Kehillas Kol Torah, 2929 Fallstaff Road Baltimore, MD 21209
Doors open at 8:15 PM
SPEAKERS:
Rabbi Sruli Fried, M.S.W
Regional Director, Chai Lifeline New Jersey Creating a More Sensitive Community
Rebecca Masinter
Founder, Mother’s Guidance and Community Educator Guidance From the Front Lines – A Practical Approach to Helping Family and Friends
Mrs. Ahuvah Heyman
Executive Director of Bnos Yisroel of Baltimore Q&A
Questions can be submitted in advance to stendler@chailifeline.org
Shofar-Blowing Training sessions will take place on:
Sunday, September 15, 2024 @ 11:30 AM Tuesday, September 17, 2024 @ 8:30 PM Sunday, September 22, 2024 @ 11:30 AM Only one session required. Sessions to be held at the Ari Fuld, a"h, Rear Building, behind 3209 Fallstaff Rd. No prior sign-up necessary. For any questions, email info@chesedfund.com or call 410-653-3333.
Dear Readers,
The mitzvah of ןקה חוליש (Shiluach HaKen), which commands sending away the mother bird before taking her eggs or chicks, offers a profound lesson about sensitivity, compassion, and the delicate nature of the parent-child bond. This mitzvah highlights the emotional challenge of separation, emphasizing the importance of empathy when we disrupt that bond. For parents, the start of a new school year mirrors this experience as they entrust their children into the hands of educators, temporarily stepping back from their protective role.
As children walk into new classrooms filled with fresh faces, new routines, and unfamiliar challenges, parents quietly grapple with a mix of excitement and apprehension. The new school year is filled with high hopes and dreams for success, but it also requires parents to let go and trust that their children are in capable and caring hands. Rabbeim and teachers, who are stepping into their own new beginnings, understand the weight of this responsibility. They are not just imparting knowledge; they are nurturing, guiding, and supporting each student, aware that behind every child is a parent who has let go, even if just for the school day.
For parents, this transition is an act of Emunah—faith that their children will be understood, valued, and cared for by those entrusted with their chinuch. It’s a powerful dynamic where parents release a bit of control in exchange for the hope that the school will provide a nurturing environment. Educators in turn, recognize this sacred trust, striving to meet each child with the kindness, patience, and dedication that reflects the deep responsibility they carry.
The mitzvah of Shiluach HaKen reminds us of the importance of acting with care and sensitivity, especially when we are responsible for the well-being of others. As the school year begins, it’s a call to all—parents, Rabbeim, teachers, and students—to approach this time with empathy, respect, and an awareness of the emotional nuances involved. May we all honor this shared mission of raising and being mechanech our children, ensuring that the bonds of trust and care remain strong.
Wishing much hatzlacha to the parents, students, and educators embarking on this new school journey!
Wishing everyone a peaceful Shabbos, Aaron Menachem
& photos, and mazal tovs to editor@baltimorejewishhome.com
featured in coming editions!
Presents our Annual Rosh Hashana Lecture For the Women of our Community
Small Steps To Make a World of Difference
REBBETZIN AVIVA FEINER
Rebbetzin Aviva Feiner is a much sought after international speaker and beloved rebbetzin of the renown White Shul in Far-Rockaway, N.Y. Having a talent and passion for teaching, she has spearheaded many educational initiatives. Her inspiring articles are featured in Mishpacha Magazine.
Lecture sponsored by: Mr. & Mrs. Orin Hirschman • Ms. Janet Hankin • Mrs. Esther Weiner • Mr. & Mrs. N. Lencz • Eliezer & Ilana Golub
Wednesday Evening September 25, 2024 8:15pm • Free of Charge
Sponsored by Torah Together and Shomrei Emunah. For more information please contact Toby Friedman: 443-468-4598 • toby@torahtogether.org
Around the Community
Baltimore’s Kehillas Derech Chaim Celebrates Its Chanukas Habayis
By BJL Newsroom
The excitement was palpable this past Friday afternoon, as Kehillas Derech Chaim prepared to move into their brand-new building on Pimlico Road. Balloon pillars and a personal cake for each family to take home for Shabbos were neatly waiting at the entrance for the influx of eager men, women and children to come. Rabbi Pinchas Gross, the Rav of the shul, along with the entire kehilla and all the local Rabbanim of Baltimore, danced the sifrei Torah down the block and into the majestic
Aron Kodesh inside the shul. Sincere joy and passion radiated from the hearts and faces of every man, woman and child as they escorted the sifrei Torah to their new shared home.
After ten years of growth and development into the beautiful kehilla of over 200 families, B’H, the deep simcha was clear as the Rav placed the mezuza on the door of the shul. Then into the shul with an electrifying thrill as the men and boys danced fervently around the bimah, mirroring a second Simchas Torah.
Chanukas Habayis: Derech Chaim’s HaRav Pinchas Gross Affixes the Shul’s Front Door Mezuza
There are times of small steps and times of giant leaps. With the opening of Elul Zman 5784, Yeshiva Gedolah Ohr Hatorah of Baltimore took a giant leap forward. With enrollment jumping to 59 Bochurim, coupled with 17 Kollel Yungerleit and the Hanhalas Hayeshiva, the sounds of learning coming from the Bais Medrash is immense!
Under the guidance of the Roshei Hayeshiva Rabbi Dovid Hoffman and Rabbi Moshe Aharon Rosenbaum, shlita, Ohr Hatorah has become a magnet for Bochurim looking for a Bais Medrash where they can shteig and acquire a Rebbe. With four shiurim and an opportunity to learn with Kollel Yungerleit, every Talmid can truly reach new heights.
When Erev Rosh Chodesh Elul coincides with a legal holiday, as it did this year, it represented a tremendous opportunity for spiritual growth, and Agra d’Pirka was sure not to miss it. A stellar program of acclaimed maggidei shiur offered a wide variety of shiurim in multiple communities, each one a unique learning opportunity for klal Yisroel. With the Yomim Nora’im approaching, Agra d’Pirka continues to inspire, representing a Torah revolution whose time has come.
In our community, at Khal Ahavas Yisroel Tzemech Tzedek, Rav Yissochor Frand encouraged the audience to shift into Elul’s mindset, connecting the concept of Elul to the orei miklat. He explained that while an ir miklat was a physical place of refuge, Chodesh Elul serves as a spiritual ir miklat, a time to pause, reflect, and
realign ourselves with our values. Rav Yirmiyahu Benyowitz followed with an in-depth shiur on the detailed halachos of tekiyas shofar, discussing the number of required tekios, the significance of each blast, and the reasons for the additional sounds. The shiurim brought together about 100 attendees, ranging from everyday Agra d’Pirka lomdim to rabbeim and baalei batim who seized the opportunity for growth.
As we move into the Yomim Nora’im, followed by the Yomim Tovim and the winter season, Agra d’Pirka’s impact is poised to grow even further. Those who join the program, whether in person or through virtual access, will undoubtedly benefit from the wealth of Torah and inspiration it offers. For more updates and information, contact cfuhrer@agradpirka. org or call 212-661-9400.
Inside the “New” Shearith Israel
By: BJLife Newsroom
We recently reported on the commencement of renovations at Shearith Israel Congregation (HaRav Yaakov Hopfer). The renovations, featuring brand new tables, chairs, and freshly installed carpeting, are now mostly complete, and thanks to B. Ansbacher Photography, we are excited to give you an “inside” look.
TA Begins Another Great Year Of Learning and Growth
Photos: B Ansbacher Photography
Chinuch Today: A New Approach for a New Generation PART 1
(PART 2 will be printed in next week’s edition)
At Bnos Yisroel, there was an inspiring and informative talk about chinuch sponsored by Lebeinu, the new community organization that gives chizuk and hadrachah (guidance) to families that have children struggling with Yiddishkeit. The shiur was given by Rabbi Gershon Schaffel, Harav Hamadrich for Lebeinu and was titled, “Chinuch Today: A new approach for a new generation.” Hundreds of people attended including rabbonim, mechanchim, and mechanchos.
The night began with Mendel Rosen introducing Rabbi Shraga Neuberger Shlit”a. Rabbi Neuberger described how the Alter of Slabodka regularly reassessed his approach to chinuch. Practices that were beneficial for one group of students were not automatically applied to another group of students. Mr. Rosen then introduced Rabbi Schaffel who focused on the pasuk in Mishlei that presents the essential principles of chinuch. The pasuk in Mishlei (22:6) teaches, “gam ki yazkin lo yasur mimenah” – even when one is older they will not abandon their path.
In other words, Rabbi Schaffel explained that the goal of chinuch is focused on when children are older and no longer under our control. Will they remain loyal to Torah and mitzvos when they are independent and making decisions for themselves? With this in mind, what is the best approach for success? This question is answered by the pasuk. It states: Chanoch l’naar al pi darko. Successful chinuch is al pi darko, it must address this particular child.
In families and classrooms, there is the risk that the parents or mechanchim will adopt a single chinuch approach and apply it to every child or student. If it worked in the past or is working for other children, it should also be effective for this child. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Every child must be seen as different and unique. Parents and mechanchim must be able to see the unique strengths and character of each child and help children develop them. Every person is born with character traits that cannot be changed. The goal is to show a
child how to harness their character towards behavior that is positive.
The term chanoch that opens the pasuk is also instructive. We often think of chinuch as the process of installing information into our child’s brain, but in reality the essence of chinuch is extraction. Each child has a unique purpose, goal and destiny. As parents and mechanchim, we must help each child identify what makes him unique and how to use that uniqueness to contribute towards what he was designed to do.
Another important principle to be mindful of is the limit to our responsibilities as far as the chinuch of our children. Our job as parents and mechanchim is to create conditions conducive to growth, but with the awareness that the final product and our dream for our child, may not be realized. We may make all the correct decisions, but ultimately Hashem decides the impact and outcome of our efforts.
The last word explained by Rabbi Schaffel was na’ar. Why didn’t Shlomo Hamelech use the term katan? Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch explains that every human being aspires for independence. Initially, young people attempt to shake off and cast off the responsibilities imposed on them. Ultimately, they will settle on what resonates with them and those behaviors will stick. By using the word na’ar, Shlomo Hamelech reminds us that our approach to chinuch must be geared and directed to our children for their adolescence and teenage years when they individuate and try to define who they are.
The recording of this shiur can be found at: https://lebeinu.org/resources Lebeinu will be hosting another shiur by Rabbi Schaffel titled: A New Approach to the New Year – Practical Advice to Help Children Connect Positively to these Holy Days The shiur will be Sunday Night September 22 at 8:15 PM at Bnos Yisroel, 6300 Park Heights Ave
WEDNESDAY | SEP. 25 | 7:15 PM
Greater
Washington: Around the Community
The Unity Concert’s Celebration of Tzedaka, Community, & Music
The Unity Concert, hosted by Mr. Dan Kugler and featuring the talented Eitan Katz, was a heartwarming celebration of togetherness that united our community for an unforgettable night of music and connection. Held on September 8 at the Kugler backyard, the event underscored the powerful role of music in fostering community spirit and personal connection.
The concert was a celebration of music and a testament to the spirit of giving. All proceeds from ticket sales were donated directly to support local charities, demonstrating the event’s commitment to positively impacting the community.
Eitan Katz, a distinguished alumnus of the Yeshiva of Greater Washington, took a moment to reflect on his experience in Silver Spring and its profound impact on his personal and professional life. His words resonated
deeply with the audience, adding a layer of personal significance to the evening’s festivities.
The concert featured diverse performances that contributed to the evening’s unique atmosphere. Abba Florans served as the evening’s emcee, setting the tone with his engaging presence. Abba emphasized the importance of community unity, framing the event not as a mere performance but as an opportunity for collective singing and dancing. His spirited encouragement helped to create an inclusive and lively atmosphere throughout the night.
Ozzie Burnham opened the concert with a poignant rendition of “God Bless America,” followed by the stirring anthem “Hatikva.” His performance set a reflective and patriotic tone that resonated with the audience. The Torah School Boys Choir, led by Rabbi Moshe Holzer, added a
touch of harmony and tradition with their beautifully delivered songs.
Yosef Kugler, a Silver Spring native, captivated the audience with his exceptional talents. His performance was a standout moment of the evening, showcasing his impressive skills and singing some of his latest hits.
Eitan’s setlist included some of his classics and highlighted the songs he composed while learning in Silver Spring. He shared some personal reflections about the visits he made to the families of some of the chayalim who were tragically killed over the past few months, and he shared how his song Lemancha was a favorite for one of them.
Eitan revealed a special connection to the evening’s performances. Over twenty years ago, Eitan served as the choir director for the Torah School Boys Choir, which a young Yosef Kugler was a member of. This
nostalgic revelation added a personal touch to the concert, illustrating how music can weave together past and present in meaningful ways.
The feedback from the event was incredible, with participants describing it as “heartwarming, uplifitng, and a perfect way to enter the month of Elul and the new year.”
The Chofetz Chaim Kollel And The Silver Spring Learning Center Are Off To A Vibrant Start!
Lebeinu Presents
A NEW APPROACH FOR THE NEW YEAR
Do the Yomim Noraim trigger emotions of anxiety, inadequacy or fear?
Practical advice to help our children connect positively to these Holy Days
Featuring
Rabbi Gershon Schaffel
Renowned Dayan, Rav, and Kesher Nafshi speaker
Introduction by Rabbi Menachem Goldberger
Hosted by Bnos Yisroel | 6300 Park Heights Ave
Sunday Evening | September 22 | 8:15 pm
Open to community mechanchim, parents, and grandparents
613 Seconds with Dina Greenbaum, Case Manager at Chai Lifeline’s Mid-Atlantic Region
ing medical referrals, arranging for therapeutic support, or simply being a listening ear for a family in need, my goal is to ease their burden as much as possible.
BJH: Can you share a little about your background and what brought you to Chai Lifeline?
Dina Greenbaum: I’ve been fortunate to be part of the Chai Lifeline family for over a decade. I spent 10 years with Chai Lifeline in Toronto, where I supported families through some of the most difficult moments in their lives. Almost two years ago, I made the move to the Mid-Atlantic region, and I’ve been serving here as a case manager ever since. It’s been a natural transition, as my passion for helping families navigate the challenges of illness is what has always driven me.
BJH: What is your role as a case manager, and what does that entail on a day-to-day basis?
BJH: How does your work with Chai Lifeline in the Mid-Atlantic region differ from your experience in Toronto?
DG: While the core mission of Chai Lifeline remains the same—to provide crucial support to children and families facing serious illness— the needs of each community are unique. In the Mid-Atlantic region, we serve a diverse population, and I’ve had to adapt to the different healthcare systems, local resources, and the specific needs of our families here. The experience in Toronto gave me a strong foundation, but each family is different, and I learn something new with each case.
BJH: What is the most rewarding part of your work?
tional support, every small victory feels monumental. Knowing that I can be part of making their journey a little easier is incredibly fulfilling.
BJH: What are some of the biggest challenges you face as a case manager?
DG: One of the biggest challenges is managing the emotional toll that comes with this kind of work. Supporting families who are going through unimaginable circumstances can be difficult, and it’s hard not to carry some of that with you. But at the same time, it’s also what motivates me to continue giving my all. I know that by being there for these families, I’m making a real difference in their lives, and that’s what keeps me going.
BJH: How does Chai Lifeline’s network of services help families during such difficult times?
DG: My role as a case manager is to serve as a liaison for the families in our community. That means being their support system, connecting them to the resources Chai Lifeline offers, and helping them navigate the complexities that come with caring for a seriously ill child. Every day is different—whether I’m coordinat-
DG: The most rewarding part of my work is seeing the difference we make in the lives of the families we serve. Whether it’s helping a family secure a much-needed service, arranging a special event for a child to bring joy in a difficult time, or simply being there when a family needs emo-
DG: Chai Lifeline offers a comprehensive network of services that addresses both the emotional and practical needs of families. Services such as case management, medical advocacy, and hospital and homebased respite, as well as programs like Camp Simcha and Big Sibs, all aim to address every aspect of a family’s life that is impacted by illness.
For example, our newly launched i-Shine afterschool program specifically focuses on the needs of siblings during the family’s medical journey. Our services are tailored to each family’s unique situation, ensuring that no one feels alone during their journey.
BJH: What advice would you give to families who are just beginning their journey with Chai Lifeline?
DG: My advice would be to lean on us—we’re here for you every step of the way. It’s okay to ask for help, and that’s what we’re here to provide. Whether it’s navigating medical appointments, seeking emotional support, or simply having someone who understands what you’re going through, Chai Lifeline is here to support families in whatever way they need.
BJH: What inspires you to continue doing this work?
DG: The families I work with are my greatest source of inspiration. Their resilience, strength, and hope in the face of unimaginable challenges remind me every day why this work is so important. Knowing that I can help them, even in a small way, is what drives me to continue giving my all to this mission.
The Week In News
The Week In News
Switzerland is the Best
Switzerland is not just amazing at producing clocks and chocolate; the country has won – once again – the top spot in the U.S. News & World Report annual Best Countries rankings.
It’s the third year in a row and the seventh time overall that it has placed No. 1.
Japan came in second place, followed by the United States. Canada nabbed the fourth spot; Australia came in fifth. Sweden, Germany, United Kingdom, New Zealand and Denmark rounded out the top ten.
European countries made up the majority of the top 25, earning 15 spots in the 2024 rankings. Two Middle Eastern countries made that cut – the United Arab Emirates and Qatar – while Asia was represented by Japan, Singapore, China and South Korea.
The rankings is based on a global survey of nearly 17,000 people across 36 nations who associate various countries with specific attributes, ranging from “dynamic,” “safe” and “a leader” to “cares about human rights,” “economically stable” and “committed to social justice.”
In the Best Countries rankings, Israel fell 10 spots year over year to reach No. 46 in 2024, marking its lowest ranking since the project’s inception in 2016.
Israel’s double-digit fall was the third-largest in the rankings, topped
only by Bahrain – which fell 11 spots year over year to No. 69 – and Ukraine, which saw a decline of 12 spots. Ukraine now sits in the 80th spot on the list.
On the other side of the world, Belarus came in dead-last on the list; Serbia, Lebanon, Algeria, and Cameroon rounded out the five lowest-ranked countries in the world. Honduras, Kazakhstan, Iran, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine received the next worst spots.
New French PM
After months of inconclusive election results, French President Emmanuel Macron has appointed Michel Barnier, a political veteran, as prime
minister.
The Élysée Palace, as part of its statement, declared that Barnier must “form a united government to serve the country and the French people.” It also noted that Barnier’s selection came following “an unprecedented cycle of consultations” meant to guarantee the government’s stability.
Barnier, a seventy-three-year-old member of the Republicans party, has been in politics for forty years. As a strong supporter of France’s participation in the European Union, Barnier led negotiations with the United Kingdom during Brexit. He also has served in a number of ministerial roles in the French government, including as foreign, agriculture, and environment minister. Additionally, he was a European commissioner and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s advisor.
In July, former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal handed in his resignation to Macron, following the defeat of Attal’s Ensemble alliance in the second round of a snap parliamentary election in
Greater Washington Weekday Minyanim Guide
6:15 am Young Israel Shomrai Emunah M-F
6:25 am Southeast Hebrew Cong., Knesset Yehoshua M-F
6:30 am Beth Sholom Congregation M-F
Beit Halevi (Sfardi) M, T
Chabad of Silver Spring M-F
Ohev Shalom Talmud Torah OLNEY M-F
Young Israel Shomrai Emunah S YGW M, Th
6:35 am Ohr Hatorah M, Th
6:40 am YGW S, T, W, F
Magen David Sephardic Congregation M-Th
6:45 am Beit Halevi (Sfardi) S, T, W, F
Kemp Mill Synagogue M, Th
Ohr Hatorah T, W, F
Young Israel Shomrai Emunah M, Th
6:50 am Woodside Synagogue/Ahavas Torah M, Th Silver Spring Jewish Center M-F
Chabad of Upper Montgomery County M-F
6:55 am Young Israel Shomrai Emunah T, W, F
7:00 am Kemp Mill Synagogue T, W, F
Southeast Hebrew Cong., Knesset Yehoshua S Silver Spring Jewish Center S
Woodside Synagogue/Ahavas Torah T, W, F
Young Israel Ezras Israel of Potomac T,W,F
7:05 am Kesher Israel M, Th
7:15 am Kemp Mill Synagogue M, Th
Kesher Israel T, W, F
Ohev Sholom Talmud Torah/The National Synagogue M-F
Ohr Hatorah S
7:30 am Chabad of DC M-F
Chabad of Potomac M-F JROC M-F
Kemp Mill Synagogue T, W, F
Southeast Hebrew Cong., Knesset Yehoshua M-F
Young Israel Shomrai Emunah S Young Israel Shomrai Emunah (Sfardi) M-F
7:45 am YGW (Yeshiva Session Only) S-F
8:00 am Beth Sholom Congregation S
Kemp Mill Synagogue S Kesher Israel S
Ohev Shalom Talmud Torah OLNEY S
Southeast Hebrew Cong., Knesset Yehoshua S
8:00 am Chabad of Upper Montgomery County S
Woodside Synagogue/Ahavas Torah S YGW (High School; School-Contingent) S-F
Young Israel Ezras Israel of Potomac S Young Israel Shomrai Emunah (Sfardi) S
8:15 am Ohr Hatorah S Kehilat Pardes / Berman Hebrew Academy S-F
Silver Spring Jewish Center M-F
8:30 am Chabad of DC S Chabad of Potomac S JROC S Ohev Sholom Talmud Torah/The National Synagogue S
Silver Spring Jewish Center S YGW (Summer Only) S-F
8:45 am Young Israel Shomrai Emunah S-F
9:00 am Chabad of Silver Spring S Kemp Mill Synagogue S
France. Many French lawmakers have urged Macron to swiftly appoint a new prime minister, and Macron, while on a trip to Serbia two weeks ago, said he was “making all the necessary efforts” to do so.
“I will have the opportunity in a few days, in just a few weeks, to state the major legislative priorities and proposals on behalf of the new government before parliament. It will be a question of responding, as much as we can, to the challenges, to the anger, as you mentioned, to the suffering, to the feeling of abandonment, of injustice that runs through our cities, our neighborhoods, and our countryside far too much,” said Barnier, standing with Attal amid the transfer of power.
Although Attal lamented the fact that he only served as prime minister for a short eight months, he praised Barnier’s “almost unmatched experience of serving the state in various international and European functions.”
“The French know you. They know that you are a great local elected official,” Attal said.
Other political parties have had mixed reactions to Barnier’s appointment. Some members of National Rally (RN), a far-right party, have condemned Barnier, while others said they would give the new prime minister a chance before deciding whether or not to work with him. Some far-left politicians from the France Unbowed party charged Macron and Barnier’s party with “stealing” the election and said they wouldn’t cooperate with Barnier’s government.
Tajikistan Targets Terrorism
lufar, a 27-year-old education professional, when she saw local authorities outside a KFC trimming beards that were deemed too long.
“Nowadays, as soon as you go outside, you can actually feel how the raids have intensified,” Nilufar said, providing only her first name.
With a population of 10 million, the vast majority of whom are Muslim, Tajikistan has many challenges that make it an incubator for extremism: poverty, poor education, high unemployment and grievances against an autocratic government.
In the face of these challenges, critics say, Tajikistan has continued to restrict how Islam can be taught and practiced and increasingly implemented superficial policies regulating head scarves and beard lengths.
The country came under global scrutiny after four Tajik men were charged as the assailants in the worst terrorist attack in Russia in two decades, which killed 145 people and injured more than 500 at the Moscow concert hall. Other Tajiks were later arrested in connection with the attack.
American officials have said that Islamic State Khorasan Province, a branch of the Islamic State group known as ISIS-K, was responsible for the attack.
Tajik adherents of the Islamic State have also been involved in terrorist attacks in Iran and Turkey, as well as thwarted plots elsewhere. Last month, two Tajiks helped stage a mutiny at a Russian prison.
“In Tajikistan, authorities are getting frustrated by the international stigma they’re receiving and the blame they’re getting for all these attacks,” said Lucas Webber, co-founder of Militant Wire, whose research focuses on the Islamic State group. “So they’re just doubling down, being heavy-handed.”
In June, parliament passed a law banning “clothes alien to Tajik culture,” a term the government often uses for clothing it considers Islamic.
On Tuesday, a robot began its twoweek task of cleaning up a damaged reactor at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant. This is the first effort to retrieve a tiny amount of melted fuel debris from the bottom.
The robot’s mission into the Unit 2 reactor is just the beginning. Once it completes its task, officials will commence a daunting, decades-long process to decommission the plant and deal with large amounts of highly radioactive melted fuel inside three reactors that were damaged by a massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011. Specialists hope the robot will help them learn more about the status of the cores and the fuel debris.
Nuclear fuel in the reactor cores melted after the magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami in March 2011 caused the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant’s cooling systems to fail. The melted fuel dripped down from the cores and mixed with internal reactor materials such as zirconium, stainless steel, electrical cables, broken grates and concrete around the supporting structure and at the bottom of the primary containment vessels.
The reactor meltdowns caused the highly radioactive, lava-like material to spatter in all directions, greatly complicating the cleanup. The condition of the debris also differs in each reactor.
Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, or TEPCO, which manages the plant, says an estimated 880 tons of molten fuel debris remains in the three reactors, but some experts say the amount could be larger.
The robot is equipped with tongs, a light, and a camera. It is lowered by a cable to a mound of fuel debris. Then, manipulated by workers who are connected via a pipe, it will snip off and collect a small amount of debris.
Daily operations will be limited to two hours to minimize the radiation risk for workers in the reactor building. Eight six-member teams will take turns, with each group allowed to stay a maximum of about 15 minutes.
The debris will be studied to learn more about how the meltdown 13 years ago took place. An understanding of the melted fuel debris is also essential to determine how best to remove it, store it and dispose of it, according to the Japan Atomic Energy Agency.
Nicaragua Frees 135 Political Prisoners
As part of a secret project spearheaded by the Biden administration, 135 people, thirteen of whom were part of Mountain Gateway, an evangelical Christian group based in Texas, were released from prison in Nicaragua, where they were jailed on political charges.
Following their release on Thursday, all of the prisoners, each of whom are citizens of Nicaragua, were brought by plane to Guatemala, where they chanted “G-d bless America” and “G-d bless Guatemala,” according to U.S. State Department official Eric Jacobstein, who met with the prisoners when they arrived. The now-released prisoners will be given the opportunity to become U.S. citizens.
Many of the prisoners were jailed as part of an anti-Catholic and anti-religious campaign launched by the government of Nicaragua, wherein many religious schools were shut down, clergymen were imprisoned, and religious organizations were deprived of their legal statuses. Daniel Ortega, the president of Nicaragua, and his wife and vice president, Rosario Murillo, have said that certain Catholic church leaders were in favor of the 2018 anti-government protests in the wake of which over 5,000 organizations, most of
But it still seemed
People in Tajikistan were expecting a government crackdown after four Tajik men were arrested and charged with a terrorist attack on a Moscow concert hall in March.
excessive to Ni-
The Week In News
which were religious, were shut down by the government.
“It’s a real, tangible example of what democracies can do, working together,” White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said of the operation, which he credited to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Jacobstein said that the “planning and execution of this release was rapid,” although the negotiations, which he says did not involve quid pro quo, took months to broker and saw the U.S. putting significant pressure on Ortega and his government. Being that the United States is nearing the 2024 presidential election, the prisoners were brought to Guatemala instead of the U.S. due to political considerations.
Félix Maradiaga, a former Nicaraguan opposition leader and political prisoner who now resides in the U.S., became involved in the operation after a source from the United States government asked him to craft a “les sons learned” document to help with the release. Maradiaga said that “Or
tega pretends he doesn’t care about international pressure. But he’s concerned.”
The eleven pastors and two of their attorneys from Mountain Gateway who were released were convicted of money laundering and were each given twelve to fifteen-year prison sentences and collectively fined just under $1 billion, according to the organization, which added that the charges were baseless.
This isn’t the first time Nicaragua has released a significant number of prisoners. In 2023, 222 people were freed, including opposition leaders such as Maradiaga, who were brought to Washington. Later, the Nicaraguan government took away their Nicaraguan citizenships.
According to officials, the United States will help the freed inmates with food, housing, and psychological care.
Guatemala “firmly rejects the threat of a return to the authoritarian era. Today we reaffirm this commit
freed political prisoners,” says Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo.
China Bans Foreign Adoptions
Since 1992, China has sent over 160,000 Chinese children to be adopted by people in other countries. Last Thursday, the Chinese foreign ministry announced that the government will be banning most foreign adoptions, leaving hundreds of people who were trying to adopt babies from China in a state of limbo.
“We are grateful for the desire and
love of the governments and adoption families of relevant countries to adopt Chinese children,” said foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning, who added that foreigners will still be allowed to adopt their Chinese stepchildren and babies they’re blood-related to.
China’s foreign adoption program has ties to the country’s draconian one-child law, which was recently ended due to low birthrates and a shrinking population, now allowing parents in China to have up to three children.
“This is, in a way, the end of an era and the closing of one of the most shameful chapters of the three and a half decades of social engineering known as one-child policy,” said Wang Feng, an expert in China’s demographics and sociology professor at the University of California at Irvine. “The Chinese government created the problem and then they couldn’t deal with the financial constraints and that is why they allowed foreign adoption as a last resort.”
According to Zhou Yun, an assistant sociology professor at the University of Michigan, most of the Chinese
The Week In News
adoptees were girls, as China prefers to keep boys. Some boys with disabilities were also sent out for adoption.
In recent years, far fewer people have been adopting babies from China. In 2009, foreigners adopted 44,000 babies from China, while in 2018, only 15,000 babies were adopted. According to Chinese officials, there are around 343,000 orphans in China as of 2019.
The Chinese government has pointed out that other countries, such as Russia, Ethiopia, and Kazakhstan, have banned or placed restrictions on foreign adoptions, noting that foreign adoption bans are an international trend. Some foreign adoption agencies in Europe have also halted adoptions due to concerns about child abuse and other issues.
Guo Wu, an associate Chinese studies professor at Allegheny College in Pennsylvania, has said that China’s new policy “might reflect the popular feelings of rising national pride and a kind of resentment of America… This policy might fulfill that feeling that ‘we
don’t need to send our kids to America.’”
In all, families in the United States have adopted over 82,000 children from China, the U.S. State Department said.
“We understand there are hundreds of families still pending completion of their adoptions, and we sympathize with their situation,” the State Department added.
Jazi. The three victims, who were workers at the crossing, were identified as Yohanan Shchori, 61; Yuri Birnbaum, 65; and Adrian Marcelo Podzamczer, 52, an Argentine-Israeli national who had been living in Ariel.
The three men were shot dead by alJazi after the murderer exited his truck during a crossing inspection. After the terrorist killed the victims, Israeli security guards shot and killed the gunman.
3 Killed at Allenby Crossing
On Sunday, three Israelis were killed at the Allenby Bridge Crossing, which connects Israel and Jordan, by a thirty-nine-year-old Jordanian terrorist named Maher Dhiab Hussein al-
The crossing, also commonly called the King Hussein Bridge, was briefly closed following the attack and was reopened on Monday morning to pedestrians after Israeli and Jordanian officials met with each other in Allenby to discuss the issue and ways to improve border security.
Thousands of people in Amman, the Jordanian capital, celebrated the murders, which were also praised by Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. During the celebrations in the streets of the capital, Israeli flags were burned and Jordanian flags were waved.
Fourteen hours after the attack, the foreign ministry of Jordan lightly condemned the terrorist attack in a statement that briefly reaffirmed “Jordan’s firm position rejecting and condemning violence and targeting civilians for any reason,” but mostly criticized Israel’s military activities in the West Bank and Gaza and advocated for a two-state solution. The statement also called on all parties to address “all causes and escalatory steps that generate” violence. Jordan also insisted that the terrorist acted alone.
“The murderers do not distinguish between us, they want to murder us all, every last one of us: the right and the left, secular and religious, Jews and non-Jews,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the attack. In 1994, Israel and Jordan signed a
The Week In News
peace treaty and, to this day, maintain close security ties despite an overall frosty relationship.
Israel Hits Syria
Airstrikes in Syria killed at least 18 people and injured dozens of others, Syria’s state news media reported Monday, blaming Israel for the attacks in and around a city known as a center for the development of weapons, including missiles.
but some said the targets were military sites. Israeli officials declined to comment on the attack.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a group based in Britain that tracks the conflict in Syria, confirmed the strikes and said they hit an area containing a scientific research institute where work on “developing shortand medium-range precision missiles” is conducted. It cited unnamed sources in the Syrian security forces.
Independent experts, Israeli officials and the U.S. government have described that institute as a center of weapons research and development, aided by Syria’s ally Iran, with the work being done there including chemical, biological and potentially nuclear weapons as well as missiles
liest attacks in Syria in months. SANA said that in addition to the 18 dead, 37 people had been injured in the strikes, including six who were in critical condition. The agency said that the strikes had damaged roads and water, power, and telephone infrastructure.
The Syrian Observatory put the death toll higher, saying that at least 25 people had been killed, including Syrian combatants, people working with Iranian militias, and civilians. It was not possible to confirm the reported tolls independently.
The attacks added to a volatile standoff between Israel and Iran’s allies and proxies across the region.
On Monday, the Israeli military issued new evacuation orders for northern Gaza after it said rockets fired from
Khirbet Zanuta Demolition Warning
Although the Israeli Supreme Court recently ruled in favor of Palestinian villagers who sought to return to Khirbet Zanuta, a village in the West Bank, the Defense Ministry’s Civil Administration has gone ahead with plans to relocate the Palestinians in question. The administration has since put forward a plan, wherein the village will be demolished if the Palestinian villagers fail to agree to a relocation plan by October 1st.
The Week In News
Dr. Quamar Mishirqi-Assad, a lawyer of the village’s Palestinian residents, condemned Israel, claiming that the Jewish state is trying to kick Palestinians out of their homes.
Khirbet Zanuta, which is in the South Hebron Hills region, is in the West Bank’s Area C, which is fully administered by Israel. Area A, on the other hand, is under full Palestinian control, and Area B is under joint Is-
raeli and Palestinian control. Stone buildings built in Khirbet Zanuta are considered illegal because the village has no zoning master plan.
Although the demolition of the village’s buildings was initially ordered in 2007, Israel decided against demolition in 2017 after years of legal battles in the High Court. As per the court’s order, Israel gave the Palestinian villagers thirty days’ notice ahead
of the potential demolition.
On September 1, when the demolition warning was announced, the Civil Administration’s Lt. Col. Adam Avidan met with Mishirqi-Assad, telling her about the decision and informing her that the Palestinian residents could move around three kilometers away, closer to Areas A and B, while still remaining in Area C. Avidan attributed the need for relocation to the fact that there is an archeological site in the village of Khirbet Zanuta.
is expected to retire. Currently, there’s a liberal majority in the Judicial Selection Committee.
“If agreement to this proposal will be given, then the planning process will be advanced and all the commitments of the state and the petitioners in the petition will remain unchanged,” Avidan stated. “If [this] alternative is rejected by you, this meeting should be seen as an announcement of the intent to carry out enforcement at the site af-
Mishirqi-Assad and B’tselem, a left-wing, anti-settlement organization, condemned the government’s de-
Court: Levin Must
On Sunday, the Israeli Supreme Court, in a unanimous ruling, ordered Justice Minister Yariv Levin to convene the Judicial Selection Committee to speedily elect a new president of the High Court of Justice. Levin has called the decision “invalid” and undemocratic, claiming that he has the ultimate power to decide when to convene the committee. The court, however, maintains that the power to decide when the panel convenes would unfairly grant him veto power over the supreme court president’s appointment.
Due to the court’s seniority system, liberal Justice Isaac Amit, who is the most senior justice, will likely become Acting President Uzi Vogelman’s successor on October 6, when Vogelman
As part of the ruling, the court mandated that Levin submit the names of the court’s presidential candidates in the next fourteen days to the official state gazette. “Shortly after” the compulsory 45-day waiting period after the names are published, Levin must convene the panel, the court added, making it so that Amit will be appointed as acting president prior to the Judicial Selection Committee’s presidential vote in November.
The case against Levin was brought forth by an organization called the Movement for Quality Government in Israel. Justices Yael Wilner, Ofer Grosskopf, and Alex Stein presided over the case, ruling in favor of the organization, but stopping short of the petitioner’s request to force Levin to hold votes for new Supreme Court justices.
The organization branded the decisions “the most significant victory for Israeli democracy and the separation of powers,” adding that Levin was going against the law “in order to turn himself into a veto-wielding player with limitless power.”
Since the retirement of then-president Esther Hayut last October, Levin, a conservative supporter of judicial reform, has declined to appoint a new Supreme Court president as he would like to see Justice Yosef Elron, a right-winger, become president. Levin has, thus, been in favor of eliminating the seniority system, an idea that Acting Supreme Court President Uzi Vogelman and many others have come out against.
Levin pointed to the fact that Israel is in the midst of a war when refusing to appoint a new president of the court, noting that in war times, “broad agreement” is needed to appoint a High Court president. However, Wilner, who is also a conservative, noted that the court complied with Levin’s “broad agreement” request by pushing the ruling off until now.
“The meaning of the minister’s policy is the giving of total and exclusive discretion to the consideration regarding coming to broad agreement…while negating the other considerations,” said Wilner. “Severe harm and damage were being caused, as a result of the absence of this appointment, to
public inter-
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est and the functioning of the court, the judicial authority, and the law enforcement system.”
After the initial court hearing, which was held on July 18, the High Court ordered Levin to compromise with his fellow Judicial Selection Committee members instead of bringing the issue to court. Levin, however, put forth two options: either eliminate the seniority system and make Elron the court president or appoint Amit as president and appoint one of two staunch right-wing, pro-judicial reform academics to one of the court’s empty seats. Vogelman declined both of the options Levin proposed.
“A president of the Supreme Court who is appointed in a coercive and invalid manner brings the declining trust in the court to an even deeper low,” Levin lamented, declaring that the order is against democracy. “I will not be able to work with a president who was illegally appointed by his friends and who is illegitimate in the eyes of a vast [section of the] public.”
Levin’s thoughts were echoed by other officials on the right, such as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National
Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.
Analyzing the Nova Tragedy
Channel 12 has released a 24-minute TV report on the Supernova music festival, where 364 or more people were murdered and over 40 were taken captive on the tragic day of October 7.
According to the report, there were security concerns ahead of the festival, with the Southern Command initially denying the festival permission to run on October 7 but eventually reversing course. The event was supposed to run from Thursday, October 5 to Saturday, October 7, but only Thursday and Friday
were originally approved.
“I see that the army isn’t approving October 7, and I turn to the senior officer in the Southern Command, and I ask him a very precise question: Is there some security consideration that I should be aware of?” said Commander Eyal Azulai, who was in charge of the festival. “The answer I received was that the consideration wasn’t about security.”
But, as it turns out, the Southern Command was worried about the possibility of some sort of Hamas attack on October 7. In the end, the military allowed the event to continue on Saturday, although important officials were concerned about the possibility of an invasion of sorts on the southern border. On October 6, top Israeli military officers met to discuss the issue, although the Supernova festival was reportedly not mentioned during the meeting.
“We asked whether it would be possible to receive some military presence, some armored vehicles here. The army notified us that their decision was to arrange what’s called ‘spatial security,’ not security by soldiers,” Azulai added. “Israel Police received no indication that
anything was taking place. Maybe if we had been a part of [the discussions], we could at least have made a decision to shut down the party.”
On the morning of October 7, when a barrage of rockets was launched from the Gaza Strip, the party ended abruptly, and everyone was ordered to find shelter and evacuate. At 7 a.m., Hamas terrorists stormed through the border. Hamas’ Nukhba forces headed to the festival to try to massacre as many Israelis as possible. Police officers and security forces attempted to fight the terrorists but were outnumbered. At 12:30 p.m., some soldiers came to help, and at 3 p.m., more forces arrived.
Of the partygoers who were killed, 153 were murdered at the festival, 63 at Kibbutz Mefalsim, 1 in Kibbutz Re’im, 27 at a shelter east of Re’im, 26 near Re’im, 17 at a Gama Junction shelter, 30 near Kibbutz Be’eri, 8 in Be’eri, 14 in Kibbutz Alumim, 13 in open areas east of the festival, 12 on Route 232, 10 at the festival entrance’s police checkpoint, 7 on the way to Netivot, one in Sderot, and one at the Black Arrow Monument.
Torah Thought
Longing For Love
By Rabbi Zvi Teichman
The Torah prohibits the entry into the Jewish nation of the male descendants of Moav. This fatal inherent flaw stems from this nation’s nefarious intention in having hired Bilaam to curse us.
The Torah then parenthetically points out that despite Bilaam’s attempt to foist his toxic curses upon us, nevertheless, ‘Hashem your G-d, refused to listen to Bilaam, and Hashem your G-d, ךפהיו — reversed he curse to a bless- t ing for you, because Hashem your G-d, ךבהא — loved you.’ (ו גכ םירבד)
The verse is confusing. Did G-d hear the curse and effect a change? Doesn’t the verse state clearly ‘He refused to lis-
ten’ to it?
What is this notion of ‘reversing’ the curse into a blessing? Does G-d need to transform the curse to neutralize it? Wouldn’t His blessing be enough to quash it?
Even more perplexing is the fact that Bilaam never even uttered a curse, and only expressed blessings.
True, the Talmud asserts that from his divinely coerced uttering we can intimate what his intention was. But do intentions have any power?
Evidently, they do.
The Talmud states that all Bilaam’s blessings eventually, due to our sins, reverted throughout our history to his
originally intended curse. Except for one, the blessing of ובוט המ — How goodly are your tents, Jacob, and your dwellings Israel. (ה דכ רבדמב)
This is indicated in the earlier verse that describes G-d reversing, הללקה — the ‘curse’ in the singular, as opposed to ‘curses’— into a blessing. This being the sole inviolable eternal blessing, while the others will find their initial negative intent during our various exiles.
But then the question begs. If indeed as the verse establishes that G-d reversed the curse ‘because he ‘loved’ us’, why wouldn’t that love ward off forever all the other curses as well?
It is recorded in the name of the Holy Reb Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev that Bilaam’s original ‘stingy and evil eye’ that sought to cast doubt in aspersing the worthiness of their Houses of Gathering in prayer and the Study Halls of Torah learning, stemmed from his own frustration in being able to fathom how places so void of any material enjoyment could possibly provide happiness in life. A man who indulged so famously in earthly delights and pleasures projected a powerful negative force that sought to deny its worthiness, denying the notion of being capable of sensing ‘divine pleasure’, and instead seeking its destruction.
Perhaps the love G-d exhibited in stifling Bilaam’s curse wasn’t simply a blessing that countered it. In fact, the subconscious desire of Bilaam indeed can have a lasting impact to affect a curse instead of a blessing when we do not live up to our mission in fulfilling the will of G-d.
It was in the specific area of this intended curse, that prosecutes against the many among us who similarly often find frustration in the realm of our connection to G-d through purposeful and meaningful prayer, and inspiring and energizing study of Torah. Oftentimes we may even develop anger and a sense of defeat in aspiring within these paths of connection.
It is precisely because G-d loves us so overwhelmingly that He refuses to even hear this plaint that echoes the
vacuous testaments of Bilaam and his cohorts. Only G-d can hear so deeply that our frustration does not stem from rejection but from a deep-seated yearning that is aching for closeness.
This then is the deeper and more accurate understanding of transforming a curse into a blessing. What may appear as a cursed existence is truly the emanations of a soul that sincerely pines to be close.
A famous story is repeated about the illustrious and indefatigable Klausenberger Rebbe who once while riding in a car during a blizzard in Montreal during one of his many trips to promote his remarkable institutions, spots a bare-headed individual walking through the freezing cold snowstorm. The Rebbe asked his driver to pull up closer to this stranger, rolls down his window and proceeds to converse in Yiddish to this apparent goy. Lo and behold it turns out he was a Yid. The Rebbe opens the car door requesting he sit next to him in the warm car. He discovers that he is a fellow survivor who lost his entire family who has rejected G-d in frustrated anger of his sad fate. The Rebbe held his hand warmly conveying that G-d no doubt loves him no matter how far he has strayed.
In the image of the Creator, the Rebbe emulated this boundless love and faith in his fellow Jew, in understanding that he wasn’t as much angry as he was pining for closeness to Hashem once again.
There are many among us who live with inner anguish over their inability to connect.
Nevertheless, they plod on despite the pain and frustration. One can only imagine the love these individuals have in G-d’s eyes.
May we never forget this and be sensitive and in awe of these precious souls.
May this month when we are to ‘seek out Hashem when He is found’, draw these holy souls back to sensing Hashem’s loving embrace.
You may reach the author at: Ravzt@
PARSHA
OVERVIEW
Parshas Ki Seizei is filled with 74 commandments, ranging from sending away the mother bird, to putting a rail on your roof, and so much more. The Parshah begins with the discussion of war as well as the case of the Ben Sorer uMoreh (rebellious son). The end of the Parshah tells us about the importance of remembering Amalek.
Quotable Quote “ ”
Stay alert, stay alive; it might save your life one day!
TSorahparks
Inspiration Everywhere
-Mr. Blitz (my high school teacher)
GEMATRIA
The gematria of לע
is 823, which so happ ens to be the exact same as the gematria of
תמחלמ - the battle with our Yetzer Hara, which is, of course, alluded to in this very verse!
Rabbi Ori Strum is the author of Ready. Set. Grow. (Mosaica Press). His shiurim and other Jewish content can be found on Torah Anytime and Meaningful Minute. He also likes your feedback: rabbistrumo@gmail.com
Pesukim - 110
Words - 1,582
Letters - 5,856 Mitzvos - 74
QUICK VORT Chassidus
Parshas Ki Seitzei is replete with Mitzvos, with a whopping total of 74 commandments.
One of the unique Mitzvos in this Parshah is the commandment to construct a ךגגל הקעמ - a guardrail for your home's roof.
Of course, practically speaking, it is important to construct this so that no one comes to harm themselves if they are on top of the roof. The Shlah sees a deeper meaning to this commandment. He explains that the allegorical meaning of making such a railing may be that one has to set limits to one's pride.
The roof is the highest point of the house, and symbolizes pride; the railing represents a restriction on one's pride.
Yes, we must have pride in our lives, but that pride has to be controlled and tempered.
Have a holy Shabbos!
The heiliga Divrei Aron, Rebbe Asher M'Stolin, explains that אצת יכ - the moment you leave your home and the daled amos shel halacha, you have entered the ךיביא לע המחלמל - the war against the Yetzer Hara.
Let's be sure we are constanly prepared for this war!
Stay alert. Stay alive.
Thoughts in Points to
One of the mitzvos in this week’s Parshah is the mitzvah of חוליש ןקה, sending away the mother bird prior to taking the eggs.
The Torah says that the performance of this mitzvah leads to longevity. Why does this mitzvah have this unique reward?
What is the connection between ןקה חוליש and the zman of Elul which currently find ourselves in?
Parshas Ki Seitzei
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—RABBI ABBA COHEN VP FOR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, WASHINGTON DIRECTOR & COUNSEL
I ASKED MYSELF: DID I BELONG AT THE DNC?
“What’s he doing here?”
That was my reaction when Vivek Ramaswamy, the former Republican presidential candidate, passed me at the Democratic National Convention, followed by a gaggle of reporters. I assume he didn’t agree with much of what he heard at this convention. Then I stopped to reflect on my own presence at the DNC. As a registered Republican (who occasionally votes for Democrats) representing the Torah values of Agudath Israel — did I belong here?
The simple answer is that I work for Agudath Israel of America, which, as a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization, can’t endorse or oppose any candidate or party for office. But our gedolim have mandated that we be effective shtadlanim, or advocates, for the Orthodox Jewish community. That means showing up on Capitol Hill and in statehouses and city halls across the country. You can’t be effective if you aren’t at the table, engaging with elected officials and influential people in both parties. While the focus of these conventions is on the presidential candidates, there are tens of thousands of local, state, and federal officials and party activists in attendance. At an Agudah event on the sidelines of the convention more than 150 elected officials and party activists mingled with Jewish leaders from across the country. The event was not an endorsement of the Democratic Party or its platform, but rather an opportunity to help educate public officials and activists about our community and engage them in important conversations.
Democratic officials stood in silence as the Neutra family spoke about their son Omer, who has been held hostage by Hamas since October 7. In addition, there were banners posted around the room highlighting the need to condemn anti-Semitism by name, and not simply lump it together with ritual denunciations of “all other forms of hate,” and pointing out that a majority of anti-Semitic assaults around the country involve those who
are identifiably Jewish — the Orthodox community. The elected officials who spoke at this event condemned this abhorrent trend and explained how they plan to combat it with concrete action.
At a time when both major parties are accused of harboring anti-Semites in their ranks, we can’t afford to ignore either of them. For now, I’m encouraged that both parties feel that being perceived as the stronger one on the issue of anti-Semitism will get them more votes. Voters will ultimately decide who they believe.
The other goal of Agudah’s DNC event was to highlight the growth of the Orthodox Jewish community and its increasing electoral strength. Most Orthodox Jews live in blue states. Our message, delivered by elected officials, was simple — ignore the Orthodox community at your peril.
Vivek Ramaswamy was also at the DNC to engage people, and his verbal exchanges went viral. I doubt that Vivek recruited anyone at the DNC to the Republican cause, but he proved that when you engage honestly and directly with people who disagree with you, you may be surprised at how they respond.
As I drove home from Chicago late Thursday night, I revisited my question from a few hours earlier: Did I belong at the DNC? Like Vivek, I was there to share our agenda and not to accept theirs.
How could I not have attended?
“WHILE THE WORLD IS CAPTIVATED BY POLITICAL DRAMA,
THE AGUDAH STAFF IS ENGAGED IN A DIFFERENT KIND OF VIGILANCE, INTENTLY OBSERVING TO FULFILL OUR CHOVAS HISHTADLUS.”
RABBI YITZCHOK EHRMAN COO, AGUDATH ISRAEL OF AMERICA
Agudath Israel of America
Forgotten Her es The Heroes of the War of 1812
By Avi Heiligman
Despite being defeated by the Americans during the Revolutionary War, the British decided that they didn’t like American westward expansion and declared war in June 1812. The War of 1812 isn’t understood well by the public, and even its causes are debated by historians. As the anniversary of the writing of the Star Spangled Banner (which was written during the Battle of Fort McHenry in September 1814) approaches, we’ll take a look at some of the heroes of the war.
Francis Scott Key is the most famous person who was involved in the Battle of Baltimore, but there were thousands of soldiers that were important to the defense of the busy port city. Mendes Cohen came from a prominent Baltimore Jewish family and, together with his two brothers, joined the militia to fend off the British attack. Mendes started off serving with the 27 th Regiment but then transferred to an artillery unit called the Nicholson Artillery Fencibles. At first, the Americans retreated while the British attacked at North Point. The American defenses were held by 10,000 troops and were much stronger than the invading British force. The British decided to then bombard the fort, and by the morning of September 14, the American flag was still flying high. The British soon broke off the attack. The poem which Francis Scott Key wrote while on board a British ship eventually became the national anthem.
Other units besides front line fighting troops came to prominence during the war. The Engineer Corps worked on fortifications in the years leading up to the War of 1812. The forts became an
integral part of the defenses that eventually helped the Americans defeat the British. Military bands became a regular part of the American military and served with distinction during the war. On the other hand, the lack of intelligence units became a glaring issue when the existing units failed to pick up information about British troop movements until they were just sixteen miles out of Washington. It took until the Civil War for the intelligence units to be expanded and technology incorporated into their work.
Future President Andrew Jackson was the fierce commander, and it was during the Battle of New Orleans in 1815 that he became a household name. Jackson led the defense of the city and routed the British during an assault that was poorly executed in the last battle of the war. Philanthropist Judah Touro was fighting under Jackson’s command and was seriously wounded in the thigh by British cannon. He was nursed back to health by a friend who was also in the army.
Jackson wasn’t the only future president to earn acclaim during the war.
The ninth president, William Henry Harrison, entered the military in 1791 and had been involved in the conflicts with the Native Americans. By 1800, Harrison was the governor of Indian affairs in the Indiana Territory and subsequently had led a force to victory at Tippecanoe. His main adversary was the Shawnee chief Tecumseh.
During the War of 1812, the British captured Detroit. Harrison, who by now was a seasoned politician as well as a military leader, was asked to lead a force to recapture the city. He took the city back in 1813 and led the Americans to a
victory over the British and their allies at the Battle of the Thames in Ontario. One of their allies was Tecumseh, who was killed during the battle. Harrison received a medal from Congress for his decisive victory, and he used his military successes in his presidential campaign.
In addition to land forces, naval ships played an important role in the struggle against the British. The USS Constitution was launched in 1797 and had been involved in the Barbary War to defeat pirates. During the War of 1812, she ran past the British blockade around the city of Boston. She then went on to defeat five enemy warships and nine British merchant vessels. Since then, she has remained in the U.S. Navy and presently is staffed by dozens of active duty officers and sailors who are on special duty with the mission to promote the Navy’s role in war and peace.
The Treaty of Ghent to end the war was signed in December 1814, but it took weeks before it reached the United States. During that time, the Battle of New Orleans took place, and it is for that reason that some call it the “Needless Battle.” The treaty restored the pre-war borders and ushered in an era of peaceful relations between the two countries that is still going strong over two centuries later.
Avi Heiligman is a weekly contributor to The Jewish Home. He welcomes your comments and suggestions for future columns and can be reached at aviheiligman@gmail.com.
A painting of the Battle of New Orleans
A painting depicting Francis Scott Key as he saw the American flag above the fort
Andrew Jackson
Mendes Cohen William Harrison
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
Pikesville Jewish CongregationM, 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
Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah M-F
Ohr Yisroel M-F
Pikesville Jewish CongregationT, W, 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 TzedekS
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
11:30 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore (Sunday and Thursday)
Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah
9:45 AM Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah S-F
10:00AM Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah S-F
Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah
School of Thought
By Etti Siegel
Q:Dear Etti,
I like to have lots of prizes and treats for my kids to motivate them to go to school, do well, and try their best. Do you have age-appropriate suggestions I can stock? I am running out of ideas.
-Motivating Mommy
A:Dear Motivating Mommy, Thank you for writing in.
I am so glad that you are giving me an opportunity to address something I have been wondering about for years.
Why do you (and the many parents I come across who give prizes for going to school and getting good grades) think it is a motivator to present said treats?
I believe it is a de-motivator and causes long-term harm.
Let me explain.
Your child goes to school. It is a given. That is something he/she needs to do. Your child learns material, takes tests, and does all that is requested or expected. That is the nature of school.
By giving prizes for expected behavior, you are turning the message from “Do it for yourself, feel satisfaction for a job well done” into “Do it for me and I will give you a prize.”
Making everything about treats and prizes turns each activity into a task. It shouldn’t be a chore! It should be part of a regular student’s life to be in school and intrinsically want to do well.
Another issue is it changes the way a child acts in school, as stated above, and has ramifications on his/her social life.
Children in school are always clamoring to do their best and try their hardest. As your child becomes con-
vinced that learning and behaving is a task that must be done to make you happy, they might choose not to make you happy or not to invest energy in the task as they are tired and don’t “feel like it.” Whatever the reasons, this becomes a child who is more apathetic in school. The more studious, well-behaved children usually gravitate towards each other and might leave your child out.
Also, teachers tend to view the apathetic child as a struggling child, which perpetuates the cycle of needing to be bribed to perform.
Treats and prizes should be fun, an extra “I was thinking of you,” that is best when not tied to performance.
Making everything about treats and prizes turns each activity into a task.
The message we want to send is “do your best.” A job well done brings its own reward.
Think about a time you worked hard and accomplished your goal. Was it setting up for guests? Baking a cake? A big task at work? Loads of laundry at home? The inner joy of a job well done is something everyone should get to experience.
Research seems to indicate that when we constantly reward children we also send a subtle message that we don’t believe in them. This can become part of a person’s core belief about themselves, and the long-term effects are harmful. Core beliefs are the lens through which individuals interpret their experiences and make sense of the world. The task also becomes a behavior they only do for the reward, rather than for the fact that the task might be interesting, or it that it might be inherently enjoyable. (See studies by Deci et al., 2001 and Kohn, 2018.)
Interestingly enough, we have the ability to create strong core beliefs just by treating people like they can do what we charge them with. Conversely, people will create
core beliefs about themselves that are negative, based on how the people in their lives treat them.
To prove my point, I’ll share a study. Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson conducted an experiment in 1965 in Oak Elementary School, grades 1-6. Teachers were told that the test being administered would determine the children with the highest IQ’s. They then randomly chose children in every class and told the teachers that these were the children with the highest indicators, but they should not share the results with the class or the parents. Though there was no validity to the list, by the end of the year, those children were the top-performing students in every class across the school. The teachers were stunned to find out that the tests that were administered in the beginning of the year had never even been marked! This experiment was reproduced many times and always had the same results.
So hold off on the prizes and treats. Take them out to ice cream to celebrate the beginning of school (not for going to school) and tell them you believe in them. Ask them if they tried their best instead of asking for 100%. Instill messages of values and family expectations instead of turning their behavior into a tit-for-tat of doing a task and getting a prize.
The good news is that you can turn it all around in a short time, even if you have been bribing them for years. Realize your goals and change your messages.
Have a wonderful and rewarding year watching your children grow into the people they can be and being proud of themselves for what they accomplish.
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.
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Tech Triumphs Miracle Baby
as told to Rebbetzin Sara Gross
We were overjoyed when my daughter was born after having three sons. She was perfect, except for a serious heart defect. We were very concerned, and the doctor told us she would need surgery in a few months. My husband and I decided to do something together as a Zechus for our baby’s health. We made the choice to get rid of our smartphones.
It wasn’t an easy adjustment, but with all the good transitional phones available, most of our tech needs were met with our new flip phones. A couple of months later, we brought our beautiful baby in for a checkup. The doctor was astounded—the heart defect had corrected itself. Our sacrifice was accepted.
There are no words to describe how grateful we feel for His miracles and salvations.
DID YOU KNOW? If you have ever invested, you were advised to diversify. The principle is that through spreading investments over a variety of assets and not limiting them to one, it reduces risk and improves long-term investment performance.
The same idea should be applied to technology use. We depend on various forms of technology to perform daily tasks and enhance productivity at work and home. Having access to all utilities and apps in one central location is very practical. It is especially convenient when it fits in the hand and is always available.
However, convenience has a cost. Unlimited and immediate access to everything consumes more time than we really have available. The cost-benefit analysis often reveals misappropriated time for everything other than what is most important.
In addition to installing a filter to protect your device from objectionable content, it is best to diversify your technology portfolio for your unique needs. There are those who diversify their recreational and entertainment needs to a computer rather than mobile devices. Some discover that securing a mobile phone for only talk and text and allocating work-related and recreational apps to a tablet helps maintain a healthy balance between work and family life.
Others choose to secure local screen time features to set app time limits. They find it minimizes dependence on their device.
Do these strategies seem less “convenient”? Perhaps. But the ones who choose these minimal sacrifices find it rejuvenating and liberating. Consider scheduling a free appointment to see how you too can benefit from TAG’s services. You may discover that diversifying technology can improve your long-term performance.
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.
To Raise a Laugh
Mr. Hire-Someone-To-Fix-It
Would you consider yourself handy?
And by “handy”, I don’t mean “convenient to have around”. You probably consider yourself that. I mean in the sense of a handyman, who, come to think of it, is pretty handy to have around. But not for too long, because they charge by the hour.
So the question is, when it comes down to it, can you fix things yourself?
According to a recent survey, you probably cannot. The survey claims that today’s fathers are less capable than their own fathers when it comes to do-it-yourself fixes, preferring instead to call a “guy”. Or their father.
Now as a father, I’m not going to sit and talk about what my father does and doesn’t do in this department. But I will say that I do plenty of fixes around the house. In fact, here’s a list of just some of the things I’ve done, though I do have to say that many of them were done with the help of my wife, because she reads this. But I think you’ll be very impressed.
- For example, I’ve put together the desk I’m working on right now, which is probably not going to live as long as the desk in my boys’ room that my grandmother got me when I was six, but that speaks more to my skills as a breadwinner.
- I’ve replaced a specific cabinet door in my kitchen about 500 times, once someone showed me that all I have to do is buy a thin wooden dowel, widen the stripped screw hole using a drill bit, stick the end of the dowel in the hole, saw off whatever sticks out, glue the rest in there, and then reinstall the door by driving the screw into the dowel! This is pretty much exactly what your dentist does when you have a cavity. I’m thinking that I should buy a better-quality dowel.
- I also know what a dowel is. My wife taught me. It’s handyman for “stick”.
- I’ve installed a great many pictures on walls, most of which fall if you get too close to them.
- I’ve also put together over one barbecue grills.
- I also installed a ladder in my backyard. Sideways, in the ground. The ladder came free with the house, and now it’s a mini fence for my wife’s garden. It doesn’t keep kids out, it doesn’t keep animals out, but we no longer have a loose ladder laying around outside our house.
- In an attempt to build a shelf for my son to reach from his bunkbed, I drilled about a dozen holes in the wall to find studs, because it turns out my stud finder is a liar.
- I replaced the faucet of my laundry sink, which involved laying down under the sink and having a lot of unexpected water pour on me.
- I’ve installed a paper towel dispenser in the laundry room that is so inconspicuous that my wife didn’t know it was there when all that water was pouring on me.
Point is, I am pretty handy to have around the house, if what you’re looking for is a temporary solution to a minor inconvenience. So I don’t even know what the survey is talking about.
Yet according to the article I read, “Millennial dads are less likely than their boomer counterparts to be able to change a car tire, unblock a sink, or even open a stuck pickle jar with their hands.”
But apparently, there are reasons for this decline. For example, one excuse that millennial dads are giving is that they spend more time with their kids instead. Which is definitely an excuse, because you could always fix things with your kids.
But it could be related. Let’s put it this way: Time was, men didn’t sit around talking about their feelings. They wanted to avoid that, so they went off into the garage and tinkered with stuff. Most Jewish men went off to learn, but it’s the same idea. And it’s also the reason many Jewish men aren’t handy. And it turns out that just like if you spend enough time learning, you can get good at it, if you spend enough time fixing stuff, you can get good at that too, or at least luck into a fix.
And likewise, this is probably why we don’t know how to learn as well as our fathers do either.
By Mordechai Schmutter
And yes, Boomer dads could have spent time with their kids, teaching them how to fix things, but they didn’t want to, because their kids kept getting in the way and holding the flashlight wrong and learning colorful new handyman words (such as “dowel”), and also, the kids were the ones who broke the stuff in the first place.
“Yeah, whenever I need to open a pickle jar, I call a guy. He charges 45 bucks for the call, and I have pickles. Then I can spend more time with my kids.”
One result of this shift, the survey found, is that modern dads don’t own a lot of tools. For example, according to reports, 49% nowadays don’t own a ladder, and 46%, quote, “don’t even own a cordless drill”.
No cordless drill? How do you drill a dozen holes in your son’s wall looking for studs?
Meanwhile, 38% don’t own a screwdriver, and 32% don’t own a hammer. In case you’re looking for a good wedding present. That I’ve never seen on a single registry.
Okay, so I may not be great at fixing things, but I definitely have tools. I own a circular saw! Though to be technical, my wife owns the circular saw.
But I do own a lot of other tools, which we keep in 3 strategic places – four, if you count the half-buried ladder. We have them in a drawer in our kitchen that we can’t open or close, we have a small set upstairs that includes a kosher l’Pesach hammer that we use to open coconuts (my wife uses the chometz kitchen hammer to turn granola bars into granola), and then there’s our garage, where we keep all the larger, more dangerous tools. And also the kids’ bikes.
Point is, this whole trend is something that we really need to fix.
I say we call a guy.
Mordechai Schmutter is a freelance writer and a humor columnist for Hamodia and other magazines. He has also published eight books and does stand-up comedy. You can contact him at MSchmutter@gmail.com.
I SPY
Box of Cookies
always have
stacked pantry"
Raffle Tickets "Monthly Rosh Chodesh raffles"
Birthday Hats "We award you a gift card on your birthday"
Ice Creams "Cool treats on hot days"
For all your auto home life and business needs ,
Mental Health Corner
Labels
The field of mental health is loaded with all kinds of labels and diagnoses that were coined by the mental health establishment. OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), BPD (borderline personality disorder), MDD (major depressive disorder), and the list goes on and on.
Many often wonder, do we benefit from all of these labels? What is being gained or lost as a result of putting complicated human behaviors into a few letters? The answer of course is complicated. There are certain benefits from having labels and there definitely are some very serious drawbacks. In this article, we will lay out the pros and cons of labeling mental health disorders, and as with many areas in life, the ultimate question will remain somewhat unanswerable.
Pros
Ease of communication - When we have words that describe specific conditions and situations, it is much easier to have a conversation. If you wanted to order a cup of coffee in a restaurant and had no word for coffee, you might need to say, “Can I please have that hot beverage made from roasting a certain type of bean that grows in tropical areas and helps you stay awake?” Now that we have the word “coffee”, the process is much simpler. Similarly, with a mental health label, it is often very easy to simply say, “I have PTSD,” when you are communicating with a clinician or other type of professional who needs to know your situation. Additionally, when the treating therapist knows what they are treating, they can tailor the treatment more specifically.
Information and community - If you are searching for information that will help you navigate your situation, having a label is a game changer. If you fit the parameters of a specific diagnosis, you can simply search for information about that disorder. Without the help of a label, research may be very cumbersome. The label can also help you find a community of people who are suffering from similar conditions in order to share ideas and to feel a sense of empathy from other people who can truly understand your situation.
Validation - If there is a word for
something, then obviously it is not your unique problem. Very often, people who are suffering from a mental health disorder feel very alone, and feel as if they are the only ones in the world who are so “crazy”. When one finds out that the psychiatric community coined a specific label for this condition, then obviously it is common enough to merit its own word. This sense of validation can be very empowering.
Cons
The stigma - When one does not have a label, the words that one uses to describe their situation tend to be very benign. “I can get very nervous sometimes.” “I am not the best at focusing.” “I am a little down in the dumps.” Once one receives a mental health diagnosis, it feels like a big deal. This may create a stigma, both internally and externally. You might feel worse about yourself, and others might look at you differently as well.
An excuse - People often wrongfully accuse people with a mental health diagnosis as using it as an excuse. When one does not have a label and simply says, “I am having a hard day,” they often receive sympathy. But, if one says, “I have a hard time doing this because I suffer from PTSD,” they may be accused of hiding behind the label and that it is just an excuse.
The mislabeled label - There are people whose symptoms match up the official diagnostic descriptions so well that they look like they walked straight out of a textbook. Very often, that is not the case. There may be layers of different issues that interact with each other, and cannot simply be encapsulated in a neat diagnostic label. The risk of applying a label to such a person is that you are oversimplifying a complex situation.
In summary, there are winners and losers in this game of labels. Embracing the benefits of having a label and figuring out how to deal with the dark side of labels is the challenge that defines much of the modern approach to mental health. As we often say, it is a real journey!
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
Speaking from e xperience
By Samuel Haft as related to Barbara Bensoussan
My story begins back in 2012, as I was finishing a degree in accounting at Lander College. I was learning with my chavrusa, and after a few hours, I began to feel my voice getting tired. We paused for a bit and resumed learning afterward, and I didn’t think much of it.
But as time went on, I began experiencing voice fatigue more and more, with all my chavrusas. I would have to either take a break or ask that they do all the reading so I could rest my voice.
I had always loved singing in synagogue and the Shabbos table, and now I couldn’t sing as well as I used to.
“It looks like Hashem is taking away my singing voice so that I’ll have to start actually paying attention to the words,” I joked.
At first, I thought I was simply suffering from a winter cold, but as time went on, things escalated to the point where it hurt to say anything. When learn ing with my chavrusas became impossible, I knew I had an issue.
Soon, things got worse. My voice was so vulnerable that if I overused it at any point during the day, I would need to rest it for three days to recover. And it affected me in so many ways, big and little. Sometimes, people wouldn’t hear me well, and I’d simply agree with them rather than have to answer them. When I asked the gas station attendant for $25 worth of gas and he said, “I didn’t hear you, did you say $35 of gas?” I just nodded; it was easier that way.
“I’d like the chicken burger,” I’d tell a waiter when going out to eat, but when he repeated, “Did you say the beef burger?” I’d just resign myself to that.
pists, hoping they would have the answer, but none of them were able to fix the problem long term. In 2017, I met a dentist who believed the problem was due to a jaw misalignment that affected my nervous system, and that the braces and retainer I wore growing up may have wreaked havoc with my body that would take years to undo now (it may be that the braces were not done properly or that my body just didn’t react well to them). He seems to have come closest to truly understanding the root of the issue. Since starting his protocol, wearing an orthotic on my bottom teeth that the dentist adjusts every few months to move the jaw into better alignment, I’ve begun feeling stronger and better overall, and I’ve been working with him with him ever since.
As the situation progressed, I found myself unable to speak for more than a few minutes, which was obviously terribly disruptive
25 women there, and the idea was to spend two or three minutes with each one before moving to the next person. I made it past the first woman, but by the time I got to the second one, I literally couldn’t speak anymore. The poor woman saw I was struggling, so I had to tell her, “I just can’t do this anymore” and leave. Today, when I think back on it, it’s kind of comical that I wasn’t able to last even five minutes, but at the time, I was mortified.
A Background of Endurance
My vocal challenge hit me unawares, but in retrospect, I can see that my childhood and upbringing had prepared me with the endurance I’d need to face this trial. Even as a child, I’d forged the strength of character to insist on getting where I wanted to go.
Of course, my lack of voice went much farther than just affecting my gastronomical options. I never knew in advance if I’d be up to a visit from a friend or going out on a date. A few times people hit or scraped my car (nothing major, thankfully), but I just waved it off; the alternative – a long discussion and an exchange of phone numbers and insurance information – was beyond my abilities.
Between 2013 to 2015, the problem came and went. After graduating, I’d taken a job as a CPA, where I managed to get by; fortunately, the work didn’t require too much speaking to people. I wasn’t able to socialize much, but I could still have a 20-minute phone conversation or a one-hour face-to-face conversation.
I consulted doctor after doctor – I must have gone to 20 different ones over the years – but no one could get to the source of my problem. “It’s a vocal cord issue,” said one doctor. But the medicine he prescribed didn’t help. “Allergy-related,” said another, but the meds he prescribed didn’t help either. “It might be psychological,” said a third, but the psychologist I saw at his urging was also a dead end.
I didn’t stop there. I visited many speech thera -
As time dragged on with no solution in sight, I became like a boxer in a ring who has been punched so many times, he loses the will to get off the mat.
embarrassment at being unable to respond to people who addressed me led me to start avoiding people. Even when friends and family would text me, I ignored them. I simply couldn’t relate to others who weren’t suffering; I felt that we spoke different languages.
When I went to synagogue, I would closet myself in the women’s section so that I would remain unnoticed and could avoid speaking to anyone. At work, I’d avoid my colleagues and find ways to get around assignments that required a lot of speaking. I would avoid entering a crowded elevator with people I knew, preferring to wait for it to empty or at least to hold people I didn’t know (and didn’t have to speak to).
As a 24-year-old, I wanted to date, but the voice issue made it so challenging. I had to keep dates short because my voice would give out. Unless I had a really exceptional first date, I wouldn’t be motivated to go out a second time. A number of times I became so frustrated that I couldn’t express myself properly, it ruined the whole experience for me.
I once made the mistake of attending a speed dating event in New Jersey. There were probably about
I grew up in a Modern Orthodox family in Woodmere, New York, a middle child with three sisters. A popular, athletic kid who achieved high marks, I attended Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway (HAFTR) elementary school and then Davis Renov Stahler Yeshiva High School (DRS). Before high school, I didn’t learn much Gemara or have any particular rebbi, so DRS gave me my first exposure to this approach to learning Torah. As ninth grade progressed, I found myself drawn more deeply to religion. My mind had begun to mature, and I began to think more deeply about the big questions: Does G-d exist, and if so, how do we serve Him? What is the proper way to live? It was the first time I began questioning my life and trying to identify the source of happiness. Exposed to American media such as television, Hollywood movies, and People magazine, I saw that secular society revolved largely around seeking pleasure and the “good life.” Yet I also perceived that the achievement of such “good life” goals like status and popularity were uncomfortably out of my control.
Within the framework of Judaism, on the other hand, my goals were much more attainable simply through exercising my own willpower and effort. I was the one who determined how much time and effort to put into praying, learning Torah, and performing other mitzvos, and this gave me a handle on my success.
This epiphany, coupled with an exposure to real learning when I studied with an older high school student who was a serious learner, led me to become much more religious. When ninth grade ended for the summer, I would ride my bike every day to shul to learn by myself or with a chavrusa, and I really enjoyed it. I was supposed to spend that summer in Los Angeles with my grandparents, which would have almost certainly led me to hang out with the wrong type of crowd, but at the last minute, I changed my plans and decided to attend the NCSY Kollel, a learning program for Modern Orthodox teenagers that solidified my new religious direction.
After a year in DRS, my high school trajectory was unexpectedly interrupted. One day, while sitting in the car with my father, he brought up a startling idea.
“Now that I sold my business, your mother and I were thinking of moving to Israel,” he said. “You know it’s something we always wanted to do. But we don’t want to go if it will make you unhappy. What do you think?”
“Actually, I would be open to it,” I responded. “I’m more religious now than most of my crowd at school, and it would be easier to start at a new school that’s closer to the level I’m at.”
My father flew with me to Israel to check out high schools, and I wavered between two schools, one more modern and the other more yeshivah-style. When I got home, though, I met “by chance” a Chofetz Chaim talmid who exposed me to his yeshiva – my first experience of a “real” yeshiva. That propelled me to choose the more right-leaning Nehora high school in Mevo Choron with my parents’ support.
We stayed in Israel for just a year and returned to Woodmere when I was 16 and entering eleventh grade. By this point I was a serious Torah student who needed a serious yeshiva. I enrolled in Yeshiva of Far Rockaway, where I was very much an anomaly because the vast majority of my peers had come from ultra-Ortho dox backgrounds, but I was happy just to be pursuing my own truth and happiness and didn’t care much if I stood out as different.
When I went back to Israel at age 18 to continue my learning in Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh, I found myself back among guys like me – people who had grown up in Modern Orthodox homes but were serious about learning. I had the good fortune to learn under Rav Menachem Mendel Blachman, who left a very deep impression on me. He is famously demanding of his students, and in my two years there, he taught me how to think and gave me the confidence that I had the ability to think things out on my own.
His talmidim need a thick skin to handle his sometimes-brusque manner, which he adopts for the purpose of chinuch, but I loved the challenge. (He himself likes to say, “I’m a poodle at home, but a Rottweiler in yeshiva!”) In fact, the few times I was able to win an argument against him were life changing. They infused me with self-confidence and the faith that I really can think deeply and logically.
lem, my family suggested I move to California, near my grandparents in Los Angeles. As I’d never liked the pressured pace of New York or the cold winters, I easily acceded. In the summer of 2015, I transferred jobs and moved.
I was hoping my condition would improve, but not only did it not, but I also developed other medical conditions such as IBS and some gum recession, unusual for someone my age. Doctors weren’t sure if these were related to my voice issue or not, although surely my mental stress must have left me more vulnerable to developing physical disorders.
On the marriage front, things weren’t going so easily either. I tried some long-distance dating through Skype. Once I met a woman three times and thought things were good enough to continue, and the shadchan proposed that I fly out to meet her.
“I don’t know if I can do that,” I said. “I’ve been dealing with this voice issue.”
“How can we help?” they asked.
But what could they do? They couldn’t give me a voice, and they were just as clueless as I was. People had good intentions, and many tried to communicate by texting, but I was so tired of not having a voice that I lost interest and sent only very brief responses.
The two years from 2016 to 2018 found me suffering literally in silence. Drained by isolation, I reached a psychological breaking point. I can’t say I was suicidal, but I definitely would have felt relieved to go to bed and not wake up the next morning. During the first four years in New York, I thought the problem was temporary, and that gave me hope and the mental fortitude to keep going. But as time dragged on with no solution in sight, I became like a boxer in a ring who has been punched so many times, he loses the will to get off the mat.
By defining happiness differently – as a life of balanced serenity and avodas Hashem –I could be eligible for happiness.
After two years in Israel, I enrolled in Lander College in Queens, New York, with a major in accounting. Here, as at Kerem B’Yavneh, I was among my own kind, other young men who had grown up in more Modern Orthodox homes yet had veered toward deeper levels of observance. My path forward seemed clear and straightforward. I would be graduating college in September of 2012, qualified as a CPA, and I would start to date.
Then, out of the blue, I started losing my voice.
Suffering in Silence
After three years of struggling with the loss of my voice in New York, I needed a change. When I was told that perhaps a warmer climate would help the prob -
“Well, if you don’t feel you can handle that, maybe you should take a break from dating altogether!” she responded.
It was a bitter pill to swallow, but by 2016, at age 27, I concluded that my dating life would have to be put on hold indefinitely until my voice issue was resolved. By now I had been dealing with voice loss for four years. As the years passed with no resolution in sight, I began to despair. I was terribly lonely and cut off, even spending Shabbosos and yamim tovim in isolation, davening in the ezras nashim on weekdays to avoid contact with people and sometimes walking a few miles away during yom tov to a shul where everyone spoke Persian. At one point, I was eating Shabbos lunch in a shul that offered a large kiddush with challah, but I’d go only at the very end, when the crowd had left and the janitor had begun cleaning up. It turned out I wasn’t the only one who waited. I was joined by a few homeless people, with whom I felt a kinship, since we were all cut off from “normal” society.
My family was deeply concerned for me.
We’re all social creatures who need contact with other humans. My Hebrew name is Yaakov, and I often thought of the pasuk, “Vayivaser Yaakov levado” (Bereishis 32:25), describing how Yaakov was left alone, wrestling with a malach. My inability to communicate left me bereft of human contact, and I was becoming terribly lonely. The isolation and pain in my life so outweighed the positive, I felt little motivation to wake up in the mornings. I continued to work, because I knew that going to work was the only way I was going to survive. Simply staying home in that mental state would have been dangerous. Somehow, we human beings are wired to keep going even under the most trying circumstances – my 95-year-old grandfather, may he be well, survived the Holocaust – yet, I knew my situation was untenable. I had to find a path forward or perish spiritually and emotionally. Fortunately, I had always been a truth seeker and a deep thinker. Desperate to find answers, I began to delve into Jewish and secular sources to figure out how I could be happy in my imposed silence. I listened to TED talks about philosophies like stoicism; I read Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning and Rabbi Akiva Tatz’s Letter to a Buddhist Jew. I started to learn Shas again, starting from the beginning, and read volumes of Torah hashkafah such as the Chovos Halevavos, Rambam Hilchos De’os, Mesilas Yesharim, Derech Hashem, Tanya, Michtav M’Eliyahu, Rav Aharon Feldman, Rabbi Dovid Gottlieb, Rabbi Lawrence Kelemen, and more.
It’s one thing to theorize and pontificate about happiness when it’s an abstract issue, and another to dive into the topic because it’s your own life that’s on the line. I was desperate for answers.
Yamim tovim were extremely challenging, because I spent them alone and couldn’t pass the time listening to podcasts or classes; a three-day holiday seemed interminable. Ultimately, I realized they were beneficial, because the time I spent home alone allowed me to delve deep into my thoughts.
And then, during one three-day Shavuos, I arrived at a paradigm shift that changed my entire view of happiness.
Using Humor to Cope with Stress
THE COLUMBIA GROUP PRESENTS:
Finding Happiness
That Shavuos morning, I davened at home, and after I finished, I went for a walk. It was a gorgeous day, sunny, and as I walked, I thought, This is crazy, but I feel pretty content!
Even in the midst of all that silence of the threeday chag, I realized, I was also not suffering the emotional pain that comes when the pursuit of pleasure is thwarted.
“Who’s to say the life I’m living is a bad one?” I asked myself.
I had been relying on the secular definition of happiness, which characterizes happiness as pleasure where one’s goal in life is to maximize all experiences that bring pleasure. According to this worldview, fun, comfort, excitement, financial success, status, popularity, and so on are the things we strive to attain. As my lack of a voice precluded me from attaining most of these things, I could not be happy according to this school of thought.
My sudden clarity enlightened me: taking myself out of the running for goals like status, popularity, and fun also meant I was spared the kind of anxiety, wor ry, frustration, and dissatisfaction that are the conse quences of valuing these goals and failing to achieve them. Retreating from goals that are, ultimately, only superficial forms of happiness meant that I suffered no disappointment when they didn’t come through for me. There is an emotional cost to pursuing pleasure – it always comes with strings attached – and that cost is emotional suffering in the form of anxiety, disappointment, and emptiness.
Which life is better? I asked myself. Is it better to live life on an emotional rollercoaster, experiencing the highs of fun, comfort, and excitement along with the lows of anxiety, worry, and disappointment? Perhaps it is better to eschew that volatility and pursue a more emotionally neutral life of serenity, contentment, and peace of mind (in Talmudic language, yishuv hadaas or menuchas hanefesh). For me, a serene life is better than a life spent frantically chasing emotional highs and physical pleasures. By defining happiness differently – as a life of balanced serenity and avodas Hashem – I could be eligible for happiness.
us in life. We can put int our best efforts, but in the end, it is only G-d who determines if our efforts bear fruit. There are attractive, kind people who never find a spouse while unexceptional people do; some athletes fall ill while some smokers live long lives; smart people lose fortunes whereas others become rich simply by being in the right place at the right time. It is surely futile to invest ourselves emotionally in pursuing goals that are often not dependent on our own efforts. By striving for mental equilibrium and a life of effort and service, we bypass reliance on external circumstances to make us happy.
Once I made that paradigm shift, my life changed. Little by little, I was able to stop worrying about whether I’ll recover fully, or if I’ll be able to hang out with friends or marry and have children. I focused on maximizing learning and service rather than pleasure per se. I replaced my old diet of pizza, burgers and cookies with sprouted wheat bread and vegetables and chicken, exercised more,
Is it better to live life on an emotional rollercoaster, experiencing the highs of fun, comfort, and excitement along with the lows of anxiety, worry, and disappointment?
Yechiel Perr, zt”l, Rav Moshe Brown, Rav Mordechai Willig, and Rav Akiva Tatz. I even heard from some of them, “This piece of Torah has been somewhat lost due to the heavy influence of secular values, but you should revive it.”
My parents had once spoken to a kabbalist about my situation, who told them, “Rest easy, he is going to save lives.” None of us had any clue what that meant then, except that perhaps my ideas could help people with depression and emotional problems. But when I showed my ideas to Rav Blachman, he commented, “They are pikuach nefesh tzibburi,” and I realized I could also help people who are struggling spiritually.
Yes, sometimes, we do need to give ourselves breaks and indulge in pleasurable activities just to rest and refresh. But like the basketball player who drinks Gatorade on the side so he can get back on the court with renewed vigor, a bochur who has been spending many hours learning might need to rest his brain by listening to music or a mother might need to relax with a cup of tea and a novel after finally getting her children settled for the night. In all these cases, the recharging plays second fiddle to the primary goal.
of shiurim and reviewing my learning.
Even without a voice, even being cut off from most people, I could find my own path to happiness and emotional health.
Most people want to maximize pleasure and minimize effort. From my new point of view, the goal became completely inverted: to maximize effort and minimize pleasure. Effort now becomes valuable, while pleasure is merely a fortuitous, but not guaranteed, byproduct.
I began to analyze all areas of life according to this new criterion. Take marriage, for example. If my goal is to get married, I won’t be happy until I find a mate. But if I’m focused on mental equilibrium and striving to serve G-d and others, I can be happy even if I do not marry.
Maybe I can stop worrying about not getting married, I told myself.
We have very little control over what happens to
Realizing I was still eligible for happiness under my new definition felt like a rebirth. Even before my losing my voice, I had always had a goal of figuring out what was meaningful in life and what constitutes happiness. Now I felt a great sense of accomplishment knowing I had gained so much clarity and achieved this new level of understanding.
Lifesaving Ideals
I became very absorbed with working through these ideas, and starting in 2018, when I first conceived them, I began many email exchanges with friends and rabbis. I went back to Jewish sources, and found that my theory is actually the Jewish approach to happiness. Pirkei Avos states that the wealthy man is the one who is content with his lot, regardless of his circumstances (the Alei Shur elaborates on this in Happiness from a Torah Perspective).
I was encouraged when I received haskamos from such distinguished rabbanim as Rav Blachman, Rav
My isolation has given me the perspective to see what really matters and what really makes us happy. My original impetus to become more religious – the realization that worldly pleasures aren’t under my control, but spiritual fulfillment always is – turned into a full-fledged, well-developed hashkafah as a result of my personal trials.
People say, “You’ve been in isolation so long. I feel so bad for you!”
But I respond by saying (writing, really), “Just the opposite – I feel bad for you, in a way, because your attachment to the pursuit of pleasure takes you out of This World and the Next!”
I feel a little like Yosef Hatzaddik, l’havdil, who told his brothers, “Don’t worry, I was sent on this difficult path so I can now offer you support.”
I know that personal accounts often finish with a happy ending, tied up in a bow. Mine doesn’t. I don’t know what the future holds in store. I pray to Hakadosh Baruch Hu that my voice will be restored completely, that I’ll get married and have children, and live an otherwise “normal” life. But I know that even without these things, I am still eligible for the greatest life in This World – one of serenity and self-development – and the greatest life in the Next World.
The author can be reached at haft2115@gmail.com. This article originally appeared in print in the Mishpacha Magazine. Reprinted with permission.
After spending a decade in isolation, Samuel Haft has developed a philosophy on happiness that has been endorsed by rabbinic leadership and is now disseminating throughout the world to promote authentic Jewish practice and emotional well-being in today’s society. He can be reached at haft2115@ gmail.com.
School of Thought
Doing Fine
By Barbara Deutsch
Idid not grow up with summer camp, ski vacations, or cross country travel as vacation. As immigrants, my father struggled to put food on the table by working every minute he could as a salesman. He wanted to be a doctor, but the war stopped him in his tracks.
My mom was busy raising the children – that’s how it was in those days – and when we three were in school, she found work in a hot and steamy sweater factory.
One of the happiest days of her life was her last day in that place.
I never felt that I missed out because all my cousins and friends were in the same situation as I was, and you don’t miss what you don’t know.
As I got older and my world expanded, I learned that there was such a thing as a ski vacation and that people traveled far and wide for the best snow.
When my husband and I found ourselves able to afford a short family winter vacation with our kids, we went with a close circle of friends to the Catskills luxury resort, the Concord.
There, we found great food and snow. The problem we encountered was no skis and no skills. The Concord provided both. The very first day, all of the grownups and the kids lined up to be fitted for skis, and everyone enrolled in ski school. In short order, the kids were off, a bit wobbly but determined.
After much ado about size and fit, Bob and I were relegated to the class below beginners. I think it was a toddler’s class, but they too were soon on their way. No matter how hard we tried, we could not make it up the snowy hump between the shack that supplied the skis to the gate entrance.
We failed even before we started, never to slap on any skis again.
Since we arrived in Israel almost two months ago, we have been trying to make sense of our new surroundings and the opportunities. We are open to trying the new and becoming more comfortable with the familiar.
For a recent Nefesh BNefesh event for new Olim families, we went to their mag-
nificent space in Cinema City in Jerusalem. As the hour was late and the kids’ party was winding down, we were greeted by older Olim peers in our advanced age category. It was surprising to us to see how many people there are who have made aliyah as singles and older.
There is more to share about that.
Everywhere we go – stores, parties, buses, walking in the street or whatever – when people hear we are new Olim, they stop, make eye contact, smile and say mazal tov.
Now that we have accepted the three rules for getting questions answered or given guidance in Israel, we are in a better place. Steps: 1) ask politely; 2) scream (we are told this shows strength); 3) cry!
So far, we have tried 1 and 3 and have not resorted to 2, although tempted many times.
Attitude is the most important element to success. Our friend Eddie (he and his
used on the apps; we have not figured that out yet and are hoping to find out at Ulpan.
Everyone we share our navigational adventures with tells us the same thing: “What do you expect? It’s Israel, and that’s the way it’s done here.” Everyone also says, “We love it anyway and would live nowhere else.”
Here are two stories from just this week.
We went to an outdoor klezmer concert in Yad Vashem; we traveled by light rail, shuttle bus and foot. The view from the mountaintop surrounded by artifacts of despair infused with the haunting klezmer sound made it a night we will long remember. Yet, that was not the most significant part of the night.
As the sun set, a call for Maariv went out. In no time, more than a hundred men gathered in prayer in the back of the concert garden.
That’s Israel.
Everywhere we go – stores, parties, buses, walking in the street or whatever – when people hear we are new Olim, they stop, make eye contact, smile and say mazal tov.
wife Dora came in May and as a result are so much senior to us in experience) met an old friend at the party for Olim who ironically arrived on our early July flight. His response when asked how it’s going: “Lousy!”
Not simple, yes, but why lousy?
One of our aliyah advisors, Liz, came over to check in with us at the party, “How’s it going?” we told her that our biggest glitch so far was figuring out the bank. Her response, “Don’t go unless you have to. Use the app!” She invited us to stop by the office, and she would help us figure it out.
The major problem is that even when you learn Hebrew, it’s not the language
Liz told us a story about her visiting brother. The family was in a cab touring Jerusalem when he lost his special hat. Somewhere along the way, he lost it. It was upsetting but these things happen and so he went home without it. Many months later, Liz’s mother was exiting a cab when the driver asked her if she had a son who had visited lately. Her response was, “Yes, why do you ask?”
The Israeli cab driver answered, “A few months ago, I was driving a family around Jerusalem; the son was wearing a distinctive hat. When I got home, I noticed that he had forgotten it in the car. I had no way
of getting it back to him as I did not have a name. I figured we would meet again, and I would be able to return it when we did.”
That’s Israel.
The new school year has begun; there is so much to teach and for everyone to learn. It gave me so much pleasure to see the boys and girls at their bus stops, dressed in their new uniform shirts and blouses with pin holes still visible, waiting for their buses on the first day of school. Knowing that their brothers and sisters in America are dressed in blue and white in solidarity with them gave me such a warm feeling.
Our Israel family was brought to its knees this week when the reality of six hostages, among them the American hostage Hersh, were murdered days within rescue.
Just days before, the image of his mother Rachel screaming encouragement into the Gaza desert flooded the airwaves.
Despite flunking out of ski school all those years ago, we are not quitters. It is our determination to make the most of every single day we get to live in Jerusalem.
We are Israeli Jews, and that’s what we do!
Barbara Deutsch is the former associate principal at HANC, middle school principal at Kushner, and Dean of Students at Yeshiva of Flatbush. A not-retired educator, she is trying to figure out life in Israel through reflections on navigating the dream of aliyah as a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend.
Signs That We are Back in the Swing of School
Your kids set 14 alarms and still miss the bus but somehow wake up at 6 AM on Shabbos morning.
You wish that “Common Core” was a gruel ing new workout, rather than just a math puzzle designed to break adults.
School emails now arrive more frequently than spam offers from Nigerian princes.
You are thinking of volunteering to teach a class at your kids’ schools just so that you have a designated parking spot for all of the orientations.
The last thing you hear before you go to sleep is something like, “Oh, yeah, my project is due tomorrow. Can you help me with it??
Despite the Ozempic, you realize that it’s hard for a 6’1” middle-aged guy to sit in a 2nd grader’s desk (are we meant to be humiliated like that at orientation?).
You’ve stopped caring what’s in the lunchbox as long as it doesn’t crawl back out.
You Gotta be Kidding Me!
You forgot what your living room floor looks like under all the backpacks and random worksheets.
Your Google search history is now 90% “how to do 7th-grade math” and 10% “cheap wine deals.”
Summer is not even over, and you’re already praying for snow days...so you can sleep past 6 AM.
You walk into a school supply store and instantly get PTSD from the summer shopping spree.
Your grocery bill has tripled, and 90% of it is for snack bags.
One day Jimmy got home early from school and his mom asked, “Why are you home so early?”
He answered, “Because I was the only one that answered a question in my class.”
She said, “Wow, my son is a genius. What was the question?”
Jimmy replied, “The question was ‘Who put crazy glue on the teacher’s chair?’”
School Trivia
1. Boston Latin (High) School is the oldest continuously operating school in the U.S. When was it founded?
a. 1635
b. 1726
c. 1789
d. 1832
2. Which U.S. state has the highest number of public schools?
a. New York
b. Texas
c. California
d. Florida
3. What is the average public school teacher’s salary in New York?
a. $42,351
b. $68,449
c. $87,163
d. $102,468
4. What is the national average student-teacher ratio in U.S. public schools?
a. 10:1
b. 16:1
c. 22:1
d. 30:1
5. What is the annual tuition at Manhattan’s Think Global High School?
a. $47,000
b. $62,500
c. $78,2000
d. $94,000
Answers:
6. How many required school days are there in New York?
a. 155
b. 180
c. 210
d. 275
Wisdom Key:
5-6 correct: You know all the answers. Tell me, how many snow days are we going to have this year? Please, I need to know!
2-4 correct: You would make the New York Department of Education proud because you know a little bit but not too much.
0-1 correct: Let’s just say that you did not attend the Think Global High School.
Riddle Me This
What is the similarity between “2 + 2 = 5” and your left hand?
Answer: Neither is right.
Notable Quotes
“Say What?!”
Internals must look bad.
- Tweet by Tim Carney asserting that the polling must look bad for the Democrats, after the Biden Administration regurgitated the debunked 2016 theory that Russia is trying to influence the 2024 elections
If we could name a favorite candidate, it used to be Joe Biden, but now he’s not participating. He has recommended to all his allies to support Ms. Harris and that is what we are going to do.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin
Her laugh is so fascinating. It means everything is good and if everything is good... there were so many sanctions against Russia that were introduced and if everything is good with Ms. Harris, maybe she’ll refrain from such matters.
- Ibid.
Are you trying to get me assassinated before this even happens?
- Elon Musk, when asked on a podcast what he would do to shrink the government if he was involved in a Trump administration
They had more anti-Jewish, anti-Zionist people who were speaking, starting with AOC – a miserable, anti-Zionist bigot. Then, of course, they had Liz Warren who is one of the most antiJewish people in the Senate. I was disgusted at the Democratic National Convention, absolutely disgusted.
- Lifelong Democrat and famed attorney Alan Dershowitz disclosing on “Talkline with Zev Brenner” that the Democrat convention convinced him that it is time to leave the Democrat Party
To be honest with you, I think the case is nonsense.
- Nicholas Biase, the public affairs director for the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of New York (SDNY), talking about the felony case brought by D.A. Alvin Bragg against Trump earlier this year, in a conversation that was recorded with a hidden camera
This debate won’t matter. It was just eliminated as an inflection point. The American people still know nothing about Kamala Harris’ positions. Donald Trump is still Donald Trump. And the legacy media are still a giant flaming dog turd.
- Ben Shapiro summing up the debate on X
Kamala is also trying to reach young voters. That is so important. I am also reaching out to young people, mostly to ask, how do you do that thing on Uber where you add a stop?
- Stephen Colbert
This is the ABC playbook: Moderators: Mr. [Trump], you did or said something that was absolutely terrible. Aren’t you terrible? DT answers. To [Kamala Harris]: “Would you like to weigh in on how terrible he is?” “Thank You.”
- Megyn Kelly summing up the presidential debate on X
Shut down your office for 10 minutes a day and think about where your Jewish values are. Shut it down, send everyone out, no phones. Spend time alone with your Creator and think, where is G-d in your picture, where are your Jewish values?
Elchanan Danino,
-
father of slain captive Ori Danino, to Prime Minister Netanyahu when the premier paid him a shiva call
Health & F tness Parents, Kids, and the School of Life
By Yeshaya Kraus, LCSW
We’re about a week into the school year by now, and hopefully, the kids are settling in. We’d like to think that they’re adjusting to their new schedules, teachers, and responsibilities with aplomb and are maybe even looking forward to whatever comes next for them. Hopefully, parents are also adjusting to the changes and handling the different pressures of the school year gracefully.
This time of year has potential to be a really great one. I’m not going to say that the school system isn’t without flaws. There are definitely a few, maybe more depending on what your personal situation might be. For the most part, though, schools do a pretty good job of keeping our children safe, educated, and growing, both intellectually and spiritually, throughout the year.
How do they do it? Perhaps this is a funny question, but how can we, as adults, get some insight from how schools work and apply it to ourselves? As much as we’d all like to think of ourselves as constantly growing and learning human beings, it’s easy as an independent and self-guided adult to fall into a routine that either doesn’t support the growth we’d like or even actively precludes it. What can we take out of the structure of a school experience that can help us get to where we’d like to be?
The first thing that stands out about school is that there are specific reasons for our kids to be there. (Cue the chorus of children saying, “No, there isn’t!” Really, though, there is.) There’s a curriculum, there are milestones, and there’s a structure in place to support reaching the goals in front of our children. That’s the first step on the journey to growth, whether it’s for our children or for ourselves: we need to clearly identify where we’d like to be. The more specific we get, the easier it will be to chart a course towards what we’d like to accomplish. Even putting down a few basic ideas can be helpful, though.
Another important aspect of the school experience that supports growth is the social environment. Whether they like it or not, our kids are surrounded by peers who are ostensibly doing the same things, at the same time, and are hoping to accomplish pretty much the same things. There’s what to be said about the benefit of surrounding yourself with like-minded people. Aside from the practical benefits, like having someone to help you out with the math homework if you get stuck, knowing that you’re not the only one who’s doing it makes the experience much less isolating and can help you focus on the benefits of whatever you’re trying to get to.
This brings us to the next point. One of the single most difficult aspects of follow-through on any goal is maintaining motivation. Motivation is a funny thing; it’s very fickle. Something that may seem worth pursuing today, that we’re really interested in devoting time and effort to, may seem either less important tomorrow or not worth the investment. Good teachers know how to keep things interesting and set up their lessons and their classroom structure in a way that helps maintain both focus and effort. They essentially try to have their students outsource motivation to follow through as much as possible. Whether by keeping the topics interesting enough so that it’s not so hard to keep on going or by incentivizing progress, a classroom setting done right can be a lot less complicated and tenuous than someone who is self-studying.
It’s not just for the classroom. This is a trick we adults can also tap into. Aside from choosing goals that naturally resonate with you and that you feel personally drawn to, you can set up incentives for yourself to boost your motivation and your progress. You don’t have to do it alone, either. Connect with a group that wants to accomplish the same things you do, and all of a sudden, you’re not pushing through all by yourself. Without a group, showing up
in whatever way you need to was entirely up to you (also known as “when I feel like it”). Once you connect with others, you don’t have to worry about maintaining your motivation all by yourself anymore. You’ve got the power of community behind you, sharing your excitement over whatever success looks like, and encouraging you when your pursuits aren’t going so well. You can also find and connect with people who have already done what you’re trying to do. Both of these possibilities make your goals seem much less like unachievable mountains and more like real possibilities. After all, you know someone, or a group of people, who have made it happen. It’s still work, but it’s far closer to the realm of possibility when you have the additional social support.
This next one is one that’s often overlooked and maybe even sounds funny. Let’s talk recess for a bit. Child development is a fascinating process. Look at a baby, or anyone under the age of twenty, when they’re playing. While it looks like they’re playing, and they may be enjoying themselves, there’s a lot of learning and practicing of skills that goes on at the same time. Think about it. A child’s ability to socialize, work as a team, negotiate, and utilize different sets of motor skills are all learned and improved on via a simple game of baseball. Ask a kid what they’re doing, though, and the answer will be something along the lines of having fun, chilling out, or letting loose. In reality, they’re doing both. They’re finding ways to practice skills, with a peer group, in a way that makes it fun. Ask most kids. They’ll
tell you it’s the high point of their day. I’m not saying we need to organize games of tag for all the men on our block, but there is a real benefit in finding fun ways to maintain skills that we don’t use during the day. What can we do to stay in touch with our ability to run, to think creatively without the pressures of work, or to just let loose? Find some answers, put it together with some social connection, and you have a sustainable way to do things that are enjoyable for you and probably have some serious physical and mental health benefits, too. We don’t often think of recess in those terms, but honestly, most adults could really use it – a lot and frequently.
Obviously, everyone’s situation is different. The degree to which we can implement change and work towards growth, and what kind of change is even needed, is going to be unique to each individual. On whatever level, though, we’re all capable of taking some ownership of our personal growth. Odds are, we don’t have to look far to find the answers.
Yeshaya Kraus, LCSW, is a therapist in private practice in Far Rockaway. He specializes in men’s mental health, parenting, relationships, and dating. He is also the creator of the Building Together workshop for engaged and newly married couples, and speaks publicly on a variety of topics, including dating and marriage. For inquiries or to register for the Building Together online workshop, email him at yykraus@gmail.com or WhatsApp at 917-412-5824.
Dating Dialogue What Would You Do If…
Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW of The Navidaters
Dear Navidaters,
I’m overwhelmed and looking for some much-needed advice. I am in my late twenties and have been dating for many years, without much luck. Recently I’ve come across a girl who I like very much. I come from a pretty mainstream family having grown up in the Five Towns. I work in finance and go into the city two to three times per week. The girl I’m dating had a similar upbringing and grew up in Brooklyn. She does graphic design and is extremely creative. We have been going out three to four times a week for around two weeks.
On our last date, she asked me when I was planning on proposing. This caught me by surprise as we have only been going out a relatively short amount of times, and I didn’t know marriage was on the table this soon. I’ve always seen myself as one to take my time. Since I haven’t been in any relationships, I’m not sure what to think of this. Should I propose and stop overthinking this?
Sincerely,
Gershon*
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.
Gershon, it’s OK to say you need more time. It’s honest, and open communication is healthy and good. It’s not healthy to be pressured into a commitment in a short time.
Caring people in healthy relationships will say, “Take the time you need.” It hasn’t been a long time that you are in this relationship. They understand that people don’t move along in their feelings at the same pace.
It’s also been a lot of dates per week. The pace you are keeping plus your work commitments in the city make for a hectic schedule. Taking time is not overthinking. This is a very big decision which you will come to in due time.
The Shadchan Michelle Mond
Timing when it comes to getting engaged is a very personal decision. It cannot be rushed nor should the other person be pressured. At the same time, it is a valid question for a young woman from Brooklyn to be asking. She feels that things are going very well and sees a future with you. In many communities, this feeling is followed up with a proposal shortly thereafter. You must communicate with this girl exactly how you feel about the relationship. Communication is an art; you must learn to express yourself in a way which is emotionally sensitive to her while adequately relaying your thoughts and feelings. Validate her emotions and make it clear to her that you believe things are going in a positive direction. Give her a timeline that you think is reasonable in your mind, so that
Pulling It All Together
The Navidaters
Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists
Dear Yehoshua,
she does not feel strung along. Hatzlacha and hope to hear good news soon!
The Zaidy
Dr. Jeffrey Galler
“Audentes fortuna iuvat” (Terence, Roman Playwright, 161 BC) --- fortune favors the bold.
Because you work in finance, you understand that there are circumstances where the prudent approach is to be slow, cautious, and conservative, and there are circumstances when it is imperative to act boldly, decisively, and aggressively.
This is the time for you to be bold and decisive. You do not want to risk losing this girlfriend.
May I suggest you tell her:
“All my adult life, I dreamt and hoped that I would find someone just like you. You made me very happy when you mentioned ‘proposing,’ because it showed me that we are both very serious about this relationship.
A relationship is a lifelong conversation where both parties’ feelings matter and should be taken into consideration.
“Let’s first spend some more time together, and get to know each other’s families.
“I want you to recognize that I am very serious, so I hope you enjoy this gift.”
And then, hand her a very beautiful, very expensive necklace.
Audentes fortuna iuvat.
I’m really enjoying dating you and getting to know you. I’d like to have some important conversations before we think about getting engaged.
As I was reading your email, the first thing that came to mind is that maybe she was teasing in a very direct way. This may not be the case at all. The nature of her comment and the lack of context is a bit startling and needs to be unpacked before you should “ propose and stop overthinking this.”
Most couples typically have conversations around their feelings before
Thank you for writing into the panel. How wonderful that you have met someone you really like. I’m wondering if both of you could benefit from a little bit of slowing down and communication. I am not here to comment on how long people date in different circles. I have nothing but respect for all walks of life and honor everyone’s values and traditions. I also don’t know what both of your expectations are or were going into dating or this relationship per se, but it is clear that there is some breakdown in commu - nication.
abruptly asking to be proposed to and assuming that is something you want. So, before you even speak with her (and you just know I’m going to suggest that), I think it is imperative to first assess within yourself how you feel about this woman. Is she the one? Are you excited to see her? Can you see yourself being best friends? Do you find her emotionally and physically attractive? Can you see yourself working together as a respectful team through life’s challenges? Do you like how she treats others? Have you seen her around others yet? These things are all really important, no matter what anyone may tell you.
The second check-in is with her. Here is a potential script...
Forgive me if I’ve misunderstood your email and you have had these conversations. “When are you going to propose?” is very different from “I really like you and I’m starting to see a future with you. How do you feel?”
It is really important that both of you are constantly checking in with each other and making the other’s feelings a priority. A relationship is a lifelong conversation where both parties’ feelings matter and should be taken into consideration.
Wishing you all the best, Jennifer
Jennifer Mann, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist and certified trauma healing life coach, as well as a dating and relationship coach working with individuals, couples, and families in private practice at 123 Maple Avenue in Cedarhurst, NY. To set up a consultation or to ask questions, please call 718-908-0512. Visit www.thenavidaters.com for more information. If you would like to submit a dating or relationship question to the panel anonymously, please email JenniferMannLCSW@gmail.com. You can follow The Navidaters on FB and Instagram for dating and relationship advice.
BACK TO SCHOOL!
An overwhelming majority of Israelis support Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s negotiation positions regarding a hostage deal with Hamas and oppose anti-government demonstrations in Tel Aviv demanding an immediate deal at any price, according to a new, in-depth JNS poll.
Netanyahu’s positions are supported not only by coalition-party voters, but also by approximately one third of voters for opposition parties, the survey found.
Direct Polls conducted the survey on Monday evening both before and after the prime minister’s press conference, finding a significant disparity in Netanyahu’s favor in the latter sampling.
At the press conference, Netanyahu set out the rationale for his refusal to
Israel Today
JNS Poll: Majority of Israelis Back Netanyahu on Philadelphi, Oppose Protests
By Caroline B. Glick
remove Israel Defense Forces troops from the border zone between Gaza and Egypt, known as the Philadelphi Corridor, its code name on IDF maps.
JNS asked respondents: “Do you believe Israel should support or oppose a deal that conditions the receipt of between 18-30 hostages on an IDF withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor for six weeks, during which Hamas will be able to rearm and smuggle hostages out of Gaza?”
Thirty-five percent of respondents overall said that Israel should agree to such a deal, while 62% opposed it. Three percent had no opinion.
Among coalition party voters, 7% supported withdrawing from the Gaza-Egypt border, compared to 62% of opposition voters. Ninety-two percent of
coalition voters opposed the withdrawal and 33% of opposition voters opposed withdrawing from the Philadelphi corridor.
Notably, 65% of opposition voters polled before the press conference supported withdrawing from the Philadelphi Corridor, and only 57% of opposition voters polled afterwards supported that position. Support for the withdrawal among coalition voters decreased from 8% to 5%.
The disparity between the way opposition party voters polled before and after Netanyahu’s press conference viewed mass anti-government protests on behalf of a hostage deal was even more apparent. Fifty-two percent of opposition party voters surveyed before Netanyahu’s press conference thought
that the demonstrations advanced the goal of getting the hostages home. Thirty-two percent said that the demonstrations had no impact on whether or not a deal would be achieved that would get the hostages home. Sixteen percent said that the demonstrations decreased the chance of getting a hostage deal with Hamas.
After Netanyahu’s press conference, only 42% of opposition voters believed that the demonstrations increased the prospects for getting the hostages home. Thirty-nine percent said that the demonstrations didn’t affect their plight, and 19% said that the demonstrations decreased prospects for bringing them home.
Sixty-one percent of Israelis agreed with the sentence, “Only military pres -
View of the Philadelphi Corridor between the southern Gaza Strip and Egypt, on July 15, 2024
sure on Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and planned military actions including hostage rescue operations can lead to the release of the hostages.” Thirty-three percent agreed that “Continuing IDF operations in the Gaza tunnels endangers the hostages’ lives.”
Israelis are sharply split over whether Netanyahu bears responsibility for the execution of the hostages. Opposition voters support the claim 69% to 28%, while coalition voters oppose it 94%-6%.
The hostage deal Netanyahu has accepted involves three phases. In the first phase Israel would agree to free hundreds of Hamas terrorists from prison and significantly draw back its forces from Gaza while accepting a six-week ceasefire. Hamas in exchange would free 18-30 hostages. In two later phases of the deal, Hamas would release the rest of the hostages—alive and dead—in exchange for the further release of terrorists from prison and continuation of the ceasefire.
JNS asked Israelis if they believed Hamas would be willing to release additional hostages in later phases of the deal or would refuse to release them.
Sixty-nine percent of Israelis (88% of coalition voters and 50% of opposition voters) believe Hamas will not release additional hostages. Only 24% of Israelis (10% of coalition voters and 38% of opposition voters) said that Hamas will be willing to advance along the deal and release additional hostages.
In other words, 69% of Israelis believe that between 83 and 71 hostages would be left behind in Gaza indefinitely.
Hamas’s negotiating position is that Israel must remove all of its forces from Gaza, including from the 3 kilometer wide security perimeter within Gaza along the border with Israel, the Netzarim Corridor that separates central and southern Gaza from northern Gaza, and the Philadelphi Corridor.
Seventy-three percent of Israelis, (95% of coalition party voters and 51% of opposition party voters) oppose Hamas’s demands. Twenty-two percent of Israelis support it, (4% of coalition voters and 40% of opposition voters).
A majority of Israelis do not trust the Biden-Harris administration’s commitments to support Israel if Hamas breaches the ceasefire-for-hostages deal. In response to JNS’s question, “Do you believe that the Biden-Harris administration will permit or block Israel from reinstating hostilities and reconquering Gaza to defeat Hamas if Hamas
breaches the agreement,” 38% of Israelis said the United States would permit Israel to renew military operations; 56% said the United States would block Israel from renewing its military operations in Gaza. Only 14% of coalition voters believed the Biden-Harris administration
court ruled the strike illegal on Monday afternoon and ordered it stopped immediately. The damage to the economy from the lost work hours is assessed at 2 billion shekels ($541 million).
JNS asked the public whether they believed that the strike advanced a hos -
The Israeli premier’s positions are supported not only by coalition voters, but by about a third of opposition voters, according to the survey.
would support a renewal of operations, while 61% of opposition voters trusted the administration’s support. Eightyone percent of coalition voters said the United States would prevent Israel from renewing its operations if Hamas breaches a ceasefire deal, compared to 31% of opposition party voters.
On Sunday, Arnon Bar-David, the chairman of Israel’s main labor union, the Histadrut, declared a general strike in order to force the government to accept a hostage deal at all costs. A Labor
Barak, the unofficial leader of the anti-government political groups organizing the protests, called for the anti-government groups to work behind the hostages’ families. On Tuesday it was reported that Barak’s associates will begin officially cooperating with the Hostage Families Forum from now on, effectively merging the group representing a fraction of the hostages’ families with the anti-government protest movement.
JNS asked the public whether it believed that the anti-government protest groups have joined the hostages’ families groups in order mainly to help secure their release, mainly to overthrow the government or to advance both goals equally. Fifty-five percent of Israelis (90% of coalition voters and 20% of opposition voters) said that the anti-government groups are helping the Hostages’ Families Forum to overthrow the government.
Twenty percent of Israelis (3% of coalition voters and 37% of opposition voters) said the anti-government groups were supporting the Hostage Families Forum to secure the hostages’ release.
Twenty-four percent of Israelis (7% of coalition voters and 41% of opposition voters) believed they were helping the Hostage Families Forum to advance both goals equally.
In light of Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s open opposition to the Security Cabinet’s decision to oppose all withdrawals from the Philadelphi Corridor, JNS asked whether Israelis believe he should quit or be fired, or whether he should remain in his position. Fifty-one percent of Israelis said that Gallant should be fired or resign.
Thirty-three percent (53% of coalition voters and 14% of opposition voters) said Gallant should resign.
Eighteen percent of Israelis (32% of coalition voters and 4% of opposition voters) said that Netanyahu should fire Gallant.
tage deal, had no impact on prospects for a hostage deal or damaged prospects for a hostage deal. Eighteen percent said the strike increased the prospects for a deal, 32% said it had no impact and 50% said it harmed prospects for a deal.
The heads of the anti-government protest groups active since January 2023 and the Hostage Families Forum, which represents a few dozen hostage families, have been cooperating informally since Oct. 7. In December 2023, former Israeli prime minister Ehud
Forty-five percent of Israelis (13% of coalition voters and 76% of opposition voters) said he should remain in his position.
Similarly, 48% of Israelis believe that IDF Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Hertzi Halevy should either resign immediately or in the next four weeks and 41% believe that he should leave when the war is over. Only 7% believe he should remain in his position until the official conclusion of his term in 2025.
(JNS)
Straight Talk with Menuchah Armel, Cookbook Author of Straight to the Plate
By SuSAn SChwAMM
Menuchah, this is your first cookbook. Can you give us a little background on Menuchah Armel and how you got into cooking and recipe creation?
I have been cooking since I was a teenager. My mother used to work full time, and she gave each of us, her daughters, one night per week that we had to make dinner. She gave us specific instructions on how to prepare the dish, and I followed them. My dinners usually came out tasty and delicious, so I began to enjoy cooking. I ended up helping prepare a large part of Shabbos as well.
Jump ahead 10 years: I was married with 5 little children. My husband and I decided that he’d start to work and I’d stay home to care for the kids and not go back to my part-time secretarial job. A few years later I began dabbling in preparing kugels and salads for an erev Shabbos store. Then a friend asked me to help her cater a bar mitzvah. I really enjoyed it, and I saw that she did not like preparing all that food. That’s when I began catering small events, which eventually led me to open up my own catering business.
When did the idea for writing a cookbook first come to mind?
For the past 15 years, people have constantly asked me for recipes, and I would happily give them. Many of my friends and customers would constantly tell me how they loved the recipes and that I should “make a cookbook one day.”
How long did it take you to write it?
The actual cookbook took one year of intensive work to publish. It was because I had thought about it a lot in my head that it came to fruition so fast. My husband had also been an editor and had a lot of experience with books and publishing them, which helped connect me with very professional people in the field, and I was able to get it going pretty quickly.
What were some of the surprises you learned along the way?
I was very surprised at how long the photo shoots took and how much work they were. To photograph food is a real art. Each food item sometimes took a half hour to photograph. The setup and lighting have to be just so, and it can take several tries to get it right. We did them on Wednesdays and it was a 3-day job. Tuesdays were prep days when I bought the ingredients needed, cooked and prepared the food, and sometimes bought a prop. The photographer came with most of the settings and props. Then, on the day of the shoot, I was on my feet for hours running back and forth between the kitchen and the dining room table. Thursday was my recuperation day!
“I highly recommend cooking in bulk for all the yomim tovim to avoid having to cook everything again before Sukkos.”
really liked it. I got the recipe from a neighbor, but then I had to figure out how to make it work which was quite challenging. That is why I included step by step pictures so that people could see the process rather than just read about it. It took me a few tries until I got it right!
Some people like to cook more than bake or vice versa. What’s your happy place?
When someone has a simcha, I get very excited and start baking away. I really enjoy bringing over homemade baked goods to add to a simcha. On the other hand, when I have guests coming in from abroad, I am happy to prepare a good, homecooked meal for the weary traveler. They are always so grateful to have something normal to eat after a long international flight. I used to enjoy baking more, but now I think I like them both!
What are some spices that you turn to again and again?
My go-to spices that I think everyone should use are salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. They really add a lot to just about everything!
What are certain tools in the kitchen that you feel every cook should utilize?
Some recipes are more challenging to create. How long did it take you to create some of the more challenging recipes?
I don’t really create recipes, rather I gather recipes over the years and adapt them and use them over and over. The ones that I found to be quick and easy and successful made it into my cookbook.
One of the most challenging recipes in the book is the two tone meat-roll. I tasted it at a sheva brachos, and I
Having the proper knives to cut and chop up your vegetables is super important. I have found the Victorinox knives to serve me the best. I like their length and the way they cut the vegetables. Large plastic bowls in different sizes are also really important for mixing doughs and batters. If you have the right size, it makes a big difference in how easily you can combine all of the ingredients.
What dinner do you turn to serve your family on a consistent basis?
My family looks forward to my schnitzel dinner every
Wednesday night. I either make small nuggets or large pieces baked in the oven. I serve it with rice and zucchini in tomato sauce. It really is their favorite meal!
Do you like to experiment with different cuisines or is your style more “tried and true”?
My style is more “tried and true.” When I do taste something new that I like, I try it, and if I works for me, then I add it to the repertoire.
What recipes do you suggest a person use to impress her family/guests that don’t take too much time?
Soups are great fillers and are very easy to make. I really enjoy starting off a meal with a hearty soup. Chicken and fish also don’t take too much time to prepare but leave a great impression. Roasted vegetables also are an easy way to make something healthy and yummy as well.
I’m sure every recipe is so close to your heart because you put so much effort and thought into them. What are three to four recipes that you really urge people to try if they’re going to open up this book and start somewhere?
My meat sauce recipe is a really easy dinner to make when you are in a pinch. Serve that over rice, and you
have a great meal. My most popular chicken recipes are the honey garlic roasted chicken and the barbeque sauce chicken. For dessert, I urge everyone to try the chocolate mousse recipe. It has only a few ingredients but comes out delicious!
I have gotten so much positive feedback from the cookbook. Everyone really enjoys that the recipes are so easy and come out great!
As we get closer to the yomim tovim, what do you suggest people make for Rosh Hashana or for Sukkos?
For Rosh Hashana, I focus on davening and aim not to overdo the meals, especially since the simanim serve as the first course and are quite filling. The simanim include fish, and for the main course, I typically serve a beef dish, such as a roast, along with a sweet kugel like apple or sweet potato pie, finishing with honey cake or cookies for dessert. For the day meal, I start with salmon or a salad topped with pieces of salmon, followed by a combination of beef and chicken or schnitzel for the main course, always including our traditional stuffed cabbage. I enjoy preparing unique side dishes exclusively for yom tov, such as broccoli kugel and cabbage mushroom kugel, which I make in individual pans.
and both day meals, which my family appreciates. I also enhance desserts for yom tov, making a large batch of layered cappuccino ice cream that lasts until the end of Sukkos.
I highly recommend cooking in bulk for all the yomim tovim to avoid having to cook everything again before Sukkos. For example, I prepare stuffed cabbage for Rosh Hashana and freeze some for the last days of Sukkos. In the weeks leading up to Rosh Hashana, I prepare several types of roast, slice them, and freeze them. This allows me to conveniently pull them out as needed throughout the entire yom tov period.
We “eat” with our eyes. What are some tips you can give the home cook for serving their food with a nice presentation?
For yom tov, I upgrade my beef and chicken dishes to fancier versions and serve the same menu for both nights
The paper goods stores offer a variety of pans that are perfect for making individual cakes, desserts, and kugels. Using these individual pans and cups enhances the presentation of the food, adding a special touch to your table for yom tov and simchas. I also find the natural beauty of different colored vegetables intriguing. By simply layering salad vegetables in a clear bowl and pouring the dressing around the top, the vibrant colors create a visually appealing dish. Additionally, I enjoy using dip bowls in various shapes and sizes to ensure the dish is proportional to the amount of dip it contains.
By Menuchah arM el
Tanya’s Apple Cobbler
Yield: one 10” round pie or 10 mini cobblers
I have been making this recipe since I was a newlywed. It is a great accompaniment to a chicken or meat main course and can be served as a whole pie or in individual muffin cups.
Ingredients
APPLE LAYER
○ 6 large green apples, peeled and cubed
○ ¹⁄ ³ cup sugar
○ 1 tsp. cinnamon
○ ¹⁄ ³ cup orange juice
CRUMBLE TOPPING
○ ½ cup oatmeal
○ ½ cup flour (white or whole wheat)
○ ½ cup brown sugar
○ 1 tsp. cinnamon
○ ¼ cup oil
Preparation
APPLE LAYER
1. Preheat oven to 350° F (180° C).
2. Line and grease a 10” pie pan or 10 individual tart pans.
3. Combine ingredients in mixing bowl.
4. Spread in prepared pan and press down lightly.
CRUMBLE TOPPING
1. Combine ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Mixture should be crumbly.
2. Sprinkle on top of apples. Pat down lightly.
3. Bake for 1 hour or until golden brown.
TIP
For a smoother consistency, you can mix the crumble topping in a food processor with the S-blade attachment.
NOTE
If you prefer a thicker layer of topping, I recommend doubling the quantities for the topping.
Note:
Miriam, 5
Chani G., 7
Michoel Slepoy, 10
Chonon, 3
Eitan Willner, 3.5
Leah M., 8
Azi Loewenthal, 8
Esti mainstain, 9
Avigail Rosenblum, 7
Leah Beren, 9
Eliana Ribakow, 5
Aidel G., 5
Note:
Tamar Berkowitz, 6
Orli R., 6
Tzipora F, 10
Meira Robinson, 5Tzipora Loewy, 4
HP
Ayala Ribakow, 4
Shua Loewenthal, 5
Noam Abramson, 6
Tzion, 8 & Chananel, 5 Maron
Miri
Miri G, 11
Nati, 5
Yakira Willner, 6.5
Moses kids!
Yisroel Meir Dollman, 6
C. Y. Szendro, 9
Shoshana Cohen, 7
C. S. Szendro, 6
Princess Ayelet Nomi Rabenstein, 8
Sruly Temin, 2
Dalya Cohen, 9
Nava Mosesson, 5
Chaviva Moskowitz, 10
Honey Cookies
Yield: 40 cookies
A Rosh Hashana staple. These cookies are better than the store-bought version, not only because the recipe contains no margarine or preservatives but also because of their superior taste.
Ingredients
○ 1 ¼ cup sugar
○ 2 eggs
○ 1 cup oil
○ 6 Tbsp. honey
○ 6 cups flour
○ 1 tsp. baking soda
○ 1 tsp. cinnamon
○ ¼ tsp. ground cloves
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
4. Add honey and continue mixing.
5. Add dry ingredients and mix. Cookie dough should be firm and not too sticky.
6. Form balls, each from about 1 Tbsp. of dough, and place, spaced apart, on baking tray.
7. Bake for 10–15 minutes or until just brown on top. TIP If dough is too dry and not sticking together, add small amounts of water until a desired texture is achieved.
2. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
3. Cream sugar, eggs, and oil.
Recipes reprinted from Straight to the Plate by Menuchah Armel
