Baltimore Jewish Home - 11-10-22

Lazy Sunday Returns to Baltimore

Delegate Dalya Attar and Councilman Yitzy Schleifer Visit Mosdos Khal Chassidim

Dear Readers,

As a grandchild of Holocaust survivors, I grew up with a vague awareness of the atrocities committed to my grandparents and their families. I heard the stories of destruction, death, and despair and how their world crumbled. They lived their lives under a veil of sorrow, yet managed to start new lives in America. The United States provided a safe haven for them to begin anew.

The words from “From the Ashes (Journeys 5) expresses so eloquently how our ancestors approached this journey to a new land.

They founded our communities and fought to build our land, Scorning the darkness – and striving for light.

And millions perpetuate – what nearly was lost, Reawakened – and bursting with life.

Every time I exercise my right to vote I think about how we take it for granted. As citizens of the USA, we have the right to choose our leaders. This certainly hasn’t been the case for the better part of the long Galus we find

ourselves in! Just 84 years ago (November 9/10, 1938) a tyranic dictator was wreaking havoc on the Jews of Germany as the Holocaust was launched with Kristallnacht. Those people certainly didn’t choose their leader and they paid the ultimate price. How grateful are we for what the Survivors were able to create for us. We live in the home of the free. Free to raise our families as Jews, to learn Torah at will, and enjoy our lives. Yes, we can debate Biden vs. Trump, or Trump vs. DeSantis, or Schleifer vs. Ervin, but at least we can select whomever we think is the best for us, our families, and our communities.

How did they lift themselves from the dust, And build this world they created for us?

With all that was theirs – vanished and gone, Where did they find – the will to go on.

With much appreciation to all of those who survived and in sacred memory of those who passed AK”H.

Aaron Menachem

Around the Community

JCFL by “Shimz Cars” is in full swing

With 8 strong teams participating in the 2022 season, the Chef Dan title is still very much so up for the taking.

For a recap of Weeks 2 and 3, keep reading: Week 2

Worthy Insurance

Tripping Kosher 41

Autumn Lake Healtchare 0

8

Iconic Builders 6

After a month off between Games 1 and 2, there was some noticeable rust (and holiday weight) that the players needed to shed. The game featuring Worthy Insurance and Iconic Build ers reminded some of Thursday Night Football, thanks to a lack of scoring. Although the final score looks boring, the game was anything but.

Worthy scored a touchdown on the 2nd drive of the game, a beautiful 30 yard catch by stud WR Moshe Gutman over the leaping reach of IB Captain, AB Reznick. Megatron Scheinfeld went up high between 2 defenders for the 2-point conversion giving Worthy the 8-0 lead.

But it was the defenses that shined in this one. The Worthy de fense stifled IB all day, intercepting 5 passes, but they couldn’t capitalize on offense, with multiple turnovers of their own and a couple of drops.

With time running out and the game on the line, Iconic scored a touchdown after an impressive drive but was ulti mately stopped on the 2-point attempt, sealing the win for Worthy Insurance.

Sushi Sakura 26

Dr Auto 18

Sushi Sakura opened with early TDs to Chaim Fink and Ezra Rosen and went into the half up 13-6. After a quick TD for Dr Auto to start the sec ond half, both teams’ offenses slowed down.

With two minutes left, Dr Auto QB Ari Hettleman scored on a deep touchdown pass to put them up 18-13. On the next drive, Sushi Sakura QB Ezra Bregin drove down the field and completed a TD pass on third down to Yehuda Morris. With under a minute left in a do or die situation for Doctor Auto, Chaim Fink picked off Hettle man to seal the game 26-18.

In a matchup of 2 teams coming off wins, Tripping Kosher got start ed early and didn’t look back. Mordi Reches scored 2 quick touchdowns to give TK the early lead. After a fourth down stop before the half, TK moved the ball downfield hitting Aryeh Pleet er and Reches for chunks of yardage, culminating in a TD to Avromi Freund.

The second half brought more of the same. Tripping Kosher didn’t give up a sack, thanks to strong offensive line play by Avi Press, Mordechai Green and Freund. On DL, Freund and Baruch Dollman applied pressure all morning long. The game conclud ed with TK taking the dominant win.

Week 3

Worthy Insurance 40

Dr Auto 14

Back in August, Worthy Insurance and Doctor Auto shocked the rest of the league with a blockbuster trade on Draft Night. Doctor Auto had the 1st overall pick, and with young stallion and first-time drafter Ari Hettleman leading the charge, the plan was to draft another young buck, rookie stud Yeshaya Lerner 1st overall. Worthy Insurance, led by Chaim Finkelstein, wanted to draft former teammate and consensus #1 pick Shloime “Meg atron” Scheinfeld, but held the 5th pick and knew Scheinfeld wouldn’t be available. After a lengthy conversation between the captains, Hettleman real ized he could draft Lerner 5th overall, so the teams secretly agreed to swap 1st round picks, with Worthy throw ing in an additional 4th rounder. Both teams got their guy and a friendly ri valry was born!

Fast forward to the first play of Week 3. Finkelstein pump-faked short to the left, then threw a 50-yard bomb to a streaking Scheinfeld down the right sideline for an easy touch down. After a quick 3 and out by Dr Auto, Worthy took over. On their sec ond possession, the plan was simple: KEEP FEEDING MEGATRON! On 1st down, Finkelstein pump-faked to the left and hit Scheinfeld down the right sideline for a 25-yard com pletion. On the next play, Scheinfeld

caught a 25-yard touchdown between 2 defenders in the middle of the end zone. Yoni Finkelstein caught the 2-point conversion, giving Worthy a 14-0 lead. Yoni came right back with an interception on the 2nd play of the ensuing drive, giving Worthy great field position, but they couldn’t punch it in. Dr. Auto finally got on the board with an impressive touchdown drive of their own, cutting the lead to 14-6. But these would be the only offensive points they would score all day.

The next drive for Worthy opened with a 10-yard QB run, then another patented Finkelstein pump-fake and 40-yard touchdown throw to Schein feld, his 3rd of the day. The Finkelstein brothers connected once again for the 2-point conversion, increasing the lead to 22-6. Dr. Auto drove the ball downfield again but OG Safety, Ouriel Nafisi beautifully undercut a route in the endzone and intercepted the pass. Neither team scored on their next pos sessions, but Dr. Auto got some life back with an incredible defensive play of their own. Rookie sensation Sam “The Palpitating Llama” Novograd intercepted a pass, kept his feet in bounds, broke a few tackles, tiptoed down the sideline, and returned it for a touchdown cutting the lead to 2212. But Worthy didn’t flinch and went back to what was working: MEG ATRON! He had a 10 yard catch to start the drive and then, a pump-fake followed by a 40-yard touchdown. But on the 2-point attempt, Novagrad made another great defensive play and had a rare pick-2.

The score at halftime was 28-14. Dr. Auto didn’t have an answer for Scheinfeld and the unselfish attitude of the Worthy players meant that they would keep feeding him. Dr. Auto started with the ball and got into the redzone, but Rami “Not the Super market” Lavi sacked Hettleman on 4th down, his 3rd sack of the game. On the ensuing possession, Finkelstein ran for a 30-yard gain. The next play, Scheinfeld put a move on the defender and caught his 5th touchdown of the game! After an offensive penalty on the 2-point try, the score was 34-14.

On the very next play, Worthy cornerback Pasey Wealcatch had a tremendous interception. He baited the QB to throw his way, jumped the route, and caught the ball diving to the sideline while keeping his feet in bounds. Yoni Finkelstein followed that up with another touchdown catch for Worthy, giving them a 40-14 lead. On the next drive, Wealcatch deflected a pass in the direction of Chaim Finkel stein, who caught the interception and almost returned it to the house. The game ultimately ended via the mercy rule.

Tripping Kosher 28

Allstate – Yaakov Schmell 14

Looking to move to 3-0, Trip ping Kosher came up big again. On the first possession, Mordy Reches came up with a huge INT. TK didn’t waste time getting in the end zone, as QB Shulie Hochman ran a 40yard TD with great blocking along the way. After a Mookie Chamdi pick, TK went into the half up 7-0.

In the second half, TK pulled away to collect their 3rd straight win. TK’s defense was the difference in this one, with Hochman, Reches and Chamdi combining for 5 INTs and great QB pressure from Avromi Freund and Ba ruch Dollman.

Delegate Dalya Attar and Councilman Yitzy Schleifer Visit Mosdos Khal Chassidim

By: BJLife Newsroom

Mosdos Kehal Chasidim, the chassidish mosdos on Park Heights Ave., was visited yesterday by Delegate Dalya Attar and Councilman Yitzy Schleifer and were given a tour to all the mosdos divisions. These include the Cheder, girls preschool, elementary school, and daycare, with a total of over 130 children, b’ah.

Most of these children are from the Chasidishe kehilla, but it also includes many children of local families that appreciate the unique undivided atten tion, warmth and high level chinuch

Around the Community

Baltimore Ravens Star

Apologizes

By: AVIGAIL GOLDBERG, jewinthecity.com

It takes a lot of courage for someone to apologize — all the more so in the public eye. Antisemitism has been a hot topic in the news after Kanye West spoke out with a slew of negative statements about the Jewish people.

On Wednesday, Torrey Smith — former Baltimore Ravens player and two-time Super Bowl champion — referenced West’s recent antisemitic comments in a tweet. “Kanye never got canceled for saying all of the wild things he said about black folks be cause there aren’t many black people in powerful positions,” he wrote. “He literally offended a group of people that do have power and influence in every space.”

Shortly following, Orthodox Jew ish Baltimore City Councilman Isaac “Yitzy” Schleifer responded coura geously himself and ultimately had a

For

Antisemitic

phone conversation with Smith about the harmful impact that such state ments have on the Jewish community. Schleifer said in an interview that the phone call with Smith allowed both men to share how their backgrounds informed their perspectives.

Among other things, he told Smith that FBI crime data shows that more than 50% of religiously motivated hate crimes in the U.S. were com mitted against Jews in 2020, despite Jews making up just over 2% of the population. He also warned against the rippling impacts of hate speech on social media – particularly by those with large followings – which might inspire copycat comments and acts of violence. Such comments are not only offensive but dangerous.

Although he’d said in a video Wednesday night that he would not apologize, Smith issued an apology Thursday afternoon on Twitter follow ing his conversation with Schleifer. “After talking to some of my friends

Lazy Sunday Returns to Baltimore

The Lazy Sunday program is back! Chai Lifeline’s special Sunday morning program for kids living with illness or loss is off to a great start. The program provides transportation, breakfast, special activities, and a supportive environment for children while giving caregivers an extra boost to start their week.

“Lazy Sunday provides the perfect combination of fun and relaxation for the kids while giving parents a much–

needed break in the morning,” said Chai Lifeline Mid-Atlantic Director Racheli Daniel. “It’s a win-win for our families and we are looking ahead to a program packed with great activities, great food, and great memories!”

Chai Lifeline is an international children’s health support network pro viding social, emotional, and financial assistance to children with life-threat ening or lifelong illnesses and their families. To learn more, visit www. chailifeline.org/midatlantic

Comments After Call With Orthodox Councilman

and members of the Jewish commu nity, I would like to apologize for the hurt that some people have ex perienced from my tweet,” he wrote. “I was speaking strictly about repre sentation but recognize that my point falls in line with an antisemitic trope. I know what that means for the Jewish community during this time.” Smith said he can be stubborn when it comes to saying sorry, but that he considers himself an ally to the Jewish com munity. “The African American and Jewish community are more linked to gether in their struggles than anything else.”

“Twitter is not real life. A lot gets lost when you’re having conversa tions on Twitter,” Schleifer explained, emphasizing the need to have open conversations about this issue on other platforms (and best in person). His conversation with Smith allowed them to share how their backgrounds informed their perspectives. “His will ingness to apologize and learn from

the mistake should really be the mes sage that we take away,” Schleifer said. Schleifer also acknowledges that having high-profile allies in this envi ronment is very helpful in spreading awareness on a wider scale, and par ticularly emphasizes Smith’s respect in the Baltimore community and per sonal value of inclusion. “You have someone who’s a Super Bowl-winning football player and a large celebrity in our city who is willing to take the time to listen to what a local person has to say about how something has impact ed them and their community.”

When asked about whether he be lieved his statements played into an tisemitic tropes, Smith said, “My in tentions no. But the people who were impacted said yes, so yes it does. […] When you put a target on especial ly the Jewish community that can be dangerous. Through dialogue and con versations you can learn that.”

An Important Letter to the Baltimore Community from the Family of Efraim Gordon, Z’L, H’yd, About the Upcoming Trial

Dear Friends and Community Members, Many of you have ex pressed interest in joining the trial of the suspects in Efraim Gordon’s mur der.

The next trial dates are set.

It will begin on Nov 14th and can go three or four days. The trial will take place in Room 203 in Mitchell Courthouse- 100 N Calvert St, Baltimore, MD 21202. The trial will begin at 9/9:30 AM* and can go as late as 4pm.

Please save the date. Mark your

calendars. November 14th. Now is the time to show up.

Community presence at the tri al will go a long way in showing the justice system that we will not stand for what happened to Efraim Gordon. By showing up to the trial, you are not only supporting Efraim, H’yd, but you are playing a part in making Baltimore a safer place.

This is a chance for our voice to be heard. Let’s have more representation. Let’s show that we will not stand for crime. Please, for our community’s sake, make an effort to come.

Here’s your opportunity to ensure there are more people supporting Efraim than the criminal who took his life.

Share this with others in the com munity. Give them the chance to show they care about the safety of our com munity. This is about so much more than Efraim. We need to show up so that we can make a change.

If you are interested in participat ing and showing support to Efraim, our family, and the safety of our com munity, please join our Whatsapp group where all updates on the trial

will be post ed. You may also email us at efraimchai@ gmail.com to be kept up-todate on the proceedings.

*Please note that the first day of the trial, Nov 14th, will likely begin later than 9/9:30 AM. Updates will be emailed as well as posted on the Whatsapp group.

Thank you for your overwhelming love and support!

Efraim’s Family

by Joseph H. and Miriam F. Weiss

Around the Community

Suburban

Orthodox

By: BJLife Newsroom

In commemoration of the yahrzeit of the Piaseczna Rebbe, Rav Kalonymus Kalmish Shapira, z’tl, 99 members of Rabbi Shmuel Silber’s Daf Yomi

Celebrating a Siyum on Mesechta Kesuvos

(some who travelled from out of town to celebrate in person) are celebrating a siyum on Mesechta Kesuvos to be followed by a Kumzitz with special guest singing sensation from Eretz Yiseeael, Yosef Karduner

Stevenson University and Women’s Institute of Torah Seminary Form Partnership for Pre-Med, Pre-Dental, and Biomedical Engineering Degrees

Stevenson University and Women’s Institute of Torah Seminary and College of Baltimore (WITS) are pleased to announce a new partnership to create Pre-Med, Pre-Dental, and Biomedical Engineering degree pathways for WITS students. On Wednesday, October 26, 2022, representatives of the institutions signed a memorandum of understanding to create an educational collaboration that allows WITS students to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Jewish Studies at WITS and, concurrently, a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies with a PreMed/Pre-Dental focus or a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Stevenson.

“WITS has achieved many success es in 25 years as a college for Orthodox Jewish women in the Baltimore area and beyond,” said Leslie Klein, Ph.D., Academic Dean of WITS. “We have over 2,000 alumnae who have gone on to be successful in graduate school and in their chosen careers. Recently, there have been exciting developments as teams of Orthodox high school girls have been participating and winning robotics competitions while others have secured prestigious internships at NIH. With the growing interest in careers in medicine and engineering, WITS is eager to provide program ming to support these students in their desired academic fields. That is why this partnership with Stevenson for pre-med, pre-dental, and biomedical

engineering education is so valuable for our students and our community.”

“This partnership is unique in that students continue their Jewish studies as they take their general education courses at WITS, while studying sci ences and engineering at Stevenson University,” said Elliot Hirshman, Ph.D., President of Stevenson. “The curriculum is designed to prepare WITS students not only academically in the sciences and engineering, but for success in their next steps toward graduate and doctoral programs—and ultimately careers—through career preparation, internships, mentoring, and pre-health advising.”

This innovative partnership pro vides WITS students with a curriculum that prepares them to apply to medical or dental school, or with a degree that prepares them for careers in the grow ing and in-demand field of biomedical engineering. As part of their studies at Stevenson, WITS students in the prehealth professions track will complete two internships, one working with professionals in the healthcare field and one completing a medical or den tal research experience. Students in the biomedical engineering pathway will complete four design courses that prepare them to be successful, tech nically proficient engineers. The first four WITS students, who are pursuing the pre-health pathway, started at Ste venson this Fall 2022 semester.

This is the second education part nership that Stevenson has formed

On Wednesday, October 26, 2022, representatives of the Women’s Institute of Torah Seminary and College of Baltimore (WITS) and Stevenson University signed a memorandum of understanding to create an educational collaboration for premed, pre-dental, and biomedical engineering education for WITS students. Pictured left to right are: Mr. Shlomo Spetner, Chairman of the WITS Board; Mrs. Mindy Spetner, Vice-Chairman of the WITS Board; Rebbetzin Ettie Rosenbaum, WITS Executive Dean/Menaheles; Dr. Leslie G. Klein, WITS Academic Dean; Dr. Susan T. Gorman, Stevenson Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost; Dr. Ellen Roskes, Dean of Stevenson’s Fine School of the Sciences; and Dr. Elliot Hirshman, President of Stevenson University.

grams in medicine and related health fields.

“We are very pleased to form these partnerships with the Orthodox Jewish educational institutions of our region and bring the value of Stevenson’s educational experience to more stu dents,” added President Hirshman.

Women’s Institute of Torah Sem inary and College (WITS) is a semi nary and an undergraduate college, accredited by the Association of In stitutions of Jewish Studies and ap proved as a degree-granting institution by the Maryland Higher Education Commission. WITS has provided Jewish women with an undergraduate education leading to B.A. and B.S. degrees since 1998, and its graduates

are prepared for personal and pro fessional accomplishment in Jewish communal life, graduate school, and the professional world. The student body includes women studying a wide range of disciplines including Jewish studies, education, natural and phys ical sciences, pre-med, business and accounting, graphic arts, computer science, cybersecurity, psychology, speech and language pathology, and humanities. WITS has more than 2,000 alumnae who have gone on to graduate school and to careers in a di verse array of fields. For more infor mation, visit www.wits.edu

Founded originally as Villa Julie College in 1947, Stevenson Univer sity enrolls more than 3,700 students pursuing traditional undergraduate, doctoral, and online master’s and pro fessional degrees. Stevenson is driven by an educational mission that “meets students where they are” to get them where they want to be in their lives through a commitment to close-knit, supportive community centered on student success; creating career con nections that foster students’ profes sional success through curricular and co-curricular experiences, internships, and mentoring; and exceptional ex periences in and out of the classroom through which students can discover their talents, explore their interests, and achieve their visions for their lives. For more information, vis it www.stevenson.edu.

with higher education institutions

nered to create a degree pathway for Ner Israel students seeking pre-med

Tell us a little bit about yourself?

My wife Aviva and I are original ly from NY/NJ. We feel fortunate to have lived and raised our children in Baltimore for almost 20 years. B”H, I have the privilege to be the rav of Suburban Orthodox congregation, a vibrant, beautiful, and growing Kehil la with incredible kedusha and beau tiful diversity. This past September, I assumed the role of Dean at YMC.

What is unique about Yeshivas Mekor Chaim (YMC)?

At YMC we strive to provide a meaningful yeshiva experience to pre pare boys for success in contemporary society. How do accomplish this? We offer skill based shiurim so that our students can learn how to learn while developing an appreciation of Torah. Our Menahel, Rabbi Uri Grosberg is dedicated to the success of each and every boy. Our rebbeim are committed to the success of their students. Our teachers are constantly innovating to

meet the needs of our talmidim. Our general studies classes are designed to not only satisfy requirements but to broaden the knowledge base, pro vide meaningful life skills and prepare our students for college. Our highly skilled teachers create an atmosphere of excitement and thirst for knowl edge. We have an organized athletics program led by Coach Chaim Katz. The athletics program allows the boys a healthy outlet and builds comradery and important life-skills. All of these components add up to an education al experience filled with personal growth, ruchnius, and academic ac complishments and results in a mean ingful, relevant, and enriching high school experience.

What is your vision for the school? What excites you most about your work?

Our vision is to create a makom To rah where young men come to grow and work on themselves. Education is not an end, it is a means to personal istic refinement and advancement. I want our boys to love and live Torah. I want them to feel a sense of excite ment and joy when they open their Ge mara and other seforim. I want them to view halacha and Judaic responsibili ty as something which enhances their lives and not chas v’shalom as a bur den. I want to them to become baalei achrayus, living life with a sense of

responsibility for their own success and as well as a sense of commit ment to community and Am Yisroel. I want our boys to develop into Baalei Chessed looking out for the needs and welfare of others. We want YMC to be place where relationships are created. The rebbe/talmid relationship is truly pivotal in a young man’s development. We want to encourage and nurture this bond as it can be a source of strength and inspiration for many years to come. We want our students to feel loved, appreciated and we feel it is our sacred task to help them discover their kochos and become the best ver sion of themselves. While all of these are beautiful, aspirational ideas, these goals find expression in the rebbeim and teachers we hire, the curriculum we put in place and the environment we are striving to create both in and out of school.

Why did you decide to take on the role of Dean for YMC?

Our community is blessed with many wonderful yeshivos and day schools. Our greater community is growing and diversifying – there is no one size fits all in education. We are creating something holy and unique. A yeshiva built upon the age-old values of Torah and Halacha, yet at the same time willing to engage and prepare our talmidim for life in the world. Like any new school, YMC

has matured as an institution over the past few years and was looking to solidify their derech, hashkofos and approach to chinuch. When the oppor tunity to help shape this type of school for our community was presented to me, I could not turn it down. I know in my neshoma that our community needs a yeshiva like YMC.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

YMC is still in its organization al infancy. We have just entered our fourth year and are getting ready to graduate our inaugural 12th grade. We are confident that all of our graduating seniors will IY”H go on to learn in ye shivos in Eretz Yisroel and are ready to succeed in their spiritual journey armed with their YMC chinuch. Peo ple often ask, “What type of student are you looking for?” The answer is simple, one with motivation. All we ask is that out students walk into our sacred yeshiva with a desire to learn and grow. We will help them get to where they need to get to. I feel priv ileged to work with Rabbi Grosberg, the administrative team, the amazing ly talented rebbeim and teachers and am confident that with a heaping dose of siyata d’Shmaya we will be suc cessful.

To learn more about YMC, please contact: office@yeshivasmekor chaim.org

Rabbi Shmuel Silber, Rabbi of Suburban Orthodox Torahs Chaim and Dean of Yeshivas Mekor Chaim

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah Siyum on Kesubos

Mercaz Torah U’Tefilah held a beautiful Siyum on Maseches Kesuvos. Despite multiple unforeseen conflicts with other local events, the turnout was amazing without a seat to spare!

The Rav spoke about the value and importance of making additional private Siyumim besides for the main one with the all the Lomdei Daf Yomi together. The purpose is to drive home the message to one’s family that fin ishing a Masechta is a milestone which deserves a celebration no less than other lifecycle events people throw parties for, and in fact all the more so.

The Rav’s words were followed by the keynote speech given by Mr. Har ry Spar, who talked about his journey with the Daf Yomi and encouraged the

recently passed away right after Yom Kippur. R’ Shaul Edelman took the opportunity to briefly talk about the tremendous amount of time and effort which Mrs. Judy Gornbein A”H put in

brought back warm memories for all those in the crowd who took part in that Siyum, and R’ Shaul used it as a springboard to announce a “Save the Date” for the Siyum on Seder Nashim

BETH TFILOH’S FAREWELL TRIBUTE EVENT

BJH: Cantor Albrecht, you’re retiring from Beth Tfiloh and being honored on Sunday, November 20th with a musical tribute - Voice of the Heart/Kol HaLev. Any thoughts you’d like to share?

Cantor Avi Albrecht: It’s been 27 amazing years at Beth Tfiloh - it isn’t easy to put it into words. I have many fond memories and relationships that I cherish. I have been a part of many BT family smachot and milestones. BT is my extended family. It has been a pleasure and an honor serving along side Rabbi Wohlberg and more recent ly with Rabbi Posner. Bez”H I will stay connected as the Cantor Emeritus.

BJH: What will you be up to next?

CAA: I am forming a new trio, called Cantori, with my students who are outstanding singers: Yoni Rose and Benjamin Warschawski. We’re actually debuting our new musical group at the tribute.

BJH: Is this a Chazzanus/Canto rial group?

CAA: Not really. I will let Yoni and Benny explain.

YR: Cantori will be performing a

broad mix of styles. Our show will be a completely new genre of song and music with storytelling and showman ship as well. We are very excited to be debuting our new trio in our home town of Baltimore!

BW: We’re reimagining classic songs. The vocal, music, and rhythm arrangements will be fresh and orig inal. The presentation itself will be funny, inspiring, and interactive. Our musicians are top in the industry and our composer, Maestro Ronn Yedidia, is world renowned!

BJH: All of the Tribute’s pro ceeds are benefiting the new ICU at

Laniado Hospital of Netanya, Israel. What’s the story behind that?

CAA: I wanted my Tribute to be connected with a tremendous mitz vah in Israel. Laniado Hospital was founded by the Klausenberger Rebbe, who lost his wife and 11 children in the Holocaust. He vowed that, if he survived, he would build a hospital in Eretz Yisrael that would be full of compassion to all. That was his re sponse to the Shoah’s evil and hatred! Laniado’s current ICU only has 6 beds in a small room. The new ICU will have 17 beds, each in its own room. This is a great opportunity for a huge mitzvah and will help many people in need of hatzalat nefashot

BJH: Any last thoughts?

CAA: Laniado is the only hos pital in Netanya and Sharon serving 500,000 residents and numerous vis itors from throughout the world, and they need our help! Saving a life takes precedence over all other mitzvot.

Please partner with us! You can find all the info at www.ChazTrib ute.com or call/email 443.928.7404 / info@chaztribute.com

In the zechut of helping Laniado Hospital, may you and your loved ones be blessed with a long and healthy life!

Interview with Cantor Avi Albrecht about his new trio, Cantori, and his musical tribute Kol HaLevVoice of the Heart, benefiting Laniado Hospital

Voice N tes

My Father’s Eyes

by Irene Reinhard

Photo by Melinda Strau SS

My father, a ron b eidner, passed away august of 2021 of Covid-related pneumo nia. he had just celebrated his 104th birthday in July. e veryone said he was blessed with years. i had to agree. though in my eyes and heart, he was far too young to die. i wrote the following essay and poem while he was still alive. i never felt quite ready to share these reflections until now. In light of recent events around the world and the com memoration Kristallnacht/ night of the broken Glass, i feel they hold greater significance and a more sacred place in the world. i respectfully share them with you.

i have been revising and editing this draft for the past two months. i want to get it just right. but right for whom? i am painfully familiar with its themes. i expect others to recognize them as well. but what seems to be the obvious, unfortunately escapes others’ understanding or at least awareness of a major societal problem that needs to be addressed. a s i struggle to begin, i look for inspiration, which sadly has been lacking, recently. From where i sit, all i see is anger, frustration, and disgust. one exception.

My father’s name is a ron. he is 103 years young. he has been living with us since my mother’s death, almost three years ago. at that time, i made the de cision to have him move in with us. it hasn’t been easy. Frankly, it would have been more practical to transfer him to an assisted living type facility where i could visit occasionally and go on with the rest of daily life in relative peace. but in my heart, i knew that was not possible.

My father’s memory has been steadily fading, and with each day’s passing, another link lost. a s his only surviving child, i knew that my re sponsibilities lie in providing connec tions to his past so crucial to main taining his dignity and identity. t hat

identity speaks to a life of a proud Jew, one whose scholarly pursuits revolved around the daily study of the torah and talmud, one whose rich cantorial voice captivated synagogue congregants with soulful liturgical services, and one who lovingly, continues to wear his tallis and tefillin for morning prayers and his yar mulke, daily.

a s i watch my father carefully wind the strap of the Tefillin Shel Yad around his left arm, i am acutely aware of the tattooed number bulging between its gaps.

My father is a holocaust survivor, the lone surviving member of a large family that perished under man’s unfor giveable sin against humanity, a time of inexplicable crimes and horrors, a time seared into my father’s memory, a time i’ve always wanted to forget.

i grew up listening to the “stories” of the holocaust every day of my life, from a young child all the way to adult hood, so much so, that i came to resent them. i saw them as intrusive. i wanted things to be “normal,” and they magni fied a darker side of life that I was not prepared to face.

but that was then, and this is now.

i n face of the recent rise of anti- Se

mitic attacks worldwide, in particular, the united States, i am prepared to speak. but who will listen?

not those, who hang on, to every word of irresponsible rhetoric from so called celebrities, in an effort to sound “enlightened.” not those, whose politi cal platforms seemingly espouse justice for all, but who blatantly disregard op portunities to educate themselves about seminal historical events, in an effort to appear balanced. not those, who are members of the very group targeted in these hate crimes, but who choose to distance themselves and create new narratives, in an effort to feel morally superior. a nd certainly not those, who sit in unconscionable silence, while hard-won freedoms are literally being trampled upon, in effort to feel protect ed and politically correct. how do i convey the seriousness of this issue, the harsh parallels it evokes, and the ramifications for all who re fuse to “listen”? Maybe, you will better understand, through the eyes of one who knows.

a s i look into my father’s eyes, which at times don’t recognize me, and try to elicit stories of the holocaust, which he barely remembers, i realize how sig

nificant those experiences are to my identity as a Jew but more importantly, as a human being. i am compelled to remember.

a s i look into my father’s eyes, i see his brother desperately calling for him as they got separated, during the selec tion process. l ife or death sealed with the flick of a finger. A truly obscene ges ture! i am compelled to remember.

a s i look into my father’s eyes, i see him looking straight into the eyes of a murderer, a man whose sole mission, in the perversely evil world of that time, was to kill my father simply because he was a Jew. that identity so despised and devalued, as to be considered sub human. i am compelled to remember.

a s i look into my father’s eyes, i see his child grabbed from his moth er’s arms and thrown to the ground, discarded like a piece of trash. For his hater, one less problem to dispose of; for my father, one more person to mourn. i am compelled to remember.

a s i look into my father’s eyes, i see the breathless terror at being discovered each of the three times he managed to escape a transport headed for the gas chambers. i am compelled to remem ber.

a s i look into my father’s eyes, i see him face to face with his captor, a hunter willing to “devour his prey,” my father praying for a miracle. i am compelled to remember.

a s i look into my father’s eyes, i see a ray of “blinding light,” one that shield ed my father from his captor’s recogni tion, leading him to safety for a brief moment. i am compelled to remember.

a s i look into my father’s eyes, i see a person with fierce determination to hold fast to life, to his identity as a proud Jew, and to his fundamental rights as a human being.

We are compelled to remember!

To my father, z”l. a promise. your eyes are my eyes. i am a proud Jew. i will never forget.

The Week In News

Shalom

Sofer, HY”D

“It was in great sorrow that I re ceived the message of [the death of] Shalom Sofer’s... who died of his wounds two weeks after he was at tacked and stabbed by a terrorist,” wrote Prime Minister Yair Lapid on Twitter. “In the name of Israel’s gov ernment and citizens, I would like to send condolences to his friends and family.”

He add, “The hateful terrorist was caught on that same day, and the IDF and security forces are continuing the fight against terror day and night.”

MK Smotrich also tweeted about the news.

Herzog Joins UN Climate Conference

participation in the conference after losing his premier seat to Benjamin Netanyahu last week. Herzog is there in his stead.

Israel’s head of state landed in Egypt on Monday morning, where he was greeted on the tarmac by Egypt’s housing minister. Herzog was then welcomed by Egyptian President Ab del Fattah el-Sissi and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.

In the room set aside for dignitar ies, Herzog met with leaders of Chad, Finland, the Czech Republic, Belgium, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Norway, according to his office.

Shalom Sofer was stabbed two weeks ago in Al Funduq as he entered a grocery store. This week, Sofer, 63, who was battling his injuries, died from his wounds.

“I write this painful tweet with the terrible news this morning not as a politician but as a friend who had the privilege to get to know a special man with a huge heart who will be greatly missed by his family, the residents of Kedumim and many more people,” he wrote.

Sofer was buried in Petach Tikveh on Tuesday.

President Isaac Herzog met with key regional allies on the sidelines of the COP27 UN climate conference in Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday. Among those he sat with were the leaders of the UK, Egypt, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates.

Yair Lapid had been scheduled to attend the summit; he canceled his

He also spoke with Prince Moulay Rachid, second-in-line to the Moroc can throne.

Herzog sat with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss climate cooperation and “regional develop ments” — often a euphemism for Iran.

With Jordan’s King Abdullah, Her

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zog discussed trilateral cooperation between Israel, Jordan, and the Unit ed Arab Emirates on energy and water issues, as well as an initiative to clean portions of the Jordan River.

Last year, Israel, Jordan, and the UAE signed a major deal between the three nations to see a solar power plant built in Jordan by Emirati busi nesses to harness energy for Israel.

With Netanyahu soon to return to the premiership, the president is set to be a key figure in the Israel-Jordan re lationship. Ties became badly frayed during the last few years of Netanya hu’s tenure. Going forward, Herzog could be the most acceptable senior Israeli leader for public meetings in Jordanian eyes.

Later in the afternoon, Herzog sat with Britain’s Rishi Sunak, congrat ulating the Tory leader on becoming prime minister, calling him “a great friend of Israel” and describing the Israel-UK relationship as “one of the closest.”

Sunak thanked Herzog for the “very warm words,” and added that “Israel is one of our closest friends, our closest allies, and there is an enor mous amount for us to continue work ing on together, whether it’s economic cooperation, security cooperation, or indeed climate change, that we’re here discussing. So I look forward to our time together.”

More than 90 heads of state and government, including U.S. President Joe Biden, are scheduled to converge on the resort between November 6 and 18.

N. Korea Hacking Attempt

This week, a North Korean hack ing group posing as a Japanese suppli er attempted to hack into the systems of an Israeli company that deals in the field of cryptocurrency and to siphon money that Pyongyang planned to use for its nuclear program.

Personnel at the company, Konfi das, quickly averted the attack.

North Korea’s attempt seemed to be professional and sophisticated, which is alarming to authorities in Is rael.

“These attacks don’t happen over night. The pattern of operation of

most attacks is that in the first step, you have a conversation with a per son on the other side, who gains your trust, then they send a malicious file that contains the virus that is des tined to reach the computer, and from the moment it reaches the computer, they start spreading on the network to reach financial assets or informa tion they need and then do what they want,” CEO of Konfidas Ram Levy noted.

onism party leader Bezalel Smotrich sparked outrage on Sunday by blam ing the Shin Bet for encouraging the killing.

Amid anger over the right-wing lawmaker’s speech, Channel 12 on Monday aired old excerpts from Amir’s testimony following the assas sination, which appear to refute Smo trich’s assertation.

“The Shin Bet never could have been alerted. The Shin Bet didn’t know anything about me at all,” the assassin told investigators after the killing. “They knew I was organizing Shabbats and everything, but nev er could have known that I would do something like that,” Amir said.

“There is no conspiracy,” he tweet ed in the face of strong criticism. “The despicable murderer Yigal Amir mur dered Yitzhak Rabin z”l and we are all still in pain and shock from the ter rible murder. Yes, there was a signif icant failure on the part of the Jewish Division at the Shin Bet, and yes, to this day it refuses to take responsibil ity.”

U.S. Wants 2 States

Penetrating the systems of finan cial institutions and employing the use of hackers are known practices of North Korea, which almost brought down the Central Bank of Bangladesh in this way. In Israel, this was only an initial attempt – which thankfully ended without success.

“Ransom demands usually occur in economic attacks; those who are behind them are criminals and they intend to steal information and ask for a ransom in exchange for not pub lishing the information and releasing the systems,” Levy said. “In this case, the North Korean modus operandi is a pattern in which they simply spy, steal money and disappear. There is no in teraction with the user except that he has to open the malicious files with which you take over the systems.”

North Korean hackers are thought to be behind the theft of as much as $100 million in cryptocurrency from a U.S. company in June, as the regime steps up attempts to secure funding for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

No Conspiracy in Rabin Killing

Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated by Yigal Amir in 1995. But the killer has confirmed that the Shin Bet had noth ing to do with the killing. Now, almost two decades later, Rabin’s murder is making headlines after Religious Zi

Smotrich was accused by critics of promoting conspiracy theories in his Sunday speech to the Knesset during a ceremony marking 27 years since the November 4, 1995, assassination.

The lawmaker argued that rightwing rhetoric against Rabin at the time played no role in inciting his killing. Instead, he alleged the Shin Bet, which is charged with protecting politicians, bore responsibility.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas spoke with U.S. Sec retary of State Antony Blinken on Fri day, demanding the Biden adminis tration “compel” Israel to stop various “attacks” against Palestinians.

According to State Department spokesman Ned Price, Blinken and Abbas discussed “joint efforts to im prove the quality of life for the Pales tinian people and enhance their secu rity and freedom.”

“Those who failed in protecting prime minister Yitzhak Rabin,” Smo trich said, “were not the right-wing ers and the religious Zionists and the settlers who justifiably decried his government’s policies. It was the secu rity services, which not only failed to protect him, but also used irresponsi ble manipulations, which haven’t been fully exposed to this day, to encourage the murderer to carry out his plan.”

Amir said he had been motivated to kill Rabin by the election results in Israel and the massacre of 29 Pal estinians by Baruch Goldstein in He bron in 1994. Rabin took power at the head of his Labor party following the 1992 elections.

Politicians on both sides of the aisle condemned Smotrich’s inflam matory remarks.

Still, Smotrich doubled down on his allegations on Monday.

Price said Blinken “further reaf firmed our commitment to a two-state solution.”

Price added that Blinken “under scored his deep concern over the sit uation in the West Bank, including heightened tensions, violence, and loss of both Palestinian and Israeli lives, and emphasized the need for all parties to de-escalate the situation ur gently.”

According to the official Palestin ian news agency Wafa, Abbas briefed Blinken on “Israeli attacks against the Palestinian people… including the blockades, extrajudicial killings, home demolitions and settlement construction, in addition to settlers’ violence and violations carried out against the ‘occupied’ city of Jerusa lem and its Muslim and Christian holy sites.”

The IDF is in the midst of an an ti-terror offensive, mainly in the West Bank. The campaign has re

In News

sulted in more than 2,000 arrests in near-nightly raids; more than 125 Pal estinians have died in the raids. Many of those were killed while carrying out attacks or during clashes with securi ty forces; some were uninvolved civil ians.

The IDF’s anti-terror offensive in the West Bank was launched follow ing a series of Palestinian attacks that killed 19 people earlier this year.

An Israeli man was killed in an at tack in Hebron last Saturday, another woman was killed in a suspected at tack in September, and four soldiers have been killed in the West Bank in attacks and during the arrest opera tions.

President Joe Biden has been one of the first American leaders to not pursue a peace initiative between Israel and the Palestinians. During a closed meeting with Palestinian Americans on the UN sidelines in September, Abbas revealed how he scolded Blinken, calling him a “little boy” for failing to use his position to coax Israel into making peace.

Kenyans Dominate NYC Marathon

Evans Chebet to take the lead in the men’s race. Chebet, a Kenyan, had al ready won the Boston Marathon this year.

“I felt bad for him,” Chebet said in Swahili through a translator, “but I had to continue the race.”

Chebet nabbed the title in 2 hours 8 minutes 41 seconds. His victory makes it a clean sweep for Kenyan men at six world marathon majors this year. Chebet, 33, did his part by winning two of them — and two of the toughest.

“Boston was actually harder,” Chebet noted.

As for the women’s race, another Kenyan took the crown. Sharon Loke di was fearless in her marathon debut, breaking free from a celebrated field to win in 2:23:23.

ing a good outcome.”

Lonah Chemtai Salpeter, a Ken yan-born Israeli who arrived in New York with the fastest time in the field, finished second. Gotytom Gebreslase, an Ethiopian who is the reigning world champion, placed third. Edna Kiplagat, a 42-year-old Kenyan who is one of the world’s most decorated marathoners, was fourth. And Vio la Cheptoo of Kenya, last year’s run ner-up, was fifth.

This year’s race was the warmest marathon on record since the com petition was moved to its tradition al early November date in 1986. The temperature in Central Park was 73 degrees Fahrenheit at 11 a.m., shortly before the elite runners began to cross the finish line.

About six miles from the finish line, Daniel do Nascimento collapsed at the side of the NYC Marathon. The 24-year-old Brazilian was set to win the race, but his physical woes allowed

“Perfect weather for me,” said Lokedi, 28, who splits her time be tween Kenya and Flagstaff, Ariz., where she trains with the Under Ar mour-sponsored Dark Sky Distance group. “I didn’t expect to win. I ex pected to run well. But it ended up be

As for the American runners, Scott Fauble, 31, was the top man, finish ing ninth — a solid result coming the morning after he signed a new spon sorship deal with Nike. Fauble was also the top American finisher in Bos ton this year.

The Week In News

Not a Trace of Illness

To the chashuve administration of Tehillim Kollel,

It is already four years since my family and I signed up for an active membership with Tehillim Kollel. Throughout the years, we saw many open instances in which the Tehillim accompanied us and showered us with brachah. May Hashem continue to help us…

Nevertheless, I wanted to share a most interesting anecdote…

Lately, as I was going over my personal accounts, I tried to remind myself what had prompted me to begin my membership with Tehillim Kollel years back. What was the cause that made me choose a partnership with the minyan that says Tehillim daily?

I asked about it at home, and we remembered that exactly four years ago, my special father-in-law was diagnosed with the terrible machalah that no Yid should know about.

It floated back to mind, how broken and hopeless the situation felt then. And, today, four years later, there is no trace of the illness, baruch Hashem. My father-in-law is completely cured. Baruch rofeh cholim!

Our family simchos are enhanced by the presence of a grandfather. He dances at our weddings, healthy and fresh, and the grandchildren enjoy spending time in his home. It’s all in the merit of those heartfelt tefillos by the Tehillim minyan, whom I myself nearly forgot about…

You can publicize this letter – Yidden should know what a great koach hatefillah we have, how great the power of the Tehillim is. How lucky we are, Yiddishe children!

American Killed in Baghdad

An American aid worker was gunned down in Baghdad on Monday. Millennium Relief and Develop ment Services, a Texas-based inter national aid group, confirmed in a statement that one of its workers was “shot and killed by armed attackers as he returned to this home on Monday evening.”

“We are greatly saddened by the tragedy that took the life of our col league, near his home in Baghdad, Iraq,” Millennium said. “An investi gation is ongoing and details on the assailants and the motivation for the attack are not known at this time.”

The Thanksgiving Squeeze

The victim had worked for the past few years for Global English Institute, a local English learning institute that Millennium said has operated under its umbrella for more than two de cades. He was in charge of “managing the promotions and advertising while his wife was manager of the school.”

“He loved the people of Iraq, and it motivated him to strive for excellence in his work at Global,” Millennium noted. “He will be remembered as a source of great encouragement and will be missed by all who knew him and were touched by his life.”

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the killing.

Attacks against individual foreign ers in Baghdad were common in the early years that followed the United States-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. Such incidents have been rare since the territorial defeat of the Islamic State group in Iraq in 2017.

U.S.-led coalition forces conclud ed their combat mission in Iraq last year, but American troops remain there to advise and train Iraqi forces in the ongoing fight against ISIS.

Most families look forward to Thanksgiving, spending time with each other and enjoying good food. But this year, some families are cur tailing their upcoming celebrations as they struggle with finances tightening their budgets.

In a poll, commissioned by digital wealth management company Person al Capital, one in four Americans say they’re actually skipping Thanksgiv ing altogether in order to save mon ey. One in three say they are hosting smaller dinners, and a staggering 88 percent are cutting at least one dish from their table in order to make ends meet.

Last year, nine in ten Americans surveyed in an IPSOS poll said that they planned to celebrate the holiday. Contrast that with this year, when that number has fallen to just 74 percent. In fact, 47 percent say they’re cele brating “Friendsgiving” because of its more budget-friendly menu. Specifi cally, just 24 percent of Friendsgiving celebrations will even have a turkey on the table, with 33 percent opting for a pizza instead!

Hoping to cut on costs, many Americans are asking guests to bring a side dish to the dinner. Some are asking if guests can contribute alco hol; forty-six percent would appre ciate a dessert. Another 42 percent are going a step further, asking their friends and family to help pay for the big meal.

Aside from cutting food costs, some Americans – 57 percent – are cutting their guest list.

Overall, 45 percent of the country say they feel financially stressed by Thanksgiving 2022. Gen X Americans have the least amount of stress (33%) while Gen Z is feeling it the most

(54%).

Want to cut costs when preparing your celebration? Respondents say the best things to do to save money are pay attention to deals (38%), use coupons (36%), and start shopping for holiday ingredients early (36%). When it comes to the items no Thanksgiving dinner is complete without, turkey tops the list (36%), followed by gravy (35%), mashed potatoes (31%), stuff ing (31%), and sweet potatoes (29%).

Brussel sprouts, creamed spinach, and squash are all items that are going to be the first to be cut from this year’s menu.

Nicole Nears

Florida

Subtropical Storm Nicole quick ly took aim at land after it formed in the southwestern Atlantic on Monday, prompting a hurricane warning for portions of the northwestern Baha mas and a storm watch along the east

coast of Florida as forecasters said it could reach hurricane strength by midweek.

five inches of rain was expected across the northwest Bahamas and central and northern parts of Florida from Tuesday through Thursday, with up to 7 inches possible in some locations.

The warning, which means that hurricane conditions were expected within 36 hours, included Abaco, Ber ry, Bimini and Grand Bahama islands. A tropical storm warning, anticipat ing tropical storm conditions, was in effect for the Andros, New Providence and Eleuthera islands.

coming onshore during the day on Wednesday, and possibly lingering on Thursday,” Rhome said.

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida on Monday declared a state of emergen cy for 34 counties that could be in the path of the storm. (© The New York Times)

Nicole was forecast to approach the northwestern Bahamas on Tues day, when it was expected to strength en and move near or over those is lands Wednesday, meteorologists said. The storm, which was packing 45 mph winds Monday evening, will head toward Florida’s east coast as a hurricane by Wednesday night.

In preparation, the government of the Bahamas issued a hurricane watch that was upgraded Monday afternoon to a hurricane warning for the north western Bahamas, according to the National Hurricane Center. Three to

In the United States, a hurricane watch, anticipating possible hurri cane conditions within 48 hours, was issued for the east coast of Florida, from the Volusia-Brevard county line to Hallandale Beach north of Miami in Broward County, and for Lake Okeechobee in the southern part of the state.

The storm is expected to strength en into a Category 1 hurricane as it ap proaches the Florida Peninsula, said Jamie Rhome, acting director of the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

“The worst of the impact will be

U.S. Jail for Nigerian Fraudster

Hushpuppi will be spending the next 135 months in an American slammer. Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, better known by his Instagram han dle, was sentenced to prison and or dered to pay $1.7 million to two of his victims on Monday.

The Nigerian fraudster is accused of using the proceeds of his crimes to fund a lavish lifestyle he flaunted on social media in a series of internation al online scams.

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Although he would later be accused by prosecutors of targeting high-pro file victims including a U.S. law firm, a foreign bank and a professional soccer club in Britain, Abbas never appeared to keep a low profile. The 40-year-old shared pictures and videos of his life in Dubai with his more than 2 million Instagram followers, showing off lux ury cars, designer clothes and trips on a private jet.

Abbas was extradited to the United States from the United Arab Emirates following his arrest in Dubai in June 2020 and has remained in U.S. cus tody ever since. Don Alway, the assis tant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office, described him in a statement as “one of the most prolific money launderers in the world.”

In one case, prosecutors alleged that he conspired with others to trick a Qatari business executive into send ing them hundreds of thousands of dollars. According to the plea deal, Abbas and an associate falsely told the unidentified business owner that the money was needed to help secure a $15 million loan that the victim need ed to build a school and related tax costs.

email compromise,” a type of phish ing attack in which scammers illegally access email accounts belonging to a company to trick employees into mak ing an unauthorized money transfer.

Abbas’s scams spanned the globe. In one case, he conspired to launder millions of pounds stolen from the unnamed British soccer club and a British company. In another case, Ab bas was accused of scamming a law firm in New York into fraudulently transferring more than $900,000 to a Mexican bank account controlled by his fellow conspirator, Canadian na tional Ghaleb Alaumary.

Will Smoking be Banned in Casinos?

In Atlantic City, New Jersey, the most prominent U.S. gambling hub outside of Nevada, an employee-led push to ban smoking on casino floors has gathered momentum and clout, representing a potentially critical mo ment for the industry nationwide.

“A lot of eyes are on Atlantic City,” said Cynthia Hallett, president and CEO of Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights, a nonprofit that for over four decades has pressed for smoke-free casinos, airplanes, and bars.

Abbas then used the money for his own benefit, buying a $230,000 luxu ry Swiss watch and obtaining citizen ship and a passport from the tiny Ca ribbean nation of St. Kitts and Nevis, the plea deal said.

He also admitted as part of the plea deal to being a co-conspirator in plans to launder around $14.7 million stolen from a bank in Malta. In an aspect of the case not mentioned in the plea deal, U.S. prosecutors alleged that the funds were taken by North Korean hackers.

One of the tactics favored by Ab bas and his associates was “business

Twenty states, including New York and Massachusetts, ban smoking in casinos, as have many Native Ameri can-run gambling hubs. Even in states that allow smoking, such as Pennsyl vania, some leading casino operators have opted to remain smoke-free since the coronavirus pandemic, leaving At lantic City as the last large refuge for smokers in the Northeast.

Mark Giannantonio, president of the Casino Association of New Jersey, said he recognized that ending smok ing was most likely a matter of when, not if. But he opposes the effort to do so right now.

He pointed to what he sees as sev eral economic threats to New Jersey’s gambling industry: the lingering ef fects of the pandemic; the risk of a

prolonged recession; and the three new casinos that could be built in or near New York City. “The economics are real,” he said.

But employees who say they fear for their health in a workplace filled with potentially deadly secondhand smoke consider the policy craven, even immoral.

The New Jersey Smoke-Free Air Act of 2006 carved out exceptions for casinos, simulcasting facilities, cigar bars and tobacco shops. Each of At lantic City’s nine casinos now desig nates roughly a quarter of their gam bling floors for smokers.

A bill to ban casino smoking al together in New Jersey has gathered enough sponsors to all but guarantee passage if it were to reach a vote in the Assembly and Senate; the governor has said he would sign it into law if it reached his desk.

these animals due to their gland-se creted psychedelic substance that can create a hallucinogenic experience.

In a Facebook post, the Park Service (NPS) urged people to refrain from licking ert toad, also known as the Colorado river toad. According to the agency, the frog is not harmless; it contains a potent toxin that can make people sick if they touch it or get the poison in their mouth.

“These toads have prominent parotoid glands that secrete a potent toxin. It can make you sick if you han dle the frog or get the poison in your mouth,” the National Park Service advised.

Still, the bill has stalled, just as it did in prior legislative sessions. The Democratic leader of the state Senate, Nicholas Scutari, said in July that he expected the legislation to eventually pass, but said there were “economic things” and “other items” at work.

The union that represents casino card dealers, who often stand feet away from smokers as they work, sup ports the proposed smoking ban. A larger union, which represents most other casino and hotel employees, op poses it. (© The New York Times)

Don’t Lick Toads

The U.S. National Park Service is warning people to stop licking toads in the wild. What may seem to be a reminder to use common sense is an effort to prevent people from licking

“As we say with most things you come across in a national park, whether it be a banana slug, unfamil iar mushroom, or a large toad with glowing eyes in the dead of night, please refrain from licking,” it added.

“Licking or swallowing can lead to numbness of the mouth and throat as well as severe and life-threatening ef fects on the heart as a result of the di goxin-like compounds and catechol amines described above,” the agency warned.

Despite the risks, some people have discovered that the toad’s tox ic secretions contain a powerful hallucinogenic known as 5-MeODMT. The U.S. Administration considers 5-MeODMT a Schedule 1 drug, meaning it is currently not accepted for medical use and has a high potential for abuse.

In recent years, smoking the am phibian’s secretions has grown in popularity, and many celebrities have said that they can’t get enough of the high they get from

The Colorado River toad, usually found in parts of California, Arizo na, and New Mexico, is one of North America’s tallest at 7 inches.

Fire Sweeps NYC Highrise

The fire at 429 E. 52nd St. was caused by a lithium-ion battery in an electric bicycle, authorities said. The unit where the fire started had at least five e-bikes, Chief Fire Marshal Daniel Flynn said.

Officials said they believe that a resident of the apartment repaired bikes and were investigating whether unauthorized business activity had taken place.

said any device that used the powerful lithium-ion batteries could cause a risk, not only those in bicycles.

planning at the building were ade quate — would be part of their investi gation. (© The New York Times)

Firefighters, using ropes and dan gling off a high-rise in midtown Man hattan, rescued a woman who was trapped in a fire that injured at least 38 people Saturday, officials said.

About 200 fires in New York City this year have been caused by lith ium-ion batteries, resulting in six deaths, he said. These batteries are found in micro-mobility transpor tation devices such as electric bikes, scooters and hoverboards. The fires caused by the batteries are typically intense and can quickly gain momen tum with any combustible objects around them, officials said.

A sign outside the apartment com plex read, “No pedal or e-bikes al lowed beyond this point.” Fire officials

In a dramatic moment caught on video and posted on social media, firefighters rescued a woman from a 20th-floor apartment where offi cials said the fire started. Firefighters pulled the woman through a shattered window on a floor below. One other person was rescued by rope from the unit.

A deputy assistant chief, Frank Leeb, described the use of a rope res cue as “a last resort in the FDNY.”

Of those hurt, two were in critical condition, five were in serious condi tion and the rest had minor injuries, fire officials said.

Officials said lingering questions around whether there had been build ing safety issues — whether there was or should have been a fire alarm; whether doors were left open, feeding the fire; whether fire protection and

The Future for Adidas and Nike

Adidas and Nike have lost billions of dollars in revenue after severing alli ances with certain celebrities who were unapologetically antisemitic. Now, ex

The Week In News

Developing

ecutives are surveying the damage that the companies are facing after losing those deals.

The road back to normalcy will be much rockier for Adidas than Nike. Adidas’s breakup with rapper and de signer Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, over his outbursts ended one of the most lucrative sneaker arrange ments in the industry’s history and leaves a gaping hole in the compa ny’s earnings that may be as large as $251 million. Nike’s suspended its shoe line with basketball star Kyrie Irving after he refused to disavow an tisemitism.

Adidas’s CEO, Kasper Rorsted, is on his way out. His successor will now have to figure out how to sell Yeezy designs to customers with out the brand name and whether to rethink celebrity partnerships, all while contending with global supplychain snags and declining market share in China.

Adidas became heavily dependent on Yeezy since hitching itself to the celebrity in 2013. The Yeezy line grew to almost $2 billion in annual sales, or about 8% of Adidas’s total revenue, according to analysts. Premium pric ing gave the collection high margins, and it represented more than 40% of profit at Adidas, according to Morgan Stanley. Executives are expected to tell investors how they plan to miti gate that shortfall on an earnings call on this week.

“The saga of Ye, not just with Adidas but with brands like Gap and Balencia ga, underlines the importance of vet ting celebrities thoroughly and avoid ing those who are overly controversial or unstable,” Neil Saunders, an analyst at GlobalData Plc, noted. “Companies or brands that fail to heed this will get stung, especially if they become overly reliant on a difficult personality to drive their business.”

In 2019, Nike Executive Chairman Mark Parker singled out the Kyrie shoe line as a key piece of the com pany’s basketball future. Nike had planned to release the latest version of his signature sneaker, the Kyrie 8, this month. For now, that’s canceled, and the company hasn’t yet said what it’ll do with the excess inventory. Irving’s shoe deal is set to expire next year.

Leaving Irving behind won’t hit the company as much as Adidas. Nike has several big basketball stars signed to long-term arrangements, includ ing LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo. It also has the sneaker world’s biggest celebrity asset, Michael Jordan, whose Jordan brand generates more than $5 billion in annual revenue for Nike.

Celebrity and athlete partnerships come with inherent risk for the com panies that work with them — even a one-off advertising campaign ties a face to a brand. Even so, it’s rare to see them explode with such potency. Of ten the worst that happens is that a spokesperson apologizes after a gaffe, and it’s back to business as usual. But Ye and Irving were unapologetic when confronted with their antisemitic comments, going so far as to double down on their hateful views.

Side Dish Seltzer

For those who like to drink their side dishes, this drink is for you.

Beverage company Aura Bora is now offering Green Bean Casserole sparkling water. Want to know what it tastes like? The beverage has a “sweet, earthy, and buttery flavor” and is like taking a bite out of a “perfectly crunchy, succulent green bean.” Yum.

The company thought that their consumers would be excited to drink

and not just eat their favorite foods at their Thanksgiving meal.

According to the company’s CEO, “Everyone knows side dishes are the best part of a Thanksgiving meal. So we upped the ante. Green Bean Cas serole was inspired by Aura Bora su perfans, who LOVE daring and unas suming sparkling water flavors. We like to say, ‘Our Green Bean Casserole is better than your mom’s.’ I hope you think so too.”

The refreshing sparkling water is set to come out on November 8 and is only available to select customers.

Or you can just dunk a shriveled green bean into your glass at your Thanksgiving meal and enjoy that re freshing taste.

The Big Cheese

Out of 4,434 cheeses from 42 coun tries, a gruyère from Switzerland nabbed the top slot at the world’s best cheese

competition last week.

Last Wednesday, hundreds gath ered at the World Cheese Awards in the United Kingdom. Two-hun dred-fifty judges sniffed and nibbled on delicious offerings. Judges de scribed the winning Le Gruyère AOP surchoix, entered by Swiss cheese maker Vorderfultigen and affineur (refiner) Gourmino, as a “really re fined, hand-crafted cheese” that melts on the tongue and has notes of herbs, fruits and leather. “A cheese with a lot of taste and bouquet.”

A matured cheese, the gruyère is slightly crumbly and made from raw cow’s milk.

Coming in second place was a Gor gonzola Dolce DOP, a soft, blue but tery cheese made by De’ Magi from Italy.

There were so many cheeses on display last week – towering blues, flat creamy medallions and imposing cheddar slabs. There were cheeses the shape of witch hats and flowers, cheeses wrapped in nettle leaves or covered in ash. There were plain, sim ple cheeses. There were cheeses re sembling cakes, elaborately garnished in fruit.

There were whites, oranges, blues – even purples.

At least one cheese looked like it was painted by abstract expressionist Jackson Pollock.

With all this good cheese around, life is so gouda.

Do Bees Have Fun?

It’s busy work being a bee, but that doesn’t mean it’s all work and no play.

A study recently published in Ani mal Behavior notes that bumblebees, when given the chance, like to fool around with toys.

Researchers from Queen Mary University of London conducted an experiment in which they set up a container that allowed bees to trav

el from their hive to a feeding area. Along the way, the bees could opt to pass through a separate section with a smattering of small wooden balls. Over 18 days, the scientists watched as the bees “went out of their way to roll wooden balls repeatedly, despite no apparent incentive to do so.”

The finding suggests that, like humans, insects also interact with inanimate objects as a form of play. Also similar to people, younger bees seemed to be more playful than adult bees.

“This research provides a strong indication that insect minds are far more sophisticated than we might imagine,” Lars Chittka, a professor of sensory and behavioral ecology at Queen Mary University of London, who led the study, said.

Other studies have shown that bees will learn new tricks for food and other rewards.

Scientists are noting that bees’ ability to play is proof that these in sects can actually experience feelings.

“They may actually experience some kind of positive emotional

senger train over the weekend with a trip on one of the most spectacular tracks through the Alps.

The Rhaetian Railway company ran the 1.9-kilometer-long (1.2-mile-long) train composed of 100 coaches along the Albula/Bernina route from Preda to Berguen.

The route was designated a UNES CO World Heritage in 2008 and leads through 22 tunnels, some of which spiral through mountains, and across 48 bridges, including the curved Land wasser Viaduct.

The entire journey took over an

Teen Talk

By

Dear Teen Talk,

I have been friends with a group of friends since fourth grade. We are in eighth grade now. We really understand each other and enjoy spending time together.

Recently, I have noticed that two of my friends have been talking in a certain way about themselves that makes me feel a bit weird. They are always making comments like, “Oh, I’m so fat” or “I can’t believe I said that. I’m so stupid” or “My family is such losers.”

Teen

I know that you are going to say that it’s because they don’t have self-esteem, and maybe that’s true, but I’m finding these comments annoying be cause they’re always putting themselves down.

So I have two questions for you:

First of all, what should I say when they make these comments? When I tell them, “Oh, you’re really smart/ fit/cool, etc.” it seems to go over their heads. And plus, I’m not their therapist.

Is this something they will grow out of? Should I not be friends with them anymore?

Please help. Thank you.

Thank you so much for sending in your ques tion. You seem very mature – your questions were articulate and it is clear you have been thinking a lot about your quandary and how to proceed. I will do my best to guide you here.

It is quite common for friendships to be test ed as children mature. It seems you are going through that difficult challenge right now. I know the proper way is to answer the questions you presented in the order they were presented. Allow me please to answer your second ques tion, though, before your first. DO NOT end the friendship! What does friendship mean? A friend is someone who you can talk to, have fun with, laugh with, cry with, and who stands by you even during difficult times. I remember when my youngest son broke his leg at the age of 6. It was the end of May, when the weather was beautiful, and all his friends were out side playing and riding bikes after school. Yet his best friend gave up

playing outside and came to visit my son every single day after school. It was so special to see a 6-year-old understand what it means to stand by your friend even in challenging times. Your friends are struggling, and now is not the time to

teenage years are a scary time, and everyone deals with the challenges and intense peer pres sure in their own way.

The power of negativity is a very strong force. It is interesting to note that young children are

walk away. And NO, it’s not something they will necessarily “grow out of” but rather something you can help them “grow into.”

For whatever reasons, your friends seem to be calling for attention. You are right; it certainly could be their low self-esteem and lack of sufficient self-confidence that is causing them to act this way and say these negative remarks about themselves. I will let you in on a secret: even the most self-confident people need validation and compliments! The

inherently very positive. But the power of neg ativity begins to develop during the teen years and continues through adulthood. Not only that, but a child’s self-confidence also begins to dwin dle as he ages. There was a Harvard study that tracked a group of children from kindergarten all the way thru college. Eighty-five percent of the children had a high sense of self at the age of 5. By the time this same group of children graduated college, only 15% still had a high sense of self. What happened? Maybe it’s peer pressure, maybe

Talk, a new column in TJH, is geared towards the teens in our community. Answered by arotating roster of teachers, rebbeim,clinicians, and peers (!), teens will behearing answers to many questionsthey had percolating in their mindsand wished they had the answers for.

I will let you in on a secret: Even the most selfconfident people need validation and compliments!

Rebbetzin Sori Teitelbaum

it’s teachers, maybe it’s parents. It is probably a combination of all three that leads to a less self-assured individual.

We are reading the story of Yishmael and Yitzchak now in Parshas Vayeira. Sarah Imeinu tells Avraham to send Yishmael away because he is “metzachek.” There are many interpreta tions for this word but one of them is “negative deflation.” Sarah was fearful of Yishmael’s neg ativity piercing through and bursting Yitzchak’s positivity, like a tiny prick deflating a whole balloon!

So don’t drop your friends! I am sure you

Are you a teen with a question?

If you have a question or problem you’d like our columnists to address, email your question or insight to editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com , subject line: Teen Talk.

heard of the glass half-full concept. ally say there are two options: it is either half full (positive) or half empty (negative). But here is another option – that the glass is filled to mid point. So now what? One needs to analyze it!

So when your friends make a comment like “my family is such losers,” instead of saying, “No they are not,” process the comment! Say, “That must be so hard for you! Let’s talk about it and figure out why you feel that way.” Validate their comment in the fact that you are hearing them but help them reframe their thoughts in a more

productive way. More often than not, when we process things out loud with a friend who lends a listening ear, we see things for what they REALLY are and not what we “emotionally” see them as. You will be able to help your friends in a way they cannot succeed alone. By being a good friend, you will actually allow them to look inside of themselves, see the positive in them and all around them, thereby growing into positive people!

Don’t think of yourself as their therapist –you are just being a good friend!

Rebbetzin Sori Teitelbaum is the rebbetzin emeritus of Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst. She recently retired from teaching at HAFTR middle school and high school in the Five Towns. She is a well-known speaker and is involved in all aspects of the community. Rabbi and Rebbetzin Teitelbaum recently made aliyah and live most of the year in Ramat Beit Shemesh.

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By Rabbi Zvi Teichman

On Friday night our prayers focus on that very first Shabbos, the seventh day of creation, reflecting on the benevolence of G-d who gifted us this world, avowing that He is the One who is the source of all our blessing.

On Shabbos day we reaffirm in our prayers, that second most noteworthy Shabbos, the day of the week we were privileged to exclusively receive the Torah at Sinai, committing to preserv

ing this treasure.

On Shabbos afternoon we align our observance of Shabbos in the con text of that greater Shabbos, the World to Come, ‘a day that is completely Shabbos’, appreciating our destiny as the ‘one’ nation, whose role is to rep resent His ‘Oneness’ in the world.

It is only in this third prayer that the imagery of the patriarchs is evoked where it describes, ןנרי קחצי לגי םהרבא

, Avraham would re joice, Yitzchok would exult, Yaakov and his children would rest in it.

Why are we referencing the patri archs specifically here and what is the significance to their ‘rejoicing’ and ‘exulting’?

The Torah reports later in Yitz chok’s life, that his eyes dimmed from seeing.

The Midrash describes how when Yitzchok lay bound on the altar at the Akeidah, the ministering angels wept over him and their tears fell into his eyes, leaving an impression. (י הס ב(

Elsewhere the Midrash states that it was the tears of his father Avrohom, as he took the knife to slaughter him, that descended into Yitzchok’s eyes, blinding him.

Why didn’t G-d heal them?

Nor do we find that Yitzchok prayed for a cure. Why not?

Rashi in Sefer Hapardes interprets the words in the Mincha prayer that speak of Avrohom’s rejoicing as refer ring to a verse in Proverbs, The father of a righteous son will rejoice greatly, and who begets a wise son will have joy with him. (דכ גכ)

Rashi adds, the exulting of Yitz chok, ןנרי קחצי, alludes to a verse in Psalms, םיקידצ וננר, Sing joyfully, O righteous, because of G-d.

Quoting the Midrash he explains that whenever one observes the Di

vine Presence it is a cause for song. Since Yitzchok viewed the Shechinah above him at the Akeidah, he broke out in song.

Perhaps the message being con veyed here is that only when a father pines for, and rejoices in, the righ teousness of his son can he succeed in assuring his legacy will continue.

Only when a father exults in song, even while the glint of the knife that is to slaughter him is reflected in his eyes, can he assure that, Yaakov and his children would rest in it, that his children will be inspired to follow in his ways.

A father in Israel who had re turned to observance begged his son, a soccer star, to follow his path. The son responded compassionately that although he respected his father’s choice, but his livelihood and career depended on playing on Shabbos, and it was simply impossible. The father tearfully pleaded with his son to at least join him for the prayers on Rosh Hashana, when no games are sched uled. He respectfully consented. After the holiday his son approached him and said, “Abba ani chozer!”, “Fa ther I am returning”. Stunned, his father inquired as to what made him change heart so quickly. He said that he didn’t quite comprehend it himself but somehow the sound of the Shofar penetrated his heart.

The great Nesivos Shalom, the Slonimer Rebbe zt’l, overwhelmed with emotion, broke down in tears when hearing this story. He explained that it was the powerful tears of a father, yearning for a righteous son,

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that were amplified in the sound of the Shofar, the proverbial cry from our Father in heaven warmly summoning His child home, that worked its magic (HaMevaser Erev RH 5780)

Yitzchok cherished those tears that his father cried, knowing that it was his father’s expression of love and hope for him, that strengthened and enabled him to bravely face the blade of the knife in fulfilling G-d’s will. He gladly accepted the impression of those tears embedding it within the soul of his fu ture progeny for posterity.

In 2002, Rav Oren Levi, a young kollel man, married with a half year old son, and involved in kiruv, man aged a guesthouse in the heart of the Bais Yisroel neighborhood. The guest house was part of a Yeshiva that host ed families who had returned to obser vance and were celebrating life cycle simchos who wanted to invite their uncommitted wider family members, giving them an opportunity to see re ligious life in action. There were tours and visits to popular places and per sonalities who made a strong impact on the visitors, often bringing them back to observance.

Oren was very charming and engaging and quickly captured the hearts of the guests.

On one particular Shabbos, a guest, a very secular Jew who together with his wife and two children came to celebrate a family simcha with his re ligious sister, pulled up fifteen minutes before candle lighting. He took one look at the neighborhood and the na ture of its inhabitants and quickly de clared this is not what he signed up for and was turning around and heading home. Yaron appealed with him to stay trying to convince him that he would have a great time, begging him not to let his sister down. The fellow refused. As he was about to pull away Oren jumped into the passenger side of the vehicle and stated that he was joining him in his ride home. Oren quietly prayed to G-d to assist him in winning his guest over. His determined charm won out as the family succumbed and stayed for Shabbos.

It was a glorious Shabbos that went beyond all expectations, visiting the great mekubal Rav Kaduri and the Slonimer Rebbe, and participating in many inspiring programs.

As Shabbos waned the guests re turned to pack up and check-out with Oren at the front desk.

And then all hell broke out. A ter rorist set off a twenty kilogram bomb

a short distance from the building. Ten people died, sixty were wounded. Among the dead were the two children of the reluctant family that had just ex perienced their very first Shabbos of their lives.

Oren had providentially just bent over his desk to fetch something as the bomb detonated. Although injured, he survived. Chaos erupted with every family searching for their loved ones. Oren ended up in the hospital reuniting with his wife and infant son who were thrown by the blast but were safe. He recalls how the reporters were inter viewing a woman identified as Savta Chana, who lost eight members of her family, who were celebrating the Bar Mitzva of her grandson, being asked what she has to say to G-d in light of the tragedy. Without hesitating she re sponded the she would like to report to Him that although the legendary Chana gave up her seven sons to die Al Kiddush Hashem, she, Chana from Rishon L’Tzion surrendered eight!

Three days later Oren was released from the hospital and decided that despite the difficulty, he would go to offer condolences to the couple who had lost their two and only children. He prayed that G-d put into his mouth the right words. As he arrived at their home, he observed a great Rav that came to be menachem avel, overhear ing the bereaved father bemoan, as he held the pillow of his deceased son, that this is all that remains from him. Cries erupted as he questioned aloud how it could be that after keeping his very first Shabbos, this is the reward G-d gave him.

The Rav spoke up and warmly ex plained that a person’s time to die is predestined from Rosh Hashana. The children could have just as well died while sitting on the beach. But G-d lovingly granted them the privilege to depart from this world suffused with the sanctity of Shabbos instead, as

they ascended on high.

At that moment Oren was noticed and someone announced there was a special visitor from Jerusalem. He wanted to be swallowed up by the ground at that very moment. Yet, the bereaved father stood up from his place embracing him with a loving hug and kiss. Oren said he simply didn’t know what to say, with his new friend responding he already understands it all. The father went onto retell how his young son was already safely in the car and shielded and his young daughter was on the fourth floor, yet the shrapnel found its ‘improbable’ mark, nevertheless. It was clearly the hand of G-d.

The family returned to their faith and were blessed with a son eleven months later and a daughter the fol lowing year. (Hebrew Mishpacha 4 Tishrei 5780)

The angels cried when they ob served how a mortal Yitzchok, whose sight is bound by the limitations of his physical being, transcend beyond the levels of devotion of ministering an gels, singing a tribute of thanks to the Divine Presence, able to perceive the joy of the moment through the thickest of clouds. Those tears fell and dimmed Yitzchoks’s eyes, leaving a lasting im pression for all his descendants, so that they too would emulate his greatness, in praising the Almighty even amidst the most trying of times, even when it seemed so dark.

Shabbos is the reset button on our week. It is when we refocus our vision, with our eyes closed to the delusions of a material world. It is a time when we put all else aside and sing a true and beautiful song of Shabbos, of a world that is completely and genuinely Shabbos.

You may reach the author at: Ravzt@ohelmoshebaltimore.com

Parenting Pearls

HITSIC

By Sara Rayvych, MSEd

Each Friday, our high school prin cipal made the day’s announce ments and inevitably “HITSIC!” would boom over the loudspeaker, too. I will confess that it took me a few years to figure out that “HITSIC” stood for “hang in there, Shabbos is coming.”

On the rare occasions I’ve overheard gentiles well-meaningly comment on our religion, I’ve been surprised by how dif ferently they view our beliefs and prac tices. Rather than realize that we find meaning and enjoyment in our lifestyle, they often are under the mistaken im pression that we do things due to lack of choice or out of fear. I’ve never had a rab bi watch me for 26 hours to ensure I don’t turn on the bathroom light. I choose to keep Shabbos because that’s what Hash em commanded me to do. Assuming we keep Shabbos, kashrus, or other mitz vos solely because we’re afraid of being struck by lightning is also a very negative way to view Judaism and our relationship with Hashem.

How do we explain that we kept a month of yomim tovim because they en rich our year? The mitzvos give us a life of meaning and happiness. Rules may seem strict and unbending to secular society, but halacha creates for us personal struc ture along with stronger community and family values.

To outsiders, Shabbos may seem very restrictive, but our nation can appreci ate the chance to focus on community, family, and ourselves. Away from the distractions of business, noise of tech nology, and stress of math tests, we have the opportunity to relax and rejuvenate.

As beautiful as Shabbos is, it can also be stressful. There are lots of necessary preparations which can cause tension.

Many people, particularly children, find it hard to disconnect from their weekday activities. Not everyone can see the day of rest as a day that is truly relaxing.

Many people naturally enjoy Shab bos and don’t feel the need for an article about the beauty of Shabbos; others don’t share these positive, warm feelings. Yet, even those who can’t fully feel the menu cha of Shabbos still want their children to grow up to be shomrei Shabbos adults.

Youngsters pick up on our attitudes and unspoken words. In my humble opinion, one of the best ways we can bring up the next generation in ahavas Shabbos is to give our youth a feeling of simcha surrounding this special day. Still, even those of us that can appreciate the day may approach it with stress. It behooves all of us to take a close look at our own approach to Shabbos and see if we are giving over the appropriate attitude to our children.

Shabbos Preparations

They say the yetzer hara works extra hard on erev Shabbos – I can believe it. With so many preparations to be done, all required before a strict deadline, it’s no wonder that families can get tense and tempers can fly.

One Shabbos I took the initiative to do my Shabbos preparations well in advance. Early that week saw me busy cooking up a feast for the holy day. It was with a feel ing of contentment that I loaded my fridge that Thursday night with our Shabbos re past.

On Friday morning, I came down to the kitchen to discover that my little cuties had opened a package of whipped cream cheese and smeared it all over my fully-cooked fleishig-destined food. String beans were coated with white globs. I think my chicken soup may have been spared by having a lid – but the lid had taken the brunt of the attack instead. Let’s just say that was an awkward call to a rav.

I followed the rav’s instructions, in cluding how to clean wet, cooked string beans from cream cheese. I put up the soup with a cleaner lid and felt the worst was behind me. Minutes later, I noticed an interesting smell. I followed the aro ma to the kitchen where I discovered that unseen cream cheese had been stuck to

the bottom of my soup pot and was now being cooked onto it. A call back to the rav confirmed my pot needed to be kashered.

Chasdei Hashem, the soup was still edible as I’d caught it in time. The rav included a few words of chizuk with the p’sak.

As the above story illustrates, we can only do our best. It feels like something always goes wrong despite the best plan ning. Kids may refuse to get in the bath on time. Someone little might discover messy, melted chocolate right after don ning a fresh Shabbos shirt. Hundreds of Legos can miraculously explode over a freshly swept floor.

First, it can help to lower our expecta tions and let go of what we can. Yes, your child’s face may be covered in food, but their smile can still be shining. White shirts feel frustratingly disposable, but at the end of the day it’s still just fabric. When we expect and are emotionally pre pared for these inevitable frustrations we can respond more calmly. Alternatively, when we yell and create a tense filled home, we are detracting from the won derful feelings Shabbos should generate – for us and our children.

Another thing we can do is try to avoid leaving preparations till the last minute. Yes, something can still go wrong, as the above story illustrates, but the chances are less. The more we cram into that last

half hour, the higher our decibel level tends to reach. Many foods can be pre pared earlier in the week, and the bulk of our laundry need not be reserved for Fri day. The less we leave till the last minute, the calmer we will be as Shabbos comes in. Many have a beautiful custom to have the main tasks done before midday. Years from now, our kids will not remember if their Shabbos cake or kugel was hot out of the oven on Friday, but they will re member if we brought in Shabbos with serenity.

Delegate tasks whenever possible. Children can become part of the Shab bos preparations, too. They are surpris ingly capable when given age-appropriate tasks, and it takes a load off the adults in the family. Even preschoolers can put tis sue boxes in the bathroom or their clothes in their drawers.

Keeping it simpler can help shorten your preparations. A simple yet tasty chicken dish can be prepped in minutes, but a complicated recipe can take hours. If it’s a patchke, then do it earlier in the week or skip it. We especially want to impress guests, but our visitors certain ly don’t want their meal to come at the expense of our family.

This one may not be popular, but min

imizing guests can help parents that are feeling challenged with the extra prepa rations. Based on what I’ve seen, most hosting is to socialize and not to provide food for those who would otherwise not have a proper seudah. It’s wonderful to have extra guests, but not if it causes us to scream at little ones. Hachnasas orchim

Adding In the Oneg Shabbos should be enjoyable. After all, it’s may’ain Olam Haba. When Shab bos brings us simcha and inner peace, it becomes a day we look forward to all week. Our children, too, can excitedly anticipate the holy day. Turning Shab bos into the highlight of their week will

get out of a good meal; the food doesn’t need to be fancy or expensive to be en joyable. In addition to singing and divrei Torah, there are plenty of opportunities for relaxed conversation.

Youngsters follow the adults’ lead. Parents maintaining a calm attitude can help avoid some of the potential squab bles. Distraction works well to prevent brewing situations. Many parents may find it helpful to come to the table with ideas for table discussions.

It can help to change Shabbos from a day of “don’t”s to a day of “do”s. Having books, magazines, special games, or oth er activities available can make it more fun. With Shabbos starting earlier, Fri day evening can become a relaxing time for family and friends.

Hopefully, one day, too, our children will call out excitedly in their own home, “HITSIC.”

is definitely a mitzvah, but our children’s chinuch is important, too; we can’t ignore our family to spend time with friends.

We can actively add joy into our preparations by playing music or other wise creating a festive atmosphere. It may feel impossible, but with some creativity, the tedious tasks could almost be called fun.

hopefully, b’ezras Hashem, keep Shab bos as the mainstay of their week that grounds them in holiness throughout their lives.

The highlight of Shabbos – other than the tefillos – should be the Shab bos seudos. Children readily enjoy a pleasant meal with their family. You’d be surprised how much mileage you can

Sara Rayvych, MSEd, has her master’s in general and special education. She has been homeschooling for over 10 years in Far Rock away. She can be contacted at RayvychHo meschool@gmail.com.

Years from now, our kids will not remember if their Shabbos cake or kugel was hot out of the oven on Friday, but they will remember if we brought in Shabbos with serenity.

R E S E R V E Y O U R S P O T !

Better Business

The Cryptocurrency Craze

By Chaim Homnick MA MBA

In 2021, Bitcoin hit a high of $68,000.

This year, Bitcoin is hovering around $20,000, and the overall crypto market has tanked alongside most asset classes in the face of inflation, supply chain issues, tight fiscal policy, and glob al economic uncertainty. The era of free, easy money has stalled, and companies and individuals alike are cutting their budgets and sidelining their money. The crypto market has been hit especially hard, as it is a riskier asset and a specu lative investment.

So, is crypto the future of money or is it simply the latest speculative craze with no substance to back up the valuations? Below is an introduction to cryptocur rencies for beginners.

What Is Cryptocurrency?

The word “currency” can be a mis nomer. Cryptocurrencies are digital as sets typically aiming to be a medium of exchange. However, while some cryptos prioritize being a medium of exchange, others are more of a “store of value.”

Most cryptocurrencies utilize block chain technology to maintain a ledger of transactions. Another common de nominator is that cryptocurrencies are generally decentralized, anonymous, and transparent. The goal of that feature is to provide an alternative to banking and governmental systems.

Due to the lack of a central bank or other authority, cryptocurrencies rely on the individual members of their net works to verify transactions and “mine” for new tokens. The mining process has come under scrutiny lately because it is energy-intensive as it involves many so phisticated computers performing mil lions of complex calculations.

Cryptocurrencies are strictly digital so investors can acquire crypto tokens through dedicated exchanges (like Coin

tion is on the ledger and secure.

Ethereum, the number two crypto currency, focuses instead on facilitating applications and smart contracts. This means that Ethereum can be used as the medium of exchange behind a digital marketplace, a blockchain-based video game, or to execute a smart contract. (A smart contract is an agreement between two people in the form of computer code. It runs on the blockchain, so they are stored on a public database and cannot

Experts exist on both sides of the debate. Some people claim that crypto currencies are speculative assets with minimal use cases. Others claim that crypto technologies and blockchains will revolutionize entire industries.

Memecoins/Longshots

When it comes to “memecoins,” the goal is clearly speculative. Scammers abound and “get-rich-quick” schemes pop up everywhere. There have been several fraudulent crypto tokens and companies, and naïve buyers, lured by the promise of quick riches, can easily be burned.

base, Binance, or FTX) and the investor can hold them in digital wallets.

Bitcoin and Ethereum

Bitcoin is the number one cryptocur rency in terms of market cap and global awareness. Only 21 million bitcoins will ever be mined, which makes it anti-in flationary, a direct critique of the way government interventions can inflate and dilute the value of the dollars its cit izens hold. The blockchain technology also means that every Bitcoin transac

be changed, plus the contract can be set to execute automatically when certain criteria are met).

Currency or Asset?

Cryptocurrencies seem to be more of a speculative asset than a true currency. However, the number of crypto-based transactions keeps growing. Addition ally, blockchain technology, smart con tracts, and other innovations may lead to increased potential applications of the cryptocurrency industry.

Dogecoin, with backing from Elon Musk and others, went from being worth fractions of a cent to nearly 70 cents at its peak. However, it steadily dropped alongside the rest of the market, bot toming out near 6 cents before a recent recovery based on Musk’s takeover of Twitter and the potential that Dogecoin is utilized on the platform. It is certain ly possible that one memecoin rises above the others, but playing this end of the market is similar to playing penny stocks. Volatility is a feature, not a bug.

Most other crypto longshots are long shots for a reason. Some crypto exchang es list as many as 16,000 different coins and tokens. Most are probably garbage. Only a handful of top cryptos are gen

Where my heart is

uine technology projects with potential to provide actual long-term value as an asset and to revolutionize the crypto in dustry.

NFTs and Metaverses

Alongside crypto, other digital in dustries have been exploding into the limelight. Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) are digital art. Facebook and other companies are pushing versions of a “metaverse” and are selling digital “land” in them. While there seem to be worthwhile applications and potential long-term uses of NFTs (event tickets, digital art, etc.), these are still nascent industries, and it can be difficult to eval uate the fair market price of these assets. You can buy a Bored Ape NFT and make a mint, or you may lose your digital shirt. It is hard to ascribe value to newer asset classes and digital assets.

Market Adoption

While the market has contracted, crypto adoption continues. In a bear market, less money is available, and the

foolish excesses of the bull market dry up. That tends to be a good thing as emp ty projects fail and only assets and com panies with a real foundation survive and flourish. When the global economic forecast improves, it will be interesting to see how the crypto markets recover. Will Bitcoin challenge $100,000 a coin, or will it stagnate?

One thing that is clear is that tech and financial giants are increasingly entering the crypto space, whether via partnerships or providing their investors exposure to crypto in a variety of ways. Nearly 50% of Americans own some cryptocurrency.

Cryptocurrency and blockchains are enjoying increased adoption and in novation even as the industry contracts. While a lot of the true longshots, meme coins, and weirder digital assets may go the way of the beanie baby, the more established assets like Bitcoin and Ethe reum seem to have genuine value.

The post-Covid bull market that led to explosions in the value of everything

Chaim Homnick is a serial entrepreneur who owns several businesses. He also mentors small business owners. If you have questions you would like to see answered in a future column, or other feedback, email chomnick@gmail.com.

from Bitcoin to NFTs to GameStop shares has ended. But it will be inter esting to see how the crypto market and digital assets perform in the future.

DISCLAIMER: This column is not in tended to be financial advice. It is mere ly meant as an interesting read and an introduction to a topic.

CRYPTO FUN FACTS

- The top corporate holder of Bitcoin is Grayscale Bitcoin Trust. They hold over 650,000 Bitcoin, a little over 3% of the total supply.

- The #2 corporate holder of Bitcoin is MicroStrategy. They hold over 124,000 Bitcoin.

- Bitcoin became legal tender alongside the US Dollar in El Salvador in 2021.

-There were 14 blockchain video games with over 100,000 users on desktop in the past month, per DappRadar. The #1 blockchain game based on desktop users over the past month was Alien Worlds, with over 1.2 million users.

-Coby Cotton, of the YouTube group Dude Perfect, went into space after he won a seat aboard a Blue Origin flight, sponsored by crypto collective MoonDAO.

Tech Triumphs

As told to Rebbetzin Sara Gross

A Changed Man

As a lawyer working in Baltimore, I felt that I needed to have a smartphone to be accessible to colleagues and to see my emails quickly so that I could respond in a timely fashion. I tried filtering it and setting limits for my home use, but I felt myself losing control sometimes and using it more than I wanted to. My teenage son approached me one day and said, “Abba, you are different since you had to get a smartphone. I can see a change in you.”

This surprised me and honestly made me feel embarrassed and disappointed with myself. After many tries of limiting and filtering my

smartphone, I decided to get rid of it and use an iPad for any work

I needed to get done. Instead of having my smartphone with me constantly, I take around my flip phone and use my iPad as needed. This plan works very well for me and I would recommend it for anyone who needs a smartphone for work, but wants to get rid of it.

I can truly say that my life is completely different since I switched. My perspectives and thoughts are clearer and my kedusha level has been raised. The longer I go with my new plan of flip phone and iPad, the stron ger and more in control I feel. It was

worth the challenge and I am really glad I did it.

Did You Know?

The American Academy of Pedi atrics recommends that parents limit screen time for children ages 2 years and older younger, due to concern that a young, developing brain might be

negatively affected by constant exposure to screens. The worry is that more device time equals less face-to-face communica tion, which will negatively im pact developing brains at their most malleable point.

To share a tech triumph or story of chizuk to inspire others, please email Techtriumphs@ tagbaltimore.org or call 410449-1824 and choose option 5.

This is a service of TAG Baltimore. TAG Baltimore is an organization that provides technology awareness, education, and support. They can be reached at 410-449-1824 or help@ tagbaltimore.org.

This is Yachad.

Forgotten Her es 80 Years Since Operation Torch

By Avi Heiligman

The United States military was not ready to attack the Axis powers in the months following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. It took time to train millions of new recruits and to build the weapons, ships, and other equipment needed to attack Axis strongholds. Pol iticians and military brass decided that in the event of getting into a war with the Axis, the military priority would be given to defeat the Germans before the Japa nese. That being said, the first land offen sive took place in the Pacific in August 1942 after the Americans learned that the Japanese were building an airfield on a strategic island in the Solomon Islands. It would take another three months for the Americans to face the Germans in a land battle.

Operation Torch was launched in No vember 1942 against unfriendly French troops in North Africa. Once they capit ulated, the Americans moved to fight the German Afrika Corps under the Desert Fox, General Erwin Rommel. Casablanca, Oran, and Algiers were invaded on No vember 8, 1942, by an amphibious force led by General Dwight Eisenhower and famous units such as the 1st Division also known as the Big Red One. Many soldiers, from commanders like Brigadier Gener al Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (son of the for mer president) to the privates, performed brilliantly under fire. Several Jewish ser vicemen received awards for their actions

during the invasion and until the final victory in North Africa.

On the day of the invasion, First Lieu tenant Victor Karpass was sick in bed on a Coast Guard ship that was being at tacked. The Chicago native was a medical officer with the 6th Armored Regiment, 1 st Armored Division and despite being wounded he refused to leave the ship and continued treating wounded soldiers. The brave Jewish soldier was killed by an enemy shell, and he was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

The naval task force assigned to Op eration Torch comprised of 350 warships and 500 transports vessels. Boatswain’s Mate Edwin Sperry of New Britain, Con necticut was a Jewish sailor on the fleet tug USS Cherokee (AT-66). The ocean-go ing tug was the only one of her class to accompany the fleet, and she saw action off the coast of French Morocco during the operation. She had the dangerous task to clear obstructions up a river for other larger ships to navigate. Sperry was on this demolition party and was clearing cables when the enemy opened up fire from a nearby fort. Sperry and the unit fired back until they were clear of the fort, and despite damage to the boat from the surf and enemy fire, they completed the mission. Sperry was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions.

The USS Santee (CVE-29) was an es cort carrier that took a position off French

Morocco to launch planes in support of the invasion. Lieutenant Arthur Ershler of Hudson, NY, was a pilot based on the Santee, and while raiding a convoy of en emy trucks, his plane was hit by gunfire. The Jewish pilot was getting sick from the gas fumes but continued on to his target. The target was an enemy airbase, and Ershler scored a direct hit on a han gar while damaging several planes in a strafing maneuver. Then he attacked en emy machine gun nests while forcing the enemy soldiers to abandon their dug-in positions. Ershler was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions during the battle and was later promoted to the rank of lieutenant commander.

Stories of bravery under fire from Jewish soldiers were reported many times during the campaign. Corporal George Weinberg of Providence, Rhode Island, earned the Silver Star for leaving cover to rescue a wounded soldier. He carried the man to an aid station a mile away despite the presence of enemy soldiers.

Private Victor Wolinsky was given a letter of commendation for actions in Tunisia. He crawled to within 100 yards of an enemy fire position to adminis ter life-saving blood plasma to a badly wounded soldier.

Corporal Bernard Kessel of Brook lyn, NY, was the driver of a M3 Grant medium tank during the invasion of the port of Oran. His tank became separated

from the others in his unit, and soon they found themselves near the airport. As they were the only Americans in sight, the tank crew smashed through a roadblock and soon was facing a 75mm enemy gun. They blew past the gun position and side swept a column of enemy military vehi cles into a ditch. Kessel and his four-man crew were the first to enter Oran, and it soon fell into American hands.

With the capitulation of the Vichy French forces, Operation Torch was a suc cess. Eisenhower then moved the rest of Afrika Corps in North Africa and by May 1943 had pushed the Axis entirely out of the continent. It is sometimes difficult to obtain more than a citation for an award for an individual service member, but sometimes, the citation itself or mention in a newspaper or book will suffice to tell the story.

This week marks eighty years since Operation Torch was launched, and the servicemen who courageously fought in the battle are often forgotten but they are heroes to be remembered.

Avi Heiligman is a weekly contribu tor to The Jewish Home. He welcomes your comments and suggestions for fu ture columns and can be reached at aviheiligman@gmail.com.

Rabbanim and Therapists

By Rabbi Azriel Hauptman

Mental illness is a part of our lives just as much as physical illness. Although in the past, suffering from mental illness was a skeleton than needed to remain in a care fully guarded closet, today we are slowly warming up to the reality of mental illness and its necessary treatments. As such, we turn to professionals and members of the clergy in search of guidance and relief. Hu mans are social creatures and it is nearly impossible to achieve wellness with the help of just one person. Family, friends, mental health professionals, and spiritual leaders all have their place in our lives. It truly takes a village.

This may sound confusing, and indeed life can be complex! In order to make it simpler, try to view a person as possessing four domains that contribute to one’s ability to thrive. They are the body, the mind, one’s relationships, and the spirit. This is known as the bio-psycho-social-spiritual model. This model indicates that identifying the source of one’s suffering determines the type of help that is needed. If one’s mental illness has its roots in a biological cause, such as thyroid disease, then a physician would be the right address. Mental health practitioners best address psychological causes, and social issues such as loneliness can be remedied by reaching out to friends and family. Finally, spiritual needs are best addressed by spiritual “professionals” such as Rabbanim.

This minimalistic view of Rabbanim as spiritual professionals is not really accu rate, as Rabbanim fulfill numerous roles in other spheres of life as well. They can offer an empathetic ear, provide funds for those in need, and help connect their congregants with social services. Rabbi Chaim Solovet chik, the legendary Rav of Brisk, famously said that the role of a Rav is to do Chesed.

In the modern world, the role of a Rav has further evolved into a collaborator with the mental health professional com munity. Rabbanim are often on the front line of mental illness, as people suffering from emotional issues will frequently con

sult with their Rav. This has thrust upon Rabbanim an additional role as mental health adviser.

Broadly speaking, Rabbanim and therapists are coming from different perspectives. Rabbanim try to guide you to connect with Hashem and the Torah and to live your life according to its values. The ther apist, on the other hand, wants to help you connect with yourself and heal from the inside. They both share the common goal of leading the individual to a happier and more fulfilling life. Through proper col laboration between Rabbanim and therapists, they can merge their different perspectives to provide a holistic approach to wellbeing.

Rabbanim are also one of the primary referral source of mental health professionals. They are of ten tasked with the job of differentiating between in dividuals who need professional help and those that do not. For this reason, many Rabbanim frequently consult with mental health professionals to receive their input for these types of situations.

Another area where collaboration is vital is in providing treatment that is in accordance with Hala cha. There are times when there are real questions regarding the Halachic acceptability of certain inter ventions. Rather than throwing out the baby with the bathwater, a treatment plan can be devised with the collaboration of Rabbanim and clinicians that can both be clinically and Halachically sound.

In conclusion, our community has come a long way in reducing the stigma of mental illness and in using a variety of resources to achieve mental and emotional wellness. Rabbanim and therapists used to look askance at each other, but in recent times have achieved a greater understanding of each other. The more we can pool our resources and collaborate with each other, the more we can assist people in their own journeys to happiness and wellbeing.

This is a service of Relief Resources. Relief is an or ganization that provides mental health referrals, educa tion, and support to the frum community. Rabbi Yisrael Slansky is director of the Baltimore branch of Relief. He can be contacted at 410-448-8356 or at yslansky@ reliefhelp.org

TJH Centerfold

U.S. Army Answering Machine

We’re sorry, but all of our units are out at the moment, or otherwise engaged. Please leave a message with your country, name of organization, region, specific crisis and a number where you can be reached. As soon as we have sorted out Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Syria and ISIS and of course upon completion of our daily compulsory Consideration of Others Training, we will return your call.

research and development funding.

If your inquiry concerns a situation which can be resolved by a parade with flags and a really good marching band, please write, well in advance, to the United States Navy. Please note that Tomahawk mis sile service is extremely limited and will be provided on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Please speak after the tone, or if you require more options, please choose from the following options: If your crisis is small and is locat ed near the sea, press 1 for the United States Marine Corps.

If your concern is distant, with temperate climate and good ho tels, and can be solved by one or two low-risk high-altitude bombing runs, press 2 for the United States Air Force. Please note that this service is not avail able after 1630 hours or on weekends. Special con sideration will be given to customers requiring satel lite or stealth technology who can provide additional

If your inquiry is not urgent, press 3 for the Rap id Deployment Force.

If you are interested in joining the U.S. Army, and you wish to be shouted at, paid little, have premature arthritis, put your family in a condemned hut miles from civiliza tion, and are prepared to work your head off, risking your life in all weather and terrains, both day and night, while watching Con gress erode your original benefits package, then please stay on the line. Your call will be answered shortly by the next available bitter passedover-for-promotion Army Recruiter located in a strip mall down by the post office.

Marine Sayings

“The Marine Corps: When It Absolutely, Positively Has To Be Destroyed Overnight” “Marine Sniper: You can run, but you’ll just die tired!”

“Marines – Providing Enemies of America an Opportunity To Die For their Country Since 1775”

“It’s G-d’s job to forgive our enemies –it’s our job to arrange the meeting”

“Do draft dodgers have reunions? If so, what do they talk about?”

“A Dead Enemy Is A Peaceful Enemy –Blessed Be The Peacemakers” “Except For Ending Slavery, Fascism, Nazism, and Communism, WAR has Never Solved Anything.”

“Machine Gunners – Accuracy by Volume”

A sergeant was addressing a squad of 25 and said, “I have a nice, easy job for the laziest man here. Put up your hand if you are the laziest.”

Twenty-four men raised their hands. The sergeant turned to the man whose hand wasn’t raised: “Why didn’t you raise your hand?” The man replied, “Too much trouble raising the hand, Sarge.”

Notable Quotes

“Say What?!”

These toads have prominent parotoid glands that secrete a potent toxin. It can make you sick if you handle the frog or get the poison in your mouth. As we say with most things you come across in a national park, whether it be a banana slug, unfamiliar mushroom, or a large toad with glowing eyes in the dead of night, please refrain from licking.

- Facebook post by the National Park Service warning people to stop licking toads in the wild, due to their gland-secreted psychedelic substance that can create a hallucinogenic experience

When you’re as great at basketball as he is, people listen to you… It hurts me that we have to sit up here and talk about stuff that divides us. We have to sit up here and answer for what this idiot has done. I stand for equality of all people.

- Hall of Fame NBA player Shaquille O’Neal talking with Hall of Famer Charles Barkley about Nets player Tyree Irving’s antisemitic social media post

Be right back!

- The now-seemingly prophetic note that was left for Naftali Bennett on the Prime Minister’s desk one year ago when he ousted Benjamin Netanyahu

So, it’s interesting that Republicans are doing something they don’t normally do… What they’ve done is they’ve taught people the word inflation. Most people who would’ve never used that word ever in their lives are using it now because they’ve been taught it, including on TV, including in newspapers. They’ve been taught this word

.- MSNBC host Joy Reid

Yeah, well, I grew up in a family where, you know, if the gas price went up, the food budget went down. So by this time of the week, we’d be eating Chef Boyardee if that budget wasn’t gonna change. So that’s what families have to do.

- Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairman Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, D-N.Y., in an interview when asked about inflation

No one is building new coal plants… We’re going to be shutting these plants down all across America and having wind and solar power.

– President Joe Biden

Comments like these are the reason the American people are losing trust in President Biden and instead believes he does not understand the need to have an all-in energy policy that would keep our nation totally energy independent and secure.

– Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), in response

The President’s remarks yesterday have been twisted to suggest a meaning that was not intended; he regrets it if anyone hearing these remarks took offense.

- From a clarifying statement by the White House

Your feedback is appreciated. Now pay $8.

- Tweet by Twitter owner Elon Musk in response to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez complaining about the company’s new fee for verified users

I think he is the only Republican who could lose. If Trump runs and wins, and he’s in the general against Biden, it won’t make a difference it is Biden – it’s Trump versus Trump; it will be a referendum on Donald Trump.

- Mick Mulvaney, former-Chief of Staff to Pres. Trump, explaining on CNN why he would not support the former president next time around

I would tell you things about him that won’t be very flattering—I know more about him than anybody — other than, perhaps, his wife.

- Former President Donald Trump in a Fox News interview warning Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) not to challenge him in the 2024 GOP presidential primaries

Dating Dialogue What Would You Do If…

Dear Navidaters,

I am 21 years old and have been dating for a year and a half.

Recently, I have found that I have been redt to a few boys as their “first girl.” I find those dates to be very hard because many times the boys are very nervous, and I feel like I have to either lead the conversation or help them feel comfortable in this new situation. Also, many times, even if I don’t think the boy is for me, I am gently “persuaded” by either the shadchan or my family to give it another chance because it was his first date and may not have shown his “real” personality. It’s also probably a bit hurtful if a boy gets a “no” on the first date he ever went on, and so I try to give them a second date.

Here is my question for the panel: How do I tell shadchanim that I would prefer not to date boys as their first girls without seeming as if I’m being too picky or difficult?

Also, if I do end up going out with these boys, is there a way to make the date more “tachlis” and help move things along so I can see clearly whether or not it’s shayach?

Thank you, Adina*

Disclaimer: This column is not intended to diagnose or otherwise conclude resolutions to any questions. Our intention is not to offer any definitive conclusions to any particular question, rather offer areas of exploration for the author and reader. Due to the nature of the column receiving only a short snapshot of an issue, without the benefit of an actual discussion, the panel’s role is to offer a range of possibilities. We hope to open up meaningful dialogue and individual exploration.

Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW of The Navidaters

Be Our Guest

The Panel

T hank you for reaching out about your predicament, Adina. It’s a common concern I hear from singles in the yeshivish sector, aged 22 and un der. Unfortunately, it seems, the yeshiva world has not done its diligence in pre paring young men to go out in the dating world. I have approached this problem to a few rabbonim and have yet to see a change in “Dating Education.” This is so unfortunate! The same guys who joke around with their younger siblings and make up fun games for their nephews seem to get all clammed up as soon as the doorbell rings.

If I may, rather than addressing what you can do, I will first give some tips for any neophyte daters reading this.

1. Treat your date like your guest. You are bringing her into your zone, like you’d bring a guest into your home. Pre pare topics of conversation, and make sure the conversation flows. Above all, be a mensch.

2. Don’t let the ball drop in conver sation. Practice this as soon as you de cide to start dating. Start with your par ents, siblings, and Shabbos hosts. Get used to this style of flowy conversation so that your date is not the first time you try it. “Yes” and “no” answers might suf fice on your final exam but do not suf fice on a shidduch date. Elaborate on your responses, and ask her about her thoughts, feelings, and points of view.

3. Practice active listening without sounding like a parrot or a therapist. Utilize eye contact. Show genuine in terest in learning more about the topics she discusses.

4. Take a dry run to the place you’re taking her. Drive there before and get the lay of the land. If there is a parking garage as the only place to park, do not comment how expensive the parking is. (Same with drinks. This is the cost of dating!) Do not circle around for long periods of time to find street parking because you don’t want to pay for park

ing, thereby prolonging the awkward “car stage” of the date.

5. Make sure your car is clean and smells fresh.

Now for you, Adina. To help prevent this problem, I would suggest talking to those who are setting you up. Explain that one of the non-negotiables you are looking for is someone who can show up confidently on a date. Make it clear that you do not align with guys who are just starting the dating process, rather with more seasoned daters. Specifically ask not to be set up with guys who are just starting to date.

Nobody has a right to pressure you into doing anything you don’t want to do, and trust me, boys don’t want pity dates! You are doing everyone a favor by declining when you feel absolutely certain this shidduch does not suit you.

The Zaidy

Dr. Jeffrey Galler

You must be very special to have been the first “recommendation” on many occasions. Being given that opportunity says a lot about your repu tation and the folks who are advocating for you.

Your letter surprised me, because so many of our single women would be thrilled to have your problem. Let’s dis cuss the situation.

Yes, it’s often true that our young men are woefully unprepared to have a normal conversation with women be cause they have been brought up in a very insular bubble. And, it’s true that, on first dates, the woman often needs to lead the conversations and interactions.

But it’s also true, in our contempo rary shidduch environment, that it is much more difficult for girls to find the “right” boy, than for boys to find the “right” girl.

And, there is a very common per ception shared by shadchanim and by

The Single

Tzipora Grodko

D

ear Adina,

self-aware, confident, and seem to be attracted to that same confidence in a partner. You do not need to justify your preference of going out with guys who have already dated other girls. If this is your standard, simply let shad chanim know. They WILL push. They WILL disapprove. And they may very well dismiss your standards and rudely state that you should feel and do other wise. This is completely inappropriate, and I believe, not what Hashem wants. A shadchan should not manipulate you into a date and dismiss your feelings. As someone practicing a very G-dly act, they are definitely not doing it in a G-dly way.

Keep in mind that sometimes a guy may present himself with confidence and be smooth, even if it’s his first date; however, you need that verification from someone you can trust and rely on before making a decision that it’s not something you would like to consider.

Going on a second (or twelfth) date with someone because we feel “badly” only winds up hurting the other person more in the long run.

The Shadchan

Michelle Mond

Ruby Lasker Designs

mothers of single girls: Initially, they often hear that a certain “good” boy is not yet dating, but very soon after, in the blink of an eye, they hear that boy is engaged.

The perception of reality seems to be that “good” boys are getting married to the very first or second girl that they date. So, for our young women, going on a date with a beginner may present challenges, such as going out of your way to

make him feel comfortable and need ing to give him a second chance, but isn’t that worth the potential benefit?

My good friend (Pepi M.) presented the following analogy: “When your fa vorite dress store gets a new shipment, wouldn’t you want to be there on the first day, despite having to sort through many choices that you may find unsuit able, in order to have your pick of the very best new arrivals?”

Pulling It All Together

The Navidaters Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists

D

ear Adina, Thank you for writing into the panel!

It is true that most people don’t marry the first person they date. It’s also true that it does happen. It’s for you to fig ure out if you want to exclude yourself from the possibility of being someone’s first and last date. I can also complete ly understand not wanting to subject yourself to being someone’s first date. If you’ve truly reached a place where you are comfortable rejecting all guys for whom you would be their first, then it is about feeling comfortable in your own skin, knowing you are entitled to feel this way. When you feel comfortable with this, you will convey this message to shadchanim. If shadchanim view you as picky, that is on them. It’s not your job to manage others’ perception of you. You will have to work on releasing the desire for them to see you in a certain light.

The same applies should you decide

to go out with first timers.

You don’t have to go out a second time because you feel badly for rejecting them. The experience of the re jection does not belong to you, and you do not “owe” anyone a second date.

There is often a lot of “codependen cy” that manifests while dating. We don’t want to hurt anyone, and we can feel so responsible for hurting someone else, that many of us stay in dating rela tionships long past their prime. When we understand that we are only respon sible for our actions and that we can’t control the feelings or actions of others, we become healthier and happier people who can make clear and kind choices.

Going on a second (or twelfth) date with someone because we feel “badly” only winds up hurting the other person more in the long run. This is because he/she gets his/her hopes up and believes a re

Nevertheless, Adina, if you feel strongly that you’d rather not be that first date, you can probably avoid these situations by telling your shadchanim that instead of being set up with 23-year-olds, you’d prefer to be set up with 26-year-olds. That way, your date will have a few years’ experience and be more comfortable conversing with you. (And, as an added benefit, the young man might already be gainfully employed!)

But remember the wise saying: Many see gold where others only see dirt (Anon).

lationship is forming when it isn’t. It is kinder to have clear boundaries and let oth ers know how we feel once we are certain.

First and foremost, might I recommend to everyone the following podcast: “We Can Do Hard Things” with Glennon Doyle. Try the episode from October 27 2022: “How to Set and Hold Boundaries” with Melissa Urban. I listened last Friday while getting ready for Shabbos, and it was a personal game changer packed with so much wonderful information about boundary setting. I learned a lot! I learned that being clear and kind with our boundaries (a roadmap to our hearts) helps people feel safe around us. I learned that we go in “green.” We assume people will want to respect our boundaries and imagine having a pleas ant conversation. (Because healthy people want to know and understand the way to our hearts!) Healthy peo ple want to respect each other. I also learned how to get more firm in the boundary when we are getting pushback i.e., I really don’t want to respect your need. And, I don’t really care about it either. I’m going to keep pushing. With

the podcast in mind, you may want to try something like this:

“Thank you so much for redting this shidduch to me. It means so much to me! After going out with a lot of first time daters, I’ve learned that it’s often an uncomfortable experience, and for now, I’m going to take some time off from those experiences.” Use language that feels right for you!

Perhaps I’m wrong, but with regard to your second question, I think we need to treat everyone and every experience with the same respect and time. I don’t know of any tips or tricks to get to the bottom line any faster. He can’t help that this is his first date. It’s truly up to you if you want to go out with first-tim ers.

I have heard from so many people over the years that they can feel pres sured by shadchanim, so this experience you are having is valid and real. Do not ever “take on the push.” Trust your in stincts and go with your intuition and remain flexible. Healthy boundaries are flexible too, when safe (something else I learned from the podcast.)

All the best, Jennifer

Jennifer Mann, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist and certified trauma healing life coach, as well as a dating and relationship coach working with individuals, couples, and families in pri vate practice at 123 Maple Avenue in Cedarhurst, NY. She also teaches a psychology course at Touro College. To set up a consultation or to ask questions, please call 718-908-0512. Visit www. thenavidaters.com for more information. If you would like to submit a dating or relationship question to the panel anonymously, please email JenniferMannLCSW@gmail.com. You can follow The Navidaters on FB and Instagram for dating and relationship advice.

They often hear that a certain “good” boy is not yet dating, but very soon after, in the blink of an eye, they hear that boy is engaged.

No

Israel Today

Sasha

By Rafi Sackville

When he was a child in elemen tary school, Alex Kuvtonov was forever getting into fights. Although not restricted to, it seemed to always happen during the long morning recess.

Tall and strong for his age, Alex was rarely on the end of a beating but always handing them out. In her wisdom, the principal gave his parents an ultimatum: either they come to school every day and watch over their son during recess, or find him another school.

For months, Alex’s mother would du tifully arrive at school and sit in the yard watching him play. It was not a tenable situation, nor would it last long.

Eventually, Alex’s father drew a line in the sand when Alex was eleven years old and sent Alex to the local kickboxing school.

With this newfound legitimate release of energy, Alex’s behavior at school im proved. Not only that, but he displayed a natural predilection for the sport.

Some six years later, Alex became European champion and during his 11th grade, he participated in the world junior kickboxing championship and came in first – a world champion at the age of 16. It was quite an accomplishment for both Alex and Israel.

I’ve seen some of his fights. Alex only knows one movement: forward attack. For all the aggression that his chosen sport involves, Alex is gentle by nature.

I watched him in the school halls from his 10th through 12th grade. He was care free and boisterous. There were no fights, no altercations, just typical boyhood fun. Maybe that’s because as European and world kickboxing champion, his friends knew better than to mess with him.

During 11th grade it is customary for many schools to help their students begin the army process by sending the entire grade to the conscription office where they are all initially processed. This be gins with a basic medical exam and the

establishment of a profile. The highest profile one can get is 96. This gives a soldier the right to volunteer for combat units.

It’s a mark of pride for students to join the elite forces. It must be difficult for many living outside Israel to compre hend the notion of parents sending their sons and daughters to join a unit whose soldiers are the first to be sent into battle.

With a 96 profile, Alex passed his medical with flying colors. The army contacted him directly and offered him a sports scholarship. Only the most elite of sportsmen and women are offered such deals. They do basic training but spend most of their time involved in their given

sian-speaking classes, easily over 50% of my students are not halachically Jewish.

Most of these students forge through life not interested in the Jewish and reli gious traditions that have held us together as a nation for millennia.

When the army offered Alex a sports scholarship, he turned them down be cause he wanted to be Jewish.

Instead of finding himself doing three years of cushy work serving his country, he instead chose to join a program called Nativ (The Way). It is run through the army and puts young men and women through a rigorous long course in every thing Jewish, from learning Torah, hala cha, and traditions, and being ensconced

entire family here in Ma’alot. Our grand children from New York were fascinated by him.

We were struck by Alex’s willingness to learn. It was clear to me that he would eventually succeed in becoming Jewish. When I asked him about his Commando course, he told me that nothing affects him.

“They could tell me to sit in the rain for three days and it wouldn’t bother me,” he told me.

His attitude in everything he does never wavers.

Alex thrived in the Nativ course. He was nervous on the day he had to face the Beit Din. I have never seen him shed a tear, but when he was accepted as a Ger (convert), he shed quite a few.

sport, which they help teach and promote.

Alex turned the scholarship down. He wasn’t interested at all. He had other things on his mind.

It is not a secret that the open-door policy during the 1990s to immigrants from Russian-speaking states resulted in many halachic issues that have had ramifications not only on the fabric of Jewish society in Israel but on the pillars of religious tradition. It is not my place nor my intention to take sides on these is sues. All I wish to do is to present to you, the reader of this column, a story that, despite its specific uniqueness to Alex, is a similar story being told over and over again throughout the country.

Let me start by suggesting that I would not be exaggerating when I say that in some of my predominantly Rus

in an environment that is supportive and geared to being Jewish.

This is what Alex wanted. He could take the Nativ course and once it was over would join a combat unit. There is no guarantee that studying the course is going to make successful converts; in or der to become Jewish, Alex’s knowledge needed to be tested in a Beit Din. Many of my students who have done the Nativ course have been turned down by the Beit Din. This, too, is a test of sorts to mea sure their determination. If they are se rious, failure presents them with another chance at success.

My wife and I happily sponsored Alex in our home for many Shabbat meals. Keren laughed each time Alex gave me a hug. She said I looked like a little child in his arms. He spent last Leil Seder with our

Today, he is still in combat training. He was recently selected as a top soldier among hundreds. Due to his schedule, we see him less, although we remain in contact.

As I earlier wrote, it is not my position to make any judgements on the validity of the course or the thoroughness of the pro cess. I’m here to let you know that when Alex sits next to me in shul and prays, I am moved beyond words. His sincerity and love of being Jewish is inspiring to me. Oftentimes, we take for granted our own Jewishness. To see Alex’s dedication when he didn’t have to choose to become Jewish but did has left me in awe of the power of converts.

Rafi Sackville, formerly of Cedarhurst, teaches in Ort Maalot in Western Galil.

Maybe that’s because as European and world kickboxing champion, his friends knew better than to mess with him.

Alex saying Shema at the Beit Din after becoming Jewish

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Your Money

Tax Breaks to Get Charged Over

By Allan Rolnick, CPA

Actor Tyler Perry made his fame and fortune playing a pot-smok ing, gun-toting, G-d-fearing granny who takes no foolishness. Perry’s signature character has appeared in 11 plays, 5 TV series, 11 movies, and even a cartoon. She certainly won’t win Perry any Best Actress awards. But the movies do make bank. Together, they cost $182 million to make and grossed over half a billion. Perry pockets even more by play ing three roles himself (and by casting Cassi Davis to do the same).

Perry partnered with a murderer’s row of Hollywood heavyweights on his journey up from homelessness. He’s inked deals with Lionsgate Entertain ment, Viacom, HBO, and even Oprah Winfrey. But when you put up box-office numbers like Perry, you wind up with a silent partner whether you want them or not. No, it’s not the mob. (“Nice little film studio you got here. Be a shame if something were to happen to it.”) It’s Un cle Sam! In 2011, Forbes listed Perry as the highest-paid man in entertainment, earning 130 $ million. Two years ago, they upgraded him to “Hollywood’s newest billionaire.” You can be sure the fans at the IRS are interested in

collecting a fat slice of his character’s homestyle cooking.

In August, Perry spoke at an invest ing conference in Atlanta and shared a story about when that partnership got a little less silent. It turns out the IRS had audited him – we have no idea when or why. But Perry reported that it turned into the archetypal “audit from the

ting so mad, and so frustrated,” Perry said. “We get to the end of the audit and they, the IRS, owed me $9 million,” he added. The accountants were delighted. But not Perry. “I said, ‘Hey! How did you miss me paying $9 million?’” Perry then joked, “I had to stop going to H&R Block for my taxes at some point.”

Just to put that number in perspec

ize. Washington recently made head lines by authorizing $80 billion in new IRS spending. Most of that money is targeted towards closing the $600 “tax gap” the IRS estimates it loses every year from mostly higher-income taxpayers who don’t pay what they legally owe. But Perry’s story illustrates another gap that gets less attention. Call it the “op portunity gap” – the billions that Amer icans over pay because they fail to take advantage of legal, moral, and ethical opportunities to pay less.

Perry finished his talk with a few more words of wisdom on the value of learning from experience. “I learned in progress, and that’s okay… That’s how I run my business. Here’s the mistake. Let’s fix it; let’s move forward.”

abyss” that even tax pros dread. In fact, the auditor handling his case creeped him out with his inappropriate interest in how Perry was managing his money, so Perry had him replaced with a more senior IRS agent.

“So, this audit went on for three years. I’m spending hundreds of thou sands of dollars in accounting with ac countants for the audit and I am get

tive, that’s not $9 million in taxes Per ry paid . That’s $9 million in taxes his accountants had him overpay, on top of the millions more he legitimately owed.

It shouldn’t surprise you to learn that Perry has hired a whole new accounting staff. (And of course, he didn’t go to H&R Block.)

Scoring a refund after an audit is probably more common than you real

That’s where we come in. If you think you’re paying more than you need to, you’re probably right. Call us and let’s see how we can fix it!

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.

“I

◦

In The K tchen

Scallopine All’ Arancio Orange

Veal Cutlet

By Naomi Nachman

I am sending my weekly article off to our editors while I am in Florence, Italy, attending a culinary program run by Susie Fishbein. She has organized a wonderful cooking program with the Cordon Bleu. We have had an amazing week here in Florence so far. We met the chief rabbi of Florence, saw all the historical sights, toured Terra Di Seta, a kosher winery, and an olive oil factory.

I am learning some great new recipes but also learning new skills. Susie worked with the local kashrut authority, and we had a mashgiach working full time on all our culinary trip. One of our chef-instructors shared this recipe with us at our welcome dinner, and I fell in love with the combination of oranges and veal. (You can also try this with chicken cutlets.)

Ingredients

◦ Four slices of veal scallopini (thin sliced and boneless)

◦ 1 cup all-purpose flour

◦ Juice of two oranges

Salt and pepper

◦ 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

◦ 1 orange, sliced

Preparation

Dredge the meat on both sides with flour.

In a large pan, 1-2 tablespoons of oil and sear the meat on both sides.

Season each piece with salt and pepper and pour in the fresh orange juice.

Remove the meat from pan and place on a serving dish. Turn up heat for the pan to thicken the sauce on high for one or two minutes.

Season the sauce with salt and pepper to your liking.

Pour sauce over meat in prepared pan.

Serve hot with slices of fresh orange.

Naomi

featured in cookbooks, magazines as well as other media covering topics related to cuisine preparation

Aussie

visit Naomi’s blog. Naomi can be reached through her website, www.theaussiegourmet.com or at (516) 295-9669.

Nachman, the owner of The Aussie Gourmet, caters weekly and Shabbat/ Yom Tov meals for families and individuals within The Five Towns and neighboring communities, with a specialty in Pesach catering. Naomi is a contributing editor to this paper and also produces and hosts her own weekly radio show on the Nachum Segal Network stream called “A Table for Two with Naomi Nachman.” Naomi gives cooking presentations for organizations and private groups throughout the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan area. In addition, Naomi has been a guest host on the QVC TV network and has been

and personal chefs. To obtain additional recipes, join The

Gourmet on Facebook or

Photo by Melinda Strau SS

gluten free recipe

Lemon Crinkle Cookies (GF)

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups gluten -free flour blend (I used Walmart’s)

11/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 stick Fleishman’s margarine- softened

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. lemon zest

1/2 tsp. vanilla

For Rolling: 1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

2. In electric mixer, beat the margarine and sugar until fluffy (a couple of minutes)

3. Add the eggs, lemon juice, zest, and vanilla. Mix to combine.

4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the mixer and mix until they are incorporated. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in fridge for 2 hours to make the dough easier to handle.

Pre-heat oven to 350°F and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

5. Scoop dough out with a small cookie scoop and roll dough into a ball.

6. Roll dough balls into regular sugar and then into powdered sugar, coating generously. Place balls on baking sheets, 2 inches apart.

7. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow them to cool on a baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack. Store in air-tight container.

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Ohr Chadash Academy (OCA) is a Torah-driven Orthodox Jewish day school for boys and girls in early childhood through 8th grade. We emphasize the inherent kedusha of both Judaic and General studies and promote a personal relationship with Am Yisrael, Eretz Yisrael, and Medinat Yisrael. Within a warm, nurturing environment, we instill the values of chesed and middot in our students and foster intellectual curiosity and critical thinking skills through experiential learning and collaborative problem solving.