Five Towns Jewish Home 7.13.23

Dear Readers,

Avisit to another community recently reminded me that we sometimes take the tranquility and beauty of our neighborhood for granted.

I had needed to go to a certain store for something in another neighborhood and decided to make a trip of it with the family. After we finished with our purchase, the kids asked for pizza, and we were happy to take them out for an early dinner. But after we parked the car, I was shocked by the derelict conditions of the community’s main street. There were piles of garbage sitting in front of stores; some storefronts looked abandoned; seemingly homeless people were wandering the streets. And when we got into the pizza shop, it wasn’t much better. Two men were loudly singing a song about heading to jail to each other across the restaurant. A person probably on drugs came in to ask for a handout. I couldn’t get back into the car fast enough.

Driving back to the Five Towns, I marveled at how we sometimes don’t even notice how serene and peaceful our lives are living in our community. Take a walk down Central Avenue on any given day – the streets are clean, and the air is fresh. The storefronts are well taken care of. There is still a “small town vibe” even though our community has grown.

That vibe is cultivated deliberately by those who work for the community. Notice the fresh flowers that are watered each day, and the bright lights that illuminate and charm the streets at night. The area is inviting; you’ll see couples taking walks even late at night, enjoying the tranquility of the town. Cars aren’t speeding down the streets. There is no double park-

ing or cars clogging the roadways. During the spring and summer, kids sit on street corners selling lemonade and cookies. It really is, in a way, a storybook way of life.

But it’s important to remember that we each have our own part in keeping that “small town vibe” alive. A few weeks ago, someone called me to tell me that, as he was driving in the parking lot of a local grocery store, he was almost hit by a car driving the wrong way down the lane. Aside from the fact that his car was almost hit, where is the menschlechkeit of the other driver? Was he in such a hurry that he couldn’t drive the proper way down the lane?

Years ago, Hillary Clinton famously wrote a book called, “It Takes a Village,” which spoke about how society should come together to raise children into resilient, productive adults. But I’d like to say that it takes a village to maintain a village. If each of us is not cognizant of each other and aware of our part in our beautiful community, then our treasured, tranquil life will not be preserved.

Being a mensch means that you remind yourself of the other person’s needs and desires. You think of others. You are concerned for others. You consciously put yourself in your friend’s shoes and empathize with them. It’s in direct contrast to selfishness and hatred, two traits that we need to overcome during the Three Weeks.

A community in which everyone is thinking of the other is a community that is truly beautiful.

Wishing you a wonderful week, Shoshana

Yitzy Halpern,

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Shabbos Zemanim

Friday, July 14

Parshas Matos - Maassei

Candle Lighting: 8:07 pm

Shabbos Ends: 9:14 pm

Rabbeinu Tam: 9:37 pm

Dear Editor,

I just finished reading your Pollyanna letter to the readers about Visiting Day. I, for one, have had it with Visiting Days. When I was a kid, Visiting Day would be in between the first and second half for the kids staying for all eight weeks.

Now, camps charge a fortune and cut back four weeks into three weeks and change. Each half has a Visiting Day. The kids are gone for one week, and I’m already getting emails about tipping and Visiting Day. While I know that perhaps our darling children want to share their experiences with us parents, I see Visiting Day as superfluous and a waste of time and money. It’s another ridiculous expectation in our community.

Yes, if you are in the mountains ANYWAY in a bungalow or hotel, it is great to be able to hop over to a camp for 15 minutes and pick up your kid for a barbeque at your place.

A nice relaxing day.

Good for YOU.

However, for most, traveling to the mountains from the 5 Towns can be anywhere from 2.5-4 hours and the way home can be 6 hours. There is nowhere to go and nothing to do. I’m not interested in taking my kid on a gala trip upstate and driving for another hour to entertain my children when that is THE CAMP’S JOB! Didn’t I just shell out 1000’s of dollars for that reason??

I look at it as being homeless for the day. Nowhere to even go to the bathroom.

When I see the hundreds of Jews on the highway, all I think of is all that Jewish money being wasted on gas and tolls.

The other thing I think about is my aching back that will take three days to recover from all that car travel in one day.

No, it is not worth traveling a total of 7-10 hours a day to see their smiles. I’ll be happy to Zoom!

Please, Hashem! Stop it with guilt trips!

I personally feel I do enough for my children. They are well taken care of, and I provide them with lots of quality time. I supervise them when I need to do so, and I try to make their lives engaging and fulfilling as best as I can. Summer is the camp’s turn to do all of the above.

I dread visiting every summer. Camps should stop this nonsense of each half having a Visiting Day. Kids are resilient. They would get used to being without their parents for all of 25 days. Camps should march on with their regularly scheduled program and let me enjoy my limited Sundays in the summer. Debbie Downer in Response to Pollyanna about Visiting Day

Dear Editor,

The Talmud (Yoma 9b) brings the statement of Rabbi Yochanan and Rabbi Elazar, where they note that because the sin of the Second Temple was sinat chinam, hatred, that was disguised and hidden in the heart, so too was the ketz, the final time of the geulah, hidden. This is why we are in galut Edom which is likened to a pig. The pig claims to be pure, based on its external cloven hooves but is, of course, disqualified because internally it does not chew its cud. The final geulah requires no external deceptions.

Rabbi Yaakov Harrari explains that our true purpose is to megaleh kavod Shamayim, to reveal the glory of G-d. This requires one to dig deep into their

Continued on page 8

Continued from page 8

neshama to bring out the divine spark inside. This is a mini-redemption of the person whereby the insides are transformed to become unselfish and fully work for G-d. Once unselfishness is inculcated into the heart, one can embrace everyone with authenticity and deceptive externalities can be thwarted.

Steven Genack

Dear Editor,

After reading last week’s Navidaters, I’m confused as to why the panelists didn’t address why the chosson was using the kallah’s bathroom within her bedroom in the first place. I’m sure there were several other bathrooms within the home. If it had been in reverse and it was the kallah going into the chosson’s en suite bathroom, the panelists would have written that it was inappropriate for her to do so even with permission.

I believe many times there’s a double standard with regards to men’s actions versus women’s actions within the shidduch world.

A Reader

Dear Editor,

One of the Navidater columnist’s final words perturbed me in her advice to the young engaged man who discovered his kallah was taking anxiety medication. Her words were to keep in mind that perhaps the young woman was advised not to share all the facts.

First of all, let’s not use some “phantom” to place blame. She may have been advised, but if she could get married, she is an adult who is to blame for not being upfront and truthful about her condition. “Mistakes were made” is not an answer.

There is accountability beginning with the person who is keeping secrets from her future husband.

People who withhold information, be it about medication, use of drugs, physical conditions, intimacy issues – or anything that could “upset the applecart,” to say the least – are liars and tricksters. There are innocent lives ripped apart. Girls boomeranging home on wedding nights, or the first week of marriage because “facts were withheld,” secrets that if known, would have called off weddings and broken off engagements or never would have gotten past four or five dates. Especially for girls, a divorce limits her marriage prospects. For no fault of her own…. Just selfish greedy behavior claims her innocence. Keeping any secret until after the wedding is unfair and downright immoral.

You have the right to know about any damage before you buy a house or car! Why anyone gets married without knowing or revealing important information is beyond words.

Please stop this “advice” to withhold facts.

While I’m on the topic, shadchanim and friends, you know these girls. They are your neighbors, and they go to your shuls. Have rachmanus! Please help them find their true zivug! Advocate for them beyond being a “divorcee.” They are smart, strong and wise in experience. They have learned to face adversity with flair and grace. They know how to handle their situation with class! What happened to them was not their fault! Please help!

A Mother Who Watched a Horrible Drama Unfold

Yellen in Beijing

bilizing for the world” and “virtually impossible to undertake.”

“There is an important distinction between decoupling, on the one hand, and on the other hand, diversifying critical supply chains or taking targeted national security actions,” she said.

She noted that the United States would continue to take “targeted actions” to protect its own national security interests and those of its allies, while making sure these actions are “transparent, narrowly scoped and targeted to clear objectives.”

Ivan+Hayley

On Sunday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen wrapped up her trip to Beijing, asserting that the world is big enough for both the United States and China to thrive.

Yellen said she had “direct, substantive, and productive” talks with China’s new economic leadership, including Premier Li Qiang and Pan Gongsheng, the newly appointed Communist Party chief of China’s central bank.

“No one visit will solve our challenges overnight. But I expect that this trip will help build a resilient and productive channel of communication,” Yellen said at a news conference in Beijing.

“Broadly speaking, I believe that my bilateral meetings — which totaled about 10 hours over two days — served as a step forward in our effort to put the U.S. - China relationship on surer footing.”

China’s Deputy Finance Minister Liao Min said in a statement on Sunday that the two sides held “long and candid” meetings and would “maintain communication” in the future.

Yellen’s trip marked the second visit by a U.S. cabinet official to the Chinese capital in a matter of weeks – Secretary of State Antony Blinken was there in June – as Washington seeks to steer relations with Beijing back on course after months of inflamed tensions.

Still, the United States is wary of a relationship with China. In recent months, it imposed sanctions on Chinese companies and successfully pushed allies in Japan and the Netherlands to restrict sales of advanced semiconductors to China.

After her trip, Yellen reiterated that the United States is not seeking to decouple from China, which she said would be “disastrous for both countries and desta-

Ivan Dimitrov is deeply sorry. The tourist had carved his name on the wall of Rome’s 2,000-year-old Colosseum last month. After being ousted as the person who committed the crime, he wrote an apology to the local prosecutor’s office.

“I admit with the deepest embarrassment that only after what regrettably happened, I learned of the antiquity of the monument,” he wrote, according to his lawyer.

Dimitrov allegedly scratched “Ivan+Hayley 23” on a brick wall of one of the world’s most famous buildings last week. The act was caught on video.

The tourist is being investigated by the Rome prosecutor’s office for damage to cultural property. His lawyer says he is hoping for a plea bargain.

Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano tweeted last week that the Carabinieri, a military police force, had “identified the person presumed to be responsible for the uncivilized and absurd act committed at the Colosseum.”

“An act that offended everyone across the globe who appreciate the value of archaeology, of monuments and of history,” he added.

His tweet confirmed that “Ivan and Hayley” are thought to be the names of the tourist and his girlfriend, who was filmed looking on as he carved their names.

He faces a fine of up to 5,000 euros ($5,400) and 15 days in jail.

Turkey Agrees to Sweden’s NATO Bid

In return, Sweden and Turkey would continue to work bilaterally against terrorism, Sweden would help reinvigorate Turkey’s application to enter the European Union, and NATO would establish a new “special coordinator for counterterrorism,” he said.

The two countries agreed that “counterterrorism cooperation is a long-term effort, which will continue beyond Sweden’s accession to NATO,” a statement by the alliance said.

President Joe Biden, who arrived in Vilnius on Monday, said in a statement that he welcomed Erdogan’s commitment to submitting Sweden’s bid for “swift ratification” by the Turkish Parliament.

Erdogan’s demand on EU membership — a day before the opening of NATO’s two-day summit — appeared to have erected a new obstacle to the admission of Sweden, a major manufacturer of artillery, airplanes and other arms with crucial geographic value.

The five men onboard have been identified as CEO Stockton Rush; British businessman Hamish Harding; French diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet; Pakistani billionaire Shahzada Dawood; and Dawood’s 19-year-old son, Suleman Dawood.

Since the tragedy, new details have emerged about warnings and safety concerns about the Titan submersible – including an ominous email from a former OceanGate Expeditions employee that the Titan could fail.

Turkey agreed on Monday to clear the way for Sweden to join NATO, a sudden reversal just hours after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the European Union should first advance his country’s bid to join the EU bloc.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced Turkey’s decision from Vilnius, Lithuania, where the alliance was preparing to open its annual summit on Tuesday.

Stoltenberg said that Erdogan had lifted his objections to Sweden’s entry into the alliance and would take the country’s bid to his Parliament for ratification as soon as possible.

The statement said Erdogan met on Monday with Stoltenberg and Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson of Sweden to discuss the country’s bid, which had been held up by Turkey’s demands that Sweden crack down on dissidents whom Turkey considers terrorists, including pro-Kurdish activists and members of a religious group that Turkey has accused of planning a coup attempt in 2016.

“This has been a good day for Sweden,” Kristersson told reporters, saying that the joint statement represented “a very big step” toward the final ratification of Sweden’s membership of NATO.

Hungary is the only other NATO member that has yet to approve Sweden’s bid, but Hungarian officials have said that if Turkey’s position changes, they would not obstruct the process.

But the breakthrough on the eve of the summit could mean that Sweden might join the alliance in short order. Turkey’s Parliament is in session until July 27, and the body needed just two weeks to approve Finland’s bid after Erdogan agreed to support it in March. (© The New York Times)

OceanGate Suspends Operations

“I don’t want to be seen as a tattletale, but I’m so worried he kills himself and others in the quest to boost his ego,” David Lochridge wrote to another employee about OceanGate’s CEO, Stockton Rush. Lochridge, who worked for OceanGate as an employee between 2016 and 2018, wrote in the email that the submersible was “an accident waiting to happen.”

Indonesia Seizes Iran Supertanker

The company that owned the Titan submersible that imploded during a deep-sea voyage to the Titanic, killing all five people onboard, has announced that it will be suspending exploration and commercial operations.

The company’s CEO, Stockton Rush, was among those who perished in the disaster in the North Atlantic Ocean last month.

“OceanGate has suspended all exploration and commercial operations,” the company’s official website said last Thursday.

OceanGate hosted $250,000-a-ticket tourist excursions on the Titan submersible to the 111-year-old remains of the Titanic – about 12,500 feet below the ocean’s surface.

The Titan – a 23,000-pound vessel roughly the size of a minivan – was about 1 hour and 45 minutes into a dive toward the Titanic when it lost contact with its mother ship on June 18. The Titan’s failure to resurface sparked a massive, international search that captured the world’s attention for days.

On June 22, officials confirmed the Titan had suffered a “catastrophic implosion.”

Indonesia’s coast guard said on Tuesday that it seized an Iranian-flagged supertanker suspected of involvement in the illegal transshipment of crude oil and vowed to toughen maritime patrols.

The MT Arman 114 was carrying 272,569 metric tons of light crude oil, valued at 4.6 trillion rupiah ($304 million), when it was seized last week. The Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) was suspected of transferring oil to another vessel without a permit on Friday, the Southeast Asian nation’s maritime security agency said.

The vessel was captured after being spotted in Indonesia’s North Natuna Sea, carrying out a ship-to-ship oil transfer with the Cameroon-flagged MT S Tinos, the agency’s chief, Aan Kurnia, said.

“MT Arman was spoofing their automatic identification system (AIS) to show its position was in the Red Sea but in reality it is here,” Aan explained. “So it seems like they already had a malicious intent.”

The vessel also dumped oil into the ocean, in violation of Indonesia’s environmental law.

Along with the Arman, authorities detained its Egyptian captain, 28 crew and three passengers, who were the family

of a security officer on board, the agency said.

According to Reuters, a “shadow” fleet of tankers carrying oil from sanctioned Iran, Russia and Venezuela has been transferring cargoes in the Singapore Strait to avoid detection.

In 2021, Indonesia seized Iranianand Panamanian-flagged vessels over similar accusations. The captains of the two vessels received two years’ probation from an Indonesian court.

Trapped in a Cable Car

Firefighters were alerted around 4 p.m. local time last Thursday of a technical failure that affected the Quito Cable Car, with at least 70 people trapped inside, the Quito municipality said in a statement.

“In total, the authorities rescued 27 people who had been suspended in the gondolas when the service was inoperative and 47 people who had been left without transportation on top of the mountain,” the statement said.

Photos released by Quito authorities show emergency workers huddled in the dark, with the city mayor on site, as rescue efforts continued through Thursday night.

The Quito Cable Car, also known as the Telefériqo, reaches more than 3,947 meters (12,950 feet) above sea level, making it one of the highest cable cars in South America. The ride travels more than 2,500 meters over an 18-minute journey that offers a view of the Quito cityscape and the surrounding mountains, the site says.

Buried Treasure

In June 1938, five months before the tragic Kristallnacht, the Nazis destroyed the main shul in Munich, Germany. Up until 85 years later, it was believed that no part of the once famous synagogue could have survived the destruction. However, recently, remnants of the building were found underwater.

mains were used by the company in 1956 in a project involving the Isar River dam and were also used by the government in the 1970s, when some of the debris was used to form small hills.

Although the stone tablet was submerged for over seventy years, it is still in “quite good condition,” Purin noted, adding that there are likely other surviving relics from the synagogue but their excavation would be impossible, since “there are trees growing on the hills now.”

Based on photo evidence prior to the shul’s destruction, it is believed that the stone “originally came from the Ark (containing the Torah) on the eastern wall of the synagogue,” Purin said.

It was hours until rescuers were able to free dozens of people who had been trapped in gondolas on one of the world’s highest cable car systems in Ecuador.

The discovery was made during the renovation of a small dam, when a stone with the Aseres Hadibros written on it was spotted in Munich’s Isar River.

“I never thought we would find anything from the old synagogue,” Bernhard Purin, the director of Munich’s Jewish Museum, said. “I felt happy and sad at the same time about this extraordinary find.”

Leonhard Moll, a construction company hired by Hitler, ym”sh, was tasked to completely destroy the shul. The re-

“The extermination of Jewish citizens during the Nazi era began with the destruction of Jewish culture,” Munich’s deputy mayor, Katrin Habenschaden, said. “The demolition of the main synagogue on Hitler’s orders marked the beginning of exclusion, persecution and destruction. The fact that today we can find remains of the once cityscape-defining magnificent building is a stroke of luck and touches me deeply. Jewish life was and is an integral part of our city’s history, present and future.”

In the place where the shul once stood is now a department store.

Deadly Monsoons Lash at India

many states Monday afternoon, including the capital region of Delhi, where roads in several areas were submerged in kneedeep water and court hearings had to be suspended or shifted online, away from flooded courthouses.

A weekend of heavy rains and flooding has left destruction across large swaths of northern India, killing at least 23 people and causing landslides and flash floods that washed away bridges and buildings, officials said.

Most of the deaths over the weekend appear to have been in the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh, which received more than 10 times its average rainfall for this time of year. The wreckage stemming from the deluge forced authorities there to shut down schools and advise residents to leave their homes only if necessary. Dozens of people have been killed in the state since the monsoon season began in June.

Torrential rain continued to lash

In recent years, India has often experienced extreme weather patterns, including record heat waves and heavy floods in monsoon season. In the case of the floods, in addition to the strain on everyday Indians, farmers have complained about the devastating effect on crops as the rains have become more unpredictable and damaging.

R.K. Jenamani, who works for the India Meteorological Department in New Delhi, said the confluence of cyclonic storms called western disturbances with the monsoon season was behind the current downpour, the heaviest in decades. More rain across large parts of northern India is forecast.

“The rainfall is several times more than normal,” Jenamani said. “For example, in Himachal Pradesh, the normal rainfall would have been around 8 millimeters, but it was 103.4 millimeters on Sunday.” (Eight millimeters is about one-third of an inch; 103.4 millimeters is about 4 inches.)

Video from Himachal Pradesh, a pop-

ular tourist destination, showed flash floods washing away homes, and rescue workers struggling to bring trapped people to safety. Jagat Singh Negi, horticulture minister in the state, said at least 20 people had died in rain-related incidents there over the past two days, making a total of more than 70 who had been killed since June 24 after floods engulfed entire villages, causing landslides and blocking hundreds of roads.

Some of the heaviest rainfall in decades also struck the Delhi region, according to the India Meteorological Department. The rains flooded homes and streets, killing at least three people, Delhi fire department officials said. (© The New York Times)

Volcano Erupts in Iceland

Dutch Government Collapses

After weeks of earthquakes shaking the area, on Monday, a volcano began to send plumes of smoke in the air in Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula, just south of Iceland’s capital Reykjavik.

The Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) said the “minor” eruption began but no ash has been emitted and so far no disruption has been reported at the country’s Keflavik Airport.

The IMO said there was a 200-meter (656 feet) long fissure on the slopes of the Litli Hrútur mountain, “from which lava is emerging as a series of fountains.”

Scientists had warned of possible eruptions after hundreds of minor earthquakes were detected in recent weeks.

Photos show streams of lava flowing along the dark fields, with small fires in the distance and thick smoke billowing in the air.

Since the eruption took place in an uninhabited area, there were no “immediate risks” to communities or infrastructure, the IMO said – but it warned people not to venture near the area, saying there will be an accumulation of “dangerously high levels of volcanic gases.”

The wind will carry some of these gases north, potentially affecting several areas including the Icelandic capital.

On Friday, the Dutch government collapsed, triggering new elections in the fall. The issue at hand was immigration – two of four parties in the coalition refused to support Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s conservative VVD party’s proposal to limit the flow of asylum seekers to the Netherlands.

“It’s no secret that the coalition partners have differing opinions about immigration policy. Today, we unfortunately have to conclude that those differences have become insurmountable. Therefore, I will tender the resignation of the entire cabinet to the king,” Rutte said.

Tensions came to a head this week, when Rutte demanded support for a proposal to limit entrance of children of war refugees who are already in the Netherlands and to make families wait at least two years before they can be united.

This latest proposal went too far for the small Christian Union and liberal D66 parties, resulting in a stalemate.

For now, Rutte’s coalition will stay on as a caretaker government until a new administration is formed after new elections, a process which in the fractured Dutch political landscape usually takes months.

The Netherlands already has a one of Europe’s toughest immigration policies, but under the pressure of right-wing parties, Rutte had for months been trying to seek ways to further reduce the inflow of asylum seekers.

Asylum applications in the Netherlands jumped by a third last year to over 46,000, and the government has projected they could increase to more than 70,000 this year – topping the previous high of 2015. The country is already overwhelmed by those seeking asylum. For months last year, hundreds of refugees were housed in facilities with little access to drinking water and sanitary conditions.

Rutte last year said he felt “ashamed” of the problems, after humanitarian group Medecins sans Frontieres sent in a team to the Netherlands for the first time

ever, to assist with migrants’ medical needs at the center for processing asylum requests.

Rutte, 56, is the longest-serving government leader in Dutch history and the most senior in the EU after Hungary’s Viktor Orban. He is expected to lead his VVD party again at the next elections. Rutte’s current coalition, which came to power in January 2022, was his fourth consecutive administration since he became prime minister in October 2010.

500 Days of Ukraine War

skyy honored the “heroes” who fought for Snake Island, calling the battle that ultimately forced Russian troops to withdraw last June “one of the most important” since the full-scale invasion.

It was not immediately clear when the video was filmed: The Ukrainian leader was still in Turkey on Saturday, a trip described in part as an effort to drum up support for his country’s bid to join NATO.

Kyiv views membership in NATO as the ultimate guarantee of its security; its application in September to join the alliance was made against the backdrop of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

While Zelenskyy has acknowledged that Ukraine won’t be joining NATO anytime soon, given that such a move would force the mutual-defense alliance into direct military conflict with Russia, he has repeatedly urged its members to set out a timetable for accession. In recent months, he has expressed hope that next week’s summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, could provide clarity. (© The New York Times)

Russian forces launched a deadly strike in eastern Ukraine on Saturday as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy marked the 500th day of the war with a show of defiance, sharing a video of himself visiting a Black Sea island that has become a potent symbol of his country’s resistance to the invasion.

In the kind of attack that has become painfully familiar, at least seven civilians were killed and 13 others were injured when Russian forces shelled the city center of Lyman in the eastern Donetsk region at around 10 a.m., Ukrainian officials said.

Russian forces used cluster munitions in the attack, according to Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The attack came just a day after President Joe Biden said the United States would supply the weapons to Kyiv to battle Moscow’s entrenched forces despite qualms from American allies.

The midmorning assault was a grim reminder of the toll taken on Ukraine by 500 days of war. Zelenskyy paid tribute Saturday to all those who have lost their lives, using the backdrop of Snake Island to underscore Ukrainian resolve.

At the start of the war in February 2022, an audio recording captured Ukrainian border guards on the island, 20 miles off the coast of Odesa. Defying an order by a Russian warship to surrender, the guards responded with a memorable burst of profanity that became a rallying cry immortalized on stamps and on billboards around the country.

In the video posted Saturday, Zelen-

Day of Disruption

Israelis were out in the streets again this week, with thousands rallying against the judicial overhaul advanced by the Netanyahu government.

Protesters filled Ben Gurion Airport, converging on Terminal 3 just hours after the Knesset approved the first reading of a bill regarding the reasonableness clause. Police attempted to quell the protests, using water cannons to hold people back on the main highways between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

By mid-afternoon on Tuesday, 66 people were arrested across the country. At least nine protesters and one police officer were injured, Channel 12 reported.

National Unity party leader Benny Gantz, a leading opponent of the overhaul, joined the protest at Tel Aviv’s Kaplan Street.

The protests in Tel Aviv were policed under the command of Tel Aviv District deputy chief David Filo, following the departure of district head Amichai Eshed. Announcing his resignation last Wednesday, Eshed claimed he was to be transferred from the role due to politicians’ distaste for his ostensibly soft approach toward demonstrators.

Before gathering at Kaplan Street, Tel Aviv protesters marched on the headquarters of the Histadrut labor federation, demanding the powerful union call a general strike.

Histadrut head Arnon Bar-David publicly called on Netanyahu to “stop the chaos” and said that the federation would “intervene” if necessary.

“Stop the crazy chaos in Israeli society as soon as possible. The ball is in your court. When the situation reaches an extreme and all other paths have been taken, we will intervene and use our power,” he said.

“Shutting down the economy is not a game,” he told a Tel Aviv conference, implying that he may use the union to pressure the government to stop unilaterally advancing the overhaul so that both sides can return to compromise talks. “They are fighting in the Knesset, they have blown up the [compromise] talks at the

President’s Residence, leaving the people of Israel and the Histadrut caught in the middle,” he said.

Education Minister Yoav Kisch, a member of Netanyahu’s Likud party, said of the widespread national protests against the judicial overhaul that “we won’t give in to this terror.”

“It is an attempt to intimidate elected officials and disrupt the lives of millions,” he told Army Radio. “People are being permitted to block the Ayalon [highway] every week. This is an injustice.”

On Sunday, Attorney General Baharav-Miara and other senior officials in the Justice Ministry were summoned to the weekly cabinet meeting to discuss how law enforcement agencies have dealt with the protests. The attorney general was repeatedly attacked by several ministers and some called for her dismissal, as they railed against authorities’ handling of the demonstrators.

Ministers have bristled at what they claim is overly soft handling of demonstrators who harass and heckle them wherever they go, stage protests at their homes, and block key roads for hours at a time.

Israeli-Russian Abducted in Iraq

Kataeb Hezbollah, an Iraqi militia group unaffiliated with the Lebanese Hezbollah, was accused by Israel on Thursday, when the Jewish State claimed that the group had abducted an Israeli-Russian woman.

Elizabeth Tsurkov was kidnapped in Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, where she was conducting research for Princeton University as part of her doctorate studies on the region. The organization blamed for her disappearance is a part of Iraq’s pro-Iran Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces), a group that the U.S. government recognized as a terrorist organization in 2009.

Abu Ali al-Askari, spokesman for the terror group, broadcast a message on the

Telegram app, denying the accusations. “The admission by the prime minister of the Zionist entity [Israel] concerning the presence of an Israeli security agent hostage in Iraq is a very dangerous indicator. The security organizations concerned should expose networks linked to this entity and bring them to justice,” wrote al-Askari. “In turn, Kataeb Hezbollah will work tirelessly to find out the fate of the Zionist hostage or hostages in Iraq… to discover more about the intentions of the criminal gang which facilitates their movements in a country…that prohibits and criminalizes any relationship [with Israel].”

The Arab media has alleged that Tsurkov was kidnapped because she’s an Israeli spy, a claim that has been rejected by Israel. Instead, she was likely abducted because she’s from Israel and Russia, two foreign countries.

According to reports, Tsurkov, who is thirty-six years old, went to Baghdad in December 2022, and she was abducted at the beginning of Ramadan, which was in March 2023. According to the New York Times, she had emergency back surgery in Iraq’s capital. Prior to her abduction, she was healing from the procedure.

Tsurkov is a self-described “fighter for Palestinian rights” and has “conducted

field work” in “Syria, Iraq and Israel-Palestine” as well as other countries in the Middle East, according to her website.

It is illegal for any citizen of Israel to travel to enemy countries, such as Iraq, even if they travel on foreign passport, as Tsurkov did with her Russian passport. Still, Israeli, Russian, and U.S. officials are collaborating in order to liberate the Israeli-Russian researcher.

Shilo Yosef Amir, Hy”d

ist drove off but was caught by the IDF, who killed him during the pursuit.

The victim was Staff Sgt. Shilo Yosef Amir, a twenty-two-year-old from the town of Meirav, who was a part of the Givati infantry brigade’s reconnaissance unit. He was quickly declared dead by the Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency medical service, after unsuccessful attempts to resuscitate him.

Hamas, the terrorist organization in charge of Gaza, said that its military wing, Izz ad-Din al-Quassam Brigades, was responsible for the attack, and named the murderer as Ahmed Yassin Ghaidan, adding that the act was revenge for Israel’s actions in Jenin on the 3rd and 4th of July, when twelve or more Palestinian gunmen were killed by Israeli soldiers in anti-terrorist measures. According to the Shin Bet, Israel’s Security Agency, the terrorist who killed Amir hadn’t been involved in any known acts of terrorism before this attack.

were warned to make sure their doors and windows were locked.

Shilo was buried on Friday on Har Herzl near Sgt. 1st Class David Yehuda Yitzhak, who was killed in action earlier in the week in Jenin. Thousands joined in the funeral for the Givati soldier who lost his life for his country.

“Shilo, we stand here today shocked and pained by the terrible loss,” the commander of Sayeret Givati said in his eulogy. “Throughout your military service, you were always the first to volunteer. You were a man of truth, you said everything that was on your mind, and you carried out every task to the end with maturity. For your friends, you were a good friend, a conversationalist, loved by your friends; you were looking to give more.”

Former Editor of Walla Testifies

Last Thursday, July 6, a car was spotted driving in Kedumim, a Jewish village in the West Bank. When the IDF tried to inspect the vehicle, due to suspicion that the driver may be dangerous, the man inside the car shot at the soldiers with a handgun, killing one of them. The terror-

In Hamas’ statement, the terror group also threatened Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s Finance Minister, who resides in Kedumim, telling him that “the al-Qassam Brigades almost knocked on your door.”

As the events were transpiring, alarms sounded in Kedumim, and citizens of the settlement were told to stay inside and

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, is currently facing corruption charges in a case that has been ongoing for the past three years and will likely continue for a few more years.

On Monday, Baruch Shay, the former head news editor of news website Walla,

testified against Netanyahu, accusing the PM of interfering with Walla’s news stories.

According to the accusations, Netanyahu made Shaul Elovitch, a shareholder of an Israeli telecommunications company, Bezeq, hundreds of millions of shekels by using his power as prime minister to help the company out in numerous ways. In exchange for these political favors, Netanyahu purportedly gained some degree of control of Walla, a company owned by Elovitch.

“The requests from the bosses during the [2015] election period became more frequent,” Shay testified. “At first, they asked to review things after the edit, then it became before the edit. The issues focused on were those touching on Bezeq, Netanyahu’s family and his political rivals.

“Usually, material was sent to Avi Alkalay, [former chief editor at Walla]. At

first it was for approval, then it was for changes, and there were cases when stories were killed,” Shay said, adding that the requests generally involved writing about Netanyahu in an especially positive light, or killing off or editing stories that criticized him.

In his testimony, Shay mentioned some examples of requests Netanyahu made. For instance, in 2015, the prime minister allegedly told the news website to not air an interview they did with him, and as a compromise, Netanyahu’s associates were given the opportunity to edit the interview, unbeknownst to the interviewer or the news team. Other instances that bothered Shay include incidents in which Netanyahu allegedly had Walla censor stories about controversial actions of his son Yair and his wife Sara. In addition, he purportedly requested that the news site write articles that portray his rivals in a negative light.

Netanyahu has been charged with bribery, fraud, and betraying the trust of the public, with three cases having been made against him. The first is known as Case 1000, which accuses the Israeli leader of accepting and requesting gifts from billionaires in exchange for political favors. The second is known as Case 2000, which accuses him of arranging a deal in

which, in exchange for positive representation in a popular newspaper, he would try to hurt one of the paper’s competitors by using his political authority. Finally, the current case, Case 4000, has Netanyahu being accused of corrupt involvement in Bezeq and Walla.

The prime minister has claimed that the accusations are untrue and that he did nothing wrong in any of these cases.

Is the AG Not Doing Her Job?

issue with the riots that are rocking Israel and feel that Baharav-Miara isn’t strict enough when it comes to enforcing the law upon protesters.

“Selective enforcement is a fatal wound to democracy,” said Prime Minister Netanyahu, accusing her of not punishing protesters simply because she agrees with their political beliefs.

In recent times, protesters have blocked traffic on Israeli highways, swarmed around a salon which Netanyahu’s wife was visiting, and have clashed with police, among other things.

Out of 572 protesters arrested, only six of them were charged with a crime. Those six individuals were all indicted for attacking police officers, while those arrested for disrupting public peace and ignoring police orders were all set free.

Many cabinet officials have suggested firing Baharav-Miara, but at this time, it is unclear whether Netanyahu is contemplating doing so.

Gali Bahara-Miara, a decent [person] and a ‘gatekeeper’ who is just doing her job, is a demonstration of what they are trying to do to Israeli society: bullying instead of the rule of law, government violence against citizens and officials, the forceful elimination of our democracy.”

Flash Floods Hit Northeast

On Sunday, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara faced hours of criticism and questioning at a cabinet meeting, in which several of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ministers raised concerns about her stance on crime.

Many government officials have taken

“If the attorney general supports and allows disturbances of public order, contrary to the opinion of the Supreme Court and previous attorneys general, then what is the job of elected officials?” asked Miri Regev, the government’s Transportation Minister. “If the attorney general… isn’t willing to help the government function, maybe she should be fired.”

“I hope the government is not asking me to say that it wants more aggressive enforcement to suppress the protest against it, against the professional judgment of the [police] commanders on the ground and the state prosecution,” the Attorney General said, responding to the criticism directed towards her. “I hope that the government is not expecting the law enforcement system to fill quotas for arrests or indictments against protesters.”

According to reports, Baharav-Miara added, “There is no such thing as an effective protest without public disturbance,” to which Netanyahu angrily responded, “Besieging a hair salon six centimeters away [from my wife]? No court would [permit] that… So if you want a good protest go and break the law. It’s unbelievable. It’s impossible. That endangers the rule of law.”

At the end of the meeting, the cabinet requested that Baharav-Miara submit a detailed plan on how these civil disturbances will be dealt with in the future.

Some have come to Baharav-Miara’s defense, including former prime minister and current opposition leader Yair Lapid, who said, “The government carried out a violent hazing against the attorney general today. The ministers’ ugly attack on

The intense rain over the weekend in New York proved to be fatal, as one person died in the storms that compelled residents to flee from flooded homes and stranded cars.

Over 9 million people were under flood alerts across the Northeast on Monday, including parts of New York, Vermont, Massachusetts and Maine – as well as across the country in Washington and Alaska. Flash flood emergencies and landslides were expected, with heavy rainfall continuing throughout the day.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood emergency warning for central Vermont on Monday, where 19 people had been rescued by boat and 25 others had been evacuated. Some areas were inaccessible due to flooding. Gov. Phil Scott declared a state of emergency Sunday as the weather service warned flash flooding could become “extremely dangerous.”

“My friends, this is the new normal,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said, addressing the havoc that the storm was wreaking in the state, where more than 8 inches of rain fell within a 24-hour period in some locations.

Sadly, a 35-year-old woman died on Sunday when she attempted to evacuate her home in Orange County.

For some who tried to escape the rising waters, flooded roads proved to be impassable.

Rainfall in West Point, New York, totaled more than 7.5 inches in six hours

Sunday afternoon, according to preliminary data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. That’s a 1-in-1,000 year rainfall event for the area, according to a CNN analysis of NOAA’s historical rainfall frequency data.

A once-in-a-millennium rainfall event is one that is so intense, the chances of it happening in any given year is just 0.1%.

Reading, Pennsylvania, received 5.35 inches of rain Sunday, shattering its old daily rainfall record of 3.47 inches, set in 1952.

Meta’s Twitter Competition

together to discuss everything from the topics you care about today to what’ll be trending tomorrow. Whatever it is you’re interested in, you can follow and connect directly with your favorite creators and others who love the same things — or build a loyal following of your own to share your ideas, opinions and creativity with the world,” the app’s description on the App Store and Google Play states.

The new app is notably similar to Twitter, both in terms of design and functionality. Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO, posted on Threads that he hopes the app will someday reach one billion users, a feat that Twitter has yet to accomplish, he noted.

A day after the social media platform’s release, Threads had over 30 million users. While it resembles Twitter, Threads also shares many features with Instagram and even requires users to have an Instagram account in order to sign up. Instagram users who are verified will find that they are also verified on Threads, and users will be able to easily share one of their Threads posts on their Instagram story.

lion users. On October 27, 2022, the company was acquired by Elon Musk, and has since been subject to numerous changes, with some praising and others criticizing Musk’s way of handling the company.

In response to Meta’s new app, Musk tweeted, “I’m sure Earth can’t wait to be exclusively under Zuck’s thumb with no other options.”

Musk recently made headlines when he challenged Zuckerberg to a cage fight. Meta’s CEO responded to Musk, writing on his Instagram Story, “Send Me Location.” It is expected that the event, if it does happen, will be in Las Vegas, but Musk mentioned the possibility that the two may fight in the Roman Colosseum. We shall see which billionaire wins.

How Much Money Do You Need?

debt, and 25% blamed the affordability of houses, or the lack thereof.

Although money is obviously essential for financial security, other factors are important as well. For example, job benefits can really come in handy, and positive mindsets and priorities are certainly helpful for managing one’s finances. The cost of living has a lot of influence over the situation and whether one saves or spends also makes an enormous difference.

FDA Approves Alzheimer’s Drug

Last week, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, released a new app called Threads.

“Threads is where communities come

Threads is available on iPhones and Androids in one hundred countries but is not available as a website thus far.

Twitter was founded on March 21, 2006, and currently has around 353 mil-

Bankrate, a personal finance website, recently surveyed over 2,500 adults in the United States, asking each how much money they would need to make annually in order to feel financially comfortable and how much they would need to make in order to feel rich.

According to this survey, on average, American adults feel that in order to be financially safe, they would need to make $233,000 annually. And in order to feel wealthy, they would have to be earning $483,000.

Bankrate also asked its surveyors whether they feel financially secure now, to which only 28% responded with a yes; 72% said they do not. However, 46% said that they anticipate that they will achieve financial security some time in the future. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2021, the median full-time worker salary was $56,473.

When asked why they feel financially insecure, 63% said it was because of inflation, 48% said it was because of the economic environment, 42% attributed it to not having enough emergency savings, 41% said the problem stemmed from not having enough retirement saving, 36% blamed rising interest rates, 33% said it was because they’re not getting paid enough, 26% attributed the issue to

Leqembi, a drug made by Eisai and Biogen, has been shown to help people with Alzheimer’s disease by delaying the development of the illness. On Thursday, Leqembi was given full approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, prompting the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to increase availability of the drug.

“Today’s action is the first verification that a drug targeting the underlying disease process of Alzheimer’s disease has shown clinical benefit in this devastating disease,” the Office of Neuroscience in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research’s acting director, Teresa Buracchio, announced. “This confirmatory study verified that it is a safe and effective treatment for patients with Alzheimer’s disease.”

In January, the drug was given accelerated approval by the FDA, but CMS limited coverage of the medicine, which costs $26,500 a year, saying that they would allow others to get the drug once the FDA grants it traditional approval.

Currently, Leqembi is only for people who have early, mild forms of Alzheimer’s; it is not for those in advanced stages of the disease.

“It’s not that we know it’s not good for people with moderate or severe disease; it’s just that we don’t know,” said Dr. Lawrence Honig, a professor of neurology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, adding that at least one sixth of all Americans with the disease are in early stages of Alzheimer’s.

“This treatment, while not a cure, can give people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s more time to maintain their independence and do the things they love,” said Dr. Joanne Pike, the president and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association. “This gives people more months of recognizing their spouse, children and grandchildren. This also means more time for a person to drive safely, accurately and promptly take care of family finances, and participate fully in hobbies and interests.”

The medicine will be given through IV infusions every other week.

In an 18-month clinical trial, Leqembi has been proven to slow the progression of the disease by 27%. However, while a first of its kind, the drug has side effects. 13% of those in the trial had brain swelling or bleeding as a result of taking Leqembi. A person is more likely to experience such effects if they’re on blood thinners or if they’re genetically predisposed.

Leqembi is the first drug to show evidence of slowing down the progression of the disease in clinical trials. However, before they cover the cost of the drug, the CMS wants to gather more data on the drug’s effectiveness and safety in real-world settings. To do so, the CMS requires that doctors and healthcare teams who prescribe Leqembi participate in a registry, a system that collects and analyzes information on the patient’s health and use of the drug. The CMS hopes that the registry will help improve the understanding and the outcomes of Leqembi for people with Alzheimer’s disease.

Ship Fire Contained

ing. Wayne “Bear” Brooks Jr., a firefighter for more than 16 years, died early Thursday morning after he was recovered.

Other fire fighters suffered from steam burns, heat exhaustion, and smoke inhalation.

For now, firefighters say the vessel is stable and is not in danger of capsizing. It is not yet known what caused the blaze.

New Hampshire Takes On BDS

It was a blaze that took the lives of two New Jersey firefighters and injured five others. Finally, on Saturday, fire crews said that they made progress on flames that burned through a cargo ship that had been docked at Port Newark, days after the fire began.

Marine firefighting specialists made considerable progress after “actively conducting fire suppression both pier-side and on the water,” the Coast Guard said in a statement.

“As of Saturday afternoon, the fire is contained on the 11th deck and is being suppressed and no longer spreading to other areas of the vessel,” the statement said.

The fire started Wednesday night onboard the Grande Costa d’Avorio, an Italian-flagged vessel carrying thousands of vehicles and other goods, on the 10th deck. Upon arrival, firefighters located the fire, which broke out in five to seven cars and spread to the 11th and 12th floors of the ship.

About an hour later, a mayday call was issued after a firefighter became trapped inside, and a second mayday call was issued for another firefighter. Augusto “Augie” Acabou, a firefighter for more than nine years, was rescued from the ship before midnight and was later taken to a hospital, where he died Thursday morn-

On Thursday, Christopher Sununu, the governor of New Hampshire, signed an executive order, banning the state from doing business with, and supporting, the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Instead of promoting the BDS movement, the state will now protect businesses who support

Israel from boycotts and antisemitic discrimination.

BDS is a highly controversial movement which seeks to hurt the State of Israel and its supporters. Many have accused the movement of using manipulative tactics to support antisemitism.

New Hampshire is the 37th state in the U.S. to establish anti-BDS policies. Other states that have put similar measures into law include New York, New Jersey, California, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Florida, among many others.

Among the many who praise this decision is the Israeli-American Coalition for Action (IAC for Action).

“IAC for Action applauds Gov. Sununu for taking a firm stand against national-origin discrimination and safeguarding the deep cultural and commercial ties between Israel and New Hampshire,” Shawn Evenhaim, the chairman of the group, said. “This executive order shields New Hampshire businesses from the coercive and bullying tactics employed by the BDS hate movement, preserving freedom and liberty.”

Joseph Sabag, the group’s executive director, added that “with this new policy, Gov. Sununu upholds the state’s right to express its own voice and refuse participation in antisemitic discrimination.”

Ambassador Gilad Erdan, Israel’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, has vocally backed this new law, as well.

“I have come here today to express gratitude to the state of New Hampshire on behalf of the State of Israel and Jewish people,” said Erdan. “By becoming the 37th state to reaffirm opposition to BDS, New Hampshire is helping not just to strengthen relations between Israel and the U.S. but is also creating an economic Iron Dome that will ensure our shared progress and prosperity while fortifying the moral Iron Dome protecting the basic notions of truth and justice.”

Erdan has recently criticized the UN Commission on Inquiry for disapproving of anti-BDS laws in the United States.

Free Public Transportation?

Several U.S. cities have started experimenting with removing the cost of public transportation, including Tucson, Arizona; Raleigh, North Carolina; Richmond and Alexandria, Virginia; Kansas City; and Olympia, Washington. Denver will be making its transit system free for

the summer, Boston will make three bus routes free, and New York City will try removing its bus fees for five routes.

These cities are implementing such measures in hopes that it will encourage more people to take the bus instead of taking their car, which may in turn help the environment by getting less vehicles off the road. Fare-free travel will also likely benefit lower-income citizens of these cities.

Others believe that these experimental measures will prove ineffective. Critics cite studies conducted in European cities, which show that free fares don’t really appeal to motorists but rather to people who would have otherwise cycled or walked to their destination. Others add that while it helps low-income individuals, it also makes it more difficult to answer the question of who exactly is going to pay for the whole transit system.

“There’s no such thing as free transit,” Richard Jarrold, the deputy CEO of the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, said, emphasizing how difficult it is to pay for bussing when no riders are paying fares.

due book that we’ve gotten back,” Olivia Melo, the library’s director, said on Sunday. “And we do get some books back after, you know, 10, 15 years.”

The book, published in 1881 and written by a prominent Scottish physicist, was an early scientific text laying out electrical theories.

“A very, very large proportion of residents feel that their lives are more convenient now that they don’t have to ration trips,” said Michelle Wu, the mayor of Boston. “We’re seeing the difference that it makes when you remove financial barriers for everyone.”

Wu added that these changes also improved the transportation system’s speed and efficiency, since buses no longer have to stop in order to allow people to pay.

120 Years Late

As books go, James Clerk Maxwell’s “An Elementary Treatise on Electricity” is hardly a household name, but it has gained renewed attention after a copy was returned last month to a Massachusetts library nearly 120 years overdue.

“This is definitely the longest over-

Its 208 pages, bound by a cranberry-colored cover, are crammed with technical jargon and medleys of elaborate mathematical equations. The library acquired the book in 1882, Melo said.

It was likely either last checked out on February 14, 1904, or February 14, 1905. The faded stamp makes it difficult to be certain, but a faint circular shape after the “190-” suggests the later date, she said. A prior checkout stamp clearly reads Dec. 10, 1903.

On May 30, the library was contacted by Stewart Plein, a curator of rare books

at West Virginia University’s library in Morgantown, West Virginia.

“We have recently received a donation that included a book from your library,” Plein wrote in a note. “There is no withdrawn information. Would you like it returned to you?”

Libraries mark books “withdrawn” to indicate they no longer own a book. The absence of such a mark suggested to Plein that it still belonged to the New Bedford Free Public Library. She mailed the book back.

The book is in “optimal shape,” Melo said.

Though the book today does not command an astronomical price on the open market — it was mass-produced, and a similar copy is listed for sale online at $600 — “An Elementary Treatise on Electricity” does hold sentimental and historical value, Melo said.

In the digital age, it speaks to the “value of the printed word,” she said.

“This book is going to be here 100 years from now because now we’re going to continue to preserve it and take care of it,” Melo said. “For future generations, this book will be here.” (© The New York Times)

Mom of the Year

throughout,” Payne said in her speech.

“To my precious children, you are the reason I strive for greatness, and I thank you for the motivation and inspiration you provide every day.”

On Payne’s first day of college classes in 2019, she received some words of encouragement from her oldest daughter, Lorelai, 9, that she says she still cherishes today.

“She sent me to school with a Post-It note in her tiny handwriting that had this phrase; ‘Aim for the moon – if you miss, you may hit a star,’” Payne shared. “If she can realize the vast opportunities this world has to offer, so can you.”

Payne had put her learning on hold in 2006 when she had a pulmonary embolism. She took time off to focus on her health and on her family. Eventually, she went back to school and focused on midwifery.

“My array of birth experiences, after having seven babies, has put me in a unique position to be able to empathize with most women and has cultivated a passion for birth work,” Payne said.

Nothing like the experience of being a mom.

Passage of Time

was meant to be.”

In July 1951, the then-princess Elizabeth opened the new U.S. Officers’ Club at an official ceremony paid for by Lord Nuffield at a cost of £170,000 pounds.

Vice-chancellor, Professor Graham Galbraith, who attended the capsule opening, noted, “What struck me most was the headlines on the Daily Graphic newspaper from 1949, which include strike action and issues around dentistry.

“It’s not too dissimilar from what we’d be reading today.”

What’s old is new again.

The Big Cheese

its menu: a burger with no meat and a jaw-dropping amount of cheese. The company says it’s a “real cheeseburger” – a bun filled with 20 slices of American cheese.

The item launched on Thai menus on Sunday, at a reduced price of 109 Thai baht ($3.1), compared with the usual price of 380 baht ($10.9). It quickly went viral on social media in Thailand, with many users on TikTok posting videos of them trying the new sandwich.

“This is no joke. This is for real,” Burger King said in a Sunday social media post.

Quickly, customers clamored for the cheesy dish. But many said that it was just too much cheese and that it was just not “gouda.”

One person said, “I could only finish half of it. This is an insane amount of cheese added into one burger. Food is good when things are at the right combination.”

Another customer echoed that view, calling the cheeseburger “too intense.”

If you’re heading to Thailand and cheese is your thing, this may be for you. Recently, the Thai operator of Burger King announced a new offering on

Of course, this cheeseburger is not kosher, but you can make your own at home and experience the over-the-top cheese concoction.

Just remember that sometimes, you can’t have too much of a good thing.

Ashley Payne is not just a great mom – she’s a really good student.

The mother of seven recently graduated as valedictorian with a perfect GPA at Keiser University with a Bachelor’s in nursing.

“I cannot begin to express the gratitude and joy that fills my heart as I reflect on this incredible journey,” Ashley said in her valedictorian address.

This is not the first time the 35-yearold earned perfect grades. Back in 2006, Payne served as valedictorian at her high school graduation at the Families of Faith Christian Academy.

Payne credits her achievements to the support and love of her children and her husband, Joseph, whom she calls her “other half.”

“Each step has been marked by the support and love of an amazing family who have been my rock and foundation

Seventy-four years ago, someone buried a time capsule on grounds of University of Portsmouth in England. This year, workers dismantling the Nuffield Centre at the college found the package in a sealed lead pipe behind the date stone of the building, which is dated May 9, 1949.

So what was so important to be buried back then? The time capsule contains a copy of The Times and Daily Graphic newspapers, a King George VI half crown coin in a bag stamped by the Secretary U.S. Officers’ Grounds, an “order of proceedings” from the laying of the stone event, a list of the grounds staff with signatures, and headed notepaper from the construction company, John Hunt Ltd in Gosport.

Demolition site manager Nathan Byng, who made the discovery, said, “It’s very rare to come across time capsules. Sometimes we get told that they’re there, but this was a complete surprise.

“When I found the lead pipe, I could picture the guys who put it in place, and as a Portsmouth boy myself it felt like it

Around the Community

A Geshmak Summer at Camp Matov

The Fun Never Ends at Camp Machaneh Yisroel

A Special Mishmar at Camp Kaylie

Last year, the Camp Kaylie family mourned the loss of a cherished camper, Yossy Ruttner, Yosef ben Tisroel Doivd Leib, z”l. Yossi was a long-time camper. In honor of his memory a special Mishmar learning session and kumzitz were held at Camp Kaylie, bringing together campers, staff, and

loved ones to celebrate his life and continue his legacy. To pay tribute to Yossi’s love for learning and his enduring impact, Camp Kaylie organized a special Mishmar learning session in his honor.

Campers and staff gathered together, bringing their enthusiasm and a sense of reverence for this beloved camper.

Led by our Masmidim, the Mishmar learning session focused on encouraging participants to engage in thoughtful discussions, ask questions, and seek deeper meaning in their learning. In addition to the Mishmar learning session, a kumzitz led by Duvid’l was held in his honor. The campers and staff came together, armed

with their instruments and voices, to create an uplifting and soul-stirring atmosphere.

The event became a testament to the resilience and strength of the Camp Kaylie community, who came together to support one another and cherish the memory of their beloved friend.

Photos by Ezra Rosenfeld

Swimming, Sports, Slushies, Smiles and Learning at Simcha Day Camp

New Hampshire Governor Takes On BDS

Last week, New Hampshire Gov. Christopher Sununu signed an executive order prohibiting the Granite State from investing in or contracting with companies and commercial entities that boycott Israel and its trade partners, as Israel’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Gilad Erdan, looked on.

The Israeli-American Coalition for Action (IAC for Action) praised Gov. Sununu’s announcement, making New Hampshire the 37th state to enact regulations against the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which promotes national-origin-based commercial discrimination against Israel, its trade partners and its supporters.

These laws protect the commercial operation of local companies doing business with Israeli companies and prevent the use of taxpayer money to promote national origin-based discrimination. Anti-BDS certifications in state contracts are similar to other non-discrimination provisions that protect on the basis of

gender, race, religion, national origin and veteran status.

“IAC For Action applauds Gov. Sununu for standing up against national origin discrimination and defending the deep cultural and commercial ties between Israel and New Hampshire. This executive order protects the freedom and liberty of New Hampshire businesses from the coercion and bullying tactics of the BDS hate movement,” said IAC for Action Chairman Shawn Evenhaim.

IAC For Action played a key role in helping to draft the anti-BDS legislation in New Hampshire and anti-BDS laws in other states.

“With this new policy, Gov. Sununu protects the state’s right to assert its own speech, and to decline to participate in antisemitic discrimination,” said IAC for Action’s Executive Director Joseph Sabag.

After Sununu issued the executive order, Erdan also welcomed the New Hampshire law and pushed back against a recent UN Commission on Inquiry report that attacked the rights of US states

to pass such anti-BDS legislation.

“I have come here today to express gratitude to the state of New Hampshire on behalf of the State of Israel and Jewish people. By becoming the 37th state to reaffirm opposition to BDS, New Hampshire is helping not just to strengthen relations between Israel and the US, but is also creating an economic Iron Dome that will ensure our shared progress and prosperity while fortifying the moral Iron Dome protecting the basic notions of truth and justice,” said Ambassador Erdan.

“The support of New Hampshire is

the perfect response to this antisemitic commission. I believe we must boycott our boycotters and delegitimize our delegitimizers. This is the most effective tool as was proven with Ben & Jerry’s and Airbnb.”

A South Carolina judge and former state Representative, Alan Clemmons, also distributed a letter signed by legislators representing 42 states today strongly criticizing the UN Commission on Inquiry for recently taking the unusual step of criticizing state-level anti-BDS laws across the US.

Historic $2.5 Million For the Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor And Combat Antisemitism

This week, U.S. Reps. Grace Meng (D-NY), Kathy Manning (D-NC), Chris Smith (R-NJ), Susan Wild (D-PA), María Elvira Salazar (R-FL), David Kustoff (R-TN), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), and Don Bacon (R-NE) announced a historic $2.5 million for the Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, an increase of $1 million over the amount it received last year.

The additional money comes after the lawmakers led a letter in March requesting more funding for the Special Envoy’s annual budget. The Congressmembers sent the letter to the chair and ranking member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs, the panel that sets funding levels for the Special Envoy.

“This significant increase in funding for the Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism will

go a long way to address the tangible and growing threats faced by both the American Jewish community and Jewish communities around the world,” the lawmakers said. “The dangerous and distributing rise in antisemitism requires unprecedented investments in the Office of the Special Envoy so that the Special Envoy has the staffing and resources it requires to accomplish its work.”

The Special Envoy plays a crucial role in encouraging and advising foreign governments to take steps to ensure the safety and security of their respective Jewish communities, including developing national action plans and appointing national coordinators.

In addition to leading the letter, Meng, Manning, and Smith serve as Co-Chairs of the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism, and Wild, Salazar, Kustoff, Wasserman Schultz, and Bacon serve as members of the task force.

Brooklyn Boro President Reynoso Meets FJCC Leaders

An Incredible Week at Avnet

The Flatbush Jewish Community Coalition (FJCC) convened a leadership meeting with Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso to discuss issues and concerns of the Flatbush community. The robust discussion included rising antisemitism, small business, quality of life, crime, and sanitation concerns. Borough President Reynoso, who served as a city councilmember in Williamsburg prior to becoming borough president, expressed his commitment to continue working

with the FJCC to address these concerns. FJCC Chairman Josh Mehlman thanked the Boro President for his interest in better understanding the needs of our community and the Jewish community borough-wide. The meeting was attended by representatives of Flatbush shuls, yeshivas and organizations, demonstrating the importance of community engagement and creating an open line of communication with our elected representatives to better serve the needs of their constituents.

Amazing activities, fun trips and, of course, opportunities for friendship were some of the highlights of week two at Avnet Country Day School. The youngest Tipot campers enjoyed their first trip to Jumptown USA. In art, they decorated their own canvas bags, and in Chinuch, they were engrossed in learning about Parshat Pinchas. The Ma’ayanot girls were super busy jumping in Gymnastics, getting strikes in Bowling, and creating art at Casa De Spin. The Ma’ayanot boys had a blast reaching new heights at Bounce! They

were also busy playing dodgeball, basketball, baseball, swimming, and baking. It was a foray to the theater on Broadway for the Agamim girls who enjoyed seeing “The Play That Goes Wrong.”

Last, but certainly not least, over at the DRS campus, the G’vaot and Harim boys showed off their gaming skills with a trip to Dave & Busters. Sports Leagues were off and running, and the boys made beautiful mezuzot in Resin. Stem was a favorite, and teamwork was in play as boys collaborated to build various structures. Everyone is excited for next week!

Girls learn and have fun together at CHAZAQ’s Jwave Girls summer program

Did you know?

The Congo River is the world’s deepest river, running at least 720 feet deep in some places.

Young Israel of Far Rockaway Celebrates 60th Anniversary

By Heshy Hoffman

In Manhattan, on July 18, 1963, a meeting was held at the headquarters of the National Council of Young Israel (NC-YI). On the agenda was the proposition to form a Young Israel affiliate in Far Rockaway. Present at the meeting were D. Bernard Hoenig, Vice President of the NC-YI, Leo Goldschmidt, Jack Brody, Eli Kaplan, Larry Cohen, Stanley Koenigsberg, Joel Kampner, and David Kalman. These men had a vision of creating an Orthodox shul dedicated to Jewish youth, social action programs, and all aspects of communal life. They voted to establish the Young Israel of Far Rockaway (YI-FR). Mr. Goldschmidt, who had served as the President of the Young Israel of Eastern Parkway, was elected as the first President.

The Young Israel of Flatbush lent a Sefer Torah, and the first Shabbos services were held at the home of Bernard Kestenbaum. When Rabbi Shmuel Shmelker Rubin, the Sulitza Rebbe, was informed of the new Minyan, he graciously invited the fledgling shul to conduct their services in the basement of his shul.

The first Melave Malka was held later in 1963. A Sisterhood was organized. Belle Koenigsberg was the first President, and the ladies of the shul benefitted from many cultural and social programs.

In 1965, the shul purchased a house on the corner of Caffrey Avenue and Beach 9th Street, which is still its current location. By that time, the shul had acquired its own Sefrei Torah. In a joyous Hachnosas Sefer Torah procession, and with much HaKoras HaTov to Rabbi

Rubin, the Seforim were transported to their new location. Rabbi Aaron Gelman, who had served as the rav of the Young Israel of New Haven, served for about a year as the rav of the Young Israel of Far Rockaway.

In 1965, the Young Israel of Far Rockaway became a full affiliate of the National Council of Young Israel (NC-YI). In 1966, Mr. D. Bernard Hoenig, Esq., Vice President of the NC-YI, was elected as the second President of the Shul. Under Mr. Hoenig’s leadership, many successful community projects were initiated, including a Chevrah Kadisha, participation in the local Vaad HaKashrus, and a monthly Rosh Chodesh Seudah with other regional branches of the NC-YI.

In 1967, Mr. Irving Maisel was elected President, and he oversaw a Building Campaign. A generous grant was provided by Jacob Landau, in memory of his son who perished while on a combat mission for the U.S. Army Air Corp in World War II. In 1970, the Certificate of Occupancy was granted for the newly completed building.

In the early years of the shul, after Rav Gelman’s departure, many inspiring Shabbos drashos and shiurim were provided many members, including Moshe Greenes, Stanley Greenberg, and Rabbis Ephraim Sturm, Raphael Weinberg, Moshe Cohen, Moshe Talansky, and Jerry Fleishner. It is worthwhile to remember that at the time, Rabbi Sturm was also serving as Executive Vice President of the NC-YI.

In 1967, Rabbi Nathan Bulman was elected as the second rav of the Young Israel of Far Rockaway. Under Rabbi

Bulman’s leadership, the shul experienced an important period of growth. In conjunction with Rabbi Yechiel Yitzchok Perr, the Yeshivah Derech Ayson of Far Rockaway was established. The first Shiurim of the Yeshiva were in the Shul. Many inspiring Shabbos Drashos were given by Rabbi Bulman.

In 1970, Mr. Hoenig was elected again as President of the Shul. There was continued growth of participation in community activities, including formation of the Jewish Action Coalition, the forerunner of the Jewish Community Council (JCC), and a Gemilas Chesed fund. Many ladies from the shul served as president of the local Mikveh, including our own Ann Hoenig.

In the early 1970s, three concerts were held under of auspices of YI-FR and the leadership of Mr. Hoenig. Two concerts featured the world famous Theodore Bikel, and they were held at the Westbury Music Fair. In 1972, a concert, also under the auspices of YI-FR, was organized to answer the question, “What is Jewish?” The concert was entitled “Jewish Is,” and it was held at the Hofstra University Playhouse. Performers included such legendary names as Shlomo Carlebach, Sherwood Goffin, Shelly Lang, Shmuel Brazil, Yossie Lieber, and Yossie Toiv. All three concerts were very much appreciated by the attendees.

In 1975, Rabbi Bulman made Aliyah to Eretz Yisroel, and Rabbi Yitzchok Goodman was elected as the third rav of the Young Israel of Far Rockaway. Under Rabbi Goodman’s leadership, there was continuation of the strong tradition of Harbotzas Torah with many inspiring Shabbos Drashos, Gemara shiurim, and a well-attended Daf Yomi.

In 2005, Rabbi Goodman retired from the pulpit, and Rabbi Shaul Chill was elected as the fourth rav of the Shul. Under Rabbi Chill’s leadership, there was continuation of a strong program of

Harbotzas Torah with inspiring Shabbos Drashos, Gemara shiurim, and classes in Chumash and halacha.

In addition to the Yeshivah of Far Rockaway, other blossoming mosdos of chinuch that the shul has helped have included Torah Academy for Girls (TAG), Bnos Bais Yakov, Ayalet HaChachar Seminary, and Yeshiva Derech Chaim.

Other examples of participation in service to the community include the use of the shul building by the Neponsit Day Care Center and use of the Shul as a polling place for the New York City Board of Elections.

The current Sisterhood of the Young Israel of Far Rockaway is under the direction of Sharon Rawitz. The Sisterhood is participating in maintaining the shul as a warm and caring facility for synagogue youth. A successful Shabbos group provides a supervised environment for the children, while the parents are davening in the main sanctuary of the shul. A Chanukah Carnival in 2022 was very successful. An inspiring Motzei Shabbos kumzitz was held with performances by Rabbi Moshe Hamel and Shalom Wohlgelehrnter, with Torah insights by Rabbi Chill. In November of 2022, a successful auction was held by the Sisterhood for the benefit of the shul.

As we conclude this brief history, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Young Israel of Far Rockaway, we should recognize and appreciate the efforts of the Hanhala of the Shul, including Rabbi Shaul Chill, President Robert Hagler, Chairman of the Board Joseph Geller, and Gabbai Rishon Bernie Frankel. Under the guidance of these leaders, the minhagim and nusach of the Young Israel movement, which are so beloved by the Mispallelim, are steadfastly maintained.

It is our fervent prayer, therefore, that the Young Israel of Far Rockaway continues for another 60 years as a synagogue dedicated to Torah, Yiddishkeit, and community service.

Nonstop Ruach and Fun at Camp Areivos

Right before the end of the school year, Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato visited Mrs. Berger’s fourth grade class at TAG to respond to their letter asking about her role in the

NYS Assembly. She explained to them about how she creates laws that help their families and the community – and is responsible for providing funding to help the schools in Far Rockaway thrive.

Skating, Climbing, and Flying with Machaneh Hakayitz at Area 53

Repaving happening at the Rockaway Kosher Supermarket parking lot this week, the beginning of many improvments to the store

Camp Areivim Overnight to Niagara Falls

Touro’s Lander Colleges Launch Finance Alumni Network

The Lander College Finance Alumni Network launched last month with dozens of Touro alumni gathering on a Manhattan rooftop to shmooze, enjoy sushi, and most importantly, make professional connections.

The event took place at the penthouse office of Audrey Weitz, Managing Director at Old City Investment Partners in midtown Manhattan and a mother of two Touro University students. As the driving force behind the network, Weitz sought to model the new organization after alumni organizations of top tier public and private universities, having seen the tremendous impact of those groups and also to create opportunities for students and alumni alike. Lander College for Men (LCM) alumnus Jason Appleson, managing director and head of municipal bonds at Prudential, and Jodi Smolen, LCM’s director of career services, teamed up with Weitz to help jump-start the process.

“I was planning to say that tonight we are launching something, and 20 years from now it will be an amazing institu-

tion and resource for the university and the graduates,” Weitz said. “But we’re already seeing major success, with so many people showing up on a random Wednesday.”

Camaraderie and Career Advice

Billed as an evening to expand professional networks, learn from other alumni in the business world and help rising undergraduate finance students, Appleson got the ball rolling by offering some advice to the attendees. One tip, he said, was that it’s important to move out of your comfort zone and take on new responsibilities, even when you don’t feel ready. He urged the group not to shy away from risks, whether in the form of new roles, new projects, new paths, or new opportunities.

“I joined Prudential, and they said, ‘We want you to do an interview on TV.’ And I said, ‘Whoa, on TV? That’s crazy,’” Appleson said. “But you do it. You say, ‘OK, I know it will be difficult, I’ll prepare, and the worst that can happen is you look like an idiot.’ And I may have a few times. But these are things you can

overcome.”

Addressing those just starting out, Appleson said that people often have a career plan in their minds, but they should understand that it might not play out that way, which is just fine.

“You will find that often your career does not match exactly the path that you had laid out for yourself,” he said. “As a six-year-old I did not say, ‘I want to be a municipal bond portfolio manager.’ That’s not what I had in mind. But I took this path, and I got here, and I’m very happy with where I ended up.”

Alumni attendee Yehuda Sokel, CFA, Head of Treasury and Investor Relations at Sterling, echoed Appleson’s sentiments. “Missed opportunities can sometimes be the greatest blessing,” he said. “The ‘dream’ job or promotion that didn’t materialize can often open the door to an even better opportunity. Just ask Warren Buffet…a Harvard Business School rejection led to attending Columbia instead where he met his mentor Ben Graham and shaped his investing philosophy. This point hits home to me as well, as I’ve experienced significant career disappointments which ultimately paved fruitful paths that I wouldn’t have otherwise discovered.”

Supporting Current Students

Smolen said that beyond making professional connections with each other, the new alumni network is also intended to help current students find opportunities and excel in the business world.

“In addition to our formal mentoring program, if I have a student who wants to know what it’s like to be in Fintech, I’ll call up someone who works in Fintech

and say, ‘Can you talk to a student for just a few minutes?’” she said. “That’s a one-time thing, and if they hit it off and then want to follow up, great. If not, they got the information they needed and they can continue and make a decision where they want to go and spend their time.” To that end, Smolen said that she will be reaching out to the attendees if she knows of current students who could use their advice.

“Additionally, alumni will find ways to pay it forward to current finance students by coming back to campus, getting involved in alumni events, and by connecting recruiters from their firms to entry-level talent from Touro,” continued Smolen.

Alumni attendees currently work in finance roles at UBS, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan, Deutsche Bank, Deloitte, AIG and other top firms.

Chana Rubel, who graduated from the Lander College of Arts & Sciences in 2002 and is an associate director at Protiviti, a business consulting firm, said the opportunity to meet so many impressive individuals from successful companies was invaluable.

“For me, personally, it’s very important, because when I go to my office and I say these are my contacts, it’s going to bode well for me in my career, as everyone is trying to get that next potential opportunity,” she said. “Coming to an event like this, with people of this caliber and these companies that are so important and to have this visibility, this is priceless.”

“You couldn’t pay money to come and speak to half these people.”

Touro alums Josh Mintz and Yehuda Sokel with Lander College for Men Dean Dr. Moshe Sokol and Audrey Weitz, Managing Director, Old City Investment Partners

Summer Fun at Camp Shira

Camp Funshine

By SuSan Schwamm

GoinG to camp when you’re younG is nonstop fun if you’re in c amp f unshine. Located in north woodmere, camp f unshine provides miL es of smiL es for over 100 chiL dren in our community. w hether it’s pL ayinG outside or spL ashinG in the water, these younGsters can’t stop GiGGL inG the whoL e summer throuGh. t his week, we spoke with Mrs. ElkiE FogEl , camp f unshine’s director, to L earn more about a LL the fun.

Mrs. Fogel, we hear such wonderful things about Camp Funshine. Tell us more about the camp.

We are an adorable camp for 3-5-yearolds, based out of Ohr Torah in North Woodmere. We attract campers from North Woodmere and across the Five Towns. Everyone loves Camp Funshine for its warmth and non-stop activities –perfect for preschool-age children. The camp has been around for over 10 years. We even have a year-round school, and a lot of our school-year students are now our campers.

How many campers currently enjoy the fun at Funshine?

Every summer we get to enjoy over 100 adorable campers across six bunks. Since our spots are so limited, we fill up

right away each year. The beauty of that number of campers is that we can provide big camp perks, while at the same time

new dimension as their building suddenly transforms into a camp, and there are water slides, shows and trips and so much

give attention and love to each and every camper!

Some of these kids are students there during the year. How do you make them feel at home and excited to come to camp every day? How do you differentiate it for them?

Being on the same campus is a benefit for preschoolers because they start the summer in a familiar place. The adjustment from school to camp is easy. The kids enjoy a whole

more. They also enjoy the consistency of knowing the building and the layout. It’s fun and familiar at the same time.

You’re dealing with little ones. Do you have nap time or time during the day for a little “downtime”?

We all have a time in the day where we relax, read a story and have some time to enjoy a midday rest. Sandwiched around that “rest time” is nonstop action and fun!

Tell us about your amazing staff. They are the best! We are very fortunate to have some staff who have been with us for years. They worked their way up from assistants to counselors to morahs! Everyone working at Camp Funshine does so because they want to work with young children and make a difference in each child’s summer. Our staff loves their campers, and the campers love them right back!

How is the day structured?

We have a super-exciting, well-rounded schedule, with a good mix of activities for every bunk. A bunk might have a specialty, then ride-ons, then a craft, then water play, and then lunch. Each activity is 30 minutes long to keep the children interested and occupied. We have an exciting water play area with slides and fishing pools and a huge inflatable water slide!

Sounds like the perfect balance between excitement and downtime for these youngsters. Is there a theme this year?

This summer’s adorable theme is “Drink it All In!” Our Assistant Director, Tehila Kenigsberg, created an adorable program with weekly and daily themes like milkshakes, chocolate milk, Hawaiian punch, grape juice, Snapple, and more.

Each week includes theme-related activities. Just this week, the campers went on a pretend trip to Hawaii, where, using different juices, they

“our staff Loves their campers, and the campers Love them riGht back!”

mixed their own Hawaiian punch and took pictures by the beautiful palm trees – all while wearing their very own leis luau necklace.

Do you bring in special performers or special acts for the kids to enjoy?

Yes, we offer the best preschool shows and outings in town! We have a weekly trip for the older bunks and a weekly show for all bunks. This summer, we also have an Erev Shabbos concert from Mr. Shabbos, who has the whole camp singing and dancing to different interactive songs!

Camp Funshine by the Numbers

Are there special songs that they love to sing?

5 Weekly Specialties

8 Shows

8 Trips

Our very own Camp Funshine song, of course! We produced and recorded it professionally. We all sing the chorus together, “Yes, we all love Camp Funshine!” It is precious to hear. Many of them know all the words and sing it at home all the time, too!

25 Loving counselors

500 Ices weekly

Were there any “surprises” this summer at Camp Funshine?

We all got our very own Camp Funshine water bottle and trip shirt, and we’ve already gone to Berrylicious and Spadida!

100+ Smiling faces daily Z

Baseball Cracker Jacks

$ Ninety percent of this game is half mental.

— Yogi Berra

$ I watch a lot of baseball on radio. — Gerald Ford

$ Bob Gibson is the luckiest pitcher I ever saw. He always pitches when the other team doesn’t score any runs. — Tim McCarver

$ I think I throw the ball as hard as anyone. The ball just doesn’t get there as fast.

— Eddie Bane

$ I never took the game home with me. I always left it in some bar. — Bob Lemon

$ A man once told me to walk with the L-rd. I’d rather walk with the bases loaded. — Ken Singleton

$ I’d be willing to bet you, if I was a betting man, that I have never bet on baseball. — Pete Rose

$ Little League baseball is a very good thing because it keeps the parents off the streets.

— Yogi Berra

$ The baseball mania has run its course. It has no future as a professional endeavor. — Cincinnati Gazette editorial, 1879

$ You wouldn’t have won if we’d beaten you.

– Yogi Berra

$ He’s turned his life around. He used to be depressed and miserable. Now he’s miserable and depressed. — Harry Kalas, on Gary Maddox

$ You can sum up the game of baseball in one word: “You never know.”

— Joaquin Andujar

$ I walk into the clubhouse today and it’s like walking into the Mayo Clinic. We have four doctors, three therapists and five trainers. Back when I broke in, we had one trainer who carried a bottle of rubbing alcohol, and by the 7th inning, he’d already drunk it. — Tommy Lasorda

$ Don’t call ‘em dogs. Dogs are loyal and they run after balls. — 1943 St. Louis Browns Manager Luke Sewell, responding to a sportswriter who suggested that his team had “played like dogs.”

$ Exchange between Cleveland Indians broadcasters Herb Score and Nev Chandler:

Chandler: That base-hit makes Cecil Cooper 19 for 42 against Tribe pitching.

Score: I’m not good at math, but even I know that’s over .500.

All-Star Break Trivia

1. Which pitcher has the most wins so far this season?

a. Gerrit Cole

b. Zach Eflin

c. Max Scherzer

d. Shane McClanahan

2. Who leads the National League in homers?

a. Pete Alonso

b. Matt Olson

c. Mookie Betts

d. Fernando Tatis

3. The Tampa Bay Rays are the hottest team in baseball with less than a dozen losses; their payroll is $87 million. The Mets have been one of the worst teams in baseball so far this season. What is the Mets’ payroll?

a. $47 million

b. $94 million

c. $127 million

d. $344 million

4. On June 27, 2023, Shohei Ohtani hit two homers in one game. What else did he accomplish in that game?

a. He struck out 10 batters.

b. He hit two doubles.

c. He pitched the full game.

d. He hit a triple.

5. On June 28, 2023, which of the following pitchers threw a perfect game?

a. Domingo Germán

b. Joe Musgrove

c. Yu Darvish

d. Clayton Kershaw

6. Which team has the highest attendance so far this season?

a. Mets

b. Yankees

c. Dodgers

d. Houston

7. Which team has the most homers this season?

a. Blue Jays

b. Braves

c. Yankees

d. Red Sox

8. Which team has the worst record

You Gotta be Kidding Me!

A rookie pitcher was struggling at the mound, so the catcher walked out to have a talk with him.

“I’ve figured out your problem,” he told the pitcher. “You

in the National League East?

a. Phillies

b. Marlins

c. Nationals

d. Mets

Answers:

6-C

7-B

8-C

Scorecard:

7-8 Correct: You should play for the Mets – it would give them a boost!

4-6 Correct: You make the bench on the All-Star team, which basically means you lose your vacation time and have to travel out to the game to watch better players play, while you sit there in the hot dugout making believe you are happy to be there.

0-3 Correct: You are probably looking at and examining a bat right now, trying to figure out why you struck out. Here’s the answer: because you just ain’t a good playa!

always lose control at the same point in every game.”

“When is that?”

“Right after the national anthem.”

Parshas Matos-Maasei

By Rabbi Berel Wein

The narrative of the experiences of the people of Israel in the desert of Sinai concludes with the parshiyot of this week. All of the occurrences, successes and failures that marked this forty-year trek in a wasteland wilderness are alluded to in the count of Israel in last week’s parsha and in the listing of all of the way stations of that excursion.

The Torah seems to be determined to remind all later generations of Jews of the experiences in the desert. Moshe, in

his final oration in the book of Devarim, will once again review the events of the desert for a new generation of Jews distanced in time and circumstance from Egyptian bondage. The Torah is aware of human forgetfulness. It will take only one generation to forget Egypt and even Mount Sinai. History is boring and quite irrelevant to new generations, yet forgetting the Jewish past is the ultimate betrayal of Judaism and Jewish hopes. All of us, as we become older, begin to feel a psychological and spiritual need growing

within us to be remembered.

The Baal Shem Tov is reputed to have said: “Forgetting is the true exile.” Of course, it is obvious that ignorance is the true partner of forgetfulness. In fact, if one never knew anything, then one cannot be accused of having forgotten it. The Torah emphasizes the repetition of all the facts and experiences of Jewish life in the desert of Sinai so that this knowledge will enable and strengthen the powers of national remembrance.

Much of the Jewish world today suffers from a severe case of – hopefully

worldwide, I am already encountering apathy if not sometimes even outright opposition to the insertion of the subject into the curriculum of schools. One principal asked me: “Will it help my students to be admitted to Harvard or Yale?” And on the other end of the spectrum of Jewish education another principal told me: “Will it increase their ability to study Talmud properly?” I responded that the Torah listed all of the desert way stations even though knowing them would also not guarantee Talmudic proficiency or admission to Harvard or Yale.

temporary but nevertheless intense –amnesia. In spite of all of the efforts of the survivors, the museums, the academic courses and books relating to the Holocaust, this event is rapidly disappearing from world and even Jewish memory.

Religious Jewry has found no way, as of yet, to ritually remember the Holocaust. Without ritual and holiness, it tragically will continue to fade from the memory of the coming generation. In distributing films and audio lectures about the Holocaust and the founding of the State of Israel to Jewish schools

It is not only the amnesia regarding even our very recent past that afflicts us. It is our inability to grasp that the knowledge of this immediate past is vitally essential to our present and to our future. Without knowledge of the events of the past, dating back all of the way to the events of the desert of Sinai, we are creating for our descendants a new desert, a wasteland of ignorance, falsehoods and disillusion. It is not too late to correct this. If our schools won’t do so, let our homes and families attempt to do so. Chazak,

chazak, v’nitchazeik.

History is boring and quite irrelevant to new generations, yet forgetting the Jewish past is the ultimate betrayal of Judaism and Jewish hopes.

Parshas Maasei King of Opposites

By Rav Moshe Weinberger

Adapted for publication by Binyomin

Wolf

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

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

The pasuk continues, “And you shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” We must speak of them, words of Torah and emunah, wherever we go and wherever we travel. We can thrive through every test and trial we face if we hold onto truth and faith. If we remain certain in our purpose, then we will succeed despite all of the contradictions and challenges of a world in which many people seem to have taken leave of basic human decency and morality.

But the Baal Shem Tov’s teaching about the 42 travels of the Jewish people does not only apply to people on an individual level. It also speaks to the travels and travails of our nation as a whole as we journey on toward the times of Moshiach.

The Encampments

We know that the names of our stops

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

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

The Jewish people camped in Har Shafer, meaning “beautiful mountain.” Sometimes are on top of the world. The view is stunning. But at other times, we camp in Tachas, meaning “low.” When we watch the parents, brothers, sisters, and wives of all of the soldiers killed protecting our people, we feel like we

are living at the opening of Gehenom , at the lowest place.

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

At one point, the pasuk tells us we camped in Makheilos, meaning “community” or “congregation.” We were united. And we see how we are united in prayer and resolve, knowing that our cause is righteous. But at other times,

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

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

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

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

We sometimes feel camped in Ri -

mon Paretz, meaning “break through.”

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

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

But at other times, we feel like we are in Kivros Hata’avah, buried in the desires of this world, completely helpless to use all of our might to rein in our own animalistic desires. And at other times, we camp at Kadesh, meaning “holiness.” Our connection to holiness and our desire to do Hashem’s will is often strong, and we use those times to increase our connection to Hashem and improve ourselves.

Dovid Hamelech, King of Opposites

My thoughts return to the ulti -

mate hero of the Jewish people: Dovid Hamelech.

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

posed of the might of war and the highest and most refined level of ethics and morality. These two extremes complement one another. The more perfection one has attained, the more he includes apparent opposites within himself.

That is why Reb Leibele Eiger teaches that the 42 journeys of the Jewish people in the desert, which seem to

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

ra (Moed Katan 16b) says that “when [Dovid Hamelech] would sit and study Torah, he would be as refined as silk, and when he went out to war, he hardened himself like wood.” Chazal are not teaching us that Dovid suffered from multiple personality disorder. Rather, his personality was so great and all-encompassing that it contained everything within it. He was simultaneously com-

contain so many opposites within them, are hinted at in the mitzvah of “And you shall speak of them when you sit in your home and when you go on your way…” We must be prepared to cling to the Torah and the certainty of our faith in the midst of the full range of disparate experiences during our travels through this world.

The parsha is named after our “jour -

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

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

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

Transcending Ego to Connect with the Infinite

By Rabbi Shmuel Reichman

Aboy is born locked inside of a small house with no windows and no way out. He is provided with food and clothing, as well as books and some toys for entertainment, but that is all. He never once sees the outside world, never once sees anything beyond his extremely limited surroundings. Raised in such a way, he comes to believe that this house is all that exists. One day, someone comes along and breaks down the door to the house, letting him out into the world for the first time. Naturally, he is in absolute awe of what lies around him. The grandeur, the sheer magnitude and marvel of the surrounding world astounds him and leaves him wondering how he ever considered his previous existence to be a full life.

Nadav and Avihu

There is a lifechanging concept that lies at the center of the shocking sin and deaths of Nadav and Avihu. The pasuk describes how, during the chanukas haMishkan (inauguration of the Taber -

nacle), Nadav and Avihu offered the Ketores (spice offering) and were engulfed by Divine flames (Vayikra 10:1–2). This episode is both striking and perplexing, as the pesukim do not clarify what their sin was or why it warranted such a harsh punishment. At face value, one might think that they acted righteously, sacrificing an offering to Hashem in the Mikdash. What, then, was so egregious about their actions?

We will go through a range of possible answers to these questions as we ultimately develop a deeper understanding of this topic.

Rashi quotes Rav Eliezer’s position, which understands Nadav and Avihu as having violated the prohibition of being moreh bifnei rabo (teaching halacha in front of their rebbi ), Moshe Rabbeinu (Vayikra Rabbah 12:1).

Another opinion, mentioned in the Sifra, is that Nadav and Avihu sinned by entering the Kodesh Hakodashim. As the holiest place in the world, it is completely off limits to all, except the Kohen Gadol

and even for him, it is only allowed on Yom Kippur. Evidence for this position is in Acharei Mos, the very next parasha, in which the Torah links the Yom Kippur avodah with the deaths of Nadav and Avihu (Vayikra 16:1). The Sifra suggests that this connection is due to the fact that the avodah of the Ketores, precisely what Nadav and Avihu performed, is done exclusively on Yom Kippur in the Kodesh Hakodashim. The fact that Nadav and Avihu are associated with this exclusive avodah hints to the fact that they performed it at the wrong time and were therefore punished. (Interestingly, Rabbi Akiva suggests that the problem was where the fire came from; they sinned by bringing a forbidden fire (aish zarah) onto the Mizbei’ach.)

Rashi also quotes Rabbi Yishmael’s position, namely that their error lay in the fact that they were intoxicated while performing the avodah . This is based on the fact that the very next passage in the Torah prohibits a Kohen from being drunk while performing the avodah. The

juxtaposition of these verses is a hint toward the essence of their wrongdoing, as the prohibition follows an instance in which it was violated.

(Taking a deeper look at the concept of drunkenness, there is an interesting idea embedded in this position of Rashi. The spiritual concept of intoxication is related to the theme of transcendence and the expansion of consciousness. Although done inappropriately, Nadav and Avihu were attempting to transcend their physical state and connect to Hashem on the deepest level. This explains why they specifically chose to do the avodah of the Kodesh Hakodashim, a place that transcends all physical dimensions of time and space. Their “sin,” therefore, was that they were not yet ready to enter such an exalted spiritual realm. This explains their distinctive, strange punishment: The pasuk states that they were engulfed by Divine flames, and Rashi explains (based on the Gemara) that their physical bodies remained intact while their souls alone were engulfed by the

fire. Nadav and Avihu transcended to a completely spiritual level, one they were neither yet ready for nor capable of handling, and they were therefore spiritually consumed.)

There is, however, something missing from all of these approaches. Rashi quotes the Midrash which explains that Moshe already knew that two of the holiest people in Klal Yisrael would die on this very day, the day of the chanukas haMishkan. Moshe originally thought that these two people would be Aharon and himself, but it turned out to be Nadav and Avihu instead (Vayikra 10:3). This Midrash makes it clear that Nadav and Avihu were on a tremendously lofty level. If so, how could they have done something so egregiously wrong — something that resulted in such a harsh heavenly punishment?

From Their Own Will

The Ramban therefore takes a different approach, suggesting that the only problem with Nadav and Avihu’s avodah was that they brought the Ketores offering without being commanded to do so. This view is drawn from the explicit statement of the pasuk itself, as it says that Nadav and Avihu brought an offering “Asher lo tzivah osam — That they were not com-

manded to bring” (Ibid. v. 1).

Based on this, however, we face a new difficulty. If Nadav and Avihu’s sin was only that they did something that they were not commanded to do, our question is actually strengthened: What was so abhorrent about their actions that it merited such extreme punishment? Granted, Hashem did not command them to bring the Ketores, but they did nothing prohibited, only something that was not specifically commanded. In order to understand the answer to this new question, we must understand what it means to be commanded in the first place, as well as the difference between being metzuveh (commanded by Hashem) and eino metzuveh (not commanded by Hashem).

The Gemara states that it is greater for one to do something that they have been commanded to do by Hashem than to do something of their own volition, without being commanded (Bava Kama 38a, 87a: “Gadol ha’metzuveh v’oseh mi’mi she’eino metzuveh v’oseh.”). Meaning, it is better to perform a mitzvah out of obedience to Hashem’s will than to do so spontaneously of your own will. At first glance, this appears counterintuitive. Would it not be better to do it of your own volition? Is this not

a more genuine expression of Divine service? Instead of doing it because you have to, you’re doing it because you want to!

The first explanation for this puzzling statement lies in the concept of ego. As human beings, we are naturally resistant to external instruction or direction, preferring to do things only when we want to do them. Obedience to others requires sacrificing our ego, our sense of control, and our illusion of being ultimately superior. The essence of a mitzvah, however, is negating our ego and submitting to the will of Hashem. Hashem gives us instruction in the form of mitzvos; we obey them because He told us to, and by doing so, we submit our ego to Him. We may not understand or agree with everything, but in performing mitzvos, we acknowledge Hashem as the ultimate source of truth and His instructions as the guide to ideal living in this world. We affirm that the source of truth does not lie within our limited selves but within the infinite source of reality, i.e., Hashem.

The second explanation for why the performance of a mitzvah is superior to an act of one’s own volition requires a deeper understanding of mitzvos. In our next article, we will delve deeper into this fascinating topic and see how

it fundamentally affects the way we understand Nadav and Avihu’s sin.

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: Shmuel Reichman.com.

Misplaced Modesty

By Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow

The Gemara in Gittin (55b) tells the famously regrettable story of a wealthy man in the first century who sends his servant to deliver an invitation to his friend, a man named Kamtza, for an upcoming party. However, the servant mistakes the recipient as Bar Kamtza, an enemy of the wealthy man. Upon seeing the hated Bar Kamtza at his party, the host orders him to leave. Bar Kamtza, attempting to save face, thrice offers to make peace with the host, first offering to pay for the food he eats, then for half of the expenses of the party, and then for the entire party, and is each time rebuffed by the angry host.

Humiliated, Bar Kamtza vows revenge against the rabbis present who did not defend him and allowed him to be publicly embarrassed. He visits the Roman Caesar who controls the region and tells him the Jews are inciting to revolt against the Roman Empire. The Caesar, unsure whether to believe Bar Kamtza, sends with Bar Kamtza an animal to be sacrificed as a peace offering in the Temple in Jerusalem. On the way, Bar Kamtza deliberately wounds the animal in a way that would disqualify it as a Jewish sacrifice but not as a Roman offering.

Upon seeing the disfigured animal, the rabbis of the Sanhedrin present at the Temple have to decide how to respond in this delicate situation. Some of them advocate dispensing with the law and offering the animal anyway, to avoid war. This plan is vetoed by Rabbi Zecharia ben Avkolos, who fears that people will begin to bring blemished animals to the Temple to be sacrificed. They then suggest putting Bar Kamtza to death to prove that he is at fault, but Rabbi Zecharia ben Avkolos again refuses, because people will erroneously assume that this is the mandated penalty for intentionally disqualifying an animal designated for a korban.

Rabbi Yochanan says that because of the anavah of Rabbi Zecharia ben Avkolos, the Temple was destroyed and the Jews were exiled from the land.

The term anavah usually refers to hu-

mility. Many commentators are perplexed by the Gemara’s choice of the word anavah in relation to Rabbi Zecharia ben Avkolos. The Maritz Chiyos suggests that the Gemara should have said “piety” or “stringency.” After all, the Gemara seems to be suggesting that it was his overly stringent ruling that started a sequence of events that led to the destruction of the Temple. Yet the Gemara singles out Rabbi Zecharia’s trait of humility as the source of the problem. Where does humility have any place in this story?

The Midrash Rabbah (Eichah 4:4) also recounts the above story, but with an interesting twist. Rabbi Zecharia ben Avkolos was at the party that Bar Kamtza attended. He was present when Bar Kamtza was being ejected. There were many other people in attendance, but the Midrash singles out Rabbi Zecharia ben Avkolos for criticism because “he had the ability to protest but failed to protest.”

Why didn’t Rabbi Zecharia protest against the unjust embarrassment inflicted upon Bar Kamtza? The Eitz Yosef explains that Rabbi Zecharia didn’t want to talk to the homeowner with an air of superiority. It was his nature to act with humility. To

chastise the wealthy homeowner at his own party and offer directives would have smacked of arrogance. Further, he could have reasoned that there were many other people at the party who could have protested. “Let them protest because it’s not my nature to do so.” In the end, though, the Midrash singles him out for criticism. We can surmise that only his rebuke would have been effective.

Humility is generally a positive trait, but it was inappropriate here. Hence, the Midrash ends off with the same statement as the Gemara: “Because of the humility of Rabbi Zecharia ben Avkolos, the Temple was destroyed and the Jews were exiled from the land.”

The Pardas Shaul explains that in the Gemara’s version as well, Rabbi Zecharia is being faulted for his misplaced humility. He obviously knew that rejecting the Caesar’s sacrifice could have terrible implications. It is true that people might erroneously assume that a blemished sacrifice can be offered, but that is a reasonable price to pay when lives were at stake. Rabbi Zecharia should have issued a conclusive ruling that it is permitted in this instance to offer a blemished sacrifice. However, he was

hesitant to agree with such a radical ruling because he deemed himself unworthy. He reasoned that he was not learned enough. However, sometimes, a leader cannot afford to be humble. A decisive lenient ruling was required here, and Rabbi Zecharia is faulted for allowing his humility and selfdoubt to cause a hindrance.

The Ben Yehoyada takes this one step further. In fact, there were greater rabbis around. Rabbi Zecharia, because of his humility, suggested that such a serious question needed to be presented to the Sanhedrin. He therefore directed that the animal in question be brought there. When the animal was brought out of the Temple Courtyard, the Caesar’s emissaries mistakenly assumed that the sacrifice had been rejected outright. Incensed, they immediately left to bring the news to the Caesar. The protestations of those present were of no avail.

While a leader sometimes has the luxury of deferring to others greater than himself, that is not always the case. In other times, Rabbi Zecharia would have been justified in “passing the buck” (or the lamb). However, in this situation, a lenient ruling was required immediately. Rabbi Zecharia should have foreseen the result of the delayed ruling and should not have deferred to the Sanhedrin but instead should have issued the lenient ruling himself. Therefore, Rabbi Zecharia is faulted for his misplaced humility.

There are times in our lives when we feel that it is not our place to act. Surely, there are others who are greater, smarter, more prepared. Yet, even if true, that may not be an excuse. Having others render our decisions is a luxury that is not always worth the price.

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.

Beyond Medical Expertise

Based on a story told over by Rabbi Paysach Krohn

Prepared for print by Daniel Agalar

There was a man in his early forties who suffered from a severe illness, causing concern for his wife and children. The doctor expressed hesitation in performing the necessary operation, fearing the man’s possible demise on the operating table. He advised the man’s wife to seek approval from a higher authority, such as a renowned doctor from a prestigious hospital, to take responsibility for the procedure. Pondering who the highest authority she knew could be, she recalled her husband’s past association with Rav Moshe Feinstein during his time at Tiferes Yerushalayim.

With determination, she decided to approach Rav Moshe and seek his guidance. A few days later, the doctor called and inquired if she had consulted a higher authority. Calmly, she replied that she would be going the next day. Perplexed, the doctor questioned which doctor she was referring to; she clarified that she intended to consult a rabbi.

The doctor was incredulous, unable to fathom seeking a rabbi’s opinion on a medical procedure. He argued that a rabbi lacked the necessary medical background to make such a decision. Unfazed, the wife asserted that the rabbi was the highest authority she recognized, as per the doctor’s request for a “higher authority.”

Astounded and curious, the doctor requested to accompany her to meet the rabbi, as he wanted to witness the situation firsthand. She agreed, and the following day, they visited Rav Moshe at his residence on FDR Drive. Rav Moshe warmly welcomed them and inquired about the severity of the illness and the operation’s details.

As the conversation progressed, Rav Moshe mentioned that he was trying to recall the husband from his yeshiva days twenty years ago. The wife, eager to assist his memory, presented a picture of her husband during his time at the yeshiva. Upon seeing the picture and recognizing the young man, Rav Moshe was moved to tears.

operation should proceed but with an additional commitment from the sick man. He was to undertake that from that point forward, every blessing he recited would be said aloud, so those around him could respond with “amen.”

Rav Moshe explained the significance by highlighting the numerical value of “amen,” which is 91. Remarkably, the Hebrew word for “angel,” “malach,” also holds a numerical value of 91. Thus, whenever a person recites a blessing and someone responds with “amen,” they create angels who serve as protectors.

Armed with this newfound understanding, the man underwent the operation while adhering to the commitment of reciting blessings aloud. He also encouraged others to do the same, enabling him to answer “amen” to their blessings.

The operation was a success, and the man had the privilege of living for many years following the procedure, diligently reciting blessings aloud and responding “amen” to others.

Witnessing Rav Moshe’s genuine care and concern, the doctor turned to the wife and remarked that he now understood why a rabbi could make such a decision. He believed that someone who could empathize and shed tears over another person’s illness would be guided to the right decision by Hashem.

Rav Moshe then shared a profound insight that has the potential to transform lives. He advised that the

Daniel Agalar is the founder of Stories to Inspire, an organization dedicated to sharing curated inspirational stories from renowned rabbanim. With a widely popular podcast that has surpassed 4 million downloads, Daniel’s passion for spreading positivity shines through. Join the daily WhatsApp broadcast by messaging 310-210-1205 or explore over 4,300 stories on his website at www.storiestoinspire.org. The stories can also be accessed on the hotline at 718-400-7145.

Unfazed, the wife asserted that the rabbi was the highest authority she recognized, as per the doctor’s request for a “higher authority.”

Starting Up the Start Up Nation

By Gedaliah Borvick

We recently visited the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, and I parked my car a few blocks away on Weizmann Street. Not only is Rechovot Weizmann-focused, but over a dozen streets plus major institutions across the country are named in Chaim Weizmann’s memory. Let’s learn about Israel’s first president.

Chaim Weizmann was born in 1874 in Belarus, White Russia, and studied chemistry in Germany and then Switzerland, where he earned his doctorate. During his studies, he met his wife Vera, who served as his life-long partner in all of his academic and political activities.

Weizmann moved to England in 1904 and was granted professorship at the University of Manchester. His capacity for research was legendary, and his relentless efforts generated approximately 100 patents. Weizmann’s most famous invention was a new method to produce synthetic acetone, an important ingredient used in manufacturing smokeless gun powder, which was critical to the Allied war effort in World War I. Through his work, Weizmann gained the trust and appreciation of many prominent British journalists and senior Cabinet members, in particular First Lord of the Admiralty Arthur Balfour and Minister Lloyd George.

Through his deep and powerful network, which represented a veritable “who’s who” of British society, Weizmann became Europe’s most prominent Zionist leader. He leveraged these relationships to help secure the Balfour Declaration, a statement of support for the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in its historical homeland. This document was a crucial breakthrough, as it represented the first official endorsement of the Zionist movement by a major global power.

Weizmann’s passionate belief in self-determination – that the Jews were

entitled to return to their homeland and create a safe haven – was based on having personally witnessed Russia’s state-sponsored pogroms in the 1880s.

known as “Synthetic Zionism.”

Between 1921 and 1946, Weizmann served for over twenty years as president of the World Zionist Organization

the Dead Sea potash plant and the Naharayim hydroelectric power plant.

Weizmann valued science as an important tool to develop a modern economy, and worked to promote higher education in Israel. He was one of the founders of the Hebrew University, as well at the Sieff Institute in Rechovot, in which he served as its president and also pursued research in its labs. In 1949, the academy, which grew dramatically in size and stature since its inception in 1934, was renamed the Weizmann Institute of Science in his honor.

Following the Nazis’ rise to power in Germany, Weizmann dedicated himself to saving European Jewry. He also aided the British war effort against Germany, utilizing industries throughout Israel, as well as the labs at the Sieff Institute, to help the British army.

in 1947, Weizmann played a major role in garnering support for the UN Partition Plan and met world leaders, including U.S. President Harry S. Truman, whom he encouraged to support an independent State of Israel, despite the objections of the State Department. In 1948, Weizmann was elected as the first President of Israel and served in this ceremonial role until he passed away in 1952.

Chaim Weizmann was a man ahead of his time. His vision of establishing prestigious institutions for research and higher learning, which would advance the country’s technological prowess, was prescient. Weizmann’s dream of Israel being a global leader in science and technology has become a reality.

In 1907, Weizmann made his first visit to Israel, which strengthened his conviction to settle the land while simultaneously participating in political lobbying. This combination approach became

(WZO) and as its main liaison with the British Government. Using his professional experiences as a model for the integration of science and industry, he successfully promoted projects such as

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.

Through his deep and powerful network, which represented a veritable “who’s who” of British society, Weizmann became Europe’s most prominent Zionist leader.

The Scary Reality of Israel’s “Safest Border” A Deep Dive into the Difficulties in the Sinai

by Daniel Stiebel

Mohammad Salah crossed the Israeli-Egyptian border in the early hours of June 3. The 22-year-old Egyptian policeman carried his gun, a copy of the Quran, and, according to some reports, also a knife. He had come to kill – and eventually be killed.

Salah could hardly have found a better place to sneak into Israel. The terrain of this part of the border is extremely rough. It’s a desert, but not like in the movies – hot, flattish, with rolling sand-dunes. Rather, the ground is broken and extremely mountainous, with some mountain peaks reaching over 3,300-feet high. The climate in that almost-uninhabited, windswept region is equally inhospitable: temperatures often climb up to over one hundred degrees Fahrenheit during the summer, while in winter it is so cold, it sometimes snows. The conditions are so bad that the Israeli border guards often have trouble even communicating with each other and with headquarters. The border posts are far-between and isolated. The high mountains and strong winds occasionally disrupt, or even jam, radio signals – making the military walkie-talkies extremely unreliable at best.

It was this ugly terrain that helped Salah commit his first double-murder unobserved. His victims were a pair of IDF border guards, Sergeant Lia Ben-Nun and Staff Sergeant Ori Yitzhak Iluz. Did the broken terrain conceal his approach until he took the two by surprise? Did they try to radio a warning to headquarters but were unable to get through? While the IDF is investigating these questions, it is likely we may never know the answers. What we do know is that the army knew nothing about the attack for over an hour, until an officer who came to inspect the post discovered the soldiers’ bodies.

Salah could have used that time to try to re-cross the border and head back to safety. But he did not. Salah had come both to kill and to die, and so he moved even deeper into Israel. Israeli soldiers did eventually find Salah and kill him, losing another soldier – Staff Sgt. Ohad Dahan – in the shootout.

Salah’s attack shocked many Israelis. It shattered the illusion that the Egyptian border was not only Israel’s safest border but was actually safe. Israelis associate that border with cheap, relaxing vacations on the Sinai beaches, pleasant desert hikes, and somewhat annoying Egyptian guards who make the process of crossing an otherwise quiet border longer and more irritating than it ought to be. As part of that narrative, many Israelis assumed the IDF guards who patrol the border spend their time playing a lazy game of cat and mouse with a bunch of pitiable drug dealers.

The reality is different and the soldiers guarding the Sinai border knew better – even before Salah made the rest of the country notice. That border has presented the IDF with non-stop crises and challenges

for at least the past fifteen years. Although the public usually looked the other way, the crises originating at Israel’s southwestern frontier have played a major role in shaping Israel’s current political culture and public discourse. Knowing what really happens on that border and how it shapes Israel is critical to answering the host of questions that Salah’s attack has forced Israel to ask: was Salah acting alone, or as part of a larger terrorist network that plans to strike again? What motivated Salah? What does Egypt’s response to his attack tell us about the nature (and future) of Israeli-Egyptian cooperation?

The Main Players on the Border Officially, North Sinai is just another of Egypt’s

twenty-seven provinces. But its unique history has shaped it very differently from Egypt’s heartland. Since the 19 th century, Egypt has treated Sinai less as a part of Egypt and more as a buffer zone between Egypt and its northern neighbors – first the Ottoman Empire and later Israel. But the last few decades have seen a change of policy; Egypt is now trying to develop that remote border region and make it more like the rest of the country. That new policy is making itself felt: hotels and resorts now dot once-barren sand dunes and beaches; the peninsula’s roads are in a better condition than ever; new bridges connect Sinai to the Egyptian heartland. The Egyptian government has invested heavily in turning North Sinai around, and it shows.

What is not obvious at first glance is that the government investment has done little for the locals. They are forced to adapt to the changing circumstances without getting to enjoy the benefits. That is because Sinai is not populated by ordinary Egyptians. Most of its six-hundred-thousand residents are Bedouins who are fiercely proud of their unique, independent-minded culture which most Egyptians don’t understand or respect. Like other nomadic people across the globe, Sinai’s Bedouins have been forced to adapt to the changing times. The last half-century has seen most of them settle down. A great many of them, perhaps even a majority, now work in the tourism industry. They live by working on the same dunes and beaches where their ancestors used to wander with their flocks – only now, the land is dotted with luxury hotels rather than sheep.

The major difference is that, just a few generations ago, the Bedouins were in control. They might have been poor, but they owned their own livestock and wandered where they chose. Today, the Bedouins don’t own the prime real estate they used to wander: the Egyptian government sold it all to outsiders, and the Bedouins are left working as taxi drivers, waiters, and hotel cleaners. The government has been pouring billions of dollars into making Sinai richer, but its programs often exclude the peninsula’s original inhabitants. In fact, one of its flagship programs incentivizes Egyptians to immigrate from the country’s heartland to the peninsula.

The government’s neglect of the Bedouins is intentional. The Egyptian government is highly suspicious of their culture and way of life. Egypt’s leadership is the product of a highly centralized, strictly hierarchical society. That’s how Egypt has been for millennia, and that’s how the country’s leaders want it to stay. Centralizing power allows them to hold onto it more easily. On the other hand, the Bedouins’ history and traditional way of life have combined to produce a notoriously independent culture. For millennia, the Bedouins have wandered whenever and whichever way they chose, always living on the fringes of settled society, sometimes raiding, sometimes trading – but always fiercely loyal to their individual tribes rather than to the state. Yes, most Bedouin have abandoned that traditional lifestyle, but the culture, values, and way of thinking which that lifestyle has produced still linger.

The Egyptian government’s policy towards the

Bedouins suggests that it believes that their independence and lawlessness is not going away anytime soon. Instead of making Sinai more like the rest of the country by turning the Bedouins into typical Egyptians, the government is trying to achieve that goal through colonization. That’s why the government is spending billions on getting ordinary Egyptians to immigrate to Sinai – it wants to turn the region’s Bedouins into an increasingly insignificant minority.

Unsurprisingly, the Bedouins aren’t going away quietly. Some have gone as far as join forces with the Islamic State (yes, ISIS) in an armed insurrection against Egypt. Some content themselves with engag-

country today in a manner that no other border crisis ever had.

The migrants came from a variety of backgrounds: some were southern Sudanese, fleeing their war-torn homeland; there were young Eritrean men who were escaping military service; and yet others were economic migrants arriving from as far west as Nigeria and the Ivory Coast. They were looking to improve their lives and earn wages that would make them wealthy men back in their home countries. The migrants all followed the same path: they made their way to Egypt and then paid Bedouin traffickers to guide them through Sinai and across the border with Israel. The Bedouin guides charged exorbitant fees for the passage – sometimes as much as twenty thousand dollars per migrant. Many of these guides were, unsurprisingly, unsavory characters: some pocketed their fees and then proceeded beat up, assault, or slay their customers. A few smugglers even forcefully harvested and trafficked migrants’ organs. Even the lucky migrants who succeeded in making it to Israel without being abandoned in the middle of the brutal desert or being robbed of a kidney soon found that life in the Promised Land wasn’t as good as promised. Yes, some found their dream jobs, but they were a small minority.

A young migrant whom I interviewed during the height of the migrant crisis in 2011 described some of the hardships most of his type faced. Mulu grew up in the small East African country of Eritrea. He loved his family and homeland but absolutely loathed the idea of being forcefully drafted to the Eritrean army. Military service in Eritrea is mandatory and open-ended: conscripts serve for as long as the government wants to keep them. Service typically lasts six years, but there are always some unlucky conscripts who stay stuck in the army for over a decade. The pay is lousy, roughly $30 a month, and the work is dangerous. So Mulu left Eritrea for what he hoped would be a better future.

ing in some traditional Bedouin cross-societal trading and raiding – what Israelis and Egyptians describe as smuggling.

A Leaky Border

The smugglers have a huge ally: the geography of the Israeli-Egyptian border. The countries are not separated by a geographic barrier – a similar, sparsely-populated desert stretches out on both sides of the border. Apart from a handful of Jews and Egyptians, the few people living on both sides of the border are the same Bedouins whose ancestors crossed and recrossed the border line long before it was demarcated. For them, the border doesn’t mark the limits of their country; it’s merely a non-too formidable obstacle that cuts across it.

Unsurprisingly, the Egyptian border has traditionally been Israel’s most porous. This became evident during the African migrant crisis of the late 2000s. It was the first time Israel had to contend with illegal mass migration, and its aftershocks still affect the

He endured the terrible journey to Israel through North East Africa and Sinai – except Israel wasn’t quite as good as advertised. Yes, he was now earning a salary of which his family members could only dream, but the jobs he worked were all menial and temporary. At the time of our conversation, Mulu was working as a farm laborer and was lonely and homesick. Just a few weeks after our conversation, I learned that he was no longer employed on that farm – he had gone, presumably, searching for a less lonely job.

Sadly, Mulu’s unsteady, depressed life was the norm among migrants rather than the exception. Many of his compatriots eventually drifted onto the streets of Israel’s poorest neighborhoods, most famously those of southern Tel Aviv. Many became drug addicts, some joined gangs, and others became petty criminals or offenders.

Israel’s response? Building a great, big border fence and deporting thousands of migrants. The strategy failed to fix the damage already done – to this day, southern Tel Aviv is a seedy, dangerous area – but it did end the migrant crisis. Migrants returned home, spreading the word that Israel was not worth the terrible cost of reaching it...

The migrant crisis has played a huge role in shap -

Even so, about twenty tons of narcotics – roughly forty-four thousand pounds – are still successfully smuggled from Sinai into Israel each year.

ing the public discourse in Israel to this day. It exposed the chasm between poorer Israelis whose neighborhoods suffered heavily as a result of the crisis, and some of the country’s liberal elites who believe that they have a moral duty to welcome migrants – into other people’s neighborhoods. It contributed to the rise of a generation of brash, often crass politicians, the spokespeople of the poorer Israelis who are sick of what they see as the country’s politically correct elites’ refusal to solve their politically-incorrect problems. In addition, the checks which the Supreme Court imposed on government attempts to deport the migrants helped fuel calls for judicial reform – the topic that’s now dividing the country jaggedly across the middle.

People smugglers and migrants were not the only ones taking advantage of the border’s porousness. The area was a busy little region long before the migrants discovered it. Bedouin smugglers worked around the clock to supply their dubious clients with the goods they desired: weapons for terrorists and crime syndicates, and narcotics for the wider Israeli public.

Members of terrorist organizations like al-Qaeda or the Iran-backed Popular Resistance Committees trained in Sinai before crossing over to attack Israelis. Egyptian border guards, hot on the trail of smugglers, inadvertently crossed the border before attacking their IDF counterparts – whom they mistook for the smugglers. At least that’s what the Egyptian government claimed. Israel suspected that the attackers meant to target Israelis all along, but no one could be sure. With the border so open and so poorly marked, anything is possible.

The problems of cross-border smuggling and terrorism were serious enough to cause top officials to suggest the idea of a border fence long before the migrant crisis finally forced the Israeli government to act. However, even as Israel was building the fence, it became clear the fence alone would not be enough to keep the border safe. The jihadists and smugglers simply did not give up; they became more creative. For instance, in August of 2012, a group of jihadists attacked an Egyptian border post, slaughtered Egyptian soldiers and policemen, stole an armored personnel carrier, and charged it across the border. (IDF warplanes and tanks destroyed the terrorists before they could wreak further damage.)

Cross-border smugglers adapted, too. Gone were the days in which they could simply stroll across the border loaded with goods. The new barrier slowed them down and threatened to expose them. The smugglers knew they did not have enough time to scale the fence before its cameras and smart motion sensors alerted Israeli patrols, who would swoop down and seize the expensive dope or arms. So the smugglers invented a new modus operandi: they now drive up to the Egyptian side of the border fence and quickly set to work. Some prop ladders up against the fence, while others, heavily-laden, swarm up to the top and toss the goods across the fence for their Israeli partners to pick up. The Israelis soon ride up on their quad bikes, grab the goods, and disappear into the mountainous, broken desert before border guards arrive.

This plan isn’t foolproof: smugglers risk losing their expensive goods and even their lives in an en-

counter with Egyptian policemen or Israeli patrols. However, they cut the risk by cooperating with the border guards’ other enemies, the jihadists, in a bond that lends a new meaning to narco-terrorism. The smugglers and jihadists terrorize the Egyptian border guards by attacking, and occasionally even murdering, some of them. The survivors are so cowed that they typically avoid encounters with smugglers whenever possible, opting to hunker down in their barracks or fire meaningless shots from a safe distance whenever smugglers pass through. The smuggler-jihadists have adopted a similar strategy when dealing with the Israeli border guards. They occasionally open covering fire from the Egyptian side in order to pin down the Israeli soldiers while the Israeli smugglers swoop in to carry off the loot.

Fortunately, the Israeli border guards are more aggressive and better trained than their Egyptian counterparts. Instead of trying to catch the Israeli smugglers as they arrive at the border fence, Israeli soldiers and policemen ambush them on their way back from the border – thus avoiding the Egyptian smugglers’ bullets (the Israeli smugglers are always unarmed: they don’t want to give the soldiers a reason to shoot). The IDF estimates that its efforts over the past few years have cut the cross-border narcotics trade to a third of its original volume. Even so, about twenty tons of narcotics – roughly forty-four thousand pounds – are still successfully smuggled from Sinai into Israel each year.

Closer, more effective cooperation between the IDF and the Egyptian armed forces could cut these numbers even further and possibly even crush the smugglers altogether. However, as the Egyptian response to the Salah attack suggests, closer cooperation is unlikely.

A Cold Peace

As soon as news of the attack broke, Egypt insisted that the attack was a tragic, innocent accident. According to the Egyptian version, Salah was a conscientious policeman who was fulfilling his duty by chasing down a group of smugglers. Unfortunately, Salah was such a great, ardent border guard that he accidentally chased the smugglers across the border and into Israel, before inexplicably getting into a firefight with the Israelis. Consequently, Egyptian Defense Minister Mohamed Zaki called his Israeli counterpart to offer his condolences “to the victims of the accident from both sides.”

The Egyptian account is an entertaining piece of fiction, albeit with a badly thought-out plot. Naturally, since all the forensic evidence is in Israel, it would have been ridiculous to expect Zaki to base his narrative on the facts – he didn’t have them. Nevertheless, he should have been done better than to recycle an old excuse which the Egyptian foreign office came up with after a similar incident almost twenty years ago. That excuse was credible back then when there was no border fence, which meant that an ardent Egyptian policeman could cross the border without realizing it. However, that excuse is no longer credible; in fact, it is outdated by roughly ten years. Moreover, Salah had been very vocal about his political opinions. As his Facebook and TikTok accounts show, he openly supported Hamas. He even boasted that he was planning to hurt Israeli troops.

The very fact that Defense Minister Zaki chose a line that was so patently false shows that he is not interested in helping Israel uncover and fix the problems which the attack has exposed. It means that, even though Egypt has officially agreed to a joint investigation of the shooting, the Egyptian contribution is likely to consist solely of burying evidence.

Egypt’s unhelpful attitude is nothing new – and is rooted in a deep dislike of Israel.

Although Israel and Egypt have officially been at peace for over forty years, only one side has given up its animosity for the other. Israelis have done their best to move past decades of conflict with their once-bitterest of enemies. They have largely forgotten the four bloody wars the two countries have fought. Israelis choose instead to focus on Egypt’s picturesque coasts and impressive archaeological relics. To them, Egypt is the first Arab country that was willing to accept them, the land of cheap vacations, scuba-diving, and endless beaches.

Egypt is yet to reciprocate that attitude. While Israeli tourists flood Egypt, the Egyptian government effectively prevents ordinary Egyptians from traveling to Israel. That privilege is limited to diplomats, journalists, or Coptic (Egyptian Christian) pilgrims.

The difference between the Israeli and Egyptian attitudes to peace is hardly surprising. Israel made peace with Egypt because it wanted to end the conflict between the countries. Egypt, on the other hand, cared less about ending the conflict with Israel and more about reaping the material benefits of a peace deal: control over the Sinai Peninsula and its oil fields, as well as receipt of mountains of U.S. cash and advanced American weaponry.

Despite signing the treaty, the Egyptian government behaves as if Israel is still the enemy. The names of multiple public institutions, roads, schools, and even cities keep alive the memory of Egypt’s most successful war with Israel, the Yom Kippur War. None commemorate the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty. Egyptian TV shows portray Jews and Israelis as spies, thieves, and killers. Textbooks still teach schoolchildren that Israel is an illegitimate, colonialist entity and that liberating Palestine is an Islamic duty. Israel is, quite literally, wiped off the map in Egyptian textbooks. And, of course, young Egyptians are still taught the bit about the Jews crucifying the Christian “g-d.”

As a result, Egyptian animosity to Israel runs deep. Academics boycott their Israeli counterparts. Anti-Israel protests are common. In 2012, when Egyptians were given the chance to democratically elect their president for the first and only time in their country’s history, they chose a man who described Jews as “descendants of pigs and monkeys.” (Muslims revile pigs as much as observant Jews.) That president also happened to be the candidate of the Muslim Brotherhood, of which Hamas (most famous for its contingent of Gaza rocket-boys) is an offshoot.

Given many Egyptians’ anti-Israel sentiments, it’s hardly surprising that Salah has become a posthumous online sensation in Egypt. Thousands are liking his Facebook posts; Egyptians have flooded social media with pro-Salah posters. He has become a hero, a source of national pride.

At least the Egyptian government’s reaction is more restrained. It only portrays Salah as an innocent victim rather than celebrating him as a national hero.

The Egyptian government playing pretend is ridiculous – but not surprising. It has a history of treating Israel pettishly and spitefully, even when it comes to

solving common problems. For instance, back in 2017, the Israeli and Egyptian militaries were cooperating closely to defeat ISIS in Sinai; yet when Egypt briefed diplomatic missions on the Sinai situation, it neglected to invite the Israeli representative.

There is no doubt that Egypt’s hostility towards Israel is an issue, but it’s important to put things in perspective. Egypt’s attitude is only making a bad situation worse. The root of the problem lies in Egypt’s (mis)government.

The Future of the Border

By keeping the Bedouins at the bottom of the economic food chain, the Egyptian government is pro -

That dynamic is unlikely to change anytime soon. The Egyptian government has more pressing concerns than cross-border smuggling in a remote province. The country itself is on the verge of collapse. It is facing a demographic crisis, and its over-centralized systems, coupled with decades of (ongoing) mismanagement, make it extremely hard for Egypt’s leaders to protect the country from the resulting shocks.

Additionally, Egypt’s high reproductive rate is putting tremendous stress on the country’s limited resources. Population has nearly doubled since the 1990s. The Nile, which has made Egypt the breadbasket of the Mediterranean for millennia, can no longer support even Egypt’s own population. The situation is so bad that Egypt is suffering from an acute water shortage; and Ethiopia damming the Nile further upstream is only making matters worse. Egypt’s up-and-coming generation will have to pay extra to import ever-growing amounts of food and water, but it seems likely that many young Egyptians will not be able to earn the necessary money. As of now, Egypt’s job market is incapable of expanding to accommodate the country’s increasing working-age population. Decades of misrule have created a fragile economy that is too over-regulated, centralized and fossilized to adapt to Egypt’s changing needs.

Sadly, the government is squandering the funds which it ought to be using to turn the country around. Its poor borrowing strategy will force it, as early as this year, to spend nearly half its revenue just to pay back the interest on its debt. In fact, even the Egyptian government is acting as if fixing the country is a lost cause. Its policies suggest that the government is instead gearing up for an inevitable struggle with its citizens. It keeps pouring more and more cash into its armed forces, even though Egypt is not threatened by a powerful external enemy. The lion’s share of that money is spent on buying fancy foreign weaponry – so much weaponry that, according to some counts, Egypt is now the third-largest arms importer in the world.

viding the smugglers with a massive pool of potential recruits. What about crushing the smugglers by force? Egypt has tried, but the government is just too weak. The police force it maintains in Northeastern Sinai is unmotivated and totally incapable of taking on the Bedouin narco-terrorists. Those policemen often don’t even want to be there. Serving so far away from home in an almost uninhabited desert – usually for months on end – is lonely and depressing, and any young Egyptian policeman who has enough money or connections to get himself stationed anywhere else does just that. The result is that the policemen who do end up there come from the dregs of Egyptian society: miserable, poorly-educated, and badly trained; men with an unhappy past and no future. Some are even convicts who agreed to swap their prison cells for service in the middle of nowhere. As expected, those conscripted policemen aren’t really interested in doing their job. They often desert their posts, sometimes for weeks on end. Some even cooperate with the smugglers; others turn a blind eye. As a result, the smugglers operate with impunity, at least on the Egyptian side.

The government isn’t only splurging on fancy new weapons. It’s also spending an estimated $58 billion on moving Egypt’s capital from its largest, most congested city into the empty desert. Why? Because the new, isolated capital will allow Egypt’s elite to continue running the country, even in the face of a popular uprising. Just over a decade ago, masses of anti-government protesters gathered in the capital city of Cairo, blockaded its streets, and physically paralyzed the government. Egypt’s new, isolated capital will give the government more breathing room in case of a repeat.

With Egypt on the verge of collapse, the Egyptian government is likely to pay increasingly less attention to its northeastern border. As a result, the Bedouin narco-terrorists will only grow bolder, and the Egyptian policemen who are supposed to keep them at bay will become even more restive, incompetent, and angry. Some might direct the anger at their government, but others will take it out on Israel, the country they were raised to hate. This is why Israel should take Salah’s murderous attack as a warning of things to come.

Israel would be wise to prepare for an even more violent future along its southwestern border.

Despite signing the treaty, the Egyptian government behaves as if Israel is still the enemy.

Israeli soldiers with a batch of seized drugs

What Would You Do If…

Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW of The Navidaters

Dear Navidaters,

Watching the recent Netflix series “Jewish Matchmaking” took me back to some of my own dating journey and its ups and downs. I dated from the age of 19 until I met my husband at 28. During those nine years, there were times I sought support from dating and mental health professionals. Two of them, one a dating coach and one a licensed therapist, friended me on Facebook after I started working with them. Being in a bad place emotionally and really wanting help and support, I accepted their friend requests even though I didn’t want to. I was afraid that if I shared that I wasn’t comfortable, I would offend them. Looking back, I realize there was no reason to stay silent, but I know how vulnerable I felt during that time in my life. Still, it seemed so unprofessional. I looked at their friend list and saw friends of mine who were probably only friends with this coach and therapist because they had worked with them.

I have a few questions: is it possible that the coach and therapist didn’t realize their actions could be considered a breach of privacy? Can a client trust their personal, private lives to a dating professional who wants to connect with them on social media? Lastly, how would you recommend someone respond when a dating coach or therapist connects with them on social media, and they aren’t comfortable with it?

Thank you, Bracha*

The Rebbetzin

Rebbetzin Lisa Babich

Iunderstand the feeling of discomfort you felt when your therapist tried to friend you on Facebook. Nowadays, social media is used as a form of marketing, and she is probably trying to build up her practice by increasing her presence on social media. However, if you as the client don’t feel comfortable with that, then you have every right to communicate that. I understand why it feels unprofessional and there are definitely therapists that don’t cross the line of entering their client’s personal space in any way.

If the therapist is making you uncomfortable, I would say you have to trust your gut on this one. You can definitely express to your therapist that her/him “friending” you makes you uncomfortable. If you can’t be honest and open

with a therapist, then that’s a whole other problem. Furthermore, if you just don’t get the best feeling or vibe from a therapist and something is telling you that they seem “off,” then it is probably best to find someone else to talk to.

Trust and security are the prerequisites for vulnerability, and this is a relationship that you have to be able to be 100% vulnerable in.

The Shadchan

Michelle Mond

Iwould like to answer your last question first. You ask what a client should do if a therapist tries connecting with them on social media. If anyone feels uncomfortable with a therapist’s behavior, it’s time to say goodbye and part ways. Period. Someone may be open to being in a therapist’s large social media network,

in which case, by all means accept the request.

The world of today is not like the world of decades ago, where therapy and selfhelp was taboo. There are myriad of therapists in social media putting out advice to the public at lightning speed. These therapist accounts can have hundreds of thousands of followers who merely follow them for short blasts of sage advice. It could be this therapist had no ill intent when trying to send you a friend request and was merely trying to bring you into her network.

I cannot speak of therapist codes, rules, or laws; our therapist Jen will hopefully be able to shed light on that aspect.

The Single

Tzipora Grodko

According to the Code of Ethics, it’s unethical for a therapist to make any intimate, social contact outside of the therapist relationship. I’m not familiar if there’s a guide for coaches, and therefore can’t speak on their behalf. However, you should never feel obligated to do anything that causes discomfort. Let your gut be your guide.

The Zaidy

Dr. Jeffrey Galler

It’s shocking and troubling that professional therapists could act so unprofessionally.

It is very clear that guidelines from the American Psychological Association, and experts in mental health ethics, strongly recommend against having clients as Facebook friends.

In a Therapist’s Guide to Ethical Social Media Use, Healthline journalist Crystal Raypole explains: “ People often use social media accounts to share very revealing information about themselves. Having a client as a Facebook friend will give you the opportunity to see details about their life, they may not share with you in therapy… They might also see details about your life you wouldn’t share

within the therapeutic relationship. Having access to this level of detailed personal information can significantly affect the bond you have with your client—on both sides.”

Let’s try to understand why a therapist would engage in such unprofessional behavior.

Years ago, professionals sought to grow their practices through “internal marketing.” That is, satisfied patients, or other professionals who referred those patients, would naturally spread the word and more patients would gravitate toward that practice.

Today, however, there is tremendous pressure upon professionals to “increase their numbers” on various social media platforms and thus establish an attractive, appealing, and competitive online presence that could attract new patients or clients.

Today, consumers very often choose what products to buy based upon what they see online. And, in like manner, plumbers, electricians, physicians, dentists, and therapists are often chosen not based upon personal recommendations, but, instead, based upon their online, social media presence.

According to Tutorialspoint.com, a digital marketing company, “We live and thrive in the digital world. Companies today have a strong digital presence because consumers are present in the digital world.”

However, before we completely condemn your therapists’ unethical behavior, it’s possible that they may be only partially at fault. Some social media platforms, like Facebook and LinkedIn, utilize algorithms that automatically send out “Requests to Friend” to everyone on that person’s phone list or email list.

Nevertheless, a careful, ethical, professional therapist proactively avoids such ethical lapses.

We struggle to express ourselves when we feel our boundaries are being violated.

Pulling It All Together

The Navidaters

Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists

Thank you for writing into the panel. It is in poor taste for a coach to contact a client and send a friend request on social media, and it is unethical for a therapist to do so. Therapists are to take measures to protect a client’s privacy which allow the client to feel safe and secure opening up in the boundaried confines of an office. Most therapists will not even initiate contact outside the office or say hello to a client should there be a run in at the supermarket or local restaurant so that client can maintain their privacy. You have a right to maintain your privacy and not

share your personal life with therapists or coaches. When something feels off, it is likely off. There are some unboundaried professionals out there who likely struggle understanding the need for boundaries in their own personal lives, and it trickles over into the professional lives. They don’t understand how deeply uncomfortable this could make someone.

We know that the client tends to think of the therapist or coach as the “boss” who must know better or be acting in the best

interest of the client. The basis of any good therapeutic relationship is one where the client can feel safe and comfortable expressing what is not working for him/her in the therapeutic or coaching relationship. This is fostered by the therapist/coach laying the groundwork for openness. “I want to know if I’ve made a mistake.” “Let’s talk about how therapy is going for you.” A good therapist will make room for this process. If you bring something to the therapist’s attention, she/he will explore that with you. It is a relationship of equals.

There are many ways to address such an instance in the future. “I saw you contacted me on social media. I’m wondering if that is something you do regularly with clients and what your intention is.” “I’m uncomfortable accepting a friend request. My private life is private.” And ultimately, “I’m not comfortable working with you any

longer.” We struggle to express ourselves when we feel our boundaries are being violated. Have you thought about writing a letter to these two professionals, kindly expressing your feelings about their having contacted you on social media? I’m not suggesting you do or that you need to, only to say that taking back your power simply by creating that boundary (regardless of whatever their responses may be) may be truly liberating for 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. 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.

Trust and security are the prerequisites for vulnerability.

Beautiful the Way You Are

By Sara Rayvych, MSEd

Isaw that a friend, the talented musician Shaindel Antelis Schorr, was announcing the release of a new music video, “Beautiful,” by Dobby Baum. Shaindel mentioned the video had a great message, and I was curious enough to check it out. Very early into the video I asked my daughters to join me as I restarted it and we watched together.

The message – that each individual is wonderful the way they are – truly was “beautiful,” I was very impressed by how much was packed into one song. The video not only touched upon the embarrassment young women can feel about their bodies and the frightening tendency towards eating disorders, but also focused on many of the various differences that can make our precious children – and ourselves – feel less than we truly are.

Although I watched this video prior to The Three Weeks, I still felt a little awkward discussing a music video during this time period. But I then thought of the message being discussed, and I felt the timing was justified. During this period, we are mourning our holy Temple that was destroyed and remains in ruins due to sinas chinam. Focusing on teaching our children to accept themselves and the others around them – creating a world of ahavas chinam – is a timely message.

Before diving into the main topic of

today, I wanted to mention something important I noted. From what I’ve heard, the secular music scene is highly competitive to the point of being cutthroat. Despite the millions of potential fans, each performer wants to be the top. I noticed the amazing contrast between Klal Yisroel’s talented female singers and, l’havdil, their secular counterparts. With far fewer potential listeners, we still see these women promoting and supporting each other, as Shaindel did when advertising Dobby Baum’s song. I hope this message, too, inspires us during this period of mourning.

The Summer Months

Hashem gave us four different seasons to cycle through. Each has its own flavor, and many people will have their favorite one. Summer tends to be associated with a more relaxed pace and a transition from school to camp or other activities. While some kids need the increased structure school provides, many kids thrive on the extra calm and fluidity of being away from a desk and running free or swimming.

Children who may struggle during the school year can blossom during these two months. Even children who succeed in school can find new parts of themselves and flourish during this time. It’s amazing how camp and other programs can bring out the talents that can go unnoticed in a

structured academic environment.

Especially during this time of fun, exploration and discovery, our children should feel accepted for who they are. As much as their condition permits, they should be included in all activities and experience each moment with their peers. Even more important than the physical activities is the feeling of camaraderie and acceptance. Everyone wants to feel a part of the group and loved by others.

Loving Ourselves

We are taught v’ahavta l’rayacha kamocha, to love others as we love ourselves. In these wise words of Chazal is the presumption that we love ourselves and that we should extend that same feeling to others. It’s truly sad how many of our children can’t say wholeheartedly that they love themselves. Even the most amazing child in today’s generation can feel inferior to their peers – and often for foolish reasons. Perhaps they’re less popular, not athletic, have a stutter or are taller/shorter than their friends. It can be painful for a parent to see their incredible child feeling less than the amazing person we know they are.

I remember a former elementary school principal had a sign on her door stating, “I know I’m somebody special because G-d doesn’t make junk.” As Dobby more eloquently sings in “Beautiful,” “Stand up

with confidence for who you are, you were created by the One, you are beautiful the way you are.”

We each have gifts and talents, as well as weaknesses and areas to improve. We are created with Divine Wisdom, by the One that knows what we truly need. There is never a reason to feel inadequate knowing we are designed by Hashem. As parents, we can ensure that our speech and actions reflect back to our children showing them what a blessing they are to us.

Some peer groups are better than others. Children can, unfortunately, be quite cruel to even those they call “friends.” Keep your eyes and ears open to see how your child’s friends treat each other.

Children can have complex feelings and be unable to handle their emotions. Therapy is one tool to help children work through their experiences and gain the tools to appreciate themselves. A trained therapist can also help children work on the areas they’re finding challenging, such as communication with peers or other social interactions.

Loving Others

Each Jewish child is a part of Klal Yisroel, and everyone deserves to feel included. Simple changes can add up to create an environment of acceptance and love. Too often, it’s the smallest difference that can

push a child to the periphery, often behaviors or attributes that are beyond their control. This article certainly can’t list all the reasons children can feel excluded, but it’s a start.

It’s us, the adults, who set the tone and set an example by how we treat others. It’s wise for parents to think twice before commenting about another person, especially a child. We want to make sure that our words conform both to halacha and to the lessons we want our children to learn.

Sometimes, it’s also not just what we say but also what we avoid saying that matters. “Look how nice she looks despite her size” may be better left unsaid. “Those glasses don’t make you look like a geek at all!” “Who would’ve thought he could make a siyum?” In all these “compliments” are potentially unsaid criticisms.

Children come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Genetics is beyond our control, and parents are often surprised by how different their own children can look from each other. We have kids with brown, blonde and orange hair. Even the same child can change over the course of their own development. Children should never tease others based on their appearance.

Nicknames are often harmful and should never be used unless you’re positive

the child is OK with it. Often, children go along with being called a name just to feel included – even if it upsets them inside. While Avrumi, Shaindy and Yossi are common names of endearment, “Carrot-top,” “four-eyes”, “lefty” or anything more creative isn’t. Many of the names children call each other are unfit to be printed in an article.

divinely ordained income are various expenses, with some families having high bills (such as medical) with others having the standard. Children may not have the same clothing, shoes, accessories, bikes or accessories that other children own. Children should never feel inferior because of their parent’s financial status or by what their parents choose to buy.

excluded. As adults, we can be mindful to prepare in advance any accommodations that may be needed to ensure everyone feels included.

Just as physical abilities differ, so does the way our brains function. The brain is so complex, and many children will function neurologically different from others. Rather than mock those who think differently, children can learn to value the talents and gifts that can come along with neurological diversity.

Each individual is unique and divinely made. We all benefit when we learn to recognize the beauty in each other and the natural gifts they bring. May these days of sorrow turn into ones of unity when each child can say with confidence, “I know I am Worthy, stand proud, this is who I’m meant to be” (From Dobby Baum’s “Beautiful”).

Children come from all different types of families. Examples include traditional two parents, single parents, foster care and grandparent-led. Hopefully, most families are stable but, unfortunately, too many are not. Children with a difficult family life should not be forced to endure more suffering, and their family background should never be the fodder for gossip.

Each family has the income that Hashem has provided them. Along with that

Each individual has different physical abilities. Some kids are athletic and agile, while others can be clumsy and uncoordinated. Some children have obvious physical disabilities, while others just don’t move the same way as others do. Our value as a person isn’t determined by our physical prowess – children of all abilities can usually find their place during playdates or other group activities. Food allergies and other restrictions, too, can make a child feel

You can find the music video for “Beautiful” on Dobby Baum’s YouTube channel and the audio on streaming platforms (it’s kol isha – for women only).

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 Rayvych Homeschool@gmail.com.

We all benefit when we learn to recognize the beauty in each other and the natural gifts they bring.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, especially in the United States. This condition occurs when the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle become narrowed due to the buildup of plaque. CVD can include conditions such as coronary artery disease, heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure. These conditions can be life-threatening and have a significant impact on an individual’s quality of life. CVD is a chronic health condition that often requires long-term management and treatment. It can lead to ongoing health issues and the need for regular medical care and lifestyle modifications to reduce the risk of complications. Furthermore, this disease can significantly reduce life expectancy and have a substantial impact on a person’s quality of life. It may lead to physical limitations, reduced mobility, fatigue, and increased dependence on others for daily activities. Many risk factors for CVD are preventable or modifiable.

Here are some ways that the power

Eating Your Way to a Healthier Heart

By Aliza Beer MS, RD, CDN

of nutrition can reduce the risk of CVD naturally.

• Embrace a Mediterranean inspired diet . The Mediterranean diet emphasizes consuming fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. This diet encourages the consumption of healthy fats, such as olive oil, while limiting saturated fats such as butter.

The Mediterranean diet is rich in antioxidants, fiber, and essential nutrients, which can help reduce inflammation and protect against CVD. One study done in the UK showed that a reduction in 3.9% of total CVD, 8.5% of stroke incidence, and 12.5% of CVD mortality were estimated to be attributable to low Mediterranean diet adherence.

Below is a recipe for a Mediterranean-inspired white bean salad: Ingredients:

• 2 cans (15 oz each) drained and rinsed white beans

• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

• 1 diced cucumber

• ½ thinly sliced red onion

• ½ cup pitted and halved Kalamata olives

• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1 clove garlic, minced

Instructions:

In a large bowl, combine the white beans, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, Kalamata olives, and parsley.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, and minced garlic. Pour the dressing over the bean and vegetable mixture. Gently toss. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. You can add more lemon juice, olive oil, or salt and pepper according to your preference.

Serve as a side dish with grilled chicken or fish, or as a light main course.

• Focus on fiber. Incorporate whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts into your meals. Fiber helps lower cholesterol levels, regulates blood sugar levels, and promotes healthy digestion. Aim for at least 25-30 grams of fiber per

day to optimize heart health.

• Opt for healthy fats. Replace saturated (i.e., butter) and trans fats, commonly found in processed and fried foods, with healthy fats. Sources of healthy fats include avocados, olive oil, and fatty fish like salmon. These fats contain omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to reduce inflammation, lower triglyceride levels, and decrease the risk of CVD. It is important to note that olive oil is fairly caloric, so use sparingly while cooking.

• Reduce sodium intake . Excessive sodium consumption can lead to high blood pressure, a major risk factor for CVD. Flavor your meals with herbs, spices, and citrus juices to reduce the need for added salt. Aim to keep your sodium intake below 2,300 milligrams per day, or even lower if advised by your healthcare professional. There are many ways to eat low sodium without compromising taste. Always rinse your canned beans before consumption to reduce the sodium levels by over 40%. When possible, choose fresh or frozen produce as opposed to

their canned counterparts, which often contain added salt.

• Include antioxidant-rich foods. Antioxidants help protect against oxidative stress, a key contributor to CVD development. Include foods rich in antioxidants, such as berries, citrus fruits, dark leafy greens, tomatoes, and colorful vegetables like bell peppers and sweet potatoes. These foods provide vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that support heart health.

• Limit added sugars . High sugar intake has been linked to obesity, diabetes, and an increased risk of CVD. Minimize the consumption of sugary beverages, processed snacks, and desserts. Explore healthier alternatives to satisfy these cravings. For example, instead of having cookies or candy, try a piece of dark chocolate with a high cocoa content. It provides a rich, chocolate flavor with less sugar. Experiment with homemade desserts using natural sweeteners, whole grains, and fruits as a healthier option.

• Obesity is a risk factor. Obese, or even overweight, individuals are at a higher risk for developing CVD. An acceptable BMI for adult men and women is between 18.5 and 24.9. An overweight BMI is between 25 and 29.9, and obesity

BMI is 30 or higher. Waist circumference is another important marker for general health status, and thus, CVD risk. For men, a waist circumference of 40 inches or more is considered high risk, while a measurement between 37 and 39 inches is considered moderate risk. For women, a waist circumference of 35 inches or more is considered high risk, while a

and better oxygen delivery to the body’s tissues. It also helps to lower blood pressure by reducing stiffness in the arteries and improving blood vessel elasticity. Regular exercise aids in weight management by promoting fat loss and preserving lean muscle mass. Maintaining a healthy weight is important for reducing the risk of conditions such as hyperten-

cling works the leg muscles and improves endurance.

◊ Yoga: Yoga combines gentle movements, stretching, and breathing exercises to improve flexibility, strength, and balance. You can find free yoga tutorials online or join community classes.

◊ Stair climbing: See how many flights of stairs you can climb and try to beat your record each day!

measurement between 31 and 34 inches is considered moderate risk. It’s important to note that these cutoffs may vary based on ethnicity, population groups, and individual health conditions.

• Exercise. Exercise improves cardiovascular health by enhancing the function and efficiency of the cardiovascular system. Regular physical activity increases the strength and endurance of the heart, leading to improved cardiac output

sion, dyslipidemia, and diabetes, which are all significant risk factors for CVD.

• Here are some examples of low-impact exercises to increase your daily physical activity:

◊ Walking: Brisk walking can be done almost anywhere. It’s a great way to get your heart rate up and improve cardiovascular health.

◊ Cycling: Whether it’s on a stationary bike or riding outdoors, cy-

Lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease naturally begins with making positive changes to your diet. By addressing and modifying these risk factors, the incidence of CVD can be significantly reduced. By adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle, managing risk factors, and seeking appropriate medical care, individuals can improve their cardiovascular health and reduce the negative consequences associated with CVD.

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

Lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease naturally begins with making positive changes to your diet.

I am NOT Inspired!

By Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz

“What inspired you to do all this?’’ asked the thirty-something podcaster last summer at the opening of the interview. I didn’t really respond directly to the question. The same question came up a few more times in similar interviews for podcasts. I did better in response to the repeated query.

Inspiration is not what causes me to do things. Inspiration is not what induces commitment to chesed and community projects. It is values. A sense of responsibility to klal Yisroel and to its members, particularly those who are neglected or who feel alone.

A sense of a higher purpose beyond immediate day-to-day living to meet our needs and wants is a Jewish value. So is emulating the One Above Who does chesed. That’s why we work hard at klal initiatives and sustained efforts to help other individual Yidden or groups of Yidden.

So why are young people asking the question? Why am we queried about inspiration as motivator? What is behind this perception that there is instant inspo that leads us to do what we do? Why is it expected to be something external to us?

I am not sure. Certainly, some of it has to do with the prevailing culture of instant responsiveness and on demand fulfillment. Everything from goods and services to spirituality and personal growth must be instantly available to the consumer as well as the contemporary Jew. From software developers to camp directors to educators, there are people looking to shortcut tasks and make an instant impact. It seems that providers believe that if you have a wow experience, you are inspired. A kumsitz, a matzav, or a film will make change happen as well as a feel-good experience in the present. It’s a two-fer, they probably reason.

There is an innate fallacy in this thinking. Goods and services may be downloadable or available through an app. Processes may be streamlined through stacks and software. But inner change, whether it is emotional or spiritual, doesn’t flow from

provider to consumer.

Just because you listen to a powerful speaker or a short inspirational podcast doesn’t mean that you are inspired. Because a parent pays $25K for seminary doesn’t mean the daughter changes and comes home spiritually uplifted and transcendent beyond the culture of her neighborhood or her problems.

People don’t respond that way in their heads and hearts. They must be klei kibbul, receptors for the words and concepts explicated by the dynamic speaker. They have to be prepared to do the work and

gible change in behavior. Kabbalos and initiatives can only follow when someone has exercised the discipline of prolonged improvement and evaluation. Taking something on is just that: acquiring another set of obligations.

Motivation by its very nature is shortlived. Its effects are immediate only. Its results are usually not sustainable unless there is training and development of muscles of self-improvement first.

This is also true when it comes to activities for a higher purpose such as community initiatives and chesed cam-

You know it and I know it, my friends. We are not going to get likes, shares, and followers on social media because of those deeper reasons.

It’s not about publicity. It’s about what really counts in life that motivates us to begin organizations, projects, and initiatives. It is purpose and enduring meaning that makes a difference in this world and the World to Come.

I never respond to those questions about what I’m passionate about. Inevitably, during the back and forth, the response of the interviewer is always connected with excitement. They are so excited!

I’m not excited, however.

Feel good stuff doesn’t last because it’s just about the present emotional enthusiastic response. James Clear, bestselling author of Atomic Habits , says, “Passion is a feeling that follows action. It tends to be created or discovered, not predicted or planned. You don’t find your passion. It finds you as you get in the mix and try things.”

True meaning comes from shvitzing through each meeting and responding to all those emails and the to-do lists that follow. You don’t just power through it. You collaborate, you disagree, and you work out those disagreements for the greater good. It’s about a lot more than joining a social circle that is enthused about doing a group project.

initiate. A prompt without immediate follow-up doesn’t accomplish anything. There has to be receptivity, openness to spiritual stimuli, as well a level of self-mastery so that the process of action can begin with some concrete action.

The work of spiritual growth is slow and hard. The needle moves in infinitesimal increments. Significant inner work on middos, hashkafos , personal goals, and the meaning of achievement must occur before a person can make a tan -

paigns. If you haven’t exercised responsibilities to yourself, you are going to fall flat after you take on a nonprofit initiative or social action cause. Commitment will probably falter and wane. The honeymoon phase will pass, and you won’t be there anymore.

It’s not instant inspo that presses the start button. Deeper reasons motivate a person to get involved in a cause, whether it is internal spiritual work or a public project.

The overarching value of what you are doing continues to motivate because it is aligned with the personal values you live by. Both the values you live by and the commitment to the new enterprise take ongoing painstaking work. Bound together in a twin strand, they make life meaningful. I call that the work of being a Yid. And don’t confuse that with inspiration as motivation.

It’s not instant inspo that presses the start button.

Fd for Thought Cork & Slice

By Nati Burnside

Cork and Slice is a household name in Long Island. Their Cedarhurst location has a great reputation and has been around for seven years now, serving up great dairy fare in an elevated atmosphere.

That said, Brooklyn is a totally different animal. With tons of kosher restaurants and tough competition, it was a bold move for Cork and Slice to open their second location there this year.

When I was invited to Cork and Slice, I thought it would be a good idea to visit the new one in the Midwood neighborhood of Brooklyn. Not only did I want to see what all the buzz was about, but I was curious about the difference between the two locations. And while most of the menu is exactly the same, the Brooklyn one sports sushi options that the Long Island one doesn’t.

Instead of a regular sushi roll, I’d recommend the Spicy Tuna Crunchy Rice Roll. Not really a roll at all, this sushi appetizer consists of a handful of fried sushi rice bars topped with tuna kabayaki (a very specific preparation in which the fish is butterflied, cut into filets, skewered, marinated, and grilled). To offset the sweet marinade, there’s a thin slice of jalapeño and some spicy mayo on top. The flavor is well-received, but the star is the “crunch and mush” texture of the crispy rice bar combined with the tuna. I wish more restaurants featured something like this.

If ordering a salad to start your meal is more your speed, try the Rainbow Salad. The bed of chicories, watermelon radish, and fennel make for a brilliant array of colors. The Cara Cara orange slices are cut beautifully and add a sweet component, the red onion brings a bite and more color, and the roasted almonds provide a rich nutty flavor so all the bases are covered.

Add to that the creamy goat cheese and the acidity of the lemon vinaigrette and you’ve got a really well-balanced salad that both tastes great and looks like it’s straight out of a food magazine. Eating it will destroy its beauty, but your taste buds will think

it’s worth it.

Putting the “slice” in Cork and Slice are their pizzas, which are baked in a coal-fired pizza oven. I’d suggest you try the Funghi Pizza, a white mushroom pie. With a base of mozzarella cheese, the mushroom mixture consists of cremini, shiitake, white button, and hon shimeji varieties. The pizza is then topped with dollops of ricotta, parsley, and truffle oil. This is a great example of a classic artisanal combination, and the result is wonderful. The truffle taste definitely comes through, which might be a positive for some (like myself) and a negative for others. The crust is thin and crispy, and the two cheeses provide the necessary texture to make the white pie work, while not overpowering the flavors of the interesting blend of mushrooms.

Cork and Slice is open for lunch and many of their offerings are great for that time of day if you want to visit for a leisurely meal with a friend or colleague. But anybody who is looking for a quick option that’s a whole meal in one item should order the fabulous Tuna BLT. Served on pullman bread, you’re getting a grilled filet of tuna topped with a crispy slice of salmon, avocado, lettuce, tomato, and chipotle mayo. This was the best thing on the menu, in my opinion.

First of all, this isn’t like any other sandwich I’ve ever had. The tuna/salmon combination was interesting from both a texture and a taste perspective. The avocado brought a fatty creaminess to the table, and the chipotle mayo finished everything with some heat. The pullman bread was the right type of base, and the fries on the side really made this a whole meal. If you fancy yourself a sandwich connoisseur in the current anti-bread climate, the Tuna BLT (no idea what the “B” stands for) is simply a must.

Back to more traditional offerings, you probably should try the Mac & Cheese. Every dairy place has it on the menu; every place makes it a little different. In this case, it’s rotini that’s served to you in the dish it

was baked in. You’ll get that stringy cheese pull (mozzarella), that inherent cheesy base (cheddar), and a bold flavor as well (parmesan). There’s a sprinkling of gremolata (parsley, garlic, lemon zest) on top to kick it up a notch as well. You’ve probably had many versions, but it’s time to add one more to your scorecard.

Lastly, if you’re looking for a real proper fish entree, you can’t go wrong with the Grilled Branzino. Served on a bed of spiralized zucchini with roasted fingerling potatoes, the filet has a caper and herb vinaigrette on top that makes it a very well-composed plate. I’m not usually a big fan of zoodles, but the texture worked splendidly in combination with the fish. The potatoes were absolutely perfect and jived nicely with the sauce. Branzino makes many appearances in high-end places these days, but what comes with it is what makes the difference.

So whether it’s sushi (Brooklyn

only), a salad, pizza, a sandwich, pasta, or fish, head over to Cork and Slice for an elegant dairy outing. They’ve got something for everyone – and that probably includes you.

Dairy corkandslice.com

(516)-837-7788

477 Chestnut Street

Cedarhurst, NY 11516

Vaad Hakashrus of the Five Towns & Far Rockaway

(718)-645-1963

509 Avenue P Brooklyn, NY 11230

Kehilah Kashrus

Lentil Feta Burgers

Dairy / Yields 12 servings

By Naomi Nachman

Ingredients

◦ 1 medium onion, diced

◦ 2 tablespoons canola oil

◦ 1 teaspoon kosher salt

◦ 2 cloves garlic, crushed

◦ ½ teaspoon cumin

◦ ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

◦ 2 eggs, lightly beaten

◦ 2 tablespoons flour

◦ 1 cup panko crumbs

◦ 1 cup uncooked lentils, prepared according to package directions

◦ ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled

◦ Oil, for frying

◦ Spicy mayo

◦ Tomato, additional feta, and buns, optional, for serving

Preparation

1. Heat sauté pan over medium heat; add oil. When oil is hot, add onion; sauté for 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and smoked paprika. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat; transfer to a mixing bowl.

2. Add lentils and feta to the onion mixture, stirring to combine. Add eggs, flour, and panko crumbs. Stir to combine; set aside to thicken for 20 minutes.

3. In a sauté pan over medium heat, heat 4 tablespoons canola oil.

4. Form the lentil mixture into patties; fry for 5 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

5. Serve on a bun with spicy mayo, a slice of tomato, and a sprinkle of feta, if desired.

Cook’s Tip: You can also use 1 pouch of Gefen’s ready-to-eat Organic Lentils, which are available in most kosher supermarkets.

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.

With the Nine Days fast approaching, this recipe is great to add to your repertoire.

Ted Miller on Educating, Connecting, and Providing Authentic Interactions in Business

This 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.

On a recent 710 WOR “Mind Your Business” broadcast, Yitzchok Saftlas (YS) spoke with guest Ted Miller III, CEO of Training Mastery 3.

YS: You’ve interacted with some of the world’s greatest marketing minds. Could you share one of the best lessons you learned from those experiences?

TM: Tony Robbins taught me an incredibly valuable lesson about managing work with the other important factors of my life. At that point in my life, I was focused solely on my business, and I had

lost focus on the other things that were important to me, like G-d and family, without fully realizing it. But one day, I was at one of Tony’s premium events and he said to the audience, “Raise your hand if you ever think of an exit strategy out of your marriage, because you’re that frustrated.” And two rows in front of me, my wife raised her hand. That was the wakeup call I really needed. I realized that I had to start acting in alignment with my virtues. Ironically, focusing on what’s already important to you is what helps you grow. If you’re stuck and stagnant, the chances are that you’re ignoring one of your core values.

Everyone’s always talking about

achieving “work-life balance,” but I think that “balance” is not quite the right word. Balance is about doing all things in equal measure. But if you want to master something, you don’t just balance it. At best, you would only achieve mediocrity with each thing that requires your attention. When it comes to managing time between your family and business, balance is not enough. Instead, I respond appropriately to what ultimately requires my attention the most in each moment. And that allows me to act on a mastery level. That’s the best thing I ever learned from Tony.

What is the advantage of education-based marketing, as opposed

to more traditional marketing techniques?

The world is sick and tired of being sold to. But if you can use information, you’re not going to the same place millions of others are by using weird marketing techniques with neurolinguistic patterning to convince someone to do something they shouldn’t do. Instead, you’re going to someone’s high-level thinking, at the frontal cortex. You’re making them say, “Wow, I didn’t know that.” And then the brain logically goes, “Well, if I’ve got new information, I need to make a new decision.” And that will change your world, because people will feel like they’re self-enrolling into your

product or service, rather than being sold to. And so, they’re walking into your world versus being tricked in through some kind of marketing technique. It’s the one thing that has always consistently worked for me. Anytime anyone has a problem getting more new clients, I can pretty much always rely on education-based marketing. Whether it’s for B2B (Business To Business), B2C (Business To Consumer), or B2G (Business To Government), some of the biggest moves I’ve made have all been achieved through utilizing this strategy.

What should a company do if they have great content available, but it’s not producing any revenue?

You need to take a look at the type of content you’re putting out. Content-based marketing is not the same as education-based marketing. If all you do is educate your prospective client, you probably won’t generate new business. That prospect likely has a relationship with another vendor that they’re already doing business with. If you don’t set the buying criteria in your favor, your prospective client is just going to go to your competitor and ask if they are capable of what you just taught them. And even if you know they can’t, the competitor will say they can, and their relationship with the prospect will just continue. You need to set a buying criteria. Growing up, my dad had a rule that “if I buy, you fly, kid.” Meaning that if he was paying for a pizza, I had to go out and pick it up from Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria. That was our criteria. But along came Domino’s, and they used this to their benefit. They learned how to set a new buying criteria in an instant. In a short-stated pitch, they said, “We will deliver your pizza in 30 minutes or less guaranteed, or it’s free.” And this pizza wasn’t the same quality as Lou Malnati’s, but it wasn’t about high-quality ingredients or the taste. We bought it just because I didn’t have to leave the house. That’s all it takes.

If you can wedge yourself into someone’s mind, to show them that there’s a new way to make a decision and that it’s only logical to do business with you, you’re going to have a direct response effect. That’s what education-based marketing does, as opposed to content-based marketing. In content-based marketing, you’re wasting your cycles on pushing materials that are all about you. Be of service to those you’re marketing to. Be an expert, not in your product or your service, but in the industry from which you serve. That will logically help you set

a buying criteria in your favor.

You created something called the “TM3 Ascension Sales Process.” Could you break that down for us?

This process allows you to shorten the sales cycle and achieve success quickly. It’s all about collapsing time by looking at how fast you can offer the best thing that you have to your ideal prospective clients. I’ve seen a trend of people saying, “Let’s lead with our biggest offers, high-ticket closers.” Let’s say, that offer costs $25,000. But the way they execute this idea feels almost like they’re having their salespeople calling up prospects and leading with, “hi, nice to meet you. Do you have $25,000?” That’s what it sounds

second you have a nice AI, offer the best thing you have. It collapses time and allows people to make decisions. Don’t limit your perspective on what they can do. Offer the best and they’ll make the choice that’s in their best interest. Otherwise, you’re getting in the way.

How can a company distinguish great sales talent from those that would not perform as well in a sales position?

Sometimes it’s just as simple as recognizing if they don’t have it in their nature to be powerful in a sales role. Even if they’re very knowledgeable and know a lot about the industry, that doesn’t mean they have what it takes to close a sale. Putting them in a sales position would

son that has both a high degree of confidence and high compassion. That’s the kind of person that is set up for success in sales. You want to have a pre-screening methodology to filter out those two C’s fast. Otherwise, you’re set up for failure in that arena.

What is the difference between scale and growth?

like to your prospects. They might not know you, like you, or trust you enough yet to want to spend that much money. That one sales call might not be enough. So, you first have to find a way to engage with your prospective clients and use AI. By AI, I’m not talking about Artificial Intelligence, but Authentic Interactions. That allows you to connect with people in short order. You come into their world, maybe by doing a small, 2-hour workshop for $250. But in that short period of time, you are able to get some heavy-lifting work done and create an AI with the client. Invert your approach. Don’t go from a $10 offer, to the hundreds, and then thousands. That’s an ascension model. What I’m suggesting is to find a way to where you can have an AI. And once they’ve seen what you’re made of, and the essence of what your organization stands for, then you can share the best way you can serve them. Now, you can offer your high-ticket solution, and from there you can share the smaller solutions.

What you’ve done is allow the client to get started where they’re most comfortable. You can’t dictate or control where people are at. You meet them where they’re at and help them get closer to where they want to be. But you must start with the best thing you have to offer. If you’re wasting your cycles on trying to convince people to just buy the next thing, you’re going to lose out, because there’s too much noise in the market. The

not be fair to you, but it also would not be fair to them. Care enough about your team to find the right people and to put them in seats where they are expressing their zones of brilliance.

The characteristics that you’re looking for in great salespeople are a deep-rooted compassion and sincere interest in helping your clients succeed. Those who care more, sell more, because at the end of the day, people will smell what I call “commission breath.” If the salesperson doesn’t care, and they’re in it just for the money, the client is going to smell that a mile away and that relationship will fall apart. They need to be a person of virtue, not a person of convenience. But you don’t want to just recruit people with compassion. That’s what I did originally. Everyone told me, “Ted, you’re so nice,” and I was the top producer. So, I figured that niceness must be what’s making me the top producer, and I hired all of these other nice people. And so, I was continuing to ring that sales bell, but these other hires never rang anything. It wasn’t just the compassion, there was another “C” at play: Confidence. Sales is often nothing but a transmission of confidence from one individual to the next. And so, if they don’t have enough confidence in themselves, they’re never going to have the ability to express certainty around your product or service. In sales, the one with the most certainty is going to win every negotiation. You have to find a salesper -

People typically use those words interchangeably. And that’s fine. Words change meaning all the time. But I want to be very specific about this. Growth is more about short-term success. For example, let’s say, you want more new sales to increase your top-of-line revenue and cash flow. So, there you may want to go and recruit an army of top-producing sales superstars on pure commission. That’s a great strategy to achieve shortterm growth. But scalability is different. Scalability is focused more on long-term success and sustainability. If you build an infrastructure and culture around only hiring world-class achievers, that will give you a quick boost, but what happens when you run out of those one-ina-million salespeople? After a while, you won’t be able to grow anymore because they’re one-in-a-million to find. So, if you wanted to scale your company, you could build a model that focuses on creating good standard operating procedures around the sales process. That model is scalable, because now, instead of hiring those few one-in-a-million producers, you could hire hundreds of good salespeople, allow them to grow and succeed with those operating procedures, and continue to scale your company over time. Otherwise, you’re going to get stuck and stagnant.

“Focusing on what’s already important to you is what helps you grow.”

Notable Quotes

“Say What?!”

Well, I think that culture is, it is a reflection of our moment and our time. Right? And present culture is the way we express how we’re feeling about the moment and we should always find times to express how we feel about the moment. That is a reflection of joy. Because, you know, it comes in the morning.

- Vice President Kamala Harris at a conference last week

Kamala will go down in history as the most quotable woman to even be a woman who makes quotes about quotes a woman might quote.

- YouTuber Ranting Monkey

This 4th of July, it’s high time we recognize that the U.S. exists on stolen Indigenous land and commit to returning it.

– Social media post by Ben & Jerry’s on July 4th

We are always interested in reclaiming the stewardship of our lands throughout our traditional territories and providing opportunities to uplift our communities.

- Don Stevens, chief of the Nulhegan Band of The Coosuk Abenaki Nation, that once controlled the very land Ben & Jerry’s is on

[The tribe] has not been approached in regards to any land back opportunities from Ben & Jerry’s.

- Ibid.

This is a war relating to munitions. And they’re running out of that ammunition, and we’re low on it.

- Pres. Joe Biden to CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, sharing highly confidential information

The only way to prove you’re not a Nazi is to get fat.

- Tweet by commentator Bridget Phetasy, responding to an article on MSNBC that argued that exercise and white supremacy are connected

LA is finished – watch how bad it gets out there.

- Social media post by Rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson after Los Angeles ended cash bail

To conduct an operation of such intensity in an urban area without killing any uninvolved civilians at all is a remarkable achievement by the IDF and probably unprecedented in modern warfare. Casualty ratios in most such operations have often been 3 to 5 civilians killed for every fighter, and that is by Western armies that do their best to avoid civilian casualties and adhere to the laws of war.

Every time they [the overhaul opponents] want to fan the flames, all of a sudden, there’s a comment from the direction of the [Pres. Joe Biden].

- Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli

I doubt any other army in the world would be able to achieve what the IDF did in Jenin.

- Ibid.

Israeli airstrikes and ground operations in a crowded refugee camp were the worst violence in the West Bank in many years, with a significant impact on civilians.

- UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres claiming that Israel used excessive force in the Jenin operation

But when you have bombs going off, and you have damage to septic tanks or to power centers, etc., you have an enormous release of greenhouse gas, of methane, you know, all of the family of greenhouse gases. And the result is it’s adding to the problem.

- Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry on MSNBC explaining that the war in Ukraine is bad for global warming

There is a certain amount of coordination between Biden’s people and Lapid and Ehud Barak; there is certain amount of synchronization.

– Ibid.

- Former commander of British forces in Afghanistan Col. Richard Kemp talking to Arutz Sheva about the success of Israel’s incursion into Jenin last week

I’m about to go crazy sitting here on the earphone hearing the stuff you all are saying about the Ukraine! I’m from the Ukraine; there is a large faction of Nazis.

- Comedian and political commentator Roseanne Barr in an interview with Piers Morgan

I don’t know if you know this, but there’s a large amount of Nazis in the Ukraine and they actually killed my whole family.

– Ibid.

People better wake up and do some research on their own instead of buying what comes across on the screen, and I try to shake them up.

- Ibid.

I probably shouldn’t say this, but if my record was as bad as this White House’s record, I’d probably give my staff [drugs] too.

- Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) on Fox News after cocaine was found in the White House

There can be no effective protest without disturbing the public order.

- Israel’s Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who is supposed to uphold the laws of Israel but is advocating public disturbance in order to prevent judicial reform from passing

Russia Hasn’t Stopped Maneuvering For a Role in Internet Oversight

By David Ignatius

Russia might be reeling from an “armed mutiny” at home and a botched invasion of Ukraine, but that hasn’t stopped it from pushing a plan for centralized United Nations oversight of the internet. An unfortunate new wrinkle is that Moscow’s approach appears to be getting some support from U.N. Secretary General António Guterres.

“We’re concerned about the Russians...pushing their authoritarian digital agenda in every forum around the world,” explained a senior Biden administration official in an email. “It’s global and relentless, and when we step back even a little bit, they fill that void.” He said the State Department has conveyed its “legitimate concern” about a U.N. “takeover” of internet governance to U.N. officials in New York.

Russia’s latest bid for top-down internet control came in a resolution submitted for next week’s meeting in Geneva of the ruling council of the U.N.’s International Telecommunication Union. Moscow’s proposal seeks changes in governance “to prevent fragmentation of the Internet,” according to a document posted on the ITU website.

What “fragmentation” is Russia talking about? The internet has been functioning pretty smoothly for decades. If there are any blockages, they’re the ones introduced by authoritarian governments such as Russia and China. But as you read Moscow’s proposal, it becomes clear that Russia is doubling down on its past demands for global political regulation as an alternative to what it claims is U.S. control of cyberspace.

“There is currently no platform for practical interstate dialogue to discuss the possibility of coordinating the activities of states in regulating the Internet of potential threats to the integrity and reliability of the network and preventing regulatory

fragmentation,” the Russian document argues in an English translation.

A reader of this bland bureaucratic language might forget that it was Russia that has used the internet to subvert elections in the United States, as well as balloting in many European countries. Or that it’s Russia that has refused to sign the 2001 Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, which was ratified by 68 countries. This fox, it seems, never tires of attacking the henhouse.

The surprise is that Russia’s ideas about global political regulation appear to have gained some support from Guterres. In a May policy brief to advance his plan for a “Global Digital Compact,” the secretary general supported the existing “multistakeholder” governance approach. But he also expressed some of the same regulatory themes as Moscow.

There “must be a collective effort to ensure that regional, national or industry initiatives, however well-meaning, do not further fragment the Internet,” Guterres wrote, without documenting

any existing fragmentation. He went on to argue that “we need a networked multilateral arrangement” to handle such problems.

“The United Nations is only one actor in this firmament, but it is the only global entity that can convene and facilitate the collaboration needed,” Guterres argued. His solution appears to be his compact, which the Biden administration official said could be adopted at the U.N.’s planned “Summit for the Future” in September 2024.

The Biden administration is working with allies to make sure internet governance remains broadly based and bottom-up. Explains the senior official: “Many non-governmental stakeholders and some governments are worried that political processes based in New York will lack expertise and competence to address these issues appropriately and will just open the door for intergovernmental, top-down controls and/or get bogged down in proxy political debates. To many, the secretary-general’s Policy

Brief confirmed this suspicion about a New York takeover.”

One skeptical review of Guterres’s proposals comes from Konstantinos Komaitis, an internet policy expert at the Lisbon Council, a think tank based in Brussels. In a recent article, he argued: “The fact that the secretary general aims to channel Internet policy issues through the UN’s multilateral system is alarming. When looking at the issues the ‘Global Digital Compact’ will seek to address, one cannot help but wonder whether the ultimate goal is to create a centralized system where the UN sits at the top.”

Russia itself has actually been a beneficiary of the current system of decentralized governance, which is supervised by an organization known as ICANN. Fiona Alexander, a distinguished fellow at American University’s Internet Governance Lab, noted at a recent U.N. gathering that ICANN rebuffed proposals to cut off Russia’s internet access after the Ukraine invasion, because it wanted to protect a single global internet.

“Ironically, Russia’s internet users were better protected in the internet governance ecosystem than they would have been if decisions were made in this building,” Alexander told the U.N. audience.

These arcane policy debates are the trench warfare of the modern technology world, but they get little attention outside government bureaucracies. “I don’t see any visible, public pushback to Guterres’s Global Digital Compact, and I’m worried, because the United Nations is all politics,” says Alexander.

It would be an appalling mistake if Russia, having muzzled its citizens and invaded its neighbor, got a U.N. platform to write the rules of the road for the digital technology that will shape the 21st century.

Declaring War on Mexican Cartels is Popular. That Doesn’t Mean It’s Smart.

By Fareed Zakaria

U.S. presidential campaigns usually aren’t focused on foreign policy – which is actually a blessing because, when they are, the result is often crazy talk. If you doubt that, consider the latest policy idea that has been endorsed in some form or another by almost all the front-runners for the Republican presidential nomination: effectively declaring war on Mexico’s drug cartels. Donald Trump plans to “wage war” and impose a “full naval embargo” on them. Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.) says he wants to use “the world’s greatest military” to solve the problem. A recent poll found strong support for military action among GOP primary voters, so expect to see more such wild statements.

The problem that needs to be addressed is real and tragic. More than 70,000 people in the United States died from synthetic opioid overdoses in 2021, the last year for which we had data. The leading synthetic opioid is fentanyl, which is similar to but much more potent than heroin. These drugs are mostly made by cartels in Mexico. But the idea that using U.S. military force would solve the problem is delusional.

First, it would be an act of war against Mexico. That country’s government has been clear that it is utterly opposed to any use of the U.S. military to deal with its drug problem. And if it were to be persuaded otherwise, the worst way to proceed would be for politicians in the United States to proclaim that they intend to use force regardless of what the Mexican government thinks. This kind of rhetoric is a gift to Mexico’s populist president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who will use it to gin up anti-American nationalism in his country.

Second, it won’t work. Has Scott

reflected on the fact that “the world’s greatest military” was unable to stop the drug trade in Afghanistan, a country that it occupied for 20 years? The problems in Mexico would be even greater: large areas of no-man’s-land where the cartels operate, massively funded and armed militias, and many ways to shift production across borders.

Third, large-scale action against the cartels would unleash instability across the region and in the United States itself. You would think that we would have some understanding of the unintended consequences of military interventions after Iraq and Afghanistan. Millions of migrants have been trying to enter the United States; imagine what the numbers would look like if there were a bombing campaign in southern Mexico. Armed gangs would disperse and try to find ways to hide in smaller numbers, including by crossing the border. Instead of exporting the violence to Mexico, we would bring the war to America.

Two years ago, on the 50th anniversary of President Richard M. Nixon’s war on drugs, several studies and articles noted that it had been an almost unqualified failure by just about any measure. Despite an estimated $1 trillion spent on enforcement, deaths from drug overdoses have risen dramatically while the U.S. prison system has been utterly transformed. Now, with less than 5 percent of the world’s population, the United States has around 20 percent of its prisoners. After many reform efforts, the police make more than 1 million arrests each year simply for possession of drugs.

And when we talk about the war on drugs, we rarely discuss its effects on Latin America. Our efforts to address the problem massively empowered the militaries in many of these countries and hindered the development of civil society, democratic development and the rule of law. Corruption skyrocketed and infested all parts of society – as can

be seen most readily in Mexico, where the cartels have become interwoven with parts of the government.

Some consider Plan Colombia a successful battle in the war on drugs. Since 2000, Washington has appropriated about $12 billion for the plan and related efforts in Colombia, where a brave and tenacious government fought vigorously against the cartels. Coca cultivation did decline for a time in Colombia but has returned with a vengeance. Even worse, the strategy had the effect of increasing production in Peru and Bolivia. In fact, the drug trade originally moved to Colombia in the 1980s and 1990s from Peru and Bolivia because of the military efforts in those countries. This is what experts call “the balloon effect.” You could just as easily call it Capitalism 101. When the richest country in the world has an insatiable demand for drugs, someone will supply them.

Solving the fentanyl tragedy in the United States will take time and a wide range of efforts. U.S. doctors still prescribe far too many opioids (responding to powerful commercial incentives). A 2019 study showed that American and Canadian postoperative patients were seven times more likely to be prescribed opioids than patients in Sweden. Drug treatment and rehabilitation programs are still far too small and underfunded. Medications that help with withdrawal symptoms have proved extremely effective but still only 1 in 4 people who need them in the United States can obtain them.

In the meantime, though, it is much easier to bellow about going to war with Mexico. Let’s hope that this is just campaign craziness. If we actually try to make these threats a reality, we’ll be asking for decades of turmoil.

Before 1968, there were fewer than 100 hijackings of aircraft worldwide. Then there was the five-year period from 1968 to 1972 when approximately 325 hijackings took place. The motive of many hijackers is not to take possession of a plane to sell it but rather to take hostages to exchange for ransom payments or political prisoners. Political motivations were the main purpose for Palestinian hijackers starting in 1968. Thankfully, several hijacking attempts involving Israeli citizens and flight crews were thwarted either before the hijacking took place, while in the sky, or on the ground when the terrorists were waiting for their demands to be met. In September 1970, hijackings were planned by Palestinian terrorists with the motive to release prisoners. However, one Israeli pilot resisted and became the only pilot to thwart a hijacking in middle of the sky.

Black September refers to the conflict between the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) under Arafat and the Jordanian Armed Forces under King Hussein. The month was September 1970, and as a result of the hijackings depicted in this article, the Jordanians attacked. The result was that the PLO was kicked out of Jordan, but the Black September organization would continue their terrorist actions in other countries.

On September 6, 1970, four airplanes were hijacked and two landed in a remote airfield in Jordan called Dawson’s Field. The other plane was blown up in Cairo soon after all of the passengers were safe-

A Hero in the Sky

By Avi Heiligman

ly evacuated and the hijackers were taken prisoner. One of the passengers on TWA Flight 741 who was taken to Jordan was Harav Yitzchak Hutner, zt”l, who was flying from Tel Aviv to New York via Athens. A fifth hijacked plane was taken to Dawson’s Field on September 9 and a total of 310 hostages were held at the airfield for a few days. The United States held high level meetings and was preparing to use to military force to release the hostages. However, the British negotiated with the terrorists and released other terrorists from prison in exchange for the hostages. Most of the hostages were released on September 11, and the next day the terrorists blew up the empty planes to avoid a counterstrike. The Jewish passengers and flight crews were held until late in the month when the main phase of the Black September conflict was coming to an end. Miraculously, no hostages were killed and only one was injured.

The fourth plane that was hijacked on September 6 was El Al Flight 219 that was flying from Tel Aviv and stopping in Amsterdam on its way to New York. Two passengers that turned out to be terrorists were not allowed to board by airline security, but two others boarded despite suspicions. Captain Uri Bar-Lev was made aware of the situation and had one of the two air marshals sit with him in the cockpit. The two that were allowed to board were Patrick Arguello, a Nicaraguan American, and Leila Khaled, a Palestinian with experience in hijacking airplanes.

A year before, she had a hijacked a plane

in which she thought that Yitzchak Rabin would be a passenger but he was not on board. The plane was blown up after all of the hostages were taken off and Khaled was free to hijack once more.

Flight 219 arrived in Amsterdam without incident, but once it became airborne, Khaled pulled out two grenades and Arguello brandished a handgun. They then attempted to take control of the airplane by placing a gun to the head of a flight attendant. As they tried to gain access to the cockpit, Captain Uri Bar-Lev refused to let them and attempted to pull off a risky maneuver.

Uri Bar-Lev was born on a moshav and fought in the Israeli War of Independence before becoming an Israeli Air Force pilot. After leaving the air force, he flew commercially for El Al and received training on the Boeing 707 in Seattle. While in the air force, he had trained in a maneuverable propeller plane and wanted to know if he could perform the similar tactics in a Boeing 707. He asked if he could perform maneuvers on the plane and was told he could if he didn’t go over negative 2G (G stands for gravity forces and is the measurement of force per unit due to gravity).

Even though there was no formal training on how to prevent a hijacking, Bar-Lev decided to use his training and knowledge to ward off the attackers. Khaled pulled the pin on her two grenades, threatening to blow up the plane mid-air. Suddenly, Bar-Lev put the plane into a steep dive, and it plummeted 10,000 feet. The passengers were safe because

they were buckled in their seats, but the two terrorists were thrown to the floor of the plane. One of the passengers hit Arguello over the head with a bottle of whiskey as he shot and wounded one of the flight attendants, Shlomo Vider. One of the sky marshals named Kol then shot and killed Arguello. Khaled was subdued and the grenade that she had pulled the pin on miraculously did not explode as it was rolling down the aisle.

Israeli authorities ordered Bar-Lev to fly the plane back to Tel Aviv, but he disobeyed so he could get the gravely wounded flight attendant to the hospital. Bar-Lev was reprimanded for this action because the Israelis wanted Khaled in custody in Israel. Once at Heathrow, Khaled was arrested by British authorities but was released on October 1 in exchange for the hostages being held at Dawson’s Field. The two air marshals quietly boarded another El Al flight that was parked on the tarmac and were able to get out of Great Britain without being detained. Vider recovered from his wounds after receiving emergency surgery.

After being sanctioned for landing in London and having an air marshal fly in the cockpit, Uri Bar-Lev was eventually honored for his heroic actions.

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.

One of the hijacked planes in Dawson's Field Uri Bar Lev with flight attendants after safely returning to Israel

Uri Bar Lev

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$168k Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

CEDARHURST

HEWLETT

3 bedroom 2 bath co-op with central air conditioning, terrace, washer dryer, hardwood floors, recessed lighting, magnificent kitchens, ss appliances, l/r, d/r, close to the railroad, shopping, and houses of worship. $319k

1201 EAST BROADWAY H-23

Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

CEDARHURST

A TRUE OPPORTUNITY!

For sale in the luxurious ‘Jerusalem Estate’ project (Schneller)

An apartment under construction .

1,500 Sq Ft.  Call +972534110335 for special pricing

Totally renovated 1 and 2 Bedroom, Apartments with washer/dryer, kitchen with quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances. Recessed lighting, hardwood floors, storage in basement. Close to RR, shopping, and houses of worship. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments, totally renovated private entrance , central air conditioning, hardwood floors, washer/dryer, garage parking, dishwasher, recessed lighting, private playground, close to railroad, park, shopping and houses of worship. Call for more details

Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457  mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

Rental Just listed 3 bedroom, 2 full bathroom apartment with spacious rooms, central air conditioning, underground parking, washer/dryer, hardwood floors, recessed lighting, kitchen with refrigerator , microwave, stove and dishwasher, minutes from shopping, transportation restaurants and houses of worship. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

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APT./COOP/CONDO SALE

LAWRENCE

Spacious 2BR, 2 Full Bath Apt with an enclosed terrace in the heart of Lawrence. Well maintained & manicured building. New hardwood floors, updated Eat-in Kitchen with gas stove. warming draw, dishwasher & microwave. New windows on the enclosed terrace & one of the bedrooms. 3 New A/C Units & New Refrigerator. Close to shopping, transportation, library, schools, and houses of worship. $339K Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

WOODMERE

Totally renovated bright and sunny 1 bedroom corner unit apartment with a washer/dryer. Features quartz countertops, ss appliances, recessed lighting, bathroom with chrome fixtures, close to the railroads, shopping and houses of worship.

Call for details Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

APT./COOP/CONDO SALE APT./COOP/CONDO SALE

LAWRENCE JUST LISTED

This amazing two-bedroom two full bathroom condo Features a luxurious lifestyle in the beautiful city of Lawrence. What more could you ask for? The building has a 24-hour doorman and elevator access, with a social room, library, washer/dryer inside the unit, and terrace. Plus, the added benefit of having a live-in super to ensure maximum safety and security! And don’t forget about your new kitchen complete with a gas stove, refrigerator, microwave, and even two dishwashers! The living room and dining room are spacious and have recessed lighting installed throughout. Both bedrooms feature lots of closet space for storage. To top it off, there’s even garage parking available to make your life just that much easier! Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity. Please call for a private showing Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457

mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

LAWRENCE

One Bedroom Renovated Apartment In Prime Lawrence. Efficiency Kitchen, Renovated Bathroom. Sunken LR, Dining Room, Close to All, Transportation, Shopping, Worship. $275k Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

LAWRENCE

New to the market Jr. 4 apartment in an elevator building with a terrace and underground parking, laundry on premises. Kitchen with granite countertops, 2 sinks, ss appliances, spacious step down living room with high ceilings, guest room/ office, spacious primary bedroom with 3 closets, full bathroom with full vanity, medicine cabinet, toilet and lighting, custom blinds, near the railroad, shopping and houses of worship.$289K Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

APT./COOP/CONDO SALE

HEWLETT

Spacious and Sundrenched 1st Floor 2 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath Unit In The Incredibly Maintained Garden Town. Updated kitchen with Granite Countertops and Gleaming Hardwood Floors Throughout With A Private Washer/Dryer. Best Views from Every Window And The Large Terrace

Facing The Beautifully Landscaped Courtyard. Indoor Parking Available As Well And An I Adjacent Municipal Lot. Convenient To The LIRR, Shops & Restaurants. Maintenance includes all your taxes, heat and water. No more shoveling or gardening for you reduced to $185k Mark Lipner

Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457

mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

APT./COOP/CONDO SALE

WOODMERE

Well maintained 1 Bedroom apartment. Elevator Building. Pet Friendly, SD#14, Corner Unit, Bright + Sunny, Hardwood Floors, Eat-in Kitchen, Full Bathroom, 3 Closets, 2 Ceiling Fans, 1 A/C Unit, Full Time Super on Premises. Minutes from the Railroad, Shopping, Houses of Worship, and Laundry Room on Premises. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-$175K

LAWRENCE

New to the market Generously sized 1 bedroom 1.5 bathroom coop in an elevator building, with a 24 hour doorman, underground parking, double terrace, central air conditioning, washer/dryer and storage on the floor, eat-in-kitchen, living room and dining room, no steps into the building or to the apartment, minutes from shopping, park, transportation, and houses of worship. $479,000 Mark Lipner

Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457

mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

HELP WANTED

BOOKKEEPER

Excellent growth potential, Frum environment, Excellent salary & benefits. Email resume to: resumetfs1@gmail.com

JOIN OUR TEAM!

ABA company located in the 5 Towns looking to fill multiple full-time administrative positions

Knowledge of Central Reach a plus, but will train the right candidate Great work environment Call 516-670-5374 or Email your resume to: Careers@supportivecareaba.com

REBBEIM

TEACHERS & ASSISTANTS

CAHAL is hiring Special Ed Rebbeim, Teachers and Assistant Teachers for 2023-24 school year. AM or PM, FT or PT. E-mail resume to shira@cahal.org or call 516-295-3666 for information.

HELP WANTED

ZAREINU OF FAR ROCKAWAY/ the Five Towns is seeking a P/T (afternoon)  special education, secular studies teacher for a small, lower elementary school girls’ class for the 2023-24 school year. Competitive salary and warm, supportive environment   For more information, please text 516-316-6633 or email your resume to Info@Zareinu5T.org.

SEEKING ELA TEACHER

Immediate opening. ELA teaching position for Gr. 5. Mon.-Thurs., afternoon hours. Far Rockaway/5T area. Competitive salary, warm, supportive environment. All teaching materials provided. Teachersearch11@gmail.com.

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

SEEKING

Part-time secretary for educational services program in the Five Towns/Rockaways. Flexible hours. Competitive pay. Email info@Zareinu5T.org

CAHAL

is seeking Special Ed Teachers and Assistants for the 2023-24 school year. AM or PM, FT or PT. Small classes in Yeshivas and Bais Yaakovs in 5 Towns and Far Rockaway. Send resume to naomi@cahal.org or call 516-295-3666.

IMMEDIATE OPENING

ELA teaching position for Gr. 5. Mon.-Thurs., afternoon hours. Far Rockaway/5T area. Competitive salary, warm supportive environment. Teachersearch11@gmail.com

A YESHIVA IN QUEENS

is looking for an experienced part/ full time secretary, 2-year-old morah, kindergarten morah, kindergarten morah assistant and Pre-1A English teacher for the 2022-2023 school year. Nice and timely pay. Please email resume to mshelt613@gmail.com or call/text 718-971-9799.

HELP WANTED

DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT

A multi-tasker needed for general office work. The ideal candidate is someone who is detail-oriented, responsible, and can take ownership. Looking for someone who is eager to learn, and expand his/her skill set while possessing the ability to work independently and as part of a team. Experience with Excel required. Five Towns location. In-office position only, not remote. Please send resume to 5tpart.timecareer@gmail.com

ZAREINU OF FAR ROCKAWAY/

The Five Towns is seeking assistant teachers (P/T and F/T) for small, special education classes, pre1A through Grade 5.  Competitive Salary and warm, supportive environment   For more information, please text 516-316-6633 or email your resume to Info@Zareinu5T.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

SHEVACH HIGH SCHOOL

in Queens is seeking dynamic teachers for the 2023-2024 school year in the General Studies department in English, Maths, and Sciences, some positions will require Masters’ degrees (positions are all in the afternoon). There are a limited number of openings in the Limudei Kodesh department. Salary commensurate with experience. Resumes welcome. Please send resumes to rwittenstein@shevachhs.org

Small Ads At Work

443-929-4003

MISC. HELP WANTED HELP WANTED

DELIVERY PERSON NEEDED to deliver Newspaper every Thursday morning to locations in Brooklyn. Must have Minivan or SUV and availability to work consistently every week!

Please e-mail gabe@fivetownsjewishhome.com or call (917) 299-8082

EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER HEAD and Assistant Teachers Needed in Lawrence for Fall, 2023

The Gural JCC Early Childhood Center is hiring Head Teachers and Assistant Teachers for the 2023-2024 school year. 12 month employment is also available. Competitive pay, benefits and pension available to those who qualify. Please send resumes to JCC.Nursery@guraljcc.org or

call (516) 239-1354

HELP WANTED

8TH GRADE MATH AND SCIENCE.

Yeshiva Darchei Torah Middle School is seeking to hire teachers. We offer an excellent working environment and salary; Monday-Thursday, 2:30-5:30 PM.  Interviews are being held now.  Candidates should have prior teaching experience.

Please send resume to mhorowitz@darchei.org

GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL IN QUEENS

seeks a full time, experienced clinician (school psychologist, LCSW, LMHC, etc.) to work in conjunction with current school psychologist. Salary commensurate with experience. Please send resumes to rwittenstein@shevachhs.org

SHMIRAS HALASHON

Text 516-303-3868 with a time slot of your choice to be careful on lashon hara. Be a part of the 1,000 people for klal yisroel!

FOUND

Diamond earring in the Cedarhurst / Woodmere area Call 646-918-4860 or email taxax@aol.com

Classifieds Reach Your Target Market

Unintended Consequences

By Allan Rolnick, CPA

Last week, we celebrated the 247th anniversary of America’s Declaration of Independence—a milestone of human imagination and courage. The 56 men who mutually pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor wound up launching the world’s greatest experiment in democracy. And they hoped Independence Day would become something special. John Adams wrote that “it ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.” Do you think he had any idea those “Illuminations” would come to include cheap Chinese fireworks and ESPN coverage of the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest?

As Thomas Jefferson’s stirring prose tells us, “The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states.” Chief among those offenses: “Imposing Taxes on us without our Consent.” Read that carefully. The colonists weren’t objecting to taxes per se. They were objecting to taxation without representation

We think of “no taxation without rep -

resentation” as a particularly American rallying cry. But the concept dates back all the way to the 1215 Magna Carta. In 1634, a previous king—Charles I—extended the “ship money” tax (which originally required coastal towns to furnish ships in time of war but evolved into a simple cash shakedown) to every county in England. That move contributed to the

Benjamin Franklin and John Adams on our side, as well as William Pitt the Elder and Prime Minister George Grenville on the other. Sadly, for England at least—but fortunately for us—none of those debates led to concrete proposals that might have prevented rebellion.

By the time the founders gathered in Philadelphia to declare independence,

glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea, set the stage for the Boston Tea Party.

Meanwhile, England had been raising most of its domestic revenue from taxes on land, malted grain for beer and whiskey, and windows. There was no income tax until well after we left.

Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger imposed the first one in 1799, at a rate of two old pence per pound (1/120) on incomes over £60, to pay for the upcoming Napoleonic Wars.

English Civil War of 1642-1652. And the English Bill of Rights of 1689 explicitly prohibited the King from imposing taxes without parliamentary consent.

As the American colonies grew richer and more populous, politicians on both sides of the Atlantic debated adding representatives from America (as well as the East Indies, Canada, and Ireland) to the House of Commons. That group included

England had socked the colonies with two particularly offensive taxes. The Stamp Act of 1765 required Americans to print their legal documents, magazines, newspapers, and playing cards on special stamped paper from London. (The contemporary equivalent might be a half-pence levy for every tweet and a shilling for every selfie.) The Townshend Acts, which placed indirect levies on

If the Founding Fathers could see today’s Form 1040, they would shake their heads in disbelief. Maybe even disgust. But the declaration they signed during that heady summer of 1776 laid the democratic foundation for today’s internal revenue code. And it raises the valid question of whether taxation with representation is all that hot! Fortunately, you don’t need to raise arms against the government to pay the least amount allowed. Just call us once the fireworks have stopped ringing in your ears. Allan

Do you think he had any idea those “Illuminations” would come to include cheap Chinese fireworks and ESPN coverage of the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest?

You’ve Got the Building Blocks

By Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., LMFT, CLC, SDS

Why is the Three Weeks? What happened to a month? No one thinks in terms of three weeks. But maybe that’s the wake-up call.

We have just launched into “The Three Weeks” and only someone familiar with the Jewish tradition understands what this means. Otherwise, you sound a little interesting saying things like “Oh my gosh, it’s almost the Three Weeks”?!

It’s like the way we say a holiday is always early or late. People who are not familiar with this concept always ask: why can’t it ever show up on time?

Also, we may wonder why we are mourning the beginning of the siege of the walls of Jerusalem. Isn’t it enough that we mourn the ultimate destruction of the Beis Hamikdash just a short time later? What’s with the mourning what might have turned out any which way?

After all, it wasn’t a done deal right from the start. It could have gone a different way. We could have fought back and won the war!

So, what’s the idea? Exactly that! Focusing on what we could have done differently. After all, this is not merely a

time of mourning the past and the loss, but rather a time to learn from it.

We don’t just celebrate or mourn history. We grow from it. We think how we can do it better this time around.

And that is why we start early. We take this time to focus and ask questions. How did we mess up last time? What new trajectory can we take this time?

that benefits us and others? For instance, a compliment, a smile, a giggle, even a bracha. The other person feels good, and studies show it’s actually very healthy both physically and emotionally for us. Let’s give those great things out for free.

The Sages say the First Temple was destroyed from idol worship. Why bother with that? Like Avraham Avinu said,

stant. Our constant is the Torah; that’s our light.

So what are the Three Weeks for?

Trying out a new and better path. Certainly, it’s a fine time for hiking, biking and exploring. But I mean, an emotional and spiritual path as well. One of more connections, better friendships, more warmth, and more passionate prayers.

When we take this designated period of Three Weeks of time to focus three-fold on improving ourselves we can change the world. When we work on our own building blocks, we can change the end result. Our self-instruction can lead to new construction rather than the old sad memory of destruction.

Let’s be our own general contractors and get the job done.

The Sages say the Second Temple was destroyed because of “free hate.” That’s so interesting. Usually, it isn’t that easy to give things away, especially for free, so why should we be good sports when it comes to hate?

If we’re going to work to be giving and generous, why not give away something

if they could not even save their fellow idols from destruction how can they come through for humans?

But then, we also find silly things to idolize. Money, for instance, but we can lose it. Fashion but it always changes. Actors and actresses but they get replaced. The only thing worth betting on is a con-

Rivki Rosenwald is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist working with both couples and individuals and is a certified relationship counselor. Rivki is a co-founder and creator of an effective Parent Management of Adolescent Years Program. She can be contacted at 917705-2004 or at rivkirosenwald@gmail.com.

Our self-instruction can lead to new construction rather than the old sad memory of destruction.