Five Towns Jewish Home 7.28.22

July 28, 2022

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Dear Readers,

E

dance and sing for her.

The Rebbetzin loved people, young and old, and made you want to become a better person.

When you spoke with her, you felt yourself rising higher, extending your posture – physically and mentally – so you could be the person you were destined to be.

The Rebbetzin’s refined character extended to her children, Reb Rafi and Rivka Cohen of Far Rockaway; Rabbi Aharon and Ayelet Mehlman of Manhattan; and Reb Nuchum Berel and Tamar Loring of Beit Shemesh. She merited to see three generations of nachas from their families and from the Freifeld families. Despite her vast academic accomplishments, that was her true pride and joy.

There is so much to learn from the Rebbetzin.

She taught me that a person should be genuine and authentic in all that they do in life. She showed me that wisdom is not just in what you say but in what you don’t say. She demonstrated that we should strive for success in every area of life.

She highlighted with her actions that love for others can be magnified and multiplied and that family is not just composed of people related to you by blood but by those you connect with in love and community.

For many, the passing of the Rebbetzin last Shabbos is the end of an era. It is a loss for her family and the Five Towns community at large.

But there is so much we can take from the Rebbetzin’s life and emulate in our own lives. I hope to be able to take those lessons and imbue them into my home.

May she be a meilitz yosher for our family and for all of Klal Yisroel.

Wishing you a wonderful week, Shoshana

very family has their personalities, and as the family grows, there are certain personalities that become a force to pull everyone together. When I was dating my husband, I quickly got a sense that his step-grandmother, Rebbetzin Sara Freifeld, a”h, served that role in his family.

Once I got engaged and met the Rebbetzin, I understood why she served that role.

She was a regal and noble woman. In seminary, Rebbetzin David would talk to us about her father Rav Hutner’s zt”l view on “gadlus ha’adam” and how if we realize how special we are as Hashem’s children, all our decisions will be elevated because of that recognition. The Rebbetzin optimized that ideal. She was comfortable in her own skin and proud to be a bearer of the torch of Yiddishkeit.

She appreciated others and valued what they brought to the table. This resulted in a composed graciousness and acceptance of all types of people.

One winter day this past February, the Rebbetzin wanted to get out of the house, and her son took her out to eat. On their way back, we were privileged to have the Rebbetzin and her son come to our home so we could spend time with them.

My kids rushed to bring her a tall glass of water, and they sat around talking with her. Although she was already weak, she was still inquisitive and asked each child about school and their friends.

We looked through photos together. But when I offered her something to eat, she declined and expressed that she was just happy to sit in our living room in the company of the children.

The Rebbetzin was aristocratic and refined but so easy to connect and relate to. Her neighbor told me how her children loved going to visit the Rebbetzin and how the Rebbetzin would enjoy sitting on her porch. They recently made a birthday party for the Rebbetzin; the kids were so excited to

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Contents LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

8

COMMUNITY Readers’ Poll

8

Community Happenings

40

This Week We’re Talking to…Camp Avnet

64

NEWS

36

Global

12

National

28

That’s Odd

36

ISRAEL Israel News

Savor the Second by Mrs. Barbara Deutsch

23 82

JEWISH THOUGHT Rabbi Wein on the Parsha

70

King of Opposites by Rav Moshe Weinberger

72

Delving into the Daf by Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow

71

PEOPLE The Wandering Jew

78

Remembering Rebbetzin Sara Freifeld, a”h

74

Heroes of the Skies by Avi Heiligman

110

HEALTH & FITNESS Meal Planning for the Nine Days by Cindy Weinberger, MS RD CDN

90

You Married the Right Person by Dr. Deb Hirschhorn

92

FOOD & LEISURE The Aussie Gourmet: Fiesta “Chicken” Enchiladas

96

LIFESTYLES

96

Dating Dialogue, Moderated

by Jennifer Mann, LCSW

86

Parenting Pearls

94

Points to Ponder by Debra Ehrenberg 98 Mind Your Business

100

Your Money

118

Count On Me by Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS

Dear Editor, The numerical forty paradigm is prominent in Judaism. Just to cite a few: forty years in the desert, the forty-two letter name of G-d representative of ein sof, and forty-nine rungs of tumah and tahara.

We find forty-two travels in Massei.

Can there be a message? Forty-two in Hebrew is comprised of the Hebrew letters mem and bais. Spelling these letters backwards is bam. This can bring to mind the verse in Shema, “Videbarta Bam.” In other words, speak of G-d at all times and call to Him to succeed in your “up and down” travels.

Natan Tavi Dear Editor, Golda Meir was wrong. She had no confidence in the final message of Moshe and the words of the Prophet Yeshayahu. In Deuteronomy, Chapter 15.5, Moshe said, “For Hashem, your G-d, has blessed you as He has told you; you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow, and you will dominate many nations, but they will not dominate you.”

In the Haftorah, Ki Savo 60-5, Yeshayahu said, “You will see and be radiant and your heart will pulsate and be larger because of the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you and the wealth of nations will come to you.”

Now in the 21st century, the words of Moshe and Yeshayahu ring true after the discovery of natural gas about 10 years ago 50 miles off the coast of Haifa within Israeli territorial waters. Israel’s wealth is coming from the sea.

The “Bonds for Israel Program” was

conceived by Golda Meir. For 75 years, Israel borrowed money from investors and paid interest to the lenders and the Israeli Government refunded the principal. All the synagogues and Hebrew schools participated in the bond program that enabled Israel to develop into a modern society and defend itself despite major wars that threatened its existence. Now Israel has become an economic powerhouse with building construction all over the country, a strong military, large productive farms, modern highways, a large airport, and plenty of water from desalinization. The sale of natural gas to European countries will further enrich Israel and has enabled it to become a lender, not a borrower because of what was found below the seabed. The words of Moshe and Yeshayahu ring true.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Russia will reduce the Nord Stream flow of gas to Europe by 20%. This presents a further opportunity for Israel to sell gas to Europe, increasing Israel’s wealth from the sea.

Sid Krimsky West Hempstead, NY Dear Editor, This is in response to the woman who is stressed that shadchanim are not reaching out to her.

Because our community is blessed with so many people, there are many people in shidduchim as well (just like there are many people who are married and many people who are still in high school. Baruch Hashem, the frum community is a growing one). That means Continued on page 8

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HUMOR Centerfold

68

POLITICAL CROSSFIRE Notable Quotes

102

China Wants to “Reduce Misunderstanding” by David Ignatius

106

Trump Should Hope For a Crowded 2024 by Marc A. Thiessen

108

CLASSIFIEDS

112

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Continued from page 10

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that each person who is a shadchan is juggling more and more shidduch information each day. It is hard to remain at the top of their minds.

But, dear Mother, do not despair. Because of all those people in our community, there are so many different people who can possibly be the shaliach to bring your daughter’s shidduch to your door. It could be your former neighbor who met you in the store or your friend who sees you at the dentist’s office.

Sometimes, though, these people need reminders. They may not know that you are looking for a shidduch for your daughter. And so, like a good mother, you need to become your daughter’s salesperson. You need to remind everyone you meet that your daughter is so wonderful and amazing – and she’s looking for a shidduch! “Perhaps you know another wonderful and amazing young man?”

This tactic solves two things: firstly, it helps to get the word out, so there are more people out there thinking about your daughter. Secondly, when you are out there speaking about your daughter, you will not feel like you are passively sitting at home waiting for the phone to

ring. You will feel like you are doing your hishtadlus.

The rest, of course, is up to Hashem.

And as the good mother that you are, your tefillos are worth so much; IYH in the right time, Hashem will send your daughter the One. Wishing you much hatzlacha, Shani Ruderman Dear Editor, Miriam Hendeles’ article about feeling settled in her role in life is so pertinent to every stage of life.

As we progress through life, we feel uncertain as we get to the new stages that we encounter. We wonder, am I really here? Is this really where I should be?

And it takes time to feel comfortable in the new uniform we wear as we enter that stage. It takes time to make it fit as we want it to fit; to make it ours.

But soon, as we gently become accustomed to our new stage in life, we take a deep breath and realize that we finally made it, we’re finally here, and we find ourselves content in our surrounding.

We take a look around, and we see all the good that is inherent in that stage.

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The Week In News

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Gaddafi Widow Challenges $100M Deposit Safiya Ferkash, widow of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, has appealed the decision of a Malta court to return some $100 million to Libya.

The ruling ordered the Bank of Valletta to return money which had been deposited by Gaddafi’s late son Mutassim.

Ferkash and her attorneys insist that the Malta courts lack the jurisdiction to decide the case over the funds.

According to the Times of Malta, the court ordered in June that the funds, held under Maltese company Capital Resources Limited, be released to Libya.

In the eyes of the Libyan government, the funds were always considered illicit gains, not private funds.

Libya’s attorney general claimed that under Libyan law, Mutassim had not been allowed to draw benefits from any business interests, due to his position as an army officer. The attorney general also claimed that Mutassim had failed to submit a full declaration of assets, as required by law.

Ferkash insisted that the laws were not relevant, since they were criminal laws and no criminal case was ever initiated against either her son or his heirs.

The legal battle began in 2012, one year after Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown and killed, together with his son Mutassim. At the time of his death, Mutassim was found to be in possession of several Bank of Valletta (BOV) credit cards as the owner of a Maltese-registered company. Libya then accused BOV of failing to carry out proper due dili-

Many Chinese homebuyers this month ceased mortgage payments on units in unfinished projects. The boycott comes as many developers struggle under enormous debt.

Property and related industries contribute nearly 25% of China’s GDP. According to a report by ANZ Research, mortgages in China make up nearly 20% of all outstanding loans in the country’s entire banking system.

Some of these developments rely on presales, in which purchasers pay for units not yet built.

Last year, the Chinese central bank cracked down, capping the proportion of property loans to total lending. This in turn put pressure on developers, who were already struggling, and a wave of defaults followed.

In June this year, homebuyers launched a new form of protest, refusing to pay mortgages on unfinished units until construction resumed. Unfinished homes in China amount to 225 million square meters (2.4 billion square feet) of space.

Within a month, the boycott spread to homebuyers in more than 300 projects in 50 cities across China. Many of the unfinished projects were concentrated in Henan province, where mass protests in response to rural bank fraud broke out and were suppressed. Even though the boycott amount is a small portion of mortgages in the country, investors are concerned the boycott could spread.

Analysts are saying that unless China is able to rein in the boycott, the financial fallout could lead to global repercussions.

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Summer Is Serious.

Summer is an exciting time…when you can afford it. But for many Israeli families, summer camp is far out of reach. A weekend getaway is way off the table. Even three meals a day is a lucky treat.

The Jewish Home | JULY 28, 2022

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Russia to Leave ISS in 2024

Russia is saying bye-bye to the International Space Station (ISS). The new head of its space agency announced on Tuesday that Russia will leave the ISS after its current commitment expires at the end of 2024.

“The decision to leave the station after 2024 has been made,” said Yuri Borisov, who was appointed this month to run Roscosmos, a state-controlled corporation in charge of the country’s space program.

The announcement came during a meeting between Borisov and President Vladimir Putin. Borisov told Putin that Russia would fulfill its commitments through 2024. “I think that by this time we will begin to form the Russian orbital

station,” he said.

Putin responded with one word: “Good.”

The first module of the International Space Station was launched in 1998, and astronauts have lived there since 2002. Built as a symbol of post-Cold War cooperation between the world’s two space superpowers, the partnership has weathered numerous ups and downs in bilateral relations between the United States and Russia.

Kjell Lindgren, one of the NASA astronauts who is currently in orbit, said nothing had yet changed up there.

“That is very recent news,” he said, “and so we haven’t heard anything officially. Of course, you know, we were trained to do a mission up here and that mission is one that requires the whole crew.”

Whether the station can operate without Russia’s involvement after 2024 is uncertain. The outpost in orbit consists of two sections: one led by NASA, the other by Russia. The two are interconnected. Much of the power on the Russian side comes from NASA’s solar panels, while the Russians provide propulsion to periodically raise the orbit.

But with tensions between Washington and Moscow rising after Russia’s in-

vasion of Ukraine in February, Russian space officials including Dmitry Rogozin, Borisov’s predecessor, had made declarations in recent months that Russia was planning to leave.

Monkeypox is Global Health Emergency

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the monkeypox outbreak a global health emergency. The alert is the highest level WHO can issue.

According to WHO Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, over 16,000 cases have now been reported from 75 countries, including five deaths.

While the vast majority of cases are in men, two children were recently diagnosed with monkeypox in the U.S. One of the children is in California, and the other is not a U.S. resident.

According to Dr. Tedros, “The WHO’s assessment is that the risk of monkeypox is moderate globally and in all regions, except in the European region, where we assess the risk as high.

“This is an outbreak that can be stopped with the right strategies in the right groups,” it asserted.

Despite the outbreak, people are being assured that there is no reason to panic.

According to the CDC, “Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. Monkeypox virus is part of the same family of viruses as variola virus, the virus that causes smallpox.”

As of now, the U.S. leads in monkeypox cases with 3,400 people confirmed or suspected to have the virus. New York is home to 1,000 of those cases.

Monkeypox symptoms are milder than smallpox symptoms, and monkeypox is rarely fatal.

It was discovered in 1958 when two outbreaks of a pox-like disease showed up in monkeys kept for research.

Symptoms include headache, muscle aches, exhaustion, fever, backache, the swelling of lymph nodes and chills. With-

in one to three days, a rash and lesions can also develop, according to the CDC.

Pope Issues Apology

This week, Pope Francis issued a historic apology for the Catholic Church’s cooperation with Canada’s “catastrophic” policy of Indigenous residential schools.

The Catholic leader said that the forced assimilation of Native peoples into Christian society destroyed their cultures, severed families, and marginalized generations.

“I am deeply sorry,” he told school survivors and Indigenous community members gathered at a former residential school south of Edmonton, Alberta.

He called the school policy a “disastrous error” that was incompatible with the Catholic doctrine, adding that further investigation and healing is needed.

“I humbly beg forgiveness for the evil committed by so many Christians against the Indigenous peoples,” the pope said.

In the first event of his weeklong “penitential pilgrimage,” Francis traveled to the lands of four Cree nations to pray at a cemetery and then deliver the long-sought apology at nearby powwow ceremonial grounds. Four chiefs escorted Francis to the site near the former Ermineskin Indian Residential School and presented him with a feathered headdress after he spoke, making him an honorary leader of the community.

More than 150,000 native children in Canada were forced to attend government-funded Christian schools from the 19th century until the 1970s in an effort to isolate them from the influence of their homes and culture. The aim was to Christianize and assimilate them into mainstream society, which previous Canadian governments considered superior.

The Canadian government has admitted that abuse was rampant at the schools, with students beaten for speaking their native languages. That legacy of that abuse and isolation from family has been cited by Indigenous leaders as a root cause of the epidemic rates of alcohol and drug addiction now on Canadian reservations.

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The discoveries of hundreds of potential burial sites at former schools in the past year drew international attention to the schools in Canada and their counterparts in the United States. The revelations prompted Francis to comply with the truth commission’s call for an apology on Canadian soil; Catholic religious orders operated 66 of the country’s 139 residential schools.

Deadly Liquor in India

consumption of liquor are prohibited. It was not immediately known what chemical was used to alter the liquor.

Ashish Gupta, Gujarat state’s police chief, said several suspected bootleggers who were involved in selling the spiked alcohol have been detained.

Deaths from illegally brewed alcohol are common in India, where illicit liquor is cheap and often spiked with chemicals such as pesticides to increase potency. Illicit liquor has also become a hugely profitable industry across India where bootleggers pay no taxes and sell enormous quantities of their product to the poor at a cheap rate.

In 2020, at least 120 people died after drinking tainted liquor in India’s northern Punjab state.

Good as Gold in Zimbabwe At least 28 people have died and 60 others became ill from drinking altered liquor in western India.

Senior government official Mukesh Parmar said the deaths occurred in Ahmedabad and Botad districts of Gujarat state, where manufacturing, sale and

Zimbabwe has launched gold coins to be sold as legal tender in an attempt to tame inflation in the African country.

The unprecedented decision, announced on Monday by Zimbabwe’s central bank, comes as the country’s currency is at a low. Already on Monday,

the central bank disbursed 2,000 coins to commercial banks. Although the new coins were minted outside Zimbabwe, the goal is to eventually produce them locally, governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe John Mangudya said.

you don’t have any excess cash.

“Many people have no money for bread, let alone for savings,” he said.

“The expectation is that indirectly it will benefit the ordinary person through moderating the prices.”

Zimbabwe is located in Southeast Africa and is home to around 15 million people. It was once known as the “Jewel of Africa” for its great prosperity.

Election Upset in Pakistan Zimbabwean economist Prosper Chitambara noted, “The government is trying to moderate the very high demand for the U.S. dollar because this high demand is not being matched by supply.

“The expectation is that ... there will also be moderation in terms of the depreciation of the local currency, which should have some kind of stabilizing effect in terms of pricing of goods.

“For Zimbabwe, we are in chronic hyperinflation so the expectation is that there will be a huge uptake of these gold coins,” he said, adding that, “for the common man, there is not really much to benefit directly from this, especially if

Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was forced to step down just over three months ago, has turned out to be surprisingly popular in the country’s recent elections, The Washington Post reported.

Khan was voted out of office on April

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10, after his rivals convinced a handful of his supporters to defect. Since then, he has campaigned for a political comeback, demanding new elections be held. Earlier this month, Khan’s party won 15 out of 20 open legislative seats in the Punjab province, when elections were held to replace lawmakers who had left his party.

Last Friday, Khan and the Pakistan Movement for Justice nearly won a second victory, after the court ordered Punjab’s provincial legislative assembly to fill the post of chief minister. When the votes were counted, Khan’s candidate had received the support of 186 of the 369 in the assembly – more than a majority.

But then a letter from a minor political party leader was produced, asking legislative officials not to count the party’s votes unless they favored the other candidate. Subtracting these votes, the deputy speaker declared that Khan’s side had been lost by three votes.

Speaking on television, Khan expressed “shock” at the events of the day, saying that the election had been bought “the way sheep and goats are sold” and calling on supporters to hold peaceful protests across the country.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah told journalists in Lahore, Punjab’s capital, that the deputy speaker’s decision would

“promote democracy and tolerance” and accused Khan of trying to “create chaos and anarchy in the country.”

“We will teach you to respect the law” and “not allow you to destabilize the country. We will stop you,” he added.

On Saturday, the Supreme Court said it would review the Friday vote.

the Journal du Dimanche newspaper.

Air-conditioned shops that leave their doors open see “20% more consumption and ... it’s absurd,” Pannier-Runacher asserted.

and two people accused of terrorism this week.

Two of the executed individuals were named as Kyaw Min Yu, 53, better known as Ko Jimmy, and former National League for Democracy lawmaker Phyo Zayar Thaw, 41.

Close the Doors in France Air-conditioned shops in France will be ordered to close their doors or face fines, the French minister of energy transition announced earlier this week.

The move to preserve energy, coupled with a measure aimed at restricting the use of illuminated signs overnight, comes amid a scalding heat wave that has wrought havoc on much of Europe, especially France, the United Kingdom, and the Iberian Peninsula.

“In the coming days, I will issue two decrees: The first will widen the ban on illuminated advertising, whatever the size of the city, between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m.,” with the exception of airports and train and metro stations, Energy Transition Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher told

Shopkeepers risk fines of up to 750 euros, or $766.

Although nuclear power provides 70% of France’s electricity needs, the crisis over Russian gas has prompted President Emmanuel Macron to call for an energy “sobriety program,” according to the Guardian. The European Union has asked member states to reduce their gas use until the spring.

Junta Executions in Myanmar Myanmar’s military junta executed two prominent pro-democracy activists

Phyo Zeya Thaw’s mother Khin Win May told The Associated Press she had just spoken with her son via video conference on Friday and he had asked her for reading glasses, books, and some spending money.

“I was a little shocked when I heard about the execution; I think it will take some time,” she said.

She said she hoped her son and the others would be seen as martyrs for their cause.

“I’m proud of all of them as they sac-

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rificed their lives for the country,” she said.

The executions are Myanmar’s first judicial executions in decades.

According to the Human Rights Watch, 114 people have been sentenced to death in Myanmar since the military seized power in a February 2021 coup.

Zaw Min Tun, a junta spokesperson, said that Ko Jimmy and Phyo Zayar Thaw were accused of being “involved in terrorist acts such as explosion attacks, killing of civilians as informants” and were sentenced to death in January 2022. Last month, Zaw Min Tun confirmed that their appeals had been denied.

According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, since the junta seized power, nearly 15,000 people have been arrested and more than 2,000 killed by military forces.

This week’s executions sparked condemnations worldwide from leaders who called for a moratorium on carrying out any more sentences.

Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, announced in June that it was going to resume executing prisoners and has 113 others who have been sentenced to death, although 41 of those were convicted in absentia.

Where Are All the Ukrainian Workers?

Factory assembly lines and warehouses and construction sites across central Europe are rushing to fill vacancies left by tens of thousands of Ukrainian employees who left their jobs to return home following the Russian invasion of their homeland.

Over the past ten years, Ukrainians have flocked to central Europe, attracted by higher wages and relaxed visa requirements. But since the Russia-Ukraine war broke out in February, many of these men have returned home to help the war effort, worsening labor shortages.

Reuters spoke with company executives, recruiters, industry bodies, and

economists in Poland and the Czech Republic. According to these officials, the Ukrainians’ departures have caused costs to rise, as well as delays in construction work and manufacturing orders.

Prior to the war, Ukrainians were the largest group of foreign workers in central Europe.

Wieslaw Nowak, chief executive of Polish tram and railway line builder ZUE Group, said, “Many companies are looking for employees on a massive scale at various construction sites due to large outflows.”

He noted, “It certainly affects the cost and pace of work because if someone loses several dozen employees at the same time, rebuilding a team takes far more than a matter of a few days.”

Radek Spicar, vice president of the Czech Federation of Industry, added, “The loss of Ukrainian workers has deepened the problems companies are facing.

Companies say they can’t cover all the demand from business partners: they deliver with delays and pay penalties.”

Gabriela Hrbackova, Hofmann Personal’s managing director in the Czech Republic, noted, “If this cannot be resolved quickly and opportunities for recruiting foreign candidates are not

strengthened, it will have major implications, especially for manufacturing companies.

“Companies lack hundreds of employees for positions of production operators, qualified manufacturing positions such as welders, (machine) operators, metal workers and forklift drivers.”

Although there are also workers from countries such as Mongolia and the Philippines, “the problem is that the number of workers brought from these other countries is not high enough to fill vacancies,” Marcos Segador Arrebola, chief executive of recruiter GI Group Poland, explained.

Hungarian FM Calls for End of War Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has denounced the Russian invasion of Ukraine and called to support Ukraine’s “territorial integrity.”

The statements are surprising since Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban is seen as one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest allies.

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“All wars end up in negotiations,” he emphasized, stressing that the world should focus on achieving peace and bringing about the end of the war.

At the same time, Szijjarto said that Hungary depends on Russia for oil and gas and that security represents “a definite red line for us.”

Stocking the Shelves in Russia

Grocery stores in Russia are stocked with goods – almost all of them made in Russia. According to a report published

by NielsenIQ this week, Russia-made products accounted for 83% of the country’s market for common consumer goods in the first half of 2022, up 4% on a year before.

Domestic production of so-called fast-moving consumer goods is filling shelves as imports slump amid Western sanctions against Russia. The sanctions have caused many foreign companies to bolt from Russia.

Some of the biggest declines in foreign goods occurred in the alcohol market, where Russian beer made up 89% of sales in the first half of 2022, up from 79% a year before, the Nielsen data showed.

“The assortment of goods available for consumers on shop shelves has narrowed,” Konstantin Loktev, retail director at NielsenIQ Russia, said in a statement, identifying one of two major changes to hit the industry.

“In this difficult period, a second trend began to develop: goods that have

disappeared from shelves have started to be actively replaced in the consumer basket by brands produced in Russia, for which large opportunities have opened up.”

No Mechitzah at Egalitarian Section

On Monday, the Prime Minister’s Office issued a directive prohibiting bringing a mechitzah, a separating barrier, into the egalitarian section of the Western Wall.

On Monday, head of the Budgets and Projects Department of the Prime Minister’s Office Drorit Steinmetz wrote to the director of the Company for the Development and Renovation of the Jewish Quarter, Herzl Ben Ari, instructing him to ensure anyone seeking to bring a mechitzah to the site is blocked at the entrance.

The organization is responsible for the management and administration of the southern prayer section, while a steering committee comprising two officials from the Prime Minister’s Office along with Ben Ari coordinates between the organization and the government.

The egalitarian section of the Kotel has made headlines recently after Reform groups said that charedim disturbed a bar mitzvah being held there.

The Reform Movement in Israel said that it welcomed the mechitzah ban but said the step would not prevent other forms of disturbance at the prayer site and called for greater measures to ensure order.

“I call on the prime minister to turn the egalitarian section into a dignified public space that allows all Jews in Israel and from the Diaspora to pray in accordance with their customs,” said Reform Movement in Israel director Anna Kislanski.

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Speaking to the Washington Times, Szijjarto added, “We’ve made our position clear many times that we condemn the military attack by Russia against Ukraine.”

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Sinkhole Smashes Pool

The owners of a pool in central Israel last Friday were released to house arrest after a man died during a party at their home. He had died when a sinkhole opened up underneath the pool, sucking in water and objects, along with this man.

The couple was ordered to stay in their daughter’s home in Petach Tikva.

They were also ordered to stay away from their hometown of Karmei Yosef until at least Monday at noon.

According to Petach Tikva Magistrate’s Court Judge Carmit Ben Eliezer,

the reason for these orders is that “there is some concern that unconditional release would lead to disruption in the investigation procedures.”

At the same time, the court denied the police’s request to extend the couple’s detention by an additional week.

Klil Kimhi, 32, was the person who passed away in the shocking tragedy.

His marketing company held a party at the pool in the villa. Kimhi was sucked into the sinkhole, and his body was found hours later, after extensive searches.

The couple was detained on suspicion of negligent manslaughter. They are also suspected of renting their home — and thus operating a business — without a license and of money laundering.

According to Hebrew media outlets, the villa regularly hosts such gatherings, but the owners did not request a permit before constructing the pool. A permit would not have been granted to construct the pool, due to the site’s known infrastructure problems.

Izzy Goren, who chairs Karmei Yosef’s council, noted that the home is located within 50 meters of an underground cave.

500+ Tech Workers Fired at Once

Over 500 Israeli tech employees were fired on Sunday in one swoop.

The newly-fired workers join thousands of other tech employees who have been laid off in recent months.

In Sunday’s case, AID Genomics, a Singapore medical technology company, announced that it would move its research and development center abroad and cancel planned investments in Israel. The company then laid off around 400 employees – the vast majority of its workforce in Israel, Hebrew media reported.

Earlier, the U.S. insurance firm Asurion announced that it would fire 120 employees following its decision to close its Israeli development center amid restructuring.

Another 40 workers will be laid off at the end of the year.

Soluto, which was acquired by Asurion in 2013, had been doing well and was even hiring a week ago, one employee told Kan News.

According to the employee, the decision “really came as a total shock. It was very surprising. This was simply an American decision; the site was a success. Even the senior management [of Soluto] was surprised.”

Kan noted that since March, over 3,000 hi-tech employees in Israel have been fired. Of those, half were laid off in July. At the same time, Channel 12 News presented a different figure, claiming that 2,800 hi-tech employees were fired in the past two months alone.

Russia Wants to Close Jewish Agency Israeli officials are beginning to view Russia’s moves against the Jewish

Agency as a potentially major diplomatic rift.

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid warned that closing the Jewish Agency in Russia would negatively affect ties between Russia and Israel.

Last month, Russian authorities informed the Jewish Agency that its offices could face sanctions over infringements of local laws, a threat which the Jewish Agency took as a low-level issue that could easily be resolved.

Later, however, as Russia continued to escalate the situation, the Jewish Agency requested aid from Israel’s Foreign Ministry, asking the Ministry to intervene.

Last week, Russia’s Justice Ministry requested that a Moscow court order the dissolution of Jewish Agency offices in the country.

Meanwhile, Israeli interim Prime Minister Yair Lapid announced that a legal-diplomatic task force would be formed to travel to Moscow and fight to keep the Jewish Agency open. The task force met on Sunday.

A Jewish Agency official told the Times of Israel, “We tried to keep things low-key and sort it out by exchanging letters with lawyers and trying to reach a compromise. Now that they took it to court, it is clear that they are not looking for compromise or negotiations. It is clear that this is a political move.”

The official added, “This is not really about some legal disagreements or technical procedure that was breached or even just a small-time attempt to intimidate the Jewish Agency because they are antisemitic or oppose immigration or something. This legal delegation is not going to solve anything, but we have to play the game. There will need to be political involvement.

“We are playing the legal game, while also signaling that we are not fooled by this,” he added.

“We will operate as usual for as long as we can…and we are preparing ourselves for all possible scenarios.”

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to shake hands with an Israeli ambassador.

Rai al-Youm reported last week that Sheikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s Authority for Culture and Antiquities chief, was dismissed by Bahrain’s king after refusing to shake hands with Israel’s Ambassador in Manama, Eitan Na’eh.

The snub occurred during a funeral service for the father of U.S. Ambassador Steven C. Bondy held last month. Sheikha Mai left the funeral service when she was informed of Na’eh’s presence and asked the U.S. embassy to not publish any pictures of her attending the American ambassador’s late father’s funeral.

Sheikha Mai has carried out official duties for more than 20 years but is considered to be a “controversial figure” in Bahrain. She has previously served as the Bahraini information minister, making history as the first woman to hold the office.

On July 21, Bahrain’s king issued a decree naming her replacement as head of the Authority for Culture and Antiquities. That same day, Israel’s interim Prime Minister Yair Lapid held a phone call with Bahraini crown prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

In a tweet following the phone call, Lapid stressed that Israel and Bahrain are working together to realize a shared vision for a “stable and prosperous Middle East.”

Meanwhile, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qasem said in a statement that Sheikha Mai’s refusal to shake Na’eh’s hand is a “true reflection of the Bahraini people’s genuine stance in support of Palestinians.”

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A top Bahraini official and a member of the country’s royal family was dismissed from her position after refusing

Saudi Arabian authorities arrested a Saudi citizen who helped Gil Tamari, an Israeli journalist, enter Mecca last week.

A statement from Saudi authorities read, “The issue of the journalist who committed this crime has been transferred to the General Prosecutor’s Office so as to take the necessary steps against him.”

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The country’s internal security system said, “The citizen was referred to the General Prosecutor’s Office, since he cooperated with an American journalist who entered Mecca via a route for Muslims, in contradiction to the ordinances for the holy city.

“A spokesperson for the Mecca-area police said that the police transferred to the General Prosecutor’s Office a citizen who aided the entrance of one of the journalists (not Muslim) who has American citizenship to the holy capital city via the route for Muslims, in a clear violation of the entry regulations to Mecca for non-Muslims. The citizen was arrested, and steps have been taken against him.”

“Anyone who comes to the kingdom must respect the regulations, especially with regards to the holy places and the holy religious ceremonies,” Saudi Arabia’s General Security said. “Crimes of this sort are considered a felony, and punishments will be imposed on those committing them, based on the regulations.”

Last week, journalist Gil Tamari of Israel’s Channel 13 News posted a video of himself driving through Mecca, despite rules banning non-Muslims from entering the city.

Tamari himself was not punished, since he published his report only af-

ter his return to Israel, Middle East 24 News reported. However, the trip, which included Mount Arafat, where Muslims gather during the hajj, was not authorized by Saudi authorities.

According to Bloomberg, Tamari’s behavior “provoked controversy on social media and clarified the sensitivities of closer relations between the two countries.”

On Tuesday, Tamari tweeted an apology for his trip, saying he did not mean to offend Muslims.

In it, Tamari wrote, “Disclaimer: I would like to reiterate that this visit to Mecca was not intended to offend Muslims, or any other person. If anyone takes offense to this video, I deeply apologize.

The purpose of this entire endeavor was to showcase the importance of Mecca and the beauty of the religion, and in doing so foster more religious tolerance and inclusion. Inquisitiveness is at the heart and center of journalism, and this type of first-hand journalistic encounter is what separates good journalism from great journalism.”

He added, “This founding principle also guided us in this journalistic endeavor and allowed many people to see, for the first time, a place that is so important to our Muslim brothers and sisters, and to human history.

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“Once again, if anyone was hurt by or offended by this, I apologize wholeheartedly. We had no such intention.”

Channel 13 also responded to the backlash, “The visit of foreign news editor Gil Tamari to Mecca is an important journalistic achievement, which was not intended in any way to hurt the sensitivities of the Muslims. Obviously, if someone felt hurt, we apologize for that. We emphasize: Journalistic curiosity is the soul of the profession of journalism.

“In our opinion, knowledge and familiarity with an important place, firsthand, only contributes to increasing religious tolerance and the discourse for recognition of others’ faiths.”

The Investigation into Hunter Biden

The federal investigation into Hunter Biden’s business activities is nearing a critical point.

No decision has been made yet regarding whether to bring charges against Hunter Biden. Justice Department guidelines indicate to avoid bringing politically sensitive cases close to an election, CNN said, quoting those briefed on the matter.

According to CNN, the probe, led by David Weiss, the U.S. Attorney in Delaware, has intensified in recent months, along with discussions between officials and investigators. Potential charges could include tax violations and making a false statement in connection to the purchase of a firearm, at a time when he would have been forbidden from doing so due to his struggles with drug addiction.

The probe focuses on Hunter Biden’s financial and business activities in foreign countries, as well as whether Hunter and his associates violated money laundering, campaign finance, and tax and foreign lobbying laws, and whether Hunter Biden broke federal firearm and other regulations.

Meanwhile, Hunter has not been charged with any crimes and has previously denied any wrongdoing. His father, U.S. President Joe Biden, is not being investigated as part of the probe.

Layoffs at Shopify

Shopify is laying off about 1,000 employees, according to a memo sent out by CEO Tobi Lütke.

The company had mistakenly thought that the e-commerce boost in sales fueled by the pandemic would continue.

“When the Covid pandemic set in, almost all retail shifted online because of shelter-in-place orders. Demand for Shopify skyrocketed,” wrote Lütke.

“Shopify has always been a company that makes the big strategic bets our merchants demand of us — this is how we succeed,” he continued. “We bet that the channel mix — the share of dollars that travel through ecommerce rather than physical retail — would permanently leap ahead by 5 or even 10 years. We couldn’t know for sure at the time, but we knew that if there was a chance that this was true, we would have to expand the company to match.”

Shopify is not the only U.S. company to announce layoffs. Peloton laid off thousands of employees earlier this year.

Real estate firm Re/Max slashed 17% of its workforce. Netflix also cut jobs.

For many companies, even though business is increasing, their labor costs are becoming too much to bear. The combination is causing American companies across a variety of industries to slash headcount.

Shopify saw outsized growth during the pandemic. In 2020, its business essentially doubled, and it reported 57% revenue growth for 2021, up to $4.6 billion. Its gross merchandise volume — or the total value of sales conducted on the platform — grew 47% year over year. The company set an ambitious goal of making 2,021 technical hires in 2021.

According to Crunchbase News, which has been tracking layoffs in tech, more than 30,000 tech workers in the U.S. have been laid off in 2022.

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Insider Trading

A former U.S. congressman and an FBI agent trainee were among nine people indicted on federal charges connected to unrelated insider trading schemes, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced this week.

“We allege that each of the defendants charged today corrupted the integrity of the markets by stealing inside information or trading on stolen information. We also allege that several defendants tipped friends or family members with that stolen information so that they too could trade and benefit from an unfair advantage,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams told reporters on

Monday. “When insider trading occurs, investors who play by the rules are left to conclude that the deck is stacked against them.”

Stephen Buyer, a Republican who served as a U.S. representative from Indiana from 1993 through 2011 and participated as a trial manager during the impeachment of President Bill Clinton, has been charged with four counts of securities fraud for allegedly using his role as a business consultant for major companies to reap profits for himself and family members worth roughly $350,000.

Buyer was arrested Monday and faces up to 20 years in prison per count of securities fraud if convicted.

In one of three additional cases, an indictment accuses former FBI trainee, Seth Markin, 31, of using merger information he secretly obtained from his then-girlfriend – a lawyer working on the transaction – to benefit himself, friends and family members last year. He had looked at his girlfriend’s documents without her permission and then tipped off at least 20 people to the merger.

Markin and co-defendant Brandon Wong made more than $1.4 million in profits from the illegal trading.

Home Prices Hit All-Time High

Home prices in the U.S. hit a new alltime high in June, despite sales dropping for the fifth month straight.

According to a report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the median home price in June was $416,000, up 13.4% from one year ago.

The number marks over a decade of yearover-year monthly price gains.

Sales of existing homes dropped 5.4% in June from May and 14.2% from one year ago. June also saw the lowest sales figures since June 2020 – which had been an artificial low due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the same time, the number of homes available for sale at the end of June rose 9.6% from May and 2.4% from

a year ago.

Meanwhile, mortgage rates are climbing, reducing buyers’ purchasing power. And even though purchase rates are slowing, the average number of days a property spends on the market before being sold is at a record 14; last year, the number was 17, while a typical market would see properties up for sale for nearly 30 days.

Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist, noted, “Falling housing affordability continues to take a toll on potential homebuyers. Both mortgage rates and home prices have risen too sharply in a short span of time.

“Homes priced right are selling very quickly, but homes priced too high are deterring prospective buyers,” he added.

“Whenever homes are listed, they are attracting buyers.”

He concluded, “I don’t foresee any oversupply coming, even as sales retreat.”

THC Addictions New research published in The Lancet details an association between high cannabis potency – or concentration of THC – and an increased risk of psychosis

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and cannabis use disorder (CUD).

“THC concentrations in cannabis have increased globally in recent decades,” the authors wrote. “In the USA and Europe, the concentration of THC has more than doubled over the past 10 years, and new legal markets have facilitated the rapid development of cannabis products with higher potencies than earlier products, such as concentrated extracts.”

THC is the psychoactive component in cannabis and its effects are dose-dependent. In the past, researchers have proposed a standardized unit of 5 mg of THC for all cannabis products. Lowpotency was classified as between 5 mg and 10 mg of THC per product in the current review.

Around three in 10 marijuana users in the United States currently have marijuana use disorder, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show.

As of May, a total of 19 states, Washington, D.C., and Guam have legalized marijuana, while a bill aimed at decriminalizing the substance at the federal level was passed by the Democratic-majority House of Representatives in April.

“Policy makers should carefully consider cannabis potency when regulating cannabis in legal markets, such as through limits or taxes based on THC concentration,” researchers warned.

A total of 119,581 participants were included in the review. One study revealed those who used high potency cannabis daily were five times more likely to be diagnosed with a psychotic disorder compared with those who never use THC. The research marks the first review of its kind to take a wide look at addiction and mental health risks associated with highly potent cannabis use.

Alaska’s Raging Wildfires Wildfires are raging across Alaska this year, with more than 530 wildfires burning thousands of acres. Thankfully, the flames have consumed little property, although many residents have had to

evacuate. One person has died due to the fires: a helicopter pilot died last month when he crashed while attempting to carry a load of equipment for firefighters.

Recent rains have helped, but longer-term forecasts are showing a pattern similar to 2004, when July rains gave way to high-pressure systems, hot days, low humidity and lightning strikes that fueled Alaska’s worst fire year.

In 2004, the acreage burned by mid-July was about the same as now, but by the time that fire season ended, 10,156 square miles (26,304 square kilometers) were charred.

“The frequency of these big seasons has doubled from what it was in the second half of the 20th century,” said Rick Thoman, a climate specialist with the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy at the University of Alaska’s International Arctic Research Center.

“And there’s no reason to think that’s not going to continue.”

Alaska is dealing with sparse rainfall.

Parts of the nation’s largest state saw an early snow melt and then a largely rainfree June that dried out the duff layer — the band of decaying moss and grasses that blankets the floors of boreal forests and the tundra. This organic matter can be up to 2 feet thick but in various stages of decay.

On May 31, a lightning strike on the duff layer in the Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta started the East Fork fire, an area in southwest Alaska that rarely burns. Two communities with a combined population of about 700 were threatened but no mandatory evacuations were ordered in what became the largest wildfire ever in the delta at 259 square miles.

In Alaska, a little more than half of all wildfires are started by lightning and the rest are caused by humans accidentally, intentionally or through negligence. Of the 4,687 square miles burned so far this year, only 2 square miles have been from human-caused fires.

Many of Alaska’s fires are not put out by firefighters. Instead, the state allows them to burn out. Firefighting resources are generally used to battle fires in populated areas.

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Rep. Zeldin Assaulted A suspect accused of using a sharp weapon to attempt an attack on Rep. Lee Zeldin last week has been arrested on a federal assault charge.

Zeldin is the Republican candidate running for governor of New York.

The attempted attack took place outside a Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall near Rochester, N.Y., where Zeldin was speaking. In the attack, a man later identified by the police as David G. Jakubonis approached Zeldin with a pointed weapon described by federal officials as a keychain with two sharp points.

Jakubonis pulled Zeldin down before being dragged away by several people who were nearby. Zeldin was not injured.

Jakubonis appeared on Saturday in federal court in Rochester. Earlier, he had been charged with attempted assault in the second degree, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said. Following this, he was released without bail.

The federal charge was assaulting a member of Congress using a dangerous weapon, and it carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison.

Zeldin, who has made New York’s ris-

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ing crime rate a central focus of his campaign’s attacks on incumbent Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, said in a statement he was “thankful that federal authorities came in to do what New York State’s broken pro-criminal justice system could not – uphold the rule of law.”

According to the criminal complaint filed Saturday, Jakubonis, an Army veteran, allegedly told authorities he had consumed whiskey on the day of the campaign event and “must have checked out” as he walked on the stage and asked if Zeldin was disrespecting veterans.

Jakubonis told authorities he did not know who Zeldin was at the time.

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A new study by the U.S. Census Bureau and Harvard University shows that a majority of millennials in the U.S. live near where they grew up.

The study, released on Monday, showed that by age 26, over two-thirds of young adults in the U.S. live in the same area where they grew up. A full 80% of young adults moved less than 100 miles away from their childhood homes, and 90% live within 500 miles of their childhood homes.

Race also plays a part. The study noted that migration distances were shorter for Black and Hispanic young adults when compared to white or Asian young adults.

Income also played a role: Adult children of higher-income parents traveled further away than those of less wealthy parents. The study emphasized that “for many individuals, the ‘radius of econom-

Chinese Infiltration?

A garden which the Chinese government offered to build in Washington, D.C., would have served China well for intelligence collection, CNN said in an exclusive report.

The garden, which China offered to spend $100 million to build in 2017, would have included an ornate garden at the National Arboretum, as well as temples, pavilions, and a 70-foot white pagoda.

Despite the alluring offer, when U.S. counterintelligence officials began examining the proposal, they realized that the pagoda would have been placed at one of the highest points in Washington, D.C., two miles from the Capitol and perfectly situated for intelligence collection.

In addition, Chinese officials wanted to build the pagoda with materials shipped to the U.S. in diplomatic pouches, which are not permitted to be examined by U.S. Customs officials.

The Wall Street Journal first reported the security concerns in 2018; federal officials quietly killed it before construction began.

Since 2017, U.S. federal officials have investigated Chinese land purchases near critical infrastructure, closing down a high-profile regional consulate which the U.S. government believed to be full of Chinese spies and stonewalling what they believed to be efforts to plant listening devices near sensitive facilities.

CNN said that one of the most alarming things discovered by the FBI is that Chinese-made Huawei equipment atop some cell towers near U.S. military bases are capable of capturing and disrupting highly restricted Defense Department communications, including those used by U.S. Strategic Command, which oversees the country’s nuclear weapons.

The Chinese government has strongly denied any efforts to spy on the U.S. Additionally, Huawei has denied that its equipment is capable of operating in any communications spectrum allocated to the Defense Department. At the same time, however, multiple sources familiar with the investigation confirmed to CNN that there is “no question” Huawei’s equipment can intercept the highly restricted airwaves used by the military and disrupt critical U.S. Strategic Command communications.

In 2021, the Commerce Department opened its own probe of the matter; that probe was first reported on by Reuters.

Among the concerns that U.S. national security officials have is that external communication from the Huawei equipment, such as that which occurs when software is updated, may be exploited by the Chinese government.

FBI Director Christopher Wray told CNN that the agency opens a new China counterintelligence investigation approximately once every 12 hours.

“That’s probably about 2,000 or so investigations. And that’s not even talking about their cyber theft, where they have a bigger hacking program than that of every other major nation combined, and have stolen more of Americans’ personal and corporate data than every nation combined,” Wray said.

“We’re concerned about allowing any company that is beholden to a nation state that doesn’t adhere to and share our values, giving that company the ability to burrow into our telecommunications infrastructure.”

In its statement, Huawei told CNN, “All of our products imported to the U.S. have been tested and certified by the FCC before being deployed there. Our equipment only operates on the spectrum allocated by the FCC for commercial use.

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ic opportunity’ is quite narrow.”

Destination varied by race, the study added. For Black young adults, Atlanta was the most popular destination, followed by Houston and Washington. For White young adults, top destinations included New York, Los Angeles, Washington, and Denver. Hispanic and Asian young adults preferred Los Angeles and New York; after those two, Hispanics preferred San Antonio and Phoenix, while Asians preferred San Francisco.

The report added that young adults in Appalachia were less likely to move far away than those of similar incomes living elsewhere.

The study is backed up by a survey from the Pew Research Center. Released last week, the survey showed that 25% of U. S. adults ages 25-34 resided in a multigenerational family household in 2021, a significant rise from 1971’s 9%.

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This means it cannot access any spectrum allocated to the DOD.” It asserted, “For more than 30 years, Huawei has maintained a proven track record in cyber security, and we have never been involved in any malicious cyber security incidents.”

DOJ Sues Poultry Producers

The U.S. Department of Justice on Monday filed a lawsuit against some of the largest poultry producers in the United States.

Along with the lawsuit, the DoJ proposed a settlement seeking to end what it claims are longstanding deception and abusive practices towards workers.

The suit, which was filed in a Maryland federal court, names Cargill, Sanderson Farms, and Wayne Farms, along with a data consulting company known as Webber, Meng, Sahl and Co. and its president.

The suit alleges that the companies have been engaged in a multiyear conspiracy to exchange information about the wages and benefits of workers at poultry processing plants, so as to drive down employee competition in the marketplace.

Thanks to these efforts, the suit claims, the companies were able to compete less intensely and reduce the amount of money and benefits offered to the workers.

The defendants and their unnamed “co-conspirators” account for hiring approximately 90% of all chicken processing jobs in the USA. Doha Mekki, the principal deputy assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s antitrust division, said, “Through a brazen scheme to exchange wage and benefit information, these poultry processors stifled competition and harmed a generation of plant workers who face demanding and sometimes dangerous conditions to earn a living.”

Snacking Snake

This snake was caught eating the wrong thing – and wound-up needing help.

A snake in Colorado apparently tried to eat some chicken eggs. The problem was that the round objects that it thought were eggs were really golf balls. Golf balls are not good things to eat.

This snake found that out the hard way. After struggling with the load and being caught in a fence, the Northern Colorado Wildlife Center had to be called down to help the serpent.

“Well, you don’t see this every day,”

the center wrote in a Facebook post. “Our team was called to help this bullsnake who became stuck in a fence after swallowing two golf balls within a chicken coop; it had mistaken them for edible chicken eggs.”

The golf balls were causing a serious blockage in the snake’s intestines. Staff at the center eventually began the slow process of helping the snake regurgitate the balls using special techniques.

“All in all, the slow, careful process took Kate and Michela approximately 30 minutes to complete,” the center wrote.

Thankfully, the procedure went well.

“As of now, the snake is doing very well and only has minor soreness and scale damage,” Northern Colorado Wildlife Center wrote. “It was hungry, of course, and has already eaten a small meal from us.”

Ssss-ounds great.

Pop Furniture Balloons are fun to play with; they’re fun to have around. But what if you could have them around your home every day, all day? What if you could sit on them and read your paper or do your homework?

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is reimagining balloons as furniture. His candy-colored, plump chairs and benches are made up of blown-up balloons.

Since graduating in 2013, Yang has been hard at work designing furniture from balloons. The challenge? Well, he needs to make sure they don’t pop.

The two Swiss tourists were sitting down for a drink in one of the city’s main squares when they were approached by a young man, who pulled out a gun and held it to the head of one of the men, before grabbing his watch and walking off.

But the story doesn’t end there. You see, these were discerning thieves. Several minutes after the heist, another young man made his way through the café’s outdoor seating area, raising his hands in a gesture of apology, saying sorry, and then delivered the watch back to its owner.

The watch, it turns out, was not worth $300,000; it was a fake.

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Each furnishing takes around two weeks to create, and Yang claims they “cannot be burst” thanks to a special coating of epoxy resin.

“My work is glossy when it’s completed,” Yang explained. “Some people think (the finished product) won’t be hard, but it is hard.”

Balloons are inflated and then molded into various shapes to form each part of the design. For example, a stool has 3 “legs,” and a longer balloon is made into a spiral shape for the seat. Colored resin is applied in layers; with more coats needed in order to make the delicate material strong enough to carry weight. Once all the elements are dry and solid, the furniture is assembled and dipped into the resin one final time.

Yang has caught the eye of designers worldwide, but he has one goal in mind: he is setting his sights on making a two-person sofa with his colorful balloons.

Pop!

Kind Thieves

888.883.2323 Call. Text. Whatsapp

Call our Confidential Hotline to discuss any issues about relationships or domestic abuse. We provide a listening ear to all.

Our referrals help our callers gain access to helpful resources, including legal assistance, counseling, and safe shelters. For more information and to speak with a trained advocate, please visit www.shalomtaskforce.org.

No oNe Deserves To Be ABuseD

Some parts of Naples are known for the unsavory characters that walk the streets. Two tourists in the Italian city got a taste of the grittiness when they were robbed at gunpoint.

A trio of Nepalese climbers who reached the summit of Mount Everest has earned a Guinness World Record for the most sisters to climb Everest together.

Dawa Futi Sherpa, Tshering Namgya Sherpa, and Nima Jangmu Sherpa said their quest to summit Everest was only the first part of their project, which they dubbed “Three Sisters on Seven Summits.”

The girls said they are planning to climb the highest summits on each of the seven continents.

Climbing runs in the family.

“Our grandfather and father were climbers. We want to dedicate our Mount Everest summit to our late father, Dorjee Sherpa, who used to be a climbing Sherpa and guide,” Dawa Futi Sherpa told Guinness World Records.

“In 1982, he joined a Japanese Expedition to Everest in winter and, there, he lost 8 fingers to frostbite, still he continued climbing with his remaining fingers until 2007,” she said.

Their brother, Mingma Gyalje Sherpa, has climbed Everest six times and helped them prepare for their attempt.

Next on the horizon will be Russia’s Mount Elbrus.

Sounds like they’re social climbers.

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Would you know what to do?

Community-wide

ACHIEZER IS PROUD TO PRESENT A

CPR COURSE

All classes are free of charge thanks to the generosity of our sponsors

Monday, August 1, 7:30 PM: Women

Separate women’s classes in both English and Spanish (caregivers welcome)

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ADULT CPR CHILD CPR DEFIBRILLATION ADULT AND PEDIATRIC CHOKING PROCEDURES RSVP Required: mkeilson@achiezer.org or 516-791-4444 ext. 113

JULY 28, 2022 | The Jewish Home

Child choking at a BBQ...

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Community The Kiruv Revolution in Our Backyard

by Mordechai Kastlebaum

M

ost people don’t think of the Five Towns as the epicenter of Kiruv Rechokim. But that has begun to change over the past few years with a quiet revolution taking place right in our backyard.

With the dizzying amount of chessed that takes place in our community, it is no surprise that the Five Towns is now home to one of the largest immersive Kiruv programs in America. The Shaar, the yeshiva for young men from less-affiliated backgrounds, has exploded onto the scene and has quickly become part of the fabric of our Mosdos HaTorah.

Its mission is both simple and unique: to bring secular young professionals together in an immersive, genuine yeshiva setting to introduce them to a life of Torah and mitzvos. In fact, it is one of the few such programs in the entire world, enabling young men to grow at their own

pace within a structured but personalized experience. There are currently close to 70 full- and part-time young men learning and growing at The Shaar every day!

Some of these young men have chosen to put their studies and careers on hold while they enjoy the unparalleled experience of inspiring Torah life in an immersive full-day yeshiva setting. Others continue to work and grow their careers, while learning at night and participating in the Shaar’s Shabbos and weekend programming. They hail from cities across the country and from diverse backgrounds, yet they all share an incredible drive to advance their Yiddishkeit in a meaningful way.

The Shaar’s quiet revolution takes place in the hallowed Beis Medrash of Sh’or Yoshuv where a full day of Torah and Tefillah starts with Shacharis at

7:55am. From there, the packed schedule includes intensive Gemara shiurim, given at four basic levels, plus Chumash, halacha, and a strong program for middos development.

The yeshiva is led by Rabbi Mayer Hurwitz and R’ Shlomo Reich, as well as the recent addition of Rabbi Ephraim Kamin.

One of the most innovative elements of The Shaar’s program is its amazing and dynamic integration in the local frum community. Shaar students are seen at numerous local shuls where they daven, learn and interact with local families. They share Shabbos seudos together at community homes, and they learn, sing and dance together regularly at the Shaar’s legendary Thursday evening mishmars at many community shuls, where Shaar guys learn one-on-one with shul members followed by live music and

amazing achdus.

Many people have commented that a transformation is taking place in our community, with many local families now actively involved in outreach in a real and meaningful way. The results have already been phenomenal! Shaar participants have made great strides in their Yiddishkeit and made Torah and mtzvos a central part of their lives. Shabbos, kashrus, tefillin, davening, yomim tovim… these integral elements of frum life are now a part of their lives as they continue their journey towards a more religious life.

The Shaar will soon hold its annual fundraiser and needs your support to help expand its programs and reach more of the myriads of unaffiliated college students and young professionals around the country. Please visit Rayze. it/Shaar to make a donation.

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SKA Class Of ‘97 Celebrates 25th Year Reunion

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SKA 25th reunion - Jerusalem

embers of the first graduating class of the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls gathered for a beautiful buffet dinner on Tuesday evening, July 19, for their 25th high school reunion at the home of Mrs. Shani Hollander.

Women from the Class of ‘97 had the

opportunity to share memories with SKA Founding Prinicipal Mrs. Helen Spirn, along with Dr. Mila Khlar, Mrs. Sheila Leibtag and Mrs. Terri Wagner, who have been teaching at SKA since its beginning.

Director of Development Mrs. Elissa Schertz Kirshner, ‘03, joined the women in celebrating their special bond.

SKA 25th reunion - New York

Mrs. Aliza Weiner Caplan and Mrs. Esther Oppenheimer Goldfeder, now SKA’s Physical Education faculty member and Softball Coach, spoke of the achdut of the class which has held tight over so many years. They expressed hakarat hatov to Mrs. Spirn, who had the foresight to put together this amaz-

ing group and believe in them throughout their academic years, starting the school on its incredible path. The reunion was filled with much reminiscing and laughter!

A heartwarming reunion was also held in Jerusalem on July 3 with 11 class members who made aliyah.

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Around the Community

Young Israel of Jamaica Estates Celebrates 43rd Anniversary

T

he Young Israel of Jamaica Estates recently held its annual anniversary dinner. They feel fortunate to be have been able to continue this tradition, that for most organizations came to a halt in 2020 and 2021, to pay kavod to the their members who have gone above and beyond to make this kehilla a home.

In the second Mishna of Pirkei Avot, Shimon HaTzaddik states, “The world stands on three things: Torah, Avodah and Gemilut Chasadim.” With this axiom as a backdrop, Dinner Chairperson,Yael Schreiber recognized Rabbi Julius and Dorothy Berman and Rabbi Mayer and

Estee Waxman as “authentic and dedicated individuals truly devoted to the Jamaica Estates community and the larger Jewish community and so we honor them as our Pillars.”

A special Hakarat Hatov was also expressed to Dovid Schachner, a lifelong resident of Eastern Queens who has volunteered at YIJE for the last 32 years working quietly behind the scenes assisting with many aspects of the synagogue’s operation and during the recent pandemic, taking on the responsibility for security of the shul.

Many distinguished guests including the President of Yeshiva Universi-

ty, Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz, the Abraham Arbesfeld Chair of the Director of the Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik Semikhah Program, Mara D’atra of the Beis HaKnesses of North Woodmere, and Yeshiva Har Torah Head of School, Rabbi Gary Menchel, were on hand as tribute videos for each honoree were screened and gifts, citations and proclamations were presented on behalf of the synagogue, State Assemblyman, David Weprin and City Councilman, James Gennaro. Outgoing YIJE President Harold Biller noted that the honorees each accepted, and generally volunteer, graciously and with-

out fanfare or hesitation because they understand that “leadership in a shul involves allowing oneself to be in the spotlight for a moment, as uncomfortable as it feels to people who are generally so humble.”

In a video message from Yerushalayim, YIJE Rabbi Emeritus Rabbi Shlomo Hochberg described how all of the “honorees are acutely attuned to the needs of others, continuously responding to those needs with open hearts and outstretched hands.” He expressed a “deep appreciation for all their extraordinary efforts for klal Yisrael and for our YIJE family.”

During his presentation to the honorees, YIJE Mara D’atra Rabbi Dr. Dov Lerner expressed how the “YIJE community is a place that exerts tremendous effort to foster celebration in ways that deepens my faith every single day. Our shul is more than a structure for the performance of ritual gestures—at its core is a community, even a family committed enthusiastically to our collective mission and devoted to lifting each other’s spirits.

There is shira, a harmony, and simcha, a joy, at the root of all that we do.” He added, “This evening, our Guests of Honor are exemplars of this spirit of commitment to infusing service with simcha— avodah b’simcha.”

A video recap of the dinner and presentations can be found at yije.org.

World Mizrachi’s “Dream Team” Showcases Support for the State of Israel

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ive top Anglo-Israeli religious Zionist educators have just finished their first tour through U.S. Jewish communities as part of World Mizrachi’s “Dream Team.” The initiative, in its pilot year, is positioned to elevate Zionism across the diaspora following the steady increase of anti-Zionist sentiments around the globe.

The program visited with and brought programming to seven Modern Orthodox schools and communities in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Illinois. The next Dream Team mission is already being planned for early next year, with hopes of reaching even more communities across the States.

Programming kicked off on the East Coast, with specialized curriculum at each stop designed to help at-

tendees explore Israel’s historical and religious role as the homeland of the Jewish people. The sessions reached participants of all ages through dynamic speeches and song, in addition to game-like activities to enable younger members of the community to connect with their Jewish heritage and the State of Israel.

Schools visited included Hebrew Academy of Nassau County and Shulamith School for Girls both on Long Island; Manhattan Day School in New York City; The Moriah School in Englewood, NJ; Kohelet Yeshiva Lab and Middle Schools and Kohelet Yeshiva High School, both in Philadelphia, PA. The initiative was funded by the World Zionist Organization’s religious affairs department, the control for

which was a tremendous achievement resulting from the Orthodox Israel Co-

alition’s (OIC) historic victory in the 2020 World Zionist Congress elections.

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Around the Community

Loads of Fun at Camp Matov

Purim in July at Hillel Day Camp

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e danced through Week 4 of Hillel Day Camp for Purim in July. There were costumes galore, hamantaschen making in baking, face painting by our wonderful Art Morahs, and an incredible carnival by New York Fun Factory!

We managed to stay cool despite the heat with loads of different water activities, swim, and indoor specialties. We rounded out the week with an amazing Rikudiah performed by our 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade girls. Guided by our Morah Tali, they put on a great dance show, and we had so much fun singing and dancing along.

Our amazing upper division had their overnight to Club Getaway with dance parties, basketball games, team building activities, and bonding with counselors and friends. The sleepaway experience builds our campers in many ways,

including independence, self-confidence and resilience!

Sports Highlights Yahli Stein dominated the field this week in our Soccer Leagues. He scored 7 out of the 8 goals for his team (England).

He was motivated and made sure his team did the best they could, even when it was extremely hot out there.

In softball, Rafi Calm (B5) made an exceptional defensive play for the Yankees to get the lead runner at second to stop a lategame rally and clinch the 17-16 win over Ezra Kanarfogel (SB2) and the Red Sox. In hockey, Daniel Weinstein’s (B5) goaltending efforts mixed with Gavi Orenstein’s (SB1) late game heroics led the Rangers past the Red Wings in a close, 2-1, affair, paving the way for the Rangers to start the season undefeated at 2-0.

Eretz Hakodesh Chairman Speaks Out at Jewish Agency Meeting

T

hanks to the efforts of Rabbi Pesach Lerner, chairman of Eretz Hakodesh, the Orthodox Charedei party in Israel’s National institutions, the status quo at the Kosel Hamaaravi did not become the subject of a resolution by the board of governors of the JAFI-Jewish Agency for Israel, a powerful and influential international organization.

Rabbi Lerner, who is a member of the JAFI board of governors representing the Eretz Hakodesh party, was in Israel for the JAFI’s three days of board of governors meetings.

He attended a meeting, Tuesday, July 12, of 250 members of the executive board and the board of JAFI. The meeting was originally scheduled to express

their indignation and anger after an incident that took place on June 30 at the Ezras Yisroel area at the Kosel set aside for mixed prayer. A small group of religious Jewish teens disturbed three “bnei mitzvot” ceremonies being held there.

The response from the Reform, Conservative, and other liberal movements was fast and fierce, painting the Orthodox community with a broad brush and calling for wide-ranging changes to be made to the prayer setup at the Kosel, asking for the Israeli government to implement the Kotel Compromise Agreement that is currently on hold.

At the gathering, the Jewish Agency board members expressed their desire, in response to the June 30 incident, to pass a resolution implementing those changes.

Rabbi Lerner, speaking on behalf of Eretz Hakodesh, standing as an individual against a group of many, was adamant that the Kosel’s status quo must remain, and that, while he condemned any and all violent confrontations, no changes can be made to compromise the kedusha of the Kosel.

Thanks to Rabbi Lerner’s strong position, the resolution to implement the Kosel Agreement was shelved.

The Jewish Agency resolution that remained condemned the June 30 incident and called for a completely halt to all violence.

“The presence of Eretz Hakodesh enables us to have a voice,” Rabbi Lerner observed after the meeting. “It is so vital that we be able to have a seat at

the table, so to speak, to ensure that the chareidi viewpoint is heard and that the arrangements currently in place at mekomos hakedoshim remain.”

Rabbi Lerner, who took the lead, was aided by others who assisted in making sure that the original anti-kedushas haKosel resolution never made it to the full board of governors. The Kosel agreement would give non-Orthodox streams official representation in the management of the Kosel and grant official status to the mixed section.

“This was historic,” said one of the Orthodox members of the board of governors. “The Orthodox voice had never been heard before at the JAFI. Kudos to Rabbi Lerner and EretzHakodesh for taking the lead.”

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Around the Community

Learn and Understand the Tragic Events Leading Up to the Churban Through the Eyes of Chazal

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hat more appropriate way to spend Tisha B’Av than to get a real understanding of the story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza and the Churban.

ArtScroll has just released a new, convenient softcover volume, The Schottenstein Edition of Ein Yaakov Orlofsky Family Edition of Seder Nashim - Tishah B’Av Excerpts from Tractate Gittin, which includes a flowing translation of

the aggadata on the Churban, designed for maximum readability.

The best known “Tisha B’Av Talmud study” is the collection of narratives that begins with the story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza and goes on to discuss the history of the destruction of the Second Beis HaMikdash and the sorrow and spiritual heroism of that period, discussed in Maseches Gittin 55b-58a.

This new volume containing that

portion of the Talmud – accompanied by notes based on the primary commentaries on Ein Yaakov and other sources, and “Insights” drawn from a vast range of commentaries – will bring welcome new understanding and meaning to its readers, hopefully inspiring us to long for the Final Redemption and elevate ourselves to be worthy of the coming of Moshiach.

New Legislation for Hatzalah Members

N

ew Legislation, sponsored by Senator Simcha Felder and Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein, was signed into law by Governor Hochul last Friday. The bill will allow Hatzalah members to respond more effectively during emergencies. It represents a huge victory for Hatzalah members and other medical emergency first responders who often had to fight red light, speeding, and bus lane camera tickets while legally rushing to an emergency. This new legislation will ensure that Hatzalah members will no longer have to worry about incurring traffic violations and fines as they rush to save lives.

When responding to life-threatening emergencies, time is of the essence and ev-

ery minute counts. Yet Hatzalah members were routinely being slapped with unnecessary and undeserved traffic violations incurred while rushing to patients. This new bill will ensure that operators of first-response emergency vehicles in the City of New York will no longer have to worry about monetary penalties while responding to a medical emergency.

The bill is more important now than ever as New York City is set to begin operating speed cameras in the five boroughs 24/7 as of August 1 st .

“Hatzalah volunteers are local heroes! Every single one of us is grateful for their selfless, lifesaving work.

24 hours a day, 7 days a week – even through a pandemic – nothing stops

them. Who would have thought that camera tickets generated while rushing to respond to emergencies are the biggest challenge they face? I am grateful to my colleagues and Governor Hochul; together, we helped the people who help us every day. Today, we all have a hand in Hatzalah’s lifesaving work by helping EMS volunteers focus on saving lives without the mounting burden of camera tickets,” said Senator Felder.

“This is a huge win for our heroic Hatzalah volunteers as well as all medical first responders. When it comes to saving a life, every minute counts.

That’s precisely why it’s so important that Hatzalah volunteers reach patients as quickly and efficiently as possible,

JSL coaches taught basketball clinics at Simcha Day Camp last week

without having to worry about monetary fines,” said Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein. “I am thankful and delighted that Governor Hochul signed our bill into law, recognizing that emergency medical first responders should be allowed to operate without concern of traffic violations.”

“Hatzalah is grateful to our special and caring representatives in Albany for recognizing this issue that affects their constituents and then following up with all the necessary parties and carrying through to enact positive legislation to answer the need,” said Rabbi Yehiel Kalish, CEO of Hatzalah. “It’s not just that Assemblyman Eichenstein and Senator Felder care. They care and they act effectively!”

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B’ezri is Bringing Joy Back to Their Summers

S

ummer is an exciting time…for those who can afford it. But for many Israeli families, says B’ezri, summer camp is far out of reach. A weekend getaway is way off the table.

Even three meals a day is a lucky treat.

For the families that American Friends of Yad Eliezer/B’ezri supports, when the kids are in school and if the parents can work, families can scrape by. But without school lunch, missing meals becomes a serious problem. And not being able to afford a summer outing or even a bus ride into town makes for a summer of misery.

B’ezri is looking to change that.

Speaking of a widow in Jerusalem (who wished to remain anonymous), B’ezri CEO Sori Tropper describes the woman’s panic, frightened state that without the help her family readily offers the rest of the year, she may not be able to keep her job through the summer. When it comes to the summer months, every-

body is too busy with their own plans to even think of her, the widow said. While she’s grateful to be able to have food to put on the table, she goes on, her children are miserable, stuck home for weeks on end without even the most basic outlet.

“It’s hard to describe the pain that parents go through when they have to say no to their children,” explains Chezki Hartman, Director of Development of B’ezri. “During the summer,” he continues, “kids have so much free time and they’re desperate to fill it. But when you struggle to put food on the table, extra spending money for a treat is totally out of the question.

“It is our mission to bring joy back into summer. “ With your help, American Friends of Yad Eliezer and B’ezri will be helping at least 3,000 families this summer.

Anyone wishing to help can donate to the summer campaign at Bezri.org/SummerRelief.

Crime Prevention Seminar

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he Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills proudly presents, in conjunction with the Queens Jewish Community Council, a community anti-crime program, featuring a presentation by Officer Hoffmann, Crime Prevention Officer of the 107th Police Precinct, on “Ways to protect yourself and others from crimes against people and property.”

The free event will be held at the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills (7005 150th Street, Flushing NY 11367, downstairs social hall) at 6:45 pm on Wednesday, August 10, 2022.

Attendees will be able to register electronic devices through the NYPD Operation ID program – a free program which registers the serial number of valuable portable electronics along with the name and contact information of the owner.

Registered items are more difficult for a thief to sell, and registered property found in the possession of a thief is easily

traceable to its rightful owner.

In addition, attendees will be able to register their vehicles under operation C.A.T., a citywide auto-theft deterrent program. Program participants complete and sign a registration form which certifies that the auto in question is not normally operated during specific hours of the day, then they are given colored decals stating this to affix to the left and right rear side windows of the auto. This provides police officers who see the vehicle in operation during those hours with the reasonable suspicion that any person operating the vehicle is doing so without the owner’s consent, justifying an investigative inquiry of the vehicle by the officers.

Any questions regarding the program can be directed to Rabbi Mayer Waxman of the Queens Jewish Community Council at 718-544-9033 or to Officer Hoffmann at 718-969-5998.

Chabad of the Beaches Fights Back

L

ate last week, First Liberty Institute, Sidley Austin LLP, and the Harvard Law School Religious Freedom Clinic filed a complaint and motion for preliminary injunction against the Village of Atlantic Beach, New York, seeking to halt the Village’s effort to seize property owned by a small Jewish group, Chabad of the Beaches, through eminent domain. On Friday, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York issued a temporary restraining order (“TRO”) preventing the Village from moving further and set a hearing date.

“The government must have a very compelling reason to seize a religious organization’s property. Taking a religious organization’s property to use it as the operations center for lifeguards is not a compelling reason,” said Jeremy Dys, Senior Counsel at First Liberty Institute.

“This is not a neutral act by an indifferent city council but seems to be the type of religious hostility that has no place in our country.”

Chabad of the Beaches purchased a property in Atlantic Beach, on Long Island, to build a Jewish community center. The property was vacant and for sale for several years, but within weeks of buying the property, and just two weeks after the Chabad used the proper-

ty to celebrate Chanukah, Village officials announced plans to take the property through eminent domain. The Village made no effort to purchase the property during the time it was available. Multiple alternative properties better suited to a community center and lifeguard operations facility, some already owned by the Village, were never considered.

The motion filed by Chabad attorneys states, “The Village’s violation of Chabad’s constitutional rights is irreparably harming the organization and, unless enjoined, will continue to do so. Furthermore, the public interest favors an injunction, given that the Village has no legitimate interest in pursuing so plainly an unlawful course of conduct and that there is no true urgency to the Village’s plans, as demonstrated by the Village’s year-plus of inaction and, indeed, the decades it has gone without a community center or lifeguard operations facility.

Accordingly, Chabad respectfully asks that the Court temporarily restrain and preliminarily enjoin Atlantic Beach and its officials from proceeding with taking Chabad’s property.”

A hearing on the preliminary injunction will take place on Friday, July 29 at 9:30 am at the United States Courthouse, 100 Federal Plaza, Islip, New York.

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CAHAL Participating Schools: * BBY * BY A M * HA FTR * HA LB * HA NC * S HULA MITH * TA G * Y DT * Y K LI * Y OS S *

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Around the Community

Fun in the Sun at Simcha Day Camp

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Around the Community

Rav Aryeh Malkiel Kotler, Rosh HaYeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha, addressing the talmidim at Yeshiva Darchei Torah’s Camp Oraysa last week

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H

AFTR graduate Aryeh Abramson (HAFTR High School ‘22) represented Team USA at the 2022 Maccabiah Games in Jerusalem. Maccabiah is the third largest sporting event in the world and is an Olympic sanctioned event.

A student of Warren Levy Martial Arts & Fitness in Cedarhurst, Aryeh competed in Shotokan Karate. He won a bronze medal for Team Kumite, a silver for Adult Team Kata, and a silver medal for U18 Team Kata.

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Around the Community

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Rav Yaakov Bender delivering a shmuess at Yeshiva Darchei Torah’s Camp Oraysa

The “Write” Way

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t the Torah Academy for Girls (TAG) Ganger Early Childhood Center, a strong emphasis is placed on using the most innovative and engaging strategies to ensure that the students build a strong foundation for learning. As writing is an essential building block, TAG has an ABC and handwriting special run by Mrs. Dena Isaacs, a registered and licensed occupational therapist who specializes in child development.

The program runs in both the kindergarten and pre-1A classrooms, with a half hour lesson weekly in each class-

room. The kindergarten program focuses on fostering visual memory of capital letters and mastering pre-writing foundation skills. The pre-1A program focuses on teaching letter formations for all lowercase letters in addition to learning the skills necessary for good sizing and spacing of letters as well as writing sentences.

The program is an immersive multisensory one, and Mrs. Isaacs works hand-in-hand with all the teachers to make sure that teaching techniques are carried over into the classroom all week so that students are set up to succeed. If you ask TAG students about Morah Dena,

the will tell you how fun it is to learn the ABCs and how proud they are of all that they have learned. Although currently on summer break, Mrs. Isaacs is in touch with the administration to prepare for the coming school year. In addition, Mrs. Isaacs is partnering this year with the first grade teachers at TAG to ensure that all that our students have learned over the last two years will be carried over as the pre-1A students have moved up to first grade!

For more information, please contact Dena Isaacs at denaisaacsOT1@gmail. com.

Children enjoyed the Young Israel of Far Rockaway’s youth department Shiva Asar B’Tammuz program last Sunday

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Serving

the Catskills and the surrounding areas

got fleishigs? choppeatery.com 848-863-4246 choppeatery@gmail.com

Glatt

Kosher

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Over 2,000 Join New Dirshu Chaburas Shas Iyun Program

Gedolei Yisrael Express Joy and Excitement Over New Program

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his past Rosh Chodesh Iyar, history was made in Klal Yisrael, as the Dirshu Chaburas Shas iyun kal program was launched beginning with masechta Bava Kama.

This program enables avreichim to become proficient in the entire Shas with a wide-ranging knowledge of Gemara, Rashi, Tosafos and the primary Rishonim and Acharonim b’iyun. The program covers an amud a day/2½ blatt per week, placing avreichim on a trajectory where they can complete Shas with iyun kal, in a matter of twenty years!

Last week, senior members of Dirshu’s hanhala led by Dirshu’s Nasi, Rav Dovid Hofstedter, visited numerous Gedolei Yisroel including HaGaon HaRav Dov Landau, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of the Slabodka Yeshiva; HaGaon Chacham Shalom Cohen, shlita, Rosh Yeshivat Porat Yosef; the Sanzer Rebbe, shlita; and HaGaon HaRav Dovid Cohen, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of the Chevron Yeshiva.

Rav Dovid Cohen: Keep On Enriching Klal Yisroel An indication of the importance that Rav Dovid Cohen attaches to the program is that he met with the hanhala of Dirshu, although as was widely reported, upon his return to Eretz Yisroel from America, he was hospitalized with heart difficulties. He spent Shabbos in the hospital and underwent the procedure early the next week. After returning home, he insisted on not rescheduling the appointment and held a comprehensive meeting with hanhalas Dirshu. Rav Dovid Cohen has been instrumental in giving guidance and spending untold number of hours helping to design the program.

Rav Dovid Cohen was extremely pleased to hear that the special kuntress published by Dirshu each month with maarei mekomos of the primary Rishonim and Acharonim on the sugyos being learned in the Chaburas Shas program has been extremely well received by the some-2,000 participants. In fact, the Rosh Yeshiva expressed his tremendous satisfaction that there has been such a demand to join the program. The program is not an easy program; it was hardly advertised and still there is such a demand!

Indeed, not only are the members of the program using the maarei mekomos and related material but so many have contacted Dirshu’s hanhala with ha’aros and questions on the kuntress.

This shows how much they are involved in the program.

Rav Dovid was also pleased to hear that the program has become accepted among the many different sectors of Klal Yisroel – Ashkenazim, Sefardim, Yeshivish types and Chassidim.

Rav Dovid Cohen related, “This type of program is one that will be mosif v’holech. It is so well structured and fills such an important need that you will see that these 2,000 new participants are just the first offering. It will go far beyond that.”

Rav Dovid concluded by saying that creating this program and offering it to Klal Yisroel is a an incalculable zechus and zikui rabbim. He then gave the hanhala of Dirshu his warmest bracha saying, “Hashem will give you tremendous hatzlacha and siyatta d’Shmaya. Keep on enriching Klal Yisroel with these wonderful programs that encourage limud haTorah at the highest levels!”

Born at the Recent Dirshu Convention The Chaburas HaShas program was announced by Rav Dovid Hofstedter at the Siyum Melava Malka of the most recent Dirshu Convention this past Chodesh Adar in the main ballroom of the Armon Hotel in Stamford, Connecticut.

He said, “After much consultation with numerous Roshei Yeshiva and with the bracha of the Gedolei Hador, the consensus is that we need to start a new program, a program of limud haShas b’iyun. It has been our minhag to announce new Dirshu programs at the culminating melava malka of a unique Dirshu Shabbos. Tonight, we are, be’ezras Hashem, launching the new Dirshu Chaburas HaShas Initiative! The basic structure of the two-track program will be Track 1 Gemara, Rashi and Tosafos and Track II Gemara, Rashi and Tosafos with ikker Rishonim and Acharonim. The program will require learning one amud a day, five days a week with Friday and Shabbos consecrated for chazarah. Of course, there will be monthly tests on all material learned.”

Rav Dovid Hofstedter discussing the new Chaburas Shas program with HaRav Sholom Cohen

The Sanzer Rebbe: “Torah is the Greatest Bracha!”

The visit with the Sanzer Rebbe, shlita, in Netanya was also a fascinating one. Rav Hofstedter related that the Rebbe told him that his father, the Shefa Chaim of Sanz, would say that learning Gemara is the neshama of Klal Yisroel.

“This means,” said the Sanzer Rebbe, “learning with iyun. Even if a person is devoting much of his time to learning in-depth halacha, he should never neglect the learning of Gemara because that is the neshama of Klal Yisroel.”

When the Rebbe was asked to give his bracha to the new program, he, of course, gave his enthusiastic bracha but commented, “You don’t need my bracha. The Torah itself is the greatest bracha. You can’t compete with success, and Dirshu already has a track record of success with their various programs that strengthen limud haTorah among all segments of Klal Yisroel.

Indeed, it is important to continuously create new programs. Thus, someone who has already participated in one program can progress to an even more challenging program. So many people want to learn iyun. Many have already completed Shas on a more superficial level and want more. There are others who find it hard to learn superficially.

This program will provide new goals for so many.”

The Rebbe then added that creating new goals for which to strive bring out latent strengths that were buried. “So many more hours of limud haTorah are added when someone participates

in a program with a defined goal and tests. When a person has a goal, he finds hours in the day that he didn’t realize he had. I remember,” the Rebbe then reminisced, “my father, the Rebbe, zy”a, would rail against the fact that Fridays and motzoei Shabbosim when there was no official seder were being squandered. He created all kinds of programs to ensure that those hours would be properly utilized.

“Dirshu has done a remarkable thing,” the Rebbe concluded. “They have been instrumental in ensuring the Divine Promise that ‘Torah will not be forgotten among Yisroel.’ That itself brings the greatest bracha!”

Rav Shalom Cohen: “Ashreichem!”

When Dirshu’s hanhala came to visit Rav Shalom Cohen in his apartment in the Old City of Yerushalayim to tell him about the new program and ask for his bracha, Rav Cohen was very pleased and said, “Not only do you deserve a bracha but I must also give a bracha to those who are actually learning in the program. I give them my bracha that they should learn the material and know it! Hashem should help that you should merit to increase Torah learning in the best way possible!”

With tremendous warmth, Rav Shalom Cohen concluded, “May you succeed through these programs in infusing cheshek, desire for learning so that they will want to learn and learn and keep on learning.

“Ashreichem!”

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T H E S E B U I L D E R S H AV E A L R E A DY S T E P P E D F O R WA R D . W I L L YO U J O I N T H E M ?

MR. & MRS. BERISH & HANNAH FUCHS

SHAAR HATORAH

RESIDENCE HALL AND TORAH CENTER

‫לע”נ מוהר”ר יחיאל מיכל‬ ‫בן ישראל יהודה ע”ה‬ MESIVTA BEIS MEDRASH

MR. & MRS. DOVID & LEAH BRECHER Camp Oraysa Sports Complex

ANONYMOUS

Residence Hall Cornerstone

ANONYMOUS

Entranceway to Mesivta Beis Medrash Building

MESIVTA BEIS MEDRASH BUILDING

‫ה ליב ע”ה‬-‫לע”נ שלום ראובן בן ארי‬

MR. & MRS. BENJAMIN & JUDY LANDA

MR. & MRS. YITZCHOK & SHOSHANA GANGER

MR. & MRS. BENZION & MIRIAM HEITNER

ANONYMOUS

MR. & MRS. YUSSIE & SUSAN OSTREICHER

THE BIVETSKY FAMILY

MEMORIAL EXHIBIT TO THE YESHIVOS OF PREWAR EUROPE

GYMNASIUM WING

‫לע”נ חוה בת דב ע”ה‬ Dedicated by Mr. & Mrs. Yaakov & Rivky Jacobovitch

MR. & MRS. CHAIM & BRACHA SCHULHOF MR. & MRS. NISSAN & SARAH GITTY PROFESORSKE

THE SCHRON FAMILY

DEDICATION OF CAMP ORAYSA CAMPUS

In Memory of Mrs. Marta Schron ‫ע” ה‬

MR. & MRS. MOTTY & HADASA MENDELSOHN

Lobby Mesivta Beis Medrash Building

DR. & MRS. YOSSI & ZIVIA SCHWARTZ

Cornerstone, Mesivta Beis Medrash Building

MESIVTA OTZAR HASEFORIM

DEDICATED ANONYMOUSLY

NAYMAN FAMILY

Dedication Wall Mesivta Beis Medrash Building

MR. & MRS. CHAIM & ROCHELLA TREITEL Gymnasium Wing

MR. & MRS. NASSAN & DEVORAH TREITEL

Preschool Cornerstone

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‫לע”נ ישראל הלוי לעווין ע”ה‬ ‫ואלישבע בתיה קפלן ע”ה‬ Beis Medrash Vestibule Entrance

Dedication of Rosh Kollel’s Office MR. & MRS. NACHMAN & ESTHER GOODMAN Entrance of Beis Medrash Building

THE K TEAM

MR. & MRS. SHIA & ELANA OSTREICHER Beis Medrash Building Vestibule

‫לע”נ הרה”ג ר‘ דוד בן הרב אברהם בנדר זצ”ל‬ ‫והרבנית בתיה חיה בת הרב יעקב הלוי ז”ל‬ ‫לע”נ זעליג בן מרדכי ע”ה‬ ‫לע”נ משה אלעזר בן נטע שלום ע”ה‬ ‫לע”נ דוד בן משה ע”ה‬ ‫הר‘ משה נתן בן יחזקאל ע”ה‬ ‫וישראל בן אברהם ע”ה‬

‫לע”נ ר‘ ישראל‬ ‫בן ר‘ בנימין הכהן ע”ה‬

MR. & MRS. MOTTY & HADASSA JACOBOWITZ Promenade Vestibule

MR. & MRS. KEYVAN & ANN RABBANI

‫ לע”נ‬The children, bochurim, and all 45 neshamos of the Miron tragedy, Lag Baomer 5781

THE BLOOM FAMILY

MR. & MRS. URI & ESTHER KAUFMAN

MR. & MRS. URI & DEVORAH DREIFUS Ner Tamid

MR. & MRS. CHAIM SHOLOM & RIVKY LEIBOWITZ Associate Dean’s Office

MR. & MRS MORDECHAI & ELISHEVA ROSEN Illumination of New Beis Medrash

MR. & MRS. NACHUM & HENNY FUTERSAK MR. & MRS. SHMULI & MIRIAM MENDEL Sha’ar of New Beis Medrash ‫לע”נ משה אריה בן שמואל יצחק‬ ‫הלוי פריעדמן ז”ל‬

MR. & MRS. ARI & DANIELLA SCHWARTZ

Mr. & Mrs. Simcha & Shani Applegrad Mr. & Mrs. Barry & Paula Bokow Mr. & Mrs. Berel & Sherry Daskal Mr. & Mrs. Binyomin & Leah Einhorn Mr. & Mrs. Naftoli & Chani Einhorn Mr. & Mrs. Michael & Mimi Fragin Mr. & Mrs. Evan & Chaya Sara Genack Rabbi & Rebbetzen Chaim Aryeh Zev & Avigail Ginzberg Mr. & Mrs. Samuel & Beverly Goldberger Mr. & Mrs. Tzali & Chana Shira Gutman Mr. & Mrs. Ari & Aliza Haas Mr. & Mrs. Moshie & Naomi Horn Mr. & Mrs. Shlomo & Kayla Horowitz Mr. & Mrs. Menachem & Elisheva Jacobowitz

MR. & MRS. ALON & CHANIE GOLDBERGER Sha’ar of New Beis Medrash MR. & MRS. MENASH & MIMI ORATZ Basketball Court in Elementary School Gym

Plumbing Training Center Dedicated ‫לע”נ אברהם שלמה בן יחיאל מיכל הכהן ז”ל‬ ‫לע”נ הר‘ אברהם בן הר‘ חיים מנחם בן ציון זצ”ל‬ ALL BORO CONSTRUCTION

Mr. & Mrs. Mordechai & Shana Jacobs Mr. & Mrs. Jeff & Tamar Landy Mr. & Mrs. Yosef & Vivi Moskowitz Mr. & Mrs. Yitzy & Rivky Orbach Mr. & Mrs. Ephram & Ilana Ostreicher Mr. & Mrs. Mutty & Bracha Ribowsky Mr. & Mrs. David & Sima Rosenfeld Mr. & Mrs. Dovid & Chani Roll Dr. & Mrs. Zvi & Dina Schreiber Mr. & Mrs. David & Debbie Seltzer Mr. & Mrs. Andrew & Stephani Serotta Mr. & Mrs. Marvin & Judy Sigler Mr. & Mrs. Morris & Devora Smith Mr. & Mrs. Yehuda & Mindy Zachter

Yeshiva Darchei Torah’s new capital project will encompass a Mesivta Beis Medrash and its first-ever Residence Hall. The Beis Medrash building will be comprised of 34,200 total square feet on 4 Stories and will serve 500 talmidim in grades 8-11. It will contain 15 Classrooms. The 43,000 square foot Residence Hall will contain 68 dormitory rooms serving 271 talmidim.

Get in on the ground floor of this monumental project.

To choose from a wide selection of sponsorships at all levels, please contact: Rabbi Zev Bald 718.868.2300 ext. 232 zbald@darchei.org Rabbi Baruch Rothman 718.868.2300 ext. 406 brothman@darchei.org

darchei.org/building

JULY 28, 2022 | The Jewish Home

‫לע”נ נחמן יהודה בן יעקב דוד ע”ה‬ ‫ואשתו לאה בת יהודה אשר ע”ה‬ ‫ולע”נ יעקב ליב בן שלמה ע”ה‬

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Around the Community

A Daily Dose of Bitachon

Filling Your Day with Trust and Reliance on Hashem

By Rabbi David Sutton ArtScroll/Mesorah Publishing

B

itachon – knowing that you can fully rely on Hashem, and only on Hashem – is an essential part of our Chovos HaLevavos, our “service of the heart.” It is the wondrous gift that enables us to enjoy the blessing of “menuchas hanefesh” – a hard-to-define concept that includes serenity, tranquility, and peace of mind.

Rabbi David Sutton, author of many important works including Beis HaLevi on Bitachon and Embrace Shabbos, shares with us more than 130 chapters, designed for the consistent daily use that enables truly effective change. Drawn from the classic wisdom of the Chovos HaLevavos Shaar HaBitachon, these insights into this “service of the heart” are remarkably contemporary, speaking to our own challenges. Each chapter ends with a practical takeaway, ensuring that we incorporate bitachon into our everyday encounters. And of course, Rabbi Sutton shares stories that show us the amazing power of bitachon.

In this new book, we will learn how to reframe our thoughts. We will explore Hashgachah Pratis. We will see how to properly balance hishtadlus, human effort, with bitachon in Hashem, and how to strengthen our connection to Hashem both in good times and hard ones.

Fitness experts say that to keep your heart strong and healthy, you need to do a cardio workout. And you need to do it regularly and consistently. It’s the same

with bitachon: To keep your “service of the heart” strong and healthy, you need a daily workout. And that’s what this book gives you: A cardio workout of the spirit!

Same Picture, Different Focus When our life is running well and we’re achieving our goals, Rabbi Sutton explains, bitachon isn’t much of a challenge. We have little difficulty believing that Hashem loves us. The confusion seeps in when troubles drop into our lives uninvited, unexpected, and seemingly undeserved.

The Chovos HaLevavos concedes that many things happen in life that don’t appear to be good. Our response to these occurrences determines whether the challenge will strengthen our bitachon or wear it down. By changing our focus — reframing the picture — we shed our fear or resentment and perceive that what has occurred is good. It is not a sign of Hashem’s rejection but, rather, of His love.

The Chovos HaLevavos illustrates this concept with one of the most touching interactions a person can witness — a new mother bathing her infant for the first time. The mother pours all her love and care into preparing the bath, ensuring that it is just the right temperature.

She nervously, carefully lowers her baby into the water and uses the gentlest soap to clean him. The baby reacts by flailing and screaming. He doesn’t have the capacity to know that the bath is good

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for him and that it is being given with boundless love. He doesn’t like how it feels, and that’s all that matters to him.

This scene, says the Chovos HaLevavos, is the paradigm by which we can reframe the disturbing occurrences in our lives: “We can…see G-d as our parent Who loves us most in the world.”

Using this idea to reframe events in our life is a key to imbuing our everyday life with bitachon, as this story illustrates: It was a busy night for a certain community rabbi. He had attended a wedding and a few other events, and by the time he finally got to sleep, it was well past midnight. At around 3 a.m., he was awakened by a phone call from Hatzalah.

They were with an at-risk teen who needed to be transported to an emergency room, but the boy was refusing to get into the ambulance unless this rabbi would accompany him.

The rabbi was very tired and asked the volunteers to tell the teen that he’d meet him in the hospital the next morning. The patient refused to go without the rabbi, and Hatzalah said they were in his driveway, waiting. Reluctantly, the rabbi got up, dressed, and went into the ambulance, wondering along the way, “Why is this happening? Why can’t I just get some sleep? Why is Hashem doing this?”

Then he caught himself and reframed: “If it was decreed in Heaven that I should have to go to the hospital in an ambulance in the middle of the night, it’s better to go as the support person and not as the patient!”

It all depends on how you look at it.

This rabbi chose to see things differently, and in doing so, he spared himself hours of frustration and resentment.

This is an outlook anyone can develop. We can learn it for ourselves and at the same time teach it to our children, as an invaluable tool for life, as the grandfather in the following story did: Recently, a member of our congregation brought his 8-year-old grandson with him to shul on Shabbos. The little boy heard my speech, in which I mentioned reframing. On their way home from shul, the boy asked his grandfather what reframing meant.

The wise grandfather asked the boy, “Do you like it when it rains?”

The boy replied that he didn’t, because the rain ruins his plans to play outside. The grandfather then asked the boy to think of something positive about the rain. The boy answered that the rain waters the flowers and causes the fruits and vegetables to grow.

“That’s reframing,” said the grandfather.

The boy’s eyes lit up. He got it. He understood.

Reframing is easy to learn. Even a child can master this life-altering skill.

And this new book can help us get there, showing us the amazing power of bitachon, and how filling our day with trust and reliance on Hashem can transform our lives.

Did you know?

The longest interstate highway, I-90, from Seattle to Boston, is 3,085.3 miles

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THIs Week, TJH speaks WITH…

HALB’s Avnet Country Day School

By SuSan Schwamm

Two months of amazing summer fun! For the last few weeks, our children have been basking in the sun, swimming, singing, and soaking up the fun every day. How are they spending their time away from their desks?

In this series, we speak with camp directors and head counselors to learn more about our community’s amazing, spectacular, incredible, marvelous, unbelievable (you get the point!) camps.

Camp avnet, also known as avnet Country Day sChool, gives hunDreDs of Campers the time of their lives eaCh summer. with two Campuses, three pools, anD thousanDs of aCtivities eaCh week, eaCh Day at avnet is always roCking! this week, we spoke with Daniel strooCk, Camp DireCtor, to hear more about the energy, exCitement, anD nonstop fun that takes plaCe at Camp avnet every Day of the summer.

Daniel, Avnet has been around for over 60 years. How do you keep camp exciting in 2022?

We’re always looking for new ways to inspire and energize our campers and staff. This year, we decided to focus on reinvigorating our safety and ruach.

That’s why we launched our ”SPARRK” program. This program was designed to encourage exemplary behavior and promote good middot. SPARRK points are awarded for excelling in the key criteria of Safety, Participation, Avnet Ruach, Respect and Kindness. We have score boards on display throughout both campuses, and winning bunks can make a “purchase” from a list of amazing bunk prizes. Prizes start with small treats and build up to all sorts of bunk celebrations like a “spa” day, tie dye party, ice cream sundaes, pizza, and even a game truck.

One of the top prizes is actually “drench your division head,” which is getting a lot of laughs and wistful glances from campers.

Wow, that sounds great! How is the SPARRK program going so far?

It’s been amazing! One of the added

bonuses has been watching groups collectively decide if they should save up their SPARRK points for a bigger prize or spend on smaller prizes as they earn them. That in and of itself has been an educational experience for the children.

It has really created a feeling of achdus on campus. Just this week, we awarded our first prize to a bunk that purchased Slurpees!

So exciting! Tell us about your two campuses.

Avnet has extensive facilities that include both HALB’s Hirt Family Campus (elementary school) and the Lev Shlomo Campus (DRS). This enables us to double our programming. Many of our campers, regardless of where they are based, partake in activities on both campuses during their day. There is constant activity across our baseball fields, basketball courts, hockey rink, heated pools, gym, and in our spectacular auditorium.

Avnet is part of HALB, but your campers are students at many different schools. Where do they come from?

Avnet campers really span the

gamut of different schools. In addition to HALB, we’re fortunate to have kids from YCQ, Shulamith, South Shore, HANC, HAFTR, Har Torah, MDS and some of the local public schools. By coming to Avnet, campers have the opportunity to make new friends from many places.

You have seven divisions and many division heads. Can you tell us about them all?

We have seven divisions since our campers range in age from 3-14.

There are five divisions housed in our Hirst Family Campus and two divisions in our Lev Shlomo Campus. Our upper staff is entirely comprised of experienced educators who work with children yearround. We also have over 200 counselors and specialty staff who give our campers their full attention.

Leah Koegel heads our Tipot or preschool division. We have two divisions for first through third grade: Ma’ayanot Boys led

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by Moshe Spern and assisted by Aaron Perris; Ma’ayanot Girls led by Miriam Steiner and assisted by Megan Herskowitz. Girls entering 4th through 5th grade are in our Agamim division, which is headed by Ariana Wolfson and assisted

by Chani Feldman. Our Naharot division for 6th through 8th grade girls, also headed

by Ariana and Chani, offers more mature programming.

On our Lev Shlomo Campus, we have two divisions for boys. The Harim division is for 4th and 5th graders, while G’vaot is for 6th through 8th graders.

Ashley Alibayof heads these divisions, and she’s assisted by Shua Behar and Josh Geliebter.

Malkie Behar is our Director of Operations. She runs our office year-round and has a phenomenal ability to connect with and remember almost every family and staff member. In fact,

during Color War, we give every team the opportunity to challenge her to name 10 staff members. If Malkie can’t name them, they earn 50 points for their team.

campers have so many different interests and abilities. We offer a variety of specialties and sports to try to engage them all. Our roster of specialties includes

we always Do our best to make sure that everyone has an unforgettable summer!

It’s incredibly rare for her to ever miss someone!

Your staff sounds amazing. What are the most popular activities and sports at Avnet?

It’s hard to name favorites since our

Chinuch, Country Cooking, Culinary Creations, Arts & Crafts, Fine Arts, Zumba, Music & Movement, Ballet, and Warren Levi Boot Camp. We introduced Resin Art this year. It’s been so popular that we arranged for a special staff night where they will create resin challah boards.

Ilana Mann is the Head of Sports.

Shua Behar is the Sports Commissioner for the Harim and G’vaot boys. Our sports include softball, soccer, basketball, hockey, tennis, volleyball, gaga and dodgeball. While there are competitive leagues which generate enormous excitement, we also make time for sports clinics so all our young athletes can hone their skills.

Of great importance and immense pride to us is our amazing Chinuch staff: Morah Tamar Ehrenfeld, Rabbi Hillel Lichtman, Rabbi Steven Genachowski, Rabbi Jay Nathanson and Rabbi Josh Geliebter.

Camp avnet by the Numbers

2 campuses – but one extraordinary home!

3 heated pools 7 divisions 1:4 Ratio of staff to campers

45 periods in a week per group

49 amazing trips this summer

63 years of camping fun and experience

1,000 personalized water bottles

9,000 towels handed out each week

More than

1,800

activity periods happening PER WEEK!

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What is your preschool division like?

Our youngest “Tipot” campers are an important part of Avnet. We adjust our activities to their developing abilities, so they learn to participate and build skills. The Tipot have Ballet, Gymnastics, Cooking, Music & Movement, and various sports just like the older children. When it comes to aquatics, they are taught to swim in real pools along with their older peers.

Speaking of swimming, tell us about Avnet’s pools and aquatics program.

Swimming is a major focus at Avnet.

We have three, on-site, heated pools that allow for a capacity of over 250 campers at a time. Headed by Yaffa Sebag, we are fortunate to have a large, well-trained lifeguarding staff to keep the children safe and build their skills. We offer both instructional and free swim.

Our youngest campers begin their aquatics careers with their attempts to swim across the pool. Once they have done so, they get an “I Learned to Swim at Avnet” shirt. One of the most interesting things is when I meet parents of current campers who remember earning shirts of their own when they were kids!

and then training our campers to do so on their own. We also hosted a carnival and petting zoo. This week, we’re looking forward to hosting Lazer Tag in-house, which will be for both campers during the day and staff in the evening.

Our off-campus trips include Jump Town USA, Active Kidz, Adventure Park Playground, Launch, Laser Bounce, Casa De Spin, RPM Raceway, Once Upon a Tree Top, Dave & Busters, and Adventureland. We send all of our preschoolers, as well as our elementary school girls, to gymnastics each week. The boys have bowling as a regular part of their schedule.

We took our preschoolers to a local theater for a performance of “How I became A Pirate.” Just today, we sent our 6ththrough 8th grade girls on a surprise trip to Traditions for “Lunch on Central.”

The standout trips for the older kids will be Hershey Park and a visit to Nickelodeon Universe at the American Dream mall. The Naharot and Harim campers will also enjoy an overnight at Club Getaway. We’re very excited to be sending our 4th & 5th graders, as has been our tradition, to Camp Mesorah to experience all the great things sleepaway camp has to offer but with the comfort of being there with their Avnet counselors.

What special programs and trips are on the schedule this summer?

We plan many on-campus and off-campus adventures. This summer, the National Circus Project spent two days at Avnet performing circus feats

It seems like non-stop action for the kids. Do you have any special theme days?

We just held the “Jack Tarzik Crazy Hat Day,” named for our previous director Jack Tarzik, a”h.

It’s a day that gives campers the opportunity to be creative, zany and dance around the gym. Special themes allow our campers to express themselves. They can wear silly sleepwear on Pajama Day, transform into their favorite character on Superhero Day, root for their sports team on Jersey Day, and really push things to the limit on Wacky Hair Day. We are in middle of the Three Weeks. How do you commemorate the Three Weeks and Nine Days at Avnet?

We try to balance summer fun while teaching our campers to respect the importance of the Three Weeks. Preschoolers work on a special “Bais Hamikdash” building/mitzvah project. Our chinuch groups discuss the time of the year and its significance. During the Nine Days, we convert our free swim time into a “swima-thon” to benefit Chai Lifeline.

With so much going on, how do you keep camp running smoothly?

Behind the fun at Avnet, there is always a plan! The key word is “schedules.”

We have over 40 bunks and each bunk has 9 periods in a day over the course of a 5-day week. That means we’re executing more than 1,800 different activity periods per week! Alex Braverman, our Program Director, is the mastermind behind all of our intricate scheduling and he makes sure each group has an amazing activity to go to at any given time. Alex works with Rachelle Yeres, who

is our Program Coordinator and the popular manager of the SPARRK program.

They keep each day on track.

What do you get the most feedback from parents about?

We really welcome parent feedback.

Parents appreciate our door-to-door transportation which many of them don’t get during the school year. Avnet parents love the towel service which cuts their laundry time. They also know that if they apply sunscreen in the morning, their kids will be taken care of during the day at our poolside sunscreen stations. Our water bottles, which feature the camp calendar and are personalized with the names of every camper, are another parent favorite.

What’s the most important thing you want people to know about spending a summer at Avnet?

This ties into the question you asked previously about camp running smoothly. Our team invests thousands of hours into planning, programing, hiring for, and publicizing Avnet. On the first day, it’s incredible when we walk around and see the kids playing, swimming, running, and laughing. We’re fortunate to get to do that for all 37 days of the season. We’re thrilled to have the campers with us, and we’re appreciative of the parents who enrolled them.

We always do our best to make sure that everyone has an unforgettable summer!

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TJH

Centerfold

Watermelon Names

Riddle Me This

With over 300 varieties of watermelons, the various variety names get interesting. Each of these are the names of an actual watermelon variety, except for one. Can you spot which one is not a variety (at least not yet)?

Question: When do you start on red and stop on green?

(Don’t be so proud of yourself for figuring this earth-shattering riddle out—considering the trivia, it was kind

Sugar Baby Yellow Doll

Answer: When you’re eating a watermelon!

Golden Midget Moon and Stars Cream of Saskatchewan Summer Flavor Black Diamond Desert King Millionaire King of Hearts Sweet Beauty Crimson Trio Yellow Petite Carolina Cross Little Darling Honeyheart Sweet Slice Pit Launcher

Answer: Pit Launcher

The Jewish Home | JULY 28, 2022

1. *

of “a layup.”)

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69

1. Jason Schayot is an expert watermelon seed spitter. He holds the Guinness World Record for spitting a watermelon seed the farthest ever. What distance did he spit the seed on that momentous day of August 12, 1995? a. b. 14.6 feet c. 75.2 feet d. 120.5 feet e. 230 feet 2. Approximately how many pounds of watermelon are consumed in the U.S. every year? a. 100 million pounds b. 400 million pounds c. 900 million pounds d. 5 billion pounds 3. According to Guinness World Records, the world’s heaviest watermelon was grown by Chris Kent of Sevierville, Tennessee, in 2013. How much did it weigh? a. 350.5 pounds b. 782.1 pounds c. 1,235.6 pounds d. 32,683.5 pounds 4. Which country grows the most watermelon? a. Israel b. U.S. c. China d. South Africa 5. Is watermelon a fruit or a vegetable?

a. Fruit b. Vegetable c. Both 6. In 2008, a 17-pound premium “Densuke” watermelon, grown only on a northern island in Japan, became the most expensive watermelon ever purchased. How much did it sell for? a. $910 b. $6,100 c. $14,200 d. $105,050 Answers: 1-B (How do you think his Jason Shcayot’s parents felt when the teacher called to talk to them about their kid spitting watermelon seeds in class and acting like a chaya rah!)

2-D 3-A 4-C (Although Israel does not yet produce the most watermelon, I heard in shul that they are in the middle of figuring out a special irrigation system which will make them be able to produce watermelons out of chewed up garinim seeds.)

5-C. This is one of the most important debates of the 21st century. From a botanical standpoint, since watermelon develops from a flowering plant and it holds the seed, it is a fruit.

On the other hand, watermelon is a member of the cucurbitaceae

plant family of gourds (classified as Citrullus lantus), related to the cucumber, squash, and pumpkin.

As such, it can be qualified as both a fruit and a vegetable. It should be noted, though, that in an incredible display of bipartisanship, in 2007, the Oklahoma Democrats and Republicans passed a bill which made watermelons the official vegetable of Oklahoma. So, if you are reading this in Oklahoma, you should answer B. (If you are uncomfortable defining watermelons as a vegetable, you are free to travel to a nearby state and characterize it as a fruit. That’s what federalism is all about!)

6-B. Densuke watermelons have a thick black skin and are very sweet and crisp. There are 9,000 of these watermelons produced every year and this was the first of 65 sold as part of the season’s initial harvest.

Wisdom Key 5-6 correct: You are a watermelon expert. I bet you spend half of your day in Costco banging on watermelons like you are in Stomp to get the perfect echo. Hey, I have an idea! Why don’t you just pick out a watermelon already, and if it is not the best one you ever got, just eat it.

You will survive!

3-4 correct: You are certainly no Densuke but not bad.

0-2 correct: Fine, you don’t like watermelons, but can you at least get into spitting the seeds like the rest of us?

JULY 28, 2022 | The Jewish Home

Watermelon Trivia

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Torah Thought

Parshas Matos-Masei

By Rabbi Berel Wein

T

he introductory subject of this week’s Torah reading concerns itself with vows and commitments that a person takes upon himself or herself willingly, by simply stating his or her intention. The Torah places great emphasis upon the spoken word. Everything that is uttered from our mouths obligates

us to the commitment attached to it.

Words are holy, and they are also binding. The Talmud records for us that a person who did not stand by his word regarding a commercial commitment is allowed to be publicly rebuked in the synagogue by the recitation of the statement that the L-rd Who repaid the gen-

eration of the flood for their evil will also undoubtedly repay this person who has breached his word and trust.

Judaism recognizes that the basic physical difference between the human kingdom and the animal kingdom is one of speech and communication. The ability to speak and converse is seen as being a divine attribute somehow granted to human beings as well. Because of this, speech is to be treasured and not squandered.

Evil speech, slander, lies, and libel are all viewed as being a violation of the rela-

its title of Matos. I think it is intentional that this concept was originally explained first to the leaders of the tribes, with its laws pertaining to true speech and binding commitment. They were meant to set the example for society – that speech should be honest.

It should be obvious that if we are unable to trust the words and commitments of our leaders, our society would crumble and dissipate. One of the drawbacks of our system of democracy and of elections is that our politicians are constantly engaged in electioneering and running

Words are holy, and they are also binding.

tionship between G-d and man. A person must always be careful with the words that one utters from one’s mouth. They are more powerful and influential than we might imagine. This is especially true in our time in a generation of nonstop communication and constant speech, text, and statements through many devices, in addition to one’s mouth. The statements of the rabbis of how people should be very cautious with the words that they use is certainly even more relevant to our generation.

It is interesting to note that this basic idea – upholding speech and truth in words – was communicated personally to the heads and leaders of the tribes of Israel. It is in their presence where Moshe explains these laws that gives our reading

for office. They make grandiose promises and statements as to their policies before election. In almost all cases, these statements are, at best, an exaggeration, and, at worst, a total sham full of falsehood.

Because of our lifelong experience with political commitments, we expect that our elected officials, once in office, may not live up to the promises that they made in order to be able to enter those offices. In order to mitigate this almost errant weakness in an otherwise healthy society, leaders should fulfill what they promise, and commitments should be upheld. I realize that this is a very high bar set for leadership in the Jewish people.

But even if we cannot reach it, we should at least know that it is there.

Shabbat shalom.

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Kohen Conundrums

By Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow

A

visitor to the Munkacser beis midrash might see a bizarre sight. He might notice his friend Mr. Katz davening Shacharis there on Monday morning. Yet, when it is time for kriyas haTorah, the first aliyah would be given to a Yisrael. The astute observer might conclude that they are following the law as it applied in the times of the Gemara.

There were times back then that the first aliyah was given to the gadol ha’dor or an exceptional talmid chacham. Yet the Minchas Elazar clearly writes that we no longer follow that practice. So why would a Yisrael get the first aliyah if there is a kohen present?

An alternative theory is on that day, there were three Yisraelim who had a yahrzeit. Since there is an obligation to have an aliyah on a yahrzeit, perhaps they asked the kohen to pardon the slight to his honor and allow them to call a Yisrael first. But that theory wouldn’t bear scrutiny either. The Minchas Elazar writes that his father never failed to call a kohen first even if there were many people with yahrzeits and many gedolei ha’dor that came to visit. There is a mitzvah to honor a kohen and asking a kohen to be mochel would be slighting his honor.

The next option is that there was no Levi in shul. The regular order for aliyos is Kohen, Levi, and then Yisrael. If there is no Levi, perhaps we skip the Kohen and start with a Yisrael. Rashi in Kesubos (25b) seems to suggest that in fact if there is no Levi, we should call two kohanim and then a Yisrael. However, the Rashash points out that, inexplicably, Rashi picked an interpretation of the law that is not accepted at the conclusion of the Gemara in Gittin (59).

There, the Gemara says it is not possible to call two kohanim to the Torah one after another, as people will wonder why a second kohen was called to the Torah.

Perhaps they will reason that the first kohen was found to be unfit. To prevent the congregants from casting aspersions on

the perfectly fine kohen, Chazal said that a second kohen should not be called to the Torah if there is no Levi. Rather, the very same kohen who received the first aliyah should take the second one as well.

The order would then be Kohen, Kohen, Yisrael.

Certainly, the same person should not receive two standard aliyos, and most certainly the same person should not receive two aliyos one after another! The Minchas Elazar suggests that having the same kohen take two consecutive aliyos is b’dieved. If the same kohen would take

Why would a Yisrael get the first aliyah if there is a kohen present?

The original puzzle still stands, then: Why would they ever call a Yisrael first in the Munkacser beis midrash if there are kohanim present? Moreover, the Minchas Elazar said he saw his saintly father do this regularly and the kohen didn’t even walk out!

The solution is that, in fact, this can occur when no Levi is present. The Rema writes that l’chatchilah someone who has received an aliyah should not get Maftir.

the first two aliyos, there may be an element of reciting unnecessary brachos.

Why should the kohen recite four brachos, when two would suffic – one at the beginning of his first aliyah and the second at the conclusion of his second aliyah. In fact, the Piskei Teshuvos quotes Acharonim who say that a kohen who receives a second aliyah in the place of a Levi should recite only two brachos, not four. However, that is not the accepted custom. Yet

the Minchas Elazar writes that if a kohen wants to forgo his two aliyos for the sake of minimizing unnecessary brachos, it is certainly praiseworthy. In that case, a Yisrael would get the first aliyah.

One may ask, what reason is there to be stringent and not follow a practice that is clearly condoned in the Gemara and codified in Shulchan Aruch? The Shulchan Aruch (O.C. 135:8) writes explicitly, “If there is no Levi in shul, the kohen that read first blesses a second time in the place of the Levi.” The Minchas Elazar writes that, in truth, the Shulchan Aruch implies that his suggested conduct is not preferable. Why didn’t the Shulchan Aruch simply say that in such a case, “we give the kohen two aliyos”? The answer is that the Shulchan Aruch is telling us what to do upon discovering that there is no Levi in shul only after the kohen has already received his aliyah. Then we tell “the kohen that read first” to take a second aliyah.

However, if we can ascertain from the outset that there is no Levi, the halacha is different. In that case, we prefer that the kohen willingly forgo his honor for the sake of Heaven and minimize unnecessary blessings.

The Minchas Elazar writes that his father did not ask the kohen to be mochel when there was no Levi; the kohen wanted to do what was right and graciously volunteered to forgo his aliyos.

Nevertheless, there are those who disagree and say that the kohen should always take the first two aliyos if there is no Levi.

Whatever the kohen does is fine, as long as his intentions are for the sake of Heaven.

Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow is a rebbe at Yeshiva Ateres Shimon in Far Rockaway. In addition, Rabbi Sebrow leads a daf yomi chaburah at Eitz Chayim of Dogwood Park in West Hempstead, NY. He can be contacted at ASebrow@ gmail.com.

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Delving into the Daf

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From the Fire Parshas Masei

King of Opposites

By Rav Moshe Weinberger Adapted for publication by Binyomin Wolf

T

he Degel Machaneh Ephraim, zy”a, teaches, in the name of his grandfather the Baal Shem Tov, zy”a, that the forty-two journeys of the Jewish people in the desert correspond to the journeys each individual takes in his life. When a person leaves the womb, this corresponds to when the Jewish people left Egypt. And when the Jewish people entered Eretz Yisroel, this corresponds to a person’s journey into the land of eternal life after 120 years in this world.

How do we retain a sense of equanimity and centeredness when we must transition from one journey to another throughout our lives? Reb Leibele Eiger, zy”a, points out that the word “of them, bam” in the pasuk “And you shall speak of them,” has the numerical value of forty-two.

The pasuk continues, “And you shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” We must speak of them, words of Torah and emunah, wherever we go and wherever we travel. We can thrive through every test and trial we face if we hold onto truth and faith.

If we remain certain in our purpose, then

we will succeed despite all of the contradictions and challenges of a world in which many people seem to have taken leave of basic human decency and morality.

But the Baal Shem Tov’s teaching about the 42 travels of the Jewish people does not only apply to people on an individual level.

It also speaks to the travails of our nation as a whole as we journey on toward the times of Moshiach.

The Encampments We know that the names of our stops during our journey in the desert (Bamidbar 33:5-49) have profound meaning. I was struck by the contradictions implicit in those names and how they speak to the contradictions of life today, particularly in Eretz Yisroel.

On one hand, it says we camped in Miska, from the Hebrew word meaning sweetness. Many aspects of our lives are sweet, and we have much to be thankful for. But we also camped in Mara, meaning bitterness. Dozens of our brothers have been killed in years past sanctifying G-d’s name.

The Jewish people camped in Har Shafer, meaning “beautiful mountain.” Some-

times are on top of the world. The view is stunning. But at other times, we camp in Tachas, meaning “low.” When we watch the parents, brothers, sisters, and wives of all of the soldiers killed protecting our people, we feel like we are living at the opening of Gehenom, at the lowest place.

We camped at Refidim, which means weakness. Our Torah, mitzvos, and emunah suffer and we often do not do what Hashem expects of us. But we also camped in Midbar Sinai, where we received the Torah, attaining the highest level of prophecy and connection to G-d’s will. Today too, we have seen how even people with little outward connection to Torah and mitzvos have begun saying Tehillim, lighting Shabbos candles, putting on tefillin, and doing many other mitzvos and acts of kindness in order to merit the salvation of the Jewish people.

At one point, the pasuk tells us we camped in Makheilos, meaning, “community” or “congregation.” We were united.

And we see how, in the past few weeks, our people have been united more than any other time in the recent past. We are united in prayer and resolve, knowing that our cause is righteous. But at other times, we

stop off in a place called Chatzeiros, meaning “courtyards.” Especially when we are not besieged from the outside, every Jewish group separates itself into its own courtyard and unfortunately barely views other Jews as part of the same people.

We camped in Sukkos, a place named after temporary, rickety structures. Surrounded by enemies, many times we feel vulnerable and frightened. We feel as if our entire existence is dependent on the protection of some flimsy walls and roof which the wind could blow away at any moment, leaving us completely exposed. But at other times, we feel we are camped in Eisam, meaning strong. We feel grateful for how Hashem has blessed our people with the resolve, ingenuity, resources, and intelligence to build up one of the most powerful militaries in the world in just a short time.

We sometimes feel we are encamped by the Red Sea, encircled on all sides by enemies and pushed up against the sea. We feel we have no escape. But at other times, we sense that we are camped in Eilim, where the pesukim tell us there were wellsprings, date palms, and where we were able to rest from the weariness of our travels. We enjoy

malistic desires. And at other times, we camp at Kadesh, meaning “holiness.” Our connection to holiness and our desire to do Hashem’s will is often strong and we use those times to increase our connection to Hashem and improve ourselves.

Dovid Hamelech, King of Opposites My thoughts return to the ultimate hero of the Jewish people: Dovid Hamelech.

and when he went out to war, he hardened himself like wood.” Chazal are not teaching us that Dovid suffered from multiple personality disorder. Rather, his personality was so great and all-encompassing that it contained everything within it. He was simultaneously composed of the might of war and the highest and most refined level of ethics and morality. These two extremes complement one another. The more perfection one has attained, the more he includes

The more perfection one has attained, the more he includes apparent opposites within himself.

The tzaddikim teach that our job at the end of days is to reveal the great soul of Dovid Hamelech, as the pasuk (Hoshea 3:5) says, “And they sought Hashem their G-d and Dovid their king.” In all of his journeys, he seemed to be full of contradictions.

The Gemara (Moed Katan 16b) says that “when [Dovid Hamelech] would sit and study Torah, he would be as refined as silk,

apparent opposites within himself.

That is why Reb Leibele Eiger teaches that the 42 journeys of the Jewish people in the desert, which seem to contain so many opposites within them, are hinted at in the mitzvah of “And you shall speak of them when you sit in your home and when you go on your way…” We must be prepared to cling to the Torah and the certainty of our

faith in the midst of the full range of disparate experiences during our travels through this world.

The parsha is named after our “journeys,” not our encampments. Why? Because the main thing is that in life, we do not stop. We must keep moving forward, looking for how G-d’s will expresses itself in all of the various permutations of life’s challenges.

May each of us and all of our brothers and sisters in Eretz Yisroel merit to reach a level on which we can contain all of the disparate aspects of life in this world within us. May we recognize that we must serve G-d in all of the different ways the Torah demands for the vast array of differing life circumstances we encounter in our journeys. And may Hashem take vengeance upon every terrorist snake who has harmed even a single hair on the head of any Jew. May Hashem soon send Moshiach to remove every evil regime from the earth to make way for the great-grandson of the greatest king, Dovid Hamelech, soon in our days.

Rav Moshe Weinberger, shlita, is the founding Morah d’Asrah of Congregation Aish Kodesh in Woodmere, NY, and serves as leader of the new mechina Emek HaMelech.

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JULY 28, 2022 | The Jewish Home

the prosperity and economic success with which Hashem has blessed our people.

But at other times, we feel we are camped in Dafka, meaning “stricken” or “beaten.” We feel pressed, hit, and beaten by attacks from all directions, physically, emotionally, and diplomatically. We feel we are under siege wherever we live in the world, whether it is in the U.S., Britain, Paris, Morocco, or anywhere else in the world.

We sometimes feel camped in Rimon Paretz, meaning “break through.” We break through every attempt by our enemies to attack us and put us on the run. But, sadly, too often we are camped in Charada, meaning “trembling.” Our brothers and sisters tremble in fear in their bomb shelters and safe rooms.

We sometimes feel we are camped in Chashmonah, where we feel as mighty as the Chashmonayim, or in Etzyon Gaver, meaning “effective strategy” and “strength.” At those times, we take pride and comfort in how our military neutralizes our enemies while protecting our soldiers and minimizing the battle’s impact on civilians.

But at other times, we feel like we are in Kivros Hata’avah, buried in the desires of this world, completely helpless to use all of our might to reign in our own ani-

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Remembering Rebbetzin Sara Freifeld, a”h

By Naftali HalperN

H

aving raised three children as a single mother, Sara Cohen, Ph.D. was at the peak of her academic career in 1984 when she was in Israel on a Fulbright Scholarship conducting research and teaching at Hebrew University. Perhaps the greatest testament to Sara’s intellectual bandwidth, though, was that she even considered Rav Simcha Wasserman’s suggestion at that time that she should marry Reb Shlomo Freifeld; after all, that would require her to radically change course mid-stream. Yet, after meeting with Reb Shlomo in Israel on several occasions, she readily gave up her scholarship – much to the chagrin of her academic colleagues who were shocked that she would give up such a prestigious position – married Reb Shlomo, and moved back with him to his community in Far Rockaway.

Thus began the second chapter of Sara Cohen’s life, when she affectionately became known to Reb Shlomo’s hundreds of talmidim as “The Rebbetzin.”

Reb Shlomo’s union with the Rebbetzin began an important second chapter in his own life as well, a chapter that at the time seemed unlikely to take place.

In the 1980s, Reb Shlomo presided

over a well-oiled spiritual ecosystem.

His yeshiva, Sh’or Yoshuv, was thriving, as were his boys’ and girls’ schools and a full-fledged kehilla of hundreds of families.

One piece of the puzzle was missing, though: Reb Shlomo’s wife Rebbetzin Chaya Sara, a”h, tragically passed away at a young age. She was an angelic person who drew hundreds to Yiddishkeit in her own right. Her loss was devastating to Reb Shlomo and the many who considered her to be like a mother.

Those close to Reb Shlomo sadly accepted the fact that this piece of the picture would remain missing – Reb Shlomo would continue to be mashpia, but he would now be alone.

When Reb Shlomo was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, the outlook dimmed further. Although Reb Shlomo was a fighter and did not allow his illness to temper his passion for building up Jewish souls, it was clear that this was a late stage in his life.

Due to his illness, Reb Shlomo’s house at 707 Bolton Road in Far Rockaway became the epicenter of his dayto-day activities. Reb Shlomo’s family and talmidim fully embraced the role of caretakers in his home.

The house was active from early morning until late at night, with talmidim and other visitors coming and go-

ing – some there for a class, some for advice, and some just to bask in their Rebbe’s presence.

On a visit to the house, one may have encountered a visiting rosh yeshiva, a CEO of a large company, or a longhaired teenager who came to find out about “this thing called Shabbos.”

Reb Shlomo’s big personality meant that even mundane matters were infused with meaning, humor, and joy.

Whereas one may have expected an aura of intensity when sitting at a gadol’s dining room table, if someone needed cheering up, Reb Shlomo would regale them with jokes and even play practical tricks on them.

Reb Shlomo was a master at bringing out people’s strengths. That meant that if a talmid chacham was at the table, those around would hear a deep Torah thought; if a scientist was present, they might be given a discourse in chemistry; and if someone with a unique sense of humor were there, there would undoubtedly be barrels of laughs.

A well-known visitor who dabbled in poetry quipped upon leaving his meeting at Reb Shlomo’s home: “It may be cloudy out here, but it’s sunny in there.”

In line with Reb Shlomo’s philosophy of infusing even the mundane with meaning, there were frequently lavish seudos. Those, too, were teaching mo-

ments for Reb Shlomo. He might take notice of a new student from mid-America and pepper him with questions about life in his hometown; he might ask a composer to teach “the oilam” his newest song; or he might bait an enthusiastic baal teshuvah to try some herring for the first time. All activities in the house, though, had the singular underlying purpose of helping Yidden and spreading Yiddishkeit, even as it was an exciting place to be.

When the Rebbetzin stepped off of a plane from Israel to join Reb Shlomo, this was the new world that she entered.

she would often quip that Reb Shlomo shrewdly told her when they met in Israel that he has “a little shteibel in Far Rockaway.” She would recall how she was taken aback when she went with Reb Shlomo to his “shteibel” the first Shabbos and observed hundreds of men stand up in raptured attention as their Rebbe walked into shul. Laughingly she would add, “Some shteibel!”

Although the cogs of this kehilla were already in rhythmic motion, when the Rebbetzin entered Reb Shlomo’s world, the house at 707 Bolton Road became even brighter.

“She was an aristocratic woman and had the confidence to take it all on,”

Despite her reverence for Reb Shlomo and her appreciation of the general milieu, the Rebbetzin knew when and how to put her stamp on the house.

Some students joyously recall one time when the Rebbetzin walked into the house during a large seudah, after traveling back from Albany. One of the talmidim’s son was at the seudah and was “trying to eat” a piece of fish; after

home, but seeing the Rebbetzin off to the side and wishing her a good Shabbos was cathartic for many.

Interacting with the Rebbetzin was not just a way for many to hold on to their rebbe, rather, she became a nurturing figure who was there to hear about what was going on in the talmidim’s lives. Their joy was her joy, and their hardships became her hardships.

Although her presence was magnetic and oftentimes resulted in her being at the center of conversation, she used that to draw everyone into the conversation. all, that is what was being served. The Rebbetzin quickly noticed the young boy, looked down at his plate, and declared, “Someone get this young man a slice of pizza!”

when Reb shlomo passed away on Sukkos 1990, it left a gaping and unfulfillable hole in the hearts of his talmidim. The world that Reb Shlomo built would have to go on without him.

There would certainly be growing pains, but there was one constant during that period: the Rebbetzin. Filing out of shul on Shabbos was different now that people could no longer escort their rebbe

Seeing the respect that their parents had for the Rebbetzin, many children who were like “grand-talmidim” of Reb Shomo kept up with the Rebbetzin and maintained that relationship with her.

Those relationships ensued and grew over the next three decades. Whether it was a simcha, at shul, on the street, or a visit to her home on Purim, talmidim felt like she was not just a link to their rebbe but an essential part of their family.

despIte heR monIkeR, the Rebbetzin saw herself as a regular person.

She was just as content sitting at home with her stack of books as she was

in places where her role was that of a rebbetzin.

She did not preach to others but instead sought to learn from them. Even w ith her intellectual prowess, she was usually on the listening end of conversations.

She was equally as comfor table conversing about light topics – during which her hearty laugh flowed easily – as she was discussing serious issues.

Her perspective was humanistic; she looked at the whole person and appreciated all sorts of character traits. She brought out the higher aspects of people, making them feel better about themselves not necessarily by talking but by listening. Even so, she could be blunt and to the point but never in a sharp or personal way.

Granddaughter Baila Halpern recalls how the Rebbetzin would tell her, almost as if disclosing a secret that was not for public consumption, “Baila, all of this intellectual stuff is garbage. The most important thing is to be a good person, a good mother, and to be tuned into people.”

the RebbetzIn’s lifelong quest for truth, Torah, and connection to Hashem was a masterclass in growth.

Despite being raised in a mostly secular environment in Costa Rica, where her family fled from the ashes of Europe, at a young age, she already amassed a vast amount of Jewish knowledge and a deep understanding of the nuances of Yiddishkeit. As son-in-law Rav Naftoli Jaeger noted at the levaya, “When Rav Simcha Wasserman suggested to the Shver to meet her, he knew that she had a deep neshama, a brilliant mind, and a true lev tov. She was a real fusion of mind and heart.”

Her closest friend was the Chofetz Chaim’s granddaughter, Rebbetzin Rivka Wiesenfeld. She became like an aunt to the Wiesenfeld children.

Rav Zechariah Wiesenfeld recalled at the levaya that in his youth, when the Rebbetzin was a single mother, she spent most Shabbosim with the Wiesenfeld family. At that point, his father had already passed away and the Rebbetzin was not only a close friend to his mother

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noted son-in-law Rabbi Avrohom Halpern at the levaya. “It didn’t take her long to see what the Rebbe was doing and accomplishing in this world, and she jumped in right away and became part of the Yeshiva.”

For Reb Shlomo personally, the Rebbetzin was a caring wife and an intellectual partner who reinvigorated him and was wholly dedicated to him. Despite her stature, she would leap to her feet to tend to his every need, including tying his shoelaces when he could not bend over after several back surgeries. She helped him in an even deeper way by becoming his soulmate.

The Rebbetzin’s intelligence and memory helped her quickly get to know hundreds of people in Rav Shlomo’s kehilla, but her big heart and warm embrace are what drew them close to her.

She became the matriarch of Reb Shlomo’s immediate family and the Sh’or Yoshuv family-at-large.

Although one may expect a busy rebbetzin to put other endeavors to the side, Reb Shlomo insisted that the Rebbetzin continue her accomplished academic career. In fact, for their first few years of marriage, the Rebbetzin would fly to Albany, where she served as Associate Dean of Humanities at SUNY Albany. When she returned from those trips, Reb Shlomo would break out in a big smile, and all those around the table could see how he not only wanted to hear about her day but also wanted to bring her up-to-date on what happened while she was out. She would quickly become his intellectual counterpart as he would discuss matters of hashkafa, talk about a student’s accomplishment, or simply seek her opinion about the hot topic of the day.

It was during times like these that the talmidim got to witness the mutual admiration that the two had for each other.

The Rebbetzin had the confidence to add to the conversation when it was warranted but also to demur. If Reb Shlomo, in his excitement, would ask her about something that was outside of her wheelhouse, she might laugh, clutch her pearl necklace, gesture with her hand, and say, “Oh, Reb Shlomo.”

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but was there for the entire Wiesenfeld family. He would always cherish the lengthy conversations that he had with her about “anything to do with Yiddishkeit.” He noted that the Rebbetzin “was a brilliant person” who was “always growing and always learning.”

“The Rebbetzin didn’t have an easy life; she had many nisyonos ha’chaim,” Rav Wiesenfeld noted, “but with her emunah and strength of character, she rose above all challenges, and even in the most difficult times, she was always cheerful.”

RaIsIng thRee chIldRen as a single mother was certainly not a simple task, but the Rebbetzin succeeded in a most beautiful way. The effort she put into the chinuch of her son Reb Refael and two daughters, Tamar and Ayelet, is evident not only by the loving relationships that they had with her but also by their refined characters, which closely resemble hers. As she and Reb Shlomo married off each of the children to well-suited spouses, her joy and Reb Shlomo’s joy expanded.

For more than two decades, the Rebbetzin lived with her son Reb Refael and his family in Far Rockaway. Reb Refael’s respect and devotion for her was unparalleled. Her daughter-in-law Rivka was like a daughter to her and took care of her until her last days with the utmost love, care, and devotion. The Rebbetzin was full of pride that her son-in-law Rabbi Aharon Mehlman and his wife Ayelet were being mashpia all types of Jews in Manhattan, where Rabbi Mehlman is a rav. And, having an incredible love for Eretz Yisroel, she was so proud that her daughter and son-in-law, Reb Nuchum Berel and Tamar Loring, and

By Chaviva Stein We called her Bubby Rock, because she lived in Far Rockaway.

Bubby Rock was fun. She was generous, and it was always a party when she came to visit us. She would take us out for dinner, or order in, which was very exciting for us as kids who didn’t eat out much. She let us order our own cans of soda too, always Dr. Brown’s Cream Soda. She was always mixing up her words with silly results, one time placing an order for “chicken flickins’” instead of chicken fingers, which we all still quote to this day. I was privileged to live near her after I got married for close to ten years, and she was constantly buying cookies and ice cream treats for my kids when they came over to visit. She indulged us all.

For years, she went down to Florida for the winters, and we would visit her there in her Century Village apartment. Her credit card was always available for us to use on those trips, and I will admit that we took advantage. When we need-

their family live in Israel.

Her children’s and grandchildren’s growth in Torah was of the utmost importance to her. Last summer, when a step-grandson finished Shas, she insisted on attending the siyum, even though she was already weak. She didn’t have to express her feelings at this event; the big smile and joy on her face said it all.

Despite her vast accomplishments, including serving as the dean of Touro’s College for Women at one point, the Rebbetzin made it clear that her most significant achievement was presiding over a large family of Torah-dik Yidden.

Her nachas continued to grow over the years as her family expanded. Each time that she had another great-grandchild she would shower the mother and baby with gifts and would see to it that the mother was recovering well.

For Reb Shlomo’s family, she filled the role of doting grandmother, blending the Freifeld and Cohen families.

She loved to give to others and happily provided in all ways for her grandchildren. She was always available to talk and had a deep understanding of what each family member needed.

One time she called one of her step-grandchildren and asked him to take a specific piece of furniture that was extremely meaningful to her; it was a relic from her time with Reb Shlomo.

When the grandchild said, “Don’t you want to keep this?Aren’t there other grandchildren that should maybe get this?” She responded with her ever-present confidence, “I offered it to you for a reason – trust me. I want you to have it.”

Another step-grandchild recalls how whenever he saw the Rebbetzin, no matter how many people were in the room, as soon as he would approach her, she would greet him, “Oh, hi!” with a tone

ed something at Target we always threw in a few extra goodies since we knew Bubby was paying for it. She never complained about money or prices, only about how large the portion sizes were at restaurants. Whatever dish she would order, she would inevitably proclaim it too big for one person, and we would all roll our eyes at her small appetite as we devoured our entire dish of penne ala vodka. We thought of Bubby as a fountain of unselfish, lavish abundance.

When I got married, she gave us a nice wedding gift, and later on helped my husband pay for a used car when he got his

77 internal view.

Although her presence was magnetic and oftentimes resulted in her being at the center of conversation, she used that to draw everyone into the conversation.

She laughed joyously and easily, confirming to those in her midst that she was truly enjoying her time with them.

The conversation was pliable. At one moment she could be talking about an involved book that she was reading and the very next moment she could take notice of a toddler on the floor in front of her, bend down in her chair, and say in a

JULY 28, 2022 | The Jewish Home

of excitement as if seeing him was an unexpected treat.

Each person who would greet her felt like they were the most important person in the world to her.

At family simchos or on occasions such as Purim, when there were many people around her, the Rebbetzin managed to pay attention to each person.

The Rebbetzin taught by how she lived, compounding the knowledge she would impart. One step-granddaughter recalls calling her in a panic because she was asked to give a course on tz-

She became the matriarch of Reb Shlomo’s immediate family and the Sh’or Yoshuv family-at-large. inius and was unsure if she was up to the task. Seeing this as a good opportunity for her granddaughter and wanting her to succeed, the Rebbetzin pushed her to give the course and, to get it off to a good start, volunteered to speak at the first class.

Her step-granddaughter recalls that class: “There were a bunch of women there who didn’t know what to expect.

The Rebbetzin walked in and didn’t say a word about tzinius. Instead, she spoke about what it means to be a lady and how to carry oneself as a lady.”

The women present were awe-struck by her perspective and how her regal stature did not come simply from her tall external posture but from her higher

sing-song tone, “My gosh, where did you get those pretty little shoes?”

when synthesIzIng a life of deep values learned from his mother, son Reb Refael distilled it to one lesson: she taught her family what it means to have a beautiful life.

Indeed, her physical presence was matched by her regal spiritual posture.

This is a beauty that is not bound by physical limitations and survives even after her passing. It is a beauty that all who were fortunate enough to know the Rebbetzin can continue to emulate.

In that sense, like Reb Shlomo, she remains our teacher.

first job all the way in Lakewood. She always asked my husband about his work and was interested in his endeavors. She was so supportive of us as a couple and family, and thought our three kids were geniuses, even though it was she who was the most educated, worldly, sophisticated, accomplished woman that I knew. Although she had been a lauded professor and dean of Touro College, she respected and appreciated my decision of being a stay-at-home mother. Being so close by, I would visit her often, by myself and with my children. She loved to read books and play with the kids, spoiling them with her undivided attention.

For the last few years, we had a standing Wednesday dinner in her house together, paid for by Bubby, of course. My kids got to really know her, and her presence was a fixed part of their life. We are going to miss those dinners.

Growing up, she would come to us a lot for Shabbosim and move into my purple bedroom for the weekend. She always slept with her small pocket radio on, in the days before noise machines. The whole night her radio would play, and it was a comforting, happy sound; it meant Bubby was in the house. Bubby

loved to clean, and it wasn’t beneath her dignity to organize our pantry and clean out our refrigerator. Of course, my mother never asked her to do this, she did it on her own. This was her version of fun. Bubby liked to tidy up, and it felt like a camp cleanup inspection every time she came to our house. She was a revered rebbetzin but so down to earth.

For a better understanding of who my grandmother was, please read up on all of the other articles being published about her these next few weeks. Find a recording of the levaya; listen to the praise that was sung about her true virtues.

The above is just my brain throwing out an assortment of instant recollections about Bubby, and the rest, as they come to me, will be featured, in a more coherent, organized way in weeks to come. But what I personally feel most at this moment is an appreciation for my grandmother’s abundance and the way she made us feel so taken care of in her presence.

If we asked, she would give, and even when we didn’t ask, she would offer.

She loved her family and saw to it that we felt her love.

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The Wandering

Jew

Encounters With The Rebbe Rabbi Shlomo Halberstam – Bobover Rebbe, zt”l

By Hershel Lieber

T

wenty-two years ago, on the first day of Av, 5760, the great tzaddik and beloved chassidishe Rebbe, Harav Shlomo Halberstam, Hadmor M’Bobov, was niftar. The Rebbe needs very little introduction to the public, as his name and his fame is known worldwide. He was the oldest surviving son of his father, Rav Ben Tzion, Hy”d, who perished in the Holocaust and a direct descendent of Rav Chaim the Sanzer Rebbe, as well as from other renowned Rebbishe dynasties.

After losing his family in the Holocaust, the Rebbe managed to escape and make his way to Budapest where he was deeply involved in Hatzolah activities on behalf of Klal Yisroel. After the War, he reluctantly took on the mantle and leadership of survivors who originated from the Polish region called Galicia.

After arriving to the United States, the Rebbe started from scratch to rebuild Bobov. His main focus was to start a Yeshiva, which eventually became the base for a reemerging Bobover Chassidus. He was highly successful, and at the time of his petira, the Rebbe had a huge following in Boro Park, where he was located, as well as in Israel, Canada, England, Belgium and other cities of the United States. Many institutions, ranging from shuls, yeshivos, mesivtas, girls’ schools and summer camps, were among the projects that he initiated and brought to fruition. He was respected in every circle and beloved by his followers. yehi zichro baruch – v’zechuso yogein aleinu.

The following article was written by me to transcribe my memories of the relationship that I had with the Bobover Rebbe, zt”l. I documented these recollections so that I can leave a legacy for my children and their descendants as well as a written record for myself.

M

y connection with the Bobover Rebbe, Rav Shlomo Halberstam, zt”l, has a history dating back more than a century. My grandfather, Hershel Lieber, a”h, who I am named after, learned at the first Bobover Rebbe, Rav Shlomo, who was niftar in 1905. Although my grandfather did not have a close relationship with the next Rebbe, Rav Benzion, Hy”d, my family’s connection to Bobov resumed during the early war years.

During World War II, my parents were together with the third Bobover Rebbe, Rav Shlomo, zt”l, in the Bochnia Ghetto. My parents developed a remarkably close relationship with him and his son Naftulche, zt”l, when my mother was zoche to save the Bobover family that were in the Ghetto. The story is very long and is

part of my mother’s memoir titled “A World After This.”

In short, being that my mother was born in Munkatch, Czechoslovakia, and was not a Polish citizen, she was exempt from living in the Ghetto. Her birth certificate was used to forge other certificates for members of her family as well as for the members of the Bobover mishpacha. Leaving the Ghetto opened up an escape route for all of them to reach Hungary.

In Budapest, my parents were again together with the Bobover Rebbe and some of his sisters, and they bonded in an everlasting relationship. My parents even traveled to Bucharest, Romania, after the War at the request of the Rebbe to prepare Pesach for him since he had lost his Rebbetzin during the Holocaust. This relationship continued when we all finally reached the shores of America.

Although the Rebbe lived on the Upper West Side of Manhattan during his first years in America and we lived in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, my parents went to visit him very often. Later on, when the Rebbe moved in the mid-fifties to Crown Heights, the close bonds between our families remained, but the distance between Crown Heights and Boro Park, where we eventually moved to, led to a more frequent involvement.

In Boro Park, my father could not find a chassidishe yeshiva for me to attend. When the Rebbe opened the Bobover Yeshiva in Crown Heights, I was nine years old and I traveled daily from the fourth grade on with about twelve other boys to Crown Heights. The yeshiva then was relatively small, and the Rebbe himself would on occasion look into our classroom. I was enamored

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At my Sheva Brachos with the Bobover Rebbe, zt”l

My father Mechel Lieber, a”h, (standing third left) with (l-r) the Dancing with the Bobover Rebbe, zt”l, at my Sheva Brachos Bobover, Stuchiner and Bluzhever Rebbes, zt”l, during the sixties

by the Rebbe’s warmth and smile and began considering myself as a Bobover chassid. I would always look for an occasion to go to Bobov for a Shabbos or Yom Tov. I spent many Shabbosim and Yomim Tovim at my relatives, Asher and Shifra Scharf, whose sons Moshe Yankel and Beinish were near my age, just to be by the Rebbe.

Simchas Torah and Shavous were the two Yomim Toivim that I always spent in Bobov. I remember the davening, the tishen, the singing, the dancing, and especially the Rebbe’s spirited Hakofos. I remember wait-

On Simchas Torah, the Rebbe’s energy was contagious, and his dancing of the Hakofos in the middle of a large circle stirred everyone to sing louder and louder with passion and vigor. This went on for a number of hours with the intensity never waning.

I spent seven years at the Bobover Yeshiva from the fourth through the tenth grade. I also spent a number of summers at Camp Shalva, the yeshiva’s summer camp. The Rebbe put on my tefillin when I became bar mitzvah. I was actually the first bachur from the yeshiva that became thirteen. I stood out from many other

I responded, “I truly wish the Rebbe better chassidim than me, but Rebbe, believe me, that you have no one as loyal and faithful as I.”

ing to get sherayim from the Rebbe and particularly the two occasions when the Rebbe singled me out with a special portion of sherayim. On both of these times, he related to everyone at the tisch how my mother was the messenger for his family’s survival during the War. The most memorable times that I cherished were when I would arrive before a Shabbos or Yom Tov. I would join a select number of guests in the Rebbe’s reception room as he prepared to go to shul in the evening.

He was served a hot tea in a glass with a silver holder.

Between sips, the guests were able to approach him and be greeted by a warm “Shalom Aleichem.” After making a Borei Nefoshos, the Rebbe said the Leshaim Yichud and the bracha as he donned his tallis. He placed his shtreimel on his head and with regality walked briskly to the shul as the guests followed behind him to greet the Shabbos Malka.

The two times a year that were most impressionable to me at the Rebbe were Yom Kippur and Simchas Torah. On Yom Kippur, especially during Kol Nidrei, the view of the shul was like a mirage from a heavenly scene. Everyone dressed in white kittlach and talleisim looked like angels. The Rebbe’s davening was awesome and emotional and inspired the entire congregation to join vigorously in the tefillos.

boys as I did not wear chassidishe clothing, but I was not the only one. After the tenth grade, Bobov was not offering a regular high school education, so my parents switched me to Torah Vo’daas, but I still kept on coming back to Bobov for Yomim Toivim.

The Rebbe was there for our family in every situation.

When my father was sick in 1959, the Rebbe came to be mevaker choleh. I remember that incident clearly. My mother, a”h, had painted a full size portrait of the Rebbe which the president of the Bobover Yeshiva, Dr. Friedman, ordered to be hung in the new yeshiva building in Crown Heights. When it came to the Chanukas Habayis of the building, the close chassidim of the Rebbe could not fathom the idea that a portrait of the Rebbe would hang in the lobby. The painting remained with our family where we treasured it dearly. When the Rebbe visited my father after his operation, she asked one of the gabbaim if she could show the painting to the Rebbe. They dismissed her request with the words “es past nisht.”

As the Rebbe was leaving, my mother approached him and told him the following: “The Rebbe surely knows that I have made a portrait of him. Would the Rebbe be interested in seeing it?”

The Rebbe responded, “Avade, sure.” He went back into the living room put on his glasses and admired the

Portrait of the Bobover Rebbe painted by my mother Lola Lieber, a”h, in 1956

painting and complimented my mother’s talent. The painting now hangs prominently in my dining room.

When my father, a”h, was niftar in 1966, the Rebbe came to the levayeh and also came to be menachem avel our family. He came to our home in 1968 for our Sheva Brochos and danced a mitzva tantz with my wife, Pesi.

After my chasunah, I started davening mainly in Bobov but went many times to Bluzhev as well. I would go annually with a kvittel to the Rebbe before the Yomim Noroim, as well as on special occasions. The Rebbe always asked me about my mother and gave her heartfelt brachos. Over the years I stopped davening in Bobov on a regular basis because of other considerations. On one occasion when I was by the Rebbe with a kvittel, he asked me, “Hershel, why don’t I see you more often?”

I responded, “I truly wish the Rebbe better Chassidim than me, but Rebbe, believe me, that you have no one as loyal and faithful as I.”

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Standing behind the Bobover Rebbe at the Sheva Brachos of my brother-in-law Eli Kroen

In 1979, I was asked to daven in Warsaw, Poland, for the Yomim Noraim, which was very exciting to me. My father-in-law was adamantly against my going. His prewar and war experiences in Poland made him extremely fearful of me being there. Being that we clearly did not see eye-to-eye concerning this trip, my father-in-law made a proposal to me.

Knowing my relationship as a chassid of the Rebbe, he suggested that we both go to ask him for his advice and guidance. Frankly, even though I was afraid

The Bobover Rebbe putting tefillin on my son Mechel in 1996

that this may doom the whole venture, I had no choice but to agree. We made an appointment and entered the Rebbe’s study. After a few words of greeting, I got to the point. I told the Rebbe that I was asked to be the chazzan in Warsaw for the coming Yomim Noraim and wanted his opinion about this undertaking. Before my father-in-law even had a chance to explain his objection, the Rebbe expressed his excitement and enthusiasm about my going and told me what a wonderful thing this would be for

Bringing Netilas Yadayim for the Bobover Rebbe at the Sheva Brachos of my brother-in-law Eli Kroen

depressed community there. He gave me his bracha to be matzliach in inspiring the kehillah with my tefillos. My fatherin-law tried to inject his fear about going to Poland, but the Rebbe brushed it aside with his blessing that I would be fine and reiterated how important it is that I go.

As happy as I felt about the Rebbe taking on my cause, I can’t say that I didn’t feel somewhat sorry for my father-in-law.

Since that trip, I became involved with many projects both in Poland and the Soviet Union, and I was very often by the Rebbe in consultation about my missions. The Rebbe actually funded a trip that I undertook to Poland to find Jews who were looking to reconnect to Yiddishkeit. I was involved with a number of children who eventually left Poland, and some went on to learn in Bobov. On a number of occasions, I brought some of the Polish emigres to the Rebbe for chizuk.

There is one incident that remains in my memory to this very day. I had met a Jewish woman in the Warsaw Shul on Yom Kippur who was from Ukraine. She asked me to sponsor her son who wanted to learn about his heritage to come to America. When I returned to New York, I helped the young man to obtain a visitor’s visa to the United States. After he arrived and as we were driving home from the airport, Roman, who spoke a bit of English, told me two things.

First, he wanted to know if I could help him to get a bris. I was pleasantly surprised that having a bris was an important thing on his agenda. I told him that I would assist him, and he would get a bris very soon.

The second thing was even more shocking to me. He told me that he heard that there was a rbbi from the town of Bobowa in New York and that he wanted to meet him. I told him that he surely means the Bobover Rebbe whom I know

very well, and I would make the arrangements that he would meet him. Two days later, I set up a meeting with the Rebbe.

I went along with Roman and told the Rebbe that Roman had been very intent on meeting him. The Rebbe spoke to him in Polish, and I noticed how the Rebbe was excited after Roman told him something. The Rebbe turned to me and told me in Yiddish that Roman’s father’s father was the mayor of Bobowa and that he remembers him well. He added in a hushed voice that his grandfather was “nisht kein kleine antesmit” (not a small anti-Semite). After I told the Rebbe that Roman came here to study Yiddishkeit and that we would soon give him a bris, the Rebbe with a twinkle in his eye added, “Kik, mir hoben yezt a neier Bobover einikel!” (Look, we now have a new Bobover descendent!)

I once introduced the leader and teacher of the Russian frum community in Moscow, Rabbi Eliyahu Essas, to the Rebbe. The Rebbe was very impressed with his accomplishments. There was a time that Rebbe invited me to join some meetings with Polish officials concerning the state of Jewish cemeteries in Poland. When I returned from trips abroad, I went to the Rebbe to report about my trips and showed him many photographs. He was very interested. I remember one occasion when the Rebbe was scheduled to go out to the airport to greet his new son-in-law, Rav Baruch Avrohom Horowitz. At the time I was in his reception room showing him photos, and his gabbai, Rav Shmiel Horowitz, came in three times to say that it was getting late, but the Rebbe was focused on my stories and photos. The Rebbe was a great source of encouragement and inspiration for many of my undertakings and his brachos helped me achieve many of my goals.

After getting married, we had three

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Showing photos of Poland to the Bobover Rebbe in 1988

daughters but no sons. On Purim of 1982, I was part of a Purim shpiel play which was performed in the Rebbe’s presence.

When I finished my performance, I went over to the Rebbe for a bracha and asked him that he should daven that we have a boy. Less than ten months after Purim, we had our son, Mechel.

Being that I was connected to both the Bluzhever and Bobover Rebbes, many of our family’s life cycles were shared. My first daughter Itty’s naming and my son Mechel’s upsherin were held by the Bluzhiver Rebbe. My youngest daughter Chavi’s name-giving and Mechel’s tefillin leigin were done by the Bobover Rebbe. The Bobover Rebbe’s son Naftulche, zt”l, was mesader kiddushin at Chavi and Volvi’s chasunah .

During difficult times or sicknesses, the Rebbe was the address where we shared our fears and sorrows and came to be consoled.

During my stay in 1990 in Palm Springs, California, the Bobover Rebbe was there, and I had the opportunity to talk with him a number of times and I once even walked him back to the place he was staying. Before leaving New York, I already heard that the Rebbe

was in Palm Springs, and I realized that I would be davening together with him daily. I was a bit embarrassed that I did not wear Rabbeinu Tam tefillin and was worried that he may notice. Nevertheless, I was not ready to commit myself to that minhag. Since I had my father’s a”h Rabbeinu Tam tefillin, I checked them out, had them fitted for me and made a tenai (a conditional acceptance) that I will wear them only for this period of time. This would not obligate me to wear them in the future. I always say jokingly that “the Bobover Rebbe made me wear Rabbeinu Tam tefillin.” In a sense that’s true because I never stopped wearing them since.

I was not in the United States when the Rebbe, zt”l, was niftar and missed his levayeh. This is something I still cannot come to terms with. I go to his kever every time I go to my parents’ kevarim; they are interred in the same Beis Olam.

I think of the Rebbe often, and it gives me extreme satisfaction that I had this close relationship with him. At times, when I reminisce about him, I am even moved to tears. His regal image and his warm smile remain in my mind and will accompany me forever.

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

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Israel Today

Savoring Every Second

By Mrs. Barbara Deutsch

E

very day, we log more than 10,000 steps walking on these ancient streets. I have to remember to wear shoes with strong grips on the soles to ensure that I don’t slip and slide on the well-worn cobblestones.

Anywhere I go – from the elevator in my hotel, to a tourist site, a restaurant or a store – I run into someone I know or knew; it always seems to open a floodgate of emotions and memories. Every encounter turns into an event.

Some snapshots: The elevator in my hotel is regulated from an outside panel; you need to press the number for your floor outside the doors. After you do that, an overhead sign directs you to which elevator to take to your destination. It takes some getting used to, but at this point when I get on a regular elevator, I sometimes just stand there waiting for it to take me; I forget to press the floor button.

Last week, I got on the elevator with a confused young woman who did not understand where and how to get the elevator to take her to her desired floor. As I explained the process we started chatting and playing Jewish geography – 18 floors takes a little time – and when we reached the lobby, she commented that I look familiar from home.

We exchanged some introductory details including where we are from.

“Cedarhurst,” I said.

“Me too,” she answered.

“Really? What block?” I asked.

“Oakwood,” she responded.

My block is Oakwood, but I had never seen her before. This morning, we had breakfast and exchanged phone numbers.

Her mother texted me that we had to go 6,000 miles to meet each other.

Yesterday, while I was rushing to meet my daughter for our weekly class, I stopped when I heard my name.

“Mrs. Deutsch? I don’t know if you remember me but I remember you from Camp Morasha; I was in the Kollel and you used to speak on Shabbos at shalosh

seudot, the evening meal. I need to tell you something.”

He went on to say how a talk he heard from me still resonates all these years later; it’s been over 30 years. The session topic was “Eishes Chayil,” a prayer sung with the Friday night kiddush. At that time, I had been to a number of funerals for women, and I noticed that when the rabbi spoke about the departed and there was not much to say, or he did not know her, the totality of his speech would be a recitation of this song.

The message I was giving (even in those days I had what to say) is that when we leave this world, what will be said about you? Will the speeches be able to share accomplishments of lasting value?

What is your legacy?

Meeting this former camper, now a teacher and community rabbi in the States, set me off on a reflective journey thinking about how we use our allotted time. Do we make the most of the opportunities we have been given?

This encounter made me wonder about the value and content of the impressions we leave, directly and indirectly, on the people that cross paths with us – finding out that 30 years ago a random

talk I gave about how to make the most of your time made such an impression on a young teen that it has guided his life’s choices.

This left me wondering about the different things that I may have said to people, directly and indirectly, throughout the course of my career. Have my words hurt – I hope not – or helped?

Israel is a small country with the new and old existing side by side. We went to the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens, located high up another Jerusalem hill. This new exhibit recreates roaring dinosaurs living within the garden foliage. As a visitor, it is disconcerting to be in a jungle with roaming ancient creatures while looking out on a horizon of modern-day construction.

When we visited DCity, a fancy furniture mall with a purposefully glitzy Las Vegas food court, we saw that it was set up to feel like night all day long. Once again, we felt that same ancient/modern cognitive dissonance.

What’s a Roosevelt Field/Las Vegas type mall doing in Jerusalem?

Don’t know.

Walking into the food court, I heard my name.

“Barbara, is that you?”

Sure enough, my dear friends and former Brooklyn neighbor’s cousin, who grew up in West Hempstead and now lives in Israel, was calling my name.

“Shulie, is that you?” I responded.

Wow! Wow again. I have not seen her in so many years; before she became a grownup and a grandmother. Of course, I started to cry as memories of her parents and grandparents flooded me. We hugged and hugged again as we shared the “good old days.”

And because this is Israel, her husband is my granddaughter’s dentist.

We are in the middle of the three week countdown to Tisha B’Av; we should use these days as an opportunity to reflect on our actions and words and to consider the impact that they have on our children and peers.

Educators, especially, have to own that; our words can cripple or build a child. Our actions make a difference in how they grow and develop.

These encounters have reminded me that it is important to be more present and not distracted when speaking and engaging with people. You never know how your relationship and words will affect the people you know and want to know – what will they carry away from meeting and knowing you.

We no longer live with dinosaurs but our phone dependence, mine included, has set up walls to real in-person interaction. Perhaps, we should all take some daily time-outs from using them?

All makes for a lot of reflection.

Shabbat Shalom. Watch what you say, stay safe and savor every fleeting moment. It all goes by so quickly.

Barbara Deutsch is currently the associate principal at HANC 609 and a longtime reflective educator, parent, grandparent, and new great-grandparent. Even after all these years, she still loves what she does and looks forward to working with kids every single day.

She is vacationing in Israel for the summer.

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Dating Dialogue

What Would You Do If… Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW of The Navidaters

Dear Navidaters,

I appreciated your question and answers from the panelists last week about navigating dealing with both a single daughter as well as an elderly motherin-law. I especially appreciated the Rebbetzin’s response. I was wondering if I could continue the conversation/question.

We take care of my elderly father who now lives with us. Our amazing 23-year-

old daughter has no interest in dating at all. I am so tired up with appointments, schedules, etc. so I totally related to the previous letter writer. Recently, we had a volunteer yeshiva bochur from a local yeshiva come learn with my father for an hour on Shabbos . My husband and I were so impressed with this bochur, and we want to get our daughter set up with him. She insists she’s not ready and doesn’t want to start dating yet.

Within myself, I am so scared that by the time my daughter starts dating, my father won’t be around. All we want is for her to start dating, but she won’t budge on her decision. We even have our eye on this incredible guy. What can we do?

Thanks, Leah

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

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The Rebbetzin Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S.

L

eah, children and grandchildren are not nachas machines. They need to build their own lives and grow in their individual paths.

Nachas is the interest you get from raising children. It’s not automatic, and it needs Hashem’s blessing. Some people get nachas without working hard to be good parents. It’s a gift from the Ribbono Shel Olam. Most people work hard to nurture respectful, kind, good children and eventually see nachas from them and their generations. Sometimes, the nachas doesn’t come.

But when it comes to readiness for marriage, there is an unbreakable rule. Thou shalt not push thy child who does not feel ready for dating – even if your daughter is 23, she is grown up and self-aware. If she says she isn’t ready, she isn’t ready.

She may feel insecure. She may not be

socially skilled and knows it. She may want to have the feeling of accomplishment that finishing a degree and starting a career may bring. She may not want the type of young man you have in mind and hasn’t figure out how to express it. She may not feel ready to partner with a young man to build a family.

You may try to explore this feeling with her in conversation. More likely, especially since you are trying to push her, she will not open up. You can offer tools and suggestions to help her along the journey of readiness for shidduch dating. You may talk about others who talk to mentors and/or dating coaches. You may offer to pay for a therapist.

This period is about facilitating movement on the path to the next stage in observant Jewish life. Not everyone is ready to date soon after they finish seminary. Respect your daughter. Her life counts. Find other ways to increase your father’s nachas.

Bring the family together for any occasion you can think of. Celebrate Father’s Day in

September. Make Rosh Chodesh parties.

Arrange a schedule of Facetime visits from family and friends.

Don’t sacrifice your daughter to your father’s decline.

The Shadchan Michelle Mond

L

eah, thank you for your kind words about our column.

First, you must separate your anxious feelings from reality. Your daughter is a huge source of nachas to your entire family, including your father. Whether or not she gets married during his lifetime is all destined from Hashem.

My suggestion here would be to encourage her to pursue her goals and dreams she does have right now. When she feels good about herself, she will want to share her happiness with someone else. Keep com-

If she says she isn’t ready, she isn’t ready.

ments about dating and marriage out of conversations, and hopefully when she does not feel pressured, she will come to the decision to start dating. There is nothing older children hate more than being told what to do and how to do it, even though their parents have a plethora of wisdom to share (parents, I am taking notes on this, too!).

Use the advice from last week’s column and get help wherever you can at home, while taking care of your father. Keep an eye on the young man who learns with him, and perhaps at the right time, without nudging your daughter, she will come to the decision to start dating on her own.

Hatzlacha!

Reconnect!

ALUMNI of YESHIVA DARCHEI TORAH Your Alumni Association is looking for you!

Alumni of Yeshiva Darchei Torah or Mesivta Chaim Shlomo, Beis Medrash Heichal Dovid, etc., send us your current address and contact information, and be informed of exciting alumni news, events, and projects.

718.DARCHEI [327.2434] alumni@darchei.org Darchei.org/alumni [click ‘update my information’]

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The Single Tzipora Grodko

I

t sounds like your concern is influenced by your desire to have your father attend your daughter’s wedding. As heartfelt and meaningful as that would be, it cannot be a determining factor in pressuring your daughter to decide if she feels like she is not ready. Ideally, it would be beautiful if your father can attend the wedding, but remember, the goal isn’t just to get your daughter married but to ensure it’s the right person and she wants to stay married.

I personally get calls from my grandparents all the time stating, “We won’t be here for long and want to attend your wedding!” It breaks my heart since they seem to be giving the illusion that the decision is in my control and my positionality to be single is “my choice” which is causing them pain. Meeting my bashert is not in my hands but rather G-d’s.

Please make sure not to project this onto your daughter as it will cause her grief, pressure (which can lead to making the wrong choic-

es), and possible shame if G-d decides that she will get married at a time when you father won’t be able to join.

I encourage you to focus on appreciating the time with your family (in whatever capacity that looks like) and admire your daughter’s independence and awareness in feeling like she is doing what’s best for her, regardless of the social expectations and pressures.

The Zaidy Dr. Jeffrey Galler

Y

ou are not alone. Many mothers worry about daughters who are getting “older” but don’t feel ready to start dating.

You’re right to be concerned, because in many communities, dating is, unfortunately, already very anxiety-provoking and difficult; for young women who are already in their mid-to-late twenties, those difficulties are, sadly, magnified.

But your letter sounded a very

Pulling It All Together

discordant note when the concern that you expressed was: “I am so scared that by the time my daughter starts dating my father won’t be around.” There are, clearly, better reasons for your daughter to start dating and transition into adult, married life than merely to please her grandfather.

You may wish to explore and understand your daughter’s reluctance. Has she witnessed traumatic, unhappy marriages among friends and relatives? Are there any other issues?

In any event, several years ago, a like-minded young woman, your daughter’s age, wrote to us that she does not wish to start dating because she is very content and comfortable with her current lifestyle.

You may wish to share with your daughter, what I had written to that other post-seminary single: No one understands you better than you yourself. If you’re not ready for dating and marriage, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

But you made me think of a friend of mine, who has a pre-school granddaughter. Last September, when the little girl discovered that she was done with nursery school and was moving on to kindergarten, she was very upset.

One of the hardest and unnatural parts of parenting is accepting that we cannot control the actions of our children.

She really, really enjoyed being able to play all day in the sandbox and create giant, messy, abstract finger-painted works of art. She was distraught over the prospect of leaving the sandbox behind and having to sit on a chair, at a desk, with a neat pencil and crayon box. She wanted to stay in nursery school for a few more years and cried over being forced into the next phase of life.

They gently explained to her that she cannot postpone this painful transition for another few years because eight-year-old girls simply don’t blend well into the regular kindergarten population.

Why am I telling you this? Please consider the story as a gentle reminder that, sometimes, it’s basically time to move on to the next phase of life.

The Navidaters Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists

D

ear Leah, It’s the most natural feeling and desire in the world to want our elderly parents to have the nachas of seeing their grandchildren walk down the aisle. Another very natural instinct is to want to see our children married and happy.

One of the hardest and unnatural parts of parenting is accepting that we cannot control the actions of our children.

Sometimes they want very different things than what we want for them, and parenting becomes about separating our desires from theirs and not pushing our agendas onto them; settling into acceptance of what is and letting go of whatever our dream was.

If you have a close relationship with

your daughter, you can ask her about her decision not to start dating. You can offer her counseling if you think it is anxiety or trauma blocking her from entering this next stage of life that her religious peers have entered.

In my experience, it is never a good idea to push something onto a child. If your daughter is unhappy or depressed or doesn’t have the self-esteem to date, therapy would be a great idea right about now.

Ultimately, that decision has to come from your daughter or she is likely to spend her time in therapy discussing how she does

not want to date and her mother is forcing her to go to therapy to work through something she doesn’t see as a problem.

You must have a lot on your plate. You are doing so much for everyone. And you have hard emotions you feel every day. You are caring for your elderly father. You have a daughter who doesn’t want to start dating. If your load feels heavy, therapy may be a wonderful supportive tool for you right now as well. You will learn which burdens you can put down and process any difficult feelings that may arise as a result.

Wishing you all the best, Jennifer

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

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Health & F tness

Meal Guidance for the Nine Days

By Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN

T

he Nine Days are a fateful time for the Jews. Dangerous things have happened during those days throughout our history and therefore we stay away from various activities. One of those restrictions is eating meat (other than on Shabbos and with some loopholes). Planning a menu for an entire week of dairy is a tough task and even tougher when trying to eat healthy.

Most dairy meals tend to be heavier in calories than meat meals. Below are some ideas of healthy options for the Nine Days.

Eggs are a great vegetarian meal for any day. They are so healthy and so versatile that you can’t possibly get sick of them. Plus, they’re easy and require very little prep time, too.

For the past 40 years, Americans were wary of eating eggs due to its cholesterol content. However, the newest version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans contained a striking change: it dropped a restriction on dietary cholesterol. Experts now believe that

eating cholesterol-containing foods may not significantly affect cholesterol levels or increase their risk of heart disease.

According to federal guidelines, eggs are now grouped with lean meats, poultry, seafood, legumes, and nuts as a healthy source of protein. In fact, the American Heart Association recommends eating eggs, poultry or meat eight to nine times a week, or one egg or two egg whites in a single serving. Either way, Nine Days or not, you should be consuming eggs daily as part of a healthy diet.

Get creative with your eggs, and have fun. Hardboiled eggs can be prepared in advance and easily taken along to work.

When eating a meal at home, you can whip up scrambled eggs, omelets, sunny side up, soft boiled eggs, poached eggs, egg salad, deviled eggs, or shakshuka.

Each of these choices offers variety, too.

You can add vegetables and/or cheese to your omelets and cheese and/or onions to your scrambled eggs, too. Have a slice of whole grain toast with your eggs and a side salad, or any cut up vegetables or

avocado to enjoy with your eggs. There are so many yummy ways to make eggs and different side dishes to go along with them, which makes eggs a great meal for the Nine Days.

Another extremely healthy and popular meal for the Nine Days is fish.

Fish is one of the healthiest proteins out there. Fish is a great choice for any meal, any day of the year. The 20152020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults consume at least 8 ounces of seafood per week.

Oily fish, in particular, such as wild salmon, albacore tuna, mackerel, herring and farmed trout are great catches with DHA to offer. One serving of fish offers plenty of protein, is low in calories, and fat and is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory agents that help protect the blood vessels and arteries, thus promoting heart health. Fish is also shown to boost brain health, fight heart disease and have many other great benefits.

There are many different types of fish

out there – each with different textures, flavors, and health benefits. Every type of fish is healthy and beneficial. Salmon is a very popular choice and is one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory agents that help protect the blood vessels and arteries. Salmon is also one of the healthiest protein sources one can eat and is low in calories. Salmon can be eaten raw as sushi, cooked, grilled, baked, poached, boiled, eaten in a salad, and even made into salmon patties!

Other great fish options include trout, carp, sea bass, flounder, tilapia, bronzini, and red snapper. Prepare your fish in any way shape or form and enjoy it with a whole grain starch such as brown rice, quinoa, or even a baked sweet potato, with some veggies on the side. Voila! A healthy, delicious, and nutritious meal.

While we’re on the topic of fish, sushi is another great option for the Nine Days.

Choose a brown rice roll for optimal nutrition.

One of my favorite meals for the Nine

with protein, it’s full of fiber, too. Fiber is essential in regulating digestion, lowering cholesterol levels, and keeping one satiated. The high fiber and protein combination keeps one fuller for longer, making quinoa a great choice anyone trying to manage his/her weight.

ple (especially women) don’t get enough iron. Iron helps carry oxygen around the blood and helps us feel energized.

Eating quinoa will help you reach your recommended daily amount.

Quinoa doesn’t need to be eaten as a patty, you can enjoy it during the Nine

Quinoa is considered a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a great protein choice for vegetarians.

Other nutrients found in quinoa in high concentration include potassium, riboflavin, vitamin B6, niacin and thiamin. It’s also a good source of magnesium, copper, zinc, and manganese.

Manganese is essential for development and metabolism. This element is also vital for the proper functioning of many enzymes. Iron is another nutrient found in high quantities in quinoa. Many peo-

Days (and any day) in a variety of ways.

Quinoa cooks like rice: 1 cup of quinoa to 2 cups of rice. Unlike rice, quinoa can be eaten hot or cold. Quinoa can be eaten instead of rice as a hot side dish (simply add olive oil, salt, and pepper).

You can even add in shredded carrots, diced peppers, onions, or just about anything to give it more flavor. Quinoa also tastes delicious when served room

temperature in a salad. It can be thrown into a vegetable salad as an added protein or used as a base in a salad, giving it the term, “quinoa salad.” You will find quinoa on almost every restaurant menu. Quinoa bowls have also become popular. That means throwing anything a in a bowl on top of quinoa and making a delicious hearty meal. Find your favorite quinoa dishes and eat it any way which works for you. I guarantee you will enjoy it!

These are just a few healthy ideas to prepare other than the traditional pizza and pasta during the Nine Days. It’s only week, we can get through it, and then get back to our regular menu routine.

For other ideas and tips, email CindyWeinberger1@gmail.com. Have a healthy and safe Nine Days, followed by an easy and meaningful fast.

Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN, is a Master’s level Registered Dietitian and Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist. She graduated CUNY Brooklyn College receiving a Bachelor’s in Science and Master’s degree in Nutrition and Food Sciences. She is currently a private nutritionist. She can be reached at CindyWeinberger1@gmail.com or 917-623-6237.

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Days is a veggie burger. Nowadays, there are so many options on the market – Morning Star, Dr. Praegers, Gardein, and Beyond Burger, to name a few. If you are feeling adventurous, you can even make your own veggie burger. Veggie burgers are an excellent vegetarian source of protein. When eaten in a salad or served with a whole wheat bun and baked sweet potatoes fries, you get yourself a scrumptious and healthy meal.

If you don’t love the veggie burger option, but like the idea of a vegetarian burger, try quinoa patties. Quinoa is loaded with protein. One cup of cooked quinoa contains roughly 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber. It has more protein than any other whole grain so will keep you fuller for longer than pasta or rice. The type of protein is ideal, too.

Quinoa is considered a complete protein, meaning it contain all nine essential amino acids, making it a great protein choice for vegetarians. Not many plant foods are complete proteins, yet quinoa is one of them. Another benefit of the high protein content is that protein increases one’s metabolism and reduces your appetite by filling you up, making you eat less calories overall, thus aiding in weight loss. Not only is quinoa packed

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Dr. Deb

You Married the Right Person

By Deb Hirschhorn, Ph.D.

“D

r. Deb,” Kenny was complaining, “it’s only my wife that triggers me! I have lots of relationships – from work to shul to my kids’ schools where I’m very active – and I get along well with everyone else…so it must be that I married the wrong person.”

Actually, Kenny, what you’re saying tells me you married the right person.

“Huh?” you’re probably thinking.

I know. I know. It’s counterintuitive.

But follow me for a minute, and you’ll see where I’m going.

I had a friend who had a terrible accident and ended up paraplegic. She could not feel anything in her legs. She was ironing on a lap-type ironing board, and she didn’t realize how thin the padding had gotten. Long and short of it, she burned through the padding to her skin.

Only she didn’t know.

She couldn’t feel it.

Yes, it would have hurt terribly to have gotten burned with a hot iron. But the way things were, her burn was far worse than it would have been. She didn’t know she’d done damage until she smelled something wrong.

Being triggered is like that. It’s a trailhead – as Dr. Schwartz of Internal Family Systems fame calls it – of something that urgently needs attention but can lead you to some important – and healing – discoveries.

The fact that you got triggered by your wife, Kenny, is excellent, because it leads you to something way, way back in your life that you have buried and no longer feel, but it needs healing just the same.

See, your wife innocently touched a raw nerve.

And, wouldn’t you know it, the only person in the universe with that much power to get past your defenses is your wife. What’s more, it’s not a coincidence.

It goes like this, according to Dr. Schwartz: What really – I mean really

– attracts us to the person we marry is because they seem like the right person to rescue/love/nurture the hurt parts of us. This is either because they are like the parents who hurt us so it’s like giving a parent another chance, or it’s because they are the opposite of those parents so

overcoming the original pains of childhood. Two people who get triggered, even if it’s accidental and inadvertent, but who react and who then react to the reaction until it becomes a chaotic escalation.

But just suppose, for a moment, that when you feel yourself triggered, you note

It leads you to something way, way back in your life that you have buried and no longer feel, but it needs healing just the same. it stands to reason that they would come through like the knight in shining armor or the princess filled with love that we always wanted.

But they’re human, right?

So every time they mess up, their failure to come through reminds us emotionally of our original unhealed hurt.

And just to make it a little more interesting, there are two people involved, two people each with hopes and dreams for

it and ask yourself why. You ask yourself, “What caused this in me?” And just suppose it does exactly what it’s meant to do: It takes you back to a time when you were hurt in a similar way as a child.

And you can comfort your younger self, telling him or her that they were a great child, not a bad one at all. And you can see them in your mind’s eye leaving that painful place and feel the freedom and joy they feel at doing so.

That would be liberating, wouldn’t it?

It turns out that our brains don’t distinguish between memories of real events and imaginary “editing” that we do to those memories. That is why we can wake up from a dream in a mood that is completely different from the mood we were in when we fell asleep. That is precisely how hypnosis works, too, and why it is so effective.

We actually have it in our power to alter the emotional tone of our memories.

Therefore, at the end of such an imaginary journey, you feel so much better that, in your heart, you thank your partner for triggering you.

What would that be like?

This is not at all far-fetched, even though it may seem like it. It may seem like it because if we are used to being in pain and life is just tough, then something good doesn’t seem too likely. But the reality is that Hashem gave us the refuah before He landed the makka on us. It is likely. It is do-able.

In other words, your spouse is, indeed, your “helper” even if she/he feels “k’negdo,” against you. Yes, that feeling of being triggered and hurt is not a good feeling. But it’s useful to have so you can figure out just exactly why you were triggered – and to heal the entire experience.

I write a blog on my website and have been doing that for decades. Articles similar to this one appear twice a week there.

You can go to https://drdeb.com to sign up to get emails announcing each new one.

Very shortly, I will no longer have this column, but you can definitely keep up with me there.

Dr. Deb Hirschhorn is a Marriage and Family Therapist. If you want help with your marriage, begin by signing up to watch her Masterclass at https://drdeb.com/myw-masterclass.

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Parenting Pearls

Protecting the Youngest of Ears

By Sara Rayvych, MSEd

I

was a first time mom attending the wedding of a family friend. Holding my little baby, I enjoyed watching the dancing in front of me. The music was so loud that I almost missed the woman next to me trying to get my attention. She quickly explained that I was standing too close to the speakers and that the music was far too loud for my infant’s ears. As the wife of a musician, she was familiar with chasunah noise levels and their danger to infant hearing.

To this day, I am grateful that she raised my awareness on this issue. As someone who has seen firsthand the difficulties associated with early hearing loss, I can appreciate the importance of protecting our children’s ears. It is certainly far simpler to prevent the issue than to treat it after the fact. While there are many things that parents can’t prevent, some forms of hearing loss are preventable.

The ear has three parts: the outer, middle, and inner ear. The outer ear funnels the sound towards the eardrum, causing it to vibrate. Those vibrations cause the bones of the middle ear (malleus, incus, and stapes) to move. Those movements continue towards the inner

ear (cochlea) and its small sensory hair cells so they can be passed on as electrical impulses to the brain. It is damage to these hair cells that causes hearing loss from loud noise. Once noise reaches 85 dB (decibels) or greater, it can begin to cause this damage.

I’d like to thank the professionals who took the time to review this article, including Judith Millman MA, CCCSLP and Judi Adler Weiss MS, CCC-SLP.

The Importance of Childhood Hearing The importance of hearing is rather obvious since it’s a major source of information about the world around us. A car horn warns a pedestrian that strayed into oncoming traffic, a lifeguard’s whistle signals aquatic danger, and children enjoy singing their favorite tunes. We use our hearing every day and throughout the day.

Childhood hearing goes even beyond our day-to-day adult hearing needs. As infants are still growing, their brains develop alongside the rest of their body.

It is the hearing they experience when young that shapes their brain’s ability to hear and understand auditory stimuli when they’re older. We hear with

our ears and brains working together.

We need both working optimally and in unison to process auditory stimuli.

Hearing is not only important on its own, but it’s also the foundation for other crucial areas of development. A child needs to hear sounds to develop speech and language. Those skills are further translated into reading, writing and social development. It’s the beginning months and years of a child’s hearing that are the most critical time period.

Hearing Screenings Hearing screenings are first done at birth and later by your pediatrician.

They are a simple way to ensure your child is hearing optimally. Additional screenings can be easily arranged should you have any concerns about your child’s hearing. There are local audiologists, otolaryngologists (ENTs), and other professionals that specialize in pediatric clients and can provide clarity to any hearing concerns.

Signs that your child should be evaluated include hearing ringing, roaring or hissing sounds, needing to have things repeated, speaking loudly unnecessarily, and failing to respond to unexpected, loud noises.

Hearing Protection for All Ages All of us need our ears and can get overwhelmed by loud noises. Infants and young children, in particular, are easily overstimulated by sound. Some children are more sensitive than others, and children with a variety of situations, including ADHD and sensory issues, can quickly have trouble coping in loud environments. They may get scared, overwhelmed, or just frustrated.

Situations that seem benign to an adult may seem frightening to a youngster. Fireworks are loud, confusing, and unnerving. Concert music, while enjoyable to us, may not seem like anything but noise to a child. Large crowds can be incredibly overstimulating to a young person. When viewing the world from the youngest of places, sounds can be interpreted very differently.

Alternatively, teenagers may not realize how loud their music sounds. We may need to remind our older children to protect themselves from loud sounds being pumped directly into their ears, especially when they’re wearing headphones. When we were younger, headphones were mostly for use with Walkmans or other music players. Today,

Keep the Noise Down We live in a very loud world. I’m not referring to the noises Hashem made in nature but to the excessively loud ones we’ve artificially created. Baruch Hashem, our lives are full of simchas and other Jewish celebrations; it’s only natural that music accompanies those events. Alternatively, during times of mourning – such as the Three Weeks – we specifically exclude music as a means of acknowledging our sadness.

Many letters to the editor have been written bemoaning the noise volume at Jewish events. A choshuve rebbetzin shared with me that her esteemed husband has lost part of his hearing from attending so many chasunahs. Baruch Hashem for simchas, but hearing loss is a serious and unnecessary cost to pay.

Simchas are celebrated with music and dancing. Concerts and kumzitzes are not only enjoyable but can be a truly

spiritually uplifting event. I am certainly not going to suggest we remove music from Jewish life, nor am I going to say we deny children this pleasure. The Jewish lifestyle is both a beautiful and joyous one, and music is a major part of that. But music need not be excessively loud to be enjoyable. I can say from personal experience that by our sons’ bar

will thoroughly enjoy your simcha and the music – even at a lower volume.

If you’re a guest attending with young ones, then you still have options.

Please don’t keep your children near the speakers where the volume is loudest.

Bring noise-canceling headphones to protect their hearing. It may take some initial distraction techniques to keep

Music need not be excessively loud to be enjoyable.

mitzvahs we requested the music be kept a bit lower. Our musician was happy to oblige. The dancing was lively, while our guests commented on how much they enjoyed being able to hear each other.

If you’re the baal simcha, then I wish you a hearty “mazel tov!” You can certainly request a lower volume to ensure the safety and comfort of all your guests.

As a friend told me, adults enjoy hearing each other during conversations and can’t politely wear earplugs. Your guests

those headphones on your little one’s head, but it’s well worth the effort.

Noise-canceling headphones are a simple method to protect a lifetime of hearing. I invested in a pair of these headphones for my youngest, and it’s been well worth the minimal cost.

They’re great not only for simchas but also for accompanying me to the gym and anywhere else the volume gets turned up. I’ve even heard of parents using them for fireworks and other events.

SUMMER SPECIAL MUST SCHEDULE TO START BEFORE AUG 31.

NOT COMBINABLE WITH ANY OTHER OFFER. LIMIT ONE PER FAMILY.

For those that only require baby headphones (ages birth-2 years) for occasional use, there are gemachim available to provide this basic, yet important means of protecting your child’s hearing. Just book in advance of the date, and a pair of small headphones can be reserved for your little one. We are fortunate to have a number of local headphone gemachim, including one in Far Rockaway (718) 309-3218, Lawrence (347) 515-0173, Cedarhurst (516) 5821985, North Woodmere (718) 869-4468 and Woodmere (516) 592-8980. There are even headphone gemachim throughout the world should you have a simcha out-of-town.

We often fail to appreciate how much we rely on our hearing. Sound is a basic simcha that we should treasure. Let’s take the simple steps now to ensure we and our families can enjoy a lifetime of future hearing.

Have a wonderful Shabbos and enjoy the sounds of the zemiros!

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

20% OFF

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electronics are everywhere, and kids often use headphones or earbuds with them. Alongside the increased use of headphones and earbuds, we need increased vigilance to ensure the volume is kept low enough to protect our youth’s hearing.

The Jewish Home | JULY 28, 2022

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In The K

tchen

Fiesta Chicken Enchiladas

By Naomi Nachman

It is so hard coming up with dairy meals for the Nine Days. Sometimes, I feel like I am eating lunch twice a day! I took my recipe for chicken enchilada, and I “dairyfied” this recipe for the Nine Days. At first, my kids didn’t even realize that the soy chicken wasn’t real chicken -especially since it was served with guacamole and pico de gallo.

Ingredients

◦ 1 small onion, chopped ◦ 1 clove garlic, minced ◦ 2 pkg soy chicken, cubed (Gourmet Glatt sells it)

Spoon about 1/3 cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up. Place, seam-sides down, in 9x13inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with remaining salsa and shredded cheese.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through.

Perfect Guacamole

Ingredients ◦ 2 ripe avocados ◦ ½ red onion, minced (about ½ cup)

◦ 1 cup salsa, divided ◦ ¼ cup cream cheese

Pico de Gallo

◦ 2 cloves garlic

◦ 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro

Ingredients

◦ 1 jalapeno

◦ 4 plum tomatoes chopped into ½ inch dice

◦ 1 tablespoon fresh lime or lemon juice

◦ ¼ cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped

◦ ½ teaspoon coarse salt

◦ 1 lime, juiced

◦ Dash freshly grated black pepper

◦ 1 small red onion, diced

◦ 1 ripe tomato, diced (optional)

◦ 1 tsp ground cumin ◦ 1 cup Shredded Cheddar & Monterey Jack Cheeses, divided ◦ 8 flour tortillas (6 inch)

Preparation Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat large skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium heat. Add onions and garlic; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add soy chicken, 1/4 cup salsa, cream cheese, cilantro and cumin; mix well. Cook 5 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Add 1/2 cup shredded cheese; mix well.

◦ 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

◦ 1 handful cilantro leaves, finely chopped

◦ Salt and pepper

Preparation

Preparation

In a food processor, add onions, garlic, and jalapeno.

Once the mixture is smooth, add the rest of the ingredients.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and marinade three hours before eating to soak up all the flavors.

If you are using tomatoes, fold them in by hand.

Naomi Nachman, the owner of The Aussie Gourmet, caters weekly and Shabbat/ Yom Tov meals for families and individuals within The Five Towns and neighboring communities, with a specialty in Pesach catering. Naomi is a contributing editor to this paper and also produces and hosts her own weekly radio show on the Nachum Segal Network stream called “A Table for Two with Naomi Nachman.” Naomi gives cooking presentations for organizations and private groups throughout the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan area. In addition, Naomi has been a guest host on the QVC TV network and has been featured in cookbooks, magazines as well as other media covering topics related to cuisine preparation and personal chefs. To obtain additional recipes, join The Aussie Gourmet on Facebook or visit Naomi’s blog. Naomi can be reached through her website, www.theaussiegourmet.com or at (516) 295-9669.

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Points to Ponder How to Master the Credit Card Points Game

By DeBra ehrenBerg

Y

ou have definitely heard about them. It seems like everyone uses them. And you want to better understand what they are.

Credit card points seem like the hot topic around town. Personally, they have afforded me and my family the opportunity to travel across the country, to Israel, and various places in between. They have also afforded me and my family the opportunity to stay in hotels that we would probably never have had the opportunity to stay at. This article will aim to give you an introduction as to what credit card points are, how to utilize them, and how to build up your credit card point portfolio to maximize your point benefits.

Before we begin, I would like to make a disclaimer: I am not a registered financial advisor, nor do I play one on TV. This article is not intended to provide any sort of financial advice. Anything presented is from my own research and learning. On this note, I would like to thank Dan Eleff of “Dans Deals,” who runs a fabulous website and forum where he shares deals and delves into the ins and outs of credit card points. Much of my knowledge comes from reading through his posts and then playing the “points game.”

I also would like to offer a word of caution. According to Dan Ellef, “The credit card points system is partially funded by the millions of users who do not pay their credit card in full when the bill is due. It is very enticing, and the credit card companies make it all too easy to fall into the trap of debt and then paying huge interest to the banks.”

If you may fall prey to this, I recommend paying for things in cash. You can go to sleep at night knowing that you are not in credit card debt. Any gain in the “points

game” will be negated by the interest payments to the bank. However, if you stay on top of your game, aside from earning rewards, you can take advantage of many credit card benefits, such as return protection, extended warranty, car rental insurance, and much more.

Assuming you can stay on top of your spending and pay your credit card bills in full and on time, then it’s time to take a dive into the benefits of credit card points.

Credit card points are basically currency that banks issue to credit card holders based on spending. Different credit cards offer different “currency.”

Firstly, there are cash back cards, which are a good way to get 2% back on all your purchases with no annual fee. This is a solid option, but often one can do better.

The second type of card is an airline/hotel credit card that offers points in the form of the specific airline/hotel. The downside of these cards is that the points are locked to just one brand. However, many hotel cards offer a free night (within certain parameters) with the annual fee card. Additionally, almost all airlines offer one free piece of luggage for the cardholder and a certain number of companions with their annual fee card. This can be a wise option for someone who travels frequently on a specific airline.

The third type of card is a transferable point-currency card. These are cards that allow you to earn points and use your points in a variety of ways, including using points towards bill payments, redeeming for travel, and even transferring points to other reward programs.

Like many things in life, with a little patience and wisdom, one can build their credit card portfolio to include cards from each category to reap the most benefits.

I suggest keeping a basic spreadsheet containing infor-

mation such as: credit card type, date opened, sign-on bonus, spending category bonuses, card benefits, and date closed in order to stay organized.

There are a few ways to earn points from your credit card. The first is through a sign-on bonus. A sign-on bonus is basically a large chunk of points that will be issued to your account once you meet the terms of the credit card, typically in the form of spending a certain amount of money within a certain timeframe. Once you reach the spending threshold, then the bank will issue you the sign-on bonus and the points are added to your account. This is often the quickest and most “lucrative” way to earn points.

The second way to earn points is by everyday spending. In order to reap the most benefits in this category, I suggest that you make a note of which credit card to use for what spending. Different credit cards earn different points at various venues. For example, certain cards earn 2X points at restaurants, others earn 3X points for travel, while another earns 5X points at office supply stores.

One can really do well by using the “right” credit card for specific spending.

A third way to earn points is by referring friends for specific cards. Some credit cards have a refer-a-friend offer, where you can earn a bonus if your friend applies for and is approved for that credit card using your referral link.

I will now answer the question that many of you probably have had from the get-go. Doesn’t opening (and closing) multiple credit cards hurt one’s credit score? The answer is, not really. As delineated on Dansdeals.com, your credit score is broken down as follows: -Payment History: 35%. Pay your bills on time and this category should be easy.

-Amount Owed: 30%. This measures your credit uti-

99 but rather, to give them a head start in building up their credit score.

Assuming that you are approved for a credit card, it is important to keep in mind that Chase has a 5/24 rule.

What this means is that they will typically only approve you for their cards if you have been approved for fewer than 5 consumer cards from any bank in the past 24 months. That means you’ll want to start getting Chase cards before moving onto other card opportunities. You can see how many cards you have been approved for within the past 24 months by checking your credit at annualcreditreport.com, the federally authorized site for annual free credit reports. If there are any mistakes on your credit report you should dispute them immediately by contacting the three credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and Transunion.

You may want to close a card so that you can reapply for that card in order to earn the sign-on bonus.

Another application rule to keep in mind is that AMEX will typically only award a sign-on bonus once per lifetime, though reports are that you can get another bonus after about 6-7 years. A popup will come up after you submit an application asking if you want to proceed without earning the welcome bonus, if you don’t qualify for the bonus.

Another item to consider when applying for or closing a credit card is if there is an annual fee. Typically, cards with more benefits will carry an annual fee. The bottom line consideration is this: Is the annual fee worth the benefits that the card carries? There are cards with high annual fees that offer excellent benefits and therefore may be worth keeping open. There may be other cards with smaller annual fees, but the card’s benefits aren’t all that great. If you apply for a card and are approved, and after receiving the sign-on bonus decide that you do not want to keep the card open, you can contact the credit card company to close the account. Please always ensure that you will not lose the points that you have gained. It is almost always prudent to keep a no-fee card opened in each specific bank or branded card for a place to “dump” your points. Additionally, it never hurts to ask the representative if they are willing to waive the annual fee or if there is a promotion, as you are considering closing the account. Many

times, I have had this offer made and therefore have kept the card in question open for an additional year.

An additional reason that you may want to close a card is so that you can reapply for that card in order to earn the sign-on bonus. As mentioned above, however, AMEX typically offers sign- on bonuses once-per-lifetime. However, Chase has different timeframes for different cards regarding the ability to earn sign-on bonuses.

You can successfully close a card, then wait the required time, and reapply for the card. This is called “churning cards,” and it can prove point-lucrative.

Most banks offer both consumer cards as well as business cards. Business cards do not count towards Chase’s 5/24 rule. However previous cards opened count when applying for a business card through Chase. Meaning, the 5/24 rule is considered when applying for a business card. If you have a business or side business and want to keep track of spending, you can apply to open a card using your name as the business. Just be sure to select “sole proprietorship” as the business type and use your social security numbers as the Tax ID. Regarding which cards may be right and provide you with the most benefit, I suggest looking through the various Chase and AMEX cards to get a feel for what is out there. The website creditcards.com allows you to sort through credit card offers based on various filters (travel, cash back, credit score, etc.). The options may seem overwhelming at first, but don’t let that deter you. Check out the card benefits, sign-on bonuses, and annual fees.

Keep in mind the 5/24 rule when applying for cards and consider whether business cards may be right for you.

Always stay on top of your cards, and you too can play the “points game.”

Debra Ehrenberg is available for consult regarding specific card referrals, benefits, and utilization and can be reached via email at pointstoponder111@gmail.com.

JULY 28, 2022 | The Jewish Home

lization ratio. The more money you spend, the higher your utilization ratio will be, which lowers your score.

The more total credit you have available, the lower your utilization ratio will be, which raises your score. So the more accounts and credit that you have, the better your score will be here.

-Length of credit history: 15%. This takes into account your oldest account. The older, the better. It’s important to note that even if you close an account, it stays on your record for about 10 years after you cancel the card. So even if you close an account, you won’t hurt yourself in this category until 10 years down the line when the account falls off of your credit report. By that time, you should have other older cards that will keep your average account age high enough not to adversely affect your score.

-New Credit: 10%. This takes into account credit inquiries and new accounts, which can lower your score temporarily. These fall off your report after about two years and most banks only look at the number of inquiries you have within the past six months. In the shortterm, you may see your score drop when you apply for a card due to this category and the average age of your accounts, but in the long-run having more cards will raise your score, as they improve your payment history (35%) and credit utilization (30%) and eventually the age of your account, which continue to grow older even after you cancel the card.

-Types of Credit Used: 10%. This has little to do with the opening and closing of accounts but factors whether you have other accounts like retail accounts, auto loans, a mortgage, etc. The more varied your portfolio, the higher your score.

When you consider the above, opening new cards only will impact your credit score under the New Credit (10%) consideration. And even so, it is a temporary effect.

However, keep in mind that closing a credit card will negatively impact your credit utilization ratio. I would also warn against closing a credit card within 12 months of opening, as it may trigger speculation by the bank.

So why not open multiple credit cards and keep them open? Why are we even talking about potentially closing them? What benefit, if any, does closing cards have?

First off, you must get approved for each card. Different credit cards require different credit scores. There are steps one can take to build up their credit score. You can start off by becoming an authorized user on a relative’s card. Ensure, though, that this card is being used responsibly and that the bill is paid in full. That should give you a credit boost. From there, you should be able to get approved for a store-branded card, which are easier to obtain. Once you have built up your credit, you can then begin to build up your Chase and American Express (AMEX) portfolios. While there are other bank-issued cards, I will focus on these two for this article. Just as an example, my 19-year-old son was approved for a Chase student card, which is a nice option for students, and a few months after that, he was approved for a Chase card that required excellent credit. I will mention that he was an authorized user of credit cards in both my and my husband’s name since he was 16 and therefore had a solid credit history. I would encourage parents of teens to consider adding their children as authorized users to one of their credit cards, not to promote frivolous spending,

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Mind Y

ur Business

Benny Imani: Learn From Your Mistakes

By Yitzchok Saftlas

Benny Imani

T

his column features business insights from a recent “Mind Your Business with Yitzchok Saftlas” radio show. The weekly “Mind Your Business” show – broadcasting since 2015 – features interviews with Fortune 500 executives, business leaders and marketing gurus. Prominent guests include: John Sculley, former CEO of Apple and Pepsi; Dick Schulze, founder and Chairman Emeritus of Best Buy; and Beth Comstock, former Vice Chair of GE; among over

400+ senior-level executives and business celebrities. Yitzchok Saftlas, president of Bottom Line Marketing Group, hosts the weekly “Mind Your Business” show, which airs at 10pm every Sunday night on 710 WOR and throughout America on the iHeartRadio Network.

O

n a recent 710 WOR “Mind Your Business” broadcast, Yitzchok Saftlas (YS) spoke with Benny Imani. founder and CEO of MiMi’s Sweets. Imani originally came from Iran to the U.S. with just $50 in his pocket.

He now owns a successful diamond and candy business. *

*

*

So, Benny, when you came to America three decades ago, you didn’t speak much English. How did you navigate communication and networking in business?

I didn’t know a word. I didn’t even know the difference between “go” and “went.” I was basically clueless. So that was very difficult. We were in Flatbush,

where they gave us English classes, trying to teach us some English on the side.

Of course, we were a bunch of 30-40 wild boys from Iran. We were teenagers, and it was very difficult learning. But when you need to survive, you become a survivor. And I tried my best to learn as much as possible over a short period of time.

It wasn’t perfect, but it got me around after six months. And slowly, slowly I progressed.

I was always, I think the American term is, a “go-getter.” I had to be on my toes. I had a younger brother, and I was like both a father and mother for him. Of course, he was a very smart boy, thank G-d. He was in school while I was half in high school, half trying to work. And I would talk to friends and friends of friends, and they would offer jobs here

and there. So, whatever it was, I took it.

Whether it was cleaning, working as a waiter, deliveryman, etc. Over time, you get to know people and start growing your network.

I understand you were working a little bit in diamonds, and then you even started a chocolatier company.

Perhaps you could talk about that and maybe even some of the challenges?

For the first five years, I worked many different jobs just to survive, because we had no support from anywhere. I learned very early that I need to have a goal. I need to find something that I like. If I like the job, I’ll be successful.

I liked the jewelry industry and start-

ed looking into it, asking here and there, but I didn’t have a job for six months and it was very depressing. Then a friend of mine called me up and said, “I’m working on 47th Street in one of the jewelry booths, but I’m going to move to Boston, do you want to take over?” I jumped on it, and I worked there for a year and a half, but there was not much room to grow.

I started looking for a higher position, found another company, and became their buyer for five years, traveling all the time and learning the diamond business. In 2001, I opened my own jewelry business, which is still operating and is our main business. But I grew up in Iran where there was never 100% certainty as to what’s going to happen tomorrow. So, I had to try not to put all

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What’s your strategy for introducing new products and convincing those big distributors and stores to accept and put your products on the shelves?

From the first day, one of the challenges was, of course, that there’s always competition out there. So I tried to make my model very different. It involved a lot of risk and money, but I looked at it as an investment for down the road.

When I first started, I didn’t know what to bring in. I’m a risk-taker by nature, and to learn this business, I knew nobody’s going to teach me this, I had to learn it the hard way. I brought in a wide variety of products with different shapes and packaging for the first year. It was a very difficult year to put the products out, to introduce them to the market and try to convince people; it took us time.

A lot of products failed, because they weren’t meant for the American market.

I learned very quickly that we can’t just bring everything. The USA is a big country with large communities all around, and I saw that even every individual state requires different products. In certain places, they love the bulk product; in other places, they don’t want to touch it.

Once we started dealing with overseas,

that was a whole different animal by itself. Forget about USA, they have their own different tastes, different packaging sizes. That means we had to start slowly changing the entire business and trying to tailor to each customer, which is very costly, very time-consuming, and involves a lot of waste. But over the last six, seven years, we learned from our mistakes.

One thing in business that people don’t know is they have to put their egos aside when they make a mistake. I always put ego aside. For each mistake I learned, I asked, I researched, and tried

It doesn’t come overnight. It takes a few years. But that’s the secret.

Perhaps you could talk about some tips and strategies for when you’re running operations overseas.

One of the strategies I had when I started to work with these companies is I partnered up to have my person there, who is also their person. He is my eyes and ears, but at the same time, he knows the company, he works for the company. And it’s a mutual help to both of us.

I don’t have to be dealing with too many

“One thing in business that people don’t know is that they have to put their egos aside when they make a mistake.”

to implement the right way. Thank G-d, slowly a lot of things have changed to the point that now we are very strong. We do have competition, and every day new competitions pop up like mushrooms.

But I tell you, if there is no competition, you’re going to fall asleep. Competition is good for business. My goal is to make sure we are different in every way. Certain stock might be the same, but we try to bring in products that are different.

You want to bring the watermelon sour belt? Well, I’m not going to bring it. I’m going to bring strawberry.

What is a suggestion you can give on how to make sure that your products make it onto the shelves?

Well, shelf space is something that’s always tight. There’s always a fight. It’s not an overnight thing. It takes time, takes a lot of pushing, and a lot of encouragement. You have to believe in your products. We believe in our products because we know what our products are.

We let them test the products and try them out. And even if we needed to ask them for a small space to try our product, we did it. We promoted it with advertising to make sure people know we’re out there. We gave samples to the supermarkets until people understood what we are. But once they know who you are and start testing, it’s guaranteed they’re gonna go back to the shelf looking for your product.

people in the company. Because each of these companies are massive, they have a lot of departments, a lot of people. So, I hire a worker for me here, there, or anywhere else that we manufacture. They are responsible to help me navigate through what needs to be done. Trying to channel it is tough when dealing with too many people.

I understand that your products are kosher and halal certified. That’s very interesting. Can you explain why you chose that route?

It goes back to my roots. We were born and raised in a Muslim country, so I’m very familiar with the Muslim world and what they eat, what they don’t eat, their certificates and everything else. I realized there’s a tremendous opportunity because in the USA and around the world there are huge Muslim communities. A lot of them are observant, and they care about halal certification. Because a majority of the products that have gelatin usually contain pork gelatin or beef gelatin, that’s makes it not kosher or halal. Ours is a very high-quality fish gelatin that makes it kosher as well as halal.

I decided to speak to a halal company, and we put together a contract. Once they know we are kosher to begin with, then it’s already halal as well. We decided to have everything halal certified, and we do have quite a bunch of Muslim customers.

I found it fascinating that you don’t have a sales team. You’re a major manufacturer, and you’re moving products around the world. How do you explain that?

Well, everybody does business differently. I learned my mistakes early on with the chocolate business. We used to go boots on the ground, go around, and sell to every single store. The truck, the networking, the whole nine yards. And that was the biggest mistake that I think failed the company.

When I started MiMi’s, I decided it would be totally different. I wanted to have minimal exposure instead of so many workers and liabilities out there. I started working only with distributors. I make less of a profit margin, they make the margin, but they have the salespeople.

That’s my strategy. And they do everything. I cut my costs. It’s less margin, but much less overhead and headache.

From your decades of experience, what is your recommendation of when to take risks and when to just play it safe?

Well, this is a million-dollar question.

Some people by nature are little more risky, and some people are more conservative. I’m more risky, although of course everything is calculated, at least as much as my knowledge allows me. And based on that and my vision, I take the risks. I’m not always successful but for a majority of the time, if I fell down, I bounced back up.

The chocolate business didn’t work out. It was a very difficult time and a lot of loss and everything else. But I started this business. I didn’t give up, did a lot of hard work. I’m still doing a lot of hard work, but it’s proved to be the right choice.

JULY 28, 2022 | The Jewish Home

my eggs in one basket. What’s going to happen tomorrow if that business goes down? I have a wife and kids now.

I had a good friend who had a very good candy store. I used to stop there every Sunday to chit-chat. He told me, “Listen, let’s open up a chocolate business.” I agreed, and before we knew it, we were at a machinery warehouse. But after four years, I realized that the chocolate business is very difficult with a lot of competition. Meanwhile, I was looking for another thing to bring in to strengthen the business because I saw it wasn’t doing well.

I found this company, Fini, one of the finest European candy making companies. It took me about a year and a half to sign a contract to make kosher products with them exclusively. We started making our first production, which was not as successful as we thought it was going to be. After four years, I decided I need to shut down the chocolate business because the business model was not right.

I started MiMi’s Sweets, growing it and learning from my mistakes. What we did at the chocolate business was wrong, so I tried to do the opposite. Thank G-d, it proved itself right, and we were successful.

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Notable Quotes “Say What?!”

From the horrific war in Ukraine to the rolling back of constitutional rights here in the United States, we are witnessing a global assault on democracy and freedom.

- Prince Harry in a speech to the UN

If you owe everything you have in life to the title of nobility that was bestowed on you at birth, you should feel free not to lecture anyone about democracy and freedom.

- Tweet by pundit Eddie Zipperer

One of the things we saw from Judge Thompson is that they are looking to go further.

- White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre continuing to criticize Justice Clarence Thomas about the abortion decision, even though she doesn’t know his correct name

Perhaps when you build a nation on stolen land with stolen labor, it was never going to be a republic we could keep.

– MSNBC’s Tiffany Cross in a segment called “The Fall of Democracy”

It seems odd that Manchin would choose as his legacy to be the one man who single-handedly doomed humanity.

- Former Clinton and Obama senior adviser John Podesta in an interview with The New York Times, after Sen. Joe Manchin blocked Democrats’ legislation to raise taxes on some in order to deal with global warming

This is one man named Joe Manchin. When it comes to the most important existential issue of our time, this man is a wrecking ball.

– Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) to Politico

I am one of those Republicans who hopes the former President Trump doesn’t run. In all fairness, we don’t need him anymore. He changed our party. We have a lot of folks, a new generation of folks, Ron DeSantis, Mike Pence, Mike Pompeo – go down the list of folks who could give us the same that Donald Trump gave without the baggage. As a Republican, I am thinking if the election were on today and Joe Biden was the nominee for the Democrats or Kamala Harris or Gavin Newsom, there is probably only one mainstream Republican who could lose, and that’s Donald Trump.

- Former Trump acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney on CNN

I am Kamala Harris, my pronouns are she and her, and I am a woman sitting at the table wearing a blue suit.

- Vice President Kamala Harris beginning a recent meeting

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va c a t I o n

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104 So here’s the thing – I thought Biden picking [Kamala Harris] at first was like the worst decision ever because she’s not great. But she’s like the best impeachment insurance and 25th amendment insurance anyone could have.

Because as bad as Biden is, even though he can barely read the teleprompter, and as much as people disapprove of him, nobody wants Harris, and so they’d much rather stick with Biden floundering around than actually turn the wheels of power over to somebody that clearly is in over her head.

- Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) on Fox News

You know the climate deniers are really in some ways similar to all of those almost 400 law enforcement officers in Uvalde, Texas, who were waiting outside an unlocked door while the children were being massacred. They heard the screams, they heard the gunshots, and nobody stepped forward.

- Former vice president and global warming activist Al Gore, in an interview with NBC

The White House announced that President Biden has a mild case of Covid. On the bright side, it’s the first positive news Biden’s gotten in months.

—Jimmy Fallon

Get well soon, sir. You made it through the Spanish flu; you can make it through this.

-Trevor Noah

GOP sees chance to steal Hispanic voters from Democrats.

- Tweet by the Hill

I want to thank everybody here, and hasta la vista, baby!

- Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson ending his final speech in front of the British Parliament before stepping down as prime minister

Everywhere I’ve gone, every Jewish person in so many areas of the country are somehow all Yankee fans. It’s unbelievable.

- Jewish Louisiana State University pitcher Eric Reyzelman talking to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency after he was drafted by the Yankees

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[Pres. Biden] working while having COVID infection epitomizes white supremacy urgency in the workplace. Sets a bad example for everyone that he cannot rest. COVID infection is serious, symptoms debilitating for many, and ppl should take time off without working through it.

- Tweet by Kimberly Sue, MD, who is an assistant professor of medicine at Yale University

Because working epitomizes “white supremacy”?

Can you hear yourself?

- Reply tweet by Actor James Wood

Because people of color are lazy, right? Leftists can’t help outing themselves as the real racists.

- Reply tweet by columnist Larry Taunton

We just kind of live by the day and all of a sudden we’re 100 years old.

- Hubert Malicote, of Ohio, talking to Fox News after a joint 100th birthday party for him and his wife of 79 years

I prefer high gas prices = less driving, less CO2.

- U.S. State Department official Alan Eyre

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The Jewish Home | JULY 28, 2022

Political Crossfire

China Wants to “Reduce Misunderstanding” With the U.S. It Could Start By Talking

By David Ignatius

C

hinese Ambassador Qin Gang assured a foreign policy gathering here last week that Beijing wants “to reduce misunderstanding and miscalculation” with the United States. If that’s true, why does China continue to resist a U.S. proposal to discuss “strategic stability” between the two increasingly competitive countries?

President Joe Biden said on Wednesday, before his COVID-19 diagnosis was announced, that he expects to talk with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in the next 10 days, and a senior administration official said the president’s agenda will include a renewed emphasis on the risks in the relationship and the need to establish better communications. But, so far, the official said of the Chinese, “they haven’t taken us up” on a U.S. proposal for the stability talks.

This difficulty in developing a Sino-U.S. dialogue about strategic issues has frustrated the Biden administration. An important lesson of the Cold War was that nuclear-armed superpowers must communicate to avoid dangerous mistakes. But China has resisted arms-control talks even as it expands its nuclear arsenal, and as a result, it hasn’t learned a common language for crisis management in the way the Soviet Union did.

Biden first proposed the talks in a virtual summit with Xi last November, saying the two countries needed “common-sense guardrails to ensure that competition does not veer into conflict,” according to a White House statement at the time. Items on the agenda for such talks would include expansion of a 1998 agreement for avoiding maritime incidents, measures to avert dangerous military activities, and plans for a hotline and other crisis communication measures, the administration official said.

Rather than embracing what former Australian prime minister and China scholar Kevin Rudd calls “managed strategic competition” in a new Foreign Affairs article, Beijing insists the United States should return to its old policies of supportive engagement, which facilitated China’s rise. Like nearly every other Chinese diplomat I’ve encountered over the past decade, Qin often repeated the phrase “win-win cooperation,” which China sees as a cure-all for its increasingly testy relationship with Washington.

China wants to have it both ways as a superpower: flexing its muscles without being seen as a bully. Xi has been explicit in his “Made in China 2025” plans for dominance of major technologies. But China “has difficulty in recognizing the relationship [with the United States] as competitive,” the senior administration official said. Instead, it responds to criticism from the U.S. and Asian regional powers with a wounded tone, as though to say, “Who, us?”

Framing a strong and sustainable U.S.-China policy remains the Biden ad-

ministration’s biggest long-term challenge, despite the current preoccupation with the war in Ukraine. Beijing is the only competitor that could genuinely challenge the United States militarily, officials believe.

But Ukraine has complicated U.S.-China policy – for both sides.

Chinese leaders have been “unsettled”

by Ukraine, CIA Director William Burns told the Aspen Security Forum here, speaking a few hours after Qin. The war has drawn the United States and its European allies closer together, confounding Beijing’s hopes of dividing the transatlantic alliance, Burns said. He also noted that China has been “careful” not to violate U.S. sanctions against Russia. Even flagship companies such as telecommunications giant Huawei have reduced their business with Moscow, for fear of new penalties from Europe and the United States.

Xi was surprised that the Biden administration, which the Chinese expected would be weak and ineffective abroad, has been able to rally global support for Ukraine. But despite Xi’s wariness of incur-

ring sanctions, he remains firmly aligned with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the senior administration official said. Hopes that the war might encourage a break between Beijing and Moscow were misplaced.

For Chinese and U.S. officials alike, the issue that overhangs the relationship is Taiwan. Qin avoided any inflammatory statements to his Aspen audience. And U.S. officials don’t expect that Xi will make any move to “reunify” with Taiwan until well after a Communist Party congress this fall.

Despite grumbling among some officials who think Xi has overreached, that gathering is expected to ratify his continuing leadership. Until then, Chinese policy will be on hold in many areas, as officials wait to see precisely what positions the party will endorse.

A frequent topic during this week’s Aspen conversations was what lessons Beijing will draw about Taiwan from Russia’s costly and, so far, unsuccessful war in Ukraine.

One obvious answer is: Don’t invade.

Rather than a Ukraine-style invasion, Xi might adopt “incremental steps,” such as more overflights of Taiwan’s airspace or perhaps seizure of a small island in the Taiwan Strait, the senior administration official predicted. Such moves would create doubts about Taiwan’s security and U.S. resolve without risking a bloody all-out conflict.

As in the ancient times of philosopher Sun Tzu, China’s preference is to win wars without fighting them. And as their resistance to strategic stability talks shows, the Chinese don’t like talking about war risks, either. But that communications impasse isn’t the win-win proposition of Chinese imagining. It’s lose-lose. (c) 2022, Washington Post Writers Group

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Political Crossfire

Trump Should Hope For a Crowded 2024 GOP Field. Really

By Marc A. Thiessen

F

ormer President Donald Trump says he has made a decision about whether to run in 2024, though he won’t say when he will announce it. But he warns that if he does run, there will be a “backlash” against anyone who challenges him for the nomination. “People want me to run,” he says.

Fewer and fewer. In October 2021, a Quinnipiac University poll found that an overwhelming 78% of Republicans said they wanted to see Trump run in 2024.

By February, that share had slipped to 69% in a CBS News-YouGov poll. In June, it was down to 53%, according to a Politico-Morning Consult poll. And last week, a New York Times-Siena College poll found that just 49% of Republicans say they would support Trump for a third nomination, while a 51% majority wants someone else.

That is a 29-point decline over the past nine months. Trump still has more support than any potential challenger, but more and more Republicans are considering alternatives for 2024.

What’s going on? For one thing, Trump is focused on the wrong things, such as seeking revenge against those he feels betrayed him after the 2020 election.

Most Republicans don’t share his lust for vengeance. The CBS-YouGov poll found that 66% approve of Vice President Mike Pence’s actions on Jan. 6, 2021, while just 34% agree with Trump that Pence should have obstructed Congress from certifying the election. Only 42% want to support primary opponents for those who were “disloyal” to Trump, while a 48% plurality say that we should “accept those members’ views within the party.” Trump is still spending time on re-litigating the 2020 election, while most Republicans are focused on the serial disasters that President Joe Biden has unleashed on the country since the 2020 election.

Second, there is growing concern that Trump may be the only Republican who could lose to Biden in 2024. Biden is the most unpopular president since Harry S. Truman. His approval rating in the New York Times-Siena poll is just 33%. Yet that

None of this means Trump can’t win the nomination. In 2016, Trump won the New Hampshire primary with just 35% of the vote and then won South Carolina with just 32.5%. Indeed, he never broke 50% in any GOP primary until New York on April

Trump is still spending time on re-litigating the 2020 election, while most Republicans are focused on the serial disasters that President Joe Biden has unleashed on the country

same poll shows Biden beating Trump in a 2024 rematch, 44% to 41%. Meanwhile, the RealClearPolitics average shows Trump leading Biden by just 2.5 points. The fact that Trump is either losing or statistically tied with a president who is failing so badly even the majority of Democrats don’t want him to run again should be a major red flag for the GOP.

19 - by which time the field had cleared of all but two opponents, Sen. Ted Cruz (Tex.) and then-Ohio Gov. John Kasich. He won the 2016 nomination by prevailing over a divided field with the support of about one-third of Republican primary voters.

He could do so again in 2024.

Indeed, we can see this phenomenon playing out again with Trump endorse-

ments in the 2022 midterms. In Ohio, Trump’s imprimatur put J.D. Vance over the top in the Republican Senate primary. But Vance won with 32% of the vote – which means 68% of Ohio Republicans voted for someone other than Trump’s candidate. Indeed, Vance already had 10% support before Trump endorsed him, so Trump’s endorsement moved about two in 10 Republican voters – enough to prevail in a crowded field but only a small fraction of the GOP electorate.

The same is true in Pennsylvania, where Trump’s endorsement helped Mehmet Oz squeeze out a narrow victory over David McCormick. Oz won with 31% of the vote, which means 69% of Republicans did not follow Trump’s lead. And Oz already had 16% support when Trump endorsed him, which means Trump’s endorsement helped deliver just 15% of Republican primary voters.

In the Georgia governor’s race, by contrast, Trump’s handpicked candidate – former U.S. Senator David Perdue – was trounced by Gov. Brian Kemp, R, 74% to 22%. As in Ohio and Pennsylvania, Trump’s endorsement moved about two in 10 GOP voters – or less. But unlike in Ohio and Pennsylvania, Trump’s endorsed candidate faced a single credible opponent, not a crowded field, and lost.

What this suggests is that if Trump again faces a divided field, with a dozen or more major candidates, he will likely prevail. Indeed, rather than trying to dissuade other Republicans from challenging him for the nomination, Trump should hope for a crowded field – which would allow him to win with a plurality of GOP voters. And for the Republican majority who want someone else as their standard-bearer, they will need to rally around a single candidate, or see Trump prevail. (c) 2022, Washington Post Writers Group

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The Jewish Home | JULY 28, 2022

Forgotten Her es

Heroes in the Sky

By Avi Heiligman

George Lichter

I

n the months leading up to the Israeli Independence in May 1948, the call had gone out that volunteers would be needed in an inevitable war with the Arabs. Especially needed were pilots and ground crews with combat experience. Hundreds of pilots, other air crew and ground crew members from sixteen countries answered the call and made up the bulk of the Israeli Air Force.

Called Machal, these volunteers helped Israel reach air superiority over the Arabs air forces and laid the groundwork of the Israeli Air Force (IAF).

George Lichter was from Brooklyn and decided to become a pilot after hearing about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He was accepted into training and during World War II flew in a P-47 Thunderbolt and a P-5 Mustang. During his 88 operational sorties, Lichter flew over the Normandy landings and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross among several decorations while downing two enemy aircraft.

After the war, he was a flight instructor in China before signing up to fly for the fledgling Israeli Air force in 1948.

The Israelis were flying the outdated Avia S-199, and Lichter learned to fly the plane in Czechoslovakia. Later in 1948, he ferried more planes to Israel from Europe and joined the 101st Squadron – the

first fighter squadron in the IAF. Wayne Peake was another Machal pilot from the U.S. with World War II experience. The North Carolinian was not Jewish, but of all his war experiences, he was most proud of his time serving with the Israeli Air Force. He earned the nickname “The Friendly Fighter Pilot” when during an aerial dogfight he noticed that his opponent’s guns had jammed. Instead of swooping in for the easy kill, Peake gave him a wave and let him go.

Wayne Peake

pictures at will over Israel. They couldn’t shoot it down and the best that could be done was to watch out for it on radar screens. Finally, on November 2, the plane was spotted by the Gefen Mobile Station, and the information was passed onto the air force. Peake went up in his P-51 Mustang and gave a short burst of gunfire before the guns stopped. He assumed they had jammed, but in reality, it was because Israel was short on aircraft bullets. Peake broke off the attack assuming that he had missed the plane,

Instead of swooping in for the easy kill, Peake gave him a wave and let him go.

Peake experienced a frightening encounter once when he was taking off in an S-199 when the plane crashed. South African pilot Syd Cohen, who had medical training, performed CPR on Peake until he regained consciousness.

In October 1948, an assumed enemy reconnaissance plane was causing uneasiness as it flew undisturbed taking

but others observed it smoking, and it soon crashed into the sea. Another Israeli plane flew above the wreckage but couldn’t identify its origin. It was later learned that the plane was a British Mosquito.

After the war, Peake flew with the Flying Tigers, and when he died in 1979, he was given a military funeral in Israel.

While fighter pilots got a lot of press for their heroics during the war, Israel also had a bomber squadron.

The 69th Squadron, commanded by American Bill Katz, flew three B-17 Flying Fortresses out of the Ramat David Air Base. Their flight from the U.S. to Israel was hazardous Soon after they were airborne, Katz thought he heard a strange whistling. After looking around, he noticed that the navigator was halfway out of the airplane hanging on for dear life. In a place where Plexiglas should have been, there was broken plywood which the navigator, Eli Cohen, accidently stepped upon. Katz grabbed him and soon other crew members came to their rescue, and they were attended to while in the Azores. A fourth plane was supposed to accompany them but was impounded and never reached Israel.

A few weeks later, on July 25, 1948, the three bombers left Europe headed for Israel. Instead of heading directly to their air bases, the planes made a bombing run on Egyptian targets with Katz’s target being the Abdeen Palace in Cairo.

Katz’s B-17 had over 100 holes from enemy anti-aircraft fire, but the plane survived. The Egyptians were not expecting the attack and were taken off-guard. The three Fly Fortresses were soon back in action and until the ceasefire in July

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were active on all fronts. After hostilities began, again the squadron was reformed and participated in several raids until the end of the war.

Dr. Sidney Cohen was an experienced World War II pilot from South Africa.

In October 1948, he replaced Modi Alon, who was killed on a mission, as the commanding officer of the 101 st Squadron.

In addition, he served as the base commander and was in charge of the IAF’s first pilot training course. Cohen graduated the four candidates, which included

JULY 28, 2022 | The Jewish Home

Sidney Cohen, right, with Nelson Mandela and Ezer Weizman

Al Schwimmer, left, with David Ben Gurion

future commander of the IAF Moti Hod. Cohen later returned to Israel to become a doctor at Tel Hashomer Hospital and served as an airborne doctor during the Six Day War and the Yom Kippur War. New Yorker Al Schwimmer was the man responsible to track down planes and get them to Israel. Schwimmer had been a flight engineer for TWA and used his contacts to obtain surplus World War II American planes. The three B-17 bombers mentioned earlier and P-51 Mustangs, S-199, as well as transport

planes, made it to Israel under his direction. He also organized the transfer of supplies and weapons from Europe to Israel and delivered them to beleaguered troops on the battlefield.

Many of the Machal volunteers left Israel at the end of hostilities. The pilots that joined the Israeli Air Force came to defend the new nation and help it survive against superior Arab air forces.

The planes they had were rudimentary, but their skills were very often better than their adversaries. After the war, the

IAF graduated more Israelis as pilots, and they took over the air force. However, during the Israeli War of Independence, it was the Machal volunteers that were the backbone of the soon formidable air force.

Avi Heiligman is a weekly contributor to The Jewish Home. He welcomes your comments and suggestions for future columns and can be reached at aviheiligman@gmail.com.

(917) 612-2300

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WOODMERE Beautifully maintained Split Level home in the heart of Woodmere. This home boasts 4 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths, Eat-in Kitchen, Formal Dining Room, Living Room, a Finished Basement, and an office. Beautiful and spacious Backyard. Great location, SD#14.

Close to all & houses of worship.

Price Reduced $925k. OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY JULY 31 • 2:00-4:00 PM 918 Eileen Terrace Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

hats, master bedroom with a custom bathroom and Jacuzzi tub, close to all $995k Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com WOODMERE Beautiful, brick, colonial boasting 5 bdr 3.5 Bth in pristine condition.

Excellent location, near all!

Move right in! RCUSA 516-512-9626

HOUSES FOR RENT WOODMERE House rental Move right into this 4 bedroom colonial in the heart of Woodmere, with spacious rooms, hardwood floors, a finished basement, and a spacious yard. Close to railroad, shopping & houses of worship $4,500 monthly Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com WOODMERE/HEWLETT NECK House Rental Magnificent 6 Bedroom Home. Formal Dining Room, New Gourmet Kitchen W/High End Appliances & Cabinets, Large Living Rm & Den, 3 Car Attached Garage, Hardwood Floors, Sd#14. 5 Bedrooms On One Level, Fabulous MBR Suite W/ New Bathroom. gas heat. central air conditioning, long driveway, parklaike property,& So Much More. Call for details Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

APT./COOP/CONDO SALE CEDARHURST 1 bedroom 1 bathroom apartment, elevator building, eat-in kitchen, spacious rooms throughout, laundry room on-premises, garage parking, close to all Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

APT./COOP/CONDO SALE CEDARHURST 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments, totally renovated private entrance , central air conditioning, hardwood floors, washer/dryer, garage parking, dishwasher, recessed lighting, private playground, close to railroad, park, shopping and houses of worship. call for more details Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@ bhhslaffey.com WOODMERE Totally renovated bright and sunny 1 bedroom corner unit apartment with a washer/dryer. Features quartz countertops, ss appliances, recessed lighting, bathroom with chrome fixtures, close to the railroads, shopping and houses of worship.

Call for details Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com Hewlett Totally renovated 1 and 2 Bedroom, Apartments with washer/dryer, kitchen with quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances. Recessed lighting, hardwood floors, storage in basement.

Close to RR, shopping, and houses of worship. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com HEWLETT Bright and sunny 2 bedroom 2 bathroom co-op, elevator, doorman building, in ground pool storage, card room, indoor and outdoor parking, washer/dryer in the apartment, renovated kitchen with granite countertops, ss appliances, master bedroom with en-suite bathroom, formal living room and dining room, close to all $479k Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

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APT./COOP/CONDO SALE

APT./COOP/CONDO SALE

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

WOODMERE Beautiful & Spacious 2 Bedroom Apartment Across From The Golf Course. Elevator Building, Updated Kitchen, Gas Cooking, Granite Countertops, Washer/Dryer In Unit, High Ceilings, Great Closet Space, Storage in Basement, Close To RR, Shopping & Houses Of Worship.$349K Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

WOODSBURGH Magnificent 2K sq. Ft. Co-Op. 3BR/2BTH, EIK, LR, DR, W/D in Unit, GAR, 2 STOR UNITS, ELEV, NEAR ALL $775K 516-846-1032 ~ NO BROKERS

A YESHIVA IN QUEENS is looking for an experienced part/ full time secretary, 2-year-old morah, kindergarten morah, kindergarten morah assistant and Pre-1A English teacher for the 2022-2023 school year. Nice and timely pay. Please email resume to mshelt613@gmail. com or call/text 718-971-9799.

Shevach High School in Queens seeks Administrative Assistant with excellent clerical skills to work directly with the Principal. Please send resume to cabramchik@shevachhs.org.

HEWLETT 3 bedroom 2 bath co-op with central air conditioning, terrace, washer/dryer, hardwood floors, recessed lighting, magnificent kitchens, ss appliances, l/r, d/r, close to the railroad, shopping, and houses of worship. OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY JULY 31, 1201 EAST BROADWAY H-23 12:00-1:30PM Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

COMMERCIAL OFFICE FOR RENT – LAWRENCE AVE & Bayview. Renovated. HVAC. Internet. 12’ ceiling. Parking. Minyan.

Kitchen. LIRR. First month: $999 CALL, TEXT, WhatsApp 516-206-1100 info@mbequitygroup.com

HELP WANTED PRESCHOOL ASSISTANT TEACHERS & Infant Daycare Staff The Gural JCC in Lawrence is hiring Preschool Assistant teachers and Infant Day Care Staff. Full-time and part-time positions available. Please e-mail JCC.Nursery@GuralJCC.org or call (516) 239-1354

SPECIAL ED TEACHERS AND TEACHER ASSISTANTS HASC seeks caring Teachers and Teacher Assistants for our Early Learning Program in Woodmere.

September Hire. Great Pay and Benefits.

NYS certification required for Teachers.

NYS certification a plus for TAs. Email resume: jobswd@hasc.net Help wanted store manager Childrens clothing store located on central , min 1 year experience flexible schedule, call 7188409266

DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT A multi-tasker needed for general office work. The ideal candidate is someone who is detail-oriented, responsible, and can take ownership.

Looking for someone who is eager to learn, and expand his/her skill set while possessing the ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Experience with Excel required. Five Towns location. In-office position only, not remote. Please send resume to 5tpart.timecareer@gmail.com General Studies teaching positions for elementary grades available

JULY 28, 2022 | The Jewish Home

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The Jewish Home | JULY 28, 2022

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Classifieds classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com • text 443-929-4003

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

JOIN OUR TEAM! NURSING HOME MANAGEMENT Company in Brooklyn Looking to fill the following positions: ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT MS office suite proficiency required AdminAssistant experience required

THE HALB LEV CHANA EARLY Childhood Program is looking for Head Teachers for the 20222023 school year. Competitive salary and benefits. If you are interested in joining our warm, fun, loving environment, please email resumes to: lzakutinsky@halb. org and morahfelecie@halb.org

5 TOWNS BOYS YESHIVA SEEKING ELEM GEN ED TEACHERS Excellent working environment and pay. Only lic/exp need apply.

Email resume to yeshivalooking@gmail.com

SHEVACH HIGH SCHOOL IN QUEENS seeks experienced General Studies teachers for English, Biology (Regents Prep), Gym, SAT Prep and Electives.

Part-time Limudei Kodesh positions available as well. Please send resume to office@shevachhs.org

GENERAL STUDIES TEACHERS Yeshiva Darchei Torah Elementary School Far Rockaway, NY 5th Grade. Master’s in Education or currently enrolled in Master’s Program preferable Excellent opportunity for students pursuing a degree in education.

Afternoon teaching hours. Warm, collaborative environment.

Excellent Pay Email resume: cliebhard@darchei.org

LOOKING FOR AN ASSISTANT IN A Warm loving heimisha playgroup in Lawrence. For children ages 2 1/2 and 3 years old for the upcoming school year. Mon-Thursday 9:00-3:00. Friday 9:00-12:00 Please contact Reb. Chansie Horowitz 516 426-1993

ASSISTANT TEACHERS-SPECIAL ED CAHAL is seeking Assistant Teachers for September 2022. FT, AM or PM. 5Towns/Far Rock yeshivas. Some prior teaching experience is preferable.

Call 516-295-3666 or send resume to shira@cahal.org

BOOKKEEPER Excellent growth potential Frum environment Excellent salary & benefits Email resume to: resumetfs1@gmail.com

MILKY FORST PROPERTIES

516-239-0306

OLD WOODMERE

LAWRENCE

Wide Line Expanded Ranch in Old Woodmere, with Flr/Fpl Fdnr Eik Magnificient Huge Main Level Den with Fpl and WetBar, Main Flr Masterbdrom with Bth and Walk in Closets +5 Bdrms and Room for More, Beautiful Lush Manicured Property on Most Prestigious Street $1.399M

Magnificent Waterfront Property with Breathtaking Panoramic Views in Prestigious Village of Lawrence Brick s/h col with 4+ Bdrms Spacious Entry, flr, fdnr, Beautiful Main Level den/fpl, eik study/Bdrm and mds rm full height finished basement with lots of storage space, this house has endless potential. $2.45M

OPEN HOUSE 12:00-1:30 HARBOR VIEW

CEDARHURST

WOODSBURGH

Spacious Colonial Home with Water Views. Beautiful Open Entry. Luxurious Master Suite with Loo Closets and Bath Plus 4 Master Size Bdrms and Bath. FLR and FDN, Chefs EIK opens to Family Room with Fireplace. Plus Main Floor Guest Suite/Home office. Full Height Finished Basement, Playroom, Gym, Laundry and Low Taxes! $1.8M

Spacious s/h col,1/2 Acre Property in a Most Serene Setting, with Beautiful Waterviews, and Magnificent Sunsets. Flr Banquet fdnr, Brkfst rm Main Level Den/fpl, Master Bdrm Suite with his and her Closets and bth + 4 bdrms, new Bths, Newly Renovated finished Basement with Laundry rm, Playrm, lots of storage, many special details throughout $1.999

www.Milkyforstproperties.com

BAIS YAAKOV ATERES MIRIAM Elementary school is seeking growth oriented, Preschool and Elementary teachers, for the coming school year.

Located in Far Rockaway. Professional and warm environment.

Please email resume to rhorowitz@baisyaakovam.org A Yeshiva in Queens is looking for an experienced part/full time secretary, Pre-1A English teacher, kindergarten morah, kindergarten assistant and 2-year-old morah assistant for the 2022-2023 school year.

Nice and timely pay. Please email resume to mshelt613@gmail.com or call/text 718-971-9799

MDS REGIONAL NURSE: 5 Towns area Nursing Home management office seeking a Regional/Corporate level MDS Nurse to work in our office.

Must be an RN. Regional experience preferred. 2-3 years MDS experience with good computer skills required.

Position is Full Time but Part Time can be considered.

Great Shomer Shabbos environment with some remote options as well.

Email: officejob2019@gmail.com

classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com • text 443-929-4003

MISC GEMACH ZICHRON YEHUDA In memory of R’ Yehuda Aryeh Leib ben R’ Yisroel Dov. We have a library of books on the subjects of loss, aveilus, grief, & kaddish. We have sets of ArtScroll Mishnayos to assist with finishing Shisha Sidrei Mishna for Shloshim or yahrtzeit. Locations in Brooklyn, Far Rockaway, & Lakewood.

Email: zichronyehuda@yahoo.com

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Weekly Classifieds Up to 5 lines and/or 25 words 1 week ................$20 2 weeks .............. $35 4 weeks .............. $60 Email ads to: classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com Include valid credit card info and zip code

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The Jewish Home | JULY 28, 2022

Your

Money

Sock It To Me

By Allan Rolnick, CPA

M

ost of us look back on the ‘70s as a time of louche excess: garish bell bottoms, deeppile shag carpets, slouchy conversation pits, and gold chains. But ‘70s style is back! Fashion houses are rolling out psychedelic prints, flared bottoms, and knotted tops. Interior designers are bringing back nubby textured fabrics, earth tones, and velvet furniture. As the blue-collar poet Bruce Springsteen once wrote: “Everything dies, baby, that’s a fact. But maybe everything that dies some day comes back.” (Springsteen just sold his song catalog for $500 million, which suggests there’s way more money in blue-collar poetry than any of us realized.)

Something else is back from the Me Decade, and there’s nothing groovy about it. Inflation was Public Enemy #1 in the ‘70s, and here we are again. Rents are up; gas is up; and feeding and clothing yourself are up. Inflation affects everything you buy today – and, while it won’t be as visible as gas prices on every corner, it’s going to mean higher taxes, too.

During the 1970s, as wages rose to keep up with prices, taxpayers found their income reaching higher and higher marginal tax rates. “Bracket creep,”

as it was known, became Public Enemy #2. (Disco was #3.) In 1960, just 3% of Americans paid 30% or more. By 1981, that figure had jumped to 30%, In 1985, though, the IRS started indexing tax brackets, standard deductions, and similar thresholds to eliminate bracket creep. Life was good . . . at least until now.

The IRS has traditionally used the Consumer Price Index, or CPI, to cal-

bucks less. (If you’re a millennial, substitute “avocado toast” for apples, and you’ll get the point.)

The bottom line here is that that chained CPI rises slower than regular CPI. For June 2022, the regular 12-month CPI was up 9.1%, while chained CPI was 8.4%. That might not sound like much of a gap, but it compounds fast – especially when you’re on the short end of the stick. The nonpar-

Inflation was Public Enemy #1 in the ‘70s, and here we are again.

culate those annual adjustments. However, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 directed the IRS to use a different index, called the “chained” CPI. This alternative index assumes that as prices go up, you’ll react by choosing cheaper goods.

For example, if apples get pricier, you won’t stop eating them – but you might switch from Honeycrisps ($7.49 for a 3-pound bag) to Pink Ladies for two

tisan Tax Policy Center estimated that changing to chained CPI would increase taxes paid by 30% of taxpayers in the bottom quintile of the income distribution, 70% of taxpayers in the next quintile, and nearly all of taxpayers in the top 60% of income. That means switching to chained CPI will function like an annual across-the-board tax hike that gets worse as prices rise.

Right now, we can’t know if inflation is just checking in for a weekend or signing a long-term lease. If it sticks around for a while, it’ll change how we plan for taxes. Why pay now if paying a year later saves 9.1% (or even 8.4%)?

And some of our most sophisticated planning strategies make use of timevalue-of-money considerations. These include traditional-versus-Roth retirement savings calculations, real estate cost segregation analyses, and charitable trusts where today’s deductions are calculated using the net present value of a stream of gifts or remainder interest.

Higher inflation makes all of these more important.

Our goal, as always, is to help you pay less in real dollars. That includes beating inflation, both subtle and obvious, wherever possible. We’re on it!

Now, if we could only get the Bee Gees back in the studio…

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

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Life C ach JULY 28, 2022 | The Jewish Home

Count Me In Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., LMFT, CLC, SDS

T

he Three Weeks.

The Nine Days.

Forty-nine days of counting.

Ten days of atoning.

Two-day holidays. One day in Israel.

Three-day holiday this year.

Four days of chol hamoed.

No, there’s a Shabbos; it’s only three days of real chol hamoed.

What’s with the numerically rich and diverse Jewish days? How does it all “add” up?

And also, what’s with the confusing messages: This year it’s a good chol hamoed! Next holiday doesn’t work out so well. Which is it? Well, it depends on the year!

Or: the fast day was actually yesterday but that was Saturday, so the fast day is today! But how if it was yesterday can it be today?

Or: the old famous one: the holiday is early this year. The holiday was late last year. But next year, it’s late again.

Wouldn’t you think if it finally learned to be early it would not go back to being late again?! Especially, when it had a whole year to prepare?

I “number” all this among the confusing things in our religious practice!

Like here are some more: If you can atone in one day, on Yom Kippur, why do you need ten days of atoning? But if you need ten days to atone, how can you get it all done in one?

Three Weeks? Why don’t they get their own time designation?

If you’re following all this, I’m impressed.

If you’re not, then I guess you can see how all this can be confusing.

Although, the amazing thing about

If we live life not thinking, just letting one day roll into the next, we miss the significance of time.

Or: what about the fact that the holiday we actually received the Torah, Shavuot, probably the most momentous occasion in our history, is one holiday that doesn’t get a date assigned to it? It just comes 49 days after Passover! But what if Passover comes on a late year, does it run right over Shavuot?

And why is the Nine Days part of the

this, like most everything else in Judaism, is that there are explanations for it all.

We know people count till their wedding day. Or kids till their birthday. Or mothers and fathers till their kids come home from their year abroad. Or parents till they have that baby.

So being aware of amounts of time

seems important.

Counting lets us know things have value.

But it also registers awareness.

If we live life not thinking, just letting one day roll into the next, we miss the significance of time.

Each time we are aware of a time, or a change in time, we are living conscious of the limited quantity of time and its value.

Therefore, when we count these different moments in our calendar, we wake up more to the time we have.

If we think counting doesn’t count, we may forget to count ourselves lucky, and to count our blessings, and most importantly to remember we are all here because we count!

Rivki Rosenwald is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist working with both couples and individuals and is a certified relationship counselor. Rivki is a co-founder and creator of an effective Parent Management of Adolescent Years Program. She can be contacted at 917705-2004 or at rivkirosenwald@gmail.com.

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