Baltimore Jewish Home - 3-5-20 by Moshe Rubin

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MARCH 5, 2020

“E-Z Pass” for Matanos L‘Evyonim!

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MARCH 5, 2020

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

CONTENTS

COMMUNITY

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

MARCH 5, 2020

Around the Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Community Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

JEWISH THOUGHT Rabbi Zvi Teichman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Rabbi Dr. Naphtali Hoff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

PEOPLE 613 Seconds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

HUMOR & ENTERTAINMENT

Centerfold. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Notable Quotes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

LIFESTYLES

Health and Fitness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Political Crossfire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Dating Dialogue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Bibi Pulls It Off. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Mental Health Corner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 In the Kitchen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Gluten Free Recipe Column. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Your Money. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

NEWS

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

Israel News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 National. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 That’s Odd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Dear readers, Mishenichnas Adar marbim b’simchah—from the time the month of Adar begins we are supposed to increase our joy. One of the early Chassidic masters often said there is no mitzvah to be joyous, but joy can accomplish more than all mitzvos. Where does joy come from? Does it come from what we have? What we have can be here today and gone the next. Besides, possessions are external to us. Even being happy with our worthwhile accomplishments is an external happiness. Authentic joy is an expression of who we are. We were created in G-d’s image, and no one can take that away. It’s here forever. It’s about who we are not what we do. We do because we are not the other way around. The joy of Adar is to tap into this. Once we do, great miracles happen. At the moment of v’nahafoch hu, things that were terrible become great. In today’s fast-paced world, we are constantly being bombarded with news items giving us the feeling that world is falling apart. We need to hold onto the good people in our lives and support each other. By doing so, it will give us the strength to push through these final moments of Golus, and in a joyous way. Wishing you a good Shabbos and a Joyous Purim, 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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You've completed ‫ברכות‬. Now it's time to welcome ‫!שבת‬ Join a Daf Yomi Shiur at a time that fits your schedule! ‫ דף יומי‬1

‫ דף יומי‬6

5:20am (M-F) 6:20am (S) R’ Ahron Gibber ‫ שחרית‬6:15am (M-F), 7:15am (S)

7:30am (M-F) 9:00am (S) Rabbi Zvi Goldberg ‫ שחרית‬6:45am or 8:15am (M-F),

8:15am or 9:45am (S)

‫ דף יומי‬7

5:30am (M-F), 6:30am (S) Rabbi Yisroel Rokeach ‫ שחרית‬6:15am (M-F), 7:15am (S)

8:00am (S-F) R’ Dovid Charnowitz ‫ שחרית‬7:15am or 8:45am (S-F)

‫ דף יומי‬3

‫ דף יומי‬8

6:00am (M-F), 7:30 (S) R’ Moshe Hefter ‫ שחרית‬6:45am (M-F),

7:15pm (S-Th) R’ Gil Horwitz ‫ מעריב‬7:00pm or 8:00pm

‫ דף יומי‬4

‫ דף יומי‬9

6:30am (M-F), 7:00am (S) Rabbi Yosef Singer ‫ שחרית‬7:15am (M-F), 7:45am (S)

8:15pm (S-Th) Dr. Moshe Stern ‫ מעריב‬8:00pm or 9:00pm

‫ דף יומי‬5

‫ דף יומי‬10

7:00am (M-F) 8:30am (S) Rabbi Yochanan Stengel ‫ שחרית‬6:15am or 7:45am (M-F),

9:15pm (S-Th) Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lebovits ‫ מעריב‬9:00pm or 10:00pm

6:45am or 8:15am (S)

7:45am or 9:15am (S)

10:15pm (S-Th) Rabbi Aharon Saltzman ‫ מעריב‬10:00pm or 11:00pm

Prefer to learn the Daf B'Chavrusa or B'Iyun?

‫דף יומי‬ ‫בעיון חבורה‬ 9:00am - 10:00am (S-Th)

‫דף יומי כולל‬ 9:00pm - 10:00pm (S-Th)

6500 Baythorne Road Baltimore, MD 21209

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‫ דף יומי‬2 Yiddish

‫ דף יומי‬11

Around the Community

he fourth season of Baltimore Chesed League is off to a flying start. Teams of boys between 5th and 8th grade can be seen all over town helping with Chesed projects of all types. This year, almost 120 boys are participat-

ing in the league, which runs for six weeks. The season kicked off on February 25 at Suburban Orthodox Toras Chaim with an opening ceremony generously catered by Mosi’s Knish Shop, and from there the boys were off and running to do Chesed! Team David Flamm Nationwide Insurance helps bake desserts to be delivered by Bikur Cholim

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

MARCH 5, 2020

Baltimore Chesed League – Boys Kicks Off Their Fourth Season!

Team Amuze helps pack gift baskets for JCN

Team Moshe Hefter’s Fan Club participates in the Sterling Assisted Living Purim Party Team King David helps organize food packages for Bikur Cholim

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

Team Sports Monkey helps organize the CJE Library

Team DC Dental helps spread the Adar cheer during a visit to the King David Nursing Facility

Teams Blue Ocean and Crusty the Jewber help ready the Bnos Yisroel playground for the Spring

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

MARCH 5, 2020

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

Around the Community

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

MARCH 5, 2020

Bostoner Rebbe spends Shabbos in Baltimore

his past Shabbos the Baltimore community experienced a Shabbos of chizuk and inspiration with the Bostoner Rebbe of Boro Park, Rabbi Yisrael Yona Horowitz shlita. The last time the Rebbe was in Baltimore was over 30 years ago when he accompanied his father, Rabbi Chaim Avroham zt”l, on a similar Shabbos experience. Like his father, the Rebbe is well-known for his down to earth warmth, uplifting divrei Torah, and beautiful singing. He was joined by over 35 Chassidim and many of his children. The Rebbe spoke in a number of different Synagogues including Ohel Moshe (Rabbi Teichman) and Merkaz Torah U’Tefillah (Rabbi Eichenstein). The consistent theme of every drasha throughout Shabbos was the importance of Ahavas Yisrael. “Every Jew is a letter in the Torah. If you pasal another Jew, your sefer Torah is pasul,” the Rebbe

said a number of times. While visiting Yeshivas Toras Simcha and Yeshivas Kochav Yitzchak (Torah Institute) he spoke about his Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Avraham Pam zt”l, and imparted the

By Gavriel Horan

message to the students that “everyone can become a Rav Pam.” Friday night the Rebbe conducted a tisch at the home of Michael Teichman (Mr. Appliance) in Ranchlei that riveted the dozens of participants with the heart moving singing and lofty divrei Torah spoken in perfect English. After Shab-

bos the Rebbe led a packed Melava Malka at Kahal Chassidim that was attended by a number of Rabbanim from the community. Although he began to speak in Yiddish at the Melava Malka, he quickly switched to English when he realized that several people didn’t understand. He said that people misunderstand what the Yiddish language is. “Yiddish is ‘the Jewish language.’ What’s the Jewish language? It means not speaking badly about other Yidden. If you don’t speak loshon harah - even if you only know English - you know how to speak Yiddish.”

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or the first time ever, live in Baltimore, Rabbanit Yemima Mizrachi brought inspiration and laughter to close to 1000 women and girls in the community. The Storch Family, The Chesed Fund & Project Ezra, and The Women’s Institute of Torah (WIT) coordinated the lecture titled, “Simchas Hachaim, Finding the Joy in Life.” The Rabbanit spoke at the Doubletree by Hilton in Pikesville on Tuesday evening, February 25th, and to students at Bnos Yisroel the next morning, on Wednesday, February 26th. From first time listeners, to hard and fast devotees, the Rabbanit, wowed everyone with her unique perspectives, quick wit, and easily relatable personable experiences. At the Tuesday evening lecture, she explained how the month of Adar is approximately six months away from Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, and “breaks” the year in half. Since we are tired and far away from those inspirational Yomim Tovim, we are “broken” so it is a time to rejuvenate ourselves with happiness. She explained that in Adar we should do the opposite of what is done during the month of Av. Av is a month of mourning and sadness and we are not allowed to listen to music, buy new

clothes, and we fast on Tisha B’av. In Adar, we should be happy, festive, listen to music, shop, and eat. She comically pointed to the Hebrew letters of Adar, aleph, daled and reish, correlating to the first letters of “ain diyeta retzach”, (slang for don’t diet too much) and that women shouldn’t diet during Adar. The Rabbanit also spoke of the need for women to focus on making their homes a joyful mikdash ma’at, (inner sanctuary) and not to seek happiness from the outside world. She used an example of a mother flush with joy after arranging a beautiful bar mitzvah for her son but then after sharing pictures on social media, begins to compare her simcha to pictures of others. The mother may then see someone else’s simcha as better or nicer than her own and her joy diminishes significantly. The Rabbanit spoke about the important need for women

to contain joy within themselves, their home, and family and not take this unnecessary step towards feelings of inadequacy or even of making others jealous. She brought up the famous story about two brothers who would bring the produce of their own field to the other’s field at night since they each felt that the other needed the produce more. Hashem seeing this amazing example of brotherly love, chose this plot of land, Har Hamoriah, to be the site of the Bais Hamikdash. Rabbanit Mizrachi shared a moving personal story with a similar theme. Trying to protect her son from sadness when she was aware a yeshiva rejection letter was coming in the mail, she would sneak to the mailbox early every morning. One day, a few minutes late, she found her own son there. He explained to his mother that he was trying to protect her from that very same

disappointment. The Rabbanit was moved to tears by the unity she felt in the room that evening. She noticed the wide range of the women’s religious observance displayed by the various clothing and hair covering styles and how unique it was to the Baltimore community. She explained how the bracha we receive from kohanim “Yevarechecha Hashem Veyishmarecha, …Viyesem Lecha Shalom” is a bracha we give each other daily with the simple wave of our hand. She demonstrated that this bracha of peace, which consists of 15 words, corresponded to the 14 knuckles in the fingers of her hand and how that final waving motion corresponds to the 15th word, shalom. Meaning, we can give people a bracha and increase unity just by waving our hand. She built on this concept further by having each woman place her hand on the head of the woman beside her to give her a bracha. At Bnos Yisroel the next morning, she spoke about how the students should emulate the Imahos, (Sarah, Rivkah, Rochel, and Leah,) and their own mothers as role models. Her stimulating and humorous lectures left a lasting impression on Baltimore’s women and girls.

Photo Credit Laya Bitman of Simcha Focus

Rosh Chodesh Adar Joy with Rabbanit Yemima Mizrachi

2020

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15 YEARS RUNNING IN NIAGARA!

Around the Community

Ex-Mayor Catherine Pugh Sentenced For Fraud, Tax Evasion By: Staff Reporter

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

MARCH 5, 2020

BaltimoreJewishLife.com/Jeff Cohn

ormer Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh was sentenced Thursday in federal court in Baltimore. She will serve three years in prison followed by three years of probation, according to WBFF. Pugh, 69, of Baltimore, admitted to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and two counts of tax evasion, according to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland. In exchange for her guilty plea in November, seven counts of wire fraud were dropped. U.S. District Judge Deborah Chasanow reported pointed to the severity of the crimes, which impacted children’s education and public trust, before handing down the sentence. Chasanow called the fraud “astounding” and “extremely serious,” re-

porter Kevin Rector of The Baltimore Sun tweeted from the media space outside the courtroom after 12:30 p.m. The judge spoke after prosecutors requested a nearly six-year sentence and Pugh and her supporters asked for a lighter penalty of one year and one day given her contributions to the city. The judge opened her remarks with the observation that it was “ironic” that Pugh was relying on her track record of contributions in asking for leniency, since “it was precisely that reputation for good work that allowed her to commit these offenses” and get away with them for so long, the Sun reported. Pugh admitted that from November 2011 to March 2019, she and her legislative aide used different methods of trying to defraud organizations through sales of a children’s book se-

m i r Pwithu

ries she penned, such as taking payments and not delivering books; diverting books purchased to go to a third party to herself; and then reselling the same books, according to prosecutors. Federal prosecutors asked the judge to sentence Pugh to 57 months in prison and reportedly accused her of manipulation in releasing a video the day before sentencing. Pugh submitted a 13-minute video to the court Wednesday apologizing to the citizens of Baltimore as well as “everyone I’m offending.” She described her upbringing in the video, which also contained background music, newspaper articles about her accomplishments and a clip featuring the late Congressman Elijah Cummings from her mayoral inauguration ceremony. The video included com-

ments from Paul Coates, publisher of the Black Classic Free Press, who said: “She was the person who had the vision for it,” referring to initiatives such as the Baltimore Design School and Baltimore marathon. Coates asked that her positive role in shaping the city not be forgotten. About 30 seconds before the video ends, a front-page story from The Baltimore Sun flashes with the headline “Pugh indicted.” Pugh does not discuss what she did, but said: “When I think about me in my capacity and my capabilities and all the things I’ve been able to do, I say, ‘How do you end up here? I mean, how do you mess this up?’ I messed up. I really messed up.” She apologized, clasping her hands. “I don’t know any other words that could be stronger,” Pugh said. “I am so sorry.”

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She was “The Rebbetzin” — Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis — and this is her unforgettable and inspiring story.

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The story of Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis Her life, vision, legacy · She was a young Holocaust survivor who influenced tens of thousands of Jews across the world. · She made history in Madison Square Garden, where she showed that Torah could reach even the most distant Jew. · As founder of Hineni, and through her writing and speeches, she ignited the “pintele Yid” that lies within every Jew.

uthor Rabbi Nachman Seltzer interviewed close to one hundred people to create The Rebbetzin — a vivid portrait of one of the twentieth century’s most fascinating, charismatic and spiritually inspiring Jewish personalities.

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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

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MARCH 5, 2020

· The Kopycznitzer Rebbe found a way to sing, and he brought a spark of joy during the Holocaust. · The second grader was sitting all alone. Until one Zeidy saw him, and adopted a new grandson for a day. · No one, but no one, could understand the rabbi’s last words. Until they discovered why he’d bought a ticket to the movies ….

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NEW FROM

Around the Community

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

MARCH 5, 2020

Gov. Hogan: 2 More Marylanders Being Tested For Coronavirus, ‘No Immediate Public Health Emergency’ By: Staff Reporter BaltimoreJewishLife.com/Jeff Cohn

wo more Marylanders have met U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria to be tested for the novel coronavirus, Gov. Larry Hogan said Wednesday. Both patients had recently returned from China. Health officials are evaluating a third possible case. Hogan said $10 million in funding for response to a potential outbreak is part of a supplemental budget request to be submitted to lawmakers. “I want to assure Marylanders that our state is taking every precaution when it comes to the coronavirus because our highest priority is keeping our residents safe,” Hogan said. “While we are hoping for the best, we are also actively planning for the worse/” In a news conference held at the

PESACH 2020

Maryland Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Reisterstown, Hogan said he spoke Thursday afternoon with Vice President Mike Pence, whom President Donald Trump tasked Wednesday with leading the coronavirus response at the federal level. Hogan stressed there was no immediate public health threat to Marylanders. Last month, two Marylanders were tested for the virus, which originated in China’s Hubei province. Two Marylanders were tested for the virus last month. Both tested negative. As of Thursday, the virus had reached 50 countries, with more than 82,000 confirmed cases. Congressional leaders are poised to approve billions in new funding for the CDC. Pence on Thursday brought in Debbie Birx, the administration’s global AIDS coordinator and a medical doc-

AT THE BEAUTIFUL

tor, to serve as his chief adviser for responding to the virus outbreak. He also added Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Larry Kudlow, the director of the National Economic Council, to the task force, a recognition that the virus was quickly becoming an economic, not just a public health, threat. Hogan said state officials are working with local and federal officials as well as hospitals and other health care providers. Citing CDC guidance, he advised schools, day cares and workplaces to make contingency plans.

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Maryland Deputy Health Secretary Fran Phillips said officials are working with the CDC to get permission to test samples in Baltimore rather than overnighting them to Atlanta. She said officials are working with hospitals and providers to track inventory of supplies. There is not yet a vaccine for the coronavirus. Phillips advised Marylanders to practice frequent hand-washing, cover their mouth and nose while coughing or sneezing and stay home if sick. Anyone who returns to Maryland from China is asked to monitor their health for 14 days after leaving China. U.S. officials are warning Americans to avoid nonessential travel to China and South Korea and to consider postponing travel to other countries where the virus has spread, including Italy and Japan.

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WHAT IS

AISH KODESH?

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.

OPPORTUNITIES As we grow, our davening schedule is growing with us. Our Nusach Hatefilla is Sefard, and Aish Kodesh currently offers two Maariv minyanim from Sunday - Thursday. The Shabbos davening schedule offers Mincha/Kabbalos Shabbos and Mincha/Maariv Motzei Shabbos every week. When the Rav is with us for Shabbos, we offer Shacharis/Kiddush and Shalosh Seudos as well. In addition, we currently offer the following learning opportunities:

GROUNDBREAKING

Aish Kodesh invites you to our Groundbreaking/Hanachas Even Pinah for our new Men’s Mikvah & Kaylim Mikvah followed by Siyum on Maseches Brachos

MARCH 5, 2020

AISH KODESH

is pleased to announce its

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

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, and have been thrilled at the positive reception we’ve seen thus far. We invite the community to join our night kollel or arrange to learn with one of our yungerleit.

Nightly Daf Yomi 8:30-9:00 PM Nightly “Heim Chayenu” Chabura that delves into the Daf Yomi Sugyos that are Halacha L’maysa Night Kollel currently learning Hilchos Shabbos. Anyone who is looking for a Chavrusah or to join our small Chaburah, please contact R’ Kosterlitz. Bais Hora’ah weekdays from 8:30 - 9:30 AM with R’ Kosterlitz available for Halachic/Hashkafic Sheilos or questions on a Sugya you are learning

WHO IS

SHACHARIS 8:45 AM (DUE TO DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME)

Construction on the Mikvah is slated to start this coming spring, offering the community the only Mikvah of its kind in Ranchleigh.

R’ KOSTERLITZ? HaRav Nesanel Kosterlitz, ‫ שליט“א‬is a Talmid Muvhak of the famous Shevet Levi, HaRav Shmuel Wosner ‫זצ“ל‬ and comes from a long line of Hungarian Rabbonim. After serving as Rav in Sydney, Australia, HaRav Kosterlitz came 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.

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

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

Lastly, we are working diligently to improve our facility to accomodate expanded programming. We have worked successfully with the Beazer neighborhood on completing a new footpath that is light at night, and recently celebrated as a Kehillah with a Hachnosas Sefer Torah earlier this month.

SUNDAY, MARCH 8

Around the Community

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

elava Malka and Siyum at the Bais Hamedrash & Mesivta of Baltimore on ‫כ"א שבטת‬, the 2nd yahrzeit of the

Rosh Yeshiva, Harav Zvi Dov Slanger zt”l. ‫ דברי זכרון‬were delivered by Harav Nosson Nussbaum,. shlit’a.

YKY/TI Grandfather, Father, and Son Melava Malka

he excitement for learning, aliyah, and connection to family and friends continued at Yeshivas Kochav Yitzchok/

fathers and grandfathers followed by a Melava Malka with live music and a special game. The event, which was held at Bnai

Torah Institute of Baltimore with their second annual Grandfather, Father, and Son Melava Malka. On February 15, Motza’ei Shabbos Parshas Yisro, YKY/TI’s 5th and 6th graders enjoyed a special learning seder with their

Jacob Shaarei Zion, started with energetic learning as the talmidim, fathers, and grandfathers filled the main shul to capacity. The crowd then moved into the social hall for a Melava Malka coordinated by Details by Dena and catered by the Knish Shop. Par-

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ticipants were met by beautifully set tables and a slide-show of photos of the boys “through the years” as they entered the hall, setting a mood of na-

as matching various community shuls to their addresses, figuring out how to get checkmate in one move on a visually presented chessboard, and

chas and nostalgia. Dr. Elie Portnoy, event coordinator, opened the seudah with remarks that highlighted the boys’ commitment to Limud HaTorah and menchlichkeit. As he rattled off statistics about the amount of mishnayos and blatt Gemara they have covered over their tenure in TI, he encouraged the boys to reflect on their accomplishments as growing B’nei Torah. Rabbi Shimon Hirsch, Menahel, shared divrei bracha and thanked the entire crowd for helping to create a flourishing Cheder. After a heartwarming video presentation, Dr. Dani Sova led the attendees in a trivia game, which brought everyone — even the adults —to their feet. A broad range of intriguing questions and brainteasers generated a friendly yet spirited competition. Tasks such

guessing the high schools their rebbeim attended, had the boys and some fathers scrambling around the room looking of answers. Each table tallied their correct answers to earn extra tickets for a raffle. The raffle drawing was held before benching. Dr. Dovid Daniel captivated the boys as he drew the winning tickets for numerous prizes, including sleds, a Shabbos lamp, gift certificates and sets of seforim. In school, the boys were talking about how much they enjoyed the evening days after the event ended. The Melava Malka was another demonstration of the beautiful partnership between the Cheder and the parent body and their shared devotion for the continued success of their children.

Photo credit Gamliel Hackerman

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Bais Hamedrash & Mesivta of Baltimore

Dr. Deborah Lipstadt Beth Tfiloh Dahan Sanctuary 3300 Old Court Road, Baltimore, MD 21208

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ANTISEMITISM: HERE AND NOW

There has been a noticeable increase in anti-Semitic incidents in America. Where is all this hatred coming from? n Is there any significant difference between left-wing and right-wing anti-Semitism? n What role has the anti-Zionist movement played?

troubling questions.

A book sale and author signing will follow the program.

DAHAN ANNUAL LECTURE

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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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Shlomo Goldberger - Executive Director of The Shidduch Center of Baltimore This is actually a question I get asked often, and quite enjoy answering. As we know, Klal Yisroel is commanded to see to our own continuity. Without shidduchim and the creation of new Jewish families, there is no perpetuity to the Jewish people. Shidduchim is a demanding and emotional arena. But it is also immensely rewarding. So, although I may not be a shadchan, by serving in this role, it is my way of helping to sustain an eternal nation. And through supporting The Shidduch Center on March 17 & 18, each and every one of us, as well, can take pride in our contribution to our treasured nation. Tell me about last year’s CauseMatch campaign and what you have been able to accomplish since then. Simply stated, last year was a watershed year for us, and thanks to an outpouring of support from our community, we were able to raise over $220,000! We had an exemplary group of campaign matchers, a buzzing call center, and over 800 donors on the day of the campaign. We cannot possibly express the depth and extent of our appreciation to the community for all that they did for us last year. Thanks to last year’s campaign, those funds allowed us to keep our existing programming and results steady; add another excellent shadchan to our team; expand our programming; and carve out time and space to meet with and support more people than ever before to help them navigate shidduchim. What are your goals for this year’s campaign and what do you envision for the future?

That is a great question! Of course, we hope this campaign will be every bit as successful as last year’s. Without the full support of the community, we simply cannot maintain our critical work. As far as future goals, what stands out most is that the basic construct for shidduchim leaves many daters underserved, especially those who have been dating for a number of years. This is an issue for all cities. Accordingly, we are speaking directly and regularly with many of these daters to better understand what they would like to see from us, and we are actively working on getting a number of different programs off the ground. It is a challenging task, and one that will require notable funding, but we are absolutely facing this head on. It is our tefilah that we can be the first, once again, and generate reliable avenues to bring results to even more single men and women. Are there any stories you would like to share? It would be hard to identify any one story, as each shidduch is a beautiful novel in its own right. What I would like to share, however, is how impressed I constantly am with the single men and women of our community. They are an amazing group of highly talented individuals who do so much for our city, and their contributions fly under the radar far too often. It really behooves us all to fully appreciate how valuable our single men and women are, and take great care to give them the respect, appreciation, and admiration they have all so rightfully earned.

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What is The Shidduch Center of Baltimore? In short, The Shidduch Center is the place for Baltimore families to turn for all their dating needs. First and foremost, we have a highly successful team of five shadchanim (Mrs. Shani Leiman, Mrs. Michelle Mond, Mrs. Tova Rapaport, Mrs. Yocheved Strum, and Mrs. Keren Traub), who set up scores of local daters each and every month! We run Shabbatons, educational, and chizuk events; offer guidance to hundreds of families; help prepare dating resumes; connect people with resources and shadchanim; and answer all questions about the dating process. No two people have the same needs, and whatever the need is, we work to address it with all our heart and soul. In fact, over the past four years, we have been zocheh to set up over 700 local couples, which has directly resulted in 74 marriages! Boruch Hashem, given all that we do, we are now providing direct services to well over 500 local families each

year! Why was it started? The organization was established to make sure that our community was producing practical and constant results for our daters. It was clear that just relying on the global universe of shidduchim was insufficient. Almost every major city in America now has a shidduch organization, and many of them sought our guidance and heavily based their initiatives on our model. Why are you running a CauseMatch campaign? Plainly put, funds are needed so that we can both sustain our current programming, and and expand to help more people in our community. When we hire a shadchan, we develop them into more successful professionals. We assess their past production and create new monthly quotas that far exceed what they have ever done before to motivate them to hit new levels. And commensurate with their results, they receive compensation. This is our most significant initiative, and it has brought numerous dates and engagements that otherwise would never have happened, as far as tevah and hishtadlus are concerned. But it comes at a cost. Each event also requires funding, as does the manpower to be available at all times for our daters and their families. That is why we are turning to the community; to ensure our continued success, b’ezras Hashem! What drives you in your role as the Executive Director of The Shidduch Center?

MARCH 5, 2020

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Yair Netanyahu to Pay in Libel Suit

El Al Impacted by Coronavirus

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After the younger Netanyahu never bothered to respond to the lawsuit, a judge automatically ruled in favor of the journalist. Yair claims that he never received news of the lawsuit in the first place, putting the validity of the ruling in doubt. “No, it’s just unbelievable! Some leftist journalist in Walla decided to pull a fast one on me,” tweeted Yair Netanyahu on Saturday evening. “He filed a lawsuit against me without informing me at all, so I apparently did not file a defense.”

Yair Netanyahu, son of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will need to cough up a quarter of a million shekels to Israeli journalist Avi Alkalei after failing to respond to a libel suit against him. “It is regrettable that at first the defendant underestimated the plaintiff, posted things without reviewing them, and later disregarded the court and the law, and did not bother to file a defense. From a prime minister’s son, higher standards could be expected,” Alkalei’s attorney said in a statement. The ruling came on Friday but was first announced on Saturday evening. Alkalei, the editor of the popular Walla news site, had sued Yair Netanyahu a few months ago after the prime minister’s son called him a “plant” of the left-wing U.S.-based Wexner Foundation. In a series of tweets, Yair had alleged that the radical left-wing Foundation was paying Alkalei to spread negative stories about his father in an effort to oust him from power. He also contended that Alkalei was in cahoots with law enforcement to frame Prime Minister Netanyahu for crimes he did not commit. Alkalei’s attorneys had written in court filings that since Alkalei was not a “plant” of the Wexner Foundation and had never been connected to it, Yair’s tweets constituted slander. The lawsuit added that Yair Netanyahu had refused to delete his allegations even after receiving a warning letter informing him that his statements constituted slander.

El Al, Israel’s national airline, is planning mass layoffs as well as drastically cutting back on flights to countries affected by the coronavirus as it grapples with the aftermath of the epidemic. The carrier announced on Thursday that it will scrap all flights to Italy and Thailand for the next two weeks after both countries reported a sharp rise in coronavirus cases. El Al has direct flights to Milan, Venice, Rome, and Naples in Italy via its Sundor subsidiary as well as a frequent line to Bangkok. As expected, El Al is also forced to postpone the launch of its direct line to Tokyo. The first such flight was supposed to take off from Israel on March 11 and was expected to be extremely lucrative but will now have to wait until April 4 due to an uptick in coronavirus cases in Japan. Israel’s largest airline also announced last week that it is preparing to lay off 1,000 employees within the next few weeks. In a statement, CEO El Al Gonen Ussishkin said that “in light of recent developments and a decrease in the company’s operations,” he instructed the VP of human resources at the company “to formulate a plan to reduce the workforce in the

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The Week In News company by a thousand people.” Three-hundred employees of the company will also take immediate unpaid leave. While El Al has been struggling financially in recent years, it now faces a real danger of declaring bankruptcy due to the financial aftershocks caused by the coronavirus. Earlier in the week, El Al officials told the Tel Aviv Stock Index that it expects to lose $50 million this quarter as a direct result of the virus.

More Indicted in Sub Scandal

Two more ex-defense officials were indicted on Thursday for their role in a bombshell bribery scandal. Known as “Case 3000,” the probe explored allegations that German shipyard Thyssenkrupp bribed senior and influential defense officials in order to persuade Israel to buy its submarines. The police investigation ensnared some of the country’s most powerful people, including several close confidants of Prime Minister Netanyahu. Last week, the State Attorney’s

Office announced that it would indict Brigadier-General Avriel Bar Yosef of requesting a bribe, taking a bribe, fraud, and breach of trust. Bar Yosef stands accused of demanding and accepting bribes from Thyssenkrupp in exchange for promoting the company’s interests among Israel security’s establishment. A central figure in the scandal, Bar-Yosef has an extensive background in Israel’s defense establishment and was tapped by Netanyahu to be the country’s National Security Advisor until the allegations surfaced. An officer in the Navy until 2003, when he reached the rank of brigadier-general, Bar Yosef also directed the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and was deputy national security advisor from 2009 until 2015. Bar Yosef’s attorney told the press that the charges were baseless and that his innocence would be proven in court. “He never asked for and never received any kind of benefit for activities related to his role,” said attorney Jack Chen. “They were done only for the interest of the public and through untainted professional considerations.” The other official slated to stand trial is Brigadier General Shai Brosh, who faces charges of requesting a bribe, taking a bribe, tax offenses, and money laundering. The former commander of the elite Shayetet 13 commando unit, Shai Brosh served as an officer in the Navy until his release in 2001 at the rank of brigadier general. According to prosecutors, Brosh joined Bar Yosef in demanding bribes

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from the German shipyard and promised that he would persuade close personal friends who worked with Netanyahu to approve the submarine acquisition.

Sheba Named 9th Best in the World

Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer has been named the ninth best hospital in the world by Newsweek. Last year it garnered the tenth slot on the list. The hospital, located east of Tel Aviv, is Israel’s largest medical facility and cares for approximately 1.6 million people annually. The hospital is also home to more than one-quarter of all Israeli clinical research. Newsweek cited the hospital’s collaborations with biotech and pharmaceutical companies worldwide to develop new drugs and treatments, in addition to research specialties including cardiology, cancer, brain diseases and genetics. The Rochester-based Mayo Clinic nabbed the top spot on the list for the second year in a row. Cleveland Clinic and Massachusetts General Hospital followed behind. Tel Aviv’s Sourasky Medical Center, also known as Ichilov Hospital, was named the world’s 34th leading hospital. Other leading hospitals included Toronto General Hospital, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Johns Hopkins Hospital, University Hospital Zurich and Singapore General Hospital. “The selection reflects another year of excellent and advanced medicine, breakthrough research and world-leading innovation,” said Sheba Medical Center director-general Prof. Yitshak Kreiss, a former IDF Surgeon General who has headed the hospital

since 2016. “I am happy and proud of each one of our 9,131 dedicated and professional employees who think outside of the box every day. The continued rise in the rankings puts us in line with the world’s leading hospitals. As in every situation, and especially today when we are leading the national effort to treat the coronavirus, it is a privilege to provide the Israeli population with the best medicine in the world.” Sheba Medical Center was tasked with establishing Israel’s first facility for the quarantine and treatment of individuals who test positive for the novel coronavirus and citizens who returned from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan.

Joint Drill Commences Despite concerns over coronavirus, the 10th annual Juniper Cobra exercise between the IDF and the United States Europe Command began on Tuesday, with hundreds of U.S. troops landing in Israel to take part.

The drill is taking place from March 3 to March 13, and will be the largest IDF and EUCOM joint exercise taking place this year, with more than 2,500 U.S. troops participating in several different locations – in Israel, Europe, and the United States. Some 600 American troops, who arrived in Israel in recent weeks, will be training in Israel alongside a thousand Israeli Air Defense troops, logistics units, medical forces and additional IDF units. “The objectives of the exercise are to strengthen cooperation, coordination and mutual learning between the two armies, as well as to improve the capability to defend against missile threats, and joint air defense,” the IDF said.

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The Week In News The drills will simulate a scenario in which American forces will be deployed to Israel to work alongside the IDF’s air defense. The troops will practice scenarios of missile threats in various sectors. The simulations will include the use of the Arrow-2 and Arrow-3 missile-defense systems, advanced versions of the Iron Dome, and the David Sling system as well as a ballistic image management center, in collaboration with the Home Front Command. While the 600 American troops were deployed to Israel as part of Juniper Cobra, the U.S. military and IDF called off a joint exercise over concerns of the new coronavirus. The Eagle Genesis exercise between the IDF’s Ground Forces and EUCOM troops to train against regional threats was canceled, and more than 60 U.S. personnel who had traveled to Israel returned to their bases on Friday, at the request of the Israeli government. A U.S. military official told CNN that the drill was canceled “out of an abundance of caution” despite none

of the American troops, including paratroopers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade stationed in Italy, having been reported ill. The Health Ministry has included Italy on the list of countries from which people arriving in the country must be quarantined. Also on Tuesday, the Home Front Command, in collaboration with the Education Ministry and local authorities, held a security drill simulating a missile attack at schools around the country. As part of the drill, which examined the competence and maintenance of institutions’ bomb shelters, all students practiced getting into protected spaces during recess time at 10:05 a.m. Washington and Jerusalem have signed an agreement that would see the U.S. assist Israel with missile defense in times of war. In March, EUCOM deployed a THAAD anti-ballistic missile defense system in Israel as part of a monthlong joint drill between the two allies. During the drill, the THAAD system, which is considered one of the

most advanced systems of its kind in the world, was added to the existing Israeli air-defense systems, which defend against long-range ballistic missiles, giving the IDF an opportunity to practice its integration in the IAF’s Air Defense Array.

America the Beautiful

Land of the free, home of the beautiful.

Last week, the National Park Service (NPS) announced their 2019 list of most popular national parks, with Great Smoky Mountains National Park across the North Carolina-Tennessee border coming in at first place. Over 327 million people visited National Park sites in 2019, a 2.9% increase since the previous year, and the third highest number since record keeping began in 1904. (The park service itself wasn’t created until 1916.) “The numbers once again affirm that Americans and visitors from around the world love the natural, cultural, and historic experience provided by our nation’s national parks,” said Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt. Of the 62 national parks, Great Smoky Mountains and Grand Canyon National Park have held the top two spots since 1990. They are followed, respectively, by Rocky Mountain National Park (CO), Zion National Park (UT), and Yosemite National Park (CA). The NPS doesn’t charge fees at most of its sites, many of which are

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The Week In News kept open through a combination of governmental and not-for-profit funding. Visitors to the national park sites spent approximately $20.2 billion in local gateway regions in 2018, according to a May 2019 report by the park service, which translated into 329,000 jobs, $13.6 billion in labor income, $23.4 billion in value added, and $40.1 billion in economic output. Under former President Barack Obama’s 2015 “Every Kid in a Park” program, every fourth-grader in the U.S. is eligible for free year-long national parks passes for the student as well as his or her family. The program attracted over 350,000 students in its first two years of operation and was reauthorized last year for seven more years, the park service said.

Carolina’s African-American voters. Yet the late entry of fellow billionaire Michael Bloomberg overshadowed Steyer, and his climate change platform failed to win over minorities attracted to the economy-based platforms of Sanders and Biden. Despite officially dropping out, Steyer said that he would continue promoting green legislation as well as the need to defeat President Trump in 2020. “Am I going to continue to work on every single one of these issues?” Steyer said. “Yes, of course I am. I’ve never stopped.”

Tornado Tears Across TN

Steyer Stymied

California hedge fund manager Tom Steyer announced this week that he would bow out of the presidential race after failing to gain traction in the Democratic Party’s primaries. Steyer’s announcement came soon after the news broke that he finished a disappointing third in Saturday’s South Carolina primary, behind Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden. Steyer had garnered only 11.4 percent, or just over 57,000 votes, in the state he had seen as critical to the viability of his campaign. The poor showing was despite the $24 million of his personal wealth he had spent on ads, leading the billionaire to realize that he had no realistic shot at the nomination. “I said if I didn’t see a path to winning, then I’d suspend my campaign. And honestly, I can’t see a path where I can win the presidency,” Steyer admitted. Running on a climate platform, Steyer had invested hundreds of millions of dollars on the campaign, with the main focus on winning over South

At least 19 people were killed in Tennessee early Tuesday, including two in Nashville, when powerful tornadoes ripped through the state. At least 40 structures had collapsed in the ferocious winds in Nashville. Photos and videos shared on social media show walls blasted off buildings, sheet metal wrapped around a pole, and trees and electrical lines broken across roads. “It’s not looking good right now. We still have several people missing, a lot of loved ones calling in wanting us to locate their family,” Sheriff Eddie Farris of Putnam County told a local news station, WKRN. “We certainly hope that number doesn’t go up, but it’s not looking real promising at this point.” More than 44,000 people in the Nashville area were without power as of Tuesday morning. Four substations and multiple distribution lines and power poles had been damaged in the storm. The electric company urged residents to stay away from downed wires, which are assumed to be live. The National Weather Service had urged people in several areas of Tennessee to take cover on Monday as it issued alerts for severe thunderstorms and possible tornadoes.

Prison for Ex-Baltimore Mayor Former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh was sentenced last week to three years in prison, another three years’ probation, and a fine for boosting the sale of her book in order to fund her reelection bid. At the sentencing, Maryland U.S. District Court Judge Deborah K. Chasanow harshly criticized Pugh for her actions, singling out a 13-minute video she presented to the court that highlighted her tenure as Baltimore’s mayor. Calling Pugh’s mayoral record as “ironic,” the judge said that “it was precisely that reputation for good work that allowed her to commit these offenses and continue the fraud for as long as she did.” Pugh had issued a public apology before the court and presented dozens of letters from Baltimore officials asking the judge to issue a light sentence, including one from current Mayor Kweisi Mfume. The former mayor pleaded guilty last year to a slew of charges, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, and two counts of tax evasion. The fraud had centered around the Healthy Holly book series which Pugh authored. While still a Maryland state senator, Pugh and two aides forced corporate interests to purchase large amounts of her books in order to maintain their government contracts. She and her aides then funneled the proceeds from the sales into her reelection campaign. Both of her aides pleaded guilty to money laundering charges and await sentencing. Apart from the prison time, Pugh will be forced to repay $400,000 to the University of Maryland Medical System, along with $12,000 to the Maryland Auto Insurance Fund. She also loses sums totaling $670,000 and $17,800 that she made from the illicit sales of her books. “This morning was a sad occasion,” U.S. Attorney Robert Hur said after the sentencing. “Holding public office is a rare privilege and an opportunity to serve the community and get

things done that help our community. “And, unfortunately, the type of fraud and public corruption that Ms. Pugh committed – and was sentenced to three years in federal prison for today – undermines everyone’s faith in government and what government can do for the people.”

Trader Joe’s Founder Dies

Joe Coulombe, founder of Trader Joe’s, died on Friday at the age of 89. He had opened his first store in Pasadena, California, in 1967 and watched his eponymous business rise from a cult favorite to a giant retail chain for more than 500 stores in more than 40 states. Coulombe had envisioned a new generation of young grocery shoppers emerging in the 1960s, one that wanted healthy, tasty, high-quality food they couldn’t find in most supermarkets and couldn’t afford to buy in the few highend gourmet outlets. Joe found a way to bring everything from granola – an exotic food item back then – to California-produced wines to his gourmet clientele. Shopping at his store was fun, filled with nautical themes and staffed not by managers and clerks but by “captains and mates.” Decades later, Coulombe’s stores are still fun and pride themselves on their friendly customer service and newsletters with quirky and witty comments and notes. “He wanted to make sure whatever was sold in our store was of good value,” said Coulombe’s son, also named Joe. “He always did lots of taste tests. My sisters and I remember him bringing home all kinds of things for us to try. At his offices he had practically daily tastings of new products. Always the aim was to provide good food and good value to people.” Coulombe would buy directly from wholesalers, cutting out middlemen, to

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The Week In News save on costs. He named several products after his daughters Charlotte and Madeleine and gave quirky names to others. After selling Trader Joe’s to German grocery retailer Aldi in 1979, Coulombe remained as its CEO until 1988, when he left to launch a second career as what he called a “temp,” coming in as interim CEO or consultant for several large companies in transition. He retired in 2013. Joseph Hardin Coulombe was born on June 3, 1930, in San Diego and lived on an avocado ranch in nearby Del Mar. After serving in the Air Force, he attended Stanford University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics, a master’s in

business administration, and met and married his wife, Alice.

Biden Victorious in SC Following losses in Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada, former Vice President Joe Biden came roaring back with a crushing victory in South Carolina’s Democratic primaries on Saturday. Biden used his tremendous advantage among African-American voters to rout the rest of the field, racking up 81% of the minority vote and beating runner-up Bernie Sanders by more

than 30 points. The win is Biden’s first-ever, despite running for president in 1988 and again in 2008. Having seen his frontrunner status melt away after losing three straight state primaries, Biden announced on Saturday evening that the blowout win was a sign that his comeback had begun.

Before a raucous crowd, Biden exulted that “the press and the pundits had declared this candidacy dead” but “now, thanks to all of you, the heart of the Democratic Party, we won and we won big because of you. “And we are very much alive,” Biden added. “This campaign is taking off!” Biden’s victory gave him strong momentum going into Tuesday’s Super Tuesday primaries. Once seen as the leading frontrunner to take on President Trump in 2020, Biden was recently thought to be on the verge of dropping out of the race entirely after being blown out in Iowa and New Hampshire by Senator Bernie Sanders. By coming in first in South Carolina, Biden will likely get least 54 pledged delegates, more than 50% of the 101 that were up for grabs in the state. Biden still trails Sanders, who currently enjoys the highest number of pledged delegates heading into Super Tuesday with 56 to Biden’s 48. Contenders need 1,991 pledged delegates to earn the nomination.

Jack Welch Dies at 84 Jack Welch, a railroad conductor’s son who became chairman and CEO of General Electric and led it for two decades, growing its market value

from $12 billion to $410 billion, died at the age of 84 this week. Welch earned two titles – “manager of the century,” and “Neutron Jack” – for slashing tens of thousands of jobs. Under his leadership, GE became the world’s most valuable company, after Microsoft. Its fortunes later turned south.

While at the helm, Welch bought and sold scores of businesses, expanding the industrial giant into financial services and consulting. Welch invented the “vitality curve,” in which managers were ranked into three groups. The top 20% “A” group was “filled with passion, committed to making things happen.” The “vital” 70% “B” group was essential to the company and encouraged to join the A’s. Then there was the bottom 10% “C” group. “The underperformers generally had to go,” Welch said in his 2001 book, Jack: Straight From the Gut. Welch was born in 1935, in Peabody, Massachusetts, to Irish-American parents. His father was a conductor for the Boston & Maine Railroad, and his mother was a homemaker. Welch studied chemical engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and received his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois in 1960. He joined GE in 1960 as a chemical engineer in its plastics division in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Welch insisted that all of GE’s divisions be market leaders. ‘‘Fix it, close it or sell it,” he was fond of saying. Fortune magazine dubbed him “manager of the century” in 1999. “Though he acted with what seemed at the time like blitzkrieg aggressiveness, he regretted in later years that he hadn’t moved even faster,” Fortune editorial director Geoffrey Colvin wrote in explaining the title. “Having been handed one of the treasures of

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The Week In News American enterprise, he said, he was ‘afraid of breaking it.’ Not only did Welch not break it, but he transformed it as well and multiplied its value beyond anyone’s expectations.” Welch retired from GE in September 2001, days before the 9/11 attacks. After leaving GE, Welch became a business consultant, engaged in public speaking and TV appearances, including on CNBC, wrote a column and books and opened a for-profit management institute.

Coronavirus Circulating It’s possible that coronavirus has been circulating undetected in Washington State for the past six weeks. Researchers conducted genetic sequencing of two virus samples. One is

from a patient who traveled from China to Snohomish County in mid-January and was the first person diagnosed with the disease in the United States. The other came from a recently diagnosed patient in the same county, a high school student with no travel-related or other known exposure to the coronavirus. “This strongly suggests that there has been cryptic transmission in Washington State for the past 6 weeks,” Trevor Bedford, a biologist involved in the research, wrote. “I believe we’re facing an already substantial outbreak in Washington State that was not detected until now due to narrow case definition requiring direct travel to China.” Officials in Seattle and King County on Sunday announced that four more people have tested positive for the coronavirus, including the second person in the state to die of the virus. That brings the outbreak in Wash-

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ington state to 13 cases. Of the four new cases, the three surviving patients range in age from their 70s to 90s, have underlying health conditions and are in critical condition, health officials said. The first coronavirus death in the United States was announced on Saturday. Health officials in Washington State and across the nation said they expect that numbers will continue to rise in the wake of the decision by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week to widen testing guidelines. Over the weekend, new cases were reported in Americans who had recently traveled to South Korea and Italy, including one person in Rhode Island, the state’s first case. The health department in Santa Clara County, Calif., in the heart of Silicon Valley, announced three new coronavirus cases Sunday evening, bringing to seven the total number of cases there. The announcement gave few details about the cases. Late Sunday, the office of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced two “presumptively positive” cases of the coronavirus. California and Oregon, like Washington, have reported coronavirus infections in people who did not travel to regions hit hard by the outbreak or have contact with people known to be infected. The United States has dozens of other confirmed infections, the majority of them people who were among the passengers on the cruise ship Diamond Princess. The international picture has continued to worsen, with spikes in cases in South Korea, Iran and Italy in recent days. Worldwide, almost 90,000 people have been infected with the coronavirus, and 3,000 have died.

Klobuchar Calls it Quits Another one bites the dust. On Monday, Sen. Amy Klobuchar announced that she is ending her 2020 White House bid and endorsing former Vice President Joe Biden. Klobuchar dropped out less than 24 hours after former Mayor Pete Buttigieg ended his campaign for the presidency.

Trailing in the delegate race for the Democratic presidential nomination, the three-term senator from Minnesota pulled herself out of contention after a series of disappointing showings in the early caucuses and primaries.

Though buoyed by strong debate performances and a surprising third-place finish in New Hampshire on February 11, Klobuchar failed to break into the top ranks of a crowded Democratic field, even as she outlasted several other better-known rivals. She finished sixth in both the Nevada caucus and the South Carolina primary, a sign that she was failing to win over Latino and black voters so important to the national Democratic coalition.

Elephant for Rent

Interested in sleeping in an elephant for three nights? The owners of New Jersey’s Lucy the Elephant recently announced that the famous animal is being listed on Airbnb for three nights, giving a few privileged guests the opportunity to sleep inside the 138-year-old structure. The interior of the Margate elephant is being decorated in a Victorian style to resemble its appearance when

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The Week In News it was a vacation home in the early 20th century. Standing a regal six stories high, Lucy the Elephant was built in 1881 and is older than the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower in Paris. She hosted her first stay in 1902, and over the years she has served as a tavern and even hosted former United States President Woodrow Wilson. When she first opened as a tourist attraction, visitors were able to tour her interior for a mere 10 cents. Want to earn the bragging rights for the most interesting place to lay down your head? Lucy is only being listed for March 17 through 19 and will be available for $138 a night. Better start packing your trunk.

60th Celebration If your birthday is May 14, you’re not alone. Swiss President Simonetta Som-

maruga is turning 60 on that day and is planning to share the celebration by inviting along all Swiss citizens who have the same birthday.

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presidency website. For now, the location is secret, although it will be in the Bern area – the Swiss capital. The Swiss presidency is a largely ceremonial role that rotates annually between leading political parties. Sommaruga, a Socialist Party member who already served as president in 2015, took up her post on January 1 and delivered her New Year’s address from her local bakery. Any guesses on where they’ll be baking the birthday cake?

taste of victory – along with a stack of pancakes.

Leaping Twice

Pancake Pursuit

Think your morning schedule is hectic? Try flipping pancakes and participating in a marathon at the same time. Katie Godor from Buckinghamshire in the UK tasted a sweet victory over Whitney Hay from Kansas when she won the annual pancake race between their British and American hometowns. Godor ran the 71st International Pancake Day race with a time of 1:06 seconds. Hay came in just under Godor with a time of 1.09. Guess she got stuck in the syrup on the way over. Women in the event must run a 380-meter race while carrying a pancake in a frying pan and flipping it at the beginning and end. The race began in Olney in the 15th century. Liberal, Kansas, challenged Olney to an international competition in 1950. The event expanded this year in Liberal to a four-day event that includes pancake eating and flipping contests, a parade, and a carnival. Other events include a 5K fun run and races for all ages, and a shriving service. Nothing tastes sweeter than the

What are the chances? They say that lightning never strikes twice in one place, but for Lindsay and Dane Demchak their two children both were born on a most unusual day. Four years ago, on February 29, 2016, the Demchaks gave birth to their son, Omri. This year, on Saturday, they welcomed their next child, daughter Scout, into this world. Scout was born on February 29, 2020. Yup, they now have two “leaplings” in their family. “Deep down, I wanted it to happen and always joked with my wife that she will be born then, too, but never really believed it [would] happen again,” Dane said. “I think they said the odds were 1 in 2 million.” Scout was actually due to be born on March 4 but popped out on February 29 before the Demchaks were about to celebrate Omri’s birthday. Because February 29 only comes around every four years, they plan on celebrating Omri’s birthday on February 28 and Scout’s birthday on March 1. When there’s a leap year, the siblings will have a giant, joint birthday on February 29. “Hopefully, it becomes a tradition that carries on with them as they grow old and something that keeps them close forever,” Dane said. Yup, sounds like they’re leaping for joy.

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Torah Thought

They Are All Beloved... By Rabbi Zvi Teichman

As Yosef was about to succumb to the seductions of the wife of Potiphar, an image of his father appears to him pleading, “Yosef, your brothers will have their names inscribed upon the stones of the Ephod and yours amongst theirs; is it your wish to have your name expunged from amongst theirs and be called an associate of harlots?” ):‫(סוטה לו‬ Yosef restrains himself, attaining the appellation ‫הצדיק‬, the ‘righteous one’, for all of eternity. The Ephod, one of the garments worn by the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest, was an apron that had straps that rose up from behind him to cover his shoulders and had two gold settings, which contained two precious shoham stones. On these stones the names of all the twelve tribes were engraved. There was another garment that connected to the Ephod, the Choshen, a breastplate worn upon the front of the Kohen Gadol that had twelve precious gems with the names of each of the tribes etched into their unique stone. The question begs as to why didn’t Yaakov Avinu forewarn Yosef of the consequences of his name being purged from the Choshen as well? It would seem that if Yosef would have failed in overcoming his passion during this ‘moment of truth’, he would have been reduced from the stature of being numbered among the illustrious Twelve Tribes that carried the legacy of the Avos, the Patriarchs. So why then is there an implication that he would’ve been removed from the stones of the Ephod but not necessarily from the stones of the Choshen? These shoham stones, with the names of the tribes engraved on them, the Torah states, are to serve as ‘remembrance stones for the Children of Israel’. )‫)שמות כח יב‬ In similar terms the Torah describes the stones on the Breastplate, with all the names of the tribes inscribed on them, as being borne by Aharon on his heart as he enters the Sanctuary, as a, ‘constant remembrance before G-d’.‫(שם‬ )‫שם כט‬ Although both seem to serve as reminders

to G-d, as it were, to think of us, with the Kohen Gadol representing our interests, yet by the Ephod it merely speaks of being remembered, whereas by the Choshen there is an emphasis on G-d being constantly conscious of our being. Rashi in reference to the stones of the Ephod, quotes the Midrash that amplifies: So that the Holy One, blessed is He, will see the [progenitors of the] tribes written before Him, and He will remember their righteousness. It would seem that these stones present before G-d how His children have acted dutifully and righteously, and are deserving of His special attention. One, however, who has come up short cannot make an appear on this slate of the righteous. Perhaps the gems of the Choshen, in contrast, represent all of His children, righteous or not, who are always present before G-d, for His love for us is unconditional and ‫תמיד‬, everlasting. The Torah instructs that these two garments must always be connected. And the Breastplate will not be loosened from upon the Ephod. ‫(שם‬ )‫שם כח‬ Aside for the efficient facilitation of the Avodah, service of the Kohen Gadol, by having the garments secured properly and not flapping about loosely there is a deeper message here. The relationship we have with G-d goes two ways. We are devoted and faithful to Him and He is lovingly attentive to us. But which comes first? Do we earn His love through our deeds, or are we compelled to loyalty because He loves us so unqualifiedly? Our relationship with G-d is undeniably the latter. G-d has promised he will never forsake us nor ever give up on us. Knowing that He loves us no matter how far we may have strayed gives us the impetus to always forge forward and never despair. Yosef, in his utter loneliness, finds himself in a moment of despondence and is almost willing to succumb to easy and comforting temptation, he suddenly sees an ‘image’ of his father. He recalls the warm and loving relationship he had with his father, one whose unconditional love preceded Yosef’s reciprocal devotion. He

realizes that what enabled him to have the courage to stand up to the taunts of his brothers, and even to risk his life in meeting up with them in fulfilling his father’s request to see how they are faring, stemmed from the confidence his father instilled within him through his abiding love and constant support. Projecting from that connection to a father, who serves as the template for our relationship with G-d, he ponders how even more so G-d has endless patience, hope for our success and faith in us. It is with the knowledge of G-d’s confidence in us and unconditional love, as expressed in the stones of the Choshen, that no matter how far we have fallen we are lovingly implanted in His heart, that compels him to recommit to withstanding temptation and merit to return that loyalty and be forever etched in the stones of the Ephod in eternal righteousness. We are taught that Esav’s descendants are sustained in the merit of his exemplary devotion and honor he bestowed to his loving father, Yitzchok. Despite this testament to the relationship he had with his father it never translated into fealty to his Father in Heaven. His loyalty to his own father was flawed because in Esav’s mind loyalty breeds love, you get back what you give. In that world view when one is weakened in the ability to provide, one lapses quickly into despair and frustration thinking if ‘I can’t invest there is no return’. That is why Esav couldn’t envision any benefit from a G-d he felt he was incapable of serving and therefore forsook Him. Amalek, a grandson of Esav, represents the vilest magnification of the corrupt weed that sprouts from within Esav. When the daughter of Haman the Amalekite, realizes that she emptied the contents of the toilet on the head her father Haman, showering him with excrement, after mistaking him for Mordechai, she panics in despondency and humiliation and reasons it is better to jump off the balcony and commit suicide than to face her angry father. Only one who was raised with the misconstrued philosophy that parental love can only be earned, will opt to die rather than live with the wrath and disappointment of her abusive father. The Great Rav of Dvinsk, Reb Meir Simcha points out that it at the hands of the descendants of Binyomin, Mordechai and Esther, that Amalek will be defeated. Binyomin, even more so than Yosef, displayed an exemplary relationship with his father. Yosef never revealed the truth about the brothers because he had committed to the cherem, the ban the brothers placed on anyone who would reveal the truth. Binyomin, however, had not participated in that oath, yet nevertheless refrained from causing his father any pain with that knowledge, even though he suffered immensely as a result of their misdeed. The love he sensed from his father bred an exceptional loyalty that he exhibited in return and enable him to overcome his own personal anguish and never despair. It was for that reason

he became the '‫ידיד ד‬, G-d’s beloved, and merit the Temple stand on his portion. He took the model of his connection to his father to create an exquisite bond with G-d. • At a kiddush celebrating the birth of a daughter, the father of the child, Josh Steininger, in explaining why they named their daughter Ahuva related a beautiful story and sentiment that touched my soul deeply. In 2016, Sammi, his wife, had finished her intense master’s program and licensing exams, while Josh had left his job for an unofficial leave of absence. They decided to pack up and set out for four months in Israel with the goal of reconnecting with each other, themselves, and G-d. Less than a week later, on the eve of Rosh Hashanah, they found out they were expecting. A major conversation and focus of their time in Israel were emunah, faith and seeing the hand of Hashem in everything, taking note of divine providence, hashgacha pratis, in their daily lives, and internalizing the undeniable fact that Hashem was taking care of them. After a wonderful four months they returned to the states, homeless, jobless, and pregnant! Within a relatively short time with the help of G-d and good friends they were able to settle into an apartment and decent jobs. All the while they were tracking the remarkable hashgacha, providence, in their lives and deepening their emunah, faith. They had decided that if the baby were going to be a girl, they would name her Emunah. They joked that Sammi’s ‘Emunah’ was literally growing inside of her. On erev Rosh Chodesh Sivan, after an intense labor and delivery they heard the words: “It’s a girl!” In the recovery room Sammi informed Josh that the baby’s name would be Ahuva. Bewildered, Josh remembered saying, “really Sammi, are you sure? I thought we had decided on Emunah?” And she said, yes, it’s Ahuva. Sammi went on to explain that the baby’s name is Ahuva, meaning ‘to be loved’, because while yes it is a beautiful and vital thing to constantly work on our faith and commitment, but ultimately it had nothing to do with their emunah in Hashem and everything to do with G-d’s boundless ahava, for them. They wanted to emphasize the haspahah, or flow, from Hashem down towards them. He had constantly showered them with so much love throughout their remarkable journey - the name Ahuva, they felt, was indeed the right choice. • When we will sense and perceive G-d’s unconditional love towards us we will no doubt respond loyally and joyously, coping with whatever challenges we may face, and never despair. That is how we will finally eradicate the negative attitudes of Amalek and restoring G-d to His and our home in Yerushalayim.

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Protecting our Mosdos - $90 million in Security Funding Available for Non-Profits By Rachel Horan The current anti-Semitic climate in the United States is frightening. While American politics becomes more polarized, it has been observed that the only thing the radical left and extreme right have in common is anti-Semitism. The Jewish community of America is currently being targeted on all sides - by extremist Muslim groups, anti-Israel left-wing activists, White Supremacists and Neo-Nazis alike. According to the ADL Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents, there were a total of 1,879 attacks (physical assaults, vandalism and harassment) against Jews and Jewish institutions across the country in 2018 – and that number is sadly rising. Anti-Semitic incidents for 2018 were 48% higher than the total for 2016 and 99% higher than in 2015 and 2017 showed the largest single-year increase on record in the past 40 years. The recent fatal attacks in Synagogues and Jewish businesses in Monsey, NY, Jersey City, NJ, Pittsburgh, PA and Poway, CA, in addition to incidents all over New York City highlight the threat to Jews all over the country. In addition to white nationalism, the FBI, DHS, & NCTC assess that the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hizballah, and Al Qaeda have all demonstrated intent to specifically target Jews and Jewish interests in the U.S. and abroad. There have also been numerous incidents within our very community, including multiple Bomb threats at both JCCs and several Synagogues with threats to shoot the “Jewish children first,” anti-Semitic graffiti at a number of locations throughout the area, suspicious individuals taking pictures of shuls and Jewish schools, and numerous robberies or attempted robberies. It is imperative that we take all necessary precautions to keep our community safe. Fortunately for us, both the Federal and State government are offering unprecedented funding opportunities for non-profits and religious institutions to improve safety against acts of terrorism and Hate

Crimes. Starting in 2005, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) began the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP). NSGP was granting an average of $17 million per year to non-profit organizations to help improve security infrastructure. Since 2018, however, the available funding increased by as much as 400% and this year an unparalleled $90 million is available for non-profit security. Thanks to President Trump, these funds are here to stay – at least for the foreseeable future. In January, the President signed into law the “Securing Faithbased and Nonprofit Organizations from Terrorism Act” passed by Congress, authorizing $375 million for the NSGP from 2020-2024, guaranteeing a minimum of $75 million per year for the next five years. In the words of the NSGP Notice of Funding Opportunity “the 2018-2022 FEMA Strategic Plan creates a shared vision for reducing the risks posed by terrorism and sets an ambitious, yet achievable, path forward to unify and further professionalize emergency management across the country.” Despite the additional funding, applications are also expected to increase tremendously, making it more competitive. The number of applicants more than doubled in 2019 with over 2000 applicants and only 718 awardees. The good news is that the government wants as many organizations as possible to get funding. Kevin Smith, Director of DHS Center for Faith and Opportunity Initiatives, remarked in an NSGP Webinar Series for Nonprofit Partners, how important faith based organizations and houses of worship are to the nation - especially during times of tragedy, natural disaster, and terrorism. “We know that these community and faith based organizations are critical not only to our local communities but across the United States because they serve others . . . so why would the government not do

everything that they can to help make sure they are able to serve in the best way possible. The Nonprofit Security Grant is geared to help us ensure that every house of worship [and] every community based organization has the opportunity to serve without the fear or the threat of violence to stop them or to attempt to stop them. . . .” Agudath Israel of America, the Orthodox Union of America and other lobby groups were instrumental in helping to encourage the development of NSGP and similar state-based grants. “Agudath Israel of America has been deeply involved in the creation and annual funding of security grant programs to protect Jewish institutions,” Rabbi Ariel Sadwin, Executive Director of Agudath Israel of Maryland – Mid-Atlantic Region, said. “Beginning in 2005, scores of Jewish institutions across the country have been the beneficiaries of the federal Department of Homeland Security grant program for nonprofit organizations. . . Locally, Agudath Israel of Maryland has worked with the Associated’s Baltimore Jewish Council and other similarly focused entities to create grant programs to protect schools and houses of worship in Maryland.” Organizations may request up to $100,000 towards actual documented security expenses. NSGP funds have traditionally been available to fund structural target hardening installations, such as cameras, alarm systems, fences, and secure doors, and windows. Since last year, however, as much as 100% of funds can be used to provide security guards and live surveillance. In other words – there is no reason why every single shul shouldn’t have a government funded security guard – at least on Shabbos and holidays. “With the rise in anti-Semitism we have been experiencing lately all over the country we have to consider every shul and Jewish day school to be a soft target,” Ronnie Rosenbluth, former President and current Senior Advisor of Baltimore Shomrim, said. “We all

must be vigilant and look for ways to protect our shuls and schools.” The NSGP application window opened February 14 and will close at the end of March, making it extremely time sensitive for shuls and other non-profits to get working on their applications. The government strongly encourages organizations to apply for funding to facilitate safer religious communities, houses of worship and schools. New applicants receive bonus points so shuls or organizations who haven’t applied in the past have an even higher chance of being awarded funding. Additional grant opportunities exist each year from the State of Maryland such as PAHC (Protecting Against Hate Crimes) and Hate Bias Crimes Grant, offered through Maryland Center for School Safety (MCSS). PAHC has an open enrollment and awards up to $100,000 per organization on a first-come firstserve basis while funds last. It is therefore highly recommended that every organization apply immediately for all Federal and State security grants. Although anyone can apply, your chances of winning a grant increase if you utilize an experienced professional grant writer. Even if you can’t make the NSGP deadline for this year, it’s important to get the ball rolling in advance for next year’s application by obtaining a detailed security risk assessment and security installation quote immediately. So ask your shul president if he’s applied for NSGP today! It’s the least you can do to help make our community safer! Rachel Horan is a grant writer who has assisted dozens of local organizations, schools, and Synagogues to achieve hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding. Feel free to contact her at grantwritingMD@gmail.com for an information packet and checklist to help your shul or organization get started.

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Bais Yaakov Womens Gala @Martins West 6:45pm see page 3

Nissan 5

Yonatan Razel -- Anniversry Concert for Rabbi Goldberger’s Shul @OM JCC 7:30pm

April Tuesday Adar 7

Adar 14

Adar 21

Adar 22

Adar 15

Adar 8

Wednesday

Adar 29

Nissan 7

Rabbi Heinemann’s Annual Pesach Shiur @Agudah Lasson Center 8:15pm see page 45

Hands On: Checking for Insects in Produce @3209 Fallstaff Rd 8pm see page 45

Shidduch Center CauseMatch Campaign see Cover page & page 19

Nissan 6

Adar 28

MMAE Greengate Jewish Center Sisterhood: “Shanghai-Escape To Freedom” @7000 Rockland Hills Drive 11:30am

Rav Gav; Get Pumped for Pesach @Doubletree 7:30pm see page 21

Friday Adar 10

5:46 PM

Adar 17

6:54PM

Adar 24

7:01 PM

Nissan 2

7:08 PM

Nissan 9

7:14 PM

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8:16 PM

Nissan 10

8:09 PM

Nissan 3

8:02 PM

Adar 25

7:55 PM

Adar 18

6:48 PM

Adar 11

Saturday

Community Calendar

Adar/Nissan 5780

Adar 23

Adar 16

Adar 9

Thursday

Nissan 8

Nissan 1

Next BJH Issue

Antisemitism: Here & Now @Beth Tfiloh 7pm see page 15

Next BJH Issue

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to have your future event listed in the Community Calendar please contact Ads@BaltimoreJewishHome.com

Nissan 4

March

Adar 12

Adar 5

Sunday

2020 1

8 Aish Kodesh Mikvah Groundbreaking @8:45am see page 13

Adar 19

Purim Music Festival with The Miami Boys Choir @Gordon Center for the Performing Arts 5pm

15 Ohr Hamizrach Hachnosas Sefer Torah @2pm see back cover

Ner Tamid; Timeless Music @Ner Tamid 7pm

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OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Health & F tness

A Healthy Purim Shpiel By Aliza Beer MS, RD, CDN

e commence this Purim holiday with the Fast of Esther Beware, don’t overindulge before the fast or after! Eating too much prior to the fast will not help you, my dear You will be just as hungry during the fast, I most certainly fear!

Drink lots of water (at least eight cups) erev Taanis Esther Eating grapes and watermelon pre-fast is not a bad idea, either When the fast is done, your body is in “starvation mode” Your metabolism is slow; eat a small meal not a load

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The break-fast meal should consist of protein and whole grains Roast some veggies and make soup to go with your mains. Purim is a big day for Jews to celebrate Don’t focus only on the food and what you ate Plan for a healthy breakfast and lunch on that day Don’t skip meals for you will be hungry and inevitably stray Perhaps get “fleishig” at lunch; have some turkey or grilled chicken Off limits now are the milk chocolates/dairy cookies, no pickin’ or lickin’! Mishloach manos are a tremendous source of stress and waste Discard or donate the bulk of it – please do so in haste! It is essential to keep your children’s most favorite treats Indulge yourself as well, with one or two cheats. The Purim seudah will be a large Shabbos-like meal There’s just no way around it, that’s the deal Wash for Hamotzi, since it is a big mitzvah Control yourself – only one thin slice of challah! Pick your protein and load veggies onto your plate Avoid the kugels and pasta, they are not your mates!

What to do about the alcohol, all that vodka and wine? Drink in moderation, alcohol poisoning is not fine. Putting our health at risk is not what Hashem planned Discuss before with your spouse/ parents/rebbe so it’s not out of hand Alcohol is metabolized by the body like a fat Drink too much, and you will gain weight, and that’s a fact! Dessert time! Before you take a bite, let’s review the day If all went well, then a few bites are totally okay Shushan Purim is the day to get back on track Eat clean, no sugar, go to the gym, and don’t slack Detox like this for the next few days The damage is not irreversible, I have my ways, If you require my assistance, you know where to find me For Purim 2020, I am running off to Miami! Wishing all of my readers and clients a freilechen Purim! Aliza Beer is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in nutrition. She has a private practice in Cedarhurst, NY. Patients’ success has been featured on the Dr. Oz show. Aliza can be reached at alizabeer@gmail.com, and you can follow her on Instagram at @alizabeer.

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OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

A Fulfilled L fe

A Season of Rapid Reversals By Rabbi Dr. Naphtali Hoff

he recent coronavirus-driven turmoil on Wall Street has left many investors holding their collective breath. Following years of steady gains, we witnessed a loss of 3,000 points on the Dow Jones in just five days, which put the market in correction territory (10% decline from previous highs) and sent investors scurrying for cover and bemoaning their fate. As I was contemplating this current, drastic change from security and prosperity to (hopefully temporary) shock and disillusionment, it brought to mind the crazy, roller-coaster-type scenario which stared down at the Jews of Persia nearly 2,400 years ago.

In the year 370 BCE, less than a decade before the commencement of the Purim story, the newly crowned Persian king Koresh (Cyrus) issued a decree urging all Jews to return to their ancestral homeland and rebuild their central house of worship (see Ezra 1:2–3). One can imagine how high the Jews’ collective spirits must have been at that time. Not only were they finally freed from the oppressive Babylonian monarchy, but they were even granted permission to return to the land of their fathers and rebuild the holiest of structures, the long-awaited fulfillment of Yirmiyahu’s “seventy year” prophecy (see Yirmiyahu 29:10). What an unbelievably positive turn of events! Yet, as quickly as things had improved for the Jews, they would sour almost as rapidly, eventually bringing

the Jews to a collective sense of despair and near destruction. Despite Koresh’s mandate and the Jews’ initial enthusiasm, a mere 50,000 Jews (out of an estimated population of one million) actually returned to Eretz Yisrael. Shortly thereafter, the fledgling Jewish settlement’s attempts to rebuild the Bais HaMikdash were thwarted by a scheming local population, who convinced Koresh to quickly reverse his edict. These Jews were now left with-

as he even utilized the vessels of the Bais HaMikdash as part of the festivities (see Megilla 11b). Later, Achashveirosh transferred executive power to Haman, one of greatest Jew-haters in history. What Haman elected to do with that power soon sent tremors throughout the Jewish world, in Persia, Eretz Yisroel, and beyond. Talk about a reversal of fortunes. And we thought that we had it bad! Of course, what ultimately saved

Not only were the Jews spared the terrible tragedy of annihilation, but they even grew to new levels of prominence in Persia.

out a sense of security or purpose and were soon headed towards despair and assimilation. A few years later, Koresh’s successor, Achashveirosh, led the Jews of Persia down a different path of dashed hopes. At first, he bestowed great apparent favor upon the Jews of Shushan, inviting them to a lavish, extended party in the royal palace. However, it soon became clear that the king’s primary objective was to celebrate the fact that the aforementioned “seventy years” redemption prophecy would not come to fruition,

the Jewish people at that time was the great degree of emunah u’bitachon that they were able to achieve under the devoted leadership of Mordechai and Esther. Through fasting and repentance, they reconnected with Hashem to such a degree that they came to “reaccept” His Torah (Kimu v’kiblu – kiblu mah shekiblu kvar, Shavuos 39a, based on Esther 9:27). In so doing, they invoked Hashem’s compassion and brought about their own stunning and complete reversal of fortunes, a true v’nahapoch hu (Esther 9:1).

Not only were the Jews spared the terrible tragedy of annihilation, but they even grew to new levels of prominence in Persia, again led by Mordechai, the king’s new viceroy. In addition, within a few years, the Jews of Eretz Yisroel would reinitiate the building of the second Bais HaMikdash and would eventually, under the leadership of Ezra first and then Nechemia, reestablish a vibrant, secure community committed to the highest standards of Torah observance. While we cannot say that they all lived happily ever after, the end of this particular saga ended far more favorably than anyone at the time could have realistically imagined. What the future holds for the market is hard to say. However, in this great season of v’nahapoch hu, a time of great physical and spiritual revivals and redemptions, we can at least hope that Hashem will see fit to keep moving on an upwards trajectory and make this Purim a true day of orah, simcha, sasson, and y’kar. Naphtali Hoff, PsyD, is an executive coach who helps busy leaders be more productive so that they can scale profits with less stress and get home at a decent hour. For a free, no obligation consultation, please call 212.470.6139 or email nh@impactfulcoaching.com. Check out his new leadership book, “Becoming the New Boss”, on Amazon. Download his free productivity blueprint at ImpactfulCoaching.com/ Productivity-Blueprint. Take a free productivity assessment at ImpactfulCoaching.com/ Productivity-Assessment.

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Busy days in Annapolis Being in Annapolis during session feels akin to travelling on a bullet train. Over 1800 pieces of legislation addressing topics that affect nearly every aspect of our lives are covered over the span of 90 days. Many of these bills are extremely important, but I want to spend some time discussing a topic that I believe is on the forefront of the mind of every one of my constituents. This topic is crime. This is the increase in violent crime in our neighborhoods. This is our rising fears that we will be the next victim, and many times a victim yet again. Almost every day, constituents throughout my district express these concerns to me. We deserve to feel and be safe. Our families deserve to feel and be safe. Every Marylander deserves to feel and be safe. I have been a prosecutor in Baltimore City for about 7 years and have incarcerated many individuals. Reducing crime continues to be my top priority. One thing I keep stressing is that there is not just one solution to reducing crime. We need to address the issue from every point possible. One crucial piece of legislation that I sponsored is House Bill 1408 - Public Resources Organizing to End Crime Together – AKA The PROTECT Bill. This is a very detailed bill that has several aspects to it. 1. I have seen warrants for violent criminals remain open for long periods of times prior to being executed upon. This bill requires the State Police, Department of Juvenile Services, and the Division of Parole & Probation to create and operate a Warrant Apprehension Task Force partnership. This is a crucial step to ensure violent offenders with open warrants are incarcerated rather than in our neighborhoods. 2. As someone who has prosecuted many cases that have led to individuals being on parole and/or probation, I have seen all too often that these individuals commit additional crimes while under this supervision. This is

unacceptable. This bill requires the Baltimore Police Department, the Department of Juvenile Services, and the Division of Parole & Probation to establish and operate District Officer Supervision Teams. These teams will provide intensive supervision, including increased home visits, of adult and juvenile offenders. 3. Currently the Maryland State Police does not have jurisdiction in Baltimore City, aside from limited circumstances. This bill provides jurisdiction for the State Police to conduct traffic patrol and accident investigations on I-83, I-295 and significant entry and exit corridors. This is crucial for several reasons. Our Baltimore City Police Officers are spending a substantial amount of time responding to car accidents on these roadways. There is an accident on I-83 almost every day, and our officers are required to respond to these accidents, which means spending hours and hours, sometimes most of their shifts, dealing with the aftermath of accidents on I-83 rather than spending that time patrolling our streets and responding to violent crime. Also, as a prosecutor who has worked in the Narcotics and Gun unit for several years, I can attest that a significant amount of drugs and guns are removed from our streets via traffic stops. Many individuals with open warrants are apprehended via traffic stops, as well. Therefore, providing jurisdiction to the State Police to do this can lead to removing many guns and violent offenders off the streets. 4. I have spent a significant amount of time prosecuting juveniles in the Baltimore City Juvenile Justice Center, and one thing that I noticed is the Baltimore Police Department staffs the building with their officers. This bill requires the Juvenile Booking Facility and Detention Center to be staffed by the Department of Juvenile Services and the Department of Public Safety Correctional Services, respectively. This is another significant

opportunity to increase the amount of police officers we have patrolling our neighborhoods. 5. We are living during times that “stop-snitching” and a lack of trust in law enforcement is on the rise. This is concerning since many violent offenders are removed from our streets with the help of the communities. I have seen over my years as a prosecutor that placing extra resources in areas that have the highest amounts of crime leads to the apprehension of some of the most violent offenders. But that must be combined with community involvement. This bill therefore requires the Governor’s Office and State Police to establish 10 high-crime-micro-zones and “End the Violence” PROTECT coordinators from within the communities of these zones to assist in crime reduction in those areas. 6. We can implement as many laws as possible, but without accountability those laws will be meaningless. That is why this bill has an accountability aspect, which requires all these involved agencies to report annually to the Governor and General Assembly. There are other pieces of legislation that I am working on in Annapolis to reduce crime. For example, I also sponsored House Bill 835 “Labor and Employment – Incentive Programs for Hiring and Retraining”. Another solution to reducing crime is reducing

recidivism rates: reducing the amount of people who end up back in jail or prison after being released. When a person is released from jail or prison and cannot find a job, many times that person resorts to crime again. I have spoken over the years to many businesses in an effort to increase hiring formerly- incarcerated individuals and have found the trend is that businesses feel training is costly and there is no benefit on their end to do so. After significant research, I discovered there actually are many incentives for businesses; however, it is difficult for those who do not have lawyers and lobbyists on their payroll (like many small and mid-sized businesses) to know what is out there. This bill requires the Department of Labor to develop a list that is made available on the main page of the Department’s website that names any federal or State incentive programs available to an employer who hires and trains formerly incarcerated individuals. As I mentioned above, “stop-snitching” and witness intimidation is extremely concerning and is a direct cause of many violent offenders not remaining incarcerated. I therefore co-sponsored House Bill 132, which includes witness intimidation in the definition of a crime of violence. Being concerned about our safety every moment of the day is unacceptable and intolerable. I reiterate that reducing crime is my top priority, and I look forward to continuing to do everything in my power to make us all safer. Although I can go on for many more pages about all that I am working on in Annapolis, it’s time to get back on the bullet train! Delegate Dalya Attar dalya@dalyaattar.com

From Daf Yomi… To becoming a

By: Peretz Baruch Eichler

The message to begin now and invigorate one’s daily commitment to negotiate the sea of Talmud is now the “p’shot” heard ‘round the world. It is conceivable by all calculations that there are now more Daf Yomi Shiurim in communities than lehavdil ubiquitous sushi bars. There are programs given morning, noon and night. A plethora of online sites beckon us to enter their portals and plow forward. There are programs in Shuls, batei medrashim, offices and assisted living facilities. There are hour length programs and 40 minute programs and even a 20 minute program learned at the speed of life. I’m waiting for the “insta daf”, where a laser beamed text glows from your I pad and inscribes the daf onto your cerebral cortex. One hopes that the earnest fervor engendered by the massive turnout at the numerous siyum events will continue in a sustained and consistent growth pattern. But there is some degree of inevitable dropouts along the way, with those who are well intentioned, but whom fall prey to the weapons of mass distraction, and or frustration at not being able to keep up with the relentless commitment and inability to take it all in. ◆ ◆ ◆

”It’s like putting money in the bank every day,” he says. “There is no such thing as a bad day, Baruch HaShem.” “It’s like planting wheat in large fields that can yield a bountiful crop. But never harvesting it or putting money in a vault and never withdrawing, that’ s like learning without reviewing .”

It’s called simply, Shas Chabura.

Now, he finishes Shas once a year and credits his wife for her encouragement.

I spoke with the young fellow myself, who is a paragon of self-scrutiny and determination.

The greatest benefit though, he and others maintain, comes from the Torah’s power to bring one closer to being attached to Hashem. Isn’t that one of, if not the ultimate, goal of learning?

He prefers anonymity , but made it known to me that this program transformed his life via his steadfast adherence to the system, and wants more people to take it on, but without his being the public persona for it. I often face that quandary, how much to reveal personally and how and when to keep things wrapped and covert. But it is clear that his own experience can urge all of us upward. His initial challenge was, as is for many, finding the time amidst work and family obligations. He decided that sleep is “overrated”, and he committed himself to rising at 4 a.m. to concentrate on a few pages of Gemara sans interruptions. He took and continues to take his Gemara everywhere. He does not retire for the night until his quota is finished for that day. His family is enormously supportive, especially with Erev Shabbos travel to family, when he and his wife share the driving and the kids keep it down to a low roar so that their father can learn his Daf.

He said that the entire family reaps the benefits of his assiduous study. He actually spends less time n ow in his business, accomplishes and earns more, b’chasdei Hashem. Seriously, it works.

This young man may choose to cloak his vast achievement in anonymity, and Rabbi Dolgin will not budge from his stalwart post .... Our job, our privilege is to look toward their achievement, goals and aspirations, pure and undiluted, and activate and invigorate our own initiative to go through and know Shas. It is our life and length of days, every breath, every moment, every Daf. I would urge anyone who wants to enhance their learning and allow oneself to increase their retention and savored enjoyment of the Daf, to visit the Shas Chabura website, shaschabura.org or Call 732-447-4201 or 732-730-9496 or app.shaschabura.com. ◆ ◆ ◆

Nosh and prizes help. Over seven and a half years, challenges naturally arose, but with Siyata D’shmaya, his commitment and passion surmounted everything. Yet, he admitted that it’s a battle every day. I concurred.

Now, he finishes Shas once a year Endorsed by Gedolim worldwide including: Rav Y. S. Elyashiv zt”l, yb”l Rav Chaim Kanievsky, and Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky See the powerful video on our website

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I spoke to one fellow who took a different track in charting his course, to not only learn Shas but to know it through a method developed by Lakewood resident, Rabbi Sender Dolgin. Rabbi Dolgin created and practices a system of reviewing and retaining one’s study, based on empirical research on how one can learn and remember, and savor what was learned through regular review.

At any rate, this young fellow contacted Mishpacha editor Eytan Kobre to share his experience in the program. Mr. Kobre himself is a proponent and ardent advocate of the program’s remarkable benefits, saying that it has enabled him to achieve levels of accomplishment in his learning that he couldn’t have otherwise done.

MARCH 5, 2020

the afterglow of the Siyum HaShas at the MetLife stadium and venues around the world, programs have proliferated around the globe in revolutionary proportions.

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Dirshu The Upcoming French Dirshu Siyumim – and Why It Should Matter to You… Dirshu Responds to the Unprecedented Growth of French Jewry’s Torah Learning By Rabbi Nachman Seltzer Everyone knows that Klal Yisrael has just finished celebrating Dirshu siyumim around the globe – siyumim in which thousands and thousands of Yidden took part. The siyumim made waves in the Jewish world – and were impossible to miss. With a glorious mixture of Torah speeches, inspiration and uplifting music, every person who took part in one of the Dirshu Torah gatherings, emerged a different and better person. I know this because I was fortunate to participate in a number of the siyumim – each special and each unique. But now the period of the siyumim has come to an end and everyone has started anew. Klal Yisrael finished and Klal Yisrael began again – exactly as it has always been from the first Daf HaYomi cycle. Around the globe, learning Daf HaYomi has gained tremendous traction – with countless new shiurim having been established, and numerous people of all ages setting aside time every day for Torah learning in general and for Daf HaYomi in particular. And yet, there is only one country where Rav Dovid Hofstedter and the Dirshu team are planning a number of siyumim for Brachos. I am referring to France, where a major siyum has been scheduled for the city of Marseilles and another for Paris, as well as many smaller gatherings in other locations as well. The obvious question of course is why? Why France? As in virtually everything in life, herein lies a story. As someone who has covered many Dirshu events through the years, I can personally attest to the unique flavor that is present at each event. There are always different speakers, a new assortment of songs chosen for the musical selections, and a variety of surprises. Of course the theme of the events revolved around the lomdei hadaf – the talmidei chachamim who took the tests and finished Shas with dedication and accountability. They were the heroes and were understand-

ably treated as such. And yet, within the theme, at all the different events, there were many differences and unique moments. However, when I was asked which siyum I enjoyed the most, I didn’t hesitate before answering. “The siyum in Paris,” I replied. “Why?” I was asked. The answer was simple. “Because nothing like that has ever happened there before.” From watching the reaction of the French Jews at the siyum, there was no question in my mind that for them, the siyum was a game changer – or rather, a life changer. Let’s be honest. For Yidden living in Eretz Yisrael or the United States, it is not unusual to encounter gedolei Yisrael. It might take a person time, but he has the option of visiting gedolim more or less whenever he wants to. And so, while seeing a dais filled with Torah leaders is always a beautiful and emotional sight, it is not a chidush. It is something we are used to. In a way we are spoiled. This is not the case for the Jews of France. Until the past Siyum HaShas, French Jewry had never celebrated a Torah gathering of such magnitude. At the hall in Paris, the stage was packed with French gedolim. There were also additional gedolim and rabbanim who flew in from Eretz Yisrael. The Dirshu planning team initially wasn’t sure if they would be able to fill such a large hall. But as the weeks passed, more and more tickets were sold, and by the week of the event, the hall would prove too small, as people had to be turned away! In the end, 5,000 French Yidden streamed to the hall for what

could only be termed an incredibly unique event – and one which I actually understood, due to a Chabad shliach who graciously agreed to sit beside me and translate every word being spoken. It was a phenomenal night. The achdus, the spirit, the singing, the excitement. It was the real thing. But I want to take you back in time to a few months prior to the siyum, because in a sense, the real story started then. Many years ago, a number of people from Dirshu’s team visited Rav Elyashiv, zt”l, to confer with the posek hador and to ask him what he felt was the secret of kiruv, and what they should be focusing on when dealing with unaffiliated Jews. Rav Elyashiv was unequivocal in his response. “You need to teach them Gemara,” he told the team. “Learning Gemara is the only thing that really lasts.” The Dirshu team absorbed the message and never forgot the words they heard that day. In the months leading up to the Paris Siyum, members of Dirshu flew to France where they met with a number of rabbanim who were already delivering Daf HaYomi shiurim. The issue at hand was a simple one. France is home to around half a million Jews, making it one of the largest Jewish communities in the world. And yet, there were very few Daf HaYomi shiurim being offered to the general community. In the city of Marseilles, for example – home to the second- largest Jewish community in the French Republic – there were just three daily Daf HaYomi shiurim. In Paris there were only thirty. There was a reason for this. Though many of the French youth were sent to yeshivos to learn Gemara, a large percentage of the older generation had never been formally introduced to Gemara learning, or to the concept of Daf HaYomi. With siyumim looming around the globe, Rav Dovid Hofstedter, Nasi of Dirshu, felt it was

time to try to change this situation by establishing numerous additional shiurim in preparation for the upcoming siyum, when French Jewry would be inspired to join the Daf HaYomi revolution taking place in every city and beis medrash. So was the stage set prior to the siyum at Dome de Paris. The outcome, however, was much greater than anyone had foreseen. While the Dirshu team had expected to see major growth among the French Jewish community, nobody had expected the result that actually occurred. In the wake of the siyum, there was an outburst of Torah learning all around France, such as has never been seen before! “In a sense,” one of the Dirshu staff told me, “it’s as if France – Jewish France that is – is currently experiencing a second revolution!” Instead of three shiurim in Marseilles, the number has jumped to thirteen daily shiurim. Instead of thirty shiurim in Paris, there are now fifty! It is incredible, yet true. Growth had been foreseen – but not growth on such an exponential level! Suddenly Yidden all over France had begun learning Gemara on a daily basis – to the point that many more Daf HaYomi shiurim had to be added to the new shiurim Dirshu had set up before the Siyum! And because there has been such an explosive outburst of Torah learning in France, Dirshu has decided to host a siyum for Masechta Brachos in the city of Marseilles on March 5th, with another siyum taking place on March 8th in Paris. They are not doing this anywhere else. But the Yidden of France deserve it, because they have opened the doors to their hearts and homes and invited Daf HaYomi and Torah learning into their lives in the most authentic and genuine way. Ashrecha, ashrecha, ashrecha, talmidei chachamim… and Dirshu Yidden. Or in other words, “Vive La Dirshu and Vive La Daf!!!”

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Political Crossfire

Hosni Mubarak’s Death Evokes the Paradox and Pain of the Middle East By David Ignatius

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OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

ormer Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak died last Tuesday, nearly a decade after he was toppled in a chaotic coup that broke his iron rule but didn’t provide Egypt with a dynamic, post-Mubarak identity. Mubarak has been a forgotten man in recent years, but his death evokes the paradox and pain of the Middle East. He governed Egypt for nearly 30 years, a modernizing despot who kept peace with Israel and liberalized the economy but balked at dismantling the military dictatorship and police-state tactics that had spawned him. The revolt against Mubarak in early 2011 was the apogee of the “Arab Spring” movement; an idealistic President Barack Obama helped push him out the door, a move that Saudi Arabia and other conservative Arab states never forgave. He was succeeded by a military-led committee, then a Muslim Brotherhood government headed by Mohamed Morsi, then by a backlash counter-coup that installed Gen. Abdel Fatah al-Sissi, a former head of military intelligence who governed with even less charisma than Mubarak. Through this tormented saga, the United States seemed to keep

making mistakes – encouraging Mubarak’s ouster in the streets after he agreed to leave office voluntarily; then trying to nursemaid a Muslim Brotherhood government that lacked the skills to govern; and finally backing a military takeover. By the end of this dizzying story, Egypt had moved from a country that loved America to one that bitterly resented U.S. tutelage. It was a sign of Mubarak’s power that Egypt never seemed to fully recover its balance after his fall. So thoroughly did Mubarak dominate and suppress political life that, in the months after the 2011 Tahrir Square revolution, Egypt displayed a mix of euphoria and exhaustion, as if the nation were coming out of a trance. Mubarak’s imprint also survived in the military that still holds power, effectively, under Sissi’s presidency. Mubarak was a stubborn man by nature, and an easy departure wasn’t in him. He clung to the job for years after U.S. officials began urging him to consider a transfer of power. The more he was pushed to leave, the more Mubarak dug in his heels. His last term as president began after a supposedly democratic election in 2005, his first such ballot. But those who dared challenge

him at the polls, such as opposition candidate Ayman Nour, were bullied and arrested. Still, if Mubarak had listened to critics and announced that he wouldn’t run again in 2011, he might have preserved a legacy as a ruler who created a more prosperous and open Egypt. But this concession wasn’t forced out of him until February 1, after the Tahrir protests had reached critical mass. Mubarak was an unlikely president, starting with his initial elevation to the post in October 1981 after the assassination of Anwar Sadat. It was widely rumored among Egyptians that the flamboyant Sadat had chosen the stolid ex-Air Force general as his vice president because it was implausible that Mubarak would ever be seen as a rival. A snickering nickname for him in those days came from a French brand of cheese: “La Vache Qui Rit,” or “the laughing cow.” Mubarak seemed to recognize his vulnerability in his refusal to appoint a vice president of his own until his final days in power, when he named his intelligence chief, Gen. Omar Suleiman, to the post. His real plan, it was thought, was to engineer the succession of his son Gamal, but

the father ultimately had to renounce Gamal’s ambitions, too. That the unglamorous former military boss imagined he could create his own pharaonic line offended many Egyptians and added to the resentment. Mubarak remained committed to the 1979 peace treaty with Israel, but it was always a “cold peace.” He did business in private with Israeli and American leaders, even as he often kept them publicly at arm’s length. When Obama gave his famous Cairo speech in June 2009, he invited members of the Muslim Brotherhood but not Mubarak. A more positive element of Mubarak’s legacy was that, in his last decade in power, he appointed economic reformers, such as former prime minister Ahmed Nazif and former trade minister Rachid Rachid. Their free-market policies helped push Egypt’s growth rate above 5%. But it was a sign of the deep public anger toward anything touched by Mubarak that these economic reformers were attacked for alleged corruption after the dictator’s fall. That was Mubarak’s curse: Even his good policies were unloved. (c) 2020, Washington Post Writers Group

GET BILL

IN THE MARYLAND HOUSE

It’s my job to advocate on behalf of the community. MY TESTIMONY TO THE HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

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The religious constraints that we’re operating under can be particularly harmful to women. So, as we sought in New York, we are seeking here, the assistance of the civil government to provide an avenue for a woman to be freed via a Get. This bill benefits the woman, and we are before this committee today to seek your insight and your support. I am very honored to defer now to Nat Lewin, who is a constitutional scholar and a Talmudic scholar in his own right. Thank you.”

Authority: Citizens For Sandy Rosenberg, Jean S. Fugett, Jr., Treasurer

MENTORS & COLLEAGUES

When I took the Constitutional Litigation seminar at Columbia Law School, my professor was Telford Taylor. Taylor had been a chief prosecutor during the Nuremberg war crimes trial after World War II. Nathan Lewin, a noted Supreme Court litigator, taught the seminar after Professor Taylor retired. Prof. Lewin and I testified together, along with Delegate Dalya Attar, on legislation that would address the fate of Jewish women who are chained to their marriages because their husbands will not grant them a Get – a religious divorce. Delegate Attar’s legislation, which I have co-sponsored, would require a husband to state, under penalty of perjury, that he has taken all steps within his control to remove all barriers to his wife’s remarriage. A committee member asked Lewin about the consequences for the woman if she does not receive a Get. “Her future children from another marriage would be considered illegitimate,” I whispered. Lewin repeated my answer to the committee. All thos years ago, I was Del. Sandy Rosenberg with Rikki & Nat Lewin honored to learn at the feet of Professor Taylor. Today I enjoy working together as a team to move important legislation forward with his successor Professor Lewin. And, in one instance, whispering in his ear.

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“The rabbis are bound by Torah guidelines in terms of what they can and cannot do when it comes to the Get. One cannot pressure a man to give — or a woman to receive — a Get. That is why New York State, with Nat Lewin’s drafting assistance, passed the law that my colleague Delegate Dalya Attar, the bill’s sponsor, referenced in her statement. That law has withstood the test of 40 years, where one would have thought they would have sued in a New York minute. Our bill, which sits before you today, has, as Delegate Attar pointed out, the advice of counsel from the Attorney General’s office attesting that it is constitutional — wholly consistent with the First Amendment.

MARCH 5, 2020

FORWARD

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MOVING THE

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You gotta be kidding Yankel was dressed in his finest suit when he went for an interview with the president of a world-renowned bank. The banker turned to him and said, “So tell me. What do you think is your greatest weakness?” Yankel, who had prepared for this question, responded, “Honesty. Sometimes I am just too honest, and I say what’s on my mind.” The banker was intrigued. “I don’t think honesty is a weakness,” he said. Yankel replied, “Actually, I really don’t care at all what you think.”

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

What you dress up as tells me everything I need to know about you. A Scotsman with a Kilt: You went up the wrong aisle at Party City and totally didn’t realize it.

Joe Biden: You love the taste of your own shoes. Disney Character: Someday, your dreams will come. Chassid: You like kishka.

Thing 1 & Thing 2: It’s a hoot that you wear a red suit in this cold weather to boot. You should play a flute, but that would be original and that point is moot, because although your costume is cute, it is not very original. (OK, so I’m not Dr. Seuss!)

Abraham Lincoln: You are a real leader, despite your looks.

Vladimir Putin: You probably always thought you were the strongest kid in your class, right? (If you only knew how many times you were “donkey eared.”)

Mets player: You don’t have much confidence in your ballplaying skills.

Uber Driver: I’ll give you four stars for your costume.

Juice Box: You think so outside the box that you actually put yourself in a box…must be really comfortable.

Sushi Chef: You better not tell me that your favorite roll is a cucumber roll! Where’s Waldo: Alright, cute. But did you have to do it at the Siyum Hashas? Princess: Are you sure you are up to the task? The last thing we need is another prince abdicating. Long-Haired Rock Star: Do you really think that would make you happy?

Superman: You are definitely the guy in shul who leaps into action when the rabbi needs the grape juice for Kiddush. Michael Bloomberg: You like taking a match and lighting piles of cash on fire. C u r i o u s George: You always mess things up, and no, you are not so cute at the end. Thanks for the agita!

Fireman: You like putting out fires. Policeman: You like doughnuts. Bernie Sanders: You are a communist! It would be cool if communism didn’t literally kill 100,000,000 people in the twentieth century. Limo Driver: You never see a rearview mirror you don’t want to schmooze with. Tom Brady: You really think you are that great because you once quarterbacked a pickup football game in 10th grade? Cowboy: Let me guess – you tell people that you have a concealed carry license. Clown: Forever the funnyman. Israeli Soldier: Kol hakavod! Jeff Bezos: You are a mogul at heart. Or, you are just really bald and finally have something to do with that bald head of yours.

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Mummy: So, you bought your costume in October, huh? Anything to save a few dollars!

Elvis: He also had a few extra pounds on his hips when he was your age.

President Trump: You are so creative! Huge. Huge. Totally huge!

MARCH 5, 2020

Houston Astros Jose Altuve: You see nothing wrong with cheating…and have a hard time not getting caught.

Two Empty Boxes of Kasha on Your Shoulders: You have no questions.

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A Costume is Like a Thousand Therapy Sessions

Notable Quotes

MARCH 5, 2020

“Say What?!”

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The president is a Russian operative. That sounds like the description of a bad Hollywood screenplay, but it is real. It is Vladimir Putin’s greatest achievement, decades after America’s victory in the Cold War and collapse of the Soviet Union – the president of the United States is now helping the president of Russia help the president of the United States to get re-elected so that the president of Russia will have four more years of the president of the United States who he wants in the Oval Office. This is one of those shocking news days if you retain the capacity to be shocked in the Trump era by the Trump regime, which might be better labeled the Trump-Putin regime. I’m not interested in legacy wealth buildings, and my children know that. Steve wasn’t interested in that. If I live long enough, it ends with me. - Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Apple CEO Steve Jobs, telling The New York Times that she doesn’t plan on leaving her $24 billion fortune to her children

It’s not right for individuals to accumulate a massive amount of wealth that’s equivalent to millions and millions of other people combined. There’s nothing fair about that.

- MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell

I had the great honor of being arrested with our U.N. ambassador on the streets of Soweto trying to get to see him on Robben Island. - Former Vice President Joe Biden telling an audience in South Carolina how he was arrested while trying to visit Nelson Mandela in apartheid South Africa

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- Ibid.

It’s like pick your choice of crazy. It’s unbelievable. It’s like sitting down with kids and telling fairy tales and hoping something comes true. It’s just, you know, politics used to be around, you know, facts, policies, intellectual discussions. Now it’s, like, whose team are you on, you know, it’s more about what story you want to fall behind. Bernie is “Robin Hood,” take from the rich, give to the poor. – Mark Cuban on “The View”

He’s made it clear that we are all just to call him Harry. So ladies and gentlemen, please give a big, warm, Scottish welcome to Harry. - Former Prince Harry being introduced at a Scotland conference last weekend

Yes, I slipped on stage, and I’m now a meme. - Oprah, writing on social media after falling on stage during her 2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus Tour, while talking about living a balanced life

No, I was never arrested and I don’t think he was, either. - The U.N. ambassador Biden was referring to, when asked about the incident by The New York Times

Obviously, it was apartheid South Africa. There was a white door, there was a black door. He did not want to go through the white door and have the rest of the party go through the black door. He was separated. This was during a trip while they were there in Johannesburg. – A Biden spokeswoman explaining that Biden was not arrested but got separated from his group accidentally, after Biden was accused of lying about being arrested because it never happened

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Man, when it comes to Bloomberg, Elizabeth Warren is relentless. She destroyed him in the first debate; she came after him tonight. I bet when he got in his car later, she just popped up in the back seat, like, “Oh, and another thing.”

MARCH 5, 2020

— Trevor Noah

Everybody was fighting to get a word in. For a lot of these candidates, it’s desperation time. This was their last shot. They were waving their hands in the air like they just don’t Medicare.

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— Jimmy Kimmel, talking about the Democrat debate

Right now, sadly, tragically, Israel has a reactionary racist who is now running that country. - Sen. Bernie Sanders at the Democrat debate, while stating that he would consider moving the U.S. Embassy out of Jerusalem

Anyone who calls our prime minister a racist is either a liar, ignorant fool, or both. We don’t want Bernie Sanders at AIPAC... We don’t want him in Israel. - Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon at the AIPAC Conference

My last name’s Jeudy. People sometimes call me “Jew” so I got a Jewish star. I’m not Jewish, though. - Jerry Jeudy, Alabama wide receiver and NFL prospect, explaining to Yahoo! Sports why he wears a Star of David

To my friends on the left, hating Donald Trump is not an Israel policy. – U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman at the AIPAC Conference

Had President Obama — with whom I had profound disagreements — had he moved our embassy to Jerusalem, had he recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, had he restored tough sanctions on Iran, and authored President Trump’s vision for peace, I would have been the first to applaud, and I’d still be applauding today. Of course, none of these things were done by President Obama. In fact, they were all achieved by President Donald J. Trump. And for that we should all be the first to be applauding today. - Ibid.

If we don’t get this done in 2020, I will meet you…in the gulags!

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I read it a little bit like an arsonist complaining about the noise from the fire trucks.

- CPAC Communications Director Ian Walters joking at the CPAC convention about Bernie Sanders winning the presidency

- Sen. Ted Cruz (D-TZ) responding to Supreme Court Justice Sonya Sotomayer’s complaint that the Trump administration runs to the Supreme Court every time a lower [liberal-led] court issues an injunction against its policies

One-hundred-fifty-million people have been killed since 2007… - Joe Biden talking about gun violence at the last Democrat debate, erroneously saying that the equivalent of nearly half of the U.S. population has been killed by gun violence in the past 13 years

I give them as gifts. I use them for bets, you know when someone wants to bet something, you know for a Brooklyn thing versus a Wisconsin thing. So I say to the New York Post and others, guilty as charged. I love Junior’s cheesecake. It’s the best cheesecake in the world. - New York Sen. Charles Schumer, responding to a report that he has spent $8,600 on cheesecake in less than 10 years

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OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

54 The U.S. travel restrictions on China and criticism of China’s quarantine strategy to contain the COVID-19 have been seen as a racist politicization of the epidemic.

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- China’s state-run Global Times after the Trump administration placed a travel restriction on China last week

Our president had to be going crazy over a problem that involves both declining stock prices and germs. This is the guy, after all, who thinks shaking hands is “barbaric,” who is followed around by aides bearing sanitizer. - Gail Collins, in a New York Times op-ed titled: “Let’s Call It Trumpvirus: If you’re feeling awful, you know who to blame”

How Trump’s Panicky Coronavirus Travel Ban Cost Me $4,000 in 2 Hours to Save My Job - Sissi Cao, writing in the Observer on February 3, 2020, about how President Trump was overreacting to coronavirus

Don’t talk. Nod your head.

Be nice to everybody. Live well. Stay nice and calm. Don’t let anything bother you. That’s it. That is the story of my life.

- Actor Harrison Ford, 77, in a recent interview about the keys to his successful marriage

- 100-year-old Angie Crognale of New Jersey, born on February 29, 1920, who celebrated her 100th (or 25th) birthday last week, in an interview with ABC News

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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

Dear Navidaters,

This is a multi-question situation. 1) Is it ever OK to say yes to two people at the same time? 2) If so, and if they both say yes, is it ever OK to go out with both at the same time? Things to think about:

a) Flying-in b) Long-distance

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c) Longer term requirements (someone has a kid or needs to date for longer) I know when people fly in from out-of-town, sometimes they date more than one person. After all, they’re paying for an expensive flight, they don’t get to come in often, and the assumption (unfortunately) is generally: it’s not going to work out. Is that OK? If not necessarily for a relationship that requires one to fly in from Los Angeles to New York, then perhaps one where one is flying from Belgium to New York? Personally, I’m divorced. In my situation, I often can say yes to a woman and get a no a few days to a week later. I get that, and that makes total sense. Sometimes, girls look into me first because of that. So I might have said yes to one girl and get a yes or two from other girls (that are then “expecting” to go out with me). Thanks, Tzvi

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 Panel The Rebbetzin Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S. et’s reverse the order of your questions. Context is very important even when there are general norms that a decent person observes out of respect for himself and the other person he is dating. In other words, although generally one doesn’t date two people at a time, context matters. Being divorced, with and without kids, flying in from another location, and the need for more extensive checking of background all change how one approaches dating for a second marriage partner. Keep in mind your original question: is it OK for one to say yes to two people at once? Given the circumstances that we have outlined, I think it’s fine so long as you don’t actually date two people at once. A yes from the other person may take time. The first yes from the other side gets to date exclusively. When the second yes comes through but you haven’t traveled to the destination, the prospective date should be told that you already gave a yes to someone else but if that doesn’t work out, you will go ahead and date the second person. And that’s what you do. Open communication from the get-go starts a potential relationship with honesty.

The Shadchan Michelle Mond ong-distance dating can get tricky. I never endorse going out with more than one person at a time on a serious level. In the shidduch world, we have a name for it: a serial-dater. I realize that in your case it gets tricky. You describe yourself as divorced (perhaps you even have children), and although you agree to go out with someone, more times than not, you may receive a “no” in

response. It does not benefit you to put everything on hold and wait around for weeks at a time while waiting for an answer that may likely come back as a ‘‘no,” especially while you are traveling and have little time as it is in a certain region. To make it fair to yourself, I recommend that, at your stage in life, you can say yes to speaking with two women, but no you may not have two relationships at the same time. If you are planning a long distance, extended trip somewhere, it is important to reach out to different shadchanim to have people looking out for you in the area. This way, if one idea does not work out, you’ll have other options. You can give a “yes” and in the unlikely event that two say yes, see if any go past an initial phone call. After that, pursue with caution. You do not want to be one of those guys who develop choice paralysis because one woman will inevitably have what the other woman doesn’t. I want to make one more bold suggestion. As a divorced man who clearly wants to get remarried, you are in a tough spot. Your options are more slim than they were when you were single. Please remember that everyone, including yourself, has flaws, and do not expect perfection to come in the form of a new wife. You will have to work on yourself, and she will have to work on herself. My best advice is to date one person at a time, and give the one you are dating a fair shot. Start with a phone call, upgrade to video-chat dates, and after you see that there is something between you, plan an actual date – with one person. Iy”H you should have clarity early on and be zocheh to meet the right “one and only” very soon!

The Single Rena Friedman zvi, I’m sorry to hear that you are divorced and dealing with

this system all over again now with more baggage and complexity. I must say that this is an excellent question covering a lot of hot topics, one of which I am particularly passionate about. Dating multiple people at the same time makes things confusing and stressful and does not allow a person to focus on anyone. The general rule when it comes to dating is one at a time, regardless of location or circumstance. Traveling for dating is time-consuming and expensive, especially when you have limited vacation days and funds. Do serious research on the girl before you agree to travel to make it worth your while. Also, use the opportunity to network with shadchanim in that area. No matter what you decide, you absolutely cannot go past a third date with two girls. I’m going to leave this for everyone else to expound upon. Now for the good stuff… We assume that the more choices or dates we have, the better off we will be in finding our bashert. To understand this idea more, let’s look at a published study about jam. Two psychologists placed 24 different kinds of jam on a display table in a supermarket one day and 6 different types the next. Which display led to more sales? They found that while the bigger display table generated more interest, people were far less likely to purchase a jar of jam than in the case of the smaller display. Additionally, customer satisfaction was lower with the bigger display than the smaller one. What can we learn from this? Choice seems appealing at first, but it really just overwhelms us and leads to less satisfaction. Going in with the general assumption that it isn’t going to work out and lining up girls like your back-to-back meetings for work is actually going to work against you. Your best bet would be to do the best research you can and only go out with a girl who actually sounds shayach for you. Then go into that

Choice seems appealing at first, but it really just overwhelms us and leads to less satisfaction.

date with a positive mindset that you are going to do everything in your power to make that relationship work. As a guy, you have the ability to really screen who you go out with and revisit an idea later, a luxury that girls do not have. The goal is to get married to one person – not go on dates with hundreds of people. Dating is a process that requires patience. I cannot imagine what you have gone through and what you are currently going through, but you need to slow down. Girls looking into you are going to need their time, and rightfully so. Allow them to have that. Take it one at a time. Rushing, trying to play games, or pretending you’re G-d are not going to make this happen any faster. Much hatzlacha!

The Zaidy Dr. Jeffrey Galler ear Transatlantic Traveler, “Do not date more than one person at the same time” is an arbitrary rule that makes absolutely no sense in your situation. You’re traveling from Belgium to New York seeking a suitable mate? Of course, you can and should set up several dates. However, dating different women in the same week

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60 is fraught with hidden dangers that you must avoid. I’m not simply referring to dating two people who are roommates. That is an obvious problem that is easily circumvented. No, I’m worried about much more serious pitfalls that are not so apparent. Fortunately, I can help you, with: “Zaidy’s Rules for Disaster Avoidance While Dating Multiple Women.” Rule #1: Name Mix-ups You do not want to misstate a person’s name. This catastrophic error could happen to anyone who is jetlagged after an eleven-hour flight from Brussels to JFK. Clearly, while on a date, it is not advisable to mistakenly call someone “Shaindy” if her name is actually “Devorah.” What to do? Use clever mnemonics to help remember your date’s correct name. For example, on Saturday go out with Sarah, and on Sunday go out with Susan. Then, on Monday date Monica, on Tuesday

Tula, on Wednesday Wendy. Then, on Thursday… Thelonius? Actually, I never met a Thelonius that I liked. So, my advice is to skip Thursday’s date and take a shower instead. I know what you’re thinking. You can’t afford to spend an entire week in New York. No problem. If you’re sufficiently organized, you can compress all the dating into one highly structured day. You can take out Bracha for breakfast, Linda for lunch, Cordelia for mid-afternoon coffee, and Dina for dinner. Rule #2: Venue Familiarity You, naturally, want each woman that you date to feel very special. So, do not go to the very same, fancy restaurant, with different women, four nights in a row. Your date does not want to hear the French waiter ask, “Monsieur, every night you come here with a different, belle femme woman. That is très chic, very admirable. But, pourquois, why do you order the same, exact chick-

en entrée every night?” Similarly, you don’t want your Uber driver to look at Wednesday’s date and sneer, “Hey, Mac, the girl you picked up on Monday was much better looking than this one.” Rule #3: Anecdote Confusion I understand and sympathize with this problem. You’re on an eleven-hour flight and, after reading all of the Dutch, French, German, and Flemish magazines, you spend your time thinking of clever anecdotes that you can use in order to amuse and impress the women that you will meet on your upcoming dates. So, you’ve prepared three really outstanding, first-rate stories. On the plane, you mentally practice your Belgian Chocolate, Antwerp Diamond Exchange, and Belgian Waffle narratives. The problem, of course, is that by your third date (Monday with Monica), it will be difficult for you to remember which anecdotes you have already said to whom. You are

You need to listen to your moral compass so that you can feel good about yourself and dating.

perplexed and wonder, “Did I already just tell that Chocolate story to Monica on Monday or was that Susan on Sunday?” Not to worry. In order to remind yourself which anecdote you’ve already told on each date, here’s my recommendation: after you tell your very charming Chocolate story move your watch from your left hand to your right hand; after you tell your very impressive Diamond Exchange

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story move your wallet from your left rear pocket to your right rear pocket; and, after you tell your delightful Waffle story move your cell-

phone from your jacket’s left pocket to the right pocket. Now, if Wendy (on Wednesday) looks

at you strangely when you sheepishly explain that you are merely organizing your waffles and chocolates, don’t worry. You can always cross her off your list, and put in a last-minute replacement for Thursday.

Wait! I just realized: Thelma! Thelma is perfect for Thursday. So, if there is a single woman named Thelma, reading this column, who is available next Thursday, and would like to date our Transatlantic Belgian Traveler, please contact the editor.

In my opinion (and I try to stay away from that in this column), if two frum people are marriage-minded, the assumption is that there is no one else. There may be a “yes,” but that’s not what I consider “someone else.” It’s clean, it’s easy, and it prevents people from getting hurt. If these are the rules, and it seems the rebbetzin, the shadchan and the single agree (and even the zeidy said not to see two women in one week…and the study about the jam does make a lot of sense), I say keep it nice and clean. This will also eliminate confusion. What if you like two women? Then what?! We’re picking and choosing ice cream flavors at Baskin Robbins? You will like a lot of flavors, and you can’t have two scoops. So why torture yourself? I know it seems unreasonable, unpractical, and it is a huge toll on your wallet, but all the women on the panel

wrote “no” for a reason. If you are traveling to meet someone, I would imagine you have spent quite a decent amount of time speaking over the phone and are somewhat invested in that relationship. I hope you have Frequent Flier miles! All the best to you! All the best, Jennifer

Pulling It All Together The Navidaters Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists

i Tzvi! Excellent questions! I’ve truly seen it all. I don’t believe there is a right or wrong answer to your question. I think it is a matter of what you are comfortable with and the integrity with which you proceed. Let’s get the obvious out of the way first. You (the general you) cannot be in two exclusive relationships at once. This is called “cheating,” and it is a betrayal. The reason this question is so tricky and that the panelists offer different answers is because it falls into a grey zone. Dating two women, especially if you’re flying in to meet them, doesn’t really feel like you are doing anything wrong. It feels simply like you are “meeting.” And if we approach this exclusively from a practical angle, why would you not date a few women from the same area if they were suggested to you? However, the heart isn’t practical. And I have seen these situations become complicated and hearts broken because the other party feels betrayed once he/she (typically “she”) finds out the “flyer” was “dating” other women at the same time. I love honesty. Is there a way to tell a woman that you are going on dates while you are in the area that won’t hurt her? I’m not sure. At the same time, I don’t think a relationship can be started on any false foundation. Sometimes guilt

rises in the gut, sometimes you tell the truth years later and it is met with devastation. Or, you don’t tell the truth and the truth is revealed. And even though the first date is only a “meeting,” if you hit it off with someone, and you are dating someone else and your beloved didn’t know, she may feel betrayed. In secular circles, I believe it is assumed that when a man or woman is dating, he/she is most likely seeing other people at the same time, and it is completely socially acceptable. When they commit to each other and become exclusive, they stop “seeing other people.” No one is lying, and everyone knows the rules. No one bats an eye. You are not secular, and your rules are fuzzier as a frum, divorced man traveling to meet a potential wife, which is why you are asking the excellent questions. You need to figure out what you feel good about. Do you feel it is right/ethical/honest to date two women at once? (Obviously not long, but these first date meetings.) Is this something you feel good about? There will be a camp who will think this is fine! Or do you feel a pit in the bottom of your stomach? Like you are being deceitful? You need to listen to your moral compass so that you can feel good about yourself and dating.

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

MARCH 5, 2020 | The Jewish Home

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r. Seuss is back at it, writing a new book about Megxit. The book is titled One Prince, One Princess, No Prince, No Princess, and will be hitting bookshelves soon. This week, TJH got a sneak preview from the author and was given approval to highlight some of the lines from the soon-to-be non-royal release. Here are some of our favorite lines.

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Are you Sick of not having Kneidilach in Your Chicken Soup at the Seder?

Netanyahu Facing New Indictment D

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Warren’s

TJH Gets Sneak Copy of New Dr. Seuss Book

He got hitched to a witch And they ditched Causing the royal family to become unstitched. The queen became glum And thought of the Queen Mum. She took out a bottle of rum And said, “This is so dumb IsraelitoPrime Minister We need have some fun.”Benjamin

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Netanyahu is facing new charges of she fraud stemming from a bribe reSo made a state dinner ceived in the Baltimore. That was a real winner. According They served tea to andwitnesses, crumpets Bibi stopped intoout Baltimore’s And brought the trumpets.Israeli They ate a–few pieces of ham as Yesh Embassy otherwise known And said you still– part the fam Hummus & are Grill and ofaccepted Please respectbourekas your old from gram.Tomer. two potato It is alleged that in return for the Then the queen got down onpromised one knee free bourekas, Netanyahu After serving biscuits and teasoda to to export more tut-banana And said to “Listen memore America so Harry, that expats can to feel I’m beggin’ at home. Get This rid of case, this Meghan!” which in Israel is being referred to as Case Sixteen Meghan, you so stingy Thousand, isare being investigated by You stole our gingy. Israel’s attorney general. He promonly meeting at the location to disAnd because you are not loyal ised to make a quick decision wheth- cuss life-saving techniques. The atYou can’t use the term royal. er or not to indict and promised to torney general is skeptical, though. conclude his investigation within the Netanyahu has denied the allegaMeghan and Harry next thirty-seven months because he tions. “Holy Schnitzel!” the prime Said, “We are not sorry doesn’t want this cloud to hang over minister exclaimed. “This is a witchWe’re moving near Trudeau the eighteen election to be taking hunt.” Because that’s where we’ll make more dough place in 2020. If the charges stick, Netanyahu, In Canada, they have much better beef Multiple Hatzalah members and who is Israel’s twelfth prime minAnd also better teeth. volunteer firefighters are being sub- ister, will be one of only twelve Ispoenaed to testify because they were prime jewels ministers to be indicted “So keep your money, your palaces, and raeli your crown allegedly present when the rules. deal for fraud. He promised to fight the We don’t like your old-fashioned went To us, down. you areHowever, no use they deny any charges and do whatever his wife Sara knowledge and claimdeal thatwith theyDr. were tells him to do... so help him G-d. We’re signing a book Seuss.”

OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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Bibi

Pulls It Off By Tzvi Leff

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lection day in Israel is not for the faint of heart. With parties and media outlets legally barred from publishing polls in the 48 hours before Israelis head to the ballot box, voters have no idea what the current electoral reality is. As the clock winds down, the rumors begin to swirl. In WhatsApp groups and on popular Facebook pages, viral messages that claim to have “insider information” are endlessly shared for those desperate for news. By the time the country’s three Hebrew-language television channels post the first exit polls at 10 p.m., political junkies are a nervous wreck. While the citizenry is kept in the dark as to the true facts on the ground, Israel’s political parties are fully aware of the current picture. Shelling out extraordinary sums to in-house pollsters, each party runs a highly advanced command and control center that keeps campaign managers constantly updated. This situation renders the public ripe for exploitation and has led to the rise of the “Gevalt” campaign. From the early afternoon, each fac-

tion bombards its supporters with hysterical messages that speak of massive voter turnout among the rival political camp in an effort to scare people to the ballot box. The invention of the “Gevalt” campaign is widely credited to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in 2015 by famously warning that “the Arabs are swarming the polls in droves.” Ever since, every party runs its own version of a Gevalt campaign, to the point where voters have simply stopped believing it. Yet, this Monday, something was off. Instead of the usual election day fearmongering, the Likud radiated optimism and hope. “We’re almost by 61,” wrote Netanyahu on Facebook, referring to the number of Knesset seats needed to form a government. “One more push, and we’re there.” In contrast to the Likud’s hopeful messaging, the rival Kahol Lavan party was all doom and gloom. Speaking of absurdly low voter turnout in solidly left-wing Tel Aviv, Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz begged voters to make a dash for the ballot box. When 10 p.m. arrived, it was

clear that something had gone very wrong. Rather than the clear victory Kahol Lavan was expecting, it was not even the country’s biggest party. That honor belonged to the Likud, which, contrary to every poll, picked up 36 seats to Kahol Lavan’s 34. The left-w ing camp hadn’t done much better. The Gesher-Labor-Meretz merger only garnered 7 seats, a massive collapse from the combined 56 seats the leftist stalwarts received in 1992. On the right, Shas surged to 10 seats while fellow haredi party UTJ fell to 7. Meanwhile, Yamina, a union of Religious Zionist parties headed by Naftali Bennett, fell to either 7 or 6. While disappointing, the party successfully had suffered from aggressive campaigns from Blue and White and UTJ that sought to poach National-Religious voters. Finally, the Arab Joint List Party picked up 15 seats, the most the anti-Zionist faction has ever gotten in its history. The record total resulted from unprecedented turnout in the Arab sector, with cities such as Jaffa and Umm Al-Fahm seeing upwards of 60% participation.

he main story of this election remains Prime Minister Netanyahu. Both friends and foes agree that he is a magician. Since entering politics in 1992 and wresting control of the Likud from the party elite a year later, Netanyahu has a long list of shocking electoral wins to his name. It started in 1996, where he defeated Shimon Peres to win the top job, despite coming only six months after the assassination of Prime Minister Yizchak Rabin. In 2015, the Zionist Union was defeated the Likud in every poll, only to watch dumbfoundedly as Netanyahu led his party to a 30-seat blowout victory. Then there was last April, where Netanyahu brought the Likud to a high of 35 Knesset seats despite being indicted on corruption charges in three separate cases. Even so, no achievement was as dramatic and stunning as the 36 seats the public gave the Likud on Monday evening – two more than Kahol Lavan’s 34. Israel’s longest serving prime minister appears to be at the end of his career. In two weeks, his trial will begin. Netanyahu will appear

the time before that. Convincing swing voters to switch sides has been the bread and butter of political campaigns worldwide, but what is one to do when swing voters no longer exist? “Only a small amount of the electorate can fit the classical definition of a swing voter,” noted political consultant Shlomo Filber last week. “Usually, voters make up their minds based on how the outgoing government is doing. But we’ve had a caretaker government since December 2019 and don’t expect any changes.” While every party searched for ways to overcome this challenge, the problem was particularly acute for the Likud. Netanyahu first returned to the Prime Minister’s Residence on Jerusalem’s Balfour Street in 2009; since then, he has enjoyed one of the longest uninterrupted reigns of any democratically-elected leader.

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a coalition led by Netanyahu. The premier won a decisive victory, and there is no apparent way for the faction to form a government without Likud. Israel has already suffered through an unprecedented three elections this year; Kahol Lavan would likely force yet another round should it keep its campaign promise. In general, Israel’s third elections in the past year presented new challenges for its multitude of political parties. It’s not easy peddling the same merchandise time after time. What once worked on voters quickly becomes tiresome; consistent fearmongering soon loses its bite. Campaigners and spin doctors needed to deal with a seemingly apathetic public weary from the endless rounds of electioneering. In addition, the prevailing belief was that most voters would cast their ballot for the same party they chose the previous September and

MARCH 5, 2020

hile Likud’s campaign headquarters in Tel Aviv was awash in euphoric celebrations, Kahol Lavan’s offices were eerily quiet. Activists had begun leaving after seeing their party’s disappointing finish, and Benny Gantz gave a low-key address to a half-empty hall in which he promised “to keep on fighting for you.” Now, Kahol Lavan will need to reconsider their vow to never join

Effective as it was, the Likud’s campaign couldn’t have achieved such stunning success without Kahol Lavan’s anemic campaign.

For many, the words “prime minister” and “Benjamin Netanyahu” have become synonymous. Yet as the years passed, a growing number of Likud voters began to grow weary of Netanyahu. Nicknamed by the media “Bibi-fatigue,” concerns were that these voters wouldn’t cross the aisle and cast their ballot for Blue and White. Rather, they wouldn’t vote at all. And after last April, where one Knesset seat made the difference between another Netanyahu-led coalition and second elections in September, getting every possible ballot was crucial. The need to counter Bibi-fatigue was highlighted after the Likud discovered that it hemorrhaged upwards of 300,000 votes in the previous elections. An after-action report found that the Likud’s fall from the 35 seats it got in April to the 32 it received in September was the multitudes who stayed home on election day, as well as the mergers with other parties that didn’t bring the expected electoral windfall. As such, the Likud’s strategy this time around was simple and hinged on two points: Boosting the turnout among the faithful as much as possible, and doing that by highlighting the fact that Benny Gantz had no viable way of forming a government without the support of the Arab Joint List party. In every poll, Kahol Lavan fell far short of being the necessary 61 votes without the support of the Joint List. Without the support of the anti-Israel party, which in September received a record 14 seats, Gantz would never become Israel’s next prime minister. To boost turnout this week, Netanyahu unveiled a multitude of gimmicks from the sort that has kept him on the throne all of these years. Since new elections were declared in December, Netanyahu crisscrossed the country, traveling from one Likud stronghold to another in a frantic attempt to get as many to the polls as possible. The Likud’s success came from Netanyahu’s intensive campaigning that exploited the overwhelming disgust Israelis feel towards the anti-Israel Knesset faction. In Kiryat Shmona, Ramle, Ash-

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before a judge like a common criminal. He is accused of a series of serious offenses that can land him behind bars for years, including fraud and breach of trust. To contrast, the rival Kahol Lavan is headed by three ex-IDF chief of staffs and enjoys overwhelming media support. Netanyahu has already failed to form a government twice this year, after the right-wing bloc fell short of the necessary 61 seats in both April and September. That’s what made the Likud’s victory this week so unexpected. Not only isn’t Netanyahu political roadkill, he brought the Likud 36 seats. When Mark Twain famously quipped that “the rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated,” he could have easily been referring to Netanyahu. Despite all the hostile press coverage and his criminal cases, he remains at the top of Israel’s political jungle. “This is the biggest win of my life,” Bibi exulted at a victory rally on Tuesday morning. Before a delirious crowd of Likud members, Netanyahu added, “We plowed the country from north to south. There is nothing like the citizens of Israel. “Israeli citizens trust us because they know that we have brought the best decade in Israeli history.” Impressive as the Likud’s performance was, however, it is still far from certain that Netanyahu will be able to form a government and end the country’s political deadlock. With most of the votes counted, the right-wing bloc has either 59 or 60 seats. In Israel, victory means only one thing: swearing in a coalition. Without getting to 61, anything is possible.

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66 dod, and Be’er Sheva, Netanyahu hammered home his message that staying home or voting for Kahol Lavan would result in a government comprised of anti-Zionist lawmakers from the Arab Joint List. This, Netanyahu reiterated, would result in catastrophic damage to Israel’s security and signaled Kahol Lavan’s collapse into post-Zionism. “Gantz cannot create a government without Ahmad Tibi – this is the secret of these elections,” Netanyahu told the audience in working-class Or Yehuda last month. “Ahmad Tibi says don’t operate in Gaza; Gantz will not be able to operate in Gaza,” he added. “Ahmad Tibi will tell him not to operate against Iran in Syria; Gantz will not be able to operate.” Tibi, a former adv isor to arch-terrorist Yasser Arafat, would go on to play a starring role in the Likud’s campaign. Throughout the country, billboards paid for by the Likud sported a massive picture of Tibi sitting next to Gantz during coalition negotiations, with the words “Without Tibi, Gantz has no government” splashed across in menacing black letters.

ffective as it was, the Likud’s campaign couldn’t have achieved such stunning success without Kahol Lavan’s anemic campaign. The party sometimes barely seemed to exist; its rallies empty and its messaging unconvincing, the faction headed by three ex-IDF chief of staffs was unable to explain coherently to Israel’s citizens what they had to offer other than the anti-Netanyahu platform. As Netanyahu appeared at multiple events every night, Kahol Lavan released videos on Facebook decrying Netanyahu’s alleged corruption. While Netanyahu and other Likud lawmakers highlighted the advances in Israel’s international standing and the thriving economy under his tutelage, the record low unemployment and the rising standard of living, Kahol Lavan had nothing to offer other than “Anyone But Bibi.” In addition, Gantz didn’t help his own cause. In recent months, the grizzled general has proven to

When Mark Twain famously quipped that “the rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated,” he could have easily been referring to Netanyahu. be an abysmal politician. Seemingly unable to give a single speech or interview without a mistake, his ever-escalating verbal gaffes spawned a parody Twitter account titled “The Daily Gantz” that highlighted his missteps. In fact, none other than Yisrael Bachar, Gantz’s campaign manager, was recorded calling his boss “unable to make decisions,” a “stupid” person “who is a danger to Israel.” Bachar was fired for his remarks but no matter. His description of the Kahol Lavan leader as someone unintelligent and indecisive confirmed what many already thought of him and matched a negative portrayal of

him dating back to his army days. Gantz’s squeaky clean image also took a major hit when the State Prosecutor’s Office announced that it would probe his failed tech company. Under his leadership, the firm, known as the Fifth Dimension, filed for bankruptcy last year after improperly receiving NIS 5 million from the Israel Police to develop a cyber monitoring product. While Gantz is not officially a suspect, his embroilment in the affair rendered him effectively unable to highlight Netanyahu’s upcoming trial. Finally, President Trump’s Deal of the Century exposed Kahol Lavan’s lack of ideological clarity save

for the desire to send Netanyahu packing. While the peace plan was championed by the Likud, the general-laden rival faction was never quite sure what to do with the more right-wing aspects of the deal, such as annexation of the Jordan Valley and the Israeli settlements. In the week after Trump unveiled the Deal of the Century, Kahol Lavan took no clear position. Top officials contradicted each other, leading to embarrassing media interviews. For example, after Gantz went on record as a supporter of the plan, MK Yale German contradicted him hours later and called for a unilateral disengagement from the West Bank. In the final two weeks leading up to the March 2 elections, it became clear that Kahol Lavan was in trouble. Slowly but steadily, Likud began to rise, from 30 seats to 32 and then 33. At the same time, Kahol Lavan spin doctors watched helplessly as the lead it enjoyed this entire election cycle melt away. “We witnessed the gap in the surveys (between Netanyahu and Gantz) regarding who is most fit to be prime minister,” noted veteran Channel 13 political correspondent Ayala Hasson on election night. “We realized that this was a serious warning sign for Kahol Lavan that would translate into their inability to pick up Knesset seats.” The fact that the Likud’s rise came at the expense of Kahol Lavan was significant. For the first time, Likud’s boost wasn’t a result of Netanyahu picking off votes from other right-wing parties but from the stream of disenfranchised Kahol Lavan supporters who decided to switch their allegiance this time around to the Likud.

ow that Bibi has come out on top, it’s only a matter of time and political maneuvering that will determine what the next few months in Israel will look like. Will Israelis be forced to endure another trip to the ballot box in the upcoming weeks, or will Bibi be finally be able to form a government? For that, he may need a Purim miracle. But that has been known to happen in the Holy Land.

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Mental Health Corner

Why Is Therapy So Expensive? By Rabbi Azriel Hauptman

Psychotherapy can be a life-saver for those who are suffering from mental illness or emotional distress. The therapists who are the practitioners of therapy are presumably driven by a strong desire to help people and enhance their quality of life. If this is indeed true, why does therapy cost so much? It would be audacious for us to try to come up with an amount that all therapists should charge since every-

one’s financial situation is different and the expenses can vary greatly. We will therefore limit ourselves to helping the readers understand the range of expenses and financial stressors that therapists endure in order to maintain their practice. • Education: Many therapists are paying off student loans that they incurred in their education. You want to see a therapist who is professionally educated and trained. That kind of ed-

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ucation can be very expensive. • Work outside of session: There is a lot of work that therapists have to do outside of session which can be very time-consuming. Therapists are obligated by law to maintain proper records. Additionally, most therapists are not gifted with an infallible memory, and they therefore must take meticulous notes. A lot of this notetaking takes place outside of session. Also, certain therapeutic modalities entail extensive work outside of session. This can greatly reduce the number of clients a therapist can see in one day. • Emotional Limits: There are many jobs that one can perform without being emotionally or cognitively present. This is not the case with psychotherapy. The therapist must be completely present with the client and process with the client all of the emotions and feelings that emerge during therapy. It would be an understatement to say that this is extremely draining. Therapists often find that this greatly limits the number of clients they can emotionally handle. • Cancellations: Most therapists allow penalty-free cancellations if done with sufficient advance notice. Cancellations are common and greatly affect the bottom line. • Office Space: The rental fees for commercial office space is expensive, and in certain locations the rent can be exorbitant. • Continuing Education and Self Development: In order to maintain their license, a therapist must have a certain number of hours of continuing education per year. Some of the venues of continuing education can be affordable, but will often not significantly help the therapist improve

their practice or expertise. Therefore, competent therapists will not only focus on their continuing education requirement, but they will also want to engage in self-development. This includes seeking out trainings that greatly enhance their level of practice and proficiency which can cost thousands of dollars. • Supervision: Therapists who excel in their field are almost always therapists who are involved in constant supervision. Supervision entails consulting with another mental health professional about their practice and learning how to correct their mistakes and improve their techniques. Supervision is necessary for the entire duration of a therapist’s career, and – guess what – it costs a lot of money! • Self-Employment Taxes: Many therapists are self-employed, which means that their Social Security and Medicare taxes will be over 15% of their income. This is besides the federal and state income taxes. The most important aspect of seeking out a therapist is to find someone who is a good match for you and has the expertise that you need. The most expensive therapist is not necessarily the right one for you. Once you find the right therapist, it might be expensive in the short term but it can end up being more affordable in the long run since ineffective therapy tends to last much longer. Sometimes, the most difficult part of therapy is the journey in finding the right one. 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

mast

OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

In The K

tchen

By Leah Schapira and Naomi Nachman

Ingredients

Photo credit: Leah Schapira

3 tablespoons oil 1 large onion, diced 6 ounces chopped pastrami (or deli of your choice) ¼ cup beer 1 tablespoon mayonnaise 1 tablespoon ketchup 1 tablespoon honey 1 squirt hot sauce ½ tablespoon soy sauce 20 round wonton wrappers 1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 3 tablespoons water

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Several years ago, I made my friend Leah Schapira’s Pastrami Deli Hamantashen, and it was a huge hit at my Purim seuda. I always have to double the recipe as my kids keep “stealing” them off the cooling rack while I am making them.

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Pastrami Deli Hamantashen

Preparation

Naomi Nachman, the owner of The Aussie Gourmet, caters weekly and Shabbat/ Yom Tov meals for families and individuals within The Five Towns and neighboring communities, with a specialty in Pesach catering. Naomi is a contributing editor to this paper and also produces and hosts her own weekly radio show on the Nachum Segal Network stream called “A Table for Two with Naomi Nachman.” Naomi gives cooking presentations for organizations and private groups throughout the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan area. In addition, Naomi has been a guest host on the QVC TV network and has been featured in cookbooks, magazines as well as other media covering topics related to cuisine preparation and personal chefs. To obtain additional recipes, join The Aussie Gourmet on Facebook or visit Naomi’s blog. Naomi can be reached through her website, www.theaussiegourmet.com or at (516) 295-9669.

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Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until extra soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add pastrami and sauté for 1 to 2 additional minutes. Stir in the beer until it evaporates, about 3 minutes. Add in the mayonnaise, beer, ketchup, honey, hot sauce, and soy sauce. Let cool. Place 1 teaspoon filling in the middle of each wonton wrapper. Brush cornstarch mixture around the edges (this will help seal the hamantashen). Fold into a hamantashen shape. To bake the hamantashen, preheat oven to 400°F. Place hamantashen on a lined baking sheet and spray the tops with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can fry the hamantashen (of course, it’s much tastier this way and that’s the version I prefer). Heat 1-inch oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add hamantashen and fry until golden and crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Gluten Free Recipe Column For questions or comments about Gluten Free Baking please email GlutenFree@BaltimoreJewishHome.com

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THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

MARCH 5, 2020

by Mrs. Elaine Bodenheimer

GlutenFree@BaltimoreJewishHome.com

Gluten Free Hamentaschen What You Will Need: 2/3 cup margarine –room temp.* 2 tsp. baking powder 1 cup sweet rice flour 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. xanthan gum ¼ tsp. salt (scant) 1 tsp. unflavored gelatin ½ cup tapioca flour 1 egg ½ cup potato starch ¾ cup sugar 10 ounce jar of filling of choice 1 Tbl. rice milk ½ cup confectioner’s sugar (for cutting board)

Preperation: 1. In a large mixing bowl, beat margarine until creamy. Add rice flour, xanthan gum, gelatin, egg, sugar, rice milk, baking powder, vanilla, and salt. Beat well. Add tapioca flour and potato starch. Beat until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. 2. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

3. Divide the dough in half and chill the unused portion until needed. Sprinkle cutting board with confectioner’s sugar. Roll out half of the dough at a time to 1/8th inch thickness. If dough is very sticky, roll between 2 pieces of parchment paper which have been coated with confectioner’s sugar.

4. Cut with round 2 ½ inch cookie cutter or glass with 2 ½ inch diameter. Fill with ½ tsp. desired dry filling, such as poppy seed or apricot Fold circle once from bottom, once from 1 side, and then meet with the other side- to form a triangle. (If dough becomes sticky, return to fridge to chill again.) Place hamentaschen on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. 5. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 17 minutes or until brown. Cool on wire rack. Makes about 30 hamentaschen. *Fleischman’s is best for gluten-free baking.

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

Your

Money

By Allan Rolnick, CPA

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

Powder With a Chance of Tax Breaks

MARCH 5, 2020

It’s because of taxes. Here’s the issue. Most people who buy a ski chalet don’t actually use it more than a few weeks a year. Kids are in school, work and clients are calling, and there’s a villa in St. Bart’s competing for vacation time. That leaves a lot of empty beds that could be filled with people

vacationers. (That effectively cuts the price by one-sixth.) They’re also cutting the usual 7% transfer tax to just 2%. And it’s working – area real estate agents report 80% of buyers say the tax break factored into their decision. One consultant estimates the rebate has saved its own buyers €15 million.

France is almost as famous for red tape as it is for red wine, so the bureaucracy is considerable.

paying for lift tickets, ski lessons, and €30 cocktails. How can governments encourage homeowners to fill those “cold beds” with warm bodies to replace that lost revenue? In France, they’re using taxes to solve the problem. They’re refunding the usual 20% value-added tax on purchases of newer homes to buyers who agree to rent them to

Of course, you can’t just pinkie-swear to list your chalet on Airbnb and call it a day. There’s paperwork. You have to commit to renting the property for the next 20 years. You have to hire local managers to provide check-in, breakfast, linen, and room-cleaning services. If you pull it back off the rental market, you have to refund a proportionate

share of the tax rebate. France is almost as famous for red tape as it is for red wine, so the bureaucracy is considerable. Ski chalets aren’t the only vacation properties that sit empty most of the year. Yacht buyers can spend a year customizing a hull, finding the right crew, and stocking it with toys like jet skis, only to leave it docked for 11 out of 12 months. While there aren’t any tax breaks specifically designed to get yacht owners to charter their boats, here in the U.S. you can deduct the interest you pay to buy your boat as second-home interest, so long as the boat includes sleeping, cooking, and bathing facilities. (This assumes you aren’t already deducting a second home somewhere else.) Which vacation floats your boat: renting on the beach or a renting on the slopes? How about renting your home to your own business for up to two weeks’ tax-free income? Either way, it sounds like you can have the vacation of your dreams! 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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his time of year, most Americans living in the northern half of the country are dreaming of sunshine. But there’s a heartier, usually affluent breed that can’t get enough snow. In Vermont, at resorts like Killington and Stowe, Ivy League students spend weekends hitting the slopes by day and donning LL Bean sweaters to sip Irish coffee by fireside in the evening. In Aspen, their parents test their aging knees on the mountain before negotiating deals over dinner at the Hotel Jerome’s J-Bar. The ones who can afford it, skip the check-in lines at the hotel and buy their own homes. There’s no shortage of ski destinations here in the United States. You can even go skiing in a mall in New Jersey. But the real ballers know the most glamorous slopes are abroad – especially in the European Alps. Places like Gstaad and Zermatt in Switzerland, or Courcheval and Chamonix in France, are where you go to impress your fellow one-percenters. All of them offer suitably high-end real estate for your vacation home dollar. But lately, France is where the action is. Why? It’s not because of the mountains, or the snow, or even the apres-ski action.

Buying or Selling a Home?

Experience Matters!

BARRY NABOZNY BROKER/REALTOR 410-977-7600

410.581.1000 6 Church Lane

Baltimore, MD 21208

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