Issue 132

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Vol. 5 Issue 132

June 5 - June 19, 2009

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Features

June 19, 2009

community links • Volume 5 Issue 132

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10 6

Jewish Idol When a Jew succeeds, it shows that each among us has the opportunity to succeed.

Each among us could reach our dreams.

Each among us can conquer whatever barriers we face.

Thinking 20 Wishful Yankel would spend a few of his precious kopeks each week to by a lottery ticket. And every week he would come home from work that much poorer.

Parshas Behaaloscha Rabbi Mordechai Kaminetzky

Dr. Rob Rome

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Allergies & The Purpose of Life It begins with a tickle and a rub, but quickly deteriorates into a runny nose, and an itchy throat, stuffed ears, violent sneezing, until your entire upper plumbing system begins to drip and leak like the eroded pipes of an old house.

32

Self Made Man? A friend was once laid up with a bad back. What happened? He picked up a little bicycle for his 5-year old. A tiny nonsense but it left him flat on his back for weeks.

By Rabbi Yossy Goldman

by Rabbi Y.Y. Jacobson

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Why It Matters to Us That Someone in the News is Jewish

The Almost Jewish American Idol 6

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M

uch has been written in the general press about the naming of this year’s “American Idol.” For those of you who don’t watch this cultural phenomenon on television or follow the weekly “news” from this show, there was a real shocker in the show’s finale. The clearly more talented and better singer lost in this contest which is supposed to be about singing. The folk-singing Christian music coordinator with a sweet “boy next door image,” Kris Allen, was voted the American Idol. The eyeliner wearing Jewish singer Adam Lambert with the unsure sexual orientation but with the greatest voice ever on this eight year old show came in second.

Mainstream news media discussed the cultural clash between the “traditional” values which seemed so much a part of Kris Allen’s image as contrasted with Adam Lambert’s rocker image and black nail polish. Some of the media have highlighted an apparent “scandal” which may have impacted the voting. It seems that AT&T, the only cell phone company where the public could cast votes for the American Idol by texting, sent employees throughout Allen’s native Arkansas to teach consumers not only how to vote by phone but also how to vote multiple times in a single text, a violation of the voting rules for the show. There are still daily articles in the newspapers and weekly pieces in the major magazines weeks after the final show aired.

While most of the media write on these topics, most of the Jewish media write about a single issue: The Jewishness of Adam Lambert. They discuss his Jewish upbringing in San Diego. They discuss his occasional singing for the Synagogue for the Performing Arts. Jews have expressed excitement that one of our own is being saluted for his talent and was on television twice weekly with the show. There has been a running preoccupation throughout the Jewish community and media that a Jew was in the finals of American Idol. All other issues discussed about the show, and about Adam Lambert, were secondary to the fact that a “Member of the Tribe” did good.

This fascination of seeing fellow Jews in the news is not new. Philip Roth wrote a short story about 50 years ago where the mother in the story looks in the paper every day to find Jews in the news. The woman in that story went through lists of those killed in plane crashes to count the Jews who died. (She describes problems in her counting as she is uncertain whether to count a man named Miller as Jewish or not.)

We have long celebrated Jews who made the news. We celebrated Sandy Koufax. The Jewish Journal in a recent issue highlighted the Jewish background of Jordan Farmar of the Lakers. We count the number of Jewish City Council members. We know the names of all the Jewish Senators in the U.S. Senate. We boast of two Jewish Supreme Court justices. Both those who support the politics of Rahm Emanuel, the Chief of Staff in the White House, and those who don’t support his politics know and read about his Jewish and Israeli origins.

Why is it so important that we follow these noteworthy Jews? Are we racists? Are we blinded by our religious pride?

What’s the deal with this seeming preoccupation?

A look at our history as a people may shed some light on this.

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After the conquering of Jerusalem by the Romans, we are a people who had to search for a place to call home. We were dispersed to the north, south, east, and west. Our journeys took us through Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, the Americas, and even Australia. We were subjected to discrimination, pogroms, the Inquisition, and the Holocaust. We were outlawed from owning land in many countries in which we settled and from pursuing many jobs. Even with these roadblocks, we saw many Jews rise to the top in various fields. Even in the midst of the horrors thrown upon the Jewish people in the Twentieth Century, we witnessed an Einstein who changed the very understanding of science.

In the last hundred years, our small people have counted untold recipients of Nobel prize laureates.

We have seen a Henry Kissinger who could bring peaceful resolution between the United States and Russia as well as China. We have seen Jews who provided the understanding of the changing economy. We have witnessed Jewish artists and musicians. Our little people could boast of outstanding and noteworthy contributors to most every major field.

As the Hitlers (may their names be wiped out) tried to destroy us, we were able to still boast of Jews who made a difference. We could boast of having two to three times as many Senators than our percentage in the population would seem to justify. We have had Jewish astronauts, Jewish all stars in sports, even Jewish country singers.

We developed a habit, a good habit. No matter how downtrodden the condition of any particular Jew, each Jew would hold up the Jews in the news as examples of success. The poor Jew in Boyle Heights or the Lower East Side of Manhattan would boast of a “relative” who made it. It would raise up the lowliest among us to know that a fellow Jew made the news and reached the top. We developed this habit of checking the news everyday to see who among our Jewish brothers and sisters had reached the pinnacle of success. Even now after discrimination against Jews has thankfully diminished in many parts, this habit remains.

When a Jew succeeds, it shows that each among us has the opportunity to succeed. Each among us could reach our dreams. Each among us can conquer whatever barriers we face.

As so we take pride in the achievements of each and every one of our people, especially in those few who reach the top.

We may not have too much in common with Adam Lambertt, the almost Jewish American Idol. But the common link of Jewishness is enough to make us brim with pride.

In America, everything is possible. One of us reached the finals of the most popular television show. We all share the nachas, the pride.

Robert J. Rome, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist in clinical practice in Encino, California.

He can be reached at RJRome@aol.com.

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Al le rg ie s & The Purpose of Life

By Simon Jacobson

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WHY DON'T YOU EVER SEE A CONCERT PIANIST OR AN ACTOR YAWN OR SNEEZE FOR OVER 4 HOURS ON STAGE?!

Entering the summer season also means the onset of misery for millions of people. I don’t mean the misery of loneliness in the vacation season; that deserves a discussion of its own. What I am referring to here is the misery of the allergy season.

Those beautiful brisk summer mornings, with an ideal barometer and a perfect breeze, also mark the worst possible day for an allergy sufferer. Nothing life threatening, but that first tickle in the throat, and the rub in the eyes signal yet another tormenting summer.

It begins with a tickle and a rub, but quickly deteriorates into a runny nose, and an itchy throat, stuffed ears, violent sneezing, until your entire upper plumbing system begins to drip and leak like the eroded pipes of an old house.

My particular ragweed intolerance began in summer camp in Detroit when I was 16 years old. I never got to the bottom of it, but I guess Fenton had an overabundance of overhormoned ragweed, which unleashed my latent allergic reactions. There went my summers. Year after year, I joined the ranks of those despising summer

breezes, and desperately awaiting the arrival of the first freeze. Yes, like so many of my compatriots whom I would meet in bathrooms restocking on tissue supplies, I began researching ridiculous solutions to this annoying nuisance. Maybe I’ll move from mid-August to the end of September (the height of the ragweed season) to some area in New Hampshire, which has been cleared of these plants for hundreds of miles. Better yet: Why not escape to Alaska?…

I developed a new hatred for this invisible plant. What exactly is ragweed? Where can it be found? People call it ‘hay fever’ (why I still don’t know). As I would drive on the highways I would silently sneer at the slender, yellow dotted branches – all ripe and ready to launch their pollen attack. They seemed so proud of their conquest. Sometimes I would get out of the car, and crush a few plants just to make a statement. Hey, I won’t go down without a fight…

It got so bad that one summer day I had a borderline asthma attack, and needed medication to keep my constricted air passages open.

That was it. After the summer I went off to a famous allergist in New York. Dr. Redner must have been 85 years old when I went to see him (or so it seemed to a cocky 23 yr. old squirt). He tested my sensitivities with scratch tests to my upper arm. They scratch you with dosages of various foods, molds, dusts or plants to test your reactions.

They then recommend a series of shots for an extended period to build up your immunity to your respective allergies (I don’t know if they still do this today, but that’s how it was in the good old days, ‘before the war’…).

The dust and ragweed scratches triggered in me a violent reaction. My arm swelled up and I literally began gasping for breath.

Dr. Redner reacted immediately by injecting me with a shot of something that instantaneously cleared up all my symptoms. A miracle! Here I was in middle of a gorgeous August afternoon, with a pollen count who knows how high, which regularly would have boded serious aggravation, and all my passages are clear and unfettered. I feel free! Remarkable!

(If you never suffered an allergy attack you may not relate to this feeling. But if you have, you’ll know exactly what I mean. Yet even for you lucky non-allergic ones please read on for a fascinating lesson in life for all of us).

Highly curious – and quite desperate – I ask the good

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doctor, ‘What did you just inject me with that rid me of all my allergy symptoms?” “Adrenalin,” he answers.

“Adrenalin?! Do you mean the same adrenalin that we humans produce when we get excited or panicky?!” “Yes sir,” the doctor responds.

At that moment a thought struck me. For some strange reason I never felt allergic symptoms on Sundays. I always thought that the reason for this was because Sunday was my busiest day of the week. At the time (beginning in 1979 and for 13 years, until the Rebbe’s stroke in 1992) I was the primary writer of the Rebbe’s talks. My responsibility was to listen and memorize hours of the Rebbe’s dense scholarly dissertations, which had to be memorized on Shabbat and Holidays (when recordings and note taking is not permitted), and then research, document, annotate and publish these talks for posterity. We had a small but powerful staff, and my role was the main writer.

rience allergic symptoms on Sundays. Not because I didn’t have any, but because I was so consumed that I was oblivious to them.

But now that the doctor mentioned adrenalin, a new thought came to me. So I asked the doctor: “Is it possible that intense focus and pressure would generate a natural adrenalin rush that would subdue allergic symptoms, just as your injection of adrenalin just accomplished?”

“Why, of course,” Dr. Redner replied. “Didn’t you ever notice that concert pianists, Broadway actors and opera singers never yawn or sneeze in middle of their performance, even if its hours long? A sneeze and a yawn are natural bodily reactions that can’t be suppressed. So how is it that they can maintain such control on stage for hours on end? Because the adrenalin rush produced by the intense pressure of performing on stage infuses a person with another level of control that one usually is unable to muster.

Sunday, the day immediately following Shabbat, was my most intense day of work. I was completely inundated by the effort to reconstruct the words we heard on Shabbat.

No words can describe the mental exertion necessary to both remember and then commit to paper these complex and diverse expositions.

“Adrenalin,” the doctor went on, “in some mysterious way brings to the surface superhuman energy and abilities that are conventionally inaccessible. People in danger, for instance, have been seen lifting objects, fitting into spaces, reaching heights or achieving other feats that they naturally are incapable of.”

I always felt that this was the reason that I didn’t expe-

“Why then,” I asked the doctor, “don’t you just give me

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adrenalin to inject myself with every morning when I feel the onset of allergic symptoms?” “Because you would eventually build up immunity to the adrenalin and continuously need stronger dosages to achieve the same result, which would ultimately burn out your system.”

This taught me – and this is why I am writing about it – a most powerful lesson in life: Having a compelling mission in life is not just good for the soul; it’s good for the body. Health – physical health included – is not merely about oiling the machine, eating right and exercising; it’s about allowing your system to breathe.

It’s about waking up in the morning jumping out of bed with excitement to take on a new day. When was the last time that you felt that way?

We all need a passion, a mission in life – a calling that demands a sense of urgency. This passion not only keeps your mind and heart healthy but it also produces chemicals

that actually strengthen your immune system.

Until that day at the doctor’s office I never connected our spiritual mission in life with our physical well-being.

That day taught me that there is a profound link and relationship between your body and soul. Your strong and healthy commitments and passions open up new possibilities and access new strengths that otherwise lie dormant in your inner system.

Do we need a better example than this for bridging spirit and matter?

I wonder how many addictions would be prevented if we had a natural adrenalin flow generated by a passionate commitment to our life’s mission.

As we enter the care free and laid back summer days, there is much we can learn from the allergy season.

Was this why I was blessed with allergies in the first place? •

By Simon Jacobson © Meaningfullife.com

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Play It Again, Schloomiel

PARSHAS NASO 18

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Naso is the longest portion in the Torah. It did not have to be that way, but the Torah chose to include seventy verses that say the same thing -- over and over again.

The end of the parsha discusses the dedication of the Mishkan (Tabernacle). It describes the offerings that every Nasi (prince) brought in honor of the auspicious occasion.

Each Nasi brought the same items.

Numbers 7:12: "On the first day, Nachshon the son of Aminadav brought his offering. It was (comprised of) one silver bowl that weighed a hundred and thirty shekels; one silver basin that weighed seventy shekels. Both were filled with fine flour and oil. One golden ladle filled with incense. A young bull, a ram, a sheep, and so on."

The Torah uses six verses to expound, in precise detail, the exact measurements and components of the offering.

On the second day, Nesanel ben Tzuar of the tribe of Yissachar brought the exact same offering. On the third day Eliyav of Zevulun performed the same ceremony. Elitzoor ben Shdayoor of Reuvain repeated the same ritual on the fourth day, and on the fifth day of the dedication, Shimon's prince Schloomiel, repeated the same. This was repeated twelve separate days, by twelve different N'siim (princes). And each day the Torah repeats verbatim the entire offering, changing only the name of the presenter and his tribe.

Normally, the Torah is concise and abbreviated. It leaves us to expound the hidden and to deduce the conclusions.

In fact, the two Talmudic Tractates that explain the intricate laws of marriage and divorce are derived from only a handful of verses in Deuteronomy. Why, if all twelve brought the exact same gifts, is each and every Nasi's offering detailed over and over?

The Torah should simply say the following: the daily offering was brought on twelve consecutive days. It consisted of the following: "one silver bowl that weighed a hundred and thirty shekels one silver basin that weighed seventy shekels filled with fine flour and oil. One golden ladle filled with incense a young bull, a ram, a sheep, and so on."

Next, the Torah should list the names of the twelve princes who brought the offerings. The first day... Nachshon of Yehudah; the second day... Nesanel of Yissachar; and so on. That way, seventy verses would be compacted into no more than ten or fifteen! And Parshas Naso would be fifty verses shorter.

A noted American Rabbi was invited to address two major cities in South Africa. Since the cities were hundreds of miles apart, he only prepared one speech for both events. It was a wonderful lecture. It encompassed a wide spectrum of Jewish ideas and was filled with Midrash and Jewish law. Informative, enlightening and entertaining, it was the best speech he had ever prepared.

The first night's audience attested to that. They sat with their mouths open, taking in every nuance and motion of the dramatic presentation. After the lecture a crowd gathered around the Rabbi to both praise him and hear variations on his poignant theme.

After such a wonderful reception, the Rabbi thought that the second evening on the other side of the country should be a breeze. As he walked up to the podium to deliver his magnum opus he looked at the crowd and froze.

He spotted at lease fifty faces of people he was sure had attended the previous night's speech.

Stunned, he quickly ruffled through the index cards of his mind. He pieced together parts of an old High Holy Day speech, added little from Chanuka, Purim, and the Hagadah. What resulted was a scattered array of varying thoughts. To say the least, it was not his best performance.

After the speech the same faces of the previous evening gathered once again around the Rabbi. "I'm sorry," he stammered to them, "I had originally planned to repeat last night's speech. Seeing your faces, I hastily arranged a piecemeal lecture based on some previous talks. Had I known you were coming, I would have prepared a totally new talk. I am sorry for my poor performance."

"But, Rabbi," they replied. "That is exactly why we came!

Last night's talk was the most fascinating we had ever heard. We expected you to repeat it. We came all the way to hear it over again word for word!"

The Torah, in repeating the twelve offerings, and spending six verses on each one, leaves us with a message that is as powerful as it is pertinent. Many of our deeds are repeats of generations passed. Many are repeats from yesterday. They are all beloved and cherished. Day after day after day... Hashem wants to hear and see the exact same prayer, blessing charitable action over and over again. It is as dear as the first time. •

by Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky www.torah.org Rabbi Aaron Tendler, Ner Yisroel Baltimore

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Wishful

Thinking

PARSHAS BEHAALOSCHA 20

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T

his week the Torah tells us that the Children of Israel once again complain. This time they want meat in the desert. They recall what they now consider a better time in a better place. Like many of us who are discontented with the world we live in, they talked about the good old days — in Egypt of all places!

“The rabble that was among them cultivated a craving, and the Children of Israel also wept once more, and said, "Who will feed us meat? We remember the fish that we will eat in Egypt free of charge; and the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. But now, our life is parched, there is nothing; we have nothing to anticipate but the manna!" (Numbers 11:4-6) The commentators are bothered by two simple questions; the first a grammatical, the second, a historical one.

The words that the complainers used were “zacharnu et hadagah asher naochal - we remember the fish we would eat or actually will eat.” They did not use the pure past tense “achalnu, we remember the fish that we ate.” Why do they complain of remember fish that was to be eaten in the future, instead of fish to be eaten in the past?

Second, the Talmud and later commentaries ask, “Straw for bricks was not given to them, how was it possible that they had free fish?”

The Talmud indeed implies that there was no fish, and the implied freedom refers to freedom of the yoke of mitzvos.

So, if that was the case, what were they truly complaining about? Why mention non-existant fish?

Yankel would spend a few of his precious kopeks each week to by a lottery ticket. And every week he would come home from work that much poorer.

When his wife got wind of his habit, she repeatedly implored him to stop. She said his efforts were futile and it would be impossible for him to win.

It was, however, to no avail. Yankel would keep on betting the almost impossible odds that one day he would win.

One day she could take it no longer. She shlepped him to the rabbi who was going to make him assure them that he would no longer waste his money on the lottery.

When he finally acquiesced, his wife put her hands on her hips and reminded him of her predictions. “For the last five years, you did nothing but lose the lottery. What a waste!”

Poor Yankel shrugged. “My dear wife he sighed, you don’t understand. Every night before the big lottery drawing, I went to sleep winning the lottery! And that my dear was surely no waste!”

The Sefer Shalal Rav brings quote the following interpretation: Sometimes, it seems, people think that it is better to think of the world that would be instead of the world that is. They refuse to revel in the good realities of life and instead would rather fantasize about a better world that was not to be. The Jews in the desert, talked about the fish they dreamt of in Egypt.

To them, like to many of us, the imaginary fish was more appealing than real Manna. In the world of wishful thinking, it seems that obsessing about imaginary dreams may be more appealing than reveling in the real good that G-d has given us and the mitzvos that we are able to relish. And that is more than fishy. It’s scary. •

by Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky www.torah.org Rabbi Aaron Tendler, Ner Yisroel Baltimore

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POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION After my son was born, I was so happy. On about day 3 this feeling of being utterly blessed and complete was replaced by a feeling of dread...how could I live without him?

This fear over losing him turned into a type of anxiety where everything I did concerning him was filled with anxiety, even leaving the house filled me with anxiety. I couldn’t fall in a deep sleep and the sleep I had was filled with fitful dreams. These were normal I suppose, symptomatic of hormonal changes, but without a support group, and with my family far away, my thoughts spiraled and spiraled and I felt very lonely and anxious at the thought of my husband going to work and leaving me with my son all day. I loved him so much, and enjoyed our time together but I was very anxious....is he happy? Have I fed him correctly? Is he on schedule? Am I doing the right thing?? Reading self help books made it worse, and things pretty much carried on like this for a while but it was okay, I managed, I just felt very stressed and highly strung.

Not realizing I had developed a mild form of Post Partum Depression, I fell pregnant with my daughter when my son was 10 months. From there the anxiety escalated into panic attacks. If my husband would leave me alone to go to the synagogue I would panic, start hyperventilating, sweating. I was scared and very lonely. I became very scared and utterly exhausted because I couldn’t fall asleep. This moved into a full blown depression where I was unable to cope with little activities such as bathtime, etc. I always did everything to take care of my kids but I didn’t take time for myself and I was suffocating behind a veil of depressive thoughts and almost robotic actions.

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With the help of a therapist and medication, I am back to my normal self. I sleep deeply and peacefully, I love spending time with my kids and I have learned to chill out. If the kids are off schedule I do not panic, I have learned to roll with the punches and avoid ideals of perfection.

It is so important to go to mother-baby groups, to share your fears, to express your insecurities, to admit we do not know the first thing about raising a child....but we try our best and everyday brings its own challenges and blessings. •

Non Profit Organization Dennis Brown

MA, NCACII, SAP Executive Director

If you feel high levels of anxiety, have trouble sleeping (falling asleep and staying asleep), if you have bouts of sadness and loneliness, maybe you should talk to someone. •

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A Life for a Life Adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles

30

June 5 - June 19

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Y

oni, an Israeli Defense Force soldier stationed in Hebron, was shot by an Arab terrorist. It happened very early in the morning, and no one else was awake to hear it. Yoni passed out and was bleeding steadily, his life heading toward a silent end.

But another soldier stationed nearby heard the shot and went to investigate. He found a fellow Israeli soldier bleeding to death. He tried the best he could to stop the bleeding and called for help. Waiting for help to arrive, he kept applying pressure to the wound--literally holding Yoni's life in his hands.

Yoni was taken to a hospital in Be'er Sheva where he underwent surgery. Yoni's parents were notified and they rushed to the hospital. Imagine the fear of the parents who were only told "your son has been injured and is in the hospital."

When they arrived the doctor told them that Yoni was shot but will be alright. However, had it not been for the immediate actions of the other soldier, their son Yoni would have bled to death.

It was a miracle that the other soldier heard what no one else heard, and managed to locate Yoni as quickly as he did.

The parents wanted to thank that soldier, but he had just left the hospital after hearing that the soldier he helped would survive.

While recuperating at home, Yoni and his parents called the army to find out the name of the other soldier so they could thank him personally. Unfortunately, that soldier's name was not recorded and although they tried to ask around they simply couldn't track down who that other soldier was.

Yoni's mother knew that the important thing of course is that Yoni is well, yet she could not help feeling that as long as she couldn't meet and thank the solider who bravely saved her son's life--the entire frightening episode would not be fully over. Not being able to thank the soldier continued to give her an empty feeling…but then she had an idea.

The couple owned a grocery store in Kiryat Malachi (a town near Ashdod), so they decided to put up a sign in the store, describing what happened, figuring that Israel is a small country and eventually they might found out who the mystery soldier was.

Months passed with no response. Finally, one morning about a year later, a woman customer noticed the sign hanging by the door of the store. She recalled how happy her son Yair was when he came home one Friday night and told them how he heard a shot and was able to save another soldier's life in Hebron. She went back and told the owner of the store. The story matched. The two women now decided to try to reach their sons on cell phones and see if they could

31

June 5 - June 19

meet at the store.

Fortunately it turned out that both the young men and even the fathers were able to all meet that afternoon at the store.

The families soon gathered for an emotional "rendezvous".

The soldiers recounted army experiences and finally after all this time Yoni's mother could stand up and thank Yair for saving her son's life or as she put it, "You saved my world".

She looked forward to feeling "completion" after all this time by thanking the soldier, but little did she know that the story was hardly complete.

After the tearful thank you, Yair's mother quietly pulled her aside and asked to speak with her outside. The two women went out alone. And she asked Yoni's mother: "Look at me- don't you remember me?"

"No, I'm sorry did we meet before?"

"Yes," Yair's mother replied. "You see there is a particular reason I came into your store today. I used to live here, and this time although I was just passing by, I wanted to give you my business, even though I was only buying a few things."

"What are you talking about?" Yoni's mother asked.

The other woman answered, "Twenty years ago I used to live around here and came all the time to buy milk and bread.

One day you noticed that I looked really down and you were very nice and asked me why I seemed so down and I confided in you. I told you that I was going through a very difficult time and on top of that I was pregnant and planning on having an abortion. As soon as I said "abortion" you called your husband over and the two of you seemed to forget about your own store and business, and just sat down and patiently listened to me. I still remember clearly what you said.

"You told me that it is true that I was going through a hard time but sometimes the good things in life come through difficulty, and the best things come through the biggest difficulties. You spoke of the joy of being a mother and that the most beautiful word to hear in the Hebrew language is "Ima" (mother) when spoken by one's child. You both spoke and spoke until I was convinced that I actually should have this baby--so you see G-d paid you back!"

"What do you mean?" asked Yoni's mother. The answer astounded and thrilled her.

"I had a boy twenty years ago that you saved by telling me to think twice before doing the abortion." With happy tears she declared, "My beloved Yair wouldn't have been alive if not for you. He was the one you were looking for. He was the one who grew up to save your son Yoni's life!" •

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Self-Made Man?

By Rabbi Yossy Goldman

32

June 5 - June 19, 2009

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"He is a self-made man who worships his creator."

Who said it? About whom? It doesn't really matter as long as we make sure the description doesn't fit us.

This week's parshah details the offerings of the princes (nessi'im) of the twelve tribes at the time the Mishkan, the portable Sanctuary in the wilderness, was completed. Previously, towards the end of the Book of Exodus, we had read that Moses blessed the people when they finished their work. What blessing did he give them? Our sages relate that he blessed them: “May it be G-d's will that the Shechinah, the Divine Presence, should come to rest upon the work of your hands.” He also blessed them with the phrase that would become part of Psalm 90; “May the pleasantness of my L-rd, our G-d, be upon us…May He establish for us the work of our hands.”

Why pray now? Surely the time for prayer was before the sanctuary was built. Then it might have been needed to inspire the people to bring in their offerings and contributions, to execute the huge amount of work that was required to create this new sacred structure. But now the work is done, everything is in place. Why pray now?

The answer is that Moses understood that building G-d's sanctuary is not in our hands alone. Sure, we can erect a structure. That's the easy part. The question is: will G-d see fit to live there, to make it His home? For this, a special prayer was called for. We needed a blessing upon the work our hands.

How often people imagine that they do it themselves -- all by themselves? How many boast that they are "self-made men"? So anyone who didn't have a rich father before him is a self-made man? Do you really believe that your success is all your own doing? Your hard work, your business acumen, your clever trading technique--these are the secrets of your success?

And where did all that wisdom and ability come from? The skills and talents we possess are G-d-given gifts we should acknowledge and be grateful for. And that's not humility. It's reality. You were born with that natural talent and flair.

Give credit to your Creator.

A friend was once laid up with a bad back. What happened? He picked up a little bicycle for his 5-year old. A tiny nonsense but it left him flat on his back for weeks.

I remember some years ago catching some kind of "bug" and losing my voice for quite a while. There I was, the rabbi, the preacher, the speaker and the radio personality -- the man of words whose entire profession is built around his ability to say the right thing for every occasion -- and suddenly I'm rendered absolutely speechless. Overnight, I was made useless and unproductive -- all by a tiny germ.

To get sick takes a minute, to get well can take weeks and months. We all need to remember our frailties and limitations. No matter how strong, clever or talented we may be, we are all subject to higher forces. Nobody can do it alone.

There is no such thing as a self-made man.

And so Moses reminds us all that even when our work is done, we still need that blessing from Above. Even when we work hard, concoct the most intricate business schemes, or present the most wonderful proposals, ultimately our success needs a prayer. We need to recognize the hand of G-d in our lives and, hopefully, in our success. Let us do our work as best as we can and then let us not forget to ask Him to bless the work of our hands.

Rabbi Yossy Goldman is Senior Rabbi of the Sydenham Highlands North Shul since 1986, & Chairman of the South African Rabbinical Association.

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June 5 - June 19, 2009

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CALLING TEEN ARTISTS!

By Toby Bulman Katz

H

ere is the kind of news flash that is all too rare these days: Good News! Most of our teenage girls are doing well, working hard at school, helping out with younger siblings and chores at home, busying themselves with chessed activities, and altogether living full, meaningful, and productive lives. Despite the problems we hear about, we have much reason to take pride in our daughters these days!

Ah, where's the evidence, you ask? Exhibit A: a delightful Orthodox girls' magazine called Shoshanim, full of articles and artwork by and for teenage girls. This magazine, skillfully edited by Sterna Citron, comes out four times a year and is eagerly awaited by subscribers all over the country and overseas as well. One of those subscribers is my own daughter who keeps a pile of back issues under her bed!

Among the features we enjoy (yes, moms read Shoshanim too!) is the Teens Talk feature, in which teens are interviewed about their lives. One issue features a 17-year-old girl whose father is a landscape architect in Jerusalem; she describes how she and her family had to live more simply during the recent shmitta year when her father’s work was limited. In another issue, two sisters of a Down syndrome girl are interviewed; their love and acceptance of their handicapped sister are heart-warming. A 12-year-old describes life in Sderot when it was under daily bombardment from Gaza Arabs: “I didn’t know if I’d be able to open the door, grab the baby, and run with my other brother to the shelter in time….”

An interview with a friend of Rivky Holtzberg Hy”d was a highlight of the winter issue. A new ba’alas teshuva, Yaakova Baum, had spent a month at the Holtzbergs’ home in Mumbai and had found a haven of warmth and comfort there.

Asked if she had any thoughts of inspiration, Yaakova responded, “When this happened, it really brought Jews together. Everyone cared and worried, davened and cried. We were all so united.”

On a practical note, every issue has valuable advice about health, recipes, getting along with siblings and classmates, arts and crafts (“Create your own challa cover”). One popular regular feature is the “Ask the Rebbetzin” column in which teens write in with real-world questions. (“My mother wants to take me along to visit our great-aunt and uncle, but I’m so bored there.” “My classmate wears really shabby clothes. Is it okay to give her some of my clothes?”) A recent cover feature was a “Seminary Guide” which showcased girls’ seminaries in Israel, Montreal, Florida, and Gateshead. There was a brief description of each seminary along with contact information. This was a particularly use-

36

June 5 - June 19, 2009

ful feature, and I was impressed by the broad spectrum of seminaries that were included.

This month Shoshanim is featuring a special art contest, with prizes in two categories: grades 7-9 and grades 10-12.

First prize is a digital camera. Other prizes include Judaica and lovely Yardena silver jewelry. A quick perusal of previous issues of Shoshanim will provide evidence of the artistic talents of many teens.

Last year, Shoshanim ran a different kind of contest—a short-story contest. It elicited many wonderful prize-winning entries from girls in Miami, Toronto, New York, Detroit, Chicago, and many other cities all over the United States, England, and Israel. Among the girls' schools that were represented were many Bais Yaakov schools, Bais Rivka (Chabad) schools, and schools from across the spectrum of Orthodox Jewry. One prize-winning story even came from a special public school for advanced students.

The winning stories showed a truly impressive range of talent with humor, pathos, wisdom, and fine writing on abundant display. I found most of the stories to be moving and inspirational, but my personal favorite was a hilarious piece by 12-year-old Frimet Weberman about the “first frum marathon” for people who are “in terrible shape.” Since 26 miles is way too long, the marathon is only ten blocks. And how to motivate people to run? “Then it hit me! What does everyone in the frum community relish more than anything else? Food!....The winner will have a huge smorgasbord waiting for him at the finish line!”

All of the stories that were printed were illustrated by amazingly proficient artwork done by readers of Shoshanim.

(The new art contest is sure to attract many more talented artists). I look forward to seeing the original and beautiful work of the prize winners, and I know that my daughter's collection of Shoshanim magazines will keep growing.

Teen Art Contest Guidelines: Send your artwork to Shoshanim, 723 N. Orange Dr., L.A., CA 90038. Please include your name, age, address, phone number, school, and grade. Please have your parent or teacher sign on the back of the artwork that it is your original work. Please send the original or a high-resolution scan of your work. Please do not fold it. Send it in a large envelope with a stiff piece of cardboard to keep it from getting damaged.

All art submitted to Shoshanim is automatically considered for publication in one of the upcoming Shoshanim issues.

Deadline Entries must be postmarked no later than June 22, 2009 (30 Sivan, 5769).

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Falafel Engagements Yosef Zonana & Batsheva Levy Jenny Kohanzadeh & Eldad Younessi Basya Durden & Yudi Goldman Henya Stulberger & Yitzchak Feiglin Ahuvah Kaplan & Shlomo Gurwitz Shmuly Raitman & Mushky Schmukler Moshe Leib Raigorodsky & Baila Cheruff Chaim Yisrael Sperlin & Chaya'le Shusterman

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June 5 - June 19, 2009

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June 5 -June 19

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Got Kosher?

RCC

8914 W. Pico Blvd. 90035 (310) 858-1920

8717 W. Pico Blvd. LA, 90035 (310) 888-7700 RCC

Kehila

9411 West Pico Blvd. LA, 90035 (310) 788-0111

Nagilla Meating Place

Hill Street Pizza

Kehila

9108 W. Pico Blvd. LA, 90035 (310) 859-0004

Nagilla Pizza Ben Zaken

RCC

8837 West Pico Blvd LA, 90035 (310) 858-8850

Milky Way Buxbaum

11921 W. Pico Blvd. LA, 90064 (310) 479-5444

Haifa

Rabbi Furst

12515 Burbank Blvd. N.H, 91607 (818) 760-8198

Fish In The Village

Habayit

RCC

446 Fairfax Ave. LA, 90036 (323) 658-7730

456 S Hill St. Los Angeles, 90013 (213) 627-9990

8581 W. Pico Blvd. LA, 90035 (310) 289-1702

RCC

Falafel Express

13075 Victory Blvd. N. H, 91606 (818) 763-5344

Circa

Jump To Juice 8879 W. Pico Blvd. LA 90035 (310) 858-2911

9303 W. Pico Blvd. 90035 (310) 246-1900

9180 Pico Blvd. LA, 90035 (310) 274-4007

Elat Burger

RCC

7119 Beverly Blvd. LA, 90036 (323) 930-1303

22935 Pacific Coast Highway (310) 456-8585

Café Del Mar Dairy/Meat Kehila

Chic N Chow

Elite Cuisine

Kehila

9407 West Pico Blvd. LA, 90035 (310) 788-0119

Nana Cafe Jerusalem Pizza & The Sushi

Kehila

17942 Ventura Blvd.

Encino, CA 91316 (818) 758-9595

Jeffs Gourmet

RCC

1509 S Robertson Blvd.

(310) 407-0404

Orange Delight

Kehila

13628 Ventura Blvd. SO, 91423 (818) 788-9896 Kehila

8930 W. Pico Blvd. LA, 90035 (310) 858-8590

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J uMn ae r c 5 h- 2J7u n- eA 1p 9r i, l 22040 9

• •T O T OA A DD VV E RE TRITSI ES EP LPEL A EA S ES EC C AA L LL L 323-965-1544 323-965-1544 ••

info@communitylinks.info info@communitylinks.info

Pats

Kehila

9233 W. Pico Blvd. LA, 90035 (310) 205-8705

Pico Cafe

Kehila

Sassis

RCC

8826 West Pico Blvd. LA, 90035 (310) 273-9381 RCC

8532 Pico Blvd. LA, 90035 (310) 652-5236

Kehila

Shalom Pizza

RCC

Temptation Grill

Kehila

Shanghai

The Meating Place

Shilohs

Pizza Nosh

Kehila

Smokin’

KCA

30313 Canwood St. AH, 91301 (818) 706-1255 Kehila

RCC

30313 Canwood St. A.H. 91301 (818) 991-3000

12514 Burbank Blvd. N.H, 91607 (818) 752-6866

Pizza Station

Subway

Kehila

RCC

17547 Ventura B. Encino, 91316 (818) 995-4700

8939 W. Pico Blvd. LA, 90035 (310) 858-1652

8965 W. Pico Blvd. LA, 90035 (310) 276-8708

SushiKo

8715 West Pico Blvd. LA, 90035 (310) 271-2255

140 North La Brea Blvd. 90036 (323) 857-0353 Rabbi Ami Markel

RCC

9340 West Pico Blvd. LA, 90035 (310) 274-3474

9401 W. Pico Blvd. LA, 90035 (310) 553-0998 Kehila

Sunrise 9216 W. Pico Blvd. LA, 90035 (310) 786-8282

15622 Ventura, Encino, 91436 (818) 986-5345

Pico Kosher Deli

Pizza Maven

Kehila

365 Fairfax Ave. LA, 90036 (310) 289-6556

8944 W Pico Blvd. LA, 90035 310-385-9592

Pita Way

Pizza World

Tierra Sur at Herzog Winery

ou

3201 Camino DelSol Oxnard (805) 983-1560

Unique Cafe

Rabbi Aron Simkin

18381 Ventura Blvd. Tarzana (818) 757-3100

Kehila

8948 W Pico Blvd. LA, 90035 (310) 274-1222

Glatt Kosher

50%

OFF*

*Buy 1 entree & 2 drinks @ regular price & receive 2nd entree of equal or lesser value at 50% off.

Dine in only. Can not be combined with other offers exp. 6/19/09

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Ju June n e 55- June - J u19 n e 1•9 ,T O 2 0A0 D 9 V E R• T TI O S E APDL V EA E RS TE I SCEA PL L E A 323-965-1544 S E C A L L 323-965-1544 • info@communitylinks.info • info@communitylinks.info

HOUSING FOR RENT Apartment Available in the Pico Area: Remodeled 3 Bedroom 2 Bath Apartment available on the first floor of a 6 unit building. Hardwood floors, garbage disposal, diswasher and stove included. Laundry room on premises. Walking distance to Shuls, Shopping, and Restaurants. Public transportation close and near the 10 and 405 freeways. Please call Nana at (310) 621-1819 to make an appointment to view the unit.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Exquisite Studio Apartment / Office - with Kitchenette. Brand New A/C & Appliances. Fully tiled full Bathroom. Private Entrance. Totally Detached. Utilities incl. Centrally located in the Heart of the La Brea/Beverly Area- Walking distance from Shuls & Kosher Stores, Ideal For someone single and frum. Please call: -1434323-708-5122 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

REAL ESTATES OPPORTUNITIES

1) On Bedford street located between Whitworth and Olympic Blvd . Unit mix is 2 three bedrooms and 2 two bedrooms.

2) On Oakhurst located between Pico and Whitworth.

Unit mix is 4 two bedroom over 1000 square feet each unit size.

3) Storage & Office spaces available for rent for very reasonable prices.

4) We have a few pocket listing of gas station with convenient stores.

5) We have Apartement/Condo forclosures in Wilshire corridor and Beverly Hills.

6) We have two excellent Mini Shopping center with a cap over 7.

For further information contact Daniel Dayani, Realtor Associate at 310-279-2991

Office Space Want to rent an office but can't afford the whole room?

Rent a cubicle in our office!!! Clean, casual business environment, no limitations on schedule - come in and out any time, All utilities are paid, no worry no hassle.

Convenient location on W. 3rd & La Cienega. Come take a look or any questions please call 310-285-0200.

The office: $350/mo. Want to rent whole room $950/mo E- mail: Interconnectcare@yahoo.com -1455-

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Summer Rental 5 Bedroom 4 Bathroom large 2 story house available for rent in the Fairfax/La Brea area. From mid-June to mid-July. Large granite kosher kitchen, air conditioning, sleepes up to 12 people. Large backyard with swing set, trampoline and basketball, close to shuls and kosher stores. Please call Daniel 310-735-3310 1476-

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

1415 POINTVIEW ST. #5 , LA, 90035 Beautifully Remodeled 3 Bedroom and 2 Baths (Very Large and spacious), Section 8 is welcomed, Hardwood Floors/ New Paint, Balcony, Underground Parking, Security Building, Owner Managed, Concessions for new renters, Great Location near Crescent Heights/ Pico Blvd. More information, please Call Vicky at 310-2775167 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Room for rent small, frum family has a lovely, spacious, furnished room for rent in a large downstairs duplex apartment in Hancock Park. Private entrance and bathroom, central air, security, on a quite beautiful street. Kosher kitchen, washer/dryer, walking to distance to shul, kosher stores and restuarants. $750 per month. Please call 213-760-1152 or 951-206-9628.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Room for rent for woman only, beautiful garden, Pico/Robertson, Shomer Shabbos, Call Sarah at 818451-5622

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June 5 - June 19, 2009

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE SALE PENDING:

Bev. Hills, N. of Wilshire: Newly built 4300 sq ft.

Recorded Info 1-800-417-7489 ID# 7005. www.BeverlyHillsInfo.net Bev Hills, 462 S. Swall: Sale /Lease: 2 story+ Guest House. Recorded Info 1-800-417-7489 ID# 8005. www.BevHillsHome.com COMING SOON Prime Hancock Park: 5000+sq ft, pool. La Brea, So. of Beverly: Lovely 4 bdrm, Pool, Guest House.

DISTRESS SALE/Foreclosures. Free hotlist.

Recorded Info. 1-800-417-7489 ID#7042 For More Info call Margalit (310) 210-3038, Mar-1456jorie@MillerRealEstateSales.com NEW KEHILLA The Tehachapi Torah Center Presents 'The Recent Complex Creation' Torah/ Science Reconciliation, available on Amazon or www.pearlmancta.com/TheComplexCreation...htm. The Tehachapi Torah Centered Community is suited for families, individuals, and existing Torah organizations. Healthy, Serene, Affordable, Child Friendly. Tehachapi Ca. 93561, 90 miles/minutes from route 14 at 5. Twice the Home for Half the Money. Homes Priced from $90k, Lots 30k. Lease Apartments from $450, Houses $800. Learn More!

Contact Roger M. Kernkehilla@att.net or call 310-9485137 www.pearlmancta.com/kerncountykehilla.htm

SERVICES A Perfect Setting Great gifts for all occasions- invited out for a Shabbos meal? baby gifts... Bas Mitzvah gifts... Wedding gifts....house warming gifts.....don't put it off..come in today and go out relieved. Call for a special appointment 323-938-8222 or 323-620-3618 ask for Rochel. -692-

• T O A D V E R T I S E P L E A S E C A L L 323-965-1544 •

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EMPLOYMENT

SERVICES Dress Maker Channa Tellis Dress Maker & Expert Alterations with 40 yrs of experience, also available for Sewing Classes. Please Call 323-933-5960 or 323-348-8786

Graphic Design LH DESIGN & PRINTING You name it we design it! Business Cards, Postcards, Posters, Flyers, Stickers, CD/DVD Covers, Websites, Wedding and Bar/Bat Mitzvah Invitations, Scrapbook Albums, Digital Books, Tshirts, & More... Please Call: 818-802-2625 www.LHdesignprint.com Email:Lmrhmr1@aol.com

Home Care Agency AAA InterConnectCare, Inc. Home care Agency Licensed, Insured, Bonded since 1993 CNA, CHHA, Caregivers, Companions in your home. Full insurance coverege and all payroll services for our employee.

Long term Care, Workers Comp insurances accepted Russin, Polish, Hungerian, Yidish and more 310-285-0200 8600 W. 3rd str, LA, Ca 90048. Conveniently located right across from Cedar Sinai Hospital HOSERY FOR SALE MELAS Luxurious Italian womens' hosery. Amazing prices, $3.25.

Call Sarah 818-451-5622.

-1455-

Music MusicbyMendel.com. Weddings, Bar-Mitzvahs, Special Occasions.

Contact now for availability and rates 310-595-5490 mendels@gmail.com ••• Eli's One Man Band for all your simchas and special events. Professional One Man Band and Singer available for all your simchas and special events. Options include: One man band with Guitarist Bentzi Marcus. Competitive Prices!

For more info Please call Eli Stiefel (310) 462 - 5368 or email elistiefel@gmail.com

Musical Production A TIME FOR DANCE fifth annual production of "THE WIZARD OF OZ" -June 7, 2009, 3:00 pm at Horace Mann Theater 8701 Charleville Blvd. Beverly Hills. Performance will include special ceremony to honor 5 year students of our company! Women $18/ Girls $15 discount with advance purchase. Last year's show was a sell out, so -1182get your tickets fast! (323) 404-0827

Newborn Night Nanny 0-3 months. Experienced with references. Call Shana 310-858-3042

Notary

POSITIONS WANTED Babysitter available Orthodox woman available to watch your children full time or part time hours, at your location. Excellent references. call: 323-651-9389.

Baby-sitting Orthodox, female college student looking for part-time baby-sitting job. I am responsible, have a car and great references. Please call Raizel: 310-936-8978 -1501Experienced aide for Special Needs students Orthodox, female college student looking for part-time position working with special needs student in a classroom setting. Excellent references. Call Raizel: 310-936-8978 -1501Secretary Nice, reliable & hard working Shomer Shabbos lady seeking secretarial/office position. I live in the S- Clarita area so preferably in the valley however I can also work at home. I have a laptop computer and have experience in the following: Phones, fundraising, computer and internet, typing and word processing, letter composition, faxing, and all general office duties. Let me make your business shine! You can contact Devorah at 661-808-4871

POSITIONS AVAILABLE Educational Aid Looking for an education aide who is warm, responsible, to work in a Jewish day school in North Hollywood for an 9 year old boy. Special education experience preferred and or teaching experience. 8:30 am-2:30 pm. Please call 818776-9552 ••• We need an educational aide for our 20 year old son with special needs who is attending Valley College part time. Patient, reliable male, legally able to work in the U.S. Training and ongoing support will be provided. Please call 818-424-4612 Volunteer Seeking woman volunteer for Secretarial / computer work for non profit organization helping to feed hungry in Israel. If interested please contact Dorit at 818- 355-3789

Traveling Notary Yosef Y. Shagalov: Traveling Notary Public & Home Signing Agent. Cell:(323)934-7095 email: yys770@aol.com

Translation & Interpreting (Hebrew>English>Hebrew) Professional Translation (Written) and Interpreting (Verbal) Services Business ‫ ٭‬Legal ‫ ٭‬Medical ‫ ٭‬Technical ‫ ٭‬Certificates * Consulting and Escorting Business Persons &Visitors.

Zion Avdi - 310-402-3778Email:zion@hebrewtranslation.com Web: ww.hebrewtranslation.com

Wigs Headlines / European Wigs • Wash & Set • Hair Accessories

ADVERTISE WITH THE COMMUNITY LINKS PHONE: 323-965-1544 FAX: 323-927-1596

• Jewelry • Ear Piercing. Call Chaya Suri @ 323-930-1389

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June 5 - June 19, 2009

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June 5 - June 19, 2009

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June 5 - June 19, 2009

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cheder menachem

gala chinese

auction sunday, june 14, 2009 | 22 sivan, 5769

6:45 prize viewing 8:30 program begins admission $25 per person, includes: Ĺ&#x201D; Buffet dinner and dessert reception

the petersen automotive museum the outdoor terrace 6060 wilshire blvd. (corner of wilshire and fairfax ave.) los angeles, ca 90036

Ĺ&#x201D; Free $20 aution prize ticket

for more info www.chedermenachemauction.com