Bizness Magazine November 2015 Issue by Anglo Media

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EXPERTS Helen Abelesz Blue Thread Marketing Netanel Buta David Chernin Shimon Cohen Nachum Eilberg Rachel Factor Minda Garr Richard Gussow Jerry Hyman

M A G A Z I N E SHARING THE MIRACLE OF SUCCESS Greater Jerusalem Area www.biznessmagazine.com Circulation: 21,000 copies NOVEMBER 2015

Ari Katz Tzvi Lefkowitz David Litke Moshe Orman Rechavia Dental Center Restorno Dr. Bo Rosenblat Ilan Rubinstein Moshe Wilshinsky

RAMIX

From the Dance Floor to the Studio

Ninjutsu

The Secret of the Jewish Ninja

Bridge Funding

Getting Money as Easy as 1-2-3

Element - Prepare Your Roof for Winter Moshe Berk - Let Your Voice Carry Smile Abroad- Fun with

Language Learning

Restorno

From the

Shabbos table to the App Store...

How to Upscale Antique “Junk”

Helen Abelesz - Self-appreciation Jerry Hyman Alternative Fitness Training

Zedek Group - Landlords 101 David Litke - Budgeting Made Simple

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Letter from the Editor M A G A Z I N E SHARING THE MIRACLE OF SUCCESS

Dear Readers,

Editor in Chief Ariel Topf

et’s talk about a group of true champions. In addition to the obvious heroes of our Land, Anglo olim entrepreneurs and professionals are among my favorites. They leave a comfortable living in their native countries, abandoning bright and promising careers to make aliyah, often to unknown and inhospitable environments. Once they succeed here, they become an inspiration to Jews all over the world who fear making aliyah for financial considerations. They prove that business people and professionals can make it happen here in Israel. But to succeed here in Israel is not that simple. Unfortunately, Anglo olim are at a serious disadvantage. If they do not find a way to tap into the Anglo community, they will most likely become part of the statistics of failures, or they will continue to struggle every month, year after year for their survival. It’s just natural that Anglo entrepreneurs and professionals need to tap into the Anglo community to succeed and maximize their potential. They share a similar culture and similar expectations of customer respect and service. Bizness Magazine provides the much needed medium to take their message directly to the homes of the Anglo community. Business Magazine was created i) to give entrepreneurs and professionals the platform they need to acquire instant respect and recognition as experts in their fields, and ii) to provide the Anglo community with a high quality publication that it can rely on as its main source of general interest related information, for leisure, and most important, as a medium to get to know about reputable professionals and businesses in the region. Our task should be to help these heroes earn a good parnassah in Eretz Israel. Supporting Anglo olim allows them to survive and prosper. When they grow, they hire other olim who are much in need of jobs. Part of the income that they generate gets spent in other Anglo businesses in the community, generating a cycle of prosperity. In addition, it encourages other olim who witness their success, and ultimately, it motivates Jews from around the world to make aliyah themselves. Our readers have the opportunity to read and learn from many Anglo businesses and professionals every month. We can directly participate in and contribute to their success by calling them to thank them for their articles, and ultimately, by becoming their clients. They are among the real builders of our Land, true champions in their own right. Have a safe and productive winter!

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, Yshai Amano, Netanel Buta, David Chermin, Shimon Cohen, Nachum Eilberg, Rachel Factor, Noam Fixler, Minda Garr, Richard Gussow, Jerry Hyman, Nati Journo, Ari Katz, Ariel Levy, David Litke, Ilan Rubinstein, David Schlussel 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.

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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NOVEMBER 2015

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Expert

ELEC TR I C I A N

Murphy’s Law: Busted! By Ari Katz

cannot say for sure that some version of Murphy’s Law exists in every culture, but there does seem to be this ubiquitous human phenomenon where things that could go wrong, seem always to go wrong at the worst possible moment. Why does the washing machine decide to flood the bathroom the day before the nine days begin? Why does the dud short out the house in the middle of a four-day rainstorm, or the oven short out on erev Pesach, or the central AC die two days into the two-week heat wave? It must be there is an evil force out there always cheering for my failure, who manages to ruin things right on schedule! Right?! Wrong. Brace yourselves, this might be earth shattering, but the answer may simply be as follows: the washing machine breaks at that moment because you’re preparing nine days of clean clothing for the family. The dud burns out at that moment because it’s being used constantly and it’s soaking wet outside. The oven shorts from six straight days of cooking for hours and hours and the AC goes kaput because it’s being taxed to its limit relentlessly during a massive heat-wave. It’s not divine retribution, only a machine responding to abnormally heavy use. So now that we got that out of the way, let’s talk about a solution. Every closet hinge, door lock, electrical outlet, appliance, window handle, triss strap, and bathtub drain, will begin to wear out over time and eventually need attention. What most people do is wait for something to break, which as I pointed out ‘always’ happens at the worst time, when you need it most, and there’s no one available to fix it; but there is another way. A simple home inspection once a year can alleviate all this drama, assuming you’re willing to part with the said drama. A 50-point home inspection where the screws are tightened before they fall out, the AC is cleaned before it leaks all over the ceiling, the door handles are all oiled and cleaned to ensure smooth operation. The dud is checked for burnt wires and rotten thermostats, toilets checked for slow leaks, outlets for signs of wear and fatigue, dryers are cleaned, drains are cleared, and the owner can feel reassured that his home and investment are in tip-top shape. But more than just preventing good ol’ Murphy from reappearing, treating one’s home to a yearly service will literally save thousands of shekels. Do you know why door handles fall

off? Because when the locking mechanism is dried out, you have to tug on the handle with increasingly greater force until it falls off. How about closet drawers that fall apart? Because the screws loosen and when one falls they all fall like dominos. How about AC units? Why do they leak? Usually because the screens have not been cleaned, and often it’s been a decade since it had a real cleaning. AC units need to be cleaned? YES! Otherwise you are compromising the life of the machine, spending way more on electricity than need be, and breathing all kinds of mold spores, dust mites, and chemical residues that live and thrive inside the machines. The list goes on and on. So now it’s up to you. You don’t have to be a victim of Murphy’s Law. Mr. Fix it Solutions offers a comprehensive home inspection service that finds and fixes future problems, leaving poor Murphy to search for another, less-prepared address.  Contact 052-736-7369 premiumrepairs@gmail.com

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Israel is a Buyer’s Market for Great Vintage and Antique Furniture CONSULT RESTORNO ABOUT BUYING AND RESTORING IT

f you walk into a store and purchase new furniture, the chances are that you are buying poorly made imports from the Far East. Even European and American products have fallen to the “lower standards of globalization.” So you are likely to pay more for a new piece of furniture that is likely not restorable in the future - that is “chad pa’ami.” It is far better to restore a fine vintage or antique piece.

you like a piece of vintage or even antique furniture is NOT to evaluate what you see, but rather to imagine how you want it to look. Muddy, flat finishes can become clear and glossy; even missing parts can be made to match. We work with decorators who love to makeover old styles with modern finishes and fabrics. Restorno is happy to advise clients on such projects.

Here are some guidelines to help you calculate if freebies or bargains are worth restoring. BRAVERY AND CREATIVITY ARE YOUR BEST TOOLS It takes confidence and vision to know how to turn Grandma’s retro Danish sofa into a comfortable and stylish centerpiece that wows your friends and family. If you are looking for the cheapest deal, then bear in mind that custom upholstery may cost about the same as buying a new piece, BUT you should receive better materials and just the right fabric on a frame that should outlive you. Here are a few guidelines for reupholstering:

A Victorian Walnut Parlor Chair in pieces and later reupholstered.

• If what you find is less than 15 to 20 years old, then the quality is just not there, unless it is from a high-end manufacturer AND is among the top-of-its-line of products. I am regularly shocked by the low quality of some famous brands. (Much of our repair work comes from furniture that’s three to five years old.)

Not everyone has the talent to know how to re-engineer (upcycle, as I like to say) an ugly cupboard found in the garbage into a fine entertainment center. Seeing is believing. Here are a few examples of items that I have personally transformed from junk into functional and beautiful furnishings. You can do the same!

• Frame construction is what makes a sofa worth the investment. It’s hard for non-professionals to know what’s underneath all that stuffing, but I recommend that you look under the dust cover under the sofa to see if it’s a solid hardwood frame.

Even antique furniture is cheap in Israel, when you know where to find it. The best bargains are online from people who are selling their personal stuff. With patience and homework, you will find many “metzias”! Be sure to check Hebrew sites Furthermore, very fine antiques can be found for ridiculously low prices at auctions. Of course, those who want to walk out of the store with a “new” piece of old craftsmanship can find it in many stores, too.

• Feel free to send a picture or call us to assess an item before purchasing. • Slipcovers are in principal a fine way to protect your upholstered fabric while abusing it on a daily basis. However, making custom fitting slipcovers is almost as expensive as recovering the sofa: they require almost the same labor, the same amount of fabric, the same transportation costs. They are just saving on new stuffing so it’s usually not worth it.

As professionals, we have the courage and vision to know what to do with… well, your old stuff. Located in the Jerusalem Area, Restorno specializes in Repair, finishing and reupholstery of all kinds of furniture from Beer Sheva to Zichron Yaakov. Soon, Restorno will open classes to teach restoration.

IN ASSESSING FURNITURE, IMAGINATION IS THE KEY Just like for upholstered furniture, assuming that the size, shape and construction are pleasing, the cardinal rule when determining whether or not

The midsection was found in a dumpster without doors, drawers or shelves. Everything was constructed around it.

A formerly vintage American walnut secretary finished in black lacquer, awaiting new hardware.

Expert

Outdoor Wood Design

Synthetic Lawn for the Garden

igh water prices and difficulty in long-term maintenance of a large garden push many people to look for logical, high quality alternatives for certain areas of the garden. The area most difficult to create and maintain is the lawn, as it requires a lot of water and has a tendency towards various diseases that kill off sections, leaving the garden bare and neglected. In recent years a simple solution has taken off, easy and logical, which serves as an almost perfect alternative to the traditional grass pitch - synthetic lawn. Synthetic lawn Synthetic lawn is simply a grass pitch to all intents and purposes, but made of artificial material planned and designed specifically to imitate the characteristics of the regular lawn we all know. Synthetic lawn is installed by professionals who specialize in laying it, and is stuck to the garden floor permanently. Synthetic lawn is soft and pleasant to the touch, and mimics quite accurately

the feel of real grass - so much so, that many people don’t feel the difference when walking on it. Synthetic lawn has a number of clear and unambiguous advantages over regular grass. Here are some of the principal ones: Water - in contrast to regular grass, which requires heavy watering every week, synthetic grass naturally does not need watering at all. Water is a valuable commodity these days in Israel, and high water rates are a heavy expense for those who still maintain real lawn in their homes. With the transition to synthetic lawn you will save a lot both financially (on your water bill) and on wastage of Israel’s limited quantity of water - an important subject near to all our hearts. Diseases - One of the major failings of real lawn is the number of diseases to which it is prone. After all, we are talking about a plant that spreads over a relatively large area, so the likelihood of getting one or other disease in some section of the area is relatively high. When installing synthetic lawn, of course this problem disappears altogether, so your grass pitch looks fresh and healthy all year round - not a simple task, even almost impossible, for anyone maintaining regular grass. Perfect personal compatibility - When you lay synthetic lawn in your garden you can choose exactly the type of grass you prefer. This means full control over parameters such as lawn density, exact color, feel, and so on. As with regular grass there are different strains, so too in the world of synthetic lawn a large number of grass types were planned and designed, even more than with the existing kinds of regular grass. There is therefore no need to be concerned about specially suiting the type of grass laid to the stormy climate in the area. Every type of synthetic lawn is suited to every place, without any special adjustment.  Element offers 3-D imaging services. See how your project will actually look when finished!

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NOVEMBER 2015

Bizness Magazine

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Expert

Prepare Your Roof for Winter

n honor of the winter, arriving in all its glory, the demand for roof tiles rises, which serve as a solution for secure and warm days at home. Besides integrating well architecturally, a tiled roof makes extra space in the home possible. It is worthwhile to install a quality insulation system too; insulation is a solution suited to all seasons of the year. It is excellent for the cold winter days, and will allow your roof to maintain a pleasant temperature in your living space and save money over the long term. What are the common problems with tiled roofs in winter? `` Dirt in the tracks of the tiles themselves. Each tile has a channel, and as soon as dirt collects in it, it creates a blockage and prevents water from sliding towards the ground.

`` Dirt collected in the sheets around the roof, dirt in the gutters and drains that causes flooding, leaks and general discomfort. `` Cracked areas and broken or missing tiles that have fallen; if a tile moves and water gets inside, sometimes a long time can pass before the dampness is discovered in the ceiling or walls of the house. In the case of plaster walls, they are simply destroyed. `` There will commonly be sealing problems due to poor installation, such as incorrect placement of sheeting. Occasionally problems are caused by workmen who install solar boilers, for example. In such a case, if tiles get broken or cracked, it can be discovered only when it rains. On no account must one climb on a tiled roof without certification. It is clearly dangerous. Particularly when it rains there is sometimes greenery, or damp fallen leaves; they are extremely slippery and dangerous to tread on. Even professionals qualified for this, and licensed to work at heights, sometimes refrain from climbing on tiled roofs on rainy days themselves. Therefore, it is not only wise not to climb onto a tiled roof, but is also important not to employ a worker who does not have a license to work at height, to avoid a situation of insurance liability in case of damage. ď&#x20AC;ź May you have a warm and pleasant winter. Behatzlacha!

Element offers a wide selection of services including: installation of fences,pergolas, roofing, decks, wall cladding, swimming pools, storage solutions and more.

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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

I N SU R A N C E

Winter Insurance Tips By Shimon Cohen

Insurance Tip 2:

Insurance Tip 1: It’s raining, it’s pouring Rainy season has begun! This brings us to question of water damage: what is and what is not covered. The following check-list might be helpful. What? Storm damage (Storm as qualified by the Meteorological Institute)

Snow, hail damage (at time of storm)

Flood damage (from an external source of water)

Rain Damage (seepage into walls or roof)

Is it covered (by standard insurance policies)? YES YES – (snow lying on your roof for two weeks and causing slow damage is not covered)

YES NO YES… but there are some exclusions:

Damage to pipes, sewage system, boilers etc.

Water Damage to contents of building (i.e.: your carpet is

- Damage caused by earth movement – not earthquake. - Damage caused by faulty planning or building. - Damage caused by normal wear and tear. In simple terms, a burst pipe is covered, including all work necessary to repair it. A 15 year old boiler that “dies”, is not covered. Breaking news! Now, for the first time, you can insure your boiler for any eventuality (cost: approx. NIS 100 per year).

YES

damaged or you have to repaint)

Damage to Third Party (i.e.: Your bathtub overflows into your neighbor’s apartment, destroying his antique collection.)

YES

Claims: What to do? Most Insurance companies have special “water damage” assessors and contractors that deal with these problems. If you are insured through your mortgage, you will have to contact their contractors. 10

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NOVEMBER 2015

Know your insurance terms All-Risks Coverage: People who have expensive jewelry are usually advised to take out All-Risks coverage. The difference between this and the standard cover is that usually only fire and theft are covered and only within the home. The All-Risks coverage extends the cover to anywhere within Israel and also includes loss. In other words, if your diamond falls out of the setting or is forgotten at a restaurant, or washed down the drain, there is no cover unless the All-Risks option has been taken out. (For expensive pieces of jewelry, over NIS 30,000 an additional condition is that they must always be either worn or in a safe). One can also extend this cover to include overseas cover for short periods of time. It is important that you provide your insurance company with an official estimation of your jewelry (usually done by an authorized assessor or with receipts of purchase). Other All-Risks “candidates” are laptop computers, cameras, and doctors’ bags – in short, any expensive item that is often taken out of the house. Another item, which can easily be lost or stolen, is Tefillin (at your son’s dormitory or in shul). In most of these examples, the cost of adding these items to your policy under AllRisks is well worth it. Please note – none of the above items are covered if they are left unattended in a car and are subsequently stolen.

Insurance Tip 3: What is the procedure if my car is stoned? Unfortunately, this is the new reality. In general, all damage resulting from terror attacks is covered by the department of Mas Rechush - ‫( מס רכוש‬All of us contribute indirectly to this via other tax payments). Firstly, report to the police. Then you should go to an assessor who is recognized by ‫מס רכוש‬. The telephone number for ‫מס רכוש‬ in Jerusalem is 02-654-5231/4. Then you have to ask your insurance agent to obtain a nonclaims letter from your insurance company stating that you have not made an insurance claim for the same incident. This should be faxed directly to the assessor. Just a side note: If you have cover for reinforced windows – make sure they are fully insured (they cost more). 

Bizness Magazine

02-623-2546, 050-548-2192 www.egertcohen.co.il

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“My policy is that

it’s better to not do a job

than to take a risk; accidents happen” Interview with Avishai Nissim

of HaRamot Yerushalayim Crane Services Tell me about your business: I own a truck-mounted crane, which is designed to take heavy household items and carry them into a home. We work with items such as beds, refrigerators and the like. Pieces that are difficult to carry on your back, but nothing too heavy. We are able to easily bring things in from outside the building through a window or balcony door and get it quickly into the home. The advantage of our service is that workers don’t have to carry the items from the truck, to the building and through the stairs, which makes moving much faster and safer for the items. Your furniture is much more secure with the crane than through the regular way; you don’t have to worry about banging into corners, trying to “squeeze” through doors and so on. People with breakable things often choose to use our service. It’s much safer to bring in a valuable item like a breakfront or large dining room with a crane rather than disassembling and reassembling it, which can cause damage and undue wear and tear. What else do you do? We also supply moving services with all Jewish workers and the option of packing services. Our workers are polite, reliable, patient and do a proper job- they aren’t rushing to get to the next job. We have a very reliable team and offer competitive pricing. We strive to be on time and keep our word. How did you get started in the field? I’m in the real estate business. A friend of mine who was doing a lot of moving told me about it, and I looked into it. I found that it makes moving much easier and safer, and I decided to try it out. Who are your clients? We have personal and commercial clients, from people that are moving one or two items to companies such as air conditioning technicians, or furniture or electrical appliances stores that need to deliver the customer’s purchases. We even deal with dud shemesh companies and help them get their duds to the roof. Sometimes our clients arrange the service ahead of time, but sometimes situations arise when a company needs to deliver furniture, air conditioners or other and they get stuck and call me on the spot. I provide their solution.

In which areas do you work? We offer our services in Yerushalayim, Beit Shemesh, Modiin, Kiryat Sefer and the surrounding areas. What safety precautions do you have to take in this business? We need to make sure to get in as close as possible to the apartment, landing on a straight, solid surface. We work carefully and precisely to ensure that nothing is moving and everything is very secure; for example, we don’t work during strong winds. We are particular to not load too much on the crane at once. If working with lighter elements, we secure them very tightly so they won’t fly off. If we block part of a street while in motion, we have our workers direct the traffic around us. What happens during bad weather or other obstacles that may make your job difficult? We don’t work in inclement weather. If my crane is not able to work in a safe place due to topography or otherwise, I will not do it. My policy is that it’s better to not do a job than to take a risk; accidents happen. We won’t work in borderline situations either, even if it means I have to lose a client. What do you enjoy most about your work? When there’s a situation where I help people find a solution to a problem. For example, if there’s a piece of furniture that they wouldn’t have been able to bring in without my crane. When you have a certain job that’s hard to accomplish and then you accomplish it, it’s a good feeling. Every job is a different situation; the topography is different, the balcony is different, and so on. Each and every job needs to be planned accordingly, and figuring out how to make it work smoothly gives a feeling of tremendous satisfaction. Sometimes, the situation can take time. It may be a new type of job, or our judgement may be off so it may take a few tries; but this is part of the job. The client, of course, only begins payment when the crane properly starts the job. What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever used the crane for? I live on the eighth floor, and every Succos we use fresh palm leaves for the schach. Every year we had to bring them up one by one. Once I got the crane, I put it to use for my leaves - what a help! 

HaRamot Yerushalayim Crane Tel. 050-412-3202 www.BIZNESSMAGAZINE.com

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Beyond Self-Defense Yishai Amano, Master Ninjutsu Instructor, gives ninjutsu lessons in Jewish communities all over the world as well as to IDF soilders, security forces and educational institutions in Israel. He is available to give private or group lessons to teen boys and men of any fitness level.

started training in Karate Shotokan at the age of nine. After three years of intensive training I obtained an orange belt. I was happy to have a lot of free, quiet time, as by nature I was a very mature child, pondering life. I knew nothing about Judaism or faith in Hashem, and the search for what is right in life burned within me. I very much wanted to know the truth about how to live. Battle movies filled my life. I loved the images of the ‘heroes’. They were always full of confidence and calm, and despite being attacked with weapons or bare hands they moved with inner calm and accuracy, just like a man who really dances and expresses himself in total freedom, except that in dance there is happiness and here there was a dance of pure heroism and complete lack of fear, even with death millimeters in front of their eyes. In ninja movies they always appear supernaturally competent, with clever, mystical fighting that drew my heart. I wanted to learn the art of the ninja as I saw it in movies, but nobody knew of such a class, until one day I saw a half-scratched notice about a ninjutsu group. At the age of twelve I started learning with Shai Goshen, a pupil of Yaakov Hazan, who was a pupil of Doron Navon, the first Western Jew to study with Master Masaaki Hatsumi, 34th Master of the system in Japan, and subsequently brought the system to Israel. About a year later I very much wanted to be part of this art, and it started to become my life’s purpose. I started to study with Avishai Golan and Sergio, also pupils of Yaakov Hazan, and with Yaakov Hazan himself; from each I took a special point from within him. There was not a ninjutsu training camp I did not go to. I also learned from Doron Navon, who ran training camps, and his pupils. As a youth of thirteen, when I was a green belt, I started to obtain videotapes of the training in Japan and to learn them diligently, my principal development came from that. At the same age, in addition to my regular training, I started to go alone, or sometimes with a training partner, to train in a small forest until morning light; there I trained diligently in accordance with the technical and mental approach I saw in the Master of the system, Masaaki Hatsumi. It is impossible to describe the period of training in the forest as a young man alone, by the light of the moon and the quiet of the forest. I discovered a new world, a world of wonderful silence, where all of life existed. I used to train for hours in the silence, as if other than living the technique there was nothing else in the world. I analyzed every detail of body work and tilt of weight until each of my movements was part of me, as an expert artist who knows how to work always with his whole body as a unit, where the wrapping of the muscles serves in the end as a final support for every movement. And every night I spent about an hour on special relaxation to gain 12

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control of my mood, senses, and feelings completely down to the last detail, with the goal of developing such high environmental awareness that there would be nothing I could not sense. As mentioned, there is much to say simply about being an inseparable part of the ninja. Whoever has not experienced it will not understand what years of isolation at night in the forest, negating one’s being and changing to the height of simplicity and being a part of all of creation, can bring you. When I was sixteen, I met with Master Masaaki Hatsumi at TaiKai in Holland, a unique meeting that gave me a peek into the wonders of the wisdom accumulated over a thousand years, and how he lived it in the fullest meaning of the word, a sight I remember to this day. I also benefitted B”H from a training partner; together we took the training, both physical and mental, to the highest level we could. Already at the age of seventeen, with a brown belt, I sometimes stood in for my trainer Shai Goshen when he could not come, which helped me progress a lot. Those were years during which from the outside I looked like anyone else, but inside I lived as a ninja from a thousand years ago who saw the world through a ninja’s eyes. At the age of eighteen, I became a chozer b’teshuva, and in the same year I became a black belt. In 2005, aged 24, I did a course for instructors with Yaakov Hazan. In 2006 I received 5th Dan, and in 2014 I got a Senior International Trainer certificate from Tel Aviv University. The way I train ninjutsu shows the krav maga (contact fighting) of the ninjutsu, so people will understand that the ninjas were real fighters on blood-soaked battlefields, and that this is the most fatal art there is; because today most people think that the arts of the competitions and wreaths, or arts opened in institutions without active experience of bloody battlefields, are as it were the most realistic; and the truth is the opposite, that ninjutsu is the most suited to reallife situations. The meaning of the name Nin Jutsu: The characters that make up the name ninjutsu in Japanese are a combination of two symbols (Kanji): Nin and Jutsu. The Japanese symbol, the kanji of Nin, is a symbolic drawing of a heart (Shin) under the blade of a sharp sword. Underneath this kanji is the symbol for skill (Jutsu), and together they comprise the whole term. The kanji of ninjutsu are full of significance, and their broad interpretation is: quiet survival, the skill of the heart’s internal battle, battle skill of the heart as sharp as a sword, and skill of quiet and concealed battle. Ninjutsu is a name that includes a combination of fighting skills crystallized through the inspiration of Japanese fighters, today called ninja. Those who are today called ninja were once soldiers, and specialized in different areas of fighting, including espionage skills. These fighting skills were concerned with aspects of warfare, alongside non-battle and philosophical aspects. Ninjutsu was created as a mixture of techniques and skills for guerilla warfare, some developed in the 15th and 16th centuries by the people of Iga and Kong during the Sengoku (Warring States) period in Japan. The largest and most well-known school of ninjutsu is Bujinkan, headed by Masaaki Hatsumi, The principles of the ninjutsu study

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By Yishai Amano, Ninjutsu Master program include a range of techniques, starting from fighting with bare hands to a collection of complicated katas combined with weapons. This wide store of information ensures a wide base for use in a range of different situations. Ninjutsu developed as a collection of basic survival techniques in the warring nation of feudal Japan. The ninja used their skills to ensure their survival in a period of stormy politics, violence and wars. Ninjutsu incorporated methods of gathering information, guerilla warfare with bare hands or weapons, and techniques of invisibility/camouflage during infiltration, as well as a range of other techniques needed by a fighter. According to Masaaki Hatsumi, the ‘ninja johokai’, or the eighteen skills, were first mentioned in the secret scrolls of the Togakura school. In time they became requirements of ninjutsu. The Eighteen Skills Are: • Seishin Teki kyoyo (spiritual development) • Tai jutsu (art of the body; unarmed warfare) • Kan jutsu (the art of sword-fighting) • Bo jutsu (art of the stick; stick-fighting) • Shuriken jutsu (art of using the shuriken, a throwing blade) • Su jutsu (fighting with a yari spear ) • Naginata jutsu (art of fighting with naginata, a weapon consisting of a pole with a blade) • Kusarigama jutsu (fighting with a kusarigama, a kind of short scythe with a long chain on the end) • Kyaku jutsu (use of explosives) • Hinso jutsu (disguise) • Shinobi iri (a system of infiltration and ambush) • Ba jutsu (horsemanship) • Sui ren (training with water and the use of vessels) • Boriaku (tactics) • Cho Ho (espionage) • Inton jutsu (escape and concealment) • Ten-mon (meteorology) • Chi-mon (geography) Modern ninjutsu focuses primarily on systems of armed and unarmed combat. When skills such as sui ren are almost completely abandoned, the traditional ninjutsu mixes techniques of disguise, camouflage, escape, archery, medicine, explosives and poisons. Summary of Technical Ninjutsu Activity The Warm-up The ninjutsu warm-up is unique, and stretches and flexes free all the muscles and tendons from head to toe, generating good blood circulation through the body. Muscle Strengthening Ninjutsu works primarily on strengthening the most essential muscles for stable life activity and fighting capability. Techniques In ninjutsu the techniques are implemented at a level demanding superior control of the body, that is, use of the whole body as a complex unit. Your sense of balance and your opponent’s, identifying your opponent’s body work, the range between you, and how your opponent is about to act, all this complexity develops sharpness of

mind and the ability to digest many things at once, quickly and constructively; and teaches you to be awake, attentive, and aware of what is happening around you. Relaxation: Ninjutsu is the art of observing our inner world and getting to know our internal system. Through relaxation we learn to observe reality as it is, and to be awake and sensitive physically, mentally, and emotionally. Practicing awareness is a way to free ourselves from negative emotions that generate frustration and anxiety, and from the bad and debilitating thoughts that cause frustration and unresponsiveness in real time, or pressure and analysis that cause trauma following injury or death, as needed. It allows us to act as required at the time without excessive emotion, as a result of complete control of our emotions and thoughts. Training clears the head and strengthens self-confidence and self-purpose Ninjutsu has many helpful implications in the flow of life tasks and coping with situations. It is an art that developed and emerged from blood-soaked battlefields, with unarmed and cold-armed combat of all kinds, control of the senses, emotions, and thoughts; overcoming confrontation or capture in open or closed areas with bare hands or various weapons, against a single combatant or a group of opponents. It is one of the most practical skills on earth, and incorporates flexibility, cardio and vision, muscle strengthening and stabilization, and correct use of the body physically; and spiritually it strengthens selfconfidence and willpower. The training is a combination of the confidence rooted in every fighter, and faith in G-d who protects him when he relies on Him to save his life, or when He shields His people. 

052-846-2017 ninjutsu.israel26@gmail.com http://ninjutsu-israel.co.il/ www.BIZNESSMAGAZINE.com

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Interview with

Harold Rajchenbach, Founder of

123 Bridge Funding What is your background in financing? I owned and operated a successful mortgage brokerage and a merchant cash advance company servicing all of America. I also ran a full-service law firm specializing in credit debt renegotiation. What is the vision behind Bridge Funding? To have startups and small businesses alike to look to us as the number one place for financial solutions. What is the downside of using a home equity line of credit? We do not offer a home equity line of credit (HELOC). A HELOC requires an asset be collateralized, meaning you need to put up property to receive the loan. What we offer is a service. We offer the expertise and know-how of getting an unsecured, no-asset required loan solution,which is strictly based on the client’s ability to pay back. By analyzing a client’s credit history, we are able to determine how high of a credit limit we can get for them. Angel investors seem like a very popular way to get funding nowadays as well. Angel investing is all the rage for startup companies. However, unless you have a very exciting new company in a hot space such as technology or biotech, it is difficult to get any serious interest from Angels. When you do get such interest, the investor will take a large equity position in your company, which in a sense means you are giving away the house to pay the heating bills. But if you can get this kind of Investor, it is well worth looking into. Are there still lingering effects on the industry from the 2008 financial crisis? Yes, but only positive effects. Due to the 2008 crisis there are certain laws that mandate what can and cannot be extended to a borrower. Our expertise in these laws allows us to use them advantageously to leverage the highest possible credit line and best terms. 14

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APPLY IN MINUTES.... PRE-QUALIFIED IN HOURS... APPROVED IN DAYS.... FUNDED IN WEEKS.... PAY BACK IN YEARS...

What are other advantages of using credit card loans over other types? No collateral is required. They are completely based on credit history and there is 0% APR for the first year. We don’t charge any fees until the client gets the LOC (Line of Credit) What is unique about Bridge Funding? This entire type of funding is new to the market, so it is entirely unique. In particular, we have a team that has been in the loan solution industry for many years. I personally owned and operated a successful lending-solution company with over 3000 clients. Who are your clients? All startups and small businesses. Clients must currently have American credit cards, and decent credit with no negative marks. Can a person use your service for personal needs? Weddings, home purchase etc? Certainly. What you do with the funds is entirely up to you. What size loans do you offer? $50k-$500,000. The biggest loan we serviced was actually $807,000. How high is the interest rate? There is a one-time fee of 10% of the credit line, and 0% interest rate from the credit companies for a minimum of one year (up to 21 months depending on the card). How long does it take for an application to be approved? We get a quote to the client within 24-48 hours. We estimate 4-8 weeks for funding from A-Z. However, we usually get it done in less than four weeks. What is your success rate for applications? Both in approvals and in terms of loan size? We have a 95% success rate in improving our clients’ borrowing power. In terms of total credit lines, it depends on the in-

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dividual, but the typical range will be between $100,000-500,000. Why can’t a company contact their credit card company directly? They can. They can also go to court and represent themselves. But we know what they say about a lawyer who has himself for a client! We are professionals with a proven track record. Ii is possible for a client to contact the companies and negotiate a higher loan limit, but they won’t know if that’s actually the best they can do. And it would be very unusual for them to obtain anything near what we can. It’s also worth remembering that if a person does go the do-it-yourself route, and then decides to try us out, we won’t be able to help them for at least 6-8 months due to credit card industry policies. Is a person obligated to borrow the money once they’ve been approved? Absolutely not. We give them a quote for the amount we can arrange for them. Once they give us the go-ahead to make this limit available, we do the additional work and get the limit finalized. At this point, our fee reflects the amount the client has decided upon. If the client decides against actually borrowing the full amount, they are not obligated to do so. What are your goals for the future? To provide the cheapest money to small businesses and to do it without the hassle of stacks of paperwork and red tape. And to bring some of the incredible growth opportunities that exist in America to Our Land.  Fill out an application to get a free quote at www.123bridgefunding.com For further information call 02.623.3266 or e-mail businessloan@123bridgefunding.com

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P ERS O N A L FI N A N C E

Don’t Let Fear Dictate Your Financial Plan By Richard Gussow

“T

he only thing to fear is fear itself.” These words, spoken by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, were the keynote phrase in his first inaugural address. The year was 1933, and the US was in the midst of the Great Depression. While Roosevelt was talking about a national crisis, I think the same words are appropriate for personal lives as well, including (and especially) financial planning. With the recent volatility in the financial markets, I have received many calls from panicking clients. They ask “What do you think will happen?” And I give them a truthful but unsatisfactory answer. “I don’t know.” Doing nothing is often the right choice The next question is often “What should I do?” My answer is usually “Nothing.” That’s right. Nothing. Acting while you are in panic mode is usually a recipe for disaster. You make rash decisions that are not based on reason, but on fear. A good financial plan is based on your goals. While a financial plan is fluid, market gyrations should have little impact, apart perhaps from some minor adjustments. In fact, doing “something” can be damaging to your financial health. For example, a client of mine became frightened when volatility began to increase a few months ago. After a loss of less than 1% in a single month, he said that he was going to pull all his money from the financial markets and put them into CDs. Given the low yields currently attainable, this would have been an irrational move, made purely out of panic. I presented the logical arguments: the long-term returns on stocks and bonds and the likelihood that interest rates and inflation would eventually rise, both of which would likely make the CDs a very poor investment. Once I explained it to him in those terms, he understood. You’ve got to be in it to win it Unfortunately, too many people let their fears decide, and as a result they often do severe damage to their financial health. I wonder how many of you pulled all of your money from stocks following the market crash in 2008. This unfortunately is an all too common knee-jerk reaction. Those that exited the market after incurring heavy losses have missed out on one of the strongest and longest bull markets in history. Which is riskier: Cash or stocks? Many people think that cash is safe and stocks are risky. The data shows that they are wrong. The far riskier asset is cash. Don’t

take my word for it. Ask Warren Buffett, perhaps the greatest investor of all time. He explains that people confuse volatility with risk. If you look at the data rationally, Buffett explains that in the 50 year period from 1964 to 2014, the S&P 500 rose 11,196%, including reinvested dividends. During the same period, the value of the dollar declined by 87%. Do you still think that stocks are riskier than cash? Adjust your investments according to your needs Does this mean that you should put all your money into stocks? The answer is no. Stocks may be best for the long-term, but if you have short-term needs then you should allocate your assets to less-volatile investments, such as cash. If you expect one of your children will get married within the next year or two, then market volatility may drive stocks down just when you need the money. On the other hand, if you are 50 years old and expect to be working another 15-20 years, then you should consider putting all of your retirement funds into stocks, and lowering your exposure as you get closer to retirement While logic clearly wins the argument, many people still have trouble overcoming their fears. A reputable financial planner can walk you through the process of proper asset allocation that will meet your needs for years to come.  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.

(03) 970-7070 (052) 806-6690 richard@theservice.co.il www.richardgussow.com www.BIZNESSMAGAZINE.com

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PERS O N A L TR A I N ER

Unconventional or Alternative Adjunct Training By Jerrold Hyman

hen people commit to personal training, they invest in themselves physically, mentally, psychologically and financially. They also commit to a professional who will help them move through varied programming to accomplish predetermined goals, while preparing for challenges that may emerge at any time. At the same time they want a program that will keep them healthy and injury free. Such programming could include increasing athletic performance, setting goals and objectives and achieving them, participating in general fitness related activities, or more. It would be counterproductive to embark on a life changing journey only to get hurt and not be able to continue to train. Unconventional or alternative adjunct training is one way through the dilemma of how to stay safe and fit and allow gains to flow into continuous longevity and healthfulness. Such training is not mutually exclusive. Options can include: unconventional methods to train for health, doing full routines, varying the different routines weekly, or using varied methods pulled from alternative or adjunct training to be used as “finishers” to general fitness routines. A finisher basically ends your training for the day, and can be of higher or lower intensity based on the objectives of the daily routine. Some examples of these types of training methods include club swinging, kettlebell training, suspension training and water exercise. Club swinging is often utilized for circular strength, stamina and grip development. Club swinging is a great full body routine that takes advantage of developing strength at odd angles of weakness. This mode could be a great device to help a martial artist get more adept at handling weapons, as well as any athlete who engages in contact sports; or for someone who wants to employ muscles at angles they didn’t know they could use. Clubs assist in bilateral as well as unilateral coordination and strength, and their usage involves tremendous concentration and focus. Club swinging can certainly be called a fun, challenging and adventurous journey! The Kettlebell, shaped like a cannon ball with an odd shaped handle, is the tool used in kettlebell training. The kettlebell itself has unique features that differentiate it from dumbbells and clubs, yet also lend it tosimilarity of use. The kettle utilizes odd angles, full body motion, acceleration and power to assist in strength, stamina and endurance. It is a wonderful tool that can be employed both unilaterally and bilaterally. The design of the kettlebell handle and the load of the “ball’s” weight challenge proper alignment, balance and coordination in unique ways, developing special kinesthetic awareness, motor learning and application of force. Many people have taken up kettlebell training after many years of weight training, and 18

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either learned to integrate training methods or gave up conventional training altogether, having developed a new found love for this very old,newly rediscovered method. Suspension training, or “rope” training, developed as an adjunct training for navy personnel who need to train while employed on a vessel for an uncertain length of time with little space. Rope routines utilize one’s bodyweight while suspended against gravity. Either one’s hands or feet would contact a loop made in the suspension system, and exercises would be performed at varying degrees of difficulty. Such training develops stamina, muscular endurance, strength, flexibility, core stability and grip strength endurance. There are many companies marketing and touting their product. Some are better than others, with great ergonomics and ease of operation. Back in the day, however, a length of rope was the best utilized and only material for such creative endeavors. Water exercise is a great way to open up over-used joints and develop flexibility and dynamic range of motion while maintaining cardiovascular conditioning, with no pounding on the bones and soft tissue. Water exercise is great way to rehabilitate from an injury or just “change up” a routine to give the body some recovery time without overdoing it. Water exercise can be done with the use of equipment that will meet the water with resistance and build strength, stamina, muscular endurance and cardio vascular endurance. It can be done with higher or lower intensity, based upon the set goals and objectives. Typically, one utilizes a waist belt that holds them with their head at just above water level; hand held devices, oddly shaped dumbbells, help round off the regimen. This routine can be done in deep or shallow water. Unconventional or alternative adjunct training can be individual methods or integrated as parts of other routines. After many years of training others I have found that varying many different types of routine helps one stay healthy and free from chronic repetitive injuries. Don’t be daunted by different methods. Give it a try! 

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050-779-8886 02-993-4681 info@elitefitnessisrael.com elitefitnessisrael.com

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LI FE C O A C H

Feeling Good About Yourself By Helen Abelesz

meet many amazing women through my work and in my life in general, and so many of them do not recognize their talents and abilities. They tend to play down their good points and focus on what they are not good at. Just as we would want our children to recognize their own strengths, so we need to work on ourselves and start to pay attention to what we are succeeding in. Devorah*, a mother of four teenage children, had been focused on her children for much of the last 16 years. She had worked here and there in jobs which were convenient in terms of the hours and locality, so she could be home for the children after school. Her youngest was now coming home at 3 PM every day, and she finally had some time to think about herself and a possible career. She had no idea what kind of job she wanted, and the thought of putting herself out there was very intimidating. On top of all this, her 13 year old daughter was having a hard time. She felt very bad about herself and had no confidence. Devorah felt very guilty about this, as she felt she wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t being a good role model for her daughter. She felt her daughter was copying how her mother felt about herself, so she gave me a call. Devorah was very tearful and down on herself when we first met. We talked a lot about how whatever her daughter was going through was not all her fault. She needs to be there for her daughter and support her, and by working on herself and her own self-esteem, she will help herself and thereby help her daughter. As I am a big fan of lists I asked her to write down all her skills and abilities. It was really hard for her to come up with many things. She had never really stopped and thought about what she was good at before. We worked for a while on confidence building activities, and Devorah slowly but surely started to feel better about herself. She definitely had her moments when she felt her confidence falter, but she was able to bounce back up much quicker now. She even felt that she was ready to start to look for a new job. Her daughter began to notice how her mother was happier now, and asked her what had happened. Devorah was able to tell her daughter how she had been working on herself and taking note of everything she was succeeding in and good at,

instead of focusing on things she found difficult. It allowed them to talk more openly about these issues, and Devorah felt good that she was showing her daughter that it is possible to change and feel better about yourself. If you, like Devorah, are lacking in confidence and want to make a change then give me, Helen Abelesz, Life Coach, a call for a free first consultation on 054-482-9815 or email me at helenabelesz@gmail.com Check out my Facebook page https://www.facebook. c o m / L i f e - C o a c h i n g - f o r - Wo m e n - 6 4 3 2 1 4 1 6 2 4 0 6 8 2 9 / timeline/?ref=bookmarks ď&#x20AC;ź *Not her real name and all identifying features have been changed.

054-482-9815 helenabelesz@gmail.com

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R EA L ES TATE

Bringing Jews Home

I.L.A.N.’s Guide to Buying an Existing Home In Israel By Ilan Rubinstein

uying a home in Israel can be one of the most difficult processes that Olim experience. I have thus compiled a short guide to help make sense of it all and avoid some of the pitfalls. Searching Before commencing your search, consult with a bank or mortgage advisor to ascertain your real budget. This will save much time viewing unsuitable properties or losing out because you are not ready to sign. When considering an area, balance your work, family, leisure, educational and religious needs in accordance with your budget. Have your realtor or appraiser check comparable values of properties in the area, especially of deals actually done, as opposed to just looking at unsubstantiated, fanciful asking prices. Ask what new building plans may exist or are being considered that may impact the property, its view and access. Viewing When looking at properties, remember to bring a notepad and camera. Avoid complimenting the seller that his “house is beautiful”, or making concrete furniture plans in front of him - it could cost you dearly! Be careful with whom you discuss any properties in Israel you are viewing. It is a small, small world indeed. Ask what fixtures and fittings are included in the sale before negotiating on price. Stake out the property and surrounding neighborhood at different times of the day and night. Negotiating When dealing with Israelis, use an experienced Hebrew speaking negotiator to level the playing field. I also recommend hiring a specialist English speaking real estate lawyer to explain the differences in how the system works in Israel. It is no use telling a seller “Well in the States we do it this way!”. Do not be tempted or feel pressured to sign a zichron dvarim unless there are exceptional extenuating circumstances, and even then only with approval of your lawyer. Bear in mind that property purchases are usually transacted in Israeli shekels. Accordingly, do note that some associated transfer costs fall on the buyer. There are ways of reducing this cost. Currency fluctuations on outstanding payments can significantly alter the price actually paid, so the longer the period of time to closing, the greater the exposure. Building inspections are always recommended and are effected prior to contract. Before you bring in an engineer use your own sense and ask questions like “Have you had any moisture problems?” and “When did you last paint?” Properties in Israel are usually sold on an AS IS basis so don’t rely on using a colorful engineer’s report to renegotiate the price.

If taking out a mortgage, it is advisable to carry out an appraisal before signing. It is also a good idea to check with various removal companies that they can service you on the closing date required. At Contract Remember to bring your ID or passports and checkbook, as there are often some small payments to be made including legal and agents’ fees that are usually paid at this time. The buying and selling process often brings out strong emotions in people. A small, relatively minor, issue can become a deal-breaker because either side feels they are being taken advantage of. So it is important to stay calm and try to keep things in proportion, and focus on the end result, which is to move on to the next chapter of your lives. Post Contract Seller needs to request transferring ownership records at the municipal authority. Purchase tax which was raised this year for second apartments and overseas buyers needs to be paid within 50 days. One can request a delay or to split into several installments. Insurance: Buyers are advised to activate buildings insurance after signing, as seller’s policy may be automatically cancelled when mortgage is paid off. Closing The final payment is usually paid on or just before the day the property is handed over. Often a banker’s check is given. During the walk-through, bring a camera to photograph meter readings and document any change in the condition of the property. Call up utility companies to transfer account holder information and resolve any utility deposit issues. Moving In Mazal Tov. I hope something in this guide will make things a little easier for you!  © 2015

The above information is intended as a general guide only and not intended to be an exhaustive compendium on the subject. Accordingly all information herein should be checked with the relevant professionals. The writer, Ilan Rubinstein, UK born, is a licensed Israeli real estate agent with 15 years’ experience in Israel. Ilan is the C.E.O. of I.L.A.N. Estates & Investments and specializes in assisting olim acquire new and existing property, investments and businesses in Israel. Tel: +972(0)774108011 Cell: +972(0)504-910-604 Skype: ilanrubi www.ilanrealestate.com office@www.ilanrealestate.com www.facebook.com/ilanrealestate www.youtube.com/israelhomenet www.BIZNESSMAGAZINE.com

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PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Secret #1 of Successful Landlords

By David Chernin

It’s better to have an average property with an excellent property manager than an excellent property with an average property manager. Why would a landlord hire a property manager? Why do you hire a painter? Surely you can paint a room yourself. Why do you go out to eat? You can probably make a perfectly delicious meal at home for less. A painter has access to supplies at a discounted rate and, since he paints every day it is reasonable to think he will do the job better, more efficiently and stand behind his work. Often we eat out either because it saves time, or it enhances our dining experience and allows us to focus on people who matter to us. Painters and restaurants help allocate our resources to give us the best overall experience. For many successful owners of one or more properties, a management company does just that. Finding the right one takes some research. Just as there are sloppy painters and disappointing restaurants, property managers are not created equal. Questions To Ask When Interviewing Potential Managers What are the basic fees and what can I expect that to cover? Are there other expected charges beyond the monthly fee such as tenant placement fee, lease extensions, after-hours charges? What qualifications do you look for in tenants? How do you typically handle maintenance calls? Are there any times you won’t ask for my approval for repairs? What are typical maintenance charges in terms of labor? What kind of statements will I receive each month? How accessible are you on email and/or phone? How many properties do you currently manage? Do you have references? How long have you been in business? What kind of property management do you have the most experience with – short or long term rentals, new construction, established areas?

What other services do you offer? Once you make a decision, keep on a friendly and professional basis with your manager. If a manager does anything that seems out of the ordinary or too expensive, understand that you have every right get the answers you need. When you do find an excellent manager to partner with, they will unburden you of ongoing tasks and give you confidence that your investments can produce and grow. If you’re convinced that hiring a property manager is the way to go, start by interviewing several. THEN call David Chernin and compare. David has been servicing clients for 30 years. After making aliya, he decided to help Anglos invest in Israel and has been caring for their properties in greater Jerusalem for six years. With a great team behind him, Trusted Property Management is at your service. We are your back office, maintenance staff, on-call partner and professional face. We specialize in thinking out of the box and accommodating to our clients. Our owners’ unique requirements become our priorities. Shlomo, our General Manager is a natural organizer and a pro at navigating through administrative matters: utilities, arnona and vaad bayit issues, plus anything that the Israeli bureaucracy throws your way—Shlomo can handle it. Avigail, our Financial Manager, sends out monthly statements with income, expenses and task summary for each property. No guesswork about what is happening with your investment. Shoshana, our Rental Manager, handles short term rentals. Her care and attention to the needs of the apartment and the renter results in many repeat visitors. Maintenance and Improvement Team: Plumbing, electrical, painting, gardening, cleaning…whatever your apartment needs, TPM provides solutions with experience and service that you remember from the “old days.” By joining with TPM you immediately get “group rates” and quick attention to any service needs. Our team of service providers wants to give us top-notch work, knowing they stay on the team as long as they give our clients the best service and the best pricing. David Chernin as founder of Trusted Property Management makes every detail of property management his concern so you can rest easier. Call David 052-690-6629 to discuss your particular needs and how our team can provide for you.  052-690-6629 cell, 02-547-2638 office David@Zedekgroup.com

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PA I N TI N G

What Can You Expect When Your Home Is Being Painted? By Nachum Eilberg

e have heard many horror stories from our customers regarding their prior experiences with painters. There were stories of painters leaving in middle of the job, getting paint on furniture, breaking things, leaving a huge mess, eating food out of the customer’s refrigerator and simply not coming prepared with the tools they need to do the job. So what can you expect when Walls R Us Painting comes to your home? First, the number of days it will take to complete the job will be clearly defined before we begin. If we say three days, it’s three days and no longer. Do we ever run into problems? We have had situations where some of the prep work took longer than expected, but that leaves us with a longer day, never an extra day. Rainy days can be problematic as it takes longer for the spackle and paint to dry. Fortunately, our staff is very responsible and professional and we do whatever it takes to finish the day’s work, leaving your home clean and organized at the end of each day. Usually a week before the scheduled start date we bring you a color book and discuss colors. It is best to have some time to think about colors rather than wait to make this decision until the day we begin. When several colors are considered we can put samples on your walls to help you decide. We always come prepared. All tools, ladders, broom, garbage buckets, plastic to cover furniture, tape, and drop cloths are with us. There is never a need to ask a customer for supplies we do not have. We once worked for someone on a week-long job where the customer took the week off work to be home when the painting was being done. Several days into the job, the customer commented to us that her taking a week off was a waste of vacation time. Her fear of our having to search her home for things we may need was unwarranted. We need access to the entire room and will move furniture into the best possible configuration giving us the needed space to work. This allows us to do all the covering, fixes, sanding, painting and finally clean-up. If we were unable to access the entire room we would probably not have enough drying time to complete the room in one day. Fortunately, years of experience have given us the know-how to deal with all types of situations. It all comes together at the end of the day and rooms are put back exactly as they were found in the morning. We take pictures in the morning of how the

room looked and we are meticulous to put everything back at the end of the day. The rooms we are working on each day are, for the most part, not accessible as they are covered and everything is moved around. However, if there is a need to get something we are always able to lift up the coverings to get that phone you forgot in your night table drawer or to get something out of the refrigerator. We specialize in making the painting experience as painless and as unobtrusive as possible. Planning, being organized and prioritizing what needs to be done throughout the day to take advantage of drying time allow us to accomplish this. When we leave your rooms at the end of the day they are clean, set up the way we found them and even the pictures are rehung on your walls. You are also always left with a jar of paint for touchups. Things happen… a suitcase nicks the wall, a leak causes damage, etc., and we plan for that as well so that a simple fix could be done in the future. We have used these jars of touchup paint even after eight years and were able to patch up damaged areas without having to repaint the entire room. For a professional and pleasant painting experience, call Walls R Us Painting.  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 052-611-9500 www.wallsruspainting.com nachum@wallsruspainting.com

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OFFICE SPACE

CHANGING THE FACE OF

EASYOFFICE O F F I C E S PAC E R E N TA L

eora runs a successful graphic design business in Ramat Beit Shemesh. Her rented machsan contains Ăůů ƚŚĞ ĂŵĞŶŝƟĞƐ ƐŚĞ ŶĞĞĚƐ ĨŽƌ ŚĞƌ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ʹ ĐŽŵƉƵƚĞƌ͕ ǁŽƌŬ ƐƚĂƟŽŶ͕ ĞǀĞŶ ĐŽīĞĞ͘ ,ŽǁĞǀĞƌ͕ ƚŚĞƌĞ ĂƌĞ ƟŵĞƐ ƚŚĂƚ ƐŚĞ ŶĞĞĚƐ ƚŽ ĐŽŶĚƵĐƚ ŵĞĞƟŶŐƐ ǁŝƚŚ ŚĞƌ ƉƌŽũĞĐƚ͛Ɛ ƚĞĂŵ͕ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĂƚ͛Ɛ ǁŚĞŶ ƐŚĞ ƌƵŶƐ ƵƉ ĂŐĂŝŶƐƚ ŚĞƌ ŵĂĐŚƐĂŶ͛Ɛ ůŝŵŝƚĂƟŽŶƐ͗ ƐƉĂĐĞ͘

ǌǀŝ ŝƐ Ă ŬŽůůĞů ĂǀƌĞŝĐŚ ǁŚŽ ŝƐ ŶŽǁ ƐƚĂƌƟŶŐ ƚŽ ŐŽ ŝŶƚŽ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ͘ ,Ğ ŶĞĞĚƐ Ă ƋƵŝĞƚ ŽĸĐĞ ƚŽ ǁŽƌŬ ŝŶ͕ ďƵƚ ĐĂŶ͛ƚ ĂīŽƌĚ ƚŽ ƌĞŶƚ Ă ƉĞƌŵĂŶĞŶƚ ƐƉĂĐĞ͘ tŽƌŬŝŶŐ ĨƌŽŵ ŚŽŵĞ ŝƐŶ͛ƚ ĂŶ ŽƉƟŽŶ͖ ŚĞ ĚŽĞƐŶ͛ƚ ŚĂǀĞ ĂŶ ŝŶƚĞƌŶĞƚ ĐŽŶŶĞĐƟŽŶ͕ ĂŶĚ ŝƐŶ͛ƚ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚĞĚ ŝŶ ďƌŝŶŐŝŶŐ ŽŶĞ ŝŶ͘

ŚĂǇĂ ǁŽƌŬƐ ĨƌŽŵ ŚŽŵĞ ĂƐ Ă ĨƌĞĞůĂŶĐĞ ǁƌŝƚĞƌ͘ tŚŝůĞ ƐŚĞ ĐĂŶ͛ƚ ďĞĂƚ ƚŚĞ ƌĞŶƚ͕ ĂƐ ƟŵĞ ŐŽĞƐ ŽŶ͕ ƐŚĞ͛Ɛ ďĞŐŝŶŶŝŶŐ ƚŽ ƋƵĞƐƟŽŶ ƚŚĞ ǁŝƐĚŽŵ ŽĨ ƚŚŝƐ ŽĸĐĞ ƐĞƚͲƵƉ͘ ŝƐŚĞƐ͕ ůĂƵŶĚƌǇ͕ ƚŚĞ ŵĂŐĂǌŝŶĞ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ƐŽĨĂ͙ƚŚĞƌĞ͛Ɛ ĂůǁĂǇƐ ƐŽŵĞ ĚŝƐƚƌĂĐƟŽŶ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬŐƌŽƵŶĚ ƚŚĂƚ ŬĞĞƉƐ ŚĞƌ ĨƌŽŵ ŵĂǆŝŵŝǌŝŶŐ ŚĞƌ ǁŽƌŬ ƟŵĞ͘ EŽƚ ƚŽ ŵĞŶƟŽŶ ƚŚŽƐĞ ĞǀĞŶŝŶŐ ŚŽƵƌƐ ǁŚĞŶ ƐŚĞ͛Ɛ ƌƵƐŚŝŶŐ ƚŽ ŵĂŬĞ Ă ĚĞĂĚůŝŶĞ͕ ďƵƚ ŚĞƌ ŬŝĚƐ ŬĞĞƉ ĐƌĞĞƉŝŶŐ ŽƵƚ ŽĨ ďĞĚ͘ ƚ ƚŚĞ ĞŶĚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĚĂǇ͕ ƐŚĞ ĐĂŶ͛ƚ ŚĞůƉ ďƵƚ ĂƐŬ͗ ŝƐ ŚĞƌ ŽĸĐĞ ƌĞŶƚ ƐĂǀŝŶŐƐ ĂĐƚƵĂůůǇ ĐĂƵƐŝŶŐ ŚĞƌ Ă ĮŶĂŶĐŝĂů ůŽƐƐ͍

/ƚ͛Ɛ ƚŚĞ ǁĂǀĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ǁŽƌŬͲǁŽƌůĚ ĨƵƚƵƌĞ͕ ĂŶĚ ŝƚ͛Ɛ ĐŽŵŝŶŐ ƚŽ ZĂŵĂƚ Ğŝƚ ^ŚĞŵĞƐŚ͗ ĂƐǇ KĸĐĞ͘ $ ODUJH VKDUHG RIÀFH VSDFH ZKLFK LQFOXGHV ´KRW GHVNVµ RU LQGLYLGXDO ZRUN VWDWLRQV WKUHH RIÀFHV SHUIHFW IRU SULYDWH FRQVXOWDWLRQV RU WKHUDS\ DQG RQH ODUJH VHDWHU ERDUGURRP WKLV QHZ RSSRUWXQLW\ FDQ SURYH D UHDO ERRQ IRU ORFDO EXVLQHVVHV LQ VR PDQ\ ZD\V ͞dŚĞƌĞ ĂƌĞŶ͛ƚ ŵĂŶǇ ƉůĂĐĞƐ Ͳ ďĞƐŝĚĞƐ ůŽĐĂů ĐŽīĞĞ ƐŚŽƉƐ ʹ ĨŽƌ ƉĞŽƉůĞ ƚŽ ŚĂǀĞ Ă ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ŵĞĞƟŶŐ ŚĞƌĞ͕͟ ƐĂǇƐ ĚĞǀĞůŽƉĞƌ DŽƌĚĞĐŚĂŝ WŽƚĂƐŚ͘ ͞EŽǁ ůŽĐĂůƐ ǁŽŶ͛ƚ ŚĂǀĞ ƚŽ ƚƌĂǀĞů ŝŶƚŽ :ĞƌƵƐĂůĞŵ Žƌ DŽĚŝŝŶ ĨŽƌ Ă ƌĞƐƉĞĐƚĂďůĞͲůŽŽŬŝŶŐ ǀĞŶƵĞ͘͟ ĂĐŚ ŽĸĐĞ ĂŶĚ ŚŽƚ ĚĞƐŬ ŝƐ ƐĞƚ ƵƉ ǁŝƚŚ ƉŽǁĞƌ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ ĂŶĚ ĞƚŚĞƌŶĞƚ ĐŽŶŶĞĐƟŽŶƐ ʹ ŝŶ ĂĚĚŝƟŽŶ ƚŽ tŝͲ&ŝ Ͳ ĨŽƌ Ăůů ƚŚĞ ĞůĞĐƚƌŽŶŝĐ ĞƋƵŝƉŵĞŶƚ Ă ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ŵĂǇ ŶĞĞĚ͘ ŶĚ ŝƚƐ ĐĞŶƚƌĂů ůŽĐĂƟŽŶ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ Park Center mall makes it easily accessible for both the business owners and their clients. Ƶƚ ǁŚĂƚ ŵĂŬĞƐ ŝƚ ŵŽƐƚ ĂƉƉĞĂůŝŶŐ ŝƐ ŝƚƐ ĂƩƌĂĐƟǀĞ ĚĠĐŽƌ͘ DŽĚĞůĞĚ ĂŌĞƌ ƚŚĞ ƵƉƐĐĂůĞ ŽĸĐĞƐ ŽĨ dĞů ǀŝǀ͕ ƚŚĞ ƐƉĂĐĞ ĂůƐŽ ƵƟůŝǌĞƐ ŐůĂƐƐ ƵƉƉĞƌ ǁĂůůƐ ʹ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ďŽĂƌĚƌŽŽŵ͕ ƚŚĞƌĞ ŝƐ ƐƚĂŝŶĞĚ ŐůĂƐƐ Ͳ ƚŽ ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞ Ă ĨĞĞůŝŶŐ ŽĨ ǁŝĚĞ ŽƉĞŶŶĞƐƐ͖ ĂŶ ĞǆƉĂŶƐŝǀĞ ƐĞŶƐĞ ĐŽŶĚƵĐŝǀĞ ƚŽ

WORKING SPACE IN RBS

ǁŽƌŬ ĂŶĚ ĐƌĞĂƟǀŝƚǇ͘ ŝǀŝĚĞƌƐ ďĞƚǁĞĞŶ ĚĞƐŬƐ ĂƌĞ ŵĂĚĞ ŽĨ ŐůĂƐƐ ĂƐ ǁĞůů͕ ĂůůŽǁŝŶŐ ĨŽƌ ĐŽůůĂďŽƌĂƟŽŶ ďĞƚǁĞĞŶ ƚŚĞ ǁŽƌŬĞƌƐ ʹ ƉĞƌĨĞĐƚ ŝĨ Ă ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ǁĂŶƚƐ ƚŽ ƌĞŶƚ ŽƵƚ ƐĞǀĞƌĂů ƐƚĂƟŽŶƐ ĨŽƌ ĞĂĐŚ ŵĞŵďĞƌ ŽĨ ŝƚƐ ƚĞĂŵ ʹ ǁŚŝůĞ ĂůƐŽ ŵĂŝŶƚĂŝŶŝŶŐ ƉƌŝǀĂĐǇ͘ ͞^Ž ŵĂŶǇ ŽĨ ŵǇ ƉƌŽũĞĐƚƐ ŝŶǀŽůǀĞ ǁŽƌŬŝŶŐ ǁŝƚŚ ŽƚŚĞƌ ƚĞĂŵ ŵĞŵďĞƌƐ͕ ĂƐ ǁĞůů ĂƐ ƚŚĞ ĐůŝĞŶƚ ŚŝŵƐĞůĨ͕͟ ƐĂǇƐ >ĞŽƌĂ͘ ͞^ƵƌĞ͕ ǁĞ ĐĂŶ ƐƉĞĂŬ ďǇ ƉŚŽŶĞ͕ ďƵƚ ƚŚĞƌĞ͛Ɛ ŶŽ ƐƵďƐƟƚƵƟŽŶ ĨŽƌ ĂŶ ĂĐƚƵĂů ĨĂĐĞ ƚŽ ĨĂĐĞ ŵĞĞƟŶŐ͘ hƉ ƵŶƟů ŶŽǁ͕ / ĚŝĚŶ͛ƚ ƌĞĂůůǇ ŚĂǀĞ Ă ŐŽŽĚ ǀĞŶƵĞ ĨŽƌ ƐƵĐŚ ŵĞĞƟŶŐƐ ʹ ŽƚŚĞƌ ƚŚĂŶ ŵǇ ůŝǀŝŶŐ ƌŽŽŵ͕ ǁŚŝĐŚ ŵĞĂŶƐ ĐůĞĂŶŝŶŐ ĞǀĞƌǇƚŚŝŶŐ ƵƉ ĂŶĚ ŐĞƫŶŐ ŵǇ ĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶ ŽƵƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ǁĂǇ͊͟

...the goal is promoting peak productivity – and creating the optimal environment for success.

ŶĚ͕ ŽĨ ĐŽƵƌƐĞ͕ ƚŚĞƌĞ ĂƌĞ ƐŽŵĞ ƚǇƉĞƐ ŽĨ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐĞƐ ǁŚĞƌĞ Ă ůŝǀŝŶŐ ƌŽŽŵ Žƌ ŵĂĐŚƐĂŶ ŵĞĞƟŶŐ ũƵƐƚ ǁŽŶ͛ƚ ĐƵƚ ŝƚ Ͳ Ă ĨƌĞĞůĂŶĐĞ ůĂǁǇĞƌ͕ ĨŽƌ ĞǆĂŵƉůĞ͘ Ƶƚ͕ ŶŽ ŵĂƩĞƌ ǁŚĂƚ ǇŽƵƌ ĮĞůĚ͕ ƚŚĞ ŇĞǆŝďŝůŝƚǇ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŽĸĐĞ ƐƉĂĐĞ ƌĞŶƚĂů ŝƐ ǁŚĂƚ ŵĂŬĞƐ ŝƚ ƐŽ ŝŶǀŝƟŶŐ͘ ͞/ ůŽǀĞ ƚŚĞ ŝĚĞĂ ƚŚĂƚ ƚŚĞ ƌĞŶƚ ŝƐ ŚŽƵƌůǇ͕͟ ƐĂǇƐ ŚĂǇĂ͘ ͞/Ĩ / ƐĞĞ ƚŚĂƚ ƚŚĞƌĞ͛Ɛ ŽŶĞ ĚĂǇ ǁŚĞƌĞ / ŚĂǀĞ Ă ƉĂƌƟĐƵůĂƌ ŶĞĞĚ ĨŽƌ Ă ƋƵŝĞƚ ǁŽƌŬƐƉĂĐĞ ʹ ŵĂǇďĞ Ă ďŝŐ ĚĞĂĚůŝŶĞ ĐŽŵŝŶŐ ƵƉ͕ Žƌ ƐŽŵĞ ǀŝƐŝƚŽƌƐ ĨƌŽŵ ĐŚƵƚǌ ůĂ͛ĂƌĞƚǌ ĂƌĞ ŚĂŶŐŝŶŐ ŽƵƚ ŝŶ ŵǇ ŚŽƵƐĞ ʹ / ĐĂŶ ďŽŽŬ Ă ƐůŽƚ ĂŶĚ ŚŽƉ ŽǀĞƌ͘ dŚĞƌĞ͛Ɛ ŶŽ ůŽŶŐͲƚĞƌŵ ĐŽŵŵŝƚŵĞŶƚ ŝŶǀŽůǀĞĚ͘͟ dŚĞ ƉƌŝĐŝŶŐ ƐǇƐƚĞŵ ĨŽƌ ĂƐǇ KĸĐĞ ŝƐ ƵŶŝƋƵĞ͕ ĞǆƉůĂŝŶƐ WŽƚĂƐŚ͘ dŚĞƌĞ͛Ɛ Ă ďĂƐĞ ŚŽƵƌůǇ ƌĂƚĞ͕ ďƵƚ ƉĞŽƉůĞ ĂůƐŽ ŚĂǀĞ ƚŚĞ ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƚǇ ƚŽ ƉƵƌĐŚĂƐĞ ƉĂĐŬĂŐĞƐ ŽĨ ƟŵĞ ĐƌĞĚŝƚƐ ǁŚŝĐŚ ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞ ƐƚĞĞƉ ŚŽƵƌůǇ ĚŝƐĐŽƵŶƚƐ ʹ ƵƉ ƚŽ ϴϬй Žī͘ dŚĞƐĞ ĐƌĞĚŝƚƐ ŚĂǀĞ ŶŽ ĞǆƉŝƌĂƟŽŶ ĚĂƚĞ͕ but can only be used by the purchaser. ŽŽŬŝŶŐ Ă ƟŵĞ ƐůŽƚ ŝƐ Ă ƐŝŵƉůĞ ƉƌŽĐĞƐƐ͖ ǇŽƵ ůŽŐ ŽŶ ƚŽ ǇŽƵƌ ŽŶůŝŶĞ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚ͕ ƐĞĞ ǁŚŝĐŚ ƐůŽƚƐ ĂƌĞ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ ʹ ƚŽĚĂǇ͕ ŶĞǆƚ ǁĞĞŬ͕ ŶĞǆƚ ŵŽŶƚŚ ʹ ĂŶĚ ĐůŝĐŬ ƚŽ ƌĞƐĞƌǀĞ͘ ƐůŽƚ ĐĂŶ ďĞ ďŽŽŬĞĚ ĂƐ ůŝƩůĞ ĂƐ Ă ŚĂůĨͲŚŽƵƌ ŝŶ ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞ͘ WŽƚĂƐŚ ŝƐ ǀĞƌǇ ĞǆĐŝƚĞĚ ĂďŽƵƚ ƚŚĞ ƉŽƚĞŶƟĂů ŽĨ ƚŚŝƐ ŶĞǁ ǁŽƌŬƐƉĂĐĞ ĨŽƌ ďƵŝůĚŝŶŐ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐĞƐ ʹ ĂŶĚ ďƌŝĚŐĞƐ ʹ ŝŶ ZĂŵĂƚ Ğŝƚ ^ŚĞŵĞƐŚ͘ ͞dŚŝƐ ŝƐ ŶŽƚ ĂŶ ŝŶƚĞƌŶĞƚ ĐĂĨĠ͕͟ ŚĞ ƐƚƌĞƐƐĞƐ͘ ͞/ƚ͛Ɛ ĨŽƌ ƉĞŽƉůĞ who need a quiet space to do their work. There are so many ǁŽŶĚĞƌĨƵů͕ ƚĂůĞŶƚĞĚ ƉĞŽƉůĞ ŚĞƌĞ ŝŶ ŽƵƌ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚǇ͕ ƐŽŵĞ ŽĨ ǁŚŽŵ ũƵƐƚ ŶĞĞĚ ƚŚĞ ƌŝŐŚƚ ŬŝŶĚ ŽĨ ĞŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚ ƚŽ ŐĞƚ ƚŚĞŝƌ ĐƌĞĂƟǀĞ ũƵŝĐĞƐ ŇŽǁŝŶŐ͘͟ ĂƐǇ KĸĐĞ ĐĂŶ ďƌŝŶŐ ƚŚĞŵ ƚŽŐĞƚŚĞƌ͘ tŚĞƚŚĞƌ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ ŝƚƐ ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƟĞƐ ĨŽƌ ŵĞĞƟŶŐƐ ĂŶĚ ŶĞƚǁŽƌŬŝŶŐ͕ Žƌ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ ŝƚƐ ƐƉĞĐŝĂů ĚĞƐŝŐŶ ƚŚĂƚ ĂůůŽǁƐ ĨŽƌ ƉƌŝǀĂĐǇ ĂŶĚ ĂŶŽŶǇŵŝƚǇ͕ ƚŚĞ ŐŽĂů ŝƐ ƉƌŽŵŽƟŶŐ ƉĞĂŬ ƉƌŽĚƵĐƟǀŝƚǇ ʹ ĂŶĚ ĐƌĞĂƟŶŐ ƚŚĞ ŽƉƟŵĂů ĞŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚ ĨŽƌ ƐƵĐĐĞƐƐ͘ &Žƌ ŵŽƌĞ ŝŶĨŽ Žƌ ƉƌĞͲďŽŽŬŝŶŐƐ͗ ϬϮ ϲϱϬ ϳϮϬϮ ͮ ƉƌĞďŽŽŬŝŶŐΛĞĂƐǇŽĸĐĞƌďƐ͘ĐŽŵ

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S OCI A L MA R K ETI N G

Is SEO Dead? By Noam Fixler, Head of Search Marketing

EO (Search Engine Optimization) is tricky; or rather it used to be. Once upon a time, manipulating your website in order for it to rank higher in Google SERPs (Search Engine Result Pages) was easy. It was so easy, that all you had to do was create a “meta tag” called keywords and literally stuff in all the keywords you wanted your site to rank for (black-hat SEO). It was sloppy but it worked. But what happens when website owners from the same industry, or different industries decide to use the same keywords? How does Google determine which of the websites is most relevant for the search? In response to this issue, Google changed its algorithm. Quickly, marketers responded to this change and found new ways to manipulate the algorithm. Again, Google changed it and again, marketers responded and manipulated it. And again, and again and again. What is Google trying to do each time they change and update their algorithm? They are trying to present the best results they can to the end user. However, Google has a problem: Their users are human, while Google search engine is… well not. It is an engine run by robots crawling the web. This is Google’s biggest challenge, and many of their algorithm updates and changes are geared towards closing that gap, making their robots as human oriented as possible. This, for example, is one of the reasons why having a strong social media presence (integrated with your website) is important to your overall “white-hat” SEO efforts. This battle with Google is a game of “black-hat” SEO vs. “white-hat” SEO. There are two ways to do SEO: Optimize your website for the Google bot (black-hat), or optimize it for the human user (white-hat). More and more, Google is fighting the black-hat SEOs and embracing marketers to use the white-hat strategy. This is the primary focus for their updates; Google is trying to close the gap between their robots and the human end user. Google can manage through the technical aspects, but they cannot control the quality of a website, the content or the design. Good marketers can, and good marketers do. So what should “white-hat” SEO look like? There are three main pillars which “white-hat” SEO is based on: Content, Design and User experience. Content I think the saying “content is king” is overused, but that is only because content is, in fact, king. Write content. Write high quality and unique content that adds value to your target audience. Content has many benefits for marketing as a whole and specifically for SEO. SEO is (still) based on keyword phrases. If users

are searching for phrases that are relevant to you, make sure you use them in your content. As an added benefit, good content gets shared across the web and increases user traffic. Design All that amazing content you write means nothing if when a user reaches your website they feel the need to look away. The design is the first thing the user’s brain will take in, way before the content. Make it engaging and attractive. Make sure your design is responsive and allows your user to view your website clearly from any device (computer, tablet, smartphone, etc.). UX (User Experience) So you wrote all that great content, and you have a gorgeous website. Would your users know where to click to find what they are looking for? Is it clear to them what your website is about? Is it obvious to them what actions you want from them to do and how to do it? It should, so make sure it does. Yes, there is an overlap between design and UX, but they are not the same, and you shouldn’t assume that good design guarantees good user experience. In some cases, your designer can even hurt your UX, so make sure you know the difference. SEO today is very much alive and thriving, but SEO from once upon a time, manipulating Google or Google’s user, is indeed dead. Google is actually killing it by penalizing SEOs who are using “black-hat” techniques. Make sure that your focus is correct: creating engaging content, great design and just smart marketing.  social@bluethreadmarketing.com 052-736-6592 bluethreadmarketing.com www.BIZNESSMAGAZINE.com

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f you’re an entrepreneur you may have considered launching a smartphone app; something like Waze which sold to Google for over a Billion Dollars, or maybe something a bit smaller that will push your business idea to the next level. Here at Bizness Magazine, we try to always keep

You two are the experts. What does it mean to make an app? Take me through the steps. First of all you need patience, stamina, determination and a generous father-in-law… Seriously though, a good app is as much art as it is programming, and in fact it’s almost as much human psychology as it is either. You really must understand the mindset of the user, put yourself in his head, shoes, pockets and hopefully wallets, and ask questions like: How would they use the app? Why? When? Where? When we made an app for old people we had to make it really boring and coarse with big, bold lettering and clunky buttons. It didn’t look as fancy as other apps but it worked. Another time we made an app for an ecommercesite. This one was clean, simple, stylish and easy to use - easy to find the goods and easy to pay. These and many more criteria need to be considered in order to design the user experience for the app. Some phones are waterproof, so maybe you want to have a swimming lesson app, using the accelerometer to monitor your stroke. Good idea, no? The point is, you 26

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our readers up to date on the hottest parts of the “innovation nation,” and this month we are delving a bit deeper into mobile app development with experts Benyamin Kornbluth and Tom Eisenman from postfunding.me - an all-in-one branding and development company based in Beit Shemesh.

have to consider the working environment, the hardware, and your imagination. The hot shots like to use lots of fancy sounding jargon, so I’ll include some here so you can show off to your friends (I mean investors). The user experience (UX) is about making the app intuitive to use, bringing the core functionality to the forefront and giving users the functions or information that they are after with as little distraction and confusion as possible. You don’t want people downloading your app (well you do, but that’s complicated) and then deleting it because they can’t figure how on earth it works. The UI or User Interface, is one of the things that makes apps so much more enjoyable to use than traditional computer software. With apps, instead of being stuck to a boring color scheme you can make anything look and function exactly the way you want by recreating everything exactly as you like. You can lay everything out in whatever way you feel makes the most sense, from the placement of the buttons to the size of the text. There are no rules, it’s all up to you. Actually the rules are really lax in the Android platform, whilst Apple

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is still extremely uptight about the whole thing. Apple seems to think that they have an exclusive on all design, so it’s a bit frustrating working in their framework, but at the same time it’s easy. Don’t forget to mention ‘creative.’ Israelis totally fall for that word. A good app not only has to look good and be intuitive to use, but it also has to function in the most reliable way. Some apps will be used by enormous numbers of people (Please G-d by you), and some apps will have to handle large files. All of this has to be thought out in advance so that it works smoothly and reliably, without crashing the phone, the server or the app. If your company builds an app which leaves people with a bad taste in their mouth they won’t appreciate that. One survey in England actually showed that people love their smartphones more than their kids surprising right? - only one survey...! The good guys (us) build a comprehensive architecture designed to make sure that the back-end of the app is resilient and stable, making room for back-ups and upgrades when necessary. Keywords here are scalability and future-proof (repeat them in the investor pitch, it sounds expensive). The way that the app actually works is locked down in something called a wireframe, which will specify every single piece of the program, every button, menu, function etc. The wireframe will clarify how the app progresses between screens, and how information is managed in the app and on the server. This is the blueprint for the entire project. There should be as little fuzziness in the wireframe as possible, otherwise you end up with lokshen (not that I have anything against lokshen, it could even be a good app... iLokshen...yum). Once this is confirmed the app is ready to get some screens designed, integrating all the functionality laid out in the wireframe as well as the direction of the UI. Here is where the magic starts to take shape, and it’s really exciting. WOW, it’s a long process, seems like a lot of work! What can you do? Making an app is painstaking work. It takes a good few months of solid teamwork, with a lot of reworking, brainstorming, debugging and problem solving (and kvetching, plenty of kvetching). It’s a major undertaking indeed. Some apps take years to develop, although we never like it to drag out that long. The key is to make sure that as much as possible is clarified in the wireframe stage so that you aren’t constantly rebuilding the thing from the guts. Sounds really expensive! Well, making an app isn’t for everyone. Those billion dollar payouts you hear about didn’t just fall in some guy’s lap because he tinkered about on his PC for a couple of hours! The price varies considerably depending on the size and functionality of the app, and can hit hundreds of thousands of dollars for the really geshmack apps that everyone has on their iPhones. We, of course, try to do it for as little as possible, without sacrificing on quality. Our app development starts at $15,000 - but that will only get you a place on the app store to tell your friends about. If you want real functionality add another $10k and some gallereta. So what makes a good app? Well, that’s an interesting question. There are two routes to making it big – by getting users, lots and lots of users. The way to get lots of users (and I mean millions) is by creating some kind of amazing functionality, or some inventive, innovative idea that makes your app useful to millions of people. That’s the way to big payouts. You can make some money

with advertising, or even by making your app a paid app if you’re mamash meshuggeh, and make a few cents or dollars on every download. But, generally, the big money is with the free apps and the millions of users. Those are the big exits you hear about like WhatsApp for $19B. Feh - I thought of making whatsapp years before those lucky shmerels, oy, would I have been rich.

75 Billion

Apps Downloaded from Apple App Store

1.2 Million

Different Apps on Apple App Store

$25 Billion Mobile App Industry Size 12

The number of times I laughed out loud (LOLd) at this interview

Number of people that read this whole article

Tell us a bit about your company, Postfunding.ME? Our company, Postfunding.ME, came into existence to support the burgeoning mass of brilliant start-ups coming out of our small but incredibly talented country. You see, all these start-ups have brilliant ideas, ideas that can, and quite possibly will, change the world. These are ideas that came from graduates of elite army units and elite Torah kupps! We not only make apps but also top level websites, with astounding functionality and animated explainer videos. If you have seen a really fun 90 second animated video online explaining how some cool new product works, or what it does. there’s a good chance that we made it! So how does Postfundng help? Postfunding knows that the best idea in the world is worthless until it has been executed professionally and intelligently, as well as marketed in the most effective way possible. It doesn’t matter if you invented the Iron Dome (we worked with him) or are looking to create an app for learning Torah (we’ll listen), the idea itself is only the very first spark. We have the team to make it happen. Can you tell me more about the services Postfunding offers? Postfunding is a technology hub, built around a strong skilled team of creative minds, and programming wizards. Whilst we make the apps, websites and explainer videos for many startup companies - not just in Israel, but throughout the world - we also help make the start-ups themselves. That could mean helping develop a new smartphone app to do some cool new thing, or to help people out in a new way with something that they previously couldn’t get help with, from a kitchen utensil to a website. Sometimes we invest, sometimes we help raise funds. So how do I start? You can call us and discuss your idea. If you just want an explainer video or a website we can get a lot of that clarified over the phone. If you have an idea for an app, or a business that needs an app, get in touch, and let’s start ironing out a wireframe ASAP. 

www.postfunding.me Tom Eisenman 054-952-1005 Eisenman@postfunding.me Benyamin Kornbluth 054-258-3900 www.BIZNESSMAGAZINE.com

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Expert

BUDG ET C O U N S ELI N G

SHOCKER

Seven Tips to Simplify Budgeting By David Litke

uch of our lives is determined by the Jewish and general calendar. Think of the financial aspects of our lives which are either actively or passively associated with the cycles of the year. For example, our food purchases fluctuate in accordance with the Nisan and Tishrei holidays, our clothing needs seesaw with these holidays and the school year and our utility requirements vary with the change of seasons. We find ourselves now a few weeks after an uplifting month of chagim. Were I to step on the scale at home (which I don’t dare do), I would likely find things out of balance. My weight would be off center and my clothes do certainly feel tighter. A look at our financial situation at this season usually shows a similar circumstance. Our credit card balance has bloomed and debt has piled up. It may take us months to get back on balance (just in time for Pesach?). To add insult to injury, those who use savings to cover holiday costs will have discovered that with low interest rates we can’t cover as much of our expenses as we used to. And for the self-employed, the month of holidays can be even more daunting. Historically, this month sees less income, and the challenge of making ends meet intensifies. I have written often how vital it is for every family to prepare a written budget before each new month. There is no shortcut to maintaining financial balance without a plan worked out in advance. If we are in debt, this is even truer. Dave Ramsey calls this “giving each shekel a name and address”. By so doing, we guarantee that we will only spend on items and services we plan for. In the case of debt, we naturally have to allocate more to covering our overrun or overdraft, this at the expense of other flexible expenses, such as food and entertainment. This is all eminently doable with guidance and discipline. I have clients who have amazed themselves by their success in eliminating debt and changing habits. You would never head out on the road without a destination and solid idea of how to get there. Financial direction requires the same – a destination and a map to get you there. And the topper is that if you get into good habits, you are far less likely to run into the same financial challenges during the next holiday season. Here is a mnemonic to help you remember seven tips for simplifying your budgeting: SHOCKER. S=SCHEDULE PAYMENTS. Try to schedule your payments in such a way that you don’t slip into a negative balance for even one day of the month. If your salary comes in on the 7th, and your mortgage is due on the 5th (causing you to fall into overdraft for 2 days), see what you can do about changing one of the dates. 28

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H=HORAAT KEVA. Where possible, use automatic bank transfers to pay your fixed bills. This avoids delays and eliminates the forgetfulness which can lead to losing control of the day-today smooth management of your home budget. O=ONLINE BANKING. Get internet smart, so you can check your balance and transactions in your bank as often as you wish. There are no excuses today for being surprised by unexpected charges. Take advantage of the technology. C=CASH. Pay cash whenever you can. You can’t spend more than the hard cash you hold in your purse. K=KIDS. Children must also be taught the importance of your budgeting efforts. Your budget will likely include one or more items related to kids’ expenses (cellphone, clothing, entertainment) and the youngsters must be held responsible for staying within the allotted amount. E=ENVELOPES. When you have set up your monthly budget, prepare cash for all those flexible items that need not be paid by check, credit card or automatic bank transfer. Use one envelope for each cash item, and place the cash into its envelope. As you spend through the month, record on the cash envelope the balance remaining. If you are true to the system, there is no way you will overspend on these budget items. R=RECORD EXPENSES. Record all purchases in a notebook designated for that purpose. This goes for credit card expenses (though you will later see these on your monthly bill), and most certainly for cash expenses, because the latter will completely disappear from your memory in a short time.  Subscribe to our free email tips: www.budgetrelief.co.il

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050-535-1800 david@budgetsuccess.co.il www.budgetsuccess.co.il

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Joys of

The

Language Learning

Interview with Nicholas Rose, Founder and Director of Smile Abroad

icholas Rose was born in Australia and moved to Israel six years ago. After many years of teaching he began his own company, ‘Smile Abroad’. His aim, offering successful English and Hebrew courses which are tailored to the learning needs of students, enjoyable, and offer great value for money. What was the inspiration to start Smile Abroad? I love teaching kids and adults. I worked with young kids for many years, and taught adults at the same time. I wanted to give myself the opportunity to do both in a framework where the number one priority was the needs of the students. I believe that those who smile and are comfortable during language lessons are more motivated, confident, and therefore more likely to succeed. Who are your clients? Where do you teach them? We teach at homes, community centers, online, offices and even factories. We teach school children from Hebrew and English speaking families, adults, and individuals from a variety of professions. You offer Hebrew lessons to English speakers, as well as English lessons to Hebrew speakers. Is there anything else you offer? What surprises many people is that many of the kids for whom we run English programs have English speaking parents. We also teach courses to Russian, French, Italian and Portuguese speakers. Why would English speaking kids need English lessons? Often parents are looking for a standard of English lessons higher than what is provided in the school system, or one that is similar to the American, British curriculum etc. Or more simply, their children need assistance with reading and writing. What methods do you use when teaching kids? I can’t sit still for more than about 10 minutes, so we don’t expect the kids we teach to be able to either. So we move, sit, read, play, dance, write, act, play ball games, listen to music, write stories and a whole lot more. We also use many online resources. All kids receive online learning activities for homework - if they have access to an internet connection. What different types of programs do you offer? We offer private lessons face to face and online. We offer group lessons. Clients can create their own groups or we can build a group for you. We offer Business English and Hebrew lessons privately or with groups in the workplace. We are continually evolving; we listen to our clients and create new programs based on their needs. How are Business English and Hebrew different from regular lessons? There are similarities, but the purpose and goals are different. Most commonly people enroll in this course because they know

their poor language skills affect profit margins. We assist the client to convey his messages through speaking and writing more effectively. This involves a new set of vocabulary skills, depending on the occupation. What about students with learning difficulties? Some of our favorite success stories are the great achievements made with students with learning difficulties. We have on staff an expert in the field of special education with whom we consult on a regular basis. Can you give me an example of such a success story? A mother came to me with a son in the 7th grade, diagnosed with ADHD, failing in English due to poor grades, poor behavior, and the inability to concentrate while doing written work. His teacher from our company subsequently worked on his confidence and self-belief, gave him strategies to control his behavior taking into account his learning difficulty, created enjoyable lessons for him with a lot of movement and outside play, and his results radically improved, even his writing skills. How are Smile Abroad’s Hebrew lessons different from doing a Hebrew Ulpan? The lessons are personalized to the needs of the student. While an Ulpan adopts one approach which is very successful for some and less for others, our teachers are flexible to the learning style of each student. For example, some students are visual learners and others need more auditory stimulus. Some students need gestures and movement in order to assist their learning. Some students need to spend one week on a topic, while others need two. Furthermore, an Ulpan only gets you to a certain level in the best of cases. What can an adult accomplish after completion of a course - will he be able to understand the news or read the newspaper? This is a common question. A student will make improvement. How much? This depends on the commitment of the student to the process. However, the formulation and reformulation of goals is a critical part of the learning process. What do you hope to accomplish with Smile Abroad? To continue to provide high quality English and Hebrew lessons with fantastic teachers, while looking for new ways to assist language development beyond the classroom. Smile Abroad is an innovative company, and we want it to become be a leader in the language learning field. 

0542 570 210 www.smileabroad.com customersupport@smileabroad.com www.BIZNESSMAGAZINE.com

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The

Voice Center Under the Management of

Moshe Berk, B.Mus

oshe Berk, a resident of Ramat Beit Shemesh, is a qualified voice teacher and hoarseness therapist of The Jerusalem Rubin Academy of Music. He began his musical career in South Africa at the age of ten by singing in Cape Town’s Great Synagogue Choir. A decade later he studied voice development under the world-renowned opera singer Mr. Lloyd Strauss Smith. At the same time, audiences at the Cape Town Opera House were being treated to Moshe’s singing performances. Moshe made aliyah 23 years ago where he sang in Jerusalem’s Great Synagogue choir with Chazzan Naftali Herstik under the direction of Eli Yaffe. He enrolled in Jerusalem’s Rubin Academy of Music where he received his B.Mus (Bachelor of Music) degree in 1999, graduating as an opera singer and vocal instructor. Moshe also studied at the Tel Aviv Cantorial Institution under the direction of Chazzan Naftali Herstik, and subsequently became a voice instructor there. Moshe has been privileged to share the stage with star conductors such as Zubin Mehta, Kurt Mazur and Antonio Pappano, among others. Moshe’s time nowadays is mainly occupied teaching voice development in his studios in Beit Shemesh and Jerusalem and singing with the prestigious Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra. Just this last month (Succos) Moshe performed the Beethoven 9th symphony with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under the world renowned maestro Zubin Mehta. This month, he joins the stage with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and the world-renowned Chazzan Yitzchak Meir Helfgot at the Mann Auditorium. He will also be singing with an array of top chazzanim and singers at the New Israeli Opera House in Tel Aviv, a concert of Carlebach compositions. Music is one of the wonders of Hashem’s creations, a gift to man. It has been practiced as an art since ancient times, and in every age it has been advanced and developed in increasingly fascinating directions. No matter how hard man attempts to develop musically through the use of instruments, they still remain separate from the human body. The voice however, as a part of the body, remains the most integral instrument. As a result, the performance and the development of the voice leads to an ultimate harmony between man and music. Through his voice, man expresses his musical talents in the most direct manner possible. Whom is Voice Development For? As a wedding singer, a baal tefila or a chazzan, voice development can help you, no matter whether you are a beginner or more 30

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advanced. It is also an invaluable aid for those who work in fields where their voice is an instrumental part of their work, such as teachers, and rebbes in cheders, who often find themselves suffering from sore throats and hoarseness. Few people are born with the ability to sing and use their voice without much effort and eventual damage. Therefore, most people who want to use their voice beyond everyday speech, need to learn voice development. How Does it Work? The process of voice development in speech and in singing occurs as such: air enters through the mouth, down the air pipe (through open vocal chords) to the lungs, and from there returns to the trachea (air pipe). Friction of the air across the vocal chords turns the simple air into sound waves. Sound waves reverberate and enter the resonance cavities and then the sound exits from the mouth. In order to illustrate this point let’s compare the human body to a guitar. The resonance cavity is the wooden box in the shape of a figure-8. When a person strums on the guitar strings, the movement of the strings create sound waves, which enter into the resonance cavity (the figure eight). The sound waves reverberate around inside the cavity and then pass back out of the hole in the guitar and the sound is heard. Because man is made of flesh and blood, and not wood, this work is more challenging. Voice development is built on four principles: 1. Producing the sound in a high placement 2. Opening and relaxing of the throat 3. Correct diaphragm breathing 4. Support the sound column with the stomach muscles. In a typical voice lesson, you learn to use the four principles in order to produce your optimal sound with resonation. Many rebbes who have suffered from hoarseness report that because of their invaluable vocal lessons with Moshe, they were able to teach the long hours required each day. Many of his chazzanim and wedding singer students have thanked him for an increase in job offers locally and abroad as a result of their improvement and advancement after atChanuka  Special: 10% tending his lessons.

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The Man Behind the Music Rami Treistman Interview with

of RAMIX Studio, Recording Studio and Live Music for Events What exactly is it that you do? There are two sides to my studio: One is a professional sound/recording studio, and the other is live band and DJ services for events. Since 2009, I run an active recording studio using my education in sound and production to create a wide variety of tracks for different types of customers and projects. Earlier than that, since 2007, I have been playing music at live events as a one-man band and DJ. This service has evolved and now I also provide lighting, amplification, and a multiple-piece band upon request. What is your background in music? What instruments do you play? I began playing music by ear at the age of four, and at age six, I began formal piano lessons. Today, my main instrument is the electronic keyboard, though as a hobby, I also play guitar, flute, accordion, and electronic drum pads. What events do you do? Weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvas, Sheva-Brachot, engagement parties including hinas, birthdays, holiday/memorial ceremonies, and more… You offer everything from a DJ to a full wedding symphony what advantage does each option offer? DJ – songs are played from their original tracks, and some remixed. There are no “silent” moments between songs. I keep the energy level very high through playing songs chosen by the clients and by me. Within pre-arranged “limits,” I also play requests on the spot. Wedding symphony – This ranges from a one-man band to an eight-piece band. Live music is more authentic, especially for Jewish events; it sets the mood and tone for the “simcha.” Both my DJ and wedding band services are great, and I usually supply both. For example, at a wedding or bar/bat mitzva: The first round of dancing would be live traditional Jewish music while the second round is usually a pre-selected mixture of popular hits, dance songs, secular music and special requests. Are you involved with the guests during the course of an event? Yes, very much so. Besides taking song requests, I plan with them special “moves,” accompany spontaneous singers from the audience, and throw in different sets of “shtick.” Tell us about your music collection. The live music for traditional dancing is a wide variety of Chassidic-Jewish music and Israeli “hora” style. For background music, I play all types: Israeli songs, classics, jazz, swing, inspirational music, even Disney songs, and others. In my DJ collection, I have collected over 70,000 tracks, all or-

ganized by genre and type: Pop, rock, dance, tango, techno, hip-hop, all types of Jewish (Chassidic, Western and Oriental) music, known radio hits, and a special folder of “songs always requested at events” – which is updated following every event. How do you measure the success of an event? By noting the amount of energy, happiness and activity. I also measure success based on the one special compliment I usually get: “Thank you for keeping a decent volume; we were able to enjoy your music and hear each other speak without yelling.” You should know that clients remember me for a long time because of that. What do you use your recording studio for? I arrange, produce, and compose music for songs ranging from the “homemade” variety all the way to recordings for professional musicians and sound tracks for dance groups. As an example of “homemade,” I record vocals and instruments for fun party presentations, such as video clips made by friends or family for a bride and groom. Where is your studio, and what is the advantage of using Ramix Studio? My studio is currently in Bayit Vegan, Jerusalem. It has many tools for getting more work done in a shorter amount of time. Multiple devices, controllers, multi-track systems, screens and keyboards allow almost every recording session to happen within one hour. The studio combines digital and analog tools and hundreds of virtual sound processors and effects. Note that all software, sound packs, and virtual tools are legally owned by the studio. Another special thing that the studio provides is online service. I can easily hook up to the studio and have a session with a client through video-conferencing platforms. The studio is equipped with four webcams and audio is streamed in high quality. I can always access the studio remotely, even late at night. Therefore, if a project urgently needs any type of modifying, the studio is available and changes can be accomplished within minutes. What do you enjoy most about your work? At events: The bottom line is that I love playing music. My experience shows that when I am happy, the audience is happy too. And I am always happy when I play. I particularly like it when “older” people in the crowd recognize songs from “their days,” and have a blast with that. In the studio: Honestly, I like projects where I get to be the most creative. Recording other people’s music is fun. But when I get to be part of the creation – composing, or arranging in “my way” – I enjoy my job the most. 

Contact 058-788-5220 info@ramix.co.il www.ramix.co.il www.BIZNESSMAGAZINE.com

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Preparing Your Car

for the

Winter

By Ariel Levy

inter driving is different than summer driving, even in Beit Shemesh. Temperatures drop significantly, and we hope to have lots of rain in these months. No driver needs to have a breakdown, especially in the middle of cold or rainy weather, but it’s a lot more likely to happen in the winter. A minimal time and monetary investment can get your car into shape for the cold and keep you driving safely. To maximize your car’s efficiency and ensure a smooth ride for the season, here are some car-preparation tips: 1. Have your battery checked; cold weather is harsher on the battery, so it should be in tip top form before the temperature drops. 2. Winter weather can make any problem worse. If your car is due for a tune-up, take care of it before the winter starts. Slow starts, subpar performance and other issues should be dealt with now. A general service can make the difference between efficient winter driving and headaches that can put you in the shop when you need your car most or just don’t have the time for hiccups. 3. Carbon monoxide leaks can be particularly dangerous during the winter when windows are mostly closed. There are often stories with unfortunate outcomes that could have been avoided had leaks been detected earlier. Don’t wait, get your car checked right away. As another word of advice, do not keep your car running for long periods of time in the winter while not in motion, which could otherwise cause carbon monoxide buildup in the car. If your car is idling, turn it off, and if you need to keep it on, keep the windows open. If you’re worried about freezing, see tip #9. 4. A brakes check can ensure your safety. Even if you haven’t been experiencing any trouble, get yours checked along with your car’s winterization. Slippery driving can spell disaster for brakes that are problematic. Don’t take the chance of losing control of your car. 5. Make sure that your car has sufficient anti-freeze. If you’re somewhat of a car novice, this may be foreign to you, but it’s really important – if you don’t have enough in your car, the liquid could freeze fairly quickly and won’t be able to flow through and cool off the engine, which could then overheat, another major problem that could compromise your safety. 6. Before you set out on any journey, make sure you’re fueled 32

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up. You don’t want to run out of gas in the rain or freezing cold in the middle of Timbuktu, or the Israeli equivalent. Even better, keep a keg of gasoline in your car, literally for a rainy day – although if you’re careful to fuel up before you set out, you should never need it. One smart system is to never let your car go below half full. Even though you’ll be filling up more often, you’ll be ensuring a car that runs. 7. Check your tires’ alignment, and possibly have them rotated. If your tires are fairly new, you can skip this one, but if they’ve seen a lot of days, it’s a good practice. When all four tires have been turning the same way for a period of time, they all develop the same wear and tear in the same places, making them more susceptible to diminished performance. If they can be rotated such that the tread wears differently on each tire, it keeps them fresher and helps avoid problematic behavior. More generally, check that there is enough tread so there won’t be any traction issues when the roads get slippery. With decreased traction comes decreased control of your vehicle. 8. Change your windshield wiper fluid. Summer blends contain mostly water, but you might want to get a winter blend that contains more alcohol, keeping the fluid from freezing. Check what other winter fluids are available by your car service shop as well. 9. Keep emergency items in your trunk and glove compartment. These items can include blankets, boots, gloves and other winter accessories, such as an umbrella, in case you have a breakdown or somehow get caught in the cold without a working vehicle. Keep that gasoline keg in the trunk as well. Water is always a good idea in any weather, as are jumper cables, and even more crucial for potential winter hazards. 10. Check that all of your lights are in working order. With short winter days that have dark mornings and evenings, as well as many potential days of rain and low visibility, it’s crucial to be able to be seen under any driving conditions. When your car is set for cold-weather driving, you’re set for safety, smooth functioning and season of great driving.  Phone : 02-626-1613 Mobile : 053 225 1613 Email : autokingbetshemesh@gmail.com Web : www.autoking.co.il Extensive Opening hours: 8am to 7pm (Fridays 12:00) Open late for YOU!

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Expert

DENTAL CENTER

Let There be Light By Dr. David Schlussel, DDS

here are advantages to using lasers (amplified light) in the dental office, especially periodontal treatment. If you have been told you have periodontal (gum) disease, you’re not alone. Many adults currently have some form of the disease which can range from simple gum inflammation to serious disease that results in major damage to the bone that supports the teeth. In the worst cases teeth are lost. Whether your gum disease is stopped, slowed, or gets worse, depends a great deal on how well you care for your teeth and gums daily, from this point forward. What causes gum disease? Our mouths are full of bacteria, which, along with mucus and other particles, constantly form a sticky, colorless plaque on teeth. Brushing and flossing help get rid of this plaque. Plaque that is not removed can harden and form tartar that brushing doesn’t clean. Only professional cleaning by a dentist or dental hygienist can remove tartar. Gingivitis The longer plaque is on the teeth, the more harmful they become. The bacteria cause inflammation of the gums called gingivitis. In gingivitis, the gums become red, swollen and can bleed easily. Gingivitis is a mild form of gum disease that can usually be reversed with daily brushing and flossing, and regular cleaning by a dentist or dental hygienist. This form of gum disease does not include any loss of bone and tissue that holds teeth in place. Periodontitis Untreated gingivitis can advance to periodontitis, inflammation around the tooth. In periodontitis, gums pull away from the teeth and form spaces (called pockets) that become infected. The body’s immune system fights the bacteria as the plaque spreads and grows below the gum line. Bacterial toxins and the body’s natural response to infection start to break down the bone and connective tissue that hold teeth in place. If it is not treated, bones, gums, and tissue that support the teeth are destroyed. Teeth may eventually become loose and have to be removed. How do I know if I have gum disease? Symptoms of gum disease include: Persistent bad breath, red or swollen gums, tender or bleeding gums, painful chewing, loose teeth, sensitive teeth, receding gums or longer appearing teeth. Any of these symptoms may be a sign of a serious problem, which should be checked by a dentist. Your dentist or hygienist should ask about your medical history to identify underlying conditions or risk factors that may contribute to gum disease, examine your gums, note any signs of inflammation, and use a tiny

ruler called a probe to check for and measure any pockets. In a healthy mouth, the depth of these pockets is usually between one and three millimeters. This pocket depth test is usually painless. Often x-rays are taken to see whether there is any bone loss. How is gum disease treated? The main goal of treatment is to control infection. The number and types of treatment will vary, depending on the extent of the gum disease. Any type of treatment requires that the patient keep up good daily care at home. The doctor may also suggest changing certain behaviors, such as quitting smoking. Deep Cleaning (Scaling and Root Planing) Plaque and tartar are removed through a deep-cleaning method called scaling and root planing. Scaling means scraping off tartar from above and below the gum line. Root planing gets rid of rough spots on the tooth root where germs gather, and helps remove disease-causing bacteria. Surgical Treatments In the past, surgery was the gold standard to reduce the periodontal pocket and facilitate keeping the area clean. This involved lifting back the gums, removing the tartar and then suturing the gums back in place to fit snugly around the tooth. This sometimes results in the teeth appearing longer. Bone grafts, in addition to flap surgery, are often attempted to help promote bone growth. Unfortunately, bone grafting around teeth is not as predictable as we would like it to be. Laser Periodontal Therapy (LANAP) There now exists a revolutionary treatment for periodontal disease called LANAP (Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure). LANAP has many advantages over conventional flap surgery and bone grafting. First, the gums do not need to be flapped open and precious gum tissue is not cut away. Second, because the gums are not flapped, there are no sutures. These two advantages alone save a lot of pain, swelling and elongated teeth that are associated with flap surgery. However, the main advantage of LANAP is reduction of deep pockets by assisting gums to attach to the tooth and enabling bone to grow around the teeth. This strengthens the teeth and can reverse damage done by the disease. LANAP does not remove precious tissue; it helps rebuild the foundation around the teeth. It is a one-time treatment. Most patients experience very little discomfort and in almost all cases no swelling. Some return to work the same day. LANAP is the only FDA approved laser procedure to treat periodontal disease. If you have periodontal disease and you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call our office for a free, no obligation consultation.  15 Ibn Gevirol Street, Jerusalem 02-561-9770, 02-561-9780 www.rechaviadental.co.il www.BIZNESSMAGAZINE.com

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MAKING A PLAN - THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS YOUR KITCHEN Mazal Tov! Congratulations - you’ve bought a new home, or decided to renovate the existing one. You’ve managed excellently with the rooms, but the kitchen - that’s another story. Here early and exact planning is required. In the kitchen, you cannot move the cupboard if it bothers you, or pull out the burners from an unsuitable place. The electricity, gas and water infrastructure also has to be placed in a suitable and accurate location.

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“My Dream is to Buy a Room Filled with Antique Silver and Gold” Interview with Moshe Orman Moshe buys and sells items of value. That includes gold and silver items (even if damaged or broken), watches, antiques, interesting coins, bronzes and pretty much anything he finds interesting. He has bought 100-year-old Rosh Hashanah post cards, collectable pocketknives and oil paintings. How did you get involved in the buy and sell business? It was completely by chance. We had some silver kiddush cups, candlesticks and bowls lying around my parents’ home. They were all tarnished and simply not pleasing to the eye. I asked my dad if we could go to the Agripas fair and sell it. We rented a table for the day. Everything sold. The next week I bought some silver from someone and did the same thing. That’s how I got into it. What are the most common types of items that people sell and why do they sell them? Most people have old gold items lying around. Everyone has old tarnished silver. In Israel there is a lot of that Judaica stuff that comes up. You know, like bisamim (spice) towers, candle holders, kiddush cups, silver cutlery, and jewlery. These are items that people have lying around and they would rather have the cash for them instead. How does the saying, “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure” apply to your business? Well, on one hand, my business is just that personified but, on the other hand, it’s all just treasure. Often when I go to someone’s house to look at certain items, the person is astonished when he hears how much I can pay. He looks at the item as if it is nothing special. I look at it as a gold mine. I have an important rule in my business transactions. I never buy according to the knowledge of the seller. I buy only according to my knowledge. Sometimes I can’t pay the price that the seller expects and sometimes I can pay much more. One thing is certain, if he has a treasure, I look at it as just that and pay accordingly. I just read about a man who bought a Declaration of Independence in a flee market and sold it for 2.5 million dollars. What is your dream object? I don’t have a dream object but I do have a dream buy. That would be a room filled with antique silver and gold collectables, all predating 100 years. It’s enough fun to find a few pieces here and a few pieces there but I would like to buy the lifetime collection of a big collector. That would be great. What is the best thing about being a dealer?

The best thing about being a dealer is being able to meet all different types of interesting people. Interesting people collect interesting things. I would love to write a book one day on all of the interesting interactions that I have had. How do you source your items? I read a lot on what I deal in so I learn a lot that way. Also, a lot of items come up multiple times. At this point, I don’t see a new item every day. Things tend to repeat themselves with slight variations. There are also architectural designs which are a sure clue as to the time period. Sometimes the seller remembers where the item came from. There are many ways to source an item but some items’ limited data will leave me only with a hypothesis. Who is your typical client? I have no typical client. Everyone is my potential client. I guess that’s partially an answer to your last question. It’s great being a dealer because my clientele has no bounds. Some people want to scrap some gold and others want to sell a coin collection. Either way, I’m interested. What has been your best buy? I don’t know my best buy but recently I bought a silver enameled spoon made by Ivan Klebnikov, a competitor of Carl Faberge. It’s a beautiful piece and was fun buying it. Are you scared you may buy something no one wants? It’s very unlikely. Anything I want, someone will be interested in at some point. I can’t possibly be the only person who appreciates the aesthetic or historical beauty of a specific item. There will always be another person who will join in my enthusiasm and be happy to buy it. What has been your biggest mistake? I have made plenty of mistakes such as getting too excited about something. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that you have to sell the item in the end! Buying is the easy part. I once bought a fake Omega watch. I was sure it was real. Imagine my disappointment when my watchmaker opened it up and showed me the fake movement made in China. That’s part of the business. Risk-free is success-free. What’s your next goal? I want to continue learning about pieces and be the most knowledgeable dealer in Israel.  ormanantiques@gmail.com Tel: 054-837-3874, 054-250-2043 www.BIZNESSMAGAZINE.com

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Expert

Holistic Psychotherapy

What is My Story? By Minda Garr, MSW

ncient traditions had story-tellers. Before there was written language, tradition and history were passed along by those in the tribe whose role it was to be responsible for the passing on of the collective. Today, we read stories in books and online, and anyone can choose to become their teller. But apart from the stories of the collective, we each have our own individual story. We each have our roots, our biography, and the unique events of our lives. In addition, we have the story we tell ourselves that informs the way we live our lives. We all continually tell our story to ourselves and others, and in the telling, we are writing the script of our lives. What do I mean when I suggest that we are writing the script of our lives? My father, z”l, told me when he was 60, “I am a young man. See my friend over there, we’re the same age, but he is old.” And indeed, as they aged, my father’s friend rapidly became an old man, while my father maintained a relatively youthful outlook on himself and life. His greatest delight was when people thought he was much younger than he was. And even when he was old and infirm, he still looked younger than his chronological age. The story he told to define himself as he aged was “I am a young man.” Do we create our reality, or does it create who we are? Clearly, things happen in life over which we have no control. We are often in the position of responding to life’s events. Clichés abound, such as “mind over matter” or “we are what we think we are”. It sounds as if it might work, until it doesn’t. So what do I mean? There are events in life over which it seems we have no choice. Even if we believe in the mind-body connection, it is unhelpful to blame ourselves if we become sick, thinking that if we only had the right thoughts or beliefs we would still be well. Whether there is truth in that approach or not, we do not want to treat ourselves as victims, berating ourselves for becoming ill. Where we do have a choice is in how we respond to life’s events. Do we look at life with gratitude for what we have, or do we focus on what is missing in our lives? If we have suffered a loss, do we allow the loss to continually define our lives, even many years later, or does it become an unfortunate aspect of life that has had an impact on us? If we have an illness, do we become the illness or is it something we are coping with as best as possible? Recently, I’ve been considering this as we have met frequently with family and friends. As we get older, we are subject to a natu36

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ral aging process. There are those for whom this process becomes their story. They talk incessantly about the increased aches and pains, the slowing down, and how they accomplish so much less than they used to. They fit right into the stereotype referred to in so many jokes about aging. And yet, others of the same age remain vibrant, and conversation with them is interesting and engaging. Most likely they have the same aches, and the same frustration with slowing down. But they haven’t let their age define them by making it their story. What defines them is their interests, knowledge, opinions, and so much more. When I frequently tell the story of illness, I am likely to be very aware of what ails me. When I tell the story of what inspires me, what excites me, what engages my attention, and what I am grateful for, I am likely to feel positive with a sense of wellbeing. I know several people struggling on a daily basis with severe illness, who project to those around them a sense of optimism and hope. That is the story they have chosen to tell, and it is the story that they will leave behind, for those who loved them to continue to tell. Those are the stories that they have chosen to share, and that impact daily on the quality of their lives. Although we may not be able to influence the circumstances of our lives, we can choose what we want our experience to be, and how we want others to experience us. And that is our story. 

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Expert

Anxi ety D i s o rderS

When Guilt Immobilizes By Rachel Factor LCSW

hen I work with high-striving individuals I am often aware that they berate themselves and fall prey to feelings of excessive guilt. This is different than healthy guilt, which is felt in response to doing something wrong. The individual who has healthy guilt makes amends and moves on. Healthy guilt can also be a deterrent from carrying out negative behaviors. This article will focus on excessive guilt as many experience it. Intellectually, most people realize that excessive guilt isn’t helpful and that is often immobilizing. However, some feel that if they make a mistake they must suffer the consequences and must make themselves feel really bad as a punishment for their mistake. As result their personal, religious and professional lives often suffer. For example, Chana, in a tired state, reacts strongly when her daughter forgot her homework sheet in school. She says words that she wishes she had not said. Afterwards, Chana, a usually loving mother, feels so guilty she doesn’t know what to do with herself. She feels like a terrible person and doesn’t feel worthy of being around people. She isolates herself because of her perceived unworthiness. She feels that her children are perhaps better off having no mother than a mother who can be hurtful. Chana’s routine davening becomes more difficult as she feels uncomfortable standing before G-d. She feels unworthy of being in His presence. A co-worker calls her for advice. She feels too depressed to talk. She also feels like a hypocrite offering advice when she herself is so flawed and imperfect. Really, at the right time, it would be correct for Chana to apologize to her daughter. She can resolve to try her best to be more careful when she is tired. Nonetheless, mistakes will happen and we need to be able to cope with them. Mistakes can be humbling as they remind us that we are human and by nature imperfect. Only G-d is perfect and makes no mistakes. Excessive guilt is like taking a hammer and banging it over your head again and again; you just keep hurting yourself and nothing good comes from it. After Chana takes responsibility for her mistake she needs to accept her imperfect self and move on. Some people feel guilty for experiencing negative feelings such as jealousy, or annoyance or being judgmental towards others. Feeling guilty over these feelings doesn’t eradicate them. It is more helpful at times like this to get curious with oneself and wonder what this could be about. Once we perceive that these feelings are coming from within and not as a reaction to a situa-

tion, we open ourselves up to the answers as to why we are truly feeling this way. Often it is insecurity on our part that keeps these negative feelings alive. People also have feelings of guilt when they say no to a request. For example, Yair is routinely called on by friends in their time of need because everyone knows that he never says no. Over time Yair begins to realize that he is growing resentful and he isn’t tending to his own needs. He decides that he needs to learn to say no sometimes. The first time he does so he feels overwhelmed with guilt. He feels as if he has done a horrible deed. Over time, Yair learns to handle this uncomfortable feeling as he understands that he needs to take care of himself in order to be able to be there for others. We often take on more than we can handle because we want to do good, and saying “no” can be followed by that uncomfortable feeling of guilt. It is important to remember that we are human and we can only do what we can. As people, we want to utilize our gift of free will in going about our lives. We want to be able to tap into our internal wisdom to guide us. Excessive guilt will improperly guide our decisions and become our master. Excessive guilt imprisons us and keeps us stuck in the past, locked in our minds, as prisoners of our emotions. It does not allow us to develop into who we can truly be. Life is a gift. Let’s use it to its fullest!  052-713-4130 (Israel) 845-510-4169 (US) Rachel@OCDsolutions.com www.OCDsolutions.com

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Fruits and Veggies in the Land of Milk & Honey

he land of milk and honey also produces delicious fruits and vegetables, but what filters down to the supermarkets is not always the highest quality, which is a shame considering the fresh, wonderful bites of nature that are grown in this country. Fortunately, we now have Yaron Fruits and Vegetables in the shopping center of Ramat Beit Shemesh Alef, which prides itself on retailing only premium produce for the discerning customer, from right in our backyard in Eretz Yisrael. Yaron Zaken, the proprietor, comes to market with decades of experience in dealing with fruits and vegetables. He previously owned a produce market in Yerushalayim called Mercaz Pri V’Yerek at Tzomet Sanherdria. He has taken his years of experience and his proficiency in this subject and turned to the Ramat Beit Shemesh crowd to showcase his wares. His store displays a mouthwatering array of superior quality produce with only the freshest, most perfect pieces making it onto the shelves. You could pretty much pick with your eyes closed. This type of quality, along with his famous Anglo-worthy customer service are what make his shop unique and sets him apart from any standard fruit store. In fact, many companies and institutions purchase from Yaron, knowing that they will always be satisfied with what they receive – and how they receive it. There is always someone available to help you in the store, and the workers go out of their way to make sure you get what you need. Whether you buy a home’s worth of items or just something small, Yaron and his team give you the assistance you need to make the best purchase. Continuing with the theme of best service, they deliver twice a week to Yerushalayim and make home deliveries in Beit Shemesh as well, which are free for orders over 100 nis. To make this all happen, Yaron arises at 3:00 AM and goes into the fields personally to select the merchandise he brings into the store. He chooses from first-class goods that are slated for export to Europe and checks that are the products are in the best condition. If it happens that some pieces don’t seem up to par in the store, they get put aside for donation. Everything else gets carefully and artfully set up for view and purchase by the prestigious customers of the store. Aside from fresh produce, the store also sells dried fruits, seeds and nuts, many varieties of which you won’t find in other stores, all with the top kashrus of Badatz Eida Chareidis. They even create beautiful, delectable platters for parties, under the artful hand of Yaron’s talented wife. 40

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NOVEMBER 2015

Yaron wants to give his customers the message that with the winter and sniffles up ahead of us, the best prevention for illness is a proper diet of vitamins and minerals, which are best gotten from green, leafy vegetables, orange and yellow fruits and veggies and other fresh produce. Vibrant-red tomatoes and crisp cucumbers go a much longer way than their pale-colored and rubbery counterparts available elsewhere. Oh, and with all of the quality and service, his prices are competitive for what he delivers – especially because it will all end up in your tummy instead of the garbage. We’ll close with a random incident that occurred a Bizness staff member happened to be in the store recently. A customer came in and complained about some tomatoes he’d purchased at the store. Without any hassle or argument, Yaron simply told him to take new ones – he didn’t even ask to see a receipt. Then the customer immediately realized that the tomatoes were actually from a different store! It would’ve been hard to imagine otherwise, but no matter, Yaron stands by his produce, his service and commitment to providing the best shopping experience for his customers. 

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THE CHILD IS NOT ALWAYS GUILTY! What are we referring to? Sometimes, a child does not study as he should, or behaves exceptionally wildly or, to the opposite extreme, may show complete indifference in school, and gets reprimanded for it. Yet what can be done in a situation where the child is only a pawn and cannot improve because â&#x20AC;Ś he is simply not guilty!? He is not guilty because he does not see things correctly! The reason for this can be complex or simple, but the outcome is the same: his visual problem causes him to interpret what he sees incorrectly. Therefore it is likely he will develop a serious deficiency in his studies (as a great part of lessons are transmitted visually), and the result will be a reduction in his desire to learn and additional deterioration, even behavioral disturbances. Einit - the professional and trustworthy optical chain, employs in each of its five branches optometrists who have specialized in a profession much in demand - developmental optometry. The optometrists examine and diagnose children, and after a comprehensive and accurate examination they decide on the desirable treatment. In many cases in which they find problems, the children benefit from a series of eye exercises or, as an alternative, glasses, which should solve the problem and set them on the path to success. The exercises are carried out at Einit by experts in the field, at an affordable price. Parents and teachers! If you are in doubt as to whether a child is not fulfilling his potential, it is highly recommended to send him for a diagnostic examination to check his eyesight; perhaps there lies the root of the problem and - the solution.

BIFOCALS VS. MULTIFOCALS If your child indeed needs eyeglasses, a common question arises about whether to purchase bifocals or multifocals. One way to treat visual problems in children and youth is with glasses with split lenses, the well-known bifocal lens, with a reading window in the lower section. The classic and popular design is the above-mentioned lens, with a border between the sections of distance vision and reading/close up vision; the dividing line between the two sections is clear. Recently there has been a transition to an aesthetic lens that serves the same purpose, but is manufactured without a dividing line. This lens appears in two principal shapes. The first is the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;invisible bifocalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. This is actually a lens with a clear boundary between the two sections, only one cannot see

the dividing line clearly. The line becomes blurred while being manufactured, although it functions as a bifocal just the same. The second is a lens that also has no dividing line, but unlike with the previous lens, the boundaries between its sections are not clear and sharp, although it has a transitional area between the distance vision area and that for close vision. This transitional area is meant for medium distance. The final recommendation for the best choice for a child/ youth is to heed to the recommendation of the optometrist. These two types of lenses provide an aesthetic solution which opens possibilities for parents and children who were prevented from using them for appearance sake. This is a valuable contribution towards the perfect solution of visual problems.

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Knowledge, Professionalism, Experience and Honesty Interview with

Mordechai Rotner,

How long have you worked in this field, and why did you decide to open a shop? I have worked in the field for many years. Up to now Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve worked more on the professional side, for example I was involved in assembling the perfect collection of ceramics for each specific job order, according to quality and demand of materials. I also worked on the logistics side, for example I was responsible, among other things, for workers who prepared special, complex pieces of ceramic and porcelain in accordance with the requirements of an architect; I worked a lot on making up collections for apartments requiring very unique things. I love total creativity and using unique products. I observed that Beit Shemesh was lacking in products of a high standard, and so I began. How can you compete with the lower prices of the other shops in the area? Because up to now I was mainly involved in getting to know the materials and manufacturers, I know where to get each item of the highest standard at the lowest price. What is the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;artâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in Art Ceramica? First of all, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the personal connection with everyone; when we sit with a client we relate to the plans as if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for our own private home. Every person cares more about perfecting his own private home, and that is our secret. In addition to this, we have a spectacular collection of products that give inspiration for creating a perfect home. Tell us about your imaging program. 44

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NOVEMBER 2015

owner of Art Ceramica

Yigal Alon 24, Sun Center, North Industrial Zone Beit Shemesh info@ceramicart.co.il 02-679-0790

Many people see a tile that looks really nice to them, but donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how it will look in their own home. Our program can produce a three-dimensional image of what you have chosen, how it will look in your own home, together with everything else that you will want in your home, from the plants to the table and lighting, etc. Amazing!! Are more expensive products generally also better quality? Not really. There are products whose price goes up only because of the label, despite their having no real advantage, but also there are sometimes real differences in quality. The only way to know if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worthwhile to invest in a more expensive product is by choosing an honest and G-d-fearing provider who will tell the truth and not be concerned only with his pocket. There is no substitute for integrity. What type of ceramic/flooring is the easiest to clean? There are no iron-clad rules for this, as every type of tile has to be absolutely suited to the user. For example, the standard floor-

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02 999 3939

ing for bathrooms is anti-slip R standard, but many of these floorings are very difficult to clean; or there are some on which older people are liable to slip. Only a knowledgeable, first-class professional with experience can guide you on the right selection for each area of the home. Do you sell other home products aside from ceramics? Certainly. You will find all sanitary ware and accessories for the home with us. There are many products that can greatly upgrade your home, and not necessarily at great financial cost. Let us surprise you. What if a client finds something in another store, which you don’t have? As I have an excellent in-depth knowledge of the manufacturing side of the products, I can obtain almost every item a client dreams of, and at a fair price. What are the qualifications of your sales staff in the shop? The first thing that is important to our service people is displaying a genuine interest that you should receive exactly what

you dreamed of. We also have a very talented interior designer on premises to help you design your dream home. Today there are many options other than the former tiles granite, porcelain, and so on - how can one begin to choose? This is exactly what the professionalism of our customer service staff is needed for; and also to provide what our customers need, rather than what it suits us to sell. Do you recommend a contractor to your customers for installing what they buy from you? Of course we have strong connections with contractors/architects and many other professionals. We are happy to make suggestions, but the decision on who to hire is in our clients’ hands. How do you deal with the demands of the Anglo-Saxon population for service standards equal to what they were used to outside of Israel? We are firstly obligated to “love thy neighbor as thyself”. This is why we are patient and we care about every client. Only excellent service will build us as a leading store.  www.BIZNESSMAGAZINE.com

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NOVEMBER 2015

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Bizness Magazine

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02 999 3939

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 Estates & 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. 052-6906629 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 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, board-certified 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 English speaking Olim with all insurance needs. Shimon Cohen 050-548-2192 or Yona Egert at 050-536-3897 www.egertcohen.co.il

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 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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Thank you for placing your confidence in us before every season. We look forward to getting your car ready for this winter. Have a Happy Hannukah!

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ALL THE GOOD FLAVORS!!!