Baltimore Jewish Home - 6-9-16

June

2016

Sunday Iyar 21 29

Monday Iyar 22 30

Ner Tamid annual Banquet 7PM Tickets: NerTamid.net

‫ יז׳ סיון‬- ‫ג׳ סיון‬

june

9-

june

23 . vol 3, #9

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Iyar 28

TA 99th Anniversary Banquet at Beth Tifiloh 5:30 PM

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Iyar 29

Community Calendar Iyar/Sivan 5776

Wednesday Thursday Saturday Friday Tuesday Iyar 27 Iyar 24 2 Iyar 25 3 Iyar 26 4 Iyar 23 31 1 Ahavas Yisrael 24 Hour Charidy Event 2 PM - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 PM see Cover Page & Page 3

Shemesh Annual Meeting Lev Shlomo Cruise 7PM 7PM Beth Tfiloh Spotlight Rabbi Pesach Krohn 7:30PM at BJSZ 8PM

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Sivan 1

see page 9

Jcc Owings Mills Block Party 10AM - 3PM

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Sivan 6

Shavuot

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9:16 PM

Sivan 13

Chai Lifeline presents Kol Hanearim Boy's Choir at LJC 7 PM

Rosh Chodesh

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Sivan 7

14

Sivan 8

Old Fashioned Ice Cream The Associated’s Real Social Estate Industry Group at Tudor Heights 3 -4 PM (REIG) Annual Event see page 13 at City Garage 6 PM Shavuot

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9:17 PM

Sivan 14

8

Sivan 2

BJC Annual Meeting 4PM

Bnos Yisroel Graduation 7PM

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Sivan 15

Sivan 3

8:11 PM

10

Sivan 4

15

Sivan 9

JCS Annual Meeting at Beth Tifiloh 5PM Alzheimer’s Support Group; Dine & Discuss at Tudor Heights 6:30PM see page 13

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Sivan 11

22

Sivan 16

24

Sivan 18

1

Sivan 25

9:12 PM

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Sivan 5

18

Sivan 12

25

Sivan 19

2

Sivan 26

Jcc Annual Meeting

Jewish Museum Annual Meeting 6PM

Associated’s Annual Meeting at Beth Tifiloh 5PM

see page 19

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8:15 PM

16

Sivan 10

9:16 PM

Chai Annual Meeting 3430 Associated Way 4:30PM 9:18 PM

8:18 PM

23

Sivan 17

Bnai Zion Foundation Gala at American Visionary Museum 5 PM

Shemesh Bike Ride see page 23

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8:19 PM

Sivan 20

27

Siavn 21

28

Sivan 22

29

Sivan 23

30

Sivan 24

9:20 PM

July

Sivan/Tammuz 5776

8:19 PM

Check out our NEW Community Calendar ........ Page 32

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

9:19 PM

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THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

JUNE 9, 2016

‫ סדר נשי‬‫ על‬‫הדר‬ !‫ על‬‫והדר‬

H

THE WORLD OF

anhalas Dirshu would like to congratulate Daf Yomi participants completing Seder Nashim. In particular, Dirshu salutes the lofty achievements by many thousands in the various Dirshu programs that assist Talmidei Chachomim retain their learning.

The Dirshu programs tailored for Daf Yomi learners include: Kinyan Torah, Chazaras HaShas, Chazarah Chodshi, Kinyan HaShas, and weekly Gemarah tests.

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

With the commencement of Seder Nezikin, now is an opportune time to explore Dirshu’s various testing programs which enable Daf Yomi participants to retain their learning through proven and tested methods.

For more information, contact Dirshu:

888-5-DIRSHU/Info@KollelDirshu.org

Dirshu DAF YOMI BAVLI Kinyan Torah Chazaras HaShas Chazarah Chodshi Kinyan HaShas Weekly Tests Mishnayos Tests

KOLLELIM Ba’alei Batim Kollelim Chaburas Beis Medrash Govoha Amud Yomi Kollel Boker Chaburas Shas B’Iyun HALACHA Daf HaYomi B’Halacha Kinyan Halacha Kinyan Shmittah YESHIVA PROGRAMS Daf HaYomi B’Halacha L’Bochurim Dirshu Boker Talmudo B’Yadoi Mekadshei Sheviyi Yeshivas Bein Hazemanim DIRSHU PUBLICATIONS Mishnah Berurah Mahaduras Dirshu Sefer Chofetz Chaim Mahaduras Dirshu Sefer Shemiras Halashon Dirshu Shul Chumash with Ramban Ma’areh Mekomos on Hilchos Shabbos Kinyan Halacha Kovetz Kuntresai Chizuk Kinyan Shmaatsa Ohel Series

HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, shlita, reciting the Hadran Kaddish at the Dirshu Siyum HaShas.

— Yad Eliyahu Stadium, Summer 2012

ACHEINU 3-Step System: Mentoring, Enrollment & Continued Follow-Up Acheinu Yeshivos Batei Chizuk International Kiruv Conference

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Community

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Community Safety Awards ners’ commendable actions. Honorees ranged from Ohr Chadash second grader Yoni Bakaev, who brought food to a homeless shelter and helped at a Savers Donation Drive to Baltimore City Councilman-elect Yitzy Schleifer, who has been working tirelessly to help our community in so many ways.

Other honorees included Alex “Crusty” Gross, a leading responder for Shomrim, Dovid Cynamon, an inspirational Scoutmaster for our local Boy Scouts, Batya Alon, the devoted Evening Program Coordinator of Gevuras Yarden, and many more. Bracha Goetz, winner of an award for her dedication

to the Associated’s Big Brother/ Big Sister program said, “Thank you so much for this beautiful and thoughtful event that you do. It truly inspires more chesed.”

Frank Storch, founder and director of The Chesed Fund Limited and Project Ezra of Greater Baltimore, Inc., commented, “When I was 12 years old and won a trophy it meant the world to me and was a real motivator to always try to put in 100% in all I do. Our community’s wonderful children, teens, and adults deserve our recognition. I am looking forward to next year’s event!”

Participate in this important program by submitting your nominations for the Fourth Annual Community Safety & Service Award. Email chesedfund@gmail. com with your nominee(s), reason why they deserve to be honored, and contact information for you and the nominee(s).

JUNE 9, 2016

For over 10 years, The Chesed Fund Limited and Project Ezra of Greater Baltimore, Inc. have awarded outstanding youth of our community who have made significant contributions, whether in regards to safety and security or through helping others. Beginning two years ago, deserving adults were recognized as well. On Sunday, May 22, 2016, over 100 people gathered to celebrate and honor the winners of the Third Annual Community Safety & Service Award.

This year’s program began with Mr. Frank Storch thanking Mr. & Mrs. Bruce & Lois Kauffman and their family for sponsoring the event in loving memory of Philip Kauffman and Rosalie Zwagil.

Proud families and friends gathered to see thirteen youths and nine adults receive their Community Safety & Service Awards, beautiful plaques inscribed with the win-

The Chesed Fund Limited and Project Ezra of Greater Baltimore, Inc. ▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼

Louis Myers

Adult Award Winners

Elyana Fine

Emma Platt

Ido Lavie

Reuven Prero

Batya Alon Dovid Cynamon

Gavriel Leichter

Moishy Stal

Shmuel Fischler

Thank you to ▼ Baruch of ▼ Simcha of ▼ National Photo, Mendel and Staiman Design ▼▼ ▼▼▼ ▼▼ ▼ ▼ ▼Bitman ▼▼▼▼ ▼ ▼ ▼Focus, ▼ ▼ ▼Lev ▼ ▼Bar-Av ▼▼▼▼ ▼▼▼▼ ▼▼▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ Rosenblatt ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ of ▼ Moriah ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼Graphic, ▼▼▼▼ ▼ ▼ ▼▼▼▼ ▼▼▼▼ The Chesed Fund Limited & Project Ezra of Greater Baltimore, Inc. Present

LOOKING FORWARD TO AWARDING NEXT YEAR’S NOMINEES!

1. Submit your nominations to chesedfund@gmail.com or by fax to 410-486-0801.

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 Chesed Fund and Project Ezra.

THE PHILIP KAUFFMAN & ROSALIE ZWAGIL

Safety&Service The Maryland Jewish Community Award for Exceptional Service, Safety, and Security

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

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Ava Cohen

Bracha Goetz Benyamin Goldstein Alex “Crusty” Gross Naomi Miller Aharon/Alan Newman Yitzy Schleifer

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To our well-deserved award winners:

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Rivkah Abedon Yoni Bakaev Moussia Belinsky Fruma Belinsky Esther Liba Belinsky

Mazel Tov!

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Youth Award Winners

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Community Safety & Service Award

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

are Proud to Wish the Winners of the 3rd Annual Philip Kaufman & Rosalie Zwagil

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CONTENTS

COMMUNITY

Around the Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

JUNE 9, 2016

Community Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

JEWISH THOUGHT Wake Up Call. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 No Child Left Behind. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Rabbi Berel Wein. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Torah Boy Scout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Bobker On Shavuos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

HUMOR & ENTERTAINMENT Centerfold. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Notable Quotes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

LIFESTYLES 613 Seconds with Gobbie Cohn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Political Crossfire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Real Estate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Broken but Whole. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Life Coach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Health & Fitness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Dating Dialogue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Barry Good!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Forgotten Heroes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Moroccan Chicken Cholent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

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

Cooking for the King. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Dear Readers, “Na’aseh v’nishmah – We will do, then we will understand.” These are the words we collectively responded when G-d asked if we would accept the Torah. We knew the truth of G-d’s existence, and so taking this leap of faith was the obvious choice. Since G-d is real, so are his laws – the details of which we knew would soon follow.

Here’s another way to look at it.

Say, for example, someone isn’t well, and the doctor proscribes a medicine which will heal them. (For the sake of our mashal, assume this a trustworthy doctor who is 100% correct in the diagnosis 100% of the time.) It would make little sense for the patient to take this medicine only on condition that they understood its exact mechanism and the details of how it worked: When someone isn’t feeling well, their faculties are not 100%. If they take the medicine, they will reach their prime strength, and then it would be easier to understand.

The healing process is best understood when experiencing it firsthand.

Why push off getting better! The medicine will work regardless of our understanding of it.

Same is true with the mitzvot. A Jew is only 100% spiritually well when

adhering to the ways of the Torah. Its beauty and purpose is best appreciated when experienced first-hand…why not get spiritually healthy now!

A few thousand years have passed since then, and by now the benefits of many of the commandments are easy to see. Shabbos observance = focus.

Modesty = sanctity. Kosher = conscious eating. Prayer = spirituality.

Torah learning = constant education.

Pikuach Nefesh = sanctity of human life. Tzedakah = concern for others.

And so on. These benefits are sometimes so obvious it can be tempting to keep these mitzvos because of logic while ignoring their G-dly origins.

When hesitating to take the next leap in Torah observance, thinking, “What’s the purpose” of adding another Torah class, being more careful with the blessings we make, or getting along better with our in-laws, we should remember na’aseh and then nishmah. If we take the plunge, we will surely come to appreciate it later.

It says matan Torah only happened once, but the secrets of the experience will only be revealed after the coming of Moshiach. Our world can use exactly that.

May we have an inspiring Shabbos and a joyous matan Torah, Yaakov

NEWS Israel News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 That’s Odd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

The Baltimore Jewish Home is an independent bi-weekly newspaper. Opinions expressed by writers are not neces­sarily the opinions of the publisher or editor. The Baltimore Jewish Home is not responsible for typographical errors, or for the kashrus of any product or business advertised within. The BJH contains words of Torah. Please treat accordingly.

5

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

!‫כל הכבוד‬

JUNE 9, 2016

Lightning DID Strike Twice!

We Did it Again...Together!

Donate year-round online at

www.AhavasYisrael.org

To set up an automatic recurring monthly donation please call 443-621-0298

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Baltimoreans Truly Helping Baltimoreans.

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

We are incredibly fortunate to live in a city which is a shining example of Chesed. The generosity and unity our friends and neighbors displayed was nothing short of inspirational. We thank all the contributors, matchers and volunteers who have made a real difference in the lives of our those in need.

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» $902,638 IN JUST 24 HOURS » OVER 1,500 DONORS

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

JUNE 9, 2016

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Around the

Community

Bais Yaakov Dolphin Club Bake Sale Raises Money for Sick Children in Hospital BaltimoreJewishLife.com/Jeff Cohn

I could barely get in the door of the entrance to Bais Yaakov Middle School foyer, so packed was the foyer where the Dolphin Club girls were selling their homemade chocolate caramel cupcakes, chocolate-covered pretzels and other baked goodies.

Sales were fast and furious as the dollars piled up in bright red and yellow plastic bowls managed with confidence and competence by seasoned Dolphin Club money mavens. Donated, almost-too-pretty-to-eat flower cupcakes were raffled off to eighteen lucky winners. The bake sale was the fundraiser for the club’s latest chesed project to help sick children at Sinai Children’s Hospital.

The Dolphin Club, known for the many tzedakah projects that are conceived, planned and implemented by its teenage members, makes a meaningful difference in the lives of Jews across the world through just such humble events as this past Friday’s bake sale.

“The girls haven’t yet settled on how they’re going to use the money raised to help the hospitalized children,” said Dolphin Club Director, Mrs. Leeba Braun. “But you can be sure it’ll be something creative, fun, meaningful and joy-producing!” she added.

Time after time through many years of successful projects, the Dol-

By: BJLife/Shalomis Koffler Weinreb

phin Club girls have proven that kids know what kids like and respond to.

Stay tuned to see how this chesed project unfolds in the coming months!

Baltimore Shomrim Sends Letter of Commendation to Baltimore Police Applauding the Service of Detective Melissa Warczyski Immensely Helpful in Mugging Mayhem

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

BaltimoreJewishLife.com/Jeff Cohn

Shomrim formally commended Detective Melissa Warczyski for her impressive actions as a positive, dedicated and upstanding reflection of the Baltimore City Police Department.

A letter of commendation praising a Baltimore Police detective was sent to Baltimore Police by Shomrim General Counsel Nathan Willner. The letter read: Yesterday, on May 30, 2016 between the approximate hours of 7:00 am and 9:30 am our Neighborhood experienced five muggings. These incidents, all perpetrated by the same

three suspects, terrorised members of the Jewish community. Most of the victims were individuals going to daily prayers at their synagogues. The suspects brandished knifes and stole cell phones, wallets and in one instance the victim’s vehicle.

As a result of community cooperation and immediate interaction between BSSP Coordinator, Ron Rosenbluth with Detective Warczyski, within two hours of these crimes, one

By: BJL Staff

suspect was taken into custody and by the close of the day, four warrants were issued. Detective Warczyski immediately communicated the excellent work of the BPD and was sincerely concerned that “everyone in the community sleeps better” last night.

Her quick detective work definitely assuaged many frightened community members.

Our members and our community were impressed with Detective

Warczyski’s police work, her respectful and attentive demeanour. The detective in this instance was extremely efficient, professional and sensitive to the needs of the Community. We would like to bring her excellent attitude and this positive interaction with the Detective to your attention.

We would like to formally commend Detective Melissa Warczyski for her impressive actions as a positive, dedicated and upstanding reflection of the Baltimore City Police Department.

Crime Alert - Baltimore County Police Department Dear Community Members, Between 6/06/16 and 6/07/16 during the overnight hours there were two overnight burglaries in the area.

The first incident occurred in the 2500 block of Willow Glen Drive. The second incident occurred in the 6600 block of Shelrick Place. In both of these incidents, the unknown sus-

pect gained entry into the residences through doors and windows that were left unlocked. The Baltimore City Police also experienced an overnight burglary on Cheswolde Rd. in close proximity to the above burglaries.

Please be vigilant of suspicious subjects or vehicles roaming through the neighborhoods. If you notice sus-

picious activity, safely get a good description of the subjects and contact 911. Please keep your residences secured at all times. Lock your windows, doors, and use your residential alarm system. The Pikesville Precinct Community Outreach Team offers free residential security surveys where a uniformed officer will respond to

your home and give you ideas and make suggestions on ways to better secure your residence. Officers from the Pikesville Precinct are actively patrolling your neighborhood. If you have any questions or would like to have a security survey, please contact the Pikesville Community Outreach Team for assistance at 410-887-6775.

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THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME JUNE 9, 2016

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Around the

Community

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

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

JUNE 9, 2016

Yeshivas Bais Yisroel Yarchei Kallah On Sunday May 29th Yeshivas Bais Yisroel held its first Alumni Yarchei Kallah event in R' Chaim Schwartz's Shomrei Mishmeres Hakodesh in Baltimore. Rebbeim came from Eretz Yisroel to spend a day packed with limud hatorah with former talmidim of the Yeshiva.

Among the rebbeim were the Rosh Hayeshiva, Harav Doniel Lehrfield,

Rav Moshe Lehrfield, and Rav Avrohom Kamenetsky, who all delivered shiurim. Harav Aharon Feldman, Rosh Hayeshiva Yeshivas Ner Yisroel, attended as well, and gave over inspiring divrei chizuk to the alumni, many of whom were also talmidim of his own yeshiva. With a full bais medrash and a booming kol hatorah, the event was a noticeable success!

HaRav Sheftel Neuberger, shlita, Menahel Yeshivas Ner Yisrael Addresses Kollel Boker Nachlas HaTorah BaltimoreJewishLife.com/Jeff Cohn

HaRav Sheftel Neuberger, shlita, Menahel of Yeshivas Ner Yisrael spoke on inyonei Shavuos to an overflow crowd on Tuesday morning May 31st at Kollel Boker Nachlas HaTorah of Khal Machzikei Torah. HaRav Neuberger presented the various facets of reaching the acceptance of Kabalas HaTorah in our generation and how to develop the heights to maintain and grow in ahavas haTorah.

By: BJL Staff

Rabbi Neuberger encouraged the entire community to join Kollel Boker’s daily Torah program from 9:30 AM- 12:00 PM under the direction of HaRav Nechemiah Goldstein, shlita, in order to maintain and continue the inspiration for kabalas haTorah from the Shavuous yom tov.

For more info Rabbi Goldstein may be reached at 323.770.6363

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THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME JUNE 9, 2016

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

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Around the

Community

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

JUNE 9, 2016

Exciting! Baltimore’s Jewish Children’s Library Now Open BaltimoreJewishLife.com/Jeff Cohn

Baltimore’s Jewish Children’s Library was created to be a community resource where everyone feels welcome.

With much appreciation to HKB’H, The Moshe Kuhnreich Jewish Children’s Library is now ready to open its doors to the public, bringing the newest supply of Jewish books to the Baltimore community!

Geared to children ranging from toddler through middle/high school, the collection boasts newly-published books as well as reprinted classics including fiction, non-fiction, historical fiction, biographies, inspirational stories, graphic novels and comic books.

Located in a bright and spacious classroom in Shomrei Emunah, the initial open hours are Sundays 10:00—11:00 A.M, and Fridays from 4:00—5:00 P.M. To expedite checkout, the library invested in laptops, barcode readers and an online data-

base. In addition, to facilitate returns, a book drop is available at all times the Shul is open.

The collective effort of a team of dedicated individuals including Fayge Hackerman, Faige Katz, Rachael Kossman, Chaya Monderer and Blumi Weil, combined resources in education, administration, fundraising, logistics and design needed to accom-

plish this task.

“Our goal was to create a library that would be a community resource where everyone feels welcome,” says director Faige Katz. “That is why we are so grateful to Shomrei Emunah for graciously hosting this endeavor.

Being located in a Shul in the heart of the Jewish community allows us to cater to individuals from all neighbor-

hoods.”

With an ever-growing supply of 850+ brand new books, the board’s greatest accomplishment will be seeing the books fly off the shelf and be enjoyed by many.

To explore the database and find out more information about the library including online registration, visit www.jclbaltimore.org.

STAR-K Kosher Certification Awards Intensive IT Job Training Grant to JET Tech

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

By Margie Pensak

STAR-K Kosher Certification has long been known for its proactive local benevolent efforts which have a ripple effect across the greater Jewish community. The latest such endeavor for the not-for-profit organization will enable Information Technology (IT) job training for a maximum of ten students, made possible by a generous grant to JET Tech (Jewish Entrepreneur Trust Technology Group).

The intensive 12 week/30 class course will be held approximately three times weekly, beginning June 1, in Baltimore, and it is endorsed by Rabbi Moshe Heinemann and Rabbi Yaakov Hopfer.

JET Tech, a division of JET (Jewish Entrepreneurial Trust), is a volunteer network of experienced Torah observant IT professionals who provide services such as education, mentoring, networking, and job placement, to assist those considering entering the field, as well as for novice and veteran IT professionals, alike, with navigat-

ing the IT profession. JET, a one-ofa-kind business development center, was founded in 2012 by a group of young local entrepreneurs and professionals whose interest is promoting the development of successful businesses and business leaders in the Baltimore community.

Upon completion of the Red Hat Enterprise Linux administration course and the associated exercises, students should be prepared to pass the Red Hat Certified System Administrator exam. This certification is in high demand due to the system’s pervasive use in large internet-based environments. More than 90% of Fortune Global 500 companies and 100% of airlines, telephone companies, healthcare companies, commercial banks, and U.S. Executive Departments in the Fortune Global 500, rely on Red Hat (according to Red Hat client data and Fortune 500 list, 2014). The value of this certification in the Baltimore area is only corroborated by an article

published in the May 18, 2016 edition of CompTIA [The Top Ten Markets for IT Jobs and Why You Want to Live There], in which the Virginia/Maryland/ West Virginia area was listed as one of the top ten places to work in IT, in the nation. The area is projected to see 15% job growth when comparing 2015 to 2025.

“Our goal in developing this program was to look for a technology that is in high demand that people can find jobs in within a reasonable amount of time and that they will be able to get a decent entry-level job in that particular area and they can finish learning it within a 6-month period,” explained Shomshin Refoel Weinstein, a JET Tech volunteer who is in charge of the new program. “That’s why we chose Red Hat Enterprise Linux. If you think about it, for a person with a family, it becomes very difficult for them to take off time to go to school and learn a profession. Here, within a relatively short period of time, our goal will be

to give them a profession, expertise in a technical area that is in high demand that has potential to be a full-fledged parnasah.”

“The officers and board of directors of STAR-K are very pleased to work together with Shomshin Refoel Weinstein, Chaim Harris and Dovid Meyer in seeking to provide these meaningful opportunities,” concluded STAR-K President Dr. Avrom Pollak. “Quite often, for instance, individuals just leaving kollel cannot afford the expense and time to acquire the professional training necessary for rewarding careers in this new age of technology. JET Tech will provide young talented Bnai Torah, in a relatively short time, to add “Red Hat” to their “Black Hat” lifestyle.”

For more information, or to schedule a phone interview, please call (443) 499-2538, or email: info@jet-tech.org.

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The Night Is Not Dark tells the story of Yitzchak Bernstein, a young ilui with a well-developed streak of mischief — and of the gedolim of Europe who took him in, taught him, disciplined him, and loved him.

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BOOST Program Offers Scholarships To Nonpublic Schools

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

JUNE 9, 2016

BaltimoreJewishLife.com/Jeff Cohn

Maryland is set to foot at least part of the bill for low-income students to enroll in nonpublic schools.

The state has set aside $5 million in scholarship money through the Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today (BOOST) Program.

But there’s a catch: Those who may qualify for the program have a little more than a month to apply for the free money.

The Talmudical Academy of Baltimore is one of more than 200 nonpublic and private Maryland schools taking part in the BOOST Program.

“It’s important as a nonpublic school to be able to offer all of the students everything they can get in the public school arena,” said Rabbi Yaacov Cohen, executive director of the Talmudical Academy of Baltimore.

The state funding will pay for scholarships. The money will be limited to students who are currently enrolled at public schools who plan to

‘We’ve been hoping and asking the state to pitch in a little bit,’ said Rabbi Ariel Sadwin, (shown with Governer Hogan) with the Council for American Private Education (CAPE)

apply to nonpublic schools in the fall and those who may already be on the rolls.

The $5 million will be divided among students who meet strict household and income guidelines. With applications in hand, a state scholarship advisory board will have the last word on who qualifies.

“We’ve been hoping and asking the state to pitch in a little bit,” said

Rabbi Ariel Sadwin, with the Council for American Private Education (CAPE).

CAPE said just getting the state to put up scholarship money is a major first step toward progress.

Sadwin said it’s about “a parent having the option to send their child to the school where they think their child can thrive the most, whether it’s a faith-based school, an independent school, nonreligious.”

Baltimore’s Institute of Notre Dame has been tracking the progress of the BOOST Program and is encouraging parents to apply ahead of the July 11 deadline.

But there are concerns at the Institute of Notre Dame and across the state about whether the state scholarship money will be on hand next year.

“If we have the $5 million pot empty by next year, then that gives reason for senators and members of the Assembly to come back and say

June 1st, 2016 B A LT I M O R E J E W I S H H O M E . C O M

By: Staff Reporter

Baltimore’s contingency at the

in Edison, NJ

it was money worth and well spent,” said David Ring, president of the Institute of Notre Dame.

Maryland students who will be in kindergarten through 12th grade can apply for the scholarship.

Tap here for more information and to apply to the BOOST Program The Maryland State Education Association sent a statement to 11 News about the BOOST Program, calling it “a thinly veiled plan to divert taxpayer dollars from public schools in order to subsidize private schools. As has been shown in other states -- including brand new research in Indiana and Louisiana -- low-income students who receive vouchers to attend private schools perform worse than their peers in public schools. Teachers and education professionals strongly oppose BOOST for these reasons and urge legislators to discontinue the program as soon as possible.”

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“She doesn’t have Alzheimer’s, but she’s suffering from it.”

“Resources for Families Caring for a Loved One” Wednesday, June 15, 6:30 pm (Light Supper starting at 6:15 pm) Caring for someone with memory loss can take its toll. This week’s discussion, led by Carol Wynne, geriatric nurse practitioner, is the perfect opportunity to find the support and answers to help you cope.

Companion care for your loved one available with reservation.

For Reservations Call Zack Pomerantz at 410-318-8000

JUNE 9, 2016

Coming 7/6 “Maximizing the Patient/Doctor Relationship”, 7/20 “Panel Discussion for Children with Aging Parents”.

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Baltimore’s Orthodox Community Shines on National Stage

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JUNE 9, 2016

By:Isaac Draiman

On Wednesday, May 25, 2016, The Friedlander Group coordinated a Tribute to American Jewry in celebration of Jewish Heritage Month. May has been proclaimed by the United States Congress as Jewish American Heritage Month. President Barack Obama proclaimed, “The Jewish people’s pursuit of freedom brought multitudes to our shores…let us honor their tremendous contributions…And let us all find inspiration in a story that speaks to the universal human experience, with all of its suffering and all of its salvation.”

To celebrate the annual Heritage Month, an impressive roster of elected officials and national Jewish leaders gathered in the ornate Kennedy Caucus Room in the Russell Senate Office Building, located on Capitol Hill in our nation’s Capital.

Among the notable guests, were US Senators, Orin Hatch (R-UT), Al Franken (D-MN), Cory Booker (DNJ) and Maryland’s own Ben Cardin (D-MD).

NY Assembly Member Phil Goldfeder, Co-Chair of the event and friend to the Baltimore Jewish community, was impressed to see such a large turnout of Baltimore community members representing the thriving community.

Among the Baltimore leaders present were HaRav Sheftel Neuberger of Yeshivas Ner Yisrael, Rabbi Ariel Sadwin Agudath Israel of Maryland, Director, Commission on Legislation and Civic Action and Nathan Willner, Esq., President of the Cheswolde Neighborhood Association. One Baltimorean

BaltimoreJewishLife.com/Jeff Cohn

that was specifically mentioned during his remarks and the remarks of US Senator Ben Cardin was the current

important positon. It is clear from the comments made here today and the national attention the Baltimore City

Democratic nominee to the Baltimore City Council, Isaac “Yitzy” Schleifer.

Both congratulated him on his recent election victory and recognized him for his willingness to take on the challenge of representing his community in an official elected capacity. Senator Cardin, commented on the difficulty of the position and pledged to work closely with Yitzy in his role as the 5th District City Councilman.

Assemblyman Goldfeder, noted after the event, “I am thrilled that the Baltimore Jewish community demonstrated its unity and resolve to elect a member of its community to this very

Council race garnered that when our communities put forth the effort we can elect candidates that reflect the values and needs of our communities.

Young leaders, like Yitzy, are a critical piece of making sure that our voices are heard and considered on the highest levels. I am so encouraged by the attendance today of Baltimore leaders and askanim, like Nathan Willner. It is their tireless efforts that can really make all the difference.”

Yitzy Schleifer, was surprised by all of the attention, to say the least. “To be publically recognized in a room like this and especially by a senior leader

of the US Senate, Ben Cardin, was surreal. It did confirm however the message that we have worked so hard to relay to our community, that when we are properly represented on all levels of government, we can get the attention our communities deserve.”

Ezra Friedlander, renowned political strategist and coordinator of the impressive event, was extremely enthusiastic to see the Baltimore community so well represented. “When a qualified member of our community is elected to public office, it is a game changer. The results can be felt already, the mere fact that established members of the Baltimore community as well as a young leader like Yitzy Schleifer were invited and attended today’s event demonstrates how unity, commitment and leadership can change the perception and public profile of a community.”

Nathan Willner, Esq., Cheswolde Neighborhood Association, President, was impressed by the roster of honorees and elected officials. “It was fantastic to be able to see our good friends, Phil Goldfeder and Ezra Friedlander.

I especially, enjoyed having the opportunity to chat with Senator Cory Booker, Senator Jeanne Shaheen and of course our Senator Ben Cardin. I, however, was particularly blown away by the specific mention of Yitzy and his successful campaign on the national stage. It is definitely a sign of the influence our community will have as Yitzy’s political career develops”.

Habilitative Services Bill SB297 passes MD Legislation and becomes law The Maryland OT Association lead and authored this bill which was a 20 year advocacy initiative led by Shoshana Shamberg, former MOTA legislative chairperson , and MOTA member in the 1990s and 2000s.

The new law mandates health insurance policies to cover services for children from birth to 19 years for developmental conditions.

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Gobbie Cohn nity and give the boys something structured and an appropriate outlet to support and compliment their long days of learning.

I am a commercial insurance broker and a business consultant.

I manage PPO portfolios for dentists.

First off, Mazel tov on being the alumnus of the year. Your parents must be so proud of you?

My parents are very proud!

What year did you graduate from TA?

1997 So that makes you how old?

Bli Ayin Hora age 37 What was your most fondest memory of going to TA?

Building friendships, especially those that last. I was also fortunate

to learn from great teachers.

How did you get into that business?

How has your days at TA impacted who you are today?

The insurance business came to fruition at the end of 2001 after a conversation with Chaim Gottesman.

The education I received at TA gave me the tools to succeed in E”Y and subsequently in Yeshiva Gedola, college and beyond.

Tell us what inspired you to start TYA?

Growing up in Baltimore, especially in my teen years, I always wished there were more kosher outlets for myself and my friends. In 2003, I saw the opportunity to give back to the commu-

Together with other partners, the dental consulting business took shape in 2012 when a dentist was looking for someone to help him obtain more from his insurance reimbursements.

Who is your ideal client?

My ideal insurance clients are

Word in main sanctuaries across Baltimore is your quite the chazan, is this true?

I am humbled at the phrasing of your question. I do daven for the amud on occasion.

What is your favorite tune to sing during davening?

I do not have one favorite tune though I would say that most of what I sing comes from the great Abie Rotenberg or Shlomo Carlebach z”l Anything you’d like to share with the thousands of households reading this interview?

I would like to wish everyone an uplifting Shavuos!

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THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

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Torah Thought Wake Up Call

Rabbi Zvi Teichman We are all familiar with the oft quoted verse ‫ויחן שם ישראל נגד ההר (שמות יט‬ )‫ב‬, and Israel encamped there opposite the mountain.

This verse describes the entire Jewish nation settling in at the base of the mountain in anticipation of that momentous occasion, the Giving of the Torah. Rashi quotes the Mechilta that takes note of the description of the nation encamping in the singular, ‫ויחן‬, as opposed to previous references of their encampment in the plural form of ‫ויח־‬ ‫נו‬. This comes to teach us, he says, that despite their previous contentions and complaints, they arrived at the foot of the mountain ‫כאיש אחד בלב אחד‬, like a single person with a common heart.

What suddenly happened that brought such unity? Was it something in the air? Was there some mystical influence that brought them together?

What great teaching was taught on the day of their arrival that stimulated them so greatly towards harmony?

The Talmud ).‫ (שבת פז‬actually reports that in contrast with all the other days that lead up to the revelation at Sinai, where different details and lessons were instructed to them, on this very first day, ‫לא אמר להו ולא מידי‬, Moshe said nothing, zero, nada to them! The Talmud attributes this “recess” to ‫חולשא דאורחא‬, they were weary from traveling.

Is that all it takes, some free relaxed time together after the hectic pace of traveling they had experienced, to create renewed friendship?

It is quoted in the name of the Sefarim HaKedoshim, the mystical teachings, which embedded in this verse lies, the secret to their success. ‫(בספר הנתן אמרי‬ )‫ בשם ספה"ק‬,‫ נכד הבני יששכר‬,‫שפר‬ The first letters in the previous quoted sentiment: ‫שם ישראל נגד ההר‬, Israel there opposite the mountain, spell out the word for sleep, ‫ה‬-‫נ‬-‫י‬-‫!ש‬ Was their ‘crankiness’ due, as is often the case, to sleep deprivation? Could it be that all they needed was a good night’s sleep?

Why did G-d create man with the need to sleep for almost a third of one’s life?

Man being finite by nature, wears out and needs time to recover regularly.

Eventually we tire completely in a pro-

cess called death. This need relates to animal as well who is limited too.

The Midrash )‫ (בר"ר יד יא‬however states that for a Jew there is much more to it than that. Our soul ascends nightly to spiritually ‘recharge’ from the Source of all life. The less cumbersome our material ‘cloak’, the body, is by virtue of it being untainted with indulgence, the more quickly is the soul restored to its full charge. Think of it as corroded battery terminals that disallow the “boost” to take. The cleaner our ‘posts’ the more efficient is the resupply of energy to our souls.

The Holy Arizal even asserts that there are aspects of Torah one can only absorb in a “pure” state of sleep disengaged from an active body, provided of course the body is cleansed from impurity, in deed and thought.

The verse states that the Jewish nation encamped ‫נגד ההר‬, opposite the mountain. This is the sole identifying aspect of this encampment. It seems odd that they would pitch their tents seemingly with their entrances facing the mountain rather than naturally towards the open plains. )'‫(מעשי ה‬ What is intended by this emphasis?

It is quoted in the name of the Holy Reb Dovid’l of Tolna that the image of the Giving of the Torah that must remain imprinted on our mind is that of a people facing a mountain with their backs to the world. (As heard from the Tolna Rebbe Shlit”a) Perhaps there is more than the message of spurning worldly temptation.

In the voyage called life we often get caught up in the journey often forgetting about the destination. The pettiness we display in our hunger for recognition distracts us from reaching our goals. It is the happiness we lack within ourselves that motivates us to be validated externally.

If only we would look forward keeping our eye on the goal would we avoid so much wasted energy and pain.

Sleep is a time when we are physically inert and is often used as a metaphor for being stuck in our ways.

The Magen Avraham )‫ (או"ח מו י‬says that the blessings we recite each morning thanking G-d, ‫שלא עשני גוי‬, for not having made me a gentile, and ‫שלא עשני‬

‫עבד‬, for not having made me a slave, refer to our souls returning from its nocturnal journey intact as a Jewish soul and not that of an idolator nor a slave.

Perhaps this refers to our having preserved our souls from being tainted by the quest for power and recognition, as symbolized in idolatry, and free from becoming sullied by apathy that develops in the absence of ambition as represented in the shackled state of a slave.

Often our sleep is disturbed and unfulfilled by the anxieties and disappointments we live with by day. This is the ‫חולשא דאורחא‬, the weariness of the journey that wears us out so.

If we view sleep as a reconnecting with our Creator who infuses us with that sense of mission and purpose by embracing and accepting us lovingly, realizing that the failures of yesterday are the foundations on which we rebuild our successes, we will sleep soundly.

But there is a caveat. We must awaken daily with that realization ready and equipped to conquer our challenges.

Many ask in light of the Magen Avraham’s theory, how does one ever know if indeed one received an idolatrous soul overnight or not? Evidently if we have within us the awareness to thank G-d for each new day of challenge and purpose then indeed we have held on to our “soul”!

The Midrash )‫ (שהש"ר א יב‬recalls how we slept peacefully in preparation for the Giving of the Torah and G-d had to arouse us by blowing the alarming Shofar.

The Magen Avraham )‫(או"ח תצד‬ says this is the source of our custom to stay awake the night of Shavuos, so as to compensate for this failure to awaken on time.

Perhaps their intention was to achieve that special connection only a Jew can attain through sleep. The message G-d sought to impart them was that it is truly a noble sentiment but only if it is coupled with an equal eagerness to awaken with vigor to conquer the day.

Rabbeinu Bechaye quotes a Midrash that says that our original verse of ‫ויחן‬ ‫ישראל‬, and Israel encamped, refers to ‫ישראל סבא‬, our Zaide Yisroel, Yaakov Avinu.

Wasn’t it Yaakov who symbolically

collected twelve stones, symbolizing the twelve tribes that miraculously became one as he bedded down for the first time after fourteen years of uninterrupted study in the Bais Midrash of Shem and Ever, upon his return to Charan?

He lies down to sleep experiencing the marvelous vision of the ‫סֻ לָם‬, the ladder of angels ascending and descending.

We are taught that the ‫סלם‬, the ladder, is none other than ‫סיני‬, Mount Sinai, both numerically equivalent to 130.

Then he suddenly awakens. ‫ויקץ יעקב משנתו ויאמר מה נורא המ־‬ )‫קום הזה ואנכי לא ידעתי (בראשית כח טז‬, Yaakov awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely G-d is present in this place and I did not know!”

He sleeps restoratively, for he is aware that he must yet face the arduous challenge of survival against the forces of Esav who seek to destroy him in their quest for validation. He will encounter the forces of Lavan who strive to quash Yaakov’s ambition by lording over him and subjecting Yaakov to serving as his shepherd under the most difficult of terms.

Yaakov guides us by displaying his consciousness of recharging our spiritual batteries through sleep but awakened by a startling higher sense of purpose and mission. Yesterday’s accomplishments are the starting point for tomorrow’s achievement.

We must always face “Mount Sinai”, never succumbing to the temptation to look back at our successes with complacent satisfaction nor dwelling on our prior failures with dejection and depression.

With this attitude the differences between us will diminish and our ability to move forward with a restored sense of confidence instilled by our nurturing Father in Heaven will increase.

If we can live by this knowledge we will sleep soundly and awaken like a lion in service of our beloved Creator, fulfilling His will and His fervent desire for our happiness.

Whether we select to stay up the entire night of Shavuos or not, is one’s personal choice, but the more vital lesson we must take away from Shavuos is that it is time to finally ‘Wake Up’!

Happy Shavuos!

21

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Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim-Talmudical Academy’s 99th Banquet Celebrates the Past as it Looks to the Future BaltimoreJewishLife.com/Jeff Cohn Photo credit: Esky Cook eskycook@gmail.com.

Around the

Community

By:Isaac Draiman

dents of the Cheswolde community.

Over 100 community members gathered at Yitzy’s home on Tuesday evening to hear directly from Baltimore City Police Department command staff with details on how the BPD are addressing the increase in crime and specifically the recent home invasion.

In attendance at the Police-Community walk against crime, were Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis, NWD Major Lewis, Northern District Major Gibson, NWD Captain Yerg and many other officers and detectives. Police commanders assured the community they will be increasing patrols in our area and will be beefing up coverage over the upcoming three

JUNE 9, 2016

June 8, 2016 - In the aftermath of the Memorial Day muggings at knife point, the Baltimore community was again shaken by violent crime. At about 3:30 am early Tuesday morning there was a home invasion on Cheswolde. The suspect gained entry to a community member’s home and brutally stabbed him once in the left side of his stomach. Thankfully, the injury was non-life threatening. The victim, Max Liskovich, was transported to Sinai Hospital where he underwent surgery. Reports are that at this juncture the victim is in stable condition and improving.

The suspect - who apparently entered through a back patio door - is described by the victim as a black male, bald, thin build, and at the time was wearing a light blue shirt.

Cheswolde Neighborhood Association, Vice President Isaac “Yitzy” Schleifer, who is also the NW liaison to the States Attorney’s office, immediately went to work bringing together law enforcement officials and resi-

BaltimoreJewishLife.com/Jeff Cohn

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After Stabbing Attack Baltimore Community Unites In Walk Against Crime (Photo Essay)

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day Shavuos holiday.

Many in the community attribute sparse police visibility and slow 911 response time to the uptick in crime in the community. Baltimore Shomrim Safety Patrol, Senior Operations Coordinator, Ron Rosenbluth, commended Yitzy on this initiative. “The

message we are sending to the criminals is that, enough is enough. By bringing public attention to the issue and demonstrating to the highest level of the Police department the need for additional Police resources, Yitzy is accomplishing his goal of a safer and more secure neighborhood.”

BT Spotlight

Photo Credit Marc Summerfield

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(l-r) Searle Mitnick, Rony Natanzon, Jonathan Mitnick ‘94, Deborah Mitnick

(l-r) SPOTLIGHT Co-Chairs Marty ‘94 and Vered ‘95 Taylor, Myra and Bill Fox

Roz and Marvin Weiner

Idan Raichel

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Dirshu Skulener Rebbe, Shlita, Klausenberger Rebbe, Shlita and Other Gedolei Admorim and Rabbanim Attend Dirshu Siyumim on Seder Nashim in Brooklyn Monsey Siyum Addressed by Rav Avrohom Schorr and Rav Zev Smith

By Chaim Gold A massive crowd joined the Skulener Rebbe, shlita, the Sanz-Klausenberger Rebbe, shlita, and other prominent Admorim and Rabbanim to celebrate the Dirshu siyum on Seder Nashim in the Daf Yomi cycle at the Ateres Chynka Hall in Brooklyn.

Undoubtedly, the highlight of the event was the hadran delivered by the Sanz-Klausenberger Rebbe, shlita, followed by Kaddish recited by the Skulener Rebbe, shlita.

When the Skulener Rebbe – who rarely leaves his home and beis medrash - slowly entered the hall there was a palpable hush and electricity in the room. The fact that the Rebbe made the tremendous effort to come, infused the many hundreds of Dirshu lomdim and test takers with profound chizuk at the realization of how much the senior Gedolim of our generation value their accomplishments and what their efforts and those of their wives are doing for the entire Klal Yisrael.

The joyous, impulsive dancing was made even more inspiring by the shining countenance of the Skulener Rebbe, who despite his age and infirmity, enthusiastically danced accompanied by the seemingly endless rows of people dancing and clapping their hands. The simchas haTorah of the mesaymim filled the air.

Klausenberger Rebbe: Hundreds of World Class Talmidei Chachomim in Galus America In his Hadran Drasha, the Sanz-Klausenberger Rebbe, shlita, said that he was profoundly moved that in ‘Galus America’ we have merited to have so many Yidden learning and constantly reviewing to the extent that they are able to be tested on masechta after masechta.

He explained how his illustrious father, the previous Klausenberger Rebbe, zy”a, would say that it is a far greater accomplishment for a person living in America to be tested on Masechtos than a person living in Eretz Yisrael, where the society is more Torah-oriented.

Rav Weinberger: No Such Thing as “Microwave Talmidei Chachomim” The special guest speaker was HaRav Moshe Weinberger, shlita, Rav of Agu-

View of the nearly 1,000 participants at the Dirshu Siyum in Ateres Chynka, Brooklyn

HaRav Moshe Weinberger, Keynote Speaker at the Dirshu Brooklyn Siyum

das Yisrael of Flatbush and R”M at Mesivta Shalom Shachne. Rav Weinberger eloquently explained how, when a person pressures himself to excel in yedias haTorah he can achieve greatness. “We live in the microwave generation. People think they can become microwave talmidei chachamim overnight without investment of time and effort. They want to be fed the entire Torah in twenty minutes or less! I feel small in front of the talmidei chachamim in this room who have invested so much toil and effort into their learning.”

Rav Olewski: The Creation of a New Entity, “The Dirshu Home” HaRav Dovid Olewski, shlita, the Gerer Rosh Yeshiva, explained that “Dirshu has created a new entity called, ‘A Dirshu home.’ A Dirshu home is one in which Torah and particularly the Torah growth of the husband and father is paramount. When there is a family simcha or other obligation, the daily learning and chazarah come first. This creates a new entity called a Dirshu woman, who sacrifices her husband’s assistance with the children and other comforts because the ol Torah, the yoke of Torah, is paramount. This in turn creates a Dirshu child, a child who learns from the youngest age that Torah comes before every-

thing!”

Rav Hofstedter: The Only Antidote is Yegiah Rav Dovid Hofstedter, shlita, Nasi of Dirshu, explained that to achieve a true kinyan in Torah it is not sufficient to go through the Daf just to say, ‘I have another Masechta under my belt.’ In order to have a true kinyan in Torah a person must toil and work hard. This is what Dirshu Kinyan Torah learners have achieved. The only way we can fight against today’s considerable yetzer haras is through true yegiah in Torah.”

HaRav Shlomo Cynamon, shlita, Rav of Kehal Bnei Torah, Rosh Kollel Dirshu Flatbush, was honored with beginning Masechta Bava Kama.

One of the moving, very personal moments of the evening was when the Chairman, Rav Leibish Langer, R”M at Yeshiva Darchei Torah, related how the sefarim teach that when a person makes a simcha his parents come from the next world to participate in the simcha. “I am sure that at this siyum, a true simcha shel mitzvah, both my mother and the mother of Rav Hofstedter are present.”

He explained that the two women were cousins who suffered through the horrors of Auschwitz together. At the very end of the war, during the death march when they were informed that they were headed straight to the gas chambers, Rav Langer’s mother pulled Rav Hofstedter’s mother out of the line. Together, they ran to the forest and were liberated by the Americans two days later.

Rav Hofstedter, in his remarks, continued by saying that the girls were only able to remain alive due to his mother’s mesiras nefesh not to eat chometz on Pesach. “She was forced to hide her Pesach

rations. It was that bread that kept the girls alive on the death march as they awaited their liberation. Thus,” Rav Hofstedter exclaimed, “We are only here tonight at this siyum in the zechus of the mesiras nefesh of these two women.”

Large Crowd of Lomdei Dirshu and Their Wives Attend Monsey Siyum On Monday Rosh Chodesh Sivan, hundreds of lomdei Dirshu from Monsey and Shikun Skver gathered for a beautiful siyum and seudas mitzvah. Drashos were given by HaRav Avrohom Schorr, shlita, Rav of Kehal Tiferes Yaakov of Flatbush, HaRav Zev Smith, shlita, Maggid Shiur Irgun Shiurei Torah and Rav Dovid Hofstedter, Nasi Dirshu.

There were also hundreds of Dirshu wives in attendance and indeed in his passionate address, one of the things Rav Schorr addressed was the impact Dirshu has on the entire family. He asked, “How do kids in today’s world know what is really important and what isn’t?

The school may be able to impart book knowledge but seeing how their parents conduct themselves is the ultimate teacher. When a child sees that the entire home is focused around the husband’s and father’s learning seder, chazara and preparation for tests, the entire home becomes a manifestation of Torah. This ability to seek out Torah and to love Torah is transmitted to the children.”

Another powerful address that riveted the hundreds of attendees was given by Rav Zev Smith. He recalled Rav Pam speaking at an emotional maamad and saying, ‘A small person with a small heart but so many feelings.’

“I wonder,” Rav Smith thundered, “what he would say tonight. I look around and see Shas in front of me. I see tens of thousands of hours of limud haTorah, of yegiah in Torah. So many feelings!”

Indeed, the overwhelming feeling of all Dirshu participants at the siyumim in Brooklyn and Monsey was, “Ashreinu, how fortunate are we! Paraphrasing the Mishnah in Avos they say, “We are fortunate in this world and it is good for us in the next world too!”

The Week experts claim have been massively inflated and which allegedly mask massive emigration figures.

At a special meeting on Tuesday of the Knesset Subcommittee of Civil Affairs and Security in Judea and Samaria, initiated by Subcommittee Chairman MK Moti Yogev (Jewish Home), the head of the IDF’s Civil Administration admitted he had no idea how many Arabs live in the region.

Lt. Col. Ayal Ze’evi told MKs he didn’t have any firm statistics on the number of Palestinian Arabs living in Area C – the region of Judea and Samaria under full Israeli control and where all Jewish communities in Judea-Samaria are located.

Furthermore, a representative of the Immigration and Population Authority admitted that his office has “no figures concerning the matter of emigration abroad from the Arabs of Judea and Samaria over the past decade.”

The topic of emigration is a crucial one, given recent claims that the Arab

Insight

population in Judea and Samaria is actually shrinking as many seek better

employment opportunities outside the corrupt Palestinian Authority in the Gulf States and elsewhere.

MK Yogev explained that without establishing precise figures on the Palestinian Arab population it would be impossible “to adapt the infrastructure, for example, or the numbers of schools, to the appropriate numbers.”

When he served as the commander of the IDF’s Efrai Brigade in Samaria, he was “responsible for [the Palestinian Authority-ruled cities] Kalkilya and Tulkarem, and we knew the precise number of residents.”

Lt. Col. Ze’evi said that the only figures he had were from the Palestinian Authority, whose Population Registry claims there are some 2.93 million Arabs in Judea and Samaria holding PA identity cards, excluding the Arab population of Jerusalem, who hold Israeli residency permits. But he noted the PA’s figures were not at all

transparent, and there is no way to independently verify their accuracy. He also pointed out that many Palestinian families register their children at the Population Registry and then leave the region, resulting in an inflated count.

In contrast, a recent survey revealed how the Jewish population of Judea and Samaria continues to grow rapidly, defying U.S.-imposed building freezes and waves of Arab terrorism.

Bibi Denies Frenchman’s Claims It’s the same in politics all over the world. It all comes down to money and a lot of pointed fingers.

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Some argue that the Arab population will soon surpass the number of Jews in Israel. But recent studies cast doubt upon the Palestinian Authority’s alleged population figures, which some

In News

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The Week In News The controversy over contributions to Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu by a French tycoon on trial for fraud deepened on Tuesday after the Frenchman disputed the premier’s version of events. On Monday, the prime minister acknowledged that Arnaud Mimran, currently on trial in Paris, had given him $40,000.

He insisted, though, that it had all been done according to the law and that the 2001 donation was not political and did not occur while he was in public office. According to the prime minister’s office, the money was for a fund for Netanyahu’s public activities, which included media appearances and travel abroad to promote Israel.

A political contribution of that size would exceed Israel’s campaign finance limits.

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But Mimran remembers something different.

He told Israel’s Channel 10 television late on Monday that the amount was actually some 170,000 euros ($193,000), transferred to Netanyahu’s personal account.

He also said that previous reports that he had contributed one million euros were incorrect.

“First of all, I never said one million euros; I said one million,” Mimran corrected. “It was in 2001, so it was one million French francs – 170,000 euros. I still have the bank statements, from Arnauld Mimran, my personal account, to Binyamin Netanyahu, his personal account.”

Mimran also said in the interview that he had financed trips to France for Netanyahu and his family after the Israeli leader had already returned to politics.

Netanyahu left the prime minister’s office in 1999 after being defeated by Labor’s Ehud Barak. In 2002, he became foreign minister in then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s

government. He also lost the Likud primary to Sharon in 2002.

Mimran is one of the main defendants in a trial in Paris over an alleged scam amounting to 283 million euros involving the trade of carbon emissions permits and the taxes on them. The tycoon’s allegations against Netanyahu are the latest focused on his spending.

Last month, the Israeli state comptroller issued a critical report on Netanyahu’s foreign trips, some with his wife and children, in 20032005 when he was finance minister.

Bibi and Putin Shake Hands It was smiles and handshakes for Prime Minister Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin as they met in Moscow to mark 25 years since the renewal of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

After the meeting, the two leaders spoke at a press conference to reflect on the relations between Israel and Russia. “The conversations with the prime minister were constructive,” said President Putin. “We had a discussion on bilateral relations and about international problems. Netanyahu is visiting here to mark 25 years since the renewal of diplomatic relations between Russia and Israel and our relations are deeper. The Soviet Union was the first country to recognize Israel as an independent state in 1948.

In our statement, we mentioned that in the past quarter century, our relations developed in a quick and constructive way.”

Prime Minister Netanyahu also emphasized the strong relations between the two countries, saying, “We concluded a comprehensive, useful,

The Week

with a politician, it does not need to be verified further. All Bangladeshi know about it,” he also said, according to the BBC. A senior BNP official was charged with sedition last month for allegedly plotting against the state when he met an Israeli government adviser.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman in Jerusalem told the BBC the allegations were “utter drivel.”

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

On Tuesday, the Bangladeshi minister finally found a culprit for a string of gruesome killings in his country.

The force behind the attacks that just

again linked the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to the attacks, saying they were part of a wider conspiracy that also involved Mossad. “These killings are part of a national and international conspiracy.

Those who are carrying out these incidents are communicating with Mossad,” he claimed.

“You must have noticed that an Israeli intelligence agent had a meeting

JUNE 9, 2016

Bangladesh Says Israel behind Attacks

recently killed a 70-year-old Hindu priest? Israel’s Mossad.

While the minister tried to portray the recent attacks as part of a conspiracy involving the Israeli espionage agency, security forces waged deadly gun battles with members of a homegrown jihadist group, who many surmise are behind the attacks.

Speaking to AFP on Tuesday, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan

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work meeting for both sides...” Turning to Putin, Netanyahu continued, “I would like to thank you for the cooperation in these fields, and all of the fields which we are pushing forward with in a cooperation you described so well: We celebrate 25 years of renewed diplomatic relations between (our) states today. I remember those days. Those first few years and what preceded them. I was at the meeting between Yitzhak Shamir and Andrei Gromyko [Former Soviet Foreign Minister] in New York… We will never forget the Russian people and the Red Army’s part in the East, and their part in the West in defeating the Nazis.”

Just moments before the press conference took place, Putin suddenly surprised Netanyahu when he told him to wait so that he could take him for a personal tour around the Kremlin. During the tour, Putin showed Netanyahu the different halls and showed him various items depicting figures from the bible. He also treated Netanyahu to a history lesson about the Kremlin and about the significance of the various symbols.

It is expected that during the visit an agreement will be signed which will enable citizens who moved from former Soviet Bloc countries to Israel in 1992 to be eligible for Russian pensions. This agreement is meant to fix a historic injustice whereby Jews who left the former Soviet Union were forced to give up their Soviet citizenship, thereby making them unable to receive their pensions.

The agreement has already been signed by Israeli Minister Ze’ev Elkin and The Minister of Labor and Social Protection, Maxim Topilin.

It will begin once it is ratified by the Russian courts.

In News

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JUNE 9, 2016

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The Week In News Bangladeshi authorities have been coming under mounting international pressure to end the string of attacks on religious minorities and secular activists that have left more than 40 people dead in the last three years.

Authorities have blamed homegrown Islamists for the attacks, which have surged in recent weeks, rejecting claims of responsibility from the Islamic State (IS) group and a South Asia branch of al-Qaeda.

IS claimed the latest victim, Hindu priest Ananda Gopal Ganguly. The group said it “assassinated” the priest as he was walking to prayers. Farmers discovered Ganguly’s body in a rice field near his home. Investigators said the murder bore the hallmarks of recent attacks by local Islamist extremists who have carried out ten other similar killings in the last ten weeks.

Although most of the recent attacks have been claimed by IS or the local offshoot of al-Qaeda, Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government has blamed its domestic opponents for the attacks.

Bangladesh is officially secular, although around 90 percent of Bangladesh’s 160 million-strong population is Muslim.

up for their lunchtime frankfurter and French fries. But it’s going to cost them.

The upscale food truck is attempting to unite fast food and haute cuisine with a series of gourmet mustards and hotdogs. But while most of their menu items cost an already pricey $10 to $20, they’re also offering a $73 hot dog creation called the Haute Dog. Why is this lowly wiener so costly?

Well, it’s made out of Australian angus beef sausage and stuffed into a fluffy brioche bun. But what really makes this hot dog not real street food is its mustard. The Haute Dog is topped with a black truffle-infused mustard, and comes with a 100ml jar of the mustard on the side. Since 100ml jars of the Maille black truffle mustard sell for $73 a pop and can only be purchased at a handful of boutique stores around the world, it’s almost a bargain.

Think people Down Under will be too frugal to spend on their lunchtime fare? Think again. “It is a very tasty, very sought after mustard,” Maille’s Joe Barrs said. “We had a tub of it air freighted to us about a month ago ... and we’ve sold out.”

Hey, anything’s better than a Vegemite sandwich.

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The Haute Dog

At the Maille Mustard Mobile truck in Australia, customers can line

He’s on the run.

If you’ve ever been to the beach in Miami (and I’m sure you have),

The Week

$4.9M for 1

“Can you Hear Me Now?”

6 Months of Our Lives on Our Clothes Well, I’m sure Verizon is listening closely.

Running late in the morning?

That’s probably because you can’t decide what to wear. Does this skirt go with this top? Should I wear a vest?

What about my shoes? Hmm, I just can’t decide.

Turns out, you’re not the only one contemplating your closet. According to Marks and Spencer, the UK clothing retailer, women spend about 17 minutes staring at their closets every day. Add up all those minutes per day from age 18 to 60 and, according to the Daily Mail, women spend around 6 months of their lives deciding what to wear. I guess they never lived with a teenager…

Men don’t waste as much time as women, but they still can’t decide on their clothes in a flash – unless they’re Mark Zuckerberg. The average man spends 13 minutes a day on his clothes, or four months over their lifetime.

Want to know what Steve Jobs, Zuckerberg and Pee-wee Herman have in common? A monotonous

You may not know Paul Marcarelli by name, but you certainly know him by his voice and his classic line: “Can you hear me now?” For eight years, Marcarelli, wearing a gray Verizon jacket and

his own rimmed glasses, was Verizon’s “test man,” wandering around the United States “testing” Verizon’s service.

But now Marcarelli has switched sides. Wearing a yellow shirt, Sprint’s color, and a black bomber jacket, Marcarelli is the focus of the “Paul Switched” Sprint ads.

“It’s 2016, and every network is great. In fact, Sprint’s reliability is now within 1 percent of Verizon,” Marcarelli boasts, adding that Sprint offers cheaper plans and that, like him, millions of others have switched.

“Can you hear that?” he asks.

Perhaps Verizon should’ve have treated Marcarelli better.

It’s been said that they fired him via email. We’re certainly hearing a tinge of revenge, Paul.

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

He’s da one in Dubai.

This past weekend, a license plate bearing the number one was auctioned off in the United Arab Emirates to Emirati businessman Arif Ahmed al-Zarouni. The price tag? A mere $4.9 million.

After the sale, al-Zarouni boasted, “My ambition is always to be number one.” Sometimes you gotta pay for it.

Sadly, though, al-Zarouni is not the only number one around. Although Al-Zarouni’s bid was 18 times the reserve price, it is not the highest sum that has been paid for a collector’s registration plate in the UAE. In 2008, $14.2 million was paid at auc-

wardrobe.

No wonder they’re so successful.

JUNE 9, 2016

Interestingly, running every single day actually has a name: streak running. The United States Running Streak Association keeps a regularly updated tally of people who run every day for years on end. Kraft’s streak is one of the longest on record – eighth in the nation – and he insists on running much farther than the one-mile minimum for streakers.

Who has the longest streak in the U.S.? Jon Sutherland of California started his streak on May 26, 1969. I don’t envy his sneakers.

tion for the number one plate of the richest of the UAE’s seven emirates, Abu Dhabi.

Zarouni’s plate is for Sharjah, the third-richest emirate.

Sixty sought-after plates were up for sale at Saturday’s auction. The most popular numbers were 12, 22, 50, 100, 333, 777, 1000, 2016, 2020 and 99999. The auction made a total of $13.6 million.

That’s the price for being number one.

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

chances are you’ve seen Robert “Raven” Kraft. Kraft runs eight miles along the beach every day – and I mean every single day.

He’s been doing the trek since 1975 and welcomes strangers to join him. You won’t be alone. More than 3,000 people have done the run with Kraft, including the late Muhammad Ali. Grab your sneakers and work off that cheesecake!

In News

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2016

see page 13

Shavuot

20

Iyar 29

Sivan 7

9:17 PM

Sivan 14

Siavn 21

Iyar/Sivan 5776

Sivan 1

see Cover Page & Page 3

Community Calendar

Ahavas Yisrael 24 Hour Charidy Event 2 PM - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 PM

Beth Tfiloh Spotlight 7:30PM

Shemesh Annual Meeting Lev Shlomo Cruise 7PM 7PM Rabbi Pesach Krohn at BJSZ 8PM

9

Sivan 3

8

Jcc Annual Meeting

Sivan 2

BJC Annual Meeting 4PM Jewish Museum Annual Meeting 6PM

16

Sivan 10

15

Chai Annual Meeting 3430 Associated Way 4:30PM

Sivan 9

JCS Annual Meeting at Beth Tifiloh 5PM Alzheimer’s Support Group; Dine & Discuss at Tudor Heights 6:30PM see page 13

Sivan 17

23 Sivan 16

Sivan 24

22

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Bnai Zion Foundation Gala at American Visionary Museum 5 PM

Sivan 23

Associated’s Annual Meeting at Beth Tifiloh 5PM

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24

17

10

8:11 PM

Sivan 4

8:15 PM

Sivan 11

8:18 PM

Sivan 18

8:19 PM

Sivan 25

2

25

18

11

Sivan 26

9:20 PM

Sivan 19

9:18 PM

Sivan 12

9:16 PM

Sivan 5

9:12 PM

Wednesday Thursday Saturday Friday Tuesday Iyar 27 Iyar 24 2 Iyar 25 3 Iyar 26 4 Iyar 23 31 1

7

Sivan 22

Sivan 15

Sivan 8

Rosh Chodesh

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21

Old Fashioned Ice Cream The Associated’s Real Social Estate Industry Group at Tudor Heights 3 -4 PM (REIG) Annual Event at City Garage 6 PM

13

Bnos Yisroel Graduation 7PM

6

Ner Tamid annual Banquet 7PM Tickets: NerTamid.net

Monday Iyar 22 30

June

Iyar 28

Sunday Iyar 21 29

B A LT I M O R E J E W I S H H O M E . C O M THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

5 see page 9

TA 99th Anniversary Banquet at Beth Tifiloh 5:30 PM

Sivan 13

9:16 PM

Sivan 6

Jcc Owings Mills Block Party 10AM - 3PM

12

Shavuot

JUNE 9, 2016

19

Chai Lifeline presents Kol Hanearim Boy's Choir at LJC 7 PM see page 19

27

9:19 PM

Sivan/Tammuz 5776

July 8:19 PM

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

Sivan 20

Shemesh Bike Ride

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JUNE 9, 2016 | The Jewish Home

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A Fulfilled L fe

JUNE 9, 2016

No Child Left Behind

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

By Rabbi Naphtali Hoff

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

A

few years ago I had the privilege of attending a seminar for school leaders delivered

by Dr. Rick Lavoie. Dr. Lavoie is an internationally recognized expert with a particular expertise in the area of special education.

One of the key thrusts of his address focused on inclusion, that schools should be more receptive to meeting the needs of “special” children. He implored us, as school leaders, to orchestrate a paradigm shift within our institutions by raising the inclusionary banner. We need to impress upon our teachers the need to assist these children and empower them to do so most effectively.

Some of the ideas that he presented relate to how we perceive children with special needs. In his words, “these kids aren’t problems, they have problems.” The same way that we demonstrate compassion and understanding for children who are physically handicapped or are enduring a health crisis, lo aleinu, we must also be highly considerate of children with learning handicaps.

Sometimes this consideration must be in the form of not taking their behaviors personally, even when they exhibit disruptive or defiant conduct. Dr. Lavoie reminded us that “hurt people hurt people,” and that kids need love most when they deserve it least, simply because they may not get it elsewhere, or that their entire school experience has been one of shame and failure.

He also reiterated a truism that we all know but often forget – that fairness is not synonymous with equality. Rather, fairness means to give everyone what they need; we simply cannot approach education from the perspective that one size fits all. We must be flexible, resilient and willing to try new ideas. He quoted the words that once hung in FDR’s office: “Do something. If it works, do more of it. If it doesn’t work, do something else.”

There is another aspect to special education that is often overlooked, namely the significant impact that these children have on their families. Dr. Lavoie shared two reveal-

ing pieces of information that shed much light on these challenges. One was a study that concluded that “the parental reaction to the diagnosis of learning disabilities is more severe and more profound than any other diagnosis.” This statement includes diagnoses of handicap, severe illness, and debilitation.

This reaction is so strong that nine times out of ten, parents engage in some form of coping mechanism before arriving at a level of acceptance of a special needs diagnosis.

Responses include, but are not limited to, denial (nothing’s wrong, it’ll go away), blame (someone is at fault for this), mourning (what will become of him? Will he ever achieve independence?), anger, guilt, and envy (it’s not fair; why me?).

A primary reason for this resistance relates to the onset; there is typically no warning for the first conversation with school staff to discuss a child’s challenges. Parents who thought that their child was fine and generally capable are suddenly faced with a new, daunting reality.

He then offered a startling statistic to reinforce just how much of an effect such children can have on their families. While the average divorce rate in U.S. is (a not insignificant) 45%, 71% of families with severe special needs kids will divorce or at least separate for extended periods!

He concluded by restating the need for the educational community to do what it can to not only meet these children’s academic and emotional requirements, but to offer support to their families, the people that live with these children and are often consumed by their needs.

The importance of each individual is certainly something that we are all aware of. We know from the very outset in this week’s parsha that Hashem loves each of us, independently and collectively, and views our very existence as an opportunity to demonstrate that love.

The L-rd spoke to Moshe … saying, “Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by families following their fathers’

35 purpose and destiny.

They journeyed from Rephidim, and they arrived in the desert of Sinai, and they encamped in the desert, and Israel encamped there op-

Torah. They speak directly to its fundamental status as a national Guide, a means through which we learn to better interact and appreciate one another. They also serve as the basis

Hashem loves each of us, independently and collectively, and views our very existence as an opportunity to demonstrate that love.

for our own personal acquisition of its wisdom. “The knowledge of the Torah can be acquired only in association with others.” (Berachos 63b) There is no question that Dr. Lavoie’s appeal is easier said than

Rabbi Naphtali Hoff is an executive coach and consultant and President of Impactful Coaching & Consulting (www.ImpactfulCoaching.com).

He can be reached at (212) 470-6139 or at nhoff@impactfulcoaching.com.

JUNE 9, 2016

posite the mountain. (Shemos 19:2) And Israel encamped there: [using the singular form, denoting that they encamped there] as one man with one heart. (Rashi ibid) Unity and communal connectivity are prerequisites for receiving the

done. Not only does it require a paradigm shift, a fundamental change in the way that we think about education, but it also demands a commitment to support, academically, socially, and emotionally, those who we have thus far viewed as nuisances to avoid rather than challenges to embrace. But if we, as a community, are to fully embrace the concept of providing our children with a meaningful Jewish education, then we cannot be satisfied with meeting the needs of only those who fit more readily within the educational box.

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houses; a head count of every male according to the number of their names.” (Bamidbar 1:1-2) Because they were dear to Him, He counted them often. When they left Egypt … when [many] fell because [of the sin] of the golden calf … when He came to cause His Divine Presence to rest among them … on the first of Iyar, He counted them. (Rashi to verse 2) But sometimes we get so bogged down by our own needs and responsibilities, and forget that to be part of His nation means to share His devotion, compassion and love with every Jew, particularly those who need it most.

Rav Shmuel Kaminetsky, shlita, addressed the convention a few hours after Dr. Lavoie’s session had concluded. He commented that kabolas haTorah was experienced not by individuals, but by an entire nation, millions of people who stood around Har Sinai with a singular sense of

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Political Crossfire

Lovable Bernie Whacks Israel

By Charles Krauthammer

P

art of Bernie Sanders’ charm is that for all of his arm-waving jeremiads, he appears unthreatening. He’s the weird old uncle in the attic, Larry David’s crazy Bernie. It’s almost a matter of style.

Who can be afraid of a candidate so irascible, grumpy, old-fashioned and unfashionable?

After all, he’s not going to win the nomination, so what harm can he do? A major address at the party convention? A say in the vice presidential selection? And who reads party platforms anyway?

Well, platforms may not immediately affect a particular campaign. But they do express, quite literally, the party line, a written record of its ideological trajectory.

Which is why two of Sanders’ appointments to the 15-member platform committee are so stunning.

Professor Cornel West not only has called the Israeli prime minister a war criminal but openly supports the BDS movement (boycott, divestment and sanctions), the most important attempt in the world to ostracize and delegitimize Israel.

West is joined on the committee by the longtime pro-Palestinian activist James Zogby. Together, reported The New York Times, they “vowed to upend what they see as the party’s lopsided support of Israel.”

This seems a gratuitous provocation. Sanders hardly made Israel central to his campaign. He did call Israel’s response in the 2014 Gaza war “disproportionate”

and said “we cannot continue to be one-sided.” But now Sanders seeks to permanently alter – i.e. weaken – the relationship between the Democratic Party and Israel, which has been close and supportive since Harry Truman recognized the world’s only Jewish state when it declared independence in May 1948.

West doesn’t even pretend, as do some left-wing “peace” groups, to be opposing Israeli policy in order to save it from itself. He makes the simpler case that occupation is unconscionable oppression and that until Israel abandons it, Israel deserves to be treated like apartheid South Africa – anathematized, cut off, made to bleed morally and economically. The Sanders appointees wish to bend the Democratic platform to encourage such diminishment unless Israel redeems itself by liberating Palestine.

This is an unusual argument for a Democratic platform committee, largely because it is logically and morally perverse. Israel did in fact follow such high-minded advice in 2005: It terminated its occupation and evacuated Gaza. That earned it (temporary) praise from the West. And from the Palestinians?

Not peace, not reconciliation, not normal relations but a decade of unrelenting terrorism and war.

Israel is now being asked – pressured – to repeat that same disaster on the West Bank. That would bring the terror war, quite fatally, to the very heart of Israel – Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Ben Gurion Airport. Israel is now excoriated for

declining that invitation to national suicide.

It is ironic that the most successful Jewish presidential candidate ever should be pushing the anti-Israel case. But perhaps not surprising considering Sanders’

to recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. But Sanders is consciously abetting it.

The millennials who worship him and pack his rallies haven’t lived through – and don’t know – the history of Israel’s half-century

That would bring the terror war, quite fatally, to the very heart of Israel – Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Ben Gurion Airport.

ideological roots. He is old left – not the post-1960s, countercultural New Left. Why, the man honeymooned in the Soviet Union – not such fashionably cool communist paradises as Sandinista Nicaragua where Bill de Blasio went to work for the cause or Castro’s Cuba where de Blasio honeymooned. (Do lefties all use the same wedding planner?)

For the old left, Israel was simply an outpost of Western imperialism, Middle East division. To this day, the leftist consensus, most powerful in Europe (which remains Sanders’ ideological lodestar), holds that Israeli perfidy demands purification

by Western chastisement.

Chastisement there will be at the Democratic platform committee. To be sure, Sanders didn’t create the Democrats’ drift away from Israel.

It was already visible at the 2012 convention with the loud resistance

of peace offers. They don’t know of the multiple times Israel has offered to divide the land with an independent Palestinian state and been rebuffed.

Sanders hasn’t lifted a finger to tell them. The lovable old guy with the big crowds and no chance at the nomination is hardly taken seriously (except by Hillary Clinton, whose inability to put him away reveals daily her profound political weakness). But when he makes platform appointees that show he does take certain things quite seriously, like undermining the U.S.-Israeli relationship, you might want to reconsider your equanimity about the magical mystery tour. It looks like Woodstock, but there is steel inside the psychedelic glove. (c) 2016, The Washington Post Writers Group

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Real Estate

Submitted by: Ben Schwartz | Founder VacancyFillers.com

​Keep your cool, and…

2. Be smart about your doors.

Closing off rooms will prevent the cool air from permeating these areas during the hottest part of the day.

You’ll want to capitalize on the cooler night hours, too, letting air flow naturally through your home.

3. Hack a fan instead of turning on the AC. Not even an air conditioner can give off a faux sea breeze... but this simple trick can. Fill a mixing bowl with ice (or something equally cold, like an ice pack) and position it at an angle in front of a large fan, so that the air whips off the ice at an extra-chilled,

4. Swap your sheets.

Not only does seasonally switching up your bedding freshen up a room, it’s a great way to keep cool. While textiles like flannel sheets and fleece blankets are fantastic for insulation, cotton is a smarter move this time of year as it breathes easier and stays cooler. And as an added bonus, buy yourself a buckwheat pillow or two.

Because buckwheat hulls have a naturally occurring air space between them, they won’t hold on to your body heat like conventional pillows, even when packed together inside a pillow case.

5. Set your ceiling fans to rotate counter-clockwise.

Whether you know it or not, your ceiling fan needs to be adjusted seasonally. Set counter-clockwise in the summer at a higher speed, the fan’s airflow will create a wind-chill breeze effect that will make you and your guests “feel” cooler.

6​ . Focus on the temperature in your body, not the house.

If your ancestors survived without air conditioning, so can you. From sipping tasty iced drinks to applying a cold cloth to strong-pulsed areas like your neck and wrists, cooling yourself from the inside out is not a bad idea. Other tricks include being smart about your clothing choices and telling your partner you won’t be cuddling until the leaves start changing color.

7. Turn on your bathroom fans. ...or the exhaust fan in your kitchen,

for that matter. Both of these pull the hot air that rises after you cook or take a steamy shower out of your apartment.

8​ . Heat-proof your bed.

Go straight to the source, and put a cool-inducing Chillow under your head while you sleep. For feet, fill a hot water bottle and put it in the freezer before placing at the foot of your bed. And it sounds strange, but slightly dampening your sheets before bedtime will majorly help you chill out.

9. Let the night air in.

During the summer months, temperatures may drop during the night. If this is the case where you live, make the most of these refreshing hours by cracking the windows before you go to bed. You can even create a wind tunnel by strategically setting up your fans to force the perfect cross breeze.

Just be sure to close the windows (and the blinds) before things get too hot in the morning.

10. Ditch the incandescent lights.

If you ever needed motivation to make the switch to CFLs, or compact fluorescent lamps, this is it. Incandescent bulbs waste about 90 percent of their energy in the heat they emit, so tossing them to the curb will make a small difference in cooling your home while lowering your electric bill.

11. Start grilling.

It’s obvious, but we’re going to say it anyway: Using your oven or stove in the summer will make your house hotter. If it already feels like +100 degrees in your home, the last thing you want to do is turn on a -400degree oven. Besides, who doesn’t want to get more mileage out of their outdoor furniture and seasonal accessories?

12. Make a few long-term improvements.

If you’re really, really committed to the whole no-AC thing, you can make a couple changes to your home that will keep it cooler for seasons to come. Insulated window films, for example, are a smart purchase as they work similarly to blinds. And additions like awnings and planted trees or vines on or in front of light-facing windows will shield your home from the sun’s rays, reduce the amount of heat your home absorbs and make your investment nothing but worthwhile.

Are you wasting time, money and patience trying to find a tenant for your vacant property? Are you constantly being distracted from you family and career, and stressed because you are not getting results from your current placement efforts?

VacancyFillers.com can help! We are your one-call tenant placement solution! For more information, please visit: www.vacancyfillers. com or call 443.333.1853

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

1. Keep your blinds closed.

As simple as this tip may seem, Family Handyman notes that up to 30 percent of unwanted heat comes from your windows, and utilizing shades, curtains and the like can save you up to 7 percent on your bills and lower indoor temperatures by up to 20 degrees. In other words, closing the blinds essentially prevents your home from becoming a miniature greenhouse, which is especially the case for south- and west-facing windows.

extra-misty temperature. Trust us: it’s magic.

JUNE 9, 2016

Let’s face it: It’s hot out, and it’s only going to get warmer as summer goes on. While it’s tempting to crank the AC or plant yourself in front of the nearest fan, these aren’t the only tricks to keeping cool. It turns out there are plenty of ways to buffer your home from the heat without racking up your electric bill. And they’ll make you feel like a DIY champ, too.

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

12 Brilliant Ways To Keep Your Baltimore Apartment (or Home) Cool Without Air Conditioning!

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Broken but Whole

Miriam Peretz’s Story of Strength, Belief, and Inspiration

By Tammy Mark

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

“In every situation of darkness you must see a little light, in every situation of life. G-d created darkness first and from that darkness He created the light.”

T

hese are the words of Miriam Peretz and the philosophy she lives by each day and every day. Since she was a little girl, Miriam made the best of every position she found herself in, whether as a house cleaner in Morocco at the age of eight or as the poorest of the new arrivals to Israel. That attitude has remained with her always; after her firstborn son Uriel was killed in battle, after her beloved husband Eliezer died, and still after the tragic loss of her second son, Eliraz. Today Miriam is bringing these messages of light to help strengthen others.

A FEELING OF APPRECIATION Born in a Jewish ghetto in Casablanca, Morocco, Miriam was 10-years-old when her parents immigrated to Israel in 1963. The family made their way to an immigrant camp in Be’er Sheva. Miriam was the eldest of five siblings, including a brother with Down syndrome whose care she later took over after her parents’ deaths.

Miriam’s family was poor but extremely proud.

In Morocco, her mother was a servant for many years in the home of a great rabbinic family. Miriam was grateful for each hand-me-down and small treat she received from the family. Miriam herself was hard worker from a young age, cleaning her teacher’s home during her lunch break and using her money to buy corn for her siblings. Rather than feel shamed, she appreciated every opportunity, feeling only honor in the experience.

In Israel, Miriam was not embarrassed about needing help from the government,

feeling proud to live in a country that takes care of its poor. Always a hard worker, she labored in the fields during school vacations.

This not only deepened her connection to Israel but also earned her money to help her family.

When Miriam reached high school, she was initially placed in the vocational program due to the language barrier, but was moved to the academic program through her great diligence and determination to succeed. She attended Ben Gurion University on her path to becoming a teacher and eventually went on to become an Orthodox principal in a secular school of 1,200 students. Miriam worked tirelessly to infuse religion into the school system. She is currently serving as a supervisor in the Office of Education of Israel.

While still in university, Miriam met Eliezer, an engineer and a fellow Moroccan, and they married soon after.

Together, the Peretzs built a loving home and a full life with six children, starting

off in the seaside settlement of Sharm el-Sheikh. The family endured a heartbreaking displacement from the village in 1982 and subsequently resettled in the town of Givat Ze’ev.

When the Peretzs’ firstborn son entered the Israel Defense Forces, the emotions of motherhood were heightened as Miriam wondered how her slender young boy could possibly be a soldier. Not only did Uriel Peretz become a soldier, he was looked up to by his peers as a leader. He was accepted into one of the IDF’s special combat forces, the Elite reconnaissance unit of the Golani infantry brigade, although at first only as a cook. Like his mother, Uriel was a determined hard worker. When the time came for him to finally be in the field, Miriam would lovingly remove thorns from his hands and feet each time he returned home, so very grateful that he was alive.

Miriam and Eliezer watched with pride as Uriel continued to rise through the ranks.

A TRIPLE LOSS In 1988, tragedy hit the Peretz family when they received the worst news any parents can hear: Uriel was killed in battle. First Lieutenant Uriel Peretz had led his troop on an ambush in southern Lebanon. Six explosives had been hidden under a rock by Hezbollah and were detonated by remote control, killing Uriel instantly. It was his 22nd birthday.

The Peretz family was devastated.

They cried, mourned and memorialized their fallen son and beloved older brother. Eliezer had led the construction project for the Sephardi congregation in Givat Ze’ev and the synagogue had remained unnamed for five years. After Uriel’s death, it was named Darchei Noam Synagogue in memory of Uriel Peretz. The tragedy strengthened their connection to each other; Eliezer and Miriam and their five children remained closer than ever.

Proud to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, Eliraz Peretz, was already seven months into the train-

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She drew on her reserves of strength again and again.

Watching over her children motivated her to keep her moving forward.

Eliraz married and had four children, naming his first son Or-Chadash Uriel for his beloved older brother.

He was a very dynamic and involved father. He was also a devoted friend who adopted the children of Roi Klein who had died after jump-

DANCING THROUGH PAIN The book Miriam’s Song is a first-person account as told to Smadar Shir. A bestseller in Israel and recently translated to English, it recounts the gripping story of Miriam and her personal journey. Miriam’s most recent visit to the States on behalf of the OU organization coincided with this publication and also includ-

One can’t help but wonder what compels Miriam to remain so strong – her upbringing, her parents, her nature, her belief in G-d?

She believes it is a combination of many things: first it’s the redhead in her, “Hashem created me with happiness.

When I hear songs I begin to dance.”

She continues, “Something in my background too.

My life was not very simple;

“Hashem created me with happiness.

When I hear songs I begin to dance.”

ing on a grenade to save his own friends. Eliraz fought on many battlefronts but he kept the dangerous conditions from his mother.

Some 12 years after Uriel’s death, on the eve of Passover, tragedy came to the Peretz family again, hitting even harder. On March 26, 2010, Eliraz was killed in an exchange of fire in the Gaza Strip. Not only did Miriam suffer the most tremendous loss twice, she was devastated to witness her daughterin-law, Shlomit, become a widow like her.

ed stops at New York area yeshiva high schools, where she brought her empowering messages to young adults.

Though Miriam’s determination and strength is evident through her life story, words cannot convey her magnetic presence.

Conversely, the warmth and charm that she exudes does not give an indication of her resilience. Wearing a huge smile and Eliezer’s wedding band alongside her own, it is apparent she is happy and full of life, yet still mourning with a broken heart.

I had to fight all of my life. I had to fight to learn, for my brothers – just to buy corn for them. I saw my family and something in my soul pushed me to take responsibility, not only for my life but also for the life of the people around me – my brothers, my community and my nation.”

When Miriam looks at her life she sees that G-d gave her many trials, with each one making her stronger than before. She likens it to a big box with many tools, and every trial provides her

with a new tool to cope with the situation at hand.

A MESSAGE OF INSPIRATION Miriam cherishes the opportunity to meet with people. Her life is full of love. “I love so much to live. I love my nation and my country. I love people and love to speak with them.”

She speaks to those that are grieving, soldiers and students, providing them all with appropriate messages and advice for their circumstances. Miriam shares that for every situation that G-d gives us we can continue – it’s only a matter of choice.

She speaks with bereaved families about how to grow from tragedy. “It is not easy to say that – it doesn’t sound normal – but each time [tragedy struck] I learned something about my strength. Sometimes I force myself to wake up, though it’s very easy to cry and stay in bed. People don’t like to hear other people cry all day.

We want people to give us hope and help us to see the light.”

To the soldiers, she tells stories of leadership, taking lessons from letters that Uriel’s soldiers wrote about him and his model of leader-

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ing program for the Golani reconnaissance unit when Uriel was killed. According to law, parents must give permission for another child to serve in combat in the IDF after the death of one child in battle. Second-born Eliraz was always the livewire of the family; his energy knew no bounds and he was a born leader. Miriam and Eliezer did not want to prevent their son from fulfilling his ambitions, so despite their painful hesitation, they ultimately gave permission for Eliraz to continue to serve his country.

When Uriel was in tenth grade, Eliezer battled cancer. Though he recovered, his general health declined.

One month after Uriel’s death, Eliezer developed diabetes. A year later he had a heart attack – he seemed to fall ill each year around the yahrtzeit. The cancer later returned, and on September 8, 2005, Eliezer succumbed to his illness. The anguished family sat shiva in the synagogue in Givat Ze’ev. Miriam says her husband died of a broken heart.

Miriam was left not only with the responsibility of the household and family that she shared with Eliezer but also with the mourning.

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Miriam with her sons, (from left to right) Avichai, Elyasaf and Eliraz

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Miriam with Prime Minister Netanyahu

ship. Some of the messages she shares are about being a human being before a leader – leaders must understand what people feel, to look into their eyes and know if they are happy or sad.

She helps the soldiers feel committed to the country, reminding them that all people choose their own way and have control over their actions. “My parents dreamed about Eretz Yisrael. I feel at home in Israel,” she shares with those who are defending their Land.

She laments that her parents never felt that same comfort.

Miriam speaks to students about making good choices, that it’s a matter of will. She speaks about the responsibility to their own lives, asking them about the times they don’t succeed on an exam – did they get frustrated or push harder to succeed? Bravery is not only dying for your land, but also getting out of bed on a rainy day to serve G-d and pray.

She explains that strength is displayed every day when you force yourself to do many little things, doing acts of chessed and being good people. She advises them not to waste time and not to break down over losing an iPhone or another minor difficulty – there will be many and they

can push through. Miriam challenges the students to look at their lives every day and ask what they can do today that is good for the class, the community, the nation and the country.

One story Miriam tells is of Uriel at age six. She describes her son as being pretty and delicate. He set off for the bus on the first day of school with a tremendous backpack filled with a

With Haim and Cheryl Saban

child but chose to overcome it and go on to master it. “Everyone must look at themselves and see that Hashem gave us the ability, it’s a matter of attitude.” She encourages children to know that they have the ability to accomplish; we must all look at ourselves and unravel these abilities within.

Miriam views everything with an ayin tova, a good eye and in a positive

so many people, Miriam acknowledges that everybody is not the same. She works to find the best way to connect with all types and reach out to them so they can hear her message. “When I come to speak with families that have lost their children, it is not normal, but they see that I continued and they see that they can continue.”

Miriam explains, “At first you can’t tell them these

“I also have days that I cry,” she admits.

“I’m not Shimshon, I’m a mother.” wood-covered siddur and a chumash, so heavy he could barely lift himself up the steps. When she retells the story, she asks young children why they think he had trouble, and they answer that the bag was heavy. Miriam corrects them and says that nothing is heavy in our lives, it’s only how we look at it. The stairs were high and his legs were small, but young Uriel said one simple sentence, “Mommy, I can do it.” That was his dictum in life.

Miriam admits that she struggled with math as a

light. This attitude was evident since childhood when she cleaned with vigor and joy at eight-years-old in her teacher’s home. She would learn about the world – for example, when cleaning an elephant statue, having never seen one in real life, she would take the time to study it. As an adult, Miriam sees small miracles every day and is constantly reminded of the effect she can have on others.

CONNECTING THROUGH LOSS Coming in contact with

things, so I tell them it will take time, and that we learn how to be bereaved parents with baby steps. One family can take one year, another two.” She admits that some moments in time are universally difficult, like the first time lighting a candle or setting the table and your child is not there, “In this moment you want to be under the ground, you can’t accept the picture of this chair that is empty.

Moments throughout life like buying gifts, planning family celebrations, or even eating your child’s favorite food –

how can you eat it?” Miriam questions. “But after that you continue – everyone has tools from their years on this earth. Some have many tools and others have never experienced loss before.” But slowly, with strength, they will pull through.

She recognizes that the grieving process is different for all. One must learn to live again a little more each day – the first day to wake up, then get up and get dressed. She describes the pain of leaving the house after burying a child; one can’t understand how the world continues. “You want it all to stop. When you first see people in the street, you begin to cry.” How can the world be continuing in its normalcy while your world is broken?

Miriam also recognizes that there is not only one way to cope. All of her children, though they all have a passion for life, have different personalities. The Peretz children dealt with their losses in different ways. One daughter didn’t speak the names of Eliraz or Uriel for 16 years – but named her daughter Eliraz. Her Avichai continued to be fighter and wanted to be like them, following Eliraz’s military path.

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with messages from people who write to her about their losses, saying they are strengthened by her words.

She feels like a mentor for people who have lost someone. Though she strengthens those around her daily, it is a role she wishes she didn’t have.

When lighting a public memorial torch for her sons, Miriam is told that she’s a symbol of strength and of those who love Israel, yet she misses what she was before – a mother with her six children in her house. She accepts that G-d changed her life and she chooses to continue on. She changes her perspective; instead of looking at her missing sons, she

my voice, I cry and ask G-d why He takes my tool that I work with Him with – and then I realize He is just giving me a rest!”

The synagogue in Givat Ze’v gives her a degree of solace. Aside from speaking tours and her regular work in the Israeli schools, Miriam is also working and collecting funds in the hopes of building up and enhancing the synagogue as a center for soldiers. This gives her another opportunity to lift up others.

FINDING GOOD IN EVERYTHING Miriam has countless stories to illustrate the divine presence in her life.

“There is no more evil than to bury children.

Because I know the height of the evil, I teach myself every day to be a good person.”

looks at her grandchildren.

“I’m just a woman – but a woman whose willpower is so big. I have days that I also cry,” she admits. “I’m not Shimshon, I’m a mother.”

Miriam says she stays close to G-d and imagines dancing with Him. “Sometimes He throws me, sometimes He hugs me, and sometimes I put my head on His shoulder. I know that the comfort will come only from Him.” She feels that the door of the sky is open every day and speaks to Him every day from her heart.

“I don’t say it’s good – I’m not an angel, I’m a mother and I want my children.

Sometimes I scream and say, ‘Why? It’s not fair.’ Sometimes, when I see my grandchildren, the four children of Eliraz, grow I say, ‘Thank You.’ Sometimes when I lose

One of the most powerful encounters occurred during the time she traveled to New York to speak for Friends of the IDF in October of 2012.

Miriam’s friend suggested she get some rest during the trip and put her up by the Lawrence home of the Esther and Jerry Williams, her hosts in this past mission as well. Miriam was so grateful for the hospitality always appreciating “little miracles to meet good people.”

She soon learned there was to be no rest on this trip as the ominous news reports warned of Hurricane Sandy heading towards Long Island. Miriam looked up to the sky and questioned G-d, “I came here to rest! Why did You send this Sandy with me?!”

After the brief but powerful storm hit, the Wil-

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purpose and persistence, never resting. “I don’t want to waste my life.” She shares that her Eliraz was so much like her. “He had so much energy. Until the last day he only thought about other people.”

Miriam explains that she doesn’t rise despite of the tragedies but rather because of them. “You know, if my son Eliraz had one minute more to live maybe he could hear his daughter call him ‘Abba.’ I have this moment!

So waste it? No!” She continues, “Every day I ask myself what I can do to make this world better than it was before. So if I can touch someone, hug someone … then the world is a better place.”

Her bravery in the face of deep tragedy placed her in the role of a national heroine. Miriam’s phone is filled

liams’ house flooded and lost power. Miriam was shivering and there was truly no rest. Again, Miriam wondered why G-d wouldn’t let her rest. A caring friend of Miriam’s, a flight attendant, invited Miriam to join her in her hotel in Manhattan much to Miriam’s relief. It was just a small room with one bed to share – but she had electricity! The next morning, when the woman took Miriam to the lounge with other flight attendants for coffee, Miriam saw a new attendant enter the room.

She always taught her children that G-d gave us the power of speech in order to connect with others and that it’s important to speak with people. The flight attendant was very tired after a rough flight and not up for conversation, pegging Miriam as a carefree tourist. But Miriam kept pushing until the woman opened up and shared her story. She was from Ramat Gan and distraught about not spending Shabbat in Israel. She confided in Miriam that until seven months prior she was eating non-kosher, going to pubs and doing drugs, until she read a book that changed her life and inspired her to become religious. It was a story of a strong woman who lost two children – it was Miriam Peretz’s story. Miriam revealed that she was the one who wrote the book, that it was her story of strength that inspired this woman.

What an amazing series of events!

The two women spoke for eleven hours on the flight back to Israel.

“I learned that there are no coincidences! It was like Hashem said to me, ‘You lost two children but you have many, many other children,’” says Miriam. “So now I thank G-d for Sandy. I see the hands of G-d in everything.”

JUNE 9, 2016

disability you have – some days it may be 100%, like during celebrations and the holidays. And one day it will be low. Every day we all decide. Some days I thankfully feel there are zero disabilities.”

It’s not only to speak with them, Miriam says. “They see me, that I take responsibility for my life and didn’t go down. Many people ask me if death changed me – yes, I also learned to be a better person than I was before because I know the meaning of evil. There is no more evil than to bury children. Because I know the height of the evil, I teach myself every day to be a good person.”

She lives each day with

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Her son, Eliyasaf, first mourned his brother keeping the death notice by his bed for six months. After that, he insisted on taking a trip and flew somewhere in the world. Miriam likened him to the biblical Jonah running from G-d. Though her family said he should stay put, she allowed him to go. Miriam reminded Eliyasaf to remember that when he went to India and Nepal and saw G-d in nature and all over, it is the same G-d that on the one hand took his brother but also created a beautiful world.

He returned to her after one year.

Her daughter, Bat El, suffered a big trauma. She was eight when her older brother was taken from her and 16 when she lost her father.

Three months before her wedding, Eliraz was killed.

She was afraid of death and very fearful of everything, with crippling fear overcoming her during the birth of her first child. Once she pushed past her fears and gave birth, she finally knew she would be OK. One family Miriam came to visit had lost their child in a recent Gaza operation.

They asked her explain the meaning of the death. Miriam told them everything that she normally says, but the father in particular could not accept the message. She asked him what he does for a living and he explained that he works in insurance, assessing the percentage of disability for people injured in an accident. Miriam presented the analogy to this grieving father in a way he could understand.

“From the moment you hear that your beloved son fell, you are handicapped, and it is a lifelong disability that you can’t change. But you can decide for yourself how much of a percentage of

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JUNE 9, 2016

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1.

TJH !

You gotta be

Centerfold kidding

Yentel is at a bus stop and walks up to a man, “Excuse me,” she says. “Are you Jewish?”

?

Riddle me

this?

Riddle One: When do we have kri’as haTorah

“No,” replies the man.

5 days in a row, other than on

A few minutes later, Yentel once again approaches the

Pesach, Chanukah, and Sukkos?

man. “Excuse me,” she says. “Are you sure you’re not Jewish?”

“I’m sure,” says the man.

But Yentel is not convinced, and a few minutes later she approaches him for a third time. “Are you absolutely

Riddle Two: What is the one mitzvah in the Torah that you cannot have kavanah on before doing it?

sure you’re not Jewish?” she asks.

See answer on opposite page

“All right, all right,” the frustrated man says. “You win.

I’m Jewish.”

“That’s funny,” says Yentel. “You don’t look Jewish.”

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

10 facts to know about the dairy delicacy  The state of Wisconsin produces the most cheese in the U.S.  It takes about 10 pounds of milk to make one pound of cheese.  Mozzarella cheese is the most popular cheese variety in the U.S.  Studies have shown that eating cheese before going to bed can help you sleep because of an abundance of an amino acid called tryptophan found in cheese.  On a per person basis, people from Greece eat the most cheese in the world.  A normal cheddar wheel weighs 60-75 pounds.

 Cheese is most flavorsome when eaten at room temperature.  Casu Marzu, often called the world’s most dangerous cheese, which is made in Sardinia, Italy, is purposely infested with live maggots. The cheese is typically eaten when the maggots are still alive, as dead maggots are a sign that it has gone bad. Most people eat this cheese wearing protective eyewear as the maggots can jump and land in your eye.  A Turophile is the word used to describe a true connoisseur & lover of good cheese.  The similarity between smelly feet and smelly cheese is no coincidence. It is actually due to a bacteria that is found in cheese and on feet, known as Brevibacterium linens.

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S Noach was a vegetarian for more than 500 years.

S Avrohom was kept in the furnace in Ur Kasdim for 3 days and nights.

S Four people were named by

S The guests at Yaakov’s wedding sang, “O-ley, O-ley” to hint to him that the bride was really Leah so he couldn’t blame them later.

S Yaakov was 84 when he got married.

S Each of the Shevatim was born with a twin sister that married another brother.

S Eisav was born with a mouthful of teeth.

S Yaakov and Yosef were both born with a bris milah.

S Serach bas Asher entered Gan Eden alive. to become very ill before his death.

S In order to attract guests, Avrohom planted a beautiful orchard in Beer Sheva.

S The sinews of the ram from Akeidas Yitzchok were used for the ten strings in King David’s harp.

S Most Kohanim Gedolim died within the year of Yom Kippur in the time of the Bayis Sheni.

S Rochel died during childbirth as she gave birth to triplets.

(Binyamin and two girls.)

S Yaakov tied a note around Osnas’ (girl born from Dina) neck that stated, “Whoever marries this girl, marries one of Yaakov’s family.”

An angel transferred Osnas to Mitzrayim where she was brought to Potifar’s home and raised. She eventually married Yosef.

S A Jewish king is required to have a Sefer Torah written for himself.

The kings used to attach a mini Torah to their arms and carry it with them constantly.

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haeasn esivanmh invsa eehesc uhtr hellieecm azob daamosk hgilmisc aatmn rtoah smohe iaisn glanerin wfslreo alllhe ohhiascm oddvi egaarm hhumasc litebszn eaisrf

Answers 1. Naaseh Venishma 2. Sivan 3. Cheese 4. Ruth 5. Elimelech 6. Boaz 7.

Akdamos 8. Milchigs 9. Matan Torah 10. Moshe 11. Sinai 12. Learning 13. Flowers 14. Hallel 15. Moshiach 16. Dovid 17. Gemara 18. Chumash 19. Blintzes 20. Sefira

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

S Yaakov was the first person ever

giant Sichon in the teiva.

JUNE 9, 2016

Hashem before their birth: Yitzchok, Yishmael, Shlomo Hamelech, and Yoshiahu.

Shavuos Scrambler

S Cham’s wife gave birth to the

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*

Torah Tidbits

Answer to riddle two: Shechicha. In the part of the field that we harvest for ourselves we are obligated to leave over for poor people any of the produce that innocently falls from our hands. So, if one had kavanah before doing the mitzvah, the produce that fell would not be legitimate shechicha produce.

Answer to riddle one: When Rosh Hashana falls out on Thursday and Friday. The third day is the regular Shabbos leining, the fourth day is Sunday which is Tzom Gedalyah, the fifth day is Monday, in which we always lein.

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Notable Quotes

JUNE 9, 2016

“Say What?!”

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Troubling news for Hillary Clinton. The FBI says as part of its investigation of Hillary Clinton’s emails, it may call her in to speak to them. No word yet on how much Hillary’s planning to charge.

– Conan O’Brien

Gorilla deserved it.

- Message posted on a tampered electronic road sign in Dallas last weekend

A study by the Pew Research Center determined that more millennials between the ages of 18 and 34 are living with their parents than at any other point in history. Millennials were happy to take the poll, while their parents were proud of them for finishing the poll

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

- James Corden

Trump criticized Hillary Clinton over the weekend, claiming that her views are “just words” read off a teleprompter. But Hillary denied it, saying, “I’ve had these speeches memorized since I was six.”

– Jimmy Fallon

He was entirely justified in his conduct, and frankly should be commended. From what I can see, he performed a public service in taking out this fella.

The fella asked for what he got, and he got it.

Bernie said yesterday that his critics call him “Santa Claus” because of his white hair. Then Santa said, “Yeah — even I don’t promise people THAT much free stuff.”

– Jimmy Fallon

It’s the story that I witness every single day, when I wake up in a house that was built by slaves.

– First Lady Michelle Obama during a commencement speech at City College in New York last Friday, while talking about diversity

It doesn’t matter whether you need insurance, pizza, a Buick. You basically can stock your whole household with stuff this guy is selling.

- President Obama joking about Peyton Manning when the Denver Broncos visited the White House this week

- Bucks County District Attorney David Heckler declaring at a press conference that a Pennsylvania pharmacy owner who shot and killed an alleged robber will not face charges

Please feel free to call us, the police, or do it yourself if you have the gun. You have my support.

They’re finally catching up to our 2002 network

- Philippine’s president-elect Rodrigo Duterte during a televised address, urging citizens with guns to shoot and kill drug dealers who resist arrest and ruin their neighborhoods

- Verizon’s reaction to Sprint now using the actor from its “Can you hear me now?” commercials

MORE QUOTES

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

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At a rally in California yesterday, Bernie Sanders said that if he winds up being the Democratic nominee, “Donald Trump is toast.” Incidentally, “toast” is also what Donald Trump’s tanning bed is set to.

– Seth Myers

We were in this land since before Abraham. I am not saying it. The Bible says it. The Bible says, in these words, that the Palestinians existed before Abraham. So why don’t you recognize my right?

Yesterday, a North Korean official turned down an offer by Donald Trump to visit the country and meet with Kim Jong Un, saying the offer is “propaganda” and “nonsense.” This doesn’t make Trump look good. You know you’re in trouble when the leader of North Korea is like, “I can’t associate myself with that guy.”

– James Corden

– James Corden

According to a survey, a third of people will drop everything to go and charge their phone. Like what, is there a doctor in the middle of surgery and he’s like, “I need to split, guys, I’m at 5 percent. Ted, where you at? At 20? Cool, can you put a heart in this guy?”

– Ibid.

Donald Trump is floating another conspiracy theory which suggests that Hillary Clinton is a murderer.

Today Bill Clinton said, “Trust me, if that lady could kill, I would not be alive.”

– Conan O’Brien

- LeBron James responding to Phil Jackson’s assertion that he should play more like Michael Jordan in the Finals, who played like “a man possessed”

Israel’s performance has inspired the entire world, and it’s important for us to be in Israel. Technology here improves by about 10 times every five years.

I hope they have kidnapping insurance.

- Dell CEO Michael Dell at the Dell Future Ready conference in Tel Aviv this week

- Trump on Fox News responding to the PGA moving the 2017 World Golf Championship to Mexico instead of holding it at Trump Doral in Miami

You couldn’t get the truth from Hillary Clinton if you waterboarded her.

- Trump advisor Barry Bennett talking about Hillary Clinton’s penchant for dishonesty, on CNN

You here in this beautiful city know the horrors, the losses associated with gun violence are just unimaginable.

– Hillary Clinton at a campaign rally in Saint Bernardino referring to the heinous radical Islamic terror attack that took place there last December as “gun violence”

Burger King has merged a Whopper with a burrito to make a Whopperito. So take note, Donald Trump: That’s how you Make America Great Again!

– Conan O’Brien

MORE QUOTES

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

I’m not Michael. I’m not Ali. I’m not nobody else that’s done so many great things for sport. I am who I am, and if I’m able to go out and put together a game like that, it wasn’t because I was possessed. It’s because I worked on my craft all season long and that’s the result of it. Phil’s a great coach. Mike’s a great player. But I am who I am.

The electronics company LG identified a new phenomenon called low-battery anxiety. People become nervous, distracted, and frustrated when their phones are about to die. If you are not familiar with low-battery anxiety, it’s a real condition that primarily affects people with no actual problems.

JUNE 9, 2016

-Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas making a bizarre claim on Palestinian TV

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OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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JUNE 9, 2016

46

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson said that he might run for president of the United States later on down the line. When they heard, the Republican Party asked him, “Can you start tomorrow?”

– Conan O’Brien

The more active the BDS movement was in a certain market of ours, the more successful we have been. In the course of the last six to seven years, when BDS was attacking SodaStream, we grew from a $90 million revenue company to more than $400 million. I encourage any company that wants to grow its sales to be attacked by the BDS movement.

– Daniel Birnbaum, the CEO of popular Israel-based SodaStream, at the Ambassadors Against BDS International Summit

Bernie Sanders campaigned in California yesterday ahead of the state’s Democratic primary, and even checked out the famous carousel at the Santa Monica Pier. But it got a little awkward when the music stopped and Bernie still wouldn’t admit that the ride was over. “This is gonna be a contested carousel!”

- Jimmy Fallon

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

MORE QUOTES

23

After weeks of hesitation, Paul Ryan finally endorsed Donald Trump for president on Thursday.

When asked what influenced his decision, Ryan said, “Xanax. Lots and lots of Xanax.”

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

– Jimmy Fallon

This is the best planet. We need to protect it, and the way we will is by going out into space. You don’t want to live in a retrograde world where we have to freeze population growth.

-Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos at the Code Conference

Donald Trump is continuing to draw criticism for his claims that Judge Gonzalo Curiel’s Mexican heritage makes him unfit to preside over a lawsuit against Trump University, despite the fact that Curiel was born and raised in Indiana. And when Trump found that out, he said, “Oh, no, he’s an Indian, too?”

– Seth Myers

In at least a few hundred years ... all of our heavy industry will be moved off-planet.

Earth will be zoned residential and light industrial. You shouldn’t be doing heavy energy on Earth. We can build gigantic chip factories in space.

– Ibid.

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THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME JUNE 9, 2016

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142

Life C ach

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JUNE 9, 2016

Blessed or Blasted?

Musings of a Groom

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By Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS

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

“H

e’s got a big heart but a bigger mouth!”

“He did really well at test ‘taking.’ The teachers weren’t happy about it but the kids were – he shared them with all his friends!”

Sometimes at an aufruf we hear the strangest things about a guy. Some of it is just light humor or reminiscing.

Some, really hit hard. One father of the bride said at an aufruf that I attended, “My wife usually hates to miss any event, but I’m glad she’s home with my daughter this week, and not here at this aufruf. If she heard how they are tearing apart this guy she’d probably call off the wedding!” So how’d this tradition start and is it a good idea?

In the time of the Temple there was a special entrance made for grooms. This way people knew to bless him.

Today, in temple, grooms are called up for an aliyah and given blessings by the entire congregation. Entering into this new stage of life, one is wished blessings, especially

to have a family. Furthermore, a groom is likened to a king. A king was supposed to write a Torah and always have one with him. One reason was so that in this elevated status he did not get carried away with himself.

This is an important time in a man’s life to be made aware of the Torah. It is their guide

someone gets stuck thinking, “I’m the man!” he could possibly forget that he’s really the hu-man!

His cohorts are just trying to let him know: Sure you’re a great guy, but not too great.

I’m almost betting the bride’s parents put the friends up to this job time and again.

Probably some secret ancient

up his socks from his side of the bed, and tune in to the all that stuff that is not said, which, in her opinion, he should figure out anyway.

Now that last job is not an easy one, and certainly not easy for someone who is too full of himself to be hearing the silences. So the aufruf makes him the center, but

When someone gets stuck thinking, “I’m the man!” he could possibly forget that he’s really the hu-man!

for a good marriage.

So why are people poking jokes at the king? Well, it’s sort of the same thing as having the inspiration with him. He needs perspective!

It’s important to keep this guy humble. Today, he’s the star of the show. But in that union he’s got to remember maybe he’s the king, but he’s marrying a queen. He needs to know he’s got flaws and shortcomings too. When

tradition passed down from parents-of-the-bride to parents-of-the-bride.

Reminding him of his history also conveys a message.

You’ve got to see yourself as a work in progress. Look at all the crazy stuff you did in the past, and the fact that you have grown, hopefully, since doing that. So, there’s always room to grow!

He’s got to be ready to take out the garbage, pick

also takes him down a notch or two – not necessarily the worst thing.

Strangely, usually at the same time, there is a Shabbas Kallah going on. All the bride’s friends come over and talk about what an amazing person she is. Only! Not a negative word is on the roster! Could the bride’s parents be behind this tradition as well? Or does she just have a better PR person?!

Aufruf means “calling him up” but maybe what they really meant to be saying is “calling him out.” You know, not letting him get away with stuff. Whatever the reason is for this tradition of teasing, cajoling, poking fun at, or gently nudging the guy, I think the important thing is to remember it’s all done in good faith. These are his best of friends doing it, not some random strangers.

Maybe the real message they are there to convey is: no matter what your flaws are, you are a lovable guy! So if sometimes you feel a little unattended to, underappreciated, or called out about something, remember you are still a lovable guy. You’re with your new best friend, and just like us, she can love you even when you’re not perfect!

Rivki Rosenwald is a certified relationship counselor, and career and life coach. She can be contacted at 917-705-2004 or rivki@rosenwalds.com

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JUNE 2, 2016 | The Jewish Home

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Health & F tness

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

Dear Diary

By Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN

JUNE 9, 2016

T

you don’t want to have to run and write down everything you eat. You might just say to yourself, “I’ll save myself the trouble of writing it down and skip this chocolate bar.” However, the real idea of a food diary is so that you can clearly see everything you ate by the end of the day.

It might not seem like a lot

went wrong. For example, one day you realize that you snacked a lot in the late afternoon or evening. When reviewing your day, you notice that lunch was eaten at 3:15pm, and at that point you were already starving and therefore pigged out the rest of the day. Or, one night you had 3 pieces of chocolate

when skimming through your food diary, you notice that every Monday you snack a lot throughout the day.

Then you think for a moment and conclude that on Mondays you tend to be tired from the weekend which causes you to snack a lot to compemsate for lack of energy. Without a food diary, you

It might not seem like a lot when popping small snacks left and right, but when you see it all written down on paper, it adds up.

when popping small snacks left and right, but when you see it all written down on paper, it adds up. You are able to easily track what you ate throughout the entire day, and suddenly it all stares at you in the face.

Second, this method also enables you to easily calculate your daily caloric consumption and see areas where you can cut foods out.

What I love about a food diary is you can see where you

cake. When reviewing that day’s entries, you remember that at 8:30pm you got a dissapointing phone call from your daughter’s school.

Most often, overeating is a result of certain feelings.

A food diary enables one to track what causes specific dietary downfalls.

Third, a food diary helps view areas of weakness and habits. Reviewing a consistent food log enables one to see patterns. For example,

might overlook that trend.

With the help of a food diary, you are able to observe: were you hungry because it was dinner time? Or were you just bored at home so you ended up in the kitchen? The idea of a food diary is to raise our consciousness.

All in all, a food diary is a great weight loss technique and highly recommended by dietitians. Try keeping a food diary for at least a week. Be consistent; don’t skip days

or meals. Be thorough; write down how the food was prepared and be sure to include all toppings and condiments.

The most important part of keeping a food diary is to be honest; don’t skip the slice of cake you had for breakfast.

Nobody is judging you. Food diaries can be very helpful when kept accurately and consistently.

So what are you waiting for? Go grab a pen and paper!

Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN, is a Master’s level Registered Dietitian and Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist. She graduated CUNY Brooklyn College receiving a Bachelor’s in Science and Master’s degree in Nutrition and Food Sciences. Her Dietetic Internship was completed under Brooklyn College primarily in Ditmas Park Care Center and Boro Park Center where she developed clinical and education skills to treat patients with comprehensive nutrition care.

She is currently a dietitian at Boro Park Center and a private nutrition consultant. She can be reached at CindyWeinberger1@ gmail.com.

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

here are many new ways to track what you eat, such as various apps, FitBit, and even the classic Weight Watchers program. However, many dietitians advise sticking to the good old fashion method: a food diary. A food diary is exactly what it sounds like – a log of every item you put into your mouth, the time and place you eat it, the occasion, your satiety level, and the mood setting. Keeping an organized food diary is useful for tracking calories consumed daily, food allergies, food patterns, habits, and areas of weakness.

A food diary can be kept for anywhere between 3 days to several months. Many dietitians will request a three day food diary upon an initial consultation to get an idea of one’s typical diet. However, when keeping a food diary for weight loss purposes, the longer you keep to it, the better off you’ll be.

What’s the purpose of keeping a food diary? First of all, the idea of writing down everything you eat in and of itself might be a weight loss technique since

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JUNE 9, 2016

50

Torah Thought

Shavuot

By Rabbi Berel Wein

A

lthough there is no real accurate way to measure the relative importance of the holidays of the Jewish calendar year, I think that we can all agree that the holiday of Shavuot appears to be the least dramatic of them all.

The Torah describes it as an agricultural feast day commemorating the grain harvest and the greening of the first fruits of the season as an offering in the Temple in Jerusalem.

Jewish tradition and rabbinic sanction has emphasized and labelled the holiday as the anniversary of the granting of the Torah to the Jewish people by G-d at the revelation at Mount Sinai. With the absence of the Temple, the holiday has taken on this commemoration as the center point of its observance.

Secular Zionism attempted to restore the primacy of its agricultural component in commemorating the holiday but was singularly unsuccessful. So, even today in the Land of Israel, once again fruitful and bountiful, this agricultural aspect of the holiday is still very secondary to its historical commemoration of the revelation at Sinai.

And in this there is an important lesson that repeats itself throughout Jewish history.

The great Gaon, Saadya, succinctly summed up this message when he stated: “Our nation – the Jewish people – is a nation only by virtue of its Torah.” All of the oth-

er facets of our nationhood exist only because of this central historical moment – the granting of the Torah to the Jewish people by G-d through Moshe at the mountain of Sinai. This was and is the pivotal moment in all of Jewish history.

Everything else that has occurred to us over these three and a half millennia has direct bearing and stems from that moment in Jewish and human history.

Therefore it should be no wonder as to why the holiday of Shavuot is the day of commemoration of the giving of the Torah at Sinai. Looking back over the long centuries of our existence, we can truly appreciate how we have been preserved, strengthened and enhanced in every way by our studied application of Torah in every facet of our personal and communal lives.

Those who forsook the values and denied the divinity of Torah fell by the wayside of history and are, in the main, no longer part of our people. Unlike Pesach and Succot, Shavuot carries with it no special ritual or commandments. It certainly is the least dramatic of all the holidays of the Jewish calendar.

But, rather, it represents the every day in Jewish life – dominated by study and observance of Torah and its eternal values.

The name of the holiday means “weeks” – units of time that measure our progress on this earth. It is not only the seven weeks from

Pesach to Shavuot that is being referred to, but rather we are reminded of all of the weeks of our lives that compose our stay in this world.

Time has importance to us when we deem it to be meaningful and well spent. The purpose of Torah, so to speak, was and is to accomplish just that. And therefore the day of commemoration of the granting of the

formed this seemingly physical agricultural holiday into the realm of spirituality and eternal history.

On this day of festivity we are granted an insight into the past and the future at one and the same time. We are able to unlock the secrets of our survival and eternity as a nation, and as the prime force in human civilization for these many

We are able to unlock the secrets of our survival and eternity as a nation, and as the prime force in human civilization for these many millennia.

Torah to Israel is very aptly named for it is the Torah that gives meaning to our days and weeks.

The customs of the holiday also reference the scene at Mount Sinai on the day of revelation. Eating dairy foods, decorating the synagogue and the home with flowers and greens, and all night Torah study sessions have all become part of the commemoration of the holiday itself. They all relate to Sinai and the revelation. The Jewish people, through long experience and centuries of analysis, have trans-

millennia. So it is the holiday of Shavuot that grants true meaning and necessary legitimacy to all of the other holidays of the Jewish calendar year.

Shavuot is the cornerstone of the entire year, for without it all the days of celebration and commemoration remain devoid of spirituality and eternity. It does not require for itself any special commandments or observances because it is the foundation of all commemorations throughout Jewish life and time.

Chag sameach.

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OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Dating Dialogue

Dear Navidaters,

JUNE 9, 2016

Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW of The Navidaters

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What Would You Do If…

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My question is not typical for this column, but I need some advice and figure that the panel can shed some light on my question. My son recently returned from his second year in Israel. The first year was a bit touch and go, but I believe his second year was very worthwhile for him and he did a great deal of maturing while away, aside from, of course, his learning.

My son is twenty and believes he is very mature. He is definitely more mature than he was when he left two years ago, but I still believe that he is young in many ways and needs parental guidance. My husband and I are having a serious problem with him now because he is of the belief that since he spent the past two years on his own to a certain degree, he no longer wants to be treated as a child.

He is used to calling his own shots in many regards and is not taking well to us giving him rules or advice.

My husband and I are wondering whether you think we have to back off and let him do his own thing or whether we are still allowed to give him rules to follow. We’re really feeling uncertain at this point and can use some direction.

The feedback from our readers has been remarkable. In order to facilitate further discussion, you can now continue the conversation anonymously on our website. Every Sunday, we will upload the weekend’s most recent edition of What Would You Do If to the dating forum at thenavidaters.com. Join The Navidaters and your fellow TJH readers in a comprehensive dialogue with regard to dating, relationships and marriage. The forum will be moderated daily for everyone’s comfort and safety. See you there!

Disclaimer: This column is not intended to diagnose or otherwise offer resolutions to any questions. Our intention is not to offer any definitive conclusions to any particular question, but to offer areas of exploration for the author and reader. Due to the nature of the column receiving only a short snapshot of an issue, without the benefit of an actual discussion, the panel’s role is to offer a range of possibilities. We hope to open up meaningful dialogue and individual exploration.

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For instance, we have strict curfews in our home. We believe they are reasonable, but he doesn’t believe that at his age, especially after in many ways answering to no one, that he has to abide by our rules. Or if he decides he wants to go away for the weekend, he doesn’t have to ask us if it’s O.K., but can just inform us that he won’t be home. Of course, we’d rather he asked, or at least check in with us. He doesn’t seem to want to be questioned too much about his comings and goings. Again, he insists he’s a grownup and should be respected as such and allowed to come and go as he pleases.

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The Panel

The Rebbetzin Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S.

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learly, your son has gone to Israel as a teenager and is back now as a young adult. You all need to talk and to readjust to this new reality which means a new way of relating.

Old rules are no longer relevant and permission may not be the operative word. The goal is to communicate in a healthy way so that you avoid standoffs and showdowns but are comfortable and understand each other’s needs.

Prepare beforehand with your spouse and then open up a discussion with your son that will be the first of several discussions. Use the “sandwich method” first – be positive about his accomplishments during his two years in Israel. Be specific about the changes you have noticed in him – responsibility, politeness, neatness, davening, etc. Express your pride and your optimism in his continuing to grow and mature.

Then get into the heart of the matter. Tell him that he is now a young adult and you want to treat him that way but you also have needs. Then tell him that some of the matters that you want to discuss with him are car use, money, school, neatness, Shabbos plans, food needs, etc.

You want to hear his needs and you will be telling him your concerns and needs. Make sure he understands that all of you will try to work things out so that everyone’s needs are met. Obviously, he is living in your house and you are paying for his tuition, support, etc., but you should not need to bring this up. Keep it focused on mutual needs and a process for working things out and tweaking as you go. Use phrases like “what do you think is reasonable in this area?”

This will open the door to negotiations about staying out late, internet use, responsibilities around the house, and the like. You don’t have to cover everything in one sitting. Start the discussion and keep communication going at all times.

If there are other children at home, you may have implemented some house rules. These will apply to him as well, even though he is an adult. Some things may need to be tweaked but living at home means responsibility to the family and home. Be open to talking and negotiating but don’t give your son a free pass and a credit card. There are no privileges without responsibility.

This is a normal rite of passage for both parents and child. If you have a healthy parent/child relationship and understand that this is an evolving process, you will do fine.

whereabouts and abiding by a curfew are not only protective measure but a courtesy to the parents who give you shelter and lose sleep worrying about the safety.” At the Roundtable, you may outline your expectations in terms of contributing to the household (carpooling, shopping, cleaning, babysitting). Finally, urge him to get a job. Nothing encourages responsibility, courtesy and good manners more effectively than a demanding boss and an honest day’s work.

The Dating Mentor The Mother Sarah Schwartz, Schreiber, PA

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abbi Kramer, dean of Bnos Chava Seminary, made the following observation. Girls returning home from Israel perceive themselves as ten years older than they actually are. Their parents, on the other hand, perceive their daughters as ten years younger. The challenge for both sides, that first year back, is to navigate that illusory 20-year age gap.

You son, like many of today’s young bochurim, had a free pass for two years. You supported him in Israel while all he had to do was learn – which he did for one year.

So now he’s back, twenty-years-old and smarter than his parents. I’ve got news for him: in most cultures Maturity entails Responsibility. Maturity entails Courtesy. Maturity entails expressing Appreciation.

Time to convene the Cohen/ Schwartz/Friedman (fill in your name) Roundtable; it doesn’t have to be in your dining room, sometimes the local pizza place works better.

You can start by saying, “Moishele, you’ve been away for a while, so we’d like to remind you about the House Rules and, yes, they apply to anyone sharing our living space (even Aunt Bertha!) Apprising parents of your

Rochel Chafetz

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ou sent your son to Israel for two years. He grew up and is now a full-fledged adult. I understand it must be hard for you to realize that and to let go because that means you have to let go of some of the control you have had as a parent and that may mean a little bit of loss of identity for you.

Well, now it is time for you to grow up as well and take some steps back. This is just the beginning. Later, when he will bring home a fine, nice young lady, you will have to take a few more steps back and it will continue on like that. He is 20-yearsold. You cannot micromanage his life, like you did when he was 15, 16 or 17. He has to be able to feel independent, and yes, to come and go without telling you or asking you every step of the way.

But you should sit down with him and tell him you view him as an adult and you understand his desire for independence but it would make you guys feel a bit more secure if he just told you about when he planned on going out or to let you know when he’s going to be away for the weekend. This way you can start to develop an adult relationship between the three of you instead of you being his mashgiach all the time. Otherwise he will resent you and he could possibly take steps back away from you.

Be open to talking and negotiating but don’t give your son a free pass and a credit card.

When he comes in, ask him how his day was. In the morning, ask him what his plans are. Wish him a great day. Tell him you love him and say goodbye, be safe and enjoy. You have to begin to cut the strings. Start now, little by little so that later, it won’t be as traumatic for you and you can still perverse and develop the connection between the three of you. Good luck.

The Single Irit Moshe

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ou sent your little boy away to learn and to grow into a man and he did. Now that he is home, you’ll have to get re-adjusted to the new young man he has become. What he is exhibiting and how he is behaving is very normal and to be expected. However, there is one thing you should make sure he does not forget while exerting his new found maturity and that is respect. Respect is a two way street and as much as he is looking for you to respect his newfound maturity and now wishes to live his life as an adult, in your household, you are still entitled to have set rules in which all dwellers, including him, need to abide by. Otherwise, it is time for your young man to move to the next stage of maturity, which consists of him getting a job, moving out and paying his own bills. In the meantime, invite him to a meeting to discuss and negotiate how you all can live together in harmony, under the same roof and feel respected, until he is ready to move onto the next adult stage as mentioned above.

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The Navidaters Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists

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that works for our unique family, taking into account the unique needs of both parents and children.

The first step that I believe may be in order now is a bit of “reframing.”

There are now three adults that live in your home. You, your husband, and your son. As a twenty-year-old man, he should have certain rights. There are certain things that should be understood. For example, you knock on his door upon entering, you don’t open his mail, when his phone rings, you

Esther Mann, LCSW and Jennifer Mann, LCSW are licensed, clinical psychotherapists and dating and relationship coaches working with individuals, couples and families in private practice in Hewlett, NY. To set up an appointment, please call 516.224.7779. Press 1 for Esther, 2 for Jennifer. If you would like to submit a dating or relationship question to the panel anonymously, please email thenavidaters@gmail.com.

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can reevaluate his living situation and how much financial support you will give him. Though not typical practice in our circles, remember that at 18 you are no longer financially responsible and he is welcome to find a place of residence that he finds suitable for himself.

Finally, give this some time. Everyone is readjusting to your son’s return, including your son. Imagine you are a caterpillar your entire life, and you become a butterfly; with beautiful wings that grant you the freedom to fly. Suddenly, you are told you mustn’t fly anymore but must once again behave like a caterpillar. Impossible. Or possible with enough enforcement and punishment, but you will wind up with one depressed butterfly.

I encourage my clients to explore the alternative as a way of coping with a current situation. Explore your alternative – that your son has returned from Israel and needs his hand held every step of the day. That he asks your permission for every little thing, that he isn’t spending time out of the house. That he calls you asking you for permission, “Mommy, I’d like to go away for Shabbos. Can I?” Now, that would be a problem in my opinion.

Mazel tov Mom and Dad … it’s a man!

Sincerely, Jennifer Mann

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like the advice of the panel, who are in unanimous agreement that your son is a twenty-year-old young man who requires more freedom than what you are accustomed to giving. You sent off a boy to Israel and an independent man returned. If he is your oldest child, this is a new experience for all of you. And with new experiences, come periods of trial and error. There is no book for this one … (maybe there is one at the local sefarim store.) As with any parenting issue, there are usually multiple opinions out there. It is our job as parents to find the game plan

Suddenly, you are told you mustn’t fly anymore but must once again behave like a caterpillar.

Impossible.

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Pulling It All Together

don’t ask, “Nu, who is it?”

What do you get in return?

Well, if he is being treated like an adult, he returns the gesture by behaving like an adult. On his end, he will be respectful, keep his belongings tidy, take on responsibility around the house, be courteous. The details will be worked out as a family, and they are different in every family, but the general idea is that your son is now a young adult. Hopefully, when you genuinely start thinking of your son as an adult in your own thoughts, the message will be delivered loud and clear to your son. You want him to rise to the occasion.

And now for the “details” that I mentioned a moment ago. I think you and your husband need to discuss amongst yourselves where you can find some wiggle room. For instance, you mention a “strict curfew.” This may be an area where you can practice flexibility. When your son was away, you had no idea where he was at any hour of the day. Sometimes that makes life easier. What you don’t know about, you can’t worry about. Now that he is home, and you see how the sausage is made, so to speak, it is unnerving.

However, I encourage you to bend on curfew. Give a little, get a little.

Respect his desire and right to spend Shabbos where he pleases. As I see it, at twenty-years-old, he doesn’t have to ask permission to go away for Shabbos. But don’t take a backseat and play the victim either. If you would like him to spend a Shabbos with you, ask him. Encourage him to invite his friends over. Tell him you would love to meet them. Respect his life and he hopefully will welcome you in. This is wonderful practice for you.

One day, G-d willing, your son will be married and not living at home at all.

As you become more yielding, the goal is that he become more respectful and courteous in response.

But as the parents, you will set the tone for this new dynamic. If your son is exhibiting behavioral problems, is a bad example for his siblings (which I am not sure he is based on your email.

I got the feeling that he is solely having a hard time with you wanting to know his whereabouts and wanting permission to go away for Shabbos), then you

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Between the Lines

Torah Boy Scout

By Eytan Kobre

If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend six hours sharpening my axe. -Abraham Lincoln

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here is a legend in the law firm world, at least among associates, about a large firm in New York that was looking to hire a junior-level attorney.

After reviewing hundreds of applications, the firm’s recruiting department narrowed its search to three candidates, all unmistakably qualified for the position and each of whom had impressed during multiple interviews at the firm’s offices. The final determination would be made by a mock oral argument to the firm’s hiring partners.

Each candidate researched thoroughly and prepared a compelling slideshow to accompany the argument. The first two candidates demonstrated impeccable lawyering skills and a commanding demeanor; the third was clearly not on their level.

But, about halfway through, a loud pop! interrupted the third candidate’s presentation. The bulb of the

firm’s projector blew, and the slides went dark, along with the third candidate’s already dim chances of securing the position. Just then, he opened his briefcase calmly and produced a spare projector bulb. In no time at all, he replaced the broken bulb and resumed his argument.

Apparently, during his prior visits to the firm, the third candidate had surveyed the conference room and noted the projector model. The night before the mock argument, he purchased a spare bulb “just in case.”

What the third candidate lacked in substance, he made up for in preparation. The partners recognized that his devotion to preparation would always compensate for what he lacked in innate talent. And the following week he received an offer to join the firm.

There is no substitute for preparation. While there is great value in the ability to “wing it,” that value pales in comparison to the benefits of preparation. Preparation readies you not only for what you expect but also for what you never saw coming, and it attaches added significance to that which is being prepared for (Michtav M’Eliyahu, Vol V, pg. 191).

“Before anything else,” observed Alexander Graham Bell, “preparation is the key to success.”

All this is underscored by Shavuos. Shavuos derives its name from the seven weeks that served – and still do – as preparation for receiving the Torah (Da’as Torah, Bamidbar, pg. 24-25). Indeed, inasmuch as Shavuos has no date certain – it is identified only as seven weeks or 49 days after Pesach (Vayikra 23:1521) – the lead-up to Shavuos is an integral part of the holiday itself.

Shavuos’s timeless lesson on preparation dates back to when we first received the Torah. Although it already had recorded that the Jewish people were encamped at Refidim (Shemos 17:1, 8), in describing their final approach to Mount Sinai, the Torah reiterates that the Jewish people “traveled from Refidim and came to the Sinai Desert” (Shemos 19:2). It did so “to compare their departure from Refidim to their arrival at Sinai: just as they departed Refidim penitently, so too they arrived at Sinai penitently” (Rashi, Shemos 19:2).

They departed Refidim with the right mindset, they arrived at Sinai with the right mindset, and, as a result, they merited to receive the

Torah (Ha’amek Davar, Shemos 19:2, 28:3 and Devarim 17:18). The preparations for receiving the Torah continued even after arriving at Sinai, as Moshe Rabbeinu, only later with G-d’s acquiescence, established a third day of preparation before the Jewish people would receive the Torah (Shemos 19:10; Shabbos 87a).

(More recently, the Tzaddik of Sanz was once on his way to shul, when he stopped abruptly and returned home, only to immediately set out for shul again. To his bewildered followers, he explained, “I realized that when I left, I did not have in mind the right intentions. So I returned home and departed once again, having made the proper preparations.”)

Preparation is outcome-determinative.

Consider a painting: the quality of the painting does not reflect the quality only of the “finish coat”; it reflects the quality and thoroughness of all the preparatory steps it took to get there.

Spiritual pursuits are no different. Shabbos and yom tov require preparation (Shemos 16:5; Shabbos 117b).

Prayer requires preparation; the “pious ones of old” would prepare intensely for an hour before prayer (Be-

rachos 30b). Torah learning requires preparation (Avos 2:12; see Nefesh HaChaim 4:7). And perhaps that is why the Jewish people were exiled “for not making the blessing on [learning] Torah” (Nedarim 81a; Bava Metzia 85b). It was not merely that they neglected a simple blessing; it was their failure to grasp the value of preparation and the value that preparation adds to that being prepared for. Indeed, some are even accustomed to recite before fulfilling almost any commandment, “Behold, I am prepared and ready…” (Pele Yo’etz, “Hachana”). The boy scouts’ motto – Be Prepared – permeates every aspect of the spiritual life.

The amora Chiya went to extraordinary lengths to ensure the faithful transmission of the Torah (Bava Metzia 85b). He planted and cultivated flax; then he harvested it and used its fibers to thread nets; with those nets, he trapped deer; he slaughtered the deer, distributing the meat to the needy and using the hides to make parchment on which he wrote the Torah; he then traveled far and wide to teach Torah to children. Now surely he could’ve purchased the parchment and gone

55 opportunities. As luck would have it, Yankel arrived just as one of the city’s wealthiest Jewish citizens was to marry off his son. As a visitor, Yankel was invited to attend.

Yankel took his place at the head of the table and, with an air of self-importance, rang the bell ceremoniously.

Yankel arrived at the reception to find the host sitting at a raised dais. When the host rang a small silver bell, dozens of waiters rushed out with trays weighed down by an assortment of delicacies.

who sold him the defective bell. “You’ve made a laughingstock of me! You sold me a faulty bell!”

When Yankel told the shopkeeper what had happened, the shopkeeper laughed. “Don’t you understand? The wealthy man had prepared all the food and delicacies before ringing the bell. He rang the bell simply to signal when it was time to bring forth all that he had prepared ahead of time.”

Too often, we act just like Yankel. We demand success, but we won’t invest the time and effort necessary to prepare adequately to achieve it. At best, we ring a bell and expect the results to follow.

And when they don’t, we become disheartened or disillusioned.

In a sense, preparation for life’s mundane tasks is a

metaphor for the most important preparation of all: that for the true and everlasting life. “Prepare yourself in the hallway so that you may enter the palace” (Avos 4:16). “Those who do not prepare before Shabbos, what will they eat on Shabbos?” (Avoda Zara 3a). “If one does not prepare on dry land, what will he eat at sea?

If man does not prepare in populated locales, what will he eat in the desert?” (Rus Rabba 3:3).

These are just the sorts of metaphorical preparations that Shavuos should encourage us to make.

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No. 49). Each preparatory step in the process would later be determinative of his entire venture. And he prepared accordingly.

A penniless man named Yankel once traveled to the big city in search of business

When the host rang the bell again, yet more delicacies appeared. Incredible, Yankel thought. I must get my hands on such a bell.

So the next day, Yankel bought a bell just like the one owned by the wealthy man, and he returned home to his little town and gathered his wife and children. “Don your very best and set the table for a feast, for today we dine like royalty.”

Yankel took his place at the head of the table and, with an air of self-importance, rang the bell ceremoniously. Nothing. Yankel rang again. Still nothing.

Yankel rang a third time. Silence.

Yankel fell into his chair.

“I’ve been duped.”

The next morning, he headed back to the city to confront the shopkeeper

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about teaching Jewish children in much the same way as he did. But he understood that matters of significance demand the investment of preparation (Sichos Mussar

Eytan Kobre is a writer, speaker, mediator, and attorney living in Kew Gardens Hills. Questions? Comments? Suggestions?

E-mail eakobre@outlook.com.

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Renovations Additions New Construction

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The Undated Anniversary

By Joe Bobker

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BOBKER ON SHAVUOS

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here is a beautiful Sephardic custom of writing a love song in the form of a marriage contract between G-d and the Jewish people and reading it on Shavuos. The piyut was composed by Rabbi Yisrael Najara, a great Jewish grammarian and 16th century versatile poet from Tsfas who served as the Rav of Tsfas. Rav Najara modeled it after Shir Hashirim, a metaphor of romance for the relationship between G-d and Israel that we say on Shabbps chol hamoed Pesach.

Ironically, despite the significance of Shavuos, it is the only Jewish holiday that lacks

a clearly defined date: the exact calendar day of the “marriage” of the Jews to the Torah remains unknown. This calendar uncertainty is extraordinarily unusual in a religion so centered around dates and times; for example, the first commandment the Jews receive as a people is time-oriented (Rosh Chodesh) as is the first Mishnah (a discussion on the right time to say the Shema).

What do we know about the date of Shavuos? Only the year (2488) and the day of the week (Shabbos) when the Jews reach Sinai. What date was that? Ah, that’s the question! It was either in the “third month” of Sivan or “on the third new Moon” after leaving Egypt. Thus, depending

on which formula one chooses, the encounter at Sinai could have occurred on the sixth, twelfth, or fifteenth day in Sivan. We go with the sixth, in the diaspora the seventh, day of Sivan, however, it was not always so.

The various complexities in the Hebrew calendar explain why there is no mention of a “fixed” calendar anywhere in the Mishnah or Gemara and why such important Babylonian scholars, for example, R’ Abaye of the late third century, had to ask his colleagues what to do if Tisha b’Av falls on a Friday. We take it for granted today and forget that the job of the early rabbinic astronomers was far from simple. Today, because of their

predecessors’ incredible knowledge and persistence, no community rav is concerned about calculating “circuits” of seasons or lies awake at night worrying about where the sun is in relation to the equator.

Gone are the days of antiquity with calculating the passage of time.

Imagine: Two Roman soldiers are guarding the Temple.

One asks the other, “Do you have the time?” Sure he replies, “It’s XX past VII.” Here’s a trivia: What was the bestselling Jewish book in Jewish communities in pre-war Europe? The siddur? No. Chumash? No. Gemara? No. It was the Luach! Every Jew needed to

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Have you noticed? The Torah’s three designated titles of Shavuos – Chag Shavuos (The Festival of Weeks), Hag HaKatzir

from within. Therefore the connection to Sinai is not revealed in Shavuos’s name, leaving it up to the Jews, individually and communally, to find their own way to celebrate the yom tov and conclude that the gift of Torah is worth rejoicing over.

This conclusion is easier to reach because of the yom tov’s uniqueness. Consider: It is the only Jewish festival with no specific Torah-derived halach-

(The Harvest Festival), and Yom HaBikkurim (The Day of First Fruits) – were never explicitly connected to the giving of the Torah (Matan Torah). Why not?

Rabbi Yehuda Loewy of Prague (Maharal), the seminal thinker of the 16th century, states that although Jews are automatically obligated to embrace all Jewish festivals with simcha, such an emotion cannot be legislated or coerced. Rather, he explains patiently, they must come

ic rituals. It does not celebrate a part of Judaism or only a few particular mitzvos but rather the Torah as a whole. And so we read the exquisitely beautiful poem called Akdamus, penned in Aramaic by the eleventh-century German Rabbi Meir Nehorai, Rashi’s teacher, whose son was killed by the Crusaders. Akdamus defends the truths of Judaism to a hostile audience. It praises G-d who gave Israel the Torah, describes how the nations

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“The giving of the Torah happened at one specified time but the receiving of it happens at every time and in every generation.”

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were in business intended to go ahead and open their stores with or without their “blessing.” The rabbinate did not want to see the masses ignore a rabbinic ruling so they worded their psak by advising the community to “act according to their understanding.”

try to entice the Jews away, and ends with a lyrical account of the Messianic era and the mystical banquet of the mysterious sea monster Leviathan.

Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Alter, a 19th century Talmudic gaon (who changed his name from Rotenberg to avoid arrest by the Russians after he took the wrong side in the Polish–Russian War of 1830), and the first Rebbe of Ger, affectionately known as Reb Itche Meir, had an interesting insight into Shavuos.

Its date, he argued, cannot be precisely pinpointed because the very nature of the festival resists time. This is why Shavuos is referred to as Zman Matan Toraseinu, “the time of the giving of the Torah,” and not “the time of receiving.” With each giving comes a bit of receiving, Rav Alter continues, and that “the giving of the Torah happened at one specified time but the receiving of it happens at every time and in every generation.”

To the Rav, R’ J. B. Soloveitchik of YU, Shavuos was just a beginning of an unfolding and timeless “season of Torah knowledge.” Since this was a continuum, designed to link generations, it required no fixed time, no fixed laws, and no dated “receipt.” Rav Moshe would refrain from calling Shavuos a “Torah Day” for fear of giving the impression that Torah was special only on this day.

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, the brilliant Rav who saved German Jewry from total assimilation, went one step further: he saw an actual danger in creating a specific holiday dedicated to Mt. Sinai and the Torah, concerned that this would somehow “box in” G-d’s words to one specific time, in contradiction to the Torah’s own wish that it be with Jews at all times.

Shavuos is an annual reminder. Jews are to replicate the giving of the Torah from gener-

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know the times of the day and the days of the month.

When Rosh Chodesh was determined by the testimony of two independent witnesses each month, Shavuos fluctuated between the fifth and seventh of the month. Why? Because of the number of days in the months of Nissan and Iyar. Shavuos is thus the only festival whose date fluctuated year by year, anchored by halacha not to a specific calendar date but to a length of time, specifically, the 49 days of sefiras ha’omer which begins on the second night of Pesach.

Shavuos’s position, even as late as the final days of the Talmud, still lacked its own identity, being viewed simply as a “closure” (atzeres) to Pesach, in much the same manner that Shemini Atzeres “closes” the Sukkos yom tov. Once the calendar was fixed by R’ Hillel II in Judea and amended in Babylon by R’ Saadia Gaon in the ninth-century, any calendar doubt regarding the exactitude of Rosh Chodesh and the yom tovim went away forever. But new pressures emerged.

Some Diaspora communities felt the second day, yom tov sheni, the obligation to keep two days of Sukkos, Pesach, and Shavuos, was an unnecessary burden when the Jews of the Holy Land only kept one day.

Consider the unusual events of 1854 in the community of 2,500 Jews in Mantua, Italy, the birthplace of R’ Azariah dei Rossi, physician, scholar, and famous author (Me’or Enayim).

All the Jewish shopkeepers and merchants were angry they had to miss a second day of business when all knew when the right date of yom tov was. They brought the issue to a beis din. A total of 100 rabbis got involved.

They refused to change the calendar. But they had a problem.

The rabbinate knew the majority of the Jewish community who

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ation to generation “in the same manner that it was first given.”

So here’s the question: given to who?

The Shechina appeared not once but twice at Sinai. The first time was on “the whole mountain in sight of all the people,” replete with such dramatic and awe-inspiring imagery as trembling, thunder, lightning, and dense clouds. The second appearance is at the “top of the mountain;” this time everything is more subdued, all the fire-and-brimstone rhetoric is conspicuously absent. This is not for the entire nation of Israel but reserved for such individuals as Moses and his brother Aaron who are in no need of the fiery rhetoric.

To whom then was G-d speaking? At a time of no instant twitters or cable coverage, it’s unclear. Let’s see what the possibilities are. According to R’ Ibn Ezra from Tudela, Spain, the entire nation heard all Ten Commandments. But the Rambam claims that only Moses understood its contents; the Jewish people hearing, but not actually comprehending. Rashi argues that the Jews only heard the first two (“I am the L-rd” and “You shall have no other gods”) directly from the Source and the remaining eight from Moses. He bases this on the Torah’s switch from first-person singular to third person.

Meanwhile, the Ramban, who vigorously defended the Rambam from detractors who were burning his writings and is credited with preventing a serious rift amongst the scholars of his time, suggests a compromise: All ten of the Aseres Hadiberos were given by G-d, however only the first two were understood by the children of an Egyptian polytheistic culture, the other eight requiring further explanation by Moses.

After the fall of the Second

Temple, the Torah’s agricultural underpinnings, from joyful harvest pilgrimages to mandated laws of fruits and offerings, also collapsed. With Jews in golus and no longer active tillers of the soil of the Land of Israel, something had to fill the vacuum. The spiritual aspect of Shavuos was

ent at Sinai; that the Torah was given at daybreak while Jews slept, making it necessary for G-d Himself to awaken them; that the Heavens open at midnight, thus allowing prayers to go directly to G-d; and that, since Israel is compared to a groom and Torah to a bride,

“I explained it was pronounced Sssssh-vuos, the keep-quiet holiday.”

upgraded from an emphasis on agriculture to an emphasis on the giving of the Torah, a dazzling act that combined Torah and land, Sinai and harvest, G-d and nature. And yet...

There was still something lacking in Shavuos, something missing – epes felt, as my mother would say in Yiddish. It was not until the 16th century that this spiritual void was brilliantly filled by the kabbalists of Tsfas who cleverly weaved together four mystical tenets to create one new custom: a Tikkun Leil Shavuos, which literally means “repair of the night of Shavuos.”

What were the four tenets?

That Jews of all time were pres-

one must prepare the bride with sweet words in anticipation of the wedding day.

Tikun Leil Shavuos, a (non-obligatory) all-night Torah study, was a pragmatic activity aimed at helping Jews re-experience the Revelation on a recurring annual basis. But wait! Why should learning Torah be unique to this holiday alone, especially since v’higita bo yomam v’layla, the order to “study it day and night,” already applies?!

Today, the all-night learning is provincial: each shul has their own (loose) program. It was not always so. Originally there was a specific order to Tikun Leil Shavuos wherein each section of

the Tanach, as well as each of the six books of the Mishna, was begun and concluded before daybreak. By learning the beginning and end of each part of the Torah it was as if one had learned the Torah in its entirety, a reaffirmation of the Jews’ connection and devotion to G-d.

Surprisingly, even having Yizkor on Shavuos (let alone cheese blintzes) didn’t bring the masses. Nor did the fact that on Shavuos we can eat what, when, and where we want in contrast to Pesach when we can’t eat what we want, Sukkos when we can’t eat where we want, Rosh Hashana when we can’t eat when we want, and Yom Kippur when we can’t eat at all!

During my career, starting at a public school in Sydney through into the business community of Los Angeles, nonJews, and many secular Jews, were clueless when I told them “I’m off” for two days because of a Jewish holiday. At the University of New South Wales even Jewish professors doubted my claim it was a holiday. The official Department of Education calendar listed every Jewish holiday on which “teachers of the Jewish faith” were entitled to take a day off without any pay penalty – but Shavuos was not one of them.

I explained it was pronounced Sssssh-vuos, the keep-quiet holiday.

Joe Bobker, alumnus of Yeshivas HaRav Kook in Jerusalem, is the former publisher and editor-in-chief of the Los Angeles Jewish Times, author of the popular Torah With a Twist of Humor and the 18-volume “Historiography of Orthodox Jews and the Holocaust,” the first of which, “War Against the Rabbis: Hitler’s Assault Against Judaism,” will be published this year around Shavuos. Mr. Bobker can be reached at jbobker@ gmail.com.

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JUNE 9, 2016 | The Jewish Home

Your

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Money

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

Barry Good!

By Allan Rolnick, CPA

JUNE 9, 2016

H

“It’s income tax time again, Americans: time to gather up those receipts, get out those tax forms, sharpen up that pencil, and stab yourself in the aorta.”

“We’ll try to cooperate fully with the IRS, because, as citizens, we feel a strong

patriotic duty not to go to jail.”

“Big business never pays a nickel in taxes, according to Ralph Nader, who represents a big consumer organization that never pays a nickel in taxes.”

whose idea of a dynamite tax tip is that you should print neatly. If you ask them a real tax question, such as how you can cheat, they’re useless.”

“The question is: What can we, as citizens, do to

body has to contribute his or her fair share in the form of taxes. And when I say ‘everybody,’ I mean, ‘not everybody.’ Because the truth is that a lot of people don’t pay taxes. Poor people, for example. Also many rich people. Also a fair number

“We’ll try to cooperate fully with the IRS, because, as citizens, we feel a strong patriotic duty not to go to jail.”

“[American tax laws] are constantly changing as our elected representatives seek new ways to ensure that whatever tax advice we receive is incorrect.”

“The IRS spends G-d knows how much of your tax money on these tollfree information hotlines staffed by IRS employees,

reform our tax system?

As you know, under our three-branch system of government, the tax laws are created by: Satan. But he works through the Congress, so that’s where we must focus our efforts.”

“If our government is going to be able to provide for the common good, every-

of middle-income people.”

“Q. At 9 a.m. today, I made large cash contributions to both major political parties. As of 1:30 this afternoon, the federal government had still not enacted special tax-break legislation just for me. What kind of country is this?

A. Unfortunately, be-

cause of the high demand, the federal government can no longer provide “same-day service,” but if you do not see action by noon tomorrow, you should contact your personal congressperson; or, if you are staying in the Lincoln Bedroom, simply stomp on the floor.”

This week it seems especially appropriate to remind you that there’s nothing funny about overpaying your taxes, and there are no Pulitzer Prizes waiting for people who do it. The solution, of course, is a plan to pay less. So make sure you have a plan of your own and have a laugh at the expense of everyone else who doesn’t have one!

Allan J Rolnick is a CPA who has been in practice for over 30 yea rs in Queens, NY. He welcomes your comments and can be reached at 718-896-8715 or at allanjrcpa@aol.com.

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

umorist Dave Barry entertained millions of readers with his nationally syndicated column from 1983 to 2004. Along the way, he earned a Pulitzer Prize for commentary, inspired a television series (Dave’s World), and even, after mocking the cities of Grand Forks, South Dakota and East Grand Forks, Minnesota, earned the honor of having a sewage pumping station named after him.

Dave’s slowed down in recent years, but he always had a lot to say about taxes. So here are some of our favorite Dave Barry quotes for your quick enjoyment:

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Forgotten Her es

JUNE 9, 2016

The BUFF A Look at the B-52 Stratofortress Bomber

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

By Avi Heiligman

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

A

ir forces around the globe have various types of aircraft in their arsenal. These planes and other flying vehicles fall under many categories with fighter/attack and bomber aircraft being the most well-known. The lifespan of planes that hit full production can be between a couple of years and three or four decades. Two notable exceptions are the A-10 Warthog and the B-52 Stratofortress bomber. The B-52 is particularly notable because by the time they will be replaced in 2040, the planes will be 90 years old.

One advantage that the U.S. had over the German Air Force in WWII was their long range four engine bombers. The B-17 Flying Fortress, the B-24 Liberator and the B-29 Superfortress all played a key part in the air victory over the Axis powers. One mission of the B-29 which stood out was the use of the atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The long range bomber

was able to take off from bases over a thousand miles away and drop the bomb without refueling. This capability was one of the major characteristics in the new bomber requirements sent out to manufacturers in the months after WWII ended. It needed to have long range, a large payload (the amount of bombs or armament it could carry), decent speed and a large crew.

Boeing’s first attempt at the bomber was rejected because the plane would be too big. The six proposed engines were reduced to four, the speed increased to 400 MPH and the nuclear-only type was changed to an all purpose bomber.

The design went through several more changes, including jet engines instead of turboprops, before being awarded the contract and first being flown in 1952. Finally, in 1954, the first three B-52A bombers were delivered to the air force.

Over the next nine years, eight different models of the B-52 were

introduced and a total of 744 aircraft were built by Boeing. Production was done at both of their facilities in Seattle and Wichita.

Since there were many parts of the innovative plane, over 5,000 companies were involved as direct contractors or sub-contractors in the development and building of the Stratofortress. Currently the USAF employs 76 B-52H bombers in the Air Combat Command, the last of which rolled off the production line in 1962. The five person crewed plane weighs in at 185,000 pounds, has a current payload of 70,000 (maximum) pounds, an 185-foot wingspan, 50,000-foot ceiling and an unrefueled range of 8,800 miles.

The first few years of the B-52 were filled with many pitfalls and a few triumphs. Along with technical and engine issues, the plane was so heavy that it literally cracked up runways. Other issues included faulty computer systems and leaky fuel tanks. An alternator is-

sue caused the first crash in 1956.

Some in the air force were predicting that the Stratofortress would be out of service very quickly. Then in May 1956 a B-52 dropped a thermonuclear bomb over the Bikini Atoll in a test run. Long range missions, including the use of the new midair refueling system, and speed records quieted the doubters and the Stratofortress was there to stay.

Since it is one of the largest planes in the USAF, the B-52 has been used as a “mother ship” to launch other aircraft.

Escalating operations in Vietnam were the backdrop for the first combat missions of the B-52.

Striking Communists strongholds and other valuable targets deep into enemy territory struck fear in the North Vietnamese. Soon the payload for the B-52 was increased from 10,000 pounds to over 22,000 pounds so it could execute “carpet bombing” raids. The average mission lasted from 10 to 12 hours.

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that greatly enhanced the performance of its bombing runs all made their way into the revamped bomber. The older models B-52A until the B-52F models were gradually retired by 1983. “G” and “H” models were mainly on nuclear standby.

After the fall of the Soviet Union, all B-52G were retired in accordance with the reduction of arms treaty. Other bombers, such as the B-1, replaced the aging the B-52s but there was still a purpose for the remaining Stratofortresses.

There have been many inquiries and studies done by the air force to try to replace the B-52. However, the alternatives aren’t cheap and may take decades to produce.

The B-52 isn’t scheduled to be retired completely until at least 2040 which makes them older than any navy ship currently in commission (save for parade ships). Known as the BUFF (Big Ugly Fat Fellow), the B-52 Stratofortress has provided the U.S. with a long range, long lasting and a very large payload capacity more than any other plane in history.

Avi Heiligman is a weekly contributor to The Jewish Home. He welcomes your comments and suggestions for future columns and can be reached at aviheiligman@gmail.com.

JUNE 9, 2016

Operation Desert Storm in 1991 provided the backdrop for the next major conflict. In a record flight time of 35 hours of continuous flight, seven B-52s made the 35,000 mile round trip from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana to target over Iraq and back.

The trip was supported by tanker planes that required the bombers

to refuel several times. The result was the destruction of enemy bunkers, instillations and the lowering of morale among the Iraqi Republican Guard. Since then, the B-52 has bombed targets in Yugoslavia, Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition to its bombing role the Stratofortress also provided Combat Air Support (CAS) during Operation Enduring Freedom. The bombers were able to drop precision guided munitions on targets spotted for them by ground troops.

More recent missions of the B-52 have seen them “exercising” over disputes on islands in the South China Sea. Earlier this year, Superfortresses were sent to Korea to collect air samples after North Korea claimed they detonated a hydrogen bomb. Currently they took over the bombing missions from B-1 Lancers that had been pounding ISIS strongholds in Iraq.

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

In total, 31 B-52s were lost over Vietnam including 15 during the Linebacker raids. Despite being heavy and much slower than Soviet-built fighters, the Stratofortress was able to fight back. During the Linebacker raids in 1972, Staff Sergeant Samuel Turner was a tail gunner on a B-52 that had just finished its bombing run. A MiG-21 Fishbed approached and Turner trained his quad .50 caliber machine guns on the enemy and the MiG exploded.

He was awarded the Silver Star for his actions. At least one other MiG21 was shot down by a B-52 gunner over Vietnam making it the last airto-air kill with machine guns. The B-52 is also the largest aircraft in history to have air-to-air kills.

After the Vietnam War, the remaining B-52s received an upgrade. Night vision capabilities, GPS, improved viewing systems, weapons control and other units

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

Immediate Opening:

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OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

JUNE 9, 2016

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Moroccan Chicken Cholent Servings 12 This chicken cholent has less than half the calories of traditional cholent, and has so much more flavor it will be your new favorite.

Ingredients ◊ Cooking spray ◊ 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in 2-inch pieces ◊ 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets or 4 cups frozen florets ◊ 1 large onion, chopped ◊ 4 cloves garlic, chopped ◊ 2 pounds chicken legs ◊ 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt ◊ 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ◊ 1 cup raw brown rice ◊ ½ cup dried chickpeas ◊ 1 teaspoon paprika ◊ 1 teaspoon ground turmeric ◊ ½ teaspoon ground cumin ◊ ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper ◊ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ◊ ½ teaspoon ground allspice ◊ 4 large eggs in their shells, washed ◊ 1 quart chicken broth

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

Instructions 1. Grease a slow cooker insert with cooking spray.

2. Layer sweet potatoes, cauliflower, onions, garlic, and chicken.

3. Season salt and pepper.

4. Sprinkle in rice and gently shake the slow cooker so rice settles into all the crevices.

5. Add chickpeas and repeat the gentle shake.

6. Sprinkle with paprika, turmeric, cumin, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and allspice.

7. Gently nestle in eggs.

8. Pour in chicken broth; add water if necessary to just cover everything.

9. Cook on low for 12 to 20 hours.

10. Just before serving, remove and peel eggs.

11. Scoop cholent into individual bowls or serve family style in a large serving bowl.

12. Cut eggs into quarters and arrange on top of cholent or in a bowl alongside.

Nutritional Information / Per Serving 510 calories, 12g fat, 262mg cholesterol, 1218mg sodium, 56g carbohydrates, 8g fiber, 8g sugar, 44g protein Vegetarian: Swap extra ½ cup dried chickpeas for chicken.

Parsley Salad Servings 6 Parsley is rich in many vital vitamins, including vitamins A, B12, C, and K. This means parsley keeps your immune system strong.

Ingredients ◊ 8 cups chopped fresh parsley ◊ Zest and juice of 1 lemon ◊ 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil ◊ 2 teaspoons honey ◊ Kosher salt ◊ Freshly ground black pepper ◊ ¼ cup sunflower seeds

Instructions 1. Place parsley in a medium salad bowl.

2. Whisk together lemon zest and juice, oil, and honey.

3. Drizzle dressing over parsley, toss, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Top with seeds.

Nutritional Information / Per Serving 150 calories, 12g fat, 0mg cholesterol, 71mg sodium, 9g carbohydrates, 3g fiber, 3g sugar, 3g protein

Recipies from:

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Cooking King forthe

THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME

by Renee Rousso Chernin www.TheKosherChannel.com

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JUNE 9, 2016

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Gazpacho with Curry Cream • • •

French Onion Soup

Slow Cooker or Stovetop

makes 4-6 servings | must make ahead | active time: 15 minutes

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Curry Cream Ingredients: 1/4 cup (pareve or dairy) sour cream 1 tablespoon mayonnaise 2 teaspoons curry powder green onions, cilantro or parsley, chopped, optional

Preperation: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1. Place all soup ingredients in the work bowl of a food processor.

Pulse until well blended but not pureed. Remove to a 2 quart plastic container. Stir in up to 1 cup water until desired consistency is reached. Refrigerate several hours or overnight, if possible.

2. In a small bowl, stir together ingredients for Curry Cream sauce.

Set aside until ready to serve.

3. Serve cold, topped with a small dollop of Curry Cream and chopped green onions, cilantro or parsley, if desired.

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or lemon juice 12 ounces beer 8 toasted baguette or challah slices Mock Hollandaise Sauce: 3/4 cups mayonnaise 1/3 cup lemon juice ¼ cup water

Preperation: 1. Place in a large slow cooker or soup pot the onions, garlic, butter or margarine, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Stir and cover for 12 hours on low in the crock pot, or for 1 hour over low heat in the soup pot. Stir occasionally until the onions are very soft and dark golden brown.

2. Add broth and vinegar or lemon juice. Crockpot method: Cover and continue cooking on low for 5 hours and up to 10 hours until ready to serve. Longer cooking will intensify the flavors. Taste and season with more salt and pepper or add warm water if flavors need mellowing. Stovetop method: Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 20-40 minutes, uncovered.

3. Just before serving add beer and heat until warmed to serving temperature.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk together all Mock Hollandaise Sauce ingredients. Bring to room temperature before adding to soup.

5. Ladle soup into 8 bowls. Top with toasts and 2 tablespoons of the Mock Hollandaise sauce.

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

Soup Ingredients: 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes seasoned with garlic 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 tablespoon mayonnaise 1 tablespoon curry powder 1 teaspoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper dash liquid hot pepper sauce, optional 1 cup water

Soup Ingredients: 6 large yellow onions, peeled, quartered and thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine, melted 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 10 cups (pareve) beef broth

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Peeling tomatoes, chopping lots of veggies, getting the seasoning just right. Gazpacho, that cool, refreshing, low fat Spanish soup, can be such a potchke. Not this recipe~& here's the secret: This easy gazpacho recipe tastes even better using canned tomatoes than fresh. Really. Plus there is a health benefit in using cooked tomatoes as they have an even higher level of antioxidants than fresh!

Onion Soup with melted cheese is a favorite for Shavuos but his year, with the holiday arriving after Shabbos, it will a challenge to serve on Shavuos night. Not with this tip: Mock Hollandaise sauce blends easily into the soup to create that rich creamy goodness we adore. Plus it’s ideal to serve with either a meat or dairy meal.

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