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 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 Builders 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 defense 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 ultimately 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 second 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 Hettleman to seal the game 26-18. Tripping Kosher 41 Autumn Lake Healtchare 0

In a matchup of 2 teams coming off wins, Tripping Kosher got started 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 Pleeter 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 concluded 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 “Megatron” Scheinfeld, but held the 5th pick and knew Scheinfeld wouldn’t be available.After a lengthy conversation between the captains, Hettleman realized he could draft Lerner 5th overall, so the teams secretly agreed to swap 1st round picks, with Worthy throwing in an additional 4th rounder. Both teams got their guy and a friendly rivalry 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 touchdown. After a quick 3 and out by Dr Auto, Worthy took over. On their second 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 completion. On the next play, Scheinfeld caught a 25-yard touchdown between 2 defenders in the middle of the endzone. 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 Scheinfeld, 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 possessions, 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: MEGATRON! 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 Supermarket” 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 Finkelstein, 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, Tripping 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 Baruch 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 attention, warmth and high level chinuch the children receive from the carefully selected mechanchim and teachers.

Accompanied by Rabbi Amrom Jungreis, the Rosh Kollel of the Baltimore Kollel Le’horo’ah Khal Chassidim, Rov of Kehillas Kedushas Yisroel and Nossi of Mosdos Khal Chassidim, and some Askanim, the dignitaries were shown around to the classrooms and met with the teachers of all divisions.

After seeing the Mosdos and the Chassidish shul Kedushas Yisroel, they met at the home of Rabbi Jungreis where, at length, they discussed the plans currently underway to help the growth of the community, and especially the marketing campaign currently underway to attract more Chassidish families from New York that are looking to move to more affordable, yet established, neighborhoods.

Baltimore Ravens Star Apologizes For Antisemitic Comments After Call With Orthodox Councilman

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 because 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 Jewish Baltimore City Councilman Isaac “Yitzy” Schleifer responded courageously himself and ultimately had a phone conversation with Smith about the harmful impact that such statements 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 committed 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 following his conversation with Schleifer. “After talking to some of my friends and members of the Jewish community, I would like to apologize for the hurt that some people have experienced from my tweet,” he wrote. “I was speaking strictly about representation 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 community. “The African American and Jewish community are more linked together in their struggles than anything else.”

“Twitter is not real life. A lot gets lost when you’re having conversations 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 willingness to apologize and learn from the mistake should really be the message that we take away,” Schleifer said. Schleifer also acknowledges that having high-profile allies in this environment is very helpful in spreading awareness on a wider scale, and particularly emphasizes Smith’s respect in the Baltimore community and personal 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 impacted them and their community.”

When asked about whether he believed his statements played into antisemitic tropes, Smith said, “My intentions no. But the people who were impacted said yes, so yes it does. […] When you put a target on especially the Jewish community that can be dangerous. Through dialogue and conversations you can learn that.”

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 providing social, emotional, and financial assistance to children with life-threatening or lifelong illnesses and their families. To learn more, visit www. chailifeline.org/midatlantic.

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 expressed interest in joining the trial of the suspects in Efraim Gordon’s murder.

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 trial 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 community. Give them the chance to show they care about the safety of our community. 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 participating and showing support to Efraim, our family, and the safety of our community, please join our Whatsapp group where all updates on the trial will be posted. 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

Around the Community Suburban Orthodox Celebrating a Siyum on Mesechta Kesuvos

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

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 (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 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 successes 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 programming 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 sciences 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 provides 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 growing 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 dental research experience. Students in the biomedical engineering pathway will complete four design courses that prepare them to be successful, technically proficient engineers. The first four WITS students, who are pursuing the pre-health pathway, started at Stevenson this Fall 2022 semester.

This is the second education partnership that Stevenson has formed with higher education institutions serving the Orthodox Jewish community. In January 2019, Ner Israel Rabbinical College and Stevenson partnered to create a degree pathway for Ner Israel students seeking pre-med education to prepare for graduate pro-

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 students,” added President Hirshman.

Women’s Institute of Torah Seminary and College (WITS) is a seminary and an undergraduate college, accredited by the Association of Institutions of Jewish Studies and approved 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 professional 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 physical 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 diverse array of fields. For more information, visit www.wits.edu.

Founded originally as Villa Julie College in 1947, Stevenson University enrolls more than 3,700 students pursuing traditional undergraduate, doctoral, and online master’s and professional 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 connections that foster students’ professional success through curricular and co-curricular experiences, internships, and mentoring; and exceptional experiences 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, visit www.stevenson.edu.