Synagogue S
12:30 pm YGW Sunday
1:00 pm Silver Spring Jewish Center M-F
1:10 pm YGW M-Th
3:00 pm YGW Middle School School Days mincha
mincha/maariv
Before Shkiah (15-18 minutes), S-TH
Beit Halevi (Sfardi)
Beth Sholom Congregation
Chabad of Potomac
Chabad of Silver Spring
Chabad of Upper Montgomery County
Ezras Israel Congregation of Rockville (20 min before, S-F)
JROC
Kemp Mill Synagogue
Kesher Israel
Magen David Sephardic Congregation
Ohev Sholom Talmud Torah/The National Synagogue Ohr Hatorah
Young Israel Shomrai Emunah (Asheknaz) Young Israel Shomrai Emunah (Sefarhadi) maariv
6:00 pm YGW School Days
7:30 pm Young Israel Shomrai Emunah
8:15 pm OSTT (OLNEY) S-Th
SHC, Knesset Yehoshua M-Th
8:45 pm Silver Spring Jewish CenterFall/Winter
9:30 pm YGW Fall/Winter Silver Spring Jewish CenterSpring/Summer
9:45 pm Ohr Hatorah M-Th
shacharis
TA Nishmasi Program
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The Week In News
Taliban to Close Women NGOs
In its latest crackdown on women’s rights, the Taliban has announced that it will close all national and foreign nongovernmental groups (NGOs) in Afghanistan that employ women. The declaration comes two years after the group told the NGOs to suspend the employment of Afghan females, allegedly because they didn’t wear the Islamic headscarf correctly.
In a letter published on X Sunday night, the Economy Ministry warned that failure to comply with the latest order would lead to NGOs losing their license to operate in Afghanistan.
The United Nations said the space for women in Afghanistan has shrunk dramatically in the last two years and reiterated its call for the Taliban to reverse the restrictions.
“This really impacts how we can provide life-saving humanitarian assistance to all the people in Afghanistan,” UN associate spokesperson Florencia Soto Nino-Martinez said. “And obviously we are very concerned by the fact that we are talking about a country where half the population’s rights are being denied and are living in poverty, and many of them, not just women, are facing a humanitarian crisis.”
The Economy Ministry said it was responsible for the registration, coordination, leadership and supervision of all activities carried out by national and foreign organizations.
The government was once again ordering the cessation of all female work in institutions not controlled by the Taliban, according to the letter.
“In case of lack of cooperation, all activities of that institution will be canceled and the activity license of that institution, granted by the ministry, will also be canceled.”
It’s the Taliban’s latest attempt to control or intervene in NGO activity. Earlier this month, the UN Security
Council heard that an increasing proportion of female Afghan humanitarian workers were prevented from doing their work even though relief work remains essential. The Taliban has denied interfering with NGO activities.
The militant group has already barred women from many jobs and most public spaces and also excluded them from education beyond sixth grade.
This week, Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada ordered all buildings to not have windows looking into spaces where a woman might sit or stand. This demand applies to all buildings –old and new.
The decree said windows should not overlook or look into areas like yards or kitchens. If a window looks into such a space, then the person responsible for that property must find a way to obscure this view to “remove harm,” by installing a wall, fence or screen.
World’s Largest Hydropower Dam
A dam, expected to produce three times more energy than the world’s largest hydropower plant, will be built by China. Beijing approved construction of the dam, which will be located in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo river. Currently, the Three Gorges Dam is the largest hydropower dam in the world.
Chinese state media has described the development as “a safe project that prioritizes ecological protection,” saying it will boost local prosperity and contribute to Beijing’s climate neutrality goals.
But many groups have concerns about the proposed dam. They fear that the construction of the dam could displace local communities and ruin natural landscapes and ecosystems, which are the richest and most diverse on the Tibetan Plateau.
Reports indicate that the colossal development would require at least four 20km-long tunnels to be drilled through
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viously responded to India’s concerns around the proposed dam, saying in 2020 that China has a “legitimate right” to dam the river and has considered downstream impacts.
The Yarlung Tsangpo harnesses enormous power perfect for a dam. Flowing through the deepest canyon on Earth, one section of the river falls 2,000 meters within a short span of just 50 km, offering huge potential for generating hydropower.
The project could cost as much as a trillion yuan ($127 billion), according to estimates by the Chongyi Water Resources bureau.
India Launches Docking Mission
Each satellite carries advanced payloads, including an imaging system and a radiation-monitoring device designed to measure electron and proton radiation levels in space, providing critical data for future human spaceflight missions.
ISRO Chairman S. Somanath said the actual testing of the docking technology could take place in about a week’s time and indicated a date of around January 7.
“The rocket has placed the satellites in the right orbit,” he said.
The United States, Russia and China are so far the only three countries to have developed and tested this capability.
The rocket and the satellites were integrated and tested at a private company called Ananth Technologies, rather than at a government body.
Russia-Ukraine Prisoner Exchange
Three other countries have done it, and now India is hoping to achieve the
The country launched its first space docking mission early this week on an In-
The mission, called Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX), lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh state aboard the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) “workhorse” PSLV rocket. After around 15 minutes, the mission director called the launch successful after the spacecraft reached an altitude of around 470 kilo-
The mission is seen as pivotal for future space endeavors, including satellite servicing and the operation of the coun-
In-space docking technology is crucial when multiple rocket launches are required
India sent two small spacecraft, weighing around 220 kilograms each, into a 470-km circular orbit. It will also demonstrate the transfer of electric power between the docked spacecraft, a capability vital for applications such as in-space robotics, composite spacecraft control and payload operations following undocking.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Russia had recently released 189 Ukrainian prisoners, two of whom were civilians along with military personnel, border guards, and national guards, as part of a prisoner exchange deal negotiated by the United Arab Emirates.
The Defense Ministry of Russia gave a different number for an unclear reason. They said that 150 Ukrainians were freed in exchange for 150 Russians.
“The return of our people from Russian captivity is always very good news for each of us,” Zelenskyy stated. “We are working to free everyone from Russian captivity… We do not forget anyone.”
On social media, the Ukrainian president posted images of Ukrainian soldiers, some waving Ukrainian flags while sitting on a bus.
According to Zelenskyy, some of the freed soldiers had been captured while defending Mariupol and the Snake Island off Odesa’s Black Sea port, both of which were captured by Russia.
According to Russia’s Defense Ministry, before returning to Russia, the re-
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The Week In News
leased Russians were treated medically and psychologically in Belarus, Moscow’s close friend and neighbor.
Since the Ukraine war began, the two countries have carried out many prisoner exchanges. This exchange followed U.S. President Joe Biden’s announcement on Monday that Ukraine will receive almost $2.5 billion worth of weapons from the United States. Biden’s foreign aid announcement comes less than a month before the American president hands the White House over to President-elect Donald Trump. The Biden administration, fearing Trump will stop helping Kyiv, wants to send as much money as it can to fund Ukraine’s war effort before the president-elect’s inauguration.
a doctor’s appointment when Ibrahim Shalhoub, a 28-year-old Palestinian from the West Bank city of Tulkarem, suddenly tackled and stabbed her.
A staffer at Lipovsky’s assisted living complex said the woman had been living there for many years and observed that the attacker had stabbed the elderly woman five or six times. She was pronounced dead at Tel Aviv’s Ichilov Hospital, where the Magen David Adom ambulance service had rushed her.
“I heard screams. I went out and saw her lying on the floor,” the staffer told Walla News.
Shalhoub was shot and injured by nearby security guards, after which police detained him. Shalhoub was once an informant for the Shin Bet, according to the agency, whom he helped bust West Bank terror groups. When his cover was blown, he was moved to Israel.
Ludmila Lipovsky, Hy”d
Ludmilla Lipovsky, an 83-year-old Holocaust survivor, was killed on Friday by a Palestinian terrorist who stabbed
“We are at a very high level of preparedness. This was a quick response that ended the incident,” said Haim Sargrof, the Tel Aviv District Commander, adding that the Shin Bet is involved in the investigation into the terrorist attack. Terror attacks since October 7 have killed 43 people, including civilians and Israeli security officials, in Israel. Six security personnel were murdered during battles with terrorists in Judea and Samaria.
7 Years Prepping for Oct. 7
According to a Channel 12 news report released Sunday, Hamas spent seven or more years preparing for the
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As per documents confiscated from the Gaza Strip by the Israeli army, Hamas compiled a list of the IP addresses and serial numbers of every
security camera in Sha’ar Hanegev Regional Council and the Ashkelon beach areas, a region that includes the terribly-hit Kibbutz Kfar Aza. The document with the sensitive information on the security cameras was dated November 2020.
The IDF also uncovered another document containing a list of the names and phone numbers of many security guards protecting Sha’ar Hanegev, an area that includes Kibbutz
Mefalsim, Kibbutz Kfar Aza, and Kibbutz Nahal Oz.
One six-page document detailed attack plans for communities that Hamas would attack on October 7, 2023, the day when 3,000 terrorists stormed the southern border, murdering 1,200 people and kidnapping 251 others, mostly civilians.
Some Hamas computer documents from as far back as 2016 mentioned several public places near the Gaza border, including Kibbutz Be’eri’s health clinic and kindergarten and Ofakim and Sderot’s police stations, as well as various libraries and synagogues.
Hamas was also reportedly monitoring local leaders and security officials years before October 7. Among those stalked were Tamir Idan, the Sdot Negev Regional Council’s chief who survived the attack; Rafi Babian, a security officer whom Hamas had a picture of; Ofir Libstein, the Sha’ar Hanegev Regional Council’s chairman, whom Hamas killed in combat on October 7; and Gadi Yarkoni, the former head of the Eshkol Regional Council, whose home Hamas planned to attack during the massacre.
“It seems that they’d checked [my address] some time ago…because I moved houses around three years before the event, and [the terrorists] showed up at my old house,” said Yarkoni.
According to reports, Hamas specifically selected elite terrorists, who trained for years, to carry out the massacre.
“We see very, very precise and very detailed intelligence from an army, an army for all intents and purposes, the Hamas military wing in the Gaza Strip that is collecting information on targets for attack and essentially preparing intelligence target files,” a former official for the Shin Bet, Shalom Ben Hanan, said. “The resolution, the details that are all so precise, and the very, very wide deployment of many intelligence assets is what is so surprising.”
Israel Raided Iranian Missile Facility in Syria
In early September, Israel raided an underground Iranian missile factory located near Masyaf, Syria, the Jewish state confirmed on Sunday.
The operation was originally report-
ed on September 12, but the IDF didn’t publicly confirm it until now, just weeks after the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad collapsed. With much of the Syrian military decimated by the Israeli military, the Jewish state now views Syria as less of a threat and is less cautious about revealing information about Israeli operations in Israel’s now-rebel-controlled neighbor.
The operation hit the Syrian defense industry’s Scientific Studies and Research Center, as well as the Iranian military’s underground missile production facility — two key locations, the latter of which Israel had monitored for years. According to reports, the weapons contained therein were supposed to go to Hezbollah, a Lebanon-based Iranian proxy.
The raid, which the United States was told about beforehand, took place around 124 miles away from Israel. Israel decided to conduct the operation after realizing that the facility posed a “growing threat” to the Jewish state, as Iran had recently moved components to the facility in preparation for a dangerous precision missile project.
More Pain
Last week, on Thursday, two soldiers lost their lives fighting in the Gaza Strip. Cpt. (res.) Amit Levi, 35, from Kibbutz Shomria, a team commander in the 551st Reserve Paratroopers Brigade’s 6551st Battalion, was killed in the morning in central Gaza. The army said it was investigating how Levi was killed.
Maj. Hod Shriebman, 27, from Tzofit, a platoon commander in the elite Multidomain Unit, was killed later in the day in northern Gaza.
Another soldier with the unit was
The Week In News
seriously wounded in the same incident, which the military said was also under investigation.
In a separate incident, a tank commander with the 401st Armored Brigade’s 9th Battalion was seriously wounded by sniper fire in northern Gaza.
On Sunday, the IDF announced that St.-Sgt. Yuval Shoham was killed in battle while fighting in the Gaza Strip. The 22-year-old hailed from Jerusalem and served in the 9th Battalion in the 401st Brigade.
His father, Ephraim, pleaded with the prime minister on Monday at Yuval’s funeral: “I call on the prime minister — it’s no secret that we don’t see eye to eye, but here over my son’s fresh grave I demand of you in his name and in the name of so many others: Make a deal,” the grieving father said.
“Our loved ones are fighting in Gaza so that the kidnapped will return. And to you, my beloved Yuval, I promise that we will walk the path we walked in the light. Your personal candle has unfortunately gone out, but your light will last forever.”
Yuval’s brother, Shachar, noted,
“The concept of bringing back the hostages was in his heart. He knew Hersh Goldberg-Polin personally and the fact that he was there [in Gaza] connected him even more. He went around Gaza looking for him and shouting ‘Hersh.’”
On Monday, Sgt. Uriel Peretz, 23, lost his life fighting in the northern Gaza Strip. He was from the Kfir Brigade’s Netzah Yehuda Battalion, from Beitar Illit.
Eight others were wounded in the fighting on Monday. According to an initial IDF probe, the soldiers, who were inside a building in northern Gaza’s Beit Hanoun, were hit by anti-tank fire.
The Beitar Illit municipality mourned Peretz, “who fell… while risking his life for the people of Israel and the Land of Israel.” The mayor of the charedi community, Meir Rubinstein, said “the whole city is mourning and sending condolences to the beloved family.”
The soldiers’ deaths raise Israel’s toll in the 14-month-old Gaza offensive to at least 395.
Israeli troops have been battling Hamas and allied terror groups in the
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Strip for nearly 15 months, after Hamas terrorists burst into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing more than 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage.
Jimmy Carter Dies
This week, in the final days of 2024, former President Jimmy Carter died. He was 100 years old.
Carter was the longest-lived American president and spent 22 months in hospice before dying in Plains, Georgia, a year after his wife, Rosalynn, died at the age of 96.
President Joe Biden said that in Carter’s passing the world lost an “extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian” and added that he lost a dear friend. Biden cited Carter’s work to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil and human rights, promote free and fair elections and house the homeless as an example for others.
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“To all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning – the good life – study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith, and humility,” Biden said in a statement.
“I’ve been hanging out with Jimmy Carter for over 50 years,” Biden said later in the day.
The state funeral for Carter is scheduled in Washington, D.C., for January 9. Biden also declared January 9 as a National Day of Mourning across the nation and ordered U.S. flags to fly at half-staff for 30 days from Sunday.
Carter, the 39th president of the United States, was only in the White House for four years. He was a person proud of his faith.
“My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said.
He was an outspoken Baptist and entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known senator from the South. An Atlanta newspaper responded to his candidacy for the presidency with the headline: “Jimmy Who?”
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People were taken by his genuine, small-town vibe, especially after the tumultuous Richard Nixon years.
“If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter said before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon.
Carter’s days in office were mired by double-digit inflation and long gasoline lines. Eight Americans were killed in April 1980 during a failed hostage rescue during the Iran hostage crisis. He lost in a landslide to Republican Ronald Reagan after serving just one term.
One proud moment for Carter during his administration occurred when he brokered a peace deal with Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin in 1978.
Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their
influence on his political fortunes.
“It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders.
Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term.
He founded the Carter Center in 1982.
“I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday.
“I wanted a place where we could work.”
Carter spent his time after his presidency traveling the world to ease tensions, starting in the Koreas, Haiti, Bosnia and Sudan. He worked tirelessly for the Palestinian cause, cozying up to figures like Yasser Arafat and Ismail Haniyeh. He called Israel an apartheid state.
After Carter published his book, Pales-
tine: Peace Not Apartheid, in 2006, Abe Foxman, director of the Anti-Defamation League, called the former president a “bigot.” Deborah Lipstadt, who is now the Biden administration’s special envoy against antisemitism, accused him of having a “Jewish problem.” Alan Dershowitz, the U.S. constitutional lawyer and ardent advocate for Israel, said Carter set out to offend Israelis and Jews.
“Jimmy Carter’s sensitivities seem to have a gaping hole when it comes to Jews. There is a term for that,” he wrote.
Carter said about himself that he went “where others are not treading,” to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010.
“I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said.
In 2002, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.”
Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done.
“The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.”
Norovirus on the Rise
are most common between November and April. The highly contagious virus, which sickens an estimated 19 million to 21 million people nationwide each year, can cause sudden and unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms.
In December, at least 80 people fell ill from norovirus linked to raw oysters served at a restaurant event in Los Angeles. The Food and Drug Administration has advised people not to eat the oysters implicated in that outbreak, which came from British Columbia, Canada, and had been sold in 14 states and the District of Columbia before being recalled. Other recent recalls linked to norovirus have involved fresh and frozen berries, according to an FDA database.
Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of infectious diseases at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, said there are two characteristics that make norovirus “extraordinarily” contagious: It’s easily transmissible, and it’s hardy enough to survive on surfaces for days or even weeks. A person can contract norovirus from contact with an infected person or from contaminated food, water or surfaces.
Good hand hygiene may be the best defense.
But don’t expect hand sanitizer alone to protect you: The structure of the virus makes it less susceptible to alcohol-based sanitizers and wipes. Soap and water do a better job of rinsing the virus away, Schaffner said. The CDC recommends washing hands often and for at least 20 seconds, especially after using the bathroom or changing a diaper and before giving a person medicine or preparing food.
There have been an unusually high number of norovirus outbreaks sickening people across the country in December, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
There were 91 suspected or confirmed norovirus outbreaks in the first week of December, the most recent data available. This is a higher number than the CDC has recorded during the same week in recent years. It also exceeds the number of outbreaks recorded in early December in the years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It’s been 365 days – and she has finally reached her mark.
On Tuesday, the last day of 2024, Belgian ultra-runner Hilde Dosogne crossed the finish line – the ultimate finish line. The 55-year-old nabbed the world record to become the first woman to run a marathon every single day of the year.
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Dosogne emerged from the cold, grey light to cross the line in Ghent, Belgium, amid a throng of fellow runners all celebrating an extraordinary feat.
“I’m glad it’s over,” she exulted after crossing the line on the last day.
Dosogne had conquered 15,444 kilometers in a single year. She also raised more than $62,000 for breast cancer research.
Hugo Farias holds the title in the male category, crossing his 366th finish line of the year in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 2023. On the female side, Dosogne has far surpassed Erchana Murray-Bartlett of Australia who had a running streak of 150 days in 2023.
“The mental strain is harder than the physical,” Dosogne shared. “Of course, physically, everything has to be okay. Otherwise, you can’t run for four hours every day. But it was more mental to me to be there at the start-line every day.”
As marathon races go, Dosogne was
able to do the majority of her marathons on a flat loop around a stretch of water, just outside the university town of Ghent, where, apart from sometimes dreary Belgian weather, a strong headwind could be her toughest competitor. She made sure to run 42.5 kilometers a day – a bit more than the required 42.195 kilometers needed for a marathon.
As a bio-engineer at a chemical firm, she had to start her days especially early so she could squeeze in a marathon every afternoon. And because she could not run at top speed every single day, she stuck to an easy (for her) 10 kilometers per hour, which also allowed friends and witnesses to run along.
Sports runs in the family. Her husband is a marathon runner and their four kids, in their teens and twenties, are into sports too, making the single-minded obsession easier to deal with.
One day, after running 27 kilometers, Dosogne fell and had to go to the emergency room for a dislocated finger. Having to wait for so long before being treated, instead of continuing the marathon upon her return, she just started again.
“It’s still a little bit crooked,” said Dosogne.
It is another reason she would never advise anyone to try this. “To do it? No, I wouldn’t. Definitely not. It’s yeah, it’s not for everybody.”
But she’s not done running. In September, she has the Spartathlon planned, a 246-kilometer (153-mile) race in Greece.
A small challenge to what she has done this year.
“I don’t think I will do anything more crazy than this,” she said.
Breaking Point
Michael Lee Murray was mad when the car he had bought from a car dealership earlier in the day stopped working well. He claimed the Subaru Outback was a “lemon.” But when he returned to the Tim Dahle Mazda Southtowne car dealership in Sandy, Utah, he was told no-backsies.
Manager Tyler Slade said that they had told Murray that the $4,000 car may have needed work.
“We were very clear about the fact that this car is not retail,” Slade said. “It’s gon-
na need more inspecting and some work.”
But Murray wasn’t taking the dealership’s laissez-fare attitude and threatened to ram his car into the store until he got his money back.
“We’re like, ‘Whoa, we don’t need to do that. Sit down, we can figure this out, we can find a solution,’” Slade recounted.
But Murray didn’t want to sit down and have a chat. He wanted his money. And so, making good on his threat, Murray took his newly-bought car and drove it straight into the storefront.
“I told you…I told you!” Murray shouted as he walked over the shattered glass, ripped his jacket off, and exited through the building’s destroyed front doors.
No one was hurt in the collision, and police were at the scene to take Murray into custody.
“I was just really angry, upset about my money,” Murray said. “I just kind of blacked out for a second.”
He acknowledged he “probably” shouldn’t have driven the car through the dealership.
“I guess I just hit a breaking point,” Murray said.
Sounds like he needs a crash course in anger management.
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Torah Thought Bound Forever
By Rabbi Zvi Teichman
Yehuda pleads with Yosef to permit Binyamin to return to his father despite the serious accusation against him that he was seemingly guilty of grand theft and deserves to be punished and imprisoned.
His justification for leniency is based on the inextricable relationship between father and son whose ‘soul is הרושק — bound to his soul’
This seems like a poor rationale to allow a criminal to go free simply because he is emotionally attached to his father.
The Baal HaTurim addresses this issue by first quoting a verse from Mishlei.
Foolishness is הרושק — bound, in a child’s heart. (וט בכ ילשמ)
This is the only other place in all of Torah, he asserts, where the word הרושק appears.
Yosef was pointing out that imprisoning Binyamin would not rehabilitate him, since it was youthful foolishness that compelled him. Afflicting him would merely anger him but never change the behavior. The only effec-
HIRINGHIRING
tive means of reforming Binyamin would be by his being in proximity to a father he is bound to that could inspire him to identify his impulsiveness and work on improving.
Only a father who would accept his child for who he was, caring sincerely about all facets of the child’s life, not merely addressing errant behavior, could provoke the child to accept a parent’s direction without resentment.
A story is told about an orphaned girl who was enamored with a suitor and interested in pursuing marriage with him. There was though a detail that was questionable about his character, and she sought the council of her Rav. When she presented her case to him, the Rav’s heart went out to her and her desire for a future happy life but was concerned over the issue with the young man.
On the one hand he couldn’t say no, nor was he comfortable consenting to the shidduch.
The woman was distraught and bemoaned that he was her Rav, and he must guide her. In his frustration, he decided to seek the advice of the great Sage and Gadol HaDor, Rav Shach, to present his dilemma and seek his wise counsel.
Rav Shach upon hearing the situation, asked him to send the girl to him.
When she arrived, the Gadol told her how he heard she was orphaned from her father and offered to her that he would like to serve as her father from now on, not simply to come to ask questions, but to share everything about her life. She should tell him about the good things that were going on in her life as well as the difficulties and struggles she faced. With a father one shares the good and the bad, as well as the mundane.
A calm overcame the fragile young lady, and they spoke for some time.
Lastly, she brought up the predicament of the shidduch, and Rav Shach encouraged her to pursue with some
qualifications, and she without reservations adhered to his guidance.
The Rav was bewildered as to what differentiated his ability to guide her in contrast with Rav Shach’s approach and respectfully asked the Gadol to explain.
The Gadol clarified that when there is a father in the home, a child knows that he has only the interest of the child in his heart. There is no self-interest other than the benefit of the child. When a child senses that, the natural response is to trust, and easily abide by his suggestions. A Rav on the other hand, if he were to differ with her, she would have to agree but also feel it was her opinion that was overridden by the Rav, because she couldn’t discount it, and she would forever question and blame the Rav for any future problems in her life on his decision to derail it.
The commentaries point out that the verb used to describe the ‘youngster’s’ attachment to foolishness, הרושק, implying being ‘tied’, indicates that it is not an inherent flaw, but something that can be untied and undone.
If so, does that hold true in the exact word usage in describing the parent/child relationship that it, too, is not innate as well?
Perhaps the answer is that it implies that it needs constant reassertion and tightening.
Binyamin was a father of ten children at that juncture, yet the traumas of his past, the death of his mother in childbirth; the tragic disappearance of his beloved older brother; and the episode of his being a pawn in the hands of the viceroy, left him extremely vulnerable. It was the remarkable relationship he had with a father that constantly reiterated his love for his child that kept him buoyant and in total control of his impulses.
May we each ponder our roles and the benefits our children will reap from emulating the master parent, Yaakov Avinu.
You may reach the author at: Ravzt@ ohelmoshebaltimore.com
PARSHA
OVERVIEW
Yehuda confronts Yosef. Yosef reveals his true identity to his brothers. Pharaoh and Yosef send gifts to Yaakov. Yaakov travels with family to Egypt (70 souls). Yaakov reunites with Yosef. Pharaoh meets Yosef’s family. Yosef acquires the land of Egypt for Pharaoh.
TSorahparks
Inspiration Everywhere
Pesukim - 106
QUICK VORT
Quotable Quote “ ”
“More than hate destroys the hated, it destroys the hater.”
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks zt”l
GEMATRIA
I counted 9x in the Parshah that the word יבא (my father) is used. Yosef was away from his father for so long and couldn’t wait to be reunited.
The natural state of a child is to long and yearn for a loving connection with his parents.
The word יבא has a numerical value of 13, the same as הבהא , or love.
Each of us has a soul that belongs to our Father in Heaven. Just like Yosef, our soul longs for a loving connection with Hashem. Let us heed this special calling.
Rabbi Ori Strum is the author of Ready. Set. Grow. (Mosaica Press).
His shiurim and other Jewish content can be found on Torah Anytime and Meaningful Minute. He also likes your feedback: rabbistrumo@gmail.com
Upon revealing his true identity to his brothers, Yosef says two simple words: ףסוי ינא - I am Yosef.
Rav Shternbuch shlit”a brings from the Chofetz Chaim an interesting idea. Just as Yosef, by just saying “I am Yosef” said so much and sent a powerful message to his brothers...
So too, at the end of days, Hashem will reveal Himself to the world, and He will say just two words: ה ינא - I am Hashem.
Just saying these two words will be enough and sufficient for the world to recognize the Creator of the World.
These two words will provide us with so much clarity. They will provide the world with moral clarity and understanding.
One lesson to take from here is the power of our words. We don’t have to talk a lot to be effective, we just need to choose the right words to say.
The Sfas Emes understands that the word רענ (lad) in our Parshah is a reference to the Neshama.
A person is considered to be an ברע - a guarantor - for his neshama, his soul.
Just like Yehuda needed to bring back the רענ to his father, Yaakov, so too we must take care of our רענ, our Heavenly souls.
Our souls do not belong to us; they belong to our Father in Heaven. It is our duty and holy obligation to take care of this precious cargo along our journey through life.
Rashi (45:9) says that Eretz Yisroel is תוצראה לכמ הובג - higher than all other lands.
How are we meant to understand this if we know there are indeed places that are higher up than Eretz Yisroel?
What does this mean?
Speak wisely and thoughtfully.
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Forgotten Her es The Heroes on the USS Franklin
By Avi Heiligman
On the morning of March 19, 1945, the lookout crew on the aircraft carrier USS Franklin (CV-13) missed a lone Japanese dive bomber approaching. The crew had been to battle stations 12 times in the past six hours and was now in the middle of launching aircraft. The Yokosuka D4Y “Judy” dive bomber came in undetected in a cloud cover and released two armor-piercing bombs. Damage to the carrier was immense and caused widespread destruction throughout the ship. Despite the carnage, the USS Franklin did not sink. Hundreds were wounded, and over 800 crewmembers were killed in the attack, making it the worst loss of life for any surviving ship. The toll would have been much higher if not for the heroism of several of the sailors on board who were awarded medals and citations for gallantry in action.
USS Franklin , nicknamed “The Big Ben,” was commissioned in January 1944 and was a 27,000-ton Essex-class aircraft carrier. She could carry up to 103 aircraft and had a complement of 2,600 officers and enlisted men. After the attack, the Franklin became known as the ship that wouldn’t die, and the awards given to the men on the ship made them one of the most decorated crews of the war. Among the awards given out for this one incident were two Medal of Honors, 21 Navy
Crosses and 26 Silver Stars.
Donald Gary was one of the two Medal of Honor recipients from the attack. He received his commission in 1943 and was sent to the Franklin as an engineering officer with the rank of lieutenant junior grade. During the attack on the carrier, many men were trapped below decks, and Gary found 300 sailors in a smoked-filled mess compartment. Despite the flames
to the U.S. when he was eight, and had served during World War I. He played football professionally for the Flatbush Giants and despite his age joined the military to fight the Nazis. He was 41 when he joined the Navy and was nicknamed “Pop” not only because of his age but also for his sound advice. Since there was no Jewish chaplain on board, he conducted a weekly minyan on the ship. At the time of
Most of the hospital corpsmen were dead, wounded or were blown overboard, so Sherman used the musical band on the ship as helpers.
and the possibility of additional explosions, he found an exit and led group after group to safety. Then he led firefighters to the hangar deck to put out the fires. For his heroism in the extremely hazardous conditions with disregard to his own safety he was awarded the Medal of Honor.
One of the men that were saved by Gary’s action was Electrician’s Mate Second Class George Shapiro. Shapiro was born to a Jewish family in Russia, moved
the attack, he was in the repair shop and went to the wardroom where he found hundreds of other sailors. The bulkheads then closed, and smoke began to fill the room. He later said of the incident, “We just sat there and prayed, I guess. Then, when the smoke was getting heavy, Lt. Gary suddenly appeared in a ‘breather.’ He took out ten at a time through the air uptakes. When we got out, we found the flight deck on fire. I joined a fire control
party.” Many sailors were taken to other ships, but Shapiro chose to stay and help the Franklin stay afloat.
Right before the attack, a group of 47 planes had taken off, and a second wave of planes was brought to the deck to get ready for takeoff. Jewish Lieutenant Commander Samuel Sherman was the flight surgeon on the deck at the time of the attack. Sherman saw the enemy bomber coming in and was blown about 15 feet into the air. Secondary explosions occurred due to the ordnance on the flight deck. Being the top medical officer on the deck, Sherman knew what was needed and was prepared for the chaos that was occurring on the ship for hours. He had stocked large containers of medical supplies both on the flight deck and in the hangar. These were put to immediate use as there were a large number of wounded men on the deck.
One of the ship’s doctors had been killed while the other two were trapped in the mess compartment, and it was hours before they were rescued by Gary. Most of the hospital corpsmen were dead, wounded or were blown overboard, so Sherman used the musical band on the ship as helpers. Before the attack, he had trained them, as well as pilots and other crewmembers, in first aid. One of the pilots who helped with the heroic lifesaving efforts was the commanding
officer of Fighting Squadron Five (VF5) Lieutenant Commander Macgregor Kilpatrick. Corpsmen eventually came on the deck after they had recovered from the blast, but initially it was Sherman, the band and a few pilots that were the ones treating the wounded. Sherman separated the patients that were in the worst shape and had them evacuated to the USS Santa Fe (CL-60).
Both Kilpatrick and Sherman were ordered to leave the Franklin and board the Santa Fe but only Kilpatrick went. Threatened with court martial if he didn’t
go, Sherman responded, “All my life I’ve been trained never to abandon a sick or wounded person. I can’t find any doctors and I don’t know where they are and I only have a few corpsmen and I can’t leave these people.”
The ship’s engineers tried to get the boilers working in the engine room, but the smoke inflamed their eyes even though they were wearing gas masks. Sherman then went below decks to retrieve eye drops from the sick bay. The engineers were then able to see properly and soon had the boilers working.
By the time the rescued doctors came to the flight deck about twelve hours after the attack, Sherman had taken care of most of the wounded. Both Sherman and Kilpatrick were awarded the Navy Cross for their actions in treating the wounded and saving the lives of many of those on board.
Many didn’t make it through the tragedy, including Jewish sailor Abraham Barbash who had given his life jacket to a young sailor with a broken arm. As he went to look for another life jacket, he was killed by an exploding bomb.
The crippled carrier limped back to the United States for repairs. The bombs could have caused more devastation and damage if not for the heroic and daring actions of those on board during the attack. These Forgotten Heroes and the story of the USS Franklin are history to be remembered.
Avi Heiligman is a weekly contributor to The Jewish Home. He welcomes your comments and suggestions for future columns and can be reached at aviheiligman@gmail.com.
George Shapiro Samuel Sherman when he received his Navy Cross Macgregor Kilpatrick
Donald Gary receiving his Medal of Honor from President Truman
Political Crossfire Behind the Dismantling of Hezbollah Decades of Israeli Intelligence
By Mark Mazzetti, Ronen Bergman and Sheera Frenkel
Right up until he was assassinated, Hassan Nasrallah did not believe that Israel would kill him.
As he hunkered inside a Hezbollah fortress 40 feet underground on Sept. 27, his aides urged him to go to a safer location. Nasrallah brushed it off, according to intelligence collected by Israel and shared later with Western allies. In his view, Israel had no interest in a full-scale war.
What he did not realize was that Israeli spy agencies were tracking his every movement — and had been doing so for years.
Not long after, Israeli F-15 jets dropped thousands of pounds of explosives, obliterating the bunker in a blast that buried Nasrallah and other top Hezbollah commanders. The next day, Nasrallah’s body was found in an embrace with a top Iranian general based in Lebanon. Both men died of suffocation, the intelligence found, according to several people with knowledge of it.
The death of Hezbollah’s feared leader, who for decades commanded a Leba-
nese militia in its fight against the Israeli state, was the culmination of a two-week offensive. The campaign combined covert technological wizardry with brute military force, including remote detonation of explosives hidden in thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah, as well as a withering aerial bombardment with the aim of destroying thousands of missiles and rockets capable of hitting Israel.
It was also the result of two decades of methodical intelligence work in preparation for an all-out war that many expected would eventually come. A New York Times investigation, based on interviews with more than two dozen current and former Israeli, U.S. and European officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss classified operations, reveals just how extensively Israeli spies had penetrated Hezbollah. They recruited people to plant listening devices in Hezbollah bunkers, tracked meetings between one top commander and his four mistresses, and had near constant visibility into the
movements of the militia group’s leaders.
It is a story of breakthroughs, as in 2012 when Israel’s Unit 8200 — the country’s equivalent of the National Security Agency — stole a trove of information, including specifics of the leaders’ secret hideouts and the group’s arsenal of missiles and rockets.
There were stumbles, as in late 2023 when a Hezbollah technician got suspicious about the batteries in the walkie-talkies.
And there were scrambles to save their efforts, as in September, when Unit 8200 collected intelligence that Hezbollah operatives were concerned enough about the pagers that they were sending some of them to Iran for inspection.
Worried that the operation would be exposed, top intelligence officials persuaded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to give the order to detonate them, setting in motion the campaign that culminated in the assassination of Nasrallah.
Israel’s decimation of Hezbollah was
a significant victory for a country that, one year earlier, had suffered the greatest intelligence failure in its history, when Hamas-led fighters invaded it on Oct. 7, 2023, killed more than 1,200 people and took 250 hostages.
The Hezbollah campaign, part of a broader war that has killed thousands of people in Lebanon and displaced more than 1 million, defanged one of Israel’s greatest adversaries and dealt a blow to Iran’s regional strategy of arming and funding paramilitary groups bent on Israel’s destruction. The weakening of the Iran-led axis reshaped the dynamics in the Middle East, contributing to the fall of the Assad regime in Syria.
The contrast between Israel’s approaches to Hezbollah and to Hamas is stark and devastating. The intense intelligence focus on Hezbollah shows that the country’s leaders believed that the Lebanese militia group posed the greatest imminent threat to Israel. And yet it was Hamas in the Gaza Strip, a group Israeli intelligence believed
Destruction from an Israeli airstrike in Tyre, Lebanon, in the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel
had neither the interest nor the abilities to attack Israel, that launched a surprise attack and caught the nation unprepared.
Israel was in a standoff with Nasrallah and his top commanders of Hezbollah, the “Party of G-d,” for decades, and Israeli intelligence assessments have concluded that it will take years, possibly more than a decade, for the group to rebuild after their deaths. The group of leaders now in charge has far less combat experience than the earlier generation.
And yet the new leaders, like Hezbollah’s founders, are driven by a central animating principle: conflict with Israel.
“Hezbollah can’t continue to get support and funding from Iran without being in a war against Israel. That’s the raison d’etre for Hezbollah,” said Brig. Gen. Shimon Shapira, a former military secretary for Netanyahu and the author of “Hezbollah: Between Iran and Lebanon.”
“They will rearm and rebuild,” he said. “It’s only a matter of time.”
Developing Sources
The 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah was a bloody stalemate. Israel withdrew from Lebanon after 34 days of fighting, which began after Hezbollah kidnapped and killed two Israeli soldiers. The war, which did not achieve Israel’s objectives, had been something of a humiliation, forcing an investigation panel, resignations of top generals and a reckoning inside Israel’s security apparatus about the quality of its intelligence.
But operations during the war, based on Israeli intelligence gathering, formed the foundation for the country’s later approach. One operation planted tracking devices on Hezbollah’s Fajr missiles that gave Israel information about munitions hidden inside secret military bases, civilian storage facilities and private homes, according to three former Israeli officials. In the 2006 war, the Israeli air force bombed the sites, destroying the missiles.
In the years after the war, Nasrallah projected confidence that Hezbollah could win another conflict against Israel, likening the nation to a spider web — menacing from afar but a threat that could be easily brushed aside.
As Hezbollah rebuilt, the Mossad, Israel’s foreign intelligence service, expanded a network of human sources inside the militia, according to 10 current and former U.S. and Israeli officials.
Specifically, the Mossad recruited people in Lebanon to help Hezbollah build secret facilities after the war. The Mossad sources fed the Israelis information about the locations of hideouts and assisted in
monitoring them, two officials said.
The Israelis generally shared Hezbollah intelligence with the United States and European allies.
A significant moment came in 2012, when Unit 8200 obtained a trove of information about the specific whereabouts of Hezbollah leaders, their hideouts and the group’s batteries of missiles and rockets, according to five current and former Israeli defense and European officials.
That operation raised confidence within Israeli intelligence agencies that should Netanyahu make good on threats to attack Iran’s nuclear sites, the Israeli military
to produce information that could be used in the event of a war with Hezbollah.
According to two Israeli defense officials with knowledge of the intelligence, when the 2006 war ended, Israel had “target portfolios” for just under 200 Hezbollah leaders, operatives, weapons caches and missile locations. By the time Israel launched its campaign in September, it had tens of thousands.
Creating Deadly Pagers
To gain an advantage in an eventual war with Hezbollah, Israel also developed plans to sabotage the militia from within.
When the 2006 war ended, Israel had “target portfolios” for just under 200 Hezbollah leaders, operatives, weapons caches and missile locations.
could help neuter Hezbollah’s ability to retaliate.
Netanyahu visited the Tel Aviv headquarters of Unit 8200 shortly after the operation. During the visit, the head of Unit 8200 made a show by printing out the trove of information, producing a tall stack of paper. Standing next to the material, he told Netanyahu, “You can now attack Iran,” according to two current and former Israeli defense officials with knowledge of the meeting.
Israel did not attack.
During the years that followed, Israeli spy agencies worked to refine the intelligence gathered from the earlier operation
the group into buying military equipment and telecommunication devices from Israeli shell companies.
In 2014, Israel seized an opportunity when the Japanese technology company iCOM stopped producing its popular ICV82 walkie-talkies. The devices, originally assembled in Osaka, Japan, were so popular that replicas were already being made across Asia and sold in online forums and in black market deals.
Unit 8200 discovered that Hezbollah was specifically searching for the same device to equip all of its front-line forces, according to seven Israeli and European officials. They had even designed a special vest for their troops with a chest pocket tailored for the device.
Israel began manufacturing its own replicas of the walkie-talkies with small modifications, including packing explosive material into their batteries, according to eight current and former Israeli and U.S. officials. The first Israeli-made replicas arrived in Lebanon in 2015 — and more than 15,000 were eventually shipped, some of the officials said.
In 2018, a female Israeli Mossad intelligence officer drafted a plan that would use a similar technique to implant explosive material into a pager battery. Israeli intelligence commanders reviewed the plan but determined that Hezbollah’s use of pagers was not widespread enough, according to three officials. The plan was shelved.
Over the next three years, Israel’s increasing ability to hack into cellphones left Hezbollah, Iran and their allies increasingly wary of using smartphones. Israeli officers from Unit 8200 helped fuel the fear, using bots on social media to push Arabic-language news reports on Israel’s ability to hack into phones, according to two officers in the agency.
Israel’s Unit 8200 and Mossad championed a plan to supply Hezbollah with booby-trapped devices that could be detonated at a future date, according to six current and former Israeli defense officials.
Within the Israeli intelligence community, the devices were known as “buttons” that could be activated at Israel’s moment of choosing.
Designing and producing the buttons was relatively straightforward. Israeli engineers mastered placing PETN explosives within the batteries of electronic devices, turning them into small bombs.
The more difficult operation fell to the Mossad, which for nearly a decade tricked
Worried about smartphones being compromised, Hezbollah’s leadership decided to expand its use of pagers. Such devices allowed them to send out messages to fighters but did not reveal location data nor have cameras and microphones that could be hacked.
As it did, Hezbollah began looking for pagers hardy enough for combat conditions, according to eight current and former Israeli officials. Israeli intelligence officers reconsidered the pager operation, and they worked to build a network of shell companies to hide their origins and sell the products to the militia.
Israeli intelligence officers targeted the Taiwanese brand Gold Apollo, well known for pagers.
In May 2022, a company called BAC Consulting was registered in Budapest,
Hezbollah fighters, officials and supporters surround the coffin of Fuad Shukr, a top Hezbollah commander
Hungary. One month later, in Sofia, Bulgaria, a company called Norta Global Ltd. was registered to a Norwegian citizen named Rinson Jose.
BAC Consulting bought a licensing agreement from Gold Apollo to manufacture a new pager model known as the AR-924 Rugged. It was bulkier than the existing Gold Apollo pagers, but it was promoted as waterproof and with a longer-lasting battery life than competitors’ devices.
The Mossad oversaw production of the pagers in Israel, according to Israeli officials. Working through intermediaries, Mossad agents began marketing the pagers to Hezbollah buyers and offered a discounted price for a bulk purchase.
The Mossad presented the gadget, one without any hidden explosives, to Netanyahu during a meeting in March 2023, according to two people with knowledge of the meeting. Netanyahu was skeptical about their durability, and he asked David Barnea, the Mossad chief, how easily they might break. Barnea assured him they were sturdy.
Not convinced, Netanyahu abruptly stood up and threw the device against the wall of his office. The wall cracked, but the pager did not.
The Mossad front company shipped the first batch of pagers to Hezbollah that fall.
Conducting War Games
The pager operation was not fully in place in October 2023, when the Hamasled attacks ignited a fierce debate within the Israeli government about whether Israel should launch a full-scale war against Hezbollah.
Some, including Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, argued for striking at Hezbollah, which began launching missiles at Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, in solidarity with Hamas. It was an opportunity, he said, to deal with the “hard enemy” of Hezbollah before turning to what he considered the less difficult enemy of Hamas, according to five Israeli officials familiar with the meetings.
After a phone call with President Joe Biden on Oct. 11, 2023, Netanyahu, along with his newly formed wartime Cabinet, decided for the time being against opening another front with Hezbollah, effectively ending high-level debate about the topic for months.
Even as Israel focused on Hamas, military and intelligence officials continued to refine plans for an eventual war with Hezbollah.
Israeli intelligence analysts, who were
constantly monitoring the use of the devices, discovered a potential problem with the operation. At least one Hezbollah technician began to suspect that the walkie-talkies might contain hidden explosives, according to three Israeli defense officials. Israel dealt with it swiftly this year, killing the technician with an airstrike.
For nearly a year, Israeli intelligence and the air force also ran roughly 40 war games built around killing Nasrallah and other senior Hezbollah leaders, said two Israeli officials. They wanted to be able to target them at the same time, even if they were not in the same place.
Along the way, Israel collected mundane and intimate details about Hezbollah commanders, including the identities
four Israeli officials.
In late August, Barnea, the Mossad chief, wrote a secret letter to Netanyahu, according to a senior Israeli defense official. The letter advocated a two- to threeweek campaign that included eliminating more than half of the group’s missile abilities and destroying installations within about 6 miles of the Israeli border. At the same time, senior military officials began their own effort to lobby Netanyahu to intensify a campaign against Hezbollah.
New intelligence disrupted the planning. Hezbollah operatives had become suspicious that the pagers might be sabotaged, according to several officials.
On Sept. 11, intelligence showed that Hezbollah was sending some of the pagers to Iran for examination, and Israeli offi-
Approving a Killing
After the pager operation, the Netanyahu government, with the support of high-ranking defense officials, opted for all-out war, a campaign marked by a series of escalations.
The day after detonating the pagers, the Mossad blew up the walkie-talkies, most of which were still in storage because Hezbollah leaders had not yet mobilized fighters for a battle against Israel.
In all, dozens of people were killed by the pager and walkie-talkie explosions, including several children, and thousands were wounded. Most of the casualties were Hezbollah operatives, sowing chaos among the top ranks of the group.
Days later, on Sept. 20, Israeli jets struck a building in Beirut where commanders of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Forces were meeting in a bunker, killing several of them along with Ibrahim Aqeel, the head of Hezbollah’s military operations.
Not convinced, Netanyahu abruptly stood up and threw the device against the wall of his office. The wall cracked, but the pager did not.
of the four [“friends”] of Fouad Shukur, a founding member of Hezbollah long ago identified by the U.S. government as one of the planners of the 1983 bombing of the barracks in Beirut that killed 241 American Marines.
At one point this year, apparently feeling uncomfortable about his situation, Shukur sought assistance from Hezbollah’s highest religious cleric to marry all four women, according to two Israeli officials and a European official. The cleric, Hashem Safieddine, arranged four separate phone-based wedding ceremonies for Shukur.
The simmering conflict boiled over this summer, when a Hezbollah rocket attack in July killed a dozen Israelis, including schoolchildren, in Majdal Shams, a town in the Golan Heights.
Israel responded days later with an airstrike in Beirut that killed Shukur. It was a provocative step to take, to assassinate a top commander of Hezbollah’s forces.
“Use It or Lose It”
After the back-and-forth attacks, the debate renewed inside Israel’s government about opening a “northern front” against Hezbollah. The Israeli military and the Mossad drew up different strategies for a campaign against Hezbollah, according to
cials knew it was only a matter of time before the covert operation would be blown.
On Sept. 16, Netanyahu met with top security chiefs to weigh whether to detonate the pagers in a “use it or lose it” operation, according to four Israeli security officials. Some opposed it, saying it might prompt a full Hezbollah counterattack and possibly a strike by Iran.
Netanyahu ordered the operation. The next day, at 3:30 p.m., the Mossad ordered an encrypted message to be sent to thousands of the pagers. Seconds later, the pagers detonated.
At the time the pagers exploded, Jose, the Norwegian who was the head of one of the Mossad front companies, was attending a technology conference in Boston.
Within days, Jose was identified in news articles as a participant in the operation, and the Norwegian government announced that it wanted him back in Norway for questioning.
Israeli officials secretly pressured the Biden administration to ensure that Jose could leave the United States without going back to Norway, according to one Israeli and one U.S. official.
Israeli officials would not disclose Jose’s location. One senior Israeli defense official said only that he was in a “safe place.”
On Sept. 23, the Israeli air force conducted a major campaign, hitting more than 2,000 targets aimed at Hezbollah’s stores of medium- and long-range missiles. The most consequential decision remained: whether or not to kill Nasrallah.
As senior Israeli officials debated, intelligence agencies received new information that Nasrallah planned to move to a different bunker, one that would be far more difficult to hit, according to two Israeli defense officials and a Western official.
On Sept. 26, with Netanyahu set to fly to New York for a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, the prime minister gathered with his top political, intelligence and military advisers to discuss approving the assassination. They also had to decide whether to tell the United States in advance.
Netanyahu and other top advisers opposed notifying the Biden administration. They believed that U.S. officials would push back against the strike, but that regardless, the United States would come to Israel’s defense in case Iran retaliated. They agreed to keep the United States in the dark.
Netanyahu approved the assassination the next day, after he landed in New York and only hours before standing at the lectern at the United Nations.
In his speech, he spoke about the grip that Hezbollah had over Lebanon. “Don’t let Nasrallah drag Lebanon into the abyss,” he told the presidents and prime ministers gathered.
Soon after, the Israeli F-15 jets above Beirut dropped thousands of pounds of explosives.
Iknow I should have time limits on my kids’ computer usage, but I find it hard to be consistent. Once in a while, I get strict and set limits, but after a bit, we fall back into a bad pattern of long turns on the computer. Mind you, we do have filters, and the internet is shut off most of the time, but I don’t love how long they spend playing games on it.
We went to visit family for a few weeks before school began, and I realized something wonderful. At my relatives’ homes, the kids had no computer time because there simply wasn’t one to play on. Slowly but surely, my kids got better at playing games and making their own fun. It was delightful to see them filling their time with wholesome activities. My daughters were more social with their cousins, and my sons got more into playing outside.
When we finally went home, they didn’t go straight to the computer like they used to. The wholesome activities continued, and I was thrilled. Now I try to keep a better eye on computer time and also work on playing games with them to keep them off the computer. Now that we’ve had a taste of freedom from technology, I am holding onto it for dear life.
DID YOU KNOW:
“I guess you’ll have to make new friends!” This was a mom’s light-hearted attempt to console her daughter who had lost all her phone contacts when her phone was mistakenly erased.
Building a contact list takes years, but losing it can happen in seconds— phones can get lost, reset, or the screen
can break, leaving your data inaccessible. That’s why it’s essential to back up your contacts and other valuable data, like photos, texts, and audio files, before disaster strikes.
Many smartphones store data “in the cloud,” meaning it’s saved online and can still be accessed if the phone is lost or damaged. However, don’t assume this is happening automatical-
ly—confirm your phone is backing up your data. Basic phones often require manual steps, like saving contacts to a SIM or SD card or exporting them to another device using Bluetooth.
Take the time to learn how to back up your specific phone. Knowing your data is protected will give you peace of mind, no matter what happens to your device.
To Raise a Laugh
Partying Hard
My son was chosen to give out nosh at Shabbos party this week. And by “chosen”, I think I mean “alphabetically”. I don’t think they do this on merit.
If you don’t have kids, I should explain that Shabbos party is a really big deal. It’s not every day that you get Shabbos party. It’s only about twice a week.
The other time Shabbos party comes about is at home on Shabbos afternoons, or, if Shabbos afternoon is really short, then sometimes on Motzoei Shabbos. Our home Shabbos party is the one time per week that I give my kids candy without making them actively earn it. This is as opposed to the candy that I give out during the meal when my kids answer questions correctly (I have to pay them to pay attention in a school where I already pay tuition. I’m paying both sides here.) and the candy they sneak during the week where they somehow always forget to sneak the wrappers into the garbage. And the candy I have to give them for behaving at the dentist.
But Shabbos party is a great way to help your kids look forward to Shabbos. I mean yeah, sure, there’s the Shabbos seudah, where we have a lot of great foods, and some of them are just as good as Shabbos party. But that’s not a party; that’s a meal. You’re strapped to the table and you have to make polite conversation, and you have to help, and you can’t have dessert unless you finish everything on your plate, but it’s 3 entire courses, which is something you never have during the week.
“Who on earth can eat chicken after they’ve already eaten challah, soup and fish? I weigh 35 pounds! You think I’m interested in dessert? How come when I go to a chasunah, I’m allowed to get up between courses and dance around? A
chasunah’s a party, right? What kind of party do I have to sit quietly at the table and listen to the grown-ups talk?”
Yes, a lot of the conversation does focus around the kids, but it’s mostly, “What did you learn in school?”
“Why are we talking about school? What kind of party is this?”
But one thing they have learned in school is Shabbos party. They learned about it the first week of kindergarten. Every kindergarten has “Shabbos parties”, which is as opposed to “regular parties”, where everyone brings in some kind of nosh, and unless everyone comes in with the same thing, they all go home with a bag containing an unwrapped mix of several types of nosh that do not go together, such as candy corn and popcorn, and everything tastes like everything else.
But with Shabbos party, only two kids bring in candy. In kindergarten, there’s a Shabbos Totty and a Shabbos Mommy, and they both bring candy into the marriage, which is, I guess what makes it such a good shidduch – their mutual love of candy. A lot of couples don’t have that.
My son, Gedalyah, is in Pre-1a, and for those of you who don’t live in the NY area, Pre-1a is a grade that we made up so we don’t have to teach our kids Aleph Beis and ABC in the same year, and have them write words going in random directions using a combination of Hebrew letters, English letters, and numbers, like an abnormally safe computer password.
But there are no girls in the class, so according to a note Gedalyah brought home, he was chosen to be something called a “Shabbos host”. The hosts are in charge of buying the food. The guests are in charge of showing up five minutes before hadlakah and asking after Shabbos whether they should strip the beds.
By Mordechai Schmutter
But that wasn’t all the note said. Apparently, he was supposed to bring something very specific for Shabbos party – apple juice.
This was a first for me. Last year, Gedalyah could bring whatever he wanted. And as far as I know, no one ever thought to bring a drink. When it was his turn, I used to bring him to the store and let him pick something, and then I’d say, “No, pick something else,” because there’s no way I’m sending in 22 of those candy-laser-muktzah-flashlights so the teacher can spend the rest of the day not teaching. Then I’d steer him toward something cheaper. Though one time he convinced me to send in whistle lollies. I made sure to include an apology note.
But the rebbi specifically wrote that Gedalyah had to bring two bottles of apple juice. I don’t know how one kid is supposed to carry two bottles of apple juice. Two bottles of apple juice is heavier that my kid.
I was worried that Gedalyah couldn’t lift the juices, so I had him bring up both bottles from the basement, just to see if he could. He was able to do it with one bottle in each hand, but he had to keep putting them down. I figured he’d be okay once they were in a knapsack.
So I put the bottles in his knapsack, and he couldn’t get it on, because you have to first lift the knapsack behind your back with one arm, and he couldn’t do that. I had to drive him to yeshiva, get out of the van, and put it on him myself, and then watch him tumble backward for a bit before leaning forward and running, trying to keep his momentum before he fell over. I have no idea what he did when he got to the stairs.
Mordechai Schmutter is a freelance writer and a humor columnist for Hamodia and other magazines. He has also published eight books and does stand-up comedy. You can contact him at MSchmutter@gmail.com.
Health & F tness
Fermented Food Facts
By Aliza Beer MS, RD, CDN
Fermented foods are defined as “foods or beverages produced through controlled microbial growth and the conversion of food components through enzymatic action.” Fermentation is a natural process where microorganisms like bacteria, yeast, or fungi convert sugars and starches in food into alcohol or acids. This process acts as a natural preservative and enhances the taste, texture, and nutritional profile of foods. The acids or alcohol produced during fermentation prevent spoilage by inhibiting harmful bacteria, giving fermented foods their distinctive tangy or sour taste.
Common types of fermentation include:
• Lactic Acid Fermentation: Used in making yogurt and sauerkraut.
• Ethanol Fermentation: Used in alcoholic beverages and bread-making.
• Acetic Acid Fermentation: Converts alcohol into vinegar.
Most foods can be fermented from whole foods like vegetables, fruits, cereals, dairy, meat, fish, eggs, legumes, nuts and seeds. While these foods are nutritious in their original form, through fermentation, they have the potential to carry additional health benefits – espe -
cially when they contain probiotics and prebiotics.
What are Probiotics?
Probiotics are often referred to as “good” or “friendly” bacteria for the gut, with Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium being among the most recognized types. These live microorganisms or bacteria are known to provide health benefits to the human body.
Experts suggest that many strains from well-studied species, such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, promote gut health by creating a better environment in the digestive system. Additionally, they agree that probiotics play a role in supporting a healthy immune system, though the effectiveness can vary between strains.
There is also promising research suggesting that probiotics may support organ health, including the lungs, reproductive system, and skin, as well as positively influence mood. However, the evidence is currently insufficient to confirm these benefits across all probiotic strains.
Many fermented foods are sources of probiotics, either because they are naturally present or intentionally added during production. For instance, Lac -
tobacilli, a common probiotic strain, is frequently found in yogurt and exists naturally on the surface of certain foods like vegetables and fruits. However, not all fermented foods contain probiotics. This is particularly true for many commercially produced products that undergo pasteurization.
What are Prebiotics?
Prebiotics are food ingredients that serve as a source of nourishment for the microorganisms in your body, such as gut bacteria, helping them grow and thrive. This results in many health benefits. In addition, prebiotics assist in enhancing gut health by creating a more favorable environment for beneficial bacteria.
The most extensively studied and reported prebiotics with documented benefits in humans are non-digestible oligosaccharides like fructans and galactans. These compounds are found in various foods, including asparagus, garlic, onions, wheat, chicory, Jerusalem artichokes, tomatoes, barley, honey, rye, and both human and cow’s milk. Additionally, most fruits, vegetables, and legumes contain some form of prebiotic. It is important to take note that these prebiotic foods are not naturally fermented. However, as stated above, most whole foods
can be fermented. Therefore, fermented versions of these foods would provide a great dual source, making them especially valuable for gut health.
Are Fermented Foods
Healthy?
Fermented foods offer several health benefits, largely due to their probiotic content. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that support gut health by maintaining a balanced microbiome. A healthy gut microbiome can enhance digestion, boost immunity, and even improve mental health.
However, not all fermented foods are created equal. Some may contain high levels of salt, sugar, or fat, which should be consumed in moderation. It’s also worth noting that not all fermented foods retain live probiotics; for instance, sourdough bread undergoes baking, which kills live cultures.
Benefits of Fermented Foods
Fermented foods have historically been valued for their improved shelf life and unique taste, aroma, texture and appearance. They also allow us to consume otherwise inedible foods. For example, table olives must be fermented to remove their bitter-tasting phenolic compounds.
Fermented foods have been linked to a variety of health benefits, including a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and inflammation. They are also associated with improved weight management, enhanced mood and cognitive function, stronger bone health, and faster recovery following exercise. In terms of heart health, probiotics found in fermented foods may help lower total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, although the current evidence supporting these effects remains limited.
One explanation for all these effects is the production of bioactive peptides, vitamins and other compounds produced by the microorganisms involved in fermentation and have key roles in the body, such as blood health, nerve function and immunity.
It’s essential to note that the health benefits of fermented foods often depend on the specific type of food and the microorganisms it contains. For instance, consuming yogurt has been linked to a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, while fermented milk containing Lactobacillus helveticus has been associated with reduced muscle soreness.
Examples of Fermented Foods
Sourdough
Bread
Sourdough is made through the fermentation of flour and water using wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria. This process gives it a tangy flavor and makes it easier to digest compared to regular bread. While baking kills the live probi-
fiber, and vitamins such as C and K. Its fermentation process enhances gut health and gives it a good texture, allowing it to be easily served as a side dish or topping.
Fermented Pickles
Fermented pickles are made by brining cucumbers in saltwater. They are
should be cautious, as live cultures might pose a risk in rare cases. Always ensure that fermented foods are prepared and stored properly to avoid contamination.
otics, sourdough still retains some prebiotics, which feed beneficial gut bacteria.
Yogurt
Yogurt is a well-known probiotic food made by fermenting milk with lactic acid bacteria. It’s an excellent source of calcium, protein, and live cultures, which can promote gut health.
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut is made from fermented cabbage. It is packed with probiotics,
another excellent source of probiotics. However, it’s important to choose naturally fermented pickles rather than vinegar-based ones for probiotic benefits.
Are There Any Risks?
While fermented foods are generally safe, some individuals might experience side effects such as gas or bloating, especially when first introducing probiotics. People with weakened immune systems
Fermented foods are a delicious and nutritious way to enhance your diet. They offer many health benefits including the containment of probiotics and prebiotics. Incorporating options such as yogurt and sourdough bread into your meals can provide these compounds. However, it’s important to enjoy these foods in moderation and balance them with other dietary choices. While fermented foods contribute to a nutritious diet, it’s important to remember that no single food can transform our health. By adopting a healthy lifestyle and including nutritious foods in our diet, we can improve our overall health and well-being.
Aliza Beer is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in nutrition. She has a private practice in Cedarhurst, NY. Patients’ success has been featured on the Dr. Oz show. Aliza can be reached at alizabeer@gmail. com, and you can follow her on Instagram at @alizabeer
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Tourette’s Syndrome (TS) are two distinct conditions that can sound similar because they share one aspect. They both have as a core element a compulsion to do something to feel better. However, since the source of the compulsion is very different, the treatment needs to be different as well. For this reason, understanding the difference is vital for receiving the necessary intervention.
Let us begin with OCD. OCD has two distinct components: the obsessions and the compulsions. The obsessions are intrusive, unreasonable, and excessive thoughts or fears that create a feeling of anxiety. The obsessions by themselves are harmless, and if ignored
tend to subside. Human nature, however, is to try to solve one’s problems. Therefore, a person might try to figure out what he or she can do to minimize the obsession. When an action is discovered that relieves one’s anxiety, it may create a tendency to do this action repeatedly whenever the obsession occurs. Over time, a person starts relying on that anxiety-reducing act to alleviate the obsessions, and by that time that action has become a compulsion.
Let us provide one example for the purpose of illustration. Someone might be nervous that the front door is unlocked. He might know that he locked it five minutes ago, but there is a voice in his head that tells him that he cannot be 100% convinced that
the door is actually locked. Maybe it spontaneously unlocked, or maybe his recollection of locking the door is a false memory. Rather than ignoring this intrusive thought, he decides to double check the lock. Over time, his anxious thoughts about the door being unlocked keep on tormenting him, and he developed an elaborate ritual of checking and rechecking the lock with all kinds of rules and guidelines. Prior to intervention, his bedtime routine was almost two hours long.
In summary, OCD begins with an anxiety-related obsession, and over time a compulsion emerges as a learned behavior that one developed to deal with the anxiety.
TS, on the other hand, is not a learned behavior. Rather, for neurological reasons that are unclear, certain people have tics, which are uncontrollable repetitive movements or unwanted sounds, such as repeatedly blinking the eyes, shrugging shoulders, or blurting out offensive words. Tics are usually preceded by a premonitory urge, which is an uncomfortable feeling or sensation preceding tics that usually are relieved by the tic. This is similar to the irresistible urge to sneeze or scratch an itch.
We can now see that both TS and OCD have compulsive behaviors, but they are coming from two very different places. In TS, there is something neurological in one’s system that creates the compulsion for the tic. It is not a learned behavior and is not anxiety related. Compulsions in OCD are anxiety related and are not coming from a neurological source, but are rather a learned behavior that developed over time as a result of the attempt to control the obsessions.
This has major implications for treatment. In OCD, the main focus of the treatment is to stop the obsession and compulsion cycle. For this reason, the gold standard of OCD treatment is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), which entails exposing oneself
to the trigger for the obsession and then preventing a response, which means to make a choice not to engage in the compulsion and to accept the uncertainty of the obsession. As a result of ERP, one’s mind is trained in not reaching out to a compulsion to alleviate the anxiety of an obsession, but rather allowing the obsession to subside on its own.
In TS, one of the primary interventions is Habit Reversal Training. In this approach one is taught to recognize the premonitory urge that precedes an oncoming tic, and to identify the situations that may trigger the tics. Then you develop a competing response, which is an action that you perform when you feel the urge that is incompatible with the tic and is less noticeable to others. For example, a one whose tic involves sniffling his nose may do a breathing exercise instead. One is also taught relaxation techniques to decrease the frequency of the tics.
The reason for the different approaches to these two conditions is now very clear. When one has OCD, the main problem is the development of the compulsion as a response to the obsession. Hence, the intervention involves interrupting that process. When one has TS, the compulsive actions were not developed by one’s own behavior, and therefore the focus of the intervention is on the compulsive act by itself.
Both OCD and TS are treatable conditions. Sometimes, the hardest part is receiving the right diagnosis. Treatment for OCD and TS are specialties, and if you or a member of your family might have OCD or TS, it is imperative to consult with a clinician who has training and experience in these areas. You do not need to suffer. This
The Centerfold Commissioner’s New Year’s Resolutions
(Because I Always Keep Them)
I will stop repeating myself.
I will stop repeating myself.
I will learn to change the things I can’t accept, accept the things once they’re changed, and to know the difference between the two.
I will only get two expired meter tickets a week on Central Avenue because I’m kind of tired of singlehandedly funding the village.
I will spend less time with people and more time on my phone (because everyone else seems to be able to do that without much effort).
I will stop losing my train of thought mid—what time is it?
I will drink more. (That’s right— liquids keep you hydrated. If you automatically thought I meant alcohol you probably have some resolutions of your own to make!)
I will switch my username to “password” and my password to “username” to make it harder for hackers to figure out.
I will pay off my credit cards every month in full... with my other credit cards.
I will write all of the good things in my life on one side of the paper and all of the bad things on the other side of the paper...just kidding, I am not doing that.
I will finish a full Chapstick.
I will be nice to everyone every day. Wait, that’s not happening. I will be nice to someone—one time. OK, here’s the resolution: I will be nice to one person, one time in 2025. (Oh, and I count as a person.)
I will stop being paranoid. (If you are a CIA agent or FBI agent reading this, just know that I no longer fear you!)
I will stop procrastinating. (I gotta start this one in February because January is a drag.)
This is probably the millionth time that I make this resolution, but I will stop exaggerating. (I am literally standing on my head while making this resolution!)
I will try to tackle my rear-bumper magnet addiction and limit the magnet bumpers on my car to a measly 17 (only 4 with pickles).
2024 Sport Triva
1. Who hit a walk-off grand slam in game 1 of the World Series this year?
a. Mookie Betts
b. Shohei Ohtani
c. Freddie Freeman
d. Miguel Rojas
2. Which team won the 2024 Super Bowl?
a. Kansas City Chiefs
b. Philadelphia Eagles
c. Buffalo Bills
d. San Francisco 49ers
6. How many Gold Medals did the U.S. win in the 2024 Summer Olympics?
a. 22
b. 34
c. 40
d. 109
7. Match the athlete with the amount of money that athlete made in 2024 (as per Forbes Magazine):
SportS Star
Jon Rahm
LeBron James
Stephen Curry
Lamar Jackson
3. Who was the oldest player in the NBA in 2024?
a. LeBron James
b. Chris Paul
c. Jeff Green
d. Joe Ingles
4. Who was crowned the 2024 NBA MVP?
a. Luka Dončić
b. Nikola Jokić
c. Jayson Tatum
d. Joel Embiid
5. Which city hosted the 2024 Summer Olympics?
a. Los Angeles, USA
b. Rome, Italy
c. Paris, France
d. Madrid, Spain
Riddle Me This
Salary
$111 million
$100.5 million
$102 million
$128.2 million
Cristiano Ronaldo
$218 million Giannis Antetokounmpo$260 million
Answers:
1-C; 2-A; 3-A; 4-B; 5-C; 6-C
7-Jon Rahm (golf): $218M; LeBron James: $128.2M; Stephen Curry: $102M; Lama Jackson: $100.5M; Cristiano Ronaldo: $260M; Giannis Antetokounmpo: $111M
Wisdom Key:
5-7 correct: Let’s make this a little harder for you, sports buff— who pitched in game 6 of the 1962 World Series?
3-4 correct: You are right in the middle…if you were a sports star, you’d also be in the middle of the pack and only making around $89 million per year.
0-2 correct: You can’t always win. Just ask the Yankees.
The day before yesterday, Max was 7 years old. Next year, he’ll turn 10. How is this possible?
he was still 7. This year, he will turn 9, and next year, he’ll turn 10.
Answer: Today is January 1. Yesterday, December 31, was Max’s 8th birthday. On December 30,
Notable Quotes
“Say What?!”
Let me preface my take by offering condolences to the Carter family on his death. He was obviously one of the most unique post-presidents we’ve ever had because he lived so long and he did so much. That having been said, he was a terrible president.
- CNN senior political commentator Scott Jennings
That’s why he lost in a landslide after his one term, and if it’s possible, I think he was even a worse ex-president because of his meddling in U.S. foreign policy, because of his saddling up to dictators around the world, because of his vehement views, anti-Israel views, and more than dabbling in anti-Semitism over the years.
- ibid.
Biden Finally Claims Title of Worst Living President -Babylon Bee
Man Has a Few Days Left to be a Disgusting Slob Before Completely Turning Life Around on January 1st - ibid.
You know what I’m getting really [upset] about?! I’m getting really ticked off. And every time they open their mouth about something pertaining to y’all, they seem right. I would love to argue with Sean Hannity. How can I? Do you know what Sean Hannity used to do to me when I told him Kamala Harris had a chance? He’d laugh. Like, literally, genuinely giggle.
– ESPN host Steven A. Smith after it was revealed the FBI had dozens of informants on the ground on January 6 that breached the Capitol, as Republicans have been claiming all along and Democrats have been denying
We can argue policies. We can argue politics all day long. But the Democrats worked really, really diligently to make the case that the right had a monopoly on insidious, evil tendencies. Corrupt tendencies. Duplicitous, hypocritical, untruthful tendencies, and every time they made those accusations, we turn around and find out that at least some of them are guilty of the same [stuff]. I don’t know about you, but I’m sick of all of it. – ibid.
Look, if I offend anybody today, I don’t care. Some in the media say I’m offensive. I’m okay with that because I get to their minds rent-free. That’s kind of cool.
- Incoming border czar Tom Homan speaking at the Turning Points USA conference
For the last three and a half years, I wake up every morning [upset] about what this administration did to the most secure border in my lifetime…. The first day I smiled when President Trump won this election. I woke up the next morning, and I was happy. I smiled for the first time in a long time.
- ibid.
Tren de Aragua, your days are numbered. My gang is bigger than your gang. We’re gonna take you out of the country, we’re going to deport you outta here. Who do you think you are coming to the greatest nation on earth and victimizing Americans in this country? Your days are numbered. You’re number one on the list. MS-13, you’re right behind them!
- ibid.
I mean, there will be some version [of a Biden Presidential Library], maybe more like a bookmobile than an actual library. But this is not a surprise. He’s never been a good fundraiser, and the donors are really annoyed.
- Political analyst and best-selling author Mark Halperin on Fox News
I can see good versus evil, and I don’t think it’s complicated at all. I think that every death, every casuality, every single life that’s been lost in the Middle East since October 7 lays squarely and solely on the hands of Hamas and the people who fund them.
- Australian TV presenter Erin Molan, who was fired by Sky News earlier this month – many believing because of her strong support of Israel – in an interview with Israel’s Channel 12
I genuinely believe that the vast majority of people in Australia stand with Israel, I genuinely believe that. But they’re the quiet ones. And that’s my issue…when you cower in fear when it comes to particularly this issue, they win.
- ibid.
As a reporter I have a confession to make: I should have pushed harder earlier for more information about Joe Biden’s mental and physical wellbeing and any signs of decline.
- Former CNN reporter Chris Cillizza, after a recent Wall Street expose detailing how Pres. Biden has been in severe decline throughout his four year presidency
No one has to be healthy. Nobody owes anybody that.
- Virgie Tovar, who was just appointed by San Francisco’s Department of Public Health as its “weight stigma” czar, in a recent podcast
A cake-related fatphobic incident, or “CRFI,” is that moment when it’s time to eat delicious cake and it’s interrupted by a moralizing impulse.
- ibid.
Inevitably, there’s always someone at the party who has to declare publicly that their slice is too large, and that the person who’s cutting the cake — almost invariably a woman — must do some disproportionate amount of labor to fulfill their need to feel superior.
- ibid.
What about the media? Think about that for a second… Half of your listeners are not there anymore. You’re still getting the same paycheck. What’s going on?
- Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) when asked by CNN why members of Congress think they deserve a pay raise despite their low approval rating
I lost. He won.
- Trump detractor Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) on “Meet the Press” when asked about Trump
Dating Dialogue What Would You Do If…
Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW of The Navidaters
Dear Navidaters,
I have been dating this boy for a few weeks, and he seems great. He is very funny, is a real people’s person, is a go-getter...but for some reason every time we go out to eat, he orders me food without asking me what I want. I used to think it was fine but it’s just getting more and more insensitive. He only orders the foods that I don’t like...for example, if I say I don’t like chicken, on the next date, he’ll order a chicken dish for us. He knows I like milchig restaurants, yet he only has taken me to fleishig places.
If I break this off I’m nervous that I’ll be giving up a great guy just because of a little thing... I know it’s only food... What do you think I should do? Thank you in advance! -Molly*
Disclaimer: This column is not intended to diagnose or otherwise conclude resolutions to any questions. Our intention is not to offer any definitive conclusions to any particular question, rather offer areas of exploration for the author and reader. Due to the nature of the column receiving only a short snapshot of an issue, without the benefit of an actual discussion, the panel’s role is to offer a range of possibilities. We hope to open up meaningful dialogue and individual exploration.
The Panel
Dear Readers,
We want to offer YOU an opportunity to be part of the discussion! Please email us at MichelleMondShadchan@gmail.com, subject line “reader’s response,” if you would like to participate in the new “A Reader’s Response” columnist spot. We will send you a question and publish your answer in an upcoming Navidaters edition. If you have a question you would like the Navidaters to answer, please reach out to this email as well.
Looking forward!
Michelle, the “Shadchan”
The Rebbetzin
Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S.
Something is off. You are saying that not only does he not ask you about your preferences, but he seems to deliberately order what you don’t like. This is not a little thing. It’s not only about food. Consider yourself lucky that you noticed his control issue; there are probably other personality problems if he seems so socially successful yet has not regard for another person in a relationship. Get out and get help to understand red flags about people. Learn how to determine a person’s consideration, thoughtfulness, and general character traits in private and in public.
The Shadchan
Michelle Mond
Ivery much appreciate your question and bringing it to the column. You are highlighting nuances of this guy’s behavior which are highly concerning. Can you imagine staying friends with a person who treated you with the same pattern of disrespect? Kal v’chomer, a potential marriage partner! It is clear to me that this man is trying to hold a dominance over seemingly insignificant or small things. Then if you were to come and talk to him or complain about
it, his next step would be to question your judgment or make you feel small for nitpicking on such things.
The truth of the matter is, there are many things in a potential match that people dismiss the shidduch over quite quickly, without even batting an eyelash. Complaints such as: he is too nerdy, he’s too intellectual, I don’t like his nose, he’s not tall enough, he’s not trendy enough, he’s not cool enough –and the list goes on.
When it comes to personal character and middos, when the outer shell of the guy is so polished and perfect, I find that girls stick around much longer, giving the benefit of the doubt much more often. I bring up this point here to sound a siren to all our single readers, that it is important to focus on what is truly important in finding a lifelong partner.
Molly, what you are experiencing is an example of a true worrisome red flag ( and you know me, in this column I don’t say that flippantly). I think it’s a good time to see who else is out there and try to focus on the many incredible inner traits a guy displays, putting less emphasis on externals that might make you happy in the short term but in the long term would make you miserable.
The Zaidy
Dr.
Jeffrey Galler
Many, many years ago, I took the Introduction to Philosophy course
at Brooklyn College and learned a very interesting word, that I have never, ever, had an opportunity to actually use in a sentence. Until now.
Molly, your boyfriend is exhibiting classic solipsistic behavior.
(Solipsists are so focused on their own wants and needs that they don’t consider the feelings of others.)
Think about it. During the courting and dating phase, you’d think that a potential boyfriend would go out of his way to impress you and cater to your preferences. But instead, this guy – knowing full well that you don’t like chicken and prefer dairy – completely ignores your likes and dislikes.
This is not simply about food choices. Can you imagine what life with him would be like? He would take it upon himself to decide, without your input, where you should live, where the kids should go to school, etc.
You write that he is “a real people’s person.” You are wrong. Being a successful “people’s person” is not just about being outwardly sociable and charming. It’s about being aware of, and sensitive to, the needs of those around you.
You like that this fellow has a good sense of humor. But having him as a life partner would be no joke.
What should we call this insensitive solipsist? A menu mastermind? A culinary commander? Or, perhaps, a dish dictator? Whatever you choose, one thing’s clear: Life with him would be utterly unappetizing and unpalatable. You deserve a lifelong feast of happiness, not this. Clear your plate and move on.
Reader’s Response
Dear Molly,
As a divorced guy, let me give it to you straight: this is not about the food. It’s about respect. When a man or woman repeatedly ignores your preferences—especially after you’ve made them clear—that’s a red flag, no matter how “great” he seems otherwise. A guy who truly values you will want to make you happy, even in the little things, like where you go to eat or what’s on the menu.
When the outer shell of the guy is so polished and perfect, I find that girls stick around much longer, giving the benefit of the doubt much more often.
The fact that he’s consistently ordering food you don’t like, or taking you to places you’ve said you’re not into, isn’t just thoughtless—it feels deliberate. Maybe it’s a power play, or maybe he thinks he knows better than you about what you should want. Either way, it’s not the kind of behavior you want to sweep under the rug, because these “little things” tend to grow into bigger issues over time. If you think this isn’t a big deal, it will surface in other bigger ways over time.
If you’re still unsure about breaking things off, here’s my advice: have one direct conversation with him. Tell him how it’s making you feel. Something like: “Hey, I’ve noticed you don’t seem to take my food preferences into account when we go out. It’s starting to feel like you’re not listening to me, and that’s important to me in a relationship.”
Then see how he reacts. A good guy will take accountability and adjust. But if he brushes it off, laughs it off, or gets defensive? That’s your answer.
You don’t want to spend your life with someone who doesn’t take your feelings seriously. Trust me, you’re not giving up a “great guy” by standing up for yourself; you’re making space for someone who truly values you.
Pulling It All Together
The Navidaters
Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists
Dear Molly, First, I want to say how thoughtful it is that you’re reaching out to reflect on this. It shows how much you care about being fair and not making snap judgments, which is such a beautiful quality.
That said, I think it’s worth exploring what this situation is bringing up for you. On the surface, it might seem like “just food,” but it’s actually about something much deeper: feeling seen, heard, and
respected. When someone dis - regards your preferenc - es—especially after you’ve voiced them—it can start to feel like your needs don’t matter. And that’s not a small thing.
I also hear that you’re conflicted because this guy has so many great qualities, and you don’t want to overreact. That’s completely valid. My suggestion is to have an open and honest conversation
with him. You could say something like: “I’ve noticed that when we go out, the food choices don’t reflect what I enjoy, even though I’ve mentioned my preferences. It’s started to make me feel unheard, and I’m wondering if we can talk about it.”
The way he responds to this will give you a lot of insight. If he’s receptive and willing to adjust, that’s a good sign. But if he minimizes your feelings or brushes it off, it’s worth asking yourself if this pattern might show up in other areas of the relationship.
You deserve to feel valued and respected, Molly, even in the small things. Relationships are built on mutual care, and those little gestures often speak volumes. Be kind to yourself as you navigate this—you’re asking all the right ques -
tions, and you’ll make the best decision for you.
Warmly, Jennifer
Jennifer Mann, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist and certified trauma healing life coach, as well as a dating and relationship coach working with individuals, couples, and families in private practice at 123 Maple Avenue in Cedarhurst, NY. To set up a consultation or to ask questions, please call 718-908-0512. Visit www.thenavidaters.com for more information. If you would like to submit a dating or relationship question to the panel anonymously, please email JenniferMannLCSW@gmail.com. You can follow The Navidaters on FB and Instagram for dating and relationship advice.
By TJH Staff
As we turn the calendar page of 2024, we look back on a year that made us laugh and cry, gasp and shudder, relax and worry. With a conglomerate of emotions and events, 2024 proved to be its own rollercoaster of twists and turns, up and downs.
Foremost on our minds, were the 96 hostages still being held in the dark, cold tunnels of Gaza, facing famine, torture and trauma. We keep them in our hearts and minds as we look toward our brothers and sisters in the Holy Land, many of them wearing the green uniforms of heroes as they scour the land to rid it of evil.
As we look back on the year, we also remember that there were lighthearted moments as well. We hope that this glimpse into the year-that-was will help you walk down memory lane. This brief overview, TJH-style, of the past twelve months will hopefully bring a smile or two to your face as you remember that there were some interesting, exhilarating, momentous, and even confusing events that made up the year 2024.
2024 | came & went 2024 | The Year in arT
rené Magritte,
L’empire des lumières, 1954
Sold for $121,160,000 by Christie’s in November
ed ruscha, Standard Station, Ten-Cent Western Being Torn in Half, 1964
Sold by Christie’s in November for $68,260,000
Claude Monet, Nymphéas
Sold in November by Sotheby’s for $65,500,000
Mark rothko, Untitled (Yellow and Blue) (1954)
Sold by Sotheby’s Hong Kong in November for $32,470,000
andy Warhol, Flowers (1964)
Sold for $35,480,000 by Christie’s in May
Jean-Michel Basquiat, Untitled (ELMAR) (1982)
Sold by Phillip’s in May for $46,480,000
Maurizio Cattelan’s
duct-taped banana, titled “Comedian”
Sold by Sotheby’s in New York for $6,240,000 to Justin Sun, a 34-year old cryptocurrency platform founder from China. Sun ate the banana…and highlighted the absurdity of pricing “art.”
rswent Stuck in Space
On June 5, NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore blasted off to the International Space Station in a Boeing Starliner capsule for a round trip that was supposed to last just over a week, but helium leaks in the capsule prevented them from returning. SpaceX is working with NASA to finish production of a new Dragon spacecraft which will be sent to fetch the astronauts. That is expected to take place in March, at the earliest.
“Mindset does go a long way,” Wilmore said in a video interview with elementary school students. “I don’t look at these situations in life as being downers.”
swent
Francis Scott Key Bridge
2024 | came & went
Came
Soft Landing on the moon
c A me & went
swent
Denmark Queen Abdicates
In January 2024, Japan’s SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon) achieved the nation’s first successful lunar landing, joining an elite group of countries. Until now, only the U.S., Russia, China, and India had accomplished this feat.
On January 14, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark abdicated the throne after more than 50 years of reign, citing health concerns and a desire to ensure a smooth transition. The Queen, 83, is the first royal in Denmark to willingly step down in 900 years. Her eldest son, Crown Prince Frederik, 55, assumed the throne, becoming King Frederik X.
rCame Solar eclipse
The 2024 total solar eclipse, dubbed the “Great American Eclipse,” captivated millions across the United States on April 8, as the moon’s shadow traversed a path of totality stretching from Texas to Maine. American Paper Optics (APO), a Tennessee-based company, sold over 75 million pairs of eclipse glasses. The next eclipse in the 48 contiguous states is expected to occur on August 12, 2044.
rsCame and went Prisoner Swap
On August 1, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who had been jailed in Russia since March 2023, was released in a prisoner swap. Russia accused the Jewish journalist of collecting information for the CIA. He was convicted several weeks earlier in a closed-door trial and sentenced to 16 years in jail.
The prison swap also included the release of former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, 54, who had been jailed in Russia for five years on spy charges. The deal included a total of 16 prisoners released from Russia in exchange eight Russians jailed in the U.S., Germany, Norway, Slovenia and Poland. Among the Russians is Vadim Krasikov, a convicted Russian state assassin who was in German custody, as well as three other Russians in U.S. custody. Perhaps Vice President Kamala Harris said it best while greeting the released prisoners on the tarmac: “This is just an extraordinary testament to the importance of having a president who understands the power of diplomacy and understands the strength that rests in understanding the significance of diplomacy.”
At 1:30 a.m. on March 26, 2024, a cargo ship leaving the Port of Baltimore struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing part of the bridge to collapse into the Patapsco River below. As the cargo ship approached the bridge and lost power, quick-acting highway police were able to shut down the bridge; however, six construction workers who had been on the bridge died. The collapse completely blocked most shipping access to the Port of Baltimore for 11 weeks, impacting thousands of jobs and causing an estimated economic loss of $15 million per day.
swent Roller coaster Retires
On November 10, Six Flags Great Adventure shut down Kingda Ka, the world’s tallest roller coaster, to make way for a new record-breaking roller coaster expected to open in 2026. In the 19 years that the hydraulic thrill ride was open, 12 million people buckled up for the stomach-dropping experience.
2024 | came & went c A me & went
swent
crypto wonderchild Sentenced
Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX convicted in March of stealing $8 billion from customers, was sentenced to 25 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $11 billion in forfeiture. The once-crypto wonderchild, 32, claims that he never thought that what he was doing was illegal.
swent
woke is Broke
One of the many biproducts of this year’s election results is that numerous American companies are scaling back or scrapping their diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, known as DEI. These programs have long been accused of causing reverse racism by preventing qualified people from getting jobs based on their ethnicity. Companies that are stepping away from DEI include Walmart, Ford, John Deere, Lowe’s, and Toyota, amongst many others.
rCame the ten commandments
On June 19, the GOP-dominated Legislature led by Gov. Jeff Landry passed a bill requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom. The bill requires that the text of the Commandments must be displayed in a “large, easily readable font.” Gov. Landry had very practical advice for parents who for some reason would not want their children to see G-d’s commandments: “Tell your child not to look at them.” Several groups immediately filed suit, and a U.S. District Judge ruled that the law is unconstitutional. However, the battle is far from over— many believe that this case will eventually be decided by the Supreme Court of the United States.
rCame el mayo Arrested
rCame
tren de Aragua
The vicious Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua is now operating in at least 6 states, according to federal officials, thanks to a wide open border over the past four years. NYPD officials recently disclosed that the gang has been recruited inside New York City tax-funded migrant shelters. Many became aware of the violent illegal immigrant gang when a video went viral showing them conducting a forced takeover of an apartment complex in the Denver suburb of Aurora.
Incoming border czar Tom Homan promised that “Tren de Aragua’s days are numbered.” He said that as of January 20, “they are going to be arrested, they are going to be detained, and they are going to be removed.” However, several Democrat mayors and governors have promised to protect the violent criminals from deportation.
On July 26, U.S. federal agents in El Paso, Texas, arrested Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, one of the world’s most powerful drug lords. The 76-year-old co-founder of the Sinaloa cartel, alongside Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, had long been known for his extreme caution and paranoia. El Mayo claims he was abducted by one of El Chapo’s sons and forcibly taken to the location where he was captured. It is speculated that El Chapo’s son decided to turn himself into U.S. authorities and brought Zambada along as a prize to sweeten any plea deal.
r
Came
congestion Pricing
On June 26, New York Governor Kathy Hochul suddenly halted implementation of the long-awaiting congestion pricing plan for Manhattan. According to the plan, all vehicles entering below 60th Street would have to pay $15. The sudden halt took many by surprise, and cynics concluded that the halt was because of a fear of a backlash against Democrats on election day, November 5. But of course, that had nothing to do with it…until November 14 (nine days after the election for those counting), Gov. Hochul announced that congestion pricing is back and would go into effect on January 5, 2025.
Just to make sure that the gaslighting continues, Hochul declared that instead of the toll costing $15, it would be $9. “From day one I have made affordability for New York families a top priority. I always have and I always will fight to put more money in the pockets of everyday New Yorkers,” Hochul said. “That’s why, back in June, I stood up on behalf of hardworking families and simply said no. No to a new $15 congestion toll that at that particular time was just too much. You heard me correctly, it was $15 and now it is $9, that is a 40% reduction.” She concluded, “This lower toll will save daily commuters nearly $1,500 annually, and that kind of money makes a big difference for our families.”
2024 | came & went
rc A me & went
sCame and went the Kackle
Although Kamala Harris had served as vice president for nearly four years, many Americans remained unfamiliar with her until “the great switcheroo,” when she replaced Joe Biden as the top name on the 2024 Democratic ticket. “She’s famous, but she’s unknown,” observed Democratic strategist and pollster Cornell Belcher in an interview with The New York Times. However, in the age of social media, her Kackle and “Kamalaisms,” quickly gained widespread attention. As she crisscrossed the nation, “spreading joy” while sidestepping responsibility for issues like soaring inflation and illegal immigration, Republicans counted on voters to see through the facade. They did—despite the Harris campaign burning through $1.5 billion in 115 days. Today, “the Kackle” is gone…“unburdened by what has been.”
swent Alexei navalny
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, widely regarded as President Vladimir Putin’s most prominent political rival, died in a Russian prison on February 16. Russian authorities claimed an investigation found no evidence of foul play, attributing his death to “natural causes” and informing his family it was due to “sudden death syndrome” (a condition which once diagnosed is certainly too late to heal). For Putin, whose animosity toward Navalny was well-documented—including a botched poisoning attempt in 2020—this turn of events conveniently removes his most vocal critic.
swent
Jimmy carter Dies
Just days before 2024 faded into oblivion, former President Jimmy Carter left this world at the age of 100. The peanut farmer from Georgia was little known when he announced his candidacy for the Oval Office. But after years of a tumultuous Nixon White House, Americans were eager for a change and galvanized behind the smalltown persona that Carter curated. Alas, the lovefest between America and the 39th President of the United States was short-lived as Americans endured sky-high prices and long lines at the gas pump during his four years in office. Carter was soundly booted out of the White House after one term, handing Ronald Reagan a resounding victory.
Carter spent his post-presidency years circling the globe as a statesman and advocating for different human rights causes. He was a vocal supporter for Palestinian statehood and formed fast friendships with peace-loving individuals such as Yasser Arafat and Ismail Haniyeh, leader of the Hamas terrorist movement.
swent
Senator Bob menendez convicted
On July 16, a federal jury found former Democrat New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez guilty on 16 counts of accepting bribes, including cash and gold bars, to benefit the governments of Egypt and Qatar. “I have never violated my public oath,” declared Menendez, 70, upon exiting court. Facing pressure from his Democrat colleagues, the once powerful senator resigned from the Senate in August. Menendez’s sentencing has been delayed until 2025. The maximum sentence can be 222 years, but he is expected to face 10 to 20 years in prison.
Untitled
2024 | came & went
$420.9 Billion
Elon Musk’s net worth at the end of 2024, making him the richest man in the world. The second richest person is Jeff Bezos who is worth a measly $238.5 billion.
40,000 points
The amount of points scored by Lebron James by March 2, making him the first NBA player in history to reach that milestone. The 39-year-old superstar also made history this year as the first NBA player to play alongside his son in the NBA when James was joined on the court by his son Bronny James, 20, on October 23.
$487 Million
The fine Boeing agreed to pay on July 7 after pleading guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States over its role in two tragic 737 Max crashes. This was a small fraction of the $24.8 billion sought by victims’ families.
87.3%
The percentage of Russians who voted for Vladimir Putin on March 18, helping him secure a fifth term as Russian president. Hopefully the 12.7% that did not vote for Putin stay away from windows.
69%
The percentage of Americans who reported that the 2024 U.S. presidential election was a significant source of stress, according to a study by the American Psychological Association.
$765,000,000
The record-breaking contract signed by 26-year-old slugger Juan Soto with the Mets, spanning 15 years and making it the largest deal in MLB history.
312
The number of Electoral College votes Donald Trump secured in the 2024 presidential election, buoyed by flipping six key swing states—Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. This total far surpassed the 270 votes required to win the presidency. Kamala Harris, by contrast, garnered just 212 Electoral College votes.
126
The total number of medals won by Team U.S.A. at the Paris Summer Olympics, securing their place at the top of the medal table. Both the U.S. and China claimed 40 gold medals, but China trailed in overall performance with just 91 total medals. Japan rounded out the top three with 45 medals.
4.8
Magnitude of the earthquake that hit the New York City region on Friday, April 5, at 10:23 a.m. In addition to New York and New Jersey, the quake was felt in parts of Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.
2024 | Israel’s Notable Wart I me a ccompl I shme Nts
May Hashem continue to give the IDF success and guard every soldier
Israel Takes Control of The Philadelphi Corridor
In May, despite warnings from the Biden administration, the IDF entered the southern Gaza city of Rafah and secured control over most of the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egyptian border. They also took control of the Rafah Crossing, the sole gateway between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. These strategic gains allow Israel to regulate the movement of goods between the two regions. According to the Institute for the Study of War, Israel has likely defeated Hamas in Khan Younis and is advancing similarly in Rafah, effectively disrupting Hamas’s ability to function as a military force.
Ismail Haniyeh Blasted in His Sleep
On July 31, while in Iran to attend the inauguration of Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian – who assumed office following the death of his predecessor in a helicopter crash – Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, 62, was killed when a bomb detonated in his bedroom. Reports indicate that the bomb had been planted in the guesthouse approximately two months earlier and was remotely activated, killing both Haniyeh and his bodyguard. Before his assassination, Haniyeh had met with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Long a target of Israeli intelligence, Haniyeh had previously been difficult to reach due to his protection in Qatar. Last week, Israel officially acknowledged for the first time that it was responsible for Haniyeh’s killing.
Yahya Sinwar Eliminated
In what militarily looks like a chance encounter, Israel killed the leader of Hamas in Gaza less than two weeks after the first anniversary of October 7. Sinwar, who was Israel’s number one target since October 7, was believed to be hiding in a labyrinth of tunnels surrounded by tens of hostages. He was known for extreme caution, and it is believed that he only communicated by written notes. On October 16, IDF soldiers patrolling an area in Rafah identified three Hamas fighters and engaged them in a firefight, killing all three. Upon examination of their bodies, one of them bore a striking resemblance to Sinwar. The corpse, however, remained at the site due to suspected booby traps and instead, part of a finger was removed and sent to Israel for testing, at which time it was confirmed that it was Sinwar. Photos of Sinwar with a gaping hole in his head quickly made the rounds on the internet, hopefully reminding others of what awaits them.
Israel Smokes Out Nasrallah…and His Replacement
Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s founder and leader for over 30 years, had long been a target of Israel but managed to evade attacks by staying in deeply buried bunkers. On September 27, while the 64-year-old Nasrallah and other top Hezbollah leaders were meeting to strategize against Israel, their underground haven was breached. Israel deployed 85 bunker-buster bombs, delivering 80 tons of explosives that obliterated the bunker, situated 60 feet below ground. The attack also leveled three residential buildings above, leaving only smoldering craters in its wake. Just days after Nasrallah’s death, his successor, Hashem Safieddine, suffered the same fate, killed by another round of bunker-buster strikes.
2024 | Israel’s Notable Wart I me a ccompl I shme Nts
QLebanon Ceasefire
The IDF’s incursion into South Lebanon to confront the reputedly well-trained Hezbollah militants was anticipated to pose a greater challenge for Israel than the war in Gaza. However, with northern Israel paralyzed by relentless Hezbollah rocket attacks, action became unavoidable. Tragically, Israel lost 47 brave soldiers in the conflict.
Yet, their sacrifice, along with that of their IDF brethren, led to a decisive success. On November 27, Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire on terms highly favorable to Israel. The agreement required the Iran-backed militant group to vacate South Lebanon entirely and retreat to the northern side of the Litani River, creating a 19-mile buffer zone between Hezbollah and Israel.
This defeat not only forced Hezbollah to its knees but also shattered the perception of the group as an unstoppable threat on Israel’s northern border. It dealt a severe blow to Iran’s regional ambitions, undermining its ability to project power through its proxy forces. Analysts suggest this setback weakened Iran to the extent that it could no longer sustain its support for the Assad regime in Syria, ultimately contributing to Assad’s downfall.
Q Q Q
Exploding Beepers & Walkie Talkies
On September 17, Israel launched a meticulously planned operation in Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah by detonating explosive-laden pagers embedded within the group’s communication network. The synchronized blasts killed at least 42 people and injured over 4,000. Adding to the devastation, the following day saw thousands of Hezbollah walkie-talkies explode—some during funerals for victims of the initial attack. This operation was the result of over a decade of preparation, with Mossad agents covertly infiltrating these booby-trapped devices into Hezbollah’s systems through untraceable foreign intermediaries. The strike dealt not only a heavy physical toll but also a profound psychological blow, underscoring Israel’s far-reaching intelligence capabilities and surgical precision. Internationally, it served to restore the Mossad’s esteemed reputation, which had been tarnished by its failures on October 7.
IDF Strikes Military Sites in Iran
In a pre-dawn attack on October 26, carried out by over 100 Israeli air force planes, the IDF struck key military sites across Iran. The operation took out Iran’s air defenses and struck key missile and drone sites. Although the U.S. asked Israel not to strike the nuclear facilities, out of fear that it could lead to an all-out war, it is confirmed that Israel struck an active top secret nuclear weapons research facility. Although he didn’t give much detail, Prime Minister Netanyahu disclosed that “there is a specific component in their nuclear program that was hit,” which dealt a severe setback to Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Israel Destroys Syrian Military
F
ollowing the fall of Assad’s regime in Syria in early December, Israel launched a swift and comprehensive military campaign aimed at neutralizing Syrian assets it considered too dangerous to risk falling into rebel hands. Nearly 500 targets were struck, including air defense systems, military airfields, naval vessels, missile stockpiles, and numerous weapons production facilities in Damascus and other cities. Israel reported that 90% of Syria’s surface-to-air missile systems were destroyed. The elimination of these air defense systems reportedly grants the Israeli military greater operational freedom, potentially allowing for missions extending into Iranian airspace. Additionally, Israeli forces secured Mount Hermon, a strategic high point in the Golan Heights that has served as a buffer zone between Syria and Israel since 1974.
2024 | came & went 2024 | world events
Syria
Assad ousted
On December 8, 2024, Syria’s 13-year civil war reached a decisive turning point as opposition forces, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group with al-Qaeda origins, captured Damascus. This victory forced President Bashar al-Assad to flee to Russia, effectively ending his family’s 54-year reign over the country.
The collapse of Assad’s regime has dealt significant blows to its two key backers, Russia and Iran, both of which have used Syria as a critical strategic foothold in different parts of the world. With Russia heavily engaged in Ukraine and Iran, along with its allies like Hezbollah significantly weakened by its post-October 7 conflict with Israel, neither was in a position to rescue Assad this time. As Syria transitions into a post-Assad era, its trajectory remains uncertain, but the emerging dynamics are likely to undermine the long-standing interests of both Russia and Iran.
Iran
Chopper down
On May 19, 2024, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and six others were killed in helicopter crash in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province. An official investigation attributed the accident to adverse weather conditions, finding no evidence of sabotage.
President Raisi, 63, had been in office since 2021 and was considered a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran observed five days of mourning, with Supreme Leader Khamenei leading funeral prayers attended by tens of thousands in Tehran.
In July, Masoud Pezeshkian was sworn in as Iran’s ninth president.
Japan
Automaker Merger
This year, Honda and Nissan, two of Japan’s leading automakers, announced plans to merge, potentially forming the world’s third-largest car manufacturer by sales. Automakers in Japan have lagged behind their big rivals in electric vehicles and are trying to cut costs and make up for lost time.
The announcement comes amid financial struggles for Nissan, the world’s 14th largest automaker, which has faced declining profitability and market challenges. Honda, Japan’s second-largest automaker behind Toyota, boasts a market capitalization exceeding $40 billion, while Nissan, ranked third in Japan, is valued at approximately $10 billion. Together, the merger could create a formidable competitor in the global market.
Mexico
First Jewish President
In June, Claudia Sheinbaum made history as both Mexico’s first female president and its first Jewish president. While she is not religiously observant, Sheinbaum embraces her cultural Jewish identity and frequently reflects on her heritage.
“I grew up without religion. That’s how my parents raised me,” she shared during a 2018 event hosted by a Jewish organization in Mexico City. “But obviously, the culture, that’s in your blood.”
Sheinbaum’s Jewish roots trace back to her maternal grandparents, who fled Bulgaria before the Holocaust, and her paternal grandparents, who escaped Lithuania in the 1920s. Both families sought refuge in Mexico, where her parents were born.
2024 | came & went 2024 | world events
Russia/Ukraine death toll rises
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the conflict has exacted a staggering toll. Russian military losses have reportedly surpassed 750,000 soldiers and are projected to exceed 1 million within six months, according to U.K. Under-Secretary of Defense Luke Pollard. Moscow has remained silent on its casualty numbers, while Ukraine has reported losing around 43,000 soldiers on the battlefield.
Despite these losses, Ukraine has made significant territorial gains, reclaiming 54 percent of the land occupied by Russia. However, 18 percent of Ukraine remains under Russian control. Over the course of the war, Ukraine has received substantial international support, totaling approximately $278 billion, including $75 billion from the United States.
As the conflict enters its third year, President-elect Donald Trump has suggested a possible shift in U.S. policy. He has signaled a willingness to negotiate an end to the war, even hinting that Kyiv may need to concede some territory to Russia. This approach diverges sharply from the Biden administration’s policy, which has supported Ukraine’s autonomy in deciding any terms of peace.
“All those cities are destroyed,” Trump remarked. “It’s nice to say they want their land back, but the cities are largely destroyed.”
England
Palace Illness
Buckingham Palace announced in February that King Charles, age 76, had been diagnosed with cancer and was beginning a course of treatment. When asked about his health recently, the King joked, “I’m still alive.”
A younger royal has been battling cancer as well. In March, Kate Middleton, the 42-year-old wife of Prince William and mother of their three children, announced her diagnosis after weeks of speculation about her well-being. She recently returned to the public spotlight after eight months.
Meanwhile, across the pond in the U.S., rumors continue to swirl about the marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The two have been making individual appearances at events, and according to the Mirror, are in the process of ending their six-year marriage.
Haiti
A total Mess
The instability in Haiti, caused by the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, has reached a breaking point with armed gangs now controlling 85% of capital city Port-au-Prince. Thousands have been killed and tens of thousands have fled.
Earlier this month, gangs looted the only trauma hospital in Port-au-Prince and set fire to the building. Humanitarian aid flowing into the ravaged country was halted for thirty days in November after gangs shot three planes coming in from the U.S.
Since 2023, more than 423,000 Haitians have fled to the U.S.
North Korea
Floods & executions
In the aftermath of catastrophic floods in July that destroyed thousands of homes and claimed up to 4,000 lives, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reportedly ordered the execution of approximately 30 officials. The floods devastated Sinuiju and Uiju County in North Pyongan Province, where Kim was photographed aboard a raft “participating” in relief efforts.
School of Thought
By Etti Siegel
Q:Dear Etti,
With Chanukah behind us and their mid-winter break coming up in a month, I am not sure how I am supposed to keep the students’ heads in the learning I am supposed to be covering.
Any ideas? I could really use some!
- Just Want to Teach
A:Dear Teacher, When students start acting out as they grow restless and impatient with Chanukah behind them and vacation coming up, keeping your students focused and interested is hard.
The good news is that there are several strategies teachers can use to channel that energy effectively and in an engaging way:
Add a lot more interactive learning: Get students out of their seats by incorporating hands-on activities into lessons. Make sure your instructions are clear and you are consistent…and then do things a little differently.
• Move the desks and have the students do math or spelling on bulletin board paper laid out on the floor.
• Hang the answer keys in different locations in the room and have children do a worksheet at their desk and then self-check using those answer keys.
• Have children act out something learned…bonus if they can perform it for another class.
I had one teacher divide her class into four groups, practice a short play in their literature book, and have each group perform for the rest of the class and a parallel class. Win for the teacher and each of the other classes!
• Have students write (book reports, personal narratives, poems, Hebrew sentences, something aligning with the grammar being taught…) creating 3D decorations.
For some ideas to get you started, search “Bloom balls,” “Cereal Box Book Reports,” or have the children make snowflakes to write on and hang them when completed.
• SCOOT is a fun way to learn.
When
the child
returns
to his/
her desk, they will have a worksheet fully completed with many different handwritings.
A) You can put a question on every child’s desk and then give every student a clipboard with lined and numbered paper. They answer the question on the desk in front of them and then when the teacher says to scoot, every child moves to the next desk and answers the next question. At some point, the children will have answered every question and find themselves back at their own desk. B) Every desk has a question sheet with the same number of questions as students in the class. The children answer the next question and then scoot to a new desk and answer the next question on that desk. When the child returns to his/her desk, they will have a worksheet fully completed with many different handwritings. Going over the sheet is so much more fun!
• Make the students the teachers. Give out a different chapter or section of work to each group of students and have them take turns reading the information among themselves. Have them be prepared to explain the information to the class, even dividing up the information in preparation for their presentation. Have the students come up and teach, while the class fills in worksheets or takes notes on the material. The teacher not only directs the flow of information but can stop the presenters to re-explain a concept when necessary, as the material still has to be covered correctly.
A teacher I worked with did not enjoy preparing the unit she had to teach her sixth graders on arthropods, in other words, bugs. I advised her to have her students
group together and teach the class as described above, and she said it was one of the most enjoyable units for her class.
• Change up the motivation/incentive program being used. Either start being very generous with the one you are running or run a different one for now. Up the sense of excitement and urgency – and plan for a culmination of the program the last few days before vacation.
• Have a color war! Divide the class into two, three, or four teams, and give the points for participation, good questions, homework, classwork, and give them time during class once a week to work on banner and team song. Have the last few days before vacation reserved for presentations and announcements of winners. Be sure to set up all points and criteria in advance so children feel like it is fun and not unfair. Extra kudos if you can tie it into something you are learning about in class (Navi, history, science…).
Last year, a third grade boys’ teacher asked me this question and we came up with this great idea and it worked like a charm. She could not believe how well this worked for her class. She plans to do it every year at this time!
It is a challenging time to teach, but it can be so rewarding when we prepare for the challenge instead of fighting it.
Enjoy!
- Etti
P.S. Join the Teach and Reach course addressing teaching this time of year! I offer so much more than what is written here, https://www.impactfulcoaching. com/teachreach.
Mrs. Etti Siegel holds an MS in Teaching and Learning/Educational Leadership and brings sound teaching advice to her audiences culled from her over 35 years of teaching and administrative experience. She is an Adjunct at the College of Mount Saint Vincent/Sara Shenirer. She is a coach and educational consultant for Catapult Learning, is a sought-after mentor and workshop presenter around the country, and a popular presenter for Sayan (a teacher-mentoring program), Hidden Sparks, and the Consortium of Jewish Day Schools. She is a frequent contributor to Hamechanech Magazine and The Journal for Jewish Day School leaders. She will be answering your education-based questions and writing articles weekly for The Jewish Home. Mrs. Siegel can be reached at ettisiegel@gmail.com.
Note: Not all submission have been published. Keep sending in your artwork for another chance to be featured!
Alex Freedman, 9
Nina Hersh 5
Avraham Chaim Goldstein, 10
Avraham Sharp, 6
Aharon F.
Dovi S., 6
Chayala G., 8
Eli Korb, 6 & Nina Korb, 4 Moshe, 13
Aidel G., 7
Ayala Khoshkheraman, 4
Aharon Beleck, 6
Note: Not all submission have been published. Keep sending in your artwork for another chance to be featured!
Chaviva Moskowitz, 10
Leah Levinger, 9
Miri Motzen, 4
Yisrael David, 10
Meira & Shua I.
Orli R., 7
Shaya Goldfinger, 3
Zehava Katz, 2
Rachelli Shmidman, 5
Eliana Gabay
Meir Katzenstein
Eli Goldfinger, 8
Gili Jakobi, 7
Tzvi Goldfinger, 10
Zecharia Khoshkheraman, 7
Ezra Leibovitch, 12
Sarah Fried, 8
Mordechai Gluck, 4
Yonatan Baron, 5
Chaya, 10
Chaya K., 12
Sadie schwarzenberger, 8
Ayelet W., 7
Maya schwarzenberger, 11
Eliana Reich, 6
In The K tchen
Winter Wonderland Soup
Serves 4
By Naomi Nachman
When the snow is piling up outside and the cold air is blowing, this delicious stick-to-your-bones soup will warm you this winter.
Ingredients
◦ 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
◦ 1 small onion, diced
◦ 4 stalks of celery, diced
◦ 4 cubes frozen minced garlic
◦ 4 cubes frozen ginger
◦ 4 cubes frozen turmeric
◦ 2 strips flanken
◦ 8 cups chicken or beef broth
◦ 1 can chickpeas, drained
◦ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
◦ ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Preparation
1. On a medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon canola oil and sear meat on both sides. Remove and set aside.
2. In the same pan, add the remaining oil and sauté the onions, garlic, and celery with a pinch of salt until soft.
3. Add ginger and turmeric and cook for 2-3 minutes. Place the meat back into the pot.
4. Add broth and salt and pepper
5. Cook for 3 hours on low, which will help the meat become very soft.
6. Remove meat from the soup and shred the meat off the bones. Discard bones. Add the meat and drained chickpeas into the soup and cook for another half hour.
7. Season with salt and pepper, according to your taste.
Naomi Nachman, the owner of The Aussie Gourmet, caters weekly and Shabbat/ Yom Tov meals for families and individuals within The Five Towns and neighboring communities, with a specialty in Pesach catering. Naomi is a contributing editor to this paper and also produces and hosts her own weekly radio show on the Nachum Segal Network stream called “A Table for Two with Naomi Nachman.” Naomi gives cooking presentations for organizations and private groups throughout the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan area. In addition, Naomi has been a guest host on the QVC TV network and has been featured in cookbooks, magazines as well as other media covering topics related to cuisine preparation and personal chefs. To obtain additional recipes, join The Aussie Gourmet on Facebook or visit Naomi’s blog. Naomi can be reached through her website, www.theaussiegourmet.com or at (516) 295-9669.
