Baltimore Jewish Home - 8-23-23

Introducing Binyan Yisroel and an Update on JEWELS within Bais Yaakov

By: BJLife Newsroom BaltimoreJewishLife.com/Jeff Cohn

BINYAN YISROEL AND BAIS YAAKOV

Our community is blessed with many organizations to help families in various ways. Children with Learning Disabilities present a unique dilemma for many families. Indeed, the child may seem typical in their social perceptiveness, emotional development, and maturity. Yet, the disability often only reveals itself once the child faces classroom performance tasks. In some instances, the path for remediation is immersion in a skill-based program to provide individualized instruction for the child.

Bais Yaakov has historically met the needs of many of these students within our excellent Learning Center support.

However, in some instances it has been necessary to recommend the family to a non-Jewish program for this type of intervention.

That was true until this year. Under the direction of Mrs. Alana Weinberg, Binyan Yisroel was created to work with students in our community who meet this profile, and to provide them with quality instructional models within a Torah school environment.

Bais Yaakov is proud to host the Binyan Yisroel Girls Division within our Upper Elementary program, in a dedicated classroom in our third-grade hallway. This will allow for the girls to interact and play with their fellow Bais Yaakov students during activity times throughout the day.

Bais Yaakov’s support of Binyan Yisroel reflects a commitment to help students with language-based disabili-

ties, their families, and our Baltimore community.

JEWELS AND BAIS YAAKOV

Once again, we are excited to welcome JEWELS students for the upcoming school year, who are integrating with our first grade. We extend a special note of appreciation to Rabbi Yisroel Fuchs, Mrs. Shuli Bamberger, Mrs. Malki Lehrfield, and Mrs. Shani Bizouati of JEWELS for making this a reality, as we build on previous successes and expand our school program to integrate Jewel’s students. This joint program between JEWELS and Bais Yaakov builds on the legacy of Rabbi Mendel D. Freedman zt”l who over the decades of his ground-breaking leadership, provided a Torah chinuch with individualized accommodations for so many girls to maximize

their potential. Our current partnership provides an environment for all girls to flourish with sensitivity to each student’s needs.

JEWELS students are integrated with a sister Bais Yaakov class for Kodesh and General Studies subjects and projects. They also have a dedicated classroom, where they can feel “athome”. The room is embedded in the Lower Elementary wing which is proximal to all the areas they will access during the course of their day. In addition, their participation in extra-curricular activities will enrich their lives and make them feel welcome as part of the Bais Yaakov family.

The JEWELS – Bais Yaakov partnership will help these young ladies progress emotionally, behaviorally and academically in the months and years to come.

JLIC: The Jewish Learning Initiative On Campus Welcomes Rabbi Moshe And Saara Moskowitz As JLIC Directors At Johns Hopkins University

By: BJLife Newsroom BaltimoreJewishLife.com/Jeff Cohn

We are excited to welcome Rabbi Moshe and Saara Moskowitz as JLIC Directors at Johns Hopkins University.

R’ Moshe and Saara come to JLIC at Johns Hopkins University from Providence, RI where they have each spent over a decade on campus at Brown University.

R’ Moshe grew up in New York and Montreal prior to attending the New England Rabbinical College in Providence, RI where he earned a degree in Rabbinics. He spent two years in Jerusalem where he learned under Rabbi Moshe Wolpin and subsequently taught at a yeshiva for American teens-at-risk before returning to Providence. R’ Moshe is a BBQ enthusiast,

coffee addict, and Pachad Yitzchak stan. In 2014, Forward Magazine recognized R’ Moshe as one of “America’s Most Inspiring Rabbis”.

Saara moved around a lot while growing up, and considers herself a “Midwestern Texan from Baltimore.”

During her undergraduate years, Saara attended colleges in Chicago, St. Louis, and Baltimore and where she studied Judaic Studies and Web & Graphic Design (it was an “up and coming” field back then!). Saara recently earned her M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration.

While the Moskowitz girls keep Saara a little too busy for hobbies, she does try to make time for her volunteer work educating caregivers about car seat safety in her role as a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician. She also enjoys reading and baking, and once went “viral” on TikTok with challah braiding tutorials.

“Longevity Literacy” in the Torah World

We are living in a time of increased average life expectancy. Advancements in healthcare, improved living conditions, better nutrition, and medical breakthroughs have all contributed to this increase.

According to recent statistics, a 65-year-old man in the United States will live on average close to another 20 years!

In the financial planning realm, there has been an observed trend of people of retirement age not having what is referred to as “longevity literacy”, i.e. not fully appreciating this longer life expectancy, and therefore not planning appropriately for it.

In the spiritual planning realm, it is no less important to possess “longevity literacy” with the conversation focused instead on how to spend all the extra time suddenly available. There are so many possibilities with which

to fill newfound hours – spending more time with the einiklach, travelling to see the wonders of Hashem’s world, taking some time to just relax.

Time to travel unhurriedly to Eretz Yisroel, visit mekomos hakedoshim.

Time to volunteer to do Chessed in so many areas! And… time to take learning Torah a step up from merely being “Koveah ittim”, time to set one’s sights and aspirations higher than ever.

20 years is a very substantial amount of time, one that can be used to accomplish great things in Limud HaTorah. Imagine using this time to learn properly through the entire Shas!

Over the last few years, Rabbi Moshe Yaakov Edelman has been leading a late-morning chaburah for people with flexible work schedules at Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah (Rabbi Eichenstein’s). Among the participants of the Chaburah are several men already in retirement, and the con-

versation about what sort of learning goals should be set for the retirement years has come up.

With the encouragement of these Baalei Batim, and with a glowing letter of recommendation from the Rosh Yeshiva of Ner Yisroel, Harav Aharon Feldman Shlit”a, Rabbi Edelman is preparing to start “Yeshivas Gevuras Ari” in the coming months. As the name implies, this will be a full-service Yeshiva type of program, including davening, meals, morning and afternoon Seder, a weekly Shmuz and more. But more importantly, the Yeshiva intends on setting out with an ambitious goal: To learn methodically through the entire Shas in approximately 8-9 years!

The Yeshiva is being called “Gevuras Ari” based on the Passuk in Tehillim “הנש םינומש תורובגב םאו”. The advanced age of life is referred to as a period of “Gevurah”, as the Tiferes

Yisroel in Maseches Avos explains –At this stage one’s Kochos HaNefesh are stronger than one’s physical desires, and it is therefore easier to learn Torah and fulfill the Mitzvos. And of course, the reference to the Gevurah of a lion is based on the well-known opening Halacha in Shulchan Aruch –“וארוב תדובעל רקובב דומעל יראכ רבגתי”. Mustering up such Gevurah sets the tone for all our Avodas Hashem.

To learn more about this golden opportunity (even if you can only attend 1 Seder), please contact Rabbi Moshe Yaakov Edelman at 443-651-3088 or at gevuras-ari@mercaz.center

May we all merit to accomplish great things in our learning during our short hiatus in this world, and when our time comes and we arrive at the next world we will be greeted with:

!ודיב ודומלתו ןאכל אבש ימ ירשא

Thank You to Our Event Sponsors

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Around the Community

A Year of Hope & Happiness: Chai Lifeline Mid-Atlantic Region Annual Recap

As we reflect on a remarkable year of programs offered in the Chai Lifeline Mid-Atlantic region, we look back with gratitude for 150 active volunteers and the support from our donors and sponsors that helped make these meaningful services possible. We have once again provided a ray of hope and joy to over 130 families in the Mid-Atlantic region. Let’s take a journey through some highlights of this past year:

The newly minted Confetti Crew was a resounding success, bringing birthday parties to sick children, whether at home or in the hospital. This special program was sponsored by the Lyn Stacie Getz Foundation and enveloped children with feelings of love and security. Monthly sibling parties for the client’s siblings in their birthday month featured plenty of cake, presents, and fun activities.

Lazy Sunday, generously sponsored by the Boehm Family and Seven Mile Market, gave children an opportunity to explore various activities and enjoy breakfast with friends while parents were given a chance to experience a quiet and rejuvenating Sunday morning.

Camp Simcha Without Borders provides our kids and their siblings an opportunity to enjoy the fun of Camp Simcha in their own hometown. This camp experience in our region invited 38 girl campers and 26 boy campers to soak up the magic with exciting camp activities and daily entertainment. Both sessions were graciously hosted by David and Rachel Warschawski. One family shared, “the hardest part of the last few weeks has been watching our son’s sparkle and energy nosedive along with his physical deterioration. When I picked him up from Camp Simcha Without Borders on the first day, he jumped into the car with a glowing smile and said, “I feel alive again.”

Volunteers helped with hours of hospital-based respite, transportation & food and in-home respite shifts. They completed a variety of errands with a smile – for Shabbos, school supplies and uniforms and so much else. One mother reflected: “It is amazing that you offer so many great

activities and services for the families. All of these programs and services are tremendously helpful and make a huge difference in our lives.”

Weekly Big Brother and Big Sister outings gave siblings special one-onone time and attention as they undergo a difficult medical journey in the family. Our dedicated volunteers are carefully matched up with siblings and plan activities and outings to build warm memories and trusting relationships.

Our special holiday programs bring huge smiles to Chai Lifeline children and their families. Families had a great time at Hershey Park over Succos, 30 children attended Thanksgiving Day Camp, 250 people enjoyed a Chanukah carnival, many community members participated in the Chanukah Stars gift-giving program, and the boys had a blast with Chanukah donut wars! Purim featured a Joey Newcomb concert for over 350 people, along with Mishloach Manos for all families. Pesach programming was packed with ice-skating and dinner, car cleaning services for families, and Pesach care packages. One family shared, “We really loved the beautiful and thoughtful holiday item! We could tell there was so much thought in putting it together and including all the members of the family. Mostly we appreciate the ‘hug’ during this challenging time.”

Other special programs include events for parents to create a safe space for sharing experiences, fears, and triumphs with others facing similar challenges. The mothers especially enjoyed events featuring floral arranging and candle-making activities. Our children had a fantastic time on trips throughout the year, including: Ravens training camp, 70 children visiting a water park, a BBQ with water fun at Beth Tfiloh, Silent Disco with BG3, and our (not just) Bounce Community Event, with close to 1500 people in attendance, among others. We are grateful to have resources to have helped the community with 16 Crisis Team interventions this past year.

Each program, each outing, each moment of joy, bears the indelible mark of our incredible team of vol-

unteers. Looking ahead, we remain committed to expanding our reach, innovating our programs, and continuing to be a beacon of light for these incredible families. Here’s to another year of making a difference and changing lives!

Chai Lifeline Mid-Atlantic programs and services are only possible withthe generous support of our dedicated sponsors. We extend our sincerest gratitude to:

Lyn Stacie Getz Foundation

Boehm Family and Seven Mile Market

Jerome G. and Annette S. Zimmerman Foundation

Big AL – the Law Office of Richard Klein

Blue Ocean

DC Dental

EA Door Supply

BMDG Management

...And with thanks to our many generous private sponsors! Thank you for being a vital part of this journey.

David and Barbara B. Hirschhorn Foundation

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Dougie’s wins “Clothier Trophy” and Championship title of 2023 “JCNSL by Tripping Kosher Season

On Sunday evening, August 20th, the exciting JCNSL post-season took place on the “Web Interactive Technologies” fields in Reisterstown, MD. The top four teams from the regular season (Dougie’s, Pricebusters, Alcove Closets, and Donny Anrki Architects) arrived early and ready to play, decked out in their dapper uniforms, sponsored by “Stutman Chiropractic.”

Though weather had been a concern all season, the fields were in tip-top shape thanks to the “Eco-Pro Solutions” Ground Crew efforts. And with the JCNSL title on the line, the league selected some of the finest umpires from the “I Heart Remodeling” Umpiring crew (Mike S and Ron A) to officiate the games.

When the dust had settled at the end of the evening and all the “Maryland Team” sports equipment had been collected and put away, Dougie’s was left holding the trophy, thanks to their commanding 11-4 Championship win over Alcove Closets. Read on for details from the individual games:

Playoffs Game: Seed 1 vs Seed 4

Dougie’s (1) 13

Donny Ankri Architects (4) 11

For the first few innings of the game, it looked like a real upset was in store. Led by JCNSL All-Star’s Yehuda Abedon and Avi Friedman, the Donny Anrki Architects team came out slugging with 5 runs in the 1st followed by 4 in the 2nd.

With DAA taking a 9-0 lead in the

bottom of the 3rd, Dougie’s regrouped and broke through, scoring 4 runs on 6 walks. An additional 7 walks tied the game at 10 going into the 5th inning. Patience and unselfish play was a theme this season for Dougie’s and that attitude paid dividends in this game.

But it wasn’t over yet. With more hits by Friedman and Abedon, the Architects took an 11-10 lead in the top of the 6th. However, that lead only lasted for a half an inning as Dougie’s finally started hitting in the bottom of the 6th (with strong production by the Bendet Father-Son duo, Naftali Horowitz, Jeremy Kramer, and Ezra Bregin.) Thanks to that strong 6th, Dougie’s pulled ahead for good to finish the game with a 13-11, claiming a spot in the JCNSL Championship.

Playoffs Game: Seed 2 vs Seed 3

Alcove Closets (3) 6

Pricebusters (2) 4

Alcove Closets used timely hitting and slick defense to defeat Pricebusters and move on to the league championship, with an impressive 6-4 win.

The Closet’s lead off hitter, Avraham Abba Freedman led the charge with 4 hits and 2 runs scored along with his usual excellent defense, and Alcove Closets capitalized on multiple base-running errors by Pricebusters to throw out runners and hold on to their lead.

AC’s Moishy Stal added 2 hits, including a 2 run double, and pitcher Eli

Solomon overcame some command issues to power through the mighty Pricebusters lineup in the victory. Avrumi Gartenhaus and Binyamin Guttman, both newly married, each added a pair of hits as well.

Championship Game

Dougie’s (1) 11

Alcove Closets (3) 4

Rebounding from their somewhat less than impressive outing in the Playoffs, Dougie’s played dominant softball from the very first inning, showing the kind of talent and teamwork that enabled them to claim the best regular season record.

In the bottom of the 1st, Dougie’s took an early 2-0 lead with walks to Walt Johnson and Jeremy Kramer followed by RBI singles, by Mully and Motti Bendet. In the 2nd, Dougie’s took a commanding 8-0 lead highlighted by a Jeromy Bittan bases clearing triple.

In the following inning, Dougie’s starts thinking about insurance runs and tacked on one of the same with a leadoff single from Motti Bendet who scored on a sac fly by Dr. Ari Elman.

In the 5th, a leadoff walk to Ezra Bregin followed by RBI singles from Jeromy Bittan and Jeremy Kramer, enabled Dougie’s to extend the lead to 11-1.

While Alcove Closet’s came alive in the top of the 7th with some impressive hitting to score 3 runs, it was too little too late. Dougie’s closed it out to take the 11-4 win and the second consecutive JCNSL Ttophy for Captain Motti Bendet.

SAM & MICHELLE ROSENBLATT invite the entire community to a

Torah DEDICATION

in loving memory of Dr. Sandra Rosenblatt ל”ז

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2023

9:30 AM

Final Letter Writing of Torah

The Inn at The Colonnade 4 W. University Parkway

10:30 AM

Torah Procession to Chabad House at Johns Hopkins Building Dedication & Naming

Followed by elegant brunch

This event is free of charge. RSVP is encouraged. For Torah dedications and reservations, please visit ChabadHopkins.org/Torah

fun in a frum environment, have deep and growth-oriented learning and leadership opportunities, and develop relationships with madrichot. Essentially it’s about

ed off small, and our first event was Rabbi Engelsberg speaking at a shalosh seudos. Over 200 girls attended, and that’s when we realized the demand for our organi-

cellence and maintaining realistic expectations to avoid disappointment.

BJH: That’s indeed a balanced perspective. As we wrap up, how can others get involved with BG Cubed? Any plans for

JS: We’re always looking for high school leaders and ambassadors who can help shape our programs. For post-seminary girls, being a role model can make a huge impact. Parents can support us by providing opportunities for leadership or contributing in various ways to help our programs thrive. For post seminary girls we offer the opportunity to apply to become a madricha to become a role model for our girls and have a huge impact. We are currently working on a course that will give girls an opportunity to earn a Leadership

Don’t miss our upcoming events: BG Cubed Challah Bake on September 5th and Mrs. Jackie Bitton for the girls/women of the community on September 12th. If you would like to learn more, www.bg. We are so excited for a year of fun, growth, new leadership opportunities and meaningful relationships. We hope you are as excited as we are!

The Week In News

set to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Sierra Leone To Open Jerusalem Embassy

Both Israelis and Palestinians claim Jerusalem as their capital. However, most countries have not chosen a side and have thus established an Israeli embassy in or near Tel Aviv. In 2017, then-President Donald Trump moved the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, a powerful statement to Israel and the world.

Israelis Land in Saudi Arabia

On Friday, Sierra Leone, a West African country, announced plans to open its embassy in Jerusalem, making the country the sixth to make this decision.

The announcement by President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone was made after he and Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen had a conversation on the matter.

“They discussed the warm relations between both countries that date back to 1961 when Sierra Leone gained independence. As part of efforts to strengthen the relationship between the two nations, His Excellency President Bio expressed his government’s readiness to establish an Embassy of Sierra Leone in Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Israel,” said Bio’s statement.

“I was pleased to hear from the president of Sierra Leone of his intentions to open an embassy in Jerusalem,” Cohen said, praising the decision.

“We continue to put Jerusalem, our eternal capital, at the head of the diplomatic program of the State of Israel,” Cohen continued, adding that in September a state from the Asia Pacific region, which he did not name, would similarly open up an embassy in Jerusalem.

As of now, the only countries to have embassies in Jerusalem are the United States, Kosovo, Honduras, and Guatemala. Additionally, Paraguay is

It what was a surprise landing for both Israel and Saudi Arabia, a plane carrying Israelis back to the Jewish State from the island nation of Seychelles made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Monday. On Tuesday, the passengers were flown to Tel Aviv. The unplanned detour was praised by Israel as a sign of goodwill, as the two nations work towards formalizing relations.

There were 128 passengers onboard the plane that had experienced an electrical malfunction. Israel’s Foreign Ministry said the passengers spent the night at an airport hotel in Jeddah and were flown back by the airline on an alternate plane.

Passengers described a frightening stretch of time as an acrid burnt smell filled the cabin and the pilot came over the intercom to say the plane would be forced to make an emergency stop in Saudi Arabia, a kingdom with which Israel has no air links or diplomatic ties.

Passengers onboard reported feeling scared and uncertain, as the plane languished on the tarmac. Eventually, Saudi security forces escorted the Israelis to a hotel.

The passengers told The Associated Press their experience in Jeddah was pleasant, with some Saudis even

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The Week In News

greeting them in Hebrew.

Israel and Saudi Arabia do not have official ties, although they have developed strong but informal connections over recent years over their shared concerns about Iran’s growing influence in the region. Since Israel and four Arab states signed normalization deals in 2020 under the former Trump administration, the current U.S. administration says that it has been working to strike a similar agreement with Saudi Arabia.

“I greatly appreciate the warm attitude of the Saudi authorities to the Israeli passengers whose flight was in distress,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video recorded in Hebrew with Arabic subtitles, as he gestured toward a map of the region behind him. “I greatly appreciate the good neighborliness.”

Libya FM Axed After Meeting with Israeli FM

After a controversial encounter with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, Najla Mongoush, the foreign minister of Libya, was suspended from her position by the North African country’s prime minister, Abdul Hamid al-Dbeibeh, and has since escaped to Turkey.

According to Cohen, the two had a “historic” meeting, which could serve as a “first step” in building ties between Israel and Libya.

“What happened in Rome was an unofficial and unprepared casual meeting, during a meeting with the Italian foreign minister, and it did not include any discussions, agreements or consultations,” asserted the Libyan Foreign Ministry. “Rather, the minister affirmed Libya’s constants on the Palestinian issue in a clear and unambiguous manner.”

The ministry went further in rejecting the notion of progress in Israel and Libya’s relations, adding that Libya “categorically denies the reported exploitation by the Hebrew and international press and their attempt to confer upon the incident the character of meetings, talks, or even arranging or just considering holding such meetings” and that it is still against “normalization with the Zionist entity” and is committed to supporting the “national constants on the issues of the Arab and Islamic nations, foremost of which is the Palestinian cause.”

Following news of what may or may not have been a meeting between the two countries’ foreign ministers, many citizens of Libya felt outraged and thus held protests against Mangoush while burning Israeli flags.

Libya does not have diplomatic relations with Israel, and normalization of ties remains a controversial issue in the country.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a directive requiring all secret diplomatic gatherings to be approved by his office. The premier also demanded that the publicizing of any covert diplomatic meetings must first be given a green light by the Prime Minister’s Office.

Israel’s High Cost of Living

“I spoke with the foreign minister about the great potential for our countries with such ties, as well as the importance of preserving the heritage of Libyan Jewry, including renovating synagogues and Jewish cemeteries in the country,” Cohen added.

However, in a somewhat confusing turn of events, it seems that Libya’s Foreign Ministry saw the interaction in a vastly different way.

cording to data published on Sunday.

In Israel, prices were 38 percent higher than the average in OECD member countries, according to the comparative index, which analyzes differences in the general price levels of countries as measured by consumer price indices and ratios of purchasing power parities to market exchange rates. Switzerland came in second place, followed by Iceland. The United States came in fourth place.

A lot of Israel’s economy is centered around a few sectors, such as the food and household goods sectors.

From 2015 to 2020, the market share of the 10 largest suppliers in the food industry and in the field of consumer products was about 54% on average, and the supplier with the largest market share in 2020 held about 12% of the total food market, according to a State Comptroller report. The prices of some basic consumer goods, including milk, bread, and cheese, are between 50% to 70% more expensive in Israel as compaired to average price levels in OECD member countries.

In recent months, the right-wing government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been harshly criticized for neglecting to address rising prices while focusing on its contentious judicial overhaul plans. In response, the government in June announced the formation of a ministerial committee to tackle the high cost of living.

Israelis are struggling to make ends meet with rising costs of living. According to a survey published by the Israel Democracy Institute earlier this year, two-thirds of respondents think food prices are the most significant factor in the increasing costs of living, and around half blame housing costs, and 29% indirect taxation.

of respondents said that President Joe Biden would be too old to be effective if re-elected president next year. But people aren’t just done with Biden. Many of them also saw Biden’s likely challenger, former President Donald Trump, as “corrupt” and “dishonest.”

Seventy-seven percent of Americans – 89% of Republicans and 69% of Democrats – thought age would be a problem if Biden won the White House again. Significantly fewer said Trump’s age – he’s 77 years old now – would be a problem: 51%, with only 29% of Republicans concerned.

Trump had skipped the Republican debate last week, and his ratings dipped slightly after. Emerson College Polling showed Trump at 50% support, a six-point drop from a predebate poll. Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor widely held not to have performed strongly in Milwaukee, was second with a two-point bump to 12%.

The investor Vivek Ramaswamy, who barged into the spotlight with an angry debate display, dropped one point to 9%. Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador who confronted Ramaswamy, climbed five to 7%.

Although Trump faces criminal charges, with his trial set for March 4 in the federal elections case, those allegations do not seem to have dented his popularity with Republicans.

Biden won a U.S. Senate seat in 1972, ran for president in 1988 and 2008, and is already the oldest president ever elected. If re-elected, he would be 86 by the end of his second term.

Haley has repeatedly said Biden will probably die in office, warning voters of the dangers of Kamala Harris, the vice president, rising to power herself.

The AP/Norc poll said, “When asked about the first word that comes to mind when they think of each candidate, 26% of all adults cited Biden’s age and 15% mentioned words associated with being slow and confused, while only 1% and 3% did so for Trump.”

According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Israel ranked first place in a list of developed countries with the highest cost of living in 2022, ac-

Biden’s Age, Trump’s Charges

In a recent poll released from Associated Press and Norc Center for Public Affairs, more than three-quarters

The survey noted, “For Trump, nearly a quarter mentioned words associated with corruption, crime, lying, or untrustworthiness, while only 8% mentioned those traits for Biden.”

Two-thirds of respondents supported age limits for presidents, members of Congress, and Supreme Court justices.

The Week In News

ulent actors.”

PandemicRelated Fraud

For more than two years, Leon Haynes, a New Jersey tax preparer, told some of his clients that the federal government was giving out “free money” in the form of pandemic relief to people who owned businesses. According to federal prosecutors, Haynes filed more than 1,000 false tax forms, fraudulently claiming more than $124 million in COVID-19 employment tax credits for businesses that he and others owned.

Haynes was arrested at the end of July.

The Justice Department does not have a specific goal for the amount of money it is trying to recoup, but prosecutors and investigators are working to “claw back as much of that money as possible,” said Michael Galdo, the department’s acting director of COVID-19 fraud enforcement.

The cases highlighted by the Justice Department revealed the scope of fraud that occurred at a moment when the federal government, in an attempt to keep the economy afloat, rushed to get money out the door quickly and with little oversight. A flood of criminals exploited many of those programs, taking advantage of what they saw as easy money. The Justice Department listed a range of fraud schemes, including defendants who were accused of using the money to solicit a murder and individuals who laundered funds by shipping cars to Nigeria. (© The New York Times)

10 Meds Under Medicare Pricing

The complaint is one of several COVID-19 fraud cases detailed last week by the Justice Department, which has been cracking down on businesses and individuals who inappropriately pocketed federal relief aid.

As of last week, the federal government has charged 3,195 defendants for offenses related to pandemic fraud and seized more than $1.4 billion in relief funds, according to data released by the department.

That included the results of a threemonth “sweep” to combat COVID-19 fraud, which ended in July and involved more than 50 U.S. attorneys offices and dozens of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.

The sweep resulted in criminal charges against 371 defendants, with 119 convicted or pleading guilty. The Justice Department claimed 63 defendants had connections to violent crime and 25 had purported connections to transnational crime networks.

The exact amount stolen is unknown, but the Small Business Administration’s inspector general estimated that more than $200 billion — or at least 17% of the roughly $1.2 trillion in pandemic loans the agency doled out — was disbursed to “potentially fraud-

This week, the Biden administration unveiled the first 10 prescription drugs that will be subject to price negotiations between manufacturers and Medicare, kicking off a controversial process that aims to make costly medications more affordable for older Americans.

President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which passed in a party-line vote last year, gave Medicare the power to directly hash out drug prices with manufacturers for the first time in the federal program’s nearly 60-year history. The agreed-upon prices for the first round of drugs are scheduled to go into effect in 2026.

Among those drugs are Eliquis and Xarelto, which are used to prevent blood clotting and reduce the risk of

stroke; Jardiance and Januvia, which are used to lower blood sugar for those suffering from Type 2 diabetes; and Stelara, which is used to treat Crohn’s disease.

Although some Democrats have pushed for this change, those in the pharmaceutical industry view the process as a threat to its revenue growth, profits and drug innovation. Drugmakers such as Merck and Johnson & Johnson and their supporters aim to derail the negotiations, filing at least eight lawsuits in recent months seeking to declare the policy unconstitutional.

The drugs listed Tuesday are among the top 50 with the highest spending for Medicare Part D, which covers prescription medications that seniors fill at retail pharmacies. The 10 medicines accounted for $50.5 billion, or about 20%, of total Part D prescription drug costs from June 1, 2022, to May 31, 2023, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS.

The drugs have been on the market for at least seven years without generic competitors, or 11 years in the case of biological products such as vaccines.

Medicare covers roughly 66 million people in the U.S., and 50.5 million patients are currently enrolled in Part D plans.

Now, drugmakers have to sign agreements to join negotiations by October 1. CMS will then make an initial price offer to manufacturers in February 2024, and those companies have a month to accept or make a counteroffer.

The negotiations will end in August 2024, with agreed-upon prices published on September 1, 2024. The reduced prices won’t go into effect until January 2026.

If a drugmaker declines to negotiate, it must either pay an excise tax of up to 95% of its medication’s U.S. sales or pull all of its products from the Medicare and Medicaid markets.

The pharmaceutical industry contends that the penalty can be as high as 1,900% of a drug’s daily revenues.

After the initial round of talks, CMS can negotiate prices for another 15 drugs for 2027 and an additional 15 in 2028. The number rises to 20 negotiated medications a year starting in 2029 and beyond.

Simone Biles Makes History

This weekend, Simone Biles became the most decorated gymnast in U.S. history, winning 32 medals across the Olympics and the world championships. On Sunday, the athlete won a record eighth national all-around title with a strong performance at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships in San Jose, California.

The 26-year-old Biles also became the oldest woman to ever win the championships when she finished 3.9 points ahead of Shilese Jones, the all-around silver medalist at the 2022 U.S .and world championships.

The eighth title for Biles breaks the record she shared with Alfred Jochim, who won his seventh allaround gold medal 90 years ago in 1933.

“I think it feels really special,” she told NBC, which broadcast the championships. “I’ve been doing it for so long. I feel like I don’t think about numbers, I think about my performance. And I think, overall, I hit eight for eight (routines). … I guess it’s a lucky number this year.”

For now, Biles is keeping mum on whether she will be competing in the Olympics next year.

“I like to keep (my goals) personal just so that I know what I am aiming for,” she told NBC. “I’m trying to move a little bit differently this year than I have in the past. So I think it’s working so far, so I’m gonna keep it a little bit secretive.”

Biles continues her return to competitive gymnastics after a twoyear hiatus following the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, when she pulled out of several events suffering from what is known as the “twisties” – a mental block causing a gymnast to lose track of their positions in midair.

Throughout the competi -

tion, Biles effortlessly and powerfully completed elements of her routines no other female gymnast has ever landed in competition.

With Sunday’s win, Biles earned a place in the world championships, which are scheduled to start September 30 in Antwerp, Belgium.

American Airlines Fined $4M for Delays

American Airlines operates around 7.7 million flights a year.

On Monday, the Department of Transportation said it has fined American Airlines $4.1 million for keeping thousands of passengers onboard planes on airport tarmacs for hours at a time.

American agreed to pay $2.05 million and received an equal sum in credit against the fine for compensation already paid to passengers, according to a document outlining the deal. The penalty is the largest of its kind ever imposed.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the fine was part of the department’s push to uphold the rights of airline passengers.

“Whether the issue is extreme tarmac delays or problems getting refunds, DOT will continue to protect consumers and hold airlines accountable,” he said in a statement.

Federal rules strictly regulate tarmac delays, generally requiring airlines to let passengers disembark once a plane has been sitting at an airport for three hours, in the case of a domestic flight, and four hours for international flights.

The Transportation Department said it identified 43 flights from 2018 to 2021 in which American broke the rule, affecting 5,821 passengers. Most problems occurred at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, one of American’s hubs, and were connected to bad weather.

A

Tragic Search in Maui

The FBI has created a list of those still missing in the ruins of Maui, where wildfires brought death and destruction in the month of August. The list, which is not complete at this time, includes 388 names and was released to the public in order to aid with the search.

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said in a Facebook post that the FBI’s mission is “to unduplicate people that have been reported missing,” so that the authorities know who to really search for and who has already been found. In fact, as of Friday, August 25, the authorities have heard from “at least 100 people that have notified us that a certain person shouldn’t be on the list,” added Steven Merril, the FBI special agent assigned to Hawaii.

“We’re releasing this list of names today because we know that it will help with the investigation,” said Police Chief John Pelletier. “We also know that once those names come out, it can and will cause pain for folks whose loved ones are listed. This is not an easy thing to do, but we want to make sure that we are doing everything we can to make this investigation as complete and thorough as possible.”

The list will be updated weekly, added Pelletier.

As of now, the authorities have reported 115 deaths, although the number will likely rise as the search for survivors continues. According to Maui County officials last Tuesday, all the single-story homes in the affected areas have been searched. Currently, the search teams and cadaver dogs are searching through multi-story homes and commercial areas in hopes of finding more survivors or at least bringing victims’ bodies to a final, honorable

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resting place.

Additionally, the FBI is searching through victims’ cell phone data in order to geolocate where the phones (and by extension, the ones missing) last were before their disappearance, in hopes of using that information to locate where they are now.

While the causes of the fires are not yet known, Maui County has sued Hawaiian Electric (HECO), an electric utility company which provides electricity for 95% of the state, for being what county officials claim is the direct cause of the wildfires. When the National Weather Service issued a High Wind Watch, the company allegedly “inexcusably kept their power lines energized” although the authorities warned that such powerful winds could blow down power lines which would then start a fire. Additionally, the wildfires are said to have started near an electrical substation “where authorities reported a downed power line early on August 8, 2023,” said the county’s complaint. Thus, Maui County is suing HECO for what will likely be tens or hundreds of millions of dollars.

However, the physical evidence, which includes fallen power poles and lines, has been moved around or even removed in order to help officials fight the fires and make the area habitable again. The absence of preserved evidence from the scene of the fire, notes Hawaiian Electric, makes it “possible, even likely” that evidence relating “to the cause of the fire” may be gone forever.

Mosquito Diseases in the U.S.

Several cases of rare mosquito and tick-transmitted diseases have been appearing throughout the country this summer, one of the rarest of which is eastern equine encephalitis, commonly abbreviated as EEE, which is a mosquito-borne illness with a 30% fatality rate.

In Alabama, two people caught EEE last week, one of whom has died from the disease. Aside for those two cases, no one else has caught the disease this year thus far. However, last week, mosquitoes in Vermont, New

York, and Michigan were found to be carrying the illness. While for the past decade the U.S. has experienced an average of eight EEE cases a year, in 2022, only one person was infected with the disease, while in 2019, thirty-eight tested positive, nine of whom died as a result of the illness. EEE causes inflammation of the brain, which can lead to neurological problems and death.

which took place at the Fulton County jail, a prison where conditions are extremely poor, included the first mugshot ever taken of a former U.S. president.

Trump looked straight at the camera, his eyebrows furrowed and his head slightly tilted down; the former president wore a scowl on his face. This mugshot has since become an iconic, historic image in the eyes of Trump fans and haters alike.

During the twenty-minute-long booking, Donald Trump submitted physical measurements which had him at 6 feet 3 inches, 215 pounds, with strawberry or blonde hair.

election results in Georgia, the former commander-in-chief faces three other indictments, which include the federal documents case in Florida, a hush money case in New York, and a January 6th-related case in Washington, D.C.

San Fran Crime Closes Stores

Another disease which has been popping up lately is the Powassan virus, an illness carried by ticks with a 10% fatality rate. Last week, four citizens of Connecticut caught the virus, which makes these cases the first Powassan virus incidents of the year for the state. In mid-July, an elderly woman from Rhode Island died from the illness, and in May, the virus killed a resident of Maine. There are on average around thirty cases of the Powassan virus in the U.S. each year.

Additionally, the U.S. has seen a few rare cases of malaria this summer. When malaria is transmitted in the U.S., it generally comes from someone who got the disease from a different country. What is especially noteworthy is that this summer the U.S. has seen its first cases of locally transmitted malaria in two decades. Seven cases are from Florida, one from Maryland, and another from Texas.

Dengue fever and West Nile virus have also been appearing throughout the United States, with the number of cases this year of the former being 642, while the latter has infected around 247 people thus far.

Trump Has Mugshot Taken

On Thursday, former U.S. President Donald J. Trump was booked in Atlanta, Georgia, on charges regarding his alleged attempts to challenge the 2020 election results. The booking,

Along with the former president, eighteen others were charged in connection with Trump’s actions during the 2020 election, including former New York City Mayor Rudy Guiliani and Trump’s former chief of staff Mark Meadows, both of whom the authorities similarly took mugshots of.

The former president was set free on a $200,000 bond, at which point he traveled back to his home in New Jersey. After the booking, Trump once again claimed that he “did nothing wrong” and that the charges against him are a “travesty of justice.”

“If you challenge an election, you should be able to challenge an election,” the 45th president asserted.

Prior to his booking, Donald Trump replaced Drew Findling, his criminal defense attorney for the Georgia case, with Steve Sadow, a well-known lawyer who has represented other celebrities in the past.

“The president should never have been indicted. He is innocent of all the charges brought against him,” said Sadow. “We look forward to the case being dismissed or, if necessary, an unbiased, open-minded jury finding the president not guilty.”

On Sunday, Nordstrom closed the doors of its five-story department store in San Francisco, 35 years after the iconic store opened its door in the city. The closure is indicative of a suffering retail sector as crime soars and foot traffic diminishes in the Californian city.

The retailer announced the closure in May, saying that the “dynamics of the downtown San Francisco market have changed dramatically over the past several years, impacting customer foot traffic to our stores and our ability to operate successfully.”

Shoppers said that it was a “sad day” and that the 312,000-squarefoot Nordstrom was an “anchor in San Francisco.” The once-vibrant store was filled with empty displays, sealed-off areas, and customers taking a ride on its memorable spiral escalator one last time.

Nordstrom Rack, which had been open close to the Nordstrom store, had closed last month.

After Nordstrom announced it was closing, shopping mall operator Westfield said it would give up control of its San Francisco mall, citing “challenging operating conditions in downtown San Francisco, which have led to declines in sales, occupancy and foot traffic.”

Aside for the Georgia election indictment, which accuses Trump of illegally trying to overturn the 2020

Once a bustling retail center in the heart of the city, the San Francisco Centre has taken a significant hit in the past few years. Total sales have fallen from $455 million in

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2019 to $298 million in 2022, and foot traffic has plunged from 9.7 million visits in 2019 to 5.6 million in 2022, according to Westfield.

Since the pandemic, when many people began to work at home, the retail sector in San Francisco has never fully recovered. Three years after the pandemic, office vacancies in San Francisco have reached a 30year high.

Well-known chain stores like Whole Foods, Anthropologie, Office Depot and CB2 have also ceased operations in the city’s downtown since the start of the pandemic. In total, more than 39 retail stores have shuttered in San Francisco’s Union Square area since 2020.

Joe the Plumber Dies

tive impact on small businesses. He quickly became synonymous with the quintessential “everyman,” which the Republican Party latched onto in their presidential campaign at the time.

While Obama was meeting with people during a campaign appearance in Ohio, Wurzelbacher asked whether Obama’s plan would force him to pay more in taxes after he purchases a company that made between $250,000 to $280,000 annually. Obama responded that his plan would actually offer Wurzelbacher a tax credit for health care costs and noted that 95 percent of small businesses make less than that.

Wurzelbacher’s name was later brought up 25 times during a debate between Obama and then Republican nominee John McCain. McCain even said that “Joe the Plumber” was the true winner of the debate.

Still, Wurzelbacher didn’t enjoy his moment in the spotlight, mentioning that he felt uncomfortable with the scrutiny.

lions of Jews who died were left unable to defend themselves because of “gun control” enacted by Germany in 1939.

He ultimately lost against Kaptur in the 2012 general election and returned to his plumbing business.

Alligator Alley

exhausting than anything because he kept getting off.”

After fighting through the night and well into the next morning, Woods said the alligator finally started tiring. And it couldn’t have happened at a better time. Wood said almost all of their rods and reels were unusable.

“We were down to pretty much down to those two rods and reels at that point,” Woods said.

Finally, at 3:30 a.m., they managed to get the gator into the boat. But they didn’t fully grasp how big it was until later.

Once on land, they measured the beast, and it was in the 14-foot range. When officially measured by Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Alligator Program coordinator Andrew Arnett, the alligator came in at 14 feet, 3 inches and weighed 802.5 pounds. It bested the previous record set in 2017 of 14 feet, 3/4 inches.

You may not know him as Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, but he made headlines back in 2008, when Barack Obama campaigned for the presidency. This week, the man known as “Joe the Plumber” passed away at the age of 49.

Wurzelbacher posed a question to then-candidate Obama regarding his tax policies and the potential nega-

“When I met Joe, he was already known by everyone else as ‘Joe the Plumber’ but he wrote something to me that stood out and showed me who he truly was: ‘just Joe,’” his wife Katie said. “He was an average, honorable man trying to do great things for the country he loved so deeply after being thrust into the public eye for asking a question.”

In 2012, Wurzelbacher put himself in the spotlight by running in Ohio’s 9th U.S. House district against Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur. In one of his campaign ads, Wurzelbacher attempted to link the Holocaust with gun legislation. He said that the mil-

Donald Woods went alligator hunting last Friday and came home with a huge prize. The Mississippi hunter set out on the opening day of the season and landed the largest alligator ever officially recorded in the state.

“We got on the water right at dark,” said Woods. “We were seeing a lot of alligators. It was a calm night. We saw a lot of 8-footers, 10-footers, but that’s not what we were after.”

Woods had gone hunting with his three buddies. Together they had harvested plenty of big alligators in the past, so they weren’t going to settle for something smaller the first night.

“We’ve been hunting these things a long time,” Woods said. “We’ve killed a lot of 12-footers.”

Soon, they came upon the big prize.

“We knew he was wide,” Woods said. “His back was humongous. It was like we were following a jon boat.”

At 9 p.m., Woods got a hook on the alligator. But it took seven hours, several broken lines and a broken tackle to wrangle in the beast.

“We hooked him eight or nine times and he kept breaking off. He would go down, sit and then take off. He kept going under logs. He knew what he was doing. The crazy thing is he stayed in that same spot.”

Woods added, “It was exhausting, but your adrenaline is going so you don’t notice it. It was more mentally

Woods said this gator had gotten the best of him.

“We’re done with chasing big ones this year,” Woods said. “I might even call it a career after that, honestly.”

Message in a Bottle

It took a few years, but it finally got its message across.

On July 17, 2019, Aoife Byrne wrote a note, sealed it in a bottle, and threw it into the sea near her home in Ireland. Four years later, Frank Bolger of New Jersey found the bottle while cleaning the shore near his home.

“Greetings from Ireland,” the note reads. “I have thrown this bottle into the sea for someone to find another day. Maybe it’s traveled down to Africa or to Iceland! I won’t know if someone found this, but I hope it is found!”

The note was signed, “Aoife.”

Bolger posted his discovery online, hoping to connect with the au-

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thor of the missive. A few days later, Byrne’s father was watching TV when a story came up about the discovery. He called her into the room to see her note on the screen.

Byrne reached out to Bolger via email, but the New Jersey man was skeptical; perhaps she was an imposter?

Turns out, the Aiofe was real – she sent Bolger some photos and a writing sample to prove that she was the author of the note.

Byrne said she was excited that her message made it all the way across the ocean, although it took some time to get there.

“I am kind of obsessed, well, very interested in messages in bottles, to be honest,” Byrne said.

That sounds like a positive note.

World Bog Snorkeling

complete two lengths of a 60-yard water-filled trench cut through a peat bog. They can use flippers on their feet, but conventional swimming strokes are banned.

Some contestants accessorized their snorkels, masks and flippers with more flamboyant touches – one carried a giant plastic toad on their head, another had a bathing cap adorned with flowers.

Neil Rutter was one of those contestants. Once a year, he dons his snorkel and submerges himself into the muddy waters.

“It’s mad, and because there’s a long English and British and Welsh tradition of doing things that are completely bonkers on a bank holiday weekend,” Rutter, an art teacher from Bath, England, said when asked why someone would submit themselves to the slithery waters.

Rutter is now the five-time champion of the Championships. He won his fifth competition on Sunday, finishing in one minute and 12 seconds, beating the all-time record he set last year.

Rutter said that, comparatively, this year’s swim was easier than other years due to the rain that the area received this year, which diluted the

there’s a smell.

“Yeah, it has its whiff,” Rutter said. “That sort of peaty smell, which I’m sure is very good for the skin.”

For now, Rutter says that he’s pleased with his win. Still, he says that he’s taking a break from swamp swimming for now. Perhaps it’s water under the bridge.

A Revolting Race

Last week, the Disgusting Food Museum in Malmo, Sweden, organized a speed eating competition for surstromming. Lest you don’t know what that is, surstromming is a traditional Swedish delicacy of fermented herring that has been salted just enough to prevent it from rotting. And although it’s considered a delicacy, the smell alone is enough to make people want to throw up.

um for this awe-inspiring accomplishment. His name will be etched in our halls and stories of his determination retold for years,” the representative said.

Sounds like he was fishing for compliments.

The Big Catch

Speaking of fish, a teenager from Minnesota went fishing last week and reeled in a prize catch: a cash-stuffed wallet.

Connor Halsa was fishing with his family when he felt his line go taut.

“I thought I had a huge fish, so I set the hook really hard,” Halsa related.

Turns out, it was a huge catch: $2K stuffed into a wallet.

After opening up the soaked wallet, the 14-year-old found a business card and tracked down the owner, Iowa farmer Jim Denney, who said he lost his wallet while fishing on the lake a year earlier.

“The odds of ever finding or hooking a billfold in 20 feet of water – I don’t think there’s a number,” Denney said.

“The biggest part of the challenge will be to not vomit during the attempt, over actually eating a large amount in a short time,” a museum representative told Guinness World Records.

Because of the foul odor and taste, each participant received a large amount of fish to eat – along with a vomit bucket, which was placed near them.

Sune Valentin Norlin came out on top. The 71-year-old Swedish man consumed 13.85 ounces of the dish in one minute – and managed to keep it down. His strategy?

“You’ve just got to swallow it,” he shared.

Norlin’s victory earned him the Guinness World Record for most fermented herring eaten in one minute.

A museum spokesperson hailed Norlin for having “astonishing focus, an ironclad stomach, and a tenacious spirit.”

“Sune has cemented his place among the legends here at the muse -

Denney drove from his home in Iowa to Moorhead, where Halsa lives, to retrieve the wallet. He offered a cash reward to the teenager for finding his lost cash, but Halsa refused it.

“I would take Connor as a grandson any day, and I would fight for him any day,” Denney said.

Denney ended up gifting Halsa a personalized cooler and taking his family out to dinner as thanks.

Lost a wallet, found a friend.

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Introducing Mesorah Baltimore: The Center for Women’s Torah Studies

The Rebbetzin Frieda K. Hirmes Women’s Institute of Torah (WIT) is proud to announce that, as of this current Elul, it will be known as Mesorah Baltimore: The Center for Women’s Torah Studies The change is the result of a year-long strategic visioning process during which the Board of Directors and administration vigorously reflected on past success and potential for growth and expansion. Mesorah Baltimore will continue to uphold its unwavering mission to create a sense of community for women who share a passion for spiritual and intellectual growth and it will continue to provide quality courses and lectures rooted in the wisdom of our Torah and taught by an exceptional faculty.

You will begin to see the new name, Mesorah Baltimore, on publicity materials for upcoming Elul programs, including Sunday night, September 10th, as we welcome world renowned

speaker, Mrs. Slovie Jungreis Wolff to Baltimore. During Elul, Mesorah Baltimore will also host shiurim by Rabbi Duvi Rubin, Mrs. Shira Hochheimer and Rebbetzin Ettie Rosenbaum. The Elman Family Holiday Lecture Series will take place via Zoom on September 19th and will feature a shiur about

Sukkos by Mrs. Michal Horowitz. Additionally, in celebration of this new chapter, all women of the community are invited to try out any of our on site semester courses during the first week of our fall semester without the need for formal registration. The fall semester will begin October 15th.

Mesorah Baltimore, under the leadership of Mrs. Leah Berry, President and Mrs. Andrea Schulman, Executive Director, welcomes Mrs. Dassie Barr, Mrs. Risa Miller and Mrs. Esther Weiner who are joining the organization’s dedicated and engaged Board of Directors.

Women are encouraged to visit www.mesorahbaltimore.org to take care of their 5784 membership dues and or register for individual programs. In the coming months, the website will contain a robust library of recordings for our members to access. Please contact mesorah@mesorahbaltimore.org for information about membership, upcoming events and sponsorship opportunities.

Mesorah Baltimore looks forward to beginning this new chapter and greeting the women of our community during upcoming programming.

Rav Aaron Schechter, zt”l

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

Klal Yisroel mourns the tremendous loss of a remarkable Rosh Yeshiva and tzaddik, who genuinely took achrayus, responsibility, for Klal Yisroel. He passed away early Thursday morning. Perhaps more than any other rosh yeshiva in the 20th and 21st century, Rav Aaron Schechter, zt”l, knew, understood, and felt the pain of the repercussions of communism to Russian Jewry and did whatever he could to undo that damage.

Most of Ashkenazic Jewry in America and elsewhere had grandparents and great-grandparents that lived in Tsarist Russia, Poland and Lita, what is called the Pale of Settlement. There were well over six million Jews that lived there. Communism destroyed what Nazi Germany left over.

Rav Aaron did whatever he could to save the remnant of Russian Jewry that came to America. He supported every mossad that was mekarev them and that educated them. He supported kiruv camps, high schools and yeshivos. It was not only Russian Jews, but others as well. Every kiruv worker knew that Rav Aaron was the address for assistance in this crucial area.

But Rav Aaron went above and beyond this. He ensured that they became talmidei chachomim as well. And not just talmidei chachomim – but outstanding ones, too. Rav Aaron chose the outstanding Russian bochurim as his chavrusos – to prepare his

Many of the seforim that we learn now from heintiga roshei yeshiva were put together by the facts on the ground that Rav Aaron Schechter had built. Rav Aaron inspired numerous people and his work with Vaad l’hatzalas Nidchei Yisroel still inspires those who assisted in these endeavors.

Rabbi Yaakov Bender, shlita, recollected how Rav Aaron Shechter was a role model of how a Rebbe should be concerned about his talmidim. “Even a talmid from fifty years ago, he would look out for and show love and concern.”

Rav Aaron had remarkable middos and such ahavas Yisroel that anyone that came in contact with him was thoroughly inspired. And that is how he was able to accomplish so much.

shiurim with him, as well as to learn with them. It was a tremendous kavod for them. The peiros of his actions can be seen now. Many of the outstanding talmidei chachomim in virtually every yeshiva are the fruits of his hard work.

This author’s family had taken in an NCSY girl who wanted to deepen her commitment to Yiddishkeit. She dated one of Rav Aaron Schechter’s chavrusos, and before their engagement, Rav Aaron gave me a large hug and with his remarkable warm smile said, “I will split the costs of the wedding with you and am glad to be your new mechutan.” For the next few years, when we would meet at any chasunah, he would warmly hug me and say, “Ahh mein mechutan! How are you?”

Rav Aaron was born in Brooklyn in the 1920s. Chaim Berlin was the yeshiva to go to even years

For the next few years, when we would meet at any chasunah, he would warmly hug me and say, “Ahh mein mechutan! How are you?”

before Rav Hutner, zt”l , arrived. Rav Hutner had learned in Slabodka in Europe and followed the Alter to Eretz Yisroel. Rav Hutner was close to Rav Kook in Eretz Yisroel, and when he developed talmidim in America, the focus of his mussar mehalech was combined with learning and deriving insights from Maharals.

Rav Schechter married in the mid-1950s to his Rebbetzin, Shoshana Roisa. She was the daughter of Rabbi and Mrs. Boruch and Sarah Gittel Leichtung and a talmidah at Rebbetzin Vichna Kaplan’s Bais Yaakov in Williamsburg. For more than two decades, Rebbetzin Schechter was the principal of General Studies at Yeshivah of Brooklyn.

In the early 1980s after davening at the Yeshiva, two of my chaveirim and I had asked the Rosh Yeshiva why Rav Hutner had thought to change the approach from that of Slabodka. He invited us to his home for shalosh seudos to further discuss it. At the table, he explained that Rav Hutner felt that American bochurim were not ready for the mussar mehalech of the Alter. But he noted that it was not a change – rather it was an adaptation of what the Alter would have done in America.

Rav Hutner built his talmidim just like the Alter had built his. He encouraged Rav Aaron to write a sefer on the Rambam’s hilchos Bi’as Mikdash – and

he even suggested the name to him: “Avodas Aaron.” It was published in 1967.

The Sefer has 19 simanim, and aside from the halachos of Beis HaMikdash further deals with such eclectic topics as inebriation in davening and ruling halacha (Siman gimel) to the mixture of a k’zais in kdei achilas pras to kavod habrius, osaik b’mitzvah patur min h’mitzvah and the nature of aninus.

Rav Hutner appointed Rav Aaron as co-rosh yeshiva of the yeshiva along with Rav Hutner’s son-in-law, Rav Yonason David, shlita, the current rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Pachad Yitzchok in Yerushalayim. Shortly after Rav Hutner passed away, Rav Schechter was asked to join the nesius of Agudas Yisroel and helped lead it since then.

Rav Aaron, zt”l ,is survived by his sons, Rav Mordechai Zelig, shlita, mashgiach ruchani at Yeshiva Chaim Berlin, and Rav Nosson, an accomplished mohel, as well as his three daughters, Rebbetzin Esther Yormark, Rebbetzin Nechama Halioua, and Rebbetzin Yehudis Senderovitz.

Rav Schechter’s loss is incalculable. Nafla ateres rosheinu.

The author can be reached at yairhoffman2@gmail.com.

Rabbi Raphael Pelcovitz visiting Rav Aaron Schechter in Florida a few years ago

With members of the Moetzes

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Shana Kaplon

Chaviva Magendzo

Chana Golda Meister

Chani Neuberger

Pesachya Neuman

Bassie Shaw

Rochel Wealcatch

SUNDAY

FUNDAY

Ahuva Banker

Rikki Berry

Shira Boehm

Gittel Brody

Aviva Cohen

Nechama Dudovitz

Ayelet Elman

Chani Feldman

Shaindy Friedland

Yocheved Friedland

Devorah Gold

Devorah Goodwin

Nechami Hack

Adina Hackerman

Fortuna Halwani

Rachel Hamaoui

Kayla Heinemann

Miki Herman

Rachelli Herzog

Sophia Hirsch

Sora Hoffman

Shira Basya Katz

Shoshana Leah Katz

Shalva Kermaier

Tova Kimelfeld

Tova Bracha Kroll

Binny Schwarz, Program Coordinator

Sarah Dina Rubelow

Program Coordinator

Sarah Leah Segelman

Program Coordinator

Sara Kroll Bookkeeper

Adira Herman

Rena Cohn

Pesachya Neuman

Rochel Wealcatch

Miri Neuberger

Nechemya Jakobovits

Tzipporah Rosensaft

Aliza Markowitz

Chana Moradian

Sarah Moskovitz

Rachael Nelkin

Malka Newmark

Reva Rothman

Atara Samet

Chani Simanowitz

Ahuva Spero

Kimmie Stal

Rena Miriam Steger

Naami Steger

Peninah AyalaTaragin

Chani Weissman

EVENING PROGRAM

Tehilla Amster

Ester Allan

Sarah Malkah Berkowitz

Leeba Berlin

Sori Caplan

Malky Davidson

Chavi Ely

Leah Feder

Chaviva Feinstein

Chaya Leah Feldman

Russi Flamm

Avigayil Freedman

Shanit Gholian

Chavi Goodhart

Elisheva Gordon

Chana Grier

Shana Gross

Nechami Hack

Esti Hexter

Shifra Horowitz

Leah Jakobovits

Miri Jakobovits

Sarah Javaherforoush

Shira Basya Katz

Rena Katz

Shira Kreindler

Elisheva Kroll

Shana Kaplon

Chaviva Storch

Tehilla Storch

Bassie Shaw

Racheli Fink

Chaya Dobin

Sarah Javaherforoush

Shoshana Lieder

Shaina Lowenthal

Aliza Markowitz

Gittie Neuberger

Naomi Pogotskin

Chaya Pollock

Devorah Preiser

Molly Prero

Chana Raizel Rabhan

Zahava Rosenbaum

Tzipora Rosensaft

Miriam Sadwin

Shoshana Samet

Hudi Sandhaus

Chana Devora Saunders

Nechama Schwarz

Miri Silber

Kimmie Stal

Peninah AyalaTaragin

Chaya Baila Tesser

Esty Waldbaum

Shana Weiss

SHABBOS

Rikki Berry

Shira Boehm

Gittel Brody

Esther Ciment

Blimi Ciment

Ruchama Dresdner

Sarah Feldman

Chaya Flamm

Shira Flamm

Rachel Adina Hyatt

Tzipora Hyatt

Chana Rivka Lerner

Temima Lewin

Devorah Lurie

Ahuva Mauer

Rikki Meyers

Rachael Nelkin

Gitty Neuberger

Leah Polsky

Tzipa Preiser

Yehudis Preiser

Rikki Shane

Sara Bracha Shear

Kimmie Stal

Ettie Tendler

Esty Waldbaum

Tehila Weg

Tehilla Weg

Hindy Weiss

OTHER

Sorah Taragin, Special Events Coordinator

Chava Meth, Web Developer

Penina Lieder, Web Developer

Chana Leba Klainberg

Talia Lerner

Menuchah Mahgrefteh

Eva Casper

Esti Chaikin

Chaya Kushinsky

Temima Lebowitz

Shaindy Lefkovitz

Rivka Weiskopf

Barbara Wilson

Ahava Rabenstein

Malka Schwob

*Any omissions to this list are unintentional and inadvertent. Menucha appreciates the dedicated help of every single volunteer and staff member.

School of Thought Teachers Ensure Our Legacy

By Barbara Deutsch

On the day before we left Israel, we visited Yad Vashem with friends and our Israeli grandsons, 12 and almost 15. Although they were born and live in Israel and go to school, albeit the charedi school system, this was their first visit to the museum. Museum Educator Lori Gerson gave us a VIP educators’ tour, and it was magnificent on every level.

One may suggest that this is not a place for young children, and therefore it’s no surprise that the boys have never been at Yad Vashem; in most yeshivot in the United States, the eighth grade graduation trip is usually centered around the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C.

No matter how often I visit, I learn something new, and I always cry.

Following an informative introduction about the backstory, the architecture, the trees dedicated to the righteous gentiles, and purpose of the museum, we walked in.

It was a steamy hot day, and we welcomed the cold of the gray interior. Mrs. Gerson brought our attention to a small display to the left of the entrance which you could miss if it were not pointed out. The display contained assorted artifacts taken from the inmates from the Klooga Concentration Camp in Estonia. For some reason, the inmates did not get uniforms, and they were allowed to hold onto the small precious possessions in their pockets.

Few of the inmates survived the camp, but the displayed belongings that were found in their pockets tell their stories.

As you would expect, there were legal documents and pictures. One particular picture caught my attention. It depicted a group of students surrounding their Rebbe. Written in a wobbly script on the back of the picture was a list of the names of the boys and a beautiful letter that they had written to him.

A teacher and his prized photograph of his students was what was found in the Rebbe’s pocket on his last day.

Before becoming a principal, I was a

teacher for more than 26 years. I actually believe that all good principals need to spend quality time in a classroom.

When my family came to America from post-war Germany (I was born in a displaced person’s camp), our family of five lived in three tiny rooms in Williamsburg. My parents’ bedroom, filled with secondhand clunky furniture, was my haven. I would stand in front of the mirror with my lineup of assorted dolls, wearing my mother’s fancy Persian hat (a black furry thing), earnestly trying to get my dolls to behave so that they could learn how to read.

That image still sits in my head when I reflect back to that growing up period of my life.

For someone of my generation, being a teacher was one of the two available options for a college-educated Bais Yaakov girl; the other one was becoming a nurse.

And so, after 45 education credits, hundreds of hours of student teaching, a Masters in Reading, and a rigorous licensing process, I, along with most of my contemporaries, went to work in Ocean Hill Brownsville or other “tough” neighborhoods in Brooklyn, New York.

I lasted eight months.

As it turned out, I was already pregnant with my son when I started, and it was not easy for me, a 23-year-old newly married innocent, to work in a tough neighborhood filled with complicated children while managing a difficult pregnancy.

Not a quitter by nature, I took a hot city bus every day to work; I tried my best to teach young children from challenging and oftentimes very difficult circumstances to read and write. On what turned out to be my last day at the school, a child followed me to the bus stop, and as I stepped onto the stairs of the bus, yanked me from behind off the bus and to the ground.

My public school teaching career ended with that fall. Luckily, my baby and I were fine; our son was born three weeks later.

I became a stay-at-home volunteer mom until one day, longing to be the teacher I had dreamed of becoming and in need of some extra cash, I started to sub for what was then good per diem pay in random public schools around the city. It worked for a while as it paid well and

it was stimulating.

Soon, I began to long for a class of my own.

When our son Dov was in first grade in the Yeshivah of Flatbush in Brooklyn, his teacher recommended me for a position with excellent benefits that I could not turn down. And so, I began my teaching journey which has now lasted more than 50 years.

I never looked back, and I have not one day of regret.

By choice, this coming year will be my final September in a school setting; I am already sad. As one of my colleagues recently told me, “Barbara, you and I have never left school!” I love school and never wanted to leave!

I am now faced with so many questions: Where will I go every day? What will I do? Will my life have value? Will what I say have any impact? I am hoping to find some of the answers as the year unfolds.

I am not alone in feeling and thinking that being a classroom teacher, nursery to high school, rewards one with a career that is filled with joy and a strong feeling of accomplishment.

Who but a teacher is given the opportunity to work with open and thirsty minds while helping them gain the tools that will set them up for success? Who but a teacher will get to spend days learning, playing, talking and guiding students on the ways of the world while giving them life skills? And, who but a teacher privileged to work in a yeshiva setting will be given the joy of sharing Torah, middot, chesed and the observant path?

During this summer, we enjoyed many adventures traveling, eating, exploring and living life as Israelis. We also get to meet former students, random people, relatives and friends from our past and present lives. Sometimes, you even get to run into Jewish celebrities.

Last week, we bumped into a former HANC colleague, the famous wonderful singer Mordechai Shapiro. Full disclosure: Mordechai is our son-in-law’s

The message found on the back of the precious photo

A rebbe with his students, a momento forever

with Mosaica SET THE TONE FOR THE NEW YEAR

RABBI MOSHE KURTZ

An insightful exploration of contemporary Jewish issues through a halachic lens, challenging traditional assumptions with depth and scholarship.

RABBI AHRON RAPPS

Understand teshuvah in a refreshing new light, as expounded by the Maharal, the Ramchal, Rav Tzadok HaKohen, and the Sefas Emes

RABBI BINYAMIN FELDMAN

Living Lulav takes us on a journey to discover ourselves through the mitzvah of the four species, creating a paradigm shift in our perception of Torah and mitzvos— and what they are designed to accomplish.

ROCHEL MILLER AND REBECCA ALLEN

Deep Torah ideas combined with practical exercises and catchphrases to help women understand who they are and create a life and marriage brimming with simchah

RABBI AVISHAI DAVID filled with stories of welltzaddikim. These accounts accord honor to the Torah and will engender yiras Shamayim, and I urge everyone to read them.”

—Rav Hershel Schachter

GILA ROSS

Discover tools and principles for understanding life’s true values, recognizing challenges, and charting a balanced and joyful life based on the enduring wisdom of Pirkei Avos

RABBI YITZCHAK AND MIRIAM GOLDBERG

Whether you’re preparing for marriage or you’ve been married for many years, this book presents the pertinent halachos and necessary hashkafah to nurture an appreciation for this mitzvah.

RABBI A. LEVIN

Culled from varied sources that shed light on the Rambam’s timeless words in Hilchos Teshuvah, Knocking on the Gates of Teshuvah brings these concepts to life with real-life scenarios and relevant strategies for achieving a lasting teshuvah

brother and he credits HANC (and me) with giving him his start as the HANC music teacher.

Mordechai walked into the cafe where we were enjoying an Israeli breakfast; as he came to greet us, a young boy ran to him and asked for a selfie. As is Mordechai’s gracious way and much to the delight of the boy and his family, he agreed.

A couple at a nearby table remarked in a joking manner, “Are you some kind of celebrity?” Mordechai shrugged and smiled shyly.

He is also modest.

One day, my husband and I stopped for a drink on Ben Yehudah, a popular hangout for touring camp groups. This day happened to be the final pit stop for NCSY/JOLT. As we waited for our drink, a buzz went through the crowds of kids, “Mr. Deutsch is here!”

Within seconds, from every corner of the square, boys and more boys came by to say hello and take selfies with their “favorite teacher.” Ironically, even boys who have never met or been taught by Mr. Deutsch, having heard so much about him, also came to shake his hand.

Teachers!

As we plan for the new school year, a time for reflection and planning, schools

across the globe are struggling to fill their rosters with staff. No longer are there great numbers of talented men and women choosing this time-honored profession. Most, especially the women, are choosing PT, OT, law, medicine, computer science and more – not teaching!

about teachers and the schools in a public forum. The internet has turned private conversations into a forum for complaints and school bashing.

As I look forward to September with the same anticipation and joy that I have felt for the whole of my school life, I ea-

tunity that keeps on giving back.

I have never left school, and I invite any boy or girl who wants to make a real difference to consider becoming a teacher.

I keep in my head and close to my heart the memories and the faces of those that I have taught; sometimes, it makes me teary but always joyful. As we begin a new teaching cycle, as teachers, we look forward to inspiring future generations. And among our students, will we inspire someone to take the challenge.

If we don’t have more boys and girls choose teaching, who will keep the memory of the Shoah and its martyrs alive? Who will be the role models for future generations? Who will prepare children to take on their destinies and those of our people?

We need excellent teachers to ensure our legacy.

To qualify as a teacher today, it takes many years of education in pursuit of advanced degrees, hours of preparation time for classes, social and emotional concerns, and sometimes difficult and demanding parents.

For the past few years, added to the demands is the proliferation on the internet of the “WhatsApp chats” that have allowed for discussion and criticism

gerly await the sounds of running footsteps and the laughing voices of children excited about their new year at school.

When I started my teaching journey over 50 years ago, I began with dolls. With a lot of education and training, I was ready to work with children. For the past 25 years, I have included mentoring teachers and principals. It is, and has always been, a fulfilling and blessed oppor-

Let’s have a great year!

Mrs. Barbara Deutsch is currently the associate principal at HANC 609 and a longtime reflective educator, parent, grandparent, and new great-grandparent. Even after all these years, she still loves what she does and looks forward to working with kids every single day.

Who but a teacher is given the opportunity to work with open and thirsty minds while helping them gain the tools that will set them up for success?

Torah Thought Wheel Of Fortune

By Rabbi Zvi Teichman

Once again Rosh Hashana is approaching.

Most people as they return to this point in our yearly cycle feel a sense of ‘here we go again’. We have been here before and we are right back where we started from. Looking back, we do not necessarily feel we are in a much different place than we were last year. Perhaps some of our dreams have been fulfilled, whether it was: finding a partner in life; being blessed with children; snatching that job or business opportunity; recovering from illness. But did we really change and improve? Have we enhanced our character, or are we still stuck with the same issues and challenges? When evaluating our overall standing and purpose, how many of us sense drastic change?

The frustration is even more significant for those who are still waiting for their ‘moment’ of achieving their dreamed for goals, who do not even have any tangible accomplishment to relish and focus on.

נוי ךתיער הטיש ףילחהל לגלגה לגכ אבב ־ הטיבה הנופ ךל ךת— When the wheel of misfortune comes rolling over us like a wave, throwing everything in disorder, Your beloved mate, turns and looks towards You with her innermost soul

This excerpt from the sixteenth Selicha we recite on the fifth day, reflects what many of us sense.

The calm waters of life that are agitated by the challenges that suddenly steamroll over us, disturbing our peaceful slumber.

The late great Gaon, Rav Michel Feinstein, son-in-law of the Brisker Rav, and cherished nephew of Rav Moshe Feinstein, suggests an alternative interpretation.

G-d, who ‘In His goodness He renews daily, perpetually, the work of creation’, redirects the plan for His world each Rosh Hashana. Every year a new direction is implemented for our good and we each must merit to be part of that plan for the better. Even the righteous among us must strive to deserve to be included. Not simply because we were alive until now may we assume it will continue. The judgment is not focused solely on being worthy enough to avoid death, but rather whether we will deserve to be part of the new masterplan.

In his understanding it is not a wheel of misfortune that cycles over us, it is the wheel of ‘fortune’, ףילחהל הטיש — that undoes last year’s plan and brings a new הטיש — ‘system’ for us to be part of in furthering the goal of promoting His honor in this world.

No two years of our lives are identical, no matter how unexciting they may have seen. We encounter new people, face new challenges, and observe evidence of divine providence in the details of our lives, no matter how nuanced it may be.

We cannot fathom the depth of those subtleties, but each of those circumstances are uniquely suited to your neshama — soul, and your role in the greater mission outlined for this year.

The strengths we gain to forge

ahead despite our ‘lack of visual success’ is success itself. When we take those talents and apply it to the numerous daily interactions we have, viewing how we deal effectively with those situations, are part of the ‘system’ that G-d renews each year prodding us to personal greatness.

If we wallow in self-pity, becoming apathetic about life, denying the camouflaged opportunities for greatness G-d sends our way, we indeed have no hope.

It takes a moment of honest reflection to reframe and realize we are always on the road of success despite external evidence to the contrary. One can never measure success by the popular definition of success, only through the development of inner strength and character.

One of the most remarkable personalities of recent history is Aharon Margalit, author of the popular ‘As Long as I Live’ series of books. He is a man who was traumatized at a young age causing him to lose the faculty of speech, contracted polio shortly and was confined to an iron lung, went through three independent battles with cancer, losing an adult child due to a criminal’s act, and numerous challenges along the road to ‘success’. He has taken his struggles and transformed them to strength in encouraging those who have given hope on life.

One young man who lost his parents, a sibling, a beloved aunt who was his source of strength, and finally after marrying a wonderful wife ended up divorced, due to no fault of his own, was one of the many to be inspired to find happiness due to a providential

encounter with Aharon Margalit.

The morning after Aharon had succeeded in sparking hope in this young man they met up. With his face aglow with newfound joy, the young man shared a thought that came to him the previous night, prodded by his discussion with Aharon.

In the prayer we recite every day, Vayevarech Dovid, King David enumerates, seemingly in ascending order G-d’s praises.

Yours Hashem is the greatness, the strength, the splendor, the triumph, and the glory, for everything is yours — both in heaven and on earth — Yours Hashem is the kingdom and the sovereignty over every leader. And wealth and honor are from You, and You rule over everything, and might and strength are in Your hand, יבו לכל קזחלו לדגל ךד — and the ability to make anyone great and strong are in Your hand.

“Evidently”, the young man pointed out, “the biggest praise we can give to Hashem is that He can make ‘anyone’ great and strong. No one can claim that he belongs down in the dumps, because Hashem will lift them up.” (The Impact of As Long as I Live p.250)

It incumbent on each of us to believe that. If we accept this truth, the ‘wheel of fortune’ will always land you as a winner.

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

School of Thought

Welcome Back to School

By Etti Siegel

The summer flew by so fast! Wow! I am so excited to be featured in The Jewish Home again this year. Keep the comments and questions coming.

Did you get away? Did you stay home? Did you work in a camp? Did you get to send your kids to camp while you had a little bit of summer downtime?

Let me tell you about what your children’s rebbeim, morahs, and teachers were doing over the summer. Many were working in camps. Some took the summer off. Hopefully, they all took a little time to recharge their batteries. Rebbeim were able to sit and learn. Regardless of what they were doing during the day, they were never too far from school.

Let me explain.

Torah Umesorah has teachers’ centers in Brooklyn, Chicago, St. Louis, Toronto, Lakewood, Los Angeles, and Manchester, England. And they were full all summer, with teachers creating posters and charts for their classrooms, purchasing ready-made materials and signs, networking with other teachers, and attending in-person and virtual workshops…all to make the coming year even better.

The teacher supply stores were all teeming in August with teachers buying supplies and aids to help their students succeed in class.

I have to believe Dollar Tree has trouble keeping the teacher posters and classroom decorations stocked with all the teachers who shared that they found materials there.

Teachers were networking wherever they were. I saw teachers sharing ideas at the grocery store and on teacher chats and heard that conversations about being a more effective teacher were happening by pools

and in lounge chairs. Conversations were happening among rebbeim before davening, after davening, and on walks home from davening.

I was busy giving workshops all summer; to dedicated and devoted teachers that took off from their summer jobs or traveled in from the bungalow colony they were at, giving up their precious down time to hear about best practices and ways to help students achieve more in school. I coached and gave workshops on Zoom, on the phone, and in-person as arranged by their principals, with teachers all over, including Deal, NJ; Seattle, WA; and South Bend, IN.

I gave a series of Zoom workshops as advertised in these pages, to teachers across the USA, and a teacher in Cleveland offered to help a teacher in Waterbury with ideas she had on the topics raised. Other teachers were eager to share an idea that others were wondering about.

Teachers spent time organizing their materials, retyping, tweaking, and looking for more ideas; and many of these teachers have been teaching for many years and could just teach what they taught and how they taught the year before!

Even teachers who were not recreating their mate -

rials were reflecting on their year. They were asking themselves questions, like What worked in my classroom? What didn’t work? What routines worked? What routine needs an overhaul? What subject area was great this past year? What wasn’t? Why? What do I want to change this upcoming school year for the better?

As you begin the school year, take a moment to think about all our dedicated rebbeim, morahs, teachers and support staff. Think about the enormous love and dedication they have for what they do, how they chose an occupation that is all about reaching children and helping students. They obviously aren’t in it for the money.

Our educators and hard-working principals don’t need our praise, but wouldn’t it be nice to show our children how much we value that dedication? A simple thank you is appreciated; a specific thank you is even nicer. Showing your children the middah of hakaras hatov might give your sons and daughters a deeper appreciation and positively affect their attitude towards learning and school.

Kesiva v’chasima tova,

-Etti

Mrs. Etti Siegel holds an MS in Teaching and Learning/Educational Leadership and brings sound teaching advice to her audiences culled from her over 35 years of teaching and administrative experience. She is an Adjunct at the College of Mount Saint Vincent/Sara Shenirer. She is a coach and educational consultant for Catapult Learning, is a sought-after mentor and workshop presenter around the country, and a popular presenter for Sayan (a teacher-mentoring program), Hidden Sparks, and the Consortium of Jewish Day Schools. She is a frequent contributor to Hamechanech Magazine and The Journal for Jewish Day School leaders. She will be answering your education-based questions and writing articles weekly for The Jewish Home. Mrs. Siegel can be reached at ettisiegel@gmail.com.

I saw teachers sharing ideas at the grocery store and on teacher chats and heard that conversations about being a more effective teacher were happening by pools and in lounge chairs.

PRESENTS:

VISION INSPIRATION

In conjunction with Dirshu’s International Yom Limud & Tefilla, a comprehensive videocast featuring Gedolei Yisrael addressing Klal Yisrael in its preperation for the Yomim Noraim will air לולא ד”כ / MOTZEI SHABBOS, SEPT. 9TH, 2023 9:30 PM, EDT and will run throughout Sunday and beyond. Presentation in English.

Yitzchok

The videocast program will feature inspirational YAMIM NORAIM NIGUNIM

The presentation will be aired on a dedicated audio line: 718-298-4444 A USB of the entire presentation will also be available. To order call: 888-5-DIRSHU

The videocast will be featured on:

Baltimore Weekday Minyanim Guide

Shacharis Mincha

Neitz Beit Yaakov [Sefaradi] M-F

Ohel Yakov S-F

6:00 AM Shomrei Emunah Congregation M-F

6:10 AM Agudath Israel of Baltimore M, Th

6:15 AM Kol Torah M, TH

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah M-F

Shearith Israel Congregation M, TH

The Adas: Chofetz Chaim Adas Bnei Israel M, TH

6:20 AM Agudah of Greenspring M, TH

Agudath Israel of Baltimore S, T, W, F

Arugas HaBosem (Rabbi Taub's) S-F

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation M-F

Kehilath B'nai Torah M, TH

Shomrei Emunah Congregation S, M, TH

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

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

Darchei Tzedek M-F

Kehilath B'nai Torah T, W, F

Khal Bais Nosson M-F

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek M-F

Kol Torah T, W, F

Ohr Yisroel M-F

Shearith Israel Congregation T, W, F

Shomrei Emunah Congregation T, W, F

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

Ohel Moshe M, TH

6:40 AM Aish Kodesh (downstairs Minyan) T, W, F

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation M, TH

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

Beth Abraham M, TH

Greenspring Sephardic Synagogue M-F

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah S-F

Ner Tamid M-F

Ohel Moshe T, W, F

Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim M-F

6:50 AM Agudath Israel of Baltimore M, TH

Ahavat Shalom [Sefaradi] M, TH

Bais Medrash of Ranchleigh M, TH

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation T, W, F

Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh M, TH

Derech Chaim M-F

Kol Torah M-F

Ohel Moshe S

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi] M, TH

Shomrei Emunah Congregation M, TH

The Shul at the Lubavitch Center M, TH

6:55 AM Beth Abraham T, W, F

Kol Torah M, TH

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

Agudath Israel of Baltimore S, T, W, F

Ahavat Shalom [Sefaradi] T, W, F

Arugas HaBosem (Rabbi Taub's) S

Bais Medrash of Ranchleigh T, W, F

Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh T, W, F

Greenspring Sephardic Synagogue S

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek S

Kol Torah T, W, F

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah S-F

Moses Montefiore Anshe Emunah M-F

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

Shearith Israel Congregation S, M, TH

Shomrei Emunah Congregation T, W, F

Shomrei Mishmeres Hakodesh M-F

The Shul at the Lubavitch Center T, W, F

Tiferes Yisroel M-F

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

7:15 AM Kedushas Yisrael S

Kol Torah S

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

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah S-F

Ner Israel Rabbinical College S-F

7:15 AM Shearith Israel Congregation T, W, F Shomrei Emunah Congregation S

Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim S

The Adas: Chofetz Chaim Adas Bnei Israel S

Tzeirei Anash M-F

7:20 AM Agudath Israel of Baltimore M, TH

Beth Tfiloh Congregation M-F

Kol Torah M-F

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi] M, TH

Shomrei Emunah Congregation M, TH

7:30 AM Agudah of Greenspring S

Agudath Israel of Baltimore S, T, W, F

Ahavat Shalom [Sefaradi] S

Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim S-F

Bais Hamedrash and Mesivta of Baltimore S-F

Bais Medrash of Ranchleigh S

Beit Yaakov [Sefaradi] S

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation S

Chabad of Park Heights S

Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh S-F

Darchei Tzedek S

Kedushas Yisrael S-F

Khal Bais Nosson S

Ner Israel Rabbinical College (Mechina) S-F

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah S-F

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

Shomrei Emunah Congregation T, W, F

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

Talmudical Academy S-F

Darchei Tzedek M-F

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah S-F

Mesivta Kesser Torah S-F

Mesivta Shaarei Chaim S-F

7:50 AM Derech Chaim S

Ner Tamid S

Ohel Moshe M-F

8:00 AM Agudath Israel of Baltimore S-F

Beth Abraham S

Darchei Tzedek S

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek S

Kehillas Meor HaTorah S

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah S-F

Ohel Yakov S

Ohr Yisroel S

Pikesville Jewish Congregation S

Shearith Israel Congregation S

Shomrei Emunah Congregation S-F

The Shul at the Lubavitch Center S

Tiferes Yisroel S

Tzeirei Anash S

Yeshiva Tiferes Hatorah S-F

8:15 AM Kehilath B'nai Torah S

Kol Torah S

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah S-F

8:20 AM Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim S-F

8:30 AM Agudath Israel of Baltimore S-F

Machzikei Torah (Sternhill's) S-F

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah S-F

Ohel Moshe S

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi] S

Shomrei Emunah Congregation S-F

Shomrei Mishmeres Hakodesh S

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

9:00 AM Aish Kodesh S

Agudath Israel of Baltimore S-F

Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim S

Beth Tfiloh Congregation S

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation S

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah S-F

Moses Montefiore Anshe Emunah S

Shomrei Emunah Congregation S-F

Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim S-F

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

9:30 AM Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah S-F

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

10:00AM Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah S-F

Mincha Gedolah Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/Tzemach Tzedek

1:45 PM Ohel Moshe

1:50 PM Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim

Neuberger, Quinn, Gielen, Rubin & Gibber Wealcatch Insurance

2:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Big Al @ The Knish Shop Party Room

Kol Torah Market Maven

Reischer Minyan 15 Walker Ave 2nd Floor

2:30 PM Bais Medrash of Ranchleigh

Ner Israel Rabbinical College

Tov Pizza Mincha Minyan

Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh

Mesivta Shaarei Chaim (Etz Chaim Building)

2:45 PM Shearith Israel Congregation

3:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

3:05 PM Kedushas Yisrael

3:15 PM Hat Box

4:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

5:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

5:30 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

6:00 PM Kedushas Yisrael

Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

7:00 PM Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah

Moses Montefiore Anshe Emunah Friday at 6:30

8:00 PM Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah

14 Min Before ShkiAh Kol Torah

Mincha/Maariv Before Shkiah

Aish Kodesh

Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Agudah of Greenspring

Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim

Beth Abraham

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation

Darchei Tzedek

Kehillas Meor HaTorah

Kehilath B’nai Torah

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek

Machzikei Torah (Sternhill’s)

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah

Ner Tamid

Ohel Moshe

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi]

Ohr Yisroel

Pikesville Jewish Congregation

Shearith Israel Congregation

Shomrei Emunah Congregation

Shomrei Mishmeres

Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim

The Adas: Chofetz Chaim Adas Bnei Israel

The Shul at the Lubavitch Center

Tiferes Yisroel

Maariv

8:30 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah

8:45 PM Darchei Tzedek

Ner Israel Rabbinical College (Mechina)

Ohr Yisroel

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

8:55 PM Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh

9:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Arugas Habosem

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

Shomrei Emunah Congregation

Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim

9:20 PM Kol Torah

9:30 PM Agudah of Greenspring

Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Kedushas Yisrael

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

9:40 PM Ahavat Shalom [Sefaradi]

9:45 PM Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim

Kollel Erev Birchas Yitzchok (Luries)

Machzikei Torah (Sternhill's)

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi]

Yeshiva Tiferes Hatorah

9:50 PM Aish Kodesh

Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh

Ohel Moshe

10:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Darchei Tzedek

Kehilath B'nai Torah

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

Shearith Israel Congregation

Shomrei Emunah Congregation

10:05 PM Kol Torah

10:10 PM Ner Israel Rabbinical College

10:15 PM Derech Chaim

Khal Bais Nosson

10:30 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

11:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

Agudah of Greenspring - 6107 Greenspring Ave

Agudath Israel of Baltimore - 6200 Park Heights Ave

Ahavat Shalom - 3009 Northbrook Rd

Aish Kodesh - 6207 Ivymount Rd

Arugas HaBosem - 3509 Cwlarks Ln

Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim - 3120 Clarks Ln

Bais Hamedrash and Mesivta of Baltimore - 6823 Old Pimlico Rd

Bais Medrash of Ranchleigh - 6618 Deancroft Rd

Beit Yaakov - 3615 Seven Mile Ln

Beth Abraham - 6208 Wallis Ave

Beth Tfiloh Congregation - 3300 Old Court Rd

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation - 6602 Park Heights Ave

Chabad of Park Heights - 3402 Clarks Ln

Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh - 3800 Labyrinth Rd

Darchei Tzedek - 3201 Seven Mile Ln

Derech Chaim - 6229 Greenspring Ave (Weekday)

Greenspring Sephardic Synagogue 6611 Greenspring Ave.

Kedushas Yisrael - 6004 Park Heights Ave

Kehilath B’nai Torah - 6301 Green Meadow Pkwy

Kehillas Meor HaTorah - 6539 Pebble Brooke Rd

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek - 6811 Park Heights Ave

Khal Bais Nosson - 2901 Taney Rd

Kol Torah - 2929 Fallstaff Rd

Machzikei Torah - 6216 Biltmore Ave

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah - 6500 Baythorne Rd

Mesivta Kesser Torah - 8400 Park Heights Ave

Mesivta Shaarei Chaim - 3702 Fords Ln

Moses Montefiore Anshe Emunah - 7000 Rockland Hills Dr

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

Ner Israel Rabbinical College - 400 Mt Wilson Ln

Ner Tamid - 6214 Pimlico Road

Ohel Moshe - 2808 Smith Ave

Ohel Yakov - 3200 Glen Ave

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi] - 6813 Park Heights Ave

Ohr Yisroel - 2429 Lightfoot Dr

Pikesville Jewish Congregation - 7644 Carla Rd

Shearith Israel Congregation - 5835 Park Heights Ave

Shomrei Emunah Congregation - 6221 Greenspring Ave

Shomrei Mishmeres Hakodesh - 2821 W Strathmore Ave

Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim - 7504 Seven Mile Ln

Talmudical Academy - 4445 Old Court Rd

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

The Shul at the Lubavitch Center - 6701 Old Pimlico Rd

Tiferes Yisroel - 6201 Park Heights Ave

Tzeirei Anash - 6706 Cross County Blvd

Wealcatch Insurance - 37 Walker Ave 2nd floor

Yeshiva Tiferes Hatorah - 6819 Williamson Ave

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

Mental Health Corner

Religion and the Big Five

By Rabbi Azriel Hauptman

We are witness to a common phenomenon in our times that young men and women commonly experience a religious transformation as young adults which leads them to higher levels of devotion and intensity in their Yiddishkeit. When the change is dramatic, it is sometimes called “flipping-out”. Parents of “flip-outs” sometimes feel that their child’s personality has changed and that their fun-loving and carefree child has been smothered by the rigors of their heightened religiosity. Is this really

true? Well, yes and no. We will try to explain.

One of the ways that personality is measured is using the “Big Five Personality Traits”. Researchers use five broad categories of personality, and by measuring where an individual is placed on a scale of each category, one can capture the general personality of that individual. The five categories are openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism, which are sometimes known by the acronym OCEAN.

Openness – whether a person is

curious and adventurous or consistent and cautious.

Conscientiousness – the tendency to be efficient and organized or easy-going and disorderly.

Extraversion – the degree to which a person is outgoing and energetic or solitary and reserved.

Agreeableness – whether a person is friendly and compassionate or challenging and detached.

Neuroticism – whether a person is sensitive and nervous or secure and confident.

These are the five domains painted in very broad strokes, and another article is needed to explain them well. For the purposes of this article, we will focus on the first trait – openness. Individuals who score high on the scale of openness are adventurous, imaginative, curious, and appreciate a variety of experiences. They also tend to be more creative and in touch with their feelings. Individuals who score low on this scale tend to pursue fulfillment through perseverance and tend to be pragmatic and sometimes even

Please note that scoring high or low does not mean better or worse. These are two ends of a spectrum with no specific advantage in any direction. These merely describe personality

What is the effect of religion on this trait? Interestingly enough, researchers studied the effect of religion on these five personality traits, and in one study [Saroglou, V. (2002). Religion and the five factors of personalPersonal-

ity and Individual Differences, 32(1), 15–25] they discovered a difference in openness between religious fundamentalism and mature religiosity. Whereas religious fundamentalism is associated with lower openness, ma-

ture religiosity is associated with high openness. What is the possible reason for this difference?

A likely explanation is that when one’s religious observance has not yet matured, one would not know how to integrate a heightened level of religious observance with their natural personality. This is especially true if one adopts a higher level of observance in their late adolescence or early adulthood. Although Yiddishkeit contains many restrictions and limitations, there is no need to forfeit one’s natural tendency to be curious and adventurous if that is one’s personality. However, at this stage, one might come across as somewhat of a religious fundamentalist, and hence score low on the openness scale.

However, as time passes, the natural personality tends to reemerge and if one’s natural tendency is to be high on the scale of openness, this shall return. Hence, when one measures openness on someone who has mature religiosity, we find the opposite effect – religious observance actually enhances one’s openness.

Let us now return to our original question. Is it really true that strengthening one’s religious observance smothers one’s personality? We answered, yes and no. We now know that this means that it is sometimes true in the short term, but, with time, one’s personality will not only not be harmed by one’s observance, but will actually be enhanced.

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

Tech Triumphs

CARPOOL CHITCHATS By

This triumph is not really about me. I still have my smartphone and am not ready to make personal changes yet, though I probably should. My fellow carpool mother is the one who conquered here.

We’ve been carpooling together for two years, and our main chats were on WhatsApp. Everything was going as smoothly as carpools can go in Baltimore until this year, she asked our group to switch to texting so she could get rid of WhatsApp.

Honestly, it is annoying to use regular messaging groups and I felt myself grumble a bit when she asked. Then it hit me. Was I going to be the reason someone couldn’t make the tech choices that she felt were necessary for her growth? How dare I grumble?

I heard many women say that they had all their carpools on WhatsApp, and they just couldn’t make tech chang-

Rebbetzin Sara Gross

es because they were stuck using it. If my friend felt that WhatsApp was too much of a distraction for her to use anymore, then I should applaud her and do whatever is in my power to help a friend.

I then happily switched to regular messaging and felt a little of my own triumph that I wanted to share.

DID YOU KNOW?

Until now in order to be on a WhatsApp group you had to be invited or sent a link to the group. Your phone number was also visible to anyone in the group.

WhatsApp has now introduced a new feature called “Channels” to allow users to search for a Channel on any topic available, and join that Channel without being invited. Channels can share information, images, and video, completely unmoderated and uncensored.

What was once an app that had some limitations to which group you could follow, WhatsApp has become a place to search for any content, even objectionable, indecent content, and sign up for updates anonymously - just like much of the internet. This is like your innocent gold fish transforming into a Shark overnight!

At the moment Channels are only available in a handful of countries: Singapore, Colombia, Ukraine, Chile, Malaysia, Egypt, Peru, Kenya, and Morocco. It’s only a matter of time until it comes to the US, and by that

time it will have a large array of content that will only increase exponentially.

If you use WhatsApp or are considering installing it, it’s important to be aware of this huge change to the platform and take responsible steps to address it. At the moment, unfortunately, there is no reliable way to filter the app.

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

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

A Snippet From Judaism’s Number One Podcast

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

One Jew is Outsmarting Missionaries at Their Own Game: Rabbi Tovia Singer ELI PALEY CEO OF MISHPACHA

A SNIPPET FROM JUDAISM’S NUMBER ONE PODCAST

abbi Tovia Singer is the founder and director of Outreach Judaism, a Jewish international counter-missionary organization that responds directly to the issues raised by missionaries and cults. He has been doing this for more than 40 years. Rabbi Singer explores where his passion comes from, why Jews for Jesus’s mission is counterproductive, and how the old testament is the truth.

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

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

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

At the age of 16, he remembers seeing posters on 5th Avenue advertising for people to come to Jews for Jesus to learn more about the Jewish Messiah. Having been born only 15 years after the Holocaust he could not believe that there were still people trying to destroy the Jews. Rabbi Singer’s family were all murdered in Hungary in the spring of 1944. As a child, he often encountered people with tattooed numbers on their arms. It was Christians that put Jews into gas chambers and he saw the Church as the enemy. When he realized they wanted to convert Jews he knew he had to do something. He knew that he had to put an end to this but never imagined his work would reach the level it has.

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

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

firstly Jewish people equated Christianity with persecution and secondly even irreligious Jews do not want to stop being Jewish. Therefore, they had to take a different turn by distancing themselves from the reckless behavior of the Church in the past by saying how much they loved Jews and explaining that when becoming a believer in Jesus a person is not converting to another religion but rather becoming a fulfilled messianic Jew. Missionaries invite Jews to Messianic synagogues which are churches designed to appear like a synagogue to lure Jews who resist a straightforward Christian message.

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

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

Rabbi Singer’s mission is to help Jewish people. He feels that G-d put him on this earth to help Jews out of the Church. His life is devoted to responding effectively to very serious challenges posed by groups like Jews for Jesus, returning lost Jews to the truth, and showing them the beauty of the Jewish faith.

After the holocaust, the world felt bad about what had happened. In America, the soil was fertile for affection for the Jews and Zionism and evangelicals said they were pro-Israel and hated European Christianity. It was a perfect way of the Church “riding the storm” and converting Jews.

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

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

In 1972, five years after Jerusalem had been liberated, the missionaries found two problems in evangelizing Jews. They discovered that

By saying how much they love Jews and wanting Jews to become believers in Yeshua Ha’Mashiach (not Jesus Christ) the missionaries have been able to present Christianity in “Jewish garb”. They light candles on Friday night because Yeshua brought the light to the world and have messianic Pesach seders. They take every Jewish tradition and interpolate a Christian message. At the seder, they have the wine because wine represents Jesus’s blood and matzah represents Jesus’s body.

The three matzahs represent the holy trinity, and matzahs have little holes in them because Jesus was perforat ed. The middle matzah is broken be cause Jesus was broken. The middle matzah is wrapped in white cloth be cause Jesus was wrapped in a white shroud. Just like the afikomen, this matzah is brought back at the end of the seder because Jesus will return. They literally take every aspect of Jewish tradition and custom and insert into it a Christian message. This has proven to be a nightmare for us.

sponded by saying that Christianity appeals to the two worst features we struggle with, low self-esteem and arrogance. Unlike the Novi who says we are created in the image of Hashem Christianity affirms that you are a sinner, appealing to people with low self-esteem. The hallmarks of a false religion are convincing people they are sinners and there is nothing that can be done to save yourself.

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

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

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

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

Rabbi Singer also exposes missionaries who appear to be frum Jews and infiltrate Jewish communities. The mistake shuls make is when Jewish leaders are warned and do not heed the warning. In almost all these scenarios the rabbi did not take a warning seriously. Rabbi Singer researches these cases with a team of people and exposes them openly.

It becomes “tricky” because these missionaries are also very pro-Israel. They weaponize their Zionism saying that they are different from Christians that persecute the Jews because they love Israel thus resulting in a very serious problem, especially in Israel. There is a huge effort today on evangelizing the Jewish people and missionaries are operating in a way today that is more successful than ever before.

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

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

Rabbi Singer explains that the success of these missionaries represents the “unpaid bills of the Jewish people”. If the missionaries get to Jewish children who lack a good Jewish education and are curious it becomes a very serious problem. Anyone who has been to a Yeshiva and has a Jewish education can bypass corrupt interpretations by going to the original text.

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

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

Rabbi Singer was asked what would be the best argument for what missionaries say as the truth. He re-

Rabbi Singer reiterates his secret to success is not to be aggressive. When he meets a missionary he asks them what is the most persuasive thing why he should believe in Jesus and uses that as a foil to reflect the beauty of the Jewish faith. He wants to always use Christianity as a mirror to bounce off and see how true the Torah is. It is important to learn to listen and reply in a meaningful way. Nobody likes aggressive people so if you want to persuade someone do not become the person they hate. In debates, he always goes second so he can respond and bounce off the force of an argument. This leads to more compelling and thoughtful conversation and forces people to reconsider and come back to the G-d of Israel.

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

“There is nothing more special than telling a Jew welcome home.”

Israel Today Illegal Arab Building Around Efrat

By Larry Domnitch

The curvy windy road leading to the northern entrance of Efrat passes by an adjacent Arab town. The town extends from a nearby hill downwards and then ascends upwards almost reaching the Dagan and Tamar neighborhoods of Efrat. The town has no name, but it has schools and nearby homes. Some of the buildings have not been completed as many of its window frames are empty, revealing no residency within its walls. They are unoccupied structures. Piles of garbage line the sides of a nearby road. It must be cleaned, so Efrat taxpayers have it removed at their expense. Given that these buildings are constructed illegally, it is safe to say there are no building codes observed. As the road approaches the security gate at entrance of Efrat, lanes narrow due to the excessive building only allowing one lane on the road, with traffic squeezing the city’s entrance adding to rush hour traffic.

The building surge on Efrat’s northern entrance is not an aberration but part of a plan. It is a microcosm of the illegal construction which threatens Israel’s sovereignty over the region. Efrat is not alone in this predicament. It is the entire region which is in danger of illegal Arab construction which is pervasive in Judea and Samaria.

These homes have been constructed in violation of the Oslo Accords of 1993 between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The Oslo Accords is an international agreement designating this area of the territory of Judea as part of Area C, where the Israeli government has jurisdiction.

Gazing over the landscape and the buildings, some schools are clearly visible. According to Naomi Kahn, director

of the international division of Regavim, a movement dedicated to protecting Israel’s lands and preventing illegal seizure of state land, the construction of schools are part of the process of illegal Arab building. “First you build a school. Then you build a town.” This is the process around Efrat as in so many other areas.

The Fayyad Plan of 2009, declared by then-Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, was to create a de-facto Palestinian State unilaterally. It was enthusiastically supported by the European Union, Western nations and President Obama. Fayyad published a pamphlet explaining his goals and his plans to work toward an independent

ations and build a PLO state with huge illegal land grabs and with the financial support of international bodies. The European Union and member states are well aware this constructive is illegal and yet actively demand that Israel not demolish the structures they have financed.

The Oslo Accords of 1993 were supposed to be the basis of negotiations. It was approved by a one vote majority in the Knesset. After land offers made by Israel during negotiations were rejected, a devastating intifada broke out vindicating the views of the opponents of the Oslo Accords that the objective of the Palestinian leadership had been and remained committed to armed conflict and the rejection of the very existence of Israel.

Schools are built in Area C as a means of establishing permanence, drawing new residents to the area, who in turn build additional illegal (residential) structures in the vicinity. Schools are built to create facts on the ground. After schools are constructed, roads and homes are then built to allow easier access under the false pretext of humanitarian considerations. This is all in accordance with the Fayyad plan.

Arab state with full sovereignty over all of the territory of the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the 1967 borders with Jerusalem as its capital. In a 2009 New York Times interview, Fayyad espoused a plan to “create facts on the ground that are consistent with the idea that the establishment of a state…. This is our agenda, and we intend to implement it with determination.” The purpose of the plan was to circumvent negoti -

According to the Oslo Accords, the Israeli government has the authority to approve all construction in Area C, which comprises 62% of the landmass of Judea and Samaria, containing the entire Jewish population of Judea and Samaria and approximately 11% of the Arab population. Area C also includes nature reserves, archeological sites, and firing zones. According to a study published on October 11, 2022 by Regavim, there are 81,317 illegal structures in Area C. The abundant land masses of A and B are under the full control of Palestinian Authority and are largely undeveloped.

The city of Efrat stands bold and proud but faces challenges to its future posed by the Palestinian Authority and members of the international community.

Larry Domnitch is the author of The Impact of World War I on the Jewish People by Urim Publications. He lives in Efrat.

It is a microcosm of the illegal construction which threatens Israel’s sovereignty over the region.

Delving into the Daf The Price to Pay

By Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow

The Gemara in Kiddushin (17a) discusses the situation of an eved Ivri, an indentured servant, who became ill. His boss contracted with him for six years of labor. However, he was ill for two years. Can his boss demand a refund for those two years where he just stayed in bed all day? The Gemara answers unequivocally in the negative. It is the boss’s bad mazal, and he must absorb the loss.

Tosfos comment that there are those who equate the situation in the Gemara to that of a rebbe who was hired to teach children and then fell ill. They would argue that if the rebbe was sick for less than half of his contracted term, then the school that hired him must pay his full salary. Since the rebbe cannot be faulted for becoming ill, the yeshiva must absorb the loss.

The Gemara in Bava Metzia (77a) discusses a day laborer who fell ill at midday. Tosfos say that the Gemara implies that he does not get his full daily salary, but neither is he penalized. For the half-day that he worked, he gets paid; the day laborer will not get paid for the half-day that he was legitimately AWOL. Regarding this issue, a rebbe should be treated the same as a day laborer: He should get paid for the time he taught, but if he was sick for a significant period of time, his pay should be docked.

However, Tosfos are left to explain why an eved Ivri is treated financially better than a day laborer or rebbe. Tosfos posit that when one buys an eved Ivri, he has actually acquired a lien on the individual. He received value for his funds. The fact that he was unable to benefit from his lien is of no consequence. It is similar to someone who leased a car for three years. What would happen if all the roads were declared off-limits for three years? Could the lessor demand a refund? Certainly not. He received the car that he leased;

he has no claim on the leasing company. Likewise, the purchaser of an eved Ivri received his six-year lien. If the eved Ivri was sick for two years, the purchaser still received value. However, standard employers, such as a yeshiva, do not acquire a lien on their employees. They only receive value when the

and the day laborer was revealed to him in a dream. According to the Maharam, the eved Ivri and the day laborer have essentially the same halachos in this matter. However, the eved Ivri is prepaid for his six years of work. Therefore, if he falls ill for two years, the boss absorbs the loss. The day laborer is post-

loss in the case of sickness. According to Tosfos, a teacher always suffers a financial loss for missing time due to illness, whereas according to the Maharam, this would only be true if the teacher was not paid in advance.

The Shach was not impressed with the ruling of the Maharam, especially since it was based on a dream. He said dreams are of little halachic value. Further, he reasons that the determination of who absorbs the loss should not be contingent on who is holding the money. It is true that in cases where there is a halachic doubt or question of fact, we often resolve the dispute by letting the money stay where it is (ha’motzi me’chaveiro alav ha’ra’ayah). However, the Gemara never said that there was any halachic doubt involved in this case. Therefore, the resolution of Tosfos is preferred, because it’s based on the explanation that an eved Ivri is categorically different from a teacher or day laborer.

In practice, this discussion is usually not relevant, as most institutions and employers have firm rules in place for sick days. Employees are hired with the understanding that their employment is on the employer’s usual terms. Therefore, notwithstanding the above opinions, the rules of the employer should be followed. Even if the employer has no specific rules, questions of this nature would follow the custom of the locale.

laborer performs his job. Consequently, if the worker did not fulfill his duties, even through no fault of his own, he should not be paid. The boss did not receive value for the wages he is supposed to pay.

Interestingly, the Shach (CM 333:25) quotes the Maharam Mi’Rottenberg who stated that a different explanation of the distinction between the eved Ivri

paid. Therefore, the worker himself absorbs the loss. The rule is that whoever is holding the funds gets to keep them in the event of the worker’s illness. According to this distinction, if a teacher was pre-paid a year’s salary (good luck with that!) and then fell ill for two months, the school would have to absorb the loss. However, teachers that are given weekly paychecks would themselves absorb the

Is there any real chance of an employee getting paid for two years of sick time? Based on the Maharam, we can say: dream on!

Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow is a rebbe at Yeshiva Ateres Shimon in Far Rockaway. In addition, Rabbi Sebrow leads a daf yomi chaburah at Eitz Chayim of Dogwood Park in West Hempstead, NY. He can be contacted at ASebrow@gmail.com.

They would argue that if the rebbe was sick for less than half of his contracted term, then the school that hired him must pay his full salary.

Jewish History Raising Children To Kill — Then and Now

By Rafael Medoff

The news that Palestinian Authority summer camps are training children to use weapons and glorify terrorists is a troubling reminder that some regimes view children as little more than tools to be exploited. Hundreds of thousands of children have been used as soldiers in various international conflicts in recent decades, according to human rights groups.

The Ugandan rebel group known as the “Lord’s Resistance Army” has made the abduction and enslavement of children “its main method of recruitment,” experts say.

In Bolivia, an estimated 40% of the army consists of teenagers who were forcibly conscripted.

The participation of Palestinian Arab children in terrorism against Israelis has become so commonplace that it has attracted the attention of Palestinian advocates in the United States. They’ve persuaded a handful of members of Congress to introduce legislation to restrict U.S. aid to Israel if the Israeli military detains minors who engage in violence.

A Nazi Version of Cinderella

Dictators in previous generations likewise prioritized training children to hate and kill. Adolf Hitler, for example, viewed Germany’s schools as a breeding ground for raising an entire generation of Nazis.

Following Hitler’s rise to power, German school curricula were radically revised to reflect Nazi ideas, and traditional textbooks were replaced with Nazi versions. Biology texts now advocated the theory of “Aryan” racial superiority. Atlases focused on the alleged danger to Germany posed by surrounding nations and the supposed theft from Germany of various territories. History books presented justifications for renewed German militarism. The Nazis even concocted their own version of Cinderella, with

the prince choosing a racially pure young heroine and rebuffing her racially alien stepmother.

At a press conference in September 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt expressed concern that the German government seemed to be preparing young people for war with Germany’s neighbors. He related a story he heard from an American tourist in Germany, about an eight-year-old German boy who in his bedtime prayers each night would say, “Dear G-d, please permit it that I shall die with a French bullet in my heart.”

Unfortunately, that did not change FDR’s policy of maintaining friendly diplomatic and trade relations with Nazi Germany in the 1930s.

Disney Exposes the Nazis

During World War II, Disney created a series of short cartoon films to support the American war effort and expose the nature of Nazism. They were shown in movie theaters, prior to the main feature. One especially striking nine-minute film was called “Education for Death: The Making of the Nazi.”

The storyline follows a German child, Hans, as the Nazi school system turns him into a worshipper of Hitler. When Hans’s teacher shows the pupils a fox capturing and eating a rabbit, Hans makes the innocent mistake of expressing sympathy for “the poor rabbit.” As punishment, he has to put on a dunce camp and sit in a corner, while another student gives the “correct” answer: “The world belongs to the strong... The rabbit is a coward and deserves to die.”

Finally surrendering to peer pressure, Hans agrees that the rabbit was “a weakling” who got what it deserved. The teacher then provides the moral of the story: The German people are “an unconquerable super race” who will “destroy all weak and cowardly nations.”

The Disney narrator describes how Hans’s upbringing then proceeds with endless “marching and ‘Heil’-ing, ‘Heil’ing and marching.” The little boy becomes almost a robot, blindly heeding the Nazi Party’s orders to “trample on the rights of others.” The narrator concludes: “For now his education is complete – his education for death.”

Nazi-educated German children filled

the ranks of the Hitler Youth movement. Its members took part in numerous atrocities, from forcing Vienna’s Jews to scrub the streets with toothbrushes in 1938, to the mass shooting of Jews swimming from sinking boats in the German harbor of Lubeck, just before Germany’s surrender in 1945.

In addition, many of those who graduated from Hitler Youth joined the Gestapo and participated in the mass murder of European Jewry. While other branches of the Nazi apparatus collapsed or surrendered in the waning days of World War II, Hitler Youth remained fanatically loyal to their Fuhrer to the very end, which is why they are often mentioned in accounts of atrocities that were perpetrated in the spring of 1945 Menachem Weinryb, an Auschwitz survivor who was forced to take part in a death march from Poland to Germany, later recalled how when the prisoners reached the Belsen area on April 1945 ,13, the German guards went to a nearby town “and returned with a lot of young people from the Hitler Youth [and local policemen].... They chased us all into a large barn...we were five to six thousand people.... [They] poured out petrol and set the barn on fire. Several thousand people were burned alive.”

Raising children to kill, whether in Nazi Germany in the 1930s or in the Middle East today, always has deadly consequences.

Dr. Medoff is founding director of The David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies and author of more than 20 books about Jewish history and the Holocaust. His latest is America and the Holocaust: A Documentary History, published by the Jewish Publication Society & University of Nebraska Press.

TJH Centerfold

2023 School Supplies List

Gluten-Free Glue Sticks: When you eat glue in class, at least it won’t have gluten.

Emoji Eraser Set: Erase mistakes while expressing your emotions with popular emojis.

Virtual Reality History Glasses: Relive historical events like you’re right there, without leaving your seat.

Selfie Stick Calculator: Crunch numbers and capture your best angles simultaneously.

Cryptocurrency Lunch Money Wallet: Pay for your lunch with the latest digital currencies.

Robot Homework Assistant: A tiny robot that finishes your homework while you’re gaming.

GIF-Sticker Textbook Covers: Customize your textbooks with animated GIF-sticker covers that reflect the subject.

Sustainable Energy Notebook: Your notebook generates energy from your writing, which you can use to charge your devices.

E-Book Page-Turner Drone: A mini drone that flips the pages of your e-books for you, leaving your hands free.

Nanobot Note-Taking Gloves: Gloves that release tiny nanobots to take notes for you while you daydream.

You Gotta be Kidding Me!

Teacher: Johnny, what is the chemical formula for water?

Johnny: HIJKLMNO!

Teacher: What are you talking about?

Johnny: Yesterday you said it’s H to O!

Riddle Me This

I am an odd number. Take away a letter, and I become even. What number am I?

Answer: Seven

School Supply Trivia

1. Which school supply was patented first?

a. Ballpoint pen

b. Eraser

c. Pencil

d. Fountain pen

2. How many crayons are there in a standard box of Crayola crayons?

a. 12

b. 24

c. 48

d. 64

3. In what year were adhesive sticky notes (Post-It notes) invented?

a. 1960

b. 1974

c. 1982

d. 1996

4. What was the original purpose of the paperclip before it became a common office and school supply?

a. Surgical clamp

b. Hairpin

c. Necklace fastener

d. Bookmark

5. What is the main ingredient in traditional chalkboard chalk?

a. Salt

b. Vinegar

c. Iron Oxide

d. Calcium Carbonate

6. What year was the first modern pencil with an eraser attached patented?

a. 1789

b. 1858

c. 1902

d. 1965

7. What is the approximate number of sheets of paper used in all schools throughout the U.S. in a single school year?

a. 7 million

b. 109 million

c. 2 billion

d. 32 billion

8. How many words can the average pencil write?

a. 2,000

b. 13,000

c. 26,000

d. 45,000

9. What were erasers made out of before the 18th century?

a. Bread

b. Plastic

c. Spit

d. Animal skin

10. How much does the average American family spend yearly on school supplies?

a. $200

b. $450

c. $700

d. $1,200

Wisdom key: 8-10 correct: You probably had your school supplies since June. Is that a new pocket protector?

5-7 correct: You are in the middle of the pack. Use a protractor to find yourself.

0-4 correct: Do you have enough paper for your paper planes and spitballs?

Notable Quotes “Say

What?!”

President Biden and many members of the media lecture us incessantly about the injustice of privilege, especially so-called “white privilege.” But to me, that’s like being lectured about gun safety by Alec Baldwin.

– Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) on Fox News

The trial will start three years, one month, and 27 days after the events of January 6, 2021. The trial involving the Boston Marathon bombing began less than two years after the events. The trial involving Zacarias Moussaoui for his role in the September 11 attacks was set to begin one year after the attacks; but due to continuances, appeals, and voluminous discovery, it began roughly four years later.

I knew Prigozhin for a very long time, since the early ‘90s. He was a man of complicated fate, and he made serious mistakes in his life, but he achieved the right results. He was a talented person, a talented businessman, he worked not only in our country, and worked with results, but also abroad, in Africa, in particular.

He was involved there with oil, gas, precious metals and stones. As far as I know, he just returned yesterday from Africa. He met some officials here. But what is quite definite — the head of the Investigative Committee reported to me this morning — is they have already begun a preliminary investigation into this event. And it will be carried out in full, and taken right to the end.

– Ibid.

- Judge Tanya S. Chutkan, who is presiding over Trump’s Washington, D.C. criminal case, comparing the January 6th events during which one Trump supporter was killed to the horrific terrorist attacks of 9/11 and the Boston Marathon bombing

- Vladimir Putin after Yevgeny Prigozhin’s plane crashed two months after his failed short-lived attempted coup against Putin

Handsome guy, wonderful guy.

- President Joe Biden when asked about Trump’s mugshot

A death rattle of any democracy is when a sitting president uses that state security apparatus to go after political opponents and cover up lies and crimes committed by himself or his family. Biden is doing that now.

- Former Democrat Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard on Fox News

His actions make it clear he believes himself to be not the enforcer of the rule of law but the exception to it.

- Ibid.

I don’t find anything even remotely funny about a child, excited to help Mom in the kitchen, looking bewildered, then hurt, then embarrassed because the person they trust more than anyone in the world is cackling into their iPhone camera over the harm they just caused their young child.

- Blog writer Cassandra Stone writing about a strange new TikTok trend in which some parents are filming themselves cracking an egg on their child’s head for laughs and views

It’s not that Israel needs America. America needs Israel.

- Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley at the first GOP debate

There is nothing more racist than to assume the color of someone’s skin dictates something about the content of their viewpoints, which is what Ayanna Pressley peddles to Americans.

- Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy explaining to Politico why he referred to squad member Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), who advocates anti-white views, as one of the new grand wizards of the KKK

I think it is the same spirit to say that I can look at you and based on just your skin color, that I know something about the content of your character, that I know something about the content of the viewpoints that you’re allowed to express. For Ayanna Pressley to tell me because of my skin color I can’t express my views, that is wrong. It is divisive. It is driving hate in this country. This is dividing our country to the breaking point.

- Ibid., on CNN

Going sightseeing is not a must for women.

- A Taliban official explaining a new law banning women from parks in Afghanistan

The failure of Kia and Hyundai to install basic auto-theft prevention technology in these models is sheer negligence, and as a result, a citywide and nationwide crime spree around automobile theft has been unfolding right before our eyes.

- Chicago’s woke Mayor Brandon Johnson blaming automakers for rampant car theft in his city

I don’t think Trump will be the nominee, but you’d really do the country a solid if you could get Democrats to stop indicting him.

- Conservative firebrand Ann Coulter, in an interview with the New York Times

Stories to Inspire From Tattoos to Tefillin

A story told over by Rabbi Zecharia Wallerstein, zt”l Prepared for print by Daniel

Agalar

Ihad the privilege of serving as a rebbi in a kiruv yeshiva in Crown Heights for over four decades. It was a unique institution, catering to boys who came from non-religious backgrounds. Among the students was a young man named Rafi, who had endured the tragic loss of his mother and was going through a particularly challenging phase in his life. I remember him well.

Rafi had faced numerous setbacks and had been expelled from several yeshivas before finally graduating from the yeshiva where I taught. After he completed his studies, our paths diverged, and I lost touch with him. However, destiny had an intriguing plan in store for us.

A few years later, I received a wedding invitation in the mail. It was for the wedding of Rafi’s sister. Curiosity piqued, I attended the joyous occasion and, upon arriving, noticed an imposing Harley Davidson motorcycle parked outside the wedding hall. To my surprise, standing beside it was Rafi himself, transformed into a true biker. His appearance was striking, with a long ponytail, chains, and a leather jacket adorned with various insignias.

Rafi approached me with a sense of urgency, eager to show me something. With a flourish, he removed his jacket, revealing his heavily tattooed body. However, there was one noticeable exception—his right hand remained bare, devoid of any ink. Perplexed, I awaited his explanation.

In a heartfelt manner, Rafi recounted a particular lesson I had taught the class on the significance of tefillin. He vividly remembered the discussion we had about the sanctity of wrapping the holy phylacteries around one’s arm. As he contemplated getting tattoos, the thought of

area code. Intrigued, I answered, only to be greeted by the voice of Rafi’s sister on the other end of the line. She shared joyous news—Rafi had married a year earlier, established a thriving Jewish community, and had just celebrated the bris of his newborn child that very morning.

Overwhelmed with emotion, I promptly dialed Rafi’s number, needing to express my utmost delight and admiration. As we spoke, he revealed that he had named his precious baby Zecharia, in honor of our unyielding bond and the unwavering support I had provided him throughout his journey.

The news of Rafi’s transformation and his commitment to building a vibrant Jewish life filled my heart with immeasurable joy. It was a testament to the power of resilience, faith, and the enduring impact that a dedicated teacher can have on a student’s life.

placing tefillin on top of the inked skin deeply troubled him. In a moment of clarity and reverence for Hashem and his late grandfather, Rafi decided to leave his right arm unadorned, a sacred space reserved for tefillin. Despite the potential ridicule he faced from his friends for having a fully tattooed body with one empty arm, he remained steadfast in his commitment.

Not long ago, my phone rang, displaying a Florida

Daniel Agalar is the founder of Stories to Inspire, an organization dedicated to sharing curated inspirational stories from renowned rabbanim. With a widely popular podcast that has surpassed 4 million downloads, Daniel’s passion for spreading positivity shines through. Join the daily WhatsApp broadcast by messaging 310-210-1205 or explore over 4,300 stories on his website at www.storiestoinspire.org. The stories can also be accessed on the hotline at 718-400-7145.

As he contemplated getting tattoos, the thought of placing tefillin on top of the inked skin deeply troubled him.

The Wandering Jew Montana, Idaho, & Wyoming Part I

By Hershel Lieber

It was the summer of 2021, and we were just coming out of the most difficult phases of the Covid pandemic. The previous two years we experienced different stages of a lockdown while processing the tragedies that people were going through. Of course we did not travel during that period –we barely left our home. At the first opportunity of seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, we made plans to visit the only two states that we had not yet seen in the continental United States: Montana and Idaho. We dedicated the last week of June and the first week of July for this purpose and were quite excited about the impending journey.

A two-week journey requires a lot of planning. I write out a detailed itinerary which takes in account the driving time between places and the various attractions that we want to see and experience.

I enjoy the planning, but it really is a major undertaking. Aside from airline reservations, hotel accommodations have to be

made according to the various cities that are part of the itinerary – and in our case we needed ten separate reservations. Our original plan to fly into Bozeman, Montana, was nixed when we realized the exorbitant price of car rentals in that city. Instead, we flew into Helena, which was only a hundred miles away and where the price for a car rental was less than half. Concerning food, other than what one can buy in a supermarket, we usually bring along canned tuna and salmon, hard cheeses, pareve crackers and cookies, and for supper an assortment of Amazing Meals by Meal Mart which are quite good.

We try to connect with the local Chabad for davening and Shabbos seudos, and they always come through. For this trip, I called and later met with Rabbi Chaim Bruk at a chasuna in Ellenville, NY, about two weeks before our trip. He invited us for all the seudos for the two Shabbosim that we would be in Montana.

We left Lakewood on Wednesday,

June 24 to Newark airport. About ten minutes before leaving the house, my dental bridge fell out, leaving a four-tooth gap in my mouth. That I experience a dental emergency during a trip is almost a given. I had dental work done in about a dozen cities in Europe and the States. After this dental emergency occurred, I immediately called Rabbi Bruk, and he arranged for a dentist to see me the next day in Bozeman.

Before leaving Helena on Thursday, we took a trolley tour of the city, which gave us a complete historical picture of Montana’s state capital. We also toured the State Capitol Building and the Montana Museum. We drove two hours to Bozeman and went directly to the dentist where he re-glued my “fallen bridge.” Pesi was also complaining about swollen cheeks, and he prescribed some antibiotics for her.

From there, we drove to Main Street where we rented an Airbnb apartment for the next three nights in a turn-of-

the-century building. Our room was on the second floor, and we had two heavy suitcases and some wheelies to carry up a fire escape staircase in the back of the building. As we were pondering how we would be able to do that, an older man came down the stairs and understood our dilemma. Without asking us, he lifted our suitcase on his shoulder and marched up

At the State Capitol in Helena

Glacier National Park

the stairs. He made two more trips until all our luggage was near our room. Our protests did not help; he saw our problem and came to our rescue. There really are good people out there!

Our room was not bad, but it was not what we expected. There was one air conditioning unit to cool the two rooms, and it made a lot of noise. The only place to sit were two high stools around a tall table. It was so difficult to mount the stools, and they were not cushioned. We were terribly disappointed. The way the apartment appeared in the advertisement was a far cry from its actual look and discomfort. In addition, our walk to Chabad on Shabbos could be more than an hour, and in the hot sun. That was my mistake. When I had googled the time it would take to get from the apartment to Chabad, the time given was twenty minutes. I had forgotten that it was giving me driving time, not walking time! Again, Rabbi Chaim Bruk came to the rescue. He arranged for us to stay on Shabbos at one his students and member of his shul named Robin.

On Friday, we walked Main Street and its local flavor shops. We also went to Rocky Mountain Museum which specializes in dinosaur skeletons that were found in nearby excavations. We were surprised that this exhibition was actually interesting enough for us. They also had a special exhibit on Viking artifacts which was beautifully presented. We continued on to the planetarium, where we watched the night sky in all its glory. We returned to our Airbnb to get ready for Shabbos and headed to Robin’s house.

We were not alone in Robin’s house. Our friends, Matys and Miriam Weiser, were there for the same Shabbos. I knew they were planning to go on a trip to Montana but was not sure that our trips would coincide. I know Matys still from Poland where we spent time together in the Lauder Summer Retreat. I also met him in his hometown Wroclaw. When he arrived to live in the States, we continued our relationship. Being together for Shabbos was

was well made up in quality. The seudos, the delicious food, and the divrei Torah, in the company of Rabbi and Rebbetzin Bruk and some of their children added to the Shabbosdik atmosphere that permeated around the table. After Shalosh Seudos and havdalah, we said “gut voch” but not “goodbye.” We were planning to come back again for the next Shabbos.

Sunday, early in the morning, we began a six-day journey which would take us

Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. They never found one, because there isn’t any.

Later that day, we headed toward Glacier National Park. Glacier, Yellowstone, Arches, and a few other National Parks are so popular that tourists need to make reservations months before – just to drive through them. I did not know that. Rabbi Bruk was able to help us get a pass, but not until the following day, Tuesday. Nevertheless, we headed in that direction and made plans to travel outside the perimeter of the park. We were well rewarded as this road was trafficless and quiet. We had great views of the ice-topped mountains as well being able to relax alongside the adjoining riverbank. We retired early that evening in anticipation of the next morning’s early outing to Glacier. We wanted to be there before the crowds, so I set my alarm for a four a.m. wakeup. It was a long but gratifying day, and we fell asleep instantly.

an extra bonus. We enjoyed excellent accommodations at Robin’s house. Her home is so lovely and spacious. From the rear, we were treated to a grand view of the grassy plains and far-off snowcapped mountains. Besides the Weisers and Robin, we shared the house with Daisy, her friendly dog.

We davened at Rabbi Bruk’s shul, which was then located adjacent to his home. Friday night we did not have a minyan but the atmosphere at the Shabbos table was so uplifting and the guests were inspiring as well. We were just one person short for the next morning’s davening but what was lacking in quantity

to Glacier National Park and back to Bozeman via Idaho. We had many stops and sights to see along the way with a total of twenty-five hours of driving time. Our first stop was in Great Falls. The Missouri River cuts through the city and drops 500 feet in a series of rapids and waterfalls. Aside from enjoying the river views, we went to the C.M. Russel Museum to see an excellent collection of Western paintings by the famed artist. The next morning, we visited The Lewis & Clark Center which focuses on the arduous eighteen-mile portage that these explorers had to endure in order to bypass the Falls in their quest to find a Northwest passage between the

Hershel Lieber has been involved in kiruv activities for over 30 years. As a founding member of the Vaad L’Hatzolas Nidchei Yisroel he has traveled with his wife, Pesi, to the Soviet Union during the harsh years of the Communist regimes to advance Yiddishkeit. He has spearheaded a yeshiva in the city of Kishinev that had 12 successful years with many students making Torah their way of life. In Poland, he lectured in the summers at the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation camp for nearly 30 years. He still travels to Warsaw every year – since 1979 – to be the chazzan for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur for the Jews there. Together with Pesi, he organized and led trips to Europe on behalf of Gateways and Aish Hatorah for college students finding their paths to Jewish identity. His passion for travel has taken them to many interesting places and afforded them unique experiences. Their open home gave them opportunities to meet and develop relationships with a variety of people. Hershel’s column will appear in The Jewish Home on a bi-weekly basis.

The view from our window in Robin’s house Artwork by C.M. Russel

R-L: Rabbi Chaim Bruk, myself, Pesi, Miriam, and Matys

Off the road leading to Glacier National Park

Great Falls Park

A view of the Missouri River in Great Falls

Glacier, Yellowstone, Arches, and a few other National Parks are so popular that tourists need to make reservations months before – just to drive through them.

Dating Dialogue What Would You Do If…

Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW of The Navidaters

Dear Navidaters,

I know this is an unconventional question but wanted to send it to your wise panelists.

My son just told me he met a girl who was a counselor at the same camp he was working at. They were working in different divisions but started going out formally this summer. He’s been generally in charge of his own dating, so we don’t get so involved besides hearing about the girls when things get more serious. Anyway, surprisingly, I know of this girl because she is actually my friend’s daughter(!).

When she was in middle school and high school, my friend used to complain to me about her and how off the rails she was. I cannot believe my son is dating her and cannot imagine walking down the aisle with my son as her future husband based on what I know.

What on earth should I do?

Thank you!

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

The Panel

The Rebbetzin

Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S.

This is not a strange question. It’s one I have encountered in the past.

Here are some facts to keep in mind. Raising children is challenging. Mothers share with one another. Fathers do, too. They are under multiple pressures and frequently need to vent to their intimate friends. They need a listening ear and some validation. This is normal. It is also normal to remember what your close friends have said about their children. You care about them, and you care about their children. You paid attention to what they shared. They trusted you and your judgment.

It is also normal for children to grow up and develop their maturity, relationships, self-control, and character traits. Give your friend’s child, who is now a

young adult, the benefit of normal development. Children change as they progress towards adulthood. Keep an open mind and heart, just like you would want others to have for your son who was not a finished product when he was younger.

It is not OK (read normal) to hold back on sharing with a close friend when one’s kids are young children in case it will be remembered in the future when it is time for dating.

I remember discussing this with a close friend many years ago. She decided to stop sharing with her friends about her high school age daughter’s social struggles in case it would be remembered and shared when it came time for shidduchim. She was planning on sharing only good things about her children.

I thought this was strange then. I still think many years later that it is rather injurious to close relationships with dearest friends. You have to be able to trust your besties, otherwise the

relationships sour. Close friends notice lack of authenticity and when you are only spouting good things about your young children. The relationship will not continue in the same way if you feel you have to significantly edit your parenting struggles that you share with your nearest and dearest.

Worry not. Give the young woman the gift of ayin tova. You are the adult here. She is the new adult. Don’t focus on her childhood behaviors.

The Shadchan

Michelle Mond

This is a very difficult conundrum, I can only imagine the pit you have in your stomach! It would be helpful to know how old your son is, how long he has been dating, and if he has had experience. If he is a seasoned dater and

has found it hard to find an appropriate match, I would be quick to say let’s wait this out and see if it amounts to anything. If he just started dating and does not have much experience, I recommend you sit down with him and talk about his wants and needs as well as non-negotiables in a match.

At the same time, give your friend a call and be frank with her. A true friend will understand the predicament and be honest with you, and if she is hesitant or evasive, you WILL feel it and have reason to be worried. I would rather you lose a friend by being honest than

Children change as they progress towards adulthood.

beat around the bush at the expense of your son’s future. But the truth is, a real friend will understand where you are coming from and respect you for caring enough to reach out about the issue. Your son deserves to know what he is involved with so that he can make an informed decision.

The Single

Tzipora Grodko

It can be surprising to imagine that people change over time if they have made such a strong negative impression. I understand that you are trying to be cautious but also feel surprised by your judgment assessed by middle and high school behavior. How long ago was that? People change annually, if not monthly, and it’s unfair to assume you know who she is based on previous experiences from such a tumultuous, immature, and

developmental time period.

Stop worrying. If you trust your son to make good choices, then he will continue to do so until something concerning comes up that motivates him to choose otherwise. You haven’t even met her yet, and it doesn’t sound like things are serious. Trust. Your. Son. Don’t get ahead of yourself.

The Zaidy

Dr. Jeffrey Galler

There’s a lot of uncertainty here. When your friend told you that the daughter was “off the rails,” was it an accurate description of a very disturbed teenager, or was it simply a distraught parent looking for sympathy while experiencing a typical teenage daughter’s rebellious phase?

And, even if this girl was behaving in a way that was neither normal nor

acceptable as a teenager, who is to say that she is the same person today, years later? People do grow, mature, and learn from their mistakes.

Here’s the problem: If you tell your son what his girlfriend’s parent had confided to you years ago, you might ruin not only her relationship with her own parent but also any possible positive relationship that you might have with a potential daughter-in-law.

So, why not just wait and see? If your son keeps dating her, you might suggest that they join you for dinner at a restaurant or come to dinner in your home. Then, you can observe what she is actually like today, rather than as a teenager, and make your own intelligent evaluations.

And, if they continue to date, you might wish to call your old friend and say, “Hi! You’ll never guess who is seriously dating your daughter!”

Your friend might respond with, “Wow! Remember how I used to worry

about her? She is a completely different person today!” And then, my friend, you can breathe a sigh of relief.

But, if your friend responds with, “Wow! I’m so glad she found a serious boyfriend! She’s been nothing but trouble since the day she was born,” then, my friend, you do have a real problem!

If you are a wellbalanced, noncontrolling parent who has genuine concerns about your child’s wellbeing, you cannot keep quiet.

Parenting Pearls

Sharing Themselves

By Sara Rayvych, MSEd

Opening my inbox, I saw an email from my daughter’s pen pal. The girls sometimes write snail mail letters or video chat, but their main method of communication is electronic. The letter featured an adorable ice cream cone she had drawn and wanted to share with her physically distant friend. You could see the effort she put into her masterpiece, and this frozen treat had lots of personality. I passed the device to my daughter so we could all appreciate her friend’s hard work.

We wrote back, and I made sure to include my own praise of her hard work. I felt it was important for this correspondence to have more than a perfunctory response. After all, she had put so much of herself into this drawing.

Adults tend to look quickly at a child’s scribbles, giving little more than a brief comment. It’s easy to overlook how much they put into that picture. Even if it’s little more than crisscrossing lines, it’s their hard work, and they take pride in it.

As adults, it’s easy to take for granted the things children do. Kids sing,

dance, color and make jokes. They show off their somersaults while reciting their part in the play. Some of this is children entertaining themselves, but often it’s a child’s way of sharing their day, thoughts or accomplishments with us.

As the last school year closed, many parents found themselves staring at an unruly mound of projects and written work, unsure of what to do with it. With the new year about to begin, parents once again brace themselves for drawings and parsha songs. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the quantity of papers our children bring home. But we want to look past the number of trees sacrificed and see the accomplishments in their work.

Meaningful Creations

I remember being a young child and going out for a Shabbos day meal with my family. I still recall thinking how bored the adults must be just sitting at the table and talking. Adults are different from children in how they interact and connect to others. We shouldn’t

make the mistake of expecting children or teens to function similar to those more than twice their age and life experience.

Children are busy playing and entertaining themselves throughout the day. Rather than mere fun and games, they are learning and growing from these interactions. Children also express themselves differently from adults. Children often use art or other mediums to share with others. As an example, many grandparents will find themselves blessed to be on the receiving end of a picture or dance recital performed in their honor. Whether in-person or over video chat, it’ll be no less appreciated.

When seeing a child’s project, they are not merely showing us how they kept busy for a few minutes. They put their young hearts into it, and we want to appreciate that. When that child then proudly shares their work with us, we should feel grateful they value our place in their life. All you need to do is watch the care a youngster puts into their project. They focus intently and seriously deliberate which sequin or colored

button is perfect for each spot. That ice cream cone drawing my daughter received was a way for her friend to bring my daughter into her life and share a part of herself.

With school starting, most of this article will reference school projects and creativity. Everything written here applies equally to the fun and learning they have at home since we are their first and main teachers.

Multiple Modalities

There are many ways children learn and ideally your child’s teacher will use many of them – especially in the earlier years. Arts and crafts are very popular, and kids enjoy making a good mess. Movement is very important, and dancing or arm motions can help many learners. Even many adults will use songs or rhymes to help themselves remember important information. I still remember things I memorized years ago that were set to a tune or other memorization technique.

Many children will use hugs or oth-

er methods to show love. Some children are very verbal and can out-talk a radio show host. Each individual has their own way of sharing with others and expressing themselves. Your child wants to include you in their life or share their day with you and may not do so at convenient times. Recognizing that this is their way to bring you into their day –especially when they spend hours away from you – can help parents see the ultimate meaning behind these childish words.

Appreciate Their Contribution

Your child will come home with lots to share. We’re very busy and often don’t have patience for these little things. It’s easier for parents to make time and focus when we realize how valuable these moments are. They put a lot of work into whatever they’re showing us and waited

they’re speaking and make appropriate comments along the way.

Kids thrive on parental praise. A few well-placed words can make anyone feel good, regardless of their age. Praise is most powerful when it’s targeted and not generalized. “Nice picture” is better

to show how much we appreciate it. The fridge is a popular spot, but any visible location will do. You don’t need to keep everything, and it doesn’t need to remain there forever. Letting them share with grandparents or other relatives is another way to let them show off their

can thrive with a different rebbi/morah or class. Encouragement from their parents can go a long way in helping them start the right way. When we believe in them, they can believe in themselves. Make sure your child is prepared for their first day of school and has everything they need. You’d be surprised how much it throws a student off to not have their notebook or other supplies.

than ignoring their work but doesn’t say much. “I like how you combined colors” is targeted and shows you really noticed their effort. “You jumped so high for

talent. Not only will most children feel proud to share with others, but it’s another way to make grandparents or family friends feel loved. Don’t pass it on

Children spend many hours away from home. When possible, it means a lot to them when someone sends them off and welcomes them home. Additionally, a loving note or something similar in their bag will remind them of your love and support throughout the day. We’re about to start another year of growth and opportunities. Children will once again come home with projects spilling out of their bags and stories to tell. I wish all our students a successful year and lots of nachas for their parents.

When that child then proudly shares their work with us, we should feel grateful they value our place in their life.

Sharing the Big Jewish Ideas

By Tammy m ark

How can accurate and authentic information regarding Israel, Judaism and the Jewish people ever combat all of the misinformation circling around the internet and compete successfully with the media platforms like Al Jazeera News? The first step is having the most engaging and informative content available, in the most modern and accessible way.

OpenDor Media is doubling-down on its efforts to educate the masses through media and making it more exciting. The organization, formerly Jerusalem U, has been bringing Jewish educational media to a global audience since 2009 on a mission to strengthen the connection of young people to Israel, Judaism and the Jewish people and help them navigate the challenges of being a proud vocal Jew and Zionist in the modern world. OpenDor’s primary digital platform, “Unpacked,” offers a wealth of unique resources for laypeople and educators. The company is determined to reach even more people directly on their newsfeed and playlists, engaging social media users with their newest informative and insightful videos.

Unpacked’s latest channel, “Big Jewish Ideas,” features “The Big Ten,” a video series focusing on the Ten Commandments. Hosted by familiar face Noey Jacobson, formerly of the Maccabeats, each video offers thought-provoking ideas to make the mitzvos accessible and relatable to a broader audience. One recent video

cleverly connects the precept of muktzah with the modern concept of mindfulness.

OpenDor’s CEO Andrew Savage has been involved in Jewish programming since his days at Oxford University.

joining OpenDor Media. He sat down to share some of OpenDor’s big ideas.

Tell us about OpenDor Media and the strategy behind the Unpacked platforms.

Our strategy is to reach people where they’re at and to speak to them in a language they can relate to. The way that we do that is on social media platforms, and if they’re school-age, it’s in the classroom. Our “direct to consumer” model, the means with which we reach people on social media, is that we have a pretty extensive operation with three channels on YouTube – Big Jewish Ideas is one of them. We post regularly on Instagram and TikTok, and we have a podcast division with a number of very successful podcasts. We have something like 600,000 downloads of various podcasts – the most successful of which is called “Unpacking Israeli History.” We also have a website with about two million unique visits in the last year or so.

Savage spent several years studying at Sh’or Yoshuv and the Mir Yeshiva. He founded the UK-based Forum for Jewish Leadership and went on to work for the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation. Savage came to the United States five years ago, working as VP of the Tikvah Fund before

In addition to that, we have a platform called “Unpacked for Educators,” where we essentially take everything we’re creating and create supplementary teaching resources that can be used by teachers in a classroom or educators in any context, formal or informal. The goal is to really give them something that’s ready to go so they can teach meaningfully about the subjects that we cover –Israeli history, Jewish history, Zionism, the ideas, the

we’re trying to educate and share meaning rather than preach or tell people what they should do.

Andrew Savage, CEO of OpenDor Media

Noey Jacobson, the host of the series

ideals, the key personalities, Jewish culture, the Jewish calendar, etc.

What’s special about the Big Jewish Ideas channel and The Big Ten series?

We launched a new channel for this series. Our main YouTube channel “Unpacked” has over 170,000 subscribers, and we put a video out every single week with approximately 900,000 views a month; part of its success is consistency. This new channel is exclusively dedicated to “Big Jewish Ideas,” to asking questions and bringing the relevance of Jewish ideas and texts to an audience that are young and are probably not looking for that but are still grappling with life’s big issues – as we all are.

Rabbi Shalom Schwartz of Aish recognized that the Aseret Hadibrot is the base and has everything contained within them. He wanted to build a movement around its ideas and ideals. Rabbi Nitzan Bergman set up the U.S. organization, the goal of which is to bring the most compelling and relatable ideas contained within the Ten Commandments to a larger audience. Making great content is nothing without an audience for it, so that was the basis for our partnership with Project Aseret and the Big Ten.

Until relatively recently, we were predominantly focused on Israel history; this series is really an attempt to lean more seriously into creating great content that provides meaning around Judaism and its core ideas.

What would you say is the secret to the success and popularity of the material?

Our recipe for success is really a focus on three things. Subject matter – creating great content is a prerequisite for having an impact – and second, knowing your audience. We’re trying to reach beyond “the choir,” we’re trying to reach people who are not necessarily proactively searching for every possible video about Israel or who are the big advocates on campus chairing Israel clubs. We’re trying to reach the “undecided voter” – the vast majority of young Jews and non-Jews – when it comes to the content relating to Israel who are either apathetic or ill-informed. They may have some level of interest, and essentially our goal is to pique that interest, to create what we call “the irresistible hook,” to ask a question that’s going to be relevant to them and to show how topics that might not seem immediately relevant actually are interesting and relevant.

We’re trying to educate and share meaning rather than preach or tell people what they should do, and leave it for people to make their own decisions. If you want to be credible and respected, you have to respect your audience and be trustworthy.

The third thing, which is really important, is knowing the platforms themselves – each social media platform is a world onto itself.

The Big Ten videos cover authentic Torah concepts with modern perspectives. Is this the formula which makes them so relatable?

Our goal is to create content which is relevant to everyone. I’m an Orthodox Jew, although not all of our team are – it’s a pretty diverse group on the team. The common

theme is a shared passion and commitment to sharing the riches of Jewish heritage, tradition, Zionism. The goal is that our content should be equally usable and embraced by potentially anyone. We want to be relevant to people, and to do that, we don’t want to boxed into something –but everything is grounded in traditional Judaism and Orthodox Judaism.

Ultimately, the same questions that we try to grapple with in the series are the big questions in life. We’re trying for those who are not familiar to pique their curiosity, and even for those who are – who have been through years of Jewish day schools and may not be feeling that passion or that it’s entirely relevant for them – to give them some food for thought and some added meaning as well. We try not to use terms that could alienate anyone. Everything is there to be understood, but beyond that it’s to ask the kind of questions and provide the insights which should be equally relevant to anyone and everyone regardless of religious denomination, religiosity, or literacy.

“Who are the Jews?” We have a video about Jews of color, and another video we put out on YouTube a couple of weeks ago was, “Are Jews White?” We had 160 thousand views, and it’s going viral. The perception that all Jews are rich, white and Ashkenazi is both damaging and factually incorrect. Addressing questions of Jewish identity and ethnicity – those kinds of videos have been incredibly successful. We made a video on the surprising differences between Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jews – we had over 2 million views – and that’s by far the highest performing video over six months and it continues to pick up thousands of views a day.

Most of our content is evergreen so at the time we release them, they’ll be moderately successful, but then something can happen to make them significantly more relevant. We saw it in May 2021, when things heated up in Israel with Hamas firing rockets. We had made a video 18 months earlier with the title “What is Hamas?” Suddenly, in May 2021, we were competing with Al Jazeera; if you type in “What is Hamas” on YouTube, the first couple of videos that come up is ours and Al Jazeera, so subsequently we’ve made a real effort to make the video before it becomes relevant. As a community, one of the real frustrations is that when things happen in Israel, suddenly everyone goes into rapid response mode, but actually it’s kind of too late then. In the space we’re in, consistency is key, so that’s an important thing we’ve done.

What are you looking forward to working on?

In the Jewish space, we’re just getting started. We’re planning to produce a whole series on spirituality, the goal of which is to look at how foundational concepts can be relevant in anyone’s life – about the sanctity of time, anxiety, what you eat – and those messages aren’t explicitly Orthodox, yet they are all grounded in Torah ideas. There’s a lot of bad stuff out there, and we’re trying to be a voice of positivity and meaning.

Who’s involved in the creative process?

We’re a team of about 40 people in OpenDor media. For The Big Ten, a good number of people are involved along the way. We have Noam Weissman, Executive Vice President, and we have Noey, who has a background in education. Our head of content was a school principal for a number of years. We have a pretty strong group of educators.

It’s a complicated and, at times, difficult process, and one of the real challenges is that you want the product to have that authenticity and be compelling. You want the face on the screen to be genuine, and in Noey’s case, it works, because Noey’s an incredibly passionate thoughtful Jew and hopefully that came out in the series.

Which videos have had the most success?

We’ve made a series of videos on the topic of antisemitism, and they’re great. The videos that people are really driven to, and often the spikes in antisemitism will drive them there, are the videos that speak to the question of

One of OpenDor’s mottos is “Media is the Ultimate Educator.” You’ve been involved with Jewish outreach and education throughout your career. How is this different for you?

Everything I’d done until then, as meaningful as it had been, whether an in-person educational program or working on campus, there are only so many people you could work with. The reality is that media – though there are all sorts of dangers and evils associated with it, and as a parent I’m super attuned to those and worry about some of the negative influences – at the same time, offers a unique opportunity. We can literally be reaching everyone at every moment of the day, every single day.

As a community, it’s incumbent upon us that we reach them there; TikTok is the search engine, the classroom, the newspaper – that’s it. No one’s watching documentaries or reading books or increasingly – if they’re teenagers – even looking at Google. There’s an opportunity to meet them there, otherwise we’re not even in the battle to lose. What we’re doing is both critically important, and we’re reaching hundreds of thousands of people every single month. That’s something I’ve never had the opportunity to do before, and it makes what we do particularly exciting and important.

we’re trying to reach the “undecided voter” – the vast majority of young Jews and non-Jews –when it comes to the content relating to i srael who are either apathetic or ill-informed.

In The K tchen

Salmon Dumplings

By Naomi Nachman

The last few months, I have become obsessed with dumplings. When I see them on menus in restaurants, I order a double batch. I decided to make my own using salmon. You can also try the recipe using leftover chicken from the soup.

Ingredients

◦ 1 pound skinless salmon, minced

◦ ½ cup finely shredded carrot

◦ ¼ cup finely chopped water chestnuts

◦ ¼ cup finely chopped bamboo shoots

◦ ¼ cup finely chopped chives

◦ 2 cloves garlic, minced

◦ 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

◦ ½ teaspoon sesame oil

◦ ¼ teaspoon salt

◦ 2 cups water

◦ 1 package round wonton wrappers

Preparation

Prepare the salmon and vegetables: Toss salmon and vegetables with remaining ingredients and seasonings, aside from the wonton wrappers. Place one tablespoon of the mixture in the middle of each wonton wrapper. Lift the edges of the circle and pinch the top together. (You may want to use a cornstarch/water mixture to make sure it sticks.)

Gently lower the dumplings into a medium-size pot filled with boiling water and boil for 3 to 5 minutes. The dumplings are done when the skins become clear

and they have been floating on the top for 3 minutes. Remove each carefully with a slotted spoon.

Cook’s note: You can also pan-fry the dumplings a few minutes on each side in a sauté pan. Alternately, you can steam them in a bamboo steam basket. Serve the dumplings with dipping sauce or soy sauce mixed with minced ginger.

Dipping Sauce

Yields 1/3 cup

Ingredients

◦ 4 tablespoons soy sauce

◦ 1 tablespoon honey

◦ 1 teaspoon sesame oil

◦ 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

◦ 2 teaspoons ginger, minced

◦ 2 teaspoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Preparation

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix together well. For best results, blend ahead of time to allow all flavors to blend. Store in a sealed container.

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

In The K tchen

Real Belgium Waffles

By Naomi Nachman

I made these delicious waffles with my friend Esther Bamberger from Antwerp as a demo on the river cruise I did this past week. I was asked to join the cruise to do cooking demos and social media. The cruise went from Amsterdam to Brugge, Belgium, making stops in beautiful European cities and towns along the way and exploring the Jewish history in each area we visited.

In Belgium, they use pearl sugar in the recipe. Pearl sugar doesn’t dissolve into the batter but holds its shape to give an extra sweet crunch into the waffle. Pearl sugar is also known as nib or hail sugar. If you can’t get pearl sugar, you can smash some sugar cubes into smaller pieces.

This recipe is made with grams, and we used a digital scale. Scales are the preferred method of professional bakers.

Ingredients

◦ 750 g flour

◦ 270 g lukewarm milk

◦ 70 g fresh yeast diluted in 2 tablespoons warm water

◦ 3 eggs

◦ 2 egg yolks

◦ Pinch kosher salt

◦ 1 tsp vanilla sugar

◦ 400 g butter room temperature

◦ 500 g pearl sugar or smashed sugar cubes

Preparation

Mix all ingredients with electric mixer in a bowl. Heat the waffle machine and add enough batter to the waffle machine to make your waffles. Close the lid and bake till light golden brown. Top with your favorite toppings such as fresh cream, ice cream, chocolate syrup, fresh fruit, nuts, etc. sauté pan. Alternately, you can steam them in a bamboo steam basket.

Serve the dumplings with dipping sauce or soy sauce mixed with minced ginger.

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

Join the BJL WhatsApp!

By Baltimoreans for Baltimoreans

Common Cents Financial Literacy Financial Capability Financial Independence

As you become successful in your career, buy a home, save, and invest, you’re building knowledge and capability. But are you gaining the ability to achieve your own goals? True financial capability is closely tied to financial independence; however, you define that. For many people, it relates to flexibility and making choices as an individual and for your family.

Retiring early, attaining “work optional,” enjoying your money now and saving, as well as providing advantages to your children, and helping your parents age gracefully are all achievable goals. But to get there on your own timeline requires some planning.

It can include an advanced level of budgeting, making sure you get the most out of your benefits, planning for retirement, investing outside a retirement plan, and being strategic about taxes so you can pay as little as possible over your entire lifetime.

Factor Lifestyle Creep Into Your Budget

Budgeting is a basic pillar of financial capability, but for many people, it starts and ends with paying your bills each month and having an automated contribution to a retirement plan. The problem is, what happens to the rest of your paycheck? If your approach is “whatever is leftover,” even if you are putting it in savings or investing it, you may be leaving yourself under-invested.

For many people, lifestyle creep now is a serious threat to future financial and lifestyle flexibility. As income increases, it’s easier to think you can afford a more indulgent lifestyle. How to head off lifestyle creep? There are a lot of sensible things you can do, but the best way is to change your mindset.

• Set clear long-term goals and put a dollar amount on them. Then track your progress. These are big things like a second home purchase, education savings, etc.

• Review your emergency fund every year – increase it along with salary increases

• Move some spending from shortterm rewards to long-term re-

wards. It’s easier to say no to extra dinner out if the reward is a big purchase or a big trip

Are You Maximizing Your Benefits?

Saving the maximum into a 401(k) each year is the easiest way to lower your taxes while you are working and take advantage of compounding to build generational wealth. If you can’t save the maximum, at least save enough to get the employer match if your company offers it.

What else can you do?

Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are offered by companies that also offer a high-deductible health insurance plan. HSAs allow you to contribute money before taxes, it grows tax-free, and when you take it out to spend on qualified expenses, no taxes are due. While you can use funds in these triple-tax-advantaged accounts anytime, allowing them to grow while you are working and using them as a source of funds for increased healthcare spending in retirement can make sense.

Does your firm offer disability insurance or life insurance? These are often offered at competitive rates, and enrollment may be simple. Protecting your income is a big part of growing wealth, and life insurance can provide for your family if you aren’t able to.

Flexible Spending Accounts/Transit Accounts – these accounts let you put aside before-tax dollars in an account for specific types of expenses. It can add up to hundreds or thousands of dollars a year in savings.

Are You Investing Outside Your Retirement Account? What About Company Stock?

Investing through a taxable brokerage account means putting more money to work for a longer period of time, and it can give you the opportunity to expand your asset allocation and calibrate your risk profile. It can also help you control your taxable income in retirement.

Setting up an account that works with your tax-advantaged retirement assets is key. Think of your asset allocation across your entire portfolio. Do you have company stock? That can

By Elliot Pepper, CPA, CFP®, MST

increase your risk since your income and your investments are exposed to the same company’s fortunes. It may also mean that you are overexposed to a particular asset class.

Determining a plan for company stock purchases and sales and making sure it is tied to your goals should be a priority.

Do You Have a Strategic Tax Plan?

You have more control over your taxes than you think, and it’s a source of hidden income for many people. Keeping more of what you make is the goal, and thinking a few years in advance makes a difference. If you’re still working:

• Are you maximizing tax-advantaged retirement savings?

• Are you taking advantage of tax breaks on education savings?

• If you or a spouse is self-employed, are you optimizing tax deductions and credits?

• Are you being thoughtful about the timing of asset sales?

• If you are out of work for any reason, are you taking advantage of lower income to convert to Roth accounts?

If you’re retired:

• Are you paying careful attention

to tax brackets?

• Are you timing your Roth conversion to hit the sweet spot before taking social security?

• Are you planning to maximize social security for you and your spouse?

The Bottom Line Financial capability month is a great time to make a start at ensuring you are building long-term wealth that will help you achieve your goals. It’s not a coincidence that April is also tax time – you’re already deep in your financial information, so it’s a good time to take your financial capability one giant step forward.

Common Cents is now digital on YouTube @CommonCents613

The decision to start saving and investing is yours, but the “how” can be hard. Email commoncents@northbrookfinancial.com to schedule a free financial planning consultation with our team.

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

Decoding Nutrition Labels

By Aliza Beer MS, RD, CDN

In today’s world where processed foods are very accessible, making healthy food choices can be a challenge. With countless products available in the supermarket, understanding nutrition labels is essential for anyone trying to maintain a balanced diet. These labels are designed to provide consumers with vital information about a prod-

uct’s nutritional content per serving. They are typically found on the back or side of packaged foods. While the specifics may vary by region, most nutrition labels include the following key components:

Serving Size: This indicates the recommended serving size for the product. Be sure to compare the serv-

ing size on the label to the amount you actually consume to accurately assess the nutritional content. Tip: Pay close attention to the serving size on individually packed items. On these pre-packaged foods, it is easy to assume that one serving equals one package, but that is not always the case.

Calories: The number of calories per serving is listed prominently. This helps you gauge the energy content of the food and plan your overall caloric intake.

Nutrients: Nutrition labels detail the quantities of macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) and important micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) in a serving of the food. The values are typically given in grams or percentages of the recommended daily intake.

• Fats: The label breaks down total fat content into saturated, trans, and unsaturated fats. Opt for foods low in saturated and trans fats, as these can contribute to heart disease. Trans fat is found in foods such as margarine, microwave popcorn, and some coffee creamers. Also, partially hydrogenated oils are a major source of trans fats and are often used in processed foods, baked goods, and fried foods to enhance shelf life and texture. Saturated fat is found in full-fat dairy, fatty meats, and coconut oil. When choosing oil, choose extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil, as they are made up of unsaturated fats. Grapeseed oil is another good option. Unsaturated fats, like those found in

nuts and fish, are heart-healthy choices.

• Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are divided into dietary fiber and sugars. Choose foods high in dietary fiber, as it aids digestion and helps control blood sugar levels. Foods that have 5 grams of fiber or more per serving are generally considered to be high in fiber and a good option. Minimize foods with added sugars, as they can lead to excessive calorie intake. The American Heart Association states that men should not consume over 36 grams of added sugar, and women no more than 25. Keep in mind that food manufacturers may use various names for added sugars on nutrition labels. Being aware of these alternate names can help you identify added sugars in the products you consume. Here are some common names for added sugars:

◊ Sucrose

◊ Glucose

◊ Fructose

◊ High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)

◊ Corn Syrup

◊ Brown Sugar

◊ Agave Nectar

◊ Honey

◊ Maple Syrup

◊ Molasses

• Proteins: Proteins are vital for building and repairing tissues. Look for lean protein sources, such as lean meats, poultry, fish, legumes, and tofu, to support muscle health. Many Americans overconsume protein, so try to consume

Diagram from the U.S. Food and Agriculture Administration

an intake between 10-35% of your total caloric intake, as recommended by the National Institutes of Health.

• Sodium: Sodium can be hidden in processed and packaged foods, including cottage cheese, sauces, bread, canned goods, and processed meats. Even seemingly healthy foods like bread and breakfast cereals can contribute to your sodium intake. The recommended daily sodium intake varies based on individual factors, including age, health status, and activity level. However, a general guideline is to aim for less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day for adults. Also, MSG (monosodium glutamate) is a high sodium, flavor-enhancing additive used in some processed foods, restaurant dishes, and packaged seasonings. Look out for the presence of MSG on the nutrition label and try to avoid those foods. MSG can also be hidden under different names, such as “hydrolyzed vegetable protein” or “autolyzed yeast extract.”

• Vitamins and Minerals: Ensure that the food contributes to your daily requirements of essential nutrients like calcium, iron, vitamin D, and vitamin C.

Ingredients List: Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, so the first few ingredients are the most

significant. Choose products with shorter ingredient lists, as these foods are typically less processed.

Percent Daily Values (%DV): This aspect of the label offers a quick way to assess how a food fits into your daily nutrient needs. %DV is based on a daily intake of 2,000 calories, which

smart label reading when choosing food.

• Start with Serving Size . Begin by checking the serving size and the number of servings in the container. Many people consume more than one serving, so adjust your calculations accordingly.

• Beware of Hidden Ingredients. Be vigilant about hidden sugars, sodium, and unhealthy fats. These can add up quickly, even in seemingly “healthy” foods.

• Compare Similar Products. When choosing between similar products, compare their nutrition labels to make the best choice for your health goals. This way, you can still eat food groups that you enjoy, while making a healthy choice.

may not be appropriate for everyone. Here’s how to interpret %DV:

• 5% or less: Low in the nutrient.

• 10-19%: A good source of the nutrient.

• 20% or more: High in the nutrient.

Remember that the %DV will be greater if your caloric intake is under 2,000 calories, and adjust accordingly.

Now that we know what everything means, here are some strategies for

• Focus on Key Nutrients. Pay attention to total calories, fats (especially saturated and trans fats), sodium, added sugars, and dietary fiber. These are critical factors that impact your overall health.

• Choose Nutrient-Dense Foods. Opt for foods with higher %DV for nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals. This helps you get more nutritional value from your meals.

Decoding nutrition labels empowers you to take control of your dietary choices. Armed with the knowledge of serving sizes, nutrient content, %DV, and ingredient lists, you can make informed decisions that align with your nutritional goals. Remember that a balanced diet is about overall patterns and choices, not just individual foods.

Aliza Beer is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in nutrition. She has a private practice in Cedarhurst, NY. Patients’ success has been featured on the Dr. Oz show. Aliza can be reached at alizabeer@gmail. com, and you can follow her on Instagram at @alizabeer

Yisroel Heinemann (Baltimore) & Yitty Zell (Kensington)

Avromi Greenberger (Lakewood) & Hadassah Sauer (Baltimore)

Yaakov Glenner & Menucha Shmidman (Both Baltimore)

Avraham Sachmechian & Esther Gholian (Baltimore)

Moshe Yosef Trenk (Baltimore) & Devora Marcus (Brooklyn)

Menachem Feder (Baltimore) & Chaya Ahuva Ebstein (Jackson)

Decoding nutrition labels empowers you to take control of your dietary choices.

CONGRATULATIONS TO LAST EDITION’S RAFFLE WINNERs!

Azi Weiss, 3 Avigayil Robinson, 7

Yechiel Calko, 10

Tehilla Simon, 7

Sorala Cook, 6

Shlomo Wecker, 10

Meira S. 7

Meira Robinson, 4 Leba S. Leah K

Daniella Hakakian, 8

Fuentes,

EVEN MORE SUBMISSIONS

Note: Not all submission have been published. Keep sending in your artwork for another chance to be featured!

Zevy Seidel, 2

Yosef F. 8

U.N Fuentes, 5

Shayna Bracha Cook, 4

Sarit Golfeyz, 4

Rena Feigenbaum, 4

Racheli Landa, 2

Ovadia M,6

Nati Coleman, 4

Meira Weiss, 13

Meira Robinson, 4

Libby Bennett, 6

Leo Orner, 4

Leah Seidel, 4 HG

Emmie S, 7

Eliana Leeba, 9

Dovid R.

Chana Lipsky, 10 Carly S, 10

Basya Weissmann, 6

Azi Sperling, 2

Ariel Simon, 5

Adiel Shemuel Souri, 5

A.M Fuentes, 7

When you hear the name Abraham Maslow, you probably think of his hierarchy of needs: a pyramid, starting with a base of life-sustaining fundamentals like air, food, and water at the bottom, progressing upward through shelter and security, love and belonging, self-esteem, and finally an aspirational triangle of self-actualization at the top. Generations of therapists have made good livings helping clients claw their way up that pyramid, along with figuring out where things like Porsches and Birkin bags belong on its rungs.

Maslow is also known for something called Maslow’s Hammer: a cognitive bias that involves over-reliance on a familiar tool. As Maslow wrote in 1966, “If the only tool you have is a hammer, it is tempting to treat everything as if it were a nail.”

Uncle Sam faces those sorts of biases just like the rest of us. And he’s got a big challenge raising $6 trillion to spend every year. Bake sales won’t do it (although we hear the apple pie is great). Fortunately, he’s got a hammer: taxes. But sometimes, he uses that hammer when maybe a screwdriver or wrench would be a better tool.

Medicare is one of Washington’s most

Your Money If I Had a Hammer

By Allan Rolnick, CPA

popular programs. Back in the 1960s, when President Johnson was pushing it through Congress as a cornerstone of his Great Society, opponents attacked it as a step towards socialism. Today, you’ll occasionally see the comic spectacle of straight-faced seniors protesting with signs saying, “Keep Your Government Hands Off My Medicare!”

play ball can face penalty excise taxes up to 1,900%. (Not a misprint.)

What will this mean to the government’s bottom line? The Congressional Budget Office estimated the drug pricing provision would save Medicare $101.8 billion over 10 years. And how much will the excise tax raise? Zero, actually. That’s because companies that balk at Uncle Sam’s

is great and all, but that’s not why Big Pharma is in business.) It takes an average of 10 years and $2 billion to bring a new drug to market. Ultimately, just 12% of drugs that enter clinical trials actually make it to pharmacy shelves. The new pricing rule will squeeze the profits that drug companies say they need to finance researching new treatments for conditions like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease.

The whole debate poses a classic conflict between short-term savings and longterm innovation. More than that, it raises the question of whether taxing a product so much that we run it off the market is an acceptable use of the tax hammer in the first place. Or should Washington just be honest for a change and say, “Our seniors can’t afford to fund the profits you want”?

Unfortunately, Medicare is also expensive. Last year, the program spent $747 billion, including $220 billion on prescription drugs. Naturally, Washington would love to save a buck or two if they can. Last year’s Inflation Reduction Act finally allowed the government to negotiate the price that Medicare will pay for certain prescription drugs. Pharmaceutical companies that don’t

price will just take their drugs off the market. So you can call it a “tax,” if you like. But it’s more like the tax equivalent of a mobster walking into a laboratory and saying, “Nice drug you got there…. Sure would be a shame if anything happened to it.”

Here’s the downside of negotiating drug prices. Drug companies invent new drugs to make money. (Saving lives

As far as we’re concerned, it doesn’t matter why Washington passes new tax laws or how effective they are at shaping our economy. We’re here to help you pay less. Call us with your questions!

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

But it’s more like the tax equivalent of a mobster walking into a laboratory and saying, “Nice drug you got there…. Sure would be a shame if anything happened to it.”