Baltimore Jewish Home 1-8-15

Around the Community

BaltimoreJewishHome THE

‫ ב׳ שבט‬- ‫יז’ טבת‬

Koidenover Rebbe Holds Zos Chanukah Tisch

PAGE 8

Mesivta Neimus Hatorah 3rd Annual Melava Malka PAGE 6

What a Mitzvah...Day! PAGE 10

35 TRUST IS THE KEY!

JOE BONDAR

410.905.8403 | JoeBondar@gmail.com

MHIC 82438

ALIZA WEIN

443.629.1547 | AlizaWein@gmail.com

Experience makes a difference.

Make sure your realtor has it!!

Barry Nabozny 410.977.7600

NOBODY SELLS MORE REAL ESTATE THAN RE/MAX.®

Best quality & workmanship We will beat written quotes by 10%

Call Gedaliah Kosoy

410-358-ROOF 7

6

6

3

410.581.1000

JOE BONDAR

Residential | Commercial | Investment

www. BondarRealty.com

1517 Reisterstown Rd., Corner of Old Court Baltimore, Maryland 21208

Premier Associates

See our available homes inside

Premier Associates

jan. 8

-

jan. 22

. vol 2, #1

2

410.484.5850

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

JANUARY 8, 2015

508 REISTERSTOWN RD.

s u o n e Ra v

! s l a e D

FLACCO FRANKS 2 Dozen Frank N’ Blanks

ICONIC

with orders over $150

’ ”

T-SIZZLE

SUB S

Free Pan of Sizzling Fries with orders over $ 200

FREE DELIVERY

s r e p p o P ings &W OUR TRY TY OF IE VAR

SH I N K PS DI

TEX-M EX Guacam o

sour cre le & parve a Sta m platter

rting a t

$35

Drumet tes

Ngata Charge

with orders over $ 250

EARLY BIRD ec ial Sp $15 off

with orders over $ 120 *Orders must be in by 1/21

3

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME JANUARY 8, 2015

4

CONTENTS COMMUNITY

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

JANUARY 8, 2015

Around the Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

JEWISH THOUGHT A Parsha Thought. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Parenting Today. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

HUMOR & ENTERTAINMENT Notable Quotes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Centerfold. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

COVER STORY 2014 Year in Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 This is the Year You’ll Keep Those Resolutions . . . 40

LIFESTYLES In the Kitchen: Flavorful Fish. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 How the IRS Views Miles & Points Earned from Purchasing and Flying. . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 10 Apartment Organization Tips to Maximize Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Forgotten Heroes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 My Israel Home. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Your Money. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Life Coach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

NEWS Global News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 National News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 That’s Odd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

ISRAEL Israel News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Dear Readers, As Jews, our new year really starts as the days begin to get shorter and the breeze ushers in chiller air. It takes us weeks to prepare for Rosh Hashana; it’s a time for introspection and retrospection, looking back on a year with a resolve to make the next year better and more fulfilled. January 1, though, heralds the start of the secular calendar and offers another opportunity to look back on a year gone by and resolve to make the new one better in so many ways. When I was younger, I would stay up until midnight to watch the New Year’s festivities. But I confess that it’s hard for me to get excited watching a crystal ball descend slowly to the count of ten and then—after the crowd that’s been shivering for hours on end cheers noisily—tada! It’s a brand new year! This year, my New Year’s resolution was that I would be in bed sleeping before the ball drops, which of course didn’t happen. I really hope I can keep it; my day is not always over by the time the clock strikes twelve. Preparing our year in review feature gives us the opportunity to take a walk down memory lane to the events that took place almost a year ago and bring them to you in an interesting and informative way. Some years, our walk down memory lane is more of a stroll; there were many events that were exciting, inspirational, or even humorous. This year, though, our walk was more leaden. Take, for instance, our brothers in Israel, who were under siege this year and have been bombarded by terrorist attacks. We mourned the deaths of many of our brothers who were killed al kiddush Hashem. Around the world, the nations make no secret of their disdain for the Jewish people; anti-Semitic attacks are rampant almost everywhere.

This year, terrorist groups have proliferated and have become bolder in their attacks. ISIS, Boko Haram, al Qaeda, al Shabab…it was just a few years ago that we were shocked out of our innocence when terrorists invaded the shores of the United States. Now, these groups continue to shock us with their absolute hate and literal thirst for blood, as they publicly behead, maim and torture those they consider to be their enemies. In the United States, the past few months have been rocked by chaos and upheaval as many have come out to protest and defame the very law enforcement that upholds the security of our nation. It’s an upside down world, and it will take a very concerted effort by our officials to turn it right side up again. In our year in review feature, though, we tried to highlight the brighter side of the year’s events while giving you a comprehensive snapshot of 2014. I am sure that your walk down memory lane will be enjoyable.

Wishing you a wonderful year ahead filled with only good things, Yaakov

The Baltimore Jewish Home is an independent bi-weekly newspaper. Opinions expressed by writers are not neces­sarily the opinions of the publisher or editor. The Baltimore Jewish Home is not responsible for typographical errors, or for the kashrus of any product or business advertised within. The BJH contains words of Torah. Please treat accordingly.

5

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

Ends February 15th

JANUARY 8, 2015

e c n a r u s n I h t l Hea t n e m l l o r n Open E is Here!

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

JANUARY 8, 2015

6

Around the

Community

Mesivta Neimus Hatorah 3rd Annual Melava Malka The third annual Melava Malka Kumzitz benefitting Mesivta Neimus Hatorah was held on Motzai Shabbbos Parshas Vayeishev at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Levi Freidman. Featuring the talented Nachman Bergman accompanied by Elie Cohen, attendees were treated to an evening of beautiful nigunim and inspiring stories. Rabbi Tzvi Teichman, Rav of Ohel Moshe and friend of the yeshiva spoke about Chanukah, and tied it in to the important work Mesivta Neimus Hatorah does on a daily basis. Akiva Fordsham of Gateshead,

England, and a student at the yeshiva spoke movingly about how the yeshiva has helped him grow. Everyone left that night with a new appreciation for this unique institution. Special thanks to the host Levi Freidman for making it happen.

For over eight years, Mesivta Neimus Hatorah has been helping young men reach their potential through an individualized and motivational approach. For more info, check out our website at neimushatorah.org, or email info@neimushatorah.org.

TRAVELING TO A TRADE SHOW

IN LAS VEGAS? When your travel agent is PEYD, booking a flight couldn’t be simpler.

PEYD Travel is your one stop for expert advice, discounted airfare & dedicated service.

www.sandbox-marketing.com

Join the thousands of satisfied customers who have trusted PEYD to help navigate the credit card rewards & travel industries.

THE GUYS YOU KNOW, THE COMPANY YOU TRUST 646.801.7393 • WWW.TRAVELWITHPEYD.COM • INFO@PEYDTRAVEL.COM

Take PEYD Travel with you on your vacation! Tag your photos on social media with #TravelWithPEYD and receive a bonus mystery prize!

7

he has closed 60 million in loans since entering the Baltimore market and was named #4 loan officer in the country according to Scotsman’s Guide.

See for yourself why so many people choose Shimmy for their mortgage needs.

Call today for a low rate mortgage–

Shimmy Braun

Vice President of Mortgage Lending

773.290.0344

shimmy@guaranteedrate.com www.guaranteedrate.com/shimmy

NMLS (Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System) ID 2611 • IL - Residential Mortgage Licensee - IDFPR, 122 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 1900, Chicago, Illinois, 60603, 312-793-3000, 3940 N. Ravenswood Ave., Chicago, IL 60613 #MB.0005932 - NMLS: 112849 - IL - 031.0000741, MD - 112849 - 13181, NJ - Licensed - Licensed

JANUARY 8, 2015

Shimmy Braun has built his business by providing the best service possible for your home loan. That’s why

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

Great Service is Good Business

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

JANUARY 8, 2015

8

Around the

Community

Koidenover Rebbe Holds Zos Chanukah Tisch The Koidenover Rebbe, shlita, held a Zos Chaukah Tish on the early evening of Dec. 24 - 8th day of Chanukah 5775 - at Machzikei Torah, where a beautiful spread was served from Soup to Sufganiyot. The leibidiga atmosphere included the magical music of Yehuda Mond, while the Rebbe enthralled the crowd with his divrei Torah: Chanukah is a very elevated time.

Every Jew who fulfills the Mitzva of kindling the Chanukah lights basks, when fulfilling that Mitzva, in the Supernal Light of the Shechina (the Almighty’s Presence). A story is related about the Chozeh (Seer) of Lublin who was told about a Jewish informer who caused most distress to the local

Jewish community. Visibly moved, the Chozeh related that this individual was bonding to the Shechina. Later, the Chozeh related that the reason he responded in this fashion was that the evildoer was kindling the Chanukah lights at that moment. Such is the amazing power of the Mitzva of Ner Chanukah!

The holy works relate that the final seal (Gmar Chasima) of our judgment during the High Holy Days (Yomim Nora’im) is applied on Chanukah.

The understanding of this maxim is that there is an essential difference between the judgment of Rosh Hashana/Yom Kippur and that associated with Chanukah. The former critically depends on and is inspired by our

BaltimoreJewishLife.com/Jeff Cohn

own human efforts of repentance and self-improvement, which the latter is entirely at the initiative of and by action of the Almighty Himself.

Therein lies the secret of Chanukah.

The miracles of the victory at battle under overwhelming odds and of the discovery and eight-day burning duration of a small jug of undefiled oil reflected Divine, not human, initiative. This observation can answer the famous question of the Bais Yosef why we celebrate Chanukah and light the Menorah for eight days, when seemingly the miracle happened only for seven days (since the jug of oil discovered by the Kohanim contained enough oil for one day of burning).

In truth, observed the Rebbe, the Almighty was declaring that the entire eight period was indeed miraculous, and due to His initiative alone, even from the beginning of the epic. The lesson to be learned from this is as follows: When a person finds himself in a challenging scenario or in a calamity, he is wont to be confused and overwhelmed with worry concerning its resolution. However, when he observes that, indeed, the Almighty has, indeed, arranged its resolution all along, he realizes that he had nothing to fear, even in the beginning of his perceived misfortune.

Looking Back at Rabbi Robinson’s Annual Wacky Menorah Contest in TA! There were menorahs made out of cake, menorahs made out of Lego, and even some menorahs made out of plumbers’ piping! Loads of menorahs came through Rabbi Robinson’s door as his 5th grade class entered into Rabbi Robinson’s Annual Wacky Menorah Contest. The boys were given two weeks’ notice and spent many hours

thinking up and creating their perfect wacky prototype! As the beautiful mesiba filled with singing, divrei torah — and even some skits—wound down, the time had come for the winners to be announced: 1st Place: Zevi Green Runners Up: Shua Schuchman, Shlaime Simcha Poupko, Yaakov

Moshe Dek, and Yosephi Seinfeld.

Rabbi Robinson had a special menorah of his own created: a vintage ice menorah, crafted with exquisite detail.

The class enjoyed it only for a limited time before it started to “burn” down.

The class had a wonderful time!

9

TRUST IS THE KEY. 410.653.1999 COMMERCIAL

INVESTMENT

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

RESIDENTIAL

Joe Bondar BROKER

Joe Bondar 410-905-8403 Aliza (Bondar) Wein 443-629-1547 www.BondarRealty.com JoeBondar@gmail.com

NEW

PARK HEIGHTS - MAPLE GLEN

NITY! COMMU

RY 24 LUXUMES O TOWNH

DECK T R E X ION F R EEE-CONSTRUCT PR

00 $10,0 N TRUCTIO Centrally located, upscale new Townhome community on Fords Lane. 4-5 bedrooms, 3 1/2 bathrooms, wood floors, huge gourmet kitchen with granite counters.

Many other upgrades!

HEATHER RIDGE TOWNHOME

TIME E STILL TOMIZ S TO CU

Custom built 2 story 4/5 bedroom brick colonial on prime .4 acre lot with mature trees. Spacious rooms, beautiful wood floors, first floor family room and office.

Fenced yard, in-ground swimming pool and lots more. Must see!

LABYRINTH COUNTY

QUARRY LAKE

NEW

NEW

NEW

D

SOL New development with just 4 detached Three bedrooms,2 full, 2 half Colonial homes to be built on a bathrooms in private secure beautiful tree-lined street. Each home community. Huge kitchen, finished will have 4-6 bedrooms on 3 levels. clubroom. Priced for immediate sale!

Call Joe Bondar for details.

Magnificent top floor Penthouse Condo with magnificent view of the lake.

Over 2,200 Sq. Ft. of bright, open living space. 2 BR’s, 2.5 baths, office, 2 reserved indoor parking spaces and much more. Must see!

7 MILE / SHELBURNE

BILTMORE

!

CED REDU

7 MILE

NEW UNDER

SCOTTS HILL

STEVENSON

NEW UNDER

NEW

T

AC R T N O C

Rare opportunity to purchase a 9 bedroom, 4 bathroom home on 1/3 acre lot. Replacement windows, 2 fireplaces, spacious kitchen and much more. Will not last!

MEADOWOOD COUNTY

UY! GREAT B

O

D

SOL

Well constructed brick, 5 bedrooms, 3 Spacious 4/5 bedroom brick semi in central location. Wood floors, updated 1/2 baths on prime street. Updated kitchen, replacement windows, new kitchen and bathrooms, open floor plan, heating and AC. Private grounds, full wood floors, central air, beautiful lot.

Priced for quick sale. basement with lots of storage.

CROSS COUNTRY/PEARCE

WESTERN RUN

LE NAB EASO !

NO R REFUSED R OFFE

CED! REDU 385K NLY

NOW

RANCHLEIGH COUNTY

K 199 NLY

T

AC CONTR Fully renovated 4 BR, 3 BA colonial with Trex front porch and back wood deck.

Huge 20 x 17 storage garage, new HVAC, windows, siding, kitchen, stainless appliances & much more. See for yourself!

One-of-a-kind, completely renovated 3 level split with 2 story addition.

Five bedrooms plus in-law suite or offices. Luxurious master bedroom suite with designer bathroom and built-ins. Lots more. MUST SEE!

O

CED REDU

!

40K

D

SOL

Well-kept updated 3 BR home with den BEST BUY IN AREA! Sprawling 5 BR, addition! Remodeled kitchen with 3 Ba brick rancher with fully finished Magnificent renovated 4BR, 3 1/2 baths split adjacent laundry room. Updates include level home in pristine condition. Grand first Well built 3 BR,1 1/2 BA stone home windows, roof, AC, furnace, and hot water walk-out lower with complete in-law floor master bedroom with new, luxury heater. Finished lower level with large family suite. Huge beautifully landscaped lot, bathroom with tub and stall shower. Wood on prime 50x200 lot. Wood floors, room, bedroom, office, and storage room, new roof, updated kitchen with granite central air. Price reflects need for floors, replacement windows, cathedral beautiful landscaping. updating. See and make offer! counters and much more. ceilings, 2 fireplace’s and lots more.

Spacious 2 story, 4/5 Bedroom, 3 1/2 bath brick and stone home in sought after block. Brand new kitchen with granite counters, large pantry, wood floors, fireplace.

First floor family room, flagstone patio, updated roof, heating, and air conditioning.

Nearly 1/3 acre level lot. Must see!

JANUARY 8, 2015

CHESWOLDE-NEW HOMES

NEW

S PRE-CON EDIT! CR

EXPECTED AVAILABILITY: MARCH 1ST v

CHESWOLDE

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

JANUARY 8, 2015

10

Around the

Community

What a Mitzvah...Day! (Photo Essay)

By Rachel Moses

Jewish Volunteer Connection’s Community Mitzvah Day was a success!

On December 25, over 1,000 people volunteered in more than 20 projects - including soup kitchens, shelters, nursing homes, special needs programs/group homes and hospitals - throughout Baltimore. Six hundred of those volunteers came to the Jewish Community Centers to participate in various hands-on service projects and the assembly and delivery of 1,500 care packages donated to 10 service organizations.

More than 3,000 people were impacted by Mitzvah Day volunteers

BaltimoreJewishLife.com/Jeff Cohn

on December 24 and December 25.

The impact of volunteerism on our community is powerful and JVC has already begun to follow up with volunteers, partnering institutions and non-profit partners to inspire more hands-on involvement and to continue meeting community needs through volunteer engagement.

To become a volunteer go to Jvcbaltimore.org or call: 410-843-7490 email: volunteer@associated.org Don’t miss the next big service day: MLK Day January, 19, 2015.

Visit jvcbaltimore.org for more details.

The Schechter Family Presents...

n n n

n

n n n n n

n n n n n

Join the leaders in Passover Tours for another great Pesach at this beautiful oceanfront resort!

n n n n n

First child Free!

Our 20th spectacular year! directly on the beach Oversized newly renOvated rooms many with terraces Poolside fitness center with sauna & steam room children’s dining room superb day camp program Private seder rooms available Glatt kosher, strict supervision Gourmet cuisine with renowned Chef Andy Serano Cantor led or private seders Sumptuous “Tea Room” Top name entertainment Trips to major attractions Golf, tennis, watersports nearby Poolside BBQ’s Olympic-size pool + kids pool 2 min. to upscale Aventura Mall Daily services, shiurim, lectures Scholar-in-Residence Program

For reservations Call Caribbean Kosher tours:

1-800-327-8165

marcopolopassover@gmail.com

19201 cOllins ave, MiaMi Beach, FlOrida

www.MarcoPoloBeachresort.com

Jewish Home 4.65” x 5.875

Call Joy of aMit Children SoutheaSt Region:

954-922-5100

READY. SET. GLOW! Baltimore NCSY Chanukah Party!

Our glow-in-the-dark Chanukah Party was a huge success, as we celebrated with over 70 teens with glowing dreidel glasses, a sushi menorah, Emuna Shiller’s famous baked goods and of course, authentic sufganiyot and Latkes! We lit the menorah and sang Chanukah songs, learned to find our inner Maccabee, and topped it off

with an ice cream bar! A huge thank you goes out to Yocheved Sharaby, Sara Primak and everyone on Chapter Board for pulling together an unbelievable Chanukah celebration as well as a special thank you to Ohel Moshe for the use of their wonderful space.

Who’s excited for the Purim Party??

Around the

Community

By Margie Pensak

agency arranges Kashrus on the products they buy every day. This event was one of many educational events the STAR-K runs each year. Everyone on the STAR-K staff takes pleasure in teaching about Kashrus and we look

ran the gamut from Kosher basics to chumras, such as cholev Yisroel.

A chuckle was shared when Rabbi Goldberg concluded, “We are here to answer your questions, although we recommend that you ask your rabbi

for opportunities to do so.”

Some of the topics Rabbi Goldberg covered, using an array of STAR-K certified products as a backdrop for discussion, were: the spiritual aspect of keeping kosher; how things become kosher; the manufacturing process; how kosherization of plant equipment is necessary when it is also used for treif products; how products that involve more extensive supervision are more costly; and, products that you are allowed to buy without certification. An extensive Q & A session followed Rabbi Goldberg’s prsentation and the questions

first,” to which Rabbi Friedman added, “You can ask me if you want to, but there’s no point in it, since I’m just going to call the STAR-K, anyway--you might as well go right to the source!”

ASK was founded in 1987 under the guidance of Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg, z”l, then Rosh Hayeshiva of Yeshivas Ner Yisroel. Rabbi Friedman was one of five rabbis who learned at the yeshiva who moved to Atlanta from Baltimore to start an outreach Kollel, the first of its kind in the world. Since its inception, the Kollel has grown to over 10 member fami-

TA-PTA Lower School Chanuka Chagiga!

On Tuesday night, December 23, the TA-PTA helped the boys of the Pre-school and Elementary celebrate Zos Chanukah with its annual fun filled Chanukah Chagiga.

The TA multi-purpose room was packed with families enjoying face painting, games, soda, chips, doughnuts, and —

new for this year — a speed pitch machine!

Congratulations to Ephraim Weingot and Akiva Meth for coming the closest to guessing the correct number of Laffy Taffys and candies in the big jar: both guessing 250, which was just one short of the actual count of 251.

lies, founded an outreach synagogue, and continues to inspire over 1,000 students a month. The Kollel families open up their homes and hearts to all Jews—regardless of affiliation—creating both formal and informal learning opportunities throughout Atlanta.

The success of ASK’s STAR-K visit is reflected in two of the students’ remarks, shared after their return home. David Karsh, of Dunwoody, said, “Our visit to the STAR-K offices was one of the highlights of what was a very inspirational visit to Baltimore. Rabbi Zvi Goldberg was extremely generous with his time and offered exceptional insight into how the STAR-K oversees the Kashrus of an unbelievable array of foods produced in locations around the world.

The entire STAR-K staff was friendly, hospitable, and ensured our visit was memorable.”

Elan Hertzberg, of Atlanta, corroborated, remarking, “Going behind the scenes at the STAR-K was very inspiring. So much effort and care is put into making sure customers can put their trust in this reliable hechsher. I left feeling that this was way more than just a business and that they were meticulous in bringing Kedusha to the world through the service of Kashrus.”

JSU Builds Menorahs!

Over Chanukah, the JDSU clubs welcomed Chanukah by building their own menorahs! They learned about the conflict between the Greeks and the Jews, and the miracle of our unlimited potential that we celebrate

this holiday. This year’s Chanukah was much more meaningful after they sanded, hammered, screwed and perfected their own menorahs to light all 8 nights!

JANUARY 8, 2015

One of the first stops Rabbi Binyomin Friedman made in Baltimore, on Thursday, December 11, after flying up the night before from Atlanta, was STAR-K Kosher Certification. The dozen or so men, aged 30-60, who accompanied him were just some of his students at the Atlanta Scholars Kollel (ASK). The Kollel organized the trip for the purpose of providing the opportunity to learn in a Yeshiva— something that most of these men had never experienced in person.

“We spent Thursday through Sunday at Yeshivas Ner Yisroel,” says Rabbi Friedman, an alumnus of the yeshiva who is the Rav of Congregation Ariel in Dunwoody, Georgia, in addition to one of the founding rebbeim of ASK. “When we were not learning, we spent our time learning about the infrastructure of a frum community. The STAR-K was one of our first stops. Commercial Kashrus supervision is fundamental to the existence of the contemporary Jewish community. We also left ample opportunity to avail ourselves of the benefits of the STAR-K by stopping at as many Baltimore eating establishments as we could.”

STAR-K Kashrus Administrator Rabbi Zvi Goldberg, who addressed the ASK visitors while they were at STAR-K, said, “I very much enjoyed speaking to this group – they were highly motivated to hear how a major

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

STAR-K Visit Highlighted by Rav Binyomin Friedman on Atlanta Scholars Kollel Trip

11

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME JANUARY 8, 2015

12

13

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME JANUARY 8, 2015

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

JANUARY 8, 2015

14

JOIN DAF HAYOMI B’HALACHA, AND MASTER THE HALACHOS OF DAILY LIVING! .‫וצריך כל אדם ללמוד הלכות בכל יום כדי שהלימוד יביאנו לידי מעשה‬... ,‫ אך שיזהר ללמוד בכל יום‬,‫ועל ידי לימוד ההלכות מובטח האדם לידי חיי עולם הבא‬ ...'‫ תנא דבי אליהו כל השונה הלכות בכל יום וכו‬:‫כדאיתא בגמרא‬ ‫—מתוך ההקדמה של החפץ חיים זצ"ל להמשנה ברורה‬

Thousands worldwide are joined together and have benefitted from Daf HaYomi B’Halacha’s daily limud of Mishnah Berurah and Mussar from Sifrei Chofetz Chaim.

Gedolei Yisrael have endorsed and encouraged Dirshu’s Daf HaYomi B’Halacha program’s unique retention and accountability methods, as a way to master Halacha.

Now it's easier than ever to join Daf HaYomi B’Halacha, the largest worldwide daily Halacha program: Join LIVE shiurim worldwide!

Receive a daily e-newsletter!

Listen live to shiurim on Kol Haloshon USA: 718-906-6400 Canada: 416-800-2146

Daily Radio Segment

Optional Bechinos

Monthly Bulletin

Receive a FREE Luach!

TO JOIN, OR ESTABLISH A DAF HAYOMI B’HALACHA SHIUR, CONTACT DIRSHU AT 888-5-DIRSHU x.106

15

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

HEED THE CALL OF OUR GEDOLIM!

JANUARY 8, 2015

‘‘

Sar HaTorah

When visited by Hanhalas Dirshu, Harav Kanivesky was very gratified to hear about the success of the Daf HaYomi B’Halacha program and the fact that new learners were joining every day.

“Wonderful, wonderful,” he exclaimed, saying it was a “mitzvah gedolah, a great mitzvah” to engage in daily learning of Mishnah Berurah. In his understated way, Rav Chaim also acknowledged that daily learning of Mishnah Berurah has the power to bring the geulah.

HAGAON HARAV CHAIM PINCHOS SCHEINBERG, ZT''L Rosh HaYeshiva, Yeshivas Torah Ore

“Baruch Hashem today we have the Mishnah Berurah, a sefer that helps make it easier to learn and know Halacha. Hashem should bless the entire Hanhalas Dirshu that you should be able to fulfill your mission…and be zocheh to expand the learning of Torah and specifically to continue to strengthen the learning of Mishnah Berurah.”

‘‘ ‘‘

‘‘

HAGAON HARAV AHARON LEIB SHTEINMAN, SHLITA Maran, Rosh HaYeshiva, Orchos Torah

“Do you know that when Rav Meir Shapiro first instituted the Daf Yomi many felt that it would not be successful over the long run, and after the easier masechtos were done, the whole program would just fizzle out.

Look now at how many tens of thousands are finishing Shas with every machzor. The Daf Yomi ensured that so many people who would otherwise never finish Shas have become Shas Yidden. The same will transpire with the Daf HaYomi B’Halacha!”

HAGAON HARAV YITZCHOK SCHEINER, SHLITA Rosh HaYeshiva, Kamenitz

“There is nothing more important than learning a page of Mishnah Berurah every day. There is no better way to increase one’s desire to learn than by learning and joining. There is no learner of Daf HaYomi B’Halacha who can say, “I didn’t need to do this! Mishnah Berurah is something that virtually everyone needs to learn and wants to learn. There is no sefer as pleasant as the Mishnah Berurah...”

HAGAON HARAV GERSHON EDELSTEIN, SHLITA Rosh HaYeshiva, Ponevezh

“Consistent and fixed times for learning Halacha leads to its proper fulfillment.

It is known that people who weren’t so careful with Halacha, once they started to learn Halachos regularly, became meticulous in their adherence to Mitzvos - real tzadikim….as learning Halacha has an impact on one’s Yiras Shomayim as well!”

THIS COMING ADAR/NISAN 5775, SPRING 2015, JOIN LOMDEI TORAH FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE AS DAF HAYOMI B’HALACHA MARKS THE CULMINATION OF ITS INAUGURAL 7 YEAR CYCLE OF LEARNING MISHNAH BERURAH, IN A WORLD SIYUM.

WORLD SIYUM

‫ העולמי‬‫דרשו סיו‬ ‫ היומי בהלכה‬‫ של ד‬‫למחזור הראשו‬ —— SPRING 2015 ——

Bottom Line Marketing Group: 718.377.4567

‘‘

HAGAON HARAV CHAIM KANIVESKY, SHLITA

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

JANUARY 8, 2015

16

The Week Global The Business of Human Trafficking

Last week, the Blue Sky M cargo ship was intercepted by Italian authorities on its way to Italy. But ship wasn’t just carrying packages; there were 768 Syrian migrants aboard.

Sarkas Rani, a 36-year-old Syrian, was the captain of the human trafficking vessel. He related that he was contacted in Turkey by human traffickers who had posted notices on Facebook offering clandestine passage to Europe for $5,000 for individuals, or $4,500 per person in groups of 25 or more.

“They promised me $15,000 and the possibility of sending my entire family over,” Rani was quoted as saying by La Repubblica, which used transcripts of a police interrogation after the Syrian was arrested December 31 in the Italian port of Gallipoli.

According to La Repubblica, Rani acknowledged having left the bridge to hide among the migrant passengers once he had set the ship’s autopilot toward Italy’s southern shore.

When bad weather made sailing dangerous, he approached Greek authorities and was given permission to take protective harbor until the sea calmed. The Greeks never boarded the ship to check the ship’s contents.

He once again set off to Italy once the seas had calmed.

After detecting the Blue Sky M and getting no response to radio messages, Italian naval officers were lowered onto the ship by helicopter, then brought it under control and towed the

In News

vessel and its passengers into Gallipoli.

Two days later, another cargo ship abandoned by its crew was intercepted by the Italian navy and towed to port.

The 360 migrant passengers of that vessel similarly told authorities they’d paid traffickers between $4,000 and $8,000 for passage to Europe.

that it does not discriminate against tourists based on religious affiliation, some would-be visitors in the past have reported having trouble obtaining a visa after identifying as Jewish.

Saudi Arabia is the only Gulf state that still bans the establishment of houses of worship belonging to religions besides Islam.

Saudi Arabia: Be Jewish, Just Not Israeli

Stampede in Shanghai Leaves 35 Dead

Good news for anyone on the job hunt. According to the Saudi Labor Ministry, Jews are officially allowed to work Saudi Arabia. The Labor Ministry’s website now lists Judaism as one of the ten religions acceptable for foreign workers to practice. Among the other options were “Communism” and “no religion.”

To clear up any confusion, an unnamed government source recently said work permits were issued based on nationality, and not religion, and there was no official ban issuing work visas to Jews, only Israelis. “We bar entry [into Saudi Arabia] only to those with Israeli citizenship. Other than that, we are open to most nationalities and religions,” he said. “For example, if a worker is a citizen of Yemen but practices Judaism, the [Saudi] Embassy [in Yemen] would not object to issuing him a work visa for the kingdom,” the source added.

Saudi Arabia, which has some of the most restrictive travel policies in the world, does not grant visas to Israelis or people with Israeli visa stamps in their passport. And although the government has officially said

In Shanghai, China, a New Year’s Eve celebration quickly turned into a tragedy when a stampede broke out killing at least 35 people and wounding 43.

Authorities said that on the city’s famed waterfront tourist strip known as the Bund, large crowds started to stampede in Chen Yi Square shortly before midnight. The cause of the stampede still remains unclear. Photographs on Weibo, the Chinese version of Twitter, showed densely packed crowds of celebrators along the Bund, which is lined with buildings from Shanghai’s pre-Communist heyday on the bank of the Huangpu River.

Authorities working at the scene attempted to rescue and assist the injured. In some pictures, rescue workers can be seen trying to resuscitate victims lying on the pavement while ambulances waited nearby. The official Xinhua news agency said many of the injured were students.

By daybreak on Thursday, small crowds of partygoers lingered trying to find taxis home and workers began cleaning up the trash and debris scattered around the area.

Authorities had shown some concern about crowd control in the days leading up to New Year’s Eve. They recently canceled an annual 3D laser

show on the Bund that attracted as many as 300,000 people last year.

Saudi Airlines to Impose Separate Seating

After complaints from men who said they did not want their wives sitting next to other men, Saudi Airlines has said they will be implementing separate seating for its male and female passengers.

“There are solutions to this problem… we will soon enforce rules that will satisfy all passengers,” Saudi Airlines’ assistant manager for marketing, Abdul Rahman Al Fahd, was quoted as saying.

According to the report, close relatives of different genders will be allowed to sit together.

Saudi Arabia enforces a strict segregation of males and females in public spaces and forbids women from driving motor vehicles. Women are required to wear a headscarf and loose, black robes in public.

Operators of flights to and from Israel have faced similar complaints from men who refused to sit next to women. Some recent flights were delayed when passengers refused to sit down in their designated seats.

A recent petition called on El Al to protect its female travelers by reserving “a few rows of separate … seating on every flight, where for a fee, those passengers who need such seating can pre-book their seats and not annoy or coerce other passengers before takeoff to change seats with them — thereby avoiding arguments, bullying, and delayed take-off.”

The Week

Qatar Deports Hamas Leader

leader has severed ties with those in the Arab world. He was expelled from Jordan in August 1999 and broke ties with the Assad regime in Syria in January 2012. Turkey, though, may be open to hosting the terrorist. The country has welcomed Saleh Al-Arouri, another leader of Hamas, to its land.

Terrorist Responsible for Killing of Three Israeli Teenagers Convicted On July 11, Hussam Kawasme,

JANUARY 8, 2015

After hosting Khaled Mashaal for the past three years, Qatar has deported the Hamas leader. The move, which was first reported on Sunday by a Turkish newspaper, was denied by the terrorist group.

According to a report in left-wing Turkish newspaper Aydınlık, Qatar has faced significant pressure from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to deport Mashaal amid a diplomatic reconciliation process currently underway between the small Gulf state and the Arab world.

According to CNN, citing a Hamas-run news agency, Mashaal and other Muslim Brotherhood members were most likely to head to Turkey.

In a written message on Tuesday, Israel’s Foreign Ministry congratulated Qatar for its decision to deport Mashaal. “The Foreign Ministry, led

by Minister Avigdor Liberman, has advanced various moves to cause Qatar to carry out this step and stop aiding Hamas, directly and indirectly.

To this end, Minister Liberman and the ministry’s professional staff have acted in overt and covert tracks with Qatar and other states. We expect the Turkish government to now follow suit,” the Foreign Ministry’s statement read.

Despite the revelations, Izzat alRishq, a Hamas official, denied the reports. “There is no truth to reports by certain media concerning the departure of Khaled Mashaal from Qatar,” he wrote on his Facebook page on Tuesday afternoon.

According to Arab media reports,

the deal between Egypt and Qatar last month included the closing of anti-Sissi Qatari news channel Al-Jazeera Mubasher Misr on December 22; the extradition of Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood members from Qatar to Egypt; and a halt to Qatar’s funding of the Muslim Brotherhood.

If Mashaal has indeed been deported, it is not the first time the Hamas

In News

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

Israel

17

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME JANUARY 8, 2015

18

19

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME JANUARY 8, 2015

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

JANUARY 8, 2015

20

The Week 40, was arrested in connection with the kidnapping of three Israeli teenagers. On Wednesday, an Israeli military court convicted the Palestinian man for masterminding the abduction and murder of Gil-ad Shaar, Naftali Fraenkel and Eyal Yifrach hy”d.

Kawasme is responsible for planning and financing the attack. He was also accused of trading war equipment, obstruction of justice, and harboring wanted fugitives, but has not yet been convicted of those charges.

Previously, Kawasme served six years in an Israeli prison for his involvement in other Hamas terror attacks.

Upon his arrest in the summer, he admitted to his role in the attack and also gave police information on other family members and acquaintances involved. The three teens were snatched from a hitchhiking post in Gush Etzion in the central West Bank. It is believed that the boys were shot in the escape vehicle shortly after they were abducted.

According to the Shin Bet General Security Services, the two men primarily responsible for planning the attack were Hussam and his brother, Mahmoud Kawasme. Mahmoud, who lives in Gaza, was released in 2011 from a 20-year sentence in an Israeli prison for his role in a 2004 suicide attack in Beersheba and exiled, as part of the Gilad Shalit deal, to the Hamas-controlled coastal enclave.

Supposedly, Hussam asked his brother for, and received, NIS 220,000 ($61,000) in cash in order to fund the attack. The money was hand-delivered to Hussam’s mother in envelopes and then used to purchase two rifles and two handguns from Adnan Zaro, 34,

of Hebron, and two cars, one for the abduction and one for the escape.

The two men responsible for the actual kidnapping and murders, Marwan Kawasme and Amer Abu Aysha, were both killed during a September arrest attempt in Hebron. IDF forces descended on the house where the suspects were believed to be hiding.

After the terrorists refused to surrender, forces fired on the home and both murderers were killed.

The Shin Bet believes that after the two terrorists disposed of the bodies and torched the newly stolen Hyundai used for the kidnapping, Marwan Kawasme arrived at Hussam’s house and explained the complications in the plan. The two then decided to retrieve the bodies and bury them on a plot of land that Hussam had recently purchased.

On June 30, the bodies were discovered by an Israeli search team in a field outside Hebron. Hussam planned to flee to Jordan with forged papers, but was arrested before he had the chance to do so in the Shuafat refugee camp in East Jerusalem. On July 1, the state dropped a self-imposed ban on house demolitions that had been in place since 2005. Security forces destroyed Kawasme’s home in Hebron in August.

From Suicide Attack to the IDF

Eighteen years ago, at the age of six months, Shani Winter was injured in a bombing in Tel Aviv and rescued by a female officer at the scene. The heroic rescue was captured on camera.

The baby was dressed in a clown costume in honor of Purim and the irony of the tragic image quickly become an iconic photo of the 1997 suicide bombing.

In News This year, that little girl turned eighteen, and on Sunday, she was drafted into the IDF with the policewoman who saved her at her side to see her off. The officer, Ziona Busheri, accompanied Shani to the induction center at Tel Hashomer along with her father, sister, and grandmother.

However, there was one person who was missing from this momentous occasion: Shani’s mother.

On March 21, 1997, on the eve of Purim, Shani was taken to the café by her mother, Anat, to meet with Anat’s good friend, Yael Gilad. At 1:40pm, a suicide bomber entered the cafe and set off his bomb. Anat and Yael were killed immediately, along with Dr. Michal Avrahami, and 48 others were wounded. Baby Shani, who was in her stroller, was saved. “Mom simply covered me with her body. It was more important to her to protect me than herself,” Shani told Yedioth Ahronoth in an interview published two weeks ago.

“I’m the baby from the Café Apropo bombing, and I’ll carry that for the rest of my life,” said Shani, who was raised by her father Micky. “I’m jealous of my friends who have mothers. I don’t know what it’s like to have a mother. On the other hand, I find comfort in the fact my mother saved me. That I was a part of her, and she protected me.”

Over the years, the Busheris and the Winters have been in contact regularly. Shani’s grandmother, Zehava, is a close friend of Busheri, who has three children of her own.

“It’s very moving for me, very important to me; I’ve also adopted them,” Busheri told Channel 2. “I’ll never forget that day.” “Memories of this awful bombing accompany me every day. I will never forget the moment I picked Shani up and ran to search for her family. And here she is, the baby we all remember has grown up and is joining the IDF. I embrace her and cross my fingers that she succeeds.”

Mickey Winter, Shani’s father, said that he first discovered that his wife and infant daughter were at the bombing after he identified the baby in Busheri’s arms on TV. Mr. Winter said that his daughter is passionate about serving in the army along with

her peers. “It’s too bad her mother isn’t here,” he added. “She would have been excited, too.”

Shani has now come full circle.

She will be protecting her country and the citizens of Israel against those who plan attacks against our nation. “I’m very excited about this new journey and the interesting and challenging role I’ll have in my army service,” Shani said.

Israel Erased From Middle East Maps

In a shameful omission, the Britain-based HarperCollins publishing house has removed Israel from maps in atlases that it sells to English-speaking schools in the Middle East. Collins Bartholomew, a map-publishing company that is a subsidiary of HarperCollins, said that including Israel in its “Collins Primary Geography Atlas for the Middle East” would have been “unacceptable” to their customers in the Gulf, and leaving Israel off the maps incorporated “local preferences.”

The atlas is advertised by the company as being “developed specifically for schools in the Middle East,” according to its website. “The maps give in-depth coverage of the region and its issues,” it also states. While Israel is not demarcated on the maps, the West Bank is clearly labeled.

Dr. Jane Clements, director of the United Kingdom’s Council of Christians and Jews, said: “Maps can be a very powerful tool in terms of delegitimizing ‘the other’…We would be keen to see relevant bodies ensure that all atlases anywhere reflect the official United Nations position on nations, boundaries and all political features.”

Last year, Scholastic publishing

The Week

It is quite a testament to the love the Jewish people have for Israel that in a year filled with war and tension, 2014 was a record-breaking year for aliyah. According to the end-of-year figures released by the Jewish Agency for Israel and the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption, aliyah hit a 10-year high in 2014 – with the arrival of about 26,500 fresh immigrants. This marks a 32% increase compared to the approximately 20,000 immigrants who made aliyah to Israel in 2013.

For the first time in Israel’s history, France has topped the list of countries of origin for immigrants to Israel – 7,000 new immigrants from France arrived in Israel in 2014, more than twice as much as the 3,400 French immigrants who arrived last year.

Furthermore, about 5,840 new immigrants came to Israel from Ukraine, compared to 2,020 in 2013. The 190% immigration increase was primarily due to the ongoing instability in the eastern part of Ukraine.

Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky said, “2014 was a year of record-breaking aliyah. This year also saw a historic shift: for the first time in Israel’s history, the number of immigrants who came to Israel from the free world is greater than that of im-

Netanyahu Wins Primary

Miri Regev was also said to break into the top five, followed by Energy and Water Minister Silvan Shalom, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon, Yariv Levin, Ze’ev Elkin, and Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz.

Danon, a former deputy defense minister sacked by Netanyahu, who came in fifth in the last primaries, did not make the top 10. Late Wednesday, Danon conceded defeat and congratulated the prime minister, calling for party unity ahead of national elections set for March 17. “From the emerging results, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu won the election,” Danon said soon after the ballot boxes closed. “I congratulate the prime minister and wish him success.”

Netanyahu voted at the polling station in the Jerusalem Convention Center with his wife, Sara. “These primaries will decide who will receive authority to lead Likud and safeguard the State,” he said. “We need a good list and I asked for the right to hold two slots. Likud is among the few factions that have democratic internal elections.”

It’s Never too Early to Teach Hate

Don’t wave shalom to Prime Minister Netanyahu just yet…

Wednesday’s Likud leadership race confirmed what experts predicted: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu won with 80 percent of the votes, beating his only contender, Danny Danon, who garnered just 20% of the ballots.

According to estimates, 55% of registered Likud members cast their ballots on Wednesday. The Likud’s 96,000 registered party supporters also chose the party’s Knesset list. According to preliminary results, Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein was in the lead for the second slot on the list under Netanyahu, followed by Interior Minister Gilad Erdan and Tourism Minister Yisrael Katz.

Here’s a glimpse into motherhood in radical Islamist culture.

Every parenting book agrees that children are highly impressionable at a young age, and a recent publication that serves as a radical Islamist guide for mothers agrees. The goal of promoting and teaching violence starts when children are only toddlers.

The “Sister’s Role in Jihad” has been posted online to jihadist websites recommending “appropriate” bedtime

stories and teaching children to play darts. Details of the book were described by the U.S.-based Middle East Media Research Institute in advance of an upcoming report on how radical Islamists indoctrinate children. The book recommends, in line with Western psychology, that training should begin as early as possible and warns that even toddlers can be led astray.

“Don’t underestimate the lasting effect of what those little ears and eyes take in during the first few years of life!” the book says.

The guide suggests that teaching jihad should be fun. Children should visit jihadi websites, hear jihadi bedtime stories, and play games that perfect their aim so that they can eventually kill the enemy with great precision. Practicing with toy guns is recommended, although mothers should “make it very clear who their target should be and who their target should not be.”

In addition, the guide dictates that television should be banned because “it mostly teaches shamelessness, anarchy, and random violence.” You know, as opposed to targeted killing of Jews, Israelis, and Americans.

“As we move into 2015, al Qaeda and its affiliates, ISIS, and other jihadi groups worldwide continue to invest a lot of effort in indoctrination of the next generation of fighters,” said Steven Stalinsky, the executive director of the Middle East Media Research Institute.

“No matter what happens in Iraq and Syria in the near future, the next generation – the children of [Islamic State “caliph” Abu Bakr al-] Baghdadi and grandchildren of [Osama] bin Laden — have already been brainwashed to hate the West and to strive for jihad and martyrdom,” he said.

The authors of the parenting guide are unknown but according to the report, it has been posted to various jihadist websites along with gruesome images of children holding guns, or in some cases, severed heads.

“They have been trained on the battlefield and know how to create bombs and suicide belts and to behead and crucify the innocent,” Stalinsky said. “This is something we must be prepared for and understand.”

JANUARY 8, 2015

More and More Making Aliyah

migrants fleeing the countries in distress. This trend is evidence of Israel’s attractiveness as a place where it’s good to live, as well as of the success of our joint efforts to promote aliyah and strengthen connections between Jews around the world and the State of Israel.”

Minister of Immigrant Absorption Sofa Landver expects “that some 10,000 new immigrants will come from France alone next year, and we will surpass 30,000 immigrants from around the world – and even more.”

At the top of the list of cities that took in the most new immigrants in 2014 is Tel Aviv, which welcomed 3,054 new citizens. Following Tel Aviv, the coastal city of Netanya came in second place, embracing 2,923 new immigrants, and Jerusalem came in third place with 2,808 new immigrants moving to the holy city.

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

house came under fire after a children’s book it published erased Israel from the map. In the book, “Thea Stilton and the Blue Scarab Hunt,” a map of the region showed Jordan completely covering Israeli territory.

Scholastic has since apologized, calling the map an “error” and promising to add Israel in the next printed edition.

In News

21

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

JANUARY 8, 2015

22

The Week Jerusalem Unity Prize Remembers our Achdut

The Jerusalem Unity Prize has been established in memory of the three Israeli teens who were kidnapped and murdered by Palestinian terrorists last June.

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat announced the award on Thursday in a video featuring the mothers of the three victims, Gil-ad Shaar, Eyal Yifrach, and Naftali Fraenkel hy”d.

The mothers called on all Jews across the world “to take a deep breath [and] bridge the gaps that divide us.” The boys’ mothers became a symbol of unity during the 18-day ordeal following the kidnapping.

The prize was developed in partnership with the families of the three boys and Jerusalem-based organization Gesher as a way to perpetuate the spirit of unity which existed across Israel and around the world during the days following the kidnapping. The award will be presented in three separate categories: Individuals or Organizations, Social Initiatives, and Israel and the Diaspora, each with prizes of up to $25,000. Winners will be selected from a committee chaired by Barkat, the parents of the three boys, and dignitaries from Israel and the Diaspora.

“While grappling with the unknown question of the fate of their sons, the Yifrach, Shaer and Fraenkel families taught the entire world a remarkable lesson in courage and showed us that unity is a value that enables us to overcome even the greatest challenges,” Barkat said. “The Jerusalem Unity Prize will spread this message from Jerusalem across the world and become the eternal legacy of these three remarkable young men.”

In addition, an exceptional Unity Day is being planned for June 3, 2015 in Jerusalem where the awards will be presented alongside programming to promote unity initiatives. The event is planned to be held on the one year anniversary of the boys’ deaths.

The prize is funded by Ira and Ingeborg Rennert, Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein, Robert and Amy Book, David and Sarena Koschitzky and the UJA Federation of New York.

National No More Tiger Selfies and Other Strange Laws for 2015

It’s a new calendar year and with that comes a whole bunch of new laws, some relevant, and others quite bizarre.

If you’re a teenage in Nevada, you better show up to school regularly or else you may be denied your driver’s license. Students who are declared habitually truant could be delayed from obtaining a driver’s license, or could have their license suspended. Talking about driving, in California and Connecticut, drivers’ licenses will be available for all adults even those that are in the country illegally. In Florida, all children aged 4 and 5 will be required to sit in a child safety seat or booster seat.

In Massachusetts, direct-to-consumer wine shipping has been approved, meaning out-of-state wineries will be allowed to ship goods to residents of Massachusetts this year.

L’chaim!

If you are a chicken or other livestock in California, you were just grant-

In News ed more living space. A ballot initiative approved by voters in 2008 takes effect, restricting the confinement of egg-laying hens, breeding sows, and veal calves. The Humane Society of the United States says the law goes further than any other in the country when coupled with a law signed by former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that extends the space requirements for egg-laying hens to out-of-state suppliers. More space for each chicken, means less chickens, which means less eggs…Better start liking tofu.

The average voting age is 18 but in Louisiana, residents can register to vote as young as 16. Just to be clear, they may only register at that age but they may only begin voting at 18.

New York, Rhode Island, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Maryland, and Massachusetts have all increased their minimum wage this year.

Hope you got your tiger selfies in last year because effective early February, tiger selfies are banned in New York. What is a tiger selfie? Well, it’s a cell phone photo of yourself with a lion, tiger, or other big cat. The measure, which specifically prohibits contact between members of the public and big cats at animal shows, passed after self-portraits with the animals started becoming more popular online, particularly with some young men on dating sites.

And while we have your attention, New Yorkers, as of January 1, all consumers are required to recycle old computers, televisions and video game consoles.

2015 is going to be a fun year!

Is the NYPD Slowing Down?

There has been a dropdown in arrests by the NYPD in recent weeks.

Is it coincidence or a deliberate slowdown by the police force? That’s what New York Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said will be investigated—to see if the force was intentionally slacking off in the midst of a tense time between the mayor and the police.

Any New York City police officers refusing to make arrests or issue traffic violations to express their dis-

satisfaction with Mayor Bill de Blasio will face forceful consequences, the department’s top cop said on Monday.

“We’re watching that very closely,” Bratton said. He’s ordering a “comprehensive review of what has been happening,” drilling down to the precinct and squad car level to determine who is working and who may be dropping the ball.

According to the Daily News, the number of summonses in the city is down 90 percent for the week ending Sunday, while arrests are down 56 percent compared to the year before. The steep drop in arrests follows several public incidents in which hundreds of police officers turned their backs to the mayor. They first turned as the mayor arrived at a New York City hospital after the killing of two police officers, Wenjian Liu and Raphael Ramos, by a man apparently seeking revenge for two deaths involving police officers.

The officers turned their backs again, first at Ramos’s funeral and then at Liu’s funeral this Sunday, to express their dissatisfaction with de Blasio’s treatment of the NYPD. De Blasio’s critics have charged that the mayor inflamed anti-police tensions by sympathizing with those protesting the treatment of Brown and Garner.

“At this time, I would not use the term slowdown,” Bratton said. But he added that if he determines that the drop in arrests is part of an organized effort on the part of police, “we will deal with it very forcefully.” Despite the apparent slacking in summonses and arrests, there was a 4.6 decline in major crimes last year.

Last month, de Blasio called for a moratorium on protests against excessive use of police force until after both officers had been buried. Now that they have both been laid to rest, protests are likely to resume. The city

The Week

Surge in Cubans Heading to the U.S.

that is crazy.”

The Coast Guard says the significant increase in the number of Cuban migrants has been prompted by rumors that an abrupt end is coming as soon as January 15 to the so-called wet foot-dry foot policy that usually shields Cubans from deportation if they reach U.S. shores. U.S. officials are denying any immediate changes to policy. “There is no change to immigration law. This rumor is just putting people in harm’s way. The rumors are just not true,” Somma pointed out.

The overall number of migrants making risky sea voyages toward U.S. shores from the Caribbean, including Cuba and other countries, has spiked in the past year. According to the Coast Guard, in the fiscal year that ended September 30, U.S. authorities captured, intercepted or chased away at least 5,585 Haitians, 3,940 Cubans and hundreds from the Dominican Republic and other Caribbean countries attempting to sneak into the country.

For nearly 50 years, Cubans have

Looking to Reinvent Your Home?

Call Today for a Free Consultation

410-559-0000

ADDITION Be fo re

Aug ust 2014

ADDITION

After

MHBR #126 ; MHIC #39601

had a unique privilege. The Cuban Adjustment Act has given them a virtually guaranteed path to legal residency and eventual citizenship. Over the years, hundreds of thousands of Cubans have taken perilous raft trips to Florida and land journeys through Central America and Mexico with the knowledge that they would not be deported. Those caught at sea, though, are generally sent home.

The New Face of Congress 2015 The 114th Congress convened for the first time this week and there are a lot of new faces. In 2015, a total of 96 racial minorities will serve in Congress. A record 104 women will represent their states, and for the first time, African-American members of both genders and representing both parties will be among the ranks on

✓ New Construction ✓ Additions / Renovations ✓ Light Commercial Decembe r 2014

JANUARY 8, 2015

Spurred on by the hope of a better life, more and more Cubans are flee-

ing Cuba and heading for the Florida shores. In fact, in just the last few weeks, the Coast Guard says they have noticed a surge in Cubans fleeing the country.

U.S. authorities have captured, intercepted or chased away 421 Cubans since December 17, mostly in the Florida Straits, said Lt. Cmdr. Gabe Somma, spokesman for the Coast Guard’s 7th District in Miami. In comparison, in all of December 2013, the Coast Guard only encountered 222 migrants fleeing Cuba. The surge is primarily due to the recent announcement of reconciliation between the two countries. Cubans are hoping to capitalize on the warmth between Cuba and the United States—before things possibly change once again.

Some Cubans, though, are still aware of the dangers of heading to America in small craft in open waters.

“I’m crazy to leave, but I’m not going to throw myself into the sea, I’m not going to do it,” Juan Moreno, 34, said in Havana on Monday. “He who does

In News

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

has spent $35 million so far to police the demonstrations, according to the department.

23

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

JANUARY 8, 2015

24

The Week Capitol Hill.

There are 100 senators and 435 seats in the House. There will be 246 Republicans and 188 Democrats in the House. One seat is vacant following the resignation of Rep. Michael Grimm, R-N.Y., who pleaded guilty to a felony tax evasion charge. The Senate has 54 Republicans and 44 Democrats, plus two independents this year — Maine’s Angus King and Vermont’s Bernie Sanders.

Among new female lawmakers is Elise Stefanik. The 30-year-old New York Republican is the youngest woman ever elected to the House. Also making history is Mia Love, 38, whose election to a suburban Salt Lake City district made her the first black female Republican to win a seat in Congress.

Forty four African-Americans will serve in the House, including Love and another black Republican freshman, Will Hurd of Texas.

There are 34 Hispanic lawmakers in Congress this year, including 10 Republicans, as well as 10 Asian-Americans and two Native Americans, both Oklahoma Republicans.

This Congress is seeing a lot of fresh faces. 43 Republicans and 15 Democrats were sworn in as House

freshmen. The Senate also welcomed 13 new members — 12 Republicans and one Democrat, Gary Peters of Michigan.

Jury Selection in Process for Boston Marathon Bomber

On Monday, a difficult jury selection process began for Dzhokar Tsarnaev, 21, one of the two brothers accused of planning and carrying out the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.

The April 15 attack left three dead and over 260 wounded in the most devastating mass-casualty attack on U.S. soil since September 11, 2001.

Tsarnaev is a naturalized U.S. citizen and could receive the death penalty if convicted in federal court in Boston. He has pleaded not guilty to all 30 charges against him.

Some 1,200 prospective jurors have been summoned to U.S. District Court in Boston. Judge George O’Toole will seek to narrow down that group to a panel of 12 jurors and six alternates to hear a trial expected to last three to five months.

Initially, Tsarnaev’s lawyers attempted to have the case transferred out of Boston but their request was denied. His attorneys argued that it

Voice Lessons

with Cantor Allan Berman

All Baalei Tefiloh, Singers, Teachers, Rebbeim...

Trouble with high notes? Hoarse?

Graphics by Leah Mostofsky

Learn to speak, sing , and daven correctly and with the correct Nusach and melodies!

Call: 410-733-0996 or 410-486-0491 Email: arberman18@gmail.com

In News is impossible to find an unbiased jury due to the intense news coverage surrounding the attack and the fact that thousands of people attended the race or hid in their homes during a daylong lockdown in the greater Boston area following the bombing when the suspects were still on the loose. However, experts countered that it will be practically impossible to find jurors uninformed of the details of the bombing even outside of Boston.

“This case presents unique difficulty in terms of seating a jury that will be able to analyze the case fairly,” said former federal prosecutor Thomas Peisch, an attorney with the Boston law firm Conn Kavanaugh. “This incident is seared into the consciousness of people who live in Massachusetts.”

The Tsarnaev brothers were Muslim ethnic Chechens whose family immigrated to the United States about a decade before the attack, settling in Cambridge, Massachusetts, just outside Boston. According to prosecutors, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev scrawled messages on the inside of the hull of the dry-docked boat where he was found taking refuge four days after the attack that clearly implied the attack was politically motivated. According to court documents, the messages read, “The U.S. government is killing our innocent civilians” and “I can’t stand to see such evil go unpunished.”

Tsarnaev’s lawyers are expected to argue that the younger of the two’s actions were highly influenced by the older brother, Tamerlan. Tamerlan was a boxer that is also suspected of having a role in a 2011 triple murder in Waltham, Massachusetts, a suspicion that was only detected after the Boston attack. He was killed in a shootout with authorities while on the run after the Boston bombing.

time.

Overall, the top baby boys’ name in New York City last year was Jayden and the top girls’ name was Sophia, for the second year in a row. However, among white babies, Esther was the third most popular girls’ name, trailed

by Sarah, Leah, Rachel, Chaya, Miriam, and Chana. The name Leah was the seventh most popular overall for girls, regardless of ethnicity, up from number nine last year.

This may not be that shocking, considering that New York City is probably the most highly concentrated Orthodox city in the world, aside from Israeli cities. Orthodox families generally have large families and celebrate many births throughout the year.

The most popular boys’ names last year included Moshe (#4), together with other biblical names also common among non-Jews, like David, Joseph, Daniel, Benjamin, and Jacob.

According to the report, 120,457 babies were born in New York City in 2013—that’s a whole lot of diapers!

Longtime Sports Anchor Succumbs to Cancer

Top Baby Names Include Moshe, Chaya, Miriam NYC’s Health Department released its annual ranking of the most popular baby names of the year. Some of the names on the list were surprising; others were names that we see every year—and hear at the park all the

ESPN news anchor Stuart Scott died this week at the age of 49. The famously upbeat and outspoken sports

25

NOBODY SELLS MORE REAL ESTATE THAN RE/MAX.®

SHELBURNE ROAD

OWNERS RELOCATING Beautiful sprawling 5BR/4BA home in Dumbarton. Modern updated kitchen with granite counters, stainless appliances & adj. breakfast room. Formal living room & dining room with hardwood floors. Upper level master bedroom suite with balcony and study. Lower level rec room, bedroom & bath. 2-car garage.

Fabulous 3-4BR/2BA Rancher with everything all on one level - no steps.

Spacious living room. Separate dining room. Modern eat-in kitchen with stainless appliances. Large den could easily be used as a 4th bedroom. Beautiful backyard with storage shed.

Beautiful newly renovated 5BR/3BA detached home. Glemaing hardwood floors on main level. Gourmet kitchen with granite counters & stainless appliances. Upper level has a large master bedroom & master bath with whirlpool tub & separate area with 2 sinks. There is also a large bonus room on the upper level. Finished lower level with family room, 2 bedrooms & full bath.

$299,900

$279,000

$649,000 PARK VILLAGE $144,900

STEVENSON VILLAGE

Move right into this beautiful 3BR/2.5BA townhome. Sunken living room with fireplace & sliders leading to fenced in patio area. Separate dining room.

Modern kitchen with sliders leading to private patio. Master bedroom suite with walk-in closet & master bath with steam shower. Spacious 2nd and 3rd bedrooms. Plenty of storage.

WALLIS AVENUE $229,995

PAVILLION IN THE PARK PARK TOWERS WEST

3BR/1FB/2HB brick semidetached home. Living room & dining room have hardwood floors. First floor powder room.

New carpeting in the bedrooms.

Finished lower level has a family room, powder room & large laundry / utility room. Spacious rear yard.

THE ELMONT

Move right into this well maintained 2BR/2BA mid-level unit. New carpet and freshly painted throughout.

Living room & dining room with sliders leading to the enclosed porch/balcony. Eat-in kitchen with laundry area. Spacious master bedroom suite with walk-in closet.

Bright & spacious 2BR/2BA unit with balcony. Beautiful light-filled living room & dining room. Spacious eat-in kitchen.

Lovely master bedroom suite with walkin closet, dressing area & bath with separate tub. Garage parking. Full service building.

Bright & spacious well cared for 2BR/2BA unit in luxury full service building. Modern eat-in kitchen with updated appliances. Large living room & dining room with sliders leading to the balcony. Master bedroom suite has an updated master bath with walk-in tub. Second bedroom with built-ins.

Laundry room in unit.

Large 2BR/2BA + den unit. Spacious living room. Separate dining room with built-ins & sliders leading to the balcony. Eat-in kitchen with laundry area. Master bedroom suite with walk-in closet. Full service building with 24 hour front desk & doorman.

$129,900

$199,900

$89,900

$79,000

410.581.1000 • 1517 Reisterstown Road, Corner of Old Court Road • Baltimore, MD 21208

JANUARY 8, 2015

CARLA ROAD

DUMBARTON

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

Barry Nabozny Broker/Realtor 410-977-7600

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

JANUARY 8, 2015

26

The Week expert succumbed to an eight year battle with cancer. “ESPN and everyone in the sports world have lost a true friend and a uniquely inspirational figure in Stuart Scott,” said ESPN president John Skipper. “His energetic and unwavering devotion to his family and to his work while fighting the battle of his life left us in awe, and he leaves a void that can never be replaced.”

Scott recently addressed his uncertain future when accepting an ESPY award. “When you die, it does not mean that you lose to cancer,” he inspired the audience. “You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and in the manner in which you live.”

While Scott thanked his bosses at ESPN during that memorable oration, he made it clear that there was no career moment that could ever surpass what he considered his life’s best highlight. “The best thing I have ever done, the best thing I will ever do,”

Scott said. “Is being a dad to Taelor and Sydni.” He then asked his daughters to “come up here and give dad a hug because I need one.”

Safest States in the Nation

By now we all know which states

In News are definitely not on the list of safest states in America—think Illinois or New York—but in which states are you least likely to be the subject of a violent crime?

Overall violent crimes dropped across the United States by 4.4% in 2013 compared to the year before, according to estimates released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

In the last decade, the number of violent crimes declined by nearly 15%.

John Roman, senior fellow at public policy research organization he Urban Institute, raised a good point in a recent interview with 24/7, “A 4.4% reduction in violent crime is astonishing. If you saw a similar increase in GDP, or a similar decrease in unemployment, it would be huge national news.”

The national average is obviously a mean of all 50 states; some states’ crime rates increased substantially

while others went up considerably less. For example, in Vermont, the violent crime rate dropped by more than 19% in 2013 from 2012 — the largest reduction in the country. The state was also the safest, with 115 violent crimes reported per 100,000 people. The national average is 368 violent crimes per 100,000 people in 2013. In six of America’s 10 safest states, there were less than 200 violent crimes reported per 100,000 residents.

In the country’s safest states, murder and non-negligent manslaughter were especially infrequent. Five of the 10 states reported less than two such crimes per 100,000 people last year.

Similarly, aggravated assault rates did not exceed the national rate of 229 incidents per 100,000 Americans in any of the safest states. Nine of the 10 safest states reported less property crimes per 100,000 residents than the national rate of 2,730 property crimes

YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD MORTGAGE LENDER Aaron Hirsch NMLS#176061

600 Reisterstown Rd. • Suite 601 • Baltimore, MD 21208 410-486-0774 • 877-486-0774 aaron.hirsch@supremelending.com • www.directhouseloan.com Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation Commissioner of Financial Regulation

The Week

Happy Birthday Times Three

Autumn Rain Stover is lucky: her parents will never forget her birthday—and she will never forget theirs.

island of Socotra, off the Horn of Africa. Beth also went to Yemen, where she captured the Dragon’s blood trees.

“It looks like an umbrella blown inside out, and has a scarlet-colored resin from which it gets its name,” Beth says. The resin is used to make dyes and medicines. She ended up sleeping curled up under a tree during her trip there.

By photographing these rare and ancient trees, Beth’s hope is to raise awareness about the beauty and fragility of nature. Her book, Ancient Trees: Portraits of Time, was published last September.

Human Bullet Tester

be carried out by trained professionals with a wealth of experience, the role may pose a small risk of pain, discomfort and some bruising.”

Despite the pain, applicants are lining up to join on as the human bullet tester. One was an ex-Army soldier who boasted of his experience with guns; another was a former assistant for a magician who almost lost his life to a bullet gone awry in magic trick.

“It’s going to be a real struggle attempting to whittle down the thousands of applicants to just one,” Toohig said. “We have been so incredibly inundated with amazing candidates wanting the job that we are now considering an X Factor-style boot camp for the final 10, to see just who can handle being shot for a living.”

Sounds like these guys are dye-ing for the job.

Timeless Trees Burglar’s Remorse

These trees don’t just grow in Brooklyn.

For the past 14 years, Beth Moon has scoured the ends of the earth for the world’s most unique trees. The photographer grew up in the United Kingdom, surrounded by nature’s towering beauties, and she felt it was natural to photograph them. “I had a special connection with them and I used to play in them as a child,” she recalls.

One particular oak — called the Bowthorpe Oak in England’s Lincolnshire — helped kick start Moon’s 14year photographic project on trees.

When Beth learned that the oak had lost a major part of its branch after a storm, she decided to capture as many of the world’s ancient trees before they died or were destroyed.

The project has taken her to farflung places like Madagascar and the

Want to be shot at and slathered in paint? Have I got a job for you!

UK Paintball revealed that over 10,000 people from all over the world have applied for a job as a professional human paintball target. The company was astonished that so many people for vying for the position that is messy and possibly painful—with a salary of approximately $61K. “This incredible response is the last thing we expected when we posted the advert,” said UK Paintball owner Justin Toohig. “We couldn’t have predicted that so many people in the UK and beyond would want to get shot for a living.”

The company was open at what the job entails. “We are currently looking for someone to join the team and become our official ‘bullet tester,’” the website reads. “The job will essentially involve being shot at with every new batch of paint bullets to ensure that all health and safety checks are in place, before we can use them on the general public and paying customers. Whilst the checks will of course

When a Florida woman came home one day, she was shocked to find her apartment burglarized. Even more surprising was the fact that the burglar was still in her home—and remorseful about what he was doing.

“I walk into my room, and I find all my [friend’s] shoes and clothes thrown on the floor,” the woman is heard saying in a recorded 911 call. ”I said, ’So you’re trying to rob us?’ And he’s like, he nodded his head.”

Johnathan Johnson, 20, apparently had a change of heart. He told the woman he wanted to use the money he was stealing to buy presents for his son. But then he apologized for his actions, cleaned up the mess and returned the cash.

“I made him leave, and when I came back, he put the [window] screen back on,” the woman told the 911 dispatcher. ”I asked him, ’Where’s my money?’ And he’s like, ’I forgot to give it to you.’”

Despite his repentance, the woman still reported Johnson to the police. I guess there’s no such a thing as true buyer’s—I mean burglar’s—remorse.

JANUARY 8, 2015

That’s Odd

You see, the tiny newborn made her debut in a Cleveland hospital on New Year’s Day. It was a day of celebration for her parents—in more ways than one.

Her mother, Qiana Stover, was also born on New Year’s Day—35 years ago. Her dad, Raheen Stover, entered this world 36 years ago— on New Year’s Day. “She’s one in a million,” the proud dad said. “She’s a blessing in countless ways,” he added.

According to Fox8, the baby is actually one in 48-million—that’s the chances of all three family members having the same date of birth.

Autumn Rain came at the perfect time—she wasn’t due until January 10—but I guess she sensed the celebration in the air!

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

per 100,000 Americans. Motor vehicle crimes in particular were especially uncommon. There were less than 100 vehicle thefts reported per 100,000 state residents in five of the 10 states, versus 221.3 such thefts per 100,000 people nationwide.

While there is no way to draw a definitive conclusion as to why levels of safety vary so drastically, there are some indicators. Socioeconomic status tends to play a significant role in crime rates. A typical household earned more than the national median household income of $52,250 in six of the 10 states last year. Residents of the nation’s safest states were also far less likely than other Americans to live in poverty. The poverty rate in all but two of the 10 states was lower than the national rate of 15.8% last year. Additionally, most residents in the safest states were more educated than those in other states.

So what’s the safest state in the nation? Seems like criminals don’t like maple syrup. Vermont was the safest state in the United States, with only ten murders in all of 2013. Maine came in at number two, followed by Virginia, Wyoming and Kentucky.

New Hampshire, Idaho, Utah, Minnesota and Montana rounded out the top ten safest states in the country.

In News

27

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

JANUARY 8, 2015

28

The Week A Treehouse for the Birds

In my days, treehouse were built by industrious ten-years-old and were dangerous for anyone weighing more than 65 pounds. Treehouses nowadays are at a whole different level. In fact, Mike and Pat Splinter’s treehouse is more house than tree.

The Splinters’ abode in the sky is 500-square-feet and features a full kitchen and a bathroom—with all the plumbing. Just last month, the structure was featured on a show called “Treehouse Masters,” with the family making candy in the treehouse kitchen.

But now, Northern California authorities are not too happy with the Splinters living the life in the air. The family already has a full guesthouse on their property. And so authorities say that the treehouse’s kitchen and mattress must go. Apparently, guests won’t be able to sleep in the treehouse—it’s for the birds.

“They can use it for entertaining,” Placer County deputy planning director E.J. Ivaldi pointed out. “What the county approved was a residential accessory structure. For the purpose of them being able to do a TV show, they were allowed to build a kitchen with the understanding that the kitchen would come out.”

What’s the point of a treehouse without a kitchen with stainless steel appliances?

Honking at a Price In India, honking is de rigueur.

Taxi drivers honk to get ahead; they

honk to express their displeasure; they honk just to honk. But now someone is looking to limit that honking and possibly bring some peace to riders in the country.

Jayraj Salgaonkar is a publisher, economist, and an analyst. People in India honk “just to prove their existence,” he says wittingly. Over the last eight years, he’s worked with the Indian Institute of Technology to develop the “Oren” — a horn usage meter.

The Oren is a small plastic box that fits into a car and measures the amount of electricity the horn draws from the car’s battery. “You measure it and you pay for it,” Salgaonkar explains.

Every time you honk, it costs money; the longer you hold down the horn, the more it costs. Drivers could buy scratch cards with fixed amounts of honking time, and when the horn time is almost up, their taillights will start to flash.

So far, for two years, Salgaonkar is still working with politicians to get them onboard with his project. If it becomes mandatory in some states, he hopes others will follow suit.

I think this sounds like a great idea. Honk if you think the Oren is the way to go.

In News truck that just keeps on giving. Sportel is finally retiring after 38 years at his job—and he’s still driving that same rusting pickup truck.

According to KARE-TV in Minnesota, Sportel originally tried to buy the truck for $50. His only “extravagance,” as he puts it, is four oil changes a year. He’s applied several layers of duct tape to the upholstery—the better to wipe up ketchup and grease from the seats. There are rust holes at the bottom of the truck—the perfect way to air condition the car during the summer.

How many miles are on this invincible auto? It’s hard to say—maybe 300,000—because the odometer hasn’t worked since 1976. But one thing’s for sure: car and man are loyal friends. Sportel has no plans on giving up his truck and it seems like the truck has no plans on giving up on Sportel.

No More Snowy Dibs

The Truck that Keeps on Truckin’ Want a car that’s going to last forever? Maybe ask Bob Sportel for some advice. When he was 24, back in 1976, he purchased a used, rusting 1957 Chevy pickup truck for just $75.

He needed a way to get to work and $75 seemed like a good price. Well, it wasn’t just a good price—it was the price of a lifetime because this is the

Ever spent an hour digging your car out after a snowstorm only to find that when you returned to your spot, there was another car in it? Well, that’s life.

But in Boston, “dibs,” where residents don’t park in other people’s spots that

have been dug out, is the norm, and woe to the person who takes another person’s spot.

Bostonians are serious about their parking spaces. Cars parked in saved spaces after a blizzard in February 2013 saw their tires slashed by the angry residents who had initially shoveled the spaces out. They had broken the code of winter-parking dibs: Shoveling out a parking space entitles the shoveler to that specific space, according to popular convention. The claim is signaled by putting something in the space as a placeholder. (A chair, a shovel, a garbage can…)

The administration of Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh recognizes space-saving as a “guideline,” even though enraged residents may resort to vandalism to enforce these conventions.

This winter, though, South End is trying to turn away from the practice.

“We Don’t Do ‘Dibs’ Here” is emblazoned across posters hanging in South End. Is it possible for a neighborhood association to succeed in this endeavor when even the mayors of Boston have subtly nodded their heads to the practice? Former Mayor Thomas M. Menino accepted the custom of space-saving, although his administration limited it to 48 hours from the end of a snow emergency. Yes, you can key each other’s cars—but only for two days after the snow falls.

During Mayor Walsh’s tenure, his office said “citizens should call the mayor’s hotline if their space-saver is moved, though the city will not come out and do anything about it.”

Dibs is so engrained in Bostonian culture that some drivers even claim spots before the snow—sort of like calling dibs on the front seat during a field trip when you’re still sleeping.

Hopefully this winter the citizens of Boston—or at least those living in South End—will learn to deal with their parking spots and snow without having to bash in their neighbor’s windows.

29

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME JANUARY 8, 2015

2014

61

YEAR in REVIEW

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

JANUARY 8, 2015

30

62

POLITICS USA ............................................ { Debate Drama

{ Inside Washington Eric Cantor Defeated: In one of the most stunning losses in modern House politics, on June 10, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R- VA’s 7th Congressional District) was defeated in his district’s primary by David Brat, a neophyte Tea-Party candidate.

In the days leading up to the elections, Cantor’s internal polls showed that he had a 34 point lead. Cantor, who was the only Jewish Republican Congressman at the time, spent $1 million on his campaign, compared to the $200, 000 spent by Brat.

A fan spotted at the feet of Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist before a gubernatorial debate caused a delay in the debate while the campaigns wrangled over whether that was a violation of the rules prohibiting the use of electronic devices at the debate.

When Idaho Gov. Butch Otter (second from right) and Sen. Russ Fulcher (right) faced off in the 2014 Republican gubernatorial primary debate, they quickly realized that the stars of the show were Harley Brown (far left) and Walt Bayes (second from left) who took up most of the time at the debate discussing Armageddon, discrimination against motorcycle clubs, and problems with political correctness.

Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber admitted during a gubernatorial debate that his fiancée, who he refers to as “Oregon’s First Lady,” entered into a fraudulent marriage with an Ethiopian immigrant in 1997 for $5,000 in order to enable the individual, who was 11 years her junior, to stay in the U.S. “I learned this three days ago,” Kitzhaber said during the debate. “I was obviously very taken aback by it and hurt.

I have some processing to do on that.” He won the election anyway.

Mid-Term Elections: On November 4, Republicans swept the mid-term elections, picking up nine Senate seats to take a 54 (Republican) to 46 (Democrat) majority. They also added to their majority in the House to take a whopping 247 (Republican) to 188 (Democrat) majority. Around the nation, Republicans also picked up two governorships, taking a 31 (Republican) to 17 (Democrat) majority of state governorships. Despite the epic defeat of the Democrats, which many attribute to dissatisfaction with President Obama, since the elections, the president’s poll numbers have steadily gone up.

Immigration Reform: On November 20, President Obama dusted himself off from the mid-term shellacking and poked the eyes of his Republican adversaries by announcing sweeping actions aimed at shielding as many as 5 million undocumented immigrants from deportation and granting work permits to millions.

In a 15 minute address to the nation, the president implored illegal immigrants to “come out of the shadows.” Speaker of the House John Boehner decried the president’s actions and declared that “by ignoring the will of the American people, President Obama has cemented his legacy of lawlessness and squandered what little credibility he had left.” However, within days, the Republican-controlled House passed a $1 trillion budget bill, which will keep the government open through next year, and prevents the Republicans from using the “purse strings” threat.

Political Scandal Status Report CIA Torture Report A Senate Intelligence Committee report released in December detailed the harsh interrogation tactics the CIA used after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. CIA head John Brennan called the tactics “abhorrent,” but said the agency also did many things correctly protecting the country from another attack.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney said he “would do it again in a minute.”

that Christie participated in the Bridgegate scheme or knew about it as it happened.

Benghazi A report released by the Republican-controlled House Intelligence Committee found no intelligence lapses in connection with the fatal Benghazi terror attack on September 11, 2012. Republican heavyweights like Senator Lindsey Graham have blasted the findings as “garbage.”

Bridgegate A report released in December by the New Jersey legislative committee investigating the politically motivated lane closures last year near the George Washington Bridge came to the same findings as Gov. Christie’s office’s (not very objective) report, which was released in March: there is no evidence

IRS Scandal In February, it was learned that of the nonprofits that were flagged by the IRS for review, 83% were conservative. And of the groups that the IRS selected for audit, 100% were conservative. The investigation stalled when the IRS claimed that

the emails of a pivotal figure in the investigation, Lois Lerner, were inadvertently destroyed.

However, in November, 30,000 emails from Ms. Lerner were recovered, which means that the investigation into the IRS scandal will be full steam ahead in 2015 when Congress reconvenes.

VA Scandal When it was disclosed that dozens died while waiting for treatment at the Phoenix Veterans Administration Hospital, it led to a discovery that VA hospitals throughout the country were cooking their books on wait times and treatment provided. VA Secretary Eric Shinseki resigned in May under crushing criticism.

A Senate report released in June claimed that nearly 1,000 veterans died over the past decade as a result of mismanagement and misconduct at the VA. New VA Secretary Bob McDonald has announced a complete restructuring of the organization.

FREEDOM AT LAST .....................................

MATTHEW MILLER AND KENNETH BAE

Both serving multi-year sentences in North Korean labor camps, Miller, 24, and Bae, 46, were released and brought home by Director of National Intelligence James Clapper on November 8. “It’s been an amazing two years, I learned a lot,” Bae said. Less than three weeks earlier North Korea had released Jeffrey Edward Fowle, 56, who was imprisoned in May when he left a Bible in a hotel.

BOWE BERGDAHL

On May 31, President Barack Obama announced the release of U.S. soldier Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl from Taliban captivity in exchange for five detainees at Guantanamo Bay. Bergdahl, who was captured in Afghanistan in June of 2009, is not greeted as a hero; his fellow soldiers call him a deserter who walked off his military post and into the Taliban’s hands, resulting in a multiple day search in which several American soldiers were killed.

Many also question Bergdahl’s allegiance to the United States and speculate that he possibly teamed up with his Taliban captors.

SOLD ........................................................

$ 24 million $ 147 million Barry Rosenstein made headlines in May when he purchased the 18-acre East Hampton estate, located at 60 Further Lane, East Hampton, NY, for $147 million. It was the most expensive home sale in the U.S.

The Patek Philippe Supercomplication pocket watch sold for $24 million at Sotheby’s in Geneva, setting the record price for any timepiece ever sold at auction.

The device has 920 individual parts, including 430 screws, 110 wheels and 70 jewels.

$ 19 billion Jan Koum, the 38-yearold Jewish founder of WhatsApp who grew up poor in Ukraine, sold his company to Facebook for a measly $19 billion in February of this year

$ 69.6 million Part of Cy Twombly’s “Blackboard” series of gray canvases covered in white wax crayon scrawls was sold at Sotheby’s auction for $69.6 million

$ 38,115,000 This 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO Berlinetta became the most valuable car in history when it was purchased this August at a Bonham’s auction in California for $38,115,000. The original owner died shortly after purchasing the car when he crashed it against a wall.

$ 81.9 million

Andy Warhol’s “Triple Elvis” sold for $81.9 million this November at Christie’s

$ 2 billion

In August, former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer purchased the L.A. Clippers from disgraced owner Donald Sterling for $2 billion

JANUARY 8, 2015

After serving five years of a 15-year prison sentence, on December 17, Alan Gross, who is Jewish, was released from Cuba and returned to the United States as part of the two countries opening dialogue and re-establishing a diplomatic relationship. Gross, 65, was imprisoned for bringing satellite communications equipment to Cuba as part of his work as a subcontractor for the U.S. Agency for International Development.

31

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

ALAN GROSS

63

32

64

GLOBAL AFFAIRS .......................................

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

JANUARY 8, 2015

UKRAINE

Following months of upheaval in the Ukraine capital of Kiev, on February 23, pro-Russia protesters started rallying in Crimea, where Russia has a major naval base. By March 1, troops under apparent Russian command took over Crimea without firing a shot, prompting the biggest East-West showdown since the Cold War. The United States and the European Union began a process of imposing harsh sanctions on Russia. On May 25, leading businessman Petro Poroshenko won the presidential election in Ukraine on a pro-Western platform.

On July 17, a Malaysian airliner was shot down in separatist-held territory, killing all 298 people onboard, with all evidence suggesting that it was taken down by pro-Russian separatists.

On September 5, the Ukrainian government and pro-Russian separatists signed a ceasefire, which was repeatedly violated. With his country reeling under a collapsing Russian ruble due to falling oil prices and sanctions, Putin declared on December 7 that he is hopeful that there will soon be a permanent ceasefire.

EBOLA (WEST AFRICA)

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa was first reported in March 2014 and had rapidly become the deadliest occurrence of the disease since its discovery in 1976. Researchers from the New England Journal of Medicine have traced the Ebola outbreak to a twoyear-old toddler, who died in December 2013 in Meliandou, a small village in south-eastern Guinea. The hardest hit countries were Liberia (3,384 deaths), Sierra Leone (2,582 deaths) and Guinea (1,607 deaths), where the disease continues to rage. Although there were four confirmed cases of Ebola in the U.S., it resulted in only one death—Thomas Eric Duncan who died October 8 at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital af-

ter returning from Liberia. The most recent case of Ebola being diagnosed in the U.S. occurred on October 23, when a medical aid worker who had returned to the city from Guinea, where he had served with Doctors Without Borders, came down with the disease. He recovered and was discharged from Bellevue Hospital Center on November 11.

and believes that all non-Muslims must be killed. The group is led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was detained for four years in a U.S.-controlled prison in Iraq.

Upon his release, he stated to U.S. soldiers, “See you in New York.”

ISIS (IRAQ/SYRIA)

Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) started as an al Qaeda splinter group but their large numbers and lust for infidels’ blood have earned them notoriety that may have even surpassed that of al Qaeda’s. Their long-term goal is to control the world. ISIS ignores international borders and has a presence from Syria’s Mediterranean coast to south of Baghdad. It rules by Sharia law

On June 29, 2014, ISIS, which according to the CIA has up to 31,500 fighters, announced the creation of a caliphate (Islamic state) undefined by state borders, making al-Baghdadi the self-declared authority over the world’s estimated 1.5 billion Muslims. On Au-

gust 19, the group posted a video of the beheading of U.S. journalist James Foley, and on September 2, they posted the beheading of U.S. journalist Steven Sotloff, who was Jewish and spent time in Israel before embarking to the Syrian war front and being captured.

On September 11, President Obama announced an open-ended bombing campaign against ISIS. On November 16, ISIS posted a video of the beheading of Peter Kassig, a U.S. aid worker who was the fifth Westerner to be beheaded

by ISIS. To date, ISIS has slaughtered thousands of Christians, Kurds and fellow Muslims.

ISRAEL

On June 12, three Israeli teens — Eyal Yifrach, Naftali Fraenkel, and Gilad Shaer, Hy”d — were kidnapped.

.................................................................

SOUTH KOREA

On April 16, a ferry carrying 476 passengers capsized enroute to the resort island of Jetu, South Korea. Of the 340 confirmed dead, 250 were schoolchildren on a field trip. In November, the captain of the ferry was given a 36 year prison sentence for abandoning his vessel while hundreds of people remained trapped within its hull. Nine people are still considered missing.

TURKEY

As a nation prayed, on June 14, Israel launched Operation Brother’s Keeper to locate the missing boys. On June 30, the bodies of the three kedoshim were found. On July 2, teenage Israeli zealots carried out a retribution attack, killing a Palestinian teenager. Unlike Palestinian officials, who celebrated the deaths of the three Israeli boys, Israeli officials unanimously condemned the act and promptly arrested those responsible.

On July 8, in response to increased rocket fire from Gaza, Israel launched Operation Protective Edge. On August 26, both sides agreed to a ceasefire. Is-

rael lost 64 soldiers and 4 civilians in the incursion; according to some, the death toll in Gaza was approximately 2,130, many of them were civilians who were shields for Hamas operatives, who operated from amongst them. In the course of the Operation, Israel discovered tens of attack tunnels leading from Gaza into communities in southern Israel. They destroyed over 30 of those tunnels, but Hamas leaders have since claimed that they had begun repairing and rebuilding those tunnels the day the final ceasefire was implemented.

MALAYSIAN AIRLINE TRAGEDIES

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 departed from Kuala Lumpur International Airport on March 8 with 227 passengers onboard. The plane lost contact

less than an hour after takeoff. No distress signal or message were sent; the last communication spoken either by the pilot or co-pilot were the words “Good night Malaysian three seven zero.” The search for the missing aircraft continues to focus on a 23,000-square mile area in the Indian Ocean known as the “seventh arc,” a stretch of ocean where investigators believe the aircraft ran out of fuel and crashed.

Malaysia Airlines suffered as second tragedy when Flight MH17 was shot down over Eastern Ukraine on July 17, killing all 298 people onboard, including 80 children.

On May 13, an explosion at a coal mine in Soma, Turkey, caused an underground mine fire which burned for 2 days. In total, 301 people were killed in what was the worst mine disaster in Turkey’s history. Anti-government protests broke out across the country following a speech by Prime Minister Recep Erdogan in Soma in which he downplayed the seriousness of the tragedy, saying, “These things happen.” Erdogan was later heard telling a heckler, “What happened, happened. It is from G-d. ... If you boo the country’s prime minister, you get slapped.”

JANUARY 8, 2015

On April 15, 273 school girls were kidnapped from the Chibok Government Secondary School by Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria. The brazen kidnapping sparked world-wide outrage and “Twitter diplomacy,” which bore no results, as many of the girls are still missing. This attack is one of countless attacks carried out by the Islamist terrorist group in Nigeria in 2014, resulting in thousands of deaths.

33

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

NIGERIA

65

34

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

JANUARY 8, 2015

90

Notable Notable Quotes

Quotes

Compiled byby Nate Compiled NateDavis Davis

“Say“Say What?” What?”

I think there are going to be a lot of students, both nationwide and international, who are going to look at our university who wouldn’t have before.

- Bruce Parsons of University of Pikeville, a private liberal arts college in Kentucky, announcing that the school will now make video games an official sport and will start offering scholarships to gamers in the fall Democratic Senator Harry Reid is expected to make a full recovery after he was exercising with a resistance band that snapped, causing him to fall. The good news is he’s fine. The bad news is there’s no video of it.

- Jimmy Fallon He wasn’t too happy about the mayor’s visit. He deals with some [bad] people every day and getting no support from the mayor, come on. These are the guys in the trenches dealing with anything and everything.

- NYPD officer Andrew Dossi’s father after Mayor de Blasio visited Andrew, who was shot while on duty in the Bronx this week

The Jets are expected to name a new coach this week, and the leading candidate is reportedly former Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone. A lot of people are upset about the news — mostly Doug Marrone.

- Jimmy Fallon

Joe Biden went to Brazil in an effort to try and repair America’s relationship with their government. Biden said, “It’s great to be here in the Amazon. I’ve always wanted to see where all the books come from.”

- Jimmy Fallon

I predict that — this is nothing very startling — that North America will be viewed in the first half of the 20th century at least in terms of being the epicenter of energy for the world.

– Vice President Joe Biden during economic talks with Mexican officials (making a startling forward looking prediction… about the 1900s)

Seventy years ago this very day, Barbara Pierce of Rye, NY, made me the happiest, and luckiest, man on earth.

Plans are underway to build an NFL stadium in Los Angeles. That’s good news because it’s been at least a decade since L.A. had a sports team not to care about.

- Conan O’Brien

The President has said the special relationship is stronger than it has ever been privately and in public and I agree… He sometimes calls me “Bro.” - David Cameron talking to the UK Daily Mail about his relationship with President Obama

– Tweet by George H.W. Bush on his and Barbara’s 70th wedding anniversary At the Cowboys football game Chris Christie was hugging Jerry Jones. It was right after Jones said, “Let’s get some hot wings.”

- Conan O’Brien

$974,790,317.77 - The amount of a handwritten check given by oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm to his exwife in an Oklahoma court this week. (She rejected the check because she wants a larger percentage of his $18 billion fortune)

Who Needs Drugs? No, Seriously, I Have Drugs.

– The words written on John Balmer’s shirt as he was spotted by police making a drug sale in a Kmart in Florida and promptly arrested

Give me a chance. At least let us show a little respect for this occasion. I am accepting this on behalf of all the people who died in World War II. They are the true heroes. And many times, as I looked down on the invasions of those people going into those islands in the Pacific, I said to myself, “Man, they’re not standing a chance.” But they kept on, and they are the heroes of World War II… G-d bless America. And you people that are here for a cause, whatever it might be, show respect to Sen. Wyden.

- 100-year-old Navy veteran of World War II, Dario Raschio, at a Town Hall meeting where he was receiving an award from Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) after he finally got anti-police demonstrators, who crashed the event while chanting “hands up, don’t shoot,” to quiet down General Mills has announced that they’re making a new flavor of Cheerios made from quinoa. And at the bottom there’s a special prize — Cheerios not made with quinoa.

- Conan O’Brien

In The Kitchen

35

In the Kitchen

Naomi Nachman

Naomi Nachman

Flavorful Fish

I Soup-er Soups am constantly challenged to come up with new ideas for Pesach. Yikes! Did I really say Pesach? I know that it’s only winter break for my kids but Pesach season comes around pretty quickly for me. I have to be ready to cook right after Purim – which means I spend my winters busy in the kitchen coming up with Pesach recipes. I try to create original sensational recipes with fresh new ideas for my clients as well as for my family.

These recipes were a really big hit with my tasters (i.e., my family, who are my biggest critics!). My husband loves almost anything with pistachios.

These fish recipes are the first in a series of Pesach recipes that I will be featuring within the next few weeks.

If you are interested in ordering any Pesach dishes from me please call soon to reserve a spot.

There is nothing like the magic of hot soup to warm your soul and fill your belly. I have always loved soup.

These easy-to-make, hearty soups will keep you warm and satisfied any night of the year.

I try to make a lot of different soups on one day so I have ready to go meals in the freezer on those chilly days.

My kids love having a bowl of soup waiting for them when they come home from school.

This soup is great for a Thanksgiving dinner and is perfect for fall with all the seasonal root vegetables.

Midd le Eastern White Fish Love Sephardic food. I make this often during the year so I wanted to adapt it to make a Pesach version.

You can also use the flounder, tilapia, or salmon.

Ingredients 8 slices white fish 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, diced ½ tablespoon cumin ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 3 gloves garlic, minced or 4 frozen cubes 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or 6 frozen cubes 1 plum tomato, diced 14oz can tomato sauce Kosher salt to taste Water

Red Lentil Vegetable Soup

Ingredients Nut Crusted Salmon 1 cup red lentils, sorted and rinsed 4 cups water with Creamy Chrain Sauce Bay leaf

Salt of flavors and textures between the The marriage 2 TBS creamy chrain kickolive andoil the crunchy, salty and sweet 2 onions, nut mixture makes thisdiced dish a real winner.

4 cloves garlic, minced Ingredients2-inch piece ginger, minced tsp cumin 1/8 cup red 2horseradish 1 tsp curry 1/8 cup mayonnaise 2 dried coriander 1 cup shelled tsp salted pistachios 2 cups butternut squash, cut into ½ inch ½ cup brown sugar dice juice 2 tablespoon lemon cup zucchini, peeled into ½ 2 lbs salmon1 fillet (one whole side and of acut salmon) inch dice 1 medium parsnip, Preparation peeled andand cut into ½ inch dice Mix the horseradish mayonnaise together in a

2 carrots, peeled and cut into ½ inch dice 1 TBS lemon juice 1 bunch baby spinach Pinch cayenne pepper

Salmon with Tangy Aioli

Preparation Add and bay leaf tonow a for Pesach With lentils, so manywater ingredients available medium saucepan. boil on a the year, we are deprived of Cover almost and nothing.

During simmer forof20 minutes until lentils arecan even buy I use a lot sweet chili sauce; now we tender.

1 tablespoon salt and that onAdd Pesach.

This is a quick andremove easy recipe that is bay leaf; puree lentils in a blender. very flavorful that you can throw together for a deliAdd onions to a skillet andtime sauté untilyear. cious meal on Pesach or any of the onions Addtogarlic, cumin, Thisareissoft. so easy make,ginger, and the aioli locks in the curry, andmaking coriander sauté juicy. for a few moisture this and fish extra more minutes. Add butternut squash, parsnip, carrots, zucchini, salt, and 1 ½ cups Ingredients water simmer fillets for 10 minutes until veg6 6oz salmon etables soft. salt andare pepper Stir mayonnaise lemon juice and spinach into pu¼ cup reed lentils, the(available vegetables and for Pesach ¼ cup sweetthen chiliadd sauce kosher stiratto combine.

The heat will wilt the Gourmet Glatt during the Pesach season) spinach. Add pepper and salt if necessary.

Preparation small bowl.

Rinse salmon fillets with cold water and pat dry.

Place the salmon on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread the mixture over the fish and Place the salmon skin side down in a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Season the fish with salt Preparation set aside.

Heat a large sauté pan on medium heat and then In a food processor, crush the nuts until they are and pepper. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and sweet add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and coarsely ground but not too fine. Add in the brown sauté until soft. Add cumin and sauté for another three sugar and lemon juice and mix until it looks like wet chili sauce. Generously spread the mayonnaise mixminutes on low. sand. Pat nut mixture on top of salmon and bake for ture on top of the fillets. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. the center fillet for and doneness Place fishNaomi filletsNachman, on top of the theowner onionofmixture.

Cook 25 minutes at 350°.

The Aussie Gourmet, caters weekly and Shabbat/ Yom Tov meals for families andCheck individuals within of Thethe Five Towns neigh- with a fork (it shouldand behosts flakey). for a few minutes turn to coat other side and catering. Naomi is a contributing editor to this paper and also produces boring and communities, withthe a specialty in Pesach her own weekly radio show on the cook for another 3 Nachum minutes.Segal Network stream called “A Table for Two with Naomi Nachman.” Naomi gives cooking presentations for organizations and private groups New York/New area.Nachman, In addition, beenAussie a guest host on caters the QVC TV network and has been in families cookbooks, theNaomi ownerhas of The Gourmet, weekly and Shabbat/ Yom Tovfeatured meals for and individuals In a smallthroughout bowl, mixthe cayenne pepper,Jersey garlic,Metropolitan cilan- Naomi magazines as well as other media covering topics related to cuisine preparation and personal chefs.

To obtain additional recipes, join The Aussie Gourmet on within The Five Towns and neighboring communities, with a specialty in Pesach catering.

Naomi is a contributing editor to tro, tomato, tomato sauce, and salt. Pour sauce over Facebook or visit Naomi’s blog. Naomi can be reached through her website,www.theaussiegourmet.com or at (516) 295-9669. fish in sauté pan. Add enough water to cover fish (not this paper and also produces and hosts her own weekly radio show on the Nachum Segal Network stream called “A Table more than 8oz). Cook for another 15 minutes covered, 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 then another 10 minutes uncovered until fish is cooked featured in cookbooks, magazines as well as other media covering topics related to cuisine preparation and personal chefs. through.

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.

JANUARY 8, 2015

to warm your family on cool fall nights

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

T H E J E W I S H H O M E n M AY 2 4 , 2012

182 00

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

JANUARY 8, 2015

36

A Parsha Thought Shemos – Waiting for the Perfect Opportunity Rabbi Shmuel Silber

The cries of an afflicted nation proved too intense to go unanswered.

God tells Moshe that he will be the Divine emissary to emancipate the enslaved Jewish nation and allow them to be a free people in their destined land. Moshe took leave of Yisro and began the journey to

Egypt with his wife, Tzipporah and their two children. The Torah then records a strange episode. “Now he was on the way, in an inn, that the Lord met him and sought to put him to death. So Tzipporah took a sharp stone and severed her son’s foreskin and cast it to his feet, and she said, “For you are a bridegroom of blood to me.” So He released him. Then she said, “A bridegroom of blood concerning the circumcision (Shemos 4:24-26).”

What exactly is occurring in this episode? Furthermore, just a few verses earlier God insisted that Moshe accept the responsibility of leading the Jewish people and now God stands ready to kill him?

The Talmud (Nedarim 31b) ex-

plains that God was upset that Moshe had delayed the bris (circumcision) of his newborn son. The Talmudic sage, Rebbi (Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi) explains that had Moshe circumcised the child while still in Midyan their journey down to Egypt would have been delayed (a child post-circumcision is in a precarious state of health and cannot travel). Therefore, Moshe decided to begin the journey (as he felt this to be the will of God) and perform the bris in closer proximity to Egypt. Why was God upset? “Mipney she’nisaseyk b’malon techila, because Moshe took care of their lodging arrangements first (before performing the bris).” Moshe should have first circumcised his son and then only afterwards looked for lodging and accommodations.

The Divine wrath was not a result of Moshe’s failure to perform the bris in Midyan (God agreed with Moshe’s thought process), it was a result of Moshe’s misplaced priorities – it should have been circumcision first, lodging second.

But is this such an egregious error that it should have potentially cost Moshe his life? Moshe was not negating the Mitzvah? He stood ready to comply. Moshe was simply a father, a husband looking to find accommodations for his family.

Why such severity in the Divine response?

Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook (Orach Mishpat 143) explains this entire episode in a novel and dramatic fashion. Why did Moshe take care of his lodging arrangements first? After all this is Moshe Rabbeinu, a man who spoke with God, a man who understood that the future and success of the Jewish nation depended on adherence to the word of God. Why didn’t Moshe immediately take care of the circumcision even prior to looking for an inn? Rav Kook explains Moshe didn’t want to simply perform the Mitzvah; he

wanted to perform it with “hiddur, additional beauty.” The concept of hiddur mitzvah, beautification of a commandment, refers to the idea that we don’t simply do the basic minimum in order to discharge our religious obligations, rather, we push ourselves to perform each mitzvah with all of its details, beautifying the physical components to show how precious and meaningful each spiritual act truly is. Moshe did not want to perform his son’s bris on the side of the road. Moshe wanted the bris of his youngest son to be a beautiful moment of spiritual growth and elation. He wanted to make a celebratory meal, invite guests, and speak about the meaning of this physical bond between man and his Creator.

And so, he delayed the bris in order to find suitable accommodations – not just to house his family but for the performance of this important mitzvah. But God did not agree with this approach. “Mitzvah ha’ba l’yadecha al tachmitzena, if an opportunity for a mitzvah arises do not let it tarry (literally become chametz, leaven);” better to seize an imperfect present moment than to delay with the expectation of something greater in the unknown future.

This episode carries with it an important message. There are opportunities that cross our life threshold each and every day. Too often we actively allow these opportunities to pass us by because we are “waiting for something better.” We give up present meaning in the hope of some unknown future. It is true, often the opportunities before us are imperfect, tarnished and not what I desired and imagined – but they can be meaningful and fulfilling nevertheless. Let us find the strength to take advantage of the beautiful life opportunities that present themselves before us and not spend a lifetime waiting for something better.

37

Travel

By Eli Schreiber Partner and Director of marketing for Peyd One of the most commonly asked questions directed to PEYD is whether customers have to report to the

the past ten plus there wasn’t any additional clarity on the status of miles and points, and instead merely indicated

they are valued above $600, which is the IRS’s mandatory reporting threshold on income earned by taxpayers.

The IRS is clear that any future regulations will have no impact on past miles and points earned stating that any future guidance on the taxability of these benefits will be applied prospectively.

Stay tuned for our next article, and as always, please consult your tax advisor with any questions, as neither PEYD, its affiliates, nor their employees provide tax advice.

Eli Schreiber is a partner and director or marketing at Get PEYD and PEYD Travel llc. w

& Be w st o W te e rkm qua n w a li qu ill n ty ot be sh es a ip by t 10 %

rit

MHIC 82438

IRS the monies earned through cashing-out miles and points or report the value obtained when using miles and points for flights or other redemption options like hotel stays, car rentals or gift cards.

This issue is highlighted by the fact that the federal government has yet to regulate the rewards industry and determine the taxable status and overall value of credit card rewards and airline miles.

In 2002, the IRS issued a statement indicating that business professionals would not be held liable for the receipt and personal use of frequent flyer miles or other in-kind promotional benefits obtained by the taxpayer’s from business or official travel.

For the past ten years, this announcement (although stated specifically in regards to miles and points earned through one’s business and not personal miles earned) was the most meaningful directive on the taxability of frequent flyer mile awards, but for

the IRS did not plan requiring taxpayers to disclose them on their returns.

Interestingly enough, the IRS doesn’t require taxpayers to disclose items that are relatively modest in value, and looks to the Federal Government to classify and regulate items that are subjective estimates of value, something the rewards industry certainly falls within. And in fact, the subjectivity and the constant devaluation of miles and points by airlines is actually something currently being investigated by the Department of Transportation.

More recently, the IRS issued additional guidelines classifying the taxable status of miles and points which they broke down into two different components a) how an individual obtained their miles and points and b) what the individual does with them.

In this article we will focus on the first category.

In 2012, the IRS clarified their position and stated that when the rewards

Your Local Roofing Contractor • Best service and best quality products • 10 Year labor warranty on all new roofs • 1000S of satisfied and happy customers • Factory trained employees on every job • Licensed by all major roofing manufactures • 3 Generations of roofing contractors from father to son Call Gedaliah Kosoy

410-358-ROOF 7 6 6 3

Visit our new roofing show room at 7092 Milford Ind Road • Pikesville MD 21208 New Roofs • Roof Repairs • Regular & Designer Shingles Attic Blown In Insulation •Seamless Gutters 5 & 6 • Attic Ventilatio Chimney Pointing • Drywall Repair Exterior Painting • ,ca rnua

JANUARY 8, 2015

are dependent on some kind of financial action whether it’s meeting a certain spending threshold or even where the rewards are given out after the one purchase, the IRS views the rewards as a discount on whatever it is you purchased initially. They therefore do not consider it as additional monies earned that need to be reported. However, if no transaction is required to earn to the rewards the IRS states the rewards earned most be disclosed and are subject to tax.

What’s important to note is that even in the case where the rewards are given without any transaction required, they only need to be reported if

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

How the IRS Views Miles & Points Earned from Purchasing and Flying

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

JANUARY 8, 2015

38

Parenting Today

77 Rabbi Chaim Morgenstern

Chinuch Workshops: Practical Torah Guidelines and Strategies for Achieving Successful Chinuch

Workshop 4

Role Modeling – Practice What You Preach

A

lthough it is quite obvious that poor role-modeling is definitely harmful for a child’s chinuch, another type of negative behavior has an even more detrimental effect on children: hypocrisy, when parents don’t practice what they preach. Hypocritical behavior teaches children that they can choose to do whatever pleases and suits them, as the expression goes, “Ish kol hayashar b’einav ya’aseh” — each person can do whatever is right in his eyes.

was caught lying in class. Please speak to him about the severity of this aveira.”

The father sat down with his son and began to patiently explain to him the whole subject of lying. Suddenly the phone rang, and as his son was going to answer it, the father told him, “If that’s Yankel calling, tell him that I’m not home.”

Can you imagine the impact this remark must have had on his son? The father has done something worse than just

“When he subsequently made additional demands on me that he didn’t keep himself, it set off a burning rage within me to rebel.”

This is because contradictory behavior sends a clear message to children that their parents are insincere about their own teachings and ideals. Once the children see their parents’ insincerity, they will cease to take seriously any of their parents’ teachings.

When a young boy was asked by one of his rabbeim how he would be mechanech his own children, he replied, “I’m going to preach olam haba, but practice olam hazeh! This is how my parents conduct themselves – constantly preaching the importance of spiritual matters, but living a life of materialism.”

Moreover, hypocritical parents may even rationalize transgressing issurim.

For example, parents will teach a child the severity of getting angry or speaking lashon hara, but will be quick to anger when being disturbed at the wrong time or speak lashon hara when angered by a neighbor. The following anecdote explains this: A child returned from school with a note from his rebbi stating: “Your son

undoing his whole lecture and causing his child not to take the transgression of lying seriously. He has caused his child to lose all confidence in him and his chinuch. If the father can rationalize falsehood right after explaining the severity of it, what should prevent his son from copying his father’s attitude in other areas like stealing, cheating, hurting another’s feelings and speaking lashon hara? In this incident, the father is sending a clear message to his son: when a necessity arises, one can be lenient even with a Torah prohibition.

What can be more detrimental to a child than feeding him this concept?

Thus, hypocritical behavior results in parents subtly impressing on their children’s tender minds their insincerity towards Torah, yiras shamayim and fulfilling mitzvos. It is as if they are telling their children, “Don’t take my words seriously because I don’t follow them myself!”

“I’m Different” Sometimes, parents have an atti-

tude that what they tell their children doesn’t apply to themselves. Therefore, when questioned by their children about an action or behavior that doesn’t correspond to their teachings, they will reply, “I’m different because I am a parent.” This again shows insincerity — it teaches the child that he is free to do as he pleases once he becomes a parent. However, sometimes a child will not wait until he becomes a parent to “be different.” Instead he will want to be different during his adolescent years when he is less dependent on his parents and feels that he has a good chance to succeed in rebelling.

This is illustrated by the story of a young teenage boy who slowly started to go off the derech. Eventually, he left yeshiva, ceased to be Torah observant and started to become part of a group of other family dropouts and delinquents.

He went further and further away from Torah observance (and normalcy) until he reached a point where he was about to enter the world of drugs. Then, he suddenly came to his senses and became aware that he was on the path to self-destruction and reaching a point of no return. He immediately abandoned

his ruinous lifestyle, returned to the yeshiva and in the course of time was back to normal. Although the cause of his decline was not known for many years, he eventually disclosed it to his rebbi before his wedding.

“I know that you, among others, are probably wondering why I suddenly stopped being observant a few years ago. The truth of the matter is that it began much earlier — when I was a six-year-old child. One day, my father told me that it is not proper to have a chup (nice hairdo with a front wave) and that I must keep my hair short. I turned to him and innocently asked, ‘But Tatty, you have a chup with a nice amount of hair, why can’t I do the same?’ My father replied, ‘It’s different because I am a father.’ His answer totally confused me, and made me very angry at him. When he subsequently made additional demands on me that he didn’t keep himself, it set off a burning rage within me to rebel. However, I was too young to do anything drastic. This anger remained with me until I reached my teens, and at that point, I rebelled because I felt that I could succeed.”

Main point to work and focus on for the next week: > Parents should be careful that their own actions don’t contradict their teachings. Therefore, if parents want to train their child in a particular trait, such as not to get angry, not to lie or speak lashon hara, or to daven with more kavana, they should ensure that they are careful not to transgress these things on their own.

Rabbi Morgenstern does family counseling and lectures extensively in Israel and abroad on shalom bayis, chinuch habanim, family communication, shidduchim, dating and personal growth, and has produced a popular CD series on these topics. His articles on these topics and Jewish hashkafa have appeared internationally in Jewish newspapers and magazines.

For more information or to schedule a lecture, contact Rabbi Morgenstern in Israel at 952236-4197 or at rabbi@toras-chaim.org. You can also request to receive his weekly Parsha Pearls and chinuch articles by e-mail. Please include your name in the request.

Articles are dedicated to the memory of his parents, Reb Yerachmiel Yisroel Nesanel z”l and Leah Gittel a”h. T.N.T.B.H

39

Real Estate Submitted by: Ben Schwartz | Founder VacancyFillers.com

1. Rotate Clothing: There’s no need to have a down coat taking up space in your closet during the summer. Rotate clothing by season, and keep anything that’s not weather appropriate in storage.

2. Think Tall: When installing bookshelves, or any shelving for that matter, purchase something that will

reach the ceiling. More shelves means more storage space, and the elimination of that cramped feeling.

3. Raise your Bed: If your bed isn’t high enough off the ground to store bins underneath, buy a bed lift to raise it just enough to make use of that under-bed space. You can also buy bins that are constructed specifically to fit underneath beds.

4. Add Shelves: Don’t limit yourself to traditional bookshelves. You can add shelving above the toilet to create space in your bathroom, or in your closet to maximize organization.

Instead of having a headboard, install a shelving unit so you can ditch your nightstand and create more space.

5. Strategic Furniture: Besides purchasing furniture that will create

Insight

the illusion of more space, like glass tables and white furniture, you can also position your furniture to create mini-rooms within your apartment to

organize the flow of your space.

6. Multifunctional: Everything in your apartment should have multiple functions. Instead of having a couch, buy a daybed. Use your dining table as an office or work space when you’re not eating (just make sure you have somewhere else to store your sup-

plies).

7. Rollaway Surfaces: When you’re organizing small spaces, rollaway surfaces, like a wheeled kitchen cart, can give you workspace in the living room and extra counter space in the kitchen when you need it.

8. Hidden Storage: Utilize as many hidden storage spaces as possible. Aside from raising your bed, you can also hang a skirt around your coffee table and store items underneath.

9. Angled Furniture: Angle furniture, such as chairs, in the corner of the room and use the space behind it to store baskets of things you can’t find space for (like that CD collection you can’t bring yourself to get rid of).

Make your message heard.

GRAPHIC & WEB DESIGN SOME OF OUR RECENT CLIENTS: AHAVAS YISRAEL

Creativity

BALTIMORE

ALEH AST DEFEASANCE

ISRAEL LOS ANGELES

DEL. SANDY ROSENBERG ANNAPOLIS

NER YISROEL KOLLEL

BALTIMORE

GANEI HA’ELA

OHEL AVRAHAM

BALTIMORE

TALMUDICAL ACADEMY

BALTIMORE

ISRAEL FOREVER

BEIT SHEMESH INTERNATIONAL

BE A MENCH

JERUSALEM

BEIT TOVEI HA’IR

JERUSALEM

JEWISH ADVOCATES FOR DEAF EDUCATION

BEMAALEI SHIR

JERUSALEM

LEMA’AN ACHAI

CHAMBER OF THE HOLOCAUST MOUNT ZION

CHESED FUND

Results Staiman Design

BALTIMORE

BALTIMORE

BEIT SHEMESH

MARYLAND SMART METER MARYLAND AWARENESS MIS SUPPORT

BOCA RATON

STAIMAN.COM 410-580-0100 info@staiman.com

WASTE PROFESSIONALS

ORLANDO

WEALCATCH INSURANCE BALTIMORE WHITE GLOVE NURSING

QUEENS

YESODEI HATORAH

BALTIMORE

ZEMER ORCHESTRA

BALTIMORE

JANUARY 8, 2015

Although there are many perks to renting an apartment, having a ton of space is not usually one of them. Fortunately, there are some things that can be done to improve your situation without changing apartments altogether. To get rid of the mess and get the most out of your small space, use these ten apartment organization tips to maximize space:

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

10 Apartment Organization Tips to Maximize Space

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

JANUARY 8, 2015

40

112

This is the Year You’ll Keep Those Resolutions

BY SUSAN SCHWAMM

L

ast week, the ball dropped in Times Square; 2015 has finally arrived.

With the new calendar comes a new beginning to start on those things that kept dropping off the map in 2014. But 2015 is going to be different: you’re going to actually work on those goals and succeed! You’re going to check off everything on your “2015 To Do” list and when the next year rolls around, you’re going to be healthier, happier and more financially stable.

So how are you going to do it? How will you make it through 2015 without breaking your New Year’s resolutions? Keep these tips in mind and you’ll stay more determined to conquer your goals.

1.

2.

3. 4.

5.

6.

Be passionate. You have to really want to accomplish your goal. Don’t make a resolution because other people think this is something good to do. If you’re working towards something that you really want, chances are you’ll get it done. Put some thought into it and make it meaningful to you.

Don’t take on too much. There are many things you may want to accomplish, but save some for next year. This year, take on only two or three resolutions. This way, you’ll be able to focus on what’s really important to you and have a greater chance at success.

Be specific. “I want to exercise more” is easy to say, but pledging to head to the gym “on Sunday morning and at my lunch break on Wednesday and Friday” will guarantee a higher success rate. It’s easy to speak in broad terms, but specific goals will help guide you to your goal.

Use technology.

Use technology to your advantage. If your goal is to save towards your retirement or minimize your debt, have automatic deductions come out from your paycheck or your bank account at a set time. If you want to get fit this year or lose weight, there are apps that can help track your steps or your calories. Other apps can give you calorie counts on foods that you commonly eat.

Baby steps. You have a whole year to accomplish your goal. As they say, “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” and neither was losing 50 pounds or saving $100K. Make a plan and rather than working towards one larger goal, set smaller, more manageable steps for you to achieve. These short-term steps will give you the satisfaction of accomplishing something and will help you with your long-term goal.

Reward yourself. Everyone needs to be praised

and needs to be awarded for the hard work they’re doing. You’re no different. For every short-term goal that’s accomplished—losing five pounds, two weeks without drinking, exercising consistently for a month—give yourself a small reward. Perhaps that’s a few hours at the spa, coffee out with friends or a new outfit for the gym— these small bonuses will keep you energized throughout the year.

Top Ten New Year’s Resolutions:

1. Spend more time with family and friends ~ 2. Get fit ~ 3. Lose weight ~ 4. Quit smoking ~ 5. Enjoy life 6. Quit drinking ~ 7. Get out of debt ~ 8. Learn something new ~ 9. Help others ~ 10. Get organized

113

Make changes. Keeping a resolution may mean that you’ll have

to make changes to other parts of your life. But that’s good—just keep it in mind and make sure to arrange your life so you won’t have to wrestle with temptation. Need to save some money? Perhaps your morning coffee run will have to be trimmed. Want to get more fit? Ditch the car and walk to some errands. Rework your schedule so you can achieve your goals.

Forgive yourself. Falling off the wagon is a normal part of life. Don’t sweat the failures; jump right back on track and don’t wallow in your mistakes.

In the long-term, those failures will be just blips on the screen.

Keep trying.

If you find it hard to keep to your resolutions, keep in mind that it takes about 21 days for a new activity to become a habit—and six months for it to become really a part of you. It’s important to be persistent and patient.

If all else fails, try to keep to your goals for just 24 hours at a time. You can do it for just a day—and then the next day, and the next… 

10.

the

graphic palette Tzipora Kramer, Graphic Designer 443.955.2707 thegraphicpalette@gmail.com Ads · Brochures · Business Cards · Ebooks · Logos · and more

JANUARY 8, 2015

Be accountable. Sharing your aspirations will make it more real for you and will make it harder for you to break your resolutions. Have one or two cheerleaders in your life who will cheer you on when the going gets tough. They can also hold you accountable; your spouse will wonder why you’re raiding the fridge in middle of the night or why you’re lounging around when you’re supposed to be at the gym. Writing down your accomplishments or your failures will also help you keep yourself accountable.

It’ll keep you on track during the long months ahead.

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

7.

8.

9.

41

42 78

You Gotta be

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

JANUARY 8, 2015

Riddle!

Kidding!

A man is leaving on a business trip and stops by his office on the way to the airport. The night watchman stops him and says, “Sir, don’t take that flight. I had a dream last night that your plane would crash and everyone would die!”

The businessman cancels his trip and sure enough, the plane crashes, killing all the passengers.

The man gives his watchman a $10,000 reward for saving his life, then fires him. Why?

Yankel and Berel are walking down the street when a mugger approaches them and demands their money. They both grudgingly pull out their wallets and begin taking out their cash, not wanting to get hurt.

As they are handing their money to the bandit, Yankel turns to Berel, hands him a $20, and says, “Hey, here’s the money I owe you for last week’s dinner.”

Answer on next page

The Redneck Oil Change Checklist 1. Go to O’Reilly Auto Parts and write a check for $50 for oil, filter, kitty litter, hand cleaner and scented tree and some Skoal chewing tobacco (which, by the way, also kills).

2. Discover that the used oil container is full. Instead of taking it back to O’Reilly to recycle, dump in hole in backyard.

3. Open a beer and drink it.

4. Jack car up. Spend 30 minutes looking for jack stands.

5. Find jack stands under kid’s pedal car.

6. Open another beer and drink it.

7. Place drain pan under engine.

8. Look for wrench and locate it in your wife’s purse.

10. Unscrew drain plug.

11. Drop drain plug in pan of hot oil; get hot oil on you in the process.

24. Remember drain plug from step 11.

25. Hurry to find drain plug in drain pan.

26. Hurry to replace drain plug before the whole quart of fresh oil drains onto floor.

27. Slip with wrench and bang knuckles on frame.

28. Bang head on floorboard in reaction.

30. Throw wrench.

31. Fuss and complain.

32. Clean up; apply Band-Aid to knuckle.

33. Beer.

34. Beer.

35. Dump in additional 4 quarts of oil.

36. Beer.

12. Clean up.

37. Lower car from jack stands.

13. Have another beer while oil is draining.

38. Accidentally crush one of the jack stands.

14. Look for oil filter wrench.

39. Move car back to apply more kitty litter to fresh oil spilled during step 23.

15. Give up; poke oil filter with screwdriver and twist it off.

16. Beer.

17. Buddy shows up; finish case of beer with him. Finish oil change tomorrow.

18. Wake up in the morning (around 2 PM), drag pan full of old oil out from underneath car.

40. Test-drive car.

41. Get pulled over; get arrested for driving under the influence.

42. Car gets impounded.

43. Make bail; get car from impound yard.

19. Throw kitty litter on oil spilled during step 18.

20. Beer. Wait, it’s finished.

21. Walk to 7-11 to buy beer.

22. Install new oil filter making sure to apply thin coat of clean oil to gasket first.

23. Dump first quart of fresh oil into engine.

Money Spent: $50 parts, $12 beer, $75 replacement set of jack stands; hey, the colors have to match! $1,000 Bail, $200 Impound and towing fee.

Total: $10,337, if you’re a redneck. If you’re not, you probably wouldn’t have stuck the extra 0 in there and your total would just be $1,337.

79 43

8. Who is the Lieutenant Governor of New York? a. Robert Duffy b. Richard Ravitch c. Dean Skelos d. Kathy Hochul

1. How many New York State governors went on to become president of the U.S.? a. 2 b. 4 c. 5 d. 6

3. How many of Illinois’ last seven governors ended up in prison? a. 1 b. 2 c. 4 d. 7 4. The 34th governor of Kentucky, William Goebel, served for how long as governor? a. 4 days b. 6 months c. 12 years d. 32 years 5. How old was Bill Clinton when he was elected governor of Arkansas? a. 28 b. 32 c. 37 d. 42 6. When Teddy Roosevelt was governor of New York, what did he famously do for exercise? a. He went row boating in Lake George twice a week b. He walked to the Capitol building every day c. He rode his horse between New York City and Albany d. He ran up and down the 77 stairs of the Capitol’s building (and would offer interviews to journalists who beat him to the top of the stairs) 7. How many female governors are there in the U.S.? a. 2 b. 3 c. 5 d. 9

a. b. c. d.

9. What football team does Governor Chris Christie root for?

Whichever team is sponsored by Dunkin’ Donuts Cowboys Jets Giants

Answers: 1. B- Grover Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Martin Van Buren.

2. A 3. C 4. A- William Goebel was elected governor of Kentucky in 1899.

He was warned of a rumored assassination plot against him, yet refused to call off the inauguration. As he walked to his inauguration, flanked by two bodyguards, he was shot. He was sworn in the following day while he was fighting for his life and he died four days later.

5. B 6. D 7. C 8. D 9. B- Chris Christie has been showing up recently in Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones’ box at football games. In response to those who criticize him for not rooting for the Giants and/or Jets— who play in New Jersey— Christie has said, “Just because I’m governor of New Jersey doesn’t mean that I change who I root for — that’s it.”

Wisdom key: 7-9 correct: You know way too much about governors. You are either really smart or really bored.

4-6 correct: You are starting 2015 right where you left off—in the middle of the pack. How does it feel not to stand out?

0-3 correct: You really don’t know that much… which means you’d probably be a good governor!

(Huh? Well, if you haven’t figured Comm Let the ission it out yet—our policy is to bash all er dec ide oliticians, all of the time.)

Send y o ads@b ur stu ff to altimo ilds@ fivetow cenrteejrefw hhom o e.com nsjewis hh

GO FUNNT Y?

ome.com

JANUARY 8, 2015

2. Which New York State governor became Gerald Ford’s vice president after Nixon resigned? a. Nelson Rockefeller b. Malcolm Wilson c. Hugh Carey d. Alfred E Smith

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

Governors Trivia

ANSWER TO RIDDLE: Because he was the night watchman and shouldn’t have been sleeping on the job!

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

Forgotten Heroes

101 Avi Heiligman

Protecting the Waters Underneath The Submarines of the Israeli Navy

A

ircraft carriers are needed by superpowers to project their influence worldwide. For America, nuclear-powered carriers became a reality during the Cold War but the idea of putting a reactor into a ship started with submarines. Under the direction of a Jewish admiral, Hyman Rickover, who was known as the father of the nuclear navy, the USS Nautilus was launched in 1954. On August 3, 1958, she made history as she passed under the polar ice cap while crossing the North Pole. 1958 was an important year for other subs

The INS Tanin leaving port

and the Israeli navy in particular. Israel finally received her first submarines when the British transferred two WWIIera diesel-powered underwater ships to her navy.

F

dwells in the Red Sea). The Rahav was formally the HMS Sanguine which was completed at the very end of World War II and didn’t see action during the war.

In her most glorifying moment, she was part of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation ceremony in 1953. She was transferred to the Israelis but shortly thereafter was retired in 1968 and her parts were used for the Tanin.

The Tanin, on the other hand, saw much more action than her sister ship.

She was formally known as the HMS Springer and like the Rahav the only action she saw in the hands of the British Navy was in the Queen’s coronation procession. However, during the Six Day War, the Israelis used her to launch commandos at the port of Alexandria, Egypt.

She placed mines to sink ships and tried to torpedo an enemy warship. In the ensuing action, the Tanin was damaged by depth charges while her target escaped.

The ship’s captain received the Medal of Courage for his actions and the ship received new parts from the Rahav. The Tanin stayed in the navy until she was decommissioned in 1977.

T

he next three Israeli submarines were also from England—this time of the T-class. They were the INS Leviatan, INS Dolphin and the ill-fated INS Dakar. These subs were built during World War II and were bought by Israel in the mid-1960s.

Originally, the HMS Totem, the Dakar was given an overhaul that added two electrical motors, a new conning tower and bridge, and 12 feet was added to the hull. Lt. Commander Yaacov

or a country that mainly relied on her air power and ground forces to protect her borders, obtaining functional submarines was important.

In addition to the regular missions of protecting the coastal cities and possibly fighting against Arab navies, subs could also be used for commando raids.

Egypt, Syria and Lebanon all sit on the Mediterranean Sea and are within striking distance for commando seaborne raids that could be launched from submarines. Currently, the submarine fleet of the Israeli Navy ranks third among Middle East countries behind Iran and Turkey.

The first two subs in the Israeli navy were the INS Tanin (meaning crocodile) and the INS Rahav (a sea creature from the midrash that The recovered conning tower of the Dakar in the Naval Museum in Haifa

Raanan was given command of the boat as she underwent two months of successful sea trials in Scotland.

On January 9, 1968, the Dakar left England but kept in radio contact with headquarters. On the 25th, she sent a message by radio that she was in The new Dolphin class submarine in Haifa the Mediterranean and was expected in Haifa a few days later. Tanin and INS Rahav—the last two afNothing more was heard, although at ter their retired predecessors. They were first it was assumed that she was expe- built by the British and were of German riencing radio problems. Finally, a SOS design. Most of their characteristics signal was received on Cyprus from the remain classified even after they were Dakar but they couldn’t pinpoint her retired sometime during the 2000s. It exact location. After a week of search- is known that they were active during ing, she was written off as a complete the Lebanon War of 1982 but their misloss. Rabbanim had the difficult task of sions are still unknown to the public. answering agunah shailos (if a wom- They were overhauled a few times bean’s husband disappears with no trace, fore being decommissioned and one is can she remarry) because there were on display at the Israeli Naval Museum in Haifa.

The current submarines in the Israeli Navy are from the Dolphin class. Having been in service since 1999, these three subs are being joined by another three from the Super-Dolphin class.

Two of these new subs are also named the INS Tanin and INS Rahav. The new Rahav is believed to be the most expensive platform in the entire IDF. These are Israel’s first line of defense from the Benjamin Netanyahu welcomes the Israeli Navy’s sea and they can fire long-range fourth German-built Dolphin class submarine ballistic missiles against a variety of targets. rumors that the crew was captured and Over the last six decades, the fleet of still alive in an Arab country. Two years Israeli subs has grown in both numbers later, an Egyptian newspaper claimed and capabilities. The tragedy of the INS that she was sunk by depth charges Dakar—some of the salvaged wreckage from Egyptian warships but Israel de- is also on display at the museum in Hainied that claim and stated that there was fa—serves as a reminder that the “silent no evidence. In 1999, an American sal- service” is also one filled with many vage team located the wreck two miles dangers. The submarines are there to off of Crete. An exact cause of the di- protect Israel from any threats and with saster is still unknown but it appears their incredible capabilities will do it from the wreckage that the hull ruptured “under the radar,” without much fanwhen she reached maximum depth and fare. no emergency measures were taken to prevent the sinking.

T

he Gal class subs were used in the mid-1970s and were named the INS Gal (meaning wave), INS

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.

THE JEWISH HOME  JANUARY 1, 2015

JANUARY 8, 2015

44

74

45

My Israel Home

Gedaliah Borvick

T

wenty five years ago, Rabbi Marc Schneier and his family spent six wonderful weeks vacationing in Israel’s affluent Herzliya

Rabbi Schneier to establish the Hampton Synagogue.

The Hampton Synagogue has in fact followed the Herzliya Pituach blueprint and is a unique, diverse, open and accepting community. Rabbi Schneier quoted to me the musings of a guest who wittily explained the synagogue’s distinctive nature: “You are the rabbi of an Orthodox synagogue with a Conservative congregation and a Reform membership.” In addition, the synagogue’s educational programming brings in top talent, and its roster of guest speakers reflects a veritable “who’s who” of top Jewish leaders and teachers from throughout the world.

The synagogue also takes great pride in its leading philanthropic role, primarily to the State of Israel. This past summer, during Operation Protective Edge, the Hamptons Synagogue raised over $12.7 million for various causes to help the war effort.

Having brought Herzliya Pituach to the Hamptons a quarter of a century ago, Rabbi Schneier is excited to come full circle and bring the Hamptons to Herzliya Pituach – but in a very different role. One 34-unit building in a larger project situated in a premier marina location has been set aside as the Hamptons in Herzliya Pituach, replete with the Hampton Synagogue Prayer and Community House.

Rabbi Schneier explained that “our grandparents planted trees in Israel, our parents bought Israel Bonds, and it is the obligation of our generation to raise the level of connectivity among Jews” by owning a home in Israel, generating a relationship that transcends the less personal connection that is created by merely donating funds to Israeli institutions.

The well-to-do have historically owned multiple homes, and vacation homes are often located in beautiful locales such as Palm Beach. Rabbi Schneier’s vision is for this population

to connect with Israel on a very intimate level, by the act of spending time in one’s own home in our homeland.

In addition, Rabbi Schneier is hopeful that the buyers in this project will exhibit the values of acceptance and generosity for which the Hampton Synagogue is renowned. He believes that the synagogue’s open and accepting nature would be a welcome addition to Israeli society. To emphasize this point, Rabbi Schneier shared with me a conversation with the wife of then-Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who confided in him that if there was a synagogue in Israel similar to the Hampton Synagogue, she would attend every Shabbat.

To be sure, this project is not about aliyah. Rather, it’s about creating an

Herzliya’s marina

upscale destination to attract the wellheeled members of society who have the financial wherewithal to vacation in the top resorts across the world. The Hamptons in Herzliya Pituach represents what Rabbi Schneier considers to be a natural progression of his original vision for the Hampton Synagogue: to create a luxurious neighborhood that appeals to the affluent, Hamptons-style Jewish population and helps engender a visceral attachment with Israel.

Gedaliah Borvick is the founder of My Israel Home (www.myisraelhome.com), a real estate agency focused on helping people from abroad buy and sell homes in Israel. To sign up for his monthly market updates, contact him at gborvick@gmail. com.

JANUARY 8, 2015

ence as the cosmopolitan city offered a fascinating dichotomy. The city boasted beautiful beaches and resorts and had a distinctive international flair, and yet the community was close-knit, warm and welcoming.

The synagogue that Rabbi Schneier attended reflected this interesting synergy of sophistication and hospitality. The shul’s population represented a diverse mix of congregants from all walks of life, and it was not strange to see a teacher, a local restauA rendering of the Hamptons in Herzliya Pituach rateur, a corporate CEO and a member of KnesPituach neighborhood. That summer set sitting side by side in one row. This proved to be a transformative experi- experience was the inspiration for

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

Zionism for the Jet Set

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

JANUARY 8, 2015

46

Your Money

Allan J. Rolnick, CPA

Decoding the Code

“T

he Imitation Game” is the critically acclaimed story of Alan Turing, a British mathematician who is widely credited as being the father of computer science and artificial intelligence.

Benedict Cumberbatch plays Turing, whose work in cracking Nazi Germany’s “ENIGMA” code helped lift the Allies to victory in World War II. Seventy years later, retiring Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) has picked up the code-breaking bug. But Coburn has decided to take on something even more twisted and fiendish than Nazi ciphers. That’s right — he’s just issued a 312-page “Tax Decoder” taking on our tax system. (Read it at your peril — if decoding takes 312 pages, just imagine what the encrypted version looks like!)

Coburn’s goal is to give us “an educational reference guide designed to equip taxpayers and lawmakers with the details needed to thoughtfully reconsider many aspects of the existing tax code.”

We’re not sure why Coburn thought he needed 312 pages to make his case — anyone who’s ever seen their first paycheck and wondered “what’s FICA?” knows the system is a mess. Still, here are some highlights: • Our tax system has metastasized like a glioblastoma. “In 2012, the Internal Revenue Code contained over 4 million words, enough to fill 9,000 pages. By way of comparison, a pamphlet with the original 1913 income tax required only 27 pages for the full text of the statute.”

• Our friends at the IRS really do want to help, but they’re just underfinanced, understaffed, and underfed. “From FY 2004 to FY 2012, the number of calls the IRS received from taxpayers on its Accounts Management phone lines increased from 71 million to 108 million, yet the number of calls answered by telephone assistors declined from 36 million to 31 million.”

• The law is full of inappropriate and wasteful giveaways benefiting taxpayers who would do just fine without them. “There is no shortage of tax subsidies for the rich and famous, such as credits to renovate vacation homes and purchase luxury cars and deductions for yachts.

McDonald’s even received tax breaks to sell Chicken McNuggets overseas.”

• Too many “not-for-profit” groups serve their own interests instead of the public interest. “Born This Way Foundation is advertised as an organization that connects youth with anti-bullying, mental health, and other community resources, but its main activity appears to be throwing free pre-concert tailgate parties for fans.”

Coburn’s solution probably won’t surprise you. Ideally, throw it all out and start over. At the very least, make it simpler, flatter, and fairer. “The tax code should be simple enough that everyone — including members of Congress — is capable of filling out their own tax return.” (We’ll let you decide if that means an easier tax system or smarter members of Congress!)

Still, there is some good news that we can help you put to work — and you’ll find it on the very first page. “Due to the code’s complexity, your taxes are not a simple calculation of earnings and obligations. Instead, taxes are determined by how well you can take advantage of the hundreds of tax credits, deductions, exclusions, and carve-outs tucked into the code.” In other words, all that complexity creates opportunity — and the more complicated your taxes are, the more likely you can use some help.

So, if you’re looking for a New Year’s resolution to kick off 2015, make sure to resolve not to waste any more money on taxes you don’t have to pay!

Allan J Rolnick is a CPA who has been in practice for over 30 years in Queens, NY. He welcomes your comments and can be reached at 718-896-8715 or at allanjrcpa@aol.com.

Life Coach

Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS

The Human Sandwich

F

or some this will be exactly on the money. You will say that’s just what I am going through. To others it will be something they are reading about but it won’t really speak to them. And yet others will say, I’ve been there; I can’t believe this is where I am now.

It’s about a sandwich. And I don’t mean the kind you digest.

Because everyone relates to that in some form. Whether it’s a fluffernutter, corned beef on rye, or sprouts and avocado on whole wheat— just about everyone can connect with a sandwich that has their name on it.

Even if no sandwich just mentioned excites you, we can take it up a level to two yummy cookies with a scoop of ice cream in between, and we’ve got your Achilles heel!

Then there’s that other sandwich everyone should be into.

Especially a success-seeking couple. And truthfully, it should even be a sandwich that parents, friends and even employers and educators utilize. The important communication sandwich which goes kind of like this: before you voice any complaint or even dare to say a criticism, cushion it very tightly between two fat loaves of compliments, sprinkled with positive innuendos, and two giant slices of love. And only then can you gingerly sneak a tiny sliver of comment in the middle before closing with more healthy whole grain positivity!

So what sandwich am I referring to above? The one I referred to as being unique to a certain group at a certain time. It is the stage of being sandwiched as both a child and a parent, between a former and a younger generation. It is the pull between loyalties you have to the generation above and

below you. It is the desire to be the child who gives back all the attention and time and love your parents showered on you, and simultaneously the parent who wants to be available and involved.

At a certain stage—only if you are blessed, after all—you get to work on this time management challenge. And in truth, what else is life, other than confronting challenges? And what else is success other than conquering them?!

Though this one never really seems to have a simple formula, unless you are fortunate enough to have that amazing grandchild-grandparent connection in your family. Then miraculous things happen. In that case, they seek to spend time together without needing you sandwiched in between.

You get time to just be, for what that’s worth to you. And guess what? They both feel terrifically happy and satisfied – especially because they don’t have to deal with a guilt-ridden, mixed up wreck like you sandwiched in between!

Enjoy your blessings and have a great day!

Before you voice any complaint, cushion it very tightly between two fat loaves of compliments, sprinkled with positive innuendos.

Rivki Rosenwald is a certified relationship counselor, and career and life coach.

She can be contacted at 917-705-2004 or Rivki@Rosenwalds.com

61

47

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME JANUARY 8, 2015

B”H

Plaza PAL Auto Leasing

718-975-9000 2750 Nostrand Ave Corner of Ave N Brooklyn NY 11210

WE SELL, LEASE & FINANCE

ALL MAKES AND MODELS

www.PlazaAutoLeasing.com

NEW YORK PRICES HAVE

COME TO BALTIMORE!

PLAZA AUTO LEASING

IS THE ONLY PLACE YOU’LL HAVE TO CALL WE LEASE, SELL AND FINANCE ANY MAKE, ANY MODEL!

WE DELIVER TO BALTIMORE

ARE YOU A PAL YET? DCA # 1312589 DMV #7084665