Baltimore Jewish Home - 2-20-20

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THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

2 ‫בס״ד‬

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Rabbanit

‫ׂשמחת החיים‬

Finding the Joy in Life

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

Yemima Mizrachi

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

...‫משנכנס אדר‬

‫ר”ח אדר‬

Tuesday Night, February 25th 8:00 PM Doors open at 7:00 PM DoubleTree by Hilton 1726 Reisterstown Rd, Pikesville, MD 21208

Tickets can be purchased in advance at: $10 Open Seating $36 Priority Seating Tickets can also be purchased at the door.

A sign language interpreter will be present.

For more information call 410-340-1000 or email info@chesedfund.com The Storch Family

&

‫לזכות‬ ‘‫שתחי‬, ‫חנה בת פריידא‬

For Women Only

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Hats to Hose, Bella Bambini, B’Dazzle, Mimi’s Boutique, Ooh La La Boutique, Shabsi’s and The Sefarim Nook

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NER TAMID PRESENTS

Featuring Chamber Encounters Artistic Director & Violin

A Collage of Jewish Chamber Music from the 17th to the 20th Century

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Nikita Borisevich Violin

Julian Tello Viola

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

Yonatan Grinberg

Ismael Ariel Guerrero Bombut Cello

Sunday March 15th, 7 PM Hor d'oeurves followd by Concert Members $36 â—Š Non-Members $45 Register at: WWW.NERTAMID.NET

Sponsorship Levels $200 Includes 2 Reserved Seats $300 2 Reserved Seats, Meet & Greet $500 4 Reserved Seats, Meet & Greet

New York's largest better men’s & boy’s clothing store is coming to Baltimore, with sale & regular priced merchandise.

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

SAVINGS OF UP TO

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Emporio Pop Up Store coming to Baltimore

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SHOP OUR PESACH SALE

Huge Selection of Better Men's and Boy’s Suits, Pants, Sport Jackets, Shirts, Ties and More.

• Saturday Night February 29th 7:15pm - 12:00am • Sunday March 1st 10:00am - 9:00pm • Monday March 2nd 10:00am - 9:00pm DRESSING ROOMS AVAILABLE • MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED

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KOL TORAH HALL 2929 FALLSTAFF ROAD BALTIMORE, MD 21209

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CONTENTS

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

COMMUNITY

Around the Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Dirshu World Siyum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Community Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

JEWISH THOUGHT Rabbi Zvi Teichman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

PEOPLE

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

613 Seconds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

HUMOR & ENTERTAINMENT Centerfold. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Notable Quotes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

LIFESTYLES Forgotten Heroes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Health and Fitness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Dating Dialogue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Mental Health Corner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Life Coach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Gluten Free Recipe Column. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Your Money. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

NEWS

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Israel News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 That’s Odd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Dear Readers,

Lashon hara: One might say this is the single most destructive behavior in a community. It creates a deep mistrust when community members constantly hear others spoken about with derision. It leads to division and competitiveness. It significantly hampers any activities needing collaboration.

There’s also its effect on children. When they hear us speak about neighbors or relatives, it feels hypocritical to them when we then tell them the Torah teaches us how to feel and to rise above our surroundings. Why didn’t we resist the desire to gossip? Why didn’t we take the high road?

The biggest loss, however, is the missed opportunity to create oneness by speaking of others with respect or, at least, understanding. Giving the benefit of the doubt, admitting we would never want to be in their shoes, allows us to connect to our fellow Jews.

Maybe this is why the yetzer hara puts up such a big fight on this subject.

He makes us feel full of righteous indignation at the slightest “infraction” we spot in other people, as if all we need is to condemn So-and-so’s action, and world peace will prevail. In reality, however, such times establish the perfect opening to say, “It makes sense to feel this way, but there’s so much I don’t know. I wouldn’t others looking into my life from the outside and judging me.”

Adding in ahavas Yisroel is the best medicine for the challenges of our times. When our children see us constantly looking deeper, beyond superficial labels, seeing people as trying to do the best they can, our children develop greater resistance to reactionary responses. It will then be a lot easier for them to look beyond the smoke and noise of our superficial times and see a world in which Hashem’s original plan is almost complete.

Wishing you a wonderful Shabbos, Shalom

The Baltimore Jewish Home is an independent bi-weekly newspaper. All opinions expressed by the journalists, contributors and/or advertisers printed and/or quoted herein are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME, their parent company or affiliates, and may have been previously disseminated by them on television, radio, Internet or another medium. The Baltimore Jewish Home is not responsible for typographical errors, or for the kashrus of any product or business advertised within. The BJH contains words of Torah. Please treat accordingly.

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THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

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Around the Community

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THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

Congregation Tiferes Yisroel 34rd Anniversary Celebration March 23, 2020 | Featuring Yonatan Razel The Gordon Center for the Performing Arts JOIN OUR CAUSEMATCH “TRIPLE YOUR DONATION” CAMPAIGN!

C

ongregation Tiferes Yisroel, affectionately known as Rabbi Goldberger’s shul, invites the Baltimore community to join in celebrating our 34rd anniversary, on Monday, March 23, 2020, once again featuring an outstanding concert by the renowned Israeli entertainer, Yonatan Razel.

Established in 1986, Tiferes Yisroel has been home to families and singles engaged in building Torah lives, as well as serving as a beacon of Jewish outreach in the Baltimore community, regularly welcoming Jews of all backgrounds to join in the joyous recognition of what it means to live an authentic and satisfying Jewish life.

Led by Rabbi Menachem Goldberger, our shul offers a unique and genuine approach to Jewish living and learning, unequivocally exerting a positive and enduring influence on the lives of thousands of Jewish men and women.

This year we honor Keely and Jillian Goldberger in appreciation of their generous and dedicated support of our shul. Keely and Jillian are uniquely hospitable and care deeply about our community in general and Tiferes Yisroel in particular!

Jillian creates a warm and relaxing Shabbos atmosphere, welcoming dozens of guests each week, and preparing numerous delicacies for all to enjoy. Jillian spent many years providing loving daycare in our community and

is now, together with Keely, proudly raising a beautiful family.

An expert in the concrete business, Keely has poured many mikvaos in the Baltimore-Washington area and has replaced most of the walkways at our shul. Ever conscious of the needs of others, Keely’s next shul project will be carrying out the excavation, site work and concrete work needed to provide a new handicap-accessible entrance to our social hall.

Keely and Jillian are truly worthy of your appreciation, and we thank you for supporting the shul that has always remained close to their hearts. Tiferes Yisroel is warm, harmonious and welcoming. It is a place where every Jew’s song is precious. Perhaps most of all, our shul’s symphony of souls relies on your generosity. Philanthropy makes a genuine difference here; your gift supports the tremendous work of our Rabbi and Rebbetzin. Because of you, another soul will add an authentic voice to the song of the Jewish people.

This cause is so important that a group of donors has challenged us to raise $120,000 in ONE DAY. To help with that goal, they have generously agreed to TRIPLE every dollar you donate.

And with that goal in hand, we can all enjoy a CELEBRATORY CONCERT on March 23 at 7:30PM at the JCC Owings Mills’ Gordon Center, featuring world class musician and

singer Yonatan Razel of Yerushalayim.

An extraordinary singer, songwriter and conductor, Yonatan was born in New York and raised in Israel.

Demonstrating exceptional prowess at a young age, Yonatan performed on a nationally respected Israeli radio program, then served as a topnotch musician and arranger for the IDF military band during his tenure in the army, and, later, conducted for the Israel Chamber Orchestra and the Ra’anana Symphonette. Yonatan went on to garner additional accolades for his work, earning the “Singer of the Year” and “Song of the Year” awards from Ynet in 2007.

Razel gained further fame in 2009, writing and arranging a hugely successful composition for Yaakov Shwekey titled, ”Vehi She’amda.”

The song’s rousing commercial success earned Razel the enviable prize of “Song of the Decade” from the religious Israeli radio station “Kol Chai.”

Since then, Yonatan Razel’s career has continued to soar, and we are truly honored and delighted to once again bring this outstanding musician to Baltimore.

We hope that the turnout for this event will be strong and enthusiastic, and to ensure that your donation offers as much value and raises as many funds as possible, Tiferes Yisroel has partnered with Causematch, one of the most popular and successful online digital

fundraising platforms available today.

The campaign will take place on March 1 and, as an added incentive, Causematch will TRIPLE all monies donated.

Seating for the concert is designed in such a way as to allow all attendees to enjoy the music, while, at the same time, respecting each person’s ability to participate. To that end, general seating tickets are available at $50 per seat, while donors pledging $100 will receive preferred seating, and donors pledging $1,000 will receive premium seating.

We look forward to meeting and greeting everyone on this truly special evening. Thank you in advance for your loving support, and we hope to share many more uplifting communal events with you, your family and the Baltimore Jewish community!

Please donate today!

For a donation of $1,000, you receive 2 PREMIUM tickets to the Yonatan Razel concert.

For a donation of $100, you receive a PREFERRED ticket to the concert.

For a donation of $50, you receive a GENERAL ticket to the concert.

You are a part of Rabbi Goldberger’s family. We ask you today to step up and become a pillar of it.

Click the donate button and pass on the excitement. Remember to share our message with family and friends!

For more information email concert@tiferesyisroel.org or call (410) 358-1687.

STAR-K-Certified Fresko Lands United Airlines Meal Contract By: Margie Pensak

T

hings are looking up for kosher travelers flying to Israel on United Airlines, with the airline’s recent announcement that STAR-K-certified Fresko meals will debut this month on U.S. to Tel Aviv flights. The variety of new options offered will be available from the airline’s Newark/New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C./ Dulles-based hubs.

Newark to Tel Aviv flights will feature Fresko menu options such as fresh bagels, cheese omelets, blintzes,

chicken marsala, kale quinoa burgers and traditional bakery items including rugelach and black and white cookies. For its youngest flyers, United is testing a child’s menu offering in all cabins between Tel Aviv, Newark, and San Francisco. If it takes off the airline will offer the meal selection on additional Tel Aviv routes.

While waiting for take-off in Newark, United’s Polaris Lounge guests will now be able to find a hot Kosher à la carte meal option which it is also testing, in addition to packaged snacks and Kosher wines.

The Hackensack, New Jer-

sey-based Fresko specialty prepared foods company is no stranger to airline passengers. A large variety of kosher prepared food options packaged under the Fresko and Yummy Sand-

wich labels have been available to the estimated 1.5 million kosher travelers who fly domestically and internationally from JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark airports, annually, under STAR-K Kosher supervision since 2016.

STAR-K President Dr. Avrom Pollak corroborates, “We are proud to certify Fresko and partner in providing United passengers with fresh, locally-sourced quality meals.”

Concludes Rabbi Shmuel Heinemann, STAR-K Kashrus Administrator for the greater New York/New Jersey area, “United has taken kosher airline meals to a higher level.”

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2020

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FEBRUARY 20, 2020

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Around the Community

B A LT I M O R E J E W I S H H O M E . C O M

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

Donor Drive for Dr. Sue Futeral-Myrowitz this Sunday Feb 23rd

D

r. Sue Futeral-Myrowitz is a mother of three, a grandmother to five, and a much loved social worker for the Baltimore County Public School System. She has spent her career helping special needs students who have experienced trauma or child abuse. In the fall of 2019, shoulder pain triggered Futeral-Myrowitz to go to the doctor. Scans revealed that Dr. Futeral-Myrowitz had a tumor in her humerus and later received the diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It was the curve ball that Futeral-Myrowitz and her family never expected.

Now, her only option for survival is a bone marrow transplant. Sadly, Futeral-Myrowitz has no living siblings nor any family potential donors.

Without a related donor, she must rely on a complete stranger to provide the second chance at life she needs. Fut-

eral-Myrowitz wants to see her grandkids grow and get back to helping the students she dearly loves.

She has a wonderful sense of humor and finds it humorous that her diagnosis came from a tumor in her “humerus”.r Sue Futeral-Myrowitz’s family, friends and members of Suburban Orthodox Toras Chaim have partnered with DKMS to host donor drives in the hopes of finding a donor. Anyone in good health between the ages of 18-55 is encouraged to attend and register. A simple swab of a cheek is the first step to start Futeral-Myrowitz on her road to recovery.

Registering as a potential donor takes a matter of minutes and a swab of the cheek, it’s FREE. YOU might just be the ONE person who can

provide Sue or someone else’s mother, father, daughter, son or child a second chance at life.

DONOR DRIVE: Sunday, February 23 from 9am – 2pm at Suburban Orthodox Toras Chaim, 7504 Seven Mile Lane · Baltimore, MD · 21208 (Small Bais Midrash (park/ enter at exit side of bldg.)

DKMS is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting

blood cancers like leukemia and other blood-related illnesses inspiring both men and women around the world to register as stem cell donors.

DKMS provides patients with a second chance at life by working closely with families from diagnosis to transplant and beyond. The donor journey begins with a swab of the cheek and can be the action that leads to a lifesaving transplant.

DKMS, originally founded in Germany in 1991 by Dr. Peter Harf, has organizations in Poland, Chile, India, the United Kingdom and the United States. The U.S. office was started in 2004. Globally, DKMS has registered more than 9.9 million people. To join our mission or for more information, please go to dkms.org.

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• An Introduction to each derush, with explanations to enhance our understanding of Zera Shimshon’s commentary.

• Explanatory notes that offer more important background material.

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The Alter of Novardok: The Life of Rav Yosef Yoizel Horowitz and his worldwide impact

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av Yosef Yoizel Horowitz, the “Alter of Novardok,” lived in a time when Torah study was under attack. But where others despaired, he had faith that Torah would prevail — and it did!

The Alter of Novardok examines Rav Yosef Yoizel’s unusual life, his teachings, and his hashkafah. It also introduces many Torah luminaries, such as Rav Yerucham Levovitz, Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzinski, Rav Chaim Shmulevitz, and many others, who helped him save the world of Torah learning at a time when many thought it was beyond hope.

n this engrossing sefer, Zvi Ryzman examines the relationship between the 12 months and the 12 prophets of Sefer Trei Asar. Zvi Ryzman is an internationally recognized Talmudic and Halachic authority and lecturer, a successful businessman and philanthropist, and the winner of the prestigious Jerusalem Prize for Torah Literature.

In The Hebrew Months In Trei Asar, he beautifully delineates the surprising relationship between each month and the prophet to which it is connected, giving us a deeper understanding of the month, the prophecies, and how we can incorporate them into our own service of Hashem.

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Around the Community

B A LT I M O R E J E W I S H H O M E . C O M

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

Torah Institiute (TI) Takes First Place In CIJE Robotics Tournament By: Michelle Mond

W

alking into Torah Institute of Baltimore on Tuesday February 11th was invigorating to say the least. As people entered the double doors they were greeted by a large CIJE sign (Center for Initiatives in Jewish Education), signaling the palpable excitement that was bustling inside. Students came from as far as Yeshiva of Greater Washington, and Talmudical Academy to participate in the Maryland State Robotics Competition hosted by Torah Institute of Baltimore.

This is the first annual CIJE robotics tournament in Maryland run, by Adam Jerozolim, Joseph Saltzman, Phillip Brazil, and Executive Director, Judy Lebovits. Spearheaded by the outstanding English Department Coordinator Dr. Suzanne Cotter, Torah Institute (T.I.) has been at the forefront in embracing CIJE as a curriculum partner. Therefore, T.I. was delighted to volunteer to host the first tourna-

ment in Maryland. The next tournament, March 29TH, will be hosted by the Talmudical Academy.

The entire experience built up the students’ confidence, skills, sense of achdus, ahavas yisroel between teams, and camaraderie. Additionally, many invaluable life lessons have been learned such as time management skills, work ethic, responsibility, working well with others and being a team player.

The T.I. boys spent many hours split into teams to create robots from scratch with the help of Mr. Kaufman, and Robotics Club Presidents - students Ephraim Gersten and Yechezkel Kirshenbaum. T.I. entered sixty-four middle school competitors (14 teams) who built, programmed, and implemented the assigned tasks to earn points in the competition. The boys used their recess time for over five months in addition to evening time at a host parent’s home to build, program, and implement the assigned tasks. T.I. bought a half rink to allow the boys

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authentic practice against each other.

But notably, they mostly helped each other overcome challenges, which was a very inspirational part of the process.

The boys used skills such as physical manipulation, critical thinking, creativity, and complex engineering skills to each create and program the perfect robot. Each robot had to be very agile, having the ability to move in every direction, pick up a box and ball, move quickly around the rink, and put the object on the goal. Every robot was aesthetically unique, as each boy utilized his own ideas and creativity to help his team. The boys in each group demonstrated impressive team work. Yechezkel Kirshenbaum and Ephraim Gersten, the T.I. Robotics Club presidents led the way, every day for the Robotics Club and competition. They were available, instructive, inspiring, and motivating. Students in other groups sang their praises: “They (Yechezkel and Ephraim) could have done even better in the competition for their own team, if they didn’t help everyone else so much.” In fact, during one of the last recess meetings, the teams spontaneously gave Ephraim and Yechezkel a standing ovation.

There were also many helpers who worked together with the older students in tandem to create the most ideal environment for efficiency and time management. Seeing the younger boys working with the older ones with such ease and respect was an inspiration for all to see. These helpers had practiced setting up the complex competition table for the Robotics Engineers to play in the competition. There was a CIJE

official judge leading the competitions at every table. The judges were keeping score on tablets which connected to four large screens displaying real-time scores which many of the boys excitedly kept tabs on throughout the tournaments. After sixty-nine qualifying rounds; eight semifinalist teams advanced to determine the champions.

It was a close competition in the finals and especially exciting to see team T.I. - 10 win the tournament!

All the schools did a fantastic job, the achdus and energy in the room was tangible.

The Robotics Tournament Champions are: Torah Institute – Team 10: Shmuel Dovid Eichorn, Yisroel Meir Feinberg, Avromi Fine, Mordy Radzyner, Akiva Sova Torah Institute – Team 7: Shmuel Abba Reischer, Yosef Soltz, and Elimelech Stern, and Mordecai Tendler.

The Robotics Tournament 2nd Place winners are: Torah Institute – Team 1: Ephraim Gersten, Moshe Goodman Yechezkel Kirshenbaum, and Meir Simcha Paige Talmudical Academy Team 6: Tzvi Aryeh Markowitz, Yehoshua Hoffman, and Yossi Rubelow Torah Institute is looking forward to a brand new competition with deeper programming opportunities on March 29th hosted by Talmudical Academy. Until then, the boys of all the schools will practice, by possibly using their creations to pick up their socks, do their homework, and make the bed. :-)

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FEBRUARY 20, 2020

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Brocha Margolese What is your educational background?

I have a Teaching Certificate for grades K-12, a Montessori Teaching Certification, a Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Master’s in Educational Leadership and am currently pursuing my PhD in Education. I am working on my research with administrators from around the United States in studying their experiences with teacher retention.

Can you explain your role at Darchei Noam Montessori (DNM)?

I am the Head of School at DNM. This means that I oversee the finances, strategic planning, curriculum development, staffing and the like on a daily basis. Fortunately, I have an incredible team of administrators, teachers, support staff and board members who each do a crucial part in maintaining the day to day operations.

My role is to ensure that all aspects of the school are constantly and continually working toward our mission which states: To be a Torah centered school that provides an opportunity for students to learn and grow in their derech as they develop a life-long love of learning and the motivation to do so.

What do you enjoy most about working at Darchei Noam Montes-

What makes DNM or any Montessori school different from a traditional school?

Our educational emphasis is on skill development and critical thinking with each individual student. In this way, we are truly working to fulfill the concept of chanoch l’naar al pi darco. Students follow strict lessons that allow them to truly internalize their learning and gain executive functioning skills, strong and positive middos and a very high level of inner discipline and motivation that they will keep with them, be’H, for life.

Our goal is to create life-long learners. This is not something that can be taught, but rather a concept that must be internalized through repetitive actions that are channeled through various areas within each developmental plane of a

student.

For example, as a child works to understand a sense of self, we provide an abundance of space to do so. This allows the child to truly gain independence, critical thinking skills, and a high level of self confidence. Though these skills can potentially be learned later in life, as a young child forms his mind and body, this is the easiest time to truly grasp these important character traits, l’tovah.

Using tefilla as an underlying tool to guide the curriculum, students are grateful, thankful and make clear requests of Hashem, their peers and themselves.

Moving into the Elementary years, a student begins to recognize social justice, awareness of peers and begins to take on the task of learning where he or she belongs within his community. Our classrooms in the elementary divisions are designed as communities, allowing children to develop the innate skills to care for one another, socialize, recognize and strategize deep, social complexities. In the Middle School years, students grow in the task of recognizing themselves in the world. “Who am I?”, “What is my neshama?”, “What is my purpose?”, are the questions that young adolescents need to answer. Darchei Noam Montessori uses the Ani Maamin as a basis for development of the curriculum, using this lens in all aspects of the curriculum through Middle School.

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Tell us all about yourself I am married to Binny Margolese and we have six children. I am from Detroit, Michigan and have been living in Baltimore for about 13 years. I began in education with training and background working with children with Autism.

While working as a shadow in a Montessori-style enrichment program, Mrs. Andi Stawis introduced me to what I quickly realized was a wonderful understanding of chinuch. I moved ahead with my certification and soon after began working together with Rabbi Jonothan Rietti as the Montessori movement in the frum world began to grow. I am currently the Head of School at Darchei Noam Montessori and still continue to work with Rabbi Rietti in various areas, particularly our Teacher Training program.

sori?

There is nothing as exciting to me as sitting with a student and having the privilege of witnessing their discovery!

When a child physically blends an AlefBeis letter and a nekuda for the first time using the sandpaper materials, there is a thrill that he will have for life! Listening to an Elementary student share a dvar Torah that he wrote on his own is just amazing! Being in a place where I can support this deep level of learning and excitement about Torah and Mitzvos is a true honor.

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Hamas Won’t Stop Terror Balloons

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Contrary to reports, the Hamas terror group said that it would not cease launching booby-trapped balloons into southern Israel.

While acknowledging that a “reduction” in the amount of launches was possible, a Hamas spokesperson told the Lebanese Al-Anbar newspaper that the group had no intention of ceasing it entirely. The statement came in response to reports that Hamas had agreed to halt the balloons after Israel accepted all of its demands.

On Thursday, a senior Israeli defense official had told the media that Hamas had “sent messages to Israel that they’d decided unilaterally to stop launching balloons and rocket fire at Israel.”

For over a year, Hamas has been launching booby-trapped balloons over the border fence in an attempt to kill Israeli civilians. Attaching crude bombs to a cluster of balloons, the explosives have thankfully not yet killed anyone but have destroyed large amounts of crops due to the fires they cause.

In recent weeks, the balloon launches have increased due to a breakdown in negotiations between Israel and Hamas. Coming in the runup to elections in March, the increase has led Israel to threaten Hamas that it would invade the terror-controlled Gaza Strip if the launches continue.

Last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Channel 12 that Israel was gearing up for war, adding that the terror group had one last chance to avoid unnecessary blood-

shed. “We are preparing a big surprise for Hamas – and if they don’t change, we’ll use it,” Netanyahu asserted.

Earlier in the week, Netanyahu said in a cabinet meeting that Israel would soon begin targeting Hamas leaders if the balloon fires continued.

“I want to make this clear: We won’t accept any aggression from Gaza. Just a few weeks ago, we took out the top commander of Islamic Jihad in Gaza, and I suggest that Islamic Jihad and Hamas refresh their memories,” the prime minister warned.

UN Publishes Settlements Blacklist

The UN Human Rights Commission released a detailed “blacklist” of 112 companies that do business with Israeli settlements last Wednesday.

Included in the list are 94 Israeli businesses along with 18 foreign companies that are located in six other countries. Among the international companies listed are tourist giants Airbnb, TripAdvisor, and Booking. com, and the Motorola technology company.

The Israeli companies on the list include the Israeli-American Gas Corporation, Bank Hapoalim, Leumi, Cellcom, YES, Delek, Paz, Dor Alon, Sonol , Israel Railways, Egged, MATRIX, Shufersal, Mekorot, and Rami Levy.

While acknowledging that the aforementioned companies were not violating international law, UN officials said that the list served as a “public service” to those wishing to boycott Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria.

The UN Human Rights Commission has been working for several years to formulate and publish this list, despite strong pressure by Israel’s Foreign Ministry on the internation-

17

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Dr. Deborah E. Lipstadt, Dorot professor of Holocaust studies at Emory University in Atlanta and renowned author, will give us her own brilliantly argued, and certain to be controversial, responses to these

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The Week In News al body. As part of Israel’s campaign to scuttle the list, senior officials including Prime Minister Netanyahu leaned on the U.S. to prevent the list from being compiled. Over the last year, a number of U.S. congressmen and senators had responded to Israeli requests and had pressured the UN to drop the issue. However, their efforts failed, leading to the list’s publication last week.

Israeli officials fumed after the report was published, noting that the UN had refused to coordinate with it and had not given the Jewish State advance notice that it would be released.

“The UN Human Rights Council is a biased and non-influential body,” said Netanyahu in a statement. “In recent years, we have promoted laws in most U.S. states that must be taken firmly against anyone attempting to boycott Israel. Therefore, this body is insignificant. Instead of human rights abuses, the organization is only trying to discredit Israel.”

Germany, Austria, & Czech Republic Back Israel

Taking Israel’s side, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Austria formally told the International Criminal Court in The Hague that it has no authority to investigate Israel for war crimes.

Pointing out that there is no internationally recognized State of Palestine, Germany said that the court had no mandate to open a probe in favor of a state not recognized by the UN Security Council. Asking to file an Amicus brief, the three countries want

The Schtamf and Perlman families invite the community to a

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Hazkara for Martin & Shoshana Schtamf

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Please join us as Rabbonim and friends of Martin and Shoshana share memories and lessons we can learn from this remarkable couple.

the court to first discuss if it even has jurisdiction over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

While noting in its filing that it is “a staunch supporter of the International Criminal Court and its organs,” Germany wrote that “the scope of the Court’s territorial jurisdiction pursuant to Article 12 of the Rome Statute does not extend to the occupied Palestinian territories.

“Article 12 of the Rome Statute presupposes that there is a ‘State’ that has the ability under international law to delegate territorial jurisdiction to the Court with respect to the relevant cases,” it said.

Uganda and Hungary have also signaled their willingness to file similar briefs to assist Israel before the deadline expires on Friday.

Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz thanked the aforementioned countries for standing with Israel, saying that it was important for as many nations as possible to show that they opposed the war crimes probe. In a statement, Katz said that Germany, the Czech Republic, and Austria demonstrated the “clear position that international criminal law does not have the authority to discuss the issue of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”

“This is a responsible position that aligns with international law and prevents the court’s politicization,” he added.

The ICC had announced last month that it would probe Israel for potential war crimes violations relating to 2014’s Operation Protective Edge in Gaza. The decision aroused strong opposition from Israel, which fears a biased and one-sided investigation that would lead to IDF officers being arrested in Europe.

Ever since the ICC’s announcement, Israel’s Foreign Ministry had been lobbying European nations to join its efforts to scuttle the criminal investigation. Last week, Knesset Speaker MK Yuli Edelstein raised the issue in a series of meetings in Berlin with Germany’s president and foreign and defense ministers.

“Germany is one of Israel’s most important friendships. The important EU power stands alongside Israel in the face of Palestinian incitement and UN hypocrisy,” Edelstein told Chan-

cellor Angela Merkel. “Israel will continue to fight for justice and will not allow Abu Mazen to continue his world-wide cheating campaign.”

IDF’s New Multi-Year Plan Defense Minister Naftali Bennett approved the IDF’s new multi-year plan last Thursday in what would see the military thoroughly beef up its ground forces.

Bennett announced his approval of the new “Momentum” plan during a meeting he had with senior combat commanders.

“After a thorough and in-depth process with the chief of staff, IDF commanders, and the defense establishment, I approved the main elements of the plan,” said Bennett. “The Momentum plan will allow the IDF to strike the enemy faster, more powerfully, with a stronger annihilation capacity, thus overcoming the enemy and bringing it to victory. The IDF is quick, strong and deadly,” he added.

First unveiled in December, the Momentum five-year plan seeks to make the IDF more lethal. According to IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi, the program would see the reserves and infantry receive new weapons and training in order to enable them to conquer land quickly in the next war.

The basic premise of the plan is that Hezbollah, Hamas, and Iran have reduced the IDF’s advantage over them. As such, Kochavi wants the IDF to go on a spending spree in order bulk up on new weapons systems. Even before Momentum was announced, the IDF had spent records sums this year on night vision equipment and new anti-aircraft missiles for the regular units.

Included in the plan is the estab-

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lishment of a new “Iran Command” that will be tasked with leading the fight against Israel’s arch enemy.

Headed by a major general, it will be Israel’s fifth such regional Command and comes amid the realization that the vast majority of the country’s threats emanate from Tehran.

The Kfir infantry brigade will also be upgraded into a “maneuvering unit,” or a brigade able to penetrate into the heart of enemy territory to seize land quickly and with minimum casualties. First founded in 2005, Kfir has until now been tasked with counterterror missions in Judea and Samaria and was not slated to enter Lebanon and Gaza.

With the new designation, Kfir will get the new “Eitan” armored personnel carriers (APC) and anti-tank missiles. Besides for the advanced weapons, Kfir will also be privy to an enhanced budget for training missions.

“Momentum is a proper plan that brings the IDF’s relative advantage to the point of contact with the enemy in order to injure him in a deadly and decisive manner,” said Bennett. “The plan brings the value of victory back to the top of the list.”

Israel Attempts to Curb Coronavirus

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Israel announced that it would bar entry to citizens from a slew of Asian countries for the near future in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

In a Monday announcement, Interior Minister Aryeh Deri said that all foreign nationals hailing from Thailand, Macau, Singapore, and Hong Kong will be forbidden from entering Israel for the time being. The ban also applies to non-Israeli citizens who visited the aforementioned countries within the previous two weeks.

The new directive was signed by the Population and Immigration Au-

thority’s director-general and is expected to take effect over the next few days. It will prevent entry at Israel’s two international airports, its land border crossings, and ports. It will also apply to tourists on stopovers, leading Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific airline to suspend all of its flights to Tel Aviv.

The decision came after Health Minister Yaakov Litzman ordered that all Israelis who were in China, Thailand, Singapore, and Macau within the past month must self-quarantine for a period up to 14 days. Restrictions include “not staying in public places, including educational institutions, workplaces, public transport, recreation and shopping, hospitals and clinics.”

Deri’s move to ban foreign nationals from the aforementioned countries was harshly criticized by the Foreign Ministry. Warning that the decision would result in significant diplomatic fallout, Foreign Ministry officials pointed out that the measures are far more draconian than those implemented in the EU and the United States.

“The Health Ministry is causing unprecedented diplomatic damage,” one official told Ynet. “Israel is the first country to take such a step.”

Officially known as the COVID-19, the coronavirus has infected almost 75,000 people and has killed 1,700 people since it was discovered last month in China. Despite intensive efforts, no cure has yet to be found for the highly contagious disease.

Palestinian Mayor Forced to Resign for “Collaboration” Hamdallah Hamdallah, the mayor of the Palestinian town of Anabta, was forced to resign after attending a conference supporting President Donald Trump’s new peace plan.

Hamdallah, the longtime mayor of the Samarian city, had spoken at the Tel Aviv event devoted to Trump’s “Deal of the Century” along with former senior Palestinian officials. Titled “Yes to peace, no to annexation,” attendees discussed various ways that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict could be resolved.

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After the speech, Hamdallah was hit with a massive online backlash after Israeli media reports outed him as the event’s speaker. Accusing the mayor of “treason” and “collaborating with the enemy” for attending the conference, Hamdallah was forced to resign his position after getting death threats from his constituents.

Addressing his townspeople in a Facebook post, Hamdallah said that he had attended with approval of the Palestinian Authority. “Because I am the son of this beautiful country, which I love from the bottom of the heart…

I leave it to the people of my town to choose someone else to lead the municipality,” he wrote. “I am tired, not from work but from quarrels and nonsense, and I am leaving this burden for anyone who can carry it.”

Other members of the delegation also took to social media to defend themselves, writing that they had had participated with the PA’s approval – and that the Israeli members who participated in it, like them, were opposed to President Trump’s peace program.

Trump’s “Deal of the Century” has been met with broad Palestinian opposition ever since it was unveiled in late January. Contending that it “abandoned our righteous and just cause,” PA President Mahmoud Abbas said in a charged speech before the Arab League that “my people will never willingly agree to this humiliation.”

Former Spy Ask for Israel’s Help

Slate #4 in the current WZO election is the Orthodox Israel Coalition, representing these organizations RABBINICAL COUNCIL OF AMERICA

‫הסתדרות הרבנים דאמריקה‬

JANUARY 21 ‒ MARCH 11, 2020

A Lebanese citizen who once spied

for the Mossad intelligence agency is now publicly imploring the country he helped to prevent him from being forcibly returned to Lebanon.

Meet “Benjamin Phillips.” This is not his real name. Despite asking the Times of Israel to expose his true identity, the magazine was legally barred by the IDF censor from publishing his true name. Born to Lebanese parents, Phillips is fluent in Arabic, English, and French and is described as “short and wiry, with striking bright bluegreen eyes, a meticulously sculpted beard and dangling earrings.”

Having grown up in the Hezbollah stronghold of Nabatiyeh, Phillips told the Times of Israel that his path to becoming a Mossad spy began after he ran afoul of the terror group. As punishment for reporting on Hezbollah voting fraud he witnessed in 2009, he was blackmailed, humiliated, and harassed by Hezbollah activists, leading him to offer his services to the CIA. “When this happened, I decided — this is a war, literally a war. And those people, I want to make them pay for everything they did,” said Phillips.

However, Hezbollah quickly found out that he was working for the U.S. and imprisoned him for a few months in 2011, agreeing to release him on the condition that he would become a double agent.

Fearing for his life, he fled to Turkey. There, he was contacted by Mossad operatives, who used him to put them in contact with other potential recruits.

The decision to help the hated Israelis didn’t come easy to him. “I was afraid of contacting the Mossad because I thought then that the Mossad – they use you and then they kill you.

That’s what you used to hear in Lebanon,” he recalled.

According to Phillips, he played a key role in helping the Mossad recruit a former member of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Unit. His assistance gave the Mossad an unprecedented look at Hezbollah’s elite commandos, who are training to conquer large parts of northern Israel in the next round of hostilities.

Despite his alleged success, Phillips’ relationship with his Mossad handlers soon soured. Fearing that he would be arrested by Hezbollah, Phillips refused the Mossad’s entreaties to return to Lebanon to continue spying.

After confessing to his handlers that

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Chicken Crocs

There's an allergist in Atlanta itching to know more.

There's a pilot in Portland who wants to know what's flying.

with a fellow Jew for

If you thought that sipping a Diet Coke in the lobby of a hotel could be painful if you’re with the wrong person on a date, then you can feel a small piece of this woman’s pain.

A woman from Massachusetts became involved in a robbery when she went out on a date with Christopher Castillo. Even more than that, this woman became his getaway driver

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It’s not an insult to say that someone’s feet smell like chicken.

Recently, Crocs and KFC joined forces to create the KFC X Crocs Bucket Clog, a limited-edition shoe covered in a fried chicken print.

“Combining the unmistakable look of our world-famous fried chicken and signature KFC bucket, with the unparalleled comfort and style of Crocs, these shoes are what fried chicken footwear dreams are made of,” KFC CMO Andrea Zahumensky said in a news release.

Crocs CMO Terence Reilly added they were “thrilled with this ‘bucket list’ partnership with Kentucky Fried Chicken that will bring fans an unbelievably fun and fashionable take on our classic clog.”

The uniquely designed shoe has the iconic KFC red-striped bucket on the base of the Croc and comes with two attachable charms that could easily be mistaken for the real deal – they look and smell like fried chicken.

The fried footwear will be available in the spring.

Talk about taking a walk on the wild side.

There’s a chef in Charlotte who thinks she's missing an ingredient.

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he had purposely withheld from them the fact that he had already served a prison sentence in Lebanon, they cut off all contact.

A year later, Phillips’ nightmare came true after Switzerland deported him back to Lebanon. Fearing that Hezbollah agents would arrest him, Phillips attempted to contact the Mossad by messaging the agency on its website. However, he was caught in the act by Hezbollah officers and was sentenced to two years in prison.

“I went to an internet cafe and I did the most stupid thing ever — I was afraid and I opened the Mossad website and I messaged them: ‘I’m in Lebanon and I might be arrested. Please help me. At least let me jump over the border,’” recalled Phllips.

“While I was writing the message, they arrested me.”

After his release, Phillips moved to Dubai and reestablished contact with the former commando he had recruited in Hezbollah’s Radwan Unit. After hearing that he was interested in providing Israel with intelligence about the special operations unit, the Mossad began working with Phillips anew.

But the relationship didn’t last. A little while later, the Radwan commando was caught along with a special communications device the Mossad had given him. The device also incriminated Phillips in the operation, causing Hezbollah to issue a warrant for his arrest.

Now, Phillips fears for his life and is unable to return to Lebanon. Denied asylum status by multiple countries, he reached out to the Times of Israel to tell his story in the hope that the publicity will pressure Israel into granting him a visa.

“If I go back to Lebanon, they’ll use it against Israel. I came to work with the Mossad because I believe in peace and love and living together for a prosperous future as neighbors.

I love Israel and I have been fighting for peace my whole life,” he said.

“Regardless of how things end, I do feel proud. I feel proud that I am from a country where I could have been a terrorist, where I could have been a member of Hezbollah, but I chose not to be part of this…terrorist organization,” said Phillips. “I’m not a killer; I’m not a terrorist.”

23

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when he robbed a bank.

She had picked up Castillo from his parents’ home in Rhode Island and then drove toward Massachusetts.

During the drive, Castillo was drinking wine and probably was slightly drunk. As they neared their destination, he asked her to pull over in front of a bank. Not thinking anything of it, she did. Castillo came back a few minutes later, sweating and wearing sunglasses and a hat, and holding a gun with $1,000 in hand. He urged her to start to drive.

Panicked, the woman started driving but then pulled over and walked away from the car when police drove behind her.

Police arrested Castillo and found the hat, sunglasses, and gun in the woman’s car.

The $1,000 was neatly tucked into his wallet.

Although this took place in 2016, Castillo was sentenced to three years in prison this week for the heist.

As for this woman? Well, she is probably staying away from dating for a while – or at least staying out of the driver’s seat.

on the gallery walls. The cassette was part of an exhibition entitled Sea of Artifacts, which was produced by Mandy Barker, who wants to raise awareness of plastic pollution. The tape had washed up on the beach of a Spanish island off the coast of Africa three years ago.

It turns out that Wedell had lost the cassette tape in the early 1990s while vacationing with her family in Spain. The tape had made a journey of more than 1,000 miles before it was picked up by the artist.

“I always made tapes from my CDs at in this time to listen to them with my Walkman, especially for holidays, and to think that a tape I could have lost more than 20 years ago had been found was incredible,” Wedell said.

The tape will be returned to Wedell once the art exhibit is complete.

And that must be music to her ears.

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I may be giving away my age but a long, long, long time ago, there were no CDs. There were no MP3s.

There were no – gasp! – iPhones. If you wanted to listen to music, you had to get ahold of a tape recorder and purchase a cassette tape, upon which the music was played.

This week, Stella Wedell from Sweden was reunited with a long-lost cassette tape that she played in her youth.

While visiting an art gallery in Stockholm, Wedell noticed the tape, a “mix tape” compilation of several of her songs, along with a track list

San Francisco real estate is booming. When we say “booming,” we really mean that the prices there are so over-the-top that you can hear a sonic boom every time another property is purchased.

According to Zillow, the median price there for a home is $1.3 million.

Need something a little more affordable? Well, if you live out of your car, you can nab a parking spot for a mere $100,000.

Parking spot No. 140, located in a luxury condominium complex at 88 Townsend (where a one-bedroom is listed for $849,000) near Oracle Park, even has its own real-estate agent: Bill Williams.

Williams says that it’s a safe place to “park your money.”

He notes, “When you buy any as-

The Week In News

Heart A-Tank

Looking for a novel way to propose to his fiancée, a Russian soldier had fellow officers maneuver 16 tanks around them in a heart shape as he got down on one knee.

The over-the-top gesture was published by the defense ministry on Friday.

As snow fell, the T-72B3 tanks rolled into position on the Alabino training ground outside Moscow.

Lieutenant Denis Kazantsev led Alexandra Kopytova into the center as she held her hands over her eyes. Kazantsev, a platoon commander, then went down on bended knee, holding a bunch of red roses.

“We’ve been together a very long time. We’ve stood the test of time and distance. Marry me!” he said as his girlfriend nodded silently. He then put a ring on her finger.

“I still don’t understand what’s going on,” Kopytova told a television reporter at the scene. “It’s very unexpected.”

“No one has ever seen such a large-scale proposal,” a Russian reporter said.

Let’s hope that this relationship doesn’t tank.

There’s a gym teacher in Jacksonville who’s ready for some mental lifting.

There’s a lawyer in Lancaster who wants to know why we answer questions with a question.

Learn (and shmooze!) with a fellow Jew for just 30 minutes a week.

Help shape the Jewish future.

partnersintorah.org/mentor

B A LT I M O R E J E W I S H H O M E . C O M

A Sri Lankan attempt to set a world record for the largest gathering of twins may have failed on Monday – when too many people came to participate in the stunt.

Organizers from the Sri Lanka Twins group had called on multiples across the island to pack a sports stadium in the capital of Colombo to try to break Taiwan’s Guinness World Record set in 1999 of 3,961 pairs of twins, 37 sets of triplets, and four sets of quadruplets.

But a bigger than expected crowd flocked to the stadium, with a long registration line snaking around the arena as birth certificates were checked and participants posed for photographs.

The huge turnout meant they were unable to meet strict guidelines set by Guinness World Records.

“We had more than we expected. Getting them all to go through a single entry point was not easy,” Sri Lanka Twins spokeswoman Wasana Ranasinghe noted.

A mother of twin girls aged 10, Ranasinghe said just over 6,000 pairs – ranging from ages of three months to 89 years – had been registered during a five-hour period.

However, not all of them remained at the stadium to pose for a mandatory group photo or waited for at least five minutes, as required by the guidelines, she added.

“We will know in two weeks if we actually qualified for the record or not, but even otherwise, we have managed to raise awareness,” she said.

If they don’t manage to break the record, the organizers will try again – on the double.

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

Too Many Twins

There’s a historian in Houston who's thinking about his future.

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

set and you have it, it’s not like you spent the money. You can turn around and sell it again. You could leave [$100,000] in your bank account and you might see the same return, but you wouldn’t have a parking spot.”

OK, so we should shell out six figures so our car can sleep cozy at night.

Think that San Fran is out of your budget? Consider that, back in 2012, a spot at 66 E. 11th St. in Manhattan hit the market asking $1 million.

Hasn’t anyone heard of Uber?

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W

hat a sight! The Sanzer Rebbe, shlita, from Eretz Yisrael entered the cavernous Prudential Center in Newark as some 20,000 stood on their feet, craning their necks to see while the phenomenal orchestra played the song, ‘Tzadik Ka’tomor’. As the Rebbe made his way to the large round table in the middle of the dais where the gedolei Yisrael were sitting, the roshei yeshiva and admorim, HaGaon HaRav Malkiel Kotler, shlita, HaGaon HaRav Dovid Cohen, shlita, HaGaon HaRav Yeruchem Olshin, shlita, HaGaon HaRav Aharon Feldman, shlita, HaGaon HaRav Reuven Feinstein, shlita, the Kalever Rebbe, shlita, the Kosover Rebbe, shlita, the Skolyer Rebbe, shlita and so many others, rose as one and walked over to greet him, escorting him to his seat. Meanwhile, the 20,000 Yidden grasped hands and, with profound achdus, began dancing and jumping in an indescribable, spontaneous outpouring of simchas haTorah and kavod haTorah.

Indeed, dry ink on paper simply cannot even come close to encapsulating the feelings of simcha, reverence and ahava, pure love of Torah and gedolei Torah manifest in the Prudential Center and NJPAC where thousands more had gathered, joined by over 100,000 worldwide who joined via livestream. Usually these venues are for sports and other entertainment events but on that night, they became one giant beis medrash of kavod haTorah.

That moment and so many others on Sunday night, 15 Shevat/February 9, at the Prudential Center served as a microcosm of the essence of Dirshu.

What IS the essence of Dirshu? It is Torah, Torah and Torah, led and guided by the gedolei hador; it is achdus through Torah as gedolim representing all the myriad shevatim in Klal Yisrael come together under one banner to honor the massive accomplishments of lomdei Dirshu, so many who have become Shas Yidden and all of whom

learn and chazer, chazer and learn, reviewing repeatedly to learn Torah with accountability.

The powerful drashos of the gedolim, the special guests from Eretz Yisrael, HaGaon HaRav Dovid Cohen, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of the Chevron Yeshiva, the Sanzer Rebbbe shlita, HaGaon HaRav Shimon Galei, shlita, the local gedolim, HaGaon HaRav Elya Ber Wachtfogel, shlita, HaGaon HaRav Yeruchem Olshin, shlita, HaGaon HaRav Shlomo Feivel Schustal, shlita, all hailed the accomplishments of the lomdei Torah who have achieved so much and Dirshu, the organization that has facilitated such hasmadah and yedias haTorah. Even more, they expressed how Dirshu and its system of accountable limud haTorah is the antidote to the tremendous yetzer hara and challenges from within and without that Klal Yisrael is experiencing in this difficult galus.

Perhaps the passionate pronouncement of Rav Dovid Hofstedter, shlita, Nasi of Dirshu, encapsulated that message when he exclaimed with great emotion, “Tonight, at this great simcha we sound the battle cry, ‘Mi L’Hashem Eilai, Vayeiosfu Eilav Kol Bnei Dirshu!’”

There was a feeling of tremendous simchas haTorah, pulsing through the hearts and souls of the unprecedented crowd filling the Prudential Center, NJPAC and the unique women’s event at the Newark Symphony Hall as they celebrated the simchas haTorah of their husbands and their integral role in facilitating the Torah accomplishments of their husbands.

HaGaon HaRav Shimon Galei, well known mashpia and Rosh Kollel from Eretz Yisrael, then led the assemblage in the recitation of Tehillim and delivered words of bracha.

Bracha of HaGaon HaRav Shalom Cohen, Shlita, and HaGaon HaRav Shimon Baadani, Shlita Another important component of Dirshu achdus was the special video wherein two of the Sephardic elder

gedolei hador from Eretz Yisrael, HaGaon HaRav Shalom Cohen, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Porat Yosef, and HaGaon HaRav Shimon Baadani, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Torah V’Chaim, voiced special words of bracha, urging Jews the world over to raise their limud haTorah up a notch by joining a program that encourages chazara through accountability and testing.

Packed NJPAC Location Features Its Own Riveting Program Meanwhile at the NJPAC venue, Maariv was led by the Skulener Rebbe, shlita, of Lakewood. Rav Yitzchok Zalman Gips, shlita, Rav of Khal Birchas Avrohom, Rav Dovid Olewski, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Ger, Boro Park both delivered powerful drashos.

At Prudential, HaGaon HaRav Aharon Toisig, shlita, Mashgiach at the Alexander Yeshiva of Bnei Brak, who journeyed from Eretz Yisrael to attend the event, addressed the crowd.

He said, “Rav Meir Shapiro, the founder of Daf HaYomi, came to America in the 1920s to raise funds to build his ‘baby’, Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin. He had a very hard time raising funds and, after spending more than a year in America, returned to Europe very disheartened. Imagine the nachas he would have to see that the Daf HaYomi has been so successful and so many thousands are learning and being tested on Shas, due to the seeds that he planted!”

Rav Dovid Cohen: “Dirshu Yidden Not Only Learn Shas, They Know Shas!”

Rav Dovid Cohen said, “When I come to a siyum such as this, I feel that it is something special and unique.

Any siyum haShas is a tremendous simcha! We should not minimize the completion of Shas by anyone. Nevertheless, when a person doesn’t just learn Shas, but chazers, reviews it over and over again, that is the ultimate siyum! Dirshu makes such siyumim! Dirshu Yidden not only learn Shas, they know Shas!”

Rav Yeruchem Olshin: “Dirshu Is Preserving Klal Yisrael in This Galus, by Combatting Shikchas Hatorah” There was a hush in the hall as the Rosh Yeshiva of Lakewood, Rav Yeruchem Olshin, was called to speak.

The Rosh Yeshiva depicted how Dirshu provides an antidote for the terrible galus in which we live. “We are living in difficult times. Anti-Semitism and sinas Yisrael has come to locales where it wasn’t so strong until now, such as Jersey City, Monsey and others… There is the spiritual galus as well. Rav Elchonon Wasserman wrote that the reason for all travail that Klal Yisrael is undergoing is forgetting the Torah. What has Dirshu done?” thundered Rav Olshin. “Dirshu is preserving Klal Yisrael in this galus by giving us the great weapon and shield to combat the forgetting of Torah!”

Rav Yeruchem then transitioned to English and addressed the Dirshu wives. He cited the pasuk in which, right before Kabbalas HaTorah in Parshas Yisro, Hashem tells Moshe to first address the Bais Yaakov, the women, and only then the Bnei Yisraal, the men. “Rabbeinu Yonah, in his drasha addressed to women that is printed in his sefer Igeres HaTeshuva, asks, ‘Why did the Torah put the women before the men?’ Rabbeinu Yonah answers that noshim hatzenuos are the reason that men are successful in Torah. Yes, women are exempt from the mitzvah of talmud Torah but their ahavas haTorah is the power behind their husbands and empowers their husbands and children to learn.”

“Dirshu Is Not What You ‘Do’; It Is What You ‘Are!’” Chairman Rabbi Leibish Lish related a story from that very morning in the cheder where he teaches. He saw a boy come to cheder with a white shirt, a shirt worn on festive occasions such as Rosh Chodesh. “I asked him, ‘Why the white shirt?’ and he answered, ‘My father ‘does’ Dirshu.’ Smilingly, I responded, ‘Dirshu is not what you

27 eilus, we elevate ourselves to taste the increasing sweetness of the water of Torah.

“In our generation there are so many tools to clarify and elucidate the Torah,” said Rabbi Hofstedter. “The tools may have changed but the tachlis, the ultimate purpose of learning, is and has always been ameilus, yegias haTorah and kabbalas ol Torah. If we use these tools just to make our lives easier, we won’t taste those sweet waters.”

Rav Dovid asked, “Are we going to be satisfied with superficial learning, with superficial lives, with bitter waters or will we strive to plumb the depths and transform them into sweet waters?!

“We are being attacked in many ways. Everything that is good and right, dignified, virtuous and proper is under attack. Yiddishkeit and Torah are under attack! We are at war. but we must fight back. We must sound the battle cry of Mi L’Hashem Elai.

At that time the bnei Levi gathered around Moshe Rabbeinu with mesirus nefesh. We have the power to be bnei Levi with amal and yegiah.

“So tonight, the night of this great simcha,” Rav Dovid thundered, “we sound the battle cry of ‘Mi L’Hashem Eilai, Vayeiosfu Eilav Kol Bnei Dirshu!’ Let us accept upon ourselves more Torah, more siyumim, more chiddushim, more kavod haTorah and

kavod haShechina!”

Rav Elya Ber Wachtfogel: Torah Becomes Absorbed in One’s Very Essence! It Becomes His Essence!

The kabbalas ol malchus shamayim led by the Vizhnitzer Rebbe, shlita, of Monsey, was followed by a beautiful musical interlude in enthusiastic celebration of the simchas haTorah.

HaGaon HaRav Elya Ber Wachtfogel, shlita, was honored with starting the new machzor of Shas. He first gave a remarkable drasha. He said, “When a person constantly reviews vast amounts of Torah, it becomes his essence! That is what learning with Dirshu does. Superficial learning of a daf Gemara does not give you that koach. But learning and reviewing with accountability can enable everyone to know the entire Torah!”

Then, one of the most climactic moments of the night arrived. As the music began to play with all the various singers and bands joining together in achdus, the entire assemblage erupted in song. The gedolei Yisrael were holding hands and dancing. All the mesaymei haShas were invited down to the floor of the Prudential Center to dance with them.

As the circle went around and around, the feelings of simchas haTorah, of true Torah accomplishment, were simply indescribable. Only someone who experienced that simcha can feel what it was like.

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

Gan Eden!

“Now,” Rav Schustal said with great feeling, “when we are all here at the completion of this great mitzvah of completing Shas, it is as if we are in Gan Eden!”

The Hadran at NJPAC was made

by HaGaon HaRav Moshe Mordechai Lowy, shlita, Rav, Agudas Yisrael, Toronto. HaGaon HaRav Shlomo Miller, shlita, Rosh Kollel Avreichim of Toronto recited the Kaddish.

The Skverer Dayan, HaGaon HaRav Yechiel Steinmetz, shlita, was honored with beginning the new machzor of Shas.

Rav Dovid Hofstedter: ‘Mi L’Hashem Eilai, Vayeiosfu Eilav Kol Bnei Dirshu!’

Meanwhile back at the Prudential Center, Rabbi Lish introduced the Nasi of Dirshu, Rav Dovid Hofstedter.

“In Parshas Beshalach we find that Klal Yisrael came to Marah. They were not able to drink the waters there because they were bitter. The Midrash says that they couldn’t taste sweetness in the water because their deeds were bitter. The only way to cure such bitterness is through putting something sweet into the water, by immersing themselves in the sweet waters of Torah.

“In some way, we are all like that.

When we start learning Torah on a low level, we often cannot taste the sweetness of Torah. Through our am-

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‘do’, it is what you ‘are’! Your father is a Dirshu Yid, your mother is a Dirshu Yiddeneh and you are part of the Dirshu family!’”

The Sanzer Rebbe: “In Our Generation, There Is So Much Tumah But There Is Also Dirshu!”

As the Sanzer Rebbe slowly made his way to the podium, a profound feeling of yiras hakavod filled the air.

As he was speaking, clearly and with such love, the audience was visibly latching onto his every word.

In an emotion-laden voice, the Sanzer Rebbe said, “My heiligeh father would constantly quote the words of Chazal that Yidden will only be redeemed in the zechus of learning.

The situation that Klal Yisrael is facing today throughout the world,” the Rebbe continued with great concern, “is terrible! In Eretz Yisrael, different nations want to swallow us up. In chutz la’aretz, it is not much better. It has even reached American shores.

Even worse is the spiritual galus! Our youth are being destroyed by the filth of the street that is infiltrating in various ways…

“There is only one solution, only one cure – limud haTorah. There is a concept of zeh l’eumas zeh – Hashem pits one thing against the other. Yes,” the Rebbe emphasized, “in our generation, there is so much tumah but there is also Dirshu!”

HaGaon HaRav Reuven Feinstein, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of the Yeshiva of Staten Island, was then honored with reciting the Hadran on the entire Shas.

The Kaddish following the siyum was recited by HaGaon HaRav Aryeh Malkiel Kotler, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha, Lakewood.

Rav Shlomo Feivel Schustal: It Is As If We Are in Gan Eden!

Meanwhile at NJPAC, HaGaon HaRav Shlomo Feivel Schustal, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Tiferes Yerachmiel, explained the significance that the Maharshal attributes to participating in a siyum, based on the words of the Nefesh Hachaim who says that when one performs a mitzvah a tremendous kedusha is created in shamayim as a result of that mitzvah, bringing with it tremendous siyata d’Shmaya… This is especially so at the completion of a mitzvah where the light of the mitzvah becomes increasingly stronger and kedusha envelops the person, raising him to an exalted level of ruchniyus and kedusha. The Nefesh Hachaim says it is literally like

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“F

rom where do you get your emunah? From where do you get such iron-clad bitachon? Please tell me, I need to know!”

The answer? One, unequivocal word: “From Dirshu!”

This intriguing question and even more intriguing answer were told over at the deeply inspiring Dirshu World Siyum for ladies at Newark Symphony Hall on Sunday night, 15 Shevat/ February 9. Thousands of women converged on Newark, New Jersey to revel in the Torah accomplishments of their husbands and celebrate true simchas haTorah at a siyum event catering specifically to women.

A Multi-Faceted Night It was a night to remember; a night that began with crowds of women lining an entire city street and stretching around the corner for another half a block; a night filled with chizuk stressing the pivotal role played by each and every woman when they support their menfolk’s learning; a night replete with uplifting song and dance, expressing the joy felt by women at their share in limud haTorah… Indeed, a night to remember!

The program, which offered live hook-ups to the main siyum which was taking place simultaneously a few blocks down, was interspersed with magnificent musical performances by the world-renowned singers, Mrs. Bracha Jaffe and Mrs. Malky Giniger, and a chizuk-infused speech by Rebbetzin Sarah Meisels, daughter of the Bobover Rebbe, Rav Shlomo Halberstam and wife of the Bobover Rov and Rosh Yeshiva in Eretz Yisrael.

The Dirshu Answer What in fact was the story behind the question and answer cited at the outset? A powerful story about a mother who was unable to accept the

fact that her baby had been born deficient; about a father who firmly and with tremendous strength declared that just as Hashem accepts and loves all of his children despite their deficiencies, they, as parents would also accept this child with all of her deficiencies.

The unexpected climax of the story was the father’s declaration that it was Dirshu that provided him with the strength, the emunah and bitachon to accept the test that Hashem had thrust upon them with a physically blemished child. He explained, “Just this week I got back my first Dirshu test with a very high mark. When I saw that mark, I said, ‘Eibishter, I got the message! You want me to use this Torah to get a high mark in life, in middos and maasim tovim.’ When our baby was born I realized that it was a moment when I was being tested and I decided to show Hakadosh Baruch Hu that just like I could learn Torah and get a high mark on the test, having taken achrayus in my learning like never before, I can also get a good mark in life, in this new test that He sent us! My yiras shamayim has taken on a different level since I joined Dirshu!”

This remarkable story told over at the women’s event, by Mrs. Jackie Bitton, was but one highlight of the highly anticipated, emotionally charged Dirshu event for women to celebrate the siyum haShas in the Newark Symphony Hall.

A Woman’s Esek Rebbetzin Meisels pieced together a magnificent tapestry of chizuk, explaining with numerous stories and examples, how a woman’s tafkid, a woman’s very purpose in life is to infuse her husband, her home, her family with Torah, with spirituality.

“Have you ever wondered,” the Rebbetzin asked, “about the bracha that we say every morning? The bra-

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the remarkable pantomimed dance and song created by the world-famous Mrs. Miriam Israeli and sung by Mrs. Malky Giniger. The picture of a young boy living in a poverty-stricken home with barely any food to eat… the vivid portrayal of the parents collecting one ruble every day, day by day, in order

to be able to buy a piece of cloth for new clothes for yom tov… the father’s trip to the marketplace to buy the precious cloth… climaxing in the husband’s decision to use those very six rubles, those painstakingly collected six rubles to buy the brand new, Gemara Bava Basra with the sincere hope that his wife, his eishes chayil will be happy with his decision… But of course, “She’s an eishes chayil and Torah is her life too. No question, she will agree!”

Throughout the evening, Mrs. Bracha Jaffe sang an entire potpourri of slow, haunting melodies and lively, uplifting songs, each one introduced with a connection to Torah and to the siyum haShas. The sight of so many joining in hodaah to Hakadosh Boruch Hu for gifting them with a life of Torah was a sight that will remain with the attendees for many years to come.

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The ‘Voice’ of Torah In truth, the kol Torah that emanated from the Dirshu World Siyum in Newark, was not the voice of the speakers, nor was it the voice of the singers! As Rebbetzin Meisels said, quoting the Vietzner Rov, “A delegation of rabbanim came before Empress Marie Theresa to plead on behalf of Klal Yisrael, and one rav screamed in pain. The Empress remonstrated, ‘Raising your voice to me??!’ The rav replied, ‘That voice is not MY voice!

It is the voice of thousands of fathers, mothers and children crying out in pain through me!’ The Vietzner explained that when Basya found Moshe Rabbeinu crying she said, ‘miyaldei ha’Ivrim zeh’, with the word zeh referring to the voice of all the children being thrown into the Nile.”

So too, the ‘voice’ that echoed throughout Newark was the voice of the daf, the voice of thousands of pages of Gemara which the neshei chayil empowered their husbands to learn… a voice that will continue reverberating for many years to come!

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

The Woman Behind the Man It was a truly poignant moment when Mrs. Malky Giniger introduced Mrs. Shiffy Hofstedter with a magnificent song expounding on the words ‘Eitz Chaim Hi’ – how Torah is a tree of life, not just for the one learning the Torah, but for his wife. The uplifting

rendition was followed by Mrs. Bitton calling upon Mrs. Hofstedter and presenting her with a magnificent clock because, “She is the woman behind Dirshu! She more than anyone, has shown each and every one of us the value of every single moment!”

Another pinnacle of emotion was

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cha of ‘la’asok bidivrei sorah’? In what way are we osek in Torah? In what way is a woman’s job Torah?

A woman’s esek, a woman’s job is to encourage our husbands and children!

When they begin their day each morning, it is our job, our tafkid to infuse them with simcha. Yes, when your husband dashes in, grabs a few bites of supper and runs out again, wish him hatzlacha! When the kids are crying, you’ve had a long day and you want nothing more than your husband’s help, be mevater, that is your chelek in Torah! That is what infuses your entire family with yiras shamayim!

“When Hakadosh Baruch Hu instructed Avraham Avinu, ‘kol asher tomar Sarah, shema bi’kola – whatever she says, listen to her,’ he was infusing the woman with the power, the responsibility to infuse ruchniyus into our families. Did you ever wonder why, when Hashem created the world, He created Adam without Chava? All other living beings were created with one zachor and one nekeiva. It was only after Adam was commanded in the sheva mitzvos bnei Noach that Chava was created. Not only that, she was created from Adam. Adam was created from the adamah, from Olam Hazeh. Chava, however, was created from Adam himself, from Gan Eden.

Why? Because Chava was given a very different tafkid! Her tafkid was to infuse Gan Eden into Olam Hazeh, into her family!

“We learn that ‘Hashoreh bilo isha shoreh bilo Torah, one who learns without [having] a wife, his Torah is incomplete.’ But he is learning?! Yes, he is learning, but he is lacking the ‘powers’ of his wife, the spirituality, the serenity, the yiras shamayim!”

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M

rs. H.* emotionally shared her story of how Dirshu has changed her life and the life of her family. Wiping away tears of emotion, she exclaimed, “What can I say??! Before my husband turned thirty he didn’t learn! He was simply not a learner. One day, after his thirtieth birthday, he decided to join a learning program with tests. I was and am thrilled! It is now six years later and my… husband… learns!!! He is up before six and learns. He goes to learn again from 8:45 – 10:30 at night.

His day is full of learning! I am so thrilled; I could never even describe my joy. Is it hard? Certainly! But I wouldn’t trade it for anything!

“Our family has never had an easy time with parnassah. Interestingly enough, despite the fact that earning a parnassah has become even harder in recent years, my husband feels that it has become easier because his life has become so much more meaningful ever since he started learning. The weight of parnassah simply doesn’t hang over his head the way it used to!

“Also, my son, a fifteen-yearold bachur, has been struggling with learning. I was so worried about him.

One day, my husband reassured me, ‘Don’t worry so much. I truly believe that the more he sees me learning, the more he will want to push himself to learn!’

“Do you know what? Today, he went out and bought for himself a sefer with Yiddish translation. He told me that today he is starting to learn… before he goes to the siyum haShas!”

Mrs. H.*, Boro Park, New York “It has become part of family life.

Every time one of my children asks my husband a halachic question, often very simple halachos, instead of immediately calling a rav to ask, my husband exclaims, ‘One minute! I just learned the halacha!’ [My husband added that when learning with Dirshu he always ‘JUST learned that

halacha!’ The constant chazara creates a system of always learning, relearning and relearning yet again!] He then proceeds to share his newfound knowledge with all of us.

“His excitement at being able to use his knowledge of Mishnah Berurah, knowledge that he has learned and been tested on repeatedly since Dirshu began its daily Daf HaYomi B’Halacha, Mishnah Berurah learning program, is indescribable! Even more importantly, my children, who always looked up to their father, have developed an even greater sense of esteem for him, a comfort in the realization that he knows answers to many of their questions!

“The actual learning in Dirshu’s daily halacha program might not take up an enormous chunk of his day, but the knowledge that he has gained and continues gaining, permeates every minute of every day!”

Mrs. E.*, Passaic, New Jersey With a gentle smile and passion sparking from her eyes, Rebbetzin Z.* explains, “Truthfully, my husband is not part of any specific learning program. His life IS learning. He has been learning and teaching, first in kollel and then as maggid shiur and rosh yeshiva from the time we got married straight through until today when we are marrying off grandchildren! But I want to give over a message to all of the wonderful women whose husbands learn and specifically those whose husbands learn in Dirshu, taking monthly tests for which they must spend hours preparing: Yes! It is hard! It is beautiful and I would never have traded a life of Torah for anything! Throughout my child-raising years, throughout chasunas, simchos and any other milestone in life, I gave up my husband’s help so that he could learn! Every single woman who gives up her husband’s help so that he can learn, who supports her husband’s avodas hakodesh, is a Dirshu woman

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“You want to know how Dirshu has impacted our lives? Just as an example, my four-year-old daughter recently exclaimed that she wants to be born again [as a boy] so that she too can learn the heilige Torah! Recently, I was talking with a cousin who is not yet part of the Dirshu family and she explained how her kids have been displaying pictures of themselves as ‘Dirshu Yidden.’ In our home we

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

The words roll from her mouth, words of excitement and thrill, words of a woman who does not think of herself as sacrificing for her husband’s learning. “It is not hard for me that my husband learns all the time; that he always has a sefer in hand even when he is working! It is not hard for me – but I see how hard he works! It is all to his credit that he is always learning, that he dedicates his life to learning…

Now that he has joined Dirshu, he describes how the constant chazara, the constant review helps him retain what he has learned. I and my children are so proud of him! So proud that he now finished Shas for the second time!

“When I was at one of Dirshu’s Shabbosim of Chizuk, another woman told me how she awards her children with a treat on the day that Totty takes his test. I have adopted the same practice and it makes each of the children feel like a part of his learning. They revel in the siyumim which we make.

They know that each time I will bake or cook something extra special and they look forward to it, often even asking, ‘Mommy, when is the next test? When is the next siyum?’ It is truly a wonderful zechus to be part of the Dirshu family!”

Mrs. T.*, Lakewood, New Jersey

don’t need pictures on the wall, we are living it!

“I will share with you the story of the month of Nissan in my house: It is Rosh Chodesh when all kollel men have vacation. My husband, however, is on vacation only from taking lunch breaks between sedarim! Now he learns straight. It is during this time of year that I feel so rich! Yes, having his help is tempting yet I measure the value of its worth against the value of his Torah learning! As I juggle the regular busy routines in addition to the Pesach cleaning and cooking, I rejoice in the privilege of adjusting supper time to my husband’s ‘vacation’ schedule. It is such a zechus! I constantly assess, when I need his help, if I really need it or not. The temptation to enable another hour of his Torah learning is so big! Baruch Hashem, with this simcha shel Torah, Hashem makes Pesach come in with minimal time on my husband’s part. Sometimes, the yetzer hara really works hard, telling me, “It’s bein hazmanim… your husband should be taking care of this, helping out with that…” But I know that he is baruch Hashem preparing for his next bechina!

“That’s when I imagine my husband as a worker in a hardware store or Pesach grocery with pre-Pesach hours extending way beyond the normal. I imagine how much I would appreciate the extra funds. Knowing that he must have it very difficult dealing with all of those tense, irritable customers, I make sure that he has a hot meal awaiting him when he comes home. There is no way I can disturb him during the busiest parnassah season!

“And then, the joy bubbles up inside of me. My husband is learning Torah! He is raking in millions! The work feels easier. I continue choosing golden moments of Torah over a bit of assistance. You cannot imagine the joy when I see the results on his bechinas!

How exhilarating!”

Mrs. N.*, Lakewood, New Jersey

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who is doresh Hashem, who is seeking out Hashem and is earning untold sechar for every minute! Dirshu wives – chazak ve’amatz! I did it, I am doing it and so can you!”

Rebbetzin Z.*, Boro Park, New York

B A LT I M O R E J E W I S H H O M E . C O M

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

32

Torah Thought

What’s Your Agenda

By Rabbi Zvi Teichman

The Holy Bnei Yissaschar mystically points out that the sixty fifth mitzvah enumerated in the Torah corresponds to the Name of G-d, -‫ד‬-‫א‬ ‫י‬-‫נ‬, its numerical equivalent. (65) This Name is rooted in the word ‫אדון‬, Master. It emphasizes G-d’s ‘mastery’ over the universe, His very ‫מלכות‬, His Kingdom. ‫(דרך פקודיך מצוה‬ )‫ס"ה‬ What is this mitzvah that so amplifies His sovereignty?

You shall not cause pain to any widow or orphan.)‫(שמות כב כא‬ Is that it?

No doubt this basic concept, to be sensitive to those most vulnerable, is central to our beliefs, but to the extent that it should represent His total monarchy, leaves us wondering.

Rashi teaches that although this command seemingly relates exclusively to the treatment of the widow and the orphan, the Torah actually calls for our sensitivity to all members of society and merely portrayed the widow and the orphan as the most likely examples of the most defenseless.

There are so many other potential

victims of our insensitivity; the impoverished, the infirm, the weakminded, the uneducated and the list goes on. Why do we strictly accent these two?

Every human being needs an identity and validation, without it we lose our verve to live.

Traditionally a wife’s identity is defined by the husband she is married to and the family she raises. Within that construct however what a woman pines for most is to be validated in her role, admired for her unique contribution and character that plays such a significant part. In the course of the many tedious details of daily life in a family, the wife is the one more likely to be taken for granted and unappreciated.

A young child, however, seeks identity more than it does validation.

Proudly admiring the achievement of its parents, their standing in the community, the noble values and principles they live by, a child finds inner happiness in that purposeful association.

We are all ‘widows’ and ‘orphans’ at some point in our lives even if we

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may physically still have parents and spouses. We often want merely to be valued, even in the minor roles we play, in the associations we maintain.

We also yearn for identity, something to stand for, to live by, that compels us to thrive proudly in that role, and not to live life merely to exist.

The very first ‫אלמנה‬, widow, recorded in the Torah was Tamar, the daughter-in-law of Yehuda.

Twice widowed from the corrupt children of Yehuda she seeks to be valued for her desire to mother royalty and be part of the destiny of Yehuda.

In desperate frustration, after Yehuda delays offering his third child Shelah to her, she disguises herself as a harlot, consorts with Yehuda and becomes pregnant. Unbeknownst to Yehuda that he is the father, he observes that she is pregnant and accuses her of harlotry, condemning her to death.

When she quietly displays evidence to Yehuda of his involvement with her, he immediately recedes exclaiming, )‫צדקה! (בראשית לח כו‬, She is right!

Never seeking the limelight all she needed to hear was that she was validated in her motivation.

The first ‫יתום‬, orphan, mentioned in the Torah is Yosef HaTzaddik.

His mother Rachel dies, and he later becomes a ‘living orphan’, being cut-off from his life-line, his father Yaakov, when he is sold by his brothers down to Egypt.

Rav Chaim Vital, the loyal disciple of the Holy Arizal, writes that the description of Yosef in the household of Potiphar as a ‫יפה תואר ויפה מראה‬ , handsome of form, handsome of appearance, has encrypted within the sentiment of his status as an orphan.

The first letters of each of these four words spell out the Hebrew word for an orphan, ‫ם‬-‫ו‬-‫ת‬-‫!י‬ As is so often the case when one is distanced from one’s healthy identity, one turns to other natural attributes to seek definition. Yosef being virtually orphaned from the inspired environment of his illustrious father’s home, dangerously succumbs to his physical distinctiveness in seeking identity. This left him exposed to the temptress wife of Potiphar who sought to catch his attention, but he quickly regains his true self, successfully warding off her seduction.

In the blessing of Yaakov Avinu to Yehuda he extols of Yehuda’s greatness when he exclaims, from the

prey, my son, you elevated yourself. )‫(שם מט ט‬ Rashi teaches there is a double intention here. He rose above others when he saved Yosef from the pit and suggested that rather than leaving him to die there, the brothers should sell him. He displayed preeminence again when he declared courageously in the face of public humiliation that Tamar was justified.

We all have agendas in life. Too often in the course of our attaining them we ignore and are insensitive to those who do not share the same program.

Yehuda understood that although he had another agenda for Tamar’s future, he respected her difference of opinion and exclaimed, despite the shame, that she was justified. He was attuned to the sensitivity of the widow, who needs that validation so desperately, in the absence of a husband.

The Talmud takes to task one who says that Yehuda should be praised for saving Yosef, for since he had gained the attention of the brothers, he could have saved him outright and not let him be sold. ):‫(סנהדרין ו‬ What then does Yaakov refer to when he glorifies Yehuda’s intervention?

Perhaps it was when Yehuda exclaimed to the brothers in Yosef’s presence, but let our hand not be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.)‫(שם לז כז‬ Despite his assertion that Yosef is guilty as charged, Yehuda acknowledges Yosef’s identity as a ‘brother’ and part of the legacy of Yaakov. He knew that Yosef, upon hearing this, would be empowered to retain the identity he had forged on the lap of his father.

This is the essence of ‫מלכות‬, royalty, nobility.

One who is attuned to the subtle needs of others, capable of giving validation and a sense of identity to others, not allowing one’s own agenda to eclipse one’s sensitivity towards others, possesses the character that can accurately reflect and represent the kindness of the Master of the Universe.

If we can achieve this mission, we will bring the notion of G-d’s dominion to an insensitive world and the final redemption in its wake!

33

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24

2

9

16

Monday Shevat 22

Shevat 29

Adar 13

Adar 20

18 Shevat 24

Wednesday

19

March

Tuesday Shevat 23

Adar 1

26

Shevat 30

18

11

Adar 8

Adar 22

Adar 15

Darchei Noam Montessori: Community Wide Lecture on Chinuch @DoubleTree 8pm see page 13 Chochmas Nashim Lecture Series: Mrs. Shifra Rabenstein @Shomrei 8pm see page 35

4

Mikvah of Baltimore Dinner @DoubleTree 7pm

25

Adar 21

Adar 14

Adar 7

Shemesh Parent Lecture @Beth Tfiloh 7:30-9pm see page 44

3

10

17

Shidduch Center CauseMatch Campaign

Simchas Esther Annual Purim Shpiel @BYHS 7pm see page 43

Adar 6

Rabbanit Yemima Mizrachi @DoubleTree 8pm see page 3

February

Shevat 28

Shevat 21

Sunday

2020 Friday Shevat 26

5:31 PM

Adar 3

5:39 PM

Adar 10

5:46 PM

Adar 17

6:54PM

Adar 24

7:01 PM

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14

7

Shevet 27

Saturday

29

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Adar 25

7:55 PM

Adar 18

6:48 PM

Adar 11

6:40 PM

Adar 4

6:33 PM

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Community Calendar

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13

6

28

21

Shevat/Adar 5780

Adar 23

Adar 16

Next BJH Issue

Adar 9

Adar 2

Shevat 25

Thursday

20

27

5

12

19

Antisemitism: Here & Now @Beth Tfiloh 7pm see page 17 Next BJH Issue

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23

JWOW Discussion @3209 Fallstaff 1-3:30pm see page 42 Bone Marrow Registration Drive

@Suburban Orthodox 9am-2pm see page 39 see page 18

Adar 12

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Adar 5

Hazkara for Martin & Shoshana Schtamf @Tiferes Yisroel 7pm

1

8

Adar 19

Purim Music Festival with The Miami Boys Choir @Gordon Center for the Performing Arts 5pm MMAE Greengate Jewish Center Sisterhood: “Mamma Mia” @ Baltimore Community College Theater Dundalk MMAE bus 2pm

15

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38

Forgotten Her es

Innovations During the Civil War

By Avi Heiligman

The locomotive Fred Leach near Union Mills, Virginia

A

B A LT I M O R E J E W I S H H O M E . C O M

OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

common misconception of the American Civil War (18611865) is that the technology, weapons, methods, and medicines were outdated. This is far from the truth as this was the first large war to see new innovations such as balloon reconnaissance, machine guns and repeating rifles, submarines, extensive railroads, the telegraph, and anesthesia. Here are some of the innovations that were used during the Civil War. Hot air balloons during the Civil War were able to reach an altitude of 1,000 feet and used for reconnaissance. On very clear days, the observers in the balloons were able to see as far as seven miles. Both sides used them and were used in many campaigns and battles. A barge, the USS George Washington Parke Curtis, was used as a base for one balloon, making it the first aircraft carrier in history. Using a flag system or telegraphs, the soldiers in the balloons relayed information to the commanders on the ground.

Gun manufacturers were hard at work during the war and came up with numerous new types of guns and firearms. Inventor Richard Gatling developed a gun based on a seed planter that he created earlier. It was patented in 1862 and required the user to crank it but it didn’t need to be reloaded after every shot. While not

a true machine gun by today’s standards, it had multiple barrels that revolved around an axis and could fire rapidly. Gatling’s gun didn’t see much action during the Civil War but it was used during the Siege of Petersburg, Virginia. Improved models of the Gatling Gun were used until a few years before the start of World War I when they were replaced by recoil and other types of machine guns.

mechanism that was able to fire up to twenty rounds a minute. The Henry Rifle had used a .44 caliber cartridge that was able to shoot sixteen times before needing to be reloaded.

Waterways and railroads were both a major part in the solution that both sides came up with when confronted with the challenge off moving hundreds of thousands of men and tons of supplies to the bat-

The Union, on the other hand, had created the U.S. Military Telegraph Corps and had laid 15,000 miles of wire and had handled some 6.5 million messages by the end of the war.

Having to stop and reload after every shot took too much time, and the army turned to manufacturers for solutions. Over a hundred thousand Spencer Repeating Rifles, the Henry Rifle, and other guns were delivered to armies on both sides. Spencer Rifles used an automated reloading

tlefront. Railroads in America were a fairly new invention, and the North held the advantage when it came to the amount of railway mileage. The Union also had a lot more industrial strength, which was bolstered by its ability to move things quickly by rail.

Early in the war this came to hurt the

Confederate leaders when they badly needed supplies and reinforcements.

Soon the South built more railroads in their interior and was able to provide frontline troops more quickly to the battlefield. In total, the North had 20,000 miles of track as opposed to the South’s 9,000 but the North had problems with rail owners and corruption with government contracts for the use of the railroads and stations.

Innovators across the world were busy in the first part of the 19th century trying figure how to send signals by electric wire. American Samuel Morse invented the single wire telegraph and developed a system to transmit messages called the Morse Code. During the Civil War, the telegraph provided its users with strategic, operational, and tactical advantages and was a major part in the Union victory. The Confederates telegraph lines were few and far between, and messages had to be sent by courier on horseback.

This delayed orders and prevented Confederate generals from getting time-sensitive information. The Union, on the other hand, had created the U.S. Military Telegraph Corps and had laid 15,000 miles of wire and had handled some 6.5 million messages by the end of the war. In 1864, General William Sherman’s forces were in Georgia and their commander was able to coordinate a “perfect concert

39

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40 of action” along with General Ulysses Grant’s forces in Virginia. This distance of 1,500 miles between the two Union armies was only made possible through the use of the telegraph.

While many of the marvels of modern medicine only came around in the 20th century, there were some advances that doctors had available during the Civil War. Anesthesia during the war used either sulfuric ether or chloroform. Both had been discovered in the years leading up to the war, and 95% of all Civil War surgeries used anesthesia. Confederate Lt. General Stonewall Jackson was shot in the arm by a nervous sentry and was taken to a field hospital for surgery. He was sedated by chloroform while doctors amputated his arm and called the anesthetics “an infinite blessing.” Even though Jackson seemed to recover from the surgery, he died a week later from pneumonia.

The CSS Hunley was a man-powered submarine in the Confederate Navy that sank and was recovered

The Intrepid hot air balloon in 1862

An antique Morse key, circa 1860

twice before approaching the Union blockade in Charleston Harbor. On February 17, 1864, it approached the USS Housatonic and slammed an explosive charge mounted on a long pole called a spar torpedo into her. The Union ship was the first to be sunk by a sub in history but the Hunley sank

again for a third and final time.

The explosive charge used by the Hunley was a spar torpedo created

by E. C. Singer. A spar torpedo is an explosive at the end of a long pole that was to be rammed into an enemy ship. The concept had been tried 50 years earlier during the War of

1812 but didn’t have much success.

In October 1864, the U.S. government had enough with the ironclad CSS Albemarle which had prevented Union ships from gaining access to the Roanoke River. Union Lt. William Cushing took two picket boats and mounted a howitzer and spar torpedo on each of the boats. He successfully planted a spar torpedo into the ironclad’s hull, causing a huge explosion.

The sinking of the Albemarle was the only successful sinking of a Confederate ship by a torpedo.

The innovations and technology used during the Civil War were greatly improved in years following the war. Many of the inventions and innovations that are used by today’s military can be traced back to the Civil War. Avi Heiligman is a weekly contributor to The Jewish Home. He welcomes your comments and suggestions for future columns and can be reached at aviheiligman@gmail.com.

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42

OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Health & F tness

A Coffee a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

By Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN

M

any of us owe much gratitude to our daily cups of coffee. Coffee is our morning savior and gets many of us through the day without looking completely like zombies. Besides for the gratifying taste and mouthwatering aroma of fresh brewed coffee, coffee offers us many more amenities.

Studies show that coffee drinkers are

benefitting from more than just the energy-boosting caffeine in coffee.

Coffee offers benefits such as cancer prevention, diabetes improvement, and depression-lowering effects – just to name a few.

Coffee tends to have a bad reputation. It’s generally the first item banned from many diets. Although drinking too many cups a day is

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linked to increasing heart rate, there are several surprising health benefits to that morning cup of coffee – as long as you keep your consumption down to two to three cups maximum per day and skip the cream and sugar.

Here are some convincing reasons why coffee is considered good for you: 1. Coffee is good for your memory Studies show that two cups a day of caffeinated coffee can strengthen your long- and short-term memory, as well as reducing the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease generally affects people above the age of 65 and is the number one cause of dementia worldwide. Unfortunately, there is no known cure for Alzheimer’s disease, however, studies show that coffee drinkers have up to a 65% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

2. Depression-lowering effects Depression is a serious mental disorder that causes a significantly reduced quality of life, affecting approximately 4% of people in the U.S. According to a study in 2011, women who drank four cups of coffee daily were 15% less likely to develop depression.

3. Coffee speeds up metabolism The caffeine in your morning coffee has also been linked to boosting your metabolism, which aids in weight loss. Studies show that caffeine boosts your metabolism by 3-11%. This may be due in part to the laxative effects of caffeine. Caffeine is also found in almost all fat-burning

supplements since it has been proven to aid in weight loss.

4. Lowers diabetes risk According to several studies, drinking coffee can lower your risk of developing Type II diabetes by 50% if you have a history of Type II diabetes in your family. Type II diabetes affects about 300 million people worldwide and is a major health concern.

5. Increases endurance Drinking coffee increases one’s energy prior to a workout in addition to increasing one’s endurance while exercising. Caffeine stimulates the nervous system, causing it to send signals to the fat cells to break down the body fat, releasing free fatty acids into the blood to be used as fuel. Try to have a strong cup of coffee about a half hour before you hit the gym.

6. Helps prevent Parkinson’s disease After Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease.

As with Alzheimer’s, there is no known cure for Parkinson’s disease, which makes it all the more important to focus on prevention. A study reported by the Journal of the American Medical Association found that drinking up to three cups of caffeinated coffee daily is linked to a 25% lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.

7. Prevents gout Gout is a common form of inflammatory arthritis affecting joints in men and women. Coffee has been found to have anti-inflammatory properties and is associated with re-

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Minchas Asher Chosson Fund In Memory of Asher Prero ‫ ﬠ˝ה‬A Subsidiary of Simchas Esther Minchas Asher Chosson Fund In Memory of Minchas Asher Prero ‫ﬠ˝ה‬ A Subsidiary Simchas Esther Asher Chosson Fund InofMemory of Asher Prero In Memory of Mrs. Esther Lemberger

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44

ducing uric acid, the cause of gout.

8. Antioxidants Coffee is packed with antioxidants. As crazy as it may sound, some people get more antioxidants from coffee than from fruits and vegetables. But don’t stop eating your fruits and vegetables!

9. Reduces prostate cancer risk Cancer is one of the top 3 leading causes of death in the U.S. and worldwide. A study published in August 17, 2015 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology found that consumption of four or more cups of coffee a day may be associated with a significantly reduced cancer recurrence and mortality in patients with stage III of the disease. Researchers examined the effect of coffee on colon cancer recurrence and survival among 953 patients with stage III colon cancer. Participants filled out questionnaires during their chemotherapy and for about a year after, reporting their dietary intake of caffeinated coffee, decaffeinated coffee,

and non-herbal tea. Results demonstrated that those who consumed four or more cups of coffee a day had a 43% reduction in recurrence and were 33% less likely to die from the cancer, as compared to those who did not drink coffee. The researcher

After reading this, I’m sure everyone’s instinct will be to grab a cup

As crazy as it may sound, some people get more antioxidants from coffee than from fruits and vegetables.

stated that the reason why he studied the effects of coffee on colon cancer is because coffee is found to improve Type II diabetes. Risk factors for diabetes are also associated with colon cancer. Furthermore, he hypothe-

TEN Tips for Nurturing Happier, Healthier, Better-Behaved Children B A LT I M O R E J E W I S H H O M E . C O M

sized that caffeine improves insulin sensitivity which, in turn, may help reduce inflammation, which are risk factors for diabetes and cancer.

Wednesday, February 26 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.

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of coffee. Of course, as with all good things, moderation is key. Despite all the benefits of consuming caffeine, excessive coffee consumption is associated with cardiovascular problems such as an increased heart rate

or high blood pressure and irregular heartbeats. Besides, all that caffeine can become addictive. Experts agree that the positive outweighs the negative for most people, but remember to consume in moderation. Although some of the above research promotes four cups of coffee daily, I would recommend not more than 2-3 cups a day. With 2-3 cups of caffeinated coffee a day, you will still reap the benefits and fill those coffee cravings!

Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN, is a Master’s level Registered Dietitian and Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist. She graduated CUNY Brooklyn College receiving a Bachelor’s in Science and Master’s degree in Nutrition and Food Sciences. She is currently a dietitian at Boro Park Center and a private nutrition consultant. She can be reached at CindyWeinberger1@ gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @ EatBetterandFeelBetter.

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46

Naale Students at Sha’alabim – Day to Day Packed days and hard work are staples for teenagers adapting to life in Israel David Brummer A trip to the Na’ale Elite Academy at the Sha’alabim campus close to Modi’in is always worthwhile and interesting. Having the opportunity to spend some time with and interview highly intelligent Jewish teenagers from around the world and understand their stories is a rare privilege.

Each of the students prefaced their remarks and observations with an acknowledgment that the school provides them with an awesome opportunity; to learn, to grow, to feel independent and to experience life in Israel. They also noted how there is a good energy, the creation of a peaceful environment with happy vibes.

So, what does a typical day at Sha’alabim look like? Well, that depends on a student’s level of Hebrew and what grade they are in. For

16-year-old Akiva Jacobs, a native of Silver Spring, Maryland and former student at Yeshiva of Greater Washington in his first year at the school, it looks a little like this.

Akiva wakes up at approximately 6:30 a.m. and then gets prepared for Shaharit, which starts every day at 7:00. On a regular weekday when there is no kriyat ha’Torah, davening will usually conclude around 7:40 or 7:45. On Mondays, Thursdays and Rosh Chodesh, davening concludes at approximately 8:00 a.m. Lessons begin at 8:40, usually either Gemara or Hebrew. These are the main topics for morning studies, until 12:25 - when mincha begins. The students then get a 45-minute lunch break until 1:30 p.m., after which - depending on the day - they study general subjects, such

as mathematics, history, geography and science. A 25-minute recess in the middle of the afternoon helps to break up the lessons, until the end of school, which is either at 5:30 or 6:40 p.m.

As well as their studies, students enjoy a range of activities, such as gym or cooking classes. They are permitted to use the general meeting place to play air hockey or table tennis and they meet at least twice a day with their student counsellors to ensure that they have settled in and that any issues can be dealt with.

Students are allowed to call friends and family from 10 p.m., but between 10:30-10:40, their counsellors come to collect their phones, which are then stored securely for them until the morning. After the phones are taken, there is time to shower and get into

bed. At 11 p.m. the students turn in to bed and the big lights are turned out - although small night-stand lights are permitted if they wish to read.

Although they have long, fully packed days, the students seem well-adjusted to the school’s demanding routine. They actually seem to thrive on the framework and structure that they are given. The Naale program is clearly working, as it consistently produces able and serious students who relish the independence and greater responsibility they are given.

B A LT I M O R E J E W I S H H O M E . C O M

Yeshiva University Announces YU-MVP, A Dynamic Alumni/Student Partnership

The Career Center, in partnership with the Office of Alumni Affairs, is thrilled to announce the launch of its new Yeshiva University Mentoring Volunteer Program, or YU-MVP. This algorithm-based “matching for mentoring” platform will pull from over 25,000 alumni around the globe to create a network of volunteer mentors dedicated to offering undergraduate students professional career guidance.

YU News sat down with Susan Bauer, executive director of YU’s Career Center and principal designer of the program, to discuss this new initiative.

How can alumni and others get involved?

The program is open to our alumni and all professionals who want to mentor our students. Interested mentors can join by visiting yu.edu/mvp and sign up using their email address or LinkedIn profile.

Can a non-YU alum join the YUMVP program?

Absolutely. Parents, relatives and all those willing to give back to the next generation of Jewish leaders are welcome to become part of

the network. It is a multidisciplinary platform, so professionals of all backgrounds are encouraged to mentor.

We strongly encourage those living outside the New York City area to join as well as any students seeking mentorship from those they do not already know in their communities.

How will the matching process work?

YU-MVP works by matching preferences. Volunteer mentors select their geographic area, industry expertise and areas in which they can provide assistance. Students are then recommended to connect with mentors whose preferences most closely align with their own. After the matches are made, the students are then expected to reach out to their recommended mentors who will, in turn, then select the students with whom they wish to work.

Can a mentor work with more than one student?

Yes, each mentor sets his/her own personal parameters based on their availability.

Are there any industries that you would like to recruit mentors from?

It is a multidisciplinary platform open to all students, so professionals from all backgrounds are encouraged to join. We have a greater number of students within certain disciplines than others, so a mentor should not get discouraged if a request for mentorship is not made immediately.

Is this program for graduate students as well?

Currently, it is being rolled out as a platform for undergraduate students.

It will expand to the graduate student population in the future.

What would a mentor partnership look like?

The mentor-student partnership can take many forms. Depending upon geographical location, it may be an in-person arrangement or a virtual connection in which résumés are reviewed using FaceTime or informational interviews are conducted via phone or email. The mentor and student can customize the experience that works best for them. For example, during the pilot phase of the program, many mentors opened their offices to students to discuss topics such as Shabbat and Yom Tov work challeng-

es and “Day in The Life” experiences.

What cities will you have mentors in?

The goal is for YU-MVP to have a global presence. We have many international students studying at Yeshiva University and many students interested in relocating after graduation, whether that means making aliyah or moving to another city, state or country.

Anything else you would like to add?

Everyone is welcome to give back to our students, and we appreciate all who get involved. This experience can be life-altering for both mentors and students. Our community is global, connected, generous and mission-driven. I encourage everyone to participate in this exciting initiative.

If you are an alumnus/na and have questions, please contact Dina Burcat at burcat@yu.edu If you are a friend of Yeshiva University and not an alumnus/na, and have questions, please contact Matthew Garcia at matthew.garcia@ yu.edu

47

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48

TJH Inclement Names All of the following are actual names of meteorologists employed by well-known news outlets, except for one. Which name below does not belong in this illustrious list?

Ray Ban: The Weather Channel Sam Champion: “Good Morning America” Storm E. Field: WABC Amy Freeze: WABC, New York Sunny Haus: KARE, Minneapolis

You gotta be kidding A massive storm blew across the Pacific Ocean and sunk Yankel’s expensive yacht. Luckily Yankel and his wife Zelda were able to swim with their life vests to a nearby island. After reaching the deserted island, Zelda was crying and very upset that they would never be found. Yankel, on the other hand, was quite calm, relaxing against a tree.

“How can you be so relaxed?” cried Zelda. “We’re going to die on this lonely island. We’ll never be discovered here.”

Dallas Raines: KABC, Los Angeles

Yankel calmed her down and said, “Zelda, three years ago, I donated $250,000 to the Jewish Agency and $250,000 to my shul. Two years ago, I did very well in the stock market, so I contributed $500,000 to each. Last year, business was so that each organization got a million dollars.”

Stormy Rottman: KBTV/KUSA, Denver

“So what?” replied Zelda.

Flip Spiceland: CNN, WXIA, Atlanta

Yankel smiled, “Well, it’s time for their annual fundraising drives – trust me, they’re going to find me!”

Dewey Hopper: KPNX, Phoenix Johnny Mountain: KABC, KCBS, Los Angeles

Larry Sprinkle: WCNC, Charlotte, N.C. Harry Wappler: KIRO, Seattle Ken Weathers: WATE, Knoxville, Tenn.

Paul Kruger: WABC, New York

Answer: Paul Kruger

B A LT I M O R E J E W I S H H O M E . C O M

Centerfold

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

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49

1. Which surface absorbs the most sunlight? a. Sand

b. Eastern Standard Time c. Coordinated Universal Time

b. Water

d. Central Standard Time

c. Dense forest d. Snow

a. Intense downward winds b. Constant snow for more than 12 hours c. Wind gusts of 50 mph or more d. Heavy snow, hurricane force winds, and visibility under 1/8 of a mile 3. What time zone do meteorologists use to report their data?

 Answers

a. It increases b. It decreases c. It becomes more humid d. It parallels the temperature at the previous location of the air mass

c. Hydrogen vapor

b. 112 mph

d. Carbon dioxide

c. 231 mph

6. Which type of front generally moves the fastest? a. Cold front b. The speed of a front is not known

d. 367 mph 8. What percentage of people in the U.S. live in areas defined as coastal? a. 10%

c. Warm front

b. 20%

d. Stationary front

c. 30%

7. What is the highest wind gust ever to be recorded on the summit of Mount Washington, NH?

d. 40%

5. Which of the following are clouds composed of? a. Nitrogen

 Wisdom Key 7-8 correct: Is your name Rainy Storm or something like that?

3-6 correct: You are mild with a mix of sun and clouds.

0-2 correct: You’d be great as a meteorologist in San Diego. “Today will be sunny and 82 degrees... Today will be sunny and 82 degrees... Today will be sunny and 82 degrees...”

B A LT I M O R E J E W I S H H O M E . C O M

a. Pacific Standard Time

4. When an air mass travels from one region to another, what happens to the temperature in the new location?

a. 96 mph

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

2. What criteria must be met for a snowstorm to be rightfully called a blizzard?

b. Water vapor

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

Meteorologist Trivia

D

8)

C

7)

A

6)

B

5)

D

4)

C

3)

A

2)

C

1)

50

Notable Quotes

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

“Say What?!”

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

It hurts to cares much, work so hard, and still fall a little short. It’s okay to take a moment and feel that pain or process that disappointment. Take a walk around the block, eat an extra piece of chocolate, hug your pet, adopt a pet, watch videos of cats and dogs who are friends, call a friend — whatever works.

- Email by Sen. Elizabeth Warren to supporters after her disappointing New Hampshire primary finish

A young girl came up to me tonight and said, “I’m a broke college student with a lot of student loan debt. I checked and I have $6 in the bank – so I just gave $3 to keep you in this fight.” We’re staying in this fight for the people who are counting on us.

Seriously, I haven’t seen that many happy white guys since the Utah Jazz made the playoffs.

— Jimmy Fallon, talking about Trump’s impeachment acquittal event at the White House

You’re a millionaire. Why are you taking $3 from someone who only has $6?

Today, Joe Biden said that Mickey Mouse could run against President Trump and have a shot. Then Biden found out that he was polling third behind Mickey Mouse.

- Tweet by the Daily Caller’s Derek Hunter

— Conan O’Brien

B A LT I M O R E J E W I S H H O M E . C O M

- 2020 presidential hopeful Sen. Elizabeth Warren in a TV interview after her disappointing finish in the New Hampshire primary

I think we’ve become very disconnected from the natural world. And many of us, what we’re guilty of, is an egocentric worldview, the belief that we’re the center of the universe. We go into the natural world and we plunder it for its resources.

We feel entitled to artificially inseminate a cow, and when she gives birth we steal her baby, even though her cries of anguish are unmistakable. And then we take her milk, that’s intended for her calf, and we put it in our coffee and our cereal.

- A Hollywood actor at a recent award show

Do you feel Purim is knocking at the door? This is the time to start to invest [in making costumes] because our costume competition is getting closer.

- Social media post by Ben & Jerry’s in Israel calling for photos of people in their Purim costumes

MORE QUOTES

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The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

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THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

52 You know, I think back now, and I think, in fact, some of you may be familiar with Nelson Mandela — remember that, and his fight for freedom in South Africa? — and people marching to the polls. I’m thinking about the civil rights movement, and people marching to the polls. Well, we’re fighting to change America.

- Sen. Bernie Sanders encouraging supporters to vote in the Nevada caucuses

Voting in today’s New Hampshire primary started at midnight last night in the 12-person town of Dixville Notch. “Dixville Notch” is also what Joe Biden called a voter that disagreed with him… “I’ll pop you in the [mouth], you dirty Dixville Notch.”

— Seth Meyers

There’s this enormous cohort of black and Latino males aged, let’s say, 16 to 25 that don’t have jobs, don’t have any prospects, don’t know how to find jobs, don’t know that the — what their skill sets are, don’t know how to behave in the workplace, where they have to work collaboratively and collectively.

- 2020 hopeful Michael Bloomberg, in a 2011 interview with “PBS NewsHour” that has resurfaced now that he is running for president

B A LT I M O R E J E W I S H H O M E . C O M

I want y’all to think of a number: 99.9%. That’s the percentage of African-American voters who have not yet had a chance to vote in America. One more number: 99.8%. That’s the number of percentage of Latino voters who haven’t had the chance to vote.

Mini Mike is a 5’4” mass of dead energy who does not want to be on the debate stage with these professional politicians. No boxes please.

He hates Crazy Bernie and will, with enough money, possibly stop him. Bernie’s people will go nuts!

- Tweet by President Trump, escalating his feud with 2020 presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg

Trump spent the morning attacking Mike Bloomberg on Twitter and called him “a mass of dead energy.” When he heard that, Mike Pence was like, “Hey, that’s my nickname!”

— Jimmy Fallon

At least I’m not a communist - James Carville, political strategist and former top adviser to President Bill Clinton, on CNN, after Sen. Bernie Sanders called him a political hack for criticizing the “Sanders cult”

– Joe Biden after coming in a disappointing fifth place in the New Hampshire primary

The flag should never be desecrated like that so you have to stop. You have to do something whether people are watching or not.

- Chris Oslovich on Fox News after a video went viral showing him stopping his FedEx truck to pick up and fold an American flag that fell off of a porch

This is interesting: Amy Klobuchar’s rise in the polls is being called “klomentum.” That’s right. Yeah, and Joe Biden’s campaign is called “pretty much klover.”

— Conan O’Brien

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54 Even this morning at the nursery visit here, George and Charlotte were like, “Mummy, how could you possibly not be dropping us off at school this morning?”

It’s a constant challenge – you hear it time and time again from moms, even moms who aren’t necessarily working and aren’t pulled in the directions of having to juggle work life and family life.

- British royal Kate Middleton talking about “mom guilt” in a recent interview

The reason I wear them is very simple: I don’t have much hips. If I get too active, I have trouble keeping my pants up.

-Lloyd Black, age 90, explaining to the TODAY show why he wears overalls when he works out three times a week at Anytime Fitness in Semmes, Alabama

Follow your passions, live the life you’ve imagined, and do what scares you.

My conversations with Gates have been underwhelming tbh [to be honest].

- NASA astronaut Christina Koch after returning to Earth last week, after a record-breaking 328 days in space, the longest single spaceflight by a woman

- Tweet by Tesla CEO Elon Musk after Bill Gates revealed in an interview that he purchased his first electric car and opted for a Porsche Taycan rather than a Tesla

PESACH 2020

AT THE BEAUTIFUL

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OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Dating Dialogue

What Would You Do If… Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW of The Navidaters

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Dear Navidaters,

I have been suggested many times to a really nice sounding boy whom I desperately want to go out with. My dad is a doctor in our area, and he claims that this boy is not a fit for me. When I ask him why, he always avoids giving an answer. I finally got the truth when the fourth person thought of it and my parents still nixed it. Finally, I spoke to someone who confided some details that made me realize why my dad likely keeps nixing this. Apparently, growing up, this boy was always sick. His mom was bringing him in to the office for this or that for years, whether it was strep, ear infections, allergies galore, infections – always worried about things. It always seemed like his mother either thought he had something, or he actually did have something. From what I’ve seen on the outside, he seems like a really nice and normal, stable guy, and he has said “yes” to going out with me already. My parents are adamant though that this not something we want to touch with a ten-foot pole (not just because he might be contagious). I’m sure the reason, after speaking to someone else who knows more to the story, is that it is because it seemed like either he or his mother was always craving medical attention. Is that even a thing?

Shouldn’t I be able to go out and see for myself? It’s not like I get such good suggestions every day. Or are they really valid and helping me dodge a bullet? I’d love to hear what the panel thinks.

Thank you, Aliza

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.

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The Rebbetzin Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S. liza, trust your father who has your best interests in mind. He has not violated the rules that guide his profession (HIPAA and more) for your sake but is being rigid about this for the reason you found out. He is sensing something seriously wrong there. As a veteran community physician, your father has developed strong people skills and picks up dynamics between family members who frequent his practice.

Trust his caring for his daughter, his professional ethics, and his antennae.

Unhealthy attention-seeking for someone in a person’s care such as a child, old person, or disabled person is more than “a thing.” It’s a serious psychological condition called Munchhausen by Proxy. While I am a layperson and not a mental health professional, it’s obvious to me that your father is picking up symptoms that may indicate this. Don’t be smarter than your loving, smart, ethical father who is a medical professional. No one else in your circles has these qualities and is committed to you. Definitely stay away.

Besides for the obvious lesson in this case, you need to work on another takeaway. Why do you feel like you are not getting good suggestions? Perhaps you are feeling needy. Perhaps you are feeling like someone has to fit exactly into the profile you want. Perhaps the boxes that you want ticked off are neither as important nor as suitable as you might think. Examine yourself, your needs, your maturity, and your relationship with your parents and develop yourself further with help.

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The Mother Sarah Schwartz Schreiber, P.A. he term “hypochondriac” has become somewhat of a punchline.

It evokes images of some hapless fellow sporting an ice bag over a fevered brow: one arm enveloped

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in a sling, popping pill after pill, and moaning in agony. Maybe “hypochondriac” makes you think of a little boy stretched out on a sofa, clutching his aching belly, the requisite thermometer stuck in one corner of his (smirking) mouth, his mother lovingly anointing him with warm compresses.

To doctors, “factitious disease,” aka Munchausen’s Syndrome, is no laughing matter. It takes a steep economic and psychological toll – costing society millions in futile diagnostic tests and medical procedures, not to mention lost productivity due to bogus sick calls. From a practitioner’s perspective, it can be frustrating to deal with a chronic malingerer or the parent who recurrently shleps his child to the pediatrician for everything: from dandruff (psoriatic arthritis!!!) to freckles (malignant melanoma!!!).

It’s no wonder your father has declined the shidduch – he may remember the guy as a whining, sickly little boy or, even worse, his mother as an anxious, annoying, and overprotective mother. He may have interpreted her frequent visits as a sign of emotional neediness, insecurity, or her way of proving she’s a competent, caring parent. Your dad may have been his pediatrician, but he’s no different from any father – whether principal, teacher, camp counselor, or friend – who is privy to sensitive information and chooses, without sharing details, to protect his daughter from an adverse situation.

Your parents, especially your father, cannot un-know what he knows about the young man. Your youthful optimism causes you to believe that people do change: sniveling little boys grow up and become great guys.

Young, overbearing women mature and find that “sweet spot” of balanced mothering. If there’s any hope for this shidduch, it necessitates meticulous research on the guy and his family (especially his mother). If you choose to proceed (after completing the full court investigation) sit down with your parents and have that heart-to-heart.

They may remain skeptical and unconvinced; you may choose to ignore their

foreboding and opt to “see for yourself” if and how the guy has changed.

Whatever your decision, should you go out, tuck a first aid kit, loaded with Tylenol and Tums, into your handbag.

A girl can’t be too careful…

The Shadchan Michelle Mond our people independently thought of a suggestion for you, and it is someone who you’re actually excited about. The only problem? Your parents seem to have nixed the shidduch based on information. Sounds familiar to me! However, Aliza, this is not merely information. From what you describe, these are serious facts. We are not talking about something told to somebody who told somebody else.

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Should you go out, tuck a first aid kit, loaded with Tylenol and Tums, into your handbag.

What you describe seems to be a valid, understandable, and legitimate reason for your parents to set aside this idea for now. I give your parents a lot of credit for keeping all the details quiet despite your persistence. With the light shed by the person who knows more information, I must advise you to trust your parents on this one. Trust

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FEBRUARY 20, 2020

The Panel

“Learn. Review. Remember” And now you can track by app!

The Shas Chabura learning and review program is a proven method used by thousands throughout the world committed to learning and knowing Shas.

The key is understanding the function of Chazara-Review.

Chazara is not only reviewing the past, but more importantly, building on the past, as Rashi teaches us in increase your -‫חזור עליהם ובדוח‬ ‫בעומקם‬. (Kiddushin 30a) understanding through review.

The review program is based on scientific studies in long- term and short-term memory.

Every day one learns the new Blatt and reviews what he learned yesterday, a week ago, a month ago, 3 months ago and then every year he reviews what he learned a year ago, each year .‫עד‬ ‫ מאה ועשרים שנה‬reviewing A Talmudo B’yado Calendar is provided to keep track of the daily Blatt and Chazaros. It is now available on a Shas Chabura App as well as on a Daf Yomi printout with the Chazara schedule.

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This will allow you to greatly increase your understanding of the shiur.

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me, nobody wants you to get married more than your parents do; they want what is best for you.

This boy might be a lovely boy with an amazing family, who will quickly settle down with someone who does not have a personal connection to the family, or know about his mother’s possible issues, or his constant doctors’ visits. I am not saying that this boy is in any way unmarriageable, chas v’shalom! What I am saying is that the person who is destined for him does not have such a personal close connection to this boy, his med-

ical issues, or mother’s constant fears of ailments. If you google it, you will see that there is actually a diagnosis for a parent like this. Without knowing any details, it is not my place to mention a possible diagnosis, but hey, anything is possible. It could also be that this boy was very sick all the time as a child, and there was nothing wrong with his mother’s reaction.

For now, follow the famous adage: there are plenty more fish in the sea.

Take this whole episode as a bracha – Hashem is shielding you for now. Respect your parents and keep dating.

Pulling It All Together

Dr. Jeffrey Galler his is not a very complicated question, and I’m surprised that after all your years of education, and after growing up in a physician’s household, you have not been able to figure it out for yourself.

You know, or should know, that a physician is strictly prohibited from revealing confidential medical information. Your father is trying to protect you but is bound by very real and ver y consequential medical regulations.

Why you are even thinking of going out with this young man

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after what your dad has told you is a complete mystery to me.

My strong opinion is for you to drop this matter completely, and be very careful to never hint or suggest to anyone what has happened.

Any slight slip of your tongue could cause irreparable harm to your father’s medical practice and to the young man in question.

The Navidaters Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists

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B A LT I M O R E J E W I S H H O M E . C O M

The Zaidy

Nobody wants you to get married more than your parents do.

ear Aliza, Thank you for writing in. I’m stumped. I don’t feel comfortable giving you any sort of advice because there is so much conjecture. The only thing I can offer is to possibly confuse you more by way of asking questions.

Some situations, without enough information, are simply above my paygrade.

Was your father this guy’s pediatrician? If so, your dad is in a pickle because legally he can’t divulge what he knows about this man or his mother. Patients are entitled to privacy and confidentiality. If your dad knows something for a fact, poor guy! He is in an awful position between obeying the law and protecting his daughter.

If this boy was not sick and his mother brought him for excessive amounts of medical attention, she may or may not have a condition which I don’t want to even suggest because I don’t think it would be ethical on my part to surmise.

It sounds like you’re not sure if his mother was “seeking” medical attention or if this guy truly was sick as a child. How do you feel about dating someone who was sick as a child? To

pl ay de v i l’s advocate for a moment, I know children who are sick around the clock with colds and the flu and recurrent bouts of strep and numerous allergies. Their parents do not want this for their children or themselves.

If you decide to date him, and meet his mother, I think it may become obvious if she has a certain condition. Lots of family members have mental health issues/disorders. If everyone with a family member with a mental health issue didn’t get married, there would be thousands less marriages.

Aliza, this is a situation with no perfect answer. Here is a currently (seemingly) great guy who has been suggested four times. You’ve also been given a firm “no” from your parents who you trust. At the end of the day, I’m hoping that you get to decide what you want to do. People are often so scared of going out with someone because of what they’ve heard. (Your situation is different because it seems like your father, whom you trust and

may have been this boy’s doctor, is telling you to stay far away.)

As a general rule of thumb, it’s important and helpful to keep in mind that one date is not marriage. Let’s call a spade a spade. The only way for anyone to get to know anyone else is to spend a significant amount of time with that person. If you are prepared to take the risk, go for it. If you are prepared to walk away from this, that is a fine option as well.

I wish I could have been of more help.

All the best, Jennifer

Jennifer Mann, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist and dating and relationship coach working with individuals, couples, and families in private 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 516-2247779, ext. 2. Visit www.thenavidaters. com for more information. If you would like to submit a dating or relationship question to the panel anonymously, please email thenavidaters@gmail. com. You can follow The Navidaters on FB and Instagram for dating and relationship advice.

Hi Readers!

Receiving your enthusiastic emails wanting to participate in the Reader’s Respond section has been wonderful! Just a reminder about how Reader Response works. Email thenavidaters@gmail. com with the subject line “Reader Response.” We will then ask you, in the order we receive your email, if you would like to respond to the coming week’s email. If you would like to respond to an already printed Navidaters Panel, please submit your answer to the editor at editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com. You can also join us on our FB page @thenavidaters on Sunday evenings to post your response to the week’s column. Interacting with you has been a pleasure! Thank you for all of your feedback.

Jennifer

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From Ketchikan to Baltimore and Beyond, Partners in Torah Ready for Explosive Future Growth Sandy Eller Some gifts come in elaborate boxes, adorned with expertly tied ribbons, but the best present that Sheri Heller of Potomac has ever received is something that couldn’t possibly be wrapped - it is her relationship with her Partner in Torah, Far Rockaway resident Sima Krischer.

A resident of Potomac, Sheri and Sima were paired up five years ago.

Since that time, the two women have worked their way through numerous books and seforim, shared family simchas, indulged in many deep conversations and forged a sisterly bond that spans the miles. As Sheri became more involved in her learning, her husband also signed up for Partners in Torah and nearly a year ago the Hellers moved to a new home in order to be closer to a shul. Today Sheri’s sons Mitchell and Max both have learning partners of their own, and further deepening the familial bond between Sheri and Sima, their daughters Toby and Tzippora began learning together just a few weeks ago.

By all rights, Baltimore resident Sandy Kadish and Dr. Steve Mermelstein of the Five Towns are another pair whose paths would likely never have crossed if not for Partners in Torah. They lived miles away and led very different lives, but having spent countless hours learning every Sunday night through Partners in Torah over the past seven and a half years, the two have built a solid friendship.

Sandy first began learning with Partners in Torah in 2003 as a baal te-

shuva working in Mississippi and the only shomer Shabbos Jew for miles around, with Steve stepping in as his second Partners in Torah mentor in 2012. While the two Skype weekly, they took advantage of a rare opportunity to meet in person relatively recently in Florida, and Sandy credits Steve for his extraordinary patience and ability to clarify even complex subjects.

With tens of thousands of religious awakenings fostered worldwide, it is hard to believe that Partners in Torah took its first major steps towards becoming a household name in a city known for snow-capped glaciers and Native American totem poles. But in truth, the story of Partners in Torah’s exponential growth began in the most unexpected of places - Alaska.

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It was 1999 when Rabbi Eli Gewirtz received a phone call from Ketchikan resident Ron Adler who wanted to expand his knowledge of yiddishkeit but lived nowhere near the closest Jewish community. Rabbi Gewirtz had already launched two successful adult education programs, one near Lakewood and the other in Passaic, the idea of matching students and mentors catching fire. But the turning point came when Rabbi Gewirtz paired Adler with Yosef, a Brooklyn psychologist.

“Instead of learning in person they did it over the telephone,” recalled Rabbi Gewirtz. “We reimbursed Yosef for the calls and, over time, the idea of learning by telephone mushroomed beyond our wildest dreams.”

Partners in Torah soon found itself making many more shidduchim between those who wanted to learn and mentors who were happy to share their knowledge, the limitations of geographic boundaries obliterated by the wonders of telecommunications.

Students and mentors loved the anonymity of phone learning and the flexibility, both sides finding themselves enriched by the experience. To date, over 76,000 men and women from 2,337 cities in 39 countries have learned together, and Partners in Torah has become a vehicle to help all Jews build a proud, lifelong connection to Judaism.

“People are looking for a connec-

tion to their Judaism and our goal is for them to feel that they belong in our community because right now, the overwhelming majority do not,” explained Rabbi Gewirtz.

The upcoming launch of a digital platform will make relevant content and resources easily available and Partners in Torah is poised to recruit thousands of new mentors for a three month long, 30 minute a week commitment, pairing individuals with similar interests. Mentors need not be seasoned educators and chairman Steve Savitsky noted that virtually everyone can be a successful mentor, sharing the beauty of yiddishkeit in a variety of ways.

“So many of us go through life as observant Jews and never stop and think how fortunate we are to lead religious lives,” said Savitsky. “Those of us who have had the benefit of a Jewish education and a religious upbringing possess the tools to positively impact the lives of others.”

Drawing parallels to the business world, Partners in Torah COO Moe Mernick noted that much like Airbnb empowered individuals to become part of the hospitality industry by hosting people in their homes and Uber democratized the world of transportation by giving individuals the opportunity to become paid drivers, Partners in Torah gives anyone, anywhere, the ability to ignite the flame of Torah in those who are thirsting for knowledge.

“There are millions of unaffiliated Jews in the world and the future of Jewish education cannot rely solely on outreach professionals, campus rabbis and big organizations,” said Mernick.

“Any person who had the benefit of a Jewish education can impact the life of another Jew and if each of us looked inside ourselves and decided to share the beauty, depth and relevance of Torah with another Jew - we could literally change the course of Jewish history.”

Learn with a fellow Jew for 30 minutes a week and help shape the Jewish future. Sign up at www.partnersintorah.org/mentor

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WHAT IS

A IS H K O D E S H?

We hope to elevate the opportunities for Torah u’Tefilla in this rapidly growing neighborhood and to allow a wider group of mispallelim to benefit from the gadlus of HaRav Kosterlitz, ‫שליט“א‬. We hope that with your partnership our humble Shul can offer another dynamic option for our local families.

OP P O R T U N I T I E S As we grow, our davening schedule is growing with us. Aish Kodesh currently offers two Maariv minyanim from Sunday through Thursday. The nusach hatfilla is Sefard, and the Shabbos davening schedule offers Mincha/Kabbalos Shabbos and Mincha/Maariv Motzei Shabbos every week. When we are zoiche to host the Rav for Shabbos, we offer Shacharis/Kiddush and Shalosh Seudos as well.

The Rav speaks twice at the Kiddush, on the men’s side and the ladies’ side.

One of the most important programs at Aish Kodesh is the Bais HoRa’ah from 8:30-9:30am, Monday – Thursday. HaRav Kosterlitz, ‫ שליט“א‬is available for any and all shailos and treasures his relationships with the local community members.

Aish Kodesh offers Avos u’Bonim learning and a Melava Malka/Tish series. Please let us know if you’d like to be included in future events!

Lastly, we are thrilled at the positive reception we’ve seen thus far and are working diligently to improve our facility to host expanded programming. We have worked successfully with the Beazer neighborhood on completing a new footpath that is lighted at night, and recently celebrated as a kehillah with a Hachnosas Sefer Torah earlier this month.

Aish Kodesh will host a Groundbreaking/Hanachas Even Pinah for our new Men’s Mikvah & Kaylim Mikvah

MARCH 8, 2020 The Rav shlita feels strongly that given our area’s exponential growth, a modern, comfortable men’s mikvah and kaylim mikvah have been needed in Ranchleigh/Greenspring for years and now is the time to fill the void!

R’ KOSTERLITZ? HaRav Nesanel Kosterlitz, ‫ שליט“א‬is a talmid muvhak of the famous Shevet Levi, HaRav Shmuel Wosner ‫זצ“ל‬. HaRav Kosterlitz comes from a long line of Hungarian rabbonim including the freidig Doarger Rebbe ‫ זצ“ל‬and the Chief Rabbi of Budapest. His parents settled in Bnei Brak after surviving the holocaust, and HaRav Kosterlitz served as Rav in Sydney, Australia prior to coming to Baltimore to serve as mara d’asra at Machzikei Torah/R Sternhill’s Shul and as Head Posek at Empire Poultry. After many years, the Rav left Empire to found the Baltimore Community Kollel. A close group of talmidim has formed around him and asked him to spread his dedicated community commitment into Ranchleigh/Greenspring.

Mrs. Kosterlitz is a popular teacher at Bais Yaakov and the Kosterlitz daughters all attended Bais Yaakov as well.

The Kosterlitz sons live in Detroit and Bnei Brak.

Dedication opportunities are available and we invite your participation in this landmark and holy endeavor.

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WHO IS

C A M P A I G N

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

AISH KODESH

is pleased to announce its

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You may not yet know that a new bais medrash, Aish Kodesh of Baltimore, recently opened its doors in Ranchleigh under the nesius of HaRav Nesanel Kosterlitz shlita. Aish Kodesh opened at 6207 Ivymount Road between Edenvale and Rogene in Elul, with current programming including a lively night seder, a daf yomi and several shiurim. We are thrilled to have 8 Avrechim learning in our night kollel and invite the community to join or arrange to learn with one of our yungerleit.

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Mental Health Corner

The Insidious Effects of Self-Stigma

By Rabbi Azriel Hauptman

Yosef, a thirty-year-old father of three children, had been puzzlingly dejected and lethargic for the last few months. It reached the point that he was unable to get out of bed in the

morning. He internally denied that this had anything to do with him recently losing his job and suffering the loss of a parent. His wife pleaded with him to see their physician who immediately

suspected that he was suffering from depression and referred him to a psychiatrist. Yosef refused to follow his doctor’s recommendation saying that “only crazy people see shrinks.” Yosef’s self-stigma was preventing him from seeking help for his depression.

There are many challenges that face anyone who is dealing with mental illness, but one of the major hurdles to healing that is often overlooked is self-stigma. Stigma, or more specifically social stigma, is a well-known concept. When one is stigmatized by society, he is considered inferior based on a stereotype. For example, when one is turned down for a job based on a history of mental illness he is being stigmatized. Self-stigma on the other hand refers to someone who agrees with and has internalized the social myths and prejudices about mental illness.

The internalization of the negative messages of society can lead to several unfortunate outcomes that include: • Believing that one is responsible for their illness.

• Developing feelings of low self-esteem.

• Losing motivation to seek treatment • Avoiding social interactions and job-seeking as they assume that they will be rejected since they are “damaged goods”.

In many ways, self-stigma is more harmful than stigma that comes from

the outside. Even when one faces discrimination due to their mental illness, it is usually limited in its scope. But when one experiences self-stigma, there is no limit to its insidious effects.

How does one battle self-stigma?

First of all, an invaluable resource is support groups. The isolation of those suffering from mental illness is a major factor in the perpetuation of self-stigma. When meeting people who share the same experience, one feels understood, validated and valued. Psychotherapy is another vital resource for those dealing with self-stigma as many forms of therapy teach the client how to deal with distorted thoughts or beliefs.

In the long term, the way to fight self-stigma is to fight stigma itself. As mentioned, self-stigma comes from internalizing the negative messages of society. The more people there are that say mental illness is not real and they should “just snap out of it”, the more likely it is for people to develop self-stigma as they start believing those attitudes. As a community, we have a come a very long way in destigmatizing mental illness, but there is still a lot of work left to be done.

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 Baltimore branch of Relief. He can be contacted at 410-448-8356 or at yslansky@reliefhelp.org

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42

OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Life C ach FEBRUARY 20, 2020

Food for Thought

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

By Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., MFT, CLC

B A LT I M O R E J E W I S H H O M E . C O M

T

hey always say that if you put all your bundles and challenges in the middle of a circle and had the opportunity to exchange them with other people once you knew all that they were carrying, you’d probably choose to take your own back.

Well, I don’t think that’s true with dinners! And even more so, with those big weekly Shabbos meals.

We get so tired of making and eating our own dependable “go to’s.”

We want to get away from those same old taste sensations. I think we’d all jump at the opportunity to have a new flavor for our palates. In other words, someone else’s bundle!

Sure, there are those few continuously industrious cooks who try preparing something new all the time. And if they were in the bundle exchange, we’d probably practically kill each other grabbing for their creations. But I’m sure they themselves would like a break once in a while to have someone else prepare food for them, too.

There are some people who have their weekly schedule. They and their family know exactly what will be on the table based on the day of the

week. Obviously, this simplifies prep – but offers no variety!

Then there are those people who say, “Oh no, another day, another dinner!” They start scrolling through that “recipe rolodex” in their mind.

Finally, they decide on what to make and their thoughts jump immediately to: What ingredients do I have in the

These nightly dinners get to be tedious. We all love to eat, but preparation gets difficult so we try to get into a specific routine. And even those who don’t do the same thing every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc., usually stick with a limited repertoire.

And therein exists the reason that many would be happy to take anyone’s

We do have that! A situation where bundles and peckelach are given to you by others.

house? And what do I need to fill in with? Who is home tonight and what do they like to eat?

Actually, they really go as far as: What are they willing to eat? Then to: what can I bribe them to eat. And even to: WHY do they even need to eat?!

bundle but their own!

Now, there are, interestingly, those rare few individuals who stand out as unique blessings in your culinary life. They happen to make it easy for you to take back your own “peckeleh!”

Who are these, you might query?

One blessing is the kid who likes leftovers!

Another is the child who loves to eat “no variety.” (He’ll take pizza every night and think it’s heaven.)

And finally, the other is the newlywed who says, “Everything you make is delicious!” Even when the object and the taste itself are totally unidentifiable! (In other words, “other worldly,” in an alien way!)

So short of these blessings, I believe people would love a food exchange. You know I’ll take anything tonight but my own.

Oh, wait, I have good news. It does exist! We do have that! A situation where bundles and peckelech are given to you by others.

It’s just called ordering in!

And guess what? We don’t even have to prepare anything to trade with them.

Now that’s a dinner preparer and eater’s bundle of joy!

Rivki Rosenwald is a certified relationship counselor, and career and life coach. She can be contacted at 917-7052004 or rivki@rosenwalds.com.

Gluten Free Recipe Column

69

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

by Mrs. Elaine Bodenheimer

GlutenFree@BaltimoreJewishHome.com

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

Peanut Butter Kisses What You Will Need:

Preparation: 1. Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees.

2. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating constantly until stiff. Fold in peanut butter until just blended.

3. Drop by teaspoons onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 300 degrees about 25 minutes until lightly browned.

Remove from cookie sheet at once and cool completely on rack

B A LT I M O R E J E W I S H H O M E . C O M

2 egg whites 2/3 cup of white sugar 1/8 tsp cream of tartar ½ cup creamy peanut butter

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

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Your

15

Money

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

“I’d Trade It All for A Little More”

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

By Allan Rolnick, CPA

B A LT I M O R E J E W I S H H O M E . C O M

T

he French newspaper Le Monde called it “the robbery of the century.” So what was it? A Mission Impossible-style crew of balaclava-wearing acrobats bypassing sophisticated alarms to burgle a museum or gallery? Or maybe it looked like one of those “Oceans” movies: a crack team of hardened specialists tunneling deep underneath a casino or bank vault to blow the final hole at 5pm on Friday and spend a leisurely weekend looting stacks of bullion and currency?

Museums and banks may look like inviting targets. But if you want to make real robbery history, think bigger. As the playwright Bertolt Brecht once wrote, “Bank robbery is an initiative of amateurs. True professionals establish a bank.” And so the heist we’re talking about this week involves a years-long history of bankers, lawyers, and investors looting billions of dollars from a dozen European treasuries.

In today’s economy, the brightest minds dream of inventing the next breakthrough technology. But there’s a smaller group, nerdier and more devious, who dream of inventing tax shelters. Why risk failure investing in unknown technology when you can

find a government-guaranteed gravy pipeline directly into your account?

The scheme involved a dividend arbitrage strategy called “CumEx” trading, named for the Latin phrase meaning “with-without.” In most cases, traders bought and sold shares in a way that let them claim refunds on dividend tax withholdings they hadn’t

lion out of various governments.

This wasn’t ordinary tax fraud. They weren’t just evading tax on their income – they were taking refunds for taxes they had never paid. In 2017, a German clerk noticed a $60 million claim from a New Jersey pension fund covering just one guy and blew the whistle. (Spoiler alert: the

“Bank robbery is an initiative of amateurs.

True professionals establish a bank.”

actually paid. In others, they took advantage of creative paperwork to exploit a loophole letting more than one person own the same share at the same time. (Schrödinger’s stock?) Either way, the result was two refunds for one stock.

That sounds like an obvious party foul. But there weren’t any laws specifically prohibiting it. Traders took that as their green light to siphon $60 bil-

guy wouldn’t talk when The New York Times showed up at his door.)

Now, German prosecutors are pursuing 56 separate cases and targeting over 400 suspects, including the lawyers who issued high-priced opinions blessing the fraud. Hanno Berger, a former German auditor who crossed over to the dark side before fleeing to Switzerland, told his legal associates, “Whoever has a problem

with the fact that because of our work there are fewer kindergartens being built, here’s the door.” A lot of people who never saw incarceration in their future need to start getting ready for 3-5 years of being picked last for the prison kickball team.

Are you wondering why those same traders didn’t target Uncle Sam? Simple – we shut down dividend arbitrage back in 2008. That’s worth noting for skeptics who think our patchwork system of government agencies and self-regulatory organizations is like putting Cookie Monster in charge of the Monster’s Commission on Excellence in Nutrition.

Most Americans try to think of taxes as something you file with the government and forget about for the rest of the year. But the CumEx scandal reminds us that taxes are central to every investment decision you make. Make sure you’re informed and you have your plan ready before you invest in your future.

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.

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