Five Towns Jewish Home 08.04.22 by Yitzy Halpern

August 4, 2022

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AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

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AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

Dear Readers,

few months ago, I met with someone who lives in Lod. She told me about what went on last summer in the city and the terror that she and her family felt at that time. I felt embarrassed. I remembered, vaguely, that something went on in Lod last year, but there were other clashes ensuing at the same time, with thousands of rockets being launched into Israel from Gaza. What went on in Lod seemed hazy, a footnote to the intense fighting in Gaza. But it wasn’t a footnote to her. The fear, the helplessness, the scenes of raging fires and the terrifying screams of “Alla-hu akhbar” stabbed her heart as she fled with her family to shelter. “You don’t understand,” she told me, looking up and down Central Avenue in Lawrence, “we lived like you. Yes, some of my neighbors were Arabs, but they were our neighbors. I would borrow sugar from them and wish them good morning. And then, they turned on us. They burned our cars and torched our shuls. They became our enemies.” That perhaps was what shook her most: the fact that the same people who were cordial and neighborly showed that inside they were really rabid Jew-haters. Galus seems to do that to us. We become

complacent, thinking that we can actually be “friends” with our neighbors, only to see them stab us in the back. We’ve seen this for generations, for thousands of years. There are times when their hatred is blatant. When the anti-Jew rhetoric is written in laws and statutes. When we’re forced to wear a yellow star or cannot vote or own property. Then we know – we feel – the galus. But there are times when we feel more comfortable, when we think we’re accepted and maybe even respected. But a Jew needs to know that we can never feel comfortable in galus. Even when we’re borrowing a cup of sugar or shaking hands in a business deal, we need to remember that we are not where we are supposed to be. We are not truly home; we are merely sojourners in a very foreign land. Tisha B’Av is a stark reminder of that reality. As we remember the calamities that befell our nation throughout the millennia and we focus on the tragedies that we feel so deeply, we yearn for the day when we can all live as one in the land that is truly ours, with honor and dignity to the Jewish nation. May we merit to see Tisha B’Av celebrated as a yom tov of happiness and joy, Shoshana

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The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

Contents LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Voice Notes: The Price of #reallife by Rivky Itzkowitz

COMMUNITY Readers’ Poll

Community Happenings

38 This Week We’re Talking to… Simcha Day Camp

NEWS

ISRAEL

Global

National

That’s Odd

Israel News

My Israel Home

One Summer Later: How the Riots in Lod Shattered an Israeli Mindset

JEWISH THOUGHT Rabbi Wein on the Parsha

Living Beyond the Checklist by Rav Moshe Weinberger

Individuality and Community by Rabbi Shmuel Reichman

Delving into the Daf by Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow

The Miracle of Jewish Survival by Rabbi Daniel Glatstein

Kinnos and the Stages of Grief

PEOPLE Turning the Tide by Avi Heiligman

110

HEALTH & FITNESS Break for Breakfast by Aliza Beer, MS RD

Moving On by Dr. Deb Hirschhorn

FOOD & LEISURE The Aussie Gourmet: General Tso’s Fish

LIFESTYLES

Dating Dialogue, Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW

Parenting Pearls

JWOW!

Mind Your Business

100

Your Money

118

Something to Laugh About by Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS

119

HUMOR Centerfold

POLITICAL CROSSFIRE Notable Quotes

102

Zawahri Was in “Downtown Kabul” by Marc A. Thiessen

108

The Inflation Reduction Act is Anything But by Marc A. Thiessen

106

CLASSIFIEDS

112

Dear Editor, To minimize the shockwaves our country is constantly exposed to, three major cornerstones would help to improve our democratic set-up. They may lead to more stability and continuity to govern our country and everybody’s personal life. They may also send some strong signals of strength to the rest of the world! 1) Establishing More Than 2 Political Parties Look at Europe. There is hardly any country which is run by two parties only. At election time, none of their major parties obtains the absolute majority vote. Therefore, the one with the most votes is forced to team up with one or more minority party(ies). Those parties have to compromise and come up with a government program. Our two parties constantly fight each other at our expense! 2) Federal Term Limits Unlike the Supreme Court Justices, all members of the Congress should only be permitted to rerun for election once. This would prevent members from using all kinds of tricks to stay in power until they retire. This would be the end of a sophisticated party club of members helping big corporations and each other—disregarding their duty to first serve us. They only need us at election time! This change would infuse Congress with new blood, which ultimately would lead to more doers than talkers! 3) Limited Campaign Contributions An election should not be a money game! The candidate who collects the most money is not necessarily the best

choice! It should not be up to corporations and Big Tech to select the new member! There has to be an upper dollar limit for everyone who wants to contribute to a campaign. Whoever violates this rule needs to be punished: maybe even by going to prison. This reform would help the voices of small donors. The elected candidates would be less indebted to a small set of big donors and more accountable to all their voters. Heinz Mayer Garden City, NY Dear Editor, Did you receive an invitation to Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s latest campaign fundraiser? It will be held in trendy East Hampton on September 4 on behalf of the Democratic Party National Congressional Committee. Tickets start at $5,000 for a friend, $10,000 sponsor, $25,000 host or $36,500 to join the Speakers Cabinet. Paying $36,500 affords you admission to a private reception with Pelosi before lunch. Her husband might offer some insider information for future stock investments. They might tell you how you can build your net worth up to $100 million like they have. Like most ordinary Long Islanders, I can’t afford the price of admission. I am willing to park limousines, bus tables, mix drinks or check coats in exchange to get in. President Biden’s Department of Homeland Security can schedule one of their midnight flights for illegal immigrants coming over the border to land in the Hamptons. They could mingle with the guests and provide some inexpenContinued on page 8

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AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

Continued from page 10

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sive bus boys, kitchen staff, bartenders or parking attendants to help keep event costs down for Pelosi & Company. After the event, each guest could take an immigrant home. Offer them lodging, food, clothing, a job and add them to your health insurance plan. Sincerely, Larry Penner Great Neck, NY Dear Editor, Your article on Rebbetzin Sara Freifeld, a”h, was superb and brought back so many memories. Truly, with the passing of the Rebbetzin, we are feeling another dimension to the loss we felt so many years ago. A Talmid of the Rebbe

Dear Editor, Barbara Deutsch’s articles on her trip to Israel are effervescent and refreshing. She is a wonderful writer and adds a delightful insight into the many goings-on. Her newest article featured many “only in Israel” anecdotes. I can tell you, being a visitor to Israel many times, that every person comes home from Israel with loads of “only in Israel” stories. It’s a land where hashgacha pratis is so obvious that seemingly innocent encounters morph into clear providence, in which we see the Hand of Hashem so clearly. How lucky are we to be able to spend time in our precious Land! With hopes for a geulah sheleima and a time when we will all be residents of Eretz Yisrael, Batya Katz

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Week In News

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

Al-Qaeda Leader Killed On Sunday, two Hellfire missiles fired by a U.S. drone snuffed out Ayman al-Zawahri, long-time leader of al-Qaeda. Al-Zawahri’s assassination came about through months of planning. U.S. officials had constructed a scale model of the safe house in which the terrorist was hiding in Kabul. Teams of investigators worked to ensure that no one else would be harmed in the crowded city. When announcing al-Zawahri’s demise, President Joe Biden said that the evidence presented to him about the terror mastermind’s location was “clear and convincing.” “I authorized the precision strike that would remove him from the battlefield once and for all,” Biden said. “This measure was carefully planned, rigorously, to minimize the risk of harm to other civilians.” The strike was what is referred to as a “tailored airstrike,” designed so that the two missiles would destroy only the balcony of the safe house where the terrorist leader was holed up for months, sparing occupants elsewhere in the building. A senior U.S. administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the strike planning, said al-Zawahri was identified on “multiple occasions, for sustained periods of time” on the balcony where he died. U.S. national security officials were aware of his presence in the home for at least three months. The official said “multiple streams of intelligence” convinced U.S. analysts of his presence, having eliminated “all reasonable options” other than his being there. Al-Zawahri was born in Egypt to a fi-

nancially-comfortable family. Although he had worked as an eye surgeon at one point, al-Zawahri immersed himself in fiery Sunni rhetoric. He met Osama bin Laden at a young age and helped to rally Arab militants against the Soviets in Afghanistan. He was one of hundreds of militants captured and tortured in Egyptian prison after Islamic fundamentalists’ assassination of President Anwar Sadat in 1981. Biographers say the experience further radicalized him. Seven years later, al-Zawahri was present when bin Laden founded al-Qaeda. After seeing his planning come to fruition in the horrific attacks of 9/11, al-Zawahri worked to ensure al-Qaeda’s survival. He rebuilt al-Qaeda leadership in the Afghan-Pakistan border region and was the supreme leader over branches in Iraq, Asia, Yemen and beyond. Under al-Zawahri’s encouragement, al-Qaeda carried out years of unrelenting attacks: in Bali, Mombasa, Riyadh, Jakarta, Istanbul, Madrid, London and beyond. The last major attack by al-Qaeda was perpetrated in 2005 in London, in which 52 people were murdered. For now, it is unclear who will take over the reins of al-Qaeda’s leadership in the aftermath of al-Zawahri’s demise.

Putin Plundering Sudan’s Gold

Western sources are accusing Russia of aiding the 2021 military coup in Sudan which saw the overthrow of a provisional government viewed by some as the last hope for democracy in the impoverished nation. In return, Russia has been said to be plundering the African nation’s most valuable natural resource. Reports allege that Russia is using its political and military leverage to extract billions of dollars worth of Sudanese gold and shipping it home as a way of skirting sanctions imposed by Washington and bolstering its war in Ukraine. A recent report points to Russian oligarch and close associate of Putin’s, Yevgeny Prigozhin, as the key player in

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

the under-the-table deal between the two nations. Among his other investments, Prigozhin has been linked to the Wagner Group, a highly lethal paramilitary battalion accused of torture and mass killings in Russia’s campaign to root out anti-regime forces in Syria. CNN alleges that Meroe Gold, a U.S.-sanctioned company owned by Prigozhin, is behind the gold exports and that, in return, it provides training for Sudanese troops. According to the report, at least 16 of the suspicious flights intercepted by the Sudanese over the previous year emanated from the Syrian city of Latakia, which houses a major Russian airbase. Russian sources refused to comment on the report, while American officials said they were monitoring the situation. CNN quoted a former U.S. official familiar with the matter as saying that the U.S. has long been aware of Russia’s meddling in Sudan and exploitation of its natural resources. “As the rest of the world closed in on [Russia], they have a lot to gain from this relationship with Sudan’s generals and from helping the generals remain in power. That ‘help’ runs the gamut from training and intelligence support to jointly benefiting from Sudan’s stolen gold,” he

was quoted as saying. Russia has been sticking its hand into Sudan’s gold deposits since at least 2014, after it invaded Crimea and encountered a wall of Western sanctions. But there are no official records of the gold being transferred to Russian coffers. Sudan’s official Foreign Trade Statistics since 2011 consistently list Russia’s total gold exports from the country at zero, despite mounds of evidence pointing to Moscow’s extensive dealings in this sector.

Biden Talks to Xi

President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart held a 17-minute phone call last Thursday as tensions between the two countries have escalated in recent weeks. The biggest point of contention is China’s threats of annexing Taiwan – a sticking point that has existed since

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the election of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in 2016, who has departed from previous policy allowing for close ties between the two nations. Over the past few years, the Chinese Communist Party has taken an increasingly aggressive stance towards its island neighbor, which was cut off from mainland China following the Civil War in 1949. While the two leaders purportedly agreed to work on arranging a face-toface meeting and a number of issues were agreed to in principle, Chinese officials said their leader offered an ominous warning to Biden. “Public opinion shall not be violated, and if you play with fire, you get burned. I hope the US side can see this clearly,” Chinese President Xi-Jinping warned Biden, according to China’s official news agency. National Security Council John Kirby mirrored the president’s approach to foreign policy by stating that Biden believes in coordinating relations with countries with “significant differences” with the U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s plans for visiting Taiwan has caused an uproar from Beijing, which views visits from top-ranking U.S. officials an indication of official relations with Taipei. China’s Ministry of Defense Spokesperson Tan Kefei threatened that “if the U.S. insists on taking its own course, the Chinese military will never sit idly by, and it will definitely take strong actions to thwart any external force’s interference and separatist’s schemes for ‘Taiwan independence,’ and resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” with the White House rebuffing his comments by saying they only served to “escalate tensions.” Officials also said China had misunderstood the nature of Pelosi’s planned trip, viewing it as an official visit by the U.S. administration while the visit is really an individual undertaking.

region of eastern Ukraine to evacuate as the Russian army continues its surge towards Kyiv. Zelensky asserted, “The more people leave Donetsk region now, the fewer people the Russian army will have time to kill.” He added, “We will use all available opportunities to save as many lives as possible and to limit Russian terror as much as possible.” There are at least 52,000 children living in the Donetsk region. The warning comes on the footsteps of the bombing of a Russian prison camp in Olenivka, killing dozens of Ukrainian POWs. The Russians blamed the incident on a Ukrainian missile strike, with government officials saying they would welcome an official inquiry, while Ukraine accused Moscow of “state terrorism,” saying the site was blown up in order to cover up war crimes. Western experts have not verified the causes of the strike, as wrecked bunkbeds and badly charred bodies can be seen in an unverified Russian video. The prison was housing Ukrainian troops captured during the months-long raid of the Azovstal power plant in Mariupol. The city was reduced to rubble, and hundreds of thousands of residents were forced to flee their homes. Russia alleges that Ukraine has been using U.S.-provided HIMARS missiles to attack Russian targets and that the Azov Regiment responsible for the defense of Mariupol is a neo-Nazi group incorporated into the Ukrainian army.

Bank Robber Extradited to Moscow

Donetsk Evacuated

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ordered civilians in the Donetsk

Inessa Brandenburg is no ordinary bank thief. The Russian woman was the head of a bank in Russia from which she and her accomplice stole more than $8.5 million from the bank vault. Brandenburg had replaced the cash with bank stationery to cover up the heist. She had fled to Berlin, Germany, and was hiding out in Spain since the robbery

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

in January 2018. Now, she is being extradited to Moscow to face trial. Brandenburg is believed to have been the second in command of the heist after her close friend Grigory Romanyuta. Romanyuta – the bank’s co-owner and board chairman – was the mastermind, say investigators. He had allegedly appointed Brandenburg to the position of deputy chairwoman of the bank’s board of directors. Brandenburg’s position allowed her to ask for extra cash supplies to be sent to the bank. Brandenburg nabbed the cash on January 26, 2018. At least one accomplice carried the funds out of the building in nine bags. Romanyuta was last reported to have fled to Barcelona and remains on the run.

Ecuador is Drug Haven For a country of only 18 million, the Ecuador drug trade has left a menacing mark on the region – and the world as a whole. The lush, South American nation that was once considered a relatively tran-

quil bridge between drug sanctuaries in neighboring Colombia and Peru has descended into pure chaos, with police unable to handle the constant turf wars and grizzly murders perpetrated by local gangs.

According to a local intelligence report, as of 2019, at least 26 gangs were vying for control of the local market, with many of these closely linked to their Mexican counterparts. Former military intelligence chief Mario Pazmino recently told AFP that a failed drug policy created an incentive for Mexican cartels looking for greener pastures to hone their trade. According to Pazmino, “Around 700 tons of cocaine enter Ecuador from neighboring countries on a yearly basis.” Despite the staggering numbers, less than 30% of the drugs passing through

the country are seized by authorities. In 2010, following a fruitless campaign to root out the local drug trade, a ruthless Mexican drug lord by the name of Jorge Luis Zambrano entered the picture, importing his brand into the country. Zambrano led a bloody campaign, raking in billions of dollars and destroying any and all competition that dared interfere with his collaborates. At the height of his reign, Zambrano controlled the entirety of the local drug trade, fielding an army of approximately 25,000 gang members in a country with a police force numbering just 50,000. Turf wars and prison riots in the country claimed hundreds of lives a year, with traditional gangs taking on the more ludicrous drug trade and morphing into micro-cartels. A record surge in crime has accompanied the influx of drugs, as the situation has spun out of control, deteriorating with each passing year. In 2020, Ecuador ranked third when it came to confiscated cocaine, making up for 6.5% of the global market, according to the UN Office against Drugs and Crime. At the same time, the interior ministry reported that the murder rate

reached 14 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2020, almost doubling that of the previous year.

Blackouts Hit Cuba

Residents of Cuba have endured blackouts for months as U.S. sanctions have been compounded by dropping tourism numbers as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The struggles of everyday life have exacted a heavy price on local morale, with tensions boiling over last July in days that saw nationwide protests. Locals say they have experienced poverty long enough and wish to see a day when the government stops interfering in their ability to make a living. State media reported that electricity

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AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

blackouts will reach Havana this month, as power goes out on a population of 11.2 million people – something the capital has thus far been able to avoid. Soaring costs of food, shipping, and fuel have exposed the communist state’s decaying infrastructure, as the local economy hits a nearly unprecedented drop of 10.9% in 2020. Over 150,000 Cubans have fled to the U.S. and other countries since October of 2021. Long food lines, power outages, and a general feeling of hopelessness has again seeped in despite former President Barack Obama’s reversal of long-held policy and a return to diplomacy with the island nation. While a Communist Party leader was quoted as calling for “solidarity” despite the “undesirable blackouts,” residents who have long lost hope of a better future for Cuba fall farther into despair.

Abu Dhabi: World’s Hottest Cycling City Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, may be the world’s hottest cycling

city. A revolution taking place in the city is bringing residents and visitors to cycle more, offering experiences unlike anywhere else on the planet. Last year, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) named Abu Dhabi an official “bike city,” making it the first in the Middle East to receive such a designation.

Although Abu Dhabi does not appear to be a typical candidate for biking, over the past few years, the city has invested in miles of dedicated bike paths alongside new highways, as well as introduced international racing and encouraged residents to cycle. There are bicycling clubs, and there is also a bike bus, as well as a rental shop which offers bikes for less than $20 per hour. Nearby, there is the new pavilion of the Abu Dhabi Cycling Club (ADCC), which is free to join and offering public

and sports cycling events. ADCC Executive Director Al Nukhaira Allkhyeli noted, “One of the main objectives is to have more tourists come and have a bike vacation in Abu Dhabi.” Cycling in Abu Dhabi is not without its challenges, however. During the winter, the weather is perfect for cycling all day long. From May through September, the best time to ride is before the sun rises or after it sets. But at the same time, cycling in Abu Dhabi – unlike in the Netherlands and other European countries – is a yearround activity. UCI’s advocacy and development manager, Isabella Burczak, told CNN, “In all cases, hot weather, cold weather, I think solutions can be found to ensure that people can still take advantage of cycling for whatever reason.”

Brexit Reshapes Trade in Ireland Trade in Ireland has recently seen an uptick, likely due to Brexit. Since the UK formally exited the European Union (EU) in January 2020,

companies have changed position, rethinking the ports and roads they use.

The change has been driven by the Northern Ireland Protocol, an arrangement allowing the province to remain in the EU market but which requires checks on goods arriving from the rest of the UK, including from England, Scotland, and Wales. Figures from Ireland’s Central Statistics Office showed that in the first quarter of 2022, imports from Northern Ireland increased 34% year-on-year to 294 million euros ($310 million), while exports to the north grew 49% to 368 million euros.

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20 Ian Talbot, the chief executive of business group Chambers Ireland, told CNBC, “There’s no catastrophic failures anywhere. There’s no port lying idle; there’s no road idle. Trade is happening and in large numbers.” He added, “With the impact of Covid and the lockdowns, it’s very hard to unravel all that when you’re comparing. What year do you compare it to?”

Talbot noted, “Northern Irish companies are readily able to access those routes as well without having to drive to the east coast of Great Britain.” A new bill announced by the UK government would override certain aspects of the Protocol, and the EU has launched legal action over the plan to ditch part of the deal. If that happens, “we’re potentially in

a worse position than no-deal if the UK and the EU don’t find an agreement in the coming weeks and months. It’s not just no deal but it’s no deal plus a trade war,” Stephen Kelly, chief executive of Manufacturing NI, told CNBC. “That will be hugely damaging not only to Northern Ireland but to the whole of the UK and the EU, which will be a double hit for us.”

Italy: Fear After Nigerian Street Vendor Killed

A Nigerian street vendor was killed last Friday afternoon in broad daylight in Italy’s eastern coastal town of Civitanova Marche. The man, identified as Alika Ogorchukwu, 39, was chased, hit with his own crutch, and beaten “to death with bare hands” while on the ground. No one came to stop the attack. The assailant also stole Ogorchukwu’s mobile phone, Macerata police said. Footage filmed by a bystander captured the attack, but no one intervened to stop the killing. In the video, which was published by Italian media after being circulated online, a woman can be heard shouting, “Stop, stop immediately,” while a man shouts, “You are killing him.” Macerata police officer Matteo Luconi said that the killing “was not racially motivated.” A Sunday statement from the police added the killing was likely due to “petty reasons.” A 32-year-old Italian citizen, Filippo Ferlazzo, has been arrested for murder and robbery, police added. Federica Trifoglio, one of Ferlazzo’s lawyers, said that his client suffers from psychiatric issues and that they intend to file a psychiatric report. The Nigerian Embassy in Rome responded to the killing, emphasizing, “The incident occurred on a busy street and in front of shocked onlookers, some of whom made videos of the attack, with little or no attempt to prevent it.” The Embassy added that it is working with Italian authorities to provide assistance to the victim’s family and to ensure that justice is served. Ogorchukwu’s wife, Charity Oriachi, told journalists that she last saw her husband Friday morning. “I gave him a croissant, I told him, ‘Eat this,’” she recalled. “I gave him the croissant and haven’t seen him since. Then many people came to call me: ‘Your husband, come!’ I needed someone with the car and when I arrived in Civitanova

U.S., Japan Pursuing Commercial Diplomacy

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Licenses of Six Arab Schools Revoked The United States and Japan are seeking to collaborate on various technological products in an attempt to secure supply chains and counter China’s influence, Reuters quoted Washington’s envoy to Tokyo as saying. U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel, who was formerly the mayor of Chicago, has focused on “commercial diplomacy” since arriving at his post earlier this year. In an interview with Reuters, Emanuel confirmed that one U.S. company is now looking at a “major potential investment” related to chips in Japan, in what would be the latest collaboration between the countries on semiconductors. The allies have also agreed to establish a new joint research center for next-generation semiconductors. Emanuel explained, “Commercial diplomacy is a big piece of an overarching economic collaboration and coordination between the United States and Japan.” He added, “We both have to invest in more scientists, more engineers and in workers to do this.” Under the new agreement, U.S. firms Western Digital Corp and partner Kioxia Holdings will work to boost memory chip

Israeli Education minister Yifat Shasha-Buton on Thursday revoked the operating licenses of six schools in Arab areas of Jerusalem. The decision follows the discovery of serious incitement in the schools’ textbooks. The incitement included glorification of terrorists, various plots against Israel, and claims that Israel is massacring Palestinian Arabs. The Ministry said that among the inciting quotes found in the textbooks was the following misrepresentation: “The greatest racist disaster that struck the Palestinian people occurred in 1948, when armed Zionist gangs occupied 77% of Palestine and carried out a massacre against the Palestinians, destroying 531 Palestinian villages, and

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I saw him lying down on the street.” Her lawyer, Francesco Mantella, said that Ogorchukwu had been in Italy for about nine years with a regular residence permit and worked as a street vendor. Last year, he was run over by a car while on his bicycle; since then, he has suffered a limp and used a crutch to help him get around. As a street vendor, he commuted daily from his small village to Civitanova Marche, hoping to bring in more profits from the sale of his wares, which included lighters, tissue paper, and other small items.

output at a Japanese plant, while the Japanese government will provide as much as $700 million to help them accomplish that goal. At the same time, Tesla supplier Panasonic Holdings Corp last month chose Kansas to be the site for a new battery plant. The U.S.-Japan cooperation comes as China has worked to pressure other countries by using economic means. In a news briefing, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinking said, “The coercive and retaliatory economic practices of the People’s Republic of China force countries into choices that compromise their security, their intellectual property, their economic independence.” China, for its part, says it never uses economic coercion against any country and firmly opposes all forms of coercion.

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

22 causing the emigration of a million Palestinians to places of refugees in what is left of Palestine.” In a statement, Shasha-Biton said, “Incitement against the State of Israel and IDF soldiers in children’s school textbooks is an intolerable phenomenon that will be dealt with severely. Every educational institution which is found to be inciting and using hate

speech against the State of Israel and its symbols – its license will be revoked. Incitement and hatred – not in our schools.” According to Arutz Sheva, the inciting content was discovered during an enforcement operation conducted by the Education Ministry. Following the discovery, the directors of the educational institutions in question were summoned

to a hearing, after which the decision was made to revoke the permanent operating licenses they held. The Times of Israel added that the schools will be granted a conditional license for a year, during which time they will be required to make changes to their curriculum or lose their operating license entirely.

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Medical Residents Threaten Strikes

Hospital residents on Monday renewed their battle against 26-hour shifts following a government announcement that said that the plan to cut shifts from 26 hours to 18 hours would not go into effect until September 2023. At a press conference, Dr. Rey Biton, head of the Mirsham organization of medical residents, warned that if the decision has not changed by August 25, there will be a mass resignation of hospital staff. He added, “At the same time, in the coming days, we will take extensive protest action inside and outside hospitals.” The plan to shorten shifts gradually was slated to have taken effect earlier this year, with a pilot program in Israel’s periphery. According to Maariv, Sunday’s announcement was a response to a Labor Court petition filed in April by Clalit Health Services against the Economy and Health ministries claiming that there is not enough manpower to absorb a cut in residents’ work hours and that the cut would negatively affect the public’s health. Economy Minister Orna Barbivay (Yesh Atid) said on behalf of the government that the issue can only be resolved after the elections, when there is a new government, Hebrew media reported. Biton, for his part, said that new elections are “a poor excuse for lack of governance.” “This government failed both professionally and morally, both because it didn’t stand by any commitment and by any agreement with us, and also because it continues the abusive and dangerous employment under conditions of slavery,” Biton added.

Matan Zinman, a six-year-old Jewish boy from the town of Shvut Rachel, was killed last week when an Arab driver crashed into his family’s vehicle. Matan’s mother and three of his siblings suffered injuries in the crash; his 12-year-old sister was seriously injured, while his 10-year-old brother suffered moderate injuries. The family’s sixmonth-old baby was lightly injured. Matan was initially reported to be in critical condition, and it was in that condition that he was brought to the hospital. But after hours during which medical staff fought to save his life, Matan passed away. The two Palestinian Authority Arabs – the driver and her sister – who were in the other vehicle suffered moderate injuries only and were brought to a Palestinian Authority hospital for treatment. Initial reports say that the 27-yearold Arab was driving in the vehicle together with her sister and at some point decided to pass another vehicle in a dangerous fashion, crossing a white dividing line and slamming with enormous force into the vehicle in which Rivka Zinman and four of her children were traveling. Arutz Sheva quoted Zinman’s mother, Rivka Atara, as saying from the hospital, “We were driving on Highway 60 to a family gathering in Ariel. Suddenly, a white Palestinian car emerged from the opposite lane and sped in front of me. I slowed down, but the Palestinian car sped up. I realized it was going to hit me head-on, and I was unable to stop. The collision was at an enormous speed. “I lost my Matan to Arab terrorism on the road.” In an interview the next day, she maintained, “There was no traffic accident. It was not a traffic accident. “I was traveling, the road was empty, including in the other lane. And the vehicle just saw me, and made a sharp turn towards me and accelerated. I tried to move, I tried to avoid it, and nothing. It

World’s Largest ER Opens in Tel Aviv With the participation of Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Yair Lapid, as well as Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz (Meretz), Tel Aviv’s Ichilov Hospital last week inaugurated the new Sylvan Adams Emergency Hospital, which at 8,000-square-meters stands as the largest ER in the world. It carries the name of philanthropist Sylvan Adams,

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

Six-Year-Old Killed in Crash

rammed into us. My son, who was next to me, received a serious hit to his stomach; he underwent surgery. And my younger son – he was murdered.” She emphasized, “This was not a traffic accident. It was a terror attack. They wanted to hit me. They did hit me. I am asking that they open an investigation into this matter, because this was essentially a terror attack, and not a random traffic accident. I am telling you with certainty, it was not. I was fully conscious the entire time; I saw exactly what happened. It was intentional.” Rivka’s husband, Haim Zinman, told reporters, “We are hurting and sad. Every day we drive on these roads there is fear of stones and accidents. There is carnage and killing and loss. Rivka and the children also saw the vehicle, a large white one, speeding up and driving in their direction. Rivka tried to brake and the children were wearing seat belts and there was no one else on the road. “Since then, the whole family has been scattered in different hospitals. I have no words. “Just two weeks ago, we put in shielding against stones. Yesterday, my father bought Matan a bag for school and they danced all day. He was a smiling and happy child, and today he is not with us. “When looking at all the facts, this was no car accident. If it happened in the center of the country, it would not be on the agenda. We want the case to be investigated. There are no policemen or soldiers on the roads today. Every day there are stones thrown. Think of our child. Our child is gone. Our children have fractures and injuries all over their bodies, and it hurts.” Meanwhile, the Arab driver who hit the Zinman family vehicle has not yet been interrogated by police. According to the police, the reason for the delay is that she is still hospitalized in Shechem (Nablus) and that her condition is not yet stable.

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who donated around $28 million for its establishment. Opening the event, President Herzog spoke of his appreciation for the dedication of the medical staff and at his pride on the opening of the new emergency hospital. He thanked Sylvan Adams for his generous support of the Israeli people and said, “You are a true ambassador of the Israeli society.”

Prime Minister Lapid added his thanks and said to Sylvan Adams, “Both of us are children of Holocaust survivors. You were brought up with a strong sense of responsibility for the State of Israel, for the next generation, for its welfare and for its values. Your father, Marcel, of blessed memory, would certainly have been proud of you today. On behalf of the State of Israel, thank you.” The facility is equipped with the latest technology in patient assess-

ment, enabling patients to self-triage, scanning in their identity documents or medical referral, and checking temperature and blood pressure levels before being assigned a medical professional for treatment. At each stage, the recording of any abnormal or critical results will immediately alert the medical staff. In addition, the hospital has dedicated sections for care to be provided determined by the patient’s condition and psychiatric classification, a short-term hospitalization department, and includes the “Maor” Center – a room for the acute care of victims of sexual assault. The technologies will enable greater streamlining of triage patient assessment, lower waiting times, and more efficient and effective medical care provision. The building has three floors: On the ground floor of the new building, there is an inpatient department that includes spacious halls that are being upgraded to the highest standards. The inpatient hall includes around 100 monitored beds – the largest number of beds in emergency care departments in Israel. If needed, during an emergency event, this number can be doubled. Also on the ground floor is a shock

and trauma room with advanced equipment and an imaging area that includes two CT machines – the largest number in emergency care departments in Israel. This includes use of groundbreaking artificial intelligence for viewing clinical findings in real time. The first floor includes an ambulatory wing with 30 medical testing rooms and a large treatment hall. This wing also provides professional treatment from the emergency care team, and now, for the first time in Israel, is reinforced by professional advisors in the fields of cardiology, neurology, dermatology, and personal health. To provide fast and effective treatment, upon reception, patients can also be referred to dedicated emergency rooms in the following areas: orthopedics, eyes, and head and neck surgery. In addition, for the first time in Ichilov and Tel Aviv, there is also a psychiatric emergency room. On the rooftop floor, there will be a short-term hospitalization and inpatient department with 32 monitored beds designed for hospitalization for patients who need further tests or continued treatment. The opening of this department in particular is expected to reduce demand in the other hospital-

ization departments and in particular the internal medicine departments. Sylvan Adams, businessman and philanthropist, said, “At Ichilov, I am happy to provide the residents of the State of Israel with the largest and most advanced emergency room of its kind. The innovative technology, the worldview that places the patient at the center, and the high level of infrastructure creates an advanced level of service and treatment for the benefit of the State of Israel.”

PIJ Leader Arrested

On Monday night, IDF forces arrested Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) commander Bassam al-Saadi, 62, and his son-in-law Ashraf Zidan Molmad Aljada in a raid that resulted in clashes with local Palestinians in Jenin.

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The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

Since the raid, the IDF is in high alert and has closed off roads next to the Gaza Strip in concern that the group may retaliate with anti-tank and sniper fire. Zikim beach, which lies just north of the Strip, has also been closed to visitors, and train service between Askelon and Sderot has been canceled. The Erez Crossing, the main crossing between Israel and Gaza, has also been closed. In addition, the Black Arrow monument, Givat Kobi lookout in Sderot, the Hill of the Bells (Givat Ha’Pamonim) in Nir Am, and Givat Nazmit in Mefallesim have also been closed. Classes at Sapir College in Sderot will take place online. PIJ is known to have anti-tank guided missiles and has targeted both civilian and military vehicles, killing Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers. During the arrest, clashes broke out with local Palestinians, and three were injured. The Palestinian Authority’s Health Ministry said that 17-year-old Dirar al-Kafrayni was killed in the clashes after he threw an explosive device toward troops. Defense Minister Benny Gantz stressed on Tuesday that Israel’s policy is “clear,” adding that “those who want to work and live in a good neighborliness

will receive an outstretched hand. With the other hand, we will hit anyone who wants to harm the citizens of Israel and carry out terrorism.” He added, “The IDF, the Shin Bet, and Border Police will continue their operational activities, with all tools and in all arenas. Any threat to the citizens of Israel will be met with a powerful response, and we will of course be prepared for any scenario.” This is not the first time Saadi has been detained by Israel. He was previously detained seven times by Israel for his role as PIJ’s top leader in the West Bank and his role in terror. He’s served a total of 15 years in Israeli prisons. Two of his sons, also part of the terror group, were killed by the Israeli military during the Second Intifada. According to the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, the cousin of Raad Abu Hazzam, who killed three Israelis in Tel Aviv in April, is married to Saadi. The Shin Bet security service said that Saadi was recently working hard “to restore the Islamic Jihad’s operations, in which he was instrumental in establishing a strong military force in Samaria in general and in Jenin in particular. His presence was a signifi-

ruchi_schaefer_rsinterior

cant factor in radicalizing the organization›s operatives.” Jenin and its refugee camp are one of the more violent cities in the West Bank with heavily armed militants from PIJ and other terror groups. Dozens of Palestinians have been arrested in Jenin by the IDF as part of its Operation Break the Wave, and during every arrest raid, heavily armed militants opened fire on Israeli forces leading to Palestinian casualties. Over the last few days, a total of 50 Palestinians have been arrested and interrogated by the Shin Bet.

and crashed into an oncoming car.” “I was given my daughter as a gift,” he added.

Pay for Slay Increased

Fatal Crash in Sinai Two Israelis in their 20s were killed and five others were injured in a car crash last week in Sinai, Egypt. According to Hebrew media, the seven young Israelis were traveling near the Israeli border on their way back from a vacation when their taxi crashed into another vehicle. All seven were counselors at the Boyer boarding school in Jerusalem.

The two dead victims were identified as Yuval Keshet, 24, of Haifa and Moshe Matan Luzon, 25, of Petah Tikva. Initially, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said two of the victims were critically wounded, but it soon became clear that they had died in Egypt. The other five were taken to a local medical facility before being brought across the border to Eilat’s Yoseftal Medical Center. Although IDF helicopters had been sent to bring the injured victims over the border, Hebrew media reported that Cairo would not allow the helicopters to land in Egyptian territory. Instead, the victims were brought to a border crossing and handed over. Staff at Boyer told parents and students that “a terrible tragedy has come upon us. We’ve lost our loved ones.” The father of one of the injured told Kan News what his daughter had recounted to him: “The driver was traveling at a crazy speed, overtook [another vehicle],

On July 31, 2002, Palestinian terrorists bombed the Frank Sinatra Cafeteria on the Hebrew University campus, murdering nine Israelis. Eighty others were injured in the attack. Since the bombing, the terrorists have been earning salaries from the Palestinian Authority. Over the past 20 years, the PA paid Wael Qassem, Wassim Abbasi, Alla Aldin Abbasi and Muhammed Odeh more than NIS 8 million (over $2.5 million). But now, their salaries are set to increase by more than 14%. Their monthly payments will be increased from NIS 7,000 ($2,251) per month to NIS 8,000 ($2,572). They also receive a supplement of NIS 300 shekels ($96) each month because they were residents of Jerusalem. Four other terrorists convicted for taking part in the attack receive a salary from the PA, as well. On Sunday, the Security Cabinet voted to deduct NIS 600 million from the taxes and tariffs Israel collects for the PA, as it is legally required to do as long as the PA pays terrorists who attacked Israelis. The practice is called “pay for slay,” although the PA calls it the “martyrs’ fund.” The Knesset passed a law in 2018 requiring the government to withhold funds equal to the amount the PA pays terrorists each year. Janis Routh Coulter, 36; Dina Carter, 38; David Gritz, 24; Daphna Spruch, 61; Levina Shapira, 53; Benjamin Blustein, 25; David Ladowski, 29; Revital Barashi, 30; and Marla Bennet, 24; lost their lives in the bombing 20 years ago.

The fittest area of our country is home to the President and the Capitol. Washington, D.C., according to a recent report by RunReview.org, is the fittest area in the country. It came out on top because of its relatively low rate of heart disease and diabetes overall. Still, despite the good news, the nation’s capital fell short of the national average for residents undergoing wellness checks last year. Following close behind was Massachusetts and Colorado, which came in second and third place, respectively. Connecticut and New Hampshire rounded out the top five. New Jersey, Vermont, Rhode Island, Montana, and Oregon were also in the top ten. On the other side of the scale, West Virginia came in dead last, beating out Arkansas and Mississippi for the most out of shape state in the country, according to the report. Washington, D.C., has the country’s second lowest obesity rate at 24.3 percent. It also came in first for most gyms, with 20.1 per 100,000 residents, the report said.

Under Lock and Key

Drug stores in the U.S. are locking up everyday items such as toothpaste, soap,

Silence is Golden Have you ever closed your eyes, put down your smartphone, and just pondered life and the world around you? If you find yourself “stuck” to your Smartphone screen, unable to focus or get things done, you might be interested in the results of this study. Researchers in Japan were shocked to learn just how rewarding a group of 259 college students found sitting in a quiet room without distractions – including their mobile phones – for a mere 20 minutes. In the first experiment, volunteers were asked to predict how much they would enjoy spending 20 minutes with-

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

D.C. is Most in Shape

and deodorant. As such, manufacturers of lock cases and devices have seen a surge in business. Both Walgreens and Rite Aid have reported that they are locking up more products – and closing some stores – due to organized retail crime, in which rings of criminals steal products from stores and resell them. But locking up products is “extremely discouraging to customers,” Envirosell founder and CEO Paco Underhill noted. “It is a brutal experience for the merchant, too.” Most common among shoplifted items are health and beauty products, overthe-counter medications, teeth-whitening strips, cigarettes, and liquor. Since drug stores have larger numbers of these products, they are locking up more of their merchandise. In addition to locking items up, companies are trying to implement other strategies, such as placing security tags on items or using shelves which limit customers to taking one item at a time, before placing products under lock and key. According to Lisa LaBruno, senior executive vice president of retail operations at the Retail Industry Leaders Association, “More products today are locked up because the problem has gotten so much bigger. Criminal actors can steal high volumes of products and sell them with anonymity.” Amazon is attempting to curb illegal resales. “We regularly request invoices, purchase orders, or other proofs of sourcing when we have concerns about how a seller may have obtained particular products,” Amazon said. Forbes quoted one anti-theft device company’s CEO as saying that locking products up can result in a 15-25% drop in sales.

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

out engaging in any distracting activities including reading, using their smartphones, or even sleeping. They were then asked to report how much they enjoyed doing “nothing.” Almost all volunteers said they had underestimated the satisfaction of spending time away from their gadgets. In another experiment, one group of volunteers was told to predict how much they would enjoy checking online news while another was asked to guess how much they’d like just sitting there while collecting their thoughts.

large and “information overload,” including pervasive forms of technology, stand in our way of living life to the fullest. “Humans have a striking ability to immerse themselves in their own thinking,” noted lead study author Aya Hatano of Japan. Not surprisingly, the top 10 tactics to overcoming smartphone addiction include methods that make using your phone less appealing such as using black and white screens and blocking incoming updates. The only existing dedicated Internet rehab lab today is a chain with 18 branches in Israel; similar projects are expected to pop up around the world in years to come.

Monkeypox on the Rise While the thinking group said they would probably enjoy the task significantly less than the news-checking group, both groups ended up reporting similar levels of enjoyment. Experts say the results of the study shed light on the importance of “downtime” in an era when screen time has come to define one’s status in the world at

With the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring a global emergency over the weekend, and the White House considering similar measures, San Francisco and New York State pre-empted the president, calling public health emergencies with regards to monkeypox as more than 40% of the nation’s cases have been recorded in the two areas. Monkeypox spreads primarily

through close contact. Activists have urged health officials to take strong measures to contain the disease so that it doesn’t turn into an epidemic like AIDS.

Patients are typically sick for a number of weeks, and symptoms include fever, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash that can spread throughout the body. While no deaths have been recorded in the U.S., 4,907 cases of the virus have been reported as of last Thursday. “We will weigh any decision on declaring a public health emergency based off the response we’re seeing throughout the country,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Becerra. “Bottom line is: We need to stay ahead of this and be able to end this outbreak.” While some White House officials believe that a declaration of emergency would increase public awareness of the disease,

others maintain it would create unneeded pressure and be symbolic in nature.

Coke on the Beach

Almost $2 million worth of cocaine washed up ashore on a beach in Florida over the weekend. The total amounted to 126 pounds of the illegal narcotic, although all of the drugs did not come ashore at once. These recent finds come as data from Customs and Border Protection says officials seized over 60,000 pounds of illegal narcotics across the U.S. in June. The first instance of the drugs found in Florida was reported by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office in the Florida Keys. Police were called after residents found the cocaine washing ashore.

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

“The package was found near the Ocean Pointe Condominiums in the mangroves along the shoreline,” the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post. “The large package contained multiple smaller packages tightly packed with black tape.” It weighed 71.6 pounds. A few days later, Border Patrol agents in Florida made a similar discovery after more packages washed up on a beach in the Florida Keys. Recently, a plot to smuggle more than $60 million of cocaine stashed in an RV disguised as an outward-bound mobile home was uncovered by police in Spain. Another discovery of a shipment of drugs was made when it was supposedly mistakenly sent to a supermarket.

7 Years Prison in Jan. 6 Case A federal judge on Monday sentenced Guy Reffitt, who brought a gun to the U.S. Capitol during the January 6, 2021 events and threatened House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, to more than seven years in prison, the longest January 6th sentence to date. Reffitt, a recruiter for a right-wing

militia known as the Three Percenters, was the first Capitol rioter to go to trial rather than take a plea agreement.

“Mr. Reffitt’s reluctance to admit early that his behavior is illegal is concerning,” District Judge Dabney Friedrich said before handing down the 87-month sentence. “And I want to be very clear… under no legitimate definition of the term ‘patriot’ (does) Mr. Reffitt’s behavior on and around January 6 fit the term. It is the antithesis of the word.” Friedrich added: “The officers at the Capitol are the patriots, as well as those who fought and even died to protect our democracy, our rule of law … those in the mob are not. Not only are they not patriots; they’re a direct threat to our democracy and will be punished as such.” Reffitt was convicted by a D.C. jury in March of five felonies, including transporting and carrying a firearm on Capitol

grounds, interfering with Capitol Police, and obstructing an official proceeding. He had driven to D.C. with several firearms, one of which he carried with him on the steps of the Capitol during the early hours of the day. “I just want to see Pelosi’s head hit every … stair on the way out.… And (Republican leader) Mitch McConnell too,” Reffitt said, according to a video recording he made of himself on January 6. The hefty sentence, paired with the fact that every January 6 defendant to face a jury has been convicted, could deter some of the hundreds of January 6 defendants awaiting trial to instead take plea deals offered by the Justice Department. The 87-month sentence is two years longer than any other Capitol riot prison term handed down so far.

Fatal Flooding Sweeps Through Kentucky Officials said that at least 37 people died during “extreme” flooding in Kentucky over the weekend and that the death toll will likely continue to rise as rescuers search for survivors. The governor said six children were among the deceased and urged residents to “keep praying.”

southwestern Virginia, and a few Ohio counties remain under severe flooding alert, and Kentucky is not out of the woods, with an additional 2 to 4 inches possibly in store. Rescue teams are working roundthe-clock searching for missing persons, while the governor says hundreds of homes may have been destroyed in the storm. Dozens of state roads were blocked as of Saturday with crews working to clear them. Efforts to reach stranded people have been complicated by washed-out infrastructure, officials say. Although cell service is being restored, some areas are still without it, leaving many unable to contact loved ones or emergency services. There are still hundreds of people who are unaccounted for. More than 8,000 customers in eastern Kentucky were still without power Tuesday morning, according to PowerOutage.us. Temperatures are expected to soar into the 90s on Wednesday. Over 25,000 service connections were without water on Monday and an additional 44,119 were under a boil water advisory, according to the governor’s office. This is not the first natural disaster to hit the state within the last year. Heavy tornadoes pummeled the Bluegrass State in December, leaving more than 70 dead and smashing large buildings along the way.

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Governor Andy Beshear added, “There’s still a lot of people out there, still a lot of people unaccounted for. We’re going to do our best to find them all.” On Friday, President Joe Biden issued a disaster warning and ordered federal aid to be sent to beleaguered communities in the Bluegrass State. Beshear said some-50 air rescues and hundreds of boat rescues had been conducted by Thursday, with 294 individuals rescued and 337 finding refuge in local shelters. “We are still in the search and rescue mode and at least in some areas, the water is not going to crest until tomorrow,” he was quoted as saying. Up to 3 million residents of West Virginia, parts of northeastern Tennessee,

Following a lengthy legal battle and a nixed deal with budget carrier Frontier Airlines, JetBlue appears on its way to purchasing the rights to the smaller, more affordable Spirit Airlines. The two have reached an agreement and now await national regulators and Spirit Airlines’ shareholders to approve the deal. The companies expect to reach a final decision by the opening half of 2024. Once it’s able to acquire the approval of the nation’s antitrust regulators, the combined air fleet would feature a total of 458 planes and be based out of New

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

York. The deal, worth $3.8 billion, would allow the new company to compete with the bigger airlines such as United, Southwest, and Delta, who account for approximately 80% of the local market if international flights are included in the equation. The agreement follows a bidding war with Frontier. Spirit could not convince its shareholders to sign onto the deal. A vote on the merger was postponed four times, then cut short on Wednesday when Spirit and Frontier announced they were terminating their agreement, which made a Spirit-JetBlue coupling inevitable. While JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes believes the deal will allow the joint venture to force the bigger airlines to drop prices, critics such as William McGee of the anti-merger American Economic Liberties Project say the low costs offered by Spirit will disappear after the merger. “Once Spirit is absorbed [into JetBlue], there is no question that fares are going to go up,” McGee was quoted as saying after the deal was announced. Supporters of the transaction believe that once Spirit disappears, smaller, cheaper airlines will profit by filling the void left in its wake by providing the best

prices on the market. If the deal falls apart, JetBlue will be forced to compensate Spirit a $70 million fee for the reverse break-up as well as $400 million to Spirit shareholders, minus the amount already received by shareholders prior to cancellation. Together, JetBlue and Spirit would comprise about 9% of the U.S. air-travel market.

House Passes Assault Weapons Ban

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a ban on semi-automatic guns last week following the mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Highland Park, Illinois, with a vote of 217-213. The previous time high-powered fire-

arms were banned was all the way back in 1994 and that ruling ran its course 10 years after being passed. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi was one of the more vocal backers of the proposal, arguing that it would curb the rise of deadly attacks in America’s schools and businesses once passed. The measure will now go to the Senate and, if approved, will criminalize the sale, manufacture, transfer, possession, or importation of a series of semi-automatic weapons and large-capacity magazines. President Joe Biden vowed to sign the bill into law if it passes the two houses of Congress. “Today, House Democrats acted by unifying to pass an assault weapons ban to keep weapons of war off our streets, save lives in this country, and reduce crime in our communities,” wrote Biden, adding: “The majority of the American people agree with this common sense action… There can be no greater responsibility than to do all we can to ensure the safety of our families, our children, our homes, our communities, and our nation.” The president added, “While this bill doesn’t do everything I want, it does include actions I’ve long called for that are

going to save lives.” As expected, GOP lawmakers were firm in their opposition to the bill, although two Republicans sided with the Democrats in favor of the ban: Republican Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Chris Jacobs of New York. Jacobs, whose western New York district includes suburban Buffalo, announced in June he would not seek reelection as he faced backlash for his support of gun control measures. He said in a prepared statement that while he “strongly” supports the Second Amendment, he does not support “easy access to high-powered semiautomatic weapons and large capacity magazines that have time and time again resulted in mass casualty shootings.” The Uvalde shooting spurred him to support an assault weapons ban, he said. Five Democrats voted no to the ban, along with 208 Republicans: Reps. Henry Cuellar of Texas, Jared Golden of Maine, Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, Ron Kind of Wisconsin, and Kurt Schrader of Oregon. Kind said in a prepared statement that while he also supports some gun control measures, the bill was “hastily brought” to the House floor, leaving him no opportunity to study it or consult with

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Wisconsin law enforcement groups and his constituents. He also raised concern over the current legislation’s definition of assault weapons, fearing too broad a definition might lead to a “crackdown” on other guns.

Can’t Believe It

You know all those canned cocktails lining the shelves? It seems like every alcohol brand is jumping on the can-bandwagon. Tit’s Handmade Vodka is now entering the fray – but with a twist.

The vodka brand is now selling a $20 can – that is completely empty. The “Tito’s in a Can” is 16 ounces and is meant for you, to customer, the fill with their vodka. “Despite the flood of different flavors and variations, we’ve always believed the idea of customizations is always the way to go,” Taylor Berry, vice president of brand marketing for Tito’s, told CNN Business. “You can make a cocktail the way you want it and if you want the portability of a can, here’s a can we made for you — it just happens to be empty.” The can is now on sale for a limited time at Tito’s online store with net proceeds benefiting charity. Tito’s has been around for a while and is not keen on jumping on every trend that hits the market. That’s why they’ve shying away from the can craze, Berry says. “We’ve been around for a quarter-century at this point, and there’s been a lot of trends that have happened throughout the alcohol industry,” he said. “We’ve stayed true to our roots — which is doing one thing and doing one thing right.” Tito’s is one of the country’s top-selling vodka brands. Sales of premixed cocktails grew

more than 40% last year, soaring past $1.6 billion in sales and becoming second only to vodka in terms of volume consumption. But Tito’s has no fear of missing out on canned cocktails, Berry said. “Ultimately, from a brand standpoint, [we’re] holding true to what we know and the strategy we’ve had from the beginning — making vodka,” he said. “There’s an element of this brand not being sellouts.” And you can say that again.

budget-friendly but will transport beachgoers – literally and figuratively – back in time to truly disconnect and relax.” Sounds like a beach blast from the past.

An Expensive Sandwich

Beach Job

Love the sand but need to earn some pocket money? Consider this offering. Hotels.com is looking to hire a Retro Beach Motelier, who will visit several retro beach motels across the United States and enjoy oceanside views in 1950’s style. The itinerary is comprised of Hotels. com’s 10 best “retro beach motels” across America, including The Pearl Hotel in San Diego, California, and Vagabond Hotel in Miami, Florida. Going to these hotels will encourage you to dig into the past. The motelier will be equipped with old school accessories, including SPF zinc, striped umbrellas, vintage sunnies, a cooler, and even a solar-powered AM/FM radio to enjoy some tunes. The job will include offline activities, such as documenting the trip “for future generations” using a classic polaroid camera. The professional vacationer will be given a $10,000 stipend to cover travel expenses, and a $5,000 salary to spend on classic beachside snacks, like saltwater taffy, frozen custard, and snow cones. “Travelers these days tend to search for all-inclusive hotels and resorts when planning their summer getaways, but our Retro Beach Motelier is out to prove that beach motels can be just as luxurious,” said Melissa Dohmen of Hotels. com. “These timeless motels are not only

A passenger flying from Indonesia to Australia is now regretting not eating the food he brought along on the plane. Detector dogs sniffed two egg and beef sausage McMuffins and a ham croissant that the passenger had in his backpack. Those sandwiches proved to be expensive. The passenger was then slapped with a 12-unit infringement, amounting to $2,664, or $1,874 in American dollars, for failure to declare potential high biosecurity risk items and issuing a false and misleading travel declaration form. “This will be the most expensive Maccas meal this passenger ever has – this fine is twice the cost of an airfare to Bali – but I have no sympathy for people who choose to disobey Australia’s strict biosecurity measures, and recent detections show you will be caught,” Murray Watt, Australia’s minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, said. Australia has been sniffing out foods like the sausage sandwich at its airport to help combat foot and mouth disease. This is not the first time a sandwich landed someone in hot water in Australia. In July, a woman traveling from Singapore was fined $2,664 Australian dollars for forgetting to declare half of a Subway Footlong once she landed in Australia. The 19-year-old Australian, Jessica Lee, went viral on TikTok after revealing in a story how jet lag caused her to forget she’d brought a Chicken Footlong topped with lettuce on board and then failed to declare it. “I just paid $2,600 for my subway just from Singapore,” she explained in her video post at the time. “I bought a footlong Subway at Singapore Airport because I was a hungry girl after my 11hour flight. I ate six inches before my second flight and then saved the other six

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The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

inches for the flight…” We’re not lovin’ it.

Glasses for the Deaf

These are no ordinary glasses. When worn, people who are deaf or suffer from hearing loss may be able to “hear” conversations. The glasses, called XRAI Glass, use technology to transform audio into captions that are immediately broadcast in front of the wearer’s eyes. “We are so proud of the ability of this innovative technology to enrich the lives of people who are deaf and have hearing loss, so that they can maximize potential,” said Dan Scarfe, XRAI Glass CEO.

“Whether that means being able to have a conversation while continuing to make dinner or keeping a conversation going while walking with a friend.” Thanks to voice recognition capabilities, the glasses can even identify who is speaking and will soon be able to translate languages, voice tones, accents and pitch, according to XRAI Glass. Aside from allowing deaf people to “see” conversations with other people, the glasses can also open the door to other technologies, such as Amazon’s Alexa. Users can ask Alexa a question and then “hear” the response through the glasses. The glasses are being sold in the UK for around $400. That’s great to hear!

Sweet Salary

Love candy, want to work from

home, and are looking for a job? Consider this sweet gig. Candy Funhouse, an online retailer of confectionery treats from chocolate bars to gummies and licorice, is hiring a Chief Candy Officer for a $78,000 a year ($100,000 Canadian), work-fromhome position. Duties include: “leading candy board meetings, being the head taste tester … and all things fun.” Lest you think you’re a shoo-in for the position, several thousand candidates have already applied for the position, which was posted on LinkedIn in July, said Chief Executive Officer Jamal Hejazi. He noted that he’s been surprised by the number of “golden ticket” themed applications and the elaborate videos of entire families offering to share the tasting duties and salary. Hejazi admits that the job sounds pretty alluring. “Imagine your best memories around candy and having that every day at work,” he said. Candy Funhouse, based outside of Toronto, Canada, is headed by four siblings who grew up in the area and whose parents owned doughnut shops and a local restaurant. “My brother Mo, a candyhead,

founded it in 2018, and my mother was employee no. 2,” said Hejazi, adding that he and a younger sister and brother later joined the firm. The family hoped to differentiate their company from other highly successful online and brick-and-mortar competitors such as Mars, Hershey and Amazon with a “weird” mix of products, no minimum orders — “we’ll sell one lollipop” — and a strong push on social media. Sales in 2021, boosted substantially by the pandemic, were “just under $15 million. I’m not kidding,” Hejazi said. The company said the Chief Candy Officer position is open to applicants as young as five years old — although parental permission would likely be required. Many parents have filmed their child filling out the application and posted it online. Hejazi also noted that reports on social media claiming that the Chief Candy Officer will be required to eat 3,500 pieces of candy per month are incorrect. (That number represents the different varieties the company stocks.) “That would be 117 a day,” Hejazi said. “That’s too many.” Sounds like a piece of cake.

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This week, Achiezer presented a community-wide CPR course for the men and women of the community, along with presentations in Spanish. The response to the course was overwhelming, with tens of men and women joining in the life-saving course in Shaaray Tefilah on separate nights this week.

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

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Campers at Machaneh Hakayitz had a ball in camp this week

Five Towns Friendly

he Three Weeks is a period of introspection, a time when we focus on mending broken relationships. It’s a time when we increase our love towards our fellow Jew, hoping to engender more love, respect, and admiration for our brothers and sisters so we can help to rebuild the Beis HaMikdash that was destroyed due to animosity and hatred. During these three weeks, we connect with one another and become closer to each other. But why should that love and respect towards others end with the fast of Tisha B’Av? Why can’t we carry those warm feelings and relationships into the next few weeks – or even months? Living in the Five Towns, we are fortunate to enjoy “small town” living on a large scale. The pace of life here is more relaxed than in other large frum communities. We share closer relationships with our neighbors than people living in other areas. We know our mailmen; we wave to those who pick up our garbage; the UPS deliveryman greets us when we see him on the street. This month, the JWLC (Jewish Women’s Leadership Council of the Five Towns) presents a community-wide pro-

gram called “Five Towns Friendly.” The idea behind the initiative is to maintain the attitude of achdus and connection that we focus on during the Three Weeks. In this program, community members are reminded to go out of their way to be “Five Towns Friendly.” The program is simple yet profound. With small acts of connection towards others, we are creating closer and closer bonds with our neighbors and community members. These connections can be made with those you know well, those you may recognize from seeing on the street, or with community members whom you’ve never met. Either way, the goal is the same: bring an unexpected smile and joy to someone you meet! To make this program more exciting, JWLC is encouraging community members to share their “Five Towns Friendly” moments. Send in a photo of you and the “new friend” you’ve just met or share your “Five Towns Friendly” experience with us. Email photos and/or experiences to fivetownsfriendly@gmail.com. (They may be featured in TJH or on our website, so stay tuned!) All submissions will be entered into a raffle for $100 at

your favorite local store. Here are some ideas of how to be “Five Towns Friendly” (although we’re sure you will come up with so many on your own!): • Have an extra bag after you checked out at the supermarket? Give it to the person behind you! • See someone you know at a bus stop? Ask if you can give them a ride along your way. • Thank your waitress – and ask her for her name! • Let the car waiting to merge or turn go in front of you. • Invite a new neighbor for a Shabbos meal. • Neighbor going on vacation? Ask them if you can bring in their packages. • Introduce yourself to a new person

in shul. • Tell your neighbors you’re going shopping. Can you pick something up for them? • Text someone whom you haven’t spoken with in a while. • Buy lemonade from the neighborhood stand. • Stop and say hello to an elderly person sitting on the park bench. The list is endless, and it all starts with you! Become part of the “Five Towns Friendly” program, and remember to share your experiences with us! Fivetownsfriendly@ gmail.com. Look for our table at the Sidewalk Sale and receive a free “Five Towns Friendly” bumper sticker. To learn more about JWLC, visit www. JWLC5T.org.

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

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Elie & Chava Lowy

Dr. Bentzy & Rena Chill

Joel & Lynn Mael

Martin & Zena Cohen

Shalom & Iris Maidenbaum

Dov & Rikki Eisner

Gary & Yael Mandel

Yaakov & Shiri Feldman

David & Aurora Mosberg

Jerry & Sharon Glassman

Rony & Elana Oved

Avi & Ariella Gluck

Michael & Karen Rosenbloom

Zev & Aviva Golombeck

Martin & Melodie Scharf

Joseph & Rhea Grob

Robert & Tamar Scharf

Rabbi Basil & Sherri Herring

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Lance & Dr. Rivkie Hirt

Craig & Merissa Shapiro

Dr. Steven & Marjorie Kellner

David & Shari Shapiro

Jay & Chani Kestenbaum

Tuvia & Miriam Silverstein

Moshe & Talya Kohn

Eli & Chani Weisfeld

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HAFTR’s Class of 1997 25th Year Reunion

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

Fun and friends at Camp Matov

AFTR High School’s Class of 1997 celebrated their 25th anniversary reunion on Sunday, June 26 at the HAFTR High School gym. Alumni and spouses enjoyed an evening of reconnecting, great food, laughs, and a montage of pictures from both their middle and high school years. Videos from the grade’s graduation and senior dinner were enjoyed by all. Thank you to the cochairs and the event committee Steve Weinrib, Beth Kupferman Swedarsky,

Candice Weiler Feiler, Jeremy Frenkel, Evan Shusterman, Shira Pelikow Hoschander, Arel Golombeck, and Dena Preminger Pilevsky, as well as all of those who traveled from as far as Israel, Arizona, Florida, Minnesota, Philadelphia, and those who attended from areas a bit closer. Regardless of geographic location and the number of years that passed, this group of HAFTR alumni felt incredibly comfortable and at home reconnecting with their classmates.

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11 Rabbanim and 14 Singers to Appear Live at Tu B’Av Together, Yad L’Achim’s Global Events of Music and Tefillah for Shidduchim Night and Morning Online Events Scheduled for Tu B’Av, Thursday 8/11 and Friday 8/12 By Nosson Gold

ne day. Two live online events. Half a million Jews united in tefillah for all of klal Yisrael’s singles. It’s called Tu B’Av Together, and it is an opportunity not to be missed. The 15th day of Av, Tu B’Av, has been synonymous with shidduchim since the times of Chazal. The Jewish people have always connected through tefillah in times of happiness and sorrow, and Tu B’Av Together taps into our powerful desire to help each other. For the past five years, Tu B’Av Together has steadily grown in scope and momentum. Now it’s bigger than ever. This year, Yad L’Achim is once again spearheading Tu B’Av Together as over 500,000 Jews across the world unite in davening for shidduchim. At the same time, a minyan of talmidei chachamim will spend the day in Amuka davening for each name submitted through Yad L’Achim. As the resting place of the tanna Yonasan Ben Uziel, Amuka is an auspicious place to daven for a shidduch. In previous years, members of klal Yisrael submitted thousands of names for tefillah for shidduchim on Tu B’Av. Thanks to the policy instituted by Director R’ Nesanel Gantz, names can be submitted for tefillah even without a donation. Until now, Tu B’Av Together was one event of music and tefillah, but because Tu B’Av is on a Friday this year, Yad

L’Achim will host two live events. Both are free to the public. Join on Thursday, August 11 at 7:30 p.m. EST for an evening of musical inspiration with many of today’s leading superstars. The program will include words of inspiration by Rabbi YY Jacobson and a lineup of top performers: Uri Davidi, Levy Falkowitz, Eitan Katz, Eli Marcus, Joey Newcomb, Lipa Schmeltzer, Moshe Tischler, Akiva (Turgeman), Yitzy Waldner, Beri Weber and Surprise guests. Tune in again on Friday, August 12 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EST for the much-anticipated live tefillah event broadcasted online to hundreds of thousands. Opening remarks will be delivered by Rav Yisroel Reisman, shlita. Afterward, eight chapters of Tehillim will be led by the following rabbanim shlita: Rav Eytan Feiner, Rav Eliezer Ginsberg, Rav Dovid Goldwasser, Rav Paysach Krohn, Rav Berel Lazar, Rav David Ozeri, Rav Yisroel Reisman and Rav Meyer Yedid. The following 8 kapitlach will be recited: ‫ קכ”ח‬,‫ קכ”ז‬,‫ קכ”ד‬,‫ קכ”א‬,‫ פ”ב‬,’‫ ע‬,‫ ל”ח‬,‫ל”ב‬ (Psalms 32, 38, 70, 82, 121, 124, 127, 128). The rabbanim will also inspire us with chizzuk and powerful stories about shidduchim. Rav Ari Bensoussan and Rav Eli Stefansky will deliver additional words of inspiration. Both events will be hosted

by Nesanel Gantz. How Tu B’Av Together Came to Be Yad L’Achim was founded over 60 years ago by Rav Sholom Dov Lifshitz, zt”l, to aid new immigrants in Eretz Yisrael. It has been a major source of support for Russian and French immigrants, placing thousands of boys and girls in yeshivahs and schools throughout Eretz Yisrael. When the organization began receiving calls about Jewish women trapped in Arab villages, it established a division dedicated to prevention as well as the rescue of trapped women and children. These women are often rescued with nothing more than the clothes they are wearing at the time, and Yad L’Achim helps them secure basic necessities as they begin rebuilding their lives. With Hashem’s help, many of these rescued

women have gone on to marry bnei Torah and establish Jewish homes. For many years, Yad L’Achim arranged for talmidei chachamim to daven that these women would merit finding their basherts. As time went on, Yad L’Achim began accepting tefillah requests from Jews throughout the world. These tefillah requests grew into the Tu B’Av Together programs. Tu B’Av Together unites Yidden from across the world. Last year, Yad L’Achim received messages from participants in places as far-flung as Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Alaska, Hong Kong, Cyprus, Greece, Argentina, and even Iran. To register for the free events, submit names for tefillah for free, or download the chapters of Tehillim in advance, visit www.TuBavTogether.com or call Yad L’Achim at 1-866-923-5224.

The campers at Ruach Day Camp prepared for Tisha B’Av by doing mitzvot to help rebuild the Beit Hamikdash

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

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Experience The How Estate Planning Can Reduce the “Unexpected”: High Cost of Dying – Part I Project Inspire’s By Monet Binder, Esq. Tisha B’Av Video

hen life presents us with challenges and unexpected difficulties arise, we often succumb to overwhelming anxiety and grief. But there are heroes among us who rise to the occasion even in times of adversity. They overcome their challenges with positivity and a sense of purpose. Thus, do they become our greatest inspiration. Join Project Inspire for their thirteenth annual Tisha B’av video on Sunday, August 7 by viewing an outstanding 55-minute documentary film called “Unexpected.” The film is about individuals who could have easily fallen into the abyss of doubt and uncertainty in their times of challenge. But instead, they rose to the occasion and discovered Divine intervention when everything seemed lost. Close to 100,000 viewers watched the Project Inspire Tisha B’Av videos in the past and even more are expected to tune in this year. The film, which was produced by Mint Media, begins with an introduction by HaRav Reuven Feinstein and is riveting. The stories are extraordinary, and the messaging is clear. At times of great devastation, if someone reaches out with compassion and care, the loss and the loneliness are transformed into a springboard for holiness and hope. Suddenly everything changes. And that someone could be anyone, even you. The “Unexpected” trailer can be viewed by logging on to projectinspire. com/tisha. Follow the prompts for instructions on viewing the entire film on Tisha B’av itself. And remember to watch the Project Inspire talk show featuring Rabbi Yossie Friedman and Charlie Harary during the last two hours of Tisha B’Av when they will discuss the stories of “Unexpected” and the lessons to be learned. It’s the unexpected events that can change the trajectory of people’s lives. For more information about “Unexpected,” Project Inspire’s Tisha B’av video, visit projectinspire.org/tisha.

espite the fact that it happens to every single one of us, very few among us are properly prepared for death—whether our own death or the death of a loved one. Yet the pandemic might be changing this. According to Census figures, the pandemic caused the U.S. death rate to spike by nearly 20% between 2019 and 2020, the largest increase in American mortality in 100 years. More than 1 million deaths later, it’s clear that death is inevitable part of our lives. However, in what may be one of its few positive outcomes, some in the end-of-life industry believe that the pandemic’s massive loss of life has created an opportunity to transform the way we face death, grief, and all of the other issues that arise when we lose someone we love dearly. As anyone who has personally dealt with loss knows, when a loved one dies, those left behind face major challenges, not only emotional and logistical but financial as well. The Financial Cost To further shed light on just how vastly unprepared most of us are when dealing with death, in March 2022, Goldman Sachs, with a company known as Empa-

thy, released a Cost of Dying Report. The report surveyed more than 2,000 Americans—each of whom had lost a loved one in the last five years—to get a clearer picture of dying’s true cost to families. Following a loved one’s death, the total bill—including the funeral and hiring all of the other professional support— cost families an average of $16,800. This included realtors, accountants, lawyers, therapists/social workers, and court fees. Without planning in advance, you are forcing your family into court. Our proactive planning is designed to make it as easy as possible for families, legally. The right planning helps families avoid the time, expense, and emotional burden associated with probate court when a loved one passes. For instance, by placing assets in a properly created and maintained revocable living trust, trust assets will pass to your loved ones without the need for probate or any court intervention following your death or incapacity. But that’s not the only way proactive planning can help your loved ones following your death. You can achieve a variety of other goals, including asset protection, avoiding family conflict, protecting young children, funding longterm care and Medicaid eligibility planning, estate tax mitigation, to name just

a few. We help you create the most effective and affordable planning solutions for you and your family based on your family dynamics, assets, as well as your overall goals and desires. Paying the Final Bill So how did families pay for all of these expenses? More than 50% of families had to deal with estates that included debt. To foot the bill for these expenses, respondents used their own savings or investments, checking accounts or credit cards. It doesn’t have to be this way. If you are ready to create or update your estate plan, call today 718-514-7575. We do not just draft documents; we ensure you make informed and empowered decisions about life and death, for yourself and the people who matter most. Monet Binder, ESQ., has her practice in Queens and Brooklyn, New York, dedicated to protecting families, their legacies and values. All halachic documents are approved by the Bais Havaad Halacha Center in Lakewood, under the direction of Rabbi Dovid Grossman and the guidance of Harav Shmuel Kaminetsky, shlita, as well as other leading halachic authorities.

What a Wonderful Week at Hillel Day Camp

e learned all about Shavuot as we celebrated with so many fun activities at Hillel Day Camp last week. We got to get all bubbly during the bubble show by Jeff Boyer as we saw bubbles of all shapes, colors and sizes. In art, we made Shavuot flowers, ate yummy blintzes, made special cookies, and even had a surprise chocolate-making activity with Morah Wonka, where we learned to make chocolate pizza! Flat Stanley followed us on all our activities and even he got down and dirty and was completely covered in chocolate. Crazy hair and hat day brought amazing, creative designs, colors, and hats – from pink, green, purple, and blue hair to wacky, funny, and silly hats. We culminated the week in style with pajama day. Oh, what fun with all of our footsy

pajamas, character pjs, dolls, bears and, of course, our PJ parade was not to be missed. Kayaking with our older division was super fun. Playing on the beach and rowing together under the sun. Flying our way through Adventure Park and overcoming our fears definitely left its mark. Our amazing third graders were lucky to go to Adventureland. Rides and games with our friends and counselors lending a hand. Between roller skating and Casa de Spin, there were wheels all around. Our second graders got to tie on some aprons and become real chefs at Apron Masters. Constant fun and action in a camp that never sleeps. Hillel Day Camp never stops. It’s where memories are found. We’re looking forward to our next action-packed week!

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Around the Community

Summer Yeshiva of Belle Harbor Ends a Successful Growth at Zman in Camp Mercaz Academy

ummer offers no vacation from growth at Mercaz Academy. More than thirty volunteers—students, parents, teachers, administrators, board members, and community members alike—joined on July 27 with the GrowTorah team to build and plant the new GrowTorah garden at the Plainview, Long Island, school. The garden now forms an outdoor platform for learning about Torah and the natural world – and how they interact harmoniously. “Hands-on” learning began with “hands-in” learning. The group filled the seven garden beds—one of which will remain a bed for shmitta (the agricultural sabbatical year) through the end of this Jewish year—and surrounded the beds with mulch. In the beds, the students planted flowers, herbs, and vegetables for study during the school year. More planting, including adding a fruit tree, is scheduled for the school year, along with initiating a composting program. Classes from preschool through sixth grade will learn a variety of subjects in this outdoor space. The garden will be a focal point not only to illuminate the Torah portion read each week as well as lessons of faith and communal responsibility but will serve as a laboratory for studies in earth science and our environment, as well as many other academic pursuits. “We are proud to partner with GrowTorah,” commented Mercaz Principal Rabbi Fogel, who dug in to assist with the building project. “This adds a new, vibrant dimension to our learning, one which teaches our students explicitly and implicitly how the Torah understands and guides us through all aspects of our lives. We look forward to years of growth in the garden and with our students.”

Did you know? Only female mosquitoes bite

Rosh Yeshiva giving Shiur

s the summer approached, the ruach of learning in Yeshiva Merkaz Hatorah of Belle Harbor was very strong. The rabbeim and bochurim looked forward to ending the zman on campgrounds without lessening the hislahavus for learning that was felt in yeshiva, and they were not disappointed. From the start, the summer in camp in West Virginia was infused with great fervor for learning by the rabbeim

and talmidim. There was a great ruach of ruchniyus during the learning sessions, and the hasmadah that the bochurim displayed was commendable. A Program Director was hired to ensure that the activities and trips ran smoothly. There was a strong first seder of learning throughout each morning, followed by sports and trips that the bochurim enjoyed, continuing the feeling of geshmak that was started in the morn-

Bochurim relaxing at the lake

ing. The feeling of camaraderie was palpable, as everyone felt the words, Hinei ma tov u’ma na’im sheves achim gam yachad in the forefront of their minds. As the zman came to a close, it was no surprise that no one wanted to leave the elevated atmosphere of camp. We look forward to returning to yeshiva in Elul with the same enthusiasm for learning that was experienced on our campgrounds.

Rep. Meng Makes Queens Safer

.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) announced last week that she is pleased to have partnered with Community Board 9 and Councilwoman Lynn Schulman in working to help Bais Yaakov Academy of Queens secure two new stop signs outside of its building in Kew Gardens. Previously, there were two stop signs on corners of 125th Street which runs in front of the school. Now, with the addition of two stop signs on the adjacent 85th Avenue, the intersection at the school has become a four-way stop. “Hundreds of students attend this school and they, school staff and local pedestrians should not be put in harm’s way when crossing,” said Congresswoman Meng. “These stop signs will help make the area safer, and I thank the Bais

Yaakov Academy of Queens for working to improve safety outside its facility.” “Bais Yaakov Academy of Queens is very grateful to Congresswoman Grace Meng, her community liaison Rabbi Daniel Pollack, Councilwoman Lynn Schulman, Community Board 9 and Captain Jeremy Kivlin of the 102nd Precinct for all of their efforts on behalf of our school,” said Rabbi Mordechai Ginsparg, the school’s principal. “I enjoyed working together with them and I can truly see the care and concern they have for the safety of our students, parents and faculty.” Bais Yaakov Academy of Queens serves the borough’s Jewish community. It is a school for girls in kindergarten through eighth grade, and approximately 800 students are enrolled.

Bais Yaakov Academy Principal Rabbi Mordechai Ginsparg, Meng Community Liaison Rabbi Daniel Pollack, and new Commanding Officer of the 102nd Precinct Captain Jeremy Kivlin

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

THIs Week, TJH speaks WITH…

Simcha Day Camp

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.

Nestled iN the heart of far rockaway, simcha day camp is where huNdreds of boys eNjoy their summer, splashiNg iN the pool, swiNgiNg their bats, shootiNg their hoops, aNd smiliNg aNd siNgiNg the whole seasoN through. with NiNe acres of fuN – complete with ballfields, a huge iN-grouNd pool, aNd aN air-coNditioNed gym – the boys are coNstaNtly oN the go. this week, we spoke with rabbi avi taub, camp director, to hear more about the fuN aNd ruach that permeates the campus each day.

Rabbi Taub, hundreds of campers enjoy Simcha Day Camp each summer. How many are there in camp this year? Simcha Day Camp is home to over 1,000 campers, hailing from Far Rockaway/Five Towns, Brooklyn, Queens, and West Hempstead. Some campers travel from as far away as Eretz Yisrael, Florida and Boise, Idaho.

That sounds like a handful! How do you manage do keep all your campers happy each day? Our campers couldn’t be happier in our 9-acre campus, replete with luscious grass and shady areas. We are able to find something for every type of camper. With 4 massive baseball fields, 8 basketball courts, a hockey rink, a huge gaga pit, volleyball and soccer fields, the massive air-conditioned gym and crisp, delicious pool, there is not a minute of downtime in Simcha Day Camp. Campers can also get

a break from the sun at arts and crafts, computers, and our state-of-the art indoor jungle gym.

Tell us about your different divisions and what makes each one stand out? Our Juniors division, led by the world

stars, and campers who are eager to learn about parsha. The MIDZ Division, led by Rabbi Shaya Samet, Rabbi Hildeshaim, Donny Rudansky and Dovid Orrin, is always full of pumping geshmak! Whether it is a fun color day or a lunch challenge, there’s bound to be some hype in the MIDZ! The Senior Leagues Division, led

we used to ruN aN ad years ago that said, “simcha day camp, made from the best staff oN earth,” uNtil sNapple threateNed to sue us aNd we had to remove it. but it is true!

famous Morah Etty Slansky and her energetic daughter Morah Estie Samet, is an amazing oasis of smiling faces, eagerto-learn swimmers, playful future sports

by Rabbi Polter, Chacham Zedner and Yaakov Shapiro, just wants to play ball. Though we do have trips and overnights, shows and more, the Senior Leaguers live

Each division sounds amazing! Tell us more about your amazing staff. Our staff is handpicked from nature’s finest. We used to run an ad years ago that said, “Simcha Day Camp, made from the best staff on Earth,” until Snapple threatened to sue us and we had to remove it. But it is true! Our staff is so dedicated and positive that it is really humbling to be at the helm of such a beautiful camp.

Simcha Day Camp has been around for years. How has the camp changed since you took over the reins? Simcha Day Camp has always been known as an extremely professional, safe and warm camp. We have many safety protocols in place, and staff is trained in basic CPR. We are constantly doing bunk checks and reminding staff to count campers. We pride ourselves in trying to accommodate campers’ and parents’ needs

and requests. We operate in a loving and inclusive manner to all. Since I have come on board, it has been a real bracha to watch as more and more campers flock to our amazing camp, all while being able to provide that stability, professionalism, and respect that each and every camper and family deserves.

What would you say are the campers’ favorite activities? I would say that baseball is the alltime favorite American sport, followed closely by basketball and swimming. Our newly refaced Olympic-sized pool, with its brand-new concrete deck and experienced lifeguards led by Mr. Eric Maslin, is second to none.

You’ve been camp director for many years. What’s your favorite part of camp?

This is my ninth year in Simcha Day Camp. My favorite part of camp is the carnival. Second place would be Grand Sing.

Is sports a very big part of the day? How do you balance menschlechkeit and healthy competition? We are mainly a sports camp. Every morning, our counselors meet after Staff Shiur to plan the day and discuss how to pump up the activities while keeping the achdus and comradery at the forefront. Simchabucks are constantly used to help keep that in focus.

Is lunch more than just bagels and cream cheese? Does the fun spread into lunchtime, too? Whoa there! Just bagels and cream cheese!? At Simcha Day Camp, we have the zechus of having our very own Chef Mordechai Bijam, who caters fresh hot delicious meals daily! From pan

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

by the mantra, “Have ball, will play.” The CIT Division, led by Avromi Meyer and Rabbi Leyton, are our Counselors in Training. They have a choice to work in a bunk for part of the day or play sports with their friends.

simcha Day Camp by the Numbers

1,000 amazing campers

1,000 freeze pops eaten daily

50 tables in the lunchrooms

48 bunk rooms 120 staff members 8 basketball courts 4 baseball fields 2 air-conditioned gyms 1 Hashem that watches over us daily!

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

pizza to crispy chicken nuggets, to 7-layer triple-cheese lasagna, to delicious heimishe cholent, there is no meal that is boring. And yes, the fun spreads like wildfire at lunch! The daily challenges and mini games are earthshattering and get the whole dining room on their feet!

Your campus sounds like a great place to spend the day, but trips are always fun. Do you take the campers on trips? With a huge campus like ours and a group of campers who just want time to play more and more, trips are not the focal point of our camp. Who wants to spend 4+ hours on a school bus, even if

it is air-conditioned like ours are? At the same time, a change of scenery is OK. We have gone to places like QZAR, Bowling, the Mets Game, Aquatopia, American Dream, Gravity Vault and Luna Park, to name a few.

What sets Simcha Day Camp apart from other camps in the area? Each camp has its own unique flavor. Our camp has a great mix of great rabbeim who teach Torah in the morning, staff who connect to their

campers, keeping them safe and happy, a campus that is designed to give campers an amazing experience, and Hakadosh Baruch Hu, who wants nothing more than His kinderlach to grow and enjoy!

Do you have a “slogan” or theme at Simcha Day Camp? Simcha Day Camp, the place to be!

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

Voice N

tes

The Price of #reallife By Rivky Itzkowitz

ver the winter, I gave birth. That was the purposely vague announcement I made Mother’s Day of this year. I’m a frum female businessowner which, in 2022, is synonymous with Instagram personality or “influencer.” As of this writing, I have 8,627 followers on Instagram and about 5,000 monthly podcast listeners, none of whom knew that I was even pregnant. The unusual decision to aggressively hide my pregnancy started out as a practical one. I use myself as the fit model for

my line, which means that I try on rough versions of the clothes as I design. The day after I found out I was pregnant, I sat down and mapped out all the styles that I wanted to release over the next year and got to work designing them in one batch. If I wanted to keep my design process the same, I needed to create everything that would be released over the course of my pregnancy and 3-month maternity leave before I started showing. As is required of small businesses in 2022, I closely document the process of creating my designs and post those be-

hind-the-scenes looks as I work. Which is where pregnancy created a problem. Since I had to create designs months in advance, I was creating the associated work-in-progress videos months in advance as well. If I appeared visibly pregnant one day and not at all pregnant the next, viewers would be understandably confused and most likely concerned. I didn’t see any reason to cause a stir and certainly didn’t want to field dozens of messages a day asking if I’d miscarried. And so, I hid my pregnancy. I pre-recorded videos I knew could be used in a few different ways, hired other models, framed videos to crop out my ever-growing belly, and used several clever camera angles to disguise the (literally) huge changes happening in my life. Originally, I wasn’t sure if I would eventually announce my pregnancy, or birth, but the longer I hid my pregnancy, and by extension the entirety of my personal life, the more confident I became in my radical decision. In 2016, at 21 years old, I made the decision to not be anonymous to promote my company. Looking back, I can say with complete certainty that I did not fully understand the implications of that decision. At the time, and even more so now, having a company meant having an Instagram account. Once I had the account, it felt required to showcase my family, then just me and my husband. So that’s exactly what we did. Instead of posting solo pictures wearing my dresses at a family simcha, I posted the couples shot. I used photos of the two of us on vacation to announce times when the website would be closed. New styles were launched with a photo of me wearing the new design sitting next to my husband in a coordinating tie. Over the next few years, as I spent more time in the online space as a viewer,

I noticed myself becoming uncomfortable with the way personal lives were shared. Bloggers would ask their audiences not to approach their children in public because it scared the kids. Tantruming children were videoed and posted with #reallife. I began to wonder whose fault it was that thousands of strangers know what a child looks like and feel comfortable enough to approach them on a playground. And what would happen next time that child gets a little upset and a video of him having a complete meltdown flashes before his teacher’s eyes? I recognize the dichotomy here. For every person cringing while they can’t take their eyes away from this type of content, there’s someone who takes comfort and feels seen. To be clear, I don’t think that social media is an inherently bad thing. I believe that for our community especially, it has been a net positive. For it to continue to be that way we need to get honest with ourselves. We need to be honest about the fact that as consumers we feel entitled to lives of the women we watch online. This is simply not reasonable. No one is entitled to details of anybody else’s life, no matter how much they post or share with the public. As creators, we need to take responsibility for the normal human reactions people have to our content and adjust accordingly. Recognize that a majority of your audience see you every single day, scrolling late at night in bed while lying in bed next to their spouses. It’s a highly intimate relationship that you profit from. Frankly, I don’t believe creators have a right to be upset when they are on the receiving end of advice, suggestions, comments or even awkward real-life in-

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

teractions that border on inappropriate. You want your followers to feel close to you. Congratulations, you’ve accomplished that. As humans, we are generally less filtered with those we feel closest to. Ultimately, I did decide to announce something when I was several months postpartum. Being a mother has made me a completely different version of myself, and I wanted to introduce that new Rivky to my audience whom I truly care about very much. But no child of mine was going to have their anonymity stripped at birth. So, over the winter I gave birth – and all other details are just not for public consumption. The reactions were varied and intense. 95% of people were simply happy for me and shocked that I had managed to pull it off. The other 5% were deeply hurt. Several followers confessed that they felt tricked. I admit that I should have seen that coming. There are thousands of people who feel quite close to me. I would also be upset if someone I felt close to didn’t mention that she was pregnant until months after she gave birth. I don’t regret my decision. The reality is that I don’t know who any of these

people are, there’s no way for me to verify that they are safe, and I’m not willing to take that gamble. At the same time, I could have done a better job at the outset of acknowledging the complicated feelings this brought up for some people. The one accusation I will not stand for is that since I don’t share my family online, I am not “real” or “authentic.”

time together. The result was people fell in love with my point of view, my stance on size inclusivity and body positivity in the frum community, and my designs. The fact that I am a mom is not the only fact about me that is worth sharing. Trust me, I’ve always had plenty to say. When I see baby announcements now, I’ll admit they make me cringe.

A part of me wonders if everyone around me has gone crazy or if I’m the crazy one as I scroll through the hundreds of b’shaa tova comments on a post.

This is absolutely ludicrous for several reasons, the main one being that we do not need to know every detail of a person’s life for them to be a real human. I stopped posting photos of my husband and sharing details of my personal life years ago. It felt cheap, lazy, and work was the last thing I wanted to be thinking about when we were spending

Watching a video of the moment a woman I’ve never met shows her husband those two lines feels intrusive. A part of me wonders if everyone around me has gone crazy or if I’m the crazy one as I scroll through the hundreds of b’shaa tova comments on a post. I think my reaction stems from having had all those same moments exclu-

sively with the people in my day-to-day life. And I know that while some truly enjoy sharing, most creators posting highly personal content feel the obligation to do so to keep their audiences engaged. I wish those creators knew they don’t have to make that sacrifice, and there are ways to run an account that don’t sap your energy. We already know the harmful effects social media has on our mental health and how watching everyone else’s highlight reel makes our regular lives feel dull in comparison. So what exactly do we gain from knowing more information about someone’s life than we could ever possibly need? And more importantly, is it worth it?

Rivky Itzkowitz is the founder and designer at Impact Fashion, a modest clothing line available in sizes 2-24. She can be found on Instagram @impact.fashion.nyc where she’ll answer almost any questions about her business and almost no questions about her personal life. Her podcast, Be Impactful, can be found on all listening apps. See her designs at impactfashionnyc.com.

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

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

‫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

AUGUST 4, 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

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

1. *

TJH

Centerfold

Shark Trivia 1. The fastest shark is the Mako. How many miles per hour can it move? a. 14 b. 35 c. 50 d. 90 2. How many bones does a shark have? a. 0 b. 32 c. 70 d. 1,040 3. What is a group of sharks called? a. A flotilla b. A school c. A shoal d. A trove 4. Approximately how many species of sharks have been discovered to date?

a. b. c. d.

35 440 2,500 40,000

d. Stock brokers

5. What is the life expectancy of Greenland sharks? a. 40-50 years b. 70-100 years c. 100-150 years d. 250-500 years 6. Approximately how many teeth can a shark grow and lose during its lifetime? a. 24 b. 500 c. 10,000 d. 30,000 7. What is the largest shark species? a. Great White sharks b. Whale sharks c. Blue Fin sharks

8. Who produced the Baby Shark song which has over 11 billion views on YouTube? a. Disney b. Pinkfong! c. Fisher Price d. Shark Tank Answers: 1-C 2-A 3-C 4-B 5-D 6-D 7-B 8-B Wisdom key 7-8 correct: You are Fin-tastic! 4-6 correct: Not bad, but I’m looking for excellence, so I’m out! 0-3 correct: Pinkfong! You probably need to watch Baby Shark another 2.7 million times

Riddle Me This

Question: What do you call a fish with no legs?

Question: What do you call a fish with no eyes?

Answer: A fish.

Answer: Fsh.

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

August Crossword Puzzle

August Crossword Puzzle Down 1

1. “I have a …” 2. A man of many tricks, including staying in a box underwater for an hour

2 3

4. FDR was stricken with this disease

4 5

5. Sales that remind us how fast summer flies by 7. Began in Massachusetts as an exRevolutionary led an armed mob 8. This machine was patented in 1859. It simply goes up and down.

9 10 11

10. Something many of us do on Sundays in August 12. Nixon’s middle name 13. Proclamation announcing freedom of slaves

Across 3. President born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on August 4 6. Francis Scott Key wrote this iconic song 9. The first atomic bomb was dropped over the center of this city 11. Games played in August every several years

14. Ends in August, leaving many with nothing to do for weeks on end 15. Official flower of August 16. This pitcher was so good, an

award was even named after him 17. This president signed into law the first Federal income tax, a 3 percent tax on incomes over $800, as an emergency wartime measure

16 CyYoung; 17 AbrahamLincoln Answers DOWN: 1 Dream; 2 Houdini; 4 Polio; 5 Backtoschool; 7 Shaysrebellion; 8 Elevator; 10 Barbeques; 12 Milhouse; 13 Emancipation. ACROSS: 3 BarackObama; 6 StarSpangledBanner; 9 Hiroshima; 11 Olympics; 14 Camp; 15 Gladiolus;

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

Torah Thought

Parshas Devarim By Rabbi Berel Wein

his week’s Torah reading begins the oration by our teacher Moshe during the final months of his life. In this oration, he reviews the 40-year sojourn of the Jewish people in the Sinai desert and prophesizes regarding their future, first in the Land of Israel and then throughout history. The Torah tells us that Moshe began

his speech when the Jewish people were located between certain landmarks in the Desert of Sinai. Rashi, following the ideas of the Midrash, explains that the locations that were identified were not meant to be specific geographic localities but were intended to highlight events that occurred to the Jewish people during their 40 years in the Sinai.

va c a t I o n

We have a rule that while there are myriad interpretations to the eternal words and to the depth of the narrative verses as written in the Torah, the Talmud cautions us that while we should always be aware what the Torah really means, the simple explanation of the words is primary to our understanding of the values and message of the Torah. Therefore, the listing of these geo-

audience must utilize imagination and be able to deal with promises and issues concerning a country that they have never seen. It is also very difficult to speak to people about the future, which is so uncertain and, to a great extent, mysterious. But Moshe’s oration addresses both these concerns. He wants the listener to know that he is speaking from the desert but that

All statements, no matter how profound and eternal, must be understood within the context of place and time.

graphic locations where Moshe begins his oration to the Jewish people is an intrinsic value by itself. Moshe wants us to realize when, where, and under what circumstances the message and speech to the Jewish people is being delivered. By describing the place from which he is speaking, he is giving context and background to the message that he is attempting to deliver. All statements, no matter how profound and eternal, must be understood within the context of place and time. It is difficult to communicate any message to a generation that is living miraculously in a barren desert. The

his message is also for the future of the Jewish people in the Land of Israel, when they settle the land. And Moshe also looks far into the future, warning them of destruction and exile, horrendous events, but the eventual redemption and hope. The greatness of Moshe is that he can speak in the present, from a place of identifiable geographic location, and project a message that will last for thousands of years. It will be valid and vital wherever one finds oneself on this planet. This is what makes Moshe the greatest of all prophets of the Jewish people, in all areas of life and faith, and for all eternity. Shabbat shalom.

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

From the Fire Parshas Devarim

Living Beyond the Checklist By Rav Moshe Weinberger Adapted for publication by Binyomin Wolf

av Yaakov Yitzchak of Peshischa, known as the Yid Hakadosh, zy”a, studied a few psukim from Sefer Devarim every day and encouraged his chassidim to do the same in order to increase their fear of Heaven. He called Sefer Devarim the best mussar sefer. The Maharal, Reb Tzadok Hakohein, and others explain the deep essence of Sefer Devarim, but on a simple level, we must understand the unique nature of the sefer and why Shabbos Chazon, the Shabbos before Tisha B’Av, always occurs on Parshas Devarim. There is a pasuk in Shmuel (2:1:18) which refers to a mysterious book called “Sefer Hayashar,” “the Book of the Upright.” The Gemara (Avoda Zara 25a) offers a number of opinions regarding the identity of this book: Rabbi Chiya bar Abba says in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, “This refers to the book of Avraham, Yitzchak,

and Yaakov [Sefer Bereishis] who were called upright...” Rabbi Elazar says, “This refers to the Repetition of the Torah [Sefer Devarim]. Why is it called the Book of the Upright? Because the pasuk (Devarim 6:18) says, ‘And you shall do what is upright and good in the eyes of Hashem.’” Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmeini says, “This refers to the book of Shoftim. Why was it called the Book of the Upright? Because the pasuk (Shoftim 21:25) says, ‘In those days there was no king in Israel; each person did what was upright in his own eyes.’” The Maharsha, commenting on this Gemara, points out that it is understandable why Bereishis would be called the Book of the Upright since its central theme is the lives of our upright forefathers. It is also understandable why Shoftim would be called the Book of the Upright because the people at that time

were the antithesis of that which is upright. Why, he asks, would Sefer Devarim be called the Book of the Upright based only on one pasuk that uses the word “upright”? Indeed, the word also appears in Sefer Shemos. The Iyun Yaakov, a commentary on the Ein Yaakov, answers that Devarim, not Shemos is called the Book of the Upright because the word “upright” appears four times in Sefer Devarim and only once in Shemos, but this explanation is not satisfying. The Navi must have used the title “The Book of the Upright” to describe the book’s essence and not based on a tally of how many times the word “upright” is used in each book. The Maharsha offers a beautiful explanation. By and large, all of the individual mitzvos are given in the other four books of the Torah. They are given as a list of details; a string of “thou shalts” and “though shalt nots.” The purpose of

Sefer Devarim is to wrap all of those details into a unified whole called a “Jew,” a spiritual identity which is greater than the sum of its parts. The purpose of Sefer Devarim is to teach a person how to go above and beyond each of the individual details of Jewish life to become someone who does “what is good and upright in the eyes of Hashem.” Such a Jew connects the dots of each of the mitzvos into one single transcendent reality. He lives not just to fulfill each of his obligations but to make his Father in Heaven proud. The Gemara (Taanis 15a) says, “Not everyone will merit light and not everyone will merit joy. The tzaddikim merit light and the upright merit joy.” Rashi points out that the upright are on a higher level than the tzaddikim. The commentaries ask how Rashi could explain that the upright are greater than tzaddikim. Aren’t tzaddikim also upright? It must be that while tzaddikim keep

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The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

all of the individual mitzvos, the upright weave all of those details together and go beyond the letter of the law. An upright person sanctifies himself by avoiding even certain things which are permissible because he listens to the voice of Hashem within himself. Hashem’s will is not the sum of everything which is technically permissible or forbidden. An upright Jew asks himself what Hashem wants. In the Talmud, Rabbi Yehuda normally does not derive anything from the juxtaposition of seemingly unrelated pesukim based on the principle that the pesukim of the Torah are not written in chronological order. But the Gemara (Yevamos 4a) says that Rabbi Yehuda does derive teachings based on the juxtaposition of pesukim in one book: Sefer Devarim. Why? Because a pasuk in Tehilim (111:8) says, “Steadfast [semuchim, juxtaposed] forever, made in truth and uprightness,” and Sefer Devarim is called the Book of the Upright. Because the pasuk uses the word for “juxtaposed” with the word “upright,” Rabbi Yehuda infers that one can learn from juxtaposed pesukim in the book known as “upright.” Because Sefer Devarim is the Book of the Upright, in which everything about Yiddishkeit is connected, Rabbi Yehuda

can derive laws from even seemingly unrelated pesukim which are found side-byside. In other words, because of Sefer Devarim’s identity as a book which connects all of the seemingly disparate details of halacha, one can derive laws from even the seemingly insignificant order of the pesukim. The lack of uprightness was the cen-

servant Jews who are heretics and idol worshipers. But it is clear from the pesukim later in the perek that the Navi is speaking to very “frum” Jews! The Navi says (Id. at 12, 14-15), “When you come to appear before Me [in the Beis Hamikdash on Pesach Shavuos and Sukkos], who requested this of you, to trample My courts? ... Your New Moons and your appointed

They attempted to keep all of the details while forgetting about the heart of Yiddishkeit.

tral theme of Yeshaya Hanavi’s rebuke of the Jewish people in the haftara of Shabbos Chazon (Yeshaya 1:2, 4). He wrote, “Children I have raised and exalted, yet they have rebelled against Me... Woe to a sinful nation, a people heavy with sin, children of evildoers, corrupt children. They have abandoned Hashem, they have angered the Holy One of Israel, they have turned backwards.” One might think that these harsh pesukim must refer to the worst nonob-

seasons My soul hates, they are a burden to me. I am weary of enduring them... Even when you pray at length, I do not hear; your hands are full of blood.” The Navi is speaking to Jews who were careful to come to the Beis Hamikdash three times a year. This shows that they were also careful with all of the laws of purity and impurity. They also kept Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh. And not only did they daven, but they “pray at length!” Yet Hashem despises their service? Why did Hashem reject their service? Because they attempted to keep all of the details while forgetting about the heart of Yiddishkeit. They were not upright. They did not study the ultimate mussar sefer, the book of Devarim. They kept only “checklist Yiddishkeit,” without ever asking, “What does Hashem want? What will make Him happy?” They made no effort to fulfill, “And you shall do what is upright and good in the eyes of Hashem.” They managed to keep the mitzvos but turned away from G-d. Hashem told them through the Navi, “This is not what I asked of you! This is not what I wanted!” Hashem told them (Id. at 16-17), “Wash, cleanse yourselves... learn to do good, seek justice.” The way to rectify their sin was not to become frummer but to become more upright. How do we see this today? My parents were at a hotel in the Catskills which was full of many frum Jews. As the guests were leaving the hotel, they were packing up provisions from the hotel’s catering department for the road. They did not limit themselves to a few cookies for the road, however. Many people loaded up shopping bags full of food to bring back home. He saw one older man accidentally drop a shopping bag he was carrying from the hotel kitchen. Six or seven bags of hot dog buns fell out of the bag. This man

may have davened a beautiful Shacharis and gone to the mikvah that morning, but here he was stealing from the hotel. Where is the uprightness? Reb Shlomo Katz circulated a story told by Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach that brings this idea to life. Reb Shlomo knew one major rosh yeshiva who stopped talking to him because of his unusual outreach activities. He was still cordial to Reb Shlomo but always let him know that he did not approve of what he was doing. One day, Reb Shlomo saw this rosh yeshiva on an El Al flight from Eretz Yisroel to America. As Reb Shlomo was about to pass the rosh yeshiva, he saw that a young woman, a “hippie” he knew from Los Angeles, was sitting right next to the rosh yeshiva. Reb Shlomo knew what the girl was going through and that she had just separated from her non-Jewish boyfriend. She had gone to Eretz Yisroel but had to return to the States. As he passed the rosh yeshiva, Reb Shlomo told him, “Heilige rosh yeshiva, you have twelve hours. Do you know what kind of mitzvah G-d put under your nose? You could talk to this girl and give her strength forever.” The rosh yeshiva looked at Reb Shlomo as if to say, “Me, talk to her? Are you crazy? I have to learn!” But the rosh yeshiva was a great man. Reb Shlomo slept for a few hours during the flight but woke up to find the rosh yeshiva standing next to him. He told Reb Shlomo, “I want you to know, I got a little taste of what you’re doing. Thank you so much.” Reb Shlomo concluded that the letter of the law may be that one should not talk to women. And while one must know the proper way to do such things, Hashem’s will at that time was that the rosh yeshiva talk to the girl and strengthen her. For a long time after that flight, the girl would tell Reb Shlomo, “I want you to know, on that El Al flight with that big rosh yeshiva, he literally saved my life.” We must look beyond checking off all of our religious obligations from our Yiddishkeit checklist and ask ourselves, “What does Hashem want from me right now? What would make Him proud?” May we merit to live upright lives, and may this Tisha B’Av be transformed from a day of mourning into a day of celebration as we greet Moshiach with the arrival of the final redemption.

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.

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

Self-Mastery Academy

Individuality and Community Are these Fundamental Contradictions? By Rabbi Shmuel Reichman

ountless Torah themes and halachos are centered around the value of the community (tzibbur/ klal) and how one must dedicate themselves to the greater good of the Jewish People. If everyone is unique and individually important, how can we understand the concept of unity and the need to work toward becoming part of something bigger than ourselves? Must we sacrifice our uniqueness and individuality for the sake of the “klal,” for the greater good of the community? What is the deeper Jewish approach to this struggle and conflict between individuality and community, between uniqueness and being part of a unified group? In our last article, we began opening up this topic by explaining R’ Dessler’s three levels of order. In this piece, we will delve deeper into this topic in order to build a paradigm through which we can answer these questions on an even deeper level.

Beauty and Music When you look at a beautiful sunset on the beach, where exactly is the location of beauty? Is it the sunset? The reflection on the water? The contrast of the beach against the sunset? It’s none of them and all of them. Beauty is when separate, seemingly contradictory components somehow melt into a oneness, whereby they each bring out something transcendent from within all the other components. This is the deep truth behind physical and spiritual beauty. The same principle applies to music. Anyone who plays an instrument knows that music is nothing other than a bunch of individual notes being played one at a time. Each note by itself is not music; it’s just a sound. Music is when the notes are played in the correct sequence, at the perfect tempo, at the right pace; when the musician is able to string the notes together into a melodious oneness so that the listener no longer hears the notes, only the music.

That is music. The same is true of a symphony. When you watch a symphony, there are so many different musical instruments, so many different musicians, each one playing their own unique notes. The beauty of a symphony is when the hundreds of different musicians come together in such a way that all you hear is the symphony – not the violin, not the cello, but the symphony as a whole, as one.

Each Part Is Fundamental In our last article, we discussed the highest form of order. In this level of order, pieces come together in such a way that they create something greater than the sum of their parts. It’s where the parts come together into a oneness in a way that creates something that transcends the parts themselves. An identifying characteristic of this form of order is that when a single piece from the structure is missing, the entire

structure is affected. This is because each piece is intrinsic and fundamental. If a single screw in the radio is missing, the entire radio won’t work; if a single note in the song is missing, the entire melody is affected. However, if any number of books are missing from the library, the rest of the library will be unaffected. This idea is most potently clear in its application to human genes and DNA. If a single chromosome is missing from an embryo, the child will unfortunately grow up with extremely severe defects. All of this from one missing chromosome. This is the deep explanation behind a cryptic halacha regarding Sifrei Torah and mezuzos. If a single letter is missing from either, the Sefer Torah or mezuzah is rendered pasul (invalid). Many are confused by this; how can a single letter ruin an entire Sefer Torah or mezuzah? However, based on our discussion about the third level of order, the answer becomes clear. As the Ramban explains, in the introduction

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72 to his commentary on Bereishis, the entire Torah is one interconnected sefer, one elongated shem Hashem (Name of G-d). In other words, it’s a single organic entity. People understand that a single missing chromosome can affect an entire human being; the same is true for a Sefer Torah or mezuzah. These are organic entities, shaped by the third level of order, so even a single missing letter renders the entire text pasul. The Rambam echoes this same idea when explaining that if one rejects a single letter of the Torah, it is as if he rejected the entire Torah (Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Teshuvah 3:8).

Our Universe Our entire universe is comprised of smaller parts that combine into a oneness to create larger structures. Just think about your own body: Electrons, protons, and neutrons come together to create elements; elements come together to create organelles; organelles come together to create cells; cells come together to create organs; organs come together to create organ systems; organ systems come together to create human beings; man and wife come together to create a family; families come together to create communities; communities come together to create Klal Yisrael;

all of humankind come together to create humanity; all life forms come together to create life on Earth; all matter on Earth comes together to create Planet Earth; all our planets come together to create our galaxy; all galaxies come together to create our universe. Hashem transcends everything and yet is within and connected to everything

each have a deep desire to be unique, to stand out. What is sometimes referred to as the “lone ranger” syndrome, we all have the desire to be the hero, the superstar, to have the spotlight shine solely on us as we unaidedly save the day. We have a sense of unique purpose, we know that we were created for a specific reason, and we know that we have talents and gifts that no one else

Each of us is completely unique and intrinsic, but only when we are connected to the rest of Klal Yisrael, living with a higher purpose.

in our universe. Our universe is a combination of individual components and that which emanates from, and transcends, those components.

Individuality and Community This brings us back to our original question, wherein we find a conflict between our own individual sense of uniqueness and the fact that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. On the one hand, we

in the world possesses. We want to be seen, be heard, and be understood. We wish to be important, accepted, and cared about. On the other hand, we simultaneously understand that this world is not only about “me.” We are part of something infinitely greater than ourselves. Looking at the night sky, we can’t help but feel ourselves shrink into nothingness, realizing just how small we truly are. We are part of a plan, a grand cosmic story, which expands far beyond the borders of our own individual life. And strangely enough, we actually enjoy experiences where we melt into the background of something infinitely bigger than ourselves. If you’ve ever been to a stirring kumzitz, with the lights off and the music playing, you know how spectacular it feels to be nothing, to neither be heard or seen as an individual, nor to see or hear anyone else. All you hear is the collective echoing of hundreds of voices pouring out their souls; all you see is shadows and oneness. Which one of these desires is truly important; which one do we most strongly crave? Do we prefer to be unique, to focus on our individuality and uniqueness, to stand out from the crowd? Or, do we prefer to be part of the crowd, to find ourselves sewn within the fabric of the klal, to hide within that which is infinitely greater than ourselves?

The Ideal: Synthesis The ideal is to synthesize both. Klal Yisrael is a nation shaped by the third level of order. Each of us is completely unique and intrinsic, but only when we are connected to the rest of Klal Yisrael, living with a higher purpose. The ideal is to find your uniqueness within the klal, within that which is infinitely greater than your-

self. To find your talent, your passion, your gift, and then wholeheartedly devote that to Klal Yisrael, to the world. We need to ask ourselves: how can my uniqueness contribute to the Jewish People and the world as a whole? Then, we must turn the focus of our life toward actualizing our unique potential, toward becoming the person we were meant to become. We must determinedly search for our own uniqueness but then strive to fully devote that uniqueness to the klal, to that which transcends our limited selves. Our true greatness lies in finding our greatness within that which is greater than ourselves. We mustn’t think of ourselves as meaningless and hidden amongst the masses, an unimportant soul lost in the crowd. Each of us is unique, each of us important, but our true importance lies within the deep understanding of how we can fit into that which is greater than ourselves. The Mishnah says that we must each consider as if the world was created for us (Sanhedrin 37a.). The deep explanation behind this is as follows: each of us plays a unique role in this cosmic symphony we call life. Just as every screw in the radio is fundamental, and a single missing screw renders the entire radio obsolete, so too, each of us is fundamental, and without us, the story of our world would not be complete. Each of us is a letter in the ultimate Sefer Torah, a word in the story of life. We must write our own story, with the recognition that our story is part of a bigger story, his-tory, our story.

Rabbi Shmuel Reichman is the author of the bestselling book, “The Journey to Your Ultimate Self,” which serves as an inspiring gateway into deeper Jewish thought. He is an educator and speaker who has lectured internationally on topics of Torah thought, Jewish medical ethics, psychology, and leadership. He is also the founder and CEO of Self-Mastery Academy, the transformative online self-development course based on the principles of high-performance psychology and Torah. After obtaining his BA from Yeshiva University, he received Semicha from Yeshiva University’s RIETS, a master’s degree in education from Azrieli Graduate School, and a master’s degree in Jewish Thought from Bernard Revel Graduate School. He then spent a year studying at Harvard as an Ivy Plus Scholar. He currently lives in Chicago with his wife and son where he is pursuing a PhD at the University of Chicago. To invite Rabbi Reichman to speak in your community or to enjoy more of his deep and inspiring content, visit his website: ShmuelReichman.com.

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

Delving into the Daf

Love Thy Neighbor By Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow

t says in the Torah, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The Talmud (Kesubos 37b) has a very peculiar application of this verse. The Talmud discusses the proper manner of a court-mandated execution. The Talmud observes that there are two ways to perform the execution referred to as “sayef.” How do we know which option to choose? We choose the one that causes less suffering and disfigurement to the condemned man. Why? Because of the above verse. This application of the verse seems to contradict its conventional interpretation. The Rambam writes: “It is a mitzvah to love every Jew as oneself. Therefore, he is commanded to speak of his praises and be concerned for his possessions as if they were his own.” The Hagahos Maimonis comments that the dictum of the Rambam only applies to someone who is considered your “neighbor.” Who is considered one’s neighbor? An individual who keeps Torah and mitzvos. The Rambam himself writes (Hilchos Rotzeach 13:14) that it is a mitzvah to hate an individual who was warned and nevertheless sinned, if he did not repent. By law, beis din only puts to death someone who was warned before he committed his crime. Therefore, the verse of “Love your neighbor as yourself” should not apply to this individual, since he is labeled as wicked. Why then should this verse dictate that we choose the best manner of execution? In fact, the Ramah (Sanhedrin 52b) seems to disagree with the Hagahos Maimonis. He specifically writes that even a wicked man is covered by the verse of loving your fellow man. He offers the above application as a proof. Apparently, the verse applies to wicked people because the Talmud applies it to a condemned man. However, the commentators offer

several defenses to the position of the Hagahos Maimonis. The first is offered by Rabbi Perlow in his commentary on Rav Saadia Gaon’s Sefer Ha’mitzvos. He writes that the mitzvah to hate a wicked person only applies in his lifetime, not right before or after his death. Right before his death, where there will be no more interactions between the condemned man and

most likely repented and therefore there is a mitzvah to love him. That does not absolve beis din from meting out his due punishment for his crime; however, they will have compassion and use the best method possible. The Baal HaTanya writes that when Chazal say that it is a mitzvah to hate a wicked person, they are referring to his

Every individual, no matter how far removed he is from spirituality, he has a spark of G-dliness in him.

others, the verse of “Love your neighbor” applies even to him. The Shu’T Beis Shearim (OC 69) writes that we can assume the condemned man repented before his execution. The Rambam writes only that it is a mitzvah to hate a wicked individual who did not repent. This person who is about to suffer the ultimate penalty

evil actions. However, every individual, no matter how far removed he is from spirituality, has a spark of G-dliness in him. You should love that spark. Hence, there is a dichotomy; you should both love and hate the wicked person at the same time. The verse of “Love your neighbor” then applies even to a wicked individual.

When the Romans conquered Yerushalayim, they were initially afraid to enter the Beis HaMikdash. It was decided that a Jew should enter first. They announced that any Jew who enters the Temple could keep what he steals. Yosef Meshisa entered and brought out the Menorah. The Romans then said that the Menorah was too splendid to be used by a commoner, and they directed him to enter a second time and take something else. Yosef Meshisa had a sudden change of heart and declared, “Is it not enough that I angered Hashem once? Shall I anger Him again?” They urged Yosef to go in again, but he steadfastly refused. Yosef Meshisa died al kiddush Hashem. When Yitzchak prophetically saw this and other similar examples, he conferred the brachos on Yaakov. There are many tzaddikim who willingly gave their lives to sanctify the Divine Name. What was so special about these examples? Yosef Meshisa, to all appearances, had already forsaken Judaism. He was ready to collaborate with the Romans. But in one moment, he had an absolute clarity of vision and an instant transformation. He proved that even those who forsake the Torah still have that spark buried deep inside of them. Yitzchak foresaw that even the traitors of Klal Yisrael have the inner potential to achieve the greatest heights – in an instant. Therefore, Yitzchak surmised that Yaakov and his descendants were certainly deserving of the blessings.

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.

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

The Miracle of Jewish Survival

he Navi Yeshayah calls out, “Your heart will muse in dread, ‘Where is the one who counts? Where is the one who weighs? Where is one who counts [all these] towers?’” (Yeshayah 33:18). Where can one locate the scribe, where can one locate the analyst? Who can possibly describe the full extent of the pain, the overwhelming burdens of suffering, the bottomless grief, that has been brought upon our people? Are there words? Are there expressions that can capture the tragic saga of our history? The answer is no. There are no words. To borrow the phrase from the Vidui on Yom Kippur, “What can we say … what can we tell?”

Burned at the Stake

June 30, 1680, marked the celebration of the marriage of King Charles II of Spain and his French bride, Marie Louise d’Orléans. This most historic marriage merited fabulous festivities. A magnificent auto-da-fé was held in Madrid, with victims gathered from Inquisition tribunals all across Spain. A seventeen-year-old girl, Francisca Negueyra, was one of the eighteen Marranos

condemned to die at this event. As was the custom, the mournful procession of terrified victims and “holy” clergymen snaked its way through the city streets past great multitudes of joyous onlookers. The procession entered the main city square, where pyres had been prepared for the executions. The king and queen were joined by hundreds of dignitaries, who were seated all around the public square. Suddenly, the voice of the young girl rang out, loud and clear, breaking the eerie silence. “Have mercy, Madame Queen! How can I renounce the faith that I drank in with my mother’s milk?” The young girl’s cries could have pierced a heart of stone. But there was no response at all from the Catholic majesties. They sat on their thrones impassively. The ceremony proceeded. King Charles II took the oath to annihilate the enemies of the church and to always provide any needed aid to the Inquisition. A lit torch was then placed in his hand, and he ignited the pyre with his own hand. The king and queen remained seated as the flames rose up, engulfing the entire wood structure, their hearts

The Warsaw Ghetto in the Words of My Grandfather

I read an article written by a Holocaust survivor in the book, Theological and Halakhic Reflections on the Holocaust.1 This article gives a vivid firsthand account of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. It was written by a great Rav and tzaddik, my grandfather, HaRav Mordechai Leib Glatstein. In this article, he writes: I am the man who has seen the afflictions of my people. I am a victim, and I am the witness. I saw the Warsaw Ghetto with thousands of skeletons extending their bony arms as if begging for mercy and life. I saw the Warsaw Ghetto, littered with corpses, their faces distorted and swollen, their eyes wide open, skulls crushed. There was blood everywhere, the blood of our children, of our brothers and sisters, of our fathers and mothers. No imagination, no matter how daring, could conceive of anything we have seen and lived through. No language has been created that can describe the enormity of the Holocaust and the slaughter of European Jewry. I subsequently discovered another article my grandfather had written, published in Dos Yiddishe Vort, Adar I, 5757. He writes about the indescribable spiritual heroism of these kedoshim. It is the deepest desire of the Jew — not only to live holy, but also to die holy. David HaMelech declares, “Al zos yispallel kol chassid eilecha l’eis mitzo.” For this very pious person prays in time of need to ultimately be zocheh to kevuras Yisrael, to be interred among fellow Jews. May the Ribbono Shel Olam never forget Rav Yitzchak Zev Kanal, Hy”d, the senior Rav of Warsaw and the vice-chairman of the Vaad HaRabbanim in Poland. While standing among others in the “gathering place,” he attempted to wrestle the weapon out of the hands of one of the guards, which was a clear act of suicide, in order to be shot on the spot and thus be zocheh to kever Yisrael. We were hauled to the forced-labor camp of Bedzin, where we labored under the most brutal conditions. During the bitter winter, in the darkness of the early mornings and despite the freezing temperatures, we had to perform backbreaking labor under the threat of constant whippings. What gave us the mysterious strength, the endurance to live, to breathe, to carry on? “Had Your Torah not been my preoccupation, then I would have perished in my affliction.” We would stand together with our dear, unforgettable friends,

the great brothers Itche Meir and Avrum’che Ziemba, together with the well-known Rabbanim of Warsaw, Rav Dovid Shapiro and Rav Shimshon Sztokhamer z”l, and with many other Torah scholars with whom we were able to have discourses in Torah during the dismal nights. During the galus nights, the Gemara, the Talmud Bavli, that these precious Jews remembered and were able to recite from memory served as a ner tamid, an eternal light that provided illumination to their gloomy and demoralized hearts, giving them hope for a future. My grandfather writes further: The aftermath of the uprising. The Gehenna of Gehennas. On that day when we first saw men, women, and children being led into the house of death, I shed bitter tears of despair. We suffered most when we looked at the children, accompanied by their mothers or walking alone. Within a few minutes, their lives were snuffed out. The shouts of the women, the weeping of the children, the cries of despair and misery begging for mercy, for God’s vengeance, still ring in my ears to this very day. “O God of vengeance, Hashem, O God of vengeance, appear! Arise, O Judge of the earth, render recompense to the haughty.”

We Know Not Why

Can we dare ask why? Why did this happen? Why was one-third of European Jewry murdered by the German people, while the entire civilized world stood by mutely? I am not prepared to give reasons, to offer explanations as to why this happened. But if you are searching for meaning, looking for something that we can take out of the Holocaust, then I have something important to tell you.

Searching for Meaning

I would share a very personal thought that I have been feeling since I read this article, a feeling that intensified in the weeks leading up to Tishah B’Av. But first I would like to share one more story — a chilling incident that my grandfather recorded. My grandfather writes: From Radom we were transported to Dachau, the emek habachah, the valley of weeping, of the German malach hamaves. Killings every day, total humiliation in the eyes of the Germans, who derived the greatest pleasure and joy from the spectacle. My dear brother Henoch and I were kicked and chased to the entrance to the gas chambers. At the doorstep of the beis hasereifah, the house of burning, where tens of thousands were choking and feeIing the most shocking convulsions, my brother told me that he wanted to ask for some water. I responded that it is better without water, so that death will relieve us of our pains sooner. We were mere inches and moments away from the next world. But then a Heavenly miracle occurred. Standing there, as we were, at the threshold of death, an SS officer appeared. He grabbed us and remarked in a commanding voice, “You are capable of work!” He

dragged us away. This Godly wonder will remain seared in our memories forever.

Hashem Saved Each One of Us!

Where was the Ribbono Shel Olam during the Holocaust? Where was G-d? I will tell you where: He was at the threshold, at the doorway of the gas chamber, and He miraculously pulled my grandfather out. But then a very simple thought occurred to me. It wasn’t only my grandfather whom Hashem pulled out of that gas chamber. Had the Ribbono Shel Olam not saved him, I would not be here today. I would simply not exist. Hashem rescued my grandfather from the gas chamber, and in doing so He also rescued my father, myself, and my children. Hashem saved us all. The Ribbono Shel Olam wanted us. He must have wanted us. And, if you are reading this, then Hashem rescued you, too! Hashem has been looking out for you for a very long time. People say that if they would only witness a miracle, then that would really boost their belief, that would really fortify their emunah. “If I could only have seen the splitting of the Red Sea!” You want to see a miracle? Look a rou nd you r shul, around your community — look at the faces of the Jews around you. A living Jew in 2021 is the greatest miracle you’ll ever see.

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

cold as stone. They sat, eager spectators, as Francisca and the other seventeen Marranos, including a sixtyyear-old widow, her two daughters, and her son-in-law, were entirely consumed by the flames and their bodies reduced to ash. This is our history. This is the story of our travails. We sit on the floor and mourn, but we are at a loss for words. We have trouble expressing ourselves. We feel like Yirmiyah HaNavi, who lamented, “If only my head would be water and my eyes a spring of tears so that I could cry all day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!” (Yirmiyah 8:23).

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

78 If you only knew how the Ribbono Shel Olam has been looking out for you! Over thirty-three hundred years ago, our grandparents were in Mitzrayim, where eighty percent of our nation perished. Yet, Hashem preserved our ancestors so that we could be here today. At the time of the destruction of the first Beis HaMikdash, the death toll was enormous. But the Ribbono Shel Olam wanted you, He wanted me, He wanted us to be here today. Hashem made sure that we made it through Churban Bayis Rishon. The number of people who died at Churban Bayis Sheini was similarly staggering. Josephus writes that the number of people who perished or who died by the sword was one million, one hundred thousand. Then, the Romans hunted down every single Jew they could find. But the Ribbono Shel Olam wanted you — so He saved you’re ancestors. Thousands of Jews were massacred during the Crusades, but Hashem wanted you. In 1391, two hundred thousand Jews were forcibly converted in Spain, but Hashem invested in you. Three hundred thousand Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492, and tens of thousands were killed. Hashem saved you from the Chmielnicki pogroms so that you can be here today. He has been looking out for you for threethousand-three hundred years. Your immediate ancestor was rescued from the horrors of the Holocaust. For a Jew to be here today, it is not statistically unlikely.

It is not highly improbable. It is downright impossible. It is an open miracle of the highest proportion. In the introduction to his Siddur Bais Yaakov, Rav Yaakov Emden (who was referred to as a Navi by the Chasam Sofer) writes, “How can the heretic in G-d’s Providence not be ashamed? Simply analyze our situation in this world. We are the exiled people, the scattered sheep. Despite all that has happened to us over thousands of years, we are still here. I swear that when I marvel at this wonder, it is much greater to me than all the miracles that Hashem performed for our ancestors in Egypt, in the desert, and In Eretz Yisrael.”

Tishah B’Av commemorates the greatest miracle of all: the miracle of Jewish survival and eternity! If Rav Yaakov Emden was astonished by the wonder of a Jew in the eighteenth century, can we even begin to imagine what he would say about the miraculous nature of a Jew in 2021! He may say it is a neis she’ein kol malach u’berya yecholim l’sha’er — a miracle that no angel or being could comprehend.

The Greatest Miracle Ever

Think about it. The greatest miracle in the history of the world: Hashem performed it for you. Because the Ribbono Shel Olam wants you. He wants your tefillos. He wants your Torah. He wants your mitzvos. He has so much invested in you. Throughout the history of the universe, there is nothing that Hashem has invested Himself in more than in the existence of each and every Jew. The Ribbono Shel Olam saved you from Egypt, from the Churban Bayis Rishon, from the Churban Bayis Sheini, from the Crusades, from the Inquisition, from pogroms, from the gas chambers — performing miracle after miracle just so you can be here. Perhaps this can explain why Tishah B’Av is referred to as a Yom Tov. Yirmiyah HaNavi writes, “He [Hashem] proclaimed a moed against me” (Eichah 1:15); Tishah B’Av is a Moed. This actually has halachic ramifications as the Shulchan Aruch codifies that we do not recite Tachanun at Minchah on Erev Tishah B’Av as it is considered a Moed. How can Tishah B’Av be considered in any fashion a yom tov? According to the comments of R’ Yaakov Emden, we are privileged to understand a great treasure. Just as Pesach commemorates the miracles of the Exodus from Egypt and Sukkos commemorates the miracle of the Ananei HaKavod, Tishah B’Av commemorates the greatest miracle of all: the miracle of Jewish survival and eternity!

We Can Bring Mashiach

More so than any previous generation, we can honestly cry out to the Ribbono Shel Olam, “Ahavah rabbah ahavtanu, Hashem Elokeinu, With a great love You have loved us, Hashem, our G-d! Chemlah gedolah v’yeseirah chamalta aleinu, With exceedingly abundant compassion, You have had mercy on us.” And perhaps we can be so daring and bold to suggest the following idea. The Chofetz Chaim raises a question that we often ponder: How in the world can our generation hope to bring Mashiach if the prior generations, who were on such lofty spiritual levels, were unable to do so? The generation of Moshe Rabbeinu could not bring the Geulah. The generation of David HaMelech couldn’t do it. The Neviim, the Tannaim, the Amoraim, and the Geonim couldn’t. Neither could Rashi, the Rambam, or the Vilna Gaon. Yet somehow, we, who are paupers, spiritually impoverished — yasmei d’yasmei — orphaned from Torah knowledge, are expected to bring Mashiach!? If they couldn’t do it, can we be the ones to do it? Can we be so daring to say, Yes! We do have the koach, we do have the power! Because never has a Jew had more value in the eyes of the Ribbono Shel Olam than a Jew living today. Do you know how much Hashem has invested in us? Do you know how many miracles Hashem had to perform so that we can be here today? Why us? We don’t know why. But for the last three-thousand-three hundred years, the Ribbono Shel Olam has been looking out for us. He wants YOU! He wants YOUR Torah! He wants YOUR mitzvos! He wants YOUR tefillin! He wants YOU to cry out to Him to bring Mashiach! For the last 3,300 years, Hashem has been investing in YOU! While we sit on the floor and mourn, as we cry out as we recall the tragedies of our histories, our hearts are ennobled, our hearts are aflame, because our generation has been entrusted with the most important job in history: to bring the Geulah Sheleimah. May this Tishah B’Av bring the end to all Jewish suffering, b’vias goel tzedek, bimheirah veyameinu, with the coming of Mashiach, speedily in our days, Amen. 1 Edited by Bernhard H. Rosenberg, coedited by Fred Heuman; K’tav Publishing House, 1992.

This article has been excerpted from Rabbi Glatstein’s sefer, From Darkness to Dawn, published by ArtScroll/ Mesorah.

Rabbi Daniel Glatstein is the Mara D’asra of Kehilas Tiferes Mordechai in Cedarhurst, NY, and author of numerous seforim in Lashon Hakodesh and in English for ArtScroll. He is an international lecturer and maggid shiur. His thousands of recorded shiurim are available on Torahanytime.com, podcast, his website rabbidg.com, and other venues. Rabbi Glatstein is currently running a campaign to build a new international learning center in Cedarhurst called Machon Maggid Harakiah. Go to Charidy.com/mmh for more information.

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The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

Jewish Thought

Kinnos and the Stages of Grief By Adina Broder, MS, JD

isha B’Av commemorates several catastrophes, most notably the destruction of both Batei Mikdash. Two of the main components of the day are (1) fasting, and (2) reciting kinnos (liturgical poems of grief and anguish). Both of these observances are meant to help us fulfill the obligation to mourn the tragedies that befell the Jewish people. Anyone who has experienced aveilus (mourning) over a loved one will note that there aren’t similar practices during the week of shiva. An aveil is not obligated to abstain from food nor is he required to utter prayers of sadness and loss. (In the Mourners’ Kaddish, there is no mention of grief or even death. Instead, the tefillah proclaims the greatness of Hashem as a way of affirming Hashem’s justice during a period when one’s faith might be challenged.) Since Tisha B’Av is a day of mourning, why does it include these additional observances? The difference in our practices between shiva and Tisha B’Av can be explained by the Gemara (Yevamos 43b) which differentiates between aveilus chadashah, a “new” mourning caused by a tragedy which strikes a family or an individual, and aveilus yeshanah, an “old” mourning resulting from a historical disaster. Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik, in Out of the Whirlwind: Essays on Mourning, Suffering and the Human Condition, describes the first type, aveilus chadashah, as follows: “It is a primordial, instinctual, spontaneous response of man to evil, to the traumatic confrontation with death, to the impact of catastrophe and disaster. It is an existential response, not one that evolves by the application of artificial stimuli.” By contrast, for aveilus yeshanah, it is difficult to have an impulsive reaction because the wound is no longer fresh. As such, this type of mourning needs to be artificially induced. That is the function of fasting and saying kinnos on Tisha B’Av: to evoke feelings of anguish and loss that wouldn’t otherwise come naturally to us. But how do these observances accomplish this goal? In what way can abstaining from food and reciting liturgical poems for

this aveilus yeshanah externally induce us to feel a similar type of mourning that we instinctively feel over an aveilus chadashah? With regards to fasting, the idea is that indulging the demands of the body is inconsistent with attending to matters of the soul. Simply put, one can concentrate more fully on grief when refraining from eating. As for the kinnos, if analyzed closely, one will find that the paytanim (poets who composed the kinnos) tapped into the feelings that are generally associated with mourning: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Long before these constructs would become known as the “Five Stages of Grief,” the paytanim intuited that one who experiences mourning will undergo each of these emotions (although not necessarily in sequential order). Therefore, if the objective of the kinnos is to rouse and cultivate a sense of bereavement, they must incorporate these elements. The kinnos accomplish this poignantly and effectively. Denial: In this stage, one struggles to grasp the tragedy that has occurred. This is the essence of the word “eichah,” which not only begins three chapters of Megillas Eichah but also many of the kinnos. Eichah is translated as “how can it be so,” and it is an expression of utter bewilderment and incomprehension over what has transpired. This idea is found in Kinnah #6, which expresses our incredulity that the Jewish people, who were once an exalted nation, suddenly became the

objects of derision and scorn. Similarly, in Kinnah #10, we struggle to fathom how there are no longer kohanim performing their service. Anger: The pain from a loss is often expressed as bitterness or outrage. Examples of these emotions are found in Kinnos #7, #13, and #18, where we object to having lost our prior close relationship with Hashem. We complain that we are being deprived of something which we were promised and to which we are entitled. In questioning Hashem, we ask how He could let this happen and why He didn’t protect us. (It is important to note that usually we don’t indulge in this sort of query, instead adhering to the principle of tzidduk ha’din, that Hashem’s judgment is unquestionably correct. Only on Tisha B’Av is it condoned.) Bargaining: In this stage, one strives to find something that can be done to restore the situation to how it was prior to the tragedy. This is beautifully expressed in Kinnah #8, where we ask Hashem to help us find the words that would effectively advocate for our redemption and convince Hashem to return us from our sorrow. Depression: The bereaved wonders how life can continue in the face of the tragedy. This despair and despondency is captured in Kinnah #28, where we profess that our grief over the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash is so great, that it is impossible for us to be comforted. Acceptance: Finally, one acknowledges and accepts the calamity that has occurred. In a Torah framework, this is taken a step further, where, although we may not un-

derstand the tragedy, we recognize that it was the correct, true judgment. Kinnah #9 demonstrates this concept when it describes Bnei Yisrael not following the ways of the Torah, thereby bringing upon themselves the punishments that were outlined in the tochecha of Parshas Bechukosai. In this kinah, we acknowledge that the suffering that we were forced to endure was retribution for our misdeeds. We see this idea expressed even more explicitly in Kinnah #19, entitled, “You Hashem were righteous.” In this kinah, we accept the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash as punishment for our many sins over the course of history. In a recent book by David Kessler, an expert on bereavement, he identifies a sixth stage of grief, which he calls “meaning.” In this final stage, a person can transform his loss into a hopeful, uplifting experience. Like the first five stages, this stage of grief is also incorporated into the kinnos. Many of them conclude with a sentence echoing the sentiment of the final pasuk of Megillas Eichah: Hashivenu Hashem eilecha venashuva (Bring us back to You Hashem and we shall return). This verse is meant to galvanize us to do teshuva and to correct our misbehaviors. We see that the recitation of kinnos can be very impactful on our Tisha B’Av experience – provided, of course, that one comprehends the message that each kinnah is conveying. With understanding and appreciation, reciting the kinnos can induce feelings of mourning over events in the past and also rouse us to change our present behavior in order to bring about the ultimate redemption in the (hopefully near) future.

Adina Broder, MS, JD, is the author of Meaningful Kinnos: Kinnos for Tisha B’Av with Explanations, which is available on Amazon.com, Feldheim.com and in bookstores. She is a professor at Touro Graduate School of Education and a Judaic Studies teacher at Shulamith High School for Girls. She has authored several books and gives workshops on various pedagogical topics. She can be contacted at broderworkshops@gmail.com.

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

My Israel Home

Limiting the Building Construction Index By Gedaliah Borvick

hen buying a property in Israel and determining your budget, there will be additional costs above the purchase price, such as the acquisition tax, legal and brokerage fees, and other sundry items. When buying an apartment in a project under construction, also known as buying “on paper,” an important additional cost to consider is the Building Construction Index. The Bank of Israel has a consumer price index, or CPI, to track inflation. In addition, it has many sub-indices that reflect the inflation rate within various industries. One of them is the Building Construction Index (BCI), which covers all costs associated with the construction industry, including construction materials, such as steel and concrete, as well as the cost of labor. Back in the early 1980s, when the Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Nof was being built, there was so much construction taking place – coupled with ridiculously high inflation that crippled Israel’s economy – that the price of labor, steel and other materials literally tripled. Consequently, many developers who sold apartments in projects under construction ran into financial trouble because they sold for prices based on construction costs calculated at the time of contract signing, prior to the costs spiraling out of control. To complete the building projects was a money-losing proposition, and therefore many builders declared bankruptcy and walked away from the construction projects. These bankruptcies caused long delays, which hurt the apartment buyers and the entire industry. In response to this challenging experience, the government created the Building Construction Index to protect

all parties’ interests. When someone purchases an apartment in a project under construction, the unpaid por-

For the greater part of the last decade, inflation in Israel has been low, and the BCI had averaged below 2%

To complete the building projects was a money-losing proposition, and therefore many builders declared bankruptcy and walked away from the construction projects.

tion of the price becomes linked to the BCI. Parenthetically, buyers who are risk averse can often accelerate their payment schedule and prepay the lion’s share of the purchase price, thus limiting their inflation risk.

per annum. However, ever since the beginning of 2021, global inflation has skyrocketed. Unfortunately, the BCI has risen approximately 6% over the past year, due to the shortage of various raw materials.

Historically, the entire purchase price of a new apartment has been linked to the index. However, the recent BCI spike led to the advancement of a bill that was passed into law on June 30, 2022, which limits the inflation index to only construction-related costs. These costs represent approximately 40% of the purchase price, and the other 60% of the price – covering the cost of land, taxes, and profits – is not subject to the BCI. According to the new law, the buyer will be permitted to pay at least 20% of the purchase price on contract signing without any linkage. All future payments will be treated as follows: 50% will be linked to the BCI and 50% will not be linked. Thus, a maximum of 40% of the purchase price will be linked to the index. Please note that this new law is not retroactive; it will only apply to new contracts of sale. This is an even-handed law that protects buyers by excluding the cost of the land from the BCI, as it was already purchased by the developer and is therefore not subject to inflation. It also protects developers, as buyers will cover the cost of inflation for all construction-related materials. Furthermore, we feel that it will help stabilize the industry during inflationary times, as buyers will be less apprehensive to purchase on paper, knowing that their risk is limited.

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

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The Jewish Home will not be printing the week of August 11, Shabbos Nachamu. We wish all of our readers an easy and meaningful fast.

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

One Summer Later How the Riots in Lod Shattered an Israeli Mindset by MiriaM Sara Leff

“T

hey were Jews in need of help. Of course, I went.” Akiva’s fierce answer was in response to my question of why he chose to go to Lod to protect the endangered Jews there one year ago. He told me, simply, that he had no choice. He could not sit back on his living room couch and watch what was happening on television. Not that he has television. Akiva Hacohen is religious, married, and a father of nine. He lives in the Shomron in the small agricultural town of Yitzhar. Last summer, he was one of hundreds who heard what was happening in Lod and dropped everything, choosing to wade through fire – literally – to save his brothers.

Now, it’s one year later. So much has changed on so many levels since the riots of last year. Lod feels like a different city now. Arab and Jewish relations all over Israel have been radically impacted. The Israeli psyche has subtly shifted.

efore the riots, Arab-Jewish relations in Lod used to be good: Jews and Arabs lived in the same apartment buildings. They would borrow milk from each other for a morning cup of coffee. Arab and Jewish children played together in the city soccer league, and both Arab and Jewish husbands sat together on the pavement at sunset, exchanging stories and cracking seeds in true Israeli fashion (or smoking the hookah, Middle-Eastern style). Lod used to be the symbol of what the rest of Israel should aspire to become: a picture-perfect co-existence, sometimes distant but always amicable. Lod has always been a poor, immigrant city. The ratio of Jews to Arabs in Lod is roughly 70:30. The exception is one neighborhood, Ramat Eshkol, where the ratio is reversed (30:70 Jews to Arabs). Twenty-five years ago, a Garin Torani decided to move to Lod. Literally meaning “Seed of Torah,” a Garin Torani is a movement of Jewish religious families, typically centered around a yeshiva, that moves to cities or towns with a low socioeconomic demographic. Their aim is to strengthen Jews’ ties with Judaism, connect between religious and non-religious Jews, and promote socioeconomic growth. Thirteen years later, inspired by the first Garin’s success, another Garin Torani moved to Lod, this time specifically to the neighborhood of Ramat Eshkol. There, relations with the Arabs were much cooler than in other neighborhoods. In Ramat Eshkol, Jewish kids never played with Arab kids or went to the same after-school activities. Jews and Arabs did not borrow or lend to each other; they did not mingle or converse. Only the polite “good-morning/good-evening” nod. Still, it was peaceful.

amat Eshkol was the center of the Lod riots in the summer of 2021. It was a warzone. But not a war with invading armies; this war was waged by homegrown terrorists. Israeli Arabs hurled huge blocks of stones from rooftops down on the Jews below. They shot fireworks and live ammunition. They tossed Molotov cocktails at Jews, cars, trash cans – anything that would catch a blaze. They destroyed equipment belonging to the law enforcement and to the

municipality. They smashed windshields with rocks. They broke into private Jewish homes and ransacked them. They set fire to Jewish schools and a museum. They burned synagogues. Students in a pre-army yeshiva were caught in the flames and struggled to rescue books from the Beit Midrash. They managed to escape with the Torah scrolls. Many Gemaras and other holy books burned in that furnace. The Israeli Arabs ruled the streets with terror. Police and first responders were ordered not to enter the neighborhood. When frantic Jews called the police to beg for help, saying that a barrage of stone-throwers were outside their apartment building just waiting for a Jew to emerge so they could stone him to death, they were told that the area was considered too dangerous for the police to enter. When other Jews called the fire department, reporting that their friendly Arab neighbor had pointed out to the mob which cars were owned by Jews and that all the Jewish-owned cars were aflame, they were politely informed that Ramat Eshkol was currently too dangerous for the fire department to enter. Magen David Adom gave wounded callers the same response. Those who did come to the rescue of the Jews of Ramat Eshkol were hundreds of other Jews from all over Israel. Akiva was one of them.

en days before the riots began, on April 30th of last year, Hamas leader Yechye Sinwar called upon his brethren in Lod, Ramla, and Jaffa to fight against Zionist occupation. Sinwar urged those who didn’t have guns to use axes, and those who didn’t have axes to use knives. Sinwar’s chilling speech was significant because, for the first time, big, established cities in the heartland of Israel were identified as “occupied” by Hamas, and thus, targets for liberation. Hamas’ declared goal was no longer Israel’s recession to the 1948 armistice lines or the destruction of outposts built on hilltops; the declared goal was the destruction of the entire State of Israel. The soldiers he called upon to fight were not the usual Palestinian Hamas terrorists: he called for Israeli Arabs, those Arabs who are Israeli citizens, who can vote, get free health care and schooling from the State of Israel, and share the other benefits of Israeli citizenships. And these Arab citizens of Israel responded to his call. The riots began on May 10, 2021, a Monday, Yom Yerushalayim: a national holiday celebrating the unification of Jerusalem and the liberation of the Temple Mount in 1967. Jews, young and old alike, march through the Old City, waving Israeli flags and singing.

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The sweet dream of coexistence which Lod embodied was smashed with the first rock thrown at a windshield.

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

This march, known as the Dance of the Flags, has been a tradition for the past 54 years. Needless to say, Arabs view it as an act of Zionist aggression. Last year, on Yom Yerushalayim, Hamas issued an ultimatum: The Dance of the Flags must not enter, or even approach, the Muslim Quarter of the Old City, or else. As it turned out, the “or else” were three rockets fired in quick succession at Jerusalem. Arabs in Jerusalem began rioting. That afternoon, the Imam of Lod (an Arab religious leader, equivalent to a rabbi of a city) spoke at length in the Lod mosque. In his tirade, the Imam spoke about the Zionist occupation of Al-Aqsa, the mosque built on the Temple Mount. He urged the Arabs to fight for their honor. The Israeli Arabs in Lod heard his call and began attacking Jews and destroying Jewish property.

kiva heard about the riots on the second day. He sent a shout-out to various WhatsApp groups, asking who was willing to go to Ramat Eshkol with him. Hundreds responded to his message. Akiva told them there was no need for such a massive force; it was the second day of the riots by now, police were probably reacting, there was nothing much to do. He wanted only twenty-five men. He realized just how very wrong he was when he and his men approached Ramat Eshkol. Even from afar, they could hear shouts of the Arab mob and smell smoke from the fires. They were stopped by a makeshift police barricade right at the neighborhood entrance. The chief of police was there, together with the then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The chief of police told Akiva and his friends to go home; everything was under control. It was useless to argue. Akiva and his friends moved

away, trying to come up with ideas how to bypass the barricade. A Jewish resident of Lod, Shlomo, found Akiva’s group. Shlomo lived in a quieter neighborhood at a distance from Ramat Eshkol, but when he heard what was happening, he and some of his Jewish friends gathered together to help. They had not yet formulated a cohesive plan of action, particularly since none of them possessed firearms, but they all knew they had to do something for the Jews of Ramat Eshkol. They were so relieved to meet Akiva’s group. The Lod group guided the Shomron group through alleyways to bypass the police barricade. Another policeman tried to stop them. They found a way around him. In Ramot Eshkol, they saw a group of twenty Arabs running towards a synagogue, trying to set it on fire. It was the only synagogue to which police assigned protection, but the four policemen on duty there were not allowed to step foot outside the building. They stood helplessly within the fence while they were pelted with rocks, dirt, sticks – anything the Arabs found to throw at them. Akiva and the men ran towards the Arabs, and the mob instantly dispersed. He and his men continued chasing them. Since none of the Jews of Ramat Eshkol had adequate security training, Akiva set up a makeshift command and control center in one of the abandoned Jewish homes. Of seventy families, only fifteen chose to remain in Ramat Eshkol during those six days. The rest were escorted out by groups of Jewish men. Sentries occupied their now-empty homes, both to protect them from looting and to report back to headquarters what was happening in the streets. Police were present only in three locations in Ramat Eshkol: that one synagogue, a school which had been burned down the night before, and a small police station. When the police patrol drove from the station to the synagogue to bring the four policemen there

food, they were so scared they requested that Akiva’s men escort them. On the third night of terror, a Jewish man was shot. The ambulance refused to enter Ramat Eshkol. Akiva ran through the spray of bullets to rescue him, and then Akiva and his men half-dragged, half-carried the wounded man all the way to the neighborhood’s entrance, all the while under a rain of fire. The violence continued all through Shabbat. Only this Shabbat, Akiva and others like him did not return home to a peaceful table but, instead, continued to save Jewish lives and property. In neighborhoods outside Ramat Eshkol, Jews were afraid to leave their homes. The riots had not yet touched them, but they knew that some of their neighbors, perhaps most of them, were part of the mob trying to murder the Jews of Ramat Eshkol. Night after night, as Hamas fired hundreds of missiles from Gaza, these Jews shared communal bomb shelters with their Arab neighbors. “It was surreal,” Eliana, an activist in the Garin of Lod (not Ramat Eshkol), said. She described to me how, on the first night the rockets were flying, she was running to the bomb shelter with her children while her Arab neighbor stood on her porch with her family, all clapping their hands and shouting gleefully, “Allah-u akbar” (G-d is great – the Muslim battle cry in Israel). Many of the Arabs of Lod seemed oblivious to the danger they themselves were facing from the rockets, delighting instead by the destruction and fear they were witnessing in their Jewish neighbors. In Ramat Eshkol, the Arabs were too busy wreaking havoc to seek shelter from the missiles. During those days of rocket attacks and riots, Jews like Akiva and Shlomo continued to help their fellow Jews. Jews in the Garin Torani like Eliana reached out to secular Jews who were not a part of the Garin, checking in with them to ensure that they were safe and had food. In event that they needed provisions or wanted to be evacuated, Jewish sentries would arrive to help. When, finally, after six intense days, the police entered Ramat Eshkol, and they worked together with Akiva’s and Shlomo’s groups to bring quiet to the neighborhood.

omparisons to the horrific Hebron riots of 1929, Kristallnacht, and Kishinev, are, of course, inaccurate, but the fact that those were the images conjured by the Israeli public and media indicates the

feelings of utter fear, shock, and betrayal. Worst yet, just like during those pogroms, the government did nothing to help the residents of Ramat Eshkol while the riots were ongoing. What happened in Lod last summer destroyed the feelings of security Israeli Jews felt. No longer were there “good Arabs” – those who are citizens – and “bad Arabs” – those who are affiliated with Hamas in Yehuda and Shomron. The former, most Israelis typically ignore until something horrible happens. But now, no longer was Israel’s number one enemy safely in Gaza trying to infiltrate. The enemy was, shockingly, within us. Though there were larger cities in which mobs of Arabs wreaked havoc, including Jaffa, Ramle, and Haifa, Lod has become the symbol of last summer’s riots. In Lod, the extent of the violence was colossal and in stark contrast to the serenity that used to be. The sweet dream of coexistence which Lod embodied was smashed with the first rock thrown at a windshield. Another, deeply painful realization for Israelis was that unlike Kishinev or Kristallnacht or Hebron, this government that did nothing was not Russian, German, or British; it was our government.

nce upon a time, Lod symbolized Jewish learning and growth. The ancient city of Lod is where Rabbi Akiva watched the water drip-drip into the rock and made the astounding discovery that he, too, could learn the sacred truths of Torah. However, by the beginning of the 20th century, Lod (or Lud in Arabic) was mostly an Arab city. In 1947, the UN designated Lod to be a part of the Arab territories. When the fighting broke out shortly after, Haganah forces succeeded in conquering Lod and many of its Arab residents fled. Those Arabs who remained were resettled in the twin city of Ramle. Lod became home to Jewish refugees from African, Arab, and Eastern European countries. Over time, Israeli Arabs slowly moved back and, before last year’s riots, lived tranquilly with their neighbors. Today, Lod symbolizes to Jews a feeling of deep betrayal and the shtetl-old fear of pogroms. To Arabs, Lod symbolizes the goalpost for their next conquest. Living in Lod has become as Zionistic as living on a hilltop. Over the past year, 60 new Jewish families have moved in. New projects, schools, and synagogues are being constantly built. Eliana told me

that where the Jews have been hit hard – that’s where they will rebuild, and then from there build even more. Arabs and Jews hardly look at each other anymore. Eliana mentioned that she’s not exactly afraid, just wary. Shlomo, who is her husband, got a gun. For Akiva, the riots are not a story of the past but a warning for the future. He has founded an organization called “Arei Israel,” The Cities of Israel, a non-profit which trains city Jews to protect themselves. Just this week, a Jewish apartment complex in the Old City of Jerusalem was attacked three days running. The third day, one apartment caught fire. Akiva drove that evening all the way from Yitzhar to teach those Jews how to create their own command center and fight back. “Once Israeli-Arabs decided they are capable of being enemies of the Jews, no place in Israel is safe,” Akiva explained. “We work with the police, but Lod taught us that we need to know how to work without them, too. Arei Israel is where the real mission lies.” There is one other thing the riots have taught us: Jewish unity triumphs. It surpasses every government,

including our own. It cares nothing for political correctness, scandals, and public outrage – and believe me, as an Israeli, I saw plenty of all that coming both from within Israel and from without – as Jews who protected the Jewish residents of Lod were maligned and condemned for their independent actions. Bottom line: we’re here for each other: Akiva, Shlomo, Eliana, and those countless others who, even had I known their names I could not fit them all into this article; Jews who came for five minutes and Jews who stayed for the entire duration of the riots; those who rebuilt the Jewish homes of Ramat Eshkol stick by stick; all these brave people embody the true Jewish spirit. These are Jews who feel responsible for their brothers. Jews who protect each other.

Special thanks to Akiva Hacohen and Eliana Lachyani for sharing their experiences. To learn more about Arei Israel visit: www.ail.org.il. To contact Eliana directly for information on the Garin Torani’s projects in Lod, email: eliana@lodaim.co.il.

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

Sinwar urged those who didn’t have guns to use axes and those who didn’t have axes to use knives.

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

Dating Dialogue

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

Dear Navidaters,

Hi! Our son is dating a lovely young woman from an out-of-town community, despite us trying to stick to his prospects being in the New York area. Things are going well between them, and they are talking

about engagement soon. We want to meet the girl’s family to first see if we are compatible as a family. We hate to sound shallow, but we’ve heard things that make us think our families would just be too different to even make a wedding together... aside from the fact that the girl usually wants to live where her family is and we want our son to be able to live near us if he wants to. The long-distance aspect of the relationship is throwing us off. What is the panel’s thoughts on this? G. & C. Fried

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.

The Rebbetzin Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S.

eep your focus on the essentials, Mr. and Mrs. Fried. You say the girl is lovely, and your son and she seem compatible. If her parents are decent, good people, that is what is most important. Arrange to meet them as soon as possible so you can see for yourself and allay your fears. Mechutanim don’t have to become your best friends nor be like you. Your expectations and preferences are just those – expectations and preferences. From your words, it seems that there are cultural and perhaps financial differences between the two families. That’s OK, so long as there are good values and examples in their home and family. Many parents prefer that their children marry kids from their community and they don’t have to “share” the kids with people from beyond their neighborhoods and locations. This is rather short-sighted, in general. While it is easier to find out the good and the bad and be prepared for both in a coming together of families, it doesn’t always work out. What is the best fit for your child, may be a girl from LA, Chicago, Las Vegas, or Detroit. That is what is most important – a good fit and maturity to work out differences in a healthy way. With today’s technology, you can be in touch and close with the kids, even if you don’t visit as often as you may like. While it is understandable that you want to have the couple near you longterm, have some trust in the One Above. And in the future couple. The couple may flourish in another environment. They may ultimately choose to settle out of town where they may make a difference in the Jewish community through their presence and involvement. Lately, many young people are migrating to affordable smaller communities where neither have family, and they develop a strong network there. They find the freedom to make their own choices and develop their own identity as a family,

too. It’s a healthy thing. For the record, I have noticed that many couples who have one member who grew up in the Five Towns end up in the Five Towns when they settle down. It’s a choice they make. They prefer it. With that being said, keep an open mind and don’t put your own preferences first. Get to know the parents of the girl. Become comfortable with the reality and importance of putting your son’s preference first. Let your child choose his partner and trust in their judgment to choose where they will ultimately land up. You want your couples, not just this one, to become a healthy team with independence.

The Shadchan Michelle Mond

would like to tell you a story. (All names have been changed for privacy.) Mr. and Mrs. Fishstein lived on Avenue Q in Brooklyn. When their only son Nosson started dating, the only prospects they would consider were Brooklyn -ased women. Resumes came swarming in, as they do, from shadchanim all over the U.S. One particular young woman from Monsey sounded lovely, but alas, she lived too far. Eventually, Nosson settled down with Avigail from Brooklyn. Mr. and Mrs. Fishshein excitedly helped the young couple out, even went as far as giving them a down payment for their first house, right down the block! What a perfect arrangement, being right next door to their only son. A few years passed, and Mr. Fishstein, lo alenu, got a diagnosis and the couple quickly learned they would have to relocate to be near a certain hospital that takes care of this particular illness. The couple got up and moved away from their only son and his family. The moral of the story is twofold. Man can plan all he wants, but what is deemed to happen will happen anyways. Sometimes we are thrown surprises that we could never have expected (of course, obviously, good ones are best).

You can want to live near your son but that is not always what will happen in the end. On the flip side, Nosson found his bashert Avigayil because his parents sifted through resumes, avoiding all “out of Brooklynites” which eventually led Nosson to his bashert. Either way, Hashem has your back as long as you’re doing enough hishtadlus. Now, to your personal predicament. You don’t think you will connect with the in-laws who are too out-of-town, plus, you want to live near your son. But how do you like this girl? You do not even mention her, aside the fact that she is lovely. This is where you get to exercise your ayin tovah – create opportunities to get to know and love her. Find out what her love language is and give to her in a way she appreciates being given to. Treat her kindly, and she will want to be around you often, perhaps even live near you! After all, what is the alterna-

Children are not here in this world to fulfill our needs or make their major life decisions to please their parents.

tive? Convince your son to break up with the girl he wants to marry because she is not from your daled amos? Your son met this girl in the way he did, for a reason. If they are bashert, you not only want this to work out, but to thrive, without making you a bad guy in their story.

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Panel

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

The Single Tzipora Grodko

ear Mr. and Mrs. Fried, Meeting a family before an engagement is always crucial to ensure there are no red flags and concerns. Additionally, it’s important to develop a relationship with your potential in-laws as your family expands. However, it sounds like your son’s blessing (in meeting his soul mate) has appeared to you as an inconvenience, due to the long-distance aspect. Regardless of what you prefer, you cannot guarantee the details of your preferences since Hashem is in charge of your plan. Rather, in a world overflowing with older singles, divorce, unhappy marriages, widows, etc. learn to appreciate what you have. Get drunk off the excitement that your son may have found his soul mate, while many are still searching. Sometimes comfort

can cause a lack of clarity since there is little contrast between what you want and don’t have. If G-d decided your son’s bashert lives out-of-town, there’s really nothing you can do about it. Take a step back and focus on the magnitude of what’s taking place. It’s one of the most beautiful miracles in this world, and you’ll miss having front row seats if you’re too busy looking everywhere else but the stage.

The Zaidy Dr. Jeffrey Galler

our letter raises two important issues. First, yes, it is very important for both sets of parents to meet at least once, before the engagement. Perhaps you can invite her parents to a BBQ at

Pulling It All Together The Navidaters

your home or to a dinner in the city. Or, if they can’t make the trip, find an excuse to travel to their city, and while there, invite the girl’s family out to dinner. However, it’s really not important to be “compatible as a family.” You do want to check for really bad red flags or issues, but it’s perfectly OK for the families to be different. It’s perfectly OK for Ashkenazim to marry Sephardim, for chassidim to marry Litvaks, for descendants of Holocaust survivors to marry fourth-generation Americans, and for Democrats to marry Republicans. Different? Not important. What is important is for the mechutanim to work together and plan the wedding, and then, afterwards, to enjoy each other’s company at future simchas. That’s all. Second, of course you’d be very happy for your children and grandchildren to live close to you. But, they should choose to live where they think it will be best for their happiness, not yours. Perhaps it will depend on where they get accepted to graduate school. Perhaps it will depend on where they get great job offers. Perhaps they will want to go on aliyah. I’d like to share a poem written by Erma Bombeck:

You’ll miss having front row seats if you’re too busy looking everywhere else but the stage.

“Ch i ld r en A r e L i ke K ite s” You s p e n d ye ar s t r y in g to get them o ff the ground. You run with them until you are both breathless. They crash ... they hit the roof ... you patch, comfort, and assure them that someday they will fly. F i n a l l y, they are a i rb o r n e . They need more st r ing, and you keep let t ing it out. They tug, and with each twist of the twine, there is sadness that goes with joy. The kite becomes more distant, and you know it won’t be long before that beautiful creature will snap the lifeline that binds you together and will soar as meant to soar ... free and alone. Only then do you know that you have done your job.

Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists

hank you for writing into the panel! Your concerns are valid. You wonder where your son will live as well as if his family will be a good fit with yours. You didn’t have an out-of-town girl in mind for your family because of the real challenges it may present. As difficult as your son marrying an out-of-town girl may prove to be, if your son has found his bashert, a lovely

stand up woman who will treat your son well for the rest of his life, I think you may want to be fully supportive of his decision. How might you feel taking away the woman he wants to marry because of the inconveniences and hardship it may pose to you? How would he feel

about you? While you have many reasonable concerns, and most definitely it is imperative to meet the family for reasons the panelists presented, it is unreasonable, in my opinion, to stop an adult child from marrying a good person who loves him. As painful as it is, children are not here in this world to fulfill our needs or make their major life decisions

to please their parents. They are here to find their own paths, hopefully one with values instilled from home…. But truly as parents, the hardest part is letting go and allowing them to fly. We have to do our own work at times (on ourselves) to allow this to happen. 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.

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

Health & F tness

Break for Breakfast By Aliza Beer MS, RD, CDN

ou might have heard of the saying “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” If this is the case, then why do many of us still skip it? Many years of research shows that those who eat breakfast every day have a reduced risk for heart disease, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, and elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Besides reducing many health risks, eating a nutritious breakfast has many other benefits to it. Did you ever find yourself starving and ready to inhale anything in sight at lunchtime? Our goal is for it not to get to that point. When you don’t eat a filling breakfast, you will end up becoming hungrier later on, which will cause you to overeat, usually foods that are high in sugar and fat. We can’t expect our body to function properly if we don’t provide it with the fuel to do so. Your body awakens in the morning on empty, and it is your job to fill it up (with the proper nutrients, of course). It’s important to eat small meals throughout the day, starting from when you wake up, in order to obtain enough energy to get through the day. Eating a nutritious breakfast within 1-2 hours

from wakeup will allow you to feel energized and your best self. Breakfast is a main way for many of us to get in our daily dose of fruits, vegetables, proteins, and fiber. Those who consume breakfast have higher levels of folate, iron, fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A and calcium. When researchers conducted studies on how breakfast impacts weight, they found conflicting results. One study concluded that there was no linear association between breakfast skipping and weight change, whereas another reported an increase in body weight when breakfast was skipped. While it’s unclear if skipping the meal can actually cause you to gain weight, we do know that it’ll certainly help prevent you from eating more throughout the day. There are many breakfast options for everyone, whether you have plenty of time in the morning or less than ten seconds to get out the door.

Ten Healthy and Easy Breakfast Ideas • Egg Omelet: An egg omelet is a classic, yet perfect way to get in protein and vegetables which will keep you full.

Start by sauteing a mix of vegetables such as onions, mushrooms, and peppers. Add in one yolk and two whites or three whites and some salt/pepper. One large egg contains about 77 calories, 5 grams of fat, and 6 grams of protein! Eggs are not only low in calories and high in protein, but they are filled with vitamins, nutrients, and healthy fats. • Avocado Toast with Egg: Toast one slice of high fiber bread (two slices of 647 or one slice of Ezekiel) and top it with ⅓ of an avocado mashed with fresh lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Put a “sunny side up’’ egg on top. Trader Joe’s “everything spice” is the perfect finishing touch. Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats which help to lower cholesterol reducing the risks of heart disease. They are also filled with other beneficial nutrients such as potassium, folate, fiber, and vitamins. They are also low in sugar. • Nut Butter Toast: Smear a tablespoon of (organic, no sugar added) almond butter or a low-fat nut butter such as PB2 to a slice of toast. Add a tablespoon of a no sugar added preserves such as Polaner to the bread. It is only 10 calories and an extra 3 grams of fiber!

You can also use a Royo or a 647 bagel for those days when you wake up craving a crispy bagel. • Cottage Cheese with a mix of berries or high fiber crackers such as GG or Wasa crackers is an easy and filling breakfast. Berries are a source of iron, fiber, and vitamins, while cottage cheese is nutrient-packed and high in protein. • Banana Oat Pancakes: For those that crave something fluffy and sweet! This child-friendly recipe makes two servings and is perfect for a Sunday morning brunch. Combine ½ cup of oat flour, 1 banana, 1 egg, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon of baking powder. These pancakes consist of a grain, fruit, and protein which will provide you with the energy to get through your entire day. Oats are some of the healthiest grains and are a great source of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. • Overnight Oats: If you want to receive the benefit of oats yet don’t have the time to prepare them in the morning, you can always do it from the night before by creating “overnight oats” using a glass jar or a to-go cup. To prepare: measure ⅓ cup of oats, 1 cup of almond milk, a teaspoon of chia seeds, a teaspoon of ground flax

nilla extract. Dip two slices of 647 bread into the mixture, let it soak for a minute, and then place them into a greased pan. Let them cook one each slide until they are golden brown, and then sprinkle some more cinnamon on top. Serve with a cup of fresh berries and enjoy! • Cheesy Panini: Use a low-carb, high-fiber wrap. Fill the wrap with low-fat shredded mozzarella cheese and a sliced

of doughnuts or a bag of cereal resting in our pantries. Some days, it might seem like the quickest, easiest, and tastiest option but indulging in high fat/sugar foods when we wake up is not beneficial to our bodies. Let’s look at Entenmann’s doughnuts – just one doughnut contains 180 calories, 11 grams of fat, and 19 grams of carbohydrates; it also has 8 grams of sugar

We can’t expect our body to function properly if we don’t provide it with the fuel to do so.

tomato or any veggies (you can even sauté before) and fold the wrap up. Cook it on a greased pan or simply place it into a panini maker and enjoy this guilt-free yet satisfying meal. When choosing a breakfast in the morning, make sure to read ingredient labels and look out for added sugars. Many traditional breakfasts such as muffins, waffles, bagels, and cereals can be high in sugar, starch, and fat. We all have a box

and 7 grams of added sugars, with no fiber. When you are thinking of grabbing the doughnut, just remember it does not contain protein or fiber and has a ton of sugar. This option won’t keep you full or boost your energy levels for the day. When someone eats a high sugar breakfast like that, their body releases insulin, a hormone from the pancreas. It absorbs the excess glucose in the blood and stabilizes the body’s sugar levels.

Then, the blood sugar levels fall again, leaving the person feeling drained of energy and sluggish. High sugar foods pack a ton of calories into a small portion and usually contain almost no fiber or protein. Therefore, it’ll take much more food for you to start feeling full, and you will often feel hungry soon after. Many of us don’t think about the importance of taking care of our bodies when we wake up in the morning. People are always saying that they don’t have the time, don’t feel hungry, or are too tired to eat anything when they wake up. However, there are so many delicious options to choose from, whether you have some time or almost none at all. We need to stock our homes with the right foods which will make it easier and more helpful for each family member to stay healthy. It’s important to be educated so that we can make the right choices each morning. Aliza Beer is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in nutrition. She has a private practice in Cedarhurst, NY. Patients’ success has been featured on the Dr. Oz show. Aliza can be reached at alizabeer@gmail.com, and you can follow her on Instagram at @ alizabeer.

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

seeds, a pinch of ground cinnamon (and nutmeg if that’s your thing), a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and any fruit (berries, apples, peaches). You can also add a Stevia packet or Monk Fruit for extra sweetness if necessary. Refrigerate overnight and grab it the next day before leaving the house. • Protein Shake: This is another quick and easy option. Many times, they have an excess amount of sugar and calories. Therefore, it is important to carefully choose the ingredients you are putting into the blender when creating your morning shake. Protein powders without any added sugars such as pure whey or pea protein are great options. Add unsweetened almond milk, frozen berries, chia seeds, and ground flax seed. Frozen zucchini or frozen cauliflower will make it creamy and thick! • Yogurt Parfait: Plain, Greek yogurt topped with fresh berries and Fiber One cereal for added crunch is a refreshing and light option as well. You can even mix in a teaspoon of almond butter to the yogurt to mask some of its bitterness. • 647 French Toast: A delicious, sweet breakfast minus the added guilt. Create a mixture of one egg, ½ cup of almond milk, cinnamon, and a splash of va-

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

Dr. Deb

Moving On By Deb Hirschhorn, Ph.D.

welve years ago, when my husband, z”l, and I moved up here from Florida, I thought it would be a good idea to see if I could submit an article to a local Shabbos paper. I’d had a column for many years in Florida, and it seemed like a fun idea. I’d only tried one other paper, which already had a therapist writing for it, before I contacted The Jewish Home. I remember that first conversation with Shoshana Soroka, the editor, very well. “I don’t know,” she said. “We had someone writing for a short while and he ran out of ideas. Do you think you’d have what to write about every week?” Funny, isn’t it? I never did run out of ideas, and I don’t know when I will. Probably never. But, inevitably, there were “issues” that came up. “Can you just stick to your topic, Dr. Deb?” Shoshana pleaded. “Can you leave out the Torah references?” “I don’t know how to do that,” I responded. I’m a Torah Jew. I love G-d every minute and try to follow His dictates. And I want people to know that this psychotherapy stuff is not really a separate domain. It’s all part of the whole. Ein od milvado. I absolutely do not have a ‘work hat’ and a ‘home hat.’ I’m the same person in both places.” I must have said something like that, and Shoshana good-naturedly left my Torah references in. As she once told me, “Well, that’s how Dr. Deb is, I figured.” Yeah. In my broader work, I see people of all faiths and try to meet them where they’re comfortable. But even then, I just might share one of my values from Torah with them if I think it will support them or their own values. To me, it’s all about what is best for them as people. Once, maybe twice, I let a current events topic seep into the article because it meant so much to me and, ba-

ruch Hashem we were on the same page there. But I really didn’t want to veer off the course of helping marriages get better. Being able to make shalom between a

been no easy matter.) I’ve heard from many, many of you, and I appreciate all your wonderful comments and compliments. People have recognized me as far away as

My intention has always been to shine a light on the depth and complexity of marriage – and find solutions for its troubles.

husband and wife is a bracha, and I’m grateful to HaKadosh Baruch Hu for giving me this passion. For that reason, I’ve struggled under an enormously heavy workload to keep up writing these articles. (My workload got so heavy that I had to hire two therapists – and that was a very difficult job. Finding people with my professional values, training, and experience has

Brooklyn, another world as far as I’m concerned. My intention has always been to shine a light on the depth and complexity of marriage – and find solutions for its troubles. I remember a wonderful rabbi back in Florida that I was consulting with about a couple that he referred to me. “Why can’t you just tell them to be nice?” he once asked.

If only it were that simple. Everyone wants to be nice. But we don’t always do what we thought we wanted to when a heated moment drives our passions and our fears into another direction. Emotions are tricky things. In fact, that is the exact reason why I practice a combination of positive selftalk and Internal Family Systems with people. These seem to have a more powerful effect on the emotions on a permanent basis. But, unfortunately, the subject is not light or fun. People suffering from painful marriages are basically missing their lives. There is no way to whitewash this truth. How do you reconcile “Ivdu es Hashem b’simcha” with suffering every single day emotionally in your most important relationship? That is what has been driving my continued efforts to turn out an article every week; it’s been my gift to the community. Whether a couple reaches out to me for more personalized, tailored help or not, it’s still something I’ve felt the need to do. Nevertheless, this process is soon coming to an end in this medium. For those of you wanting to continue to read what I write, no worries; I have a blog on my website with pretty much the same content. All you need to do to access it is go to my site and sign up for the blog by email at https://drdeb.com. It’s been a fantastic twelve years. I’d like to take this opportunity to publicly thank Shoshana for giving me a chance to be “me” right here in these pages. That means the world to me.

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.

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

Parenting Pearls

Appreciating Hashem’s Gifts By Sara Rayvych, MSEd

y daughters have been doing incredible activities at Camp Revach, and I’m continuously amazed at the creativity involved each day. This past week, my daughter tossed a posterboard on the table, and the bright colors caught my eye. Taking a closer look, I saw a thin sheet of reflective material surrounded by post-it notes, each with my daughter’s gentle handwriting on it. The title proudly declared, “Hashem gave me the talent of,” with each little paper naming a different gift that she thought of to appreciate. I will admit I was very impressed. The girls had spent the past few weeks focusing on the gifts that Hashem gave them, appreciating who they are as they looked into their reflection on the posterboard. Too often we don’t take the time to acknowledge our talents. When we do, we may fail to recognize their divine source. Each of our children have unique abilities, strengths, and gifts. As their parents, we want to do our utmost to help them recognize, appreciate, and improve upon what Hashem has already given them.

Appreciating Gifts Hashem gave each of us – young and old – gifts in the form of our talents and capabilities. It only seems appropriate that we make the effort to recognize, and thereby appreciate, those very gifts. Rather than deny or ignore our unique strengths, we need to encourage and promote our talents. These talents may seem big or they may seem small, but they’re all gifts. I was happy to see my daughter’s post-it notes contained a variety of strengths, particularly those that are easy to ignore. Being able to soothe the boo-boos of a younger sibling is certainly a talent, as are making others laugh and being handy around the house. We may not see these as anything special but not everyone can connect to others easily or fix anything that breaks at home. We know our children best, and we can help them appreciate all the different parts that make them special. Even seemingly ordinary activities should be appreciated. Not every kid has the patience with a child at the park, the skills to bake a cake,

the many gifts Hashem gives could lead to greater humility and gratitude towards the True Source. When reflecting on the gifts Hashem has given us, how can we be anything but appreciative and humbled? The Creator of the World has given us something unique! What a shame it would be if we didn’t gift our children the ability to see their talents and accomplishments from their appropriate Source.

Encourage Further Growth

or the writing ability to create funny stories. When we see our children doing these activities, they should learn to appreciate what they can do rather than take it for granted. Our children may take what they do for granted but that doesn’t mean we should. We can express pride in their accomplishments and encourage them further. Children are very impressionable and sensitive to their parent’s opinions. When they see how we value all the different facets of their talents, they will too. The goal is for them to appreciate who they are and further use those gifts.

A Different Criteria The outside world may have a more limited view of what is considered special and unique. While the world may only appreciate the opera-level singer, we can value someone with a pleasant voice during leining or leading davening. Even without a professional music career, being able to inspire others during davening is a true gift. Some consider a professional artist to be one whose portraits hang in celebrated art galleries. The simple yet engaging drawings that bring the parsha to life for a youngster are no less important. One of my sons only started to love parsha once we found the correct illustrations that appealed to him. Those drawings may not win

an artistic award, but their creator has certainly earned a higher trophy. A well written d’var Torah may never win a literary award, but it can truly inspire others and make them think. We have a different set of criteria for how we judge accomplishment and that should be reflected in our goals for our children and our appreciation for what they achieve.

Appreciate The Source There is one Source for everything, and talent is no exception. Everything we have comes from Hashem and it’s our obligation to use them in His service. There is no place for conceited feelings because we owe Hashem for all we have, not our own privileges. We understand the importance of humility and acting with anivus is a treasured middah. It only makes sense that we’d avoid anything that could breed the opposite feelings in our children. Moshe was called “anav mikol adam”; it’s often noted that Moshe clearly realized who he was yet was still an anav. Not only was Moshe called an “anav” in the Torah, but the Torah says “mikol adam.” Being an anav doesn’t necessitate denying who we are. Therefore, acknowledging our gifts from Hashem doesn’t need to lead to conceit. One could even argue that recognizing

Talents should be enjoyed and developed. When we recognize a gift our child has, we should try to encourage our child to improve that area. There are many ways to encourage our children to enhance their natural talent. Our son showed a strong interest in leining after his bar mitzvah. Baruch Hashem, we were given the name of someone who could help him finetune his skill, and he’s been successfully leining for years. What could have remained dormant without extra training became a source of nachas and further personal growth. Professional lessons can be helpful but are not always affordable or available. Depending on the talent, there may be many options other than expensive classes. It may involve research and networking to discover those resources, but there are usually many options. Most importantly, we tend to underappreciate the impression parental encouragement can make on a child. Just by showing we value their skills and want them to pursue them further can be enough of a strong push in the right direction. Each of our children are in this world to fulfill their specific divine mission. Hashem gave them those special capabilities that we can help nurture, bringing them one step closer to creating the eternal impact that only they can. 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.

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AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

jewish women of wisdom

The Other Grandparents Competition or Cooperation By Miriam Hendeles

oldie is a mom of three children and grandmother of many. She has a nice relationship with her adult children and adorable grandchildren but notices that one of her mechutanim buys the kids a lot of fancy toys and that makes her feel insecure. She feels a sense of competition between the two and wonders how to resolve this feeling. Is she doing enough for her kids? Competition, while good in sports and music, is not healthy in relationships – especially grandmother relationships. Competition is often associated with teenagers and children and not with adults, especially two sets of grandparents of the same family. But it does exist. When two sets of grandparents live far apart, they may not see what the other is doing, but when the grandchildren comment about things that are happening on the “other side,” a grandparent may feel unsure about how they’re doing things. There can be a tendency to compare or compete. An example of competition that I’ve heard about are when one grandparent usurps time with the grandkids at the expense of the other, causing resentment. Obviously, there are many factors to take into account, such as the couple’s preferences and the practicality of where everyone lives. It’s not necessarily a matter of who “gets more,” but whatever works for each couple. It’s important to pay attention to the dynamics and refrain from any form of negative vibe or competition. On the other side of the coin, it’s helpful for people like Goldie in the scenario above to stay in their own lane and not be looking at what the Cohens or Goldbergs are doing. As with anything else in life, being secure in how

we are handling our own lives without comparisons is the way to smooth relationships. And isn’t it better for the grandkids to have different styles of grandparenting, thereby adding rich-

with each of our mechutanim, both near and far. When someone in our mutual family does something nachas-inducing (cute remark from a toddler all the way up to mentschlichkeit from an adult), I’ll

As with anything else in life, being secure in how we are handling our own lives without comparisons is the way to smooth relationships.

ness to their lives? To me, I see it as win-win. Rather than try to be like the other grandparents, just be ourselves and interact with our children in ways that works for our situation. I love the close relationship I have

call up my mechutanim and relay the story to them. Who said nachas reports were only for sharing at PTA? We’re in this together and sharing our nachas is what it’s all about. We report to each other after spending a wonderful yom

tov and share photos and fun stories. Buying the kids toys and books is part of my joy as a grandparent, as is spending time with them when I can. At the same time, I have a life outside of grandmothering and stay focused on my own life, rather than be concerned about how much I’m doing or not doing. When it comes to deciding who comes when for yom tov, I don’t keep track or score. Sometimes we have them, and other times they go to the in-laws. Or they split the time between each of us. Generally, I let my kids decide where they’ll stay and for how long. I never want it to be a tug of war. At the end of the day, mechutanim want to see happy and fulfilled children and grandchildren. If there’s a simcha or chas v’shalom crisis, they chip in to resolve it in some way. I know of a family where the grandparents chipped in for extra speech therapy intervention for their special needs granddaughter in Israel. Another set of grandparents I know split the cost of guitar lessons for their grandchild. If one grandparent has more resources than the other, each can find ways to show their love in ways that work for them. A wise grandmother can think of ideas to reverse any potential competition or be proactive and set the stage for healthy dynamics. It’s much better for the entire family if the grandparents are friends and allies and treat each other with genuine respect and love. Everyone benefits.

JWOW! is a community for midlife Jewish women which can be accessed at www.jewishwomanofwisdom.org for conversation, articles, Zoom events, and more.

tchen

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

In The K

General Tso’s Fish By Naomi Nachman

This is another creative idea for the Nine Days. My husband and his friends really love General Tso’s chicken, so why not adapt it for the Nine Days? Ingredients

◦ ¼ cup all-purpose flour

Preparation Place flour in a bowl.

◦ 3 large eggs

Whisk egg until foamy in second shallow dish.

◦ 2 cups panko crumbs

Place panko crumbs into third shallow dish.

◦ ¼ cup canola oil ◦ 1 ½ pounds boneless, flounder, cut into 1-inch cubes ◦ 2/3 cups water ◦ 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce ◦ ¼ cup apricot jam ◦ 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce ◦ 2 tablespoons cornstarch ◦ 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar ◦ 2 teaspoons canola oil ◦ 4 garlic cloves, minced ◦ 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

Pat fish dry with paper towels. Working in batches, dredge fish in flour, dip in eggs, then coat with panko, pressing gently to adhere; place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. In a large sauté pan, working in batches, fry the fish. Drain on a paper towel and set aside. Meanwhile, whisk the water, soy sauce, apricot jam, hoisin, cornstarch, and vinegar together in a bowl and set aside. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk in soy sauce mixture, bring to simmer, and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and keep warm. When ready to serve, pour sauce over prepared fish.

◦ ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

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.

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

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Mind Y

ur Business

Ari Boiangiu: “You are Your Strongest Asset” By Yitzchok Saftlas

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.

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. *

Tell us your backstory. When did you first see that G-d gave you talent with a guitar and how did it lead you to where you are today? I think that specific skill sets that G-d gives a person are very much indicative of their potential, what they can become, and what they should be doing with their time. Music was a large part of my life for many years, and I have my parents to thank for that. I played music from a young age. My parents gave me piano

lessons from age 10, which I played until my older cousin, a guitar player, came along. I told him I wanted to ditch the piano and start playing guitar because it was so much cooler. So, I began practicing, and the noises from the basement slowly evolved into what people could start discerning as music. As time passed, I began playing professionally and quickly saw the potential. Then two older mentors of mine, Mike and Eli from Neshama, took me in and gave me a chance to shine. I worked for them, and it evolved into a beautiful, long, and fruitful relationship. I have a lot of gratitude for that. Slowly but surely, music evolved from a hobby into something I could monetize, provide for customers, provide for clients, and make people happy.

Is there a backstory to the name Blue Melody?

Not much. I felt after we did some research on various colors, we saw that the color blue elicited a coolness and a calmness, a feeling that everything is at ease, and everything is under control – the feeling that you are putting your trust in the right people. People don’t want me to be calm on stage. They want to be calm, knowing that I’m on stage. The goal is to make them calm, cool, and put their utter confidence in us and at the same time give the crowd an amazing party.

How important is branding to the whole experience? Branding is super important. Number one, you need to be identifiable. Number two, you need to be unique. Number three, the brand carries a certain name and confidence that gets people excited, so there’s approval. A lot goes into the look to ensure that it’s

unique and exciting, so we are constantly looking for ways to evolve in all areas, especially with the look itself. It’s interesting; there is a saying in the music industry that customers “hear” with their eyes. What that means on a deeper level is that so much of art in general, especially the music industry, is perception. How do you perceive music? Do you perceive it as soft; do you perceive it as enjoyable; do you perceive it as boring; or do you perceive it as too loud? All our perceptions are tied together. When all our perceptions, memories, thoughts, and senses are tied together, it results in a beautiful experience. So, sight is crucial in how music is perceived, and music perceived well means satisfied customers.

You started Blue Melody with a co-founder, and then a couple of years ago, you went out on your

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Any other tips or ideas from your experience in marketing or scaling a business? I find that in our community, word of mouth, name, and branding is super-powerful. The Orthodox community is a tight-knit community that sometimes comes with challenges. Still, in the business world, it comes with many perks. Word of mouth is a powerful force in lead generation. Direct word of mouth is especially important. When people make a wedding, or when they take a chance on any business, they want to go into it with people they trust. A wedding is an expensive, lengthy process, and you want to make sure that you trust the person you’re going into that experience with. The other business tool, or pinnacle of my tools, is the finding of relationships. I’d like to think that my business functions on relationships. Those relationships begin from word of mouth, and it evolves into trust, and that trust spreads to somebody else. My goal is that the relationship should develop, and from that relationship comes business, and you cannot ask for a better lead generator than a relationship, and that’s the way I’m functioning in my business.

Marketing in the age of social media has changed for many companies, but what are some tips and tricks from your industry that you could share? In the entertainment industry, social media is a tremendous gift, and it certainly has its share of challenges like every other department in life, but it’s an incredibly powerful tool in the advertising world. What first shot up as the biggest strength was YouTube videos. YouTube videos are a beautiful calling card and an opportunity for someone to learn more about the product other than being there on stage. It’s a beautiful demonstration of what you are capable of doing. As time passes, many consum-

people will trust you and want to build a relationship with you.

How much smoother does a band or musician play when the clients let them do their thing? What a great question. So, the answer is – and you used the keyword “smoother” – about 3,000% smoother. When the client can just put his trust in the artists he hired and says, “You guys are great, we know you’re great, so, show us why you’re great and do your thing,” that takes away any doubts. It takes away any questions when you can get on stage and do what you’ve been known to do and continue to do. On the flip side, our job is to make

“I think sharing the human and personal sides helps to forge the relationship because your client wants to know that you’re listening to them.”

ers realize that a planned, produced, and well-executed YouTube video can be very powerful. However, it’s not a real-time representation of what’s happening at the wedding or event. So that’s where Instagram comes in. Instagram, both through the posts and stories, allows you to follow the trail of the activity; they let you see what’s happening night after night. That comes from our phones, we take video, or the guests take video and send it to me the next day, and if the video is good, it’s going to go up on our social media the next day. What is nice about this, specifically about the Instagram stories, is that it’s not always a statement; there’s a human side to it. You can learn more about what makes the musicians tick, you can see the live interactions, and you can get more personal with the musicians that way. I think sharing the human and personal sides helps to forge the relationship because your client wants to know that you’re listening to them. You understand them, and once you’re listening to understand them, you can give them what they want. The more you can present the human side, the more

the customer happy, and if the customer wants to give me an absurd request and list a bunch of things, I must figure them out. I will have to figure it out and perform it, even though it’s out of my wheelhouse. But when we deliver that for the client, there is a special level of service and customer satisfaction when you can do that crazy stuff for the client. So, there are pluses on both sides, but in musical production artistry, you want to let the artist be the artist.

What do you do to gauge with your eyes and ears that you’re connecting with the crowd? The answer is when it comes to upbeat music. If the crowds are moving, you’re doing something right. You can see if the crowd is in rhythm when you’re one with the crowd musically. You know that you’re doing the right thing. That can happen, whether it’s a popular song or a new song. That’s going to happen if the band is grooving, and the music is being played right, and it’s going where it needs to go on the dance floor. It’s sending that message that makes the crowd want to get up and

move the most. If it’s dinner music, you don’t want to be too loud. You got to keep the volume down. You want to keep it enjoyable music that it’s there if you want it, but it’s also something you can leave in the background as you talk to your friend at the table.

Before I let you go, perhaps you could share a parting message, a parting thought for any area of life that you wish to share. You know, the most powerful messages I could share is what we discussed before, which is that you are your strongest asset. You must stop waiting for something else or someone else; go for it. You have a dream and a vision; go for it, take it. It doesn’t mean that automatically you’re going to succeed. It doesn’t mean that’s ultimately what you’re meant to be. But the more time you pretend to be someone else, the more time you’re wasting. It took me 20 years to get back to this message. Just get back to doing what you want to do and present the real vision of yourself. The other thing is that every day, every minute, success or failure is a learning experience. You wake up the next day, and you scored five more clients, or maybe you had an amazing event, maybe you didn’t have an amazing event. It doesn’t matter whether it worked monetarily to your advantage or not. You wake up tomorrow, and you will be wiser and stronger from everything you went through today.

AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

own. Can you give us some advice on when people should potentially have a partnership or when it pays to go it alone? That’s a wonderful question, and that’s a question that took me some time to get the answer. Obviously, the plus of having another input, another set of ideas, another set of plans, and another viewpoint can expand any business’s capabilities. But I think it’s a good time for me to mention my father, a very accomplished businessman and tremendous guide in general. He was always very careful to impress upon me that you are your own assets. As important as the benefits of having business with a partner who can contribute ideas and help bring in more leads, one must realize that to run an institution, business, or organization successfully, you are your best asset. This is something my father would impress upon me all the time. It’s all about you; you must stop thinking that it’s dependent on somebody else or something else, or it’s contingent on something. You have the dream, you have the vision, and you’re the one that’s going to make it happen.

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

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Notable Quotes “Say What?!”

What really wounded me — what really wounded me — was when the Duke of Sussex addressed the United Nations and seemed to compare the decision whose name may not be spoken with the Russian attack on Ukraine. – Justice Samuel Alito, who wrote the decision reversing Roe v. Wade, at a conference in Italy mocking Prince Harry’s criticism of him at a recent U.N. speech

I had the honor this term of writing, I think, the only Supreme Court decision in the history of that institution that has been lambasted by a whole string of foreign leaders who felt perfectly fine commenting on American law. - Ibid

I won the second time. I did much better the second time. We may just have to do it again. - Former President Donald Trump at the Young America’s Foundation Conference in Washington, D.C.

Think about Israel and the Gulf states and what is developing there. Think about the fact that you could actually be at a place where the Arabs end the state of war against Israel, really end it. And why? Not because they’ve learned to love the Jewish democratic State of Israel, but because the smarter of them have realized that in order to modernize their own economies and not be completely dependent on oil, that they’re going to have to deal with the 800-pound gorilla on technology in the region, and that’s Israel.

I don’t know that the president and I differ on issues, but we may differ on focus. I truly do believe that elections are about the future and that it’s absolutely essential, at a time when so many Americans are hurting, so many families are struggling, that we don’t give way to the temptation to look back.

- Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at the Aspen Security Forum

- Former Vice President Mike Pence, while speaking at the same conference, several hours before Trump

When my predecessor got Covid, he had to get helicoptered to Walter Reed Medical Center. He was severely ill. Thankfully, he recovered. When I got Covid, I worked from upstairs.

Biden: Let’s continue to send billions of dollars in foreign aid to Ukraine, they need it!

- Pres. Joe Biden, after recovering from Covid, before he quickly contracted it again

Nobody’s gotten to the bottom of 9/11, unfortunately, and they should have, as to the maniacs that did that horrible thing. – Former President Donald Trump responding to criticism from 9/11 families for hosting the LIV gold tournament, which is backed by Saudi money even though 19 of the 9/11 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia

Reality: The Zelensky family graces us with a photo shoot to be on the cover of Vogue magazine Tweet by Rep. Mayra Flores (R-TX) after Ukrainian Pres. Zelensky and his wife sat for a Vogue photoshoot with Ann Leibowitz

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AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

104 Are the hosts of “The View” really interested in hearing from Governor DeSantis about all of the important work he is doing on behalf of Floridians to protect their health and livelihoods, to stand up for parents and children, and to defend freedom? Which of the below statements from the hosts of “The View” do you recommend our team consider when deciding if the interview will be a genuine pursuit of the truth? Or worth the time? - Response by Florida Gov. DeSantis’s communications team, in response to an interview request from “The View,” containing a list of quotes from the hosts of the show calling DeSantis a fascist and a racist

JetBlue has officially announced that it will buy Spirit Airlines for $3.8 billion. Yeah, $3.8 billion. Yeah. What’s crazy is that Spirit still charged them $30 for a carry-on bag. — Trevor Noah

But, I mean, this is a smart move for JetBlue. You know, a lot of people are confused. They’re like, “Why?” But it makes sense. As a business, you want to diversify, you know? Think about it — why just be an airline when you can be both an airline and a flying Porta-Potty? — Ibid.

That’s right, over the weekend, President Biden returned to isolation after once again testing positive for Covid in what his doctor called a rebound case. Right now, Biden’s looking on the bright side. He’s like, “Well, at least my Covid got a second term.” — Jimmy Fallon

That’s right, the virus came back so fast, staffers didn’t even have time to take down the “Get well soon” balloons.” — Ibid

Yes. JetBlue and Spirit, it’s the perfect marriage between broken TVs and broken planes. — Jimmy Fallon

The United States, for its part, has been attempting to use Taiwan to contain China. It constantly distorts, obscures, and hollows out the “One China” principle, steps up its official exchanges with Taiwan, and emboldens “Taiwan independence” separatist activities. These moves, like playing with fire, are extremely dangerous. Those who play with fire will perish by it. - Statement by China’s foreign ministry after Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi landed in Taiwan over China’s objection

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AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

I have respect for Joe Biden. I think he has — despite some mistakes and missteps, despite his age — I think he’s a man of decency, of good principle, of compassion, of empathy, and of strength. But to answer your question directly, which I know is quite rare, no, I don’t. - Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) when asked in an interview if he would back a Biden 2024 run

That’s great...most people think I’m Jewish anyway. Most of my friends are Jewish. I have all these awards from the synagogues. They love me in Israel. - Jared Kushner, writing in his pending memoir what Trump said to him when he informed him that Ivanka was planning on converting to Judaism in advance of their marriage

The problem may be that the Biden economy boomed *too much*, feeding inflation, and that it now needs to cool off, which may involve a recession (but hasn’t yet). - Tweet by New York Times columnist Paul Krugman

He shot my arm off! – An armed suspect heard screaming on a surveillance video after he tried holding up a California alcohol store with a machine gun and was shot by the 80-year-old owner

The

Journey to your Ultimate Self Expand your spiritual and intellectual horizons with this accessible and inspiring gateway into deeper Jewish wisdom.

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is an author, educator, and speaker who has lectured internationally on topics of Torah thought, Jewish medical ethics, psychology, and leadership. He received semichah from Yeshiva University’s RIETS and is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Chicago. Haskamos and praise from Rabbi Asher Weiss, Rabbi Michael Rosensweig, Rabbi Zev Leff, and Rabbi Akiva Tatz.

To Order or Learn More, Go to ShmuelReichman.com Mosaica Press books are available for purchase online or at your local Jewish bookshop.

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The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

Political Crossfire

The Inflation Reduction Act is Anything But By Marc A. Thiessen

as an American president ever been more thoroughly dishonest about his major legislative initiatives than Joe Biden? Biden’s first act as president was to pass, by a Democrats-only vote, a $1.9 trillion “pandemic relief” bill – the vast majority of which, it turned out, had nothing to do with the pandemic’s health aspects. Only 8.5% of the package was for direct Covid-19 containment measures, such as vaccines and testing. It was massive social spending spree disguised as pandemic relief, and it helped set off the worst inflation our country has experienced in four decades. Biden then tried to follow that with a $2.65 trillion infrastructure bill (a.k.a. the “American Jobs Plan”) which, it turned out, included just $621 billion in spending on actual infrastructure – roads, bridges, and the like. Just as he had used his “pandemic relief” bill as cover to pass all sorts of non-pandemic spending, Biden tried to use “infrastructure” as cover to pass trillions of dollars of left-wing social welfare spending, which he tried to rebrand as “human infrastructure.” Now he’s doing it again. Democratic leaders have cut a deal with Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) on a $433 billion package of climate spending and tax increases disguised as the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. The bill would not reduce inflation. The nonpartisan Penn-Wharton budget model estimates it would actually produce “a very small increase in inflation for the first few years, up to 0.05 percent points in 2024” (emphasis added) followed by “a 0.25 percentage point fall… by the late 2020s.” The effect either way, Penn-Wharton says, is “not statistically different than zero,” which means the

legislation would not “have any impact on inflation.” Calling this the Inflation Reduction Act is intentionally misleading. The purpose of the bill is to address climate change, not inflation. A full 85% of the bill’s spending – $369 billion – goes toward climate or clean energy. According to the Wall Street Journal, it would subsidize “wind, solar, critical minerals, biofuels, hydrogen, carbon capture, nuclear, ‘sustainable’ aviation fuel, lithium-ion batteries, electric-vehicle charging stations and more.” It also provides $20 billion in cheap federal loans for automobile manufacturers to build “clean vehicle” factories and removes the cap on $7,500 tax credits for affluent Americans to buy electric vehicles. The New York Times calls it “the most ambitious climate action ever taken by Congress,” while climate activists praised it as the “largest climate in-

vestment in American history by far.” While the bill would not reduce inflation, it would raise tax revenues by $470 billion, adding a new burden on American businesses that are already struggling under the weight of inflation, supply-chain issues, and a historic labor shortage. And it breaks Biden’s promise never to raise taxes on any Americans making less than $400,000 a year. According to the Joint Committee on Taxation, the bill would raise taxes on Americans earning less than $200,000 to the tune of $16.7 billion in 2023 and would generate $14.1 billion from those making between $200,000 and $500,000 a year. Indeed, Biden may be the first president to announce a major tax hike the same week that the economy entered its second straight quarter of negative growth – a traditional definition of recession. As Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., put it, it makes no sense to pass

“a massive tax increase in the name of climate change when our economy is in a recession.” So why the intentionally deceptive name? Because Democrats know that, while their left-wing base thinks climate change is the most important issue facing the country, just 1% of Americans agree. At a time when inflation is forcing many to choose between staples such as gas and food, the Biden administration is providing taxpayer subsidies to couples making $300,000 a year who can already afford a Tesla. So, calling this legislation what it really is – a climate, tax and spending bill – would not do. Hence the false moniker, which is intended to dupe Americans into believing that the bill is designed to address their biggest concern – inflation – rather than the biggest concern of climate activists. Biden is not trying to reduce inflation; he is trying to pump up deflated liberal voters, disappointed by his failure to enact their radical climate agenda, before the midterm elections. And he is trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the rest of Americans by cynically wrapping this left-wing climate, tax, and spending monstrosity in the guise of fighting inflation. Americans are not stupid. They know what he is doing. There have been 10 recessions since World War II, yet Biden is less popular than any of the presidents who led us through them going all the way back to Harry S. Truman. Why is that? Because Americans know that Biden is not only failing at his job but also constantly lying to them. And the only thing Americans hate more than a failing president is a dishonest, failing one. (c) 2022, Washington Post Writers Group

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Political Crossfire

Zawahri Was in “Downtown Kabul” Because Of Biden’s Disastrous Afghanistan Withdrawal By Marc A. Thiessen

resident Joe Biden’s announcement on Monday that al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri had been killed is great news. A murderous terrorist with the blood of thousands of Americans on his hands has been removed from the face of the Earth. Biden deserves credit for authorizing the operation this past weekend that took out Zawahri, who, Biden said, had been living in “downtown Kabul.” Here is a question: What was Zawahri doing in “downtown Kabul”? Following the United States’ catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan last summer, Biden assured us that al-Qaeda was “gone” from that country. “Look, let’s put this thing in perspective,” Biden said last August. “What interest do we have in Afghanistan at this point with al-Qaeda gone? We went to Afghanistan for the express purpose of getting rid of al-Qaeda in Afghanistan…. And we did.” That same month, Secretary of State Antony Blinken dismissed al-Qaeda’s presence in Afghanistan as “remnants” posing no serious danger to the U.S. homeland. Nearly a year later, even as we celebrate the strike against Osama bin Laden’s right-hand man and successor, questions abound: Zawahri showed up not in some remote cave in the Hindu Kush mountains but in the very heart of Afghanistan’s Taliban-controlled capital. What was he doing in Kabul? Who

invited him? With whom was he meeting? And what does his presence signal about al-Qaeda’s return to the country from which the terrorist group planned the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001? During his address to the nation on Monday night, Biden said that Zawahri had been tracked to the Afghan capital “earlier this year” after he had

tack the United States and our allies.” If he was known to be in Kabul in May, and made videos urging his followers to kill Americans in “recent weeks,” that means Zawahri was planning and inciting external operations against the United States from Afghanistan, possibly under the protection of the Taliban. That might not have been possible if

Within months of Biden’s disastrous retreat from Afghanistan, Zawahri’s family and the al-Qaeda leader himself had relocated to Kabul.

“moved to downtown Kabul to reunite with members of his immediate family.” U.S. officials told Politico that he was known to be in the Afghan capital in May. Think about what that means. Within months of Biden’s disastrous retreat from Afghanistan, Zawahri’s family and the al-Qaeda leader himself had relocated to Kabul. On Monday, Biden said that Zawahri had “made videos, including in recent weeks, calling for his followers to at-

Biden had listened to his military commanders and left a residual U.S. force in Afghanistan, preventing the Taliban’s return to power. A critical question now is what operations was Zawahri planning? Unfortunately, we might never know. Unlike the 2011 raid that killed bin Laden, the operation that killed Zawahri was not carried out by a team of U.S. Special Operations forces. That’s because, thanks to Biden, the United States no longer

has boots on the ground. Zawahri had to be taken out by drone strike, which means we had no ability to exploit the site where Zawahri was killed by collecting pocket litter, computers, hard drives, cellphones, documents, or other material intelligence. The bin Laden raid produced a trove of information on al-Qaeda’s operations, ongoing plots, the identities and locations of al-Qaeda personnel and other vital actionable intelligence. The drone strike that vaporized Zawahri destroyed all the actionable intelligence he possessed along with him. Some lessons of this incident are clear: al-Qaeda is back in Afghanistan. Yes, it is good that we killed Zawahri – and Biden deserves credit for the strike. But he also deserves blame for creating the conditions that allowed the world’s most-wanted terrorist to move to downtown Kabul and set up operations in a city that had been liberated from al-Qaeda and its Taliban allies with the blood of courageous American service members. If the president had listened to his military advisers last year, Zawahri might never have been in Kabul this year. Killing Zawahri is Biden’s greatest foreign policy triumph. The fact that al-Qaeda’s leader was in Kabul is Biden’s greatest foreign policy disgrace. (c) 2022, Washington Post Writers Group

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Forgotten Her es

Turning the Tide By Avi Heiligman

U.S. marines charging ashore

he first six months of the American involvement in World War II were mostly defeats. In the Pacific Theater, the Japanese were conquering territory and were bearing down on Australia. The sea power started to shift in June 1942 with the American naval victory at Midway that saw four powerful aircraft carriers sunk in a matter of hours. Back on American soil, many citizens signed up to fight, and the American production facilities started to churn out tanks, guns, ships, and other supplies in quantities that couldn’t be matched by any other superpower. Finally, in August 1942, the American high command was ready to launch a ground attack. The island of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands was chosen, and it marked the transition from a defensive war to an offensive campaign that the Japanese could not stop. A month before the American invasion, the Japanese occupied the Solomon Islands. In addition to the ground troops, Japanese construction workers were sent to Guadalcanal to construct a new airfield from which airstrikes could be launched at American and other Allied bases in the South Pacific. American planners quickly came up with an invasion plan called Operation Watchtower. Although the Japanese had intelligence as to an upcoming landing, they guessed wrong as to the location.

Eleven-thousand marines from the 1st Marine Division under Major General Alexander Vandergrift landed on Guadalcanal on August 7, 1942 and soon captured the airfield. Named Henderson Field in memory of marine pilot Lofton Henderson who was killed during the Battle of Midway, the airfield was ready for action on August 18. On August 9, the Battle of Savo Is-

U.S. marines walking back to other Solomon Island bases

tack the Allied landing and cargo ships filled with troops and supplies bound for Guadalcanal. However, the marines on shore were left without being resupplied and reinforced. The Battle of the Tenaru, one of the fiercest engagements on Guadalcanal, took place on August 21, 1942. The fight, sometimes called the Battle of the Ilu River or the Battle of Alligator Creek,

Even though he couldn’t see, Schmid picked up the gun and Diamond directed the fire upon the sniper’s position, silencing the enemy.

land took place, resulting in one of the worst losses for the U.S. Navy during the war. Three American cruisers and one Australian cruiser were sunk and three other ships were damaged when the Allied force was caught off guard. After sinking the cruisers, the Japanese commander decided to withdraw his ships without realizing the Americans had withdrawn their carrier fleet. The Japanese missed the opportunity to at-

was the first major land offensive by the Japanese on Guadalcanal. Three-thousand marines of the 1st Marine Regiment under the command of Colonel Clifton B. Cates dug in and were facing 900 elite Japanese soldiers under Colonel Kiyonao Ichiki. Cates sent the 1st and 2nd Battalions along Alligator Creek and waited for Ichiki’s Regiment. Ichiki himself was not expecting the marines to be that far from Henderson Field and sent 100 men

across a sandbar which was promptly cut down by machine gun and cannon fire. Soon the fighting became so close that hand-to-hand combat ensued in some of the defense emplacements. Another wave of Japanese solders failed to penetrate the American lines, but Ichiki refused to retreat. Across the Ilu River, Jewish Corporal LeRoy Diamond and his crew from Company H manned a .30 caliber water-cooled hand-fed machine gun and heard the Japanese yell “Banzai” as they made the suicidal charge. One of Diamond’s men was killed, and a marine machine gun nest was put out of action. Soon it was just Diamond and Private Schmid left to defend their positions. Schmid took over the firing position while Diamond fed the bullets into the gun. Diamond was forced to stop loading the machine gun when he was hit by a bullet in the arm. Only Schmid was left to load the gun, and Diamond pointed out targets. The battle had been raging for four hours when a Japanese soldier tossed a grenade into the machine gun nest blinding Schmid and wounding Diamond’s arm and hands again. They were almost helpless when a sniper started shooting at them in the predawn light. Even though he couldn’t see, Schmid picked up the gun and Diamond directed the fire upon the sniper’s position,

U.S. Marine Al Schmid receiving the Navy Cross

positions defending the around Henderson Field. Edson was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions that resulted in the attack being repulsed. Marine legend Lieutenant Colonel Chesty Puller was on the front lines with his battalion along the Matanikau River when they were cut off by a larger Japanese force. He called in naval fire support while a group of landing craft rescued the trapped marines. Puller received the Bronze Star for his actions during the battle. In another engage-

Chesty Puller's battalion managed to repel Japanese forces throughout the night

ment, the marines under his command successfully defended Henderson Field from a regiment-sized Japanese attack. The Japanese-coordinated attack came in waves throughout the night but was met with stiff American resistance led by Puller. By February 9, 1943, all of Japanese remaining forces had been evacuated, and the island was securely in American hands. In all, 60,000 American marines and soldiers defeated a Japanese force of 36,000 men.

Victory came at a heavy cost. Close to 15,000 Americans were killed or wounded, and 29 ships were lost, including two aircraft carriers. Only 10,000 Japanese soldiers were evacuated, and they lost close to 700 aircraft and 38 ships, including an aircraft carrier during the naval campaign of Guadalcanal. American Marines have taken part in some of America’s toughest battles, and the fighting at Guadalcanal was another in their storied history. It was the Americans’ first major land victory of the war with the stage being set for further advances in the south and central Pacific. The victory at Guadalcanal ensured that the Japanese were no longer making unchecked and lopsided invasions. This month marks 80 years since the invasion, and the men who fought for the island are heroes to be remembered.

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.

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silencing the enemy. Private Whitey Jacobs ran through a hail of Japanese bullets to attend to Schmid’s and Diamond’s wounds before evacuating them to the rear. The Marines held the line through the night. Another marine battalion crossed Alligator Creek and counterattacked and cut off the path of retreat for the remaining Japanese. Over 800 enemy soldiers were killed and only fifteen were captured – most of them badly wounded. Marine units inspected Diamond’s machine gun nest and discovered over 200 dead enemy soldiers. Forty-one Americans were killed in the battle. For his actions, Diamond was awarded the Navy Cross. Between August and November, the Japanese made several futile attempts to take Henderson Field. The second Japanese offensive was the Battle of Edson’s Ridge in September 1942. Major General Kiyotake Kawaguchi led 6,000 men of the Japanese 35th Infantry Brigade against an American force twice its size under Vandergrift with elite elements fighting under Lieutenant Colonel Merritt Edson. The Raider and parachute battalions had 800 men and withstood a Japanese charge on their

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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 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 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 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 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

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 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 YESHIVA NEAR BKLYN & Far Rockaway looking for Math & History Teacher afternoon hours for the upcoming school year 2022-23. Email resume to newprincipal63@gmail.com

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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The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

Your

Money

Careful What You Wish For By Allan Rolnick, CPA

n July 4, 1776, a determined group of colonists clinging to the shore of a harsh new world declared independence from the political bonds connecting them to the British Crown. The colonists cited all sorts of injuries and usurpations to justify their revolutionary decision: the King had plundered their seas, ravaged their coasts, burned their towns, and destroyed their lives, blah, blah, blah. But the real non-negotiable that we remember today is that the King had imposed taxes on the colonies without their consent. Every schoolkid can tell you what happened at the Boston Tea Party. History nerds can go on to tell you about the Stamp Act. (Those are the kids who go on to write the future laws in Washington.) But just how bad were those British taxes that pushed us out of Britain’s arms? It turns out that if the Founding Fathers could see what the government they launched 246 years ago is charging for citizenship today, they would revolt all over again. Colonial levies included property taxes, poll taxes on men over 18, excise taxes, and occasional forced labor for projects like roadbuilding. (You thought “Infrastructure Week” was something new?) As

war drew near in 1775, those taxes were skimming off just 1-2% of the colonies’ economy. But taxes were devouring 20% of the economy back home, and the Kingdom was steadily ramping up pressure on us to cover what they couldn’t afford themselves. The Sugar Act of 1764 was designed specifically to extract revenue, not just encourage trade. And the Stamp

to make the point that they were still in charge. Unfortunately, by that point, the colonies had had their fill of second-class citizenship and were ready for a taste of independence. Today our federal, state, and local governments have imposed a jury-rigged superstructure of taxes on income, sales, payrolls, and inheritances that gobbles

Just imagine how Benjamin Franklin – in many ways, the Elon Musk of his day – would react to today’s taxes on his electricity, his newspapers, and his real estate fortune.

Act of 1765 was the first direct tax on the colonies, as opposed to the usual tax on imports or exports. Colonial leaders were fine with paying tariffs but drew the line at direct taxation without representation. Parliament got the hint – they repealed the Stamp Act in 1767 and nixed a slew of import duties in 1770. But they kept the tax on tea

roughly 25.5% of our economy. Just imagine how Benjamin Franklin – in many ways, the Elon Musk of his day – would react to today’s taxes on his electricity, his newspapers, and his real estate fortune. How much happier do you think he would be with the knowledge that at least we voted ourselves into this mess? One thing still hasn’t changed since

the shot heard ‘round the world that launched the battles of Lexington and Concord. We still chafe at that whole “without representation” thing. In 2009, Congressional Democrats, acting without a single Republican vote, passed the Affordable Care Act and hacked off half the country who thought they should have a say in remaking 17% of our GNP. Eight years later, it was the Republicans’ turn, acting without a single Democratic vote to pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and hacking off the other half who thought they should have a say in how we pay our bills. July 4th is traditionally our day for celebrating our evolving, imperfect American democracy. April 15th is the day we pay for it. But both of those are stand-ins for year-round responsibilities. This summer, keep in mind that the real lesson of independence was demanding a say in how much we pay. And, as always, you don’t have to start a revolution to pay less. Just call us! 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 AUGUST 4, 2022 | The Jewish Home

Something to Laugh About By Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., LMFT, CLC, SDS

want to make you laugh. But it’s not a funny time. Yet, the Sages do say, “When the month of Av comes in, joy decreases” (Talmud Taanit 29a). Notice they don’t say joy is gone altogether! It’s just reduced somewhat. There is always something to be happy about. Not only that, but the saying is about the energy in the air. That doesn’t mean we can’t rev it up from our own resources. The Batei Mikdash were destroyed. And other tragedies happened during this time. We can’t forget that; these edifices are gone. Yet, there is a promise a third Beis Hamikdash is on the way. We can be optimistic about that. In fact, we can help to bring that time closer. Even with the shortages, delays, hold-ups at the ports, and increased prices of materials, these days, I think we can rest assured G-d has connections in high places and can get it done.

And we can be influential in bringing it in sooner. How we behave has an impact! If we are good to each other, patient, kind, tolerant, and understanding – even when we don’t understand – we can usher it in.

We can do it differently. We can look at the past and learn from it going forward. The fast of Tisha B’Av is a time to take notice. Not to suffer and move on. But rather, reverse what brought us down.

We are unlimited in our ability to embrace change.

So, we’ve got some pull here. That could be a small reason to smile. But is this a time for laughter? Perhaps we can make it so. We can chortle at adversity. Chuckle at challenges. And laugh at limitations! We are unlimited in our ability to embrace change.

With the first Bais HaMikdash, we were weak in our realization that we should trust the guidebook and follow it. So, we got lost. And it was destroyed. With the second Bais HaMikdash, we were weak in our realization that everyone has a piece of G-dliness. So, we just didn’t like them. They weren’t

our thing. And that was destroyed. So, what can we do to change it all? We need to work on what we fell short on years ago. We need to embrace the original and best how-to Guidebook ever written. And we need to love our fellow man. No special reason – just because. (And secretly, like I said, because he has a little piece of G-dliness in him!) And if that simple formula isn’t something to laugh about, I don’t know what is!

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 917-705-2004 or at rivkirosenwald@gmail.com.

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 4, 2022

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Five Towns Jewish Home 08.04.22

Articles inside

Something to Laugh About by Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS

Your Money

Zawahri Was in “Downtown Kabul” by Marc A. Thiessen

Turning the Tide by Avi Heiligman

The Inflation Reduction Act is Anything But by Marc A. Thiessen

Mind Your Business

Notable Quotes

The Aussie Gourmet: General Tso’s Fish

My Israel Home

JWOW

Break for Breakfast by Aliza Beer, MS RD

Moving On by Dr. Deb Hirschhorn

Kinnos and the Stages of Grief

Parenting Pearls

One Summer Later: How the Riots in Lod Shattered an Israeli Mindset

The Miracle of Jewish Survival by Rabbi Daniel Glatstein

Delving into the Daf by Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow

Community Happenings

Rabbi Wein on the Parsha

This Week We’re Talking to… Simcha Day Camp

Living Beyond the Checklist by Rav Moshe Weinberger

Individuality and Community by Rabbi Shmuel Reichman

Voice Notes: The Price of #reallife by Rivky Itzkowitz

That’s Odd