Baltimore Jewish Home - 12-8-22

Dear Readers,

The entire Klal Yisroel was thrown into mourning on November 23rd with the bombing attacks on the outskirts of Jerusalem. The event produced many terrible stories of heartbreak, loss, and tragedy. Sadly, Aryeh Shechopek, 16, and Tadasa Tashume Ben Ma'ada, who was a father of six, were killed. Another 18 people were injured in this merciless act of terrorism.

There were, however, many stories of miracles that emerged following the incident. One such story made headlines and caught my attention. When medical personnel operated on one of the survivors, a 62-year-old man at Jerusalem's Shaare Zedek Hospital, his family was going through his possessions and discovered that a piece of shrapnel had almost completely penetrated a Tehillim he had with him. Apparently, a sharp piece of shrapnel hit the back cover of the Sefer Tehillim, entered the sefer and penetrated the pages of the sefer until it stopped precisely at the words in Psalm 124: םישקוי חפמ הטלמנ רופצכ ונשפנ "Our soul is like a bird that escaped from a box of

hardships." Following the surgery the patient said, he was reciting Tehillim at the time and happened to be holding it over his heart! Authorities believe the book may have saved his life.

In our day-to-day lives there are miracles happening on a constant basis: לכבש ךיסנ לעו ונמע םוי. They sometimes seem ordinary and we barely acknowledge its existence. However, when open miracles occur, it gives us the opportunity to take a step back and acknowledge the wonders that sustain us throughout every step of the way.

The upcoming holiday of Chanukah reinforces this idea of our responsibility to recognize these miracles. Whether the miracle happens to us personally, a family member, a fellow Jew, or to our Nation as a whole, it's incumbent upon us to acknowledge and give the appropriate recognition and gratitude.

Wishing everyone the very best in this season of miracles!

Aaron Menachem

Bais Yaakov Auction Leaves an ‘Impression’

By: Mrs. Judy (Margaretten) Landman, Bais Yaakov Class of 1992

Bais Yaakov Impressions

Auction 2022 did just what it sought to do; leave an impression. For the more than 600 women attending this gala event, the impression was that of a stunning evening, with delicious gourmet food with a twist (grilled fruit in caramel sauce!) prepared by Catering by Yaffa, and fun fare by way of an interactive game with friends. There was also the exciting silent auction with incredible prizes to be won!

Walking into the brightly and welllit Martin’s West main ballroom, one immediately felt the glamour and pa nache that was so beautifully, creative ly and tirelessly prepared for months in advance by the team of volunteers led by chairwoman, Mrs. Perri Gold enhersh, along with the hardworking Bais Yaakov development staff, under the leadership of Rabbi Aaron Gross. First and foremost, however, to be ap preciated are all the dedicated teachers and hanhalah of this long-time and re nowned educational institution, with out whom our chinuch habanos could

not perpetuate.

As a graduate of 1992, I couldn’t help but be overwhelmed in a good way by the loveliness of the evening that proceeded smoothly and efferves cently for the women of our commu nity. Yes, it was a fundraiser for one of the founding pillars in our commu nity, however, I feel that it was also a gesture to the mothers and the moros in our community. We know that there are shloshah shutfin b’adam, three partners in the creation of man; the mother, the father and of course the Ribono Shel Olam. In chinuch, there are also three; the mother, the father and the mechanech. The evening was a representation of the collaboration of this partnership. We were able to thank the school and the school was in turn able to appreciate the dedicated teachers and parent body by providing a relaxing and enjoyable, pressure-free (!) environment.

In fact, when the professionally produced video presentation of the students was shown, the people work ing at Martin’s West commented on the real beauty of the evening, which to quote from our alma mater, and us BYB oldies will surely recognize this, was “tifarteinu u’gevruaseinu,” the beauty and strength that is the hall

“Our Councilman, Our Leader”

By: BJLife/Isaac Draiman BaltimoreJewishLife.com/Jeff Cohn Photo credit: Mike Diamond

The Annual Reception in honor of Councilman Isaac “Yitzy” Schleifer was jam packed with political star power. The brightest star in the room

however, was Maryland’s biggest political star, Governor-Elect Wes Moore. Not only was it impressive for the Governor-Elect to choose Councilman Schleifer’s event as his very first post-election appearance in our community, but it was his re spect and endorsement of Councilman Schleifer that truly resonated with the

mark of Bais

of Baltimore.

I conclude with the rest of Bais Yaakov’s original song: “There’s a school we all love well! Loud and

large crowd of enthusiastic support ers. Governor-Elect Moore thanked the Councilman, and stated it was an “honor to stand here in partnership with someone I know I will need, lean on and listen to”.

He went on to state, “we have re markable leaders who will not accept anything less than us being able to

long

fight to ensure that all our families, all our children all our communities are seen and heard”.

Finally, the words that ignited the audience was when the Gover nor-Elect finished his comments and introduced “our councilman, our lead er…Councilman Yitzy Schleifer”.

Yaakov

its praise we’ll tell... school of high ideals, school of unity, that’s the school for you and me.”

Jewish Community Football League by “Shimz Cars” begins “Chef Dan” Postseason

The 2022 Postseason by Chef Dan began on Sunday, December 4th with the top 4 teams battling out. The playoffs featured Dr Auto vs Tripping Kosher on the “ActualEyes Turf Field” at Pikesville High, as well as Dougies vs Worth Insurance on the “ActualEyes Turf Field” at New Town High School. Read on for the highlights from the games:

Tripping Kosher 27 Doctor Auto 20

At the conclusion of a successful regular season, #1 seed Tripping Ko sher made their way to the playoffs to take on the #4 seed Doctor Auto. Doctor Auto was the Cinderella sto ry of the regular season, finishing with 3 wins in their last 4 games to claim the final postseason spot.

For Tripping Kosher, veteran WR and rookie QB Shulie Hochman was looking to make it to his 7th straight championship. Due to a non-league related injury, Hochman took on the role of sideline coach, handing the

cians” as on the next play, Dr Auto’s menacing defensive line of Mordi Spero and Levi Akkerman sacked Tuchman for a safety, putting them in front, 2-0. On the next drive, Hettel man connected with WR Sam Novo grad for a beautiful TD catch over 2 defenders, giving Dr Auto an 8-0 lead.

But Tuchman’s years of league leader ship experience allowed him to settle his team down and focus on the task at hand. Tuchman opened the offen sive drive by connecting with multi ple receivers, eventually hitting WR Mookie Chamdi for a TD. He then connected with Chemi Lefkowitz for the extra point to make it an 8-7 game.

The second half began with Tuch man moving the ball down the field once again, hitting All-Star WRs Mordy Reches and Mook ie Chamdi for large gains. On third and goal, Tuchman found Chamdi again in the end zone and follow ing an extra point, took a 21-8 lead.

On Doctor Auto’s next possession, Hettelman drove his team down the field for a quick TD, cutting the lead to 21-14. Following a few defensive stops by both teams and a combined 3 sacks from TK’s Freund and Baruch Dollman, Tuchman would ultimately break the scoring draught by hitting Pleeter in the back of the end zone on fourth and goal to take the lead 27-14.

But Dr Auto wasn’t through, as Het tleman drove his team down the field once again, capping off the drive with a 25-yard QB sneak for a TD to make it a one score game, 27-20.

On the final drive of the game, Doctor Auto got the ball with 2 minutes to go and drove downfield and into the red zone. But Tripping Kosher’s Defense came up big, stopping the Doctors on fourth and goal to close out the game and claim the win.

Worthy Insurance 28 Dougies 20

Following an uneventful first half, the Final Four matchup between Wor thy Insurance and Dougies had one of the wildest endings in JCFL history, with Worthy claiming the victory 2820.

The game started with a punt by Worthy then a great interception by

CB Yoni Finkelstein, but the Worthy offense couldn’t turn it into points. After the teams traded a few punts, Dougies got on the board first with a 2 sub for 1 special: a short pass from (Sub) QB Meir Parry to (Sub) TE Howie Friedman. A defensive offsides on the extra point made it 7-0. But Worthy came right back and scored on a 20-yard strike from QB Chaim Fin kelstein to WR Shloime Scheinfeld. On the final possession of the half, Scheinfeld had the 2nd interception for the Worthy defense.

In the 2nd half, things finally got interesting. Dougies opened with a long drive that ended at the 1-yard line, after a goal line stand by the strong Worthy defense. The Worthy offense got things going with a beau tifully designed QB run that got them to midfield. After a TE rollout and a couple more QB runs, Finkelstein and Scheinfeld connected for their 2nd Touchdown. WR Moshe Guttman made a sliding grab for the 2-point conversion, giving Worthy a 14-6 lead. On the next possession, Dougies scored a long TD to tie the game at 14-14. After a Worthy punt, Dougies sustained another long drive, this time punching it in with a TD catch from WR Eli Dollman, taking a 20-14 lead with 8 minutes left in the game.

After the Worthy offense turned the ball over on downs, Dougies got the ball back at the 25-yard line and had the chance to put the game away. But with just under 4 minutes to go, Chaim Finkelstein intercepted Parry on the 10-yard line. The Worthy of fense milked most of the clock and scored the game-tying Touchdown, an incredible throw and catch by Fin kelstein and Guttman, with 1:21 left to go. Worthy’s defense then went to work again. A sack on first down backed Dougies up to their own 4-yard line, then Chaim Finkelstein made another incredible diving inter ception. On offense, Finkelstein threw the game-winning Touchdown to TE Eliav Sobol with 39 seconds left. Dou gies had one final shot to tie the game but Yoni Finkelstein sealed the victory with a leaping interception on the side line, his second of the day, to close out the game.

Around the Community

Pirchei Hasmada Banquet 5783/2022 a Huge Success

By: BJLife Newsroom BaltimoreJewishLife.com/Jeff Cohn

Pirchei Agudas Yisrael of Baltimore hosted its annual post Succos banquet on Sunday, November 13th at Greengate (Liberty) Jewish Center. Boys, grades 1-5, who learned the required minimum of Torah study over the Succos vacation were invited to attend this enjoyable event.

Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz, Pirchei’s director welcomed the record crowd of over 700 boys and fathers! Rabbi Moshe Heinemann congratulated their accomplishments and related a dvar Torah in appreciation of their learn ing. A lively musical interlude was en joyed compliments of Rabbi Eli Sofer.

The highlight of the evening was an awesome and enthralling science show presented by Yochanan Ghou ri of N.Y. He demonstrated the many qualities of air and how it mixes with water to create clouds. Among the many amazing and dazzling feats were the clouds that wafted throughout the ballroom and the rain cloud that “ex ploded” and got everyone near the stage wet.

A boys menu of hotdogs and fries plus was prepared by O’Fishels cater ing and muchly enjoyed. All in all, the boys left with a wonderful feeling of encouragement and energised to con tinue with their positive accomplish ments. Chazak!

Middle school boys are chazzaring Gemara. Third graders are practicing spelling words in a

collaborative activity that involves Jenga blocks. Learning is enjoyable at YTS!

Another Great Week at Yeshivas Toras Simcha

Israel Today

You’re in the (Israeli) Army Now

By Miriam and Jeffrey Benkoe

Last summer, we told friends we were going to Israel. Very nice, they said. Visiting grandkids? No. Other relatives? No. Just touring around? No.

Nu? We’re volunteering on an Army base. Hmm. Are you kidding? Are they giving you a gun? they joked.

We participated in Volunteers for Is rael (VFI), otherwise known as Sar-El.

We can say, at the outset, we enjoyed our experience immensely. We felt it was valuable, rewarding, and important – be ing a small cog in a big important wheel.

We both have friends who have done the program and raved about it. The comments they shared were mostly pos itive. We wanted to go to Israel but also do something meaningful.

The application process was lengthy, bureaucratic, and sometimes frustrating (like Israel itself), made more compli cated after the program was shut down during Covid. The last step was an inter view via Zoom (to try to weed out whack jobs, our interviewer said). After a few months we were finally accepted.

We asked veteran volunteers lots of questions, including what to expect and what were the must-bring items.

While you only find out what base you’re assigned to after you arrive at Ben

Gurion Airport, we were allowed to make a request in advance.

Many of the veterans advised us to ask for Matzrap, which distributes med ical and surgical supplies and equipment for Tzahal medics and paramedics in the field. Why Matzrap? One friend called it the Hilton of the bases – better food and thicker foam mattresses.

The base is composed of many ware houses that collect, monitor, and distrib

bands and wives, housed on separate floors.

Volunteers, who wear army uniforms, gather in formation after breakfast for flag-raising. One of the soldiers who were our female madrichot – Shir 21, and She li, 20 – took turns yelling out, in Hebrew, “At ease” and “Attention!” before the flag was raised by a different volunteer each day. We then sang “Hatikvah.” Then it was off to work in the warehouses.

pressed their gratitude to us – paying our own airfare to volunteer our time to the needs of Tzahal.

Our group of fourteen volunteers came from Czech Republic, Germany, South Africa, Slovakia, and the USA.

Our madrichot were tasked with re sponding to our individual needs and also planned informational and enjoyable night activities.

The work week began on Sunday and concluded on Thursday after lunch, when we were driven to the central train and bus station in Tel Aviv. We felt pride in do ing the work, and we bonded as a group. We both agreed we would volunteer again, provided we are in good health, i”yH.

ute items, including weeding out those with expired dates. The warehouses are staffed and supervised by civilians who work for the IDF.

Volunteers come from all parts of the world and include Jews and Christian.

We were assigned different tasks in volving medications, surgical kits, IVs, etc.

A dormitory building houses the vol unteers, with males and females, hus

We worked from 8:30 until noon, then had lunch until 1, then resumed work un til 4:00.

The base has a large dining room that serves three meals a day, with lunch being the main meal (meat, chicken, and vege tarian entrees) and a nice salad bar with lots of chopped cucumbers and tomatoes and, of course, a variety of dishes made with eggplant.

All staff and officers repeatedly ex

Sometimes, the work was tedious, but then you realized that your efforts mat tered – you were helping to ensure that a combat medic had the right supplies and equipment out in the field – a cog in a very important wheel.

Miriam and Jeffrey Benkoe live in Boynton Beach, Florida, while they dream of Israel. Miriam is a master educator, currently work ing at several South Florida yeshivot. Jeffrey is retired after working for nearly thirty years as a journalist at Reuters.

Volunteers, who wear army uniforms, gather in formation after breakfast for flag-raising.

With Andrea Schulman, WIT Executive Director

er organizations in our wonderful com munity and have served in volunteer leadership roles at the JCC of Greater Baltimore as well as the Talmudical Academy (TA).

Tell us about your family:

Tell us about yourself:

I was born and raised in Annapolis, Maryland where my family was active in the Jewish community. I became in volved in NCSY at an early age. Even though I was from Annapolis, I spent most of my high school years in Bal timore. I am grateful to mentors and friends such as Bonnie and Joey Pollak who became a second family to me. I attended seminary in Israel, graduated from Stern College for Women and be gan my career in Jewish Communal Ser vice. For 4 years I worked for the Na tional Jewish Outreach Program (NJOP) as a Regional Program Coordinator and eventually as the Marketing Director. I relocated to Baltimore in 2001, where I began working as the Marketing Direc tor for the Jewish Literacy Foundation. It was through my relationship with Yigal and Rivky Segal that I ended up as the Program Manager for the Women’s Institute of Torah (WIT). In 2004, upon Rivky’s aliyah, our Board of Directors asked me to assume the leadership role of the organization. I enjoy helping oth

In 2001, I met and married Ari Schulman who grew up in Boro Park. We have two wonderful sons, Eitan and Noam. Eitan recently graduated from the Yeshiva of Greater Washington and is now learning in Migdal HaTorah in Israel. Noam is an 11th grader at TA. We are fortunate to live not far from my family in Annapolis. We often visit Ari’s family who have relocated to Israel.

What is your role at WIT?

I am proud to serve as WIT’s Exec utive Director. I focus on all aspects of our organization including developing curriculum and programing, identifying engaging teachers and organizing spe cial programs and events. In addition, I serve as the point person for all of the women who participate in WIT pro grams and classes. Working in tandem with our dedicated Board of Directors I ensure that every aspect of the day to day operations are met. I am in constant communication with both our president, Leah Berry and our past president, Lin da S. Elman who both have exemplary communal leadership skills and knowl edge. It is a privilege to work with them and learn from them on a daily basis.

How did WIT fare during the pan demic?

Prior to the Covid-19 outbreak, WIT had already been offering one weekly class via Zoom. Baruch Hashem our familiarity with the platform enabled a seamless transition to Zoom for all of our classes. We used the pandemic as an opportunity to engage speakers from around the world and were able to offer classes from educators in Isra el, London, South Africa and Canada while also continuing to offer our reg ular semester courses with our talented local educators. When we returned to in-person classes a decision was made to incorporate Zoom opportunities into our regular schedule. We now offer two courses exclusively via Zoom as well as our monthly Rosh Chodesh program.

What is special about WIT?

WIT is a wonderful place for wom en of all ages and backgrounds to flour ish. Classes are offered Sunday through Thursday in topics ranging from Tanach, Parsha, Jewish Philosophy, Tefilla, Halacha and Hashkafa. I marvel at the relationships that are made among the women and faculty. Women who are new to Baltimore know that WIT is a place where they can learn and meet new people at the same time! It is a fab ulous way for them to be exposed to our special community. The learning at WIT is l’shma. Each and every woman who

attends WIT is able to strengthen them selves, their families and their homes.

Tells us about WIT’s Annual Melave Malka

WIT’s Annual Melave Malka has become a highly anticipated event each year. Women from throughout Balti more gather together in support of wom en’s learning and growth. Funds raised at the Melave Malka are an integral part of our operating budget and enable us to carry out our mission. This year, our Board of Directors surprised me and asked me to be the recipient of the Avodas HaLev award at the event. WIT is more than just a job to me. It is the place where I spend the majority of my time. Our members have become fami ly to me. Therefore, I felt compelled to accept this honor in order to help raise awareness of this worthwhile organi zation. I am honored that Mrs. Shira Smiles, a renowned educator from Isra el, will be speaking at this year’s event on Motzei Shabbos, January 7th. Mrs. Smiles will then continue on as WIT’s Scholar in Residence for the remainder of that week. For more information on how to participate in this year’s Melave Malka please visit our website https:// www.witbaltimore.org/melavemalka Please note, reservations are required so act fast!

Forty years ago, people used to THINK differently.

Nobody would have thought of hiring Debbie.

Nobody would have thought of spending three afternoons a week hanging out with Shira.

Nobody would have thought that Jake could pass his Regents.

Unless it was relevant to them, nobody was really thinking about individuals with disabilities at all.

Our programs and services give individuals with disabilities opportunities never dreamed of before.

Our programs and services give individuals with disabilities opportunities never dreamed of before.

But that’s not where it ends.

But that’s not where it ends.

Through daily inclusion programs, community Shabbatons, integration in summer camps, teen volunteering, and sensitivity training in schools, Yachad is teaching the Jewish Community to give everyone a place – in our communities and our hearts.

Through daily inclusion programs, community Shabbatons, integration in summer camps, teen volunteering, and sensitivity training in schools, Yachad is teaching the Jewish Community to give everyone a place – in our communities and our hearts.

This is Yachad.

This is Yachad.

Find out more about our programs and services at yachad.org

Find out more about our programs and services at yachad.org

Today, Yachad has created a world of kindness, acceptance, and respect.

Today, Yachad has created a world of kindness, acceptance, and respect.

Herzog Visits Bahrain, UAE

Earlier this week, President Isaac Herzog visited Bahrain, the first visit by an Israeli head of state to the island kingdom. His trip revolved around business potential between the two nations. In remarks by Herzog, King Hamad, and Foreign Minister Ab dul Latef Al-Zayani, they each spoke about the importance of upgrading economic ties since the signing of the Abraham Accords in 2020.

On Sunday evening, Herzog joined Bahrain’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad at the Bahrain Economic Development Board.

By January, there will be five direct weekly flights between Tel Aviv and Manama, and the next few months would see the number rise to seven.

On Sunday, Herzog met with with Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. The monarch underscored his support for the “legitimate rights of the Palestinian people” in his public statement delivered alongside the vis iting Israeli head of state.

Notably, the monarch did not men tion a Palestinian state, nor did either leader bring up Iran, a country that both see as an enemy.

At the beginning of their meeting, the president gave the monarch a sil ver mezuzah.

Herzog also met with members of the local Jewish community while he was in Bahrain.

Herzog should consider the UAE his “second home.”

Ahead of his departure from Isra el, Herzog said the trip was “predom inantly a message of peace in the re gion.”

Al Jazeera Appeals to ICC

would like to emphasize my full sup port and that of the entire defense es tablishment, to the commanders and soldiers who are defending the citi zens of Israel,” he added.

The IDF investigation into the incident found that while it was not possible to unequivocally determine the source of the shot that killed Abu Akleh, there was a “high probabil ity” that she had accidentally been hit by IDF fire. The investigation fur ther took into account the context in which the incident occurred, with Is raeli troops under “life-risking, wide spread and indiscriminate” fire from Palestinian terrorists.

On Monday morning, Herzog headed to the United Arab Emirates to meet with allies there. He had visited the country earlier in the year to par ticipate in the Expo 2020 Dubai.

The Israeli leader met with the United Arab Emirates’ President Mo hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and reas sured him that “the Abraham Accords are a national consensus in Israel on all sides of the political spectrum,” as a government that includes the far right prepares to take power.

“Now we have to reach cruising al titude,” Herzog told Bin Zayed. “That is, to upgrade ties between us even more, to strengthen them and to bring more nations into the Abraham Ac cords.”

Bin Zayed replied that “we built a very strong bridge between the coun tries that we both can be proud of.” He also told his Israeli counterpart that

Al Jazeera has formally requested that the International Criminal Court (ICC) open an investigation into the death of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, the news outlet announced on Tuesday.

Abu Akleh, who worked for the network, was killed in Jenin in May during an exchange of fire between the Israel Defense Forces and Palestinian terrorists.

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid criticized the move, saying in a state ment that “no one will investigate IDF soldiers, and no one will preach to us about morals in warfare, certainly not Al Jazeera.”

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz noted that the incident had al ready been investigated by the IDF.

“I expressed my condolences fol lowing the passing of Shireen Abu Akleh. At the same time, we must re member that this was a combat sce nario, which was investigated thor oughly,” he said in a statement.

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“I suggest that [international] of ficials and Al Jazeera representatives go investigate what is happening to reporters in Iran and nearby regions where Al Jazeera operates. There is no other military that operates under the moral standards of the IDF, and I

The IDF emphasized that at no point was Israeli fire directed at any one other than the Palestinian ter rorists, some of whom fired “from the area in which Ms. Shireen Abu Akleh was present.”

In November, news sur faced that the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation has launched its own probe into Abu Akleh’s death. Both Lapid and Gantz said at the time that Israel would not cooperate with the investigation. (JNS)

Tel Aviv is World’s 3rd Most Expensive City

Last year, Tel Aviv was crowned the world’s most expensive city. This year, the Israeli city lost that ignoble title as it was toppled by New York City and Singapore in The Economist ’s an nual list of least and most expensive cities in the world published last week.

Tel Aviv cracked the top five in 2020’s list before leaping to the top a year later, mostly due to the NIS’s strong showing in the foreign ex change market compared to the Euro and the U.S. dollar.

The British magazines ranked close to 200 cities across the globe based on the pricing of hundreds of individual items and services offered in those cities.

These can include a McRoyal meal at the international fast food chain McDonald’s, one kilo of apples, and a month’s rent for a two-bedroom apartment, which are all then com

Where my hearT is

What awaits you at Camp Levavi?

A shining summer of Warmth . Kindness . Connection (And a spectacular program. Obviously.)

A sleepaway camp for the ultimate Bais Yaakov girl, with carefully chosen Bais Yaakov staff. For girls going into grades 7-10 + CIT/Waitresses going into 11th

Where friendships are formed and kept for years.

Where night and day merge in a magical sensation of fun, laughter and adventure.

Where every girl’s gifts are celebrated and new talents are born.

Mrs.

The Week In News

pared to the purchasing power of the city’s average salary. In turn, even if a certain service is more expensive in some cities, the actual cost of living is measured and ranked in proportion to the average wage in the examined city.

Reporting in America (CAMERA) proved to the Times that the claim is false. CAMERA provided information indicating that the fishermen have more than doubled their annual catch in the last 15 years. In addition, the number of registered fishing boats has also more than doubled, according to Tamar Sternthal, director of CAM ERA’s Israel’s office.

In a Nov. 27 article, “Amid Israe li Blockade on Gaza a Fishing Fleet Limps Along,” Times correspondent Raja Abdulrahim claimed the Israeli blockade has been “devastating for the Gaza Strip’s fishing industry.”

One of the metrics measured by the Economist that helped see Tel Aviv rise to the top last year was the cost of an average family vehicle, an item that was introduced to the mag azine’s statistical database used to compile its list. Tel Aviv is ranked as one of the most expensive cities in this parameter.

At the bottom of the list, some of the world’s least expensive cities in clude the Iranian capital of Tehran, Tunis, Tashkent, Tripoli, and Syria’s Damascus.

NYT: We Were Wrong About Gaza Fishing

But CAMERA refuted the claim and provided the Times with research data from the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics disproving the false statement.

On Dec. 3, the Times printed the editor’s note acknowledging the article omitted important context, leaving the impression that the industry has been devastated. “The current catch is higher than that in the early years of the blockade,” the note reads.

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“CAMERA staff are doing the basic research that Times staff should be do ing themselves,” stated Andrea Levin, executive director and president of CAMERA. “Abdulrahim’s story claim ing Gaza’s fishing industry is collaps ing falls completely apart when you look at the facts. But the Times’ im pulse to run with any storyline blam ing Israel subverts ethical reporting norms and leads again and again to these blunders.” (JNS)

The New York Times has published an editor’s note correcting its false report that Gaza’s fishing industry is on the verge of collapse due to an Israeli blockade of the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave.

Using official Palestinian statis tics, the media watchdog group Com mittee for Accuracy in Middle East

A Cure for our Daughter

If there was any place I’d choose to be, it certainly would not be the hospital. Its cold corridors, filled with pain and fear…entertaining my daughter through endless hours in the waiting room and trying to soothe her through grueling tests…it was heavy.

We were hopeful, davening that Hashem kiss our boo-boo away. But when the doctors explained the gravity of the situation, diagnosing our precious princess with a terrible growth in her hand, we nearly plummeted to a point of despair. “The survival rate is not very high,” the doctors warned ominously.

That was when I decided I wanted more than just the worn pages of my Tehillim to be part of my campaign. I dialed Tehillim Kollel’s number and begged them to add my daughter’s name to the list. After the call, I felt stronger. I was no longer in it alone.

Baruch Hashem, the worry and pain is behind us. I still find it amazing when I think back at how things turned around so quickly.

The specialists at Memorial Sloan Kettering wanted a biopsy done. And unlike the results of all the tests we’d carried out until then, these results were positive. The growth was benign!

The doctors were shocked, but I was not. Overwhelmed with gratitude to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, we celebrated a joyous seudas hoda’ah, thanking Hashem for heeding our hope-filled supplications and transforming

The Week In News

lion tourists visited Israel from Janu ary through October this year – and many more are expected. By the end of 2022, Israel’s Tourism Ministry predicts that 2.5 million visitors will have come to the Holy Land in 2022.

Ministry figures last month showed some 2,078,000 tourist ar rivals in Israel in the first 10 months of the year. Should these continue at the same rate in November and De cember, the ministry said it expects to record between 2.4 to 2.6 million arrivals by the end of the year.

These figures are a far cry from 2019’s figures when Israel welcomed some 4.5 million tourists, its stron gest year on record, but the numbers show promising signs of recovery for inbound tourism.

Israel only reopened its skies in March, lifting most Covid-related travel restrictions.

Hotel industry figures also point to signs of recovery. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), 19.3 million hotel stays were recorded between January and October this year compared to 21.8 million over the same period in 2019.

To boost tourism recovery efforts and meet demand, Israel has been steadily working to grow and to diver sify the number of hotel rooms. The Tourism Ministry believes there is a shortage of internationally rated luxury hotels, and also of modern, cheaper hotels at lower price points. Hotel ownership in Israel at present is largely confined to seven domestic groups — Atlas Hotels, Brown Ho tels, Dan Hotels, Fattal Hotel Group, Isrotel, Prima Hotels, and Orchid Ho tels — while a number of leading glob al hotel chains have limited presence that the Tourism Ministry would like to grow.

This year Tourism Ministry ex pects to complete the delivery of some 4,500 new hotel rooms, with another 4,000 plus scheduled for next year. These are substantial increases to some 57,000 existing hotel rooms across the country, with the largest numbers of rooms located in Jerusalem and Eilat. Twelve new hotels are due to open in 2023, adding to the 27 new hotels scheduled to start receiving guests in the coming months

In total, 51 hotels are in the plan ning pipeline as Israel hopes to more than double its pre-Covid tourist

numbers to 10 million visitors by 2030.

Chaos at Ben Gurion

Security officers at Ben-Gurion Airport shot and lightly injured a Palestinian man who burst through a checkpoint at Israel’s main airport in a stolen car and then drove against traffic on Sunday morning.

After receiving medical attention, he was transferred to the police for questioning. He was in the country illegally.

During the incident, travelers at Terminal 3 were asked to lie down and take cover as a precaution.

Ziv Hait, a representative of Is rair Airlines who was in the termi nal during the incident, told Channel 12 that at around 6 a.m. they heard instructions for everyone in the terminal to lie down “due to some kind of security incident.

“Everyone was running in pan ic in every direction to find cover…. I arrived with a group of American tourists…. They didn’t understand what was going on – I had to explain to them in English that it is a security incident and they are supposed to lie on the floor.

“At 6:10 we received instructions to get up and that it was possible to return to routine,” he said.

Israeli officials believe the suspect may have taken a wrong turn off the main Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway, sabotaging his getaway as he entered one of the country’s most guarded fa cilities.

“It happens almost every week,” Reuters quoted a police spokes person as saying. (JNS)

Saying Nay to Kanye

In

Not many people are singing the praises of singer Kanye West now adays. The artist has been making headlines for his recent bizarre and antisemitic comments. Now, a tattoo removal studio in the United Kingdom is offering the removal of Kanye West tattoos – for free.

NAAMA said that it would start the service on November 15, just weeks after West began his antisemit ic rampage and donned a “White Lives Matter” t-shirt.

The Kanye West tattoo removal initiative has received “global in terest and a great response,” said Briony Garbett, NAAMA’s CEO. “It seems there are a few former fans

with tattoo regret,” he added.

“When you have a tattoo in spired by someone you admire and they start making headlines for all the wrong reasons, it’s not exactly something you want to wear on your sleeve that you are or were a fan,” said Garbett. “With that in mind, we wanted to come to the aid of those who are embarrassed about their Kanye West inspired tattoos and are offering complimentary treatment for all UK fans that want them re moved.”

Even though some people may want to erase West from their body, it’s not easy destroying that ink. The process involves using intense puls es of light to break up the tattoo ink, which is eventually cleared away by the immune system, according to NAAMA’s website.

The Kanye West initiative was born out of the studio’s existing “Second Chances” project, which provides free laser tattoo removal for clients with gang tattoos, hate

symbols, or other traumatic or trig gering tattoos.

The treatment would typically cost around £2,000, or $2,456, de pending on the size of the tattoo and the number of treatments needed.

Could be you would be better off not inking your values on your sleeve in the first place.

Quick Chill

San Diego Padres All-Star pitch er Joe Musgrove recently traveled to Antarctica to celebrate his 30th birth day and break a Guinness World Re cord.

Musgrove, accompanied by fel low Padres pitcher Sean Manaea and a team from the Challenged Athletes Foundation, traveled to the coldest continent in a bid to set the Guinness World Record for the fastest baseball pitch thrown in Antarctica.

Musgrove’s goal was to throw an 80 mph pitch, and after a few warmups he was able to exceed his goal and set the record at 86 mph on Friday, two days before he celebrated his 30th birthday in Antarctica.

The pitcher’s companions from the Challenged Athletes Foundation, which provides support for athletes with physical challenges, included Landis Sims, a teenage baseball player born without hands or feet; Roderick Sewell, the first person with double above-knee amputations to finish the

Ironman World Championship; and Justin Phongsavanh, a bronze medal ist at the Tokyo Paralympic Games for the javelin throw.

“I’m constantly inspired by Landis Sims and the athletes from Chal lenged Athletes Foundation who over come their challenges every day to achieve their goals,” Musgrove said in a statement. “Antarctica is one of the most remote and extreme desti nations in the world. I can’t think of a better place to showcase pushing the limits of what’s possible.”

It’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Rat Czar

Are you a “somewhat bloodthirsty” New Yorker whose nose twitches when you smell a rat? Perhaps you would consider becoming the Big Apple’s new rat czar.

Mayor Eric Adams’ administration

posted a job listing this week seeking someone to lead the city’s long-run ning battle against the pervasive ro dents. The official job title is “director of rodent mitigation,” although it was promptly dubbed the rat czar. The sal ary offered is pretty “mice”: $120,000 to $170,000.

from various angles, including im proving operational efficiency, data collection, technology innovation, trash management, and wholesale slaughter,” reads the ad.

Although the posting is whimsical, the job is not for the faint of heart. New York City leaders have been trying to control the rodent population for gen erations, with mixed results. Sight ings of rats in parks, sidewalks and other places in the city have recently increased.

“Cunning, voracious, and prolif ic, New York City’s rats are legendary for their survival skills, but they don’t run this city – we do,” the job posting added.

Applicants are expected to have a crafty sense of humor and “to lead from the front, using hands-on tech niques to exterminate rodents with authority and efficiency.”

Simple Yet Complex

“The ideal candidate is highly mo tivated and somewhat bloodthirsty, determined to look at all solutions

No more Mr. Mice Guy.

Ever tried to solve a Rubik’s Cube? It’s easier said than done. But one good piece of advice is to break the process down into steps, according to the cube’s inventor.

“Problem solving is a very ba sic activity of the human mind, and if a problem is complex, you need to divide the problem into smaller ele

ments,” says Ernő Rubik, who invent ed the cube in 1974.

“For me, the cube represents what freedom means. Freedom is never endless,” he said during a recent vis it to New York. “It lets you do what is necessary to achieve your goal.”

Rubik had used the cube as a teaching tool in Cold War-era Hunga ry. Now, there are more than 450 mil lion cubes sold.

The original 3x3 Rubik’s has more than 43 quintillion — that’s more than 43,000,000,000,000,000,000 — possible configurations, but the prin ciples behind the cube have been re fashioned for 2x2, 4x4 and 5x5 cubes, a board game called Rubik’s Race, a pyramid, and a tower, among others.

It took 36 years after the invention of the toy for anyone to come up with an answer for the minimum number of moves to solve it. In 2010, a group of mathematicians and computer pro grammers proved that any Rubik’s Cube can be solved in 20 moves.

Practiced cube-solvers can com

plete a Rubik’s Cube in a matter of sec onds. The current world record holder solved a cube in 3.47 seconds.

Rubik was a budding artist who hoped to become a sculptor or a paint er before he studied architecture. He got a degree in architecture at Buda pest University of Technology and be came a teacher in the interior design department at the Academy of Applied Arts and Crafts in Budapest.

Rubik regularly used physical models and materials to teach con cepts in construction and design.

“As our body needs some kind of exercises, the brain needs that kind of exercise as well,” he says. Thus was born an elegant teaching tool he named “The Magic Cube.”

“I tried to make it as simple as pos sible because I thought the task itself is complicated enough,” he says. “You don’t need to complicate anymore.”

He noted, “One of the main keys of the cube is the contradiction between complexity and simplicity,” Rubik says. “On one hand, the cube is a very

simple form. And on the other hand, the potential of the variation of move ment is so complicated.”

So simple, yet so complex.

“How About Me?”

inal – himself! – after the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office posted a “Most Wanted List” which did not include him.

“How about me?” Christopher asked police on Wednesday about they posted the list.

The department replied, “You are correct. You have two warrants. We are on the way.”

It later reshared a screenshot of the exchange along with Spaulding’s arrest photo, writing, “We appreci ate you for your assistance in your capture!”

The department thanked the Fu gitive Unit for “efficiently” arresting Spaulding who it said had two arrest warrants for felony violation of proba tion.

Police are always looking for the public’s help in catching criminals –especially if the person has firsthand knowledge of the crime.

Last week, Christopher Spaulding helped police in Georgia nab a crim

It added, “Our Top 10 is compiled based off of the severity of the charges only. By not being on this list does not mean our Fugitive Unit is not looking for you if you have an active warrant.”

We appreciate the clarity.

An Attack on Power Lines

provised feeling of a coastal town in the wake of a hurricane, with traffic lights dark at busy intersections and church groups and other volunteers lining the roads to hand out hot dogs and barbecue to their neighbors.

A county sports complex was serv ing as a shelter — about 20 people stayed there Sunday night, officials said — and the public library in the town of Southern Pines was offering warm drinks, phone chargers and board games “for an escape from re ality.” Schools were closed, stores took only cash, restaurants gave away refrigerators full of food, and some residents stood in their front yards warming their hands over barrel fires.

(© The New York Times)

Tens of thousands of people in a rural North Carolina county remained without power Monday as authorities worked to repair two power stations damaged by targeted gunfire Saturday night, an attack that Gov. Roy Cooper said raised “a new level of threat.”

Beyond reiterating that whoever carried out the attack “knew exactly what they were doing” and that the damage had been substantial, officials gave few new details about the inves tigation during a news conference at the Moore County sheriff’s headquar ters. Cooper, a Democrat, said that the incident had drawn attention to the importance of protecting critical in frastructure.

“I know that with our power sector, water infrastructure — we know that potential vulnerabilities are there,” he said. “We will be evaluating ways to work with our utility providers and our state and federal officials to make sure that we harden our infrastruc ture where that’s necessary.”

The attack on the North Caroli na stations left roughly 45,000 peo ple without power in Moore County, which lies about 60 miles southwest of Raleigh. Power had been restored to about 7,000 customers by late Mon day afternoon, officials said, but they added that most would likely have to wait until Thursday, even as tempera tures in the region fell into the 40s. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is working with state and local law en forcement on the investigation.

On Monday, Carthage, the county seat, had the quiet and somewhat im

Chinese Hackers Stole $20M in Covid Benefits

Hackers linked to the Chinese gov ernment stole at least $20 million in U.S. Covid relief benefits, including Small Business Administration loans and unemployment insurance funds in over a dozen states, according to the Secret Service.

The theft of taxpayer funds by the Chengdu-based hacking group known as APT41 is the first instance of pandemic fraud tied to foreign, state-sponsored cybercriminals that the U.S. government has acknowledged publicly, but may just be the tip of the iceberg, according to U.S. law enforcement officials and cybersecurity experts.

“It would be crazy to think this group didn’t target all 50 states,” said Roy Dotson, national pandemic fraud recovery coordinator for the Secret Service, who also acts as a liaison to other federal agencies probing Covid fraud.

The Secret Service said that there are more than 1,000 ongoing inves tigations involving transnational and domestic criminal actors defrauding public benefits programs, and that APT41 is “a notable player.”

As soon as state governments be gan disbursing Covid unemployment funds in 2020, cybercriminals began to siphon off a significant percentage.

The Labor Department Office of Inspector General has reported an im proper payment rate of roughly 20% for the $872.5 billion in federal pan demic unemployment funds, though the true cost of the fraud is likely higher, administration officials from multiple agencies say.

In-depth analysis of four states showed 42.4% of pandemic benefits were paid improperly in the first six months, the department’s watch dog reported to Congress last week.

A Heritage Foundation analysis of Labor Department data estimated excess unemployment benefits payments of more than $350 billion from April 2020 to May 2021.

“Whether it’s $350, $400 or $500 billion, at this point, the horse is out of the barn,” said Linda Miller, the for mer deputy executive director of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, the federal government’s Covid relief fraud watchdog.

The Secret Service said in a state ment that it considers APT41 a “Chi nese state-sponsored, cyberthreat group that is highly adept at conduct ing espionage missions and financial crimes for personal gain.”

ing for the collapse of his $32 billion company, which has sparked civil and criminal investigations.

Those investigations are focused on whether FTX broke the law by lending its customers’ funds to a trading firm, Alameda Research, which Bankman-Fried also owned. Speaking via a video feed from the Bahamas, where FTX was based, the 30-year-old said he didn’t “knowingly commingle funds.” At another point, he said, “I didn’t know exactly what was going on.”

Bankman-Fried also took re sponsibility for the collapse. “Look, I screwed up,” he said. “I was CEO.”

FTX disintegrated practically overnight after it was unable to meet a run on deposits that left the company with an $8 billion hole in its accounts. Within a week, the crypto exchange filed for bankruptcy.

Bankman-Fried, who became a billionaire as FTX soared and was viewed as a wunderkind, faces signifi cant legal trouble. The Justice Depart ment and the Securities and Exchange Commission are investigating FTX’s transfer of funds to Alameda.

SBF: “Management

Failures”

to Blame

On Wednesday, Treasury Secre tary Janet Yellen called FTX’s collapse a “Lehman moment” for the crypto currency industry, referring to the bankruptcy of the Wall Street bank Lehman Brothers at the start of the 2008 financial crisis.

For someone facing possible crimi nal charges, Bankman-Fried has been surprisingly willing to speak public ly. Two days after FTX’s bankruptcy filing this month, he spoke with the Times for more than an hour about how he had managed his business em pire while dodging questions about his company’s use of customer money.

Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of the collapsed cryptocurrency ex change FTX, made his first public ap pearance last week since his business empire imploded this month, insist ing that he “did not ever try to commit fraud” and repeatedly saying he didn’t know the extent of what was going on within his crypto businesses.

In a live interview at The New York Times’ DealBook conference, Bankman-Fried blamed “huge man agement failures” and sloppy account

On the video stream at the Deal Book conference, Bankman-Fried fidgeted at times, as he often does during interviews. He said he was speaking publicly against the advice of his lawyers, who have instructed him to keep quiet.

“That’s not who I am,” he said. “I have a duty to talk.”

But he declined to speak in detail about his possible criminal liability.

“There’s a time and a place for me to think about myself and my own fu ture,” he said. “I don’t think this is it.”

(© The New York Times)

By Rabbi Zvi Teichman

Within the Torah’s depiction of the encounter between Yaakov and Esav lay many lessons for our survival in dealing with this physical enemy called Edom, and the more arduous battle against its spiritual representation, our ultimate adversary — the Yetzer Hara, the evil inclination.

Yaakov’s initial reaction is to send a message to his brother through אלמ םיכ Malachim is a term used through out the Torah to describe either a mortal agent or an angel. Rashi offers

the opinion in the Midrash that here it refers to, שממ םיכאלמ — ‘real mala chim’, intimating angels.

Why are angels more real than mortal proxies? The usage of the word malach simply alludes to a representa tive, at times a physical one, at times an ethereal one, what makes one more ‘real’ than the other? Rashi should have simply stated ‘a heavenly agent’.

In the immediate two previous verses, the Torah describes how upon Yaakov’s return to the Land of Israel from Charan he encounters ‘angels

of G-d’, wondering aloud, “this is a G-dly camp?” He names that place for posterity, Machanaim, in commemo ration of having met up with a לא הנחמ, a G-dly camp.

Rashi notes, that although Yaakov seemingly only came upon one camp, he nevertheless calls it Machanaim in the plural. Quoting the Tanchuma, he explains, this alludes to the addition al ‘camp of angels’ that accompanied him on his journey from outside the land, thus ‘two camps’.

The great sixteenth century Ital ian scholar and rabbinic leader, Rav Azaryah Figo, elaborates on the sig nificance of these two distinct camps of angels.

The Mishna in Avos (4 11) teach es that for every deed one performs, an ‘advocate’— a protective angel, is created. These were the myriad of angels, that were generated through the extraordinary accomplishments Yaakov attained in the face of great challenge, that escorted Yaakov in all his travels and endeavors. The angels who greeted him upon his entry to the land were heavenly emissaries that

Esav meets you and asks you, saying, ‘Whose are you, where are you go ing, and who are these that are be fore you?’, he is implying that Esav will sincerely reflect in a fleeting moment of repentant clarity, and par allel the profound words of Akavya ben Mehalalel, who taught: Consider three things and you will not come to the grip of sin: ‘Whence you came?’; ‘whither you go’; ‘and before Whom you will give justification and reck oning?’ (Avos 3 1)

Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch ex plains that the notion of a ךאלמ is related to the word הכאלמ, because just as a ךאלמ is the executor of the thought and intention of another, so הכאלמ, is a thing which has become the bear er and executor of the thought and intention of the mind. Every material to which a directing mind has given a form conforming to a definite pur pose, by giving that form, becomes the one who brings about the הכאלמ of that mind, its actual messenger, it serves as the bearer of the thought and intention of that mind.

He claims that it was specifically from this cadre of self-generated an gels that he enlisted his ‘real agents’ in his face down with Esav. The angels that are born from one’s own initiative are ‘greater advocates’ than those pro

Yaakov knew that beneath his ‘agents’ superficial presentation of an olive branch towards his brother Esav, lay a compelling spiritual force that would hopefully arouse his erstwhile evil sibling to sensing a higher reality.

The saintly Chidushei HaRim ex plains that when Yaakov commands his proxies saying, “when my brother

Rav Yaakov Zvi Mecklenberg in his masterful work, HaKsav V’Haka balah, adds that the Mechilta D’Rash bi cites sources that G-d Himself is referred to as a ךאלמ, as He is the con veyer of all ultimate thought, inten tion, plan, and purpose in the world.

The purer the transmission by the emissary of the original intent of the dispatcher, the greater is his represen tation as a ‘real’ ךאלמ!

Perhaps that is Rashi’s intent. An angel who has no ‘self’ embodies the ‘authentic’ intention of the Sender. A mortal may be called a ךאלמ, but rarely can he portray his sender fully.

May I boldly suggest that even according to the other opinion that

Yaakov sent human representatives, perhaps they too, as loyal disciples of their selfless teacher, mastered the ability to serve as שממ םיכאלמ — ac curate and tangible representation of their illustrious mentor Yaakov, and able to inspire Esav perforce the bril liant persona of Yaakov that embodied the pure thought and intention of G-d.

Even humans can become םיכאלמ שממ — ‘real’ angels!

Fifty-seven years ago, I celebrated my Bar Mitzva this very Shabbos of Parshas VaYishlach. My beloved par ents, of blessed memory, hosted our greater family in a hotel for Shabbos — in those days a novelty — culmi nating with a marvelous Melava Mal ka attended by many of my parents’ friends and associates.

In addition to having hired the world-renowned Chazan, Reb Dovid

Werdyger — the ‘D’ in MBD — to perform, they engaged the services of the famed and beloved Badchan, Reb Chaim Mendel Mermelstein. Although I remember not a word of my pshet’l — my Bar Mitzvah speech, nor can I recall the leining of my parshah, but I will never forget a clever and charm ing ‘vort’ he conveyed.

My father’s name is השמ, and my mother’s is םירמ לדנייש. He noted that the first letters of their names spell out the word — שממ! He went on elabo rating about the beautiful attributes of my parents, and how indeed they were שממ םיכאלמ — real angels!

At the age of thirteen, it was merely a cute allusion, but from the perspec tive of fifty-seven years, observing a lifetime of the devotion of my parents to family, community, Torah and G-d, I realize how fortunate I have been to be a child of שממ םיכאלמ

Over sixty years ago, my mother a’h had served as the National Pres ident of Emunah Women of America, formerly known as HaPoel HaMizra chi. Despite still raising her family, and being a supportive wife to my fa ther a’h, who owned a busy account ing firm, she undertook this position because she had a love for Eretz Yis roel and passionately believed in their original mission statement ‘to help alleviate the burdens of Israel’s social problems, to strengthen Israeli society through excellent education for chil dren and adults, and to provide emer gency services to its citizens during times of crisis.’ She was an articulate and eloquent speaker; whose warm nature and endearing personality in spired the hearts of many.

She eventually relinquished her po sition to a lifelong friend. Many specu lated that she gave it up to devote her

energies to her family and husband. I subsequently discovered the straw that broke the camel’s back. Evidently there was some internal politics with in the Mizrachi party, the political party the organization was affiliated with, where many felt that within the directorship there were those reluctant to heed the guidance of their rabbin ic leadership. It was at that point she decided she could not represent those who did not adhere unequivocally to Torah authority.

A ךאלמ is only as effective as it reflects the intention of the one it represents. She was truly a שממ ךאלמ!

ךורב םרכז יהי

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

A Healing Laugh

Using Humor to Cope with Stress

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8:45

9:00

AM Agudath Israel of Baltimore S-F

Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim S

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation S

Moses Montefiore Anshe Emunah S

Shomrei Emunah Congregation S-F

Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim S-F

AM Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah S-F

9:15

9:45 AM Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah S-F

Kehilath B’nai Torah Shearith Israel Congregation Shomrei Emunah Congregation

The Adas: Chofetz Chaim Adas Bnei Israel

The Shul at the Lubavitch Center

Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek Ner Tamid

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah Ohel Moshe

Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim

Maariv

6:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

6:30 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore 7:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah 7:15 PM Shomrei Emunah Congregation 7:30 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah 7:45 PM Talmudical Academy

Ohel Moshe 8:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

Pikesville Jewish Congregation 8:10 PM Kol Torah 8:15 PM Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek

Shomrei Emunah Congregation 8:30 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore 8:45 PM Darchei Tzedek

Ner Israel Rabbinical College (Mechina)

Ohr Yisroel 8:50 PM Mesivta Shaarei Chaim (Etz Chaim Building) 8:55 PM Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh 9:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

10:05 PM Kol Torah

10:10 PM Ner Israel Rabbinical College

10:15 PM Derech Chaim

Khal Bais Nosson

10:30 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

11:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

Daf Yomi

Monday - Friday

5:20 AM Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah (R’ Ahron Gibber)

5:30 AM Arugas HaBosem (Rabbi Taub’s) (R’ Uri Meth )

Kehilath B’nai Torah (Rabbi Johnathan Aryeh Seidman)

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek (R’ Hillel Tendler)

Shomrei Emunah Congregation (R’ Stuart Schabes)

5:35 AM Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation (Dr. Edo Lavi)

5:45 AM Kol Torah (R’ Eli Newman)

Ohel Moshe (Rabbi Zvi Teichman)

5:55 AM Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim (Rabbi Shmuel Silber)

6:00 AM Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah (R’ Moshe Hefter)

Shomrei Emunah Congregation (Rabbi Azriel Hauptman)

6:30 AM Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah (R’ Dovie Gibber)

7:00 AM Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation (Rabbi Binyamin Walfish)

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah (Rabbi Yochanan Stengel)

7:10 AM Kehilath B’nai Torah (Rabbi Shlomo Weiss )

7:30 AM Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah (Rabbi Zvi Goldberg)

7:35 AM Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation (Rabbi Moshe Hauer)

8:00 AM Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah (R’ Dovid Charnowitz)

8:30 AM Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah (Rabbi Shaya Kohn)

9:00 AM Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek (Rabbi Eli Sofer )

9:15 AM Shearith Israel Congregation/ Glen Avenue Shul (Rabbi Yosef Singer)

12:35 PM Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah (R’ Yaakov Leider)

7:00 PM Ohel Moshe (Rabbi Zvi Teichman)

7:15 PM Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah (R’ Gil Horwitz)

7:20 PM Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim (Rabbi Weiss )

8:15 PM Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah (Dr. Moshe Stern)

8:30 PM Agudah of Greenspring (Rabbi Zvi Goldberg)

9:00 PM Kehilath B’nai Torah (Rabbi Yisroel Friedland)

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah (Rabbi Yisroel Meir Halpern Yiddish)

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah (Rabbi Mendy Stern )

Shearith Israel Congregation (Rabbi Mordechai Frankel)

9:10 PM Kol Torah (R’ Zechariah Grauer)

9:15 PM Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah (Rabbi Meir Beller)

9:30 PM Khal Bais Nosson 2901 Taney) (Rabbi Zacharya Gordon)

10:15 PM Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah (Rabbi Aharon Saltzman)

Shomrei Emunah Congregation (Rabbi Yochanan Stengel)

As told to Rebbetzin Sara Gross A Changed Man

My work schedule, like many, is very long and has a healthy dose of pressure. After a hard day at work, I often enjoyed plopping down on the couch and flipping through a bunch videos on YouTube to decompress. It was my much needed down-time and I felt myself thawing out while I relaxed. One day an ad about the TAG Expo caught my eye and it started me thinking. Maybe it was worth a life change. My family did not get much attention when I got home from work and they were all unhappy about me being distracted and glued to my phone when I got home.

I made an almost impulsive deci sion to remove my YouTube app and some others that also distracted me. The first day after my change I got

home and felt so strange. Instead of zoning out, I zoned in. My kids were thrilled when I played with them before bedtime, and I even got some learning in with my son.

I couldn’t believe how much time I missed out on being with my wife and children after work. My phone had sucked that time away and I rationalized that I needed that time to recover from my day, but I felt much more gratification spending quality time than I had with my phone. I am so happy I made the choice to choose living and spending the time with the people who matter most in my life.

Did You Know?

Internet addiction is a serious and growing problem. Around 8% of the world’s population is addicted to the

internet. 85% of America’s adult pop ulation cannot spend a day without go ing online. This level of use affects our well-being in so many ways. Whether emotionally, socially, or practically, the constant need to check the internet gets in our way of a productive life. In fact, the number of car accidents relat ed to smartphone use is around 26%, and the average person checks their phone 96 times a day! Teens are most affected by smartphone use because

they never saw a world without them. 50% of teens are addicted to their smartphones and spend over seven hours a day in front of a screen. We need to each make the choices for ourselves. How do we want to live our lives? Glued to a screen or actually living?

To share a tech triumph or story of chizuk, please email Techtri umphs@tagbaltimore.org

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.

Blended Families

By Rabbi Azriel Hauptman

Blended families, for better or for worse, are more common than they used to be, and the challenges they offer can be overwhelming, especially if you do not prepare in advance. Stepparents, step siblings, and step relatives lead to complicated family dynamics, and a positive outcome requires a proper nav igation of this tricky minefield. Being that this article is a psychology-related column, we will attempt to offer an ex planation of some of the subconscious forces that are at play in the adjustment process that is experienced by both the parents and the children.

Acceptance

In order for the blended family to be successful, the children must accept that their parent’s spouse will now be a parental figure in their life. The parents of a blended family must realize that the children are receiving a new parent that they did not choose, and as a result, acceptance might take quite some time. This does not mean to say that biologi cal parents are chosen, but the bond of

biology overrides the lack of choice that children have in their choice of family. This is not the case by a blended family. As such, do not be surprised if there is a lingering sense of resentment from the addition of a new parental figure that is not of their choosing.

Grief

Whether they realize it or not, chil dren are grieving the loss of a “normal” family. The marriage of their parent to another person is a constant reminder that they are not going to be able to live in a home with their two biological par ents. Grieving is a process that cannot be rushed. We all know that unresolved grief is a recipe for mental illness and allowing the process to take its course is essential for the success of a blended family.

Hierarchy

Every child in a family develops a role in their family hierarchy. When a blended family combines children from two families, the entire family hierarchy has to be rearranged. Imagine a young

est sibling who was always being doted on and overnight receives three younger stepsiblings. The expectation of graduating overnight from the role as the baby of the family can be jarring. It might take some time before every child adjusts to their new role.

Parental Inconsistency

The regular biological process of re ceiving a child is in the form of a new born. By the time the child is old enough to communicate, the parents have had time to develop a unified parental ap proach. In a blended marriage, children of all ages are thrust into a new parental situation, and it is common for the new ly married parents to disagree regarding how to deal with the myriad parental questions that arise on a daily basis. This can have disastrous consequences. The children sense a lack of stability in their new home situation, and can even play the parents against each other and thus manipulate their lack of consis tency to their benefit, which can then wreak havoc on the budding marriage. It is therefore of paramount importance that the parents have a unified approach with the children.

The Personal Relationship

Amid all of the difficulties that

blended families offer the parents, they must not forget to cultivate their own relationship. Any bumps in the road that they experience between each other, will be sensed by the children, either consciously or subconsciously. Children yearn for security and stabil ity. After the upheaval of their parents’ divorce and the subsequent remarriage, they are longing for a sense of normal cy. Children whose parent remarries af ter the death of the other parent have to deal with this in addition to grieving the loss of a parent.

These are just some of the hurdles that might be encountered in the forma tion of a blended family. Do not hesi tate to seek professional help. An expe rienced family therapist can be a vital resource in navigating the tumultuous waters of a blended marriage.

This is a service of Relief Resources. Relief is an organization that provides mental health referrals, education, and support to the frum community. Rabbi Yisrael Slansky is director of the Balti more branch of Relief. He can be con tacted at 410-448-8356 or at yslansky@ reliefhelp.org

Engagements

Zelig Davidson (Baltimore) & Tova Cohn (Baltimore)

Yehuda Singal (Baltimore) & Ahuva Fordsham (Far Rockaway)

Zalmy Lavi (Baltimore) & Ori Topper (Baltimore)

Avishye Moskowitz (Baltimore) & Daniella Bessler (Boston) Paul Auster (Baltimore) & Gabrielle (Gaby) Roffe (Baltimore)

OUR FIGHT AGAINST ANTISEMITISM

Our community’s collective fight against antisemitism can feel overwhelming these days. From antisemitic tropes being spouted by national figures in music, sports and politics to incidents on our area college campuses and in our communities, it seems virtually impossible to escape antisemitism in 2022.

Our work to stand up against antisemitism and hate is a year-round priority for the Baltimore Jewish Council and The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore. Speaking out. Advocating. Educating. Partnering with allies in other communities against hate.

As we approach the holiday of Chanukah, we are taking an opportunity to continue to fight against antisemitism by participating in the second annual “Shine A Light” campaign. Through community programs, policy announcements, public communications and education, we will join with Jewish communities across the nation to come together to call out and combat antisemitism.

The Anti-Defamation League’s annual audit of antisemitism incidents found that antisemitic incidents reached an all-time high in the United States in 2021, with 2,717 incidents of assault, harassment and vandalism.

Within the category of hate crimes motivated by a religious bias, the FBI’s annual Hate Crime Statistics report found that nearly 60 percent of such crimes target Jews — even though Jews represent just two percent of the American population.

The statistics compiled by the Maryland State Police of incidents in our state show similar trends.

While we would prefer to spend the Chanukah holiday focused solely on the joys of family and the celebration of the Miracle of Lights, these statistics — and the stories we hear from across our community — make it more critical than ever that we talk about antisemitism and what we are doing to combat it.

As part of our efforts, The Associated, through the Baltimore Jewish Council, has:

• Consulted on security concerns at synagogues and schools across Maryland.

• Advocated for hate crimes legislation that passed in the Maryland General Assembly.

• Served as a member of Maryland’s domestic terrorism task force, a group tasked by the Maryland General Assembly to explore ways to combat extremism.

• Educated local community businesses on antisemitism in the workplace. Recently led a session with a prominent law firm and many of them volunteered on a Sunday morning for a clean-up at the Holocaust Memorial on Lombard Street.

• Helped respond to antisemitism incidents on our college campuses and at our cemeteries.

• Brought together more than 300 students from public and private high schools across the region for a day of learning about the

Holocaust and hate hosted by the John Carroll School.

• Organized our community’s commemoration of Kristallnacht and Yom HaShoah

• Continued to maintain an online system for members of our community to report incidents of antisemitism at associated.org/reporthate

Creating and inspiring Jewish community in the Baltimore area has to be about more than fighting hate and antisemitism. We want to focus on the meaningful and joyful experiences of being Jewish — the family celebrations, the learning, the worshiping in community and more.

But we also know that living Jewishly can only happen if we feel safe and secure. We understand that the Baltimore Jewish Council and The Associated have a responsibility to our community to fight antisemitism and hate. Join us this December as we Shine a Light on Antisemitism — learn more at associated.org/shinealight

Looking for books to explain antisemitism to your children? Reach out to the Jewish Library of Baltimore at associated.org/jewishlibrary

OP-ED THE TEACHER SHORTAGE: A WAY OUT

WHAT IS HAPPENING?

The teacher shortage did not hap pen overnight. COVID was just the fi nal straw that broke the camel’s back. Plenty of schools were already strug gling before. It was the perfect storm. Not only are people leaving the teach ing profession, but there is a tremen dous lack of people entering the field.1 Things have become so desperate that our schools have been forced to hire unqualified candidates or begin the school year without teachers.2

THE STRUGGLE

Short-term solutions are unsus tainable and even damage schools in the long run. Schools need a solid foundation of actionable, sustainable steps to repair whatever is causing the shortage. There is a reason the teach er shortage is so tough to solve: there are problems coming at us from every direction.

MAJOR CONTRIBUTING FACTORS

Research has shown major contrib uting factors to the teacher exodus are:3

1. Inadequate preparation: Un derprepared new teachers are 2 1⁄2 times more likely to leave after one year.

2. Lack of support for new teachers. New teachers are given the exact same responsibilities as 30-year veteran teachers. New teachers who do not receive mentoring once they have begun teaching are twice as like ly to leave.

3. Lack of support from princi pals. This is one area where schools lose highly experienced and talented teachers. Many principals think they are supporting their teachers, but un less they have systematically analyzed the situation, it is probable that there is a blind spot.

4. Dissatisfaction with com pensation. Additionally, there is little monetary incentive or recognition to encourage teachers to excel.

5. Better career opportunities: Only 10% of educators would strong ly recommend the teaching profession to a young adult, and 30% of teachers were satisfied with their current posi tion.4

6. Personal reasons. More than 1 in 3 teachers leave for personal rea sons such as pregnancy and childcare.

WHAT NEXT?

Often, the biggest problem is that there is no discussion. Why did the teachers who left education school de cide to make that choice? I could guar antee that there was something that could have been done to keep some of them if there had been better commu nication.

The communication needs to begin before teachers enter the classroom and continue the whole way through. I am not blaming anyone. I struggle with communication just as much as the next person. It’s tough! But the first step to solving the problem for your school is understanding the prob lem clearly.

This is easy to say, but it is hard to get truly open, candid answers from staff. This is one of the many ways I step in to help schools.

But what about the positions that need to be filled today? Attracting teachers is a discussion for another time. I have a lot of helpful tips for that, such as how to pitch your school properly to candidates and how to earn the luxury of choosing the right candi date. But for now, focus on what you have. Before we can start building, we have to solidify our foundation. Imag ine if I told you that you would re tain all your teachers for the next five years. Your problem got significantly smaller, didn’t it?

You need to know why the last ten teachers left. You need to know if there are any teachers who are ready to quit. You need to know which teachers need to be boosted. You need to know which angle of the problem affects which teachers.

This problem is solvable. It is possible to significantly mitigate the effects of the teacher shortage crisis in your school. This is what I do for a living. I know it’s possible. It’s pos sible for every school that is strongly committed and dedicated to solving this crisis.

CONCLUSION

Many principals say they have an open-door policy. But that is not an in vitation; it’s like saying someone can come for a meal any time. Teachers must know you have a system in place if they need to bring things up with the leaders.

If I leave you with one thing, it is this: the teacher shortage problem is only bigger than us if we do not know what we are dealing with. We will see major change once we systematically diagnose the specific issues our indi vidual staff members are dealing with. But it’s easier said than done. That is why I provide help getting there.

ABOUT

Mrs. Naema Tenenbaum earned her Master’s in Education in Curric ulum and Instruction and is pursuing her Doctorate in Educational Lead ership from the American College of Education. She is an Executive Con sultant as well as the Director of the Elementary and Middle School Di vision of The Machon: Torah-Based General Studies Curricula.

Mrs. Tenenbaum has developed a framework to help leaders tackle the teacher shortage crisis in their schools and effectively attract and retain teach ers. She also developed an innovative and engaging framework for writing curricula and has created a success ful behavior program used by many teachers worldwide. Mrs. Tenenbaum mentors dedicated and committed ad ministrators who stop at nothing to provide excellence for their school.

CONTACT

Naema Tenenbaum, M.Ed.

Institution to Inspiration | Educational & Leadership Consulting Visit institutiontoinspiration.com institutiontoinspiration@gmail.com

ENDNOTES

1. Schwartzberg, R. (2022). The great teacher shortage. The Jewish Action. https://jewishac tion.com/religion/education/the-great-teachershortage/

2. Goldberg, A & Schapira, R. (2008). Training students to become Jewish educators. Prizmah Center for Jewish Day Schools. https://prizmah. org/hayidion/teacher-retention-development/ training-students-become-jewish-educators

3. Podolsky, A., Kini, T., Bishop, J., & DarlingHammond, L. (2016). Solving the Teacher Shortage: How to Attract and Retain Excellent Educators. Learning Policy Institute. https:// learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/solv ing-teacher-shortage

4. MDR Reports. (2022). Educator perspectives on the state of the teaching profession. MDR Education. https://mdreducation.com/reports/ educator-perspectives-2022/

Koach Eitan

A Family’s Story of Strength, Perseverance, and Determination

BY LEOr A AnD EITAn AshMAn, As TOLD TO rABBI ArOn WhITE

On August 5, 2017, Eitan Ashman said he had a slight headache. An active 42-year-old father of four, Daf Yomi learner, businessowner, MDA volunteer, and CrossFit instructor, neither he nor his wife Leora thought much of it. The next morning, Leora found Eitan lying unresponsive on the floor, and he was rushed to hospital.

Doctors confirmed that Eitan had suffered a left-sided stroke, and while Eitan survived the stroke, he was left with a condition called aphasia, which can cause difficulty in speaking and communicating, reading, writing and comprehension.

The Ashmans have been on a rollercoaster journey ever since that day, facing medical, psy chological, emotional, and religious challenges together. I sat down with Eitan and Leora in Yerushalayim last month, to hear their story of perseverance and faith, how they are working through these challenges, and why they are now sharing their story and inspiration with the world.

As Eitan has aphasia, a condition that makes speaking very difficult for him, Leora did the majority of the talking, with Eitan interjecting at various points.

Eitan is originally from Baltimore, and I am from To ronto. We both made aliyah individually and met in Israel. Eitan learned in Ner Yisrael in America, and then Yeshivat Ner Yakov and Yeshivat Hakotel in Israel; after learning at Hakotel, he also joined the IDF, and it was then that we met.

When we got married, we lived in the Old City of Yerushalayim for almost five years, but once our oldest was going to start school, we were looking for a community and moved to a new area of Efrat called the Zayit. Now it is a thriving area (Rabbi Shlomo Katz just opened his shul there recently), but when we moved, many of the roads were still unpaved! We were among the first families to build a shul called Zayit Raanan, and Eitan would give a weekly tzurba halacha shiur there.

Eitan ran a property management business in Jerusa lem, and I ran and coordinated the different youth groups in Efrat. Eitan was part of a regular Daf Yomi shiur in the area completing a few cycles, and thank G-d, we were living happily with our four children in a beautiful com munity.

The stroke came almost out of nowhere. Eitan was forty-two years old, he had become a volunteer for Magen David Adom, he had recently become a CrossFit instructor, and there were no medical warning signs.

On the day before his stroke, he had a headache in shul so he came home early, but the rest of Shabbat he felt OK and even went to teach a class at the gym after Shabbat, so we thought nothing of it. We went to bed, and then early in the morning, I woke up and heard what sounded like a chair scraping downstairs. Eitan often got up early to go to his Daf Yomi shiur, but I came downstairs to check out what the noise was.

I found Eitan lying on the floor in the kitchen, his eyes open, but he was not responding. He had had the presence of mind to shake around a chair to attract attention, but he wouldn’t respond to anything I said. If I knew then what I knew now, I would have continued to talk to him to explain that I was calling an ambulance, to keep communicating with him, as even though he couldn’t respond, I believe he could actually understand what was going on.

We called the ambulance, and he was rushed to hos pital. The doctors discovered that he had had a massive stroke, which had been caused by two blood clots in the brain, and a torn carotid artery. The surgery to treat this was very complicated because of the torn artery, and al though there was significant damage to his brain, baruch Hashem, the doctors were able to prevent so much more damage.

Eitan was in intensive care for two weeks and after three months was discharged from the hospital to come home.

After the immediate scare and surgery to stabilize his condition, it became clear that the stroke had caused major damage to Eitan’s functioning. On a physical level, Eitan

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lost his function in his right arm, and his right side is very weak – subsequently he also still needs painkillers and hydrotherapy to deal with chronic pain. We also began to realize the extent of the damage to his brain that the stroke had caused, as in the hospital he was unable to speak. Due to the damage to his brain, Eitan also lost all memory prestroke. He can recognize people he has been in touch with but not remember the experiences he has had with them.

We learned that Eitan had a condition called aphasia, whereby the brain’s language functioning can be damaged; one of the major causes of aphasia is stroke. It felt like Eitan was the same kli as he was before, but that the to chen, a lot of the contents of the kli, were no longer there; he had survived the stroke, but now we couldn’t commu nicate with him as before and he could barely remember his life from before. He was going to have to start learning to speak and communicate from scratch.

Eitan started to work with a speech therapist, but it was a painstaking process – when he came home from the hospital on Erev Sukkos, he could only say one word: “Savta.” Everything he wanted to say came out “Savta.” As Eitan began to regain some of his capacity for language, one of the things he began to experience was a lot of frustration – aphasic people often have the words at the tip of their tongue, but just can’t get them out.

[At this point, Eitan interjects and says, “I feel…frus trated.” -Ed.]

The speech therapy was tremendously important in helping his progress.

We also had to work with Eitan to help him remember or relearn things from the first 42 years of his life. We would sit with him with photo albums and tell him about our life before the stroke. Eitan would often see someone or something, and it was clear he knew it was familiar, but he was not able to place it or remember the details. It was a slow and gradual process to re-acquaint Eitan with himself and his life.

Along with Eitan having to learn to speak, Eitan’s friends and family had to learn how to interact with him in a new way. It takes time for people to learn how to commu nicate with an aphasic person – you have to communicate more slowly, but also without insulting their intelligence – just because they have language processing challenges it doesn’t mean they are less intelligent! There were some people who were even scared off from interacting at all anymore as they didn’t know how to deal with the new reality, but I think that is never a good idea – we still want our friends and family to be connected, but it just looks different now.

As Eitan progressed, and as we have learned to under stand Eitan’s reality, we can help him more. Often, if Eitan gets stuck and the words aren’t coming out, I or one of my kids can help finish his sentences, but with permission first. Eitan also carries a notebook that he has studied that has basic information about himself and different pictures that he can point to to help express himself.

While Eitan had to learn so much from scratch, our family also had to work just as hard. Sudden trauma, and one that took away a lot of what was, is hard for anyone to go through, and our family had to learn how to live with a new reality. With so much support from our extended family, friends, and community our family has overcome a lot. Every day, our superhero children, our parents, our family, close friends, and, of course, Eitan go above and beyond to make sure we all keep each other thriving in our new reality.

We had never heard of aphasia before Eitan’s stroke, and when he developed it, we began to connect with all sorts of support groups and sources of information around the world. However, we began to realize that as a frum Jew, there are so many new questions we had to face that we didn’t know how to deal with and that general aphasia support groups were not going to help with. Aphasia sufferers can find noisy situations with lots of people overwhelming, as it is hard for them to zone out background noise. How was Eitan going to be able to go to shul? Would he be able to say kiddush, or daven, or learn all things that require signifi cant language functioning?

for him. Often, religious settings like this can also be a source of great pain for Eitan – it confronts him with the reality of his situation, as he knows that he used to be able to function in these settings but now can’t, so it is very painful. He was dreading Seder night and not planning on going.

Rav Johnny asked Eitan and me if Eitan had a Hag gadah he had marked up from previous years, which, as many good baale batim, he had. I brought the Haggadah to Rav Johnny, and he started to look through the notes that Eitan had made and shortening each idea into one or two lines. They wrote this up as Eitan’s new Haggadah and spent weeks learning through it together so Eitan was prepared. Aphasia can affect reading as well, so for Eitan, the less words on a page the better.

That Seder night, Eitan was able to join, to follow along better as other family members read, and also to contrib ute his divrei Torah – it was different and wasn’t the same Eitan as before the stroke, but it was him able to contrib ute in his way, with the same divrei Torah as before just adapted for the new reality.

There were also challenges on a physical level – he had lost the functioning in one arm, so how was he going to put on tefillin? There was a tremendous amount to work through.

There were a number of great blessings. Firstly, there were certain things that Eitan was still able to do. Music is processed in a different part of the brain than language, so because kiddush is sung, Eitan was able to regain the ability to say kiddush faster. But the greatest bracha was that Eitan found a rabbi called Rabbi Johnny Solomon who has been a rock of support for him. He needed someone to work through all these issues with, who could understand Eitan’s condition and be able to communicate with him, as well as supporting him religiously and emotionally, so Rav Johnny, who was not afraid of a little word called aphasia, has been a huge help.

[Eitan interjects here: “Wow…chaval al ha’zman!”-Ed.]

A great example of this was before Pesach of last year. Rav Johnny asked Eitan what he was planning to do on Seder night, and Eitan said that he didn’t want to go. He wouldn’t be able to say any divrei torah, and the general noise and discussions at the table would be overwhelming

Shul is still a struggle – Eitan continues to try and go for as much as he can, but often the noise of davening (and shmoozing) can be overwhelming, and he has to take a break. Along with the questions of religious practice, there are also questions of emunah that we naturally have to face. Why did this happen to us, and what does it mean? Rav Johnny has been a support for both of us in this way. I also take a lot of inspiration from Miriam Perez, the re markable woman who lost two sons in the IDF but is a tower of faith. She says that our relationship with Hashem is like a tango, sometimes we are close together and oth er times we feel like we get pushed away. There are days that we can feel further from Hashem and then other days where we feel embraced – but Hashem is with us every step of the way.

It is amazing, though, to see how deep an impact Eit an’s previous Torah learning made on him, and that some of that comes through even if learning is now difficult. Ei tan’s Torah learning made a deep impression on him, and we try in every way to enable him to live as full a religious life as possible, and he is making progress all the time.

“When he came home from the hospital on Erev Sukkos, he could only say one word: ‘Savta.’”

Eitan and Leora Ashman speaking at the launch event for Koach Eitan - Photo Credit Josh Hasten

The day after Eitan’s stroke, we started a Face book page called Koach Eitan as a way of keeping friends and family informed about his condition. That year, a large group of us ran in the Jerusalem Mar athon to raise money and awareness for aphasia suffer ers. After a few years, someone said to me, “You are now doing so much to raise awareness and teach others, you should be running for your own organization!” We decided that we would use

how Hashem often sends me the chizuk just when I need it. I will be having a difficult day, where I feel that it is all just too much, and a man from LA will reach out to say how much one of our videos has taught and meant to him. I had a rabbi call me from Atlanta last week to see how we can work together. There are so many peo ple in our community who face some kind of speech or language impairment and learning how to best support them is such an important cause.

Koach Eitan as a platform for spreading awareness and educating about stroke and aphasia and how to support people with aphasia and their families as well as people with similar conditions. Together with an organization called Giving Ltd. we launched The Koach Eitan Initiative. The KEI runs different projects and events throughout the year to raise awareness about stroke and aphasia, thereby enabling and creating in clusion and connection for so many.

For so many years of our life, we felt we were usually on the giving side of the equation. After Eitan’s stroke, we experienced love and support from around us, and received so much from our community. It gives us a tremendous sense of purpose to try and be back on the giving side together, to give support and encouragement to others going through this, and to help educate the community about aphasia and similar conditions.

To find out more about Koach Eitan and ways to sup port the initiative, visit www.koacheitan.com

A notebook Eitan carries with him to help him communicate

The first page of Eitan's new hagaddah, bearing a profound and personal thought

One of our campaigns is called the “LETS TALK” campaign. LETS TALK is an acronym for different ways you can communicate in a way that helps people with language impairments, such as lowering background noise, maintaining eye contact, and more.

It is a lot of work to run an initiative like this, as well as taking care of a family and having a job. It is amazing

Rabbi Aron White grew up in London and now lives in Arno na, Yerushalayim. He has semicha from Yeshiva University and serves as the associate editor of HaMizrachi Magazine.

“I also had to work with Eitan to help him remember or relearn things from the first 42 years of his life.”

CHANUKAH Happy

TJH Centerfold

Ripple in Still Water

When you peek at this optical illusion, can you see the ripple go through the image?

Riddle Me This

John wanted to get into a members-on ly club so he hid and watched the guard at the door of the club house. The guard said a number to each member as they approached, and the member would respond with a number of their own. If the member responded with the correct number, they were let in. If they respond ed incorrectly, they were thrown out.

Sadie tells her husband Sal, “I had the craziest dream last night. I was in Walmart, and everything was half off!”

Sal replies, “Wow, that is a crazy dream. I had a dream that a burglar broke into the house, and I had to fight him off alone.”

“Oy vey,” says Sadie. “Why didn’t you call for my help?”

Sal responds, “Well, you were in Walmart.”

One member came up to the door, the guard said twelve, and the member re sponded with six and was let in. Another member came to the door, the guard said six and the member responded with three and was let in. Believing he had heard enough, John went up to the guard. The guard said ten, and John said five but was not let in. What should John have said?

Answer: He should have said three, the number of letters in the number the guard said.

Inventions Trivia

1. Mechanical engineer Whitcomb Judson developed this idea just in time for the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 but was overshadowed by the Ferris wheel. Nowadays, it’s on everything from pencil cases to coats, pants, boots, backpacks, and a plethora of other items. What was it? a. Patch kits b. Buttons c. Plastic fasteners d. The zipper

2. When was sliced bread introduced? a. 1257 b. 1786 c. 1895 d. 1928 3. Where was Coke invented? a. Kentucky b. England c. Georgia d. New York

4. What was the TV remote called when first invented in the 1950s? a. Lazy bones b. Detached activation device c. The Ultrasonic d. Cellular remote

5. Who invented the concept of two pages facing each other which are filled with great fun facts, information, humor, and anything else that interests this particular brilliant inventor (which is not much else)?

a. TJH Centerfold Commissioner b. TJH Centerfold Commissioner

6. Who invented the telephone?

a. Thomas Edison

b. Adley Trenton Todem (a.k.a. “AT&T”)

c. Alexander Graham Bell d. Elisha Gray

1) D- Judson’s original concept of the “clasp-locker” was a hook-and-eye device intended to replace shoelaces and buttons on boots. Nowa days, if you look at your zip per, you’ll usually see the initials YKK. It stands for Yoshida Kogyo Kabushibibaisha, the world’s largest zipper manufacturer.

2) D- Otto Frederick Rohwedder of Davenport, Iowa, invented the first loaf-at-a-time bread-slicing machine. A prototype he built in 1912 was destroyed in a fire, and it was not until 1928 that Rohwedder had a fully working machine ready. The first commercial use of the machine was by the Chillicothe Baking Compa ny of Chillicothe, Missouri, which pro duced their first slices on July 7, 1928.

3) C

4) A- The first TV remote control, called “Lazy Bones,” was developed in 1950 by Zenith Electronics. The Lazy Bones used a cable that ran from the TV set to the viewer. By pushing but tons on the remote control, viewers rotated the tuner clockwise or coun terclockwise, depending on whether they wanted to change the channel to a higher or lower number.

5) A and B- The best invention ever… me!

6) C- In the 1870s, Elisha Gray and Alexander Graham Bell both inde pendently designed devices that could transmit speech electrically (the tele phone). Both men rushed their respec tive designs to the patent office within hours of each other; Alexander Graham Bell patented his telephone first. Elisha Gray and Alexander Graham Bell en tered into a famous legal battle over the invention of the telephone, which Bell won. By the way, Bell disliked tele phones so much that he refused to have one in his office. But when Bell passed away in 1922, every telephone served by the Bell system in the USA and Canada was silent for one minute.

Invention Key:

5-6 correct: You are like Elon Musk! Blue check!

3-4 correct: Not bad. I am sure you are really proud that you knew where Coke started.

0-2 correct: A famous entrepreneur who owned a car company once sued a journalist for publishing an article in which he accused the carmaker of being dumb. At the trial, the attorney for the defendant quizzed the entre preneur on several random topics, in order to show that, in fact, the entre preneur was dumb. The entrepreneur responded that not knowing about random facts didn’t make him dumb because if he really needed that infor mation, he could just buy a $2 ency clopedia; it’s the guy who spends his time memorizing the useless informa tion as opposed to spending his time building car companies that is dumb. So, as long as you own a car company, don’t feel bad.

Notable Quotes

“Say What?!”

Do you have what it takes to do the impossible? A virulent vehemence for vermin? A background in urban planning, project management or government? And most importantly, the drive, determination and killer instinct needed to fight the real enemy – New York City’s relentless rat population? If so, your dream job awaits: New York’s Citywide Director of Rodent Migration.

– From a New York City government job bulletin seeking a “New York City Director of Rodent Mitigation”

As leader of the “Rat Pack,” you will work with your colleagues from across city government, traveling throughout the five burrows, educating, evaluating, and eradicating in equal measure.

- Ibid.

Good liberals can always be forgiven, even when the things they’ve done are objectively very, very bad, like tanking the U.S. economy or stealing billions from investors and using it to buy Bahamian real estate… Liberals can still do these things, and you can still heartily applaud them, because in the end, their hearts are in the right place.

– Tucker Carlson, Fox News, talking about The New York Times symposium with “top business leaders” which took place last week and which featured Democrat super donor Sam Bankman-Fried whose crypto-currency exchange just collapsed due to shady transactions, leaving more than $10 billion in other people’s money missing

Wordle. - Google’s most-searched term this year. The word topped “election results” and “Betty White” in the U.S. and “Queen Elizabeth” and “Ukraine” globally.

Once I woke up on the platform with an oxygen mask on my face and all the rescue team on top of me, I first felt dejected, as I knew I didn’t make the record — but also [I had] a feeling of sheer relief that I had escaped with my life.

- Miguel Lozano, a professional free-diver and freediving entrepreneur, who blacked out underwater while attempting a world record underwater

I’ll deal with anyone who’s elected president, those that I worked with in the past, and anyone new who comes to the plate, because the bond between Israel and America … it really is a bond of peoples and a civilizational bond, and it’s strong. I’ll deal with anyone, and I certainly will not step on that landmine… I’ve been in this business long enough.

- Benjamin Netanyahu on NBC’s “Meet the Press” when asked if he “would like to see Donald Trump as president again”

I’m not worthy. Who’s worth all this?

- Ira Schab, 102, receiving a hero’s welcome at an event commemorating the 81st anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attacks. He was 21 years old at the time of the attacks

I tell you what. No one’s ever done as much as president as this administration’s doing. Period.

- Pres. Joe Biden, in a speech at the White House

In Georgia, Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker are going head-to-head injury in the Senate runoff.

-Jimmy Kimmel, talking about this week’s elections in Georgia

The U.S. Senate is no place for people whose brains don’t work because of football injuries; it’s a place for people whose brains don’t work because they’re 1,000 years old.

-Stephen Colbert

We appreciate you for your assistance in your capture!

- Social media post by the Rockdale County, GA, police department after they arrested fugitive Christopher Spaulding, who contacted them to inquire why he wasn’t on their November Most Wanted list

Throughout history, free speech has been highly unusual, not common. So we have to fight really hard to keep that because it’s such a rare thing and it’s by no means something that’s default. Controlled speech is the default, not free speech.

- Elon Musk explaining why he released information that the Democrats colluded with Twitter before the 2020 elections to bury the Hunter Biden laptop story

That is because The New York Times has become, for all intents and purposes, an unregistered lobbying firm for far-left politicians.

- Tweet by Elon Musk explaining why the New York Times did not report on the bombshell findings

Frankly the risk of something bad happening or literally even being shot is quite significant. I’m definitely not going to be doing any open-air car parades. Let me put it that way. It’s not that hard to kill me if somebody wanted to, so hopefully they don’t

- Elon Musk in a Twitter Spaces discussion

So, with the revelation of MASSIVE & WIDESPREAD FRAUD & DECEPTION in working closely with Big Tech Companies, the DNC, & the Democrat Party, do you throw the Presidential Election Results of 2020 OUT and declare the RIGHTFUL WINNER, or do you have a NEW ELECTION? A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution. Our great “Founders” did not want, and would not condone, False & Fraudulent Elections!

- Trump’s post on Truth Social on Saturday, in response to the bombshell findings

The Fake News is actually trying to convince the American People that I said I wanted to “terminate” the Constitution. This is simply more DISINFORMATION & LIES.

- Trump post on Truth Social on Monday

Everyone that serves in public office, everyone that aspires to serve or serve again should make it clear that we will support and defend the Constitution of the United States.

- Former Vice President Mike Pence criticizing Trump

I don’t think we [at CNN] ever were liberal.

— CNN anchor Don Lemon

Today, the U.S. beat Iran 1-0 to advance to the next round of the World Cup. Yes! U.S.A.! I just hope this doesn’t ruin our incredible friendship with Iran.

— Jimmy Fallon

When asked how they beat Iran, the U.S. coach said, “We found their secret game plan in a box at Mar-a-Lago.”

– Ibid.

Americans haven’t been this fired up about soccer since we remembered it existed last week.

– Ibid.

[President Biden has] been to the border.

— White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, when asked why the President is not visiting the border when he goes to Arizona, stating that the reason is because he has already been to the border, although there is no record of Biden ever having visited the border

When I talk about the 85% of the population that suffers from self-esteem issues, that’s me. I’m part of that statistic; this is why I…work myself to death in the gym. This is why I do 12 to 15 blood-burning workouts a week just to feel like I’m okay. Still, I have to absolutely crush myself to do so. And I’m wrecked physically and cognitively, and hormone replacement has helped in a profound and significant way.

- Fitness guru Brian Johnson, who for years claimed that he eats liver to help him get ripped and has always denied using performance-enhancing drugs, apologizing after he was busted for lying about not taking PEDs

Theft is an issue. It’s higher than what it has historically been. If that’s not corrected over time, prices will be higher, and/or stores will close.

- Walmart CEO Doug McMillon on CNBC’s “Squawk Box”

These woke, high IQ stupid people, they walk around with Ziplock bags of kale that they eat to give them energy. Now, if you want to eat kale that’s up to you. I don’t eat kale, you know why? Because kale tastes to me like I’d rather be fat.

- Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) while campaigning for Hershel Walker in Georgia

Dating Dialogue What Would You Do If…

Dear Navidaters,

Hi!

Thanks for your column. My family loves to read it.

I was wondering if you have any advice to give me. I’m a 26-year-old guy and have been dating for three years. When I started out, I wanted to learn full time as long as possible. At this point, an opportunity came up for me to start working in a friend’s startup company. My parents think it would attract the wrong dating crowd if I took this job before I get married, and they say I should stay in learning full time for longer. To be honest, I’m really ready to move on.

What is the smartest way to move forward? Keep learning while dating and be burnt out? Or go with my gut and take this job?

- Gavriel

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

The Panel

The Rebbetzin

Babich

Thank you for your question, I hear and understand the dif ficulty of changing “career paths” mid dating/sidduchim. It is always so much harder before you have settled down with a family because the dating system forces us to fit perfectly into a catego ry when in reality we are humans and not black and white pieces of paper. We have nuances to our personality and outlooks on life, and it is hard when we need to define exactly who we are for a shadchan or potential match constantly. That being said, this is the world and system you are in, and the question is what to do now.

I think there is only one route, which

is to be true and honest to yourself and who you are. Pretending to be a fulltime learner when you are really ready to work won’t benefit you or a poten tial match. If a girl is truly looking for a full-time learner, she will be disap pointed to find out that that is not truly her husband’s intention, and everyone will be frustrated. There are plenty of frum, temimasdik, ehrlich girls who are looking for a learner/earner.

I understand your parents’ concerns that you will get a different quality girl, however, you will be redt girls who are on the same page as you and that’s what every match should truly be. Hashem is in charge of who is redt to us, but there are so many wonderful people out there it’s hard for me to imagine that there are not high-quality girls who are not looking for a full-time learner. I trust Hashem will send them to you.

Of course, it is always delicate when talking with your parents about shiddu chim. Oftentimes, children and parents have different views on what the match should look like, but I do feel if everyone is communicating in a respectful and open manner things can be ironed out more easily. That is not to say that there won’t be any friction, but I think just knowing that this can happen between the parent and child is half the battle.

This is a challenging time in one’s life but keeping an eye on the goal, which is finding the right match while also maintaining your middos and closeness with your parents, which will help you be true to yourself and stand up for what you need all while speak ing in a respectful and understanding manner.

I wish you much hatzlacha, Lisa

The Shadchan

Michelle Mond

Thank you for writing in, Gavriel! It is very normal to feel like you have phased out of a time period in your life. I was just talking to a friend who left her field as a designer and is now finishing up her degree in something completely

Lisa

A man should feel good about himself at the end of the day.

different. Good for her for pursuing her dreams! It suited her for the time she did it, and gained a lot from it, and then moved on. I remember when my hus band told me on his first day of medical school that there was an older gentle man who had worked as an architect for years before pursuing medicine. I won dered why he would want to suddenly accrue tons of student loans but other wise felt very impressed that someone would leave a niche that no longer spoke to him and moved on to something com pletely different.

The same goes for young men who have phased out of learning, in my opin ion. Personally, I do not think it is good for a man, spiritually, physically, or emotionally, to be doing something that is not fulfilling. A man should feel good about himself at the end of the day. He should feel respected, useful, respon sible, and he should not feel guilty if this work happens to not be the work of learning full time. On the contrary, his learning can be even more meaningful after a day of fulfilling work and mak ing a parnassa to iy”H

support his family.

I cannot speak for your kibbud av va’em – I do think you should find a way to communicate this idea to your parents. Perhaps your rebbi or a mentor can help you get them to understand so there are no hard feelings. You are an adult who is capable of making his own decisions, and Hashem has complete faith in you. Your bashert will come along and respect you for making time to learn while earning a parnassa.

The Single

Tzipora Grodko

cially in dating, it’s important to be honest with your current lifestyle in or der to attract the right person that sup ports your current decisions and values. Hashem is going to pick out your wife, not the expectations of society based on what they deem as “respectable or important.”

The best investment you can make in your hishtadlus is to continue to make choices that lead to optimum self-devel opment, honesty, and happiness!

You got this!

The Zaidy

Dr. Jeffrey Galler

H

i Gavriel, In a world filled with sheker, it’s so, so crucial to live a life of authen ticity. The second we make decisions for the intentions of pleasing social expec tations, we lose ourselves and the qual ity of our lives gets diminished. Espe

Pulling It All Together

The Navidaters Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists

Dear Gavriel, Thank you for writing into the column! Please keep in mind that you are the one that has to live with your decision every day. Not your parents and not anyone giving you advice. I can’t tell you what to do. It is for you

to truly explore all potential outcomes.

Do you want to attract “the type” that would be attracted to you if you’re learning full time? Do you want to

You need to be honest with yourself.

The question here is not whether you should keep learning, or whether you should start working, or whether you should try to do both.

The real, underlying question here is whether you should con tinue in an activity that you no longer enjoy, simply be cause your parents feel that it will attract the kind of girl that they want you to marry; or, should you start an en

deavor that will give you gratification and enable you to attract the kind of girl who will share your new, evolving goals and aspirations.

You have already answered that question. You write that you’ve dated for three years without succeeding in finding your soulmate; that continuing what you’re doing could lead to “burn out”; and that your “gut” tells you to join the startup company.

It’s nice to respect the opinions of your parents and your rabbis, but you are the person who you will be spending the rest of your life with.

attract “the type” that would be attracted to you if you are working full time? How will you feel if you pass up this opportunity?

Do YOU care about the type you attract or do you want to live a fulfilled life and trust that the right woman will come along and be attracted to YOU? Lots to think about! I typically tell people to

trust their guts (I hope that’s not inter preted as telling you what to do, lol) and you are not the exception to the rule. Explore your options, explore what is important to you, weigh and measure and ultimately... trust your gut.

Sincerely, 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.

The best investment you can make in your hishtadlus is to continue to make choices that lead to optimum self-development, honesty, and happiness.

Common Cents

Year-End

for Solopreneurs

Statement and a Balance Sheet of your business the better. Consider the services of a bookkeeper or ask your accountant if they offer bookkeeping consulting services to help make sure you can produce accurate financial statements every year.

The solopreneur refers to someone who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business without the help of a partner or other shareholders. While potentially very rewarding, the life of a solopreneur is often a mix of business highs and lows, slow times, where there seems to be no work at all, that can quickly change to overwhelming workloads with intense deadlines.

When meeting with clients who own and operate their own businesses this time of year, I like to frame the dis cussion around two critical functions for the financial health of any business.

1. Bookkeeping

2. Tax Planning

Whether a brand new start-up or a decades old publicly traded company, all businesses need to make sure they have accurate and reliable books and records as well as proactive (not reac tive) tax planning.

It might be hard at first and require an investment of money and time, but take it from me – the sooner you can produce an accurate Profit & Loss

In order to help you save on taxes and strategize for business growth, the quality of your books and records are critical. The Profit & Loss and Balance sheet tell the story of your business –leave fantasy to JK Rowling and make sure your business story isn’t fiction, but is an accurate biography!

Finalizing your books and proac tive year-end tax planning should be on every business owner’s calendar this time of year. Here are some ideas to act on this time of year. I have bro ken out each point between those that can be addressed as part of your book keeping and those that are part of tax planning.

Bookkeeping

Schedule time with your bookkeeper or accountant to review the books and discuss the following

1. Reconcile Accounts: Make sure all business bank accounts and credit cards are reconciled for the year.

2. Open Transactions: Clarify any transactions that you are not sure about. For those of you Quick Books users – clear out your “Ask My Accountant” account by ask ing your accountant on anything you are not sure about.

By Elliot Pepper, CPA, CFP®, MST

3. Roll Forward your Equity Ac counts: Make sure the balances in your “owner’s contribution”, “own er’s distribution”, and “retained earnings” accounts are accurate.

4. Financial Statements: Request an accurate year-to-date Profit & Loss Statement and Balance Sheet to review with your accoun tant. Once you have this done for multiple years, you can review comparative statements which can really be eye opening in mak ing smart business decisions.

Tax Planning

Schedule time with your accountant to review your current tax projection and discuss the following:

1. Tax Estimates: Timing of any Q4 tax estimates for the year.

2. Income/Expense Planning: De ferring vs. accelerating revenue and deferring vs. accelerating ex penses. Depending on your cir cumstances and expectations for next year, you might be better off recognizing more income this year compared to next year. The oppo site might be true as well, where you would be better off recogniz ing more expenses this year com pared to next year. Confirm the optimal situation and act on it!

3. “SALT” Deductions: Many states have strategies to deduct more than the $10K limit under cur rent Federal law. These “SALT” workarounds can provide huge tax savings for business owners.

4. Structure: Consider converting to a different tax structure that might make more sense as business grows. The S-Corp conversion is a popular strategy for many sol opreneurs, but you need to con sider trade-offs between payroll tax savings, QBI tax savings, and other compliance requirements when changing structures.

5. Retirement Contributions: Ask your accountant about how a SEP-IRA, Solo 401K, or other

tax deferred account could help you save on taxes today while helping fund retirement.

The life of a business owner is hectic, so it can be hard to balance the time you need to work “in the busi ness” as opposed to “on the business.” Finding a trusted advisor to help with the work that takes you away from why you went into business for your self in the first place is critical!

Surround yourself with competent and trustworthy professionals, but remember even the best accountants can’t read your mind or predict the fu ture – without a clean set of books and proactive discussions with your hired professionals you will not realize all the benefits they can offer!

Get a proactive start on closing out 2022 so you can go into 2023 with a solid foundation, actionable game plan, and clear runway to take your business to the next level!

This content not reviewed by FINRA Northbrook Financial is an Investment Adviser registered with the State of Mary land. All views, expressions, and opinions included in this communication are sub ject to change. This communication is not intended as an offer or solicitation to buy, hold or sell any financial instrument or investment advisory services. Any infor mation provided has been obtained from sources considered reliable, but we do not guarantee the accuracy or the complete ness of any description of securities, mar kets or developments mentioned. Please contact us at 410-941-9709 if there is any change in your financial situation, needs, goals or objectives, or if you wish to ini tiate or modify any restrictions on the management of the account. Our current disclosure brochure, Form ADV Part 2, is available upon request, and on our web site https://www.northbrookfinancial.com

Elliot Pepper, CPA, CFP®, MST is Co-Founder of Northbrook Financial, a Financial Planning, Tax, and Investment Management Firm. He has developed and continues to teach a popular Financial Literacy course for high school students.

Jewish History

Ashkenazi Jews Have Become More Genetically Similar Over Time

By Elie Dolgin

Astudy of skeletons unearthed from a medieval Jewish cemetery in Germany has revealed a surpris ing genetic split among Ashkenazi Jews of the Middle Ages that no longer exists.

The analysis, the first of its kind from a Jewish burial ground and the product of yearslong negotiations among scientists, historians and religious leaders, shows that Ashkenazim have become more ge netically similar over the past seven cen turies. Two Jews walking the cobblestone streets of 14th-century Germany were more genetically distinct, on average, than any two Ashkenazi Jews alive today.

“That is wild!” said Dr. Harry Ostrer, a medical geneticist at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York and a co-author of the new study. “Despite the rapid growth of the Ashkenazi Jewish population during the past 700 years, the population became more homogeneous.”

The study, published last week in the journal Cell, compared DNA extracted from the teeth of 33 men, women and children buried in the cemetery with DNA taken from hundreds of modern Jews from around the world. Previous studies have shown that modern commu nities are a genetic melange, with Ashke nazim the world over carrying essentially the same collection of DNA sequences.

But the medieval remains tell a differ ent story. They show that European Jews at the time came from two divergent gene pools.

Each group shared the same genetic ancestry, dating to a small founder pop ulation that most likely emigrated from Southern Europe and reached the Ger man Rhineland at the turn of the first millennium. But the DNA analysis also revealed a genetic divide among the skel etons, which could have several explana tions. In one scenario, both groups orig inated from the Rhineland. One branch then stuck around the region, while the

other headed east to modern-day Poland, Czech Republic, Austria and eastern Ger many.

Alternatively, Eastern Europe might have been settled by a different popula tion of Jews who then mixed to a limited extent with their Jewish neighbors to the west.

Either way, the two groups remained fairly isolated from each other for gen erations, as evidenced by their discrete genetic lineages. Then, prompted by massacres, expulsions and economic op portunities, they reunited in places like Erfurt, the central German city that is home to the cemetery where the remains were disinterred.

“It’s a supercool study,” said Itsik Pe’er, a computational geneticist at Co lumbia University who was not involved in the research. “Ancient DNA sequencing is a cheat-code that can take you to places where you don’t have information today.”

The existence of an east-meets-west community in Erfurt is also supported by the historical record, which includes

detailed accounts of a violent pogrom March 21, 1349 — a Saturday. Angry mobs entered the local synagogue and attacked Jews in the midst of prayer. Few, if any, survived.

After the massacre, Erfurt’s lead ers took possession of property and be longings. They even collected on debts owed to the murdered Jews. But just five years later, the need for lost tax revenue prompted the city to invite Jews back.

They came from far and wide. Tax re cords show names denoting origins from all over Europe — including some from distant cities that had experienced their own antisemitic upheavals. “In the mid dle of the German-speaking lands, this was the place to be at the time,” said Ma ria Stürzebecher, a medievalist who is the curator of the Old Synagogue Museum in Erfurt. At least, that is, until 1453, when Jews were forced out again.

The same migration patterns could be seen in the excavated teeth.

Isotope readings from the dental enamel showed that many people were

migrants who had grown up elsewhere. But the DNA took this finding one step further, showing that Erfurtian Jews came from multiple places, and that those populations were genetically distinct.

“This evidence both raises new ques tions and confirms stories we’ve been telling for a long time,” said Elisheva Baumgarten, a social historian at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem who was not involved in the study.

Preserved documents on money-lend ing practices show that the Jews from each subgroup largely formed business alliances with members of their own kind, according to Maike Lämmerhirt, a historian at the University of Erfurt and a co-author of the study. But both groups prayed in the same synagogue. They all cleansed in the same ritual bath. And, ultimately, they all lay side by side in the same cemetery.

The Erfurt skeletons carried many of the same disease-causing gene mutations that Ashkenazi Jews worry about today. That suggests a population bottleneck must have occurred before the Erfurtians were born — one in which small numbers of individuals seeded an entire popula tion, leading to genetic similarities and the amplification of certain gene variants.

Scientists had previously calculated that the bottleneck event of the Ashkenazi Jewish population occurred roughly 600 to 800 years ago. But the new study, along with a British study published this year that examined six 12th-century skeletons found in England, suggest it could have been even further back.

“Given the date of these samples, we’re putting it really at the very, very old end of those estimates,” said Mark Thomas, an evolutionary geneticist at University College London who led the British study.

“If you put the two papers together, they’re completely in agreement — which is pretty cool,” said Ron Pinhasi, an an

The Old Synagogue of the medieval Jewish community of Erfurt

thropologist and geneticist at the Uni versity of Vienna in Austria who was not involved in either study.

Rabbinic law generally frowns on ex humation of corpses, out of concern for the dignity of the dead. Scientists there fore cannot excavate Jewish gravesites purely out of academic intrigue.

But what happened in Erfurt had nothing to do with the scientists.

In 2013, a storehouse that was built on top of the cemetery more than 500 years earlier was converted into a parking ga rage. Karin Sczech, an archaeologist then with the state preservation office, knew that the construction might disturb some ancient Jewish remains.

Sczech came to the work site a day before excavation was scheduled to be gin, only to find that the contractor had already broken ground. Inside the bucket of an actively digging excavator were the bones of a small child.

“I yelled at the driver and said ‘stop,’” recalled Sczech, now a UNESCO-World Heritage coordinator for Erfurt.

brought them back to the local archives.

There, the bones sat for many years. The plan had been to rebury the bodies quickly, once scientists had a chance to study the remains. But the anthropolo gist involved in the effort became tied up, causing a yearslong delay.

Lucky for genetic science that he did. Had the anthropologist been more

Carmi took the lead. He asked the ad vice of Ephraim Shoham-Steiner, a histo rian at Ben-Gurion University of the Ne gev, in Israel. “I said, ‘If there’s anywhere that this might actually come into play, it would be in Erfurt,’” Shoham-Steiner recalled.

At first, the top rabbi in Erfurt shot down the idea. There are situations that

Carmi consulted a rabbinical court judge in Israel — Rabbi Ze’ev Litke, found er of the Simanim Institute in Jerusalem, which helps people determine whether they have Jewish ancestry through ge netic testing — who ruled that it would be permissible to isolate DNA from teeth or tiny detached bones of the inner ear that, unlike the rest of a skeleton, do not require reburial under Jewish law.

Convinced by the argument, the rabbi in Erfurt changed his mind. The project was a go. Sczech found that 38 of the skel etons had at least one detached tooth.

Soon, Reich was flying back to Boston with zip-top bags full of medieval molars, bicuspids and incisors. Using techniques that won this year’s Nobel Prize in phys iology or medicine, Reich and his col leagues successfully extracted DNA from 33 of the teeth.

prompt, the skeletons would have been back in the ground before the geneticists who led the new study, David Reich of Harvard and Shai Carmi of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, ever knew about

allow for DNA testing on Jewish corpses — for instance, families of Yemenite chil dren who disappeared in the early years of Israel’s establishment can request graves be opened for forensic identifica

The scientists hope their approach to community engagement will provide a road map for others hoping to examine the DNA of ancient remains, whether from Jewish cemeteries or otherwise.

“This really is a sort of prototype for what can be done in similar studies,” Reich

The Erfurt skeletons carried many of the same disease-causing gene mutations that Ashkenazi Jews worry about today.

Remember privacy? Of course, you don’t. Back in the ‘90s, you might have signed on to AOL expecting that when you got mail, it would be your business and nobody else’s. But now it’s 2022, and it’s all about the data. Your laptop and your phone, Siri and Alexa, your Ring doorbell cam and your Nest thermostat are all spying on you, track ing your movements and sending your data to our Big Tech overlords. Even toasters and hairbrushes have micro chips now! Remember that scene in Toy Story when Woody rounds up Sid’s collection of battered and abused toys to fight back? It’s just a matter of time before the “internet of things” rounds up our data to move on us.

No one violates your privacy more than Meta, the parent company of Facebook, which created a snippet of Javascript called the “Meta Pixel” for web designers to drop into their code to hoover up visitor data (and send it back to the Mother Ship). In 2018, Facebook told Congress that there was an army of over 2 million Meta Pixels online, bus ily filling Facebook’s servers with your browser history. But that’s not because people actually like being tracked. Last year, Apple updated the iPhone’s operat ing system to block apps from tracking you without your explicit consent – and

Your Money It’s Complicated

By Allan Rolnick, CPA

over 96% of users unfriended Facebook. Surely, though, your tax information is private, right? The folks at the IRS don’t even use email! Don’t be so sure.

Last week, The Verge reported that Meta has been quietly gathering data from online tax-filing sites:

If you filed last year’s return with TaxAct, the Pixel sent Facebook your fil

name, your dependents’ names, and your phone number.

If you used “Financial Peace,” author Dave Ramsey’s site, which white-labels TaxSlayer’s system, then Facebook got all the TaxSlayer stuff plus your income and refund amount.

Even TurboTax, the 800-pound-go rilla of online filing, sent Facebook users’

company that’s smart enough to turn raw data into a compliant tax return would be smart enough to know how much of that data they would send to Facebook. Apparently, you would be wrong.

Naturally, the folks at Meta are fu riously Zuck-splaining how the Pixel is really your friend – they use it to deliver “a better customer experience.” (Never mind that “better customer experience” is just Facebook-speak for “not wasting a single ad spot showing you an ad for something you already bought.”) Mean while, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg himself is sitting with his face in shad ows, stroking a white Persian cat, gig gling at your pathetic naïveté.

ing status, your adjusted gross income, your refund amount, and the names of your dependents in an “obfuscated – but generally reversible” format.

If you filed with H&R Block, Face book knows about your Health Savings Accounts and your dependents’ college tuition grants and expenses.

If you filed with TaxSlayer, the Pix el tried to match you with your actual Facebook account, then sent them your

names and the last time a user logged on.

Representatives from those services said they were shocked at Facebook’s spying. Ramsey’s spokesperson was typ ical: “We did NOT know and were never notified that personal tax information was being collected by Facebook from the Pixel,” she said by email. “As soon as we found out, we immediately informed TaxSlayer to deactivate the Pixel from Ramsey SmartTax.” You would assume a

We understand people want to save money by filing their taxes themselves. That’s often an expensive mistake. Good tax professionals (like us) don’t just tell you how much you owe – we tell you how to pay less. Now add privacy to the list of reasons to go pro, and our value only goes up!

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.

Meanwhile, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg himself is sitting with his face in shadows, stroking a white Persian cat, giggling at your pathetic naïveté.

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Rachel Javaherforoush, 8 R. Tendler Ovadia, 4

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