Many times, we are reminded about how remarkable the Five Towns community is because of an inspiring event, an uplifting story, or some other celebratory occasion. Over the past two weeks, we were once again reminded of how unique the Five Towns community is, but sadly, this time, it is from a feeling of loss – the loss of three monumental pillars of our community: Rabbi Yechiel Perr, zt”l, Reb Dov Wolowitz, z”l, and Rebbetzin Leah Kurland, a”h.
The world stands on three pillars: Torah, avodah, and gemilas chassidim. Our community cherishes and excels at these three pillars. But it doesn’t happen by itself. Each generation is built on those that came before them, those who toiled and worked to create a beautiful environment. Each of these three people were trailblazers in the Five Towns who spent many decades contributing and giving to this community in Torah, avodah and gemilas chassidim.
As Rabbi Yisroel Reisman, shlita, said at the levaya this week, Rabbi Perr was a genius in Torah, but what was really unique about him was his humility and his effort to understand even the simplest bochur. Rabbi Perr spent his life learning Torah, and he did the ultimate chessed to thousands of people by recognizing that every Jew is a Torah who is worth investing in, being curious about, and encouraging. Over the past few weeks, I have heard countless stories about how he may have said a quick line of encouragement to a bochur which made the boy realize that Rabbi Perr wasn’t just trying to toss him a compliment; Rabbi Perr had studied his talmid and understood him deeply, to the extent that he could, in one line, infuse him with the energy to continue toiling in his avodas Hashem. Rabbi Perr was the first to acknowledge that what he knew and shared came from the generation before him, especially from his rebbi, Harav Aharon Kotler, zt”l.
Reb Dov Wolowitz, too, was a talmid of Harav Aharon Kotler. Whereas he spent his life in the arena of business, askanus and tzedakah, his love for Torah that he observed from his rebbe burned until his last day. Nearly six decades ago, he connected with Rabbi Shlomo Freifeld, zt”l, and became the number one supporter of Yeshiva Sh’or Yoshuv. He didn’t
just give money; he gave his time and opened his heart and home. Throughout the decades, Reb Dov never slowed down. In fact, he kept taking on more and more of the burden of the community at large. At the time of his passing, he was helping support over 200 divorcees. His drive to help others was contagious. Ever a salesman, he would cajole others to get involved in doing chessed for others. In his gregarious way, he would often say to people, “Tell me, bubbaleh. What are you doing for the Jewish people?” This was not a throwaway line. He knew that everyone has different talents and methods, and he was promoting and encouraging people to find their own way in which they could help Yidden.
Rebbetzin Leah Kurland, a”h, certainly found her way of helping Yidden. As a teacher in Bnos Bais Yaakov, she showed hundreds of girls what a true Jewish woman of valor is. In her regal and quiet way, she exuded positivity and warmth, taking a true interest in each person. And that was just at school. Then, there was the Kurland home. As Rabbi Yaakov Bender said at the levaya, the Kurland home was well known in Far Rockaway as being open to anyone at any time. Scores of bachurim would come for the Shabbos meals and the weekly shalosh seudos gatherings, but it wasn’t just that the doors to the Kurland home were open. Rebbetzin Kurland’s loving and accepting heart was open to all in a nonjudgmental manner. To give someone a warm meal is a nice gesture; to give someone warmth and love is life-altering. Rebbetzin Kurland did that in Far Rockaway every single week for nearly 50 years. She was a partner in her husband’s avodah of teaching bochurim Torah in Sh’or Yoshuv, and she led the charge in opening her home so that they could see how a beautiful Jewish family lives. It was a lesson in Torah in action.
The loss of these three pillars leaves a void, but the solace is that these three people each showed hundreds of others how to build Yidden and a community. Everyone whom they inspired will continue to further facilitate the beautiful growth of our community, and in that way, they will always be remembered.
Wishing you a wonderful week, Shoshana
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Dear Editor,
On the second of yom tov, we lost a giant living quietly among us. HaRav Dov Wolowitz passed away so quietly, in contrast to the man he was and the life he lived.
I met Dov Wolowitz through the single mothers in the neighborhood who told me that “without Mr. Wolowitz, I would have no food on my table, no schools for my children and I would be fully and completely alone.” He never said no to helping any single mother I vouched for.
Each and every month, approximately 160 single mother-led families received cash and supermarket gift cards directly from Dov Wolowitz.
When I spoke to others about him, I’d say, “The success and growth of this community is due to the work of Dov Wolowitz and G-d’s rewards for saving all of those families.”
The community laymen and leaders need to come together to an emergency meeting to discuss the vast void that now exists. Mothers and children will have empty refrigerators next month.
There will never be another Dov Wolowitz. He was one of a kind. It will take a team of people to accomplish what he did naturally and almost singlehandedly. But with that said, we must continue his vital work. Lives are at stake.
Esther Miller
Former Director of Success Space for Women
Executive Director
Aim Hire, Employment with Dignity
Dear Editor,
After the Iranian missile attack, we found ourselves scrambling to rebook canceled tickets to Israel for the chag. Some people were incredulous about our desperation, considering the uncertainty and potential for further escalation in such a precarious situation. Nonetheless, with gratitude to Hashem, we arrived safely and immersed ourselves in preparations for the holiday, while Israel strategically responded to the thwarted, yet malicious attack.
During one of our daytime meals, my daughter-in-law cautioned about being careful when cracking eggs to avoid the area with the inked stamp. I was momentarily surprised, then realized I had seen countless pink markings while cooking and baking. A trip to the refrigerator and a bit of investigation revealed the valuable information contained on those tiny stamps on the hundreds of eggs cracked and discarded before the holiday: Kashrut for Passover, best sell date, best use date, and a motivational message, “Together we will win!”
This small yet significant poultry product neatly encapsulated our urgent need to be in Israel for the holiday. First and foremost, we adhere to the Torah, regardless of our current circumstances. However, we are also human beings governed by natural laws—we must work and consume foods that are
Continued on page 10
healthy for us within the proper timeframes. Ultimately, our deliverance depends on our unity and love for each other.
Miriam ChoppDear Editor,
I would like to give a special thank you to Sanitary District #1 Superintendent George Pappas, Chairman James Vilardi, and the board of commissioners for providing the 5 Towns community with the double enhanced Pre-Pesach garbage pickup. Thanks to you and all the hard-working employees for this invaluable service that made our holiday preparation much less stressful.
Israel Wasser Trustee, Village of Cedarhurst
Dear Editor,
As I and many others participated in the local funeral today of our Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Yechiel Yitzchok Perr, zt”l, I was struck by the presence of so many members of Hatzalah, RNSP, Chaveirim, and Achiezer who helped organize all aspects. I am especially grateful to the Achiezer Chevra Kadisha, which provided ultimate kavod ha’mes in the local facility. Being local, this eases the burden on family and allows loved ones to more easily help out with Shmira. Our service organizations are jewels in our community’s crown. May I humbly suggest remembering these organizations when making (yahrzeit or other) contributions.
Dawn Goldstein, NY Far Rockaway
Dear Editor,
Are you tired of our governor standing by and watching HAMAS take control of our college campuses? Please join me and send an e-mail to https://www. governor.ny.gov/content/governor-contact-form (you can also get this just by googling Hochul’s email) to tell Governor Hochul that we, the voters, are not okay
with silence. We are not okay with the Governor’s idleness and she must act now so that Jewish students are not harassed for being Jewish. We, New Yorkers, have had enough. We must take back our streets with our voices and our votes. We are strong. We are united. We are proud to be part of the Jewish family.
A sample e-mail can be: Governor Hochul, We, NY voters, are not okay with your inaction, We are not okay with Jewish students being harassed on NY streets. We are asking that you take control of our beautiful state and send the terrorists off NY streets and campuses NOW.
Please send this to every NY voter you know!
Thank you, Shaindy Klein
Dear Editor,
Former Democratic Party House Speaker and current California Congressmember Nancy Pelosi has some nerve calling on Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign due to the ongoing invasion of Gaza, a growing humanitarian crisis and his lack of support for a two-state solution.
I was not aware Pelosi was a citizen of Israel and member of the Israel Knesset. Since when does any member of Congress have a right to tell another nation’s leader to resign from office? Israel has every right to preserve its security by eliminating Hamas. The situation would not have taken place had Hamas not launched their October 7th terrorist attack.
Pelosi has lost her way by not supporting securing our own border with both Mexico and Canada. We have no idea how many terrorists, criminals, gang members, drug dealers and pedophiles were among the seven million illegal migrants who have come into our nation without being first vetted.
Pelosi no longer really stands with Israel. Her constituents and financial campaign contributors should return the fa-
vor and not support her for another term in the upcoming 2024 November general election.
Sincerely,
Larry Penner Great Neck, NYDear Editor,
There may be some more concrete actions besides protests and sending letters to Columbia and other colleges that tolerate antisemitism on campus.
The strongest way to send a message is to hit them financially. If you or your child is considering colleges, stick with one of the Jewish colleges like YU, Touro or Brandeis. Not only will your child be safer in these colleges, but you will be supporting Jewish institutions that support Israel and fight antisemitism. More significantly, you will help drain the Jewish financial revenue going to these other colleges. The Jewish population at most these colleges may be a minority, but it is significant enough that it counts. Undoubtedly, Columbia and others will find easy replacement students that better fit their antisemitic credo, anyway. Jews just don’t need to physically be there or support them.
I would also not use Columbia Presbyterian or NYU Langone Hospitals, clinics or doctors affiliated with them. I know that this idea may be impractical for many, and I would not discourage a patient from dismissing a doctor or clinic that has been providing useful treatment. However, if there is a choice, use Northwell, Mercy or St. Francis or any other place that is unaffiliated with a college that tolerates antisemitism.
One of the more important current letter-writing campaigns should go to Nicole Malliotakis who has been proposing two bills to combat college anti-Semitism. An excerpt from her web site says:
“The ‘Combatting Antisemitic Messaging & Promoting Unity in School Act’ (CAMPUS Act), would prohibit federal funding from going to institutions of higher education that provide funding, tuition assistance, support, or a platform to an organization that engages in antisemitic behavior or fails to hold a faculty member who promotes antisemitism accountable, after being given a period to promptly investigate and appropriately address reported incidents. Additionally, Malliotakis also introduced the ‘No Visas for Antisemitic Students Act’ that would revoke student visas of foreign students in the United States who engage in antisemitic behavior.”
It’s time to increase or vigilance with
stronger action, and these are significant actions that will hurt these institutions, directly.
Daniel Feldman
Dear Editor,
There’s quite a dichotomy in the fact that we are now going from days one to forty-nine to build ourselves up and yet we aspired to lowliness and humility on Pesach, symbolized by the matzah. We know the korban Omer is brought as well on the second day of Pesach. It’s made from barley, animal food, to show we were on a low spiritual level when leaving Mitzrayim and reliant on G-d for all growth.
The Omer count culminates with the korban of the shetei halechem on Shavuos. This consists of wheat, and wheat is categorized as the food of man, not animal. We have risen up now and achieved our own greatness during the count.
It’s said that the curse upon the snake was that it could get all of its food without the need to pray to G-d, striking down any personal relationship with the Creator. The dust of the ground was the snake’s place, not the Heavens. This explains the reality of needing to be first a nation that was reliant upon G-d for redemption. Our relationship was interdependent, we were merely barley, lowly and reliant. Only then can we be rising wheat with limitless potential as we know that beseeching G-d is needed to rise to the highest of levels.
Based on drash, it may be said that the shetei halechem on Shavuos symbolize the Shenei Luchot HaBerit, the Torah. Man requires Torah to reach the level of full refinement, and G-d, Israel and Torah are one.
Steven GenackDear Editor,
The Biden Administration is holding up arms shipments to Israel because Israel will not succumb to U.S. pressure and is entering Rafah. How long can the Biden administration continue to be fence sitters by not enforcing Iranian sanctions on selling oil and, at the same time, attempting to force Israel to stop their Rafah offensive? The Israelis must take the offensive to Rafah as it is key to Israel meeting its military objectives of destroying Hamas and saving the hostages. The Biden administration agreed to these objectives after the October 7, 2023 massacre. Where’s the clarity on U.S. policy and support for our main ally in the Middle East?
Jan Henock
The Yeshiva of Far Rockaway and the family of the Rosh Yeshiva zt”l would like to publicly acknowledge the devoted work of those responsible for making the Levaya run as efficiently and dignified as it did.
Called upon in the wee hours of a weekend morning, many individuals rallied to help the Yeshiva and the family in its time of bereavement.
Special thanks to:
*Achiezer – under the leadership of Rabbi Boruch Ber Bender and with the assistance of Shalom Jarosl awitz and Menashe Friedman (police liaison).
*RNSP/Shomrim – under the leadership of Shulem Klein , Shmulie Kassover, Elkana Adelman and its many members.
*The NYPD 101 Precinct – under the leadership of Captain Schultz
*NYPD PBQS
*NYPD Community Affairs (Detective Lynn Blanchette)
*RL Hatzolah – Coordinated by Shlomie Lousky and Yosef Hillel Kanner
*Chaveirim of Far Rockaway
Their efforts are extremely appreciated and helped facilitate Kovod Hameis and created a great Kiddush Hashem
José Raúl Mulino, a rightwing former public security minister, was declared the “unofficial” winner of Panama’s presidential election on Sunday.
Mulino nabbed around 34% of the vote. Ricardo Lombana took second place with about 25%.
Mulino has pledged to return the country to its economic heyday and to tackle high unemployment with a plan to incentivize private hiring with government funds.
Panama is at the crossroads of international trade but faces high inflation and unemployment. It is home to around 4.4 million people.
“I receive with joy these results, which are the will of the majority of the Panamanian people in our democracy, which I assume with great responsibility and humility as a Panamanian,” Mulino said during his victory speech.
He originally ran as the vice-presidential candidate of former President Ricardo Martinelli. After a court sentenced Martinelli to 11 years in prison for money laundering, Mulino moved to the top of the ticket.
Martinelli has been holed up in the Nicaraguan embassy in Panama’s capital after he sought asylum following his sentencing. The former leader continued to play a role in the race by endorsing and supporting his former vice-presidential pick.
Mulino referenced him in his victory speech.
“To Ricardo Martinelli: my friend, mission accomplished Ricardo. When you invited me to be vice president, I did not imagine this scenario, but it was my turn, and I took it on with enormous responsibility and humility,” he said.
Political pundits have dubbed the election “the most important since after the U.S. invasion” in 1989.
Mulino has his work cut out for him. The economy has drastically slowed in recent years. He has vowed to shut down the Darién Gap, a treacherous stretch of jungle which has become a main highway for migrants making their way to the U.S. More than half a million migrants, mostly from Venezuela, crossed through the Darién Gap in 2023, according to the Panamanian government, doubling the amount recorded in 2022.
Droughts have also parched the country, an issue that Mulino needs to tackle once in office.
Held captive by his former security guards in an isolated wing of his house, the deposed president of Niger paces a bedroom with no direct daylight, cut off from the world and unable to talk to his lawyers, according to people with direct knowledge of the conditions of his detention.
Nine months since he was toppled in one of the coups that has recently wracked West Africa, Mohamed Bazoum is lingering in detention with no end in sight. The military junta that deposed him is seeking to strip him of presidential immunity, paving the way for him to be prosecuted on charges such as treason, for which the penalty could be life imprisonment, his lawyers said.
Trapped with his wife, Hadiza, and two domestic workers, he has no access to a phone and is not allowed to see his lawyers, other family members or friends. His only visitor is a doctor, who brings him food once a week.
Some of Bazoum’s closest international partners are backing away. At the demand of the governing junta, the United States is preparing to withdraw about 1,000 troops stationed at an air base in the country’s desert. France, a longtime
partner in the fight against extremist groups affiliated with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, departed in December.
Instead, about 100 Russian military instructors arrived in the capital, Niamey, in April as Niger’s new leaders turned to Moscow for security assistance.
The military leaders who took over in Niger accused Bazoum of failing to secure the country from the Islamic insurgents, but most analysts say political rivalries were the real cause. The military government in Niger did not respond to several requests for comment.
On May 10, Bazoum is scheduled for a hearing that could strip his presidential immunity, his lawyers say. This could lead to his prosecution on charges like treason, over an accusation that he tried to escape in October; supporting terrorism, for saying in an interview while president that the Islamic militants had better knowledge of the battlefield than the military; and plotting against the state’s safety, as he is accused of asking foreign powers to free him shortly after the coup.
Moussa Coulibaly, a lawyer representing Bazoum, refused to say whether the former president had tried to escape, and he accused the junta of trying to make an illegal detention appear legitimate. (©
The New York Times)
According to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), a government oversight group that conducts audits and investigations into reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan, the Biden administration has “paid Taliban entities nearly $1.3 million in taxes” since 2021, when U.S. troops were withdrawn from the central Asian country, ending the war in Afghanistan and allowing the Taliban to retake control of the country. As part of those funds, $138,000 has been provided to the Afghan terror group this quarter, the audit found.
These funds, which were allocated by the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, are intended to be used for weapon removal projects. The
U.S. has an additional $5 million to use for the projects.
SIGAR has notified the Biden administration that Afghanistan “is once again becoming a terrorist haven” and that the Taliban is “tolerant of some terror groups, such as al Qaeda and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan,” as well as ISIS and ISIS-K, the latter of which “retains the capability and will to attack U.S. and Western interests abroad in as little as six months and with little to no warning,” said the U.S. Central Command’s head, Gen. Michael Kurilla.
Additionally, the oversight group has noted the government’s inability to track the funds due to the Biden administration’s efforts to stifle investigations. Thus, according to SIGAR, there is a possibility that the money is being taken and misused by the Taliban.
The Taliban, which is recognized as a terrorist organization by the United States, has earned global condemnation for its cruel treatment of women. The group enforces a number of strict laws, many of which restrict the rights of women, and executes or physically punishes those who flaunt their rules. Worsening conditions in Afghanistan have led many civilians in the country to try to seek refuge elsewhere.
“Groups of 30-40 Afghans, including adults and children, made the journey across 13 countries from Brazil to the U.S.-Mexico border, using a variety of transportation methods including planes, trains, buses, and by foot,” SIGAR said. “Many of those interviewed said SIGAR was the first U.S. government agency to contact them since their arrival.”
On their way to the United States, many fleeing Afghans had to bribe police officers in order to illegally enter different countries. One asylum seeker said that when they arrived at the U.S. border, they were “greeted by a border agent who told them, ‘Welcome to America.’”
expressway collapsed last Wednesday, causing thirty-six deaths and thirty injuries. The collapse is believed to have been caused by a landslide that occurred on the hill beneath the expressway.
Several of those injured are in serious condition, with a number of people having sustained injuries to internal organs and serious bone fractures. The incident occurred before dawn on Wednesday morning. Vehicles were found damaged and burned at the base
At least six people have died and 48 so far are unaccounted for after a multi-story building collapsed on Monday afternoon in the South African city of George.
Authorities are racing to rescue those trapped in the building. So far, 26 people had been removed from the rubble after the building collapsed at 2 p.m. on Monday.
The rescue operation is estimated to take four to five days, with 111 emergency personnel on site, the Western Cape Government said on Tuesday.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa offered his condolences in a statement from his office on Tuesday, saying, “The President’s thoughts are with the families who have lost loved ones as well as the families of close to 50 people who are trapped in the rubble.”
Ramaphosa also called for an investigation into how the incident happened, to “bring closure to the community and prevent a repeat of this disaster.”
of the hill, beneath the large hole in the middle of the expressway, after a fire broke out overnight, prompting firefighters to respond to the scene of the collapse. Over 500 police and emergency personnel also responded, and the collapsed section of the expressway was closed off.
The collapsed part of the expressway was situated on the eastern outskirts of Meizhou, a city located in Guangdong Province, which is in southern China.
Wednesday marked the beginning of a five-day national Chinese holiday, with many people on the expressway making their way to the bordering Fujian Province in honor of the holiday.
A different section of the same expressway experienced another landslide in April 2023, although no one is believed to have died or been injured in that incident.
Two colonels in Ukraine’s government protection unit are being accused of carrying out “subversive activities against Ukraine in exchange for financial compensation,” Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s office said on Tuesday in reference to an alleged plot to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelensky, which Kyiv’s state security service (SBU) said it foiled.
Both colonels were charged with treason; one was also charged with preparing a terrorist act.
The prosecutor’s office said one of the suspects received two drones and ammunition from Russia’s state security service (FSB), which they intended to transfer to another accomplice to carry out an explosion.
The SBU said it had “foiled” the “actively developing plans” to assassinate Zelensky and other senior Ukrainian officials, including the head of the SBU, Vasyl Maliuk, and the head of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov.
“One of the tasks of the FSB’s agent network was to find perpetrators among the military close to the President’s security who could take the Head of State hostage and then kill him,” the SBU said.
There have been other times that Zelensky has faced plots against him since the Russian invasion in February 2022.
A woman from the southern Ukrainian region of Mykolaiv was arrested in August 2023 in connection to a plot to assassinate Zelensky. She was accused of gathering intelligence about Zelensky’s planned visit to
Mykolaiv in order to plan a Russian airstrike to kill him. The SBU said it caught the woman “red-handed” as she tried “to pass intelligence to the invaders.”
In April, a Polish man was accused in another alleged Russian assassination plot against Zelensky. He was charged with “readiness to act for foreign intelligence against the Republic of Poland,” an offense which carries up to eight years in prison.
Overwhelming flooding in Kenya’s Maasai Mara nature reserve has led to the death of at least 188 people. Hundreds have been left stranded, and buildings have been submerged as the
water levels rise.
When the River Talek, one of the tributaries of the Mara River, burst its banks, authorities ordered some tourist facilities in the National Reserve to close. The waters quickly swept through more than a dozen riverside tourist lodges and camps.
Weeks of heavy rain and flash flooding has ravaged parts of Kenya for days, leaving dozens of people missing around the capital, Nairobi, and causing a devastating mudslide in the town of Mai Mahiu. At least 50 people died in the mudslide.
Authorities ordered the evacuation of many of those in Maasai Mara, going so far as to threaten legal consequences for those who stay behind.
“We will forcefully evacuate anybody left in any homes or lodges along the river. We will take action against them because that is considered attempted suicide,” Narok county commissioner Kipkech Lotiatia said.
“Kenya is facing a worsening flood crisis due to the combined effects of El Niño and the ongoing March-May 2024 long rains,” International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) CEO Jagan Chapagain said in a post on X earlier this week.
China’s Labor Day holiday of 2024 started on May 1 and lasted for five days, concluding on Sunday, May 5.
Mainland China saw a large number of tourists during the holiday, with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism reporting that 295 million trips were made by tourists during the five-day period, which is a 28% increase from China’s 2019 Labor Day.
However, despite the increase in trips this year, China didn’t see the same increase in revenue. During the holiday this year, China saw tourism earnings of 166.89 billion yuan ($23.6 billion), which is just a 13.5% increase compared to figures recorded in 2019. Thus, tourists generally spent less money this year than in
2019, with the average amount of money spent per trip decreasing by 6% to 565.73 yuan ($80).
Movie theater sales in China experienced a similar issue during the holiday, with 37.77 million people going to the movies, up from 35.09 million in 2019. However, ticket sales – at 1.527 billion ($215.7 million) – didn’t budge.
As China’s economy, job, and real estate markets suffer, citizens are spending less money now.
“[Chinese] consumer sentiment appears shaky judging by the sluggish retail sales spending momentum and the sharp reversal in the April services PMI,” TD Securities analysts recently noted.
Elyakim Libman, 23, was killed on October 7 while he was working as a security guard at the Nova Music Festival. But until last week, authorities thought that Elyakim had been taken hostage by Hamas.
Authorities had not been able to find forensic evidence that Elyakim had been captured. One of his body parts was also found recently, leading officials to believe that he possibly had been killed in the massacre. Last week, authorities confirmed that after Zaka had unearthed dozens of graves, Elyakim’s DNA had been found alongside another victim.
On Friday, the Israel Defense Forces announced Elyakim’s death. His funeral was held at the Old Jewish cemetery in Chevron.
Elyakim’s mother, Avishag, spoke of her young son, calling him a “sweet, smiling, and smart boy.” He was remembered for his good deeds by the “thousands” who attended the funeral.
“We wanted you to get married at the Cave of the Patriarchs, and in the end, we are burying you next to it,” Avishag lamented.
Elyakim’s brother, Elkana, said that he believed Elyakim was “hiding some place and in another second would return” and that the family believed there was no way he would have allowed himself to be kidnapped. He added that he imagined his brother killing his captors while being held by them.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said at the funeral that “whoever shows mercy to cruel people will end up being cruel to the merciful,” railing
against the government’s approval of humanitarian aid to Gaza, noting that Hamas on Sunday shelled the Kerem Shalom border crossing, the very place where trucks enter the Strip.
“I pray that Elyakim will give us the strength to enter Rafah and take care of the source, the strength to wage war in Lebanon, and also the strength not to be silent in Iran when they attack us — only by strength, with G-d’s help, will we win,” he said.
her. That was the last Moshe saw
kim and Eitan.
Eitan Mor is still believed to be held hostage in Gaza.
With the burial of Elyakim, the number of hostages taken on October 7 by Hamas terrorists changes from 253 to 252.
Since October 7, Israel, in addition to its war with Hamas in Gaza, has been battling terrorist groups from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, who compose Iran’s Axis of Resistance. Now, seven months into the war, a fifth front may have opened up in Bahrain.
On Thursday, the Al-Ashtar Brigades, which is part of the Islamic Resistance in Bahrain, claimed responsibility for a drone attack on the headquarters of Trucknet Enterprises, an Israeli company in Eilat, that the terror group claims was carried out on Saturday. According to the militant group, the target is “responsible for land transportation in the Zionist entity” and was attacked “in support of the Palestinian cause and in support of our people resisting in Gaza.”
“The Islamic Resistance in Bahrain confirms that it is continuing its movement and support at all levels for our patient people in the resistant Gaza,” the terrorist organization declared in a similar statement to those made by Hezbollah, the Houthis, and the Islamic Resistance of Iraq. “It will not stop its operations unless the Zionist aggression against Gaza stops.”
Elyakim’s father is Eliyahu Libman, council chairman of the town of Kiryat Arba in the West Bank.
According to the family, Elyakim died a hero, as he stayed behind at the music festival for hours, treating those who were wounded until he was killed. Another security guard who survived told them that Elyakim and his friend Eitan Mor stopped to help an injured woman. The other guard, Moshe, begged them to save themselves, but they didn’t want to leave
The Israel Defense Forces hasn’t yet commented on the alleged attack.
The government of Bahrain, as well as the United States and the United Kingdom, recognize the Al-Ashtar Brigades as a rogue terrorist group.
The terror group is in opposition to the monarchy of Bahrain and has carried out terror attacks in the country. Following the announcement of the purported attack, the group published alleged footage of the attack. As part of the video, which was heavily censored, a portrait of
four terrorists was shown: Reda al-Ghasra, Mustafa Yousef, and Mahmoud Yahya, who were killed by Bahraini officials after they attempted to flee to Iran from prison, and Amhed al-Malali, who was given the death penalty in 2019.
This past March, the U.S. State Department and Bahrain issued sanctions against “three Iran-based operatives and a financial facilitator linked to Al-Ashtar Brigades, a U.S.-designated terrorist group,” the U.S. said.
“These designations highlight the critical role Iran plays in providing support to Al-Ashtar Brigades,” the State Department said. “In 2018, the government of Bahrain prosecuted numerous individuals for terrorism-related activities. A number of these individuals fled Bahrain to evade prison sentences and settled in Iran, which has long supported and continues to serve as a safe haven for terrorist groups.”
On Thursday, Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the State Department, said that he was unaware of reports of the Al-Ashtar Brigades attack, but reiterated the U.S.’s commitment to preventing an escalation in the region.
“We’ve seen a couple points since October 7 where there has been serious potential of it spreading and having it escalate, and you’ve seen us work quite intensively during that period,” Miller said, in reference particularly to Iran’s recent bombardment of Israel.
“So it continues to be our goal, and it is something that you have to work on every day,” he said. “When you see the conflict in Gaza continue, obviously it adds to tensions in the region, and it is a type of thing that you can never rest on, in terms of trying to prevent the conflict from spreading.”
According to Matthew Miller, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department, the United States and Saudi Arabia are “very close” to arriving at a bilateral agreement aimed at distancing Riyadh from Washington’s adversaries.
However, the Gulf kingdom has said that it will reject such a deal unless it normalizes ties with Israel – a move that, according to reports, would likely require Israel to withdraw from the Gaza Strip, halt building in Judea and Samaria, and create a concrete three-to-five year plan for the establishment of an effective and trustworthy Palestinian state.
“We are very close to reaching an agreement on the bilateral pieces of the package between the United States and Saudi Arabia. There are a few details that we have to continue to work through, but we think we can reach agreement on those details in a very short order,” said Miller. “We were looking at not just a path to two states, but also the reconstruction of Gaza, governance of Gaza, security for Gaza. Some pieces are further along than others… We hope to make progress on that and have the agreements ready to put forward as soon as possible.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that the Jewish state will continue fighting in Gaza until Hamas is defeated. Despite the premier’s likely rejection, the U.S. is pushing this initiative because it believes regional integration is crucial for Israel’s long-term security and prosperity, Miller said, adding that by fostering stronger ties with its neighbors, Israel can counterbalance Iran’s influence, connect with valuable partners in the region, and find support for the reconstruction of Gaza.
Last week, while U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Israel, he warned Netanyahu and other Israeli government officials that Jerusalem is running out of time to normalize ties with Saudi Arabia and that a military expansion into Rafah could immediately kill the prospect of normalization, with Blinken adding that a hostage agreement must be met soon if Israel hopes to ever normalize ties with Saudi Arabia.
Since October 7, Israel has been fighting Hamas in the Gaza Strip and has exchanged fire with Hezbollah, the Houthis, Iran, and other terror proxies. But alongside the Jewish state’s physical war against a number of terror groups, Israel has also been involved in a much more covert cyber war.
Since war broke out on October 7, Israel has been hit with 800 major cyber attacks, many of which have come from Iran and its proxies, according
to Aviram Atzaba, the Israeli National Cyber Directorate’s head of international cooperation.
“It is a silent war, one which is not visible,” Atzaba noted. “They [Hamas and Hezbollah] are trying to hack everything they can, [but] they have not succeeded in causing any real damage.”
Government agencies, the army, and civilian infrastructure have been targeted in sophisticated cyber-attacks, some of which have succeeded. For instance, in Haifa and Safed, patient hospital data was hacked.
Although Israel has, in the past, implemented measures towards defending itself against such attacks, the Jewish state’s Tel Aviv-based cyber directorate is now developing a “cyber dome,” an effective, real-time cyber defense system that works in a similar way as the Iron Dome, which protects Israel from enemy rockets.
Chuck Freilich, an Institute for National Security Studies researcher, says that Iran is “an impressive enemy” in terms of its cyber abilities.
“Its attacks aim to sabotage and destroy infrastructure, but also to collect data for intelligence and spread false information for propaganda purposes,” he added.
According to Freilich, just a little over a decade ago, Iran didn’t have major cyber-hacking abilities. In 2009, in response to protests, Iran blocked access to websites and social media platforms that reported on the demonstrations. The following year, Iran’s nuclear program was hit by a major cyberattack that Tehran has attributed to the U.S. and Israel. Since then, Iran has evolved into a formidable force, emerging as “one of the most active countries in cyberspace,” said Freilich.
“For the past two years, we have been developing a cyber dome against cyberattacks, which functions like the Iron Dome against rockets,” Atzaba said. “With cyber dome, all sources are fed into a large data pool that enables a view of the big picture and to invoke a national response in a comprehensive and coordinated manner.”
Al Jazeera, a news outlet based in Qatar, has been shut down in Israel, following a decision by Communication Minister Shlomo Karhi to temporarily ban the network and the subsequent approval of Karhi’s order by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the security cabinet.
This action comes after an emergency law was passed in April, permitting the prime minister and the communications minister to issue temporary bans on foreign news outlets deemed a national security threat. The government vote to ban Al Jazeera was unanimous, with war cabinet minister Benny Gantz’s National Unity party abstaining from the vote due to concerns that the decision may interfere with hostage talks in Qatar.
Al Jazeera was shut down in Israel on Sunday, May 5, and will remain closed for 45 days, after which the government may choose to renew the ban. On Sunday afternoon, police confiscated equipment, including cameras, microphones, servers, and broadcasting equipment, from Al Jazeera’s two offices in Jerusalem. On that same day, Al Jazeera’s channel and websites were blocked by several TV and internet providers in Israel.
“Too much time has passed, and there have been too many unnecessary legal hurdles in order to finally stop the welloiled incitement machine of Al Jazeera, which harms national security,” Karhi declared, calling channels like Al Jazeera “megaphones for Hamas.”
“We will act immediately against those who use freedom of the press to harm Israeli security and IDF troops, and incite terrorism at a time of war,” he added.
“On the eve of Holocaust Day, the government is sending a strong message against the propaganda arm of the terrorist state of Qatar,” Economy Minister Nir Barkat said on social media. “We will not allow Israel’s enemies to broadcast antisemitic propaganda and blood plots from our territory.”
Al Jazeera and Israel’s Foreign Press Association condemned the Israeli government’s decision as harmful and non-democratic.
Elma Avraham had been taken hostage by Hamas terrorists from Kibbutz Nahal Oz on October 7. The 85-year-old had been in good health until her captivity. On November 26, Elma was released as part of a weeklong ceasefire and was airlifted to Soroka Medical Center in serious condition, with a pulse of 40 and a body temperature of 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
Now, five months later, Elma is finally being sent home.
“They held her in terrible conditions,” daughter Tali Amano told reporters outside the hospital at the time, noting that her mother was released from Gaza mere “hours before we would have lost her.”
“My mother didn’t need to return this way and I have no idea how she will make it through these days,” added Amano.
Following Elma’s release, the Red Cross was accused of denying her medicine. IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari charged, “She was denied life-saving medications. She was not visited by the Red Cross.”
Early Tuesday morning, Israeli tanks rolled into the southern Gaza Strip, capturing the Palestinian side of the Rafah Crossing on the Egypt border, in what the military called a “pinpoint operation” against the Hamas terror group.
Israel moved forward with plans to head into Rafah after Hamas refused all truce deals offered by Israel. Israel is hoping that a “limited operation” in the city will pressure the terrorist group to accept a deal. The operation, for now, is much
smaller in scale than what was initially envisioned by the IDF.
The Rafah Crossing, located less than 2 miles from the Israeli border, was captured amid a “pinpoint operation” against Hamas in “limited areas of eastern Rafah,” the IDF said. It is located along the so-called Philadelphi Corridor, separating Egypt and Gaza.
As of Tuesday morning, Israel controlled all of the known overground crossings with Gaza.
The IDF said it had “intelligence information that terrorists were using the crossing area for terror purposes.” On Sunday, rockets were fired by Hamas from near the crossing toward the Kerem Shalom area in southern Israel, killing four soldiers and wounding others.
The IDF said more than 50 Hamas sites in Rafah were struck by the air force overnight. Another 50 sites had been hit in the area late Monday, according to the military.
Israel has carried out airstrikes in Rafah with some regularity in recent months, even as ground troops remained out of the city. Around a million Palestinians are said to be living in Rafah now. Israeli defense officials say four of Hamas’s six remaining battalions are in the city, along with members of the group’s leadership and a significant number of the hostages abducted from Israel on October 7 during the terror group’s massacre.
On Monday morning, Israel issued evacuation orders for 100,000 Gazans in parts of eastern Rafah, who were told to evacuate to a designated “humanitarian zone” near Khan Younis, north of Rafah.
On Sunday, Hamas launched a rocket attack from Rafah, hitting a group of Israeli soldiers stationed near a border crossing. Ten soldiers were wounded and four were killed in the attack, bringing the number of soldiers murdered during Israel’s Gaza ground campaign to 267.
The fallen soldiers were identified as Staff Sgt. Ruben Marc Mordechai Assouline, a soldier from Ra’anana; Staff Sgt. Ido Testa, who was from Jerusalem; Staff Sgt. Tal Shavit, who was from Kfar Giladi; and Sgt. Michael Ruzal, from Rishon
Assouline and Testa were both 19 years old and fought in the Givati Brigade’s Shaked Battalion. Shavit and Ruzal, who were 21 and 18, respectively, fought in the Nahal Brigade’s 931st Battalion.
Three soldiers are currently in serious condition. The troops were brought to the hospital via ambulance, while one soldier was airlifted to a medical facility.
Hamas claimed responsibility for the rocket attack, which hit close to the Kerem Shalom crossing, a border crossing through which thousands of truckloads of humanitarian aid for Gazans have been transported. In response, Israel struck launchers and a Hamas building in Rafah and shut down the border crossing.
Rafah is believed to be Hamas’ last major stronghold in the Gaza Strip.
“We have clear goals for this war. We are committed to the elimination of Hamas and the release of the hostages. We have given [Hamas] time, and we wanted to reach a situation where we would realize the release of the hostages as quickly as possible, with a certain delay in the operational action, because the hostages are in a difficult situation and we need to make every effort to release them,” Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said to soldiers stationed in the Netzarim Corridor in central Gaza.
“We have identified alarming signs that Hamas actually does not intend to go for any agreement framework with us. The meaning of this [is] action in Rafah and the entire Gaza Strip in the very near future,” Gallant added.
On Sunday, Israel also conducted an airstrike on a UNRWA building used by Hamas as a command-and-control center.
“The attack was carefully planned and carried out using precise weaponry to avoid as much harm as possible to uninvolved [civilians],” the Israeli army said. “The Hamas terror organization systematically exploits international institutions and the civilian population as a human shield for terror actions against the State of Israel.”
fairs in China announced that Yun Chuan and Xi Bao – two giant pandas – will be sent from the China Conservation and Research Center to the San Diego Zoo.
“We believe as China-U.S. cooperation in this area deepens, it will enhance the capacity for cooperation and research on endangered wildlife and biodiversity conservation and contribute to the conservation of endangered wildlife and the friendship between Chinese and Americans,” the Center’s spokesman, Lin Jian, said.
This is not the first time that the two countries have engaged in what many have dubbed “Panda diplomacy.” China has been lending the furry creatures to American zoos for more than five decades as a friendly gesture between the two countries. But with the United States returning most of its pandas to China over the past several years, many admirers had worried that the practice could be ending.
In November, two adult pandas, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, and their 3-yearold cub, Xiao Qi Ji, were driven in trucks from the National Zoo in Washington and then flown back to China on a FedEx Boeing 777 called the Panda Express. The San Diego Zoo sent its last pandas back in 2019. Last April, the Memphis Zoo returned its female giant panda, Ya Ya.
Yun Chuan is a nearly 5-year-old male whose mother was born in the San Diego Zoo in 2007. Xin Bao, a nearly 4-year-old female, was born in Wolong Shenshuping Panda Base in Sichuan Province and, according to the conservation alliance, is known to be a “gentle and witty introvert.”
“Our partnership over the decades has served as a powerful example of how, when we work together, we can achieve what was once thought to be impossible,” said Dr. Megan Owen, the vice president of conservation science at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. “We have a shared goal of creating a sustainable future for giant pandas.”
China division. “Still, it is certainly a healthy portent if the two sides can continue cooperation on issues where they have common objectives while keeping those separate from issues on which they have deep-rooted conflicts.”
Interestingly, while it may be easy for China’s pandas to gain access to the U.S., flights for American and Chinese human travelers remain limited.
On Saturday, Mystik Dan was the winner at the Kentucky Derby after he edged out Sierra Leone and Forever Young in a rare three-horse photo finish to capture the first leg of the Triple Crown.
The next race of the prestigious Triple Crown will be on May 18 at the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.
Only 13 horses have won all three races in a single year, with the Bob Baffert-trained Justify being the last to accomplish the feat in 2018.
Entering the race at 18-1 odds, Mystik Dan edged out Sierra Leone and Forever Young in a dramatic finish. Sierra Leone finished in second place, while Forever Young finished in third.
The Derby, in a news release, said it was “the closest three-horse photo finish since 1947 when Jet Pilot finished a head in front of Phalanx and one length ahead of Faultless.”
“This is unbelievable. That was longest few minutes I’ve ever felt in my life waiting for them to hang that number above us,” said jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. after the race.
“It was exciting when we hit the wire but I wasn’t sure if we won so it was quite a rush to sit here and wait for it.”
The victory is the first for Hernandez Jr. and trainer Kenny McPeek at the Kentucky Derby. The winnings total $3.1 million for the race.
According to U.S. News & World Report, the Beehive State is the place to be. Utah nabbed the top slot in the Best States rankings for the second straight year, landing among the top 20 in seven out of eight statistical categories.
First launched in 2017, the Best States project ranks states based on their performance in the areas of health care, education, natural environment, opportunity, economy, crime and corrections, infrastructure and fiscal stability.
New Hampshire nabbed the second slot; Nebraska claimed number three. Minnesota and Idaho rounded out the top five. Iowa followed in the sixth slot, and Vermont came in seventh. Washington, which ranked second in 2023 and No. 1 in 2021 and 2019, slid to No. 8 this year. Florida took spot number nine. Massachusetts entered the top ten this year, moving up one spot from 11 in 2023.
A common factor among the highest-ranking states was a relatively strong performance in categories containing various types of economic indicators. More than half of the top 10 states were among the top 20 performers in each of the economy, opportunity and fiscal stability categories.
Interestingly, as this is a presidential election year, the top 10 states are evenly divided between red and blue based on presidential preference in the 2020 election.
On the other side of the country, Louisiana nabbed the ignoble slot of the lowest on the list. New Mexico came in at 49; Mississippi slipped in at 48; Arkansas claimed spot No. 47, followed by West Virginia and Alaska.
We may be at war with China – a subtle one – but we’re still friends when it comes to pandas.
This week, the Ministry of Foreign Af-
Pandas are not going to solve any China-U.S. tensions, though.
“A pair of pandas, cute and fluffy though they might be, will not by themselves do much to ease China-U.S. tensions,” noted Eswar Prasad, former head of the International Monetary Fund’s
The Derby was first held in 1875. Oliver Lewis won the Derby when his chestnut colt Aristides came in first place, earning him a $2,850 prize. The runner-up received $200.
In a backlash to the growing DEI movement, Massachusetts Institute of Technology has ended the use of diversity statements for faculty hiring, making it the first elite private university to backtrack on the practice that has been round-
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ly criticized as a political litmus test. It is the first elite university to do so.
On Sunday, the school confirmed to UnHerd that it was removing a requirement that mandated all prospective faculty submit a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) statement during the hiring process. The decision was made by the school’s president, Sally Kornbluth, with the support of the Provost, Chancellor, and all six academic deans.
“My goals are to tap into the full scope of human talent, to bring the very best to MIT, and to make sure they thrive once here,” Kornbluth said. ”We can build an inclusive environment in many ways, but compelled statements impinge on freedom of expression, and they don’t work.”
Prior to the change, MIT required candidates applying for faculty positions to submit a statement that “demonstrates knowledge of challenges related to diversity, equity, and inclusion” as well as outlining their “track record of working with diverse groups of people” and how they plan to advance DEI in their position at the school, according to MIT’s Communication Lab.
A 2023 survey conducted by freedom of speech advocacy group the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) found that “large portions of MIT faculty and students are afraid to express their views in various academic settings.”
Advocates for free speech and academic freedom have continuously spoken out against requiring DEI statements in university hiring, a practice that many higher education institutions have adopted since the early 2010s.
mer’s that would mean that up to onefifth of patients would be considered to have a genetically caused form of the disease.
Currently, the vast majority of Alzheimer’s cases do not have a clearly identified cause. The new designation, proposed in a study published on Monday, could broaden the scope of efforts to develop treatments, including gene therapy, and affect the design of clinical trials.
It could also mean that hundreds of thousands of people in the United States alone could, if they chose, receive a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s before developing any symptoms of cognitive decline, although there currently are no treatments for people at that stage.
The new classification would make this type of Alzheimer’s one of the most common genetic disorders in the world, medical experts said.
“This reconceptualization that we’re proposing affects not a small minority of people,” said Dr. Juan Fortea, an author of the study and the director of the Sant Pau Memory Unit in Barcelona, Spain. “Sometimes we say that we don’t know the cause of Alzheimer’s disease,” but, he said, this would mean that about 15% to 20% of cases “can be tracked back to a cause, and the cause is in the genes.”
The idea involves a gene variant called APOE4. Scientists have long known that inheriting one copy of the variant increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s, and that people with two copies, inherited from each parent, have vastly increased risk.
The new study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, analyzed data from more than 500 people with two copies of APOE4, a significantly larger pool than in previous studies. The researchers found that almost all of those patients developed the biological pathology of Alzheimer’s, and the authors say that two copies of APOE4 should now be considered a cause of Alzheimer’s — not simply a risk factor.
The patients also developed Alzheimer’s pathology relatively young, the study found. By age 55, more than 95% had biological markers associated with the disease. By 65, almost all had abnormal levels of a protein called amyloid that forms plaques in the brain, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s. And many started developing symptoms of cognitive decline at age 65, younger than most people without the APOE4 variant. (© The New York Times)
onstrators were arrested after refusing to leave the encampments. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and other state officials have criticized UCLA’s police and administrators for waiting hours before calling for backup to handle the situation.
Several colleges, including the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University, Rutgers University, and Brown University, have reached deals with protesters, giving in to some of their demands.
In response to the situation, President Joe Biden has insisted that students have the right to peacefully protest but condemned the chaotic manner in which demonstrators protest. New York City Mayor Eric Adams similarly denounced the protests, largely attributing them to professional agitators unaffiliated with the colleges.
After weeks of student protests, Columbia University announced on Monday that it would be canceling its main commencement ceremony and holding smaller ceremonies for each of its 19 colleges, mostly at its athletics complex some 100 blocks north.
Since mid-April, more than 2,100 pro-Palestinian protesters have been arrested while demonstrating on college campuses around the country, demanding that colleges divest from Israel and companies that support the Jewish state. On April 17, protests erupted at Co-
lumbia University, as students and outside agitators set up encampments on campus in demonstration against Israel. Around 100 demonstrators were arrested, and the encampments were removed by the NYPD on April 18. But on the following Tuesday, the situation escalated, as pro-Palestinian protesters, many of whom weren’t affiliated with the university, broke into, occupied, and vandalized Columbia’s Hamilton Hall, breaking windows and overturning furniture in the
historic building. The NYPD entered the building around twenty hours into the protest and stopped the protesters.
In 1968, Hamilton Hall was, in a similar manner, occupied by students who were demonstrating against the Vietnam War and racism.
A number of arrests were made at many other campuses in the United States, including UCLA, where pro-Israel and anti-Israel protesters clashed, and over two hundred pro-Palestinian dem-
The university’s main campus has been in a state of near lockdown since last Tuesday, when hundreds of police officers swarmed Hamilton Hall to remove 46 pro-Palestinian protesters who had occupied the building and arrested more than 100 people protesting in and around the campus.
Dozens of police officers are still on and around campus, leaving questions as to how some 15,000 graduates and their guests could easily be admitted to the area around it for the May 15 commencement.
Columbia President Minouche Shafik had previously cited her desire to host the
graduation on campus as one of the key reasons that she called in police on April 30 to remove both the occupiers from Hamilton Hall and the large tent encampment that had taken over a central lawn for two weeks.
But on Monday, Columbia officials explained that security was one of the main reasons for canceling.
The celebrations for the different colleges will begin Friday and run through May 16.
“Holding a large commencement ceremony on our campus presented security concerns that unfortunately proved insurmountable,” said Ben Chang, a university spokesperson.
On Monday, Gov. Kathy Hochul criticized Columbia’s decision to cancel its main graduation ceremony. The governor said she had offered her support in devising security plans for the upcoming ceremonies at all New York colleges.
“One thing I did not want to do is have the lives and the families and all the young people who’ve worked so hard disrupted,” Hochul said during remarks at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles. “I wanted them to have the benefit of walking across the stage. They earned it.”
The governor added that she had spoken to leaders at New York University, Cornell University, City College and the State University of New York on Monday morning, and those schools all confirmed they would proceed with graduation ceremonies as planned. (© The New York Times)
Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Democratic congressman from Texas, and his wife, Imelda Cuellar, have been charged with committing bribery, money laundering, and acting as agents for foreign parties, according to a federal indictment which alleges that Cuellar and his wife received roughly $600,000 in bribes from late 2014 to November 2021.
Cuellar was bribed by an oil and gas
company “wholly owned and controlled by the Government of Azerbaijan and a bank headquartered in Mexico City,” prosecutors say, adding that the congressman “agreed to perform official acts in his capacity as a Member of Congress, to commit acts in violation of his official duties, and to act as an agent of the Government of Azerbaijan” and the Mexico City bank.
The indictment accuses Cuellar of using his power as a congressman to positively impact Azerbaijan in a number of ways, including by delivering a pro-Azerbaijani speech to the House, pushing for a “series of legislative measures relating to Azerbaijan’s conflict with neighboring Armenia,” and using language “favored by Azerbaijan” in legislation and committee reports. Cuellar also purportedly pledged to use his influence to change financial regulations in favor of the bank.
According to the indictment, Cuellar obtained the payments through his wife’s shell companies and used the money to pay taxes and eliminate debt, while spending tens of thousands of dollars at retail stores and restaurants. For instance, the couple is said to have bought a $12,000 custom gown with the money.
The FBI raided Cuellar’s Laredo, Texas, house and campaign office in 2022.
“I want to be clear that both my wife and I are innocent of these allegations. Everything I have done in Congress has been to serve the people of South Texas,” Cuellar declared on Friday. “The actions I took in Congress were consistent with the actions of many of my colleagues and in the interest of the American people.”
While House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries hasn’t called for Cuellar’s resignation, the indicted congressman will, for the time being, step down from his position on a House Appropriations Subcommittee.
“Henry Cuellar has admirably devoted his career to public service and is a valued Member of the House Democratic Caucus. Like any American, Congressman Cuellar is entitled to his day in court and the presumption of innocence throughout the legal process,” said spokesperson Christie Stephenson.
The National Republican Congressional Committee has called for Cuellar’s resignation and has condemned his colleagues who have yet to do the same.
“If his colleagues truly believe in putting ‘people over politics,’ they will call on him to resign. If not — they are hypocrites whose statements about public service aren’t worth the paper they’re written on,” NRCC spokesperson Delanie Bomar said.
Apple unveiled two new iPads on Tuesday, May 7, for its “Let Loose” iPad event, marking what CEO Tim Cook calls “the biggest day for iPad since its introduction.”
The roughly 35-minute announcement kicked off with a look at the newest iPad Air, which now comes in two sizes: 11-inch and 13-inch. Newly equipped with a lightning fast M2 chip, the new Air is said to be 50% faster than its M1 predecessor, and enjoys three times better performance than devices built on the A12 chip. The starting price will be $599 and $799 for the 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Airs, respectively.
Following the unveiling of the new iPad Air, Apple showed off the newest iPad Pro, built with Ultra Retina XDR, which, according to the company, is “the world’s most advanced display.” The Pro’s screen is now built with two OLED Panels stacked on top of each other, allowing for a brighter and deeper display.
The new iPad Pro, which is 5.1mm thick, is Apple’s thinnest product to date and weighs less than the model that came before it. Built on the M4 chip, the new iPad Pro is four times faster than its predecessor, which was equipped with the M2. And with studio-quality mics and a newly placed 12mp landscape front-facing camera, the iPad Pro will have Face ID.
The new iPad Pro will start at $999 for the 11-inch model and $1,299 for the 13inch model. Apple also showed off a few powerful apps for the iPad Pro, including Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro, which are used for professional film editing and music production respectively.
Although no new standard iPad was unveiled, Apple announced a price drop for the model, now pricing the regular iPad at $349.
Additionally, Apple announced a new version of the Apple Pencil, branded “Apple Pencil Pro,” which will be compatible with the new iPad Air and iPad Pro. Users of the new accessory will now be able to squeeze the pencil to access more drawing options and will have access to the
pencil’s new “barrel roll” feature, wherein one may rotate the stylus to dynamically change the size, color, etc. of the pixels drawn on the screen. Additionally, hovering above the iPad screen with the Apple Pencil Pro will allow users to preview changes before making them. Apple Pencil Pro will be priced at $129.
The iPad Air, iPad Pro, and Apple Pencil Pro will launch next week on May 15.
On Friday, President Joe Biden awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to nineteen prominent Americans, including several of his most important political allies, such as former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, former Secretary of State John Kerry and Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina.
Former Vice President Al Gore and former Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York were also on the list. Sen. Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina was the lone Republican.
“Today, we have another extraordinary honor,” Biden said at a ceremony at the White House, noting that he was bestowing the nation’s highest civilian honor on “19 incredible people whose relentless curiosity, inventiveness, ingenuity and hope kept faith in a better tomorrow.”
Also among the honorees were Clarence B. Jones, a civil rights activist who helped draft the “I Have a Dream” speech delivered by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. at the March on Washington in 1963; Opal Lee, an educator who in 2016 at age 89 walked from her home in Texas to Washington to lobby to make Juneteenth a federally recognized holiday marking the end of slavery; and Judy Shepard.
The cultural and athletic figures honored were Michelle Yeoh, the first Asian to win the Academy Award for best actress; Katie Ledecky, the seven-time Olympic gold medal winner and most decorated female swimmer in history; and Phil Donahue, one of the pioneers of daytime talk shows.
Biden also selected a couple of trail-
blazing figures from the space field: astronaut Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic woman to leave the planet and second female director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center; and astronomer Jane Rigby, the chief scientist of the James Webb Space Telescope.
Three awardees received the medal posthumously: Medgar Evers, the civil rights leader whose murder in 1963 galvanized the movement to end racial discrimination; Jim Thorpe, the first Native American to win an Olympic gold medal; and former Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., a longtime colleague of Biden’s in Congress.
Jerry Nehl Boylan was found guilty of misconduct or neglect of ship officer in November. He was the captain of a dive boat that had caught fire off the coast of Southern California in 2019, killing all 33 of its passengers and a crew member. His crime is also known as “seaman’s slaughter.” On Thursday, Boylan, 70, was sentenced to four years in prison.
Boylan, 70, of Santa Barbara, California, was the captain of the Conception, a commercial scuba diving vessel, when a fire broke out in the early hours of September 2, 2019, while the ship was anchored near Santa Cruz Island, according to prosecutors.
Boylan and four other crew members were able to escape the fire, but the 33 passengers, who were sleeping below deck, died, prosecutors said. One crew member was also killed. Prosecutors said Boylan failed to try to save them.
U.S. District Judge George H. Wu said
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that the sentence was one of the most difficult sentences he has had to determine. Seventeen people who lost their loved ones in the fire delivered testimony last week.
In a brief statement read aloud by one of his lawyers, Boylan said that he had cried almost every day since the fire.
“I failed,” he said in the statement. “I am so sorry.”
The last of four zebras that escaped from a trailer in North Bend, Washington, was safely corralled on Friday with the help of a former rodeo bullfighter, a lookout on a mountain bike, and a package of white bread.
The zebra, named Sugar, had been wandering the grounds of a 300-acre property in an unincorporated area of King County since she had broken free from a trailer on a highway exit off Interstate 90, about 30 miles east of Seattle, on April 28.
The mare had been spotted on lawns throughout the week, but officials, residents, and wranglers had been unable to capture Sugar.
That’s when her owner, Kristine Keltgen, called in reinforcements.
“It’s very frustrating because I’m here in Montana trying to organize this search,” said Keltgen, who runs a petting zoo in Anaconda, Montana.
Among those who helped in the initial capture of three zebras was David Danton, 52, a former rodeo clown and bullfighter. He organized a team of four people whom
Identical twins don’t have the same fingerprints.
he could trust to remain calm around the potentially skittish animal.
But how to find the last animal on such a sprawling property? Danton put out feelers in North Bend and found that Sugar wasn’t as elusive as it might have seemed.
He was connected with a mountain biker who had seen Sugar on several of his rides. The biker reported when and where he saw the zebra, and Danton began to plot and track her movements and patterns.
He found a roughly 3-acre pasture with fences around it and knew it would be the perfect place to start corralling Sugar.
Keltgen had said the zebra’s favorite treat was white bread, so Danton got half a loaf from the property owner and began crinkling the wrapper. Sugar’s ears perked up, and she began to follow Danton into the enclosure.
After placing hay and oats in the middle to distract and calm Sugar, the team built a corral out of steel panels and rope that they could pull in to shrink the size of the fence. Danton and his team eventually created a small-enough pen to lead Sugar through an alleyway he had erected and made to end at a trailer.
And with that, the zebra was on her way home.
“Life is about the power of positivity,” he said. “If you think you can do something, the likelihood of you doing it goes way up.” (© The New York Times)
Abubakar Tahiru loves trees. In fact, he has been embracing these tall elements of nature.
The Ghanan became interested in nature conservation while growing up in a farming community. He is now pursuing a master’s degree in forestry.
But recently, the 29-year-old put his love of trees into practice when he hugged 1,123 trees at Tuskegee National Forest.
The record attempt required that Tahiru wrap both of his arms around each tree in a close embrace without causing any damage to the trees. No tree could be hugged more than once, requiring Tahiru to move quickly between each hug.
Tahiru, a Muslim, was fasting for Ramadan at the time of his record attempt,
which presented another challenge.
“Not being able to drink water throughout the attempt posed a significant challenge, especially give the physical exertion required,” he told Guinness World Records. “However, this also proved to be helpful in a way, as there was no need to pause for water breaks, allowing me to continue the attempt uninterrupted from start to finish.”
Averaging 19 trees per minute, Tahiru easily surpassed the minimum requirement of 700 trees to establish the world-winning record.
We can’t be-leaf it!
Looking for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Well, consider heading to Antarctica, where its fiery Mount Erebus – the southernmost active volcano on Earth – spews tiny bits of gold into the atmosphere.
The frozen continent features 138 volcanoes, according to a 2017 study, with around nine of them reported as active. With a summit elevation of 12,448 feet, Mount Erebus is the most well-known.
Ross Island is composed of three volcanoes; Erebus is one of them. It was erupting when it was discovered in 1841 during the voyage of Captain James Clark Ross, who carried out important magnetic surveys in the Arctic and Antarctic and discovered the Ross Sea and the Victoria Land region of Antarctica.
According to scientific observers, the volcano regularly pumps out plumes of gas and steam and has been known to eject boulders of partially molten rock known as “volcanic bombs.”
While volcanic bombs are exciting, it’s the bursts of gas spraying tiny crystals of metallic gold that surprise scientists, who estimate the volcano spews around 80 grams of gold a day, worth around $6,000.
The gold has been found hundreds of miles away from Mount Erebus. Antarctic researchers have detected traces of the gold dust in ambient air up to 621 miles away from the volcano.
Sounds like real liquid gold.
In a heartfelt and somber commemoration of Yom HaShoah, HAFTR held a series of ceremonies and events across its divisions, marking a day of remembrance and reflection. From the Lower School to the High School, students participated in meaningful programs that honored the memory of the Holocaust victims and emphasized the imperative of “never again.”
Our Lower School held a beautiful and moving ceremony for its 4th and 5th grade students. Lower School Principal Josh Gold reminded us that the tragedies of October 7 color the day’s events with a stark reminder that “never again” means “never again now.” The students in the 4th and 5th grade choir perform a new composition titled “Little Hands,” written for the occasion by Judge Ronald Goldman and Mrs. Janet Goldman (our Lower School music director), which was dedicated to the memory of the 1.5 million children who perished in the Holocaust. After this moving performance, the student members of “Thinkers of Tomorrow” performed a sketch called
“Why Do You Wear That?” written by fifth grader Benny Simchon and facilitated by instructor Mrs. Lisa Rosenbeg.
The read-aloud highlighted the reality of antisemitism through the lens of youth. We also had the privilege of listening to the story of Mrs. Judy Drummer through her great-granddaughter, who relayed her life before, during, and after the Holocaust in a meaningful manner. To conclude, the faculty lit the six candles for the six million. Rabbi Weiss led the audience in Yizkor. The fifth graders then participated in the Butterfly Project, an art project based on the famous poem by Pavel Friedmann, “I Never Saw Another Butterfly.”
Our Middle School program was also a very memorable and moving ceremony. Students helped their colleagues understand the relevant history of the Holocaust through stories and lessons through poetry and prose they wrote themselves. The event commenced with a special Yizkor blessing from Rabbi Nathanson, followed by the lighting of the six candles. The event was punctuated by
musical performances by students with songs related to the somber and solemn theme of the day. The event concluded with the recitation of the poem “I Never Saw Another Butterfly.” The ceremony, created by Ms. Einat Rabinovich, was an emotive event.
The High School Yom HaShoah ceremony was also extremely powerful and featured one of the best speakers of all time: Rabbi Paysach Krohn. Ms. Naomi Lippman, head of school, introduced the program and reminded the students of the day’s significance. She stated that we have three responsibilities: to mourn the loss of the 6 million men, women and children who perished in the Holocaust; to celebrate the faith and resilience of the survivors; and to recognize that extreme evil does exist in this world. She cited the Nazis’ systematic attempt to annihilate the Jewish people and the murderous Hamas attack on Israel on October 7. Following Ms. Lippman’s remarks, two students, Shiri Cohen and Kayla Fauziev, recited a moving poem in tribute to the victims and lit candles in memory of
the six million lost souls. Rabbi Yisachar Blinder, Mashgiach Ruchani, introduced the keynote speaker, Rabbi Krohn. Rabbi Krohn relayed stories not just about the Holocaust, but lessons he has learned from his interactions with others and travels throughout the world. He shared with students moving anecdotes from missions that he has led Poland. His talk left students captivated and motivated. His messages to the students were to be strong, proud Jews who are not afraid, and who are unified in their support of Israel and each other.
Overall, Yom HaShoah 2024 at HAFTR was a meaningful and impactful occasion, leaving students across all divisions with a stronger understanding of antisemitism and a renewed commitment to carrying their Jewish identity with pride. As the community reflects on the horrors of the past, they also embrace the hope for a future where such atrocities are never repeated.
On Monday, May 6, students and teachers of Shulamith School for Girls gathered for meaningful Yom HaShoah programs at the various grade levels.
Students in grades 1-4 created special projects depicting the concept that our nation’s survival is a miracle and a source of pride. The girls learned the importance of knowing our mesora and recognizing that each of us is a link in the unbreakable chain of our history. The students decorated plaques with the phrase “We Are a Miracle” with a multigenerational picture featured in the middle.
The middle school girls were privi-
leged to hear from Holocaust survivor, Mrs. Esther Weber, great-grandmother of Shulamith students Sima (2), Aliza (6), Eliana (9), and Kayla (11) Hercman, who spoke about her experiences in the Shoah, sharing stories of both the brutality of the Nazis and of the miracle of survival. She also conveyed the message of perseverance and rebuilding a Torah based family after the Holocaust in America.
The program closed with the Keil Malai Rachamim, 6 yahrtzeit candles lit by Mrs. Weber and her grandchildren, and a moving Yom HaShoah choir led by Morah Rachel Ash.
The YOSS Forensics Club put their skills into action recently when the Science Lab was converted in a “crime scene.” After a debriefing about the scene from Mrs. Fitzpatrick, Forensics Club and Science Coordinator, the “investigators,” dressed in full crime
scene gear, including gloves, eye shields, booties, and gowns (so as not to contaminate the evidence), began collecting evidence in order to use their forensic skills to catch the culprit. Who will they find guilty of the crime? Can’t wait to find out!
For seven months, the atrocities committed by Hamas and the antisemitism around the world have been categorized as the worst since the Holocaust; Yom HaShoah hit differently this year. Given the escalation of the open hatred towards Jews that has been displayed on college campuses in recent weeks, it has become glaringly obvious that we are experiencing a movement eerily reminiscent of prewar Europe. In that vein, the focus of our Yom HaShoah programming this year at SHS was the history of antisemitism and its insidious revival today.
After hearing Dr. Miriam Slomovits retell the story of her mother’s horrific experiences during the war, Mrs. Chana Novak, Director of Chabad on campus at WashU, shared the realities of life for Jews on campus. She emphasized that while it takes strength, confidence, and
conviction to stand up to the persecution coming their way, it has also created stronger than ever feelings of connection and loyalty to Jews and Judaism. She described the record number of students showing up to Shabbos meals and the heightened pride in Yiddishkeit experienced by unaffiliated Jews.
Headlined under the theme “Never again is now,” our Yom HaShoah museum depicted the history of antisemitism, graphically displaying its bitter peaks throughout our history. Viewed as a timeline, its cyclical nature was apparent and alarming. After perusing and reflecting on the display, students contributed ideas that connected current events to the episodes curated in the museum. They resolved to raise their voices, in tefillah and advocacy, in honor of the 6 million memorialized on Yom HaShoah.
On Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Memorial Day, Mercaz Academy in Plainview was once again privileged to welcome Holocaust survivor Mrs. Zelda Polofsky to address its students. Mrs. Polofsky met with the Mercaz students in three different groups, offering strength and inspiration targeted to the ages of her listeners, and blessing them with hope for the future.
Students in first through fourth grade were the first group to greet Mrs. Polofsky. They performed “Vehi She’amda” and “Acheinu” for her, songs symbolizing Hashem’s enduring protection through the generations. Principal Rabbi Kalman Fogel explained to the children that Mrs. Polofsky had lived through a time during which there was an attempt to destroy the Jewish people. Mrs. Polofsky added that she was delighted to hear the songs of Jewish children in a Jewish school as an expression of the Jewish future, and offered her assurance that the current enemies of Israel would also be unsuccessful. “We didn’t have an army to protect us then,” she told them. “But now we do, and I know that everything will be okay.”
The fourth grade listened as Mrs. Polofsky recounted her early life in a
small shtetl before World War II. The fourth graders were captivated by her stories of life without electricity, her father’s compassion for others, and the now-vanished world of her first eight years.
Mrs. Polofsky provided more detail as she shared her story with the older students of grades five and six, speaking of the tragic death of her mother and of the benevolent Polish farmer who sheltered them in the bitterly cold winters. The students posed questions that were thoughtful and poignant, with one wondering how Mrs. Polofsky maintained her faith in Hashem amidst adversity, while another asked why she chose to remain steadfastly Jewish despite her tribulations.
Mrs. Polofsky explained that, even in the darkest moments, she felt the presence of Hashem and witnessed His intervention.
Asked what motivated her to persevere, she responded with a smile, “Because life is good!”
“We are so grateful that our students had the opportunity to meet Mrs. Polofsky,” Rabbi Fogel told parents after the presentation, “and for the invaluable insights they’ve gained from her remarkable journey of faith and resilience.”
Every week, a group of boys in North Woodmere gather on Shabbos afternoon at Ohr Torah to learn Mishnayos with Rabbi Aryeh Dachs, rabbi of Ohr Torah Ashkenaz. The group of boys ranging in age from 7-13 completed Meseches Beitza before Pesach. The chabura celebrated this achievement with a lavish siyum at Traditions Eatery. Next up for the Ohr Torah Mishnayos Chabura is Mesechtes Chagiga!
The students at Lev Chana were excited to come back from Pesach break to discover all the changes in their Grow Torah garden! The children tasted garlic leaves, smelled oregano, and played a game of Mitzvah Bingo in the garden.
Nineteen and a half years ago, our lives changed forever three weeks after our twin girls were born, when we were told that our baby daughter had Familial Dysautonomia (FD). FD is a progressive disorder caused by a genetic mutation that is primarily found in Ashkenazi Jews. A life-threatening neurological disorder, FD affects every body system, and its sufferers live in very unstable bodies. We were devastated to learn the prognosis and felt helpless in the face of what was to come for our baby girl.
Thank G-d, very soon after, our uncle met Dr. Berish Rubin, the Head of the Laboratory for Familial Dysautonomia Research in Fordham University. Together with Dr. Sylvia Anderson, the Director of the Lab, Dr. Rubin had discovered the gene mutation that causes FD and began research on treatments for FD that followed from that discovery. We immediately began giving our baby girl the recommended treatments. It was the best decision we ever made. Within a few weeks, our daughter stopped sweating profusely and we saw more moisture in her eyes. With guidance from a feeding therapist, we learned to thicken bottles and she began to eat without coughing on each sip. From deep despair we quickly had hope, as our beautiful girl continued to progress and develop. Over the years, our daughter has endured her share of “FD ups and downs.” However, with the introduction of a strict diet and each new treatment discovered by the Laboratory for Familial Dysautonomia Research, our daughter became crisis-free and her body became more stable and much stronger.
Thank G-d, our daughter’s health improved so much that she was able to spend a year in Israel in seminary and is now in college, alongside her twin sister and friends. She is living an independent and happy life, due to the treatment
advances that have turned a life-threatening condition into a chronic one with careful management. It is remarkable!
FD NOW is a volunteer organization made up of families and friends of those with FD. Funds raised by FD NOW provide the sole support for the Lab for FD Research. As our story indicates, that research has been successful and lifesaving! Since 2003, Dr. Rubin and Dr. Anderson have made 10 treatment breakthroughs, each of which has made a drastic improvement in the overall health and quality of life of those with FD. FD NOW is committed to keeping the lab running and without sufficient funds, research will come to a halt. We need a cure for our children before time runs out!
On May 20, 2024, FD NOW is excited to host its 22nd Annual David Z. Herman Memorial Dinner at the Sephardic Temple in Cedarhurst, NY. Aviva and Ben Brukner are dear and devoted friends who have been supporters of FD NOW for many years. We are so pleased to have them as our guests of honor at this year’s dinner to pay tribute to their years of commitment to our children. We also honor Rabbi Jeremy and Mrs. Susan Kagan and Rabbi Anthony Manning, the illustrious administration of Midreshet Tehillah in Israel, with the Annual Philip Bach Memorial “Special Person” Award. These special individuals made it possible for our daughter to live her dream and learn safely in Eretz Yisrael. Featuring a raffle as well as good company and deliciousfood, the evening promises to be uplifting and fun. Please join us to see firsthand how scientific research has saved the lives of Jewish children afflicted with FD and how our children have been able to “reach for the stars.”
To register for the dinner or for more information, please visit our website at fdnow.org or email fdnowny@gmail.com.
MTA is delighted to announce that Pinchas Rosenfeld ’24 has been named a National Merit Scholar. To those who know Pinchas, this is not at all surprising, as he is an excellent student with outstanding scores on standardized tests. But those who remember October of 2022, when MTA administered the PSAT to Pinchas’ class, should indeed be surprised. Pinchas missed the PSAT, as he was sick with Covid-19, and since the PSAT is also the NMSQT (National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) and Pinchas did not take it, then he should have been disqualified from the competition.
Fortunately for Pinchas, his parents and MTA’s College Guidance Office worked to save his candidacy for this scholarship. National Merit offers what they call “alternate entry” into the scholarship competition for exactly this circumstance, when a student “does not take the PSAT/NMSQT because of illness, an emergency, or other extenuating circumstance, but meets all other requirements for NMSC program participation.” MTA helped Pinchas appeal for alternate entry under this provision, and when he demonstrated his excellent grades and scores he became, in turn, a semifinalist, finalist,
and now a winner.
The lesson here is that although there are strict rules for qualification for scholarships and other academic recognitions, the organizations that administer them are frequently aware that sometimes exceptions are appropriate. Students who believe that their circumstance warrants special consideration, therefore, should work with the College Guidance office at their school to determine their eligibility and what the process is to file an appeal. At least in Pinchas Rosenfeld’s case, a path was found, and he was able to seize the opportunity.
Atext from someone you have not heard from in years, “Do you want to join us for a meal this Pesach?” doesn’t make the recipient feel the warmth in the invite and doesn’t make the guest comfortable to join. A phone call, “ Hi, this is ________, we haven’t been in touch in a while and it is my doing that I wasn’t, I don’t know why… we’d love to have you join us if you are available. You can get back to me...” that is a very different tone than the aforementioned.
A person’s words can have amazing effects on other people. Our words can give strength, courage and even life if used properly.
Tips for being a good Shabbos host:
Notice new people in the community. At the shul kiddush, approach a new face with a warm greeting, “Hi! I
don’t believe we’ve met. Are you new to the community? I’d love to have you over for Shabbos meal.” Getting contact information on Shabbos can be tricky, but often you’ll find you know someone in common. A phone call with words of warmth displays sincere caring. No one “needs” a place, everyone wants an invite and to feel the warmth and welcome, “Hi, I called to say hello and see what your Pesach plans are. We are home and would love to have you if you’re available to join...”
Be proactive in extending invitations. Guests may hesitate, assuming you don’t want their company. Assure them to always feel welcome to reach out. Things do not have to be perfect –not the table or the food, it doesn’t need to be a 10 course 5-star meal – all that matters is warmth and friendship.
Communicate your hosting preferences and boundaries clearly Let guests know if you don’t host certain
meals, days, or if you need RSVPs by a certain date. This helps guests feel comfortable reaching out.
Encourage guests to bring friends along! It’s a great way to meet new people in the community.
Encourage participation! Have guests introduce themselves and take the time to engage with each of your guests and make sure everyone feels included and comfortable. Divrei Torah is always a perfect conversation, you can subscribe to the Shabbos Menu by the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation for great table discussions (info@powerofspeech.org to subscribe).
Don’t pry or ask personal questions like your guests’ dating life or family circumstances.
Let guests know you enjoyed their company and look forward to future interactions.
Tips for being a good Shabbos guest:
Ask for invites early in the week – ideally before Thursday or Friday, when most people do their Shabbos shopping and preparation.
Communicate in advance: Let your host know if you have any dietary restrictions or preferences so they can plan their meals accordingly.
If you plan to bring food, ask if there are food groups / allergies / dietary preferences it should adhere to. It’s also nice to bring something with an explicit hechsher.
Arrive on time: Punctuality is appreciated, and it shows respect for your host’s time and efforts.
Express gratitude: Thank your host for their hospitality, whether it’s with a
small gift, a heartfelt thank-you note, or simply expressing your appreciation verbally.
Offer to help: Pitch in with chores or tasks around the house, such as setting the table or cleaning up. Your willingness to help will be appreciated.
Be sociable: Engage with your host and other guests if there are any. Share stories, ask questions, and participate in conversations to make the visit enjoyable for everyone. At the same time, try not to dominate the conversation or go into topics that your hosts aren’t comfortable with.
Avoid overstaying your welcome: Notice clues that the host wants to end the meal and don’t prolong it.
Thank your host after Shabbos if you’ve had a good time! Your host extended themselves to have guests, and they will be happy to know it went well. “The food was delicious, the company even more – thank you for having me.”
Extending and accepting Shabbos invites isn’t just about the food (though that’s a big plus!); it’s about bringing people together and building up a community. Think about it: when you welcome guests into your home or hop over to someone else’s place, you’re not just sharing a meal, but weaving a rich tapestry of connection, where each person adds their own vibrant thread. Keep on sending out those invites, keep on saying yes, and watch as we all become part of something bigger – a welcoming, warm place that’s all about friendly company and uplifting the community.
And by ensuring that no one Yid is made to feel alone, we are sure to bring the Geula Shelama ever closer! L’shana HaB’ah B’Yerushlayaim! Looking forward!
Jesse Vogel, a Far Rockaway resident and member of the Rockaway Nassau Safety Patrol, the Chevra Kadisha, and ZAKA, was honored by Touro University with the Vera Jean Clark Brown Service Award for his service to the community
The Abraham and Sara Silber
Mechina Division at Yeshiva of South Shore held its 3rd annual Fish Tank competition which culminated with a fantastic showing of talent and great collaboration amongst students and their groups at this year’s finale.
The seventh grade boys wowed their audience and judges, showing off their inventions, slides, and elaborate videos, pitching their products, and discussing their business plans. Seeing the boys bring the engineering design process to life and seamlessly create their working prototypes was amazing. The final round showcased ten groups with exciting business plans and products.
Congratulations to our winning teams:
1st place: Remote Control Garbage (R.C.G.), created by Yonah Adel-
man, Yehonatan Danino, Chaim Yitzchak Jacobi
2nd place: Life on Wheels, created by Judah Adelman, Mikki Greenbaum, Binny Pifko, Binyomin Statfeld.
3rd place: Logo Legends, created by Shalom Meir Jacobs, Elimelech Klein, and Shlomo Lieberman.
Honorable mentions: The Survival Coat, created by Yosef Dashiff, Yedidya Nathanson, Momo Shetrit, and Aviel Pinchasov.
B.A.I.T., created by: Yonathan Roth
Special thanks to the seventh grade science teachers, Mrs. Rina Korman (program creator) and Rabbi Dovid Schulman, for leading this project. Special thanks to our panel of judges including guest judge Mr. Avram Weissman, Mrs. Christina Fitzpatrick, Mr. Stuart Vaiselberg and Mr. Daniel Glatt.
“There’s nothing like original old friends that know you in a way that is without pretense and those are friendships that stand the test of time,” says Ron Offer of Silver Spring, MD, YUHSB class of 1985. Ron’s feelings for his old friends are not unique, but what is unique is the way his class has rekindled their old friendships in a meaningful and impactful way over the last few years.
During COVID, a few graduates from the class of 1985 lost their fathers. When a number of classmates were unable to pay a shiva visit to three friends that were sitting shiva, the guys arranged for a Zoom shiva call. On that call, the group was enjoying catching up and schmoozing with one another and no one wanted to get off the Zoom. Ron thought that if the group enjoys spending time together so much, they shouldn’t limit themselves to getting together for sad occasions but should make their interactions more frequent.
Ron decided to invite a group of friends to a Zoom get together on Sunday,
September 23, 2021. On that Zoom, Jonathan (Jon) Ehrman from Passaic, NJ, expressed that his niece was in need of a refuah sheleima and he suggested that at the next virtual meeting they could learn for the merit of his niece receiving the refuah she needed. On that initial Zoom, Yudi Teichman from Suffern, NY, challenged Ron and Jon to make the class’s Zoom get together a weekly gathering, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Rabbi Yisroel Kaminetsky, Menahel of DRS and graduate of the class of 1985, explains that “the weekly Torah zoom sessions have been a vehicle for strengthening our class’s religious identity, Torah study and connections with each other. The fact that our friend’s niece is in remission since we started learning together has also been a powerful force for our group to keep learning together.”
Beginning on a Sunday in November of 2021 and continuing every week until today, the YUHSB Class of 1985 has a standing Zoom meeting where they schmooze and learn Torah together. Various guests have addressed the group,
from past YUHSB rebbeim to current YUHSB leadership, and many within the class have also led the learning portion of the weekly program. The Zoom meeting takes place at 12 PM EST so that classmates all over the world, including Israel, can join. Noon on Sunday isn’t the most convenient time for the East Coasters in the group, but it enables their 25 friends living in Israel to join. This is why the Zoom takes place at this time, as inclusion is the priority. On any given week, the Zoom includes around 15 participants and lasts about 45 minutes. Rabbi Mark Wildes of New York, NY, adds that “it’s a testament to MTA that after all of these years we are still connected and want to express our connection through a weekly Torah class.”
The Class of 1985 not only meets on Zoom every week but has also created a WhatsApp group where 100 messages pop up in the chat daily. 100 messages from 90 classmates! Ron and Jon started the weekly Zoom get togethers, but it was the effort of the entire class that made this grow and flourish. Ron says, “It definitely would not have happened if so many people would not have pitched in to make this happen.” Two alumni alone, Gary Berger and Stephen Slamowitz, connected 50 classmates within the group. As the number of participants grew, the impact of the group grew organically, with various speakers addressing the classmates in the weekly Zoom sessions, in person get togethers, cele -
brating simchas together, helping each other with job searches, giving advice on places to visit in Israel, and mourning together when classmates were grieving. Jason Greenblatt, member of the class of 1985, former White House Middle East Special Envoy and current Senior Director of Arab-Israel Diplomacy at the JCPA, says, “The WhatsApp group enables us to connect with one another in this fast-paced world. The group is used for various mitzvot, such as raising funds for the IDF during these very difficult times, but it also allows us a glimpse into one another’s lives and to share messages of chizuk, simcha, and, at times, condolences. The Zoom shiurim are a big plus for those who are able to make it and shows the deep connection to Torah instilled into this remarkable group. Kudos to those who created it and who keep it going.”
Most recently, classmates with children serving in the IDF reached out to the group because their children’s units needed protective gear. With one of their own serving as a Captain in the IDF, the cause was extremely close to the group’s heart, they worked together to purchase the much-needed equipment, including phones, drones, and tablets. A couple of weeks ago, a terrorist shot at two buses, and one of the drones that the class purchased was used to find and help eliminate that threat. In addition, the tablets are used to direct helicopters as they airlift injured soldiers out of harm’s way.
Ezra Academy recently hosted a remarkable event: a parent-student night that brought together parents and their sons to Ezra for a night of bonding and fun.
The event began with words of introduction by Rabbi Eli Geller, whose wisdom and wit set the tone for the evening. His message emphasized the importance of community, family, and the shared values that bind us together. As Rabbi Geller spoke, there was a palpable sense of unity in the room, with parents and boys alike nodding and laughing in agreement and appreciation.
Following the rabbi’s address, attendees were treated to a delightful spread of refreshments. Parents mingled with one another, swapping stories and experiences, while the boys reveled in the excitement of being surrounded by their friends in school after hours.
However, the highlight of the evening was undoubtedly the mesmerizing performance by the mentalist and magician Yoel Speilman. Yoel wowed the audience with mind-blowing tricks and illusions,
leaving both parents and boys scratching their heads in disbelief. He dazzled with sleight of hand and jaw-dropping feats, captivating the audience with his skill and charisma. He even managed to work in some spirituality with a few “thank you Hashems”!
What truly made the event special was the shared experience of witnessing this incredible performance together. Parents and boys alike were transfixed by the magic unfolding before their eyes.
As the evening drew to a close, there was a sense of gratitude and appreciation lingering in the air. Parents and boys departed with smiles on their faces and memories to cherish, strengthened by the shared experience of coming together as a school community. In an age where digital distractions often pull us apart, events like Boys Night remind us of the importance of fostering connections and building relationships in real life.
Ezra Academy’s Boys Night was more than just an event – it was a celebration of some core Ezra values: achdut, community, and having a great time.
The eighth graders at HALB have been busy in the STEM lab. They used their knowledge of robotics to design something connected to Pe -
sach. Their projects had to use a motor, sensor, and a light and had to be coded so it worked.
Next week, Chabad of the Five Towns will begin teaching a groundbreaking course in medical ethics beginning on May 14. This new course, titled Decisions of Fate, will explore some of the most fascinating and relevant dilemmas in medical ethics through the lens of contemporary Jewish law.
Rabbi Zalman Wolowik, the course instructor in Five Towns, highlights, “Finding trustworthy guidance is import-
It was Week 4 at the 5TLL this past Sunday! Despite the threatening weather, the K-2nd games proceeded smoothly, but the rain poured down later in the afternoon, forcing the cancellation of the 3rd-8th baseball games which will be made up at a later date.
K/P Baseball & Soccer Highlights
K/P Baseball: Nechemia Oratz knocked it out of the park for Rita’s with some towering home runs, leaving fans craving more of his power hits!
K/P Soccer: Wieder Orthodontics flashed their pearly whites as they smiled their way to a 7-1 victory against Hamaspik. It was a total team effort, but Yaakov Grossman stole the show with an impressive four-goal performance. Not to be outdone, Yaakov Jeidels, Shauli Bauman, and Joel Gallis each added a goal, cementing their team’s triumph.
1st/2nd Soccer: Tikvah Security
ant when navigating tough medical decisions. Decisions of Fate offers an opportunity to proactively engage with these questions, providing the confidence and clarity needed to address important life decisions if and when they arise.”
This four-week course invites our community to engage in a thoughtful study of medical ethics according to Jewish wisdom. From experimental treatments to the prospect of extending life, participants will gain an enriching per-
spective on how Judaism sheds light on these crucial questions.
The Five Towns Jewish community will be joining tens of thousands around the world in hundreds of Jewish communities learning Decisions of Fate worldwide. This course has been developed by the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (“JLI”), the adult education branch of Chabad-Lubavitch. JLI offers programs in more than 800 locations in the U.S. and in numerous international countries.
More than 400,000 students have attended JLI classes since the organization was founded in 1998.
Interested participants can register for the first class at no cost. Visit Chabadfivetowns.com/JLI or call 516-295-2478 for registration and additional course-related information. The course is presented in partnership with the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute, and media inquiries can be directed to Esther Itkin, Chabad@ chabadfivetowns.com 516-295-2478.
played great all around, narrowly defeating Wieder Orthodontics 2-1. Coach Gertner stepped into the Head Coach role for this Sunday, helping lead Maidenbaum to a tough 1-0 victory.
Minors (1st-3rd) Baseball Highlights
1st Grade: OpenVeranda electrified the field, shocking Mittman Electric with a 9-5 victory. Yitzi Kohn lit up the game with a spectacular home run, sparking cheers from the crowd! Spray Foam Insulation sealed the deal with a 13-8 win, thanks to Yumi Erlichman’s heroics. Erlichman not only secured all three outs in the last inning but also blasted two impressive home runs. Dovid Goldstein then delivered the ultimate game-winning single in the bottom of the last inning, securing victory for Spray Foam Insulation in dramatic fashion.
2nd Grade: Wieder Orthodontics won
a thrilling 10-9 victory over Town Appliance, clinching it with a walk-off victory. The MVP title of the day goes to the batters of Dr. Fluency, who orchestrated a remarkable comeback. Down 14-7 in the last inning with two outs and no one on base, Dr. Fluency unleashed their offense, scoring seven runs to tie the game 14-14 against Tikva Fire. NOJO Promo had a solid 6-2 lead until Sr Whee staged a dramatic comeback in the last inning, scoring eight runs to snatch the lead! With a nail-biting play at second base with the bases loaded, Sr Whee secured a 13-12 victory, leaving fans on the edge of their seats.
JSL Mens Basketball
It was Game #6 at the JSL Men’s basketball this past Sunday. Yoni Bobker was automatic from midrange but it was not enough to stop Simcha Klein and Town Appliance who rolled past them 77-53.
Thousands attended this year’s Free Family Fun Extravaganzas on chol hamoed, held in Midwood and Boro Park, which were sponsored by Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein and in partnership with COJO Flatbush and the Boro Park Jewish Community Council
When that extra bit of money from your tax refund lands in your bank account, it’s easy to start dreaming about all the ways you can use it. Financial experts may tell you that it’s a chance to pay off debts, tuck away savings for an emergency, or add to your retirement savings. You, on the other hand, may want to splurge on something
special. However, there’s an often-overlooked option that not only provides immediate satisfaction but ensures longterm benefits for both you and your loved ones: Estate Planning.
Estate Planning might sound like a complex and daunting chore reserved for the wealthy, but it’s actually a straightforward and crucial process that is beneficial for everyone. In its most basic terms, estate planning involves making a plan for what happens to your belongings and fi-
nances after you’re gone or if you become incapacitated. Think of it as creating a roadmap for your loved ones to follow, ensuring they’re taken care of and know exactly how to handle your estate according to your wishes. After all, someone will have to do something with your things after you’re gone. Also, your plan can ensure you are cared for in the way you want, by the people you want, if you lose capacity while you’re still living.
Working with a heart centered attorney will help you navigate the law, help you tailor your estate plan to fit your specific needs, and will provide peace of mind knowing that your estate plan is thorough and legally sound. Some of the relevant documents and considerations that should be part of your comprehensive plan include:
A Will: Details and serves as your voice for your asset distributions and designates guardians for any minor children.
Creating a Trust: Allows for precise management of how and when your assets are distributed, offers tax advantages so more of your assets go to your loved ones instead of the government. Trust are also designed to circumvent the lengthy, expensive, aggravating and public probate court process – giving you greater control.
Guardians
Agents: Choosing individuals who will execute your wishes and look after your children if you are unable to do so is crucial to help safeguard your family’s future. Preparing the right Medical Directives, including naming the people you trust to make medical decisions if you can’t will prevent a court-imposed expensive guardianship appointment, preventing those you trust from making health related decisions for you.
Even if you don’t receive a tax refund this year, Estate Planning isn’t something you just do for yourself, it’s truly an investment you make for the people you love. To learn more about our process, call for a complimentary 15-minute conversation and schedule your Estate Planning Design Session 718.514.7575 or 732.333.1854. We’ll guide you and your family through it all.
Monet Binder, ESQ., has a practice in Brooklyn, Queens, and in Lakewood areas, dedicated to protecting families, their legacies and values. All halachic documents are approved by the Bais Havaad Halacha Center in Lakewood, under the direction of Rabbi Dovid Grossman and the guidance of Harav Shmuel Kaminetsky, shlita, as well as other leading halachic authorities.
YCQ marked Yom HaShoah and honored the victims of the Holocaust with meaningful ceremonies led by our students, featuring survivor testimony, film, song, and tefillah on Sunday, May 6 and Monday, May 7.
Candles, each with a unique name of a Shoah victim, were distributed to all students in grades 5-8 on Friday ahead of Yom HaShoah. On Sunday evening, at the start of Yom HaShoah, the students lit the candles at home. This simple yet powerful act of remembrance gave students a personal connection to the day and set the tone for the programs in school on Monday.
On Monday, students in Grades 3-8 participated in age-appropriate assemblies to commemorate the important day, and students had the incredible opportunity to hear from Holocaust survivors. Rabbi Mark Landsman, principal of YCQ, told students how their generation will be the last to hear eyewitness testimony, and this is not something to be taken for granted.
At the Junior High School ceremo -
ny, students were shown the Names, Not Numbers documentary created by the eighth grade. The program is an intergenerational oral history film project created by Mrs. Tova Fish-Rosenberg.
Six survivors were interviewed for this year’s film: Ben Milchman, Rachel Epstein, Robert Lindendblatt, David Weichselbaum, Norbert Strauss, and Natalie Gomberg, a”h, who unfortunately passed away just a few weeks after filming. Students recorded the harrowing accounts of their survival and the powerful messages they shared with future generations.
Each segment was introduced by students sharing a brief biography of the survivor. After the interview was shown, a candle was lit to honor their legacy and to commemorate the six million Jewish victims. It was especially meaningful to welcome Mr. Milchman and Mrs. Epstein, who joined the students for the Tekes.
The Junior High School Boys’ choir, led by Rabbi Ophie Nat, sang two beautiful songs of “Acheinu” and “Ani Maamim.”
Rabbi Nat also led a touching rendition of the special “Keil Malei Rachamim’” tefilah to conclude the program.
The Yeshiva of Central Queens gratefully acknowledges the Names, Not Numbers Program which has taught students about the Holocaust through the accounts of eyewitnesses and has enabled meaningful relationships to be forged between the survivors and our students. YCQ has benefited tremendously from its participation in this Legacy Heritage project.
Special thank you to Morah Rina Bienenfeld, the Faculty Advisor for the program, for her hard work throughout the year. Thank you to Mr. Jacob Grossman, Ms. Elisheva Simanowitz, Mrs. Jen Jaffe, and Morah Mashie Kopelowitz for their efforts as well. Thank you to The Consortium of Jewish Day Schools (CoJDS) for creating the candles commemorating the victims of the Shoah.
During the Cedarhurst Village Board Meeting on May 7, Mayor Benjamin Weinstock and the Board of Trustees presented citations to Village residents Alan Neuman and Superintendent of the Building Department Wayne Yarnell for their heroic service. On March 1, 2024, their quick thinking and bravery saved a neighbor’s home from a devastating fire. While walking home from Shabbat dinner with Mr. Neuman, Mr. Yarnell noticed a strange
orange glow coming from his neighbor’s home. He looked into the front window and saw flames. When no one responded to the doorbell, banging and shouting, he ran back to call 911, get Mr. Neuman and a fire extinguisher. Acting fearlessly, they entered the house and successfully put out the fire that had consumed a dining room chair. They saved the house and prevented further devastation and further harm to the persons and property.
For the month of May, the Yeshiva University High School for Girls (Central) will participate in a nationwide Mental Health Awareness Month. That this particular Awareness Month follows a year of schoolwide focus on the 2023-24 theme, “The Power of Positivity,” gives this month’s events additional significance.
“The Power of Positivity” initiative has encouraged Central students to prioritize a positive mindset, both individually and as a community working together during a year of unprecedented challenge. The month’s events will be organized by Central’s Student Life and Guidance Departments, which also curated the Self-Care Days that have punctuated this year’s schedule.
“Mental Health Awareness Month is a time to have meaningful conversations with our students about what mental health is and how to cope with stress and
challenge in healthy ways,” said Dr. Ariella Gettenberg, Central’s School Psychologist, who led the introductory event on Thursday, May 2. “Our kickoff event was a Q&A panel with psychologists Dr. Debra Alper, Dr. Regine Galanti, and Rabbi Dr. Chesky Gewirtz, who answered questions submitted by students themselves.”
The experience set the stage for a month of meaningful active learning that will bring the school year to a positive conclusion. Awareness Month events include a presentation on resilience from Dr. Carly Namdar, educational psychologist and Resilience Programs coordinator at Ohel Kestenbaum Family International Children’s Services, as well as mindfulness and self-esteem workshops moderated by Ohel mental health professionals.
“Throughout the month, we will be launching a Technology Campaign to address the role that technology and social media play in our wellbeing, going on a
Kav Halacha Network which supports and trains rabbanim across the globe, held an important kashrus pre- and post-Pesach panel for rabbanim with the leading kashrus rabbanim from the acclaimed kashrus agencies.
Rabbi Moshe Elefant, COO of OU Kashrus, Rabbi Sholem Fishbane, administrative director of CRC Kosher and the Executive Director of AKO kashrus agencies, together with Rabbi Yechzkel Auerbach, the Administrative Coordinator of KCL Lakewood Kashrus, came together at the Rabbi Reisman’s shul in Brooklyn, Agudas Yisroel of Madison, to discuss the important concerned issues which arise
pre-Pesach, including having certified kashering stations, product issues, different modern day techniques of kashering, as well as post-Pesach concerns of companies and products that could coincide with chametz she’evar alav haPesach .
The rabbanim and the kashrus agencies both spoke about the importance of the conferences held by the Kav Halacha Network which creates an open dialogue between rabbanim and the kashrus agencies to be updated on all daily concerns which affect all kehillos nationwide.
The rabbanim also discussed addressing the growing issues of kashrus with regard to alcoholic beverages, which is underway.
school-wide roller skating trip to emphasize the importance of movement, and more,” Dr. Gettenberg continued. “We are excited about the opportunity to have these important conversations and experiences with our students.”
May concludes an academic year that has seen Central’s students adopt strong, positive mindsets in preparation for
the world after high school. Upcoming events include the final Shabbaton for the class of 2024, scheduled for May 10 and 11 in New Rochelle, the Central Senior Dinner on May 28, and the graduation of the class of 2024 on June 5 at Lamport Auditorium on the campus of Yeshiva University.
All in all, with dozens on the livestream, hundreds of rabbanim from all over participated and gained access to important information successfully.
AMIT Children has always been touted as promoting Jewish values. Its part of our mission statement, core to our century old organizational narrative and, at the end the day, our raison d’etre.
But like the term “tikkun olam,” the term Jewish values is greatly over/misused and, as a result, it fails to resonate. At all. At Yeshiva College legendary English professor Dr. William Lee railed against the use of the word “important.”
“What isn’t important?” he would thunder. “It’s the most overused word in the English language!” Of late, we even seen the term bastardized by the intellectually pathetic Jewish pro-terrorist demonstrators who use it as license to protest their people.
Is it possible to re-energize words – to give Jewish values a meaning again?
A year ago, well before the October 7th nightmare war emerged as daily life, I visited AMIT Or Akiva. Or Akiva is a rarity in the AMIT network – where many of
our schools serve a dati leumi population Or Akiva is a secular vocational school in a small city near Caesarea. The student population of one hundred and fifty is considered at extremely elevated risk during usual times, and the school, knowing that free time is a great danger, was one of the first to reopen in Israel during the war. It is a “last chance” school –meaning that students have either failed miserably in other schools (sometimes many) or are referred to us by the police or court system as a final effort to correct a teenager’s downward spiral to oblivion.
My AMIT school visits are fairly template – I meet the administration and teachers, tour the facility, hear their challenges/wants/needs, connect with the students, and often meet with a representative from the city as well. (Each city/ region in Israel has an education director who are critically important partners – so much so that AMIT will not partner to operate a school unless we have confidence in that professional). I learn about the uniqueness of the school, make connections and then my job is to help them in
any way possible – sometimes by steering program funding, but often it is as simple as expressing to the staff our appreciation for their work. It is not hard – the measurable outcomes as most last chance schools like Or Akiva in terms of students passing the Bagrut and entering Tzahal/ National Service is well above the national average. In short, our remarkable staff take very broken kids with all sorts of problems, and, well, fix them.
The discussions with the staff are enlightening and exhaustive, and there is a lot of drilling down that takes place. Because of the partnership of our supporters worldwide, it’s common for these conversations to lead to solutions in terms of more resources, programming or as we say “tachlis” (loose translation is bottom line) in terms of meeting student and staff needs in a direct, speedy, and straightforward fashion. Since Israelis are among the warmest people in the world (and respect the “tachlis” factor), friendships often develop.
But not this day. The education director for the city, Sigal, and I, just did not hit it off. The school very much wanted to open a vocational culinary track, and Sigal did not agree. I advocated strongly for it, and, well, she and I got into it a bit. What quickly became apparent was that the proposed program was not the true concern. Sigal was, fairly, doubting AMIT’s ability to effectively run a secular school in a secular city. The discussion wheeled quickly to the assertion that this generation lacks values – “interested only in Tik Tok and their iPhones” – and what values can AMIT possibly teach? And, if so, “how do you prove it?”
A heated conversation ensued, and well, let us just say she was not inviting
me for Shabbat dinner when the day ended. That said, after a few months of back and forth she was persuaded, and the culinary track was opened.
But her last question was the real rub – how do you prove AMIT inculcates our students with Jewish values? What measurable outcomes exist? U.S. organizations use the intermarriage rate, attendance at Jewish Day School/Camp, synagogue membership (or whatever barometer matches their organizational agenda).
But in Israel? A hard measure? Not simple at all because there are so many additional factors simply by living in Israel that influence outcomes.
But there is one that will resonate harshly with all of us – in the current war (as of this writing and please G-d let it be the last) forty-eight AMIT alumni have died in combat. Almost every single one was an officer, commander, or member of the most elite combat units – every single one of them a volunteer because the best units accept only those who want to be there. That is forty-eight out of the national total of holy souls killed in action since October 7th, a highly disproportionate number attributable only to their desire to serve the Jewish state at the highest possible level and accepting the potential sacrifice being asked of them.
At AMIT, we teach Jewish values. In what is the most horrific and tragic measurable outcome imaginable that sometimes means dying for them.
Hashem yikam damam.
Andy Goldsmith is the executive vice president of AMIT Children. He can be reached at andrewg@amitchildren.org
In connection with sefiras ha’omer, the children at Gan Chamesh are busy with creative and hands-on counting activities. Patterning, sorting and exploring numbers all help the children strengthen their math skills.
Mosaica Press, in collaboration with Touro University and its New York Medical College, is set to release the eagerly anticipated second volume of Medical Halachah Annual: Applying Classic Principles to Contemporary Practice, scheduled for May 6, 2024. Expanding on the success of its first volume, this edition delves deeper into the intricate interplay between traditional Jewish law and contemporary medical issues.
Edited by Dr. Edward Lebovics, Interim Chairman of the Department of Medicine, New York Medical College, the journal provides an enlightening exploration into the realms of halachah, medical ethics and modern medical challenges. This volume highlights a range of perspectives on critical topics from non-physiologic threats to life, organ transplantation, and the ethical implications of technologies like CRISPR and Artificial Intelligence. It also addresses current health concerns such as the implications of the legaliza-
tion of marijuana on mental health, a subject of increasing relevance and debate.
“We are delighted to present the second volume of the Touro University – New York Medical College Medical Halachah Annual. This volume, featuring papers from leading rabbonim and physicians, seeks to address issues in halachah that are either not well defined, such as choleh l’faneinu, or those that involve new and evolving medical technologies, such as gene editing, electrolarynx and cochlear implants. We also include timely discussions of healthcare challenges in the Jewish community and a Jewish medical historical perspective of recent headlines. We are confident that Jewish healthcare providers as well as the broad Torah readership will find this volume enlightening,” said Dr. Edward Lebovics, emphasizing the journal’s role in linking classic principles with modern medical and social concerns.
The contributors to this volume form
a diverse and esteemed group of scholars and practitioners, offering a comprehensive and nuanced exploration of each topic. They include Rabbi Dr. Ernest H. Agatstein, Aryeh Berkowitz, Rabbi Dr. Yosef A. Cohen, Rabbi Dovid Heber, Rabbi Aron Jacobsohn, Professor Naomi Klapper, Nachum Lebovics, Rabbi Mordechai Lebhar, Dr. Ariel Felman, Rabbi Dr. Zvi Loewy, Dr. Jonah Rubin, Rabbi Dr. David Shabtai, Rabbi Dr. Jason Weiner, and Rabbi Akiva Willig.
“As the nation’s largest Jewish-sponsored institution of higher learning that is a leader in health care education, we are proud to share such an important work with the Torah community and its medical professionals,” said Dr. Alan Kadish, Touro President.
The importance of this annual publication in facilitating crucial dialogue within the Jewish community is encapsulated by New York Medical College Chancellor and CEO, Dr. Edward C. Halperin, “Each generation must engage in con-
versations to interpret its current ethical challenges, posed by new biomedical discoveries, in light of the timeless values and precepts of Jewish law. New York Medical College and Touro University are pleased to sponsor Medical Halachah Annual each year to contribute to these conversations.”
The Medical Halachah Annual is available for purchase at mosaicapress.com or at local Jewish bookstores. Pre-ordering is now open.
What a week it was at the 5 Towns FM Home Loans Flag Football League! This week was special because we had an exciting doubleheader. In the pre-1A division, the boys had a great time catching the ball and playing with their friends. Halfway through the session, the boys put on flags for the first time and really started to get ready for next season when they join the 1st grade league playing with flags full time. In the first grade division, the boys are getting better every week and are ready for the playoffs which are soon to come. In the 2nd grade division first games, the Vikings and the Eagles tied, the Patriots beat the Giants, and the Broncos beat the Jets with some great catches by Mordechai Stein. In the second game of the 2nd grade division, the Eagles beat the Patriots, the Broncos beat the Giants, and the Vikings beat the Jets led by Ethan Kook who had some great flag grabs. In the third and fourth grade division first game, the Dolphins beat the Seahawks, the Panthers beat the Jets, the Broncos beat the Steelers, the Patriots beat the Raiders, the Vikings and Saints tied, the Packers beat the Giants, and the Falcons beat the Eagles led by Moshe Chaim Soniker who had an unbelievable one-handed touchdown catch. In the third and fourth grade division second game, the Raiders beat the Jets, the Falcons beat the Saints, the Broncos beat the Eagles, the Packers beat the Vikings, the Dolphins beat the Steelers, and the Seahawks beat the Panthers led by Gavi Charach who had some great flag pulls. In the fifth and sixth grade division first game, the Patriots beat the Dolphins, the Seahawks beat the Giants, the Steelers
beat the Panthers, and the Packers beat the Raiders led by Chaim Ozer Siegel who had multiple great catches. In the fifth and sixth grade second game, the Packers beat the Giants, the Broncos beat the Steelers, the Dolphins and Jets tied, and the Raiders beat the Patriots led by Yehuda Gordan and Avrumi Shmulevitz who had some great blocking for his quarterback. In the seventh and eighth grade division first game, the Patriots beat the Eagles, the Broncos and the Giants tied, and the Jets beat the Vikings led by Aaron Paul who had 4 touchdown catches. In the seventh and eighth grade division second game, the Patriots tied with the Giants, the Jets beat the Broncos, and the Vikings beat the Eagles led by Eli Schindler who threw 5 touchdown passes. This was a special week in the 5 Towns Flag Football League because this week all participants and their families received their custom leather FM Home Loans footballs! They were all very excited and now we are ready for the last week of the season which includes the opening round of the playoffs. Can’t wait as we see who will make it to the Super Bowl.
Klal Yisrael needs shemirah…desperately! The last few weeks have sadly and tragically been the embodiment of the words that we recently read in the Haggadah, “Ela she’bichol dor v’dor omdim aleinu l’chaloseinu – in every generation, they seek to stand up against us and destroy us.”
What we have seen transpiring in university campuses where calls for “Kill the Jews” have become de rigueur have made even Jews who were once complacent in the “melting pot” of America fearful for their future in this country, actually in any country in the world.
Jews the world over are surrounded by enemies who seek nothing less than our destruction. Even our “friends” have proven untrustworthy at best.
The Koach of Torah and the Koach of Shabbos
There is no question that the ultimate response to this must be a spiritual response. Hashem is talking to us! The leading Gedolei Yisrael of our time are telling us that we need the koach of Torah and the koach of Shabbos. The zechus of Torah saves the world, and the zechus of shmiras Shabbos and limud about Shabbos, is the ultimate shemirah.
That is why Dirshu is investing a colossal effort into trying to unite all of Klal Yisrael through limud Hilchos Shabbos. This initiative can save us from the forces that seek to destroy us, by encouraging Jews in all four corners of the world to start learning hilchos Shabbos. The fact that the Dirshu Daf HaYomi B’Halacha will begin learning hilchos Shabbos this coming 3 Sivan/ June 9 is the most opportune time to join and see how learning hilchos Shabbos cannot only transform your life and your Shabbos, but it can also transform the world and protect Klal Yisrael from harm. That is the koach of hilchos Shabbos
It is for this purpose that Dirshu, with the bracha and encouragement of Gedolei Yisrael from both Eretz Yisrael and chutz l’aretz, will be holding a massive gathering entitled “Kinnus Olam HaTorah, Kabbolas Shabbos Event” to mark the haschala of hilchos Shabbos in the Daf HaYomi B’Halacha program. The
event will be held on Sunday, 3 Sivan/ June 9, at the Prudential Center Arena in Newark, NJ. Leading Gedolei Yisrael will address the maamad of chizuk and tefillah and most importantly, encourage the undertaking of a kabbalah to learn and upgrade our hilchos Shabbos
The Kinnus Olam HaTorah at the Prudential Center
The Daf HaYomi B’Halacha program is an excellent vehicle to accomplish this goal. It involves a relatively small daily investment of time to learn an amud of Mishnah Berurah along with Dirshu’s Biurim and Musafim on the adjacent page that elucidates the piskei halacha of many Gedolei Haposkim on modern day questions and scenarios as paskend by the Poskei Hador since the publishing of the Mishnah Berurah. Simultaneously, lomdei Dirshu are now in the middle of learning Masechta Shabbos in Talmud Bavli, availing themselves of the ideal opportunity to learn the foundational underpinnings of the halacha from the Gemara and then follow up with the practical halacha.
The massive Kinnus Olam HaTorah at the Prudential Center will feature a deeply inspiring program graced by leading Gedolei Yisrael and promises to be a tremendously uplifting maamad of Torah, tefillah and kavod haTorah.
Daf HaYomi B’Halacha:
Dirshu’s Daf HaYomi B’Halacha program was established at the behest of the Gedolei Hador, Hagaon Harav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, zt”l, and Hagaon Harav Shmuel Wosner, zt”l. These Torah giants encouraged Rav Dovid Hofstedter, Nasi of Dirshu, to launch a Dirshu program that would facilitate daily learning of Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim featuring the common halachos that people encounter each day.
Daf HaYomi B’Halacha is a daily, multiple-track learning program of halachah and mussar. The first track focuses on an amud of Mishnah Berurah together with Dirshu’s Biurim U’Musafim found on the corresponding page in the Dirshu Mishnah Berurah. The most advanced track consists of learning approximately an amud of Mishnah Berurah with Biur Halachah and Shaar Hatzion as well as
Dirshu’s Biurim U’Musafim
What is the Biurim U’Musafim section in the Dirshu Mishnah Berurah?
Firstly, the “Musafim” component adds the Mishnah Berurah’s own additional words and rulings culled from other areas on the subject at hand. For example, if the Mishnha Berurah, when expounding on the laws of bishul – cooking on Shabbos, discusses one topic at length and in a different section discusses the same topic in a shorter, less elaborate way, the Dirshu edition includes the Mishnah Berurah’s words from the other location on the opposite pages to where the halachos are discussed. This frequently sheds light on the halachic ruling and enables the learner to see how the Chofetz Chaim himself ruled on the same matter in a different place.
The second component is that of the Biurim. Often, in the main body of the Mishnah Berurah, the Chofetz Chaim only writes the actual psak halachah –halachic ruling, without giving the reasons for that ruling. It is not uncommon, however, for the Chofetz Chaim to elaborate on the reasons in his commentaries, Shaar Hatzion and Biur Halachah Additionally, these commentaries present halachic rulings not contained in the Mishnah Berurah which shed insight on the topic at hand. In a wonderfully cogent, concise manner, the Biurim part of the Dirshu Mishnah Berurah cites these rulings, thereby affording the learner a quick, comprehensive listing of related halachic rulings and explanations as ruled by the Chofetz Chaim himself in his other sefarim.
Perhaps the most exciting component of the new Dirshu Mishnah Berurah is the “Likutei Teshuvos” part of the Biurim U’Musafim section. The Chofetz Chaim completed the Mishnah Berurah in 1907. Over the past century plus, umpteen technological advances and countless questions relevant to today’s lifestyles have arisen. This is especially true regarding the halachos of Shabbos, where the constantly evolving technology has engendered thousands of new halachic questions and rulings. Of course, all these rulings are rooted in the original words of the Shulchan Aruch and poskim. The Dirshu edition of the Mishnah Berurah brings literally thousands of rulings from
the Gedolei Haposkim of the last generation as well as from contemporary poskim, each in its proper place in the Mishnah Berurah. The learner is therefore not only able to learn the words of the Mishnah Berurah but to know and understand the rulings of the great poskim on thousands of modern, practical questions while simultaneously understanding how these modern-day rulings have their source in the original words of the Shulchan Aruch and Mishnah Berurah!
Seven years ago, HaGaon HaRav Gershon Edelstein spoke at a Daf HaYomi B’Halacha event devoted to Chelek Gimmel, hilchos Shabbos. He said, “The Mishnah Berurah contains within it many practical halachos that are incumbent on every Jew to keep. [If one does not learn these halachos] it is very easy to inadvertently transgress. This is particularly true with regard to hilchos Shabbos. A person who does not learn these halachos can easily transgress Torah-mandated prohibitions. That is why it is so important to learn Mishnah Berurah every day. Learning Mishnah Berurah is mamesh spiritual hatzalos nefashos!”
Indeed, HaGaon HaRav Yitzchok Zilberstein, shlita, recently said, “We all know that shemiras Shabbos serves as the ultimate shemirah, the ultimate protection from our enemies. How much more so is learning Torah and learning about Shabbos a protection in these times when Klal Yisrael needs so much shemirah. Thus, it is important to tap into that shemirah to invoke rachmei shomayim on behalf of Klal Yisrael and enhance our limud haTorah, especially in areas of Shabbos, which is the mekor habracha, the source of all blessing.”
Now is the time to undertake to accept upon ourselves, with a true kabbalah,to learn hilchos Shabbos, and to enhance and upgrade our shemiras Shabbos. The only way to do that is by learning hilchos Shabbos
This 3 Sivan/June 9 let us all join Klal Yisrael led by Gedolei Yisrael at the Prudential Center and begin learning hilchos Shabbos. There is nothing better that you can do for Klal Yisrael! There is nothing better that you can do for yourself!
North Shore Hebrew Academy (NSHA) is taking its Torah learning — and teaching — to a new level. With its inaugural Kollel/Midrasha Fellowship, the school will provide a setting for eight Torah scholars to spend a year studying in the NSHA Beit Midrash, teaching Judaic Studies classes, and learning individually and in small groups with students, while gaining pedagogical experience.
The highly selective program, which is open to four advanced semicha students from Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS) and four women pursuing careers in Jewish education, will launch in September 2024.
“With this revolutionary Kollel/ Midrasha model and an intensive and cutting-edge Jewish Studies curriculum, NSHA is at the forefront of educating the next generation of Torah and Talmud scholars — and helping them become rabbis and community leaders,” said Rabbi Dr. Jeffrey Kobrin, NSHA Head of School and Rosh HaYeshiva. “We’re thrilled to partner with Yeshiva University on this exciting endeavor, and we look forward to supporting our students and fellows in drawing meaningful connections between ancient Jewish wisdom and the great challenges we face today.”
Under the guidance of Rabbi Kobrin and Rabbi Avi Miller, Director of Integrated Studies, the program will be led by Rosh Kollel Rabbi David Weiss and Rosh Midrasha Mrs. Moriah Weiss. Rabbi David Weiss is currently the NSHA Chair of the Talmud Department as well as the Maggid Shiur and Coordinator of the Post-12th Grade Program at the Camp Morasha Kollel, while Mrs. Weiss is a Professor of Tanach and
Jewish History at Stern College, and is pursuing a doctorate in Medieval Jewish History at Yeshiva University’s Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies.
“We are continuing to push the boundaries of what an elite Modern Orthodox, academically rigorous, and religiously nurturing school can look like while meeting the needs of every student,” said Rabbi Miller. “In addition to providing a premier general studies education, we are dedicated to making our Torah education truly exceptional. With the opportunity to learn with emerging Torah scholars and educators who are also relatable role models, our students will be encouraged to grow personally and connect with Jewish learning. They will be better prepared to attend the top yeshivot and seminaries in Israel and most importantly, be inspired to live lives committed to Torah and Mitzvot.”
The Kollel/Midrasha fellows will have the rare opportunity to immerse themselves in this unique atmosphere from both a learner’s and teacher’s perspective. After joining the students for Shacharit each morning, fellows will learn in the Beit Midrash, attend shiurim (lectures), join existing classes to study in smaller groups with students, and teach their own classes.
The fellows’ presence will make it possible for NSHA to offer smaller classes; more opportunities for Beit Midrash and Torah text study; greater individualized attention; and opportunities to deepen students’ skills in researching, writing, and delivering Divrei Torah.
Beyond their role in the school day itself, fellows will be invited to partic-
ipate in chagigot and Shabbatonim, create programs for parents to learn with their children, and spearhead community-wide learning opportunities. With both a Kollel and Midrasha, the program allows for a separate but parallel avenue of learning for boys and girls alike, in line with NSHA’s co-ed values.
“We look forward to partnering with NSHA to develop the next generation of Jewish teachers, leaders, and learners,” said Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz, Director of the Semicha Program at RIETS. “We have great confidence in the NSHA faculty’s ability to train our best and our brightest as they prepare to impact the Jewish people for years to come.”
While students will benefit from more in-depth Torah learning from the brightest minds in Jewish leadership, fellows will receive real-world experience as educators coupled with pedagogical training, lesson and curriculum design, and classroom management support from the NSHA faculty.
“The Kollel/Midrasha fellowship offers young Torah scholars a
high-level and rigorous Torah learning environment so they can advance their own Torah learning while also advancing their personal and professional growth. We’re pairing a serious learning program with a serious teaching program to help facilitate the fellows’ transition from the Beit Midrash to the classroom,” said Rabbi Weiss.
“In the rabbinic field, there’s a rabbinic internship model where rabbis-in-training get a taste of what it’s like to lead a congregation. This is the first program where Torah scholars can get a real taste of what it’s like to teach in a classroom while being supported in the process,” said Rabbi Weiss.
As part of the program, fellows will also serve as living role models for students, inspiring students in their Torah studies and embodying Torah values.
“There’s something unmatched about a cohort of individuals who are passionate about Jewish education coming together, sharing ideas, and teaching Torah,” said Mrs. Weiss. “This is also an opportunity for students to strengthen their Jewish identity, their relationship with Torah learning, and their connection to Israel.”
“It doesn’t matter who someone is. We’re helping them. We really care.”
Allison Deal, Executive Director of the Jewish Community Council of the Rockaway Peninsula, better known as the JCCRP, is quick to point out that the JCCRP is a social services organization – here to help anyone who is facing a financially difficult situation.
She lists some of the services that JCCRP offers its clients. It’s a long list. And it’s a vital, critical resource for those struggling to make ends meet – and to make sense of services that may be available to them but can be difficult to navigate for those entering that world.
Take, for instance, Medicare and Medicaid. At JCCRP, there is a dedicated manager to help clients enroll and participate in those programs. For those who need food stamps or help with housing, JCCRP is there to help as well.
When it comes to putting food on the table, many families in the United States are facing sticker shock at the cash register. And for many of those families in our area, without the JCCRP, their cabinets and refrigerators would be bare.
“We’re the only organization in town that has a totally free kosher food pantry,” Allison notes.
Due to grants from the city, state, and the federal government, JCCRP receives about half a million dollars of free kosher food every year. Allison points out that because
of these grants, the JCCRP is able to provide so much more to the impoverished population. She notes that every donation goes so much further at the JCCRP because of the grants they are able to procure.
Allison has been executive director at JCCRP for two years, but her work prior to that took her around the country, helping to open up kosher food pantries in other states.
At one point, she worked for MET Council and ran their food program in New York City. After that, for two years, she crisscrossed the United States, visiting other food pantries and helping them to access grants that would provide kosher free food to communities around the U.S.
The food pantry at JCCRP offers clients the dignity of ordering their food online. Clients can log into the website and then can “shop” for all their necessities. Once their order is complete, a time is given for pickup at JCCRP. It’s a seamless, respectful process.
Over Pesach, more than 680 families benefitted from the Pesach food drive at JCCRP. Before Chanukah, parents can pick up toys at the Chanukah toy drive that they can bring home and wrap for their children. Before school starts, the JCCRP offers high-quality backpacks and school supplies for families.
Allison observes that so much of how the JCCRP is organized helps stretch fundraised dollars even more. For example, the JCCRP owns its own building; donations
don’t go towards its mortgage or rent. Certain salaries at JCCRP are paid for through a grant. Their SNAP enroller’s, insurance enroller’s and advocacy expert’s salaries are fully covered by grants.
Allison adds that the JCCRP is, in many ways, also an advocacy group, helping clients in many ways. She says that staff can help clients with legal assistance and advice. One person recently needed to update his will; a staff member was able to help. Another person had issues with their electric bill; a staff member was able to assist with that. Staff was able to assist some clients with their tax preparation and filings.
“We’re not just a friendly face,” she says. “It’s a lot more than that. We’re always thinking, ‘What can we do to advocate for our clients?’ And we have the resources we can use to be there for our clients in so many ways.”
Yom HaShoah took place this week, and Allison notes that more than 200 Holocaust survivors receive food delivered to them every other month from the JCCRP. It’s not just food that they receive from JCCRP. The JCCRP offers them socialization and visits with them in their homes to give them emotional sustenance as well. Keeping in mind that some survivors are more comfortable speaking in their native tongue, there are three Russian-speaking employees at the JCCRP who can converse with survivors as well.
“Their Jewish spirit is so strong,” Allison says about the Holocaust survivors she deals with. “So even if they are not fully observant, they’re so Jewish and so proud and so happy to be in America and not in a Soviet or a communist country. One of our survivors wrote a poem that he presented at a meeting we held. He presented this multiple-page poem about how proud he is to be Jewish and to be living in this country and comparing this country to that country… It was really, really touching.”
Another program that Allison highlights is Success Space for Women, geared towards single Jewish mothers. The program helps these women in multiple one-onone sessions with their finances. The women learn how to keep a budget and manage their finances. For those looking for a job, case workers help them craft a resume and prepare for interviews.
She shares the story of a client who was a single divorced mother who suffered from severe emotional trauma. The woman was really behind on her rent and so she couldn’t qualify for other benefits that she would normally qualify for. But staff at the JCCRP was able to access certain funds for her and presented her with a check of a few thousand dollars.
“Normally, to go after these funds takes a lot of work,” Allison explains. “You have to write detailed pleas that take hours and hours of time. And you need to have relationships with these places. But we were able to do that for her and advocate for her and get her these funds. By the time she received the check, her car was about to be repossessed. With those funds, she was able to get her car back – to take her kids to school and to take herself to work. She was tremendously grateful.”
Allison adds, “There are people that need a help up –
not a handout, but a hand up. They need someone to help pull them out of the hole that they kind of dug themselves in. We’re here to get them out of that hole.”
Allison is also quick to add that the funds that were used to help this woman weren’t funds that the JCCRP received through a donation. It was the ingenuity of JCCRP staff that helped to access public funds to bring this woman out of the abyss. That, she underscores, is the powerful weapon behind the JCCRP – being able to access grants and funding for the population that it serves.
Her biggest desire is to create an awareness in the community that JCCRP is here for those in need.
“We’re doing really good work,” Allison asserts, “and we don’t have to be the silent organization that’s tiny but mighty. We’re actually quite big. We’re a $1.5 million organization from grants that we go after.
“How convenient for the Jewish community that we’re able to offer these services for free.”
Allison shares that New York City has the most resources available for those in need than anywhere else in the country. But it takes an organization like JCCRP, which has been working with the city and other associations for fifty years, to be able to access these resources.
Think of JCCRP as the expert in navigating the system. Clients use them as their source in being able to steer through lots of red tape and access funds that are available to those of all religions and races.
“Because there is so much available out there, there needs to be a Jewish organization that could leverage those funds and those resources to help our community,” Allison explains. “That just sounds kind of logical. And here we are, at the JCCRP, for over 50 years. What started as an advocacy in government, speaking up for the com-
munity, has really evolved.”
She admits that there are some people who cannot grasp the enormity of the struggles that some clients face.
“There are so many people who cannot comprehend that there is such a need out there,” Allison notes. “I was explaining to someone that there are families that cannot send their children to sleepaway camp. Perhaps they can only send one child to sleepaway camp for one half…some people can’t afford it at all…and the person I was speaking with was fighting with me. ‘No, no, everyone can send to camp. What do you mean they can’t afford it?’
“There’s a huge discrepancy out there, and people need to be aware that there are so many people who are struggling to really, truly make ends meet.”
JCCRP has a camp scholarship fund for those who can’t afford camp. Allison, thinking on a more holistic level, suggests that perhaps camps can offer a discount to struggling families. Camp, she notes, has become a necessity for youth in our community.
Advocating and helping her clients compel Allison and her staff to do even more for the community.
“I always say, ‘At the end of the day, I go to sleep with a smile on my face and a pain in my back.’ We work so hard for our clients, and I know that without the JCCRP, so many people wouldn’t get the help that they truly need. But we’re here for them, and we want to help them, and we have the resources to help them.
“People are so appreciative,” she adds. “Everything we do, we do with a smile and a thank you. When we had our Pesach distribution, we gave out certain gifts along with the food. And I said to the people picking up their food, ‘Thank you for coming.’ A woman looked at me and started crying. She said, ‘Thank you. Thank you.’”
You burn down your dorm room because you tried cooking pasta without water.
You spend hours debating the meaning of life but don’t realize that you don’t have one.
You think that you are an expert in everything after spending 20 minutes on Wikipedia.
You think that you’re the next Einstein but the only thing that you’ve mastered is how to take selfies.
You are convinced that you’ll change the world but haven’t figured out how to change your socks in a month.
You will lecture your family on climate change but leave the lights on all night.
You think that you are a health expert but live off ramen noodles.
You spend hours crafting the perfect Instagram caption but can’t write a coherent email for a job application.
You think that you are a jack of all trades, until you try assembling an IKEA bookcase.
You realize that anything can be cooked in a microwave.
When writing reports, you use words like “thus.”
Your trash is overflowing, and your bank account isn’t.
Europe could be wiped out by a terrible plague and you’d never know, but you know exactly what happened in every sports game in the country.
You talk to your roommate via TikTok even when you’re both in the dorm.
You sleep more in class than in your dorm room.
You pay $100 for a book you don’t read once, return it four months later, and get $7…and you are majoring in finance.
Your professors speak English … as a second language.
The elevators take forever but you’ll wait 10 minutes just so you don’t have to climb stairs.
You press the automatic door opener instead of simply grabbing the handle when you approach a door.
The food in your fridge may or may not be older than your little brother.
You’ve eaten cereal out of a cup … with a fork.
You finish reading this and wonder what you can procrastinate next.
Each of the following horses ran in the Kentucky Derby, except one. Can you spot the fake?
Mystik Dan
Catching Freedom
Catalytic
Post 6: Just Steel
Honor Marie
Just a Touch
T O Password
Forever Young
Track Phantom
Endlessly
Domestic Product
Grand Mo the First
Fierceness
Stronghold
Resilience
Society Man
Epic Ride
Centerfoal
Riddle A: “I am often written but rarely read. You spend hours changing me, but I am always the same. I discuss all your accomplishments, but make you feel like a failure. What am I?”
Riddle B: “I am the most difficult thing you have ever done, yet I am the product of laziness. I am the most valuable thing you own, yet I am worthless. What am I?”
Riddle C: “I am filled with impressive words, yet I say nothing impressive. What am I?”
Riddle C: Your Thesis
Riddle B: A Degree in English Literature
Riddle A: A Cover Letter
Answers:
A graduate with a science degree asks, “Why does it work?”
A graduate with an engineering degree asks, “How does it work?”
A graduate with an accounting degree asks, “How much it cost?”
Answer: Centerfoal did not run this year, but I am hoping that we get my horse in next year!
A graduate with a liberal arts degree asks, “Do you want fries with that?”
By Rabbi Berel Wein
The Torah’s definition of holiness and sanctity, of dignity of self and others, of respect to one’s body and that of others, is in the ability to channel and control one’s physical desires. The Torah explicitly does not condone celibacy nor does it demand from human beings any degree of self-mortification or masochism. It does most certainly demand from us responsible and balanced human behavior.
It outlines a necessary and omnipresent nuance in our lives – in our mental and
physical behavior. The rabbis have taught us that humans willingly sin only because a manner of distorted thinking – a type of insanity, if you will – enters one’s mind and being.
Judaism has always fought the lonely and mainly unpopular battle against immorality and flagrantly wanton behavior. From the Canaanites through the Greeks and the Romans, the debauchery of much of the Medieval Age and the current unchecked and unrestrained attitudes of modern society, traditional Judaism has
decried lewdness and wanton self-gratification in many matters.
It has demanded that people be kedoshim – separated from immoral behavior and forbidden liaisons. It demands self-control, the avoidance of compromising and dangerous situations, and a realization that ultimate good sense should triumph over momentary gratification.
Judaism imposes on us an unpopular stance, especially so in our current modern society. And yet, over the long history of
who sit together. It has rather led to a drastic decline in synagogue attendance and participation in those groups.
The whole concept of modesty in dress, speech and behavior is unfortunately completely absent and alien in most of modern society. Not a day passes when we are not made aware of the presence of misconduct among those that seemingly should know better.
Judaism preaches defensive behavior and the avoidance of situations that could lead to problematic circumstances.
The whole concept of modesty in dress, speech and behavior is unfortunately completely absent and alien in most of modern society.
human society, it has proven to be the only correct guide for a healthy, happy family life and a more harmonious social compact between people.
Many people, Jews included, mock the protective measures enjoined by Jewish tradition to ensure a society that aspires to be one of kedoshim. The mingling of the genders in synagogue worship in the non-Orthodox world has not brought any great degree of comfort to those people
Such defensive measures are mocked and scorned by the progressives of the current world. Yet we are witness to the tragic personal and national consequences that result in life when such defensive measures are absent or ignored.
The Torah does not waver in its demand to us to be kedoshim, to swim against the tide and persevere in our age-long quest to be a holy and dedicated people.
Shabbat shalom.
In Parshas Kedoshim, the Torah introduces the multitude of mitzvos with the commandment, “You shall be holy” (Vayikra 19:2). One would expect these mitzvos to relate to purity and impurity or the service in the Beis HaMikdash. Those, one would think, would be the key to holiness. But instead, it is followed mostly by prohibitions and commandments relating to interpersonal life. Why is this? How are these related to becoming holy? We must also understand how the teachings from our parshios relate to the upcoming week of sefirah, the week of Hod, which means “splendor,” but can also mean Yehudi.
I read once about a non-Jewish politician who was elected to represent an area including parts of chassidic Brooklyn. In order to understand his constituency better, he visited Crown Heights during the “holiday season” of Tishrei. He reported that he appreciated Rosh Hashana. NonJews also have a concept of a new year and resolutions. He also felt that he understood Yom Kippur, as sin and atonement are important concepts in his religion as well. He said that he could even relate to Sukkos, which he felt was about connecting to nature. But the holiday he could not compre -
By Rav Moshe Weinberger
Adapted for publication by Dov Elias
hend was Simchas Torah.
He asked a chassid there why Jews dance with the Torah scroll on Simchas Torah. Is it not a book of commandments and prohibitions – a rule book? After all, if a non-Jewish person danced with a driver’s education book or even a copy of the Constitution, he would be seen as insane. Why would Jewish people celebrate the restrictions their religion places on their lives?
The chassid said that he would strengthen the politician’s question. He pointed out that before he eats dinner at night, he must first know that the species of animal he is eating a kosher. Even if it is, he must know that it was slaughtered properly. If it was, the animal had to have been examined to ensure it lacked any condition which would render it a tereifah. Then, it must be soaked, salted, and washed over a period of an hour and a half. Even if the animal could pass through this gauntlet of requirements, after that, one must still ensure that the vessels with which ones cooks the meat are kosher and were immersed in a mikvah. If so, one must confirm that the other ingredients with which the animal were cooked are kosher and that there is no mixture of dairy and meat products. But
before one takes a bite, he must first make a blessing before eating, and when he is done, he must say a blessing after eating, thanking G-d for the food.
Bewildered at this litany of requirements, the politician pointed out that he could eat whatever he wants, whenever he wants, however he wants, as long as he does not harm anyone else or engage in cruelty to animals. He does not have to think about anything or anyone else before doing what he wants in life. Why, then, do Jewish people actually dance and celebrate these restrictions that seem to hem them in?
The answer to the politician’s question lies in a pasuk we say every day – “Shema Yisroel, Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem echad.” First of all, “Hear, oh Israel” – the answer can only truly be understood by a Jew. It lies in our belief in Hashem’s oneness. On a simple level, this pasuk simply means that there is only one G-d. But that is only the beginning. One of the deepest concepts in the seforim hakedoshim is recognition of G-d’s unity, that G-d is everything – there is nothing besides Him.
While this is a subject of great debate,
Rema (Orach Chaim 156) and the majority of poskim maintain that non-Jews do not violate the seven mitzvos of the children of Noach if they believe in Hashem along with other gods or powers (shituf ). They do not have an inherent connection to the concept of the unity of G-d. The reality is that, for most people, the only thing they believe in besides G-d is themselves. They live with a duality in which there is G-d and there is me. Each side has its own priorities.
While this realization may be aspirational to one extent or another, for a Jew who believes that “G-d is one,” there is no separation between what G-d wants and what an individual wants. Because of this great bond with our Father above, we rejoice in His expression of His will to us through the Torah. That is why we celebrate on Simchas Torah. For the non-Jew who believes in “G-d and …,” Hashem’s will is an obstacle to fulfilling his own will. He is grateful G-d does not get involved in what he eats for dinner. For a Jew who believes G-d is everything, Hashem’s will is his own will. He sings and dances with joy, knowing that he is so close to G-d that He is with him even in his most mundane meals and activities. Every word, thought, and action
in his life is significant because it is in the presence of G-d.
The Difference
It once happened on a hot summer day in July 1866 that the fourth Rebbe of Lubavitch, Rav Shmuel, known as the Rebbe Maharash, zy”a, was sitting and learning in a shaded trellis in the garden adjacent to his home. His two sons, fiveyear-old Sholom DovBer, who would become the fifth Rebbe of Lubavitch, the Rebbe Rashab, zy”a, and six-year-old Zalman Aharon, who would become the tzaddik known as the Raza, zy”a, were playing nearby. The two of them, little Sholom DovBer and Zalman Aharon, were having a debate regarding the difference between a Jew and a non-Jew.
At the end of the debate, the boys agreed that the difference was that a Jew learns and davens and a non-Jew does not learn or daven. Their sister told the Rebbe Maharash about the debate, and the Rebbe called the boys over. He then asked them what differentiates a Jew and a non-Jew when the Jew is not learning or davening. They could not answer the question. So he asked them to call Ivan the coachman, who was not Jewish, to come to the Rebbe. Ivan, who had grown up among Jewish
people, spoke Yiddish perfectly. When he arrived, the Rebbe Rashab asked him, “Did you eat today?”
“Yes.”
“Did you eat well?”
“Thank G-d, yes.”
“And why do you eat?” the Rebbe asked.
“So that I may live.”
“Did you eat well?”
Bentzion answered, “What does ‘well’ mean? Baruch Hashem, I am full.”
The Rebbe then asked him, “And why do you eat?”
“So that I may live.”
“But,” the Rebbe asked, “why do you want to live?”
Echad,” we must ask ourselves the last question. And when we do, we must not be satisfied until we can answer that we want to live so that we can serve Hashem and give Him a little nachas.
Every word, thought, and action in his life is significant because it is in the presence of G-d.
“And why do you want to live?”
“To take a swig of vodka and have a bite to eat at the end of the day,” replied Ivan.
“Thank you,” the Rebbe said, “you may go.”
The Rebbe then asked the boys to summon Bentzion, a Jewish servant in the Rebbe’s home, to join them in the trellis. Bentzion was a very simple Jew and could barely read Hebrew and mispronounced almost every word. The Rebbe asked Bentzion, “Did you eat today?”
“Yes,” Bentzion replied.
Bentzion paused for a moment, a tear fell from his eye, he sighed, and then answered, “To be a Jew and do what G-d wants.”
The Rebbe thanked Bentzion for coming.
Both Jews and non-Jews must eat, drink, sleep, and work. But the only thing which differentiates us is how we answer the last question: “Why do you want to live?” Ivan and the politician can answer, with a clean conscience, that they live for themselves. But if we live with “Hashem
That is why Hashem gives us so many detailed mitzvos after telling us, “You shall be holy.” The key to holiness is inviting Hashem into our daily, mundane lives. That is what truly differentiates us from everyone else in the world. That is the Hod, the beauty and the splendor, of being a Jew – the privilege of bowing our heads humbly to our Creator. We experience joy at the opportunity to say, “Asher kidshanu b’mitzvosav,” that Hashem has sanctified us with His mitzvos. The word for sanctified shares the same root word as the word kiddushin – marriage. Hashem betroths us and connects to us through each and every one of the mitzvos
May we all merit the inner strength and bravery necessary to ask ourselves why we want to eat, sleep, drink, and work – why we want to live.
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.
By Rabbi Shmuel Reichman
Imagine a teenager lying on a grassy field, gazing into the night sky. As he stares up at the stars, he thinks to himself, “Look at how enormous the universe is. The sky just expands endlessly... It must go on forever.” After sitting with that thought for a few moments, he becomes uncomfortable. “How can anything go on forever? Everything must
stop eventually.” But after a few moments of relaxation, his thoughts intrude again. “But how can the universe stop? What exists on the other side when the universe ends? It must go on forever...” And this inner dialogue continues as he struggles to contemplate the infinite within his finite mind.
This struggle is not a childish one; it
is a challenge that confronts any finite being who tries to connect to the infinite.
Younger children, however, do not face this struggle. They are dreamers, living in a world of fantasy where anything is possible. Just ask a group of children what they want to be when they grow up, and you’ll get some of the most fantastic, unrealistic responses imaginable. “I’m going to be an astronaut fireman, so that I can save people on the moon,” or “I’m going to become a great tzaddik and learn how to speak every language so that I can teach Torah to everyone.” Children live within the infinite, the realm of endless possibility. However, as we grow up, we begin to experience the struggle of reality, where our notions of the infinite start being challenged. We then face the question: How do we, as physical and limited beings, transcend our finite dimensions? How do we relate to the abstract, to the infinite, to the spiritual?
Let us approach this question through the lens of sefiras ha’omer, the counting of the omer
We are commanded to count the days between Pesach and Shavuos, a period known as sefiras ha’omer (Vayikra 23:15–16; Devarim 16:9). At first glance, this can be understood on a very simple level: As we approach Shavuos, we excitedly count down to Matan Torah as we anticipate our acceptance of the Torah. This can be compared to a countdown toward a wedding, a vacation, or some other exciting event. However, there is a feature of the sefiras ha’omer count
that is markedly different: Rather than counting down toward the destination, Shavuos, we count up from the starting point, Pesach. We don’t mark how many days remain until Shavuos; we count how many days have elapsed since Pesach. What is the meaning behind this strange method of counting? And, more generally, what is the purpose of counting in the first place? By no other holidays do we count the days between them; we don’t count the days between Sukkos and Chanukah. Why then do we specifically count the days between Pesach and Shavuos?
In truth, we are not counting down to Matan Torah, but rather are building toward it, ascending one day at a time. We do not wait for Shavuos to arrive; we actively bring it ourselves through the time and effort we invest as we count the omer. If Shavuos — and its accompanying Matan Torah — are a skyscraper, each day of the omer is a brick. Each day we place the next brick in our building, and each day, we build ourselves one step higher. The extensive halachic emphasis on counting each and every day of the omer highlights the fact that every single brick is essential and that every single day is fundamental (Tosafos, Menachos 66a).
If, while building a staircase, you
miss one step, you simply cannot build the next step up. Each step requires a foundation to rest on. The same is true of counting the omer. Each day builds upon the previous ones, ascending toward our ultimate destination. Matan Torah does not come after forty-nine days; it comes because of them, built by our effort and investment during sefiras ha’omer. This is why we count up. We are not counting down to Matan Torah; we are building up toward it, one day at a time.
This elucidation of sefiras ha’omer sheds light on the Ramban’s enigmatic approach to the counting of the omer. He maintains that women are obligated to count the omer because it is not a mitzvas aseih she’ha’zman grama — a time-bound commandment. How are we to understand this? Sefiras ha’omer, the counting of each specific day between Pesach and Shavuos, seems to be the epitome of a time-bound mitzvah!
However, a deeper understanding of sefiras ha’omer clarifies the Ramban’s opinion. In general, a time-bound mitzvah is an opportunity to tap into a certain power of time that exists at that moment. On Pesach, when we eat matzah,
we tap into the power of freedom, a pre-existing reality. This same principle applies to all time-bound mitzvos. For sefiras ha’omer, however, we don’t tap into a pre-existing time; we create time. When we count the omer, we do not tap into the reality of the omer, we create it. Time does not create the omer ; we do. This is why there is no specific date mentioned for Shavuos in the Torah. Shavuos — and Matan Torah — are not
flecting the seven weeks that creates the chag of Shavuos.)
Just like the teenager in the introductory story, we all struggle to connect with the infinite; to see the spiritual within the physical; to find genuine meaning and purpose in an often turbulent and chaotic world. It can feel overwhelming — if not impossible — to build
Each day builds upon the previous ones, ascending toward our ultimate destination.
tied to a specific day (the sixth of Sivan); it is the result of the forty-nine days that we count. The fiftieth day, the day of Shavuos and Matan Torah, emerges from the forty-nine days of counting. We bring it into existence. This is why the holiday of Shavuos literally means “weeks” — the seven weeks that we count create the holiday of Shavuos. (Shavuos also shares the same root as the word sheva (seven), re -
a skyscraper; the task is quite daunting. However, the key is to have the ultimate goal in the back of our minds while we focus on each individual day, trying our best to place each individual brick perfectly while we build toward our ultimate destination. Each day of the omer is a new brick — a new part of our journey toward Matan Torah, toward the infinite, and toward marrying Hashem.
May we be inspired to create something magical as we build toward Matan Torah, one day at a time.
Rabbi Shmuel Reichman is the author of the bestselling book, “The Journey to Your Ultimate Self,” which serves as an inspiring gateway into deeper Jewish thought. He is an educator and speaker who has lectured internationally on topics of Torah thought, Jewish medical ethics, psychology, and leadership. He is also the founder and CEO of Self-Mastery Academy, the transformative online self-development course based on the principles of high-performance psychology and Torah.
After obtaining his BA from Yeshiva University, he received Semicha from Yeshiva University’s RIETS, a master’s degree in education from Azrieli Graduate School, and a master’s degree in Jewish Thought from Bernard Revel Graduate School. He then spent a year studying at Harvard as an Ivy Plus Scholar. He currently lives in Chicago with his wife and son where he is pursuing a PhD at the University of Chicago.
To invite Rabbi Reichman to speak in your community or to enjoy more of his deep and inspiring content, visit his website: ShmuelReichman.com.
The Gemara records that there was a dispute between Rebbe Eliezer and the Sages regarding the halachic status of a certain type of oven (Bava Metzia 59b). Rebbe Eliezer brought all sorts of proofs to his opinion, but the Sages rejected them. Rebbe Eliezer then exclaimed, “If the law is as I say, may this carob tree prove it.” The carob tree was uprooted from its place a distance of 100 cubits. They said to him, “One cannot prove anything from a carob tree.”
Said Rebbe Eliezer to them, “If the law is as I say, may a canal prove it.” The water in the nearby canal began to flow backwards. Said they to him, “One cannot prove anything from a canal.”
Said he to them, “If the law is as I say, then may the walls of the house of study prove it.” The walls of the house of study began to cave in.
Rabbi Yehoshua rebuked the walls. “If Torah scholars are debating a point of Jewish law, what are your qualifications to intervene?”
The walls did not fall, in deference to Rabbi Yehoshua, nor did they straighten up, in deference to Rebbe Eliezer. They remained at a slant.
The Maharsha explains that there was actually a logical argument taking place with these supernatural occurrences. The Gemara records that a carob tree only produces fruit after seventy years. Rebbe Eliezer was in effect telling the Sages that their opinion is like the carob tree, hardly producing fruit. It is true that they are the majority and the halacha follows the majority opinion; nevertheless, the majority opinion still has to make sense. Halacha will not follow an irrational opinion, even if it is the majority one. The Sages countered that their opinion is rational, and the comparison to the carob tree is not apropos.
Rebbe Eliezer argued further that, in fact, there are many in the majority who would agree with him. However, due to their arrogance, they are not according his opinion proper deference. The water in the canal generally flows from a high elevation
to a lower elevation. Here, the water in the canal began flowing upstream, to a higher place. This symbolized the arrogance he perceived in his disputants. They believed themselves to be on a higher echelon and that they did not need to properly consider his opinion. Rabbi Yehoshua responded that the canal takes a twisted and crooked path; this symbolized Rebbe Eliezer’s opin-
a angle was symbolic. In every generation, there will always be students who study Torah lishmah; yet, at the same time, there will always be those who study Torah for the wrong reasons. (Tosfos elsewhere explain that studying Torah for the sake of reward or honor, while not the highest level, is still acceptable. However, studying Torah simply for the sake of argument is wrong.)
The walls did not fall, in deference to Rabbi Yehoshua, nor did they straighten up, in deference to Rebbe Eliezer. They remained at a slant.
ion as following twisted and crooked logic. Rebbe Eliezer still persisted that those disputing him are simply learning Torah for the sake of arguing with others. They do not intend to learn Torah for its true sake. Therefore, they do not need a beis midrash in which to learn. Rebbe Yehoshua countered that the Sages did indeed study Torah for the sake of studying Hashem’s words.
The Maharsha explains that the fact that the walls of the beis midrash remained on
Why was there a carob tree near the yeshiva? The Toras Chaim says it was the forerunner of the modern-day vending machine. Instead of snacking on potato chips and cookies, the talmidim would eat the carobs (similar to Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai). However, interestingly enough, there is another explanation for the carob tree being near the yeshiva.
The roshei yeshiva of the Pupa Yeshiva in Hungary wanted to expand their beis
midrash. However, there was a fruit tree growing near the current wall of the beis midrash. They asked the Belzer Rebbe if it was permitted to cut down a fruit tree for a mitzvah purpose such as expanding the beis midrash. The Belzer Rebbe said that cutting down fruit trees is fraught with halachic questions. He advised them to construct the beis midrash around the tree. That is exactly what they did.
Rav Gestetner said that, based on this story, he understands a peculiar facet of the story in Bava Metzia. Why did Rebbe Eliezer refer to the carob tree with the prefix “this,” whereas regarding the canal he did not? Rav Gestetner theorizes that the same question that arose in Hungary arose in the times of Rebbe Eliezer. They wanted to build a beis midrash on land where a fruit tree was growing. They came to the same conclusion – namely, that they should build the beis midrash around the tree! Hence, Rebbe Eliezer was standing in the beis midrash and pointed to the carob tree, “this” carob tree. The carob tree wasn’t growing near the yeshiva; it was in the yeshiva!
A Five Towns yeshiva was planning to construct a building on a certain plot of land. However, there was a peach tree growing on it. They did not want to cut down a fruit tree, similar to the dilemma that the Pupa roshei yeshiva had. They decided that they would uproot the entire peach tree and find somewhere else to plant it. An employee of the yeshiva undertook the work and dug out the tree with its roots. He left the uprooted tree there, knowing he would still have to transport the tree and plant it somewhere else. However, that night, to his great relief, someone came by and stole the tree.
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.
This past Erev Shabbos, Klal Yisroel lost a Rosh Yeshiva, a Gadol, and a Mussar giant in Rav Yechiel Yitzchok Perr zt”l’s passing.
Rabbi Perr was a close talmid of Rav Aharon Kotler, zt”l, and took physical care of him during Rav Aharon’s last illness.
It was a week in which three talmidim of Rav Aharon passed away: Reb Dov Wolowitz, Rav Avrohom Stefansky, and Rav Perr. Rabbi Perr’s levaya was held on Sunday morning at the Yeshiva of Far Rockaway.
Rav Yechiel Yitzchak Perr had grown up in South Ozone Park, Queens, where his father, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Perr, served as a rav for over 50 years. He spent summers in Camp Bnos and davened in Camp Agudah. As the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Derech Ayson, he educated thousands of talmidim who took their place as the backbone of numerous Torah institutions. The entire Far Rockaway-Five Towns community is a testament to his Torah influence.
In his Camp Agudah days, Rav Perr davened in the Masmidim minyan. There, he would often discuss and argue in learning with Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt”l, after the dvar halacha given by Rav Michoel Levi, shlita, of Bais Yaakov D’Rav Meir.
Rav Perr was exposed to the Slabodkan Mussar of Rav Avigdor Miller, zt”l, (whose yahrtzeit is this week) when he attended high school at Mesivta Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin. After completing high school, he studied at the Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia and then at Lakewood Yeshiva in Lakewood, New Jersey, under Rabbi Aharon Kotler from 1954 to 1962.
Rav Perr married Rebbetzin Shoshana Nekritz – the daughter of Rav Yehuda Leib Nekritz, and the granddaughter of Rabbi Avraham Yaffen, and great-granddaughter Novardok, Rabbi Yosef Yozel Horowitz, zt”l. Rav Perr was fully fluent in Shas, poskim, and, l’havdil, mili d’alma.
Rav Perr later studied at Yeshivas Beis Yosef/Novardok in Brooklyn, New York and also incorporated Novardik Mussar in his Mussar oeuvre. In 1969, the Yeshiva of Far Rockaway was established.
Rav Perr inspired his talmidim and congregants –those who davened in Yeshiva – greatly. He would build up everyone’s bitachon. He would constantly speak about the fact that the greatest neis in world history was the survival of the Jewish people. He was enamored by the fact that not a month went by without some archaeological find that demonstrated our history in Eretz Yisrael dating back to Bayis Rishon.
Rav Perr loved the famous 1890s Harper Magazine Mark Twain quote about the survival of the Jewish people: “The Egyptian, the Babylonian, and the Persian rose, filled the planet with sound and splendor, then faded to dream-stuff and passed away; the Greek and the Roman followed, and made a vast noise, and they are gone; other peoples have sprung up and held their torch high for a time, but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, or have vanished. The Jew saw them all, beat them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling of his alert and aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?”
Rav Perr would always answer that the secret of his immortality was the Torah.
Rav Perr would further marvel at how, for 4,000 years, we were essentially unchanged and that we have been learning the same Torah all along. Rav Perr would comment further and say that each and every time we learn Torah, we always find some new insight, some new angle, some new chiddush.
His words, his very expressions, were captivating. He was a thinker and throughout the eighties and nineties he would often have a newer k’naich in a Tosfos or a Rosh. He loved the Maharsha as well.
Aside from his deep mehalech ha’limud and his unique Musaar insights, Rav Perr cared deeply for Klal Yisroel, helping agunos throughout his life, standing up for the downtrodden, the poor, baalei teshuvah, and geirim, and he stood strongly for kiruv.
Rav Perr, of course, personified the Lithuanian and Litvish Polish Yeshiva, but whenever anyone impugned upon the reputation of chassidim, he would lash out and stop them. He loved all Yidden and would often point out the hartzige nature of our chassidish brothers.
He loved the niggunim of Novardok – and he absolutely adored the “Kah Keili” of Bais Yosef. There was a time when he took a stronger stance on ensuring that the baal tefillah would employ that particular niggun, but the problem was that few really knew it.
Rav Perr stood for yashrus in every aspect of it. Whenever a danger to Klal Yisroel arose, he stood at the forefront to stop it. Rav Perr was one of the first to stand strong against molesters in Jewish education. He chal-
lenged others in yashrus – backing the nusach below when others did not:
We, the undersigned, affirm that any individual with firsthand knowledge or reasonable basis to suspect child abuse has a religious obligation to promptly notify the secular law enforcement of that information…. Furthermore, those deemed “mandated reporters” under secular law must obey their State’s reporting requirements…. Lives can be ruined or ended by unreported child abuse, as we are too often tragically reminded.
Rav Perr was one of the very first to draw up a halachically effective pre-nuptial agreement because he saw so much pain. Mostly, it was the pain of the wife with no recourse.
He lent strong support to others who swam against the tide to make things better for Klal Yisroel. he was an unabashed supporter of the need for Mussar and for strengthening its study everywhere. His life goal was to inculcate the system of Torah values within Klal Yisroel.
Rav Perr’s reading oeuvre was multi-faceted, to say the least, even though in contemporary times, these things are on the downswing. He was an ish eshkalios – knowing poetry, math, literature, and science. Rav Perr was passionate about several topics and researched them deeply. He did not agree that the newly found ticheles was, in fact, the ticheles of yore. He disagreed with the widespread nature of metzitzah b’peh for bris milah and felt that it was jeopardizing health, but he also agreed that the danger was one in ten thousand. His grasp of math was strong.
Rav Perr’s Mussar vaadim were masterful works – and inspired thousands. He would teach from the classical
work of the Alter of Novardok, Madraigas HaAdam, and knew its contents thoroughly. There was enormous depth and thought behind every word that he employed. His English was masterful as well.
Rav Perr, zt”l, had a unique koach ha’tziur, a method of explaining and illustrating a scenario that was unparalleled. He brought you into the parsha – you were actually there. This, of course, helped all of his listeners relate to the emotion of what was being felt. And it would bring the lesson home.
Here it is an example of this in some of his thoughts from Bereishis:
And she bore Kayin, saying, “I have acquired a man with Hashem.” And additionally, she bore his brother Hevel. (Bereishis 4:1-2)
“The differences that human beings have, in their separate spiritual journeys, are illustrated to us in the Torah almost at its very beginning, with the story of Kayin and Hevel. It may not have been an innate shortcoming in Kayin. His mother had named him Kayin out of the thrill of having borne him. He was her child. And he was her precious acquisition. He belonged to her, and every time she called him by his name, he heard the importance of acquisition, of ownership. We are not told why Chavah then called her second son Hevel.
“But the name speaks for itself. Hevel. Vanity. Emptiness. “Everything is empty.” Now it was Kayin who first conceived the idea of thanking Hashem for His blessings with a sacrifice. Yet, at the same time, Kayin would not give the best of his produce. After all, the best was the most valuable. And Hashem doesn’t need the best, does He?
“Hevel, on the other hand, had no problem bringing the best. Who needs the best? All acquisitions are emptiness. If we are grateful to Hashem, we should show it by giving the best. Kayin was then zocheh to a ‘mussar shmuz’ from the Creator Himself.
“Sin, he is told, lies at the door. It is waiting for you to go anywhere, do anything. But sin desires you — it needs you! Therefore, you are its master, and you can control it. Just don’t open the door!
“We can picture to ourselves the excitement with which Kayin shared this vital information with Hevel. ‘And Kayin said to Hevel his brother…’ (Bereishis 4:8). Perhaps it was this that Kayin said: ‘You hear, Hevel? Just be aware when you open the door!’ But Hevel didn’t respond. He was not concerned with the sin lying at the door. He had no interest in going through that door or any other door. He had no need to conquer or to acquire the world. ‘Havel havalim; all is emptiness.’
“Kayin saw Hevel’s lack of interest, and suddenly realized that he alone faced a lifetime of struggle. Hevel surely had his own spiritual work to do. But this grinding, dayby-day struggle was not his. When Kayin realized this, he was filled with rage over the unfairness of it all. He could no longer live with Hevel. ‘…and it was when they were in the field that Kayin rose against Hevel his brother and he killed him’ (ibid, v. 8).”
Rav Perr’s son, Rav Moshe Perr, a remarkable talmid chochom, is the current rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Derech Ayson (Yeshiva of Far Rockaway).
May Rav Yechiel Yitzchak Perr, zt”l, be a meilitz yosher for our community and all of Klal Yisroel.
Iwas thirteen years old when I walked into Yeshiva of Far Rockaway to take a farher for ninth grade. The menahel, Rabbi Aaron Brafman, zt”l, sat with me first and I read the shtickel of Gemara in Pesachim that I had prepared with my father for weeks. Baruch Hashem, everything seemed to have gone smoothly, and as we both got up to walk out of Rabbi Brafman’s office, Rabbi Brafman joyfully exclaimed, “The Rosh Yeshiva just walked in! Come say the Gemara for the Rosh Yeshiva.”
I froze in a panic. I started looking for exits and began trying to gauge exactly how long the drop was from the window in Rabbi Brafman’s office to the ground on Hicksville Road. But I was trapped, and I had no choice. So I walked into Rabbi Perr’s office, certain that he was able to hear my heart pounding in my chest.
If he did, he made no mention of it.
Despite forgetting that the Gemara’s term for a nice piece of cake was a gluska yaffah, I was accepted into the Yeshiva, and I thought that my interactions with the Rosh Yeshiva were over for at least another four years when I reached beis medrash.
I was wrong.
You see, there are few things more important to a ninth grader than being one of the first six people to the basketball court by the fifteen-minute break so you get in the first game. It didn’t matter what was going on or who was in the hallway. There was no force of nature that was able to stop fifteen to twenty ninth graders from charging down the hallway the entire length of the (old) building to get outside.
Except, of course, the Rosh Yeshiva. If Rabbi Perr was in the hall, we walked. Quietly.
One day (I don’t remember if I was in
ninth grade or a bit older), the Rosh Yeshiva pulled me aside in the hallway. He reared up to his full height (he was about six-foot-four or six-foot-five) and said, “Young man, there’s only one rule in Yeshiva,” and I immediately began considering which mesivtas would potentially take me in the middle of a zman.
And then, with a small smile and a twinkle in his dark, penetrating eyes, he continued, “No one’s allowed to be taller than the Rosh Yeshiva.”
And I came to the realization that maybe he’s not as scary as I thought. And I began to notice what he did. How he carried himself. And how he davened.
The Rosh Yeshiva davened in a loud voice, each word a melodious ode to the Borei Olam. His davening was an act of joy and exuberance, and I was taught, just by observing, what davening was supposed to be.
Rabbi Perr’s yamim nora’im davening was a powerful and moving blend of the traditional nusach interspersed with his signature k’neiches, reflecting his devoted adherence to mesorah and his inherently creative nature and drive for chiddush He didn’t simply daven with his voice. He would raise his arms. He would look up to the heavens when he belted out the last amein in the kaddish before the shemoneh esrei of Maariv or Mussaf. One year, he knocked on the amud when he read the words “ledofkei b’teshuva.” Kol atzmosai tomarnah. Year after year, Rosh Hashanah Maariv and Mussaf, and then Yom Kippur Kol Nidrei, Maariv, Mussaf and Ne’ilah, we, the young bochurim, while cathartically uplifted and feeling spiritually cleansed, were exhausted. And yet he was doing this well into his 70s until he was physically incapable of doing so.
There was a tekufah somewhere be -
tween 1995 and 1997 (I believe) that the Rosh Yeshiva was having problems with his voice. He was not able to daven as loudly as he had before, and when he tried, it would cause him to cough. It bothered me terribly (and selfishly) that my davening experience was not the same. When guests came to daven in Yeshiva, and they couldn’t get the full experience, it also bothered me.
Many years later, I shared this thought with the Rosh Yeshiva, and he was moved by it. I also shared with him that I checked the side of the Aron Kodesh next to where he davened in the old building to see if there were grooves in it from the years and years that he davened with one hand holding the side of the Aron Kodesh, and he laughed to the point where he was wiping his eyes.
And if you would have told me as a ninth grader that I would be able to share something like that with the Rosh Yeshiva, I never would have believed you. But over time, during the transition from a child to a bochur, I realized that behind the jet-black eyes, thick dark beard and towering frame was a depth of perspective and a font of authenticity wrapped in a heart that was way too big for even his prodigious stature.
One year, he spoke about the tefillah of Nishmas at the yearly Yeshiva retreat to a hotel in Fleischmanns, NY. The Rosh Yeshiva went on to describe how he envisioned the praises of Hakadosh Boruch Hu as a painting. That there was an ocean-filled mouth singing, one eye was the sun, one eye was the moon, each arm an outstretched eagle’s wing, each leg that of a light-footed deer … and it hit me that the Rosh Yeshiva lived his davening. He thought about it and made it so real in his mind that when he said a Nishmas, it was said in the poetic, deep and very real way
that the paytun intended.
He was a thinker, an observer, a questioner and ever curious. He had one foot in the world of Harav Aharon Kotler, the Alter of Novardok, and Harav Avraham Yaffen, and one foot in the world of the average teenager in Far Rockaway. And each foot anchored a bridge linking that average Far Rockaway teenager to the way to live life as a genuine, real and ehrlicheh Yid
In his vaadim, there were two things that the Rosh Yeshiva repeatedly told us to be: ehrlich and normal. The way he said ehrlich , slow and drawn out, with extreme depth and the meaning behind it, resonated deeply. The message was you always need to do what was right, and to know what was right – you need to be steeped in mussar and the fifth cheilek of Shulchan Aruch
At the same time, we live in a world in which you have to be normal. There is no need to be extreme. This message, coming from one who had the lessons of the Alter running in his veins, was extremely powerful.
He also stressed to us to always take into account the corrupting power of negiyos and to strive and recognize when a decision is being influenced by a personal
vested interest. And then there was the Rosh Yeshiva’s unwavering middah of emes. The Rosh Yeshiva would not embellish – let alone change – a single detail of a story he heard. If you take a look at his sefer Shoshanas Ha’amakim, there is a section in the back with stories of gedolim . After each story, he wrote exactly who he heard it from, who that person heard it from, going all the way back to a firsthand source. If the Rosh Yeshiva was uncertain that something was wellsourced and impeccably emes, he would not publish it.
Did this come naturally to the Rosh Yeshiva? I never asked him, but I doubt it. The Rosh Yeshiva was inherently a creative person. He enjoyed music, poetry, the spoken and written word. The natural bent of a creative is to sacrifice accuracy for stylistic symmetry, to sharpen a punchline to something that wasn’t said but was a better zug, to add details that didn’t occur but make for a more enjoyable read.
Rabbi Perr would have none of it. Why is changing a bad character trait called shviras ha’middos, the Rosh Yeshiva asked. Because, the Rosh Yeshiva would answer, to change a middah that is
harmful requires one to break it. Perhaps an inherent drive to embellish or change something to make it more pleasing to the eye and ear was something he, as a master creative, had to break. Again, I never asked him this, and now I sorely wish I did.
The Rosh Yeshiva was exceedingly humble. He famously did not allow himself to be referenced in any other way than “Rabbi Perr” or “Rosh Yeshiva.” He eschewed honorifics and bemoaned to us that although he didn’t like it, he felt the kavod of his position as Rosh Yeshiva demanded that he wear a hamburg and a frock
When I saw the email from the Yeshiva stating, “With broken hearts, we inform the klal of the petira of the Rosh Yeshiva HaGaon HaRav Yechiel Yitzchak Perr,” I truly knew he was gone, as during his lifetime, he would never allow himself to be referred to as “HaGaon.”
The first hesped of the Rosh Yeshiva was given by Harav Yisrael Reisman. As Rabbi Reisman began to speak about the Rosh Yeshiva’s genius and myriad other qualities, a car alarm went off, as if in protest. Shortly after Rabbi Reisman began telling a story about Harav Aharon Kotler, the car alarm turned off.
Coincidence? Perhaps. Poignant? Certainly.
The Rosh Yeshiva told us on a number of occasions that if he ever felt stressed, he would pick up his worn copy of Madreigas Ha’adam and simply feel its cover and that would immediately instill a sense of calm in him.
If I was stressed, all I had to do was walk into the Yeshiva – the oasis of truth, yashrus and serenity that the Rosh Yeshiva and Rabbi Brafman created in a tumultuous world.
However, now that the Rosh Yeshiva has passed away, the feeling, the knowing, that when life throws challenges my way that the Rosh Yeshiva isn’t a phone call or flight away is truly daunting.
And then I hear the Rosh Yeshiva’s calm voice in my head – “young man” –what he called me as a precocious ninth grader and throughout my years in the Yeshiva and I realize that perhaps there is a deep message he was trying to impart. A message that you are more than you think you are. You are not a simple ninth grader or beis medrash bochur. You are a young man. You are growing. I see greatness in you.
Now it’s saying you will be fine.
Yehi zichro baruch
Mori V’Rabi, Rabbi Yechiel Perr, zt”l, lived in an era gone by, yet was contemporary. He was our connection to the generations of old, yet always preparing us for the future. He was steeped deeply in his mesora but ever-relevant and practical. Years ago, one old man described him as “the last Norvardoker.”
Our Rosh Yeshiva was our rock and inspiration. He was the consummate leader. He was strong as steel in his beliefs and always brimming with wisdom. The personality we came to revere and love was the product of a lifetime of avodah, particularly in emunah and bitachon. He would give us “exercises” to perform to strengthen these “muscles” and encourage us to implement them in our daily lives. Many of these lessons are transcribed in his two sefarim, Faith over Fear and Mind over Man, compiled by his talmid Rabbi Yehuda Keilson.
Stories about gedolim such as Rav Aharon Kotler, zt”l, told over by Rabbi Perr were never embellished. They were related in great detail with a focus on the lessons which we could learn.
The Rosh Yeshiva was a stickler for the raw emes and unyielding in the values and principles that he held dear. If he gave you a compliment, you knew it was genuine and real.
I once saw the Rosh Yeshiva get up from his seat, take out a sefer from the bookshelf, write something in it and place it back on the shelf and walk away. When he was gone, I took out the sefer to see what he wrote. The sefer contained a shtickle Torah, a complex Talmudic thesis that he was mechadesh a few years back. He had crossed it out and wrote one word beneath it: “Ta’isi, I was mistaken.”
He taught us to stick to our values and never to be embarrassed to do the right thing, even if it wasn’t popular. Ultimately, sheker will crumble. He told us that we need to have enough confidence and resolve to act
accordingly despite public opinion or detractors. This was our taste of the flavor of Novardok.
He invited talmidim to his house for Shabbos seudos, where the Rebbetzin, tichyeh, would serve us delicious food. The Rosh Yeshiva was the same in his house as he was in yeshiva.
I once watched him peel off a soda can flattened by a car on Frisco Street, bring it to yeshiva, and place it in a garbage can. This was to ensure that no chillul Hashem would ensue from someone’s lack of concern for the cleanliness of the neighborhood.
It was not uncommon to see an unaffiliated Jew come into yeshiva to sit down and talk with him. Occasionally, former talmidim, middle-aged laymen, would stop in to listen to his vaad or Chumash shiur.
I was present when the Rosh Yeshiva saw the talented singer Gershon Veroba at a levaya for sifrei Torah destroyed in Hurricane Sandy. He told Mr. Veroba that he heard some of the songs from his latest album, a collection of songs of Moshe Yess a”h, and complimented him on it, saying it was impressive and that he enjoyed it immensely. I was surprised that he would find it important to be mechazek a talmid who was already an adult and an accomplished artist. This taught me that the job of a true rebbi never ends.
We observed the great mutual respect and kavod that the Rosh Yeshiva and Rabbi Brafman, zt”l, accorded each other. They ran the yeshiva with tremendous chashivus for each other’s space and independence. This was a great lesson in shalom and allowed talmidim to benefit from both of them respectively.
I once interrupted the Rosh Yeshiva in the middle of night seder to discuss a mundane matter. He looked up at me and said, “Young man, I am in the middle of a Rashba,” teaching me about priorities.
I once casted doubt my ability to achieve success in learning and to become a talmid chacham. He was unfazed and related that once, a young man with a long
ponytail entered his office and asked to join the yeshiva. His motives were sincere, and he was accepted and thrived in his learning. The Rosh Yeshiva mentioned that that fellow was 26 when he arrived and I, on the other hand, was only 20 years old and already had a background in learning! If you buckle down, he told me, you will surely succeed.
The Rosh Yeshiva would tell talmidim how proud he was of them and how they gave him nachas.
I once saw him tell a kallah to stop crying under her chuppah as a wedding is a happy time and not a time to cry.
He called me after I underwent a minor surgery to inquire about my wellbeing.
He laughed with us. He gave us uplifting mussar and enabled us to tap into our kochos. On Rosh Hashana, his davening led us. On Simchas Torah, he sang with us, and on Purim, he drank with us. His old, green weather-beaten desk that looked like it survived both world wars followed us into the new beautiful beis medrash. His worn-out Madriagos Ha’adam would be constantly at his side. This was our taste of the flavor of Novardok.
The Rosh Yeshiva would quote obscure sources and even draw a lesson from Popular Mechanics magazine. He was real and taught us how to live in the real world.
When he was told in the middle of night seder that Rav Shach was niftar, he promptly got off his chair and sat on the floor. The entire beis medrash followed suit. We sat there silently pondering the loss of the gadol hador.
With the Rosh Yeshiva’s passing, we are bereft of our living connection to previous doros, the generations in which the seeds were planted to enable America to develop bnei Torah.
In 2003, the Rosh Yeshiva wrote me a letter while I was away in camp. He signed off, “You know I never say ‘goodbye,’ only ‘to be continued....’”
One of my favorite stories I heard from R’ Moshe Friedman, one of the founders and former president of Yeshivas Sh’or Yoshuv, one of the many yeshivos and Torah causes to which Reb Dov Wolowitz had devoted his heart and soul.
He quoted from a book he enjoyed, “Vilna on the Seine,” about older Jewish intellectuals who emigrated to Paris from Lithuania. The story came from the foreword, which was written by Nobel Prize Laureate, Issac Bashevis Singer.
He told of a man who went to Vilna who came back and said to his friend (I may have taken poetic license in recounting the tale): “The Jews of Vilna are a remarkable people. I saw a Jew who studies Torah all day long. I saw a Jew who spent all day scheming how to get rich. I saw a Jew who was waving the red flag calling for a revolution. I saw a Jew who was loyal to his country. I saw a Jew exploring poetry and the arts, and I saw a Jew who was ascetic and avoided temptation. I saw a Jew who loved to quote the Kuzari and a Jew who loved to quote Kant.”
The other man said, “I don’t know why you’re so astonished. Vilna is a big city, and there are many Jews, all types.”
His friend replied, “No. No. No. It was all the same Jew.”
I was asked to write an article about Reb Dov Wolowitz. You can’t write just an article about him. It would be a massive volume, and it would require very varying chapters. There would have to be a chapter about a man whose passion for learning was resounding. There would have to be a chapter for a man whose reverence for gedolim and daas Torah was unshakable. There would have to be a chapter about a man who val-
ued the learning of a Kollel Yungerman, to a degree unfathomable. There would have to be a chapter about a man who could crack a great joke and send an audience laughing. There would have to be a chapter about a man whose passion would make one tremble in fear when he would express the direness of a situation.
I could write about a man who could discuss politics with a passion and a Tosfos with a tenfold passion. I could write about a man who would yell at you with a thundering voice to get a job done. And, I can write about a man, who would hold your hand soothingly while you poured your heart out to him.
I could write about a man who would go knocking door to door with no appointments to raise funds for yungerleit whom he had never met and would probably never meet. I could write about a man whose vision was so broad that he could never sweat the small stuff. But I could also write about a man to whom a tiny detail meant so much if it touched upon the sensitivity of others.
But I don’t have to write that many chapters. It was all the same man. It was Reb Dov Wolowitz.
There were so many facets to the brightly colorful and equally lovable personality that was Reb Dov Wolowitz.
I cannot say for sure who was the most influential personality or rebbe who shaped his life. He was amalgamation of so many great influences: the fiery ahavas haTorah of Rav Aharon Kotler, from whom he was zocheh to learn when he was just 18 years old. It was the passion for kiruv rechokim instilled in him by the London Brothers, founders and roshei yeshiva of Heichal HaTalmud, one of the earliest kiruv yeshivos in America. And it was the determination and vision of Rav Shlomo Freifeld, founder and of Yeshivas Sh’or Yoshuv, whose passion for the Jewish people was unparalleled.
Reb Dov would talk often about Rav Aharon. You felt the awe that the Rosh Yeshiva evoked in him by listening to the stories he imparted.
Reb Dov once shared a story about the time he was learning in Lakewood but joined his former rabbeim in a summer camp whose mission was kiruv rechokim, true hatzalas nefashos. The campers were Talmud Torah boys, who were not religious, but attended Hebrew school after their day in public school.
Through ball playing, singing and other activities, the counselors built a kesher with the boys and eventually convinced them to go to Yeshiva.
Although Dov only went to the camp after the z’man, he was supposed to come back at the start of Elul. One year, however, Elul began early – about 10 days before the end of August. When he told Rabbis London that he had to return, they would not even hear of it.
“How can you leave before camp is over? This is hatzolas nefashos! You’re a key force! You have an opportunity before camp ends to work with these kids and to make them frum. You’ve got to stay on.”
Dov understood the power of their argument and decided to give in. He would come five days late to yeshiva. The day came that Dov went back to yeshiva, five days into the zman. He dreaded that the Rosh Yeshiva would see him and grab hold of him. Indeed, his fear was somewhat right. The Rosh Yeshiva called him into the office and asked him, “Where were you?” he asked. “It’s the zman. You’re here four days late.”
Dov began explaining about the importance of what he was doing. After all, he had the best excuse in the world. He was not fooling around. He was not even a day camp counselor. He was saving Yiddishe lives. He told the Rosh Yeshiva about the Londons’ and their camp, which Rav Aharon had heard of. He explained that the Londons had implored that he stay and how
important it was.
In his own words, “The Rosh Yeshiva didn’t want to hear anything. He started showing me a Rashi. To this day, I don’t know what he showed me. He started showing me a Tosfos. ‘A zman is a zman!’ Rav Aharon thundered.”
Rav Aharon didn’t want to hear anything about the camp. All Rav Aharon wanted to know was ‘Torah, Torah, Torah!’ For twenty minutes, Rav Aharon impressed upon him with a fiery shmuz the importance of a zman and of limud Torah.
Although Reb Dov said he was a bit “flabbergasted, not really understanding,” the impression that the gadol hador left on him was indelible.
The reverence he had for the Rosh Yeshiva never left him, no matter how diverse were his activities for the sake of the klal.
He told me that although there were other Roshei Yeshiva in America, the fire of Rav Aharon was unparalleled. “There’s nothing but Torah. The idea of the highest form of Torah, this is what Reb Aharon brought to America. This highest form of sitting and learning l’sheim Shomayim . Sitting and learning and nothing else mattered. This is what he put and planted in America.”
Many years later, I believe that relationship, and maybe that office encounter, was the impetus for Reb Dov to become one of the most passionate supporters of the Lakewood Kollel, in raising the standard and awareness of kollel yungerleit more than forty years ago.
Almost a half a century ago, when the financial situation was in dire straits, Reb Dov set out on a mission to get the Yeshiva back on track, to pay off all its debt, and to double the kollel checks for the yungerleit. Together with Reb Yisroel Bloom and a handful of other baalei batim , Reb Dov led the charge. Every night, they went door to door, pleading with friends, neighbors and total strangers to support the greatest makom haTorah in America. His efforts, according to the Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Malkiel Kotler, shlita, “mamash helped save the Yeshiva.”
Reb Dov raised the level of respect for kollel yungerleit to a new level, paving the way to a reverence that changed the American psyche toward Torah l’shma and has now become a powerful movement and mindset for so many who would never have supported bnei Torah in the way that they currently do.
Reb Dov’s efforts did not begin and end with the support he engendered for kollel yungerleit. His efforts on behalf kiruv rechokim , from young to old, were almost unprecedented in his time. More than thirty years ago, together with Jerry Williams and his business partner, Ed Chernoff, he was the force behind the founding of the Jewish Heritage Center led by Rabbi Naftali Portnoy and Rabbi Moshe Turk. Reb Dov would work tirelessly and not hesitate a
moment to call, cajole, rankle and persuade others to give. His efforts led to literally thousands of Jewish souls being returned to their heritage. But he had no one institution that he supported; he was deeply involved in any Torah institution that helped bring back Yidden – whether it was the Center for Return, Ezra Academy, and, of course, Yeshiva Sh’or Yoshuv, only a few minutes from his home in Lawrence.
And it was not only for kiruv institutions. A small day school out in Suffolk County, Long Island, was in desperate need of $250,000. The dean of the school called Reb Dov, crying that he could not meet his payroll and then some, and needed help.
It took about four phone calls within an hour, in which Dov commanded – or perhaps commandeered – four wealthy individuals to donate $50,000 in addition to his own donation, to meet the school’s needs.
A very close, dear friend for many years, Rabbi Shaya Cohen, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Zichron Aryeh, noted that Reb Dov’s entire life was involved in learning Torah and standing up for what he believed was right. He never wavered from the end goal and was relentless in pursuing his mission. He taught our community how to give tzedakah.
Rav Meir Schuster, zt”l, the unforgettable human kiruv machine, found a special place in Reb Dov’s heart. A distinguished talmid chochom who headed a large yeshiva told me that when Rav Meir came to America, Reb Dov would call and say, “Come over and pick up Reb Meir and take him to raise money from your baalei batim…”
“But I have to worry about our own mossad …”
“I’m not taking ‘no’ for an answer. What they give him has nothing to do with what they give you. Get over here. He’s waiting for you.”
Together with his partner, Ed Chernoff, Reb Dov was relentless in his support of Torah and Yiddishkeit. Back in the 1980s, those two names became the sought-after address for anyone involved in the pursuit of growing Torah. Despite how busy he was in business and chessed, Reb Dov was powerfully committed to his daily seder with Rabbi Avrohom Halpern. Reb Avrohom told me about his excitement, his enthusiasm, but perhaps more importantly, no matter what was going on, his commitment, to daily limud haTorah with great hasmada and depth.
Rabbi Halpern recalled that when he was around 12 years old, he would see Reb Dov in the Kapishnitzer Shteeble in Boro Park. At the time, Rabbi Halpern wondered what an American boy was doing in the shteeble. But it was apparent that Reb Dov saw and recognized greatness and was attracted to tzaddikim. When Reb Dov came to the Five Towns, he immediately connected to Rav Shlomo Freifeld, zt”l. They shared a common vision and feel for all Yidden, and they developed a true “kesher shel kayama .” There was nary a Shabbos in which Reb Dov did not visit Rav Freifeld after davening and engage in heartfelt conversations and fiery discourse.
Reb Dov had a tremendous, non-judgmental heart. Back in the day, when Sh’or Yoshuv was a yeshiva for just about anyone who was willing to learn, a prospective student came for an interview. The boy went over to Rabbi Halpern while he was sitting with Reb Dov to introduce himself and set a time to interview.
Rabbi Halpern mentioned to Reb Dov, “This boy doesn’t look well. He looks like he’s on some controlled substance.”
Reb Dov snapped back. “What are you getting so worried about? He’s a Yiddishe neshama! He’ll do fine! Just take him!”
Reb Dov had a special place in his heart for all of those talmidim and reveled in the nachas as they transformed from guys off the street to true b’nei Torah. His home was always open to those fellows who needed a place to talk and share their feelings. Purim at his home was a highlight for the chevra of Sh’or Yoshuv.
Although I knew Reb Dov for many years, I got to know him more intimately over the last ten years.
From the first time I met him, I thought that he was soley focused on kiruv. Of course, I learned that was not true, as his portfolio of hachzakas Torah and chessed was more diverse than one could imagine.
He once told me the secret to his amazing diversification. He had asked Rav Shach, zt”l, about focusing on one particular cause, to which Rav Shach answered with a story within a story.
The great Lithuanian rav, Rav Dovid Tevel, zt”l, was in desperate need of funds to marry off of his daughter. He went to a well-known lumberjack who was very prosperous to ask him for a donation. The man told him, “Rebbe, I would love to help you, but all of my tzedaka I give to my Rebbe [the man named a particular chassidishe Rebbe] and that is the charity that I give. I’m sorry. I cannot help you.”
Rav Dovid Tevel told the wealthy man the following story:
There was once a very, very wealthy man who passed away and left over an extremely largest estate to his two young 12-year-old sons which included not only many seforim and assets, but also a most precious item, something that was passed down in his family for generations. It was Rashi’s tefillin – the actual tefillin that Rashi had purportedly wore.
The sons, who normally would have been amenable to split the assets and the inheritance, began arguing over that pair of tefillin. Each one wanted it desperately, and no one wanted to relent. Finally, the younger son said, “Here’s the deal. You can have every material object that our father left us. I’ll take the pair of Rashi’s tefillin.”
The other son agreed, and that’s how they left it.
Indeed, every single day, the young man put
on the tefillin arduously. He never missed a day. Until one time, he had to go on a business trip and left after davening without taking the tefillin with him. He thought he would make it back in time for the next morning tefillos but unfortunately was held overnight.
The next day, the weather was miserable, and the wagon that was supposed to take him home was broken. He realized he would not make it back in time to wear the tefillin, and he was heartbroken. He did not know what to do. In fact, he did not even have a pair of tefillin to put on. He knocked on some doors asking for a pair of tefillin. Finally, an old man opened the door, and he asked him, “Would you have a pair of tefillin to lend me?” And indeed, the old man did. The fellow put on the stranger’s tefillin, got home by the next morning, and never ever missed davening with that pair of tefillin for the rest of his life.
After 120 years, the man came to Heaven, expecting a royal welcome. Instead, a group of angels swarmed around him. “Don’t let him in!” they shouted. “A karkavta d’lo monach tefillin!
This man never wore tefillin in his life!”
The fellow was astounded! What are you talking about? “I wore Rashi’s tefillin every day! How could you say that I never wore tefillin?”
The angels laughed. “Those tefillin? They were hundreds of years old! The letters were cracked, and they were not kosher!”
The man began to sob when suddenly an angel appeared from nowhere. “Wait!” the angel shouted. “Once, this man was in a small town and wore a pair of kosher tefillin that he borrowed from an old Jew. Let him in!”
Reb Dov immediately understood Rav Shach’s message of diversifying his tzedaka and chessed mission and portfolio.
Indeed, he did diversify. I marvel at another passion that he had and was so deeply committed to – especially the last decades of his life: the plight of individual divorcees and their children. Having a large yeshiva elementary school, he would turn to me – and I am sure many others – to make sure that the children of these homes were placed and cared for. His concern went way beyond the children, as he raised and donated hundreds of thousands of dollars for monthly stipends for these families. Before Yomim Tovim, he would call me to go over the needs of individuals, how many children from our yeshiva needed new clothing for yom tov, how many gift cards for groceries we could distribute and what I would be able to raise for Al Kanfei Nesharim, the tzedaka he created for that cause.
He once accompanied me to a landlord of a woman who had difficulty paying rent, among other issues, to persuade him to make things “work out.” Reb Dov personally guaranteed thousands on behalf of those in need.
Indeed, I could go on and on. Unfortunately, R’ Dov would have wanted to go on and on.
I sincerely hope his mission and legacy will.
Yehi zichro baruch.
In a way, her smile was the essence of her soul. It was pure, and it was radiant. It was ever-present and extended to all. It was the extension of the goodness that she saw in others and in the world around her.
In fact, one of the common refrains that Rebbetzin Leah Kurland, a”h , would consistently say was, “It’s all good.”
She saw the world with a deep emunah peshutah, an unfailing understanding and belief that Hashem has a Plan. “This is what Hashem wants,” she would say. Rebbetzin Kurland’s pure faith was instilled within her when she was young. Her father, Reb Yisrael Zelman, was a person who saw the positive things in life. He exhibited sterling middos and greeted each person with focus and intent. Her mother was humble and unassuming, a woman who supported her husband with modesty. The matriarch of the family – and a huge influence on Rebbetzin Kurland – was Bubby Rissel, Mr. Zelman’s mother, a saintly woman who talked to Hashem constantly, telling the family, “Hashem is my friend.”
The words of Tehillim were constantly on her lips, and she spent time giving tzedakah to those in need. The Zelman family was aware that she was the tzadeikes in the family, and the men and women were drawn to Bubby Rissel and deeply influenced by her.
“There was a certain striving for kedushah that came out of that relationship,” Rabbi Yehoshua Kurland said of his wife’s upbringing.
Rebbetzin Kurland grew up in Chicago and went to Ida Crown
Hebrew Academy for high school. But the best education she received was from her home. Even from a young age, Rebbetzin Kurland, along with her sister Rebbetzin Hindy Sitnick, a”h, were in tune with the ratzon Hashem. Their barometer of what was right was measured by Torah values and principles. They observed this unwavering belief in their parents, and they instinctively followed in their ways. There were no questions because there was no need for questioning. They believed and knew on the deepest – and yet on the simplest – level the import of Torah values.
With young Leah Zelman living in Chicago and Rabbi Yehoshua Kurland living in Baltimore five decades ago, it was unlikely that these two people would meet and marry. But Hashem has a Master Plan and is the ultimate Shadchan. At one point, Rabbi Kurland, then learning in Ner Yisroel, visited his sister, Mindy Sussman, in Far Rockaway. He was taken with Rabbi Shlomo Freifeld,
She had a sense of self, a royal bearing, but was completely selfless.
zt”l, and with Sh’or Yoshuv and ultimately decided to move to Far Rockaway to join the yeshiva. Rabbi Dovid and Rebbetzin Hindy Sitnick were living in Far Rockaway at the time, and young Yehoshua Kurland ate a meal at their home one Shabbos. It was they who ultimately thought of this shidduch. Leah was Hindy’s sister, and she thought that this impressive young man would be a good match for her humble, sincere, warm sibling.
Ultimately – after months of long-distance dating –the young couple married and initially lived next door to the Sitnicks in Far Rockaway. It had been hard for young Leah to leave her close-knit family in Chicago but knowing that her sister was next door made the move a bit easier. Years later, other family members moved to Far Rockaway, including her parents and her brother, Rabbi Zissel Zelman.
Once married, the couple became a mainstay in the Sh’or Yoshuv commu -
nity. Rabbi Kurland recalls that just a few weeks after they were married, they hosted a sheva brachos for a chosson and kallah in the community. And that was just the beginning.
The Kurland home became a magnet for bochurim. The family would host scores of bochurim for Shabbos meals, with Rebbetzin Kurland – and later, her children as well – churning out fresh challahs and sumptuous dishes for the hungry guests. It was an open house, a home where anyone who needed a meal knew they would be welcome. The delicious food, the brilliant Torah discourse, the soulful and spirited singing, and the warmth that emanated from all the Kurlands compelled guests to come back time and time again. Their shalosh seudos meals were legendary, with fifty people joining together late on Shabbos afternoon for an infusion of Shabbos spirit.
Rebbetzin Kurland made hosting look easy. She never complained about the work involved in hosting so many people each week. She never saw it as a burden. In fact, her smile was always there – she made guests feel like it was a privilege for her that they graced her table! Perhaps guests came to sample her delicious food. But after they met Rebbetzin Kurland, they came back because they felt her genuine interest and sincere friendship towards them.
Rabbi Kurland recalls that there were many times that guests would stay at their home long after the meal, speaking with Rebbetzin Kurland and sharing their stories and concerns with her. She was authentic and kind. She was able to focus on others and connect with them, making them feel as if they were her whole world. Her interest infused strength into those who were struggling.
Rabbi Kurland noted that many people were “nourished by her smile.”
“It came from a very pure place because she was not judgmental of people,” he explained. “She saw the good in each person, even though she was quite keenly aware of who a person might have been and their faults, but she pushed that so far away from her consciousness that in her mind, she emphasized the good, and that’s what she saw in people.”
One boy told Rabbi Kurland that he never received affection from his mother, who had been a cold person and was disappointed that he had not lived up to her standards. But when this boy would visit the Kurland home, Rebbetzin Kurland was so kind and friendly and accepting of who he was that he was finally able to feel a sense of warmth from a maternal source.
When it came to her own children, Rebbetzin Kurland treated each child as if they were their own world in her universe. She was a fountain of patience and serenity, giving each child their own time and space for connection. Her focus on each child was absolute, and they all knew that they could depend on her to be unwavering in her support for them in everything that they did. She made her home a happy home, a home of laughter and connection, with songs playing in the background as they set the table or baked a cake.
Rabbi Kurland noted that Rebbetzin Kurland taught by example, never imposing on their children. But her children witnessed how she davened three times a day. They saw how she made her home open to all. They observed how she had time for each person who walked through the door. They watched as she greeted her husband with enthusiasm at the end of each day. They noticed how her life was defined by her steadfast emunah in the Ribbono Shel Olam and His plan. They saw how she gave over the lessons to her young charges in Bnos Bais Yaakov with a unique tenderness. They recognized her composure and how she never gave in to anger, remaining even keeled even in the most trying circumstances.
They observed how she was, in many ways, the ultimate giver. Her attitude was “mine is yours, and I’m happy to share it with you.” Her priority wasn’t herself. It was always how she could help another person.
That drive to give to others, noted Rabbi Kurland, stemmed from a rare sense of humility that Rebbetzin Kurland possessed. She was aware of who she was and took pride in her home and her possessions. But her pri-
ority was never about her own needs. She was always thinking of others, giving to others, focusing on the other.
She had a sense of self, a royal bearing, but was completely selfless.
Although Rebbetzin Kurland had to go through chemotherapy treatments for many years, there were many times when she would come home from treatment and set out to bake challah for someone in the community who wasn’t well. She wasn’t concerned for herself; it was always about the other. And that is just one example.
Rebbetzin Kurland was diagnosed with her illness 17 years ago and throughout the years underwent many treatments. But her deep sense of tzinius compelled her to keep the news of her illness private. She didn’t want to be the object of people’s pity. She didn’t want anyone or anything to hold her back from being productive and giving to the klal. And so, she would go to doctor appointments –with Rabbi Kurland always at her side – and then come home and go on with her regular day, no one knowing that she was fighting a dreaded disease.
Over the years, countless people passed through the Kurland home. A few of them ended up living in the Kurland home for years. Now, they have families and homes of their own, and they remember the warmth and positivity that emanated from Rebbetzin Kurland. They recall her open heart and her generosity of spirit. And they remember that smile that enveloped them from the moment they met her.
Rabbi Kurland recalls that as the family gathered around Rebbetzin Kurland on that fateful day last week, Rebbetzin Kurland’s trademark smile still graced her face as her neshama left its corporeal home.
“It meant a lot to us,” he shared.
In the end, the essence of her soul continued to shine.
May her neshama continue to shine from Gan Eden, and may Rebbetzin Kurland be a meiletz yosher for her beautiful family, the thousands of bochurim that she nurtured, the hundreds of girls that she taught, and the countless lives that she touched and uplifted over her lifetime.
“Humor holds us together,” Heshy Walfish said of his relationship with “Country” Yossi Toiv. “I just think life is too serious to not laugh, and we have always been able to make each other laugh.”
The music and entertainment industry has its share of strengths and weaknesses, but one of the biggest failures of the industry is in turning musical partnerships into long-lasting friendships. All too often, the recording studio is a place where egos clash and competition is prioritized over collaboration.
While the Jewish music industry is
generally a different world from its gentile counterpart, few musical relationships – Jewish or not – are as special as the one that Yossi Toiv and Heshy Walfish, the duo behind Country Yossi, have had for the past five decades. With six albums of Country Yossi and the Shteeble-Hoppers and six and counting volumes of the children’s music series Kivi and Tuki , the duo has, for decades, blended humor with meaning, entertaining generations of Yidden and inspiring a number of Jewish musicians.
“We have complementary talents. I write songs; I sing the songs. Heshy plays
Everyones likes to laugh. It’s just a human condition. Laughter is the best medicine. It’s a trite saying, but it’s 100% true. If you can make somebody laugh, you can lighten their day.
There was a man who would go visit his mother who had Alzheimer’s or dementia, and he sat there for hours, holding her hand. And the nurse would come in and out.
Finally, one day, the nurse asked him, ‘Why do you come here and sit here all day? She doesn’t even know who you are.’ And he said, ‘That may be true, but I know who she is.’
Humor holds us together. I just think life is too serious to not laugh, and we have always been able to make each other laugh.
all the musical instruments in existence. He runs a studio out of his house. He’s a technician. He’s the legal guy in the group,” explained Country Yossi. “He does everything that I don’t do, which is a lot of stuff. And he does it very, very well. I know a lot of people that write songs, but they never do anything with them because they don’t have a Heshy.”
Inspired by Shlomo Carlebach and the Rabbis’ Sons, Yossi and Heshy, like many musicians, had an interest in making music from a relatively young age. In the early 1970s, Yossi and his roommate at the time, Rabbi Shmuel Brazil, started the Or Chodosh band, while Heshy played in the Messengers Orchestra. Both bands enjoyed a great deal of success, and in 1972, the two groups began working with one another, marking the beginning of Yossi and Heshy’s musical relationship. But the duo’s first meeting took place two years before then, when Heshy Walfish moved into the same apartment building that Yossi was living in. They lived across the hall from each other, and upon meeting for the first time, they hit it off instantly.
Later that decade, Yossi and Heshy had, in effect, retired from the music industry, as both decided that it was time to move on from their respective bands and begin living in the “real world.”
“I had left the Messengers in 1978, Yossi went to Israel, and we kind of lost touch with each other. We met up one fateful summer day – I think it was Labor Day. We were both at the Stevensville Hotel for a Jackie Mason show. We were both big fans,” Heshy Walfish recalled. “And I didn’t know he was there, he
didn’t know I was there. And as we were walking out of the show, we bumped into each other, and we hadn’t seen each other in many years. He had come back from Israel. And we just started talking and catching up, reminiscing, and he says to me, ‘You know, I have a drawer full of songs that I never recorded.’ So, I said, ‘Let me see them.’”
Soon after, the two met up once again. Sitting down with Heshy, Yossi began sharing the parody songs he had, for the previous five years, been crafting in solitude: songs like The Cholent Song and Big Bad Moish. And then Yossi pitched an idea to Heshy that would give birth to decades of creativity and joy: “Do you want to record the songs with me?”
“And I said, ‘You know what? I’ve been away long enough. I detoxed from the business. Let’s do it,’” Heshy recalled.
On that day, Country Yossi and the Shteeble-Hoppers was born, and in 1983, their first album was released, which included several parody songs, such as Cause I’m A Jew, Cholent, Big Bad Moish, and Peel One More Potato, as well as an original composition, titled Little Kinderlach (“It’s gonna be the little kinderlach who make Moshiach come”), an iconic song composed and written by Country Yossi himself.
“Yossi is one of the most creative people I’ve met. He just has such a creative mind, and he’s always coming up with original and interesting ideas,” said Heshy. “Yossi has dragged me into more areas of artistic accomplishment than I ever would have gotten into on my own. He dragged me into graphic design, into music production,
into arranging – things that I wouldn’t have necessarily done. But he has an idea, and he just lets you run with it.”
But the duo’s creativity didn’t stop with parody songs. Just a short year after their debut, Yossi and Heshy released the first volume of Kivi and Tuki, a children’s music series, full of original songs chock-full of humor and learning lessons. Now, forty years later, the two are working on the series’ seventh volume.
“We’re keeping busy, we’re still creating stuff. We don’t work as fast as we used to. We used to be up till 3 o’clock in the morning in the recording studio. Now, at 11 o’clock, Heshy says he’s tired; he has to go to
sleep,” Yossi said, jokingly. “So, it’s taken us five years to do this album, but eventually it’ll come out.”
In highlighting the creative undertakings of Yossi Toiv and Heshy Walfish, one would be remiss to not mention their hilarious, New York-based radio program, the Country Yossi Show, where callers would answer silly questions for a chance to win a free prize. And while the questions and answers were humorous, the show was, in truth, massively successful because of the hosts’ dynamic; the back-and-forth, the banter between the two, the infectious laughter, the personalities. In the words of Heshy Walfish, he and Country Yossi pretty much “have one brain.”
“We really have a symbiotic relationship here. He can say something, and I will immediately pick it up and go with it, and no matter what direction either of us shifts to, the other one is right there alongside,” Heshy explained.
In the 1980s, when Yossi and Heshy officially became a duo, they were both in their thirties. And at the peak of their careers – when they were putting out albums and magazines and doing concerts and radio shows – entertaining people became their full-time job. And their families didn’t complain. Country Yossi’s kids loved their father’s “celebrity” persona and Heshy Walfish’s children adored the music; after Heshy would return home from the studio,
the next day all of his kids would get together and listen to the songs with him.
Today, forty years later, the Country Yossi duo is still hard at work, bringing Klal Yisroel joy and laughter. Yossi Toiv lives in Flatbush, and Heshy Walfish lives in the Five Towns. The two are constantly communicating via text and phone calls, and they’re also frequently spending time with one another, both as colleagues and as friends.
“The worst advice I got was: don’t work with Heshy; it’s not going to work out.” Yossi Toiv said. “If I had to have one guy in the foxhole with me, it would have to be Heshy. Nothing is worth losing the friendship for.”
This article is based on a podcast, “Inspiration For the Nation,” hosted by Yaakov Langer. To catch more of this conversation, you can watch it on LivingLchaim. com or YouTube.com/LivingLchaim or listen wherever you listen to podcasts (just search for “Inspiration For The Nation”) or call our free hotline: 605-477-2100.
I have been an avid reader of your column and appreciate your take on many issues.
I have been dating a guy (I’ll call him Raphi) for half a year. We are modern orthodox and taking things slowly. Initially, we had mutually agreed to date for at least one year before getting engaged. Now, my thoughts have changed, and I really would like to be settled and feel that this is “for real.” I want to get engaged. Raphi assures me this is going in the right direction, but he’s not looking to get engaged anytime soon. He feels that it’s not responsible as he hasn’t graduated yet, etc. I don’t know how much longer I can date to date, or how this is going to work just dating for so much longer. I also am nervous that if this ends ill have wasted too much time.
Should I keep going because I really feel this is right? If so, how can I deal with such a long-haul dating situation?
Thanks, Chana*
Lisa Babich
Ihear your dilemma and thank you for your question. It can be frustrating when one party is ready to take the next step before the other. In this case, I don’t see any alarming or red flags. He is just stating that he wants to keep to the conditions you had originally made, and his reasons are pretty responsible i.e.. he wants to finish college and be able to support his family. This being said, in life, it’s important to be flexible. Plans change and things happen that can require an original plan to be altered. Perhaps the two of you can come to some kind of compromise that doesn’t feel too forced. He sounds like he really likes how things are going but doesn’t want to feel pressured before he is ready.
I would suggest to keep dating with
an understanding of a time limit. You say you are afraid you will look back and feel you wasted time; however, you don’t want to look back and feel your impatience scared away the right guy. If he is appearing to be a sincere guy with the right intentions, then all you can do is make the best logical decisions possible. The “what ifs” are not really in your control and this is a good time to let go as best you can. Of course, if this drags on past the timing you feel is acceptable, then you should revisit but always with a conversation and open mind. That will set you up for the best communication!
Michelle Mond
Thanks so much for writing in! Just imagine for a moment if Raphi had
written into the column with his side to the story. He’s a professional guy finishing up college in a relationship with a great girl. They had made a decision together at the beginning of their relationship that they would date for at least a year due to schooling, and possibly other reasons, too. Now the girl he is dating has changed her mind and wants to get engaged asap. It is a difficult predicament! What should he do?
Chana, you did make a commitment, and it is important in life to stand by our commitments. He still has the same reasons for making that decision in the first place. It is not because he isn’t serious about you. What I do think is you need to talk to him about helping you feel more confident in the relationship. You seem a bit edgy, which is totally understandable, but there are things he can do to help you ease up a bit. You can spend more time around each other’s families, he can get you an engagement
Remember that while “patience is a virtue,” impatience gets things done.
present early, you can spend more time talking about the future and plans for when you do get engaged…
Talk to him about it while being understanding that you made a commitment and you are not going to change things up now.
Hatzlacha with everything!
Dear Chana, from my understanding, waiting to get married after graduating is common in the Modern Orthodox community and therefore, Raphi’s behavior wouldn’t be out of the ordinary. However, I understand your hesitancy in feeling concerned that you’re “wasting your time” in the event that it doesn’t work out after another six months. I would encourage you to speak to Raphi and explore his reluctance to move forward. Is there a caveat that his parents won’t help support the wedding financially unless he has a job? Is he concerned that HE won’t be able to support YOU?
I believe that if you understand the hesitancy in depth, it will give you clarity as to how to make the best decision moving forward. As always, the more you communicate your concerns and feelings, the more clarity you will gain and the more Raphi can understand.
Dr. Jeffrey Galler
Let’s succinctly summarize the problem: you both agreed to date for “at least one year” before getting engaged, and now, after six months, YOU feel that one year is more than enough, but HE feels that one year is not
Thank you for being an avid reader! And thank you for writing!
A few things are coming up for me as I think about your situation. In no particular order, I am curious about how much school Raphi has before him. Is it another six months, which would bring you to the initially agreed upon year mark, or is it a lot longer? Also, I am curious about how the two of you would support yourselves in a marriage. Or, if you have a way of supporting yourselves before Raphi finishes school. Those are the practical pieces. If there is no way for you to be married before he finishes school, then it really can’t happen. If there is a way, be it that you can be the provider or that there are willing and able parents, I guess
long enough.
The good news is that his hesitance seems to be about financial insecurity and NOT uncertainty about the relationship.
He has explained that he wants to wait until he graduates and can, presumably, make a living. He did not say that he is unsure if he loves you; he did not say that he is unsure if the two of you should ever get married.
But you are not happy. So, may I suggest a four-fold approach.
First, he needs some pragmatic reassurance. Do your homework and show him the numbers. Demonstrate that the two of you can afford to get married if you work part-time while still in school, utilize savings and wedding presents, get a little help from parents, and live modestly.
Second, double date with friends who also got married while still in school.
Let him see how happy they are with their decision to marry early and how they are managing just fine.
Third, let him know how his reluctance to get engaged is affecting you emotionally. If he truly loves you, that fact that you feel unhappy, impatient, and uncertain should be sufficient motivation for him to get estimates for an engagement ring.
Fourth, perhaps, consider a compromise. Back in my day (don’t you love when grandparents reminisce about how things were “back in my day”?), a young man could demonstrate the seriousness of the relationship with a gift of jewelry (a nice bracelet, necklace, or pin), thereby establishing that they were “going steady” and were, kind of, engaged to get engaged. In any event, you certainly need to let your boyfriend know how you feel. Remember that while “patience is a virtue,” impatience gets things done.
that would change the practical im - plications in this formula and give you reason to believe it may be financially doable.
That aside, I can completely understand and validate your desire to get engaged and move on from this stage of life. There comes a point when you just want to be together all the time and join lives. Being apart, living separately, begins to feel intolerable. I get that. On Raphi’s end, he does seem “for real” because he hasn’t wavered from his initial sentiment. He seems responsible and wants to set himself up financially to afford life. I commend him. That doesn’t make your struggle or perspective, needs, and wants
any less real. You’re allowed to have had a change of heart and want to move forward toward engagement.
The other piece here that I am curious about is whether or not Raphi has expressed that you are “the one.” Is he saying that he wants to marry you, but not just yet for practical reasons? Or is he saying something along the lines of, “I want to get engaged theoretically after school, but I’m not sure about you yet”? I think by six months, a man knows if someone is his “forever.” I think by six months, if he isn’t sure about you in general, I’d raise an eyebrow. This wasn’t clear to me from your email, and it was a point I couldn’t not raise.
If you’re an avid reader, you know that I don’t tell people what to do. It does seem like you really love him and want him to spend your life with him. You write that this relationship feels right. Those are no small potatoes! And you are worried if it doesn’t work out that you will have wasted time. Based on the growing divorce
rate, we know that no one is immune from risk and a wedding doesn’t negate that. I feel strongly that you guys should consider speaking with a premarital counselor or couples therapist who will help you navigate this budding situation and help you both understand each other’s perspectives, feelings, and needs and see if there is some sort of a path forward that can meet everyone’s needs a bit more, or have more productive conversations around this in a more satisfying way.
Only you know how long you can date, and only you know how you will feel without Raphi in your life.
If he hasn’t expressed that you are “the one” by six months, that’s a separate issue. If he has expressed his commitment to you and that he wants to be with you for the rest of his life, and you feel the same, I highly recommend you speak with someone to try to figure this out.
All the best, Jennifer
Ihope everyone had a pleasant, and meaningful, journey out of Mitzrayim. As crucial as exiting slavery was, it wasn’t the end goal. We were redeemed for the purpose of accepting the Torah and bringing its light to the world.
As we have learned, the mitzvos can be divided into those that are between us and Hashem (bein adam l’Makom), and those that are done with others (bein adam l’chaveiro). Both categories of commandments are crucial, and we
can never say one is more important than the other. We need both to achieve completion and fulfill our purpose.
While this article will focus on only one category, that is certainly not meant to detract from the necessity of instilling within our children (and ourselves) a love and devotion for both.
Treating others with respect and dignity is not only a means to follow in Hashem’s ways, it’s also a prerequisite for showing others the beauty of Torah.
Looking “frum” but acting coarse or disrespecting others is worse than denying our purpose – it’s actively negating it!
Perfecting our middos is a lifetime job, but one that is best started young. Children are born as takers that need to become givers. Babies are born selfish but must learn to think beyond themselves.
The challenge is even greater when we realize how biased we can be in any given interpersonal relationship. We may think we’re right, even when we’re wrong. We may think ill of others, even when they are acting properly. Aside from the obvious requirement to ask a proper, unbiased authority, it is clear that how a person is raised will greatly affect how closely their outlook wil l align with the Torah and morality.
As the period of sefirah has recently started, it seemed timely to discuss a few ways we can encourage our children in the mitzvos bein adam l’chaveiro. Please note that I am not giving a p’sak halacha in any of the examples given, and I urge TJH readers to ask their own shailos.
The first step is to learn the correct way to fulfill these important mitzvos. Each commandment has associated halachos to guide us. Without knowing what is and isn’t permitted, it’s easy to err, as well intentioned as we may be. There are many seforim geared to the layman that can give a greater awareness of the issues and many rabbonim available to ask as questions arise.
For example, the dangers of lashon hara are well known, and many have
been hurt by gossip, but there is also a risk in withholding necessary information. We’ve heard many stories of good shidduchim that were derailed because someone decided to give their negative opinion as fact, and bad shidduchim that went through because nobody wanted to provide an honest response. Both cases required guidance and knowledge, not assumptions as to what is correct. Knowing the correct way to act enhances our lives, but also permits us to best educate our children. We can only pass on what we have, and if our information is lacking, so will be the education we provide.
The best method to raise our children in appreciating these mitzvos is to live the lessons we want to pass on. Kids naturally absorb the world around them. When that environment stresses a love for bein adam l’chaveiro, they will pick it up effortlessly. They separate milk and meat from observing our kitchens and dress in a tzinius manner from observing our attire. Similarly, they can learn to be careful with their words and actions towards others by seeing how we act.
Living by example not only demonstrates the behavior we want them to emulate, it also gives us the strength to formally educate. In general, lectures are ineffective, and we quickly tune them out. Worse than an uninvited lecture is a lecture from someone who doesn’t follow their own advice. There are times we will need to privately correct a child or want to bring up a bein adam l’chaveiro topic
at the Shabbos table. Our words will only make an impact if we’re already personifying them. It’s our own behavior that gives us that power.
Further, a hypocritical-acting parent who attempts to correct their child risks further turning off that struggling youngster. The parent’s well-meaning attempts to guide their child can backfire, chas v’shalom.
There are added bonuses to furthering our learning, as mentioned above. We parents know we’re not perfect. Whether we say it loudly, softly or not at all – we’re imperfect beings. It makes an impression on our children when they see we’re trying to improve ourselves. Yes, we make mistakes – but we’re trying to do better. Yes, we’re unfinished products – but so are our children, and they can learn that humans are always meant to be growing. When our children hear us ask someone more knowledgeable than us, they see we’re trying our best and seeking the counsel of those more experienced. These, too, are lessons for our children to learn.
The Shabbos Table
The Shabbos table is a natural set-
ting to introduce topics to the kids. The warm, relaxed family atmosphere is conducive to quality discussions and the children are more receptive.
Many families choose a book to learn for a few minutes at each meal – often parsha – but any topic will promote healthy discussions. There are many
worth mentioning the many professional storytellers that have wonderful programs on the different mitzvos, geared to children of all ages. Especially during sefirah, these are entertaining resources that can keep kids occupied and learning for hours.
We need to be mindful that our
Perfecting our middos is a lifetime job, but one that is best started young.
English seforim geared towards lessons in bein adam l’chaveiro, and you should be able to find one that will interest your family.
Books do not need to be only for the seudah. Having available enjoyable books on the topic will allow children to learn at their leisure and when they’re already relaxed. For weekdays, it’s
Shabbos table doesn’t undermine our goals. Sadly, many become too relaxed and can say things that are hurtful to –or about – others. Our children should never hear us mocking others, nor should we permit our children to do so.
V’ahavta L’reiachaAvoiding lashon hara, helping oth -
ers and any of the other mitzvos bein adam l’chaveiro are much easier when we care for that person. When our children learn to appreciate other people, they will want to think beyond themselves and do the right thing.
Everyone is different, which makes us all unique. Rather than mock those differences, children can learn to recognize the special role each person plays. Our children, too, should see themselves, and their gifts, as important contributors to the world.
Sadly, today this lesson is easier to learn than before. As we daven for all of Klal Yisroel – especially our chayalim and brothers and sisters still in Gaza –we don’t differentiate between one another. We recognize that we are all parts of one whole. As we count these days of sefirah together, may we all achieve greater unity as a nation and treat each other with friendship and respect.
Sara Rayvych, MSEd, has her master’s in general and special education. She has been homeschooling for over 10 years in Far Rockaway. She can be contacted at RayvychHomeschool@gmail.com.
Dear Etti,
I have a message I hope you will share. Please don’t think I am petty. I have heard this sentiment from many of my fellow teachers and colleagues across the profession, who have told me that they heard it from their friends as well.
We work so hard in our roles as teachers. We pour our hearts into our jobs. There is no other profession I am aware of that asks its workers to give their heart and soul as much as the field of education does. Nowhere is this as evident as Pesach.
The Haggadahs that come home, the divrei Torah, the shining faces, the excited children – with a lot of sweat and Siyata Dishmaya, we did that. But we are not with the students over Pesach to see the nachas, to see the oohing and ahhing… and the notes of thanks and Hakaras Hatov dwindle year to year. I was grateful. I received five detailed and thank-filled notes. Some of my colleagues didn’t receive any acknowledgment, and some received just a few.
I know it is a busy time, but in general, we work so hard and get no feedback. Every lesson, every project, every holiday had a lot of work put in. The sense of appreciation seems missing. Veteran teachers of over 20 years tell me that the climate has changed, as parents used to send in lots of notes and even small presents throughout the year, especially Chanukah, Purim, Pesach, and the end of the school year.
I don’t need gifts, and neither do my colleagues. I do want parents to know that teaching is an underpaid job that is a work of heart, and little notes of acknowledgment would be the fuel we need to continue and stay positive.
-Every Teacher Everywhere
A:Dear Every Teacher Everywhere, Thank you on behalf of everyone everywhere! We all see your hard work, and we appreciate all you do! I personally oohed and ahhed over my grandchildren’s Haggadahs over Pesach, and your letter is the impetus I needed – I am going to send emails to each child’s teacher today iy”H! (It’s true that I don’t have all the email addresses, but I can send them to my kids to distribute.)
Thank you for your important letter. Research agrees with you.
Three separate polls show appreciation means more than higher pay in the workplace to a majority of people.
Boston Consulting Group shared that the number one reason given by 200,000 polled employees as to what they felt made them enjoy their work was that they felt appreciated.
Glassdoor’s results of a survey of 2,000 U.S. adults found that employees want to stay in their role for longer when shown appreciation, and 81% said knowing they were appreciated made them want to work harder.
Motivosity recently commissioned a survey of 2,000 U.S. workers and found that 55% would choose to have personalized forms of appreciation in the workplace over a raise in pay (52%) or a promotion (28%).
I taught for many years, and now I get to be in many different schools 5-6 days a week. I can attest that I am surrounded by people who genuinely love what they do and do not need accolades to keep doing what they are doing. And yet… we are all human. When a teacher tells me, “I am so happy to see you. The kids were excited to see on the schedule that you are coming,” or a parent stops me by dismissal to say, “Are you Mrs. Siegel? My son came home and shared what you taught last week. He really enjoyed it,” there is a little more skip to my step and my smile is just a tiny bit wider.
Sincere and specific praise is a wonderful thing. When given sincerely, praise can encourage us to do our jobs better, with even more joy and commitment. Precise praise makes a person on the receiving end feel noticed and appreciated.
While teaching is a rewarding profession, teaching can be lonely. Non-educators envision a place where teachers gather and schmooze, have built-in friends, and have a great atmosphere of camaraderie. The reality is quite different. While in some schools this is encouraged to some degree at recess and meetings and in other schools the teachers see each other only at arrival and dismissal, in all schools almost the whole day is spent as the only adult in the room, in a race to give over the materials in a timely manner, in a way that captivates the students’ attention
and meets the expectations of both the principal and the parents.
It is not a secret that fewer people go into teaching and good teachers are hard to find. What should not be a secret is how much appreciation could help retain the good teachers we have and draw more into the field.
The reason people might not send in notes and letters of appreciation as much as veteran teachers say they received in the past is because parents are so busy nowadays. They don’t realize the impact their little expression of thanks might have on the teachers they hold in such high esteem.
Even when we know we cooked a great dinner, it is nice to get compliments and accolades. Even when we look in the mirror and think we look good, it is nice when others make comments that show they agree. We know the power of a well-placed compliment.
Let’s appreciate our wonderful mechanchim and mechanchos.
Trivia:
Mattye Whyte Woodridge, in 1944, began writing letters to political and education leaders, asking them to make a national day to honor teachers. Among the people she wrote to was Eleanor Roosevelt, who persuaded Congress to proclaim a national Teacher’s Appreciation Day in 1953. In 1986, the National Education Association had it changed to Teacher Appreciation Week.
This year Teacher’s Appreciation Week is May 6- May 10, with May 7 th being Teacher’s Appreciation Day.
My father used to say about Mother’s Day, “Every day is Mother’s Day! Show hakaras hatov every day.” The same is true for teachers.
Thank you for reminding us that we need to not only appreciate what teachers do – we need to tell them! And your timing lined right up with Teacher Appreciation Week.
I have letters of my own to write!
Have a wonderful week.
-Etti
Far from being a simple filler in our meals, fiber plays an essential role in our health and well-being. From maintaining digestive health, managing weight, regulating blood sugar, and reducing the risk of chronic diseases, dietary fiber is a primary part of our diet.
Dietary fiber is mainly found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. There are endless health benefits to consuming fiber, from maintaining a healthy weight to helping to lower the risk of diabetes and some cancers.
The two common classifications of fiber are soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and can help lower cholesterol. Oats, beans, apples, carrots, and barley are sources of soluble fiber. Soluble fiber forms a gel-like substance in the digestive tract, which slows down digestion and promotes feelings of fullness, helping in appetite control and weight management. Unlike soluble fiber, insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water and helps promote movement through your digestive system. This helps maintain movement in your gastrointestinal tract and helps prevent constipation. Sources of insoluble fiber include whole wheat flour, wheat bran, beans, nuts, and vegetables like green beans and cauliflower. The skin or peel of fruits and vegetables contain higher amounts of fiber. To ensure you are eating enough fiber, it’s important to consume a vast variety of high-fiber foods.
The benefits of a diet high in fiber range from maintaining healthy bowel health to helping control blood sugar levels. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the recommendation of fiber intake for women is 25 grams per day and for men 38 grams per day.
Whole grain food choices are better sources of fiber than refined or processed foods. Grains that have been refined have the bran and germ removed. Sources of refined grains include white breads, white rice, and pastries. Moreover, fiber helps feed our gut bacteria. Since fiber does not get digest-
ed once it enters the large intestine, it helps feed good bacteria in our intestines, also known as prebiotics. Promoting good gut bacteria has endless positive health effects.
The glycemic index is often used to help promote better management of blood sugar levels, as it helps deter -
viduals monitoring their blood sugar levels can benefit from lowering their intake of refined carbs and added sugar. Incorporating fiber rich foods into your meals can help aid satiety and curb cravings. In addition to helping to lower blood sugar levels, fiber may also reduce cholesterol levels.
Dietary fiber can also help strengthen the immune system and reduce the risk of inflammatory conditions.
mine how a certain amount of food affects your levels. The lower the number is, the less of an effect it may have on your blood sugar levels. Glycemic foods are ranked from 0-100. Highly refined foods often have a higher glycemic index as opposed to foods high in protein, fiber, or fat. Being that foods high in fiber tend to have lower glycemic index, adding soluble fibers to your meals may lead to a lower blood sugar spike. Indi-
In a time of fad diets and countless weight loss trends, dietary fiber can help achieve sustainable weight management. Not only are high-fiber foods often lower in calories, but they also help promote satiety as well as reduce overeating. To help maximize the health benefits of fiber, be sure to increase your water intake.
Beyond its benefits of digestive health and weight management, studies
have shown that diets high in fiber are associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke, and certain cancers. By fostering a diverse gut microbiota, dietary fiber can also help strengthen the immune system and reduce the risk of inflammatory conditions.
Some ways to increase your fiber intake are including more whole grains than refined grains into your diet, as well as including a variety of vegetables and colors to your meals. The colors of foods contain different vitamins, nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants. Simple swaps and additions can make all the difference. Opt for whole fruits instead of fruit juices. Add nuts and seeds to your salads and meals for that extra boost of fiber and healthy fats.
If you are adding fiber to your diet, start slowly and increase your water intake to help fiber move smoothly through your digestive tract.
In the search for optimal health, dietary fiber is a pertinent part of our nutrition with benefits far beyond digestive health. From stabilizing blood sugar level to managing weight and reducing the risk of chronic diseases, fiber-rich foods have enormous power over our well-being. By embracing a well-balanced diet with a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, we strive for a healthier future.
Always consult with a healthcare professional before making any changes to your diet. Individuals with certain conditions may not be able to tolerate high amounts of fiber. While it may be beneficial for some, it can have negative effects on others.
Tehila Soskel is a registered dietitian nutritionist with a private practice in the Five Towns. She sees clients for weight loss, diabetes, and other various diseases. Appointments can be made for in-person or virtual sessions: 516457-8558, tehilasoskelrd@gmail.com, tehilasoskelnutrition.com.
So, baruch Hashem, we got invited to a family bar mitzvah to take place in… Panama, of all places!
After some discussion, we decided to go, and I booked two main cabin tickets seats 31E and 31 F on Copa Airlines and soon forgot about it. Three days before the flight, I got an email from Copa offering me to make a bid to upgrade to Business Class. I never heard of such a thing, but I decided to make a modest bid just for the fun of it, believing, as usual, I’d have no chance of winning.
However, a day before the flight, I’m notified that I won!
I’m stunned!
I mean, I’ve never won anything in my life, although I’ve entered countless Chinese auctions, bought numerous lottery tickets and entered assorted raffles! Plus, I’ve never flown in Business Class.
I soon receive a new boarding pass with seats 3A and 3B, priority check-in and boarding, free use of VIP lounge, personalized attention, La-Z Boy type seats, enough legroom for a professional basketball player, two free suitcases, blankets, pillows, liquor and priority baggage claim.
I’m reeling!
So I get a great idea. I decide NOT to tell my wife. I figured I’d surprise her when we get on the plane.
Sure enough, the day comes, and as we walk to the gate, she asks me what seats we have. It’s the moment I’ve been waiting for.
I make a sad face and tell her we’re lucky we were able to get on this flight. “I got the last two seats, 49A&B.”
“But those are right in front of the bathroom,” she complains. “You know I hate sitting in front of the bathroom! It smells! Besides those seats don’t recline.”
“I know,” I agree sadly, “but we’ll recline on Pesach.”
She doesn’t laugh.
“How long is this flight?” she asks.
I answer, “Six and a half hours.”
She rolls her eyes and sighs.
I say, “Let’s try to sneak into the VIP lounge to get some drinks.”
By Country Yossi Toiv
She looks at me like I’m crazy!
“Are you nuts?” she sneers. “That’s only for First Class.”
“Just leave it to me,” I say confidently.
“I’ll talk my way in.”
“Hah,” she snorts.
As she watches from a distance, I whis-
PA system, “All Business Class passengers for Flight 1427 to Panama now boarding!”
“Let’s go,” I say.
“Where?” she replies. “We’re economy class, as usual. We board last.”
“Leave it to me,” I assure her. “I’ve done this before.”
“No, I just told him I’m a famous Jewish country music singer. He didn’t believe me, so I sang ‘Cha Cha Cha Cholent,’ and he laughed and said, ‘OK.’”
per to the guard and surreptitiously show him my tickets. He waves me in. I signal to my wife to join me. She shakes her head in disbelief. Hesitatingly, she slowly walks to me, and we both enter the VIP lounge.
“Did you pay him off?” she asks suspiciously.
“No, I just told him I’m a famous Jewish country music singer. He didn’t believe me, so I sang ‘Cha Cha Cha Cholent,’ and he laughed and said, ‘OK.’”
I don’t know if she believed me, but there we were, sipping Diet Cokes.
Then came the announcement over the
As we’re walking to the gate, she says suspiciously, “Let me see those boarding passes!”
My heart starts pounding! I hand her the tickets.
“These say seats 3A & B?” She looks at me cockeyed.
“I know,” I answer patiently. “In Panama, they number seats starting from the back. The toilets are 1A & B and our seats are 3A & B.”
She doesn’t seem convinced.
“You’d better not embarrass me,” she whispers.
As 150 people watch enviously, we walk to the front of the line, and I hand the agent my ticket.
My wife cringes, waiting for the alarm to go off. The agent scans it…the LED turns green and beeps. She waves me on.
My wife is next. Same for her.
“I told you they don’t check,” I proudly gloat as we walk down the walkway.
“I don’t believe this,” she murmurs as we enter the empty plane.
“Welcome aboard Flight 1427 to Panama,” says the smiling flight attendant. “Here, let me help you with your carry-ons.” I hand her both. She hands me two soft blankets.
We pass the third row, and I suddenly sit myself down.
“What are you doing?” my wife hisses through pursed lips. “Those are Business Class seats!”
“I know, honey,” I smile broadly showing all my pearly whites, “so are we! I upgraded,” I finally confess. “Aren’t you happy?’
She stares at me like I’m an alien creature from another planet.
She sits down in stunned silence still expecting to be ejected at any moment.
“You…you,” she stammers unable to speak.
“No, for you, honey, I did it all for you!”
“You mean… we’re not sitting in front of the bathroom?” she says with tears of happiness welling in her eyes.
“Nope,” I say. “No more bathroom seats for you.”
The flight was a dream, literally – I slept most of the way.
When we came to the baggage carousel, two suitcases were already there making the rounds – ours!
I’m telling you…this is the only way to fly!
Unfortunately, on our return flight, they didn’t offer an upgrade, and guess where we sat?
Yep!!!
My wife was NOT happy!
The young woman stopped me at a wedding recently. We knew each other superficially; our husbands were colleagues in the same yeshiva for a short while. We made desultory conversation and then the personal burst out from the small talk.
“I live with your grandmother,” she declared. “Her credo has been life-changing!” said the Boro Park resident. “‘Dos vos iz, dos is gut. Dos iz vos darf tzu zain.’ That which is, that is what is good and what He has ordained that is what must be. Whenever I find myself in a difficult situation, I think about your grandmother’s words and try to accept the reality as the best possible circumstance that should be.”
I don’t think she ever met my grandmother.
That very next night, my grandmother’s words came back to me again at another Brooklyn wedding. As I waited on line to congratulate the mother of the 35-year-old kallah, a woman made her way back from her turn to say mazal tov. Greeting her, I noticed that her eyes were wet. She reminded me. “Your grandmother used to say, ‘Ich vill nisht az yeden zol zich azoi freyen oyf maneh simchas.’ I wish that everyone shouldn’t be that happy at my simchas. This is one of those times when special circumstances make everyone so b’simcha.”
My late grandmother, Rebbetzin Bopche Eichenstein-Pinter, spent most of her 97 years in cities outside of New York and held no important posts. She was neither a public speaker, nor a writer, nor held an important job. Yet, she was revered on three continents, and many came to see her, bask in her presence, and ask her for brachos. Wherever she was, in her humble kitchen in Albany Park in Chicago, or her simple scullery in Stamford Hill, or in her children’s homes the world over, her proximity was sought by the smart, the solitary, and the stranger. Pressed to explain to her children who this woman
was, Rebbetzin Maryam Deutsch of Monsey put it this way. “She was the Chofetz Chaim in a woman.”
Picture a small, bent over yet radiant older woman whose grace bespeaks refinement, warmth, intellect, and caring. Her words do not come trippingly in a trite way. She does not impose herself in a conversation directly; she is way too modest and unassuming for that. Her speech comes readily when solicited, in measured tones of erudite enunciated English or Yiddish with a beguiling simplicity that belies their depth. She responds and comments by telling truths that you take home with you.
The words are the pearls of wisdom, a product of practiced behaviors and attitudes, formed around a bit of sand. Just like the oyster takes in an irritating bit of foreign matter and over a long period of time works it into a thing of beauty with luminescence and purity, so my grandmother shaped the circumstances of her life into a pearl and her words illuminate the lives of her visitors and people who knew who her.
Born in 1914 in Kisvarda, Hungary, to the Kosonier dynasty, her father Rabbi Pinchos Sholom Rottenberg brought the family to New York when she was twelve. Eventually settling in the Bronx,
the family sent its oldest daughter to Eastern District High School in Manhattan where many young Jewish girls got their education.
Her real education was life itself. At age sixteen she went off to Chicago to marry Rabbi Avraham Eichenstein of the Zidichoiver Eichensteins who had also come to this country in the 1920s. For a few short months, the couple had their own apartment, and then no more. For almost forty years, my grandmother lived in the same home as her motherin-law, first on Chicago’s West Side in a huge beis haknesses/residential complex, later in a mansion on Sheridan Road, and then in Albany Park in a simple red brick triple-decker opposite Arie Crown Hebrew Day School.
The vagaries of Chicago’s Orthodox community, deaths, finances, and family circumstances dictated where she spent her years, not her own choices. Thrust into the role of running the day-to-day life in a multi-generational home plus numerous guests who detoured to Chicago for funds and friends, she adapted to her position beneath her mother-in-law, the rebbetzin-in-charge. Together with Jewish help, she cooked and baked everything for so many people each week as well as for the shul kiddush.
Bobby taught her children by example how to give up for other people. One teenage nephew from St. Louis stayed in the house for a year while attending yeshiva in Chicago. He marveled to his parents: where do Auntie and Uncle sleep in the big house occupied by so many, never realizing that they had given up their own room for his comfort. Even with the many struggles and a huge workload, Bobby would frequently say she felt so blessed because she was never alone. She would pity modern women who are often so isolated as they tend to their familial responsibilities.
Together, my grandparents secured papers for relatives escaping from Nazi Europe with my grandmother serving as notary public, even from the maternity ward of the hospital after giving birth. Together they housed, fed, and gifted Mirrer and Lubliner talmidim on the way to New York from the West Coast and Jews of any kind.
The decades during which they raised their family were the forties and fifties, when the future of Orthodoxy on these shores was questionable. My grandparents practiced; they didn’t preach to their children. They didn’t segregate themselves from other Jews in town who did not keep their standards; they included them in their homes and their lives. They didn’t screen out; they brought in. Boys, girls, yeshiva bochurim, girls en route to schools further east, future roshei yeshiva, hardworking greenhorns and working-class American folks with little knowledge beyond traditional practice all congregated in their lively home, rich with warmth, values and Jewish fun. In their house, a questioning college student could ask why safely and a Yid whose family wasn’t observant could have a Friday night Shabbos seudah and be honored with leading zemiros before he went to off work the next day. They honored their children with trust and respect, confident that they would face their challenges suc-
cessfully in a changing world very different than the one in which they themselves had grown up.
The ayin tova that was practiced extended to big as well as the smaller things in life. “Loz yenem chappen a bargain oich,” my grandfather would say, farginning the other person because he didn’t compete with other Jews. “Poor them, they don’t know any better,” my grandmother would comment when seeing people act boisterously in public or dress inappropriately. “No one taught them how to comport themselves with dignity and refinement. We know better than that, baruch Hashem.” When she would see older people walking in the street with aides, she would comment, “Their children really want to take care of their parents themselves but nebach they have to work.” She taught by sympathizing with those who were not taught values.
My grandmother’s kitchen, her telephone receiver, her gifted pen, her busy hands and listening ear were always accessible. People came upstairs after visiting the mikvah Friday afternoon to vent over a piece of potato kugel. They came for government forms to be filled out. They came for letters to be written in her impeccable English. They came to sample her signature pareve cholent and yeast cakes. They came to leave their children when they needed to get away. They called to while away lonely wintry Sunday afternoons, baring their troubled hearts. They came to learn how to kasher chickens, crochet yarmulkes, or fix their miniskirts in the sixties. Whatever the age, whatever the problem, they knew she would give of herself generously without holding back. Her time wasn’t her own. Her privacy wasn’t her own. Her skills weren’t her own. She had absolutely no self.
This was a woman who never shopped for herself since her children were in their teens and could take care of her wardrobe. She never sent them shopping for her; trained by this selfless woman, the sisters attended to their mother’s needs to be clothed. Her recreation was visiting old people in nursing homes and “earning her keep” when she visited, making delicacies that her daughters had no time to prepare. She could handle put downs and sharp words of others and raised Hanelovim ve’aynom olvim (suffering insults without responding) to an art form.
“Ma, you are a tough act to follow,” my mother would often say to her. As the oldest, she would often question her mother about her remarkable example, seeking to understand. “Were you born
this way? How come you are so selfless?” She would marvel at her mother’s lack of need for anything and her modest manner. There was never an answer. Bobby would remain silent. Once my mother
wisdom, however, from all sources, human and printed. She insisted on typing her daughters’ college papers so that she could learn. Her knowledge and understanding became very sophisticated over
Wherever she was, in her humble kitchen in Albany Park in Chicago, or her simple scullery in Stamford Hill, or in her children’s homes the world over, her proximity was sought by the smart, the solitary, and the stranger.
walk in the street with her, whether you were in Monsey, London, Washington Heights, or Crown Heights. She would inevitably bend down in the street, even as a great-grandmother, and pick up the rubbish strewn in the street. “It’s not kavod habrios,” she would explain when members of the family would remonstrate with embarrassment.
complained to her youngest sister that her mother never responded to this oft repeated question. Tanta Libby reproved her older sister, “Don’t you get it? No answer is an answer. She was not born this way. But Mommy doesn’t want to speak about her personal journey.”
How did she do it?
Family members knew through spare words said both at times of great tragedy and regular challenges that she decided long ago that Hashem’s master plan must be good. Dos vos iz, dos is gut. Dos iz vos darf tzu zain. She bent her personality, her middos, and her weltanshaaung to His plan. People’s opinions, material needs, worldly success, accomplishment, and honor were unimportant. She lived with Hashem at all times.
When people asked her, “Rebbetzin, how do you feel?” her response was typical, “Better than I deserve.”
“Aren’t you tired after the plane trip from Eretz Yisroel?”
“I didn’t work during the plane trip. The pilot worked at directing the plane. I just sat.”
She regularly focused on her smallness and the contribution of others. As she became older and we did things for her, even very simple things, her response was directed at the merit of the other person rather than what was done for her benefit. “Zol dir gerencht veren far a mitzvah,” may it be considered for your merit that you did a mitzvah. Even when asked for brachos by an individual, she would talk about wonderful things for Klal Yisroel “und unz tzuvishin zai,” may we be among them. She had a universal view, rather than a particularist one.
Bobby was self-taught. There was neither time nor opportunity in her life to pursue her education. She gleaned
time. They were internalized, never trotted out to show off. They were kept private unless someone needed to be enlightened. The proof of true acquisition of a middah is consistency. Bobby treated everyone equally: her family, baalei batim, non-Jews, people in the street and spoke to them with the same respect, equanimity and warmth. Anyone who knew her saw that she had deep respect for other people. But it was rather awkward to
Bobby was serious in her avodah, but she would also be very honest. “She had the tzidkus of ‘de alte heim’ combined with the realness of the American generation,” noted one much younger Bronxite. She had unsightly varicose veins on her legs as well as some other skin conditions. My sister remembers her asking my father if what she had could be tzaraas. My father smiled and then said, “But shvigger, you don’t speak loshon hara!” Her answer was classic. “Yes, but you should only know what I think!”
We were blessed to be her family and continue to share the blessings with our children, our students, and our readers. You!
JWOW! is a community for midlife Jewish women which can be accessed at www.jewishwomanofwisdom.org for conversation, articles, Zoom events, and more.
By Naomi Nachman
Summer is coming, and tomatoes and avocadoes are at their full peak of flavor. This is a great recipe for a fun summer appetizer using fresh halibut and all the ingredients you would see in a guacamole.
◦ 1 lb (450 g) white fish such as halibut
(I have also done this with salmon or tuna)
◦ ½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
◦ 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
◦ 2 Tbsp olive oil
◦ ½ tsp salt
◦ ½ tsp freshly ground pepper
◦ ½ medium red onion, julienned
◦ 2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and finely diced
◦ 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
◦ ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
To prepare ceviche, cut fish into small cubes. Add all ingredients to a non-reactive bowl and toss well. Let marinate for 30 minutes and serve. Serve with nachos.
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.
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.
Since 2015, Yitzchok Saftlas has been speaking with leading industry experts on the “Mind Your Business” show, sharing insightful business and marketing strategies.
In this article, we’ve assembled a list of key tools and skills for establishing your brand, as explained by five branding masters.
As the leader of a company, it’s important that you develop your own personal brand, independent from the
company itself. Because, otherwise, someone online is going to create that brand for you. You want to get ahead of that, so that you have some control over your own story, before someone creates your Wikipedia page.
A woman named Sharon Napier once told me that “a brand is nothing but a promise delivered.” And that’s very true. A lot of people think of brands as being made up of colors and fonts. They think that a brand is solely built on look and feel. The truth is that those are all just brand attributes, but they’re not the brand itself. A brand is really what your customers perceive of you and what you deliver. That’s really the essence of a brand. By establishing your own brand, you get to make your own promises, rather than someone making them up for you. This at least gives you some control. Now, I’m not saying that you can control it all, because you can’t. But, if you nurture it, water it, and feed it, you can guide it in the right general direction.
Cor P orate s torytelling Joe Hart, President and CEO of Dale Carnegie Training
The purpose of your brand is to connect with other people. And one thing that unifies people across geography, races, and religion is the nature of storytelling. No matter how busy someone is, practically everyone is ready to stop to listen to a good story. In a corporate environment, the same thing is true. If we can communicate our
mission or message in a story, people will be willing to listen. So, how does one tell an effective story? No matter who you’re speaking to, it’s important to ask yourself, “How do I engage with this particular audience and give them something of value?” Remember that the purpose of your story is to get the audience that you’re speaking to to see your message from a perspective that they can relate to, and therefore, better understand it. I’ve found that the best CEOs and leaders are those that have mastered the art of using stories to engage with people, whether that be their clients or members of their own team.
Leslie Zane, President of Triggers Brand Consulting
The Brand Connectome is a network of cumulative memories that get connected to a brand over time. Some go as far back as childhood. We start with the initial brand, and little by little, all of these associations get glued through protein synthesis to that brand. And so, ultimately, a brand is really a network of these accumulated memories that you obtain over time. The longer you’ve been around, the bigger your Brand Connectome, and the shorter you’ve been around, the smaller your Brand Connectome.
I like to think of the Brand Connectome as a tree. You plant a seed (the brand) in the brain, it takes root, and as you add positive or (unfortunately sometimes) negative associations, the seed has to sprout branches and roots to hold
those associations up. And eventually, if you’re lucky, your brand grows from a seedling into a full-grown tree. There are really two simple rules for growing brands in the unconscious mind. Number one, you want to have the physically largest Brand Connectome you can. It’s like a game of Monopoly. The brand that has the most real estate in the brain wins. Number two, you want to have a higher ratio of positive to negative associations. The brand that has the higher ratio is going to have a higher growth rate. If you focus on those two rules, this will help you become the go-to brand in your category.
brand is, it’s important to remember that it’s all about establishing your reputation. And when building your reputation as a company, the first thing you should ask yourself is, “Am I referrable? Would someone feel comfortable referring me? Would a client refer me? Would a vendor refer me? Would an employee refer me?” Meaning, would an employee feel comfortable recommending your company as a place for their family member to come work at? The best measurement for the success of your brand is your referability as a company. Are you getting referrals from other customers, people within your
Bill O’Reilly, Partner at the November Team
Many leaders and CEOs know their business from front to back, but they don’t always take time to think about how their business might be sellable and interesting to other people. And every business is interesting. People just don’t
If we can communicate our mission or message in a story, people will be willing to listen.
aspects, that’s what you use to develop your brand’s story. There are stories everywhere – from the origins of your office building to the backgrounds of your employees. If you keep asking questions, eventually you’ll find something interesting. Then, you can use PR to marry those stories to the audience that you’re trying to reach and the conversation that you’re trying to have with them. Ask yourself, “Who do I want to reach? What story do I want to tell them? How can the things around me promote or work themselves into that story?”
When you’re building a brand, you could build it around a product or service that you provide, or you could build it around your company as a whole. But, no matter what the basis of your
network, or people that you work with? The answers to those questions will ultimately show you what your reputation is, and therefore, how successful your branding is.
always see it from the inside. PR is about looking at every facet of a business until you find the one that pops. It’s like holding a diamond in the light to find the perfect angle. And when you find those interesting
Trump: “It’s time for Us to Put Aside Our Differences and Unite With Ron DePoopypants”
- Babylon Bee headline
Boeing Sadly Announces Whistleblower Shot Self In Back While Falling Off Skyscraper Directly Into Wood Chipper While Wearing Cement Shoes
- Ibid.
Columbia University Students Reject A Two-Campus Solution.
- Ibid.
Palestine Protesters Scatter As Riot Police Charge In With Sticks of Deodorant.
– Ibid.
Israel Withdraws from Gaza After Learning of Protest By 19-Year-Old Fine Arts major Roxy Barnett.
– Ibid.
If you try to set up encampments, you are not going to be allowed to do that in this State. We do not allow the inmates to run the asylum in the state of Florida.
– Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL)
I am so incensed about some of this stuff because when I read about the college loans... “Biden administration’s student debt cancelation will cost a combined $870 billion to $1.4 trillion.” That’s a lot of debt forgiveness. Okay, so, colleges constantly raise tuition, then the kids take out more loans, then the government comes by and pays those loans. Okay, so my tax dollars are supporting this Jew-hating? I don’t think so!
- Bill Maher, HBO
We’ll see how the next management plays the game out at Berkshire, [but] fortunately you don’t have too long to wait on that. I feel fine, but I know a little about actuarial table.
- Warren Buffett, who is turning 94, joking about his future at the 2024 Berkshire Hataway annual meeting
We let a genie out of the bottle when we developed nuclear weapons. AI is somewhat similar — it’s part way out of the bottle.
- Ibid.
There are young Black kids growing up in the Bronx who don’t even know what the word “computer” is.
- NY Gov. Kathy Hochul (D)
We believe that canceling exams would be a proportionate response to the level of distress our peers have been feeling.
- From a letter by the student editors at the Columbia Law Review stating that the student body is too traumatized by law enforcement’s response to their illegal protests so they should not have to take exams this semester
We are serious about welcoming students that have been suspended from U.S. universities for supporting Palestinians. We are fighting this battle with Palestine in every way we can.
- An official at Yemen’s Houthi college, in a statement to Reuters
If a homicidal, Iranian-funded, terrorism proxy wants to pick up your college education tab, you really, really might want to reevaluate things.
- Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) mocking the protesters on X
What we’re seeing on campus is children who are traditionally the geeks and the bullied fawning up to Islamic terrorists who’ll offer them the protection of their guns for as long as they’re useful so that they can feel tough and powerful for the first time. In many ways, they’re like high school shooters – but they let Muslim terrorists do the shooting for them.
- Tweet by @leekern13
Proposed law: if someone tears down the American flag and puts up another flag in its place, that person should get a free (but mandatory) one-way trip to that flag’s country.
- Elon Musk on X
I think the Department of Justice needs to investigate where the money is coming from. There’s two classes of people here. Anti-Semites: If you say, “We are Hamas,” and you mean it, then you are a religious Nazi. If you say, “We are Hamas,” and you don’t know what Hamas is all about, you are … [dumb]. So there’s dumb [people] and there’s terrorist sympathizers.
- Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on Fox News
Wow! Former A.G. Bill Barr, who let a lot of great people down by not investigating Voter Fraud in our Country, has just endorsed me for President despite the fact that I called him “Weak, Slow Moving, Lethargic, Gutless, and Lazy.” Based on the fact that I greatly appreciate his wholehearted Endorsement, I am removing the word “Lethargic” from my statement. Thank you Bill.
- Social media post by Trump after former Attorney General Bill Barr endorsed him
Maybe Donald Trump will go away. Maybe he’ll go to jail. Maybe he will die. Not to be too morbid. But maybe. He’s not a young man.
- MSNBC host and former Biden spokeswoman Jen Psaki on “Morning Joe”
Mohamed Abdou is a pro-Hamas “anarchist interdisciplinary activist-scholar of Indigenous, Black, critical race, and Islamic studies, as well as gender … abolition, and decolonization” at Columbia University.
– David Harsani, speaking about the pro-Hamas visiting professor to Columbia University
Nearly every student loan taken in the United States is either given by the government or fully guaranteed by taxpayers.
- Ibid.
I assure you no bank in the world would ever lend any young person tens of thousands of dollars — much less hundreds of thousands — to pursue studies in either indigenous, black, critical race, Islamic, gender, … abolition or decolonization studies if those loans were not backed by the federal government.
– Ibid.
A few weeks ago, I had dinner with a few couples, friends of friends, all American. All were well-educated and successful in careers. They seemed great! On the surface. For like an hour. But slowly, over a few drinks, they began to let slip their true MAGA natures.
- Former CNN White House correspondent Michelle Kosinski writing on X about her horror when she realized that people that she was having dinner with were closet Trump supporters
One of the couples each attended top Ivy League colleges. But now that it was university time for their own kids, they were adamantly NOT letting them apply to any ivies. And were weird about explaining why.
– Ibid.
Now that Hamas has agreed to a ceasefire, do you think Israel should agree to a ceasefire?
– A Code Pink agitator to Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL)
I think Israel should go in there and kick the [daylights] out of them. Just absolutely destroy them, their infrastructure, level anything that they’ve touched.
– Rep Mast’s response
Keffiyeh Karen whines for glass of water, proving pro-terror students are total weaklings
- New York Post headline about a Columbia University student demanding that the protesters be given food and water
Can we please get an airdrop at Columbia University? We need 900 Acai Bowls, 1300 Impossible Burgers on gluten-free bread with sugar-free vegan ketchup and 3000 bottles of pH 9.0 electrolyte water. This is urgent @ UNRWA.
- Tweet by Eve Barlow
By Marc A. Thiessen
What do the nationalist right and the Chinese Communist Party have in common? They both love Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
Last week, the Conservative Political Action Conference continued its shameful embrace of Orban, holding its third annual meeting of the European right in Budapest. Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts says he is “especially proud” of his group’s relationship with Orban, whom he calls “a model for conservative governance.”
Really? Put aside the fact that Orban is a Hungarian David Duke, and who openly declared that, in his country, “we do not want to become peoples of mixed race” – a comment that would have rightly ended the political career of an American politician. Put aside the snowballing child abuse scandal that has roiled Orban’s government. And put aside the fact that Orban has openly en-
dorsed Russian tyrant Vladimir Putinwho has massacred countless innocent civilians in his unlawful invasion of Ukraine – flying to Moscow to proudly shake Putin’s hand at a time when other Western leaders were shunning Putin as a pariah.
If that is not enough to make Orban radioactive to the American right (and shame on those for whom it is not), how about Orban’s embrace of Chinese dictator Xi Jinping?
If there is one thing that supposedly unites all branches of American conservatism, it is the recognition that China poses an existential threat to the United States and the free world. Well, Orban has turned Hungary into the Chinese Communist Party’s closest ally in Europe.
Just before joining CPAC’s gathering in Budapest, Orban hosted China’s minister of public security, Wang Xiaohong, the government official responsible for counterintelligence, political repression
and the political security of the Chinese Communist Party, and who signed agreements to deepen the two countries’ cooperation on public security issues.
The new pacts permit Chinese police to patrol within the country, allowing them to more easily hunt down Chinese dissidents in Europe. And Hungary recently announced that Xi will visit Budapest this month and presumably shower Orban’s cash-strapped government with CCP largesse.
At a time when U.S. conservatives are pushing for economic decoupling from China, Orban has made Beijing his country’s largest trading partner outside the European Union and one of its major investors. “We are proud that Hungary is now the No. 1 destination for Chinese business investment in Central Europe. We thank President Xi for this!” Orban enthused during a speech in Beijing in October.
Orban’s government has signed
strategic cooperation agreements with major Chinese firms including the Bank of China and Huawei (the latter being a signals intelligence service of the CCP masquerading as a telecommunications company), which Hungary has invited to play a crucial role in developing Hungary’s digitization and 5G infrastructure – a direct threat to NATO and U.S. information security. Orban actually visited Huawei headquarters in Shenzhen, China, and signed a memorandum of understanding for new Huawei investments in Hungary. By contrast, President Donald Trump cut off Huawei’s access to U.S. components and technology, declaring in 2020: “We don’t want their equipment in the United States because they spy on us. And any country that uses it, we’re not going to do anything in terms of sharing intelligence.”
Not only is Orban turning his nation into an outpost for Chinese intelligence, he made Hungary the first European
country to sign a Belt and Road cooperation agreement with China – a Chinese Communist Party initiative to buy economic and political influence in countries around the world through massive infrastructure investments. Orban has taken $7.6 billion from Beijing, more than any other country. China is financing a high-speed Budapest-to-Belgrade railway, the Belt and Road Initiative’s most important project in Europe. And the government recently announced a new Belt and Road project to build an oil pipeline between Hungary and Serbia. Orban was the only E.U. leader in attendance at the Third Belt and Road Forum in Beijing in October. He held a warm meeting with Xi and signed five new agreements for Chinese projects in Hungary.
At a time when Republicans in Congress are rightly castigating American universities for accepting money from Communist China and allowing Beijing to establish Confucius Institutes on U.S. college campuses, Orban has invited Beijing to build a $1.8 billion satellite campus for Shanghai’s Fudan University – the first Chinese university in the European Union – with 80 percent of
the funding reportedly coming from a Chinese loan.
All of this is part of a deliberate strategy – what Orban calls his “Keleti Nyitás” or “Eastern Opening” – to reduce Hungary’s dependence on trade
him recently at Mar-a-Lago (though he wisely rejected Orban’s advice, as well as that of Heritage, to oppose Ukraine aid). Meanwhile, those on the anti-Ukraine right – of which Heritage has become a leader – claim they are not pro-Putin,
Orban’s blood-and-soil nationalism is inimical to U.S. conservatism because what we are trying to conserve is not race or ethnicity but an idea: the idea of human freedom.
with the West and reorient the country toward China and the East.
If Orban wants to embrace a brutal Communist dictator, that is his choice. But why would U.S. conservatives then embrace him? Even Trump, a staunch opponent of China and its expanding influence, has praised Orban and hosted
they just think the war in Ukraine is a distraction from the real threat posed by Communist China. Well, if that’s the case, why are they backing Xi’s closest friend and ally in Europe?
So-called national conservatives look past Orban’s love for anti-U.S. tyrants because they see him as a champi-
on of anti-globalist, anti-open-borders, pro-family policies. Well, so are Polish President Andrzej Duda and Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni. They both manage to fight for strong family policies and defend the importance of the nation-state without simultaneously standing by genocidal dictators. (Meloni recently visited Kyiv to show her support for Ukraine, and Duda has led the European response to Putin’s unjust aggression.) Why not hold CPAC in Warsaw or Rome instead of Budapest?
Orban’s blood-and-soil nationalism is inimical to U.S. conservatism because what we are trying to conserve is not race or ethnicity but an idea: the idea of human freedom and the principles contained in our Declaration of Independence. Orban has embraced the enemies of those principles. By embracing Orban, the Heritage Foundation and CPAC are supporting the spread of Communist China’s malevolent influence in the West and undermining the national security interests of the United States. Sorry, but there is nothing conservative about that.
© 2024, Washington Post Writers Group
The terrorism warning light may not be flashing bright red, but it’s certainly blinking again, with senior officials concerned about a possible attack inspired by an offshoot of the Islamic State or perhaps by the war in Gaza or simply because our porous southern border could offer a pathway to mayhem.
A chilling assessment came from FBI Director Christopher A. Wray in an interview with NBC News last week. “As I look back over my career in law enforcement, I’m hard pressed to come up with a time when I’ve seen so many different threats, all elevated, all at the same time.” He said concerns were rising before Hamas’s Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel, but since then, “it’s gone to a whole other level.”
Wray told Congress this month that he worried that lone-wolf extremists or small groups could draw “twisted inspiration” from events in the Middle East. He added that “the potential for a coordinated attack” like the ISIS-K terror rampage at a Moscow auditorium in March was “increasingly concerning.” What keeps him awake, he observed in a speech this month at Vanderbilt University, are what former defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld called “unknown unknowns.”
Wray’s comments haven’t gotten much public attention, perhaps because there are so many other worries this election year. For what it’s worth, my sense is that domestic political threats to our republic these days outweigh the danger of foreign terrorism. But forewarned is forearmed, so I’ve been asking officials across the government to share their assessment of current terrorism risks.
The ISIS-K concern is intense enough that the National Security Council held a “principals committee” meeting last week
By David Ignatius
to discuss the subject. A senior Biden administration official summarized the situation this way in an email: “There is no current evidence of a credible plot. We are extremely vigilant about the potential risk given the evolving threat landscape.”
Officials at several agencies say there’s new focus on ISIS-K, the Islamic State offshoot in “Khorasan,” as it calls a region around northern Afghanistan. The officials say that when the Taliban rulers in Kabul drove rival ISIS-K leaders last year to neighboring Central Asian states like Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, it “changed the dynamics of how they operate,” as one counterterrorism official put it. Now, ISIS-K leaders “are playing the long game, and fairly successfully,” another U.S. official said.
ISIS-K has recruited Tajik migrants working in Russia and Iran for major terrorist attacks in both countries. A
January bombing in Kerman killed 95 Iranians, and the March attack at Moscow’s Crocus City Hall killed more than 140 Russians. The United States, with its extraordinary surveillance capabilities, was able to warn both Iran and Russia that such attacks were planned – but to no avail. “We are victim agnostic,” one U.S. official said, explaining the “duty to warn” about terrorist plots.
The intelligence community fears that ISIS-K could use this Central Asian diaspora to mount similar attacks in Europe or the United States. The group “is reshaping its propaganda to reach this target” of emigres, noted the counterterrorism official. Officials see the raw ingredients for an attack, rather than specific plans.
Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, the Central Command leader, warned a House committee March 7 that “lack of sustained pressure allowed ISIS-K to regenerate
and harden their networks, creating multiple redundant nodes that direct, enable and inspire attacks.”
The pool of potential ISIS-K recruits or lone-wolf actors in the United States is impossible to calculate. But a senior official of the Department of Homeland Security told me that over the past 12 months, as many as 50 Central Asian migrants a day have entered the United States, and that the total flow this past year is more than 10,000. The DHS official said the vast majority were “legitimate asylum seekers” and that many passed through ports of entry, but some crossed the border illegally.
“We have a thorough screening and vetting process at the border that checks names and other information against classified databases to see if anyone is connected to a network that may pose concern,” the senior DHS official explained. DHS has organized several “repatriation flights” to Uzbekistan recently as the number of undocumented Central Asian migrants has increased, the official said.
The Gaza war adds a final combustible element. Wray’s concern about “unknown unknowns” is a good description of the perilous terrain ahead.
Gen. John Abizaid, then commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East, warned more than 20 years ago that the United States faced a “long war” against Islamic extremism that might last decades. That sense of conflict has ebbed and flowed since then; it lured an anxious America into two unwise wars and led successive presidents to try, in vain, to reduce our exposure in the Middle East. But the long war is still with us.
The American involvement during the Vietnam War lasted from 1961 to 1975. Approximately 2.7 million American service men and women were deployed to Vietnam during that time with hundreds of thousands more serving in other areas in Southeast Asia. Here are a few acts of bravery on the battlefield made by U.S. servicemembers during the Vietnam War.
Helicopters were an important part of ground operations as they landed and extracted troops in combat zones. When a mission for ground soldiers didn’t go as planned, an emergency helicopter unit went into action to provide fire support and to get the troops out of danger.
Marine Sergeant Edward M. Goodman, of Seattle, was serving with the Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 165, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 1 st Marine Aircraft Wing and was assigned as a gunner on a CH-46 Sea Knight transport helicopter. On January 12, 1969, his helicopter was called in to rescue an eightman reconnaissance patrol that had been involved in a heavy firefight for a day. The area was a mountainous jungle, and when the CH-46 reached the site, they were met with very heavy fire from the enemy. The pilot was able to lower a cable ladder to the ground thanks to very effective machine gun fire from Goodman. Five members of the patrol were extracted and safely disembarked at a fire support base. The other three
hadn’t made it onto the helicopter, so the CH-46 went back to rescue the rest of the patrol. At first, the enemy fire was so pervasive that the attempt was aborted. The second time around, Goodman placed accurate fire directly on the enemy positions to allow the three Americans time to board the helicopter. During this operation, Goodman ran out of ammunition, and used the crew chief’s weapon to continue discharging devastating gunfire on the enemy’s location. By this time, the helicopter had sustained significant damage but was able to get out of the area and land safely back at base.
For courage and devotion to duty in saving the patrol, Goodman was awarded the Silver Star.
Navy hospital corpsmen often served with marine ground units. Hospitalman Paul Goldstein from Minneapolis was attached to the Company M, 3 rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. The company was fighting communist forces in Quang Ngai Province on March 21, 1966 when he saw a helicopter crash in a rice paddy after being brought down by enemy machine gun fire. He rushed over and was met with exploding grenades and ammunition. Despite metal from the propeller shaft that exploded and ammunition flying all over, Goldstein and another soldier ran to help the copilot who was trying to escape the cockpit. Even though the heat from
the inferno was intense and temporarily blinded him, Goldstein managed to rescue the copilot and bring him to safety.
Specialist Fifth Class Harvey Goldberg from Jamaica, New York, was another unsung Vietnam War hero. He was with Company A, 70th Engineer Battalion when, on May 10, 1968, other parts of his unit became involved in an intense firefight at the Kham Duc airstrip. A relief force that included Goldberg was sent to help repel the enemy forces. When he arrived on the scene, Goldberg went into action by treating wounded soldiers. His position was exposed to enemy fire, but he continually helped evacuate soldiers from the danger zone. Two days later, the enemy launched a mortar attack, and Goldberg again came to rescue the wounded. He was wounded early in the attack but continued evacuating other wounded soldiers until he required immediate evacuations as his wounds became severe.
For his actions, Specialist Goldberg was awarded the Silver Star.
Around 30,000 American Jews were sent to fight in Vietnam with many of them being decorated for heroism. It is difficult sometimes to determine if a serviceman or woman was Jewish based solely on readily available information. That being said, it is very plausible that those written about in this article were Jewish given the circumstances.
One veteran who definitely was Jew-
ish was helicopter pilot Eric Berla. Berla spent time in his youth on a kibbutz in the Negev. While serving in Vietnam with the 1 st Cavalry Division, his unofficial call sign for his Huey was “Super Jew II.” He volunteered to fly the medavac (medical evacuation) chopper for his unit. On one mission, he was lifting a soldier, and his K9 companion into his Huey when they started receiving ground fire. Despite the markings on the helicopter that it was a medical chopper, the Viet Cong deliberately continued firing at it in clear violation of international law. Soon, the communications on the helicopter were shot, and then Berla felt a bullet hit his leg. Still, he finished the mission and later discovered that an AK47 bullet hit the pants leg of his flight suit but missed his leg.
For his bravery in action, Berla was awarded the Air Medal, the Combat Medical Badge, Distinguished Flying Cross and Bronze Star.
The stories of these Forgotten Heroes deserve to be remembered. Heroes like the ones mentioned in this article went through many dangerous situations and will be remembered for the countless lives that they saved.
Avi Heiligman is a weekly contributor to The Jewish Home. He welcomes your comments and suggestions for future columns and can be reached at aviheiligman@gmail.com.
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Hank Aaron once said, “It took me seventeen years to get 3,000 hits in baseball. It took me one afternoon on the golf course.” Remarkably, millions of Americans still manage to love it. They’ll pick out their loudest pants or skirts, head for the course, fire up their carts, and whack a little white ball across a couple hundred acres of manicured lawn for hours at a time. Remarkably, some of them will consider the whole thing fun. The rest will suffer 18 holes in silent frustration until they hit that one gloriously perfect shot that fools them into thinking maybe, someday, they’ll conquer the game. But golf is more than just fun. It’s big business. The National Golf Foundation reports the game generates $102 billion in revenue. That includes money spent at over 14,000 courses, plus billions more on equipment, apparel, instruction, travel to play the game, and golf course homes. There’s even a bipartisan Congressional Gold Caucus made up of members who believe the worst day out on the course beats the best day bickering in the Capitol. Naturally, all that money sloshing around the course means big taxes – and people trying to avoid those taxes.
This week’s story takes us to Spring-
field, Massachusetts, where Kevin Kennedy used to manage two municipal golf courses: the Franconia Golf Course and Veterans Memorial Golf Course. He earned a base salary of $67,000 per year. His company, Kennedy Golf Management, also earned a portion of the profits from greens fees, cart rentals, and pro shop proceeds. Much of the payments for those items came in the form of cash.
in East Longmeadow and on Cape Cod. When it came time to finance the rest of the East Longmeadow property, he submitted a bogus contract to the bank that understated the purchase price by the $160,000 he had already paid in cash.
(Talk about “improving your lie!”)
Naturally, when April 15 rolled around, Kennedy left that cash off his IRS scorecard. Maybe he thought he was playing winter rules?
Naturally, when April 15 rolled around, Kennedy left that cash off his IRS scorecard.
Cash is taxable, of course, no matter how you earn it. But it’s also easy to hide, from employers and the IRS alike. So Kennedy simply scooped it out of the register and hid the income from the city. He wound up paying $160,000 of it, in actual currency, to a luxury homebuilder for custom houses
In 2016, IRS agents showed up at Kennedy’s shop. They weren’t looking for pants with little whales on them. Three years later, prosecutors charged him with theft concerning a program receiving federal funds, money laundering, filing false tax returns, and making a false statement to a financial institu-
tion. Just before trial, he plead guilty to the tax charges. In total, he underreported his income by over $1,000,000, costing Uncle Sam over $300,000 in tax. Last week, Judge Mark Mastroianni sentenced Kennedy to spend 13 months learning the difference between a “country club” and a “country club prison.” There may be room in the exercise yard to work on his short game. (So he’s got that going for him, which is nice.) However, you can bet Kennedy is wishing he could take a mulligan on a few of his choices right around now. Gary Player once said, “The more I work and practice, the luckier I seem to get.” The same holds true for taxes. We work and practice learning legitimate strategies to help you pay less, that don’t involve filching cash from the register, lying to your business partners, or defrauding your mortgage company. So call us for a tee time and see how much you can save!
Allan J Rolnick is a CPA who has been in practice for over 30 years in Queens, NY. He welcomes your comments and can be reached at 718-896-8715 or at allanjrcpa@aol.com.
