Baltimore Jewish Home - 9-14-23

Presents a הבושת ימי תרשע Lecture For the Women of our Community

REBBETZIN LEAH TRENK

Rebbetzin Trenk is the wife of venerated ךנחמ educator, Rabbi Dovid Trenk ל“צז whose very popular biography “Just Love Them” has been a source of inspiration to all its readers. Rebbetzin Trenk is a world-renown parenting counselor and mentor who is much sought after for her wisdom and guidance.

Lecture sponsored by: Dr. Elliott Gorbaty • Mr. & Mrs. Herschel Boehm

Mr. David Margulies • Mr. & Mrs. O. Hirschman הנח תב הבוט אבאד הניד היח נ’זל

Tuesday Evening September 19, 2023

8:15pm • Free of Charge

Shomrei Emunah

6221 Greenspring Ave. Baltimore, MD

Sponsored by Torah Together and Shomrei Emunah. For more information please contact Toby Friedman: 443-468-4598 • toby@torahtogether.org

Dear Readers,

The Baltimore community was rocked by the terrible news of Rabbi Menachem Braun’s Z”L tragic death last week. We lost someone who was a “Yid’s Yid.” He carried himself with an aura of someone from a past generation. His interests were always focused on Torah and chesed. The stories that were recounted at his levaya, spoke of a man who preferred to keep his righteousness under wraps. Countless recipients of his golden heart spoke of instances where they were secret beneficiaries of his chesed.

In one instance there was an esteemed member of our community that was going through a difficult period in his personal life. This fellow walked into shul on Rosh Hashanah and there was a brand new tallis and tallis bag at his seat, embroidered with his name on it. Inside was a note from R’ Menachem offering him words of encouragement and chizzuk - letting the person know there’s a beautiful future ahead of him.

For many years I davened together with R’ Menachem and he was the Chazzan on the Yomim Noraim. His voice, much like his personality, was from yesteryear - each word infused with emotion and energy, with haunting renditions that pulled at your heartstrings. I would leave shul following his davening with the confidence that our Tefillos would be accepted. He was the consummate messenger for us and we counted on him to deliver these messages.

However, his job as a messenger extended far beyond his davening during the High Holy Days. R’ Menachem was a master at delivering messages to those who needed encouragement. To some, he delivered it in the form of a gift and a note. To others, it was a pat on the back and a hug. And to others, it was text message. The final message I received from him was a text message a few weeks ago. It went as follows:

“I just wanted to tell you that I enjoy your “Dear Readers” writings in the BJH. You always write something really nice and thoughtful.”

It was something so short and unexpected, yet so appreciated. The gesture was a lesson to me that sometimes you can take a moment with no personal gain, for the sole purpose of making someone feel good. Around Rosh Hashanah time we all make an effort to wish Shana Tova to our friends and family. It’s something that is always appreciated and makes everyone happy. Perhaps, we can follow in R’ Menachem’s ways and extend these simple “feel good” correspondences beyond the New Year and make it a part of our day-to-day interactions throughout the entire year. I’m sure by doing so it will be a zechus for his neshama and the family, and surely Hashem will answer the message by blessing us all with a Kesiva V’Chasima Tova.

Shana Tova & A Gut Yur to All!

Aaron Menachem

Local Community Organizations Among Recipients of Maryland Emergency Management Agency’s $15.9 Million Security Grant

By: BJLife Newsroom BaltimoreJewishLife.com/Jeff Cohn

The Maryland Emergency Management Agency hosted a media briefing on September 8, 2023 to unveil the beneficiaries for Fiscal Year 2023 of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. A fund of $15.9 million had been secured by Maryland’s Congressional Representatives to assist 118 religious institutions and nonprofit groups across the state. This initiative was in response to the escalating security risks that had been facing faithbased and nonprofit organizations in Maryland.

the overall sum of $15.9 million. Specifically, Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties received their funding from Washington, D.C.

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In attendance were elected officials including Delegate Dalya Attar whose district received a significant amount of funding. Lt. Governor Miller, Senator Ben Cardin, Senator Van Hollen - thanked Delegate Attar for working alongside them for all Marylanders and welcoming them to District 41.

Delegate Jon Cardin, whose office assisted multiple shuls and other nonprofits, was also in attendance.

The event featured an address from the Lieutenant Governor, who also serves as the chair of the Governor’s Committee for Interfaith Relations. The financial aid awarded was a combined effort between Maryland and Washington, D.C., contributing to

Selected speakers representing four of the grant-awarded districts included:

Rabbi Yaakov Hopfer of Shearith Israel Congregation in District 41 (where the event was held)

Pastor Harold A. Carter, Jr. from New Shiloh Baptist Church in District 40

President Hasan Hammad of the Islamic Society of Baltimore in District 44B Carter Arnot Polakoff, President and

CEO of the Children’s Museum at Port Discovery in District 46

The Associated Appoints Andrew Cushnir as New President & CEO

By: BJLife Newsroom BaltimoreJewishLife.com/Jeff Cohn

The Board of Governors of The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore, a leading Baltimore nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening and nurturing Jewish life in Greater Baltimore, Israel and around the world, voted unanimously to approve the appointment of Andrew Cushnir as its new President and CEO. Cushnir will be succeeding Marc B. Terrill who announced his intention to step down from the role one year ago. Terrill has been the organization’s leader for over two decades. Cushnir will begin his tenure in April 2024.

Cushnir brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to The Associated’s mission, making him the ideal leader to guide the organization into a second century of growth and impact in Baltimore and beyond. Cushnir currently serves as the Exec-

utive Vice President and Chief Development Officer of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles. In this role, he serves on the Federation’s executive team that guides the Federation in addressing complex community and organizational issues. Cushnir previously served as the Federation’s Chief Planning and Program Officer, supervising all its activities in Los Angeles, Israel and around the world.

Prior to his nearly 20-year career at the Los Angeles Jewish Federation, Cushnir was an attorney and public affairs executive who was also active as a Jewish communal lay leader. He is a proud alumnus of the Jewish Federations of North America National Young Leadership Cabinet. Cushnir graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and received his law degree from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco.

Cushnir expressed his excitement about joining The Associated, saying, “I am deeply honored to be chosen

to lead The Associated at this pivotal time in its history. The Baltimore community is known throughout the world for its generosity and warmth, its remarkable leadership and an operating structure that gives rise to innovation and collaboration. I look forward to working with the many volunteer and professional leaders who make this community so special to ensure the continued vibrancy of the Baltimore Jewish community. “

The selection of Cushnir followed a comprehensive search process led by an executive search committee and The Associated’s Board of Governors. The board was impressed by Andrew’s background, leadership skills and vision for the future. Terrill, Cushnir’s predecessor, will continue to support the organization during the transition.

“It has been my honor to serve The Associated and the Baltimore community,” said Terrill. “Now as I move onto my next chapter, I am excited to pass the torch to Andrew, a leader with remarkable qualities and a longstand-

ing commitment to the Jewish people and making the world a better place. I have no doubt he will feel as energized by the position as I have for the past 20-plus years.”

Yehuda Neuberger, Chair of the Board of The Associated, said, “After a competitive international search, we are thrilled that Andrew will join our team and lead The Associated into the future. His passion for Jewish life and identity, his vast experience in a large Federation and his commitment to excellence make him the ideal choice for this new role.”

Yeshivas Mekor Chaim (YMC) Begins School Year with Eitan Katz Elul Kumzitz

On Sunday evening, Erev Rosh Hashanah

5783, Yeshivas Mekor Chaim (YMC) was fortunate to host renowned songwriter and composer Eitan Katz for an uplifting Elul Kumzitz. The evening was shared by YMC students, their parents, and community members, who joined together for an evening of achdus and uplifting melodies in an intimate kumzitz-like setup at Suburban Orthodox. Eitan Katz, accompanied by a violinist and local talent Eli Cohen and Matt Schoenfeld, played soulful nigunim that touched the hearts and souls of the audience. Interspersed between the uplifting nigunim, Rabbi Silber, Rabbi of Suburban Orthodox and Dean of YMC, shared deeply moving words chizuk about a simple hunter who meets Eliyahu Ha’Navi to remind us that we all have the ability and knowledge to learn Torah and do Teshuva. Rabbi Kimchi, a rebbe at YMC who recently moved to Baltimore from Eretz Yisrael, shared his compelling personal story about the impact of Eitan Katz’s soulful

composition of l’maancha when his infant son was prematurely born and miraculously lived. When Eitan Katz then played the song, the emotional connection to one another and to Hashem was palpable in the room. The evening culminated in a powerful rendition of crowd-favorite nigunim and with Eitan Katz reminding us that just as he uses his gift of music

to connect with us, each of us can use our own gifts to connect with one another. At the end of the night, one parent shared: “I don’t remember ever having such a spiritually connecting experience like last night. YMC is a class-act of a yeshiva! Our sons are so blessed.” May we all be zoche to bring in the coming year feeling spiritually connected and may we all be blessed

with a year of growth, hatzlacha and bracha

YMC would like to thank the sponsors who made this event possible: Jacob and Julie Blumenfeld, Aaron and Ariella Dinovitz, Mayer and Shani Kohen, Jason and Shani Reitberger, Josh and Malkie Rosenbloom, Rabbi Shmuel and Aviva Silber, Moishe and Chavi Abramson, Isak and Carolyn Bakaev, Shraga and Perri Goldenhersh, Yossi and Amian Kelemer, Jacob and Goldie Milner, Yossi and Yona Openden, Matt and Susie Schoenfeld, and an anonymous sponsor.

To learn more about YMC, please reach out to Rabbi Uri Grosberg, Menahel at ugrosberg@yeshivasmekorchaim.org or find us at http://ymc. school/

Tooting Their Own Horns-Starting the New Year Off With a Mitzvah and Giving the Term “Hearing” Shofar a Whole New Meaning!

Beginning at the end of August 2023, The Chesed Fund & Project Ezra once again offered four free classes and free shofars to those who attended, to learn how to blow shofar for our community. While only one class was required to learn how to blow shofar correctly, Rabbi Efraim Horowitz, generously made himself available to teach young and old, on different days and times, so as many boys, bar mitzvah age and up and men, would be able to easily attend.

With useful handouts developed by Rabbi Horowitz, explaining various critical topics such as generating shofar sounds, breathing and blowing techniques, the shofar notes, brachos, and much more, this year alone, over 130 community members learned the correct way to blow shofar empowering them to perform this critical mitzvah for themselves and anyone in need.

This year the initiative had an even more significant impact on our community when six hearing-impaired members, which ranged from people with mild to profound hearing loss and deaf individuals, requested being able to attend a training session along with a sign language interpreter. Hearing-impaired individuals have always had various challenges in mitzvah observance and obligation in the past but new opportunities for members to participate in performing mitzvos have

been presented in the last few years, some beyond the wildest dreams of the hearing-impaired community itself. The questions about who can or can’t blow a shofar, make the brachos, and/ or blow for others have been debated by Rabbonim for years. While there are some who say that a deaf person does not have an obligation to hear the shofar, others will differentiate between those who are hard of hearing and whether they can blow for others. Some offer an opinion to blow the shofar straight into the ear of the hearing-impaired person, while others require hearing aids to be removed from their ears. The Chesed Fund & Project Ezra did not provide halachic determinations and these members asked their own Rav. They were extremely grateful for the opportunity and learned and enjoyed the experience immensely.

Frank Storch, The Chesed Fund

& Project Ezra’s Director stated, “It’s truly mind-blowing how far-reaching this little program has come since September 2020 when we began offering classes during the Covid-19 pandemic. I distinctly remember coming close to Rosh Hashana, when the world was still in so much upheaval, minyanim were being held in backyards and shuls were open in very limited capacities. We realized the need for shofar blowers was greater than ever as many immunocompromised individuals, elderly, women, and children were unable or wary of attending shul. Recognizing the need for everyone to be able to safely fulfill the mitzvah of hearing shofar blowing, we were fortunate to find Rabbi Horowitz, with the skills and materials needed. We ordered shofars, arranged for classes, and even arranged for the trainees to blow shofar outdoors throughout the

neighborhoods in the community in almost 50 locations! B”h, it was a huge success and we knew it was important to continue with or without a pandemic. Little did we know how it would literally translate to the hearing-impaired community as well.”

The Chesed Fund & Project Ezra are grateful to Rabbi Horowitz, MMT Coleman, Ari Friedman, and JADE (Jewish Advocates for Deaf Education) for facilitating this unique experience. If you, or anyone you know, needs shofar blown for them this Rosh Hashana, please send an email with your name, phone number, and street address to info@chesedfund.com and a request will go out to The Chesed Fund & Project Ezra trainees.

Baltimore City Councilman Schleifer’s Day Out with Baltimore’s Bravest: ‘Buy Them a Gatorade’

By: BJLife Newsroom BaltimoreJewishLife.com/Jeff Cohn

It was an enlightening and rigorous day joining Governor Wes Moore and my council colleagues for the IAFF’s Baltimore Fire Officers IAFF Local 964 and Baltimore Firefighters IAFF Local 734 Fire Ops 101 training. It was eye-opening to see and feel what our Baltimore City Fire Department heroes go through daily.

I have always been a huge sup-

porter of our first responders, and this experience will forever deepen my appreciation and empathy every time I see an ambulance or fire truck head to the scene of an incident.

P.S. Next time you see a member of the fire department at a convenience store, buy them a bottle of water or Gatorade. Trust me, they need it!”

Photo Credits-Michael Diamond, Mike D. Designs

Experience Reb Meilech

The Tzaddik.

Bestselling author Yisroel Besser offers us a place of honor at Rav Elimelech Bidrerman’s shiurim. Here are his divrei Torah, stories, and, of course, his incomparable chizuk — for every month of the Jewish calendar. Unique descriptions of Reb Meilech, as he energizes and elevates the thousands who come to see and hear him, let us actually feel the excitement and passion that characterizes his every word.

New From Nachman

The Ribnitzer Rebbe was a tzaddik, a ba’al mofes, a miracle worker. In time, he became a living legend, the address for thousands seeking berachos, first in Russia, then in Eretz Yisrael, and finally in America.

His intense avodah included fasting, hours and hours of profound tefillah, and immersion in the holy waters of the mikveh. Despite the Nazis. Despite the KGB. Despite the desperate cold of a Russian winter: Reb Chaim Zanvil, the Ribnitzer Rebbe, would find a way to serve Hashem and to take care of His People.

The Ribnitzer’s yahrzeit, when tens of thousands visit his kever, is on Isru Chag Succos.

Around the Community

Back-to-School with Jewish Educational Services and SHEMESH (JES)

Do you ever wonder what educators do over their summer break? Go on trips to exotic locales? Take leisurely walks? Read novels? Put their houses in order? Guess again!! Most of the educators we spoke to spend a good deal of their summer getting ready for the new school year. In addition to preparing new worksheets and bulletin boards they’re participating in a variety of professional development workshops, many of which were sponsored by Jewish Educational Services. Isn’t that amazing and wonderful? According to the National Education Association, the more professional development teachers get, the more likely students are to succeed. At JES, we couldn’t agree more. In fact, we also believe that training and supporting teachers results in teacher retention- an issue that schools all over the country are struggling with. JES can offer targeted and personalized PD to meet the needs of individuals schools. In addition to general education classroom teachers, we offer training for special educators and teachers in early childhood. Last

June, shortly after school ended, 30 teachers from a range of local and Silver Spring Day Schools participated in a JES sponsored 2-day workshop on Differentiated Instruction. Starting in mid- August, JES ran nine different back-to-school workshops that saw over 300 Baltimore community teachers from Early Childhood through High School participating. Proactive and Positive Classroom Management, Loving Every Child: Supporting Behavior in the Early Childhood Classroom, Engaging All Learners, and The Power of Games were just some of the topics covered. Much of the focus of these workshops was on teachers believing

that students will do well if they can (a Ross Greene tenet) and our role as coaches in guiding them to being their best selves.

Here’s some of what the teachers and administrators had to say:

Wow! The workshops were wonderful, really great. Thank you so much for investing in us! Dr. Susan Insel, General Studies Coordinator, Torah Institute

Our back-to-school PD was very informative. It was eye opening to see how exercises and activities practiced as an infant can make a huge impact on older children and possibly adults. The PD kept our educator’s attention as we were thoroughly engaged

with the presenters. Adriane “Andy” Brooks, Assistant Director, E.B. Hirsh Early Childhood Center

They were amazing! We all thought it was a meaningful and productive use of time. Jennifer Platt, Director, E.B. Hirsh Early Childhood Center

Thank you so much- it was such an amazing experience! What a great way to kick off the summer Devora Goldstein, Teacher, Bais Yaakov ES I loved everything! Candi Green, Teacher, Talmudical Academy Preschool

Amazing insights about Parent Communication! Chani Mayer, Special Educator, Talmudical Academy Jewish Educational Services is committed to training and supporting teachers in addition to recognizing them for their dedication and passion! Through our Todah Teachers program, we show our appreciation for all the educators in our community, and through our Professional Development Institute we provide training and coaching. We wish all the educators and administrators in the Baltimore community a happy, healthy, and successful school year!!

Yahalom MD Launched by Agudah Maryland as a New Collaborative Resource for The Special Needs Community

By: BJLife Newsroom BaltimoreJewishLife.com/Jeff Cohn

Dealing with the government while being the parent of a child with special needs can sometimes seem overwhelming. Parents share the “battle scars” of trying to navigate the ever-confusing world of services and resources that are potentially available to them via government grants, national foundations, or local organizations. For many years, parents had to navigate this maze on their own, with limited guidance or familiarity.

Two and a half years ago, in Lakewood, NJ, a new division of Agudath Israel of America called Yahalom was launched in conjunction with a parent committee of those with special needs children. Yahalom believed that each child is a diamond, precious as a jewel, and offered its help in helping

families make their diamonds shine. Upon the initial Yahalom launch in Lakewood, calls began streaming in from all across the national landscape. Yahalom began to spread, as division offices were opened in New York, in Chicago, and (most recently) in Florida.

In our state and region, the Agudah Maryland office has been a frequent contact of individuals, families, and local organizations seeking assistance on a host of different and varied issues, especially those relating to government assistance and advocacy within government agencies. Since the launch of Yahalom in New Jersey, many people have reached out to the Agudah Maryland office asking for the creation of a Yahalom chapter here in Maryland. There was initial reluctance to do so, in light of the many wonderful organizations geared to helping the families of those with special needs. However, over the last several

months, extensive efforts were made to gather input from the existing organizations and within the many unofficial chat groups where people shouldering these burdens are active. It was made abundantly clear that our community would benefit from the creation of a similarly focused coordinator position. A benefit of the Yahalom coordinator model is that no new organizations need to be launched. Yahalom MD will operate within the Agudah Maryland office, reaching out to the state departments of health, disability, education, and social services, where key relationships are already in place. Yahalom MD will be focused on being a collaborative force with all of the existing offerings in our community, harnessing the services they provide, and identifying the areas which need more focus. Yahalom MD will also coordinate its work with the other Yahalom coordinators across the country.

Additionally, Yahalom MD has already been in communication with numerous parent groups, whose children’s needs don’t fit into the need-structure of our local organizations. Upon hearing of the Yahalom conversation, they came and reached out to Agudah Maryland, wanting to identify under the Yahalom umbrella, due to its willingness to engage with all types of special needs and its national reputation and progress record. A Yahalom MD committee is in formation.

Yahalom MD is here to assist those parents obtain the appropriate resources by guiding, educating, and empowering parents to ensure they have the help and support they need and to reassure them that they are not alone!

To contact Yahalom MD and its coordinator, Mrs. Meira Burkom, please call 667-430-0901, or email yahalom@agudahmd.org

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Levine * Jeffrey Galkin * Jeffrey Loewenthal * Jeffrey Naiman * Jeffrey Szanzer * Jeremy & Adena Rosenfeld * Jeremy David Gradon * Jerome & Shelley Kadden * Jerry & Sora Wolasky * Jessica Goodman * Jewish Uniformed Service * Jonah Labovitz * Jonah Ottensoser * Jonathan and Belle Libber * Jonathan and Lisa Klein * Jonathan Fried * joseph felder * Joseph Lefkowitz * joseph leibovitch * Josh & Jennifer Dill * Josh and Ali Adler * Josh and Feiga Sora Mandelbaum * Josh and Jen Erez * Josh Ellen Leff * judith neuberger * Judy & Mitch Taragin * Jules & Nechama Friedman * Justin and Rebecca Myrowitz * K. Krasner * Kalman and Hadassah Feldman * Karen and Howard Schulman * Kober family * LARRY R RIBAKOW * Laurie Slone * Leah Blitman * Leah Gradon * Lee Birnbaum * Leib Davids * Lenny and Glenna Ross * leonard goldberg * Lev Kreymer * Levi Akkerman * Levi Behmanesh * Levi liebes * Levi Yitzchak Steele * Levi Zaslow * Lewis Romer * Lilly Schor * Lion and Sara Sassoon * Lisa and Aron Martin * Lisa Hollander * Lisa Isenberg * M Levitansky * M Schuchman * Makovoz family * Malka Bracha Neuberger * Malka Designs Frankel * Marc & Debbie Katz * Marc & Esther Ward * Marcia Meth * Marcie and Ofer Lurman * Mark Eichhorn * Marshall and Sigla Potter * Martin and Michelle Swartz * Matt and Susie Schoenfeld * Matt Topas * Maurice Mandel * Max Neuberger * Mayer & Malkiah Engelsberg * mayer fulda * Mayer Sadwin * Mechy and Sheila Frankel * Meir & Chana Katz * Meir & Racheli Neuber nes * Meira Portnoy * Menachem & Leah Pinck * Menachem & Suzy Miller * Menachem and Nava Ely * Menachem and Rena Vilner * Menachem Cooper * Menachem g * Menachem Katz * Menachem Taragin * Menachem Yosrf & Sora Leah * Menachem Zomber * Menashe & Chavie Minkin * Menashe Goldberger * Mendel Wax * Mendy and Chaviva Reischer * Mendy Stern * Mercaz Torah U'Tefilla * Mesivta Shaarei Chaim * Meyer & Atara Berman * Meyer & Esther Meth * Micah and Penina Males * Michael & Cindy Ring * Michael & Gail Lockman * Michael and Blumy Berkowitz * Michael Burkom * Michael Edinger * Michael Mirsky * Mich * Mindy Klugman * Miriam Gardner * Miriam Klein * Mitchell Gersten * Moishe and Miriam Deutsch * Mordeachai & Zeecil Gholian

* Mordechai Hackerman * Mordechai and Chani Abrahams * Mordechai and Esther Cahn * Mordechai and Shelly Morris * Mordechai and Aliza Afrah * Moshe & Atara Miller * Moshe & Chaya Garfunkel * Moshe & Gila Spero * Moshe & Meir Shoshana Rubin

* Moshe & Michal Katz * Moshe & Sora Rochel Schuck * Moshe and Bayla Hefter * Moshe and Bracha Elbaz * Moshe and Chana Schneewe Brejt * Moshe and Shoshi Meystel * Moshe and Tsippy Boehm * Moshe Armel * Moshe Baer * Moshe Cohen * Moshe Dov and Sorah Shurin * Moshe Feinstein * Moshe hammelburger * Moshe Hauer * Moshe Heinemann * Moshe Herzog * moshe kulik * Moshe Meth * Moshe Nourmand * moshe robinson * Moshe Rosenfeld * Moshe Sandhaus * Moshe Snow * moshe walter * moti sambrowsky * Mr and Mrs Michael and Carolyn Freedman * Mr and Mrs Tani Sperling * Mr Dovid and Mrs Yehudis Barer

* Mr. & Mrs. Uri Himelstein * Mr. and Mrs. Dovid Meyer * Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Itzkowitz * Mr. and Mrs. Mordechai Dixler * Mr. and Mrs. Natan Hirsch * Mr. and Mrs. Natan Hirsch * Mr. Mariyan Kolev * Mr. Stanley and Renee Fishkind * Mrs. Evan Schechter * Mrs. Frankel * Naami and Yanky Schorr * Nachman & Rebecca Lencz * Nachum Hurvitz * nachum retter * Nachum Schwartz * Nachum Wildman * Naftali & Shani Benyowitz * Naftali and Baila Langer * Naftali Weg * Naomi Shira Schwartz * Nasrin Shimon * Natan Thaler * Nate Miller * Nathan J Salb * Nechama Bernstein * Nechama Zuckerman * Nechemia & Shulamis Weinreb * Nechemia mond * Neil Musman * neil rochkind * Nesanel & Mati Jakobovits * Netanel Dancykier * Nisanel and Devora Salamon * Nisson

Dov & Tamar Miller * Noa Dangor * Noach and Shalvah Shafran * Noam and Gabby Charnowitz * Noam and Leah Posner * Nosson Adlin * Nosson Dovid Cohen * Nosson Friedman * Nosson Horowitz * Oleg Bobrysh * Ophair Silver * Orin & Esti Hirschman * Osher & Miriam * Paysach Diskind * Peretz and Sarala Wertenteil * Pesach & Rivka Shafner * Pinchas Balsam * Pinchas Goldfinger

* Pinchas Gross * Pinchas Shulman * Pinney Elbaum * Pinny Berlin * RAANAN AND ELLEN SHAMES * Rabbi & Mrs. David Heber * Rabbi & Mrs. Eliyahu Shuman * Rabbi and Mrs. Jonathan Aryeh Seidemann * Rabbi and Mrs. Menachem Dreyfuss * Rabbi and Nrs. Aryeh Sokoloff * Rabbi Avrohom Feldheim * Rabbi Beryl Weisbord * Rabbi Dovid and Atara Rosenbaum * Rabbi Jeffrey and Deborah

Orkin * Rabbi Joseph and Mashe Katz * Rabbi Menachem & Bracha Goldberger * Rabbi Ovadiah and Faige Bander * Rabbi Shlomo Porter * Rabbi Yonah & Aliza Sklare * rabin barkhordar * Rachamim and Penina Shoub * Rachel Moss * Rafael Guttman * Rafael Mael * Raffi Bilek * Rafi and Chedva Cohn * Rafi wassner * Raphael and Malka Waldman * Rebecca Steen * Rebekah G Krigsman

* Rena and Fred Levi * Rena Esther Kerchner * Rephoel and Tzipora Lieder * Reuven & Leah Klein * Reuven and Alana Kaplan * Reu Rivkie Feiner/Feiner Grant Strategies * Rivky and Shield Anisfeld * Rochel L Gewirtz * Rochelle and Paul Silver * Ron Lewis

* Ronald Rosenbluth * Ronit Bork * Russell & Beily Rosen * Russell Rosen * S. Lencz * Sam Melamed * Samuel Durso * Samuel I "Sa

* Sara Lea Dear * Sarah Alya Arzouan * Sarah and Zvi Spiler * Sarah Don * Sarah Greenfield * Saul Abrams * Schwartz

Family * Sender Baruch * Seth Cherniak * Seymour Mandelcorn * Shabsi & Rachel Tajerstein * Shaindy Eichorn * Shaindy Lefkovitz * Shalom & Jessica Tenenbaum * Shalom Aryeh and Rochela Greenfield * Shana & Hirschel Wohl * Sharon A Werbin * Sharon Caplan * Shaul & Feige Engelsberg * Shaul Edelman * Shaya Abramson * Sheera Rosskamm * Shimmy Goldstein * Shimmy Ramras

* Shimon & Chana Wiggins * Shimon & Sarah Devorah Kerzner * Shimon & Shevi Marciano * Shimon shamouelian * Shira Tenenbaum * Shloime and Ariella Grunhut * Shloime and Bassie Tendler * Shlomo & Ahuva Goldberger * Shlomo & Mindy Spetner * Shlomo & Tzivi Kurtz * Shlomo and Gila Pollack * Shlomo and Laya Rosenbaum * Shlomo Einstadter * shlomo fixler * Shlomo Gelfand * Shlomo Kanner * Shlomo Krasner * Shlomo Weiss * Shmuel & Malka Schnitzer * Shmuel & Malki Wealcatch * Shmuel & Nechama Luxenburg * Shmuel & Rochel Rochkind * Shmuel and Chani Feldman * Shmuel and Esti Kimche * Shmuel and Miriam Glazer * Shmuel Boruch Chesir * Shmuel Canterman * Shmuel Chaim Brody * Shmuel Danesh * Shmuel Katzensteim * Shmuel Leigh * Shmuel Lichtenstein * Shmuel Schachter * Shmuel Stoll * Shmuli & Leora Neuberger * Shnidman Family * Sholom & Mushki Reindorp * Sholom and Leah * SHOLOM C TENDLER * Sholom Dov Sussman * Sholom Michael * Sholom Weisbord * Shom and Shifra Weinstein * Shoshana Linzer * Shoshana Meister * Shoshy and Zevi Daniel * Shraga & Perri Goldenhersh * shraga freedman * Shrage

* Shragi and Chana Eichorn * Shua Barber * Shulamis Heldoorn * Shulamit and Chaim Gartenhaus * Shuli Waitzman * Shully Zilcha * Shunfenthal Family * Sim & Chana Siff * Sima & Shabsi Schneider * Sima and Yehuda Oratz * Simcha & Chana Siff * Simcha & Shira Feldman * Simcha and Aliza Wein * Simcha Raczkowski * Simon Yarmak * Slepoy family * Sol K * Sol Levinson & Bros * Srayah and Shana Sobol * Sruly Fuchs * stacy Bendet * Star-K Kosher * Steve & Linda Storch * Steven & Joy Graber * Steven Abramson * Steven and Myrna Hoenlein * Steven Chamama * Steven Klein * stripe * Stuart & Lisa Schabes * Suburban Orthodox Congregation * Susan and David Kaplon * SYI Consulting * Tamar Zelcer * Tami hyatt * Tashbar * The Ezra Family * The Kastor Family * The Winners * Tommy and Ruthy Azman * Tuvia and Yehudis Danziger * Tuvia Kohn * Tzipora Frager, * Tzvi & Shevy Friedman * Tzvi &Liora Rosen * Tzvi and Emily Schwartz * Tzvi and Ilana Tuchman * Tzvi and Naomi Hefter * Tzvi Atkin * Tzvi Danziger * Tzvi Goldberg * Tzvi Golub * Tzvi Rich * Tzvi Willner * Uri Meth * Uriel Goffin * Verschleisser Family * Wiener Family *

Wieselthier Family * William S Galkin * Ya'akov Kleiman * Yaacov and Suri Cohen * Yaakov & Reb. Fredda Hopfer * Yaakov & Sima Lipnitsky * Yaakov & Yocheved Lieder * Yaakov & Yocheved Lieder * Yaakov & Zahava * Yaakov and Adina Feinstein * Yaakov and Chavi Wealcatch * Yaakov and Devorah Goldstein * Yaakov and Ora Attar * Yaakov and Rivka Kaila Nath * YAAKOV AND SARAH

OTTENSOSER * Yaakov and Tehila Milch * Yaakov Chaikin * yaakov gerstein * Yaakov Glazer * Yaakov Gluck * Yaakov Langer * Yaakov Lavian * Yaakov Lipsky * Yaakov Litke * Yaakov M Rappaport * Yaakov Ribakow * Yaakov S * Yaakov Schreiber * Yaakov Zuber * Yakov and Breindy Davidson * Yakov Kasnett * Yakov Shafranovich * Yakov Shuvalsky * Yanky & Rachel Katz * Yanky and Aliza Statman * YB Bernstein * yechezkel zweig * Yechiel & Nechama * Yechiel Spero * Yedidyah Charner * Yehoshua A Goldfinger * Yehoshua and Elisheva Schoemann * Yehoshua Sopher * Yehuda & Batsheva Lichtenstein * Yehuda & Michelle Mond * Yehuda & Simi Sokoloff * Yehuda & Tova Spero * Yehuda & Yael Zelinger * Yehuda and Emmy Wealcatch * Yehuda and Rivkah Goldberg * Yehuda and Shira Nelkin * Yehuda and Tsipora Gross * yehuda brody * Yehuda Bulman * Yehuda Friedman * Yehuda Lefkovitz * Yehuda Lehrfield * Yehuda Leib & Chaya Eidensohn * Yehuda Moradian * Yehuda Vilner * Yehuda Weisbord * Yehudah and Sossy Prero * Yehudis Bracha Shnidman * Yehudis Taffel * Yerachmiel Burns * Yeshaya & Shoshana Berzon * Yisrael & Hindy Motzen * Yisrael and Miriam Leah Schwartz * Yisrael Meir Lebovits * Yisroel and Michal Stein * Yisroel Moshe and Sarah Esther Vilner * Yisroel Zalman & Nechama Weiner * Yissachar Shapiro * Yisssachar & Neuberger * Yitzchak & Pnina Jacobovitz * Yitzchak ehrenkranz * Yitzchak Kruk * Yitzchak Polsky * Yitzchok & Dina Steinharter * Yitzchok & Hadassah Sanders * Yitzchok Ehrman * Yitzchok Katz * Yitzie & Nancy Pretter * Yitzie and Tzeepy Schabes * Yitzy and Ahuva Feldstein * Yitzy Goldberg * Yitzy Kaplowitz * Yochanon and Henni Stein * Yoel Krigsman * Yona & Shushie Ehrenfeld * Yona and Chana Feldman * Yona zalesch * Yonah Abraham * Yonah Greenfield * Yoni and devora adler * Yoni and Rachel Sagal * Yosef & Esther Newman * Yosef & Fawn Isaacson * Yosef & Suzy Levenbrown * yosef and hadassah lowenbraun * Yosef and Layah Greenfield * Yosef and Lisa Isenberg * Yosef and Shifra Heinemann * Yosef Cohen * Yosef Heinemann *

Yosef K Neuberger * Yosef Linzer * Yosef Waldman * Yossi & Sarala Abish * Yossi and Tova Lurman * Yossi Esrig * Yossie and Hinda Davis * Yudi and Jennifer Englard * Zachary Schwartz * Zahava

Letter from Kehilas Bais Dovid of Summit Park Announcing the Appointment of the Dynamic Rabbi Shlomo Weiss as Mara D’ Asra

By: Yonah Pollack Public Communications Liaison: Bais Medrash of Summit Park, Bais David

Iam both humbled and honored by the opportunity to represent Kehillas Beis David through this communique, but more importantly, I am optimistic about our future with the path ahead brightly lit, and a Rav to guide us as we blaze new trails.

The process of selecting a leader, especially a spiritual one, is a profound and extensive undertaking. It was an arduous journey searching through the many quality candidates that were available, and the need for an interim Rav became clear. Rabbi Shlomo Weiss answered the tzibbur’s call, stepping in where needed, truly exemplifying לדתשה

an early indication that we had found the gem were so desperately seeking. Now, as we approach the Yomim Noraim, the excitement amongst our board, our members, and the entire community is palpable as we are proud to announce the installation of Rabbi Shlomo Weiss as the Mara D’asra of Bais Medrash of Summit Park, Kehillas Bais David.

Words can hardly express the profound influence Rabbi Weiss has already had in the short time since he assumed his role as interim Rav. From the first shabbos, he showed us that as long as he was the Rav, whether it would be a week, a year, or for the foreseeable future, he would be there in his fullest capacity, whatever

it would take. It immediately became obvious that his dedication to our tzibbur was extraordinary and unyielding, despite his status as interim Rav. While his vibrant energy, caring nature, and warm smile permeated the shul, his insightful stories, enlightening shiurim, and impactful drashos, have heightened our spiritual awareness. It didn’t take long for us to see the incredible blessing that Hashem has bestowed upon us.

When several of his former high school students heard that Rabbi Weiss was leading our shul, they eagerly joined our minyan, during bein hazmanim, a testament to the connections he has nurtured beyond the classroom. This long-term devotion to his talmidim, in which he fosters deep personal relationships, maintaining bonds that endure the test of time, is exemplary. This unique quality is one we are excited he will bring to his role of leading our Kehilla of many young men and women that need a Rav, in whom they can trust for long-lasting guidance. Rabbi Weiss is a Talmid Chacham and a role model worthy of הב הקבדל , clinging to, modeling and emulating.

For the past 15 years, Rabbi Weiss has dedicated himself to serving as Assistant Rabbi at Kehilath B’nai Torah, led by Rabbi Jonathan Aryeh Seidemann, while Mrs. Weiss has played an integral role in directing its dynamic N’shei programming. Their joint service and dedication to Rabbi Seidemann’s shul has had a profound impact on that kehilla. Of particular

significance is the quality time Rabbi Weiss spent alongside an experienced and well-respected Rav as Rabbi Seidemann, which has equipped him with invaluable insights and skills that many new Rabbanim can only aspire to possess. Together, Rabbi and Mrs. Weiss have proven themselves to be tremendous leaders and assets to the shul.

Through his speeches, actions and conduct, the Rav has shown us his commitment to his Mesorah. Whether it’s the Torah and Derech HaChaim he received in his years at Ner Yisroel, or the real-life experience drawn from his deep connection with Rabbi Seidemann, his guidance stems from Torah and community leaders, past and present, linking us to the chain of Torah and tradition stemming from Har Sinai. As a Kehilla of B’nai Aliyah, could we have asked for a more fitting leader to keep us rooted, focused, and true to the Torah way of life?

Our community, in general, is very blessed that Rabbi Weiss will be maintaining his very important and vital position as a beloved twelfth grade Rebbi in TA. We, as a shul, recognize that his position as a mechanach in such an important Mosad of Torah in our community is to the benefit of all.

Our shul, Bais Medrash of Summit Park, Kehillas Bais David, has undergone remarkable growth in only a few short years. Significant efforts by dedicated lay leaders have smoothly transitioned it from its humble beginnings as an ad-hoc basement minyan, eventually bolstered by the realities of COVID, into its new home. The large, beautiful house that we now call home marks the evolution from a small “shtiebel” into a vibrant and expansive Shul, a testament to those leaders. Through all the growth and change, our goals have remained consistent, to cherish everyone’s uniqueness, personality, and strengths to foster spiritual growth and achdus, while always remaining mindful of the distinct challenges we each face. Rather than surviving by ignoring our differences, the shul’s aim has been to embrace them, channeling the strength in diversity.

The emphasis on our shared spiritual journey, despite our diverse

backgrounds, has been a driving force behind our unprecedented growth. However, even the most cohesive group requires a guiding leader. Since every individual has their perspective on what a Rav should embody and represent, accommodating all these ideas is impossible. Yet, all agree that at its core, a Rav must connect with and understand his Kehilla, knowing how to lead by example, while encouraging personal growth at everyone’s own pace. Rabbi Weiss excels in this aspect, expertly advising on personal, interpersonal, family, and spiritual, and even business matters, all while upholding paramount Torah values and virtues.

Finding such a fitting leader is a daunting challenge, especially for a new shul with young families and limited resources. However, after a long search, we are proud to proclaim HaRav Shlomo Weiss, shlita, as spiritual leader of Bais Medrash of Summit Park, Kehillas Bais David and are overjoyed that he has embraced the role as our permanent Rav. May Hakadosh Baruch Hu grant him the Koach and Siyata D’Shmaya to lead us steadfastly in the right Derech, and may He grant us the Bracha and Hatzalacha we need to grow the shul into the beautiful Makom Torah, Tefilla, and Kedusha that we hope it will become.

ךל בוטו

May we continue to reap the fruits of our labor, and under the guidance of the new Rav be

see the

Thriving and Expanding: Khal Chasidim of Baltimore Welcomes New Families and Opportunities

By: BJLife Newsroom BaltimoreJewishLife.com/Jeff Cohn

Khal Chasidim of Baltimore is welcoming three new Chasidish families who have just moved to town to join the thriving Chasidish kehilla and its mosdos. More families are seriously considering moving in the near future, bez”h. Almost every week, one, two, or sometimes three families from NYNJ come for Shabbos and are blown away by what they see. They are pleasantly surprised at how established and thriving the community is.

It’s no secret that housing prices in the Tri-state area have skyrocketed in recent years, making it almost impossible for average working families to buy a house. This has led many to explore alternative housing options. Several new settlements for Chasidish families have recently opened; some have been more successful than others.

At a recent ‘Baltimore Symposium’ event in Monsey, a sizable crowd eager to learn more about Baltimore filled the hall. Speakers, including the Rav of the Chasidish kehilla, Rabbi Amrom Jungreis, shlit”a, Rabbi Zvi Weiss, Rav of Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim in Baltimore, and others, emphasized that Baltimore has been an established Yiddishe community for many years. It offers all the infrastructure a Yiddish kehilla needs: shuls, kollelim, yeshivos, mosdos, mikvaos, Hatzalah, Shomrim, Chaverim, all types of heimish stores, and

much more. Despite all this, house prices are significantly lower than in any other established community. A beautiful presentation highlighted the many advantages Baltimore offers, encouraging even Chasidish families to consider moving here.

As Khal Chasidim of Baltimore

enters its ninth year, b”H, it will for the first time have a Kitteh 7 in the cheder and a fourth grade in the girls’ elementary school, as well as a daycare filled to capacity. The cheder and school have, b”H, acquired an amazing reputation, with multiple families outside the Chasidish kehilla sending their

Potomac Native Honored as Outstanding Soldier in IDF

By: JNS

Ahead of Rosh Hashanah, according to JNS, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) honored Staff-Sgt. Yossi Bluming, originally from Potomac, MD, as an Outstanding Soldier, a recognition bestowed upon members who excel in their duties and foster positive relations in the IDF and the communities they serve. Bluming,

who immigrated to Israel from the U.S. three years ago, currently commands a unit of 18 combat soldiers tasked with challenging assignments across various regions in Israel. The ceremony also marked the 50-year anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, highlighting the brigade’s historic bravery. As a Charedi soldier and a member of the Chabad movement, Bluming emphasized that serving in the IDF allowed him to retain his religious identity, encouraging other

Charedi teens to consider joining the IDF for a fulfilling experience. He said

children to join the wonderful mosdos. This has been described by Harav Aharon Feldman, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of New Yisroel, as “another star in the constellation of the beautiful Mosdos Hatorah that we have in Baltimore.”

that “the Rebbe encouraged us to shine the light of Judaism through the life we live, wherever we live.”

Bluming is the son of the Chabad Shluchim of Potomac and resides near Modi’in with his wife, Batya.

His proud mother, Sara writes: “So proud of the Kiddush Hashem he makes daily by being a proud soldier not just in the Israeli army, but in G-d’s army as well. May G-d continue to protect him and his fellow soldiers.”

PRE YOM TOV SPECIAL! Move in before Yom Tov and SAVE $500

there are a lot of details to go over in the contract. In Maryland, the agent manages the entire transaction from beginning to end. Helping clients understand the process, and walking them through it, is something I really enjoy. Helping people find a home

sure all deadlines are met. They can also work with the mortgage company to keep the home buying process simple and streamlined. Generally, buyers don’t pay the agent fee, so it’s always in their best interest to work with a knowledgeable and professional agent

Additionally, many homeowners were able to lock in very low mortgage rates. This makes them less willing and interested in moving, which leads to fewer houses available for buyers.

BJH: Will the price of houses go

down? Will mortgage rates drop?

I wish I knew the future! There is no way to know what will be. Interest rates at 2-3% which we recently saw was a rare occurrence; mortgage rates have historically been at 7-9+%. While it may cause some sticker shock when buying a home, it’s important to note that buying a house is usually the financially prudent thing for people to do- it’s always a safer economic choice than renting and has numerous tax and financial benefits for people. Rates can change and if someone buys at a higher mortgage rate they can always refinance along the way.

BJH: What should people look

An agent/client relationship is a partnership- you need to find someone you are comfortable working with. Do your research! Ask your friends and family who they recommend. Look for someone who is knowledgeable about the local market and industry, honest, communicative, and who understands you and your needs. Feel free to ask an agent questions to determine if they are the right fit for you.

I would love to work with you on buying or selling your home and am available to answer any more questions you may have about real estate! Feel free to reach out to me via phone, email or text. 443-605-4441/rae.

zweig@cummingsrealtors.com

Best wishes for a Kesiva V’chasima Tova!

Back School Back School to

Bais Yaakov

Yeshiva of Greater Washington

The Yeshiva of Greater Washington - Boys Division got off to a great start of the school year. In our continuous effort to enhance Torah learning, academics, and positive social and spiritual experiences, we have incorporated several new, exciting programs.

In an effort to bring more unity to the school, we have initiated the Mevakshim program, open to all High School students, which includes many Shabbosim together in Yeshiva, as well as trips and other activities.

Rabbi Daniel Kramer will supervise a new Mishnayos seder - a voluntary daily-Mishnah seder every morning after davening.

For 10th and 11th grade students who are interested in additional Torah learning, we have introduced a Second Seder Program. We have also expanded our Intramural Sports to include football, basketball, and baseball. The program will be led by Rabbi Yoav Roth, who will use his energy and enthusiasm to help create a wonderful atmosphere for the students.

Lastly, with a focus on student growth and development, Rabbi Avichai Pepper, our new ESS Coordinator, will be overseeing all aspects of supporting students with educational needs.

We are looking forward to an exciting year of growth and development for all our students.

Yeshivas Mekor Chaim

Yeshivas Mekor Chaim (YMC) started off the new school year with energy, excitement and inspiration. It’s hard to believe school just started given that the students have already participated in their first shabbaton, a special Labor Day learning program and a backto-school BBQ that culminated in an uplifting kumzitz with Eitan Katz. May all the students be matzliach and experience positive growth this year!

Talmudical Academy

So many smiling faces on the first day of school at Yeshivas Chofetz ChaimTalmudical Academy of Baltimore!

Ohr Chadash Academy

It was an amazing first day at OCA filled with special activities, balloons, and even a stilt walker! Students davened beautifully and dove right back into learning. This year’s theme, Shaping Our Lives, couldn’t be more fitting for this year’s journey we’re embarking on together. To kick-start this adventure, each student received a special keychain, which they decorated with a word of the year – words like friends, try, kind, and healthy. These words will serve as constant reminders of the goals each student will work toward. As we aim high, support one another, and embrace torah and middot, we’ll shape not only our own lives but the lives of those around us. We’ve kicked off what promises to be an incredible 2023-24 school year, shaping the lives of each one of our students. Our goals are taking shape right here at OCA!

The Week In News

Abbas Stripped of Paris Medal

On September 21, 2015, Paris awarded Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, with the Grand Vermeil medal in celebration of the International Day of Peace. The medal, which is the highest honor one can receive from the French city, was rescinded on Thursday, September 7, 2023, after Abbas made an antisemitic speech in which he justified the Holocaust.

The Palestinian firebrand asserted that the mass genocide of six million Jews had nothing to do with Judaism as a religion or race but rather was only perpetrated based on the social status of the Jews in Europe.

They say that Hitler killed the Jews

because they were Jews and that Europe hated the Jews because they were Jews. Not true. It was clearly explained that [the Europeans] fought [the Jews] because of their social role, and not their religion,” Abbas said this past August. “The [Europeans] fought against these people because of their role in society, which had to do with usury, money, and so on and so forth.

“Several authors wrote about this,” he continued. “Even Karl Marx said this was not true. He said that the enmity was not directed at Judaism as a religion but at Judaism for its social role.”

Abbas went on to promote the conspiracy theory that Ashkenazi Jews are not descendants of ancient Israelites and as such are not considered “semites.”

The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, wrote a letter to Abbas, informing him that his antisemitic comments have rendered him unfit for the prestigious medal that he was the recipient of.

“You … justified the extermination of the Jews of Europe during World War II with a clear desire to deny the

genocide,” Hidalgo’s letter read. “I vehemently condemn your remarks. No cause can justify revisionism and negationism.”

“Such historical distortions are inflammatory, deeply offensive, can only serve to exacerbate tensions in the region and serve no one’s interests,” the EU said, condemning Abbas.

The foreign minister of Britain added that “the UK stands firmly against all attempts to distort the Holocaust. Such statements do not advance efforts towards reconciliation.”

U.S. officials, similarly, denounced Abbas for his antisemitic speech.

This isn’t the first time Abbas has been accused of antisemitic comments. This past May, he claimed that Israel “lies like” Joseph Goebbels, who served as the chief propagandist of the Nazi party. A year earlier, while at a press conference in Germany with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Abbas said that Israel was responsible for “fifty Holocausts.”

Papua New Guinea Opens Jerusalem Embassy

the population is Christian, should recognize Jerusalem as the eternal capital of Israel.

“Many nations choose not to open their embassies in Jerusalem, but we made the conscious choice. This has been the universal capital of the nation and people of Israel. For us to call ourselves Christians, paying respect to G-d will not be complete without recognizing that Jerusalem is the universal capital of the people and nation of Israel,” Marape added.

Marape requested that Israel establish an embassy in his country’s capital, Port Moresby, but Israel’s foreign ministry has said that, as of now, Israel does not plan on doing so. Currently, the Israeli mission in Australia allows for the Jewish state to have a relationship with Papua New Guinea.

The new embassy is located in the Jerusalem Technology Park, which also hosts Guatemala’s and Honduras’ embassies. According to Marape, for the next two years, Israel will cover most of the expenses incurred by the establishment of his country’s new embassy.

“This is where so much of our heritage emerged from,” Netanyahu said at the opening ceremony in praise of the Pacific nation’s decision. “This is where our values were forged. This is where our prophets prophesied.

“I think it’s fitting that a state and a people so deeply committed to these values do what you just did,” he added.

Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion were at the ceremony as well.

Papua New Guinea, a country in the geographical region of Oceania, has become the fifth state to open an embassy in Jerusalem, recognizing the city as the capital of Israel.

The opening ceremony took place on Tuesday, September 5, and was attended by James Marape, the prime minister of Papua New Guinea, as well as Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.

“Today is a milestone moment for my country,” said Marape. “We are here to give respect to the people of Israel to the fullest.”

Marape cited religious reasons for why he made the decision that Papua New Guinea, a country where 95% of

Aside for Papua New Guinea, a country that regularly aligns with Israel, the U.S. Guatemala, Honduras, and Kosovo have established their missions in Jerusalem. In the next few months, it is anticipated that Hungary and Fiji will also announce an embassy move to the Israeli capital.

Mossad Chief Warns Iran

David Barnea, the chief of the Mossad Israeli intelligence agency, spoke at Reichman University’s Institute for Counter-Terrorism Policy (ICT) on Sunday about Iran, warning that if a single Jew or Israeli is harmed in a terrorist attack orchestrated by Tehran,

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Iranian leaders will face serious consequences.

lies, Barnea noted.

Barnea also spoke of how Iran and Russia’s relationship may present a threat to Israel. Up until now, Iran has been giving Russia weapons, but if Moscow decides to supply Tehran with weapons, the results may be catastrophic, he said.

international sanctions imposed on it, while continuing to develop and expand its nuclear capabilities.”

Biden of “paying ransom to the world’s worst state sponsor of terrorism.”

Sen. Ted Cruz from Texas said the waivers were a sign the administration was secretly pursuing a broader deal with Iran to include more than the release of the detainees.

“Fortunately for Iran, their terror efforts have been thwarted,” Barnea said. “Why fortunately for them? Because thus far, we have only got to the operatives and those who dispatched them.” If an Iranian attack is not stopped, Barnea added, then Israel will get to the people behind the attack, implying that the supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, would also be targeted in the aftermath of such a situation.

Over the last year, twenty-seven attacks targeting Jews and Israelis throughout the world, all of which were organized by Tehran, were thwarted by the Mossad and global al-

“Our fear is that the Russians will transfer to the Iranians in return what they lack, advanced weapons that will certainly endanger our peace and maybe even our existence here,” the Mossad chief continued.

He then went on to warn the world to exercise caution and be careful when dealing with Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

“Iran’s known nuclear weapon ambitions, and its past attempts to implement them, require that the international community be on high alert, and demonstrate unflagging determination to foil these ambitions,” he urged. “The current dialogue between Iran and the West does not reflect genuine willingness on the part of Iran to curb its nuclear program. Rather, it demonstrates Iran’s cynical attempt to release money frozen as part of the

Iran $6B Prisoner Swap

“Today’s news confirms there has already been a side deal including a $6 billion ransom and the release of Iranian operatives,” Cruz said in a statement.

The American prisoners include Siamak Namazi, who was detained in 2015 and was later sentenced to 10 years in prison on internationally criticized spying charges; Emad Sharghi, a venture capitalist sentenced to 10 years; and Morad Tahbaz, a British-American conservationist of Iranian descent who was arrested in 2018 and also received a 10-year sentence.

The Biden administration is set to send $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets to Tehran in exchange for the release of five American citizens detained in Iran. The administration is issuing a blanket waiver for international banks to the frozen funds from South Korea to Qatar without fear of U.S. sanctions. If that’s not all, as part of the deal, the administration has agreed to release five Iranian citizens held in the United Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed off on the sanctions waivers late last week, a month after U.S. and Iranian officials said an agreement in principle was in place. Congress was only told of the deal on Monday of this week. The outlines of the deal had been previously announced and the waiver was expected. But the notification marked the first time the administration said it was releasing five Iranian prisoners as part of the deal. The

Many are criticizing the Biden administration for capitulating to terror and for boosting the Iranian economy and encouraging more detentions of American citizens by the Persian re-

Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa said on X, formerly known as Twitter, “It’s ridiculous for U.S. to be blackmailed into paying $6B for hostages which will help indirectly finance the number 1 foreign policy of Iran: terrorism.”

Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas accused

Biden Bars Drilling

In its most aggressive move yet to protect federal land from oil and gas exploration, the Biden administration announced last Wednesday that it would prohibit drilling in 13 million acres of pristine wilderness in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska and cancel all drilling leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

The new regulations would ensure what the administration called “maximum protections” for nearly half of the petroleum reserve but would not stop the enormous $8 billion Willow oil drilling project in the same vicinity, which President Joe Biden approved this year.

Climate activists, particularly young environmentalists, were angered by Biden’s decision in March to allow the Willow project, calling it a “carbon bomb.”

Since then, the administration has taken pains to emphasize its efforts to

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reduce the carbon emissions that result from burning oil and gas and that are driving climate change.

“We have a responsibility to protect this treasured region for all ages,” Biden said in a statement.

The Biden administration had promised some new protections in the Arctic when it approved the Willow project. The policies announced on Wednesday go significantly further by canceling the refuge leases and explicitly prohibiting new oil and gas leasing in 10.6 million acres of the petroleum reserve.

“Biden was surprised by how angry environmental nonprofits were over Willow” and is trying to return to their “good graces,” said Douglas Brinkley, a presidential historian at Rice University.

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge was opened to drilling under President Donald Trump.

It sits atop an estimated 11 billion barrels of oil and, for years, the fossil fuel industry, members of the Alaskan congressional delegation and state leaders have lobbied for drilling. In 2017 Congress passed, and Trump signed, a tax law that not only authorized but required leasing for drilling in the wildlife refuge.

The Trump administration held a lease sale that attracted just three bidders, including the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, a state agency. Most of the major oil companies stayed on the sidelines.

On his first day in office, Biden signed an executive order halting Arctic drilling and in 2021 suspended the leases that had been granted by the Trump administration.

The Alaska development corporation denounced the Biden administration for canceling its leases and said it would take the Interior Department to court. (© The New York Times)

SAT Alternative in Florida

The Classic Learning Test (CLT), a college admissions test similar to the SAT and ACT, has been approved by Florida’s Board of Governors. The exam, which is generally favored by Christians and conservatives, was created in 2015 and is now recognized by

over 250 undergraduate schools in the United States, according to the CLT exam website.

Florida’s board has seventeen members, only one of whom was against the test’s implementation into the state’s education system.

“I’m not against allowing the use of the CLT,” Amanda Phalin, an associate professor at the University of Florida, said. “I oppose the use of it at this time because we do not have the empirical evidence to show that this assessment is of the same quality as the ACT and the SAT.”

While the ACT and SAT are each about three hours long, the CLT takes only about two hours and has three sections, according to its website: verbal reasoning, grammar & writing, and quantitative reasoning. The exam is administered online from the student’s home, as opposed to the other two standardized tests, which are currently taken on paper in the United States.

An ACT score can range from 0 to 36, while an SAT score can range from 400 to 1600. In comparison, the CLT is scored from 0 to 120.

“The SAT is a proven, valid predictor of college performance based on years of published and accessible research and data. CLT has not published evidence of validity or predictiveness of college performance,” the College Board asserted, adding that math tested on the SAT and CLT are also on different grade levels.

“In reviewing a published CLT practice test, we found 25% of questions were below high school grade level,” the nonprofit organization, which is responsible for SAT and AP testing, said.

According to the creators of the test, the CLT “draws on sources that have helped shape the course of Western intellectual thought” and “looks to writings by time-honored authors writing from c. 400 B.C. to the present day.” Additionally, the CLT is an apolitical test, although many of its reading texts were written by religious figures such as Maimonides, Martin Luther, and Saint Augustine.

Now, students applying to Florida’s state universities will be able to submit exam scores from the CLT. Prior to the governing board’s vote, the CLT scores were already allowed in applications to Florida Bright Futures, a statewide scholarship program.

IRS To Target Millionaires

On Friday, the Internal Revenue Service said that it will begin to target 1,600 millionaires and 75 big business partnerships that, according to the agency, have “cut corners” on their taxes by withholding millions of dollars.

These new efforts come as the IRS receives a federal funding boost, allowing for increased hiring and access to new artificial intelligence technologies that are equipped to catch tax evaders, according to the service’s commissioner Daniel Werfel.

these measures, with some asserting that the IRS is exercising too much power and control and might be after the middle class next.

Attacking the 2nd Amendment in New Mexico

On Friday, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed an emergency order banning both open and concealed firearms in Albuquerque and surrounding Bernalillo County, setting off a stream of backlash and legal challenges.

The ban is part of a public health emergency declaration over gun violence and drug abuse. The Democratic governor cited the killings of a 13-yearold girl and an 11-year-old boy as well as two May mass shootings in the state in the declaration.

“If you pay your taxes on time, it should be particularly frustrating when you see that wealthy filers are not,” Werfel said, adding that each of the sixteen-hundred targeted millionaires owe $250,000 or more, while there are seventy-five business partnerships that have about $10 billion in assets withheld from the IRS.

“New tools are helping us see patterns and trends that we could not see before, and as a result, we have higher confidence on where to look and find where large partnerships are shielding income,” Werfel added.

“The IRS will have dozens of revenue officers focused on these high-end collection cases in fiscal year 2024,” he said. “We have more hiring to do. It’s going to be a very busy fall for us.”

According to academic and IRS researchers, in 2021, the wealthiest 1% of Americans did not report over 20% of their earnings. During the first half of 2023, over $38 million of withheld taxes were collected by the agency.

Ron Wyden, a Democrat who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, praised the IRSs’ upcoming efforts as a means of holding everyone accountable to paying their fair share in taxes. Others have expressed concern over

The order includes a 30-day suspension of open and concealed carry laws in Bernalillo County and a ban on the carrying of guns on state property, including state buildings, schools and some parks.

When asked during a Friday news conference whether she believes the move will stop criminals in Albuquerque from carrying a gun on the streets, Lujan Grisham flatly said, “No.”

“But here’s what I do think – it’s a pretty resounding message to everybody else in that community to report a crime, to tell us what’s going on, to aid law enforcement to do something different,” she said.

The order makes exceptions for security guards and other law enforcement officials. People with permits to carry firearms are still allowed to have them on private property, as long as they are transported in a locked box with a trigger lock, or “some other mechanism that renders the gun incapable of being fired,” the order states.

Local law enforcement have pushed back against the order, leaving enforcement up to state police. The order directs state police to add officers in Albuquerque, with funding allotted for overtime.

Bernalillo County police will not enforce the order, Sheriff John Allen said on Monday. “They won’t enforce it. It’s unconstitutional,” he said.

Dozens of New Mexico residents

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came out against the order Sunday afternoon, openly carrying guns during a protest.

Republican state representatives John Block and Stefani Lord have called for the governor to be impeached.

Apple Unveils New Products

On Tuesday, Apple unveiled a range of new products during a livestreamed presentation.

The event kicked off with a look at the all-new Apple Watch Series 9, equipped with the enhanced S9 chip, allowing for better performance, battery life, and an improved neural engine. Siri will play a bigger role in the Series 9, with more accurate dictation and quicker access to health information, none of which can be slowed down by a poor Wi-Fi connection. This new watch introduces a new way of operating the device: through hand gestures. By simply double-tapping your index finger and thumb together on the watch hand, you will be able to easily pick up or hang up a phone call, snooze an alarm, play or pause music, and even scroll through the watch’s screen.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2, a bigger and more premium version of the watch, will come with the same improvements as the Series 9, including Double Tap and the S9 Chip. Its always-on retina display can shine as bright as 3,000 nits or as dim as 1 nit. Additionally, the watch will include an expanded altitude range, working as low as -500m to as high as 9000m, allowing its users to dive deep oceans and scale high peaks. The Series 9 will be priced at $399, while the Ultra 2 will be $799.

The highlight of the event was the announcement of the iPhone 15, as well as its Plus, Pro, and Pro Max models. The standard model will adopt the iPhone 14 Pro’s dynamic island notch and will utilize the fast A16 bionic chip. The iPhone 15 will have a 48MP camera, with fast autofocus, improved light capture, and a 2x telephoto option, allowing for high-quality zoomed-in photos. The standard model’s battery lasts all day, while the iPhone 15 Plus lasts for even longer.

Perhaps the biggest news is that the iPhone 15, and its other models, will be switching to a USB-C-type plug, thus abandoning the classic charger that the iPhone has used since its inception.

The premium model, the iPhone 15 Pro, is now built with titanium, which is strong and durable and makes the 15 Pro the lightest Pro model Apple has ever released. The phone has replaced its silence/ring switch with an action button. By default, the button allows users to toggle silent mode on and off, but through customization can be used to start recording a voice memo, turn on the camera, or open up an app automatically with just the press of a button. The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will have the new A17 Pro chip, which, according to Apple, is the fastest smartphone chip ever. The Pro’s camera will allow for a 3x zoom, while the Pro Max, which has even bigger lenses, will have a 5x zoom-in option.

The iPhone 15 will be priced at $799, the Plus will be $899, the Pro at $999, and the Pro Max, at $1199. The 15 and the 15 Pro will be 6.1”, while the Plus and the Pro Max will be 6.7”.

The Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2, and all the models of the iPhone 15 will be released on September 22.

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Instability In Mali

Several attacks were carried out by rebel groups in the West African country of Mali on Thursday and Friday of last week, prompting concern over the state’s growing instability.

According to Mali’s armed forces, a “complex” suicide attack took place on Friday in the airport section of the country’s army base in the northern Gao region. No further information is known at this time, but the attack is under investigation.

On Thursday, a ferry was attacked while it was on the Niger River near the historic city of Timbuktu. The boat

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is managed by the state-owned company Compagnie Malienne De Navigation (Comanav), the military said. On the same day, an army base in Bamba, a town in the northern Gao region, was hit as well. As a result of the two attacks, sixty-four people were killed, fifteen of whom were soldiers.

According to Mali’s government, the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM), an organization connected to al-Qaeda, took credit for both attacks.

Earlier last week, another Comanav boat was attacked by militants, resulting in the death of a twelve-yearold boy.

Timbuktu, according to reports, is now under blockade by the GSIM, forcing more than 30,000 residents to flee.

Mali, a once democratic state, has been facing one armed conflict after another since 2012. In 2021, the gov ernment was overthrown by the militia group currently in rule, and violence and terrorism have since pervaded the West African country.

in the Greater Sahara has almost doubled its areas of control in Mali,” the UN Security Council revealed this past August.

In 2013, the United Nations deployed a peacekeeping force known as MINUSMA to Mali. Last June, the government of Mali requested that MINUSMA exit the country “without delay,” which the UN has been slowly complying with.

In light of these recent attacks, the state has called for three days of national mourning.

Fatal Earthquake Shakes Morocco

than 1,300 people and setting off frantic rescue efforts through rubble-strewn city streets and remote rural areas as some residents sifted through mountains of debris with their bare hands.

The earthquake, which had a magnitude of at least 6.8 and was centered about 50 miles from the southern city of Marrakech, was the strongest to hit the area in a century, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It rippled through the center of the country, shaking not only Marrakech but also Agadir, a resort on Morocco’s Atlantic coast, and Ouarzazate, a major city in the southeast.

Much of the affected zone is rural, with many houses made from mud bricks, a traditional construction method that is highly vulnerable to earthquakes and heavy rains.

Scenes of devastation were unfolding across the country. In Marrakech,

mounds of red dust from the walled old city, or medina.

In the hardest-hit rural areas, Moroccans climbed through the canyons between collapsed homes that cascaded across roads and towns and tried to retrieve their dead.

At least 1,305 people were killed in the quake, according to the Moroccan interior ministry, and more than 1,800 were injured.

The precise size of the quake was not yet clear. The U.S. Geological Survey estimated its magnitude at 6.8, but the Moroccan geological institute put it at 7.2. That would make it more than twice as large, according to the logarithmic scale on which earthquakes are measured. The U.S. agency said local estimates can often be more accurate, but initial readings of magnitude are measured automatically and need to be reviewed by seismologists.

The contours of the damage were also still taking shape Saturday. But tastrophe was extensive, with the rural provinces outside of Marrakech the

downs of casualties by provinces, the death toll was especially heavy in the rural Haouz region southeast of Marrakech, which includes parts of the High Atlas Mountains. (© The New York Times)

Floods Sweep Libya

has not been taken, as the area has become inaccessible to rescue crews. Many are feared to have been carried away in the floodwaters that engulfed coastal towns.

Entire residential areas were erased along a river that runs down from the mountains through the city center. Multi-story apartment buildings that once stood well back from the river were partially collapsed into the mud.

In a phone interview with al-Masar television station on Monday, Prime Minister Ossama Hamad of the east Libyan government said that 2,000 were feared dead in Derna, and thousands were believed missing. He said Derna has been declared a disaster zone.

causing a lethal flash flood.

Libyans have been facing hardship for years. Since a 2011 uprising that toppled and later killed longtime ruler Moammar Gadhafi, Libya has lacked a central government and the resulting lawlessness has meant dwindling investment in the country’s roads and public services, and also minimal regulation of private building. The country is now split between rival governments in the east and west, each backed by an array of militias.

Derna itself, along with the city of Sirte, was controlled by extremist groups for years, at one point by those who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, until forces loyal to the east-based government expelled them in 2018.

crops are found in Indigenous reserves, forest reserves and natural parks, according to the report.

The new numbers came out a day after Colombia’s first-ever leftist president Gustavo Petro and his Mexican counterpart Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador criticized the “failed” U.S.-led so-called “war on drugs.”

Petro has charged that the campaign has only benefited drug cartels and has led to an increase in violence.

His remarks were made at a Latin American summit in Cali to discuss new ways of approaching the drug trafficking problem. About two dozen leaders of Latin American and Caribbean countries attended.

Tens of people have been killed –and as many as 2,000 are feared dead – in the aftermath of Storm Daniel, which caused devastating floods in Libya over the weekend.

Much of the destruction took place in Derna. The death toll from the city

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Ahmed al-Mosmari, a spokesman for the country’s armed forces based in the east, told a news conference that the death toll in Derna had surpassed 2,000. He said there were between 5,000 and 6,000 reported missing. Al-Mosmari attributed the catastrophe to the collapse of two nearby dams,

The prime minister announced Monday a three-day of mourning and ordered flags across the country to be lowered to half-mast.

Colombia is King of Cocaine

Colombia and Mexico were the “biggest victims” of the American-led “war,” which has criminalized and impoverished many rural people, the president added.

Colombia remains the world’s biggest producer of cocaine by far, followed by Peru and Bolivia.

The country is set to adopt a new drug policy soon, the government had said, aimed at dismantling criminal organizations with the least possible harm to poor, rural producers.

Fire on a Plane

Cocaine is a highly addictive and illegal stimulant that is made from the leaves of the coca plant, which is native to South America. According to a United Nations report released this week, Colombia, the world’s biggest cocaine producer, set a new record last year for the manufacture of the drug and cultivation of the coca leaf.

Coca leaf cultivation was 13 percent higher last year than in 2021 while cocaine production rose from 1,400 tons to 1,738, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

These were the highest numbers since the UN started monitoring in 2001. Most Colombian cocaine is destined for the United States and Europe.

Coca leaf production now spreads over 230,000 hectares in the country.

Around half of Colombia’s drug

Smoke filled the cabin of an Air China flight when one of the aircraft’s engines caught fire on Sunday. Thankfully, the plane landed in Singapore’s Changi Airport, and passengers were able to safely evacuate through the emergency exit slides. All 146 passengers and nine crew members safely evacuated after landing at about 4:15 p.m. local time, according to a statement from the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore.

Air China said in a statement on Weibo that flight CA403 was traveling from China’s Chengdu Tianfu Airport to Singapore Changi Airport when smoke appeared in the cabin of the

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A320neo before landing.

Last March, China faced its worst air disaster in more than a decade when a Boeing 737-800 China Eastern Airlines flight carrying 132 people left no survivors when it crashed while en route from Kunming to Guangzhou.

Every Dog Has Its Day

went missing, a Delta agent told Rodriguez that the dog had run away in middle of the runway as her kennel was being opened.

For weeks, Rodriguez frantically tried to get airline and airport representatives to look for her four-legged friend.

Finally, last weekend, after three weeks of separation, Maia was found. She had been hiding in the cargo facilities at the airport. Now, she is reunited with her human friend.

Sounds like it was really ruff.

Wheely Crazy

has intervened in all of those attempts.

“Dream no coming after you,” Baluchi said. “You must follow your dream.”

He certainly lives the dream.

Paint the Town Red

A small village in Portugal is drunk. On Sunday, nearly 600,000 gallons of red wine flowed through the streets of São Lorenco de Bairro after two tanks owned by a distillery released the vino.

Videos of the drunken deluge showed red wine pouring through the streets of the town that is home to 2,000 people.

England last week after dog walkers thought a group meditation exercise looked like the results of a ritual mass murder.

The Seascape Cafe at the North Sea Observatory in Chapel St. Leonards, England, detailed the unusual incident in a Facebook post.

“If anyone heard the mass of police sirens in Chapel St Leonard’s at 9:30 p.m. last night then please be reassured,” the post said. “They were on their way to the Observatory after someone had reported a mass killing in our building. Having seen several people laying on the floor... Which actually turned out to be the yoga class in meditation.”

Maia is finally home. The 6-yearold dog went missing in Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport on August 18 when her owner, Paula Rodriguez, embarked on a journey from their home in the Dominican Republic to California for a two-week vacation. When Rodgriguez got to Atlanta on a layover, she was informed by border patrol staff that her tourist visa wasn’t valid. They canceled her visa and told her she would need to return home on the next flight.

At that point, Rodriguez was separated from Maia, who was taken by an agent from Delta. The next day, when Rodriguez was about to board her flight back home, Maia never came to the gate.

Atlanta’s airport is considered the busiest in the world.

Unable to remain in the United States for over 24 hours without a visa, Rodriguez was forced to board her flight to Punta Cana without Maia

“Everyone who knows me knows what she means to me,” Rodriguez said of her beloved pet. “I don’t go anywhere without her. She’s so well behaved that I take her to restaurants, literally everywhere. She’s my partner in everything.”

But it turns out that Maia was nowhere to be found. Two days after she

Reza Baluchi just wants to get to England. The problem is his mode of transportation.

The Iranian native who now lives in Florida was attempting to head across the Pond in a giant floating hamster wheel made of buoys and wire.

Turns out that the U.S. Coast Guard isn’t too happy with Baluchi’s choice of vessel. After days of wrangling with authorities and a criminal complaint filed in U.S. district court, authorities boarded the hydro-pod as they were preparing for Hurricane Franklin. But Baluchi wouldn’t go down without a fight. He brandished a knife and said he would hurt himself if agents wouldn’t allow him to continue his voyage.

It took three days and two Coast Guard boats, along with numerous agents, to finally get Baluchi onto dry land. Finally, he was brought ashore in Miami Beach last Friday, where he was released on $250,000 bond.

While his case is underway, he’s barred from travel outside the Southern District of Florida, and “may not go to the ocean or board a vessel on the ocean” — a special condition added to his bond agreement.

Baluchi and his hamster wheel have made headlines in the past. He has attempted similar voyages in 2014, 2016, and in 2021. The Coast Guard

The alcohol torrent did not cause any injuries, causing material damage, as the red liquid flooded nearby roads, land, and entered at least one cellar. Still, the wine in the streets caused an environmental alert as the Anadia Fire Department made efforts to divert the wine to prevent the contamination of the nearby Certima River.

Levira Distillery apologized for the incident and said the company will take care of damages.

“Dear General Public, please be mindful that the Observatory has lots of yoga classes happening in the evenings. We are not part of any mad cult or crazy clubs,” the post said.

By the time the police got there, the yoga class had been dismissed.

“I was very shocked,” the teacher said. “It was so surreal, and I didn’t quite believe it was true. I have spoken to most of the people who took part and they have just said how mad it is. They were all participating in a beautiful deep relaxation, and it could have never run through any of our minds that it could be taken in this way.”

Sort of kills the mood.

A Gem of a Find

“We assume full responsibility for the costs associated with cleaning and repairing the damage, having teams do so immediately,” it said in a statement. “We are committed to resolving this situation as quickly as possible.”

The soil soaked with wine will be taken to a special treatment plant.

Sounds like something to whine about.

Namaste Mix-Up

Police barreled into a yoga class in

Aspen Brown had a very memorable birthday this year. The seven-yearold was visiting Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas on a birthday trip with her family when she spotted what looked like a sparkling gem.

Turns out, this was no ordinary find. The jewel turned out to be a 2.95-carat diamond – the second-largest diamond found by a park visitor this year. (A 3.29-carat brown diamond had been found in March.)

Brown’s gem is about the size of a green pea and is golden-brown.

A diamond in the rough.

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My Israel Home The Ultimate Insider

By Gedaliah Borvick

We had the great honor of marketing a lovely apartment in Jerusalem’s Sha’are Chesed neighborhood for the estate of Yehuda Avner. Standing in Avner’s office and viewing numerous photos of him with leading world leaders felt like I was taking a stroll through the history of the State of Israel.

You might recognize the name Yehuda Avner, as he wrote a wonderful book called, The Prime Ministers: An Intimate Narrative of Israeli Leadership. Avner was secretary and speechwriter to prime ministers Levi Eshkol and Golda Meir and adviser to prime ministers Yitzhak Rabin, Menachem Begin and Shimon Peres. In these roles, he was privy to many conversations of historical significance, some of which are mentioned in the book. One can tell that Avner was a magnificent speech writer, as his prose is clear, his recall is thorough, and his stories are riveting.

After serving the prime ministers, Avner held diplomatic positions in New York and Washington, D.C., and then served as Israel’s ambassador to Britain, Ireland and Australia.

Yehuda Avner was born in Manchester in 1928 and, after experiencing antisemitism in Britain, became active in the Bnei

Akiva religious Zionist youth movement. Upon high school graduation in 1947, Avner moved to Jerusalem. He fought in the 1948 War of Independence, and then helped found Kibbutz Lavi. Avner married Mimi Cailingold (sister of Esther Cailingold, a war heroine who died in the battle for Jerusalem’s Old City), and together they raised a family of four children.

Further recognition of how Menachem Begin’s Jewish pride and selfless devotion to the Jewish nation impacted Avner’s weltanschauung, or life philosophy, is revealed in Avner’s 2013 version of the Ten Commandments, in which he shared ten lessons acquired during his lifetime of public service. It is a brilliant piece, worthy of reading and rereading. One detects

ment. Don’t make light of it. Do all in your power to deny him the means of carrying out his satanic intent.”

“Protect Jewish dignity and honor at all costs.” Discussing lessons learned from the Holocaust, Begin developed this theme: “The seeds of Jewish destruction lie in passively enabling the enemy to humiliate us. Only when the enemy succeeds in turning the spirit of the Jew into dust and ashes in life, can he turn the Jew into dust and ashes in death.”

Yehuda Avner absorbed important lessons from Israel’s early leaders and gave voice to these giants on a global scale. A master wordsmith, Avner was blessed to utilize his immense talents to help frame and spread the message of the State of Israel to the world.

In 1959, Yehuda Avner joined the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and never turned back. Although he wrote glowingly of all the prime ministers, one quickly detects Avner’s profound admiration for Menachem Begin, as a large portion of The Prime Ministers chronicles Begin’s life from pre-State through the years that he served as prime minister.

the tremendous influence that Begin had on Avner. For the sake of brevity, let’s focus on two of Avner’s ten lessons:

“When an enemy of our people says he seeks to destroy us, believe him.” This is based on a quote from Begin, when asked about important lessons learned from the Holocaust. Begin elaborated, “Don’t doubt him [the enemy] for a mo -

May we, in this new year, learn from Yehuda Avner and redouble our efforts to use our talents and strengths on behalf of Am Yisrael.

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

A master wordsmith, Avner was blessed to utilize his immense talents to help frame and spread the message of the State of Israel to the world.

Menachem Begin, Jimmy Carter and Yehuda Avner, 1977

Go Yachad! Yachad’s Kosher Grill at M&T Bank Stadium Section 142

Yachad is dedicated to enriching the lives of Jewish individuals with disabilities and their families, by enhancing their communal participation and their connection to Judaism through social and educational programs and support services.

Kosher certification generously provided by Star K

Torah Thought Rosh Hashana — A Time to Party!

By Rabbi Zvi Teichman

We stand poised once again to celebrate the anniversary of Man’s creation and to contemplate how well we are living up to the task of restoring his former stature.

We face the reality that we have certainly come up short on many accounts, despite many noteworthy accomplishments, and we still have quite a way to travel before we reach ‘the promised land’!

What are we hoping for? Are we simply focusing on being fortunate recipients of G-d’s benevolence, Who will provide us with our checklist of wants and desires? Are we so devoted to His will that all we want is to fulfill His directives, without any expressed concern for our personal needs?

iwork... for good, when Hashem will return to rejoice over you for good, as He rejoiced over your forefathers...

In the first step of return we are promised to be more numerous than our forefathers. But in the second stage we are told that G-d will rejoice over us as he did over our forefathers.

Is that the ultimate reward, that G-d rejoices over us?

The verse states that G-d rejoiced over our forefathers.

When? Where?

Although G-d engaged many times with them, there does not seem to be any recorded display of G-d having specifically rejoiced over them?

On the first day of Rosh Hashana, we read about the birth of Yitzchok, which was heralded on the previous

testament to, the miraculous birth of Yitzchok and rejuvenation of his parents, attributed to the sole Creator, the G-d of Avraham.

The Midrash says that the world 'לודג' here refers to 'םימלועה לודג', the great One of all worlds — the Creator — Hashem.

So here we have the ‘Great One’ participating in this moment of rejoicing with Avraham. This is the moment referenced in the verse ‘as He rejoiced over your forefathers...’

But where is the fulfillment of the prophetic first half of this verse — Hashem will return ‘to rejoice over you’ for good, as He rejoiced over your forefathers?

The Midrash points to another mention of a ‘great feast’, the התשמ לודג, the party King Achashveirosh threw in honor of his new wife Esther.

Is the Midrash claiming that here too, amid this sad turn of events for Esther, having to submit herself to the clutches of this ignoble king, the לודג' 'םימלועה — the great One of all worlds, is celebrating along and rejoicing?

Evidently, Esther had the prescience to sense this was divinely directed and inspired towards bringing to fruition the miracle of Purim, and despite what might seem like an unfortunate circumstance for herself, she reveled in her mission knowing that Hashem was rejoicing over her at that moment.

Years ago, I quoted an anecdote I heard from the great Tzaddik, Reb Gamliel Rabinowitz, how the Gerrer Rebbe, the Bais Yisroel, was once asked by a young enthusiastic chosid at the Kosel, what is the greatest praise one could possibly bestow on our loving and benevolent G-d?

The Rebbe pithily responded, “Az der Eibishter lacht nisht!” — G-d never laughs at us.

The young man was confused at the response and went to his Rosh Yeshiva for an explanation.

He lovingly told him the depth of what the Rebbe had meant.

We come each year before the Almighty beseeching him to bestow us with blessing.

Have we changed? Have we taken any steps towards improving our behavior? Do we not stumble time and again on the same errors and delusions? Nevertheless, we ask for His kindness, for His forgiveness, for His unconditional love. Have you heard anything more comical in your life?

Yet, He does not laugh! Now tell

me is there a greater Father than the One we have in Heaven?

But, may I humbly add, there is something even greater. G-d actually ‘rejoices’, celebrating our good choices.

How many stories are told about survivors who persevered through the most unimaginable tortures because the image of the parents they envisioned elating over their courageous choices, holding out hope for them no matter what they may face, was branded into their hearts and minds. That encouragement gave them the inner peace and joy that enthused them to survive.

Reb Yosef Herzcel, a survivor of the Holocaust, who endured travail, loss, and much pain, recounts how after the war many of his compatriots felt forsaken by G-d and left observance. One individual who had relinquished his beliefs encountered the father he thought had perished in the crematoria of the concentration camps. When observing his father’s utter dismay of what became of him, he immediately exclaimed, “If only I would have known you survived, I would have never left the fold!”

Rav Yosef went on to say it was the image of his own father and his hopes and aspirations for him that kept him from ever straying.

Is there truly a greater joy than knowing that whatever difficulty we may face in life, G-d is pleased and delighted with us?

Perhaps, to the level we truly sense the לודג התשמ — great feast, the privilege of being His chosen one, will we merit to sense the לודג — the great One in our lives.

May we each strive to sense, even in the seemingly dark moments, the joy Hashem has in our devotion to Him.

And Avraham made a לודג התשמ — a great feast, םויב on the day )ח אכ תישארב(

The numerical equivalent of the words םויב לודג התשמ, adding the number of letters and words as well, equal הנשה שאר!

Let us sense and visualize how the Almighty rejoices over how we choose to deal with our struggles. With that encouragement we can conquer anything!

Rosh Hashana is indeed a time to party!

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

Foundations: A Program for Women

Baltimore Weekday Minyanim Guide

Shacharis Mincha

Neitz Beit Yaakov [Sefaradi] M-F

Ohel Yakov S-F

6:00 AM Shomrei Emunah Congregation M-F

6:10 AM Agudath Israel of Baltimore M, Th

6:15 AM Kol Torah M, TH

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah M-F

Shearith Israel Congregation M, TH

The Adas: Chofetz Chaim Adas Bnei Israel M, TH

6:20 AM Agudah of Greenspring M, TH

Agudath Israel of Baltimore S, T, W, F

Arugas HaBosem (Rabbi Taub's) S-F

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation M-F

Kehilath B'nai Torah M, TH

Shomrei Emunah Congregation S, M, TH

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

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

Darchei Tzedek M-F

Kehilath B'nai Torah T, W, F

Khal Bais Nosson M-F

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek M-F

Kol Torah T, W, F

Ohr Yisroel M-F

Shearith Israel Congregation T, W, F

Shomrei Emunah Congregation T, W, F

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

Ohel Moshe M, TH

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

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation M, TH

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

Beth Abraham M, TH

Greenspring Sephardic Synagogue M-F

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah S-F

Ner Tamid M-F

Ohel Moshe T, W, F

Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim M-F

6:50 AM Agudath Israel of Baltimore M, TH

Ahavat Shalom [Sefaradi] M, TH

Bais Medrash of Ranchleigh M, TH

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation T, W, F

Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh M, TH

Derech Chaim M-F

Kol Torah M-F

Ohel Moshe S

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi] M, TH

Shomrei Emunah Congregation M, TH

The Shul at the Lubavitch Center M, TH

6:55 AM Beth Abraham T, W, F

Kol Torah M, TH

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

Agudath Israel of Baltimore S, T, W, F

Ahavat Shalom [Sefaradi] T, W, F

Arugas HaBosem (Rabbi Taub's) S

Bais Medrash of Ranchleigh T, W, F

Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh T, W, F

Greenspring Sephardic Synagogue S

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek S

Kol Torah T, W, F

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah S-F

Moses Montefiore Anshe Emunah M-F

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

Shearith Israel Congregation S, M, TH

Shomrei Emunah Congregation T, W, F

Shomrei Mishmeres Hakodesh M-F

The Shul at the Lubavitch Center T, W, F

Tiferes Yisroel M-F

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

7:15 AM Kedushas Yisrael S

Kol Torah S

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

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah S-F

Ner Israel Rabbinical College S-F

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

Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim S

The Adas: Chofetz Chaim Adas Bnei Israel S

Tzeirei Anash M-F

7:20 AM Agudath Israel of Baltimore M, TH

Beth Tfiloh Congregation M-F

Kol Torah M-F

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi] M, TH

Shomrei Emunah Congregation M, TH

7:30 AM Agudah of Greenspring S

Agudath Israel of Baltimore S, T, W, F

Ahavat Shalom [Sefaradi] S

Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim S-F

Bais Hamedrash and Mesivta of Baltimore S-F

Bais Medrash of Ranchleigh S

Beit Yaakov [Sefaradi] S

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation S

Chabad of Park Heights S

Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh S-F

Darchei Tzedek S

Kedushas Yisrael S-F

Khal Bais Nosson S

Ner Israel Rabbinical College (Mechina) S-F

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah S-F

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

Shomrei Emunah Congregation T, W, F

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

Talmudical Academy S-F

Darchei Tzedek M-F

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah S-F

Mesivta Kesser Torah S-F

Mesivta Shaarei Chaim S-F

7:50 AM Derech Chaim S

Ner Tamid S

Ohel Moshe M-F

8:00 AM Agudath Israel of Baltimore S-F

Beth Abraham S

Darchei Tzedek S

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek S

Kehillas Meor HaTorah S

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah S-F

Ohel Yakov S

Ohr Yisroel S

Pikesville Jewish Congregation S

Shearith Israel Congregation S

Shomrei Emunah Congregation S-F

The Shul at the Lubavitch Center S

Tiferes Yisroel S

Tzeirei Anash S

Yeshiva Tiferes Hatorah S-F

8:15 AM Kehilath B'nai Torah S

Kol Torah S

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah S-F

8:20 AM Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim S-F

8:30 AM Agudath Israel of Baltimore S-F

Machzikei Torah (Sternhill's) S-F

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah S-F

Ohel Moshe S

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi] S

Shomrei Emunah Congregation S-F

Shomrei Mishmeres Hakodesh S

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

9:00 AM Aish Kodesh S

Agudath Israel of Baltimore S-F

Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim S

Beth Tfiloh Congregation S

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation S

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah S-F

Moses Montefiore Anshe Emunah S

Shomrei Emunah Congregation S-F

Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim S-F

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

9:30 AM Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah S-F

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

10:00AM Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah S-F

Mincha Gedolah Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/Tzemach Tzedek

1:45 PM Ohel Moshe

1:50 PM Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim

Neuberger, Quinn, Gielen, Rubin & Gibber Wealcatch Insurance

2:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Big Al @ The Knish Shop Party Room

Kol Torah Market Maven

Reischer Minyan 15 Walker Ave 2nd Floor

2:30 PM Bais Medrash of Ranchleigh

Ner Israel Rabbinical College

Tov Pizza Mincha Minyan

Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh

Mesivta Shaarei Chaim (Etz Chaim Building)

2:45 PM Shearith Israel Congregation

3:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

3:05 PM Kedushas Yisrael

3:15 PM Hat Box

4:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

5:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

5:30 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

6:00 PM Kedushas Yisrael

Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

7:00 PM Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah

Moses Montefiore Anshe Emunah Friday at 6:30

8:00 PM Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah

14 Min Before ShkiAh Kol Torah

Mincha/Maariv Before Shkiah

Aish Kodesh

Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Agudah of Greenspring

Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim

Beth Abraham

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation

Darchei Tzedek

Kehillas Meor HaTorah

Kehilath B’nai Torah

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek

Machzikei Torah (Sternhill’s)

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah

Ner Tamid

Ohel Moshe

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi]

Ohr Yisroel

Pikesville Jewish Congregation

Shearith Israel Congregation

Shomrei Emunah Congregation

Shomrei Mishmeres

Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim

The Adas: Chofetz Chaim Adas Bnei Israel

The Shul at the Lubavitch Center

Tiferes Yisroel

Maariv

8:30 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah

8:45 PM Darchei Tzedek

Ner Israel Rabbinical College (Mechina)

Ohr Yisroel

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

8:55 PM Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh

9:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Arugas Habosem

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

Shomrei Emunah Congregation

Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim

9:20 PM Kol Torah

9:30 PM Agudah of Greenspring

Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Kedushas Yisrael

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

9:40 PM Ahavat Shalom [Sefaradi]

9:45 PM Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim

Kollel Erev Birchas Yitzchok (Luries)

Machzikei Torah (Sternhill's)

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi]

Yeshiva Tiferes Hatorah

9:50 PM Aish Kodesh

Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh

Ohel Moshe

10:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Darchei Tzedek

Kehilath B'nai Torah

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

Shearith Israel Congregation

Shomrei Emunah Congregation

10:05 PM Kol Torah

10:10 PM Ner Israel Rabbinical College

10:15 PM Derech Chaim

Khal Bais Nosson

10:30 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

11:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

Agudah of Greenspring - 6107 Greenspring Ave

Agudath Israel of Baltimore - 6200 Park Heights Ave

Ahavat Shalom - 3009 Northbrook Rd

Aish Kodesh - 6207 Ivymount Rd

Arugas HaBosem - 3509 Cwlarks Ln

Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim - 3120 Clarks Ln

Bais Hamedrash and Mesivta of Baltimore - 6823 Old Pimlico Rd

Bais Medrash of Ranchleigh - 6618 Deancroft Rd

Beit Yaakov - 3615 Seven Mile Ln

Beth Abraham - 6208 Wallis Ave

Beth Tfiloh Congregation - 3300 Old Court Rd

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation - 6602 Park Heights Ave

Chabad of Park Heights - 3402 Clarks Ln

Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh - 3800 Labyrinth Rd

Darchei Tzedek - 3201 Seven Mile Ln

Derech Chaim - 6229 Greenspring Ave (Weekday)

Greenspring Sephardic Synagogue 6611 Greenspring Ave.

Kedushas Yisrael - 6004 Park Heights Ave

Kehilath B’nai Torah - 6301 Green Meadow Pkwy

Kehillas Meor HaTorah - 6539 Pebble Brooke Rd

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek - 6811 Park Heights Ave

Khal Bais Nosson - 2901 Taney Rd

Kol Torah - 2929 Fallstaff Rd

Machzikei Torah - 6216 Biltmore Ave

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah - 6500 Baythorne Rd

Mesivta Kesser Torah - 8400 Park Heights Ave

Mesivta Shaarei Chaim - 3702 Fords Ln

Moses Montefiore Anshe Emunah - 7000 Rockland Hills Dr

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

Ner Israel Rabbinical College - 400 Mt Wilson Ln

Ner Tamid - 6214 Pimlico Road

Ohel Moshe - 2808 Smith Ave

Ohel Yakov - 3200 Glen Ave

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi] - 6813 Park Heights Ave

Ohr Yisroel - 2429 Lightfoot Dr

Pikesville Jewish Congregation - 7644 Carla Rd

Shearith Israel Congregation - 5835 Park Heights Ave

Shomrei Emunah Congregation - 6221 Greenspring Ave

Shomrei Mishmeres Hakodesh - 2821 W Strathmore Ave

Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim - 7504 Seven Mile Ln

Talmudical Academy - 4445 Old Court Rd

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

The Shul at the Lubavitch Center - 6701 Old Pimlico Rd

Tiferes Yisroel - 6201 Park Heights Ave

Tzeirei Anash - 6706 Cross County Blvd

Wealcatch Insurance - 37 Walker Ave 2nd floor

Yeshiva Tiferes Hatorah - 6819 Williamson Ave

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

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Fri 11:00-2:30

Sat 1 Hour After Shabbos-Midnight

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We’ve expanded our delivery range! (8 mile radius!) Call 410-358-4TOV or order online at tovpizzzamenu.com

6313 Reisterstown Road

Baltimore, MD 21215

With Avos u'banim around the corner give us a call to reserve your spot!

WISHING ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS A SHANA TOVA!

DAILY MINCHA MINYAN AT

Mental Health

Prophylactic Parenting to Avoid Sibling Estrangement

By Rabbi Azriel Hauptman

The topic of sibling estrangement is complex and difficult. No two families are alike and no two relationships are alike. It is very hard to point fingers at any specific person and say that it is his or her fault. Nevertheless, there are ways that parents can foster a healthy relationship amongst their children that will help them weather the storm when a conflict arises. It is commonly said that hurt people hurt people. Therefore, if you raise children who are at peace with themselves and with each other, you are planting the seeds for a wholesome lifelong relationship amongst your children that will persist even after you depart from this earth.

One of the fundamentals of emotional development is that in order to achieve mental wellness you must

have a sense of self-worth. This is not the same as self-esteem, which is the confidence that you have about your abilities. Self-worth is the sense that you have inherent value from the mere fact that you exist. This feeling usually comes from your parents. If you are fortunate enough to have parents who value your existence regardless of your accomplishments, you are already well along the path of feeling self-worth.

Sibling rivalries often have subconscious underpinnings in your stature in the family system. If there is a hierarchy in your family, competition and resentment can develop which can explode into full-blown estrangement years down the line. If you are imbued with a healthy sense of self-worth and that every member of the family is just as precious as the other, you can avoid

a hierarchy and all of the drama that comes along with it.

There are many ways that parents can develop this sense of self-worth in their children. This includes finding one-on-one time with each of your children, giving each of your children personal space to discover who they are, celebrating their differences, and especially not showing any favoritism. However, more than any specific strategy, you have to feel this in your heart. You truly believe and feel in your heart that each of your children has inherent worth regardless of their capabilities or accomplishments.

If you find yourself showing favoritism to one of your children, attaching their worth to their accomplishments, and not simply loving them for being who they are, then you are possibly planting the seeds for toxic relationships amongst your own children.

What is the solution to this problem? There is no short answer and no quick fixes. You probably experienced this from your own parents and

this mindset is likely seared into your psyche. An experienced therapist can be a vital resource in the journey of self-exploration so that you will feel that sense of self-worth in yourself that you can then convey to your children.

You can only be there for your children as long as you are alive. Once you pass away, your child’s sense of family of origin comes from his or her siblings. The power to create a healthy family structure is in your hands. The seeds that you plant can have generational ripples as your children will learn from you and raise their own families in the same way. The stakes are very high and failure is not an option.

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

Tech Triumphs

Ze Lo Kasher

Iwas sitting in a park in Eretz Yisroel this summer, visiting with a friend. Our kids were climbing and sliding on the colorful equipment, having a blast. We were catching up and trying to find shady parts of the park to sit in.

The park was busy, lots of children were enjoying the seesaws and swings in the late afternoon. One little girl of around seven approached my friend and asked her in Hebrew if she could borrow her cellphone to call her mother. My friend said, “Ken, aval ze lo kasher.” “Yes, but it’s not a Kosher phone.” The girl shook her head and walked away.

I was so impressed with the underlying understanding of the norms among Israeli children. This was a common occurrence, according to my friend. That’s why she knew to say it wasn’t Kosher before handing it to

By Rebbetzin Sara Gross

the child. They don’t want to use a phone that wasn’t Kosher, just as a child would refuse non-Kosher food. I felt so inspired by the simple clarity of the children and it left me with a smile.

DID YOU KNOW? Many kosher devices on the market today, such as phones and MP3 players, do not have any official kosher certification agency ensuring the safety of the device. This is unlike the kosher food industry which has a number of respected certifying agencies overseen by known Rabbinic authorities. The kosher device industry is relatively young and does not have this level of formal oversight. In the current state of affairs, a merchant selling or manufacturing a device can issue a statement of its Kashrus, and even design a certification emblem with Hebrew

lettering, while in truth the only individual overseeing its safety standards is the merchant itself.

TAG technicians have found that some of the devices advertised as Kosher contain serious flaws in their protection and can open an unfiltered internet browser without much difficulty! TAG Baltimore, as well as other TAG offices, may sell devices on behalf of an outside merchant, but these devices have been thoroughly researched and approved by TAG’s

international network of technicians.

Before you purchase a device that is advertised as kosher, make sure the protection is indeed safe and the merchant can be trusted. Your local TAG office is ready to help you in your research so you can make an informed decision.

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

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

THE BJH PRESENTS: A BOOST OF “INSPIRATION”

A Snippet From Judaism’s Number One Podcast

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

Legendary Singer by Night, Rebbe by Day: The Extra Ordinary Path of Baruch Levine

s both the composer and singer of his signature V’zakeini song, Baruch Levine has been said to have raised the “bar” of Jewish music. His best-selling albums reflect his diversity of talents as a composer, arranger, and great singer. It is no wonder that it is said about him “Baruch has proven that Jewish Music today can still be meaningful, heartfelt, and yet refreshingly interesting.” Baruch was raised in Toronto, Canada where he composed his first published song at the young age of 13. He has released over 10 musical albums, and most recently 2 volumes of the “Off the Record” nostalgia series which was widely received with great acclaim. His audience spans the globe and Baruch has performed at world-class venues in the UK, France, Israel, USA, Africa, and Canada. In January 2021 Baruch performed at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey where he graced a crowd of ninety thousand plus at the 13th Siyum Hashas. He currently resides in Waterbury Connecticut along with his family and is also a Rebbe at the Yeshiva K’tana of Waterbury.

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

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

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

bach coming with his guitar to the nursery school where his daughter was also a pupil. Baruch sang in school choirs and played piano by ear. His parents recognized his talent and got him a keyboard and he had some lessons. At the age of 10, he was a soloist in the color war at Camp Agudah Toronto. His parents told him to always remember to conduct himself with humility and he tries to do this still today.

ELI PALEY

CEO OF MISHPACHA

noticed that children want you to get to them and relate to them in a more adult fashion, “You got to re late to kids as human beings carry ing in their heads what our grand parents carried on their backs”.

selves by image and sometimes it works for them and sometimes it does not. When he performs tefilla he wants to perform so Hashem should be proud and people should

Baruch describes himself as “just a kid who sang”. His parents

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

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

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

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

Rabbi Baruch Levine’s students call him Rabbi Levine or Rebbe but he likes to simply be called Baruch. He grew up in Toronto where his father was a Rebbe at the Eitz Chaim school which he attended. He loved music since he was a small child. His great-grandfather was a chazan and even in nursery his teachers remarked how nicely he sang during davening. He remembers Shlomo Carle-

did not want him to sing at chuppas. He remembers one day playing his keyboard in the basement and his father asking what song he was playing. Baruch did not know either when he started composing songs. Abie Rottenberg lived a few blocks away and Baruch was the child soloist on his album when he was 12 years old.

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

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

Baruch has been teaching for 17 years and has seen a huge shift in chinuch which has evolved over the years. After the war, it was all about survival and there was no time to be in touch with your feelings. As Torah learning was brought back in America it was the same survival. However, after Torah learning was re-established again came discipline, then there was fallout, and after that came love which also had its fallout. He

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He also finds that parents are fearful to say no. They are afraid the child will rebel but if your child knows that you understand him and are interested in him then they know you can say no. He remembers wanting to go to a concert that his parents did not want him to attend. His parents took him out for

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

As a composer, he definitely could compose songs that are not his style. He feels he was zocher to be the shaliach of the song, Vezakeini. He says a song “should not be judged by how hot it comes out of the oven but how warm it stays”.

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

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

pizza and ice cream, they played ping pong and spent hours with him. He was disappointed but his parents gave him time. The love and understanding from his parents were authentic. We need to be there for our children.

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

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

So much of the music he loved was not resonating and he wanted to take all the English songs and put them in themes with a medley on bitachon and Shabbos, a different way of delivering music. He called the album Off the Record and it did well and resonated with the world. So many songs were left out and he did Off the Record 2 and is now working on another Off the Record album. He feels his life is interesting and special. After a big concert the next day he is at school doing recess duty.

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

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

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

Baruch was asked what it was like to sing at the past two Siyum Hashas events which is the most watched Jewish event ever. In his mind, he thought how amazing it would be to sing there. The first time he was very nervous and tried to look at people he knew and minimise the masses. He was reprimanded for nodding to someone he knew as this was not “kovid hatzibur”. The second time he was overwhelmed with a feeling of humility.

He has learned that image is important. People brand them-

Baruch was asked about his message for the world. We are living in a world where the commodity is to “get it out there. That commodity has to come down. So many young people have talent, and they have to enjoy the talent with the people that are close to them. If the barometer is to be, “out there”, you are going to be disappointed and discouraged and you have so much to share and so much to enjoy.

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

““You got to relate to kids as human beings.”

The Wandering Jew Montana, Idaho, & Wyoming Part II

By Hershel Lieber

The alarm startled us at 4 AM. It was Tuesday morning, and dawn was slowly giving way to sunrise. I davened at the earliest time possible, and we ate a hearty breakfast. We loaded up the car and headed towards Glacier National Park. We arrived forty-five minutes later at seven o’clock. We were not the first ones there, but traffic at the park’s entrance was sparse and the Going to the Sun Road was still wide open. What we experienced for the next four and a half hours is impossible to put into words. Photos can only capture a small glimpse of the beauty that met our eyes. The fact that the sun was not in the center of the sky contributed to the stunning landscapes that were displayed before us. Mountain peaks capped by age-old glaciers, rushing rivers, cascading waterfalls, pristine lakes, lush forests, valleys flourishing with wildflowers, and rock formations in every size and color gave us a new definition to Hashem’s wonderous creations. We made numerous stops at vantage points to marvel at the beauty that we encountered. It goes without saying that my camera did not stop clicking! The fifty-mile distance between the two ends of Glacier took over four hours, but anything less would have been our loss.

Our next drive was towards Missoula, where we planned to stay overnight. It was a long distance, taking well over five hours, but I was not fazed by the distance nor the time since we were passing stunning landscapes along the entire way: farmlands alternating between fields in different shades of color yielding an array

of crops ranging from wheat, dry peas, lentils and flax. The lavender-colored fields of bitterroot were also in full bloom. They were originally cultivated by Native Americans and are still being used in the production of food and medicine.

The next morning found us heading in the direction of Idaho. We took the Salmon River Scenic Byway, passing dozens of ranches along the river. We were privy to see an assortment of farm animals ranging from cattle (steers and cows) and sheep to donkeys and horses. We even stopped at a llama farm. We stayed overnight in the small town of Salmon and continued the next day driving within the Salmon-Chal-

lis National Forest. Later, we passed scenic flatlands and rocky hills while eyeing distant mountain slopes. Driving these two days, the scenes kept on changing as we went from pastoral settings to woodlands and on to rugged terrain.

Thursday, we went a bit out of the way to experience the Craters of the Moon National Monument. This vast ocean of lava flows with scattered islands of cinder cones and sagebrush was formed as a result of volcanic activity. The whole area has an otherworldly look which is why the unusual name caught on. We took a short hike and climbed some of the ash-grey shaded hills. We found it interesting that

amidst the harsh volcanic setting, smatterings of plant life were thriving.

We had two more stops to make before calling it a day. The Idaho Potato Museum in Blackfoot featured the history of the most famous vegetable from Idaho. The museum itself was not so fascinating, but we did learn a thing or two. We ended our day with a visit to Pocatello’s Museum of Clean. An entire museum was created around the theme of what it takes to achieve cleanliness. Products ranging from antique cleaning devices (e.g., washing boards, brooms) to modern equipment (e.g., washer/dryers, vacuum cleaners) were exhibited. Hundreds of brands of soaps, cleansers, detergents, turpentines, scouring cloths, etc. were on display, many bringing back memories of our childhoods. We met the creator of this presentation, and he personally took us around to show off his collection. He even gave us one of his books on cleaning tips as a gift.

Friday, we headed back to Bozeman for Shabbos. We passed potato fields and made our way along a scenic river setting during the four-hour drive. We stayed again near Rabbi Chaim Bruk’s home/ shul. Our second Shabbos was equally inspiring, and we had a larger attendance in shul as a group of six Lubavitcher bochurim arrived to help with kiruv-related activities over the summer. We befriended a couple from Boca Raton and spent time with them over the Shabbos. We also connected to some of the local mispallelim of the Chabad shul.

Sunday, we went to the Lewis and

Bison at Yellowstone National Park

Elk at Yellowstone National Park

Craters of the Moon National Monument

At a scenic stop on the Bear Tooth Highway

Yellowstone’s Prismatic Pond in all its glory

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Clark Caverns. We joined a group tour, then climbed a steep path and entered the caves through a narrow opening. We have been to caves before, and this one was not much different than the others. Nevertheless, the cool air, the formations of stalactites and stalagmites, the tall columns, and the underground pools and rivers are always a captivating sight.

On Monday, we drove to Butte, which was a little over an hour away. Butte’s gold rush past is evident in its historic buildings and vintage signs. The historic district has some of the best preserved Victorian houses from the early 20th century. We visited the Copper King Mansion and took an excellent trolley car tour of the city. The tour included a visit to the cop -

per mines at the edge of town. Butte once supplied 50% of the copper used in the U.S. There was once three synagogues that catered to its Jewish population. For a small town in remote Montana that is something. We then headed back to Bozeman and made it an early night.

The next morning, on Tuesday, we left at 6:30 AM. The next two days were going to be a major climax of our trip as we were headed towards Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. We travelled two hours out of our way to enter the park via the

grass. Wildflowers, pines, firs, sunflowers and paintbrushes competed for space near the edges of the meadows. We were privileged to see herds of bison and elks and a lone red fox carrying its prey, a rabbit, in its mouth. This was a special day to remember. We drove eleven hours in the park, and we did not tire. The natural wonders that Hashem displayed in front of our eyes kept us going.

That night, we slept over in a motel in West Yellowstone to be close to the park for the next morning’s expedition. Again,

way disappointed. The eruption began in small spurts, and within seconds, it shot up toward the sky with an impressive precision. We were so glad to have witnessed this natural magnificent performance.

Aside from Old Faithful, there are five hundred other geysers and an extraordinary collection of hot springs, with a total of over 10,000 hydrothermal features in Yellowstone. The Prismatic Pond with its dazzling array of color is truly mindboggling. Of course, we only saw the major sights which are accessible to tourists.

Early afternoon, we headed back to Bozeman and started packing for the next morning’s flight back home. Like the final hours of every trip, there is a mixture of melancholy and anticipation. We wish we could stay longer, and yet we look forward to getting back home.

Bear Tooth Highway. Our daughter Chavi recommended that we take this route. She was right! The stunning feast of beauty was in stark contrast to the hair-raising curves winding over the elevated mountain terrain, mostly without any guardrails. We made a number of stops along the way to take photos at vista clearings.

We eventually descended from the higher elevations and entered Yellowstone. The scenery changed dramatically to lush meadows spread out between hills covered with small trees and patches of

we began our day before six in the morning and were in the park at 8:00 AM. Our destination was the famed Old Faithful Geyser. The geyser erupts on clockwork about twenty times a day, spurting from 3,700 to 8,400 gallons of boiling water into the air to an average height of 145 feet. The eruptions last between two and five minutes and are the most prominent attraction of Yellowstone. We planned a time slot when we should be there so that we can get a seat closest to the front row and await the event. We were in no

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

We were privileged to see herds of bison and elk and a lone red fox carrying its prey, a rabbit, in its mouth.

Motzei Shabbos with Chabad Rabbi Chaim Bruk and guests

A rushing river at Glacier National Park

At Glacier National Park

Old Faithful Geyser

The Salmon River in Idaho

Glacier National Park Bear Tooth Highway’s winding roads

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It’s4:53 am.

I’ve been tossing and turning all night. Here’s my chance. I’ve got your attention. What do I want the world to really know? What can I say that will penetrate your hearts? How do I find the words to describe depression – the deep, throbbing emotional pain that overtakes your being. Thoughts of hopelessness and sadness so intense that daily tasks and survival feel impossible. How do I describe the fear that arises each time I have a panic attack? Will you understand that anxiety and depression are illnesses, not choices? Can you comprehend that these struggles often strip our lives of light, leaving us feeling alone in the darkness?

Mental Illness. What do you experience as you see these words? Fear? Sadness? Shame? Do you or someone you know struggle with this often invisible illness?

An illness whose companions are loneliness and isolation. An illness that is often expensive to treat and doesn’t come with enough support. An illness that car-

Freeing the Stigma of Mental Illness From Its Prison of Shame

My Struggle with Anxiety and Depression and My Mission to Support Others Who are Suffering

By Jessica Tsur

ries shame on its shoulders, leaving those struggling behind closed doors. An illness that forces so many to pretend they are okay, while internally they are losing their will to live.

have something to be embarrassed about. And I refuse to let shame win.

Myname is Jessica. I am a mom of five incredible children. I have been running an athome daycare for 13 years. I run a gemach for women’s and children’s clothing. I’m a regular person, just like you, trying to balance being a mom and a wife, a teacher and an active community member. Trying to live my life to the fullest with meaning and purpose. And I have been diagnosed with panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and clinical depression. And I choose to stand up to the shame – because I’m a pretty awesome person even with these diagnoses.

Shame derives its power from being unspeakable. Shame tells us to hide. Shame convinces us that we

Living with mental illness is hard. I often feel like a prisoner inside of my own brain. Sometimes, basic tasks such as laundry and grocery shopping feel impossible. And the craziest part is, those who

I would beg Hashem to take away this battle that was ripping away at my existence.

don’t know me have absolutely no idea. This is what leaves many of us feeling as if we are the only ones in the world battling these demons.

Growing up as a secular Jew in New Hampshire didn’t offer me the best exposure to Yiddishkeit. Yet, there was always this spark lit deep within connecting me to a religion I knew very little about. From a young age, I tried to wrap my head around why bad things happen to good people. For many of us who struggle with our mental health, we tend to be quite empathetic individuals. We often experience our emotions on grandiose levels. I couldn’t understand the hardships so many were forced to endure, including my own.

While my “illness” didn’t have the term anxiety until I was in my twenties, I was bombarded for years with debilitating symptoms including dizziness, choking sensations, shaking and sweating. As I got older, the anxiety grew more intense. As I began my journey towards Orthodox Judaism, I often felt angry at a G-d I had little connection to. Why would He make me feel so physically sick and doctors would never find anything on an X-ray or MRI? Why did I have to suffer with pain that so many couldn’t understand and at times didn’t even believe. I would beg Hashem to take away this battle that was ripping away at my existence.

Two years ago, I spent a month in a rehabilitation facility in Arizona. I spent a month away from my family, working on gaining more coping skills and building further strength and resilience. It took three days of debilitating social anxiety – not being able to eat or come out of my room – until I had the courage to step out of my comfort zone and start interacting with others. In this environment, people are constantly coming and going. New patients come in; graduates go home.

On Rosh Hashana, a new woman joined our group. She had a head full of dreadlocks, tattoos from head to toe, and appeared quite disheveled. My gut told me she wasn’t someone I would form a close connection with. As we crossed paths later in the day, she rolled up her sleeve to show me a Jewish star tattoo and said, “Shana tova.” I froze. And then we embraced. Tears started pouring down my face. Two Jewish women from completely different worlds, different states, different lifestyles. And yet there was a bond so strong that I had never experienced before. We both struggled with our mental health. We both eagerly wanted to heal. In a rehab facility where rich and poor, young and old, black and white join together to fight through the hardships of mental health challenges. A completely judgement-free zone.

This experience struck a chord deep within me. Why couldn’t we replicate this in our own Jewish communities? We, as Jews, show up for those in pain. We have organizations that service physical illness, infertility, widows and orphans. It’s time we take a stand for the multitude of our fellow brothers and sisters struggling with mental illness.

Over the last few years, I have started to share my mental health journey more and more, through newspaper articles, magazine interviews, podcasts and conversations on park benches. At first, it helped take away the stigma I had within myself. It normalized it for me. Little did I know how many others it would resonate with. And it’s often when my depression is

highest that Hashem will send His little kisses – individuals reaching out who have read my story or heard me speak – moms, teenagers, children of survivors, divorcees, etc. People who understand the hardships of intense anxiety and depression. Many who relate to the constant fears and worry anxiety throws in our laps.

Recently, I had a teenager reach out from London who came across our page on Instagram. She shared how she didn’t want to live anymore. She couldn’t bear the pain of this illness no one seemed to understand. I picked up the phone. We connected, shared similar

group meets weekly for an hour and a half. Between meetings, each group has a WhatsApp chat so members can continue to give each other support after the session is over. We are there to support each other as we try to understand each other’s pain. Of course, confidentiality between members is taken very seriously.

We have created a tribe of healing and understanding.

The criteria to join are as follows:

1. You struggle with anxiety and or depression;

2. You have found the courage to reach out for support;

3. You are aware that being human means experiencing pain and you choose not to go through it alone.

I’d like to share some powerful words from our group members.

“I had always been craving a support group of women who understood mental health challenges. I felt alone and isolated and as if I were the only one suffering. CATCH has become my lifeline now. Meeting weekly with a group of women who really get it normalizes the difficulties I’m facing and provides me with a safe, nonjudgmental space where I feel comfortable. To say that CATCH has been life changing for me would be an understatement.”

experiences, and even had some good laughs. When you realize you aren’t alone walking through the hardships and challenges of life, it truly makes the journey a little less heavy. A burden shared is a burden halved.

I thank Hashem every day for giving me the ability to turn my pain into purpose. While living with mental illness is not easy, I am grateful to see Hashem’s hand in these chal lenges. It opened my eyes to a void within our community. I knew that if I had a place to turn to and people to connect with who shared similar journeys, I would be able to avoid the intense and dangerous feelings of isolation and loneliness. And I was desperate to find it. I didn’t want to connect by phone or email. I wanted pure, raw, intimate connection, in-person connection. And with Hashem’s help, CATCH was born.

Another member wrote, “CATCH is such an important part of my recovery. Having depression and anxiety can be debilitating at times. It helps me to know I’m not alone and that I have a close network of friends to help me through the rough patches. In addition, in the better times, I have a place to go to learn new strategies that help me deal with the normal stuff in life. Without CATCH, I wouldn’t be where I am, today – a functioning person – mother, wife and teacher.”

As more members join, we are hoping to create a Zoom CATCH group in the near future. And we’d like to create a CATCH support group for men and for spouses of those who are struggling.

CATCH stands for Creating A Team of Courage and Hope. We now have in-person clinician-facilitated support groups in the Far Rockaway-Five Towns area where those who struggle come together and support one another. For two years now, we have had two groups running. Each

A favorite quote of mine from Brene Brown is “when we have the courage to walk into our story and own it, we get to write the ending.” My story has just begun. My mental health journey continues to have its ups and downs. Knowing I have people to reach out to, those to hold me up when I feel I can’t do it on my own, makes this journey a smoother ride. These women have become my family. They know firsthand what it’s like to live with mental illness. And sometimes simply sitting with someone in their pain, without answers, without suggestions, just being, is better than any therapy and medication in the world.

For more information on CATCH or to join the CATCH support group, contact Jessica Tsur at 347-433-4742 or info@catchsupport.org.

When you realize you aren’t alone walking through the hardships and challenges of life, it truly makes the journey a little less heavy.

TJH Centerfold

Ram Horn Slogans

Nature’s original curling irons. They put the “wild” in “hairstyle.”

The perfect excuse for never wearing hats.

Because sometimes, subtlety is overrated.

Life is too short for boring hairstyles.

Proof that even animals can have a “bad hair life.”

You Gotta be Kidding Me!

The real inspiration behind “rock and roll” hairdos.

When it comes to headgear, rams have it “horned” down.

When you want to impress with your head, not your words.

Because who needs a personal space bubble when you’ve got built-in antlers?

A police officer in the big city stops a man in a car with a sheep in the front seat.

“What are you doing with that sheep? You should take it to the zoo,” the officer says.

The following week, the same police officer sees the same man with the same sheep in the front seat, with both of them wearing sunglasses. The police officer pulls him over.

“I thought you were going to take that sheep to the zoo!” the officer says.

The man replies, “I did. We had such a good time, we are going to the beach this weekend!”

Ram Trivia

1. What is a ram?

a. Female goat

b. Female sheep

c. Male goat

d. Male sheep

2. Rams are known for their distinctive spiral horns. What is the proper term for these horns?

a. Tusks

b. Antlers

c. Horns

d. Scutes

e.

3. What is the average lifespan of a ram in the wild?

a. 5-7 years

b. 9-12 years

c. 15-20 years

d. 25-30 years

4. What is a group of rams called?

a. Flock

b. group

c. Pod

d. Cluster

5. Which breed of ram is famous for its long, spiraled horns that can reach up to 30 inches in

Riddle Me This

circumference?

a. Suffolk

b. Merino

c. Jacob

d. Corsican

6. What is the primary function of a ram’s horns?

a. To attract mates

b. To defend against predators

c. To store food

d. To keep cool in hot weather

7. Which type of ram is specifically bred for its fine wool, often used in high-quality textiles?

a. Bighorn Sheep

b. Merino Sheep

c. Icelandic Sheep

d. Dorset Sheep

8. What is the term for the act of a ram forcefully striking its head against an opponent’s head during competition for dominance?

a. Butting

b. Bucking

c. Bouncing

d. Barging

What do you call a deer with no eyes?

9. According to history, in what region of the world did the domestication of sheep first occur?

a. North America

b. South America

c. Australia

d. Middle East

Wisdom Key:

7-9 correct: You have a great internal RAM drive!!

4-5 correct: Not bad, but it could be time to free up some memory.

0-3 correct: You are a bit short on data!

Answer: No-eye deer.

Notable Quotes “Say What?!”

So after the White House threw out the global welcome mat, Democratic mayors are now shocked that millions actually showed up.

– Gregg Gutfeld, Fox News

If you advertise that you’re willing to give away a valuable limited resource, a resource that doesn’t really belong to you, then what…do you expect? Free room and board, free health care, free school for your kids? Wow, maybe we should all fly to Mexico City and walk back in. Huh?

– Ibid.

One of his primary insecurities is that he doesn’t want to be perceived as stupid. He has this plagiarism scandal back in the 1980s. So when he walks into an interview, he wants to have mastery of what he’s discussing.

- Biographer Franklin Foer in a “Meet the Press” interview about his new biography on Biden

Ground Zero in New York — I remember standing there the next day and looking at the building… It looked so devastating

– Pres. Joe Biden in his 9/11 remarks, despite records showing that he spent the entire day after the terror attack in Washington, D.C.

Aaron Rodgers is going to tear his Achilles on a rain-drenched MetLife turf in 2.5 hours.

- Tweet by a football fan two and a half hours before the Jets kickoff, in which Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles, ending his season 5 plays into the first game

Aaron Rodgers lasted 1/1584th of a Scaramucci.

- Tweet by Anthony Scaramucci who famously served as Trump’s communications director for 11 days

This order will not do anything to curb gun violence other than punish lawabiding citizens from their constitutional right to self-defense. I have a fact for you: criminals do not follow the law or a public-health order.

– New Mexico Sheriff John Allen, a Democrat, responding to New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) unilaterally suspending open and concealed carry laws for 30 days in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County under the guise of “public health”

Greedy or usurious person.

- Translation of “Jew” in Spain’s official dictionary

They say that Hitler killed the Jews because they were Jews and that Europe hated the Jews because they were Jews. Not true. It was clearly explained that [the Europeans] fought [the Jews] because of their social role, and not their religion.

- Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas

The [Europeans] fought against these people because of their role in society, which had to do with usury, money and so on and so forth.

- Ibid.

When Trump was president [fossil fuel use] went up... He’s so dangerous. This is one of the many tragedies this summer due to climate change. This is the one — the number one existential problem.

- Joy Behar, on “The View,” blaming Trump for The Burning Man festival being cut short due to heavy rainfall

There is ZERO evidence of wrongdoing!!! other than…

Texts

Emails

WhatsApp Messages

Whistleblower Testimony

Hunter’s Laptop

Biden Video re Shokin

Bank Records

Gov’t Docs

Phone Calls

Business Meetings

Statements of Former Partners and Clients

Hunter’s Own Words…

- Tweet by Lee Zeldin

This isn’t about political revenge. We have the bank accounts… You can see that the homes that the Bidens own can’t be afforded on a congressional or a Senate salary.

- Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) at a press conference about the impeachment inquiry into President Biden

You also understand that it’s not normal for family members to receive millions of dollars from overseas interests. Those things aren’t normal. That’s not normal to have 20 shell companies. These things are not normal, and it alludes to not only just widespread corruption, but money laundering, if not influence-peddling itself.

– Ibid.

The American people can’t see that. They think it’s political revenge.

- Reporter, in response

Because you don’t report on it.

- Sen. Perry

The analogy that I was given was that 22 years after Pearl Harbor, U.S. Presidents were not still going to visit Hawaii.

- Fox White House correspondent Steven Doocey reporting on what a White House official told him when he asked why President Biden commemorated 9/11 from Alaska, rather than at the attack sites

What’s maddening is the fact that in New York and Chicago and D.C. and LA and other places, they put out policies self-proclaiming that they are sanctuary cities, and they love to promote these liberal ideologies until they have to actually live up and apply them. It’s clear that the policies of sanctuary cities and letting everybody live for free simply do not work.

- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) on Fox News

Well, the mayor may have made it to be mayor of New York, but he could not last a week in Texas. They have so few migrants in New York compared to what we deal with every single day.

- Ibid.

I don’t know about you, but I’m going to go to bed.

– Pres. Joe Biden at the end of a press conference in Vietnam

I hate Nike! They’re woke!

- Former Yankees pitcher David Wells explaining to the press why he put a piece of tape over the Nike logo on his jersey at Old Timer’s Day

Yesterday, my children and I were violently carjacked in the driveway of our home in Minneapolis. Four very young men, all carrying guns, beat me violently down to the ground in front of our kids.

– Social media post by Shivanthi Sathanandan, vice chairwoman of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and a former vocal supporter of abolishing the police department

Look at my face. REMEMBER ME when you are thinking about supporting letting juveniles and young people out of custody to roam our streets instead of HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS.

– Ibid.

It’s embarrassing, and I feel so bad. Sorry if I embarrassed you and your family and friends… I feel so bad I can’t even tell you.

There seems to be an innate need for religion. Many atheists simply adopt another belief system (e.g. wokeness) that is essentially a religion.

- Tweet by Elon Musk

- “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon apologizing to his staff on a Zoom conference after an expose was published about the toxic work environment that he created

Dating Dialogue What Would You Do If…

Dear Navidaters,

Firstly, I appreciate you allowing a forum to discuss these types of questions anonymously.

I finally got married at the age of 35 B”H and feel very blessed to be in this new stage of life. If I’m honest with myself, though, there are some issues surrounding my in-law’s family that I can’t get past.

I have three young, spry sisters-in-law who are over a decade younger than me and way ahead of me in life. I feel triggered around them constantly. They’re perfect young mothers who married perfect husbands right away with the perfect large young families building their homes. I want to like them, get close with them, and I want to connect with them; I’m just so unbelievably jealous of them, if I’m honest. I hate the feeling at the same time, because I don’t want to be. How can I pull myself out of this? Any advice would be helpful.

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

Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW of The Navidaters

The Panel

The Rebbetzin

Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S.

Methinks you may be suffering from a lack of peers who are at the same age and stage as you are. You don’t have friends who are doing the same things you are doing: beginning married life, managing a home and job, and starting a family. It’s challenging to do these things at any age, but especially when you don’t have confidants who can share tips, insights, and experience.

You are blessed to have these three young sisters-in-law who can serve as an instant peer group. You know they are not perfect ,but they do seem to effortlessly manage a lot with skills you may not have this instant. You yearn for a relationship with them. However, your perception of them as perfect and your own challenges

right now (which are temporary, let me assure you) are standing in the way.

Look at it this way: Hashem gave you this team of three to help you and to share hacks with you. He not only gave you a great husband but a pack of sisters to help you ease into your new life. These are blessings indeed.

You are smart. You picked the right guy. Now continue to be smart and take a few tools from their (and their friends’) toolbox. The feelings of jealousy and inadequacy will melt away. You will be empowered and feel more capable as time goes on.

The Shadchan

Michelle Mond

Mazal tov on your recent marriage! I’m sorry for the pain you are experiencing surrounding your sister-in-laws. You

wanted so badly to be in the stage of life that your SILs are so effortlessly “rocking” in front of your eyes. It is natural to have these feelings when you are around them. There is nothing but time and experience that will help ease the pain and jealousy you feel in your heart. I’m not sure there is anything that can make it go away, but what you can certainly do is work on yourself to view the situation in a different light entirely. Is it possible the sisters-in-law look up to you and are envious of YOU? Look at it from their perspective when you are around them. Their time in the spotlight came and went, but now it is your turn – embrace it. Every first that you experience is one that they have already had!

Being single in a marriage-centered society can leave those who’ve been in it with battle scars after they get out of it. Processing it after the fact with the right person can be very therapeutic and can also help put the past in the past so you are able to focus solely on your amazing future.

The Single

Tzipora Grodko

Welcome to humanity, where your feelings are valid and healthy! Jealousy is super, super difficult to work through, and I think your best option would be to attend therapy to grieve and process your feelings in the healthiest space possible with someone that can be professionally objective to provide you with the space and support you need. Oftentimes, people think we should push away feelings in order to move forward, but the reality is

Engagements

Ezra Strum (Baltimore) & Yummy Entin (Philadelphia)

Shookie (Josh) Jacobs (Monsey) & Rena Lerner (Baltimore)

Leib Klein (Lakewood) & Sara Miriam Goldman (Baltimore)

Moshe Aryeh Ifrah (Baltimore) & Yehudis Loiterman (Toronto)

Jason Ermine (Baltimore) & Rachel Yurowitz (Houston)

Honor your jealousy, listen to it, learn from it.

that we actually need to feel and process in order for the feeling to be released, in order to move forward.

Be patient and compassionate with your process as it takes time, but you’ll get there and then be able to hopefully help someone else one day.

The Zaidy

Dr. Jeffrey Galler

We Orthodox Jews live in a very insular bubble. Our very young women feel tremendous pressure to date seriously and marry early.

According to the Census Bureau, in 1980, the average American woman married at 22; today, the average American woman marries in her late

20s or early 30s. The clear trend in secular society is for women to avoid rushing into marriage.

Consider the advantages of marrying a bit later in life:

According to sociologist Phillip Cohen, “The odds of divorce decrease the older the woman was when she first got married.”

An online financial advisor notes, “For many couples, getting married older allows them to support each other financially, increase their buying power, and provide a larger financial cushion.”

Psychologists like Dr. Aleyna Gündoğdu observe that “women who get married early and give birth cannot focus on their personality growth… Many people focus on their career development and is one of the advantages of delaying marriage.”

Journalist Ankita Banerjee wrote, “… With girls getting higher degrees…more

Pulling It All Together

The Navidaters

Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists

Thank you for writing to the panel! Jealousy is a natural, human feeling. We are all jealous from time to time, some of us a little more and some of us a little less. And it can’t be easy having these three young seemingly perfect sisters-in-law who seem to have arrived before you, and quite easily. This is not easy terrain.

I’m imagining that during your single years you wanted to be married badly. Perhaps those were very hard years. Thankfully, you are married now. And you have these three seemingly young, perfect sisters-in-law who are “ahead of you.” They seem to have what you want and perhaps would have had had you been married younger. This is painful. Let’s not

sugarcoat it or pretend it isn’t.

When we are jealous of someone, we tend to “zoom in” on that aspect of their lives and hyper focus on it. A helpful tool to manage jealousy is to start to “zoom out.” You are focused on your sisters-in-law’s young ages and families. Try zooming out. Try to see their lives in their entirety. Everyone had parts of life that aren’t pleasant, to say the least. Try zooming out to see the entire picture. Try zooming out when it comes to your life, too. This will help you develop a greater appreciation for your life.

Another helpful tool is to remind yourself, as hard as this is, that no one is ahead

and more opt to marry later in life. Millennials, especially, seem to be in little hurry to marry. My mother told me to be financially independent before I tie the knot, and I will tell my kids the same.”

The point here is that there is no right or wrong age at which to get married. Whether voluntarily, or by circumstance, every individual follows a different path in life.

Perhaps the following might help you feel better: Allow your imagination to visualize a fictitious letter that a very young mother might have written to the Navidater column:

Dear Navidaters, My sister-in-law is 35 years old and just got married. I am seething with jealousy.

While I listened to my parents and principals and married one of the first young men who matched all the items on my shidduch checklist, my sister-in-law was able to meet people from different walks of life, before settling on her soul mate.

While I was, and still am, bogged down with dishes and diapers, my sisterin-law was able to travel, complete her

education, and advance in her career.

While my husband and I depend on financial help from parents and my newborn is wearing hand-me-downs from older siblings and cousins, my sister-inlaw is financially secure and can afford whatever her children will need.

Etc., etc.

Okay, perhaps this fictional letter is a bit far-fetched, but you get the idea. Every age and every circumstance is filled with advantages and disadvantages, pluses and minuses. We must be samaiach b’chelko, be content with a half-full cup, and do the best that we can for ourselves and our families.

or behind. Viewing this through a spiritual lens may remind you that your life is exactly as it is supposed to be. There is really no race or contest.

One practical tool to help with jealousy is to build bridges and connections with each sister-in-law. Invite them for lunch or go to the mall or a museum. Grab a coffee. Get to know them as people, separate from their roles as young “perfect” mothers.

Let us honor the fact that we are sometimes naturally jealous of the things we want and don’t have (yet.). Hashem wired us with it. To fight it is silly. Allow it. Accept that you are jealous. Sit with it in complete lack of judgment or trying to rid yourself of it. You would like what they have. Focus on what it is that you want. And imagine yourself having it. It is scary to dream or imagine. But do it anyway.

Dare to imagine yourself with a baby. And think, “What kind of mother do I want to be?” “What will that first moment meeting my child be like?” Dare to imagine yourself with a baby of your own, iy”H. Honor your jealousy, listen to it, learn from it. It is telling you something.

If you absolutely cannot stop thinking about it, and you feel you are having obsessive thoughts that are intrusive and stopping you from enjoying life or your daily functioning, please speak to a therapist and your doctor. Even if the thoughts are not intrusive, speaking to someone may help.

Mazal tov on your marriage! Don’t forget to remember your celebrations and simchas. Mazal tov!

Sincerely, Jennifer

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

Being single in a marriage-centered society can leave those who’ve been in it with battle scars after they get out of it.

Shaking Up the Middle East How Close Are We to a Saudi-Israel Deal?

By Shammai SiSkind

n Monday, August 28, flight HM022 took off from the tiny island nation of Seychelles toward Ben Gurion Airport.

The aircraft was filled with some 130 Israelis all on the final leg of their varied journies back home.

What should have been an uneventful flight across the Indian Ocean and up the Horn of Africa ended up taking an unexpected turn.

Shortly after takeoff, the pilot turned on the PA system.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” explained the capital calmly, “we’re experiencing some technical difficulties with the electrical systems of the aircraft.” The captain quickly reassured the passengers that there was no emergency. However, they would have to make an “unplanned landing at Jeddah International” to undergo some repairs.

The passengers were a bit startled. Did they hear the captain correctly? Their Israel-bound flight was actually going to land in Saudi Arabia? Many of the passengers began panicking, some even breaking down in tears. What would the Saudis do with a plane full of Jews?

How pleasantly surprised they were when, after landing in Jeddah, they received a warm greeting from Saudi officials. “You are most welcome,” said a smiling Saudi man in English as they crossed the airport threshold. All the passengers were politely escorted to accommodations where they would await their replacement flight. It seemed they wouldn’t all be taken hostage after all.

The following morning, all 128 men and women boarded a plane bound for Tel Aviv.

In an official response to the incident, Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked Riyadh for the “warm treatment of the Israeli passengers,” emphasizing that the Kingdom’s “good neighborliness” was very much appreciated.

A Deal Unfolding?

The Seychelles Air incident could not have taken place at a more apropos time. Scores of nervous Israelis being greeted

by the Saudi government with open arms served as an uncanny metaphor for what is actually taking place right now at the diplomatic level.

For months, outlets from news media along with think tanks have been reporting on a U.S.-backed normalization deal developing between Israel and the Saudis. In early August, the Wall Street Journal reported American and Saudi officials negotiating “details of an agreement” they hope to cement within in the near to medium future. The report came less than two weeks after President Biden’s National Security Advisor Jake

Sullivan made a trip to Riyadh to meet with Saudi defense officials. No connection to Israel was mentioned at the time. But subsequent reports of the U.S. brokering talks with Jerusalem solidified the rumors: Sullivan’s trip was merely the first round of face-to-face negotiations on an Israel normalization deal. After weeks of speculation, Washington revealed in early September that another delegation of senior diplomats would soon be traveling to the Kingdom, this time led by White House Middle East czar Brett McGurk and Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf.

Plans for these talks didn’t just spontaneously emerge from the ether. They are the culmination of years of slow and tedious diplomatic advances, steps that have gradually brought the two countries to the verge of an actual deal.

A Not-So-Secret Reconciliation

In a July interview, Benjamin Netanyahu was asked about his approach to pursuing new diplomatic ties.

“Typically, when two nations start a dialogue, the talks take place in secret,” said the Prime Minister. “I like to have them in secret, but out in the open.”

Indeed, for the better part of a decade, it has been an open secret that Israel and the Saudis maintain close communication. Without a doubt, the single most important contributor to opening these back channels has been the increasing aggression of the two

countries’ common enemy, Iran – nothing like a genocidal theocracy to bring folks together.

But the Ayatollahs and their nuclear ambitions aren’t the only factors bridging the gap between Jerusalem and Riyadh. Saudi Arabia has been modernizing at an astounding rate. While it may still resemble a religious dictatorship by Western standards, in many ways, the Saudi Arabia of today is barely recognizable compared to just a few years ago. Sports arenas, theme parks, and European-style cafes are now common features of Saudi cities. The style and fashion of men and women traversing the streets in many places make them indistinguishable from locals in other modern countries. State-backed religious institutions such as the Muṭawwaṭūn, the religious enforcement police, have almost none of the power (or prestige) they used to enjoy. The social change has been coupled with state-level policy shifts in the infrastructural and economic spheres. Today, the Saudi government openly pursues a wide range of heavy industries, commerce, and even renewable energy. While real success in these arenas may still be years away, for the Saudi government, long tethered to the petroleum industry, to even be talking about diversifying its economy is, in a word, remarkable.

These significant changes in the Kingdom are usually attributed to Crown Prince Mohammed, the favored son of the aging King Salman. Several years ago, Salman bequeathed to Mohammed what was essentially carte blanche authority to administer all areas of the state. While Mohammed’s policies have undoubtedly been a powerful force driving evolution in the Kingdom, in many ways, MBS is more of a symptom than a cause. Saudi Arabia has generationally shifted to a more pragmatic society, one that eschews the typical corruption and nepotism that has long characterized the Arab world, seeks to soften the religious extremism of its past, and, most importantly, achieve the advantages of modernity. For a country with these goals, normalization with Israel, the most advanced nation in the region, can be a huge asset.

MBS began initiating meetings with the Israelis in 2015. That year, he met with Israeli officials in private in the beach resort city of Eilat. Two years later, a story was leaked to media outlets that the Prince had met with diplomats from

airspace for a strike on Iran.

The chaos of the Covid era largely halted any major progress on the diplomatic front. The fact that a new American president took office, one with a much colder stance toward both the

loosening of restrictions on American arms sales to the Kingdom. Second is U.S. assistance in constructing a civilian nuclear program. The interest in such a program is well in line with talks of alternative energy coming out of the Saudi establishment for years. Officials in Israel have publicly stated the government would not oppose such a program in Saudi Arabia.

On the Israel side, formal toes with Riyadh would be a monumental political win that would largely signal an end to the contentious dynamics of the Middle East. A deal would lead to recognition from other Muslim-majority countries, such as Indonesia and Malaysia, which are important players in their own right both militarily and economically. Among the more immediate economic benefits, there is one that could have far-reaching effects on the region: a rail line connecting Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the other states in the peninsula.

Jerusalem on the sidelines of an Arab summit in Jordan. It was during this period that Dr. Anwar Eshki, a retired Saudi general, visited Israel, heading a delegation of academics and businessmen. While the visit was not an official one, the delegation was approved by the Saudi government and had the explicit purpose of “encouraging relations” between the two countries. During the presidency of Donald Trump, when efforts to clamp down on Iran enjoyed the full backing of Washington, intelligence sharing between Riyadh and Jerusalem increased exponentially. There were numerous public references to using Saudi

Saudis and Israel, did not help, either. Still, Israel did not abandon its hopes of normalizing with Riyadh. The Saudis, on their part, maintained the same interests, interests they believed could be facilitated by an Israel deal.

The Terms

The dynamics of the U.S.-proposed deal are relatively straightforward: the United States seeks to push the Saudis into peace with Israel in return for several perks. First is security guarantees designed to protect against Iranian encroachment. This would include the

Israel’s Transport Minister Miri Regev has been pushing for similar initiatives since coming into her job. Regev has made several references to a proposal first put forth by one of her predecessors, Yisrael Katz, for connecting the Gulf states to Haifa Port by rail. The idea of an Israel-Saudi rail route plays into the Crown Prince’s ambitious plans for developing Saudi infrastructure, specifically new urban and commercial centers. One mega project already in the works is Mohammed’s “city of the future” Neom, a half-trillion-dollar venture in northwestern Saudi Arabia along the Red Sea coast. Neom’s planned features include a state-of-the-art industrial complex, a global trade hub, tourist resorts, and a linear city powered by renewable energy sources. Imagine: Israel could very well become a gateway to Saudi commerce and a crucial asset to the Kingdom’s economic aspirations. In turn, Israel could shift from an isolated outsider to a much more integrated member of the Middle East.

However, not all aspects of Saudi normalization would be positive for Israel. Closing a deal with Riyadh could come at a cost. Both the Americans and the Saudis are making clear what those costs could be.

Typically, when two nations start a dialogue, the talks take place in secret, said the Prime Minister.

I like to have them in secret, but out in the open.

Strings Attached

The Saudis occupy an important position in the Arab world for several reasons.

Aside from its strategic assets, a GDP nearing close to $1 trillion, its massive oil production, and its influence over the petrol industry through OPEC, the Kingdom also holds substantial religious prominence. After its conquest of the Arabian peninsula in the early 20th century, the House of Saud became the custodian of Islam’s most important holy site in Mecca. It is difficult to overstate how important this is from a political point of view. Saudi Arabia’s spiritual and geopolitical esteem has long made it the “flagship” of the Arab world. Thus, the internal and external pressure to toe the political line has always been immense – especially when it comes to Israel.

Over the decades, the Saudi policy on Israel has remained steadfast: there can be no reconciliation with the Jewish state until the Palestinian issue has been fully resolved. The stubbornness of Arab countries like Saudi Arabia had for years driven Western policy on the Middle East. The key to everything was the Palestinians. Until that was solved, there was no hope of integrating Israel into the region. The Abraham Accords orchestrated by Trump and Netanyahu four years ago put an abrupt end to this myth. While the official stance of the Saudis and many others remained the same, the shock of the Accords did force the region to take some pause: even if the Palestinian issue wasn’t to everyone’s liking, real diplomatic progress with Israel was actually possible.

But while the Saudis’ opinion on Palestine may have shifted, they haven’t abandoned the issue completely. Statements from officials in Riyadh indicate that they will not agree to a deal with Jerusalem that does not include a significant advancement toward Palestinian sovereignty.

Incorporating the Palestinian issue into the deal is not a mere theoretical. The expected visit to Saudi Arabia by U.S. diplomats will overlap with a Palestinian delegation led by the PLO ex-

ecutive committee secretary-general Hussein al-Sheikh, who will lay out what Ramallah is hoping to obtain from a Saudi-Israel normalization deal. According to Israeli officials, the Palestinian Authority is seeking “irreversible” steps that will advance its bid for statehood.

it’s difficult to think the PA actually believes they’re feasible. The notion that the current government of Israel would acquiesce to any of these points is simply ludicrous. Many members of the Knesset are actively pushing to annex Area C as Israeli territory. Handing it over to the

which Israel will not accept. This could very well scuttle, or at least indefinitely postpone, any progress on Saudi normalization.

But much more likely is that little to nothing will emerge at all from upcoming meetings in Riyadh. As Jake Sullivan indicated at a press conference at the end of August, America’s goal at this point is exploring avenues for getting the Saudis interested in a deal. This is an important step to making a deal a reality but a very early one in the overall process. If U.S. diplomats can successfully entice the Saudis, the real talks, possibly even a meeting between Biden and MBS, can then take place. As for the Palestinian participants, they are almost certainly there for the PR. The Saudis – and to some extent, the Americans as well – need to demonstrate that they aren’t trying to completely sidestep the Palestinian issue by pursuing normalization with Israel, so they invited some PLO freedom fighters to the party. Even if the Saudis sympathize with the Palestinian cause in their heart of hearts (which is also doubtful), the PA’s demands are far from their main interests here. The Saudis are much more concerned with whether or not the Americans will build them a nuclear reactor than they are with Palestinian statehood.

These steps include transferring parts of the so-called Area C in Judea and Samaria to Palestinian control. Furthermore, the PA expects the United States to openly push for Palestinian statehood at the United Nations and to reopen its consulate in Jerusalem that historically served Palestinians. Ramallah also expects the U.S. Congress to scrap legislation characterizing the PA as a terror organization. Finally, the PLO delegation will demand the U.S. force Israel to raze a variety of “‘illegal outposts” in order to solidify PA control of the area.

Now, examining these demands,

PA isn’t in their realm of possibility. The idea that the government would even consider the destruction of cities in the West Bank is also laughable.

At the end of the day, however, the Saudis did invite the PA to the table. The Americans also agreed to have them present. This means that there are two possibilities for how these talks will play out: the less probable scenario is that both the Saudis and the Americans take the Palestinian demands somewhat seriously. This would lead to initial proposals released by Washington and Riyadh outlining demands on Israel, demands

It is quite possible the Palestinians have already been told their attendance is just for show. According to Palestinian officials, the delegation’s head, Al-Sheikh, discussed measures with the chief U.S. diplomat Barbara Leaf during a meeting at the end of August and received a largely chilly response. In a similar vein, Israeli media reported that Ramallah is already very skeptical of the meeting in Riyadh. In the words of one Palestinian source: “They [the PA] think normalization is happening with or without us, so they may as well [try to] benefit from it.”

Regardless of the Palestinian issue, there are still crucial points to hammer out if there is any hope of a deal moving forward. As all the stakeholders understand, the most important piece is how much the U.S. is willing to invest to make the Saudis amenable to a deal.

The Saudis are much more concerned with whether or not the Americans will build them a nuclear reactor than they are with Palestinian statehood.

A Healthy and Sweet New Year

By Aliza Beer MS, RD, CDN

As Rosh Hashana approaches, we excitedly anticipate the arrival of the New Year. This festive holiday is a time for reflection, renewal, and gathering with loved ones. While the yom tov table often overflows with delicious traditional dishes, it’s important to craft a balance between indulgence and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Let’s explore practical tips and guidelines for a health-conscious celebration of the chag.

• Bring on Breakfast: Don’t skip the most important meal of the day before heading to shul. This can lead to overeating later in the day. Avoid feeling too hungry before lunch by eating a balanced breakfast that will keep you satisfied and energized. Here are some healthy, not too time-consuming breakfast options:

◊ Greek yogurt : Greek yogurt is a great choice because it is rich in protein and probiotics. Top it with fresh berries, cinnamon, chia and flaxseeds, and some high fiber cere -

al (instead of high sugar granola) for added nutrients and flavor.

◊ Hard-boiled eggs with brown rice cakes : Eggs provide protein and essential nutrients, while rice cakes offer a satisfying crunch. Add a sprinkle of your favorite seasoning or some avocado for healthy fats.

◊ Cottage cheese: Cottage cheese is low in fat and high in protein, making it a great breakfast option. Make it sweet with sliced fruits or savory with tomatoes, other vegetables and crazy salt.

◊ Whole grain pancakes: Make pancakes using whole grain flour or oat flour before yom tov and reheat in your warming drawer. Top with sliced bananas and a spoonful of Greek yogurt.

◊ Quinoa bowl: Quinoa is a protein-rich grain. Cook it as instructions state, and add roasted sweet potatoes, sautéed greens (kale, spinach), and a poached egg. Drizzle with tahini for healthy fats.

◊ Overnight oats: In a cup with a lid/cover, mix steel-cut oats, unsweetened almond milk, chia/ flaxseeds, berries, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and a nut butter. Let it “cook” overnight, and it’ll be ready for you to grab in the morning! Oats are a heart healthy carb, the berries bring the antioxidants, the seeds additional fiber, and the nut butter is your protein: a complete and well balanced breakfast.

• Mind your Meat : Traditionally, Rosh Hashana meals often feature red-meat dishes, such as beef, lamb, or veal, but it’s essential to be mindful of your meat consumption for cardiovascular reasons. A balanced approach is to minimize red meat intake. Ideally, you should avoid consuming red meat for all four meals of the holiday and limit it to no more than once a day during the entire celebration.

◊ Fish: One of your meals should be a fish-based meal, and it’s an excellent idea to schedule it for the

second night of Rosh Hashana, so you are not having red meat twice in one day. Fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for heart health.

◊ Mushrooms : They have a meaty texture and umami taste, which makes it a great substitute for meat in many dishes.

◊ Veggie soups: These are great fillers to use at a lighter, non-fleishig meal.

• Eat the Rainbow : While delicious potato kugel and other carb-rich dishes are an integral part of the chag, it’s equally important to prioritize healthy sides. If one is washing and consuming challah or sourdough at each meal, most of your sides should be vegetables. Try to incorporate a colorful array of veggies, such as broccoli, peppers, eggplant, green beans, etc., and salads into your menu. Healthy carb sides could be roasted sweet potato fries, which offer a sweet and savory twist, or butternut squash, a vibrant source

of vitamins and fiber. Cauliflower rice, zoodles (zucchini noodles), hearts of palm pasta, and spaghetti squash are excellent low-carb alternatives that can complement your main dishes beautifully. These sides will give you the satiety and satisfaction that comes from pasta, without the extra calories.

• Delectable Desserts: Indulging in dessert is a beloved part of any holiday celebration, and Rosh Hashana is no exception. However, it’s crucial to exercise moderation. Enjoy dessert once a day, preferably during the lunch meal. At night, as the body prepares for rest, insulin sensitivity tends to decrease. This means that your cells become less responsive to insulin, a hormone responsible for regulating blood glucose levels by facilitating the uptake of glucose into cells. When you eat food late at night, especially foods high in carbohydrates, your body may struggle to efficiently process glucose. As a result, blood sugar levels can remain elevated for an extended period, which is a risk factor for conditions like insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Savor the sweetness of the holiday without going overboard.

• Hydration : Staying adequately

hydrated is not only essential for overall well-being but can also be a valuable ally in managing your food intake. Often, our bodies can confuse thirst with hunger, leading us to reach for unnecessary snacks or larger portions. By prioritizing regular water intake throughout the day, you can help differentiate between true hunger and thirst, ultimately making more mindful and healthier

with loved ones while staying active.

• Challah Alternatives: Consider trying alternatives to challah, like matzoh or sourdough bread. These options offer unique flavors and textures, and are sugar-free, all the while providing a different twist to your Rosh Hashana meal.

• Don’t Heap on the Honey : Honey is a significant symbol during

time to reevaluate your health goals. This fresh start can serve as a source of motivation to prioritize your well-being. Remember that holidays are not solely about food; they are also an opportunity to connect with family and friends, reflect on the past year, and set intentions for the year ahead. By following these health-conscious guidelines, you can strike a balance between enjoying traditional holiday foods and maintaining your commitment to a healthy lifestyle. As you gather around the table and share the sweetness of the season, remember that the true essence of Rosh Hashana lies in the love and connections you nurture with your family and friends.

Wishing all of my readers a kesiva v’chasima tova , a happy and healthy new year!

food choices. Naturally flavored water, such as Hint , is an okay option as well.

• Stay Active: With all the time spent sitting in shul and around the dining table during Rosh Hashana, it’s essential to incorporate physical activity into your daily routine. Take a walk every day to burn off some calories and maintain your energy levels. A family stroll is an excellent way to spend time

Rosh Hashana, representing sweetness for the coming year. While honey is a natural and unprocessed sugar, it is still calorie-dense. Be mindful not to overdo it. A little drizzle of honey on your apple or challah is a good touch, but excessive consumption can add unnecessary, and sometimes unexpected, calories.

Rosh Hashana marks the beginning of the New Year, making it a perfect

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

A Changed Yom Tov

By Sara Rayvych, MSEd

It’s Rosh Hashana and a time when we take a serious look at our previous year, what we desire for the future and an honest cheshbon of ourselves. It’s really intense and can be overwhelming. Some may find this internal search to be disheartening or even upsetting. Perhaps we didn’t accomplish our goals or, even worse, feel we had a decline. Maybe it was a really difficult and painful year. Some years truly are more challenging than others, and it can be hard to reflect upon those experiences.

It’s a gift that once a year we are forced

to reevaluate ourselves and our life, but it can come with intense emotions. It’s easy to focus on “dip the apple in the honey” but more complicated to ask ourselves, “Did I improve as an individual and am I a better parent than this time last year?”

The truth is, we all make wonderful goals for ourselves, yet we rarely can live to the high standards we’ve mentally set. Perhaps we’ve made grandiose plans for what we expect from our spouse or children, and they, too, haven’t reached that bar. I will briefly mention the important fact that we can never change others, only

ourselves. What we can do is be the support and encouragement others need as they work on their own challenges.

Successfully Changing

We tend to underestimate the importance of small changes, and it’s such a shame since slow and gradual change is more likely to be enduring. Additionally, when we don’t value the minor adjustments we make, we can easily feel overwhelmed and give up. Rather, when we can appreciate each small step, we are encouraged to progress ever further.

Many children and teens judge their accomplishments based on the opinions of others. If others see what they did as valuable, then they will, too. But, if those around them denigrate what they did, they may no longer value their hard work.

If this is true with their peers, it’s certainly the case when it comes to their trusted adults. It’s disheartening for a child to work so hard yet go unnoticed. Children crave their parents’ love and approval. They want us to take pride in their actions, and they eagerly await that special smile from us. They thrive from receiving that eagerly anticipated compliment but get hurt when it doesn’t appear.

It’s so easy to focus on the obvious negatives, but the world is a happier place when we learn to see the positives. I know that sounds “Pollyannaish,” but it’s important in parenting. A child may have trashed their room yet shared their favorite toy with a sibling. We can be mechanech on the negative and insist the bed-

room be cleaned, but we shouldn’t ignore the generosity towards a brother/sister. Sometimes improvement can be seen by the lessening of a negative. It’s an impressive accomplishment if a toddler exercises self-control and switches from hitting to yelling at the baby. We don’t want to ignore the yelling, but it’s helpful to acknowledge the child’s efforts. Perhaps a teen has decreased the number of times they speak with chutzpah. Please note that I’m not condoning or encouraging any of these negative behaviors. It’s our desire to get rid of the bad middos and that makes it so crucial for us to do so with seichel.

Growing Parents

We are role models for our children, and we set the tone for their current and future yomim noraim. When they see that we value our personal development and take this time seriously, they will associate yomim tovim as important times that require introspection and emotional preparations. If they see us focused exclusively on the externals, we risk them doing the same.

As parents, we, too, are working to better ourselves. I hear so many parents frustrated by the mistakes they make while not appreciating the areas they’ve improved. We need to recognize and take pride in our growth while taking an honest look at areas in which we can be better. If we only see the negative, we can become disheartened and not see the value in our efforts.

When we are needlessly hard on ourselves, we also risk our children thinking that personal growth requires beating oneself up, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Someone who is depressed or feeling down is less likely to be capable of maintaining meaningful change.

We need to be realistic when setting our goals and not take on too much, which is a recipe for disaster. A small, but enduring change is ultimately more meaningful than a large goal that gets tossed by Tzom Gedalia.

Supporting Our Children

We can’t make our kids be successful students, better people or more obedient. Once they’re out of their toddler years, there is very little you can legally do to “make them do” whatever it is we want. They, too, have free will, and it’s up to them whether or not they use that gift wisely.

Does this mean we should do nothing?

Certainly not. Our role isn’t to force, guilt or shame but to love, guide and encourage. We may feel this is insufficient, but experience has shown that the appropriate support can be very powerful in helping others improve and meet their goals. We can see how powerful emotion-

al support can be by how many women post-birth have said they couldn’t have done it without their husbands. Biologically speaking, she completely could have done every step of those nine months and childbirth without his help. But, you can’t compare the physical and emotional differences between a woman with a supportive husband and one whose husband

sometimes it’s a very fine line.

Meaningful Yom Tov

Despite the similarity in minhagim, yomim tovim look different for each individual. We have how we think Rosh Hashana should look – in shul for hours of meaningful prayers, enhanced by the timeless melodies unique to this time. For

ents will bring children to shul that aren’t ready, making the children and the mispallelim suffer together. Other parents may stay home with their young ones but feel guilty about it or unfulfilled.

Prior to the holy day, it can help to realistically assess what we can do to maintain the spirit of the day, with the understanding that parents need to be flexible and plans may change. Our goals may include shul, being at home davening, or even playing a relaxing game with a rambunctious and emotionally needy toddler. Some may laugh at the last example, but seeing to our beloved children’s needs is no less important; they are precious children to Hashem, too. We should try to avoid feeling guilty for meeting their needs and doing our best.

ignored her. For many women, their husband’s support has made a tremendous difference. Similarly, a child who has a parent lovingly encouraging them and guiding them as they meet each challenge will have an easy, more successful path.

Many parents may find it helpful to periodically take the time to contemplate their child’s needs. The next question is how we can most effectively assist them without overwhelming them or creating feelings of inferiority. I won’t deny that

many, this is exactly how their holiday appears, and it’s truly beautiful. Others may find their day is very different. Perhaps they have young children who can’t attend shul all day – or at all. Maybe they have someone else that requires their attention or they simply can’t focus for hours on end.

As parents, we may sometimes need to judge ourselves by a different metric. It can be a hard adjustment from praying in shul to davening at home. Some par-

I want to wish all of Klal Yisroel a meaningful Rosh Hashana and an incredible year to come. May Hashem grant us good health, success in all we do and nachas from our precious children.

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

Our role isn’t to force, guilt or shame but to love, guide and encourage.

A Simply Good New Year

By Rivky kleiman

Cubed Firecracker Salmon

inspired by the ever-popular fire poppers sauce, i decided to give it a try and expand on the craze. nestled on a bed of angel hair pasta, these nuggets are truly fabulous.

Ingredients

1½-2 lb. skinless salmon fillet, cut into 1-inch cubes

Firecracker Sauce

2-4 Tbsp sriracha, as per your heat preference

¼ cup dark brown sugar

¼ cup honey

3 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce

3 cloves garlic, crushed

½ tsp sea salt

Angel Hair Pasta Salad

16 oz. angel hair pasta, prepared according to package directions

½ cup sesame oil

½ cup low sodium soy sauce

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp hot chili flavored oil or 2½ tsp olive oil + 1-1½ tsp hot sauce

¼ cup sugar

1 tsp black sesame seeds + additional for garnish Scallions or chives, for garnish

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Combine firecracker sauce ingredients in a resealable bag or bowl. Reserve a few tablespoons of sauce for basting post-baking. add salmon cubes to sauce; toss to coat. marinate for 30 minutes.

3. meanwhile, prepare the angel hair pasta salad: in a large bowl, combine sesame oil, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, chili oil, sugar, and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds. add prepared angel hair pasta to the dressing. Toss well to combine. Set aside.

4. Place salmon cubes on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. Baste with reserved sauce.

To assemble: Place a small mound of angel hair pasta in the center of each plate. nestle 3 salmon cubes over pasta. Garnish with a light sprinkling of sesame seeds and scallions. Serve at room temperature.

Velvety Mushroom Leek Soup

a s a self-proclaimed and unabashed mushroom lover, i proudly say this is one of my all-time favorites. The creamy, velvety texture has a depth of flavor that is outstanding. Coupled with roasted garlic in a creamy base, the earthy mushroom tones make this the epitome of a true mushroom experience.

Ingredients

1 head garlic

4 Tbsp olive oil, divided

Sea salt, to taste

Black pepper, to taste

24 oz. shiitake mushrooms, or mushroom of choice, sliced

3 Tbsp kosher salt, divided

2 leeks, white and light green parts only, washed and sliced

4 large shallots, thinly sliced

½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper + more for garnish, optional

1 tsp umami powder, optional

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

4 cups water

4 cups nondairy milk

Crispy Mushroom Croutons

3½ oz shiitake mushrooms or mushroom of choice, sliced

2 Tbsp olive oil

kosher salt, to taste

Black pepper, to taste

2 Tbsp teriyaki sauce

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a small piece of foil.

2. Slice off and discard the top of the head of garlic. Place garlic head in the center of prepared foil. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil; sprinkle with sea salt and pepper to taste. Seal foil around garlic; place in a muffin tin or a pan. Bake for 30 minutes.

3. in an 8-quart pot, over medium-high heat, heat remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. add mushrooms; stir until they release their moisture. Raise heat; stir until most of the moisture is absorbed. add 1 tablespoon salt, stirring to combine. Stir in leeks and shallots.

4. Pop out the roasted garlic cloves by pushing upward from the bottom of the head. add garlic to the pot. Stir; cook for 7 minutes. add remaining 2 tablespoons salt, black pepper, and umami powder, if using. Stir in balsamic vinegar, water, and nondairy milk. allow soup to reach a low boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 20 minutes.

5. meanwhile, prepare the mushroom croutons: in a 1-quart pot over medium heat, heat olive oil. add mushrooms. let mushrooms sweat for 3-4 minutes until they release their liquid. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Raise heat; stir mushrooms until all liquid is absorbed and mushrooms are slightly crispy. add teriyaki sauce; stir until completely combined. Set aside.

6. Remove soup pot from heat. Use an immersion blender to puree soup. Sprinkle with additional black pepper, if desired, to garnish. Top with mushroom croutons.

Note: This soup is freezer friendly.

Common Cents Health Savings Accounts: The Tax Hero Hiding in Plain Sight

By Elliot Pepper, CPA, CFP®, MST

Healthcare is one of the biggest expenses in retirement. Medicare doesn’t cover everything, and healthcare costs tend to increase over time. Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) were created to help people put aside money for the expense of healthcare in retirement – and thanks to inflation, they can now be even more beneficial. HSAs have always been an excellent way to accumulate a growing pool of funds that can be used for healthcare expenses later in life. Because the annual contribution amounts are tied to the inflation rate, the increase in the annual contribution limit for 2023 was significant, increasing approximately 5.5% over the 2022 contribution limits.

These accounts allow individuals and families to accumulate savings in a “triple-tax-advantaged” way:

• Contributions are in pre-tax dollars, so they lower taxable income in the year they are made

• Accounts grow tax-free

• There are no taxes on withdrawals as long as they are spent on qualified expenses

• What Is a Health Savings Account?

HSAs are a type of savings or investment account that allows money to be put away before taxes and then used for qualified medical expenses. These include deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, long-term care, and other healthcare costs. HSAs were

created to be paired with high deductible health plans (HDHP), and this type of health care plan is required to be eligible to contribute to an HSA. An HDHP usually has a lower monthly premium in exchange for a higher annual deductible.

What are the benefits?

Saving in an HSA has benefits now and in retirement. Contributions can often be made through your workplace with before-tax payroll deductions. You can take a tax deduction if you choose to fund an HSA with after-tax dollars.

While you can use your HSA for current medical costs, if you don’t draw on your HSA before retirement, you create the potential to maximize the power of compounding. The account grows tax-free, and when you withdraw funds in retirement for qualified medical expenses, the funds aren’t taxed as income, like those in other tax-advantaged accounts.

While you may change jobs and health insurance providers, the HSA is your account and is unaffected.

The funds in an HSA never expire and can even become part of your estate plan.

What Are the Contribution Limits?

The contribution limits are linked to inflation, so the increase for 2023 was significant. Individuals who have self-only insurance coverage and a high-deductible health care plan can contribute up to

$3,850. Family coverage is eligible for a contribution of up to $7750. There’s also a $1,000 catch-up contribution for those aged 55 and above.

How Do They Work?

The list of qualified medical expenses is extensive and includes things like acupuncture, doctor visits, psychological therapy/psychiatric care, hearing aids, and prescription drugs, among other things. You’ll need to keep receipts, but the accounts are often online and may even provide you with a debit card.

If you select an investment account, you’ll have investment options to choose from. These options may have fees associated with them, and the accounts themselves may have fees, but there’s a lot to choose from, and finding lower-cost options is possible.

Are There Any Limitations?

Just like other tax-advantaged accounts, if you don’t follow the rules, you may be hit with a tax penalty. If you withdraw funds from your HSA before age 65, either for non-medical costs or unqualified medical costs, you’ll have to pay the federal income tax on the amount and pay a 20% tax penalty.

If you are 65 or over and take out funds for non-medical or unqualified medical costs, you still have to pay the federal income tax on the amount, but you won’t get hit with the 20% tax penalty.

The Bottom Line Health Savings Accounts are a way to save and invest money for one of the biggest expenses in retirement. The amounts you can contribute are significant, and it may make sense to consider opening an account or increasing your contribution to an existing account.

Common Cents is now digital on YouTube @CommonCents613

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

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

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BECOME A “KULCHEM” JEW!

By Rabbi Moshe Dear Executive Director, Baltimore Bikur Cholim

We are currently in the midst of the intense period of the year when we are in the process of serious introspection, reflection, and selfimprovement. We know that the Yom HaDin is upon us, and we pray for a sweet, healthy, and successful year for ourselves and our loved ones. Fully aware that there are no guarantees regarding the outcome of our “din”, we seek zechusim with which to put ourselves in the best position for a Shana Tova.

Allow me to suggest an important idea that has been put forward by our gedolim over the millennia.

We read in last week’s parsha, “ATEM NITZAVIM HAYOM KULCHEM…RASHAYCHEM, SHIVTAICHEM, ZIKNAICHEM…TAPCHEM, N’SHEICHEM ETC.”- You are all standing together today… your leaders, tribes, elders…children, wives etc. The Zohar says that the word HaYom refers to THE day

of Rosh HaShana. Rav Yechezkel Levenstein ZTL asks- We know, as the gemara informs us, that we are judged as individuals, as sheep making its way into the corral. Why then the word “Kulchem- All of you together”? Additionally, why does the verse say “Kulchem” if it then delineates the different categories of people?

Our Rabbis tell us that the Torah here is informing us of an invaluable and powerful suggestion with which to approach Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur, and that is to become a Kulchem- Jew! A Kulchem-Jew is part of the klal, a vital member of the community, a giver and a contributor. The Kulchem- Jew enlarges his/her “circle of concern”, finding ways to become essential in the lives of others. The Kulchem-Jew seeks ways to help and become an inspiration in the lives of others.

Allow me to suggest a meaningful way you can become a Kulchem-Jew this year and become essential in the

lives of hundreds of fellow Jews. Become a Bikur Cholim volunteer or a Bikur Cholim supporter!

Our community Bikur Cholim helps and supports many hundreds of people each week by providing meaningful visitation in all our area hospitals and homes, providing delicious,

fresh meals to patients and their families, providing transportation for the elderly and others so they can make it to their doctor and therapy sessions. Bikur Cholim volunteers stock and fully maintain hospitality rooms in our local hospitals, providing some respite and fresh snacks and meals for families visiting their loved ones. There are so many ways you can join our cadre of Bikur Cholim volunteers and become a Kulchem- Jew, bringing hope and kindness to those in need. If you are not in a positon to volunteer, please consider becoming a Kulchem -Jew by sponsoring one of our programs such as our hospitality rooms or our maintained and stocked apartments for out of town families, here to receive life-saving procedures.

I wish everyone a Ksiva Va’chasima Tova armed with the merit of becoming a mighty Kulchem Jew!

To become a Bikur Cholim volunteer, call 410 999 3700 ext. 102

To sponsor a program, call ext. 107

CONGRATULATIONS TO LAST EDITION’S RAFFLE WINNERs!

Esther S, 4

Esther Gittel Shafranovich, 10

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D. Hastings, 5

Chayala Liebes, 7

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Amiel Kermaier

A.D Fuentes, 4

Molly Moskowitz, 7

Eliana Leeba Chernitzky, 9

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U.N Fuentes, 5 Tehilla Rosenbaum, 6 Shua Richter, 8 Shoshana Trachtenberg, 5

Shmueli Goldstein

Shlomo Wecker, 10

Sarah Weiner, 10

Sarah Heinemann, 8 Rivka Rosenbaum, 6

Rena Kerman, 5

Pearly Kiewe, 7

Meshulom Knopf, 5

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Leo Orner

Leah K Eli Saposnik, 5

Bracha Dina Salazar, 6

Ari Rosenbaum, 6

A.M Fuentes, 7

School of Thought

By Etti Siegel

Q:Dear Etti, At what point is my child supposed to recognize the letters of the alphabet? He sings the alphabet song but does not know any letters, even though I point them out. He is just starting the 4-year-old program in school, so we have this year before they really learn to read.

Other children he plays with seem to recognize the letters, and it is making me worried.

Any advice?

-Befuddled over ABCs

A:Dear Befuddled over ABCs, I remember once watching an educational video of Dr. Rick Lavoie holding up a watch. He asked his audience, “What is this?” Everyone answered, “A watch.” He turned it sideways. Again he asked his audience, “What is this?” Everyone answered, “A watch.” He turned it the other way and again asked, “What is this?” Again everyone answered, “A watch.”

He then held up the lowercase letter b. “What is this?” Everyone answered “b.” He turned it different ways, and suddenly the b was the letter d, the letter p, or the letter q.

It can be so confusing!

The ABCs have meaning because adults (many years ago) agreed that these written symbols represent sounds used in our spoken language.

There is a lot to absorb, and your child may need a little more focused learning to understand the correlation between the letters and the sounds they make. Until the age of three, children are making sense of the world around them and putting words to the things they see. If he is still three, it might still be okay that

he does not recognize the letters. HandsOnAsWeGrow.com has 50 alphabet activities for you and your preschooler to make letter recognition fun.

Facts are: “About 20 percent of children can recognize a few letters by age 3, often the letter that starts his or her own first name as well as other letters contained within the name. You may also notice that some of your child’s scribbles are starting to look like letters, especially the first letter of his or her name.

“By the time children are older (4 years old and up), 60 percent know more than half of the uppercase letters and five to 10 lowercase ones. About 30 percent can recognize all letters, both upper and lower.” (pbs.org)

Speak to the preschool director and ask if you should be doing anything differently.

What is the concern?

We are always on the lookout for struggling readers, because the earlier we catch any issues, the more we can intervene, so the child does not have to suffer. (School is all about reading. It is real suffering to a child when they look around and see everyone else seems to be able to read and they cannot.)

“The specific signs of dyslexia, both weaknesses and strengths, in any one individual will vary according to the age and educational level of that person. The fiveyear-old who can’t quite learn his letters becomes the six-year-old who can’t match sounds to letters and the

fourteen-year-old who dreads reading out loud and the twenty-four-year-old who reads excruciatingly slowly. The threads persist throughout a person’s life.” (Reading Rockets, Clues to Dyslexia in Early Childhood)

Overcoming Dyslexia: A New and Complete Science-Based Program for Reading Problems at Any Level points out that usually, the issues begin with delayed language.

Once a child begins talking, we look for:

Difficulty learning (and remembering) the names of letters in the alphabet Seems unable to recognize letters in their own name Doesn’t recognize rhyming patterns like cat, bat, rat Mispronounces familiar words; persistent “baby talk” A family history of reading and/or spelling difficulties (dyslexia often runs in families)

Interestingly, even as they avoid trying to read, and seem stubborn about applying proper effort, many children who struggle with reading are strong in other ways. They have high levels of curiosity and a great imagination, are eager to embrace new ideas, usually display surprising maturity, have a large vocabulary and enjoy using it, and have excellent comprehension skills for stories read to them or told to them.

The earlier we can catch the issues, the more we can help; so kudos for realizing that you need to check into this!

Wishing you a 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.

We are always on the lookout for struggling readers, because the earlier we catch any issues, the more we can intervene, so the child does not have to suffer.

Your Money Workingman’s Blues

By Allan Rolnick, CPA

Turn the dial on the Wayback Machine to September 5, 1882. Most Americans work 12 hours per day, seven days per week, often in physically demanding jobs under unsafe conditions. “Helicopter parenting” doesn’t exist yet because the kids are working in factories, farms, and mines. A group of 10,000 men risk their jobs on a one-day strike to demand higher wages, shorter days, and a ban on prison labor. The New York Times reports, “The barrooms were never more resplendent” and adds that “liquidly, the first celebration of Labor Day may go down to history as an unqualified success.” Six years later, President Grover Cleveland signed a bill declaring Labor Day a national holiday.

Today, few Americans work 40 hours a week, and employers are experimenting with four-day weeks. Millions have ditched their commute for Zoom. Labor Day is mostly about barbecues, sales, and last-minute summer celebrations. And while you may thank Washington for the protections that make work less work, you may not realize that the tax code continues to throw shade at the workingman. That’s because there are two very different sets of rules for the income we earn from capital and the income we earn from labor.

“Capital” pays you for owning things. This includes the interest and dividends you earn in your investment accounts, the rents you earn from your real estate, and the gains you earn when you sell something for a profit. Much of this is taxed at ordinary income rates, ranging up to 37% plus a 3.8% net investment income tax.

yourself in the form of self-employment tax. If you collect a paycheck, you’ll pay half of it in the form of FICA. All of that is on top of your regular income tax.

The bottom line here is that the rich guy who makes his living collecting stock dividends and renting houses and apartments pays a smaller percentage of tax on

ried interest,” which lets hedge fund and private equity fund managers avoid employment tax and pay capital gains rates on most of their income. There are only about 5,000 Americans who can squeeze through that loophole. But they include some of the highest-earning people in the country, like Citadel Fund founder Ken Griffin, who made $4.1 billion in 2022 alone. Donald Trump and Joe Biden have both called for slamming that door shut. And when was the last time those guys agreed on anything? If we still had peasants with pitchforks and torches, this is the sort of thing that would get them storming the castle in no time flat.

And some are taxed at special, lower rates, like 20% for qualified corporate dividends and long-term capital gains.

In contrast, “labor” pays you for the work you do. This includes salaries and wages you earn working for The Man, and income you earn from running your own business. That pot gets hit with an employment tax of 15.3% on your first $160,200 of income, plus 2.9% on anything above that. If you work for yourself, you’ll pay it

his income than the working man who generates those corporate profits and pays those rents. Billionaire Warren Buffett has said for years that he pays less tax than his secretary. Employment tax is a big part of that problem, along with the lower rates on the dividends and long-term gains that make up most of his income.

Wanna get really fired up after this Labor Day holiday? Treasury regulations define a special kind of income called “car-

If you run your own business, you may be paying more employment tax than you need to pay. And regardless of how you earn your income, Labor Day marks the start of the official tax-planning season. Dust off those decorations, warm up Spotify’s “Tax Season Songs” playlist, and call us to see if you can pay less this year!

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

If we still had peasants with pitchforks and torches, this is the sort of thing that would get them storming the castle in no time flat.