David Chernin
AG Wigs Helen Abelesz Blue Thread Marketing Netanel Buta YOU CAN David Chernin COUNT ON OUR Shimon Cohen Nachum Eilberg Rachel Factor Minda Garr Richard Gussow Jerry Hyman Ari Katz Tzvi Lefkowitz David Litke Moshe Orman Rechavia Dental Center Restorno Dr. Bo Rosenblat Ilan Rubinstein Karen Wolfers-Rapaport Moshe Wilshinsky
Shimon Cohen
Bizness Magazine Anniversary!
EXPERTS
M A G A Z I N E SHARING THE MIRACLE OF SUCCESS Greater Jerusalem Area www.biznessmagazine.com Circulation: 21,000 copies AUGUST 2015
Jerry Hyman
Get the Fitness Results You’ve Always Dreamed of
Ilan Rubinstein
Buy or Sell your Home Painlessly We Save the Property Owner Money and Aggravation
Congratulations
Do I Really Need Insurance?
on entering your 5th year!!!
Nachum Eilberg
At Your Service: Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall Painting
Richard Gussow
SHOWROOM GRAND OPENING
Do you have a Personal CFO?
Restorno
I Do Not Need a Home Decorator
Helen Abelesz
Change the Atmosphere in Your Home
Dr. Bo
Fact or Fiction: Weight Loss Myths Unveiled
Exclusive Interview with
Miriam Goldshtein
Netanel Buta Pergolas 101
Minda Garr
Forgive and Forget
David Litke
Wisely Preparing For the Golden Years
DESIGN
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contents AUGUST 2015
EXPERTS 08 Keeping a Close Watch While You are Afar 09 Pergolas for the porch - Enjoy the sun and stay in the shade 10 Painting by Season 11 Talking Instagram Tachlis For Kiruv and Education 14 “It’s great to help people, opening up for them the door of opportunity” 16 “I realized that my mission in life was to bring the Jews home.” 18 Social Ease is Only a Thought Away 19 Are all LEDs Created Equal?
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20 “Trapped” 24 Setting it Straight: Popular Weight-Loss Myths Demystified 25 The Power of Forgiveness 28 But I do not need a decorator 31 Insurance: Who Needs It?! 32 Do You Have a Personal CFO? 35 When Does Your ‘Fixed Rate’ Mortgage Interest Rate Actually Get Fixed? 36 Do I Really Need to Floss? 38 A Blueprint for Retirement 42 Stressed? Don’t take it out on your family!
Bizness Magazine
M A G A Z I N E SHARING THE MIRACLE OF SUCCESS
Editor in Chief Ariel Topf Business Development Yisroel Meir Simon Chief Designer Adam Ram Editorial Manager Aviva Sapir Contributing Editors Naomi Isaacson, Daniel Price, Chayale Saibil Contributing Writers Helen Abelesz, Netanel Buta, Shimon Cohen, Tomer Cohen, Jean-Luc Dascotte, Nachum Eilberg, Rachel Factor, Minda Garr, Richard Gussow, Mordecai Holtz, Nati Journo, Ari Katz, David Litke, Nofar Nissan, Bo Rosenblat, David Schlussel, Moshe Wilshinsky, Dave Wolf, Karen Wolfers-Rapaport Advertising Chaya Hyams Graphic Artists Aliza Sokol How to reach Bizness Magazine Advertising
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Bizness Magazine is published by Bizness Magazine Ltd. Bizness Magazine considers its sources reliable. However, reporting inaccuracies can occur, consequently readers using this information do so at their own risk. Each business opportunity and/or investment inherently contains certain risks. It is suggested that prospective business people, potential patients and clients, and all readers consult their doctors, attorneys and/or financial advisors before applying any of the information that is publish in this magazine. Bizness Magazine makes content available with the understanding that the publisher is not rendering legal services or financial advice, business advice, medical advice or any other type of advice. Editorial content, articles and interviews may be paid advertising. Bizness Magazine does not endorse or recommend any products or professionals. Although persons and companies mentioned herein are believed to be reputable, neither Bizness Magazine or its publisher, parent company, nor any of its employees, sales executives or contributors accept any responsibility whatsoever for their activities. We assume no responsibility for unsolicited material. Manuscripts, artwork and photographs must be accompanied by stamped, self-addressed envelopes. We reserve the right to publish in whole or in part all letters received by us. All letters, sent to Bizness Magazine will be considered the property of the Magazine. All remarks, suggestions, ideas, creative concepts, graphics, or other information communicated through this magazine or otherwise sent to its publisher (together the ‘Submission’) will forever be the exclusive property of Bizness Magazine., who will not be required to treat the Submission as confidential, and will not be liable for any use or disclosure of the Submission, and need not provide any compensation or acknowledgement for the Submission. Under no circumstances shall Bizness Magazine, or its affiliates, subsidiaries, or related companies and web sites, be liable for any damages whatsoever (including, but not limited to direct, incidental, consequential, indirect or punitive damages), harm, or injury that relate to, arise out of, or result from the use of, or access to, or the inability to use, any of the materials of this magazine, or are caused by any failure of performance, error, omission, interruption, defect or delay in printing. Bizness Magazine is printed in Israel and all rights are reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher.
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Letter from the Editor
Happy BIRTHDAY Bizness Magazine!!!
W
e are now entering our fifth year in business! One of our goals is to help olim in the difficult task of earning a parnasah in Eretz Israel. We are helping people grow their businesses in a way that they never saw before. This provides them with the stability to deal with all the other challenges related to establishing oneself in another country. This growth allows them to hire other olim who are much in need of jobs. The income that they generate gets spent in other businesses in the community generating a cycle of prosperity. In addition, it encourages other olim who witness their success and ultimately it motivates people from around the world to seriously consider making aliyah. Another one of our important goals is to service the Anglo community as a whole by producing an attractive, interesting and easy to read magazine that is packed with valuable and credible information in almost every field provided by top professionals of our community. This year, we successfully launched in Bet Shemesh a new magazine concept called the Bizness Mall. The Bizness Mall is a virtual mall on paper. Among other exciting features, this mall has its own currency and it’s full of stores and businesses offering their best deals in a new and creative way. To expand this exciting model throughout the country, we are currently interviewing entrepreneurs who want to succeed with us by owning and running their own mall in selected locations. Interested parties in Jerusalem and the rest of the country can contact us at mall@biznessmag.com Thanks to all advertisers and readers for making Bizness Magazine what’s possibly the most widely read English magazine in the country. Wishing you a safe, peaceful and productive summer. Ariel Topf ariel@biznessmag.com
Ariel has built several companies on three continents in the fields of internet, retail, wholesale, franchising, direct sales, high-tech, employment, food manufacturing, food supplements, clothing manufacturing, pet nutrition, personal development, restaurants, advertising and publishing. In this process, Ariel has headhunted, hired, trained and managed over 20,000 individuals. Among other ventures, Ariel heads BiznessPro, a business consulting division dedicated to help companies and entrepreneurs who are serious about success. (www.biznesspro.com).
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Expert Welcome David Chernin to our team of experts!
PM
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
Keeping a Close Watch While You are Afar Interview with David
Chernin, C.E.O. Zedek Group
Q. When did you start Zedek Group and what was the inspiration? A. We started as a husband-wife team in 2009 as “Trusted Property Management” managing a couple of apartments while I was learning in yeshiva. As new olim it was a great time in our lives, but we realized that soon we would need some real parnassah. Our clients kept referring their friends to us. Within a couple of years we had set up a real business with several divisions, under the umbrella of Zedek Group. Q. What is the need for property management? A. Every homeowner knows a property needs constant care and maintenance. There are 1001 ways a property can be jeopardized. A responsible property manager can mitigate damage. Just like one would purchase health or auto insurance, it simply makes sense to have someone qualified to oversee this investment. Q. Can’t you just have a neighbor look in on your apartment when you’re away? A. I often say our biggest competition is the nephew, niece and neighbor. It’s wonderful when it works, but you usually get what you pay for. We’ve seen pretty much every problem an apartment can have and we can quickly identify problems and get the issues resolved effectively. Q. How often do you check on vacant apartments, and what does that entail? A. We check weekly that the systems are working: plumbing, electric, AC, and make sure there are no “surprises.” We pick up mail, remove debris and any other signs that the dwelling is vacant. Q. Tell us about your Kosher Jerusalem Rentals service. A. Owners who visit occasionally were missing out on potential income because they wanted to maintain their apartment’s kashrus. We realized that many kosher travelers appreciate staying in an apartment and “eating in”, which makes a vacation here much more affordable. Our rental manager specializes in finding kosher travelers that are looking for a kosher home to stay in while here. It’s a win-win situation. Q. Do you also manage properties with tenants? A. Most of our portfolio is long-term rentals. Many properties we recommended as good investments our owners purchased sight unseen! We manage renovations of any size, find tenants, oversee lease negotiation and implement utility and arnona transfer. The owner relies on us to enforce the lease and take care of the tenants so their property will be a continual source of revenue for years. Tenants appreciate having a local manager and that we do 8
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not take an agent’s fee, allowing them to enter the apartment with less money out of pocket. Q. Do you see any increase in Anglos owning property in Israel without making aliyah? A. Over the past six years there has certainly been an increase in Anglo ownership, despite the efforts of the Israeli government to stem this tide, such as the recent raise in acquisition taxes. We see growth not only in private home purchases, but especially in investment properties. Q. What do you attribute that to? A. There is real financial uncertainty around world including the US. Despite the barriers to ownership, we regularly consult with buyers actively moving assets out of their country to find sound investments here. Unlike in the US, renters come with their own appliances and pay the property tax. This lowers the cost of ownership making the investment very attractive. Q. What’s the best thing about your business? A. Without a doubt it’s our amazing staff. They all bring talent and dedication to their specialized area and I totally rely on them. Q. What was the most difficult management problem that arose and how did you solve it? A. Property management is really more like “people management.” We try to resolve difficulties with a smile and savlanut. Believe me, we have the chance to improve our middos every day. Q. What other services do you offer? A. We also set up apartments for vacation rental to the last detail. Project Management is a growing segment. From small projects to full shiputzim and furnishing and decorating, we recommend excellent architects, designers and kablanim. A project manager will always save the owner money and aggravation. Q. What tip can you share with our readers? A. If you own an apartment in Israel you are among the luckiest homeowners in the world. Treat your tenants with dignity and they in turn will usually treat your property well. Trust your gut instinct. If you think a renter is not going to honor your agreement, then don’t sign. It’s also important to put yourselves in their shoes. Ask yourself, would you sign the lease if you were them?
Bizness Magazine
052-690-6629 cell, 02-547-2638 office David@Zedekgroup.com
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Expert
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Outdoor Wood Design
Pergolas for the porch
Enjoy the sun and stay in the shade By Netanel Buta
S
ummer brings with it the possibility to sit in the garden and enjoy the wooden shelter. No pleasure compares to sitting in the yard, with a hot drink or cold juice, observing the established garden and reminiscing happily … but for the pleasure to be complete, there should be a roof covering to block the rays of the sun and create an enjoyable environment for sitting in the shade. The pergola was invented exactly for this purpose – a solution combining protection from the weather with an impressive home improvement. In recent years, wooden pergolas have become so widespread an item for extending houses and gardens that they appear to be an Israeli solution for everything. But the pergola has a rich history, going back to the Middle Ages. The root of the word ‘pergola’ is Latin. It means ‘to raise shade’. An earlier example of a pergola was called ‘green tunnels’, which were popular at the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the Renaissance – leaves of a tree woven with cords, on which climbing plants grew. One of the most extravagant green tunnels can be seen at the Villa Medici in Rome. While in the 18th and 19th centuries architects preferred the natural appearance of green tunnels, towards the end of the 19th, and the beginning of the 20th centuries, stone pergolas began to appear. Beautiful gardens replete with pergolas can be found at Gardens-of-the-Hill, in Hampstead, London. WOODEN PERGOLAS INSTEAD OF STONE Pergolas did not serve only as shelter on the outside of a building, as we understand them today, but also as self-standing structures – thus an area of shade was created under which one could enjoy a good breeze and natural light, without suffering from the direct rays of the sun. Pergolas also facilitate the growing of climbing plants, creating a special, natural appearance. As pergolas began to become more widespread, and entered into private homes too, the use of wood instead of stone commenced - thus reducing the costs and enabling many to build pampering and fashionable pergolas. FINDING THE RIGHT TYPE OF WOOD Wooden pergolas can be built of a range of woods: Pine - helps to construct a delicate appearance; blockwood - for an ethnic appearance; plywood (double/multi-layered) – creates a cleaner and more beautiful appearance. See examples of our work on our website: www.wooden-pergolas.co.il
HAVE YOU DECIDED YOU WANT TO PAMPER YOURSELVES WITH A PERGOLA? HERE ARE SOME TIPS, BEFORE YOU SET OUT: • Check whether the style of pergola, and the type of construction, require an engineer’s authorization. If so, take into account that this will affect the cost of installation. • It is recommended to choose wood that has undergone an impregnation process to ensure protection from damage and rot. • If the pergola comes in regular contact with rain and storm-water, smearing the areas that will get damp with tar is recommended. In addition, it is recommended to get a rain-proof covering. In this way you can sit under the pergola in the winter too. • Sanding and oiling wooden pergolas with suitable materials, such as Bio-wash products, will preserve their aesthetics and strength for many years. • Choose a suitable roofing for the pergola. It is important to know that the roofing does not harm the finish. There are several recommended types of roofing: Suntuf ®, bamboo, or use of diagonals and wooden ‘rulers’. Tel. 050 676 3222 Off.: 02-570-9702 Nati element.nati@gmail.com wooden-pergolas.co.il Find us on Facebook elementwood www.BIZNESSMAGAZINE.com
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Expert
PA
PA I N TI N G
Painting by Season By Nachum Eilberg
T
he axiom “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is very applicable to our homes. It is for more advantageous to constantly maintain our homes rather than ignoring things and waiting to deal with them when they break. At that point they have to be repaired or replaced at a much higher cost and with more hassle. This concept also applies to everything that is painted in our homes. In this article I will advise the readers of what to examine at each season. Summer Metal bars: This summer I had numerous requests for estimates to paint window bars (soragim), metal railings and gates. Some of these metal bars have rusted to the point where they were no longer structurally sound, and as a result it was not worth investing into painting them. Instead I advised these customers to call a welder to replace the rusted pieces and only then were they able to have them painted. Anti-rust paint generally lasts up to 8 years, therefore it is best to do this work before this time has passed. By waiting longer you may end up having rusty bars and incur the extra expense of having them repaired or replaced if they rust beyond the point where they can just be repainted. Anti-rust paint can be used in all seasons except for the winter. Occasionally, we will paint window bars in the winter if the conditions are suitable and the forecast is free of rain. However, if at all possible, it is best to schedule this work for the summer. Fall Pergolas and Decks: Most of the damage to the wood of pergolas and decks occurs from the sun. Although rain is also hard on the wood, it is not nearly as serious as the damage from the sun, which actually dries up the wood. To prepare the wood for the winter and to prevent the wood from rotting, it is preferable to seal the pergola before the rainy season. Prior to Succot is generally a good time to do this as we often make use of our pergola as a frame of our Succah. Stucco homes are often best to paint in the fall. Often spring is too soon after the winter and the walls are still damp. During the summer it is usually too hot to paint these areas as the heat will cause the paint to dry too quickly and not cure properly. Planning these projects for the fall allows for ideal weather conditions and will protect your home during the upcoming winter season. The fall is also the time of year to check the seals around windows and doors. Often just a bit of silicone needs to be applied to prevent leaks that occur around the window frames.
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Winter Most of the damage to the paint in our homes comes from water damage. During the winter rain often leaks from the roof or through walls that are not properly sealed. Water can enter a house from the garden, or even from a balcony on any floor of a building. It is important to look around during the winter months to check for any leaks. It is not always possible to resolve these problems in the winter, but it is helpful to identify the sources then. Spring This is the season to assess any damage caused in the winter and deal with it. One of the biggest winter problems is mold. If you find mold growing on your walls in the winter there are ways to eliminate the problem. Mold problems can be dealt with even during the winter but the conditions have to be just right - not too cold and not too wet. If you did not have that opportunity in the winter, it is best to take care of it as soon as spring begins so that all the mold can be cleaned and prevented from reoccurring for the next 5 years. All seasons We live in a time where paint has advanced to a point where we can paint the interior of our homes in any season. Years ago this was not the case, and the paint would take days or even weeks to dry when it was applied in the winter. Nowadays paint will dry within an hour even in the winter, making it possible to enjoy the freshly painted look any time of the year. Nachum Eilberg of Walls R Us Painting, will be happy to answer any painting related questions. Please submit questions to nachum@wallsruspainting.com and perhaps your question will be published in a future issue. Nachum of “Walls R Us Painting” can also be reached at 052-611-9500 or by visiting the company website at: www.wallsruspainting.com
Bizness Magazine
052-611-9500 www.wallsruspainting.com nachum@wallsruspainting.com
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Expert
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SOCI A L MA R K ETI N G
Talking Instagram Tachlis For Kiruv and Education Mehalech, Hashtags, Community Engagement and Growth
By Mordecai Holtz
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et’s talk tachlis about Instagram. Instagram is an online, mobile photo-sharing, video-sharing and social networking service that enables its users to take pictures and videos and share them on a variety of social networking platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Flickr. Since most kiruv workers are already busy, adding another social media platform is probably the last thing on our minds. No worries. Here are some practical tips to easily use each aspect of Instagram and integrate it into your overall social media strategy—from creating or choosing the right hashtags to community engagement and increasing your Instagram followers. Strategy Having a mehalech or strategy for using Instagram is important. In fact, this is true for all of your social media channels, from Facebook to YouTube. These platforms don’t exist in a vacuum. They are only useful if viewed from the perspective of one message, one voice across the board. Consistency is critical Honestly, it’s easier to create one global, digital strategy than to create multiple ones, especially for people in the trenches of campus outreach. The question is how to craft a digital strategy that’s good for Instagram and can also be used for other channels. Assume that social media is being used as a tool to engage college students, get them excited about Judaism and invite them to all types of kiruv programming, including Shabbos, Yontif, classes, events and exploring Israel. Here’s a general strategy for leveraging social media: Step 1: Create a semester overview of your monthly schedule for each academic semester. Step 2: Weekly View - Once we know the monthly calendar, let’s drill down to the weekly schedule. Assign each day a different aspect of a typical (if there is such a thing) on-campus experience. Now the entire semester is planned! All that’s left to do is to pre-schedule content. Content can be images, quotes or videos. This enables anyone to tag the school easily, and on a Google search of the #, content will come up across the digital channels. `` Ideally, all of the content should direct the students back to a home, like a website, and include a call to action that makes them respond in some way. Even on Instagram, calls to action can be: `` ‘Like’ to show your appreciation. `` Tell us you want to come for Shabbos by clicking ‘like.’
`` Click the link in the bio to sign up for the best Israel experience. Hashtags Hashtags are great ways to increase reach and engagement on certain social platforms. While all social platforms allow hashtags, the most common ones that accept them are Instagram and Twitter. In either case, however, overdoing it is considered spam. So finding the most relevant hashtags is very important. How does a campus program or outreach professional find the best ones? It’s easier than you think. Step 1: Think about the keywords that best describe your work. Jewish, campus, college, Israel, classes, inspire, community, Judaism, enrichment, rabbi. Step 2: Search similar hashtags or variations You can use up to 30 hashtags per Instagram post. Use a few in the original post and add more in the comments. Use some of the common ones. You can create your own, but don’t go crazy. Pro Tip: Start by using the common hashtags for growth. While #MEORROCKSTHEHOUSE may be true (not an actual #), no one is actually looking for that one. Sorry. Step 3: Use the hashtag on all visuals and other promotional content. If you want to get the hashtag to stick, then the key to a solid Instagram and digital strategy is consistency. Cross promoting the hashtag informs your followers that this is what they should use when they share their images or content. People should see the same hashtag on Instagram, on a poster in the cafe or on their kippot. Step 4: Use hashtags that are easy to read and understand If you’re using a one-word hashtag, don’t capitalize; #parsha is fine. With multiple words, maximize readability by capitalizing each word, e.g., #OnegShabbatTonight. Community, Engagement and Growth: Who are the people in your neighborhood? The answer is simple — your students, alumni and friends. Don’t be afraid to ask them for their Instagram profiles or seek them out by using the Instagram search feature. Engage your community by offering valuable content and by asking for their input when you post new content. social@bluethreadmarketing.com 052-736-6592 bluethreadmarketing.com www.BIZNESSMAGAZINE.com
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Expert Welcome Jerry Hyman to our team of experts!
P ERS O N A L TR A I N ER
“It’s great to help people, opening up for them the door of opportunity” Interview with Jerry
Hyman, C.E.O., Elite Fitness Israel
Jerry earned his B.S. in Human Performance and Fitness at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, with a teacher certification in physical education, K-12. Jerry has spent more than a decade of summers directing, designing and implementing swimming programs at summer camps. In addition to teaching, Jerry owns and operates Elite Fitness Israel, a personal fitness training, massage therapy and private swimming business.
How long have you been a fitness trainer, and when did you start Elite Fitness Israel? I have been a fitness instructor close to two decades. I started Elite Fitness Israel in 2006 upon the aliyah of my family. I already started as a physical educator on the elementary school playground as a pre-teen, and it just got more complicated and sophisticated as I gained experience and knowledge. I have always been a teacher, innovator and lifetime learner. A lot of the personal training programming I implement with my clients are effective methods I have already spent many hours developing or working with on my own and then tweaking them to work with others. Much of my work has been in the underground or subculture of training, way before many types of training have become the norm, or what is referred to as “industry standard”. What motivated you to become a personal trainer? As an educator it was another step in the direction of helping others, while being able to impart knowledge to others who may have had trouble disseminating the information and applying it. It is very exciting to see clients succeed and progress and to be part of encouraging the process. I work with many different types of people, from CEOs to seniors to forty pluses who need to get started, from pre-army to children with self-esteem issues to adapted P.E. It’s great to help people, opening up for them the door of opportunity in areas they may be quite capable and help them discover their power. Goals are set, objectives are reached and increased performance is possible. It depends on what the client wants to achieve, I can help them reach those goals whether it be for health or performance. 14
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How is your approach to fitness different that other trainers? Philosophically, I believe the body is capable of a tremendous amount and I believe it should be used in the way it was meant to be used in order not to lose its abilities. I do so in a way that will help enable safe transitions for movement and application of force. This allows proper exercise to develop muscles and assists in staying clear of injuries as well as creating longevity for lifetime fitness. This can be implemented in numerous ways, but client goals are paramount. The body can rotate, push and pull and press. All areas including flexibility, muscular endurance, strength, cardiovascular endurance and body composition are relevant to the process and approach. Each person is different in terms of what they are capable of and what they want to achieve. Yet this has the possibility to change. Often times the mindset changes as the body changes and vice versa. At Elite Fitness Israel I work with the mental and psychological aspects as well as the physical element. Programming is open to many different possibilities from swinging weighted clubs to functional workouts to power lifting to integration of movement and martial arts related activity. Do you have other professionals working for you? Currently I personally work with the clients. I want a quality product and have to implement it myself. However, as an educator
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I am not adverse to training people. Who makes for the most difficult client? I am not sure what “difficult” means. Everyone has needs or is looking for something, including respect! I am happy to listen to what someone has to say and assist them if I am able. What I find difficult is working with someone one time. My business runs with people committing to a block of time, investing in themselves and we pick it up from there. Sometimes it is necessary for someone to “try” a workout because they are not so sure and it doesn’t fly, so we part ways with no hard feelings. What ages do you work with? Being certified in physical education from K-12 gives me experience in a large age group, from late teens to my oldest client of 89 years old. The sky and one’s goals are the limit. What is adapted physical education? Adapted physical education or (A.P.E.) is adapting physical education, health or fitness to someone with a disability that might take them out of the mainstream and help them overcome that stumbling back to get back on track. An adapted PE client may be someone with autism, a physical handicap, or any other possibility. Back in the old country I was an adapted physical educator for the New England Home for Little Wanderers children center. There, I designed the PE curriculum, wrote individual education plans and worked with elementary school aged kids who primarily lived in a day resident program due to serious problems. I was trained by Cornell in therapeutic crisis intervention and a behavioral management program. Following that, I was a system wide instructor in the Brookline public schools doing similar work in small groups while testing students and helping others back into the regular school curriculum. What is your water related background and can you explain what water exercise is and the benefits of exercising in the water? I started swimming competitively in the Boston area from age twelve until eighteen. I also played competitive water polo for the same duration and for a junior Olympic team as well. I started teaching swimming when I was fifteen and became certified as a lifeguard, WSI and in first aid, and later I ran summer programs for which I prepared teachers to teach most effectively. Around twenty years ago I was introduced to a water exercise program at the Burdenko Institute by clients who used this method and had great success rehabilitating from injury as well as making fitness gains. I started to experiment with some of the work, discovering for myself its true value. The goal is to work with people in deep water wearing equipment that helps keep their head afloat. The water itself is a wonderful modality for free movement and resistance if force is applied properly. It allows flexibility and endurance to be built cardio wise as well as muscularly. One has less gravitational pull and therefore the water is more kind to those with certain types of pain. People I have worked with usually have their own pools. It is difficult to work in a place where too many people are invading one’s space. I understand you give swimming lessons as well, can you give us more information? I work in client’s private pools and can teach any age group, technical swimming, water exercise or children and adults with fears. Preschool age 3-5 was my specialty for years.
WOW! You are also a massage therapist! What can you tell me about your background? How long have you been practicing? What is your specialty? I was certified in massage therapy in 1988 after studying in a vocational school in the Boston area. I learned basic massage technique and Swedish and I was introduced to many different modalities. Over the years I trained in shiatsu, the five element theory and sports massage with Ben Benjamin. For many years I worked the finish line of the Boston Marathon and at championship events for track and field doing sport massage or triage. I later studied structural body work (and body oriented psychotherapy) for three years with Matthew Cohen, who was an advanced student of Ida Rolf. Deep tissue (fascia) work and structure is what brought me to massage and is still my passion in this field and how it relates to helping performance and freedom of moment. I feel my specialty is in helping loosen up structure, but more importantly helping people understand their body, structure and self through movement freedom and awareness. Even as a massage therapist I view it as a vehicle to educate and I consider myself an educator more so than anything else. How would you work with an adult who has never exercised in the past? First we would “interview” each other. We would have to speak, find out the goals and objectives and give it a try. At the end of the day an adult who never exercised in the past is not disadvantaged. There is a new start, a new beginning. They are not tainted in any way and all possibilities are open and available. The only missing ingredient is the ability to commit and invest in oneself, one’s future! What gives you the most satisfaction in your work? Building good relationships over long periods of time. Getting to know people’s family and watching growth take place in many ways. Most importantly is seeing the clients resolve continue and their consistency and success over time. Do you ever run groups, or is everything one-on-one? I have a senior package that allows for two to train at the price of one. However the clients would need to be compatible. Often elder spouses work together! I also have clients who work out with a friend at a discounted price or sometimes more people. These are all possibilities that have solutions if talked out! Tell us one of your favorite success stories. I don’t have a favorite success story. All my clients are successful! Check out the testimonials on each page of my website, www.elitefitnessisrael.com and you will read about how people think about my services. Who should contact you? Anyone can contact me! A son or daughter or grandson or granddaughter who would like a parent or grandparent to get started but don’t have the physical or mental resources to do so on their own. Someone who wants to give a gift to a spouse, pre-army son or daughter or anyone who wants get fit, learn and get moving. 050-779-8886 02-993-4681 info@elitefitnessisrael.com elitefitnessisrael.com www.BIZNESSMAGAZINE.com
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Expert Welcome Ilan Rubinstein to our team of experts!
RE
R EA L ES TATE
“I realized that my mission in life was to bring the Jews home.” Interview with Ilan Rubinstein, C.E.O. of ILAN Estates & Investments
How long have you been in real estate and what got you started in the field? I have been working in real estate for a total of 25 years in the UK and Israel having first started out in commercial property and then marketing income producing assets. After making Aliya in 2000, buying our own home immediately, I realized that my mission in life was to “bring the Jews home”. I began to promote successful aliyah by helping olim to put down real roots in buying their own home in Israel. I have additionally engaged in many commercial lettings and sales. Does that make you the most seasoned English speaking realtor in Israel? Not necessarily. What is important is being able to impart knowledge acquired over the years to the benefit of my clients. Additionally, being independent means I am not tied to any locale and can be far more objective than most. Additionally, I also reach out to a wider audience that is as yet undecided on where to buy or move to. How do you use that to the advantage of your clients? Understanding that buying and selling property is one of the hardest things people go through in life. I strive to use my knowledge and experience to take as much pain as possible out of the process, particularly for English speakers and at the same time to help them level the playing field. Which cities do you work in? Whilst we operate nationally, we focus on the more popular locales that are of interest to new and existing olim and investors from abroad. However, we also provide housing solutions in Judea and Samaria as well as moshavim. How has the real estate market changed in Israel over the last ten years? Besides there being more options and destinations for English speakers, the government has made many changes to the way in which property transactions take place. It is important to be kept up to date with the latest changes so as to best assist my clients. What is the hardest thing for English speakers when purchasing a home in Israel, whether or not they have been through it before? 16
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The hardest part of buying is coming to terms with the fact that the system of buying and selling property in Israel is radically different not least the fact that most property is not held freehold “And the Land shall not be sold in perpetuity” Vayikra 25. Other differences in Israel include a payment schedule with instalments, only partial escrow, and that contracts are usually unconditional on obtaining finance approval or inspection as these should be done prior. With the plethora of English speaking real estate agents available, how does a potential buyer or seller know who to use? Ask a potential agent the following: a. How long they have been in the industry and to see their real estate license. b. It is a criminal offence to work without a real estate license (no matter what description one uses) punishable by up to three years in prison. c. To see a list of recommendations or their LinkedIn profile. d. Finally, where an agent is seeking exclusive rights to market where is he going to advertise. Whilst on the subject, I would warn sellers against granting exclusivity for significantly reduced or no fees, as this guarantees that you are tying your hands. This is because the agent cannot co-operate with other agents as he is not sufficiently recompensed from your side, and they will be loath to split their fee when they
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might otherwise show their client another property. Moreover, the listing agent will probably place your interests last and will almost certainly hold back on spending anything more than the bare minimum in advertising. Why should sellers use you to list their property over other local agents? I believe that the optimal way to market a property is by promoting it locally, nationally and internationally. We do this by following a proven marketing system that includes taking a real video of the property and showcasing the property at housing fairs in Israel as well as aliyah and Israel property expos abroad. The added exposure usually translates into a better result. The market in Israel seems to be consistently going up; a 3 bedroom apartment can cost more than a full size house in New York. How does a family making aliyah deal with this reality? It depends where in one is comparing in Israel and in N.Y. You don’t have to live in Rechavia so it is more about choices and how much you are willing to pay for them. In general terms the harsh reality is that Israel is a relatively small country with a growing population and to where all Jews are converging from the four corners of the Earth. Prices have indeed gone up (although by far less than those in the UK if you go back to 1996). The hopes of perpetual renters of choice who were betting on the market here falling have seen their capital and/or borrowing capacity evaporate. Many of these olim go back to their country of origin and tell their friends that you can’t make it in Israel. This happens primarily because of the same poor (and wrong) blanket advice given to almost all olim to rent first whilst they “check out the area”. My understanding of advice is that it should be tailored to each person’s specific set of needs. Otherwise it is policy and should be stated as such. My policy is that wherever possible olim should own their own homes as do 73% of Israelis for reasons varying from security of tenure to the nightmare of renting. The way to deal with this is by examining ALL options before making aliyah. These include getting pre-approved on pre-existing income before aliyah and obtaining a mortgage without indexation which is only available at competitive rates pre-aliyah. What are the best areas that Anglos should consider buying in now? Why? As far as I am concerned, anywhere and everywhere in Eretz Yisrael. However, much depends if the objective is to live or invest. If the latter, on whether one is seeking capital growth or just a solid bricks and mortar income stream that certainly beats the paltry income from the banks several times over. Do you personally deal with all your clients or do you send them to other agents from your office? My agents are hand trained and are very capable indeed. However, I oversee all negotiations to ensure smooth sailing and satisfaction during all stages of the transaction. With all the email lists and Facebook groups nowadays, wouldn’t be easier to network for available properties without an agent to avoid realtor fees? As most “FSBO’s “ (For Sale By Owner) naturally want to get as much as possible and some pick an asking price out of a hat, their interests are diametrically opposed to those of buyers
who seek to obtain best value for money. A seasoned agent will vet sellers and focus on the ones that have a motivation to sell rather than show. In Israel the role of an agent is to be a bridge or shadchan by easing friction and finding a more reasonable middle path. In this manner he represents neither party and is in essence a mediator. Saving the fee is not the main treasure here. That is to be penny wise and pound foolish. I often heard of buyers that saved the “fee” but were taken for a ride to the tune of hundreds of thousands of shekels. Likewise, I have heard numerous sellers tell me “We’ve sold” only to discover three weeks later that the buyer didn’t have the budget or still hasn’t sold his current property. The good properties are often ones where the seller has realized that it is not so easy and has listed it with a reputable agent who knows how to get the job done professionally. Have you ever advised buyers against buying a certain property? Yes. This happened when British clients of mine looking at a beautiful villa were played by the seller who upped his asking price on them right in the middle of negotiations. I told them not to buy this property, and at considerable cost to my own pocket. What is your vision for the real estate industry in Israel? Firstly, I hope to see more professionalism and integrity from agents throughout the country. Certainly the Jerusalem market has set a benchmark for co-operation between agents such that it is hard to buy a property there without using one. Secondly, that buyers get themselves pre-approved for mortgages before they start looking around. It will save them time, strengthen their negotiating hand as they will be able to move faster, avoid preventable disappointment all round. What projects are you currently working on? We are currently putting together properties and projects for our forthcoming expos in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, London & New York. I am also recruiting agents in the Greater Jerusalem, Modiin and Beit Shemesh areas. Finally, I am bringing together a group of investors into a REIT named “Residential Aliyah”. The REIT will acquire and/ or build secure rental accommodation for olim to improve their aliyah experience. At the same time to provide a very useful and rewarding investment for investors of $500k or more to help realize my mission of “Bringing Jews Home”. Tel: 077-410-8011 Cell: 0504-910-604 office@ilanrealestate.com www.ilanrealestate.com www.BIZNESSMAGAZINE.com
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Expert
AD
Anxiety Di s ord erS
Social Ease is Only a Thought Away By Rachel Factor LCSW
T
amar is about to enter the social hall. She can hear the music playing and the guests chatting. She wishes she were anywhere but here. She can feel the nervous feelings welling up inside. She can hear her thoughts taunting her. “Where will you fit in here? No one will care to talk to you. You won’t have anything worthwhile to say.” Tamar is caught in a “thought storm.” Her problem is not so much her thoughts, as that she believes them and will act upon them. Tamar spends the first part of the simcha examining the food. Then she proceeds to interact with people she sees as less threatening. She does not even feel worthy of interacting with many of the guests at the party. After all, why would they have any interest in socializing with a simple person like herself? She has created a story from her thoughts. If only Tamar would realize she is a healthy person temporarily experiencing thoughts that she finds uncomfortable. If Tamar would allow the uncomfortable thoughts to be there, and would not act upon them, they would eventually pass and a true feeling of wellbeing would emerge. One may argue, “But I’ve never been the confident type. I’ve never been the type to reach out, to initiate ideas, to be socially proactive. That’s for others, not for me.” One has the choice whether to continue thinking along those lines or create room for new thinking and ideas to come forth. Imagine what our lives would look like if we let go of insecure thinking. Yosef, an educator, shared with his colleague that he was offered an opportunity to speak at an educational conference and did not accept. His colleague could not understand why. Yosef gave a few lame excuses before admitting that he lacked the confidence to do so. His colleague looked at him with amazement. “Yosef, everyone sees you as a self-assured and talented educator with a wealth of knowledge to share. How can you be so blind?” Seeing our true worth is only possible when we are open to letting go of the old story and beginning a new one. What if I really do make mistakes? What if others don’t like what I have to say? Believing in ourselves and our humanness means that it’s okay. The thought that I have to be perfect and never make mistakes is just a thought that I can choose to believe. It is not a universal truth. If I could choose to believe a thought, I can choose to stop believing it as well. While it feels good to please others, the need to do so can stand in the way of our growth. People often try to guess what another
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is thinking about them. However, when it comes down to it, it is only really a guess. Shimmy excitedly shared with Dovid the great brainstorm he had that morning. Dovid did not react enthusiastically to it. Maybe Dovid didn’t think it was such a great idea, or maybe he just had a headache, or had a tiring day. Many great ideas are dropped because of what we think other people are thinking. One does not need to stand on the sidelines, and wait for the “thought storm” to pass. In doing that he may be passing up on golden opportunities. Rather one can learn to be comfortable in all types of weather and pursue social interactions despite feeling discomfort inside. The more one recognizes that his uncomfortable feelings are merely coming from thought, the more comfortable one can be with it. Let’s do a replay of Tamar entering the simcha hall. The music is playing and people are chatting. Tamar feels discomfort inside, but has a feeling that others may too. They are just as human as she is. Instead of self-monitoring how she is feeling, Tamar engages others in conversation about their lives. Tamar’s true nature starts to emerge. Here and there, the insecure thoughts reappear, but Tamar has learned to accept them. She has gratitude for the time she is feeling good, and such times keep growing. Are anxious thoughts holding you back from realizing your potential? Have you decided that life is too short to stay stuck in old thinking patterns? Schedule an appointment, or join a group, and see just how far you can go.
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052-713-4130 (Israel) 845-510-4169 (US) Rachel@OCDsolutions.com www.OCDsolutions.com
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Expert
EL
ELEC TR I C I A N
Are all LEDs Created Equal? By Ari Katz
B
y now I have given some general information about LED bulbs and their associated savings, so for this installment I want to answer this important question, as it is imperative that people know a bit a more about the product they hope to last for the next ten years. But first, the “hope bubble” must be burst. When the owner of the Tambor hardware store proudly announces that his 45 shekel LED bulbs will last 10 years, there is a quick calculation that takes place in our minds - sometimes unconsciously - and we WANT to believe it to be true. Yes they may be a funny color, and yes they may be slightly dimmer than my current bulbs, and yes we may be only renting for the next 24 months; but 10 years!? It’s just too good of a deal for any Jew to pass up! And so you buy the bulb and six months later it’s half the brightness or the color has changed to some awful whitish/purple color, or it has burnt out completely. And whatever the warranty is, it’s way too much work to get it honored than to just lay out another 45 shekels for a new one. So if it looks like a lemon and smells like a lemon, guess what? It’s a lemon. That’s not to say that all LEDs on the market are lemons, but because the sellers are often unfamiliar with the product, even professional lighting stores can be unclear on the details of their own bulbs. So before venturing out on your own, consider the following points. Brightness: There are two standard measurements in the world of lighting: Lumen and LUX. Lumen is a measurement of how much light is actually generated by a particular bulb. LUX measures how much light is experienced in any one area. A bulb may produce 1,000 lumen, but since it is encased in a ceiling box three meters above a kitchen, the counter-tops experience 550 lux of light. So more than how bright a bulb is, is how well the desired area is actually lit up. Because they are using far less power, LED lights generally have less lumen than the fluorescent lights they are replacing, but are designed to spread more light to the needed areas, i.e. more lux. Dimming: No bulb is ever as bright as it was when it was new, and LED bulbs are no exception. The individual LED chips and electronic drivers have a heavy flow of electrical current which heats up all of these sensitive parts. Heat is the enemy of all electronics, and cheap LED lights will dim quickly because, a) these components are also cheap and not robust enough to handle the heat load, and b) there is no pathway built into the cheap bulb to radiate the heat away. So if you are planning on using these bulbs for hours on end, dimming is a major factor.
Color: If you have ever purchased bulbs, you know that there are many ways of saying “yellow” and “white”. Some say “warm white” or “daylight” or “cool light” or “soft white” etc. Or they are rated as 6000K, 4500K, or 3000K and it can seem like a chore to find that perfect match with your existing bulbs. LEDs use a chemical “paint” mixture of red, yellow and blue to produce the desired color. The rating index is called CRI, which stands for “color rendering index” and as a rule the higher the CRI, the more natural the light seems and the more true it will be to the room it is illuminating. I have seen shuls and stores using LEDs, and it’s clear to even the untrained eye that they just look terrible. They’re supposed to be white but they look blue, or they’re supposed to be yellowish and they look orange, or they seem normal but everyone’s faces look green. They’re painful to look at and they lack the softness and warm glow of traditional bulbs. This is what happens when there is a low CRI. Look for a minimum CRI of 80. Ask the seller about these points, and if he or she is clueless, than that could be an indication to look elsewhere. Remember, high quality LEDs are bright, come in a variety of color options, last for years, dim very slowly, and are backed with generous, nohassle warranties. And remember, you’re buying them to last you the next decade, so do your homework, shop around, and don’t be fooled by the ever-present ‘least expensive option’. Contact 052-736-7369 premiumrepairs@gmail.com
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Expert
NT
narrati v e t h erapy
By Karen Wolfers-Rapaport, MA
P
“Trapped”
opsicles and watermelon. Sun and surf. Destruction and redemption. We are in the month of Av. Fasting and hoping, trekking and trailing, unwinding and letting go. This time of the year can be opportune for family time and personal resurrection. Yet, as with any period, it too has its pitfalls. In the summer, schedules are often thrown to the wind; children are bored, parents are agitated. Art projects and camping can go awry, creating situations ripe with tension. Many adults, though they want to be more active, may be prevented from doing so by limitations imposed by work and other obligations. This can contribute to feelings of depression and anxiety which can highlight deep-seated issues in families and couples. Let’s have a look at one such hypothetical scenario. Avi felt he had been verbally abused by his wife. He felt forever on the defensive and attacked. Avi understood that there were times he may have provoked reactions in his spouse. What he didn’t understand was the tone and nature of his wife’s reaction. He felt trapped in a dance he wanted out of. Avi named his problem “Trapped”. I inquired about “Trapped”. What does it feel like for Avi to have “Trapped” in his life, and what is keeping Avi from having experiences in his relationship that do not feel “trapped”? This is what he said: “When my wife reacts abusively I feel like I’m suffocating. I literally feel constriction in my neck. I feel like I am in a room with no doors, windows, or escape hatches. I feel codependent – like I need her to be abusive. In some dysfunctional way it feels comfortable, familiar. Sometimes I feel I provoked her, like I deserve it. Other times I see myself as a victim. Over the years I feel like a monkey in those ‘learned helplessness’ scenarios. It’s really kind of pathetic, isn’t it?” Over the course of some weeks we began to deconstruct “Trapped”. We mapped the effects of the problem. Avi identified the influence “Trapped” had in all areas of his life. It was an allencompassing problem, a real barrier towards true connection. “Now that we know “Trapped” is manipulative, let me ask you, how does “Trapped” impact your life, your belief about yourself, even your future possibilities?“ “It affects all my relationships because of the fear...if someone disagrees with me at home or work I fear my response…maybe I’ll be provocative, a bit antagonistic…and then I’ll have to face someone’s wrath…and “Trapped” will overtake me. I avoid this vicious cycle by staying on the perimeter of life…at least there I’m free…regarding my belief about myself, well, I don’t know just yet,
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but future possibilities are a bit thwarted with “Trapped”… open hearted relationships?…with a shield in front of me, how can my wife have access to Avi...how can anyone?” We talked about what happens when “Trapped” has its way with Avi, what happens to his intimacy, what happens to his goals and dreams. In broadening the scope of the problem I allowed Avi to tell his story and open opportunities for unique outcomes; lived experiences that contradict the problem story, “Trapped”. “Avi, could your presence here today be a unique outcome and thus a step towards your overcoming ‘Trapped’?” “I’m hesitant…but I can’t dismiss this…it’s too painful and “Trapped” has such a far reach.” Avi came to the understanding that “Trapped” began in childhood. Avi had been labeled an agitator, a troublemaker. He thought the responses he received were positive in a funny, albeit invalidating way, because he forged “connection” through them, so he continued… “You asked what the purpose of “Trapped” is …it has trapped me into relationships…it felt close being trapped…now it doesn’t.” Avi’s innate self-awareness was emerging. “Let’s talk about the times that “Trapped” didn’t have its way. When “Trapped” didn’t create incitement, when “Trapped” didn’t make you feel codependent, abused.” Avi went on to talk about momentz where he was able to defy “Trapped”. At first, he could not think of one example; by the time he left the office he had a pocketful of illustrations. We explored what “Trapped” would look like when set free, when Avi was not on the defensive, when he felt affection, without abuse… As the sessions went on, Avi gained a sense of self-agency. It took some time, but eventually “Trapped”, no longer serving a purpose, was slowly replaced by more adaptive behavior and possibilities of freedom. Avi was shedding the old intimacy dance, replacing it with a far more graceful one. Karen Wolfers Rapaport is a psychotherapist specializing in Narrative Therapy. In addition to her therapeutic work and freelance writing for Aish.com, Chabad.org, and others, Karen works with families from Israel’s Prime Minister’s office and Ministry of Defense (via Berlitz International), teaching them English in preparation for their diplomatic posts abroad. For any questions, or to book an appointment please call 050-990-6368.
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050-990-6368 karenwrapaport1@gmail.com
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Exquisite Culinary Creations Gilat Yuval, Infused with Love Interview with
owner, Ma’afim V’Niflaot Catering
How long have you been in the business, and how did it all begin? My first experiences in our home kitchen in the kibbutz, at age seven, were quite traumatic. Instead of sweet rolls, a sweet jumble emerged. When it said in the recipe לטרוף ביצים- (“beat eggs”: in Hebrew, the word has a double meaning), I scornfully threw away the mixture … devour the eggs? Are you crazy? Gradually, with the guidance of my mother, I managed to produce quite respectable cakes and other dishes by myself. Do you have any formal training? I originally learned cooking in 1990 at Hadassah College. Subsequently, I took a pastry-making course at Estella in Givat Shmuel. And for dessert, a half a year of “intoxication of the senses” at Bellouet Conseil in Paris. In 2008, after some years of working in foreign media, I decided to do something about fulfilling a dream … pastry-making studies in Paris. I packed my bags and went out for a six-month adventure in the food capital of the world. At the beginning of 2012 I opened the pastry shop Ma’afim v’Niflaot, which later became a catering kitchen for vegetarian and vegan food. Your pastries and quiches look scrumptious! What else do you sell? I specialize in sweets. There is nothing, but nothing, better than my gorgeous macaron cookies! Lemon flavor, coffee and salty caramel. Delicious. My coffee éclairs and lemon tart will transport you directly to Paris (soft landing guaranteed). Recently I started to do vegan events. It’s a gigantic challenge to prepare varied and tasty vegan food. And it’s fun to invent or ‘veganize’ a recipe. What is your favorite spice/seasoning and what is the most interesting way you use it? I like minimalistic seasoning. The most enjoyable seasoning for a vegetable salad is olive oil, salt and lemon. Why spoil it? Lettuce salad will get a small splash of balsamic vinegar, and a cherry tomato quiche will be seasoned with many herbs, salt, nutmeg, and a touch of parmesan, and will transport us straight to Provence. My favorite spice? Wow, that’s like asking me who I love the most, my mother or my father… of course salt is the most impor-
tant spice (may all doctors and health peddlers forgive me), but apart from salt… lemon. I especially love garam masala… a mixture of Indian spices. Perhaps I love it so much because I received it in the mid-80’s from a group of Indian women in a women’s compartment of a night train. I sat with a group of Indian women, and we spoke about - what else? - recipes! They gave me things to taste, and advised me on various mixtures. The garam masala was one of the secrets I received that night. Today I buy it in containers from spice shops, but since then I have a great fondness for that spice. What types of events do you cater? Can people order just for a small event? I do a range of functions – in halls, in shuls or in nature – for bar mitzvahs, weddings, birthdays, and so on. Home events, in function gardens, and anywhere people want me. I get to any place in Israel where I am wanted. I give several options. Firstly, to come to my amazing kitchen in Aminadav to pick up the food. If people want the whole function, including transport, chairs and tables, utensils and waiters, I also provide that. I am open to working with the client according to his needs. You can order from me just one cake, or a function for 300 people. I’m happy to prepare everything. What influences and inspires your cooking? My kitchen is a mixture of kitchens: The French kitchen, naturally, the Mediterranean, and the Indian… I bring everything here and suit it to Israeli taste. When I opened the kitchen it was a pastry shop. Slowly I began to understand that if I prepare breads, salads, quiches and desserts, I am actually doing catering. Do you cater to special dietary restrictions? In time I received more and more requests to do vegan catering, and finally decided to market a rich and varied vegan menu, with a friend named Galit, owner of Ugalit Catering - happy food. For every event I also prepare some courses without gluten or without sugar, so both diabetics and celiacs can enjoy. At the end of June we launched the vegan menu at an amazing tasting event in Aminadav. What do you find the most satisfying in your work? The greatest compliment I have ever received was from a customer who bought some quiches from me and said: “You know, Gilat, one feels your love in the food… what a pleasure!” 050-636-3585 • giluval@gmail.com • www.conditory.co.il www.BIZNESSMAGAZINE.com
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One Stop Shop for the
Do-it-Yourselfer… with Our Professional Help By Nofar Nissan Background and Continuity It is always interesting to see how pioneers adjust to the demands of ever-changing modernity. Those who broke new ground in the past sometimes find it difficult to keep pace as environments and populations change and grow. Not so Yaakov Nissan, who started Nissan Building Supplies with his brother in 1985, when Beit Shemesh was quite a different place. During the following 30 years, Yaakov was instrumental in the building of Beit Shemesh, and has enjoyed the development of the city and the growing influx of the Anglo community. His daughters are now revitalizing the store with a new brand motto Nissan Home - and a broader vision. Continuity With the strong foundation of a long-standing reputation for honesty and good service, the Nissan family is transforming this traditional business into an up-and-coming modern, advanced, consumer-friendly place. They are bringing a fresh, dynamic appeal to the store, for not only professionals, but also DIY private customers to come and shop for whatever they need. Do-it-Yourself DIY shopping can sometimes be quite bewildering, so many people are sure to appreciate getting ideas and tips along with the products they need to carry them to fruition. Nissan Home has practically anything one might need for DIY - and even some items one would hardly imagine such a store would stock. Whatever customers need in the way of paint, locks, plumbing, gardening tools, electricity, roof shingles, all types of tools, synthetic grass, camping equipment, or grills, can be found there; and if something specific is not stocked, they will try to obtain it if possible. Nissan Home also does deliveries. If you need to do any type of building, we will recommend not only all the materials but also professionals to do the work for you. Nissan Home’s vision is to provide a professional outlet to the consumer by advising each customer individually- starting from understanding his needs to adjusting products and prices. If Nissan Home doesn’t have what you need we will give you honest solutions, even if you don’t buy here. Nissan Home’s policy is to build a relationship, not just a sale, and we may send you to a competitor if that is the best solution. This is a family business, and we want you to feel part of the family. The Summer Season This is the best time to do renovations, changes, ceramic replacements, painting rooms and maintenance of your pergola and garden. Nissan Home carries very high-end products and the prices are very affordable for any pocket. The policy at Nissan Home 22
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Tzvi Lefkowitz of Tzvi Air says: “I have been shopping here for years, and can find my way with my eyes closed. Service and quality at Nissan Home are unparalleled in the Beit Shemesh market.” is completely American: if you buy a product and didn’t use it, you can return it to the shop and get your money back! Yaakov Nissan and his crew recommend focusing on fixing and renovating parts of your house after last winter and its damages. You have enough time now to prepare your house for the next winter. Don’t wait for the last minute- do it! Nissan Home recommends focusing on checking your roofs, making sure there are no leaks and testing your pipes. Most importantly, check your bathrooms: check for mold between the tiles and on the ceiling, replace shower equipment and shower stalls as needed. Furthermore, equip your gardens with a good irrigation pipe, or if you want to save water- decorate with a good and long lasting synthetic grass. This is the ‘high season’ for renovating and redecorating so be sure to check out Nissan Home’s summer sale- we have hundreds of products on sale. You can always visit our brand new website: www.nissan-bm.co.il. Stay tuned for the Chagim Nissan Home will be selling everything you need for the approaching Chagim, in particular for Succot. You can enjoy your search here for tables, chairs, and succah supplies such as schach, decorations, folding beds, and more. We carry the lowest-priced succah sets in town, which last year sold out completely. GREAT SERVICE • EXPERT ADVICE • TRUSTWORTHY
Bizness Magazine
Yigal Alon 9, Bet Shemesh Industrial Area, Telephones: (02)992-0950 (02)991-5902 Hours: Sun-Thu 7:00 - 17:30 Fri: 7:00 - 12:00 Website: www.nissan-bm.co.il
02 999 3939
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Expert
WL
W ei g h t lo s s
Setting it Straight: Popular Weight-Loss Myths Demystified By Dr. Bo Rosenblat, M.D. Chief Physician, Dr. Bo’s Diet
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f you’re trying to lose weight, you may have noticed that there’s an overabundance of accessible information all around you. Entire magazines devoted to Health & Wellness line the shelves of your local bookstore, and new books are published every day about the latest trends and fad diets. All one has to do is type “weightloss” into Google to be bombarded with a plethora of information. How do you know what’s true and what’s false? Which diets are healthy and which may have negative health effects? Sorting through the myths and finding what matters can be a daunting task. The following are my top weight-loss myths and how they are borne out of both fact and fiction: Rapid is Risky: There’s been much debate over whether losing a lot of weight quickly is better or worse than losing more modest amounts over the long term. The argument that rapid weight loss will just as soon result in rapid weight gain has mostly been debunked. While many dieters, both rapid and slow losers, will regain some or all of the weight lost, those who see larger initial losses often end up at a lower weight than people who drop smaller amounts. The reason is that a bigger change on the scale is more motivating than the slow and steady approach. People are more likely to stick with healthy habits when they see greater results. The one caveat to this is rapid weight-loss achieved in an unhealthy manner. Dieters that choose radical methods such as juice fasting for long periods, over-the- counter stimulant or other types of unregulated, vitamin-deficient crash diets generally regain all of their weight. Any program that cannot be transitioned into real life habits once the initial weight-loss has been achieved will likely result in weight gain long-term. Let fit determine fat: Several years ago, the “How Do Your Clothes Fit?” test became the popular method for keeping track of one’s weight. While clothing and general appearance can sometimes be used as a barometer for weight loss, more often than not people don’t notice changes in their clothing as soon as one might think; this can result in frustration that will ultimately cause one to give up. Instead, the “clothing test” can result in complacency in one’s habits, slowing or stunting weight loss. Studies have shown that individuals who weigh themselves at least weekly as a part of their regular routine catch smaller, more manageable gains and are therefore better able to keep themselves on track. Don’t allow more than a seven-day period to pass without
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checking the scale. That said, weighing every day can also cause unwarranted stress. Certain gains, like water weight for example, will show up on the scale one day but resolve itself the next. Assess your overall losses weekly to get a true representation of your progress. Small goals are the way to go: Setting overly ambitious goals had previously been thought to lead to disappointment, and ultimately less weight loss. Many studies find though, that setting high goals actually aids in loss. When you set your sights high, but within reason, you are more likely to do well, even if you fall short of your initial goal. Smaller goals don’t pack as big a punch emotionally, so reaching them has less of an impact overall. When you set goals you know you can reach, achieving them doesn’t feel like an accomplishment; however, when you set goals that are loftier, even if you don’t reach them, you feel pride in working hard for them. A Calorie is a Calorie: It had long been thought that the source from which you obtained your calories had no bearing on weight loss. The idea was that if you compared two dieters with similar profiles, both eating a 1,500 calorie diet, it would have no bearing on losses if one dieter consumed mostly lean proteins, fruits and vegetables and the other ate primarily processed foods high in fat and sugar. Each type of calorie consumed performs and facilitates different bodily functions. A deficient diet can result in hair and skin problems, weight gain, low muscle tone, hormone imbalances and even a weakened immune system. Focus on lean proteins, healthy fats, fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grain carbohydrates to ensure that you make the most of your calories. If you feel as though you are working hard to lose weight but can’t seem to get out of a rut, it may be time to reexamine your habits. Focus on the quality of your calories, begin weekly weigh-ins, and set reasonably high goals in order to kick-start your losses again. Dr. Bo Rosenblat is a board-certified medical doctor and the Medical Director of Dr. Bo’s Diet. For more information about how you can lose weight with Dr. Bo’s Diet, or to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with a member of our Nutritional Staff, contact us at 077-228-5877 or email details@drbosdiet.com
Bizness Magazine
077-228-5877 details@drbosdiet.com
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HP
Holistic Psychotherapy
The Power of Forgiveness By Minda Garr, MSW
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ne of the most powerful tools we can use to heal our lives is free, readily available and underused by many of the people who need it - forgiveness. One of the most harmful actions that we engage in, affecting our physical, emotional and spiritual well-being, is holding onto anger, resentment, “what if’s” and other negative feelings. Many people are in the habit of collecting “garbage” in the form of old, unresolved hurts, imagined and real. As this “garbage” metaphorically collects, it weighs us down, keeps us in negativity that we are mostly unaware of, and keeps us from a sense of well-being. Once we move into the habit of collecting, we seem to find more and more things to add to the collection, missing out on seeing all of the positive things happening in our lives and all around us. When asked, many will respond that they have let go of old hurts, but when we listen carefully to their words or look at their actions, we can see the remnants in bitterness, unhappiness and sadness. What does it mean to forgive, who are we forgiving, and does forgiving mean I’m giving up some essential part of who I am? The Cambridge online dictionary defines “to forgive” as: “to stop being angry with someone who has done something wrong.” The limitation of this definition is that it implies that if I am upset with someone, there must be someone who is “right” and someone who is “wrong” in the disturbing interaction. Neither life nor relationships are that simple. When two people interact, each is coming from his own perception of reality. When we are lucky, those perceptions interface; but there are times when our perceptions, experiences and understandings are so different, that in our interactions, one or more people end up feeling hurt and misunderstood. It is at this juncture that we have a choice. We can hold onto our hurt feelings, convincing ourselves that we are in the right, and ultimately experience the expansion of those feelings as they take over our thoughts and actions. Another choice is to bury the hurt feelings under layers of denial, pretending they are not there until they suddenly surface and create havoc in our lives. Yet there is a third choice. We can choose to acknowledge our own feelings, the feelings of the person who we feel has hurt us, do what we can to resolve the conflict, and then let go. The only person one can ever change is himself. You can choose to not hold onto the anger, realizing that the person it is having the most impact on is you. When we stay in anger, we stay
in negativity, and we lose sight of all of the positive that is out there waiting to be accessed. We get bogged down, seeing everything through a darkened lens that doesn’t let the sunshine in. As we keep ourselves in negative feelings, we seem to experience increased negativity in our lives. Sometimes, we just need to forgive the person who we feel has hurt us, recognizing that he is dealing with his own issues, but that we can’t change him. By forgiving him for having been hurtful towards me, I am not agreeing with his actions; I am just letting go of the impact these actions have had on me, and I am recognizing that this person is just a human being who is less than perfect. Maybe things will improve between us, and maybe they won’t, but the only actions I can control are my own, and I can choose how I respond to him. Sometimes the person I need to forgive is myself. Perhaps I precipitated the hurtful interaction or behaved in a hurtful manner. I may have been acting in a way that was the best way I could in that moment in time. Through forgiving myself, I am recognizing that I too am not perfect, and I do make mistakes. When I forgive myself or others, I am not giving up on my sense of self; rather, I am releasing the negativity that interferes with my ability to fully enjoy life and the relationships in my life. I am creating space for positive feelings and positive interactions. The power of forgiveness is in releasing the old to make room for the new, making emotional space to invite joy and happiness into my life. 052-614-6932 wellnessisraelhealing@gmail.com www.wellnessisrael.wordpress.com www.BIZNESSMAGAZINE.com
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Women of Beit Shemesh Sweep the Supermarket in Unity Interview with
Yudit Eytan, Director of Special Needs Division, Ezrat Achim
Ezrat Achim is a diverse and inclusive medical and social service agency in Beit Shemesh, founded by R’ Avraham Kop. Our beginnings were modest, yet as we labored to identify and meet the growing needs of our community, we have become an exceedingly wide-scoped service center. Today our services include medical support services such as transportation to hospitals, loan of medical equipment, X-ray and imaging center, Shabbat medical clinics, unique burn treatment and more. We also offer an array of communal social services, the highlight of which is our Special Needs Division. There has been a lot of hype around Beit Shemesh on the amazing fundraiser Ezrat Achim just did on July 13 in Osher Ad to gain funding for their special needs summer camp. I remember watching the Supermarket Sweep game show as a child - what was the connection? Can you give us a little detail of what went on?
To be fair, we must admit that our idea was based on the show. However, we tweaked the rules to make the race even more exciting and inviting for all women. Participants raced in pairs in groups of 30. Each pair was given a choice of three shopping lists: Family, Health, and American products, and they were grouped accordingly. We had three pairs of winners in each group. The first to the checkout won the groceries in their cart; second and third place winners received gift certificates. It was lots of fun for everyone involved, though as a first time event, we know there is much to learn for next time. Primarily, we would like to apologize to any Osher Ad shoppers who were disturbed by the commotion – though most of our event took place between 9am and 10am, before the store is open to the public. Over a hundred women participated, and we hope that next year we’ll have over 500 women “sweeping” through the aisles! What was the premise of the event? Why did you specifically host it in the Naimi Mall?
We were looking for a fun way to connect the women of our community to the Ezrat Achim Special Needs Summer Camp. Our goal was to create an entertaining morning for women, while benefitting the special needs children of Beit Shemesh. Our wonderful “Sweep” participants pledged to raise funds towards the Ezrat Achim Special Needs Summer Camp, and all proceeds of the event will go directly towards the camp. Ezrat Achim is a home-grown Chessed organization. In the same way that there is no city member who cannot make use of its services, so too we invite all city members to take part in the maintenance and expansion of our important services. We specifically chose the Naimi Mall because it is centrally located in Beit Shemesh and easily accessible to women from all parts of the city. I would like to mention that the mall management was extremely helpful and supportive in arranging the event. Many shops and restaurants went out of their way to offer us discounts and coupons to create an attractive “shopping experience” for 26
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community A Venture of Ezrat Achim
Joined in Giving
EZRAT ACHIM
Special Needs Division
the women who took part in the event. Before the supermarket race, you held a pre-event at the RBS Matnas; what was its goal? The goal of the pre-event was to connect women to the cause and to promote the Supermarket Sweep. Though we advertised, people had no idea what a “Supermarket Sweep” was, how it worked or why they should join. Our first speaker was Mrs. Orit Riter. She expounded on the concept of “achdut.” Mrs. Riter explained that just as when a finger hurts the whole body suffers, so too when a community member is hurting, the entire community suffers - we are all in it together. When someone in our community is challenged with a special needs child, it is our responsibility to help alleviate that challenge. Mrs. Gail Gundle, a special needs parent, spoke next. She gave an outstanding and moving overview of the “gift and challenge” in parenting her special needs child, Chaviva. Not an eye was left dry after Mrs. Gundle’s stirring speech. Lastly, we introduced the Supermarket Sweep campaign with a hilarious comedy preview of the race. How did you use a crowdfunding online campaign to your benefit? How is it more effective than asking supporters to ask their family or neighbors to donate to the worthy organization? The concept of online crowdfunding was also a novelty for many of our participants. The goal was to help people gain sponsorship in the most effective way. We prepared our main campaign page with a video and pictures of the camp. Participants could either send out the link to the main page, or create their own campaign page at the press of a button. With online crowdfunding, fundraisers can reach hundreds of sponsors with ease. When family and friends click on the link, they can learn about Ezrat Achim and read about the participant’s personal connection to the cause. Most importantly, they can click “Donate now,” and contribute instantly.
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Many women who are not so computer-savvy preferred to stick to cash and checks. However, those who took the plunge, and created campaign pages, were really excited to see how an aunt in Australia, a cousin in Canada, or even a neighbor in Beit Shemesh, could so easily sponsor them. They saw how small amounts added up, enabling them to reach their fundraising goals and beyond. Another advantage of online crowdfunding is that donors can see their donation in the sum total and fundraisers can see how far we are in reaching our goals. As one participant put it: “Checking the campaign page can become ‘addictive’. It gives us the exhilarating feeling of being part of something big.” Only about a third of campaign participants made use of the online campaign in an effective way. We hope that with more experience, and hands on assistance, this number will grow in the future. What is the special needs summer camp, and why does it require so much funding? What is the need behind it? The summer camp is just one of many projects run by our special needs division. The Ezrat Achim Special Needs Center provides a safe and fun atmosphere for the special needs children in our city, literally 365 days a year – we’re even open on Yom Kippur! Additionally, our center provides a much- needed respite to families who have been ‘Hand-picked’ for the 24/7 challenge of raising a special needs child. The summer camp runs from 8:30am - 5:30pm during the two week period when the special needs schools are completely closed and the children are home all day. It is literally a life saver for families. In the words of the parents of our special needs children: Natalie Gefen, mother of Chemi and Yitzy: “Ezrat Achim takes our kids every Shabbos and looks after them, giving us some respite. This organization is our life saver!!” Gail Gundle, mother of Chaviva: “The Ezrat Achim Moadonit is crucial for our kids who cannot attend chugim and who never get invited out for play dates.” Shoshana Woznica, mother of Moshe: “When Ezrat Achim volunteers come to pick up our son we know he is being taken by people who really care for him; enabling us to rest and breathe easier.” A Special Needs summer camp is not like a regular summer camp. In addition to food, activities and transportation, it also requires a professional and experienced staff and one-on-one care for each child. With an emphasis on safety, program costs can be colossal, despite the use of volunteer manpower and efforts to cut costs in every possible way. How much was raised in this fundraiser? What will more funds be used towards? To date, we have raised around $17,500 as you can see on the site. The cost of a full two-week summer camp for 70+ children is well over $100,000. We will, b’ezrat Hashem, be running a camp for eight days at the end of August - but due to limited funds, we can only accommodate a limited number of children. Our campaign is not over. We still hope to raise additional funds to allow more children to join our summer camp. The cost of each child in the camp is $450. We encourage the community, near and far, to take part in this special cause and help enable the Ezrat Achim Special Needs Summer Camp.
You can view our campaign site at: http://www.rootfunding.com/campaign/ezrat-achim-supermarketsweep
What are some of your long term goals with the special needs children of Beit Shemesh? At present, Ezrat Achim helps over 50 families in alleviating the day to day challenge of caring, and finding suitable activities, for special needs children. Our services include a center for autistic children, in conjunction with welfare which runs daily from 4-7 PM. We also have a center for developmentally delayed children, Sun-Thurs 3-7 PM, as well as a weekend center which runs until two hours before Shabbat - and even on Shabbat itself. Chagim and fast days are also covered by our dedicated staff and volunteers. In addition, we also have an afternoon center for visually impaired children, in conjunction with the Ministry of Education. Our immediate goals are to help sustain and expand current services, so we won’t have to turn parents away. Furthermore, as the community grows and the children get older, we are aware of the need to provide appropriate programs. On the agenda this year is a new center for high functioning PDD boys (sports orientated), a support group for siblings, and an older boys division to meet the unique needs and challenges as they grow older. Our ultimate vision and goal is to broaden the scope of our services to provide access to the most modern and up-to-date amenities for all children with special needs in Beit Shemesh, no different from other progressive cities throughout Israel. For more information, contact Yudit at yudit@ezratachim.com
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“Our main focus is on keeping our students happy.
Happy students learn and grow.” Interview with Rabbi Alter Klein, Menahel, Yeshivas Nefesh Hatalmid An English speaking Yeshiva that provides vocational trainingwhat a revolutionary idea! What was the motivation behind opening Yeshivas Nefesh Hatalmid? A number of our staff have been at the forefront of chinuch, alternative education, and outreach for many years. After many successful collaborations on various educational projects, Ort, an international chain of schools recognized by Misrad Hachinuch, approached us to help them start a new program for the frum community. It’s no secret that today’s teens across the spectrum face challenges like never before. Rabbanim, students, parents and professionals have been calling for a new approach for certain kids for years. We heard often from mechanchim, parents and teens that they don’t feel accomplished, inspired or challenged in school, and we listened. Learning a trade keeps our students active and engaged. They learn important skills that they apply to real life situations, and get big sipuk, which builds their self-esteem. This is a new and exciting approach for the frum community! What are you looking for in a talmid? Our students are good boys from strong families who are growthoriented but having trouble succeeding or finding sipuk learning strictly from frontal lectures, seforim, and textbooks. We want boys who have the desire to succeed but feel they were never given the tools for it. We will provide those tools. What does a day of learning look like in the Yeshiva? Our main focus is on keeping our students happy. Happy students learn and grow. A big complaint often heard from teens, is that they are bored, and from parents, that their kids have too much free time. Our theory is keep the boys engaged and happy, and our schedule reflects that. Our morning seder is strong with 2 levels of shiurim, based on level of ability and motivation. Our kodesh is geared to develop the boys’ skills in Gemara with meforshim, a knowledge of daily Halacha, and a life-long hashkafa! Afternoons we learn trades and secular studies. Night seder is interactive and includes night activities such as sports, BBQ-kumzitz, ping-pong/foosball tournaments, and swimming. Breaks and meals are scheduled throughout the day to let the boys recharge.
What type of training is offered, and who are the instructors? Do you offer Bagrut? In secular studies, students choose among three trades: Auto Mechanics, Computers, and Sound Studio, culminating in a recognized certification in their chosen field from Ort. They also learn Math, English, and Hebrew. There is an option for the Bagrut in addition to the trade degree, for those students it is appropriate for. Teachers for limudei chol and the trades are experienced and approved by Misrad Hachinuch. We also offer training in life-skills, teamwork, communication, and leadership, implemented by our resident social worker. Lastly, we provide a wilderness program to keep students healthy and develop an awareness and appreciation of Eretz Yisroel. What is the ratio of staff to students? Who comprises the staff? Shiurim are 10 talmidim to 1 Rebbe, providing a close atmosphere between Rebbe and talmid. We also provide 1-on-1 tutoring for those that need it in kodesh as well as chol. Secular studies can range from 14-20 per class. Our experienced rebbeim offer a range of accomplishments, including post high school yeshivas, community outreach, building yeshivas and their curriculums, and campus kiruv. We are also blessed to have Rav Chaim Soloveichik, a well-known talmid chochom and Rav in RBS, with 25 years’ experience, who gives a great Gemara shiur Why did you choose to locate the Yeshiva in Kiryat Gat? Do the students have any interaction with the community? Kiryat Gat was ideal because there already existed a fantastic Ort facility with a working garage for Auto Mechanics, Computer Lab, and working Sound Studio. It’s also away from the distractions many teens have when in bigger cities or closer to Yerushalayim, but close enough to areas like RBS so it’s not a hassle to commute. The Kiryat Gat community, though small, has been very warm and welcoming. We look forward to the planned Anglo community being built, and enjoy the growing religious community already living there. Where do the talmidim come from? All over! We have a strong contingency from RBS, but we also draw from Yerushalayim, Tsfat, Moshav Matisyahu, Kiryat Sefer, Beit El, Beitar, etc. What is the general feeling in the student body within and between grade levels? Our experience is that when students feel happy and accomplished they learn and grow. When we get such feedback from parents as “my son is excited to go to school on Sunday”, and from the kids, as “I can’t wait for summer to be over, I miss my friends and Rebbeim”, I know we are doing our job. Our students know that we give them everything they need to succeed; it’s up to them to make the most of it. This creates a very close family-type feeling among students and staff. What is the Yeshiva’s goal for its graduates? Where do you expect they will go after they graduate? Our goal is for 100% of our students to find their niche, reach their potential, and achieve success in their chosen path in life. No matter their choice, yeshiva, army, university, working, I see our boys being committed to Talmud Torah and Shmiras Halacha, and being the future leaders of their communities. For more information please contact Rabbi Klein at: alterklein@gmail.com 052-892-1548 www.BIZNESSMAGAZINE.com
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Showroom Grand Opening & Beyond Interview with Miriam Goldshtein of Kitchens
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iriam Goldshtein has been working in the design and construction industry for nearly two decades. She has done the interior design of dozens of private homes and big housing projects such as Koenig, Ganei Geulah, and Nofei Eliyahu. What services do you provide? Kitchens is the place to design your entire house according to your needs. I do everything possible for my clients starting from the day we meet, up until the day that they receive the key. This includes preparing the building plans, furniture, lighting and anything else they might need to build their house in Israel. Of course, the highlight of our work is the kitchen --- according to the client’s own personal taste-- whether it be classic or modern. We design and build everything for you, with an eye on perfection. We do also work with contractors and can arrange for someone to take on the renovating/building of your entire home, under our guidance. Why do you enjoy working with Anglos? I learned their lifestyle and what they love. My expertise and my experience are with clients from abroad and thank G-d I have built many wonderful houses for them. I very much feel for the hardships that olim go through when coming to Israel and trying to deal with the balagan of building. I am here to help you through the process, and make it as peaceful and successful process as possible. What is the Goldshtein Kitchens advantage? We understand your needs. The most important thing that you will get from us is our experience. Because of it, we are able to advise you on what is good and practical for your house. We know what is good for a family with a lot of children and what is appropriate for a family which is already marrying off their children. We know what is appropriate for a young couple and what would work well for a grandmother and grandchildren. Everything that is used needs to be used properly. For example, we take into consideration just how high the kitchen counters should be so that it will always be comfortable and not give you a backache. A major struggle for women who have made aliyah is making do with a much smaller amount of space than they are used to. We help to ease this transition by creating designs that maximize space to the fullest. It’s amazing how much more spacious a welldesigned room looks, not to mention how functional it will be. Our goal is to create a home with no dead space. 30
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What made you come to Bet Shemesh from Jerusalem to start Kitchens here? I still have work in Jerusalem but today, after 20 years, the younger Anglo Saxon crowd is more and more moving to Bet Shemesh and I felt that it was important to serve them there. Based on your 18 years in the field, what are the advantages of a “one stop shop?” Everything that one needs to buy may be in different places causing clients to have to run from place to place. For a long time I have thought about establishing a “one-stop shop” for many of the items which are needed for building kitchens as well as for the rest of a house. And today, here I am! Kitchens is the place to come if you are renovating or buying an apartment and you wish to have fun doing it. Our company is proud to be the official distributor of world renowned Pirzul and Blum products carrying a 12 year warranty. We are also distributors of Caesar stone. We carry a large selection of marble granite, ceramics, glass, Blanco and Fordham sinks as well as faucets from well-known companies, all which come with full warranties. Tell us about your new expanded location. We recently moved to a magnificent showroom on Nahar HaYarden 10. We want you to be impressed by what you see and enable you to run your hands over the kitchen you have been dreaming of. We feel that there is nothing like being able to walk around a pleasant, air-conditioned area and view all sorts of types of kitchens. We have professionals who understand your heart and who will receive you patiently. Who creates the design in the house? We have three highly qualified interior designers on premise. Our designers will sit with you and help you plan the entire house, tailored made to your needs. We have 3-D programs so that you can see how the furniture and other accessories that you have picked will fit into your house. We can show you, in 3-D, the various types of closets and what the various types of materials look like such as wood, full Formica, polymer, glass, epoxy or other popular ones. Dealing with big budgets is easy, how do you deal with small budgets? This is one of the benefits of having built so much. I know how to help people who have small budgets and who do not want to, or cannot, put everything into their house. Unless you really understand what you are doing, apparent savings can come out more expensive in the end.
Bizness Magazine
Nahar Hayarden 10, Beit Shemesh 02 624 3773 kitchens.gold@gmail.com http://kitchens1.co.il
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Expert
In
I N S U RA N CE
Insurance: By Shimon Cohen
Who Needs It?!
H
ave you ever looked at your credit card statement or bank account and thought… do I really need all this insurance? Don’t even think about it!! The proof, from our claims desk over the past few months: Claim #1: An innocent leak which was initially wrongly “diagnosed” by the insurance company assessor. The result: the family has to move homes for six weeks. The kitchen floor is being completely uprooted and replaced; the cupboards, walls, etc. will all be refitted or re-plastered to make it as good as new. All this is covered under their home-owners policy. Claim paid: 80,000 shekels. Claim #2: Our client’s son was engaged to be married (Mazel Tov!) The happy parents-in-law bought their new kallah two beautiful pieces of jewelry. They also requested that they be insured, of course. The company agreed, but we had to issue a new policy to cover the kallah’s house, which did not previously have insurance. You guessed it--a week after the purchase, burglars broke into the kallah’s home, where the jewelry was being kept, and stole the pieces. The feelings were terrible, but at least the policy was in place. Claim paid: 20,000 shekels. Claim #3: Because of a misunderstanding, our client neglected to pay his car license and his compulsory insurance (bituach chova). His son was driving the car and had an accident. Boruch Hashem there were no injuries, but damage was caused to both vehicles. In this case, since the son had a valid driver’s license, even though the car license and chova weren’t paid, the insurance company paid the damage. (If someone would have been injured, the lack of compulsory insurance/bituach chova would have been critical – so don’t ever try this!) Claim paid: 10,000 shekels. Claim #4: Believe it or not, this happened to your own insurance agent – Egert and Cohen! Two weeks ago, we came to our office only to find that we had been attacked by internet pirates. All our thousands of files had been corrupted, and the “pirates” demanded a “ransom” of $500 to unlock them. After hours of consultation with fellow sufferers and internet security experts, we were told to pay up! What followed was: a) a long process of checking that the “clear” files didn’t contain another virus and b) shouting at our back-up com-
pany for not informing us that our automatic daily back-up had itself had a virus and that we had “lost” nearly 3 weeks of data, scanning etc. Eventually everything came back, and we are counting the cost in terms of time lost. Thankfully, we had a policy to cover this (called cyber insurance). Claim paid: Still in the process. Claim #5: One of our client’s daughters has a rare condition that might require surgery overseas. The first stage is to fly her to Europe for a consultation with a surgeon. The family bought supplementary medical insurance a few years ago. Claim paid (to date): $4,000 for the initial consultation. Claim #6: This does not have a happy ending! A group of madrichim on their way to a summer camp in Europe left two laptops and a briefcase with $24,000 (!) in a parked car in Madrid. The windshield was smashed and the car’s contents stolen. They did have baggage insurance, but this obviously excludes the cash. Regarding the laptops, it is also problematic, as anything stolen from a car is only covered for a much lower amount. The result: $750 for the luggage and a further $1,000 that we managed to get ex-gratia (lifnim meshurat hadin). Better than nothing, but not nearly enough! Moral of the story – insurance gives you the peace of mind to withstand some of the big and small challenges of life--so, pay up… and smile!! 02-623-2546, 050-548-2192 www.egertcohen.co.il www.BIZNESSMAGAZINE.com
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PERSON AL FI N A N CE
Do You Have a Personal CFO? By Richard Gussow I’m often asked to explain about what I do. Perfectly understandable, as even my kids haven’t quite figured out what I do for a living. While in the US and other countries personal financial planning is a well-known profession, it is relatively new in Israel. So what does a personal financial planner do? A colleague once said to me that we are like family doctors – we look at the overall financial health of our clients, and when needed refer to specialists to set things straight. While the comparison is valid, I prefer one told me by another colleague: We are our clients’ Chief Financial Officer (CFO). A CFO is generally associated with a company, not a person. CFOs are responsible for the financial affairs of a company, from A to Z. A CFO looks at the income and expenses, cash flow, risk management (such as insurance), and the investments of the company. A personal financial planner does similar work for clients, but on a personal level. Unfortunately, anyone can call himself a financial planner, as there is no license required. This makes it difficult for consumers, but in choosing a financial planner, look for someone with qualifications, such as licensing from the Israeli Securities Authority (for investments in securities), and/or the Ministry of Finance (for pensions and insurance). Recently the internationally recognized Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation began to be offered in Israel, with the Israeli certification specializing in Israeli-oriented issues such as Israeli pensions, investments, Israeli taxes, Bituach Leumi and other issues. I recently completed the Israeli CFP course, and after 18 months of coursework and passing a rigorous 7 hour examination, b’ezrat Hashem I will receive my certification at the annual certificate issuance in October. While insurance agents, portfolio managers, accountants and attorneys each have their specializations, usually none of them look at their client’s complete financial picture. A personal financial planner looks at your complete financial situation and works with your specialists to give you the most efficient and effective financial plan possible. Objectivity is perhaps the most important issue; my firm does not keep any fees or commissions from our recommendations. We rebate those to our clients, which lowers our net fee. In fact, many of our clients end up paying us close to zero net fees, and some have rebates so high they even receive payments from us! My typical process with a client is to meet with both the client and spouse (if applicable) and go over their current family and 32
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tax advantage INSURANCE
BUDGET tax benefit EMPLOYMENT
investment deposit
dept
Personal Finance CFO
salary
retirement savings
social security
credit
MORTGAGE
financial situations. I ask about their goals, their willingness and ability to take investment risk, their current insurance coverage and current pension plans. Based on this Q&A and the documents I receive from the client, I form a financial plan that takes into account my client’s current financial picture and goals. I then make recommendations regarding possible changes to their investment portfolios, pension plans, insurance coverage and other issues. For example, many insurance policies used for pensions, often called manager’s insurance, are very expensive and there are advantages (and some disadvantages) to switching to one of the pension funds, which are generally cheaper and over the long run can make a big difference in the size of your retirement pension. Another example deals with investment portfolios. I often find clients taking either too much or too little risk in their portfolios. Based on their risk tolerance, I make recommendations regarding the raising or lowering of the percentage of stocks and bonds in a portfolio, and the exposure to foreign currency risk. I will also look at insurance policies and may recommend either increasing or decreasing insurance coverage. My client can either accept or reject these recommendations. If the client accepts at least part of the recommendations, I deal with all the paperwork necessary to get the job done. Isn’t it time you had your own personal CFO? The information is not intended to be, and does not constitute, financial advice or any other advice. It is general in nature and not specific to you. Before using this information to make an investment decision, you should seek the advice of a qualified investment advisor and undertake your own due diligence.
Bizness Magazine
(03) 970-7070 (052) 806-6690 richard@theservice.co.il www.richardgussow.com
02 999 3939
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SILVER & GOLD EXCHANGE
WE BUY Silver Items
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Watches / Pocket Watches
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Any other interesting items
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Dave Wolf & Co.’s Annual U.S. Tax Returns and Information Forms Update Set forth below is our annual overview of the most important International Information Forms for expatriate tax returns, for the 2014 Tax Return Filing Season.
FinCEN Report 114 (used to be Form TD90-22.1) a/k/a FBAR – filed if the aggregate of reportable foreign financial accounts exceeds $10,000. This is a U.S. Treasury Department form which needs to be filed by June 30, of the year after, with no extensions. Anyone who is a signor or beneficial owner of a foreign bank or financial account(s) with more than $10,000 must disclose these accounts to the U.S. Treasury. The law imposes a civil penalty for not disclosing an offshore account as high as the highest of 50% of the balance in the account at the time of the violation or $100,000. Criminal penalties for willful failure to file an FBAR can also apply in certain situations. These penalties can be imposed for each year. FinCen Form 105 – filed when cash in excess of $10,000 is physically removed from or brought into the USA. The form is filed with the Custom’s officer in charge at any port of entry or departure or with the Commissioner of Customs. Form 926 – a U.S. person that transfers cash to a foreign corporation must report the transfer on Form 926 if (a) immediately after the transfer the person holds directly or indirectly at least 10% of the total voting power or the total value of the foreign corporation, or (b) the amount of cash transferred by the person to the foreign corporation during the 12-month period ending on the date of the transfer exceeds $100,000. Form 1042-S – filed if you made payments to foreign vendors or recipients of dividends, interest, rents, royalties, service fees, 34
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etc. to the extent that the payments are U.S. source income to the foreign recipient. Due no later than March 15, 2015, with a short 30-day extension available upon request, with copies sent to the income recipients and the IRS. Form 3520 and 3520-A – filed if you are a grantor with respect to a foreign trust, or a beneficiary receiving distributions from a foreign trust or bequests or certain gifts from a foreign entity or decedent. This form is filed separately from the tax return. Form 5471 – filed if a U.S. taxpayer (which includes individuals, partnerships, corporations, estates and trusts) owns 10% or more of the stock of a foreign corporation or are officers, directors or shareholders in Controlled Foreign Corporation. Due with the tax return (including extensions). Form 5472 – filed by a “reporting corporation” that has “reportable transactions” with foreign or domestic related parties. A reporting corporation is either a U.S. corporation that is a 25% foreign-owned or a foreign corporation engaged in a trade or business within the United States. A corporation is 25% foreign-owned if it has at least one direct or indirect 25% foreign shareholder at any time during the tax year. Form 5472 must be filed in all cases only with the reporting corporation’s income tax return for the tax year by the due date (including extensions) of the return. Form 8621 – Generally, a U.S. person that is a direct or indirect shareholder of a PFIC must file Form 8621 for each tax year under the following five circumstances if the U.S. person: (1) Receives certain direct or indirect distributions from a PFIC; (2) Recognizes gain on a direct or indirect disposition of PFIC stock; (3) Is reporting information with respect to a Qualified Electing Fund or section 1296 mark-to-market election; (4) Is making an election reportable in Part II of the form, or (5) Is required to file an annual report pursuant to Section 1298(f). Form 8858 – filed if you have an interest in a foreign entity which is classified as a disregarded entity for U.S. tax purposes. Due with the tax return. Form 8865 – filed if you have a greater than 10% interest in a foreign entity which is classified as a partnership for U.S. tax purposes. Due with the tax return. Form 8938 – filed by U.S. taxpayers who have an interest in foreign financial assets with an aggregate value exceeding $50,000. Filing Form 8938 does not relieve you of the requirement to file the FBAR Form, if you are otherwise required to file the FBAR Form. Form BE-10 – filed by any U.S. person that had a foreign affiliate, i.e., that had direct or indirect ownership or control of at least 10% of the voting stock of an incorporated foreign business enterprise, or an equivalent interest in an unincorporated foreign business enterprise – at anytime during the U.S. person’s 2014 fiscal year, or any non-U.S. real property that produced income. If the U.S. person had no foreign affiliates during its 2014 fiscal year, it must file a “BE-10 Claim for Not Filing. This article is not a substitute for legal consultation. Legal advice should be sought in accordance with the particular circumstances.
Dave Wolf & Co. is a law firm specializing in taxation and wealth management with offices in Jerusalem, Tel-Aviv and New York and affiliate offices in Greater China, London and Amsterdam. Dave Wolf & Co can be reached at 02-622-2335.
Bizness Magazine
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Expert
MO
MORTGAGE
When Does Your ‘Fixed Rate’ Mortgage Interest Rate Actually Get Fixed? By Moshe Wilshinsky, CEO, Moville Mortgage and Finance Ltd.
T
his issue, among others, is obvious to the industry, but due to many factors borrowers don’t always understand. The interest rate, whether fixed or adjustable, is not finalized until the loan is actually made, or in industry terms, until the mortgage funds. Yes, fixed interest rates, and the factors that make up the adjustable interest rate parts of your mortgage, are only finalized when your mortgage funds (bitzuah in Hebrew). This means that in many cases, after you get your ishur ekroni (approval in principle) from the bank, and even after you have signed loan documents, your interest rate can change until the loan funds Furthermore, the interest rate is finalized only on the part that is funded. For example: You have been approved for a NIS 1,000,000 mortgage, and the bank has funded NIS 450,000 of that amount to pay off the mortgage of your seller. If you have a 4.25% fixed rate on NIS 350,000 of that NIS 450,000 sent to your seller’s lender, and a prime minus 0.5% on NIS 100,000, (the balance of that NIS 450,000 sent to your seller’s lender), only those amounts of your NIS 1,000,000 are finalized. The remaining NIS 550,000 is still subject to interest rate fluctuations in the market. “Oh, a scam!” you say, “another way for the banks to ‘give it to us’.” No, just realities of a market bigger than your mortgage, the bank and in some circumstances the Israeli economy. You will notice, when you get your ishur ekroni or sign your loan documents, that interest rates are usually committed to for anywhere from one to two weeks, depending on the bank. So if your loan does fund within that period you will get the rate quoted, but if your loan does not fund until after that period then it will depend on market conditions. In America, they use something called a rate lock, which does just that - it allows an interest rate on a mortgage to be set for a period, usually 30 to 45 days, if the loan funds in that time. These “rate locks” do not exist in Israel and it is important to remember the primary (not the only) factor determining interest rate on your mort-
gage is a financial market. For the NIS fixed interest rates it is the Israeli Bond market, so all the factors affecting that market will affect the mortgage interest rate, whether it is local inflation or the international interest market (although it will take longer for an international trend to affect local interest rates). This is all becoming more relevant than it has been for quite some time, because since the fourth increase in inflation rates this year, mortgage interest rates have increased. It is no longer a maybe; it is a fact. We have seen a significant increase. Even with these increases we still have lower interest rates than a few years ago, and on a historic basis are still low, but it is important to understand what to expect; and in the current market there is a good chance the interest rates on your mortgage will increase before you actually get your mortgage. This is important to keep in mind when budgeting your monthly mortgage payment as well as keeping realistic expectations. 073-796-2226 ext. 711 questions@movillefinance.com www.movillefinance.com www.BIZNESSMAGAZINE.com
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DENTAL CENTER
Do I Really Need to Floss? By Dr. David Schlussel, DDS
H
ow many times has this happened to you? You’re sitting in the dentist’s chair and he or she asks if you’ve been flossing regularly. You immediately have an overwhelming sense of guilt at the fact that no, you haven’t been flossing regularly. Don’t feel too bad, in a 2008 study, the American Dental Association found that only 49% of Americans actually floss. So why is flossing so important? Besides helping to prevent bad breath, I will discuss two major reasons that flossing is so important.
Gum Disease Gum disease, or periodontal disease, is the inflammation of the gums and bone, the structures supporting the teeth. One of the biggest causes of gum disease comes from food particles and bacteria getting stuck in the small spaces where your gums and teeth meet. When this plaque hardens it becomes tartar. Both plaque and tartar can lead to gingivitis, the first stage of gum disease. Gingivitis can progress to periodontitis, which is the loss of the structures supporting the teeth. Signs of gum disease include bleeding gums, mobile teeth & receding gums. Gum disease often leads to tooth loss. Flossing removes these bacteria and food particles and helps you to avoid gum disease. Reduces Risk of Heart Disease and other Illnesses Not many people realize this, but a healthy mouth means a healthy heart. Because it is in most cases the first point of entry many bacteria can enter into the body through the mouth. Among other factors, bacteria from the mouth can produce toxins that damage the lining of the arteries in your heart and lead to hardening of those arteries. Gum disease can also increase the risk of stroke, pre-term labor and low birth weight babies and respiratory disease. Flossing 36
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keeps your mouth as clean as possible which helps reduce the risk of heart disease. So how do you know if you have gum disease? Besides noting if you have bleeding, receding or painful gums, mobile teeth or bad breath, the best way to diagnose the disease is a simple exam by your dentist. What do you do if you have periodontal disease? There are several treatments for the disease. The traditional treatments range from nonsurgical “deep cleanings” to surgical resection, or cutting away of the diseased tissue. In the past 20 years, a revolutionary procedure has taken the periodontal community by storm. This procedure is called LANAP® and treats periodontal disease with a very specialized laser, not by removing gum tissue and bone but by killing the bacteria that cause the disease and helping the body heal and rebuild the supporting structures. LANAP® is performed under local anesthetic as if you were having a filling done. There is no cutting or suturing and patients experience very little discomfort after the treatment. You can get more information about LANAP® at http://www.lanap.com. Flossing can take one to two minutes, once a day, and can make the difference between a lifetime of health or more visits to the dentist than you bargained for. Be proactive! We have a saying in our office, “Floss only the teeth you want to keep”
Bizness Magazine
15 Ibn Gevirol Street, Jerusalem 02-561-9770, 02-561-9780 www.rechaviadental.co.il
02 999 3939
Expert
BC
BUDGET CO U N SELI N G
A Blueprint for Retirement
A true story from the files of a family budget counselor By David Litke
A
man in his 60’s passed away suddenly, leaving a widow, two grown children, a mortgage, no mortgage life insurance and no will. In the absence of a will, Israeli law grants 50% of the estate to the surviving spouse, and 50% to be divided equally among the children. The widow now still had to pay a monthly payment on the mortgage for which she held only 50% ownership in the residence, and due to the refusal of one of the grown children to cede his 25% share, found herself stressed, trapped and depressed. Retirement planning does not, and should not, begin only in our 60’s. It is a lifelong project when done correctly. In the case study above, at least two “violations” of good planning can be pointed out. The couple had not prepared a will, and had let their mortgage life insurance lapse. While at first glance it may seem that these matters are not connected to retirement, in fact they have everything to do with gaining financial security in our later years. Every financial decision we make in our younger years has an effect on our financial position in our later years. One cannot neglect to prepare a will and expect that the dispensation of his estate will go exactly as he would have liked had he bothered to do the legal work. One cannot be prepared for a financial catastrophe without securing proper insurance. And when we neglect these matters, they can complicate our lives for many years, even into our pension years. Below, I have prepared a “to do” list for retirement. Each of the items is a subject for a complete article in its own right, of course. But it’s worthwhile in this brief article to see at least an overview of tasks crucial to assuring a healthy and enjoyable retirement. 1. Plan your retirement – get professional advice to calculate your assets and how they will provide for you on a monthly basis until age 90-95. 2. Save, Save, Save during your active working years – the retirement assets at your disposal will be determined by how much you managed to save during your career from your employment pension benefits and from your own savings initiatives. 3. Set goals – discuss in depth with your spouse what quality of life you wish to maintain (as a function of available assets) during your retirement. You must reach a consensus on the difference between real needs and wants. 4. Prepare a budget! – Before the month begins! Each month! This is the best way to avoid overspending. 5. Prepare a supplemental, emergency budget for unexpected expenses. 6. Account for inflation – over five years, you can easily lose 10% 38
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or more of your purchasing power. Over twenty years, you can lose much more. 7. Assure adequate health and siudi (long term care) insurance. If inadequate, you cannot afford to be as generous as you may like with giving tzedakah or gifts to family members. The understandable, and natural, wish to help out the children or grandchildren can blind us to our own health and long term care needs. 8. Get reputable investment counseling – rule of thumb: find the medium between too conservative and too aggressive investment vehicles. 9. Be stingy with your savings – you don’t know how long you will live, and you don’t know what all your needs will be. 10. Delay as long as possible receiving bituach leumi and Social Security benefits. 11. Options for your home/apartment – to help supplement your retirement, several options are often available: Downsize by selling your property and buying a smaller place, converting the profit into monthly income; divide your home into apartments and offer them for rent; take out a reverse mortgage (absolutely last and drastic resort). 12. Keep the management of your affairs simple – one bank account, one insurance agent, one financial advisor, one taxman, etc. As mental faculties deteriorate in the later years, this will greatly simplify your life. 13. Give your kids the best gift ever. Be financially independent! Don’t get hung up on leaving them an inheritance, if it means your quality of life or risk protection is compromised. As more and more people live well into their 90’s, their assets will be required for living expenses and should not be held back just to assure granting an inheritance to the children. 14. Protect your family with a will. Subscribe to our free email tips: www.budgetrelief.co.il
Bizness Magazine
050-535-1800 david@budgetsuccess.co.il www.budgetsuccess.co.il
02 999 3939
Go back to school with Smiley!
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â˜ť At Smiley you will ďŹ nd all the textbooks and the schools supplies you need. â˜ť Personal attention and enjoyable shopping! â˜ť You can pay with Bizness Shekels for supplies and stationary for schools, institutions and camps.
Park Center Mall, Nachal Dolev 3rd Floor. Plenty of parking space. Additional entrance from Nahal Timna. You can order by fax: 02-991 9374 or email: smiley.dolev@gmail.com
Insurance is always on our mind so it doesn’t have to be on yours!
Peace of mind.
INSURING YOUR: Home | Health | Life | Auto | Business | Travel Egert & Cohen. Always by your side.
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The EU, the Clo By: Jean-Luc Dascotte – Partner at Tiberghien Luxembourg Law Firm Robin Penchi – Associate at Tiberghien Luxembourg Law Firm
A
ny Israeli company looking to invest in Europe may feel overwhelmed by the complexity of dealing with 28 countries, 25 languages and 10 currencies--including the euro. Along with 28 countries come 28 different tax systems and 28 different tax authorities. The e-economy is not exempt from this complexity. New technologies such as the Internet and the Cloud may create a sense of a borderless, seamless world, but taxes are real and are contained mostly within borders. The first contact an investor and/or developer has with the EU tax system is usually VAT, chiefly because it applies to any single commercial relationship with an end customer based in the EU (European Union). The second contact is generally income tax, which becomes relevant once the Israeli entity decides to have a physical presence in the EU. Let’s take a look at both. Value added tax VAT is the most standardized of all taxes at the European level, since VAT legislations of the EU member states is a straightforward implementation of European VAT directives. Unfortunately, discrepancies still remain between national VAT regimes within the EU. As a consumption tax, VAT does not affect the profits of a taxable person in a specific country; rather, it affects transactions carried out by any entity (with legal personality or not). Since VAT applies in the broadest manner to all transactions taking place in EU territory, the two central questions any company which intends to access the EU market needs to ask are: • whether the activity implies supply of goods or supply of services; • whether these goods or services will be supplied in an EU member state (and if yes, which one). As to the first question, with the exception of the physical supply of goods ordered electronically, any transaction carried out through the Internet, the Cloud or any other electronic means, such as electronic data storage or web hosting, the supply of software, music, or any other type of electronic content, as well as any on-line product, should generally be considered a supply of services as far as VAT is concerned. As to the second question, the location of electronically supplied services, the answer is more complex. In this case, we are determining where the services were provided, but services are by nature intangible, and therefore difficult to locate. As of January 1, 2015, the EU legislator ruled that electronically supplied services fall within the scope of VAT in the EU Member State where they are consumed, i.e. where the recipient is, and are subject to the 40
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applicable headline VAT rate (ranging within the EU from 17% in Luxembourg to 27% in Hungary). Here are the implications of these laws for Israeli companies doing business in the EU: 1. If the recipient is a VAT registered entity, it is required to selfaccount for the national VAT through its VAT return, and the Israeli company is not subject to specific EU VAT obligation. 2. If the recipient is a private-end customer residing in the EU, the Israeli company could in theory be required to register VAT in every EU Member State where a private end customer resides. Since such registration might prove difficult from a resource, language and logistical point of view, the EU implemented the so-called mini one stop shop (MOSS), which allows businesses to register in a single EU Member State of choice and account for VAT in one single VAT return at the rate applicable in each country where their customers reside. As efficient as it is, the MOSS does not solve all practical issues, such as monitoring the various EU VAT rates and tracking the country of residence of every customer. Income taxes The issue of income tax becomes relevant to any Israeli company that sets up a physical presence in the EU. Above a certain level of physical presence in one EU country, and pursuant to applicable laws and regulations, other EU jurisdictions may request that their share of the company’s profits be taxed in their country. Bilateral tax treaties are concluded between countries to deal with double taxation on income derived from cross-border transactions. If, however, the two contracting countries do not agree on the tax rights under a treaty, juridical double taxation can occur. Israel has established tax treaties with 27 EU countries. Tax
Bizness Magazine
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ud and Taxes treaties of OECD (organization of economic cooperation and development) member countries are generally based on the OECD model; however, they each contain variations because they are negotiated against the backdrop of different languages, legal systems, tax rules, economic policies, etc. The main, guiding principle established under the current OECD tax Model is that “an enterprise in one state shall not be subject to a direct tax on its business profits based on net income in the other state unless it carries on business in that other state through a permanent establishment (PE) located in the other state.” The OECD further establishes fundamental criteria for determining if a PE exists. As a result, determining whether a PE is created is a question of substantial financial significance. The advent of the internet and the proliferation of e-commerce are triggering changes and revisions to the interpretation of tax treaties that respond to the challenges presented by the digital economy. One of the most complex issues related to these developments is the question of whether and when computer equipment in IT operations can constitute a PE. There are two types of PE confirmed by the OECD tax model: a. The first type is an establishment which is part of the same enterprise as the parent company and under common ownership and control, e.g., place of management, office, etc. b. The second type is an agent who is legally separate from the enterprise, but is nevertheless dependent on the enterprise to the point of forming a PE. Whether a PE is constituted or not is based on many relevant facts and circumstances. An example of a PE encompassed by (a) above is a fixed place of business through which the business of an enterprise is wholly or partly carried out. In general, a location where automated equipment is operated by an enterprise may constitute a PE in the country in which it is physically situated. For e-commerce, the general rule is that websites are not tangible property and therefore do not constitute PE’s. However, a server on which the website is stored and through which it is accessible constitutes equipment that may constitute a “fixed place of business” of the enterprise operating the server. A dependent agent in the meaning of (b) above, be it an individual or a company, is deemed a PE of the enterprise if that person has and habitually exercises authority to conclude contracts that are binding on the enterprise, even if the enterprise may not have a fixed place of business in that country. An enterprise is not, however, deemed to have a PE in a country if it carries on business in that country through an “independent” agent (e.g. broker, general commission agent,) provided the agent is acting in the ordinary course of his business as an independent agent. A top platform for business Inevitably, investing in or developing any business in Europe
will trigger tax concerns that will need to be carefully monitored. A standardized VAT system across Europe is certainly a great relief for many companies choosing to do business in Europe. The ability to accurately assess the attractiveness of any market is critical for Israeli companies moving into Europe. All things considered, Luxembourg is unquestionably a prime platform for business—and even more so for IT–for all the following reasons: • Cutting edge infrastructure (connectivity and green data centers) • Most connected OECD country • Leading data center marketplace in Europe • Top legal, financial and technical skills • Security and trust centers • Business-oriented regulatory framework • An efficient tax framework • Proactive and business-supportive Government • Political and social stability • AAA-rating from all three major credit rating agencies (one of only 9 countries worldwide) • Multilingual • Excellent quality of life • Central location in Europe Many world-renowned IT companies are taking advantage of Luxembourg’s privileged environment, including Amazon, Champ, ebay, iTunes, PayPal, Rakuten, RTL, SES, Skype, and many more. We recommend adding your company’s name to this list. Tiberghien is a leading tax law firm specialising in providing client focused solutions to complex and legal tax issues. With offices in Brussels, Antwerp and Luxembourg, Tiberghien is noted for its entrepreneurial and business oriented approach. Its operational relationship with a number of international (tax) law firms has resulted in the creation of a powerful network that is able to offer seamless cross-border tax advice to its clients. www.tiberghien.com jean-luc.dascotte@tiberghien.com +352 24 47 51 15 robin.penchi@tiberghien.lu +352 27 47 51 24 www.BIZNESSMAGAZINE.com
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LI FE C O A C H
Stressed?
Don’t take it out on your family! By Helen Abelesz
W
hen we feel bad about ourselves we often take it out on those around us. Coming home after a bad day at work we may yell at our kids over something minor. Then, feeling frustrated with ourselves, we pick a fight with our loved ones. To do this occasionally is quite normal, but if the frustration isn’t dealt with, it can quickly spiral out of control and become a problem. Suddenly we can find that our communication is only through nagging and shouting, and we don’t know how we got there. Jenny* was married with three children and made aliyah three years ago. Adjusting to life in Israel was hard for her as she was far away from the support of her parents and sisters, who she was used to relying on. While her children struggled at first, they were now more or less settled in gan and school, yet Jenny felt like she herself was still struggling. She couldn’t find a job in her field with convenient hours so she took something just because it was local and available. She felt that she spent her whole day on the move – running to take the kids to school and then going to work, running from work to pick them up. She was always exhausted and stressed and she found herself shouting a lot at her kids. Her husband had been unemployed for a while but was now working long hours. He only came home at night well after all the children were in bed. By that time Jenny was spent and often felt resentful that she had to do everything for the house and the kids as well as work. It put a strain on their relationship. Jenny’s sister came to visit and surprised her by asking what was wrong. Why was she so moody and angry? Jenny was shocked when she realized that she was trapped in a resentful and angry pattern. She knew she needed help, so she gave me a call. Our first meeting was difficult. It was difficult for her to say that while she once excitedly waited for husband to come home, now she hardly acknowledges him, often asking him to take out the garbage as he walks in, without even saying hello. We talked a lot about how when we are unhappy we take our frustration out on our loved ones. We don’t show our anger to our boss or neighbor; only to those who are easy targets, often our husbands, children and even parents. We looked at what was making Jenny so unhappy and how she could begin to make some changes in her life. We worked 42
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Stress UNINSTALLING...
on a plan that structured time for herself into her daily routine, and included a strategy on approaching her boss to consider a flexible work-schedule that would relieve her stress and make her more productive. At the same time we worked on exercises that allowed her to be more positive with her family. Jenny began to actively point out the positive things that her husband and children had done, rather than focusing on what they hadn’t done. After making these changes to her life and working on her communication with her husband and children, the atmosphere in her house began to change. Jenny was much less tense and found herself smiling and laughing a lot more. If you, like Jenny, are feeling frustrated and unhappy and are taking it out on your family, give me a call TODAY for a free first consultation on 0544829815. Check out my Facebook page for Life Coaching tips: https://www. facebook.com/pages/Life-Coaching-for-Women/643214162406829 * Not her real name and all identifying features have been changed.
Bizness Magazine
054-482-9815 helenabelesz@gmail.com
Facebook: Life-Coaching-for-Women/643214162406829
02 999 3939
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What to Look for in a Stand-Alone Freezer
I
n Israel, it’s become very popular to purchase a stand-alone freezer to complement an existing fridge-freezer combo. Freezer space in most standard Israeli size refrigerators is fairly limited, and many consumers like to stock up on frozen items during sale times, making an extra freezer a very attractive item. They are generally fairly inexpensive and don’t cost a lot to run, so they’re an ideal investment if you’re in the market. Size Drawer freezers, or uprights, come in sizes ranging from 3 drawersthrough 8 drawers, although most people don’t get larger than 6--you can get a very good deal on a nice-sized 6 drawer freezer, but above that they are usually quite expensive. The layout of drawer freezers, as opposed to chest freezers or fridge freezers, is a tall appliance with various size drawers that you can pull out to store your items, just like a furniture bureau. While this is generally convenient and makes for efficient organization, it’s not as space-efficient as a chest freezer, where you can store one thing on top of the other. Price Of course, larger freezers are generally more expensive than smaller ones, but there are many others factors that affect the price, such as name brand, whether it’s self-defrosting and other special features. Prices generally range from around 1,000 nis to upwards of 3,500 nis. A lower price is not necessarily an indicator of a lower-quality appliance,
as you can get a decent piece at a competitive price if you don’t mind that it has fewer features. Manual or self-defrosting Like most refrigerator/ freezer models, many freezers come with a self-defrost feature. This means that it periodically sends its temperature down, so there’s no ice buildup. In a manual model, you have to periodically defrost it yourself – perhaps about twice a year – to melt down any ice buildup. This usually involves lots of water, but then it’s as good as new, and it brings down the cost quite a bit. Energy efficiency The more energy efficient, the less electricity is uses, so even though a better energy rating implies a higher cost, you save in the long run. Extra features Some fancier models feature special features that are very user friendly. Here are a few. Some are more standard than others, which means it’s more likely you’ll get them without having to spend extra money. Others come at a price. `` Door lock `` Interior light `` Alarm, if it gets too warm inside. `` Soft-freeze section – this is an excellent feature if you have frozen foods that you don’t want to become rock-hard, such as ice cream. Whatever features you decide you need, most freezers last a long time and offer a high value.
Chashmal 1/2 Chinam is a home appliance store located on 9 Yitzchak Rabin St. Bet Shemesh Tel. 02-999-7193
A Taste of Home in Israel
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Anthony & Arik Lipschitz, 053-747-1681 053-739-8866 Anthony & Arik Lipschitz, 057-747-1681, 057-739-8866 Email: kingds@netvision.net.il K I NNGG DDAAV VI DI D Please see our site for video R IDINGSTABLES S TAB L E S shown on Israel TV, articles and RIDING O SS HH AA VV M O more information: Y A D HASHMONA HAS HMONA YAD www.kingdavidstables.com
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Noa’s Story
oa is a 10 year old girl who 18 months ago felt strong migraine pains and was subsequently diagnosed with an aggressive case of malignant metastatic cranial osteosarcoma tumor. After nine grueling surgeries and countless treatments of chemotherapy and radiation, she is on the way to healing and successful recovery, under the care of Dr. Yoram Neumann a renowned pediatric disease specialist of the Pediatric Hemato-Oncology unit of Sheba Medical Center. He now says her recuperation depends on a biological medication named Keytruda designed to fight the tumor with immunotherapy, which she desperately needs. This medicine has worked wonders in children with this type of disease however is not yet covered in the Department of Health’s Basket. The cost of this medicine is a staggering USD $120,000. Dr. Neumann confirms that this treatment will save her life. We have a partial donation, but still have a way to go to cover the cost. It is worth noting that Noa is a truly sweet and optimistic girl who always has a smile on her face that conquers all. Her mother, Rivka (Rikki), is a single mom who has lived with her daughter in the hospital for the last 14 months, and now accompanies her on frequent visits to the hospital for continuing MRI’s, blood tests, etc. She thus had to leave 48
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her job in real estate sales and as a regional manager of a jewelry chain. She has no ability to work as she is taking care of Noa 24/7. Noa’s medications, many treatments and specialists visits were not covered by insurance and Rikki needed to pay for them privately, thus succumbing to debt of over USD $35,000 so far. Rikki’s career has been on hold and it’s very difficult for her to pay for basic needs, let alone Noa’s medications and treatments. Noa’s dream is to live. Please open your heart to help Noa as this request will literally save her life. We are in need of $55,000 to continue down this path of treatment, so that she can survive. We have a donor who will match 1 dollar for every 3 dollars raised, up to $20,000. I have basic medical records, information on Keytruda and other information available upon request. Please contact me with any questions at bsd.philanthropy@gmail.com or 050-775-5724 or in the US (281) 657-1421. To donate, please visit: http://www.gofundme.com/y44t6k
Bizness Magazine
For a tax-deduction or company match please contact Ariel at bsd.philanthropy@gmail.com
02 999 3939 www.BIZNESSMAGAZINE.com • 48
Holistic Psychotherapy Minda Garr Minda combines all her experience in her work as holistic Psychotherapist. Minda addresses the physical, spiritual, Mental and emotional facets of her clients 052-614-6932 | wellnessisraelhealing@gmail.com | www.wellnessisrael.wordpress.com
Real Estate Ilan Rubinstein A veteran real estate agent with 25 years experience, Ilan of Ilan States & Investments makes the procedure of buying property in Israel as painless as possible. 077-410-8011 Cell: 0504-910-604 office@ilanrealestate.com www.ilanrealestate.com Property Management David Chernin David and his team at the Zedek group do everything necessary to manage your apartment when you are away. You can rest assured that your property is in good hands with the Zedek Group. 052-690-6629 cell, 02 547-2638 office David@Zedekgroup.com www.zedekgroup.com Personal Trainer Jerry Hyman Jerry is an experienced personal trainer with a wide range of skills, which are available through his company, Elite Fitness Israel. He works with any age, and is available to make a custom made plan to help you achieve success. 050-779-8886 02-993-4681 info@elitefitnessisrael.com www.elitefitnessisrael.com Life Coach Helen Abelesz Helen is a life coach who specializes in working with women who are feeling overwhelmed, lack self confidence, dealing with stress or are not achieving their potential. (02) 992 0263 | 054 482 9815 | helenabelesz@gmail.com Weight Loss Dr. Bo’s Team Dr. Bo Rosenblat is a nationally recognized, boardcertified physician with more than 15 years of experience 077-228-5877 | details@drbosdiet.com | www.drbosdiet.com Furniture Restoration Restorno Nati Journo and Yona Triestman both have strong backgrounds in furniture restoration. They offer a 25-year guarantee! 02-650-8777 | nati.restorno@gmail.com
Personal Financial Planning Richard Gussow Richard has been involved with the financial services industry both in Israel and globally for over 30 years (03) 970-7070 | 052-806- 6690 | richard@theservice.co.il | www.richardgussow.com Painting Nachum Eilberg Walls R Us began in Jerusalem in 1985 and has a strong reputation for its amazing customer service and immaculate cleanliness. nachum@wallsruspainting.com | 052-611-9500 Mortgage Moshe Wilshinsky A 27-year veteran in the mortgage industry, Moshe is the CEO of Moville Mortgage and Finance LTD. Call 073 796 2226 and press their special 711 Bizness Extension. questions@movillefinance.com | www.movillefinance.com Anxiety Disorders Rachel Factor LCSW Rachel had a large private practice in Monsey, NY before making Aliyah in 2009. Her expertise is providing relief from OCD and anxiety disorders for adults, children and adolescents 052-713-4130 | rachel@ocdsolutions.com | Skype: Rachel-Factor Air Conditioning and Heating Tzvi Lefkowitz Tzvi of Tzvi Air is a licensed technician who provides care and maintenance service and sales for all major air-conditioner brands. 02-628-8282 www.tzviair.com Insurance Egert-Cohen Egert-Cohen is a Jerusalem-based brokerage specializing in helping Englishspeaking Olim with all insurance needs. Shimon Cohen 050-548-2192 or Yona Egert at 050-536-3897 | www.egertcohen.co.il Wig Styling AG Wigs Ayala Greenbaum and Yaniv Hofi are the founders of AG Wigs. They sell high-end wigs in Europe, the USA and Israel. They are located at the Leonardo Plaza Hotel in Jerusalem (formerly Sheraton) 052-654-3500
Budget Counseling David Litke Both Israeli and American trained, David helps families with their monthly budgeting. He helps Olim take to control of their finances 050-535-1800 | david@budgetsuccess.co.il | www.budgetsuccess.co.il Narrative Therapy Karen Wolfers-Rapaport Karen Wolfers-Rapaport is a psychotherapist specializing in Narrative Therapy. She works with her clients in overcoming issues they may have with their innate tools 050-990-6368 | karenwrapaport1@gmail.com Dental Care Rechavia Dental Center The Rechavia Dental Center staff is comprised of three highly qualified American-trained specialists, dental hygienists and dental assistants. 15 Ibn Gevirol Street, Jerusalem | (02) 561-9770 | rechaviadental.co.il Antique Dealer Moshe Orman Moshe buys and sells items of value. That includes gold and silver pieces, watches, antiques and more. 054-837-3874 | 054-250-2043 ormanantiques@gmail.com Electrician Ari Katz Ari Katz, a.k.a Mr. Fix It, has been successfully fixing things since he was a child. He specializes in electricity, and makes customer service his top priority. 052-736-7369 premiumrepairs@gmail.com Social Media Blue Thread Marketing Ahron Glazer and Mordechai Holtz, coCEOs of Blue Thread Marketing, have a combined experience of over a decade of digital marketing expertise. Blue Thread Marketing helps brands get ahead by making a strong digital impact online. 052-736-6592 social@bluethreadmarketing.com www.bluethreadmarketing.com Outdoor Wood Creations Element Wood Creations Netanel Buta is a creative craftsman who is always expanding his knowledge in the field. Element wood creates custom made decks, pergolas, pools and anything else you can dream of for the outdoors. 050-676-3222 element.nati@gmail.com www.wooden-pergolas.co.il
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