Baltimore Jewish Home - 6-1-23

Dear Readers,

This week, over 200,000 people attended the funeral of HaRav Gershon Edelstein zt”l, who passed away at the age of 100. His death followed the petirah of HaRav Chaim Kanievsky zt”l, just over a year ago. The losses left the Torah world reeling, however inspired by the many stories that spoke of their greatness.

Rav Gershon was the Rosh Yeshiva of the prominent Ponevezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak where he taught for more than 70 years and was recognized as the preeminent leader of the Charedim in Israel and beyond. Known for his profound wisdom and commitment to Torah study, Rabbi Edelstein left an indelible mark on countless individuals who sought his guidance. His unique approach to teaching, characterized by clarity, humility, love and compassion, and a deep understanding of complex texts, resonated with students from all walks of life.

In today’s fast-paced world of news coverage, several stories highlighting his greatness immediately made the rounds through the “forwarding” news channels. One such story was shared via a video that took place during Covid. Someone posed a question to HaRav Edelstein during a Q&A session in regard to parenting. The question was, “How should a parent deal with a teen in Yeshiva, home

during the pandemic, who is sleeping late each morning? How should the parents react? Should they be actively bothering the son to get out of bed early? Or, should they be patient and not bother him?”

Rav Gershon answered that it’s the parent’s job to encourage him calmly and respectfully to wake up at a reasonable time. Don’t scream. Don’t force. And certainly don’t make him feel guilty. Approach him with love. A child knows what’s right and really just wants to follow the examples of his father. Forcing causes rebellious behavior and has the opposite effect. Some may have expected his answer to have been more “old school.” Yet, he proved that being a “gadol” isn’t just a title given to old people who learn lots of Torah. It’s a title bestowed upon someone who understands the intricacies of each generation. To be a leader you have to relate, and he certainly had a long history of calmly encouraging others to follow in the Torah ways.

Let’s all see the good in others- especially our youngsters, and encourage them in the ways set forth by our leaders- like the sterling legacy left by Harav Gershon Edelstein zt”l. Wishing everyone a peaceful Shabbos.

Aaron Menachem SEND

Honoring Deserving Children, Youth, & Adults!

The Chesed Fund Limited & Project Ezra of Greater Baltimore, Inc. Present THE PHILIP KAUFFMAN & ROSALIE ZWAGIL 9TH

& Service

The Chesed Fund & Project Ezra are asking you to nominate children, youth or adults who have gone above and beyond to help ensure the safety and security of our community. Awards will be presented to recognize and honor the winners at a special award ceremony.

1. Submit your nominations by clicking the link on chesedfund.com or by sending an email to info@chesedfun.com.

2. Include an explanation of why your nominee should be awarded.

3. Provide your full contact information as well as your nominee’s.

Winners will be chosen at the discretion of The Chesed Fund and Project Ezra.

The Chesed Fund Limited is dedicated in memory of Mordechai & Rebecca Kapiloff, ה׳׳ע, Dr. Bernard Kapiloff, ה׳׳ע and Rabbi Norman & Louise Gerstenfeld, ה׳׳ע. Project Ezra of Baltimore is dedicated in memory of M. Leo and Hannah Storch,

Siyum on Sota at Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah hosted a Siyum on Maseches Sota that took place on Wednesday night, May 17th, in their Bais Medrash. A delicious seudah was served with a high level of class that has become the standard at all Mercaz siyumim! The Rav delivered Divrei Pesicha, followed by the keynote drasha from R’ Noam

Shiman, and the Siyum by new Magid Shiur, R’ Yaakov Zuber. Mercaz Daf Yomi of Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah hosts 17 daily Daf Yomi shiurim, strategically timed throughout the day to meet your busy schedule. The morning slew of shiurim complements the new Mercaz minyan schedule, featuring Shacharis every 15 minutes until 10:00am daily.

Around the Community

OCA’s 3rd Grade Rashi Celebration

As a celebration of starting Rashi learning throughout this year, 3rd graders dressed up as Rashi and his daughters and performed a beautiful presentation all about the life and legacy of Rashi. They shared stories, sang songs, and learned a Rashi from Toldot with their parents. May our 3rd graders continue to grow in their love of learning Torah each and every day!

Ishay Ribo Unity Concert – Baltimore’s Big Hit

On Sunday evening, May 21st, the Baltimore community’s achdus and generous support of six of Baltimore’s vital community organizations, Ahavas Yisroel, CHANA, Hatzalah, Shomrim, Tikvah House, and The Chesed Fund & Project Ezra, were on full display. The sold-out magical and musical performance by talented musician Ishay Ribo and his band had over 1,500 people in attendance.

Ishay is Israel’s prominent young musician who is known as “the great harmonizer” because he is equally beloved by religious and secular Jews worldwide. His fan base is so big and his music has become so well-known that he will be performing in Madison Square Garden in New York in just a few months. The more intimate concert here in Baltimore was held in Beth Tfiloh’s Main Sanctuary. Ishay even commented on how special it felt singing his songs in a beautiful “Beit Knesset.”

The event was selflessly and successfully coordinated by Avigail Rosemore with the assistance of Kenny Friedman, Rachel Guttman, Michal Kronick, Jeremy Lasson, Alinore Moinzadeh, Ashley Strauss, Itael Toibman, Sori Zahler, Dovi Ziffer, and the Chesed Fund & Project Ezra team, just to name a few. Everyone worked together seamlessly for months towards this very meaningful and special evening including Avigail’s team of devoted Chai Lifeline volunteers who helped out at the concert.

Frank Storch, Director of The Chesed Fund & Project Ezra said “When Avigail approached me with her idea to bring Ishay to Baltimore for this unique fundraising concept, I didn’t have to think twice. With the way all of our organizations come together to support the community, having Ribo, who is known for his incredible ability to bring so many different types of Jews together, just made per-

fect sense!” The audience represented a broad range of different types of Jews from Orthodox to secular who were all equally inspired by Ishay’s soul-stirring music.

Sponsors were treated to a five-star culinary experience arranged by Tzvi Landau of Catering by Yaffa along with a “Meet & Greet” with Ishay, which so many truly enjoyed. One sponsor, who wishes to remain anonymous noted, “Besides the amazing music and delicious food, I was so happy to be a part of this important night of giving back. As obvious by the impactful video shown before the concert, whether it is Hatzalah saving lives when every second counts, Tikvah House helping families with members facing serious illnesses, CHANA helping abuse victims, Shomrim protecting our neighborhoods, Ahavas Yisroel helping those in need or The Chesed Fund & Project Ezra helping keep our community safe, Baltimore is so, so fortunate. We have so many essential and wonderful volunteer organizations that support us.”

Another concertgoer mentioned, “Sometimes we forget to show our appreciation to people who put our needs before their very own. These organizations are the pillars of chesed, which Baltimore is uniquely known for, and we must show our appreciation as much as possible.”

The energy and unity of the night were palpable from the beginning of the concert. The audience was tuned in from the moment the show began and the excitement grew with each song. By the last song, Ishay’s big hit, Sibat Hasibot, concertgoers could not contain their enthusiasm, and most were jumping out of their seats. It was a memorable night in so many ways for Ishay Ribo, who shared how much he enjoyed performing in Baltimore, the audience, and the community organizations that help so many.

Based on Make Your Berachos Meaningful by Rabbi Mechel Handler

Adapted by Malky Heimowitz

PERFECT FOR YOUNG READERS!

Berachos. You say them so often: when you eat, when you daven, when you do certain mitzvos. Now it’s time to take your berachos to the next level.

Written in an upbeat way, with lots of stories and explanations ofthe primary text of our berachos, this is a must-read for young and old.

YECHIEL ON PIRKEI AVOS!

Bringing its messages

During this time of year, many devote time to study the timeless words of Pirkei Avos. Rabbi Yechiel Spero uses marvelous, poignant, true stories and penetrating insights to bring the messages of each Mishnah in Pirkei Avos into our everyday lives. Each Mishnah includes an insight, a story, and a practical take-away for us to internalize these vital life lessons.

This bestselling author, master teacher and gifted storyteller will show you how the ageless wisdom of Pirkei Avos will improve and enrich your life.

Around the Community JCSL by “Shimz Cars” passes the mid-point of the 2023 season

With six games now completed, the 2023 season of JCSL by Shimz Cars is running smoothly. And with a number of strong teams in the middle of the pack, the Mama Leah’s/ Taam Tai/Goldbergs/Chef Dan Title is still up for grabs. Any team might take home the 2023 Camp Shoresh trophy this year.

Players continue to show up each week to the well-manicured Web Interactive Technologies fields, wearing their snazzy Fired Up Promotions jerseys. And thanks to the efforts of the Miracle Massage umpiring and grounds crew, the fields are fully lined and set with the appropriate Premier Financial equipment each Sunday morning.

With a number of double-header played this season in response to the uncharacteristically high number of rainouts, many players were initially unsure of how the rest of the season would play out. But after consulting the First National Bank Rules and Regulations, all players minds were put at ease and a clear path for the remainder of the season is now fully actualized.

Continue below for some of the excitement from the games:

Clothier 14

LBSI 6

Clothier defeated LBSI 14-6 behind 3 hits from Avi Safren, strong all around play from Mordechai Schiermeyer and Avrohom Abba Freedman, and a great defensive effort. Clothier held LBSI off the scoreboard in 4 of the 7 innings, winning comfortably after jumping out to an early 7-1 lead in the second inning. Yeshayahu Schwartz drove in 4 runs in the win, Clothier’s first of the season.

AMF Creative 15

Hijazi, Zaslow, & Carroll 0

In game one of a double header AMF started off with 9 straight hits to take a 6-0 lead and never looked back. Thanks to some stellar defense and timely hitting, AMF turned 2 double plays on their way to the win.

AMF Creative 7

Donny Ankri Architects 2

The second game of the day for AMF came against Donny Ankri Architects, the defending JCSL champs . AMF got on the board quickly thanks to a double by Shulie Hochman, putting runners on second and third. Chaim Mandelbaum then came to the plate with 2 outs and knocked in both runs to give AMF an early 2 run lead. Following a fourth inning HR in the gap by sub Ari Bregin, AMF took a commanding lead and ultimately claimed the win to move to 5-0 on the season. Danny Weismann pitched another great game and the stellar defensive play by AMF helped secure the win and move them into first place.

Clothier 13

Worthy Insurance 1

Yankie Goldsmith tripled, had 3 hits, drove in 4 runs, and pitched a gem as Clothier crushed Worthy Insurance 13-1, clinching the win in the 5th inning. After allowing a run in the top of the first, Clothier scored 6 runs with only 1 out in the bottom of the inning, and didn’t allow another run. David Teles had 2 hits and a walk, and Clothier ended things off with a 5 run explosion in the bottom of the 5th, again with only 1 out against them.

Levin Gann PA 15

Hijazi, Zaslow, & Carroll 9

In game 1 of the twin bill (and the battle of the law firms), Levin Gann dominated HZC and claimed the win. Levin Gann jumped out to an early 5-0 lead and never looked back.

Levin Gann PA 9

Worthy Insurance 8

In game 2 of the twin bill, Levin Gann won a thriller against Worthy Insurance . After taking an early 4-0 lead, Worthy came roaring back with 6 in the top of the 3rd. They added 2 more to take a commanding 8-4 lead but couldn’t hold the lead for long. Levin Gann scored 5 in the bottom of the 6th

to take a 1 run lead heading into the top of the 7th. Pitcher/Captain Yaakov Rappaport got a 1-2-3 inning in the 7th, sealing Levin Gann’s most thrilling win yet.

Clothier 13

Donny Ankri Architects 9

Yankie Goldsmith again starred for Clothier, driving in 6 runs and pitching a great game as Clothier held on to win 13-9. Despite a pair of 6 run innings, Clothier was unable to pull away, as Donny Ankri Architects scored one or two runs in 6 of the 7 innings. Mordechai Schiermeyer doubled, singled, and drove in 3 and Avrohom Abba Freedman reached base safely in all three plate appearances as Clothier won their third straight game.

KD Gold & Coin Exchange 10

LBSI 8

After winning a close one in game 1 of the double header, KD Gold came scored in the first inning thanks to Aron Meisters baserunning, to take an early 1-0 lead. LBSI answered quickly with a couple of their own, and kept

adding to that lead as the game went on, eventually going up 6-1 with only 2 innings left.

Sponsor/Mentor, Menashe Minkin huddled everyone together, gave the obligatory pep talk, and it worked. KD started getting hit after hit, beginning with veteran Mike Holzman, and continuing through the lineup. After a game tying RBI double by Shmulie Luxenberg placing runners on 2nd and 3rd, Akiva Katz hit a go ahead, 2 RBI single. KD scored 8 runs before LBSI could record an out in the 6th. That was all they would get that inning, but were headed to the 7th, up 9-6. KD Gold added one more run in the 7th, and that was too much for LBSI, only being able to score 2 runs in the bottom of the inning, bringing a final score of 10-8 in favor of KD Gold, and putting them right back into the playoff hunt.

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how difficult it is to discipline oneself to begin exercising and dieting on a regular basis. At DF Medspa we will

Tell us about yourself:

I was born and raised in Montreal, and after learning in Yeshiva in Eretz Yisrael, I came to Ner Israel in Baltimore to continue my learning and pre med education. I always had a passion and desire to help people, and that is what led me to study medicine. In 2006, after completing my medical training around the globe, I settled back in Baltimore with my wife Atara, and our children.

What prompted you to open DF Medspa?

I trained and have been practicing emergency medicine for over twenty years. I noticed a phenomenon; many of the people I treat are unhappy and don’t feel good about themselves. This motivated me to find a way I could

tial, by giving them a jumpstart to feel better about themselves, and feel confident in their own bodies.

What do you feel is the main reason for obesity in the US?

Obesity is a worldwide problem but it is significantly more prevalent in the United States. This phenomenon is multi-factorial. People in the US are less physically active. More people have cars, so less people walk or bike places. Additionally, the fastfood industry is more common here in America. Portions are oversized and we just eat too much as a society. All these factors contribute to the obesity crisis. As a doctor, I often see the negative impact obesity can have on my patients’ lives. Many diseases are caused by, or exacerbated by underlying issues of obesity. By helping people fight obesity, not only will they feel better physically, it will also strengthen their emotional and men-

The Week In News

The Week In News

Erdogan Wins Runoff

“Even if all of the results that have not been entered into the system yet go to a presidential candidate, the results will not change,” he said.

Erdogan spoke to supporters on a campaign bus outside his home in Istanbul. “I thank each member of our nation for entrusting me with the responsibility to govern this country once again for the upcoming five years,” he said. “We hope to be worthy of your trust, as we have been for 21 years.”

He ridiculed his challenger for his loss, saying “bye bye bye, Kemal,” as supporters booed.

“The only winner today is Turkey,” Erdogan added. He promised to work hard for Turkey’s second century. The country marks its centennial this year.

rules and laws typical of autocratic regimes. Turkey is also battling record-high inflation, and Erdogan faced criticism in the wake of a February earthquake that killed 50,000 people in Turkey.

Erdogan’s chief rival, KiIicdaroglu, was a secular social democrat politician who had emphasized messages of freedom and democracy on the campaign trail. The opposition alliance he represented had promised to roll back constitutional changes introduced after a 2017 referendum that significantly expanded the powers of the presidency, and to bring back the parliamentary system.

lim, he heads the conservative and religious Justice and Development Party, or AKP. Erdogan transformed the presidency from a largely ceremonial role to a powerful office through a narrowly won 2017 referendum that scrapped Turkey’s parliamentary system of governance. He was the first directly elected president in 2014, and won the 2018 election that ushered in the executive presidency.

South American Summit

On Sunday, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won re-election in a historic runoff that will extend his rule until 2028.

cil (YSK) Chairman Ahmet Yener said that Erdogan was elected as the new president with 52.14% of the votes.

“No one can look down on our nation,” he asserted.

Erdogan was applauded during his first decade as leader for transforming

On the international stage, Erdogan’s government vetoed Sweden’s bid to join NATO and purchased Russian missile-defense systems, which prompted the United States to oust Turkey from a U.S.-led fighter-jet project. But it also helped broker a crucial

Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva parts on Tuesday as he seeks to bolster

A Clean Bill of Health

Mordechai was in a daze. How was he to share the difficult news with his wife and children? He was young, barely 40 years old. He still had plans for many happy years together with his beautiful family… and suddenly, he was seeing black.

The warning bells began during a typical annual checkup at his doctor. Further testing led him to the bitter diagnosis. What should he do? He was too frightened to tell his family.

That night, Mordechai met his chavrusa in shul, as usual. Yitzchak immediately picked up that something serious was going on. “Tell me,” he urged. “What’s the matter? Your head is not here. What happened?”

Mordechai found himself spilling the beans. It felt good to roll the heavy weight off his chest and unload the dreadful news he had been keeping to himself.

Yitzchak listened empathetically. Then he sat, immersed in thought, for a couple of minutes. Finally, he said, ‘Did you try Tehillim Kollel?’

“That doesn’t sound like a doctor, does it?” Mordechai replied guardedly.

“No!” Yitzchak said, a smile spreading across his face. “But it is an amazing organization. They have bnei aliyah recite the entire Tehillim at mekomos hakedoshim such as Meron and the kever of the Ribnitzer Rebbe, zt”l. It can’t hurt. Why don’t you sign up?”

Mordechai heeded Yitzchak’s advice and called Tehillim Kollel. “Please daven for me!” he said. “Plead that I should be able to handle the grueling treatment and become well again!”

Several days later, Mordechai was at the doctor for more testing before treatment would begin. How shocked he was to hear that the growth was actually benign. Caused by some infection, it required rigorous medication for ten days, after which Mordechai would be given a clean bill of health, with Hashem’s help.

Yitzchak was the first person to hear the good news.

“You see,” he said, “David Hamelech promises us in Tehillim (107:13): םליצי םהיתוקוצממ םהל רצב 'ה לא וקעציו When someone cries out to Hashem from a place of pain, Hashem helps! You relied on David’s words, and mustered Tehillim Kollel to help this promise come true!”

regional relations.

Leaders from 11 countries and the president of Peru’s council of ministers are convening in Brasilia to seek common ground on areas including health care, infrastructure and the environment, according to the Brazilian government. They will talk during hours-long, closed-door sessions meant to foster intimacy and frank communication.

This is the first summit of South American leaders since 2014. Many of those leaders are dealing with domestic woes and unable to focus on regional partnerships.

Economies are shaky, with particular alarm in Bolivia and Argentina. New leaders who were initially welcomed with fanfare in countries like Chile and Colombia are now grappling with falling popularity. Others, like Peru and Ecuador, have faced fullblown political crises.

The failures of the region’s new wave of leftist leaders have attracted the most attention, as Chile’s Gabriel Boric and his Colombian counterpart Gustavo Petro struggle to advance progressive agendas focused on strengthening public services. But Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso’s move to dissolve congress and head off a looming impeachment attempt earlier this month showed that the continent’s few market-friendly leaders are also on the ropes.

Peru’s President Dina Boluarte, the only South American leader who won’t be in attendance, is facing the risk of criminal prosecution over accusations that she failed to halt the killing of protesters during demonstrations that began last December. In Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro has presided over a dramatic economic collapse that has prompted more than 7 million people to flee since 2015.

Despite the challenges, Brazil insists that dialogue is needed.

“Dialogue is between states,” Gisela Maria Figueiredo Padovan, the Brazilian government’s secretary for Latin America and the Caribbean, told reporters on Friday. “We want to have a vision of the integration of states, and different countries go through different domestic circumstances that we have to understand.”

On Monday, Lula received Maduro in the Venezuelan leader’s first state visit to Brazil since 2015. Ties between the two nations fell apart during the

administration of former President Jair Bolsonaro, but Lula declared the relationship fully restored.

Both heads of state said they discussed Venezuela’s potential addition to the group of so-called BRICS countries, which includes the world’s most prominent emerging markets, as well as desires to use local currencies instead of the U.S. dollar to do business. Lula also criticized economic sanctions imposed on Venezuela.

“South America needs to be convinced that we have to work as a bloc,” Lula said. “It is impossible to imagine that the countries alone are going to fix their serious problems.”

Russia Attacks Kyiv

Even in a city where people have adapted the routines of ordinary life to wartime, a drone attack on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on Tuesday, after a barrage of missiles the day before, was a reminder that while the fighting has been concentrated hundreds of miles east, the city still has a Russian bull’s-eye on it.

Kyiv’s military administrator, Serhii Popko, described the assault on Tuesday as a “massive” attack launched in several waves. He said on the Telegram messaging app that Russia had conducted the assault using Iranian-made Shahed drones. Ukraine’s air-defense forces destroyed more than 20 of the drones, the military administration said.

The mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, warned residents in a post on Telegram not to leave shelters. About 20 residents of a high-rise building in Kyiv were evacuated early Tuesday after falling debris from a destroyed Russia-launched air target ignited a fire, Klitschko added. One person died, and at least three other people were injured from the falling debris, according to the mayor.

On Monday, 11 ballistic missiles

The Week In News

targeted Ukraine, and 11 were intercepted, Ukrainian officials said. But debris from the in-air collisions caused fires and other damage, as terrified Ukrainians looked to the clearblue skies of their densely populated city to witness a battle unfolding with explosive force.

The missiles came roaring into Kyiv shortly after 11 a.m. Monday — a rare daytime barrage that sent city residents racing for cover. Then, drone attacks began early Tuesday, making it clear that even as Kyiv, aided by Western allies, built up its air defense system, Russian forces were intent on testing for soft spots.

They have changed the timing of bombardments, the combination of weapons used and the trajectories of missiles and drones, lately flying them low along riverbeds and through valleys to avoid detection, Ukrainian officials say.

Schoolchildren shouldering backpacks ran in terror Monday after the booms resounded on one city street, a video widely shared by Ukrainian offi-

cials on social media showed.

The Monday barrage drew an immediate condemnation from the Ukrainian government. Russian forces “struck a peaceful city during the day, when most of the residents were at work and on the streets,” Popko said in a statement. (© The New York Times)

Suspect in Rwanda Genocide Arrested

Rwandan genocide of 1994 was arrested last in Paarl, South Africa, after decades on the run.

Fulgence Kayishema is accused of orchestrating the killing of more than 2,000 Tutsi refugees – women, men, children and the elderly –at Nyange Catholic Church during the genocide. He has been on the run since 2001.

He was captured on Wednesday in a joint operation between the South African authorities and UN investigators.

When he was arrested, Kayishema initially denied his identity, according to a statement from the UN team. But by the end of the evening, he told them: “I have been waiting a long time to be arrested.”

The murderer had used multiple identities and forged documents to stay under the radar.

of the United Nations’ International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT).

“Genocide is the most serious crime known to humankind. The international community has committed to ensure that its perpetrators will be prosecuted and punished. This arrest is a tangible demonstration that this commitment does not fade and that justice will be done, no matter how long it takes,” Brammertz said.

At the end of the genocide in July 1994, Kayishema fled to the Democratic Republic of Congo with his wife, children, and brother-in-law. After relocating to other African countries, he moved to South Africa in 1999 and claimed asylum in Cape Town, using a false name.

The most wanted fugitive in the

“Fulgence Kayishema was a fugitive for more than 20 years. His arrest ensures that he will finally face justice for his alleged crimes,” said Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz

According to prosecutors, since his arrival in South Africa he was able to rely on a tight support network, including former Rwandan military members, which went to extreme lengths to conceal his activities and whereabouts.

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The events in Nyanga, Rwanda, were one of the most brutal of the genocide, in which an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed over the period of 90 days.

The tribunal alleges that Kayishema directly participated in the “planning and execution of this massacre.” The indictment says he bought and distributed petrol to burn down the church while refugees were inside. Kayishema and others are also accused of using a bulldozer to collapse the church following the fire, while refugees were still inside.

The Rwandan genocide saw Hutu militias and civilians alike murder massive numbers of members of the Tutsi ethnic minority: men, women and children, many of whom had been their neighbors before the conflict began.

The killings finally came to an end 100 days later, when Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) troops, led by Paul Kagame, defeated the Hutu rebels and took control of the country.

A Green Canal

through the day.

The Week In News For all your

For now, no one has taken responsibility for the green outbreak.

The curious coloring came as the city celebrated the Vogalonga boat event, created to combat wave motion and to restore Venetian traditions and help spread attention for the environment and nature as well as the architecture Biennale, which opened last weekend.

This is not the first time Venice’s Grand Canal has changed color.

In 1968, Argentine artist Nicolás García Uriburu dyed the waters of the canal green with a fluorescent dye during the annual Venice Biennale. The move was designed to bring attention to ecological issues and the relationship between nature and civilization.

Official Drains Reservoir to Save Phone

A bright green patch of water showed up in Venice’s famed Grand Canal on Sunday, baffling and alarming residents. Now, authorities say they know what caused the fluorescent green color.

Fluorescein is a non-toxic chemical commonly used in underwater construction to help identify leaks, environmental authorities say. It remains unclear how the substance ended up in the canal, but the Regional Agency for the Environment in Venice (ARPAV) said given the volume released it was unlikely to be an accident.

The verdant blob was first noticed by residents near the Rialto Bridge on Sunday morning and grew slowly

Say you drop your brand-new smartphone into a reservoir while posing for a selfie during a picnic. Would you consider it lost and buy a replacement, or drain the reservoir to retrieve it?

An Indian official who chose the latter option has been suspended from his job. He is also facing the glare of the national news media in a droughtprone country where water is a precious commodity.

The official, Rajesh Vishwas, 32, was picnicking with friends in central India on May 21 when he dropped his Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra into the Paralkot reservoir in Chhattisgarh state, where he lives. The $1,200 device is a new model, and Vishwas, a government food inspector, apparently decided that he had to have it back and claimed that it had official departmental data, according to Indian television station NDTV.

The Week In News

Initially, some villagers he knew spent two days diving in the reservoir in an attempt to retrieve the phone, Vishwas told The Indian Express newspaper. No luck. So he rented a diesel pump and drained about 3 feet of water — by some estimates, enough to irrigate 1,500 acres of farmland.

Vishwas later said he had received “oral permission” from R.C. Dhivar, an official at the local Water Resources Department, to drain 3 or 4 feet of water.

Priyanka Shukla, a top local official, said in an interview on Saturday that Vishwas had no authority to drain the water.

By the time Vishwas retrieved his phone this past week, it was unusable, according to reports in the Indian news media. And after word of his operation made headlines across the country, he was temporarily removed from his post for having “misused his position.”

Officials said they had asked Dhivar to explain his position on the episode, in writing, within two days. He could eventually face disciplinary action.

Vishwas told The Indian Express that news reports of his phone-retrieval operation had been greatly exaggerated. He also said the Paralkot reservoir was not used for irrigation.

But Shukla, a district magistrate in the area, said local farmers did rely on it. “He will face consequences for draining the water, and this won’t be tolerated,” she added. (© The New York Times)

Record Migration Numbers in UK

around 1.2 million people arrived in 2022 and about half of that number of people left.

These numbers come despite pledges from successive Conservative governments to drastically reduce the numbers of people moving to the UK, particularly in the wake of Brexit – a rupture that was touted by its proponents as a necessary step for Britain to “take control” of its borders.

The lifting of Covid restrictions and the war in Ukraine contributed heavily to the record numbers.

The vast majority of people arriving – 925,000 – were non-EU nationals, and around one in 12 of those were asylum seekers, included for the first time in the ONS’ annual release.

These numbers will force the hands of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his embattled Home Secretary Suella Braverman, both of whom have joined their predecessors in promising to reduce arrivals despite the strain on Britain’s public services, where key sectors like health care are marred by chronic staffing shortages.

The pair have sought to focus attention on refugees and asylum-seekers crossing the English Channel on small boats, rather than on overall migration, despite that route representing a tiny proportion of arrivals to the UK.

Ministers have been criticized by rights organizations and politicians across the political divide for their use of hardline rhetoric against those people, with Braverman controversially rallying against an “invasion” of migrants across the Channel.

Last week, Sunak told the BBC at the G7 summit that legal migration to the UK was “too high,” though he did not offer a specific plan to reduce it.

tracted widespread media coverage.

Snap Elections in Spain

fallout from the 2008 financial crisis, United We Can promised policies drawn from grassroots activism and grew to become a national force. After joining the coalition government in 2019 with the Socialists, United We Can has focused on issues such as gender identity.

Too many people are coming into Britain. Official figures on Thursday showed that net migration reached record levels last year, with 606,000 people – net – coming into the country. To break that down,

“What I would say is we’re considering a range of options to help tackle numbers of legal migration and to bring those numbers down –and we’ll talk more about that in the future,” Sunak said.

He has a long-touted promise to “Stop the Boats;” arrivals of asylum-seekers on small, illegal vessels run by criminal trafficking gangs have soared in recent years and at-

In a surprise announcement, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called for snap elections this week, breaking apart the coalition he built with the far-left United We Can party.

On Monday, Sánchez brought forward a national election expected in December to July 23 after the conservative Popular Party, or PP, and farright Vox movement dramatically increased their vote share in local and regional elections on Sunday.

Sánchez’s Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party, or PSOE, has led a minority government with United We Can since 2019, but arguments with his coalition partners have increasingly dominated headlines. United We Can’s leadership is also engaged in a separate feud with Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz, who has started her own political movement, Sumar.

Calling for earlier elections was a needed wakeup call for the feuding parties. United We Can’s leader, Ione Belarra, summarily announced a reboot of negotiations with Sumar on an electoral pact. Legally, the parties have only until June 9 to apply to run on a joint ticket.

Although the Socialists’ overall vote share remained largely steady in the local and regional vote, the dire performance of United We Can across the country leaves the coalition with a questionable mandate to continue.

Sunday marked a new low of United We Can’s electoral performance since it won its first votes in a European election in 2014.

The party was founded by Spain’s precursor to the Occupy protest movement and was originally led by university professor Pablo Iglesias. Tackling the austerity politics imposed by the

There are several complications with the new election date. A late July election is unprecedented in a Southern European country like Spain, when many will be on vacation away from their registered voting address and when political parties will be in the middle of negotiating alliances spurred by the local elections.

Rav Gershon Edelstein, zt”l

On Tuesday, hundreds of thousands of people joined in the levaya of HaRav Gershon Edelstein, zt”l, who passed away at the age of 100.

The levaya began in the Ponovezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak, which he led for the past 23 years. Rav Gershon was buried in the cemetery in Bnei Brak.

One of the gedolei hador, Rav Gershon was revered for his approach in chinuch and his humility. He was a beacon for those who needed support and was the destination for those who needed guidance – whether in halacha, hadracha or even in Israeli politics. He told people to encourage and persuade their children as opposed to forcing their children to do what’s right.

Outside the charedi world, Rav Gershon was respected for promoting a peaceful coexistence and easing tensions between charedi and secular Jews in Israel.

HaRav Baruch Dov Povarsky

The Week In News

spoke at the levaya, “Like Moshe Rabbeinu, Rabbi Edelstein did not want leadership, but accepted it when it was thrust upon him. His humility, devotion and wisdom are a guiding light for generations to come.”

Rav Gershon’s son, Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Edelstein recalled how his father didn’t share a chumra he had made for himself over Pesach “Our father did not want to pressure us, or anyone else, into devoutness. Make no mistake: He wanted us to be devout, but from within, not from without.”

Meir Tamari, Hy”d

ing out near-nightly raids in the West Bank, in the wake of a series of deadly Palestinian terror attacks.

Herzog Heads to Azerbaijan

Herzog’s visit is the latest step in an ongoing and very public expansion of bilateral ties with Azerbaijan, a Shiite-majority country closely allied with Turkey that has seen its partnership with Israel flourish in the wake of Israeli support during its 2020 conflict.

Azerbaijan is located on Iran’s northern border. Israel buys more than 30 percent of its oil from Baku. Aliyev said that he hopes for a more diverse trade between the two countries.

the intelligence department, were taking part in a convivial meeting organized to celebrate the birthday of one of the group,” it said in a statement.

The fourth victim was a 50-yearold Russian woman, the partner of the boat’s captain.

The deceased Israeli man became friends with the Italian officers after they became acquainted through their work, according to Hebrew-language media reports.

Meir Tamari, 32, was shot and killed in an attack near Hermesh on Tuesday.

Tamari was driving when he was shot by someone in another passing vehicle. He managed to drive to Hermesh, which is west of Jenin, and then was treated by medics. Unfortunately, the father of two did not survive the multiple gunshot wounds.

The Israel Defense Forces said troops launched a manhunt for the gunmen, closing off several roads in the area.

The Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terror group, loosely linked to the Palestinian Authority’s ruling Fatah party, claimed responsibility for the deadly attack.

“We affirm that this operation and others will not be the final response to our martyrs,” the terrorist group’s statement read.

Tamari had moved to Hermesh four years ago after getting married to his wife, Tal. He is survived by Tal and their two young children, aged one and three.

Tensions between Israel and the Palestinians have been elevated for the past year, with the military carry-

While meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart in Baku on Tuesday, President Isaac Herzog stressed the threat that Iran poses to regional stability.

In his public remarks after the meeting, Herzog said he and Ilham Aliyev spoke in depth about “the entire global and regional security structure that is endangered and threatened by Iran.”

The Israeli leader added, “Visiting Azerbaijan is a dream come true for me and for my nation.”

For his part, Aliyev said that the March opening of Azerbaijan’s embassy in Tel Aviv created “more opportunities to have a closer interaction.”

Aliyev lauded the defense cooperation between the countries, saying that Baku “has access to modern Israeli equipment in this area for many years, which helps us to modernize our defense capability, and to be able to protect our statehood, our values, our national interest, and our territorial integrity.”

Israel is one of Azerbaijan’s leading arms suppliers. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Israel provided 69 percent of Baku’s major arms imports in 2016-2020, accounting for 17% of Jerusalem’s arms exports over that period.

Israel stepped up its weapons shipments to Azerbaijan during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Azerbaijan emerged victorious in that six-week war with Armenia, which claimed the lives of more than 6,000 soldiers and resulted in Baku regaining control over disputed territories.

Herzog and his wife, Michal, were received by an honor guard at the Zugulba presidential palace, with the playing of Israel’s national anthem, “Hatikva.”

Israeli Dies When Boat Capsizes in Italy

Yom Kippur War Website

A tourist boat on Italy’s Lake Maggiore capsized over the weekend after it overturned in strong winds. Four people were killed in the incident, including a 50-year-old Israeli man who was a retired member of the Israeli security forces.

Ten other Israelis survived the disaster and were taken home by a military plane.

Italian media reported that most of those on board were former or current intelligence personnel from at least two countries. Eighteen of the 20 survivors of the disaster were former or current agents and were hastily evacuated from hospitals and hotels “so as not to leave a trace,” according to the Italian reports.

Two of the other victims were Italians — a 62-year-old man and a 53-year-old woman — who both worked in the intelligence services, Italy’s security services said.

“The two employees, belonging to

The date is October 12, 1973, and after being surprised by a ferocious Syrian and Egyptian multi-front attack six days beforehand, Israeli military chiefs met to plan a series of counter-strikes.

This is the dramatic story of the Yom Kippur War, as told by one of thousands of documents now available on a new, Hebrew-language website launched on Sunday by the Israeli Defense Ministry and Israel Defense Forces archives to mark 50 years since the war.

In terms of the scope of official documents available, the new site is the largest to date focusing on the Yom Kippur War, and also contains images, videos, audio recordings and testimonies.

A document marked “top secret” and dated October 12, 1973, includes protocols from a key discussion between IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. David (Dado) Elazar, Israeli Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Benny Peled, Military Intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Eli Zeira and other senior military officials.

They discussed the forward positioning of IAF aircraft to enable them to attack Egyptian forces, and the need to begin striking deeper inside Egypt, beyond the Sinai battle zone.

The officers also discuss the need

Celebrating

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to interrogate a captive Egyptian battalion commander to get further intelligence before the strikes go ahead.

On October 14, dozens of IAF F-4 jets attempted to attack Egyptian air bases between Cairo and Alexandra and entered into an intense engagement with the Egyptian Air Force, in what became known as the air battle of Mansoura. The EAF Commander was Hosni Mubarak, who went on to become Egypt’s president. The EAF, despite sustaining losses, was able to force some of the Israeli jets to abort strikes on ground targets.

That same day, Egyptian helicopters landed 100 commandos in Sinai to attack in the Israeli rear, but an IDF reconnaissance unit engaged them rapidly, killing 60 and taking many others captive.

The new Defense Ministry website unveils for the first time most of the intelligence material that preceded the war, which was submitted by Zeira to the official Agranat Commission appointed by the Israeli government to investigate the war and the failings that occurred in the lead-up to it.

It also includes information on the fall of the Israeli Hermon outpost to Syrian forces.

In total, the website contains 15,301 photographs, 6,085 documents, 215 videos, 40 audio recordings and 169 maps, reflecting battle zones, tactical and strategic considerations by decision makers and dramatic moments during the fighting.

The website “was set up in order to tell the story of the war’s generation, to commemorate the bravery of the soldiers, and to form an official state platform for providing a legacy of

Never Too Old

Sam Kaplan’s 99-year-old mother is really proud. Last month, Sam, 72, finally earned his undergraduate degree – more than five decades after he graduated high school.

While in cap and gown, Sam Ka-

plan became the first of his seven siblings to earn a bachelor’s degree after receiving his diploma in Cinema and Media Arts from Georgia Gwinnett College in Lawrenceville, Georgia.

His mother cheered on her son from the crowd as he crossed the stage for his graduation ceremony.

“She’s very excited,” the new graduate remarked about his mother.

“She’s excited, happy and proud.”

dia post that it had “finally got this dream ingredient,” more than a 100 people have joined a waiting list to dine at the restaurant.

The special ingredient? A 14-legged giant isopod.

“It is so attractive because of its appearance – it looks very cute,” said the 37-year-old owner of the restaurant.

“As for the cooking method, we use the simplest way, steam, so there is no difficulty to process it.”

The restaurant steams the isopod for 10 minutes before adding it to the top of a bowl of ramen with thick chicken and fish broth. Each bowl costs 1,480 Taiwan dollars ($48).

velopment Arts and Human Expression, and Science and Mathematics.

Adding to Hung’s achievements, he was elected as a Senator for Associated Students for the next upcoming year, when he plans to take new STEM classes at the college until he is ready to apply for universities.

After graduating high school Kaplan ran a cleaning service and a telemarketing company. He also worked as a taxi driver and in customer service for electronic wholesale distribution. But college was not on his mind until he heard an ad for the college while driving.

“I was riding down 316 and heard on the radio that Georgia Gwinnett College was offering a degree that involved script writing,” he explained. “My car seemed to have developed automatic steering, and I pulled off on Collins Hill Road. Five minutes later, I was registering for the fall semester.”

He was 68 years old.

It wasn’t easy going back to school. The father of five took one day at a time, giving himself a daily quota of what he had to study.

Now, he can really say he earned his degree.

14-Legged Creature on the Menu

What’s crunchy and has legroom to spare? The newest offering on the menu at a ramen restaurant in Taipei.

Since The Ramen Boy launched the limited-edition noodle bowl on May 22, declaring in a social me -

Giant isopods – a distant cousin of crabs and prawns – are the largest among the thousands of species in the crustacean group. They are usually found about 186-2,340 yards deep in the ocean.

This particular creature is called the “Bathynomus jamesi” and was discovered near the Dongsha islands on the South China Sea.

Despite the ickiness factor of this food, one customer was excited to have a taste.

“I am very honored to have this opportunity to taste it,” she said.

Good luck getting it all down.

12 Years Old and Graduating College

Clovis Hung is the youngest person to graduate college in the United States. The 12-year-old received his degree from Fullerton College on May 20.

Hung graduated with five Associate of Arts degrees in History, Social Sciences, Social Behavior and Self-De -

Accomplishing this milestone took some time. Hung enrolled in college when he was nine years old, inspired by a 13-year-old who had attended college and had obtained four degrees.

“I feel proud of myself. Hard work has finally paid off,” Hung told his College’s newsletter.

“The first question the professors and classmates usually ask is how old I am. They are surprised at what I am doing here and always curious about the points of my quizzes and exams. However, after a while, I have shown a serious attitude toward my study; they all believe in my ability and determination to get good grades,” added Hung.

Hung was able to attend the school under the “special admit” program.

One professor said that “Clovis has been a great mixture of ‘kid’ and college student. He is mature enough that the other students take him seriously, but enough of a kid that they look after him like a younger brother and cheer him on.”

For now, Hung has his sights set on getting his pilot license in the next few years.

“I feel really proud of what I’ve accomplished so far,” he said. “I also just joined the Civic Air Patrol and hope to get my pilot license at age 16.”

As for longer-term goals, Hung told the college newsletter that he is looking into careers in commercial piloting, pediatric medicine, and aerospace careers.

Maybe he’ll just do them all.

Fighting for His People

A Jewish Soldier’s Mission to Save His Jewish Nation from Hitler and from the Arabs

By M Alkie ScH ul MAN

Abba’s crusade to avenge his people began when he went off as a young American Jew to fight the Nazis in World War II. Unfortunately, for him, he was assigned to the Pacific theater, so he didn’t get to realize his goal of personally taking down Nazis. However, when it came to the Israeli Independence War, he did have his dream fulfilled of directly partaking in the destroying of the Jewish enemy in Palestine – the British and the Arabs.

Even as a young child, growing up in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in the ‘20s and ‘30s, my father, Eli Freundlich (or Eli Yedidya as he was known in Israel in the Independence War years), was aware of antisemitism, both personally through his own and his parents’ experiences and that of the Jewish people throughout history. Abba never accepted the situation cavalierly, which explains why he was always a Zionist. So, when the war came around, he was anxious to join. As soon as he was of age, 18, he left yeshiva Torah V’daas where he was studying and signed up for the draft.

Most mothers are not keen on having their sons join the army, and my grandmother was like most mothers. At first, Abba was sent to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, for basic training. There was no danger of being killed in a war zone down there but there was antisemitism from his fellow barrack mates to be reckoned with. My father put on tefillin every day which must’ve looked strange to the Southern hicks. He had a protector, though, that he liked to tell us about, a big, husky fellow who was a devout Christian. This fellow soldier threatened anybody who dared to touch one of the “People of the Book.”

After about six months in North Carolina, my father was called up to active duty in the South Pacific. To ease his mother’s anxiety, he wrote a year’s worth of letters and asked a soldier pal to send them to her every few weeks. This way ,she would never have to know that he’d been sent overseas. He deliberately kept the letters vague regarding times of the year so it wouldn’t look suspicious if

she was to receive a letter, for example, discussing Purim when it was already Shavuos. At the end, though, that was Abba’s undoing. Because they were so vague, Mama eventually caught on that they weren’t being posted by him.

My father was sent to fight the Japanese in the jungles of New Guinea. He’d tell us about the intense heat. It got so hot, he said, that his tefillin simply disintegrated from the humidity. As the only Orthodox Jew in his unit, there was no tefillin to borrow from anybody else. So, he figured out that the closest Jewish community to the Philippines where he was stationed was Brisbane, Australia. He wrote a letter, addressing it to the rabbi of Brisbane (he had no idea of the name of the rabbi or even if there was a rabbi in Brisbane) and explained that he was an American soldier whose tefillin had disintegrated in the jungle and could he please send him a new pair. Remarkably, he received his new pair!

One of the more humorous war stories Abba would share but always with an eye to Hashem’s miraculous salvations and clear plan for his survival was the time his heavy artillery unit was totally surrounded by the Japanese. The American army was flying overhead dropping food packages for the soldiers. Abba didn’t eat anything with meat in it, so his diet was seriously curtailed. However, he did eat Hershey bars, which were also in the food packages. As the packages were raining from the sky, Abba ran from soldier to soldier to trade his unkosher food for the chocolate. As he was doing that, the enemy was closing in on them, but Abba

was too busy trying to get his chocolate to notice. Thankfully, his captain realized Pvt. Freundlich was missing and sent someone in his unit to find him.

Another story he’d share many times about his time in the U.S. Army was the one about his obsession with getting a clean, fresh new pair of socks. He’d fantasize about what he would do if he had a pair of clean, white socks. I assume he mentioned it in a letter home because one day his dream socks arrived. He carefully and excitedly put them, luxuriating in the cottony, soft feel. That night, when they were in the trenches in the pouring rain, trying to keep the enemy at bay, the wa-

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ter seeping into his newly donned socks, Abba’s fantasy of how great life would be if only he had clean white socks was laid to rest.

Though others would disagree, Abba would always be grateful that the atom bombs were dropped. If not for that, he would tell us, none of our family would be here today. He was in the infantry and would’ve been one of the first units sent in to fight on the mainland. Almost all the estimates at the time were that had the invasion not been preempted by the dropping of the atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the campaign (known as Operation Downfall) would have stood as the bloodiest chapter of World War II, adding as many as 10 million additional dead (including civilian and military) to the war’s already mind-boggling final body count of 50 million. Abba was sure that if they had invaded, he would’ve been one of the final body count.

The Journey to Palestine

After the war’s end in 1945, Abba returned to the United States, but his efforts on behalf of the Jewish people, were far from over. Since his teen years, he’d been active in various Jewish Zionist youth movements, fervently believing in the idea of a Jewish homeland. As the Jews in Palestine were fighting for their freedom against the British, Abba began to make his plans to join Etzel – Irgun Tzvai Leumi (also known as the Irgun) headed by Menachem Begin.

At that time, there were three military organizations in pre-state Israel: the Palmach, Etzel and Lechi. Each group had the same goal, to drive the occupying force out of Palestine. Each, however, had a different philosophy on how to accomplish that goal. The Lechi approach was terrorism; the Palmach believed in cooperating with the British; and the Etzel in fighting by attacking military objectives. My father felt most aligned with the Etzel. However, in order to get to Palestine to sign up, he first had to join Beitar, the revisionist organization based in New York that was closely affiliated with the Irgun. He also had to figure out how to get his mother on board with his plans. It’s funny – Abba had no fear when it came to fighting the Nazis, the Japanese, the Brits or the Arabs, yet the fear of “Mama” was something to behold. In the end, he decided not to tell his mother he was planning on joining the Irgun. He didn’t even tell her of his plans to volunteer as a crew member on a ship setting sail for Palestine. So, very early one morning in

December 1946, without telling anybody except for his sister (and she had promised not to say anything), Abba packed his bags and left for the port.

When he was at shipside ready to board, he decided it was safe to call his mother. This, as it turns out, was a mistake because, when his sister handed her mother the phone saying, “It’s for you, Ma. Eli’s on the line. He’s at the dock leaving for Palestine and he wants to say goodbye,” my grandmother, I am told, was so upset, she refused to get on the

Nevertheless, besides for many of the crewmembers including my father, suffering from violent seasickness, the boat did make it to its first rendezvous, Port de-Bouc, France, to pick up 600 war refugees anxious to leave Europe and settle in Palestine. The DPs were crammed into the boat, and despite its few rough starts, like running aground shortly after leaving the French port, no further incidents occurred until they were ten miles from the Palestine coastline. At that point, three British destroyers confronted their ship and ordered them to turn back. When

with the refugees. Quickly tossing the only proof of his American citizenship overboard, his American passport, Abba mingled with the refugees instead of with his crew. When spoken to in English, he pretended he did not understand the language and responded in Yiddish. His ruse worked, and he was sent with the DPs to Cyprus where he spent the next nine months.

A Cyprus Stopover

phone. (Thankfully, they did eventually reconcile.)

The Aliya Bet ship, the SS Ben Hecht, was not much of a ship. It was only the size of a small yacht and a quite rickety one at that. Its name originated from a famous Jewish American actor of the time, Ben Hecht, who had over the years become more and more actively Zionistic. In fact, Ben Hecht had produced several plays and movies starring famous actors like Marlon Brando to publicize the plight of the Jewish refugees in Europe trying to reach British-controlled Palestine.

the SS Ben Hecht refused to comply, the destroyers rammed the sides of the boat, allowing the English soldiers to jump aboard and overpower the smaller boat.

As Abba would tell it, in those few chaotic moments, he had a split decision to make: to stay with the other captured American sailors and risk being deported back to America or pretend he was a Holocaust refugee and be sent to Cyprus detention camp. Reasoning that Cyprus, an island off Greece, was a lot closer to Palestine, his intended destination, than the U.S., he decided to throw his lot in

Growing up as I did with Abba, I had witnessed on many occasions one of his less healthy attributes – his inability to throw anything out. But at least in one instance, I appreciate this tendency to hold on to everything because I now retain dozens of stamped and postmarked envelopes from friends and relatives from as far back as 1932. The majority of the envelopes no longer contain any letters but just seeing a postmark dated 1938 from my great-grandfather from Dej, Romania, to his daughter, my grandmother (Abba’s mother), on Throop Ave in Williamsburg is thrilling for me. It gives me a sense of continuity as it validates and reinforces the stories of the forbears that I grew up with. For me, though the postmarked stamps have no monetary value, the stories they tell are priceless.

Of course, the envelopes with actual letters in them are even more precious. In my possession is one such envelope postmarked Cyprus from a Mordechai Yefune, a Russian Jewish Holocaust refugee who was a fellow detention camp inmate with Abba. The letter, written in Hebrew, begins, “Le’yedidi ha’yakar v’l’mori Eli ” – to my precious friend and my teacher,

it’s funny – Abba had no fear when it came to fighting the Nazis, the Japanese, the Brits or the Arabs, yet the fear of “Mama” was something to behold.

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Eli, and is dated Rosh Chodesh Adar 5708 - 1948 . Mordechai thanks Abba for sending pictures, asks for all the latest news, tells him nothing is doing in Cyprus except the Sochnut is sending 2,000 children “l’Aretz ” from Cyprus and wonders when his family’s turn will come to be released to the land of their birthright.

He sounds frustrated, yet excited as he writes, “Ulam mah lasot? Sha’ah historit achshav v’mimena ain l’himalet” -– but what’s there to do? It’s a historic moment which we cannot escape from.

He then admonishes my father to write back quickly because it could be that by the time his letters get back to him, the hoped-for day will already have arrived.

We now know that two months later Mordechai Yefune’s longed-for day did indeed arrive. Israel became a Jewish state in Iyar of that year.

Joining Etzel

After my father was released from Cyprus, he was sent to Palestine where he was interned once again in a detention camp on the outskirts of Haifa. Six weeks later, sometime at the end of 1947, he obtained his final release and was at last able to join the Irgun.

Abba’s story of how he was inducted into Etzel is gripping. On occasion, he would share with us the spy-like story details. The first thing he did, he would tell us, after leaving Atlit was to reach out to a Betar group contact that he knew from the U.S. Through the contact, he was sent to Beit Jabotinsky in Tel Aviv where he shared a brief history of his background to the few Etzel members there. Not long

afterwards, he received instructions to appear on a certain street at a certain time and date with a book in his left hand. He was to relay a password and receive further instructions. Abba followed the directions, and at the appointed place and time, a young man appeared. After exchanging passwords, Abba was instructed to proceed to a house that appeared to be in the middle of construction down the street and wait inside. Stepping over debris, building material and holes, my father entered the dark house. After what

answer was, “No.”

A few days later, my father was ordered to report to a broken-down home in a poor section of Tel Aviv where, together with other new Etzel recruits, he was to begin an orientation course. The course covered the philosophy, goals, and methods of Etzel. The only trouble, my father would ruefully say, was that the course was in Hebrew and given at the end of a working day. This combination put him to sleep but, in the end, it didn’t matter because he knew why he was there and

As a chaver of Etzel, Abba was on call all the time, any time, day or night for a “p’oola” (an action). He only knew the name of the person above him instructing him regarding the p’oola and the person or persons he was engaging with on the action. Other than that, it was a completely secret organization.

At first, Abba stayed at home, waiting for his call but after a while, he was instructed to spend several weeks living in a pardes (orchard) for further training and to be more readily available for a p’oola.

His first p’oola came shortly after that when he was called out one morning to catch a transport that was to take him and a few others to the town of Binyomina. Their job (which they carried out) was to derail a British train that was transporting ammunition.

War Miracles and More Miracles

Abba would often talk about the string of miracles Hashem wrought for him while with the Etzel. They began in June of 1948 when the British occupation was pretty much over but the Arab invasion had just begun. Abba’s unit was assigned the former Beit Kitzinim that was used as a base by the British during World War II to train Iraqis situated in the city of Ramle. Their mission was to overtake the base, and then move on with reinforcements to occupy the city.

The truth of the matter was, Etzel was a ragtag group of passionate individuals ready to sacrifice for their cause, but they were not an organized army in any sense. My father would often say that except for him and perhaps a few others, nobody had any training in the use of weapons. He had training, of course, because he’d been in the American army.

seemed to be a long time, another young man entered and led him into another darkened, uninhabited house. However, Abba did not get a chance to take in his surroundings because as soon as he arrived, a spotlight was shone directly into his face preventing him from seeing his questioner (or anything else). A voice began asking him many questions: “Why do you want to join Etzel? What is your background?” Then, the voice asked Abba if he had any questions. Abba’s only question was, “Once I’m accepted, can I resign if I’m not happy with the conditions?” The

he was ready for whatever would come.

A few weeks later, Abba graduated. The ceremony took place in the courtyard of a school late at night, lit only by the light of the moon. The building was locked so they had to climb over the fence to the yard behind. In the middle of the yard was a table covered with an Israeli flag, a Chumash, and a pistol. Each recruit stepped up to the table placing his right hand on the Chumash, his left on the pistol, and took an oath. Then they climbed back over the fence – proud chaverim of Etzel.

In this particular action, since my father was the only one who knew how to use weapons, he was assigned to the only machine gun. The trouble was, the machine gun didn’t work. It had been taken from the British along with the bullets. Unfortunately, they were the wrong bullets. This piece of information took Abba the whole night to figure out which leads us to his first reported miracle.

“My buddy and I sat in a windowless bunker,” my father would share, “about 10-feet by 10-feet, constructed of brick walls. We were sitting in such a way that the gun end lay across his legs with the front end past the side of his stomach. We were trying to fit each bullet into the gun for an accurate fit. Occasionally, when the gun was empty of bullets, I would pull the trigger. Only one time when I pulled the

Not long afterwards, he received instructions to appear on a certain street at a certain time and date with a book in his left hand. He was to relay a password and receive further instructions.

Shuiey Shapiro, CSP

trigger, I didn’t realize that the gun wasn’t empty. The gun fired, and we could hear the bullet bounce off the walls, ricocheting several times around the room, from wall to wall until it stopped. Neither of us were hit.”

The next miracle occurred the following day when unexpectedly the Arabs invaded the area and captured the position. Abba quickly saw that they were outnumbered (it was just him and three other Etzelniks) and realized it was time to skedaddle. But in order to plan their escape route, he needed to determine the Arabs’ exact position. That meant he had to leave the relative safety of his bunker and crouch unseen along its side to get to the corner so he could look around it and see how close the Arabs were.

When he reached the corner, he saw the muzzle of a rifle sticking out and pointing upward at the fourth floor of a tall building 20 feet away.

“In that moment,” my father recounted, “I froze in my tracks as I waited for the Arab to stick his head around the corner and see me. But, baruch Hashem, he fired first at the building — which I knew was empty — and only then looked around the corner.”

At that point, Abba allowed himself to breathe. He knew the Arab had no more bullets in his rifle and would have to reload before firing again. My father, on the other hand, did still have a bullet in his rifle…. And so, though it was one Arab down, there were many more pouring in from behind. Abba scooted back to the bunker and told the others it was now or never.

Truthfully, Abba couldn’t imagine how any of them would make it without getting shot in the back since the only way to safety was through reaching a pardes 100 yards away and that included jumping over a four-foot-high pile of rubble in broad daylight to get to it. So, while rethinking his plan to make a run for it and getting, as he put it, “a bad case of cold feet, the Ribbono Shel Olam demonstrated for me that there is such a phenomenon as hashgocha pratis. He shot me in order to save my life.”

What happened then was, still deliberating, Abba stepped out of the bunker once more to size up the situation. Just then, one of his buddies ran into the room, wounded. With one foot and half his body already out the door, my father turned to see two Arabs facing him with their rifles. Simultaneously, they fired. Abba saw two chips of brick fall away from the edge of the doorpost and felt an impact in his chest. Having been shot at

point-blank range, my father expected to see his chest blown away, or at least blood gushing in torrents. In those milliseconds, he wondered when the excruciating pain would begin. But he also knew that if they didn’t run immediately, he would certainly bleed to death.

Meanwhile, the two Arabs had ducked into the next-door bunker. My father quickly dropped a hand grenade into their room, effectively incapacitating them. He ran back into his bunker and said, “Chevreh, we have to go.” (The “chevreh,” by the way, consisted of two wounded men, a 17-year-old female medic, and one scared teenager who threw away his rifle and the rifles of the wounded as they ran.)

In full view of the enemy and defenseless as they were, the four of them hurtled over the four-foot rubble heap to the orchard beyond. In fact, though they knew the Arabs were attacking from the east, how did they know there weren’t Arabs lying in wait for them in the opposite direction as well? They also had no idea where they’d find their own forces. With not much of an option, they decided to head in the direction of the setting sun. Miraculously, they did not meet even one armed Arab and eventually bumped into friendly forces.

If you have been following this story closely, you may still be wondering how Abba survived being shot at by two bullets at such close range. Through another miracle, of course. Abba didn’t realize it at the time, but both the Arabs missed their target (him) and hit the doorpost instead. The actual wound my father did sustain was from exploding shrapnel from the grenade his friend accidentally dropped shortly before he ran into the bunker at the precise moment my father stepped out

of it. Believing he was about to bleed to death, however, was what gave my father and his group the courage to overcome their fear and attempt the run to safety.

Thus ends the story of my father’s wartime exploits. He returned to the United States at the end of 1949 and came back to Israel again for a year

in 1956 to teach immigrant children. His intention was to make aliyah, but he would say the red tape was insurmountable (note – the Arab enemy wasn’t insurmountable for him but the Israeli bureaucracy was) – he’d go to one office only to be told that he needed to be in another office, only to be told that he had brought the wrong papers, only to be told he really did need to be in the first (or second or third) office but on a different day. At that point, in great frustration, in front of the clerk, he ripped up whatever papers he had brought and left. He was also by that time disenchanted with (what he believed to be) the government’s leftist policies of “let’s get along and make peace with all our enemies” whom he was convinced wanted nothing more than to drive us into the sea at the first opportunity (as indeed they did).

But Abba never lost his passion and idealism to do what he could to protect and defend the Jewish people. Years later, he encouraged my brother to join Meir Kahane’s (Hy”d) Jewish Defense League (JDL), and he was very proud, in his later years, when some of his grandchildren joined the IDF (Israeli Defense Force), continuing his legacy as proud defenders of the Jewish people.

FIT A BIT OF TORAH INTO

Torah Thought Zei Gebentshed!

By Rabbi Zvi Teichman

One of the most powerful blessings we have been gifted with is the Birkas Kohanim — The Priestly Blessing.

The very first blessing they are to bestow on us is ךכרבי — May Hashem bless you. Despite its generic nature the Midrash informs us that this refers to the blessing of רשוע — wealth.

Is that the very first thing on our minds and the starting point for all blessing? Peace perhaps, or maybe safety, but wealth?

Why and how is wealth, more than anything else, more closely associated to this general term for ‘blessing’?

Obviously, wealth is never defined by the number of assets one has nor by its value. Even the appellation for a rich person — רישע, the Maharal teaches is inaccurate since every truly descriptive title must reflect on the very essence of a person, not merely by the number of items stored somewhere externally.

The brother of the Maharal, Rav Bezalel, tells us that the word רישע is an acronym for םילגר ,םידי ,םיניש ,םייניע — eyes, teeth, hands, and feet.

Simply, it would seem to be teaching us that feeling ‘fortunate’ that we are blessed with the faculties that give us the ability to engage in life is our greatest treasure. In the spirit of that famous adage in Avos — Who is wealthy: One who is happy with his lot, it is not what we own that defines us as ‘enriched’, but rather the attitude of feeling privileged with what we have. That sense genuinely describes a person. One who feels ‘gebentshed’ — blessed, with what he was been given in life, as meager as it may seem, is truly ‘wealthy’.

He adds that the second word in the phrase וקלחב חמש — happy with one’s lot, stands for שביו רק חל םח — hot, moist, cold, and dry, alluding metaphorically to the exposure to the

various ‘elements’ of life that cause us discomfort, both physical and emotional, that often defeat our noblest ambitions, that we must overcome and happily accept as part of our ‘lot in life’.

Among the list of the forty-eight ways necessary to acquire Torah are both the trait of החמש — joy, and the attitude to be וקלחב חמש — happy with our lot.

Isn’t the mindset to be ‘happy with our lot’ merely the formula by which to attain true ‘joy’ in life, and thus included in the notion of being in a ‘joyous’ state of being, so that we may study and acquire Torah with a focus and uncluttered mind?

Why is it listed separately into a category unto itself?

The Torah lists the various sacrifices and utensils that were donated by the םיאישנ — leaders of each tribe, on the day the Mishkan was erected, that were brought for the next twelve consecutive days.

The last of the leaders to bring his offering was ןניע ןב עריחא. The Holy Ohr HaChaim interprets each of the leaders’ names as alluding to their personal character traits. He says that עריחא breaks down into two words, יחא ער — my brother is malignant. This is not a reflection on his brother, but rather a statement attesting to one declaring that what is suitable and most appropriate for my brother is taboo for me.

Often, we bemoan our spiritual lot in life, aspiring for different circumstances in life so that we may grow more in spirituality. If only we lived in a better community; if only we had fewer challenging children; if only I had a better mind; if only I had more time; if only I had the wealth; if only I got the upper shiur, could I devote myself to achieve and grow in ‘ruchniyos’

If only I didn’t always come in last!

Achira mastered an appreciation for who he was, where he was planted, with whom he associated, and devoted himself to the task of serving Hashem — happily — with his talents and circumstances, looking askance from what the next guy was doing.

He was ןניע ןב — son of an eye, focusing fully and exclusively on his precise and unique mission as outlined specifically for him, without apology for not being head of the class, doing the best he could with the tools he was given.

Alternately this may reflect on his superior ‘eye’ that was generous towards others, untainted from any iota of jealousy. (רדנסכלאמ יברה םשב)

It was Achira’s ‘brothers’, the tribe of Naftali, who were characterized by Moshe in his blessing to them with the attribute of ןוצר עבש — totally satisfied. No wonder Yaakov prophesied in his blessing how this tribe would merit to deliver רפש ירמא — beautiful sayings, which the Midrash says refers to the Torah this tribe of Naftali promulgated while devoting themselves to the study of Torah despite the challenges they faced.(י ח ר"שהש)

The legendary Mashgiach of Mir and Ponovez, Rav Yechezkel Levenstein writes:

How much more so must one be happy and accept his spiritual situation. Certainly, one must demand and seek for himself greatness and never be complacent with what he has achieved, but that is not contradictory to his obligation to be pleased and satisfied with what he has accomplished.

The latter imperative, listed in the forty-eight ways the Torah is acquired, to be וקלחב חמש — happy with one’s lot, is addressing specifically one’s spiritual assets and directing us to pursue our path towards closeness with the Torah and Hashem with satisfac-

tion, not frustration. Regale in what you have accomplished and rejoice in your personal relationship that no other can match or vie for, no matter what level you may be on.

My dear friend, Rabbi Akiva Fox, recently related a touching story about a student of one of his colleagues who heads a Yeshiva. This young man struggled intellectually and had a hard time comprehending the material, and even reading took enormous effort. His middos were exceptional and, despite his challenges, he came to every seder and every davening. The Rosh Yeshiva wanted to confer some honor on him in appreciation of his diligence, commitment, and sterling character. But due to his weak skills, he feared asking him to daven from the amud, or even give him an aliyah, lest he stumble over the words, causing him embarrassment. He decided to honor him with pesicha, opening the aron and taking out the Torah. The talmid was deeply moved by the gesture and fulfilled his duty with glowing pride.

The Rosh Yeshiva observed his beloved talmid remove the sefer Torah for leining and return it afterward to its sacred place. As the boy lovingly replaced the sefer Torah in the aron, my friend heard him whispering softly, to the cherished Torah in his hands. “See you on Thursday,” he said, exuding a tangible sense of how truly ‘gebentshed’ he felt! (HaModia Shavuos Edition, An American in Yerushalayim)

We must feel ‘gebentshed’ in both our material status as well as our spiritual one.

That is the launching pad from where authentic happiness, and future healthy and mighty achievement begins.

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

Baltimore Weekday Minyanim Guide

Shacharis Mincha

Neitz Beit Yaakov [Sefaradi] M-F

Ohel Yakov S-F

6:00 AM Shomrei Emunah Congregation M-F

6:10 AM Agudath Israel of Baltimore M, Th

6:15 AM Kol Torah M, TH

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah M-F

Shearith Israel Congregation M, TH

The Adas: Chofetz Chaim Adas Bnei Israel M, TH

6:20 AM Agudah of Greenspring M, TH

Agudath Israel of Baltimore S, T, W, F

Arugas HaBosem (Rabbi Taub's) S-F

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation M-F

Kehilath B'nai Torah M, TH

Shomrei Emunah Congregation S, M, TH

6:25 AM The Adas: Chofetz Chaim Adas Bnei Israel T, W, F

6:30 AM Agudah of Greenspring T, W, F Chabad of Park Heights M-F

Darchei Tzedek M-F

Kehilath B'nai Torah T, W, F

Khal Bais Nosson M-F

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek M-F

Kol Torah T, W, F

Ohr Yisroel M-F

Shearith Israel Congregation T, W, F

Shomrei Emunah Congregation T, W, F

6:35 AM Aish Kodesh (downstairs Minyan) M, TH

Ohel Moshe M, TH

6:40 AM Aish Kodesh (downstairs Minyan) T, W, F Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation M, TH

6:45 AM B”H and Mesivta of Baltimore (Dirshu Minyan) S-F

Beth Abraham M, TH

Greenspring Sephardic Synagogue M-F

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah S-F

Ner Tamid M-F

Ohel Moshe T, W, F

Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim M-F

6:50 AM Agudath Israel of Baltimore M, TH

Ahavat Shalom [Sefaradi] M, TH

Bais Medrash of Ranchleigh M, TH

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation T, W, F

Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh M, TH

Derech Chaim M-F

Kol Torah M-F

Ohel Moshe S

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi] M, TH

Shomrei Emunah Congregation M, TH

The Shul at the Lubavitch Center M, TH

6:55 AM Beth Abraham T, W, F

Kol Torah M, TH

7:00 AM Aish Kodesh (upstairs Minyan) M-F

Agudath Israel of Baltimore S, T, W, F

Ahavat Shalom [Sefaradi] T, W, F

Arugas HaBosem (Rabbi Taub's) S

Bais Medrash of Ranchleigh T, W, F

Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh T, W, F

Greenspring Sephardic Synagogue S

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek S

Kol Torah T, W, F

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah S-F

Moses Montefiore Anshe Emunah S-F

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi] S, T, W, F

Shearith Israel Congregation S, M, TH

Shomrei Emunah Congregation T, W, F

Shomrei Mishmeres Hakodesh M-F

The Shul at the Lubavitch Center T, W, F

Tiferes Yisroel M-F

7:05 AM Machzikei Torah (Sternhill's) M, TH

7:15 AM Kedushas Yisrael S

Kol Torah S

Machzikei Torah (Sternhill's) S, T, W, F

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah S-F

Ner Israel Rabbinical College S-F

7:15 AM Shearith Israel Congregation T, W, F

Shomrei Emunah Congregation S

Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim S

The Adas: Chofetz Chaim Adas Bnei Israel S

Tzeirei Anash M-F

7:20 AM Agudath Israel of Baltimore M, TH

Beth Tfiloh Congregation M-F

Kol Torah M-F

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi] M, TH

Shomrei Emunah Congregation M, TH

7:30 AM Agudah of Greenspring S

Agudath Israel of Baltimore S, T, W, F

Ahavat Shalom [Sefaradi] S

Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim S-F

Bais Hamedrash and Mesivta of Baltimore S-F

Bais Medrash of Ranchleigh S

Beit Yaakov [Sefaradi] S

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation S

Chabad of Park Heights S

Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh S-F

Darchei Tzedek S

Kedushas Yisrael S-F

Khal Bais Nosson S

Ner Israel Rabbinical College (Mechina) S-F

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah S-F

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi] S, T, W, F

Shomrei Emunah Congregation T, W, F

7:45 AM Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation M-F

Talmudical Academy S-F

Darchei Tzedek M-F

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah S-F

Mesivta Kesser Torah S-F

Mesivta Shaarei Chaim S-F

7:50 AM Derech Chaim S

Ner Tamid S

Ohel Moshe M-F

8:00 AM Agudath Israel of Baltimore S-F

Beth Abraham S

Darchei Tzedek S

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek S

Kehillas Meor HaTorah S

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah S-F

Ohel Yakov S

Ohr Yisroel S

Pikesville Jewish Congregation S

Shearith Israel Congregation S

Shomrei Emunah Congregation S-F

The Shul at the Lubavitch Center S

Tiferes Yisroel S

Tzeirei Anash S

Yeshiva Tiferes Hatorah S-F

8:15 AM Kehilath B'nai Torah S

Kol Torah S

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah S-F

8:20 AM Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim S-F

8:30 AM Agudath Israel of Baltimore S-F

Machzikei Torah (Sternhill's) S-F

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah S-F

Ohel Moshe S

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi] S

Shomrei Emunah Congregation S-F

Shomrei Mishmeres Hakodesh S

8:45 AM Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah S-F

9:00 AM Aish Kodesh S

Agudath Israel of Baltimore S-F

Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim S

Beth Tfiloh Congregation S

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation S

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah S-F

Shomrei Emunah Congregation S-F

Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim S-F

9:15 AM Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah S-F

9:30 AM Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah S-F

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

10:00AM Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah S-F

Mincha Gedolah Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/Tzemach Tzedek

1:45 PM Ohel Moshe

1:50 PM Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim

Neuberger, Quinn, Gielen, Rubin & Gibber

2:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Big Al @ The Knish Shop Party Room

Kol Torah

Market Maven

Reischer Minyan 15 Walker Ave 2nd Floor

2:30 PM Bais Medrash of Ranchleigh

Ner Israel Rabbinical College

Tov Pizza Mincha Minyan

Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh

Mesivta Shaarei Chaim (Etz Chaim Building)

Shearith Israel Congregation

3:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

3:05 PM Kedushas Yisrael

3:15 PM Hat Box

4:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

5:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

5:30 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

6:00 PM Kedushas Yisrael

Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

7:00 PM Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah

8:00 PM Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah

14 Min Before ShkiAh Kol Torah

Mincha/Maariv Before Shkiah

Aish Kodesh

Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Agudah of Greenspring

Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim

Beth Abraham

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation

Darchei Tzedek

Kehillas Meor HaTorah

Kehilath B’nai Torah

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek

Machzikei Torah (Sternhill’s)

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah

Ner Tamid

Ohel Moshe

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi]

Ohr Yisroel

Pikesville Jewish Congregation

Shearith Israel Congregation

Shomrei Emunah Congregation

Shomrei Mishmeres

Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim

The Adas: Chofetz Chaim Adas Bnei Israel

The Shul at the Lubavitch Center

Tiferes Yisroel

Maariv

8:30 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah

8:45 PM Darchei Tzedek

Ner Israel Rabbinical College (Mechina)

Ohr Yisroel

8:50 PM Mesivta Shaarei Chaim (Etz Chaim Building)

8:55 PM Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh

Maariv continued

9:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Arugas Habosem

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

Shomrei Emunah Congregation

Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim

9:20 PM Kol Torah

9:30 PM Agudah of Greenspring

Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Kedushas Yisrael

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

9:40 PM Ahavat Shalom [Sefaradi]

9:45 PM Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim

Kollel Erev Birchas Yitzchok (Luries)

Machzikei Torah (Sternhill's)

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi]

Yeshiva Tiferes Hatorah

9:50 PM Aish Kodesh

Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh

Ohel Moshe

10:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Darchei Tzedek

Kehilath B'nai Torah

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

Shearith Israel Congregation

Shomrei Emunah Congregation

10:05 PM Kol Torah

10:10 PM Ner Israel Rabbinical College

10:15 PM Derech Chaim

Khal Bais Nosson

10:30 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

11:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

Agudah of Greenspring - 6107 Greenspring Ave

Agudath Israel of Baltimore - 6200 Park Heights Ave

Ahavat Shalom - 3009 Northbrook Rd

Aish Kodesh - 6207 Ivymount Rd

Arugas HaBosem - 3509 Cwlarks Ln

Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim - 3120 Clarks Ln

Bais Hamedrash and Mesivta of Baltimore - 6823 Old Pimlico Rd

Bais Medrash of Ranchleigh - 6618 Deancroft Rd

Beit Yaakov - 3615 Seven Mile Ln

Beth Abraham - 6208 Wallis Ave

Beth Tfiloh Congregation - 3300 Old Court Rd

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation - 6602 Park Heights Ave

Chabad of Park Heights - 3402 Clarks Ln

Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh - 3800 Labyrinth Rd

Darchei Tzedek - 3201 Seven Mile Ln

Derech Chaim - 6229 Greenspring Ave (Weekday)

Greenspring Sephardic Synagogue 6611 Greenspring Ave.

Kedushas Yisrael - 6004 Park Heights Ave

Kehilath B’nai Torah - 6301 Green Meadow Pkwy

Kehillas Meor HaTorah - 6539 Pebble Brooke Rd

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek - 6811 Park Heights Ave

Khal Bais Nosson - 2901 Taney Rd

Kol Torah - 2929 Fallstaff Rd

Machzikei Torah - 6216 Biltmore Ave

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah - 6500 Baythorne Rd

Mesivta Kesser Torah - 8400 Park Heights Ave

Mesivta Shaarei Chaim - 3702 Fords Ln

Moses Montefiore Anshe Emunah - 7000 Rockland Hills Dr

Neuberger, Quinn, Gielen, Rubin & Gibber One South Street, 27th Floor

Ner Israel Rabbinical College - 400 Mt Wilson Ln

Ner Tamid - 6214 Pimlico Road

Ohel Moshe - 2808 Smith Ave

Ohel Yakov - 3200 Glen Ave

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi] - 6813 Park Heights Ave

Ohr Yisroel - 2429 Lightfoot Dr

Pikesville Jewish Congregation - 7644 Carla Rd

Shearith Israel Congregation - 5835 Park Heights Ave

Shomrei Emunah Congregation - 6221 Greenspring Ave

Shomrei Mishmeres Hakodesh - 2821 W Strathmore Ave

Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim - 7504 Seven Mile Ln

Talmudical Academy - 4445 Old Court Rd

The Adas: Chofetz Chaim Adas Bnei Israel - 5915 Park Heights Ave

The Shul at the Lubavitch Center - 6701 Old Pimlico Rd

Tiferes Yisroel - 6201 Park Heights Ave

Tzeirei Anash - 6706 Cross County Blvd

Yeshiva Tiferes Hatorah - 6819 Williamson Ave

For edits, additions, or sponsorships, email ads@baltimorejewishhome.com

Mental Health Corner

Threatening a Child

By Rabbi Azriel Hauptman

The topic of spanking a child as a form of Chinuch has been discussed in many venues, but one topic that is not discussed as often is using verbal threats as a form of discipline. An excerpt from the second chapter of Maseches Semachos is an excellent place to start our conversation.

There was a story with a child in Bnei Brak who broke a flask on Shabbos. His father made a threatening gesture with his ear. The child was so afraid of the father’s threat that he killed himself by jumping into a pit.

This jarring quote from Chazal clearly intends to communicate to us the danger of using a threat, especially an open-ended threat, as a form of Chinuch. Why is this the case? What are the psychological underpinnings of this directive? As we often do in this column, we must first explore the neurological elements of the fear reaction in the brain, and then the risks involved in threatening a child will become clear.

Our eyes and ears are the primary ways that we absorb information. Sights and sounds by themselves are neutral

and are not inherently fear-provoking unto themselves. It is how our brains interpret the data that determines our reaction.

We have two separate and distinct areas of the brain that are involved in this process, the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex. The amygdala is embedded in the center of the brain and reacts quickly to danger. This part of the brain determines when to trigger the fight-orflight reaction. The prefrontal cortex is in the front of the brain, and is involved in making decisions, solving problems, and analyzing information.

For our purposes, there are two main differences between these two parts of the brain. The amygdala needs to respond on moment’s notice and therefore jumps to conclusions in literally a millisecond, whereas the prefrontal cortex works much slower. Secondly, the prefrontal cortex in children is under-developed and therefore they are at risk of an overactive amygdala.

For these reasons, when a child feels threatened, they might feel the fear viscerally and literally fear for their lives. They have very little context to under

stand the magnitude of a threat, and do not have the benefit of a mature prefrontal cortex to help them analyze the situation.

Another way this plays out is if one screams at a child. No matter what you say when you scream at a child, you are triggering a fear reaction from their amygdala. The stress level in the child skyrockets and the child gets stuck in the fear reaction.

The ramifications for Chinuch are enormous for the following reason. Chinuch takes place in the prefrontal cortex and not in the amygdala! Chinuch is the forming and cultivating of a child’s outlook on life and approach to everyday challenges. As your child’s prefrontal cortex develops, you are trying to cultivate it. You are trying to teach your child how to think, analyze, and understand the world around him or her as befitting a Torah Jew. If you trigger your child’s amygdala, then your child has no access to the prefrontal cortex at that time and true Chinuch cannot take place.

Furthermore, every child eventually becomes an adult. As adults, they still need their parents for guidance and ad

vice. If your child does not view you as a bedrock of safety and security, then they will not turn to you when they are grown up. Parents who trigger their child’s amygdala will inevitably be viewed by the child, at least subconsciously, as unsafe. Why would you want to not be a resource for your child when life becomes truly challenging for them as they emerge into adulthood?

Sometimes parents have their own history of being screamed at as a child, and have a difficult time breaking the cycle when they are raising their own children. Seeking professional help can be a vital resource for a parent to overcome their own personal challenges that are interfering with their ability to parent their child properly. The benefits from such an intervention can literally last for generations.

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@

THE BJH PRESENTS: A BOOST OF “INSPIRATION”

A Snippet From Judaism’s Number One Podcast

THE BJH PRESENTS... A BOOST OF “INSPIRATION” A

SNIPPET FROM JUDAISM’S NUMBER ONE PODCAST

eceiving a diagnosis of irreversible kidney failure can be devastating. That’s where Renewal comes in. They help patients and their families navigate the complex process of kidney transplant, from finding a donor to arranging the transplant and beyond. At the same time, they support donors to make sure their incredible self-sacrifice is as simple and safe as it can be. Mendy started the organization in 2006 after a chance meeting with a man in need of a kidney. Today, almost every major transplant center in the country reaches out to Renewal. Renewal saves lives by helping facilitate kidney transplants for those suffering from chronic kidney disease. They provide guidance and support to help patients and their families navigate all the medical challenges of coping with their condition. Their services are free of charge to anyone in need . Renewal facilitated the first international kidney swap.

RIn our interconnected world, the power of the media cannot be overestimated. Internet websites, social media, radio, newspapers, and magazines increasingly control the fate of politicians and governments, world finances and morality. In the chareidi world, the messages conveyed by religious media can shape and strengthen emuna, enrich charitable efforts, and ferment new shul and yeshiva policies. Therefore, it was a great privilege to interview the highly influential Rabbi Eli Paley, owner of Mishpacha Media Group and publisher of the Mishpacha Hebrew and English weekly magazines.

of five who was desperately in need of a kidney. He got a response from about 20-30 people who were willing to donate and he realized where there was a need for a kidney people were willing to donate. He decided to start a new movement which he would

Eli Paley is a businessman and social activist. He is chairman of the Paley Family Foundation which supports and promotes Torah Centers and social initiatives in the Charedi community. A member of the Jewish Funders Network, he is active in several philanthropic organizations.

We discussed the Mishpacha’s origin, the challenges he is faced with policy decision making, and the overall goals he hopes to attain through the publication.

Eli was born in in the Mattesdorff neighborhood in Yerushalayim. His great-grandfather and grandfather arrived in Eretz Yisroel in 1925 to establish the Slabodka Yeshivah in Chevron. Later his grandfather became the assistant to Rabbi Herzel, the chief rabbi of Israel.

fund for the first 3 years. He went to the hospital and met a frum surgeon who gave a commitment that he would make sure the hospital where he worked would be in on the operation if they formed the organization.

Eli himself is an alumni of Chevron yeshiva. When he married his wife, a graduate of Michlala in Bayit Vegan, his dream was to continue learning. However, a few months after his marriage, his brother mentioned a new monthly publication called Mishpacha was looking for someone to work as a distributor in Yerushalayim for a day and a half once every 5 to 6 weeks. With flex hours like that, Eli took the job, earning twice as much as he would be for an entire month in a kolel. Financially independent, he continued to learn diligently.

had a 77-year-old Holocaust survivor who wanted to donate.

Most centers are not prepared to do transplants with donors under the age of 27-30 because before this age people are not in a stable lifestyle. However, in the frum world, younger

taken place at Sinai Cedar Hospital in California. Renewal hired Menachem Friedman 7-8 years ago as their program director, however, he has now become in charge of Renew-

Mendy Reiner, Founder of Renewal: Leading the Kidney Donation Revolution ELI PALEY CEO OF MISHPACHA

The topic of poverty among Charedim and the poor economic situation in the Israeli community lay heavily on Eli’s heart. As part of the solution, Eli started the Charedi Institute of Public Affairs to engage with the government with hopes to resolve this in a way that will allow the Charedi society to retain its Torah values.

While American Jews may have difficulty in relating to the issues overseas, Eli, as a born and bred Israeli is certainly in touch with the masses. He recalls the issue he faced during his kolel years when distributing the magazine. The government regulation forbid a yingeman from receiving Kollel benefits if he had any other source of income. Therefore, he was forced to register his side job under his wife’s name, a desperate solution used by many. In his publication, he attempts to broker a better solution.

people are married and settled with 2 or 3 children in their early 20s and are already considered in a stable lifestyle. Renewal has brought frum donors to hospitals that will now accept younger donors.

Renewal is working on interesting and advanced projects one of which is instead of recipients needing to travel to NY from Israel, just the kidney would be flown. A kidney from NY could be in a recipient in Israel in just 20 hours. They have also done this with Canada. Presently, bringing a kidney into Israel without a donor is not allowed and Renewal is looking for a working partner in Israel to facilitate this.

Another example of difficulties that Israeli chareidim face is the draft. Mishpacha discussed population statistics -- one out of four children is Charedi– and how the army and Charedi society can possibly reach a solution.

His father, Rabbi Yehuda Paley, bought the Mishpacha Magazine business. To help his father, Eli got involved in the editorial angle of the magazine figuring out how it could make a unique contribution to the field of journalism. He left learning to pursue his new mission to inspire and influence the Chareidi community. It is that idealism that still drives him in his work so many years later.

Jews make up 2% of America’s population, of that 0.2% are orthodox Jews from which 18% make up all the kidney donations in the USA. This means that 18% of kidney donations in the USA are from frum Jews.

While Mishpacha is well-received around the world, the goal of Mishpacha is to serve, elevate and be the voice of the Chareidim, particularly in Eretz Yisroel. The real customers are not the advertisers but the audience. Mishpacha seeks to portray an independent voice which is unaffiliated with any political party. In the early years, in the chareidi world of pollicization, this was perceived as a weakness. However, the years have passed, and this freedom has become one of the most salient factors of its success.

Like healthy young people, Mendy knew very little about what a kidney does in the body until he met a man in his 40s who told him he was in desperate need of a new kidney as he was on dialysis 3 times a week but he had to raise a lot of money to find a kidney. At the time Mendy was working in real estate development and was also a member of Hatzolah. Noting the man’s blood type, he placed an ad in the Jewish Press and Hamodia about this father

Mishpacha was the first Charedi publication to give the same respect to the Sephardi and Ashkenazi societies, attempting to create a sense of unity. Over time, this adherence to equality and ahavas Yisrael became the secret to the business’ success.

The first transplant which took place in December 2006 was “outright amazing” and Mendy felt they finally got to the point where they delivered. He became close friends with the first donor who gave a kidney to a young woman from Israel. Although it was not possible to do the surgery laparoscopically, the donor agreed to go ahead with the risk of many complications. Mendy realized “there is a product that works and can be delivered to the rest of the world”.

Mishpacha’s quest in elevating frum society is done through sincere, honest writing. Mishpacha does not engage in pretending that society is perfect. While recognizing the great achievements and accomplishments in the frum world, Mishpacha will tackle even unpleasant issues, albeit in an extremely sensitive way.

The following year there were under 10 transplants, and before COVID 125 transplants a year were taking place. The oldest recipient was 86 years old. Generally, patients over 70 are not considered important enough to find a kidney for them, but Renewal does something that is not generally being done. If the hospital decides the person is healthy enough to get through a kidney transplant Renewal is there to help. Renewal also

There are many secret donors, some of whom are so secret that after transplant they disconnect from Renewal as well. However, Mendy estimates that 80% of recipients do meet their donors.

Renewal has also expanded in non-Jewish communities and anyone who reaches out will get assistance, nobody is turned away.

The paper is faced daily with Hashkafa decisions that have far-reaching effects on our society. The issue of printing pictures of women in the magazine has been debated back and forth in many forums. When Hilary Clinton was running for President, Mishpacha shocked many readers by publishing a blurry photo of Donald Trump and Hilary on the cover. “We just wanted to see how people would react,” Eli confides.

The office did receive some complaints, but the Gedolim the magazine consults advised them to include her since there was a real possibility Hilary would indeed become president. However, in Israel, an anti-Mishacha publication blasted Mishpacha , claiming they were breaking the rules of modesty and Torah by publishing a picture of Hilary Clinton.

This became a real issue because it was very hard for Eli to justify in his mind why they could not print modest pictures of women, particularly considering how hard it seems to be to explain to ba’alei teshuvah why women are “ignored.” In order to make Mishpacha, often one of their first exposures to Yiddishkeit, more palatable, Eli is comfortable with his decision.

Renewal has a professional fundraising team. Mendy jokes that some people would rather donate a kidney than part with money. They do have a PR barrier as stories cannot be publicized. The number of transplants depends on the amount of money they raise. It ultimately boils down to saving a life.

He’s on a big mission: to expose our brothers to true Torah values, and he bears the responsibility seriously. He often employs a different way of thinking, a creative model, a stretch and a twist, that can support our lifestyle while at the same time show that we care about the Israeli economy, security, and its welfare system. “Instead of just complaining about why we are not understood,” Eli explained during the interview, “we must ask what we can do in this field. While we have to make sure that our kids are not too exposed to the big world, the (outside) world exists, and we have to face reality and come up with practical solutions. “

The staff at Renewal are very dedicated to the cause. They joke that they work 9-5 and volunteer 5-9. There is no more rewarding job than just knowing that you’ve given someone life. Every time a transplant takes place hundreds of people are impacted. Everything Renewal does is inspiring and every case is a unique challenge, figuring out where to find a kidney and where the best match will come from. Mendy says “We put a lot of barriers between different communities, however, suddenly when there is the need for a kidney to save a life, most of those barriers disappear.”

Rather than hiding his head in the sand, he is ready to take on the problems in our neighbourhoods and cities, working with the authorities instead of against them. Slowly, he believes, we will be able to build better trust.

Amazingly, many Rabbonim who have spoken about Renewal have tested and a few have even donated kidneys which Mendy describes as the next level of leadership.

Eli is proud that Mishpacha does not try to be sensationalist. Rather he makes an effort to keep his editorial policies responsible and sensitive. “If you’re going to do it le’shaim shamayim” Eli ended, “you’ll have disyata d’shmaya to do it right.”

Renewal is grateful to Montefiore Hospital which was the first hospital to open the door for them. Travel is hard for a recipient and it is easier for the recipient to have the transplant at home where they have a family support system. This is a new project of Renewal International to have transplants done in the recipient’s home area. A few transplants have already

“Meeting and seeing people involved in saving lives is something no money can buy”

Tech Triumphs

The Lesson a Child Taught Me By Rebbetzin Sara Gross

Iam an Occupational Therapist and work primarily with children. Even though my smartphone helps me expedite my work and is highly convenient, I try to limit use of it for both myself and my family. I purchased a flip phone to use as my regular phone and try to use my smartphone only for work related matters. One day recently, I was assessing a young boy from the Chassidish community here in Baltimore. I needed to use a timer for one part of the assessment, and the only one I had with me was on my smartphone. Feeling a little uncomfortable, I asked him if he minded if I used a smartphone as a timer. He shook his head and said, “It’s the yetzer hara. I don’t want to

see it. Could you please keep it out of my sight?”

I felt an overwhelming sense of respect and happiness from his response. Instead of feeling frustrated or exasperated, I was warmed to my heart. His sense of clarity was so crystal clear that he didn’t even want to see the device that causes people so much distraction and exposure. We should all be zoche to have our children not even be tempted by these devices and see tremendous amounts of nachas.

DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know that using all caps when texting is considered screaming? Did you know that using a period at the end of a sentence when texting

can infer coldness or can seem like a digital eye roll? Did you know that using only one exclamation point can seem like you are not so excited or don’t feel emphatically about your statement? There is a commonly understood texting etiquette that is subtle and not known by everyone. Did you ever have a misunderstanding because of a text? Texting uses no expression

and often causes unnecessary misunderstandings or hurt feelings. Even though we often begrudgingly make phone calls, it is worth the clarity of expression and avoidance of accidental insults.

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

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

YOU MAY BE CARRYING MORE THAN YOU KNOW.

1 in ~ 12 Ashkenazi Jews is a carrier for Gaucher Disease.

Gaucher Disease is an inherited, progressive condition that affects approximately 1 in 850 members of the Ashkenazi community. While carriers have no symptoms, they can unknowingly pass the condition on to their children.

Speak to your doctor today. Learn more at gauchercare.com

We just celebrated the giving of the Torah. I hope it was a joyous day for all TJH readers. Outsiders may question the benefit of having external rules and limitations, mistakenly thinking that halacha is oppressive. As insiders, we can appreciate the value of divine structure. For example, when others see marriage as limiting or unnecessary, we recognize the beauty of a relationship untainted by others. Rather than being restrictive, our total commitment to our spouse requires that we invest in this unique relationship.

It’s the very restrictions of Shabbos that maintain the sanctity of the holy day. Rather than stifling our enjoyment, we’re required to take a step back from our weekly stresses and focus on those around us and that which is within us.

Kids, too, require limits and restrictions to develop properly. Rules aren’t only to prevent kids from playing with knives and running in the street, they also help teach children to respect themselves and their surroundings as

Parenting Pearls

Setting the Standard

By Sara Rayvych, MSEd

well as learn self-control. It’s often all too obvious when you see a child who is raised without limitations – and it’s not too pleasant. Even something simple like table manners can be the difference between a child who is welcome in the home of others or the child who nobody wants to invite. Rather than be hefker, children require our loving guidance, support and encouragement. Developing boundaries is one part of that.

Too many rules can be stifling, and we want to maintain a happy balance. That balance will differ per child as well as by each stage of development. The main constant is that our children need to recognize our rules stem from love and our desire to see them grow into the mature individuals they are meant to become.

Rhyme and Reason

There are many different types of rules and expectations we have throughout life. Some are universal, while others are more cultural or family specific.

Part of growing up is understanding

what’s expected of us at different times and learning to match our behavior with what’s appropriate.

Some rules are basic safety precautions. This is the “don’t run with knives” category. For their own safety, children need to learn to cross the street carefully or to wait for an adult to help them. They learn to not go near strangers and to avoid eating random things from the dirt. These rules are mostly universal.

Some rules are common courtesy and manners. These are important but for different reasons. This category includes saying “please,” “thank you,” and “excuse me” or not drinking from someone else’s water bottle. It also means we hold the door for others and not sneeze into our hand before offering to shake. These rules not only show respect to others but also make us more pleasant to be around.

Our unique cultural needs will naturally give us our own set of rules. “Fitting in” to the local community includes understanding these community specific standards. Many gentiles who

interact with our community often will make the effort to learn these differences. It’s thoughtful and a sign of respect when they know to not shake hands with the opposite gender or they try to find a kosher establishment for business meetings.

There are also personal sensitivities that individuals or communities have. This may be the person who prefers to not eat standing up or the community that doesn’t use first names for the opposite gender.

To function within society it’s crucial that our children learn how to interact with others and what is and isn’t appropriate. Even just knowing that we don’t knock on a neighbor’s door too early or too late is important for children to know.

The Basics

It’s our job as their loving adults to ensure they understand all these fancy standards that exist. Whenever we set limits or make a rule, we want to be clear, consistent and fair.

Our standards need to be clear, and it’s unfair to our children when we leave them confused about our expectations.

For example, if we say “don’t go too far,” we need to define “too far” since our understanding of “too far” will certainly differ from that of our child. “Stop at the white fence” is objective. The clearer we can be, the more likely they will respond appropriately. Children can be very literal and concrete thinkers. “Don’t call too late” is vague, even for an older child. “No calls after 10:00” is specific.

We should be consistent, and if we make a rule, then we need to enforce it. It’s better to avoid too many regulations because it can be tiring playing a police officer all day. Inconsistency also teaches children to ignore their adults and may erode parental authority.

We have to use seichel, and we can make it clear when there is an exception. “Usually, you can’t drink in this room, but I’m making an exception for your water bottle while you’re sick.”

Rules can’t be haphazard. While children don’t always need to understand the reason behind the limits we place on them, there should be a purpose behind them. It’s our job to guide

them and educate them, but we don’t need to be needlessly bossy.

It’s not necessary for children to understand everything we say nor do we owe them an explanation. It’s best when we can give a reason and helpful for them to see the cause and effect, but, ultimately, they need to follow our rules

joy doing gymnastics on their friends’ couch (which their family permitted).

Different places have different expectations, and children need to learn how to behave in each environment. For example, the decorum at a kiddush is different from that of a wedding, and their behavior needs to change accordingly.

As parents, we teach by example. We should behave the way we want our children to follow. For example, parents that refrain from speaking lashon hara at the table will have very different conversations than families that consider local gossip their main pastime. We certainly can’t engage in such hateful speech yet demand our children show restraint. If we want our child to use cutlery when eating, then we need to avoid using our fingers during meals. Similarly, parents that behave in a dignified manner can hope their children will follow.

because we care for them and (hopefully) know better.

Years ago, we often hosted the children of family friends who were more relaxed than we were. Their mother had patiently explained to them where our rules differed, and the children quickly acclimated. They were careful to remember to respect our family’s house rules and our kids learned to en-

Similarly, each family has their own rules and children need to respect those regulations wherever they are.

Children, especially teens, can be far more self-conscious than we appreciate, and we want to avoid embarrassing them. We can be mindful that our rules should not needlessly embarrass them, nor should we correct or criticize them in front of others.

Educating our children to be respectful and appropriate in all situations they encounter is giving them a gift. Interpersonal relationships can be complicated, but when trained from a young age to respect others and themselves, our children will be one step closer to learning to create the bonds that are so necessary with others.

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

To function within society it’s crucial that our children learn how to interact with others and what is and isn’t appropriate.

We're looking to hire all-star staff to join our Torah-based, student-centered and innovative community at OCA!

POSITIONS INCLUDE:

3RD GRADE JUDAIC STUDIES TEACHER/REBBE | ECC LEAD TEACHER BOOKKEEPER/ACCOUNTANT | MIDDLE SCHOOL ELA TEACHER ASSISTANT TEACHERS

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OCA offers employee benefits, professional development, and a warm and collaborative work environment

TJH Centerfold

Rev the Engines

Adam’s wife, Ruth, fell off the back of his motorcycle. He just rode on. Ruthless.

What’s the most dangerous part of a motorcycle? The nut that connects the seat to the handlebar.

What do you call a laughing motorcycle? A Yamahahaha.

I got a new motorcycle for my husband. It was a great trade.

How do you spot Bubba in a car wash? He’s the one on a motorbike.

The hybrid bike was upset. “I can’t just be a half motorcycle,” it moped.

You Gotta Be Kidding Me!

What is the most common accessory for Harleys? A pick-up truck.

A guy riding a Honda motorcycle pulls up to a toll booth. The attendant says, “Two dollars.” The guy on the Honda says, “SOLD!”

A biker’s biggest fear is that when he dies, his wife will sell his motorcycles for what he told her they cost.

I don’t snore; I dream that I am a motorcycle.

Motorcyclist: A person willing to take a container of flammable liquid, place it on top of a hot engine, and then sit on top of it all.

One evening in India, Paddy, Divay and Akash are riding back home from a wedding, all three of them on Paddy’s motorcycle. They get stopped by a cop who says to them, “This motorcycle is only licensed to carry two people, and there are three of you. One of you will have to get off and walk.”

“Three of us?” says Paddy. “What happened to Raj, Sahil, Ravi, Rajesh, Sanjay, Ananjamin, and Anushka?”

Motorcycle Trivia

1. In 2014, Kharat Sinh Parmar of India made the world’s longest motorcycle. How long was it?

a. 14 feet

b. 23 feet

c. 47 feet

d. 86 feet

2. What is the nickname for Harley Davidson motorcycles?

a. Angel transporters

b. Hogs

c. Chrome Rockets

d. Big Wheels

3. In 2010, speed rider Rocky Robinson (great name for a speed rider… his real name is probably something like Brian Cohen) achieved the record for highest speed on a motorcycle for a 1-kilometer distance. What was his top speed?

a. 198.2 MPH

b. 212.6 MPH

c. 376.3 MPH

d. 747.2 MPH

4. This 1908 Harley Davidson was recently sold at auction for how much?

a. $45,000

b. $250,000

c. $935,000

d. $2.2 million

5. In 2015, how many motorcyclists rolled into Sturgis, South Dakota, for its annual motorcycle rally?

a. 48,000

b. 123,000

c. 304,000

d. 739,000

6. In India, Havildar Pradeep set the world record for the longest ride backwards on a motorcycle. What distance did he ride with his back to the handlebars?

a. 4 miles

b. 127 miles

c. 706 miles

d. 1,230 miles

7. Which state has the most registered motorcycles per person?

a. South Dakota

b. Montana

c. Wisconsin

d. Texas

8. In 2017, Masaru Abe broke the world record for longest wheelie. What distance (on a track) did he ride on one wheel?

a. 4 miles

b. 17 miles

c. 48 miles

d. 310 miles

9. Where was Harley Davidson started?

a. Wisconsin

b. Arkansas

c. New York

d. Pennsylvania

Wisdom key

correct: You are a complete Hog!

3-5 correct: You probably ride a Honda.

0-2 correct: You should have worn a helmet!

Notable Quotes “Say

What?!”

May we rejoice in the corners of our New York City bedroom apartments and dining tables, may it be fuel for the fight against capitalism, racism, imperialism, and Zionism around the world.

- Fatima Mohammed in a commencement speech at University of New York (CUNY) Law School

This hate-filled and dangerous speech has been brought to you by @CUNY and paid for by New York taxpayers. Keep this in mind next time our elected leaders highlight their commitment to fighting antisemitism.

- Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein

Imagine being so crazed by hatred for Israel as a Jewish State that you make it the subject of your commencement speech at a law school graduation. Anti-Israel derangement syndrome at work

- Congressman Ritchie Torres (D-NY)

The first question the professors and classmates usually ask is how old I am. They are surprised at what I am doing here and always curious about the points of my quizzes and exams. However, after a while, I have shown a serious attitude toward my study; they all believe in my ability and determination to get good grades.

- 12-year-old Clovis Hung, who graduated last week from Fullerton College in California with Associate degrees in History, Social Sciences, Social Behavior and Self-Development Arts and Human Expression, and Science and Mathematics

She’s very excited. She’s excited, happy and proud.

- Sam Kaplan, age 72, upon obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Cinema and Media Arts from Georgia Gwinnett College in Lawrenceville, Georgia, talking about his 99-year old mother who attended the graduation ceremony

Republicans got outsmarted by a president who can’t find his pants.

- South Carolina GOP Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) on Fox News, talking about the debt limit deal

[Sen. Tim Scott] is one of these guys who, you know, he’s like Clarence Thomas, Black Republican, who believes in pulling himself by your bootstraps. Rather than, to me, understanding the systemic racism that African Americans face in this country and other minorities.

- The View’s Joy Behar, who is white, talking about Sen. Scott, a black Republican who is running for president

He doesn’t get it. Neither does, Clarence — and that’s why they’re Republicans.

- Ibid.

The Russians are dying. Best money we’ve ever spent.

- Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) at a meeting in Kyiv with Ukrainian President Zelensky

If Lady Graham really said that the money for the killing of Russians is the best money the U.S. ever spent, I hope that in our country, the sons or grandchildren of Sudoplatov are alive, his pupils, or the descendants of his pupils. It’s not even hard. We have his address.

- Margarita Simonyan, the editor-in-chief of the Russian state media outlet Russia Today, invoking Pavel Sudoplatev, a Soviet general who helped plan the assassination of Leon Trotsky, while talking about Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)

Here’s an offer to my Russian “friends” who want to arrest and try me for calling out the Putin regime as being war criminals: I will submit to jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court if you do. Come and make your best case. See you in The Hague!

- Sen. Lindsey Graham, responding to Russia calling for his arrest

How about the fact that he had the third most deaths of any state having to do with the China virus or Covid? Even Cuomo did better. He was number four.

- Former President Donald Trump criticizing Gov. Ron DeSantis’s Covid record

“Even Cuomo did better” is one of the dumbest things ever uttered. Also, he’s using absolute numbers of deaths rather than adjusted for the population of the states. Which is ridiculous, of course.

– Tweet by Ben Shapiro in response

I think he did great for three years, but when he turned the country over to Fauci in March of 2020, that destroyed millions of people’s lives.

– Gov. Ron DeSantis, in an interview with Glenn Beck, responding to Trump’s criticism

I’ve visited red states and blue states, and I’ve found that the common values that unite us are deeper than our divisions.

– Frist Lady Jill Biden at a conference in Washington

And, um, I thought you might clap for that.

- Ibid., after a few seconds of silence

Everyone knows that I’m a person that believes in health, so when you talk about not discriminating against someone because of their body type, it’s not fighting against obesity; it’s just being fair. And science has shown that body type is not a connection to if you are healthy or unhealthy. I think that’s a misnomer.

This MAGA Supreme Court is continuing to erode our country’s environmental laws. Make no mistake—this ruling will mean more polluted water and more destruction of wetlands. We’ll keep fighting to protect our waters.

- New York City Mayor Eric Adams upon signing a bill banning height and weight discrimination in New York City

- Sen Majority Leader Chuck Schumer after the Supreme Court released a unanimous 9-0 decision (thus including liberal Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Ketanji Brown Jackson and Elena Kagan) against the Environmental Protection Agency, referring to the whole court, including liberal justices

Crime is soaring. Retailers in San Francisco, the city Newsom once ran, have been fleeing from once-coveted Union Square. Radical Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón, who won in 2020 with Newsom’s endorsement and with the help of millions of dollars in spending by George Soros, is said to have a 10,000-case backlog, and is boasting about how much prison time he has helped convicts avoid. But don’t worry. California has Skittles under control.

I consider the heroes the ones that gave their lives, that never came home to their families. They’re the real heroes.

– Joel Pollak, Breitbart, writing about the proposed ban on food dye in California

For boys and girls entering ECC 2s - 8th Grade

O CA Hig hl ig ht s

• Experiential and hands-on learning oppor tunities

• Warm and inclusive environment, where the individuality of each student is celebrated

• Differentiated instruct ion with equal time and weight devo to both Judaic and General studies

Ohr Chadash Academy admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship programs, and other school-administered programs.

Dating Dialogue What Would You Do If…

Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW of The Navidaters

Dear Navidaters,

I have been dating a great guy for three months and I’m ready to end it. I know he is going to be heartbroken and not see this coming. I just don’t feel within my gut that he is right for me. He has given me lots of gifts such as jewelry, brand name sunglasses, gorgeous handbags. This is making it so much harder to end the relationship because I know how much he invested. Do I have to return all of these items? Should I offer to give them back to him? I don’t want to hurt him more than I already have. Any advice would be helpful.

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.

The Panel

The Rebbetzin

Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S.

Ithink what you are saying is that you don’t want to complicate the breakup further by bringing material things into it. It seems that you care that he not be hurt further and that this will come as a surprise to him. However, what comes across in your communication is that you are aware that his purchase of expensive gifts for you may have been an expression of his feelings. You may not have communicated your own feelings as the relationship developed. You may also have easily accepted these gifts without thinking. Perhaps acceptance communicated your feelings, too. Gifts are one of the love languages, remember that.

It could also be that he was dazzling you with expensive items in order to impress you.

It is for this reason that dating couples in the Jewish world don’t give each other expensive gifts until commitments are happening. In our world, we date for marriage and accepting gifts implies commitment and feelings. In the future, don’t accept gifts until you are ready to commit. Learn from this experience.

What to do now is your question, however. Once he understands that your relationship is over (and that may take more than one conversation), do offer to return the gifts. That is the mature, responsible thing to do.

The Shadchan

Michelle Mond

Mazal tov on gaining clarity in your relationship. It sounds like the love language of the guy you are dating is gifting. You are ready to end the re -

lationship but still have lots of physical memorabilia. I can understand why that is very uncomfortable for you. It is especially hard to break up with someone when they have invested a lot of money in you. It leaves you feeling awkward and uncomfortable like you owe them something in return; you almost feel guilty breaking up the relationship. This is why the mehalech in religious dating is to refrain from gift giving until the engagement.

I do not believe he expects you to return all of the items that he gave you. In the moment, he felt it was right to spend, wine and dine you. When a couple ends a relationship, they do not have to pretend it did not happen. A couple can learn many things from past relationships, and take forward with them all of the things they learned to help them grow as people and in future relationships.

In my opinion, offering to give everything back is like a slap in the face. The

way you felt about each other in those moments were very real, and there is no purpose in trying to erase history. What you can do, however, is specifically thank him for all of the presents and ask him if there is anything that he has given to you that he specifically wants back. Make it more like you are looking out for his needs rather than you specifically wanting to give everything back.

Hatzlacha with the breakup, and with everything in the future.

Offering to give everything back is like a slap in the face.

The Single Tzipora Grodko

I’m so happy that you have clarity of mind and feel confident about your decision. The most respectful and best decision you can make for both of you is to take honest action based on how you’re feeling. Any decision out of pressure or guilt only prolongs the inevitable and can cause more pain. Feeling bad about a breakup is natural, especially since it’s the one area in a person’s life where they confidently know that their decisions are directly causing discomfort or distress for someone else. Feel proud of your clear head – you got this, girl.

The Zaidy

Dr. Jeffrey Galler

Let’s choose to not discuss why you have accepted expensive

gifts when you were not certain about the relationship. Instead, let’s focus on how to break up with your boyfriend and what to do with the gifts you’ve received.

How to breakup

I searched for good advice. First, according to www.wikihow.com/Break-Upwith-Your-Boyfriend, “Don’t put off the conversation once you’re sure it’s what you want. Dragging it out will be harder on him in the long-run.”

Second, according to Sara Schewitz, PsyD., “Meet him somewhere that’s somewhat private. Ask him to go for a walk with you or meet up with him at a park or somewhere similar. That way, once it’s done, you can go your separate ways. If you are unsure of how he’ll react, schedule the meeting in a more public place, like a coffee shop.”

Third, according to Psychology Behavioral Health at Nemours Children’s Health:

1. Tell him that you want to talk about something important.

Pulling It All Together

The Navidaters

Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists

Thank you for writing into the panel. First and foremost, I want to say that it is wonderful that you have chosen to end a relationship that does not serve you or grow you as a person. Most women I have had the pleasure and honor of working with during the decision-making part of a breakup tend to feel badly about it. It never feels good to hurt someone else, and we are always taught to be kind to others. We are taught to put others before ourselves. This is a beautiful sentiment, and there is a definite time and place for this rule of life. But the time and place for this rule is defi-

nitely not in the arena of re - lationships. When we date someone, we are not guarantee- ing a future, and the kindest and hardest thing to do is to break up when you know in your heart of hearts that you are not happy.

What to do with that jewelry? I did a quick Google search after reading your question… “Should I give my ex-boyfriend back the jewelry he gave to me?” And wouldn’t you know? There are so many different answers. It seems to boil down to what you are most comfortable with. If

2. Start by mentioning something you like or value about him. For example: “I really like you and I’m glad we’ve gotten to know each other.”

3. Say what’s not working (your reason for the break-up). For example: “I like you as a friend, but not as a permanent partner.”

4. Say, “So, I want to break up.”

5. Say you’re sorry if this hurts. For example: “I don’t want to hurt you. I’m sorry if this isn’t the way you wanted things to be.”

6. Say something kind or positive. For example: “I’m glad that I got to know you. I’m sure there will be another girl who is just perfect for you.”

What to do about gifts

While legally, the gifts are your property, it would be a thoughtful gesture to return them.

Without question, expensive jewelry or heirlooms should definitely be returned. And, it would be best to return these at the breakup, in order to make it clear that the breakup is final and irrevocable.

When it comes to other expensive gifts, what would you do with them? Will

you hang on to them as a happy reminder of an enjoyable relationship? Will you store them away, never to be seen again? Will they be a constant reminder of a sad misadventure? Will you give them to a relative who can use them?

On one of those ubiquitous online forums someone wrote, “By returning the gifts, it allowed me to confirm that the relationship was over, close this chapter and move on.” Another wrote, “Return certain gifts swiftly, rather than clinging onto them and making your ex ask for them.”

Best wishes for successful, future relationships.

it feels wrong to keep it, or like you are holding onto his energy that you’d like to release, then return it. There is nothing “wrong” with keeping it. It is a keepsake of the time you had together. You are not an investment. I think most women keep jewelry, and some return the pieces. And of the ones who offer to return, most are told to keep it because it was a gift.

Perhaps some may disagree, but when a man comes on very strong with an army of designer and brand name, high end gifts, this makes me raise an eyebrow. Was he investing in the relationship, or did he have something to prove or gain? Does he feel confident in himself to show up without all that stuff? Nice things are nice, and most women love a nice gift. That’s in our nature. But any over-thetop behavior in a relationship (like tons of expensive gifts early on) may be telling

of something else.

I’m curious if you asked him about all the expensive gifts along the way and what he said. Also, I’m curious how you felt getting all this stuff and if you have any insight into why he may have made all these over-the-top purchases in three months. Please do not feel guilty for a moment over his choice to purchase. You didn’t twist his arm. It was his decision, knowing full well it may not work out. Sometimes, people go full blast over-the-top with an outrageous parade of presents because they don’t know how else to “keep” you interested. They think they have to buy you. It was his choice. Don’t take that on. And it is genuinely your choice what you do with it.

Best of luck making the decision!

Sincerely, Jennifer

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

The kindest and hardest thing to do is to break up when you know in your heart of hearts that you are not happy.

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Common Cents When to Fold ‘Em: Overcoming the Sunk Cost Bias in Personal Finance

The sunk cost fallacy is a cognitive bias that refers to the tendency for people to continue investing resources into a project, decision, or investment even when the costs outweigh the benefits.

Essentially, the sunk cost fallacy is based on the idea that people tend to place more value on things they have already invested time, money, or effort into. Unfortunately, this way of thinking can lead to poor financial decision-making, especially when it comes to personal finances.

For example, let’s say that you’ve invested a significant amount of money in an investment that is not performing well. Rather than cutting your losses and moving on, you may continue to invest more money or refuse to sell because you feel like you have already put so much effort into it.

Another common scenario where people fall victim to the sunk cost fallacy is when they purchase items they don’t need, simply because they have already invested money into them. This can manifest in many ways, such as continuing to pay for a subscription service that you don’t use, or homeowners may continue to invest money into renovations or upgrades to their home even when it’s no longer financially viable, simply because

they’ve already invested money into the property.

The Sunk Cost Fallacy isn’t limited to just financial decision making, consider a visit to the movie theater. Ever sat through a terrible movie in the theater that you already paid for, but you can’t leave since you already paid for the tickets? Staying for the entire movie makes no rational sense –the money has already been spent, and by staying you are just spending more time in an activity you aren’t enjoying. The rational answer would be to pick up and leave, but us humans don’t often behave rationally.

So, how can you avoid falling victim to the sunk cost fallacy in your financial life? Here are some strategies:

1. Reframe your perspective: When making a financial decision, try to focus on the potential future benefits, rather than the costs you have already sunk. Ask yourself, “if I wasn’t already invested in this decision, would I still make it?”

2. Set clear objectives and criteria: Before making any financial decisions, establish clear objectives and criteria for success. This can help you avoid making decisions based on emotions or sunk costs, and instead, focus on the metrics

By Elliot Pepper, CPA, CFP®, MST

that matter. It always helps to write these things down and refer back to them regularly when reviewing your investment plan.

3. Seek outside opinions: When making important financial decisions, it can be helpful to seek advice from objective sources, such as financial advisors or mentors. These individuals can provide valuable insights and help you make more rational decisions.

4. Take a break: If you’re feeling emotionally invested in a particular financial decision, take a break to clear your head. This can help you make a more rational decision based on the facts, rather than your emotions.

A student recently summed up the sunk cost fallacy in our class this year when she exclaimed in reference to her stock portfolio, “I know I should sell, but I just can’t see myself losing all that money”. Locking in a loss, can feel like admitting that we are

wrong – and losses feel worse than gains (later on that when we discuss Loss Aversion Theory). Fortunately, she was able to move forward, take the loss bravely and reinvest in new opportunities. Getting knocked down is a part of life – getting back up is what matters. Embrace the art of personal finance – numbers, emotions, culture, values and all!

The decision to start saving and investing is yours, but the “how” can be hard. We suggest speaking with a “fee only” financial planner operating as a fiduciary - having a CPA or tax background is a huge plus. Email commoncents@northbrookfinancial. com to schedule a free financial planning consultation with our team.

Elliot

Pepper, CPA, CFP®, MST

is

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

Your Money Flying Friendlier Skies

By Allan Rolnick, CPA

In 1748, Benjamin Franklin published an essay called “Advice to a Young Tradesman,” where he wrote, “Remember that time is money.” Back then, a trip from Philadelphia to New York could mean four or five days bouncing up and down over muddy dirt roads and three or four nights sharing straw beds with strangers. (Deodorant wasn’t invented until 1888.) Ocean crossings took weeks. That’s a lot of shillings lost to travel time!

Today, of course, you can take the Acela from Philadelphia to New York in little more than an hour and fly from New York to London in seven. But that still isn’t fast enough for some people, who don’t want to waste time queuing up to go through security with the masses and waiting out rain delays at LaGuardia.

So, what does a hedge fund master of the universe dream of after he’s scored the Tribeca loft and Hamptons beach house of his dreams? The answer: his own jet. The average private jet owner is male, over age 50, working in banking, finance, or real estate, with a median net worth of $190 million. Private jet prices begin at around $4.8 million for a starter Cessna and range up to $75 million for a top-of-the-line Gulfstream. Saudi prince Alwaleed bin Talal has a $500 million custom Airbus 380 with a concert hall, Turkish bath, garage, space for horses and camels, and a throne

and prayer room that rotates to face Mecca from any location on the planet.

Earlier this month, The Institute for Policy Studies released a report revealing that private jets make up one out of every six flights handled by the Federal Aviation Administration. That’s up 20% since the start of the pandemic. Yet those frequent flyers pay just 2% of the taxes that finance

headlines. Elon Musk took 171 flights, burned 837,934 liters of jet fuel, and put 2,112 tons of carbon into the environment in 2022 alone. And socialite/ entrepreneur/influencer/whatever Kylie Jenner drew fire as a climate criminal for a 17-minute flight from Van Nuys to Camarillo. Jenner’s trip would have taken 40 minutes by car, although anyone who

“short hop” surcharge. They estimate that those changes would have cost Musk an extra $3.94 million in tax last year—real money for you and me, but merely a drop in his particular bucket.

It’s clear that private flyers aren’t paying their proportional share of FAA resources they consume. However, the frequent flyers at the IRS should still be fans of their activity. Jet owners pay millions of dollars to fly private because they believe their time is worth even more—and if they can work during the time the rest of us are listening to the screaming baby in 29B, presumably, they’ll earn more. That, in turn, means Uncle Sam gets a cut of those extra earnings. And 37% of that income adds up to lots more than 22 cents for a gallon of fuel.

Buying a business jet is a big commitment that involves lots of tax and accounting questions. You may not be able to afford one now. But someday, right? When you’re ready, don’t do it without calling us first!

the FAA trust fund. That’s because commercial flyers pay a 7.5% excise tax on airline tickets, plus a separate passenger facility charge of up to $4.50. Meanwhile, private jets contribute just 22 cents per gallon of fuel.

Private jet flyers frequently make

battles Los Angeles traffic has to feel at least an ounce of sympathy for her choice.

The IPS report recommends implementing a 10% global transfer tax on pre-owned jets and a 5% tax on new models. They also recommend doubling the federal jet-fuel tax and imposing a

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.

Saudi prince Alwaleed bin Talal has a $500 million custom Airbus 380 with a concert hall, Turkish bath, garage, space for horses and camels, and a throne and prayer room that rotates to face Mecca from any location on the planet.

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Health & F tness

Improving Your Gut Health

By Aliza Beer MS, RD, CDN

Gut health plays an essential role in maintaining one’s overall well-being due to its interactions with the immune system, metabolism, and even mental health. The gastrointestinal tract is home to trillions of microorganisms collectively known as the gut microbiota. This intricate ecosystem influences vari-

ous aspects of human health. It facilitates the breakdown and absorption of nutrients, produces vitamins, and contributes to the maturation of the immune system.

A healthy gut microbiota helps regulate inflammation, strengthens the gut barrier, and aids in the synthesis of bioactive compounds that impact physiological

processes in the body.

Disturbances in gut health, such as dysbiosis, compromised gut barrier function, or chronic inflammation, can have extreme consequences. Dysbiosis is an imbalance in the natural microorganisms that live in the digestive system, which, if untreated, can eventually lead to a weak immune system. These gut health disturbances have been implicated in the development of various gastrointestinal disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and gastrointestinal cancers. Furthermore, new studies suggest that imbalances in the gut microbiota may be associated with conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and even neurological disorders like anxiety and depression. Therefore, promoting and maintaining a healthy gut through targeted dietary interventions and lifestyle modifications is crucial for preventing and managing these conditions, optimizing nutrient absorption, and supporting immune function.

Here are some foods that can help improve your gut health:

• Probiotic yogurt . Probiotics are live, beneficial bacteria that can colonize the gut and restore a healthy balance of microorganisms. This healthy balance promotes digestion, nutrient absorption, and supports a strong immune system by building up resistance to certain pathogens.

• Turmeric . It contains an active compound called curcumin, which can help improve gut health in several ways. Curcumin has been studied for its anti-inflammatory properties, and research

even suggests that it can alleviate symptoms associated with inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Additionally, curcumin has been shown to support the maintenance of a healthy gut barrier, which prevents the leakage of toxins and harmful substances into the bloodstream. You can incorporate turmeric into your diet by adding it to chicken seasoning, soup, tea, and more.

A popular tea made of turmeric is called Golden Tea. Below is the recipe for turmeric tea.

• Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk (dairy or plant-based like almond, coconut, or oat milk)

• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

• Instructions:

• In a small saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat to just before it begins to boil.

• Add the ground turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, and black pepper to the saucepan. Whisk well to combine all the ingredients.

• Continue heating the mixture for about 3-5 minutes.

• Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the tea cool slightly.

• Use a mesh strainer to catch any sediment and enjoy!

• Magnesium. It has a slew of different GI benefits, the first being that it regulates muscle contractions. It is a key component of smooth muscle function, helping to promote regular bowel movements and prevent issues like constipa-

tion. Next, it supports enzyme function. Many digestive enzymes require magnesium as a cofactor for their proper function. This just means that enzymes are responsible for breaking down food components and facilitating nutrient absorption in the gut. Also, magnesium promotes bowel regularity. Magnesium has a mild laxative effect, which can help promote regular bowel movements by drawing water into the intestines, making it easier to pass. Lastly, it reduces inflammation, which promotes a healthy gut environment, leading to stronger immunity from disease. Examples of foods that are particularly high in magnesium are avocados, bananas, and dark leafy greens.

• Bone broth. Beef bone broth is a type of broth made by simmering beef bones, along with other spices, in water over a long period of time. The first benefit of bone broth is that it provides nutrients for gut lining. It is rich in nutrients like collagen, gelatin, and amino acids, which can help support the integrity and repair of the gut lining and are essential for maintaining a healthy gut barrier. Next, it supports gut microbiota. Bone broth contains glycosaminoglycans, which can act as prebiotic in the body, providing nourishment for beneficial

gut bacteria. By promoting the growth of this beneficial bacteria, bone broth may help support a balanced and diverse gut microbiota. It also soothes inflammation because it contains anti-inflammatory compounds, such as chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine. This can be particularly beneficial for individuals with inflammatory bowel diseases or other gut-related

• 1 carrot, sliced

• 1 celery stalk, sliced

• 1 small onion, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Instructions:

• In a pot, heat the beef bone broth over medium heat until it begins to simmer.

Gut health plays a vital role in immunity.

inflammatory conditions. Lastly, bone broth assists in digestion. The gelatin in bone broth can help improve digestion by promoting the production of digestive enzymes and supporting the breakdown of food. Drink bone broth in the morning on an empty stomach for the best results; below is a recipe for beef bone broth soup.

• Ingredients:

• 4 cups beef bone broth

• 1 cup cooked shredded beef (from the bone broth or leftover cooked beef)

• Add the shredded beef, carrot, celery, onion, and minced garlic to the pot.

• Stir the ingredients and let the soup simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

• Season with salt and pepper to taste.

• Garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro if desired.

• Serve the beef bone broth soup hot and enjoy it’s comforting flavors.

You can customize this recipe by adding other vegetables or herbs based on preference.

In conclusion, maintaining a healthy gut is of paramount importance for overall well-being. The intricate balance of gut microbiota, the integrity of the gut barrier, and efficient digestion all play crucial roles in supporting optimal gut health. Furthermore, gut health plays a vital role in immunity. Our gut produces immunoglobulins, which are proteins that help locate and neutralize harmful bacteria and viruses. The healthier the gut is, the more able it is to fight pathogens and disease-causing agents. By implementing these dietary strategies and prioritizing your gut health, you can unlock the key to overall wellness and pave the way for a healthier and happier life.

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

Mordechai Barash & Miri Jakobovits (Baltimore)

Pinny Rabinowitz & Sarah Leah Segelman (Baltimore)

Zalmy Jampolsky & Shevy Vim (Baltimore)

Akiva Lerer & Malka Silber (Baltimore)

Yussi Perlman (Baltimore) & Chaya Goldberg (Cincinnati)

Celebrating the Learning, Reviewing and Retaining of Another Masechta

Thousands of Lomdei Oraysa Around The World Celebrate Siyum on Maseches Pesachim

Thousands of Lomdei Oraysa and their families gathered on Tuesday, May 23rd, in numerous locations around the world to celebrate a momentous siyum and the kinyan of the complex and challenging masechtah of Pesachim.

The magnitude of the event was

captured by Rav Moshe Brown shlita, Rov of Agudas Yisroel of West Lawrence and Rosh Yeshivah of Yeshiva of Far Rockaway, who proclaimed, “15,000 people learned the entire masechta b’iyun! We can’t even begin to grasp what that means!”

The largest siyum on Pesachim

was held in Lake Terrace Hall in Lakewood, where, in addition to thousands of Lakewooders in attendance, people traveled in from communities far and wide to be a part of this momentous event. Two other central siyumim took place in Bnei Brak and in Harrogate, U.K., with smaller siyumim held

in communities around the United States, Europe, and Eretz Yisroel with the participation of leading Gedolei Yisroel and Roshei Yeshiva. Some of the location to host siyumim included London, Passiac, Toronto, Cleveland, Flushing, Five Towns, Waterbury, Boston and Baltimore.

Cross Keys Pediatrics

My Israel Home Feeling Very Far Away

By Gedaliah Borvick

Acouple of weeks ago, I drove my daughter to her apartment on Yoni Netanyahu Street in Givat Shmuel. Gazing at the street sign hearkened me back to July 4, 1976, when we heard the miraculous news of the daring Operation Entebbe in which over 100 hostages were rescued. Sadly, Yoni Netanyahu, who led the elite commando unit, was killed during the mission.

Netanyahu was destined for greatness, as he was named Yonatan in honor of his father’s dear friend Lieutenant Colonel John Henry Patterson, who was the commander of Great Britain’s Jewish Legion during World War I, which was the precursor to Israel’s modern day army, the IDF. Upon retirement from the armed forces, Patterson continued his support

dozen cities across the country are named in honor of this modern day hero.

Staring at the Yoni Netanyahu street sign reminded me that, as an 11-year-old, I wanted to be in Ben Gurion Airport among the throngs of Jews to welcome home the soldiers and the rescued Jews. These emotions reminded me of other times when I experienced similar reactions – and I know that many others also feel far away and yearn to return to Israel during times of crisis.

I recall sitting in the parking lot out side my father’s synagogue on Yom Kip pur 1973, comforting a man who was nervously listening to the radio, trying to find out the whereabouts of his son who was serving in the IDF on the day when the war broke out.

homebuying presentations, while rockets are raining down on our precious homeland. Hearing news of Jews running for their lives, I am again experiencing pangs to return home.

How fortunate is the Jewish nation that kol Yisrael areivim zeh bazeh – all of Israel are responsible for each other. Following Yoni’s lead, may we all forge our own unique path of courage and her-

oism in fulfilling our sacred communal obligation towards Am Yisrael.

Gedaliah Borvick is the founder of My Israel Home (www.myisraelhome.com), a real estate agency focused on helping people from abroad buy and sell homes in Israel. To sign up for his monthly market updates, contact him at gborvick@gmail.com.

of Zionism and toiled to save European Jewry during World War II.

Yoni Netanyahu was a renaissance man: a sensitive thinker, philosopher, leader, and decorated soldier. After his death, many of Yoni’s personal letters penned over a 13-year period were published in a book that reveals his penetrating thoughts and convictions, his creative and exceptionally analytical mind, and his dedication to his country and his soldiers. It’s no wonder that streets in half a

During the Second Intifada, which started in 2000, I felt distraught not be ing in Israel. I appreciate that my emo tions were somewhat silly, as my presence in Israel would neither help stop a suicide bomber nor defend rocket fire. And yet, being separated from my brethren – exac erbated by the tragic 9/11 events – served as a visceral reminder that it was time to make aliyah.

I am writing this article in the United States, where I am busy running Israel

Paint or Draw!

Ettel Chaya Gerard, 4

What a creative way to paint Har Sinai Ettel Chaya! It looks like you spent a lot of time on it. Well done!

Sarah, you have made the moments before Matan Torah come alive with your relatable description. Keep using the talents Hashem blessed you with to inspire klal yisroel!

WhenHashem wanted to give the Torah to the Jewish people, the mountains began to argue.

“Hashem will obviously pick me,” said Har Tavor confidently. “After all, I’m the biggest and the tallest. And,” he continued, “Check out how cute I look in my Lululemon scrunchie.” Har Tavor had a smug expression on his face.

“Sorry,” said Har Carmel, “That position already taken--by me! Let’s just say that honor runs in my family. My 12th cousin twice removed invented caramel.” He smiled sweetly.

“You’re both wrong,” Har Bashan burst in. “Lululemon and caramel are sooo yesterday.

Write a D’var Torah!

by Sarah David, 13

My 4th cousin’s aunt’s brother-inlaw was Og Melech HaBashan. And besides,” he continued, “I have 3 Gucci handbags.”

“Who cares?” Har Carmel said loudly. “Gucci is sooo—

“Well I,” interrupted Har Tavor, “have the latest model--”

“Not true,” Har Bashan interrupted for the millionth time, “Segways are NOT cool! Also--”

“You’re wrong!” Har Carmel yelled “Your Rolex is not--”

The mountains kept fighting, yelling, and screaming. Only Har Sinai kept quiet. “I am quite small,” Har Sinai thought to himself. “No need to make a big deal.”

Suddenly the voice of Hashem was heard, “What are you fighting about,

you haughty mountains? It’s not a contest who screams the loudest! I will give the Torah on the humble Har Sinai!”

Instantly, the landscape of Har Sinai exploded with color. Beautiful grass and pretty flowers grew from Har Sinai in honor of the giving of the Torah. The mountains were embarrassed by their silly behavior.

“We shouldn’t have fought like that,” Har Tavor whispered.

“Yeah,” Har Carmel agreed.

“I guess we aren’t what our relatives are,” Har Bashan said quietly. Har Sinai, so small and humble, never bragged and remained quiet. We can learn from this that Har Sinai was chosen and was lifted up by Hashem who loves those who act with humility.

CONGRATULATIONS TO LAST EDITION’S RAFFLE WINNERs!

Moshe Java, 6

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Eliana Lewis, 9

Zahava Feldman, 7 Yaakov

EVEN MORE SUBMISSIONS

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Alex Freedman, 7

Ahron Zryl Age, 7

Adiel Shemuel Souri, 4

A.M.Fuentes, 7

Aaron Felder, 7

In The K tchen

Strawberry Soup

Pareve / Yields 10 servings

By Naomi Nachman

One of my best friends, Alison Gross, makes this soup every year when we spend Shavuot together; at this point, it’s been more than 15 years. She knows my family always loves her strawberry soup and makes it for us.

I asked her if I could have the recipe to share in my book, and she told me it’s originally from her Aunt Marsha in Los Angeles. Last week, when we were at her house for Shavuot, she made sure to serve it to us because she knows how much we love it.

Ingredients

◦ 6 cups water

◦ 5 tablespoons tapioca pearls (I get mine from Stop and Shop or Amazon)

◦ ½ cup sugar

◦ 32 ounces frozen strawberries

◦ 2 (11-ounce) cans mandarin oranges

◦ Juice of ½ lemon

Preparation

1. In a large pot, bring water, sugar, and tapioca to a boil over high heat. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring a couple of times to break up tapioca lumps. Set aside to cool.

2. Blend strawberries in a food processor fitted with the “S” blade or with an immersion blender until smooth. Add to tapioca mixture. Add lemon juice and mandarin segments.

3. Serve chilled.

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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