Five Towns Jewish Home 06.11.24

Dear Readers,

The universal Shavuos song that children learn in school when they’re young starts with the words, “Hashem gave us a present; do you know what it was? He gave us the Torah, and we should keep its laws.”

It’s a cute song – certainly, everyone loves getting presents – but I was thinking about this recently. When we teach children about the gift that Hashem bequeathed our nation millennia ago, we urge them to “keep its laws.” But how is that a gift? How is it a reward to endow someone with a raft of rules to obey?

As we get older, we understand that the Torah is not a list of laws. It is a way of life in which we uplift our whole being in the duty of the commandments and principles that we uphold.

Nowadays, as I observe the chaos and uncertainty that envelops our world, I cannot help but be grateful and gratified for the “list of laws” that we were gifted so many years ago. The guidebook which we have carried with us throughout the generations has revived us and resuscitated us throughout the years. It is the lifeboat that we cling to in good times and when faced with challenges.

How different, how uplifted, how fortunate are we, as a People, to have carried this gift with us for so many years. It has changed us; it has molded us; it has made us who we are.

And we are so different from the world around us. The magnificence of the values that we uphold is only more distinct when we witness the depravity that has taken over the world. The

principles that have steadily guided us for more than 3,000 years are the protections that have firmly preserved our sanctity and existence.

On Shavuos, we go back millennia to the time when Hashem gave us the Torah. For thousands of years, generation after generation, we have been handing down the words of G-d to our children. We teach them about Shabbos, kashrus, and kibbud av v’eim. We remind them about the importance of guarding their speech, about the proper way to dress, about keeping promises. We chant the words of Shema with them at night and sing Modeh Ani with them as we wash their hands for them in the morning. Each day – each moment – we spend teaching them and modeling for them a Torah lifestyle is another link in a long chain dating back to Har Sinai.

For Jews, our lives are about Torah. But we are aware that it’s not just about learning the Torah; it’s living the Torah that makes us Jews. We want every aspect of our families’ lives to be seeped in Torah ideals. We don’t want to just bring Torah into our homes and leave it on the bookshelves; we want the air in our homes to be saturated with a Torah way of life, for our children to be Torahdik Jews as naturally as they breathe in the air that surrounds them.

Because we know, that when they breathe in that uplifted, exalted, sacred atmosphere, they are breathing in life itself.

Wishing you a beautiful yom tov, Shoshana

Yitzy Halpern, PUBLISHER publisher@fivetownsjewishhome.com

Yosef Feinerman, MANAGING EDITOR ads@fivetownsjewishhome.com

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Dear Editor,

We all know that the Hamas ministry’s definition of, and numeric figures of, “innocent” civilians that are killed in this war – and I’m especially referring to the hostage rescue mission on June 6 with regard to my present comments – are totally and blatantly false and inaccurate.

The audacity of any government official or newscaster or journalist to raise the question of how Israel could go and save the lives of four hostages that resulted in the deaths of perhaps hundreds of “innocent” civilians is just not fathomable. The leftist and socialist media has totally lost any and all credibility and just continues to stoke the flames of the idiotic protesters trying to destroy our country.

How many endless stories have we heard in the past 79 years about the heroic innocent citizens of the countries under Nazi control who truly, literally risked their lives to hide Jews in their own homes or to help them escape to other countries to avoid being captured by the Nazis during World War II? How many citizens of these other countries have we rightfully honored, many posthumously, who forged fraudulent documents to help Jews escape from the Nazi torture? The stories go on and on about these true heroic citizens of Germany, Hungary, Poland and many others who valiantly helped save the lives of many Jews from being caught and exterminated by the Nazis.

Contrast this with the Palestinians living in Gaza. In the eight months since October 7, has there been a suggestion that

even one – again, just even one – “innocent” Palestinian citizen did anything to try to protect any hostage, or help any hostage escape, from their governing Hamas authority, whom we now know are perhaps even worse, if that’s possible, then the Nazi regime? To the total contrary, instead, we know the horror stories about how the hostages have been placed in Palestinian civilian homes and how they have been treated by such “innocent” Palestinian civilians residing in these homes.

Please don’t be so foolish as to jump without thinking and tell me that the Gazans were afraid that, if caught, they could be put to death by Hamas. Are you kidding yourself? Do you not believe that each and every one of these heroic persons whose stories we have heard and read about that took such action during the Holocaust did not literally risk their life to do what they did on behalf of their fellow human beings, who happened to be Jewish?

So yes, as I have advocated from the beginning, and as such gets borne out to be true with each passing day, there are no “innocent” Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

In kashrus, we have a principle called batul b’sheshim, nullifying an improper ingredient if it makes up less than 1/60 of the pot. Assuming that there might even be one righteous Palestinian civilian in 100 – which is highly doubtful at this point – then whatever it takes to get back

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even one hostage, chas v’shalom dead or alive, the IDF should do whatever it takes and not be criticized for killing as many Palestinians civilians as necessary in the furtherance of their mission to get to the hostages back in order to accomplish their rescue goal.

Ira Thomas Far Rockaway, NY

Dear Editor,

Due to a strange series of events, I chanced upon a kever. It was the kever of Ida Davidowitz at Old Montefiore Cemetary (Springfield Blvd.).

Her kever reads only as Eige bas Ezriel (spelled with an aleph). It seems that she was a 38-year-old childless women, at the time of her death, and her neitzeva reads in Yiddish, “Beloved people, I am very alone here, I didn’t leave behind any children. Please grant me as well a candle and beg for my neshama. In this zechus, may Hashem help you, you should live to see children and grandchildren in their old age with all good.”

I believe her kever is Gate 360/e, block 17, row 006R Grave 3 in the Viznitz chelka.

I hope you are able to visit this kever and grant her request, as her yahrtzeit approaches (tes Sivan). May it be a zechus

for you and your family.

Kindly circulate this to others who are in need of their own yeshuos. You may not need to make the trek to all corners of the world to beseech various tzaddikim and tzidkonios; you may find the answer right here.

With much hatzlacha, L.M.

Dear Editor,

You may have heard about Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, whose first and only goal is to put our former President behind bars. We better call him Mr. Break. Why? He is breaking and twisting all the rules of our jurisprudence to his liking.

With the help of Mr. Soros, a Hungarian-American billionaire and philanthropist, he was catapulted into his position. Actually, he is supposed to take care of the horrendous crimes happening in Manhattan on a daily basis; however, he is so preoccupied and is turning a blind eye to all the disasters. He is rather eager to please his “BOSS” in order to succeed in collecting additional sums of money.

Much to the dismay of the majority of the American people, Mr. Break and his misleading Judge Merchan have won the first round, but the contest is far from over! In reality, the contrived verdict has

just the opposite effect: more Americans are donating to and supporting the former President!

Lady Justice temporarily lost her blindfold, but she is still standing tall and strong! She will be the ultimate winner! One thing is for sure: DA Break and Judge Merchan will find their place in history as the worst representatives of American jurisprudence!

Heinz Mayer Garden City, NY

Dear Editor,

Did Glinda, the Good Witch, tell President Biden that he had the power to close the border all along? Three years, six months later, there have been there have been over 8 million migrant nationwide encounters at the border. This does not include 1.7 million-plus known “gotaways.” They are illegal immigrants who evaded the Border Patrol and are now living in all fifty states without documentation and never having undergone any vetting by immigration officials. Biden’s action under his watch is too little, too late.

Sincerely, Larry Penner Great Neck, NY

Dear Editor,

I heard an interesting idea about why Matan Torah has the name Shavuos. Shavuos, the term for “weeks,” highlights the preparation aspect. The Rav famously said, there’s no kedusha without hachana – no holiness without preparation.

When Shavuos does arrive, it’s a day with the highest level of kedusha, as it relates to the giving of the Torah. A rav explains that this idea is behind the custom to eat dairy. Dairy has no inherent kedusha, but this day is so infused with kedusha that we can make anything holy.

The Mesilas Yesharim notes that the optimum level to live life is at a level of kedusha. Not every day is Matan Torah, but we have the ability to connect to G-d on such a high level in every moment that every act we do is inherently holy. Just as a korban is kadosh and can’t be brought with the wrong thoughts, we are holy, and our thoughts must be at the highest of levels.

Being tied to G-d in loftiness is the greatest pleasure man can have, and such a relationship makes every step one takes, movement they make and action they take indispensably kadosh.

Steven Genack

Dear Editor,

I write in response to Anonymous’s letter responding to my letter criticizing both the writer and the editor for printing an “opinion piece” in the form of a letter without attribution: putting aside the writer’s sarcasm, Anonymous just doesn’t get it. While the subject of an opinion piece is important, who the author is has equal and sometimes more efficacy. So for, example, if I read an opinion piece written by say Bret Stephens or Jonathan Tobin, it certainly would have more impact than one written by Michelle Goldberg. Or if I read a psak, it would be more meaningful and have more impact if it was from Rav Hershel Schachter than an anonymous rabbi from Utah. For some reason, Anonymous is fearful of putting his name to the letter. Why, only he can answer.

To my other point, I still believe that a newspaper should never print a letter or opinion piece that is not signed by the author.

As an aside, I buy sneakers that fit not because they are endorsed by anyone. Mark E. Spund

D-Day Commemoration

On June 6, in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of D-Day, U.S. President Joe Biden traveled to Normandy, France, and spoke in front of an assembly of NATO leaders.

D-Day is commemorated once every ten years. Thus, this memorial may very well be the last one with veterans of World War II in attendance, as even the youngest soldiers are now approaching age 100. During the ceremony, Biden and other world leaders saluted the last remaining D-Day veterans.

“We’re not far off from the time when the last living voices of those who fought and bled on D-Day will no longer be with us, so we have a special obligation,” said 81-year-old Biden. “We cannot let what happened here be lost in the silence of the years to come.”

The United Kingdom’s King Charles III and his son William also spoke at the ceremony, which was attended by U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and other world leaders. During the event, Biden and other heads of state reaffirmed their support for Ukraine and drew comparisons between Russia and the countries who fought against the Allies during World War II.

“We cannot let that [a Russian victory over Ukraine] happen. To surrender to bullies, to bow down to dictators is simply unthinkable. Were we to do that, it means we’d be forgetting what happened here on these hallowed beaches. Make no mistake: we will not bow down, we will not forget,” Biden declared.

In the past, other Russian leaders have joined D-Day commemoration ceremonies, seeing as the USSR played an important role in defeating the Nazis. However, Putin, an outcast among NATO

leaders, hadn’t been asked to join.

The soldiers who fought on the beaches of Normandy, where the ceremony took place, “all understood our democracy is only as strong as we make it all together. They knew, beyond any doubt, there are things that are worth fighting and dying for. Freedom is worth it, democracy is worth it, America’s worth it, the world is worth it – then, now and always,” Biden added.

A victory for the Allied powers, D-Day catapulted the U.S. into superpower status and represented a turning point in World War II. Thousands of American soldiers were killed during the operation, which led to the liberation of France from Nazi Germany.

French Man Arrested in Russia

A French man was been arrested in Russia for allegedly “collecting information in the field of military activities of the Russian Federation,” according to a statement issued by Russia’s Investigative Committee on Thursday.

The French national, who worked for the Swiss Center for Humanitarian Dialogue, a non-profit pro-peace organization, was detained by security officials while in a Moscow cafe. The man was subsequently taken into a military van.

According to the Investigative Committee, the man, who was not registered as a foreign agent, spied on Russian military activities for a number of years.

“For these purposes, he repeatedly visited the territory of Russia, including the city of Moscow, where he held meetings with citizens of the Russian Federation,” the committee added.

As part of his role in the non-profit, the man began dealing with situations in Ukraine after the February 2014 pro-democracy protests which led to the ousting of pro-Kremlin Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich, according to the committee.

The detained individual was “in no way … working for France. Now we are very vigilant, he will receive all the consular protections that apply in such a case. I want to say the truth in the face of the brainwashing that we hear,” said

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine over two years ago, Moscow’s relationship with France and other NATO countries has deteriorated. In 2022, Russia enacted a law, forcing all individuals who have “received support and (or) [are] under foreign influence” to register as foreign agents. Last year, Alsu Kurmasheva, a U.S.-Russian journalist, was arrested in Kazan, Russia, for allegedly refusing to register as a foreign agent. Evan Gershkovich, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, has been detained in Russia since 2023 for allegedly engaging in espionage.

North Korea’s Garbage Balloons

As of late, North Korea and South Korea have been throwing giant balloons filled with different objects across the border at one another, as tensions increase between the two countries.

For the past few decades, South Korean activist groups had been sending giant balloons to North Korea in protest of its authoritarian government. The floating packages generally contained

items banned in North Korea, such as anti-communist leaflets, food, medicine, radios, and South Korean newspapers.

Last month, North Korea struck back, sending 3,500 giant balloons to its neighbor. According to Kim Jang II, the vice defense minister of North Korea, the balloons, in all, contained fifteen tons of trash. South Korean officials have said that the balloons contained “filth.” Due to the barrage of garbage balloons, some South Korean flights were disturbed, and citizens were told to remain indoors. Once the balloons arrived and began popping, garbage rained down on South Korean land.

On Thursday, Fighters for a Free North Korea (FFNK), an activist group based in South Korea, made the next move, sending a large number of balloons to North Korea, containing 200,000 anti-Kim Jong Un flyers, 5,000 USB drives with South Korean pop music (K-Pop)

and K-drama music videos and television shows, as well as 2,000 one dollar bills, the organization said.

Although the South Korean government has banned activist groups from sending balloons to North Korea, FFNK and other anti-Pyongyang organizations refuse to stop.

“We sent money, medicine, facts, truth, and love, but to send filth and trash in return? That’s an inhumane and barbaric act,” said Park Sang-hak, a head member of FFNK.

Park grew up in North Korea. In 1992, he “heard a huge balloon in the sky” when he was in a public square.

“This round thing suddenly popped with a loud bang, then leaflets fell from the sky. I knew I wasn’t supposed to look at those things, so I put one in my pocket and went to the bathroom to check it out,” Park explained.

By reading the leaflets, Park found out about individuals who escaped from North Korea, including a number of people who headed to South Korea. In 2000, Park escaped to South Korea, and in 2006, he began sending his own balloons to North Korea.

“South Korea is not an American colony or a wasteland of humanity like I learned in North Korea,” said Park, who

sends leaflets that expose Kim’s family and contain information about South Korea.

Danish PM Hurt

On Friday evening, a man hit Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, causing her to fall and leaving her “shaken.” Police are saying that the attack was not politically motivated and that the 39-year-old Polish perpetrator is mentally unbalanced.

The prime minister had been taken to a hospital for a check-up after the attack in a Copenhagen square.

The assault caused a “minor whiplash injury,” according to her office, adding that the prime minister was “otherwise safe but shaken by the incident,” and her Saturday schedule had been canceled. In court on Saturday, the prosecutor

asked the perpetrator if could remember what he was doing between 5:30 pm and 5:45 pm the day before.

“To be completely honest, then no, not much,” the man replied.

The attack was widely condemned by leading European politicians, including EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, who said it was a “despicable act which goes against everything we believe and fight for in Europe.”

King Charles Currency

Be prepared to see King Charles III a lot when you’re doing your errands in the United Kingdom. Banknotes featuring the new monarch entered circulation in the UK on Wednesday.

The Bank of England said Charles is only the second monarch, after his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, to appear on banknotes issued by the Bank of England. It is also the first time the bank has changed the monarch on its notes.

Charles’ unsmiling portrait appears on notes of £5, £10, £20 and £50. The rest of the design will remain the same as the current notes that feature the late Queen Elizabeth II on their fronts.

The changes are taking place slowly and “very gradually.” Fans of Charles can also exchange old banknotes for the new ones for a limited time, the Bank of England said.

The bank said there will be a series of charity auctions for low-serial-numbered notes over the summer at auction house Spink & Son.

Even once the banknotes are rolled out, Brits may not be seeing Charles all that much as fewer people in the UK are using cash. The British Retail Consortium in 2023 reported an increase in cash usage for the first time in a decade, making up about 19% of total transactions. Cards had still made up the overwhelming proportion of money spent, at 85%.

Cleaning the Himalayas

It took 55 days to clean up tons of garbage from the Everest, Nuptse, and Lhotse mountains. Nepal undertook the campaign, called “an endeavor to save the Himalayas.”

Four dead bodies, along with skeletal remains, were also removed during the operation.

Prabhu Ram Sharma, Nepal’s Chief of the Army Staff, said, “This is an achievement mission as well as a readiness mission in which we have demonstrated our ability to complete our work in accordance with the goals and objectives we have established and accepted.”

Mount Everest has long struggled with its status as the “world’s highest garbage dump” with hundreds of mountaineers arriving at the peak each year. Environmentalists have estimated that more than 50 tons of garbage and more than 200 dead bodies are buried in Everest.

The country’s military began the annual clean-up drives in 2019 amid concerns over the temperature fluctuations threatening the existence of the world’s highest mountain.

So far, five annual clean-up drives have collected 119 tons of waste, 14 human corpses, and skeleton remains, the army said.

More than 600 people attempt to reach the summit of Mount Everest each year, and each climber discards, on an average, 18 pounds of garbage, including oxygen canisters, tents, food containers and even human waste. In efforts to reduce waste, Nepal’s government asks Everest climbers to bring their human waste in bags back to base camp after summiting the world’s tallest mountain,

The local municipality of Pasang Lhamu announced that climbers will be required to purchase these special bags at base camp which will be “checked upon their return.”

Due to concerns of overcrowding, this year, the government issued 421 climber permits, down from a record-breaking 478 last year. The number excludes Nepalese guides. Around eight climbers have died or went missing from the mountain this year.

Chinese Cybercrime Gang in Zambia

In a trial that lasted for many weeks, 22 Chinese citizens and a man from Cameroon were sentenced for cyber-related crimes in Zambia on Friday.

Some members of the gang, including the mastermind, Li Xianlin, received 11 years in prison. The female member of the gang, Gu Tianjiao, cried, “Papa, papa,” when she heard she was going to jail for seven years.

The group’s members were also fined between $1,500 and $3,000.

Victims as far as Singapore, Peru and the United Arab Emirates fell prey to their online scams, say Zambian authorities.

The group was found guilty on three

charges: computer-related misrepresentation, identity-related crimes, and illegally operating a network or service.

The 22 people jailed on Friday were among a larger group of 77 suspects arrested in April, in connection with what authorities called a “sophisticated internet fraud syndicate.”

The swoop on a Chinese-run company in the capital, Lusaka, followed an alarming rise in internet fraud cases in the country, targeting people in countries around the world.

Dozens of young Zambians were also arrested after allegedly being recruited to be call-center agents in the fraudulent activities, including internet fraud and online scams. Authorities said the Zambians involved had been tasked “with engaging in deceptive conversations with unsuspecting mobile users across various platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, chatrooms and others, using scripted dialogues.”

Authorities confiscated thousands of Sim cards, equipment to disguise a phone’s location, two firearms and many rounds of ammunition.

Tokyo Gov’t Dating App

The birthrate in Tokyo has fallen to an all-time low, according to a health ministry data report that was released last week. Marriages in the city are also on a downward trend, with 474,717 marriages taking place last year, down from 504,930 marriages in 2022. Births totaled 727,277 last year, down from 770,759.

In an effort to boost its population, the city is taking matters into its own hands. This week, city hall announced a new initiative: the Tokyo Futari Story. It’s a website that is designed to produce “futari,” couples, in a country where it’s common to be “hitori,” alone.

Officials say a dating app is also in the works.

Authorities are also working on this

problem on a national level. The government has been trying to solve a serious labor shortage by promising cash payments for families with children and supporting child-care facilities. It’s also relaxed immigration policy over the years to encourage an influx of foreign workers.

During the so-called “baby boom” era of the 1970s, Japan recorded more than 2 million births a year. But young adults nowadays are looking less at the idea of marriage and are working longer hours than the older generation, leaving them less time for dating and marriage. Some are also shying away from having children because of the costs involved.

Tokyo City Hall is also sponsoring events where singles can meet, couples can get counseling on marriage, and where couples can have their stories of how they first met turned into comics or songs.

Vietnam Arrests Journalist

Authorities in Vietnam have arrested one of the country’s most prominent journalists and accused him of “abusing democratic freedoms” by posting articles

on Facebook that “infringed on the interests of the state and the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and individuals.”

Truong Huy San — known to many by his pen name, Huy Duc — was taken into custody last week, according to a prominent Vietnamese blogger. But there was no official confirmation until Friday, when state news media reported that the Ministry of Public Security was investigating San for his Facebook posts. There were no details on the content of the posts.

Journalists have long been a target for Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party, which frequently crushes dissent. But San had for years managed to navigate the small space for independent thought, often publishing articles that criticized the government. His connections with high-level officials were thought to have

been a buffer — until now.

San’s case is part of a sweeping repression of civil society that many rights groups say has expanded in scale and scope in recent years. The law that he has been accused of violating is an “overly broad” one that authorities frequently use against critics of the government, according to Human Rights Watch.

“Huy Duc is the most influential journalist in Vietnam,” said Ben Swanton, a director at the 88 Project, a U.S.-based nonprofit that focuses on human rights issues in Vietnam. “His arrest represents an alarming attack on freedom of the press and is the latest in an ongoing crackdown on reformers.”

Reporters Without Borders, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and PEN America have all called on the government to release San.

After San, 62, disappeared June 1, his Facebook account, with more than 350,000 followers, was deactivated, its posts taken down.

Screenshots saved by the 88 Project show that on May 26, San took aim at police on Facebook with a headline: “A country cannot develop based on fear.” He criticized the concentration of power under the Ministry of Public Security, which was most recently led by To Lam,

the newly appointed president.

On May 28, San posted an article criticizing the crackdown on corruption initiated by Vietnam’s powerful Communist Party chief, Nguyen Phu Trong. San wrote that combating graft needed to be done through institutions and not by “eliminating” several corrupt high-ranking officials. (© The New York Times)

Samsung Workers Strike

Staff at Samsung Electronics, one of the world’s largest smartphone manufacturers and one of the only companies producing high-end semiconductors, are on strike for the first time ever, as part of a six-month campaign for better pay.

Son Woo-mok, head of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU), which represents tens of thousands of people, said that employees were taking their paid leave entitlements simultaneously last Friday.

Samsung has been locked in negotiations with the unions over pay since January. The company has offered a 5.1 percent pay increase this year, while the union has said that it wants an additional day of annual leave as well as transparent performance-based bonuses.

On Friday, Samsung said it had been “diligently engaging in negotiations and will continue to do so,” and that there had been no impact on production. The company’s chips are used for generative AI, including AI hardware from industry leaders including Nvidia.

Some workers were seen outside the main office in Seoul, South Korea, on Friday chanting, “Respect labor! We are not wanting a 6.5 percent raise or a 200 percent bonus!”

Samsung Electronics is the flagship subsidiary of South Korean giant Samsung Group, by far the largest of the family-controlled conglomerates that dominate business in Asia’s fourth-largest economy. The strike mainly involves those working in headquarters and not employees on production lines.

Even so, the strike has historical importance, “since Samsung resisted unionization and engaged in union-busting for

so long,” Vladimir Tikhonov, professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, noted.

Samsung had managed to hold off the unionization of its employees for almost 50 years. But in the late 2010s, organizers seized the opportunity presented by the left-leaning government of former President Moon Jae-in, a former rights lawyer who represented trade unions, and controversy around the bribery trial of the company’s then-vice-chairman Lee Jae-yong, the founder’s grandson, to set up a union.

Baruch Matir Assurim

On Saturday, in a daring daylight rescue operation, troops from the Yamam counter-terrorism unit, along with members of the Shin Bet, rescued four Israeli hostages from Hamas’ clutches.

Noa Argamani, 26, Almog Meir Jan, 21, Andrey Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 40, had been kidnapped from the Supernova music festival near the community of Re’im on the morning of October 7. The Israeli officers raided two Hamas-controlled buildings in the city of Nuseirat in the middle of the day. The buildings were raided at the same time, to prevent terrorists from killing hostages in the other building while the rescue was going on.

Noa was rescued from one building. Almog, Andrey and Shlomi were rescued from the other building.

Israel Defense Forces Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the hostages were rescued by special forces while “under fire.” Hundreds of soldiers were involved in the operation.

Sadly, one soldier lost his life during the rescue. Yamam Chief Inspector Arnon Zamora, who commanded the rescue team at the building where three hostages were being held, was critically wounded by Hamas fire. He was brought to an Israeli hospital but died shortly after.

44 The Hamas guards were killed in the exchange.

Known originally as “Seeds of Summer,” the name of the rescue operation was changed after Arnon’s death to “Operation Arnon” in his memory.

The hostages had been in captivity for 254 days. Thankfully, they seemed to be in good health and were transported to Israel via helicopter. The hostages were held in the homes of Hamas-affiliated families, who were paid by Hamas.

“During the operation, we struck… threats to our forces in the area. These threats were struck from the land, air, and sea… for us to extract our forces [and the hostages],” Hagari said in a press conference.

Nuseirat is one of the few areas of Gaza where ground troops had not yet maneuvered into during the IDF’s ground offensive against the Hamas terror group.

Hagari said that the rescue had been in the works for “many weeks,” with “quality intelligence and complex operational planning.”

He noted that “the intelligence for this operation was very complex to obtain.”

It was the third successful operation of its kind since October 7. The first was the rescue of soldier Ori Megidish in late October. In early December, the IDF at-

tempted to rescue another hostage, but he was killed. And in February, hostages Fernando Marman, 61, and Louis Har, 70, were rescued from southern Gaza’s Rafah.

All of the hostages rescued by the IDF so far were found in buildings and not in tunnels.

Many people remember Noa from a video of her being abducted from the music festival on a motorbike. Her mother is terminally ill and had begged to see her daughter alive before she dies. Hamas had featured Noa in a propaganda video in January and had released an audio clip of her voice last week.

Almog had been in the army just three months prior to being captured. Andrey worked as a security guard at the festival. He had moved to Israel a year and a half ago. Shlomi was also working as a security guard at the party. He had gone to the party with Aviv Eliyahu, his wife’s relative, and Jake Marlowe, a friend, who were both were killed.

After the rescue, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “Once again you have proven that Israel does not surrender to terrorism and acts with creativity and boldness that knows no bounds, to bring home our hostages,” the premier said in a statement. “We are committed to doing so in the future as well. We will not let up until we complete the mission

and return all our hostages home – both the living and the dead.”

Hamas had kidnapped 251 people during the October 7 massacre. There are still 116 people being held hostage, although many of them are no longer alive.

The IDF has confirmed the deaths of 41 of those still held by Hamas, citing new intelligence and findings obtained by troops operating in Gaza.

One more person has been listed as missing since October 7, and her fate is still unknown, although her family believes she is dead.

Danny Danon to be UN Amb.

Likud Party lawmaker Danny Danon is slated to return to New York this summer as Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, four years after leaving the dip-

lomatic post to involve himself in domestic politics.

Danon will replace Gilad Erdan, who took over in 2020 but has decided to wrap up his term and move his family back to the Jewish state as two of his children are about to be drafted into the Israel Defense Forces.

The appointment of Danon has been authorized by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Israel Katz but is still subject to approval by government ministers, the Prime Minister’s Office said.

“MK Danon has a lot of experience in the international arena and there is no doubt that he will express his skills and experience during this time,” stated the PMO.

In a post on X, Danon alluded to the news, noting that he has “fought to defend Israel’s global position in a variety of ways” since Hamas launched its genocidal attack against the Jewish state on October 7.

“At a time when the State of Israel is fighting on many fronts, each of us must do the best within our skills and experience. This is how I acted in the past, and this is how I will continue to act in the future,” he tweeted.

“In the face of the diplomatic terror that rears its head these days, I am compelled to present the truth with my head

held high for the sake of the people of Israel and our shared future here,” added Danon.

In a May 31 statement, the Prime Minister’s Office said Erdan “intends to continue harnessing his vast experience and skills to strengthen the State of Israel in the future.”

Danon, a senior member of the Knesset and the chairman of World Likud, previously served as minister of science and technology and deputy minister of defense. In November, Danon helped launch a bipartisan initiative that called on Western countries to take in Gaza noncombatants wishing to relocate as the Israeli military works to destroy Hamas in the Strip. (JNS)

Spain to Join S. Africa at ICJ

In late 2023, South Africa brought legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice, claiming that the Jewish state is guilty of perpetrating genocide against Gazans. On Thursday, Spain requested that it join South Africa’s case.

The ICJ case is expected to continue for years. However, in the meantime, the court has ordered Israel to avoid military actions that could kill a large number of civilian evacuees in the city of Rafah, which Israeli officials say is Hamas’ last stronghold in the Gaza Strip. According to Israeli officials, the Jewish state has thus far complied with the ICJ’s order, avoiding civilian casualties whenever possible, without having to halt the ground campaign.

“We take the decision because of the ongoing military operation in Gaza,” said Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares. “We want peace to return to Gaza and the Middle East, and for that to happen we must all support the court.”

Mexico, Nicaragua, Colombia, Libya, and “Palestine” have also asked to join the ICJ case.

On May 28, Spain, Ireland, and Norway officially recognized a “Palestinian state,” an action that was criticized by Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “reward for terror.” Last

week, the European Union’s Slovenia also recognized a “Palestinian state.”

Although no major Western countries have recognized a “Palestinian state,” more than 140 UN nations, or over twothirds of the international organization, have recognized a state.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has been critical of Israel’s ground offensive in Gaza, which was launched in response to the October 7 massacre, when the Hamas terrorist group murdered more than 1,200 people and took 251 others hostage, many of whom have yet to return home. Reacting to Spain’s recognition of a Palestinian state, Foreign Minister Israel Katz criticized the government of Sánchez for “being complicit in inciting genocide against Jews and war crimes.”

Strike on UNRWA “School”

International organizations were quick to condemn Israel for its Thursday strike on an UNRWA school, accusing the Jewish state of targeting civilian infrastructure. The international organizations blindly believed figures published by Hamas without taking into consideration the fact that the IDF had been targeting terrorists who were using the school as a military base.

“Sadly, we saw some media outlets fall for Hamas’s tactics yet again before checking the facts,” said IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari. “The terrorists inside this school were planning more attacks against Israelis, some of them imminent. We stopped a ticking time bomb.”

The eliminated terrorists were either part of the Nukhba force of Hamas or the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, both of whom “directed terror attacks from the area of the school while exploiting it as a civilian location and as a shelter,” added Hagari.

Nine terrorists were killed in the school, where thirty terrorists were stationed, some of whom took part in the October 7 massacre.

Hamas officials claimed that thirty-three Palestinians died as a result of the Israeli strike. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, at first, said that fourteen

48 children and nine women were killed, although, on Thursday evening, the hospital morgue clarified that three women, nine children, and twenty-one men died. The bodies were counted by an Associated Press reporter who was banned from looking underneath the burial shrouds.

“Hamas wages war from schools and hospitals. Hamas hopes that international law and public sympathy will provide a shield for its military activities, which is why it systematically operates from schools, UN facilities, hospitals, and mosques,” said Hagari. “We conducted the strike once our intelligence and surveillance indicated that there were no women or children inside those classrooms.”

Hagari noted that the strike was postponed twice when the IDF discovered that civilians were in the area, adding that the civilian deaths were unavoidable.

UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini accused Israel of attacking the school “without prior warning.”

“Another UNRWA school turned shelter attacked,” Lazzarini posted on social media. “Attacking, targeting or using U.N. buildings for military purposes is a blatant disregard of International Humanitarian law.”

A spokesperson for U.N. Secre-

tary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned the attack, with officials from the U.S. and EU calling for investigations into the incident.

Israel “Ready” to Fight Hezbollah

The Israel Defense Forces Home Front Command is prepared for a full-out war with Hezbollah terrorists on the Jewish state’s northern border with Lebanon, commander Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo reiterated on Sunday.

“If the IDF needs to go to war in the north, we are ready. We have made great efforts to achieve this in recent months,” the Home Front Command head stated at the MuniWorld Conference in Tel Aviv.

“On Oct. 7, we did not manage to protect the [Gaza] Envelope towns, and now there is a major crisis of confidence in the

army,” said Milo.

Meanwhile, Moshe Davidovich, who heads the Mateh Asher Regional Council in the western Galilee, told the conference that border towns are “neither prepared nor protected” if the conflict expands.

“The Israeli government has failed in all matters of preparedness regarding the defense of the conflict line [with Lebanon],” he charged.

The Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist organization has attacked northern Israel nearly every day since joining the war in support of Hamas on October 8, killing more than 20 people and causing widespread damage. Tens of thousands of Israelis remain internally displaced due to the violence.

Air-raid sirens sounded in towns on the northern border throughout the day on Sunday, warning of incoming rockets and drones. At least 10 rockets were launched towards Israeli towns in the Galilee panhandle and the northern Golan Heights. Several rockets exploded in open areas, setting fields ablaze, but no casualties were reported.

Hezbollah took responsibility for the attacks, announcing in a statement it had fired Katyusha rockets at Israeli “military positions” in the Golan Heights, including an alleged IDF post in the Mount Dov area.

In addition, at least two suicide drones managed to penetrate Israeli air defenses, exploding in an open area in the northern Golan. There were no injuries, and the IDF is investigating the incident, local reports said.

The drone attack was said to have sparked a fire which quickly spread. Multiple units of Israel’s Fire and Rescue Services were reportedly called to the scene to stop the fire from reaching nearby civilian communities.

On Saturday, Hezbollah fired a salvo of Iranian “Falaq 2” rockets at an IDF command center in northern Israel, marking the first time the terror group had deployed the projectile, a “security source” told Reuters

In response, the Israeli Air Force hit terror infrastructure in Southern Lebanon, including in Aitaroun and Rab El Thalathine. On Sunday morning, fighter jets also targeted a rocket launcher in the Houla area.

Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Jewish state is “prepared for very intense action in the north” to “restore security” and return displaced citizens to their homes near the border.

“We said at the start of the war that we would restore security in both the south

and the north, and this is what we are doing,” the premier said after earlier being briefed by commanders at the IDF’s Gibor base. (JNS)

Out of Control Cargo Ship

Just a few months after the Dali cargo vessel lost power and crashed into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, destroying the 1.6-mile span and killing six workers, a major bridge in Charleston, South Carolina, was temporarily closed last Wednesday afternoon after a crew lost control of a large container ship after it left port.

The U.S. Coast Guard was alerted to an “out of control vessel” in the Cooper River and rushed to clear boaters from the vessel’s path and shut down the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge before the ship passed underneath.

Thankfully, the vessel, MSC Michigan 7, passed safely under the bridge and didn’t hit any of the bridge’s supports. Eventually, the crew was able to regain control of the engines and anchored the vessel about 8.5 nautical miles offshore.

The Ravenel Bridge, a two-and-a-halfmile-long overpass with a 1,546-foot cable-stayed main span, is a major artery connecting Charleston to Mount Pleasant.

The vessel is about 997 feet long and 74,000 gross tons. It was headed to Savannah, Georgia, but is anchored for now.

The bridge reopened after the vessel safely passed underneath.

U.S. Beats Pakistan in Cricket

In one of the biggest upsets in sports history, the United States beat Pakistan in the T20 World Cup of cricket on Thursday. The match was decided in a super over tiebreaker, with the U.S. beating Pakistan by five runs in the final.

50 The matchup was held in Grand Prairie, Texas.

In general, Pakistan is a powerhouse in cricket. It is a national sport in that country. On the other hand, the U.S. is hardly known to be a star on the cricket field. In fact, many of the players for the U.S. had to take off from their jobs to play in the tournament.

For example, one of the U.S.’s bowlers (pitchers), Saurabh Netravalkar, is a principal engineer at Oracle who attended Cornell. Oracle congratulated its employee, dubbing Netravalkar its “very own engineering and cricket star.”

Another member of the team, Ravi Timbawala, is a manager at Foothill Pharmacy in Rialto, California, according to his LinkedIn. Another player, Nisarg Patel, earned a master’s degree in pharmaceutical science before getting a job with a U.S. multinational pharmaceutical company’s branch in the United Kingdom.

“Playing against Pakistan for the first time in the World Cup and beating them, it was an unbelievable performance,” U.S. captain Monank Patel said. “Beating Pakistan, you know, it’s a big achievement.”

Pakistan is a three-time T20 World Cup finalist.

The U.S. will be back in action against India, another cricket powerhouse, on Wednesday.

Venezuelan Gang in the U.S.

Tren de Aragua is behind some of the more gruesome crimes in Venezuela. The criminal organization originated in a Venezuelan prison but has slowly spread into neighboring countries. Now, authorities say that it is operating in the United States.

For now, it is unclear how large or at what scale Tren de Aragua is functioning

within U.S. borders. Crimes attributed to alleged members of the gang have worried elected officials, and some Republican members of Congress have asked the Biden administration “to formally designate the vicious Tren de Aragua as a Transnational Criminal Organization.”

For several years, the criminal group has terrorized South American countries, including Venezuela, its country of origin, as well as Bolivia, Colombia, Chile and Peru. Retired general Óscar Naranjo, a former vice president of Colombia and chief of the Colombian National Police, said that Tren de Aragua is “the most disruptive criminal organization operating nowadays in Latin America, a true challenge for the region.”

The group was officially named between 2013 and 2015, although it was operating years before, according to a report by Transparency Venezuela.

“It has its origin in the unions of workers who worked on the construction of a railway project that would connect the center-west of the country and that was never completed” in both Aragua and Carabobo states.

The group’s leadership, according to the report, operated out of the notorious Tocorón prison, which they controlled. When Venezuelan officials raided it last September, they found a swimming pool and several restaurants inside the prison walls, in addition to weapons seized from inmates, including automatic rifles, machine guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

In 2015, they forged an alliance with Primeiro Comando da Capital, a Brazilian criminal organization.

“They have followed the migration paths across South America to other countries and have set up criminal groups throughout South America as they follow those paths, and that they appear to follow the migration north to the United States,” Britton Boyd, an FBI special agent in El Paso, Texas, explained.

U.S. Border Patrol chief Jason Owens, who has confirmed multiple arrests at the southern border of alleged Tren de Aragua members over the last year, wrote on X in April, “Watch out for this gang. It is the most powerful in Venezuela, known for murder, drug trafficking…extortion, & other violent acts.”

Bernardo Raul Castro-Mata, 19, from Venezuela, shot two NYPD officers last week. He had entered the country illegally last July. Tattoos on his body are associated with Tren de Aragua – five-pointed crowns, five-pointed stars and teardrops. He is also a suspect in several robberies in Queens. Police say Tren de Aragua is behind the kidnapping and murder of a

former Venezuelan police officer in South Florida in November 2023.

In March, a group of Republican members of Congress led by Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and his fellow Republican Representative Ana María Salazar sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to take action by designating the gang as a “transnational criminal organization.”

In the letter, the legislators said, “If left unchecked, they will unleash an unprecedented reign of terror, mirroring the devastation it has already inflicted in communities throughout Central and South America, most prominently in Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru.”

Shakeup at WAPO

Will Lewis, CEO of The Washington Post, repeatedly offered an exclusive interview to an NPR reporter if the reporter agreed not to write about allegations against Lewis in a phone-hacking scandal in Britain, according to an account by that reporter published Thursday.

David Folkenflik, a veteran media reporter for NPR, wrote that a spokesperson for Lewis confirmed the offer in December. That spokesperson declined to comment when approached again Thursday, according to NPR.

“In several conversations, Lewis repeatedly — and heatedly — offered to give me an exclusive interview about the Post’s future, as long as I dropped the story about the allegations,” Folkenflik wrote.

A spokesperson for Lewis said that “when he was a private citizen ahead of joining The Washington Post, he had off-the-record conversations with an employee of NPR about a story the employee then published.” The spokesperson said any interview requests with Lewis after he joined the Post were “processed through the normal corporate communication channels.”

In an interview Thursday, Folkenflik said he did not violate an off-the-record agreement with Lewis to report Thursday’s article. He also said that he decided to disclose the conversation with Lewis and his spokesperson now in light of recent turmoil at the Post.

On Sunday, Lewis announced that

Sally Buzbee had resigned as executive editor and that Matt Murray, a former top editor at The Wall Street Journal, would be her temporary replacement. After the presidential election, Robert Winnett, a British editor, will oversee the core news operation, and Murray will manage a new division focused on social media and service journalism.

Lewis, who was named CEO of the Post late last year, is accused in court filings of helping to cover up illegal phone hacking at British publications owned by Rupert Murdoch more than a decade ago. In May, in a case brought by Prince Harry and others, a judge ruled that the plaintiffs could add Lewis’ name to a list of executives they argued were involved in a plan to conceal evidence of hacking at the newspapers.

Lewis has strongly denied any wrongdoing in that case. Although he is named in the lawsuit, he is not a defendant. (© The New York Times)

Hochul Delays Congestion Pricing Plan

Last March, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) approved a congestion pricing plan that was set to be implemented starting on June 30 and would fine drivers $15 for driving south of 60th Street, Manhattan. The MTA approved the plan in hopes of raising revenue and reducing traffic congestion in New York City.

Last Wednesday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that she was delaying the plan indefinitely.

“After careful consideration, I have come to the difficult decision that implementing the planned congestion system risks too many unintended consequences for New Yorkers at this time,” said Hochul in a video announcement.

Transport Workers Union international president John Samuelsen alleged that Hochul, in delaying the plan, misused her political power to help her chances of winning another election.

“This was going to be a disaster for Hochul at the ballot, and the plan is bleeding into the Dem’s efforts to take

back the House,” charged Samuelsen.

The plan had many critics, including several members of New York’s congressional delegation and state legislature.

“The political calculus has always been the same – it was going to pay off poorly for Democrats, this has always been a wildly unpopular proposal that was only supported by a very vocal minority in the city, mainly the anti-car bike bros in the city,” said Republican City Councilmember Joe Borelli. “Democrats are in a tailspin nationally, and now Hochul is flip-flopping on a state-wide poison pill that affects places in the heart of where Democrats need to take back the house – Long Island and the Hudson Valley, where this is hugely unpopular.”

Supporters of the plan, who believed the initiative would help raise funds to improve the subway and bussing systems, voiced concern over Hochul’s decision to delay the plan indefinitely. Rep. Ritchie Torres, who represents much of South Bronx, said he was surprised by the governor’s decision. Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler criticized Hochul’s move, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries expressed support over a temporary delay to the plan.

“Delaying congestion pricing is a slap in the face to the millions of New Yorkers

who rely on public transportation every day just to appease the program’s loudest foes. Congestion pricing is a $15 billion lifeline for the MTA – critical funding that will be lost if the program is stalled,”

Transportation Alternatives, an organization that supports the congestion pricing price, stated. “The next time your train is late, your bus is trapped in traffic, your subway station is still missing an elevator, you know who to blame: Governor Kathy Hochul.”

Had it been implemented, the plan would have made New York City the first city in the U.S. with congestion pricing.

Alex Jones to Liquidate Assets

Alex Jones, a far-right conspiracy theorist who has claimed that the Sandy

ernment-orchestrated hoax, has agreed to liquidate his assets to compensate the families of the victims of the 2012 attack.

Although Jones was ordered in 2022 to pay $1.5 billion to the families, whom he was found to have defamed and subjected to emotional distress, Jones has yet to pay the families and has, until now, refused to liquidate his assets.

The move, which was announced on Thursday, will very likely force Jones to sell his company, Free Speech Systems, and its news website, Infowars, according to Avi Moshenberg, an attorney of some of the families.

“Converting the case to Chapter 7 will hasten the end of these bankruptcies and facilitate the liquidation of Jones’s assets, which is the same reason we have moved to convert his company’s case to Chapter 7,” said Chris Mattei, one of the lawyers who has been representing families of the Sandy Hook victims.

Infowars, which is commonly regarded as a website that promotes conspiracy theories, hasn’t been in Jones’ control ever since Free Speech Systems filed for bankruptcy. Free Speech Systems, since then, has been supervised by a court-appointed restructuring officer.

A court-appointed trustee will be appointed to liquidate Jones’ assets, including Infowars. Once Jones gives up the website, Infowars can still exist if, for example, the trustee opts to sell the website to someone else.

The outcome of Free Speech Systems’ bankruptcy move will be decided next Friday.

Can Trump Win Black Voters?

Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, whom Trump is reportedly considering for vice president, has started a new multimillion-dollar outreach initiative in hopes of convincing Black and Latino voters to vote Republican in the 2024 election.

The initiative is supported by the Great Opportunity PAC, which backs Scott. As part of the plan, over $14 million will be spent, $5 million of which will be used on earned and paid media. The

effort will see Scott visiting several important swing states, including Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, Nevada, and Pennsylvania. Scott expects his efforts to be most successful in key cities such as Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Detroit.

As the only Black Republican currently in the Senate, Scott has noted that many people of color, who are dissatisfied with the Biden administration, are flocking to the Republican Party.

“There are a lot of reasons why the shift is becoming just so blatantly obvious that it’s now undeniable that there is something amiss,” said Scott at a Washington, DC, press conference. “It’s not just racial, but it’s going to manifest itself in a racial shift that we haven’t seen in probably three decades of politics.”

He added, “What we haven’t had before was a recent president on the right vs. the current president on the left. And that translates into a lot of ticked-off people who are looking at the Republican Party.”

As part of his efforts, Scott will highlight ways that former president and current GOP presumptive nominee Donald Trump has helped Black Americans, including by signing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and by forgiving historically Black colleges and universities’ debt.

Scott will also argue that the religious and conservative values of Black voters align more with the Republican Party than with the Democrat Party.

“I’ve been talking about this for years – that we have to go where we’re not invited,” Scott said, referencing Trump’s campaign event in the Bronx, a New York City borough that is predominantly proBiden. “We have just not had enough candidates doing that from the party, and now we do, and we’re gonna see the results that are consistent with that.”

According to a New York Times/Siena College poll conducted a month ago in swing states, in a one-on-one match against President Joe Biden, Trump would win over 20% of the Black vote. According to the same poll, if the election were to take place today, 14% of Black voters would vote for Trump, while 49% would vote for Biden. On the other hand, 31% of Hispanic voters would vote for Biden and 31% would vote for Trump. And, if the election happened today, 32% of non-college-educated voters of color would vote for Biden, while 27% would vote for Trump, according to the survey. In the same survey, 69% of Black voters said there was “not really any chance” they would support Trump, while 24% of Black voters said there was “not really any chance” they would vote for the incumbent.

Hook Elementary Shooting was a gov-

54 Sarafina Chitika, a campaign spokesperson for Biden, said that Scott’s initiative is a “last-ditch effort” meant to justify the “racist agenda” of Trump. In his campaign, Biden has portrayed Trump as having a “racist and toxic agenda.”

“President Biden is on the campaign trail showing up – himself – to earn, and not ask for, Black Americans’ support. That is what leadership looks like,” stated Chitika.

Scott has pointed out that Trump’s recent conviction is leading “more folks to the Republican Party period” and is also attracting Black men to the right.

“I think African American men, specifically, have experienced a lot with the justice system, not all of the good, and therefore, watching an injustice play out that is just so blatant, a lot of African American men have said, ‘You know what, I’m gonna take a closer look at the Republican Party,’” said Scott.

Similarly, Trump, while speaking to a crowd of Black Republicans in South Carolina, said that Black people are warming up to him because “they have been hurt so badly and discriminated against, and they actually view me as I’m being discriminated against.”

Starliner Docks at ISS

In a joint mission conducted by Boeing and NASA, the Starliner craft, on Thursday, successfully arrived at the International Space Station (ISS), despite helium leaks and a thruster issue that concerned officials.

At 1:34 pm ET, the Starliner docked, bringing Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams to the ISS. The two astronauts are expected to spend a week at the station, according to NASA.

During its journey to the ISS, the craft suffered three helium leaks, NASA’s Johnson Space Center announced on Wednesday. It isn’t known how many issues the Starliner experienced or whether its power to bring the astronauts back to Earth will be affected.

Of the two leaks, one of them “was previously discussed before flight along with a management plan. The other two

are new since the spacecraft arrived on orbit,” the center said on X, formerly Twitter.

Similar leaks were discovered in the Starliner on May 25, as it was about to launch, prompting officials to delay the craft’s flight.

The craft is “stable,” as two of its helium valves have been closed, according to NASA.

Spacecraft require helium to pressurize and fire the craft’s thrusters.

Initially, the craft’s launch was supposed to take place earlier in the day at 12:15 pm ET but was postponed due to a problem discovered in the craft’s reaction control system.

When they return to Earth, Williams and Wilmore are expected to land in the western U.S. via parachute and an airbag system.

Actor Defends

ICC Wife

In May, George Clooney, a well-known actor, called a Biden administration aide to voice opposition to U.S. President Joe Biden’s condemnation of the International Criminal Court’s legal moves against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Clooney’s wife, Amal Clooney, was one of the lawyers who worked on the case against Israel.

Clooney complained to the president’s counselor, Steve Ricchetti, about Biden’s opposition to the arrest warrants and noted the fact that the president used the word “outrageous” when it came to ICC’s decisions. Clooney’s main concern was with regard to the Biden administration’s consideration of sanctioning the ICC, an action that might penalize the actor’s wife.

Clooney was expected to join a Biden reelection fundraiser in Los Angeles on June 15. It is now unclear whether he will appear at the campaign, which is expected to host former President Barack Obama, TV host Jimmy Kimmel, and actress Julia Roberts.

Chief ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, on May 20, said he was pursuing arrest war-

rants for Netanyahu, Gallant, and three Hamas officials, including leader Yahya Sinwar. Following the prosecutor’s announcement, international human rights lawyer Amal Clooney said that she helped in the ICC’s effort through legal analysis and review of evidence.

“I do not accept that any conflict should be beyond the reach of the law, nor that any perpetrator should be above the law,” Amal Clooney stated. “So I support the historic step that the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has taken to bring justice to victims of atrocities in Israel and Palestine.”

Following the ICC’s announcement, Biden indicated that he would consider working with Congress to penalize the ICC.

“The ICC prosecutor’s application for arrest warrants against Israeli leaders is outrageous,” Biden stated. “And let me be clear: whatever this prosecutor might imply, there is no equivalence — none — between Israel and Hamas. We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security.”

However, when the House, on Tuesday, voted to sanction the ICC, the Biden administration voiced strong opposition to the legislation, saying that it “could require sanctions against court staff, judges, witnesses, and U.S. allies and partners who provide even limited, targeted support to the court in a range of aspects of its work.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson criticized Biden and other Democrat officials for opposing the sanctions.

“It’s alarming that the Biden administration continues to undermine Israel and now, 155 House Democrats have voted to give the ICC a free pass to target our allies and undermine U.S. national security interests,” said Johnson.

a whopping $4 million. The world’s most expensive cow ever sold by auction weighs more than 2,400 pounds – twice as heavy as an average adult of her breed.

Breeders have been working for years to produce a cow that has vast amounts of muscle and can pass certain characteristics to her offspring. They also value posture, hoof solidity, docility, maternal ability and beauty. Those eager to level up their livestock’s genetics pay around $250,000 for an opportunity to collect Viatina-19’s egg cells.

Signs have been placed in Brazil, where the prized cow lives, praising her grandeur and beckoning people to make pilgrimages to see the super-cow.

“We’re not slaughtering elite cattle. We’re breeding them. And at the end of the line, going to feed the whole world,” one of her owners, Ney Pereira, said. “I think Viatina will provide that.”

Viatina’s massive, snow-white body is watched over by security cameras and an armed guard.

Lorrany Martins, a veterinarian, said, “She is the closest to perfection that has been attained so far. She’s a complete cow, has all the characteristics that all the proprietors are looking for.”

Brazil is the world’s top beef exporter and has more than 230 million cows.

Cowabunga.

Fishing for Funds

James Kane and Barbie Agostini like to go magnet fishing. If you’re unfamiliar with the sport, it’s exactly what it sounds like – fishing with magnets as bait, to attract metal objects.

Cash Cow

The duo had been fishing last week at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens, NY, when they pulled up a large metal safe.

“You get excited, I’m like ‘oh, a safe,” I know the feeling, dude,” James said. “It clicks on, it’s called a click, the magnet will stick onto it. It starts getting real heavy.”

As James lifted the safe out of the water, they made the thrilling discovery in a plastic bag – $100,000 in cash.

“I thought he was playing around, you know we were just having a good time,”

She puts the “moo” in “moula.” Viatina-19 FIV Mara Moveis is worth

Barbie said. “It wasn’t until he peeled back some of the dollars that I see the $100 symbol and the holographic bars on it. That’s when I realized it was real.”

James and Barbie went to the police to report their find but were told they could keep the bounty.

A lot of the bills were damaged by the water, so they are sending the stash to the U.S. Treasury in Washington, D.C., to have the dollars validated and, hopefully, replaced.

This is not the first time that James and Barbie have pulled up metal objects from the lake. They have found at least 15 guns, which they turned over to police to help solve crimes.

Sounds like they’re a magnet for trouble.

Stellar Speller

Did you ever hear of the word “abseil”? Well, neither did we. That is, until last week, when Bruhat Soma won the 96th Scripps National Spelling Bee.

The 12-year-old of Florida defeated all seven other finalists. In the final rounds, he faced off against Faizan Zaki of Texas. Bruhat spelled 29 words correctly during that spell-off; Zaki spelled 20 words correctly.

Spell-offs are special rounds activated to determine a champion once the competition exceeds a certain time, and there’s more than one competitor left. In a spell-off, the contestant who spells the most words correctly in 90 seconds wins.

“When they first announced there was a spell-off, my heart was pumping so fast but then I realized – because I was practicing spell-offs for six months – I realized that, ‘Maybe I have a shot at winning,’” Bruhat explained. “And I did.”

He calls those 90 seconds “kind of exhilarating.”

“I’m really excited. It’s been my goal for this past year to win, and I’ve been working really hard,” Bruhat said. “I really can’t describe it, I’m still shaking.”

To earn his trophy, Bruhat correctly spelled habitude, indumentum, dehnstufe, Okvik and Hoofddorp, and correctly defined “sine qua non.” Abseil is a verb that means to “descend a rock face

of other near-vertical surface by using a doubled rope coiled round the body.”

Bruhat practiced for 10 hours on weekends and six hours on weekdays. He is now bringing home a $50,000 cash prize.

More than 240 spellers competed in this year’s Spelling Bee this week – and eight made it to Thursday night’s finals.

Bruhat had previously competed in the Spelling Bee in 2022, when he tied for 163rd place, and in 2023, when he tied for 74th place, according to the competition’s website. He loves to play badminton, Ping-Pong and basketball – and his favorite player is LeBron James.

And he has a way with words.

On the Edge

Performers took people to the edge of their seats on Saturday, as they dove seven stories into the Boston Harbor in front of thousands of cheering fans.

The elite cliff divers jumped from the Institute of Contemporary Art during a contest in Boston.

“I know the pressure’s coming — and the young girls are diving super well,” Rhiannan Iffland said after winning the women’s section.

The daredevils were part of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, which made the 100th stop in history. They plunged from 90 feet in the air from the waterfront art museum directly into the freezing, murky water below.

It was the only stop in the U.S. this year. The series wraps up in Sydney, Australia, in November. Judges scored Saturday’s competitive round based on the divers’ form and technique. Two dozen people competed.

British diver Aidan Heslop won the men’s competition and said, “We’ve all got our work cut out for us” for the rest of the series.

They’re really making waves.

Around the Community

Scenes from the Pre-1A Chumash Mesiba at Siach Yitzchok

HANC ECC is preparing for Shavuot and is getting ready to receive the Torah

HALB at the Mets Game

The HALB sports club enjoyed a fun and exciting evening at the Mets game last week. As a special gift, the Mets gave them special hats that had an Israeli flag and said “Mets” in Hebrew. The teachers, parents and students all had a great time!

YCQ Hosts Yom Achdut

On Monday June 3, seventh and eighth graders from the Yeshiva of Central Queens, YKQ, YTM, YHT, YSZ, Yeshiva Primary, JIQ, and Chabad Tamim Academy gathered for a true “K’ish Echad B’lev Echad” event at YCQ. Alongside esteemed rabbanim from Queens, they heard words of chizuk from Rabbi Mordechai Finkelman, Rabbi Paysach Krohn, and Rabbi Michael Mansour.

In his introductory speech, Rabbi Mark Landsman, YCQ principal, stressed how crucial it was for a moment like this to take place right before Shavout. “We need achdut, we need togetherness, now more than ever.”

During the course of the program, Rabbi Kessler from YKQ, Rabbi Ehrenfeld from YHT, Rabbi Pacht of YTM, Rabbi Yusupov from Yeshiva Primary, and Rabbi Friedman from YSZ led the talmidim in Tehilim. The incredible day concluded with the singing of “Acheinu” by Rabbi Ophie Nat and of “Shabachi” by Rabbi Ben Mordechai from YSZ. Thank you to Rabbi Nat, YCQ rebbe and singing sensation, for organizing such a beautiful event. In the words of Rabbi Krohn: “I don’t know any area in the world, besides Yerushalayem, that would do something like we are doing here in Queens.”

Invention Convention at YOSS

The eighth grade students at the Abraham and Sara Silber Middle School at Yeshiva of South Shore showcased their inventions at our Annual Invention Convention. Students worked enthusiastically on creating a product or a service. They diligently researched the origin of their product and then built a prototype and a rendering of their inventions. The students showcased various innovations, from a pillow that will always be hot or cold depending on your preference, to a website that allows your doctor to closely monitor your heartbeat. Our judges were very impressed by the high caliber of projects displayed.

Special thanks to Mrs. Korman and Rabbi Schulman for guiding the students through the entire process leading up to the Convention.

Congratulations to our winners: First Place

Jibzip: Isaac Makowsky, Baruch Guttman, Judah Kievel

The Neck Deck: Yosef Bruer, Yehuda Mark, Eli Schindler

Simply Savings: Binny Glastein, Sruli Klein,Nachman Eisenbach, David Sassoon

Second Place

Ankle Saver: Aaron Elazar, Dovie Miller, Zev Siegel, Akiva Barzideh

Sweet Relief: Daniel Elbaz, David Joslin, Dovid Nudman, Gavi Mylnsky

Third Place

Meddy Teddy: Eitan Weiss, Yitzy Picker, Aharon M. Levy, Ikey Burger

Soleful Solutions: Yehuda Nachman, Dovi Jaffe, Moishe Mergi

Honorable Mention

DRCA/Doctor Refresh Completion Application: Yaakov Moskowitz

Fit Fusion Chocolat: Yitzi Dewick, Benjy Twersky, Netanel Berg, Max Dworkin

Snakes and Ladders Braille Edition: Chezky Halali, Elisha Mizrachi, Aharon Schreiber

HAFTR Wins at Long Island

Math Fair

By Leah Kammerman

Five HAFTR High School students participated in the 2024 Long Island Math Fair, hosted at Hofstra University on Friday, April 5. It was a great opportunity to learn about and research interesting math topics beyond the classroom curriculum. In preparation for the fair, students wrote research papers about unique topics. The students presented their original research to an engaged audience, earning both bronze and silver medals.

Bronze medalists included Sasha Bokor for her research and presentation on the Chaos Theory and Dynamical Systems; Josh Halpert for his explanation of Aeronautics which, in simpler terms, is the physics of airplanes; Jonathan Sacolick for his examination of Level Curves and Topography; and myself for a presentation on the Trachtenberg Speed System of Basic Mathematics. Sean Harris earned a silver medal for his presentation on Graph Theory.

In addition to the educational aspect of the fair, it was also an opportunity to meet other teenagers from across Long Island. We met other students representing both yeshivas and public schools and had the chance to collaborate and learn from each other. It was inspiring to meet with like-minded students. Everyone had a memorable experience and looks forward to participating in next year’s fair. A special thank you to Mr. Alt for coaching the students who attended and making this another successful year.

Sofer Visits YOSS ECC

In connection to Shavuos and Matan Torah, YOSS ECC Pre-1A learned all about how a Torah is made and written. Then they got to try out being a sofer themselves.

HALB’s 7th grade STEM students had the privilege of hearing from Rachel, who is an engineer at the Pepsi factory. She explained the process of thinking up a new drink and what happens until it gets to the store

shelves. It was fascinating to hear about all the drinks that she helped to create. The girls were inspired by her talk and how many cool jobs there are that require a knowledge of engineering.

Women in STEM

IMPACT Society at Shulamith

Every act of kindness, no matter how small, creates an impact of infinite proportions. Shulamith High School strives to foster a culture of giving, be it one’s time, aptitudes, or energy, by aligning chessed with academics and extracurricular activities as one of the primary values of the school.

To highlight and honor the students who go above and beyond the annual required chessed hours, a formal IMPACT Society induction is held at the conclusion of the school year. Students who have exceeded their hours by performing 50 or more hours are inducted into this illustrious group. This year, the nearly 70 students involved performed a total of over 6,000 hours of chessed in various capacities, from volunteering at the Israel Chessed Center to spending their Sundays with children through Friendship Circle.

The program began with an introduction from Mr. Michael Steinberg, who has witnessed the extensive chessed of SHS girls at the Israel Chessed Center through the lens of his family’s daily involvement there. He, along with Mr. Jeff

Eisenberg, noted the enthusiasm and consistency of Shulamith’s commitment to their exceptional organization. At the conclusion of the induction, the four students with the highest number of hours were given a special shoutout, acknowledging their dedication to putting others first. Kol hakavod to Shana Steinberg, Gabi Moskowitz, Ariella Casden, and Eliana Honikman, along with all the other inductees. May you always be in a position to give.

Ready for Big HALB

Our kindergarten classes visited “big HALB” to get ready for first grade. They got the chance to meet their teachers and see what the classrooms look like. They also had a special opportunity to hear from Mr. Altabe and see the picture of his first grade class when he was a student in HALB!

YOSS Mechina celebrated Lag B’omer at the park

Celebrating Yom Yerushalayim at Ateret Cohanim Annual Dinner

Photo Credit: Zvika Bornstein

L-R: Executive VP Shoshana Hikind; Executive Council Secretary, Dr. Gene Berkovich; Executive Council Member, Dr. Paul Brody; Mati Dan HaCohen; Chaim Leibtag; Executive Council Member, Rubin Margules; Chairman of the Executive Council, Robert Koppel; Executive Council VP, Dr. Jonathan Halpert; Executive Council Treasurer, Dr. Steven Rubel; Daniel Luria; Executive Council President, and Dr. Joseph Frager

MTA’s Siyum and Seudas Preida

One of the highlights of the MTA school year is the annual Siyum and Seudas Preida that the yeshiva hosts. The event celebrates the culmination of the talmidim’s accomplishments in Torah learning throughout the past 10 months. It is an inspiring evening that brings together rebbeim, talmidim, and their families to be present for the siyum of three different mesechtos, dance, enjoy a festive meal, and have an kumzits that caps off the night. It has been a long-standing tradition at MTA and one of the most special evenings for everyone involved.

This year, MTA was privileged to have Moreinu Harav Schachte, shlita, celebrating with the yeshiva and address

HALB on UJA Panel

Mr. Altabe, HALB Lower School Principal, participated in a panel at UJA Federation discussing the success HALB has had the past two years with their consultant teacher program. Other panelists included educators from Ramaz, Barkai and the Lefell School in Westchester. HALB was recently awarded funding to expand the program to eighth grade next year!

Assemblywoman Pheffer Amato

Receives

“Fighting Hate and Discrimination Award”

Neveryone with divrei Torah and bracha. Three students from three grades were each mesayem a different mesechta on behalf of their grade. Each and every talmid had what to be proud of, as they learned and grew in their Torah learning and Yiddishkeit tremendously.

ew York State Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato received the distinguished “Fighting Hate and Discrimination Award” at the 2024 Met Council on Jewish Poverty’s Annual Legislative Breakfast. The Met Council is known as America’s largest Jewish charity dedicated to serving those in need. During the presentation of awards, Pheffer Amato received a standing ovation for her legislative accomplishments. Her remarks reflected on the pride she has for her Jewish identity, while praising her mother, Queens County Clerk and former NYS Assemblywoman Audrey I. Pheffer, who instilled the firm notion that combating antisemitism was a “no-brainer” because there is “no room for hate in our State!”

The Assemblywoman has been credited as the leading advocate for the Jewish community in the State Legislature. Since her election in 2017, Pheffer Amato has been the reason for the ongoing funding for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education at yeshivas, along with its annual increase each year. Further, the Assemblywoman recently secured a historic amount of funding for security with over $105 million through the Nonpublic School Safety Equipment Grant (NPSE) and SCAHC (Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes). In addition, during the 2024

State budget, Pheffer Amato was instrumental in elevating 20 existing crimes to now become eligible for hate crimes charges stating that “there are consequences for actions!”

Assemblywoman Pheffer Amato noticeably wore her “Bring Them Home” necklace which she received during her solidarity mission to Israel in the immediate aftermath of the October 7 terrorist attack. She is known for constantly wearing the necklace, while also plastering the walls outside her Capitol building office with posters of the hostages with the goal of raising awareness and bringing attention to the crisis, with the ultimate hope to bring them home now!

Lev Chana was filled with excitement as the different classes celebrated

HALB at the Israel Chessed Center

The fourth grade boys at HALB went on a meaningful trip to the Israel Chessed Center. They donated and decorated handheld fans for the chayalim. Moshe Bodner, who runs the center, spoke to the students and showed them a video of chayalim thanking everyone for all the supplies we have sent them from the Five Towns since October 7. It was truly an incredible and meaningful experience.

An Investment in Our Children

Poetry at YOSS with Mrs. Davidowitz

“Poetry is plucking at the heartstrings and making music with them” -Denis Gabor. Poems help bring our third-grade curriculum to life. YOSS students absolutely love poetry, from the tongue-twisting words, alliteration, onomatopoeia, the fun language, the rhyme the rhythm, and so much more. A class favorite in analyzing elements of poetry is the mood the poet sets. Our students have explored the use of imagery appealing to the five sens-

es when both reading and writing color poems. We are building connections, inspiring our audience, experimenting with words, expressing our feelings, and increasing our fluency. The students channeled their talents and strengths into self-reflection and exploration when writing about an inspiring topic – themselves. Thus, their bio poems came to life. Studying poetry can turn any struggling reader into a lover of literature. And boy, do our third graders love literature!

Bnos Bais Yaakov of Far Rockaway Charidy campaign applauds student-centered chinuch

By Frimet Blum

Get your binoculars ready – because the Five Towns community is about to set its sights on an incredible school, Bnos Bais Yaaakov of Far Rockaway. The school will be in focus during its upcoming Charidy campaign, on Wednesday and Thursday, June 19 and 20. The campaign, named Centered on Me, highlights the individual approach the school takes to every student. With adorable life-like “students” peering through binoculars from lawns throughout the community, and students proudly wearing bright yellow binoculars around their necks, the campaign is galvanizing the community’s support.

The Centered on Me campaign will

benefit two incredible Bnos Bais Yaakov programs: The Yaffa Bluma Kriah and Literacy Initiative, and the newly-revamped Yaffa Bluma Center for Dynamic Learning.

The Kriah and Literacy Initiative is a groundbreaking program for teaching the most critical foundations of Hebrew and general studies: reading. The initiative is classroom-based, with differentiated groups in which every student in Pre 1A through 4th grade is an active participant. The groups, which are led by accredited kriah and reading specialists, enable level-based learning – so when a child is missing a skill, it gets addressed, and when a child is advanced, she can continue to the next level.

Constant assessments – some 3,700

per year in kriah, and about 5,300 a year in literacy – measure fluency, accuracy, comprehension and skills. The Initiative takes advantage of the latest methods and modalities to address any issues.

While the Kriah and Literacy Initiative takes place in the classroom, the Yaffa Bluma Center for Dynamic Learning is a world of its own. This year, BBY has brought corporate-level innovation to education and actually built an entire new space with twenty office-style private cubicles. Our excellent leadership team, including a number of new highly-qualified staff members, melds sophistication with caring. The team is comprised of a huge staff of expert service providers including Special Educators, therapists, social workers, and Chumash support teachers.

As with everything in BBY, the focus on the individual child is incredible.

“What’s going on is BBY’s best-kept secret,” says Mrs. Leah Kaufman, Administrator of the Learning Center. “We can work an entire class’s schedule around one child’s sessions!”

The Centered on Me campaign will enable BBY to continue educating another generation of girls, and to ensure that every student in Bnos Bais Yaakov can proudly say: “In a school of 1,500+ students, BBY is Centered on Me.”

Join the Centered on Me campaign today. Donate at Charidy.com/BBY, or set up your own page, to demonstrate your hakaras hatov to this incredible Five Towns institution.

Yom Yerushalayim

Invention Convention at YOSS

The sixth grade students at the Abraham and Sara Silber Middle School at Yeshiva of South Shore presented their Mineral Projects at the Mineral Fair. Each student used their imagination and creativity to design a boxed cube with their mineral information. Through the guidance of Mrs. Slansky, the boys came away enlightened with their research on each cube and were also surprised to learn how many of those minerals are used in their common household. Thank you to Rabbi Davidowitz, Rabbi Robinson, Rabbi Shonek, Rabbi Samet, Mrs. Girnun, Rabbi Lepolstat, Mrs. Barzideh, Mr. Fogel, and Mrs. Bahn for judging the projects. Mazal tov to everyone and especially the winners!

Ganeles, Akiva Hagler, Aryeh Burger

2nd Place: Shmuel Trump, Yehuda Gurevich, Asher Romer

1st Place: Moshe Paritzky, Daniel

3rd Place: Azarya Isaacson, Ezra Romer, Dovi Pollak, Elisha Hagler

Orthodox Union Relief Mission to India

As an EMT at Teaneck Volunteer Ambulance Corps (TVAC) and student at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Nechama Deena Korenblit is used to interacting with people affected by poverty. But on her recent travels to the slums and rural villages of India, the 27-year-old soon-to-be Emergency Medicine resident witnessed poverty on a whole new scale.

Korenblit was among nine young professionals ages 18 to 29 who participated in a weeklong mission to Mumbai as part of Orthodox Union Relief Missions, and says that although she was emotionally prepared for the impoverished lifestyle, experiencing it firsthand through the eyes of those suffering was entirely different.

“The extent of the poverty in the villages is beyond what most Americans can truly grasp,” she notes. “The average income is about $250 a year, a home consists of a mud hut or tent, beds are simply mats on the ground, and women walk to and from the well to get their families water. Witnessing the villagers’ resilience in the face of obvious impoverishment was inspiring. It would be an honor to care for such strong individuals and communities as I move forward in my medical career.”

Since 2005, the OU has run over 250 relief missions to over 20 national and international locations, including Israel, Romania, Rwanda, Kentucky, Texas, New Orleans, and Puerto Rico, among many others. This was the organization’s first trip to India, which was led in conjunction with Gabriel Project Mumbai (GPM), an Israel-based nonprofit. Founded in 2012 by Israeli social entrepreneur Jacob Sztokman, GPM works with communities in Mumbai’s underserved urban com-

munities and Maharashtra’s historically-marginalized rural tribal villages.

Through innovative programs and the provision of basic educational, health and nutritional resources, GPM empowers communities to break the cycle of poverty and helps them to thrive via its support of sustainable livelihood initiatives that empower women in particular.

“We’re always looking for new projects and ways to help others,” says OU Relief Missions Founding Director Rabbi Ethan Katz. “GPM is an exciting one. Our group stayed and worked in the Mokhada Village, where everything has an Israeli connection. Their field hospital has an air purification system donated by GPM with a bunch of Jewish names attached to it.

People there know who we are.”

Home to about 150,000 people mostly from the indigenous Adivasi tribes, Mokhada Village is a rural region in India’s Maharashtra state. It is located four hours north of Mumbai, where the group spent the first leg of their trip touring various sites, including two active shuls and Elephanta Island, renowned for its caves containing sculptures that merge Hindu and Buddhist beliefs. They also learned about Mumbai’s rich Jewish history in an engaging session led by Sztokman.

“India’s Jewish history is fascinating and dates back to Churban Habayit Rishon,” says Rabbi Katz, referring to the destruction of the first Temple. “There are less than 4,500 Jews in India, and it’s questionable how many people are actually Jewish. The communities of Bnei Menashe, Bnei Ephraim and Bnei Israel each have completely different minhagim (traditions). We were exposed to a completely different world.”

Honorable Mention: Isaac Pinchasov, Mordy Kiss, Binyamin Speiser, Simchi Greer

Over the course of their stay, the group participated in a number of exciting projects, including working at two women’s manufacturing collectives; one, Sundara, manufactures soap, while the other, Naya, creates products including bags, stationery, and placemats from recycled paper.

Mission participants also visited the Mokhada Rural Hospital and the Mokhada Community Healthcare Center clinic.

The group also visited a tribal village called Vijpada, where its leaders shared that a river separates them from prime land that could otherwise be cultivated, were it not inaccessible. While the villagers owned a single canoe, the team learned that a second one would double their productivity.

“Their dream was to own another canoe so that they could farm and fish,” says Rabbi Katz. “But at $330, it was unaffordable. Our group discussed this

problem and unanimously decided to buy them one. We believe in paying it forward. In exchange, the village leaders agreed to supply the villagers with tools to grow peanut oil which will one day be given back to GPM’s Dr. Gerald J. Freedman Infant Malnutrition Intervention Program.

With Israel at war, Rabbi Katz believes the OU’s relief mission to India was more imperative than ever.

“It is because of everything going on in Israel, that we have to lead a mission to India, as well as to New Orleans, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica and other places,” he says. “We’ve run missions to Israel nonstop, both before and after October 7. But part of our objective when leading missions outside of Israel is to educate others about the Stat and to serve as positive emissaries of the Jewish People .”

OU Relief Missions Founding Director Rabbi Ethan Katz erecting a mezuzah at the Mokhada guest house

Around the Community

Dr. Henry Abramson Named Dean of Touro’s Lander College for Men

Dr. Henry Abramson was named dean of Touro’s Lander College for Men, Touro President Dr. Alan Kadish announced last week. Most recently, Dr. Abramson served as dean at the Lander College of Arts and Sciences and the Machon L’Parnasa Institute for Professional Studies in Brooklyn and previously he was dean of Touro’s Florida campus.

A native of Northern Ontario, Abramson received his PhD in History from the University of Toronto. Before joining Touro University he held post-doctoral and visiting appointments at Cornell, Harvard, Oxford and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

“Dr. Abramson brings a wealth of scholarship, proven leadership skills and a commitment to student success,” said Touro President, Dr. Alan Kadish. “I look forward to the continued growth of Lander College for Men, beyond the very solid foundation laid by former dean, Dr. Moshe Sokol.”

Dean Abramson worked to bring the successful sonography program to Ma-

chon L’Parnasa and developed the prestigious Flatbush Society of Fellows honors program at the Lander College of Arts and Sciences. He also led university-wide initiatives to develop student-centered solutions by adapting critical functions such as advisement, tutoring and teaching to the demands of online education.

As dean at Touro’s Lander College for Men, Dr. Abramson is committed to enhancing the existing high quality academic offerings, integrated with the beis medrash and Torah study.

“I am deeply honored by this appointment to serve Touro University and the outstanding students at Lander College for Men in this capacity. I look forward to working alongside the esteemed Rosh HaYeshiva, HaRav Yonason Sacks, shlita, and building upon the legacy of former dean, Dr. Moshe Sokol. Dean Sokol is an outstanding example of academic leadership, and the care, concern and support he has invested in generations of students is legendary. My ambition at Lander College for Men is to continue that commitment to developing

each and every one of our students and to promoting excellence in every way possible, building upon his achievements and burnishing the school’s reputation as the premier destination for serious Torah students who also seek advanced academics and rewarding professional careers,” said Abramson.

Dr. Abramson is the author of several books on Jewish history and thought, including Torah from the Years of Wrath, 1939-1943: The Historical Context of the Aish Kodesh, Reading the Talmud: Developing Independence in Gemara Learning and the three-volume Maggid History of the Jewish People forthcoming from Koren Publishers in Jerusalem. His work has been translated into Spanish, German and Ukrainian, and he has held fellowships and recognition from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and is the recipient of the Excellence in the Academy award from the National Education Association. Dean Abramson

is also the author of the popular Jewish History in Daf Yomi podcast, hosted on the Orthodox Union AllDaf app. A popular online lecturer, he received a YouTube Creator award for his videos on Jewish history, which have been viewed over 12.5 million times to date.

“Ha’Yinu Sham” at Shulamith

The eighth grade students at Shulamith School for Girls have completed their annual Holocaust program with an incredible project. They have created a book called “Ha’Yinu Sham; We Were There” to honor their families. This book includes historical narratives gathered through interviews with family members, a family tree, and archival photos.

We proudly announce that each student will receive a copy of this remarkable book. Additionally, we intend to preserve a copy of “Ha’Yinu Sham” at both the Shulamith School for Girls and the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem.

Under the guidance of Mrs. Korman,

the program creator and coordinator, the students delved into educational sessions about the historical context of pre-war Europe, Jewish life during the Holocaust, and liberation. Mrs. Korman played a vital role in creating the book that showcases this invaluable piece of history, and we are excited to share it with the world.

Savings Lives Five Towns Drug & Alcohol Coalition & Ezra Pharmacy Team Up

By Isaac Cwibeker

Our mission at Saving Lives Five Towns Coalition, under the auspices of The Marion & Aaron Gural JCC, is clear: to make our community healthier and safer for everyone, with a special focus on our youth. As a DrugFree Communities Grantee, under the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and the CDC, our Coalition, made up of multiple sectors has been tirelessly combating youth access to drugs and alcohol in the Greater Five Towns area for the past four years.

But our commitment doesn’t stop there. We’re also passionate advocates for addressing mental health and safety issues impacting our teens. You may have seen our booth at the JCC Sukkot Fair at Cedarhurst Park or our ads in the local papers, especially around holidays, promoting various safety habits and warning against serving alcohol to

underage youth. I hope these messages have sparked meaningful conversations, amplifying our impact within the community.

One of our flagship initiatives is our annual Five Towns “Sunday Drive Through/Drop Off Drug Take Back Event.” This is a cornerstone in our efforts to keep harmful substances out of the wrong hands which will take place on Sunday, June 23, 2024 from 11-2, at the Hatzalah Station on West Broadway.

We will be collecting unwanted or expired medications. No questions asked.

So, mark your calendars, and keep an eye out for our campaign leading up to the 23! This is more than just another community event.

It’s a powerful testament to the Five Towns’ unity and commitment to safeguarding our neighborhoods. We are deeply grateful for your continued support and look forward to greeting each one of you at this event. Together, we can

take a bold step towards a safer, healthier future for our kids and community.

Now, let’s talk about something truly groundbreaking.

But first picture this: unwanted medications scattered around your house, posing a great risk to your loved ones if left unlocked or disposed of improperly. It’s a concern that’s been on our radar, and we’re tackling it head-on.

Parents, heads of schools, and numerous local teens have all shared with me that easy access to an assortment of types of pills is rampant. Therefore, we’re thrilled to share with you an innovative collaboration between Saving Lives Five Towns Coalition and Ezra Pharmacy –a partnership aimed at revolutionizing safe medication disposal all year round.

Teaming up with Ezra Pharmacy, we’re introducing a game-changing solution – new prescription bags that do more than just carry your medications. These bags are educational powerhouses, adorned with clear instructions on safe medication disposal and essential tips for responsibly managing unused or expired medications. By embedding crucial guidance directly onto these prescription bags, Ezra Pharmacy empowers every one of their customers to make informed decisions about their medication disposal practices. It’s a small change with a monumental impact, reprogramming how we think about medication safety.

And, there’s more! Ezra Pharmacy also provides a medication disposal bin

inside its store, ensuring that safe disposal is convenient and accessible yearround. This is a testament to Ezra’s unwavering commitment to the well-being of our community.

Together, Saving Lives and Ezra Pharmacy, with the invaluable support of our community, are not just addressing a problem; we’re forging a path toward a safer, healthier future. Your involvement is crucial, and we invite you to join us in celebrating this milestone in community health and safety. Together, we’re making a difference—one prescription bag at a time.

We hope that our partnership with Ezra Pharmacy serves as a model for other community stakeholders seeking to address similar challenges, which only underscores the importance of collaboration in creating positive change. If you or your organization, business, school, yeshiva, or shul would like to learn how partnering with Saving Lives can impact your environment, please reach out to us. We would love to hear from you. Stay safe and let’s save lives together!

Isaac Cwibeker is the Coalition Coordinator for the Saving Lives Five Towns Drug and Alcohol Coalition. He has been a lifelong resident of the Five Towns area and cares deeply about his neighborhood. Isaac is a litigation attorney at Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker. You can reach Isaac at issac. cwibeker@guraljcc.org.

Sidney Langweil, Nikki Langweil,and Jorge Gallego

Chai Lifeline Welcomes Israeli Children Battling Cancer and Trauma of War to Camp Simcha

This summer, Chai Lifeline, the Jewish community’s leading pediatric illness and crisis support network, will provide a much-needed reprieve to more than 50 Israeli children facing not only cancer but also the harsh realities of war and displacement, at Camp Simcha

Located in the serene Catskill Mountains, Camp Simcha is Chai Lifeline’s renowned, medically supervised summer program for children with cancer and other serious illnesses. Every summer, nearly 1,000 children with complex medical challenges take part in Camp Simcha, Camp Simcha Special, and the community-based Camp Simcha Without Borders, in cities across the country.

Following the harrowing events of October 7, studies, including a recent one published in The Lancet show PTSD, depression, and anxiety rates among Israelis have nearly doubled. The situation is even more dire for children who are simultaneously coping with cancer.

“Imagine the profound impact on these young lives, already burdened with fighting cancer, now grappling with se-

vere emotional distress,” said Rabbi Simcha Scholar, CEO of Chai Lifeline. “Camp Simcha offers them not just a break but a transformative respite.”

The cost of providing these transformative experiences is substantial, especially for Israeli children whose journey to Camp Simcha requires intricate planning, including travel, comprehensive medical care, and dedicated counselors trained to address their unique needs.

“This summer the need for Camp Simcha is particularly crucial,” added Rabbi Scholar. “We are bringing children, many of whom have been uprooted from their homes amidst chaos and giving them a chance to just be kids again, away from hospitals and the ongoing war.”

Chai Lifeline urgently appeals to the generosity of its donors, as their support is more vital than ever. Contributions will help cover the significant costs of bringing these resilient young warriors to Camp Simcha, offering them not just medical care but also the joy and peace of a carefree summer. To donate, visit www. chailifeline.org/summer.

Learning Hilchos Shechita and Kashrus

One of the minhagim on Shavuos is to eat dairy because Bnei Yisrael learned the laws of kashrus, and since the Torah was given on Shabbos, animals couldn’t be shechted nor could utensils be kashered. Also, there were many karbanos that were brought on Shavuos. To learn more about the shechita and kashering process, talmidim of Yeshiva Ateres Eitz Chaim traveled to Waterbury, CT, to observe and participate in the shechting of a lamb and then kashered the meat.

Thank you to Rabbi Greer and Mr. Fruchter for taking the time to teach our

Excelling at MTA

About two-thirds of each senior class at MTA takes one or more courses at YU each semester, as part of their elective options. The students just completed their Spring semester, and built on their fantastic success from the Fall, where as a group they earned a 3.69 GPA. Although that was a tough act to follow, this group surpassed it in the Spring, earning an unbelievable 3.90 GPA! The students earned all A’s except three A- and only one B+. It was an incredible performance.

These students did not earn their grades in easy courses. They took courses all over YU’s many departments, from Architecture to Theories of the Mind at Yeshiva College and from Principles of Marketing to Statistics for Business at Sy Syms School of Business. They took everything from high level math courses such as Multivariable Calculus and Probability Theory to areas of personal interest such as Music Theory and Political Leadership. And they aced them all.

One particularly interesting way in which the students took advantage of their YU opportunity was classes at the Belz School of Jewish Music, where some learned nusach ha’tefillah and others

emunah and diveikus Hashem in preparation for Kabbalas HaTorah.

learned safrus. These courses, while highly demanding, also have immediate payoff in teaching skills that the students can put to use. These students, over the course of a semester, have become sufficiently skilled to be able to lead their local shuls this coming yamim noraim or to write their own mezuzos.

The benefits of these courses go way beyond the immediate payoff, or course. These high school seniors have learned that when they return from Israel, they are not only well prepared to succeed in college but have the experience of success already under their belts.

talmidim. Talmidim also enjoyed the opportunity to meet with Rabbi Chaim Bernstein, shlita, to hear divrei chizuk on the topic of

HAFTR Attends NCSY Fort Myers Relief Mission

By Natalie Bellehsen

Students at HAFTR High School are always involved in exciting activities and meaningful opportunities. A group of sophomores and juniors participated in a unique NCSY Chesed Mission where they traveled to Fort Myers, Florida, to help repair house damage caused by recent hurricanes. The Mission extended from Wednesday, March 28 to Sunday, April 1, and students were accompanied by Ms. Diamond, HAFTR Coordinator of Student Programming, Rabbi Katz, NCSY organizer, and two NCSY advisors. With their leadership, the students were able to bond and have a blast while also learning more about different communities and how to help those in need.

The program began as students flew to Florida on Wednesday, March 28, and began getting to know each other over a game of mini-golf. There, the students met and spent time with the NCSY counselors who made the experience all the better. The next day, the students woke up early and traveled to the hurricane site, where they worked with Inspiritus, an organization that helps rebuild destroyed homes for those who can’t afford renovations. Students split into groups and conquered areas that needed repair; some did yard work, while others painted or moved around furniture. After hearing words from both Rabbi Katz and one of the organization heads about the significance of the work they were doing, the students took care of some tasks. Then they enjoyed a special night activity on a pirate-themed cruise. The activity was fun but also gave them the unique experience of getting to know the ship’s crew and the families in attendance.

On Friday, the students traveled to Fort Lauderdale to clean the Chabad, which was unfortunately the target of an arson attack a few weeks prior. An incendiary device was placed in the Rebbetz-

in’s car right in front of the Chabad, and in addition to the car being demolished, the Chabad was also filled with smoke and soot from the aftermath of the fire. It was extremely impactful for both the Chabad and HAFTR students to help rebuild what was lost.

After an exhausting day, students returned to Fort Myers to prepare for Shabbat and spend the rest of their time with the Chabad. From Friday night through the end of Shabbat, students enjoyed getting to know the families of the Chabad, having discussions with the adults, and playing games with the adorable children. The students felt honored to be hosted by the Rabbi for the Friday night meal and the community for the rest of their Shabbat experience.

Hailie Avigdor, a sophomore, shared, “I really had a blast helping out, talking, and even participating in silly games with other students, the staff and Chabad members. I am so thankful to have received this opportunity.”

Saturday night, the final night of the trip was spent enjoying a Melava Malka followed by a trip to Dave and Busters.

NCSY has given HAFTR so many amazing opportunities, and this left a mark on each and every student. Thank you to our wonderful counselors, to Ms. Diamond, Rabbi Katz, and to everyone who made the mission possible.

Did you know?

A Holstein cow’s spots are like fingerprints – no two cows have exactly the same pattern of black and white spots.

TJH Speaks with Shani Weissman of The Kriah Spot

This week, we had the pleasure of chatting with Shani Weissman from The Kriah Spot, dedicated to turning both kids and adults into confident readers.

Shani, thank you for joining us today! Your work has garnered quite some attention, especially the story about helping a boy read beautifully at his bar mitzvah when he struggled with Hebrew reading just three months prior. Could you share a bit about how you got started with this incredible journey?

Shani: Hi, thanks for having me! I’ve been teaching in local schools for many years and specializing in Kriah for over a decade. One common issue I encounter is parents feeling inadequate in helping their children practice new skills. So, I began recording videos explaining the rules, which eventually evolved into The Kriah Spot.

That’s fascinating! Many parents can relate to needing a refresher on any subject to help their kids with

Can you read these words?

their homework. Can you explain how your program works?

Shani: Absolutely! We offer two options. First, there’s our Animated video series, 10 short (about 5 minutes each), adorable, animated videos breaking down the fundamental Kriah rules in an easy and interactive manner. It starts with Alef Bais and ends with the tricky rules of Kriah. There is a lot of review built into the videos. We try to cater to many different crowds. The animated series comes in different pronunciations – Cholom OH, Cholom OY, and Ivrit – Taf. The Kriah Spot workbook which goes along with the animated series will be available to purchase in September 2024.

Then, there’s the 30-minute crash course video, covering all Kriah rules clearly, with a printable pamphlet for quick reference.

Many schools worldwide use The Kriah Spot videos as their Kriah review lessons in their classrooms, (typically grades 2 and up). Baruch Hashem, we have had fantastic feedback from the

schools, parents, and students. The Kriah Spot is endorsed by Rav Yaakov Bender, shlita, amongst many other mechanchim and mechanchos.

That’s great to have two options. Some people like to dive right in, while others take it in bite sizes. What sets The Kriah Spot apart from hiring a private tutor?

Shani: The Kriah Spot is tailored for mainstream learners needing a Hebrew reading review, unlike private tutors who often work with children facing learning challenges. Plus, for less than the price of 2 tutoring sessions, you have all the Kriah rules reviewed and you can always refer back to it.

That makes sense. Have you encountered any resistance from students? After all, they might be doing OK in school and in Kriah, even if they get it wrong sometimes.

Shani: Yes! Kids will be kids! Sometimes, they don’t initially see the importance of nuances like nekudos. But once they understand how it changes word meanings, they’re more engaged.

ly and well and reads beautifully today. Hebrew reading isn’t like English reading for a few reasons. There is little, and for some zero, comprehension when it comes to reading Hebrew. So while reading English, you’re already reading the next words before you actually read the words because you know what’s coming next. But it’s not like that in Hebrew. Another big difference is that you read English throughout your entire day without even thinking about it, like while driving and passing store signs, street signs… but there isn’t much exposure to Hebrew reading throughout the day, which is why reviewing and practicing Hebrew reading is so important! After all, it’s Lashon Hakodesh! And the way we daven and learn Torah!

We can really hear your passion! What drives you to connect people with your program?

Shani: There are countless individuals silently struggling with Hebrew reading. My goal is to provide accessible support and make the learning process enjoyable. I did a presentation a few months ago for principals and educators. Seventy-five of them offered to read the four challenging Hebrew words to me. Believe it or not, only six read all four words correctly!! No kidding, so do you have a discounted principals’ version?

Here’s an example I’ll give them: Take the letters Shin and Pey – with a pasach, it says SHOP. With a tzeirei, it says SHAPE, with a shva it says SHIP, and with a chirik, it says SHEEP. Same letters, just a little nekudah change and we have four totally different words!

It’s amazing how such small details can make a big difference! Do you have any success stories to share?

Shani: Sure! There was a bright fifth grade boy who was doing very well in school but was silently struggling with Kriah. He compensated with his excellent memory. One day his mother asked him to help his younger brother with Kriah homework. He cried to his mother that night that he couldn’t do it again because he doesn’t know how to read! She couldn’t believe it! He wasn’t a dyslexic child; he was a boy that did well in Kriah in pre-1A and first grade and probably didn’t practice enough and lost the skills. Baruch Hashem, he learned quick-

Did you know?

Shani: Not exactly, but we’ll offer TJH readers 30% off with code TJH30. Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

Shani: Summer is a perfect time for Kriah review, ensuring kids start the new school year as confident readers, all while having fun! Kriah doesn’t need to be boring!

Thank you so much, Shani, for sharing your insights and for your dedication to making Hebrew reading accessible to all.

Shani can be reached at info@thekriahspot.com. Check out thekriahspot.com for more information.

The average cow produces 8 gallons of milk per day – that’s over 100 glasses of milk!

Legends Event Honors Pesach Tikvah Founders

On May 7, program directors and longtime team members gathered to honor the legacy of Pesach Tikvah. The warm, beautiful event was held at The Loft in Borough Park. The evening was emceed by Pesach Tikvah’s Executive Director, Yerachmiel Stern. A large banner celebrating 40 years of service to the community stood at the front of the elegantly appointed room, as did a lectern and a table of awards. It was a moment of unity held on an apropos day, day 14 of counting the Omer – Malchut of Gevurah, as the event honored both Pesach Tikvah’s strength and the dignity that they treat all their patients with.

Aharon Fink, LCSW, Director of the 640 Family Center, opened the evening with remarks inspiring all with a reminder that Pesach Tikvah’s mission is to bring out the good in each other, in Pesach Tikvah’s clients, and in the world. He emphasized that the basis of bringing out the greater good is kavod for self and others and recognized our Executive Director Yerachmiel Stern as an example of knowing one’s intrinsic value and treating others as such.

Mr. Stern honored several long-term and founding members of the Pesach Tikvah team. Several stepped forward for interviews in which they recalled Pesach Tikvah’s beginning days and discussed the foundational work that they did. Among the honored were founding member Dr. Kirschenbaum, Director of

Fundraising Rabbi Hershkowitz, director of the ICF Mrs. Chanie Schindler, Director of Senior Services Zalman Kotzen, ICF manager Izzy Tropper, Medical Director Dr. Rachel Michaels, Hindy Langer, Motti Torenheim, Brenda Katz, Joe Bistricer, and the legendary therapist Devorah Teitelbaum OBM.

Dr. Schindler, an Executive Director prior to Mr. Stern, was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award and a tribute. Twenty-five years ago, Dr. Schindler joined Pesach Tikvah as Executive Director. He was an accomplished psychologist who brought warmth and kindness to the therapeutic process. He built up Pesach Tikvah from a tiny mental health service to the full-service operation that Pesach Tikvah now is. Mr. Stern attributed Pesach Tikvah’s practice of compassionate care to Dr. Schindler.

Brenda Katz, the original Director of the Day Program and incredible contributor to the development of Pesach Tikvah’s clinics, recalled the early days of Pesach Tikvah in her speech. Her speech vividly encapsulated what the early days of Pesach Tikvah were like, especially the altruistic drive to help the mentally ill that fueled the founding of the organization. She discussed how the outpatient clinic was built up from scratch with few resources and a lot of perseverance and personal dedication.

The message the event’s participants took home was that Pesach Tikvah truly,

truly exists for the sake of its patients. Pesach Tikvah is the original heimishe mental health clinic, founded on love, grit, and determination. What has always set Pesach Tikvah apart is the kindness and dignity with which it treats its patients –it is known for being nurturing and will continue to kindly support even the most challenging patients. People come to Pesach Tikvah broken, traumatized, or anxious, and the Family Centers and services make it a personal priority to help them achieve a healthier state of being. When Mr. Stern honored Rabbi Berkowitz, he introduced him as someone who person-

ally went to inpatient facilities to extricate severely and chronically mentally ill from jams. That kind of dedication is characteristic of Pesach Tikvah.

After Mr. Stern distributed the awards, Aaron Zev Herbstman wrapped up the evening by speaking about the future of Pesach Tikvah. He acknowledged the unique role that Mr. Stern plays in positioning the organization for growth, as both a founder and a leader for the future. It was an inspiring night of remembering the past and looking toward the future as the original heimishe mental health service continues to be the best.

Zack Teper

Yerachmiel Stern with PT Staff

Aron Fink

Zalman Kotzen

Rabbi Hershkowitz

Joe Bistricer

Rabbi Berkowitz

Dr. Kirschenbaum

Yerachmiel Stern with Dr. Schindler Award

The Kosher Eatery at LYCC

By Deputy Mayor Paris Popack

As many of you may be aware, I am Deputy Mayor of the Village of Lawrence, and I am currently running for the position of Mayor. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve and hope to continue to do so. Recently, there has been some misinformation offered to the public concerning the new kosher eatery located at the Lawrence Yacht & Country Club that I would like to address.

The Park Commission and Board of Trustees (BOT) originally wanted to convert the existing non-kosher snack shop to kosher with the goal of having meal options for all to enjoy. After resistance from certain membership, we chose to build a kosher facility so all members could be served.

The kosher eatery, known as MG Craft Kitchen, at the Lawrence Country

and Yacht Club, is a valuable contribution to the club and community. The exterior of the facility was designed to match the architectural standards of the country club. The interior has a more modern feel. It is a full-service meat kosher eatery offering a varied menu of “elevated sandwiches and appetizers.”

This is a long-awaited amenity at the club to accommodate membership and the community.

The Lawrence Yacht & Country Club is owned entirely by the Village of Lawrence and is a source of revenue for the Village. MG Craft Kitchen has further enhanced this revenue stream and has been profitable from the outset. The Village’s investment in the kosher eatery was a prudent decision. The Village invested approximately $477,064.77 in funds to construct the restaurant and expand the golf bag

room – and not $800,000, as some allege. The licensee also invested more than $75,000 in completing development, which accrued to the Village’s benefit. The initial monthly fee is comparable to similar local establishments per square foot as researched by Trustee Tammy Roz. This fee of $1,800 yields a 5.4% annual return, which is a greater return than our funds earned while held in the bank. However, unlike the interest rate on the bank account, the return on investment in the restaurant will grow with annual fee increases, correlating with the restaurant’s continued success. Furthermore, the restaurant not only generates fee income but also provides a valuable service to LYCC members and guests. Increased membership and loyalty to the Lawrence Country Club are additional benefits that translate to addi -

tional revenues for the Village. MG Craft Kitchen has already become so popular that even many non-kosher members dine there because of its delicious food and friendly service.

Building a kosher eatery in a country club located in our Village, a premier Orthodox community in the United States, was a strategic and necessary move. It would be inappropriate for a country club in our community, of such stature, to lack suitable kosher dining options. All new start-up restaurants inevitably face and even pose challenges. However, the Village administration and Board of Trustees have and remain committed to addressing and resolving all issues that have and may arise. The MG Craft Kitchen has already received positive feedback, and we are certain will continue to do so.

Torah Trivia

1. Who were the four men who never sinned in their lifetime?

a. Binyamin (Yaakov’s youngest son)

b. Mesushelach

c. Amram (Moshe Rabbeinu’s father)

d. Yishai (Dovid HaMelech’s father)

e. Kilav (the son of Dovid HaMelech and Avigayil)

f. Rabbi Akiva

g. Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai

2. Which yom tov was Yitzchok Avinu born on?

a. Shavuos

b. Pesach

c. Chanukah

d. Shemini Atzeres

3. What did Hashem create on the fourth day?

a. Animals

b. Lights in the sky

c. Plants

d. Scorpions

4. Who were Avraham Avinu’s brothers?

a. Serug and Terach

b. Serug and Nachor

c. Charan and Terach

d. Nachor and Charan

5. Who was the oldest person to have ever lived?

a. Adam

b. Lemech

c. Mesushelach

d. Enosh

6. What object did Moshe hold up which healed the Jewish people when they looked up it?

a. A replica of the Aseres Hadibros

b. His walking stick

c. A small Torah

d. A copper serpent

Moshe went on top of which mountain to see Eretz Yisroel?

a. Har Chorev

b. Har Mistakel

c. Har Seyir

d. Har Nevo

10. Under whose rule did Klal Yisroel split into two kingdoms?

a. Rechovom

b. Shlomo Hamelech

c. Azaria

d. Achav

Answers:

1-A, C, D, E

2-B

3-B

7. What was Boaz and Ruth’s son’s name?

a. Peretz

b. Oved

c. Ram

d. Hezron

8. Which of the following women was not married to Dovid Hamelech?

a. Tamar

b. Michal

c. Avigayil

d. Batsheva

9. Before he died,

4-D

5-C – He lived 969 years

6-D

7-B

8-A

9-D

10-A

Wisdom key:

8-10 correct: You are a true Torah scholar!

4-7 correct: Learn hard on Shavuos night, and before you know it, you too will be full of Torah knowledge.

0-3 correct: Oy vey.

Good Snoozers

They call it the American Dream because you have to be asleep to believe it. - George Carlin

I’m trying to read a book on how to relax, but I keep falling asleep. - Jim Loy

I think sleeping was my problem in school. If school had started at four in the afternoon, I’d be a college graduate today. - George Foreman

Everyone should have kids. They are the greatest joy in the world. But they are also terrorists. You’ll realize this as soon as they are born, and they start using sleep deprivation to break you.

- Ray Romano

I love sleep. My life has the tendency to fall apart when I’m awake, you know? - Ernest Hemingway

Some national parks have long waiting lists for camping reservations. When you have to wait a year to sleep next to a tree, something is wrong.

- George Carlin

There is no sunrise so beautiful that it is worth waking me up to see it. - Mindy Kaling

I’ve stayed up all night trying to remember if I have amnesia or insomnia. - Unknown

A day without a nap is like a cupcake without frosting. - Terri Guillemets

Dreaming permits each and every one of us to be quietly and safely insane every night of our lives. - William Charles Dement

I hate when my foot falls asleep during the day because I know it will be up all night.- Steven Wright

When people tell me, “You’re going to regret that in the morning,” I sleep in until noon because I’m a problem solver. - Unknown

I need eight hours of sleep a day, and at least ten at night. - Bill Hicks

Sleep is the best of both worlds: you get to be alive and unconscious.- Rita Rudner

I’m not a very good sleeper, but you know what? I’m willing to put in a few extra hours every day to get better. That’s just the kind of hard worker I am. - Jarod Kintz

Why is the inability to sleep called insomnia and not resisting a rest? - Unknown

When I woke up this morning my [wife] asked me, “Did you sleep good?” and I said, “No, I made a few mistakes.” - Steven Wright

I never drink coffee at lunch; I find it keeps me awake for the afternoon. -

Riddle Me This When do we have kri’as haTorah five days in a row, other than on Pesach, Chanukah, and Sukkos?

When Rosh Hashana falls out on Thursday and Friday. The third day is the regular Shabbos leining; the fourth day is Sunday, which is Tzom Gedaliah; and the fifth day is Monday, when we always lein.

Torah Thought

Parshas Naso

By Rabbi Berel Wein

The idea of the nazir always raises questions and problems. The concept of monasticism is certainly not a basic Jewish value. Just the opposite seems to be true from the ideas and statements of the rabbis in the Talmud and from Jewish societal behavioral patterns over the centuries. Jewish society, in its divisions and manifestations, is vitally and socially gregarious to the extreme, with a brashness of involvement in all fields of human endeavor, thought, and progress. Yet the Torah describes for us quite clearly and vividly the necessity for some construct of

monasticism, be it permanent or temporary, in Jewish life and social order.

Yet even this monastic situation is not meant to separate the nazir from active participation in communal life. Shimshon, the prime example of the nazir in our Tanach, is nevertheless the leader of Israel, its chief judge and commanding warrior. There are halachic restrictions placed upon the nazir, but locking himself away from Jewish society is certainly not one of them. There are restrictions regarding retaining purity and cutting one’s hair, avoiding any sorts of defilement, and on consuming wine and

affiliated beverages. These restrictions amongst others certainly remind the nazir of his special status, but the nazir is still positively a member of the general society in all senses of participation in normal human life. If anything, a nazir now becomes a model for others for the attempt to achieve probity and purity in a world of the impure and sometimes wicked. So even though the rabbis are

it really is in our imperfect world and not as it should somehow be. And, therefore, the nazir becomes a necessary ingredient in our Torah society.

Over the ages, there have been outstanding people who have chosen the way of the nazir for themselves in their lifetimes. However, the reticence of the rabbis and Jewish tradition on this matter has prevented nezirut from becoming

The Torah does not seek to impose burdens upon one’s life as much as it intends to guide and temper our choices and behavior within the framework of a wholesome complete life.

not happy with someone becoming a nazir, neziirim and nezirut are a necessary piece of the human puzzle that the Torah describes for us.

The Talmud also teaches us that the impetus for becoming a nazir is also societal. It stems not from the inner wish of the individual to forego certain pleasures and norms of life as much as it stems from the wish for a protective shield from the dissoluteness and licentiousness of the surrounding society. Apparently, in a perfect world, the whole concept of nezirut would be unnecessary. But the Torah judges human life, even Jewish life, as

widespread or even accepted behavior. The Torah does not seek to impose burdens upon one’s life as much as it intends to guide and temper our choices and behavior within the framework of a wholesome complete life. This is also part of the lesson of the parsha of nazir to us. In essence, by knowing that becoming a nazir is an acceptable last resort in dealing with immorality and heartbreak, we can avoid this by living daily according to Torah precepts and values and shunning foreign and immoral influences in our lives and communities.

Shabbat shalom.

From the Fire

Shavuos

Pickled in Yiddishkeit

By Rav Moshe Weinberger

Adapted for publication by Binyomin Wolf

The Jewish calendar is filled with peaks and valleys. We have the joyful mountains of Pesach and Sukkos. And we have the valleys of Tisha B’Av and the Three Weeks. But there is one yom tov, regel, that stands alone, separate and different from all of the others.

We are all familiar with the story (Shabbos 31a) of the potential convert who asked Shammai and Hillel, “Convert me on the condition that you teach me the entire Torah whiles standing on one foot, regel achas.” Because the words for yom tov and foot are the same, regel, the seforim hakedoshim teach us that this Gemara hints to the yom tov of Shavuos, the one, singular yom tov of the year on which everything in Yiddishkeit stands. Everything else that happens in the Jewish year revolves around, is unified by, and is elevated by the yom tov of Shavuos, the day we received the Torah. It is the day about which we say in the piyut on Rosh Hashana, “You were revealed in the cloud of Your glory over Your holy nation, to speak with them…”

Ever since that day, nothing has been the same. Everything in Jewish life, both nationally and individually, is different since we stood at the foot of Har Sinai to receive the Torah. Everything took on a new meaning. Everything is deeper. Everything that has happened to us, whether revealed good or bad, has taken on a completely different meaning. Ever since that day, we have been “a kingdom of kohanim, a holy nation” (Shemos 19:6). We were irreversibly transformed into a new type of people, people with a special role and responsibility in the world. Some people may kick and scream, “I do not want this responsibility! I am not part of this!” But nothing can change the fact that every Jew is part of something greater than himself.

Every Jew is inexorably tied to our Jewish destiny, in which every aspect of life has a completely different meaning than it does to anyone else in the world. With that in mind, it is very difficult to understand what happened on the day Hashem revealed the Aseres Hadibros, the Ten Commandments, on Har Sinai. Hashem communicated the Aseres Hadibros to us with clouds, thunder, and lightning. The whole mountain was covered with smoke when Hashem spoke. But what earth-shattering words did He tell us? Aside from Shabbos, they were all things which any moral and intelligent person would have known even without Hashem telling us: Do not kill. Do not kidnap. Do not commit adultery. When the monumental moment of the giving of the Torah finally came, when the day anticipated by Creation over two thousand years earlier finally arrived, that was all G-d had to say?

While some philosophers maintain that objective morality cannot exist without G-d, it is at least possible to say that these moral precepts would have existed even if Hashem had not given them to us on Har Sinai. They are not even unique to the Jewish people. While there are those that violate many of the Aseres Hadibros in the world, those that do so are not really considered part of civilized society even among the nations of the world. Why then do we need a Sinai experience to learn that we should not kidnap or murder? Did we really need all of the thunder, lightning, and fireworks to let us know that we cannot steal?

Naomi’s Lesson in Yiddishkeit

In order to understand the foregoing question, let us learn a little bit about the acceptance of the Torah by the most famous giyores, female convert, Rus. It is initially difficult to understand why we read the book of Rus on Shavuos. It

contains no mitzvos, and its connection to Shavuos is not immediately apparent. And while a number of different seforim explain the reason the book of Rus is read on Shavuos in different ways, Reb Tzadok Hakohein, zy”a, explains that whenever Chazal offer a variety of reasons to explain something, it means that while a certain practice is clearly obligatory, the reason for it is not clear. We must therefore come to a better understanding of the reason why the book of Rus is read on Shavuos.

The Gemara (Yevamos 47a) teaches us that when a person wants to convert to Judaism, we must first teach them some of the weightier, more difficult mitzvos and some of the easier, less stringent mitzvos. Rus’s mother-in-law, Naomi, attempted to do this. When Rus made it clear to her that she was serious about becoming a Jew, Chazal tell us (Rus Raba 2:22) that Naomi began Rus’s introduction to what it means to be a Jew by saying, “My daughter, it is not the way of Jewish girls to go to the theaters and circuses of [the non-Jews].” Rus then responded (Rus 1:16), “Where you go, I will go.” In other words, Rus said that she did not know where Jewish people go and that she would rely on Naomi’s expertise, and she accepted upon herself only to go where Jewish people go.

Naomi’s “Introduction to Judaism” course to Rus is very difficult to understand. The Gemara says that we teach a prospective ger some easy mitzvos and some difficult mitzvos. But Naomi began with a concept that, while it may be true, is not technically part of the mitzvos at all. Why did she not begin with Shabbos, forbidden relationships, kashrus, or the yomim tovim? Why did she begin by teaching Rus about the places to which, while not strictly halachically prohibited,

“it is not the way of Jewish girls to go”?

We must explain that Naomi understood that Yiddishkeit is much more than simply a collection of a list of dos and don’ts. The totality of Yiddishkeit is so much more than the sum of the various mitzvos and halachos which are indeed an important part of Judaism. Naomi did not begin teaching Rus about Yiddishkeit by recounting the mitzvos of kiddush, havdala, shofar, and sukkah. She wanted to communicate to Rus that the essence of Judaism is much more than a list of mitzvos. It is an entirely different way of being. It means seeing the world through different eyes. That is why she began by teaching her something that was designed to begin to give Rus a feeling for how a Jew sees himself or herself. Naomi was trying to tell Rus: A Jewish woman walks with a Jewish walk. A Jewish woman laughs a Jewish laugh. A Jewish woman cries Jewish tears. Everything is different. And Rus accepted that sense of what a Jew does and does not do when she said, “Where you go, I will go.” She was not merely accepting upon herself a list of Though Shalts and Thou Shalt Nots. She was accepting a way of life.

Pickled in Yiddishkeit

My brother-in-law’s father, Reb Motel Rabinowitz, zt”l, was a talmid chacham and a student in the Mirer yeshiva in Europe, where the mashgiach was Reb Yeruchem Levovitz, zt”l . I once asked him to tell me what it was like by Reb Yeruchem. He answered, “Oh, you want to hear a ‘chassidisheh story’ about the mashgiach?” I told him that I simply wanted to hear what it was like to learn under Reb Yeruchem. He told me that it was impossible for me to understand. He then asked me if I knew what a pickle was. I answered that I certainly knew what a pickle was. He then asked if I knew what a cucumber was. Yes, I assured him, I knew what a cucumber was as well. “Well, that was what it was like by Reb Yeruchem.” He often made such enigmatic statements, so I asked him to clarify.

He told me that he could not explain it, but anyone who spent any time by Reb Yeruchem was pickled. He became completely different. It was not one certain vort or a specific teaching that changed him.

“The experience of sitting by Reb Yeruchem in that room changed us. We never looked at anything in the same way again. We saw everything with more seriousness. Everything had meaning.”

Being a student in the Mir under Reb Yeruchem was much more than a learned

set of customs or teachings. It meant being pickled in Reb Yeruchem’s essence.

That was what Naomi was attempting to communicate to Rus. A Jew must have a sense for what it means to be Jewish. He must be pickled in Yiddishkeit.

The Sinai Experience

There are two aspects to what we received at Sinai. Hashem introduces the Aseres Hadibros by saying (Shemos 20:1), “And G-d spoke all of these words to say.” And then the next pasuk begins, “I am Hashem, your G-d.” On one hand, we received “all of these words,” a collection of dos and don’ts, a variety of mitzvos and halachos. But on the other hand, we became intimately conscious of the reality that “I am Hashem your G-d.” We were no longer cucumbers. We were pickles. Hashem immersed us in a new reality in which we were soaked through an awareness that permeated everything, that “I am Hashem your G-d.” After that day, there was no comparison between the Jewish people’s “Thou shalt not murder” and the “Thou shalt not murder” of the nations of the world. Our morality does not come from human intellect. It is also more than one item in a list of “all of these words.” For us, it is part of a transcendent “I am Hashem your G-d.”

The unique thing about what we received on Har Sinai was not the content of the individual mitzvos received. It was not about the benefit which would accrue to us by fulfilling the mitzvos or the negative effects of transgressing the Torah’s prohibitions. We received a Jewish sense of what it means to hear G-d say, “I am Hashem your G-d.” We looked at everything in life differently after that.

We therefore do not look only at the

details of halacha to understand what Hashem wants of us, though that is obviously the starting point. We must have a sense of our place in Divine reality, a feeling for “it is not the way of Jewish girls...” For example, in the Aseres Hadibros, Hashem says, “Thou shalt not steal.” And while it would be wonderful if every Jew observed this commandment on its most simple level, for a Jew, this implies much more than simply not walking into a store and leaving with something that he did not pay for. Jews observe a principle that one may not “steal” someone’s sleep. This is called gezel sheina. We take this concept so seriously that the poskim discuss whether one may wake a friend up in the beis midrash Shavuos night if we know that he intended to stay up all night. Normally, a Jew always lets another sleep and does not wake him up. But we are concerned that maybe there would be a limited exception on Shavuos night when the person who fell asleep definitely intended to stay up throughout the night. The prohibition of gezel sheina is not a biblical prohibition, and according to almost all poskim, it is also not a rabbinic prohibition. But it is part of what it means to be a Jew. It is part of a meta-sensitivity that we have because “that’s what Jews do.”

After Har Sinai, we were completely changed. We were acquired by G-d. In halacha, an acquisition is often completed by exchanging an object, which demonstrates the parties’ intent to transfer ownership of an object from one person to a different person. Even the book of Rus (4:7) notes that this form of transaction was used by Boaz. Hashem acquired us, completely exchanging and transforming the nature of our lives.

There is something different, some -

thing Jewish, about the way a Jew smiles, tells a (clean) joke, and talks to his children. But only those who have been pickled by immersing themselves with the children of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov can understand this.

Cucumber Torah

It is difficult to explain that Yiddishkeit is more than the sum of “all of these words” to Jews who, for whatever reason, were never pickled at some point in their lives. I know that when I begin speaking about the hazards of going to a hotel for Pesach, those who go to hotels begin to roll their eyes, “There goes Rabbi Weinberger again. Why can’t he accept that the war is over? The hotels have won!” But the issue goes much deeper than the fact that the kashrus of many of the Pesach hotels is dubious, at best. Those who go to such places abandon the whole shape and form of Yiddishkeit. Where will their children ever experience the two weeks before Pesach in the kitchen with their mother cleaning, cooking, and preparing? When will they ever soak in the smells and jobs of a Jewish kitchen before Pesach? The perfunctory search for chometz the night before they leave for the hotel is no replacement for a true preparation for Pesach. And for every rationalization to explain how such people are not violating individual halachos, how do we explain that while they may not violate halacha by going to a hotel for Pesach, they are foregoing the essence of what it means to be a Jew and raising their children without a sense of “I am Hashem your G-d”? And there are Jews who self-identify as Orthodox but seek to make a variety of innovations in Judaism that have never been seen before in order to accommodate some people’s feelings. Again, the problem is not only with these people’s ignorance when it comes to Shas and poskim, although their ignorance is indeed breathtaking. They believe that they are doing Yiddishkeit a favor by digging up an obscure responsa from the time of the Gaonim using the Bar Ilan Responsa program to permit people to do whatever they wish to do. But they lack any sense for what Yiddishkeit is. How do we explain to them that Yiddishkeit is more than a collection of dos and don’ts? Poskim do so much more than simply comb through thousands of responsa to find those that suit their fancy. Yiddishkeit is a feeling for G-d. It is a recognition that “I am Hashem your G-d.” It is so much more than the sum of “all of these words.” Somehow these Jews were never pickled.

How is a Jew immersed in Yiddishkeit? How does one get a sense that “it is not the way of Jewish girls…”?

One way is how Jewish people talk. Without ever teaching it explicitly, children growing up in such homes receive the unspoken message that the mitzvos are not things we have to navigate past in order to engage in our true goals, the tasks and pleasures of physical life. Rather, children soak in their parents’ feeling that the details of life are only there to facilitate our performance of mitzvos. They are all part and parcel of our Yiddishkeit.

My wife shared with me an article called “Remembering the Living” by Rabbi Nachum Muschel of Monsey. In this article from Jewish Action magazine from 2007, Rabbi Muschel beautifully describes how a living, breathing Yiddishkeit is transmitted from one generation to the next. He writes:

Indeed such was the nature of those saintly communities. The education was all around you. The Torah training embraced you from all ends. Jewish life was the main concern. Everything else was secondary. The mothers did not send their children to go to sleep. Instead they would say, “Gai lain Krias Shema.” (Go say She-

ma.) Members of the family were not invited to come to eat but were reminded to “Gai vash dich.” (Go wash for hamotzi.)

And when the youngsters seemed to have nothing to do, they weren’t sent to watch television. Their father or mother would say, “Why are you wasting your time?

Take a sefer and look into it.” And your uncle who met you on the street didn’t ask

the food and the aroma didn’t just spread all over. But she taught halachos in how to take challah, how to salt meat, how to keep a house kosher, how to give tzedakah. I have worked to explain this to my children. But how do we explain to our children, when they say, “But everyone is doing it!” that even though we cannot point to a specific statement in the Mish-

We were irreversibly transformed into a new type of people, people with a special role and responsibility in the world.

you for the results of the ballgame. He inquired what you learned. He wanted to hear a pasuk quoted. He gave you a brief test, and by the time you came home, your father had the results.

This is exactly what it was like growing up in the 1960s with my parents and the members of their generation.

And, in the tight, small kitchen of your home, your mother didn’t just cook

na Berura demonstrating that something is forbidden, that it is pas nisht, is inappropriate, for a Jewish person. When people see Yiddishkeit as a merely list of dos and don’ts, it is difficult to tell them that Jews should or should not do something that is not explicitly written in a halacha sefer. How do we communicate, “I am Hashem your G-d” to people who only see “all of these words”? This prob -

lem not only bothers me; it torments me. It is the same thing with respect to those we remember at Yizkor. When we think about ar mother, father, sister, brother, wife, husband, or child who has left the world, we do not simply remember the sum of all of that person’s statements and actions. When a child speaks at his mother’s funeral about her cholent, how can he possibly express all of the ingredients that went into the crockpot which they do not sell in any supermarket. Each person is a totality, an entire world, that transcends all of the details of his or her life.

May we merit to remember the totality of those who have passed on into the next world, to imbibe the totality of what it means to be a Jew, may we merit to imbue our children with an understanding that Yiddishkeit changes everything and shapes how we view every aspect of life, and may we realize that the Torah is the key to living with the reality that “I am Hashem your G-d.”

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.

Torah Thought

The Torah is For Us All

By Rav Yaakov Feitman

Iam still imbued with the wonderful spirit of an impactful event I attended last night. It was a Siyum Hashas made by a young medical student entering his residency. I have participated in many such celebrations made by Kollel members who spend their days and night learning Torah. This is a wonderful thing and should always be lauded and encouraged. But when a young father, who is busy studying medicine, taking tests and tending to patients, makes time to complete the entire Talmud, there is a Shavuos lesson for us all.

First of all, unlike all other disciplines in the world, the Torah belongs to all. It is not the domain of scholars alone or of “professional” rabbis. It is the legacy, obligation and property of every Jew. The Rambam (end of Hilchos Shemittah and Yovel) famously enacts this as Jewish law, halacha, when he states that Torah study is not just the domain of Shevet Levi or any one group. It is the obligation of every Jew to learn Torah, become a talmid chochom – solid Torah scholar – and know its laws and guidelines. Therefore, when I see and hear that someone who has a profession, especially which is time-consuming and requires great effort to succeed, learns Torah both quantitatively and qualita-

tively, it is something to be commemorated.

But this idea goes even deeper. When I was a rav in Cleveland, Ohio, I often heard Rav Mordechai Gifter, zt”l, the Telzer Rosh Yeshiva, say something extraordinary. He repeated this to groups and individual baalei batim – laymen, not members of the Yeshiva – to offer both encouragement and inspiration.

“In the city of Brod [today: Brody],” he would intone, “there was a rav who is now somewhat forgotten. However, there was a baal habayis [a layman] named Rav Ephraim Zalman Margoliyos, who was one of the gedolei hador. He was a businessman who wrote many classic seforim in halacha and other areas. Although he submitted to the authority of the rav of the city, the entire Jewish world turned to him for guidance. His seforim , the Bais Ephraim , Mateh Ephraim , Olelos Ephraim and many more are Torah classics which are used daily throughout Klal Yisrael.” Rav Gifter referred to him as the “Broder Balebos” to remind us that Torah is never limited to a few with certain degrees or titles. It is the purview and obligation of every one of us.

But this concept goes much deeper. Another great man with a similar name

and background taught this lesson from a unique source. Rav Reuven Margoliyos was the librarian of the Rambam Library in Tel Aviv. Although he did not occupy a rabbinic position, the entire Torah world used his multitude of publications and visited him in the library for help with abstruse Torah sources and footnotes. He published classics on the Zohar, most of the Talmud, Shulchan Aruch and much more. In one of his comprehensive works, the Margoliyos Hayam on Sanhedrin, he wrote an introduction which has been understood to be autobiographical.

He cites a story in the Gemara (Taanis 21b) about two Amoraim, Rav Yochanan and Ilfa. They were studying Torah together but were quite impoverished and decided that the time had come to begin to work for a living. Rav Yochanan overheard two angels conversing nearby who were planning to knock down a nearby wall upon the two scholars who were about to abandon their studies. One angel told the other, “No, one of them will become a great rosh yeshiva, so we should leave them alone.” Indeed, Rav Yochanan heard the message, but Ilfa did not. Rav Yochanan became the famous Amora, known from almost every page of the Talmud,

but Ilfa apparently did not.

The general understanding of this story is that Ilfa did not become as great as Rav Yochanan, the rest being history. However, Rav Margoliyos demonstrates that in truth, both succeeded. Rav Yochanan did become one of the formal leaders of Klal Yisrael, but Ilfa taught Torah in many other ways, including providing writings for all of Klal Yisrael. A Rav Reuven concludes, Rav Yochanan became the leader, but Ilfa did not want to become a leader; he just wanted to learn and teach Torah – which he did.

This anecdote can be all of us. Perhaps not everyone can be Rav Yochanan. But everyone can and should be Ilfa.

Another aspect of this universal quality of the Torah may be seen from an extraordinary drasha in the Medrash. After Shlomo Hamelech (Koheles 2:9) recounts how he “experimented” with materialism and acquired all of the permissible pleasures of this world, he testified that “my knowledge stayed with me.” By this he meant on the most elemental of levels, that he never stopped learning or growing in Torah because of these buildings, gardens, orchards, etc. But the Medrash (Koheles Rabbah to this pasuk) says that the pasuk also means that “ Torah shelamadeti b’af,

omdah li” – the Torah I learned under difficult circumstances, that was the Torah which stood by me forever. In other words, any Torah which one learns is good. But that which was gained under difficult circumstances is the most precious.

The Shach, whose kever many of us visited just a few weeks ago, writes about his commentary to the Shulchan Aruch (Choshen Mishpat, Number 3) that it was written without access to any Torah literature and was recorded from memory as he was escaping from the marauding Polish Cossacks who were seeking Jewish sacrifices to murder in cold blood. Rav Sholom Schwadron, the great Magid, recounts that his father-inlaw, Rav Chaim Leib Auerbach (father of Rav Shlomo Zalman), also wrote many seforim when he was escaping from the Turks who were out to kill him. All those who wrote Torah under precarious conditions were granted extra knowledge and siyata d’shmaya – heavenly providence – to publish the truth.

Rav Menachem Mann Shach, zt”l, Rosh Yeshiva of Ponovezh, was known to have been a poor orphan who left home at a tender young age so that his

mother could focus on the younger children. He ended up for some years in a frozen Lithuanian shul with no food, heat or bed. Eventually, a kindly woman brought him one meal a day, and much later his future uncle, Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer, took him into his own home.

about his time in heaven: “I did not eat bread or drink water.” If Hashem is offering Torah, we must downsize our natural clinging to the material world. Many of the greatest gedolim were extremely impoverished in their youngest years, perhaps to allow them to replicate

Rav Shach later spoke nostalgically about those frigid years as “the best years of my life.”

However, Rav Shach later spoke nostalgically about those frigid years as “the best years of my life.” He recalled chiddushim – novel thoughts – which he had promulgated in those arctic nights. Hashem gives us the power, strength and ability to survive and learn Torah if that is our deepest desire. We might relate this on the basic level to Moshe Rabbeinu’s own statement

the pure conditions of Moshe Rabbeinu up in the heavens, when he received the Torah for us all. In any case, even if we are not starving, bed-less or orphaned at a young age, G-d forbid, we must know that Hashem appreciates us prioritizing our lives so that Torah study remains our greatest endeavor. This Shavuos, particularly amidst rampant antisemitism, a world in

flames, and a bitter war against literal savages, we must reaffirm our eternal legacy. The Maharal (Shabbos 88b) explains that Hashem lifted the mountain above us and forced us to take the Torah, despite the fact that we had already declared “Naaseh v’nishma ,” we will keep everything in the Torah. The reason for this was to demonstrate to us all – and the world – that Am Yisrael and the Torah one. It is an ineluctable relationship. If we retain our loyalty and study it under all circumstances, all will be wonderful. If not, G-d forbid, Hashem will rule over us anyway, and we will have exile, pogroms and Hamas. It seems to be up to us. Let us therefore accept the Torah with love and joy, so that Moshiach can come to a nation immersed and permeated with the Torah given to us over three millennia ago. The night of Shavuos is full of potential for us all. Let us use every precious moment.

Rav Yaakov Feitman is rav of Kehillas Yehudah Tzvi in Cedarhurst, NY.

Gifting the Torah to the Children of Hashem

By Ra BB i Daniel Glatstein

The tefillah of Shacharis begins with Birchos HaShachar, the morning blessings. One of these brachos is “shelo asani goy,” a blessing in which we thank Hashem for not making us non-Jews.

The Midrash Pliah reveals that this bracha has unique and ancient origins:

At the time when Hashem said, “Anochi Hashem Elokecha asher hotzeisicha mei’Eretz Mitzrayim, I am Hashem, your G-d, Who has taken you out of the land of Egypt” (Shemos 20:2), Moshe exclaimed, “Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu melech ha’olam shelo asani goy, Blessed are You, Hashem, our G-d, the King of the world, for not having made me a non-Jew.”

Thus, it would seem that this blessing can be traced to the giving of the very first of the Ten Commandments.

This Midrash is quoted in the sefer Divrei Shaul (Parshas Yisro), where R’ Shaul HaLevi Nathansohn opines that it is not authentic and has no true source. However, he writes, even if the actual Midrash is unsourced, the concept can be explained nonetheless. The Jewish people are required to believe in the One and Only Supernal G-d. Non-Jews are also required to believe in G-d — this is one of the seven Noahide laws that all nations of the world are commanded to observe. However, there is a difference between the Jews’ mandate versus that of the non-Jew. The Shulchan Aruch rules that if a non-Jew believes in shituf, a partnering force with G-d, he is not liable for violating the commandment to believe in G-d. This is not the case for a Jew, who must believe in One, and only One, Hashem.

Where, in fact, do we find that a Jew is forbidden to believe in shituf, partnership? The Divrei Shaul offers that it derives from the first two of the Ten Commandments: “Anochi Hashem Elokecha, I am Hashem, your G-d ” ; and “Lo yehiyeh lecha elohim acheirim al panai, You shall not recognize the gods of others in My presence (Shemos 20:2–3). Our belief in Hashem must be exclusive, barring any supposed accompanying force.

This, says the Divrei Shaul, would be the explanation of the words of the Midrash. When the commandment “I am Hashem” was issued, it distinguished our belief system from that of the non-Jews. Thus, Moshe exclaimed, “Blessed are You, Hashem, for not having made me a non-Jew!”

The Divrei Shaul concludes that he later heard from a darshan that this Midrash is sourced in the Midrash Avkir 1 As Midrash Avkir is a reliable source, quoted many times in the Yalkut Shimoni, we must therefore strive to understand the depth of its words.

Cosmic Clash

The Gemara (Shabbos 88b) describes that when Moshe went up to the Heavenly spheres to receive the Torah, he was subjected to a heated debate. The angels did not want the Torah to be handed over to mankind. The Gemara says:

And R’ Yehoshua ben Levi said: When Moshe ascended to the Heavenly heights [to receive the Torah], the ministering angels said before the Holy One, Blessed is He: “Master of the Universe! What is one born of a

woman doing among us?” [The Holy One, Blessed is He] said to them, “He has come to receive the Torah.” They said before him: “The coveted and treasured [Torah] that was stored by You as a treasure for 974 generations before the world was created! You intend to give that to flesh and blood?”

Ultimately, the angels lost the argument, and the Torah was given to Moshe to be delivered to the Jewish people.

We must understand, what was the angels’ claim? Why did they feel that they deserved the Torah rather than the Jewish people?

The Chida explains this based on the Gemara (Bava Metzia 108a) that outlines a halachic principle called dina d’bar metzra. This means that if one wishes to sell his field, his neighbor has the right of first refusal. The source for this rule is the verse in Parshas Va’eschanan, “Ve’asisah ha’yashar v’hatov, You shall do what is fair and good” (Devarim 6:18). Since the neighbor stands to gain by having two fields adjacent to each other rather than in different locations, it is “fair and good” to allow him the right to purchase the field before any other person is contacted.

The Chida says that the angels were invoking this claim. They, who dwell in the heavens, were “neighbors” of the Torah, which also existed in the heavens. Thus, in line with the rule of dina d’bar metzra, they held the right of first refusal with regard to the gifting of the Torah.

If the angels were basing their claim on legitimate halachic grounds, why did it fail?

The answer lies in an exception to the rule. The Sif-

sei Kohen (known as “the Shach”) writes that when the would-be purchaser is the seller’s son, it may be that the rule of dina d’bar metzra should not apply. The logical reason is that since the source for dina d’bar metzra is the verse “you shall do what is fair and good,” it may be more “fair and good” for one to sell a property to his own son rather than to a non-relative, albeit a neighbor.

The Shach writes this as a possible consideration. However, the Shitah Mekubetzes brings in the name of the She’eilos U’Teshuvos HaRif that the rule of dina d’bar metzra definitely does not apply when it is a son who wishes to purchase.

It is with this idea, the Chida explains, that we triumphed over the angels’ claim. While it is true that they were the Torah’s “neighbors,” this did not preclude our right to receive the Torah. This is because the principle of dina d’bar metzra did not apply since we, the Jewish people, are Hashem’s children. And a child’s claim takes precedence over that of a neighbor.

The Chida uses this concept to explain the continuum between two segments of the Haggadah.

We recite the paragraph, “Baruch haMakom, baruch Hu. Baruch she’nasan Torah l’amo Yisroel, Blessed is the Omnipresent, Blessed is He. Blessed is the One Who has given His Torah to His people Yisrael.” This is a statement of gratitude to Hashem for giving us the Torah. This paragraph is followed by the recitation of the Arbaah Banim, four Sons: the wise son, the wicked son, the simple son, and the son who does not know how to ask.

The Chida explains: We first say, “Baruch haMakom, baruch Hu. Baruch she’nasan Torah l’amo Yisroel” to express our thanks for having been given the Torah. But our right to the Torah faces a challenge. According to R’ Yehudah, the angels’ claim of dina d’bar metzra should continue to stand. In R’ Yehudah’s view, when the Jews sin, they are no longer called Hashem’s children. At that point, the Torah should revert to the angels, who maintain the right of first refusal as dina d’bar metzra. The Haggadah therefore continues with the “four Sons” paragraph. There, we express that all four — even the wicked one — are called a “son.” This reiterates that the halachah is like R’ Meir, and thus, we will never lose our designation as Hashem’s children.

One Heart

That we must be Hashem’s children in order to receive the Torah is an idea that can help explain a phenomenon described in Parshas Yisro, when the Jews arrived at Har Sinai. The pasuk says, “Vayichan sham Yisroel neged ha’har, and Yisrael encamped there, opposite the mountain” (Shemos 19:2). Rashi comments on this verse, “K’ish echad b’lev echad, like one man with one heart.” Why was it critical, prior to encamping opposite the mountain, that the Jews join in absolute unity?

atem l’Hashem Elokeichem, You are children of Hashem, your G-d” (Devarim 14:1). The verse doesn’t end with this statement. It continues with a prohibition: “Lo tisgodedu l’meis, You shall not cut yourselves … for a dead person.” This commandment forbids one from cutting himself in grief upon the demise of a loved one. The Gemara ( Yevamos 13b) interprets these words homiletically: “Lo saasu agudos agudos,” do not make multiple assemblages. According to this interpretation, the Torah is cautioning us from dividing congregations into separate groups adhering to disparate practices.

R’ Chaim Palagi writes that these two parts of the verse — “banim atem” and “lo tisgodedu” — go hand in hand. Unity among Jews reflects our being Hashem’s children. Since we are children of Hashem, we shall not impose divisiveness among our gatherings.

This idea sheds light on the emphasis of our unity prior to Matan Torah. As we have learned from the Chida, we — rather than the angels — merited to receive the Torah by virtue of our being children of Hashem. In order to affirm this reality, we had to act with utmost unity which, as R’ Chaim Palagi taught us, is a reflection of the fact that we are Hashem’s children.

In Parshas Re’eh (Devarim 13:19–14:1) we find the following two pesukim juxtaposed:

“When you hearken to the voice of Hashem, your G-d, to observe all His commandments that I command you today, to do what is right in the eyes of Hashem, your G-d”; and “ You are children of Hashem, your G-d — you shall not cut yourselves and you shall not make a bald spot between your eyes for a dead person.”

The first verse concludes with a command to do what is right in the eyes of Hashem, and immediately thereafter it says, You are children of Hashem, your G-d.

What is the connection between these two verses? The Bnei Yissaschar says we can explain based on the words of the Chida cited above. The commandment to do “what is right in the eyes of Hashem” is the underlying reason behind the rule of dina d’bar metzra. This sparks the claim of the angels: According to this principle, they deserve the Torah! To this, the Torah responds: “Banim atem l’Hashem Elokeichem, You are children of Hashem, your G-d.” Since the Jewish people are Hashem’s children, the rule of dina d’bar metzra does not apply.

The Klausenberger Rebbe, in the Divrei Yatziv, utilizes the Chida’s approach to explain why Moshe Rabbeinu broke the Luchos upon seeing the Jewish people worshiping the Eigel HaZahav, Golden Calf. Wouldn’t it have been more logical to simply turn around and return the Luchos to Shamayim rather than break them?

precedence over the angels. following the Cheit HaEigel, the angels could say that the argument was no longer valid: The Jews were no longer Hashem’s children. Thus, were Moshe to return the Luchos to Shamayim, he risked losing them forever. By breaking them, he ensured that the Torah could still be reclaimed through Bnei Yisrael doing teshuvah

Ours to Inherit

The connection between our being Hashem’s children and the Giving of the Torah can be further demonstrated by the Yalkut Shimoni in Bamidbar. There, the Yalkut teaches that when the Jews accepted the Torah, the nations of the world were jealous, protesting that the Jews were no more deserving of the Torah than they were. Hashem responded by saying, “Bring me your sefer yuchsin (ledger book of genealogy) as My children have brought [theirs].”

The Navah Tehillah explains this Midrash based on the Gemara (Kesubos 53a) that teaches that one may not transfer an inheritance from one son to another — even if the transferee is a better son. This principle would support the claim of the nations of the world, that “even if the Jews are the ‘better son,’ nonetheless, Hashem should not appropriate our inheritance (the Torah) in favor of the Jews!”

What Hashem is telling them is that they have no “yechus” — they bear no “familial” relationship with Hashem. The Jews, on the other hand, are Hashem’s children. Thus, the issue of transferring an inheritance from one child to another is irrelevant — for only the Jews are Hashem’s children.

With all we have learned, we can return to explain the Midrash with which we began. The moment that Hashem said, “I am Hashem, your G-d, Who has taken you out of the land of Egypt,” Moshe responded by saying “Baruch… shelo asani goy.” for it was at that moment, when the very first of the Ten Commandments was proclaimed, that Hashem gave us the Torah, overcoming the angels’ claim of dina d’bar metzra and affirming our identity as Hashem’s children.

We can answer this question based on the words of R’ Chaim Palagi, commenting on the pasuk in Parshas Re’eh that says, “Banim

According to the Klausenberger Rebbe, Moshe feared that the Cheit HaEigel was so grave that the Jews might lose their status as Hashem’s children.2 Therefore, were he to return the Luchos to Shamayim, the angels would appeal their case, claiming once again that they deserve to receive the Torah, in line with the principle of dina d’bar metzra. This time, however, there would be no counterclaim that the Jewish people, as Hashem’s children, take

This is further demonstrated by the very words “… Who has taken you out of the land of Egypt.” As we have learned, our being redeemed from Mitzrayim was also made possible only through our being Hashem’s children. Thus, the moment that Hashem declared “Anochi Hashem Elokecha,” Moshe became overwhelmed with gratitude that we, rather than the nations of the world, are His children. Moshe therefore exclaimed the blessing, “Shelo asani goy! ” for there is no greater blessing than being Hashem’s child.

1“Avkir” is an acronym for the words “Amen bimheirah kein yehi ratzon.”

2See Chapter 24, where we cite the Vilna Gaon as saying that indeed, at the time of the sin of the Golden Calf we lost our title as Hashem’s children.

This article has been excerpted with permission from Rebbi Meir Baal Haness and the Eternal Children of Hashem by Rabbi Daniel Glatstein, published by Artscroll. Rabbi Daniel Glatstein is the Mara D’asra of Kehilas Tiferes Mordechai in Cedarhurst, NY, and author of numerous seforim in Lashon Hakodesh and in English for ArtScroll. He is an international lecturer and maggid shiur. His thousands of recorded shiurim are available on Torahanytime.com, podcast, his

King David’s Roadmap for Life’s Journey Torah Thought

By Rebbetzin Dr. Adina Shmidman

You and I and probably most people we know have recited more Tehilim this past year than ever before. Not only is this true anecdotally, but looking at Google Analytics data for the global search term “Tehillim,” a notable trend emerges. On October 6, the keyword exhibited a relatively modest level of interest, with a recorded trend of 37. However, within a short span, the interest surged dramatically, reaching a peak of 100 on October 7. This rapid and widespread spike in user engagement worldwide highlights the power of Tehillim as our nation’s salve and savior as we confronted the most horrific event to befall our people in our time. What is it about these holy words that provide comfort and direction while at the same time inspiring hope and solace?

The Midrash Shocher Tov draws a fascinating and intriguing parallel between Moshe Rabbeinu presenting the five books of the Torah and King David presenting the five books of Tehillim. King David’s words begin where Moshe leaves off. Moshe concludes Sefer De -

varim with “Ashrecha Yisroel mi kamocha, How praiseworthy are you Israel, who can compare to you?” (Devarim 33:29) The first words of Tehillim begin with the words “Ashrei ha’ish , praiseworthy is the man.” Tehillim picks up where Moshe finishes. While Moshe focuses on the nation, King David focuses on the individual—the “man.” It is no coincidence that King David was born and died on Shavuot. He opens his epic work by describing the essential qualities of a noteworthy individual, directing our attention to this fundamental question: What makes a person praiseworthy?

King David prompts us to consider our role models. Who influences our choices and directs our decisions? Is it external achievements, material possessions, or social status? As social beings, we are influenced by our surroundings. Even on a neural level, our mirror neurons respond to the actions we observe, firing as if we were performing the actions ourselves. King David recognizes the power of persuasion and directs us to reflect who we hold in high esteem, as

they will influence our actions.

We would likely describe the praiseworthy person as authentic, honest, kind, giving, selfless, spiritually seeking, devoted, inspired and inspiring. How does King David describe him? “Ashrei ha’ish asher lo holech b’atzas reshaim u’b’derech chataim lo amad u’b’moshav leitzim lo yashav, praiseworthy is the man who has not walked not in the counsel of the wicked and stood not in the path of the sinful and sat not in the session of the scorners.”

Why describe this quintessential person as an ish, man, rather than a righteous person? And why focus on avoiding negative situations rather than creating positive opportunities? Wouldn’t you rather open up the Book of Tehillim and read, “Praised is the man who seeks good, who runs to do chesed, achieves greatness through the pursuit of spirituality”?

David HaMelach is a realist and understands the ways of the world and the travails of mankind. He begins Tehillim with the struggle of the Everyman, navigating a world that doesn’t put G-d first. Life is a constant struggle, with choices

and advice from parties who don’t have our best interest in mind. David knows from his own life that, in the real world, we face real obstacles. Even staying away from evil is a challenge that deserves recognition and praise.

But staying away from evil is not enough. “Ki im b’Toras Hashem cheftzo u’b’Toraso yehegeh yomam v’lailah, rather, the teaching of the L-ord is his delight, and he studies that teaching day and night.” We find our roadmap by immersing ourselves in a Torah way of life from morning until night, from the time we wake up until the time we go to bed. Hashem’s desire becomes our desire; His way, our way. Through the study of Torah, we bridge the gap between a G-d-written Torah and a Torah-lived life, incorporating, assimilating and integrating these holy words into our very being.

The Gemara, Avodah Zarah 19a, provides a strategy for learning Torah. Rava suggests first acquainting yourself with the entirety of the Torah text in a basic way, “Ki im b’Toras Hashem cheftzo, make Hashem’s Torah his desire” and

then analyzing the pesukim, thoughts and messages more deeply, “u’b’Toraso yehegeh yomam v’lailah, in his Torah he meditates day and night.” The remarkable surge in daily learning in recent years underscores Rava’s directive. While daily learning may feel like skimming the surface, programs like Daf Yomi, Nach Yomi and other daily learning opportunities help us become familiar with the narrative with the goal of returning to these same holy texts for deeper understanding. Similar to developing a human relationship, initial interactions build a relationship that deepens over time with shared mutual experiences and connections.

King David concludes the introductory perek with a parable: “He shall be like a tree planted alongside brooks of water, which yields its fruit in season, whose leaf never withers, and everything that he does will succeed.” This tree represents man in his steadfastness and commitment to Hashem and His Torah. How do we bring these lofty aspirations into our lives? Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, in his commentary on Tehillim, eloquently describes the strong tree:

The tree does not fear when the storms seize, shake and bend it. It does not move and veer from its

place; and so long as it is not uprooted from its place, it shall surely continue to stand! Therefore, the tree has lost nothing…

The same is true for a person. So long as he is attached to his spiritual roots – no wind can uproot him from his place. Just the opposite: the storms awaken the spirit of renewal!

in the verse in Shmuel II 19:18, “V’tzalchu ha’Yarden lifnei ha’melech, and they crossed the Jordan in front of the king.” Success means carrying something from beginning to end, taking an idea to implementation. Focusing on spiritual growth through Hashem and His Torah provides the ultimate fruit – a legacy of a life welllived. The evildoer, by contrast, is natuah,

King David recognizes the power of persuasion and directs us to reflect who we hold in high esteem, as they will influence our actions.

Rav Hirsch explains that a true man is shasul, he replants himself by streams of water, an allegorical description of the Torah. This tree – or the man it represents – accomplishes his mission successfully, as King David proclaims, “Kol asher ya’aseh yatzliach, and all he does is successful.” The word hatzlacha, success, shares the same root word as the word

planted and fixed, not growing beyond himself.

So why open and lead with this perek? How does it set the tone for what follows? Tehillim captures the words, thoughts, prayers, ideas and ideals for now and for the ages, giving us each our own personal Torah to connect with intimately. This perek provides the road map

for connecting to Hashem, building a relationship, making the right choices and following the right path. It’s as simple as avoiding the path of evil and making the Torah yours. Yet, this simplicity belies the complexity of the journey, which is why there are 149 more perakim to elaborate, expound, and share words that carry us through the gamut of emotions – sickness, joy, failure, victory to mention but a few. These ideas and ideals carry us from generation to generation, resonating deeply for each of us today.

Rebbetzin Dr. Adina Shmidman serves as the founding director of the OU Women’s Initiative, which aims to create and promote programming focused on Torah study, community leadership, and spiritual, personal, and professional development for women of all ages. As a dynamic community leader with over three decades of teaching experience in New York, Alabama and Pennsylvania, Dr. Shmidman is also the rebbetzin of the Lower Merion Synagogue in Bala Cynwyd, PA. She is mikvah co-chair of the Lower Merion Community Mikvah, mikvah attendant and kallah teacher. She and her husband are the proud parents of four sons.

Torah Thought Shavuos: The Power of Continuity

By Steven Genack

The climax of the Jewish nation occurs on Shavuos, a feat only reached through rigorous and consistent preparation. The Torah provides a magical message regarding the significance of continuity and wholeness in the time leading up to the giving of the Torah, and the Talmud instructs us how to succeed in Torah, as can be deduced through the tragic loss of Rabbi Akiva’s students.

In Leviticus 23:15, we are told to count seven whole weeks. This refers to the time between Pesach and Shavuos. This counting must be consistent, with no stoppages. If the bracha is forgotten for a full day, this is a lack of continuity, and the person may no longer continue counting with a bracha.

The counting, on the one hand, is in commemoration of the Korban Omer that was brought on the second day of Pesach but also to mark the time of preparation for the giving of the Torah. This is why the Rav, zt”l, notes we don’t say a shehecheyanu blessing on the Omer, as it is a mere preparation for the giving of the Torah. However, the preparation must be complete and consistent, with no gaping holes.

During this same time period, later in history, Rabbi Akiva lost his 24,000 students. We must delve into the personality of Rabbi Akiva and the travails and triumphs he experienced with his students and explain why their deaths occurred at a time set aside for the counting of the Omer – a time of joy and exhilaration, time that marks the onset of the giving of the Torah.

It remains undisputed that the Oral Law, in its entirety, follows the opinion of Rabbi Akiva. In Sanhedrin 86a, the Gemara says, “Rabbi Yochanan says an anonymous Mishnah goes like Rabbi Meir, tosefta like Rabbi Nechemiah, sifrah like Rabbi Yehudah, and they all are according to Rabbi Akiva.” In the area of character, Rabbi Akiva’s prize pupil and the author of the Zohar, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, told his students to learn from his own middos because

his middos were terumos mi’trumosav (a scintilla apportionment) compared to Rabbi Akiva’s.

The question now remains as to how the ambassador of the Oral Law can endure such tragedy out of the Torah that follows his opinion in every area of the law. Perhaps we can return to the theme of the power of continuity in attempting to address this issue.

Kesuvos 62b-63a tells that Rabbi Akiva studied in yeshiva for twelve consecutive years, amassing 12,000 students. As he returned home with his 12,000 students, he heard an old man provoke his wife, “How long will you remain a living widow?” to which she replied, “If my husband would only listen to me, he would devote himself to another twelve years of uninterrupted study.” Upon hearing this, Rabbi Akiva returned to the yeshivah to study for another twelve uninterrupted years, by the end of which time he had gathered 24,000 talmidim. I believe many lessons lie within this story. It would be of no surprise if the story is used in s halom bayis panels and middos discussions. However, when analyzing anything relating to Rabbi Akiva, surely every nuance relat-

ing to the study of Torah must be honed in upon. Thus, one can postulate a chakirah (question) relating to Rabbi Akiva’s studies: did he study a consecutive twenty-four years in yeshivah, with no stoppage, for indeed he never entered his physical home after the first twelve years, or was there indeed a stoppage because he left the physical walls of the yeshiva at that time?

In such a scenario, it may be said that Rabbi Akiva studied two separate blocks of twelve years. I would argue that there was a physical separation from the yeshiva, and that is why the Gemara in Yevamos 62b specifically says he had “12,000 pairs” of students, as opposed to characterizing them in totality as 24,000. In essence, there was a stoppage in Rabbi Akiva’s learning, creating two blocks of twelve, not a consecutive twenty-four, leading to a divided student body who couldn’t relate to one another.

The counterargument can be found in the Chazon Ish’s Emunah U’bitachon, where he says that since Rabbi Akiva never entered his home, there was no stoppage (I was alerted to this Chazon Ish by Rav Hershel Schechter, whom I had the zechus to escort to Far Rocka-

way on the LIRR). Perhaps a proof for the Chazon Ish is that the students were called pairs. In other words, they were all equals, though they learned over a 24-year period.

The Gemara in Yevamos continues, “The world remained desolate until Rabbi Akiva came to our masters in the south and taught the Torah to them. These were Rabbi Meir, Rabbi Yehudah, Rabbi Yose, Rabbi Shimon, and Rabbi Elazar ben Shammua; and it was they who revived the Torah at that time.”

How was Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai successful in creating a continuity of Torah? Certainly, it’s no coincidence that his yahrzeit is on Lag B’omer as a yom hillulah , day of simcha for Torah (Ye’eros Devash). In essence, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai personified the opposite of the tragedy of the divided 24,000 students, offering a respite in the mourning.

Shabbos 33b relates that Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai and his son went to hide in a cave to avoid Roman persecution. The Gemara must be analyzed to extrapolate why Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai’s memory lives on with such fortitude and what aspect of Rabbi Akiva was he metaken (did he remedy).

A miracle occurred, and a carob tree and a well of water were created for them. They used to remove their clothing and sit up to their necks in sand. All day they used to commit traditions to memory, and at the time of prayer, they dressed, covered, and prayed. And then they took off their clothes so that they would not wear out. They lived in the cave for twelve years.

Then Eliyahu Hanavi came and stood at the opening of the cave. He said, “Who will tell the son of Yochai that Caesar is dead, and his decree was canceled?”

They then went out. They saw people plowing and planting. Rabbi Shimon said, “They are forsaking eternal life and occupying themselves with temporal life.” Every place upon which they cast their eyes was immediately burned.

A heavenly voice came out and said, “Did you come out to destroy my world? Return to your cave!” They returned and lived in the cave for twelve months.

At the end of that time, they said, “The sentence of the wicked in Gehenom is twelve months.”

A heavenly voice came forth and said, “Get out of your cave,” and they went out.

Everything that Rabbi Eliezer destroyed, Rabbi Shimon repaired. Rabbi Shimon said, “My son, I and you are enough for the world!”

When Shabbos was about to start, they saw an old man carrying two bundles of myrtle, running at twilight. They said to him, “Why do you need these?”

He said to them, “In honor of the Sabbath.”

They said to him, ‘‘And isn’t one enough for you?”

He said to them, “One is for ‘remember,’ and one is for ‘keep’” (Exodus 20:8; Deuteronomy 5:12).

He said to his son, “See how the commandments are beloved by Israel!” Their minds were at ease.

His father-in-law, Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair, heard and went out to meet Rabbi Shimon. He took him into a bathhouse. While he was treating his flesh, he saw that there were cracks in his skin. He started crying, and his tears flowed and caused him pain. He said to Rabbi Shimon, “Woe to me that I saw you thus!”

Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said to him, “Blessed are you that you saw me thus, because had you not seen me thus, you would not have found me thus [learned]. In the beginning, when Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai asked one question, Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair would give twelve answers. In the end, when Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair would ask a question, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai would give twenty-four answers.”

Rabbi Shimon and his son lived in sand up to their necks and studied for twelve straight years. This is very reminiscent of Rabbi Akiva’s first immersion in Torah when he acquired his first 12,000 students in twelve years of study. Interestingly, the Gemara notes that at the end of twelve years, Eliyahu Hanavi came and stood at the opening of the cave. He said, “Who will tell the

that is why he is able to offer a respite on Lag B’omer from the mourning over the 24,000 students. His essence was metaken (a remedy) for them.

It is possible that the students of Rabbi Akiva perished in the days between Pesach and Shavuos as they had a chisaron (lacking) of shelemus (continuity, wholeness, and consistency). They originated from a source of Torah

He asked again, “If you’re taking only one step at a time, how do you reach the top?”

son of Yochai that Caesar is dead, and his decree was canceled?” In this scenario, a messenger from Gd was telling them they may leave. Their exit from the cave wasn’t a personal decision, nor were they acting upon their own intuition. They completed a consecutive twelve-year period with no self-imposed stoppages. This was unlike Rabbi Akiva who consciously decided to divide his years of study. This is why Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai was able to revive the Torah, remedying the noncontinuous Torah of Rabbi Akiva.

Upon arriving at the end of the story, we are told that originally Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai asked his father-in-law a question and would get twelve answers, and now his son-in-law would ask him a question and Rabbi Shimon would offer 24 answers. Why 24? The answer is simple. He answered for the 24,000 talmidim of Rabbi Akiva that perished. There was no inherent stoppage of Torah learning that took place in the life of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, and thus no unevenness in what he gave over. And

The Chiddush of Shlomo Hamelech

Koheles 1:9 says, “Ein chadash tachas hashemesh” (there is nothing new under the sun). Its basic understanding is that there is nothing new that man can create or imagine that hasn’t been created or explored already.

Using remez, we can extrapolate that the Jewish months (chodesh) are not guided by the sun, but rather by the moon using the lunar calendar.

Using drash, we might understand that chadash, new grain, does not exist anymore in the season of the sun, for by then it’s yashan, old grain.

Using sod , we could say there is no such thing as chiddushei Torah in this world, for any “new” chiddush is merely uncovering the potential already embedded in the Oral Law from above.

that was uneven and not consecutive. They were not the personification of continuity, which is required when we count the Omer.

The Chazon Ish was once asked how, in his weakened condition, he was able to make it up the steep hill to his house when he went to the shul at the bottom of the hill on Mondays and Thursdays. He answered that he took one step at a time. The person didn’t understand

the answer. He asked again, “If you’re taking only one step at a time, how do you reach the top?” The Chazon Ish answered the same. The point is there is no need to jump to achieve everything at once, however, one must take a step and then another step, with no large stoppages, to achieve the desired goal.

Rabbi Shlomo Amar, the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, upon a visit to Far Rockaway, New York, was asked by a bachur how he could succeed in learning. The rabbi responded, “Chazer! Chazer! And chazer more!” In other words, review, review, and review – and without stopping. Don’t put any stoppages in between.

Rambam says in Hilchos De’os 1:7 that to succeed in inculcating a trait to be part of our essence, we must repeat it over and over with no stoppages until it becomes a part of us, and then performing actions with that trait becomes habitual. Perhaps in reaching a level of continuity and consistency, we can accept the Torah in wholeness and harmony.

This article was excerpted from Articles, Anecdotes & Insights: Genack-Genechovsky Torah by Steven Genack published by Gefen Publishing.

Sparks of Light

Cheesecake, Step Aside Enjoying the Sweetness of Torah This Shavuos

Afamous custom that comes to mind when we think about Shavous is eating dairy. There are many wellknown explanations for this dietary minhag. However, the earliest documented reason for this custom is lesser known and brought down in the Sefer Kol Bo from the times of the Rishonim. The Kol Bo related the custom to a pasuk in Shir HaShirim (4:11) talking about the sweetness of the Torah: “The Torah is so sweet; it is like honey and milk under your tongue.” In other words, the ultimate combination. Torah is so delectable and so sweet, nothing can match it, and therefore, we celebrate the giving of the Torah by enjoying milk (dairy) to emphasize how delicious the Torah is to us. This sweetness is the reason for the custom not to learn Torah on Tisha B’Av and is an interesting debate on whether the brachos we say on our learning are Birkas HaMitzvah or Birkas HaNehenin.

Rabbi Daniel Glastein has a very insightful shiur where he went beyond flavor to teach us that the sweetness also reflects a fundamental attitude we are supposed to have regarding Torah. The Torah requires great effort and concentration, but ultimately, its understanding produces sweetness. It provides a Jew with such

By Rabbi Benny Berlin

satisfaction and happiness that we cannot study Torah on Tisha B’Av, the day of mourning, because it gladdens the heart (“mesamche lev”).

Before we learn Torah, we make a bracha – but not the type you might think! In halacha, there are two types of bachos –Birkas HaMitzvos (before a mitzvah, such as shofar) and Birkas HaNehenin, a blessing on enjoyment (such as on food). We are not permitted to derive benefit in this world without thanking Hashem, so you would think the blessings we recite once each morning over the Torah we will learn for that day (Birkas HaTorah) is of biblical origin and a Birkas HaMitzvah. However, the Levush reveals to us that actually the bracha on the Torah in the morning is a Birkas HaNehenin (a bracha before enjoyment).

The Gemara in Nedarim explains that the reason why Eretz Yisrael was destroyed in the times of Churban Bais Rishon is because they didn’t say Birkas HaTorah, or according to the Levush, they did say it but did not understand that it was supposed to be a Birkas HaNehenin instead of a Birkas HaMitzvah. Their kavanah was off.

There is no greater pleasure in this world than learning Torah. Not spiritual pleasure nor physical pleasure; nothing

gives a person more sipuk (satisfaction) than Torah. The Levush asks: if Torah is such a delight and enjoyment and we make a bracha before we learn Torah, why not make a bracha after? After all, following eating cake, you make a bracha of Al HaMichya; after drinking a cup of water, you make a Borei Nefashos. The Levush famously answered that we do make a bracha after our Torah learning as part of the series of the three brachos we say each morning in Birkas HaTorah. He points to the paragraph of “V’harev Nah,” the second of the morning’s Birkas HaTorah serves as a Bracha Achrona on the previous day’s learning.

Learning Torah is the greatest Birkas HaNehenin. The Ohr Hachaim said that if people would be able to taste the “mesikus v’arvus,” the sweetness and delectability of the Torah, they would become obsessed, chasing it with such passion that anything they previously thought were the riches of the world (like gold and silver) would become worthless in their eyes.

But, despite what the Ohr Hachaim says, it is likely we have all experienced moments where we cannot fully connect with his statement. The gadlus in his statement is that Torah is an acquired taste, a re-

fined taste, one that once our “palates” are trained to understand is completely awe-inspiring. It causes all other happiness to pale in comparison. It is something that is so joyful to the soul that this is the greatest happiness the Jewish soul can experience in this world.

Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev pointed to an interesting conversation in the Gemara about how to celebrate yom tov and whether that celebration was physical or spiritual. When it comes to Shavuos, all agree that the answer is that the celebration is physical, similar to the Birkas HaNehenin, specifically because Torah is so sweet like the Shir HaShirim described it, “The Torah is so sweet; it is like honey and milk under your tongue.”

This year, as we mark Shavuos, and dine on a delicious spread of cheesecakes and other dairy products, let’s not forget that the true way to enjoy the yom tov is through our learning. This other-worldly taste will surely outshine everything else this chag.

Rabbi Benny Berlin is the rabbi of BACH Jewish Center located in Long Beach, New York. For more information, visit: https://www. bachlongbeach.com/.

Delving into the Daf

Removing a House’s Mezuzos

By Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow

Arenter is obligated to affix a mezuzah just as a homeowner is. However, most Rishonim are of the opinion that a renter’s obligation is only rabbinic. The Gemara (Bava Metzia 102a) notes that a renter may not remove his mezuzos when he vacates his rental. The Gemara proceeds to cite a story about a renter who removed his mezuzos when he moved elsewhere. The consequences were disastrous.

The Gemara cites a major exception to the aforementioned halacha. If the next tenant or owner will be someone who will disgrace the mezuzos, then they should be removed.

The Rishonim note that the Amora Shmuel rules that one may remove tzitzis strings from one garment and affix them to a different garment. The halacha should be the same as a mezuzah. Why may the renter not remove his mezuzos and affix them elsewhere?

There are (at least) four answers to this question. Rav Achai Gaon posits that the premise of the question is one hundred percent correct. The halachos of mezuzos and tzitzis strings are the same. Both may be removed and affixed elsewhere. However, one may not remove a mezuzah and put it in a display case. One may not remove kosher tzitzis strings from a garment and put them in a drawer. This is considered disgracing the mitzvah. Therefore, the renter may indeed remove his mezuzos from his old apartment as long as he puts them up in his new one.

Tosfos in Bava Metzia explain that a mezuzah affords Divine protection to the house and its inhabitants. By removing the mezuzah, the vacating renter is harming the future inhabitants. By contrast, no one is harmed when removing tzitzis strings. The Ritva explains that when one affixes a mezuzah to a home, a certain amount of sanctity rests on that home. It is inappropriate to remove sanctity from a given location. Although affixing tzitzis strings is a mitzvah, it does not create any sanctity in the garment. (A prayer shawl/talis

may be somewhat different.) Therefore, it is permissible to remove tzitzis strings and not mezuzos.

Finally, the Birchei Yosef suggests that a renter should not remove his mezuzos because we are concerned that the new renter may be negligent and fail to affix mezuzos. Removing the mezuzos and creating a nisayon for the new renter is inappropriate. However, with the halacha of tzitzis, both garments belong to the same owner, and negligence by someone else is not a concern.

The following thoughts are to engender discussion and not meant as a final ruling. What are some of the halachic differences between the various opinions? What if a renter is moving out of town? He forgot to order mezuzos for his new home. May he remove his mezuzos and bring them to his new home? The last three reasons would suggest that the answer is he may not. However, according to Rav Achai Gaon, he may. Rav Achai Gaon explains that it is a disgrace to take a mezuzah that is being used for a mitzvah and put it in storage. Here, the renter will affix the mezuzos to his new home. There is no disgrace for his mezuzos. The Birchei Yosef says that in case of need, one may rely on Rav Achai Gaon’s opinion and remove his mezuzos.

The Aruch HaShulchan is unsure if this should be relied on.

Rav Achain Gaon’s explanation can also lead to a stringency. If someone has a mezuzah that is perfectly kosher, may he replace it with a mezuzah that is more mehudar? The Mezuzos Melachim (186:1) says it may be an issue. One could argue that it is a disgrace to a perfectly kosher mezuzah to be relegated to a drawer because one has a nicer one. It would seem that one may give the less-mehudar mezuzah away or sell it. This way the less-mehudar mezuzah is still being used. (See there for other options.)

The Mishna Berura rules (OC 15) that one may remove kosher tzitzis strings to replace them with nicer ones.

Suppose someone is reluctant to leave his expensive mezuzos on his old rental. He would like to put perfectly kosher but cheaper ones in their place. Many poskim rule that this is permitted. However, the old mehudar mezuzos should be used and not put in storage.

What if the new renter is present when the old renter is moving out? The new renter is ready to put up his mezuzos immediately upon the old renter removing his. One could make the argument that the first three reasons are inapplicable. There is no disgrace to the old mezuzos because they

will be affixed on the prior renter’s new home (assuming they will). He is not harming the new inhabitants, because new mezuzos are being affixed promptly. Likewise, he is not removing any sanctity from the house, because the lapse of time without mezuzos will be mere moments. Yet, perhaps Chazal were always concerned about the possible negligence on the part of the new renter no matter the circumstances. Indeed, the Pischei Teshuva (291:7) quotes the Birchei Yosef that even in this situation the first renter should not remove his mezuzos. The Be’er Moshe (3:181) disagreed and said he ruled leniently on this exact issue many times.

What if the owner of the apartment does not intend to rent it out anymore? The Pri Megadim (OC 15:2) says Tosfos’s logic about harming future inhabitants is inapplicable, and the mezuzos may be removed. There is a major leniency cited by the Igros Moshe (YD 4:44). Typically, apartments are painted in between tenants. One must remove the mezuzos before painting so that they are not ruined. Rav Moshe, zt”l, said that in such a situation, the departing tenant may remove his mezuzos. The clear implication is that the departing tenant may remove his mezuos and not return them to their place after painting. However, Rabbi Eliyahu Feldman, author of Agur B’ohalecha, suggests that Rav Moshe did not actually mean this. (See there, 40:10.) Still, many in America accept the pask of Rav Moshe at face value and rely on it.

The Steipler and his son Rav Chaim, zt”l, disagree over whether a departing tenant may remove mezuzos that were borrowed from a gemach without replacement. Any practical questions should be directed to a rav.

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.

Most people think the happiest day of the Jewish year is Purim or Simchas Torah –but Shavuos? And the answer is, “Yes, Shavuos is the happiest day of the Jewish calendar year!”

And here is why:

Rav Yerucham Olshin, shlita, explains that the Gemara in Pesachim 68b tells us: Rabbi Elazar says, “All admit that on Atzeres – we require lachem –it should be for you as a holiday. What is the reason? Because it is the day that the Torah was given.”

The Meforshim explain that this Gemara means we should be happier on this yom tov than on others. Indeed, Rav Yechiel Yehoshuah Rabinowitz, the Biala Rav, in his Seder HaYom, writes this explicitly – that we should be happier at this yom tov than any other time during the year. The Yesod Veshoresh Haavodah (Shaar HaTzon 10) develops

Headlines Halacha

The Happiest Day of the Jewish Year

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

this idea explaining that it is because we received this remarkable treasure of the Torah.

The Shla HaKadosh (Meseches Shavuos Ner Mitzvah 18) adds another level of insight. He writes that it is the day we merited the “crown of Torah.”

He cites the Gemara in Pesachim where Rav Yosef states that were it not for this day, he would be just another “Joe” in the marketplace.

It is not just the fact that we received the Torah that makes us happy – it is the fact that we merited its crown.

To understand this thought, the Rambam tells us (Hilchos Talmud Torah 3:13), “Even though it is a mitzvah to learn Torah day and night, a person only learns the majority of his Torah at night. Therefore, someone who wishes to merit the crown of Torah should be careful to study it each night – not missing even one of them in sleeping,

eating, drinking, conversation, etc. He should only engage in talmud Torah and divrei chochma. This is called the rina of Torah.”

The Av Beis Din of Ponovezh explained (cited in Zichron Shmuel p. 574) that there are two aspects of studying Torah.

There is the aspect of studying it in fulfillment of the mitzvah of limud haTorah. There is also an aspect of learning it as “HaShira HaZos.”

In other words, it is the song of the life of the person. In it, the person delights and takes pleasure. The person does not delay in sticking to it on any account. Any difficult situation, the person engages in it and sleeps in the depth of its halacha. Even when a person is tired, the Torah study goes on.

This is the fundamental idea of the “crown of Torah.”

We can now better understand the

Shla’s explanation of Shavuos.

The custom of Klal Yisroel learning all night is now also understood better. It is not just to make up for the fact that we slept then, by Matan Torah. No, the essence of the problem in that we slept was that we were not yet at the state where it was “the song of our life.” We are thus correcting this flaw in who we were or are as a nation.

We should take greater pleasure and joy in this yom tov because it symbolizes the song of our lives. This is why Shavuos should be the happiest of all yom tovim.

Learning All Night

The practice of learning all night is mentioned in the Zohar (Parshas Emor 98a). There, it even describes the reward that awaits one who studies Torah all night. The all-night learner receives no less than seventy divine blessings

from above and is crowned with a special celestial crown of the upper heavens. Then they are inscribed in a special Sefer HaZikaron, a book of memory.

The Arizal writes in Shaar HaKavanos that whoever stays up all night learning is assured that he will certainly live out the year. The Chofetz Chaim records this statement l’halacha (Mishna Berurah 494:1).

There is another interesting point, too. Rav Dessler, zt”l, writes in Michtav M’Eliyahu that time is not a straight continuum. Rather, the nature of time is like a carousel that turns in circles. He writes that each yom tov is actually the very same yom tov that Klal Yisroel experienced in thousands of years ago in the year 2448. Each day on this carousel of time has its own special, unique aspect to it. With this thought of Rav Dessler in mind, let us examine the words found in the Siddur Etz Chaim (page 46a). There, it states that fulfilling this practice of learning all night makes it as if we ourselves received the Torah when we hear the Krias HaTorah of Shavuos. It is, therefore, as if we were actually there at Har Sinai on the actual day of Matan Torah itself.

What To Learn?

The question is, however, what should one learn? There is a special Tikkun Leil Shavuos that much of Klal Yisroel studies each Shavuos night. It encompasses Torah, Neviim, Kesuvim, Midrashim, and certain mystical parts of Torah. The Tikkun was established by the AriZal

so should learn their own study regimen. What is the common custom? Chassidim generally learn the Tikkun, but, generally speaking, Litvaks generally learn their own study regimen. Both the Steipler Gaon, zt”l, and Rav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, actually did the Tikkun Leil Shavuos (see Teshuvos Rav Chaim #216). The Sefer

It is not just the fact that we received the Torah that makes us happy –it is the fact that we merited its crown.

HaKadosh. And here is exactly where the controversy begins.

The Shlah HaKadosh (Tractate Shvuos 47) writes that this order of what to learn has become a minhag in Klal Yisroel, and this is what we should all certainly learn. The Shvus Yaakov, however, (Chok Yaakov 494) writes that this Tikkun was only enacted for the masses of people and those that are capable of doing

Tefilah K’Hilchasa rules that an avel, a mourner, recites the Tikkun Leil Shavuos.

Sefardim also generally learn the Tikkun, particularly because the Chida writes (Lev David 31) that one should do so. Indeed, he writes that a group of people who changed the study regimen to studying the Rambam did the wrong thing. He compares what they did to building a bamah, an unauthorized sacrificial platform.

The minhag in virtually all of the Litvish yeshivos, however, is to study what the yeshiva itself studies during the regular zman. What about the Chida’s point against the group of people that studied the Rambam? We should note that this group created a new regimen for Shavuos. They did not continue their regular yearly regimen. Our yeshivos, however, are continuing their regular regimens.

It is interesting to note that the Vilna Gaon himself learned the Arizal’s special Shavuos regimen. It is also interesting to note that in the time of Rav Aharon Kotler, zt”l, in Lakewood, there were many bochurim that learned Torah on both nights of Shavuos.

So what should one be studying on this night? The Gemara tells us (Avodah Zarah 19a) that a person does not learn except for where his heart desires. The yeshivos should therefore continue their practice, and the places that study the Tikkun should continue their practice, too.

This article should be viewed as a halachic discussion and not practical advice. The author can be reached at yairhoffman2@ gmail.com.

Israel Today Where’s WOLT?

By Rafi Sackville

You can’t drive through Israel’s major cities without seeing WOLT delivery drivers zipping through traffic on their Vespa motorcycles like bumpers cars at a county fair. They are ubiquitous and instantly recognizable by their skyblue bags. When the drivers aren’t rushing around, they’re lounging on street corners awaiting their next job.

Being a WOLT driver in 2024 isn’t as profitable as it used to be. Only three years ago, the job was desirable; the pay was good. Times have changed, and today, there are more drivers on the road than ever before; well over 10,000 as reported in 2023.

With more couriers on the road, there is little recourse when complaining to the company for better working conditions. New drivers are always available. It’s a case of put up or shut up; this has had the effect of allowing WOLT to drop the rates they pay their workers. Drivers have little to no recourse if they complain about their working conditions to their employers. After all, there’s always someone ready and willing to take their place.

An Israeli labor court recently adjudicated a class action suit against WOLT, who see their couriers as self-employed. The couriers, however, want to see themselves as employees of the company. The court ruled in favor of the couriers.

The ramifications of the ruling are significant. On the one hand, being self-employed gives a courier the freedom to choose how many hours he or she works . On the other hand, the company isn’t obligated to provide benefits. For example, minimum pay, unemployment benefits, or pensions.

WOLT drivers courier food. Restaurants and take-outs that work with WOLT are known as merchant partners. They prepare orders, then contact WOLT, who send out couriers to collect and deliver food within half an hour of their preparation.

I spoke to several WOLT couriers in an effort to better appreciate their work-

ing conditions.

Lotem was the most enthusiastic of those I met. He’d only been driving for a week and was especially happy that he is freelanced and unrestricted to the hours he works. He has only recently been released from reserve duty and is now pulling in 12-hour days. He says customers treat him well, they give him the occasional tip, and he has plans to continue working until he begins his university studies. I asked him if he had any advice for potential drivers.

“If you want to keep the food hot, make sure you close the bag well. That way, customers won’t get angry at you if their food is cold. Also, if you work freelance like me, you can choose when to go to work.”

The same day I watched Michael walk into a building carrying a pizza. I waited for

I have to work up to nine hours a day. On a good day I average about 25 to 30 deliveries. That’s a maximum of three an hour. It’s not how it used to be back when I started. Then I was up to 40 deliveries a day.

“To be honest, none of the drivers really has an idea how WOLT configures the sums of their salaries. All I know is that I’m earning about 40 shekels an hour less than when I started.”

I’m naive and not business inclined. In fact, I don’t understand business models. I was nonetheless surprised at Michael’s observations about the disconnect

“There’s no one to speak to, no one who can understand or care how we are. I don’t even know who my boss is.”

him to return to the street. He was happy to talk. Affable and matter-of-fact by nature, he didn’t share Lotem’s enthusiasm. He has been driving for three years. It’s a full-time job that finds him earning less every month.

“Today, so much more of the money I earn is taken away in taxes. Don’t forget that we have to pay for our own gas, which means that our earning power is dependent on the distance we travel.”

He added, “It used to be that we’d get 18 shekels per delivery. Three years later, we’re earning almost 30% less. There were a lot of drivers. Delivery was quick. Customers were, for the most part, pleasant. Look, I do this full-time. I’m not in college studying.

between two disparate universes; there are the couriers, the faces of WOLT; then there are their employers, whose presence is palpable, but never seen. When drivers are assigned deliveries, or need to speak to a supervisor, they can only chat with them on WhatsApp. There are no face-to-face meetings. Not even phone calls. For WOLT, this business strategy is obviously paying dividends.

In fact, the only personable interaction drivers experience is the training program before they begin their employment with WOLT. Customers are the only “real” people WOLT drivers see or hear. With that in mind, they have been trained how to respond politely to ver -

bally abusive customers.

Avi, a courier I met in Katamon, told me he has learned to take unruly customers in his stride.

“I’ve done this for two years and have never had any problems. I tend to ignore rude customers,” he said.

“I work about 12 hours a day, 3 to 4 days a week. I’ve done this for four years. From 10 in the morning till 10 at night. It’s hard work. Today we pay bituach leumi, we pay for our own gas, the insurance of the bike. There’s no one to speak to, no one who can understand or care how we are. I don’t even know who my boss is. There’s no cash involved. We get our pay via direct transfer.

“I’ve got a side gig; I’m learning to be a tour guide. My father has a business, so I’m studying in order to eventually go into business with him.”

Avi shared, “We’re often accused of bringing customers cold food. But if I’m waiting for deliveries, and I pick up at two or three restaurants, the food is bound to get cold. It’s not our fault. No, there are hardly any tips. I used to get an average of 100 shekels a day. Now [Avi puts his hand in his pocket], it’s almost 8 o’clock, and this is all I got today.” He pulls out seven shekels and jiggles them in the palm of his hand.

It’s too early to know how beneficial the court ruling will be for WOLT couriers. In the meantime, my heightened respect for the work they do has given me pause. I think twice before passing judgement on them. Yes, I wish they’d slow down in traffic, but at least I have a better understanding of why they’re always in a rush.

Rafi

Sackville, formerly from Cedarhurst, teaches in Yeshivat Horev in Yerushalayim.

Rabbi Shaya Cohen Inspiring a Lifetime of Torah Passion

By ELIyahu RosEnBERg

“TheTorah is so beautiful. It is so relevant, it is so true, it is so real. It’s the only source of true happiness – it’s the only sense of real purpose in life. It’s the right way to live; it’s the only way to live,” declares Rabbi Shaya Cohen. “And anyone who is presented with the real Torah – in a loving and understanding way – is sold.”

Throughout Rabbi Cohen’s five-decades-long journey in the world of chinuch, he has consistently championed the idea that Torah, when taught in its purest form, can never fail to inspire a Yid. Simply put, passion for Torah is embedded in every Jew’s DNA. Thus, the challenge for Torah educators lays not in teaching a student how to love Torah but in awakening a love that already exists within.

As Rabbi Cohen maintains, a Torah educator’s main priority should not be only to preach or teach but to reach the neshamos of their students in order to cultivate a lasting connection to Yiddishkeit. One of Rabbi Cohen’s profoundest missions, therefore, is to train teachers with the skills and knowledge necessary to raise the next generation of Torah-loving Jews.

An incredibly accomplished, yet humble man, Rabbi Shaya Cohen is at the forefront of chinuch and has dedicated his life to exposing Klal Yisrael to the beauty of Torah and bitachon.

Since1992, Rabbi Cohen has been the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Zichron Aryeh, a posthigh school Beis Medrash located in Bayswater, New York. He is also the head of Kollel Ner Yehoshua, which was named after the late Rabbi Josh Silbermintz, an incredible man whom Rabbi Shaya Cohen credits as one of his greatest influences. Rabbi Cohen’s organization,

Priority-1, which encompasses these two yeshivas among other programs, was officially established in 1987.

In his younger years, Rabbi Cohen spent five years working as a counselor in Camp Munk, where he developed a close relationship with the camp’s head counselor, Rabbi Silbermintz, an insightful and committed individual whose passion for helping others had a profound impact on Rabbi Cohen’s life.

“He was definitely an influence on my life. It was the purity of his soul, the sincerity of what he did. He did everything with his whole heart. He was just very special,” Rabbi Cohen explained.

“I once asked him, ‘How could I ever pay you back? You had such an influence on my life,’” Rabbi Cohen recalled. “He said, ‘Just do the same for others.’ And that was a defining moment in my life.”

Growing up in Brooklyn, young Rabbi Cohen initially envisioned himself as a doctor. He thus began going to college in hopes of pursuing a career in the medical field. However, his true calling became evident as he found himself immersed in Torah learning at his yeshiva. Rabbi Cohen had little interest in what he was learning in college but was infinitely fascinated with what he was studying in Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim. And thus, two years into his learning, Rabbi Cohen decided to stop going to college to instead dedicate his time and focus to learning Torah.

“The Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Henoch Liebowitz, was the inspiration. His vision, his dedication to spreading Torah, his belief in the receptivity of every Jewish neshama no matter who they are or where they are, and his conviction in the power of learning Torah to influence people – it just grabbed me, and I just knew that this is the way it has to be,” Rabbi Cohen explained. “I learned

for about fifteen years in the yeshiva, but it was always with the idea that I was going to go out and try to give back what I learned.”

After learning for many years, Rabbi Cohen, in the mid-1970s, moved to Los Angeles with one goal in mind: to start a yeshiva high school in a California town where few traces of Judaism could be found. In San Fernando Valley, LA, there was one synagogue and no yeshivas or mikvahs when Rabbi Cohen arrived in the town. Kosher stores and restaurants were hard to come by, and very few of the community’s Jews were frum. It was in that town that Rabbi Cohen founded Valley Torah high school.

Rabbi Cohen’s journey in establishing a frum community in the Valley was replete with challenges. But thanks to a series of what he describes as miracles, Rabbi Cohen’s mission turned out to be an incredible success, as his efforts in the Valley helped transform the town into an impressive Jewish community that continues to thrive today, nearly fifty years later. According to Rabbi Cohen, during his ten years in the Valley, he learned everything he knows.

RabbiCohen’s next destination was the Five Towns, where he still works and resides. For two years, starting in 1987, he worked as one of the heads of HAFTR. One day, as he was sitting in his office, Rabbi Cohen received an unexpected phone call from a well-known baal habos named Murray Katz.

“He called me up and said, ‘Shaya, we lost another 300 kids today.’ He started crying and hung up the phone. And then he called back a few minutes later to apologize,” Rabbi Cohen recalled.

That same episode repeated itself day after day, with Mr. Katz calling Rabbi Cohen on the phone to lament the growing number of at-risk teenagers going off the derech and of the non-religious Jews continuously being lost to assimilation. Finally, Rabbi Cohen told Mr. Katz, “Mr. Katz, I don’t know what to do. Do you have a couple of people – friends of yours – who are likeminded? Maybe we can sit together and come up with some plan?”

“I remember a Persian girl came over to me, and she asked me, ‘Do you have to be religious to have bitachon?’”

The two convened a small group and, along with Rabbi Velvel Perl, Rabbi Yisroel Lefkowitz, and Rabbi Murray Friedman, Rabbi Cohen and Mr. Katz met to discuss potential solutions to address the issue. After some deliberation, the group decided to try their hand at Jewish outreach with a few kiruv programs in an effort to help assimilated, non-religious Jews. Eventually, Rabbi Cohen started training yeshiva students and other young adults to become involved in kiruv work.

Those efforts ultimately evolved into Priority-1, an organization founded by Rabbi Cohen which encompasses several schools and initiatives, including Teach to Reach, a program that has taught over 1,000 educators how to, in Rabbi Cohen’s words, “reach the talmidim with understanding Yiddishkeit, feeling it, having a passion for it, understanding the uniqueness of it, the truth of it, its relevance, and how it’s the source of happiness in life.”

Asthe Rosh Yeshiva of seventy-five boys in Zichron Aryeh and Kollel Ner Yehoshua, two yeshivas that are part of Priority-1, Rabbi Shaya Cohen lives by the principle that “it’s all about the individual.”

“When Moshe Rabbeinu was informed about his passing, he asked Hashem for a successor. The first thing on the short list of requests was…that Hashem should appoint a leader who can tolerate everyone according to their own individuality. And that wasn’t for a school of seventy-five; that was for a Klal Yisrael of a few million nefashos ,” Rabbi Cohen noted. “It’s all about the individual. You can’t deal with everybody in the same way. It’s easier to force everyone into a mold, but if you force a square peg into a round mold, you end up breaking pieces.”

There is no question about it: The Torah was made for the Jews, and the Jews were made for Torah. There is a bond between our nation and the Torah that can never be severed. And although a person can try to hide away from their innermost spiritual desires, deep down inside, a Jew’s passion for Torah can only be denied for so long. Let us hope and pray that it’s only a matter of time before our spiritually lost brothers and sisters discover the profound joy and fulfillment that can only come from living a life of Torah.

“You can’t deal with everybody in the same way. It’s easier to force everyone into a mold, but if you force a square peg into a round mold, you end up breaking pieces.”

Rabbi Cohen, you have been reaching and teaching countless students for so many years. How are children different in 1990 versus 2024?

The difference is that children have less of an attention span nowadays. In my day, their attention span lasted for a half hour – because the television programs were half an hour. And today, it’s half a minute. So, you have to take that into consideration. The way you compensate for that is by exciting them. Everybody wants to be happy, so the key is defining happiness and showing them how to attain it.

Happiness is about feeling good about yourself, and that’s about it. Pleasure doesn’t make you feel good about yourself; purpose and meaning in life – that’s what makes you feel good about yourself. When you present it to the students in that way, and they see that it’s relevant to them, that it’s going to make their life a happier place, then you win. And you have to show them how the learning accomplishes that, how the mitzvos do that, how the tefillah does that, how emunah and bitachon do that – and that’s universal.

I don’t buy this business of, “Oh, it’s so much harder [to reach children] nowadays.” It’s harder because they can’t concentrate. It’s harder to reach them because they’re further away… But everything else is really the same. People aren’t really much different. How to reach them is a little different nowadays, but the Yiddishe neshama has remained the same since ma’amad Har Sinai, and the power of the Torah hasn’t changed.

How could we reach people who are disconnected and not receptive to Yiddishkeit?

I’ll tell you a secret, and this secret I wish you would let out: bitachon. I do bitachon therapy. Someone may say, “I don’t believe in Hashem.” Whether they’re frum or not, it doesn’t matter. Bitachon is the reason to believe. You mean I can trust Him? You mean I can have peace of mind? You mean He can help me? You mean there is someone to turn to in a time of need? How do I find it? I tell you, it’s amazing.

I was first turned on to this idea many years ago in Los Angeles. I was giving a lecture there, and I remember a Persian girl came over to me, and she asked me, “Do you have to be religious to have bitachon?”

So, I said, “I’ll tell you the truth. You’re putting me in a bad position, because either I have to lie to you, or I have to tell you that you don’t have to be religious. But I have to tell you the truth: bitachon works no matter what.”

But what happens is that once you get them into bitachon, then they want to believe. And once that happens, they also want to observe. To me, this is the key, this is the foundation. Get someone to learn bitachon.

But before teaching about bitachon, you have to really know bitachon. You have to really know what it is, you have to be able to answer their questions. They have a lot of complex questions about hishtadlus and about how everything is decreed on Yom Kippur…but if you know the sugya and you get them into it, then that’s shayach.

Parents are a child’s primary educators. What tips would you give to a parent who wants to raise children who have real bitachon and emunah?

The first tip that everyone knows is that you have to be “it” yourself. You have to model what you want. But that’s not enough. First, you need to have a lot of patience in dealing with your children. You have to recognize their individuality. You have to listen to the problems that bother them, and you have to address those problems. You can’t expect your children to all fit the same mold. You’re going to have to put up with difficulties, challenges, and rebelliousness.

I’ll tell you a piece of advice that I give to people: If you have a kid who goes off the derech, you should never throw them out of the house – that’s for sure. What should you do? Ask him or her, “How can I better make sure that the younger kids don’t go off the derech?” By doing that, you’ve extended a message that they’re still part of the fold; we still accept you, we look to you for guidance, and we validate your wisdom – even though we’re not in agreement with what you’re doing. And invariably, that leads people back…

And of course, children have to be happy. And parents have to realize that Yiddishkeit has to be presented in a positive way.

Does making your children happy necessarily entail buying them all the latest things?

No. That doesn’t bring happiness. Happiness is

about feeling good about yourself… And that means not constantly criticizing them, constantly putting them down, constantly finding fault in them, constantly berating them. Instead, recognize their greatness and share with them a sense of that greatness. That’s the first thing.

Besides that, you have to present Yiddishkeit in a very positive way: it’s not about punishment; it’s about love. They have to know that when Hashem punishes, the punishment is only a threat. So, why is there a punishment? Because that will deter you from doing the aveirah. The times when people are punished are rare. A beis din that kills a person once in seventy years is called a bloody beis din. You have to have witnesses that warn you toch k’dei dibbur. That means five seconds before you do the aveirah. If you do the aveirah ten seconds later, you can’t be punished, because maybe you “forgot.” You see clearly that the Torah doesn’t want punishment; it’s only a deterrent. But children may think that G-d is a G-d of vengeance; that He wants to punish. You, as a parent, have to deal with your children’s pain and suffering. You have to be able to have a relationship with them, love them, and respect them.

Parents don’t realize that they’re mechuyav [obligated] to respect their children. Everybody knows you have to respect your parents. That’s true, but if you want respect from your children, the best way is to first respect them. Respect validates. When someone

respects me, that makes me think, “Hey, why are they respecting me? Hey, I must be a good person.”

What advice would you give to young married couples on how to have a good relationship?

First of all, there needs to be a lot of respect. And love has to come. You can’t just tell people, “Love someone,” because love is a natural emotion that develops. However, you can tell them what love is. The Seforno defines love as “rejoicing in the qualities of the one you love.” So, you can tell them to pay attention to those qualities. When they complain about one negative quality, they should focus on all the positive qualities that their spouse has – and they should respect those qualities and express their respect. Then, that will enhance the relationship.

People have to realize that a marriage has to be worked on. A relationship that isn’t worked on does not maintain itself. They have to realize that there are going to be disagreements and you shouldn’t get bent out of shape from a disagreement.

What they have to realize is that a marriage is a unification of two people; two strange people coming together as one. They have to be as one on an emotional level. They have to be as one on a physical level, and they have to be as one on a spiritual level, too. They have to learn together so that they grow together spiritually. I tell them, “If you’re learning something, you should learn something about bitachon with your wife.” If you

“People aren’t really much different. How to reach them is a little different nowadays, but the Yiddishe neshama has remained the same since ma’amad Har Sinai, and the power of the Torah hasn’t changed.”

both get into bitachon , then you’ll realize, “Hey, you know, my husband said something that was very insensitive, but in reality, it comes from Hashem. The pain that I felt at that moment, Hashem wanted me to feel for my benefit, and my husband was just the guy who made the poor decision to be the shaliach to deliver it.”

Also, I believe that parents have to be taught about child-rearing before they have children. Because once you have children, you don’t have time. We had a lot of parenting lectures and conferences, and we used to think it was funny when parents left the kids with a babysitter and ran to a parenting lecture.

The children have to see shalom bayis. If they don’t see shalom bayis, it’s very unnerving.

What is your vision for the future?

No one should be in chinuch unless they were properly trained. Parents should be properly sensitized to what they need to do, so we need to continue training teachers and parents.

You’ve been doing so much for so many years. How do you still have energy?

The truth of the matter is that teaching energizes me. I give two shiurim every day and tons of other lectures, and that’s what energizes me. It’s almost like when you’re using your phone while it’s plugged in; you’re draining it and you’re recharging it at the same time. That’s how I feel when I work.

“IAliza Bulow A Modern Day Rus, Inspiring and Uplifting a Jewish Nation

By Malkie SchulMan

guess it’s that time of year,” Aliza Bulow says with a laugh. “Shavuos time – when all Jewish publications look for a ‘Jew by choice’ to interview.” She says it with a smile, but there’s also a hint of something else. After all, Aliza’s conversion took place 44 years ago, so asking for her story may slightly smack of the suggestion that her conversion is what defines her when clearly there is so much more to her than her momentous decision to join Am Yisrael at the age of 16.

In Aliza’s opinion, “It’s not about how I stepped into the Jewish community; it’s about what I’ve done since I got here.”

And what she’s done in the last four decades is incredible! Besides initially studying in Jerusalem and serving in the IDF, Aliza says, “Over the years, I’ve visited refuseniks in Russia, led student campaigns on Capitol Hill, raised a large family including foster children, worked in kiruv for decades, and today run a non-profit that builds Jewish communities by connecting and strengthening women.” Oh, and she’s also helped many other women both during and after the conversion process.

But don’t worry, we will talk about her conversion story as well.

Embracing Judaism

At age ten, Aliza was already questioning Christian dogma. By twelve, she started to look elsewhere for answers. It was around that time that her parents divorced. “Most amicably,” says Aliza. “Nev ertheless, it wasn’t until decades later that I realized how negative my parents’ divorce was for me.”

By age fourteen, Aliza decided she be lieved in G-d but not in Christianity.

“I’d tried finding meaning in all kinds of other ways, but now I knew I believed in G-d. I just had to find a G-d concept that worked.”

So, Aliza set off for the school library and read ev ery book she could find on all the different religions until she discovered “To Be a Jew” by Rabbi H.H. Donin. Even though at that point she never even had a Jewish conversation with a Jew, that

was it for Aliza – she found her religion.

“I had a conservative conversion in my tenth grade year, and the following Elul was set to go to Israel. My rabbi cautioned me that not everybody in Israel would accept my conversion, so shortly after I arrived in Israel, I did a giyur l’chumra with the beit din in Yerushalayim.”

Reflecting on her own experiences, Aliza offers tips to those considering conversion:

“Conversion is not a destination but a beginning of an amazing journey.”

“My advice is learn, learn, learn, learn Hebrew, go to Israel as often and for as long as you can, get connected to a community, give of yourself to that community, get a mentor and a rav. Talk to them a lot after you convert, too. Conversion is not a destination but a beginning of an amazing journey. Keep learning and connecting forever.”

Aliza recalls an amusing yet insightful incident that

a “daughter of Israel” should be using?’ She was right. I knew a ‘daughter of Israel’ could not talk like that. That’s when I stopped.”

A Pioneering Spirit

If Aliza could only pinpoint one defining family trait that has carried her through her life to the present day, from an assimilated Protestant family to Orthodox Jew, it would be the pioneering spirit.

“My family came over to America in 1638 with the original Puritans,” she relates. “I descend from Ezra Stiles, a Hebraicist (a scholar of Hebrew studies) and one of the early presidents of Yale University.”

The first few valedictory addresses of Yale were delivered in Hebrew, and the Yale insignia is the urim v’tumim. Whether people like to admit it or not, there is a connection between the early American settlers and the biblical narrative, Aliza maintains. The early Americans saw themselves as the “New Israel” in the context of the biblical narrative in which the Jews left Egypt and went out into the desert. America was like a desert then; they felt they were escaping the tyranny of the king of England (whom they compared to Pharaoh), to chart new territory and worship G-d in their own way. Those are Aliza’s roots, and she has proudly charted her own new life course by converting to Judaism as a young teenager.

guage, and my mother disapproved… She’d say something like, ‘You’re a smart girl, Alisa [my English name. Smart girls don’t talk like that.’ Well, I didn’t care. I thought it was cool.

ful girl...it takes away from your beauty.’ Same thing, I didn’t believe her. Then after my conversion, she looked at me sternly and said, ‘Are those the words

“I imbibed the pioneering spirit,” Aliza shares. “The ability to look at a situation critically and say, ‘Um, no, I don’t think so. Let’s change this,’ and then the willingness to take the steps to do it another way.” That’s the energy she brings to all her endeavors, especially to her latest one, Core – a non-profit organization supporting frum women in Klal work.

Part of the gift and the curse of having divorced parents, Aliza relates, is that she was basically free to do anything she wanted. “If I wanted to become Jewish, that was fine. My parents had so much on their plate getting their own lives back together that I could’ve been a vegan, chanting, whale activist, and they would’ve been OK with that.” The curse, of course, was very little parental guidance in her life.

“When I traveled to Israel, they didn’t mind; they thought a year of study abroad would be helpful to get

me into law school. They were surprised, though, when I came home ‘long-skirted’ and ‘Im yirtza Hashem-ing’ all over the place. But as long as I could figure out the money angle to allow me to remain there, they were OK with me staying.”

Turns out, Aliza ended up living in Eretz Yisrael for four years, attending Brovenders for two years and serving in a religious unit of the IDF for another two years.

“I met my husband while he was visiting in Israel. He was in law school at the time, and once he graduated, I returned to America, and we got married.”

Aliza says she considers herself a religious Zionist in the sense of Rav Kook and the Hirschian view: “We need to live in the land for the sake of keeping the Torah properly, and we need a state in order to be a maximal Ohr Lagoyim [light unto the nations].”

After the Bulows were married, they settled in Long Beach, N.Y. There Aliza became close with Rebbetzin Tehila Jaeger.

“Rebbetzin Jaeger was very formative in my ‘charedification,’” explains Aliza. “I had returned from Israel dati leumi chazak . I didn’t know the charedi world. Rebbetzin Jaeger spoke Hebrew and was a text-based teacher. I was attracted to that. I wanted to learn from her, so I did whatever I could to be meshamesh her. She didn’t drive, so I took the opportunity to take her to her classes, and I learned a lot from her.”

“My mother became more involved in my life when I had young children in the home,” shares Aliza. “She supported my vision of what I wanted to create for my family. She dressed tziniusly whenever she came to visit. I appreciated that. I remember she once came for Shabbos, and as often happens with young children, the Friday night scene was not the one I would’ve wanted. She turned to me and said, ‘Aliza – she now called me by my chosen Hebrew name – you work so hard to prepare a lovely Shabbos table and then the kids misbehave. Why don’t you also prepare stories to keep them engaged?’ She saw my vision and realized it wasn’t actually working out, so she came up with a great solution!”

Aliza’s mother also spent summers with them for the six years they went to Sh’or Yoshuv bungalow colony in the Catskills.

Career Journey and Leadership Training

Aliza shared her diverse career journey, starting as a Judaic teacher and then moving into various outreach roles within the Jewish community.

“Really,” she says, “my career title is ‘passionate Jew’ who went into ‘passionate Judaism.’ I love to teach. Whatever I learn, I love to give over.”

She regularly attended classes given by Rebbetzins Debbie Greenblatt and Tehila Jaeger and would share the ideas with friends. After a while, someone in the community asked her to give a class in Long Beach.

“Why are you asking me,” she told them at the time, “when you can go listen to these learned rebbetzins who know so much more?”

“Yes, but they’re 15 minutes’ drive away, and we’re all moms who have a hard time getting out,” the person answered.

So, Aliza began teaching a weekly shiur. For the most part, though, aside from her volunteer teaching, Aliza

was a stay-at-home mom who worked hard to constantly increase her own learning as she creatively cared for her children.

In the ‘90s, Aliza became a Partner in Torah, learning with less knowledgeable Jews.

“I noticed that they had a great program linking partners together, but they weren’t doing much of the crucial follow-up. I offered to do it, and that became my first paid kiruv job,” says Aliza.

Her job as the Telephone Mentors’ Mentor included mentoring others, providing them with resources, following up, and guiding the study partners. For example, Aliza recommended books to learn together or if a non-religious partner had a question the mentor couldn’t answer like, ‘How does Rashi know that?’ Aliza helped give language to the answers.

“It definitely helped that in those days, I owned all the books that were out there!” says Aliza.

By the time the Bulows relocated to Denver, where

“Really, my career title is ‘passionate Jew’ who went into ‘passionate Judaism.’”

they’ve been for the last 23 years, Aliza was already an established teacher.

“I moved in as a teacher. I had access to Torah Umesorah through my connection with Partners in Torah. I became a mekarevet/teacher for the Jewish Experience in Denver—a kiruv program run by Rabbi Wasserman. One thing led to another, and through my connections with people I met at the yearly AJOP (Association for Jewish Outreach Programs) conventions, I started working for another organization, Ner Le’elef, ultimately becoming a ‘rebbetzin’s rebbetzin.’”

For eleven years Aliza’s job was to follow up with rebbetzins in communities around North America, making sure they were doing well in their roles as mekarvot in their towns and giving them chizuk.

“I learned a ton, getting to see inside these women’s lives. I helped them with all kinds of issues, from the very mundane – what to tell my parents about why I decided to leave my hometown of Lakewood to do kiruv in Des Moines, Iowa – to more complicated issues like handling Shabbos guests in Halloween costumes or managing Facebook accounts to protect their campus kiruv husbands.”

 With her sister, as a young, all-American child

 Newly engaged, in her IDF uniform

Aliza says her goal was to help the women become teachers and mekarvot in their own right, not just because they were married to a kiruv rabbi.

Aliza explains that her 28 years attending the AJOP conferences not only netted her lifelong friendships and great kiruv and chinuch connections but was also a source of much of her learning.

“Every session of the AJOP conference was recorded. I bought all the tapes, and my tape recorder followed me around wherever I’d go.”

During the years with Ner Le’elef, women would share with Aliza how their sisters in Lakewood and other frum areas were starving for the very Torah they were teaching to non-religious women in the JCCs in their local community.

Additionally, as much as Aliza wished for additional training for the mekarvot she knew, she thirsted even more for additional training for herself. The more she connected with and helped the women “in the field,” the more Aliza saw that women who serve the women of Klal Yisroel need specific support and development. So, when her job with Ner Le’elef ended, Aliza decided to bring some of her ideas to fruition.

Establishing Core

In 2018, Aliza set out to continue, expand, and branch out on what she had begun through Ner Le’elef. She worked with Rochel Goldbaum to found Core, an organization to support Jewish women around the globe who are involved in klal work. Currently, there are three branches to the organization, each focusing on different aspects of women’s roles in their communities.

“We have about 2,400 women in the Core network today, all of them reaching others, so, indirectly,” Aliza

shares, “we influence tens of thousands.”

The first branch, the two-and-a-half-year training program for women already established in their community roles, develops women to become MMCs (Mashpia Mentor Counselors). This program aims to enhance their skills in mentoring, counseling, and community service with the age range of the preferred student, 38-68.

six-week commitment for women in their community to get together to learn about the sefirot. We have ‘block circles’ in Chicago. After candle lighting on Friday nights in the winter, women on the block gather in their neighbor’s home to say kabbalas Shabbos, Tehillim, and share a dvar Torah before the men return from shul. Especially in larger communities, people may not even know the women on their block. The goal is to foster friendship, camaraderie, a sense we’re in this together and we are there for each other.”

person has a male and female aspect to them. The female aspect is to live, walk, breathe the Torah, to bring it from the bais hamedrash to the street, to live it rather than learn it or learn it in order to live it.”

To encourage Core klei kodesh workers, the women have a “nachas chat” for success stories. Here is one such post: “Shout out to Core. Because of this group, a bride in London is observing the laws of taharas hamishpacha properly.” Another post reads: “Today we had three women [from the chevra Kadisha] present their experiences of taking care of the civilian victims of October 7. They spoke authentically, sincerely, emotionally, and gave such chizuk to everyone who came.” Another woman shared about the incredible sense of achdus she experienced in her in-town community when a diverse group of women came together for a Core event—from modern to chassidish, all looking to grow and work together.

“Recently,” Aliza discloses, “one of the MMCs in Williamsburg reached out to me to share the following story and thank our organization.

“They had an event in their community for middle-aged women. The women got together for a painting activity, to schmooze, connect, and listen to an inspiring shiur. She said there was wonderful energy there, and everybody enjoyed it. After the event, a woman felt comfortable enough to approach the MMC organizer and open up to her about a relative she had in a rehab far away who had no Yiddishe contacts. She wondered if the MMC had contacts who could reach out to her.

“‘Within a half hour,’ the woman related to me,” continues Aliza, “‘I had called two of my contacts in that city [that she knew through Core] and facilitated a visit to this young relative.’ When the MMC called the woman back, she was blown away at how fast she’d been able to connect her with help.

“But through Core,” Aliza explains, “this happens on a regular basis. We establish networks of caring Jewish women all over the globe who are there for each other.”

Real-Life Impact

The second branch, known as the “Communities of Practice,” brings together women serving the Jewish community in the same field for peer support, professional development, and guidance, whether they are kallah teachers, chevra kadisha members, shul rebbetzins, mental health providers, etc. Aliza shared that they have 14 field-specific Communities of Practice, engaging over 2,000 women from 18 countries, and the goal is to provide each community with paid leadership who will travel to support and connect members within each area of communal service.

The third branch, known as Circles, focuses on supporting frum mothers in their regular Orthodox neighborhoods by creating a sisterhood between each other through small, in-person groups.

“I hope it’ll be like NCSY for frum moms,” says Aliza.

The goal is to learn and connect more deeply to themselves, others, Torah, and Hashem.

“For example, we had a ‘Sefira Circle’ which was a

One 60-year-old woman told Aliza that she was an empty nester and had recently moved to a new neighborhood. She didn’t know anyone. “She needs ‘Circles,’” says Aliza. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be a structured curriculum but something that the women won’t want to skip.”

In the beginning stages of Core, Aliza met with Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller Gottlieb and described her vision. Rebbetzin Gottlieb replied, “Hegea ha’zman

“I chose to start with strengthening the women who strengthen the home who strengthen the nation.”

One mentor worked with the local municipal authorities to have an eiruv built in her out-of-town community so moms of small children could get together on Shabbos afternoons. Additionally, there is a Core support group for women with husbands who are no longer religious. These women gain strength from each other.

The events of October 7, Aliza relates, have made women more passionate and dedicated. One Satmar lady made aliyah with her family around that time. After Simchas Torah, she mobilized a whole network – cooking for chayalim, making Shabbos packages for them and their families (of course, the army gives out food, but these are meals homecooked with love), fundraising, and spending time with the families – hugging the wives.

One beautiful story the woman shared with Aliza was the time she organized a carload of tzitzit to go to the front. Two tattooed men showed up to drive the car. They looked from her to the tzitzit and asked, “Do you have two extra pairs so we can also put them on?”

“That’s what it’s all about,” says Aliza, “reweaving the Jewish people together again.”

MMCs also meet with chayalot – they do challah bakes and teach them how to be mafrish challah with a bracha. “We teach them how to use all their ‘neshek ’ [ammunition] –including the weapon of prayer.”

[to create warm connected communities]. In order to achieve your goal, however, you need to work with — men, women, schools, and rabbonim. But you have to pick one to start with.”

en,” says Aliza. “The women are the core of the Jewish people—the woman is the eret Habayit

strengthening the women who strengthen the home who strengthen the nation. The men are the learners of our holy Torah, the inspiration. But our gift is to bring their To rah learning to fruition, to apply it.

A crucial but heartbreaking mission included gathering 300 body bags to send to Israel for the murdered victims of October 7. The civilian women witnessed horrific sights. Core was there to provide them with a place to hold their pain for what they saw.

“October 7 gave the push for Jews to come together in Israel and in a way,” reflects Aliza, “that may be what’s going on the college campuses today in America. Maybe the pain is Hashem’s gift to move us forward, to bring us together.

“But it’s not just about war time, and not just about challenges,” Aliza hastens to add.

“Our MMCs, our networks of support, our Circles, both, there and here, are around for the long term, like a steady, nourishing rain providing connections on a regular basis in times of simcha, sorrow, and everyday well-being.”

The Wandering Jew Shavuos in Tzfas

By Hershel Lieber

It’s not that we hadn’t been to Israel before 2006. We were there a dozen times before. It’s not that we hadn’t seen Tzfas before. We had visited this holy city on more than one occasion in the past. It’s just that we were looking for some inspiration and a dose of mysticism to connect with this ancient town. What better way to nourish our thirst for holiness than to spend a couple of days walking in the footsteps of the great Kabbalists? What better time to elevate our souls than the yom tov of Shavuos?

We arrived on Monday, May 29, and were scheduled to return to the States the following Monday. We rented a car – the first time in Israel since we were planning to drive up north and make stops enroute. Our first destination was Yerushalayim, where we settled into the Prima Palace Hotel for two nights. The rooms were small, but the service was excellent and the location was absolutely convenient. We met and went out for dinner with friends, the Lewkowiczs, whom we knew from Poland. But the highlight of the day was going to the Kosel in the evening to daven and to recite Tehillim.

The next day was a bit hectic. I met with the original writer of my mother’s

memoir to go over many details about the future publication of her book. We worked on this project for over four hours. During my meeting, Pesi went by bus to Kever Rochel. Later that day, we went with friends from Brooklyn, the Davids, to see “Mini

history. It was originally a Canaanite city which was not conquered during Yehoshua’s lifetime nor in the succeeding generations. Until the Hashmonoim era, it was not under Jewish rule. Later, it became part of the different empires and groups

The singing was energetic, the dancing was animated, and the camaraderie between the mispallelim was contagious.

Israel Park” near the Latrun, which was a sensation when it opened up in 2002. It consisted of 350 miniature models of buildings and places of interest throughout the country. Later in the evening, we visited and had dinner by our friends, the Cymermans, in Ramat Shlomo.

On Wednesday at 10:45 a.m., we left Yerushalayim and headed north. Our destination was Akko, which we reached in two and half hours. I was always intrigued with Akko and its multi-national

that controlled the area – Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Crusaders, Ottomans, British, and last but not least, the State of Israel. There are many archeological sites that depict remnants of these periods; the most famous being the city walls which fortified this city from invaders that came by land or sea. The city is mentioned a number of times in the Talmud, and its status as a Jewish city is debated.

We enjoyed this mostly Muslim city

immensely. We climbed and walked on the city’s walls and visited the Citadel/ prison which most recently served the British for the incarceration of members of the Haganah and Irgun. We also visited the beautifully decorated Libyan Synagogue. We walked through the Arab section and the adjoining mini shuk, though Pesi was somewhat uncomfortable. Of course, we took many pictures!

The drive from Akko to Tzfas was less than an hour, and we arrived to the Hotel Ron at 6 p.m. The hotel was old, but the room was comfortable and the price was right. We would be staying there for four nights, which included an elaborate breakfast. We would be eating our Shavuos seudos there as well. After unpacking, we went out to the main street, Rechov Yerushalayim, to find a restaurant to eat dinner. The street is noisy and crowded with a collection of eating establishments and tourist shops. Nevertheless, it had a unique character of its own. We ate at Tam Kitchen, and the food was actually delicious. We walked back to the hotel and strenuously climbed the steep hill and reluctantly called it a night.

Thursday, erev Shavuos, was the only full day that we had to explore the

Pesi on the walls of the fortified city of Akko

Near the fortress walls of Akko

“mystique of Tzfas.” The number of picturesque street scenes were astonishing. The curves and arches within a myriad of alleyways, the various shaped stone buildings, the staircases ascending and descending the mountainous terrain, and the colorful doorways and windows –many with overhanging greenery – were

just a few of the features that attracted us. We came for a dose of spirituality which included visiting some of the famous synagogues. The Ashkenazi and Sephardi

Ari Shuls are the most famous, but the Abuhav and Avrutch Synagogues share historical significance as well. The list would not be complete without a visit to

With artist and photographer Yakov Kaszmachar

With our new friends, the Spetters

At the Yosef Karo Synagogue

Sharing a song with the Simply Tzfat group Pesi at one of the shuls in Tzfas

Visiting kivrei tzaddikim in the Galil

the shuls of the Alsheich, Yosef Karo, as well as the town’s oldest one, the Bana, dating from the 15th century.

Visiting the Artists’ Quarter of Tzfas was a special treat for both Pesi and me. Art is in our genes. My mother, Lola Lieber, a”h, was a renowned artist, and Pesi’s many talents included painting and drawing. As for myself, art appreciation was ingrained in my soul from childhood onward to this very day. We stopped into many exhibits and shops in the quarter and enjoyed it immensely. We made acquaintance with Yakov Kaszmacher, a”h,

an artist and photographer whose history began in post-war Paris and continued on to Greenwich Village. He became a baal teshuva and a Sanzer chassid but still maintained his love and passion for art. His style was in various modes of modern art, but his photography was mostly traditional scenes of Tzfas and its people.

Later in the day, we rushed back to our hotel to get ready for yom tov. We decided to try to daven in different shuls over the next two days. The first night of Shavuos we descended from the upper section of Tzfas and went to Breslov. The imposing

shul overlooks the Beis Olam where the Ari Hakodosh and Rav Yosef Karo, among other great tzaddikim, are interred. The Breslov-style davening was uplifting with passion and devotion. The spirited dancing that followed the tefillos were exhilarating. Rav Elazar Kenig, z”l built the community with patience and perseverance over a period of four decades. He was a great talmid chacham and an uncle of my brother-in-law Eli Kroen’s fatherin-law. Greeting him after Maariv was a special treat.

After davening, we arduously climbed up the steep alleyways and staircases until we were back at our hotel. We had our own table but asked a lone woman to join us. The seudah was delicious and plentiful. I went into the Beis Medrash room to learn but could barely keep my eyes from closing. After about two hours, I gave up and went to bed.

The next morning, we davened in the Ari Ashkenaz Shul. To be honest, it was not as interesting as I envisioned it would be. I got an aliyah and was asked to daven Musaf. Maintaining a Sephardic pronunciation was not so easy, but I lived up to the challenge. We returned to a lavish milchig seudah in honor of Shavuos. We met a couple, Eliezer and Chava Spetter, whom we befriended and spent our seudos together. Eliezer is from Holland and specializes as an energy trainer and healer. We shared life experiences and had meaningful yet entertaining conversations with them throughout the yom yov.

The next evening was Shabbos and, for us, the second night of Shavuos. We davened at the Beirav Shul which is renowned for their Carlebach style Kabbolas Shabbos. We both grew up with Reb Shlomo’s songs and music, and the atmosphere during davening was electrifying! The singing was energetic, the dancing was animated, and the camaraderie between the mispallelim was contagious. Pesi said that this was true with the women as well.

The next morning, we davened Shacharis at the Abuhav Shul, which was so beautiful. I had to daven Hallel alone since it was not Shavous for the Israelis. Mussaf we davened alone in the Alshech Shul, and we still caught kedusha at the Yosef Karo Shul.

After davening, we walked around for a while before returning to the hotel for our seudah. After a nap, Mincha and Shalosh Seudos at the hotel, we heard Havdalah and said farewell to the Spetters.

On Motzei Shabbos, we found out about a concert from the popular Breslov group known as Simply Tzfat. Their songs were beautifully renditioned, and the music was catchy. There was lots of spontaneous singing and hand clapping from the audience. Others got up to dance. I joined the group at the microphone for one of their numbers. It was a fun-filled evening and a great way to end a beautiful yom tov.

On Sunday, we headed back toward Ben Gurion Airport with stops in Meron and at a number of kivrei tzaddikim We spent the evening in Tel Aviv, where we took a stroll along the Mediterranean Sea. We ate at a fine heimish restaurant near Dizengoff Square. Yes, strolling in Tel Aviv was a far cry from walking in ancient Tzfas, but nevertheless, every step that we took was part of Eretz Yisroel, our Holy Land.

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

Early morning in Tzfas

Abuhav Synagogue in Tzfas

Rabbi Ken Spiro The Torah, a Blueprint of History

By Eliyahu RosEnBERg

In His Words…

The Jewish people’s vision as the chosen people and our responsibility throughout history is not to conquer the world...but to be the role model, to show the world how to do things right, to be the light to the nations. all antisemitism is ultimately a pushback against that. But eventually, the world will stop pushing back against that and say, ‘alright, you’re right. show us how to do it right.’

g enerally speaking, as a rule, Jews for Judaism make the absolute best role models for the human race. We may be 0.2% of the world’s population, but we have been collectively, historically, the most transformative force in all of human history.

We’ve been accused of a lot of stuff. Just to run through a short list of what we’ve been accused of in the last couple of thousands of years.... We kidnapped Christian babies and used their blood to bake matzah. We brought the Black Death to Europe. We poisoned wells. We’re in league with the devil. We control the world’s economy, seismic activities, and solar flares. We trigger tsunamis in southeast a sia to drown indonesia with tidal waves. We released sharks into the Red sea to destroy Egyptian tourism. We send vultures to spy on Turkey and saudi a rabia. We stole iran’s cloud cover. We have a space laser. i mean, think about it. if the world believed even 10% of that stuff, no one would mess with us.

Although the Torah was presented to Klal Yisrael some three thousand years ago, the lessons and values contained within our holy texts have only become more relevant with time. Today, as society grapples with widespread nihilism and the abandonment of principles that humanity has lived by for millennia, the Torah continues to provide sanity, consistency, and purpose to its followers. Although society changes with each passing day, our eternal Torah has remained the same for thousands of years.

But besides for its role in providing guidance to us in these morally dark times, the Torah also offers clarity and context to today’s current events. From antisemitism to terrorism to the wars and conflicts of today, the Torah contains allusions to many of the events that are taking place around the world, despite the fact that it was written thousands of years ago. The parallels between the Torah’s narratives and today’s current events run deep.

Rabbi Ken Spiro is a senior lecturer and researcher at Aish HaTorah in Yerushalayim. An historian and author, Rabbi Spiro is an expert on the Torah and the Holy Land and offers incredible insights into how the Torah’s teachings can illuminate our understanding of modern-day issues and historical patterns.

There have been times in history when the Christian world was our foe and the Muslim world was our friend, and there have been times (such as the

times we are currently living in) when the reverse was true. But few religions have had as much of an impact on the Jewish people as Christianity and Islam have; additionally, few faiths are as connected to Judaism as Christianity and Islam are. Both religions have caused a great deal of antisemitism and persecution, but members of both faiths have also, at times in history, helped and defended the Jewish nation. However, since the tragic day of October 7, the relationship between Jews and Muslims has deteriorated, with the vast majority of people regarding Islamic extremists as our main enemy and the Christian American world as a friend of sorts to the Jewish people.

It’s no secret that Christianity and Islam trace their roots back to Judaism. Muslims agree that Yishmael, the biological ancestor of the Arab people and the ideological ancestor of all non-Arab Muslims, was the half-brother of Yitzchak, one of the forefathers of the Jewish nation.

“There’s a really interesting idea in Judaism called spiritual genetics. Today, the world is a big mishmash of different peoples. In America, it’s a melting pot of different cultures. But if you go back thousands of years ago, nations were basically large, extended families, because most people were born, lived, and died for generations within the same area that their great-great-greatgrandparents lived in,” explains Rabbi Spiro. “And not only did they share a kind of genetic common tree, all going

back to the progenitors – the original father and mother – but there were also personality traits that were innate. Like the physical DNA, there’s also a spiritual DNA.”

As Rabbi Spiro explains, nations inherit certain personality traits from their ancestors. For example, the Jewish people are known for their drive, compassion, and ambition. Like our ancestor, Avraham Avinu, Jews, in general, “love fixing the world,” Rabbi Spiro noted. And that explains why a large number of major causes and transformative ideologies were started by Jewish individuals.

While Jews and Arabs share a father, they do not share the same mother. Yitzchak’s mother was the righteous Sarah, while Yishmael’s mother was Hagar, an Egyptian princess.

“Yishmael has the same father as the Jewish people have, but he has different traits because his mother is different. And therefore, what’s said about Avraham and Sarah at the beginning of the Bible is going to be the encapsulation of the Jewish collective historical, spiritual, and genetic personality,” Rabbi Spiro said.

As Rabbi Spiro explains, when Hagar was pregnant, angels informed her that Yishmael, the son she was going to give birth to, would be a “pereh adam” – a wild man. However, the term “pereh adam” is unusual in the Hebrew language, as Hebrew generally puts the adjective after the noun. For example, “big boy” in Hebrew translates to “yeled (boy) gadol (big).” By putting “pereh” (wild) before “adam” (man), the Torah was suggesting something about the very essence of Yishmael.

“Everything in the Bible is there for

a reason. Pereh (wild) is his essence. Adam (man) is almost used as the adjective. The essence of Yishmael is that he’s a wild guy,” Rabbi Spiro added. “And then it says something very interesting. It says, ‘Yad kol bo’ – his hand will be in everyone and everyone’s hand will be in his. It’s a very enigmatic statement, and if you look at what great commentators like Rashi – the great medieval commentator who’s an absolute expert on Biblical Hebrew – he says, ‘[Yishmael] is going to fight with everyone, and everyone is going to be fighting with him.’”

As Rabbi Spiro points out, most acts of terrorism and a large number of world conflicts have been caused by Yishmael’s wild and confrontational Islamic extremist descendants. And although there are, no doubt, many Muslims who want peace, the notion of Arab world conquest is still a central theme of Islam in the eyes of most of the religion’s followers, Rabbi Spiro explains. In a way, everyone is fighting with the Arab world, and the Arab world is fighting with everyone else.

Around two thousand years ago, Onkelos gave a different explanation for “yad kol bo,” explaining that it means that Yishmael will need everyone and everyone will need him.

“What does that mean? It’s the single best one-sentence definition of oil, which has given the Arab Islamic world an incredible amount of money that they didn’t work for,” notes Rabbi Spiro. “Everyone needs them for their energy, for their ability to supply energy to the world, but they don’t really produce anything else. They need the world for everything else.”

A loyal monotheist despite his wild nature, Yishmael initially thought he

was going to be Avraham’s successor, seeing as he was the firstborn son. But when Yitzchak was born, Yishmael was replaced and, according to Midrashim, eventually grew resentful of his younger brother. To make matters worse, Yishmael, at a young age, was deemed a bad influence and was thus sent away into the wilderness. He was effectively displaced.

According to Rabbi Spiro, Yishmael’s resentment towards his half-brother was passed down to his descendants, many of whom still bear a grudge against the Jewish people. As Rabbi Spiro shares, the Muslims’ sentiment is: “It’s not fair. I’m more dedicated.”

“We pray three times a day; Muslims pray five times a day. We pray to Jerusalem, to the Temple Mount; Muslims pray to Mecca. Before we pray, we wash our hands; they wash their hands and their feet. We bow at the waist at certain points in the prayers; they bow flat out on the floor. We have kashrus; they have halal. We fast for one day on Yom Kippur; they fast for thirty days on Ramadan,” Rabbi Spiro expounds. “We have laws of modesty, which they take to much greater extremes, ala Taliban; they put women basically in sacks with eye holes. We taught the world about dying for your belief; they blow up other people for theirs.

“I’m not saying all Muslims are doing this, obviously…but it’s almost as if the Islamic world is saying until today, 3,700 years later, ‘It’s not fair. I’m more dedicated.’”

Yishmael’s story, however, has a happy ending. When Avraham Avinu passed away, the Torah says, “Yitzchak and Yishmael buried Avraham.” By putting Yitzchak’s name first, the Torah suggests that the relationship between the

two sons of Avraham changed. Yishmael came to accept that Yitzchak was the rightful successor to Avraham Avinu. And thus, Yishmael accorded respect to his younger brother and let him go first in burying their father.

The Muslims are our closest neighbors, says Rabbi Spiro, but they’re also the ones who are fighting us the most nowadays. Without making unfair generalizations, many Muslims, like their ancestor Yishmael, resent us and blame us for their problems. But one day, they will realize that we’re not committing genocide, that we didn’t steal land, and that we, the Jews, are the rightful chosen people.

Rabbi Spiro notes, “Who’s fighting us today? Who’s at the tip of the spear, leading all the activism on the campuses with all the people screaming about ‘ending apartheid’ and ‘globalizing the intifada’? It’s all these Muslim keffiyeh-wearing guys. But the idea is that, because they’re closer to us spiritually, in the end of days [when Moshiach and Redemption comes], the Muslims will actually line up behind us first.”

Just as their ancestor did a few thousand years ago, the children of Yishmael will one day realize that Yitzchak and his descendants are, in reality, the ones that G-d chose to be His people. Standing behind the Jewish nation, they will follow in our footsteps, realizing that our role is not in conquering the world but in being a role model and a light to the nations. The evildoers will be eliminated, and the misguided people will be enlightened. When Moshiach comes, may it happen speedily in our days, Yitzchak and Yishmael, the children of Avraham Avinu, like long-lost brothers, will be at peace.

R’ Motti and Naama Antelis

A Jewish community grows in hofstrA

By M. Gold B er G

Ever since October 7, college campuses have come to the forefront of our community’s attention, as colleges have become the front lines of the social media war against Israel and antisemitism. In truth, the campus has always been the frontlines for Klal Yisroel, as it was always the portal through which secular Jews assimilated and eventually intermarried into the larger non-Jewish world. But because of these recent events, it has come into sharper focus.

Long Island is home to an enormous number of secular Jews, and Hofstra University is a campus which attracts many young Jewish college students. While there are a number of organizations doing fantastic outreach work on Long Island (Chabad and Jewish Heritage Center are but two examples), there was no Olami affiliate doing traditional campus kiruv on the Island. Until now.

Enter Far Rockaway-Five Towns residents Rabbi Motti and Naama (nee Kenig) Antelis, who are creating, along with an army of local Far Rockaway-Five Towns baala batim and their families, Olami JX Hofstra, to work with Hofstra’s 2,400 Jewish students.

It all began in March, when R’ Motti and Naama brought a number of local baala batim to learn with students on Hofstra’s campus. The students were in desperate need of chizuk after being harassed, attacked and intimidated for being Jewish. Some students had lost their social circle.

What the students found was a caring couple and some idealistic professionals who learned with them and gave them chizuk – and an inspirational North Woodmere community Shabbaton where they found a home.

R’ and Mrs. Antelis gathered a group of idealistic local professionals and set up a chavrusa program on campus.

“I was lucky to join and was blown away by the incredible staff and students who showed up looking to learn more. As a born Long Islander and living here for over 35 years, I’ve met hundreds of local Jewish students who are yearning to connect with their Orthodox neighbors, especially during this difficult time,” shared Dovid Wolfson.

R’ Motti Antelis, a Crown Heights and Hillside, NJ, native, attended JEC high school in Elizabeth, spent several years in yeshiva in Israel, returned to attend Sh’or Yoshuv Yeshiva and then spent time learning in kollel. For six years he has been a mekarev, working for Mesorah NJ, a young professionals program based in New Jersey.

Naama, a board certified specialist in neurologic Physical Therapy and an adjunct professor, grew up in Staten Island and later moved to Monsey with her family. Motti and Naama moved to Far Rockaway when they got married.

For both of them, kiruv was something that they grew up with. It was, so to speak, in their blood.

Motti’s father didn’t grow up frum, but he was a talented musician who caught the eye of Avi and Yossi Piamenta. He eventually went on tour with them, met and connected with Jewish music personalities Mordechai Ben David and Rav Shlomo Carlebach, zt”l, and decided to live a Torah life. Motti was raised in a home where his father was always the guy offering tefillin to his business associates.

Naama comes from a home in which her family was frequently hosting Shabbatons for various organizations, including Olami’s Exhibit J (Staten Island) and other kiruv programs. So when Motti asked Naama to help him lead a Shabbatton three weeks after they got married, it was no problem.

“I was always involved in Kiruv,” says Motti. “But the moment at which I knew that this was something that I wanted to do as my life’s mission was while leading a Mesorah NJ heritage trip to Spain.”

R’ Motti was approached by Rabbis Aharon Grossman and Meir Goldberg of Olami’s Meor JX campus network. They had been eyeing an expansion to Hofstra as part of a larger expansion past their flagship Rutgers campus. Rabbi Goldberg, a Far Rockaway native, was familiar with the local community, as he has been doing Rutgers Shabbatons with the Safier family for twenty years.

“We didn’t have solid plans to start until September 2024,” explained Naama. “But post-October 7, we felt it was an opportune time to start meeting students as an intro to next semester. We had 14 students show up at our first event, and it kept growing from there.

“We were surprised at how strong the interest was without being able to do any active recruitment on campus. A lot of the focus of our events has been in response to the current campus climate.”

Motti continued, “After some pro-Palestinian protests on campus, we had the students meet with Charlie Harary several times who gave them tremendous chizuk to strengthen their Jewish pride. We also had over 30 students attend an event with survivors of Kibbutz Be’eri.”

There were a number of weekly learning sessions

matching professionals from local shuls with students. Such interactions are crucial for unaffiliated Jewish students so that they see one can be a successful professional while still being an observant Jew.

Perhaps their most impactful event was a post-Pesach Shabbaton in North Woodmere. Students were blown away by how warm and welcoming the community was.

“We were blown away by the North Woodmere community,” adds Motti, “that they were willing to bring total strangers into their home and feed them delicious food and let them experience a warm Shabbos meal, with such beautiful families.”

At the end of the Shabbaton, one of the girls who attended said, “When I came to campus, I was friends with students of all backgrounds, but I couldn’t find any Jews. After October 7, all of my non-Jewish friends abandoned me. My world came crashing down. But by the end of this Shabbaton, I can’t believe that I am sitting with 14 other Jewish students who are becoming my friends on campus.”

Rabbi Antelis with students

Rabbi Motti and Naama Antelis

TJH Speaks with Mayoral Candidate Shlomo Nahmias and Trustee Candidates Aaron Felder and Steven Gottesman

By TJH STaff

Shlomo, let’s start with you because you’re running for mayor. Can you give us a little background about yourself?

Shlomo Nahmias: I’ll tell you a little bit about my family. My father grew up in Casablanca. When he was 15, he crossed the border, went into Israel – he lied about his age by putting a line across the five – and was drafted into the army. He was Ben-Gurion’s bodyguard and was a staff sergeant paratrooper and military intelligence officer for many years. After he married, he moved to Mexico City, and I grew up there. Eventually, my family moved to Brooklyn, NY, but we traveled back and forth a lot when I was a child.

I’m a macroeconomist by trade. As one of my first real jobs, I was working at The Economist newspaper. I was the head of research for CFO Magazine and spent quite a bit of time there. Then I was recruited by Forbes. I worked for Steve Forbes and Forbes Digital Media. I was their head of research. One day, a recruiter called me and said, “Starbucks needs to build a research team.” I was brought in in an entrepreneurial role to build a research department for them. In the process, they reshuffled. They were going to give me a vice president of real estate research role in Seattle, but I didn’t want to move there. I looked in the mirror one day, and I realized that I’m young enough. I wanted to go out on my own. I was ready to take the risk. So, I went out on my own, built my own business, and took Starbucks on as my first client in my first research company. After that, Dunkin’ became a client and Wawa became a client, and a multimillion dollar business was born.

I did that for 20 years, and I am still involved in the company, but I’m mostly divested from it at this point.

So when did you get into politics?

Shlomo Nahmias: A few years ago, in 2016, I was asked to host Lee Zeldin when he was running for Congress. Chris McGrath, who was running at the time for state senator, and Bruce Blakeman, who was running, came as well. We became friends, and I started getting very passionate about changing New York State. I went all in on the gubernatorial race for Lee. I realized that if you have the ability to advocate and effect change, and if you have the wherewithal to do it, then you should do it.

When Bruce won his election for County Executive,

he called me out to dinner with Eric Sternberg. Bruce said to me, “I need you to take over the Nassau County Bridge Authority as chairman.” Right away, I said, “For you, Bruce, yes.”

Right when I became chairman, I worked to clean up the place. There were considerable issues. First things first, we weren’t in compliance with the Authorities Budget Office. We made them compliant. Our financials were in disarray. I read financials, and I couldn’t make heads and tails of what they were saying because it was all over the place. We reorganized the financials.

Was the Authority being run by the same group of people for many, many years?

Shlomo Nahmias: Yes. I’m a big believer that stagnation leads to a lack of innovation. That’s why I’m running for office.

Before I came in, we were audited, and it was a bad audit. That was not a good thing to see when you come into a position, but it showed me that things needed to be cleaned up. Their goal was to keep tolls as low as possible and to defer capital projects. But what happens when you defer a capital project for 20 years? It becomes exorbitantly expensive. The tolls were going to go up before I got there. They were $2, and they were going to double them because we were not meeting our debt covenants. I told them that we needed to be methodical. We brought in a new manager who was retired from the Metro Transit Authority, who knew his way around the bridges and tunnels division. We started the process of engaging with the Conduent Group, which is the parent of E-ZPass. The MTA agreed to sponsor us. We entered into an agreement, and 362 days later, we renovated our toll plaza and installed the E-ZPass system. It was activated in November.

What are people’s reactions to the E-ZPass system?

Shlomo Nahmias: I can ask my friends here that are running with me. What do you guys think?

Aaron Felder: We’ve wanted it since I was born here. The traffic that is generated on a Sunday, trying to get to Atlantic Beach over that bridge, is horrendous for the last two and a half decades. So it was definitely a welcome change.

Steven Gottesman: I have some curmudgeons who

complain to me that it’s a dollar more. So they complain to me because they know I’m friends with Shlomo.

Well, it’s important to hear complaints, too, from curmudgeons, right?

Steven Gottesman: Right. So what I say to them is, “Oh, you’re not going to believe it. Nahmias has the most amazing plan in place. If you ask for it, you get a dollar back, and you pay the old toll. The only thing is you have to wait 10 minutes on line to go over the bridge.” I’m joking, but they get the idea.

Shlomo Nahmias: The Authority was losing a lot of money. They were going to double the rates. I took scrutiny from the state officials, from the tourism division, saying, “Well, if you don’t do a straight-line increase for everybody, you’re going to have people not wanting to tour there that much.” My feeling was, no, I’m going to make sure that the rates of the residents are lower. We didn’t increase the tolls for the residents as much as we increased the tolls for non-residents of the County. I’d rather take the heat from the tourists.

You’ve been chairman of the Bridge Authority for two years now. What made you decide to run for mayor?

Shlomo Nahmias: Historically, the Nassau County Bridge Authority has had a problem with the incorporated Village of Lawrence with the lights leading to the bridge. Those lights have been out for a while, and they were not getting fixed. In our communications to the Village, I formed a committee. Vincent Pasqua, my vice chair, is the head of the committee. We went down to the Village, and we were told that the lights would get fixed, but nothing happened. We pulled Nassau County police data, and we saw that 54 lights were out and over five, six years, there were 170 accidents with two to three dozen injuries in that area where the lights were out. This is a serious problem. We went down to a Village Board meeting, and the Village said that the lighting was not their responsibility. Rosemary Evola tried to speak, but they wouldn’t let her speak.

I got up, and I said, “I’m sorry. You’re going to have to let her speak.” I said, “We’re here. We’re a state authority. You’re a local village. Hear us out. You need to resolve this lighting issue.”

But they told us, “It’s not the Village’s problem. We’re only responsible to change bulbs.”

Rosemary said, “No, it’s your responsibility because the New York State Department of Transportation, the commissioner of the state, said it is your responsibility.”

I said, “Stop pointing fingers at each other and figure this thing out.”

This took place in December 2023. We held an emergency meeting putting the Village of Lawrence on notice pending litigation to fix the lights. Now, whether I am mayor or Paris is mayor, we are both campaigning to fix the lighting issue, so it will get resolved I’ve also spoken to our state senator, Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, who is a dear friend, and Leg. Howard Kopel and they’ve put together funding to solve the problem.

Here’s the kicker: out of the 54 lights that are out, do you know how many just need new bulbs? 44 or 45 of them. That’s it. And that’s Lawrence’s responsibility. The other 10 have subpar wiring that was put in post-Hurricane Sandy.

When you become mayor, will you still be the chairman of the Bridge Authority?

Shlomo Nahmias: Everybody asks me that question. There is no conflict, so I can stay on as chairman. If I was running for legislature, there would be a conflict because the legislature prohibits that. If I become mayor of Lawrence, I don’t have to step down from the Bridge Authority, but I made it very clear that, to me, community is first and most important. If this job requires more time, I will step down because my community is most important to me.

When you come in on that first day, what will be the first three things that you’re going to tackle?

Shlomo Nahmias: We’ve been hearing a sizable number of complaints from different neighbors, and we’ve been prioritizing those complaints. I think one of the biggest and most important is that, obviously, the lighting has to be repaired.

Fiscal responsibility: we have to go back and look at our budgets and review our budgets and be fiscally responsible. The residents of the Village of Lawrence have now been burdened with almost a 9% tax increase in April that was passed by my opponent who’s running and saying there was no tax increase. You voted unanimously to increase

the tax levy from $3.186 million to $3.46 million. That’s an 8.7% increase. It’s a very counterintuitive message. We’re paying for the “kosher McDonald’s” at the Lawrence Country Club. We’re paying for $500,000 of golf simulators that are non-functional. The fact is that the Village of Lawrence has a country club that has a deficit every year, and it used to not be that way. We have to be responsible. We have to manage our budget and not go through this reckless spending.

We also want to put an end to frivolous litigation, because we are not a law firm. The Village has embedded itself in problems that it should never have embedded itself in. We don’t have the resources to be doing this. We need to review our infrastructure and work with our state government to get more funding.

After I left that meeting [about the lighting], I decided that I needed to act to fix what was going on, and I decided to run for mayor. Tammy [Roz] and Aaron [Parnes] have been doing great jobs as trustees. They are staying on as trustees. Aaron [Felder] and Steven [Gottesman] are running with me, and they are great candidates. I hope to win this election, with G-d’s help, and we’re going to bring the Village back to the basics and the fundamentals that we need to have in place.

Steven, what made you decide to run for trustee?

Steven Gottesman: I grew up six miles away in Oceanside. I went to Yeshiva of Far Rockaway. When I got married, we moved to Cedarhurst, and now I live in Lawrence, so I’ve been part of this community my whole life.

I grew up in a family of public service. My father, Rabbi Moshe Gottesman, was the dean of HANC for 42 years. Aside for being the dean of HANC, he founded institutions like PTACH and American Friends of Yeshivot Bnei Akiva. Rabbi Boruch Ber Bender will tell you that Achiezer was my father’s idea. My father’s day – from 5:00 in the morning till midnight – was just helping people and doing things for people. He built the mikveh with his own hands in Oceanside. He paid for and built the eiruv. He started the bikur cholim along with my mother, she should live and be well.

I grew up in a family of service. To me, it was normal that when you go to a shul, you become a board member of the shul, and you work for the shul. If there are organizations, you’re on the board. I was president of Yeshivot Hesder Sderot and of Friends of Refugees of Eastern Europe. I’m on the executive board of Beth Sholom, Young Israel… it’s just the way I grew up. It’s important to me.

Over the years, different mayors and different trustees

would say to me, “I think you should run.” And I always told Aaron [Felder], that I would only run if he was running. This year, I got the call, and then I spoke with Aaron, and he told me he was running. And we’re running together.

Steven, You’ve been living in Lawrence since 1995. How has the neighborhood changed?

Steven Gottesman: When I moved here, my block was not a frum block. We’ve seen the changes from a very modern neighborhood to a less modern neighborhood, and now the people who move in are even further to the right. Just look at Central Avenue and how the stores have changed. I’ve seen major, major changes in the neighborhood, and some for the good, some for the not as good.

What changes do you want to help implement when you become trustee?

Steven Gottesman: I’ve been friends with many former mayors, but my two role models as far as the job that I’m going to be taking on now are Ed Klar and Joel Mael. They were both trustees. Before I decided to run, I said that I had to speak with Joel. As Shlomo mentioned, stagnation leads to lack of innovation. I feel like the Village has become more of a kiddush club than a municipality. When Joel and Ed were trustees, they did things right. There were no favors for people. When people asked for favors, Joel had a list of phone numbers, and he would say, “Oh, you’re asking about this? Here’s the guy to call in the Village. That’s his department.” Joel didn’t do special favors because he felt that this was a serious job. You’re dealing with other people’s money, and it’s a real responsibility. He and Ed were of one mind like that. And if you went to meetings in those days, they were serious. There was never a rubber stamp. Things got done. There were checks and balances. That’s really the reason I wanted to get into this because I think we have to go back to that.

Aaron, you are running for trustee. Your father was mayor of Lawrence at one point.

Aaron Felder: My father served in virtually every position of public service available to serve on the Village level. He was a member of the Lawrence Association at the beginning. He then became a member of the Board of Zoning Appeals for many years in Lawrence; he was appointed by the mayors of the time. He then joined the Lawrence Board of Trustees as a trustee, moved up to deputy mayor, and then ultimately to mayor. He even went back to trustee after being mayor. Public service is in my blood.

Aaron Felder

Shlomo Nahmias

Steven Gottesman

My personal public service began when I was pre-med in college. For extracurricular resume building, I decided to join the Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Department as an EMT. The fire department was quick to tell me that, at that time, at least, they did not support merely becoming a member to serve on their ambulance corps. You actually had to become an active firefighter as well and go through the training and respond to a certain percentage of calls every year in order to maintain your membership, which I did. I did that for many years. Later on, more recently, I was asked by the current mayor, Alex Edelman, to serve on the Zoning Board, as my father had done many years before.

How many people are on the Zoning Board?

Aaron Felder: Five. I served on the Zoning Board for five years. If you want to talk about a board that is much more personal to the residents of Lawrence than even the Board of Trustees, it would be the Zoning Board, because, as you know, no one takes anything more personally than the home that they’re going to live in.

When I was born, my family lived in Far Rockaway, but we moved to Lawrence shortly thereafter. I have lived in Lawrence since 1977.

How has it changed over the years?

Aaron Felder: It obviously became a much more Orthodox Jewish neighborhood than it was when I was growing up. When we moved there, many people walked into Far Rockaway to daven at the White Shul because there weren’t many shuls around here. The neighborhood has changed dramatically with the population and the influx of many more Orthodox Jewish families.

And that is why my father ultimately got into public service when he did. He felt that the Orthodox Jewish community at the time was being underrepresented on the Village boards and that the Village boards at the time did not appropriately understand a lot of the needs that the Orthodox Jewish community was facing. There were issues like the eiruv that had to be extended. Or zoning issues, when people began to have larger families and need larger houses. The Village needed to become acclimated to its new reality and to serve the residents appropriately. That’s why my father ultimately got involved when he did, and he was thankfully able to effectuate much needed change over those decades to accommodate the growing needs of the Village and its residents.

I look at Village government a little bit differently. The Village of Lawrence, like all municipalities, is a business. There are employees that need to be managed. There are revenues. There are expenses. So, it’s a business that needs to be managed and functioned properly.

At the same time, we’re serving our neighbors and friends. We love the community. This is the only home we know outside of Israel. And I think that we have an innate desire to preserve it and to cherish it and to be able to update it and roll with the changes that have occurred and serve the constituency properly.

After having served on the Zoning Board for five years, virtually every single person that ever presented a case in front of our board was someone that I knew, either well or as an acquaintance. It’s about really trying to come up with

common-sense solutions that work, that make the resident happy with the result and also makes the Village happy while maintaining the laws.

Speaking of zoning, Deputy Mayor Popack, who is running for mayor, is actively against overdevelopment. How do we keep Lawrence the suburban, beautiful community that everybody appreciates and loves?

Aaron Felder: There is a balance that needs to be struck. I grew up here. Nobody wants this turning into Manhattan, into Brooklyn Heights. We are maintaining, and we will always maintain – at least, while I’m on the Board – distances between neighbors, setbacks that we’ve always had in order to maintain the privacy that people have grown accustomed to and that they need. We’re not looking to build houses on top of each other. But we are looking to be able to give residents what they need in order to live their life comfortably. The average person in Lawrence is spending anywhere between $1.5 million and $2.5 million per lot – forget about the house, just the lot. That’s a lot of money to invest into a neighborhood that’s also contributing to our increased tax base and revenue that we’ll be getting off of the assessed values of those homes. We want people to move here. We want people to feel comfortable living here. I think that a lot of the construction that has gone on is not overdevelopment. This is the beautification of Lawrence.

Shlomo Nahmias: If you want to tackle overdevelopment, congestion goes hand in hand with each other. I haven’t heard the Village asking the County to do any studies. There was a study that was done that said if you change Broadway to one way and Central to another way, traffic improves by 40%. I’m not saying that’s the right decision, but why aren’t we exploring alternatives?

Lawrence sits on the edge of New York City. The City is rife with crime. It’s a sanctuary city with open arms for illegal immigrants and it has a revolving door of crime. What can you do to ensure the safety of Lawrence residents?

Shlomo Nahmias: Safety and security is paramount. I, as a state official, can tell you that the Village is not working enough with our local government to do more for our community.

I’ll give you an example. There is no creative thinking. Remember I said that stagnation leads to a lack of innovation? I’m at this board meeting about the lighting situation and someone got up and spoke about a home invasion that took place in their home. I said, “We [the Bridge Authority] just signed a deal with the police department to refuel their vehicles at the Authority. We have a substation there. The police should turn on their lights at night and take that road through Lawrence, which adds a bigger police presence in the Village.” And that’s what they’re doing. You need creativity.

When it comes to safety and security, I’d like to see plate readers so we can see if stolen vehicles are coming and going from our Village. If there’s a crime that’s committed, G-d forbid, then it’s much easier to track the people who committed them because you have every plate on range.

What is your favorite part of Lawrence?

Shlomo Nahmias: The people. People come to the Five Towns to dine, to visit their friends. They want to live here. This is a jewel. They want to be here. People feel when they’ve moved here that they’ve “made it,” and we have got to take care of our community.

Steven Gottesman: Our community is so wonderful. I grew up in Oceanside. It was a community. There was one shul. Everybody had each other’s back. Just the other day, a guy from Boro Park moved in across the street temporarily from Beth Sholom while he is building a house. And out of nowhere, he said to me, “I just love this shul. I never had a shul in my whole life growing up in Boro Park. I never had a rabbi. I never had a community.” He told me, “I come to shul to daven on a weekday morning, and if there’s someone there who people don’t know, people go over to them and say, ‘Hello. Who are you? Are you new? Are you visiting?’” He said, “I never experienced this in my life. I love this shul.” And that’s really what I love most about Lawrence. We really are a community.

Aaron Felder: I agree. The community and the people. There are so many talents and resources here. There really is a place and a voice for everyone. We’re trying to run a board and create a board that is diverse, that represents various segments of the community. I don’t think that a board that fully agrees with each other on everything is really a great board. We want a board that has various opinions, represents different segments of the population, and brings those issues to light for everyone.

How do you get people to come to the polls on June 18?

Aaron Felder: Historically, take a look at election records, it’s very easy to see that most of the residents of the Village are fairly apathetic when it comes to their leadership within the Village. Most of them don’t even know who’s running. Many of them don’t know if there are any issues. They’re happy living their lives until they’re unhappy with something, and then they turn to leadership to fix that problem. And I always say to these people, “I would love for everyone to educate themselves.” We have made a concerted effort to reach out to many of those people. We are running because we love the place we live. It’s personal to us. But at the same time, you have to be able to engage the residents around you and say, “Listen, we’re not asking you to vote for us for us. We’re asking you to vote for us so that we can help you. And you need to vote for the people that you feel will listen to your problems and address them best. That’s the choice you need to make when you vote.”

Steven Gottesman: We’re meeting with people and explaining to them, “This is your power.”

Aaron Felder: Also, they don’t really realize what’s going on in the background. It takes a lot to run a village. You need an experienced chief executive to run a Village properly. Yes, you can rely on your trustees and your administrators, and all of those people are wonderful in helping and assisting in that role. But you need somebody who could really take the reins and ultimately run a corporation while still maintaining the balance that we’re doing this with our friends and our neighbors together. I believe that local government in this context really is a joint effort much more so than on the federal level or on the state level.

TJH Speaks with Deputy Mayor Paris Popack, Candidate for Mayor

Deputy Mayor Popack, you have been on the Lawrence Village Board for four years and are now running for mayor.

Yes, I have served on the board for four years, including this past year as Deputy Mayor. I am confident in my ability to succeed Mayor Alex Edelman and continue leading Lawrence. The enthusiastic support from the community has been encouraging, and I look forward to serving as mayor.

Speaking of public service, you were involved in the community before you joined the Board.

My husband and I have lived here for 29 years. I’ve always been proactive in community service, starting with helping Chabad with their fundraising dinner and events. I became deeply involved with the Lawrence Country Club Women’s Tennis Club and eventually served as a LYCC Park Commissioner. During my tenure, I supported breast cancer research initiatives through Play for PINK Tournaments and revived the Lawrence Civic Association, enhancing communication with residents and addressing local issues.

As president of the Lawrence Association, did you have much contact with Village officials and the Board?

Absolutely. I actively opposed overdevelopment, including the “Sixth Town” project, to preserve our suburban character and lifestyle. During that time, I pushed them to fight overdevelopment. I was very vocal about stopping the “Sixth Town.” I felt – and still do – that it is so important to keep the Five Towns a suburban area.

I emphasized communication with residents through our monthly “Watchdog” newsletter and ad-

vocated for the Village to enhance transparency and information dissemination. Improving communication will be an ongoing priority for me as Mayor.

We just celebrated Memorial Day. Tell us how you became involved with organizing the parade. I am a patriot and am passionate about honoring our fallen heroes. In the past, while at the parade with my family, I noticed low attendance at the Memorial Day Parade. Why wasn’t anyone there to honor the fallen heroes who lost their lives so we could live in this beautiful country? As leader of the Lawrence Association, I took the initiative to collaborate with the Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Department and Villages of Lawrence and Cedarhurst to breathe new life into the parade while fostering community spirit. Since 2019, with my co-coordination with JoMarie Capone and sponsorship, we significantly increased participation and made the event more heartfelt, meaningful and respectful. We have touched thousands of spectators from our area and abroad.

Four years ago, you were approached to run as trustee of the Village of Lawrence. Tell us about that.

When approached to run as a trustee, I was concerned about balancing my activism and governance. As trustee, I’ve worked to maintain that balance, opposing overdevelopment while ensuring responsible growth. Being a trustee has allowed me to make a more significant impact through policy and collaboration, significantly impacting our community. I am looking forward to bringing the Board together to get more things done.

I firmly believe in the fact that we’re “suburban, not urban.” As an activist, for the past seven years, I have worked hard for the people of Lawrence and the surrounding neighborhoods to ensure that overdevelopment does not lead to a “Sixth Town.” I’m not against development per se, but in our neighborhood, overdevelopment is a real concern. It’s not responsible development. I am for responsible development.

As trustee and deputy mayor, you are running on your track record. What are you most proud of as trustee and deputy mayor?

I am really proud of my efforts in stopping overdevelopment at the Woodmere Club property, resulting in a recent proposed settlement, which is the first step for public input.

Over the past seven years, as a community activist, in my positions as Lawrence Civic Association President, Village of Lawrence Trustee, and Deputy Mayor, I have been fighting overdevelopment here in our community. Some people have asked me, “Why are you fighting this? It’s not in the Village of Lawrence.” They said, “It’s in Woodmere, I live in Lawrence.” “It’s over the tracks, I live in Lawrence.”

I replied, “Everything going on in and around our community affects us all. It’s a domino effect of frustrating and dangerous traffic, congestion, challenges for first responders, pollution and evacuations that could be compromised, if not impossible.”

This mentality reminded me of the famous biblical parable about a man drilling a hole under his seat on a boat. The story begins with a group of people traveling on a boat when one of the passengers begins drilling a hole beneath his seat. The others on board are an-

Deputy Mayor Paris Popack, third from left, being sworn in as Deputy Mayor in Village Hall

gered by this behavior and demand to know what he is doing. He answers, “What business is it of yours? Why do you care? I’m drilling under my seat, not yours.” They respond, “The hole you are drilling will sink the boat and drown us all.”

The story is a metaphor for the importance of considering how one’s actions will affect the community. We must remember and realize, we are “in the same boat” here in Lawrence when dealing with quality of life.

visit the Country Club and to join.

As I stated at the recent Town of Hempstead meeting on March 12, 2024, “I am NOT anti-development. Development isn’t bad in the right areas. Our community, including Inwood, North Lawrence and Rockaway Turnpike, is NOT the right area for multiple family developments. We simply don’t have the infrastructure to support it… A moratorium is ultimately not enough. We need change. We are calling upon Supervisor Don Clavin and the Town of Hempstead Board to stop overdevelopment and make our safety, health and quality of life the priority now and for future generations. Help us keep the Five Towns as one of the “jewels in the crown” of the Town of Hempstead. Keep our Community suburban not urban!

I am so grateful to those in the community who helped me with this cause: Jennifer Dobbs, Judy Bernstein, Hannah Burdei and Rena Saffra, and to all who came out to meetings and continue to support this cause.

I am thankful to Supervisor Don Clavin and his board for recognizing that the Transit Oriented proposed developments could impact our safety, health and quality of life. They plan to repeal the zoning at their meeting on July 2, 2024.

I am also proud of redesigning a new Zion Park in Lawrence. It’s a great park now for kids ages 2-12. There’s also a champion’s track and 25-yard dashes for kids.

As a Board, we worked really hard and got the state to help pay for fixing flooding problems in the areas that had major flooding issues. Some of the worst were fixed through the NY Rising project, which was a huge remedy for our residents.

We also put in a much-needed sprinkler system in the Lawrence Yacht and Country Club. The Club –whether you golf or play tennis or don’t – is the jewel of the neighborhood, and it’s our green space. We have to make sure that we take care of it for the residents. We also hired a new general manager, Kevin Dudleston, for the club. Residents should know that they get special pricing on membership. I encourage our residents to

I am also very proud that the Board made a proclamation for Israel this year, saying that the Village of Lawrence stands with the State of Israel and its right to exist and defend itself against Hamas.

In that spirit, we put up Israeli and American flags along the Business District in Lawrence on Central Avenue to honor Israel, Ma’ale Adumim, our sister city, the IDF and the hostages.

What is the Village of Lawrence doing about safety to make sure that residents are safe?

Security is always our first priority. Through a partial grant from the County, we have installed security cameras at specific locations in the Village. All trustees care about security, and Trustee Eli Kutner emphasized exploring the idea of live monitoring. As a result, we currently have live monitoring. When they see something concerning, they notify the Village administration and the police as necessary. During the day, Village of Lawrence staff monitors the cameras. Through the night, we have a service that is in direct contact with Village administrators.

Our police department is very active here. They come to many of our meetings. They patrol the Village; there is also an undercover patrol. At night, I have noticed that they patrol with their lights flashing, so we know that they’re there. It’s very reassuring.

Let’s talk about responsibility. Everybody is responsible for their own safety as well because the police is not our private security detail. They’re not going to sit in front of my house all night. You have to lock your doors; you have to set your alarm. Lock your cars. Don’t leave your keys in your cars. Have ample lighting around your house. Look at your plantings around your house and make sure that people can’t hide there. We have to be smart citizens.

Speaking about safety, speeding has been an issue for years. We want to put up speed bumps in certain areas – and possibly traffic signs – and we are hiring a traffic expert to guide us to take care of the residents and their traffic and safety concerns.

Do you feel that, as mayor, you’ll be able to get

things accomplished more quickly and efficiently?

As mayor, I can more effectively set the agenda and prioritize initiatives. I am committed to collaboration and compromise to achieve positive outcomes. My goal is to lead with integrity and get things done, with the Trustees, to keep Lawrence beautiful for future generations.

What are three things that you want to start working on after you are elected mayor in June?

Number one: safety and security. Make sure our resident are safe. Keep up with the police patrols and look into installing more cameras.

The second item I will be working on is that I’m going to continue with the “suburban, not urban” campaign and stopping overdevelopment in the community. That’s something that’s very important to me. We want to keep Lawrence beautiful for the next generation.

Lighting improvements are also high on my priority list. I want to continue upgrading Village lighting for better visibility and safety.

Is there anything that you would like to share that I haven’t asked you yet?

Throughout my career, I have held several key positions in business and philanthropy that required financial oversight and strategic budgeting. As current deputy mayor and Village trustee, together with the Village Board, we successfully managed a multimillion-dollar budget and financial planning for large-scale projects without any tax increases. I am continuously engaged in budgetary affairs and negotiations to reduce expenditures. This includes ongoing discussions with New York State to ensure that the State complies with any obligations to repair the damaged lighting infrastructure on I-878. I am adept at identifying cost-saving opportunities, which has resulted in significant financial benefits for Lawrence. I also have a proven track record of transparency and accountability in financial matters.

Village taxes have not gone up in 12 years. Because of reductions in assessments, the Tax Rate must be adjusted to maintain the same revenue as in prior years. The most recent Board of Trustee vote was unanimous.

People are busy. How are you getting them to the polls on Tuesday, June 18?

I’m encouraged by the community’s enthusiasm for my candidacy and their desire to come out and vote for me. I urge all residents to vote on June 18 from 7 AM-9 PM at the Lawrence Country Club, to support a future of continued progress and preservation for Lawrence. Your vote for me is a vote for dedicated leadership and a bright future for our Village.

Deputy Mayor Popack, second from right, at the reopening of Zion Park in Lawrence

Popack and Henya Storch at the Memorial Day Parade

Dating Dialogue What Would You Do If…

Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW of The Navidaters

Dear Navidaters,

I went on a few dates with a really nice guy. We had quality, deep, good conversations. The problem started when we started going out to more public places. We went to a restaurant for our fourth date. When we got to the restaurant, the waiter asked where we wanted to sit. Aaron (not his real name) chose a seat in the back but then, as they were clearing a different table, he seemed distracted. He kept looking over to that table. I asked him if everything was okay, and he said he wanted to move to that table instead. Since he wasn’t asking them to move us, and I saw he wanted it, I asked the server if we could move. At that point he kept repeating, “No, no, it’s okay. I don’t want to bother anyone.”

On our next date, we went to a game arcade place, and at the end, when it was ready to cash in our tickets, he literally could not make a decision what to use his tickets on. I mean, we are talking about stuffed animals and knickknacks.

Ever since we have started to do dates that are not just sitting and talking, I sense an overpowering issue with decision-making coming from him – those two are just a few examples.

Overall, he is a really good person and has a lot of the things I’m looking for. Does it seem like I’m just overthinking it or is this a real issue?

Thanks, Tammy*

The Panel

The Rebbetzin

Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S.

This is not a question for the panelists. You are a smart woman and have picked up on a possible challenge for him. Good for you!

Bring up the subject of dealing with personal challenges and be vulnerable. You go first in bringing something up. See what he brings up. See if he can be vulnerable and feels safe with you. That may take some time. Soon, you may be able to bring this up with him carefully but directly. See where it goes. This is what opening up and relationships are all about – developing trust and openness in a healthy environment. Good luck.

The Shadchan

Michelle Mond

Dear Tammy, what you have just experienced is a common circumstance daters experience. It is absolutely crucial while you’re dating to be creative and see your date in different environments and social situations, just for this reason.

As you are progressing over time, you are starting to see a side of Aaron that you don’t like, and that worries you. He seems to be indecisive and

self-conscious, and these are things that make you feel that despite your deep conversations over your first few meetings, he is not the right one.

I do not think you are overthinking. You are merely gathering information to see if he is right for you. It is possible he is just not the right one but give it time and patience. You don’t need to make any rash decisions you might regret later.

The Zaidy

Dr. Jeffrey Galler

In the late 1800s, poet Katherine Craster wrote about a 100-legged insect: A centipede was happy — quite!

Until a toad, in fun, Said, “Pray, which leg moves after which?”

This raised her doubts to such a pitch, She fell exhausted in the ditch, Not knowing how to run.

This simple, whimsical poem seems very light-hearted but has very deep, profound significance. When the centipede started to overthink a seemingly simple activity, the hapless creature became paralyzed with indecision.

Today, psychologists actually label this problem as “The Centipede Effect” and try

Pulling It All Together

Thank you for writing!

It seems like you are into Aaron, and yet you are wisely noticing a potential issue: difficulty around decision-making. It doesn’t seem, at least on the surface, that you are overthinking. Sometimes when we are overthinking, it is because we are not having direct con - versations about what we are overthinking with the person we are overthinking about. You will learn more about the issue from speaking directly

to help patients who suffer from “Analysis Paralysis.” They discuss how hyper-reflection, or overthinking a decision, can lead to the inability to make a decision.

How serious is this problem? It could be fairly harmless, innocuous, and merely annoying. However, this problem could be very, very serious and become a major impediment in life. For example, in baseball, there is a condition known as the “Yipes,” when a player suddenly starts overthinking a simple task, and, bizarrely, becomes frozen and unable to do so.

Consider the “Yipes” case of Yankee second baseman, Chuck Knoblauch. Suddenly and inexplicably, he started “overthinking” the routine task of tossing the ball to first base and became completely incapable of throwing accurately. Alarmingly, he committed 26 throwing errors, and one of his wild throws actually hit another player’s mother in the face, as she watched the game from the stands.

Sadly, this highly successful player had to retire from baseball.

Now, you have made some very astute observations about your boyfriend, and have possibly discovered a very troubling defect: a serious inability to make decisions. However, I wonder if his indecisiveness is because he actually has a serious problem, or because he is simply very nervous when he’s on a date with you.

So, what should you do? I found an interesting Human Resources website. It teaches interviewers what questions to ask, so that they can learn to reject prospective employees who will not be good at making decisions at work. You might wish to sneak in some adapted form of

with Aaron about it.

Kindly mention to him what you’ve noticed and ask him about it. Get a sense of his understanding of the behavior. It may be something he is aware of and working on, or it may be something he doesn’t think is an issue.

In my opinion, when two people can speak about issues openly, and no one gets defensive, this is one of the best indicators of a relationship having the strength

When the centipede started to overthink a seemingly simple activity, the hapless creature became paralyzed with indecision.

these questions during your next date with Aaron:

Tell me about a time when you had to make a tough decision. Why was it difficult? What was the outcome?

Tell me about a time when you had to make a big decision on short notice.

When you have to make a big, difficult decision, what is your typical approach? Do you ask for advice or go with your gut?

Getting Aaron to discuss these issues might help you clarify if his indecisiveness is, or is not, a big red flag.

I asked a psychologist how he might help cure a pathologically indecisive patient. He wrote to me, “Well, I would have to decide if I should utilize either Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), or Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT), or Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT).”

I read this psychologist’s response to my wife, who is usually very decisive. I asked her if she thought those treatment approaches could help cure an indecisive person. She answered, “Maybe.”

to go to the distance. No one is immune to “issues.” We all have issues. I think that’s part of what makes us human. Through intimate discussion, we develop closeness. Through defensiveness or lack of self-awareness, we develop space and distance. When in doubt, bring it up. Your answer will organically reveal itself. Pay attention to your intuition. All the best, Jennifer

Parenting Pearls Torah for All

By Sara Rayvych, MSEd

Millennia ago, we received the Torah, and those timeless teachings are as relevant today as they were when first given. We all stood together at Har Sinai – united as a nation. Each person has a role in history and needed to be present, personally tasked with their divine goal. We weren’t separated based on talent, generosity or knowledge; we were unified and indivisible.

Sadly, today, we do differentiate between each other. Whether it’s talent, income or hair covering choice, we have found ways to categorize and lessen the importance of others. Along with this division is less of an appreciation and tolerance for those around us.

We received the Torah together – both the scholar and the student. Neither was more or less deserving than the other. The reward for Torah, as we know, is based on effort and not necessarily on result. I’m not disparaging the more learned members of our community, chas v’shalom, I simply want to acknowledge those many steps prior to greatness. Those are steps which our precious children are beginning to grasp.

As parents, we need to appreciate the many milestones our children go through in their growth and learning. Each one is special and contributes to the greater person they will become. But even before we think of the future, we should value each of those milestones today.

Steps to Greatness

We know to honor those who have accomplished great things, but we don’t as readily acknowledge the many small steps it took to get there. A gadol in Torah or middos isn’t born that way, and we shouldn’t expect that in our children yet.

Our children are in the process of taking those small steps, and we should recognize the crucial role of those seemingly minor accomplishments. A letter of alef bais, saying Modeh Ani, a pasuk in Chumash or the simplest Mishna are all tremendous accomplishments on their own.

Dressed in the uniform of an American soldier, Rabbi Eliezer Silver, zt”l, asked a nun after World War II if there were Jew-

ish children in her orphanage. Again, she insisted none of the children in their orphanage were Jewish. Knowing the truth and not to be deterred, Rabbi Silver approached a group of children and loudly proclaimed, “Shema Yisroel.” A chorus of “Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem echad” was returned. These young children, ripped from their homes at such tender ages, remembered just one pasuk, but that verse brought them back to their people.

Success Breeds Success

Our children should be encouraged at each of these seemingly basic milestones both to appreciate what they’ve accomplished and to see what they can still do.

It’s known that success breeds success, but first you need to recognize when you’ve succeeded. Sadly, too often, we don’t realize when we’ve accomplished something. Even when our children underestimate how much they’ve done, we can still be the ones to see it clearly.

Even when they appreciate their growth, they still need the adults in their life to cheer them on. They value our opinion and our guidance and want to know they’ve made us proud. We all know what an impact it makes when a parent or teacher gives a well-deserved compliment.

While it’s important to enjoy their current success, we can also show them a small amount of their limitless potential. Once you learn one letter, you can learn the next. Once you master one Mishna, another follows. This should be positive encouragement, and not done in a way that makes the child feel insecure in what they haven’t yet gained.

Don’t sell a child short. The greatest of people started off as the smallest of babies. Hashem brought our children into this world knowing they have a specific divine task only they can accomplish, and we shouldn’t underestimate their potential. We need to be realistic and not push them past their capabilities, but they may be far more capable than we realize.

Appreciate Their Efforts

We like to see results, but we can’t al-

ways control what happens. It’s only our efforts that we can govern. We like to think that hard work always yields a positive outcome, but that’s often not the case. One child put in all of their koach and still did not succeed, yet another child did not try nearly as hard, yet received better results. Most importantly, we know that Torah is achieved through our efforts, and that’s what we’re told Hashem wants from us.

It’s disheartening for a child (or anyone) to work hard and not see positive results. When we stress the importance of effort, we give them the ability to focus on the aspects they can actually do and not on that which is beyond their reach.

It also teaches them the important lesson of valuing hard work. Feeling satisfaction in your efforts is a value that begins when young. As we know from the adults around us, the most successful individuals are often the ones who worked the hardest.

Timeless Teachings

The little ones come home from preschool, happily singing the parsha songs they learned that week. Handing you a colored picture for the fridge, they begin to tell you the parsha story. They are all excited to share with you all they’ve been taught – innocently assuming you’ve never heard it before!

As we know, the Torah is a divine guidebook for life. More than mere stories, it contains timeless teachings. Despite divine wisdom being beyond their – or anyone’s – grasp, children can still benefit from the many lessons it contains.

Children, too, learn hachnasas orchim from Avraham Avinu’s tent, yiras Shamayim from yetzias Mitzrayim and to value the property of others from Seder Nezikin. They begin to imbibe the holy values we want to impart to them.

Children learn, and they begin to ask questions. It’s these inquiries that can become the springboard for some of the greatest lessons. Teens, in particular, are known to think deeply about the Torah topics they learn and want to understand the reasoning. “How could Hashem expect me to not be jealous?” “Why would I be responsible for damages in this case?” “How could we be commanded to kill Amalek?” This can be difficult for parents who may not know all the answers. Despite this challenge, it’s still important to allow questions and encourage their curiosity. We don’t need to know the answers to everything, and we may even enjoy learning the answers to their queries.

As we prepare once again for Matan Torah, our children are also excited. Yes, the ice cream may be one of the reasons, but they are receiving the Torah alongside us. Enjoy this yom tov with your children, and remember how precious their Torah is, too. May all of Klal Yisroel be united together once again.

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.

School of Thought

By Etti Siegel

Q:Dear Etti,

I finished school years ago, so I am frustrated that I am busy reminding my daughter to study and do her work for school. Why is she not motivated to do it on her own? What should the school be doing to make her more motivated? Why is this all on me?

-Frustrated Mother

A:Dear Frustrated Mother, By the time you read this, finals might be over. I hope this will help you and all struggling parents going forward, as every school year is filled with homework and tests, and the problem will likely reoccur.

We want to build independence and responsibility in our children, as we will not always be there to help them and remind them to do the next task. So how do we do that?

The first thing we need to do is gently remove ourselves from the picture. As of now, it sounds like you are taking full responsibility for the tests coming up and controlling how and when studying happens. You are the cheerleader and the taskmaster.

It is time to transfer that responsibility to your child(ren).

It won’t be easy, but it is possible. Your child(ren) needs to learn a new skill, and it takes time to do that.

First, you need to sit down with a calendar and have them fill in when tests are scheduled. Then they need to map out how much time they need to study for each test, taking into account the different materials they need to master for each one. You can gently remind them or encourage them to consider certain ideas, but it should be a child-driven, not an adult-driven conversation.

Next, you could ask your child to make a checklist for each test. Ask them to be as specific as possible, so that they feel good afterwards, knowing they did their best. This should be done by your child, for your child, with minimal input from you. Keep telling your child that you know that they know what needs to be done. Once they are finished, you could review the list with them, but be careful to compliment what they did right, point out what they might want to add, and not sound critical. This is skill-building, and they need to be receptive as you guide them through the process.

Next, have them mark on the calendar when they need to set time to complete the tasks on their list. Studying should be done over a few days, not just the night before. You might need a dry-erase board to hang

in a place where they can easily see it and use it to keep track of the tasks they set for the week. Have them write when, what time of day, and for about how long they will concentrate on the tasks they set for themselves.

Don’t expect them to keep to a schedule just because they wrote it. If needed, in a cheerful (but authentic) voice remind them every day that they have a schedule to look at.

We want to build independence and responsibility in our children, as we will not always be there to help them and remind them to do the next task.

You can add a treat or privilege to show you are proud of them for keeping to their schedule. A late-night ice cream snack with a parent, for example, is decadent and memorable.

If you have a few children, managing the team is better than managing the individual child. Remind them all how proud you are of their effort. Remind them all to keep on task. When dealing with one child it can feel more personal and might seem like it is making the responsibility fall on your shoulders again.

Here are some steps to help you teach your child to properly prepare for a test:

1. Know when your test is.

2. Have all of your notes and handouts on hand to study. (That means taking notes in class and making sure to have your notes in your backpack to look over at home.)

3. Set aside time to study. Don’t save all your studying for the night before.

4. Have a space for studying. It is hard to review and retain information if there is a lot of action going on around you, distracting you. A calm, quiet place with no screens or phones is best for serious study.

5. Organize your material. Break the material into

chunks to concentrate on one portion at a time. Review old material quickly before focusing on new material.

6. Optimize your time. Set a timer if you have to. Try to take as few breaks as possible while you are studying and reward yourself with a larger break afterward.

7. Figure out the study method that works best for you. Some people like to say everything out loud. Some people like to read quietly and then have someone test them. Some like it when they can teach another student. Some like to have someone teach them the material before a test. Some students make up tests for themselves. Some teach a pretend class, and some teach their stuffed animals. Some use index cards to create flash cards, and some like to paper a wall with sticky notes.

8. Remember to eat, drink enough, and sleep enough. The brain does not function well when it is not nourished properly.

9. Be positive. A growth mindset is the idea that you can, even if it is hard. Keep trying and aim for your best. And your best might be even better next time! Most importantly, your child must realize: There is no wrong way to study if you find you are absorbing the information and it makes sense to you.

Hatzlacha with implementing this. Remember, all new paths are hard. Keep at it and the journey will get easier. You might want to try to practice this strategy with chores. Implement the idea of personal responsibility using the steps above and get your family used to owning up to what they need to do.

- Etti

The holiday of Shavuos is coming up, and many of my clients are concerned about how they will maintain their weight goals. Shavuos is known for its dairy-rich meals that can be highly caloric, making it challenging to stay on track. Meals include creamy pastas, cheesecake, blintzes, and cheese quiches, which are loaded with fats and sugars. However, celebrating Shavuos doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your health goals. With some planning and a few mindful strategies, you can enjoy the delicious food while keeping your health and weight in check. This guide provides practical tips and tricks to help you stay healthy during Shavuos without missing out on the holiday’s delights.

Create a Balanced Menu

An easy way to eat healthy meals during Shavuos is to create a balanced menu. Incorporate a variety of foods, in-

Health & F tness

Super Smart Eating for Shavuos

By Aliza Beer MS, RD, CDN

cluding fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins alongside traditional dairy dishes. Fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins contain plenty of fiber and protein which can help you feel satisfied after eating. Feeling satisfied after meals will prevent you from overeating and gaining weight.

Here are examples of healthy dishes you can make on Shavuos:

1. Quinoa Salad with roasted vegetables and low-fat feta cheese

2. Spinach and strawberry salad with goat cheese

3. Grilled salmon with asparagus and sweet potatoes

4. Zucchini noodles with pesto and cherry tomatoes

5. Baked eggplant pizzas

You can also serve the unhealthier dishes, like creamy pastas, alongside these dishes with the intention of indulging mindfully. To do this, savor each bite,

portion control the unhealthy dishes, balance your plate with mostly healthier foods, and only indulge at one meal a day. Take small bites, eat slowly, and stop when you feel comfortably satisfied rather than overly full. These tips will help you not deprive yourself of the food you love but rather enjoy them in moderation. Moderation, not deprivation, is the key to success!

Cook Healthier Alternatives

If you’re craving high-carby cheesy dishes, try making healthy alternatives to curb your cravings. These can be just as satisfying while being better for your overall health and weight goals. Here are a few healthy alternative ideas you can make:

1. Carb-free pizza : There are many vegetable options that can act like crust for a low-carb pizza. You can put no-sugar-added tomato sauce, low-fat

pizza cheese, and spices on eggplant, zucchini, portobello mushroom, or cauliflower steaks.

2. Sauce and cheese over spaghetti squash: Since spaghetti squash has a similar shape to pasta, you can put no-sugar-added tomato sauce and melt low-fat cheese on it. Alternative options are zoodles or hearts of palm pasta.

3. Cauliflower mac and cheese: Substitute cauliflower for pasta to reduce the carb content. Steam or roast the cauliflower rice and mix it with a homemade cheese sauce made from low-fat cheese and a bit of milk or a dairy-free alternative.

4. Blintzes: If you love blintzes, you can still enjoy them in a low-carb version. Simply take Crepini Egg Thins, fill them with low-fat cottage cheese, fresh berries, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Roll them up and cook them in a non-stick pan until they are golden and warm.

The Holiday Staple: Cheesecake

One of the dishes many of us look forward to is eating cheesecake on Shavuos. Since it’s highly caloric, there are a few options to lower the fat and calories.

1. Use low-fat cottage cheese or farmer cheese: Substitute the regular cream cheese with low-fat cottage cheese or farmer cheese to reduce the fat content while maintaining a creamy texture.

2. Sweeten with monk fruit: Replace sugar with monk fruit sweetener, a natural, calorie-free alternative that provides the sweetness without the added calories.

3. Skip the Graham Crust: Skip the traditional graham cracker crust to cut down on unnecessary calories and carbs. An alternative crust could be made with almond flour.

4. Top with Fresh Berries: You can enhance the cheesecake flavor by topping your cheesecake with berries instead of sugary sauces or toppings.

If you want to eat a piece of traditional cheesecake, enjoy it for breakfast with a cup of coffee or tea. This way, you can satisfy your craving early and focus on eating clean for the rest of the day. Never indulge at night, because we don’t burn off the food consumed at night the same way as the food consumed earlier in the day.

Use Healthier Cooking Methods

By incorporating healthier cooking methods into your Shavuos menu, you can enjoy delicious and nutritious meals without compromising your health goals. Here are some ways to incorporate healthier cooking methods into your Shavuos menu:

1. Grilling: Grilling is a great way to add flavor to your dishes without the need for excessive fats and oils. You can grill fish, vegetables, or lean proteins to enhance the natural flavors of your ingredients while keeping them tender and juicy. Vegetables you can grill are bell peppers, zucchini, cabbage steaks, portobello mushrooms, and eggplant.

2. Baking : Baking is a healthier alternative to frying. You can bake dishes like chicken, fish, or vegetables with minimal added oil, using herbs and seasonings to enhance taste.

3. Steaming: Steaming is a method that uses hot steam to cook food, while preserving the nutrients in foods. Foods you can steam include vegetables,

eggs or fish.

4. Roasting : Roasting vegetables, fish, or other lean proteins helps enhance their flavors by not using a lot of oil. Toss these foods with a small amount of oil, salt, and pepper before roasting in the oven until tender and golden brown.

5. Stir-frying or Sautéing: This is another cooking method that uses a small amount of oil to cook vegetables, proteins, or grains.

6. Poaching : Poaching involves cooking foods gently in liquid. It’s ideal for proteins like fish or chicken breasts, keeping them moist and tender without added fats.

alongside traditional dairy dishes to balance your meal. Offer a variety of plant-based milk alternatives like almond milk, soy milk, or oat milk for those who prefer or need to avoid dairy. For example, you can add these plantbased milks into desserts and sauces to reduce the calories and fat.

3. Portion control: Enjoy dairy dishes in moderation by paying attention to portion sizes. Instead of large servings, opt for smaller portions of each dish to keep your overall dairy intake in check. You can do this by filling your plate with lean protein, vegetables, and a small amount of dairy. For desserts, indulge in dairy-based desserts

Moderation, not deprivation, is the key to success

There are a few cooking methods that can add extra calories to your dishes that you should limit. These include deep frying, breading, and pan-frying with excessive oil. Aim to cook most of your meals with the healthier cooking methods and limit the unhealthier methods to a small number of dishes.

Moderate Your Dairy Intake

Dairy dishes contain plenty of calories since they are high in fat. To prevent weight gain, you can moderate your dairy intake to save yourself unnecessary calories. Moderating dairy intake on Shavuos while still enjoying the traditional foods can be achieved by following these strategies:

1. Choose dairy products wisely: Select dairy dishes that are lower in saturated fats and calories. For example, opt for lighter versions of cheese, yogurt, and milk-based dishes. Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy options when possible to reduce overall calorie and fat intake. Dishes you can make with these dairy options include:

a) French onion soup with low-fat mozzarella cheese

b) Low-fat yogurt parfait with berries

c) Sorbet or make your own sundae with low-fat frozen yogurt instead of ice cream

2. Incorporate Non-Dairy Options: Include non-dairy alternatives

each day. To make the walk more enjoyable, plan ahead by asking friends and family to schedule a walking time together. Walking with someone can make the minutes go by faster and allows you to catch up with loved ones during the holiday. Walking goes a long way to help you burn the excess calories you may have consumed during the meals.

Stay Hydrated

Drinking adequate amounts of water is crucial for weight maintenance and preventing overeating. Drinking water can help curb your appetite, promote satiety, and boost metabolism to burn calories more efficiently. Drinking water also helps you reduce liquid calories. Avoid beverages such as juice, sweetened iced teas, and sodas, and drink more seltzer or lower-calorie drink options.

Remember the Goal

like cheesecake and blintzes in moderation. Consider serving smaller portions or offering mini-sized portions to satisfy cravings without overeating.

Don’t Forget the Fish

Fish would be the best protein option at dairy meals. Fatty fish like salmon are great sources of omega-3 fatty acids and are so easy to make. You can utilize an assortment of herbs and spices, or make a pistachio-crusted version, or make it sweet with a miso marinade or silan. Incorporating fish into the dairy meals will result in a decreased consumption of the carby cheesy dishes and a significant increase in healthy nutrients.

Mind the Time

During Shavuos, it’s common for dinner meals to start later in the evening. Combating late-night eating to prevent weight gain can be challenging, but it is achievable. Aim to eat balanced, filling meals earlier in the day to prevent overeating at night. You can also eat a few hours earlier before the last meal and enjoy a small plate of the food at the late night dinner if you are hungry.

Stay Active

Since the weather is warmer during Shavuos, it’s a perfect opportunity to stay active by walking outside. Try to walk at least fifteen minutes, but it’s best if you can walk for thirty minutes

While some of you are aiming to lose weight, it may be difficult to do so during Shavuos. It’s understandable that going into Shavuos trying to lose weight can feel restrictive and stressful. Instead, go in with a mindset of weight maintenance and continue your weight loss after the holiday. If you end up gaining a few pounds, don’t be upset! You can easily get back on track with your weight goals after the holiday and lose the weight you gained.

Shavuos is a time of celebration and indulgence in delicious dairy-rich meals, which can be challenging for those trying to maintain their weight. By creating a balanced menu, incorporating healthier cooking methods, moderating dairy intake, minding the time of meals, drinking enough water, and staying active, you can enjoy the holiday while keeping your health in check. Remember, it’s not about depriving yourself, but rather about making mindful choices and finding a balance that works for you. By utilizing these tips and strategies you will navigate Shavuos with confidence and successfully maintain your weight. Chag sameach! Aliza Beer is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in nutrition. She has a private practice in Cedarhurst, NY. Patients’ success has been featured on the Dr. Oz show. Aliza can be reached at alizabeer@gmail. com, and you can follow her on Instagram at @alizabeer

Straight to the Plate

by Menuchah a r M el

Grandma B’s Brisket

Yield: 10 servings

Meat | Gluten free

My husband’s grandmother, a”h, was a remarkable woman, and the entire family looked forward to her cooking, especially on the holidays. When I first got married, my husband taught me how to make brisket her way, and we have stuck with the recipe ever since.

Ingred I ents

Marinade

* 2 tbsp. red wine

* 2 tbsp. vinegar

* 2 tbsp. soy sauce (optional)

* 2 tbsp. oil

* 2 tbsp. honey

* g arlic powder, to taste

* salt and pepper, to taste

Brisket

* 3.3 lb. brisket

* 4 tbsp. oil

* 4 onions, sliced

* 6 cloves garlic, sliced

Pre P arat I on

1. In a container large enough to hold the meat, combine marinade ingredients.

2. add meat and baste fully with marinade. Marinate meat for at least 6 hours or overnight.

3. Preheat oven to 375° F.

4. heat oil in a frying pan and sear marinated meat on all sides.

5. spread sliced onions on the bottom of a large roasting pan. add meat and garlic.

6. Pour pan drippings over the meat, and cover meat with water.

7. cover and cook for 2–3 hours or until a fork can be inserted and removed with ease.

8. let cool completely or refrigerate overnight.

9. slice meat against the grain, then return to pan to warm prior to serving.

tIP

For best results, cook brisket in an enamel roasting pan.

searing meat means to fry it for a couple of minutes on all sides until brown. this seals in the meat’s juices and gives it good flavor.

Michal’s Cheesecake

Yield: two 10” round cakes | Dairy

My first Shavuos in Israel was approaching, and I had no idea how I was going to serve cheesecake because the cheeses here were so different! Then my friend Michal gave me this recipe, and everyone who tastes it, raves about it.

Ingred I ents

Crust

* 1 ½ cups tea-biscuit crumbs

* 5 tbsp. melted butter

* sugar and cinnamon, to taste (optional)

Cake

* 26.5 oz. (750 g) 5%-fat white spread cheese

* 17.5 oz. (500 g) 9%-fat white spread cheese

* 1 ¾ cups sugar

* 5 whole eggs, plus 2 egg yolks

* 3 tbsp. flour

* 1 ½ tsp. lemon zest or 1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

* 1/4 cup milk (optional)

Pre P arat I on

Crust

1. combine ingredients for the crust.

2. divide crumb mixture and press into two 10” (25 cm) springform pans.

Cake

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.

2. With a mixer, beat cheeses and sugar.

3. slowly add eggs, one at a time.

4. add flour and flavoring.

5. If desired, add up to 1/4 cup milk.

6. divide batter and pour into prepared pans.

7. bake for 10 minutes.

8. reduce heat to 350° F and bake for an additional 45 minute to 1 hour or until cheese no longer jiggles when the pan is slightly shaken.

to PPI ng (optional)

* 1 cup dairy whipping cream (heavy cream)

* 2–3 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar

* 2–3 tbsp. instant vanilla pudding

* 1 cup blueberry pie filling, butterscotch, or preferred spread

Pre P arat I on

1. remove cooled cake from springform pan.

2. With a mixer, beat dairy whipping cream, confectioners’ sugar, and instant vanilla pudding until thick.

3. spread over cooled cake.

4. c arefully spread pie filling over whipped cream.

tIP

some toppings are too thick to spread evenly over the whipping cream. simply reverse the topping order. spread the filling on the cheesecake, then top with whipped cream.

Chocolate Pudding

Yield: 10 servings

Dairy | Gluten free

As a first-time mother in a new country, I received this pudding from my Israeli neighbor as a refreshing snack that would give me the extra energy and calcium needed to take care of my baby.

It is also a great dessert for a dairy event. This recipe uses two pots, but the results are worth the extra dishes.

Ingred I ents

* 3 cups milk

* 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp. cocoa

* 1 cup sugar

* 1/4 cup cornstarch

* 1/4 tsp. salt

* 1 tsp. vanilla extract

* 4 tbsp. butter

Pre P arat I on

1. In a medium-sized pot, heat the milk until boiling.

2. Meanwhile, in a large pot, whisk together dry ingredients until no lumps are visible.

3. o ver low heat, add 1-2 cups boiled milk to dry ingredients, whisking continuously so that no lumps form. Mixture should be a thick liquid.

4. bring mixture to a boil while continuously stirring to prevent burning.

5. Pour in remaining milk and bring to a boil again.

6. reduce heat to low and simmer for 3–4 minutes, stirring constantly.

7. turn off flame and stir in vanilla extract and butter.

8. Pour into individual serving bowls and let cool.

Born in Baltimore, MD, Menucha Armel moved to Israel in 1995. Her passion for cooking began as a hobby, selling salads and kugels for Shabbos, which eventually blossomed into a business, Menuchah L’simcha Catering. Her culinary skills, honed through catering events and cooking in yeshivas and seminaries, led to the creation of her cookbook, “Straight to the Plate,” featuring her best quick and easy recipes.

To order Menucha’s cookbook, visit www.straighttotheplate.net.

Recipes excerpted from straight to the Plate by Menuchah Armel. Photography & Food Design by Mirit Hatav.

In The K tchen

Pastéis de Bacalhau –Codfish Cake

By Naomi Nachman

I just returned from working for Kosher River Cruises on their latest cruise along the Douro River in Portugal. I had the most amazing time. I love working with other chefs, learning about the local cuisine. We learned about the history of the Jewish communities along the river and how they hid as Crypto-Jews. Dr. Henry Abramson gave outstanding Jewish history talks, and I did culinary presentations. I got this recipe from one of our guides who told me this is traditional comfort food and eaten at family gatherings.

Ingredients

◦ 1 pound fresh cod

◦ 3 large Yukon gold potatoes

◦ 1 large onion, finely chopped

◦ 1 large egg yolk

◦ Finely chopped parsley, to taste

◦ Salt and pepper, to taste

◦ Nutmeg

◦ Canola oil (for deep frying)

◦ Potoato starch

Preparation

Place a medium pan with water over high heat and bring it to a boil. Add the cod pieces and let it simmer for approximately eight minutes.

Remove the cod from the water but keep the water in the pan. Use the water to

boil the potatoes whole with the skin on; the cod water will bring more flavor to the potatoes and the skin will protect the potatoes from absorbing water in excess.

Cook the potatoes until soft but firm.

In the meantime, shred the cod. Our favorite way of doing so is to place the fish over two layers of clean cloths, wrap the fish, and start squeezing and pounding the fish, kind of like kneading bread dough. Trust me, this will meticulously shred the fish and drain any leftover juices.

Once the potatoes are done, drain the potatoes and transfer them into a large bowl. Mash the potatoes and allow to cool for a few minutes.

Combine the mashed potatoes, the shredded codfish, and the remaining ingredients together.

Add a tablespoon of starch powder into the final mixture if it feels too wet.

Use two tablespoons to shape the dough mixture into almond-shaped balls. Deep fry the cakes in canola oil until browned.

Place your fried cod cakes on paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Let them cool (if you can wait that long!) for a few minutes before serving.

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.

Naomi with the Cod Cakes on the river cruise after her demonstration

Fd for Thought Fish Grill

By Nati Burnside

In 2024, we have a lot of types of kosher restaurants. There are plenty of the old classics around (Chinese, Israeli, pizza, bagels) to go with the new staples (steakhouse, smokehouse, burgers, dairy Italian) that make up most of our kosher landscape. Sometimes, we even get interesting new entries that excite us (new ethnic cuisines, fusion restaurants, etc.).

But today’s restaurant isn’t any of those. It’s not a typical kosher restaurant type. It’s not new, it’s not complicated, and it’s not fancy.

The Fish Grill is exactly what it sounds like. They grill fish. Fine, that’s not the entire menu, but it is most of it. You know how some people say not to order fish in a meat restaurant because you never know if the kitchen knows what they are doing? Well, this is the place to order fish. They not only know what they’re doing, but they’ve been doing it for quite a while.

The first location opened in 1986 in California, and they have a well-maintained reputation as one of the best places to grab a bite if you’re in Los Angeles. After opening a location in the Lakewood area in 2019, they decided to expand to Brooklyn where they opened a new location earlier this year.

When I was invited to check out the Brooklyn location, the first thing I noticed was how unpretentious yet clean and fresh everything was. Food came on paper plates, but this was no greasy spoon.

My most basic recommendation goes to the Mesquite Grilled Sea Bass. It was grilled to perfection with a house blend of seasonings (don’t try asking, they won’t tell you) and was one of the best pieces of fish that I’ve ever had. The flavor is different from your more common fish like the ahi tuna or the salmon and

the texture differs as well.

Any type of grilled fish on the menu can be served on a plate with two sides (I’d recommend either the fries and salad or the chips with pico de gallo and guacamole), in tacos, on a sandwich, in a wrap, on top of a plate of pasta, or on top of a salad. I don’t really think you need my help when it comes to how you want to eat your fish; that probably depends most on your personal taste and your mood on the given day. Make your meal what you will.

If, for some reason, you find yourself at Fish Grill and don’t want to eat fish (maybe you got lost or don’t know how to read the sign on the door), order the Penne alla Vodka. It was super creamy and had a great consistency, which was impressive for a non-pasta restaurant. This is probably also a safe bet if you have brought along a toddler who has chosen this moment to decide that they are an anti-pescatarian.

As great as the grilled options are, some of the non-grilled options are also of noteworthy quality. Fish and Chips is classic, and this version is everything you’d hope it would be. Two fillets of pollock are fried and served over top of the house-made fries with some coleslaw, tartar sauce, and ketchup. Much like many things at Fish Grill, it’s simple, perfectly executed, and delicious.

Though you could choose to order grilled fish for your bowl instead, I’d recommend getting a Poke Bowl with the traditional raw fish. You can select your base of rice or lettuce (I generally go half and half), choose ahi tuna or salmon (again, I’d go 50/50), and then select from their plethora of toppings and sauces. When mixed together, my bowl was so good that I had to remind myself to leave room to try other food. As always, poke

bowls are only good when the ingredients are fresh. If that’s anywhere, it’s here. My last recommendation is somewhat off the menu, but ask for the Fish Poppers. These bite-size chunks of pollock are tossed in a sweet and spicy house sauce and served on top of white rice. Somehow, the result is as tasty as the recipe seems effortless. The rice was light and the poppers were crunchy, the sauce was balanced, and I somehow didn’t miss the usual chicken involved.

The Fish Grill logo says “simply the freshest,” and that can’t be understated. They only serve fish they got that day. That means that despite being a diary restaurant, they don’t open Saturday night. It also means running out of a type of fish sometimes. But it is a concept to which they are dedicated. They make whatever they can in-house (including things that would be easy to buy like the fries and the chips).

So whether you’re in New York, New Jersey, or California, go try Fish Grill. Whatever you end up with will be fresh, tasty, and you likely won’t find it anywhere else.

Dairy - Pescatarian | FishGrill.com

1267 Coney Island Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11230

(718)-747-8099

Kehilah Kashrus

6834 US Route 9

Howell Township, NJ 07731

(848)-261-4444

Chelkas Hakashrus of Zichron Yaakov

7226 Beverly Boulevard

Los Angeles, CA 90036 (323)-937-7162

OK Kosher

9618 West Pico Boulevard

Los Angeles, CA 90035 (310)-860-1182

OK Kosher

Mind Y ur Business

Tips from the Kosher World

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 gathered essential business advice from leaders across the kosher food industry.

Expanding BE yond th E Kosh E r Mar KE t

Menachem Lubinsky, Founder of Kosherfest

The non-kosher food industry can provide a surprising amount of opportunity for a kosher business. Every supermarket in America is looking for new products, and there is no better place to find quality, beautifully packaged products, with extensive health benefits, than within the kosher industry. For example, take Wegman’s, one of the major grocery chains in the United States, known for offering high-quality, gourmet food. Their Brooklyn location holds 7,500 square feet of groceries and around 60,000 products on their shelves. I guarantee you that 50% of those products will have some sort of kosher certification. This is especially true with how Jewish communities are growing across the world. You have Jewish communities today in cities like Houston or Atlanta, places that were never heavily populated by kosher adherent Jews in the past. The supermarkets in these areas now have dedicated kosher sections. Supermarkets realized that they don’t need a lot of kosher consumers to make money. If they have at least 50 kosher families in a certain geographic area, those 50 families will become loyal customers and spend a lot of more than a non-Jewish family. Remember how much more a Jewish customer is buying after all of the holidays and 52 Shabbosim in just one year. So, don’t limit yourself to just the kosher supermarkets. There is a lot of opportunity out there.

s taying Consist E nt

nir Weinblut, p resident of La g ondola restaurant

After working in the kosher food industry for over 30 years, I’ve learned that the most important thing, whether you’re a restaurant or a caterer, is consistency. You can claim to be the best in your field, but at the end of the day, it all comes down to whether you’re delivering consistently good food and quality service. The reality is that your prices will inevitably have to go up at some point. Just like gas, food prices never go down. But that doesn’t mean you have to lose customers as a result. As long as you continue to deliver consistently good food with great service, your customers will be happy to continue doing business with you. After 30 years, I’ve managed to retain second and third generation clientele by remaining consistent in my execution. I’ll often tell my waiters to look towards McDonald’s as an example. Even though it’s something that we don’t eat, we can learn a lot from them. They’ve been around forever. And the secret to their longevity is that consistency. You can travel anywhere in the world and know that you’re getting the same great meal and value from the local McDonal’s location.

Baruch green, CE o of Lilac & Crème

When it comes to the catering side of the food industry, you really need to know and understand your customer. It’s important to understand what kind of event they’re putting together and how they’re doing it, so that you can work with them seamlessly. When executed correctly, this will allow you to really impress your customers and turn them into loyal clients. For example, we once had a client that ordered a large number of cheesecakes for an event that they were throwing at their home. It was such a large order that one of my salespeople brought it to my attention. I said, “I’d be very, very happy to sell them that much cake. But, quite honestly, knowing the type of party that this client is throwing, I don’t think they actually need that much. So, go back, find out how big of a crowd they’re expecting, and give your advice accordingly.” They went back and put together a tailored recommendation based on the size of the crowd. To cut a long story short, the customer only ended up taking around 20% of their original order. But the feedback we got from that customer afterward was “wow, you must actually care about me, otherwise I would have ended up with all of this extra cheesecake that I didn’t need.” To my salespeople, this was a very valuable learning experience, because they saw that they had just gained themselves a loyal customer who is definitely going to repeat that story to their friends and family. So, even though we may have lost revenue on that specific sale, we gained a longtime loyal customer, and probably many more customers as a result. That’s the power of getting to know your customers and making it all about them.

dE a L ing W ith CoM pE tition

Benny i mani, Founder and CE o of MiMi’s s weets

From the first day of starting my candy business, one of the biggest challenges was that there was always a lot of competition out there. So, I tried to make my model very different from the rest. If everyone is carrying watermelon sour belts, I’m not going to carry it. I’m going to bring in the strawberry sour belts. It’s important to stand out in any way that you can. From day one, setting myself apart involved a lot of risk and money, but I looked at it as a down-the-road investment. It’s going to be very difficult when you first start a business, putting the products out, introducing them to the market, and trying to convince people to try you out. But, by trying things out, being patient, and learning from your mistakes, you will be able to set yourself apart from your competitors.

One thing in business that people don’t know is that they have to put their egos aside when they make a mistake. For each mistake I made, I learned, asked questions, researched, and tried to find new ways to improve. This is essential.

New competing businesses are going to pop up like mushrooms every day. But this can be a good thing. If you don’t have any competition, you’re going to fall asleep and allow your business to deteriorate. Competition is good for business, as long as it drives you to improve.

Corporate events can be a very lucrative area to cater for, but we’ve found that there are three basic difficulties that corporate businesses encounter when ordering food. Let’s say you have a corporate meeting in a week – in a typical example, you would call up your local café and just try to order the food that you’re looking for. But that communication is usually the first difficulty that a business will encounter. There’s no transparency from the side of the restaurant on what to expect. Usually, when you want to order, you want to know what to expect when the order arrives. It’s important to take the time to give each customer the attention and transparency that they deserve.

The second difficulty is presentation. Usually, an order will come in large bags and many different kinds of boxes. And when you open them up, you’ll see an assortment of random sauces that you don’t know what to do with and tiny ketchup packets that you’re wondering if it’s appropriate to open up with your mouth. Everything is all over the place and just doesn’t look nice enough for a corporate setting.

The third difficulty is the kinds of food available. You want to avoid focusing on foods that are messy to eat and offer finger foods that can be eaten in a way that’s presentable in front of clients. If you want to attract more corporate business, you really have to nail those three areas of communication, presentation, and variety.

Notable Quotes

“Say What?!”

Dems have created an environment through lawfare where we believe that they are capable of anything. So, everything’s going to be looked at with a large measure of suspicion. We’re going to presume everything is rigged. Sorry, but we have four years of watching this happen. So, if Trump who, 77, suddenly dropped dead from a cardiac arrest on the golf course, and it’s real, do you think anybody’s going to believe that after everything we’ve been through? They better hope that Trump stays healthy and is well protected because if anything happens to him, you’re just going to assume the Democrats are behind it. And if Trump is way ahead and still loses, oh, boy.

– Greg Gutfeld, Fox News

I think it would be great if they locked him up because I’d love to see him do a presser in the yard with dudes pumping iron right next to him.

– Ibid.

If he was in supermax, you’d still see him more often than Biden.

- Ibid.

Because they got RICO charges.

- Rapper 50 Cent on CBS News, saying that Blacks are gravitating to Trump because many of them deal with unwarranted felony charges as well

I say the way you stay away, just don’t drink. Just don’t have it. If you don’t have drugs, if you don’t experience early on, you’re not going to have a need for it. You’re not going to have an addiction. If you don’t drink alcohol, you’re not going to have an addiction. You’re not going to have this insatiable urge to have a drink.

– Donald Trump putting on his doctor’s hat, in an interview with Sean Hannity

And I say that to people with your children. They ask me, what do you think and, children, what do you tell them? I say, no drugs, no alcohol. I also say, no cigarettes. Don’t have the cigarettes. Don’t have cigarettes. Don’t have them. I have friends that can’t stop smoking. If they never had a cigarette before, they’d have no problem.

– Ibid.

When I look at a friend that can’t stop smoking, I don’t understand why it’s hard to stop. There’s smoke all over the place. The fact is, if you never had a cigarette — I never had a cigarette. I have no urge to smoke. But if you are, you get addicted. It has something, and you just can’t stop.

– Ibid.

Would there have been a warning to those civilians for them to get out on time?

- BBC news anchor Helena Humphrey asking whether warning was given to Palestinians before the daring hostage rescue this week

Everyone knows that proper hostage rescue etiquette dictates that you must first inform the terrorists holding the hostages of the exact time you plan to rescue the hostages.

- One of many mocking tweets in response

Do you think killing over 200 Palestinians, including many kids, is an acceptable price for four released Israeli hostages?

- Question posed on X by an Israel hater, after the Israeli hostages were rescued, repeating the Hamas lie that 200 people were killed in this mission, which involved special forces climbing into an apartment window to extract the hostages

It’s up to you to decide how badly you want to keep kidnapping Jews.

- One of many responses

Yes! We gave up mass murdering terrorists for a WNBA player who brought dope into Russia. Don’t use hostages as human shields and end this mess!

- Another notable response

Bottom line, never trust a man whose uncle was eaten by cannibals.

- Sen. Jonie Ernst (R- Iowa), talking about Pres. Biden, who claims that he had an uncle that was eaten by cannibals, despite no evidence of that having taken place

President Biden is in trouble politically. He’s polling right up there with fungal infections. Part of the reason for that is that he gave in to the loon wing of his party and he dissolved the southern border.

- Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA)

Gantz postpones news conference after hostage release

- CNN after elite forces heroically rescued four hostages in a mission that cost Commander Arnon Zamora, Hy”d, his life

Even if we were to have a resounding blue wave come through, as many of us would like, putting it all back together again after we’ve gone through this MAGA nightmare and re-educating basically, which, that sounds like a rather, a reeducation camp. I don’t think we really want call it that. I’m sure we can find another way to phrase it.

- New York Democrat congressional candidate Paula Collins suggesting that Trump supporters may need to go to re-education camps, the favored name by tyrants for concentration camps

Well, the time has come to say goodbye… It’s been an incredible privilege to be invited into millions of homes night after night, year after year, decade after decade, and I’ve always felt that the privilege came with a responsibility to keep this daily half-hour a safe place for family, fun, no social issues, no politics, nothing embarrassing I hope, just a game.

- Pat Sajak, 77, in his final episode of “Wheel of Fortune,” after hosting the show for 43 years

I’m sorry, you do not get to steal our people, hide them in crowded areas, and then complain about civilian casualties.

- Israeli government spokesman David Mencer slamming critics who complained about civilian casualties in Israel’s successful hostage rescue

Eighty years ago today, thousands of brave Americans fought to protect democracy on the shores of Normandy. This November, all we have to do is vote.

- Tweet by Hillary Clinton on June 6 , 2024

Just pure evil. Comparing the sacrifices of those who died to defeat Hitler and retake Europe to Democrats voting against Donald Trump. Sick and disgusting.

- RedState writer Bonchie in response

Yes, I know what it was like for those soldiers on Omaha beach ducking machine gun fire, I went to vote. I am braver than the troops. She has never recovered from Trump’s win.

- Ibid.

All of this is about one thing. This is about shutting down the MAGA movement, shutting down grassroots conservatives, shutting down President Trump. Not only are we winning, we are going to prevail in every number, and every poll shows that there’s nothing that can shut me up and nothing that will shut me up. There’s not a prison built or jail built that will ever shut me up. All victory to MAGA. We’re going to win this. We’re going to win at the Supreme Court. And more importantly, we’re going to win on November 5 in an amazing landslide with the Senate, the House, and also Donald J. Trump back as president of the United States. Thank you very much.

- Former Trump advisor Steve Bannon, after a judge upheld his jail sentence for refusing to comply with a congressional subpoena, a “crime” that dozens of Democrats have committed, including Obama’s Attorney General

If she was in an NBA game, on defense, she would get cooked, but offensively, she’ll knock down some corner threes or like a swing, swing three. She can shoot from that far.

- Nuggets star Michael Porter Jr., assessing WNBA phenom Caitlan Clark’s ability

The toy business, in general, is sad. It is Amazon, it is very simple. I don’t care how gorgeous your store looks, how inviting it is, there is nothing like being able to order a toy and having it delivered the next day.

- Hershel Herskowitz, in an interview with the Asbury Press, explaining why he is closing his Lakewood toy store, after 22 years

My view of inviting him to the inauguration is to show my recognition that what [Judge] Merchan is doing unintentionally is re-electing Donald Trump.

– Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C) explaining to Fox News why he sent a letter to the judge that presided over Trump’s trial, inviting him to Trump’s inauguration

I think people will be polite.

- Ibid.

Political Crossfire

The Pentagon is Learning How to Change at the Speed of War

For several decades, military reformers such as retired Navy Capt. Jerry Hendrix have pleaded with the Pentagon to stop buying wildly expensive but vulnerable aircraft carriers and fighter jets and instead focus on getting vast numbers of cheap drones. But nobody seemed to listen.

“Buy Fords, Not Ferraris” was the title of Hendrix’s iconoclastic 2009 polemic for inexpensive survivable systems. Aircraft carriers, he wrote, “have become too expensive to operate, and too vulnerable to be risked in anything other than an unhostile environment.” Similar arguments applied to exquisite systems beloved by all the services.

Hendrix became so eager for change that he argued the Navy needed a skunk works to reinvent itself for the 21st century. He proposed using Lake Michigan, away from prying Chinese eyes, to create an “Area 52” experimentation site for autonomous naval systems. He imagined it as a Navy version of the Air Force and CIA’s famous Area 51 test site in Nevada.

But an addiction is hard to quit – especially one that benefits so many congressional districts around the country. So the military sailed on, spending ever more money on vulnerable platforms that would probably survive only for minutes in a war with China. Christian Brose, another Pentagon reformer who now works for start-up Anduril Industries, put it bluntly in a recent article for the Hoover Institution: “The U.S. defense enterprise … is systematically broken.”

But for reformers, there’s finally a flicker of good news. Change advocates, including Hendrix and Brose, told me that the iron triangle that supports legacy systems – which Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) described as the “defense-industrial-congressional complex” – might finally be giving way to common sense. Every military service, in nearly every combatant command, is experimenting with uncrewed,

By David Ignatius

autonomous systems for land, air, sea and undersea combat.

“A new consensus is emerging that we must make major changes,” Brose wrote in September. He quoted Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who argued: “If we don’t change – if we fail to adapt – we risk losing … a high-end fight.”

What’s finally driving change is the brutal lesson of the war in Ukraine. This is a drone and satellite war: Russian and Ukrainian tanks are almost defenseless against attacks from drones overhead; Russia’s huge Navy has lost control of the Black Sea because of Ukrainian naval drones; satellites can feed precise targeting information to kill anything that algorithms designate as a weapon.

But there’s a catch: The Ukraine battlefield is a blizzard of electronic warfare. So systems must be truly autonomous, able to operate without GPS or other external guidance, as I described in a recent account from Kyiv of technology developed by the software company Palantir. In makeshift weapons factories in Kyiv, and in defense labs around the United States, designers are creating systems with artificial intelligence at “the edge,” embedded in the weapons themselves, so they don’t have to depend on jammable signals from space.

Leading the campaign for Pentagon reform is Kathleen Hicks, deputy secretary of defense. In August, she announced the “Replicator Initiative,” which aimed to transfer the tech lessons of Ukraine for the potential battle areas of the Indo-Pacific. She wanted cheap drones for use in land, sea and air – and quickly. The goal, Hicks said, was to field “autonomous systems at [a] scale of multiple thousands, in multiple domains, within the next 18 to 24 months.”

That was unimaginably fast for the Pentagon. But Hicks said in a January speech that in its first five months, Replicator had achieved what normally takes the Pentagon two to three years. “If you’re not sure what is more mind-blowing – how fast we did it, or how long it normally takes – I don’t blame you,” Hicks said. “Honestly, the length of our normal process should blow your mind.”

Hicks told me last week that the key to Replicator was “transforming internal processes.” One big goal was to leap over what a generation of reformers have called the “valley of death” – the long gap between development of prototype weapons and procurement and deployment at scale. “Bureaucracies need to be shown that new ways of doing things are possible. That’s what we’re doing,” she messaged me. The

first Replicator drone systems were delivered to warfighters last month.

Replicator is a striking example of Pentagon reform, but there are others. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall announced in March 2023 an innovative plan called “Collaborative Combat Aircraft” to team uncrewed jets with ones piloted by humans. The Air Force plans to buy at least 1,000 of these uncrewed jets and have them in the air by the end of the decade. In mock dogfights between human pilots and AI computers, the machines nearly always win, Kendall told me several years ago.

Now, the Navy, too, is finally embracing change. Task forces are deploying uncrewed vessels in the Persian Gulf, Mediterranean and Caribbean. The Navy last month announced a new squadron of what it hopes will be hundreds of unmanned surface vessels, known as Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft. The squadron’s informal name is “Hell Hounds.”

Four big uncrewed Navy vessels completed in January a five-month deployment to Hawaii, Guam, Micronesia, Australia and other destinations. Because the Pacific is such a complex and hostile environment, a robust naval drone program will need its own “robotic systems command,” with an authorities like those that created the nuclear navy, retired Vice Adm. Dave Lewis told me. As senior vice president for maritime activities at Leidos, he helped support the uncrewed four-ship flotilla that sailed the Pacific.

The Pentagon has managed for half a century to keep radical change from breaching its five walls. Carriers, bombers, tanks and fighter jets were built to last forever, and in a cozy world without peer competitors, it seemed that they could. But now, Hicks said, we’re in an era in which the Pentagon needs “deliberate discomfort” and “collaborative disruption.” It’s a revolution that’s long overdue.

© 2024, Washington Post Writers Group

Political Crossfire

Narendra Modi and the Myth of the Strongman

Indian commentators are running out of adjectives to describe the election results in the world’s largest democracy – surprising, shocking, stunning, among others. The results have diverged sharply from most predictions, including those of exit polls. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself confidently declared that his Bharatiya Janata Party would win 370 seats and his coalition would scale 400. In the end, the BJP got 240 and his coalition 292.

The Indian stock market crashed as the results trickled in. But markets can be wrong. This could well turn out to be good news for India politically and even economically.

Why did Modi lose so much ground? One important reason was that many opposition parties came together and projected one common candidate as the face of their alliance, which meant the anti-BJP vote did not splinter. The BJP’s share of the total number of votes in this election, 37 percent, was roughly the same as in the last one. Yet this time it translated into 63 fewer seats in parliament.

Voters also appear to have wanted to personally rebuke the prime minister. At least 20 of his ministers lost their elections. Modi’s own victory in his parliamentary constituency was surprisingly narrow. His race ranked 116th out of the 240 BJP victories by margin, among the lowest ever for a sitting prime minister. The party even lost in Ayodhya, the town where Modi had built a massive new temple (on the site of a mosque that was torn down) and inaugurated it with great fanfare, months before the election.

The results are most remarkable considering the advantages Modi had. He is the incumbent prime minister. His party massively outspent the opposition, using an election-financing scheme so blatantly one-sided that even India’s often compli-

by Fareed Zakaria

ant courts eventually shut it down. The agency charged with promoting government policies spent millions on ads with Modi’s face on them, reminding Indians of “Modi’s guarantees” – that the economy would soar and that their lives would be improved. Many government benefits in India, from vaccine cards to bags of grains, come with Modi’s beaming smile, as though they were personal gifts from a generous benefactor.

In addition, opposition politicians were investigated by tax authorities, the leader of the opposition was unseated from his parliamentary seat, two chief ministers (the equivalent of U.S. governors) were jailed, and opposition party funds were frozen to make it virtually impossible for them to travel or operate.

And yet, India’s voters – many of them still poor, poorly educated and vulnerable, 1 in 4 of whom are illiterate – voted for checks and balances, for limits to

power and against the excessive cult of personality.

Modi campaigned with the pomp and ceremony of a monarch, even claiming that his birth was not a biological event, implying that it had spiritual origins. India’s voters seem to have reminded him that he is human.

Under Modi’s rule, India’s economy has boomed, but its democratic institutions have suffered badly. All three independent and widely respected nongovernmental organizations that assess countries’ democratic levels have downgraded India dramatically, documenting abuses of authority, decline in independent media, and politicized judiciary and independent agencies. (The fact that so many Indians appear to have lied to pollsters tells you they probably feared reprisals.) But now, Modi faces an emboldened opposition, state governments ready to stand up to him more strongly, and a me -

dia and civil society that might be willing to push back against governmental abuse. Investors and business executives have been most worried by the election results. They see the prime minister as pro-business with a good track record on the economy. And they love the idea of a strong leader that they are sure a developing country needs to prosper. But they are wrong. The country that first broke out of the ranks of the developing world and became rich was postwar Japan. It did so under a series of colorless prime ministers. Two other economies that have had breakneck growth over the past six decades – greater than even China over that long run – are South Korea and Taiwan. For most of that time, they have also had bland leaders who muddled through. India’s own seismic economic reforms took place under a coalition government, headed by an internationally unknown prime minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao, who only got the job because the Congress Party leader, Rajiv Gandhi, had been assassinated. The prior BJP leader, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who presided over strong growth, also headed a coalition. In fact, since 1989, coalition governments have been the norm in India, one to which it appears to be returning. Average income growth under the last coalition government, headed by Manmohan Singh, was actually slightly higher than during Modi’s tenure years in office.

Many sophisticated observers of the world often laud strongmen who run poorer countries, who can build roads and get things done quickly. But the average Indian voter seems to instinctively understand that in the long run, pluralism, cooperation and diversity are India’s distinctive features and its enduring advantage.

What Will Be the Impact of Gantz’s Departure From the Government? Israel Today

Barring any unforeseen events, War Cabinet member and Minister-without-Portfolio Benny Gantz is expected to take his eight-member faction out of the Netanyahu government on Saturday night. With his departure, the national emergency government and the war cabinet formed last October after he joined forces with Netanyahu will be dissolved.

What precipitated Gantz’s departure? Are new elections upon us? How will his decision affect the trajectory of the war?

Two forces are responsible for Gantz’s move: the Biden administration and the far-left, anti-government political campaigners popularly known as the Kaplan force. Gantz joined the government in response to U.S. pressure and a call from the far left to undermine the government from within. He is leaving due to pressure from both.

As Politico reported on Thursday, Biden’s main focus these days is to end the war as quickly as possible. To achieve this goal, he is applying pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to capitulate to Hamas’s demands for a permanent ceasefire.

“The president and his aides are working to make sure Netanyahu is feeling the squeeze from all sides,” the magazine reported.

The report explained that Biden and his team are working not only with international actors but with “Israeli citizens and Netanyahu’s political allies and foes alike.”

The main Israeli citizens in question are the deep-pocketed far-left political campaigners that have been carrying out protests, riots and other direct-action campaigns since 2019 to oust Netanyahu and the political right from power. Since Netanyahu returned to the premiership in December 2022, U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken and other

By Caroline B. Glick

senior officials have regularly met with leaders of the Kaplan force in Israel and in Washington.

Although Gantz’s departure is significant, it isn’t a surprise. When he announced his agreement to serve in a national emergency government days after Hamas’s Oct. 7 invasion and slaughter, most Israelis were relieved. At a moment of national peril, Israelis believed it was imperative to abandon the domestic rancor that had characterized life in Israel during the Kaplan force’s 10-month insurrection that preceded Hamas’s invasion.

Three Types of Unity Governments

Over its history, Israel has seen three types of unity governments. In the weeks before the Six-Day War in June 1967 – as Israel readied for the anticipated pan-Arab invasion – then-Prime Minister Levi Eshkol invited then-opposition leader Menachem Begin to join the cabinet. The purpose of the government was to show the world and the Israeli public that at that critical moment, the country stood as one.

In the 1980s, Labor and Likud formed a series of national unity governments because neither major party was able to form a government on its own. The first Netanyahu-Gantz government in 2020 was formed for the same reason.

In the 2000s, both Ariel Sharon and Netanyahu formed governments with leftist parties to diminish U.S. pressure to make concessions to the Palestinians or abstain from taking action against Iran’s nuclear-weapons program. The idea was that the leftists in the coalition would make it impossible for the administrations to castigate or demonize the government as “far right” in order to justify sanctions or other hostile policies.

Netanyahu didn’t need Gantz to form a government. His coalition has a healthy majority of 64 seats. Although a show of unity is what the public yearned for, it was clear from the outset that Gantz’s participation in the government wouldn’t yield a national consensus as Eshkol’s 1967 government did.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid refused to join the government because he said

that he wouldn’t sit in a government with the Religious Zionism Party or the Jewish Strength Party led by Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, respectively. Gantz demanded the establishment of the war cabinet and insisted that Smotrich and Ben-Gvir be barred from participating in its deliberations.

In short, the left agreed to share power with Netanyahu but refused to accept the legitimacy of his coalition or voters.

Misunderstood the Political Situation in Israel

Just as was the case in the 2000s, Netanyahu brought Gantz into his government after Oct. 7 because he hoped that Gantz’s presence in the war cabinet would diminish U.S. pressure for Israel to end the war without defeating Hamas and without successfully diminishing the strategic threat to the north from Hezbollah-controlled Lebanon.

In the event, Gantz did not deliver the goods. Netanyahu’s government was demonized by the United States, the United Nations, Europe, and the Western and Israeli media as the “most extreme government in Israeli history,” before Gantz joined the government, and it was demonized as the “most extreme government in Israeli history” by the same forces after Gantz joined the government. Even worse, pressure on “the most extreme government in Israeli history” has risen to unprecedented heights with Gantz in the government. As Politico reported, in recent months, Biden and his team have been mobilizing all relevant international actors to trap Netanyahu with a “vice grip” that will leave him no option other than to bow to their goal of ending the war without Israeli victory.

To this end, the administration has directly and indirectly greenlighted an

international campaign of delegitimization and demonization of Israel from the United Nations to the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court which is unprecedented. The goal of these actions is self-evident: to make Netanyahu and his government end their quest for victory over Hamas and stand down in the face of insufferable Hezbollah assaults on northern Israel.

If that weren’t enough, in keeping with the joint expectations of the Biden administration and the Kaplan force, Gantz has used his presence in the war cabinet not to give a boost to Israel’s war effort but to serve as a drag on that effort. Ceaseless leaks of war cabinet proceedings to the media by Gantz and his partner Gadi Eizenkot have undermined the war effort by demoralizing the public and casting doubt on Israel’s capacity to win. Moreover, Gantz and Eizenkot have effectively served as U.S. proxies in the war cabinet, repeatedly blocking or delaying major planned offensives in keeping with U.S. wishes.

Since Gantz’s presence in the government brought neither national unity nor political stability – or even any international support – his absence is not expected to cause major shocks to

Israel’s political stability or international standing. It is also unlikely to achieve the Biden administration’s goal of overthrowing the government or forcing Netanyahu to bow to Biden’s pressure campaign to end the war.

So why is the administration acting as it does? Apparently, it has misunderstood the political situation in Israel.

their elected representatives, the administration has operated in an echo chamber that hears only the Israeli left, which comprises somewhere between 20% to 30% of Israelis.

The left’s dismal standing is borne out by consistent polling of Israelis since Oct. 7. Those polls have found that 70% of Israelis support Netanyahu’s goal of to -

Blinken is reportedly going to arrive in Israel early next week and is scheduled to meet with Netanyahu. If experience is a guide, he can be expected to meet with Gantz, Lapid and other leftwing politicians. He will probably also meet again with leaders of the Kaplan force, which is set to stage mass protests in Jerusalem and besiege the Knesset to pressure lawmakers to bring down the government beginning in the middle of the week.

Gantz

and Eizenkot have effectively served as U.S. proxies in the war cabinet, repeatedly blocking or delaying major planned offensives

in keeping with U.S. wishes.

Since the Netanyahu government entered office, the administration has refused to meet with the “extreme members” of his coalition Ben-Gvir and Smotrich. They have refused to speak with Netanyahu voters, opting instead to sanction them and demonize them. While boycotting the majority of Israelis and demonizing

tal victory. A poll this week by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs reflected the results of successive polls on support for the so-called “two-state solution,” which requires the establishment of a Palestinian state. Some 69% of Israelis oppose Palestinian statehood – 79% of Israeli Jews oppose it.

When he arrives, Blinken will be beset by a reality he hadn’t anticipated. Far from destabilizing Israel or increasing pressure on Netanyahu, the secretary of state will find a stable coalition no longer constrained by Gantz’s veto on military action. The political leverage that Blinken and Biden held against Netanyahu will be gone.

Given the political realities on the ground and the actual role Gantz played in the government since joining in October, it is clear that the implications of his departure are twofold. First, the government will be more stable without him than it was with him. And second, without Gantz’s veto, Netanyahu and his ministers will be free to pursue a course to victory in the war. (JNS)

Forgotten Her es Jewish Heroes in World War II

By Avi Heiligman

Approximately 550,000 Jews served in the American military during World War II. Those that served in the theaters of war fighting the Nazis had the added risk of being tortured or killed should they be captured. They served anyway, as they had the motivation to fight against the Nazi barbarians that were murdering millions of Jews. Some of the Jewish servicemembers were drafted, while others volunteered to fight both the Nazis and the Japanese that were conquering many Pacific islands and parts of Asia. Here are some of the stories of Jewish heroes who served in uniform during that time.

Corporal Alex Steinberg of Newark, NJ, was with a tank destroyer battalion with the 9 th Infantry Division that was among the first American units to see action. They were deployed to North Africa and in April 1943 were fighting in Tunisia. Steinberg was assigned to a 75mm self-propelled gun that was mounted on a half-track when it caught fire. The eight rounds of ammunition on the halftrack could have exploded at any time, but Steinberg raced towards the vehicle and put out the fire. He kept on shoveling sand on the smoldering vehicle despite small arms ammunitions exploding due to the fire. This action saved the lives of his fellow soldiers, and he was awarded the Silver Star for his actions.

With the expansion of the U.S. military in the years leading up to the war, many officers did not go to service academy. In the case of Lieutenant Colonel Harold Cohen from Woodruff, South Carolina, he started his military career as a private. He quickly rose through the ranks, and in preparation for the Normandy landings, he was sent with the 4th Armored Division to England. Patton’s Third Army, which included the 4th Armored Division, crossed the English Channel weeks after the D-Day landing. Cohen took command of his battalion after his commanding officer was wounded in battle. He received a battlefield promotion to lieutenant colonel and became friends with the tank commander of another battalion, Creighton Abrams. The two battalions frequently fought side by side, and the Germans became fearful of the Abrams-and-Cohen tandem. Together, they employed new tactics as they led the Third Army out of Normandy and across France.

On February 25, 1945, the battalion was attacking German positions at Brecht when they were fired upon from seemingly all directions. Cohen realized that he needed a better view of the situation, so, despite the danger, he went to higher ground. There, the enemy could see him, but he could also see the enemy’s positions. He also noticed

that friendly artillery fire was landing too close to the American positions and corrected that problem. Next, he directed the artillery and tank fire on the Germans during the successful assault on the city. For his bravery under fire and directing efforts to dislodge the enemy, Cohen was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

On April 1, he was in a field hospital being treated when a SS mountain division overran the hospital. Within days of being captured, Cohen was liberated when American forces counterattacked and overtook the German units. Creighton Abrams cried when he saw Cohen for the first time after he was released and exclaimed that they were back in business.

William Lyons was a fighter pilot from Brooklyn, NY, and flew a P-51D named the Tiger’s Revenge. “Tiger” was his nickname and “revenge” was for his cousin, Sylvan Feld, who was killed while a prisoner of war. Feld flew British-built Spitfires for the 52nd Air Group, 9th Air Force that had shot down nine enemy planes before being shot down and taken prisoner. Lyons said that “the loss of my cousin…shot down July 1944 only increased my determination to do my part to destroy Hitler and his bigots.”

Lieutenant Lyons flew 300 com -

bat hours during 63 missions with the 357th Fighter Squadron 355th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force. He shot down two Me-109 fighters and damaged a Me-262 jet fighter. His first victory was on November 26, 1944. He described the aerial battle: “I managed to get behind one Me-109. I hit him in the fuselage a few times and smoke began streaming out of the plane.” The Messerschmitt turned tightly, and Lyons shot him again, causing the German to crash.

Lyons was flying combat missions against the Luftwaffe before he learned to drive. His commanding officer let him use a jeep to practice, and he learned to drive on a runway. For his actions while in the air, Lyons was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with eight Oak Leaf Clusters. Men like Steinberg, Cohen and Lyons are prime examples of Jewish servicemen showing bravery under difficult conditions while on the battlefield. Their stories are just a few of many that are of the unsung heroes of World War II.

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.

Creighton Abrams with Harold Cohen

Creighton Abrams, right, with his tank, Thunderbolt

Lyons’ Tiger’s Revenge

Bill Lyons

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WOODMERE

Welcome to this stunning residence situated on a tranquil residential street in Lawrence SD#15. This spacious and flawlessly maintained home boasts 4 to 5 bedrooms. Bright, airy living room with vaulted ceilings, skylights and wet bar. Central air conditioning, elegant quartz countertops, eat-in kitchen, formal dining room, main floor den with fireplace, master bedroom with bathroom snd dressing room, Jacuzzi tub, three other bedrooms and two full bathrooms. Inground sprinklers, lush landscaping, alarm system. Spacious playroom. Two-car garage. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

HEWLETT

New to the market 4 bedroom home sd# 14 living room with fireplace, den, bedroom, full bathroom, eat-in kitchen, dining room on the 1st floor. Upstairs has 3 bedrooms full bathroom, laundry room, finished basement with a cedar closet, storage, utilities. hardwood floors, 200 amp service, alarm, one car garage, easy access to schools, shopping center, transportation options, restaurants and places of worship. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

NORTH WOODMERE

New to the market magnificent 5 bedroom 3 full bathroom split level. Bright & sunny, living room with vaulted ceilings, formal dining room, eat-in-kitchen, den with fireplace, sunroom, 2 car garage, gas heating, central air conditioning, master bedroom with en-suite, hardwood floors, in ground sprinkler system, plus so much more.

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

HEWLETT-WOODMERE

School district. New to the market. 4 bedroom 3 full bathroom home features living room with a fireplace, formal dining room leading out to the deck, eat-in-kitchen with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, 2 dishwashers, double oven, new microwave, primary bedroom with an en-suite bathroom, plus 3 additional bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms, large family room, central air conditioning, gas heat, in-ground sprinklers, hardwood floors, modern high hat lighting, custom window treatments, driveway has recently been done, 2 car garage, beautifully landscaped plus so much more.

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

LAWRENCE

Classifieds

HOUSES FOR SALE HOUSES FOR SALE HOUSES FOR SALE HOUSES FOR SALE

WEST HEMPSTEAD

Introducing a stunning new construction home. Nestled in a picturesque neighborhood. Large windows, open-concept layout that merges the various living spaces. The expansive living room is bathed in natural light, thanks to the windows that offer great views of the surrounding area. Gourmet kitchen with top-of-theline stainless steel appliances, sleek cabinetry, expansive center island with a breakfast bar. Ample counter space and a well-designed layout. Wonderful dining area providing. Large glass doors, spacious patio. Luxurious master suite with a spacious bedroom, a lavish ensuite bathroom and a large walk-in closet. Additional bedrooms. High-end finishes, premium flooring, and custom details throughout.

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

CEDARHURST/ CEDAR BAY PARK

Great Location! Room to Expand Great Family Neighborhood Walking Distance to All For More Info call (516) 881-7727

WOODMERE

Spacious home within school district 14 with exquisite upgrades and central air conditioning, splendid kitchen with dual sinks, five bedrooms. Main level encompasses a spacious great room, office space, complementing the formal living and dining areas. Unfinished basement, detached garage. Expansive lot, measuring 80 x 100. Conveniently located near shopping, railroad, restaurants and places of worship.

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

WOODMERE

Introducing a stunning 14-side hall colonial home in the Hewlett Woodmere School District. Formal living room, formal dining room, den with a skylight. Eat in Kitchen, two sinks, a double oven, a warming draw and a microwave. First floor bedroom, a full bathroom and laundry room. Two-car garage. Upper level has four bedrooms, two full bathrooms. Finished basement with playroom, storage and utilities. Well-groomed exterior with porch adjoining the master bedroom. Hardwood floors and back patio. Central air conditioning, inground sprinkler system, alarm system. Close proximity to schools, shopping centers, restaurants, and transportation options.

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

LAWRENCE

New to the market 5 bedroom

3.5 bathrooms prime location with a lot size 77x130 features an eat-inkitchen, formal dining room , main floor den , formal living room with vaulted ceilings, finished basement, 2 car garage, gas heat, central air conditioning, in ground sprinkler, alarm call for more details.

Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457

mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

WOODMERE

1st showing spacious bright and sunny 5 bedroom 3 full bathrooms in school district 15. Features an expanded gourmet kitchen with stainless steel appliances, 2 sinks, double oven, warming drawer, great counter space, central air conditioning, gas heat, 2 of the bathrooms are new, hardwood floors, recessed lighting, in ground sprinkler, gas line for the barbeque, 2 car garage and minutes to all.

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

Classifieds

classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com • text 443-929-4003

LAWRENCE

New to the market 2 bedroom 2

full bathrooms top floor elevator building, 24 hr doorman, open concept, totally renovated kitchen, granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances, 2 dishwashers, island, 2 new bathrooms, terrace, central air conditioning, u/g parking, high hats throughout, custom closets minutes to shopping, railroad, park, and houses of worship Mark Lipner

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

WOODMERE

New to the market studio co-op apartment, elevator building, high ceilings, low maintenance, laundry room on premises, minutes to the railroad, shopping, restaurants and houses of worship. $130K Mark Lipner

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

HEWLETT

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

WOODMERE

1 bedroom apartment, elevator building, eat-in kitchen, full bath, hardwood floors, plenty of closet space. Ceiling fan in bedroom & kitchen, laundry room in the basement. Close to the railroad, shopping, and houses of worship. $179k Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

LAWRENCE

New to the market spacious 1 bedroom 1.5 bathroom condo, elevator building, central air conditioning, garage parking, 24hr doorman, many closets, kitchen with granite countertops, generous counter space, washer/dryer, minutes from shopping, park, transportation and houses of worship Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

LAWRENCE

New to the market 1 bedroom 1.5-bathroom condo apartment, elevator building, 24 hr doorman, central air conditioning, washer/dryer, u/g parking, terrace, many closets, social room, gym, library minutes to shopping, restaurants, transportation and houses of worship. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

LAWRENCE JUST LISTED

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

mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

Classifieds

COMMERCIAL REAL ESATATE

HEART OF CEDARHURST

Entrance off gourmet glatt lot, second floor, shared bath, ideal for therapist/ office work, includes utilities, $600. Call 516-371-3715

1500SF LOFT OFFICE

(formerly Shmuel Flaum Architect)

2 store/offices; ~600sf each 2 Cedarhurst offices; ~100sf each Starting at $650

Also… Large Parking Lot & Storage available Utilities, Internet & Parking incl. with some Kosher kitchen – Minyan Next to LIRR - No broker fee Call/text/Whatsapp:  516-206-1100

CEDARHURST

2 bedroom 2 bathroom apartment, private entrance, washer/dryer, central air conditioning, freshly painted, hardwood floors, recessed lighting, garage parking, stainless steel appliances, great courtyard, minutes to the railroad, shopping, restaurants, park and houses of worship. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@ bhhslaffey.com

HEWLETT

Welcome To Luxury Living in The Heart of Hewlett! This Spacious 2 Bedroom, 2 Full Bathroom Condo Boasts in Unit Separate Laundry For Ultimate Convenience. Enjoy Lovely Courtyard Views from Your Private Terrace. With Elevator Access and A Doorman, Experience The Epitome Of Comfort In This Prestigious Building. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

WOODMERE

RENT HELP WANTED

Totally renovated bright and sunny 1 bedroom corner unit apartment with a washer/dryer. Features quartz countertops, ss appliances, recessed lighting, bathroom with chrome fixtures, close to the railroads, shopping and houses of worship. Call for details Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

CEDARHURST

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

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

SPECIAL ED TEACHER

HASC seeks Special Ed Teachers for our Early Learning Program. Candidates must possess NYS Professional License. Warm, supportive and enjoyable working environment. Competitive Pay! Please e-mail resume to jobswd@hasc.net

REGENTS EXPERT

Tutoring regents in Algebra and Geometry A Darchei Torah instructor. Guaranteed results Text 347-491-8045 WhatsApp 347-767-1755

BOOKKEEPER

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

JH ELA AND MATH teachers for ‘24-’25 school year. M-Th, PM hours, strong support, curriculum and material provided, excellent salary. Far Rockaway area. Teachersearch11@gmail.com.

Classifieds

SEEKING ASSISTANT TEACHERS

For elementary General Studies classes for ‘24-’25 school year. Candidates should have skills to take over for teachers if needed. M-Th, PM hours, strong support. Far Rockaway area. Send resume to teachersearch11@gmail.com.

MDS REGIONAL NURSE

5 Towns area Nursing Home management office seeking a Regional/Corporate level MDS Nurse to work in our office. Must be an RN. Regional experience preferred. 2-3 years MDS experience with good computer skills required. Position is Full Time but Part Time can be considered. Great Shomer Shabbos environment with some remote options as well. Email: officejob2019@gmail.com

GREAT OPPORTUNITY!

Seeking Home care PT, OT, SLP therapists in Brooklyn, Nassau, Queens. Competitive rates. Email resume to apply@linkhometherapy.com.

SEEKING ELA TEACHER

Teaching position for Gr. 6. Mon.-Thurs., afternoon hours. Far Rockaway/5T area. Great salary, warm, supportive environment. Training in our curriculum is provided. Teachersearch11@gmail.com

DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT

A multi-tasker needed for general office work. The ideal candidate is someone who is detail-oriented, responsible, and can take ownership. Looking for someone who is eager to learn, and expand his/her skill set while possessing the ability to work independently and as part of a team. Experience with Excel required. Five Towns location. In-office position only, not remote. Please send resume to 5tpart.timecareer@gmail.com

BNOS MALKA ACADEMY

In Queens is seeking teachers and assistants for the upcoming academic year. Kodesh, general studies, gym, art, Computers, Preschool. Send resume to rungar@bnosmalka.org

JOIN OUR FAMILY

Torah Academy for Girls is seeking an experienced Administrative Assistant to calmly and efficiently manage our exciting Early Childhood department. The ideal candidate will possess excellent organizational skills, a keen eye for detail, and the ability to handle multiple tasks with a calm demeanor. Responsibilities include managing schedules, coordinating meetings, and providing administrative support. If you thrive in an exciting setting, we'd love to hear from you. Competitive salary offered. Apply today to join our team!

Please send resumes to openings@tagschools.org

A YESHIVA IN QUEENS

is looking for an experienced part/ full time secretary, 2-year-old morah, kindergarten morah, kindergarten morah assistant and Pre-1A English teacher for the 2022-2023 school year. Nice and timely pay. Please email resume to mshelt613@gmail.com or call/text 718-971-9799.

THE GURAL JCC

Early Childhood Center is hiring Assistant Teachers for the 2024-2025 school year, and Camp Staff over 16-years-old for Summer, 2024. Please send resumes to

JCC.Nursery@guraljcc.org or call (516) 239-1354.

5 TOWNS BOYS YESHIVA

Seeking Elem Gen Ed Teachers Excellent working environment and pay. Only lic/exp need apply. Email resume to yeshivalooking@gmail.com

YESHIVAT KOL YAAKOV

In Great Neck, NY, is seeking general studies teachers for both the elementary and middle schools, for the upcoming academic year. Mon-Thur afternoons. Competitive salary, warm and supportive environment.  Send resume to m.kalati@kolyaakov.org

MISC.

SHMIRAS HALASHON

Text 516-303-3868 with a time slot of your choice to be careful on lashon hara. Be a part of the 1,000 people for klal yisroel!

Your Money Financial Relativity

By Allan Rolnick, CPA

Time travel is a classic movie staple, to the point where you can hardly venture into your neighborhood metroplex without seeing someone in a rush to get to the past or the future. In The Terminator, Skynet sent a Cyberdine Systems Model 101 (aka the T-800, aka Arnold Schwarzenegger) into the past to kill John Connor’s mother. In Back to the Future Part II, Marty McFly drives his DeLorean 30 years ahead to save his son from sabotaging his family’s future. And in another famous movie, the gang goes back to 2012 New York to steal the Time Stone, Mind Stone, and Space Stone to keep Thanos from snapping his finger and exterminating half of all life in the universe.

So, if, say, a famous actor starred in a movie about crime fighters chasing a villain for stealing from her future self, you’d probably show up, right? Well, you don’t have to pay $20 for a movie ticket and navigate sticky theater floors to see it. Just follow the case of former Baltimore City prosecutor Marilyn Mosby!

In Act I, Mosby earned headlines by prosecuting six police officers involved in the 2015 death of Freddie Gray, who died after getting a “rough ride” with no seatbelt in the back of a Baltimore

paddy wagon. (Three of the officers were acquitted, which prompted her to drop charges against the other three.)

At the same time, she was contributing to the City’s 457 plan, which is essentially a 401(k) for municipal workers. Those plans let employees defer the tax retirement contributions until they take the money out of the plan. How-

In Act III, federal prosecutors discovered Mosby had misrepresented her circumstances when she took the withdrawals. (Uh oh.) She was earning nearly $250,000 at the time, with no interruption from the pandemic. And while she told investigators she had used the money to try and save a business organizing retreats for successful

Bottom line: Mosby committed fraud, against her future self.

ever, plan rules generally give employees an escape hatch called a “hardship withdrawal” in case of “immediate and heavy need.”

In Act II, Covid swept the country, and Congress loosened the hardship withdrawal rules to accommodate “adverse financial consequences” tied to the pandemic. Mosby requested two withdrawals totaling $90,000 from her account. Just months later, she bought two vacation homes she planned to rent out in Florida.

Black women, an FBI accountant found the business never had any clients or revenue, meaning Mosby couldn’t have suffered a loss of income.

Prosecutors indicted Mosby on two counts of perjury for falsely claiming financial hardship, along with two counts of mortgage fraud. Last November, a jury convicted her on the perjury charges. And last month, federal judge Lydia Kay Grigsby sentenced Mosby to three years of supervised release with 12 months of home confinement. She

also had to forfeit one of the properties she bought with funds from a fraudulent application.

Bottom line: Mosby committed fraud, against her future self. That may sound melodramatic in a movie trailer. But should she really be facing punishment for it?

Ironically, locking money up in a retirement plan often isn’t worth the dopamine hit of today’s deduction. You’re gambling that the tax you’ll pay tomorrow is lower than the tax you’ll save today, which is far from certain in our current era of trillion-dollar deficits.

In many cases, paying the tax now and putting the money in a tax-free environment is the better choice. You can do that with Roth IRA and retirement accounts. Or you can do it without the usual Roth restrictions, in a cash-value life insurance policy. So call us when you’re ready to save, and let us help you craft a tax-smart plan with no indictments!

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.