Five Towns Jewish Home 1-9-14

137 SPRUCE STREET

516-569-2662

– See pages 5, 58, 59 & 97 –

THEJEWISHHOME A PUBLICATION OF THE FIVE TOWNS & QUEENS COMMUNITY

P e s ac h

january 9-jANUARY 15, 2014 | Distributed Weekly In The Five Towns, Queens & Brooklyn

Looking Back on Mayor Mike

Destination & Travel Section Starting on Page 108

Around the Community Yeshiva Darchei Torah First Grade Learns Hands-On about Tefillin and Sifrei Torah

A Stroll through the 12 Years when Mayor Michael Bloomberg Led the Big Apple

Page 53

HAFTR Hawks Win Annual HAFTR Invitational Scott Satran Memorial Tournament

Page 71

Page 66

The Story of Lola Continues

Fathers and Daughters Learn Together at Shalhevet Page 51

Aaron’s Way and Achiezer Brave the Snowdrifts on Friday

Page 80

Page 63

– See pages 26 –

– See pages 20 –

T h e J e w i s h H o m e n january 9, 2014

2

Your phone system is movin’ on up.

Bottom Line Marketing Group: 718.377.4567

Your cost is movin’ on down.

Low-Cost

• $24.95 a month! (per extension) • FREE phones* and FREE phone lines • FREE calls US/Canada • No purchase—or maintaining— of on-premise equipment

Reliable • NeverDown™ disaster protection guarantee • Rock solid customer support • Redundant switches monitored 24/7

To set up your new office phone system today, contact: NewTel Regional Sales Manager

SHMUEL HOCHMAN (516) 590-0515

State-of-the-Art Advanced Features • Stay connected from anywhere • Never miss a call • Auto-receptionist • Find me/Follow me • Voicemail to email • Superior HD voice quality

www.NewTelSystems.com Polycom VVX 600 for illustrative purposes only. *Call for details

3

The Jewish Home n J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

The Jewish Home n J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

4

5

The Jewish Home n J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

The Jewish Home n J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

6

7 The Jewish Home n

celebrates the

Tanach

2 0 t hA N N I E R S A R Y V

t∑e sapirstein e∂ition

Rashi

of

stone e∂ition

English Tanach

with

t∑e graff-rand e∂ition

Ramban

NOW UNTIL

1/27/14

t∑e schottenstein e∂

kleinman e∂ition

Interlinear Chumash

Midrash Rabbah

list price

t∑e rubin e∂ition

The Early Prophets

ArtScroll’s bestselling Classic Torah Commentaries shown on this page.

The Later Prophets

t∑e stone e∂ition

Baal HaTurim Chumash

t∑e davis e∂ition

Sforno

Commentary on the Torah

t∑e milstein e∂ition

Chumash

Available at your local Hebrew bookseller or at www.artscroll.com • 1800MESORAH 6376724

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

t∑e stone e∂ition

The Jewish Home n

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

8

Contents >>Letters to the Editor >>Community

Dear Readers,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Readers’ Poll. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Community Happenings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

>> News Global . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 National . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Odd-but-True Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Cover Story: Looking Back at Mayor Mike. . . . . . . 71 Who Didn’t Want Us Dead. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

>> Israel Israel News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

>> People Cover Story: The Story of Lola Continues. . . . . . . . 80 Alfred Mordecai: Weapons Expert Who Helped Lead the North to Victory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

>>Parsha

To know her is to love her.

I first met Tanta Lola when I was two-years-old. After my grandmother a”h passed away, my grandfather a”h remarried Lola Leiber, who we affectionately call our Tanta Lola. My earliest memories of Tanta Lola are of her hugging me, breathing in her perfume.

My grandfather and Tanta Lola shared many wonderful years together. Until his dying day, his life was invigorated with Tanta Lola by his side. He would spend time in her art studio, penning his articles and sipping his coffee while she worked on her artwork. They were always entertaining friends and their life together was filled with activity.

When Tanta Lola would visit us, she would come laden with gifts, little trinkets for everybody. She still is always giving. When my husband and I visited Tanta Lola in her beautiful country home a few summers ago, she pulled out a toy for my young son. She couldn’t let us leave without pressing a gift into our hands.

But her generosity is not just tangible. Tanta Lola is always giving with a kind word, a gesture, a compulsion to do for others. Whenever I visit, she pulls me close to kiss me and compliment me on my clothes, my family or my work. When I call her throughout the year, she fills the conversation with how proud she is of me and my family, and with praise for what we do.

Tanta Lola has myriad friends k”ah who are always talking about “Lola” in glowing terms. They are attracted to her goodness and kindness and are always getting together to play cards, talk and even make shidduchim.

Age has not slowed her down; she is still just as busy as ever. Whether it’s working on her new book, being interviewed for a movie about her life, or spending time with her children and family, Tanta Lola shows a zest and a love for life.

Over the past few months, our readers have gotten to know Lola through her riveting memoir about her life during the War. Many readers have approached me to tell me that her story is the first thing they read every week.

But the last chapter left many of us hanging—what happened to Lola and her young family after liberation?

This week, readers will be able to hear more of Lola’s story. Malky Lowinger sat down with Lola as she spoke about her life in America, her children and her family. What you read is just a glimpse into her life—her story can fill numerous books—but as I said before, to know Lola is to love her.

Wishing you a warm, wonderful week,

The Shmuz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Shoshana

>> Jewish Thought All for Nothing, by Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz . . . . . 77

Yitzy Halpern

Rabbi’s Musing and Amusings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Publisher

publisher@fivetownsjewishhome.com

>>Health

Classifieds

Coloring in the Lines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

classifieds@fivetowns jewishhome.com 443-929-4003

Motivation: A 12 Tip Program, by Lori Boxer, Weight No More Diet Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Yosef Feinerman

Shoshana Soroka

ads@fivetownsjewishhome.com

editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com

managing editor

Nate Davis

Editorial Assistant

Nechama Wein Copy Editor

Rachel Bergida Berish Edelman Mati Jacobovits Design & Production

Editor

P.O. BOX 266 Lawrence, NY 11559 Phone | 516-734-0858 Fax | 516-734-0857

Having a Clear Head, by Deb Hirschhorn, PhD. . . 90 Simple Advice that Will Simplify Your Life – Asthma,

Friday, January10 Parshas Beshalach Candle Lighting: 4:29 Shabbos Ends: 5:33 Rabbeinu Tam: 6:01

Part I, by David Elazar Simai, MD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Health and Happiness in the Golden Years,

by Jessica Pianko. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

>> Family Parenting Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

>> Food & Leisure Recipes: Aussie Gourmet: Tu B’Shevat Treats . . . . 96

>> Lifestyles Ask the Attorney. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

fri.

Jan 10

sat.

Jan 11

cloudy

rain/wind

Weekly Weather sun.

Jan 12

mon.

Jan 13

tues.

Jan 14

wed.

Jan 15

thurs.

Jan 16

SHOWERS

mostly sunny

partly cloudy

partly cloudy

partly cloudy

Your Money. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Ski Run for Your Life, by Rivki Rosenwald. . . . . . . 112

>> Humor Centerfold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

>> Art From My Private Art Collection: Understanding the Terms Used While Producing Quality Art. . . . . . . 106

LOW

>> Political Crossfire Notable Quotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

>> Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

High

100

43° 37°

High LOW

55° 51°

High LOW

52° 36°

High LOW

46° 36°

High LOW

45° 37°

High LOW

44° 29°

High LOW

39° 33°

The Jewish Home is an independent weekly magazine. Opinions expressed by writers are not neces­sarily the opinions of the publisher or editor. The Jewish Home is not responsible for typographical errors, or for the kashrus of any product or business advertised within. The Jewish Home contains words of Torah. Please treat accordingly.

Dear Editor, Senator Charles Schumer’s recent calling for increased penalties for telemarketers who continue annoying us

with spammers and scammer messages even if we are on a no call list is just the start. Can we add all the annoying robo calls from Schumer endorsing his favorite primary and general election candidates, along with his own reelection calls? Never shy around a microphone or camera, we already hear enough from Schumer every day.

Sincerely, Larry Penner

Dear Editor, It would not be difficult to find $6.4 billion out of a $3 trillion dollar budget to pay for extending unemployment benefits three more months. President Barack Obama, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi remind me of the cartoon character Wimpy who was famous for saying, “I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.” With a $17 trillion and growing debt, it is time to begin pay-as-you-go budgeting. This would be the start of a long journey out of our financial crises.

Looking for $6.4 billion in offsets to

Views expressed on the Letters to the Editor page do not necessarily reflect the views of The Jewish Home.

Readers Poll Compiled by Toby Bobker

Do you like shoveling snow?

Yes 32% No 68%

finance additional unemployment benefits represents a fraction of 1.0% of the budget. Millions of Americans have cut far more out of their family budgets and managed to survive.

Sincerely, Larry Penne Great Neck

Dear Editor, I thought that four years was long but now I see that even one year can take an eternity.

With Mayor Bill De Blasio in office for 4 days, I wonder what the majority of New Yorkers were thinking. Perhaps they were in a drunken, over-dosed on large sodas stupor and didn’t realize what this loser would be doing to the most productive city in the world. With his stupid wisecracks, his inane sense of humor and his apparent lack of respect for the office, I can’t imagine that the city will be able to survive four years of this clown.

Mayor De Blasio—we don’t pay you to shovel the sidewalk or invite the homeless into “your” home (it is only

lent to you by the wonderful citizens of New York). We pay you to manage our city. So during a snowstorm, make sure you are getting the homeless into shelters instead of inviting them into Gracie Mansion numerous times. Stop thinking you are funny and undressing during press conferences. You’re not funny and we want to see a mayor who is serious about his job.

It’s only been four days and this guy is making me sick. One thing is for sure: I won’t be voting for him in 2017—and maybe, just maybe, I’ll be moving down to Florida. I doubt De Blasio will follow me there.

Carl Schreiber Forest Hills, NY

Correction: The recipe for Classic Beef Stew in last week’s issue omitted the amount of beef stock needed for the recipe. There should be 3 cups of beef stock listed in the ingredients. We apologize for the omission.

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

Dear Editor, In this week’s issue, the centerfold included a section on sports trivia. I found question number two to be both insulting and flat out wrong. The question reads: “Because we certainly have some hillbillies in our audience: who won the 2013 Daytona 500?” The answer given is B- Trevor Bayne. First of all, that answer in wrong! The winner of the 2013 Daytona 500 was Jimmie Johnson. Trevor Bayne won the 2012 Daytona 500; get your facts straight.

Secondly, the question calls race fans hillbillies. Excuse me, but I don’t see any other stereotypical names being used for fans of other sports. Is a weak attempt at humor an excuse to offend people? I think not. Perhaps we should correct these issues before running another question about racing.

Thank you for your time, An insulted NASCAR fan

the Editor

The Jewish Home n

Letters to

9

The Jewish Home n

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

10

The Week Global PA Ambassador to Prague Killed in Explosion

The Palestinian ambassador to the Czech Republic died on Wednesday in an explosion that occurred when he opened an old safe that had been left untouched for more than 20 years, officials said. Jamal al-Jamal, 56, had been serving as the ambassador in Prague since October 2013.

Officials say al-Jamal was attempt-

In News

ing to open an old safe that had not been tampered with for 20 years at his home.

According to Palestinian Embassy spokesman Nabil El-Fahel, al-Jamal did not die on the spot. He was immediately rushed to a local hospital and passed away a few hours later in the hospital.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki said no foul play was suspected.

Apparently the door to the safe had been booby-trapped decades ago. The details regarding the type of safe or how al-Jamal tried to open it remain unclear at this time. The safe had recently been moved from the old embassy building that was being relocated, but it had come from a building that used to house the Palestinian Liberation Organization’s offices in the 1980s.

“The safe was sitting neglected in one of the areas of the old embassy. It was in one of the corners. No one had touched it for 20 to 25 years,” Malki said. “The ambassador wanted to know what is in the safe. He opened it and asked his wife to bring a paper and a pen to write down the contents of the safe. She left him to bring [the] pen and paper. During that time, she heard the sound of an explosion.”

Malki said the ambassador had taken some of the contents out of the safe but he did not specify what the items were.

How soon the explosion occurred after al-Jamal opened the safe is not known either. At the time of the explosion the ambassador and his wife were alone in the building. His wife, 52, immediately summoned embassy employees for assistance. She was treated for shock at the hospital.

Police are searching the apartment for further clues.

Saudi Airliner Crashes; 29 Injured On Sunday, a Saudi Arabian Airlines flight suffered a technical malfunction and made an emergency landing in Medina, injuring 29 people — including three who were seriously hurt.

The flight — arriving from the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad before dawn — was transporting 315 passengers. Saudi Arabian Airlines — also known as Saudia — is the desert

kingdom’s national carrier and operates a fleet of upwards of 100 aircraft.

“Saudia expresses its deep sorrow to all the injured passengers as a result of the accident and prays to Allah the Almighty that He may provide them with a speedy recovery,” the airline said in a statement.

Medina is the burial site of Islam’s Prophet Mohammed and is home to the three oldest mosques in Islam. The accident occurred just hours before Secretary of State John Kerry was slated to arrive in Saudi Arabia for talks with King Abdullah.

WHY TRAVEL TO THE D&D BUILDING WHEN

THE STUDIO

IS RIGHT NEXT DOOR???

Offering an extensive selection of:

• Furniture • Lighting • Wall Coverings • Fabrics • Upholstery

THE STUDIO I N T E R I O R

D E S I G N

• Accessories • Hardware • Vanities • Kitchens In House Design Services Available 1 Hour Free*

* 1 per customer, with mention of this Ad Entrance to our parking lot is on Cedarhurst Ave. between Broadway and Central Ave. (Next to PLUM) 487R CENTRAL AVE. CEDARHURST, NY 516. 612. 2433

11

The Jewish Home n J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

HOURS:

SUN, MON, WED DAY: 11-3 MON, TUES EVENING: 8-10

The Week

WE DELIVER!

OR CALL FOR AN APPT.

SPRING 2014 HAS ARRIVED

Young Girl Suicide Bomber Averted in Afghanistan

Classy, Affordable Childrens Wear

The Jewish Home n

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

12

STRETCHIES, KNITS AND 2 PIECE OUTFITS Sizes: 0-2T

PERFE FOR BACT B GIFTS! Y

LAYETTE PACKAGES

BrandTheRightWay.com

OUR SPECIALTY

1408 MOTT AVE. FAR ROCKAWAY, CORNER OF CAFFREY AVE.

LITTLEITALYLAYETTS@GMAIL.COM

(845) 642-2043

INSTAGRAM @LITTLEITALYLAYETTES

On Sunday, a young girl, 9 or 10-years-old, was caught wearing a suicide vest by border police in southern Afghanistan. The “scared and cold” child told officers that her brother Zahir, a Taliban commander, had given her the explosive device and directed her towards a police checkpoint in the Khan Nasheen district of Helmand province.

Hamidullah Siddiqi, an Afghan border police official, said, “She was crying and told border police that she was made obliged by her brother to do suicide attack on them.”

Even so, the girl may not even have been able to operate the detonator in this incident. The police are searching for her brother.

Saudi Arabia Opens First Female Law Firm

In News She added that the firm will not exclusively accept cases involving women’s rights and is open to other litigation as well. In an interview with the English-language daily, she reiterated, “I believe women lawyers can contribute a lot to the legal system. This law firm will make a difference in the history of court cases and female disputes in the Kingdom.”

Mahmoud Zahran, Bayan’s father, lavished praise on his pioneering daughter: “We are very proud of our daughter who stands firm for protection of women’s rights. This will help all women who couldn’t go and speak to male lawyers about their problems.”

“This is a very positive step for the Saudi court system…we are four female lawyers who got the license, but I am hopeful that in future, the number will increase,” Zahran added.

Although this is a revolutionary step for women’s rights, the standing of women in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia remains unbalanced. Every woman is still required to have a male guardian (father, brother, or husband) who is authorized to make decisions in her name.

Women are still banned from acquiring their driver’s license and less than 20% of the labor market is occupied by females.

Frenchman Opens Restaurant in Pakistan—No Pakistanis Allowed Rights for women in Saudi Arabia have been evolving over the last several years. In October, a huge stride was taken in the career field for women. The Islamic kingdom granted four females their licenses to practice law in Saudi Arabia. This is a ground-breaking step for women’s rights in the Arabic nation.

Prior to this, women were relegated to careers as legal consultants and were banned from becoming lawyers. Now, the four women joined together to form an all-women’s legal firm in the city of Jeddah. Unsurprisingly, the all-female firm’s primary focus is on women’s rights.

Bayan Zahran, the head of the new practice, told Arab News that her team is dedicated to fighting for women’s rights in her country. She believes as women she and her colleagues are better suited to fight this crusade than male lawyers.

In October, Philippe Lafforge opened a high-scale restaurant in Islamabad. The 20-seat “La Maison” offers fine dining to everyone—except for locals living in Pakistan. The restaurant owner defends his practice by explaining, “It’s not a discrimination thing. It’s a culturally sensitive thing. How can I serve pork and booze to Pakistanis without getting into trouble? So I have a rule: no locals getting in.” By Muslim and Pakistani law, Muslims are forbidden from eating pork and drinking alcohol.

Lafforgue claims that he is only allowed to serve alcohol to non-Muslims. And although he can tell Muslim customers that he is restricted from serving them booze, Lafforgue has decided to circumvent the problem by prohibiting entrance to all Pakistanis. Interestingly, his entire staff—including his chef and bartender—is Pakistani.

AI shabbos 2014 Jewish home v2 11_Layout 1 Jan/7 1:36 PM Page 1

13

Stimulating Exciting Your Your Topics interests Concerns Discussions

Rabbi Aharon Feldman

ROSH HAYESHIVA NER YISROEL CHAVER MOETZES GEDOLEI HATORAH

Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, AGUDATH ISRAEL OF AMERICA

Rabbi Nosson Scherman GENERAL EDITOR, ARTSCROLL/MESORAH

Rabbi Avi Shafran

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, AGUDATH ISRAEL OF AMERICA

Rav Pinchos Jung

SENIOR LECTURER, ANI MAAMIN FOUNDATION

Rabbi Yehiel Kalish

VICE PRESIDENT FOR DEVELOPMENT AND STATE RELATIONS

Shabbos Agudah

ur,h ,arp

far Rockaway &Five Towns january 17-18

ww yca z h

A SCH E DUL E OF PARTICIPATING SHULS & ONEG HOST S T O FOL L OW AGUDAT H I S RAE L O F AM E RI CA / 42 B ROADWAY / NE W YORK , NE W YORK 10004 / 212.797.9000

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

the

The Jewish Home n

At the convention it began, now...

The Jewish Home n J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

14

He’s not an embassy. How can he do this? Reserving the right to admission doesn’t mean an entire category of people [can be] written off.”

Lafforgue insists that other clubs function across Islamabad with similar rules; however, those are affiliated with embassies and diplomatic missions. Instead, La Maison is on the ground floor of Lafforgue’s own residence in Islamabad’s posh F7-1 neighborhood and enjoys no embassy connections that would extend it diplomatic privileges. There isn’t even a display sign outside the restaurant.

“We got complaints about this place practicing a colonial-style ‘Dogs and Indians Not Allowed’ policy in the middle of Islamabad, serving only foreigners,” said Yasir Afridi, an assistant superintendent of the Islamabad Police. He was referring to the harsh code of the British era when locals, then Indians, served as disempowered second-class citizens of the Raj. “So I personally called in to make a reservation, and was rejected when I said I was a Pakistani,” said Afridi. “The next step was obviously to check the place out. We found over 300 bottles of

non-licensed alcohol and even a casino table.” The police charged Lafforgue with “unlicensed alcohol,” a crime in Pakistan. “How can you live on our soil and treat us like this?” said Afridi.

“No rules allow such behavior. This is not the nineteenth century.”

Lafforgue is still defending his position. “The cops knew I wasn’t around to show my documents, and that’s why they timed the raid to perfection,” he said. “But now I am fighting it. I am also writing a letter to [Prime Minister] Nawaz Sharif, who is both a fan of fine food and for creating a good atmosphere for foreigners to invest in Pakistan. I hope he listens to my case.”

Serving its last meal – for now – on Saturday evening, Lafforgue is confident he “will be serving pâté in a week or two.”

However, the Islamabad police, insists that Lafforgue has a criminal record in another Pakistani city, Lahore, and are conducting background checks on him.

Perhaps he should consider opening up his restaurant in another country.

Israel Sharon’s Dim Prognosis

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

“It’s not discrimination, it’s my respect to the people,” said Lafforgue. “I can’t open it up to the Pakistani people because I serve alcohol. If I start serving locals, which is obviously profitable, I will have to bribe the police…which I want to avoid.”

But Lafforgue’s rule has obviously brought criticism from the locals. Several Pakistanis – including non-Muslims who are legally entitled to consume any food or drink they want – have questioned the policy, creating a stir on social media, and forcing the police to take note.

“It’s very straightforward,” said Cyril Almeida, a 34-year-old newspaper editor who started tweeting about the restaurant’s policies when his reservation was rejected because he had a Pakistani passport. “It’s a restaurant, it’s open to the public, and anybody can eat there…except Pakistanis. That’s wrong, and that’s offensive. How does a foreigner run this money-spinning business out of the heart of the Pakistani capital, and not let Pakistanis in?” Almeida asked. “And how does he get to ask me to produce my passport? He’s not an airport. He’s not an international authority.

In News

Ariel Sharon has been in a coma for nearly eight years. His doctors are describing the former prime minister of Israel’s condition as being in a “slow, gradual” decline. “At this time we cannot report any change in the condition of former-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon,” said Israeli news sources.

Sharon is reportedly nearing death, with the 85-year-old’s health worsening as he suffered serious kidney problems after surgery. “Tests show a slow, grad-

An ugent appeal from

FAR ROCKAWAY

BLOOD DRIVE

Thursday, January 2, 2014 2pm to 9:30pm

The Jewish Home n

The Week

15

ood ious F

Delwicill be served

Special Gift For Men & Women Ages 16 to 75 Bring along ID

In Memory of

Mr. Arnold Jablon Father of Douglas Jablon

Yeshiva Address: 211 Beach 17th St. Darchei Torah Far Rockaway, NY

Waterview Bulding Parking on Beach 19th St.

The Jewish Home n

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

16

The Week ual deterioration in the functioning of his vital organs... His state has not changed.

He’s still in critical condition, and his life is in danger,” Tel Hashomer hospital director Zeev Rotstein was quoted by public radio as saying. “I don’t think the situation will improve with time, and we know what usually happens in cases like this,” he added, suggesting that Sharon’s prognosis is very poor.

Rotstein said there were traces of infection in Sharon’s blood, and that it had not been possible for him to undergo renal dialysis since his other organs were in such a fragile state. Sharon has remained in a vegetative state since suffering a massive stroke in 2006. Since then his condition has remained relatively stable, but in recent weeks it has deteriorated significantly after he suffered a renal failure.

Knesset Goes Green Israel has launched the “Green Knesset” project which will make the Israeli parliament the most environmentally conscious in the world. “Green Knesset” is Speaker Yuli Yoel Edel-

stein’s flagship project and is being spearheaded by Knesset Members Dov Khenin (Hadash), Zvulun Kalfa (Habayit Hayehudi) and Nitzan Horowitz (Meretz).

The multi-year project’s goal is to convert the Knesset into a legislature that is guided by the concept of sustainability. Speaker Edelstein said that while the project required a significant financial investment, “it will bear fruit and return the investment,” adding that the “Green Knesset” project constitutes a declaration of an “irreversible policy” led by parliament.

The project will consist of numerous activities, including educating MKs and Knesset employees on the environment and encouraging them to partake

In News in activities related to the environment, publishing position papers on the issue, launching projects that will make the Knesset a more sustainable place, and making the everyday operational activities in the Knesset more sustainable as well.

Environmental Protection Minister Amir Peretz said during the event: “At a time when my office is leading an environmental revolution in industry and in the residents’ homes, the symbol of the country must become a leading element in the green revolution, because it is the Knesset’s duty to protect the next generations, and protecting the environment is the way to do it. Those who want to think far must think green.”

The announcement marked the beginning of the first phase of the project, which will be implemented throughout 2014 and 2015. This phase will be characterized mainly by 13 ventures focusing on energy and water. Among other things, this phase will include the construction of a 4,500 square meter solar field for the production of electricity from renewable energy; replacing hundreds of bulbs with LED bulbs; replacing the air-conditioning systems with an energy center; automatically shutting down all of the computers at the end of the workday; measuring the amount of water used for irrigation in the Knesset and adopting a more economical water consumption model; the desalination of water from the Knesset’s air-conditioning systems and using this water for irrigation and other purposes.

Some NIS 7 million ($2 million) will be invested in these initiatives, and the average return from saving energy and water is estimated at NIS 1.5 million ($430,000) a year, on average, after about five years.

that he is “deeply honored by this award.

As the first person to receive an honor for building links between the Charedi community and the British government, I see this award as a mark of great respect for our community. I have been proud to witness for myself the British government’s warmth and supportive attitude towards our community.”

Commenting on the award, British Ambassador to Israel Matthew Gould said: “I am delighted that Her Majesty has chosen to honor Isaac with this award. Isaac’s efforts have helped us build a friendship and understanding between Britain and the Charedi community. Isaac has devoted huge time over many years to helping me and my predecessors get to know this vital and important part of Israeli society.”

Arrests Made in Bat Yam Investigation

“Strengthening Ties” Leads to Award for Charedi Buckingham Palace has announced that a leading member of the Charedi community is to receive a rare honor from Queen Elizabeth. Yitzchak Schapira, son of Rabbi Avraham Yosef Schapira, a leader of the Agudas Yisrael and a former member of the Knesset, will receive the appointment of an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. He has been given the award in recognition for strengthening the ties between the UK and the Charedi community.

Schapira said in response to the news

Shin Bet, in collaboration with the IDF and police, has arrested 14 men for their involvement in the blast on a bus in Bat Yam last week. Four of the suspects are senior Islamic Jihad operatives living in Bethlehem. Ten other suspects who were arrested for involvement in the attack include Negev Bedouins.

The security forces arrested Sahada Taamri, 24, Hamadi Taamri, 21, Sami Harimi, 20, and Yosef Salamah, 22. The other 10 suspects were involved in the minor details of the plan.

Most Israelis Say U.S. Committed to Peace for Israel The United States seems set on reaching a peace agreement between Palestinians and Israel. But what do Israelis have to say about it?

On Monday, a new poll was released that shows that the majority of Jewish Israelis believe that the U.S. is committed to reaching a signed peace agreement between the Palestinians and Israel.

According to The Israel Democracy Institute’s December Peace Index poll, 64% of Jewish Israelis and 78% of Israeli Arabs believe the U.S., and particularly Secretary of State John Kerry, is committed to ensuring Israel’s security in negotiations.

Jewish opinion in Israel was split as to whether strong external pressure was needed in order to reach an agreement, while 77% of the Arab public said an outside push was needed for the sake of the accord.

Only 51% of Israelis (48% of the Jewish public and 65% of the Arab public) said that the Netanyahu-led government would be able to withstand strong American pressure if the Israeli government deemed the peace plan not good for Israel.

Despite the recent rise in terror attacks in the country, there is no clear certainty as to where the sequence of events will lead. From the poll, 49% of the Jewish public agrees with the official position of the Israeli defense establishment that the series of recent terror attacks are not a third intifada, but an assortment of attacks by lone individuals, while 45% disagree. In the Arab public the sense on the street is different, as 67% disagrees with the defense establishment position that recent terror attacks are not part of a third intifada, and 28% agree with the defense establishment.

OPPORTUNITY NOT TO BE MISSED!

KALLAH SPECIAL BUY ONE WIG GET ONE WIG*

FREE!

HAPPENING SOON!

CHAMPAGNE AND DIAMONDS

A FUN NIGHT OUT FOR KALLAHS COME IN TO SHULY WIGS TO ENJOY A GLASS OF CHAMPAGNE AND BROWSE THROUGH OUR BEAUTIFUL LINE OF WIGS AND HAVE ALL YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY OUR TEAM RSVP A MUST** *CALL FOR DETAILS RESTRICTIONS MAY APPLY CANNOT BE COMBINED WITH ANY OTHER OFFER **RSVP TO info@shulywigs.com

National Yarmulke Makes Sports News Aaron Liberman made headlines this week when he wore a yarmulke to work. No, he’s not a lawyer or a politician. Liberman is Northwestern’s forward and although he played for only one minute in Sunday’s game, he made Big Ten Conference history: he is the first Big Ten player to wear a yarmulke in a game.

The 6-foot-10 freshman from Valley Torah High School in Los Angeles is believed to be the only Orthodox Jew playing major college basketball. Even so, he is not the first player to wear a

Shuly Wigs

4016 18th Avenue (718) 851-7778 info@shulywigs.com www.shulywigs.com

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

The Shin Bet’s investigation revealed that during the last several months the group decided to execute a massive terror attack in Israel. The Taamri brothers and Salamah prepared the explosive, using two kilograms of improvised detonation material, nails and screws, and had a switch attached to a cellphone to activate the bomb remotely.

After praying in a Jaffa mosque, Harimi got on bus no. 240, laid the bomb, got off a few minutes later, and then called the cellphone that was attached to the bomb, thus triggering the explosion. The bomb was placed in a pressure cooker, similar to the bomb in last year’s Boston Marathon.

Harimi was arrested several days later in Bethlehem, admitting his part in the attack, and said that the group of terrorists wanted to execute a larger attack in Tel Aviv a few days after the Bat Yam explosion, but their arrests hindered their plans.

Commanding officer of the Judea and Samaria Brigade, Brig. Gen. Tamir Yadi, said, “Over the past few days we were after that cell of four operatives, including the one who planted the explosive device. I’m upset and scared that we didn’t know about the cell, but it is possible that with hundreds of cells planning attacks there is one that we didn’t know about.”

Two hours after the bomb exploded last week, the Shin Bet had already detained some of the suspects. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commended the Shin Bet, IDF, and police forces for “a timely capturing of a terror cell that laid an explosive device on Bat Yam bus.”

Netanyahu also addressed the fact that one of the suspects was in officer training with the Palestinian police noting that “this is further proof of Palestinian Authority personnel’s direct involvement with terror. It’s time that Abu Mazen stops celebrating with released murderers and lead his people into the way of peace.”

Thankfully the bus was evacuated before the bomb exploded.

In News

17 The Jewish Home n

The Week

BS”D

The Week yarmulke in a Division I game. The other player to do so was former Towson guard Tamir Goodman, who played in 2000 and 2001 and was nicknamed the “Jewish Jordan.”

The Jewish Home n

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

18

Liberman is shomer Shabbos, so on Fridays, he walked 8 miles to practice last season. When he was invited to speak after a home game last month about what’s it’s like to be an Orthodox Jew playing in major college basketball, over 200 purple yarmulkes with an N printed on them were handed out to attendees.

Hats off to you, Aaron.

Bob Grant Dies at 84 Beloved and loathed by his many listeners, conservative talk show host Bob Grant died this week after a short illness. He was 84.

Grant was born Robert Ciro Gigante in Chicago in 1939. He began his broadcasting career in the 1940s at WBBM in Chicago. He moved onto radio and television jobs in Los Angeles and was named afternoon drive time host at WABC in 1984.

His show drew thousands of listeners who tuned in to hear his straight talk.

“Remember this: If you are offended during the next two hours, it’s nobody’s fault but mine,” Grant said at the top of a broadcast featured in a 2010 tribute.

“Because somebody’s got to say these things. It has to be me.”

He stated his opinions sharply and was verbal about those who he disliked.

Over the years, he referred to then-New York Mayor David Dinkins as a “washroom attendant,” called then-President Bill Clinton a “sleazebag” and suggested women on welfare should not have any more children. In a May 1993

In News broadcast, he lambasted Martin Luther King Jr. as “that slimeball” and “this bum, this womanizer, this liar, this fake, this phony.”

Although criticism against Grant was loud, WABC defended his right to freedom of expression. But in 1996 he crossed a line when he was told there was only one survivor of a plane crash carrying U.S. Commerce Secretary Ron Brown in Croatia. “My hunch is that he [Brown] is the one survivor,” he said.

“I must have a hunch. Maybe, ‘cause at heart, I’m a pessimist.” Two weeks later, he was taken off the air and then he moved to WOR in New York before

returning to WABC in 2006.

Grant was vocal about his disdain for liberals, prominent black people, those on welfare, feminists and those who disagreed with his views. White supremacist David Duke had been a frequent guest on his show in the 1970s.

He was also openly partisan, friendly to Republicans like Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and Gov. George E. Pataki and hostile to Democrats like Gov. Mario M. Cuomo (whom he called “Il Duce”) and Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (“Senator Loussenberg”).

In regards to race, Grant once said, “You can talk all you want about ‘minorities’ rights,’ but heaven forbid you talk about white rights. I see a very bleak future for this country, simply because the quality of the citizenry seems to be heading down.” The country was being overrun, he said in 1991, by “millions of subhumanoids, savages, who really would feel more at home careening along the sands of the Kalahari or the dry deserts of eastern Kenya.” And yet, Grant insisted that he was not a racist, pointing to conservatives like civil rights activist Roy Innis, Justice ClarContinued on page 22

m i s a s y Be ll

‫בס"ד‬

Practical protection covers that are easy to handle.

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

Come visit our newly renovated boutique!

The Jewish Home n

Winter Collection $29-$79!

Enhance your

Tu-bishvat table 111 Cedarhurst Avenue Cedarhurst, New York 11516 T: 516-374-2065

with our high quality durable plastic tablcloths.

Sun: 12-5 Mon, Tues, Thurs: 11-5 Wednesday:12-6 Friday by appt.

www.bellyssimamaternity.com

Goldmine Jewelers

SPECIAL! 2 Carat Look Only $499

While Supplies Last

We Buy Gold

Highest prices paid for gold, silver, diamonds & estate jewelry.

EXPERT REPAIR ON PREMISES

524 Central Ave. / Cedarhurst, NY

516-374-4682

Goldmine Nassau Herald 11-13.indd 2

Holiday Sale!

Super discounts throughout the store!!

11/11/13 1:27 PM

• Easy to open • Long-lasting strength • Heavy duty protection

• Available in 7 different lengths 54" 72" 90" 108" 120" 144" 160"

For wholesale only call:

718.383.2600

19

67" NEW! WIDE

M&L Poly • P.O.B 220149

Brooklyn New York 11222 sales@metropack.com

The Jewish Home n J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

20

21

Shabbos of Chizuk AND

Community Reception ‫שבת קודש פרשת תרומה‬ ‫ב’ דראש חדש אדר א‘ תשע”ד‬ February 1, 2014

w i t h t h e pa rt ic i pat ion of t h e Ro sh e i H aY e sh i va

HagAOn HaRav HagAon HaRav Aryeh Malkiel Kotler Yeruchim Olshin

‫שליט”א‬

‫שליט”א‬

Hagaon HaRav Dovid Schustal

Hagaon HaRav Yisroel Neuman

‫שליט”א‬

‫שליט”א‬

Our community-wide Shabbos of Chizuk will culminate in a

‫מלוה מלכה‬

Reception hosted by

Mr. & Mrs. Moshe Wolfson 501 Cedar Hill Road - Far Rockaway, NY

join us!

Full Shabbos schedule and locations to be announced.

Committee: Boruch Belsky, R’ Moshe Bender, Dovid Bloom, Moshe Bloom, Menachem Lieber, R’ Avrohom Nusbaum, Baruch Rabinowitz, Asher Schoor, Aron Solomon, Yaakov Spinner

For further information, please call (732) 367-1060 ext. 4252

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

Far Rockaway ∙ Lawrence ∙ Cedarhurst

The Jewish Home n

‫בס״ד‬

The Jewish Home n

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

22

The Week ence Thomas and the columnist Thomas Sowell, all of them black, who he said were among those he admired most.

“I’m no more racist than you are” was his standard reply to a question he considered insulting.

He was also a stalwart defender of Israel and a friend to the Jewish community, always protecting them on the air.

Part of Grant’s charm (if you can

In News

call it that) was the shock value that he imparted to his listeners. He was one of the first to court listeners with his curmudgeon-type of attitude—frequently hanging up on callers, saying, “Get off my phone, you creep!” as he cut off those who disagreed with him. Interestingly, those who knew him say that Grant was polite and courteous off the air. On the air, a program director once

said, Grant wanted to relay the frustrations of “the working stiff — the guy who pays $4 a day in bridge tolls just to go to and from work.”

Asked once by an interviewer to characterize his political views, Mr. Grant replied almost wistfully. “My basic problem stems from the fact that I am an idealist,” he said. “I want a tidy world, but I know we will never get a

tidy world. Perhaps what I want is a contradiction in terms: a benevolent dictatorship that would allow many different flowers to bloom.”

After a pause, he added, “I think I would make rather a good dictator.”

Polar Vortex Pummels U.S.

✓ I want to go: Anywhere, as long as it’s warm ■ ✓ I have enough points to go: Someplace not so warm ■

x I found the deal I am looking for online: ■

NO

Now what?

PAY WITH POINTSTM FOR AIRLINE TRAVEL

We will get you where you want to go

GUARANTEED

We will use your points as payment and book your ticket for the flight you need!

B O O K I N G

F O R :

B U S I N E S S

/

F A M I L Y

/

I N D I V I D U A L

You don’t have to read the news to know that it’s cold, cold, cold outside.

But it’s not just cold—temperatures are frigid and New York doesn’t even have it as bad as other states across the U.S. A whirlpool of frigid, dense air known as a “polar vortex” descended on Monday across the nation, pummeling parts of the country with a dangerous cold that could break decades-old records with wind chill warnings stretching from Montana to Alabama.

For a big chunk of the Midwest, the subzero temperatures were moving in behind another winter wallop: more than a foot of snow and high winds that made traveling treacherous. Officials closed schools in cities including Chicago, St. Louis and Milwaukee and warned residents to stay indoors and avoid the frigid cold altogether.

The forecast is extreme: 32 below zero in Fargo, N.D.; minus 21 in Madison, Wis.; and 15 below zero in Minneapolis, Indianapolis and Chicago.

Wind chills — what it feels like outside when high winds are factored into the temperature — could drop into the minus 50s and 60s. “It’s just a dangerous cold,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Butch Dye in Missouri.

It hasn’t been this cold for almost two decades in many parts of the country. Frostbite and hypothermia can set in quickly at 15 to 30 below zero.

Roads were treacherous across the region. Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard upgraded the city’s travel emergency level to “red,” making it illegal for anyone to drive except for emergencies or to seek shelter. The city hasn’t issued

23 The Jewish Home n J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

Early Intervention Services For children birth - 3 years with special needs.

Services Provided

TEN YEARS OF PUTTING A TWINKLE IN THEIR EYES AND A BOUNCE IN THEIR STEP.

l

Evaluations

l

Feeding Therapy

l

Special Education

l

Nutrition Counseling

l

Service Coordination

l

Family Support/Counseling

l

Speech/Language Therapy

l

Physical & Occupational Therapy

NEW FOR AUGUST 2014...

ABA Program – Center & Home Services Routines Based Interventions & Collaborative Coaching l

ERIENCE! HEADED BY DUBBS G ENA EXP ELLE R P M R& CA CHIP THE

PS YO U N

G

The perfect preteen two-year specialty

camp experience- just got better! rUN BY dUBBS (cHANA lEAH) gELLER, AND cHIPPS (shEVY) yOUNG, VETERAN TEACHERS and program directors!

Packed With breathtaking creativity, masterpiece art, oVERNIGHTS, sHABBATON and a thrilling variety

of workshops, outstanding trips, top notch,

handpicked, warm, experienced staff,

Far

and a barrel of laughs..,

Ser Roc

ving

kaw

ay

TO REFER YOUR CHILD TO THE EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM CALL 311.

This Early Intervention Program (EIP) is a public program for children under the age of three who are either suspected of having or at risk for developmental delays or disabilities. EIP is funded by NYS and NYC. All EIP services are provided at no cost to parents. Health insurance may be used for approved services. A child’s eligibility for the program can be determined only by state-approved evaluators under contract, and all services must be authorized by the NYC Early Intervention Program.

For more information about CHALLENGE call:

718.851.3300

KEEP YOUR SECOND HALF BOOKED FOR RENA-TWIRL!

These are just two special summers you don’t want to miss!

FOR GIRLS ENTERING 6TH AND 7TH GRADE ONLY!

FOR APPLICATION, BROCHURE, AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Call Rena! 516 855 RENA

The Jewish Home n

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

24

The Week such a travel warning since 1978. National Weather Service meteorologist Philip Schumacher urged motorists in the Dakotas — where wind chills were as low as the minus 50s — to carry winter survival kits and a charged cellphone in case they became stranded.

More than 1,000 flights were canceled on Sunday at airports throughout the Midwest including Chicago, Indianapolis and St. Louis.

Many cities came to a virtual standstill. In St. Louis, where more than 10 inches of snow fell, the Gateway Arch, St. Louis Art Museum and St. Louis Zoo were part of the seemingly endless list of things closed. Shopping malls and movie theaters closed, too. Even Hidden Valley Ski Resort, the region’s only ski area, shut down. Schools were closed in some states due to the frigid temperatures and government offices were closed in some states as well.

Southern states were bracing for possible record temperatures too, with single-digit highs expected on Tuesday in Georgia and Alabama. Temperatures plunged into the 20s early on Monday in north Georgia, the frigid start of danger-

ously cold temperatures for the first part of the week. The Georgia Department of Transportation said its crews were prepared to respond to reports of black ice in north Georgia.

Temperatures were expected to dip into the 30s in parts of Florida on Tuesday. Though Florida Citrus Mutual spokesman Andrew Meadows said it must be at 28 degrees or lower four hours straight for fruit to freeze badly, fruits and vegetables were a concern in other parts of the South. With two freezing nights ahead, Louisiana citrus farmers could lose any fruit they cannot pick in time.

Brain Dead Patient Moved to New Hospital There’s new hope for Jahi McMath.

The 13-year-old California girl who was declared brain dead after a surgery is now in a facility where her family can take care of her, a place her uncle says believes as much they do that she’s alive.

In News

Jahi went into cardiac arrest while recovering from surgery to fix severe sleep apnea. To help her, surgeons removed her tonsils and other parts of her nose and throat. But something went severely wrong during the routine procedure and now, three doctors have declared Jahi brain dead based on exams and tests showing no blood flow or electrical activity in either her cerebrum or the brain stem that controls breathing.

She is not in a coma; a person in a coma has brain activity.

Many have said that in this condition, Jahi is considered dead. But her family refuses to give up and continues to insist that Jahi is alive as long as her heart is pumping.

But the controversy is fierce. The hospital had wanted to remove Jahi from the ventilator that is keeping her heart pumping, arguing in court that Jahi’s brain death means she is legally dead. Nailah Winkfield, Jahi’s mother, has gone to court to stop the machine from being disconnected.

On Sunday night, in a victory for the family, a critical care team took Jahi while she was attached to a ventilator but without a feeding tube from Children’s Hospital Oakland, after a weeks’ long battle with the hospital over her care.

They have not disclosed where she has been taken, but they say there has not been any problems with her transfer, possibly indicating she is still in California.

The new facility has “been very welcoming with open arms. They have beliefs just like ours,” Jahi’s uncle said.

“They believe as we do.”

The family’s lawyer, Christopher Dolan, said Jahi’s condition suffered because of poor nutrition during her hospital stay. “We are very relieved she got safely to where she needed to be,” he said. “She’s in very bad shape,” he

25

The Jewish Home n J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

The Jewish Home n J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

26

said. “You would be too, if you hadn’t had nutrition in 26 days and were a sick little girl to begin with.”

Last week, the California Supreme Court ruled that Sergio Garcia should be granted his license to practice law.

Garcia emigrated to the U.S. from Mexico unlawfully as a child; he has waited years to obtain legal residency in the U.S. but he is still not a legal citizen. His dad, a naturalized citizen from Mexico, sponsored him, and he was approved to begin the naturalization process in 1995 at age 17. But due to the backlog of applications, his visa had not been granted, and, according to the California Supreme Court, a visa “may not become available for many years.”

Since Garcia’s father only became a citizen after Garcia turned 21, Garcia was put in the decades-long line for a green card for adult children of U.S. citizens.

He is scheduled to obtain his green card in 2019.

But now, Garcia has graduated law school and is desperate to put his legal skills to work. This noteworthy decision by the court has given Garcia the keys to start working on his dream. It may also become a stepping stone for many other undocumented immigrants in the U.S. “I’m speechless, tired, relieved,” Garcia, 36, said moments after the ruling came down. “I’m glad it’s over.”

The case dates back to May 2012, when the justices agreed to hear the case. Garcia won initial support from the State Bar of California, which determined that he had met the rules for admission and his lack of legal status in the United States should not automatically disqualify him. Initially, the Justice Department filed briefs saying Garcia should not be granted a license, a stance it later backed away from.

Your Phone is Making You Sick

Ever lost your phone for an hour or maybe a day? Did it feel like you were walking outside without shoes or driving without your glasses? We have all become so reliant on our phones and other technology that many simply cannot understand how people lived in the past without it.

Yes, technology offers us many conveniences and opportunities but the reality is that it also creates a lot of issues.

Phone or technology addiction is a very real problem plaguing our society. A recent study conducted by Nokia found that smartphones users check their phones up to 150 times during a waking day of 16 hours—that’s more than 9 times an hour.

Now experts are warning that this obsession with our phones, tablets, and computers can lead to serious health problems. Phil Reed, professor of psychology at Swansea University and an expert on internet addiction, explained some characteristics of a phone addict.

“They might have disrupted sleep, they are tempted to lie about using their phone in the presence of their friends and family – sneaking off to check it in social situations, they would be anxious when not connected – which would

have a negative impact on their mood.

Smartphone addiction might also lead to increased social isolation and depression,” Reed adds.

Some people suffer from “sleep texting,” which is the act of sending text messages while sleeping. Generally, sleep texting occurs in the first two hours after a person falls asleep, interrupting their deep REM sleep. Sufferers are not aware that they are texting while they are actually doing it. People who practice sleep texting wake up tired since they are not getting their full amount of deep sleep and this critically affects higher brain functioning.

Dr. Josh Werber of EOS Sleep says the problem can be addressed by banishing phones from the bedroom and by switching them off an hour before going to sleep.

Another syndrome related to internet addiction is “Phantom Vibration Syndrome.” This is defined when a person thinks their phone is vibrating or ringing when in reality it is not. Some people are so used to their phones constantly buzzing that their brains think it is happening when it really is not. Phantom vibrations are a result of anticipa-

tory anxiety and they affect as many as seven in ten mobile phone users.

Another result of technology bombardment is “cybersickness.” Similar to motion sickness, cybersicknes is caused by a disagreement between a person’s eyes and the movement perceived by their balance system. It is a common side effect of 3D features of iPhones and iPads. The brain is “tricked” into believing they are moving while they actually remain still. When things are out of sync, it can trigger nausea, eye strain and dizziness.

“Text claw” is also a common problem for those addicted to the phones.

This is the feeling of soreness and cramping in the fingers, wrists, and forearms after spending too much time typing on a phone or playing games. Text claw is caused by repetitive fine motor activity. Most people work on their phones in a position that’s not natural for the thumb and wrist joints. This can lead to tendinitis, which is inflammation of the tendons.

Although it may be tempting to tuck your phone under your pillow at night and constantly check it throughout the day, it may be a good idea to allow your-

Your Garage Door Design Center • Wood • Steel • Fiberglass • Vinyl • PVC • Insulated & Non-Insulated Doors

We Service All Garage Doors • Seasonal Inspections • Garage Door "Tune-Ups" • Springs • Track • Hinges • Cables • Panel Replacements

Garage Door Openers

• Keypads • Remote Control • Sensors

Locksmith Service Installation and Repairs • Decorative Hardware • Shabbos Locks High Security Locks • Mag Locks • Electric Buzzers Automatic Handicap Door Openers • New Safe Installations

$100 OFF

10% OFF

RESTRICTIONS APPLY

RESTRICTIONS APPLY

NEW INSTALLATIONS

REPAIRS

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

CA Court Says it’s Legal for Undocumented Citizen to Practice Law

“The court has been extremely, extremely conservative,” Garcia said. “We fought hard. We had incredible victories last year [with the State Legislature]…I never in my life imagined it would take me longer to win my right to practice than it took to actually get my degree,” Garcia added. “I’m glad California is moving forward and I think we’re setting a good example for the rest of the country.”

Garcia passed the California bar exam in 2009. While he waited to be granted permission to practice law he has become a motivational speaker. “I think I’m going to continue doing that and fulfill my dream of practicing law,” he said.

In News

The Jewish Home n

The Week

27

The Jewish Home n

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

28

The Week self some time each day to disconnect and give your mind and body a little break. You certainly deserve it.

Former First Lady Beats Pneumonia

Former First Lady Barbara Bush has been discharged from a Texas hospital.

Mrs. Bush had been there for a week battling pneumonia. “I cannot thank the doctors and nurses at Houston Methodist enough for making sure I got the best treatment and got back to George and our dogs as quickly as possible,” Bush said. The Bushes are well-known dog lovers and live in Houston.

The nation’s longest-married presidential first couple had just celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary. Fortunately, they are both healthy. Unfortunately, though, they are no strangers to hospitals in the past few years. Barbara Bush had heart surgery in March 2009 for a severe narrowing of the main heart valve. She also was hospitalized in November 2008, when she underwent surgery for a perforated ulcer. In 2010, she was admitted to the hospital after having a mild relapse of Graves’s disease, a thyroid condition for which she was treated in 1989.

Her 89-year-old husband spent nearly two months in the same hospital and was discharged in January 2013 after treatment for a bronchitis-related cough and other health issues.

Hopefully they will continue to enjoy healthy, long lives together with their devoted family.

De Blasio Takes Office New York officially welcomed Bill de Blasio into the city that never sleeps

In News on January 1 at midnight at his home in Brooklyn. The following day at noon he was sworn in again by former-President Bill Clinton on the stairs of City Hall.

De Blasio’s wife, Chirlane McCray, was there for the momentous occasion along with their two teenage children.

During his first address to the public as mayor, de Blasio stressed his determination to reduce income inequality in the city. “When I said we would take dead aim at the Tale of Two Cities, I meant it,” de Blasio said during his inaugural speech.

De Blasio is the 109th mayor of New York City. He is the first Democrat to occupy City Hall in over two decades.

shot of the photo book and posted it on Facebook. One of her friends informed her that Mama Kaye is Kaye Wilson of Chicago, Sasha and Malia Obama’s godmother. So Church contacted Wilson who said she was “elated” because she had been “waiting for it to arrive.”

Wilson told her, “Every year the girls make a book of their life in the White House [for her].”

The United States Postal Service said they are investigating the situation and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Major Landing in the Bronx

Post Office Sends Woman Package from the Obamas—in Error!

Alane Church was expecting a holiday package but she was shocked when she saw who the sender was. Instead of from her brother in New York, the package came from Washington, D.C.—the White House!

A week after the holiday, Church received a box of presents for her family from her brother. Not only was the box a week late but it had also been re-packaged in a toilet paper box after coming apart in transit. Also enclosed was an apology letter from the post office.

At the very bottom of the box she found a “beautiful” personalized photo book that was not intended for her. The book was addressed to the godparents of the Obama girls and featured personal photos of the First Family. “It’s chronological so it starts in Hawaii last year,” Church said. “There are precious pictures through the whole book. They are not all perfect pictures, just loving pictures. There are some professional pictures, but others look like they are taken on someone’s phone, just sweet memories.”

The photos feature the Obama girls and the president and first lady. The events range from basketball games to dance recitals. The book was wrapped in red wrapping paper and had a label on the outside that said, “To Mama Kaye and Papa Wellington from Barack, Michelle and the girls.” Mama Kaye is Kaye Wilson of Chicago, Sasha and Malia Obama’s godmother Church admitted that at first she was not sure what to do so she took a snap-

Talk about a traffic stopper! A small plane made an emergency landing on the Major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx, resulting in minor injuries to three people on-board. One man and two women were the only passengers on-board the small aircraft, and only suffered minor injuries when the plane landed near East 233rd Street on the busy highway. They were all transported to St. Barnabas Hospital, which is about four miles from the scene.

NYC Mayor Bill De Blasio said the plane left from the Danbury airport in Connecticut and had flown over the Statue of Liberty. The plane was returning to Connecticut when engine problems struck over the Bronx, he said.

The plane landed in the northbound lanes, which had to be closed for several hours. Credit for the safe landing goes in large part to Department of Transportation employee Miguel Lopez, 55, who was part of a pothole crew working on the Deegan when he saw the plane making its descent. Lopez and his quick-thinking team used their trucks to stop traffic on the highway, in effect giving the plane a runway. ”The plane turned and hit some treetops,” Lopez said. “Then it land-

ND Train Derailment Raises Concerns about Oil Industry

Last week, a railway train carrying grain in North Dakota derailed and a portion of it fell onto an adjacent track carrying an oil transport train. Eighteen cars on the 106-car oil train derailed and several burned. The fires burned for hours and although no one was hurt, many of the 2,400 residents in nearby Casselton were temporarily evacuated due to potentially unsafe air.

A broken axle has been found by federal investigators at the scene of the train derailment. Officials are uncertain if the axle was the cause of the wreck.

“We’ll want to know if it was the actual cause of the derailment, or was it broken during the derailment?” National Transportation Safety Board member Robert Sumwalt said.

As of now, investigators at the scene have found nothing wrong with the railroad track or with signals along the tracks. Investigators have to first finish developing a detailed timeline of the incident and going through shipping records before they can conduct employee interviews to discover more details.

Mayor Ed McConnell has called for federal lawmakers to address safety concerns posed by transporting oil by rail. “There have been numerous derailments in this area,” he said. “It’s almost

gotten to the point that it looks like not if we’re going to have an accident, it’s when.”

While the rate of oil train accidents remains low, there has been a sharp increase in the past several years in the number resulting in accidental releases.

That increase is being driven by a surge in drilling in North Dakota and other western states.

Jihad Jane Sentenced The Pennsylvania woman who called herself Jihad Jane and a teenage accomplice from Maryland provided “very significant” assistance to U.S. authorities in several terrorism investigations but still remain a threat to the public, prosecutors say in new court filings.

Prosecutors said Colleen LaRose, 50, should be sentenced to “decades behind bars” for her role in a failed 2009 plot to kill Lars Vilks, a Swedish artist who offended many Muslims by drawing the Prophet Mohammed on the head of a dog.

is watching, and this sentencing presents an important opportunity to send a strong message to other lonely, vulnerable people who might be enticed by online extremists promising fame and honor.”

A Muslim man sparked an interest in Islam for LaRose. After months of learning online, LaRose said, she converted to Islam and later watched videos of alleged U.S. and Israeli atrocities against Palestinian children that radicalized her. By 2008, prosecutors said, “She had managed to align herself with violent terrorists who valued her ability and persistence as their online predator, or ‘hunter,’” recruiting new fighters.

“I just loved my brothers so much, when they would tell me stuff, I would listen to them, no matter what,” LaRose told Reuters. “And I also was ... lost.”

In 2009, LaRose followed instructions from an al Qaeda operative in Pakistan and flew to Europe for the plot to kill the Swedish artist. But after six weeks, largely in Ireland, LaRose became frustrated with the mission’s pace and returned to Philadelphia, where she was arrested.

Wanted “Dead” Banker Arrested If you are on the run from the federal government, don’t tint your windows. A Georgia banker wanted by the FBI for a $21 million investor fraud was finally captured this week when cops stopped him for having illegally tinted car windows.

Aubrey Lee Price, 47, went on the run in 2012 after writing friends a suicide note admitting to “horrendous financial mistakes” and saying, “It would be better for me to exit this world.” Of course, Price did not leave the world – he just drove about 300 miles. He

Low Cost Quality Insurance

Our Specialty Free Consultation

Free Policy Evaluation

Ask the Rabbi !!??

The Rabbi loves a bargain (a metzia) After years of delay, the American-born LaRose was sentenced to ten years in jail in Philadelphia on Monday. She has been incarcerated for four years; she has six more left to serve.

U.S. guidelines called for LaRose to receive a life sentence and for Khalid, who is now 20, to receive 15 years. Given their cooperation, prosecutors asked the judge to sentence LaRose to “decades behind bars” and Khalid to “less than 10 years.”

In a presentence filing this week, U.S. authorities reiterated what they declared when LaRose’s arrest was made public in 2010 – that her gender, blond hair, Texas twang and green eyes make her case significant because she does not fit the stereotype of an Islamic terrorist.

“News of LaRose’s arrest spread shockwaves throughout the West, as people recognized that the face of the terrorism threat had changed forever,” prosecutors Jennifer Arbittier Williams and Matthew Blue wrote. “The world

Let the Rabbi help you save money (up to 50%)

¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾

Large Commercial Insurance Policies Life Insurance Disability Insurance Self Employed Health Insurance Long Term Care insurance Rabbi S. M. Leiner, CLTC

Licensed Independent Broker for All Types of Insurance

Call: 917‐543‐0497 – Leave a message

Mail: Rabbi S. M. Leiner, CLTC P.O. Box # 7655 600 Franklin Ave Garden City, NY 11530

Premier clients receive a copy of my book (sefer) “Sweeter Than Honey” as a gift

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

ed straight down. The landing wheels buckled under the pressure of the plane.”

The four-seat, one-engine 1966 Piper PA sustained minor damage, the Federal Aviation Administration reported.

Kathleen Bergen, a spokeswoman for the FAA, said both the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA are investigating the crash to determine the probable cause of the accident.

In News

The Jewish Home n

The Week

29

The Jewish Home n

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

30

The Week was ultimately caught in Brunswick, Georgia, after cops pulled him over and realized who he was after just a bit of questioning.

A federal warrant was put out for Price’s arrest in New York in June 2012 after he was charged with wire fraud.

Price was also charged with a civil action suit by the SEC that year claiming he perpetrated a massive fraud through two investor funds while he was the director of the Montgomery Bank & Trust in Ailey, Georgia. The two funds suffered massive losses and there were also “frequent large wires transferred out of the account,” according to the SEC complaint. Price allegedly made up account statements with bogus returns on them to cover these big losses and illicit transfers.

Price was also accused of embezzling millions from the troubled bank that he directed. After his disappearance, local journalists spoke with clients who didn’t think Price’s suicide was authentic. “I don’t believe he’s dead. I believe he planned for this exit,” said Wendy Cross, who lost her $364,000 nest egg by investing with Price. Turns out she was right.

In News

Poll: Americans Lack Confidence in Government

A new poll has found that Americans, who generally have a reputation for optimism, have a sharply pessimistic take on the government after years of disappointment in Washington. Amer-

Apply Your Yeshiva/Seminary Credits or Your Rabbinic/ Secular Degree Toward An Accredited An Accredited MAsters BAchelors Degree Degree Major in Business or Human Services/ Behavioral Science

MA in Educational Leadership or Master of Business Administration - MBA

• Apply up to 70 Judaic credits in transfer toward the required 127 credits of the degree

• Apply your Bachelors Degree from any regionally accredited or Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools (AARTS) accredited or affiliated institution • Government student loans available • Registration is currently underway

• Government tuition grants and loans available • Registration is currently underway

Earn your degree through onlinE coursEs, accessible anywhere.

REGIS

TER N

OW

F

JANU OR ARY 2

UNDE

01

4 RGRA D U A PROG T For more information: RAMS E TheYIEP@gmail.com or 917-209-8204 (in 18 to 24 months, depending on the degree)

Visit us at www.TheYIEP.com Bellevue NeBraska Bellevue University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

icans started 2014 with a profoundly negative view of their government, expressing little hope that elected officials can or will solve the nation’s biggest problems. The poll was conducted

by AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and comes about two months after partisan gridlock prompted the first government shutdown in 17 years.

Half of Americans feel that our system of democracy needs either “a lot of changes” or a complete overhaul. Only 1 in 20 says it works well and needs no changes. The percentage of Americans saying the nation is heading in the right direction hasn’t topped 50 in about a decade. In the new poll, 70 percent lack confidence in the government’s ability “to make progress on the important problems and issues facing the country in 2014.”

Local and state governments inspire more faith than the federal government.

According to the poll, 45 percent are at least moderately confident in their state government, and 54 percent say the same about their local government.

When asked to name up to ten world or national problems Americans would “like the government to be working on” in 2014, pollsters chiefly cites issues that have dominated the White House and Congress for five years. Healthcare reform topped the list. It is likely, however, that those naming the issue include both opponents and supporters of President Barack Obama’s sweeping health care overhaul. Jobs and the economy were next, followed by the nation’s debt and deficit spending.

Perhaps most disturbingly, Americans have little confidence that the federal government can make real progress on the issues that need fixing. When it comes to the issues people cited as most important to them, 80 percent want the government to spend significant effort working on them. Yet 76 percent say they have little or no confidence the government will make real progress.

For instance, 86 percent of those who called healthcare reform a top priority said they want the government to put “a lot” or “a great deal” of effort into it. But about half of them are “not at all confident” there will be real progress, and 20 percent are only “slightly confident.”

Americans also don’t feel great about their own economic opportunities. Although 49 percent say their standard of living surpasses their parents, most are highly pessimistic about the opportunity to achieve the “American dream.”

That’s Odd Amazon Blows it Up

Amazon has become the internet superstore. From live bugs to gun safes, the company wants to sell it all. But it seems that cars are not yet on its list of items due to federal and state laws that determine that cars be sold in most states by franchised dealers.

Despite the laws, Amazon has delivered three Nissan Versa Notes to three lucky customers. As part of a promotion, Nissan revealed in September that three lucky shoppers would get their Versa Notes in one of Amazon’s trademark brown boxes.

Ever thought that you received big boxes in the mail? Imagine a car encased in the brown Amazon paper. The large box was delivered on a flatbed truck, much to neighbors’ delight. Talk about a “superstore!”

I wonder if they got free delivery with their Amazon Prime membership…

Photo Finds a Lost Son

On New Year’s Day, Nicholas Simmons disappeared from his parents’ home in a small upstate New York town.

The twenty-year-old left behind his wallet, cellphone and his possessions, and

31

The Jewish Home n J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

The Jewish Home n

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

32

The Week his frantic family was left, searching for their lost son.

Four days later, an Associated Press photographer, looking for a way to illustrate unusually cold weather, snapped Nicholas’ picture as he warmed himself on a steam grate a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol. The photo, taken on Saturday by AP photographer Jacque-

lyn Martin, showed Simmons with his unshaven face pressed against a grate outside the Federal Trade Commission.

He wore a ski jacket and a hood over his head. A thick gray blanket covered his lower body.

Interestingly, Martin was assigned to the White House that weekend, but with President Barack Obama still on

In News vacation in Hawaii, she spent the day looking for shots that would illustrate the cold weather. That is how she found Nick Simmons, in an area where homeless people often gather when it is frigid outside. She found a cluster of men huddled around the grate, introduced herself and started taking pictures.

Then she noticed one person in par-

ticular, huddled under a blanket. “It struck me how young he was,” Martin said. “I again introduced myself and shook his hand. He said his name was Nick.”

Paul and Michelle Simmons saw the AP photograph in USA Today on Sunday morning after it was brought to their attention through a Facebook page set up to help find their son, according to police and family friends.

While questions remain unanswered about why the young man left and how he ended up in Washington, his mother expressed her relief on Facebook that her son had been located. “It could have been months before we had a lead on his whereabouts. My baby looks so lost and I will be spending the rest of my life making him well,” she wrote.

The photographer points to the power of a photo. “It’s really gratifying to see that a photograph can make a tangible difference in someone’s life. That’s a really amazing thing to have happened,” Martin said. “I’m happy and touched that the photograph could help reunite this family.”

“It was pure dumb luck how all this happened,” said Sgt. David Mancuso, the lead investigator. “It’s truly a miracle.”

It’s Snowing Sharks in Minnesota

Think that your snowman is the world’s coolest? Well, think again.

Three teens in Minnesota managed to wipe out the competition when they created a snow shark that is about tenfeet tall. Austin, Connor and Trevor Bartz of New Brighton spent around 95 hours building the mammoth creature.

(Don’t they have school in Minnesota?)

The fins and tail required a whopping ten hours!

This is not the first snow-sea creature to join the Bartz family. The three brothers began molding elaborate snow Continued on page 36

33

The Jewish Home n J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

The Jewish Home n J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

34

35

The Jewish Home n J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

The Jewish Home n

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

36

The Week sculptures in the winter several years back. During previous seasons, the teens made a giant puffer fish and a walrus.

“We like to see people’s enjoyment, and we like to see people smile, take pictures,” Connor Bartz told CBS Minnesota, adding that the activity is a good way to spend time together.

Sounds like they deserve a nice vacation on some sunny island…

Tipping for Smiles

When a diner asked for the grumpiest server in a restaurant, he couldn’t find what he asked for. He wanted to spread some joy to someone who was unhappy this season. But the hostess at the Cracker Barrel in Lincoln, Nebras-

ka, said that the eatery only had happy employees and a spirited waitress was sent to take their order.

Despite her happy demeanor before taking their order, Abigail Sailors, 18, walked away over the moon after dealing with the two men. You see, during lunch Abigail told the two customers her story—how she was tossed about in foster care, how she suffered from abuse and her first semester in Trinity Bible College. Her first semester went well, but Abigail was working to pay for her second semester and would have to continue working until she had enough money for tuition.

Well, it turns out that these diners were listening. The pair left Abigail a generous $100 tip that was split with another server in the restaurant. And then came a little miracle: one of the men revealed that he was a Trinity alumnus and pulled out his checkbook. He wrote the young student two checks — one for $5,000 to the school and another for $1,000 for whatever else she needed.

Abigail was shocked when she saw the four figures. “I couldn’t believe it.

I tried to thank them, and they said, ‘Thank G-d,’” Sailors recalled.

In News $100 tip: nice; $5,000 towards tuition: really nice; brightening the day of a hard-working girl: nicer than anyone I know.

Upside Down Stamp Surfaces in Pennsylvania

Art Van Riper read about the new batch of “inverted Jenny” stamps that were created to celebrate the 95-yearold edition of a famous postal office printing error. The stamps that were printed in 1918 featured an upside-down biplane. This year’s printing was intended to attract more people into stamp collecting. The Postal Service printed 100 sheets that featured the plane right-

side up along with the 2.2 million sheets that are an exact replica of the original.

“I needed some stamps and thought, ‘What the heck,’” Van Riper said. “I just had a feeling that maybe there would be one in Waverly.”

Initially he planned to buy just 5 sheets for $12 a sheet and then to give them to friends and family as a holiday present. But postal clerk Betty Gable convinced him to buy more. “I told him our office had 45 and he might as well buy them all,” she said. She also told him that it was very likely that the last one would probably be the one with the right-side up airplane.”

“I’ll be a son-of-a-gun, it was,” said Van Riper, who has a jewelry store and said he collects oddities ranging from baseball cards to old steins.

This is the fourth of the 100 sheets to be discovered since the USPS launched the campaign in September, USPS spokesman Mark Saunders said.

One of the four is listed at $25,000 online. Right now, though, Van Riper has no intention of selling the valuable sheet.

Among stamp collectors, the inverted Jenny, produced by a printing error,

37 The Jewish Home n J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

“I especially wish to speak in praise of the vitally important Daf HaYomi B’Halacha program that Dirshu has put into practice all over the world and is now expanding even more.”

HaGaon HaRav Yitzchok Scheiner, ‫שליט"א‬

‫ראש הישיבה ד'קמניץ‬

Gedolei Yisrael, including HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Wosner ‫שליט״א‬, the Gerrer Rebbe ‫שליט״א‬, and HaGaon HaRav Dovid Feinstein ‫שליט״א‬, among many others,

Bottom Line Marketing Group: 718.377.4567

have enthusiastically endorsed Dirshu’s Daf HaYomi B’Halacha daily program as a way to master Halacha L’Maaseh.

Thousands worldwide have benefitted greatly from Dirshu’s Daf HaYomi B’Halacha learning program.

Additionally, many Gedolei Yisrael have greatly encouraged Dirshu’s Daf HaYomi B’Halacha program as a positive and powerful response to the timely issues in Eretz Yisrael.

As the program embarks on learning ‘‫משנה ברורה חלק ו‬, now is an excellent time to join Dirshu’s Daf HaYomi B’Halacha.

Now it's easier than ever to join Dirshu’s Daf HaYomi B’Halacha, the largest daily halacha program in the world.

Listen live to shiurim on Kol Haloshon

Join LIVE shiurim worldwide!

Receive a daily e-newsletter!

Daf HaYomi B’Halacha For more information, contact Dirshu at: North America: 888-5-DIRSHU info@kolleldirshu.org Dirshu Eretz Yisrael: 02-560-9000 Dirshu Europe: +44 [0]7967 228624

At the recent Daf HaYomi B’Halacha Siyum of ‘‫משנה ברורה חלק ה‬, HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Akiva Schlessinger, shlita, Rav and Av Beis Din, Strasbourg Kehillah exclaimed:

Receive a FREE Luach!

Access shiurim any time via the Kol Haloshon Network: USA: 718-906-6400 / Canada: 416-800-2146 ENGLISH: 1 for English, 3 for Halacha, then 19 for Dirshu shiurim, 1 for Daf HaYomi B’Halacha. Then choose from selection of Daf HaYomi B’Halacha shiurim

YIDDISH: 3 for Yiddish, 3 for Halacha, 30 for Daf HaYomi B’Halacha To listen live during a shiur, press “*” from the main menu, listen and select the shiur you want

Monthly Bulletin

A printed bulletin, featuring a synopsis of the halachos covered during that time period.

Optional Bechinos

Optional monthly bechinos are available to enhance retention, with stipends awarded based on successful scores.

Daily Radio Segment Daily broadcast, featuring a synopsis of the halachos learned that day.

JRoot Radio: 97.5 FM (New York metro area) Broadcast 3 times daily at: 7am, 4pm & 7pm

“We are living in unprecedented times! The slice of bread, the very food that sustains, that gives life to avreichim and bachurim is being reduced and taken away from them.

Even worse are the designs to take them away from their Gemaras to coerce them into an atmosphere in which they cannot continue to progress in Torah and yirah. What is the eitzah? What can we do to try to neutralize these difficult gezeiros? The eitzah is to increase our learning of Torah - the antidote for all difficulties and especially to incorporate the learning of halacha into our lives.”

The entire program, featuring Rav Schlessinger, Rav Paysach Krohn, Rav Dovid Hofstedter, Rav Binyomin Eckstein and others, can be heard on:

US: 718-906-6400 Canada: 416-800-2146 Follow prompt: 1,7,4,8.

The Jewish Home n

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

38

The Week is a diamond in the rough. One sheet of 100 stamps commemorating the nation’s first airmail flight was sold. One of the stamps recently sold for $977,000, according to the Postal Service.

Robot-Creating Genius is Just 12-Years-Old

Rohan Agrawal was hired by Ted Larson, the CEO of OLogic, a successful Silicon Valley robotics firm, for a summer internship.

The reason why this is newsworthy is because Agrawal is 12-years-old. The usual candidates for the position are college or graduate students.

Larson admits that he was skeptical at first. “We had a large box of robot parts that some of the guys at Google gave us,” Larson said of Rowan’s first day at Ologic last summer. The box also contained a few laptops. “The goal was to get Linux and ROS (the Robot Operating System) up and running.”

Agrawal assembled a robot in just one day. Larson said that when he had given a similar assignment to a grad student he created a functioning robot in a few weeks. “And I was like, ‘Oh my G-d,’ what will I do with him for the summer?” Larson said. “This was Day 2.”

Larson says that Agrawal’s skills and knowledge can be compared to an adult with a PhD. How did this kid become such a whiz? Agrawal explains that he searches for instructional videos and how-tos online. “I’m self-taught,” says Agrawal. “My mom showed me Google once and I was really fascinated by it. I asked her how it works and she told me you use this thing called HTML.” By the age of 5, Agrawal had created his own website.

Move over Zuckerberg.

Couple in their 60s Runs a Marathon Every Day Janette Murray-Wakelin, 64, and her

husband Alan Murray, 68, spent 2013 fulfilling their New Year’s resolution: the couple ran a marathon every single day in the year 2013.

Their exercise regime was accompanied by a raw, vegan diet. They reportedly eat dozens of bananas a day and hope to “lead by example.” Throughout their journey, the spritely couple has been fundraising for several charities, including animal and human welfare groups.

On December 31, in Melbourne, Australia, they completed their 365th consecutive marathon. Their children and grandchildren were among the 200 onlookers waiting at the finish line to greet them. “A very emotional moment and so wonderful to see them,” they said of seeing their family. “We were quite overwhelmed with such a wonderful welcome.”

Surprisingly, Janette and Alan didn’t spend January 1 with their feet up by the fireplace eating s’mores, rather they… ran their 366th consecutive marathon(!), setting a world record.

According to couple’s website, they’ve run a total of 9,776.75 miles since they set out on their mission. “We are healthier, more physically fit and have unlimited energy at beyond 60 years of age than in our earlier years,” they wrote on their website, RunningRawAroundAustralia.com.

Wonder how many pairs of sneakers they’ve gone through.

In News to 6 ($8) euros. All kinds of treats like cupcakes are either served in plastic trays for take-out or metal bowls for onsite consumptions. Owners can enjoy a nice cup of joe while their beloved pets eat their snacks.

Business owner David Spanier, 31, had the idea for the doggy deli after finding his own canine friend could not digest pet food from supermarkets. “Junk food is bad for animals,” he pointed out.

“It’s as if I ate fast food every day. I may like it, but it’s very bad for your health.”

The store manager, Katharina Warkalla, is an animal nutrition expert and serves up portions of beef, turkey or kangaroo meat with broccoli or berries, and “carbs” such as rice, pasta or potatoes.

“The meat is of such quality that it could be safely consumed by humans,” said Spanier.

“Bark, bark,” Spot agrees.

CEO Poses as Homeless Man and Rewards Do-Gooders

This Restaurant’s for the Dogs This German restaurant is exclusively for your furry friends. The Berlin luxury eatery welcomes dogs and cats and serves them “decadent” dishes.

Pets Deli offers tasty treats for domestic animals in the upscale neighborhood of Grunewald.

Don’t expect to be offered any lunch specials; meals are priced from 3 ($4)

sales consulting firm, the Buyosphere.

Although he could have spent his holiday feasting on extravagant delicacies surrounded by family and friends, he set out on an experiment with the intention of helping others.

Wright donned the shabbiest clothes he could find and posed as a homeless man collecting money on the streets of Des Moines. The Iowa businessman braved the cold on the evening of December 24th and sat on the street corner.

But his motive was not to earn a dollar or two. Each of the 50 unsuspecting patrons that generously gave him donations were rewarded with a $10 or $100 bill from Wright.

When he finished his act of kindness, he doubled the donations he received and then gave it to a shelter.

Wright says that randomly handing out cash to do-gooders has been on his bucket list for a while now; he handed out a total of $1,000.

Along with the money he handed out to passersby was a note that read: “Thank you so much for your very kind and thoughtful donation! I live in Des Moines but I am not homeless or destitute or without a job. Instead I am here to give thanks for the many blessings in my life by paying them forward and honoring you and others who give.

Thank you so much! Please take the money in this envelope and keep it, spend it, donate it, pay it forward, whatever your heart tells you to do. All of the money donated today by you and others will be given to The Bethel Mission in Des Moines. I am also matching each donation dollar.”

Wright said, “I thought this was a way to acknowledge those who give, who do so anonymously.”

Rob Taylor, one of the residents who received the incredible goodwill gesture, said, “I was blown away…The first thing that I did was call my wife on the phone, and I could hardly talk to her on the phone. I said, ‘You wouldn’t believe what just happened to me!’”

What goes around comes around.

A Library without Books

Jonnie Wright is a successful business man; he serves as the CEO of

The most recognizable trait of a library is the endless rows of books. One Texas library bears no resemblance to any library you’ve ever seen. Rather it looks more like an Apple Store with rows and rows of Macbooks and iPads.

The librarians do not wear tweed skirts

or large plastic glasses. Instead they sport an Apple-style dress code: t-shirts with a geek-chic feel and hoodies.

Twins Born in Different Years It’s cool enough having a different birthday than your twin sibling, but how about having a different birth-year?

In Toronto, two fraternal twin sisters were also born in 2013 and in 2014, respectively. At Trillium Health Partners-Credit Valley Hospital, older sister Gabriela Salgueiro was born on December 31, 2013, at 11:52 p.m., weighing 6 pounds, 16 ounces. On January 1, 2014, at 12:00:38 a.m., younger twin Sophia Salgueiro was born, weighing 5 pounds, 13 ounces.

“They kind of got that golden tick-

et. They’ve got different birthdays,” the twins’ mother, Lindsay Salgueiro said.

“They’re going to be best friends for life. Not a bad way to end the year and not a bad a way to start the year off.”

Ice Truck Hits the Road

Canadian Tire Co. had a problem.

How can you prove to your customers that a MotoMaster Eliminator battery could withstand being frozen to -40 degrees Fahrenheit and still start a vehicle? To do just that, the company used a 2005 Chevy Silverado 2500 in Ontario, Canada. But in order to really prove their point, they took it a step further.

The Canadian retail giant decided to remove the body of the truck and rebuild it using massive blocks of ice.

With some incredible carving and inge-

nuity, the team created the Ice Truck – a fully drivable pickup made (almost) entirely from ice.

When automakers build vehicles, the material used for the bodywork must be extremely strong and as light as possible. Ice isn’t either of these things. To create the truck, 14,000 lbs. of ice was needed, causing a few problems: The truck had to be capable of managing the weight. And once you’ve found a suitable truck, how do you prevent the ice from cracking when hitting bumps and potholes?

Another problem is how to prevent the engine’s heat from melting the ice.

After a thorough inspection to ensure the Chevy’s 2005 frame was free from rust, the team proceeded to weld it rigid to prevent any unnecessary movement that would cause the ice to crack. They then prepared it to run under its own power without the body, and added extra coolant to help keep the engine from melting the ice too quickly.

After some initial testing, driving over rough roads with a few blocks of ice placed on the framework, the team deemed their modifications a success, and that the ice could withstand the bumps without fracturing. The only thing left to do was add the remainder of the ice blocks, carve it into a truck, and then drive it one mile through the town

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

Bexar County’s Bibilo Tech Library is the county’s only public library that does not have a single book. The $2.3 million library is 100% bookless yet it attracts bookworms from around the globe.

“I told our people that you need to take a look at this. This is the future,” said Mary Graham, vice president of South Carolina’s Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce. “If you’re going to be building new library facilities, this is what you need to be doing.”

Tablets are available for loan for members only. Elkholf claims that since the library opened its doors nearly four months ago they have yet to have one of their expensive tablets failed to be returned.

Although it sounds like an expensive investment, in reality running a bookless library is not all that more costly than a book library. Firstly, a technology library requires much less space than traditional libraries. Secondly, the 10,000-title digital collection can be purchased for the same price as physical copies. Additionally, the library saved money on architecture because the building did not need to be designed to accommodate thousands of printed books. “If you have bookshelves, you have to structure the building so it can hold all of that weight,” Elkholf said.

“Books are heavy, if you’ve ever had one fall on your foot.”

College campuses have seen all-digital libraries before but according to the American Library Association, BibilioTech is the first bookless public library system in the country.

A library without books. That’s like a school without students.

As the calendars changed from 2013 to 2014, two mothers were giving birth to two of the last babies of ‘13 and two of the first babies of ‘14. On December 31, 2013, at 11:58 p.m., Yaleni Santos Tohalino gave birth to baby girl Lorraine Yaleni Begazo, who weighed at 6 pounds, 4.9 ounces, at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, in Washington, D.C. Soon after, her twin brother, Brandon Ferdinando Begazo, was born on January 1, 2014, at 12:01 a.m., weighing at 5 pounds, 10.4 ounces.

In News

The Jewish Home n

The Week

39

The Jewish Home n

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

40

The Week of Hensall, Ontario, to set a potential world record for the first self-propelled ice creation to drive.

The process of making and driving an ice truck is impressive. But what’s perhaps more impressive is the attention to detail: things like an air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror. It

M A T T R E S S E S

even has working lights.

With the ice truck built, Canadian Tire succeeded in its mission, driving about a mile while averaging 12 mph.

It has now submitted its efforts to Guinness to become officially recognized as the world’s first drivable ice vehicle.

After a week like this one, I hope

In News they had some good heating.

Baby Born on Skype

Like many expectant fathers, Daniel Rasik wanted to be present for the birth of his baby. What makes his story a little different? He was 7,500 miles away at the time.

Eclipse

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

...If you want to sleep tight,

Sleeptight.

www.sleeptightbedding.com

5211 New Utrecht Ave. | Brooklyn, New York | 718.438.3933 126 Cedarhurst Ave. | Cedarhurst, New York | 516.792.1191

Thanks to an iPad and Skype, the 29-year-old Army sergeant, who is currently deployed in Afghanistan, was able to support his wife, Genevieve, before and during her Caesarean section and see his new son come into the world last month. ”It really felt like he was there,” Genevieve Rasik, 27, said.

“When I looked to my left, I saw my husband and, he was saying, ‘You can do it,’ and talking me through it. It was incredible.”

The experience was one that Rasik didn’t think was possible after her initial visit to Martin Medical Center in Stuart, Florida. “When I went in for a tour of the hospital, they made it very clear that no cameras or video cameras were allowed in the operating room or the delivery room,” she says. “I left the tour extremely sad and upset.” She voiced her concern to her doctor, Pete Papapanos, at her next prenatal appointment. “He said, ‘We are going to make this work,’” recalls Rasik. “We are so grateful for everything he did for us in helping to facilitate this.”

Hospital spokesperson Scott Samples explained that videotaping or photographing of a delivery is against hospital policy. However, “this was a unique circumstance and we were able to work with the physician to allow the father to be there virtually for the birth of his child.” This was only the second time the hospital made an exception and allowed Skype to be used during a delivery.

According Rasik, her husband was present on Skype while she got ready for her scheduled C-section early one morning and stayed with her for most of the day, until about 3 p.m.During the delivery, Rasik’s mom was in the operating room and held the iPad. “As soon as they were pulling the baby out, they told my mom she could stand up so my husband was able to see them lift the baby up,” says Rasik. “It was like Dan was in the room the whole time.”

41 The Jewish Home n J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

Winter Clearance

SALE Going On Now!

f f O % 0 6 o t p U ! e s i d n a h c r e M Select 85 Elderd Lane Cedarhurst NY 11516 516.812.9052 • (718)327-give(4483) • donate327give@yahoo.com Store Hours: Sun. 11-5, Mon. & Tues. 11-5:30, Wed. 11-7, Thurs. 11-5:30, Fri. 11-1 Daily accepting donations of upscale and designer apparel and accessories as well as free pick-up for furniture donations!

Get a tax-deductable receipt while helping others! PLUM benefits The Rabenstein Learning Center and Weiss Vocational Program.

The Jewish Home n

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

42

Around the MAY Volunteers at Masbia Soup Kitchen Mesivta Ateres Yaakov believes strongly in developing its talmidim into well-rounded b’nei Torah. As such, chesed is not simply an extracurricular activity – it is part and parcel of the limudei kodesh curriculum. Opportunities for chesed abound both in-house and outside of the four walls of the Mesivta.

Recently, three shiurim from MAY visited Masbia to assist in their incredible work.

Masbia is a very unique food pantry, providing hot, nutritious meals for hundreds of New Yorkers in desperate need of food daily. They also distribute bags of much-needed groceries every week to those in need. Masbia works to not only feed the hungry, but to provide free, wholesome, and delicious meals for people in a restaurant-style environ-

LOCAL NEWS

Community On Motzei Shabbos, the Agudah of Bayswater held their annual melave malka. The guest speaker was Rabbi Henoch Teller, who spoke before large gathering about Rav Nossin Tzvi Finkel zt”l. Pictured here is Mr. Larry Brodsky, President of the Agudah of Bayswater; Rabbi Menachem Feifer, Mara D’asra’ and Rabbi Henoch Teller.

ment, with volunteer waiters serving each person with respect and dignity.

Rabbis Manoach Gelbfish and Yehoshua Robinson, with their 11th grade shiurim, and Rabbi Yehuda Orlansky with his 12th grade shiur, traveled twice to Brooklyn where talmidim assisted in everything from preparing, packagPhoto Credit: Ivan H Norman ing and serving food, to unloading the stockroom and loading delivery trucks.

“I honestly had never heard of Masbia before we got involved,” commented one talmid. “I was amazed at how much work and effort goes into such an organization and I think we were all really proud of being a part of it.”

Kudos to Rabbi Shlomo Drebin, Following up healthy, responsible Director of Student Activities at MAY, on the highly succhildren committed who worked closely with the Masbia cessful parentto a Torah lifestyle. staff to arrange the project. ing workshops at Specific topics include its 92nd NationOvercoming the Fear al Convention, of Saying “No”; SibAgudath Israel of ling Rivalry, and FosAmerica will be tering Independence, sponsoring a workamong others. Many shop for parents in questions have already Queens on Tuesbeen received from day, January 14, parents, but members at 8:00 pm. The of the audience will event will be held be invited to submit Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetsky in the auditorium their queries as well. of Yeshiva Central Some of the topics that Queens. have been suggested Entitled “Parinclude encouraging enting Perplexifiscal responsibility, ties: Your Quesnurturing sensitivity tions Answered,” to the needs of oththe workshop will ers, and maximizing focus on the chalfamily time to devellenges of parentop Torah values and Dr. Benzion Sorotzkin ing in the modern a love of Yiddishkeit. world.

Featured Questions can be panel members emailed in advance to will be Rabbi Morquestions@agudathisdechai Kamenetzrael.org or texted to ky, Dean, Yeshiva (732)641-0643.

Toras Chaim South “Both the question Shore; Dr. Benzion and answer format and Sorotzkin, clinithe subject matter of cal psychologist; the parenting workand Rabbi Yosef shop at the convention Viener, Rav, Conwere extremely well gregation Shaar received,” says NechHashomayim, emiah Hoch, memMonsey. ber of the Lefkowitz Rabbi Yosef Viener The discussion Leadership Initiative, will focus on a Queens committee. range of issues that are universal and “We are excited to be able to bring this encompass the daily dilemmas that to our local community and continue confront parents as they strive to raise the conversation.”

The Conversation Continues – Agudath Israel to Present Panel Discussion in “Parenting Perplexities”

NEWS

The Makos Come to Life in the TAG Kindergarten

Tifereth Moshe Students Write the President ing their feelings about his decision.

These letters were mailed to the president. Through this reading and writing project, the boys developed a variety of reading and writing skills: discovering the meanings of words in context, determining the main idea of an article, writing letters in business letter form, writing to convince or persuade, and learning how to revise.

Many of the boys were delighted and surprised when they received White House replies to their letters. Mr. Brodsky was delighted that this practical assignment seemed to motivate so many students.

By Arielle Spern The TAG kindergarten girls had a chance to experience the makos in a fun, hands-on way this week. The hallway was decorated with murals of the makos made by each class. The classes joined together to tell the story, sing songs, and every girl had a chance to taste and feel the makos! For example, they had red and blue jello for makkas dam, “looked for kinim” by finding chocolate chips in rice, and ran around the

gym pretending to be Paroah looking for Moshe during makkas bechoros.

The girls all enjoyed learning about the makos in this exciting way!

Internet Awareness Night at Yeshiva of South Shore On Monday night, in the frigid cold, the parents of Yeshiva of South Shore gathered together for an Internet Awareness night. Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky, Rosh Yeshiva, opened the evening with words of welcome and chizuk. He spoke about the prohibition of breaking the bone of the Korban Pesach and how it teaches us that we limit ourselves even with a good thing. The internet, which has many positive aspects, needs to be limited.

Rabbi Avraham Fridman, Associate Principal, discussed the concept of how hachodesh hazeh lachem teaches us that the Jewish nation is not subject to happenstance and the fate of our surroundings. As members of klal Yisroel we must take control of the situation and guide our children appropriately.

The featured speaker of the evening, Rabbi Norman Lowenthal, M.Ed., LMSW, gave a presentation covering all of the dangers our children face on the

internet and what we, as parents, must do to protect our precious neshamos.

Earlier in the day, Rabbi Lowenthal spent time with all of the boys in the mechina discussing Internet safety, their perspectives, and what they know goes on in the cyber-world. He then shared what he learned from the boys with the parents; the most important point was that the children want their parents to guide them and set limits.

The entire hanhallah and parent body left the evening with the warmth of knowing that we stand together as a family in providing our children with the proper Torah guidance in how to live in today’s digital age. The yeshiva, together with a group of dedicated parents, will continue working together to provide the entire YOSS family with proper resources and forums where these issues can be discussed and guidance provided.









  

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

Writing assignments for middle school students are often more meaningful and interesting when they are connected to world events.

Mr. Brodsky decided, therefore, to have grades 7 and 8 of Tifereth Moshe read about, discuss, and write about the conflict that was still raging in Syria in August and September, 2013.

On September 9, 2013, the boys read and discussed President Obama’s August 31, 2013 speech dealing with the conflict in Syria. Once they were aware of the president’s decision about the Syrian situation, the boys were assigned to write letters to the president express-

Community

43 The Jewish Home n

Around the

LOCAL

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

44

Shimmy and Simmy Reg. Watches $15.00

$2 .99

The Jewish Home n

All Styles

C

T

THE LOSEOU CONNECTION CC UPSCALE CLOSEOUTS

Longchamp Glasses All Sizes Set of 4

516.218.2211 Reg. $36.00

$17. 99

White Ramekins

134 Washington Ave. CEDARHUST, NY 11516

Set of 4

UPSCALE

Reg. $12.00

Large

$4 .99

Next door to CVS, in the Gourmet Glatt parking lot

Small

$3 .99

Over the Door Mirror

STORE HOURS: M.-W. 10:00-8:00 Th. 10:00-9:00 F. 10:00-3:00 S. 10:00-7:00

All Colors

Reg. $30.00

$14. 99

Three Piece Mirror Set Beveled Edge

Reg. $20.00

$9. 99

3 Tier Clothes Dryer

Visit us at our other locations 4518 13th Ave. Brooklyn, NY 718.854.2595 50 Court St. Brooklyn, NY 718.625.6677 1091 River Ave. Lakewood, NJ 732.364.8822

Reg. $35.00

$19.99 Quantities may vary according to store location • No rainchecks • Not responsible for typographical errors

45 The Jewish Home n J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

YOUR SONS PHOTO HERE

rgrossmandesign@gmail.com

For a

reserve

E YOUR spot R U T C I P on OUR T C E F PER wall of fame!

R E M SUM D EARLY BIRL !

SPECIA

RD 3 , H ENDS MARC $100 OFF

Be a part of it!

718. 868.2300 ext.233 www.simchadaycamp.com

The Jewish Home n

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

46

Around the

LOCAL NEWS

Community

Teaching the Teachers – Project LEARN Offers Workshop on Special Education Services A workshop was held for preschool and elementary school educators at Yeshiva Darchei Torah in Far Rockaway last Tuesday. The workshop, delivered

by Mrs. Leah Steinberg, Director of

Project LEARN, Special Education Affairs of Agudath Israel of America, was conducted at the request of the administration. It focused on the process of obtaining services, navigating the special

EPA Certified

Yisroel Chervony

education process, and understanding which services are available to meet the needs of students. Approximately 80 teachers, principals, and resource room directors attended.

With special education and government services an ever-changing, rapidly evolving world, any yeshiva, even with the best of intentions, may not be sufficiently aware of the newest policies and regulations. They can find, through no fault of their own, that they fail to meet the needs of some of their most sensitive students. Even those that are au courant can still miss nuances or small details that can make all the difference. In addition to its ongoing advocacy on behalf of yeshivos and Bais Yaakovs, Project LEARN attempts to act as a resource for those schools to ensure that they avail themselves of services and design appropriate programs tailored to the students’ individual needs.

Rabbi Yaakov Bender, Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshiva Darchei Torah, said, “Mrs. Steinberg brought her great expertise to the halls of Yeshiva Darchei Torah and we are most grateful.”

“I found the workshop to be an extremely inspiring experience,” said Mrs. Steinberg. “Here was a room full of people, totally devoted to their students, wanting nothing more than to see them succeed, and willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen.”

Project LEARN, a division of Agudath Israel of America, advocates on behalf of special needs students in yeshivos and nonpublic schools, serves as a liaison between the schools and government agencies and offers schools and parents assistance in obtaining appropriate placement and services for their students.

47

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

cas h in

The Jewish Home n

ize to maxiim your m les

EXCHANGE join our thousands of satisfied customers

732.367.MILE

MILEs@ahExchangE.nEt [ 6 4 5 3 ] c o rp o r at e

WE BUY MILES & CREDIT CARD POINTS

a c c o u n t s

w e l c o m e

GREAT RATES | IMMEDIATE PAY | SIMPLIFIED PROCESS

DELTA • UNITED • AMEX • STARWOOD • AIR CANADA • CHASE REWARDS • & MORE

The Jewish Home n

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

48

Around the Community Bais Tefila of Inwood…The Next Phase Bais Tefila of Inwood launched its fifth anniversary dinner campaign this week to honor two leading families of the kehilla: Yossi and Leah Fischler and Nussie and Rachelli Tempelman.

Over the past five years, the shul has and continues to experience healthy and steady growth, emerging as a leading community for young bnei Torah. Led by their rav, Rabbi Pinchus Weinberger, the shul and community look to build off the success of the past and continue m’chayil el chayil for future growth.

As the Shul pays tribute to the past, they turn to their two honorees this year for leadership and inspiration. Yossi and Leah Fischler have lived in Inwood for nearly two years and from day one have emerged as not only pillars of chesed but eager to take the lead in many projects to successful completion. Nussie and Rachelli Tempelman are two active

leaders in our community often leading by example behind the scenes and out of the limelight. Nussie has been the shul’s gabbai for over a year and continues to lead the shul with alacrity and an always cheerful countenance. Both of the honorees are prime examples of the families moving into and living in Inwood committed to the Torah ideals of gemilus chassadim and limud haTorah.

The shul takes great pride in inviting the entire Far Rockaway and Five Towns community to embrace the Inwood community as the emerging destination of choice for young bnei Torah to grow roots and flourish. Come join us as we embark on the next phase...

The fifth Annual Dinner will take place on March 2, 2014 at the Inwood County Club. For more information, please visit our website at www.inwoodshul.com.

Glick’s Cooking Spray is a Must-Have in Every Modern Kitchen People who think sautéing and frying with oil must by nature be fattening and messy, have a thing or two to learn.

And they certainly haven’t come across Glick’s Cooking Spray, a versatile addition to every chef’s cabinet. It’s the can that gives you the all-natural oil without the disadvantages.

Traditionally, cooks used butter, shortening and oils to both fry and prevent food from sticking to cookware and bakeware. With the introduction of oil in a spray can, life has become infinitely easier. Instead of using way too much oil to fry your omelet, simply spray a fine mist of Glick’s Cooking Spray on your pan and watch your eggs sizzle contentedly and slide easily out of the pan. Stop wasting time on buttering Bundt pans and muffin tins when a fine spray of mist from Glick’s Cooking Spray will work the same wonders a lot faster.

While the practical aspects of a high quality cooking spray are above reproach, the calorie content is another important factor to consider. Since the spray allows you to apply a very thin film

of oil to any surface, there is virtually no fat content added to your food. In addition, you will find a variety of useful purposes for Glick’s Cooking Spray in your kitchen. Coating the inside of a measuring cup with the spray allows sticky substances such as honey or peanut butter to pour out more easily and vegetables may be sprayed before seasoning to make the spices stick better. They are available in Canola oil, Vegetable oil, Olive oil, and Baking Spray with flour. All things considered, if you don’t yet have a Glick’s Cooking Spray handy, you should definitely include it in your next shopping trip.

Gllick’s Finest carries an extensive line of high-quality food products, all under the hashgacha of OU and Hisachdus. Their premium product line includes canned good, barbeque sauces, natural fruit preserves, baking products such as pie crusts, oils and puddings, and staple groceries like peanut butter and salt, to name a few. Attractively packaged and always fresh and tasty, Glick’s products certainly have “Quality you can taste.”

IF F YOU YOU A ARE RE IN IN PA PAIN AIN F FROM ROM Y YOUR OUR W WORKOUT, ORKOUT, Lea n important Learn Lear impo im p rt rtan ant te techniques ech chniqu ques e o on n stre strengthening eng ngthen enin i g yo your b body ody od and d conditioning c nd co ndit itio i ni ning ng you ourr mu usc scles, s o yo ou st s ay y ffit i ... iin it n a he heal a th hy w wa y! y your muscles, so you stay healthy way!

wee a w also lso ttreat reat re

S Sciatica cia atica  N Neck eck P Pain ain n  A Achiness chiness 

FOLLOW U FOLL US S@

L Lower ower B Back ack P Pain ain n  S Shoulder houllderr P Pain ain  G General ene erall D Discomfort iscomfort 

Dr Libby Dr. Libb bby y Zlotnick Zlot otni nick P (5 (516) 516 16)) 50 500-1864 000-18 1 64 E Dr DrLibbyZ@Gmail.com D Liibb bbyZ y @G @Gma m ill.c .com o

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

CALL C ALL THE THE C CHIROPRACTOR! HIR ROPRACTOR!

The Jewish Home n

injured exercising? while

49

The Jewish Home n

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

50

Around the

LOCAL NEWS

Community

Rambam Mesivta’s 3rd Annual Tefillah Week: Praying with Fire Rambam Mesivta 3rd Annual “Tefillah Week: Rerouting the Routine,” capped off an amazing first half of the school year. The program included guest scholars-in-residence, inspiring words from Rambam’s rebbeim, exciting activities to enhance the appreciation and understanding of tefillah and concluded with an All-Night-Learn-AThon and vasikin minyan.

The entire mesivta davened together on Monday and then were treated to an engaging dvar Torah from guest speaker Rabbi Steven Burg, Eastern Director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. He urged everyone to recognize, that “the direct opposite of spirituality is cynicism and sarcasm” and to focus on “allowing yourself to pray.” Rabbi Burg then met with each grade individually for question and answer sessions.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the entire school davened Shacharis by shiur in separate classrooms to allow for reflection discussions on davening. Part of the thought-process behind Tefillah Week is to get out of the routine that can

be detrimental to davening, so by changing the setting of the regular tefillah, the frame of mind is changed as well. The whole school davened Mincha together on a daily basis and, during the course of the week, heard tefillah-related divrei Torah from Mr. Hillel Goldman, Rabbi Yitzie Werblowsky, Rabbi Avi Haar, and Rabbi Yosef Ziskind.

On Tuesday, the talmidim were asked to set up “Davening Chavrusahs,” a new concept that applies the concept of a learning chavrusah with that of davening. It begins with a handwritten letter that was mailed to the student’s chavrusah offering words of chizuk and inspiration. Once that letter is received, the response back is a text message or email that will begin a life-long back and forth of encouragement and inspiration that will allow the davener to have someone act as his chavrusah urging him to consistently take his davening to the next level.

Wednesday also saw an innovative method of improving kavanah in davening: Students created their own dav-

ening bookmarks that featured translations and personal connections related to davening and Hashem’s greatness.

The idea is that the talmidim focused on particular tefillah and visualized the meaning of the prayer and they should strive to this for every portion of davening, allowing the tefillos to come alive.

Thursday featured Scholar-in-Residence Rabbi Aryeh Lightstone, Regional Director of NCSY New York, who focused on praying with zerizut, enthusiasm, and not being self-conscious about davening.

Tefillah Week concluded with a night of All-Night-Learning featuring shiurim from Rosh Mesivta, Rabbi Zev Meir Friedman, Rabbi Haar, Rabbi Jonathan Muskat, Rabbi Ziskind, and Rabbi Aryeh Young. The night also featured basketball time in the gym, Dunkin Donuts coffee, hot cocoa and donuts, and midnight cholent and kugel.

The highlight of the night for many, however, was the siyum on Masechet Ketubot, accomplished by senior Menachem Freedman. The proud parents

were there as Menachem set the tone for the evening with an inspired Hadron. The siyum was followed by singing and dancing and the appreciation of learning, davening, and the pursuit of enhancing learning and davening.

As the talmidim left school and the day began for so many, there was a palpable feeling that Tefillah Week would extend beyond the week and that in some ways, it was only beginning.

NEWS

51

Community Photo Credit: BTP Photos

The Blau family of Far Rockaway and friends enjoyed last week’s snow day and frolicked in the snow in front of their home.

The Jewish Home n

Around the

LOCAL

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

Shmuel Blau delights in the snowy atmosphere

Efraim & Shmuel Blau make a snow fort

Father-Daughter Learning at Shalhevet

Chava Blau, Rivka Blau, S.R. Mandel & friends enjoying the winter wonderland

Zehava Schechter, Esq., TJH Columnist, Hosts Radio Program SyReal Radio, http://syrealradio. com/, is a new online Jewish Radio Station based in Brooklyn, New York. The station showcases a variety of topics which are entertaining and informative, including fashion, sports, health and fit-

It was bring-your-father-to-school day on December 25 at Midreshet Shalhevet for their annual Lunch n’ Learn

program. The students and their fathers filled up the ballroom as they were treated to a delicious buffet from Carlos and Gabby’s.

The learning program began with Rabbi Weil, Executive Vice President of the OU, conveying the importance of our dedication to Medinat Yisroel and Am Yisroel. Rabbi Weil’s presentation, “The Anatomy of the World’s First BDS Movement,” captured everyone’s atten-

tion as he delved into the importance of protecting Israel. The girls and their fathers then broke off into chavrusa learning to review the hagaddah sources that Rabbi Weil was referencing. Rabbi Weil then took the floor by bringing down more sources and further relaying the connection between the methods of slavery used in Mitzrayim, the Holocaust, and the response of the American Jews to BDS. BDS, which stands for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions, is a global campaign that puts economic and political pressure on Israel to allow full equality for the Arab-Palestinians in Israel. Rabbi Weil stressed the importance of advocating for a strong Israel, which Midreshet Shalhevet fully supports.

Midreshet Shalhevet would like to thank Rabbi Weil for his phenomenal presentation, all of the fathers that participated, and the Women’s League for arranging this wonderful event.

We’d Like to Hear From You Please send all correspondence to:

editor@ fivetownsjewishhome.com.

ness, cooking, news, comedy, and Torah topics. The list of topics continues to grow. As a community-centered station, we welcome your input and participation. Zehava Schechter, Esq., of The Jewish Home’s “Ask the Attorney” column is your host for a program of the same name on Wednesday evenings from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. The program will discuss legal issues and field questions from listeners on subjects including Real Estate, Estate Planning and Administration, Tax, Torts/Personal Injury, Matrimonial law, and other areas of the law. Roman Aminov, Esq., a regular contributor to The Jewish Home’s “Ask the Attorney” column will be the special guest on January 15, 2014’s program and will discuss “Medicaid Facts, Tips, and Planning Advice.”

For more information on this exciting radio station, please contact Dovid at info@syrealradio.com.

52 J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

Around the

LOCAL NEWS

Community

The Jewish Home n

Rav Oelbaum Joins MAY Father-Son Yom Iyun

Rav Noach Isaac Oelbaum, shlita, addressing the crowd of over 300

This past January 1st, Mesivta Ateres Yaakov hosted a wonderful, well-attended Yom Iyun for MAY fathers and sons,which featured HaRav Noach Isaac Oelbaum, shlit”a as guest speaker. Rav Oelbaum, the Rav of Kahal Nachlas Yitzchak in Kew Gardens Hills, is a noted speaker, author and posek.

Rabbi Moshe Sokoloff addressing fathers in attendance

The event allowed dozens of fathers to attend inspiring shiurim and have quality learning time with their sons on their day off from work. The crowd of over 300 heard Rav Oelbaum’s inspiring message of sons continuing the traditions of their fathers and developing a real sense of ahavas haTorah.

Rabbi Yossi Bennett, assistant menahel, and Rav Oelbaum, shlita

Fathers were also privileged to attend an interactive shiur delivered by Rabbi Moshe Sokoloff, 12th grade rebbe at MAY and popular community speaker, on the topic of Snow in Halacha, a timely subject with the recent blizzard.

“The students really appreciate hearing from exciting guest speakers,” com-

mented Rabbi Yossi Bennett, assistant menahel, who organized the Yom Iyun.

“It is particularly noteworthy when we are able to hear from an adam gadol like Rav Oelbaum, shlit”a, a world renowned talmid chochom and Torah personality.”

DRS Students and Parents Study Emunah at DRS Yom Iyun Parents and students alike were inspired by this year’s annual DRS Yom Iyun entitled “Learning about ‘The One’ on One/One”. The program focused on the concept of emunah, as well as its practical applications in life. “The purpose of the Yom Iyun is to give the parents and children an opportunity to learn together in a meaningful way,” said Judaic studies principal Rabbi Elly Storch. “For everybody to learn together

about emunah is a great way to receive inspiration,” he added.

The day commenced with Shacharit, followed by a scrumptious breakfast.

Students and parents then chose from an array of shiurim by DRS rebbeim on topics related to emunah, including proofs for G-d’s existence, why G-d allows bad things to happen to good people, the balance between hishtadlus and emunah, the authenticity of the

Torah, hashgacha pratit, and more. The shiurim were interesting, inspirational, and enjoyable for both the students and parent body.

The event’s keynote speaker was Rabbi Moshe Weinberger, the rabbi of Cong. Aish Kodesh in Woodmere and mashpia (spiritual mentor) in Yeshiva University, who spoke on the topic of “Living with Emunah.” Rabbi Weinberger spoke about believing in oneself

and knowing who you are, as students and parents were captivated by his inspirational words. “It was nice to have a program that involves both parents and children,” said sophomore Josh Kantrowitz, who attended the program with his father. “I felt that Rabbi Weinberger’s speech was very interesting and inspiring,” he added.

Humility in Marriage

By David Steiner, MD each spouse to show honor, love and care to the other, and not for us to be stuck up and only thinking about ourselves. A marriage where each spouse only thinks of himself is doomed to failure, because there can’t be a relationship in such a situation.

Generally, people are not absolutely haughty, and therefore, marriages can continue to thrive even though one or both spouses may have the trait of haughtiness, as the trait will only surface some of the time. The goal, though, should be to eradicate the trait completely.

One way to eradicate this trait is to think about how dependent we are. Every person is born a tiny baby, incapable of survival if not for the goodwill of others and the kindness of those around him. As we grow older we still continuously require kindness and goodwill so that we can survive and flourish.

Health, money, a roof over our heads, children, shidduchim; it all comes about through Hashem’s will. It’s only

by His decree that we cross the street safely, and it’s only by His will that we continue to exist. The more we think thoughts like these, the easier it will be to feel humble and eradicate feelings of haughtiness. When we are not stuck up and full of ourselves others will find it pleasurable to be in our company.

Through working on this trait we will see how we can become a better spouse and a better servant of Hashem.

Five Towns Marriage Initiative provides educational programs, workshops and referrals to top marriage therapists. FTMI will help offset counseling costs when necessary and also runs an anonymous shalom bayis hotline for the entire community Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 10:00-11:00 p.m.

For the hotline or more information, call 516-430-5280 or email dsgarry@msn.com.

Looking to Enhance Your Tu B’Shevat Table?

See Naomi Nachman’s delicious ideas on page 96

Community

Rabbi Yankelewitz’s first grade Yeshiva Darchei Torah class took a trip to Tiferes Stam in Brooklyn this week to meet with Rabbi Zvi Chaim Pincus to learn more about the mitzvah of tefillin and the mitzvah of writing a sefer Torah.

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

Ideally a person should view himself as Hashem’s servant, here to bring glory to Hashem’s name. He should look at his talents and ask how he can use them to serve Hashem better, since clearly, they were given to him for that purpose. He should view his belongings as that which Heaven bestowed him to safeguard and disperse with as Hashem would see fit.

There is a gemara in Moed Kattan that tells over what took place in the king’s inner chambers before the destruction of the Holy Temple. The king was Yehoyakim, and his servants came before him with a scroll written by the prophet Yirmiyah. They began to read from the scroll and recount what was destined to occur to the Jewish nation. After each verse, Yehoyakim commented, “I am king.” Rashi explains there that Yehoyakim was stating that all the bad things that would happen were of no concern to him, since he would still rule. Only when it came to the verse that described how enemies of the Jews would take over and rule, did Yehoyakim get upset. He then ordered that the names of Hashem be cut out of the scroll and thrown into the flames.

Yehoyakim’s attitude seems foolish in hindsight. He could have aroused his nation to repentance, and prevented all that was predicted from coming into being. But he was so full of himself that he could not see past his own kingdom and rule. We can act this way too at times. We can make silly errors in judgment, because we are too full of ourselves to look at the full picture. The trait of haughtiness is a trait that blinds a person. Our Sages say that the desire for honor can literally bring a person to his destruction. We see this countless times throughout history, but it’s much harder to come to terms with this trait within us and battle it properly.

This is a big key in marriage. Instead of making everything all about us, think to make it all about Hashem’s will. Hashem’s will in a marriage is for

NEWS

53 The Jewish Home n

Around the

LOCAL

The Jewish Home n

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

54

Around the

LOCAL NEWS

Community

Double the Responsibility, Double the Results When Chani Herrmann was eightyears-old, she began a 10-year run at Camp Hillel in Swan Lake, NY, seven years as a camper and three on staff. Now, years later, having established herself as a wife, mother of four and a well-respected professional with Yachad, the Orthodox Union’s agency for those with disabilities, Chani returns to her roots to become program director for Yachad at Camp Mesorah in upstate Guilford, NY. Camp Mesorah is one of the many camps – both sleepaway and day camps – in which Yachad members are mainstreamed into the camp program, either as campers or staff members. They are assisted by shadows for the campers and job coaches for the vocational staff.

Chani will oversee all aspects of their program from working with the campers, staff members, shadows and coaches, to coordinating with the many parts of the camp. At present, Chani, who has earned the social work degree of LMSW, is director of New Jersey Yachad. She is performing her responsibilities for both positions simultaneously and will move to the camp with her family (with her husband coming on weekends) during the summer.

“I’ve always been excited about Yachad summer programs, and many New Jersey kids go there,” Mrs. Herrmann says.

“Yachad,” the flagship program of the Orthodox Union’s National Jewish Council for Disabilities (NJCD), provides unique social, educational and recreational programs for individuals with learning, developmental and physical disabilities with the goal of their Inclusion in the total life of the Jewish community.

Campers will range from 8-16 and vocational staff from 21-35. Those who will work with them are hired from 12th grade graduates and up. The camp season begins June 26 with staff orientation, with the first session opening on June 30 followed by the second session on July 28. Camp ends on August 18. This will be Yachad’s fourth summer at Camp Mesorah, with enrollment increasing every year.

Chani responded to a request from Dr. Jeffrey Lichtman, International Director of Yachad, to take on the summer position. As Dr. Lichtman explained, “With over 20 summer programs, as the largest provider of inclusive and special needs summer programs, it is vital that we have the best professionals leading these programs. Given our continuous and sky-rocketing growth we need to employ our best staff to do ‘double duty.’

As a dynamic and highly competent professional, Chani fits the bill, and given

the importance of our expanding program at Mesorah, there are few people better suited to well-manage the many aspects of the complex program at the camp.”

Dr. Joe Goldfarb, Yachad’s Director of Summer Programs, hailed the Yachad/Camp Mesorah partnership. “Camp Mesorah has been and continues to be a great partner with Yachad.

They are dedicated to the value of including individuals with disabilities in all parts of the camp. We look forward to continuing our growth at Mesorah with Chani Herrmann at the helm.”

Rabbi Ari Katz, Director of Camp Mesorah, looks forward to another summer with a Yachad delegation at camp.

“Yachad has always played an integral role in the Camp Mesorah family and experience,” he said. “Yachad was the first to establish an integrated program and year after year, Mesorah campers and staff request Yachad campers to join them in their bunks. Our greatest joy is to see the lifetime friendships established each summer and the s’machot (celebrations) that are shared within and out of our camp.”

Chani Herrmann will play a direct role in encouraging those friendships and celebrations.

“I’ll be overseeing everything related to Yachad and Mesorah, both the adult vocational program and the shadow program,” Chani says. The shadows are hired on the basis of one per child, and both sleep in a mainstream bunk, with one Yachad member and shadow per bunk. The children take part in the regular camp program, although as Mrs. Herrmann explains, extra enrichment can be provided as well to help the child adjust and develop. “I will be actively involved with every child and staff member, speaking with the parents, interacting with all the Camp Mesorah staff, addressing challenges, planning, sensitizing them, making sure that everything is as inclusive as possible.”

A typical Yachad day will be “just like for any other camper – sports, learning, arts & crafts, night activities, but with extra support. It is very individualized. If a child needs extra time away from the bunk, we can accommodate that,” she explains. Put another way, as Dr. Lichtman says, “Chani and her team together with Mesorah will provide a one of a kind camping experience that provides fun and friendship for everyone!”

There are still a few openings for this summer. For information or to register, go to yachadsummer@ou.org or call 212-613-8369.

SKA Production ’13: Dazzling Dreams By: Tehilah Ebrani, 12th Grade After months of practice and hard work, production, one of the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls’ most exciting events of the year, finally arrived! On motzei Shabbat, December 28 and Sunday afternoon and Sunday evening, December 29, SKA students were able to get on stage and show what they have been working so hard on since the beginning of the school year. “Dreams,” the theme of production this year, began with the choir heads singing the American and Israeli national anthems; inspiring harmonies from the choir, beautifully crafted dances, reflective musical drama and hysterically funny comedy drama all highlighted this year’s staging. The sign language classes sang and signed on a dark stage; the fluorescent gloves they wore lent an otherworldly effect. The SKA Band,

with girls playing violins, flute, guitar, drums and piano, was outstanding!

Every student involved in this year’s

experience. All three shows were sold out and the auditorium was filled with family members, friends, and the SKA

production, in whatever capacity, really had her moment to shine! Since over 200 girls participate in production, connections were formed across the grades, making production a wonderful bonding

faculty who all came to watch the magnificent shows and cheer for the students.

Each show ended with a “finale” where all the girls of production all came back on stage and sang the theme song.

This year’s production was really one of the best ones yet and a huge success. A special thank you goes to Mrs. Terri Wagner, SKA’s “First Lady of SKA Theatre,” who has been leading the SKA production for 18 years!

Mrs. Helen Spirn, SKA’s Head of School, notes with pride, “So many girls shone on the stage with heightened confidence and enjoyment. Our senior heads displayed amazing leadership and teamwork and the backstage technical crew worked so hard to ensure that every performance ran smoothly.

The dedication and commitment all these students displayed was amazing; what an incredible outlet for our students’ self expression and creativity!”

SKA production 2013 was a dream come true!

NEWS

Community

Bais Yaakov of Queens Preschool’s Pen Pal Experience with a child from the other school. They concentrate intently as they describe themselves, their likes and dislikes, and their families, all the while using phonetic spelling (writing words the way they sound). Noticeable improvement occurs in the girls’ writing skills and spelling abilities as the girls write to their pen pals and develop a relationship with them. At the end of the year, the girls have a much-anticipated “meet and greet” trip with their pen pals.

This year, one of the classes was fascinated when they found out that their pen pals don’t have hollow blocks and don’t even know what they are. Seizing the teachable moment, the morah

Fruity HANC Rosh Chodesh Celebrations In honor of Rosh Chodesh Shevat and the upcoming Rosh Hashana l’ilanos, fifth and sixth graders at HANC’s Samuel & Elizabeth Bass Golding Elementary School made beautiful fruit salad “martinis”! Pineapple chunks, mandarin oranges, kiwis, pomegranate seeds and craisins were layered artistically in the girls’ champagne glasses. A review of the brachot

on these fruits and which fruit gets the first bracha led to all of the girls happily eating their “martinis!” L’chaim and chodesh tov!

asked the children how they would like to describe hollow blocks. First, the children brought hollow blocks into the classroom and compared them to their familiar unit blocks in the block area.

They noticed how they are the same and how they are different. They wrote back to their pen pals, “Hollow blocks are big wood blocks that you can build with outside.” “But why are they called hollow blocks?” asked their teacher. This led to a won-

derful discussion about a new word, hollow! The children, finally, figured out that they are called hollow because you can see through them. In addition to describing hollow blocks to their pen pals the children came up with the idea of taking pictures of some of their constructions using hollow blocks so that their pen pals would have a very good idea of what they look like. What a wonderful literacy experience!

Dr. Eli Adler DDS PC

249 Broadway, Lynbrook, NY 11563 • 516.255.1988

Root Canals • Implants • Family Dentistry Sunday & Evening appointments available Only 5 Minutes From Cedarhurst PPO Plans Accepted As FULL payment

Is there a cure for asthma?

Check out Dr. Simai’s helpful tips for those with wheezing problems on page 91.

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

One of the highlights of the pre1A year at Bais Yaakov of Queens is the “Pen Pal Experience.” Each pre1A class writes to a pre-1A class in a school outside the Queens area. First, the class collaborates to write a group letter. The children enjoy describing their classroom and their schedule.

They include some questions for the other class to answer, as well as a group picture of themselves. The highlight of this first pen pal experience is signing their names on the large chart paper letter. Then they wait with baited breath for an answer.

After a number of letters are sent back and forth, each child is then paired

55 The Jewish Home n

Around the

LOCAL

56 J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

“Where the Summer’s Fun

The Jewish Home n

Shines With

Yiddishkeit” Don ’t be left Chut z L’Ma chan eh!

Back for 2014!

u Instructional & Free Swim Space is u Awesome Trips Limite Apply d Now! u Major Overnights

Still st e Your Bmer Sum E! VA L U

For Boys 1 - 8th grade

u Experienced Rebbeim & Phenomenal Counselors

u Woodworking Activities u Sports Leagues

For a brochure and an application please call Rabbi Jacobi @ 718-327-7889 or email cmysummerfun@gmail.com • Located on the grounds of Yeshiva of South Shore •

uring: The Skyriders!

February 1st Camp Reunion feat

T h e O n ly C a m p F e a t u r in g : Senior Division Night Camp (for boys grades 5-8)

An AMAZING night camp experience featuring OUTSTANDING ruach INCREDIBLE overnights and EXCITING trips!

Camp hours are 9:00AM-4:00PM • We offer sibling discounts & class group rates

57

le! f f a R g Excitin

BOWL-A-THON

e Buy Tickrthem.org o bowlf

To Benefit

Strike A Better Future For Our Youth

DAVID JAISON

THE MENTALIST

Food Sponsored By:

Wednesday, February 26th, 2014 Woodmere Bowling Lanes, 948 Broadway 8:00 PM - - Registration 936 Broadway, Woodmere NY

9:00 PM Bowling Begins

RE

D

PIN

CO

NT

ES

T

10:30 PM - Award Ceremony

To register or information on becoming a sponsor, Please contact Rabbi Josh Zern at

jzern@madraigos.org or call 516-371-3250 ext. 5

make a $10 Donation TEXT MADRAIGOS to 20222 CLINICAL SERVICES 24 Hour Support Line Assessments/Referrals Case Management Crisis Intervention Support Groups

COMMUNITY RESOURCES Community Education Educational Enhancement Job Placement School Based Services

YOUTH PROGRAMS Holiday Retreats The Lounge Year Round Events

BowlForThem.org

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

ics Electron ickets T Sports ilia emorab e NOW Sports M O s t nlin

The Jewish Home n

HAVE A FUN NIGHT OUT • HANG WITH FRIENDS • HELP A CAUSE

The Jewish Home n J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

58

59

The Jewish Home n J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

The Jewish Home n

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

60

Around the

LOCAL

Bnos Bais Yaakov Chinuch at Its Best It was a classic case of academics meeting middos…

The Bnos Bais Yaakov 7th and 8th graders participated in a chidon on the entire Sefer Bereishis. Important facts from Bereishis were gathered in a booklet and given to the students.

The studying fervor was at such a high, that almost every single girl in all four classes received a 90% or above on her test.

After further screening to narrow down the list of contestants, six girls from each grade, twelve in all, were chosen to participate in the chidon.

The 7th and 8th graders all assembled in the Ateres Nechama Liba Simcha Hall to witness the battle of wits. Armed with the knowledge from the hundreds of facts they were expected to know, these girls astounded their menaheles, Mrs. Kuessous, and our esteemed curriculum coordinator, Rebbetzin Altusky. But as all contests must come to an end, so did this one. Left on stage were two young ladies. One girl was asked a question to which she could not reply. The second girl, when asked the same question which could declare her

the winner, demurred. She was clearly uncomfortable about answering. Her competition whispered to her, “Come on, you can say it. I won’t feel bad.”

But there was still no answer forthcoming. Finally, Mrs. Kuessous went up on stage and explained to the reluctant responder that it was all right to answer. In every contest there has to be a winner, and if she knows the correct answer she should say it. Mrs. Kuessous quietly said, “It is OK to whisper the answer to me.” The girl’s answer was correct, and she was declared the winner.

Mrs. Kuessous commented to the girls upon seeing this incredible and unusual display of ahavas Yisroel, “In Shamayim they are truly rejoicing at this girl’s conduct.” The moros witnessing this event were brought to tears by the amazing act of anivus. There was certainly rejoicing in BBY! This clearly was not about winning or losing. It was academics meeting middos and really just a small glimpse of Bnos Bais Yaakov chinuch at its best.

NEWS

Community

Shufra 64% Cocoa Baking Chocolate Becomes an Instant Favorite If you haven’t heard the recent sensation around Shufra’s gourmet chocolate bar, it’s time you sit up and take note. For several weeks now, seasoned bakers all over have been raving enthusiastically about the delightful flavor and texture of Shufra’s 64% Cocoa chocolate bars. “I haven’t had such a successful baking spree in years!” admits Mrs. Leifer, a mother and grandmother many times over. “I bake and cook a lot for my family but the feedback I received after using Shufra’s new cocoa was unlike any time before.”

After years of research and experience in the chocolate world, Shufra knows a thing or two about quality confections. With that in mind, they set out to reinvent the classic chocolate bar. Not that there could be anything wrong with chocolate in any form! Using a rich new recipe, Shufra’s new baking chocolate bar is truly an important development, as the positive feedback of delighted bakers has confirmed. Gooey chocolate chip cookies and rich brownie bars have just

been upgraded.

Imported from Europe, Shufra’s Chef’s Choice Baking Chocolate boasts 64% cocoa. More cocoa means more flavor and the rich, intense chocolate taste you will come to crave. Shufra’s Chef’s Choice baking chocolate is also made with cocoa butter fat instead of hydrogenated vegetable fat, a less healthy choice of ingredients. Beware, the only reported downside of using Shufra’s new chocolate is the mysterious disappearance of cake before it has cooled properly. You might have to invest in a cookie jar with a lock.

Based in Brooklyn, NY, Shufra is brand name in confectionary treats and high-quality baking products. What began in a modest home kitchen 35 years ago has expanded into a burgeoning company with a diverse line of delicious and useful products. From your favorite Viennese crunch and jelly rings to their Premium Dutch Cocoa and baking chocolates, Shufra is indispensable to any kosher kitchen.

61 The Jewish Home n

Yeshiva of Far Rockaway

forty-fifth annual dinner

mr. & mrs. avi krasnow

rabbi yehoshua kalish

mr. & mrs. yochanan gordon

Guests of Honor

Harbotzas Torah &

Esteemed Alumni Awardees

ARTECH 732.961.3091

Rabbinic Leadership Awardee

dinner chairman mr. irving langer

journal chairman mr. daniel wolfson

dinner committee mr. chaim balter . mr. roberto flegmann mr. mayer gold alumni committee yaakov aber . shmuel backenroth yochanan bodner . yossi deutsch . binyomin ganz assemblyman phil goldfeder . dovid klein

al dinner forty-fifth annu

. parshas tetzaveh motzoei shabbos adar i 5774 february 8, 2014 . 8

yaakov & ilana melohn campus in memory of reb yosef melohn z’’l

mpus at the yeshiva ca

ad 802 hicksville ro w york 11691 ne , ay aw ck ro r fa

yeshiva of far rockaway 802 hicksville road far rockaway, ny 11691 phone: (718) 327-7600 fax: (718) 327-1430 email: dinner@yofr.org

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

yeshiva of far rockaway

62

The Jewish Home n

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

Around the

LOCAL NEWS

Community

MAY Achdus Event with NJ Yeshiva Combines Torah and Sports In a demonstration of achdus and an appreciation of both Torah and sports, the Mesivta Ateres Yaakov Junior Varsity Basketball Team visited Yeshivas Heichal HaTorah in Teaneck, NJ, this past Wednesday afternoon for an interactive shiur followed by a competitive exhibition basketball game.

Upon arrival, the team was privileged to hear divrei Torah from the menahel of Heichal HaTorah, Rabbi Aryeh Stechler, who discussed the precedence given to the tefillin shel rosh over the tefillin shel yad, and how it relates to firmly believing that which you promote to others.

Following the shiur, the team competed against the Heichal HaTorah talmidim in a friendly exhibition game in which the Ateres Yaakov Eagles came out on top, 49-32.

Rabbi Yossi Bennett, Assistant Menahel at MAY, arranged the game and noted, “It was an enjoyable afternoon

for both the Ateres Yaakov and Heichal HaTorah boys. It embodied the hashkafa at both of our yeshivos: precedence of Torah and yiras shomayim, while also developing well-rounded b’nei Torah through healthy extracurricular activities that complement our talmidim’s growth.”

HAPINA MEDITERRANEAN

Just what you had in mind.

GRILL

128 Cedarhurst Ave. Cedarhurst, New York

516.295.1800 www.hapinagrill.com

Appetizers . Soups Entrees Sandwiches . Sushi Desserts . Salad Bar New Deli Menu Selection of Wine & Beer

|

We will cater your next Simcha

|

Sheva Brachos starting at $25 pp

|

Special rates for Business Meetings & School Lunches/Dinner

|

Student Lunch Special $7.50

|

|

Includes: Sandwich, Fries & Soda

Like us on Facebook

UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE VAAD OF THE FIVE TOWNS & FAR ROCKAWAY

NEWS

Community

The Flatbush Basketball League Week #6 Recap could not hold onto the led as they now fall to 4-2. Going into week #7, Quality Carpet will face Batampte Pickles.

Art World- 47, Quality Carpet45: In the upset of the season, #1 seed Quality Carpet got their second loss in a row, as #4 seed Art World outscored them. Binyomin Parnes was unstoppable as he scored 33 of the total 47 points for Art World. Moshe Frank and Co.

ITP- 38, Pizza World- 28: As Pizza World tried to get their second win of the season, ITP was just too much for them to make that a reality. Sasson Azar led ITP with 12, as Akiva Ibragimov contributed with 8. Pizza World’s height should have clinched them a

Aaron’s Way and Achiezer Hit the Ground Running on Friday

With schools closed due to the inclement weather, countless eager youngsters called the Achiezer volunteer hotline offering their shoveling services for the elderly and handicapped in our community.

Brothers and friends teamed up in an astounding kiddush Hashem. From Bayswater to Woodmere, crews of vol-

unteers were organized through the Achiezer office – fortunately, the volunteers outnumbered the requests!

May this wonderful chesed performed serve as an aliya for the neshama of whom the program is named: Aaron Shalom ben Naftali Hertz Yisroel Tepfer a”h.

win, however, some small mistakes cost them the game. ITP now moves up to a 4-2 record.

Shirt Stop- 37, Perfect Collision- 28: With the absence of star point guard Dovid Reiser, Perfect Collision was missing that extra boost necessary to help them win the game.

Yitzchok Kapetas and Meir Rubinfeld were still able to keep them within distance scoring a combined 24 points out of a team total of 28. Sholom Wiess, Yitzi Weinberger and Yehudah Oppenheim pitched in with 8, 11, and 8 respectively for Shirt Stop. Perfect Collision will face Pizza World next week, while Shirt Stop will again face ITP. In the Jewish Connection Division: Ready to Roll- 48, Plaza Auto

Leasing (PAL)-45: In a very close game, newly acquired Eli Schlosser helped Ready to Roll get their second win of the season with 11 points. It was a team effort for Ready to Roll as all five players contributed in this game, four in double digits. Rafi Safdie led PAL with 20, and David Sasson helped out with 13. Ready to Roll now goes to 2-4 while PAL falls to 1-5. Will PAL get out of this three game losing streak?

Nosh Express again beat up on Repairs on Wheels as all six players were in the scoring column, four in double digits. Sendy Hammond and Eliyahu Shapiro scored 19 apiece, while Michael Kohanghadosh had 15. A valiant effort by Repairs on Wheels just wasn’t enough as Shimshi Lebowitz and Zev Tepper chipped in 21. Repairs on Wheels (3-3) will face Ready to Roll (2-4) next week, and PAL (1-5) will face Nosh Express (6-0).

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

In the Jewish Home Division: Batampte Pickles- 48, China Glatt- 43: This game between the two Kapetas brothers was close back and forth all the way down to the final seconds. With the score tied and seconds to go, China Glatt’s Dovid Kapetas was called for a technical foul which sent him brother, Yosef to the free throw line to shoot two shots for Batampte Pickles. He nailed both shots and got the ball back for Batmpte which led them to score again and secure the win.

Yosef Kapetas led with 28, while Shimon Greenwald and Moshe Y. Lebowitz had 18 and 15 respectively. China Glatt will face Art World next week.

63 The Jewish Home n

Around the

LOCAL

The Jewish Home n

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

64

Around the

LOCAL NEWS

Community

HaGaon HaRav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, Shlita: “Every Dirshu Test, Every Blatt, Every Halacha is an Answer to the Gezeiros”

By Chaim Gold This past Friday, 24 Teves/December 27, history was quietly made. Dirshu’s 68th Daf HaYomi B’Halacha test was taken, marking the completion of Chelek Hei, the fifth volume of the Mishna Berurah. With the completion of Chelek Hei and the beginning of Chelek Vav, the last volume of Mishna Beruah, Dirshu is now headed towards the finish line, the first Daf HaYomi B’Halacha Siyum on the entire Mishna Berurah!

The testing locations offered unforgettable sights – rows upon rows of young men bent over their tests, foreheads furrowed in deep concentration, taking their tests. The large Gerer Bais Medrash on the corner of Rechov Malchei Yisrael and Rechov Ralbach was packed from wall to wall as Dirshu participants from numerous neighborhoods in Yerushalayim came together to take the tests. Similar sights were seen

in Bnei Brak and tens of other venues throughout Eretz Yisrael.

The Governmental Gezeiros to Silence the Kol Yaakov and the Antidote: Every Siman and Every Blatt Learned!

As the hundreds of lomdei Dirshu were diligently taking their tests, they barely noticed the arrival of the distinguished Rosh Yeshiva of the Mir Yeshiva of Yerushalayim, HaGaon HaRav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, shlita. Rav Leizer Yudel, as he is affectionately known, was deeply impressed with what he saw: hundreds of Daf Yomi test takers sitting shoulder to shoulder with hundreds of Daf HaYomi B’Halacha test takers who have spent the past month learning and reviewing the material for this month’s test.

In honor of the completion of Chelek

DON OUT 'T MISS ON SPRIN OUR G PERFO AUDI RMANCE TION S!

It may be cold outside, but our SPRING performance is just around the corner...

Join Us for the Spring Semester 2014!

Give your Child the Gift of...

Hei, Rav Leizer Yudel gave a short drasha laden with regesh, emotion and admiration for lomdei Dirshu and for the sacred mission that Dirshu has taken upon themselves.

Rav Finkel, lovingly looking at the Dirshu members greeting Rav Dovid Hofstedter, Nasi Dirshu test takers in front of him, yourselves by learning with she’ifos and spoke about the terrible gezeiros that goals, reviewing and reviewing again, have been foisted on the Torah commu- then taking tests on what you learn to nity by the present Israeli government. ensure clarity and retention, has the He spoke about how the Israeli govern- ability to rescind the gezeiros as the ment through its discrimination against Mishna in Pirkei Avos teaches, ‘He who lomdei Torah, has embarked on a cam- accepts upon himself the yoke of Torah, paign to try stilling the kol Yaakov, the the yoke of the government is removed voice of Torah and tefillah that charac- from him.’” terizes the children of Yaakov by imposing upon them deep economic hardship.

Of Renewal and Revival: In this way, he explained, the governThe Concurrence of ment is trying to force them to abandon Rosh Chodesh Shevat and the their Gemaros in exchange for so-called Beginning of Chelek Vav “integration” in secular society.

Following Rav Leizer Yudel FinWith great feeling and passion, Rav kel’s moving words, the Nasi of Dirshu, Leizer Yudel addressed the lomdei Dir- Rav Dovid Hofstedter, imparted words shu, “Every siman in Shulchan Aruch of chizuk. Rav Hofstedter said that it is learned in Daf HaYomi B’Halacha; no coincidence that this siyum of Chelek every blatt Gemara learned, every test Hei and the beginning of Chelek Vav is that you take is the ultimate answer to transpiring within a week of Rosh Chothose who want to impose these ge- desh Shevat. zeiros upon us. The ol Torah, the yoke “We know that the Rosh Hashaof Torah that you have accepted upon nah for ilanos, trees, takes place in the

Self Esteem • Creative Expression • Public Speaking • Social Skills • Confidence

Classes are available for girls 1st grade and up in The Five Towns and West Hempstead.

Find out what hundreds of girls are talking about!

Classes begin January 12th

Limited space is available on a first come first serve basis.

Founding Director: Rina C. Hirsch, M.A. Assistant Director: Ariana Wolfson

Call now for more information: 516-385-1959 or email d4lonline@gmail.com Every girl is a

STAR in

Drama for Life!

Dirshu testing site - Yerushalayim

“I Thought I Knew Halacha…

But as Much as I Learn, There is So Much More!”

Indeed, the powerful event graced

by Rav Leizer Yudel Finkel was just one of the numerous siyumim on Chelek Hei

Community

edter and Rabbi Paysach Krohn.

In addition, other siyumim took place in many locales around the globe including Brooklyn, Lakewood, Cleveland and Chicago. “In all of the siyumim, the excitement over the fact that

Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, Rosh Yeshiva of Mir Yerushalayim, addressing the participants

recently made by Dirshu Daf HaYomi B’Halacha members. Most prominent, was the major European siyum held in London’s storied Finchley Synagogue where nearly 1,000 people came to hear HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Akiva Schlessinger, shlita, Rav Dovid Hofst-

they will now merit to begin the final chelek of Mishna Berurah was palpable among Dirshu Daf HaYomi B’Halacha members,” said Rabbi Ahron Gobioff, Director of Dirshu’s American branch.

That attitude was clearly evident as well at the Dirshu testing site in the Ge-

rer Beis Medrash in Yerushalayim according to Dirshu Hanhala member Yisrael Layush of Yerushalayim. “It was a moving sight to see so many avreichim, old, young, chassidim, yeshiva types approach Rav Hofstedter after completing their tests just to thank him for what he has done for them, their ruchniyus and that of their families, with the Dirshu programs.”

“I thought I knew halacha well until I started learning Daf HaYomi B’Halacha,” said one avreich, “but now that I have begun to learn and review it daily, I realize that there is so much that I didn’t know, halacha l’maaseh that I am now incorporating into my life. Every step of the day from the morning until I go to sleep; every Shabbos; every Yom Tov is now defined by halacha. I feel that Daf HaYomi B’Halacha has given me a deeper connection to Hashem. I live with Him every day. I think about Him all the time! Just thinking about the halachos that I learn and observe throughout the course of the day and the cycles of the week and year has brought me to a closer appreciation of my relationship with Hashem!”

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

month of Shevat. According to Beis Shamai it is on Rosh Chodesh and according to Beis Hillel it is on the 15th of Shevat. Chazal learn from the passuk, ‘Ki ha’adam eitz hasadeh, a person is likened to the tree of the field,’ that there are things we can learn from the nature of a tree. During the winter, a tree is bare of its leaves and looks forlorn. In Chodesh Shevat, however, Chazal teaches us that deep under the ground the sap starts growing in the tree. That sap will ultimately enable the tree to rejuvenate itself and produce beautiful fruit once again.

“Therefore, it is no coincidence that we are starting a new chelek, the final chelek of Mishna Berurah now, in Chodesh Shevat. This is a sign that we can all be mischadesh, we can all rejuvenate ourselves. Even those who have not yet joined Daf HaYomi B’Halacha can now join this fundamentally necessary halacha l’maaseh program. And those who have already joined can now take advantage of the unique power of chiddush in undertaking the new chelek and being rejuvenated as we march towards the historic first siyum. When the Torah tells us about the mitzvah of kiddush Hachodesh in this week’s parsha, it says, ‘Hachodesh Hazeh Lachem—this month will be for you.’ The Sefas Emes explains that the word lachem—for you, connotes that every person has the ability for renewal within himself. You can do it!”

Rav Dovid’s admiring gaze swept over the lomdei Dirshu as he emotionally exclaimed, “You, the tzibbur sitting here and in other testing sites around the globe are an integral part of this chiddush. You have a special zechus, a special merit that you may not even realize.

You are the meyasdim, the founders of the Daf HaYomi B’Halacha program that has made and continues to make a historical breakthrough in Klal Yisrael!

The Daf HaYomi B’Halacha has brought cognizance of shemiras halacha in everything that we do, into tens of thousands of homes. By extension, it has affected hundreds of thousands of Jews. It is all in your zechus, you lomdei Dirshu who will go down in history as the early members who participated in the first machzor of the Daf HaYomi B’Halacha program. The entire holy program rests on the shoulders of the meyasdim, the first group of people who joined, persevered and are now marching towards what will be a profound simcha for Klal Yisroel – the siyum of the first machzor of Daf HaYomi B’Halacha.”

NEWS

65 The Jewish Home n

Around the

LOCAL

The Jewish Home n

J a n u a ry 9 , 2014

66

Around the

LOCAL NEWS

Community

HAFTR Wins Annual HAFTR Invitational Scott Satran Memorial Tournament

By Joey Hoenig It’s been an amazing time for HAFTR basketball, specifically the HAFTR Varsity boys’ basketball team. Riding an eight game win streak, HAFTR hosted the annual HAFTR Invitational Scott Satran Memorial Tournament. This annual event commemorating the life of one of HAFTR’S student athletes, Scott Satran who passed away in 1987, is the premier Tri-State Yeshiva High School basketball tournament of the year.

Hosting SAR, DRS, HANC, Waterbury Yeshiva, Magen David, YDE, and North Shore, Lawrence saw some of the top schools in the league compete for the title. But basketball was only part of the story. This weekend started out with a blizzard heading towards Long Island. Getting all the teams here early on Thursday and arranging housing and food for all 150 boys were just a few of the logistics that were worked out to make sure the tournament went on as planned. A special shout out needs to go out to Andi Koppelman who worked closely with Joey Hoenig, coach, to make sure this weekend went off without a hitch.

The HAFTR Hawks started the tournament by beating the HANC Hurricanes on Thursday night by 33, but that was just the beginning of its great run.

The Hawks then had to face a tough DRS Wildcats team, the eventual winners of the tournament’s Tier 2 championship, on Friday afternoon. DRS, down by 10 in the 4th quarter, refused to lose and tied the game with 30 seconds to go. But Alec Schonfeld’s buzzer beater at the end of regulation tamed the

Wildcats and propelled HAFTR to an electrifying 42-40 win. It was just another great game played by these cross-

Saturday continued to be very meaningful, highlighted by Rabbi Kenneth Hain, rabbi of Beth Shalom, and Ben Brafman

town rivals.

Shabbos couldn’t come soon enough for these boys. After two hard-fought games in a 15 hour span, a beautiful, relaxing Shabbaton was well-needed. After a great catered meal in Beth Shalom, we heard from Ed Satran, who spoke about all the wonderful attributes of his son Scott and what this tournament was all about. Divrei Torah were then given by representatives from each school. The weather outside didn’t stop all the boys from walking to an oneg Shabbos at the Scharf residence where Melodie and Marty were extremely gracious hosts.

both of whom spoke so beautifully to the boys. We thank them both by grac-

ing us with their presence.

Basketball resumed Saturday night with HAFTR continuing its winning ways by beating the Waterbury Stars and securing first place heading in to the playoff round. In a hard fought semifinal game on Sunday morning vs. the Magen David Warriors, the Hawks controlled the second half with its vintage defense, allowing the Warriors to score only seven 2nd half points, winning by 10, and earning their spot in the Championship game. In the other semifinal game, The North Shore Stars handily beat the SAR Sting setting the stage for a great, championship game.

Tip off was set for 5:30 pm. The Hawks knew that they were playing, not only the #1 team in the Yeshiva league but, the #1 team in the country. In order

to take home the championship trophy, they would have to be at the top of their game on both sides of the court. With a commanding 27-17 half time lead, the HAFTR coaches knew all too well that this lead could disappear in a heartbeat, just like it did 2 months ago when North Shore handed them a seven point loss in Great Neck. In order for the Hawks to hold onto this lead, they would have to play another half of stifling defense. And that they did. Led by all-tournament all-stars Mark Spivak and Matt Rosenberg who played with one eye shut due to a first half injury, the Hawks suffocated the Stars by holding them to just 11 second half points and took home the coveted Scott Satran Memorial Tournament Championship trophy.

The Hawks won all 5 of their games due to their tough, hard-nosed defense, great shooting by Ari Baratz, huge inside play by their centers Allan Stern and Barak Rosner, and great bench play. The Most Valuable Player award went to Alec Schonfeld who was HAFTR’s and the tournament’s best player. He was simply outstanding on both sides of the court but credited his teammates for his success.

Thank you to the Satran family for perpetuating Scott’s memory year after year in this tournament. I also must give a tremendous debt of gratitude to our HAFTR community. Families from HAFTR took 3, 4, 5 boys from different schools from Thursday - Sunday night and housed them, fed them (high school boys like to eat), and shuttled them numerous times back and forth to HAFTR through hazardous snowy and icy conditions. Our HAFTR family showed its true colors this past weekend and we hope we can repeat this amazing effort next year.

Congratulations Varsity Boys HAFTR Hawks!

A young life cut down, Giving, loving, Holy soul, Snuffed out.

I look at the front page of the paper I see mean, Vicious, Hatred, Screaming loudly to the city and world.

I think back to Lavan.

Eisov.

Nevuchadnetzar.

Trotsky, Lenin & Stalin.

All the way back in time.

Until this very day.

Who hasn’t wanted to see us dead and buried?

Jewish blood has always been cheap, Nobody cared when they came after us.

We’ve been burnt at the marketplace.

Stomped.

Gassed.

Shot.

Given up for dead.

Yet here we are, Persevering, Succeeding, Growing.

They can’t stand it.

They can’t stand us.

We are alive.

Where are they?

Titus.

Ferdinand, Isabella.

Mussolini.

Hitler.

Who Didn’t Want Us Dead?

Why, they ask, are the Jews titans of industry and commerce?

Real estate, stocks and bonds?

Why do they have influence?

Why aren’t they dead?

They are all cheaters.

They are all liars.

Underworld cut-throats.

They poisoned the wells, They killed our babies, For matzos.

They froze us in the winter, Boiled us in the summer.

The Jews.

It’s all their fault.

The rotten, Smelly, Jews.

Till today they wonder How to get rid of us.

They cover their hate with smiles, Feigned ignorance, And legal shenanigans.

“We love the Jews,” they say.

Sure, just as Paroh did.

All types of charges, Allegations, Fraud.

The Jews, they say, don’t care about laws, Violations, Fidelity, Children, Abuse victims.

They kill their baby boys, To satisfy an ancient rite.

They rob, cheat and steal.

They can’t be trusted, Disloyal citizens.

They control the banks, The press, But not the Post.

We thought it was different here.

America is not Russia, Or Germany, France or Rome.

It’s not, But the hatred is here as well.

The quiet murmurs, Suspicions, And tricks.

We need reminders, From time to time.

Don’t get complacent.

Don’t get too comfortable.

Remember we’re not home, We’re far away, Homeless, On a comfortable bench, In a nice park.

We pine for geulah, Moshiach, Redemption, Salvation.

Uva leTzion goel.

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

Overwhelmed with grief, Wife, 8 children, Awash in tears.

Communities around the world Mourn.

By RaBBi Pinchos LiPschutz

The Jewish Home n

I look at the picture of his face, And see his smile.

I hear his children saying kaddish, And his father.

67

The Jewish Home n j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

68

B�H

2750 Nostrand Ave Corner of Ave N Brooklyn NY 11210

WE SELL, LEASE & FINANCE

ALL MAKES AND MODELS

www.PlazaAutoLeasing.com

2013 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GLS

$119/mo

Hurry! Offer only good while supplies last!

Power Windows, Power Door Locks, AM/FM/CD/MP3 Damage Waiver Available!

2014 ACURA MDX AWD

2014 HONDA ODYSSEY EX

$419/mo

8 Passenger!

Leather Seats, Bluetooth, Backup Camera

$279/mo

Power Doors, Backup Camera, Bluetooth Damage Waiver Included!

Damage Waiver Available!

2014 HONDA ACCORD LX

2013 HONDA CIVIC

$169/mo or $185/mo

$139/mo or $155/mo

with college grad without college grad Backup Camera, Bluetooth, Power Windows, Door Locks Damage Waiver Included!

with college grad without college grad Backup Camera, Bluetooth, Power Windows, Door Locks Damage Waiver Included!

2014 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY

$215/mo

Power Doors, Power Lift Gate, Leather Seating for 7, DVD Player Damage Waiver Available!

Lowest Prices on any Honda! Call 718-975-9000 WIN NETS TICKETS ONLY FROM PAL!

VISIT WWW.PLAZAAUTOLEASING.COM

ARE YOU A PAL YET?

Elanatra Lease 36 months/10k mpy. Due at signing 1st month/bank fee ($795), applicable taxes, reg fees. Accord, Civic Leases 36 months/12k mpy. Due at signing 1st month/bank fee ($595), applicable taxes, reg fees. Odyssey Lease 39 months/10k mpy.

Due at signing 1st month/bank fee ($595), applicable taxes, reg fees. MDX Lease 36 months/7.5k mpy. Due at signing 1st month/bank fee ($995), applicable taxes, reg fees. Chrysler Town & Country 36 months/7.5k mpy. Due at signing 1st month/bank fee, applicable taxes, reg fees. Exp. 12/20/2013. DCA # 1312589 DMV #7084665

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

BEST DEALS IN TOWN!

The Jewish Home n

718-975-9000

Plaza Auto PAL Leasing

69

The Jewish Home n

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

70

YACHAD & CAMP MESORAH

THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE FOR EVERYONE!

Yachad & Mesorah team up each summer to include children with special needs into the mainstream Mesorah bunks. Together with the support of a shadow, each child is able to is able to socialize with same-age peers, to be part of the Mesorah family and to learn independence skills that will be invaluable for life.

For more information about the Yachad program at Camp Mesorah, visit www.yachad.org/summerprograms or email yachadsummer@ou.org Camp Mesorah contact info: office@campmesorah.com | campmesorah.com | (845) 362-7778

MEET CHANI, NEW DIRECTOR OF MESORAH YACHAD! Chani Herrmann is the Director of New Jersey Yachad and has been working at Yachad for over 12 years. She brings a lot of enthusiasm and creativity to her position, constantly developing new and innovative programs for families who have children with special needs. Her work with Yachad goes way back. While working as a Yachad coordinator in the Queens chapter during college, she developed a love for Yachad participants and their families. Chani then went on to receive her social work degree from Columbia University School of Social Work. Prior to being NJ Director, she was the Clinical Director at Yachad as well as the National Programs Director, supervising the Yachad chapters throughout the United States and Canada. Chani supervises social work interns and trains future social workers in the areas of clinical services and community outreach. She is proud to have spearheaded many new programs in NJ, including support groups for mothers and fathers, social skills training groups, inclusive recreational programs, a sibling network, vocational programming for young adults and so much more. She lives in Teaneck, NJ with her husband Daniel and four children- Atara, Gabriella, Dovid & Yaakov. Chani is thrilled to be joining the Mesorah family this summer and looks forward to the growth of the Mesorah Yachad programs.

SPREAD THE WORD! MESORAH IS A CAMP FOR EVERYONE!

Looking Back on Mayor Mike A STROLL THROUGH THE 12 YEARS WHEN MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG LED THE BIG APPLE

by SHIRA DIAMOND

M

ORE THAN A DECADE AGO, MICHAEL BLOOMBERG TRANSFORMED HIMSELF FROM A NEAR POLITICAL NOBODY TO THE FIGURE WHO WOULD WIN OVER THREE, CONSECUTIVE NEW YORK CITY MAYORAL TERMS. MAYOR BLOOMBERG USED A LITERAL FORTUNE, $74 MILLION OF HIS OWN MONEY, IN ORDER TO GAIN POPULARITY AND SECURE VOTES. HE QUICKLY LEARNED THE ROPES AND CAN NOW ADD SEASONED POLITICIAN TO HIS IMPRESSIVE RESUME. BUT LAST WEEK MARKED THE END OF THE MICHAEL BLOOMBERG ERA; HE HAS REGAINED HIS CIVILIAN STATUS AND HANDED OVER THE HELM TO BILL DE BLASIO ON JANUARY 1ST. SINCE 2002, BLOOMBERG, A NOTED SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR AND PHILANTHROPIST, PROVED TO BE AN INTERESTING MIX OF SUCCESS AND CONTROVERSY. HIS WAY OF “SAYING IT LIKE IT IS” ENDEARED HIM TO SOME NEW YORKERS WHILE TURNING AWAY OTHERS. THE JEWISH COMMUNITY MAINTAINED A ROLLER COASTER-TYPE OF RELATIONSHIP WITH HIZZONER, ALTHOUGH FOR THE MOST PART HE MAINTAINED A GOOD RAPPORT WITH ORTHODOX GROUPS IN NEW YORK. NOW WE LOOK BACK AT THE LAST 12 YEARS AND RELIVE SOME OF THE MOST NOTEWORTHY ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF MICHAEL BLOOMBERG AS MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY.

Bloomberg Wins His First Political Race January 1st, 2002 marked the first day in office for Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg as mayor of New York City. He was only the fifth Republican to hold this position in the past 100 years. Bloomberg was elected after Rudy Giuliani, whose approval ratings were sky high due to several factors, one being his handling of the September 11th terrorist attacks. Giuliani’s endorsement helped Bloomberg win over many of the voters who were “on the fence” and landed him a victory. Over the years, Bloomberg’s political affiliation was in constant limbo, changing from Democrat to Republican (which came in handy

when running for elections after Giuliani) and then in 2007 when he declared himself an Independent. But Bloomberg really didn’t beat to the drum of any specific party’s ideals. He said and did what he believed was right or good for New York, with no regard for party rhetoric.

Creation of 311 Telephone Line In 2002, one of his first initiatives as mayor was to lay out his goal of creating a phone system where city residents can call to obtain information about any city service and file a range of complaints.

T hT eH EJ eJ w i sI h e Enn M j aAY n u 2a ry 9 , 2014 EW S HH oH m OM 4 , 2012

Cover Story

71 93

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

Bloomberg acknowledged the difficulties in establishing a system in such a large city, but noted it could be done. His plan included operators fielding inquiries and requests from city residents who speak more than 100 different languages. Many doubted the mayor’s endeavor—will this actually help New Yorkers who need information but can’t wait on hold? In 2003, Bloomberg was able to successfully accomplish this goal, and in 2010, 311 received its hundredth millionth call. How’s that as a measure for success?

The Jewish Home n

T H E J E W I S H H O M E n M AY 2 4 , 2012

94 72

The Smoke Free Air Act Signed into law in 2003, the Smoke Free Air Act created a lot of controversy, with opponents claiming it would kill the bar and restaurant industry, as well as restrict civil liberties and free will.

Mayor Bloomberg challenged those opposing the law, saying that the number of customers in restaurants and bars would increase because people wouldn’t be turned off by breathing in harmful smoke. He also noted that many other (about 500) cities adopted similar bans after seeing New York City pull it off. “People want to come here because we are healthier,” Bloomberg said. His push to pass this bill paid off in health stats for New Yorkers, with 10,000 smoking-related deaths said to be prevented and studies showing the life expectancy of New Yorkers increasing to 80.9 years, three years more than the national average. This bill was just one of many in Mayor Bloomberg’s push for a healthier New York City.

Bloomberg Attempts to Reduce Homelessness In 2004, Bloomberg created a five year plan to help reduce homelessness in New York City, which was occurring at high rates. The plan shifted the city’s emphasis to preventing homelessness, creating supportive housing and other similar plans. His goal was to reduce those living on the street and in homeless shelters by two-thirds, as well as effectively eliminating chronic long term homelessness in the city. “At its heart, this new plan aims to replace the City’s over-reliance on shelter with innovative, cost effective interventions that solve homelessness,” the mayor said.

After the five year time span had passed, the initiative was deemed a failure after it failed to produce the desired results, with the numbers of those who are homeless actually increasing.

“We’ve kept our city safer, the bottom line, while locking up fewer people.”

that it would further congest an already gridlocked city, saying, “We want traffic too. You don’t want streets that are empty. You want streets where a lot of people want to go places.” The mayor made the case that New York already has the setup to house the Olympics, such as new stadiums, better infrastructure and new housing. It would also be wonderful for the economy of the city, he said, and its positive effects would be felt for a long time. Although he was seriously disappointed that NYC lost the bid, he did say his administration wouldn’t “go and cry about it.”

Crime Slashed to Record Lows Under Bloomberg-appointed Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, crime was reduced drastically over the past twelve years, with a 32 percent decline in major felonies over that time. The number of murders has dropped by half as well. Numbers of those incarcerated in state prisons and city jails also fell by large numbers.

Bloomberg proved you don’t need to incarcerate more people in order to reduce crime. Credit was given to innovative programs aimed at reducing past inmates from becoming repeat offenders, as well as proactive police work. Because of this, under Bloomberg’s watch, New York City earned the title as safest big city in the United States. “We’ve kept our city safer, the bottom line, while locking up fewer people,” Bloomberg said. One might think that The mayor and Ray Kelly worked handthis accomplishment would in-hand to combat crime in the Big Apple please all New Yorkers, but many were furious about the police department’s “stop and frisk” initiative, where a police officer can stop and pat down suspects. Bloomberg was a staunch defender of the policy, saying it has helped reduce crime in the very neighborhoods where the policy is mostly practiced. Although last year a judge ruled the policy unconstitutional, a court blocked the ruling and the decision is waiting appeal.

City Challenges Jewish Ritual of Metzizah B’peh After a Jewish baby contracted the herpes virus and died shortFirst Subway Extension Project in 60 Years ly after his bris, the health department concluded that it must have When Michael Bloomberg decided a subway expansion was been from the mohel who performed metziztah b’peh on the infant good for the city’s changing landscape and will help develop Man- during the milah. His twin also tested positive for the virus but hattan’s far West Side, he took his idea and went running with it. thankfully survived. The mohel defended himself, insisting the baby This was Bloomberg’s personal pet project and he fought long and looked ill before the bris and he only agreed to perform it after the hard to have this $2.4 billion (!) project pediatrician gave a green light. However, the approved. In fact, he took it so personCity disagreed and Mayor Bloomberg, along ally that he named the machines used with health commissioner Thomas Freiden, to dig the tunnel after his daughters. upset the Orthodox community when they He was even given a rock from the tunvoiced that this age-old custom was harmful nel as a memento to keep on his shelf and required action. Pressure from the Orthoat home. Bloomberg touted that this dox community forced Bloomberg to arrange accomplishment will help the further a meeting between Jewish leaders and health growth of the West Side and the Hudofficials in August of 2005 to discuss the isson Yards (another one of Bloomberg’s sue, but they made little headway. Dr Frieden projects) which will be developed into has said that transmitting herpes this way is a bustling city landscape on what now “somewhat inevitable to occur as long as this contains desolate yards. practice continues, if at a very low rate.” But Bloomberg tried to institute defenders of this practice say that there is no a ‘large soda ban’ for New Yorkers Bloomberg’s Failed proof that metzizah b’peh caused herpes, notOlympic Bid ing that mohels use antiseptic mouthwash beMayor Bloomberg desperately wanted New York City to be the fore performing the ritual, and that the cases of children contracthost of the 2012 Olympics, but lost the bid to London, much to his ing the disease are so few it’s hard to tell where they got exposed dismay. Bloomberg dismissed concerns from people who feared to it, although not all the cases may have been reported.

73 95

The Banning of Trans Fat In 2006, after the Bloomberg administration attempted to encourage the switch to non-partially hydrogenated oils voluntarily but was not successful, the mayor proceeded to ban trans fats from being used in restaurants and food establishments in New York City.

New Yorkers were scared they would lose out on their margarine and fatty fries, but the mayor was successful in his fight.

NYC was the first large city to attempt such a ban, and this set off Bloomberg waged his war against smokers a chain reaction to promote a healthier New York across the nation with other cities following Bloomberg’s lead. This was another one of Bloomberg’s accomplishments in his series of health initiatives he pursued in order to try to lower obesity and health risks due to unhealthy and fatty foods, which happens to cost the city billions in healthcare costs.

Snowstorm Stalls the City In 2010, Bloomberg faced large amounts of criticism over his slow response to a snowstorm that was the sixth largest in New York City’s history. Streets remained unplowed for days, which restricted travel and shut down public transportation for three days. New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, a vocal supporter of Bloomberg, criticized the mayor, saying, “We’re hearing reports from

Vocally Supports Ground Zero Mosque Despite large amounts of criticism from many, including families of those killed on 9/11, Mayor Bloomberg vocally condemned trying to halt the building of a mosque and Muslim community center at Ground Zero. Calls were made for the center to find another area that was suitable and not so close to the place where many lost their lives in the name of the religion. But Bloomberg defended the decision saying the government had no right to deny the center the ability to open in a building they fairly purchased.

“Whatever you may think of the proposed mosque and community center, lost in the heart of the debate has been a basic question.

Should government attempt to deny private citizens the right to build a house of worship on private property based on their particular religion? This may happen in other countries, but we should never allow it to happen here,” Bloomberg pointed out.

Struggles to Institute Soft Drink Ban In 2012, the New York City Board of Health voted to ban the sale of sugary soft drinks larger than 16 ounces. The ban would include the sale of these items in theaters, restaurants, sports arenas and food vendors, but would not include certain establishments such as convenience stores. It would also limit soda and similar drinks but not include juices, milk and coffee. The ban was just about to take effect when it was derailed due to unclear rules and loopholes.

A

fter twelve years with the same mayor, many feel it’s good to be “out with the old and in with the new.” When taking a look at all that he did over his three terms, it is clear that many accomplishments would not have been possible were it not for Bloomberg’s financial expertise and strong insistence on what he believed. He took over a city with incredible budget woes and handed over the keys to the new mayor with a budget surplus. Besides for being a more financially-secure city, through his many initiatives, the Big Apple is a safer and healthier city for its residents. To be fair, twelve years after Bloomberg’s reign, the city is more polarized, with the rich having gotten richer and the poor getting poorer. But like humans, cities are complex entities and a mayor cannot be deemed a success or failure based on one point alone.

New Yorkers will miss their outspoken mayor who they have grown to Streets weren’t plowed for days when Bloomberg dropped the ball during the year’s biggest snowstorm in 2010 love these past twelve years.

Fast Food Establishments Required to Post Calorie Content New York was the first city in the country to require food establishments to prominently display the calories in the food they sell. Another aim at improving the city’s health and reducing obesity, many people were taken aback at the high amount of calories in their favorite foods.

T hT He EJ Je EwWi sI ShHHHoOmMe E nn Mj aAY n u2a4ry, 2012 9 , 2014

Bloomberg insulted the Orthodox all over of people not even having community shortly thereafter, when he seen a plow by the afternoon of the told a reporter who asked him about day after. This is a level of lack of taking a stand on the metzizah b’peh iscleanup that I really can’t recall.” sue, “I think it’s fair to say that nobody else would take that on…Who wants Controversial Third Term to have 10,000 black hats outside your as Mayor office screaming?” Perhaps AssemblyThrough a series of controversial man Dov Hikind responded best when moves which changed the law rehe said, “When Mayor Bloomberg destricting a mayor to only two terms, cided to run for a third term, he came the mayor insisted he needed a third to our community seeking favor with term to deal with the city’s financial the Hareidi community. He asked Orcrisis. The council passed the bill A lover of the New York subway, Bloomberg started a subway expansion project to develop the West Side thodox, Torah-observant Jews to supthrough a vote of 29-22. Bloomberg port his candidacy. Now when he finds ran for a third term against Compthose same people unanimously frightened by his personal agenda troller Bill Thompson, narrowly winning the race. The mayor’s and taking an aggressive stance against metzizah b’peh, he quips, large fortune came in handy in this race as well, using $90 million ‘Who wants to have 10,000 black hats outside your office scream- of his own money to snag the win, but his popularity was waning ing?’ But we weren’t black hats when he needed us.” as he was only able to secure 51% of the vote.

“You don’t want streets that are empty. You want streets where a lot of people want to go places.”

T h e JT He w h IHSoHmHe OnM E nj a M n uAYa ry 2014 E JiEsW 2 49, ,2012

74 78

You Gotta be

Riddle!

Kidding!

Paula was having a hard time selling her car because it had 250,000 miles on it. When telling Jane about her problem, Jane mentioned George the mechanic who could turn back the mileage for a couple of bucks.

A few days later, Pamela met Jane again on the street. Jane asked her, “Well, did you sell the car?”

“Are you crazy?” Paula replied. “It only has 50,000 miles on it— why would I sell it?!”

Four cars come to a four way stop, all coming from a different directions. They aren’t able to decide who got there first, so they all move forward at the same time. They do not crash into each other, but all four cars go. How is this possible?

Answer on next page

What’s It Called?

Each of the following, except for one, is the real name of a car that is either sold in America, Australia, China or Japan. Can you figure out which one is not a real car name?

Mohs Ostentatienne Opera Sedan Honda That’s Great Wall Wingle Toyota Deliboy Mazda Scrum Wagon Mitsubishi Lettuce Honda Excel Honda Life Dunk Isuzu Mysterious Utility Wizard Toyota Chaser Avante Lordly Suzuki Every Joypop Turbo Isuzu Bighorn Plaisir Long Mitsubishi Mini Active Urban Sandal Mazda Bongo Friendee Mazda Carol Me Lady Geely Rural Nanny Mitsubishi Toppo Guppy Mitsubishi Minica Winky Answer on next page

75

3. When you are in traffic and one lane is cleared for an emergency vehicle do you try and get behind the emergency vehicle? a. I immediately pull over to the side of the road and wait on the shoulder until further notice b. Yes, I get right behind it and sometimes I even go in front of it! c. I’m not down with the noise of the sirens because it messes with my groove d. I get behind it, but I make sure that there are 3-4 cars between me and the emergency vehicle, this way those cars have to fend off all the

4. When on the highway and a car ahead of you is going 10 miles over the speed limit, what do you do? a. I shake my head in disapproval and continue to obey the speed limit b. I whiz by him because I always go at least 20 MPH over the speed limit c. I don’t notice other cars because I’m into my own chill d. I go 1 MPH less than him so that he gets the ticket and not me 5. Which of the following best describes the type of food you eat in your car? a. Ricolas b. Double pastrami burger with extra mayo, ketchup and cole slaw c. Oats and stuff like that d. I don’t really eat in my car because it messes with the aerodynamics of the vehicle 6. When you are 30 feet from an intersection which you know has a red light camera, what do you do? a. What’s a red light camera? b. I gun it just because I always gun it. But the truth is, I don’t care if I get a ticket because I have a guy that gets me out of all of my tickets. Yes, even red light camera tickets.

c. I wave at the camera. Who knows, maybe it will be a good picture? d. I tend to avoid streets that have red light cameras because those intersections tend to have shorter yellow lights, which means that they generally create congestion ahead due to a lack of synchronization. I tend to drive on the most effectively synchronized roadways.

Your driving personality: If you answered A to four or more questions— How is the weather in Florida treating you?

If you answered B to four or more questions— Hey, Brooklyn guy, any way you can stay off of the Five Town roads?

If you answered C to four or more questions— Dude, where’s my car? Peace out, bro!

If you answered D to four or more questions—Don’t you realize that when you give people rides they are not interested in hearing how you are the “driving efficiency guru”? “Hey, watch this, I am going to go left here and then turn around and catch that light, yada, yada, yada…” Just drive, for crying out loud!! We know you are amazing!

G OT FU N N Y?

Comm Let the ission er dec Send your s tuff

ide

t

o fivetow centerfold@ nsjewis hhome. com Answer to riddle: They all made right-hand turns.

Answer to What’s it Called: Honda Excel

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

2. When the traffic light turns green and the car in front of you doesn’t move right away, how long do you wait before honking your horn? a. I wait patiently and don’t honk b. I honk even before the light turns green c. What? The light turned green? d. I don’t honk my horn, I flash my headlights. That is much more effective. e. 1 second

other cars that want to jump into the line as soon as they see the emergency vehicle.

T H E J E W I S H H O M E n M AY 2 4 , 2012

DRIVING PERSONALITY QUIZ 1. When stuck in traffic, which of the following do you do? a. I keep my hands on the steering wheel and wait patiently for traffic to move b. Honk like a lunatic c. I usually just chill and play drums on my steering wheel d. Whip a U-eey and take the back roads which only you know “because I am so great.”

The Jewish Home n

79

76

The Jewish Home n

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

The Shmuz

R’ Ben Tzion Shafier

Parshas B’Shalach

People Believe What They Want to Believe “And Moshe stretched out his hand over the sea, and Hashem moved the sea with a strong eastern wind all the night, and He turned the sea to damp land and the water split.” — Shemos 14:21 Mitzrayim, the nation that bragged that no slave had ever escaped its land, stood by helplessly as the Chosen Nation triumphantly left. The Jewish people, now some three million strong, marched through the desert surrounded on all sides by clouds that protected them and led by a pillar of cloud that lit up the night as if it was day.

Yet even at this moment, Pharaoh sent spies along to follow them. After three days, his agents reported back that the Jews had veered off course.

Pharaoh called out to his people, “Let us reclaim that which is ours,” and he led them in pursuit.

When the Mitzrim arrived on the scene, the Jews were camped out against the Yam Suf. With their backs against the sea and no place to move, it seemed certain that the Mitzrim would recapture them. At that moment, the cloud of fire that led the Jews through the desert moved to the back of the camp and stopped the Mitzrim from advancing. That entire night, both camps stood in their places, separated by the Clouds of Glory.

The Ramban tells us that during the night, an eastern wind began to blow.

This was the wind that split the sea. At first, it made small indentations in the sea, but as the night wore on, the wind became stronger, and those small indentations grew in size and depth until the sea itself was split into twelve distinct pathways – ready for each shevet to cross in its own channel.

The Ramban explains that Hashem split the sea specifically with an eastern wind “so that it would appear as if the wind split the sea into partitions.”

Even though the wind can’t possibly split the sea, much less split it into twelve separate partitions, nevertheless, because of their great desire to harm the Jews, the Mitzrim “pegged it on a natural cause.” It was just the wind, nothing more.

This Ramban is very difficult to understand. How could the Mitzrim possibly pin the splitting of the sea on the wind? They were intelligent, thinking people. They, as everyone else, clearly understood that it couldn’t possibly be a natural occurrence. How is it possible that they accepted this sham – that

of me are integrated. I don’t want only what is good and proper and noble. I also desire and hunger for many other things. My choice of doing only good is no longer so simple.

However, if Hashem created man only out of these two parts – the sechel and the guf – the purpose of creation

How could the Mitzrim possibly pin the splitting of the sea on the wind?

the wind split the sea?

Understanding Free Will The answer to this question is predicated upon understanding the concept of free will. Free will doesn’t mean a theoretical ability to do good or bad.

It is the practical ability where either side is possible. When a person can just as easily turn to the bad as to the good, then it is his decision to choose.

As an illustration, do you have free will to put your hand in a fire? In theory, you do. You could do it. But you never would. It is damaging. It is foolish. So, while in theory you have free will to do it, on a practical level, you don’t.

Chazal tell us that Hashem created man to give him the opportunity to shape himself into what he would be for eternity.

That molding of the person is accomplished by choosing that which is good and proper and avoiding that which is wrong and evil.

By making these choices, man is given the ability to form himself.

To give man an even playing field, Hashem took the sechel – that pure, brilliant part of me – and inserted it into a body filled with drives, passions, and hungers. Now the two parts

would never have been met. The wisdom of man is so great that it would be almost impossible for him to sin.

Since every sin damages me and every mitzvah makes me into a bigger, better person, my natural intelligence wouldn’t allow me to sin, no matter how tempted I might be. I would clearly recognize it as damaging to me. Much like putting my hand into a fire, in theory I would have free will to do it, but on a practical level, I wouldn’t.

Therefore, Hashem added one more component to the human: imagination.

Imagination is the creative ability to form a mental picture and sense it so vividly, so graphically, it is as if it is real. Ask anyone who has ever cried while reading a novel whether imagination isn’t a powerful force.

Now armed with this force, man can create fanciful worlds at his will and actually believe them. If man wishes to turn to evil, he can create rationales to make these ways sound noble and proper – at least enough to fool himself. Armed with imagination, man truly has free will. If he wishes he can do what is right, or if he wishes, he can turn to wickedness, and even his

brilliant intellect won’t prevent him.

With imagination, he is capable of creating entire philosophies to explain how the behavior he desires is righteous, correct, and appropriate. Now man has free will.

The reality is that people don’t necessarily believe that which is factual, proven and true; they believe what they want to believe. And while there are countless examples of this, one of the greatest manifestations is the Mitzrim following the Jews into the Yam. Despite living through the makkos, despite seeing the Yam split into sections, they didn’t believe it was a miracle. They attributed it to the wind because that is what they wanted to believe.

Understanding this can help us comprehend how people can stare at things so obvious and true and yet deny their very existence. There are many reasons why a person might not want to accept what his mind tells him is true. He has to be able to put away all other issues and focus on this one question: what do I think is the truth?

Forget the consequences. Forget my agenda. Is there a Creator of this world? Logic will bring them to see the hand of God. However, if he isn’t honest, then nothing in the world will convince him, not the greatest miracles, and not even the splitting of the Yam Suf itself.

The Shmuz Marriage Seminar, a 12-part, comprehensive guide to a successful marriage is available FREE of charge at www.

TheShmuz.com. It is also on the Shmuz App available at the App store, or on Google play, or you may listen on Kol Halashon by calling 718- 906 6400, then options 1, 4, 3.

The Shmuz”, an engaging and motivating Torah lecture that deals with real life issues is available for FREE at www.

TheShmuz.com. The Shmuz on the Parsha Book, a compilation on all of Chumash is now available for purchase either in your local Sefarim store, or at the Shmuz.com

77 Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz

All for Nothing have some important news to share with him for his benefit. But after fifteen minutes of fruitless searching through your e-mails, Googling him, and trying to look up the type of business he owns, you finally find him and realize you’d been spelling the name wrong! It seems

must emulate Hashem and give credit for the effort, noting that it is the thought that counts. A big part of our disappointment in others and the resulting sadness or frustration, is not that we miss the end result, but that we construe the failure as indicating of their lack of

We proclaim our appreciation that Hashem rewards us for the very act of trying, even if we don’t succeed. like such pointless searching, but no, it was earning rewards every moment, despite the fact that you were looking in the wrong place.

If you’ve been courting a client, then after much time, money, and effort, you find that they choose to work with someone else, it can be extremely frustrating. You have nothing to show for all your work. Or so it seems.

If your purpose in working is to earn money and succeed, then perhaps, in truth, you don’t have anything to show for it. On the other hand, if your purpose in working is to fulfill G-d’s decree that man work, then you’ve been fulfilling your purpose all along. Whether something materializes from your actions is up to Hashem, so if nothing does, that’s not something we need to be upset about.

When making a siyum, we say, “We toil and they toil; we toil and receive reward, and they toil and don’t receive reward.” We proclaim our appreciation that Hashem rewards us for the very act of trying, even if we don’t succeed.

This can be a very heartening thought when we think we’ve wasted our time.

Whenever we do something good, even if we don’t succeed in completing the mission, we have achieved something merely by the effort. This is important to realize not only so we don’t get discouraged ourselves, but because there is another great time to use this perspective as well.

When someone else disappoints us, we should remember that they may have made every effort to do what we wanted but been unable to do so due to circumstances beyond their control.

If our spouse buys the wrong gift, uses the wrong spice in dinner, or somehow fails to meet our expectations, we

es pain and sorrow that are truly a waste of time at best.

So, take a page out of G-d’s book and appreciate and, yes, sometimes even reward, the efforts of others whether they complete the goal or not. It will not be a waste of time; you can count on it.

Jonathan Gewirtz is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in publications around the world. He also operates JewishSpeechWriter.com, where you can order a custom-made speech for your next special occasion.

concern for us.

“If she truly cared about me she would have been there when I asked.”

“If I was important to him, he would have made sure to follow through.”

This type of thinking is dangerous and counter-productive. It hurts us, harms our relationships, and doesn’t get us any closer to the desired result. It caus-

For more information, or to sign up for the Migdal Ohr, his weekly PDF Dvar Torah in English, e-mail info@JewishSpeechWriter.com and put Publication Sponsorship or Subscribe in the subject. © 2013 by Jonathan Gewirtz. All rights reserved.

LOSE 10-20-30 POUNDS IN A MONTH!

NO Pills NO Drugs NO Diet Drinks NO Packaged Foods We don’t sell anything!

Children/Teens/Adults All Medical Conditions Private Diet Counseling Individualized Programs Personal Menu Planning

SKYPE

SM

to clients in Israel and nationwide

WEIGHT NO MORE

SM

DIET CENTER

Serving the Community for 25 Years Lakewood

Morganville

Oakhurst

Brooklyn

Cedarhurst

732.903.7700 732.536.2027 732.663.0222 718.998.8898 516.569.6400 weightnomoredietcenter.com WeightNoMoreDC

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

O

ne day, my father heard about a special offer from a store in New York. The description of the item was bare-bones, but it promised to be a boon for all. He asked me to pick it up.

I went to the store, getting lost along the way and making several U-turns. When I finally got there and got more information on the item, it turned out to be something he didn’t need after all. All for nothing? Not remotely.

As the fellow behind the counter said, “At least you were doing it for your father.” In other words, I got the mitzvah of kibbud av, honoring my father, for every turn, speed bump, and dead end. Even if the item was not what he wanted, I got full credit for doing it.

My trip was truly not in vain.

Another time, my wife wanted a car wash. We made up that I would take her car for the wash and she would follow in my car when she was ready a few minutes later so I could go where I needed to go directly from the car wash.

I guess I should have called before going, but upon arriving at the car wash, some seven or eight minutes from my home, I saw that it was closed. I would not be getting the wash after all.

I turned around and went home. Boy, what a waste of time, right? Wrong.

First of all, I listened to a Torah CD while I was in the car. That means that the time I spent driving I was not only spent learning Torah, but fulfilling the mitzvah of u’v’lechtecha baderech, thinking of Hashem’s Torah while on the road. Plus, I was doing something for my wife. The fact that I didn’t complete the mission doesn’t mean there was no value to it. She appreciated that I went, but even if she hadn’t, for example, if I had gone to get her car washed as a surprise, I would still have spent my time involved in shalom bayis, making someone else happy, and once again, gotten credit for the attempt.

Maybe it’s not a case of driving.

Say you decided to cook something your husband (or wife) really likes.

You started getting out the ingredients and realized you were missing something. Or you actually prepared it and the phone rang and the food got burned.

What a massive amount of work for nothing – not. You absolutely achieved in that time because your efforts matter.

Say you’re looking for someone’s e-mail address, like I was recently. You

The Jewish Home n

The Observant Jew

The Jewish Home n

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

78

Rabbi’s Musings [& Amusings]

Rabbi Dani Staum

A More Powerful Message

T

here is a classic comic that depicts a mother in typical miffed “lecture mode” standing poised to begin a harangue. Her teenage son, lying on his messy bed, looks at his watch and says, “If this is a lecture how long will it be?”

One of the mistakes we make as parents (and educators) is that we lecture too much. We are afraid to allow our children to suffer the consequences of their own poor decisions. However, if we did so we would not have to waste our breath preaching to children who usually don’t want to hear our stern rebuke anyway.

The challenge is that we love our children and we so badly want to shield them from their own mistakes and foibles. But in so doing we stunt their growth and rob them of valuable opportunities to mature and learn about life.

When a child forgets his homework at home on a regular basis and his mother rushes to school to bring it to him, she is doing so out of love for her child.

However, the reality is that the child will fail to learn that in the adult world when

one forgets papers at home on the day of a vital meeting, no one is coming to bring them to him.

When we are able to help our children learn lessons about life without preaching to them, the message has far more potency. For example, if a child leaves a mess of toys on the floor and his parents ask him one time to clean up and the child fails to do so, the wise parent will not say anything. After the child goes to sleep the parent will clean the room and quietly put the toys away…in the garage. When the child comes down in the morning to find the room spotlessly clean and the toys that were left out nowhere to be seen, he will wordlessly learn that failing to clean up has negative ramifications.

This lesson is inherent in the story of exodus. Before each plague G-d sent Moshe to warn Pharaoh about the disasters that would befall the country if he did not free the nation. When Pharaoh reneged there were no repeated warnings. In a sense, the consequential plagues did the talking!

As is true for everything in life however, we must add that all of our wisdom and efforts can only bear fruit if we merit Siyata D’shmaya (Divine assistance). I would like to share one such example: On one occasion, I was driving down the New Jersey Turnpike with my wife and our (then) two children.

We were in the car for some time and our restless children began fighting. I calmly told them that I could not drive with so much noise behind me and, if they did not stop, I would have to pull over until they could work things out. When their fight continued unabated I indeed merged onto the shoulder of the highway and shifted the car into park.

About twenty seconds later I noticed flashing lights in my rearview mirror.

Our children noticed it too. I nervously asked my wife if she thought it was illegal to pull over onto the shoulder. But when the officer approached the car and

I rolled down the window, I realized that he had pulled over to see if we needed assistance. “Is everything okay?” he asked. I smiled and replied, “It is now officer! Thank you so much.” The officer nodded knowingly and headed back to his cruiser.

I merged back onto the highway and we enjoyed the quietest trip we ever had. The two whitefaced children in the back hardly uttered a peep for the rest of the trip.

Some lessons are impossible to replicate.

Rabbi Dani Staum, LMSW, is the Rabbi of Kehillat New Hempstead, and Guidance Counselor/Rebbe at Yeshiva Bais Hachinuch & Ashar in Monsey, NY. He is the author of Stam Torah and can be reached at stamtorah@gmail.com. His website is www.stamtorah.info.

79 Avi Heiligman

Alfred Mordecai

Weapons Expert Who Helped Lead the North to Victory

Alfred Mordecai is on the left

of ordnance which was in charge of making and implementing new weapons.

The U.S. had many outdated weapons and machinery that were being used prior to the Mexican-American War, and the Ordnance Corps needed its board to approve new designs and techniques. Mordecai was outspoken and the most influential member of the board that put the U.S. on the map in terms of military prowess and readied the country to fight the bloody Civil War with the upper hand. He penned a manual that according to historian Stan-

ley Falk “standardized the manufacture gladly joined the North in their strugof weapons with interchangeable parts, gle to preserve the Union. He graduated a step in the evolution from West Point in of American mass 1861 and was immemanufacturing” and diately assigned to “performed importthe front lines. By the ant experiments with time the war ended in artillery and gunpow1865, Alfred Jr. was a der.” Up until that full colonel. During point, manufacturers the war, he served produced weapons as an ordnance offibased on the individcer and held many ual order that would command positions make a profit and during several batweren’t looking at the tles. After the war, bigger picture. These he twice held the top regulations made it command at the same easier for the soldier Watervliet Arsenal Alfred Mordecai (1804-1887) on the battlefield to that his father had load and fix his weaponce commanded. on.

Upon his retirement, Alfred Mordecai From 1857 to 1861, Mordecai was Jr. was promoted to brigadier general the commander at Watervliet Arsenal, New York.

There he designed a new bullet and a press that would increase productivity and send ammunition to the front at a faster rate. At the beginning of the war, Mordecai had the press running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, but he wasn’t destined to stay there for long.

After writing several manuscripts and making many changes in the production of munitions for the service, Mordecai was left with a major dilemma when the Civil War broke out in early 1861. Since he was born in the South, he had loyalties to his state, family (several siblings fought in the Confederate Army) and neighbors. A few Southern officers who were serving in the army hated the idea of secession and decided to fight for the North. Mordecai was offered a post by the Confederates and said no. He asked the Union for a post in California but was declined. He was torn and chose the third option of staying out of the war altogether and retiring. At the age of 57, Mordecai stayed away from the fighting and taught math in a private school. Even after the war, he declined a position to return to the army.

Alfred Mordecai Jr., Mordecai’s son, had no loyalties to the South and

and was one of only a few Jews in the 19th century to hold that rank.

Even though he didn’t participate in the Civil War, Alfred Mordecai Sr. was a major reason that the Union was prepared to fight the war. He was one of the country’s foremost experts on weapons and would have filled a badly needed position on the general staff if he had stayed with the Northern army. If he had stayed, Mordecai would have had been a much remembered hero in history but torn loyalties took precedence. Nevertheless, his contributions were vital to the Union victory.

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.

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

T

here are many branches to the U.S. military that do not wage war in the conventional sense but fight battles behind the scenes. Creating weapons and ammunition is a major part in keeping the American forces ready to fight anywhere in the world and at any time. It is the job of the Ordnance Corps to give soldiers the best weapons to fight. One of the most influential officers who made the Union the stronger side in the Civil War was an observant Jew. Alfred Mordecai was an influential person preparing the Ordnance Corps for the Civil War but like many men who were torn between loyalties to both sides, he did not participate in the fight.

Alfred Mordecai was born in Warrenton, North Carolina, in 1804. Being the only Jew in the West Point class of 1823, he had a tough time keeping kosher. He graduated the top in his class and held a number of positions in the army. In 1836, Mordecai was appointed commanding officer of the Frankford Arsenal in Philadelphia. During the Mexican-American War (1846-1848), he was a powerful member on the board

The Jewish Home n

Forgotten Heroes

T h e J TeHwE iJsEhWHI oS m a nMu AY a ry2 49 , 2012 2014 H eH OnM E j n

80 96

Cover Story Malky Lowinger Artwork by Lola Lieber

The Story of Lola Continues During the past months, The Jewish Home has been honored to chronicle the personal memoirs of Lola Lieber. Her remarkable odyssey from privileged childhood to the horrors of the Holocaust and finally to liberation have been a great inspiration to so many of us. Lola’s courage, determination, steadfast faith and indomitable spirit throughout her triumphs and tribulations made for a riveting story which was eagerly followed by hundreds of readers week after week.

So where is Lola today?

Lola (right), at her book signing in 2010

We are happy to report that she is every bit as lovely and vibrant as ever. Lola lives in a beautifully appointed second floor Boro Park apartment. She may be ninety-years-old ka”h, but she is still very much young at heart. We contacted Lola to find out the rest of her story and she welcomed us into her home. We sat in her parlor, sipping on coffee served in delicate floral china dishes, surrounded by her stunning artwork which adorn the walls of her home. In this cozy and welcoming setting, Lola continued her story:

Lola: When we were discharged from the hospital, we were given a private apartment in Munich, Germany, to live in. That apartment was occupied by a German family. And believe it or not, after everything that happened, we still didn’t have the heart to throw them out. So we took two rooms and let them stay there.

My husband Mechel began to search for ways to come to America. Our best bet at that time was to receive an affidavit from family members in America. So we got in touch with family. My husband had a cousin, Moshe Lieber, (from the Lieber chocolate company) and I had an uncle, Rabbi Dovid Leser, who lived in the Brownsville area of Brooklyn.

About two months later, we received the good news that the papers had arrived! But this meant we

had to travel to Bremerhaven at the border because that’s where the ships came in. So we packed up and left to Bremerhaven.

When we arrived we couldn’t believe our eyes.

There were so many other people who were also trying to leave, and the ships were delayed for three weeks because of a strike. All of these hundreds of people were living in a shed and we had no choice but to join them.

TJH: You lived in a shed with a little baby?

Lola: It was very, very difficult. Of course, I was the only one there with a baby so they gave us a private room. But the ship didn’t come in for another three months! This was winter time and there was no heating! Heshy suffered terribly from ear infections and of course there was no penicillin in those

TJH: Your book ends with the pidyon haben of your oldest child, Heshy. Why did you decide to end it there?

Lola: To tell you the truth, I am still wondering whether that is where the book should have ended. In many ways it made sense, because Heshy’s pidyon haben symbolized the beginning of a new era for all of us. After the destruction and devastation, his birth was a ray of hope for a new generation.

Heshy was the first child born after the war, and just about everyone came to the ceremony – all the American soldiers and the nurses, even the gentile ones. Of course, it was a very defining moment. But sometimes I think I should have ended the book just a few weeks later when we left to America.

TJH: Can you fill us in on what those few weeks were like?

AtLola’s Lola’s90th 90thbirthday, birthday,ka”h. ka”h.

At Pictured with Lola L-R: Yossi Lieber, Heshy Pesi Lieber, Lieber, Mati Mati & & Gedalyah Gedalya Jacobovits Pictured with Lola L-R: IdiiIdii && Yossi Lieber, Heshy && Pessie Jacobovits

81 97 TThHeEJJeEw 9 , 2014 Wi IsShHHHoOmMeE nn Mj aAYn u2a4ry , 2012

days. He was crying day and night. My brother Ben came every day to give us a chance to sleep.

But we were zoche to have a young Russian man, a real tzaddik, help us out. I tell you, if only I could remember his name I would have given it in to Yad Vashem. He wasn’t even Jewish, and I suppose he wanted to make a little money. So he went into the forest every day and brought us a few pieces of wood to make a fire to keep ourselves warm. At first we paid him, but we soon ran out of money and he continued to do it anyway. It was such a chesed.

I think about him often, and I remember him so well that I could paint him right now in front of my very eyes. I don’t even know his first name, but he really saved our lives.

TJH: You must have been thrilled when the boat finally arrived.

Lola: That was also a story. Because of the baby’s earaches, we had to take him to the hospital.

At the time we traveled by horse and buggy. When we arrived, the only thing the doctors could do was puncture the infection so the fluid would drain.

There were no antibiotics then. When someone had an earache, they just stuffed their ears with cotton.

The doctors told us to leave the baby at the hospital and go back home. They said they will watch over him. We had no choice but to leave him there with lots of tears and a heavy heart. But here is something I will never forget. My Heshy was just a few months old at the time. He had never yet called me by my name and he certainly didn’t stand up yet.

But when we left him in the hospital that day, he stood up in his crib and called out, “Mama! Mama!” and cried for me to stay. It was such a shock to see him that way; I remember it until this very day.

Well, we left him there and returned to the shed where there was a tremendous hustle and bustle.

Guess what? The boat had finally arrived! So while

Lola Lolawith withone oneofofher hergreat-grandsons great-grandson and and great-great-grandsons great-great-grandson

everyone else was packing their possessions, we had to go back to the hospital for our baby! In the end, he had only been at the hospital for maybe an hour.

TJH: And the boat ride?

Lola: Well, it wasn’t exactly a luxury ship. It was a battleship called the Ernie Pyle, named after the famous journalist who was killed during the war.

When the boat came, so many people got onboard that we were given the very lowest deck. The trip took about two weeks, and many of us – myself included – suffered terribly from motion sickness.

My husband, I remember, wasn’t affected. Maybe because he was so thin and such a small eater, he didn’t suffer the way the rest of us did.

The real problem though was how to diaper the baby. There were no tissues, nothing disposable to use. We had to cook the diapers to get them clean and then reuse them. I also remember an old woman who would come to hold the baby occasionally in order to help me out.

TJH: What was it like to finally come to America?

Lola: When we arrived, the press came onboard to greet us. I was the only one with a child, so of course we were the focus of much attention. My son had a white rabbit coat with a hood which he wore on the boat. The photographers took pictures of us and called Heshy “The Little Eskimo.”

By the way, these pictures appeared in newspapers all over the world and were instrumental in having us reunited with cousins of ours who lived in Australia! They saw the pictures and recognized us.

When we arrived, my uncle and cousins were of course very excited and came to greet us. They brought us home with them and my uncle arranged a place for us to stay. A woman on their block had a large apartment and rented out some rooms. There

was only one bathroom in the hallway and everyone had to share it. It wasn’t ideal but we weren’t complaining.

TJH: How did you settle in?

Lola: Like everyone else at the time, my husband was looking for parnassah. It came from an unlikely place. We went for a walk one Shabbos afternoon and my husband happened to meet a friend who was his chavrusa back in Poland!

This friend, Avraham Sheya Rubin, had been drafted into the Polish army and managed to escape to America. He got married, went into the nylon manufacturing business, and became very wealthy.

At that time, hosiery was at a premium. A pair of ladies’ stockings was a very valuable commodity.

When these two friends met, they hugged and greeted each other warmly. Then they started catching up on old times. This friend inquired as to what my husband was doing, and my husband asked if he could help him with his parnassah.

Well, he did. He gave my husband a suitcase filled with ladies’ hosiery and told him to go to the garment center during lunch hour and just open the suitcase. It was a golden opportunity to be a salesman, but my husband saw it as an offer to become a peddler.

“You know me,” my husband said. “That’s not my style. I’m not a peddler.”

“This is America,” Avraham Sheya told him.

“Doctors are selling apples on the street here. You do what you have to do. Come, I will go with you the first time and show you how it’s done.”

And so they went. Sure enough, the entire suitcase was sold in about half an hour. But my husband still wasn’t satisfied. “This is the first and last time I am doing this,” he said. What he wanted to do, he explained, was to sell the nylons to the businesses and stores as a supplier.

“But you don’t even speak the language,” I pro-

T h e JTeHw m eH OnM E jna nMuAY a ry2 49,, 2012 2014 E iJsEhWHI So H

82 98

tested.

“I went to business school in Cracow. I can do this,” he said. “You just need to write everything down for me.” So we made a list of all the first quality stockings, second quality stockings, etc. Then he asked his friend to show him where the stores are. Reluctantly, Avraham Sheya gave him some merchandise, and soon he was on his way to Lee Avenue to sell his wares.

TJH: How did that work out?

Lola: It really took off, and we eventually opened up a wholesale store. Not long afterwards, we moved into our own apartment on Clymer Street in Williamsburg. The Satmar Rebbe’s gabbai, Rav Ashkenazi, lived in the same building as us.

Having our own apartment was a big step for us.

I remember at some of our friends’ apartments, there was a bathtub in the kitchen with a board on top of it. This served as their table. When you took the top off, it was a bath! Still, we became successful, so successful that many other “greenhorns” went into the same business.

TJH: What were you doing all this time?

Lola: Mothers didn’t work in those days so I was home with the children. I spoke seven languages, including Polish, Russian, Hungarian, Yiddish, and now English. I learned English very fast. My husband had a good sense of humor, but his English wasn’t that good.

When I went to a store, they always spoke in Yiddish. But I would tell the grocer that I was a new immigrant so please speak to me in English so that I would learn the language more quickly.

Of course I wanted to develop my skills as an artist ever since I was a child. In fact, I wasn’t even aware of it but I had been given a scholarship to a very prestigious school in Holland to study art. My

parents never told me about it because they were concerned about the environment there and didn’t want me to go.

TJH: So when did you find out about it?

Lola: It’s an interesting story. We were once walking on Delancey Street and another couple was walking behind us. Apparently the woman recognized my voice because she suddenly called out, “Layku!” (That’s what everyone called me.)

She hadn’t seen me in about ten years and we had a lovely reunion. By the way, since then we became machatonim!

So this woman, Helen, said to me, “Whatever happened to your scholarship? Weren’t you supposed to go to Holland to study?” I was shocked.

I had no knowledge of any scholarship. Of course, now I really wanted to pursue my talents.

My husband was still against my going to school or pursuing a career but slowly he was giving in.

First of all, when we came to Boro Park, we saw that some women did go to work and it wasn’t a shandah there like in Europe. Also, the hosiery business, which was doing well at first, was starting to go downhill. There was lots of competition, and big factories like Burlington were making hosiery much quicker and cheaper. My husband was still making a living, but it wasn’t the same.

One day—it was my birthday—he allowed me to go to the galleries so I found someone to go with me to F.I.T. It was my first venture into the world of art.

Unfortunately, not much later, my husband became very ill. He was nebach sick with cancer for eight years. Everything in our world suddenly turned upside down. We were struggling financially and I knew I had to do something. I thought I would become a designer but it wasn’t for me.

I liked drawing and painting, not cutting patterns.

So I came up with an idea to paint on hosiery.

I developed a paint that wouldn’t crack when the hosiery stretched. I explained the concept to a business acquaintance of my husband and he gave me some hosiery to make a few samples.

TJH: Did that work?

Lola: For awhile; it was such a novelty that even the can-can girls at Radio City Music Hall wore them. I used to paint big roses for them to wear right over the knee! There was a big demand for it, and we even hired artists and had two shifts.

Still, like everything else, eventually the novelty wore off.

TJH: When did your artistic flair really take off?

Lola: I managed to study art privately with Evelyn Eisgrau, a woman artist who taught a very elite group of ladies including an opera singer. I had no car so I took three busses to get there and her lessons were quite expensive. But I was finally entering the world of art.

I remember the opera star. She lived in New Jersey. She had a car and sometimes she would drive me home at night after class. She always wanted to buy my paintings, but I didn’t want to sell them to her. The teacher was selling her own paintings and I didn’t want to interfere with that.

Meanwhile, my younger son, Yossi, was in Beer Shmuel kindergarten and a school administrator asked us to make a fundraiser for the yeshiva. She suggested doing either a bazaar or a cake sale. I offered to have the meeting in my home.

Well, this administrator walked into my home and she was amazed when she saw all the paintings.

She asked, “Who did this?”

I said I did.

“I don’t believe it,” she said. “Instead of a bazaar, we can arrange an art show at a gallery on Madison Avenue in Manhattan.”

At the time I was inexperienced in any of this. I remember an expert came to my home and saw my selection but didn’t react much to it. He didn’t take any of the paintings that were hanging in my home, which was disappointing.

But I had about twenty five rolls of sketches of Holocaust scenes, scenes that I had witnessed and recreated, which I put away for myself. They were horrible pictures that I didn’t even want hanging. I also kept a few black and white scratch board sketches. The expert took them all to the exhibition, even without frames. My teacher, by the way, became so jealous when she heard about my art show that she hated me. She never even came for the exhibition.

That Motzei Shabbos we came to see the show.

I walked up the staircase and saw that all my little paintings, maybe twenty pieces, were beautifully framed and hanging there. Only later did I realize that he kept my work on the staircase so it shouldn’t compete with his works! Seven or eight pieces were even hanging upside down! He was calling them Bohemian landscape paintings.

This was obviously not what I had imagined it

83 99

TJH: And your children?

Lola: I have two sons, Heshy and Yossi, and a daughter, Mati. My oldest, Heshy, and his wife, Pessie, live near me in Boro Park. Heshy is an accountant, and Pessie is a talented jewelry designer.

They are very involved in kiruv and travel to Poland every year for the high holidays where Heshy is the chazzan at the Warsaw Synagogue. They have four married children and many lovely grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Yossi and his wife, Idii, live in Flatbush and daven at Rabbi Frankel’s shul. They are in the interior designing business for nursing homes, something they’ve been successfully doing for over twenty five years. They are very active in many organizations and particularly involved in Renewal, an organization that helps people who need kidney transplants.

Yossi and Idii have four children, all married, and many grandchildren.

My daughter, Mati, and her husband, Gedalya Jacobovits, live in Flatbush. Gedalya is a famous caterer at Ateres Chaya hall and The Palace – everyone knows him and speaks so highly of him. Mati is by profession a gifted graphic designer. At a young age I knew she was talented and she loved to paint. She and I would travel to Woodstock together in the summer to spend time among the artists. Mati and Gedalya have four married children and terrific grandchildren.

I have bli ayin hora three children, twelve grandchildren, forty-eight great grandchildren, and three great-great grandchildren, and iy’H more on the way!

Just recently, they all made me a wonderful party in a restaurant. It was a surprise for my 90th birthday!

I want to mention something about my children.

I feel so blessed. They are all so good to me and so respectful. They try so hard to make my life easier and will do anything to make me more comfortable.

I spend every Shabbos and yom tov with them, and they come here to see me whenever they can.

Just today, I had two of my great-grandchildren here for lunch. They are Gerrer bochurim, 15- and 17-years old. Two young boys with just one hour off during the day, and they came to spend it with me.

Some of the girls come over here on Sundays and we paint together. This is what my children are like.

Always coming over and always trying to make my life more pleasant. I really am blessed.

tapes that I made already and a Spielberg interview which was conducted a few years ago.

I crochet a lot and I make a little hetkeleh whenever a new baby is born in the family. And of course, I am busy working on my next book. This book will be more difficult to write because there were so many different episodes to my life after the war and it will not be easy to put it all in perspective.

And, of course, I have many wonderful, devoted friends. We are getting older, of course. But we all have the nachas of our families to keep us going.

TJH: How do you spend your time these days?

Lola: Oh, I am really very busy with so many things.

I still have the studio and I still sell my art. I don’t know anyone else who is running a business at this age, but as long as people are still calling me, I am selling my work. I also am invited to schools where I speak to the students about the Holocaust. These young people listen to me because I speak from the heart.

There is someone who wants to make a movie about my book. He comes here often and interviews me.

We already had about four or five long LoLA sessions together. This is besides several thor

eM A M

US $19.95

tions uted by Distrib Urim Publica ers / s.com Publish lication Lambda w.UrimPub ww

Loss oir of n A MeM deMptio re And

ld in -year-o sixteen horrors of t ileged and. The ately when Abou er was a priv edi aded Pol rs Lola LesGermany inv almost imm ng for yea t en tha r livi k her 1939 wh aust overtoo , Poland, afte nkach – at arloc ndp kow in Mu the Ho to Kra arents re, in her gra artisndp ved her she mo maternal gra a. It was the overed slovaki ,” that she disc with her l Czecho den , Meche time in chanted gar y mature to turn “en full s’ to was ent t nts. a chance rriage tha through tic tale she had into a ma on saw them and Before her up ip. That uni lter to shelter war swept Lieber ing partnersh ing from she those horrid allov flee lost . During into a , they ing, of of hid a hairsbreadth risonment tiality and years imp le bes ture by periods of elievab ng cap the unb ion and escapi staunch – often ks of starvat sed firsthand to her to city d and faith and her wee witnes husban from city ich included ones and ns h to her acles. It is this and traditio wh ir loved ng bot years, mir of the Nazis. values a link in the Lola clu both many all ish st rs, Jew the mo yea was m ities of harrowing granted the to uphold her us that she deprav o a scio h six Wh h, and Lol , con oug r Thr odds. in Munic d of e Above that propelled a was eve t child inst all the On Lol chel die ity aga h to her firs ringing conditions.

Me faith in d tinu upb ove con nal e birt Her bel traditio most adverse survival and d, Lola gav been States. the ish rate work has t colunder of Jew 6, now libe to the United st. Her chain nen 194 ted n. perma sful arti eternal uray 19, she immigra three childre a succes and is in the Yad Vashema On Jan h year the and is tes ins her wit owing paints ited Sta gs are part of l mainta the foll 1966, leaving s, Lola still the Un ntin She stil well-known in ughout Her pai collections. eightie cancer Lola is ge of leries thro m of Art. in her seu private New York. s a wide ran Today many art gal of Mu ncisco ed in number Brooklyn, encompas in exhibit San Fra and are in a ily alworks o Park of the her fam ic Bor ts. Her dern. lection in Jerusalem er Chassid paint portrai as well as mo vity schedule, grandmoth es e, to archiv c, heart of acti thre ed isti is her the in ion sion ritable mother of s truly gallery commis nal, impress ial and cha the g. Thi often itio soc she is still countin y t trad tha bus and is a ing includ a maintains proudly states ty-six and styles n Lol of thir ch. ofte er ugh a Rei oth Lol Tho dm and the es first. at-gran Hitler ways com , and the gre tory over lve l vic of twe and her fina h triump

the Au

oir

os of L

d s An

red

TJH: Is there a message you want to share with us?

Lola: I will tell you something. They asked me to speak at the birthday party and I just couldn’t. I was all choked up. It was a very emotional experience for me. I looked around at all the children, and I saw the future.

So many times, I would wonder. Why me? Why did I stay alive while so many other good people perished? What about my wonderful parents, brothers and sisters? My large extended family? And all the others? Of course I always tried to do the right thing.

During the War, I made sure never to eat treif. But I never considered myself such a saint. Why did I remain alive?

So when I looked around at all the children at my party, at my beautiful family and my tremendous nachas, I realized that maybe here was a message fin Oiven, from Above. For some reason, I was zoche to live and see a new dor, a dor of pious children and grandchildren.

You know what? Maybe I did do something good in my life to deserve this. eMp

tion

r

Liebe

TJH: Tell us about your family.

Lola: I was married three times. My first husband, Mechel Lieber, was of course a beloved person with many friends who respected him greatly. He was a great supporter of rebbes. He davened by the Stuchiner Rebbe, zt”l and later by the Bluzhiver Rebbe zt”l. He also davened often by the Bertcher Rebbe zt”l and was still very close with the Bobover Rebbe zt”l. He was also a ba’al tefilla with a beautiful voice and a big talmid chochom. Unfortunately, he passed away at the young age of 51, without having seen his children married or any grandchildren. When I see the nachas that I have, I wish he were here with me.

After his passing, I eventually married Norman Sclar, a very sophisticated man who was the controller of a large bank. I will always be grateful to him because he helped me marry off my children. The story of how we met is very nice.

I was living in Boro Park at the time and my future husband was then in the x-ray machine business. He happened to be in Chicago with one of his contractors, and he was sitting on a bench. Normally he would read the Wall Street Journal but there happened to be a Jewish Press laying there so he picked it up and started reading it.

There was an article in that issue about me and my work. At the time he was interested in commissioning someone to paint a portrait of his late wife.

So he called me and asked to meet me.

Norman was living in Riverdale at the time and was not familiar with Boro Park at all. But he came to my studio and met my children and was very impressed with them. Eventually, his daughter came to meet me as well and she was interested in having me paint a portrait of her father. So, he hired me to do the portraits and came back fairly often, probably to get to know me better. I think the portraits were just an excuse!

Well, we were married for fourteen years, during which he became the controller at Bank Meli. He was very generous to me and my children, even helping them with music and art lessons. Unfortunately, he also passed away.

Later, I married Rabbi Shimon Aryeh Schwartz, a well-known writer for many publications including the Algemeiner, the Israeli Hamodia and Dos Yiddishe Vort. He had a wonderful sense of humor and was really a wonderful person. We had eleven good years together. I’m still very close with his children.

And in fact, his lovely granddaughter Shoshana, who I love dearly, is the editor of this newspaper!

W iI sS h H H oO m M eE n MjAY , 2012 T hH eE J eE w a n u2 4a ry 9 , 2014

to be and it was such a big disappointment for me.

In the end, though, my works were sold to a South American art dealer. All in all, it wasn’t the kind of exhibition I had expected. But it was just the first of many.

I opened my studio in Boro Park in 1960, where I’ve been selling my artwork ever since. It’s still open, but by appointment only. I have many beautiful paintings there and I am still selling them.

Do I still paint? Occasionally, I do portraits upon request. My work is hanging today in many different museums including Yad Vashem and the Museum of San Francisco

Lieb

er

Lola is available by appointment and can be reached at 718-851-7060 or at 347-546-2629. Visit LolaLieber.com for photos of her artwork.

A World After This: A Memoir Of Loss And Redemption, her riveting memoir, is also available on the website.

The Jewish Home n j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

84

85

The Jewish Home n j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

The Jewish Home n

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

86

Health & Fitness Devorah Gerber Schmeltz FIVE TOWNS M ARRIAGE INITIATIVE — Presents — A BRAND NEW

Shalom bayis hotline beginning thursday, august 2nd and then every sunday, tuesday and thursday night phone lines open from 10-11pm all calls are anonymous

PHONES STAFFED BY LICENSED FRUM THERAPISTS

• Completely Anonymous • Desgined around your schedule • Use the service as a sounding board for even small issues you feel you may want to discuss further

• Discuss current Shalom Bayis issues • Get a referral to a local therapist to further discuss problems • Hear ideas how to make your current marriage better

SHALOM BAYIS HOTLINE NUMBER

516.430.5280

Sunday/Tuesday/thursday 10-11pm

Coloring in the Lines Do you have any ideas of how to help a young child color within the lines? I have a four-year-old who likes to color, but her coloring marks are spread out across the drawings in her coloring book. The coloring books I give to her are all age-appropriate.

In fact, I pulled out some sheets from it when she had a play date over and her friend colored more or less within the lines for most of the drawings.

Thank you in advance!

her with a good visual cue where to stop coloring. If these modifications don’t help, the next step is to provide the child with a tactile (touch/feel) cue.

One way this can be accomplished is by laying wikki stix over the borders of the shape to be colored. Now when she colors, as she comes close to the border of the drawing, her crayon will “bump” into the wikki stix, prompting her to stop coloring at that point. The wikki stix serve similarly to New York City subway platforms designed with bumpy flooring close to the The Therapist Responds: edge of the platform and roads leading It is always important to rule out up to tollbooths with skid marks. These any vision issues, all tap into some which may be inof our other senses terfering with your (beyond visual) to daughter’s ability cue the person to A thick border to color within borslow down or stop. ders of a line. Once Other similar will provide her that is ruled out, options include with a good visual there are many fun coloring with stenand creative ways cils and fuzzy velcue where to stop to help a young vet posters. She coloring. child such as yours may also need improve her colorsome guidance using skills. ing short strokes First, look to when coloring so modify the shape her strokes don’t being colored to something simple, go too far across the page and over the such as a ball or square rather than a star borders of the drawings. Happy coloring!

or a detailed flower. You also can easily adapt the border around the shape.

Simply thicken the borders by tracing them with a broad-tipped black marker or Sharpie. A thick border will provide

Devorah (Gerber) Schmeltz, MS OTR/L is a 2003 alumnus of Downstate Medical Center’s OT Program. She worked as a senior occupational therapist at United Cerebral Palsy’s Brooklyn Children’s Program for 9 years. Currently, Devorah runs a private practice, Bumble & Tumble Occupational Therapy P.C in Far Rockaway. Your questions and comments are welcome. She can be reached at BumbleTumbleTherapy@gmail.com or 917-971-5327.

87 Lori Boxer

Motivation: A 12-Tip Program weight loss and use each milestone as coming up that day. In the evening, a major target in itself. Use the same review how your day went. Don’t bestrategy for weight maintenance by rate yourself for any of the choices you ensuring that you made; see only stay the same what you learned weight for each from them. How special date in did you feel after your calendar. you made your Tip #4: Boost choice? Was it still your weight loss worth it? What motivation by would you do difpromising yourself ferently next time a treat when you something similar reach your goals. comes up?

Build in some Tip #7: Listen non-food rewards to uplifting mufor every little step sic. Put together you take as well a collection of all as for major milethe music you love stones. How about that makes you a spa day for each feel great about Keep a diary and note what you ate five pounds lost? yourself and the and how you felt each day Or buy a book by world. Play your your favorite author and allow time for tracks whenever you need to feel good yourself to read in peace. And each about your own strength to succeed in

Have a role model, someone you know who eats healthily and has an active life.

time you make a healthy choice rather than an available unhealthy choice (walking instead of taking the car, fresh fruit instead of cake) pat yourself on the back. Tell yourself that you’re doing great, because you are!

Tip #5: Take a picture of yourself in your swimsuit at the start of your program.

Each month take another picture wearing the same thing. Feel your weight loss motivation soar as the swimsuit gets baggy while you shrink.

Tip #6: For extra weight loss motivation, keep a diary of your thoughts and feelings as you lose weight. At the start of the day quickly Give yourself small rewards for every five pounds lost--a half hour note down your intenof relaxation could be a great incentive and you deserve it! tions for the day, how giving, etc.—your weight loss motiva- you plan to eat healthily, what exercise tion dates! Plot out your goal weight you might plan to do, what strategies for each event with a sensible rate of you need to adopt for particular events

at, wearing clothes which fit and your hair and makeup done? You are a beautiful person. You are just trying to match the outside to the beautiful you inside. Make the effort to look as good as you can while you lose weight to boost your morale. Always have at least two smart casual outfits that fit you perfectly rather than wearing tootight clothes (you refuse to buy a bigger size) or clothes you’ve long since got too small for (they make you look as baggy as they are).

Tip #10: Have a role model, someone you know who eats healthily and has an active life. Notice how that person acts around food, what they eat and how they eat. How do they fit exercise or tennis or golf within their lifestyle?

You need to think like a slim person too.

Tip #11: Why not train for an event?

Apply to run in a marathon planned for six months away. Plan a bicycle tour in Europe for next year’s summer vacation. Commit to a 10-mile cancer fund raising walk. Whichever you choose, let your goal of participating in these events drive you to success.

Tip #12: Lose weight for yourself.

No one cares about your health and your looks more than you. Your family and friends may even fear that you will change too much from the you that they love. You may not get the encouragement you want.

More than anything you need to do this because you love and value yourself.

You matter. You really do!

your weight loss efforts and the great slim future you have ahead of you.

Tip #8: Sometimes you need to get real about your fat and stop hiding behind excuses. Just decide for once and for all that you have had enough of being fat and you are going to do something about it. Take responsibility for Lori Boxer is the Diyour own choices. rector of Weight No Look at what has Make sure to look good and wear clothes MoreSM Diet Center. made you fat and that fit you well--no matter your size In addition to serving how you have let the Brooklyn, Long Island and New Jersey this happen to yourself. It is easier to communities for 25years, they also provide make excuses? No! It’s far, far harder Skinny SkypeSM service to clients nationto stay as you are, unhealthy and unwide and to Israel, and offer customized happy with your shape.

Tip #9: What makes the better Workforce Weight LossSM Programs for weight loss motivation?

Slopping businesses. For more information, please around in old baggy clothes, berating call Rosalie Shatzman, Rana Frankel and yourself for how ugly you feel, or look- Linda Franklin in their Cedarhurst office: ing your best at whatever stage you’re 516.569.6400.

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

I

n weight loss, as in reaching many goals, the key is motivation. Those who are most motivated are those who succeed. And you need to keep your level of motivation high not just at the beginning of your weight loss program, when you have decided to lose weight, but also throughout the program.

Tip #1: Weight loss motivation is all about desire rather than willpower.

How much do you want to lose weight?

How much more do you want to lose weight than you want to eat fattening food and lay on the sofa watching TV all day? List all your reasons for wanting to lose weight, and for staying healthy and slim. Add more reasons to your list as you think of them.

Tip #2: Sustain motivation by making getting to your target weight believable. Visualize success. How will you look when you lose weight?

How will you feel? What will you be wearing? How will your clothes look on you? What will people be saying to you? What will you be saying? What will you be doing? Spend 5 minutes a day imagining and enjoying your future success ... a great way to while away the time waiting in line at the bank or while commuting to work.

Tip #3: If you have a lot of weight to lose it can be hard to sustain your focus. If that is the case, plan some activities throughout the year that you would like to be slim for, for example—Purim, your birthday, a weekend away, your annual vacation, Thanks-

The Jewish Home n

Health & Fitness

T h e JT He w h IHSoHmHe OnM E nj a nMuAYa ry 2014 E JiEsW 2 49, ,2012

88 88

Notable

Quotes

Compiled by Nate Davis

“Say What?”

Fox News Correspondent Ed Henry:

The First Lady stayed behind in Hawaii, and the White House said that was an early birthday present from the president. Does that mean he’s paying for the flight back or are the taxpayers paying for it?

White House Spokesman Jay Carney:

As with all personal travel, the First Family will appropriately fund personal expenses, Ed, and in line with past presidents and first ladies. The First Lady will travel via government aircraft, but you are accurate in your description that this was ah, her decision to remain in Hawaii, the president’s suggestion that she remain in Hawaii to spend time with friends ahead of this very big birthday.

If you have kids, you know that telling your spouse they can spend a week away from home is a big present. Not that we don’t love our kids…

Rand Paul does not know what he’s talking about. And, Rand Paul is really spreading fear among the American people. To me, he’s either totally uninformed or he’s part of that hate America crowd that I thought left us in the 1960s. In any event, he doesn’t deserve to be in the United States Senate for spreading that type of misperception and absolute lies.

- Congressman Peter King (R-NY) during an interview on Sunday morning regarding Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) President Obama returned to D.C. on Saturday. But he left First Lady Michelle Obama in Hawaii for a few days as part of an early birthday present.

You can tell a couple has been married a while when a good birthday present is spending time apart.

- Jimmy Fallon

My New Year’s resolution is that I’m going to take more time off this year.

Actually, it wasn’t my resolution, but I’m going to do it anyway.

- Jay Leno More than one million of our fellow Americans lost a vital economic lifeline – the temporary insurance that helps folks make ends meet while they look for a job. Republicans in Congress went home for the holidays and let that lifeline expire.

-President Obama speaking from his two-week vacation in Hawaii about Republicans not stahing in Washington, D.C. over the holidays to extend unemployment benefits

Get off my phone, you creep!

- Signature line of radio host Bob Grant, who passed away this week at age 84

Living with his wife was particularly difficult and unbearable.

- Statement released by police as to why an Italian man who was under house arrest fled from his home to the police station and asked to be placed in prison Those earning between $500,000 and one million dollars a year, for instance, would see their taxes increase by an average of $973 a year. That’s less than three bucks a day – about the cost of a small soy latte at your local Starbucks.

– New York Mayor De Blasio during his inaugural address

MSNBC anchor Melissa Harris-Perry has apologized for making fun of one of Mitt Romney’s grandchildren.

She said that from now on before she goes on the air she’ll remind herself that some people may actually be watching MSNBC. - Jay Leno

Because I LOVE being human and I LOVE the privilege of being able to ask the question WHY? in the first place! I love the question WHY? because sometimes I find that the answer leaves me with even more questions about life… and then, my circle starts all over again and I wouldn’t want my WHY? any other way.

- A blogger explaining—sort of—why she ate nothing but items from Starbucks for a full year; her legal name is Beautiful Existence

When someone reveals that government officials have routinely and deliberately broken the law, that person should not face life in prison at the hands of the same government. President Obama should tell his aides to begin finding a way to end Mr. Snowden’s vilification and give him an incentive to return home.

- The New York Times editorial

We have prison camps here in America too!

- Dennis Rodman when asked why he doesn’t talk to his “friend” Kim Jung Un about the horrific prison camps in North Korea

The postal service is now saying that they are raising the price of a stamp from 46 cents to 49 cents.

They would have made it an even 50 but that would have made the line at the post office go too fast.

- Jimmy Fallon Why don’t you ask him? I’m sure he would be happy to tell you.

- The not-so-happy wife of a pilot who emergency-landed his small plane on the Major Deegan Expressway last week, when asked by reporters about the incident

Mayor de Blasio says he wants to get rid of horsedrawn carriages in Central Park, saying they are inhumane. Meanwhile, thousands of unemployed New Yorkers are saying, “I’ll pull the carriages. How much an hour?”

- Jimmy Fallon I’m not sure where you can touch down if you’re not going to make it.

- The not-so reassuring response of a flight controller to the pilot of a 4-seater plane with engine failure, after the pilot said he cannot make it to LaGuardia (the plane landed on the Major Deegan Expressway)

I imagine Council member Schaeffer is getting a lot of heat because of the news coverage. Some people will see it as obnoxious or a sign that he’s not taking the oath of office seriously. But I am completely confident that Schaeffer will distinguish himself as a council member of the highest caliber.

- Statement released by the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, after Christopher Schaeffer, who considers himself a “Pastafarian,” was sworn into the Pomfret, New York, town council while wearing a pasta strainer on his head

The controlling nature of the Obama White House, and its determination to take credit for every good thing that happened while giving none to the career folks in the trenches who had actually done the work, offended Secretary Clinton as much as it did me.

- Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, in his new memo

The Winter Olympics are around the corner. President Vladimir Putin says people will be allowed to protest the Winter Olympics as long as they stay in a designated protesting zone. When they asked where the zone is located Putin said, “Poland.”

- Jimmy Fallon

[Congressman] Trey Redel, he’s the guy that was arrested for cocaine possession last week. Well, he now says that all members of Congress should be drug tested. Oh, great, that’s just what we need, another government shutdown.

– Jay Leno

Auburn might be a team of destiny, but tonight, Florida State is deeper from top to bottom. With Jameis Winston and Telvin Smith’s leadership in the fourth quarter, I think they win 35-31.

- Tim Tebow predicting the outcome of the Rose Bowl in his debut performance on ESPN’s pre-game show (Florida State won 34-31 after a heroic 4th quarter comeback)

I’m the best mayor that this city has ever had.

Liz Cheney has decided to pull out of her Senate campaign race in Wyoming — thus making her the first Cheney with an actual exit strategy.

- Jay Leno

I think [VP Biden] has been wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades.

- Ibid.

The president disagrees with Secretary Gates’ assessment – from his leadership on the Balkans in the Senate, to his efforts to end the war in Iraq, Joe Biden has been one of the leading statesmen of his time, and has helped advance America’s leadership in the world. President Obama relies on his good counsel every day.

- White House statement in response to Secretary Gates’ opinion about Vice President Biden

- Toronto Mayor Rob Ford explaining why he is running for reelection, despite his recent scandals This week Dennis Rodman and six former NBA basketball players are going to travel to North Korea to play the top North Korean basketball team. My advice to Dennis Rodman—lose!

They will feed you to the dogs!

- Conan O’Brien Look at my beard!

- LeBron James, when he was “carded” while ordering a drink at a bar

According to new research, elephants can understand the communicative intent of human pointing. If a human points to something an elephant can turn and understand what the human wants…The only elephants that don’t understand what people want are the Republicans in Congress.

– Jay Leno

Expect [Mayor de Blasio] to operate on “progressive” autopilot: The rich (except those who support me) are takers, the poor their victims; wealth comes at someone else’s expense; government officials are wiser and more compassionate than private actors; inequalities are the product of racism and economic injustice; individual choices have little or nothing to do with poverty. If New Yorkers were too ignorant or apathetic not to reject these LBJ-era bromides, they deserve what they are going to get.

-Heather MacDonald, National Review

T hTeHJEeJwE W i s IhS HoHmOeM n a nAYu a2ry , 2014 E n jM 4 , 92012

Let the plantation called New York City be…a city set upon the hill, a light shining in darkness.

- Rev. Fred Lucas during his invocation at the De Blasio inauguration

89 89

90

The Jewish Home n

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

DrDeb

Deb Hirschhorn, Ph.D.

TJH Staff

Having a Clear Head

I

f you’re familiar with previous articles I’ve written, then you know that I’m not a believer in diagnostic labels. If you took ten therapists, psychiatrists, and academicians and gave them a case study to diagnose, you’d probably get ten different diagnoses.

Not only that, the diagnoses don’t do anything to further the process of healing and helping. In fact, they often do the opposite. Ask any therapist, “My husband/wife has Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Do you treat that?” and listen for them gulping air at the other end of the phone. Those very words, or any words with the phrase, “personality disorder” in them will send shivers down therapeutic spines and send them running the other way. The words make them feel hopeless.

So would you say the words further the cause of treatment?

Not really. They can be counterproductive. From an emunah-based perspective, should a doctor ever tell a patient, “Your cancer is inoperable; you only have six months to live”? Of course not. Hashem is the rofeh, the ultimate Healer. If He wants that person to live, the person will live. (On that subject, I heard a story of a person with just such a tumor who, in Eretz Yisroel, got bitten by a poisonous snake. He was rushed to the E.R. and given anti-venom. He survived. What is quite unexpected is that

“Food for Thought,” has been rescheduled to WEDNESDAYS Next talk for women will take place at Cravingz Café 410 Central Ave, 10-11 am, on Wednesday, January 15 will feature Dr. Sheryl Pearl, MD, Family Practice, Board Certified Geriatric Medicine, 516-569-0776, on the topic, “Newer Topics in Medicine: Hospice, Hepatitis C, Counterfeit Meds”

on his next visit with the oncologist, the tumor had disappeared. How about that for Hashem being in charge?)

The same is true of so-called mental illness. If a person decides to do teshuvah, then the diagnosis can disappear.

That diagnosis served no useful purpose in the first place. Why do I say what is

fear of failure and the resultant clouding of our thinking process is nothing less than the yetzer hara keeping us from doing our jobs. In other words, what I am saying is that the real, true definition of anxiety is the allowing of the yetzer hara to trick us into not believing in ourselves and clouding our minds with

The person is stuck in a bad place.

He feels unable to live up to expectations. needed is teshuvah? My answer is that when a person’s behavior is disturbing to himself or to other people, then he or she is not behaving the way the Torah prescribes.

One example is the person who freezes up on tests. It could be a young student or even an adult in the middle of a dissertation defense. We can think of this freezing process as anxiety. “Anxiety” is another one of those silly labels that doesn’t give us any new information. It is a description of behavior that we can plainly see already. The real question is: What caused that feeling and that behavior that we label “anxiety”? What’s behind it?

Several weeks ago, a nice review of academic problems was written up in these pages by another therapist and it said that test anxiety may be caused by the experience the student had with other tests before, or the teacher’s way of handling the student in class. It could also have come from a parent’s pressure on a child to do well.

Understanding the cause is still not enough because whether it was the complexity of the material, the embarrassment in front of a class, or the disappointment of a parent, when that child grows to adulthood, he or she must come to recognize that if Hashem placed him here on this Earth to do a job, then he most likely is fit for that job. If he feels that he is lacking, then he is really not showing belief in himself – or in G-d’s faith in him.

What’s more, the Torah dictates that we are not to let our emotions rule us – although inevitably the yetzer hara attempts to make us do just that. The

worry. The opposite is the belief that, as the sobriety organizations like to say, “G-d doesn’t make junk.”

Once a person can agree that they have been down, hopeless, anxious, worried, sleepless, fearful, and so forth because they don’t believe in their own abilities and the faith that HaKodosh Baruch Hu had in them in the first place, then, indeed, the precise cure for the problem is teshuvah.

How would that process work?

Teshuvah is a three-step process.

First, a person recognizes the error, the sin. So we have that. Second, the person feels very badly about it. Now, we are substituting a person’s bad feelings about his own inabilities with bad feelings about his behavior towards Hashem. How in the world, you might ask, is substituting one bad feeling for another any improvement in the situation?

Great question! And here is the answer: The first situation produced hopelessness. Look at it: The person thinks, “I can’t do the job,” or, “Oh, no! How will I handle X?” Let’s classify this.

Under what category would you put these feelings?

I’d say the person is stuck in a bad place. He feels unable to live up to expectations. He is rendered immobile.

Now, let’s look at the alternative to the bad feeling. The person is thinking, “G-d gave me kochos (strengths) which I wasn’t aware that I had. But now, my job is to find them within myself. I am so sorry for doubting You, Hashem.”

How would you categorize these feelings?

We can categorize this as moving out of the pit of hopelessness and into

the place of taking action. The person isn’t quite sure how he will make changes, but he recognizes that it is incumbent on him to do so. Do you see the difference, the wonderful difference? In one case, the person is trapped and in the other, he is free to look for ways to make changes.

The third step in teshuvah is figuring out how to never go back to that bad place again. This is the essence of change, and – what a funny coincidence – that is the essence of what therapy is supposed to be. It gives the person a sense of agency; he can make the necessary changes after all.

So how would that work in the specific case of those feelings that we label anxiety? There should be a two-pronged approach to getting a head that is clear and free of unwanted thoughts that both distract and pull you down. First, a person really must build up emunah. The individual must remind himself often that if Borei Olam believes in him, then he will believe in himself. (Along with that there needs to be a resolve not to listen to people who tell him otherwise.)

The second part of the process is a constant head-clearing exercise. We can chase away bothersome thoughts by simply paying attention to our breathing and not allowing any words to accompany that focus. As simple as this seems, it is a difficult task at first. But it is necessary. (If we could accomplish that state before davening, our tefilos would also be more meaningful to us.)

As is the case with any worthwhile endeavor, it is accomplished by practice, practice, practice!

Can you see how much more control over your life you get when you think from a Torah perspective, “What does G-d want of me?” instead of thinking, “Woe is me, I have Anxiety Disorder”?

Dr. Deb Hirschhorn, a Marriage & Family Therapist and best-selling author of The Healing Is Mutual--Marriage Empowerment Tools to Rebuild Trust and Respect--Together, is proud to announce that readers of The Jewish Home will receive a $50 discount on every visit to her Woodmere office. For more information, call 646-54-DRDEB or check out her website at drdeb.com.

91

The Jewish Home n j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

The Jewish Home n

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

92

Health & Fitness David Elazar Simai, MD

Simple Advice that Will Simplify Your Life Asthma, Part I

Dear Readers, First, I must apologize for the long hiatus I took from writing in the past few months. Every few days, a thought of a new topic crosses my mind, but I rarely have time to put it into writing. Today, being off for New Year’s, and spending half the day with family and friends, I felt that I was coming down with a “mini flu” - some chills and bone pains – so after praying Mincha, I retired to my bedroom to rest, and decided that I would feel better if I shared some practical advice with you.

To help you internalize and memorize the info, I decided to give a few real scenarios from my office. Today’s topic will be asthma treatments.

Scenario A A few years ago, a one-year-old toddler came into my office. His family recently moved back to the States from a few years of learning in Israel.

I knew the family well because their extended relatives were my patients for years, and I knew that asthma ran in their family.

On this visit, the mother started with the following history: “Dr. Simai, I already decided that no matter what I do,

this child will not stop wheezing.” Upon further questioning, I found out that for the past two months the child was persistently wheezing. He was started on an albuterol puffer, continued onto the nebulizer and was given a 5-day course of oral steroid at least twice. The mother was understandably very fatigued at this point.

A quick look at the child revealed a well-nourished, vigorous one-year-old who was having a mild chest retraction and a persistent cough. On exam, he had low grade temperature and a runny nose, fluid in the ears and impressive sounds of wheezing bilaterally – on both sides of his lungs. There was no history of choking on any objects or foods. To treat him for a possible pneumonia, he was already given a course of a strong antibiotic.

I was truly concerned about him; in my experience so far, I did not encounter many cases of wheezers that I could not control fairly easily with albuterol nebulizations. I had a few cases of aspirated foreign bodies (a clove from havdalah and a popcorn kernel – both of which were already described in previous articles). I was truly perplexed by the fact that even with oral steroids for ten days, there was no relief. I wanted to assume that maybe he had a few viral illnesses that triggered a few, separate episodes of asthma, but I decided to treat him as I would any new patient with wheezing. I asked my nurse to start a nebulization with albuterol at my office, and when I returned to the room, the mystery was easily solved.

Scenario B A new patient walked into my office a few years ago. On her registration form, there was a check by the box “history of asthma.” When I asked the mother how severe the asthma was, she sadly stated that her daughter

was admitted to the hospital numerous times for asthma exacerbations, and she was taking oral steroids for months at a time. She was followed by a wellrespected pediatric pulmonologist. At that specific visit, she was asymptomatic – without any complaints. Again, I was intrigued by her history. I was not used to seeing patients with such severe and persistent asthma. After a few months, she came into the office actively wheezing. Again, I asked my nurse to nebulize her with albuterol and once again, her mystery was solved.

Scenario C Recently, a six-year-old patient came in coughing to my office on a Thursday afternoon. He had a mild history of asthma which did not require admission to the hospital, but did require a few emergency room visits. On the day of examination, he had a very mild wheeze, I could only hear it with my old trick – squeezing his chest simultaneously with his expirations. I asked the mother if she owned a nebulizer and she happily nodded “yes.” I asked her to nebulize him twice a day with albuterol and pulmicort and said that he should be back to himself, G-d willing, by Sunday. On Sunday morning, he returned to the office with a worsening cough and by now a loud, audible wheezing. Although perplexed, I asked the mom a few questions about his nebulizer and found my answer.

Solving the Mysteries The simple answer to these interesting cases lays in the manner by which the parents were nebulizing their children.

Scenario A – The young toddler who would not stop to wheeze When I returned to the room, I noticed that the young toddler was extremely irritated and his mom was struggling to hold the mask next to his mouth. I turned off the nebulizer machine and allowed the child and his mom to catch their breath. I asked if she has been nebulizing him in this fashion all along and she nodded “yes” that’s the only way he would allow. I

asthmatic’s lungs with minimal side effects) only. There was no need for any oral steroids or oral antibiotics. In order to maximize the treatments and shorten the asthma attack, Yitzy was given some chest physical therapy with his nebulizations.

Scenario C – The mild wheezer who worsened over the weekend After seeing him worsen despite treatment with asthma medicine via his

A little advice can go a long way, so I hope that this simple advice may come in handy one day.

Wishing you a warm and healthy winter, David E. Simai M.D.

Dr. David Simai is a Board Certified Pediatrician from the Five Towns. He is a full time attending in his own private practice since 2007 in Cedarhurst, New York. In addition, he is an Attending Physician at LIJ-Cohen Children’s Hospital, North-Shore Manhasset University Hospital and South Nassau Communities Hospital. He can be contacted for consultation at 516 374-2228 or via email at davidsimai@yahoo.com.

NOTE: name, gender, geographical area and other identifying information were deliberately altered in this article in order to protect the patient’s privacy. This article is not intended to help diagnose or treat any specific disease. Always consult your personal physician before diagnosing or treating yourself or your child for any of the above mentioned illnesses.

93

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

Scenario B – New patient with history of severe asthma When I came into her room, I noticed that she was getting the albuterol via the mouthpiece. This is a method we use for children older than 5 years. Something was suspicious, though. At first, I noticed that she was definitely not taking deep breaths. A few moments later I noticed that there was a steady mist coming out of the nebulizer and then it hit me – she was not inhaling any of the mist in! She had a mouthpiece in her mouth but she was breathing from her nose. All the mist was just going through the “exhaust” and spreading in the room. I trained her to take breaths through the mouth while she was getting her treatments. Since that day, her asthma has turned around. She had no more hospitalizations and much less use of oral steroids.

nebulizer, I asked the mother to demonstrate to me how she nebulizes him at home. She proceeded to show me that he was not using a mask or a mouthpiece, but just holding the canister a few inches away from his nose. When I suggested to use a mask, she said that when he was a young wheezer and visited the emergency room (a few years before I knew his family), the resident told her that if her son gives her a hard time, she could just use this method. It took a few minutes to convince her to change this approach but we both went home smiling and knowing that shortly, with G-d’s help, her son will be back in school.

I know that this advice may only seem relevant to a few parents out there of asthmatics, but the truth is that we use the nebulizer often to treat infants with viral bronchiolitis – a disease that frequently causes hospitalizations. Throughout the years, my staff members and I have been treating hundreds of these infants with frequent nebulizations and with G-d’s help have an extremely low hospitalization rate.

On some occasions, I can easily sense that a parent is overwhelmed by holding a rambunctious toddler down for a full nebulization, which may take 15 minutes. I remind these parents that proper nebulization for 5 minutes is much preferred to 15 wasted minutes of “blow by” treatments.

The Jewish Home n

smiled and said: “I have a feeling that little Yitzy will stop wheezing before Shabbos.” I explained to the mother that holding the nebulizer mask next to the face but not actually on the face, helps humidify the air at best. It delivers zero medicine to the lungs. From personal experience, I know that most infants and young toddlers dislike having a tight or loose-fitting mask on their faces. They scream, throw their hands and feet in the air sometimes for the entire 10 or 15 minutes it takes to nebulize. But that is actually good for them—yes, screaming and crying means taking deep breaths and by doing so, these children are inhaling the medicine deeply into their lungs. They are getting the medicine to the smallest part of the lungs called alveoli where the medicine acts to re-inflate these small structures. Rest assured, if you are persistent, by the second or third time you nebulize your child, he or she may actually like it (again, speaking from personal experience with some of my kids) and today, we have child-friendly dragon masks or pacifier masks readily available.

Little Yitzy received literally a few treatments at home with the mask tightly on his face and within 48 hours his lungs were crystal clear. He received albuterol (which relaxes the muscles in the lungs) and pulmicort (an inhaled steroid which decreases the inflammation in the

94

The Jewish Home n

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

Health & Fitness

Jessica Pianko

Health and Happiness in the Golden Years

I

t is fairly common to hear a youngster refer to an elderly person as a “grumpy old man.” This stereotype seems to imply that many believe that elderly people appear to be pessimistic.

In truth, this may very well be bringing a greater issue to the forefront – depression. Depression in the elderly is a very serious concern. About 5% of senior Americans have been diagnosed with depression, and that number jumps to 13.5% among those who require home healthcare. For many though, this depression often goes undiagnosed and untreated, leaving many seniors with lives they would consider to be simply “sub-par.”

It’s not uncommon for people to confuse grief with depression. Particularly at an older age, seniors may observe more of their friends and loved ones passing away either as a result of health issues or simply old age. Grief is a normal, healthy manifestation of this

sense of loss. In fact, some might also experience grief as a result of transitioning to an assisted living facility or nursing home after living on their own or with family. After a significant loss, grief is your body’s way of telling you that you are suffering emotionally, and

many older adults themselves, realizing that they have depression can be very difficult. They and their children may not have the insight to realize that the symptoms they are experiencing are the result of depression, and might mistake them for something natural. It’s import-

It’s important to realize that while it often affects the elderly, depression is not a normal part of aging.

that’s okay. On the other hand, grief is very different from depression.

Fairly often, grown children will visit their aging parents and notice a marked difference in demeanor, mood, and general outlook. Some just chalk it up as “part of growing older.” For ‫ב"ה‬

JEWISH IDENTI� What did it mean to our grandparents? What will it mean to our grandchildren?

WHAT WAS IT LIKE FOR OUR ancestors to say goodbye to the shtetl, to set out to discover new lives for themselves, along with all of the liberties the free world had to offer? At the dawn of the enlightenment, how did our parents adapt their Judaism to the developments of a modern age?

And what can we learn from their struggles, in order to connect more deeply with our own Jewish identities?

JOIN US FOR

To Be a Jew Free World in the

Jewish Identity Through the Lens of Modern History

Wednesdays.

February 5 - March 12 8:15-9:30 PM Course cost: $99.00

(Includes all learning materials)

Join a new six-session course from The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute

Take advantage of our early bird special! Register by January 16, 2014 and receive a 10% discount

For more information & registration (516)-295-2478 or www.myjli.com

ant to realize that while it often affects the elderly, depression is not a normal part of aging.

Unfortunately, in some cases, the effects of this untreated depression are more severe. In fact, according to the Geriatric Mental Health Foundation, “The rate of suicide among older adults is higher than that for any other age group…Several studies have found that many older adults who commit suicide have visited a primary care physician very close to the time of the suicide – 20 percent on the same day and 40 percent within 1 week of the suicide.”

These findings are alarming, to say the least, and show the absolute necessity of educating doctors and caregivers about the signs and symptoms of depression.

Luckily, there is hope.

Studies have shown that depression screenings like the Geriatric Depression Scale or the PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire) can significantly help healthcare providers address depressive symptoms in the elderly before it might be too late. Asking simple, pointed questions about things like energy levels, appetite, concentration, and potential suicide risk can have a profoundly positive impact on fighting levels of depression in the senior population.

It is crucial that we as children and caregivers remain informed and proactive with regards to depression in the elderly. Here are some tips to help keep you on track:

Be Educated: Educate yourself by surfing the web and becoming familiar with the symptoms of depression in the elderly. One helpful resource is the Geriatric Mental Health Foundation’s website, www.GMHFonline.org, which provides articles, symptom lists, and even a link to help find a geriatric psychiatrist near you.

Stay Alert: When visiting or speaking with your elderly loved one, keep your eyes and ears open for lack of appetite or energy, feelings of despair, little interest in once loved activities, and feelings of hopelessness. While family members might brush these things off, symptoms like these can be very helpful in recognizing the presence of depression.

Talk to Your Doctor: Talk to your loved one’s doctor, and see if they would consider implementing a depression screening program such as the PHQ9-. It’ll only take a few minutes and can truly be lifesaving. Another option would be to contact a geriatric psychiatrist who can evaluate your loved one for depression or depressive

symptoms. Based on their diagnosis, the psychiatrist might recommend medication, therapy, or a combination of the two.

When it comes to the health of our loved ones, it is our job to take charge, and ensure that they enjoy their remaining years in health, and yes, happiness.

Jessica (Adelsberg) Pianko is a graduate student at the University of Maryland School of Social Work. A Woodmere native, she has a sincere passion for helping others, both personally and professionally. She currently resides in Baltimore with her husband and son.

sj_herald_mammo_ad_final_Layout 1 2/7/13 10:35 AM Page 1

95 The Jewish Home n j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

Women’s Health Services at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital

HAVE YOU SCHEDULED YOUR MAMMOGRAM YET? Mammography remains the first line of defense for women in the fight against breast cancer. When you are ready to schedule yours, make it digital. St. John's Episcopal Hospital offers the only digital full-field mammography imaging services on the Rockaway Peninsula and Broad Channel.

Digital mammography gives more precise images and the largest field of view currently available, making them clearer and easier to read. The images are sent electronically and virtually instantaneously to St. John's board-certified radiologists. St. John’s encourages women over the age of 40 to receive annual mammograms as recommended by the American Cancer Society.

ONLY DIGITAL MAMMOGRAPHY SYSTEM IN ROCKAWAY • 24-HOUR RESULTS TO YOUR DOCTOR COMPUTER ASSISTED DETECTON SYSTEM (CAD) • FRIENDLY COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT IMMEDIATE APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE

Monday through Friday 7 am to 5 pm

American College of Radiology Accreditation in Mammography, Obstetrical and General Ultrasound, Abdominal Ultrasound, Nuclear Medicine CT Scan

Please Call 718-869-7780

327 Beach 19th Street Far Rockaway, New York 11691 • www.ehs.org

T h e JT He w h IHSoHmHe OnM E nj a nMuAYa ry 2014 E JiEsW 2 49, ,2012

96 76

In the Kitchen Naomi Nachman

Tu B’Shevat Treats WHEN I WAS IN SEMINARY IN ISRAEL, IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I COULD REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT TU B’SHEVAT REALLY MEANT. ONE COULD HARDLY MOVE ON RECHOV YAFFO AS THERE WERE VENDORS PACKING THE STREETS SELLING PLANTS, TREES, SHRUBS AND FLOWERS. TU B’SHEVAT, THE 15TH OF SHEVAT ON THE JEWISH CALENDAR—CELEBRATED THIS YEAR ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 16— IS THE DAY THAT MARKS THE BEGINNING OF THE “NEW YEAR” FOR TREES. THIS IS THE SEASON IN WHICH THE EARLIESTBLOOMING TREES IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL EMERGE FROM THEIR WINTER SLEEP AND BEGIN A NEW FRUIT-BEARING CYCLE. LEGALLY, THE “NEW YEAR” FOR TREES RELATES TO THE VARIOUS TITHES (MA’ASER) THAT ARE SEPARATED FROM PRODUCE GROWN IN ISRAEL. THESE TITHES DIFFER FROM YEAR TO YEAR IN THE SEVEN-YEAR SHEMITTAH CYCLE, THE POINT AT WHICH A BUDDING FRUIT IS CONSIDERED TO BELONG TO THE NEXT YEAR OF THE CYCLE IS THE 15TH OF SHEVAT. WE MARK THE DAY OF TU B’SHEVAT BY EATING FRUIT, PARTICULARLY FROM THE SPECIES THAT ARE SINGLED OUT

BY THE TORAH IN ITS PRAISE OF THE BOUNTY OF THE HOLY LAND: WHEAT, BARLEY, GRAPES OR RAISINS, FIGS, POMEGRANATES, OLIVES AND DATES. WINE AND GRAPE JUICE, BOTH WHITE AND RED, ARE ALSO DRUNK ON THIS DAY. HERE ARE SOME RECIPES IN HONOR OF TU B’SHEVAT THAT USE THE SHEVA MINIM.

Feta, Fig and Green Grape Salad Ingredients 2 TBS balsamic vinegar 1 TBS honey Juice of ½ orange Salt and freshly ground black pepper ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing 12 fresh figs, halved 4 oz. mixed greens 6 oz. feta, crumbled ½ cup chopped pistachios 1 cup green grapes, halved Preparation Whisk together the vinegar, honey, orange juice and some salt and pepper to combine.

Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. Set aside.

Brush the figs with some olive oil, season with salt and pepper and bake at 400°, cut-side down, just until slightly wilted. Remove to a plate. Toss the greens with some of the vinaigrette. Transfer the greens to a platter and arrange the figs over top. Sprinkle with the feta, grapes and pistachios and drizzle some of the remaining dressing over top.

Garlic-Herb Marinated Olives Ingredients 1 TBS dried oregano 6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed ½ cup red wine vinegar 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil 2 cups Kalamata olives Preparation Combine oregano, garlic, vinegar and oil. Toss with olives.

Chocolate Covered Pomegranate Clusters

Adapted from epicurious.com

Ingredients 1 cup (8 oz.) pomegranate arils 2/3 cup (4 oz.) good quality chocolate (I like Noblese) ¼ tsp curry powder (optional) ¼ cup fresh, mint stemmed and julienned

Ingredients Streusel Topping 1 cup flour 1 cup sugar 1/8 cup desiccated coconut (optional) ½ cup canola oil

Preparation Melt chocolate chips in a heavy-bottomed small saucepan over low-to-medium heat stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove saucepan from the burner. Add pomegranate seeds and stir in curry powder.

Use a spoon to scoop out small chocolate-covered clusters and place each on a wax paper-lined plate. Garnish with mint. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm, about 15 minutes.

Muffins cups whole dates, pitted ¾ cup boiling water 2 cups flour 2 ½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt ½ cup canola oil ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla Preparation To make the streusel topping: In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and coconut. Using a fork, stir oil until well combined and mixture begins to hold together but is still crumbly.

To make the muffins: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.

Place the dates in a shallow bowl (in a single layer if possible), pour boiling water over them, and soak for 15 minutes. Transfer the dates and soaking liquid to a food processor and puree until almost smooth but a few pea-sized fruit pieces remain.

Set aside to cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix together the oil and brown sugar. With the motor running, mix in the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla. Add half of the flour mixture and mix until moistened. Follow with the date puree, and when thoroughly combined, mix in remainder of the flour mixture. Scrape down the sides and give a final stir with a spatula to make sure all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Top with the streusel and press down gently to adhere. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Whole Wheat Crescent Rolls Ingredients 2 cups warm water 4 TBS honey 2 pkg active dry yeast (about 5 teaspoons instant dried yeast) 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups whole wheat flour 1 TBS salt Preparation In a bowl, add 2 cups of water and sprinkle in the yeast; then add the honey. Let stand until foamy. After it has foamed, add in the flours and salt, then mix by hand until a dough ball forms.

Turn onto a slightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Let stand and rise for 45 minutes.

Cut dough in half. Roll one half into a large pizza-like circle and cut up into “pizza” pizza. Take each “slice” and roll up like a rugelach. Bake for 25 minutes at 350° until slightly brown.

Mushroom Barley Soup with Hot Dogs Ingredients ¼ cup olive oil 1 cup chopped onion ¾ cup diced carrots ½ cup chopped celery 1 tsp minced garlic 1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced 6 cups chicken broth ¾ cup barley 1 pkg Abeles and Hyman hotdogs, sliced thin on a bias Salt and pepper to taste Preparation Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic; cook and stir until onions are soft. Stir in mushrooms and hot dogs and continue to cook for a few minutes. Pour in the chicken broth and add barley.

Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until barley is tender, about 50 minutes. Season with salt and pepper 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. NaoContinued on page 98 mi can be reached through her website,www.theaussiegourmet.com or at (516) 295-9669.

TThHeE JJeEw a n u2a4ry 9 , 2014 WiIsShH HHoOmMeE nn Mj AY , 2012

Date Muffins

97 77

The Jewish Home n

Date Muffins

Chocolate Covered Pomegranate Clusters

Adapted from epicurious.com

Ingredients 1 cup (8 oz.) pomegranate arils 2/3 cup (4 oz.) good quality chocolate (I like Noblese) ¼ tsp curry powder (optional) ¼ cup fresh, mint stemmed and julienned

Ingredients Streusel Topping 1 cup flour 1 cup sugar 1/8 cup desiccated coconut (optional) ½ cup canola oil

Preparation Melt chocolate chips in a heavy-bottomed small saucepan over low-to-medium heat stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove saucepan from the burner. Add pomegranate seeds and stir in curry powder.

Use a spoon to scoop out small chocolate-covered clusters and place each on a wax paper-lined plate. Garnish with mint. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm, about 15 minutes.

Muffins cups whole dates, pitted ¾ cup boiling water 2 cups flour 2 ½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt ½ cup canola oil ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla Preparation To make the streusel topping: In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and coconut. Using a fork, stir oil until well combined and mixture begins to hold together but is still crumbly.

To make the muffins: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.

Place the dates in a shallow bowl (in a single layer if possible), pour boiling water over them, and soak for 15 minutes. Transfer the dates and soaking liquid to a food processor and puree until almost smooth but a few pea-sized fruit pieces remain.

Set aside to cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix together the oil and brown sugar. With the motor running, mix in the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla. Add half of the flour mixture and mix until moistened. Follow with the date puree, and when thoroughly combined, mix in remainder of the flour mixture. Scrape down the sides and give a final stir with a spatula to make sure all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Top with the streusel and press down gently to adhere. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Whole Wheat Crescent Rolls Ingredients 2 cups warm water 4 TBS honey 2 pkg active dry yeast (about 5 teaspoons instant dried yeast) 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups whole wheat flour 1 TBS salt Preparation In a bowl, add 2 cups of water and sprinkle in the yeast; then add the honey. Let stand until foamy. After it has foamed, add in the flours and salt, then mix by hand until a dough ball forms.

Turn onto a slightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Let stand and rise for 45 minutes.

Cut dough in half. Roll one half into a large pizza-like circle and cut up into “pizza” pizza. Take each “slice” and roll up like a rugelach. Bake for 25 minutes at 350° until slightly brown.

Mushroom Barley Soup with Hot Dogs Ingredients ¼ cup olive oil 1 cup chopped onion ¾ cup diced carrots ½ cup chopped celery 1 tsp minced garlic 1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced 6 cups chicken broth ¾ cup barley 1 pkg Abeles and Hyman hotdogs, sliced thin on a bias Salt and pepper to taste Preparation Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic; cook and stir until onions are soft. Stir in mushrooms and hot dogs and continue to cook for a few minutes. Pour in the chicken broth and add barley.

Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until barley is tender, about 50 minutes. Season with salt and pepper 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.

77 T H E J E W I S H H O M E n M AY 2 4 , 2012

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

98

99 Moderated by Dr. Dov Finman

Does My Son Have Friends?

Rabbi Yisroel Kaminetsky

Menahel, DRS Yeshiva High School for Boys, HALB There is a common myth among parents of pre-teen and teenage boys that the only way a boy can be socially accepted and interact with peers in a normal way is if he is into sports. This is false. There are many, many completely socially healthy, well-adjusted boys who don’t know which end of the baseball bat to hold and could not hit the side of a barn with a basketball. Many of our yeshivos have many activities for kids to get involved in that have nothing to do with sports, whether they be divrei Torah publications, essay contests, chesed activities, fundraising events, and so much more. What I would do in this case would be to have a meeting with the rebbe or with the principal of the yeshiva to find out if there are other activities in the yeshiva that the boy can get involved in. Who are the other boys in the class who have similar interests to your son; can you get those boys together on Shabbos afternoon? It is so important for every boy in a yeshiva to feel that he fits in.

In that meeting as well it makes sense to raise your general social concerns about the boy. Who are his friends? Who could be his friends? Is there any negative social interaction going on? For a boy to say he does not want to go to school, this may be a red flag that he is being picked on or excluded. It is important to try and get to the bottom of why he is suddenly so unhappy. If he is being excluded, capable rabbeim, teachers, and administrators should be able to do some behind-the-scenes work to make sure the boy gets invited to other boys’ homes and develops more social outlets. Parents as well can reach out to other parents in the class to try and arrange time for boys to be together outside of yeshiva, which will hopefully spill over to their relationships inside yeshiva.

Rabbi Dov Silver

Founder and Executive Vice President, Madraigos Obviously, your son had been going through struggles prior to this year.

Typically, a child doesn’t suddenly decide that he doesn’t want to go to school.

First, I would recommend that you consult your son’s teachers and school administration to share your concerns and see, from their perspective, if they can shed light on the situation.

Second, your son’s social situation should be addressed and analyzed.

Effort should be made within the school and also at home with neighbors to develop new friendships and/or strengthen old ones. Besides the trauma he may be experiencing of not having friends, you need to make sure that nothing else is going on in his life that may be stressing him or causing him pain. Perhaps, he may be going through something that he never shared.

Third, once everything is ruled out, working together with your son’s school, find ways make him feel like a shining star. Regarding his success in learning, your family needs to applaud and recognize your son for his good grades, report cards, etc. because so far, that’s where he gains his sense of value. Besides sports, he can explore other ways to spend his free time. You can focus on his interests and the activities at which he excels. Applying oneself to areas of

seems to us that without playing sports he seems to have difficulty making/ interacting with friends. My husband isn’t into sports all that much either, so he doesn’t play baseball or football with our son. I don’t want to push my son to play sports if he doesn’t like it, but I’m not sure what I can do to get him back to his normally happy self. Again, I want to stress that my son otherwise has always been a very happy kid and has always done well in school, so his telling us that he doesn’t want to go to school was a big shock to us.

personal interest generally brings self-fulfillment and builds self-esteem, not to mention the friends that he may meet in the process. The father/son relationship is very important. If your husband doesn’t have an interest in sports, they should find other activities to share that provide a qualitative, pleasant experience for both. Perhaps, visiting a planetarium or other wholesome venues might be an option.

Ultimately, if he still struggles and continues to express that he doesn’t want to go to school next year, you should meet with the administration of your son’s school to determine if changes can be made within the school to create a more inviting environment so he will want to return to school. If all options are exhausted, you should seek professional help to help navigate the issues.

It is praiseworthy that you have been so responsive to your son’s needs. May he grow to shine and develop to his fullest potential and be a tremendous source of nachas for the family.

Dr. Dov Finman

Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Faculty Fellow, Adelphi University When your son says that he doesn’t want to go to school next year, he’s obviously reaching out to you for help. Often, parents are too busy and just try to placate their child and hope that things will just resolve on their own. I think it’s important to hear your child out and to ask detailed questions in a sympathetic way in order to understand what’s going on. The best idea is to deal with this sort of thing immediately when it comes up. You should bring yourself down to your child’s level, whatever the age, and engage him on his level. Be curious; that’s what I do with clients and with my kids as well. I pose questions in a genuinely curious fashion to try to understand better what’s going on. It sounds like you did this and that you found out that your son is not playing with the other boys at recess.

If he’s not playing sports at recess, “just watching,” this is most likely an issue with confidence, not ability. Your husband doesn’t need to be a major athlete to throw the football around with him. If he can’t for whatever reason, then why not have a catch with him yourself? Practice should boost his confidence and hopefully he can get involved in the games at recess.

However, I wonder if there is anything else going on as well. I would be curious about his friendships in general. Is your son shy/introverted? You mentioned that he has difficulty in general making friends. Do boys tease him for his academic abilities? If your son declared that he doesn’t want to go to school anymore, I would be concerned about the possibility of bullying. I’ve seen bullying get out of control quickly. I’m sure your son’s class has many fine boys, but one bully is one too much. Bullies usually are dealing with their own emotional turmoil as well. Maybe we’ll discuss that in another parenting panel.

Have any questions you’d like to address? Feel free to send your parenting questions to the moderator, Dr. Dov Finman, at DrFinman@gmail.com.

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

My son came home the other day and told me he doesn’t want to go to school next year. I talked to him to try to figure out where this was coming from. He is in seventh grade. He does very well academically and his rabbeim always tells us how well he behaves in class. We always knew he was more introverted and shy than some of the other boys in his class. After talking with him, we found out that he doesn’t play with the other boys at recess, he just “watches.” He doesn’t really like playing sports. He enjoys learning, but it

The Jewish Home n

Parenting Panel

The Jewish Home n j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

100

101 The Jewish Home n j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

The Jewish Home n

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

102

Ask the Attorney Roman Aminov, Esq.

Can My Spouse Disinherit Me? Can my spouse disinherit me? Can I disinherit my spouse? If I have been disinherited, do I have any rights? As a New York estate attorney, I frequently hear these and other related questions.

Whether it is planning your estate or dealing with the probate process after the death of a spouse, it is important to know New York’s spousal right of election rules in order to protect your rights and advance your interests.

The Law: In New York, even if a spouse is left nothing under a will, they are entitled to receive the following automatically as per EPTL 5-3.1: 1. Money or cash equivalents up to $25,000. This includes cash, checking, savings, and money market accounts, as well as CDs. 2. One automobile with a value up to $25,000.

3. Household items up to $20,000 including furniture, appliances, jewelry, and clothing of the decedent.

4. Books, computers, discs, software, family pictures up to $2,500.

5. Domestic and farm animals and farm machinery up to $20,000 (we don’t see this often in New York City).

The net estate consists not only of probate assets (property which is capable of passing by a will), but also of “testamentary substitutes.” Testamentary substitutes include jointly owned property, assets in living trusts, payable on death accounts (also known as Totten Trusts or “in trust for” accounts), pen-

New York seeks to prevent a spouse from completely disinheriting the other.

In addition to the aforementioned property, a surviving spouse can choose to exercise their “spousal right of election” under EPTL 5-1.1A which entitles them to receive the greater of $50,000 or 1/3 of the decedent’s “net estate.”

sion funds, and even gifts the decedent made one year prior to death. By having such a broad definition of the “net estate,” New York seeks to prevent a spouse from completely disinheriting the other by keeping his money in assets which avoid probate. The surviving spouse has the right of election regardless of whether the decedent left a last will and testament or not. Consequently, even if there was no will, the surviving spouse could elect against the net estate if that would entitle them to a larger share.

The Procedure: If the surviving spouse did not receive the greater of $50,000 or 1/3 of the net estate, the statute gives them six months from the issuance of letters testamentary or letters of administration, but no later than 2 years after death, to claim their right of election, although there are exceptions to the rule which are outside the scope of this article. The spouse must mail a notice of election to executor or administrator and file and record the original along with proof of service in the Surrogate’s Court. If the will has not been admitted to probate, notice should be sent to the nominated executor.

The spouse has a right to examine necessary parties to determine the nature, location, and size of the net estate.

Ultimately, the judge makes the decision as to what the spouse is entitled based on the evidence submitted to the court. The judge has the power to require beneficiaries to give back their portion to satisfy the spouse’s elective share, regardless of whether assets are

probate or non-probate. If the decedent had joint accounts which passed automatically to the other owners, or even if the decedent left accounts with beneficiaries who already received their inheritance, the court can ask those beneficiaries to turn over a portion of their share to the surviving spouse.

Exceptions: You may be reading this and wondering if there is any way to exclude a current or intended spouse from claiming their right of election; I frequently get this question from clients. The law provides an exception if a surviving spouse “abandoned” the decedent or failed to support him financially when she had a duty to do so, and the abandonment lasted until death. Abandonment is a tricky thing to prove, but courts have typically defined it as the spouse leaving without consent, without justification, and without intent to return. The easier, and more common approach, is for the couple to waive the rights in a prenuptial (before marriage) or postnuptial (after marriage) agreement. Both spouses should have separate attorneys review the agreements prior to signing them. Failure to do so may allow a court to disregard the agreement because it wasn’t properly understood by the spouse. Just because a couple may have waived their rights in a prenup or postnup does not mean that they can’t designate each other as beneficiaries in the will; it just means that the surviving spouse can not take anything other than what was intentionally left for them.

As with all complex legal situations, an attorney should be consulted in order to properly achieve your objectives, whether they be to successfully recover your spousal right of election, defend the estate against it, or plan to avoid it.

Roman Aminov, Esq. is an estate lawyer concentrating in estate planning, elder law, and probate. He is also a Medicaid attorney experienced in the drafting of trusts, wills, powers of attorney, and health care proxies. For a free consultation, contact him at (347)766-2685 or at www.AminovLaw.com.

103 The Jewish Home n j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

REGAL Mother of Pearl and Sterling Ataros

!

R E M M U S R E H T O N A R O F K C A WE’RE B

The Jewish Home n

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

104

This year camp will be at a new larger facility Ohr Torah in North Woodmere!

Join us for an exciting summer of activities and fun , where every child gets to shine!

LOCATION:

Ohr Torah 410 Hungry Harbor Road N. Woodmere. N.Y. 11581

HOURS:

Mon to Thu: 9:30 - 3:00 / Friday 9:30-12:30

DATES:

FIRST HALF June 26 to July 23 SECOND HALF July 24 to Aug 19

PRICE:

Half summer $550 Full summer $1000

AGES:

Boys and Girls going into Nursery, Kindergarten and Pre1 –A

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND AN APPLICATION: please email Campfunshine2014@gmail.com or contact Sari Schwartz at 347.713.2957 or Baila Halpern at 516.225.4521 www.sandbox-marketing.com

105

CAMP FUN!

HOURS 9:30-3:00

RUN BY EXPERIENCED AND LOVING MORAHS

ROCHEL WALDEN:718-490-1582 SHEVY KAPLAN:845-709-0248 (Centrally located in Far Rockaway)

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

FOR YOUR CHILDREN AGES 3 & 4

The Jewish Home n

NEW this Summer 2014!!!

The Jewish Home n

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

106

From My Private Art Collection Rebbetzin Naomi N. Herzberg

Understanding the Terms Used While Producing Quality Art:

P

eople are always asking me how I come up with the topics for each article written. It is quite simple.

I take the lead from questions which I am frequently asked, do my research, search my archives and “my private art collection” of over 40 years, and try to cover topics people are interested in hearing about. This article will explore recently asked questions and terms with explanations. When familiar with these terms, the job of the lay person, artist and art teacher becomes easier; communication becomes equally more pleasant.

There is nothing more uncomfortable than being in the dark on a subject you are interested in pursuing. While art is fun, it can be mysterious and hard to have a conversation in without an understanding of artistic language.

1) What is meant by the term abstract art?

I am an art teacher and need a way to explain it in simple terms, so that my elementary school students can identify with it.

Abstract artwork is the definition for artwork based on a subject, which is not created in detail and takes on a new dimension to the visual eye.

2) I have studied the color wheel numerous times and understand primary, secondary and tertiary colors. What are

A Dozen Recently Asked Questions analogous colors?

Analogous colors are directly next to each other on the color wheel and have one particular hue in common.

Examples would be the colors blue, blue-violet and violet, which all contain the color blue.

in a composition, by doing both sides of the picture in a way that shows balanced visual interest, but not exactly the same.

4) What is meant by a binder when referring to painting?

An example of typography Artwork using analogous colors

An example of a montage

3) How would I go about creating an asymmetrical picture?

An asymmetrical picture is created

A collagraph print

A binder is the material used to hold the pigments in the paints together. It can be made from glue, oil, wax, etc.

5) I have been shopping for unusual artwork. How does a collagraph differ from other prints?

Collagraph art work is created similarly to a collage. The collagraph print is produced from the collage surface, which is not a perfectly flat surface.

6) In my search for artwork to decorate my home I have come upon designs known as dry-point designs. What is a dry-point design?

This kind of printing design process is created when a particular desired image is scratched on to the printing plate with a needle made from steel. This creates a feeling of velvet in the actual finished design.

7) Does freehand and free-form

mean the same thing?

No. Freehand artwork means that the artwork is created without the use of a compass, ruler or tracing paper, etc.

Free-form means that the actual form or shape is irregular and unusual.

8. When developing pictures I am often asked what type of finish I prefer matte or glossy? What is the definition of the term matte?

I prefer a matte finish as it is not shiny or glossy, therefore, showing fewer imperfections.

It is usually a flat finish with a texture appearing dull.

9. How does a montage differ from a collage?

A collage is made from many materials and then glued down to a surface to create a piece of artwork. A montage is created from photographs.

10) What is the difference between a monoprint and a plain print?

Regular prints are usually part of a group of impressions made at the same time and printed the exact same way. It is known as a mono print when only one print is made.

11) I am aware of the fact that the word score can take on many meanings; so how does the word score relate to the world of art?

In producing art, “score” is a term used when a sharp object is pressed onto thick paper to create a line, which can then be easily bent at that point.

When working with clay it is also done at connecting points.

12) There are so many variations and techniques applied when creating artwork. What is meant by typography?

Typography is the art of using the alphabet in various forms in order to design creative works.

Rebbetzin Naomi N. Herzberg is a professional art educator, artist and designer.

Among her known artwork is a floral sculpture presented to Tipper Gore, Blair House, Washington, D.C. Presently she is the Director of Operations at Shulamith School for Girls. Please feel free to email nherzberg@ optonline.net with questions and suggestions for future columns.

107 Galil

Kleenex

Fresh & Frozen

Instant Soup

Gefilte Fish

90ct & 75ct

22oz

Assorted Flavors

Liebers

Kitchen Bags

6.99Case

$

Gedilla

Bissli 2.5oz

Snak Pak

Assorted .75oz

4/$1

$

Zaza

Elite

Cream Candy

.79

4.99

Gefen

Gefen

28oz

32oz

Ketchup

Osem

Mini

Super Special! Tuv Taam

Liebers

Herrs

5.25oz

1oz

Chick Peas

2/$.99

$

4/$1

$

Dagim

Glicks

Liebers

Gefen

16oz

Cooking Spray

1.99

Mayonnaise

$

Liebers

Liebers

11.5oz

21 Oz

Corn Pops

1.19

$

Cups

1.99

Thins

Canola Oil

4pk

2/$3

Gefen

Mehadrin

Mehadrin

Shwartz

Liebers

16oz

20 Oz

2.49

Greek Yogurt

Cottage Cheese

Assorted

.99

Barley

Pineapple

16oz

6oz

.99

3.69

$

6pk

4.99

$

.69

$

$

$

.99

1.99

$

Sliced

Turkey

6oz

6oz

$

Toilet Paper Rolls

5.99

Roll $

4.59

Beef

Beef

6oz

6oz

Bologna $

.89

Bakery Dept.

Cold Cuts from Kiryas Yoel Pastrami

Marcal

3/$2

Pepper Steak

Juice Box Drinks

10.5oz

3.99

Beigels

Beigels

Beigels

14oz

assorted except S/F 15oz

15oz

Rugelach $

Family Pack

Chicken Cutlets

Family Pack

Ground Beef

3.99

$

3.99

7 layer cake $

3.99

Red Seedless

Family Pack

Chicken Cutlets

3.99

Grapefruits #56

1.49Lb

4/$1

Large

Shabos Meat

$

Large

Grapes $

Wed. Special

Roll cake

Fruits & Veg.

Salami

Meat Dept.

Beef Stew

Fruit Punch & Kiwi

Chocolate And Butter

6oz

3.99

.99

2/$3

Apple Sauce

Tissues

1.29

5oz

Liebers

Elegant

7oz

Popcorners

12oz

$

$

Manzanillo Olives

$

Titos Chips

4.99

$

Mandarin Oranges

$2.99

3.99

2/$1.50

11oz

2/$3

Bamba

Tilapia Fillet

100g

1.19

$

$

Sour Stix

3oz

$

$

Levs

Milk & Bittersweet

2lb

15oz

4/$1

$

Chocolate Bars

26.45 Oz

7.99

Honey

$

Croutons

Assorted

.75oz

.99

Glicks

Frosted Flakes

Cook Rite

Zucchini $

Potatoes 5lb Bag

.59Lb

Baby Carrots

1.99

$ Macintosh

Apples

Onions 2lb Bag

16oz

5.99Lb.

$

7.49Lb.

$

3.99Lb.

$

$

3.99Lb.

5.99Lb.

$

3.49Lb.

$

.99

$

.89Lb

$

$

.99

Sale valid 01/9/14 thru 01/15/14. Cash & Carry only. We reserve the right to limit quanitities on sale items. Not responsible for typographical errors. While supplies last. No rain checks.

ORDERS CAN BE EMAILED, FAXED, OR CALLED IN 1913 Cornaga Ave. • Far Rockaway • T. 718.471.7555 • F. 718.471.9102 • E. Kosherworldorders@yahoo.com

FREE PARKING • FREE DELIVERY • FRIENDLY SERVICE • CURB SIDE SERVICE Store hours: Sun 8-8 • Mon. - Tue. 7-8 • Wed. 7-10 • Thu. 7-12 • Fri. 7-1 1/2 Hours Before Shabbos

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

2/$7

Kellogg’s

Chips

28ct

$

$

Glad

The Jewish Home n

Grocery Section

108

The Jewish Home n

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

Your Money Allan J. Rolnick CPA

Resolutions We’d Like to See

2

014 is here, and it’s time for New Years’ resolutions. Americans across the country are pledging to lose weight, quit smoking, exercise, and find new jobs. Some of them will succeed; others will lose faith before the first snowmelt. (Want to make a fortune? Open a gym that turns into a sports bar on February 1!) So we thought we would take this opportunity to suggest some resolutions to the folks who determine how much tax we pay.

• Congress: Put the Tax Code on a diet. According to one count, our tax code runs nearly 4 million words. That’s four times the words in all the Harry Potter books put together, with none of the magic and wizardry.

(You may think we work a version of the “obliteration charm” when we save you thousands in tax, but we assure you there’s nothing supernatural involved.) We say it’s high time to put the Tax Code on a diet — and if that doesn’t work, try bypass surgery. We can raise just as much money for the government without dragging down the economy the way the tax code does.

The problem, of course, is that there’s no agreement in Washington to accomplish anything so ambitious. Our current Congress is widely considered to be the least productive in history, at least if you consider “bills passed” to be the right measure of productivity.

House Speaker John Boehner has said that Congress should be measured by how many bills they repeal — if he’s serious, maybe he can start with nightmares like the Alternative Minimum Tax, the Earned Income Tax Credit, and the passive activity loss rules.

Back in 1986, Ronald Reagan cited the following language from the tax code (defining private foundations, if you’re curious), to help make his case for comprehensive tax reform: “For purposes of paragraph (3), an organization described in paragraph (2) shall be deemed to include an organization described in section 501(c)(4), (5), or (6) which would be described in para-

graph (2) if it were an organization described in section 501(c)(3).” Congress has passed a dozen “tax simplification” laws since then, and the language Reagan cited still remains. (Congress must have spent their time working on the really confusing stuff!)

• IRS: Focus on customer service. Fighting IRS red tape makes a trip to the DMV look like a stay at a fivestar hotel. The average hold time to speak to someone at the agency rose to 17 minutes in 2012, but the percentage of callers who actually get help fell to

68%. Mail is even slower — nearly half their correspondence takes more than 6½ weeks to answer. No private-sector business would accept those kinds of results.

The problem here is that the IRS simply has an impossible job. They don’t make the tax laws, but get blamed for them just the same. They don’t get the budget they need to do their job, but get blamed for falling down on it just the same. (For Fiscal 2011, the IRS collected $2.52 trillion in tax with a budget of just $11.8 billion, which makes a pretty phenomenal return on investment of 214:1.) Few members of Congress want to be known for giving the IRS more money. But funding for basic technology and customer service shouldn’t be nearly as hard a case to make as funding for more aggressive enforcement.

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.

109

THuRSDAY JANuARY 16, 2014

the ArboreAl New YeAr in the Shomron

with Guide

eve harow

First, we will visit the Zimmerman Farm in Itamar - home grown dried fruits, a dairy and more, all in a self sustaining energy environment

Enjoy a delectable home-made dairy lunch at Savta Chana's (Rav Dudkevitch) in Yitzhar.

Up the hill to the Melet Mill for flour, oil and honey. Eretz Yisrael is desolate no more. Peek in at the cutting edge One Israel Funded security center keeping our farmers and their children safe.

In the afternoon we will honor the holiday by planting fruit trees in Eli, planning for the future even as we partake of the bounty of the Land

See where Gideon may have 'threshed his wheat in a grape press' at Ofra of the Judges.

End the day at the Gvaot Winery in Givat Harel, where creative blending and ongoing research have brought our new old industry back to life The cherry trees of modern Ofra; we’re way beyond the seven species.

TuESDAY JANuARY 21, 2014

MONDAY, JANuARY 20, 2014

t i s i V y r a u n Ja o the t an Valley Jord with Guide

Eve Harow

the

Southern Jordan Valley • Down to Israel's east via the stunning back road north of Wadi Kelt towards Jericho • Visit Naama and Omer Atidya on their Einot Kedem Ranch; a little house on the 'prairie' where we can buy their olive oil and dates. This inspirational young couple also provide a haven for youth at risk • Netiv Hagdud; tour with agronomist Chaim Oren and try the restorative pure Argan Oil that he and his wife Sylvie harvest and sell all over the world • After a delicious dairy lunch at Cafe Cafe, we will drive up the Sartaba Mountain to the brand new breathtaking lookout platform of the entire area.

• South to the Dead Sea; meet the Megillot Search and Rescue Team. See their storage facility and hear of their high risk life saving work, including never before told stories from their recent volunteer stint in the Philippines after the typhoon. Then, exclusive for One Israel Fund - a live demonstration of a rescue in the Judean Desert.

TRIPS DEPART FROm ThE LIBERTY BELL PARKInG LOT PROmPTLY AT 8:30am AnD RETURn APPROxImATELY 6:30pm.

Cost per day: $70 PER ADULT / $60 PER STUDEnTS In ISRAEL OR chILDREn UnDER 12

t i s i V y r a u n Ja o the t an Valley Jord with Guide

Eve Harow

the

Northern Jordan Valley • Drive the little known Allon Road, behind the scenes, scenic and strategic • A visit to the Spice, Tea and Stevia Ranch at Moshav Hamra. A green oasis in the foothills of the Shomron • In the Massua area, meet the local IDF Brigade Commander and hear firsthand what his challenging work entails. Special for One Israel Fund - lunch with soldiers • At the Miller Packing House in Shadmot Mechola, see locally grown flower bulbs and herbs for export and learn how the BDS movement affects the farmers’ livelihood • An Iron Age foot shaped enclosure near Argaman - can this be a Gilgal from the time of Joshua and the Judges?

• Return to Jerusalem via Road 90

FOR RESERVATIONS & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION VISIT

WWW.ONEISRAELFuND.ORG/DAYTRIPS

EMAIL DAYTRIPS@ONEISRAELFuND.ORG OR CONTACT: RuTHIE KOHN 516.239.9202 x10

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

C

e t a r b e l e

The Jewish Home n

Winter Day trips January 2014

110

FIRST CHILD FREE!

The Jewish Home n

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

The Schechter Family Presents...

n n n

n n

n

FEATURING:

n

Rabbi Y.Y. Rubinstein Honorable Phillip Goldfeder

n

NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY

n

Avraham Rosenblum

Our 19th spectacular year!

Directly on the beach Oversized NEWLY RENOVATED rooms many with terraces Superb Children’s program Gourmet glatt kosher cuisine with renowned Chef Andy Serano Communal or private seders Private seder rooms available Trips to major attractions Golf, tennis, watersports nearby Daily services, shiurim, lectures

FOR RESERVATIONS CALL CARIBBEAN KOSHER TOURS:

732.370.7777

Chasidishe shechita, Cholov Yisroel, Non Genrokts, Hand Shmurah Matzo

Looking forward to greeting you personally.

Your hosts, The Mandel Family

1-800-327-8165 305-937-7209

19201 COLLINS AVE, MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA

marcopolopassover@gmail.com

www.MarcoPoloBeachResort.com

World Renowned Guest Speakers

AP

14 – 22, 2 L I 01 R

Jewish Home 4.65” x 5.875 Find us on Facebook GatewaysOrg

4

R’Avraham FRIEDMAN

R’Dovid ORDMAN

R’ Dr. Akiva TATZ

P E SACH &

R’ Dovid GREENBLATT

Mrs. Debbie GREENBLATT

R’ Jonathan RIETTI

R’ Yonason SHIPPEL

R’ Mordechai SUCHARD

gashmius combine for the ultimate experience

S f

r

a

d

t m

o

r

d

Hilt

o n

t | S

am

fo

Gourmet Cuisine Dear Guest: Dear Guest: As you know, our Pesach program is a “Non-Gebrokts” program.

As you know, our Pesach program is a “Non-Gebrokts” program.

Consequently, guests are kindly requested to be careful that Matzo Consequently, guests are kindly requested to be careful that Matzo should not come in contact with liquids. Furthermore, being that Egg should notpermissible come in contact with liquids.

Furthermore, being that Egg Matzo is not on Pesach (except for the infirm on the advice is not shall permissible onextra Pesach (except forthe the“Shabbos infirm onErev the advice of Matzo a Rav), guests please be careful during of a Rav), shall please be Matzo extra careful during the “Shabbos Pesach” mealsguests to keep away the Egg –as much as possiblefrom Erev to keep away the Egg Matzo –as much as possible- from thePesach” Pesach meals dishes and utensils.

e n t e rta i n m e n t the Pesach dishes and utensils.

Baruch LEVINE

R’ Mordechai BECHER

,C t

where ruchnius

5774

World Renowned Gateways Speakers

you Simcha YaakovThank Thank you KAJ Hashgocha SHWEKEY LEINER

KAJ Hashgocha

Day Camp

• Masmidim program run by Rabbi Dovid Libman • Pirchei & Bnos style day • Experienced professional day camp led by Master Storyteller & camp directors & counselors Mechanech Rabbi Avi Frank • Trips to major attractions • Children & teen programming • Children’s Carnival • Babysitting service

Mrs. Zahava FARBMAN, lmSw • Entire Hotel Exclusive to Gateways • Luxurious suites • Atrium lobby • Private Seder Rooms • New Indoor Pool and Jacuzzi • Shabbos Key Locks & Elevators • Health and fitness center • Walking paths • Aerobics, Simcha dancing and Zumba • Tennis Courts • 24 hour tea room • Lavish buffets and kiddushim • Shmurah Matzah • Non-Gebrokts • Cholov Yisroel & Chasidish Shechita • Vast wine selection • Two game rooms • Wi-Fi throughout • Complimentary parking • 45 miles from Brooklyn & 5 Towns

the shidduch division of gateways

Featuring Gateways Shadchanim

For More Info & Reservations

GATEWAYS ORGANIZATION

800-722-3191 • 845-352-0393 office@gatewaysonline.org • www.gatewayspesach.org

111 The Jewish Home n j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

Join us at the incomparable

Waldorf Astoria Hotel Passover 2014 in Orlando, FL Featured Scholars-in-Residence

Rabbi Kenneth N. Hain

Rabbi Shmuel Hain

SPECIAL GUEST

Rabbi Benjamin Blech

President Richard M. Joel

Under the strict glatt kosher supervision of Rabbi Rafael Berdugo, Rav Hamachshir

Alan Berger Director and Host

Robyn Hartman Program Manager Doug Soclof Dining Room Host and Maitre D’ For reservations or more information, please contact our team at: 1-877-PESACH4 (1-877-737-2244) or 516-734-0840 info@passovergg.com www.passovergrandgetaways.com GG WAO 10Wx14H Ad 5774 #5.indd 1

Catering by

Joey Bodner, Marty Bodner and Eddie Izso of

12/24/13 10:37 AM

The Jewish Home n

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

112

Life Coach Ski Run For Your Life

T

he question is straight up why?

Why would anyone voluntarily take themselves up to the top of a mountain, look down, and see their life pass before them, and then go for it! It’s not even as if they are under duress.

They point their skis in the same direction, throw their weight forward, and take off! Then, depending on their

level of ability, their feet may continue to travel in the same direction, or there could be a major parting of the ways!

This usually facilitates the first split ever achieved in their life—unfortunately, accomplished without proper preparation or desire.

Lately, it seems many people have taken up snowboarding. I think it’s because they get to tie their feet together in

a straight line. I know they say it’s because it’s cool, it’s fun, whatever…trust me, it’s a cheater’s way to keep their feet on a parallel plane. Why else would someone agree to have their feet connected to one piece of board in such a manner that the only way they can walk is by jumping around?!

I’ve been skiing for years, and honestly, if they’d leave me alone on a run

Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS

I’d be completely calm. It’s all those skiers and boarders crisscrossing my path that make me nuts. You would think I could find a deserted spot to go to. The problem is, I’m related to all the interference! If I just left my husband and kids at home I’d have a lot less people skiing at me. Did you ever notice it’s usually the people you come with who are sabotaging your progress down the mountain?

The chair lift is another funky experience. You’re swinging by a little wire, maybe 50- to 100-feet above the ground. Your face is frozen. The chair is swaying. And the bar is the only thing between you and a major drop. Then suddenly, you lift up the bar and sit with your heart in your mouth as your fouryear-old child slides his bottom forward without a care in the world to prepare to dismount—about 2 to 3 minutes sooner than you’d think advisable. But hey, they are fearless!

They’ve been out there skiing all day and for them, falling registers like a speck of dust. For you it’s a human avalanche; hands flying one way, feet going the other, and your body making contact with the snow like a ton of bricks. Then there’s the twenty minutes it takes to get back up on your feet as your skis keep facing down the mountain and taking you for a ride on your rear end like a bobsled in a speed race. By then your kid has gotten down the mountain, removed his gear, and is inside chillin’ with a nice big cup of hot chocolate. Talk about a humbling experience!

In the sport of skiing, lower to the ground is better. While you, the adult, come home sore and aching, they’ve just had the time of their lives. Kids swish through the trees, while I almost encounter the trees. They fly over the bumps, I do too! But they land upright.

They take air—I need air!

So what compels me to go to the top of the mountain each year? Either a really bad ability to remember the things I mentioned above, or the desire to be with, and see, my wonderful family all day…unfortunately, coming right at me!

Have fun with your family whenever you can—at home preferably—in a nice, safe place! But enjoy them, anyway, wherever you are!

Rivki Rosenwald is a certified relationship counselor and a career and life coach.

She can be contacted at 917-705-2004 or at rivki@rosenwalds.com.

113

PESACH 2014

*Rancho Bernardo Spa Pool & Cabanas

The Upscale Experience Awaits.

White Oaks Resort Niagara Falls, Canada

Rancho Bernardo Inn San Diego, California

Dolce Resort Norwalk, Connecticut

“Extraordinary would be the only way to describe it. The resort that has it all.”

“A peaceful haven in the heart of the mountains.”

Experience the only luxury pesach resort, less than an hour from nyc

-Condé Nast Traveler Top Southern California Golf Resort Awards Winner

-CONNECTICUT MAGAZINE #1 RATED CONFERENCE RESORT IN CONNECTICUT

-Canada Select Ontario’s Top Five Star Hotel Resort

featuring

&

info@upscale-getaways.com

www.upscale-getaways.com

1.877.895.3210

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

For a Pesach vacation that includes a beautiful resort, an unrivaled kids program, non-stop events, fascinating lecturers, and of course an incredible dining experience, Choose Upscale.

The Jewish Home n

presents

The Jewish Home n

j a n u a ry 9 , 2014

114

P A SSOVER FONTAINEBLEAU 2014

April 13-April 23

MIAMI BEACH

Deluxe, Ocean View, Terrace Rooms, Junior Suites, 1 & 2 Bedroom Suites (including Tresor & Sorrento Bldgs.)

3-10 Night Packages Available

a perFect winter get-away

Culinary Cuisine by: RAM CATERERS Directed by Simon Auerbacher ORB Glatt Kosher Supervision “Step It Up” Program:

Free

Kosh Contine er n BreaKfa tal st

YOGEV Berdugo, Teen Director CME Credit Program: Facilitated by DR. JAY MAZEL

For Information & Reservations Call: 877-538-9948 954-251-1940 Email: info@LASKOgetaways.com www.LASKOgetaways.com

Special aMenitieS For the KoSher traVeler: 4 Shul on premises oceanFront!

4 Glatt-kosher catering available 4 Within Sunny Isles Eruv MiaMi Beach, Florida 4 Shabbos keys available 4 250 deluxe rooms . . .

1 877 327 6363

www.marcopolobeachresort.com

115

WITH A PROGRAM TO MATCH PA S S OV E R I N PA L M S P R I N G S C A

Rancho Mirage THE FINEST IN DINING FROM THE KMR GOURMET CULINARY TEAM DIRECTED BY THE RENOWNED MICHAEL SCHICK A combination of two outstanding operators raising the bar for service and fine cuisine.

BOOKY AND LEAH ERBLICH OF AFIKOMAN THE WERNER BROTHERS OF KMR

SPECTACULAR LINEUP OF SPEAKERS & ENTERTAINMENT INCLUDING: RABBI STEVEN BURG RABBI MANIS FRIEDMAN RABBI CHANAN (ANTONY) GORDON

www.PREMIERPASSOVER.com | 888-234-5662 | 818-781-1333

T h e J e w i s h H o m e n january 9, 2014

SUNSHINE, FRESH AIR & MAGNIFICENT GROUNDS

Wheels To Lease Guranteed Lowest Pricing Any Make Any Model Any Time

The Biggest Selection of New Cars in Brooklyn!

Honda - Toyota - Hyundai - Nissan

often imitated, never duplicated

iPad Giveaway

Join our email list and you will be entered into a raffle for an iPad 3

www.wheelstolease.com/joinemaillist

Acura - Infiniti - Lexus -

- Ford - BMW - Chrysler

Wheels to Lease is the top car dealer and car leasing company in Brooklyn, and proudly serves car buyers in Manhattan, the Bronx, Jamaica, Queens, Hempstead NY, Jersey City and Union City in New Jersey, as well as all of Connecticut and Maryland.